of York was founded Anno 180. by King Lucius also who placed Sampson there King Lucius also founded the Academy of Bangor in the favour of good Arâ—s and Learned Men. He built the chief Cathedral Church in Glocester The Church dedicated to St. Mary in Glastonbury A Chappel in honour of Christ in Dover Castle A Church in Canterbury afterwards dedicated to St. Martin King Lucius died and was buried at Gloucester CENT III. BUT Christianity in Britain was not buried in the grave of King Lucius Witness Gildas whose words are a clear evidence of the constant continuing of the Christian Faith in Britain from the first Preaching thereof Gildas in Epist de excid Britan. Christs precepts saith he though they were received but lukewarmly of the Inhabitants yet they remained entirely with some less sincerely with others even untill the nine years of Persecution under Dioclesian To the Authority of Gildas we may add the Testimony of two Fathers both flourishing in this Century Tertul. advers Judaeos c. 7. Tertullian and Origen Tertullian saith Britannorum inaccessa Romanis loca Christo verò subdita There are places of the Britains which were unaccessible to the Romans but yet subdued to â—hrist Origen in Luc. c. 1. Homil. 6. Origen in like manner Virtus Domini Salvatoris cum his est qui ab orbe nostro in Britannia dividuntur The power of God our Saviour is even with them which in Britain are divided from our World Cent. 3. c. 2. col 6. The Magdeburgenses compilers of the General Ecclesiastical History speaking of the Churches through Europe in this Age thus express themselves Then follow the Isles of the Ocean where we first meet with Britain Manfisse hac aetate ejus Insulae Ecclesias affirmare non dubitamus We doubt not to affirm that the Churches of that Island did also remain in that Age. Gildas modestly renders the reason why so little is extant of the British History of this Age. Scripta patriae Scriptorum monumenta siquae fuerint aut ignibus hostium exusta aut civium exulum classe longius deportata non comparent The Monuments saith he of our Countrey or Writers if there were any appear not as either burnt by the fire of enemies or transported far off by our banished Countreymen The Christians of Britain celebrated the Passover upon the fourteenth day of the Moon of March precisely contrary to the constitutions of the Roman Church which sheweth they were not brought to Christian Religion by the Roman Church Gild. Epist f. 63. And Gildas saith That the Britains used great solemnity in their Ordination of Ministers and had other Prayers Lessons and Chapters than are used in the Roman Church Britain remained under the Domination of the Romans Pagans as their supream Lords till the year of Christ 286. in Dioclesian's time when the Roman Senate sent Caransius to repress the incursions of Barbarous Nations But Caransius made a League with the Britains expelled the Romans and made himself King And from that time sometimes the Romans prevailing sometimes the Natives Britain was but weakly posâ—â—ssed by the Roman Empire CENT IV. SO the Gospel flourished in this Land and they that professed it escaped the Persecutions raised by the Heathen Emperours of Rome all except the last under Dioclesian which extended to Britain and St. Alban is noted to be the Proto-Martyr of Britain who suffered death for Christ's sake with invincible Courage and Resolution about the year of Christ 305. He was a wealthy Inhabitant of Verolamcester and a Citizen of Rome for so Alexander Neccham reports him Neccham in his Poem on Verulam Hic est Martyrii roseo decoratus honore Albanus Cives Inclyta Roma tuus Here Alban Rome thy Citizen renown'd With rosie grace of Martyrdom was crown'd Alban was a Britain by Parentage a Roman by Priviledge naturally a Britain naturalized a Roman Immediately followed the Martyrdom of Amphibalus a Preacher of Caer-leon in Wales who not long before was fain to fly from Persecution into the Eastern parts of this Island and was entertained by Alban at his house in Verulam who was instructed by Amphibalus in the Christian Faith he was cruelly put to death by the Pagans in a Village called Redburn three miles from Verulam Besides Amphibalus suffered Aaron and Julius two substantial Citizens of Caer-leon and then Socrates and Stephen and Augulius Bishop of London then called Augusta with multitudes both of Men and Women in sundry places saith Beda as shortly after no less than a thousand Saints suffered death at Litchfield whereupon the place was called another Golgotha or field of blood In memory whereof the City beareth for Armes to this day a field surcharged with dead bodies Afterwards it pleased God to put a period to his Servants sufferings and to the rage of their Enemies for when Dioclesian and Maximian had layed down the Ensignes of Command Constantius Chlorus was chosen Emperour in these Western Provinces of France Spain and Britain whose cariage towards Christians Eusebius thus describeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he preserved such Religious people as were under his command without any hurt or harm So that under him the Church in these parts had a breathing-time from Persecution Constantius died and was buried at York who bequeathed the Empire to Constantine his eldest Son by Hestâ—n his formâ— Wife That Constantine was a Britain is shewn by Eumenius Rhetor Eumen. Rheor Panegyr 9. who in his Oration made to Constantine himself makes therein an Apostâ—â—phe to Brâ—â—â—in O fortunata nunc omnibus beatior terris Britannia quae Constantinum Coesarem prima vidisti O happy Britain and blessed above all other Lands which didst first behold Constantine Cesar There is another Testimony of His of like nature Panegyr 5. Liberavit Pater Constantius Britannias servitute Tu etiam Nobiles illic oriendo fecisti Your Father Constantius did free the British Provinces from slavery and you have Ennobled them by taking thence your original It is said of him that he was born made King and Emperor