They were kindly received by the lords-patentees or proprietors of the island, and encouraged to return. Mr. Sherwood being of a timorous temper, chose to stay here. But captain Lane and Mr. Leverton 1eturned, plentifully furnished for their voyage, and authorized with a new commission.

At their approach to the island, they found the Spaniards had seized it in their absence. However, at Mr. Leverton's desire, they ventured an engagement with them, killed a great many of their men, and forced their armed long-boats ashore. After this they continued in those seas for two years, and saw many of God's wonders in the deep; too many to be here particularly related. They experienced several preservations, almost miraculous, from famine, from the Spaniards, and in violent storms. Twice they lost their ship, and were providentially taken up, once by a Frenchman, and another time by a Dutchman, and both times set afloat again in a Spanish pink made prize. For these two years Mr. Leverton declared he met not with one bit of bread. At length they resolved to return home, and by the assistance of a French vessel arrived safe at St. Christophers. Captain Lane and some of the men proceeded directly to England, but Mr. Leverton and some others inclined to settle there; till observing the dissoluteness of the place, and seeing little hope of doing good among them, after four or five months trial, he took the opportunity of a French frigate to return for Europe. But in this voyage he met with one of his greatest dangers. A dead calm continuing long at sea, almost all their provisions were spent. For many days they had but eight spoonsful of pease and a pint of water per man. The captain and Mr. Leverton contented themselves with the same allowance. At length they were all black with famine, and were reduced almost to skeletons. Mr. Leverton every day, morning and evening, called the English together, prayed with them, and instructed them; which he did with more success, on account of their melancholy circumstances. The French were most of them Protestants, and joined with them as well as they could. At length upon keeping a day of solemn prayer, no sooner was it ended, than they discovered a ship; and upon making towards it, found it an English merchant-man, bound for Bermudas, which took all the English on board, and plentifully supplied the French for their voyage home. On board this ship was the Governor of Bermudas, who observed, that this ship's coming there at that time was by a very uncommon provi

dence:

dence: "But I perceive, says he, Mr. Leverton, it was all in God's great favour to you.'

They soon arrived safe at Bermudas; where the governor and he went into a long-boat, and were met on their landing, by the governor's lady and a young gentlewoman of the country, whom he soon after married. Here he preached with great acceptance for about a year: but having a fit of sickness, and not perfectly recovering his health, it was thought adviseable that he should return to England, and try his native air. Arriving at the Downs he landed at Sandwich; where, as he was taking horse for London, the ostler says to him," Mr., you are somewhat like our minister, I believe you have lived in the hot countries as well as he." Upon inquiry, he found this minister to be his old colleague, Mr. Sherwood, who was settled there: which brought them to an interview again to their mutual joy.-Coming to London, he was received with great honour and respect by the lords proprietors of the island of Providence, and soon after settled as minister of High-Hedingham in Suffolk; where he sent for his wife, and had his first child, which he called Gershom, for the same reason that Moses called his son by that name, for said he, I have been a stranger in a strange land.' After some years abode in Suffolk, Mr. Anthony Nicols, one of the eleven excluded members, who had formerly known him in the university, took him into Cornwal, and settled him at St. Tudy, the parish wherein his own house stood. Here he lived nine or ten years, signally useful in settling some who were inclined to novel opinions. and awakening many out of their carnal security. He kept up a weekly lecture there on Thursdays, with the assistance of his neighbouring brethren, which was well attended by the gentlemen thereabouts.

Mr. Leverton was subject to warm passions, but they were speedily over. He was molested by the Quakers; but would not be obstructed in his work by them.-Upon the Restoration, he was not only ejected, but met with farther troubles. The former incumbent of St. Tudy had been sequestered a year or two before he settled there, but died before the change. Lord Mohun, the patron, was solicited to continue Mr. Leverton, but in vain; for he presented his chaplain to the living, who treated him harshly, and, on pretence of dilapidations, would have seized his goods; but that was prevented by the kindness of the people, who bought them and carried them off. After this, Lord Mohun prosecuted him

for the main profits, ever since he was in possession, and would not accept of any composition within the compass of his ability. This necessitated him to secure himself by absconding. Lord Willoughby of Parham, being appointed governor of Surinam, Mr. Oxenbridge, a minister at London, who had been acquainted with Mr. Leverton at Bermudas, sent him an offer of going as minister there; which, with the advice of his friends, he accepted. But after he had been there a few weeks, and seemingly fixed to his satisfaction, he suddenly died.

ST. WINNOW [V.] Mr. THOMAS HANCOCK; who continued preaching in these parts, as he had opportunity, till extreme old age. Upon the liberty granted by K. James, he held a public meeting at East-Loo. Dr. Walker says, He was a tanner; but if he had been so, it was not for that reason he was silenced.

