William Morice

son of Evan alias John Morice a Native of Caernarvanshire and Chancellour of the Diocess of Exeter, by Mary his wife, daugh. of Joh. Castle of Devonshire, was born in the Parish of S. Martin in the City of Exeter, educated in Grammar learning there, and in the beginning of the year 1619 or thereabouts, he was sent to Exeter Coll. (through his Mothers motion) by Sir Nich. Prideaux of Souldon in that County, who some years before had taken her to be his third wife; where continuing in the state of a Sojourner under the tuition of Mr. Nath. Carpenter (not without considerable proficiency in learning) till he was Bach. of Arts, was sent for home, and married to one of the Grand-daughters of the said Sir Nicholas, by Humph. Prideaux his eldest son deceased. In the year 1640 he was put into the Commission of Peace for the aforesaid County, and five years after was elected Knight for that Shire, upon a recruit, to serve in the Long Parliament. In 1651 he was made High Sheriff of the said County, in 1656 he setled himself and his family at Werington, which he then, or lately, had purchased of Sir Franc. Drake; and in 1658 he was chose a Burgess for Westport in Cornwall to serve in Richard’s Parliament that began at Westminster, 27. of Jan. the same year: And being related by his wife to General George Monke, he was intrusted by him with all his concerns in Devonshire, while he was Governour of Scotland, and discharged himself so faithfully and prudently therein, as to recommend himself so far to the Generals esteem, that on his coming into England he made choice of him for his chief, if not only, Confident in the management of that great affair of the Kings restauration, and the rather for this reason that our author being generally esteemed a Presbyterian, it would please the great Masters at Westminster who were most of that Religion. Upon the said Monke’s coming to London, the secluded Members from all parts of the Kingdom came thither, and were by his means restored to the House of Commons, of which number our author Mr. Morice was one. This Gentleman was somewhat allied to him, as I have told you, but more in his favour, than his blood; for he had a great opinion of his prudence and integrity. He was one that much conversed with books and had then lately written one against the practice of Independent teachers, who would admit none in Parochial Cures, to the Lords Supper, but such only as, being distinguished by their separation, were most peculiarly their own flock. This had rendred ((d))((d)) Mystery and Method of his Majesties restauration. Lond. 1680. p. 118. written by Joh. Price, D. D. him very grateful to the Presbyterians, whose cause he seemed most to serve; for the Ministers of the Church of England were generally contented with the exercise of their Religion in private Houses, tho even these also, were often disturbed by Soldiers and Constables, who used to hale them from their very Communion Tables upon the more solemn Festivals of their despised Church; rending their Surplices, where any were used, and tearing their Mass-Book (for that was the name by which the crafty Statesman, and the more jugling Gospeller taught the undiscerning multitude to call the English Liturgy) into pieces. The General, from and before the beginning of his enterprize, had pretended to be a Presbyterian, and had not then renounced his faith; but at that time it most behoved him to appear one, and to act his part well in it; for it was his last: wherefore our author Morice was received into his house, which much pleased the Masters at Westminster, who were mostly of that Religion as I have before told you; some few only excepted, who, by beholding the calamities of the Church, and their own errors, had been converted ((e))((e)) Ibid. to a better esteem of Episcopacy; which the learning of our author could not but favour: So that he was looked upon to have the good repute only of a Presbyterian. Him the General retained as his Elbow-Counsellor, and a State-Blind; concealing his own sense of things, and very often speaking contrary to his own thoughts, that so he might better understand the sense of others and take his measures accordingly. About the same time Mr. Morice received a letter from the King by Sir Joh. Greenvill (afterwards Earl of Bathe) to excite him to influence the General to his restauration, which he answered with assurance of his utmost zeal and affection for that service: whereupon in Feb. 1659 he received from his Majesty by the hands of the said Sir John (with approbation of the General) the Seal and Signet, as the badge of the Secretary of States Office: About which time it was his business to keep the then expiring Session of Parliament steddy, and clear from intermedling with the change of the Government; in which case he did excellent service, punctually observing the directions of the General, who then passionately longed for their dissolution. On the 10. of March following, he was, by the Generals motion, made a Colonel of a Regiment of Foot, and Governour of the Fort and Island of Plymouth, and after he had joyned with the General in the great secret of the restauration, he was not only knighted by his Majesty, then at Canterbury, in his way to London, 26. May 1660, but had the Office of Secretary confirm’d unto him, and then sworne also one of his Majesties Privy Council. In 1661. he was chosen for Plymouth to serve in that Parliament which began at Westm. 8. of May, but he being much taken up with his new Employment, he could not do his duty in the House, so well and truly as he wished he could. How influential Sir William was in his Majesties reduction and establishment, may easily be collected from the Letters under the hands of his Majesty, and Sir Edw. Hyde L. Chancellour, now in the custody of Henry Earl of Clarendon: And may perhaps be made more manifest unto the World upon the publication of an History said to be written by the said Sir Edw. Hyde, (afterwards E. of Clarendon) who was most particularly acquainted witth all the steps made in the transacting of that whole affair. At Michaelmas in the year 1668 Sir W. Morice did, upon his humble desire made to his Majesty, resign his Secretariship, and was succeeded by Sir John Trevor, son of Sir Joh. Trevor Kt; so that retreating into the Country, he passed the rest of his life in a quiet retirement at Werington before mention’d, situate in the west part of Devonshire, where he erected a fair Library, valued at twelve hundred pounds; which was the principal divertisement and most sensible pleasure he took during the last years of his life. He hath written and published,

Coena quasi 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : The new enclosures broken downe, and the Lords Supper laid forth in common for all Church Members, having a dogmatical faith and not being scandalous. In a Diatribe and defence thereof. Lond. 1656. 57. qu. This book being afterwards much enlarged, came out again with this title, The common right to the Lords Supper asserted in a Diatribe and a defence thereof, &c. Lond. 1660. fol. The first edition of this book came out as it seems in 1651. qu. in answer to one Humph. Saunders, who had written a book of administring the Sacrament to a select company.

Letter to Gen. Monke, in answer to his of the 23. of Jan. directed to Mr. Rolle, to be communicated to the Gentlemen of Devonshire—This Letter is dated 28. Jan. 1659, and is said to be written by an excluded Member of Parliament, particularly by W. Morice, as the general Voug then was, yet it is subscribed by R. M. He died on the twelfth day of Decemb. in sixteen hundred seventy and six, and was buried in Werington Church,1676. in an Isle belonging to his Family. His eldest son William Morice Esq. was made a Baronet 20. of April 1661.