Bodies first brought to be buried in Churches confirmed by the authority of Gregory the Great Bishop of Rome it was decreed that no Corpse either of Prince or Prelate should be buried within the Walls of a City but onely in the Suburbs thereof and that alone in the Porch of the Church and not in the Body Now Cuthbert Arch-bishop of Canterbury having built Christ-Church therein was desirous to adorn it with the Corpses of great Persons therein afterwards to be interred In pursuance of this his Design he durst not adventure on this Innovation by his own Power nor did he make his applications to the Pope of Rome as most proper to repeal that Act which the See Apostolick had decreed but onely addresseth himself to Eadbert King of Kent and from him partim precario partim etiam pretio partly praying partly paying for it saith my b Tho. Spot in his Hist of Canterbury Also Archiv Caniuariens cited by Antiq. Brit. in Cuthbert Authour obtained his Request Behold here an ancient Church-Canon recalled at the Suit of an Arch-bishop by the Authority of a King This Cuthbert afterwards handselled Christ-Church with his own Corpse whose Predecessours were all buried in S t. Augustines without the Walls of Canterbury Thus began Corpses to be buried in the Churches which by degrees brought in much Superstition especially after degrees of inherent Sanctity were erroneously fixed in the severall parts thereof the Porch saying to the Church-yard the Church to the Porch the Chancel to the Church the East-end to all Stand farther off for I am holier then you And as if the Steps to the High Altar were the Stairs to Heaven their Souls were conceived in a nearer degree to Happinesse whose Bodies were mounted there to be interred 28. About this time the Bill of fare of Monks was bettered generally in England The occasion of Monks their first drinking of wine in England and more liberty indulged in their Diet. It was first occasioned some twenty yeares since when Ceolwolphus formerly King of Northumberland but then a Monk in the Convent of Lindisfern or Holy Island c Roger. Hoved. in parte priori gave leave to that Convent to drink Ale and Wine anciently confined by Aidan their first Founder to Milk and Water Let others dispute whether Ceolwolphus thus dispensed with them by his new Abbatical or old Regal Power which he so resigned that in some cases he might resume it especially to be King in his own Convent And indeed the cold raw and bleak Situation of that place with many bitter Blasts from the Sea and no Shelter on the Land speaks it self to each Inhabitant there d 1 Tim. 5. 23 Drink no longer VVater but use a little VVine for thy Stomacks sake and thine often Infirmities However this locall Priviledge first justly indulged to the Monks of Lindisfern 760 was about this time extended to all the Monasteries of England whose primitive over-Austerity in Abstinence was turned now into a Self-sufficiency that soon improved into Plenty that quickly depraved into Riot and that at last occasioned their Ruine 29. This Year the English have cause to write with Sable letters in their Almanack 789 on this sad Occasion Danes their first arrivall in England that therein the Danes first invaded England with a considerable Army Anno Dom. 789 Severall Reasons are assigned for their coming hither to revenge themselves for some pretended Injuries though the true Reason was because England was richer and roomthyer then their own Countrey 30. It is admirable to consider what Sholes of people were formerly vented out of Cimbrica Chersonesus Denmark formerly fruitfull is now become barren of men take it in the largest a Otherwise strictly it containeth onely part of Denmark Continent to Germany extent for Denmark Norway and Swedeland who by the terrible Names of Gothes Ostro-Gothes Viâ—i-Gothes Huns Vandals Danes Nortmans overranne the fairest and fruitfullest parts of Christendome whereas now though for these last three hundred yeares the Swedish Warres in Germany excepted that Countrey hath sent forth no visible Numbers of People and yet is very thinly inhabited so that one may travell some hundreds of Miles therein through mere Desarts every man whom he meeteth having a Phoenix in his right hand Yea so few the Natives that some of their Garrisons are manned with Forreigners and their Kings sain to entertain mercenary Dutch and Scotch to manage their Warres 31. Strange Two reasons thereof that this Countrey formerly all on the giving should now be onely on the taking hand Some b Barklay in Icon animaâ—um impute their modern comparative Barrennesse to their excessive Drinking a Vice belike which lately hath infected that Nation drinking themselves past Goats into Stocks out of Wantonnesse into Stupidity which by a contracted Habit debilitateth their former Fruitfulnesse Others more c G. Tayl. in his Chronicle of Normandy truely ascribe their former Fruitfulnesse to their promiscuous Copulations with Women during their Paganisme which are not so numerous since Christianity hath confined them to the Marriage of one VVife 32. If I might speak according to my own Profession of a Divine soaring over Second Causes in Nature I should ascribe their ancient Populousnesse to Divine Operation The reason of reasons As the Widow her Oyle multiplyed till her Debts were satisfied and that effected for which the Miracle was intended which done the Increase thereof instantly ceased So these Northern Parts flowed with Crouds of People till their Inundations had payed the Scores of sinfull Christians and then the Birch growing no more when the wanton Children were sufficiently whipped the Procreativenesse of those Nations presently stinted and abated 33. The Landing of these Danes in England was ushered with many sad Prognosticks Bad presages of the Danes approach d Sim. Dunel Ranulphus Cestrensis alii Starres were seen strangely falling from Heaven and sundry terrible Flames appeared in