â—…o the utmost of his power he had exercised his Pen in the defâ—…nce both of the Crown Scepter and Miter his Soul then transported with joy that he should survive the usurped powers and see with his old bad eyes the King settled upon his Fathers Throne and peace upon Israel In the Evening after the Ceremonies of the Coronation were over while the Ordinance was playing from the Tower it happened to thunder violently at which some persons who were at supper with him seemed much affrighted I very well remember an expression of his upon the same according to the Poets word Intonuit laetus that the Ordinance of Heaven answered those of the Tower rejoycing at the solemnity with which the Company being exceedingly pleased there followed much Joy and Mirth Thus being settled in Westminster he fell upon the old work of building again and repairing which is the costly pleasure of Clergy men for the next Generation because building is like planting the chief benefit of which accrues to their Successors that live in another Age as Cicero said of them who took delight in planting Oake-Trees Serunt Arbores quae prosiâ—…t alteri saeculo He enlarged his Prebends House by making some convenient Additions to it perticularly he erected a new Dining Room and beautified the other Rooms all which he enjoyed but for a little time of which he made the best use while he lived to serve his God and seek after the Churches good in which work he was as industrious after his Majesties happy Restauration as he was before to testifie his Religious zeal and care that all things might run on in the old right Channel for which reason he writ a fervent Letter to a great States-man of that time earnestly pressing him to advise the King that a Convocation might be called with the present Parliament which was a thing then under question his Letter is as followeth Right Honourable and my very good Lord I Cannot tell how welcom or unwelcom this Address may prove in regard of the greatness of the Cause and the low Condition of the Party who negotiates in it But I am apt enough to perswade my self that the honest zeal which moves me to it not only will excuse but endear the boldness There is my Lord a general speech but a more general fear withal amongst some of the Clergy that there will be no Convocation called with the following Parliament which if it should be so resolved on cannot but raise sad thoughts in the hearts of those who wish the peace and happiness of this our English Sion But being Bishops are excluded from their Votes in Parliament there is no other way to keep up their honour and esteem in the Eyes of the People than the retaining of their places in Convocation Nor have the lower Clergy any other means to shew their duty to the King and keep that little freedom which is left unto them than by assembling in in such meetings where they may exercise the Power of a Convocation in granting Subsidies to his Majesty though in nothing else And should that Power be taken from them according to the constant but unprecedented practice of the late long Parliament and that they must be taxed and rated with the rest of the Subjects without their liking and consent I cannot see what will become of the first Article of Magna Charta so solemnly so frequently confirmed in Parliament or what can possibly be left unto them of either the Rights or Liberties belonging to an English Subject I know it is conceived by some that the distrust which his Majesty hath in some of the Clergy and the diffidence which the Clergy have one of another is looked on as the principle cause of the Innovation For I must needs behold it as an Innovation that any Parliament should be called without a meeting of the Clergy at the same time with it The first year of King Edward the Sixth Qeen Mary and Queen Elizabeth were times of greater diffidence and distraction than this present conjuncture And yet no Parliament was called in the beginning of their several Reigns without the company and attendance of a Convocation though the intendments of the State aimed then at greater Alterations in the face of the Church than are now pretended or desired And to say truth there was no danger to be feared from a Convocation thâ—…ugh the times were ticklish and unsetled and the Clergy was divided into sides and Factions as the Case then stood and so stands with us at the present time For since the Clergy in their Convocations are in no Authority to propound treat or conclude any thing more than the passing of a Bill of Subsidies for his Majesties use untill they are impowered by the Kings Commission The King may tye them up for what time he pleaseth and give them nothing but the opportunity of entertaining one another with the News of the Day But if it be objected That the Commission now on foot for altering and explaining certain passages in the publick Liturgy shall either pass instead of a Convocation or else is thought to be neither competable nor consistent with it I hope for better in the one and must profess that I can see no reason in the other For first I hope that the selecting of some few Bishops and other learned men of the lower Clergy to debate on certain points contained in the Common Prayer-Book is not intended for a Representation of the Church of England which is a Body more diffused and cannot legally stand by their Acts and Councils and if the Conference be for no other purpose but only to prepare matter for a Convocation as some say it is not why may not such a Conference and Convocation be held both at once For neither the selecting of some learned men out of both the Orders for the composing and reveiwing of the two Liturgies digested in the Reign of King Edward the Sixth proved any hindrence in the calling of their Convocation which were held both in the second and third and in the fifth and sixth years of the said Kings Reign Nor was it found that the holding of a Convocation together with the first Parliament under Queen Elizabeth proved any hinderance to that Conference in disputation which was designed between the Bishops and some learned men of the opposite Parties All which considered I do most humbly beg your Lordship to put his Majesty in mind of sending out his Mandates to the two Arch Bishops for summoning a Convocation according to the usual Form in their several Provinces that this poor Church may be held with some degree of veneration both at home and abroad And in the next place I do no less humbly-beseech your Lordship to excuse this freedom which nothing but my zeal to Gods Glory and my affection to this Church could have forced from me I know how ill this present Office doth become me and how much better it had been
in this Case that most Writers are in love with their Paper-works but the World should first judge whether there is any excellency or real worth in them otherwise it is a fond fancy Narcissus like for any one to be inamoured with his own Shaddow But that which is worse than all this I perceive the Writer is not consistent with himself but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Poets words difficilis facilis juâ—…undus acerbus es idem Because one while he plays the Satyrist against the Fanaticks and afterward turns Factor for the Papists whose cause he could not plead better to please the holy Fathers of the Ignatian Society founded since Luther's time than to render the Name of Protestant odious ` A Name ` saith he that imports little in it of `the positive part of Christianity God forbid and let us then put this into our Litany Lord have mercy upon our Souls who profess our selves to be Protestants and not Papists if the positive part of Christianity be wanting among us For by Name what doth he or can he mean but our Religion and Christian Profession For the Name of Protestant it self is but Thema simplex I may say vox praeterea nihil no more is Catholick Christian Orthodox or any other Name Nomina imponuntur rebus Names are given to things to diversify and distinguish them one from another or else how are they significative of themselves While he goes about to unchristian the Name Protestant or at least makes it Terminus diminuâ—…ns a very slighty Name indeed he endeavours to overthrow the true Protestant Religion For ever since the first Reformation and change of Religion wrought among us by our just and necessary separation from communion with the Church of Rome we and our Fore-fathers have constantly gone under the Name of Protestants though originally I acknowledge this Name was taken up by those Princes of Germany who adhering to Luther's Doctrine made their Protestation at Spires the imperial Chamber and afterward set forth the Augustane Confession since which time the Church of England having cast off the Papacy this Name hath been the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or remark of distinction betwixt us and Papists Our Kings and Princes not only acknowledging the same but have defended the Protestant Religion his most sacred Majesty whose Life God long preserve among us in most or all his Speeches unto his High Court of Parliament hath graciously declared to secure and defenâ—… the Protestant Interest and Religion His Royal Father the most glorious Martyr of our Church but two days before his Death told the Princess Elizabeth That he should die for the maintaining the true Protestant Religion and charged her to read Arch-Bishop Laud's Book against Fisher to ground her against Popery And why were the Jesuiâ—…s so active about his Death that some of them became Agitators in the Independant Army but because it was agreed before by the Pope and his Council saith Dr. du Moulin that there was no way for advancing the Catholick Cause in England but by making away the King of whom there was no hope to turn from hiâ—… Heresie because he was a Protestant I cannot omit Arch-Bishop Laud's words at the time of his Tryal before the Lords Anno Dom. 1643. Saith he Not to trouble your Lordships too long I am so innocent in the business of Religion so far from all practice or so much as thought of practice for any alteration unto Popery or any blemishing of the true Protestant Religion established in England as I was when my Mother first â—…are me into the World In his Speech upon the Scaffold before his Death he saith thus of the King I shall be bold to speak of the King our gracious Soveraign He hath â—…een mâ—…d traduced for bringing in of Popery â—…ut on my Conscience of which I shall give God a very present account I know him to be as free from this Charge as any Man living and I hold him to bâ—… as sound a Protestant according to the Religion by Law established as any Man in this Kingdom And now hath not this Name Protestant which imports our Religion been owned by all our Judges and Lawyers the Lord chief Justice speaking of Papists If they cannot saith he at this time live in a Protestant Kingdom with security to their Neighbours but cause such fears and dangers and that for Conscience sake then let them keep their Conscience and leave the Kingdom Mr. Justice Wild in like manner Had such a thing as this been acted by us Protestants in any Popish Country in the World I doubt there would not have been scarce one of us left a live I might bring in here Sir William Jones Mr. Finch Mr. Recorder of London And truly if we are ashamed of our Name we may be of our Religion and cannot blame Popish Plots to subvert it if we hold not funâ—…lamentals which are the positive parts of Christianiâ—…y The Jesuit hawketh not for â—…parrows his zeal to destroy our Religion carries him through Fire and Water Sea and Land over Rocks and Mountains to gain a Proselyte according to those Verses I find in Pareus alluding to the Pharisee and Hor the Poet. Impiger extremos Jesuita excurrit ad Indos Per mare discipulum quaerens per saxa per ignes Juventumque facit se duplo deteriorem Sea Land Fire craggy Rocks and Indian Shore A Jesuit's frantick zeal transports him o're One Romish Proselyte to make once made Child of the Devil twice then before he 's said Nay he hath the patience to stay at home and there no dull Stoick can excel him in this Vertue if he be once commanded by his Superior he will obey though his work be no other saith Mapheus than to water a dry log of Wood for a year together he will not presume to ask the reason why but does it Then how much more ready is he to propagate the Gatholick Cause and in order thereto adventure upon any action if it be to the hazard of his Life while he is commanded by his Father General at Rome and the Congregatio de Propaganda fide What will not he undertake to extirpate the Name of Protestant and think he does God Service for if positive Christianity be not imported in it then we are Negatives we are Jews Infidels Pagans and cannot be denominated Christians for Positive and Negative are contradicentia there can be no reconciling or tacking them together and accoâ—…ding to my Logick a Contradiction is omnium oppositorum fortissima the strongest and most forcible of all oppositions But I would know what are the Principles of Protestantisâ—… that are so contradictory to Christianity they must be either credenda or facienda matters relating to Faith or Christian practice Do we hold any points of Faith contrary to the Primitive Catholick Church Or deny Obedience to the Commands of God either in his Law or Gospel
