fair Stable of great Horses insomuch as he was able to arme at all points both horse and foot and divers times had one hundred foot and fifty horse of his own servants mustered and trayned for which purpose he entertained Captains c. His house for the Lectures and Scholastick exercises therein performed might justly be accounted a little Academy and in some respects superiour c. His Domestick Chaplains both before and since his death attained to the chiefest honours and dignities in our Church and Common-wealth namely Bancroft Ravis Barlow c. 37. He carried himself with great Resolution and courage in the determination of Causes belonging to his proper Cognizance When a Gentleman of good note told him once that the Lords of the Council were of another opinion then his Grace What tellest thou me said the Arch-bishop of the Lords of the Council I tell thee they are in these Cases to be advised by us and not we by them He would upon such occasions oftentimes say unto his private friends toward his later time That two things did help much to make a man confident in good causes namely Orbitas Senectus and said he they steed me both 38. He gave Audience unto Suitors twice a day and afforded them set hours for their dispatch at which time he would so courteously intreat them giving so mild and gentle Answers that even they that sped not in their suits did depart without discontentment Wherein I may justly compare him unto Titus qui neminem unquam à se tristem dimisit He often feasted the Clergy Nobility and Gentry of his Diocess and Neighbourhood at Christmas especially his Gates were alwayes open and his Hall set twice or thrice over with strangers Every year he entertained the Queen at one of his houses and some years twice or thrice who besides other favours would bid him Farewell by the name of her Black Husband c. 39. His Charity is testifyed by that notable Monument his Hospital of the blessed Trinity in Croydon which he built very fair and Colledge-wise for a Warden and eight and twenty Brothers and Sisters He builded also near unto it a goodly free School with a School-masters house allowing to the School-master twenty pounds by year for ever And when he had finished and done the whole work he found himself no worse in his estate then when he first began which he ascribed unto the extraordinary blessing and goodnesse of God After which when the French Ambassador by whom he was reputed a peerlesse Prelate for piety and learning enquiring what Books he had written was told He had only published certain Books in the English tongue in defence of the Ecclesiastical Government and that he had founded an Hospital and a School The Embassador replyed Profecto Hospitale ad sublevandam paupertatem Schola ad instruendam juventutem sunt optimi libri quos Archiepiscopus conscribere potuit 30. 1603. Ap. 28. He was the principal Mourner at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth crowned and anointed King James Jul. 25. being visited by his Majesty in his sicknesse spake to him earnestly in Latin and by his last words pro ecclesia Dei pro ecclesia â—ei was conceived by the King to commend unto his royal care as he had done sundry times before the Church of England Ob. ult Feb. hora 8. pomerid An. Dom. 1603. Aet 73. M. Richard Hooker Author of the Bookes of â—cclesiasticall Politye V. Mr RICHARD HOOKER Out of his life written by the R. R. Bishop of Exeter Dr Gauden 1. HE was born in the West either in or not far from the City of Exeter An. 1550. A Country that is as Mr Cambden observes ferax ingeniorum But with what presages of his future eminency there is not any notice to be had One of his Vncles was Chamberlain of Exeter in Mr Hookers Youth and contributed both care and cost toward his Education in the free School there His Parents need no other monument of honour then this that they were blessed with so worthie a Son 2. This excellent Person had a body and soul every way so adjusted and suited to each other that they were like meet pairs happily married together and living peaceably His outward aspect and carriage was rather comely than Couâ—tly his looks alwaies grave and reserved his soul more looking inward then exspatiating at his eyes or taking the outward prospect of his senses He went alwaies as if he meditated some great and good design what he designed he industriously acted without affectation or ostentation 3. His words were alwaies sober and well-ordered not more in number then weight He was like an hive full of honey of a plain outside and a narrow accesse and orifice but heavy as having in him all manner of good literatute industriously gathered and aptly digested His friends or Confidents were few but choise as one that had no great opinion of himself nor sought the applause of others 4. While he continued in Corpus Christi Colledge few men of any note in either University but promised more than he did as to any great and publick