God by his providence not to suffer mâ— to remain in the Dale wherein I could willingly have spent my dayes had there not been an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in it and to set me upon an Hill I pray God as a true light for the good of soules c. For as in his former dignities he was most free from â—mbitious prolling and seeking so was he as innocent from the touch of expecting or so much as desiring those preferments which after followed and were most freely conferred on him by those two most gracious Princes King James and King Charles hiâ— Sonne But when he stood designed Bp. of Chester agreat Oâ—â— who shall here be nameless cast an undeserved â— spersion upon Dean Moriâ— unto the King viz. Thâ—â— he was not fit to be a Bishop for that he had spoyled one â—â— the best Deanaries in England c. Which false câ—lumny was cast as a block in the way of his advancement to a Bishoprick wherewith being made acquainted he was of necessity to clear himselfe of so foule and undeserved an aspersion which he did by communicating the same unto his Brethren of the Chapter of Winton who unanimously testified under their Hands and Seales That Doctor Morton had been the best Dean that ever had been in their times And some of them were very old men and had long enjoyed their Dignities in that Cathedrall Church as Mr. Browne Mr. Barlow Mr. Harward c. So then this black cloud of Obloquy being dispelled he was Consecrated Bishop of Chester at Lambeth in the Province oâ— Canterbury by delegation from the Arch-Bishop of York in whose Province Chester is where were present many Noble Men and Gentlemen of the Court but chiefly a Noble Maâ— of Poland who had the education of Prince Rodzivils Sonne thither invited who very much admired the solemnity of the Ordination of the Bishops in England and the receiving of the blessed Sacrament whereof they then were partakers as it was Administred according to the Forme of the Church of England And not long after being recovered of a violent Fever which took him at Clayhall in Essex the House of that Honorable Knight Sir Christopher Hatton his most loving and deare friend he prepared for his Journey into Cheshire and advanced with his own retinew towards that Country but was encountred and met on the way to the City of Chester by so grand a number of the best Knights and Gentlemen of that County Palatine with their attendants and that multitude of Plebeyans thronging and rejoycing at the receipt of their new Bishop that the like hath scarce been seen there and perhaps in few places else where After a small time of his settlement there like a true Bishop and one mindfull of what he was sent for he convented the Non-conformist Ministers and called on them to shew the Reasons of their dissenting from the Orders and Discipline of the Church and told them That his purpose was to conferr with them publickly to reduce them to conformity with the Church of England At which time those Ministers insisted on those three Points First Crosse h Or rather after Baptisme as indeed it is in Baptise Secondly Kneeling at the receiving of the Lords Supper Thirdly Thâ— Surplice c. In which conference he argued with them very zealously and endeavoured by many Arguments to reduce theâ— to conformity with the Church of England but iâ— the end fell short of hiâ— pious expectation Yet no prevailing with those refractory Ministers not withstanding he wrought great work by Gods moâ—â— gracious hand and assâ—stance yea neer the veâ—â— same time by reclaiminâ— and reducing many of tâ—â— Lancashire Recusants and in bringing them home to the true Church through his industrious vigilance And not long after he Writ and Published a Relation of that Conference which was inscribed The three innocent Ceremonies which Book long after he being Bishop of Coventry and Leichfeild was impugned by one Mr. Ames as was conceived but most learnedly answered and defended by Dr. John Burges Parson of Sutton Cobfeild in Warr after that Doctor Morton had been many years Bishop of Coventry and Leichfeild About this time viz. Anno 1617. the Kings Majesty returned out of his Progress from Scotland and passed through Lancashire where he was Petitioned by the Plebeyans of that County for Recreation to be allowed on the Lords day which was accordingly gratiously granted by His Majesty Whereupon they growing insolent and being incouraged and heartened by some Gentlemen who were Popish Recusants they made ill use of the Kings gracious clemency and thereupon Bishop Morton made his humble address unto His Majesty and acquainted him with sundry particulars of their abuse of His well-meant gracious favour Whereupon it pleased His Majesty to command the Bishop to