Arbitrary Innovations not within the compass of the Rule and Order of the Book of Common-prayer and that he did not take upon him to introduce any Rite or Ceremony upon his own Opinion of Decency till the Church had judged it so p. 147. What the Lord Primat's behaviour was in England in relation to some of these Ceremonies of lesser moment either to the peace or well-being of the Church the Lord Primat needs no Apology he having reason enough for what he did if he conformed himself no further than the Doctor would have him But to give one Instance for all of the Doctor 's want of Charity towards the Lord Primat Dr. Bernard having asserted his Conformity to the Discipline Liturgy and Articles of the Church of England and that many of those who were called Puritans received such satisfaction from him as to concur with him in the above-said particulars The Doctor immediatly makes this Remark For this says he might very well be done and yet the Men remain as unconformable to the Rules of the Church their Kneeling at the Communion only excepted as they were before Now what other Rules of the Church the Doctor means I know not since I always thought that whoever had brought over a Lay-Nonconformist to conform to the Service and Orders of the Church had done a very good work and I know not when that is done what is required more to make him a true Son of the Church of England But I shall say no more on this ungrateful Subject since I doubt not but the Lord Primat's great Esteem and Reputation is too deep rooted in the hearts of all Good Men to be at all lessened by the Doctor 's hard Reflections tho I thought I could do no less than vindicate the Memory of so pious a Prelate since many ordinary Readers who were not acquainted with this good Bishop or his Writings may think Dr. H. had cause thus to find fault with him So avoiding all invidious Reflections upon the Reverend Doctor long since deceased I shall now conclude heartily wishing that whatever he hath written or published had never done any more prejudice to that Church which he undertook to serve than any of those Writings or Opinions of the Lord Primat's which he so much finds fault with FINIS A COLLECTION Of Three Hundred LETTERS Written between the Most Reverend Father in GOD JAMES USHER Late Lord Arch-Bishop of ARMAGH and most of the Eminentest Persons for PIETY and LEARNING in his Time both in ENGLAND and beyond the SEAS Collected and Published From Original Copies under their own Hands by RICHARD PARR D. D. his Lordships Chaplain at the Time of his Death with whom the Care of all his Papers were intrusted by his Lordship LONDON Printed for NATHANAEL RANEW at the King's Arms in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCLXXXVI THE CONTENTS LETTER I. A Letter from Mr. James Usher to Mr. Richard Stanihurst at the English Colledge in Lovain Page 1. II. A Letter from Mr. James Usher to Mr. William Eyres 2 III. A Letter from Mr. William Eyres to Mr. James Usher 3 IV. A Letter from Mr. Henry Briggs to Mr. James Usher 11 V. A Letter from Mr. Thomas Lydiat to Mr. James Usher 13 VI. A Letter from Mr. James Usher to Mr. Thomas Lydiat 14 VII A Letter from Mr. James Usher to Mr. Thomas Lydiat 15 VIII A Letter from Mr. James Usher to Dr. Challoner 16 IX A Letter from Mr. Samuel Ward to Mr. James Usher 17 X. A Letter from Mr. James Usher to Mr. Samuel Ward 18 XI A Letter from Mr. Samuel Ward to Mr James Usher 22 XII A Letter from Mr. Alexander Cook to Mr. James Usher 32 XIII A Letter from Mr. Samuel Ward to Mr. James Usher 33 XIV A Letter from Mr. Samuel Ward to Mr. James Usher 34 XV. A Letter from Mr. William Eyres to Mr. James Usher 34 XVI A Letter from Mr. Henry Briggs to Mr. James Usher 35 XVII A Letter from the Most Reverend Tobias Matthews Arch-Bishop of York to Mr. James Usher 36 XVIII A Letter from Mr. Thomas Gataker to Mr. James Usher 37 XIX A Letter from Mr. Robert Usher to Dr. James Usher 38 XX. A Letter from Mr. Thomas Lydiat to Dr. James Usher 39 XXI A Letter from Dr. James Usher to Mr. Thomas Lydiat 43 XXII A Letter from Dr. James Usher concerning the Death and Satisfaction of Christ. 46 XXIII An Answer to some Objections against the said Letter by Dr. James Usher 49 XXIV A Letter from Sr. Henry Bourgchier to Dr. James Usher 53 XXV A Letter from Mr. William Crashaw to Dr. James Usher 55 XXVI A Letter from Mr. Thomas Gataker to Dr. James Usher 56 XXVII A Letter from Mr. Thomas Lydiat to Dr. James Usher 57 XXVIII A Letter from Mr. William Eyres to Dr. James Usher 59 XXIX A Letter from Mr. James Warren to Dr. James Usher 60 XXX A Letter from Dr. James Usher to Mr. Thomas Lydiat 60 XXXI A Letter from Sr. Henry Bourgchier to Dr. James Usher 61 XXXII A Letter from Mr. William Eyres to Dr. James Usher 62 XXXIII A Letter from Dr. James Usher to Mr. William Camden 63 XXXIV A Letter from Mr. William Camden to Dr. James Usher 65 XXXV A Letter from Mr. Thomas Warren to Dr. James Usher 66 XXXVI A Letter from the Right Reverend Thomas Morton Bishop of Chester to Dr. James Usher 67 XXXVII A Letter from Mr. Samuel Ward to Dr. James Usher 67 XXXVIII A Letter from Dr. James Usher to Mr. Thomas Lydiat 68 XXXIX A Letter from Dr. James Usher 71 XL. A Letter from Mr. Edward Browncker to Dr. James Usher 72 XLI A Letter from Dr. James Usher Bishop Elect of Meath to the most Reverend Dr. Hampton Arch-Bishop of Armagh 73 XLII A Letter from the most Reverend Dr. Hampton Arch-Bishop of Armagh to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 75 XLIII A Letter from Mr. Thomas Gataker to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 76 XLIV A Letter from Sir William Boswell to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 77 XLV A Letter from Sir Henry Spelman to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 78 XLVI A Letter from Mr. John Selden to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 78 XLVII A Letter from Sir Robert Cotton to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 79 XLVIII A Letter from Sir Henry Bourgchier to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 80 XLIX A Letter from the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath to Mr. John Selden 81 L. A Letter from Dr. Samuel Ward to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 81 LI. A Letter from the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath to Oliver Lord Grandison 83 LII A Letter from the most Reverend Dr. Hampton Arch-Bishop of Armagh to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 84 LIII A Letter from the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath to Dr. Samuel Ward 85
JACOBUS USSERIUS ARCHIEPISCOPUS ARMACHANUS TOTIUS HIBERNIAE PRIMAS London Printed for Nath Ranew and Ionat Robinson at the Kings Armes in S. Pauls church yard 1676 THE LIFE Of the Most Reverend Father in GOD JAMES USHER Late Lord Arch-Bishop OF ARMAGH Primate and Metropolitan of all IRELAND With a Collection of Three Hundred LETTERS between the said Lord Primate and most of the Eminentest Persons for Piety and Learning in his time both in England and beyond the Seas Collected and published from Original Copies under their own hands by RICHARD PARR D. D. his Lordships Chaplain at the time of his Death with whom the care of all his Papers were intrusted by his Lordship LONDON Printed for NATHANAEL RANEW at the Kings-Arms in St. Pauls Church-Yard MDCL XXXVI THE PREFACE WHEN the Son of Syrach undertook to recount the Famous Men of Old and record their Worth and Renown he says of them That they were Men of Knowledge Wise and Eloquent in their Instructions that of these there are who have left behind them a Name beloved of God and good Men whose Memorials are Blessed honoured in their Generation being the Glory of their times whose Righteousness shall not be forgotten and although their Bodies be buried yet their Names shall live for Ever And as in the former so likewise in these latter Days there have been many Men of excellent Endowments for Wisdom and Learning for Piety and all other eminent Vertues whose Memorials are with us in Church and State Among these of the first Rank this admirable Primate James Usher whose Life we are about to relate ought to be reckoned whether we consider him as he was indeed a profound Scholar exactly skilled in all sorts of Learning Divine and Humane or as a Person of unfeigned Piety and exemplary Vertue and Conversation or as a Subject of steady and unmoveable Loyalty to his Sovereign Prince or as a Clergy Man in all his Capacity from a Presbyter to a Bishop and Primate So that I think of him it may be as truly said as of St. Augustine with a kind of Admiration O Virum ad totius Ecclesiae publicam utilitatem natum factum datúmque divinitùs This Character his Writings have justly purchased him among the best and most Learned whether of these or other Nations whose Encomiums of him are too many and large for this Place let me therefore include all in that of a memorable Bishop of our Church who upon the Receipt of the Primates Book de Primordiis thus writes of him I may truly say that the Church hereafter will owe as much Reverence to his Memory as we of this present Age ought to pay to his Person And therefore when we have before us a subject of so Eminent Dignity we shall no need Apology for reviving the Memory of this incomparable