undertaking not that he wanted a publick spirit or excellent Abilities in nature and education but he was so locked up and reserved by a natural modestie and self-distrust that he seemed to think it reward sufficient to have the conscience of weldoing and pleasure enough to see himself dayly profit in his studies and preferment even to envy to enjoy vertue though never so cloistred and confined to his own breast 5. Mr Hooker did not look upon the ease and â—uietnesse of a Colledge life as the ultimate design of his studies nor did he say with the Apostle It is good to be here as in a settled Tabernacle but gently embraced those small offers of Ministerial Employments in the Country which were made to him by such as thought them somewhat proportionate if not to his worth and learning yet to that humble plainnesse and simplicity of his Genius and mode of living His first living was Boscomb in the West to which the Colledge presented him his next in Lincolnshire called Drayton Beauchamp An. 1584. 6. The â—oise which some Non-Conformists made kept this good Country Parson awake who however he could bear with patience and silence the reproaches cast upon himself as a private man yet he thought it stupor to hear without just indignation his Mother reviled by ungrateful children Hence sprang that excellent work of the Ecclesiastical Politie Wherein he hath justly obtained this Encomium from all intelligent Readers That never any man undertook a better cause since the antient conflicts of the Fathers nor handled it with an honester heart an abler judgment or an eloquenter stile 7. His first five Books he lived to publish providence in time brought forth those esteemed Abortive the three last Books with such lineaments of their fathers virtue and vigour on them that they may be easily and justly owned
dissolution which he suffer'd on the Scaffold on Tower-Hill with much Christian meeknesse 10. The Lady was led to a Scaffold within the Tower by Sir Henry Gage the Constable who desired her to bestow some small gift upon him as a Memorial of her To gratify which desire she gave him her table-Table-book in which she had written three sentences in Greek Latine and English as she saw her Husbands Body brought unto the Chappel which she besought him to accept as her last Bequest The Greek to this effect That if his executed body should give testimony against her before Men his most blessed soul should give an eternal proof of her Innocence in the presence of God The Latine added That Humane Justice was against his Body but the Divine Mercy would be for his Soul The Conclusion in English That if her fault deserved punishment her Youth at least and her Imprudence were worthy of Excuse and that God and Posterity would shew her Favour 11. Conducted by Fecknam to the Scaffold she gave not much heed to his Discourses but kept her eyes upon a Prayer-book of her own And being mounted on the Throne from which she was to receive a more excellent Crown then any which this vile Earth could give her she addressed her self in some few words to the standers by letting them know That her offence was not for having layd her hand upon the Crown but for not rejecting it with sufficient Constancy That she had lesse erred through Ambition then out of Reverence to her parents yet such Reverence deserved punishment That she would willingly admit of death so to give satisfaction to the injured State And that she had justly deserved this punishment for being made the Instrument though an unwilling Instrument of Anothers ambition Then having desired the people to recommend her in their prayers to the mercies of God being ready for the block with the same clear and untroubled Countenance wherewith she had acted all the rest of her Tragedy she said aloud the Psalm of Miserere mei Deus in the English Tongue and so submitted her pure neck to the â—xecutioner An. 1553. Miraris Janam Graio Sermone loquntam Quo primum nata est tempore Graia fuit Camd. in Reliq III. Sir JOHN CHEEK Out of his Life prefixed to The hurt of Sedition written by Dr. Langbane 1. THIS learned and worthy man fell immediately from the womb of his Mother into the lap of the Muses being both born and bred within the liberties of that famous nursery of good Letters Cambridge He seems to have been of no vulgar extraction for two of his Sisters were fairly matched one to Dr. Blith the Kings professor of Physick and Mary another of them to William Cecil afterwards Lord Burghley a most able Minister of State Ingenium magni moderatus Principis exul CHECVS at inconstans in Pietate â—uit â— 3. In the discharge of this later he went over all Sophocles twice all Homer all Euripides and part of Herodotus to his Auditors benefit and his own credit which was all the Salary he then had till King Henry VIII of his royal bounty endowed that and the other Chairs with the liberal Allowance of XL pounds per annum and upon the sole Commendatories of his former deservings conferred that honour on him to be the first Regius professor of the Greek tongue in Cambridge as Sir Thomas Smith was of Law 4. These two especially by their advice and example brought the study of Tongues and other politer learning first into request in that University Upon hopes of facilitating the Greek Tongue they attempted to reduce it to the antient but obsolete manner of pronuntiation an innovation quickly observed by B. Gardiner the Chancellor and repressed by a strict Injunction May 21. 