violently urged by the Jesuits above all others excepting that Society whose rich Colleges and abundance of Treasure made it apparent quickly to the World that some were great gainers while the poor Lay-Catholicks were made great sufferers by that Recusancy Upon Campian's Execution England grew too hot for our Father Parsons and notwithstanding the mighty zeal he pretended for the Conversion of England yet he was for saving one and getting out of harms way and therefore slips away back into France under the Pretext of conferring with Doctor Allen about the Seminaries and of Printing some Books which could not be done in England and never returned hither tho' he continued Superiour of the Jesuits Mission after this But though the Kingdom was delivered from such a Firebrand yet he continued diligent beyond Seas in his Seditious Designs and was to the last a constant Enemy to his Native Countrey As he had laboured in the promoting the Popish Recufancy and getting the English Papists to be governed by the Jesuits so he now employs all his Arts and all his interest to get Seminaries erected for the supplying England from time to time with Priests to keep up that Recufancy and to prepare the Papists here to joyn with any Invasion that they abroad should procure against their own Countrey Assoon as he was got hence to Roan in France he dealt with the Duke of Guise to erect a Seminary for such a purpose in Normandy after which he goes into Spain and prevails with King Philip to encourage and erect such in Spain so that in a short time they could not only boast of their Seminaries at Rome and at Rhemes but of those at Valladolid at Sevil at St. Lucars in Spain at Lisbon in Portugal at Doway and St. Omers in Flanders in all which their Youth were educated with violent Prejudices against their own Native Countrey and their minds were formed to all the Purposes and Designs which this chief Incendiary Parsons had in his head Father Moor the Author of the History of the Mission does indeed tell us That Father Parsons was for having the Youth that were entered into these Seminaries to take an Oath about faithfully answering the End and Benefit of their Education there but says not a word of their being forced to subscribe the Infanta of Spain's Title against the True Title of the then King of Scots King James the First The Oath was this IN. N. considering with how great benefits God hath blessed me c. do promise by God's assistance to enter into Holy Orders assoon as I shall be fit for them and to return into England to Convert my Countrey-men there whenever it shall please the Superior of this House to command me But when once Father Parsons being puffed up with his Familiarity with the King and Court of Spain had devoted his Soul and Body both to the service of that aspiring Crown then he was for having the Youth in the Seminaries to subscribe to the Spanish Title which was of his own inventing to the Crown of England then he was for speaking out his design against his Native Countrey And that he dealt in such traiterous designs after his getting out of England is proved upon him by their own Writers As touching the Colleges says Clark the Priest concerning him and Pensions that are maintained and given by the Spaniard which he so often inculcateth we no whit thank him for them as things are handled and occasions thereby ministred of our greater Persecution at home by reason of Father Parson's treacherous practices thereby to promote the Spanish Title to our Country and his hateful Stratagems with such Scholars as are there brought up enforcing them to subscribe to Blanks and by publick Orations to fortifie the said wrested Title of the Infanta meaning Isabella Clara Eugenia Daughter to Philip the Second of Spain whose Right to the English Crown was maintain'd in a Book by this Parsons made but published by him under the false name of Doleman As this Priest gives us an account of the zeal of Father Parsons for the Infanta so Watson another Romish Priest helps us to another of his knavery about the same affair That Parsons earnestly moving the young Students in Spain to set their hands to a Schedule that they would accept the Lady Infanta for Queen of England after the decease of her Majesty to wit Queen Elizabeth that now is but finding them altogether unwilling to intermedle with these State-affairs belonging nothing to them and most hurtful to both their Cause and Persons used this cunning shift to draw on the innocent and simple youths to pretend forsooth to them of Valladolid that the Students in Sevil had done it already no remedy then but they must follow And that having thus craftily gotten their names he shewed them to the Students in Sevil for an example of their fact and forwardness which he required them to imitate Though these are sufficient Evidences of the use Father Parsons put the erected Seminaries to yet I cannot but add that great and wise Cardinal the Cardinal d'Ossat's account of these very Seminaries in his Letter to the King of France Henry the Fourth about the Spaniards and Father Parsons Design against England For this purpose also says he were the Colleges and Seminaries erected by the Spaniards for the English at Doway and at St. Omers wherein the young Gentlemen of the best Families in England are entertain'd thereby to oblige them and by them their Parenâ—â— and Kindred and Friends The principal care which these Colleges and Seminaries have is to catechise and bring up these young English Gentlemen in this Faith and firm Belief that the late King of Spain had and that his Children now have the true Right of Succession to the Crown of England and that this is advantageous and expedient for the Catholick Faith not only in England but where-ever Christianity is And when these young English Gentlemen have finished their Humanity-Studies and are come to such an age then to make them throughly Spaniards they are carried out of the Low-Countries into Spain where there are other Colleges for them wherein they are instructed in Philosophy and Divinity and confirmed in the same Belief and holy Faith that the Kingdom of England did belong to the late King of Spain and does now to his Children After that these young English Gentlemen have finished their courses those of them that are found to be most Hispaniolized and most couragious and firm to this Spanish Creed are sent into England to sow this Faith among them to be Spies and give advice to the Spaniards of what is doing in England and what must and ought to be done to bring England into the Spaniards hands and if need be to undergo Martyrdom as soon or rather sooner for this Spanish Faith than for the Catholick Religion In this Cardinal we find to what excellent purposes the Seminaries were erected that Father Parsons laboured
themselves to have no Appropriation or Obligation to any particular Benefices but ample Commission rather for all with a sufficient stipend to live upon until things be better settled I have also signified how needful it will be that Commissioners be sent abroad to visit Churches throughout the Realm and all things belonging thereunto and to enlarge the material part in many places for that the People are much increased and that the Chancel in particular be more capable decent and commodious for the Priests and the Sacristies and Revestries for the Furniture of the Altar and the rest of God's Service and that they be made much bigger and more handsome as well for service of the Priests as for principal Men sometimes to retire themselves thither for Confession and other such occasions and that the provision and furniture of Vestments and other necessaries for the Churches be such as may edifie and increase Devotion and not the contrary as at other times it hath been and discreet and able persons be chosen to have care of these things and competent maintenance allowed them for the same and not to be committed to most impotent ignorant and contemptible of the Parish as it hath been accustomed For that they will do the Office for little or nothing but yet so as it were better undone It is to be considered whether Catholick service may be said again in our old Churches before they be consecrated of new or hallowed publickly from the Profanation of Hereticks and this for more Detestation of Heresie And in like manner it may be considered whether such known Hereticks or notorious Schismaticks or Persecutors as shall return to the Union of the Catholick Religion should presently be admitted to come to our Churches or rather that some part of the old Ecclesiastical Canons should be put in ure for their restraint for a time so as though they be reconciled absolved and admitted also to the Sacraments in private yet for publick satisfaction they should not be admitted to enter our Churches but by little and little and with the Moderation Humiliation and other reverent Ceremonies appointed for that purpose which the sooner also is to be thought on thereby to shew the different proceeding between them and us they pressing us to go to their Church against our Wills and Consciences though it were with open and known Dissimulation and we do not admit them to enter our Churches out of hand though it be desired by them and that they made Profession both inwardly and outwardly of our Religion And if such care and circumspection be to be used in admitting Hereticks to our material Churches as in truth there ought to be then much more must be had in admitting them to be Priests and Ministers of the same except it be upon great and long probation and satisfaction given and in some rare case as all the World may see and confess And whether it shall be fit at that day to disable some great and able Hereticks and their Posterity especially if they have been principal Authors in the overthrowing of the Catholick Religion or known Persecutors of the same not only from Priesthood and Ecclesiastical Dignities but also from other honours and Preferments temporal of the Commonwealth for warning and deterring of others and for more security of the said Weal Publick the wiser sort of that time may put in Consideration As for the good Life of Priests and Clergy-men whereof all dependeth that great Servant of God Mr. John Avila layeth a very prudent Consideration before the Council of Trent saying That it is not enough for making of good Priests to multiply good Laws and appoint punishments to the Transgressors as many Prelates do for that it costeth them little and the reason is for that it being a painful thing to punish often as well for him that punisheth as for him that is punished it wearied out the one and the other and oftentimes sooner the Punisher than him that is punished if he be perverse and so no good ensueth thereof at all Wherefore he saith the true remedy is to procure that Men be induced to love good Laws and observe them without punishment and then good Laws will profit them And such are they who are virtuously brought up and trained in godly Discipline from their youths and for that this doth ask both care and labour and cost few Prelates will take it upon them But ours of England ought to do otherwise and to take the Water from her Fountain which is to train up the youth of their Diocess from their tender years in Schools Seminaries and Colleges of Piety and Learning And this godly Man would have no Priests made at all but only out of these Seminaries and Colleges and if any did offer themselves that had not been brought up in them he would have them put into some other Colleges or Seminaries to be errected for this purpose there to live and be tryed for a time upon their own charges to make proof not only of their ability in learning but also and much more of their humility patience obedience conformity of manners and other like vertues fit for Clergy-men Moreover his Opinion is that the best Ecclesiastical Livings and Church-Dignities should be laid upon these Men that are taken out of Colleges and Seminaries and that in all things caeteris paribus they should be preferred and this according to the Testimony of their Superiors concerning their vertue which ever he would have more to be respected than their learning and if any should behave themselves evil in the Seminaries or be expulsed for their Demerits he would have them incapable of Holy Orders thereby if already they be not in Holy Orders and if they be then to be incapable of any Ecclesiastical Promotion until they have given large and substantial satisfaction of their change and amendment And finally he saith That he would have the life of Clergy-men to be so full of labour as idle People should not desire it and so full of vertue as Crewes would not come to live among them For which cause perhaps it would not be amiss that some particular Instructions should be given by the Bishop of the Diocess or by the Archdeacon of that Circuit or by some other Superiour to all the Priests within his charge what they should do how to proceed and behave themselves in all occasions how to distribute and divide the time and wherein most to labour and most to avoid and other like particularities for their help and direction And to be bound to yield an account of all these points at the Bishop's Archdeacon's or Official's Visitation or at the ordinary times of their meeting together I mean the Priests of each Circuit among themselves which days of meeting ought to be somewhat often and frequent at least at the beginning as namely every second and third Month or as often as shall be appointed and thought convenient for