adde what cautions and restrictions he thought fit to be inserted into His Majesties Declaration for that purpose which was accordingly done viz. That they should have no liberty for recreation till after Evening Prayer That they should have no Beare-baiting nor any such unlawfull sports And that no Recusant who came not to Morning and Evening Prayers should be capable of such His Royall indulgence at all c. Having now resided towards three years in that Bishoprick it pleased the Royall Majesty of King James to cause him to be translated to the See of Coventry and Leichfeild where he succeeded that profound Doctor John Overall who was newly removed thence to the Bishoprick of Norwich in the year of our Lord 1618. And in the Bishoprick of Chester succeeded him Dr. John Bridgeman one of the famous Preachers of his time the more to be honored because it pleased God to bless him with a Sonne Sir Orlando Bridgeman Knight now Lord Keeper of the Great Seale of England which High Place may he long enjoy for the good of this Kingdom and honour of the Married Clergy In the time of his Incumbence in the Bishoprick of Coventry and Leichfeild he was acquinted with that grave and learned Scholler Marcus Antonius de Dominis late Arch-Bishop of Spalato in Dalmatia Saint Hierome's Countrey-man as he often used to call himselfe who had renounced Popery and passed over into England to draw the fresh and pure Ayre of Christs true Religion which yet some few years after i The most infamous Eccbolius of our times whose Corps were afterwards burned at Rome for a Relaps he most wretchedly deserted in hope of higher preferment at Rome upon the assurance which he built of his Quondam School-fellows Election to the Papacy by the name of Gregory the fifteenth But this Pope was quickly rid out of the way and another Pharaoh succeeded who knew not this Joseph But his change of Religion was the more to be wondred at for that by His Majesties gracious bounty he had been k These though competent Preferments could not allay or quench his sacred thirst for I have seen the Copy of a Letter which was
shewed unto me by Dâ— Balâ—anquall his successour in the Savoy in which it appeared That he became a Suitâ—r unto King James for the Arch-Bishoprick of York then rumored to be voyd by the death of Doctor Toby Matthew the Arch-Bishop there though be happily outlived tha◠〈◊〉 preferred to the Deanary of Windsor and the Mastership of the Savoy with the Rectory of Ilsworth and was yearly presented by many of the Nobility and Bishops of this Kingdom with sundry rich gifts in Plate and other costly accoutrements All which not withstanding in the end he deserted the Church of England Yet upon a specious pretence forsooth as he gave it out of Reconciling the Church of England with the Church of Rome Whereupon about the same time and on this very occasion fell out the following passage betwixt him and Bishop Morton For being asked by the said Bishop thus Domine quid tibi in animo est convertere Papam Etiam Conclave Papale Spal Quidni an existimas eos esse Diabolos ut non possint converti Episc Coven Minime Domine neâ— puto Dominum Spalatensem esse Deâ—m qui hoc prestare possit Nostine Domine Canones istos Conc ' Tridentiniâ— Spalat Imò novi ausâ—â— sum tibi dicere Millies mille esse in Italia qui fidem nullam huic Concilio adhibent This passage is worth the translating The Bishop of Leichfeild asked him What my Lord is it your purpose to convert the Pope Yea and the Papal Conclave to Spal And why not doe you think them to be Devils that they cannot be converted Bishop Leichfeild No my Lord nor doe I think my Lord of Spalato to be a God who is ablâ— to performe so much Doe you know my Lord those Canons in the Council of Trent Spal Yea I know them well and I dare boldly say that there be many thousands of Italy who give no Faith to this Council c. However this passed away he went and since gone he would be gone he was formerly banished and commanded away out of England by the Kings strict command But being arived at Rome the case was altered the foriner Pope his friend being dead and because he did not or rather could not answer the Books or rather the authorities therein quoted out of the antient Fathers which he had Published and Printed at London De Repub. Christiana and others he found the just guerdon of his revolt for it was adjudged in the Holy Office as they call the Inquisition that his Corps being first strangled in the Castle of St. Angâ—â—â— should be burned in Campo Flori yet had he been fairely premonished and minded hereof by our Bishop who writ a large and learned Epistle l Now ready for the Pross after long and grâ—at desiring theâ—eof unto him in Latine a little before his