the Skies From the firing of such extraordinary Beacons all concluded some new Enemie was approaching the Nation Serpents were seen in Sussex and Bloud reigned in some parts of the Land Lindesfern or Holy Island was the first that felt the Fury of these Pagans but soon after no place was safe and secure from their Cruelty whereof more hereafter 34. At this time the Arch-bishoprick of Canterbury was in part removed to Lichfield The Archepiscopal Pall removed to Lichfield five essentiall things concurring to that great Alteration 790 1. The Puissance and Ambition of Offa King of Mercia commanding in Chief over England He would have the brightest Mitre to attend the biggest Crown 2. The complying nature of Pope Adrian except any will call it his Thankfulnesse to gratifie King Offa for the large Gifts received from him 3. The easy and unactive Disposition of Iambert or Lambert Arch-bishop of Canterbury unlesse any will term it his Policy that finding himself unable to resist
this Land till at last after a personall Duel fought the Land was equally divided betwixt them A division wherewith both seemed neither were well pleased seeing the least whole head cannot be fitted with the biggest half Crown all or none was their desire Edm. Iron side teacherously slain Canutus at last with his Silver Hand was too hard for the other his Iron Side who by his promised Bribes prevailed with one Edrick to kill this his Corrivall which being performed he was fairely advanced with a h Others say he was beheaded Canutus his cruelty Halter It would spoil the Trade of all Traytours Canuti 1 if such Coyn onely were currant in paying their Rewards 5. Canutus or Knot the Dane from whom a Bird in Lincolnshire is so called 1017 wherewith his Palate i Draitons Poly-olbion pag. 112. was much pleased bathed himself in English Bloud whom at this distance of time we may safely term a Tyrant so many Murthers and Massacres were by him committed For his Religion as yet he was a Mungrel betwixt a Pagan and a Christian though at last the later prevailed especially after his Pilgrimage to Rome In his passage thither 14 he went through France 1031 where understanding that the people paid deep Taxes Converted into charity he disburst so much of his own money in their behalf that he brought their k Rodulph de Diceto column 468. Taxes to be abated to one l Iohannes Bromton in leg Canuti column 912. He goeth to Rome half An Act of Pitty in a Prince without Precedent done to Forrainers It is vain for the English to wish the like Curtesy from the King of France partly because England lies not in their way to Rome partly because they are fuller of Complements then Curtesie 6. Coming to Rome 16 Canutus turned Convert 1033 changing his Condition with the Climate shewing there many expressions of Devotion Much he gave to the Pope and something he gained from him namely an Immunity for Archbishops Returneth improved in devotion from their excessive Charges about their Pall and some other Favours he obtained for his Subjects After his return into his own Country he laid out all the remainder of his dayes in Acts of Charitie in founding or enriching of religious Houses Anno Dom. and two especially Anno Canuâ—i Saint Bennets in the Holm in Norfolk and Hyde Abbey near VVinchester 7. To this latter he gave a Crosse so costly for the Metall The paramount Crosse of England for richness and curious for the Making 1035 that one yeares a Camdens Briton in Hantshire revenues of his Crown was expended on the same 18 But the Crosse of this Crosse was that about the Reign of King Henry the sixth it was b Idem ibidem King Canutus his Humility burnt down with the whole Monastery in a Fire which was very suspicious to have been kindled by intentionall Malice This Canutus towards the latter end of his Reign never wore a Crown resigning up the same to the Image of our Saviour he was also famous for a particular act of Humility done by him on this occasion 8. A Parasite and sooner will an hot May want Flies Commands the Sea then a Kings Court such Flatterers sought to puffe up King Canutus with an opinion of his Puissance as if because England and Norway therefore Aeolus and Neptune must obey him In confuting of whose falsehood Canutus commanded his Chair of State to be set on the Sea-shore nigh South-Hampton and settled himself thereon Then he c Hen. Huntington in vita Canuti But in vain imperiously commanded the Waves as a Fence which walled that Land belonging unto him to observe their due Distance not presuming to approach him The surly Waves were so far from obeying they heard him not who listned onely to the Proclamation of a higher Monarch d Iob 38. 11 Hither shalt thou come and no further and made bold to give the Kings Feet so course a Kisse as wetted him up to the Knees 9. On this accident King Canutus made an excellent Sermon His Sermon thereon First adoring the infinite Power of God sole Commander of the Winds and Waves Secondly confessing the frailty of all Flesh unable to stop the least Drop of the Sea Thirdly confuting the Profanenesse of Flatterers fixing an infinite Power in a finite Creature As for the Laws made by King Canutus His Laws why omitted we have purposely omitted them not so much because many large and ordinarily extant but chiefly because most of Civil Concernment Haroldi Harefoot 1 10. Two of his Sons succeeded him Harold Harefoot succeeded him more known by their handsome Sur-names 1036 then any other Desert First his base Son taking advantage of his Brothers absence called from his Swiftnesse Hardy Canuti 1 Harold Harefoot belike another e 2 Sam. 2. 