Kings when habited with his Cloaths to be cloathed with the habit of his vertuous Endowments as when putting on the Gloves of this Confessour their Hands ought to be like his in moderate taking of Taxes from their Subjects Indeed Impositions once raised are seldome remitted pretended Necessities being alwayes found out for their Continuance But our Edward released to his Subjects the grievous burden of Dane-gelt payed to his Predecessours conceiving it fit now the Danes were departed that the Gelt or Tax should go after them But now Edward's Staffe is broken Chair overturned Cloaths rent and Crown melted our present Age esteeming them the Reliques of Superstition 27. And yet all things being cast up No Confessour in the slrictness of the word I confesse I understand not how the name Confessour is proper to King Edward in the strict acceptance thereof For a Confessour is one actually persecuted for the testimony of the Truth and prepared to lose his Life for the same He is a Martyr in Bullion wanting onely the Stamp of a Violent Death to be impressed upon him Now a great part of our Edward's Life was led by him in Peace and Plenty nothing bounding his Abundance but his own Moderation for twenty years together having no visible Foe to offend him And although in his youth he lived in Normandy in a middle Condition betwixt an Exile and a Traveller flying thither for fear of the Danes yet such his Sufferings were of Civil Concernment not directly relating to Conscience though at distance reducible thereunto But seeing in the Titles of great Persons it is better to give too much then too little a Confessour we found him and a Confessour we leave him 28. Our Eyes have been so intent in beholding the Vertues of this King Stigand the vicious Arch-bishop of Canterbury we have been little at Leasure to take notice of the Arch-bishops of Canterbury during his Reign Know then that about ten yeares since Robert Arch-bishop of Canterbury who succeeded Eadsin therein fearing some hard measure from Earle Godwin notwithstanding he had been contentedly kissed out of his Mannour of Boseham conveyed himself away beyond the Seas to his Monastery in Normandy whence he came first into England After whose Depature Stig and Bishop of Winchester intruded himself into that See eminent onely for Vice and fordid Covetousnesse 29. As for the Ecclesiastic all Laws made by this King in his Reign King Edward's Ecclesiasticall Constitutions it will be enough to affix their Principall Titles 1. That every Clerk and Scholar should quietly enjoy their Goods and Possessions 2. What solemn Festivalls people may come and goe of without any Law-Sutes to disturb them 3. That in all Courts where the Bishops Proctour doth appear his Case is first to be heard and determined 4. That Guilty folk flying to the Church should there have Protection not to be reprehended by any but by the Bishop and his Ministers 5. That Tithes be paid to the Church of Sheep Pigs Bees and the like 6. How the Ordall was to be ordered for the Triall of Guilty persons by Fire and Water 7. That Peter-pence or Romescot be faithfully payed to the Pope But I loose time and referre the Reader to read these Constitutions at large being three and twenty in number in the worthy a In his Councils pag. 619. Work of that no lesse Learned then Religious Knight Sir Henry Spelman 30. And now the full time was come 24 wherein good King Edward exchanged this life for a better 1066 Jan. 4. Who How the Kings of England come to cure the Kings Evil. as he was famous for many personall Miracles so he is reported to have entailed by Heavens Consort an hereditary Vertue on his Successours the Kings of England onely with this Condition b Primrosius de Vulgat Error cap. ultimo that they continue constant in Christianity to cure the Kings Evil. This Disease known to the Greeks by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 termed by Laâ—ines Struma and Sorophulae hath it's Cause from Phlegm it 's chief and common outward Residence in or near the Neck Throat where it expresseth it self in Knobs and Kernells pregnant often times with corrupted Bloud other putrified matter which on the breaking of those Bunches floweth forth equally offensive to Sight Smell and Touch. And yet this noisome Disease is happily healed by the Hands of the Kings of England stroaking the Soar if any doubt of the Truth thereof they may be remitted to their own Eyes for farther Confirmation But there is a sort of men who to avoid the Censure of over-easie Credulity and purchase the Repute of prudent Austerity justly incurre the Censure of affected Frowardnesse It being neither Manners nor Discretion in them in matters notoriously known to give daily Experience the Lye by the Backwardnesse of their Belief 31 But whence this Cure proceeds Severall opinions of the Causes thereof is much controverted amongst the Learned Some recount it in the Number of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose Reason cannot be demonstrated For as in vicious Common-wealths Bastards are frequent who being reputed Filii Populi have no particular Father so mans Ignorance increaseth the number of Occult Qualities which I might call Chances in Nature where the Effect is beheld but cannot be certainly referred to any immediate and proper Cause thereof Others impute it to the power c Ferrerius lib. 2. method cap. 11. de Homeric Curat of Fancie and an exalted Imagination For when the poor Patient who perchance seldome heard of and never saw a King before shall behold his Royall Hand dabling in a Puddle of Putrefaction with a charitable Confidence rubbing smoothing chafing those loathsome Kernells which I may call Clouds of Corruption dissolved oft-times into a feculent Shower I say when the Sick-man shall see an Hand so humble of an Arme so high such Condescention in a King to stroak that Soar at which meaner Persons would stop their Nostrills shut their Eyes or turn their Faces this raiseth erecteth enthroneth the Patients Fancie summoning his spirits to assist Nature with their utmost Might to encounter the Disease with greater Advantage And who will look into the Legend of the Miracles of Imagination shall find many strange and almost incredible things thereby really effected 32. Other Learned men Others count it Superstition and particularly d Lib. de Incantamentis Gaspar Peucenus though acquitting this Cure from Diabolicall Conjuration yet tax it as guilty of Superstition With him all such do side as quarrell at the Ceremonies and Circumstances used at the Healing of this Maladie Either displeased at the Collect read consisting of the first nine verses of the Gospell of S t. Iohn as wholly improper and nothing relating to the Occasion or unresolved of the Efficacy of the Gold pendent about the Patients Neck whether partly compleating or a bare Complement of the
you may reign everlastingly with him whose Vicar you are which with the Father and the Sonne c. 7. Now we have done our Threshing A preparative for the examining the truth of this letter we must begin our Winnowing to examine the Epistle For the trade of counterfeiting the Letters of eminent men began very early in the Church Some were tampering with it in the Apostles time which occasioned S t. Paul's b 2 Thess 2. 2. Caution That ye be not soon shaken in minde or be troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us Since men then but Apprentices are now grown Maisters in this Mysterie wherefore it will be worth our examining whether this Epistle be genuine or no. Say not this doth betray a peevish if not malicious disposition and argues a vexatious spirit in him which will now call the title of this Letter in question which time out of minde hath been in the peaceable possession of an authentick reputation especially seeing it soundeth in honorem Ecclesiae Britannicae and grant it a Tale yet it is smoothly told to the credit of the British Church But let such know that our Church is sensible of no Honour but what resulteth from truth and if this Letter be false the longer it hath been received the more need there is of a speedy and present Confutation before it be so firmly rooted in mens belief past power to remove it See therefore the Arguments which shake the credit thereof 1. The date of this Letter differs in several Copies and yet none of them light right on the time of Eleutherius according to the Computation of the best-esteemed Authours 2. It relates to a former Letter of King Lucius wherein he seemeth to request of Eleutherius both what he himself had before and what the good Bishop was unable to grant For what need Lucius send for the Roman Laws to which Britain was already subjected and ruled by them At this very time wherein this Letter is pretended to be wrote the Roman Laws were here in force and therefore to send for them hither was even actum agere and to as much purpose as to fetch water from Tiber to Thames Besides Eleutherius of all men was most improper to have such a suit preferred to him Holy man he little medled with Secular matters or was acquainted with the Emperours Laws onely he knew how to suffer Martyrdome in passive obedience to his cruel Edicts 3. How high a Throne doth this Letter mount Lucius on making him a Monarch Who though Rex Britannicus was not Rex Britanniae except by a large Synecdoche neither sole nor supreme King here but partial and subordinate to the Romans 4. The Scripture quoted is out of S t. Hierom's Translation which came more then an hundred years after And the Age of Eleutherius could not understand the language of manu tenere for to maintain except it did ante-date some of our modern Lawyers to be their Interpreter In a word we know that the a Ioshua 9. 12. Gibeonites their mouldy Bread was baked in an Oven very near the Israelites and this Letter had its original of a later b See S â— Hen. Spelman in Councells p. 34. c. where there is another copy of this letter with some alterations and additions King Lucius baptized date which not appearing any where in the World till a thousand years after the death of Eleutherius probably crept out of some Monks Cell some four hundred years since the true answer of Eleutherius being not extant for many years before 8. But to proceed Eleutherius at the request of King Lucius sent unto him c Aliter Phaganus Duvianus Faganus and Derwianus or Dunianus two holy men and grave Divines to instruct him in the Christian Religion by whom the said King Lucius called by the Britans Lever-Maur or the Great Light was baptized with many of his Subjects For if when private d Act. 16. 15. 32. Persons were converted Cornelius Lydia c. their Housholds also were baptized with them it is easily credible that the example of a King embracing the Faith drew many Followers of Court and Country Soveraigns seldome wandring alone without their Retinue to attend them But whereas some report that most yea e Ita ut in brevi nullus infidelis remaneret Matth. Paris Westm all of the Natives of this Island then turned Christians it is very improbable and the weary Traveller may sooner climbe the steepest Mountains in Wales then the judicious Reader believe all the hyperbolical reports in the British Chronicles hereof 9. For Ieffery Monmouth tells us I. Monmouth his fiction of Flamens and Arch-Flamens that at this time there were in England twenty eight Cityes each of them having a f Monmouth de geâ—lis Britannor lib. 2. cap. 1. fol. 33. Flamen or Pagan Priest and there of them namely London York and Caer-lion in Wales had Arch-Flamens to which the rest were subjected and Lucius placed Bishops in the room of the Flamens and Arch-Bishops Metropolitans in the places of Arch-Flamens All which saith he solemnly received their Confirmation from the Pope But herein our Authour seems not well acquainted with the propriety of the word Flamen their Use and Office amongst the Romans who were not set severally but many together in the same City Nor were they subordinate one to another but all to the Priests Colledge and therein to the Pontifex Maximus Besides the British g Ja. Armach de Brit. Eccl. prim p. 17. Manuscript which Monmouth is conceived to have translated makes no mention of these Flamens Lastly these words Arch-Bishop and Metropolitan are so far from being current in the days of King Lucius that they were not coined till after-Ages So that in plain English his Flamens and Arch-Flamens seeme Flamms and Arch-Flamms even notorious Falshoods 10. Great also is the mistake of h Giraldus Cambrensis de Sedis Menevensis dignitate apud D. Joh. Prise pag. 75. another British Historian A gross mistake affirming how in the days of King Lucius this Island was divided into five Roman Provinces namely Britain the First Britain the Second Flavia Maximia and Valentia and that each of these were then divided into twelve Bishopricks sixtie in the whole a goodly company and more by halfe then ever this Land did behold Whereas these Provinces were so named from Valens Maximus and Flavius Theodosius Romane Emperors many years after the death of Lucius Thus as the Damosell convinced S t. Peter to be a Galilean for said she i Mark 14. 70. Thy speech agreeth thereunto so this five-â—old division of Britain by the very Novelty of the Names is concluded to be of far later date then what that Authour pretendeth 11. But it is generally agreed Pagan Temples in Britain converted to Christian Churches that about this time many Pagan Temples in Britain had their Property
maintain that Dominion is so sounded in grace in the Pope that a King by him excommunicate may lawfully be deposed and murdered 24. William Courtney Arch-Bishop Courtney persecutes the Wicliffians Arch-Bishop of Canterbury 1382 in the place of Simon Sudbury lately slain made cruel Canons in a Synod at London 6. against the maintainers of Wicliffe his opinions And I wonder that in Linwoods Constitutions no mention at all of any Canons made by this Arch-Bishop who sate above ten years in the See As for the heavy persecution which soon after he raised against Robert Rug Thomas Britwell Nicholas Herford Philip Ripiagton c. nothing can be added to what M r Fox hath related 25. In my minde it amounteth to little less then a Miracle Wicliff his miraculous deliverance that during this storme on his Disciples Wicliffe their Master should live in quiet Strange that he was not drowned in so strong a stream as ran against him whose safety under Gods providence is not so much to be ascribed to his own strength in swimming as to such as held him up by the Chin the greatness of his Noble supporters About this time he ended his Translation of the Bible into English a fair Copy whereof in Queens Colledg in Oxford and two more in the University Library done no doubt in the most Expressive language of those dayes though sounding uncouth to our ears The Knabe of Jesus Christ for Servant Acts 8. And Philip Baptized the Gelding for Eunuch so much our tongue is improved in our age As for the report of Polydor Virgil making him to flye out of England in the time of Edward the third Et in magno pretio apud Bohemos fuisse and to have been of high esteem amongst the Bahemians It is true of Wicliffe's Writings but not of his Person who never departed his Native Countrey 26. Not long after His quiet death therein he ended his life 1384 at his cure at Lutterworth in Leicester-shire 8. of the Palsey a Leland excrenico tenerisis Monisteria Admirable that a Hare so often hunted with so many Packs of Doggs should die at last quietly sitting in his form Parsons the Jesuite snarles at M r Fox for counting Wicliffe a Martyr in his Calender as so far from suffering violent death that he was never so much as imprisoned for the opinion he maintained But the phrase may be justified in the large acception of the word for a witness of the truth Besides the body of Wicliffe was Martyred as to shame though not to pain as far as his adversaries cruelty could extend being taken up and burnt many years after his death as God willing we shall shew hereafter 27. William Wickam New Colledg built by Bish Wickam about this time b It was begun Anno 1375. finished his beautiful Colledg in Oxford 1386 some have raised a Scandal of him 10. that he was no scholar at all from which the very meanest scholar in his foundation can acquit him by that rule in Logick Quod efficit tale magis est tale what maketh the same is more the same Anno Regis Ric. 2 10. By which his learning must be inferred whose bounty caused so many learned men Anno Dom. 1386 Now because the maxim runneth with a limitation Si sit tale if it be the same the truth hereof also appears from the learned a Doct. Martin who wrote a book in vindication of his learning pen who writing Wickams life have proved him to have been a sufficient Scholar skilled in other Arts as well as in practical Mathematicks and Architecture 28. Now as Solomon Industry and judgment in Architecture the cause of his advancement when about to build his house at Millo b 1 Kings seeing Jeroboam to be an industrious man made him Master of his Fabrick So Edward the third discovering the like sufficiency in this great Clerk imployed him in all his stately structures witness this in Motto at Windsor Castle This made Wicham meaning that the building of that Castle gave occasion to his wealth and honour whereas on this Colledg he might write This wickam made The building and endowing thereof being the effect of his bounty alone hence it is that this Colledg giveth the Armes of Wickam viz. two Cheverons betwixt three Roses each Cheveron alluding c Rex Platonicus p. 144. to two beams fastned together called couples in building to speak his skill in Architecture 29. This Colledg he built very strong A Castle Colledg designed for defence out of a design d So say the Statutes of this Colledg that it should be able to hold out a Siege of it self if need so required it though may it never have a temptation in that kinde to trie the strength of the walls thereof Indeed this Colledg with Bourges in France may lay claim to the name of Bituris Turribus abinis inde vocor Bituris So called from two Towers therein as this hath the like one over the Gate the other over the Porch in the entrance into the Hall so that it may seem a Castle-Colledg and made as well for defence as habitation So that at this present is maintained therein a Warden Seventy Fellows and Scholars Ten Chaplains Three Clerks One Organist Sixteen Choristers besides Officers and servants of the Foundation with other Students being in all One Hundred Thirty Five 30. Pass we now from his Orchard of grown Trees 1392. to his Nursery of Grafts 16. the Colledge at Winchester A Colledg at Winchester built also by Bish Wickam which few years after the same Bishop finished not much inferiour to the former for building and endowments as wherein he established One Warden Ten Fellows Two School-masters and Seventy Scholars with Officers and Servants which are all maintained at his charge out of which School he ordained should be chosen the best Scholars alwayes to supply the vacant places of the Fellows of this Colledg 31. As his Charity His care for his kinred so his Faith he that provideth not for his house is worse then an Infidel appeared in this his Foundation ordering that his own Kinsmen should be preferred before others Let their parents therefore but provide for their Nursing when Infants their breeding when Children and he hath took order for their careful teaching at Winchester when youth liberal living at Oxford when men and comfortable subsistance in their reduced age in those many and good patronages he hath conferred on the Colledg And truly as these his Kindred have been happy in him so Wickam hath been happy in his Kindred many of them meriting the best preferment without any advantage of his relation And as this Wickam was the first in that kinde so provident for his Kindred his practice hath since been precedential to some other Colledges as the Statutes of this house are generally a direction to other later foundations To take