departure which was consigned into his hands by the Writer hereof wherein as a true Prophet he warned him of that which came after to passe viz. His Treatment at Rome Yet notwithstanding upon the receipt of that Letter the Arch-Bishop testified his friendly respects unto our Bishop at the farewell of the bearer in these very words Salutes millies mille diâ— as Domino tâ—o nomine meo m It was often in hâ—â— mouth Ego moriar Archiepiscopus Spalaâ—ensâ—s During the time of his Government of this large Dioces of Coventry and Leiehfeild there hapned a Boy of the Village of Bilson neer Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford called George Purie who was seduced by the Popish Priests to become a Demoniack which thing he did as they tutored him whom after a small season they a Gods name must dispossess But yet all their working and fine devises were to very small or no purpose for the Devill had so wrought with the n The Devill had steeled his heart Iâ— was â—iâ— own worâ— and expression in his Confession after wards Boy that he accused a Woman and she a Papist for bewitching him whereupon she was committed to the County Goale at Stafford and this Boy was brought to the Assizes to confront her where before the Judges of Assize this Boy albeit hoodwinckt would seem to know of the woman Prisoner her comming to the Barr which he did as afterwards he confessed by the jingling of her Chains and divers strange prancks he there played in the face of the country as a Demoniack or person possessed so that at the last he was committed and recommended by the learned Judges of Assize unto Dr. Morton Bishop of the Diocess being then one of His Majesties Justices of the Peace who brought him unto Eccleshal Castle where he then resided and after a competent time found him to be a cunning Imposter Which things and many moe were layed open to Publick view in a Book Intituled The Boy of Bilson But afterwards he much detested and loathed the former cousening cheats and was bound Apprentice in Bristol How this Bishop spent his time in that Bishoprick of Coventry and Leichfeild his continuall Labors testifie viz. chiefly in Preaching the Word of God partly in Writing Books profitable to the Church of God partly in Conference with Recusants and Catechizing of his own Family weekly c. But for his free Hospitality both at Eccleshall and Leichfeild and his continuall relieving of the poor let them testifie who were eye-witnesses of which many are fallen asleep and perhaps some remain to this day Whiles he was Bishop here he had sundry learned men for his Chaplains especially that Reverend and Pious man of God Doctor Ralph Brownrigg on whom he collated the Arch-deaconry of Coventry when Bishop of Leichfeild and afterwards a good Prebend in the Cathedrall Church of Durham which dignities His Royall Majesty King Charles did Crowne with the Bishoprick of Exeter Mr. Stephen Haxbie and Mr. George Gippes both fellows of St. Johns in Cambridge and Mr. Isaac Basire with some others on whom he freely bestowed such spirituall preferments as fell in his Patronage Here I must not forget that blessed Saint of God Mr. George Canner a blinde young man for blinde he came into the world borne in the County of Lancaster whom with his Unckle who had the tuition of him this Bishop maintained both at the Grammer Schoole in Chester when Bishop there and after in the University till he became Batchelor of Arts in the University of Cambridge where he proved an excellent proficient And after Orders taken he placed him Curate at Clifton Canvile in Stafford-shire when he was Bishop of Leichfeild where he discharged that sacred Function by his diligent Preaching even unto admiration for the book of Common Prayer as the Church of England requireth and enjoyneth he could repeat by heart and understand the Rubrick sufficiently As for the Chapters in the Old and New Testament which were to be Read to the Congregation he had them perfectly by heart by his Unckles twice Reading them over unto him For the Administration of the blessed