18 Then Hardy Canutus Asahel in Nimblenesse but Hares-heart had better befitted his Nature 1040 so cowardly his disposition Then his legitimate Sonne called Hardy Canute more truely bloudy Canute eminent for his Cruelty With him expired the Danish Royall Line in England leaving no Issue behind him and opening an Opportunity for the banished Sonne of King Ethelred to recover the Crown whose ensuing Reign is richly worth our description Mean time it is worth our observing in how few yeares the Danish Greatnesse shrank to nothing and from formidable became inconsiderable yea contemptible Indeed Canutus was one of extraordinary Worth and the Wheel once moved will for a time turn of it self Had Harold his Son by what way it skilled not been one of a tolerable disposition he might have traded in Reputation on the Stock of his Fathers Memory But being so very mean considerable onely in Cruelty his Fathers Worth did him the Disadvantage to render his Vnworthynesse the more conspicuous Besides when Hardy Canute his Brother succeeded him and though better born shewed himself no better bred in his inhumane Carriage it caused not onely a Neuseation in the people of England of Danish Kings but also an appetite yet a longing after their true and due Soveraign 11. Edward the Confessour Anno Regis Edvardi confessoris 1 youngest Son of King Etherlred Anno Dom. 1042 his elder Brethren being slain Edward the Confessour becomes King of England and their Children fled away came to be King of England I understand not the Ceremony which I read was used to this Edward whilest as yet saith a Monkish a Father Hierome Porter in the flowers of the lives of the Saints pag. 2. Authour properly enough in his own Language he was contained in the weak Cloisters of his Mothers VVomb at which time the Peers of the Land sware Allegiance unto him or her the Sex as yet being unknown before he was born Indeed I find that Varanes his Child was crowned King whilest yet in his
the Truth hand to hand by dint of Scripture the Sword and Buckler thereof by God's appointment the Pope took off all his Adversaries at distance with those Guns of Hellish Invention his Infallibility and Universall Jurisdiction so that no approaching his presence to oppose him but with certainty of being pre-condemned 28. Now seeing the Complaints of the conscientious in all Ages The power of a Nationall Church well improved against the Errors in the Romish Church met with no other entertainment than frowns and frets and afterwards fire and fagot it came seasonably into the mindes of those who steered the English Nation to make use of that power which God had bestowed upon them And seeing they were a National Church under the civil command of one King He by the advice and consent of his Clergie in Convocation and great Council in Parliament resolved to reform the Church under His inspection from grosse abuses crept into it leaving it free to other Churches either to follow His example or continue in their former condition and on these terms was the English Reformation first advanced 29. But the Romanists object Objection to the contrary that England being first converted to Christianity by the zeale and care of the Church of Rome when Pope Gregory the great sent Augustine over to preach here cannot not onely without great Ingratitude but flat Undutifulnesse depart from the Church which first taught it true Religion It is answered Answer 1. First this Argument reacheth not west of Severne into Wales where the antient Britains by generall confession were converted before the time of Augustine Secondly Answer 2. this first favour received from Rome puts not on England so strict and servile an obligation of perpetual continuance that she may and must not serve God without asking her leave It ties England onely to a faire and gratefull respect which she alwaies tender'd till the Insolency of the Church of Rome made Us unwilling to pay and Her unworthy to receive it Thirdly Answer 3. some strength may be allowed to this Objection if Rome could be proved the same in Doctrine and Discipline when under the Reign of King Henry the eighth England divided it self from it with Rome when in the time of Gregory the great it was converted by God's blessings on his endeavours But since that time the Church of Rome hath been much corrupted in Opinions and practise easie to prove but that it is not the set work of our History 30. But again the Papists object 2. Objection of the Romanists that the most judicious Protestants doe ingeniously confesse that the Church of Rome maintaineth all the Fundamentals of Religion England therefore cannot be excused from Schisme for dividing from that Church which by their own confession still retaineth the true Foundation of Christianity 31. It is answered The Answer if some Protestants be so civil in their censures on Papists it appears thereby though they have left Rome they have not lost their courtesie nor their Charity But grant which is disputable the Errours of the Church of Rome not Fundamental they are Circa-Fundamental grating on the very Foundation Besides we are bound to avoid not onely what is deadly but what is hurtful not onely what may destroy the life but what may prejudice the health of our Souls But our Adversaries persist to object 3. Objection that our Reformation took its rise from King Henry's pride to pluck down a Power which crossed His designes from His covetousnesse to compasse the Revenues of Abbey and from His wantonnesse to exchange His old Embracings for new ones Well therefore may the English blush at the Babe when they behold its Parents and be ashamed of their Reformation considering the vitious Extraction thereof Answ The Answer Malice may load the Memory of K. Henry about His demerit yet grant the charge true that bad inclinations first moved Him to the Reformation yet He acted therein nothing but conformable to the Law Divine and Humane It is usuall with God's wisdome and goodnesse to suffer Vice to sound the first Alarum to that fight wherein Virtue is to have the Victory Besides King Henry's Reformation hath since been Reformed by successive Princes of England who cannot justly be taxed with any vitious reflexion therein 32. It remaineth that we take notice of the moderation of the Reformers The moderation of Reformers who being acted not with an Opposition to all which the Papists practised but with an Affection to Truth disclaimed onely the Ulcers and Sores not what was sound of the Romish Church retaining still what was consonant to Antiquity in the Four first Generall Councels 33. Matters thus ordered The Conclusion of the Contest had the Romanists been pleased to joyn with us there had been no complaining of Schisme either in their Streets or ours But such their pride and peevishnesse to persist obstinate to this day incense many people who listen more to the loudnesse than weigh the justnesse of Complaints accusing us of wilfull Separation But the Premisses well considered England may say to Rome * Gen. 38. 