times as those, in which he lived. He was uncharitable towards the Nonjurors, who on their part regarded him as a man of no principle. His predilections for the Prince of Orange were so strong, that on some occasions, in his zeal for William, he appears almost to have lost the sense of right and wrong. Calamy states, that there were only five Nonjurors in Burnet's diocese, a circumstance which he conceives redounds to the Bishop's credit. Calamy mentions Martin, who was continued in his living though he refused the Oath: Spinkes, who was permitted to serve his parish by a curate: Jones, who was allowed to nominate his successor: Dickson, who died shortly after the period fixed for the deprivation: and Beale, who retained his living two years after the first of February 1690.[1] It certainly happened, that there were fewer Clergymen, who refused the Oaths in the diocese of Salisbury, than in some others: but this circumstance cannot be attributed to the Bishop's influence, or to the affection of the Clergy for his lordship: for it is certain, that he was very unpopular with many. There were, however, more than five Clergymen in the diocese of Sarum, who refused the Oath: nor is Calamy's account of Burnet's lenity in the cases already cited to be depended on. The Bishop was not lenient with the Nonjurors. His dislike to them was too strong to permit him to connive at their remaining in their livings, after the period fixed by the Act of Parliament for their deprivation. In many other dioceses they were kindly treated by the Bishops, though in none were they permitted to hold their livings, after they had refused the Oath. Indeed, the Bishops had no such power: for when the
- ↑ Calamy's Abridgement.
