Baxter’s letter to Lord Chancellor Hyde

Scope and Content

Baxter’s letter to the Lord Chancellor Hyde expressing his thankfulness for the King’s Declaration, desiring that it might be passed into an Act; declining to accept a Bishopric, and preferring Dr. Reynolds and Mr. Calamy for that advancement; also offering for his Lordships the choice of names of other Ministers, among whom are Mr Bampfield of Sherborne, Mr Woodbridge of Newbury.

Note

The revised Declaration Concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs had been issued three days after the conference of 22 October, 1660, and was so moderate, in Baxter’s view, that ‘any sober honest Ministers might submit’ to it. Yet his fear that it would not receive support in Parliament was vindicated on 28 November when it was rejected in the House of Commons. See Corr 658.

Other Finding Aids

Argent / Black ii.59(5); Thomas p.8

Bibliography

  • Printed in Rel. ii. 282-3, and thence in Orme’s Life, i, 243-6.
  • Corr 658. See also Corr 656 and Rel ii, 279, 281-2.
  • For Edward Hyde (1609-74), first Earl of Clarendon, see ODNB and Corr 309, 656, 658, 679, 702, 731 and 1064.
  • For Edward Reynolds (1599-1676), later Bishop of Norwich, see ODNB and Corr 46, 207, 392, 425, 473, 481, 498, 599, 600, 601, 623, 626, 656, 658, 803, 812 and 914.
  • For Edmund Calamy (bap 1598/1600-66) see ODNB CR and Corr 173, 358, 392, 425, 549, 601, 602, 623, 644, 656, 658, 669, 671, 712, 914 and1238.
  • For Francis Bampfield (1614-84), ejected vicar of Sherborne, see ODNB, CR, Treatises iv, 99, Rel. iii. 74 and Corr 637, 658, 823, 946.
  • For Benjamin Woodbridge (1622-84), ejected vicar of Newbury, Berkshire, see Corr 116, 117, 138, 160, 161, 165, 182, 221, 234, 274, 489, 490, 539, 658, 738, 784, 791, 834, 855, 919, 927, 965 and 1025, CR and ODNB.