commenced his usefulness by writing "A Manual of Prayers for the use of the Scholars of Winchester College." The first edition was published in 1674. It is a charming composition, full of affectionate advice to the young people, with prayers for all times of the day, adapted to their various circumstances, and breathing his own ardent piety. It also contained instructions how to prepare themselves for holy communion, with a method of self-examination, and devotional exercises.
No Hymns were printed with this Handbook, yet he makes this observation: "Be sure to sing the Morning and Evening Hymn in your chamber devoutly, remembering that the Psalmist, upon happy experience, assures you, that it is a good thing to tell of the loving kindness of the Lord early in the morning, and of His truth in the night season." From these words we may fairly conclude that he refers to his own Hymns; and as such productions were, at that period, often printed on a broad sheet, separately, it is a fair and reasonable inference to draw, that the Morning and Evening Hymns alluded to had been so printed, and distributed among the scholars in the school, and publicly affixed to their rooms. The Manual of Prayers had reached a seventh edition before the Hymns were added to it. The following is the title of the first edition containing the Hymns, which is dated 1697: "A Manual of Prayers for the use of the Scholars of Winchester College, and all other devout Christians. To which is added Three Hymns, for Morning, Evening, and Midnight, not in the former editions: by the same author." More than twenty years had elapsed between the first issuing of the Prayers and the first addition of the Hymns to them. The author himself had, in the meantime, encountered changes and vicissitudes which no man would willingly desire. He had been raised to the episcopate; he had been imprisoned in the Tower by one king as a Non-juror, and by another king he had been deprived of his bishopric and his means of subsistence. Yet in these heavy trials he had maintained that love of truth, and that sincere piety, which has endeared his memory to all subsequent ages.
Ken had been made, in 1679, Chaplain to the Princess Mary (of Orange), afterwards, in 1680, he was appointed