Prelate and collecting such materials from his Life his Papers and the Informations of Wise and Knowing Men as may render him as well useful to future Ages in his Example as a Person truly Illustrious in himself 1. But perhaps it may be a needless attempt to write again the Life and Actions of this incomparable Primate seeing it hath been performed already by several Persons 2. And likewise it may be demanded how it comes to my share and what were the enducements to undertake this Province 1. To the first I say that though Dr. Bernard in the Sermon be Preached at the Funerals of the Lord Primate hath said many worthy things of him truly which we have reason to believe having the joynt Testimonies from Persons of Worth and unquestionable Credit who had been acquainted with this great and good Man for many years both in England and Ireland and must go along with the Dr. a good way in reciting many material passages contained in the said Sermon yet I take leave to say that he hath omitted very many remarkable things which perhaps either slipt his Memory or came not at all under his observation or because that those then in Power would not indure that any thing should be said of the Primate which might reflect upon that Usurpation Therefore we thought it needful to make up those defects by adding such Remarks as are wanting in that Description and likewise to rectifie the mistakes of those Writers of the Lord Primates Life who Writing after Dr. Bernard's Copy are deficient also in their Accounts and lyable to Question in some instances 2. If it be demanded how it comes to my share to revive the Memory of this great Man and to undertake the Task To this I say that I waited and heartily wished to see if any Person better Qualified than my self being sensible of my own weakness would engage himself in this Affair to whom I would most readily have Communicated those Materials and Observations which I had gathered together and lay by me for a long time but at length perceiving it not likely to be undertaken I was perswaded by those who have a prevailing Power with me to take upon me this Task and to acquaint the World with my own Observations touching this most Reverend Primate Usher whom I had the Advantage of any Man now living to know for I had the Blessing of an intimate Acquaintance with his Person and Affairs by my Attendance on him during the last thirteen years of his Life So that I may be thought capable to give a considerable Account not only of the Lord Primates particular Disposition and heavenly Conversation but likewise of those Passages and Performances of which I was an Eye Witness and may confidently relate upon mine own Knowledge This is the thing I undertake to perform especially in that part of the History of his Life and Actions from the year 1642 to the time of his Death 1655. But not withstanding my long experience of this excellent Person and what I had collected from several passages in Letters and by conference with those who made Observations yet I had not the confidence to attempt this work by my own strength or skill without Counsel and Help therefore when I had drawn together the Memorials I consulted with Persons of better understandign than my self with request to correct and amend what was misplaced or not well expressed and to remind me of any remarkable passage that had escaped my Memory And the assistance I had in this kind was administred by that Learned and Judicious Gentleman James Tyrrell Esq Grandson to the Lord Primate one as deeply concerned for the honour of his Grandfather as can be he became helpful to me in hinting many passages touching his Grandfather which he tho then young had himself observed and had heard from Persons of great Worth and Credit and of the Primates familiar Acquaintance We also owe unto him the account given of the Lord Primates Printed Works both of the time and occasion of Writing them and subject matter treated on as the Reader will perceive in the following History
in their proper places In the next place it is requisite to mind the Reader touching the following Collection of Letters herewith published being for the most part Originals written by the Lord Primate to learned Men of our own and foreign Nations or of those written to him relating mostly to matters of Learning These Epistles I gathered together with what care I could and when I had selected those out of a far greater number that I thought might prove most fit for publick view and useful both in respect of the Learning contained in them and the various subjects whereof they consisted I would not presume to publish the Collection until they had passed the Inspection and Censure of those Learned Men to whom they were first shown being Persons of great Judgment and Integrity and who retain a very high Esteem and Veneration for the Primate's Memory Perhaps the Reader will expect to meet with if not all yet many more of the Primate's Letters in this Collection than may be found but by all our Industry and search they cannot yet be retrieved partly because the Primate himself seldom kept Copies of his Lettes and many of those he had reserved met with the same fate which many others of his loose Papers and Manuscripts which were either lost in his often forced removals or fell into the hands of the Men of those spoiling times who had no regard to things of that Nature There are other Epistles not numbred with the former at the end of this Collection written by Men of great Names found among my Lord Primate's Papers which are thought worthy to be inserted and Printed Before I dismiss the Reader I have one thing more to advertise touching two Letters in the Collection one written by Dr. Bedell then Bishop of Kilmore in Ireland to the Primate Usher then Arch-Bishop of Armagh and his answer to it as you will find Numb 142. and 143. importing an accidental difference between those two Eminent Bishops and most intire Friends touching the Administration and Jurisdiction in Ecclesiastical Courts as then exercised in the Kingdom of Ireland which Letters however otherwise Worthy of perusal yet are now more especially published for the doing right to the Arch-Bishops Character which might else have suffered by some injurious Reflections upon him in the Life of that Bishop lately Written taken up partly from some uncertain Reports and partly upon the Bishops Letter to him upon that occasion But how little Reason there was to say the Primate was not made for the Governing part of his Function as that Author affirms besides his known abilities that way his Answer to the Bishops Letter and other Composures of his upon those kind of Arguments will sufficiently testifie Of which inadvertency as the Composer of that Life is already made sensible so we hope that he will do him Right according as he hath promised when time shall serve The order observed in disposing these Letters in the following Volume is according to their several Dates that being concluded fittest beth for the use and delight of the Reader only some of them through mistake are transposed and others that were brought in late are Printed at the latter end of which the Reader may consult the Advertisment at the end of the Book Farewell THE LIFE Of the Most Reverend Father in GOD JAMES USHER Late Lord Arch-Bishop OF ARMAGH Primate and Metropolitan of all IRELAND Collected and Written by RICHARD PARR D. D. his Lordships Domestick Chaplain Psalm CXII v. 6. The Righteous shall be had in Everlasting Remembrance Proverbs X. v. 7. The Memory of the Just is blessed but the Name of the Wicked shall rot LONDON Printed for NATHANAEL RANEW at the Kings-Arms in St. Pauls Church-Yard MDCLXXXVI THE LIFE OF The Most Reverend Father in God JAMES USHER SOMETIME Arch-Bishop of Armagh PRIMATE of all IRELAND THIS great Person whose Life we now write was Born in the City of Dublin the Metropolis of Ireland upon the fourth day of January Anno Domini 1580. His Father Mr. Arnold Usher one of the Six Clerks of Chancery and of good repute for his prudence and integrity was of the Ancient Family of the Ushers aliàs Nevils whose Ancestor Usher to King John coming over with him into Ireland and setling there changed the name of his Family into that of his Office as was usual in that Age his descendants having since brancht into several Families about Dublin and for divers Ages bore the most considerable Offices in and about that City His Mother was Margaret Daughter of James Stanihurst who was of considerable note in his time being chosen Speaker of the Honourable House of Commons in three Parliaments and was Recorder of the City of Dublin and one of the Mastres of Chancery and that which ought always to be mention'd for his honour he was the first mover in the last of the three Parliaments of Queen Elizabeth for the Founding and Endowing of a Colledge and University at Dublin which was soon after consented to by Her Majesty and being perfected hath ever since continued a famous Nursery for learning and good manners blessing both the Church and State with many admirable men eminently useful in their several Stations His Uncle by the Fathers side was Henry Usher sometime Arch-Bishop of Armagh a wise and learned Prelate one who industriously promoted the founding of that University and by his