first in Britain Constantine being now peaceably setled in the Imperial Throne there followed a sudden and great alteration in the World Persecutors turning Patrons of Religion The Gospel formerly a Forrester now became a Citizen and leaving the Woods wherein it wandered Hills and holes where it hid it self before dwelt quietly in populous places The stumps of ruined Churches lately destroyed by Dioclesian grew up into beautiful buildings Oratories were furnished with pious Ministers and they provided of plentiful maintenance through the liberality of Constantine The most avouchable evidence of Christianity flourishing in this Island in this Age is produced from the Bishops representing Britain in the Councils 1. Of Arles in France called to take cognizance of the cause of the Donatists where appeared for the Britains Eborius Bishop of York Restitutus Bishop of London Adelfius Bishop of the City called
free Gift not an imposed Tax Neither would the King of England or France suffer it to to be levyed in their Realms by the Pope's Authority but only by their Royal Order Grant and Assent thereto But no Archbishop or Bishop did put this in execution The same year the King licensed Peter Builler by Charter to enter into what Religion he pleased Rex c. Omnibus c. Sciatis nos dedisse licentiam Petro Builler transferendi se ad quam voluerit Religionem inde has literas nostras patentes ei rei relinquimus in testimonium Teste meipso apud Barnevil 29 die Octobris The French King perfidiously breaking his Truce with King John made in the first year of his reign to carry on that War he not only demanded a supply of Moneys from his Nobility and Clergy but likewise from the Cistercian Abbots The same year the Church and City of Rhoan being consumed with fire King John granted them his Letters Patents for a liberal contribution throughout all England toward the repair of that Church principally for the Virgin Maries sake to whom it was dedicated then adored more than God himself This is the first Patent of such a Collection that we have yet met with Pious this King was in offering one ounce of Gold to God every Lord's-day and Holy-day which the Archbishop of Canterbury then offered and disbursed for him or claimed as his Fee being allowed it in the Exchequer upon his account In the fourth year of King John some Irish Bishops and Archdeacons Suffragans to the Archbishop of Dublin endeavoured without this King 's precedent License and Assent to elect an Archbishop and get him confirmed at Rome by the Pope against the King's Right and Dignity Whereupon he entred an Appeal against them before himself to Preserve his Right and Dignity therein The same year there being many contests between the Dean and Canons and Geoffry Archbishop of York who by his Archiepiscopal authority and violence did much oppress them the King upon their complaint by his Authority and Letters Patents granted them a Protection against Him and his Instruments In the fifth year of King John Godfrid Bishop of Winchester deceasing Petrus de Rupibus a Knight and great Souldier Vir equestris ordinis in rebus bellicis eruditus procurante Rege Johanne being chosen to the Bishoprick succeeded him who going to Rome Vbi magnis zeniis liberaliter collatis ad Ecclesiam Wintoniensem maturavit Episcopus consecrari This year the Men of Holderness refusing to pay their Traves due to St. John of Beverly out of their Ploughed-lands to the Farmer of them as they did to the Provost and Chapter before the King issued out a Writ to the Sheriffs of York to seize the Persons and Goods of those the Provost and Chapter should excommunicate and detain them till payment since He and his Tenants duly paid them out of his and their Demesnes In the sixth year of King John the Bishop Dean and Chapter of Durham the Dean and Chapter of York with sundry other Deans and Chapters Abbots and Priors within the Province of York to prevent the unjust arbitrary Excommunications Suspensions and Interdicts of Geoffry Archbishop of York against their own Tenants Lands and Possessions by reason of some differences between them concerning their Jurisdictions and Ecclesiastical Priviledges which they complained the Archbishop invaded appearing before the King at York did there in the King 's own presence appeal him before the See of Rome prefixing a certain day to which the King by his Letters Patents gave his Royal Testimony and Assent they not daring to appeal without his License About two years after King John and his Nobles meeting at Winchester placing his hope and strength in his Treasures required and received through all England the thirteenth part of all Movables and other things as well of the Laity as of all other Ecclesiastical Persons and Prelats all of them murmuring at it and wishing an ill event to such rapines but not daring to contradict it Only Geoffry Archbishop of York openly contradicting it privily departed from England and in his recess Anathematis sententia innodavit actually excommunicated all Men especially within his Archbishoprick making this rapine and levying this Tax and in general all Invaders of the Church or Ecclesiastical things for non-payment of this Tax wherewith this King was so highly offended that he seized his Temporalities and banished him the Realm till his death about seven years after Anno 1205. died Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury Before his body was yet committed to the earth the younger sort of the Monks elected Reginald their Superiour and placed him in the Metropolitan See without the King's License and knowledge who being sent unto by the elder sort of Monks requiring his gracious License to chuse their Archbishop consented thereunto requiring them also instantly at his request that they would elect John Grey Bishop of Norwich into that See which they also did And the King sent to the Pope to confirm it The two Suffragans of Canterbury not being made acquainted with the matter sent speedily to Rome to have both