1542. And though at last after several Writings Mr. Cheek was content to submit to that one unanswerable Argument of the Chancellors Authority yet his Rules and Practice had taken such deep root in his Auditors that by them it was propagated through this whole Kingdom and that we English-men speak Greek and are able to understand one another we must acknowledge it to be a special effect of Mr. Cheek's rare ingeny 5. That famous King Henry VIII thought it sit to call this great light of Learning out of the shadow and so he did July 10. 1544. and to his Custody he then committed the most precious Jewel of the Kingdom the young Prince Edward being at that time not full seven years of age What progresse he made under this Director of his studies appears by those noble Reliques of his industry und sufficiency both in Greek and Latine which are still preserved in his Majesties Library at S. James 6. It may be truly said that under God Mr. Cheek was a special Instrument of the propagation of the Gospel and that Religion which we now professe in this Kingdom For he not only sowed the seeds of that Doctrin in the heart of Prince Edward which afterwards grew up into a general Reformation when he came to be King but by his means the same saving truth was gently instilled into the Lady Elizabeth by those who by his procurement were admitted to be guides of her younger studies Such were first William Grindall and after him Roger Ascham who had fomerrly bin his Scholar in the Coll. and successor in the Orators place in the University a man dear unto him for similitude of studies but more for his zeal to the true Religion 7. An. 1547. When the young King was wel settled in his Throne he admitted Mr. Cheek to be one of his privy Chamber This accrue of Honour to her son made his learned Mother the University a suiter to him for protection in those stormy times who in her Letters to him gives him such an Elogie as must not be omitted here This it is Ex universo illo numero clarissimorum virorum Clarissimè Chece qui ex hac Academia in Remp. unquam prodierunt Tu unus es quem semper Academia prae universis aliis praesentem complexa est absentem admirata est qnam Tu vicissim plusquam universi alii praesens ornaveras absens juvas An. 1551. When his Majesty was pleased to make a doal of Honours among his deserving Subjects Mr. Cheek was not forgotten He with his Brother in Law Secretary Cecil were then Knighted This was but a foundation upon which the gratefull Prince had a purpose to erect higher preferments had not the hand of Providence so soon snatcht him away into another Kingdom to invest his temples with a more glorious Crown This was done July 6. 1553. not long after he had called Sir John Cheek to sit at the helm of State the Council Boord In this common losse of so good a King He good man had more then a common share Being clapt up in prison July 27. he was stript of the greatest part of his honours and all his fortunes â—ut
for genuin although they had not the last politure of their Parents hand The seventh book by comparing the writing of it with other indisputable papers or known Manuscripts of Mr Hooker's is undoubtedly his oâ—n hand throughout The eighth is written by another hand as a Copy but interlined in many places with Mr Hooker's own characters as owned by him 8. An. 1592. He had the Dignities of a Prebend in Salisburie and the Subdeanrie bestowed on him and by the Queen he was preferred to be Master of the Temple i. e. the publick preacher in that great Auditory which requires an excellent preacher and where he may well deserve an honourable maintenance Mr Travers was popularly chosen by the Societie to be Lecturer in the afternoon a man of esteemed piety and good learning but a Non-conformist In comparison of whom Mr Hooker was much undervalued by the vulgar hearers 9. These two although they differed in some matters yet they corresponded in the main of sound Doctrine and holy life like generous rivals they honoured and loved what they saw good in one another Hence that very worthy speech of Mr Travers when being asked what he thought of some vile aspersion cast upon Mr Hooker he answered In truth I take Mr Hooker to be a very holy man 10. An. 1594. He was removed to his last station at Bishopsburn in Kent and was made also Prebend of Canterburie by the favour of the Archbishop Whitgift whose valiant and able Second