Published by Button & Son, Paternoster Row.

suaded him from that design, and recommended him to Lord Brook, at Warwick; where he resided for some time, and married a lady of Coventry. During his residence here, old Mrs. Maynard, mother to the famous lawyer Sir John Maynard, solicited him to accept of a presentation, which she had obtained for him of the Earl of Bedford, to Tavistock, in Devonshire. This he accepted from a desire of more public service, tho' he had but a very small stipend, and the aforesaid Earl made him his chaplain. This was a very ignorant and profane place before he came; but by the blessing of God upon his endeavors, a great reformation was wrought, and many persons were brought to seriousness, the fruit of which appeared long after. He set up a Wednesday-lecture, which was much frequented. The first serious impressions made by his ministry in this place were on three persons who afterwards proved useful ministers; Mr. John Rowe, Mr. Ralph Venning, and Mr. John Tickell, a pious conformist, rector of Withicomb, in Devon.

When the civil war broke out, Tavistock being made a garrison for the king, the governor being his wife's relation, gave him a pass for himself, his family and effects to Exeter, then a parliament garrison. Soon afterwards the king's forces besieged and took the city; but he obtained the favor of a safe conduct to Coventry, where (being a widower) he resided for some time with his wife's relations. Not long after his coming thither, upon the vacancy of St. Andrew's, at Plymouth, the magistrates of that town, who were before acquainted with him at Tavistock, presented him to that church, and he had institution and introduction from Dr. Brownrigg, Bp. of Exeter; which happily prevented his ejection at the Restoration, when one had got the king's title to that vicarage, on pretence it was lapsed, not knowing he had been admitted by the bishop. He came to Plymouth in 1664, where he found, to his satisfaction, the liturgy already laid aside, by means of Mr. Porter, minister of another church newly erected in that town; though he adopted it again in 1661, rather than lose his living. Plymouth being besieged by the king's forces soon after, many of the Puritan ministers in that neighbourhood took refuge there, and were frequently employed in prayer and preaching, till the raising of the siege gave them opportunity to return to their respective charges. Here Mr. Hughes was indefatigable in his labours, most generous in acts of hospitality and charity, and was universally reverenced and beloved. He contsantly

constantly maintained a good correspondence with the magistrates of the place, and an harmonious accord with people of different persuasions.

After enjoying a long calm of eighteen years, commissioners came down to Plymouth, in August, 1662, and after they had put out all the magistrates of the town, excepting one, the same day they summoned Mr. Hughes before them, and told him that he was dismissed from his ministry at Plymouth, which was a week before the fatal Bartholomew. He still continued, however, in the town; but this could not be borne where he was so much esteemed; and therefore he was summoned, with his assistant and brother-inlaw Mr. T. Martin, his son Mr. Obadiah Hughes and Mr. N. Sherwill, to appear before the Earl of Bath, governor of Plymouth. However, they were not suffered to see the Earl, but were committed by the deputy-lieutenants of the county, tho' nothing was objected against them. Mr. Hughes, senior and Mr. Martin were sent, with two files of musqueteers, to St. Nicholas island. Mr. Hughes, junior, Mr. Sherwill, and others, were confined at Plymouth. The latter were first set at liberty; but on condition that they should not return to Plymouth without leave of the Earl of Bath or his deputy. The old gentleman and Mr. Martin remained in the island nine months, till at length his health was much impaired, and an incurable dropsy and scurvy were contracted, as supposed, by the saltness of the air, when he was offered his liberty, upon condition of his giving security of 2000l. not to live within twenty miles of Plymouth. This his friends did without his knowledge.

Hereupon he retired to Kingsbridge; where he continued, in great weakness, to study hard, and spend his time in private devotion, and in pious counsels and conferences with the many friends that came to visit him. He hardly cared for any discourse but what was serious and heavenly; and he had such an affecting sense of the cloud that was upon the church of God, by the ejection of so many eminent ministers, that he was scarcely ever seen to indulge any mirth after that day. When a young minister, who was much with him in this his retirement, was speaking to a person, in his hearing, of his infirm state; Mr. Hughes replied, "Nature would not willingly go where it must and shall go : yet I will wait all the days of my appointed time for my change. Oh when will it once come, that I shall put "off this earthly tabernacle, and be cloathed with my

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house from heaven! I desire to be dissolved, and at home " with Christ.. I thank God I am not ashamed to live, nor "afraid to die." The same minister being necessitated to leave him, when he drew near his end, upon intimation of a warrant out against him, Mr. Hughes thus addressed him : "I advise you not to faint. Hold out courageously in your "Master's work. Take heed to yourself, and to that "ministry you have received from the Lord by my hands (he being one who ordained him) and the laying on of the hands of the presbytery, that you do fulfil it. Be not discouraged on account of sufferings. The cross is the way to the crown. If we suffer with Christ, we shall reign with him. This dead cause of reformation, for "which we now suffer, shall rise and revive again. Salva❝tion shall come to the churches. I die, but I die, but you shall live "to see it. (So the relator did). The very means these men take to suppress and destroy it, shall most effectually "promote it. Only be cautious that you never engage <6 any indirect courses about it. Leave God to do his own "work in his own way. Your duty is to be quiet and stand "still. In returning and believing, you shall have rest." He then gave him his solemn blessing. To a near relation who asked how he did? he answered; "I never found the actings of my faith and hope more vigorous and lively than now."-He continued preaching privately to the last, which he did twice the Lord's-day before he died; but concluded with these memorable words, "And now all my work is done." The evening before he died, he ordered his watch to lie by him, and desired a relation to observe when it was two o'clock," for (says he) that is my hour." And accordingly, just at that time he expired, in 1667, in the 64th year of his age.

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Mr. Hughes was a person of great natural capacity, and a master in most parts of learning; especially a great textuary and divine. He had a thorough acquaintance with the original languages, and was one of the most exact critics of all his brethren in the West. He was well read in the fathers; an acute disputant, and a judicious casuist; as a great number of letters shewed, found among his papers, upon the nicest cases on which he had been consulted. He was a most skilful and faithful pastor to a very large flock. His preaching was elaborate, but plain. He did not affect a jingle of words, nor any quirks of wit, but his style was chiefly scriptural. He went over many important subjects in a

course.