that the Clergy ingrossed all Secular Offices and thereupon presented the insuing Petition to the King according to this effect insisting only in the substance thereof 42. And because that in this present Parliament it was declared to our Lord the King 45 by all the Earls 1370 Barons Ex Rot. Parl. in Turr. Lond. in 45. Ed. tertii and Commons of England that the Government of the Kingdom hath been performed for a long time by the men of Holy Church which are not * Justifiables in the French Originals 〈◊〉 whether whether not able to do justice or not to be justified in their imployment as improper for it justifiable in all cases whereby great mischiefs and damages have happened in times past and more may happen in time to come in disheriting of the Crown and great prejudice of the Kingdom for divers causes that a man may declare that it will please our said Lord the King Anno Dom. 1370 that the Laymen of the said Kingdom which are sufficient and able of estate Anno Regis Ed. tertii 45. may be chosen for this and that no other person be hereafter made Chancelour Treasurer Clerk of the Privy Seale Barons of the Exchequer Chamberlains of the Exchequer Controler and all other great Officers and Governours of the said Kingdom and that this thing be now in such manner established in form aforesaid that by no way it may be defeated or any thing done to the contrary in any time to come Saving alwaies to our Lord the King the Election and removing of such Officers but that alwaies they be Lay-men such as is abovesaid 43. To this Petition the King returned The Answer in effect a denial that he would ordain upon this point as it shall best seem to him by the advice of his good Councel He therefore who considereth the present power of the Clergy at the Councel-Table will not wonder if all things remained in their former Condition till the Nobility began more openly to favour John Wickliff his Opinions which the next Book God willing shall relate 44. We will close this with a Catalogue of the Arch-Bishops of Canterbury Simon Mepham Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Contemporary with King Edward the third and begin with Simon Mepham made Arch-Bishop in the first year of his reign so that the Crown and the Mitre may seem in some sort to have started together only here was the odds the King was a young yea scarce a man whereas the Arch-Bishop was well stricken in years Hence their difference in holding out the King surviving to see him buried and six more whereof four Simons inclusively heart-broken as they say with grief For when John Grandison Bishop of Exeter making much noise with his Name but more with his Activity refused to be visited by him the Pope siding with the Bishop Mepham so resented it that it cost him his life 45. John Stratford was the second John Sratford his successor Consecrated first Bishop of Winchester on the Lords day whereon it was solemnly sung many are the afflictions of the Righteous whereof he was very apprehensive then and more afterwards when his own experience had proved a Comment thereon Yet this might comfort him whilst living and make others honour his memory that a good Conscience without any great crime generally caused his molestation For under King Edward the second he suffered for being too loyall a Subject siding with the King against the Queen and her Son and under King Edward the third he was molested for being too faithfull a Patriot namely in pittying his poor Countreymens taxations for which he was accused for correspondency with the French and complying with the Pope Pope and King of France then blowing in one Trumpet whereat King Edward was highly incensed 46. However Stratford did but say what thousands thought His last his best dayes viz. that a peace with France was for the profit of England especially as proffered upon such honourable conditions This the Arch-Bishop was zealous for upon a threefold accompt First of Pietie to save the effusion of more Christian blood Secondly of Policie suspecting successe that the tide might turn and what was suddenly gotten might be as suddenly lost Thirdly on Charity sympathizing with the sad condition of his fellow Subjects groaning under the burthen of Taxes to maintain an unnecessary war For England sent over her wealth into France to pay their victorious Souldiers and received back again honour in exchange whereby our Nation became exceeding proud and exceeding poor However the end as well as the beginning of the Psalm was verified of this Arch-Bishop the Lord delivereth them out of all dying in great honour and good esteem with the King a strong argument of his former innocence 47. The third was Tho. Bradwardine Tho. Bradwardine the third Arch-bishop whose election was little lesse then miraculous For Commonly the King refused whom the Monks chose the Pope rejected whom the Monks and King did elect whereas all interests met in the choise of Bradwardine Yea which was more the Pope as yet not knowing that the Monks and the King had pre-elected him of his own accord as by supernaturall instinct appointed Bradwardine for that place who little thought thereon Thus Omne tulit punctum and no wonder seeing he mingled his profitable Doctrines with a sweet and amiable conversation Camden in Eliz. indeed he was skilled in School Learning which one properly calleth Spinosa Theologia and though some will say can figgs grow on thorns yet his thorny Divinity produced much sweet devotion 48. He was Confessor to king Edward the third whose miraculous victories in France The best Arch-Bishop of that See some impute more to this mans devout prayers Then either to the Policy or Prowess of the English Nation He died before he was inthronized few moneths after his consecration though now advanced on a more Glorious and durable Throne in Heaven where he hath received the Crown from God who here defended the * He wrote de Causae Dei Cause of God I behold him as the most pious man who from Anselm not to say Augustine to Cranmer sat on that Seat And a better St. Thomas though not sainted by the Pope then one of his predecessors commonly so called 49. Simon Islip was the fourth Simon Islip next Arch-Bishop a parcimonious but no avaricious man thrifty whilst living therefore clandestinely Inthronized and when dead secretly interred without any solemnity Yet his frugality may be excused if not commended herein because he reserved his estate for good uses founding Canterbury Colledge in Oxford Excipe Merton Colledge Thus generally Bishops founders of many Colledges therein denominated them either from that Saint to whom they were dedicated or from their See as Exeter Canterbury Durham Lincoln putting thereby a civil obligation on their Successors to be as Visitors so Benefactors thereunto This Canterbury Colledge is now
onely spared the Church in Peterborough but also advanced it into a Cathedral If so it was civilly done of Him not to disturb Her in Her grave whom He had so disquieted in Her bed The news of Her departure was not unwelcome to Queen Anna Bollen who though too good a Christian to desire Her death was too wife a woman to be over-sorrowfull for the same seeing formerly She was the King's Wife but by sequestration the true possessour of His bed being yet alive whereas now c Gen. 26. 22. Rehoboth She conceived God had made room for her 20. This Anna Bollen was great-grand-childe to a Citizen The character of Queen Anna Bollen Sir Jefferie Bollen Lord Major of London grand-childe to Sir William Bollen Knight who lived respectedly in his Countrey daughter to Thomas Bollen Earle of Wiltshire a great Courtier and she had Her birth in England blood by her d Daughter to Thomas Earl of Ormond Grand-mother from Ireland and breeding in France under Mary the French Queen so that so many relations meeting in Her accomplished Her with an acceptable behaviour to all qualities and conditions of people Of an handsome person and beautifull face and therefore that e Sanders de Schismate Anglicano pen that reports Her lean-visaged long-sided gobber-toothed yellow-complexioned with a wen in her neck both manifests his malice and disparageth the judgement of King Henry whom all knew well read in books and better in beauties who would never have been drawn to so passionate a love without stronger load-stones to attract it This Queen remembring how Her Predecessour lost the King's love with her over-austerity tuned Her self to a more open and debonaire behaviour even generally to all with whom She conversed Which being observed by Her adversaries was improved by them to Her overthrow so that She but for a very short time had the sole and peaceable possession of Her Husband In a word She was a great Patronesse of the Protestants Protectour of the persecuted Preferrer of men of merit among whom Hugh Latimer a bountifull Reliever of the poor and the happy Mother of Queen Elizabeth 21. On the eighth of June began a short The first reformed Convocation but sharp Parliament dissolved the eighteenth of July following effecting much in little time June 8. matters it seems being well prepared afore-hand 9. and the House assembled not to debate but doe the King's desires The parallel Convocation began the day after being one new-modelled and of a fashion different from all former Convocations Therein the Lord Cromwell prime Secretary sate in state above all the Bishops as the King's Vicar or Vicegerent-Generall in all spirituall matters Deformi satis spectaculo saith my f Godwâ—â—â—'s Annals Anno Dom. 1536. Authour indocto Lacio coetui praesidente sacratorum Antistitum omnium quos ante haec tempora Anglia unquam habuisset doctissimorum In one respect that place had better become the person of King Henry than this Lord His Proxie all allowing the King a very able Scholar But Cromwell had in power and policie what he lacked in learning if he may be said to lack it who at pleasure might command the borrowing thereof from the best brains and pens of those of his own partie in the Convocation 22. This Convocation consisted of two Houses The silence in the Abbots of the Convocation the Lower of the Clerks and Proctours of their respective Cathedrals and Diocesses with the Deans and Arch-Deacons therein the Upper of the Bishops with the Lord-Abbots and Priors I mean so many of them as voted as Barons in Parliament as may appear by their several g Concordatum erat per Honorandum virum Cromwell Reverendos Epiâ—copos Abbates Priores Domus superioris Acta Convocationis celebrat An. 1536. fol. antepenul â— subscriptions However I finde not the Abbots active in any degree in canvassing matters of Religion Whether this proceeded from any desire of ease their laziness being above their learning or out of humility counting it more proper to permit such disputes to the sole disposall of the Bishops as most concern'd therin or out of fear loth to stickle on religion knowing on what ticklish terms they stood For in this very Parliament all Abbies which could not dispend 200 li. a year were dissolved and bestowed on the King and those rich Abbots which had more than so many thousands yearly knew that Maxime in Logick to be true Magis minùs non variant speciem More and lesse doe not alter the kinde and might say with him on the Crosse They were in the same condemnation though as yet the sentence was not passed upon them 23. We will observe the daily motions in this Convocation The Diurnal of this Convocation as with mine own hand I have faithfully transcribed them out of the Records Hugh Latimer Bishop of Worcester June 16. made the Latine-Sermon taking for his Text h Luke 16. 8. The children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light On the Friday following Richard Gwent Arch-Deacon of London was presented and confirmed Prolocutour in this Convocation On the same day Master William Peter Doctor of the Laws came into the House as deputed from his Master the Lord Cromwell who could not be present because of his greater employment in Parliament This Dr. Peter claimed the highest place in the House as due to his Master the Lord Cromwell i Records of Cant. An. Dom. 1536. fol. 9. petiit dictum locum sibi tanquam Procuratori dicti Magistri and he shall I say requested or required the same precedencie as due to him being his Proctour and obtained it accordingly without any dispute Though some perchance might question whether a Deputie's Deputy as one degree farther removed might properly claim His place 21. who was primitively represented Next Wednesday came in the Lord Cromwell in person and having judiciously seated himself above all tendred unto them an Instrument to be publickly signed by all the Convocation concerning the nullitie of the King's marriage with the Lady Anna Bollen 24. Some ten daies before Cranmer solemnly divorceth Anna Bollen from the King Archbishop Cranmer at Lambeth had held an open Court in the presence of Thomas Audley Lord Chancellour Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke and most of the Privie Councel Wherein the King and Queen were cited to appear as they did by their Proxies Doctor Richard Sampson being the Kings and Doctor Nicholas Wootten the Queens Then proceeded the Archbishop to discusse the validity of their marriage and at the last by his definitive Sentence pronounced the same invalid frustrate and of none effect No particular cause is specified in that Sentence still extant in the Record and though the Judge and Court seemed abundantly satisfied in the Reasons of this Nullitie yet concealing the same unto themselves they thought not fit to communicate this treasure to
Henry had already attained both by his partial Reformation Power by abolishing the Pope's usurpation in His Dominions Profit by seizing on the lands and goods of suppressed Monasteries And thus having served His own turn His zeal wilfully tired to goe any farther and onely abolishing such Popery as was in order to his aforesaid designes He severely urged the rest on the practice of His Subjects 16. Herein he appeared like to Jehu King of Israel Compared with King Jehu who utterly rooted out the forraign Idolatry of BAAL fetcht from the Zidonians and almost appropriated to the family of Ahab but still worshipped the CALVES in DAN and BETHEL the state-Idolatry of the Kingdome So our Henry though banishing all out-landish superstition of Papall dependance still reserved and maintained home bred Popery persecuting the Refusers to submit thereunto 17. For The six bloody Articles by the perswasion of Bishop Gardiner in defiance of Archbishop Cranmer and the L. Cromwell with might and main opposing it it was enacted 1. That in the Sacrament of the Altar after consecration no substance of bread or wine remaineth but the naturall body and blood of Christ 2. That the Communion in both kindes is not necessary ad salutem by the law of God to all persons 3. That Priests after Orders received may not Marry by the Law of God 4. That Vows of Chastity ought to be observed 5. That it is meet and necessary that private Masses be admitted and continued in Churches 6. That auricular Confession must be frequented by people as of necessity to salvation Laws bad as penned worse as prosecuted which by some Bishops extensive interpretations were made commensurate to the whole body of Popery 18. Indeed The L. Cromwel's designe miscarrieth the Lord Cromwell unable to right his own had a designe to revenge himself on the opposite party by procuring an Act That Popish Priests convict of Adultery should be subject to the same punishment with Protestant Ministers that were married But Gardiner by his greatnesse got that law so qualified that it soon became lex edentula Ann. Reg. Hē 8. 