Zeal and Interest procured of the said Queen an established Revenue for the maintainance of a Provost and Fellows Students and Officers as may be seen by the Charter and Statutes of that Foundation and so it has flourished ever since with ample improvement A happy Foundation and great honour to that Kingdom having in the space of somewhat more than 90 years sent out divers Persons very considerable both in Church and State and yielded more than fifty Bishops besides others of inferiour Dignities who were many of them of great parts and excellent learning His Uncle by the Mother side was Richard Stanihurst a Learned man of the Romish Perswasion an excellent Historian Philosopher and Poet as appears by several of his Works still extant though some of them for that reason written against his Nephew yet notwithstanding their difference in Judgment they had frequent correspondencies by Letters some of which you will see hereafter in this following Collection He often mentioned two of his Aunts who were blind from their Cradle and so continued to their deaths and yet were blessed with admirable understanding and inspection in matters of Religion and of such tenacious Memories that whatever they heard read out of the Scriptures or was preached to them they always retained and became such proficients that they were able to repeat much of the Bible by heart and as their Nephew told me were the first that taught him to read English He had but one Brother Ambrose Usher who though he died young yet attained to great skill and perfection in the Oriental
matter of Fact he himself might make a judgment having been present at all proceedings against the said Earl where if upon the hearing of the Allegations on either side he did not conceive him guilty of the Crimes wherewith he was charged he could not in justice condemn him But for the matter in Law what was Treason and what was not he was to rest in the opinion of the Judges whose Office it was to declare the Law and who were Sworn therein to carry themselves indifferently betwixt Him and his Subjects Which gave his Majesty occasion to complain of the dealing of the Judges with him not long before That having earnestly pressed them to declare in particular what point of the Lord of Strafford's Charge they judged to be Treasonable forasmuch as upon the hearing of the proofs produced he might in his Conscience perhaps find him guiltless of that Fact he could not by any means draw them to nominate any in particular but that upon the whole matter Treason might justly be charged upon him And in this second meeting it was observed That the Bishop of London spake nothing at all but the Bishop of Lincoln not only spake but put a Writing also into the King's hand wherein what was contained the rest of his Brethren knew not From all which we may observe my Lord Primate's modesty who would not set down his own particular judgment in this matter but only that it agreed with that of his Brethren but also his charity and fidelity who would not though to acquit himself betray his trust and accuse the only person of that company who was supposed to have moved the King to the doing of it Nor is the reason those men have supposed why my Lord Primate should perswade the King to do this less false and improbable viz. Revenge because the Earl of Strafford whilst Lord Lieutenant of Ireland had outwitted him and made him the Instrument before he was aware of abrogating the Articles of Ireland above mentioned the falseness of which Calumny may sufficiently appear from what hath been already said upon this subject for the Lord Primate did willingly and upon due consideration without any surprise propose the Admission of those Articles of the Church of England nor was he ever convinced neither did my Lord Strafford ever insist upon it that the admission of these Articles was an abrogation of the former and if the Lord Primate had any private grudge against the Earl upon this Score he carried it very slyly insomuch that the Earl himself nor any of his friends were ever sensible of it for whilst the Earl continued in Ireland there was never any dispute or unkindness between them but they parted good friends as will appear by some Letters which you will find in this Collection The Earl writ to him after this business and not long before his going for England full of kindness and respect So likewise after the Earl's Commitment to the Black-Rod as also when he was a Prisoner in the Tower the Lord Primate frequently visited him and the Earl was pleased to consult with him in divers matters relating to his defence at his Tryal And certainly had the Earl believed that the Lord Primate bore any malice towards him much more had advised the King to put him to death which could not have been well concealed from him though we may suppose the Earl had so much Christian charity as to forgive so great an injury yet it is not very likely that he should exercise such a piece of mortification as to chuse him whom he believed to be the promoter of his death to prepare him for it and to be the man to whom he addressed his Speech upon the Scaffold and whose assistance he desired in that his last extremity But I shall speak no farther of this matter till I can in order of time tell you what the Lord Primate himself said unto me concerning it when he lay as he thought on his Death-bed and not likely to live an hour and also what his Majesty declared when he heard the report of his death Not many Months after the Execution of this great and unfortunate Earl there came over the unhappy news of the breaking out of the horrid Irish Rebellion in which as his Majesty's with the English and Protestant interest in that Kingdom received an unexpressible blow so likewise the Lord Primate bore too great a share in that common affliction for in a very few days the Rebels had plundered his Houses in the Countrey seized on his Rents quite ruined or destroyed his Tenements killed or drove away his numerous Flocks and Herds of Cattle to a very great value and in a world had not left him any thing in that Kingdom which escaped their fury but his Library and some Furniture in his House in Droghedah which were secured by the strength of that place notwithstanding a long and dangerous Siege by those Rebels which Library was some years after conveyed over to Chester and from thence to London This must needs reduce him to a very low condition happening not long after Michaelmas when he expected a return of his Rents so that he was forced for his present supply to sell or pawn all the Plate and Jewels he had this though a very great Tryal yet made not any change in his Natural Temper and Heavenly Disposition still submitting to God's Providence with Christian Patience and Magnanimity having long before learned to use the things of this World as if he used them not and in whatsoever condition he was therewith to be content Yet these afflictions were sufficient to move compassion even in the breasts of Foreigners for some Months after his losses the City and University of Leyden offered to chuse him their Honorarie Professor with a more ample stipend than had been formerly annexed to that place And Dr. Bernard in the above cited Sermon likewise tells us that Cardinal Richlieu did about the same time make him an Invitation to come into France with a promise of a very noble Pension and freedom of his Religion there and that this is not unlikely though I never heard my Lord Primate speak of it may be proved from the great honour that Cardinal had for him which he expressed by a Letter full of kindness and respect accompanied with a Gold Medal of considerable value having his own Effigies stamped upon it which is still preserved these were sent him upon his publishing his Work De Primordiis Ecclesiarum Britannicarum which Present was also returned by the Lord Primate by a Letter of thanks with a handsome present of Irish Grey-hounds and other rarities which that Countrey afforded But it pleased his late Majesty to provide for him much better in England by conferring on him the Bishoprick of Carlisle lately void by the death of Dr. Potter to be held in Commendam this though very much abated by the Scotch and English Armies Quartering upon it as also by