29. Pharez the breach be upon thee who with * 2 Kings 11. 14. Athaliah crying Treason treason being her self the prime Traytour taxeth us with Schisme when she the onely Schismatick 34. We enter now on a subject The Popes revenues out of England which we must not omit such is the concernment thereof in our History yet which we cannot compleat so intricate the nature thereof and so short and doubtfull our intelligence therein namely to give a generall estimate particulars being impossible of the Papall Revenues of England 35. Here be it premised that I humbly conceive Greatest under King Hen. 3. the Pope's Income ran the highest in England under King Henry the third and King Edward the first before the Statute of Mortmaine and after it that of Premunire was made for these much abated his Intrado And although I deny not but under King Henry the eighth he might receive more Money as then more plentifull in England yet his profit formerly was greater if the standard of Gold and Silver be but stated proportionably 36. However the vast summes Rome received hence at the time of Reformation Popes profit by sale of Trinkets will appear by the insuing commodities For first Agnus Dei's this is here set by Synecdoclie to signifie all Popish Trinkets Medals consecrated Beads c. which I as little know what they be as Papists why they use them Of these were yearly brought over from Rome into England as many as would fill the shop of a Habberdasher of Holy Wares Now though their prices were not immediately paid into the Pope's purse but to such his subordinate Officers who traded therein Yet they may be accounted part of the Papall Revenues the King hath what the Courtiers have by His consent and if such trading was not permitted unto them the
Pope must either abate of his Traine or finde his Officers other waies of subsistance 37. Secondly By his Annates for Annates so called because they were the intire Revenues of one Yeare in the nature of first Fruits which the Bishops and inferiour Clergie paid to the Pope We have no light concerning the latter but can present the Reader with an exact account what every Bishop in England new elected or translated to a See paid at his entrance to his Holinesse BISHOPRICK paid a This Catalogue was extracted our of Bishop Godwin Canterbury 10000. F. Besides for his Pall 5000. F. London 3000. F. Winchester 12000. D. Elie 7000. D. Lincolne Coventrey and Lichfield 1733. D. Salisbury 4500. * This standeth for Crown Cr. Bath and Wells 430. D. Exeter 6000. D. Norwich 5000. D. Worcester 2000. F. Hereford 18000. F. Chichester 333. F. Rochester St. Davids 1500. F. Landaffe 700. F. Bangor 126. F. St. Asaph 126. F. Yorke 10000. D. Besides for his Pall 5000. D. Durham 9000. F. Carlisle 1000. F. In this account F stands for Florenes being worth 4s 6d in our English money D for single Duckets sufficiently known for 8 shillings Lincolnes not being valued I behold as a meeâ— casual omission in this Catalogue but can render a reason why Rochester not rated who being accounted as Chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury and antiently in his Donation may be supposed valued in the high valuation of his Patron That Bath and Wells then so high in Wealth should be so low in first Fruits whereat my b Quod miror Godw in his Catalogue of Bishops p. 447 By appea's Authour wonders plainly shows that Favour was fashionable as in all other Courts so in the Court of Rome The rest of the English Bishopricks were not in being before the Reformation 39. Thirdly by Appeals The Pope having learn'd this policy from the Councill of Jethro to Moses * Exod. 18. 22. every Great thing they shall bring unto thee but every Small matter they viz the 70 Elders shall Judge reserved to himself the definitive sentence in all high Controversies which brought no small profit unto him 40. Fourthly By King Athelwolth's Pension by K. Athelph's Pension given by him to the Pope Anno 852. whereof largely before A distinct payment from Peter pence with which some confound it as stinted to three hundred c See Sir Henry Spelman's Councils p. 353. By his Dispensations Marks whereas the other were casual and increased according to the number of Houses 41. Fiftly for Dispensations Oh the charity of the Pope to lay heavy Burdens on mens consciences without command from God's Word too heavy for them to bear but then so mercifull he was for Money to take them off again thus Licences to marry within degrees forbidden for Priests base Sonnes to succeed their Fathers in a Benefice and a hundred other particulars brought yearly a Nemo scit into the Papal Treasury 42. Sixtly By Indulgencies Indulgencies are next though I know not how essentially distinguished from Dispensations nor dare warrant the distinction that the former was against the other above Canon Law As when Abbeys and other places were freed from Episcopal Jurisdiction and many other Priviledges and Exemptions both personal and conventual 43. Seventhly By Legatine Levies by Legatine Levies these though not Annuall yet came almost as often as the Pope's needs or covetousnesse would require them 44. Eighthly By Mortuaries