Friers, in order to be inducted into
the rectory of Shilton in Berks, in the place of one Thomas Lawrence,
ejected on account of his being non compos mentis. For which act he
was much blamed and censured by his ancient friends the clergy, who
adhered to the King, and who rather chose to live in poverty during
the usurpation, than by a mean compliance with the times, betray the
interest of the church, and the cause of their exiled sovereign.

After the King's restoration he quitted the living he held under
Cromwell, and returned to Eisley near Oxon, to live on his
archdeaconry; and had he not acted a temporizing part it was said he
might have been raised to a see, or some rich deanery. His poetry
however, got him a name in those days, and he stood very fair for
preferment; and his philosophy discovered in his book de Anima, and
well languaged sermons, (says Wood) speaks him eminent in his
generation, and shew him to have traced the rough parts, as well as
the pleasant paths of poetry.

His works are,

1. Three Sermons, on the Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension of our
Saviour, Lond. 1626.

2. Two Sermons at Paul's Cross.

3. A Sermon on the Nature of Faith.

4. Motives to a godly Life, in Ten Sermons, Oxon, 1657.

5. Four Sermons against Disloyalty, Oxon, 1661.

Technogamia; or the Marriage of Arts, a Comedy, acted publicly in
Christ's Church Hall, with no great applause 1617. But the Wits of
those times being willing to distinguish themselves before the King,
were resolved, with leave, to act the same comedy at Woodstock,
whereupon (says Wood) the author making some foolish alterations in
it, it was accordingly acted on Sunday night the 26th of August 1621,
but it being too grave for the King, and too scholastic for the
Audience, or as some said, that the actors in order to remove their
timidity, had taken too much wine before, they began, his Majesty
after two acts offered several times to withdraw; at length being
persuaded by some of those who were near to him, to have patience till
it was ended, lest the young men should be discouraged, he sat it out,
tho' much against his will; upon which these Verses were made by a
certain scholar;

At Christ Church Marriage done before the King
Lest that those Mates should want an offering,
The King himself did offer; what I pray?
He offered twice or thrice to go away.

6. Survey of the World in Ten Books, a Poem, Oxon, 1661, which was
judged by Scholars t