some of the most considerable Episcopal Clergy in and about London desired my Lord Primate that he would use his Interest with Cromwell since they heard he pretended a great respect for him that as he granted Liberty of Conscience to almost all sorts of Religions so the Episcopal Divines might have the same freedom of serving God in their private Congregations since they were not permitted the publick Churches according to the Liturgy of the Church of England and that neither the Ministers nor those that frequented that Service might be any more hindered or disturbed by his Souldiers So according to their desires he went and used his utmost endeavours with Cromwell for the taking off this restraint which was at last promised though with some difficulty that they should not be molested provided they medled not with any matters relating to his Government But when the Lord Primate went to him a second time to get this promise Ratified and put into Writing he found him under his Chyrurgeons hands who was dressing a great Boyl which he had on his Breast so Cromwell prayed the Lord Primate to sit down a little and that when he was dressed he would speak with him whilst this was a doing Cromwell said to my Lord Primate If this Core pointing to the Boyl were once out I should quickly be well to whom the good Bishop replyed I doubt the Core lies deeper there is a Core at the heart that must be taken out or else it will not be well Ah! replyed he seeming unconcerned so there is indeed and sighed But when the Lord Primate began to speak to him concerning the business he came about he answered him to this effect That he had since better considered it having advised with his Council about it and that they thought it not safe for him to grant liberty of Conscience to those sort of men who are restless and implacable Enemies to him and his Government and so he took his leave of him though with good words and outward civility The Lord Primate seeing it was in vain to urge it any farther said little more to him but returned to his Lodgings very much troubled and concerned that his endeavours had met with no better success when he was in his Chamber he said to some of his Relations and my self that came to see him This false man hath broken his word with me and refuses to perform what he promised well he will have little cause to glory in his wickedness for he will not continue long the King will return though I shall not live to see it you may The Government both in Church and State is in confusion the Papists are advancing their Projects and making such advantages as will hardly be prevented Not long after this viz. about the midle of February following he went from London to Rygate taking his last leave of his Friends and Relations who never had the happiness to see him again As soon as he came thither he set himself to finish his Chronologia Sacra which took up most of that little time he after lived he was now very Aged and though both his Body and mind were healthy and vigorous for a man of his years yet his Eye-sight was extremely decayed by his constant studying so that he could scarce see to write but at a Window and that in the Sun-shine which he constantly followed in clear days from one Window to another so that had he lived he intended to have made use of an Ammanuensis He had now frequent thoughts of his dissolution and as he was wont every year to Note in his Almanack over against the day of his Birth the year of his Age so I find this year 1655. this Note written with his own hand Now Aged 75 years My Days are full and presently after in Capital Letters RESIGNATION From which we may gather that he now thought the days of his Pilgrimage to be fulfilled and that he now wholly resigned up himself to God's Will and Pleasure Not long before his death going to Rygate I preached a Sermon there where this good Bishop was present after Church he was pleased to confer with me in private as 't was usual with him so to do and he spake to this effect I thank you for your Sermon I am going out of this World and I now desire according to you Text To seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God and to be with him in Heaven of which said he we ought not to doubt if we can evidence to our selves our Conversion True Faith and Charity and live in the Exercise of those Christian Graces and Vertues with perseverance mortifying daily our inbred Corruptions renouncing all Ungodliness and worldly Lusts and he that is arrived at this habitual frame and holy course of life is the blessed and happy man and may rejoyce in hope of a glorious Eternity in the Kingdom of Heaven to receive that Inheritance given by God to those that are sanctified So that all his discourse was of Heavenly things as if his better part had been there already freed from the Body and all Terrene affections and he seemed as if he were seriously considering his Spiritual State and making ready for his departure which he now shortly expected But since it had been usual with him to insist on things of this Nature when we were together and that he was at this time in health I did not believe that his Change was so near as he presaged yet he himself had other thoughts and it proved he was not mistaken for on the 20th of March the day he fell sick after he had been most part of it as long as he had light at his Study he went from thence to visit a Gentlewoman then sick in the House giving her most excellent preparatives for death together with other holy advice for almost an hour and that in such a Heavenly manner as if like Moses upon Mount Pisgah he had then a prospect of the Celestial Canaan that Night after Supper he first complained of his hip judging it to be a touch of the Sciatica which he had many years agone next Morning early he complained of a great pain in his side a Physician being sent for prescribed what he thought convenient in that case but it could not thereby be removed but rather encreased more and more upon him which he bore with great patience for 13 or 14 hours but his strength and spirits decaying he wholly applied himself to prayer and therein had the assistance of the Countesse's Chaplain upon some abatement of the torture he advised those about him to provide for death in the time of health that then they might have nothing else to do but to dye Then taking his leave of the Countess of Peterborough by whom he had been so long and kindly entertained and giving her many thanks for all her kindness to him with excellent Spiritual Counsel as
A Letter from Mr. William Eyres to Mr. James Usher afterward Arch-Bishop of Armagh Clarissimo Viro ac amico suo singulari Dom. Jacobo Usher sacrae Theologiae Professori eximio Guil. Eyre salutem in Christo. Cùm multis aliis nominibus clarissime charissiméque Usher metibi oboeratum esse lubens agnoscam tum postremùm pro libro quem superiore anno abs te dono accepi intelligo historicam tuam explicationem gravissimae questionis cujus tertiam partem multi sat scio avide desiderant expectant certe omnes qui Orthodoxam fidem amplexantur pro utilissimo hoc opere tuo multùm tibi debent Beasti me hoc munere ut non dicam quanti aestimo atque praeterea animum addidisti ad antiquitatis studia intermissa in quibus infantiam meam agnosco jam hospes plane fui in iisdem praesertim perquinquennium quo hic Colestriae assiduis ad populum concionibus distentus fuerim Gratulor tibi purpuram si verus sit rumor nobis etiam ipsis Vitam Valetudinem tuam gratulari debeo propter tristem rumorem de morte tua apud nos sparsum cura quaeso Valetudinem ac si me audies minùs frequens eris post reditum tuum in Angliam quem expectamus quà m olim fueris Londini concionibus ne ardor tuus citiùs quà m cupimus languescat Tu quidem ipsissimos antiquitatis fontes reconditos thesauros apperuisti limatissimo judicio Veritatem collegisti quam scioli nonnulli ex Foxii Martyrologio aliisque id genus rivulis tantum derivatum à te affirmare non dubitârunt Hoc forsan in proxima operis editione vel saltem in ejusdem proxima parte praeoccupare juvabit Sed in tanta re minimè opus esse consilio existimo Atque de his rebus si nobis tam liceat esse fortunatis in Angliâ reverentiam vestram alloqui speramus Aliquoties Domino nostro Domino Archiepiscopo Cantuariensi Academiae vestrae Cancellario officium meum praesentare soleo quod si aliquid sit vobis negotii apud illum quod mea tenuitas expedire possit nec mihi nec meis parcere decrevi sed facilè intelligo paratissimos vos habere Londini quorum opera uti liceat hoc tantum amoris Officii mei erga vos Collegium vestrum Gratiâ calamo incidebat Deus opt max. clementissimus in Christo Pater vos omnes omni benedictionum genere cumulatissimos reddat per Dominum nostrum Jesum Amen Guil. Eyre Colcestriae 29. die Aprilis 1615. LETTER XVI A Letter from Mr. H. Briggs professor of Astronomy at Gresham College to Mr. James Usher late Arch-Bishop of Armagh Salutem in Christo. Good Sir MR. Carew shewed me your Letter written to Mr. Smith of Lincolns-Inn whose Death I perceive even we which did not know him have much cause to lament wherein you mention me and a Letter which formerly you Writ to me which never came to my hands But to the point which here you repeat I cannot tell how to meet with that part of Theon his Commentary upon Ptolomoeus his magna constructio I have it in Greek but there I have no hope to find that thing either explained or recorded There is in Christman upon Alfraganus which I suppose you have in his Treatise de connexione annorum pag. 306. and in other places mention of oera Philippica which Kabasilla maketh the same with à morte Alexandri but the Arabs ignorantly confound Philip and Alexander and Alexander and Nicanor making oeram Alexandrinam Seleucidarum 12 years and 325 days later than oera Philippica But I am out of mine element and I do not doubt but you have these things better known than I can But I shall most gladly do any thing I can according to your direction Concerning Eclipses which my Coufien Midgeley putteth me in mind of from you for whom I heartily thank you and for all your other kindnesses Mullerus in his Phris Tabulis hath mightily discouraged me for he hath weakned the Prutenicks my Foundation in three places of his Book at least yet hath not either helped it or shewed the fault in particular that others might