betwixt them Whether a Fryer may be said to be Owner of the Cloathes be weareth and it hath been for the most part over-ruled in the negative 11. It will be objected Objection to null the distinction that many Convents of Fryers had large and ample revenues as will appear by perusing the Catalogue in Speed's Tables amounting to some hundreds though never thousands by the year some Fryers barns well-nigh as wealthy as some Monks rather every pretended Lazarus a Dives holding though not severally to themselves joyntly amongst themselves most rich endowments Here also it will be in vain to flie to the distinction of Cresis and Chresis of using and owning seeing the Monks will lay a claim to that distinction and challenge as great an interest therein as the Fryers themselves 12. I have nothing to return in answer hereunto Answered save onely that Olim verò non fuit sic from the beginning of the Institution of Fryers it was not so these additions of Lands unto them are of later date and believe it not of their seeking but their Benefactors casting upon them 13. However Criticisme in this subject not materiall nothing more common than to make Monks and Fryers both Synonyma's and reciprocall and for my own part I passe not if in this my History I have committed the same and hereafter shall be guilty of greater mistakes Foresters laughed at the ignorance of that Gentleman who made this difference betwixt a Stag and a Hart that the one was a red the other a fallow deer being both of a kinde only different in age and some other circumstances in Venarie I may make the like sport to some Popish Reader and much good let it do him in differencing some Orders which are the same and identifying other Orders which are distinct but the matter is of no dangerous concernment May we be but carefull to order f Psal 50. 23. our conversations aright that God may shew us his salvation and it matters not much if we commit errours and discover ignorance in ordering Fryers not in their exact number and seniority These premised we begin with their four Elemental Orders 14. Wickliffe constantly inveigheth against Fryers What means by Wickliffe's CAIM. under the name of CAIM. Had it been Caine I should have suspected his allusion to the words of the Apostle They have gone in the * Jude ver 11. way of Cain but now am at a losse and had so continued had I not lighted on a railing Hexastick of an uncharitable Rythmer a base fellow may show an honest man the way who thus letteth flie at them Per decies binos Sathanas capiat Jacobinus Propter errores Jesu confunde Minores Augustienses Pater inclyte sterne per enses Et Carmelitas tanquam falsos Heremitas Sunt Confessores Dominorum seu Dominarum Et seductores ipsarum sunt animarum C. Carmelites A. Augustinians I. Jacobines M. Minorites or Dominicans Franciscans Fryers And thus at last we have the great mysterie unfolded whom Wickliffe therein did intend 15. Of these Dominicans were the first Fryers Dominican Fryers which came over into England Anno 1221 being but twelve an Apostolical number with Gilbert de Fraxineto their Prior first landed at Canterbury fixed at Oxford but richly endowed at London they were commonly called Black Fryers Preaching Fryers and Jacobine Fryers They took their name from S. Dominick born at Calogora in Spain and Hubert de Burg◠Earl of Kent was their prime Patrone bestowing his Palace in the Suburbs of London upon them which afterwards they sold to the Archbishop's of York residing therein till by some transactions betwixt King Henry the eighth and Cardinal Wolsey it became the Royal-Court now known by the name of White-hall Afterwards by the bounty of Gregory Rocksly Lord Major of London and Robert Kilwarby Archbishop of Canterbury they were more conveniently lodged in two Lanes on the bank of Thames in a place enjoying great priviledges and still retaining the name of Black Fryers No fewer than g Pitzeus in Indice p. 981. fourscore famons English writers are accounted of this Order At this day as beyond the Seas they are much condemned for being the sole active managers of the cruell Spanish Inquisition so they deserve due commendation for their Orthodox judgements in maintaining some Controversies in Divinity of importance against the Jesuits 16. Franciscans follow Franciscan Fryers commonly called Grey Fryers and Minorites either in allusion to Jacob's words h Gen. 32. 10. Sum Minor omnibus beneficiis Tuis or from some other humble expressions in the New Testament They received their name from S. Francis born in the Dutchy of Spoletum in Italy Canonized by Pope Gregory the ninth about two years after whose death the Franciscans came over into England and one Diggs Ancestour of Sir Dudley Diggs bought for them their first seat in Canterbury who afterwards were diffused all over England For skill in School-Divinity they beat all other Orders quite out of distance and had a curious Library in London built by Richard Whittington in that Age costing five hundred and fifty pounds which quickly might be made up if as it is reported an i Reyn. in Ap. Benedict pag 162. hundred marks were expended in transcribing the Commentaries of Lyra. 17. We must not forget that one Bernard of Siena about the year 1400 Sub-reformations of Franciscans refined the Franciscans into Observants no distinct metall from the former but different from them as steel from iron K. Edward the fourth first brought them into England where they had six famous Cloysters since which time there have been a new Order of Minims begun beyond the Seas conceiving the comparative of Minor too high they have descended to Minimus according to our Saviour's own words He that is a minime or the least among you the same shall be greatest and I much admire that none have since begun an Order of Minor-Minimo's the rather because of the Apostles words of himself who am lesse than the least of all saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As I may say a subter-subterlative in his humility As for other Diminutives of Franciscans or Minorites beyond the Seas Recollects Penitentiaries Capuchins c. seeing they had their rise since the fall of Abbeys in England they belong not to our present enquiry Sufficeth it that this Order during the extent of our story afforded in England an hundred and ten learned Writers 18. Carmelites Carmelites their first coming into England or White Fryers come next so named from Mount Carmel in Syria brought over into England in the Reign of King Richard the first by Ralph Ereeborn and placed at Alnewicke in Northumberland in a wildernesse sic canibus catulos most like unto Carmel in Syria Whose Convent at their dissolution in the Reign of King Henry the eighth Speed Catalog pag. 795. was at low rates in that cheap County valued at
follow thereof such success as may be to your liking that then you would be content to permit him to repair hither to London to be further dealt with as I shall take order for upon his coming for which purpose I have written a letter to the Sheriff if your Lordship shall like thereof And so I bid your Lordship right heartily farewell From the Court at Westminster this 21. of April 1581. Your Lordships very loving friend W. B. Brown being thus brought up to London by the advice of his friends was wrought to some tolerable compliance and being discharged by the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury was by the Lord Treasurer sent home to his father Anthony Brown at Tolethorp in Rutland Esquire One I assure you of ancient and right worshipfull extraction having my self seen a charter granted by King Henry the eighth the 16 th of July in the 18 th of his reign and confirmed by act of Parliament to Francis Brown father to the aforesaid Anthony giving him leave to put on his cap in the presence of the King or his heirs or any Lord Spirituall or Temporall in the land and not to put it off but for his own ease and pleasure But let us see and the Lord Treasurers letter in the behalf of Brown to his father AFter my very hearty commendations understanding that your son Robert Brown had been sent for up by my Lord Bishop of Canterbury to answer to such matters as he was to be charged withall conteined in a Book made by him and published in print as it was thought by his means I thought good considering he was your Son and of my blood to send unto my Lord of Canterbury in his behalf that he might finde what reasonable favour he could shew him before whom I perceive he hath answered in some good sort and although I think he will not deny the making of the Book yet by no means will he confess to be acquainted with the publishing or printing of it He hath besides yielded unto his Lordship such further contentment as he is contented the rather at my motion to discharge him and therefore for that he purposeth to repair to you I have thought good to accompany him with these my letters and to pray you for this cause or any his former dealings not to withdraw from him your fatherly love and affection not doubting but with time he will be fully recovered and withdrawn from the Reliques of some fond opinions of his which will be the better done if he be dealt withall in some kinde and temperate manner And so I bid you very heartily farewell From my house neer the Savoy this eighth of October 1585. Your loving friend and Cousin William Burghley But it seems Browns errours were so inlaid in him no conference with Divines could convince him to the contrary whose incorrigibleness made his own father weary of his company Men may wish God only can work children to be good The old gentleman would own him for his Son no longer then his Son owned the Church of England for his Mother desiring to rid his hands of him as by the insuing letter will appear AFter my very hearty Commendations I perceive by your letters that you have little or no hopes of your sons conformity as you had when you received him into your house and therefore you seem desirous that you might have liberty to remove him further off from you as either to Stamford or some other place which I know no cause but you may very well and lawfully do where I wish he might better be perswaded to conforme himself for his own good and yours and his friends comfort And so I very heartily bid you farewell From the Court this seventeeth of February 1585. Your very loving friend and cousin William Burghley Thus to make our Story of the troublesom man the more entire we have trespassed on the two following years yet without discomposing our Chronologie on the Margin 3. With his assistant Richard Harrisen Brown his opinions a petty Pedagogue they inveighed against Bishops Ecclesiasticall Courts Ceremonies Ordination of Ministers and what not fancying here on earth a platform of a perfect Church without any faults understand it thus save those that are made by themselves therein The Reader if desirous to know their opinions is referred to the large and learned Treatises written against them particularly to the pains of D r. Fulke proving that the Brownists so named from this Brown their ringleader were in effect the same with the ancient Donatists only newly reviv'd Thus there is a circulation as in fashion of clothes so of opinions the same after some years return Brownisme being no more than Donatisme vamped with some new additions The Queen and Her Councell seriously set themselves first by gentleness to reduce and that not succeeding by severity to suppress the increase of this faction Brown himself used to boast that he had been committed to thirty two prisons and in some of them be could not see his hand at noon day Yet for all this he came off at last both with saving his life and keeping his living and that none of the meanest Achurch in Northampton-shire untill the day of his death 4. One may justly wonder Extraordinary favour indulged unto him when many meaner Accessaries in this schism were arraigned condemned executed how this Brown the Principal made so fair an escape yea enjoyed such preferment I will never believe that he ever formally recanted his opinions either by word or writing as to the main of what he maintained More probable it is that the promise of his genéral compliance with the Church of England so far forth as not to make future disturbance therein met with the Arch-Bishops courteous acceptance thereof both which effectually improved by the countenance of Thomas Cecil Earl of Exeter Brown's near kinsman and patron procured this extraordinary favour to be indulged unto him His Parsonage he freely possess'd allowing a sufficient salary for one to discharge the cure and though against them in his judgement was contented and perchance pleased to take the tithes of his own parish 5. For my own part whose nativity Providence placed within a mile of this Brown his pastorall charge The authors observation on him I have when a youth often beheld him He was of an imperious nature offended if what he affirm'd but in common discourse were not instantly received as an oracle He was then so far from the Sabbatarian strictness to which some preciser Brownists did afterwards pretend that both in judgement and practise he seemed rather libertine therein In a word he had in my time a wife with whom for many years he never lived parted from her on some distaste and a Church wherein he never preached though he received the profits thereof 6. As for his death in the prison in Northampton The occasion of his late death many years after in the reign of King Charles