then on foot he had scarcely wherewith to defrey the Fees and Charges of his Confinement which is the less to be wondred at that he was not so plentifull in his Purse and the rather considering the great and extraordinary charges which he was put to by the frequent entertainment of Scottish Lords and others who Posted too and fro especially about the time of the Scottish Insurrection Durham being in their Northern Road Ah! nimium vicina Scotis Dunelmia He never Ordained any for Priests and Deacons which he commonly did at the foure Ordinations but such as were Graduates in the University or otherwise well qualified in good Learning And for a tryall of their Parts he alwayes appointed a set time to examine them in University Learning but chiefly in Points of Divinity and in this he was very exact by making them answer Syllogistically according to their abilities And he trusted not his own Chaplains in this sacred business though otherwise very able and learned Divines He never conferred any Benefice or Spirituall Preferment chiefly whiles he was Bishop of Duresme being a most free and bountifull Patron but on his own learned Chaplains except three onely which were commended unto him by King Charles I. his sacred Majesty viz. Mr. John Weemes that learned Writer in Morall Divinity Mr. Anthony Maxton both which were made Prebendaries of the Cathedrall Church of Duresme and Mr. Clappurton being three Scotch men and able Schollers For his Judgement of the due deserts of Learning take one instance when he was Deane of Glocester and Mr. John Donne had cast himselfe into a Sea of misery by the marriage of the Daughter of Sir George Moore Knight whereby he was exuted of his Secretaries place under the Lord Chancellor Egerton and had spent most of his own means in the pursuit of his said marriage whereby he was brought to a low ebb and debility in his Estate and knowing no wayes or means whereby he could subsist Children especially encreasing yearly then did Deane Morton earnestly and seriously move him to take the holy Ministery on him whereby the better to support and maintain that Charge and for his better incouragement he willingly and freely offered to resigne unto him the Rectory of Long Marston in York-shire being of the yearly value plus minus of two hundred pounds per Annum yet to this friendly motion he would not then give his assent but put it by in hope as it should seem of some other preferment for which he thought himselfe more fit And long after the said Mr. Donne having grapled with many extremities at home he passed over into France where he gave himself to the Study of the Laws And from Amiens as I remember he writ a Letter to his alwayes true friend Deane Morton wherein he requested his advice Whether taking the Degree of a Doctor in that Profession of the Laws it might not be conducible and advantagious unto him to Practice at home in the Arches London Unto whom the Deane then returned him answer That in his Judgement he thought the Ministry in the Church of God would be safer and fitter for him Whereupon he desisted from further prosecution of those Studies For doubtless the holy Spirit had the greatest stroak and power to incline and draw him to that sacred Profession For my selfe have long since seen his Picture in a dear friends Chamber of his in Lincolnes Inne all envelloped with a darkish shadow his face feature hardly discernable with this ejaculation and wish written thereon Domine illumina tenebras meas which long after was really accomplished when by King James his weighty and powerfull perswasions he took holy Orders at the hands of the right Reverend Father John Lord Bishop of London and so became a learned and assiduous Preacher Whereupon His gracious Majesty King James bestowed the Deanary of St. Pauls London upon him where what profitable pains he took and els where the large Book of his Sermons and other Learned Labors which are Published both before and after he had been Dean do most sufficiently attest and demonstrate For a Close concerning this Learned Gentleman I will add one instance of his ripe and sudden wit For at one time when Bishop Morton gave him a good quantity of Gold then a usefull token saying Here Mr. Donne take this Gold is restorative He presently answered Sir I doubt I shall never restore it back again and I am assured that he never did This Bishop Morton was a great benefactor to Saint Johns College in Cambridge where sometimes he had been Fellow and bestowed many hundreds of pounds in Books for the adorning and augmenting of that their faire Library which Dr. Williams Bishop of Lincolne and Lord Keeper of the Great Seale of England sometimes Fellow there had Founded He built also out of an old decayed Chappell at Bishop Auckland a fair Grammar School and endowed the Master thereof with 24. pounds per Annum for ever Other things he purposed to have done as the enlarging of the old Market Place and the erecting a new Market Crosse in the Pavement at York near to which he was born but was prevented by the late wofull and destructive times but God would accept of his smal offerings as he did the poor Widdows Mite He converted sundry Persons in his time from the Popish Religion and by Gods grace brought them to the true Church of England amongst which was the Lady Cholmeley Wife to Sir Henry Cholmeley Knight Å¿ When he was Bishop of Chester he â—â—râ—ed