seek remedy I have seriously set upon it but these difficulties and other straitness of time and weight of other easier and more proper business have sore against my will forced me to lay it aside as yet till I can find better leisure and then I hope still to do somewhat Napper Lord of Markinston hath set my Head and Hands a Work with his new and admirable Logarithms I hope to see him this Summer if it please God for I never saw Book which pleased me better or made me more wonder I purpose to discourse with him concerning Eclipses for what is there which we may not hope for at his hands Paulus Middleb is at pawn as I hear and the other Book likewise but I have somuch as I can in Mr. Crawshaw's absence had care to have them kept I pray you if you see Mr. Widdows commend me heartily to him We have here long expected him Thus desiring the Almighty ever to bless and prosper you referring all news c. to Mr. Egerton's report I take my leave from Gresham House this 10th of March 1615. Yours ever to his Power in the Lord H. Briggs Let me I pray put you in mind de pres numero Officio I set it here that you may the more seriously remember it LETTER XVII A Letter from the most Reverend Tobias Mathews Arch-Bishop of York to James Usher late Arch-Bishop of Armagh Salutem in Christo Jesu HAving oftentimes wished occasion to Write unto you since the publication of that your Learned Work de continuâ Successione Statu Christianarum Ecclesiarum c. God now at last though long first sending so good opportunity by this honest Religious Gentleman Mr. Peregrine Towthby I can do no less than both wish and advise you to Proceed in the full performance of the same by addition of the third part according to the project of your whole Design Which last shall I hope be no less useful and beneficial to all Christian and truly Catholick Professors than the former have been and are like to be for ever And as I doubt not but you may contain the rest within the compass of no more at the most than the Volume already extant doth comprehend So do I verily perswade my self you shall therein glorifie God and edifie his People exceedingly Especially if you will but interlace or adjoyn some rather judicious than large or copious discourse of this punctual question or objection Quid de Salute Patrum Majorum nostrum c. fit statuendum whereof albeit some other good Authors have well and worthily delivered their Opinions yet you shall be sure not to lose your farther labour endeavour and determination therein For assure your self that in the Controversie de Ecclesiâ our adversaries
is set two years sooner viz. in the fourth year of the 76 th Olympiad At what time perhaps his trouble began upon the Arraignment and Examination of Pausanias Whereunto I thus answer It was far from my meaning to alledge any Author that setteth the flight of Themistocles later than the second year of the 77 th Olympiad But I would know of you what reason might be alledged why it should not be placed forwarder The Arraignment and Execution of Pausanias is referred by Diodorus Siculus to the fourth year of the 75 th Olympiad The flight of Themistocles by Eusebius to the fourth of the 76 th Olympiad These two being the sole Authors who express the time of these two accidents why should we without cause reject the Testimony of either Especially for the strengthening of the Assertion of Eusebius which we may thus farther reason The Peloponnesian War began in that Spring which ended the first year of the 87 th Olympiad as is known Two years and a half after that dyed Pericles witness Thucydides lib. 2. pag. 141. He began to rule the Common-wealth after the death of Aristides and continued the Government fourty years witness Plutarch in Pericle pag. 155. 161. Aristides deceased almost four years after Themistocles was expelled from Athens as Aemilius Probus or Cornelius Nepos testified in the life of Aristides These things being laid together do shew That the expulsion of Themistocles from Athens fell no later than the beginning of the fourth year of the 76 th Olympiad to which time you doubtfully refer the beginning of his troubles how much sooner soever my opinion is That at that time Themistocles fled unto Persia as Eusebius noteth whose Testimony I have no reason to discredit unless I have some better Testimony or Reason to oppose against it The year before that which is the third of the 76 th Olympiad I suppose Artaxerxes Longimanus to have begun his Reign to whom as yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Themistocles fled as Thucydides sufficiently proveth Thus the 20 th year of his Reign should fall upon the second year of the 81 Olympiad And the 487 th year from that which is the middle of Daniel's last week should fall toward the end of the fourth year of the 202 Olympiad from which I cannot be drawn as yet to draw the passion of our Saviour Christ. If you have any further reason to perswade me to hold my first Opinion which I learned from you and did once publickly deliver in the Schools upon the reasons laid down in the beginning of this Letter I pray you let me understand thereof for I am most willing to learn any thing that may further me in the understanding of Daniel Concerning Aera Dhilkarnain and Taric Alkept I cannot in such manner as I would deliver my mind unto you until I see the intire work of Albategnius which I expect from you by this Bearer together with Geminus according to my request in my former Letter which by reason of the Bearer's sudden departure from hence hath lain by me well nigh a year In the mean time I commit you and your Godly Studies unto the Blessing of the Almighty resting always Your most Assured Loving Friend and Brother James Usher Dublin Jan. 2. 1617. LETTER XXII A Letter from Dr. James Usher afterwards Arch-Bishop of Armagh concerning the Death of Christ and his Satisfaction on the Cross. THE All-sufficient satisfaction of Christ made for the sins of the whole World The true Intent and Extent is Lubricus locus to be handled and hath and doth now much trouble the Church this question hath been moved sub iisdem terminis quibus nunc and hath received contrary resolutions the reason is That in the two extremities of Opinions held in this matter there is somewhat true and somewhat false The one extremity extends the benefit of Christ's satisfaction too far as if hereby God for his part were actually reconciled to all mankind and did really discharge every man from all his sins and that the reason why all men do not reap the fruit of this benefit is the want of that faith whereby they ought to have believed that God in this sort did love them whence it would follow that God should forgive a man his sins and justifie him before he believed whereas the Elect themselves before their effectual vocation are said to be without Christ and without hope and to be utter strangers from the Covenants of Promise Ephes. 2. 2. 2. The other extremity contracts the riches of Christ's satisfaction into too narrow a room as if none had any kind of interest therein but such as were elected before the foundation of the World howsoever by the Gospel every one be charged to receive the same whereby it would follow that a man should be bound in Conscience to believe that which is untrue and charged to take that wherewith he hath nothing to do Both extremities then drawing with them unavoidable absurdities the Word of God by hearing whereof faith is begotten Eph. 1. 13. must be sought unto by a middle course to avoid these extremities For finding out this middle Course we must in the matter of our Redemption carefully put a distinction betwixt the satisfaction of Christ absolutely considered and the application thereof to every one in particular The former was once done for all the other is still in doing The former brings with it sufficiency abundant to discharge the whole debt the other adds to it efficacy The satisfaction of Christ only makes the sins of mankind fit for pardon which without it could not well be the injury done to God's Majesty being so great that it could not stand with his honour to put it up without amends made The particular application makes the sins of those to whom that mercy is vouchsafed to be actually pardoned for as all sins are mortal in regard of the stipend due thereunto by the Law but all do not actually bring forth death because the gracious Promises of the Gospel stayeth the execution even so all the sins of mankind are become venial in respect of the price paid by Christ to his Father so far that in shewing mercy upon all if so it were his pleasure his justice should be no loser but all do not obtain actual remission because most offenders do not take out nor plead their pardon as they ought to do If Christ had not assumed our Nature and therein made satisfaction for the injury offered to the Divine Majesty God would not have come unto a Treaty of Peace with us more than with the fallen Angels whose nature the Son did not assume But this way being made God holds out unto us the Golden Scepter of his Word and thereby not only signifieth his pleasure of admitting us unto his presence and accepting of our submission which is a wonderful Grace but also sends an Embassage unto us and entreats us that we would be reconciled unto him 2 Cor. 5.