THEOLOGO-HISTORICVS Or the True LIFE OF THE Most Reverend DIVINE and Excellent HISTORIAN PETER HEYLYN D.D. Sub-Dean of Westminster Written by his Son in Law JOHN BARNARD D. D. Rec. of Waddington near Lincoln To correct the Errors supply the Defects and confute the Calumnies of a late Writer Also an Answer to Mr. BAXTERS false Accusations of Dr. HEYLYN Quisquis patitur peccare peccantem is vires subministrat Audaciae Arnob. L. 4. LONDON Printed for J. S. and are to be sold by Ed. Eckelston at the Sign of the Peacock in Little-Britain 1683. TO THE Right Reverend Father in GOD NATHANIEL Lord Bishop of DURHAM My Honour'd Lord I Here present to your Lordship the true Effigies of Dr. Heylyn drawn to the Life so far as my Pen is able to preserve the memory of his person among the number of worthy men for his extraordinary merits I hope may be truly said to this Church and Nation wherein he labour'd while he liv'd to promote the publick Good of both that his Name will never be forgotten whil'st his Books are extant if we may believe the words of St. Jerome in this particular Vir sapiens saith he diebus noctibus laborat componit Libros ut memoriam suam posteris derelinquat so the Works which this painful Presbyter has publish'd to the World the Catalogue of them being not ordinary with the Writers of our Age and the matter in them upon several Subjects not vulgarly handled I doubt not will perpetuate his Memory to future Posterity especially among all good men who are sincere Lovers of Monarchy and Episcopacy I am sure for his Religion and Loyalty for the Cause of the King and Church of England no man could declare himself a more faithful and zealous example by constant writing and sufferings And for his conversation not only as a good Christian but as becomes a Clergy man it was so unblameable that his most inveterate enemies could never throw dirt in his Face for the least Immoralities Therefore for his sake whom your Lordship hath seen in his house at Abingdon where he made you heartily welcome in those dayes when I had the honour though so unworthy a person to dictate the first Principles of Academical Learning to you which God has since well blessed that you are one and I wish may long continue so of the Cheif Prelates in this Realm I doubt not I say for this Reverend and Learned Mans sake more than mine your Lordship will be pleased to take into your Patronage the Narrative of his Life which I have faithfully composed and retriv'd from the Ignorances and unpardonable deficiencies of a late Writer I am the more nearly concern'd for my Relation sake because Dr. Heylyn was not an ordinary common Clergy-man though he acted in a lower Sphere than the highest Dignitaries in our Church it s sufficiently known he was singularly well acquainted above many others with the principal motions and grand Importances in his time both of Church and State as any man may perceive who will take the pains to peruse his Writings And that he had not only a speculative Science in the Civil and Ecclesiastical Polity of this Nation but was oftentimes employed an Agent by the late King and Arch-Bishop the two blessed Martyrs of this Land in several matters committed to his particular Charge for which he incurr'd the odium of the Mobile and especially of those Factious People then call'd Puritans but now Fanaticks a Name though seems new and strange to them was of old first given by Calvin himself to those who deserting his and the Lutheran way of Reformation out of an aversion to Popery fell upon a contrary extreme Their hair-brain'd zeal without understanding and accompanied with invincible obstinacy in their Enthusiastical Dotages if Power was answerable to their Wills would bring a second desolation upon our Church and confusion in the Kingdom Both which God and his good Angels evermore protect that we may enjoy the inestimable comforts of Peace and Government our true Religion establish'd by Law and Scripture our sacred Ministry second to none for Learning and good Life generally and the ancient Order of Episcopacy deriv'd from the pure Fountain of Apostolical Times heartily prayeth Your Lordships most faithful Servant JOHN BARNARD Errata PAge 3. line 10. read acquainted p. 5. l. 16. r. transcriptions for transcription p. 10. l. 10. r. multavit for mulcavit p. 12. l. 15. r. volumes for volumnes p. 17. l. 2. r. E. p 19. l. 6. dele to p. 20. l. 7. r. joculari for voculari p. 20. l. 19. dele the p. 28. l. 8. r. two for too ibid. r. extremes for extreams p. 24. l. 28. r. thought for think p. 25 l. 4 dele which I sup p. 26 l 20 r. temerarius for teneâ—…arius p. 28 l. 14 r. believe for believed p. 29 l. 20 r. incesserat p. 31 l. 29 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 40 l. 23 r. supra for supera p. 32 in the marg r. Mileu p. 53 r. Euseb for Eusib. p. 54 l. 2 r. horresco for honesco ib. r. nefanda for nefranda p. 55 marg r. Suid. for Suida p. 57 l. 13 r. tends for bend p. 57 l. 24 r. Optatus for Oplatus p. 58 l. 25 r. Presbyterians for Presbiteriaas p. 93 l. 27 r. for p. 95 l. 21. r. manifestaque for manitestaque p. 101 l. 29 r. Levit. for Lenit p. 109 l. 20 r. Antagonist for Antogonist ib. marg r. And. for Aud p. 115 l. 11 add Justice of Peace for the County of Oxon. p. 123 marg r. in for tae p. 125 l. 3 r. Allegations for Accusations ibid r. Retractation for Retraction p. 139 l. 21 r. conference for conferrence p. 143 l. 29 r. where for when p. 144 l. 29 r. Turret for Tower p. 151 l. dele and p. 153 l. 20 r. sitting for sitting p. 186 l. 21 r. rights for right p. 157 l. 15 r. ut for p. p. 191 l. 18 add afterward p. 198 l. 3 r. commended for commanded p. 199 l. 8 r. he for be p. 209 l. 10 r. was for were p. 226 l. 9 r. himself for he p. 228 l. 15 r. there for their p. 255 l. 16. r. the Doctor lived p. 268 l. 23 r. faces for face p. 246 l. 28 dele Lux. r. 〈◊〉 There are more Errors than in the Errata which the good Reader is desired to pass by A Necessary Vindication OF Dr. HEYLYN AND THE AUTHOR of the following LIFE I Had never put my self to the trouble of writing and the Reader to his pains in reading the third Publication of Dr. Heylyn's Life but that I have been most grosly abused in the first and second upon the same Subject At the sight of both which I was not a little amazed but ashamed First to see an anonymous piece printed before the Doctors works which I had ordered otherwise And lately a little Book crept forth
way the other bends to Sedition Blood-shed and Confusion if it be left to the Multitude Which caused the good Father to complain of the Donatists Basilicas invasistis multi ex numero vestro per loca plurima cruentas operati sunt caedes And what outragious acts were done by the Donatists against Churches Altars consecrated Vessels and necessary utensils for the Sacrament Haec omnia furor vester aut rasit aut fregit aut removit saith Oplatus All these things your fury hath raz'd down or defaced or taken them away And hath not this been the practice of some Reformers God be thanked not in the Church of England and let other Churches of the reformed Religion look to themselves I am sure it is a detestible Principle which the Primitive Christians from their hearts did abhor that if the Magistrate will not reform the Church and State then the people must Their Piety and Patience is most exemplary to us that we should rather suffer for true Religion than make resistance or Reformation by rebellion It was a seditious saying of Donatus Quid est Imperatori cum Ecclesia What hath the Emperor to do with the Church But be he either Heathen or Christian and if Christian either Orthodox or Heterodox in the Faith the good Catholicks did not then seek to establish their Religion vi armis much less without his Authority or at least connivance of their Emperors publickly exercise their Religion Secondly that which so imbitters Mr. Baxter against Dr. Heylyn is saith he That Heylyn would make men believe that it was Presbyteriaas in England that began the late Strife and War And who believes otherwise but they who have a bloody mind to War again Have we not seen it with our Eyes and others who were unborn then have heard with their Ears the same by many Witnesses and Writers besides Dr Heylyn What must men deny their senses It is not in the power of the Doctor nor any other to possess people with a belief and perswasion of things whether they will or no but as they appear evident to sense reason or understanding they give credit to them accordingly Mr. Baxter imitates the Papists He thinks of the War as they do of the Gun-powder Plot that it is so long ago it must be either forgotten or cannot be proved He and those of his Tribe would be blowing their Trumpets again for a second War and cry out to your Tents O Israel but God in his mercy I hope will preserve the Land that is grown more wise by sad experience of the late troubles than to be twice deceived The pretence of Reformation and Reformers whose Credit Mr. Baxter would still hold up he cannot endure they should be touched was the Pulchra Laverna of Rebelion both in England and Scotland Who were the first Reformers but the Presbyterians Who was it An Episcopal man or a Presbyterian that said Strike the Basilick vein for nothing else will cure the plurisy of our State and after followed the fatal stroke given upon the Lords anointed to the terror and consternation of the whole Kingdom but much more to the shame and confusion of it And how many years after was this Nation ridden with the Reformers That it might have been called instead of France Regnum Asinorum for the unmerciful loads of Oppression it groaned under till at last wearied and tired out with them it kickt off her Riders and I am confident will never take to them again For what were the fruits of the godly Reformation Sacriledge and a continued Rebellion Church and Crown Robberies the King deprived of all his Right and Revenues and the Church of her ancient Demeans and Dignities from both which as no good consequence any one might conceive did follow a horrible Anarchy and confusion not only Dr. Heylyn but the World it self is judge of these things whether the Presbyterians were not the Principal and I may say the only causes of the late Wars and those evils attending them I think the Doctor set the Sadle upon the right Horse But I am sure Mr. Baxter doth not when he puts Lads and Dr. Heylyn together who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and very irreverently conjoyned together yet perhaps those Boys think themselves as good Men as Mr. Baxter and possibly to have as much Learning however more discretion in them than appears in him who shamefully complains of his feebleness to his Wife For modesty sake I dare not set down the words written at the end of his Letter to her which he hath printed in his Narrative of her Life But who are these Lads that knew not the War and yet will be talking of it I very well apprehend his meaning and confess I was then but a Youth but now am old and gray-headed that what I have written I hope to make good and fear not to meet Mr. Baxter upon a fair Challenge any where in the half-way except between Lynsel and Longford In the mean while he who Styles himself so proudly in the Title page of his Church History Richard Baxter a Hater of false Histories Let him not falsisie Dr. Heylyn nor others who approve themselves truer Historians than himself whom I now attach for falshood in saying this scandalous story of the Doctor That he himself had laid much of the War on the Arch-Bishops and Bishops and on the Parliaments complaints of Popery Arminianism and arbitrary illegalities In his Hist. of Presb. pag. 465. pag. 470. In all which pages ne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quidem there is not a word or syllable can be found of these things nor to such purpose that I wonder he hath the face to charge Dr. Heylyn with them when he pro fesseth himself to be a Hater of false Histories no sooner the word is out of his mouth but within a page or two he makes this abominable falsity I do suspect him now more than ever about Major Iennings business and conclude him to be guilty Could any one rationally think that the Doctor who in all his Time and Books appeared a most zealous Champion for the Bishops and in that cause I may say was Dr. Irrefr agabilis would lay to their charge much or little that they were procatarcical causes of the War especially when he vindicates them in all his Writings from this malicious aspersion which the Puritan Faction would have thrown upon them He was not a man of contradictions like Richard Baxter in most of his Writings for which every Lad is apt to lug his Beard as the Poet said of the Stoick vellent tibi barbam lascivi pueri No no he had a wiser Head-piece and better Memory than any Baxter That he never exposed himself to shame or censure for any contradiction that could be fouud in all his Writings Qualis ab inâ—…epto processerit sibi constet Instead of Mr Baxters Allegation the Doctor tells us in the same page 464
