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228 absence of other evidence, in coming to the conclusion that it was his production.

Instead of pursuing the course adopted by Dodwell and his friends, Hickes and those who concurred with him, took steps to perpetuate the schism. They conceived that the deprived Bishops had authority to appoint successors, without regard to dioceses, to act for the Church of England. So that, in their estimation, the national Church was not a true Church. It will be remembered that Hickes and Wagstaffe were consecrated in 1693, just after Bancroft's death: but the deprived Bishops never ordained any others. Wagstaffe died in the year 1712; so that Hickes was left alone. He, therefore, could not continue the succession himself, because three Bishops are required by the canons at consecrations. Under these circumstances, he had recourse to Scotland, and Campbell and Gadderar assisted in 1713 in consecrating Jeremiah Collier, Samuel Hawes, and Nathaniel Spinkes. Hickes must have known, that the Bishops of Scotland could not lawfully interfere in another province. Rather, however, than lose the opportunity of continuing the schism, he adopted this irregular proceeding, fearing probably, that some of the Nonjurors would have returned to the national communion, unless a provision were made for the succession of Bishops. For this act it is not easy to make an excuse: consequently our sympathy for them as a party must from this period be considerably diminished.

Wagstaffe was a man of great eminence among the first generation of Nonjurors. After his deprivation, he practised physic in London. Besides the "Letter out of Suffolk," containing an account of Sancroft, he was the author of "A Letter out of the Country concerning the Bishops lately in the Tower, and now