32. whilst the other remained mordax death being the penalty of such who were made guilty by the six Articles though Nicholas Shaxton of Salisbury Ann. Dom. 1540. and Hugh Latimer of Worcester found the especial favour to save themselves by losing of their Bishopricks 19. And now began Edmond Bonner 〈…〉 aliàs Savage most commonly called by the former but too truly known by the later name newly made Bishop of London to display the colours of his cruelty therein which here I forbear to repeat because cited at large by Mr. Fox For I desire my Church-History should behave it self to his Book of Martyrs as a Lieutenant to its Captain onely to supply his place in his absence to be supplemental thereunto in such matters of moment which have escaped his observation 20. Match-makers betwixt private persons seldome finde great love for their pains Cromwell fal's into the Kings displeasure and peoples hatred betwixt Princes often fall into danger as here it proved in the L. Cromwell the grand contriver of the King's marriage with Anne of Cleve On him the King had conferred Honours so many and so suddainly that one may say The crudities thereof lay unconcted in his soul so that he could not have time to digest one Dignity before another was poured upon him Not to speak of his Mastership of the Jewel-house he was made Baron Master of the Rolls the Kings Vicar-general in spiritual matters Lord Privie-Seale Knight of the Garter Earle of Essex Lord Great Chamberlaine of England And my b Camdens Brit. in Essex p. 454. Authour observeth that all these Honours were conferred upon him in the compasse of five years most of them possessed by him not five moneths I may adde and all taken from him in lesse than five minutes with his life on the scaffold 21. This was the cause why he was envied of the Nobility and Gentry Why Cromwel was deservedly envied being by birth so much beneath all by preserment so high above most of them Besides many of his advancements were interpreted not so much Honours to him as Injuries to others as being either in use improper or in equity unfit or in right unjust or in conscience unlawfull for him to accept His Mastership of the Rolls such who were bred Lawyers conceived it fitter for men of their profession As for the Earldome of Essex conferred upon him though the title lately became void by the death of Bourchier the last Earl without Issue-male and so in the strictnesse of right in the King 's free disposal yet because he left Anne a sole Daughter behinde him Cromwel's invading of that Honour bred no good blood towards him amongst the kinred of that Orphan who were honourable and numerous His Lord great Chamberlainship of England being an Office for many years Hereditary in the Antient and Honourable House of Oxford incensed all of all that Family when beholding him possessed thereof His Knighthood of the Garter which custome had appropriated to such who by three degrees at least could prove their Gentile descent being bestowed on him did but enrage his Competitours thereof more honourably extracted As for his being the King's Vicar-General in Spiritual matters all the Clergie did rage thereat grutching much that K. Henry the substance and more that Cromwell His shadow should assume so high a Title to himself Besides Cromwel's name was odious unto them on the account of Abbies dissolved and no wonder if this Sampson plucking down the pillars of the Popish-Church had the rest of the structure falling upon him July 9. These rejoiced when the Duke of Norfolke arrested him for Treason at the Councel-Table whence he was sent Prisoner to the Tower 22. And now to speak impartially of him Cromwell's admirable parts though in prison If we reflect on his parts and endowments it is wonderfull to see how one quality in him befriended another Great Scholar he was none the Latine Testament gotten by heart being the master-piece of his learning nor any studied Lawyer never long-living if admitted in the Inns of Court nor experienced Souldier though necessity cast him on that calling when the Duke of Burbone besieged Rome nor Courtier in his youth till bred in the Court as I may call it of Cardinal Wolsey's house and yet that of the Lawyer in him so helped the Scholar that of the Souldier the Lawyer that of the Courtier the Souldier and that of the Traveller so perfected all the rest being no stranger to Germany well acquainted with France most familiar with Italy that the result of all together made him for endowments eminent not to say admirable 23. It was laid to his charge Articles charged upon the Lord Cromwell First that he had exceeded his Commission in acting many things of high conseqsence without acquainting the King therwith dealing therein
be then alive thereunto before the marriage had in writing sealed with their seals which Condition We declare limit and appoint and will by these presents shall be to the said estate of Our said Daughter ELIZABETH in the said Imperiall Crown and other the premises knit and invested And if it shall fortune Our said Daughter ELIZABETH to die without Issue of Her body lawfully begotten We will that after Our decease and for default of Issue of the several bodies of Us and of our said Son Prince EDWARD and of Our said Daughters MARY and ELIZABETH and said Imperiall Crown and other the premises after Our decesse shall wholly remain and come to the Heires of the body of the Lady FRANCES Our Niece eldest Daughter to Our late Sister the French Queen lawfully begotten and for default of such Issue of the body of the said Lady FRANCES We will that the said Imperiall Crown and other the premises after Our decease and for default of Issue of the severall bodies of Us and of Our Son Prince EDWARD and of Our Daughters MARY and ELIZABETH and of the Lady FRANCES lawfully begotten shall wholly remain and come to the Heirs of the body of the Lady ELANOR Our Niece second Daughter to Our said Sister the French Queen lawfully begotten And if it happen the said Lady ELANOR to die without Issue of Her body lawfully begotten We will that after our decease and for default of Issue of the severall bodies of Us and of Our said Son Prince EDWARD and of Our said Daughters MARY and ELIZABETH and of the said Lady FRANCES and of the said Lady ELANOR lawfully begotten the said Imperiall Crown and other the premises shall wholly remain and come to the next rightfull Heirs And we sill that if Our said Daughter MARY doe marry without the consent and assent of the Privy Counsellours and others appointed by Us to be of Counsell to Our said Son Prince EDWARD or the most part of them as shall then be alive thereunto before the said marriage had in writing sealed with their seals as is aforesaid that then and from thenceforth for lack of Heirs of the severall bodies of Us and of Our said Son Prince EDWARD lawfully begotten the said Imperial Crown shall wholly remain be and come to Our said Daughter ELIZABETH and to the Heirs of Her body lawfully begotten in such manner and form as though Our said Daughter MARY were then dead without any Issue of the body of Our said Daughter MARY lawfully begotten Any thing contained in this Our Will or any Act of Parliament or Statute to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding And in case Our said Daughter the Lady MARY doe keep and perform the said Condition expressed declared and limited to Her estate in the said Imperiall Crown and other the premises in this Our last will declared And that Our said Daughter ELIZABETH doe not keep and perform for Her part the said condition declared and limited by this Our last Will to the estate of the said Lady ELIZABETH in the said Imperiall Crown of this Realm of England and Ireland Ann. Dom. 1546 and other the premises Ann. Regis HeÌ„ 8. 38. We will that then â—and from thencesorth after Our decease and for lack of Heirs of the several bodies of Us and of Our said Son Prince EDWARD and of Our said Daughter MARY lawfull begotten the said Imperiall Crown and other the premises shall wholly remain and come to the next Heirs lawfully begotten of the body of the said Lady FRANCES in such manner and form as though the said Lady ELIZABETH were then dead without any Heir of Her body lawfully begotten Any thing contained in this Will or in any Act or Statute to the contrary not withstanding the remainders over for lack of Issue of the said Lady FRANCES lawfully begotten to be an continue to such persons like remainders and estates as is before limited and declared And We being now at this time thanks to Almighty God of perfect memory Names of the Executo s. doe constitute and ordain these personages following Our Executors and Performers of this Our last Will and Testament willing commanding and praying them to take upon them the occupation and performance of the same as Executors Tho Cranmer that is to say the Archbishop of Canterbury the Lord Wriothesly Chancellour of England the Lord St. John greater Master of Our House Edw. Seymour John Dudley the Earl of Hartford great Chamberlain the Lord Russell Lord Privie Seal the Viscount Lisle high Admirall of England the Bishop Tonstall of Duresme Sir Anthony Browne Knight Master of our Horses Sir Edward Montague Knight chiefe Judge of the Common Pleas Justice Bromley Sir Edward North Knight Chancellour of the Augmentations Sir William Pagett Knight Our chief Secretary Sir Anthony Denny Sir William Herbert Knights chief Gentlemen of Our Privy Chamber Sir Edward Wotton Knight and Mr. Doctor Wotton his brother and all these We will to be Our Executors and Counsellors of the Privie Counsell with Our said Son Prince EDWARD in all matters concerning both his private affairs and publick affairs of the Realm willing and charging them and every of them as they must and shall answer at the day of judgment wholly and fully to see this my last Will and Testament performed in all things with as much speed an diligence as may be and that none of them presume to meddle with any of Our treasure or to do any thing appointed by Our said Will alone unlesse the most part of the whole number of these Co-executors doe consent and by writing agree to the same And will that Our said Executors or the most part of them may lawfully doe what they shall think most convenient for the execution of this Our Will without being troubled by Our said Son or any other for the same Willing further by Our said last Will and Testament that Sir Ed mund Peckham Our trusty servant and yet Cofferer of Our house shall be Treasurer and have the receipt and laying out of all such treasure and money as shll be defrayed by Our Executors for the performance of this Our last Will straightly charging and commanding the said Sir Edmund that he pay no great summe of money but he have first the hands of Our said Executors or of the most part of them for his discharge touching the same charging him further upon his allegiance to make a true account of all such summes as shall be delivered to his hands for this purpose And sithence We have now named and constituted Our Executors We will and charge them that first and above all things as they will answer before God and as We put Our singular trust and confidence in them that they cause all Our due Debts that can be reasonably shewed and proved before them to be fully contented and payed as soon as they conveniently can or may after Our decease without longer delay and that they doe
execute these points first that is to say the payment of Our debts with redresse of injuries if any such can be duly proved though to Us they be unknown before any other part of this Our Will and Testament Our Buriall Exequies and Funerals onely except Furthermore We will that all such Grants and Gifts as We have made given or promised to any which be not yet perfected under Our singe or any Our seals as they ought to be and all such recompense for exchanges sales or any other thing or things as ought to have been made by Us and be not yet accomplished shall be perfected in every point towards all manner of men for discharge of Our conscience charging Our Executors and all the rest of Our Counsellours to see the same done performed finished and accomplished in every point foreseeing that the said Gifts Grants and Promises and Recompense shall appear to Our said Executors or the most part of them to have been granted made accorded or promised in any manner of wise Further according to the laws of Almighty God and for the fatherly love which We bear to Our Son Prince EDWARD and to this Our Realm We declare Him according to justice equity and conscience to be Our lawfull Heir and doe give and bequeath unto Him the succession of Our Realms of England and Ireland with Our Title of France and all Our Dominions both on this side the seas and beyond a convenient portion for Our Will and Testament to be reserved Also We give unto Him all Our plate stuffe of houshold artillery ordnance ammunition ships cables and all other things and implements to them belonging And money also and jewels saving such portions as shall satisfie this Our last Will and Testament charging and commanding Him on pain of Our curse seeing He hath so loving a Father of Us and that Our chief labour and study in this world is to establish Him in the Crown Imperial of this Realm after Our decease in such sort as may be pleasing to God and to the wealth of this Realm and to His own honour and quiet that He be ordered and ruled both in His marriage and also in ordering the affairs of the Realm as well outward as inward And also in all His own private affairs and in giving of Offices of charge by the advise and counsell of Our right entirely beloved Counsellours the Archbishop of Canterbury the Lord Wriothesly Chancellour of England the Lord St. John great Master of Our house the Lord Russell Lord Privie Seal the Earl of Hertford great Chamberlain of England the Viscount Lisle high Admirall of England the Bishop Tonstall of Duresme Sir Anthony Browne Knight Master of Our horses Sir William Pagett Our chief Secretary Sir Anthony Denny Sir William Herbert Justice Montague and Bromley Sir Edward Wotton Mr. Doctor Wotton and Sir Edward North whom We ordain name and appoint and by these presents signed with Our hand doe make and constitute Our Privie Counsell with Our said Son and will that they have the governance of Our most dear Son Prince EDWARD and of all Our Realms Dominions and Subjects and of all the Affairs publick and private untill he shall have fully compleated the xviij th year of his age And for because the variety and number of things affairs and matters are and may be such as we not knowing the certainty of them before cannot conveniently prescribe a certain order or rule unto Our said Counsellours for their behaviours and proceedings in this charge which We have now and doe appoint unto them about Our said Son during the time of his minority aforesaid We therefore for the speciall trust and confidence which We have in them will and by these presents doe give and grant full power and authority unto Our said Counsellours that they all or the most part of them being assembled together in Counsell or if any of them fortune to die the more part of them which shall be for the time living being assembled in Counsel together Ann. Dom. 1546. shall Ann. Reg. Hē 8. 38. and may make devise and ordain what things soever they or the more part of them as aforesaid shall during the minority of Our said Son think meet necessary and convenient for the benefit honour and surety of the weal profit and commodity of Our said Son His Realms Dominions or Subjects or the discharge of Our conscience And the same things devised made or ordained by them or the more part of them aforesaid shall and may lawfully doe execute and accomplish or cause to be done executed and accomplished by their discretions or the discretions of the more part of them as aforesaid in as large and ample manner as if We had or did expresse unto them by a more speciall Commission under Our Great Seal of England every particular cause that may chance or occurre during the time of Our said Sons minority and the self-same manner of proceeding which they shall for the time think meet to use and follow Willing and charging our said Son and all others which shall hereafter be Counsellours to Our said Son that they never charge molest trouble or disquiet Our aforesaid Counsellours nor any of them for the devising or doing nor any other person for the doing of that they shall devise or the more part of them devise or doe assembled as is aforesaid And We doe charge expresly the same Our entirely beloved Counsellours and Executors that they shall take upon them the rule and charge of Our said Son and Heir in all His causes and affairs and of the whole Realm doing neverthelesse all things as under Him and in His name untill Our said Son and Heir shall be bestowed and married by their advise and that the xviij th year be expired willing and desiring furthermore Our said trusty Counsellours and then all Our trusty and assured Servants and thirdly all other Our loving Subjects to aid and assist Our forenamed Counsellors in the execution of the premises during the aforesaid time Not doubting but they will in all things deal so truly and uprightly as they shall have cause to think them well chosen for the charge committed unto them straightly charging our said Counsellours and Executors and in Gods name exhorting them for the singular trust and speciall confidence which We have and ever had in them to have a due and diligent eye perfect zeal love and affection to the honour surety estate and dignity of Our said Son and the good state and prosperity of this Our Realm And that all delaies set apart they well aid and assist Our said Counsellours and Executors to the performance of this Our present Testament and last Will in every part as they will answer before God at the day of judgment Cum venerit judicare vivos mortuos and furthermore for the speciall trust and confidence which we have in the Earls of Arundell and Essex that now be Sir Thomas Cheny Knight