in the Church-yard of S t George's in Southwark not far from Bishop Bonners grave So near may their bodies when dead in positure be together whose mindes when living in opinion were farr asunder Nor have I ought else to observe of him save that I am informed that he was father of Ephraim Vdal a solid and pious Divine dying in our dayes but in point of discipline of a different opinion from his father 6. H. B. I. G. I. P. executed And now the Sword of Justice being once drawn it was not put up again into the Sheath before others were executed For Henry Barrow Gentleman Marc. 31. and John Greenwood Clerk who some dayes before were indicted of felony at the Sessions Hall without Newgate before the L rd Major and the two chief Justices Stew his Chronicle pag. 265. for writing certain Seditious Pamphlets were hanged at Tyburn And not long after John Penry a Welchman was apprehanged at Stebunhith by the Vicar thereof arraigned and condemned of felony at the Kings-Bench at Westminster for being a principal penner and publisher of a libellous Book called Martin-mar-prelates and executed at S t Thomas Waterings Daniel Studely Girdler Saxio Billot Gentleman and Robert Bowley Fishmonger were also condemned for publishing scandalous Books but not finding their execution I beleeve them reprieved and pardoned 7. The Queens last coming to Oxford About this time if not somewhat sooner for my enquiry cannot arrive at the certain date Queen Elizabeth took her last farewell of Oxford where a Divinity Act was kept before her on this question Whether it be lawfull to dissemble in matters of Religion One of the opponents endeavoured to prove the affirmative by his own example who then did what was lawfull and yet he dissembled in disputing against the Truth Sr I. Harrington in his additional supply to Bp. Godwin p. 134. the Queen being well pleased at the wittines of the Argument D r Westphaling who had divers years been BP of Hereford coming then to Oxford closed all with a learned determination wherein no fault except somewhat too copious not to so say tedious at that time her Highness intending that night to make a Speech and thereby disappointed 8. 37. 1594. Next day her Highness made a Latin oration to the Heads of Houses Her Latin Oration on the same token she therein gave a check to D r Reynolds for his non-conformity in the midst whereof perceiving the old Lord Burileigh stand by with his lame legs she would not proceed till she saw him provided of a stool a Idem p. 136. and then fell to her speech again as sensible of no interruption having the Command as well of her Latin tongue as of her loyal Subjects 9. John Pierce Arch-Bishop of York ended his life Dean of Christ-Church in Oxford Bishop of Rochester Sarisbury and Arch-Bishop of York When newly beneficed a young man in Oxford-shire he had drowned his good parts in drunkenness conversing with his country parishioners but on the confession of his fault to a grave Divine reformed his conversation so applying himself to his studies that he deservedly gained great preferment and was highly esteemed by Queen Elizabeth whose Almoner he continued for many years and he must be a wise and good man whom that thrifty Princess would intrust with distributing her mony He was one of the most grave and reverent prelates of his age and after his reduced life so abstemious that his Physitian in his old age could not perswade him to drink wine So habited he was in sobriety in detestation of his former excess 10. The death of Bp. Elmar The same year died John Elmar Bishop of London bred in Cambridge well learned as appeareth by his Book titled the Harborough of Princes One of a low stature but stout spirit very valiant in his youth and witty all his life Once when his Auditory began at sermon to grow dull in their attentions he presently read unto them many verses out of the Hebrew Text whereat they all started admiring what use he meant to make thereof Then shewed he them their folly that whereas they neglected English whereby they might be edified they listened to Hebrew whereof they understood not a word Anno Dom. 1594. Anno Regin Eliza. 37. He was a stiff and stern champion of Church Discipline on which account none more mocked by Martin Mar-Prelate or hated by Non-conformists To his eldest son he left a plentiful estate and his second a D r of Divâ—nity was a worthy man of his profession 11. The death of Wâ—ll Reginald But of the Romanists two principal Pillars ended their lives beyond the Seas First William Reginald alias Rose born at a Pâ—â—zaeus de illustribus Angliae Scriptoribus in Anno 1594. Pinho in Devon-shire bred in Winchester School then in New-Colledge in Oxford Forsaking his Country he went to Rome and there solemnly abjur'd the Protestant Religion and thereupon was permitted to read a favour seldome or never bestowed on such novices any Protestant Books without the least restriction presuming on his zeal in their cause From Rome he removed to Rhemes in France where he became professor of Divinity and Hebrew in the English Colledge where saith my b Idem ibidem Author with studying writing and preaching against the Protestants perchance he exhausted himself with too much labour and breaking a vein almost lost his life with vomiting of blood Recovering his strength he vow'd to spend the rest of his life in writing against Protestants and death at Antwerp ceased on him the 24 th of August the 50 th year of his age as he was a making of a book called Calvino-Turcismus which after by his dear friend William Gifford was finished set forth and dedicated to Albert Duke of Austria 12. The death of Cardinal Allen. William Allen commonly called the Cardinall of England followed him into another world born of honest Parents and allied to noble Kindred in Lancashire Brought up at Oxford in Oriall Colledge where he was Proctor of the University in the dayes of Queen Mary and afterwards Head of S t Mary-Hall and Canon of Yorke But on the change of Religion he departed the land and became Professor of Divinity at Doway in Flanders then Canon of Cambray Master of the English Colledge at Rhemes made Cardinall 1587. August the 7 th by Pope Sixtus Quintus the King of Spain bestowing on him an c Camd. Eliz. in hoc Anno. Abby in the Kingdom of Naples and nominating him to be Arch-Bishop of Machlin But death arrested him to pay the debt to Nature d Pitzaeus de illust Aâ—g Script pag. 793 October 16 th and he was buried in the Church of the English Colledge at Rome This is that Allen whom we have so often mentioned conceived so great a Châ—mpion for their Cause that Pope Gregory the 13 th said to his Cardinalls e
and nice-conscienced Elects scrupled to be consecrated by him He gave during his own life Twenty pounds a year to the Man's Widow which was not long a Widow as quickly re-maried He kept a Monethly-Fast on a Tuesday as the day whereon this casualty befell in a word this Keeper's death was the Archbishop's mortification 18. A project against the Clergy to get money At this time the KING's Exchequer grew very low though Lionel Cransield Lord Treasurer and Earl of Middlesex neglected no means for the improving thereof In order whereunto Reader let this Story passe into thy belief on my credit knowing my selfe sufficiently assured thereof a Projector such necessary evils then much countenanced informed His MAJESTY of a way whereby speedily to advance much Treasure And how for sooth was it Even that a new Valuation should be made of all Spiritual preferments which now in the King's Books passed at Under-tates to bring them up to or near the full value thereof This would promote both the casual fines as I may term them of First-fruits and the Annual rent of Tenths to the great advantage of the Crown The KING sent to the Lord Treasurer demanding his judgment thereof 19. Declined by the Lord Treasurer The Treasurer returned His MAJESTY an Answer to this effect so near as I can remember from the mouth of a Noble person then present Sir You have ever been beheld as a great Lover and Advancer of Learned men and You know Clergy-mens education is chargeable to them or their friends Long it is before they get any preferment which at last generally is but small in proportion to their pains and expences Let it not be said that You gained by grinding them other waies lesse obnoxious to just censure will be found out to furnish your occasions The KING commended Cranfield as doing it only for triall adding moreover I should have accounted thee a very knave if encouraging Me herein and so the project was blasted for the present as it was when it budded again propounded by some unworthy instrument in the Reign of King CHARLES 20. Who is truly excused I know some will suspect the Treasurer more likely to start than crush so gainful a design as who by all waies means sought to encrease the royal Revenue I know also that some accuse him as if making his Master's wings to molt thereby the better to feather his own nest Indeed he raised a fair estate and surely he will never be a good Steward for his Master who is a bad one for himself Yet on due and true enquiry it will appear that though an High power did afterwards prosecute him yet his innocence in the main preserved him to transmit a good estate to his posterity So that much of truth must be allowed in his * Frequent in his House at Copâ—hall Motto PERDIDIT FIDES he was lost at Court for his fidelity to K. JAMES in sparing His Treasure and not answering the expensivenesse of a great Favourite 21. The L. Bacon outed â—or Bâ—ibery A Parliament was call'd Jan. 20. wherein Francis Bacon L d Chancellor was outed his Office for Bribery the frequent receiving thereof by him or his was plainly proved Yet for all his taking just and unjust he was exceedingly poor and much indebted Wherefore when motion was made in the House of Commons of Fining him some thousand of pounds Sir Fr. S. a noble Member standing up desired that for two Reasons his Fine might be mitigated into fourty shillings First because that would be payed whereas a greater summe would onely make a noise and never be payed Secondly the shame would be the greater when such his prodigality that he who had been so large a taker in his Office was reduced to such penury that forty shillings should be conceived a sufficient Fine for his Estate But it was fine enough for him to lose his Office remitted to a mean and private condition 22. None can character him to the life An 〈…〉 his character save himself He was in parts more than a Man who in any Liberal profession might be whatsoever he would himself A great Honourer of antient Authors yet a great Deviser and Practiser of new waies in Learning Privy Counsellor as to King JAMES so to Nature it self diving into many of her abstruse Mysteries New conclusions he would dig out with mattocks of gold silver not caring what his experience cost him expending on the Trials of Nature all and more than he got by the Trials at the Barre Posterity being the better for his though he the worse for his own dear experiments He and his Servants had all in common the Men never wanting what their Master had and thus what came flowing in unto him was sent flying away from him who in giving of rewards knew no bounds but the bottome of his own purse Wherefore when King JAMES heard that he had given Ten pounds to an under-keeper by whom He had sent him a Buck the KING said merrily I and He shall both die Beggars which was condemnable Prodigality in a Subject He lived many years after and in his Books will ever survive in the reading whereof modest Men commend him in what they doe condemn themselves in what they doe not understand as believing the fault in their own eyes and not in the object 23. Bishop Williams made Lord Keeper All stood expecting who should be Bacon's Successour in the Chancery Sure he must be some man of great and high abilities otherwise it would seem a valley next a mountain to maintain a convenient and comely level in that eminent Place of Judicature Now whilst in common discourse some made this Judge others that Sergeant Lord Chancellor King JAMES made Dr. Williams lately and still Dean of Westminster soon after Bishop of Lincolne Though the KING was the principal July 10. the Duke of Buckingham was more than the instrumental advancer of him to the title of Lord Keeper in effect the same in Place and Power with the Lord Chancellor 24. Some causlesly offended The KING's choice produced not so much dislike as general wonder Yet some cavilled at Doctor Williams his Age as if it were preposterous for one to be able for that Office before antient and as if one old enough for a Bishop were too young for a Chancellor Others questioned his abilities for the Place Could any expect to reap Law where it was never sown who can apply the remedy whilst he is ignorant in the malady Being never bred to know the true grounds and reasons of the Common Law how could he mitigate the rigour thereof in difficult cases He would be prone to mistake the severity of the Common Law for cruelty and then unequal equity and unconscionable conscience must be expected from him Besides the Place was proper not for the plain but guarded Gown and the Common Lawyers prescribed for six * Yet Sir Ch.
THE KNIGHTS â—oined with y e MONKES of Eâ—Y by WILIIAÌ„ y e CONQVEROVR SIMONI ARCHER Equiti Aurato Antiquitatis cultori et in DIGMATOGRAPHIA exercitatissimo nec non lectissima D nae Annae T. F. The Brother to William Erle of Warren with Monke Leofricke William the Conquerer S t Ethelburge S t Ethelwarde Bishope Robert Oâ—fford the xiiij th Bishope of Elye Opsal Captaine of the Câ—osbowe-men w th Henke Godfryde Belase geâ—erall of the soldiours against Eley with Nonâ—â—e vtwalde Picot Bridge Moister with Monke Huskettle Arg entine Surgeon generall with Monke Elfritcke Gerard de longo Campo with Monke William Talbote sent ostentynes Embassadour with Monke Duffe Adam cheife Marshall of the Armie with Monke Seda Guido de S t Leodigara with the holy Monke Adelmere Hastings a souldior skilfull in Nauigasion with Monke Nigell Walter Lacy sheild bearer to y e Conquerour with Monke Occam Pamell Captaine of 300 foolemen with Monke Ednode Ahmude sonne of Alan with Monke Burthrede Abraham Pechy with monke Etholbert y e Elder Bardolphe maister of the workemen with Monke Recke Sewarde on englishman Vitualer of y e Campe with Monke Reoffine Fides de furnivall a lumbard with Monke OSulp Blounte Captayne generall of y e foote men w th Monkewillnete Brian Clare an old Souldior with Monke Cliton Hugh Mounteforti Captayne of y e Horsemen with Monke Odon Pagan Standerd bearer of the Horsemen w th monke Athelâ—ale Bigotte Captaine of 300 horsemen with Monke Condulphe Dunstan le Grosmaneus with Munke Egberte Richard deponteful Conis with Monke leo fricke the younger Eucas de Novo Burgo with Olane the holye Monke of the Monastery Tuchet Captayne of the Bowmen with Monke Osburn e Nigellus Hamtaindote with Monke Donalde Eustalias the Blacke with Monke Edwin Eustalias the white Maister of the Scoutmen with monke Swan Bigotte third sonne of Bigotte with Monke Edmund Robert Marshall with Monke Renulphe Beamunde master of the Conâ—uerors horse with Monke Gurthe Kenulphus a German Soldiour with monke â—skettle John of yorke an Englishman with monke Felix John Malmaine Standerd bearer of the footemen w th monke Otho Anthoni longe sword with Monke Alfrede Lucy a Norman Admirall to y e Conqueror with Monke Constantine Alexander demonte Vignite with Monke Dauid Lucaâ—nalsus Captayne of y e Billmen with Monke oswalde Nasâ— Captayne of 200 footemen with Monke Orme LICHFIELDENSIS ECCLESIA CATHEDRALIS IN AGRO STAFFORDIENSI IN ANGLIA FACIES OCCIDENTALIS RESVRGAM LEX VNO OMNIA Eliae Ashmole Arm Mercurio phylo Angla 〈…〉 Accepta refundit T. F. Sam Purk pinxit W. Holl 〈…〉 sculp THE CHURCH-HISTORY OF BRITAIN From the Birth of JESUS CHRIST Untill the YEAR M.DC.XLVIII ENDEAVOURED By THOMAS FVLLER LONDON Printed for IOHN WILLIAMS at the signe of the Crown in St. Paul's Church-yard Anno 1655. TO THE ILLUSTRIOUS ESME STUART DVKE OF RICHMOND I Have sometimes solitarily pleased my self with the perusing and comparing of two places of Scripture Acts 22. 22. The wicked Iews said of S t. Paul Avvay vvith such a Fellovv from the Earth for it is not fit that he should live Hebrews 11. 38. S t. Paul said of the Godly Iews Of vvhom the vvorld vvas not vvorthy Here I perceive Heaven and Hell Mercy and Malice Gods Spirit and mans Spite resolved on the Question that it is not fit that good men should live long on Earth However though the Building be the same yet the Bottome is different the same Conclusion being inferred from opposite yea contrary Premisses Wicked men think this world too good God knows it too bad for his Servants to live in Henceforward I shall not wonder that Good men die so soon but that they live so long seeing wicked men desire their Room here on Earth and God their Company in Heaven No wonder then if your Good Father was so soon translated to Happinesse and his GRACE advanced into GLORY He was pleased to give me a Text some weeks before his Death of the words of our Saviour to the Probationer Convert Thou a Mark 12. 34. art not far from the Kingdome of Heaven that is as the words there import from the state of Salvation But before my Sermon could be his life was finished and he in the reall acception thereof possessed of Heaven and Happinesse Thus was I disappointed O that this were the greatest Losse by the Death of so worthy Person of a Patron to whom I intended the Dedication of this first part of my History I after was entred on a Resolution to dedicate it to his Memory presuming to defend the Innocency and Harmlesnesse of such a Dedication by Precedents of unquestioned Antiquity But I intended also to surround the Pages of the Dedication with black not improper as to his relation so expressive of the present sad Condition of our distracted Church But scasonably remembring how the Altar ED a Ioshua 22. 11. onely erected for Commemoration was misinterpreted by the other Tribes for Superstition I conceived it best to cut off all occasions of Cavill from captious persons and dedicate it to You his Son and Heir Let not your Grace be offended that I make you a Patron at the second hand for though I confesse you are my Refuge in relation to your deceased Father you are my Choise in reference to the surviving Nobility God sanctifie your tender yeares with true Grace that in time you may be a Comfort to your Mother Credit to your Kindred and Honour to your Nation Your Graces most bounden ORATOVR THOMAS FULLER TO THE READER AN Ingenious Gentleman some Moneths since in Iest-earnest advised me to make hast with my History of the Church of England for fear said he lest the Church of England be ended before the History thereof This History is now though late all Church-work is slow brought with much difficulty to an end And blessed be God the Church of England is still and long may it be in being though disturb'd distempered distracted God help and heal her most sad condition The three first Books of this Volumn were for the main written in the Reign of the late King as appeareth by the passages then proper for the Government The other nine Books were made since Monarchy was turned into a State May God alone have the Glory and the ingenuous Reader the Benefit of my endeavours which is the hearty desire of Thy Servant in Iesus Christ THOMAS FULLER From my chamber in Sion Colledge THE CHURCH-HISTORY OF BRITAIN Anno Dom. I. CENTURIE THat we may the more freely and fully pay the tribute of our thanks to Gods goodnesse The dolefull case of the Pagan Britans for the Gospel which we now enjoy let us recount the sad Condition of the Britans our Predecessours before the Christian Faith was preached unto them At that time they were without Christ being Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the World They were foul
