tion, he was called to the exercise of his ministry in a cons derable congregation at Tavistock in Devon; where he faithfully laboured with good success, till seized with a violent fever, of which he died, in a comfortable and assured expectation of a blessed change, May 8, 1692.

LANSALLOS [R.] Mr. NATHANIEL TINCOMB.

LANTEGLOSS [R.] Mr. JONATHAN WILLS, of Exeter Col. Oxford. Son of Mr. John Wills, rector of Morvall near Lob; an old Puritan, who was an eminent instance of piety and devotion, and of the success of his prayers and endeavours for the conversion of his people and children; which led him to break out in a transport of joy upon his death-bed: "The blessing of my Father, hath prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors. Of my ten children, nine have a work of grace, I hope: and for my youngest son, I die in the faith of a plentiful harvest. He shall be converted also after my decease." There was great reason to hope this proved true. That youngest son was a worthy conformist minister. This Mr. Jonathan Wills was his eldest son, whose conversion in his father's lifetime was very remarkable. He had been wild and extravagant, and had committed some offence for which he was forced to fly from the king's army. His father had prevailed with several ministers then at Plymouth, and other good people, to spend a day in prayer in behalf of this prodigal son. While they were engaged in this exercise, the prodigal arrives, and finds them together actually praying for him. As soon as they had done, he dissolved into tears, and falling on his knees, begged his father's pardon; and from that day he proved eminently serious.-After the war, he went to Oxford, where, in a little time, he obtained a fellowship; and was at length presented to this living, where he was a diligent and successful preacher till the Bartholomew-act passed; and he held on his ministry afterwards in private many years, serving the Lord faithfully in his generation, amidst many temptations and sore trials, till he fell asleep, 1695.

LAUNCESTON. JOHN OLIVER, M. A. Of Exeter Col. Oxf. His father, who was a gentleman of this county, gave him a liberal education. He was a critic in the Latin and Greek languages, for which and his other excellencies, he obtained a Fellowship in hiscollege, from whence he removed to take the pastoral charge of the people of this town.

Here

Here he kept a school, and made many good scholars. He was an excellent preacher, for which, as well as for his learning, he was much valued by the gentry of Cornwal and Devonshire. Mr. Secretary Morice had a great esteem for him, and gave him a yearly pension for the support of his family, after he was silenced; when he gave up his ministry, and died a lay-conformist, about the year 1675.

WORKS. A Book for the Help of Teeming Women.

ST. MABYN [R.] Mr. WILLIAM TREIS. He was reckoned a profound scholar, and his composures extraordinarily good; but he was unhappy in his delivery.

MAWGAN MENEAGE [R. S. 2001.] Mr. SAMPSON BOND. After his ejectment he went to the island of Bermudas, where he died.

MAWNAM [R.] Mr. WALTER QUARUM.

ST. MELLION [V.] JOHN LYDSTON, M. A. Born at Combe near Dartmouth, July 18, 1613. Educated at Orford, where he continued nine years. In the wars he was a chaplain in the army. After the defeat of the Earl of Essex at Lestithiel, 1644, a party of the cavaliers seized him, as he was marching towards Tiverton, stripped him, and carried him prisoner to Exeter. The hardships he endured in his confinement there, threw him into a violent fever, which endangered his life. About the year 1653, he married a daughter. of Mr. F. Whiddon, of Morton-Hampstead in Devon; and about the same time, Sir J. Coriton presented him to this vicarage. Here he discharged the duties of his office with all fidelity and diligence, and met with great respect. He was intrusted with the education of the sons of some gentlemen of note, and, among the rest, of Sir Wm. Coriton. When the Act of uniformity passed, some thought he might have conformed, being a man of great moderation, and having never taken the Covenant: but he could not come up to the terms required, and so quitted his living, to preserve the peace of his conscience. His successor, Mr. Granger, let the glebe to him for some years, permitted him to live in the vicaragehouse, and boarded with him. From hence he removed to Saltash, where he preached to a small number, as the times permitted. He had some bitter enemies in the town, who gave him much trouble, particularly Mr. Beal the minister, and two of the magistrates. Once he was convicted on the

A a 2

Con

Conventicle-act, when there was but one present above the number the act permitted. A fine of 40l. was laid upon him, and warrants for levying it were granted; and the watchful malice of those that were set against him, obliged him for a long time to keep his doors shut, to secure his house from being rifled, and his goods from being sold. At other times he was searched for, and insulted, and threatened, to the great terror of his family. And sometimes he left his habitation, wife and children, to escape a jail.-In the latter part of his time he was grievously afflicted with the cholic; and at last a pleurisy put an end to his labours and his sufferings. When he saw the time of his departure near at hand, he enjoyed inward peace, and a good hope as to his future state. When the violence of his distemper made it difficult for him to speak, a good woman asking him how he did, he chearfully replied, "Nothing but this rotten carcase keeps me from being completely happy." After six or seven days sickness he died, Sept. 3, 1671, aged 58. He was a man of good learning, exemplary gravity, and eminent piety. His reverence in the worship of God was very remarkable. His behaviour was inoffensive, and his spirit truly catholic. These good qualities procured him great respect from several gentlemen of the church of England. It was observable that Mr. Stephens, one of his persecutors, died so poor, that his widow and children received relief and support from Mr. Lydston's widow and her son.-He appears to have printed nothing but a preface to the farewell-sermons of his brother-in-law Mr. Francis Whiddon.