in particular by yielding and agreeing willingly to the order that shall be taken for the moderate restitution of Ecclesiastical Lands before mentioned And this for Religion But for the other points of Chivalry and acts of Arms our Nobility is by all means to be incouraged to exercise themselves and their Children therein according to the laudable example of their Ancestors who for the same were renowned both at home and abroad And in particular it were to be wished That they should shew their valour against hereticks and Enemies of God and his Church of these our days seeing they are so many and so pernicious as well at home among us as also in divers Kingdoms round about us whereas their Ancestors to fight against Infidels less dangerous and odious to God than these Hereticks undertook long costly and perillous journeys into Asia and other Countries And for better performance hereof I mean of fighting against Hereticks it may be considered as before I have noted whether it shall not be more convenient for the exercise of our Nobility and for the better provision for their younger Sons that some new kind of Religious order of Knights were appointed in England instead of the other of St. John of Malta whose Seat and Residence is very far from England and the observance of the Rule much fallen from the first perfection and hard to be reduced or kept by younger Gentlemen that live at liberty abroad especially touching the Vow of Chastity as hath been before declared As for other private Exercises and Customs ordinarily used by the Nobility and Gentry of England wherein they do exceed much the custom of other Countries as namely in the much use of Hawking Hunting keeping of great Houses many Servants much Hospitality and the like it is to be noted that as in it self they are things honourable and fit for Nobility being used with moderation that is convenient so for many reasons they being old customs of their Ancestors are not to be disswaded nor left off but rather continued for avoiding of greater inconveniences though with such Reformation as is needful for taking away or lessening of such excesses as sometime creep in As for example that those exercises before-mentioned of Noblemen's pass-times be not hurtful either to poor Men their Neighbours or to their own Devotion and acts of Religion whereunto they are bound as of hearing of Mass Sermons and the like and that their Housekeeping be moderated from gluttony dissolution and excess of drinking and that their keeping of many Servants be limited with these Conditions first That no Man keep any more than he can well maintain of himself and that wholly giving them sufficient whereon to live without necessity to attempt any other unlawful shifts or means for their maintenance as often doth happen in such Servants as being otherwise poor do take only Livery-Coats of their Lords and Masters for to shift thereby under their countenances and authority The second Condition is That these Servants be kept from idleness with some honest exercise either of labour or recreation and that they be taught the necessary points of Catholick Religion and Christian Doctrine and that some good Books be provided for them in places where they wait wherewith to entertain themselves and be moved to vertue and diverted from sin and that some peculiar account be taken of their Christian demeanour and of their going to Confession and the like for unto all this and more too is a good Catholick Lord and Master bound concerning his Servants A third Condition of keeping Servants or rather an advice to good Lords and Masters may be that they have care to provide for their Servants according to their merit not only for the time of their present service but some stay of certain living afterwards to the end that having spent their youth in their Lord's and Master's service they fall not afterwards into misery and being forced to seek their living by unlawful and dishonest means to dishonour both their Masters and themselves wherein also may be considered that if their Lords and Masters should die without providing for them at all or recompensing their service whether it were not convenient they should have Actions by our Law against his Heirs for some honourable satisfaction as the Civil Law and Statutes of other Countries do allow And thus much for Servants For Noblemen's and Gentlemen's Children it were greatly to be wished that such care were taken for their Education first in Piety and then in learning and other qualities fit for their Estate that their Prince and Commonwealth might afterwards imploy them worthily in occasions and affairs that shall be offered and not be forced to prefer other of far meaner birth for the defects and insufficiency of the Nobility And first of all to speak in order though it be not necessary for Heirs and Elder Brothers to study so much as the Younger for that they are to live on their Lands yet for sustaining the place wherein they are to live some learning is necessary but much more that they be brought up in Order and Discipline and that they be taught to know God and themselves seemeth may best be done either in the Seminaries and Convictories whereof I have spoken before or in some Colleges of the Universities when they shall be reformed and brought in order again and some part of this also may be taught at home by private Masters if their Parents be discreet and careful though this be somewhat hard and seldom taketh great effect by the overmuch indulgence of the said Parents as also by the flattery of Servants that ordinarily are wont to instil nothing but pride and vanity into their young Masters that are brought up among them so as the Education of Nobility and Gentry is much more effectual abroad than at home As for the manner of their Wardships begun in England with very good intention though different from all other Nations and of late years perverted by Heretical Governors against all equity to the Wards and Pupils both in their Livings and Educations and Match of Marriage that some good remedy and moderation may be had in this matter by dealing with the Catholick Prince which shall be as the Deputies of the Parliament shall best devise and suggest About the younger Sons of Noblemen and Gentlemen it is to be considered That the Common-Laws of England are much less favourable and beneficial unto them The Civil and Imperial observed in other Countries are such as do allow them equal Portions with their eldest Brethren of all the Goods Chattels and Lands of their Fathers which be not intailed as of all that also which has accrued or been augmented by means of the said intailed Lands or otherwise whereas the Laws commonly of England leave all to the elder Brother's disposition and pleasure if the Father chance to dye without taking particular order in the same himself whereby many younger Brethren of
good birth are driven oftentimes to great extremities and to undecent shifts for their maintenance to no small inconvenience to the whole Commonwealth Wherefore it may be thought upon whether some moderation in this point were not convenient to be put whereby younger Children might have some occasion to a reasonable Portion at least of their Parents Substance whereby to maintain themselves somewhat conformable to their Birth State and Condition In foreign Catholick Countries the younger Children of Nobility and Gentry are greatly helped and advanced by the Church wherein they are preferred before others in authority and dignity if their merits of learning and vertue be equal whereby it cometh to pass that these younger Brethren giving themselves to study upon hope of these preferments do come in time to be excellent Men and of more authority and living than their Elder Brothers which is a great stay for the Nobility and no less for the defence of Catholick Religion by the union of these Noblemen of the Clergy with others of their Lineage Kindred Acquaintance and Friendship of the Temporalty and consequently the custom is to be brought into England if Noblemen's Sons would make themselves fit Wherein there will be much less difficulty than in times past when that sweet and clear manner of teaching the Latin Tongue and other Sciences shall be brought into England which is used in other places and that other hard dark and base custom of so much beating of youth be removed and taken away About Noblemen's and Gentlemen's Daughters it is also to be considered that as many of them by all likelihood when Catholick Religion shall be restored will betake themselves to Religious and Monastical Life as in other Countries we see so shall their Parents be much eased thereby and the better able to provide for the Marriage of their other Daughters remaining in the World in which point notwithstanding seeing that the excesses of our times in giving great Dowries is grown to be at such a height that it impoverisheth oftentimes the Parents it seemeth a point worthy the consideration whether it were not expedient that the Parliament should limit the quantity of Dowries according to the State and Condition of every Man which no doubt would greatly ease the Nobility and Gentry of England and be profitable for many respects And touching the assurance of these Dowries as also for the Jointures of Lands the Laws of other Countries and ours are far different and good it were for us to take the best of them both And first for Dowries in other Countries they are more assured unto the Wife than in ours for that there the said Dowry never entreth into the Husband's Possession in propriety but only is put out to Rent and assurance given for it of which Rent only the Husband may dispose during his Wive's Life but no ways spend or diminish or impawn the Principle which seemeth a better order and more sure for the Wife than to leave all free to the Husband's Disposition as in our Country where oftentimes an unthrift matches with a rich Woman spendeth all she hath without remedy or redress The Wife also in other Countries if she has no Children may dispose of all her Dowry to good works or to any other uses that she will by her Testament in secret and sealed and not to be opened before she be dead And this may she do without obligation to leave any part to her Husband except she list which is some motive also for her Husband to use her well while she liveth upon hopes to be her Heir or Executor and if she hath Children then may she dispose only of the fifth part to good works whereof nothing is allowed by our Laws of England and it seemeth a great defect and may be considered whether it be not to be amended But on the other side touching Jointures the Condition of Women is better in England than in other places for that whether they bring Dowries or not by our Laws of England they may claim a Third of their Husband's Lands which in other Countries is not so where if they bring no Dowry they can claim no Jointure at all neither any part of their Husband's Goods except he please of his free-will to leave them any thing and if they bring Dowry then shall they have their whole Dowry again at their Husband's Death and more than this the half of all such Goods and Moveables as were gained since their Marriage by reason of the said Dowry or otherwise which is less prejudicial to the Son and Heir than the other of England but yet which of them be absolutely better may be a matter perhaps disputable And thus much for Noblemen's and Gentlemen's Children It shall not be amiss to pass to their Servants whom also they ought to have in place of Children and to comfort defend and cherish the desiring to see them wealthy and well able to live according to the ancient Love and Charity of English Land-Lords towards Vassals Subjects and Tenants which Love and tender care having been greatly broken and diminished in these later years by the impiety avarice riotousness and other disorders brought in by Heresie is to be restored again by Catholick Religion and Land-lords are to be taught to make such account of their Tenants as of them by whom they live and also by the Sweat of their Brows do suck and draw out of the Earth Commodities whereby Noblemen and Gentlemen are maintained at ease And for that many Landlords of these times have begun to raise their Rents and to impeach that old and most laudable tenure of England of old Rent of Assize it is to be understood that no one thing among the Customs of England seemeth to divers Men that have seen also other Countries of more importance to be kept observed and to be brought back again to the old use than this manner of letting and setting Lands for term of Life after the rates of the old Rents and that no one thing in times past hath been a greater ground of abundance and felicity in our Commonwealth both to Nobility and Commonalty than this honourable custom of Leasing their Lands for that it is generally profitable both to the Landlord and Tenant and Commonwealth in particular to the Landlord for that he setting down his Houshold and framing his Expences according to the rate of his old Rent which is certain may easily still be before hand and hold himself in abundance with the extraordinary incomes that shall enter by Leases Fines and other such casualties and in like manner the charges of Subsidies Tenths Loanes and other publick Impositions laid upon him by Parliament or other means they are ever according to his Rents in the Queen's Book which are far less and more easie than if he were charged according to the Portion of rack Rents To the Tenant also this way of taking Leases after the rate of old Rent is very