procuring the votes of the Nobility feeding the b 〈…〉 pag. 329. Earle of Arundell with fond hopes that she would marry him and promising the Duke of Norfolke a dispensation from his wife which he could not with such expedition obtain from the Pope and yet faith he when all was done it was carried in the house of Lords but by c Idem pag. 303. three voices Here not to mention how in the greatest Councells matters of most high concernment have been determined with as few as three clear decisive suffrages this suggestion of Sanders is a loud untruth for the Act having easily pass'd the house of Commons found none of the Temporall Nobility in the house of Lords to oppose it save only the d Camdens Elizabeth in this year pag 19. Earle of Shrewsbury And Anthony Brown Viscount Mountacute who had formerly been employed to reconcile the Kingdom of England to his Holiness As for the Bishops there were but fourteen and the Abbot of Westminster then alive of whom foure being absent whether Voluntarily or out of Sickness uncertain the rest could not make any considerable opposition If any other Artifice was used in cunning contriving the businesse the Protestants were not aforchand but just even with the Papists who had used the same subtilty in their own Cause in the first Parliament of Queen Mary 10. But now to remove into the Convocation The acts of this years Convocation which at this time was very small and silent For as it is observed in Nature When one Twinn is of an unusual Strength and bigness the other his partner borne with him is weak and dwingled away So here this Parliament being very active in matters of Religion the Convocation younger Brother thereunto was little imployed and less Regarded Only after a Mass of the Holy Ghost had been celebrated Edmond Bonner Bishop of London in the vacancie of the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury President of the Convocation began with a speech to this effect That although it had been an ancient and laudable custome to begin such meetings of the Clergie with a Latine Sermon yet such now was not to be expected partly because the Arch-Bishop was Dead who was to designe the Preacher and partly because they had received a e Liber Synod Anno Dom. 1559. folio 15. mandate from the privy Councel that no such Sermons should be made in that Church till they were further informed by the Queeu and her Councel In the third Session on friday Nicholas Harpsfield Doctor of Law and Arch-Deacon of Canterbury was chosen f Ib. fol. 6. Referendary or Prolocutor for the Clergie a place of some Credit g fol. 8. but little pains to discharge seeing the only remarkable thing which passed in this Convocation was certain Articles of Religion Feb. 18. which they tendered to the * To the Bps. that they might present them to the Parli c. Parliament which here we both Transcribe and Translate requesting the Reader not to begrutch his pains to peruse them Considering they are the last in this kinde that ever were represented in England by a Legall Corporation in defence of the Popish Religion And though errour doth go out with a Stink yet it is a persume that it does go out We are so far from denying a grave to bury them that we will erect the * Copied by me out of the Original Monument over this ashes of these dead errours REVERENDI in Christo Patres ac Domini colendissimi Anno Dom. 1558 Quoniam fama publica referente ad nostram nuper notitiam pervenit multa Religionis Christianae Dogmata publice unanimi gentium Christianarum consensu hactenus recepta probata ac ab Apostolis ad nos usque concorditer per manus deducta prâ—esertim Articulos infra scriptos in dubium vocari Hinc est quod nos Cantuariensis Provinciae inferior secundarius Clerus in uno Deo sic disponente ac Serenissimae Dominae nostrae Reginae Decani Capituls Cant. mandato Brevi Parliamenti ac monitione Ecclesiastica solita declarata id exigente convenientes partium nostrarum esse existimavimus tunt nostrae tum eorum quorum cura nobis Committitur aeternae saluti omnibus quibus poterimus modis prospicere Quocirca majorum nostrorum exemplis Commoti qui in similia saepe tempora inciderunt fidem quam in Articulis infra Scriptis veram esse credimus ex animo profitemur ad dei Laudem honorem officiique aliarum nostrae curae commissarum exonerationem praentibus duximus publicè auferendam affirmantes sicut Deus nos in die Judicij Adjuvet asserentes Primò quod in Sacramento Altaris virtute Christi verbo suo à Sacerdote debitè prolato assistentis praesens est realiter sub speciebus panis vini naturale Corpus Christi Conceptum de Virgine Mariae Item naturalis ejus Sanguis Item quod post Consecrationem non remanet substantia panis vini neque alia ulla substantia nisi substantia Dei hominis Item quod in missa offertur verum Christi Corpus verus ejusdem sanguis sacrificium propitiatiorium pro vivis defunctis Item quod Petro Apostolo ejus legitimis successoribus in sede Apostclica tanquim Christi Vicariis data est suprema potestas pascendi regendi ecclesiam Christi militantem et fratres suos confirmandi Item quod Authoritas tractandi dissiniendi de ijs quae spectant ad fidem Anno Dom. 1457. Sacrantentum disciplinam ecclesiasticam hactenus semper spectavit spectare debet tantum ad Pastores Ecclesiae quos spiritus Sanctus in hoc in ecclesiam Dei Pasuit non ad Laicos Quam nostram assertionem affirmationem fidem Nos inferior Clerus praedictus considerationes praedictas Vestris Paternitatibus tenore presentium exhibemus humiliter supplicantes ut quia nobis non est copia hanc nostram sententiam intentionem aliter illis quos in hac parte interest notificandi Vos qui Patres estis ista superioribus Ordinibus significare velitis Qua in re Offictum charitatis ac Pietatis ut arbitramur praestabitis saluti gregis vestri ut par est Prospicietis vestras ipsi animas liberabisis REVEREND Fathers in Christ and our honourable Lords Whereas by the report of publique fame it hath come unto our knowledge that many Doctrines of the Christain Religion hitherto received and approved by the unanimous consent of Christian nations and with joynt agreement as by hands deduced from the Apostles unto us especially the Articles under-written are now called into question Hence it is that we the inferior and secondary Clergy of the Province of Canterbury assembled in one body God so disposing it and the Command of our Lady the Queens most excellent Majesty together with the mandate of the Dean and chapter of Canterbury the Parliament-Writ and
Mountaine Bishop of London had much adoe to make his Chaplains peace for licensing thereof the Printer and Translator being for some time kept in Prison 19. Yet after all this Yet still conâ—hued and after Merick Casaubon had written a Latine Vindication to give satisfaction to all Ann. Regis Ja. 22. Ann. Dom. 1624. the same Translation since is printed in Amsterdam with a Justificatory Preface of the former Edition So impudent are some falsly to father Books on worthy Authors to make them more vendible for their own profit though it discredit the memory of others 20. The businesse of the Palatinate being now debated by Martiallists None of the work counsel the Kings Councill of Warre disswading from regaining it in kinde advised Him rather to recover it in value where he could with the best conveniency out of the Spanish Dominions For the Palatinate was not worth the rewinning which grant recover'd by the English could not recover it self for many years such the havock and waste made therein Secondly it was hard to be gotten such the distance thereof and harder to be kept so ill-neighboured it was on all sides So that the King if so pleased might with as much honour and more ease carve out his own reparations nearer home 21. During these Agitations King Iames falleth sick K. James fell sick at Theobalds of a tertian Ague commonly called in Spring for a King rather Physicall than dangerous But soon after his Ague was heighten'd into a Fever four mischiefs meeting therein 22. First A confluence of four mischiefs the malignity of the Malady in it self hard to be cured Secondly an aged Person of sixty years current Thirdly a plethorick Body full of ill humours Fourthly the Kings aversness to Physick and impatience under it Yet the last was quickly removed above expectation The King contrary to His custome being very orderable in all His sicknesse Such sudden alterations some apprehend a certain prognostick of death as if when mens mindes acquire new qualities they begin to habit and cloath themselves for a new world 23. The Countesse of Buckingham contracted much suspition to her selfe A plaster applied to His wrists and her Son for applying a plaster to the Kings wrists without the consent of His Physicians And yet it plainly appeared that Dr. John Remington of Dunmoe in Essex made the same plaster one honest able and successful in his practice who had cured many Patients by the same a piece whereof applied to the King one eat down into His belly without the least hurt or disturbance of nature However after the applying thereof the King grew worse 24. The Physicians refused to administer physick unto Him till the plasters were taken off And Julip without the advice of His Physicians which being done accordingly His fift sixt and seventh fits were easier as Dr. Chambers said On the Monday after the plasters were laid on again without the advice of the Physicians and His Majestie grew worse and worse so that Mr. Hayes the Kings Chirurgeon was called out of his bed to take off the plasters Mr. Baker the Dukes servant made the King a Julip which the Duke brought to the King with his own hand of which the King drank twice but refused the third time After His death a Bill was brought to the Physicians to sign that the ingredients of the Julip and Plasters were safe but most refused it because they knew not whether the ingredients mentioned in the Bill were the same in the Julip and Plasters This is the naked truth delivered by oath from the Physicians to a select Committee two years after when the Parliament voted the Dukes act a transcendent presumption though most thought it done without any ill intention 25. Four daies before His death Catechized on His death-bed in His Faith and Charity He desired to receive the Sacrament and being demanded whether He was prepared in point of faith and charity for so great mysteries 〈◊〉 24. He said He was and gave humble thanks to God for the same Being desired to declare His faith and what He thought of those Books He had written in that kinde He repeated the Articles of the Creed one by one and said He believed them all as they were received and expounded by that part of the Catholick Church which was established here in England And said with a kinde of sprightfulnesse and vivacity that whatever He had written of this Faith in his life he was now ready to seal with his death Being questioned in point of charity He answered presently that He forgave all men that offended Him and desired to be forgiven by all Christians whom He in any wise had offended 26. Then after absolution read and pronounced His death He received the Sacrament and some hours after He professed to the standers by that they could not imagine what ease and comfort he found in himself since the receiving hereof And so quiedy resigned His soul to God having reigned twenty two years and three daies 27. He was of a peaceable disposition Of a peaceable nature Indeed when he first entred England at Barwick He himself gave fire to and shot off a * Stowes Chro. p. 819. piece of Ordnance and that with good judgment This was the onely military act personally performed by Him So that He may have seemed in that Cannon to have discharged Warre cut of England 28. Coming to Yorke Made Nobility lesse respected by the commonnesse thereof He was somewhat amazed with the equipage of the Northern Lords repairing unto Him especially with the Earl of Cumberland's admiring there should be in England so many Kings for less He could not conjecture them such the multitude and gallantry of their attendance But following the counsel of His English Secretary there present He soon found a way to abate the formidable greatness of the English Nobility by conferring Honour upon many persons whereby Nobility was spread so broad that it became very thin which much lessened the antient esteem thereof 29. He was very eloquent in speech His eloquence whose Latine had no fault but that it was too good for a King whom carelessness not curiosity becomes in that kinde His Scotch tone he rather affected than declin'd and though His speaking spoil'd His speech in some English ears yet the masculine worth of his set Orations commanded reverence if not admiration in all judicious hearers But in common speaking as in His hunting he stood not on the cleanest but nearest way He would never go about to make any expressions 30. His wit was passing-sharp and piercing And piercing wit equally pleased in making and taking a smart jest His Majestie so much stooping to His mirth that He never refused that coine which he paid to other folk This made Him please Himself so much in the company of Count Gondomer and some will say the King was contented for reasons best known
