all their hopes were fixed. All Mrs. Percy's tact had been required to keep the peace between her husband and son, for Dr. Percy was impetuous and exacting, and, being a brilliant scholar himself, was never entirely satisfied with his son's achievements. On one occasion, after some disagreement, the boy, to their great consternation, was missing for some days. He was eventually sent to Emmanuel College, and Percy blamed Dr. Farmer and those in authority for causing his son's illness by placing him in a damp room. In the contention that followed the authorities were supported by Dr. Johnson.

In 1782 Percy wrote from Carlisle, where he appears to have resided more constantly for some time after he had been promoted to the bishopric of Dromore than he had ever done as Dean of that city.

'On November 7 my son Henry embarked for Italy at Liverpool on board a Tuscan brig, carrying Imperial colours. The origin of his illness was a severe cold caught last winter at Cambridge, which being neglected, degenerated into consumption, and he was judged to have no other chance of life, but an immediate removal by sea to a southern climate. After trying all the northern sea ports, I met with the above ship at Liverpool, and there he set sail, Heaven knows with what chance of surviving at this inclement season. young clergyman goes with him to assist him in his studies. He arrived safely at Leghorn on December 17 after a stormy voyage of 41 days, having by the mercy of God escaped great dangers. In passing the straits of Gibraltar, which they ran in the dark, they saw the red-hot balls firing at the garrison, and were even fired at by a Spanish gunboat, but happily escaped under shelter of night; a neutral ship that sailed with them

A

was captured by the enemy, for they spare none that have English property on board. In the Mediterranean they ran fresh dangers from the Algerines, who had 28 ships out cruising on all that carried Imperial Colours, who would have made slaves of them if they had fallen in their way.'

On April 4, 1783, he added:

'My poor son is still alive, but so declined in health that we have no hopes of his recovery. He has removed to Marseilles in France and was confined to his bed, from whence we fear he will arise no more. 'We recommend him to your prayers.

'May we learn resignation to the Will of the Almighty!'

In his next letter he added:

'The last post brought us the fatal news of the death of my poor son, who died at Marseilles on the second of this month. I endeavour to say, "The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord." I believe no one died a better Christian.'

Bishop Percy had always hoped that his son would make a brilliant entrance into the literary world by editing a fresh collection of old English Poetry, and to that end he had continued to add to his store of old ballads. He now transferred all hope of having his name perpetuated in literary circles, to his nephew and namesake 'Thomas Percy,' the only son of his brother Anthony. At the age of eight this little prodigy had addressed some verses to Sir Ashton Lever, which appeared in the 'Gentleman's Magazine' for December 1778; but Bishop Percy declared it was hardly equal to a pastoral that had been composed by the young author in one day amid many interruptions, which

hasty production had appeared in the April number of the same publication. This child bid fair to compensate for the constant worry Percy had, through life, suffered on account of his brother Anthony, to whose interest, he declared, he had ever been as keenly attentive as to his own.

The year following the Bishop's appointment to the See of Dromore, Anthony Percy became bankrupt and involved his brother, who had been security for him, in great losses, in addition to the burden of maintaining his family.

In fact Thomas Percy declared he had never known the want of money until his great preferment. Of the heavy burdens entailed on high ecclesiastical appointments the laity know little. The moment he entered his bishopric, he became a debtor to his predecessor for the sum of £3200 for the building of the new episcopal residence at Dromore, though it was still unfinished. £1200 had to be paid by the end of the year, as well as £200 for the patent, whilst the Bishop had as yet received only £900 from his official income. Though he had obtained the promotion that was the desire of his heart, he found that 'under a mitre there may be heavy cares and grievous disappointments.'

In June 1783 Bishop Percy was assured that the new Palace at Dromore would soon be dry enough to accommodate himself and his family. With due regard to the prosperity of his future country, he employed a Dublin cabinet-maker, in preference to the best that London could produce, though goods might easily be despatched from England direct to Belfast. But this patriotic spirit met with a poor reward, for his chairs and ottomans arrived much damaged in consequence of careless packing in wet straw, and the

tassels for the bells came without ropes. Bishop Percy readily accommodated himself to the business habits of his new countrymen, for in payment of a bill of £100 he sent his upholsterer a remittance of £66, which was gratefully received with many apologies. But his indignation was aroused when Mrs. Percy's dressingtable, which he had ordered to be furnished with bottles to contain sweet waters,' arrived with only two shabby tumblers' that were in no way proper.' Marie Antoinette lost her head because she refused to travel without her new dressing-case, and the Bishop's remonstrances and threats to warn the nobility and gentry of his acquaintance' show he was alive to the importance of what the French so aptly term le nécessaire. The obsequious spirit in which all his protests were met proves them to have been well founded. But in spite of all these inconveniences Bishop Percy hoped that, on the whole, he and his family would pass their time very agreeably in the new home.

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CHAPTER X

1783-1798

THE See of Dromore, in County Down, to which Thomas Percy was preferred, was of respectable antiquity, having been founded in 500 by St. Colman. Its revenue exceeded that of many English bishoprics, though it was situated in the poorest district and was the smallest independent diocese in Ireland. It contained only twenty-six parishes, but they were the best livings in the kingdom.

In 1635 the church at Dromore was in ruins, and the Bishop's dwelling, a little timber house of no great state,' was surrounded with thatched huts or removable creaghts, framed with strong wattles, covered with mud and rushes.

James I. granted by letters patent a free market to be held in the town of Dromore every Saturday, near the church, where stood a great stone cross, erected by St. Colman, to mark the holy well or fountain that had survived from the days of the Druids. After the introduction of Christianity, the converts were baptized in its waters at the foot of the cross, which in Reformation times was pulled down, only the foundation stones being left standing. Bishop Percy wished to remove them to his own Episcopal demesne and to erect the cross once more beside a well in his own grounds, known as St. Colman's. But, finding the proposition unpopular, he gave up his project, and the