465. that the Assembly of Divines so called in their Confession larger and lesser Catechism held forth such a Doctrine touching Gods Decrees that they gave occasion of receiving the old Blastian Heresie in making God to be the Author of Sin that the Bill against Bishops he observes took date from the fifth of November the day defigned on the blowing up of the Parliament by the Gun-powder Traytors that notwithstanding the House of Commons had taken the Scotch Covenant they never intended to set up Scotch Presbytery only held fair quarter with them for a time because in April 1646. They published this following Declaration That they were not able to consent to the granting of an arbitrary and unlimited Power and Iurisdiction to near ten thousand Iudicatories to be erected in the Kingdom which could not be confistent with the fundamental Laws and Government of it and which by necessary conse quence did exclude the Parliament from having any thing to do in that Iurisdiction Page 470. the Doctor tells us again That the English Puritans laid their heads and hands together to embroil the Realm out of a confidence that having alienated the greatest part of the Tribes from the House of David they might advance the golden Calves of Presbyterians in Dan and Bethel and all other places whatsoever in the Land and for the maintenance thereof had devoured in conceit all Chapter Lands and parcelled them amongst themselves into Augmentations But no sooner had they driven this bargain but a Vote passed for selling those Lands towards the payment of those debts of the Common-wealth Nor have they lived to see their dear Presbytery settled or their lay Elders entertained in any one Parish of the Kingdom Now I have recited all those passages out of the pages Mr. Baxter refers us to what hath he gained to his cause but a confutation of it As it wa said of Caesar's Conspirators iisdeâ—…â—…bus quibus Caesarem foderunt 〈◊〉 occiderunt With the same Daggers they stabbed Iulius Caesar they killed themselves So Mr. Baxter hath destroyed himself and the good old Cause with his own Weapons by reciting Dr. Heylyn against Dr. Heylyn The Dr. though dead he yet speaketh and hath vanquished his living Adversary For what man out of these premises could draw a conclusion except Mr. Baxter by his Kederminster Logick that Heylyn had laid much of the War upon the Arch-Bishops and Bishops c. when there is no mention of War or Bishops in the Case No quantum to be found of much or little in it no minimum quod sic Nay nothing at all to prove Mr. Baxter's position and scandalous defamation of the Doctor Therefore I must say to him the words of the old Comedian Dehine quieâ—… porro moneo desinat maledicere ne maâ—…cta noscat sua If the Dr. himself had been still living as some of his Elders are neither Mr. Baxier Mr. Hickman nor M. Burnet no one of them durst have adventured a single Duel with him in any point of Learning but he would have said to every such Gladiator as Cicero did to Mark Antony Catilinae gladios contempsi non pertimescam tuos But now he hath neither hand nor sword but is disarmed by Death miserandum flebile corpus it is no sign of true Vertue or noble Valour in them much less of a good Cause on their side to insult ignobly over a dead Lion As for Mr. Baxter who will not let him rest quietly in his Grave if my fraternal correption cannot amend him I wish he may remember his good Wifes rebuke and deserved correction she gave him by his own confession That he should make fewer Books and write them better And I think this good counsel had not been unseasonable to the late Writer of Dr. Heylyn's Life to have transmitted that Task to any other person who had been an ancient Friend and Acquaintance of the Doctors rather than ambitiously assumed it upon himself who was a professed Stranger to him by reason of which no better account could be expected from him than what he has given and that is unsatisfactory a Life to the half an imperfect Creature that is not only lame as the honest Book-seller said but wantteth Legs and all other integral parts of a Man nay the very Soul that should animate a Body like Dr. Heylyn I am sure no man except himself who was totally ignorant of the Dr. and all the circumstances of his Life would have engaged in such a work which was never primarily laid out or designed for him but by reason of some unhappy differences as usually fall out in Families and he who loves to put his Ore in troubled matters instead of closing them up hath made them wider Otherwise it is not material who had writ the Doctors Life so it had been done by an able hand of a more knowing person therefore I must say of him as Plutarch doth of Tib. Gracâ—…us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is a bold Undertaker and rash Talker of those matters he does not understand And so I have done with him unless he creates to himself and me a future trouble Now I hope any ingenious Reader will plainly see I am forced to a just and necessary Vindication of my self Si quis me atro dente petiverit inultus ut flebo puer and chiefly of my Father in Law to whom as I am bound in gratitude for the favours I received from him in his Life time so I could do no less than perform this little Task of writing his Life and that without passion and partiality being free from motives of both as the Historian said Quorum Causas procul habeo However for holding the Reader in so long suspence I have endeavoured to make a mends in the following Life which in a manner I have composed new retaining only what I had before written and still remains in the printed Folio entitled Keimelia Ecclesiastica but now with that which was so shamefully abused I am sure the Work is complete and perfect and I hope will afford this general benefit First to encourage all young Scholars in the Love of Learning by the Example of so Reverend a Divine and excellent Historian as Dr. Heylyn And secondly to remind others of some principal transactions both in Church and State during his time And so I conclude in the words of Salust Age nunc illa videamus Judices quae consecuta sunt THE LIFE OF THE Most Reverend and Learned DIVINE Dr. PETER HEYLYN TO write the Lives of worthy Personages was ever accounted a most laudable Custom among the Heathens For to perpetuate the Memory of the Dead who were eminent in Vertue did manifestly conduce to the publick benefit of the Living much more the Ancient Christians in their time both solemnly retained this Practice and adjudged it an Act of Piety and Justice to the Deceased If they were Men of Fame for Learning or other Vertues
extollebantur Therefore the Parsonage of Houghton in the Bishoprick of Durham worth near 400 l. per Annum being made void by the Preferment of Dr. Lindsel to the Sea of Peterborough the King bestowed upon Mr. Heylyn which afterward he exchanged with Dr. Marshal Chanter of the Church of Lincoln for the Parsonage of Alresford in Hampshire that was about the same value to which exchange Mr. Heylyn was commanded by his Majesty that he might live nearer the Court for readiness to do his Majesty service Neither was he envyed for this or his other Preferments because every one knew his merits was the only cause of his promotion For men of eminent Worth and Vertue when they are advanced saith my Lord Bacon Their Fortune seemeth but due to them for no man envyeth the Payment of a Debt That as his Majesty was pleased most graciously to express upon his loss of the Living by the Bishop of Lincoln so according to his Royal Promise he doubly repayed that Debt by a Living of twice the value into which he was no sooner instituted and inducted but he took care for the Service of God to be constantly performed by reading the Common-prayers in the Church every morning which gave great satisfaction to the Parish being a populous Market Town and for the Communion Table where the blessed Sacrament is consecrated he ordered that it should be placed according to ancient Custom at the East end of the Chancel and Railed about decently to prevent base and profane usages and when the Chancel wanted any thing of Repairs or the Church it self both to be amended Having thus shewed his care first for the house of God to set it in good order the next work followed was to make his own dwelling-house a fit and convenient Habitation that to the old Building he added a new one which was far more graceful and made thereto a Chappel next to the Dining-room that was beautified and adorned with Silk hangings about the Altar in which Chappel himself or his Curate read Morning and Evening-prayeâ—… to the Family calling in his Labourers and Work-folks for he was seldom without them while he lived saying that he loved the noise of a Work-mans Hammer For he thought it a deed of Charity as well as to please his own fancy by often building and repairing to set poor people a work and encourage painful Artificers and Tradesmen in their honest Callings He built a Hall in the middle of the House from the very Foundation upon the top whereof was a high Tower of Glass on one side of the Hall a fair Garden with pleasant Walks Cypress Trees and Arbours on the other side upon the Front a spacious Court at the Gate of which next the Street a high wooden Bridge that went cross over the Street into the Church-yard on which himself and Family went to Church to avoid the dirty common way which was almost unpassable Besides he made many new Conveniences to the Out-houses and Yards belonging to them all which was no small charge to his Purse for I have heard him say it cost him several hundreds of Pounds in Alresfords-house where he in a manner buried his Wifes Portion yet after his Death his Eldest Son was unreasonably sued for dilapidations in the Court of Arches by Dr. Beamont his Fathers Successor but the Gentleman pleaded his Cause so notably before Sir Giles Swet then Judge of the Court that he was discharged there being no reason or justice he should be troubled for dilapidations occasioned by the long War when his Father was unjustly turned out of his House and Living After so much cost bestowed upon Alresford and his Prebend-house in Westminster he constanly resided in one of those places where he kept good Hospitality and took care to relieve the Poor following also his wonted studies not only in History but Fathers Councils and Polemical Divinity the better to prepare himself for a new encounter with the old Professor Dr. Prideaux for he resolved to go on in his Universitâ—… Degrees notwithstandiug his removal from Oxon and to perform those Exercises required in that Case in which he always came off with credit and applause Being now to take his Degree of Batchelor in Divinity in July An. Dom. 1630. Upon these words Mat. 4. 19. Faciam vos fieri Piscatores hominum Upon the Sunday after he preached the Act Sermon upon this Text Mat. 13. 