_Born 1582. President of St. John's College Oxford, 1621. Bishop of
London 1633-49. Lord Treasurer 1635-41. Archbishop of Canterbury 1660.
Died 1663_.
By SIR PHILIP WARWICK.
Having thus described one great Church-man, wee may the more fitly
make mention of another, because they were so intimate and bosome
Friends, and because this first is supposed to have introduced the
last into that eminent employment of Lord Treasurer. Had nature
mingled their tempers, and allayed the one by the prudence and
foresight of the other, or inspirited the other by the zeal and
activity of his Friend, nature had framed a better paist, than usually
she doth, when she is most exact in her work about mankind: sincerity
and integrity being eminent in them both. This reverend Prelate, Dr.
Juxon, then Bishop of London, was of a meek spirit, and of a solid and
steddy judgment; and having addicted his first studies to the Civil
Law, (from which he took his title of Doctor, tho' he afterwards took
on him the Ministry) this fitted him the more for Secular and State
affairs. His temper and prudence wrought so upon all men, that tho'
he had the two most invidious characters both in the Ecclesiasticall
and Civil State; one of a Bishop, the other of a Lord Treasurer: yet
neither drew envy on him; tho' the humor of the times tended to brand
all great men in employment. About the year 1634 the Lord Portland
dyed, and the Treasury was put into Commission; by which means the
true state thereof became distinctly to be known: and in the year
1635, this good and judicious man had the white staff put into his
hand: and tho' he found the revenue low and much anticipated, yet
withall meeting with times peaceable and regular, and his Master
enclined to be frugall, he held up the dignity and honor of his
Majestie's Houshold, and the splendor of the Court, and all publick
expences, and justice in all contracts; so as there were as few
dissatisfactions in his time, as perchance in any, and yet he cleared
off the anticipations on the revenue, and sett his Master beforehand.
The choice of this good man shewed, how remote it was from this King's
intentions, to be either tyrannicall or arbitrary; for so well he
demeaned himselfe thro' his whole seaven years employment, that
neither as Bishop or Treasurer, came there any one accusation against
him in that last Parliament 1640, whose eares were opened, nay itching
after such complaints. Nay even after the King's being driven from
London, he remained at his house, belonging to his Bishoprick, in
Fulham, and sometimes was visited by some of the Grandees, and found
respect from all, and yet walked steddily in his old paths. And
he retained so much of his Master's favour, that when the King was
admitted to any Treaty with the two Houses Commissioners, he alwayes
commanded his attendance on him: for he ever valued his advice. I
remember, that the King, being busy in dispatching some letters with
his own pen, commanded me to wait on the Bishop, and to bring him back
his opinion in a certaine affaire: I humbly pray'd his Majestie, that
I might rather bring him with me, least I should not expresse his
Majestie's sense fully, nor bring back his so significantly, as he
meant it; and because there might be need for him further to explain
himselfe, and least he should not speake freely to me: to which the
King replyed, _Go, as I bid you, if he will speak freely to any body,
he will speak freely to you: This_ (the King said) _I will say of him,
I never gott his opinion freely in my life, but when I had it, I was
ever the better for it_. This character of so judicious a Prince
I could not omitt, because it carried in it the reason of that
confidence, that called him to be his Majestie's Confessor before his
death, and to be his Attendant on the scaffold at his death; so as all
Persons concurring thus about this good Prelate, wee may modestly say,
he was an eminent man.
28.