he presented a list of all the Prebendaries of that Church referring the election to his Majesty himself who made choise of Dr. Laud Bishop of Saint Davids for that attendance 18. Dr. Senhouse Feb 2. The Coronation Sermon Bishop of Carlile Chaplain to the King when Prince preached at the Coronation his text And I will give unto thee a Crown of life In some sort it may be said that he preached his own funerall dying shortly after and even then the black Jaundice had so possessed him a disease which hangs the face with mourning as against its buriall that all despaired of his recovery Now seeing this Coronation cometh within if not the pales and Park the purlews of Ecclesiastical Historie we will present so much thereof as was acted in the Church of Westminster Let Heraulds marshall the solemnitie of their advance from Westminster-Hall to this Church The solemn advance to the Church Anno Dom. 1625-2â— Anno Regis Car. 1. 1 where our pen takes the first possession of this subject 19. But first we will premise the equipage according to which they advanced from Westminster-Hall to the Abbey-Church in order as followeth 1. The Aldermen of London two by two ushered by an Herauld 2. Eightie Knights of the Bath in their Robes each having an Esquire to support and Page to attend him 3. The Kings Serjeants at Law Solicitour Atturney Masters of Request and Judges 4. Privie-Counsellors that were Knights and chief Officers of the Kings Houshold 5. Barons of the Kingdome all bare-headed in their Parliament-Robes with swords by their sides 6. The Bishops with Scarlet-gowns and Lawn-sleeves bare-headed 7. The Vice-Counts and Earles not in their Parliament but in their Coronation-Robes with Coronetted-Caps on their Heads 8. The Officers of State for the day whereof these are the principall Sr. Richard Winn. Sr. George Goreing The Lord Privie-Seal The Archbishop of Canterbury The Earl of Dorset carrying The first Sword naked The Earl of Essex The second The Earl of Kent The third The Earl of Montgomerie The Spurs The Earl of Sussex The Globe and Crosse upon it The Bishop of London The Golden Cup for the Communion The Bishop of Winchester The Golden Plate The Earl of Rutland The Scepter The Marquesse Hammilton The Sword of State naked The Earl of Pembroke The Crown The Lord Maior in a crimson Velvet gown carried a short Scepter before the King amongst the Serjeants But I am not satisfied in the criticalness of his place The Earl of Arundel as Earl-Marshall of England and the Duke of Buckingham as Lord High-Constable of England for that day went before his Majestity in this great solemnity 20. The King entred at the West-gate of the Church The manner of the Kings Coronation under a rich Canopy carried by the Barons of the Cinque-Ports his own person being supported by Dr. Neyle Bishop of Durham on the one hand and Dr. Lake Bishop of Bath and Wells on the other His train being six yards long of purple Velvet was held up by the Lord Compton as belonging to the Robes and the Lord Viscount Dorcester Here he was met by the Prebends of Westminster Bishop Laud supplying the Dean his place in their rich Copes who delivered into his Majesties hand the Staff of King Edward the Confessor with which he walked upto the Scaffold 21. This was made of wood at the upper end of the Church The fashion of the Scaffold from the Quire to the Altar His Majesty mounted it none under the degree of a Baron standing thereon save only the Prebends of Westminster who attended on the Altar three Chaires were appointed for him in severall places one of Repose the second the ancient Chair of Coronation and the third placed on an high square of five Staires ascent being the Chair of State 22. All being settled and reposed The King presented and accepted by the People the Lord Archbishop did present his Majesty to the Lords and Commons East West North South asking their minds four severall times if they did consent to the Coronation of King Charles their lawfull Soveraign The King mean time presented himself bare-headed Anno Regis Car. 1. 1. Anno Dom. 1623-26 the consent being given four times with great acclamation the King took his Chaire of repose 23. After the Sermon whereof before the L. Archbishop Sworn and annointed invested in a rich Coape tendered to the King kneeling down on cushions at the Communion-Table a large Oath then were his Majesties Robes taken off him and were offered on the Altar He stood for a while stripped to his Doublet and Hose which were of white Satten with Ribbons on the Armes and Shoulders to open them and he appeared a proper Person to all that beheld him Then was he led by the L. Archbishop and the Bishop of St. Davids and placed in the Chaire of Coronation a close Canopie being spread over him the L. Archbishop anointing his head shoulders armes and hands with a costly ointment the Quire singing an Antheme of these words Zadok the Priest anointed King Solomon 24. Hence the King was led up in his Doublet and Hose with a white Coyfe on his head to the Communion Table Solemnly Crowned where Bishop Laud Deputy for the Dean of Westminster brought forth the ancient Habiliments of King Edward the Confessour and put them upon him Then was his Majestie brought back to the Chaire of Coronation and received the Crown of King Edward presented by Bishop Laud and put on his head by the Archbishop of Canterburie The Quire singing an Antheme Thou shalt put a Crown of pure Gold upon his head Whereupon the Earles and Viscounts put on their Crimson Velvet Caps with Coronets about them the Barons and Bishops alwayes standing bare headed Then every Bishop came severally to his Majesty to bring his benediction upon him and he in King Edwards Robes with the Crown upon his head rose from his Chaire and did bow severally to every Bishop apart 25. Then was King Edwards Sword girt about him And giâ—t with several Swords which he took off again and offered up at the Communion Table with two Swords more surely not in relation to Scotland and Ireland but to some ancient Principalities his Predecessors enjoyed in France Then the Duke of Buckingam as Master of the Horse put on his Spurres and thus completely crowned his Majesty offered first Gold then Silver at the Altar and afterwards Bread and Wine which were to be used at the holy Communion 26. Then was his Majesty conducted by the Nobility to the Throne upon that square Bâ—fs of five ascents Homage done by the Nobility to his Majestys the Quire singing Te deum Here his Majesty took an Oath of homage from the Duke of Buckingam as Lord high Constable for that day and the Duke did sweare all the Nobilitie besides to be Homagers to his Majestie at his Majesties knees 27. Then as
33. As Bishop Williams and Mr. Osbaston Dr Pocklinton and Dr. Bray censured were the two first Clergy-men who found the favour of this Parliament being remitted their finâ—s and restored to their livings and liberty so Doctor Pocklington and Doctor Bray were the two first that felt their displeasures The former for preaching and printing the latter for licencing two books one called Sunday no Sabbath the other The Christian altar Bishop Williams moved that Dâ—ctor Bray might recant seven errours in the first four and twenty in the second Treatise Soon after both the Doctors deceased for grief say some that they had writen what they should not for shame say others that they had recanted what they would not though a third sort more charitably take notice neither of the one nor the other but meerly impute it to the approach of the time of their dissolution 34. Anno Dom. 1640. Doctor Cosen soon after was highly accused Superstitions charged on Dr. Coseâ— for superstition and unjust proceedings against one Mr. Smart on this occasion The Doctor is charged to have set up in the Church of Durham a Marble Altar with Cherubins which cost two thousands pounds with all the appurtenances thereof namely a Cope with the Trinity and God the Father in the figure of an old man another with a Crucifix and the Image of Christ with a red Beard and blew Cap. Besides he was accused for lighting two hundred wax Candles about the Altar on Candlemas day For forbidding any Psalmes to be sung before or after Sermon though making an Anthem to be sung of the three Kings of Collen by the names of Gasper Balthazar and Melchior and for procuring a consecrated Knife only to cut the Bread at the Communion 35. Mr. Smart a prebendary of the Church Cruel usage of Mr. Smart one of a grave aspect and reverend presence sharply enveyed in a Sermon against these innovations taking for his text I hate all those that hold superstitious vanities but thy law doe I love 36. Hereupon he was kept prisoner four moneths by the high Commission of York before any Articles were exhibited against him and five moneths before any Proctor was allowed him Hence was he carried to the High-Commission at Lambeth and after long trouble remanded to York fined 500. pounds committed to prison ordered to recant and for that neglect thereof fined again excommunicated degraded and deprived his damage as brought in amounting to many thousand pounds 37. But now Mr. Rows of the House of Commons Relieved by Parliament bringing up the charge to the Lords against Doctor Cosen termed Mr. Smart the Proto martyr of England in these latter dayes of persecution and large reparations was allowed unto him though he lived not long after to enjoy them 38. Now though none can excuse and defend Doctor Cosen his carriage herein Dr. Cosen his due praise yet this must be reported to his due commendation Some yeers after getting over into France he neither joyned with the Church of French Protestants at Charentoun nigh Paris nor kept any communion with the Papists therein but confined himself to the Church of old English Protestants therein Where by his pious living and constant praying and preaching he reduced some recusants to and confirmed more doubters in the Protestant Religion Many his incounters with Jesuits and Priests defeating the suspicions of his foes and exceeding the expectation of his Friends in the successe of such disputes 39. The Commons desired the Lords to joyn with them to finde out Jan. 23 Goodman a Priest handled betwixt life and death who moved the King to reprieve John Goodman a seminary Priest who as they said had been twice condemned and now the second time reprieved whilest the Parliament sate 40. The King sent a message by the Lord Privy-Seal Jan. 25 that Goodman was not as the Commons were informed condemned and banished but only sentenced for being a Priest and therefore that in reprieving him he shewed but the like mercy which Queen Eliz. and King James had shewed in the like cases 41. The Lords joyned with the Commons in their desire concerning Goodman Jan. 27 that the Statutes might speedily be executed upon him as necessary in this juncture of time wherein Papists swarmed in all parts presuming on indemnity With what credit or comfort could they sit to enact new Lawes whilst they beheld former Statutes dayly broken before their eyes 42. The King acquainted the Houses that though Queen Eliz. and King James never condemned Priest meerly for Religion Feb. 3 yet rather then he would discontent his Subjects he left him to the judgment of both Houses to be disposed of at their pleasure 43. Goodman petitioned the King that like Jonah the Prophet Anno Dom 1640 Anno Regis Caroli 16 he might be cast into the Sea Yet he escapeâ—â— with lâ—fe at last to still the tempest betwixt the King and his People conceiving his blood well spent to cement them together But in fine he escaped with his life not so much by any favour indulged him as principally because the accusations could not be so fully proved against him Febr. 4. 44. About this time was the first motion of a new Protestation The first mention of the Protestation to be taken all over England the Copy whereof is omitted as obvious every where which some moneths after was generally performed as containing nothing but what was lawfull and commendable therein Yet some refused it as suspecting the adding of new would substract obedience from former oâ—thes men being prone to love that best which left the last relish in their souls and in fine such new obligations of conscience like suckers would draw from the stock of the old oathes of supremacy and alleagiance 45. March began very blusteringly March 1. on the first day whereof Archbishop Laud was in Mr. Maxfeild his Coach carried to the Tower A Committee of the Lords to settle religion and not long after the Lords appointed a Committee of their own Members for settling of peace in the Church What hopefull opinion the aforesaid Archbishop had of their proceedings will appear by the following note which he entred into his a March 21. pag. 24. Diarie A Committee for Religion settled in the upper house of Parliament Mond 21. Ten Earles ten Bishops ten Barons So the Lay-Votes will be double to the Clergy This Committee will meddle with Doctrine as well as Ceremonies and will call some Divines to them to consider of the businesse as appears by a Letter hereto annexed sent by the Lord Bishop of Lincoln to some Divines to attend this service upon the whole matter I believe this Committee will prove the Nationall Synod of England to the great dishonour of the Church And what else may follow upon it God knowes 46. At the same time the Lords appointed a Sub-committee A Sub-Committee for the
Kings when habited with his Cloaths to be cloathed with the habit of his vertuous Endowments as when putting on the Gloves of this Confessour their Hands ought to be like his in moderate taking of Taxes from their Subjects Indeed Impositions once raised are seldome remitted pretended Necessities being alwayes found out for their Continuance But our Edward released to his Subjects the grievous burden of Dane-gelt payed to his Predecessours conceiving it fit now the Danes were departed that the Gelt or Tax should go after them But now Edward's Staffe is broken Chair overturned Cloaths rent and Crown melted our present Age esteeming them the Reliques of Superstition 27. And yet all things being cast up No Confessour in the slrictness of the word I confesse I understand not how the name Confessour is proper to King Edward in the strict acceptance thereof For a Confessour is one actually persecuted for the testimony of the Truth and prepared to lose his Life for the same He is a Martyr in Bullion wanting onely the Stamp of a Violent Death to be impressed upon him Now a great part of our Edward's Life was led by him in Peace and Plenty nothing bounding his Abundance but his own Moderation for twenty years together having no visible Foe to offend him And although in his youth he lived in Normandy in a middle Condition betwixt an Exile and a Traveller flying thither for fear of the Danes yet such his Sufferings were of Civil Concernment not directly relating to Conscience though at distance reducible thereunto But seeing in the Titles of great Persons it is better to give too much then too little a Confessour we found him and a Confessour we leave him 28. Our Eyes have been so intent in beholding the Vertues of this King Stigand the vicious Arch-bishop of Canterbury we have been little at Leasure to take notice of the Arch-bishops of Canterbury during his Reign Know then that about ten yeares since Robert Arch-bishop of Canterbury who succeeded Eadsin therein fearing some hard measure from Earle Godwin notwithstanding he had been contentedly kissed out of his Mannour of Boseham conveyed himself away beyond the Seas to his Monastery in Normandy whence he came first into England After whose Depature Stig and Bishop of Winchester intruded himself into that See eminent onely for Vice and fordid Covetousnesse 29. As for the Ecclesiastic all Laws made by this King in his Reign King Edward's Ecclesiasticall Constitutions it will be enough to affix their Principall Titles 1. That every Clerk and Scholar should quietly enjoy their Goods and Possessions 2. What solemn Festivalls people may come and goe of without any Law-Sutes to disturb them 3. That in all Courts where the Bishops Proctour doth appear his Case is first to be heard and determined 4. That Guilty folk flying to the Church should there have Protection not to be reprehended by any but by the Bishop and his Ministers 5. That Tithes be paid to the Church of Sheep Pigs Bees and the like 6. How the Ordall was to be ordered for the Triall of Guilty persons by Fire and Water 7. That Peter-pence or Romescot be faithfully payed to the Pope But I loose time and referre the Reader to read these Constitutions at large being three and twenty in number in the worthy a In his Councils pag. 619. Work of that no lesse Learned then Religious Knight Sir Henry Spelman 30. And now the full time was come 24 wherein good King Edward exchanged this life for a better 1066 Jan. 4. Who How the Kings of England come to cure the Kings Evil. as he was famous for many personall Miracles so he is reported to have entailed by Heavens Consort an hereditary Vertue on his Successours the Kings of England onely with this Condition b Primrosius de Vulgat Error cap. ultimo that they continue constant in Christianity to cure the Kings Evil. This Disease known to the Greeks by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 