14. But while men slept his Enemy came and sowed Tares among the Wheat and went his way Where he made a seasonable Application of this Subject as the Times then stood of the danger of Lay-Feofees in buying up Impropriations A godly project it appeared at the first sight but afterwards a Tare fit to be rooted up Pulchra Laverna Da mihi fallere da justum sanctumque videri The Pretension of those Feofees seemed to be very just and pious but their Intention and Practice was quite contrary by planting many pentionary Lectures in many places where the Preachers were Non-conformists from whom could be expected no better fruits than the overthrow of Episcopal Government The words of Mr. Heylyn's Sermon as to this particular are as followeth For what is that which is most aimed at in it but to cry down the standing Clergy of this Kingdom to undermine the publick Liturgy by Law established to foment factions in the State Schisms in the Church and to have ready Sticklers in every place for the advancement of some dangerous and deep design And now we are fallen upon this point we will proceed a little further in the proposal of some things to be considered The Corporation of Feofees for buying in Impropriations to to the Church doth it not seem in appearance to be an excellent piece of Wheat a noble and gracious part of Piety Is not this Templum Domini Templum Domini But blessed God that men should thus draw near to thee with their mouths and be so far from thee in their hearts For what are those entrusted in the management of this great business Are they not most of them the most active and best affected men in the whole Cause magna partium momenta and chief Patrons of this growing Faction And what are those that they prefer Are they not most of them such men as are and must be serviceable to their dangerous Innovations And will they not in time have more Preferments to bestow than all the Bishops of the Kingdom And so by consequence a greater number of Dependents to promote their Interest Yet all this while we sleep à nd slumper and fold our hands in sloth and see perhaps but dare not note it High time it is assuredly you should be awaked and rouse your selves upon the apprehension of so near a danger If we look further upon this new devise and holy project it being observed as Fuller saith that those who hold the Helm of the Pulpit always steer the peoples hearts as they please The Feofees
the Lords Commissioners met again on February the 8th following before whom the Bishop put in his Plea about the Seat or Great Pew under Rich. 2. from which he had disgracefully turned out the Prebends and possest it wholly to himself or the use of those Strangers to whom he had a special favour thinking scorn that honoured Society should sit with him a Bishop But the Prebends Advocate proved their Right of sitting there by these particulars First their original Right Secondly their derivative Right Thirdly their possessory Right How excellently he managed their Cause and what a mean defence the Bishop made for himself would be too tedious and impertinent to insert here concerning none but the Church of Westminster Finally upon hearing the matters on both sides it was ordered by general consent of the Lords Commissioners That the Prebends should be restored to their old Seat and that none should sit there with them but Lords of the Parliament and Earls eldest Sons according to the ancient custom But what were those differences about a Seat to the Disputes risen at that time about the Sabbath In the History of which Dr. Heylyn was then engaged and in a short time he perfected it to satisfie the scrupulous minds of some misguided Zelots who turned the observation of the Lords-day into a Jewish Sabbath not allowing themselves or others the ordinary Liberties nor works of absolute necessity which the Jews themselves never scrupled at Against which sort of Sabbatarians the Doctor published his History of the Sabbath The Argumentative part of that Subject was referred to Dr. White Bishop of Ely the Historical part of it to Dr. Heylyn Huic nostro tradita est provincia Both of their Books never answered to this day but pickird at by Mr. Palmer and Mr. Cawdrey two Divines of the Smectymnian Assembly and by some other sorry Writers of less account But the foundation and superstructure both in the logical and historical Discourses of those two Pillars of our Church stand still unmovable the latter though an Historian upon the Subject does fully answer all the material Arguments of the Adversaries side brought out of Scripture as well as History Neither doth the Bishop nor the Doctor in the least encourage or countenance in all their Writings any Profaneness of the Day when Christian Liberty is abused to Licentiousness Nor on the other side would they have the Religious Observation of the Day brought into superstition For Sunday amongst some I have known hath been kept as a Fast Day contrary to the ancient Opinion and Practice of the primitive Church who judged it a Heresie and not an Act of Piety Nefas est die Dâ—…minica jejunare that the day should be spent from Morning to Evening so strictly in preaching and praying in repetition upon repetitions in doing works of superogation which God never required at their hands nor any Christian Church commanded to make the Sabbath a burden that ought to be a Christians delight is new Divinity among the reformed Churches in Geneva it self before and after Divine Service the People are at liberty for manly Recreations and Exercises Upon complaint made before Lord chief Justice Richardson of some disorders by Feasts Wakes Revels and ordinary pastimes on Sundays perticularly in the County of Somerset His Majesty ordered that the Bishop of Bath and Wells should send a speedy account of the same The Bishop called before him seventy two of the Orthodox and ablest Clergy men among them who certified under their several hands that on the Feasts dayes which commonly fell upon Sundayes the service of God was more solemnly performed and the Church was better frequented both in the forenoon and afternoon then upon any Sunday in the year To decry the clamours of the Sabbatarians a Lecture read by Doctor Prideaux at the Act in Oxon Anno 1622. was translated into english in which he solidly discoursed both of the Sabbath and Sunday according to the judgment of the ancient Fathers and the most approved Writers of the Protestant and Reformed Churches This Lecture was also ushered with a preface In which there was proofe offered of these three propositions First that the keepiug holy one day of seven is not the moral part of the fourth Commandement Secondly that the alteration of the day is only an humane and ecclesiastical constitution Thirdly that still the Church hath power to change the day and transfer it to some other The name of Prideaux was then so sacred that the Book was greedily bought up by those of the Puritan faction but when they found themselves deceived of their expectation The Book did cool their colors and abate their clamour Since our Saviours reproof of the Jews for their superstitious fear of transgressing the traditions and Commanddements of their Fathers by which they kept the Sabbath with more rigour than God had commanded they are now bent upon the other extreme as Buxtorf tells us so hard a thing it is to keep a medium between two extreams Quanto voluptatis isti percipiunt saith he tanto se devotius Sabbatum colere statuunt The more pleasures they take on the Sabbath day the more devoutly they thought that they keep the Sabbath So that the rigid Sabbatarian hath no example of Jew or Christian and I am sure no Command of God in Scripture nor President in Antiquity or Ecclesiastical History but will find there the Lords-day is from Ecclesiastical Institution I speak not this I abhor it to animate or the least encourage people in looseness and debauchery to neglect the Duties of Religion or the Worship and Service of God upon this holy day which they ought as they tender their Souls with singular Care and Conscience to observe but hereby I think my Father in Law is justified though his own Book is best able to vindicate himself that his Opinion is orthodox both according to the Doctrine of the Church of England and the judgement and practice of Protestant Churches that the Lords-day should be Religiously observed and yet withal the lawful liberties and urgent necessities of the People preserved and not to be so tied up and superstitiously fearful that they dare not kindle a Fire dress Meat visit their Neighbours sit at their own Door or walk abroad no nor so much as talk with one another except it be in the Poets words Of God Grace and Ordinances As if they were in heavenly Trances To which I may add a more smart and witty Epigram upon the scruple and needless disatisfaction in them not onlâ—… about the Sabath but our Church and Religion in those Verses of Dr. Heylyn to Mr. Hammond L' Estrange as followeth A learned Prelate of this Land Thinking to make Religion stand With equal poise on either side A mixture of them thus he tryed An Ounce of Protestant he singleth And then a Dram of Papist mingleth With a Scruple of a Puritan And boyled them in his Brain pan But
when he thought it would digest The Scruple troubled all the rest Notwithstanding this scrupulosity in them the World knows their hypocritical Practices under all those zealous Pretences how light they are in the Ballance and how extraordinary a thing it is to find from their hands downright honesty and plain dealing they are too much like the Scribes and Pharisees who by godly shews of long Prayers sad Countenances Justification of themselves that they were the only Righteous and all others Sinners played the Hypocrites most abominably to deceive the vulgar sort they made Religion a meer mock and empty show 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith our Saviour to be seen like Stage-players in a Theater Nam tota actio est histrionica as Erasmus well observeth their whole carriage was dramatick to make a feigned Pageantry and Ostentation of Piety Yet John Lord Bishop of Lincoln in compliance with this Sect out of discontent and revenge because deprived of the great Seal and commanded by the King to retire from Westminster transformed himself into one of these Angels of new Light and made himself the Archangel and Head of their Party First of all by writing his pretended Letter to one Titly Vicar of Grantham against the holy Communion Table standing Altar-wise to which Dr. Heylyn made a sudden and sharp reply in his Book entituled A Coal from the Altar to which the Bishop within a Twelve-month after he took time enough for the Work did return an Answer under the Title of The Holy Table Name and Thing pretending withal that this was written long ago by a Minister in Lincolnshire against Dr. Cole a Divine in Queeu Marys Reign No sooner the King heard of this new Book but he sent a Command to Dr. Heylyn to write a speedy Answer to it and not in the least to spare the Bishop Neither did the Doctor baulk the grand Sophos but detected all his false Allegations and answered them that were true which the Bishop had wrested to a contrary sense if we will look into the Doctors Book called by him Antidotum Lincolniense All this while the Bishop as it must be confest being a man of Learning writ against his own Science and Conscience so dear is the passion of revenge to gratifie which some men wilfully sin against the Light of their own Souls therefore the Bishop according to the Apostles word was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemned of himself For look upon him in the point of practice and we shall find the Communion Table was placed Altar-wise in the Cathedral Church of Lincoln whereof he was Bishop and in the Collegiate Church of Westminster of which he was Dean and lastly in the private Chappel of his own house as Dr. Heylyn saith in whieh it was not only placed Altar-wise but garnished with rich Plate and other costly Utensils in more than ordinary manner By all which the Bishop needed no further refutation of his Book than his own Example that in those places where he had Authority the Holy Table did not stand in Gremio and Nave of the Quire as he would have it fixed but above the Steps upon the Altar close to the East end of the Quire ex vi catholicae consuetudinis according to the ancient manner and custom in the Primitive Catholick Church But hinc illae lachrymae ever since this mischief followed his Book that in most Country Churches to this day the Table is set at the hither end of the Chancel whithout any Traverse