poor with Alms that no Brass Mony at all hath been permitted as in all other Countries is used where yet there is much more store of Silver than in ours For without this neither can the poor live nor small traffick be maintained wherefore of necessity it must be thought on that some Brass Mony be brought in correspondent to our Farthing Half-penny and the like I have spoken also before of a certain Common Treasure or bank to be erected in every great Town for poor Men to borrow Mony upon sureties with very little or no interest which would be a great help and stay for many poor People Divers Companies and Societies also and Confraternities are to be erected among the common People for their exercise in Piety and works of Charity as for example the Confraternity or Brotherhood of the blessed Sacrament of the Christian Doctrin of visiting Prisons or the Sick All which Brotherhoods and Societies must have their particular Statutes Rules and Ordinances for their good directions in their holy purposes Though the number of Grammar-Schools in English Towns Cities and Villages be more frequent commonly than in any other Countries yet are they now to be increased and no Village lightly should pass without a Master in it to teach the Children to write and read at the least and to cast accounts and to know the Christian Doctrine and when good wits are discovered they should be sent to higher Schools and thence to the Seminaries to go forward in learning And particular care ought to be had as before hath been noted that Men be not suffered to bring up their Children idly without some Talent of Study Art Science or Occupation And of this the Bishops ought to make inquiry of the Curate and Church-wardens in their Visitations and the Secular Justices in their ordinary Quarter-sessions to the end that this fountain of evil in the Commonwealth may be avoided And albeit many things more may be noted especially out of the godly Customs of other Catholick Countries yet not to enlarge any further this Memorial which is grown much greater than at the beginning I had purposed I mean to stay here leaving the Consideration and suggesting of the rest to them that shall know more and live at that happy day which we pray for of the Conversion of our Country And if only these few Notes or the principal of them which we have laid together in this Memorial shall be put in Execution I do not doubt by the help of Almighty God to whose Glory all tendeth but that our Country in small time would flourish more than ever again So as we may justly take that comfortable saying of Esaiah the Prophet to be spoke to us which he spoke to Jerusalem after a mighty storm of Purgation past Consolamini consolamini Popule mens Dimissa est iniquitas Hierusalem suscepit de manu Domini duplicia pro omnibus peccatis suis. FINIS Subscribed by the Author 's own hand this that followeth This I had to suggest to the Honour of Almighty God and good of our Country ROB. PERSONS Books lately Printed for Ric. Chiswell THE Fifteen Notes of the Church as laid down by Cardinal Bellarmin examined and confuted by several London Divines 4 o. With a Table to the whole and the Authors Names An Exposition of the Ten Commandments By Dr. Simon Patrick now Lord Bishop of Chichester The Lay Christians's Obligation to read the Holy Scriptures by Dr. Stratford now Lord Bishop of Chester The Texts which the Papists cite out of the Bible for proof of the points of their Religion Examined and shew'd to be alledged without Ground In twenty five distinct Discourses by several London Divines with a Table to the whole and the Authors Names The Case of Allegiance in our present circumstances considered in a Letter from a Minister in the City to a Minister in the Country 40. An Examination of the Scruples of those who refuse to take the Oath of Allegiance By a Divine of the Church of England A Dialogue betwixt two Friends a Jacobite and a Williamite occasioned by the late Revolution of Affairs and the Oath of Allegiance The Case of Oaths Stated 40. A Letter from a French Lawyer to an English Gentleman upon the present Revolution 40. The Advantages of the present Settlement and the great danger of a Relapse A short View of the Unfortunate Reigns of these Kings William the 2d Henry the 2d Edward the 2d Richard the 2d Charles the 2d and James the 2d Dr. Sherlock's Summary of the Controversies between the Church of England and Church of Rome The Plain Man's Reply to the Catholick Missionaries Dr. Wake 's Tracts and Discourses against Popery in 2 Vol. â—â—â—rto Some Remarks upon the Ecclesiastical History of the Ancient Churches of Piedmont By P. Allix DD. 40. Geologia Or A Discourse concerning the Earth before the Deluge wherein the Form and Properties ascribed to it in a Book intituled The Theory of the Earth are excepted against And it is made appear That the dissolution of that Earth was not the Cause of the Universal Flood Also a new Explication of that Flood is attempted By Erasmus Warren Rector of Worâ—ington in Suffolk The Present State of Germany or aâ— Account of the Extent Rise Form Wealth Strength Weaknesses and Interests of that Empire The Prerogatives of the Emperour and the Privileges of the Electors Princes and Free Cities adapted to the present Circumstances of that Nation By a Person of Quality 40. (a) Morus Historia Missionis Anglicanae Soc. Jesu l. 2. p. 39. * Thus non (b) In the Proctor's Book I find one Tho. Hyde proceeded Master of Arts the same year with Rob. Parsons viz. 1573. (c) Christopher Bagshaw admitted Fellow 1572. left the College 1582. was made Priest in France lived a while in the English College at Rome proceeded Doctor some say at Padua A.P. Reply p. 156. others at Paris and was one of the Faculty at Sorbonne He was active against the Archpriest in the stirs at Wisbich he lived to be very old (d) Dr. Sutclif's Blessings on Mount Gerizim p. 288. * Where he was then Master Camden's Elizabeth Book 2. p. 246. * Morus Historia Missionis p. 40. Acceptis ab Everardo mandatis de re Catholicae per nostri instituti ministeria diligenter procuranda atquo non minori diligentis vitaâ—â—a 〈◊〉 rerum quae ad regni publica negotia pertinerent seu verbo seu scripto trabatione Mor. Hist. Min. l. 3. p. 61. * Pag. 12 13. (c) Important Considerations p. 40. Hart's Confession taken December 31. 1580. in Lord Burleigh's Tract p. 14. (*) Andreas Philopaâ—… Responsio ad Edictum Reginae Angliae p. 106 107. in Fouli`s History of â—â—pish Treasons p. 77. Vertumnus Romanas Lettres Card. d'Ossat Part 2. l. 7. (a) Jesuits Reasons Unreasonable p. 65. (b) Morus Hist. Miss Jesuit l. 4. p. 122. Pitsaeus also makes him to be the Author of it Watson's Quodlibet p. 120. Morus Hist. Miss Jes. l. 6. p. 234 235. (c) Lettres Card. d'Ossat Part 2. l. 8. n. 162. See Animadversions * Important Considerations in a Collection of several Treatises concerning the Reasons and Occasions of the Penal Laws p. 31. (3) p. 34. (m) p. 55.56 (3) Camden Elizabeth B. 2. 150. Perfect Reformation Council of Trent State of England (l) Vertumnus Romanus published by Dr. Featly Pref. p. 7. * Apparatus p. 7. * Lib. 8. p. 153. 1685. Rebus intra Regnum utcunque stabilitis concordia florentibus proxima serenissimo Regi cura fuit suas ditiones cum Ecclesiae Catholicae Capite Romano Pontifice sanctaque Sede Apostolica connectere à qua haeresis eas ante sesquise ulum divulserat Ad tentandum ergo Vadum anno 1685. Romam destinat Jodunem Carillum stirpis claritudine opulentia illustrem Cui revocato cunctis ex vâ—to gestis Legatus extraordinarius eo destinatus est anno sequenti nempe 1686. illustrissimus Comes de Castlemaine Obedientiam Canonicam Jacobi Catholicorum Regni nomine testaturus See Bishop Burnet's History of the Reformation Second Part p. 390. c. ☜ ☜ ☞ ☜ * See his 9 th Chapter ☞ ☜ ☜ ☜ A good manner of proposing in Parliament New Laws to be made or thought on ☜ Mortmains ☞ Whether the first Parliament of Q. Elizabeth were good ☞ The name of the Clergy A Consideration both for Prince and People The Education in our Seminaries The cry of Mr. John Avila Bishops Livings No access of Women to be permitted Occupations of a good Bishop What Men ought to be chosen Bishops Benefices to be provided by opposition Of helping our selves by Strangers No Appropriation of Benefices at the beginning Churches Chancels and Sacristies ☜ ☞ Preferment for those of Seminaries Directions and often Meetings for the Clergy Of Priest's and Clergy-men's Apparel Proof of such as desire to be Priests out of Seminaries Of Universities and Colleges Multitude of Oaths to be restrained Competent Stipends Mathematicks and Tongues Defects of Grammar Schools Time and spaces of courses in Faculties Beginning of establishing Discipline Order of Apparel ☞ Wants of divers Colleges Heads of Houses Ordinary Jurisdiction How Founders Intentions for Masses may be satisfied Emulation to be avoided ☞ The Ordaining of a new Clergy by Christ. Temporal authoriâ—y far inferiour to Spiritual The old Temporal honour of English Clergy The importance of a good Prince and the account that he must make ☞ A Council of Conscience (b) ☞ The quite contrary has happened very lately in England Restoring of Liberties and Priviledges ☜ Restitution of Justice Multitude of Thieves in England (c) This Principle does not only justifie an Exclusion-Bill but a worse Practice that I will not name Lists of Mens names and merits Nobility's Servants Nobility's Children Wards Younger Brothers Noblemen's and Gentlemen's Daughters and Dowries Setting the Lands at the old Rent of Assize Old Rents commodious to the Common-wealth Reformation of the Common Law Remedy for bringing Suits to London Visitors upon Lawyers and Judges The Common Laws of England unjust in matter of Life and Death The Equity and Piety of Imperial Laws in matter of Life and Death Inquiry upon Injuries done to the Commonalty Honest Recreation of the Commonalty Corpus Christi Feast Divers Schools The Conclusion
very promising in those affairs and did not deceive their expectations being fierce and zealous in promoting their Cause He seems to have over-acted his part since he quickly drew upon himself no very favourable Opinion from the General of their Order who found him too turbulent busie and medling and therefore complain'd That he was more troubled with one English man meaning our Father Parsons than with all the rest of his Society He was however after having been but five years among them pitch'd upon to be one of the Jesuits that should be sent in their first Mission into England and perhaps his unquiet and boisterous temper might be the best reason their General had to send him away Cardinal Allen was the person that first motioned such a mission of Jesuits into England and named Father Parsons not only for one but to be the Superiour The picking out such a man does tell the World as plain as words themselves could what the true business was upon which these Jesuits were first sent into England The great pretence and what was published every where was that they were only sent into Christ's Vineyard to serve the necessities of the remaining Catholicks in England and to recover others from their Heresies and Schism but Cardinal Allen knew other things and another sort of a design a design that required such men as Father Parsons himself was Had their sending been only and purely about Spiritual matters and the Salvation of Souls of all men living he would not have singled out our Jesuit whom he lookt upon to be a man very violent and of an unquiet Spirit and therefore more likely to cause Breaches and Divisions than to heal them And therefore some people who were not let into the Secret were very much disturbed when they heard that Father Parsons was sending amongst them expecting no good but a great deal of mischief to all the Catholicks left in England from the management of such a violent not cholerick and domineering Superiour even Blackwel himself that was