Bedfordshire It began Anno 575 under King Vffa and lay most exposed to the Cruelty of the Danish Incursions 5. Of MERCIA so called because it lay in the middest of the Island being the Merches or Limits on which c Lambert's Descript of Kent all the residue of the Kingdomes did bound and border It began Anno 582. under King Cridda and contained the whole Counties of Lincoln Northampton with Rutland then and long since part thereof Huntingdon Buckingham Oxford Worcester Warwick Darby Nottingham Leicester Stafford and Chester Besides part of Hereford and Salop the Remnant whereof was possess'd by the Welsh Gloucester Bedford and d Idem ibid. Lancaster In view it was the greatest of all the seven but it abated the Puissance thereof because on the VVest it affronted the Britans being deadly Enemies and bordering on so many Kingdomes the Mercians had work enough at home to shut their own Doors 6. Of NORTHUMBERLAND corrivall with Mercia in Greatnesse though farre inferiour in Populousnesse as to which belonged whatsoever lieth betwixt Humber and Edenborough-Frith It was subdivided sometimes into two Kingdomes of Bernicia and Deira The later consisted of the Remainder of Lancashire with the intire Counties of York Durham VVestmorland and Cumberland Bernicia contained Northumberland with the South of Scotland to Edenborough But this Division lasted not long before both were united together It began Anno 547 under King Ida. 7. Of the WEST-SAXONS who possessed Hantshire Berkshire Wiltshire Somerset Dorset and Devonshire part of Cornwall and Gloucestershire yea some assigne a Moiety of Surrey unto them This Kingdome began Anno 519 under King Cerdicus and excelled for plenty of Ports on the South and Severn Sea store of Burroughs stoutnesse of active men some impute this to the Naturall cause of their being hatch't under the warm Wings of the South-VVest VVind which being excellent VVrastlers gave at last a Fall to all the other Saxon Kingdomes So that as the seven Streams of Nilus loose themselves in the Mid-land Sea this Heptarchy was at last devoured in the VVest-Saxons Monarchy The reason that there is some difference in VVriters in bounding of these severall Kingdomes is because England being then the constant Cock-pit of Warre the Limits of these Kingdomes were in daily motion sometimes marching forward sometimes retreating backward according to variety of Successe We may see what great difference there is betwixt the Bounds of the Sea at High-water and at Low-water Mark and so the same Kingdome was much disproportioned to it self when extended with the happy Chance of Warre and when contracted at a low Ebb of Ill Successe And here we must not forget that amongst these seven Kings during the Heptarchie commonly one was most puissant over-ruling the rest who stiled himself a Camden's Brit. pag. 139. King of the English Nation 18. But to return to the British Church and the year of our Lord 449 wherein S t. Patrick Irish S. Patrick said to live and die at Glassenbury the Apostle of Ireland is notoriously reported to have come to Glassenbury where finding twelve old Monks Successours to those who were first founded there by Ioseph of Arimathea he though unwilling was chosen their Abbot and lived with them 39 yeares observing the Rule of S t. Mark and his Aegptian Monks the Order of Benedictines being as yet unborn in the world Give we here a List of these 12 Monks withall forewarning the Reader that for all their harsh Sound they are so many Saints least otherwise he should suspect them by the ill noise of their Names to be worse Creatures 1. Brumbam 2. Hyregaan 3. Brenwall 4. VVencreth 5. Bantom-meweng 6. Adel-wolred 7. Lowar 8. VVellias 9. Breden 10. Swelves 11. Hinloemius 12. Hin But know that some of these Names as the 3. 6. and 9. are pure plain b First observed by Mr. Camden and since by the Arch-bishop of Armach He is made Co-partner in the Church with the Virgin Mary Saxon words which renders the rest suspected So that whosoever it was that first gave these British Monks such Saxon Names made more Haste then good Speed preventing the true Language of that Age. 19. So great was the Credit of S t. Patrick at Glassenbury that after his Death and Buriall there that Church which formerly was dedicated to the Virgin Mary alone was in after-Ages jointly consecrated to her and S t. Patrick A great Presumption For if it be true what is reported that at the first by direction of the Angel c See 1. Cent. 11. Parag. Gabriel that Church was solely devoted to the Virgin Mary surely either the same or some other Angel of equall Power ought to have ordered the Admission of S t. Patrick to the same to be match'd and impaled with the Blessed Virgin in the Honour thereof In reference to S t. Patrick's being at Glassenbur severall Saxon Kings granted large Charters with great Profits and Priviledges to this Place 20. But now the Spight is that an unparallel'd d James Usher de Brit. Ecc. Primord pag. 875. 883 894. 895. Yet the Credit of Patrick's being at Glassenbury shrewdly shaken Critick in Antiquity leaves this Patrick at this time sweating in the Irish Harvest having newly converted Lempster to the Faith and now gone into the province of Munster on the same Occasion Yea he denies and proveth the same that this Patrick ever liv'd or was buried at Glassenbury But be it known to whom it may concern that the British are not so over-fond of S t. Patrick as to ravish him into their Country against his will and the consent of Time Yea S t. Patrick miss'd as much Honour in not being at Glassenbury as Glassenbury hath lost Credit if he were never there seeing the British justly set as high a Rate on that Place as the Irish do on his Person See but the Glorious Titles which with small Alteration might serve for Ierusalem it self given to Glassenbury and seeing now the Place is for the most part buried in it's own Dust let none envy these Epithets for the Epitaph thereof Here lies the a Or Borough City vvhich once vvas the b In the Charter of King Ina and also in King Edgar's Fountain and Originall of all Religion built by Christs Disciples c Malmesbury MS. de Antiq. Eccles Glaston consecrated by Christ himself and this place is the d So called in the Charter of King Kenwin MOTHER OF SAINTS We are sorry therefore for S t. Patrick's sake if he was never there To salve all some have found out another Patrick called Seniour or Sen Patrick a nice difference equall with the Irish Apostle in Time and not much inferiour in Holinesse who certainly liv'd at Glassenbury The plain truth is that as in the e Plautus his Amphitruo Comoedian when there were two Amphitruo's and two Sosia's they made much fallacious Intricacy and pleasant Delusion in the eyes of the Spectatours So
Several censures on this sad accident others suspect the Devil therein not for a Lyer but a Murtherer and this Massacre procured by Compact with him a third sort conceived that Dunstan who had so much of a Smith had here something of a Carpenter in him and some Devise used by him about pinning and propping of the Room It renders it the more suspicious because he disswaded King Edward from being present there pretending his want of Age though he was present in the last Council and surely he was never the younger for living some Moneths since the same Assembly If truely performed Dunstan appears happier herein then Samson himself who could not so sever his Foes Anno Dom. 977 but both must die together Anno Regis Edvardi Martyris 4 Sure I am no ingenuous Papist now-a-dayes will make any uncharitable Inference from such an accident especially since the Fall of Black Friers 1623. enough to make all good men turn the Censuring of others into an humble Silence and pious Adoring of Divine Providence 38. But the Monks made great Advantage of this Accident Seculars outed and Monks advanced conceiving that Heaven had confirmed their Cause as lately by VVord at VVinchester so now by VVork in this Council at Caln Hereupon Secular Priests are every where outed and Monks substituted in their Room Indeed these later in civil respect were beheld as more beneficiall to their Convents because Secular Priests did marry and at their deaths did condere Testamenta make their VVills and bequeathed their Goods to their Wives and Children whilest Monks having no Issue which they durst own made their Monastery Heir of all they had It was also objected against the Priests that by their Loosnesse and Lazinesse left at large in their Lives they had caused the generall declination of Piety at this time whilest it was presumed of the Monks that by the strict Rules of Observance to which they were tied they would repair the Ruines of Religion in all places 39. It appears not Priests hardly dealt with what Provision was made for these Priests when ejected and they seem to have had hard Measure to be dispossessed of their civil Right Except any will say it was no Injury to them to loose their places so soon but a great Favour that they enjoyed them so long living hitherto on the free Bounty of their Founders and now at the full Dispose of the Church and State Little can be said in excuse of the Priests and lesse in commendation of the Monks who though they swept clean at the first as new Besomes yet afterwards left more Dust behind them of their own bringing in then their Predecessours had done Thus the Hive of the Church was no whit bettered by putting out Drones and placing Wasps in their room Yea whereas formerly Corruptions came into the Church at the Wicket now the broad-Gates were opened for their Entrance Monkery making the way for Ignorance and Superstition to overspread the whole World 40. Another Humour of the former Age to make one Digression for all still continued The prodigious prodigality in building and endowing of Abbeys and encreased venting it self in the fair Foundations and stately Structures of so many Monasteries So that one beholding their Greatnesse being Corrivals with some Towns in receipt and extent would admire that they could be so neat and considering their Neatnesse must wonder they could be so great and lastly accounting their Number will make all three the object of his Amazement Especially seeing many of these were founded in the Saxon Heptarchy when seven Kings put together did spell but one in effect So that it may seem a Miracle what invisible Indies those petty Princes were Masters of building such Structures which impoverish Posterity to repair them For although some of these Monasteries were the fruit of many Ages long in ripening at several times by sundry persons all whose Parcels and Additions met at last in some tolerable Uniformity yet most of them were begun and finished absolute and entire by one Founder alone And although we allow that in those dayes Artificers were procured and Materials purchased at easie Rates yet there being then scarceness of Coin as a little Money would then buy much Ware so much Ware must first in exchange be given to provide that little Money all things being audited proportionably the Wonder still remains as great as before But here we see with what eagernesse those Designes are undertaken and pursued which proceed from blind Zeal every Finger being more then an Hand to build when they thought Merit was annexed to their Performances Oh with what might and main did they mount their Walls both day and night erroniously conceiving that their Souls were advantaged to Heaven when taking the Rise from the top of a Steeple of their own erection 41. But it will not be amisse Caution to our Age. to mind our forgetfull Age that seeing Devotion now better informed long sithence hath desisted to expresse it self in such pompous Buildings she must find some other means and manner to evidence and declare her Sincerity Except any will say that there is lesse Heat required where more Light is granted and that our Practice of Piety should be diminished because our Knowledge thereof is increased God no doubt doth justly expect that Religion should testifie her Thankfulnesse to him by some eminent way and Works and where the Fountain of Piety is full it will find it self a Vent to flow in though not through the former Chanels of Superstition 42. King Edward went to give his Mother-in-law at Corfe-Castle a respectfull Visit 6 when by her contrivance he was barbarously murthered 979 so to pave the way for her Son Ethelred his Succession to the Crown King Edward murthered alias martyred But King Edward by losing his Life got the title of a Martyr so constantly called in our Chronicles Take the term in a large acception otherwise restrictively it signifies such an one as suffers for the Testimony of the Truth But seeing this Edward was cruelly murthered and is said after death to work Miracles let him by the Courtesie of the Church passe for a Martyr not knowing any Act or Order to the contrary to deny such a Title unto him 43. Ethelred Ethelredi cognom the Unready 1 Edward's half-Brother King Ethelred prognosticated unsuccessfull succeeded him in the Throne One with whom Dunstan had a Quarrel from his Cradle because when an Infant he left more Water in the Font then he found there at his Baptizing Happy Dunstan himself if guilty of no greater Fault which could be no Sin nor properly a Slovennesse in an Infant if he did as an Infant Yet from such his addition Dunstan prognosticated an Inundation of Danes would ensue in this Island which accordingly came to passe But Ethelred is more to be condemned for the Bloud he shed when a man it being vehemently suspected that
Cure or secretly unsatisfied what manner and measure of Belief is required according to the Modell whereof Health is observed to come sooner or later or openly offended with the e Gu. Tucker in Charismate cap. 7. pag. 96. Sign of the Crosse which was used to be made by the Royall Hands on the Place infected Anno Dom. All which Exceptions fall to the ground Anno Regis Edvardi Confessoris 24 when it shall be avowed that notwithstanding the Omission of such Ceremonies as requisite rather to the Solemnity then Substance of the Cure the bare Hands of our Kings without the Gloves Jan. 4. as I may term it of the aforesaid Circumstances have effected the healing of this Disease 33. Hereupon some make it a clear Miracle Many make the Cure miraculous and immediately own Gods Finger in the Kings Hand That when the Art of the Physitian is posed the Industry of the Chirurgion tired out the Experience of both at a Losse when all humane Means cry craven then that Wound made by the Hand of God is cured by the hand of his Vice-gerent Hath Heaven indued Vegetables the worst and weak est of living Creatures with cordiall Qualities yea hath it bestowed pretious Properties on dull and inanimate Waters Stones and Mineralls insomuch that such are condemned for Silly or Sullen for Stupid or Stubborn as doubt thereof And shall we be so narrow-hearted as not to conceive it possible that Christian men the nobiest of corporeall Creatures Kings the most eminent of all Christian men Kings of Britain the First-Fruits of all Christian Kings should receive that peculiar Priviledge and sanative Power whereof daily Instances are presented unto us See here the vast Difference betwixt Papists and Protestants How do the former court those Miracles which fly from them and often in default of Reall ones are glad and greedy to hug and embrace empty Shadows of things falsly reported to be done or fondly reputed to be Miracles Whereas many Protestants on the contrary as in the matter in hand are scrupulous in accepting Miracles truely tendered unto them But although our Religion firmly founded on and safely senced with the Scriptures need no Miracles to confirm or countenance the truth thereof yet when they are by the hand of Heaven cast into our Scales not to make our Doctrine Weight but as superpondium or an Over-plus freely bestowed sure they may safely without Sin be received not to say can scarce be refused without at least some suspicion of Neglect Ingratitude to the Goodnesse of God 34. Nor will it be amisse here to relate a Passage which happened about the middest of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth The ingenuousconfession of a Catholick after Pope Pius did let fly his Excommunication against her There was a stiffe Roman Catholick as they delight to term themselves otherwise a man well accomplished and of an ingenuous Disposition who being cast into Prison I conceive for his Religion was there visited in an high degree with the Kings Evil. And having with great Pain and Expence but no Successe long used the advice of Physitians at last he humbly addressed himself unto the