the Elections stopped whereupon arose a great tumult for the Pope condemning both their Elections created Stephen Langton with his own hand in the high Church of Viterbo Upon which occasion the King banished sixty four of the Clergy and Monks of Canterbury out of the Land Fox Acts and Monuments and sharply expostulated with the Pope for that he had chosen Stephen Langton a Man brought up long among his Enemies in France besides the derogation to the Liberties of his Crown threatening except he would favour the King 's liking of the Bishop of Norwich he would cut off the trade to Rome and the profits that came thither from the Land The Pope writeth in the behalf of Stephen Langton a froward and arrogant Letter and not long after sendeth a commandment and charge into England to certain Bishops that if the King would not yield they should Interdict his Realm For the execution whereof four Bishops were appointed viz. William Bishop of London Eustace Bishop of Ely Mauger Bishop of Worcester and Giles Bishop of Hereford who pronounced the general Interdiction through the Realm of all Ecclesiastical service saving Baptism of Children Confession and the Eucharist to the dying in case of necessity No sooner had they interdicted the Kingdom but they with Joceline Bishop of Bath as speedily as secretly fled out of the Land And the King took all the possessions of those Bishops into his hands He also proclaimed that all those that had Church-living and went over the Sea should return at a certain day or else lose their Livings for ever and charged all Sheriffs to enquire if any Church-man received any Commandment that came from the Pope that they should apprehend them and bring them before him and also take into their hands for the King's use all the Church-lands that
King Witness the Sermon preached by him at Oxford before the Queen then in hostile pursuit against her Husband taking for his Text the words of the Son of the sick Shunamite my Head my Head Thence he urged That a bad King the distempered Head of a State is past cure His writing was worse than his preaching for when such Agents set to keep King Edward in Berkley-castle were by secret order from Roger Mortimer commanded to kill him they by Letters addressed themselves for advice to this Bishop then not far off at Hereford craving his counsel what they should do in so difficult and dangerous a matter He returned unto them a ridling Answer unpointed which carried in it Life and Death yea Life or Death as variously construed Life and Death To kill King Edward you need not to fear it is good Life To kill King Edward you need not to fear it is good Death To kill King Edward you need not to fear it is good The Body of King Edward without any Funeral Pomp was buried among the Benedictines in their Abbey at Glocester Edward of Windsor called King Edward the Third being scarce fifteen years of age took the beginning of his Reign on January the twentieth his Throne was established upon his Fathers ruine Anno 1327. Upon Candlemas-day he received the Order of Knighthood by the hands of the Earl of Lancaster while his deposed Father lived and within five dayes after he was Crowned at Westminster by Walter Archbishop of Canterbury Twelve men were appointed to manage the Affairs of the Kingdom during the King's minority the Archbishop's of Canterbury and York the Bishops of Winchester Hereford and Worcester Thomas Brotherton Earl Marshal Edmond Earl of Kent John Earl Warren Thomas Lord Wake Henry Lord Piercy Oliver Lord Ingham and John Lord Ross but the Queen and Roger Lord Mortimer usurped this charge Adam Tarlton was accused of Treason in the beginning of the Reign of this King and arraigned by the King's Officers when in the presence of the King he thus boldly uttered himself My Lord the King with all due respect unto your Majesty I Adam an humble Minister and Member of the Church of God and a consecrated Bishop though unworthy neither can nor ought to answer unto so hard Questions without the connivance and consent of my Lord Archbishop of Canterbury my immediate Judge under the Pope and without the consent of other Bishops who are my Peers Three Archbishops were there present in the place Canterbury York and Dublin by whose Intercession Tarlton escaped at that time Not long after he was arraigned again at the King's Bench whereupon the foresaid Archbishops set up their Crosses and with ten Bishops more attended with a numerous Train of well-weaponed Servants advanced to the place of Judicature The King's Officers frighted at the sight fled away leaving Bishop Tarlton the prisoner alone at the Bar whom the Archbishops took home into their own custody denouncing a Curse upon all such who should presume to lay violent hands upon him The King offended hereat caused a jury of Lay-men to be impannelled and to enquire according to form of Law into the Actions of the Bishop of Hereford This was the first time that ever Lay-men passed their verdict upon a Clergy-man These Jurors found the Bishop guilty whereupon the King seized his Temporalties proscribed the the Bishop and despoiled him of all his moveables But afterwards he was reconciled to the King and by the Pope made Bishop of Winchester where he died The former part of this King's Reign affordeth but little Church-history as wholly taken up with his Atchievements in France and Scotland where his success by Sea and Land was to admiration He had both the Kings he fought against viz. John de Valois of France and David King of Scotland his prisoners at one time taken by fair Fight in open Field There was granted to the King of England for these Wars a Fifteenth of the Temporalty a Twelfth of Cities and Boroughs and a Tenth of the Clergy in a Parliament holden at London And afterwards in a Parliament at Northampton there was granted him a Tenth peny of Towns and Boroughs a Fifteenth of others and a Tenth of the Clergy All such Treasure as was committed to Churches throughout England for the holy War was