afterwards Arch-Priest and so much at Father Parson's Devotion bewailed the coming of Parsons into England to a Friend of his saying That the President at Rhemes meaning Dr. after Cardinal Allen played a very indiscreet part to send him hither as being an unfit man to be employed in the Causes of Religion And being asked by that Friend why Father Parsons was unmeet for that Employment his answer was because his casting out of Baliol College and other Articles and Matters depending upon it betwixt him and Dr. Squire then living were very likely to be renewed and so to work great discredit both to him and to the Catholick Cause And indeed one cannot but wonder how a man who had left England so lately and upon such very scandalous accounts should have the face not only to come but to put himself forward upon such an Employment It confirms the Character of Mr. Camden and others of him that he was a man of confident boldness but it does not prove either Policy or Discretion in hiâ—â— except he had brought himself to believe that the Absolution he got in the Church of Rome when he turn'd Apostate had bloâ—ted his false tricks and knavish pranks oâ— of all Peoples Memories as well as out of Heavens Records However to do them justice who were for sending him into England against all those complainers against him and them such a man as Father Parsons was necessary for such a work as he was sent hither upon and what that work was we shall hear very quickly He and Father Campian were appointed for this Mission and parted from Rome on the Sunday after Easter 1580. with the Pope's Benediction Their Dispatches were given them there before they set out by Everard Mercurianus the General of their Order which Morus in his History of this Mission makes to be in short some Commands about faithfully discharging their Ministerial Function and by no means either by Word or Writing to meddle with the Publick Affairs of the Kingdom of England I was very careful not to omit the putting down these dispatches for the two Jesuits according to Father Moor's â—â—count of them because I shall shew by and by how wonderfully these do agree with another dispatch which though Father Moor leave it out of his History I will not leave out of mine and with the Practices of both these Jesuits as soon as they were got into this Kingdom Father Moor tells us that the two Jesuits with their Companions took Geneva in their way from Rome and made a visit to Beza with whom they had some Conference but no victory it seems because the poor ignorant Man took the advantage of the shutting in of the Evening to break off the Discourse and to conceal his ignorance a piece of History this that Father Moor ought not to expect to be credited in by any Body that hath ever heard of learning or learned Men or by any one but a Jesuit and a Jesuit's Fellow First Parsons set sail from Calice the two Sparks being unwilling to venture two such Treasures in one Bottom after Midnight which was the properest time for such works of darkness as he wâ—â— going about and got safe to Canterbury as Campian acquaints their General in his Letter to Rome in the disguise of Soldier but so gaudy and so airy thâ—â— he must be a very nice Man that coâ—â— â—hen suspect or find Piety or Modesty under such a dress and mien ay or without that dress I dare add for who ever heard otherwise of Father Parson's Modesty or Piety either After this he got as safe to London where he stayed for his Companion Father Campiâ—n who likewise escaped the strict search that was made for them their Pictures as well as the time of their setting out from Rome being got into England before them I must leave these Jesuits in their disguises for a while and look back to the State Queen Elizabeth was in with the Bishops of Rome Pius Quartus had a mind to attempt her by fair speeches and to perswade her to submit her Sceptre to his Crosier by fair Promises for which purpose by his Agent Parpaglia he wrote a very â—mooth Letter unto her giving her assurance of every thing she could desire from him But Queen Elizabeth was too prudent to be caught by such a gilded bait or to part with her Supream Power for a few good Words and therefore would have nothing to do with the Bishops of Rome so that all this Pope's hopes of her were lost Pius Quintus seeing his Predecessor's mild ways unsuccessful resolved upon harsher methods and made it his chief business to contrive and encourage Plots against her and not content with this 〈◊〉 slow and unsuccessful way of destroying her he without giving warning or sending Admonition to her le ts fly his Bull of Excommunication and Deprivation against her and causes it by an impudent Wretch Felton to be
so much about and of which he glories so much up and down his Writings These Seminaries were the Nurseries of the Conspiracies and Treasons which were from time to time set on foot and carried on against the Queen and Realm of England and Father Parson 's whole Life from his leaving the Mission in England appears to me to have been one continued Act of Treason against his Natural Queen and Native Country To mention some of his Treasons that are come to light he was very grateful to the Duke of Guise whom he had perswaded to set up a Seminary in France for the English that should come thither for with him he conspires against his own Queen how to depose her and set up in her room Popery and the Queen of Scots He endeavoured for this purpose as we are told to make a List of Catholicks which under the conduct of the Duke of Guise should have changed the State of the Kingdom using for it the pretence of the Title of Queen Mary of Scotland But that her Council at Paris which understood business better were so sensible of his boldness that they took from him the Queen's Cypher which he had purloyned and commanded him never more to meddle in her affairs But notwithstanding these People would not let our Father Parsons have any thing further to do in those treasons which were really carried on at that time for the Queen of Scots yet he pretended to mighty merit upon her and her Son's Account in his Letter to Father Chreyton the Jesuit telling him how many long and tedious journeys he had taken for their sakes and how much Mony he had procured for them at one time twenty four thousand Crowns from the King of Spain at another time the same summ and from Pope Gregory XIII four thousand Crowns he confesses indeed that things had not succeeded for them as he had wished but wonders that any body should make him to be an Enemy to the King of Scots who had been so very serviceable to him and his Mother I suppose Father Parsons was disgusted at this sleighting of his faithful services to the Queen of Scots by her Ministers and to be revenged of her and them betakes himself wholly into the Spanish Interest which he espoused so far as not only to sollicite and encourage their open attempts by Invasion against England but after the ill success of that to set up their sham Title to the Kingdom of England He and Cardinal Allen whom Parsons had by his Interest with the King of Spain procured to be made a Cardinal two Brethren in iniquity were mighty forward for the famous Spanish Invasion in 1588. and to make it more successful wrote in defence of it a Tract which Allen was perswaded to own though Parsons had as great if not a greater hand in it than himself In this Admonition to the Nobility and People of England the Queen's Government is called impious and unjust her self an Usurper obstinate and impentinent and it is affirmed that for this reason Pope Sixtus Quintus moved by his own and his Predecessors zeal and the vehement desire of some principal Englishmen had used great diligence with divers Princes especially with the Spanish King to use all his force that she might be turned out of her Dominions and her Adherents punished for a great many Reasons there laid together after which it proceeds thus Wherefore seeing these Offences some of them rendring her uncapable of the Kingdom others unworthy to live his Holiness by the power of God and the Apostles reneweth the Censures of Pius V. and Gregory XIII against her excommunicates and deprives her of all Royal Dignity Titles Rights and Pretences to England and Ireland declares her Illegitimate and an Usurper of the Kingdoms and absolves all her Subjects from their Obedience and Oaths of Allegiance due to her And expressly commands All under pain and penalty of God's Wrath to yield her no obedience aid or favour whatsoever but to employ all their power against her and to joyn themselves with the Spanish Forces who will not hurt the Nation nor alter their Laws or Priviledges only punish the wicked Hereticks And by the same Presents it was declared not only lawful but commendable to lay hands on the said Usurper and other her Adherents for doing of which they should be well rewarded And lastly to all these Roman Assistants is liberally granted a plenary Indulgence and Remission of all their Sins But this unerring Thunderbolt as well as the Spanish Invincible Armado did very shamefully miscarry to the no small disappointment of our good Father Parsons who was not discouraged at that defeat though a worse Man than himself if any such could be would have seen the Finger of God plainly in it but labours with the King of Spain a while after for a second Invasion and after that for a third plotting and devising all ways to bring the King of Spain to it and the Papists of England both those at home and the fugitives abroad to joyn and assist the King of Spain in it but all his pains was lost about these Invasions from abroad and therefore he next sets himself to raise a Rebellion in England it self and deals with Ferdinand Earl of Derby to appear in and â—ead it which because he declined to do he was poysoned by Father Hesketh's procurement who had been sent to him by Father Parsons But failing here also of the desired success the poor Father was now at a loss what to do with this Kingdom of England and since he saw all miscarried that he had plotted against Queen Elizabeth who descended to her Grave full of years and honour his next business was to keep out King James who was a Protestant also from succeding her For this purpose he wrote his Doleman or Conference about the next Succession to the Crown of England the chief design of which was to exclude the Scotch Title as well the Lady Arabella's as King James's and to set up the Spanish Infanta I know Mr. Camden will have Cardinal Allen and Sir Francis Inglefield to have their shares in this Book but Cardinal d'Ossat who had far better opportunities of finding out the Author makes it to be Parson's own and in one of his Letters to the King of France gives that King an account of it wherein he gives our Jesuit the true Character he deserved of being a fellow that regarded neither truth nor reason One thing I cannot but remark here that though this Jesuit had the Impudence to meddle in these matters and to set up forged Titles against the Royal Line of Scotland yet when King James contrary to their Popish designs as well as Expectations did quietly succeed to the Crown of England he had the greater Impudence to deny his ever intending to exclude that King this is in the Preface to his Three Conversions of England added upon the news of the Queens Death and