Queens Majestie by whom with Gods help he was compleately cured And being demanded What news a Gu Tucker in Charismate cap. 6. pag. 92. I perceive said he now at last by plain experience that the Excommunication denounced by the Pope against her Majestie is in very deed of none effect seeing God hath blessed her with so great and miraculous a Vertue 35. This mention of Queen Elizabeth there is a magnetick Vertue in Stories Queen Elizabeth why displeased with the people in Gloce stershire for one to attract another minds me of a Passage in the beginning ofher Reign Making her Progresse into Glocestershire people affected with this Discase did in uncivil Crowds presse in upon her Insomuch that her Majestie betwixt Anger Grief and Compassion let fall words to this effect Alasse poor people I cannot I cannot cure you it is God alone that can doe it Which words some interpreted contrary to her Intent and Practice continuing such Cures till the day of her Death an utter renouncing and disclaiming of any Instrumentall Efficacy in her self Whereas she onely removed her Subjects Eyes from gazing on her to look up to Heaven For mens Minds naturally are so dull and heavy that instead of traveling with their Thanks to God the Cause of all Cures they lazily take up their Lodging more then half-way on this side mistaking the Dealer for the Giver of their Recovery It follows not therefore that the Queen refused to heal their Bodies because carefull in the first place to cure their Souls of this dangerous Mistake A Princesse who as she was a most exact Demander of her Due observed seldome or never to forgive her greatest Favourites what they owed her so did she most punctually pay her Ingagements to others as to all men so most especially to God loth that he should lose any Honour due unto him by her unjust Detaining thereof 36. The Kings of France share also with those of England in this miraculous Cure And Laurentius reports The Kings of France cure the Kings Evil. that when Francis the first King of France was kept Prisoner in Spain he notwithstanding his Exile and Restraint daily cured infinite Multitudes of people of that Disease according to this Epigram Hispanos inter sanat Rex Choeradas estque Captivus Superis gratus ut ante fuit The Captive King the Evil cures in Spain Dear as before he doth to God remain So it seemeth his Medicinall Quality is affixed not to his Prosperity but Person so that during his Durance he was fully free to exercise the same 37. Thus farre we patiently hear Laâ—â—rentius falsely denies the Kings of England power in curing the Kings Evil. and sufficiently credit this Authour but can no longer afford him either Belief or Attention when he presumeth to tell us that the Kings of England never a De mirabill strumarum curatione c. 2. cured the Kings Evill a Vertue appropriated onely to his Majestie of France Onely he confesseth that long ago some of our English Kings of the Anjouan Race descended from Ieffery Plantagenet did heal the Falling Sicknesse with certain Consecrated Annulets a Custome long since difused Thus he seeks to deprive our Princes of their Patrimoniall Vertue and to make them Reparations instead of their sanative Power whereof they are peaceably possest to them and their Heires holding it of God in chief with assigning them an old Leaâ—e where the Title at the best was litigious and the Term long ago expired But the Reader may be pleased to take notice that this Laurentius was Physician in ordinary to King Henry the fourth of France and so had his Judgement herein bowed awry with so weighty a Relation Flattery being so catching a Disease wherewith the best Doctors of Physick may sometimes be
thereof improve the Popes power by invading the undoubted priviledges of King John The Monks soberly excused themselves that they durst not proceed to an election without the Kings consent but affrighted at last with the high threats of his Holiness menacing them with Excommunication Stephen Langton was chosen accordingly One that wanted not ability for the place but rather had too much as King John conceived having his high spirit in suspition that he would be hardly managed 4. Then two Letters were dispatch'd from the Pope The Pope sends two Letters of contrary tempers to the King to the King 1207. The first had nothing of business 10. but complement and four gold Rings with several stones desiring him rather to minde the mysterie then value the worth of the present wherein the Round form signified Eternity their Square Number Constancy the green Smaragd Faith the clear Saphir Hope the red Granat Charity the bright Topaz good works How pretious these stones were in themselves is uncertain most sure it is they proved Dear to King John who might beshrow his own fingers for ever wearing those Rings and as my * Mat. Paris in Anno 1207. pag. 223. Author saith soon after gemmae commutatae in gemitus For in the second Letter the Pope recommended Stephen Langton to the Kings acceptance closely couching threats in case he refused him 5. King John returned an answer full of stomach and animosity King Johns return raising his voice to too high a note at first that this was an intolerable encroachment on his Crown and Dignity which he neither could nor would digest to have a stranger unknown unto him bred in forrein parts familiar with the French King his sworn enemy obtruded upon him for an Arch-Bishop He minded the Pope that he had plenty of Prelates in the Kingdome of England sufficiently provided in all kind of knowledge and that he need not to go abroad to seek for judgement and justice Anno Regis Job 10. intimating an intended defection from Rome Anno Dom. 1207. in case he was wronged Other passages were in his letter which deserved memory had they beeâ— as vigorously acted as valiantly spoken Whereas now because he fouly failed at last judicious ears hearken to his words no otherwise then to the empty brags of impotent anger and the vain evaporations of his discontentment However he began high not onely banishing the Monks of Canterbury for their contempt out of his Kingdome but also forbidding Stephen Langton from once entring into England 6. Hereupon Pope Innocent Three Bishops by command from the Pope Interdict the whole Kingdome the third employed three Bishops William of London Eustace of Ely and Mauger of Worcester to give the King a serious admonition and upon his denial or delaying to receive Stephen Langton for Arch-Bishop to proceed to Interdict the Kingdome of all Ecclesiasticall service saving Baptisme of Children Confession and the Eucharist to the dying in case of necessity which by them was performed accordingly No sooner had they Interdicted the Kingdome but with Joceline Bishop of Bath and Giles of Hereford they as speedily as secretly got them out of the Land like adventurous Empiricks unwilling to wait the working of their desperate Physick except any will compare them to fearfull Boyes which at the first tryall set fire to their squibs with their faces backwards and make fast away from them but the worst was they must leave their lands and considerable moveables in the kingdome behind them 7. See now on a sudden the sad face of the English Church Englands sad case under Interdiction A face without a tongue no singing of service no saying of Masse no reading of Prayers as for preaching of Sermons the lazinesse and ignorance of those times had long before interdicted them None need pity the living hearing the impatient complaints of Lovers for whose marriage no licence could be procured when he looks on the dead a Corpora defunctorum more Canum in Bivijs fossatis sine orationibus sacerdotum ministerio sepelibantur Matt. Paris pag. 226 who were buried in ditches like dogs without any prayers said upon them True a well informed Christian knows full well that a corps though cast in a bogge shall not stick there at the day of judgement thrown into a Wood shall then finde out the way buried by the high wayes side is in the ready Road to the Resurrection In a word that wheresoever a body be put or plac'd it will equally take the Alarum at the last Trumpet Yet seeing these People beleeved that a Grave in consecrated ground was a good step to Heaven and were taught that prayers after their death were essentaill to their Salvation it must needs put strange fears into the heads and hearts both of such which deceased and their friends which survived them And although afterwards at the intreaty of Stephen Langton the Pope indulged to conventuall b Antiq. Brit. in Steph Langton pag. 159. Churches to have Service once a Week Yet Parish Churches where the Peoples need was as much and number far more of souls as dear in Gods sight were debar'd of that benefit 8. Some Priests were well pleased that the Interdiction for a time should continue Two grand effects wrought by this Interdiction as which would render their persons and places in more reputation and procure a higher valuation of Holy mysteries Yea this fasting would be wholesome to some souls who afterwards would feed on Divine Service with greater appetite Hereby two Grand effects were generally produc'd in the Kingdom One a terrible impression made in mens mindes of the Popes Power which they had often heard of and now saw and felt whose long arm could reach from Rome all over England and lock the doors of all Churches there an Emblem that in like manner he had or might have bolted the Gates of Heaven against them The second an Alienation of the peoples hearts from King John all being ready to complain O cruell Tyrant over the souls of his Subjects whose wilfulnesse depriveth them of the means of their salvation King Johns innocence the Popes injustice in these proceedings 9. However if things be well weighed King John will appear meerly passive in this matter suffering unjustly because he would not willingly part with his undoubted right Besides suppose him guilty what equity was it that so many thousands in England who in this particular case might better answer to the name of Innocent then his Holinesse himself should be involved in his punishment God indeed sometimes most justly punisheth subjects for the defaults of their Soveraignes as in the case of the plague destroying the people for Davids numbring of them But it appears in the a Compare the 2 Sam. 74. 1 with the 1 Chron. 21. 1 Text that formerly they had been offenders and guilty before God as all men at all times are But seeing
future success and evidence of his former innocence 13. The calamitous Reign of King Edward the Second Anno Regis Ed. 2. 1. afforded little history of the Church Anno Dom. 1307. though too much of the Common-wealth except it had been better The character of K Edward the second A debauched Prince this Edward was His beauty being the best not to say onely commendable thing about him He had an handsome man-case and better it had been empty with weakness then as it was ill fill'd with vitiousness Pierce Gaveston first corrupted him maugre all the good counsel that Robert Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and all his good friends 5. could give him 1312 And when Gaveston was kill'd and taken away the Kings badness was rather doubled then diminished exchanging one pandor to vice for two the two Spencers In a word the Court was turn'd Taverne Stews Stage Play-house wherein as many vain and wanton Comedies were acted before the King in his life time so a sad and sorrowful Tragedy was acted by him a◠his death 14. Robert Bruce King of Scotland The satal defeat of the English in Scotland encouraged by the laziness of King Edward thought this a sit time to recover his Country and which the English detained from him Wereupon he regained Berwick inroaded England invaded Ireland King Edward in wrath advanceth against him with an Army rather dancing then marching fitter for a Masque 7. then a Battel 1314 their horses rather trapped then armed In all points it appeared a triumphant Army save that no field as yet was fought by them Thus excluding all influence of Divine Providence and concluding 't was Fortunes duty to favour them at Sterling they bid the Scots battel wherein ten thousand of our men are by our own Authors confessed to be slain There fell the flowere of the English Nobility the King with a few hardly saving himself by flight Thus as Malleus Scotorum the Hammer or mauler of the Scots is written on the Tomb of King Edward the first in Westminster Incus Scotorum the Anvile of the Scots might as properly be written on the Monument had he any of Edward the second 15. But leaving these fights 7. we proceed to other Polemical Digladiations 1314 more proper for our Pen Nine Eminent Schoolmen of the English Nation namely the disputes of SCHOOL-MEN which in this Kings Reign were heightened to perfection Formerly those were termed Scholastici who in the Schools were Rethoricians making therein Declamatory Orations Such Exercises ceasing in this Age the Terme was Translated to signifie those who bused themselves in Controversial Divinity though some will have them so called from Scolion a Commentary their studies being generally nothing else then illustrations of the text of Peter Lombard the Master of the Sentences Take them here together at one view intending to resume them again in their several Characters Name Anno Dom. 1314. Hourished Anno Regis Ed. 2. 7. Title Order 1. Alexander Hales 1240. Henry the third D r Irrefragabilis or D r Doctorum Franciscan 2. Roger Bacon 1280. Edward the first D r Mirabilis Franciscan 3. Richard Middleton or De Media Villa 1290. Edward the first D r Fundatissimus Franciscan 4. John Duns Scotus 1308. Edward the second D r Subtilis Franciscan 5. Gualter Burley 1337. Edward the third D r Approbatus Secular Priest 6. John Baconthorpe 1346. Edward the third D r Resolutus Carmelite 7. William Ocham 1347. Edward the third D r Singularis or Pater Nominalium Franciscan 8. Robert Holcot 1349. Edward the third D r Dominican 9. Thomas Bradwardine 1350. Edward the third D r Profundus Secular Priest Born at Bred in Buried in Or night Hales in Glocester-shire Hales ibidem The Franciscan Church in Paris  Oxford in Merton Col. Oxford Uncertain whether at Middleton-Stony in Oxford shire or Middleton Cheny in Northampton shire Oxford or Paris Paris Dunstan contracted Duns in Emildon Parish in Northumb. Merton Colledg in Oxford Colen  Merton Colledg in Oxford Paris Baconthorpe in Norfolk Blackney Abbey in Norfolke The Church of his Order in London Ocham in Surrey Merton Colledg Munchin in Bavaria Holcot in Northampton-shire Oxford Northampton where he died of the Plague Bradwardine in Hereford-shire Merton Colledg in Oxford S t Anselme's Chappel in Canterbury Besides many other School-men of inferiour note which we pass by in silence Now we may safely dare all Christendome besides to shew so many Eminent School-Divines bred within the compass of so few years insomuch that it is a truth what a forrein a Alexander Minutianus in Epistola writer saith Scholastica Theologia ab Anglis in Anglia sumpsit exordium fecit incrementum pervenit ad perfectionem And although Italy falsly boasteth that Britain had her Christianity first from Rome England may truly maintain that from her immediately by France Italy first received her School-Divinity 16. Of these School-men Alex. Hales their Father and Founder Alexander Hales goeth the first Master to Thomas Aquinas and Bonaventure whose livery in some sort the rest of the School-men may be said to wear insisting in his foot-steps At the command of Pope Innocent the fourth he wrote the body of all School-Divinity in four Volumes He was the first Franciscan who ever took the degree of Doctor in the University who formerly counted the height of a degree inconsistent with the humility of their order as appeareth by the close of his Epitaph Egenorum fit primus Doctor eorum So great an honorer of the Virgin Mary that he never * Pits descript Ang. denied such who sued to him in her name As since our M r Fox is said never to have denied any who begged of him for Jesus Christ 17. Roger Bacon succeeds Bacon accused for a Conjurer O what a sin is it to be more learned then ones Neighbours in a barbarous age being excellently skilled in the Mathematicks a wonder-working Art especially to ignorant eyes he is accused for a Conjurer by Hieronymus de Esculo Minister general of his Order and afterwards Pope by the name of Nicholas the fourth The best is this Hieronymus before he was a Pope was not Infallible and therefore our Bacon might be scandalized by him however he was committed to Prison at Rome by Pope Clement the fourth and remained in durance a considerable time before his own innocence with his friends endeavours could procure his enlargement 18. For mine own part Many Bacons in one make a confusion I behold the name of Bacon in Oxford not as of an Individual man but Corporation of men No single Cord but a twisted Cable of many together And as all the Acts of Strong men of that nature are attributed to an Hercules All the predictions of Prophecying women to a Sibyll So I conceive all the atchievements of the Oxonian Bacons in their liberal studies are ascribed to ONE as chief of the