he was in that Conflict which he so notably maintained against the Disciplinarian faction or the unruly Non-conformists 11. This was the period of Mr Hooker's promotion much below indeed his merit but adequate it seems to the retirednesse of his temper and most suitable to the policies of those times where Church-Governors were to be rather active than contemplative spirits And from this something rising but not very high ground did this excellent person take his ascent and rise to heaven the onely preferment worthie of him dying with great comfort at his parsonage in Kent about 50 years old An. 1599 saies Mr Camden An. 1603 saies his Monument He was interred in the Chancel of Bishopsbourn where a fair Marble and Alabaster Monument no way violated or deformed in all our late years of confusion was long after erected to his Memory An. 1634. See the rest in the eloquent Bishop before the Eccl. Pol. ADDITIONS Out of Dr W. Covel's Defence of Hooker 1603. 12. A Letter which is here answered was published by certain Protestants as they term themselves which I hear how true I know not is translated into other tongues This they presume hath given that wound to that reverend and learned man that it was not the least cause to procure his death But it is far otherwise for he contemned it in his wisdom as it was fit and yet in his humilitie would have answered it if he had lived But first of all he was loth to entermeddle with so weak adversaries thinking it unfit as himself said that a man that hath a long journie should turn back to beat every barking curre and having taken it in hand his urgent and greater affairs together with the want of strength weakned with much labour would not give him time to see it finished Death hath taken from us a sweet friend a wise Counsellour and a strong Champion Others are fit enough to live in the midst of errour vanitie unthankfulnesse and deceit but he was too good p. 13. 13. As profoundly to judge with sound variety of all learning was common to him with divers others so to expresse what he conceived in thâ— eloquence of a most pure stile was the felicity almost of himself alone That honourable Knight Sr Philip Sidney gave a tast in an Argument of Recreation how well that style would befit an Argument of a graver Subject which it may be is more unpleasing in the tast of some because the manner is learned and the subject is not agreeing to their humour Doubtlesse the perfecting of a style and especially of our English style which in my opinion refuseth not the purest ornaments of any language hath many mo helps than those honourable places of learning the Vniversities can afford And therefore in those things which they conceive and some of them conceive much there are found in the Princes Court divers most purely eloquent whom even the best in the Universities may despair to imitate And if I may speak without offence I am fully perswaded that Mr Hookers stile if he had had lesse learning a strange fault for the weight of his learning made it too heavy had been incomparably the best that ever was written in our Church If our English storie had been born to that â—appinesse ever to have been attired in such rich ornaments she might worthily have bin entertained in the best Courts that the World hath But all Countries know our actions have been better done then they have been told 14. His Arguments you say are found in the Answer of that Reverend Father unto Mr Cartwright If there were no difference yet the consent of their Arguments were reason enough for you to allow Mr Hooker seeing you hâ—ve given your approbation of the works of that most Reverend Father whose worthinesse no doubt can receive little honour from your praise yet you know that the whole subject of Mr Hooker's first four Books is an argument as full of learning so directly heretofore not handled by any that I know Concerning those three Books of his which from his own mouth I am informed that they were finisht I know not in whose hands they are nor whether the Church shall be bettered by so excellent a work For as the Church might have been happy if he had lived to have written more so she were not altogether so much harmed if she might but enjoy what he hath written p. 150. 15. The government of his passions was in his own power and he was able to rule them For he was truly of a mild spirit and an humble heart and abounding in all other virtues Yet he specially excelled in the grace of Meeknesse The Gravitie of his looks was cleered by those that did sit or converse with him least he should be burdensome unto them but a full laughter few ever discovered in him Some such our church had in all ages a few now alive which are her ornament if she can use them well but more that are dead whom she ought to praise For all these were honourable men in their generations c. * While this was under the Printers hand I had the happinesse to be in Dr Pococks company sometimes Fellow of C. C. C. and heard him amongst other good Discourse tell a story of Hooker to this effect That He with some others of the colledge journeying on foot as the manner then was into their country by the way visited Bishop Jewel sometime of the same Coll. The Bishop understanding