or Rails to fence it Boys fling their Hats upon it and that which is worse Dogs piss against it Country Juries write their Parish accounts Amerciaments By-Laws c. all which is a most horrible profanation and not to be suffered But now John Lord Bishop of Lincoln who would have removed the holy Communion Table from its proper place and had displaced his Prebends of their ancient Seat was himself at this time Anno Dom. 1637. thrown out of his Episcopal Chair by sentence of the Star-Chamber for endeavouring to corrupt the Kings Evidence in a Cause of Bastardy brought before his Majesties Justices of Peace at Spittle Sessions in the County of Lincoln which business afterward came to a hearing before the Lords in Star-Chamber by whose definitive sentence the Bishop was suspended ab Officio Beneficio deprived of all his Ecclesiastical Preferments deeply fined and his Complices with him and afterward committed to the Tower of London where he continued Prisoner for three years and in all that space of time his Lordship did never hear Sermon or publick Prayers to both which he was allowed liberty but instead thereof he studied Schism and Faction by his own Example and his Pen disguisedly During the time of his Lorships Imprisonment Dr. Heylyn was chosen Treasurer for the Church of Westminster in which Office he discharged himself with such diligence and fidelity that he was continued in it from year to year till the Bishops release out of tâ—…e Tower and his removal back again to Westminster While he was Treasurer he took care for the repairs of the Church that had been neglected for many years First of the great West-Isle that was ready to fall down was made firm and strong and of the South-side of the lower West-Isle much decayed he caused to be new timbred boarded and leaded but chiefly the curious Arch over the preaching place that looketh now most magnificently he ordered to be new vaulted and the Roof thereof to be raised up to the same height with the rest of the Church the charge of which came to 434 l. 18 s. 10 d. He regulated also some disorders of the Quire perticularly the exacting of Sconses or perdition mony which he divided among them that best deserved it who diligently kept Prayers and attended upon other Church Duties Whilest he was Treasurer his Brethren the Prebendaries to testifie their good affections to him presented him to the Parsonage of Islip near Oxford a very good Living worth about 200l per Annum then by the death of Dr. King made void but by reason of the distance from Alresford though standing most conveniently to taste the sweet pleasures of the University he thought fit to exhange it for another nearer hand the Rectory of South-warnborough in the County of Hampshire that was in the gift of St. Johns Colledge in Oxon to which exchange he was furthered by the Arch-Bishop who carried a great stroke in that Colledge of which he had been President It pleased God soon after to visit him and his Family at Alresford with a terrible fit of Sickness of which none escaped the Disease was so contagious but the Cook 's boy in the Kitchen who was then Master Cook for the whole Family and he performed his part so well in making their broths and other necessaries that he was the best Physitian among the Doctors for by his Kitchen Physick the Sick was cured No sooner Dr. Heylyn recovered of the
giving counsel in such matters as they saw occasion I beleive not Certain I am that it is and hath been otherwise in point of practice And that the Bishops sitting as Peers in an English Parliament were never excluded before this time from any such assistance as by their Gravity and Learning and other abilities they were enabled to give in any dark or difficult business though of blood and death which were brought before them As for the Councel of Toledo it saith nothing to their disadvantage the Canon is si quis sacerdotum discursor in alienis periculis extiterit apud Ecclesiam proprium perdat gradum that if any Priest shall intermedle in Cases endangering the Life of others let him be degraded Hereupon I conclude as to the present business in hand that the Bishops were to be admitted to all preparatory Examination because their counsel and assistance would have tended rather to the preservation than conduced to the endangering of the Parties Life I saw about that time saith he a little Manuscript Tract entituled De jure paritatis Episcoporum that is to say of the right of the Peerage of the Bishops in which their Priviledges were asserted as to that particular But they not willing to contend in a business which seemed so little to concern them or else not able to strive against the present stream which seemed to carry all before it suffered themselves to be excluded at that time without protesting to the contrary or interposing in defence of their ancient Rights And this I look on as the first degree of their Humiliation For when it was perceived that a business of sogreat consequence might be done in Parliament without their counsel and consent it opened a wide gap unto their Adversaries First to deprive them of their Votes and after to destroy even the Calling it self But this was not the main point which the Commons aimed at they were resolved to have a close Commitee to take Examination in the business of the Earl of Strafford and were not willing any Bishops should be of it for fear lest favouring the Earls cause or person they might discover any part of those secret practices which were had against him and thereby fortifie and prepare him for his just defence when the Cause should come unto a Tryal Thus far the Doctor writ of this Subject when he lived in Lacyes Court at Abingdon What he presented to the Bishops themselves at the time of Strafford's Tryal concerning the right of Peerage deserved a rare commendation especially at that conjuncture of time that he could command his Parts and Pen of a sudden to write on this Subject or any other if there was need that did conduce to the publick good either of Church or State and above all make a quick dispatch in accomplishing what he had once undertaken and begun a Vertue for which Q. Curtius praiseth Alexander among other excellent qualities Nullam virtutem regis istius magis quam celeritatem laudaverim I can commend no Vertue more in this King than speed So Lucan of Caesâ—…r Nam Caesar in omnia praeceps Nilactum credens si quid superesset agendum But for those quick dispatches the Doctor endured many tedious waitings at the backs of Commitee men in that Parliament especially in the business of Mr. Pryn about his Histrio-mastix for which he was kept four days under Examination because he had furnished the Lords of the Privy Council with matters out of that Book which Mr. Pryn alledged was the cause of all his sufferings having joyned him in a Petition with the Lord Arch-Bishop as the chief Agents and Contrivers of the troubles he had undergone Great hopes had the Committee by his often dancing attendance after them to sift the Doctor if they could gather any thing by his speeches whether the Arch-Bishop had moved him to draw up those Exceptions against Pryn's Book which he denyed or at least was not bound to confess for as he was faithful to his Soveraign so he would never prove himself unfaithful to his chief Minister both in Church and State For they would have been glad of any matter to put into their charge against that worthy Prelate against whom Mr. Pryn and others of his Enemies never ceased prosecuting till the Parliament took of his head and the Ax having once tasted of Blood had a keen Appetite for more went on to the Supreme Head of all Whilst the Doctor was thus harassed before the Commitees his old Friend the Bishop of Lincoln in great favour with them and the whole Parliament was set at liberty from his Imprisonment and returned from the Tower to the Church after so long a time of his suspension and indevotion to say his Prayers and hear his Brother Peter Heylyn preach in his course at the Abby in Westminster Where notwithstanding the holiness of that place to which his Lordship had no regard or reverence but only to the Name and Thing of it he was resolved publickly to revenge himself for old done deeds that ought to have been forgotten by disturbing the Doctor in his Sermon before all the Congregation contrary to the Laws of this Realm and with Reverence to his Lordship against all good Manners and the common Rules of Civility Mala meus furorque Vecors In tantam impulerit culpam Cat. Strange That a Bishop could not rule his passions for one hour when no provocation was given by the Doctor whose Sermon from the beginning to the end of it throughout the whole Discourse was pacificatory exhorting Christians to Moderation Love and Charity among themselves for the preservation of the publick Peace although they differed in some Opinions For satisfaction of the Reader I will set down the Doctors own words viz. Is it not that we are so affected with our own Opinions that we condemn whosoever shall opine the contrary and so far wedded to our own Wills that when we have espoused a quarrel neither the Love of God nor the God of Love shall divorce us from it Instead of hearkning to the voice of the Church every man hearkens to himself and cares not if the whole miscarry so that himself may bravely carry out his own devices Upon which stubborn hight of Pride what Quarrels have been raised What Schisms in every corner of this our Church To enquire no further some rather putting all into open tumult than that they would conform to a lawful Government derived from Christ and his Apostles to these very Times At the speaking of which words the Bishop of Lincoln sitting in the great Pew which was before the Seat of Contention knocked aloud with his staff upon the Pulpit saying No more of that point No more of that point Peter To whom the Doctor readily answered without hesitation or the least sign of being dashed out of Countenance I have a little more to say my Lord and then I have done Which was as followeth viz. Others coming into
that the dear Saints in England had their Nose and their Ears slit for the profession of the Gospel The Parliament then might pretend the revenge of Mr. Pryns sufferings by a retaliation of a worse punishment upon Dr. Heylyn but the real cause that exasperated them was the good Doctors Loyalty to his King and fidelity to his Arch-Bishop the two great Pillars of the Church to whom all true Sons of the Church of England ought to be faithful And finally the many Books the Doctor had written and still likely to write more against the Puritan Faction was the grand cause of all his flights and sufferings in the time of War Est fuga dicta mihi non est fuga dicta Libellis Qui Domini paenam non meruere sui Though I am forc'd to fly my Books they are not fled No reason for my sake they should be punished At what Friends house he was now secured from danger though I have heard it named indeed I have forgot but from thence he travelled to Doctor Kingsmil a Loyal Person of great worth and ancient Family where he continued and sent for his Wife and Daughter from Winchester to him and from thence removed to Minster-Lovel in Oxfordshire the pleasant Seat of his elder Brother in the year An. Dom. 1648. which he farmed of his Nephew Collonel Heylyn for six years Being deprived of his Eâ—…astial Preferments he must think of some honest way for a Livelihood Fruges lustramus agros Ritus ut a prisco traditus extat aevo Yet notwithstanding he followed his studies which was his chief delight for though the 〈◊〉 Powers had silenced his Tongue from preaching they could not withold his Pen from writing and that in an acute and as sharp a stile as formerly after he had done with his frequent visits of Friends and long perambulations For the publick good of the Church to uphold her ancient maintenance by Tithes being rob'd then of all her other dues and dignities though himself was sequestred of both his Livings and made inâ—…apable of receiving any benefit by Tithes yet for the common cause of Christianity and in mere compassion of the Presbyterian Clergy though his profest Enemies he published at that time when Tithes were in danger to be taken away from them an excellent little Tract to undeceive the People in the point of Tithes and proveth therein That no man in the Realm of England payéth any thing of his own toward the maintenance of his Parish Minister but his Easter Offerings At the same time he