He found only one see unprovided with a Bishop.

Seth Ward, who had during many years had charge of the diocese of Salisbury, and who had been honourably distinguished as one of the founders of the Royal Society, having long survived his faculties, died while the country was agitated by the elections for the Convention, without knowing that great events, of which not the least important had passed under his own roof, had saved his Church and his country from ruin.

The choice of a successor was no light matter.

That choice would inevitably be considered by the country as a prognostic of the highest import.
The King too might well be perplexed by the number of divines whose erudition, eloquence, courage, and uprightness had been conspicuously displayed during the contentions of the last three years.

The preference was given to Burnet.