(Dr Thomas), bishop of Rochester, was born in 1636. He had his education at Oxford, and after the Restoration entered into holy orders. He became fellow of the Royal Society, chaplain to George duke of Buckingham, and chaplain in ordinary to king Charles II. In 1667 he published the History of the Royal Society, and a Life of Mr Cowley; who, by his last will, left to his care his printed works and MSS. which were accordingly published by him. In 1658 he was installed prebendary of Westminster; in 1680, was appointed canon of Windsor; in 1683, dean of Westminster; and in 1684, consecrated to the bishopric of Rochester. He was clerk of the closet to king James II.; in 1685, was made dean of the chapel royal; and the year following, was appointed one of the commissioners for ecclesiastical affairs. In 1692 his lordship, with several other persons, was charged with treason by two men, who drew up an association, in which they whose names were subscribed declared their resolution to restore king James; to seize the princes of Orange, dead or alive; and to be ready with 30,000 men to meet king James when he should land. To this they put the names of Sancroft, Sprat, Marlborough, Salisbury, and others. The bishop was arrested, and kept at a messenger's, under a strict guard, for eleven days. His house was searched, and his papers seized, among which nothing was found of a treasonable appearance, except one memorandum, in the following words: "Thorough-paced doctrine." Being asked at his examination the meaning of the words, he said that, about 20 years before, curiosity had led him to hear Daniel Burgess preach; and that being struck with his account of a certain kind of doctrine, which he said entered at one ear, and pacing through the head went out at the other, he had inserted the memorandum in his table-book, that he might not lose the substance of so strange a sermon. His innocence being proved, he was set at liberty, when he published an account of his examination and deliverance; which made such an impression upon him, that he commemorated it through life by an yearly day of thanksgiving. He lived to the 79th year of his age, and died May 20, 1713. His works, besides a few poems of little value, are, "The History of the Royal Society;" "The Life of Cowley;" "The Antwerp Sorbiere;" "The History of the Rye-house Plot;" "The Relation of his own Examination;" and a volume of "Sermons." Dr Johnson says, "I have heard it observed, with great justness, that every book is of a different kind, and that each has its distinct and characteristic excellence."