â—er So Mr. Redmaine a Popish Priest afterwards Viccar and Preacher at Congleton in Cheshire So Mr. Theophilus Higgons who after was a learned Preacher and Rector of Hunton in Kent Mr. Toby Swinburnâ— then lately returned from the English College at Rome afterwards created Doctor of the Laws at Oxon and in these late unhappy times deprived of his life whose death was chiefly effected by their cruell imprisonment of him after that he had received many deep and desperate wounds in the battle at Newbery for the affection and loyalty which he did bear to His late Majesty Charles I. Also a Reverend Bishop now living but here shall be nameless Also Mr. Thomas Hulse Gentleman Mr. Mathew and sundry others He was alwayes very beneficiall and bountifull to the poor wheresoever he lived or came so that as it pleased God to devest him of those ample means which sometimes he had to dispose of and to doe good on all occasions so took he timely order during almost his whole life to erogate and bestow the meanâ— which God lent him to the best ends which was for the maintenance of the poor of all sorts viz 〈◊〉 the place where he resided or by the way where 〈◊〉 travelled or poor Schollers in the University to many of whom he gave yearly Stipends poor strangers and Travellers to whom his Purse was always open And in the Bishopprick of Duresme he gave besides his
such an excellent Subject howsoever I shall cloze it as that afore mentioned Gregory Nazianzon doth his Anniversary Oration for that famous Arch-Bishop and Martyr St. Cyprian Haec sunt quae dicenda habuimus at que haud scio an plura dicere necesse neque enim si Orationem in longum produxerimus quicquam tamen afferre queamus quod illius virtutibus existimationi quam de eo unusquisque concepit ulla ex parte respondeat This is part of that I had to say neither doe I know whether it will be needfull or expedient to say more for though I should extend this Tractate to the utmost and weary perhaps both the Reader and my Selfe yet should I not be able to produce any thing answerable to the worth of this Prelate and of those many excellent merits which all good men knew and willingly acknowledge to end as I began were lodged in his Person If I shall live to heare of his transmigration from this life to a better which indeed I am loath to stile a Death because I know whensoever that day and houre shall come he may comfortably say unto his Friends as Miconius writ to Luther Decumbere se quidem sed vitaliter non laetaliter aegrotare That sick he was indeed but it was a vitall not a mortall sickness or a sickness unto Life rather then unto Death I say whensoever I shall heare of that his o This blessed man died at Esâ—on-Manduit the house of that honourable Baronnet Sir Henry Yelverâ—on on St. Michaels day 1659. and of his age 95. and of his consecration 54. so neare he lived to the happy return of his sacred Majesty Charles the Second into England Translation from Earth to Heaven though I shall not perhaps use those words of the Prophet Elisha which Melancthon did use when News was first brought him of Luthers Death Occidit currus auriga Israel The Chariot and Chariettier of Israel are fallen Yet reflecting on him and those Religious Prelates p J. U. Arch-Bishop of Armagh and J. H. Bishop of Norwich the Primate of Ireland and the Bernard of England lately deceased and not to mention divers others Translated likewise from these calamitous and troublesome times I shall make bold to use the words of another Prophet even the Prophet Isaiah Justus perit nemo requirit c. The Righteous perish and no man layeth it to heart and mercifull men are taken away few I doubt considering that the Righteous are taken away from the evill to come Isay 57. 1. That is from the evill of Gods eminent Judgements which if they should be meeted to these sinfull Nations by the hand of Divine Justice in a commensuration unto our sins what can we expect but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a second desolation and destruction of our Jerusalem Which God of his infinite mercy avert if it may stand with his holy counsells and either translate these Judgements from us us from them and enable all those Persons upon whom they shall fall with unshaken Faith and invinciple patience to endurâ— and overcome them Everâ— more Praying Praysing anâ— confessing with good Nâ—hemiah unto Almightâ— God Thou O Lord arâ— just in all that is broughâ— upon us for thou hast donâ— right but we have doâ—â— wickedly Nehem. 9. 33. Unto that mercifulâ— and glorious God Triniâ—â— in Vnity and Vnity iâ— Trinity be ascribed of all Creatures both in Heaven â—nd Earth All Honour Glory Might Majesty and Dominion for Evermore Amen Amen J. N. D. D. FINIS