Hamilton manuscripts

75
ried a gentlewoman, Eliz th - "Watson, daughter to Mr. David "Watson, Minister of Killeavy, near
Newry, who was placed with the noble Lady Claneboy for her improvement's sake. He had by her
15 children, tho' none came to maturity, but one son (Archd.), u and three daughters, Jane, Mary, and
Eliz th - He was continued in that station ten years, until, by the rigiditys of my Lord Wentworth,
and the then Bishop of Deny (Bramhall), new terms of Church Communion, to be sworn to, were
imposed upon the whole Church of Ireland, whereunto he could not submit, and upon the account
whereof he sustained a public dispute with the then Bishop of Down, Henry Lesly, before several
noblemen, many gentlemen, and the whole clergy of the diocese, with many others from both town
and country/ To this dispute came Bp- Bramhall, whose courage was evidently supercilious and
temptations to follow promotion, but was graciously pre-
served from these baits, and made a successful instrument
in the work of Christ in these parts."
Blair thus describes him : — ■
"Being satisfied with his gifts, I invited him to preach
in my pulpit, in his uncle's hearing, who, till then, knew
nothing of this matter ; for, Mr. Hamilton, having been his
uncle's chamberlain, and chief manager of his affairs, we
were afraid the Viscount would not part with so faithful a
servant. But he, having once heard his nephew, did put
more respect on him than ever before. Shortly there-
after (about the year 1625,), Mr. Hamilton was ordained
(by Bishop Echlin) to the holy ministry at Ballywalter,
where he was both diligent and successful, and notwith-
standing he had many temptations to espouse episcopacy,
and might easily have obtained promotion in that way, yet
the Lord did graciously preserve him from being ensnared
with those baits, and made him very instrumental in pro-
moting His work." — Blair's Life.
Livingston, also describes him as " a learned and diligent
man," and adds, that "his gift of preaching was rather
doctrinal than exhortatory." — Livingstone's Life.
u This Archibald was long a leading minister in the Pres-
byterian Church in Ireland. He was ordained atBenburb,
about the year 1668 ; thence he was removed to Armagh,
in 1673 ; and finally, in 1693, to Killinchy, where he died
in 1699.— 2 Reid, 49.
v Henry Leslie, the new Bishop of Down and Connor,
held his Primary Visitation at Lisbum, in the month of
July (1636), and, agreeably to the orders of the late con-
vocation, he required from his clergy their subscription
of the canons. On this occasion, five of the ministers
refused to comply, and assigned their reasons. These
were Mr. Brice, of Broadisland, Mr. Ridge, of Antrim,
Mr. Cunningham, of Holywood, Mr. Colvert, of Oldstone,
and Mr. Hamilton, of Ballywalter. The Bishop, im-
pressed with the importance of retaining these men in
the Church, of which they were among the most zealous
and influential ministers, held on this occasion a private
conference with them, in the hope of inducing them to
relinquish their scruples, and promise conformity to the
canons. This attempt, however, proving ineffectual, he
was urged by Bishop Bramhall, to proceed forthwith to
their deposition. He accordingly summoned his clergy
to meet him in the church at Belfast, on the tenth of
August. The Bishop opened the business of this me-
morable Visitation by preaching from the ominous text —
"But if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto
thee as an heathen man and a publican." — Matt, xviii. 17.
See the first vol. of lieid's Presbyterian History, pp. 188 to
193, where the substance of the sermon is given ; and
the author adds, —
" This characteristic discourse being ended, the five
nonconforming ministers were called forward. The
Bishop complained, that the result of his former confi-
dential conference with them having been misrepresented,
and the victory in point of argument attributed to them,
he would not again converse with them in private ; but
he now proposed to debate the matter openly in the
church on the following day, when he would defend all
that was required by the canons. This offer was at once
accepted by the brethren ; and, Mr. Hamilton, who had
been a member of the convocation, was appointed by
them to conduct the conference in their name. Accord-
ingly, on Thursday, the eleventh of August, this singular
and interesting discussion commenced, in the presence
of a large asssemblage of the nobility, gentry, and clergy,
of the diocese. It was conducted according to the forms
of syllogistic reasoning ; and displays great readiness
and acuteness on the part of Hamilton, and more mo-
deration on that of the Bishop than could have been
anticipated from his sermon. BramhaU was present to
encourage his brother prelate ; and he occasionally mingled
in the discussion, but in a very arrogant and disorderly
manner. As it too often happens in public debates, the
controversy merged into the discussion of some of the
less important points of difference. It, therefore, by
no means affords a favourable view of the grounds on
which the ministers refused the required conformity. The
debate was maintained with good temper, and great
spirit, for several hours. But Bramhall, resenting the
liberty afforded the ministers, suddenly interrupted the