Members and Branches whom this Memorial may concern are Three to wit the whole Body of the Realm jointly and then the Crgy and Temporalty apart Therefore the same order shall be observed for more perspecuity's sake in treating matters that are to be handled according to these three parts First of things that appertain to the whole Body of the Realm in general and then to the Clergy and Laity in particular's dividing each one of these two latter Members into his particular branches also as namely the Clergy and Spiritualty into Bishops Priests and Religious and the Laity and Temporalty into the Prince with his Council the Nobility and Commons making of every one of these chief Members their particular Chapters also apart as in Prosecution of this Treatise shall appear And to the performance of this the Author was incouraged especially by two points which for divers Years he has been perswaded in The First That God will most certainly at his time appointed restore the Realm of England to the Catholic Faith again as may appear by the evident hand he holdeth now in the work The other That England being once converted may be made the Spectacle of all the World and an Example of Perfection to all other Catholic Countries and Churches round about it if want of Zeal and good will do not hinder it in those that God shall bring to that blessed day which the Gatherer of this Memorial hopeth will not and with this hope he setteth down the Notes and Advertisements ensuing A Table of the Chapters of this MEMORIAL PART I. Touching the whole Body CHAP. I. SOme special Reasons why England above all other Realms ought to procure a perfect Reformation when time shall serve CHAP. II. What manner of Reformation is needful in England after so long a storm of Persecution which is declared by the Example of Gold coming out of the Furnace and of a Garden newly planted after the Weeds and Thorne are consumed by Fire CHAP. III. How this happy Reformation may be best procured and what Disposition of Mind is needful for it in all parts CHAP. IV. How all sorts of People to wit Catholicks Schismaticks and Hereticks may be charitably dealt withal to their most profit at the neat change of Religion CHAP. V. The forwardness that ought to be in all Men for the appeasing of God's Wrath about the rapine of Ecclesiastical Lands and Livings and with what facility and case a good Composition and reasonable Satisfaction may be agreed upon without the over-burdening of any Party and how the said Livings may be disposed of CHAP. VI. Of the many great and singular Benefits that would ensue to the Church and Realm of England by this manner of Restitution Agreement and Disposition of Ecclesiastical Livings CHAP. VII Of a Council of Reformation to be ordained by the Authority of the Prince and Parliament with consent of the See Apostolick and wherein they are principally to be occupied for the raising up of our Churches again and first of all in gathering up and profitably bestowing of these Church-Livings that shall be restored CHAP. VIII Of divers other great Points that will belong to the Council of Reformation to deal in for the bringing of our English Church to its former Perfection CHAP. IX There ensue yet more matters that appertain to the Council of Reformation for beautifying our Church above the beauty that it had before and above the rest of all Christian Churches CHAP. X. Of the Parliament of England and what were to be considered or reformed about the same both in it self and other PART II. Touching the Clergy CHAP. I. OF the Clergy in general what they are and ought to do at the next change and how soundly united with the Laity CHAP. II. Of Bishops and Bishopricks of England what is to be restored and what continued what reformed CHAP. III. Of Deans Canons Pastors Curates and the rest of the Clergy what is needful to make them flourish CHAP. IV. Of Seminaries Colledges Vniversities and Schools for restoring and increase of our Clergy CHAP. V. Of Vniversities more at large and of the Government Discipline and manner of proceeding of our English Vniversities and in what Points they do differ from other Vniversities abroad and what is to be increased added and altered or established to make them absolutely the best in the World CHAP. VI. How Offices Preferments Fellowships Scholarships and other said places were to be provided in our Vniversities to avoid infinite inconveniences and of divers other Points to this purpose CHAP. VII Of Religious Men and Women and matters appertaining unto them and their Estate and how England may be furnished with them in far better sort than any other Catholick Nation in the World PART III. Touching the Laity CHAP. I. OF the Laity and Temporalty in general and of the agreement and concurrence with the Clergy for both their good with the Difference of both their States CHAP. II. Of the Prince and his Councel and matters belonging to them for the publick benefit CHAP. III. Of the Nobility and Gentry of England and matters appertaining to their Estates for the bettering the same every way CHAP. IV. Of the Inns of Court and Studies of the Common Laws of England and of the Laws themselves what is to be considered amended or bettered in each part CHAP. V. Of the Commons of England and of matters appertaining to them how tenderly they are to be cared for cherished and maintained with divers Advertisements for their publick Commodity The FIRST PART of this MEMORIAL OF THE Reformation of England Wherein are touched Points that do belong to the whole Body of the Realm as before in the Preface has been declared and is the Ground of the other Parts that ensue CHAP. I. Some special Reasons why England above all other Realms ought to procure a perfect Reformation when time shall serve IF ever Nation under Heaven were bound to shew themselves grateful to Almighty God and to turn heartily and zealously unto him and to seek his highest glory by a perfect Reformation of their Country when his Divine Majesty shall open the way it is the English Nation for the Reasons following First For that no other Nation in the World on whom God hath laid the scourge of Heresie hath received so many helps and graces to resist the same as England hath done which is evident by the b multitudes and valour of English Martyrs by the fortitude and zeal of so many and such Confessors by their Constancy Patience and Fervour at home by the store of Seminaries abroad and by the Spirit of Priests brought up in them and many other Favours and Priviledges used towards the English Nation in these our days all which do require an extraordinary Demonstration of forwardness of English Catholicks when the time shall serve to be answerable in some sort to these extraordinary Benefits Secondly We do both see and feel the inestimable damages that ensued
forelaid Council of Trent entirely and fully without Limitation or Restraint but to embrace also and to put it in ure where occasion and place is offered such other points of Reformation as tend to the perfect restitution of Ecclesiastical Discipline that were in use in the ancient Christian Church though afterward decayed for want of Spirit and not urged now again nor commanded for the Council of Trent for the causes before by me alledged for better Declaration whereof we may consider that the Council of Trent touching Reformation of Manners had to repair an old ancient House whereof many parts were sore weakened by Corruptions and some perished but yet the whole could not be changed nor built anew but necessarily the reparation must be made according to the State and Condition of the other parts that yet remained and so those good Fathers could not frame all points to their own likeing nor yet according to the Rules of perfect Ecclesiastical Architecture But now in England no doubt but that the State of things will be far otherwise whensoever the change of Religion shall happen For then it will be lawful for a good Catholick Prince that God shall send and 2 for a well affected Parliament which himself and the time will easily procure to begin of new and to build from the very foundation the external face of our Catholick Church and to follow the Model which themselves will chuse and if that will be a good and perfect Model it will endure at least for a time and be a pattern of true Christianity to the rest of the World but if it be but ordinary and of the meaner sort at the beginning it will quickly slide back to the old Corruptions wherein it was before and so the benefit of this Probation and Tribulation will soon be lost both before God and Men which Jesus forbid for that it is and will be the greatest Crown that ever England hath had since her first Conversion to the Christian Faith and according to this account must our purpose be of Reformation whensoever God shall restore us to Liberty and Peace lest we lose in Peace that which we gained in War as Eusebius Caesariensis saith that some did in antient Persecutions and it ought to be a warning to us to take heed by their Examples And this is so much as in this behalf seemeth needful to be remembred Animadversions on Chap. II. 1 THE late Council of Trent The Jesuit in the former Chapter was complaining of the coldness and imperfect Reformation of Queen Mary's Reign and here he is as severe upon the Council of Trent it self which notwithstanding its being directed and assisted by the Holy Ghost as this Jesuit as well as the rest of their Writers will have it to be when they are engaged in Controversie against the Reformed and notwithstanding the Infallible Vicar at Rome presided in it by his Legates and did from time to time influence and direct all its Consultations and Determinations yet was so base and cowardly according to our fierce Jesuit as to truckle to the humours of the Age and make a very lame and imperfect Reformation out of compliance with the lukewarmness and iniquity of that Age. But the rest of the World were not of our Jesuit's Mind but did easily see that no Temporal Prince could submit to that Council which by the bye was nothing but a meer Western Conventicle of Italian Bishops and the Pope's own Creatures who had sworn to be true and faithful to him and to preserve to him those which he and they call the Rights and Honours of S. Peter before ever they came within the Walls of that assembly without wrong to himself and to his People However our Jesuit is for having his Popish Prince in England to receive the Council of Trent entirely and fully without Limitation and Restraint though the Prince that does it makes himself feudatory to the Popes and leaves his Country to their disposal when they think fit to have it escheat to them this no body can doubt of it that will but examine what that Council at Trent hath determined about the Matter of Duels in any Princes Countries and this without Question is one of the Reasons why the Gallican Church could not then nor can be to this day perswaded to admit the Council of Trent entirely but refuse it as to the Canons about Discipline which encroach upon the Prince's Right and the Churches Authority By what I can observe from our Jesuit he is for overdoing the whole World and while he brands others with the name of Cold Catholicks would I suppose have a Council of Jesuits to reform their Church and then I am sure it will be done to purpose 2 For a well affected Parliament which himself and the time will easily procure Here is an Instance of a fatal mistake in our Jesuit's Politicks and Foresight The Papists in England by God's Permission have had a Popish Prince and a Prince governed by Jesuits too and as zealous as our Jesuit himself could either imagine or wish him to be and yet after all he was not able to get a well affected Parliament that is a Parliament that would have settled Popery effectually among us That Prince came to the Crown with greater advantages than one of his Perswasion could well have been supposed to have done he was no sooner fixt in his Throne than he had the good success to break and suppress two very dangerous Rebellions and appeared to the World to have the love of all his Subjects who gratified him in his first Parliament with every thing that they could either with Honour or Conscience give But when tempted I am afraid by the reading of this Jesuit's Memorial and by the strange success against the two Insurrections he began to pull off the Vizard and was for breaking in upon the National Protestant security by keeping up a standing Army with a great many Popish unqualified Officers and thought it would prove 〈◊〉 easie matter to bring in his Popery we see how miserably he was out in his Measures that very Parliament that had been so kind as to settle a greater Revenue upon him than ever King of England had by six hundred thousand Pounds a Year as I have been informed for some Years and to give him great Supplies and to Voâ—â— him more and that did stand by him with their Fortuneâ— and Lives were yet for standing by their Religion and their Laws and were neither so tame nor foolish as to be either complemented or hector'd out of either of them This dissolved that Parliament and shewed how graâ—â—ful a Popish Prince could be to the best and kindest Parliament And when this Parliament was dissolved and Popery made every day larger steps than before and the whole Constitution was laid to sleep in favour of Fanatiâ— and Papists did he or time procure a more kind or well affected Parliament Indeed all the care imaginable
