Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/445

 MOOR. 441 preferment while the Catholic bishops possessed influence. When James II. came to Ireland, Dr. Moor was recom mended to him, often preached before him, and had influence enough to prevent h i s majesty from conferring Trinity College, Dublin, o n the Jesuits, t o which h e had been advised b y his confessor, father Peters. Dr. Moor being made provost o f this college, b y the recom mendation o f the Roman Catholic bishops, was the means o f preserving the valuable library, a t a time when the college was a popish garrison, the chapel a magazine, and many o f the chambers were employed a s prisons for the Protestants. But the Jesuits could not forgive him for preventing their gaining the entire property o f the col lege, and took advantage t o ruin him with the king, from a sermon h e preached before his majesty a t Christ-church. His text was Matt. xv. 14, “If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” I n this discourse, Dr. Moor had the boldness t o impute the failure o f the king's affairs, t o his following too closely the councils o f the Jesuits, and insinuated that they would b e his utter ruin. Father Peters, who had a defect i n his eyes, persuaded the king that the text was levelled a t his majesty through his confessor, and urged that Moor was a dangerous subject, who endeavoured t o stir u p sedition among the people. James was s o weak a s t o believe all this, and ordered Dr. Moor immediately t o quit his dominions. Moor com plied, but hinted a t his departure, “that h e only went a s the king's precursor, who would soon b e obliged t o follow him.” Moor accordingly went t o Paris, where the repu tation o f his learning procured him a favourable reception; and King James, after the battle o f the Boyne, followed him a s h e had predicted. But here i t appears, that the king had influence enough t o oblige Moor t o leave France a s h e had done Ireland, probably b y misrepresent ing his conduct toward the Jesuits. Moor now bent his steps towards Rome, where his learning procured him very high distinction. He was first made censor o f books, and then invited t o Montefiascone,