taken out for the King's use in this The next year after all the Goods of three Orders of Monks Lombards Cluniacks and Cicestercians are likewise seized into the King's hands and the like Subsidy as before granted at Nottingham Now the Cavrsines or Lombards did not drive so full a trade as before whereupon they betook themselves to other Merchandise and began to store England with Forreign Commodities but at unreasonable rates whilst England it self had as yet but little and bad Shipping and those less employed About this time the Clergy were very bountiful in contributing to the King's necessities in proportion to their Benefices Hereupon a Survay was exactly taken of all their Glebeland Fuller Church History and the same fairly engrossed in Parchment was returned into the Exchequer where it remaineth at this day and is the most useful Record for Clergy-men and also for Impropriators as under their claim to recover their right It was now complained of as a grand grievance that the Clergy engrossed all places of Judicature in the Land Nothing was left to Lay-men but either Military commands as General Admiral c. or such Judges places as concerned onely the very letter of the Common Law and those also scarcely reserved to the Students thereof As for Ambassies into Forreign parts Noblemen were employed therein when Expence not Experience was required thereunto and Ceremony the substance of the Service otherwise when any difficulty in Civil Law then Clergy-men were ever entertained The Lord Chancellor was ever a Bishop yea that Court generally appeared as a Synod of Divines where the Clerks were Clerks as generally in Orders The same was also true of the Lord Treasurer and Barons of the Exchequer Robert Eglesfield Chaplain to Queen Philippa Wife to King Edward the third founded a Colledge on his own ground in Oxford by the name of Queens Colledge and diverse Queens have been nursing Mothers to this Foundation as Queen Philippa Wife to King Edward the third Queen Elizabeth Wife to King Edward the fourth Queen Mary Wife to King Charles and our Virgin Queen Elizabeth In the mean time the Pope bestirred him in England while the King was busied about his Wars in France so that before Livings were actually void he pre-provided Incumbents for them But at last the King looking into it this Statute of Provision was made whereby such forestalling of Livings to Forreigners was forbidden Another cause of the King's displeasure with the Pope was that when the Pope created twelve Cardinals at the request of the King of France he denied to make one at the desire of the King of England The Papal party
no Sacramentary be admitted to Benefice 4. That all Bishops do labour to suppress Heresies especially in the Clergy 5. That they should suppress all unlawfull Books and writings 6. The next Article was against Priests Marriages and that such as would depart from their Wives should be admitted to the same function 7. That for want of Priests one Priest should serve two places 8. That Processions be used 9. That Holy-days and Fasts be frequented 10. That the Ceremonies be used and Confirmation of Children be put in practice In the same moneth of March the Lord Courtney whom the Queen at her first entry delivered out of the Tower and the Lady Elizabeth also the Queen's Sister were both by the suggestion of Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester suspected to have been of Wyat's Conspiracy and for the same were apprehended and sent to the Tower although Wyat at his death cleared them both as unacquainted with the matter Many trains were laid to ensnare the Lady Elizabeth And being on a time asked what she thought of the swords of Christ This is my Body whether she thought it is the true Body of Christ it is said that after some pausing she thus Answered Christ was the Word that spake it Sir Richard Bakers Chron. He took the Bread and brake it And what the Word did make it That I Believe and take it One Elizabeth Crofts about eighteen years old was by practice put into a Wall and therefore called The Spirit in the Wall who with a whistle made for that purpose whistled out many Seditious words against the Queen the Prince of Spain the Mass Confession c. for which she did Penance standing upon a Scaffold at Pauls Cross all the Sermon-time where she made open Confession of her fault Queen Mary altereth her stile leaving out the latter part of her Title which is Supreme Head of the Church of England and Ireland because in this Parliament holden at Westminster in April the Supremacy being given away from the Crown of England to the Pope thereupon this Parcel of the Title was also taken away Then followed a communication between Bishop Ridley and Secretary Bourn Mr. Fecknam and others at the Lieutenants Table in the Tower described at large by Mr. Fox touching the Sacrament On April 10. Archbishop Cranmer Bishop Ridley and Latimer were sent down to Oxford by the Lord Williams of Thame there to dispute with the Divines of both Universities about the presence substance and sacrifice of the Sacrament Of Oxford Dr. Weston prolocutor Dr. Tresham Dr. Cole Dr. Oglethorp Doctor Pie Doctor Harpsfield Mr. Fecknam Of Cambridge Dr. Young Vice-Chancellor Doctor Glyn Dr. Seaton Dr. Watson Dr. Sedgwick Dr. Atkinson The Questions whereon they should Dispute were these 1. Whether the natural body of Christ be really in the Sacrament after the words of Consecration be spoken by the Priest 2. Whither any substance do remain after the words saving the body and blood 3. Whither the mass be a sacrifice propitiatory The order and manner of the disputation against these three worthy Martyrs the disordered usage of the University men the rude tumult of the multitude the fierceness and interruption of the Doctors the full pith and ground of all their Arguments the Censure of the Judges the railing Language of the Prolocutor with his blast of triumph in the latter end is set forth fully by Mr. Fox The disputation being ended on April 20. they were again brought upon the stage and then demanded whether they would persist in their opinion or else recant And affirming that they would persist they were all Three adjudged Hereticks and condemned to the fire but their execution was respited to a longer time May 19. the Lady Elizabeth was brought out of the Tower and committed to the custody of the Lord of Thame who gently entreated her afterwards she was had to Woodstock and there committed to the keeping of Sir Henry Bennefield who dealt hardly with her Prince Philip arriveth at Southampton July 20. 