none at all if he deserveth it And that the Condition also be put by the Prince and Pope in providing of Bishopricks to wit that when ever the Prince or Archbishops shall require Visitors of His Holiness to visit any Bishop or Archbishop and shall find just cause to deprive him or put him down to a lower Bishoprick that it shall be lawful and that each Prelate may enter with this express Condition as also Deans Archdeacons Canons and the rest And that sometimes it be put in Execution for that this will be a continual Bridle and Spur to them when they know they have no certainty or perpetuity and as to the good it will be an occasion of perpetual promotion so to the other it will be a motive to look about them Order must be given by the Bishops for often meeting of the Clergy in Provincial Synods or otherwise to confer their doubts and to take light and incouragement the one of the other And for the better keeping of Unity both in Mind and Spirit and Actions and the old Canons Customs and old Ecclesiastical Ordinances of our English Church are to be brought in ure again as much as may be and as they serve profitably to our Times Whether it be convenient to have a Third Archbishop in England and some Bishopricks increased enlarged diminished or divided I have put it in Consideration before the Council of Reformation and so have no more to note in particular about this Chapter of Bishops but only to refer my self to that which in general the Holy Council of Trent has ordained about Reformation of Bishops which I do suppose ever as a Foundation to all that here or elsewhere is added for England alone at its next change to Catholick Religion CHAP. III. Of Deans Canons Pastors Curates and the rest of the Clergy AFter Bishops do follow the other inferiour Order of the Clergy to which may be apply'd so much of that which I have spoken before in the Chapter of Bishops as doth concern them And furthermore you may add the Advertisement and Ordinations of the Holy late Council of Trent about Reformation of Priests which were convenient should be put in Execution in England above all other Catholick Countries with Zeal and Devotion and what else I can remember that is particular to our Country or not touched by the said Council I shall endeavour to suggest in this place All Men will confess that Deans and Canons and other Ministers of Cathedral Churches at their first Institution and many years after did live in common and did eat together in one Hall or Refectory and that their Life and manner of Discipline was a community of one good and well ordered College as we read of those that lived under St. Augustin as their Bishop in the City of Hippo in Africa and of those that long after lived under St. Dominick as their Prior in the City of Osma in Spain and for this effect were the Closes or Cloisters built in every Cathedral Church for Canons to live together under one Lock and Discipline as hath been said and for this cause were they called Regular and the very name of Canon signifieth a Rule and in divers places yet of other Countries the same is observed though not with so great Exaction as from the beginning it was But now in England it might be restored to the first perfection again so as our Canons might live in common and be Exemplar Men of Life And if there should be any difficulty to obtain this of all yet at leastwise that no Man live abroad or alone but by particular leave and Dispensation And that such as will live in Community may have some priviledges above the rest and that ordinarily of these Men may be chosen Deans Archdeacons Heads of Colleges Bishops and other Dignities so as to live Exemplarly may have some priviledge and enlargement above the rest for which cause also it would be good that some ordinary degrees and steps were known in the Commonwealth for Ecclesiastical Men to ascend and to go up by And first Seminaries and ordinary Colleges in the Universities and from thence to be Heads of Houses and Fellows of the exempted and priviledged Colleges of which I shall speak more in the Chapter following concerning Universities and from those to be Canons in the Cathedral Churches and after to pass to other Dignities Prelacies and Bishopricks Among which Degrees of Promotion no one is more fit to try Men and to make them sufficient for higher places than Canonneries if they were used to this effect and Men ordinarily taken from thence to other preferments and this according to their Merits only and behaviour in the same and not for favour kindred and other respects And still the most virtuous wise and orderly is to be preferred and especially those that are pious and Men of Alms though they were somewhat inferiour to the rest and that no troublesome unquiet idle vain heady proud or dissolute Men should be preferred though he were never so qualified otherwise but rather know certainly he should be put back from that place and with that express Condition to take his Canonry or other Dignity when he entereth as before hath been noted I have suggested before in the Chapter belonging to the Council of Reformation how that the scarcity of good and able English Priests being so great as it is like to be at the next change when so many places will be to fill as the greatness of such a Kingdom requireth the first care must be in all reason and good Law of prudence to furnish Bishopricks Deanries Archdeaconries and some such other principal charges of Jurisdiction and Government where only the English Men will be able to discharge the Office by reason of the Language and not Strangers But yet where no convenient provision can be made of the English Nation there to help our selves rather with some discreet and vertuous Men of other Countries for a time and those to be chosen and sent us only upon our Petition by zealous and good Bishops abroad than to leave the People wholly unfurnished namely for saying of Mass singing in the Quire of Cathedral Churches and Collegial and other such like Priestly Functions as by Men of other Languages may be performed with Condition that this shall be used only for a space until our Clergy shall be increased and no propriety of Benefices to be given to them but only competent Pensions and Allowance during their aboad in England which may be so long as they behave themselves well and give Edification to the People I have spoken also of English Preachers to be sent over the Realm alloting to every Bishop so many as may be had for that purpose and that he divide them as he shall think most needful and that for some few years at least it would be more commodious for the Publick and more liberty for the Preachers and Priests
by the Heresies of our time it will be needful in this behalf to make a great Reformation And albeit that all respect and reverent regard be to be had and born unto the old Laws and Ordinances of Universities and Colleges where no inconvenience is seen to the contrary yet must the Commission and Faculty of such as come to reform be very ample and large both from the Realm and See Apostolick And first of all for settling of common Discipline most evident it is that all habitation concourse and negotiation of Women which heretical Dissolution hath brought in is utterly to be removed from all Colleges and communities of Students and herewith all junkets all lascivious banqueting excess of Apparel Dancing Fencing-Schools and the like that no Man have leave to go forth but by knowledge and licence of his Superiour and this to known honest parts and Persons at Houses lawful accompanied with his fellow or more if need be in decent Apparel Which Apparel for use of the whole University may be divided generally into two or three sorts as in other best Universities of foreign Countries is to be seen to wit that Graduates Fellows and Scholars of particular Colleges may have one sort of Apparel distinct from the rest of the whole Body of the University and those of one College to be known from those of another by some distinction of Collars or other like difference in their habits and that after these Collegials all the rest which are Students of the University may have a certain general and modest kind of Attire without permitting any man to differ from the same which is a Student except in some rare and extraordinary case as of some Prince great noble Man or the like And that this common habit be divided only into two sorts the one for Divines only more grave which yet ought to be as near to old English custom and form of ancient Catholick times as may be and square Caps with Cassocks down to the Knee as in Lovain Doway Paris and other Universities of France and Flanders now also is used And the other sort of Apparel may be for Lawyers and Physicians and such as study Philosophy and inferiour Sciences or are Commoners in the Halls or Colleges which sort of Apparel may be long Cloaks with Hats as it is used in Spain and Italy if it shall be so thought convenient Which points I do touch the sooner in particular for that great exactness will be necessary in this behalf at the beginning both to cut off the liberty and superfluity brought in by Hereticks as also to prevent the Novelties which some of ours may chance bring home from other Countries if care be not had And this point of Apparel is a principle of much good or evil in the Commonwealth Porters that be discreet honest and faithful men must be appointed to the Gates of every College Heads of Houses also must be chosen at the beginning rather according to their vertue and love toward Discipline and good order than of any other quality For that without such men it will be hard in the beginning to raise up and establish again vertuous Life and Conversation after so universal a Flood of Enormities as hath overflowed all And for this respect perhaps it will be needful that not only all interest to Headships of Houses but Fellowships also and Scholarships and all other Officers of particular Colleges and of the Vniversities in general be made void at the beginning and new men planted and placed again upon choice as they shall be thought fit for this new beginning and perfect Reformation and that the overplus of Rents and Revenues of Colleges for the mean space be gathered and put in a common Purse by order of the said Council of Reformation not to be disposed of to any other uses as other Eclesiastical Rents before mentioned but to be reserved for better furnishing of the same Colleges and Universities as need shall offer it self when a number of Students shall be increased for more reason whereof it may be considered that not only our Universities in common will have need of great and publick reparations and expences at the beginning in building publick Schools founding of common Lectures and the like but every particular Hall also and College the like For that the most of them are very defective in their building and other things necessary to their furniture as of their Chappels Churches and publick Halls and places for Disputations Repetitions and other such exercises of learning as are in other Countries and are to be provided in ours And besides this divers of them do lack infirmaries for sick-men Rooms of Hospitals for Strangers Comers and Goers and Novices that enter of new or are in their first probation and divers such other buildings reparations and accommodating of their Houses both for common and private uses Many of them also do want Rents sufficient for maintenance of a sufficient number of Fellows and Scholars to uphold the credit of the House divers of them are in debt and other difficulties and wants without provision of sufficient Libraries and Books and other furniture necessary for learning all which particular needs of private Colleges as also the wants before mentioned of publick Schools Lectures Masters Readers must be now holpen with the common Purse of the Universities Lands laid together for some years at the beginning I mean the over-plus that shall remain above the maintenance of some few fit and chosen men to be Heads and Fellows of Houses for bringing in of this perfect Reformation And as for Heads and Governors of Colleges it may be thought upon whether it were not best that some moderation should be established for their expences state and manner of Life in the Colleges otherwise than now it is For seeing that England hath so many other places of Prelacy for men of merit to be preferred unto as divers Archdeacons Chancellorships and the like many men are of Opinion That it were much better that the Heads of Houses in Universities should never be given for time of Life nor have so great allowance of men houses and wages as some of them have that use it only to pomp and to no profit of Students but rather that it should be as it is in other foreign Universities a matter of dignity and honour than of wealth and gains and that it should endure but for a certain time to wit two or three years whereby more Men by succession of time might obtain the same and thereby made fit to govern afterwards in other places whereas now those that once get the Rooms accounting themselves sure thereof during their lives are made more careless and are much absent from their charges lying commonly in the Court and making this Headship of the College but a step of Ambition to a higher promotion And the allowance of their expences are so great that it outeth almost a