enlarged his Book of Geography into a large Folio which was before but a little Quarto and intitâ—…led it with the name of Cosmography of which it may be truly said it does contain a world of Learning in it as well as the Description of the World and particularly sheweth the Authors most excellent Abilities not only in History and smoothness of its style that maketh the whole Book delightful to the Reader but in Chronology Genealogy and Heraldry in which last any one may see that he could blazon the Arms and describe the Descent and Pedigree of the greatest Families in Europe In which pleasing study while he spent his time his good Wife a discreet and active Lady looked both after her Housewifery within doors and the Husbandry without thereby freeing him from that care and trouble which otherwise would have hindred his laborious Pen from going through so great a work in so short a time And yet he had several divertisements by company which continually resorted to his House for having God be thanked his Temporal Estate cleared from Sequestration by his Composition with the Commissioners at Gold-Smiths Hall and this Estate which he farmed besides he was able to keep a good house and relieve his poor Brethren as himself had found relief from others Charity that his House was the Sanctuary of sequestred men turned out of their Livings and of several ejected Fellows out of Oxford more particularly of some worthy persons I can name as Dr. Allibone Mr. Levit Mr. Thornton Mr. Ashwel who wrote upon the Creed who would stay for two or three Months at his House or any other Acquaintance that were suffering men he cheerfully received them and with a hearty welcom they might tarry as long as they pleased The Doctor himself modestly speaks of his own Hospitality how many that were not Domesticks had eaten of his Bread and drunk of his Cup. A Vertue highly to be praised and most worthy of commendation in it self for which Tacitus giveth this Character of the old Germanes Convictibus Hospitiis non alia gens Effusius indulget Greater Hospitality saith he and Entertainment no Nation shewed more bountifully accounting it as a cursed thing not to be civil in that kind according to every mans ability and when all was spent the good Master of the House would lead his Guest to the next Neighbours House where he though not invited was made welcom with the like courtesie Among others kindly entertained Mr. Marchamont Needham then a zealous Loyalist and Scourge to the Rump Parliament was sheltered in the Doctors House being violently pursued till the Storm was over the good Doctor then as his Tutelar Angel preserved him in a high Room where he continued writing his weekly Pragmaticus yet he afterward like Balaam the Son of Beor hired with the wages of Unrighteousness corrupted with mercinary Gifts and Bribes became the only Apostate of the Nation and writ a Book for the pretended Common-wealth or rather I may say a base Democracy for which the Doctor could never after endure the mention of his name who had so disobliged his Country and the Royal Party by his shameful Tergiversation The good Doctors Charity did not only extend it self to ancient Friends and Acquaintance but to mere Strangers by whom he had like to run himself into a Premunire For word being carried to him in his Study there was a Gentleman at the door who said he was a Commander in the Kings Army and carâ—…estly desired some relief and harbour the Doctor presently went to him and finding by his Discourse and other Circumstances what he said was true received him into his House and made him very welcom the Gentleman was a Scotch Captain who having a Scotch Diurnal in his Pocket they read it fearing no harm thereby but it proved otherwise for one of the Doctors Servants listning at the door went straight way to Oxford and informed the Governour Collonel Kelsey that his Master had received Letters from the King whereupon the Governour sent a Party of Horse to fetch him away Strange News it was knowing his own Innocency to hear that Soldiers had beset his House so early in the Morning before he was out of Bed But go he must to appear before the Governour and when he came that treacherous Rogue his Man did confidently affirm that he heard the Letters read and was sure
Faults by his good service done both to Church and State The next Book which the Doctor published An. Dom. 1657. Ecclesia Vindicata or the Church of England justified he deâ—…ted it as a gratefuâ—… Testimony of his mind to his Master then living Mr. Edward Davis formerly School-Master of Burford and now Vicar of Shelton in the County of Berks to whom he ever shewed a Love and Reverence and had the Doctors Power been answerable to his will and intention he had design'd more considerable Preferments for him but the sudden and unexpected alteration in his own affairs prevented so soon almost as he was preferred that he could shew no other Specimen of his gratitude What saith the Heathen Diis parentibus Precaeptoribus non redditur aequivalens An amends can never be made to God our Parents and Tutors and certainly he hath but little of a Christian in him that can forget this Lesson About the same time he was harassed before Olivers Major General for the Decimation of his Estate hoc novum est aucupium For he thought there had been an end of all further payments and punishment for his Loyalty by compounding for his Estate in Goldsmiths-Hall that he argued the Case notably with them but all in vain for Arguments though never so acutely handled are obtuse Weapons against the Edge of the Sword He tells us that his temporal Estate was first brought under Sequestration and under a Decimation since only for his adhaesion to those sacred Verities to which he hath béen principled by Education and confirmed by Study While he was arguing his cause before the Major General and his Captains one Captain Allen formerly a Tinker and his Wife a poor Tripe-Wife took upon him to reprove the Doctor for maintaining his Wife so highly like a Lady to whom the Doctor roundly replyed That he had married a Gentlewoman and did maintain her according to her quality and so might he his Tripe-wife Adding withal that this Rule he always observed For his Wife to go above his Estate his Children according to his Estate and himself below his Estate so that at the years end he could make all even Soon after these things came out the Order of Decimation against him a Heathenish Cruelty in this Case if Mens Estates are as dear to them as their Lives because the one without the other renders them miserable may be compared to that of Maximian the Tyrant and cruel Persecutor of the Church that put the Christians to such a bloody Decimation that every tenth man of them was to be killed And this other was barbarous enough in its kind that all the Gentry of the Nation not only the tenth part of them who had engaged in his Majesties Service should first be compelled to compound for their own Estates and afterward without mercy Decimated that brought an utter ruin upon many of their Families Notwithstanding all this the Doctor like the Palm-Tree crescit sub pondere virtus the more he was pressed with their heavy loads did flourish and grow up in his Estate that through the blessing of God being neither the Subject of any mans Envy nor the Object of their Pity he lived in good Credit â—…nd kept a noble House for I my self being often there can say I have seldom seen him sit down at his Table without company for being nigh the University some out of a desire to be acquainted with him and others to visit their old Friend whom they knew rarely could be seen but at Meals made choice of that time to converse with him And likewise his good Neighbours at Abingdon whom he always made welcom if they were honest men that had been of the Royal party and was ready to assist them upon all occasions particularly in upholding the Church of St. Nicholas which otherwise had been pulled down on pretence of uniting it to St. Ellens but in truth to disable the sober party of the Town who were loyal people from enjoying their wonted Service and Worship of God in their own Parish Church of which they â—…ad a Reverend and Orthodox man one Mr. Huish their Minister and in his absence the Doctor took care to get them supplied with able men from Oxford Great endeavours were on both sides the one party to preserve the Church and the other to pull it down because it was thronged with Malignants who seduced others from their godly way Religion always hath been the pretence of factious minds to draw on others to their party as one saith well Sua quisque arma sancta praedicat suam causam Religiosam Deus Pietas cultus divinus praetexuntur Every one proclaimeth their own Quarrels to be a holy War the cause Religion God Godliness and Divine Worship must be pretended Several Journies the good Doctor took to London sparing neither his pains nor purse in so pious a cause for the managing of which he employed diverse Solicitors sometimes before Committees at other times before Oliver's Council where it was carried dubiously and rather inclining to the other side at which the Presbyterian party caused the Bells to be rung and made Bonefires in the Town to express their Joy triumphing in the Ruin of a poor Church but the day was not so clearly their own as they imagined Dum res quamvis afflictae nondum tamen perditae forent as the Orator said for the Church yet stood against all its Enemies God protecting his own House and his zealous Servants for it in a time when they could look for little favours from the Powers that then ruled who had not so much respect for Gods House as the Heathens had for their Idol Temples and for those that vindicated them as Justin saith on this occasion Diis proximus habetur per quem Deâ—…rum majestas vindicata sit For which he praiseth Philip of Macedon calling him Vindicem Sacrilegii ultorem Religionum c. During those troubles about the Church Mr. Huish the Minister thereof durst not go on in his ministerial Duties which no sooner the Doctor heard of but to animate and encourage him he writ a pious Letter a Copy of which I then transcribed which is as followeth and worth the inserting here Sir WE are much beholden to you for your chearful condiscending unto our desires so far as the Lords-days Service wich though it be Opus diei in die suo yet we cannot think our selves to be fully Masters of our Requests till you have yeilded to bestow your pains on the other days also We hope in reasonable time to alter the condition of Mr. Blackwels pious gift that without hazarding the loss of his donation which would be an irrecoverable blow to this poor Parish you may sue out your Qietus est from that daily Attendance unless you find some further motives and inducements to perswade you to it yet so to alter it that there shall be no greater wrong done to his Intentions than to most part