1554. and on the twenty third came to Winchester where the Queen met him and on the twenty fifth day the marriage between them there was openly Solemnized At which time the Emperour's Ambassadour presented to the King a donation of the Kingdoms of Naples and Sicily which the Emperour his Father had resigned unto him Which presently was signified and the Titles of the King and Queen Proclaimed by sound of Trumpet in this following Style Philip and Mary by the Grace of God King and Queen of England France Naples Jerusalem Ireland Defenders of the Faith Princes of Spain and Sicily Archdukes of Austria Dukes of Milan Burgundy and Brabant Counts of Auspurg Flanders and Tirrol c. At the Proclaiming of which Style which was performed in French Latine and English the King and Queen shewed themselves hand in hand with two Swords born before them for the greater State or in regard of their distinct capacity in the Publick Government From Winchester they removed to Basing and so to Windsor where Philip on August the fifth was Installed Knight of the Garter On the eleventh of the same Moneth they made a Magnificent Passage through the Principal Streets of the City of London The King prevailed with the Queen for discharge of such Prisoners as stood committed in the Tower either for matter of Religion or on the account of Wyat's Rebellion or for engaging in the practice of the Duke of Northumberland which was done accordingly among which were the Arcbishop of York ten Knights and many other persons of name and quality He also procured the enlargement of the Lady Elizabeth and of the Earl of Devonshire who travelled through France into Italy and died at Padua Anno 1556. the eleventh and last Earl of Devonshire of that Noble Family of the Courtneys Marriage and Heresie were the crimes of Holgate Archbishop of York for which being deprived during his imprisonment in the Tower Dr. Nicholas Heath succeeded him in the See of York and leaves the Bishoprick of Worcester to Doctor Richard Pates who had been nominated by King Henry VIII Anno 1534. and having spent the intervening twenty years in the Court of Rome returned a true servant to the Pope Goodrick of Ely died April 10. leaving that Bishoprick to Dr. Thomas Thurlby Bishop of Norwich And Dr. John Hopton is made Bishop of Norwich Doctor Gilbert Bourn Heylin's Hist of Q. Mary Archdeacon of London is made Bishop of Wells Harley of Hereford is succeeded by Purefay of S. Asaph Old Bush of Bristol and Bird of Chester the two first Bishops of those Sees were deprived also The first succeeded to by Holiman once a Monk of Reading the last by Coles Master of Baliol Colledge in Oxford Dr. Randolph Bayn who had been Hebrew Reader in Paris in the time of King Francis was Consecrated Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield The Parliament began Novemb. 12. where a way was opened for Cardinal Poole's Reception by preparing a Bill
for this Victory The English were then possessed of the Town of Calais with many other Forts thereabout as Guisness Hames Ardres c. together with the whole Territory a Town situate on the mouth of the English Chanel opposite to Dover and distant not above twenty five miles from it King Edward the Third after a Siege of more than eleven months became Master of it Anno 1347. by whom it was first made a Colony of the English Nation and after one of the Staple-Towns for the sale of Wooll kept with great care by his Successors who as long as they had it in their hand were said to carry the Keys of France at their Girdle a Town which for more than two hundred years had been in possession of the English The Queen had broke the peace with France and taken no care to fortifie this place in this time of War Then the Duke of Guise one of the best Souldiers of that Age now called back out of Italy being informed by the Governor of Bulloign that the Town was neither so well fortified nor so strongly garrisoned but that it might easily be taken on New-years-day sate down before it and on Twelfth-day had it surrendred up unto him by the Lord Deputy Wentworth who had the chief government of it Guisnesse Hames and all the other Forts in the County of Oye were reduced under the power of the French within few dayes after The Pope is displeased with Cardinal Pool by whose perswasion it was thought that the Queen had broke her League with France to take part with her Husband therefore he deprives Pool of the Legantine power confers the same upon Friar Peitow an English-man by birth and of good descent whom he designs also to the See of Sarisbury then void by the death of Capon Karn the Queens Agent with the Pope advertiseth her of these secret practices Pool layes by the Cross of his Legation and abstains from the exercise of his Bulls and Faculties Peitow the new Cardinal-Legat puts himself on the way to England when the Queen commandeth him at his peril not to adventure to set foot on English ground Peitow died in April following the rupture was made up again and Pool was confirmed in the possession of his former powers And thereupon followed the burning divers persons in the Diocess of Canterbury whereof two suffered at Ashford and six in his own Metropolitan City These Godly Martyrs in their prayers which they made before their Martyrdom desired God that their blood might be the last that should be shed and so it came to pass The number of prohibited Books increasing every day more and