third part of the Fellows and Scholars which otherwise might be maintained more if the Head's Portion were moderate as in other places it is And the going forward in studies would be much better attended unto Wherefore this point in all reason is to be remedied and no more to be allowed to the Head during his Government than a reasonable portion for himself and for a Man or two whilest he governeth and that the same Government endure not ordinarily more than three years and that he may be elected out of any College or House of the University without prejudice of losing his place or commodity that he had before if after his Headship ended he will return to the same again And to the end he be more vigilant in his Office the order of other Countries seemeth very good that a Month before his said Office is to end there should ordinarily a Visitor be sent to examine how he and his Officers have behaved themselves and in what state they leave the Colleges and that the said Visitor should assist afterwards in the Election of a new Head and Officers to be chosen at the same time and that done might the Visitation be confirmed with such assistance as shall be appointed thereunto and so sentence be given for the praise or punishment of the said Head and the rest of the Officers for their years past With this vigilance it may be presumed that the Government of Houses would go much better especially if there were some one Man in or near each University that had eminent authority over all to determine causes and to send ordinary Visitors to every College and Hall every third year at the change of their Head-Officers as is aforesaid himself remaining high sole and perpetual Visitor of the said University during his Life It were to be wished also if it could be brought to pass that young men in the Colleges during time of their studies though they be Fellows had no Voices in setting or letting of their Lands buying or selling choosing of Officers among themselves and the like for that most certain it is both by reason and experience that these things do greatly distract the wits of young-men and especially of students and do hinder their learning and put them in continual broyls disquietness contention and dissention both amongst themselves and with their Superiors For remedy whereof it seemeth that some two or three at the most within every College of the most ancient and fittest for the purpose that have ended their studies or are very near to the same might be appointed to have a hand in the Temporalties Therefore together with the Head without troubling the rest whereunto may be joyned some wise or discreet Procurator abroad and all these might be bound not to lett or set buy or sell any great thing of importance without the consent of other two or three Heads of Religious Houses or other Colleges within the said University who might be immediate Patrons and Over-seers of this College or Hall and might be bound to come or send every quarter of the year once to view and see the accounts how they pass and at the end of each year to subscribe them with their hands and at the end of three years when the Head and other ordinary Officers of the College were to be changed for to avoid Elections it would be best no doubt for every College to choose their Head and all other principal Officers at one time together for to endure for three years as before hath been said These Patrons and Overseers after the Visitation ended by him that shall be sent by the chief Visitor be he Chancellor or Bishop that shall have this supreme authority they may I say join with the said Visitor to overlook his Visitation as also assist him in the Election of the Head and Officers that are to follow and have their Voices also in the same and this may be observed in every College over which both particular Patrons and Overseers may be appointed as hath been declared for their better Direction and Government And besides these a general Visitor may be over the whole University and be respected and obeyed by all which no doubt would be far better and more commodious than one College to depend as now they do of one Bishop as their Visitor and another of another which Bishop lying oftentimes far off cannot have so great care or knowledge of University matters as was needful and consequently of less authority with the whole For that the Bishop which is respected by one College for that he is their Visitor is nothing cared for by others over whom he hath no jurisdiction at all But by the means which I have proposed of being general Visitor and lying in or near the University he shall be respected by all and his Ordinances will be observed for that he is present to over-look the same And again if two or three Heads of Houses be appointed immediate Patrons and over-lookers of every particular College there will be much matter of Government and Authority to exercise all Heads and one College will respect another and help to hold up Discipline and good order one in the other which now is not done CHAP. VI. How Fellowships Scholarships and other such places were to be proved AS for choosing of Fellows and Scholars into every House where places are vacant and that with indifferency and good order without partiality and bribes as now is used this method following may be observed which is used also in foreign Universities When any place is void in any College it should not be provided and filled again before the end of the year in which it falleth void to wit until the next festival day of the same College and this to the end both that the College may help and better it self by the saving of the Fellowship or Scholarship for the remnant of that year as also to the end there be time to give notice abroad in the University or farther off also if need be that such and such places are void to the end that fit men may prepare themselves to oppose for the same And so when the time cometh or some three or four days before the Feast that the Head with his principal Officers as also that the Patrons before mentioned may joyn together and make publick examination of the Opponents as well for their manners as learning and this in such sort as there may be no place for corruption or partiality And then taking first a publick Oath to do uprightly according to their Consciences they may give their voices and he that hath the more part clearly of all the Electors to be accounted for lawfully chosen and none else which point only if it might be observed in our Englâ—sh Universities and the foul corruption and bribery removed that Heresie hath brought in in our days that would be sufficient to animate all the youth in England to follow
their studies with carefulness As for the ordinary Government and jurisdiction over each University it may be considered at that time what way will be best to take and the manner of other Universities in foreign Countries may be weighed by the Council of Reformation and their Commissioners as namely whether this ordinary Jurisdiction shall be only in the Chancellor as now is used in England and whether any Bishop may over-look them or the like as also whether the Offices of the Proctors and Clerks of the Market be to be committed to young Men that study as now is accustomed seeing that oftentimes it is occasion not only of distraction and loss of time unto them but also of dissolution of life and corruption of their manners by reason of the liberty that is given them thereby of conversation with loose and dissolute people Election of publick Readers and other Officers The Officers that are to be given by the University as also the publick Lectors and other such Preferments as are not so well given in other foreign Universities in my opinion as they might be where they are bestowed by the popular voices of the common Students in every Faculty who being less able to judge of the fitness of the Persons that stand for the same and more easie to be corrupted and drawn into factions mutinies and other disorders to trouble both themselves and others about such Elections and oftentimes also indanger their own Consciences in following passion in the choice made by others and therefore no doubt but the more quiet grave and sure way would be that these Elections should be made by the major part of the Heads of Houses only upon publick examination of the Persons that do stand for the Preferment and oath given by themselves to do uprightly and when it is for any publick Lecture the Doctors and Batchelors only of that Faculty might have their voices with them And for more gravity honour and renown of our Universities let it be considered whether it were not good to have more eminent and priviledged Colleges in the same for learned and grave Men only to enter as in divers Universities of Spain is used besides the ordinary Colleges we have for Students only in which no Man may study longer conveniently than the ending of his course in the Faculty he studieth and if he should he would rather be a burthen to the House and trouble to the rest which are Students than any thing else seeing he can have no exercise of learning convenient to his degree among them And for that cause the order hitherto observed is good no doubt and ought to be observed that Men that have ended their courses after some reasonable time given them also to repeat and look over the same again should depart and give place to others But yet to the end that such as would remain and go forward in studies might have commodity to do the same it would not be amiss perhaps that some such greater and more principal Colleges as are in other Universities should be erected also in ours for learned Men to enter and live therein to wit that none should be admited but such as have taken Degree of Doctor Licentiate or Batchelor of Divinity Law or Physick and that in the same Colleges there should be continual exercises of learning discipline and order together with settled maintenance fit for such Men conform to the orders of such-like Colleges as are in other Countries whose Rules and Laws might be viewed and brought into ours and out of these Colleges might be chosen both publick Readers Heads of Houses Canons Deans Chancellors Archdeacons and Bishops as also Doctors of Law for the Arches and other such Tribunals Physicians for the Court and other principal Cities of England And finally these Colleges would be as it were principal Store-houses of learned approved and eminent Men for the Prince and Commonwealth to lay hands on for all chief Functions within the Realm And albeit that by means of these principal and bigger Colleges great perfections of learning would grow quickly within the Realm both in the Faculties of Divinity Law and Physick for every one whereof there might be appointed one or more of these Colleges or at the leastwise for Law and Divinity yet moreover and besides this for better preparation to the same in other lesser Colleges divers Men are of Opinion That it would be a matter of much importance if all the Colleges of the Universities were sorted out unto the peculiar studies of these Faculties distinctly so as one Faculty only should be studied in one College and not all mixed as now in divers places as for example That some one or two Colleges among the rest were appointed out for only Lawyers and other two for Physicians and all the rest for Divines and that particular Halls and Convictories might be appointed and made subordinate unto these Colleges for Students of the same Faculties only to the end that the exercise of learning in every Faculty might be more frequented better maintained by living of many together that do profess one and the self same thing than by living straggling abroad in different Colleges as hitherto they have done where they have neither company help or comfort in their studies nor sufficient practice and exercise in the same especially Lawyers and Physicians that have solitary places in separate Colleges and by this other means should live together and profit more and be better known whereof also would ensue that all such causes of consultation as should come from abroad to be consulted either in the one or in the other of these two Faculties might be better done and with more credit and reputation in a Community of learned Men that live together than by particular Men that live asunder As for the College or Colleges of the Physicians that by this order should be established they might have their Gardens also a-part for all sort of chosen Simples from all parts of the World and some learned Men to attend only thereunto and to shew them unto Students of that Faculty and to read particular Lectures thereof at certain seasons as another might also of Anatomies apart according as before has been touched and is used in the University of Padua and some other such principal Schools beyond the Seas where this Faculty of Physick doth flourish most And if any Man would make a doubt and ask here how the Founders Wills and Intentions may be satisfied by these means in such Colleges as these Faculties of Law and Physick are to be settled in with Divines for that their meaning was to have Priests in their Colleges and Masses to be said for their Souls it may be answered That in other Colleges where all are to be Priests and Divines so many Masses may be appointed to be said every day for these Founders as they had appointed to be said in their own Colleges and as the places of Lawyers