Mortuaries due at the death of great Prelates though I finde not in what manner and proportion they were paid 45. Ninthly By Pardons Pardons He saveth his credit the best who makes no conjecture at the certainty of this Revenue And though the Pope as then too politick openly to confesse his profit by granting so since be too proud publickly to bemone his losse by stopping of these Pardons yet is he secretly and sadly sensible of a great emptinesse in his Treasure thereby 46. Tenthly By Peter-pence Peter-pence succeed granted by Ina King of the West Saxons to Pope Gregory the second Anno 626. It was a peny paid for every Chimney that smoaked in England which in that Hospitall Age had few smoaklesse ones the device of Cypher Tunnels or mock-Chimneys meerly for uniformity of building being unknown in those dayes Indeed before the Conquest such onely paid Peter-pence who were worth * See Spelman's Council p 625. thirty pence in yearly revenue or half a marke in goods but afterwards it was collected generally of all solvable Housekeepers and that on most heavy penalties 47. Now though none can tell what these amounted to To what they amounted yet conjecture may be made by descending to such proportions which no rational man will deny Allowing nine thousand Parishes abating the odde hundreds in England and Wales a hundred houses in every Parish two chimneys in every house one with another it ariseth unto a yearly summe of seven thousand five hundred pounds Here I say nothing of the intrinsecal value of their Peny worth two pence in our Age. 48. Eleventhly By Pilgrimages Pilgrimages follow many persons of quality going yearly to Rome somtimes perchance with bare feet but never with empty hands But the Pope's principal harvest was in the Jubile which of late recurred every five and twenty years when no fewer than two hundred thousand strangers have been counted at Rome at once Of these more than the tenth part may be justly allowed English it being alwaies observed that distance encreaseth devotion and the farthest off the forwardest in Will-worship of this nature 49. Twelfthly By Tenths we conclude with Tenths and on what Title they were paid to the Pope largely hereafter 50. Here we speak not of the accidentals All cannot be truly counted as Legacies bequeathed by the deaths of Princes and great Persons and other Casualties and Obventions Sixtus the fourth being wont to say that a Pope could never want Money while he could hold a Pen in his hand understand him to grant general Indulgencies though Luther's holding a pen in his hand hath since much marred his Mart herein Now certainly Demetrius could tell better what was gotten by making * Acts 19. 27. silver Shrines for Diana than S. Paul himself and while some Protestants compute the Papal profit to be a hundred and fifty thousand pounds per annum some more some lesse but all making it above the King's Revenues they doe but state his Income at randome 51. Onely Polidore Virgil Polidore Virgil Collector of the English Peter-pence if alive and willing were able to give a certain account of the Peter pence a good guesse at the rest of Papall Revenues knowing them as well as the Begger knows his dish as holding the Bason into which they were put being Collector general of Peter pence all over England But this Italian was too proud to accept them as gratuities in which nature they were first given
improved by her Officers in the Exchequer who sometimes have none of the softest palms to those that fall into their hands that many Ministers were much vexed thereby Yea one u M. Parker Ant. Brit. in vitâ Reginalldi Peli observeth that the courtesie intended to the Clergie by Q. Mary in remitting their tenths proved in event an injury to many so vexed about their arrears 8. In vain have some of late beaved at this Office which is fastned to the State The state profit and policy of this Office with so considerable a revenue as it advanced thereunto by tenths and first-fruits The former certain the latter casuall as depending on the uncertain deaths of Iucumbents and such as succeed them Many indeed accuse such payments as Popish in their original But could that be superstitious which was pluckt down by Queen Mary and set up again by Queen Elizabeth Besides suppose them so in their first foul fountain since being shifted yea strained through the hands of Protestant Kings Tenths have their old property altered and acquire no doubt a new purity to themselves And the Advocates for this Office doe pertinently plead that there ought to be a badge of subjection * Some say such a vectigal from the Clergie is mentioned in Bede of the Clergie to the Secular power by publick acknowledgement of their dependence thereon which by such payments is best performed 9. John Lambert John Lambert condemned and why aliàs Nicolson bred in Cambridge had lately been much persecuted by Archbishop Warham about some opinions he held against the corproal presence in the Sacrament And now being fallen into fresh troubles on the same account 1538. to make the quicker work following the precedent of S. Paul appealing to Caesar he appeals to the King Who having lately taken upon him the title of the Supreme head of the Church of England He. 8. 