PETTICOAT-LANE.-Independents, Extinct. which rendered him obnoxious to the ruling powers; and he was engaged in some controversies with his Presbyterian brethren. It does not appear that he was ever opposed to Charles I. or to kingly government. When the parliament quarters were at Oxford, he went over to the king; and after his death, preached publicly for bringing in his son. Upon one occasion, alluding to that text of the prophet, "I will overturn, overturn, overturn, until he come whose right it is, and I will give it him," he gave such offence, that a warrant was sent from Okey, to apprehend him as a seditious person; but the king returning, and episcopacy with him, his danger from that quarter blew over. As he never took the covenant, so he never joined in association with the Presbyterians. He also wrote for free admission to the Lord's-Supper which being repugnant to the stricter sentiments then generally entertained, he was looked upon as a Divine of the former stamp. After the restoration, he wrote a piece to shew how persons ordained by presbyterians, might be re-ordained by a bishop. In conformity with his sentiments upon this subject, he was himself re-ordained; but quickly repented of that step. As he could not recal what was past, he took the most public method of expressing his dissatisfaction with his own conduct. He, therefore, drew up a solemn renunciation, of which Calamy has preserved a copy, and going to the bishop's register, read it over to him. He then took out his deacon's orders and tore them, in confirmation of what he had read, putting the pieces in the fire. After this, he published his more mature thoughts upon the subject of re-ordination. The Act of Uniformity coming out soon afterwards, he quitted his living, and continued the remainder of his life a nonconformist. Wood says, he became a congregational man in London, and that he was the most moderate of all the brethren. After the Revolution, he printed several papers upon the Convention, and put them into the hands of members of the House of Commons. He seldom missed a session of parVOL. IV. 3 F PETTICOAT-LANE.. -Independents, Extinct. liament without producing something, but one of these papers, upon the Sacramental Test, giving offence, he was committed to the Gate-house, and examined before a committee of parliament, who ordered the work to be burnt, but dismissed the author. After this, he wrote several pieces upon doctrinal matters, relating to the Arminian contro versy, and what was called the middle way. When Dr. Calamy was drawing up his account of the Ejected Ministers, he sent to Mr. Humphrey for a list of his writings: "The old gentleman," says he, "sent me word for answer, that he desired no more than to go to his grave with a sprig of rosemary." He, however, complied with the Doctor's request, and sent him a particular account of his publications, interspersed with a few anecdotes of his own life; but it is too long to be inserted in this work. The Doctor has the following short character of him: "This good man has never been able to be of the rising side. He hath followed his own genius, and fallen in with no party. And hereupon some of all sides have slighted him, and at the same time some of all parties have respected him. Liberty, and peace, and union, and moderation, have been the things he has all along been pursuing; and the subjects on which he has been writing, from one period to another. And how little soever the success has been, this yields him comfort in his advanced age." In the margin of Dr. Calamy's book, Mr. Stancliff writes as follows: "Might that good man but be prevailed with to write his own life, he is a man of such parts, learning, piety, charity, industry, and integrity, that it would make an useful volume itself." Mr. Humphrey lived to a patriarchal age, dying in 1719, when he was nearly a hundred years old. It is apprehended that he survived all the ministers throughout the kingdom, who were ejected by the Act of Uniformity in 1662.* Calamy's Acc. p. 615-623. PETTICOAT-LANE. -Independents, Extinct. JOSEPH HUSSEY.-This celebrated Divine was born on the 31st of March, 1660, at Fordingbridge, in Hampshire. The first elements of learning, he received under the tuition of the Rev. Robert Whitaker, who had been ejected from his fellowship in Magdalen College, Cambridge, in 1662, and then lived at Fordingbridge. At a proper age, he was sent to an academy of considerable repute at Newingtongreen, under the direction of another ejected minister, the Rev. Charles Moreton. When he had finished his studies, he preached his first sermon at Mr. Jenkyn's meeting-house, in Jewin-street, London, on the 14th of August, 1681. Shortly afterwards he became domestic chaplain to Mrs. Powell, afterwards Lady Thompson, at Clapham. There he continued preaching occasionally till 1683, when he became chaplain to Sir Jonathan Keate, at the Hoo, Hertfordshire; where he preached constantly till May the 20th, 1688. In the summer of that year, he removed to Sissafernes, in Codicote parish, Herts, at which place, and at Maiden Croft, near Hitchin, he continued to preach till his removal to Cambridge, in 1691. Mr. Hussey appears to have obtained considerable reputation as a preacher during his residence in that part of the country, and was often consuited by ministers and others, upon subjects connected with religion.. Some of his letters, written during this period, have appeared in different publications. In Mr. Rogers's Discourse upon Trouble of Mind, there is a pretty long letter from him to that author, dated Sissafernes, Nov. 4, 1690. Mr. Hussey was ordained at Dr. Annesley's meetinghouse, Little St. Helen's, Oct. 26, 1688, in the presence of six Presbyterian ministers. The thesis he defended was, papam esse illum antichristum; and his testimonial was signed by Dr. Annesley, Samuel Slater, John Quick, John Turner, Robert Franklin. When the cruel Act of Uniformity took place, the fruits of nonconformity in the county of Cambridge were very |