MENHENIOT [V.] Mr. SAMUEL AUSTIN. After his ejectment he lived at Plymouth.

ST. MERRAN by Padstow, [V. S.] Mr. SAMUEL TAPPER, of Exeter Col. Oxf. The second son of Mr. Oliver Tapper of Exeter; a person of very striet and exemplary piety, by which he was the means of awakening and converting this his son, whom he designed early for the ministry, and sent to Oxford at the age of fifteen, being examined and approved by the Exeter ministers. Dr. Conant the rector, after a particular examination, admitted him to the Lord's table. Proving consumptive about the year 1656, his physician advised him to hasten into his native air, which he did, and quickly recovered. Being persuaded to lay aside all thoughts of returning to Oxford, he preached in the place of his nativity with good acceptance. After a while, providence,

dence opened him a way of settling as an assistant to Mr. Humphrey Saunders of Hollesworthy, in Devonshire. He was ordained in that church, Aug. 5, 1657, by several of the ministers of the 4th division of Devon. When he had continued here a while he was presented by Cromwell to this vicarage of St. Merran, from which Mr. H. Banbrigg was sequestered. At first he scrupled to accept it, but at length took possession, and continued in it till the Restoration. He was well respected not only by his parishioners, but also by his predecessor, to whom he allowed half the income, and a house upon the glebe to live in. Whenever they met, they conversed together in a very friendly manner, as they continued to do when Mr. Banbrigg was restored. After this Mr. Tapper resided some years with a very worthy gentleman of this county, R. Erisey, Esq. of Erisey. From thence he removed to Exeter, where he lived with his friends, till the liberty granted by King James.

He withdrew from the establishment with a very charitable and peaceable disposition; being prepared to conform, if he could have been satisfied about the terms. He was no enemy to episcopacy or a liturgy; but said, he was not prepared to assent to a book which he could not possibly see before his assent was required. His great learning, with his moderation, modesty and candour, procured him the intimate friendship of the most valuable and learned clergy and others of the city of Exeter. Dr. Wilkins, afterwards Bp. of Chester, Mr. Hopkins, afterwards Bp. of Londonderry, and others, often visited him, and invited him to a Latin theological disputation, which the clergy held once a week. Bp. Ward had so great a value for him, that he offered him his interest to get hi:n preferment if he would conform, which he modestly declined. He often dined at the palace, even when the times ran high against the Nonconformists; and the Bishop told him, the oftener he came the more welcome. That learned prelate more than once laid his hands on Mr. Tapper's head, and blessed him; saying with a smile, “ Mr. Tapper, where is the harm of a bishop's laying on of hands?”’ Mr. Baldwin Ackland, treasurer of the cathedral at Exeter, had such a respect for him, that he importuned the Bishop to grant him a licence to preach in his chapel. This he could not do; but he promised to connive at him as long as he could, provided the liturgy was always read by another. The treasurer promised this, and took care to have it performed, and the bishop took no notice of it till the repeated clamour

▲ a 3

of

of some of the furious gentry obliged him privately to advise him to desist; which he immediately did.

About the year 1687, he had an invitation to Limpston, nine miles from Exeter. The people who chose him for their pastor built him a meeting-house there; and his warm practical preaching, and holy exemplary conversation, gained him universal love among them. His congregation increased, and he was blessed with success in the conversion of many souls. He was also generally respected by the neighbouring gentry who had any moderation, and knew how to value learning, an obliging temper and genteel carriage. But all his excellent qualifications could not secure him from the fury of high-church bigots. For his meeting-house was broke into about the year 1692, late on a Saturday night, and the glass of the windows very much shattered. On the Lord'sday the good man prayed earnestly for his enemies, that God would forgive their sin and turn their hearts.-A vile and malicious person once put on a cloak and a band, and in that habit went to a woinan of ill fame at Dawlish, telling her that he was Mr. Tapper of Limpston, and offering her money to have criminal converse with her. The woman reported this of Mr. Tapper, to the injury of his character. But when he appeared before two justices of peace, she on seeing him, declared upon oath, that he was not the man who was at her house, and that she had never seen his face before. She then publicly asked his pardon, which was readily granted. None of these things moved him; but he persevered in the faithful discharge of his duty. He was never so chearful as on the Lord's-day, and when employed in his master's work. In the latter part of his life, bodily infirmities lay heavy upon him, and he grew somewhat melancholy. The last year his intellect was much impaired, and yet he could not without difficulty be with-held from his beloved work of praying and preaching. The last time he mentioned his Nonconformity, he declared his satisfaction in having acted according to his conscience. A third fit of an apoplexy put an end to his life and labours, March 3, 1709, in the 73d year of his age. His funeral sermon was preached by Mr. Joseph Manston (to whom he had resigned his charge the summer before) on Acts xx. 24.

His natural powers were quick and lively; he was a very hard student, and acquired a considerable stock of learning, He perfectly understood the French and Welch languages. and acquired a great exactness in the Latin. He had the his

tory