termed by Laâ—ines Struma and Sorophulae hath it's Cause from Phlegm it 's chief and common outward Residence in or near the Neck Throat where it expresseth it self in Knobs and Kernells pregnant often times with corrupted Bloud other putrified matter which on the breaking of those Bunches floweth forth equally offensive to Sight Smell and Touch. And yet this noisome Disease is happily healed by the Hands of the Kings of England stroaking the Soar if any doubt of the Truth thereof they may be remitted to their own Eyes for farther Confirmation But there is a sort of men who to avoid the Censure of over-easie Credulity and purchase the Repute of prudent Austerity justly incurre the Censure of affected Frowardnesse It being neither Manners nor Discretion in them in matters notoriously known to give daily Experience the Lye by the Backwardnesse of their Belief 31 But whence this Cure proceeds Severall opinions of the Causes thereof is much controverted amongst the Learned Some recount it in the Number of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose Reason cannot be demonstrated For as in vicious Common-wealths Bastards are frequent who being reputed Filii Populi have no particular Father so mans Ignorance increaseth the number of Occult Qualities which I might call Chances in Nature where the Effect is beheld but cannot be certainly referred to any immediate and proper Cause thereof Others impute it to the power c Ferrerius lib. 2. method cap. 11. de Homeric Curat of Fancie and an exalted Imagination For when the poor Patient who perchance seldome heard of and never saw a King before shall behold his Royall Hand dabling in a Puddle of Putrefaction with a charitable Confidence rubbing smoothing chafing those loathsome Kernells which I may call Clouds of Corruption dissolved oft-times into a feculent Shower I say when the Sick-man shall see an Hand so humble of an Arme so high such Condescention in a King to stroak that Soar at which meaner Persons would stop their Nostrills shut their Eyes or turn their Faces this raiseth erecteth enthroneth the Patients Fancie summoning his spirits to assist Nature with their utmost Might to encounter the Disease with greater Advantage And who will look into the Legend of the Miracles of Imagination shall find many strange and almost incredible things thereby really effected 32. Other Learned men Others count it Superstition and particularly d Lib. de Incantamentis Gaspar Peucenus though acquitting this Cure from Diabolicall Conjuration yet tax it as guilty of Superstition With him all such do side as quarrell at the Ceremonies and Circumstances used at the Healing of this Maladie Either displeased at the Collect read consisting of the first nine verses of the Gospell of S t. Iohn as wholly improper and nothing relating to the Occasion or unresolved of the Efficacy of the Gold pendent about the Patients Neck whether partly compleating or a bare Complement of the
living at Walgrave in Northamptonshire and possessed of that Mannour before the Conquest The other a Walloon of that name coming over with the Conquerour and employed by him in many Services The later of these on the former his consent that he should marry his onely Daughter procured from the Conquerour a Pardon for his Father in Law that he might quietly enjoy his Lands and Livings descending on this Walloon VValgrave after the other his Death Which Pardon legible in French was Anno 1612. in the possession of the a Attested by Iohn Raven Richmond Herald See Weavers Funerall Monuments pag. 7. 5. 8. After the Conquest severall recruits of French in England Walgraves still flourishing in Suffolk Fifth Coroll Let none wonder if some names of VVorshipfull and Honourable Families undoubtedly of French Originall but since the Conquest have not appeared in the aforesaid Catalogues For know that after the Conquest sundry French-men of signall Worth entred England at severall times chiefly At the Marriage First of King Henry the second to Queen Eleanor who brought the Dukedome of Aquitain Earledome of Poictiers for her Dowrie Secondly of Edward the second to Isabella Daughter to Philip the Fair King of France when three thousand French came over with her complained of as a great Grievance and many settled here Not to speak of the Conquests of King Edward the third and Henry the fifth in France causing such an Intercourse of the Nations that then England and France may be said to have born counterchangeably each others Natives Sixth Coroll Tradesmen not mentioned in this Roll came over with them Many will admire no mention of Tradesmen in all these Catalogues being of absolute necessity both in War and Peace For soon would the Head of the best Monsieur ake without a Capper Hands be tanned without a Glover Feet be foundred without a Tanner Currier Shoemaker whole Body be straved cold without VVeaver Fuller Tailour hungry without Baker Brewer Cook harbourless without Mason Smith and Carpenter Say not it was beneath the French Gallantry to stoup to such mean Employments who found all these Trades here amongst the English their Vassallâ— For besides that nothing is base which is honest and necessary for humane Society such as are acquainted with the French both ancient modern finicall humour know they account our Tailours Botchers Shoemakers Coblers Cooks Slovens compared to the exactnesse of their Fancy and Palate so that certainly such Trades came over with them Seventh Coroll As appears by Dooms-day Book But hear what our great b Camden his remaines pag. 234. Antiquary faith herein In that most authenticall Register Doomesday Book in the Exchequer ye shall have Cocus Aurifaber Pictor Pistor Accipitrarius Camerarius Venator Piscator Medicus Cook Goldsmith Painter Baker Falconer Chamberlain Huntsman Fisher Leach Marshall Porter and others which then held land in capite and without doubt left these Names to their Posterity albeit haply they are not mentioned in those Tables of Battel Abbey of such as came in at the Conquest Eighth Coroll The sad case of the English Now let me bespeak the Readers Pity though possibly his ingenuous Sympathie hath given it before it was requested for those poor English-men who were to find Free-quarter for all these French Where could their Land-lords lodge them or rather how could they long continue Landlords when such potent Guests came to their Houses O the severall wayes which their Necessities dictated unto them Some fought as the Kentish who capitulated for their Liberty some fled as those in the North into Scotland some hid themselves as many in middle England in the Isle of Ely some as those of Norfolk traversed their Title by Law and that with good Successe in the Old age of King William the Conquerour Most betook themselves to Patience which taught many a Noble Hand to work Foot to travel Tongue to intreat even thanking them for their Courtesie who were pleased to restore a Shiver of their own Loaf which they violently took from them FINIS THE Church-History OF BRITAINE The Third Book FROM THE COMING IN OF THE NORMANS Untill the appearing of IOHN WICLIFFE SIC OMNI TEMPORE VERDO LONDON Printed in the Year M.DC.LV. To the Right Honourable WILLIAM Lord Beauchampe c. GRAND-CHILDE AND HEIR APPARENT To the Right Honourable WILLIAM Marquiss of Hertford SOme there are who exact of every Christain as a Touchstone of their sincerity to render an account of the exact time of their Conversion with the Circumstances thereof how when and where performed I must crave leave to enter my self a Dissenter herein conceiving such a Demand unreasonable as generally required esential to all true Believers I confess some may return a satisfactory Answer thereunto namely such whose Souls suddenly snatch'd out of Errour and Vitiousness were immediately wrought upon almost in an instant by the Spirit of God Thus of those * Acts 22. 41. three thousand gained on Many-Saints-day by Saint Peter at Jerusalem with the preaching of one Sermon each one might punctually and precisely tell the very Moment of their true Conversion and generally the WORSE men have been the BETTER they can point at the accurate date thereof And thus as Kings count their actions by the years of their Reign Bishops formerly of their Consecration so these may use the stile In the year of our Conversion first or second c. And as * Mar. 14. 6. Herod kept a Festivall of his Natural Birth-day such if so pleased may duly and truly observe an Anniversary Solemnity of their Regeneration A Priviledge not granted to all true Believers God to shew his Power that he Can and Pleasure that he VVill vary the manner of Mens Conversion though going the same path by his VVord and Spirit useth a â—lower pace in the hearts of others in whom Grace is wrought sensim sine sensu modeled by degrees In such no mortal man can assign the minutary juncture of Time when preparing grace which cleared the ground ended and saving grace which finish'd the fabrick of Conversion did first begin Observable to this purpose are the words of our Saviour * Mark 4. 26. So is the Kingdom of God as if a man should cast feed into the ground and should sleep and rise night and day and the â—eed should spring and grow up HE KNOWETH NOT HOW That grace is sown and is grown Men know but when and how in the persons aforesaid GOD KNOWS Besides these adult Converts there are a second sort of Christians unable to discover the Date of grace dawning in them namely such who with * 2 Tim 1. 5. and 3. 15. Timothy may be said to be good time out of minde sucking in grace with their milk extracted from and educated under a pious Parentage I hope and trust that your Honour may truly be ranked in this latter Form that as many ancient deeds written before the Reign of King Henry
was the first Norman made Bsyhop of S t Davids St Davids contest with Canterbury Presuming on his masters favour and his own merit he denyed subjection to Canterbury and would be as anciently had been an absolute Arch-Bishop of himself Indeed S t Davids was Christian some hundred of years whilest Canterbury was yet Pagan and could shew good Cards if but permitted fairly to play them for Archiepiscopal Jurisdiction even in some respect Equal to Rome it self Witness the ancient riming verse about the proportions of Pardons given to Pilgrims for their visiting Religious places Roma semel quantum bis dat Menevia tantum Not the S t Davids gives a peck of Pardons where Rome gives but a gallon as the words at the first blush may seen of import but that two Pilgrimages to S t Davids should be equal in merit to one Pilgrimage to Rome such was the conceived Holiness of that place 26. Giraldus Cambrensis states the Case truly and briefly Impar Congressus That Canterbury hath long prescription plenty of Lawyers to plead her Title and store of money to pay them Whereas S t Davids is poor remote out of the road of preferment intimating no less that if equally accommodated she could set on foot as food an Archiepiscopal Title as Canterbury it self But he addeth that except some great alteration happeneth understand him except Wales recover again into an absolute Principality S t Davids is not likely to regain her ancient Dignity William Arch-Bishop of Canterbury aided by the Pope at last humbled the Bishop of S r Davids into a submission Who vexed hereat wreckt his spleen on the welsh Clergie furiously forcing them to sorgo their Wives The successors of this Bishop would have been more Thankful to his Memory had he laboured less for the honor and more preserved the profits of his See whose lands he dilapidated with this his expensive suit and on other designs for his own preferment 27. King Henry died in Normandy of a surfeit by eating a Mat. Paris pag. 73. Lampreys King Henry his death An unwholsom fish insomuch that Galen speaking of Eels in general whereto Lampreys may be reduced expostulates with the gods for giving them so delicious a taste good so malignant and dangerous an operation But grant them never so good excess is venemous string in the most wholsome flesh fish and sowl and it was too great a quantity caused his surfeit I finde him generally commended for temperance in his diet onely his palat his servant in all other meats was commonly his master in this dish He was buried at Reading leaving but one daughter the Sea having swallowed his Sons surviving him 28. Stephen Earl of Bologn Stephen usurpeth the Crown on a fully title hearing of Henry his death Steph. 1. hasteth over into England Dece 2. and seizeth on the Crown All his title unto it was this First Maud the true heir thereof was a female Secondly absent beyond the Seas Thirdly married to a forreiner Fourthly no very potent Prince viz. Geffery Plantagenet Earl of Angeou whose land-lock-situation rendred him less formidable for any effectual impression on this Island Lastly he was Son to Adela Daughter to King William the Conqueror though a Male deriving his title from a Female conceiving himself the Daughters Son to be preferr'd before Maud the Sons Daughter Indeed Stephen had an elder Brother Theobald Earl of Blois but he chose a quiet County before a cumbersom Kingdom the enjoyment of his own rather then invasion of anothers inheritance seeing Maud was the undoubted heir of the English Crown 28. This Maud Anno Regis Hen. 1 â—â— I may call Anno Dom. 1135. Maud the fourth Maud the south yea England had no Queen of another name since the Conquest 1. Maud the first Wise to King William the Conqueror 2. Maud the second Daughter to Malcolme King of Scots Wife to King Henry the first 3. Maud the third Wife to King Stephen 4. Maud the fourth Daughter to King Henry the first and in right Queen of England This last Maud was first married to Henry the fourth Emperor of Germany and after his death was constantly called The Empress by the courtesie of Christendom though married to Earl Geffery her second husband To her all the Clergie and Nobility had sworn fealty in her father's life time 29. William Arch-Bishop of Canterbury The perjury of the Clergy notwithstanding his oath to Maud Dece 26. solemnly crowned Stephen and in the same act shewed himself perjured to his God disloyal to his Princess and ingrateful to his Patroness by whose special favour he had been preferred The rest of the Bishops to their shame followed his example dealing with oaths as sea-men with the points in the Compass saying them forwards and backwards Indeed covetousness and pride prompted this disloyalty unto them hoping to obtain of an Usurper what they despaired to get from a lawful King For their modestie and that little enough in asking was all Stephens measure in giving resolving with himself for the present to grant what should please them and at leasure to perform what should please himself Let him now get but the stump of a Crown and with wise watering thereof it would sprout afterwards Hence was it that he granted the Bishops liberty to build and hold many Castles freedom in forests investiture from the Pope with many other immunities which hitherto the Clergy never obtained All things thus seemingly setled yet great was the difference of judgments in the English concerning King Stephen which afterwards discovered themselves in the variety of mens practices 30. Some acted vigorously for Stephen Variety of peoples opinions conceiving possession of a Crown createth a right unto it Where shall private persons unable of themselves to trace the intricacies of Princes titles fix their loyalty more safely then on him whom success tendereth unto them for their Soveraign God doth not now as anciently visibly or audibly discover himself we must therefore now only look and listen to what he sheweth and faith by his voice in the success of things whereby alone he expresseth his pleasure what he owneth or disclaimeth This their judgment was crossed by others who distinguished betwixt Heavens permission and consent God sometimes suffering them to have power to compel to whom he never gave authority to command 31. But some urged that Stephen was declared lawful King by popular consent Pro and Con for King Stephen which at this time could alone forme a Legal right to any in this Island For Maud Stephen's corrival in vain pretended succession seeing the Crown since the Conquest never observed a regular but an uncertain and desultory motion Nor was it directed to go on by the straight line of primogeniture which leapt over the Conquerors eldest to his second Son Then taking a new rise from the eldest still surviving to Henry his third Son Here no chain