was fit but by flat denying that famous Axiom affirming peremptorily That Christ died only for the Elect and for others nullo modo whereby they gave the adverse party advantage to drive them unto this extream absurdity viz. That seeing Christ in no wise died for any but for the Elect and all men were bound to believe that Christ died for themselves and that upon pain of damnation for the contrary infidelity therefore all men were bound to believe that they themselves were Elected although in truth the matter were nothing so Non tali auxilio nec defensoribus istis Tempus eget Neither is there hope that the Arminians will be drawn to acknowledge the Error of their Position as long as they are perswaded the contrary Opinion cannot be maintained without admitting that an untruth must be believed even by the commandment of him that is God of Truth and by the direction of that word which is the Word of Truth Endeavouring therefore to make one truth stand by another and to ward off the blow given by the Arminians in such sort that it should neither bring hurt to the Truth nor give advantage to Error admit I failed of mine intent I ought to be accounted rather an Oppugner than any wise an Abettor of their fancies That for the Arminians Now for Mr. Culverwell That which I have heard him charged withal is the former extremity which in my Letter I did condemn viz. That Christ in such sort did die for all men That by his death he made an actual reconcilement between God and man and That the special reason why all men reap not the fruit of this reconciliation is the want of that faith whereby they ought to have believed that God in this sort did love them How justly he hath been charged with this error himself can best tell but if ever he held it I do not doubt but he was driven thereunto by the absurdities which he discerned in the other extremity for what would not a man fly unto rather than yield that Christ no manner of way died for any Reprobate and none but the Elect had any kind of Title to him and yet so many thousand Reprobates should be bound in Conscience to believe that he died for them and tied to accept him for their Redeemer and Saviour yea and should be condemned to everlasting Torments for want of such a faith if we may call that faith which is not grounded upon the word of truth whereby they should have believed that which in it self was most untrue and laid hold of that in which they had no kind of interest If they who dealt with Mr. Culverwell laboured to drive out one absurdity by bringing in another or went about to stop one hole by making two I should the less wonder at that you write that though he hath been dealt withal by many brethren and for many years yet he could not be drawn from his errour But those stumbling blocks being removed and the plain word of truth laid open by which faith is to be begotten I dare boldly say he doth not hold that extremity wherewith he is charged but followeth that safe and middle course which I laid down for after he had well weighed what I had written he heartily thanked the Lord and me for so good a resolution of this Question which for his part he wholly approved not seeing how it could be gainsaid And so much likewise for Mr. Culverwell Now for Mr. Stock 's publick opposition in the Pulpit I can hardly be induced to believe that he aimed at me therein if he did I must needs say he was deceived when he reckoned me amongst those good men who make the Universality of all the Elect and all men to be one Indeed I wrote but even now that God did execute his Decree of Election in All by spiritual generation But if any shall say that by All thereby I should understand the universality of All and every one in the World and not the universality of all the Elect alone he should greatly wrong my meaning for I am of no other mind than Prosper was Lib. 1. De Vocat Gent. Habet populus Dei plenitudinem suam quamvis magna pars hominum salvantis Gratiam aut repellat aut negligat in elect is tamen proescitis atque ab omni generalitate discretis specialis quaedam censetur universitas ut de toto mundo totus mundus liberatus de omnibus hominibus omnes homines videantur assumpti That Christ died for his Apostles Luk. 22. 19. For his Sheep Joh. 10. 15. For his Friends Joh. 15. 13. For his Church Ephes. 5. 25. may make peradventure against those who make all men to have a share alike in the death of our Saviour But I profess my self to hold fully with him who said Etsi Christus pro omnibus mortuus est tamen specialiter pro nobis passus est quia pro Ecclesia passus est Yea and in my former writing I did directly conclude That as in one respect Christ might have been said to die for all so in another respect truly said not to have died for all and my belief is That the principal end of the Lord's death was That he might gather together in one the Children of God scattered abroad Joh. 11. 52. and that for their sakes he did specially sanctifie himself that they also might be sanctified through the truth John 17. 19. And therefore it may be well concluded That Christ in a special manner died for these but to infer from hence that in no manner of respect he died for any others is but a very weak collection specially the respect by me expressed being so reasonable that no sober mind advisedly considering thereof can justly make question of it viz. That the Lamb of God offering himself a sacrifice for the sins of the World intended by giving satisfaction to God's Justice to make the nature of man which he assumed a fit Subject for mercy and to prepare a Sovereign medicine that should not only be a sufficient Cure for the sins of the whole World but also should be laid open to all and denied to none that indeed do take the benefit thereof For he is much deceived that thinks a preaching of a bare sufficiency is able to yield sufficient ground of comfort to a distressed Soul without giving a further way to it and opening a further passage To bring news to a Bankrupt that the King of Spain hath Treasure enough to pay a thousand times more than he owes may be true but yields but cold comfort to him the miserable Debtor Sufficiency indeed is requisite but it is the word of promise that gives comfort If here exception be taken That I make the whole Nature of man fit for Mercy when it is as unfit a subject for Grace as may be I Answer That here two impediments do occurr which give a stop unto the peace which is to
Duty But here is not all for it seems he hopes by the words of your Decree to hold all this till he be possessed of some Ecclesiastical Benefice notwithstanding his Term by the Charter expires at Midsommer We have answered my Lord Chancellor as your Grace shall find by these inclosed and do humbly desire your Grace to certify either him or us of your intention and to draw a Line or two to be sent to the rest of the 〈◊〉 for this Allowance if you 〈◊〉 it for mine own and the Fellows Discharge in the paying it These Letters your Grace will be also pleased to send us back as having by reason of the shortness of time no time to copy them We have obtained this night a Warrant from my Lord Chancellor to the Serjeant at Arms to arrest Sir James Caroll who in all this time of your Grace's being in Dublin would never be seen and is now as we hear in Town We have not yet delivered your Grace's return of the Reference made to you at the Council Table touching the Inclosure at the Colledg-Gate as having but lately received it In the mean while the Scholars upon St. Matthew's Day at night between Supper and Prayer-time have pulled it all down every Stick and brought it away into the Colledg to several Chambers Yet upon warning that night given at Prayers that every Man should bring into the Quadrangle what he had taken away there was a great pile reared up in the Night which we sent Mr. Arthur word he might fetch away if he would and he did accordingly This Insolency though it much grieved me I could not prevent I did publickly upon the Reference pray them to be quiet signifying our hope that we had of a friendly composition but when they heard that Mr. Arthur fell off they would no longer forbear Concerning the Affairs in England I know your Grace hath better intelligence than I. Our Translation goeth on in the Psalms and we are now in the 88th Mr. Neile King is in Chester Your Grace will pardon this scribling And so I commit you to God desiring to be remembered in your Prayers and resting Your Grace's in all Duty W. Bedell Trinity Coll. March 5. 