for such as shine in a more eminent Sphere in the holy Hierarchy to have tendred these particulars to consideration which since they either have not done or that no visible effect hath appeared thereof I could not chuse but cast my poor Mite into the Treasury which if it may conduce to the Churches good I shall have my wish and howsoever shall be satisfied in point of Conscience that I have not failed in doing my duty to this Church according to the light of my understanding and then what happens to me shall not be material And thus again most humbly craving pardon for this great presumption I subscribe my self My Lord Your Lordships most humble Servant to be commanded PETER HEYLYN Soon after a Convocation was called by his Majesties Writ and during the time of their siting while he lived he seldom was without Visitors from them who constantly upon occasion came to him for his Advice and Direction in matters relating to the Church because he had been himself an ancient Clerk in the old Convocations Many Persons of Quality besides the Clergy for the reverence they had to his Learning and the delight they took in his Company payed him several Visits which he never repayed being still so devoted to his studies that except going to Church it was a rare thing to find him from home I happened to be there when the good Bishop of Durham Dr. Cousins came to see him who after a great deal of familiar discourse between them said I wonder Brother Heylyn thou art not a Bishop for we all know thou hast deserved it To which he answered much good may it do the new Bishops I do not envy them but wish they may do more than I have done Although he was but a Presbyter I believe their Lordships thought him worthy of their holy Order I am sure he was reverenc'd by some of them as St. Jerome was by St. Augustine Quamvis Episcopus major est Presbitero Augustinus tamen minor est Jeronimo The one of which was an old Presbyter the other a young Bishop but both of incomparable Learning and Vertues The old Presbyter writeth thus to St. Austin the great Bishop of his time In scripturarum campo juvenis non provoces senem Nos nostra habuimus tempora nunc te currente longa spatia transmeante nobis debitur otium For the good Doctors indefatigable pains and continued industry he was second to none For his Writings and Sufferings in the Cause of Monarâ—…by and Episcopacy he did spend himself and was spent For the sad Persecutions he suffered in the time of War his Enemies hunting â—…fter his Life as Ahaziahs Captains did for the man of God the woful shifts and straits he was put to to secure himself from violence how many times he narrowly escaped death from the hands of his Enemies as a Bird out of the Snare of the Fowler What fears and distractions were often upon him that he might say O si nescissem Literas I would to God I had not known a Letter of the Book for his Learning and Loyalty were the cause of all his Calamities yet notwithstanding he lived in an ungrateful Age that no respect was shewed to him or his But he returned only to his own in Peace which he enjoyed a little while before the War and less time after the Churches setlement It hath been the Lot many times of great Scholars to be neglected which made his Enemies rejoyce and not a little insult over him to see him only passed by and of all others remain in Statu quo in the same Condition he was in before which after the happy revolution of publick affairs neither Law nor Justice could hinder him of I will not say of him as the Cardinal did of Melancton that most Learned Divine of the Reformation O ingratam Germaniam quae tanti viri tantosque labores non pluris aestimet It fa redalso ill with Luthers Memory after his Death whose Widdow hoping some favours would be shewed to her for his merits was shamefully disappointed Praeter viduitatis incommoda quae mutiplicia experta est magnam ingratitudinem multorum pro quibus sperans benesicia ob ingentia mariti in Ecclesiam merita turpiter frustrata est So ordinary it is foâ—… men of admired worth who have done publick service either in Church or State to be soonest forgotten Now having run through the principal circumstances of this Reverend mans Life it behoves us to say something of his Person Conversation Qualities and the memorable Accidents hapning before the time of his Death and so leave his Memory among worthy men For his Person he was of a middle Stature a slender spare man his Face oval of fresh complexion looking rather young than old his Hair short and curl'd had few or no gray hairs his Eyes quick and sparkling before he had the ill fortune to loose his Sight His natural Constitution being hot and dry It was conceived by skilful Oculists his Brain heated with immoderate study burnt up the Christaline humor of his Eyes And this was most probable he being continually engaged in writing either for Church or State his Brain was like a Laboratory kept hot with study decayed his Eyes if there be any truth in the Naturalists Observation magna cogitatio obcaecat abducto intus visu And this he look'd upon as the saddest affliction that ever befel him in his whole Life Yet no doubt he was comforted with the words which he had often read in Socrates of Anthony the good Monk unto Dydimus that learned man of Alexandria Let it not grieve thee at all saith he O noble Dydimus that thou art bereaved of thy corporal Eyes and carnal sight for though you want such Eyes as commonly are given to Flyes and Gnats yet hast thou greatly to rejoyce that the Eyes wherewith the Angels do behold their Maker wherewith God is seen of Men are not taken from thee Our blessed Saviour said the light of the Body is the Eye for without these two Luminaries which God hath placed in the Microcosm of man None can be said in this World to live a true happy Day who are under such a continual Night of Darkness but that the intellectual Light of the Soul the Candle of the Lord within us supplies that miserable defect with a far greater felicity by extraordinary endowments of the mind which Seneca calls melior pars nostri and it is the best part of man indeed though all the Members and Parts of our Bodies are so excellently compacted together by the Wisdom of the Creator and have such a necessary depence upon one another for the exercise of their several Offices that the Compositum of Man cannot be complete without them and chiefly the Eye being the guide of the whole Body hath preheminence over the rest of the Members saith the Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because by it we
receive the greatest share of Knowledge and Understanding it being the principal Organ of sensâ—… for that use But the loss of his Eyes considering the Cause was no blemish to his Person but rather a Mark of Honour as the Caeci among the Romans a noble Family were so called because of the notable service they did for the publick good Claros illustres viros militiae domique ex oculorum vitio cognomenta invenere saith Alex. ab Alexand. Thus Constantine the great in honour of Paphnutius sufferings for Christian Religion kissed the hole in his face out of which the Tyrant Maximinus had bored his eye the good Emperor making much of the Socket saith Mr. Fuller when the Candle was pâ—…t out These outward Windows being shut the Doctor enjoyed more perfectly the sweet and seraphical contemplations of his own Mind without â—… disturbance from other Objects which â—…eing removed he did take a complacency and delight only in himself as Tully saith Habet animus quo se delectet etiam occlusis sensibus I may say truly of him thus though he was my Father in Law that he was the venerable Bede of our Age for many excellent Tractates he published which he never saw with his own Eyes and they were done in as exact a manner as when he had his faculty of sight at the best The like Socrates saith of Dydimus when he was blind he not only interpreted Origens Writings and made Commentaries upon them but set forth excellent Treatises to defend the Orthodox Faith against the Arians The Doctors Cosmography was the last Book he writ with his own hand after which voluminous work his Eyes failed him that he could neither see to write nor read without the help of an Amanuensis whom he kept to his dying day yet he was not so totally deprived of his sight as some imagin but he could discern a Body or Substance near hand though not the Phisiognomy of a Face so as to follow his Leader when he walk'd abroad He macerated his Body with the immoderate exercises of his mind ofteâ—… fasting and taking little or nothing for the space of two or three days when he was upon painful studies which made him look at such times like a Sceleton yet then he was also of a cheerful Spirit He followed no excercise for his health but walking in his Garden and then he used a kind of low whistling with himself either to recreate his Spirits or else as it were to sound an Alarm against his Enemies like the old Germans who affected a such like Tone asperitas soni fractum murmur when they went to War All this while he was in deep Meditation preparing for an encounter with his Adversary in some polemical discourse The Pen being his only Weapon in which he was as fortunate as Alexander with his Sword of whom it s said Cum nullo hostium unquam congressus est quem non vicerit He fought with none of his Enemies but he overcame them so the Doctor had the same good fortune in all his Pen-Combates to be Conqueror For which cause he was ordinarily called the Primipilus and chief Defender of Prelacy by Smectymnus the Bishops Darling by others the Puritan Episcopal man For his Zeal and Courage I may truly say of him he was a right Peter of whom Casaubon observes out of the Greek Fathers Petrum suisse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ervido ingenio virum St. Peter was a man of a hot temper and disposition that set him forward on all occasions more than the other Disciples So the Doctor was of the like disposition naturally and inclined the more by study much watching and sitting up late at Nights that threw him often into Fevers to which he was very subject not withstanding his hot temper and constitution he did so wisely correct and govern it that he never fell into those Paroxisms as to suffer his reason to be extinguished with passion but his most fervent zeal was ever attended with deep knowledge for he had an acute Wit a solid judgement and exuberant fancy to which was adjoyned that which is rare to be found in all these excellences together a most prodigious and yet faithful Memory that he did not usually take Notes or make Collections of Readings out of Authors as most Scholars do but committed what he read to his own Memory which I believe never failed him in whatsoever he treasured up to make use of hereafter Therefore it was a pittiful charge of Mr. H. L' Estrange against him that he misreported the words of Pareus in putting down quomodo for quando to which the Doctor answers thus for himself whereby we may see what a true Repository of things his Memory was I must tell you saith he for him that is plundred of his Books and keeping no Remembrances and Collections of his Studies by him he cannot readily resolve what Eâ—…ition he followed in his consulting with that Author He always thought that Tenure in Capite was a nobler and and more honourable Tenure than to hold by Copy and therefore carelesly neglected to commit any part of his Readings unto Notes and Papers of which he never found such want as in this perticular which you so boldly charge upon him When the Esquire tax'd him again for having many Helpers as if he were beholden to other mens studies and pains about the composing of his Books that was such a notorious Scandal that every one who knew him could confute he in modest and most pious manner replied thus Though I cannot say that I have many Helpers yet I cannot but confess in all humble gratitude that I have one great Helper which is instar omnium even the Lord my God Auxilium meum a Domino my help cometh even from the Lord which hath made Heaven and Earth as the Psalmist hath it And I can say with the like humble acknowledgements of Gods mercies to me as Jacob did when he was askt about the quick dispatch which he had made in preparing savory meat for his Aged Father Voluntas Dei fuit tam cito occurreret mihi quod volebam Gen. 27. 20. It is Gods goodness and his only that I am able to do what I do And as for any humane Helpers as the French Courtiers use to say of King Lewis the Second That all his Council rid upon one Horse because he relyed upon his own Judgement and Abilities only So I may very truly say that one poor Hackny-horse will carry all my Helpers used be they never so numerous The greatest help which I have had since it pleased God to make my own sight unuseful to me as to writing and reading hath come from one whom I had entertained for my Clerk or Amanuensis who though he reasonably well understood both Greek and Latin yet had he no further Education in the way of Learning than what he brought with him from the