depart away with admiration of his skill Additions out of Mr. Priors Sermon at his Funeral 12. His merit in the new Translation of the Bible preferred him to this place of Government in the Church For with Basilius Magnus Non ex majoribus sed ex propria virtute nobilitatem duxit He ennobled himself with his own worth and virtue 13. Two singular ornaments crowned him which seldom meet in one man Learning and Humility On a time and many such I could tell you a poor Minister sending in to speak with him abruptly he brake off a most serious discourse saying But the Minister must not stay lest we should seem to take state upon us Therein imitating the great Athanasius being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazianz. 14. When in his sickness one hoped for his recovery he gave the answer that St. Ambrose gave to the Nobles of Milain that desired him to pray for life Non ita inter vos vixi ut pudeat ms vivere nec timeo mori quoniam dominum bonuns habemus 15. Not many hours before his departure for non obiit sed abiit I found him as me seemed victorious upon some conflict Quis sarctorum sine certamine coronatur I drew near his bed he reached for my hand and greezed it saying I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day This occasioned something about relyance on God by Faith Yea said he I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living And again The mercies of the Lord are from generation to generation on them that fear him Mercy brought in thoughts of Christ Oh saith he in the words of that holy Martyr none but Christ none but Christ Being told how pretiously the Lord esteemeth the death of such He replyed Right dear right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Some prayers made for him upon his desire at conclusion he said Amen I thank God Amen enough Amen I thank God 16. When he was leaving this life he looked on his daughter and on the rest of his children in the chamber present and said Christ bless you all And like that old Patriarch he moved himself upon the bed and cried Christ Jesus help and so Christ took him and conclamatum est â—is soul is now at rest his Name is among the Worthies of our Church His Motto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ob. A. S. 1624. aet supra 70. FINIS A Letter To fill up this void leaf or rather to promote conformity which is partly the designe of these Memorials I take leave to translate hither out of the Oxford-book very worthy to be Reprinted A Letter of the Vice-Chancellour and others the Heads of the Vniversity of Cambridge to the Vice-Chancellour and others of the Vniversity of Oxford Octob. 7. 1603. E Latino WHen neâ—ly and indeed very late there came unto us a report of the Petition for Reformation forsooth of the Church of England offered to his Majestie as is pretended by a thousand Ministers though we found in it nothing new and what hath been answered heretofore a thousand times Yet because they boast of their number that these Millenaries may know if Saul hath his thousand David in this cause will never want his ten thousand we were desirous notwithstanding the work was altogether unworthy of it to provide an answer Whilst we were meditating thereof there is brought unto our hands that most Elegant answer of the Vniuersity of Oxford being a most rational and brief confutation of all that had by those men so laboriously been framed and feigned upon sight whereof nothing seemed to remain for us whom in this best of causes the zeal and industry of our Brethren easily able to refute such Adversaries had prevented but this to add unto the weight of their Arguments because those men glory most in their multitudes the number of our Suffrages This we did formerly as it were divining both foresee and provide for For when after the death of our Excellent Queen Elizabeth alwaies the same and most constant a singular and incomparable example in a woman in this best of causes those men did not so much deplore the loss of a most Religious Princess and the case of Religion it self if not dying with her yet at least in very great hazard as meditate and every day attempt Innovations against the new Kings approach Our Vniversity very opportunely judged her aid to be needful and a decree to be made in a full and solemn Convocation That whosoever shall in the Vniversity of Cambridge publickly oppose in word or writing or any other way the Doctrine or Discipline of the Church of England or any part thereof by Law established He shall be excluded from taking any degree and be suspended ipso facto from the degree he hath taken Which decree even by Unanimous consent of the whole House voted and recorded publickly Jun. 9. 