name And this in effect is confessed by the most learned and ingenious Orator b Sir Isaac Wake in his Rex Platonicus pag. 2â—9 210. of that University Indeed we finde one Robert Bacon who died Anno One thousand two hundred fourty eight a Learned Doctor and Trithemius stileth John Baconthorpe plain Bacon which addeth to the probability of the former assertion However this confounding so many Bacons in one hath caused Anticronismes in many Relations For how could this Bacon ever be a reader of Philosophy in Brasen-Nose Colledg Founded more then one Hundred years after his death so that his Brasen head so much spoken of to speak must make time past to be again or else these inconsistences will not be reconciled Except any will salve it with the Prolepsis of Brasen-Nose Hall formerly in the place where the Colledg is now erected I have done with the Oxford Bacons only let me add that those of Cambridg Father and Son Nicholas and Francis the one of Bennet and the other of Trinity Colledg do hold absit in vidia the Scales of desert even against all of their name in all the world besides 19. John Duns Scotus succeeds Duns Scotus why so called who some will have called Scotus ob c Sixtut Senensis profundi ssimam dicendi obscuritatem from his profound obscurity in writing Indeed there was one Heracletus to whom cognomen Scotinon d Seneca in Epist fecit orationis obscuritas but others conceive him so called either from Scotland his Country or John Scott his father Nor was he called Duns as some will have it contractedly from Dominus but from the place of his Nativity though three Kingdoms earnestly engage to claim him for their Country-man England It is thus written at the end of his Manuscript works in Merton Colledg in Oxford Three Kingdoms lay claim to his birth whereof he was Fellow Explicit a Camd. Brit. in Northumberland Lectura a Subtilis in Vniversitate Parisiensi Doctoris Joannis Duns nati in quadam villula parochiae de Emidon vocata Dunston in Comitatu Northumbriae pertinente Domui Scholarium de Merton-hall in Oxonia Scotland Although John Scott dissembled himself an English-man to finde the more favour in Merton Colledg living in an age wherein cruel Wars betwixt England and Scotland yet his Tomb erected at Colen is bold to tell the truth whereon this Epitaph b Arch-Bish Spotswood in his History of the Church of Scotland Scotia me genuit Anglia suscepit Gallia edocuit Germania tenet Besides the very name of Scotus a voweth him to be a Scotch-man Ireland He is called Joannes Duns by abbreviation for Dunensis that is born at * Hugh Cavel in vita Scoti Dounâ— an Episcopal See in Ireland where Patricius Dubricius and S t Columba lie interred And it is notoriously known to Criticks that Scotus signifieth an Irish-man in the most ancient exception therof I doubt not but the Reader will give his verdict that the very Scotiety of Scotus belongeth to England as his Native Country who being born in Northumberland which Kingdom in the Saxon Heptarchie extended from Humber to Edenburgh Frith it was a facile mistake for Foreiners to write him a Scotch-man on his Monument As for the name of Scotus it is of no validity to prove him that Country-man as a common-Sir-name amongst us as some four years since when the Scotch were injoyned to depart this Land one M r English in London was then the most considerable Merchant of the Scotch Nation The sad manner of Scotus his death is sufficiently known who being in a fit of a strong Apoplexie was by the cruel kindness of his over-officious friends buried whilest yet alive and recovering in the grave dashed out his brains against the Coffin affording a large field to such wanton wits in their Epigrams who could make sport to themselves on the sad accident of others 20. I had almost over-seen John Baconthorpe Low but learned Baconthorpe being so low in stature as but one remove from a Dwarfe of whom one saith Ingenio c Johannes Trissa Nemausensis in libro de viris illustribus magnus corpore parvus erat His wit was Tall in body small Insomuch that Corpus non tulisset quod ingenium protulit his body could not bear the Books which his brain had brought forth Coming to Rome being sent for by the Pope he was once hissed d Baleus in ejus vita at in a Publick Disputation for the badness forsooth of his Latin and pronunciation but indeed because he opposed the Popes power in dispencing with Marriages contrary to the Law of God whose e Jacobus Calcus Papiensis judgment was afterwards made use of by the defenders of the divorce of King Henry the eight 21. William Occam sided with Lewis of Bavaria against the Pope Occam a â—â—list 〈◊〉 maintaining the Temporal power above the Spiritual he was fain to flie to the Emperour for his safety saying unto him Defende me gladio ego te defendam verbo Defend me with thy sword and I will defend thee with my word This Occam was Luthers chief if not sole School-man who had his works at â— is fingers end loving him no doubt the better for his opposition to the Pope 22. Robert Holcot was not the meanest amongst them Holcots sudden death who died of the Plague at Northampton just as he was reading his Lectures on the seventh of Ecclesiasticus wherein as many Canonical truths as in any Apocrypha chapter and although as yet in his publick reading he was not come to the last verse thereof so proper for mortality wee may charitably believe he had seriously commented thereon Bale descript 〈◊〉 Cent. fift pag. 434. in his private meditations Whatsoever thou takest in hand remember the end and thou shalt never do amiss 23. Thomas Bradwardine bringeth up the rear The just praise of Tho. Bradwardine though in learning and piety if not superiour equal to any of the rest witness his worthy book against Pelagianisme to assert the freeness of Gods grace in mans conversion which he justly intituleth De causa Dei of Gods cause for as God is a Second in every good cause so he is a Principal in this wherein his own honour is so nearly concerned And though the Psalmist saith plead thine own cause O Lord yet in this age wherein Miracles are ceased God pleadeth his cause not in his Person but by the proxie of the tongues and pens hands and hearts of his Servants This Bradwardine was afterwards Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and how highly esteemed let Chaucer * In the Nuns Prieststale tell you But I ne cannot boult it to the bren As can the holy Doctour S t Austin Dr Boece or the Bishop Bradwardin This testimony of Chaucer by the exact computation of time written within forty years after Bradwardines death which addeth much to his honour
and what the just measure of his judgment Many phrases heretical in sound would appear orthodox in sense Yea some of his poysonous passages dress'd with due caution would prove not onely wholsome but cordial truths many of his expressions wanting not granum ponderis but salis no weight of truth but some grains of discretion But now alas of the a Aeneaâ— Sylvius Hâ—â—â— Bohem pag. 78. two hundred books which he wrote being burnt not a tittle is left and we are sain to b So Jo. Bale contelleth Cent. 6. p. 451. borrow the bare titles of them from his adversaries from whom also these his opinions are extracted who winnow his works c Luke 22. 31. as Satan did Peter not to finde the corâ—â— but the chaff therein And how can did some Papists are in interpreting the meaning of Protestants appears by that cunning d See the book called Calvino Turcismus Chymist who hath distilled the spirits of Turcisme out of the books of Calvin himself 8. Now a Synod was called by Simon Sudbury 50. Arch-Bishop of Canterbury 1376 at Paul's in London the Parliament then sitting at Westminster whither Wicliffe was summoned to appear Wicliff appears before the Synod in Saint Pauls who came accordingly but in a posture and equipage different from expectation Four Fryers were to assist the Lord Piercy to usher John Duke of Lancaster to accompany him These Lords their enmity with the Prelates was all Wicliffes acquaintance with them whose eyes did countenance hands support and tongues encourage him bidding him to dread nothing nor to shrinke at the company of the Bishops for they are all unlearned said they in respect of you Great was the concourse of people as in populous places when a new sight is to be seen there never lack looke is on and to see this manbaiting all people of all kindes flock'd together 9. The Lord Piercy The brawle betwixt the Bishop and the Lords in the Church Lord Marshal of England had much ado to break thorow the croud in the Church so that the bustle he kept with the people highly offended the Bishop of London profaning the place and disturbing the Assembly Whereon followed a fierce contention betwixt them and left their interlocutions should hinder the intireness of out discourse take them verbatim in a Dialogue omitting onely their mutual railing which as it little became persons of honour to bring so it was flat against the profession of a Bishop to return who by the Apostles e 1 Tim. 3. 3. precept must be patient not a brawler Bish Courtney Lord Piercy if I had known before hand what maisteries you would have kept in the Church I would have stopt you out from coming hither Duke of Lancast He shall keep such masteries here though you say nay Lord Piercy Wicliffe sit down for you have many things to answer to and you need to repose your self on a soft seat Bish Courtney It is unreasonable that one cited before his Ordinary should sit down during his answer He must and shall stand Duke of Lancast The Lord Piercy his motion for Wicliffe is but reasonable And as for you my Lord Bishop who are grown so proud and arrogant I will bring down the pride not of you alone but of all the Prelacy in England Bish Courtney Do your worst Sir Duke of Lancast Thou bearest thy self so brag upon thy f His Father Hugh Courtney Earl of Devon-shire parents which shall not be able to help thee they shall have enough to do to help themselves Bish Courtney My confidence is not in my Parents nor in any man else but onely in God in whom I trust by whose assistance I will be bold to speak the truth Duke of Lancast Rather then I will take these words at his hands Anno Dom. 1376. I 'de pluck the Bishop by the hair out of the a Fox Martyr pag. 303. Harpsfield in Hist Wicliffiana cap. 5. pag. 683. Church Anno Regis Ed. 3. 50. These last words though but softly whispered by the Duke in the ear of one next unto him were notwithstanding over-heard by the Londoners who inraged that such an affront should be offered to their Bishop fell furiously on the Lords who were fain to depart for the present and for a while by flight and secresie to secure themselves whilest what outrages were offered to the Dukes palace and his servants Historians of the State do relate 10. Wonder not that two persons Why the Arch-Bishop and Wicliffe silent the while most concerned to be vocal were wholly mute at this meeting namely Simon the Arch-Bishop and Wicliffe himself The former rather acted then active in this business seeing the brawl happened in the Cathedral of London left the Bishop thereof to meddle whose stout stomach and high birth made him the meeter match to undertake such noble adversaries As for Wicliffe well might the Client be silent whilest such Councel pleaded for him And the Bishops found themselves in a dangerous Dilemma about him it being no pity to permit nor policy to punish one protected with such potent patrons Yea in the issue of this Synod they onely commanded him to forbear hereafter from preaching or writing his doctrine and how far he promised conformity to their injunctions doth not appear 11. In all this Synod Wicliffâ— opinions marvellously spread and why though Wicliffe made but a dumb shew rather seen then heard yet the noise of his success sounded all over the Kingdom For when a suspected person is solemnly summoned and dismissed without censure vulgar apprehensions not onely infer his innocence but also conclude either the ignorance or injustice of his adversaries In publique assemblies if the weaker party can so subsist as not to be conquered it conquers in reputation and a drawn battel is accounted a victory on that â—ide If Wicliffe was guilty why not punished if guiltless why silenced And it much advantaged the propagating of his opinions that at this very time happened a dangerous discord at Rome long lasting for above fourty years and fiercely followed begun betwixt Vrban the 6 th and Clement the 7 th One living at Rome the other residing at Avignon Thus Peters Chair was like to be broken betwixt two sitting down at once Let Wicliffe alone to improve this advantage pleading that now the Romish Church having two had no legal head that this monstrous apparition presaged the short life thereof and these two Anti-Popes made up one Anti-Christ In a word there was opened unto him a great door of utterance made out of that crack or cleft which then happened in this seasonable schisme at Rome 12. Edward The death character of King Edward the third the third of that name 1377 ended his life 51. having reigned a Jubilee ful fifty years A Prince no less succesful then valiant like an Amphibion He was equally active on water and land Witness
indignities offered him was at last by them beheaded on Tower-Hill patiently ending his life and dying a State-Martyr But most fiercely fell their fury on the Dutch in London offended be-like with them for ingrossing of Trade and these words bread and cheese were their neck-verse or Shibboleth to distinguish them all pronouncing broad and cause being presently put to death Of all people onely some a See Godwins Catalogue of the Bishops of Norwich in Hen Spencer Franciscan Friers found favour in their sight whom they intended to preserve What quality to us occult commended them to their mercy Was it because they were the most ignorant of other Friers and so the likest to themselves But perchance these Rebells if demanded were as unable to render a reason why they spared these as why they spoiled others being equally irrational in their kindnesses as in in their cruelties 21. Judas Wat Tyler parallel'd When I read that passage of Judas in the Counsel of b Acts 5. 37. Gamaliel it seemeth to me plainly to describe the rising increase and ruine of these Rebels 1. Rising There rose up Judas of Galilee in the dayes of the taxing so Tiler appeared and this rebellion was caused by poll-money heavily imposed by the King and the arrears thereof more cruelly exacted by his Courtiers that farmed it And pitty it is so foul a rebellion could pretend so fair an occasion for the extenuating thereof 2. Encrease And drew away much people after him so the snow-ball encreased here John c In his book called Vox Clamantis lib. 1. cap. 14. Gower telleth us in his paralel of the martyring of Simon Sudbury Arch-Bishop of Canterbury with Thomas Becket his predecessour Quatuor in mortem spirarunt foedera Thomae Simonis centum mille dedere necem But four conspir'd Thomas his bloud to spill Whiles hundred thousands Simon help to kill Nor was this any poetical Hyperbole but an historical truth if the several numbers of their three armies were summ'd up together 3. Ruine He also perished and all even as many as obeyed him were dispersed so here no sooner was Wat Tiler their General as I may terme him kill'd by valiant Wallworth the Lord Mayor of London and his assistance for it was John a Weavers funeral Monuments p. 693. Cavendish Esquire that dispatch'd him with a mortal wound in Smithfield and Jack Straw their Lieutenant-General legally b Stow Survey of London pag. 55. beheaded too brave a death for so base a fellow but all the rest mouldered away and vanished In memory of S r William Wallworths valour the Armes of London formerly a plain Cross were augmented with the addition of a Dagger to make the coat in all points compleat Happy when the Cross as first there in place directeth the Dagger and when the Dagger defendeth the Cross when Religion sanctifieth power and power supporteth Religion 22. But Cope chargeth all this rebellion on Wicliffs doctrine Alanus Copus for he it is whose Ecclesiastical History of England goes under the name of Harpsfield heavily chargeth all this rebellion on the account of Wicliffe's doctrine Whose scholars saith c In his Histo Wicliffiana cap. 12. he to promote their Masters opinions stirred up this deadly and damnable sedition and sounded the first trumpet thereunto Adding moreover that Wicliffe's tenet that Dominion is founded in grace and that a King guilty of mortal sin is no longer Lord of any thing was Cos hujus seditionis The whet-stone of this sedition But to what lyer the whet-stone doth properly belong will presently appear 23. It is no news for the best of Gods children His malicious slander confused to be slandered in this kinde Jeremy was d Jer. 37. 13 traduced Thou fallest away to the Caldeans S t Paul was e Acts 24. 5. accused We have found this man a pestilent fellow a mover of sedition Yea our Saviour himself was f John 19. 12. charged that He made himself a King and was a traytor to Caesar But as these were soul and false aspersions so will this appear if we consider 1. When John Ball was executed at S t Albans and Jack g See his confession at large in Stows Survey of London p. 54. Straw at London not the least compliance with Wicliffe or his doctrine is either charged on them or confessed by them 2. No wilde beast will prey on his own kinde Now it is certainly known that John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster was the principal Patron and supporter of Wicliffe whose life they sought to destroy and whose Palace in the Strand they pillaged 3. Wicliffe himself came within the compass of their destructive principles designing the death of all who wore a pen and ink And that Wicliffe had both pen and ink Cope himself doth know and the Court of Rome with shame and sorrow will confess 4. Wicliffe lived some years after and died peaceably possessed of the Living of Lutterworth in Leicester-shire Surely had he been reputed the inflamer of this rebellion the wisdom of the King and Councel would have taken another order with him 5. Amongst the articles laid to the charge of Wicliffe and his followers in this Kings Reign examined at Oxford and elsewhere not a tittle of this rebellion is pressed upon them Which their malicious adversaries would not have omitted if in any hope to make good that accusation against them 6. Whereas it is charged on Wicliffe that he held that Dominion was founded in grace which occasioned this rebellion we know this that Huss his scholar though he did hold that a King being in mortal sin was onely called a King aequivoca denominatione yet the same Huss confesseth to use his own h Huss Tract de Decimis pag. 128. See Bishop Davenants 30 Determination words Ipsum Deum approbare hujusmodi Regem quoad esse Principem exterius That God himself allows such a King to be a Prince in all outward matters So that leaving him to Divine Justice he never dreamt of any resistance or rebellion to be made against him 7. The modern Protestants heirs say the Papists to Wicliffe's doctrine so far abominate these Rebels their levelling and ignorant principles that they are known both to maintain distances of people and to have been the restorers of lost yea the revivers of dead learning and languages How had the Mathematicks measured their own grave Greek turn'd barbarisme Hebrew as it readeth gone backward never to return again had not Protestant Criticks with vast pains and expence preserved them 8. It is more suspicious that this rebellion came out of the Franciscan Covent because some of these belike were the rebels white-boyes and as is afore mentioned to be spared in a general destruction In a word I wonder how many ingenuous Papists can charge Wicliffe of rebellion in maintaining Dominion to be founded in grace when the Grandees of their own Religion Aquine Cajetane Bellarmine Suarez
