An Historical View of the State of the Protestant Dissenters in England And of

d be brought to an authoritative determination. In every quarter there were great canvaffings in the eleftion of members of the convocation, a thing not known in former times. It was foon very vifible, that the temper of men was not cool and calm enough to encourage the pro- fccution of a pacific and liberal defign. The zeal both of the friends to the objeft of the commifllon, and of thofe who oppofed it, was direfted to the appointment of the prolocutor of the lower houfe of convocation at the enfuing meeting. The former and the Court were folicitous to carry the eleftion of Dr. Tillotfon, the dean of St. Paul's. His prudence and moderation would improve the influence that being in the chair would give him, to ptomote the ends for which the convocation was called. The other party fet up as his competitor Dr. Jane, dean of Glocefter afid regius profeflbr of divinity in Oxford ; whom difappointment and ambition, as well as his principles, difpofed to counteract whatever was to be fubmitted to the convocation. The general temper of the clergy was in favour of his eleftion; and it was effeftually fecured by the intrigues of two noblemen, the Earls of Clarendon Buroet's Hiftory, vol.iy. p. 46, 47. and Rochefter, ,who, on their mothers' fide, were nephews to the Queen; and who, on this ground, had raifed their expectation of being appointed to fome of the higher employments under the new govern ment. Difappointed in their afpiring views, refent- ment inftigated them ...