1603. we do now desire to publish to the whole World that all may be assured what is the judgment not of some Opiniasters in their corners and Conventicles but of allmost all the Cantabrigians in open senate concerning that Discipline which we have not forced on us but freely received and entertained Whose consent so fraternally and sweetly concurring with the Oxford-answer with Scripture Fathers and Councils with the decrees of our Princes our Laws and Parliaments Away with those thousand Ministers let them go and answer at thousand Books of ours already written and set forth for their satisfaction before they do so impudently obtrude their Crambe so often boiled upon so wise a King and so excellently learned Or if they would have Suffrages rather to be numbred then weighed let the poor Fellows forsaken of the Universities and Muses bethink themselves of how little account what nothings they are Thus we take our leave of our most dear Brehren in Christ and as we and our Vniversity beng united to you both by similitude of studies and manners are most fitmly Yours So we intreat you alwaies to continue your love to Us. Camb. Oct. 7. 1603.
no otherwise then as so many excrescences upon the body of the Church but Bishopricks being more essential to the Constitution of the same he did not onely preserve as before he found them but encrease their number Six of the wealthier Monasteries he turned into Episcopal Sees i. e. the Abbies of Westminster â—eterborough Bristol Glocester and Chester with that of Ousney for the See of the Bishop of Oxon assigning to every new Episcopal See its Dean and Chapter and unto every such Cathedral a competent number of Quire-men and other officers all of them liberally endowed and provided for And that the Church might be continually furnished with sufficient Seminaries he founded a Grammar School in every one of his Cathedrals either old or new with Annual Pensions to the Master and some allowance to be made to the Children yearly and ordained also that in each of the two Universities there should be publick Readers in the faculties of Divinity Law and Physick and in the Greek and Hebrew Tongues all which he pensioned and endowed with liberal Salaries as the times then were Besides which publick benefactions he confirmed Cardinal Wolsey's Colledge in Oxon by the name of Kings Colledge first and of Christ-Church afterwards and erected that most beautifull pile of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge Those being the two fairest and most magnificent Foundations in the Christian World And as for the polity of the Church he settled it in such a manner that Archbishops and Bishops might be chosen consecrated and all the Subjects relieved in their Sutes and Grievances without having such recourse to the Court of Rome as formerly had drained the Realm of so much Treasure 8. The Earl of Hartford after Duke of Somerset the young Kings Uncle is chosen Governour of his Person and Protector of his Kingdoms till he should come to the Age of eighteen years The Protector and other Grandees of the Court presently entertain some thoughts of a Reformation In which they found Arch-bishop Cranmer and some other Bishops to be as forward as themselves but on different ends endeavoured by the Bishops in a pious zeal for rectifying such things as were amiss in God's publick Worship but by the Courtiers on an hope to enrich themselves by the spoil of the Bishopricks 9. Commissioners are sent forth into all parts of the Kingdom armed with Instructions to enquire into all Ecclesiastical Concernments in the manner of a Visitation directed by the King as Supreme Head on Earth of the Church of England Which Commissioners being directed into several Circuits were accompanied with certain learned and godly Preachers appointed to instruct the people and to facilitate the work of the Commissioners in all Towns and Places where they sate And that the people might not cool or fall off again in and from that which had been taught them by the learned Preachers they were to leave some Homilies to the same effect with the Parish-Priests which the Arch-bishop had composed not only for the help of unpreaching Ministers but for the regulating and enstructing even of learned Preachers The Preachers were more particularly instructed to perswade the people from praying to Saints from Adoring of Images from praying in unknown Language and some other like things whereunto long Custom had brought a Religious Observation All which was done to this intent That the people in all places being prepared by little and little might with more ease and lesse opposition admit the total Alteration in the face of the Church which was intended in due time to be introduced Among the Injunctions sent with the Commissioners were these following viz. That the laws for abolishing the Popes usurped Power be observed