20. Nov. 10. would shew that head had a tongue could speak in matters of Divinity In White-hall the place and day is appointed where an ACT-ROYAL was kept the King himselfe being the Opponent and Lambert the Answerer and where His Highnesse was worsted or wearied Arch-bishop Crammer w Fox Acts Mon. supplied His place arguing though civilly shrodely against the truth and his own private judgment 10. Was not this worse than keeping the clothes of those who killed S. Stephen Cranmer's unexcusable cowardly dissimulation seeing this Archbishop did actually cast stones at this Martyr in the Arguments he urged against him Nor will it excuse Cranmer's cowardise and dissimulation to accuse Gardiner's craft and cruely who privily put the Archbishop on this odious act such Christian courage being justly expected from a person of his parts and place as not to be acted by another contrary to his own conscience I see not therefore what can be said in Cranmer's behalf save onely that I verily hope and stedfastly believe that he craved God's pardon for this particular offence and obtained the same on his unfained repentance And because the face of mens faults is commonly seen in the glasse of their punishment it is observable that as Lambert now was burnt for denying the corporal presence so Cranmer now his Opponent was afterwards condemned and died at Oxford for maintaining the same opinion which valour if sooner shewn his conscience had probably been more cleared within him and his credit without him to all posterity 11. A match being now made up by the Lord Cromwel's contrivance Dutch-men broach strange opinions betwixt King Henry and the Lady Anne of Cleve Dutch-men flockt faster than formerly into England Many of these had active souls so that whilest their hands were busied about their manufactures their heads were also beating about points of Divinity Hereof they had many rude notions too ignorant to manage them themselves and too proud to crave the direction of others Their mindes had a bystream of activity more than what sufficed to drive on their Vocation and this waste of their souls they imployed in needlesse speculations and soon after began to broach their strange opinions being branded with the general name of Anabaptists 24. These Anabaptists for the main are but Donatists now dips and this year their name first appears in our English Chronicles for I * Stoe in his Chron p. 576. read that four Anabaptists three men and one woman all Dutch bare faggots at Paul's Crosse and three daies after a man and woman of their sect was burnt in Smithfield 12. It quickly came to the turn of Queen Anne of Cleve to fall Queen Anne of Cleve why divorced if not into the displeasure out of the dear affection of King Henry the eighth 27. Hē 8. 31. She had much of Katharine Dowager's austerity 1539. little of Anna Bollen's pleasant wit lesse of the beauty of Jane Seamour Some feminine impotency that She answered not Her creation was objected against Her though onely Her precontract with the Son of the Duke of Lorraine was publickly insisted on for which by Act of Parliament now sitting She was solemnly divorced 13. King Henry durst not but deal better with Anne of Cleve than with such His Wives The reparations the King made her which were His native Subjects not so much for love of Her Ann. Dom. 1539. as for fear of Her Brother the Duke of Cleve Ann. Regis Hē 8. 31. considerable if not much in Himself in His union with the Protestant Princes of Germany Wherefore He restored Her all Her Jewels assigned Her precedencie above all English save His own that should be Queen and Children graced Her with a new-devised stile of His adopted Sister by which from henceforward He saluted Her in His Letters and She in Answer subscribed Her self allotted Her Richmond-House for Her retirement with an augmentation of means for Her maintenance And now let Her be glad that She escaped so well seeing all which had reference to King Henry's bed came off gainers if savers of their own lives and reputations She returned no more into Her own Countrey but living and dying Anno a Stow's Funerall Monuments p. 513. 1557. in England was buried in Westminster Church at the head of King Sebert in a Tomb not yet finished none other of King Henry's Wives having any and this Anne but half a Monument 14. In the last Parliament Reformation goes backwards Reformation running a race with Superstition hardly carried it by the heads-length but it was hoped that in this new Parliament now sitting true Religion would run her Rivall quite out of distance Whereas alas it not onely stood still but went backwards the SIX ARTICLES being therein enacted that whip with six knots each one as heavily laid on fetching blood from the backs of poor Protestants 15. K. Henry was much blamed for passing this Act. King Henry justly blamed Indeed Power and Profit being the things politick Princes chiefly desire King
Deductions Divisions and Sub-divisions of these Orders which have no foundation in the Scripture Yea hear what c Matth. Park An. Dom. 1257. pag. 949. Matthew Paris being a Monk of S. Albans saith Tot jam apparuerunt Ordines in Angliâ ut ordinum confusio videretur inordinata It is possible then for my best diligence to commit an Errour and impropriety in Reckoning them up For what wonder is it if one be lost in a wood to which their numerous Orders may well be resembled though in all this wood there appears not one plant of God's planting as one of their own f Rob. Witgift Abbot of Wellow Abbots most remarkably did observe In a word when the g Exod. 8. 13 14. Frogs of Aegypt died out of the houses out of the villages and out of the fields They gathered them together upon heaps c. And give us leave in like manner confusedly to shovel up these Vermin now dead in England 2. First Benedictines the primitive Monks in England come forth the Benedictines or Black Monks so called from S. BENEDICT or BENET an Italian first Father and Founder of that Order Augustine the Monk first brought them over into England and these black Birds first nested in Canterbury whence they have flowen into all the parts of the Kingdome For as h Clem. Reyner De antiq Ordin is S. Benedict one rightly observeth all the Abbeys in England before the time of King William the Conquerour and some whiles after were filled with this Order Yea all the Abbeys in England of the first magnitude which had Parliamentary Barons abate onely the Prior of the Hospitallers of S. John's in London were of this Order and though the Augustinians were their Seniors in Europe they were their Juniors in England Now as Mercers