more a Proclamation was set forth on June the sixth to hinder the continual spreading of so great a mischief Which Proclamation though it were very smart yet not so full of rigour as another which came out at the burning of seven persons in Smithfield published both at Newgate where they were imprisoned and at the Stake where they were to suffer whereby it was straitly charged and commanded That no man should either pray for or speak to them or once say God help them Which Proclamation notwithstanding Bentham the Minister of one of the London Congregations seeing the fire set to them turning his eyes unto the people and cried We know they are the People of God and therefore we cannot chuse but wish well to them and say God strengthen them And so he said Almighty God for Christ's sake strengthen them With that all the people with one consent cried Amen Amen It was very admirable that the Protestants should have a Congregation under Bonner's nose yet so it was and in one of those Congregations whereof Bentham was Minister there assembled seldom under forty many times an hundred and more the Ministers whereof successively were Mr. Edward Scambler after Bishop of Peterborough Mr. Thomas Foule Mr. John Rough convented and condemned by Bonner and burnt for the Truth After whom followed Mr. Augustine Bernher a moderate and learned man and finally Mr. Thomas Bentham forementioned who continued in that charge till the death of Queen Mary and was by Queen Elizabeth preferred to the Sea of Lichfield Anno 1589. And notwithstanding all the care of the Queens Inquisitors many good Books of true Christian Consolation and good Doctrine did either find some Press in London or were sent over to their Brethren by such learned men as had retired themselves to their several Sanctuaries Then raged a contagious Fever in most parts of the Land and no former Plague was thought to have destroyed a greater number so that divers places were left void of Justices and men of worth to govern the Kingdom At which time died also so many Priests that a great number of Parish-Churches in divers places were unserved and no Curates could be gotten for money Much corn was also lost in the field for want of Workmen to get it in Physitians died as well as the Patients two of the Queens Doctors dying of it a little before the death of the Queen It spared the Prelat no more than the Priest insomuch that within less than the space of twelve months almost one half of the English Bishops had made void their Sees Now God put an end to those calamities of his Children by the death of Queen Mary who died of a Dropsie November the seventeenth 1558. Within few hours after her death died Cardinal Pool Archbishop of Canterbury He procured of the Queen the Patronage of nineteen Benefices unto his See promised and intended to repair the Palace at Canterbury He was buried in his own Cathedral with this short and modest Epitaph upon his plain Monument DEPOSITVM CARDINALIS POLI. The Parliament sate at Queen Maries death after which they only continued so long as joyntly and publickly to proclaim Elizabeth Queen and then they were dissolved Queen Maries body was enterred in the Chappel of King Henry the Seventh in the Isle on the North side thereof ELIZABETH the only Child then living of King Henry the Eighth succeeded her Sister in the Throne on November the seventeenth Anno 1558. She was proclaimed by the King at Arms first before Westminster-hall door in the presence of the Lords and Commons and not long after at the Cross in Cheapside and other places in the City in the presence of the Lord Mayor Aldermen and principal Citizens to the great joy of all peaceable and well-affected people The news whereof being brought unto her by some of the Lords she removes from Hatfield on the nineteenth of that month and with a great and royal Train sets forward to London At Highgate four miles from the City she was met by all the Bishops then living who presented themselves before her upon their knees In which address as she expressed no small contentment so she gave to each of them particularly her hand to kiss except only unto Bonner of London At her first coming to the City she took her
Lent the Embring weeks and Rogation severely kept not now by vertue of the Statute as in the time of King Edward but as appointed by the Church in her publick Calendar before the Book of Common-Prayer The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper celebrated in a Reverend manner the Table seated in the place of the Altar In the Court the Liturgy was officiated every day both Morning and Evening not onely in the publick Chappel but the private Closet celebrated in the Chappel with Organs and other Musical Instruments and the most excellent voices both of men and children that could be got in all the Kingdom The Gentlemen and Children in their Surplices and the Priests in Copes as oft as they attended the Divine Service at the Altar The Altar furnished with rich Plate two fair gilt Candlesticks with Tapers in them and a Massy Crucifix in midst thereof Which last remained there for some years The antient Ceremonies customably observed by the Knights of the Garter in their Adoration toward the Altar were by this Queen retained as formerly in her Father's time The solemn Sermons Preached upon each Wednesday Friday and Lords-day in the time of Lent Preached by the choycest of the Clergy she devoutly heard attired in black according to the custom of her Predecessors The Bishoprick of Carlile was first profered to Bernard Gilpin Fuller Church History of Britain Rector of Houghton in the North but Mr. Gilpin refused the offer not that he had any disaffection to the Office but because he had so much kinred about Carlile at whom He must either connive in many things not without hurt to himself or else deny them not without offence to them It was afterward given to Dr. John Best as was shewed before As for Miles Coverdale formerly Bishop of Exeter he hever returned to his