6. Rex dilecto sibi in Christo Archidiacono Glouc. 25 Salutem 1241 Significavimus etiam viva voce exposuimus Magistro P. Rubeo Nuncio Domiin Papae quod non est intentionis nostrae nec etiam volumus aliquatenus sustinere quod vel viros Relligiosos vel Clericum aliquem ad contributionem faciendam ad opus Domini Papae compellant Et ideo vobis mandamus inhibentes districte ne ad mandatum ip sius Magistri Petri vel suorum viros religiosos seu Clericos ad contributionem praedictam faciendam aliqua censura Ecclesiastica compellatis Scituri quod si secus egeritis nos contra vos tanquam perturbatorem Pacis Ecclesiasticae quam conservare tenemur modis quibus expedire viderimus procedemus Teste Rege apud Glouc. 11. die Iunij The King to his beloved in Christ the Archdeacon of Glocester Greeting We have signified also by word of mouth have declared to M r. P. Rubeus Nuncio to the Lord the Pope that it is not our intention nor will we any wayes endure it that they shall compell Religious Men or any Clerk to make a contribution to supply the occasions of the Lord the Pope And therefore we command you strictly forbidding that at the command of the same M r. Peter or any of his officers you compel not any Religious Men or Clerks by any Ecclesiasticall censures to make the aforesaid Contribution Knowing that if you do otherwise we shall proceed against you by means we shall think fit as against the Disturber of the Peace of the Church which we are bound to preserve Witnesse the King at Glocester the 11. of Iune By the way a Nuncio differed from a Legate almost as a Lieger from an extraordinary Ambassodour who though not so ample in his power was as active in his progging to advance the profit of the Pope his Master 23. This Instrument acquainteth us with the Method used by him in mannaging his money matters A free-forced gift Such as refused to pay his demands were proceeded against by Church Censures suspension excommunication c. The cunning Italian to decline to odium imploying the Archdeacons to denounce the same in their respective Iurisdictions Yet this went under the notion of a voluntary contribution Anno Dom. 1241 as free as fire from Flint forced with Steel and strength out of it Anno Regis Henrici 3. 25 24. Whereas the King counted himself bound to preserve the Peace of the Church Spoken like a King the words well became his mouth They seem to me to look like DEFENDER OF THE FAITH as yet but in the Bud and which in due time might grow up to amount to as much For though every Christian in his calling must keep the peace of the Church Kings have a coercive power over the disturbers thereof 25. This Royal resolution Say and do best to resist the oppressing of his Subjects was good as propounded better if performed I find no visible effect thereof but we may believe it made the Popes Mil go the slower though it did not wholy hinder his grinding the faces of the Clergy This Patent is dated from Glocester more loved of King Henry then London it self as a strong and loyal City where he was first crowned and afterwards did often reside 26. Amongst the thousands of pounds which the Pope carried out of England A Pension given by the Pope to an English Earile I meet onely with three hundred Marks yearly which came back again as a Private Boon bestowed on an English Knight Sir Reginald Mohun by Pope Innocent the fourth then keeping his Court at Lyons in France And because these are vestigia sola retrorsum it will not be amisse to insert the whole Story thereof as it is in an ancient French Manuscript pertaining to the Family of the Mohuns Quant Sire Reinalda voit Ceo faitz il passa a la Court de Rome que adonques fuist a Lions purconfirmer ratifer sa novelle Abbay a grand honor de liu a touz joues fuist en la Courte le deniergne en quaresme quant lenchaunce loffice del messe Laetare Ierusalem al quen jour lusage de la Court este que la poistoille doa a plus valiant a plus honorable home qui puit estre trovez en la deste Courte une Rose ou une floretta de fin or donquez ilz sercherent tote le Courte entroverent Cesti Reinald pur le plus noble de tou te la Courte a oui le Pape Innocent donna Celle rose ou florette dor la Papa lui Damanda quil home il fuisten son pais il respondi simple bacheleri bean fitz fetz la pape Celle rose on florette unquez ne fuist donez fo rs an Rois ou an Dukes an a Countese pour ceo nous voluns que vous sons le Counte de Est Ceo est Somerset Reinald respondi Aist O Saincts piere ieo nay dout le mom meinteyner lapos soille donques lui dona ducent mariz per annum receiver sur Cantee saint Paule de Londres de ces deneires d'Engleterre pour son honor mainteyner de quen donna il reporta Bulles que enquore aurent en plomps c. en semblement odue moltes dis aultres bulles confirmatione de sa novelle Abbay de Newham a pres quen jour il porta la rose ou florette en les armes It is as needless as difficult to translate this Bull verbatim being of base obsolete and ill-pointed French sufficeth it that this is the summe thereof The Pope used on the Lords day called Laetare Ierusalem solemnly to bestow a consecrated Rose on the most Honorable persons present at Masse with his Holinesse Enquiry being made the Rose was conferred on Sir Reginald Mohun as the best extracted in the present Congregation But seeing that Rose used alwayes to be given to Kings Dukes and Earles at least the lowest form of Coronetted Nobility in that Age his Holinesse understanding the same Sir Reginald to be but a plain Knight Bachelour created him the Earle of Est that is saith this Bull of Somerset and for the better support of his Honour he allowed him three hundred Marks out of the pence of England understand the Peter-Pence as the most certain Papal Revenue in the Land By this Bull the same Sir Reinald was made a Count Apostolick whereby he had the Priviledges to appoint publick Notaries and to legitimate Bastards on some Conditions King Henry the third was so far from excepting against this Act that he highly honoured him And yet Master Camden sometimes a In his Brit. in Somersetshire acknowledgeth sometimes denieth b In his Eliz. in the case of Count Arundel There are rich who make themselves poor him for an English Earle Not that I accuse him as inconstant to himself but suspect my self not well attaining his meaning therein 27.
thy sorceries and the great abundance of thine inchantments And it seemes they still retained their old wicked wont Secondly Poisoning To give the Jews their due this was none of their faults whilest living in their own land not meeting with the word in the whole Bible It seems they learnt this sin after their disperson in other Nations and since are grown exquisite in that art of wickedness Thirdly Clipping of money Fourthly Counterfeiting of Christians hands and seals Fifthly Extortion A Jew occasioned a mutiny in London by demanding from a poor Christian above two shillings for the use of twenty shillings for one week being by proportion no less then five hundred and twenty pounds per annum for every hundred Sxthly Crucifying of the children of Christians to keep their hands in ure always about Easter So that the time pointed at their intents directly in derision of our Saviour How sufficiently these crimes were witnessed against them I know not In such cases weak proofs are of proof against rich offenders We may well believe if their persons were guilty of some of these faults their estates were guilty of all the rest 47. Now although it passeth for an uncontrolled truth Jews say others not cast out but craved leave to depart that the Jews were by the King violently cast out of the Land yet a great a Sir Ed. Coke Lawyer states the case much otherwise viz. that the King did not directly expel them but only prohibit them to put money to use which produced a petition from them to the King that they might have leave to depart the Land a request easily granted unto them some will say it is all one in effect whether one be starved or stabbed death inevitably following from both as here the Jews were famished on the matter out of England usury being their meat and drink without which they were unable longer to subsist However this took off much from the Odium of the act that they were not immediately but only indirectly and consequentially banished the Realm or rather permitted a free departure on their own petition for the same As for the sad accident that some hundreds of them being purposely shipped out of a spightful design in a leaking vessel were all drowned in the Sea if true it cannot but command compassion in any Christian heart 48. It is hardly to be believed The King gets incredible wealth forfeited by the Jews what vast sums of wealth accrewed to the King 1293 by this call it ejection 21. or amotion or decesion of the Jews He allowed them only bare viaticum to bear their charges and seised on all the rest of their estates Insomuch that now the King needed not to listen to the counsel of William Marsh Bishop of Bath and wells 1294 and Treasurer of England but therein speaking more like a Treasurer then a Bishop advising him 22. if in necessity to take all the plate and money of Churches a Polydore Virgil and Monasteries therewith to pay his souldiers The poor Jews durst not go into France whence lately they had been solemnly banished but generally disposed themselves in Germany and Italy especially in the Popes territories therein where profit from Jews and Stews much advance the constant revenues of his Holiness 49. King Edward having done with the Jews King Edward arbitrator betwixt Bailiol and Bruce began with the Scots and effectually humbled them and their country This the occasion Two Competitors appearing for the Crown of Scotland John Bailiol and Robert Bruce and both referring their title to King Edward's decision he adjudged the same to Bailiol or rather to himself in Bailiol For he enjoyned him to do homage unto him and that hereafter the Scotish Crown should be held in fealty of the English Bailiol or his necessity rather his person being in King Edward's power accepted the condition owning in England one above himself that so he might be above all in Scotland 1295 But 23. no sooner was he returned into his own Kingdom and peaceably possessed thereof but instantly in a Letter of defiance he disclaimeth all former promises to King Edward appealing to the Christian world whether his own inforced obedience were more to be pitied or King Edward's insolence improving it self on a Princes present extremitics more to be condemned 50. Offended hereat He proveth Malleus Scotorum King Edward 1297 advanceth into Scotland 25. with the forces he formerly intended for France Power and policy make a good medly and the one fareth the better for the other King Edward to strengthen himself thought fit to take in the title of Robert Bruce Bailiols corrival hitherto living privately in Scotland pretending to settle him in the Kingdom Hereupon the Scots to lessen their losses and the English victories b G. Buchanan 〈◊〉 Scot. libro octavo 〈◊〉 affirm that in this expedition their own Country-men were chiefly conquered by their own Country-men the Brucian party assisting the Englsih Sure it is that King Edward took Barwick Dunbar Sterling Edenbrugh the Crown Scepter and out of Scone the Royal Chair and prophetical Marble therein And though commonly it be observed that English valour hopefully budding and blossoming on this side of Edenburgh-Frith is frost-bitten on the North thereof yet our victorious Edward crossing that sea took Montross and the best Counties thereabout In a word he conquered almost all the Garden of Scotland and left the wilderness thereof to conquer it self Then having fetled Warren Earl of Survey Vice-Roy thereof and made all the Scotish Nobility Doughty Douglas alone excepted who was committed to prison for his singular recusancy swear homage unto him and taking John Bailiol captive along with him he returned triumphantly into England The End of the Thirteenth CENTURY CENT XIV TO CLEMENT THROCKMORTON the Elder OF Haseley in Warwick-shire Esq LEt other boast of their French bloud whilest your English family may vie Gentry with any of the Norman Extraction 1. For Antiquity four Monosyllables being by common pronuntiation crouded into your name THE ROCK MORE TOWN 2. For Numerosity being branched into so many Counties 3. For Ingenuity charactered by †Brit. in Warwick shire Camden to be FRUITFUL OF FINE WITS whereof several instances might be produced But a principal consideration which doth and ever shall command my respect unto your person is your faithful and cordial friendship in matters of highest concernment whatever be the success thereof to the best of my Relations which I conceived my self obliged publickly to confess 1. AMidst these cruel Wars Ed. 1. 29. betwixt the English and Scots 1301. Pope Boniface the eighth The Pope challengeth Scotland as peculiar to himself sent his Letters to King Edward requiring him to quit his claim and cease his Wars and release his prisoners of the Scotch Nation as a people exempt and properly pertaining to his own Chappel Perchance the Popes right to
His admirable successe in his wars as totally taken up with his atchievements in Scotland and France where his successe by Sea and Land was above beliefe and even to admiration He conquered both before his face and behind his back Whence he came and whither he went North and South the one in his person the other by his substitutes in his absence Insomuch that he got more then he knew what to do with exhausting the Land to man the Cities which he had gained Herein he stands without a parallel that he had both the Kings he fought against viz. John de Dalois of France and David the King of Scotland his prisoners at one time not taken by any cowardly surprize but by fair fight in open field 5. It soundeth much to the commendation of his modesty and moderation And humility that intending to found an Order of Knight-hood at his Castle of Windsor * Others say in London Town where he had these two Royall prisoners In the institution thereof he neither had any insolent relation to his own conquest nor opprobrious reflection on his enemies captivity but began the innocent Order of the Garter unreferring to any of his former atchievements But more hereof in due time 6. The King and State began now to grow sensible of the great gain he Netherlands got by our English Wool England hitherto ignorant in curious Cloathing in memory whereof the Duke of Burgundy not long after instituted the order of the Golden Fleece wherein indeed the Fleece was ours the Golden theirs so vast their Emolument by the Trade of Clothing Our King therefore resolved if possible to reduce the Trade to his own Country Anno Regis Ed. tertii 11 who as yet were ignorant of that Art Anno Dom. 1336. as knowing no more what to do with their Wool then the sheep that weare it as to any Artificiall and curious Drabery their best Cloathes then being no better then Freezes such their coursnesse for want of skill in their making But soon after followed a great alteration and we shall enlarge our selves in the manner thereof 7. The intercourse now being great betwixt the English and the Netherlands increased of late since King Edward married the Daughter of the Earl of Hainalt unsuspected Emissaries The Kings Agents tempt the Dutch apprentices were imployed by our King into those Countries who wrought themselves into familiarity with such Dutch men as were Absolute Masters of their Trade but not Masters of themselves as either Journeymen or Apprentiees These bemoaned the slavishnesse of