when their old Stuffes begin to tire in Sale refresh them with new Names to make them more vendible So when the Benedictines waxed stale in the world the same Order was set forth in a New Edition corrected and amended under the names first of CLUNIACKS these were Benedictines sifted through a finer search with some additionals invented and imposed upon them by Odo Abbot of Cluni in Burgundy who lived Anna Domini 913. But these Cluniacks appeared not in England till after the Norman Conquest and had their richest Covents at Barnestable in Devon-shire Pontefract and Meaux in Yorkshire c. 2. CISTERCIANS so called from one Robert living in Cistercium in Burgundy aforesaid he the second time refined the drossie Benedictines and Walter Especk first established their Brotherhood in England at Rivall in York-shire besides which they had many other pleasant and plentifull habitations at Warden and Woburne in Bedford shire Buckland and Ford in Devon shire Bindon in Dorset-shire c. The Bernardine Monks were of a younger House or under-Branch of the Cistercians 3. Of GRAND-MONT which observed S. Benet's Rule were brought into England Anno 1233 and were principally fixed at Abberbury in Shropshire The Family of these Benedictines taken at large with their Children and Grand-Children of under-Orders springing from them were so numerous and so richly endowed that in their Revenues they did match all the other Orders in England especially if the Foundations of Benedictine Nuns be joyned in the same reckoning I doubt not but since these Benedictines have had their crudities deconcocted and have been drawn out into more slender threds of sub-divisions For commonly once in a hundred years starts up some pragmaticall person in an Order who out of novelty alters their old Rules there is as much variety and vanity in Monks Cowles as in Courtiers Cloaks and out of his fancie adds some observances thereunto To crie quits with whom after the same distance of time ariseth another and under some new Name reformeth his Reformation and then his late new now old Order is looked on as an Almanack out of Date wanting the Perfection of new and necessary Alterations 3. A scandal hath lately been raised Scandalum Benedictinorum much in dishonour of these Benedictines viz That all the antient English Monks before the Conquest were onely of the Order of S. Equitius Some highly concerned to confute this Report wrote over to our Antiquaries in England for their Judgments herein from whom they received this following Answer a Extant in Clem Reynere de Apostolatu Benedictinorum in Angliâ— pag. 202. QUoniam hâc nostra aetate exorta est controversia de Monachatu Gregorii magni Augustini Cantuariensis Sociorúmque ejus quos Gregorius in Angliam de sâ—o Monasterio praedicandi Evangelii causa destinâsse legitur quibusdam ipsos ordini Benedictino addicentibus quibusdam vero id acriter pernegantibus ipsos Ordini S. Equitii sive alicui alii ascribentibus Nos qui multum temporis in rebus vetustis tam civilibus quà m sacris atque iis imprimis quae ad Britanniam nostram potissimum spectant impendimus rogati ut testimonium perhiberemus veritati cum neutrius partis prejudiciis simus obnoxii Dicimus affirmamus nos duo solùm Monachorum genera in primis Saxonicae apud majores nostros Ecclesiae temporibus unum eorum qui Aegyptiensium mores secuti in hac Insulâ florebant ante adventum Augustini alterum eorum qui Benedictini Augustino itineris erant comites Hanc traditionem à patribus ad filios derivatam esse testamur atque ita derivatam ut non levibus innitatur fabulis aut ambitiosis partium conjecturis quin eam ipsam vetusta signatae fidei exhibent apud nos monumenta Ab Augustino insupper ad Henricum octavum per petuo in hac Insulâ viguit Benedictina Institutio nec Augustino recentiorem ejusve originem originisve recentioris vestigium ullibi comperimus Tantum abest Equitianum aliquem in hâc Insula fuisse Ordinem ut nulla omnino hujusmodi neque ordinis neque nominis mentio in vetustis quibus versamur tabulariis habeatur Sanè aliorum fere omnium in hâc Insulâ origines ita observavimus ut unius cujusque etiam minimi ingressum suo anno consignatum habeamus solius Benedictini ordinis originem ante Augustini saeculum non invenimus ipsius saeculo floruisse apertè re reperi mus Unde exploratissimum nobis esse profitemur non alterius ordinis fuisse ipsum sociósque ejus quam Benedictini qui ideo proculdubiâ— tam altas radices in Anglia egerit quoniam primi illi Monachi à Gregorio in Insulam destinati Regulae Benedictinae professores extiterunt Robertus Cotton Johannes Seldenus Henricus Spelman Gulielmus Cambdenus England may see 400 years yet not behold 4 such Antiquaries her Natives at once the four wheels of the Triumphant chariot of truth for our British History This Quaternion of Subscribers have stick'n the point dead with me that all antient English Monks were Benedictines Which Order lasting above one thousand years in this Land hath produced about
then the value of the gift To the City of Zurich a Present which they converted into a piece of Plate with Jewells Arms thereon To severall Scholars large Legacies To the Church of Salisburie a fair Library and another to the Church of England I mean his learned APOLOGIE It is hard to say whether his soul or his Ejaculations arrived first in Heaven seeing he prayed dying and died praying He was buried in the Quire by Bishop Wivill Two Champions of the Church lying together one who with his sword proffered to maintain the Lands The other who with his penn defended the Doctrine thereof In the absence of Doctor Humfreys designed for that service M r. Giles Laurence preached his Funeralls who formerly being Tutor to the Children of S r. Arthur Darcy by Algate in London in Queen Maries dayes preserved Jewells life and provided accommodation for his flight beyond the Seas 3. Hitherto Subscription why now more rigorously urged the Bishops had been