See but remained a private Minister to the day of his death Such of the Scots as desired a Reformation of Religion taking advantage by the Queen's abscence and want of power in the Queen Regent to suppress their practices had put themselves into a Body Headed by some of the Nobility they take unto themselves the name of the Congregation managing their own Affairs apart from the rest of the Kingdom They petition the Queen Regent and the Lords of the Council that the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper might be administred in both kinds That divine Offices might be celebrated in the vulgar Tongue and that they might have the choice of their own Ministers The chief of the party well backed by the common people put themselves into Perth the news whereof occasioneth Mr. Knox to leave Geneva and joyn himself to the Lords of the Congregation At Perth he Preacheth against Images Idolatry and other Superstitions of the Church of Rome so bitterly that the people in a popular fury deface all the Images in that Church and presently demolish all Religious Houses in that City Those of Couper hearing of it forthwith destroyed all Images and pulled down the Altars in that Church also The like was done after his Preaching at Craile and St. Andrews in those places They burnt down the rich Monastery of Scone and ruined that of Cambuskenneth demolished all the Altars Images and Covents of Religious persons in Sterling Lithgow Glascough Edenburgh which last they possess and put up their own Preachers into all the Pulpits of that City not suffering the Queen Regent to have the use of one Church onely for her own devotions They alse deprive the Queen Regent of all place and power in the publick Government But she gathering Forces recovereth Edenborough and the chief key of all that Kingdom garisoned by the French In their extremity Maitland and Melvin being dispatched to the Court of England imploring aid from Queen Elizabeth And an Army is sent into Scotland of six thousand Foot and three thousand Horse commanded by the Lord Gray Some Ships were also sent to block up the haven and hinder all Relief which might come by Sea to the Town of Leith At length after divers Articles signed and confirmed for both Kingdoms the French take their leave of Scotland and the English Army was disbanded at Berwick As the Congregation was by the Queen put upon a present confidence of going vigorously on in their Reformation so it concern'd them to proceed so carefully in pursuance of it as might comply with the dependance which they had upon her First Therefore they bound themselves by their subscription to embrace the Liturgy with all the Rites of the Church of England which for a time remained the onely form of Worship for the Kirk of Scotland In the next place They cause a Parliament to be called in the moneth of August for the Boroughs there appeared the accustomed number but of the Lords Spiritual no more than six Bishops of thirteen with thirteen Abbots and Priors and the Temporal Lords to the number of ten Earls and as many Barons Three Acts were passed to the advantage of the Reformation The first was for the abolishing the Pope's Jurisdiction and Authority within the Realm The second for annulling all Statutes made in former times for maintenance of Idolatry and Superstition The third for the punishing the Sayers and Hearers of the Mass To this Parliament also some of the Ministers presented a Confession of the Faith and Doctrine to be believed and professed by the Protestants of the Kirk of Scotland which being put to the Vote was opposed but by three of the Temporal Lords The Popish Prelates were silent in it which being observed by the Earl Marshal he broke out into these words Seeing saith He that my Lords the Bishops who by their Learning can and for the zeal they should have to the Truth ought as I suppose to gainsay any thing repugnant to it say nothing against the Confession we have heard I cannot think but that it is the very Truth of God and that the contrary of it is false Doctrine The Queen was now as active in advancing the Reformed Religion in Ireland as she had been in either of the other Kingdoms A Parliament is therefore held on January 12. where past an Act restoring to the Crown the ancient Jurisdiction over all Ecclesiastical and Spiritual Persons By which Statute were established both the Oath of Supremacy and the High Commission as before in England There past also an Act for the Uniformity of Common-Prayer Heylin's Hist of Q. Elizab. c. with a permission for saying the same in Latin in those Churches where the Minister had not the knowledge of the English Tongue The people by that Statute are required under several penalties to frequent their Churches and to be frequent at the reading the English Liturgy which they understand as little as the Mass by which means the Irish were kept in ignorance as to the Doctrines and Devotions of the Church of England There also past another Statute for restoring to the Crown the first-fruits and twenty
it was utterly unlawful for them to accept any thing thereof This Order had but this one Covent in England and so wealthy it was that at the dissolution it was valued yearly worth one thousand nine hundred forty four pounds eleven shillings eight pence farthing This Order constantly kept their Audit on All Saints Eve October 31. and the day after All Souls being the third of November No Covents of England more carefully kept their Records than the Priory of Clarkenwel Speeds Catal. of Religious Houses p. 793. to whose credit it is registred There is a perfect Catalogue from their first foundation to their dissolution of all their Prioresses defective in all other houses Sir Thomas Chaloner not long ago built a spatious house within the close of that Priory upon the frontispiece whereof these Verses were inscribed Casta fides superest velatae tuta sorores Ista relegatae deseruere licet Nam venerandus Hymen hic vota jugalia servat Vestalemque focum