had the gift of prophecy though their eye sight failen them as did with Jacob yet they were called Seers because they foresaw future things they were so old that for their Age and gravity they were sometimes upbraided so Elisha by the Children was mocked who undoubtedly were so taught by their ungodly Fathers to say of him go up thou baldhead Neither doth a melancholy constitution as some have imagined make men prophetical either in sleeping or waking but on the contrary renders them uncapable as is evident by the examples of Jacob and Elisha the first of whom being in deep sadness which is the inseparable Companion of melancholy for the loss of his Son Joseph was at the same disabled from prophecy or otherwise he could have told what Fortune had befallen his Son who was not dead but sold by his Brethren Hence Mercer tells us it was an ordinary saying among the Rabbines Maeror prophetiam impedit In like manner the Prophet Elisha for the sorrow of Elijah his Master taken away from him and the anger he had conceived against Jehoram that wicked Prince whilst these two passions were predominant over him he could not prophesie till the Minstrel played with her Musical Instrument to drive away his melancholy sadness and then the hand of the Lord its said came upon him and he prophesied saying Thus saith the Lord c. By all which I hope it is evident that hypocondriacal persons who are grievously afflicted with melancholy are not thereby disposed to prophesie and then by necessary consequence it followeth that Dreams arising from the same natural cause cannot be said prophetical no more then that of Albertus magnus who dream'd that hot Scalding Pitch was poured upon his Brest aâ—…d so soon as he awakned from his sleep he vomited up abundance of adust Chollar Such Dreams certainly arise from the ill habitude of the Body through fullness of bad humors But there is another sort of Dreams which may be called divine or supernatural which are imprinted on the mind of man either by God himself or his holy Angels from which necessarily follows prophecy because such extraordinary impressions are usual for those ends And this I take to be the Reverend Doctors Dream who was a man of so great Piety as well as Study that I cannot think otherwise but that he was able to discern the different motions of his Soul whether they were natural or supernatural of which last he was so firmly assured by his own reason and great Learning that no arguments could disswade him to the contrary St. Austiine saith Animam habere quandam vim divinationis in seipsa That the Soul of man hath a certain power of Divination in it self when it is abstracted from bodily actions I confess then it must needs be drawn up to higher Communion with God than ordinary but more immediately I rather think with Tertullian a little before death about the time of its separation from the Body because many dying persons have wonderfully foretold things which afterward came to pass the reason of which that good Father giveth and therein I judge he was no Montanist when he saith Quia Anima in ipso divertio penitus agitari enunciet quae vidit quae audit quae incipit nosseâ—… Because the Soul then acts most vigorously at the last Broath declares what things it seeth it heareth and what it begins to know now entring into Eternity So the heavenly and pious Doctor according to the prenotions of his Death forseeing his time was short gave his Wife strict charge again that very night as he was going to Bed and in appearance well that she should bury him according to his Dream she affrighted with this dreadful charge sate by him while he fell into a Sleep out of which he soon awaked in a Feverish distemper and violent Hick-up which she taking notice of said I fear Mr. Heylyn you have got cold with going abroad to day but he answered very readily no it was Deathâ—… Hick-up and so it proved for he grew worse and worse till he dyed Now some I hear impute the cause of his sickness to the eating of a Tansey but this is false for I heard the contrary relation from her own mouth his Dream was on the Saturday night his Surplice happened to be burnt on Sunday morning all which day he pass'd in private mediatation in his Study and on the Monday what time he had to spare he spent in providing a Settlement for his Wife as aforesaid But to return again to his good mans sickness of which the true cause as his Physician said was the reliques of his long quartane Ague not purged out by Physick to which he was alwaies averse threw him into a malignant Feverâ—… in which â—…he remained insensible till some few hours before he dyed but when it pleased God to restore unto him his Senses again he most zealously glorified his Name with praises and thanksgivings for his mercies towards himself and Family earnestly praying for them and often commending them to Gods Heaveuly care and protection at the same time he left â—… little Book of Prayers with his dear Wife for her devotion which she shewed afterward to me being a Collection of many Collects out of the Common Prayer to every one of which he had added a most fervent Prayer of his own composure that little Book she said should be the Prayer-Book of her Devotion while she lived Finally as his time grew shorter and shorter he prayed with more vehemency of Spirit sometimes to God sometimes to his Saviour and to the blessed Comforter of his Soul rejoycing exceedingly that he should live to Ascension day uttering forth most heavenly expressions to the sweet Comfoâ—…t of others aud principally of his own Soul with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or full assurance of his Salvation through Christ Jesus which last unspeakable joy and consolation above all other God is pleased to be bestow upon the faithful and seal it to them with the earnest of his Spirit at the hour of Death At which time his Soul now ready to depart and be with Christ his Saviour one Mr. Merrol a Verger of the Church coming into his Chamber to see him he presently called him to his Bed side saying to him I know it is Church time with you and I know this is Ascenfion day I am ascending to the Church Triumphant I go to my God and Saviour unto joyes Caeleftial and to Halleluja's eternal with which and other like expressions he dyed upon Holy Thursday An. Dom. 1663. in the Climacterial year of his Life threescore and three in 〈◊〉 number the Sevenths and ninths do often fatally concurre He was afterward buried under his Sub-Deans Seat according to his Dream and desire His Death lamented by all good men because there was a Pillar though not a Bishop falln in the Church of whom I may say in the Poets words Quando ullum invenient parem
where he had run through so hard a Task with the Regius Professor though he missed Windsor took this occasion to make himself merry as the Poet did musa jocosa mea est Ov. And so fell into this vein of Poetry When Windsor Prebend late disposed was One ask'd me sadly how it came to pass Potter was chose and Heylyn was forsaken I answer'd 't was by Charity mistaken But this Fancy was soon turned into a mournful Elegy by the death of his noble Friend the Attorny General Mr. Noy whose memory he could never forget for the honour of delivering to him the gracious message from his Majesty and for the intimacy he was pleased to bear to him as a bosom friend that he imparted to the Doctor all the affairs of State and transactions of things done in his time which made him so perfect an Historian in this particular and shewed him his papers manuscripts and laborious Collections that he had gathered out of Statutes and ancient Records for the proof of the Kings Prerogative particularly before his death at his house in Brainford where the Doctor kept Whitsontide with him in the year 1634. he shewed to him a great wooden Box that was full of old Precedents for levying a Naval aid upon the Subjects by the sole Authority of the King whensoever the preservation and safety of the Kingdom required it of them Mr. Hammond L' Strange acknowledges that Mr. Noy was a most indefatigable plodder and searcher of old Records The learned Antiquary Mr. Selden though no friend to the King nor Church confesses in his excellent book entituled Mare Clausum That the Kings of England â—…sed to levy mony upon the Subjects without the help of Parliament for the providing of Ships and other necessaries to maintain that Soveraignity which anciently belonged to the Crown Yet the honest Attorny General for the same good service to the King and Country is called by Hammond Le Strange The most pestilent vexation to the Subjects that this latter Age produced So true is the old Proverb some may better steal a Horse than others look on For it is usual with many not to judge according to the merits of the cause but by the respect or disrepect they bear to the Person as the Comedian once said Duo cum idem faciunt saepe possis dicere Hoc licet impune facere huic illi non licet Non quod dissimilis res sit sed quod qui facit When two does both alike the self same Act One suffers pain the other for the Fact Not the lest shame or punishment and why Respect of persons makes Crimes differently The death of Mr. Noy the more sadly afflicted the Doctor to lose so dear a Friend and an entire Lover of learned men during whose time no unhappy differences brake out betwixt the Dean of Westminster and the Prebends of that Church but all things were carried on smoothly by his Lordship because he knew well that Dr. Heylyn had a sure Advocate in Court both in behalf of himself and his Brethren if they stood in need of help that no sooner this worthy person departed the World but the Bishop so extremely tyrannized over the Prebendaries infringing their Priviledges violating their Customes and destroying their ancient Rights that for the common preservation of themselves and their Successors they were forced to draw up a Charge against his Lordship consisting of no less than thirty six Articles which were presented by way of complaint and petition of redress to his sacred Majesty who forthwith gave order for a Commission to be issued out unto the Arch-Bishops of Canterbury and York the Earl of Manchester Lord Privy Seal Earl of Portland the Lord Cottington the two Secretaries of State Sir John Cook and Sir Francis Windebank Authorizing them to hold a Visitation of the Church of Westminster to examine the particular charges made against John Lord Bishop of Lincoln and to redress such grievances and pressures as the Prebends of the said Church suffered by his misgovernment The Articles were ordered by the Council Table to be translated into Latin by Dr. Heylyn which accordingly he performed to avoid the common talk and scandal that might arise if exposed to the publick veiw of the vulgar on April 20. A. D. 1634. the Commission bore date which was not executed but lay dormant till December 1635 the Bishop expecting the business would never come to a hearing he raged more vehemently dispossessed the Prebends of their Seats refused to call a Chapter and to passe their Accounts conferred holy Orders in the said Church without their consent contrary to an ancient Priviledge which had been inviolably retained from the first foundation of the Church he permitted also Benefices in their gift to be lapsed unto himself that so he might have absolute power to dispose them to whom he pleased Quo teneam nodo With many other grievances which caused the Prebends to present a second Petition to his Majesty humbly beseeching him to take the ruinous and desperate estate of the said Church into his Princely consideration Upon which the former Commission was revived a day of hearing appointed and a Citation fixed upon the Church door of Westminster for the Bishops and Prebends to appear on Jan. 27. Upon the 25th instant The Prebends were warned by the Subdean to meet the Bishop in Jerusalem Chamber where his Lordship foreseeing the Storm that was like to fall upon his head carried himself very calmly towards them desiring to know what those things were that were amiss and he would presently redress them though his Lordship knew them very well without an Informer to which Dr. Heylyn replyed that seeing they had put this business into his Majesties hands it would ill become them to take the matters out oâ—… his into their own Therefore on Jan. 27th both Parties met together before the Lords in the Inner-star Chamber where by their Lordships Order the whole business was put into a methodical course each Mâ—…day following being appointed for a day of hearing till a Conclusion was made of the whole affair On February the 1st The Lords Commissioners with the Bishop and Prebends met in the Council-Chamber at White-hall where it was first ordered that the Plaintifs should be called by the name of Prebends supplicant Secondly they should be admitted upon Oath as Witnesses Thirdly they should have a sight of all Registers Records Books of account c. which the Bishop had kept from them Fourthly that the first business they should begin with should be about their Seat because it made the difference or breach more visible and offensive to the World than those matters which were private and domestick And lastly it was ordered that the Prebends should have an Advocate to plead their Cause defend their Rights and represent their Grievances Accordingly the Prebends unanimously made choice of Dr. Peter Heylyn for their Advocate The business now brought on so fairly