a storm of injustice and iniquity by how much the more all parts and joints of equity both towards God and Man have been wrested and wronged therein by Hereticks and Atheists And first of all are to be redressed the open wrongs which have been done to our Catholicks for their Faith and Religion whether it were by shew or colour of Laws or by manifest Tyranny And secondly are to be remedied the known publick oppression of the common People by some that have been in authority as namely incroachments upon their Lands Tenements or the like as also the corrupt manner of proceeding of certain Quests and Juries both in matters of Life and Lands that in later days by the infection of Heresie have been accustomed to apply themselves to the favour of Magistrates in authority without regard of Right or Conscience One thing also in particular for very honour of our Realm and saving the Lives and Souls of infinite Men is greatly wished might be recommended to his Majesty and effectually redressed which is the multitude of Thieves that rob and steal upon the High-ways in England more than likely in any other Country of the World they being also oftentimes of no base Condition or Quality that do it but rather Gentlemen or wealthy Men's Sons moved thereunto not so much of poverty and necessity as of light estimation of the fault and hope of Pardon from the Prince whereby it cometh to pass that albeit the English Nation as by experience is found he not so much inclined to steal in secret as some other Nations are and that more are put to Death in England for punishment of that Fact than in many other Nations together yet is this enormity of robbing upon the High-ways much more frequent and notorious in England than any where else in Christendom which is a great infamy to our Government and hurt to the Common-wealth For remedy though divers means may be suggested whereof I shall have occasion to speak in the two Chapters following yet one principle is thought to be if it were once known that the Prince would hardly or never dispense or give pardon in that offence but upon great rare and extraordinary occasion For albeit many obtain not this pardon yet the very hope thereof encourageth others to attempt the Fact And we see that in some Countries and especially in Spain above all other that I have seen though the Realm be much bigger and have many more fit places to commit such offences than ours yet very rarely it is heard that publick robberies are committed upon the High-ways though in private and secretly is no Country perhaps more which principally is attributed unto the certain and constant publick Justice that is done upon them without remission that commit the Fact if they be found and to the great diligence used for finding them out by the particular pursuit of a certain Company and Confraternity of Men appointed for the purpose and peculiarly dedicated to this work named the Holy Brotherhood which is endued with many priviledges and sufficient authority for the same The which thing is wished also might be brought into England and made subordinate to the new Religious Order of Knights to be instituted both for the defence of Sea and Land which I have spoken of in the First Part of this Memorial And albeit the strictness of the Prince be necessary in giving Pardons for cutting off all hopes to the Malefactors yet were it to be wished that the rigour of our Temporal Laws for putting Men to death for theft of so small quantity or value as is accustomed in England were much moderated and some lesser bodily punishments invented for that purpose as also that some means of moderation wherein the manner of quick dispatch of Men's lives by Juries impanelled in haste and forced to give Verdict of Life and Death upon the suddain without allowing space either for them to inform themselves or for the accused to think duly upon his defence or to help himself by any Proctor Attorney contrary witness or other such aides as both reason and other Country Laws and equity it self seemeth to allow whereof I shall speak more when I shall come to speak of our Common-Laws of England in the Fourth Chapter of this Part. And for that it will not be enough to plant only Religion Justice and other such parts of a true Christian Commonwealth but also it will be needful to uphold maintain and defend the same It must appertain also unto a Catholick Prince whom God shall bless with the Crown of England to shew himself a continual Watch-man over the same and with his vigilance provide for the perpetuation thereof and first of all to assure the Succession of the Crown by good provision of Laws which Hereticks of later years have so much confounded and made so uncertain and in such manner must be link the state of Catholick Religion and Succession together as the one may depend and be the assurance of the other Moreover his Majesty must see due execution from time to time done of such good Laws and Ordinances as to these and like purposes by himself and the Realm shall be at the beginning determined and set down for which effect it seemeth that the custom of some other wise Catholick Princes of foreign Countries is much to be commended who do use both ordinarily and at other times unexpected to send Visitors to divers parts of their Realms as namely to Universities and to all Courts of Law and Justice and other places where any great abuse and excess may be committed touching the Prince's Service or other State of the Commonwealth which Visitors being Men of great integrity skill and wisdom and furnished with sufficient Authority and Commission to fear no Man do return back true Information of that which is well or amiss to the Prince and his Council who after diligent view and deliberation do cause the same to be published and all Parties to be punished or rewarded according to their merits which is a great Bridle to hold things in order Furthermore for that it is of great moment for the Prince to know and be truly informed of the quality and merit of such of his Subjects as he is to prefer to Offices and charge in the Common-wealth either Spiritual or Temporal it were necessary his Majesty from time to time as for Example from three years to three years or the like according as some other godly Princes also use should cause certain Lists and Catalogues to be given him of Men's names by divers secret ways and by Persons of credit discretion and good Consciences touching all such Subjects in every Country Province Universities Cathedral Churches Houses of Law and particular Colleges as for their learning wisdom and other good qualities were fittest to be imployed and preferred by his Majesty and that these Lists and Memoires should be often viewed by the Prince himself and by his Council
and be registred in some Book by some Men of Confidence about his Majesty free from all suspicion of Interest or Corruption and appointed only to attend unto this affair and to take the Memoires that shall be sent from all places which Memoires Lists and Catalogues might be renewed from time to time as before hath been mentioned and hereby would come to pass that the Prince by tract of time should come to be perfectly informed of the merits and abilities of all his principal Subjects and therefore again would ensue that worthy Men without seeking and labouring for it as commonly they are more modest than others should be sought out and preferred and that ambitious and unworthy which ordinarily are the most importunate suiters should be restrained and put back to the comfort of all good Men and to the inestimable benefit of the Commonwealth and singular help of God and the Prince's Service And as this would be one great means to advance worthy Men so is there another of no less importance or piety for the amending of such as run awry which easily might be performed by a careful Catholick Prince to the great benefit of many and to his own singular commodity both with God and Man And this is that some special good Man about his Majesty which is discreet pious and learned as for example his Confessor or the like should be appointed to take the Relations and Informations which do come and would come in such a case of principal Men's behaviour through his Realm both Ecclesiastical and Temporal especially of such as are in Government and Authority and that when any evil fame or report should come of any Man 's bad proceeding or notorious negligence in his duty or manner of life and were confirmed by many ways for light of credit he ought not to be considering the natural inclination of Men to speak rather evil than good of such especially as are in authority then should this person confer the same with his Majesty and by his Licence though as of himself by the way of Friendship admonish the said Party of the opinion and report that is of him to the end he might look about him and amend that which were amiss before the Prince should be forced to take knowledge thereof or put his hand in the matter And I am of opinion That this only Art of Brotherly Correction which is commanded straitly by God to all Men but especially to Governors and such as have care over others though little used now in the World if this one means I say were brought into England among other good Orders now at the beginning and put some times in Execution by our Catholick Prince's commandment it would remedy more evils and procure him more hearty good-will with the People and merit with Almighty God than any thing else that could be devised for this purpose Many other such-like things might be here suggested for the happy day that we expect when God shall please to send us this Catholick Prince but that both these and all other points besides that are treated in this Memorial if any shall be judged worthy of Observation will appertain principally unto him as the head of all to see them set forward established and preserved I shall descend to no more particulars in this place but remit me to that which in other Chapters also is recorded recommending the whole to his Majesty's Protection and zealous furtherance so far forth as they shall be found to tend to the greater glory of God and advancement of the Weal publick And for that divers good Books and notable Discourses are abroad also in Print about this Subject and do lay before good Princes Eyes many excellent points for their better help light and direction in Government I do remit my self also in many points and among other to a notable Treatise come forth this very year in the Spanish Tongue written by a grave and learned Man of the Society of Jesus named Father Ribadeneira the Title whereof is Of the Religion and Vertues that a Christian Prince ought to have for the well governing and preservation of his Estates which in my Opinion is a right excellent piece of work and worthy to be read by all good Princes for that it will put them in mind of many rare and necessary points fit to be remembred embraced and put in execution and whatsoever Prince would read it diligently or appoint every day at his best leasure but some little part thereof to be read unto him with attention and he would continue this Exercise with desire to please God to discharge his Conscience and to govern well his Commonwealth he would hardly do amiss in my Opinion and should have need of little other Counsel for taking the right way in all his occasions purposes and affairs CHAP. III. Of the Nobility and Gentry of England and matters appertaining to their Estate BY the Nobility of England we do understand according to the fashion of other Countries not only Noblemen of Title but Gentlemen Esquires Knights and other degrees that be above Yeomen Husbandmen and the Commonalty In which inferiour sort of Nobility beneath Barons I mean of Knights Esquires and Gentlemen there is not that distinction observed betwixt their degrees in foreign Countries as is in ours and I take ours to be far better and the more laudable Order This Nobility then and Gentry being the chief Members of our Realm are carefully to be preserved by our Catholick Prince in their ancient honours dignities priviledges and whatsoever injury or disestimation hath been laid upon them these later years by some base Heretical Persons in authority it is to be removed and particular inquiry made by Commissioners appointed by the Parliament for this purpose wherein and in what points the Nobility of England have been injured dishonoured or oppressed in these later years of Heresie to the end that supplication may be made to the Catholick Prince for remedy thereof And as the ancient Nobility of England in times past came to that dignity in the Commonwealth and to their credit and estimation both with Prince and People first for their Piety and Zeal in Christian Religion and secondly for their Fidelity and Valour in Service of their Prince and Country so their Heirs and Posterity must conserve the same by the self-same means And first of all it will behove them greatly to take it for a point of chief honour greatness and Nobility at this next Conversion of our Realm to shew their eminent zeal in furthering Religion and the Reformation before-mentioned in all they can both by their authority credit power and zeal and edifying also other Men by their Example of Life as by frequenting the Holy Sacraments in their own Persons publickly and often and by joyning chearfully and piously as their fore-Fathers were wont to do with the Clergy and other good Men to further the advancement of God's cause in all points and