mente fovere studet Chast Faith still stay 's behind though hence be flown Those veiled Nuns who here before did nest For reverend Mariage wedlock-vowes doth own And sacred flames keep 's here in Loyal breast Here I shall say little of the Houses for Leprous people though indeed they deserved more charity than all the rest Burton-lazars of Leicester-shire was the best endowed house for that purpose for so they used to tearm people infected with the Leprosie Camden in Leicester-shire Here was a rich Spittle-house or Hospital under the Master whereof were in some sort all other Spittle-houses or Lazar-houses in England like as himself also was under the Master of the Lazars in Jerusalem It was founded in the first age of the Normans by a common contribution over all England and the Mowbraies especially did set to their helping hands But as that Disease came into England by the holy VVar so it ended with the end thereof FINIS THE TABLE A ABbey of Battel founded by K. William the Conqueror Page 37 Abbey of Cnobsherburg by whom founded 17 Abbey of Crowland founded 21 Abbey of Peterborough burnt by the Danes with an excellent Library therein 25 Abbey at Glastonbury founded by King Ina 21 Abbey of St. Edmond founded and endowed by King Canutus 34 Abbeys and Religious Houses dissolved 149 Adelme the first English-man who wrote in Latine 20 Pope Adrian the fourth an English-man 44 Pope Agatho composeth the differences betwixt the two Archbishops 17 Alcuinus Scholar to Venerable Bede and Tutor to Charles the Great 23 S. Alban the Proto-martyr of Britain pag. 5. he is Canonized 23 Altars taken down by publick Authority 171 King Alfred England's deliverer from the Danish Tyranny his Story from pag. 26. ad pag. 30 Abbey of Val-royal in Cheshire founded by King Edward the first 105 All-souls Colledge in Oxford by whom founded 130 King Athelstan a great Benefactour to the Church of S. John of Beverley pag. 31. he commands the payment of Tithes Ib. Anne Ascough her Martyrdom 157 An Act passed for restoring the Tenths and First-fruits to the Crown 209 An Act for the Dissolution of all such Monasteries Covents c. as had been founded by Queen Mary 209 Articles passed in the Convocation in the first year of Queen Elizabeth 210 Abbey of Westminster converted to a Collegiate Church 221 The thirty nine Articles composed 227 Arthur King of Britain 10 St. Asaph 11 Aurelius Ambrosius King of Britain 10 Duke of Anjou cometh into England 242 Alanus Copus 243 Annates or First-fruits when brought into England 103 Richard Armachanus Primate of Ireland 112 Anabaptists Convicted and Censured 171 172 Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury his lamentable end 125 Augustine the Monk sent into England Thousands Baptized by him in one day 12 He is the first Archbishop of Canterbury his death 14 Archbishop Abbot Confined 299 Abbey of Evesham founded and endowed by King Offa 21 The Assembly at Glaschow pass Acts for the overthrow of Episcopacy the Service-book and the Canons c. 313 Alhunus Bishop of Holy-Island removeth his See and Covent to Durham 33 A new Representative called the Agreement of the people 345 Alexander Alesius a Learned Scot. 169 B BAbington's Conspiracy page 248 Bacon a good School-man and Mathematician 107 Bertha wife to King Ethelbert 12 John Baconthorp a Learned English-man 111 Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury his story 45 46 47 His translation and enshrining 70 John of Beverley who gave Education to Bede 21 Bede Sirnamed Venerable his Birth Learning Writings and Death 22 Birth of our Saviour 1 Birinus converteth the West-Saxons 16 Bodies when first brought to be buried in Churches 23 Bernard Bishop of S. David's denies subjection to the Archbishop of Canterbury 42 Hubert de Burgo Earl of Kent his story 75 Brazen-nose Colledge in Oxford when and by whom founded 138 Biddle a Socinian 359 Thomas Bradwardine Archbishop of Canterbury his story and writings 33 Christian Britan's Celebrated the Passover contrary to the Constitutions of the Romane Church 4 How long the Britans remained under the Romane yoke 4 Britans driven into Britain in France Wales and Cornwal 9 Britans escaped all the persecutions of the Heathen Roman Emperours except the last under Dioclesian 5 British Bishops in the Councils of Arbes Nice Sardis and Ariminum 6 When Bishops Seats were altered from Villages to great Cities 38 Bishops Imprisoned by King Stephen 43 Robert Brus King of Scotland 105 The Battel at Bannocks-borough 106 Beginning of the Broyls between the two Houses of Lancaster and York 131 Bainham a Martyr 147 Bilney burnt 146 Henry Beauford and Cardinal the Founder of S. Crosses Hospital 131 The Popes Bulls of Provision for Ecclesiastical promotions 103 Archbishop Boniface his making way for Popes Appropriating First-fruits unto themselves 80 The Bishoprickes of Westminster Oxford Peterborough Bristol and Chester erected by Henry the eight 154 Bishoprick of Westminster dissolved 221 Protestant Bishops placed in the Sees of the Popish Prelates 212 Bernard Gilpin refuseth the Bishoprike of Carlila 215 Bishops with other Divines met at Lambeth resolved on divers Articles 258 Earl Bothwel married to the Queen of Scots fleeth out of Scotland 232 Twelve Bishops Impeached and sent to the Tower 238 The Counterfeit Boy of Bilson 282 Dr. Bastwick Prynne and Burton Censured 305 Brown and Harrison inveigh against Bishops c. 245 Bishops of S. Andrews and Glasscow and Abbot of Scone put in Iron-chains and Imprisoned in Port-chester Castle 104 105 The King's Palace of Bridewel given to the City of London for a work-house 177 The Bible Translated in the Reign of King Henry the eighth King Edward the sixth and Queen Elizabeth 161 Bible Translated in King James his Reign 273 ad 276 D. Bound's Book about the Sabbath 257 The first Bailiffs of London 348 Every Parish when bound to provide a Bible in English and a Register-book to be kept there 150 Bishop Bonner a cruel Persecutor doomed to perpetual Imprisonment