this be your errand you bring me no great newes for I have looked a long time for this message and I must humbly thank His Majesty that it pleaseth Him to rid me from all this worldly businesse Yet let me by your patience sleep an hour or two for I have slept very ill this night not for any fear of death I thank God but by reason of my great infirmity and weaknesse 7. The King's pleasure is farther said the Lieutenant that you shall use as little speech as may be Yet labours to preserve his life especially of any thing touching His Majesty whereby the people should have any cause to think of Him or His proceedings otherwise than well For that said he you shall see me order my self as by God's grace neither the King nor any man else shall have occasion to mislike of my words With which answer the Lieutenant departed from him and so the Prisoner falling again to rest slept soundly two hours and more And after he was awaked called to his man to help him up But first commanded him to take away his shirt-of-haire which customably he wore and to convey it privily out of the house and instead thereof to lay him forth a clean white shirt and all the best apparel he had as cleanly brushed as might be And as he was arraying himself his man seeing in him more curiosity and care for the fine and cleanly wearing of his apparel that day than was wont demanded of him What this sudden change meant saying That his Lordship knew well enough that he must put off all again within two hours and lose it What of that said he Doest not thou mark that this is our marriage-day and that it behoveth us therefore to use more cleanlinesse for solemnity thereof 8. About nine of the clock the Lieutenant came again Prepareth himsef for his death and finding him almost ready said He was now come for him Then said he to his man Reach me my furred-Tippet to put about my neck Oh my Lord said the Lieutenant what need ye be so careful for your health for this little time being as your self knows not much above an hour I think no otherwise said he but yet in the mean time I will keep myself as well as I can For I tell you truth though I have I thank our Lord a very good desire and willing minde to die at this present and so trust of his infinite mercy and goodnesse he will continue it yet will I not willingly hinder my health in the mean time one minute of an hour but still prolong the same as long as I can by such reasonable waies and means as Almighty God hath provided for me And with that taking a little book in his hand which was a New Testament lying by him he made a crosse on his forehead and went out of his prison-dore with the Lieutenant being so weak as that he was scant able to go down the stairs wherefore at the stairs-foot he was taken up in a chair between two of the Lieutenant's men and carried to the Tower-gate with a great number of weapons about him to be delivered to the Sheriffe of London for execution 9. And He advanceth to the place of his execution as they were come to the uttermost precinct of the liberties of the Tower they rested there with him a space till such time as one was sent before to know in what readinesse the Sheriffs were to receive him During which space he rose out of his chair and standing on his feet leaned his shoulder to the wall and lifting his eyes towards Heaven he opened a little Book in his hand and said O Lord this is the last time that ever I shall open this book let some comfortable place now chance unto me whereby I thy poor servant may glorifie thee in this my last houre And with that looking into the Book the first thing that came to his sight were these words Haec f Ioh. 17. 3 c. est autem vita aeterna ut cognoscant te solum verum Deum quem misisti Jesum Christum Ego te glorificavi super terram opus consummavi quod dedisti mihi c. and with that he shut the Book together and said Here is even learning enough for me to my lives end And so the Sheriffe being ready for him he was taken up again among certain of the Sheriffs men with a new and much greater company of weapons than was before and carried to the Scaffold on the Tower-hill otherwise called East-Smithfield himself praying all the way and recording upon the words which he before had read 10. When he was come to the foot of the Scaffold The manner of his mounting the scaffold they that carried him offered to help him up the stairs but said he Nay Masters seeing I am come so farre let me alone and ye shall see me shift for my self well enough And so went up the stairs without any help so lively that it was a marvell to them that before knew his debility and weaknesse But as he was mounting the stairs the South-east Sun shined very bright in his face whereupon he said to himself these words lifting up his hands Accedite ad eum illuminamini facies vestrae non confundentur By that time he was upon the Scaffold it was about ten a clock where the Executioner being ready to doe his office kneeled down to him as the fashion is and asked him forgivenesse I forgive thee said he with all my heart and I trust thou shalt see me overcome this storm lustily Then was his gown and tippet taken from him and he stood in his doubler and hose in sight of all the people whereof there was no small number assembled to see the execution 11. Being upon the Scaffold His Speech to the people he spake to the people in effect as followeth Christian people I am come hither to die for the faith of Christ's holy Catholick Church and I thank God hitherto my stomack hath served me very well thereunto so that yet I have not feared death wherefore I desire you all to help and assist with your prayers that at the very point and instant of deaths stroke I may in that very moment stand stedfast without fainting in any one point of the Catholick Faith free from any fear And I beseech Almighty God of his infinite goodnesse to save the King and this Realm and that it may please him to hold his holy hand over it and send the King a good Councell These words he spake with such a cheerfull countenance such a stout and constant courage and such a reverend gravity that he appeared to all men not only void of fear but also glad of death 12. After these few words by him uttered His execution he kneeled down on both his knees and said certain prayers Among which as some reported one was the hymn of
to oppose and the flattery of the Courtiers most willing to comply matters were made as sure as mans policy can make that good which is bad in it self But the Commons of England who for many yeers together had conn'd loyalty by-heart out of the Statute of Succession were so perfect in their lesson that they would not be put out of it by this new started designe so that every one proclaimed Mary next Heir in their consciences and few daies after King Edwards death all the project miscarried of the plotters whereof some executed more imprisoned most pardoned all conquered and Queen Mary crowned Thus though the streame of Loyalty for a while was violently diverted to runne in a wrong channell yet with the speediest opportunitie it recovered the right course again 2. But now in what manner this Will of King Edwards was advanced The truth of the carriage of Sr. Edward Mountagu in his drawing up the Will of King Edw. the sixth that the greatest blame may be laid on them who had the deepest guilt the following answer of Sr. Edward Mountagu Lord Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas accused for drawing up the Will and committed by Queen Mary to prison for the same will truly acquaint us The original whereof under his own hand was commnuicated unto me by his great grandchilde Edward Lord Mountagu of Boughton and here faithfully exemplified SR Edward Mountagu Knight late Chief-Justice of the Common Pleas received a letter from Greenwich dated the eleventh day of June last past signed with the hands of the Lord Treasurer the Duke of Northumberland John Earl of Bedford Francis Earl of Shrewsburie the Earl of Pembroke the Lord Clynton the Lord Darcie John Gate William Peter William Cecill John Cheke whereby he was commanded to be at the Court on the morrow by one of the clock at after-noon and to bring with him Sr. John Baker Justice Bromley the Attorney and Solicitour General and according to the same all they were there at the said hour of one of the clock And after they were brought to the presence of the King the Lord Treasurer the Marquesse of Northampton Sr. John Gate and one or two more of the Councill whose names he doth not now remember were present And then and there the King by His own mouth said that now in His sicknesse he had considered the state of this His Realm and Succession which if He should decease without Heir of His body should go to the Lady Mary who was unmarried and might marry a stranger-borne whereby the Lawâ— of this Realm might be altered and changed and His Highnesse proceedings in Religion might be altered Wherefore His pleasure was that the state of the Crown should go in such forme and to such persons as His Highnesse had appointed in a Bill of Articles not signed with the Kings hand which were read commanded them to make a Book thereof accordingly with speed And they finding divers faults not onely for the incertainty of the Articles but also declaring unto the King that it was directly against the Act of Succession which was an Act of Parliament which would not be taken away by no such devise Notwithstanding His Highnesse would not otherwise but that they should draw a Book according to the said Articles which he then took them and they required a reasonable time of His Highnesse for the doeing thereof and to consider the Laws and Statutes made for the Succession which indeed were and be more dangerous then and of them they did consider and remember and so they departed commanding them to make speed And on the morrow all the said persons met and perusing the said Statutes there grew this question amongst them whether it were presently treason by the words of the Statute of Anno primo Edvardi Sexti or no treason till it were put in execution after the Kings death because the words of the Statute are the King His Heirs and Successours because the King can have no Successours in His life but to be sure they were all agreed that it were the best and surer way to say to the Lords that the execution of this devise after the Kings decease was not onely treason but the making of this devise was also presently treason as well in the whole Councell as in them and so agreed to make their report without doing any thing for the execution thereof And after Sr. William Peter sent for the said Sr. Edward to Eely-place who shewed him that the Lords required great speed in the making of the said Book and he told him there were none like to be made for them for the danger aforesaid And after that the said S. Edward with the rest of his company went to the Court and before all the Council the Duke of Northumberland being not in the Council-chamber made report to the Lords that they had considered the Kings Articles and also the Statutes of Succession whereby it appeared manifestly that if they should make any Book according to the Kings commandment they should not onely be in danger of treason but also their Lordships all wherefore they thought it their bounden duties to declare the danger of the Laws unto them and for avoiding of the danger thereof they had nothing done therein nor intended to doe the Laws being so dangerous and standing in force The Duke of Northumberland having intelligence of their answer either by the Earle of Huntington or by the Lord Admiral cometh into the Council-Chamber before all the Council there benign in a great rage and fury trembling for anger and amongst his ragious talk called the said Sr. Edward Traitour and further said that he would fight in his shirt with any man in that quarrel as all the whole Council being there will report whereby the said Sr. Edward with the rest were in great fear and dread in special Mr. Bromley and the said Sr. Edward for Mr. Bromley told the said after that he dread then that the Duke would have striken one of them and after they were commanded to go home and so departed in great fear without doing any thing more at that time wishing of God they had stood to it as they did then unto this time And after the said Sr. Edward received another letter dated at Greenwich the 14 th of June last past signed with the hands â—f the Lord Treasurer the Earl of Bedford the Marquesse of Northampton the Earle of Shrewsburie the Lord Clynton the Lord Cobham the Lord Darcy William Peter John Gate John Cheeke whereby he was commanded to bring with him Sr. John Baker Justice Bromley and Mr. Gosnolde and to be at the Court on the morrow by one of the clock at after-noon where all they were at the same houre and conveyed into a chamber behinde the Dining-Chamber there and all the Lord looked upon them with earnest countenance as though they had not known them So that the said Sr. Edward with the other might perceive there