1628. LETTER CXXXVI A Letter from Sir Henry Bourgchier to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Most Reverend in Christ my very good Lord I Must first desire your Grace's pardon for my long silence and that you will be pleased to believe that it proceeded not from any neglect of him whom I have so long and so much honour'd I presume your Grace continually receiveth advertisement of what passeth here from abler Pens than mine and therefore my pains in that may well be spared Among the rest you cannot be ignorant of the close imprisonment of your Grace's Friend and Servant Mr. Selden for some offence given or rather taken at his carriage and deportment in Parliament Here is lately deceased the Earl of Marleburgh I was often with him about his Irish Collections and was so happy in the pursuit of them that I received from him the greatest part of them not many days before his death Also the Earl of Westmoreland is lately dead and my ancient Friend and Kinsman the Earl of Totnes deprived of his sight and not like to live many days If his Library will be sold I will strain my self to buy it wholly for it is a very select one But howsoever I will not miss God willing his Irish Books and Papers Mr. Selden's Titles of Honour is ready to come forth here and his De Diis Syris at Leyden both well enlarged I wish he were so too that his Friends who much love him might enjoy him Sir Robert Cotton doth add to his inestimable Library Mr. Thomas Allen hath been lately bountiful to it He is now in London and also Mr. Brigges If I should only enumerate those who make enquiry of your Grace's Health their Names would fill a Letter Mr. Brigges's Book of Logarithms is finished by a Dutch-man and printed again in Holland Mr. Brigges tells me that Kepler is living and confesses his mistake in the advertisement of his Death by being deceived in the similitude of his name with one D. Kapper who died in that manner as he related But it appears sufficiently by his long-promised Tabulae Rodolphiae which now at last are come forth but they answer not the expectation which he had raised of them Dr. Bainbridge is well at Oxford Dr. Sutcleffe is lately deceased Yesterday at Newgate Sessions Fa. Muskett your Grace's old Acquaintance was arraigned and two other Priests and one of them an Irish-man they were all found guilty of Treason and had judgment accordingly There were an hundred Recusants presented at the same time It is said that a Declaration shall come forth concerning the Arminian Doctrine done by those Divines who were at the Synod of Dort L. Wadding our Country-man hath published a second Tome of his Annales Fratrum Minorum The Jesuit's Reply to your Grace is not to be gotten here those that came into England were seized and for ought I can hear they lie still in the Custom-house that which I used was borrowed for me by a Friend of the Author himself half a year since he being then here in London and going by the Name of Morgan Since the Dissolution of the Parliament there is a strange suddain decay of Trade and consequently of the Customs God grant there follow no inconvenience in the Common-Wealth The French and Dunkerkers are very bold upon the Coast of England and I hear of no means used to repress them It is said that our Deputy shall be presently removed his designed Successor my Lord of Danby is expected from Garnsey He was imployed thither to furnish that Island with Munition and other Necessaries when there was some jealousy of the French while that Army lay hovering about the parts of Picardy and Normandy but it is now gone for Italy and is passed the Mountains they have taken some Town in Piedmont the King is there in Person It is now said that Matters are accommodated by Composition if not it will prove a bloody War between those two great Kings and the French will put hard for the Dutchy of Millain I humbly desire to be held in your Grace's Opinion as one who will ever most willingly approve himself Your Grace's very affectionate Friend and humble Servant Henry Bourgchier London March 26. 1629. Sir Robert Cotton desires to have his humble respects presented to your Grace LETTER CXXXVII A Letter from Mr. Archibald Hamilton to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Most Reverend ON Thursday last I understood by certain intelligence that my Lord of London whether by the perswasion of Sir Henry Wotton or others I know not earnestly moved his Majesty in Dr. Bedell's behalf Provost of Dublin-Colledg that he might be preferred to the Bishoprick of Kilmore which his Majesty hath granted and the
Cook 's Patent to be void and so judicially declâ—â—ing it I wish you would not be too forward in standing upon that Point To 〈◊〉 in a judicial manner of the validity or invalidity of a Patent in no office of the Ecclesiastical but of the Civil Magistrate and for the one to 〈…〉 the Judiciture of that which appertaineth to another you know draweth near to a 〈…〉 Complaints I know will be made against my Court and your Court and every Court wherein Vice shall be punished and that not by Delinquents alone but also by their Landlords be they Protestants or others who in this Country 〈◊〉 not how their Tenants live so they pay them their Rents I learned of old in Aeschylus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and if they 〈…〉 the like Authority will be ready to receive such Accusations against their Brethren every one will judg that there is less cause why they should be pitied when they are served so themselves The way to help this is not to take away the Jurisdiction from the Chancellors and to put it into the Bishops hands alone All Bishops are not like my Lord of Kilmore I know a Bishop in this Land who exerciseth the Jurisdiction himself and I dare boldly say that there is more Unjustice and Oppression to be found in him alone than in all the Chancellors in the whole Kingdom put together and though I do not justify the taking of Fees without good ground yet I may truly say of a great part of mine own and of many other Bishops Diocesses that if Men stood not more in fear of the Fees of the Court than of standing in a white Sheet we should have here among us another Sodom and Gomorrah Your course of taking pains in keeping Courts your self I will commend so that you condemn not them that think they have reason why they should do otherwise As for my self mecum habito and am not ignorant quam sit mihi curta supellex My Chancellor is better skilled in the Law than I am and far better able to manage Matters of that kind Suam quisque norit artem runneth still in my mind and how easy a matter it is for a Bishop that is ignorant in the Law to do wrong unto others and run himself into a Premunire and where Wrong is done I know Right may more easily be had against a Chancellor than against a Bishop If my Chancellor doth Wrong the Star-Chamber lieth open where I will be the Man that will cast the first Stone at him my self as I did for the removing and censuring of him whom I found at my first coming into the Diocess of Meath And as for my late visiting of your Diocesses your Lordship need not a whit be terrified therewith It is not to be expected that an Arch-bishop passing through a whole Province upon a suddain should be able to perform that which a Bishop may do by leasure in his every years Visitation Neither may the Arch-bishop meddle with the Reformation of any thing but what is presented If any such Presentation were made and reformation of the Abuse neglected there is cause to complain of the Visitation But as for the taking of Mony your Lordship will find that when you come next to visit your self there will be great odds betwixt the Sum that ought to be paid unto you and that which was delivered unto me and yet if your Clergy can get but half so much for their Mony from you as they did from me they may say you were the best Bishop that ever came among them When the Clergy of the Diocess of Ardagh was betrayed into the hands of their Adversaries à quibius minime omnium oportuorat and like to be so overborn that many of them could scarce have a bit of Bread lest them to put in their Mouths I stood then in the Gap and opposed my self for them against the whole Country and stayed that Plague In the other Diocess of Kilmore when complaint was made against the Clergy by that Knave whom they say your Lordship did absolve I took him in hand and if the Clergy had not failed in the prosecution would have bound him fast enough without asking any question for Conscience-â—ake whether he were of our Communion or no. And whereas they held their Means as it were by courtesy from the State I took the pains my self to make up the Table of all their Tithes and Duties and at this very instant am working in England to have it firmly established unto them by his Majesty's Authority And yet the Sums of Meâ—â—y which they paid me were not so great but that I could make a shift to spend it in defraying the Charges of the very Journey I am a Fool I know in this commending or defending rather my self but consider who constrained me The Writings which you sent me I had long before from the same hand which sent them unto you I should be glad to hear your judgment of them and would be glad also to go on in further answering of the remain of your Letter but that I am quite tired and what I have written I fear will not be so pleasing unto you What resteth I partly refer to Mr. Dean's Relation and partly to our Conference when we shall next meet where many things may be more fitly delivered by word of mouth than committed to a Letter In the mean time I commend you to the Blessing of our good God and ever rest Your most assured loving Friend and Brother notwithstanding any unkind Passages which may have slip'd from me in this Letter Ja. Armachanus Drogheda Feb. 23. 