these poore servants whom their Masters used rather like Heathens then Christians yea rather like Horses then Men. Early up and late in bed and all day hard work and harder fare a few Herrings and mouldy Cheese and all to inrich the Churles their Masters without any profit unto themselves 8. But oh how happy should they be if they would but come over into England To come over into England bringing their Mystery with them which would provide their welcome in all places Here they should feed on fatt Beef and Mutton till nothing but their fulnesse should stint their stomacks yea they should feed on the labours of their own hands enjoying a proportionable profit of their pains to themselves their beds should be good and their bedfellows better seeing the richest Yeomen in England would not disdain to marry their Daughters unto them and such the English beauties that the most envious Forreigners could not but commend them 9. Liberty is a Lesson quickly conn'd by heart And obtain their desire men having a principle within themselves to prompt them in case they forget it Perswaded with the premises many Dutch servants leave their Masters and make over for England Their departure thence being pickt here and there made no sensible vacuity but their meeting here altogether amounted to a considerable fulness With themselves they brought over their Trade and their Tools namely such which could not as yet be so conveniently made in England 10. Happy the Yeomans House into which one of these Dutchmen did enter bringing industry and wealth along with them Their welcome reception Such who came in strangers within their doors soon after went out Bridegrooms and returned Son in laws having married the Daughters of their Landlords who first entertained them Yea those Yeomen in whose houses they harboured soon proceeded Gentlemen gaining great estates to themselves arms and worship to their estates 11. The King having gotten this Treasury of Forreigners The King politickly disperseth the Dutch thought not fit to continue them all in one place lest on discontent they might imbrace a generall resolution to return but bestowed them thorow all the parts of the Land that Cloathing thereby might be the better dispersed Here I say nothing of the Colony of old Dutch who frighted out of their own Country with an Inundation about the reign of King Henry the first possibly before that Nation had attained the cunning of Cloath-making were seated only in Pembroke-shire This new Generation of Dutch was now sprinkled every where so that England in relation I mean to her own Counties may be speak these Inmates in the language of the Poet Que regio in terris vestri non plena laboris though generally where left to their own choice they preferred a Maritine Habitation East 1. Norfolk Norwich Fustians 2. Suffolk Sudbury Bayes 3. Essex Colchester Sayes and Serges 4. Kent Rentish Broad-clothes West 1. Devonshire Kirses 2. Gloucestershire 3. Worcestershire Cloth 4. Wales Welsh Friezes North. 1. Westmerland Kendall Cloath 2. Lancashire Manchester Cotton 3. Yorkshire Halifax Clothes 4. South 1. Somersetshire Taunton Serges 2. Hamshire 3. Berkshire 4. Sussex Cloth I am informed that a prime Dutch Cloth-maker in Gloucestershire had the Sirname of Web given him by King Edward there a Family still famous for their manufacture Observe we here that mid England Northamptonshire Lincolnshire and Cambridge having most of Woâ—l have least of cloathing therein 12. Here the Dutchmen found Fullers earth Fullers earth a precious commodity a precious Treasure whereof England hath if not more better then all Christendom besides a great Commodity of the Quorum to the making of good Cloath so that Nature may seem to point out our land for the Staple of Drapery if the idlenesse of her inhabitants be not the only hinderance thereof This Fullers Earth is clean contrary to our Jesuites who are needlesse Drugs yet still staying here though daily commanded to depart whilst Fullers earth a precious ware is daily scowred hence though by law forbidden to to be transported 13. And now was the English Wool improved to the highest profit woollen cloth the English wealth passing through so many hands every one having a fleece of the Fleece Sorters Kembers Carders Spinsters Weavers Fullers Diers Pressers Packers and these Manifactures have been heightned to a higher perfection since the cruelty
of his foulest facts wherewith in all ages since he standeth charged on record For mine own part I confess it no heresie to maintain a paradox in History nor am I such an enemy to wit as not to allow it leave harmlesly to disport it self for its own content and the delight of others Thus Cardan hath written his Encomium Neronis and others best husbandmen who can improve the barrennest ground have by art endeavoured to praise as improbable subjects But when men shall do it cordially in sober sadness to pervert peoples judgments and therein go against all received Records I say singularity is the least fault can be laid to such mens charge Besides there are some Birds Sea-pies by name who cannot rise except it be by flying against the winde as some hope to atchieve their advancement by being contrary and paradoxal in judgment to all before them 9. Soon after followed the execution of the Duke of Buckingham The request of the Duke of Buckingham denied King Richard his grand enginere or Master of the fabrick of his preserment The occasion thus The Duke requested-required of King Richard as confident that his merits were incapable of a denial the Earldome of Hereford and the hereditary Constable-ship of England laying title to them by discent Well did he ask both together which would be granted both together For the Earldome of Hereford was an Abishag concubine to the former Kings of England which had long lien in the Crown whilest in the Lancastrian line so imbraced and interlaced therewith that it was difficult to dissever them And the affecting thereof proved as fatall to Buckingham Anno Dom. 1484. as the desiring of the other was to Adonijah Anno Regis Ric. 3. 2. being interpreted in both an ambition of the Kingdome The Hereditary Constableship was conceived too unlimited a power to be trusted to a Subject lest he should make more disorder then he should mend therewith so that in fine both in effect were denied unto him 10. Buckingham stormes thereat Buckingham surpâ—â—â—ed and beheaâ—ed Shall a Coronet be denied him by him on whom he had conferred a Crown Yet what anger soever boiled in his â—eart none ran over in his mouth pretending very fair in his behaviour But hard it is to halt before a cripple and dissemble before King Richard The Duke withdraws to Brecknock in Wales with his prisoner Bishop Morton of Elie committed unto him by the King on some distaste who tampered with him about the marriage of Henry Earl of Richmond with the eldest Daughter of King Edward the fourth The Duke carried himself so open therein that surprised by King Richard his head was divorced from his body before this marriage was compleated II. More cunning was Bishop Morton to get himself over into France Morten make peace there to contrive the Union of the two Houses of York and Lancaster If Blessed be the peace-makers be pronounced of such as reconcile party and party how much more must it be true of his memory the happy instrument to unite those Houses to the saving of the effusion of so much bloud Some will say it was a design obvious to every capacity to make such an union But we all know when a thing is done then it is easie for any to do it Besides it is one thing for men in their brains barely and notionally to apprehend a project and another as our Morton did to elect proportionable means and by the vigorous prosecution thereof really to effect it 12. A modern Writer in his voluminous book Mr Pryn charged for charging Bishop Morton of â—reson which he hath Entituled The Rebellions Treasons Conspiracies Antimonarchical practises c. of the English Prelates to swell his number chargeth this Bishop Morton with Treason against King Richard the third But is it treason for one in savour of the true heir to oppose an Usurper in Title and Tyrant in practice Surely unbiased judgments behold Morton herein under a better notion Had this Bishop been active on King Richards side how would the same Author have proclaimed him for a Traitor against King Henry the seventh Thus I see an inevitable necessity that Morton must be a Traitor whatsoever he did and observe that no practice will please which cometh from one whose person or profession is distasted 13. But King Richard his cruelties had so tired out Divine patience Earl Henry landeth at Milsord Haven that his punishment could be no longer deferred 1585 Henry Earl of Richmond lands with an handful of men at Milford Haven 3. A landing place politickly chosen near Pembroke the place of his Nativity in the heart of his Country-men and Kinsmen the Welsh his grand-father Owen ap Theodore alias Tuthar having thence his extraction and far from London the Magazine of King Richards might From Milford the Earl marched North-East through the bowels of Wales and both his Army and fame thereof crevit eundo grew by going Many old Prophesies the people about Leicester will load a stranger with them were fulfilled in him and this amongst the rest may be remembred It was foretold that in a great battle which was to be fought near Leicester whosoever should shoot the arrow first should have the victory This most understood that the archer in the fight which should first let loose should gain the day to his side When behold the Earl of Richmond bending his march out of Wales to the middle of England first passed Arrow a rivolet in the confines of Worcester and Warwick-shire and accordingly proved victorious For into Leicester-shire he came and in the navel thereof is met by King Richard and next morning both sides determine to trie their fortunes in fight This night the Earl had sweet and quiet rest whilest King Richard his guilty conscience was frighted with hideous dreams Anno Regis Ric 3 3. and fanciful apparitions Anno Dom. 1485 as no wonder if no pillow could give him quiet sleep who with a pillow had so lately smothered his Lord and Master 14. The Battle is called the Battle of Bosworth though fought full three miles from the a Burton in his description of Leicestershire Town The Battle of Bosworth and nearer other Country Villages because Bosworth is the next Town of not ethereunto The Earls Army fell far short of the Kings in number and Armes equalled it in courage exceeded it in cause and success Indeed the Kings Army was hollow at the heart many marching in his main battle who were much suspected and therefore purposely placed there to secure them from flying out and fought as unwilling to overcome Yet the scales of victory seemed for a long time so equal that an exact eye could not discern on which side the beam did break At last the coming in of the Lord Stanley with three thousand fresh men decided the controversie on the Earls side King Richard fighting valiantly so his friends
desperately say his foes fell in the midst of his enemies and his corps were disgracefully carried to Leicester without a rag to cover his nakedness as if no modest usage was due to him when dead who had been so shameless in his cruelty when alive The Crown ornamental being found on his head was removed to the Earls and he Crowned in the field and Te Deum was solemnly sung by the whole Army 15. Soon after King Henry married the Lady Elizabeth Hen. 7 1. eldest Daughter unto King Edward the fourth Henry the seventh his sixfold title to the Crown whereby those Roses which formerly with their prickles had rent each other were united together Yea sixfold was King Henry his title to the Crown First Conquest Secondly Military election the Souldiers crying out in the field King Henry King Henry Thirdly Parliamentary Authority which setled the Crown on Him and His Heirs Fourthly Papal confirmation his Holiness forsooth concurring with his religious complement Fifthly Discent from the House of Lancaster But that all know was but the back-door to the Crown and this Henry came in but by a window to that back-door there being some bastardy in his pedigree but that was salved by post-legitimation Sixthly Marriage of King Edwards Daughter the first and last being worth all the rest Thus had he six strings to his bow but commonly he let five hang by and onely made use of that one which for the present he perceived was most for his own advantage Yet for all these his Titles this politick Prince thought fit to have his Person well secured and was the first King of England who had a standing Guard to attend him 16. Thomas Bourchier Cardinal 2. and Arch-Bishop of Canterbury 1586 had the honour first to marry The death of Arch-Bishop Bourchier then to Crown King Henry and the Lady Elizabeth And then having sitten in a short Synod at London wherein the Clergie presented their new King with a tenth quietly ended his life having sate in his See two and thirty years He gave an hundred and twenty pounds to the University of Cambridg which was joyed with another hundred pounds which M r Billingforth Master of Bennet Colledg had some years before given to the said University and this joint stock was put into a Chest called at this day the Chest of Billingforth and Bourchier and Treasurers are every year chosen for the safe keeping thereof 17. John Morton born say some at Beare John Morton succeeded him but more truly at S t Andrews Milbourne in Dorcet-shire where a worshipful family of his name and lineage remain at this day succeeded him in the See at Canterbury He was formerly Bishop of Elie and appointed by Edward the fourth one of the Executors of his Will and on that account hated of King Richard the third the Excutioner thereof He was as aforesaid imprisoned because he would not betray his trust fled into France returned and justly advanced by King Henry first to be Chancellor of England and then to be Arch-Bishop of Canterbury 18. Now began the Pope to be very busie by his Officers A gift not worth the taking to collect vast summes of money in England Anno Dom. 1486 presuming at the Kings connivance thereat Anno Regis Hen. 7 2. whom he had lately gratified with a needless Dispensation to Legitimate his Marriage with the Lady Elizabeth his Cousin so far off it would half pose a Herald to recover their Kindred For 1. Edward the third on Philippa his Queen begat 2. Lyonel Duke of Clarence who on Elizabeth his Lady begat 3. Philippa on whom Edward Mortimer Earl of March begat 4. Roger Earl of March who on begat 5. Anne on whom Richard Plantagenet Duke of York begat 6. Edward the fourth king of England who on Elizabeth woodvile begat 7. Elizabeth his Eldest Daughter who was married unto 2. John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster who of Katharine Swinford begat 3. John de Beaufort Duke of Somerset who on begat 4. John Beausort Duke of Somerset who on Marg. Beauchamp begat 5. Margaret on whom Edmund Tuther Earl of Richmond begat 6. Henry Earl of Richmond afterwards 7 th of that name King of England Neither Law Divine or Civil forbad marriage at this distance but the Pope would be over-officious both to oblige the King and interest himself as if no Princes could well be married except the Pope had a finger in joining their hands together 19. Exorbitancies of Sanctuaries retreuched More material to the King was the help of his Holiness 1487 to regulate the exorbitancies of abused Sanctuaries 3. In this age could an offendor get such an house over his head he accounted himself instantly innocent though not is conscience yet as to outward punishment the Kings enemies once Sanctuaried daring him no less then the Jebusites in their strong fort of Sion defied David a 2 Sam. 5. 6. Though shalt not come in hither The Pope therefore in favour of the King and indeed of equity it self ordered 1. b Lord Verulam in Hen 7. pag. 39. That if any Sanctuary man did by might or otherwise get out of Sanctuary privily and commit mischief and trespass and then come in again he should lose the benefit of Sanctuary for ever after 2. That howsoever the person of the Sanctuary man was protected from his Creditors yet his goods out of Sanctuary should not 3. That if any took Sanctuary for cause of Treason the King might appoint him keepers to look to him in Sanctuary Surely had the King been pleased to interpose his own power he might have reformed these abuses but he thought fitter to make use of the Popes Spiritual artillery against these Spiritual Castles of Rebellion that he might not seem to intrench on their lawful priviledges having formerly at least in pretence appeared a great Patron of Sanctuaries and a severe punisher of the unjust infringers thereof On which account this King who was never uxorious husband nor over-dutiful son in law confined the Queen Dowager his wives Mother to a Religious House in Bermansey because three years since she had surrendred her two Daughters out of the Sanctuary at Westminster Anno Regis Hen. 7 4. to Richard Duke of York Anno Dom. 1488 20. A Synod was holden by Arch-Bishop Morton at London Two Synods at London wherein the Luxury of the London a Antiquit. Brit. Pag. 298. Clergie in cloaths that City alwayes the staple of bravery with their frequenting of Taverns was forbidden such Preachers also were punished who with popular applause enveighed against Bishops in their absence the next year also a Synod was called but little therein effected but vast summes of money granted by the Clergie to the King 21. John Giglis an Italian Italians good at getting and holding about this time imployed by the Pope 5. got an infinite mass of money 1489 having power from
