that grand theatre of business: to you my well-beloved brother, who, out of that fortitude of mind, wherewith you excell, and that pious zeal for the house of God wherewith you are fired, do yet continue, and remain fixed in the suburbs of London, while the rest of us are every where wandering about: (so that I have not any one there who is so much one soul with me, or who hath such a natural concern as yourself for the Churches affairs and mine): yea to you, I say, do I commit in the Lord, as confiding in you, and in your wonted dexterity for business, all whatever belongeth to my place, and to the pontifical (or archiepiscopal) office, for the treating, consulting, and finally dispatching all those matters which thereunto do appertain: and by virtue of these presents, I do choose, make, and constitute you my Vicar for all that which is aforesaid, my agent of all things, and matters to me relating, Factor and Proxy-General, or Nuncio."
Afterwards he adds, "Whomsoever you, my brother, as occasion may require, shall think fit to assume and adjoin to yourself, whomsoever you shall elect and approve, confirm and constitute, I also as much as in me, and as I rightfully can, do in like manner assume and adjoin, elect and approve, confirm and constitute. In a word, whatsoever you shall of yourself do, or order to be done, in affairs of this kind, all that how great soever, or of what sort soever it be, boldly impute it to me: Lo I, William, have written it with mine own hand, and will stand by it."[1]
- ↑ Kettlewell, 136, 137. A Collection of Letters concerning the separation of the Church of England into two communions. 1746. p. 49—53. The close of this document, dated February the 9th 1691, is really touching: "Dated from my poor cottage (which