Mr. THEOPHILUS TINGCOMBE, was but a candidate in 1662, preaching only occasionally: but was afterwards minister of a dissenting congregation at Callington in this county.

The following afterwards conformed:

Mr. LEONARD WELSTEAD of Penzance.-Mr. NICH. TEAGE OF TYACK.-Mr. THO. NICOLS of Liskeard.-Mr. THO. WARNER.-Mr. WILLIAM WHITE of Ladock.-Mr. Mr. ROBERT JAGO sen.-Mr. PHILIP HARRIS of St. Eue.Mr. JOHN STEPHENS of Roch.-Mr. ROBERT JAGO jun. He had been a zealous Nonconformist, and was in jail three months for defaming the liturgy; but as soon as he came out, he accepted a benefice which was offered him, and afterwards lived scandalously.

MINISTERS

MINISTERS EJECTED OR SILENCED

IN

CUMBERLAND.

DDINGHAM [V.] Mr. DANIEL BROADLEY. It is queried whether this place be not in the West Riding in Yorkshire.

BOULNESS [R.] Mr. JOHN SAXTON. It appears from Mather's History of New England, that a minister of this name went into that country. The author gives the following account of him. "He was a Yorkshire man; a studious and learned person: a great Hebrician, The unsettled condition of the colony, and some unhappy contentions in the plantation where he lived, put him upon removing from Scituate, first to Boston, and so to England, in his reduced age. I find in Mr. Ryther's devout book, intitled A Plot for Mariners, this passage related concerning him. An old Puritan minister, Mr. Saxon of Leeds in Yorkshire, in a storm, as he was coming from New England, when they were all expecting the vessel to sink, said-O who is now for Heaven? —who is bound for Heaven?" Math. Hist. B. iii. p. 214.

BRAMPTON [V.] Mr. BURNAND. Of Camb. Univ. Son of old Mr. Nath. Burnand, the chief minister in Durham in the time of the civil wars. He first lived as chaplain three years in the family of Mr. Harrison of Allerthorp, and was afterwards a noted preacher in this county, till the Bartholomew-act silenced him. When he was ejected, he retired to the desert places in Austin-moor, and there took a farm, which he managed carefully, for the subsistence of his family; on the Lord's-day preaching in his own house, and afterwards at Burneston in public, where he was connived at. At length, Providence favouring Sir W. Blacket in his lead mines, he fixed him there to preach to his miners, with an allowance of 30l. per annum. He had great success among those ignorant creatures, and did much good. But the mines failing, he was again at a loss, and

came

up to

London,

London, and from thence went for some time to a congretion at Harwich. But age coming upon him, he at length returned to London, and subsisted upon the charity of well disposed Christians, till death give him his release.

BRIDEKIRK [V.] Mr. GEORGE BENSON. After his ejectment he retired into Lancashire, where he lived at Kellet, and preached in his house. He died in 1691, aged 76. He was grandfather to the late Dr. George Benson of London, in the memoirs of whose life, prefixed to his History of the Life of Christ, is the following account of his ancestors. "He was born at Great Salkeld in Cumberland, Sept. 1, 1699, of very pious parents, who had a numerous family, and were blessed in seeing several of them becoming remarkably good christians. The family was originally from London. John Benson, the Dr.'s great grandfather, left London towards the end of Q. Elizabeth's reign, and settled at Salkeld, where the family made a considerable figure. He had thirteen sons, from the eldest of whom the late Lord Bingley descended. In the civil wars, occasioned by the mal-administration of Charles I. George Benson, the youngest son of the Dr.'s grandfather, engaged on the side of liberty and the parliament, and suffered considerably in his fortune; particularly from the Scots, when they entered England, in order to raise Charles II. to the throne, and were defeated at the battle of Worcester. The love of liberty, civil and religious, the Dr. derived from ancestors of this spirit, who after the Restoration were Protestant Dissenters."

CARLISLE. COMFORT STAR, M. A. Born at Ashford in Kent, where his father was a physician. He was educated in New England, and was some time Fellow of Harvard College. In a list, which Mr. Cotton Mather has given, of above three hundred and fitty students educated in that college, from the year 1642, to 1698, we find his name thus mentioned,-1647. Consolantius Star, Socius. B. iv. p. 136. After he was ejected from Carlisle, he performed laborious service in several places in the county of Kent, and at last became pastor of a church at Lewes in Sussex, where he died Oct. 30, 1711, in the 87th year of his age.

Of

COCKERMOUTH. GEORGE LARKHAM, M. A. Trin. Col. Camb. Son of Mr. T. Larkham, who was ejected from Tavistock. Soon after his own ejectment, he

was