. Hall was
unanimously chosen into that society. Two years after this, he was
chosen Rhetorician to the public schools, where, as he himself
expresses it, "he was encouraged with a sufficient frequence of
auditors;" but this place he soon resigned to Dr. Dod, and entered
upon studies necessary to qualify him for taking orders.

Some time after this, the mastership of a famous school erected at
Tiverton in Devon, became vacant; this school was endowed by the
founder Mr. Blundel, with a very large pension, and the care of it was
principally cast upon the then Lord Chief Justice Popham. His lordship
being intimately acquainted with Dr. Chadderton, requested him to
recommend some learned and prudent man for the government of that
school. The Dr. recommended Mr. Hall, assuring him that great
advantage would arise from it, without much trouble to himself: Our
author thinking proper to accept this, the Doctor carried him to
London, and introduced him to Lord Chief Justice Popham, who seemed
well pleased and thanked Dr. Chadderton for recommending a man so well
qualified for the charge. When Dr. Chadderton and Mr. Hall had
taken leave of his lordship and were returning to their lodgings, a
messenger presented a letter to Mr. Hall, from lady Drury of Suffolk,
earnestly requesting him to accept the rectory of Halsted, a place in
her gift. This flow of good fortune not a little surprized him, and as
he was governed by the maxims of prudence, he made no long hesitation
in accepting the latter, which was both a better benefice, and
a higher preferment. Being settled at Halsted, he found there
a dangerous antagonist to his ministry, whom he calls in his
Specialities, a witty, and a bold Atheist: "This was one Mr. Lilly,
who by reason of his travels, (says he) and abilities of discourse and
behaviour, had so deeply insinuated himself into my patron, that there
were small hopes for me to work any good upon that noble patron of
mine; who by the suggestion of this wicked detractor, was set off from
me before he knew me. Hereupon, I confess, finding the obduredness,
and hopeless condition of that man, I bent my prayers against him,
beseeching God daily, that he would be pleased to remove by some means
or other, that apparent hindrance of my faithful labours; who gave
me an answer accordingly. For this malicious man going hastily up to
London, to exasperate my patron against me, was then and there
swept away by the pestilence, and never r