were some earnest determination against them and at length they were brought before the King Himself there being present all the whole Council And the King demanded of them why they had not made His Book according to His commandment and refused that to doe with sharp words and angry countenance and the said Sr. Edward opened unto His Highnesse the cause why they did it not and he and other had before declared and opened to the Councill that if the writings were made they were of no effect nor force but utterly void when the King should decease and the Statute of Succession not impaired nor hurted for these will not be taken away but by the same authority they were made and that was by Parliament To that said the King we minde to have a Parliament shortly not telling when which was the first time that the said Sr. Edward heard of any Parliament to be 〈◊〉 Whereunto he said if His pleasure were so all might be deferred to the Parliament and all dangers and perils saved Whereunto the King said he would have this done and after ratifie it by Parliament And after commanded them very sharply upon their allegiance to make it and there were divers of the Lords that stood behind the said Sr. Edward said and if they refused to do that they were traitours And the said Sr. Edward was in great fear as ever he was in all his life before seeing the King so earnest and sharpe and the said Duke so angry the day before who ruled the whole Councill as it pleased him and were all affraid of him the more is the pitty so that such cowardnesse and feare was there never seen amongst honourable men as it hath appeared The said Sr. Edward being an old weak man and without comfort began to consider with himself what was best to be done for the safeguard of his life which was like to chance in that fury and great anger presently And remembring that the making of the said writing was not presently treason by the Statute of Anno primo because this word Successour would take no place while the King was living and determined with himself not to meddle nor execute any thing concerning the same after the death of the King which he hath truly kept hereunto And also remembring that the Queens Highnesse that now is should come by Act of Succession as a purchaser by the law might not lawfully punish treason or contempt committed in the Kings life he said unto the King that he had served His most noble Father many yeers and also His Highnesse during His time Anno Dom. 1553 and loth he would be to disobey His commandment Anno Regin Mar. 1. for his own part he would obey it so that His Highnesse would grant to them His commandment license and commission under His great Seal for the doing making and executing of all things concerning the same and when the things were done that they might have a general pardon All which Commission and pardon was as much as the said Sr. Edward could invent to help this danger over and besides the things above remembred which Commission and pardon the King granted them saying it was but reason that they should have them both and the Commission is passed the Great Seal and the Pardon was signed and as far as he knew sealed All the said matters considered the said Sr. Edward said for his part he would obey the Kings commandment and so did M. Bromley say the same and the King said to Sr. John Baker what say you you said never a word today who as I take it agreed to the same Mr. Gosnold required a respite for he was not yet perswaded to do the thing required How the said Duke and the Earl of Shrewsburie handled him he can tell best himself And after upon the said Sr. Edwards motion the King gave him licence to be advised untill upon the morrow who of himself being in great fear was content to obey the Kings commandment and so the doers and makers of the said Book with sorrowfull hearts and with weeping eyes in great fear and dread devised the said Book according to such Articles as were signed with the Kings proper hand above and beneath and on every side And their said Commission with Articles so signed with the Kings hand and the Book drawn in paper were conveyed from the Court to the Lord Chancelors to be ingrossed in parchment and to passe the great Seal which was done accordingly And on the morrow next after the last Terme ended the said Sr. Edward and all the Judges were sent for he puts his hand to the Book in parchment sealed with the Great Seal and so did many others The said Book of Articles so signed remaineth with the Lord Chancellour Bishop of Eely but who conveyed the said Paper Book into the Chancery or who wrot them or who set their hands to the same Book the said Sr. Edward till he see them he cannot tell but he will not denie but he was privie to the making of them as he hath before said and that he came to the knowledge of the matter by the Articles unsigned and by the Articles signed with the Kings hand and both delivered unto him by the Kings own hands Who put the King in minde to make the said Articles or whowrote them or any of them or by whose procurement or counsell they were made or by what means he and others were called unto this matter he knoweth not but he thinks in his conscience the King never invented this matter of Himself out by some wonderfull false compasse he prayeth God the truth may be known as he doubts not it will be And further he and all his company as well before the King as before the Lords at all times said that their writings before they were made and after they were made were of no value force nor effect to any intent constitution or purpose after the Kings death and there is no remedy to help this but by Parliament And that after the said Thursday being the morrow after the Terme last past that he by any writing printing overt deed or act never did any thing sithence the same day in the Kings life ne sithence the death of the King for he determined with himself to be no executour of the said devise whatsoever should chance of it nor ever medled with the Councill in any thing nor came amongst them untill the Queens Grace that now is was proclaimed Queen in London nor never executed Commission Proclamation or other commandment from the Ladie Jane nor Her Councill but commanded my son to serve the Queens Grace that now is and to go to Sr. Thomas Tresham and Buckingham-shire-men that went to her Grace to defend Her which he so did to my no little cost The case thus stated these notes follow written with the same hand Now that it is to be considered the great fear the said Sr. Edward was
them leâ—s heat or more light forgetting themselves to be carefull for us Something happened in those dayes by Gods will which I did not so much as hope for I had articulatly set down in writing our points and certain most equal demands confessing my self to be a Priest of the Society coming with an intent to amplifie the Catholick faith teach the Gospel administer Sacraments I requested audience of the Queen and the Peers of the Realm and d d Bart challenging They that long most for duells first surleit of them challenged my adversaries to the combate I resolved to keep one copy to my self that it might be carried to the Judges with me another I had committed to my friend with this intent that if they took me and my copy the other should presently be spread abroad My friend did not conceal it he published it it is worne in every mans hand Our adversaries are stark mad Out of their Pulpits their Preachers answer that they indeed desire it but the Queen is not willing that matters now being setled there should be any farther disputation They rend us with their railings call us Seditious Hypocrites yea and Hereticks also which is most laughed at The people in this point are altogether ours This Errour hath made marvelously for our advantage If we be commanded on the Publick Faith e e So my printed copie wherein I suspect some mistake daâ—im is non curiam But they intend nothing less All our Prisons are filled with Catholicks new ones are preparing Now at last they openly maintain that it is better to deliver a few Traitors over to death then to betray the souls of so many men Now they say nothing of their own Martyrs for we conquer in Cause Number Dignity and the Opinion of all men We produce for a few Apostates or Coblers burnt Bishops a a Not one Popish Bishop put to death nor Peer of the Realm five for actuall rebellion in all the Queens Reign Whereas in the Marian dayes we had an Arch-Bishop and foure Bishops burnt for meer matters of conscience Regulos petty Princes Knights and most eminent of the Gentry mirrors of learning honesty and wisdome the choisest youth illustrious Matrons The rest of middle estate almost innumerable all of them at once or every day consumed Whilst I write these things a most cruel persecution rageth The house is sad for they presage either the death of their friends or that to save their lives they must hide be in prison or suffer the loss of all their goods yet they go on couragiously Very many even now are reconciled to our Church New Souldiers inlist their names and old ones freely shed their blood Herewith and with these holy sacrifices God will be merited and out of doubt in short time we shall overcome You see therefore Reverend Father how much we need your sacrifices prayers and heavenly assistance There will be some in England who may provide for their own safety and there will be those who may promote the good of others Man may be angry and the Devill mad so long the Church here will stand whilest the shepheards are not wanting to their sheep I am hindred with a report of a most present danger that I can write no more at this time Let God arise and let his enemies be scattered Farewell Edmond Campian * Campian catcht by Walsinghams setters Secretary Walsingham one of a steadie head no more than needfull for him who was to dive into such whirle-pools of State laid out for Campians apprehension Many were his lime-twigs to this purpose Some of his Emissaries were bred in Rome it self It seems his Holiness was not infallible in every thing who pai'd pensions to some of Walsinghams spies sent thither to detect Catholicks Of these Sled and Eliot were the principal Surely these Setters could not accomplish their ends but with deep dissembling and damnable lying If any account such officers evils I deny it not but adde them to be necessary evils in such a dangerous juncture of time Alwayes set a to catch a and the greatest dear-stealers make the best Parke-keepers Indeed these spies were so cunning they could trace a labyrinth without the guidance of a clew of thread and knew all by-corners at home and abroad At last Eliot snapt Campian in his own lodging and in great triumph he was carried to the Tower 42. The Papists tell us of seven deadly racks in the Tower Pretended cruelty in racking Papists all of them exercised on some or other their prisoners therein One rack called the Duke of Exeters the other the Scavengers daughter and these haply had their grand-children God keep all good men in the joyfull ignorance of them and their issue Campian is said * Sanders De Schis Anglicano pag. 409. thrice or four times to have been tortured on them ad lâ—xationem ac quassationem omnium membrorum if the report thereof be not rackt beyond the proportion of truth However we request the ingenuous 43. First Excused in some degree to consider there scarce passed a leap-year wherein the Papists did not lay their eggs or hatch some treason against the Queen which excuseth such severity used to detect conspiracies Secondly I finde when Father Briâ—nt a Priest was a Ribadeneira his continuation of Sanders de Schis Ang. in his Diarie An. 1581 Moneth of March. rack'd most cruelly he confesseth Se nihil quicquam doloris sensisse That he felt no pain at all Were this false I wonder so religious a man would report it were it true I wonder that Campian every inch as religious as Briant had not the same miraculous favour indulged to him Thirdly Campian presently after his racking wrote letters with his own b Camb. Eliz. in this year hand which shews he was not so disioynted with such cruelty as is pretended Lastly those who complain of Campians usage have forgotten or will not remember how Anne Askue and Cuth'ert Simpson on whom no shaddow of treason could be charged were most cruelly and causelessly rack'd by Popish persecutors as a preface to their ensuing martyrdome 44. We leave Campian for a time in a safe place Persons his three wonderfull escapes where we are sure to finde him at our return to behold how it fared with Father Persons diligently sought for by Walsinghams setters and therefore as eminent for making his three escapes as writing his three conversions 1. By hiding himself in a stack of hay hard by a publick Inne whither messengers were sent to attach him 2. Being amused with grief and fear and fright he could not finde an c Continuatio Sanderi De Schis Ang. pag. 404. house in London otherwise well known unto him whither he intended to go and by losing his way saved his life that place being beset with souldiers to apprehend him 3. When scarce gone out of an house on the Thames side but the same was
winding but burning sheet as expecting at last he should be brought to the stake for his religion But men may make cloaths either for mirth or for mourning whilst God alone orders whether or no they shall wear them 13. After the coming of Queen Elizabeth to the Crown A single man yet a true father he with more earnestnes refused a Bishoprick then others affected it His parsonage at Haughton as it might seem a Bishops Palace for building so was it no less for hospitality Fourteen Villages belonging to that mother Church the poor whereof besides many others were daily relieved at his door twenty Scholars he commonly boarded in his house which seemed a little Colledge In a word he was commonly called Father Gilpin and well deserved it for his paternall affections to all Making his yearly progress into Rheadsdale and Tinsdale in Northumberland where people sat in darkness of ignorance and shaddow of death and instructing them by his heavenly preaching 14. Now began that fatall yearl generally foretold that it would be wonderfull as it proved no less The brave coming forth of the Spanish Armado Whence the Astrologers fetcht their intelligence hereof 1588 whether from Heaven 31. or Hell from other Stars or from Lucifer alone is uncertain this is most sure that this prediction though hitting the mark yet miss'd their meaning who both first reported and most believed it Out comes their invincible Navie and Army perfectly appointed for both Elements Water and Land to Sail and March compleat in all warlike Equipage so that formerly with far less provision they had conquered another new world Mighty was the bulk of their ships the sea seeming to groan under them being a burden to it as they went and to themselves before they returned with all manner of artillery prodigious in number and greatness so that the report of their guns do stil and ought ever to sound in the ears of the English not to fright them with any terrour but to fill them with deserved thankfulness 15. It is said of Senacherib The shameful sight and return thereof coming against Hierusalem with his numerous army by a 1 Kings 19. 33. the way that he came shall he return and shall not come into this City saith the Lord as the later part of his threatning was verified here no Spantard setting foot on English ground under other notion then a prisoner so God did not them the honour to return the same way who coming by South-East a way they knew went back by South-West a way they sought chased by our ships past the 57 th Degree of Northen Latitude then and there left to be pursued after by hunger and cold Thus having tasted the English valour in conquering them the Scotch constancy in not relieving them the Irish cruelty in barbarous butchering them the small reversion of this great navie which came home might be look'd upon by religious eyes as reliques not for the adoration but instruction of their nation hereafter not to account any thing invincible which is less then infinite 16. Such as lose themselves by looking on second causes impute the Spanish ill success This deliverance principally wrought by Gods arm partly to the Prince of Parma who either mind-bound or wind-bound staying himself or stopt by the Hollander would or could not come to their seasonable succour and partly to the Duke of Medina's want of commission to fight with the English save on the defensive till joyned with Parma Anno Regin Eliza. 31. Thus when God will have a designe defeated Anno Dom. 1588. amidst the plenty yea superfluity of all imaginable necessaries some unsuspected one shall be wanting to frustrate all the rest We will not mention save in due distance of helps the industry and loyalty of the Lord Hâ—ward Admirall the valour of our captains the skill of our pilots the activity of our ships but assigne all to the goodness of God as Queen Elizabeth did Leave we her in the Quire of Pauls church devoutly on her knees with the rest of her Nobles in the same humble posture returning their unseigned thanks to the God and giver of all victory whilst going abroad we shall finde some of her subjects worse employed in implacable enmity about Ecclesiasticall discipline one against another And let not the mentioning of this deliverance be censured as a deviation from the Church-History of Britain Silence thereof being a sin for had the designe took effect neither Protestant Church in Britain had remained nor History thereof been made at this present 17. But bullets did not fly about so much at sea Scurrilous Pamphlets dispersed as bastardly Libels by land so fitly call'd because none durst father them for their issue They are known though not by their Parents by their names 1 The Epitome 2 The demonstration of discipline 3 The Supplication 4 Diotrephes 5 The Minerals 6 Have you any work for the Cooper 7 Martin Seignior 8 Martin Junior Marprelate 9 More work for the Cooper c. The main drift and scope of these pamphlets for know one and know all these foule mouth'd papers like Blackmoors did all look alike was to defame and disgrace the English Prelates scoffing at them for their garb gate apparel vanities of their youth naturall defects and personall infirmities it is strange how secretly they were printed how speedily dispers'd how generally bought how greedily read yea and how firmly beleeved especially of the common sort to whom no better musick then to hear their betters upbraided 18. Some precise men of that side thought these jeering pens well employed Their reasons for the lawfulness of such pamphlets For having formerly as they say tried all serious and sober means to reclaim the Bishops which hitherto proved uneffectuall they thought it not amiss to try this new way that whom they could not in earnest make odious in sport they might render ridiculous Wits will be working and such as have a Satyricall vein cannot better vent it then in lashing of sin Besides they wanted not a warrant as they conceived in Holy Writ where it was no soloecisme to the gravity of Eliah to mock a 1 Kings 18 27. Baals priests out of their superstition chiefly this was conceived would drive on their designe strengthen their party by working on the peoples affections which were marvelously taken with the reading thereof 19. But the more discreet and devout sort of men These Books disclaimed by the discreet sort and why even of such as were no great friends to the Hierarchy upon solemn debate then resolved I speak on certain knowledge from the mouths of such whom I must believe that for many foul falsehoods therein suggested such Books were altogether unbeseeming a pious spirit to print publish or with pleasure peruse which supposed true both in matter and measure charity would rather conceal then discover The best of men being so conscious of their own badness