After he had thus gain'd the Applaufe of all his Su periors, and by many Lengths outstripp'd most of his Contemporaries, by his well digefted and well approv'd Exercises, preparatory thereunto, he proceeded to the Degree of Mafter of Arts in June 1657, not with out fome Oppofition from Dr. John Owen, who fupplied the Place of Dean of Chrift-Church, and Officiated as Head of that Royal Foundation, with other Sectaries called Canons, during the Deprivation and Ejection of the Legal and Orthodox Members of the faid Chapter. This Man (if he deferves the Name of one,) that was guilty of a voluntary Defection from the Church Establish'd, after he had regularly receiv'd Ordination at the Hands of a Proteftant Bishop, contrary to the Oaths he had taken to his Rightful and Lawful Prince, and his Obedi ence that was due to the Canons of the Church) was one of the Earliest of the Clergy who join'd with the Rebels in Parliament affembled, that dethroned their natural Liege Lord and King, and alter'd the Form of Government in Matters Ecclefiaftical and Civil, and in Recompence of his Zeal for that End, after the Martyrdom of his Royal Sovereign, had been gifted with this undeferv'd Promotion. In Gratitude for which, if that word may be applied to Creatures divefted of all Qualities that point towards the leaft Symptoms of Humanity, he thought himfelf obliged to beftir himself heartily for what was then called the Good Old Caufe, against all thofe who fhould fwerve or deviate from it, especially fuch as fhould be found Peccant against the Orders of the Directory, and

fhould

fhould be, Unwarrantably, according to pretended Laws then in being, found in Epifcopal Meetings, making use of the Common Prayer.

Among thefe, was this our Candidate, for the Degree of Master of Arts, being excited thereunto, by the Example of Mr, John Fell, of the fame College with him, but of much longer standing, and ejected by the Commiffioners authorized thereunto, from the Council of State; and was caught in the very Act of Worshiping God after the Manner and Form of the Church of England: Whereupon, Dr. Owen, who was then Vice-Chancellor, and had been invested with that Character fome years before, was pleas'd to exprefs himself very feverely, and after threatning him with Expulfion, if he should be guilty of the like Practifes again, to tell him that He could do no lefs in Gratitude to his Highnefs the Protector, and his other great Friends who had thought him worthy of the Dignities he then ftood poffefs'd of. To which Mr. South made this grave, but very smart Reply. Gratitude among Friends, is like Credit amongst Tradefmen, it keeps Business up, and maintains the Correfpondence: And we pay not fo much out of a Principle that we ' ought to discharge our Debts, as to fecure our felves < a Place to be Trufted another Time; and in anfwer to the Doctor's making ufe of the Protector's and his other Great Friends Names, faid, Common Wealths put a value upon MEN, as well as MONEY, and we are forc'd to take them both, not by WEIGHT, but according as they are pleased to STAMP them, and at

a 4

the

the Current Rate of the Coin, by which he exafperated him two different ways, and made him his Enemy ever after; as he verified his own Sayings, which were frequently applied by him to his Fellow Students, viz. "That few People have "the Wisdom to like Reproofs that would do them "Good, better than Praises that do them Hurt.

But tho' the Doctor did what he could to fhew his Refentment by Virtue of his Office, the majority of thofe in whofe Power it was to give him the Degree he had regularly waited the ufual Terms for, was an over-match to all oppofition, and he had it confer'd on him. This enabled him fome time after to pay the Doctor in his own Coyn, and to let him know, that he likewife was not without a Will to use Means when they were put into his Hands, for requiting an Injury; and notwithstanding he could readily forgive, could not forget an ill Turn. For when this Vice-Chancellor took upon him to stand as Candidate to ferve in Parliament for the University, and in order thereunto had renounced his Holy Orders, that he might the more eafily gain his Purpose,Mr. South fo manag'd Matters with the Doctors, Batchelors of Divinity, and Mafters of Arts, the Electors, that he was very difficultly return'd, and after a few Days Sitting in the Houfe, had his Election declared Null and Void, bccause his Renunciation was not reputed Valid.

This puts me in mind of another Story, which Dr. South told a Friend of mine, concerning

the

the faid Owen, who at his being foon after remov'd from his Place of Vice-Chancellor, by the Chancellor Richard, Son of Oliver Cromwell, and from the Pulpit of St. Mary's, which was cleans'd of him, and the Rebel Goodwin, President of St. Mary Magdalen's College at one and the fame time, cryed out, I have built Seats at Mary's, let the Doctors find Auditors, for I will preach at Peter's; thereby infinuating, that none but he could have full Congregations. Tho' whatever were his Thoughts of the Affections of those who were mifled by his Doctrines, the very felf fame opiniative Man found himself very much out in his Conjectures of abiding at Chrift-Church, or of Preaching at St. Peter's long, for he was ejected from his Deanery, at the latter end of the Year, 1659, by the Government, that was then paving the way for the Restoration of the King and Royal Family; and foon after fucceeded by Dr. John Fell, who first was Installed Canon of Chrift-Church, in the room of Ralph Button, M. A. and formerly of Merton College, by the Commissioners appointed by the King, Mr. South having the Orator's Place of the Univerfity of Oxford, vacant by the Difmiffion of the faid

Button.

This brings me to a fecond Digreffion, which the Reader's Patience (it is hoped) will forgive, for its brevity. Mr. Anthony à Wood the famous Antiquary, in his Athena Oxonienfes, gives us to understand, that this Ralph Button at his Election into his Fellowship of Merton College, which he gain'd folely.

by

by his Merit, while others that were chofen with him, obtain❜d theirs by Favour, and the Custom of Seniority, gave occafion for a notable Pun made by Dr. Prideaux, then Rector of Exeter College, who faid, That all that were Elected befides him, were not worth a BUTTON. The faid Gentleman, afterwards fucceeded to a Canonry of Chrift-Church, in the room of the Learned and Pious Dr. Henry Ham mond, who was removed by the Iniquity of the Times, and at his own Ejection afterwards by the Commissioners appointed by the King, upon his Majesty's most happy Restoration, while his Goods were carrying out of Poffeffion, upon hearing the two Bells Ringing for Canonical Prayers in ChriftChurch, cry'd, There now go the Mafs-Bells, and let thofe that are affected that way, go to the Church, for, be fure I shall not. He went from Oxford to Ilington, near London, where he continued a DiffentingTeacher, and a School-Master, till the Year 1680, when he died, and was buried with his Son (who departed this Life at the fame time) in flington

Church.

In 1659, Mr. South, after having been admitted into Holy Orders the Year before, according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England, (then abolish'd) by a Regular, tho' deprived Bishop, was pitch'd upon to Preach the Affize Sermon before the Judges. For which End, he took his Text from the xth Chapter of St. Matthew's Gofpel, ver. 33. Whosoever shall deny me before Men, him will I alfo deny before my Father which is in Hea