1629. LETTER CXLIV A Letter from the Right Reverend William Laud Bishop of London to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh My very good Lord I Thank your Grace heartily for your Letters especially for the Preface of this your last It is true my Lord God hath restor'd me even from Death it self for I think no Man was farther gone and scap'd And your Grace doth very Christian-like put me in mind that God having renewed my Lease I should pay him an Income of some Service to his Church which I hope in the strength of his Grace I shall ever be willing and sometime able to perform I have not yet recovered the great Weakness into which my Sickness cast me but I hope when the Spring is come forward my strength will encrease and enable me to Service In the mean time my Lord as weak as I have been I have begun to pay my Fine but what the Sum comes to God knows is very little Your Table of the Tithes of Ulster and the Business concerning the Impropriations are both past and concerning both I leave my self to Mr. Hygat's Report As touching the Deanery of Armagh I am glad to hear that any place of Preferment in that Kingdom hath so good means of subsistence without Tithes But I must needs acquaint your Grace that neither my Lord
you as bringing with it the joyful news of your Life together with your godly Caveat of putting us in mind of our subjection to the Law of Mortality which Instructiâ—n God did shortly after really seal unto me by his Fatherly Chastisement whereby he brought me even to the Pits brink and when I had received in my self the Sentence of Death was graciously pleased to renew the Lease of my Life again that I might learn not to trust in my self but in him which raised the Dead our Comfort is that Life as well as Death and Death as well as Life are equally ours For whether we live we live unto the Lord and whether we die we die unto the Lord whether we live therefore or die we are the Lords I heartily thank you for your large Relation of the state of your Differences there Let me intreat you to take present care that a fair Copy be taken as well of your Lectures touching Grace and Free-will as of your others touching the Euchariâ—t which I much desire you should finish that it may not be said of you as it hath been noted of Dr. Whitaâ—er 〈◊〉 and Chamier That God took them all away in the midst of their handling of that Argument making an end of them before they made in end of that Controversie It is great pity your Lectures should be hazarded i◠〈◊〉 exemplari two at least I would have and preserved in two divers places lest that befal to them which happened to Dr. Raynold's Answer to Sanders touching the King's Supremacy a Copy whereof I have by God's good Providence recovered and his writing of Christ's Descent into Hell which I fear is utterly abolished Mr. Vâ—ssius having some notice that I intended to publish Marianus Scotus the printed Fragment of his Chronicle being scarce worthy to be accounted his sent me word that he likewise had a like intention to print the same out of a Manuscript Copy which he received from Andr. Scotus and desired that either I would receive his Notes for the setting forward of that Edition or else send unto him what I had in that kind I purpose to send unto him my Transcript both of Marianus himself and of his Abbridger Robertus Lotharingus Bishop of Hereford as also the History of Gotteschalcus and the Predestination-Controversy moved by him which I am now a making up whereunto I insert two Confessions of Gotteschalcus himself never yet printed which I had from Jacobus Sirmondus I touch there also that Commentitious Heresy of the Predestinatians which was but a Nick-name that the Semi-Pelagians put upon the Followers of St. Augustine who is made the Author thereof in the Chronicle of Tiro Prosper whose words in the Manuscript are Praedestinatorum Haeresis quae ab Augustino accepisse dicitur initium not as in the printed Books Ab Augustini libris male intellectis for which I desire you should look your Manuscript Prosper which is joined with Eusebius his Chronicle in Bennet-Colledg Library I could wish also that when you came thither you would transcribe for me Gulielmus Malmesburiensis his short Preface before his Abbreviation of Amalarius which is there in Vol. 167. and Scotus de Perfectione Statuum which is there in Vol. 391. cum Tragediâ—â— Seneca if it be but a short Discourse I have written a large Censure of the Epistle of Ignatius which I forbear to publish before I have received a Transcript of the Latin Ignatius which you have in Caius Colledg Vol. 152. of Dr. James Catalogue if I could certainly have learned that Mr. Thâ— Whaley had been in Cambridg I should have written to him for procuring it unto me but if he fail I must make you my last refuge whatever Charges be requisite for the transcription Mr. Burnet will see defâ—ayed You have done me a great pleasure in communicating unto me my Lord of Salisbury's and your own Determination touching the Efficacy of Baptism in Infants for it is an obscure point and such as I desire to be taught in by such as you are rather than deliver mine own Opinion thereof My Lord of Derry hath a Book ready for the Press wherein he handleth at full the Controversy of Perseverance and the Certainty of Salvation He there determineth that Point of the Efficacy of Baptism far otherwise than you do accommodating himself to the Opinion more vulgarly received among us to which he applieth sundry Sentences out of St. Augustine and among others that De Baptismâ— Sacramenta in solis electiâ— hoc verè efficiâ—nt quâ—d figurant I have finished the History of Gotteschalcus and the Predestination Controversy stirred up in his Time whereunto you have given a good furtherance in your learned Observations sent unto me touching the original of the Nick-name of the Predestinatiani imposed by the Semi-Pelâ—gians upon the Followers of St. Augustine I have had out of Corbey Abbey in France two Consessions written by Gotteschalcus himself which as yet have not been printed If we could but obtain Râ—thranâ—s his Treatise of the some Argument written unto the Eâ—peror Charles the same time I doubt not but it would give us as great contentment as his other Work doth De 〈◊〉 ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for he held constantly St. Augustine's Doctrine against the Semi-Pelagians I have now in hand Institutionum Chronologicarum Lib. 3. wherein I labour by clearness of method and the easy manner of handling to make that perplexed Study familiaâ— to the Capacity of the meanest Understanding Therein I handle only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 making up as it were the Body of an Act. After which I intend if God spare my Life and Health to fall upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Sacred Chronology and there to handle all the Controversies of that kind which may bring Light to the Sacred History and the Connexion of it with the Exotical I have review'd also my Answer to the Jesuit's Challenge and enlarged it with many Additions which by this time I suppose are newly printed â—n London Forget not in your Prayers Ja. Armachanâ—t Your most assured Friend and Brother Drogheda Dec. 10. 1630. LETTER CLX A Letter from Dr. Ward to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Most Reverend and my very good Lord I Received your Lordship's Letter sent by Mr. Stubbin by which I understood of your Lordship's late Recovery even from the Jaws of Death but more fully by Mr. Stubbin himself who related unto me the great hazard you Lordship was in by so excessive bleeding so many days together as is almost ineredible So that as it is said of Abraham that he received his Son from the Dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so we all even God's Church have received your Lordship in like manner à â—aucibus Oxci Praise be to the Lord of Life who killeth and reviveth again who bringeth down to Hell and bringeth back again To him be given all Glory for ever Amen Amen Since the receipt of your Lordship's