That the people be exhorted to works of Faith Mercy and Charity That Images be taken down That the Bible in English and Erasmus Paraphrase be placed in the Church That Ecclesiastical persons ptomoted give exhibitions to poor Scholars in the Universities That no Ecclesiastical person haunt Ale-houses That none preach without licence That no Curate admit to the Communion such who are in malice with their Neighbours That the Holy Day be wholly given to God except in times of harvest That Tithes be not detained That Priests be not abused c. 10. The famous Preacher at Court was Father Latimer who drew such multitudes of people after him to hear his Sermons that being to preach before the King on the first Friday in Lent it was thought necessary that the Pulpit should be placed in the Kings Privy-garden where he might be heard of more then four times as many Auditors as could have thronged into the Chappel In which place was erected afterwards a fixed and standing Pulpit for the like occasions especially for Lent-Sermons on Sundaies in the Afternoon and hath so continued ever since tiâ—l these later times 11. In the second of his raign An. 1548. his Majestie declared by Proclamation Septemb. 23. That for the setling of an Uniformity and Order throughout his Realm and for putting an end to all Controversies in Religion He had caused certain Godly Bishops and other notable learned men to be Congregated or called together And thereupon doth infer That notwithstanding many of the Preachers formerly licensed had behaved themselves very discreetly and wisely to the Honour of God and the contentation of his Highnesse Yet till such time as the said Order should be generally set forth throughout the Realm His Majesty did thereby inhibit all manner of Persons whatever they be to preach in open Audience in the Pulpit or otherwise by any sought colour or fraud to the disobeying of his Commandment And this he did to the intent That the Whole Clergy in the mean space might apply themselves to prayer to Almighty God for the better atchieving of this same Godly intent and purpose Not doubting but that all his loving Subjects in the mean time would occupy themselves to Gods honour with due prayer in the Church and patient hearing of the Godly Homilies and so endeavour themselves that they may be the more ready with thankful Obedience to receive a most quiet godly and uniform Order throughout all his Realms and Dominions 12. Here it is to be observed That those who had the chief directing of this weighty businesse were before hand resoâ—ved that none but English heads or hands should be used therein leâ—t otherwise it might be thought and perhaps objected That they rather followed the example of some other Churches or were swayed by the Authority of those forein Assistants then by the Word of God and the most uncorrupted practice of the Primitive Times And though it was thought necessary for the better seasoning of the Universities in the Protestant Reformed Religion that Martin Bucer and Peter Martyr two eminent Divines of the forein Churches should be invited to come over yet we find neither of them here till the end of November 1548 when the Liturgie had been approved of by the King and Council if it had not also
passed the Approbation of both Houses of Parliament 13. The Book being finished and subscribed it wâ—s with all due â—everence humbly presented to the â—ing by whom it was received to his great Comfort and Quietnesse of mind as the Statute telleth us and being by him commended to the Lords and Commons then assembled in Parliament They did not only give his Highnesse most hearty and lowly Thanks for his Care therein but on perusal thereof declared it to be done by the aid of the Holy Ghost and thereupon it was enacted That all Ministers in the Kings Dominions should say Common and open prayer in such order and form as is mentioned in the same Book and no otherwise 14. The raign of this Young King was indeed remarkable for the progresse of the Reformation but otherwise tumultuous in it self and defamed by Sacrilege and so distracted into sides and factions that in the end the King himself became a prey to the strongest party 15. The Physicians that attended him on his death bed whispered That neither their Advice nor Applications had been at all regarded in the course of his sicknesse That the King had been ill dealt with more than once or twice and That when by the benefit both of his Youth and carefull means there were some fair hopes of his Recovery he was again more strongly overlaid than ever It is affirmed by a Writer of the Popish party who could have no great cause to pity such a calamitous end that the Apothecary who poysond him for the horrour of the offense and the disquietnesse of his Conscience did not long after drown himself 16. In his dying prayer as it was taken from his Mouth we have those pious words Lord God deliver me out of this miserable and wretched life and take me among thy Chosen Howbeit not my will but thine be done Lord Blesse my people and save thine inheritance Defend this Realm from Papistry and maintain thy true Religion Ob. 6. Jul. An D. 1553. Aet 16. Nata 1537. cc Regina Declaritur Guildfordice Dudley 1553 Iul 10. Conjugata Capite Plectitur 1553. Maij. 1553 4. Feb 12. Printed for Richd. Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in St. Pauls Church yard II. The Lady JANE GREY Out of Dr Heylins History of the Reformation 1. SHe was eldest Daughter of Henry L. Grey Duke of Suffolk Her Mother was the Ladie Francis daughter and in fine one of the coheires of Charles Brandon the late Duke of Suffolk by Marie his wife Queen Dowager to Lewis 12. of France and youngest Daughter of K. Henrie VII She seemed to have been born with those Attractions which seat a Soveraigntie in the face of most beautiful persons yet was her Mind endued with more excellent Charms then the Attractions of her Face Modest and Mild of Disposition Courteous of Carriage and of such Affable Deportment as might entitle her to the name of Queen of Hearts before she was designed for Queen over any Subjects 2. These her Native and obliging Graces were accompanied with some more profitable ones of her own acquiring which set an higher value on them and much encreased the same both in Worth and Lustre Having attained unto that Age in which other young Ladies used to apply themselves to the sports and exercises of their Sex She wholly gave her Mind to good Arts and Sciences much furthered in that pursuit by the loving Care of Mr Elmer under whose charge she came to such a large proficiency that she spake the Latin and Greek Tongues with as sweet a fluencie as if they had been natural and native to her exactly skilled in the liberal Sciences and perfectly well studied in both kinds of Philosophie 3. Take here a story out of Mr Ascham's Schoolm p. 11. in his own words One example Whether love or fear doth work more in a child for vertue and learning I will gladly report which may be heard with some pleasure and followed with more profit Before I went into Germanie I came to Brodegate in Leicestershire to take my leave of that noble Ladie Jane Grey to whom I was exceeding much beholding Her Parents the Duke and the Dutchesse with all the Houshold Gentlemen and Gentlewomen were hunting in the Park I found her in her Chamber reading Phoedon Platonis in Greek and that with as much delight as some Gentlemen would read a merry tale in Bocace After salutation and duty done with some other talk I asked her why she would leese such pastime in the Park Smiling she answered me I wisse all their sport in the Park is but a shadow to that pleasure that I find in Plato Alas good folk they never felt what true pleasure meant And how came You Madam quoth I to this deep knowledge of pleasure and what did chiefly allure You unto it seeing not many women but very few men have attained thereunto I will tel you saith she and tell you a troth which perchance ye will marvel at One of the greatest benefits that ever God gave me is that he sent me so sharp and severe Parents and so gentle a Schoolmaster For when I am in presence either of Father or Mother whether I speak keep silence sit stand or go eat drink be merry or sad be sowing playing dauncing or doing any thing else I must do it as it were in such weight measure and number even so perfectly as God made the world or else I am so sharply traunted so cruelly threatned yea presently sometimes with pinches nips and bobs and waies which I will not name for the honour I bear them so without measure misordered that I think my self in hell till time come that I must go to Mr Elmer who teacheth me so gently so pleasantly with such fair allurements to learning that I think all the time nothing whiles I am with him And when I am called from him I fall on weeping because whatsoever I do else but learning is full of grief trouble fear and whole misliking unto me And thus my book hath been so much my pleasure and bringeth dayly to me more pleasure and more that in respect of it all other pleasures in very deed be but trifles and troubles unto me I remember this talk gladly both because it is so worthy of memory and because also it was the last talk that ever I had and the last time that ever I saw that noble and worthy Lady Thus far Mr Ascham 4. By this eminent proficiency in all parts of learning and an Agreeablenesse in Disposition she became very dear to the Young K. Edward to whom Fox not onely makes her equal but doth acknowledge her also to be his Superiour in those noble studies And for an Ornament superadded to her other perfections she was most zealously affected to the true Protestant Religion then by law established Which she embraced not out of any outward compliance with the present current of the Times but because her own moâ—t excellent Judgement had been fully