the more sparing in pressing and others more daring in denying subscription because the Canons made in the Convocation 1563 were not for 9. years after confirmed by act of Parliament But now the same being ratified by Parliamentall authority they began the urging thereof more severely then before which made many dissenters keep their private meetings in a Bp. Bancrost in his English Scottizing 3. Book 1. Cap. woods fields their friends houses c. b Tho. Cartwrights second reply Pag. 38. I say private meetings for Conventicles I must not call them having read what one hath written that name which agreeth to Anabaptists is too light and contemptuous to set forth such assembles where Gods Word and Sacraments are administred even by the confession of their adversaries 4. Indeed no disgrace is imported in the notation of the word Conventicle The true notion of a Conventicle sounding nothing else but a small Convention And some will say can the Infant the diminative be a tearm of reproach where the mother the privitive is creditable in the acception thereof However Custome the sole mint-master of currant words hath took of Conventitles from signifying a small number to denote the meeting of such how many soever in a clandestine way contrary to the commands of the present lawfull Authority 5. And now Thomas Cartwright chief of the nonconformists presents the Parliament with a Book cal'd an admonition T. C. presents to the Parliament an distrasted admonition some members taking distaste at the Title thereof For seeing Admonition is the lowest of Ecclesiasticall censures and a preparative if neglected to Suspension and Excommunication such suggested that if the Parliament complied not with this Admonitors desires his party whereof he the speaker would proceed to higher and lowder Fulminations against the Parliament Whereas admonition is a soft word in the Common but especially in the scripture acception thereof and may with humility on just occasion be tendered from Inferiours to any single Persons or Christian Corporation This Admonition contained their grievances who presented it with a declaration of the only way to redress them viz. by admitting that platforme which was there prescribed This not finding the entertainment it expected was seconded by another more importunate to the same effect 6. It will not be amiss to set down what writings Bandying of books betwixt two learned men chief of their parties pro and con passed on the occasion of this Booke between two eminent Authors of opposite parties 1. The Admonition first and second made by M r. Cartwright 2. The Answer to the Admonition by D r. John Whitgist 3. The reply to the answer of the Admonition by M. Tho. Cartwright 4. The defence of the answer by D r. John Whitgift This last kept the field and for ought I can finde received no solemn refutation 7. Sundry reasons are assigned of M r. Cartwrights silence Severall reasons of Mr. Cartwrights not replying again all beleeving as they are affected and most being affected as led by their interest Some ascribed it to his weakness who having spent all his powder and shot in former fights was forced to be quiet for the future Others to his pride undervaluâ—ng what he could not over-come counting Whitgifts last answer no answer but a repetition of what was confuted before Others imputed it to his Patience seeing otherwise multiplying of Replies would make brauls infinite and whilst women strive for the last word men please themselves with the lost reason Others to the policy of that party resolving to go a new way to waâ—k and to turne their serious books into Satyricall pamphlets Some few attributed it to M r. Cartwrights modest respect to his Adversary who had gotten the upper ground of him Whitgist being soon after made BP and Arch Bishop though in my minde this would more heighten then abate their opposition 8. The Nonconformists though over-powred for the present in Parliament The first Presbytery in England set up at Wandsworth in Surrey yet found such favour therein that after the dissolution thereof they presumed to erect a Presbitery at a Bp Bancrost English Scottizing 3. Book cap. 1. Wandsworth in Surrey Eleven Elders were chosen therein and their Offices and generall rules by them to be observed agreed upon and described as appears by a bill indorsed with the hand of M r. Field the Lecturer as I take it of that place but living in London M r. Smith of Micham and M r. Crâ—ne of Roughampton neighbouring villages are mentioned for their approbation of all passages therein This was the first-born of all Presbytâ—ries in England and secundum usum Wandesworth as much honoured by some as secundam usum Sarum by others 9. It may seem a wonder that the Presbyterian discipline The chief non-consormitis in London should ripen sooner in this countrey Village then in London it self whereas yet they were not arrived at so formall a constitution though we may observe two sorts of Ministers First M r. 1 Field 2 Wilcox 3 Standen 4 Jackson 5 Bonhim 6 Sâ—intloe 7 Crane 8 Edmonds Afterwards M r. 1 Charke 2 Travers 3 Barber 4 Gardner 5 Cheston 6 Crooke 7 Egerton 8 The former of these were principally against Ministers attire and the common prayer booke The later indeavoured the modelling of a new discipline and it was not long before both streams uniting together Non-conformity began to bear a large and great Channell in the City of London 10. This same year happened a cruell massacre in Paris the French Protestants being bidden thither under the pretence of a nuptiall solemnitie The massacre in Paris But never were such black favours given at a wedding Admirall Coligny the pillar of the reformed Church being slain in his bed on Bartholomew-eve whose day then and for some years after was there remarkable for wet weather Bartholomeus flet quia Gallicus occubat Atlas Bartholomew bemoans with rain The Gallicke Atlas thereon slain William Cecill