except solemnly designed for the place 19. At distance stood the Stables The Stables where the Stallarius or Master of the Horse did command and under him o In Vâ—tis c. pag. 97. the Provendarius who as his name imports provided Provender for the Horses These were divided into foure ranks and it would puzzle all the Jockies in Smithfield to understand the meaning of their names 1. Manni being Geldings for the Saddle of the larger size 2. Runcini Runts p Wats in Glossar at the end of Mat. Paris small Pad-Nags like those of Galloway or Goonehely 3. Summarii Sumpter-horses 4. Averii Cart or Plough-horses This was the quadripartite division of the Horses of William the two and twentieth Abbot of S. Albans on the token that he lost an hundred Horses in one yeer 20. One roome remaines The Gaâ—le last named because least loved even a Prison for the punishment of incorrigible Monkes who otherwise would not be ordered into obedience It was a grand penance imposed on the q In Vitis pag. 52. Delinquents to carry about the Lanthorn though light an heavy burden but such contumacious Monks as would not be amended therewith the Abbot had tetrum fortem carcerem a strong and hideous Prison where their Obstinacie was corrected into Reformation 21. We omit other roomes The Grange as Vaccisterium the Cow-house Porcarium the Swine-stie as having nothing peculiar therein but concurrent with those offices in other houses As for Granges being Farms at distance kept and stocked by the Abbey and so called as it seemeth à grana gerendo the Overseer whereof was commonly called the Prior of the Grange because sometimes many miles from the Monasterie they come not within the reach of our present discourse Onely I adde in Female Foundations of Nunneries there was a correspondencie of all the same essential Officers and Offices 22. Expect not of me a List of those mean Officers in the Abbey Barbarous names and Offices whose employment was not so base as their names barbarous and of English extraction Such were 1. Coltonarius Cutler 2. Cupparius 3. Potagiarius 4. Scutellarius Aulae 5. Salsarius 6. Portarius 7. Carectarius Cellerarii 8. Pelliparius Parchment-Provider 9. Brasinarius Maltster All these appeared at the Hali-mote or Holy Court of the Cellarer and it is the degrading the soul of a Scholar best pleased in a progressive motion to attain elegancy to stoop to the understanding of such base and unlearned Etymologies 23. Note that the Offices aforesaid in the smaller Abbeys were but one fair intire room Rooms in small houses in great Abbeys which in greater Monasteries were a distinct structure with all under-Offices attendant thereupon Thus the Firmorie in the Priorie of Canterbury had a Refectorie thereto belonging a Kitchin a Dortour distributed into several Chambers that one might not disturb another and a private Chappel for the devotions of the diseased Their Almerie also was accommodated with all the aforesaid appurtenances and had many distinct Manours consigned onely to their maintenance 24. It were aliene from our present purpose to speak of Cells The use of Cells which were aut pars aut proles of all great Abbeys sometime so farre off that the Mother-Abbey was in England the Childe-Cell beyond the Seas and so reciprocally Some of these were richly endowed as that of Windham in Norfolke which though but a Cell annexed to S. Albans yet was able at the Dissolution to expend of its own Revenues seventy two pounds per annum These were Colonies into which the Abbeys discharged their superfluous numbers and whither the rest retired when Infections were feared at home 25. Thus have we run through the main Rooms in all great Abbeys The Honours in Canterbury Priorie though besides the same particular Abbeys had particular Houses known to those of their own Covent by peculiar denominations It were endlesse for one to instance in all these and impossible to render a reason of their names except he were privie to the fancies of the Founders Thus we meet with a pile of building in the Priorie of Canterbury called the Honours but why so termed my good friend and great r Mr. William Somner in his Antiquit. of Canterbury pag. 196. Antiquarie is fain to confesse his own ignorance Some generall Conformities observed in all Covents SUndry Orders were bound to observe severall Canonicall Constitutions Rules calculated for the Benedictines without any grand errour will serve all Orders However the rule of the antient Benedictines with some small variations according to time and place hold true thorough most Monasteries Some generall heads whereof the under-branches being infinite we will here insert it being hard if amongst much drosse some gold be not found to repair the pains of the Reader We will contrive them into Canons collected out of Authors before or in the daies of Dunston 1. Let Monks after the example of a Psal 119. 164. David praise God seven times a day Seven times Some difference in reckoning them up but the following computation is generally imbraced 1. At Cock-crowing Because the b Psal 119. 62. Psalmist saith At midnight will I praise the Lord and most conceive that Christ rose from the dead about that time 2. Matutines At the first hour or six of the clock when the Jewish morning sacrifice was offered And at what time Christ's resurrection was by the Angels first notified to the women 3. At the third hour or nine of the clock before none When according to S. Marke Christ was condemned and scourged by Pilate 4. At the sixt hour or twelve of the clock at high noon When Christ was crucified and darknesse over all the earth 5. At the ninth hour or three of the clock in the afternoon When Christ gave up the ghost and which was an hour of publick prayer in the c Acts 3. 1. Temple and privately in his closet with d Acts 10. 30. Cornelius 6. Vespers At the twelfth hour or six a clock in the afternoon When the Evening-sacrifice was offered in the Temple and when Christ is supposed taken down from the Crosse 7. At seven of the clock at night or the firâ—t hour beginning the nocturnall twelve When Christ's agonie in the garden was conceived began The fift e This whole Chapter is the abridgment of CONGORDIA REGULARUM collected by S. Bennet the Anian Abbot but printed with a Comment An. 1638. set forth by Frier Aeâ—ard of these was performed at two of the clock in the morning When the Monks who went to bed at eight at night had slept six hours which were judged sufficient for nature It was no fault for the greater haste to come without shooes or with unwashen hands provided sprinkled at their entrance with holy-water to this nights service And I finde no expresse to the contrary but that they might go to bed again But a flat prohibition after Matutines when
Monks therein were it so their soyl being so fruitfull and pleasant it would merit more wonder than that Ireland hath no Venemous creatures therein Quare what meant by four Abbots peculiarly exempt But their brag hath more of Mirth than Truth in it seeing the Priorie at Caris-brook and Nunnery at Quarre evidence them sufficiently stockt with such Cattell 17. I have done with this subject of Mitred Abbeys when we have observed that they were called ABBOTS GENERALL aliàs ABBOTS n Sir H. Spelman in Glossario verbo Abbas SOVEREIGNE as acknowledging in a sort no Superiour because exempted from the Jurisdiction of any Diocezan having Episcopall power in themselves And here I would be thankfull to any who would inform me that seeing all these Abbots were thus priviledged how it came to passe that Four of them were especially termed ABBOTS o Titles of honour pag. 727. EXEMPTI viz Bury Waltham S. Albans and Evesham I say seeing these were so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 EXEMPT as it were out of the EXEMPTED I would willingly be satisfied what extraordinary Priviledges these enjoyed by themselves above others of their own Order Of the Civill benefits and Temporall conveniences accruing to the State by the continuance of Abbies SO much of the greatnesse Give Abbies their due somewhat of the goodnesse of Abbeys if possibly it may be done without prejudice to truth Surely some pretences plausible at least did ingratiate them with the Politicians of that Age otherwise Prince and people in those daies though blinded with ignorant zeal yet worldly-wise would never have been gulled into so long a toleration yea veneration of them 2. They were an easie and cheap outlet for the Nobility and Gentry of the land They convenient to dispose youngest children in therein to dispose their younger children That younger son who had not mettal enough to manage a sword might have meeknesse to become a coule Which coule in short time might grow up to be a Mitre when his merits presented him to be Abbot of his Covent Clap a vail on the head of a younger daughter especially if she were superannuated not over-handsome melancholy c. and instantly she was provided for in a Nunnery where without cost or care of her parents she lived in all outward happinesse wanting nothing except perhaps it were an husband This was a great cause of the long continuance of the English Nobility in such pomp and power as having then no temptation to torture their Tenants with racking of rents to make provision for their younger children Indeed sometimes Noblemen gave small portions with their children to the Covent not such as would preferre them in marriage to one of their own quality but generally Abbeys were glad to accept them with nothing thereby to engage the Parents and Brothers of such young men and maidens to be the constant friends to their Covent on all occasion at Court and chiefly in all Parliaments 3. One eminent instance hereof we have in Ralph Nevil An eminent instance thereof first Earl of Westmerland of that Family whom I behold as the happiest Subject of England since the Conquest if either we count the number of his Children or measure the height of the Honour they attained He had by Margaret his first Wife Joan his second Wife 1. John his eldest son Lord Nevil c. 2. Ralph in the right of Mary his wife Lord Ferrars of Ously 3. Maud married to Peter Lord Mauley 4. Alice married to Sir Thomas Gray 5. Philip married to Thomas Lord Dacres of Gilsland 6. Margaret married to the Lord Scroop of Bolton 7. Anne married to Sir Gilbert Umfrevil 8. Margerie Abbesse of Bearking 9. Elizabeth a Nun. 1. Richard Earl of Sarisbury 2. William in the right of Joan his wife Lord Faulconbridge 3. George Lord Latimer 4. Edward Lord Abergavennie 5. Robert Bishop of Durham 6. Thomas in right of his wife Lord a Mills p. 393. Seymour 7. Katharine married to Thomas Duke of Norfolke 8. Elianour to Henry Earl of Northhumberland 9. Anne to Humphrey Duke of Buckingham 10. Jane a Nun. 11. Cicilie to Richard Duke of York and Mother to King Edward the fourth See we here the policie of that age in disposing of their numerous issue More than the tithe of them was given to the Church and I trow the Nuns and Abbesse especially were as good Madams as the rest and conceived themselves to go in equipage with their other Lady-Sisters And no wonder if an Earl preferred his daughters to be Nuns seeing no King of England since the Conquest had four Daughters living to womans estate but He disposed one of them to be a Votarie And Bridget the fourth Daughter to King Edward the fourth a Nun at Dartford in Kent was the last Princesse who entered into a Religious Order 4. They were tolerable Tutours for the education of youth there being a great penurie of other Grammar-schools in that Age and every Covent had one Children taught therein or moe therein who generally gratis taught the children thereabouts Yea they who were loose enough in their own lives were sufficiently severe in their discipline over others Grammar was here taught and Musick which in some sort sung her own Dirige as to the generall use thereof at the dissolution of Abbies 5. Nunneries also were good Shee-schools Conveniency of Shee-Colledges wherein the Girles and Maids of the Neighbourhood were taught to read and work and sometimes a little Latine was taught them therein Yea give me leave to say if such Feminine Foundations had still continued provided no vow were obtruded upon them virginity is least kept where it is most constrained haply the weaker sex besides the avoiding modern inconveniences might be heightned to an higher perfection than hitherto hath been attained That sharpnesse of their wits and suddenness of their conceits which their enemies must allow unto them might by education be improved into a judicious solidity and that adorned with Arts which now they want not because they cannot learn but are not taught them I say if such Feminine Foundations were extant now of dayes haply some Virgins of highest birth would be glad of such places and I am sure their Fathers and elder Brothers would not be sorry for the same 6. They were the sole Historians Monks the sole Historians and why in writing to preserve the remarkable passages of Church and Common-wealth I confesse I had rather any than Monks had written the Histories of our Land yet rather than the same should be unwritten I am heartily glad the Monks undertook the performance thereof Indeed in all their Chronicles one may feel a rag of a Monks coule I mean they are partial to their own interest But in that Age there was a choicelesse choice that Monks or none at all should write our English Histories Sword-men lacked learning States-men leasure to doe it it was therefore devolved to Monks and Friers who
Letters of others so as to gain any money into their hands thereby be punishable by Pillory e Statute 33 of Henry 8 Imprisonment or any other corporall penalty under death at the discretion of the Judge yea if it be Treason for any to forge the King's Signe Manual Privy Signet f Statute â— Mary or Privy Seale How great a guilt doe they contract who falsifie the Signature of the high God of Heaven Miracles being of that nature whereby he immediately impresseth his own Power and Presence on that which is so supernaturally brought to passe 8. I know what such Forgers plead for themselves viz That they have a good intent therein to beget The forgers Plea continue or increase a reverence to Religion and veneration to the Saints and Servants of God so to raise up vulgar fancies to the highest pitch of piety Wherefore as Lycurgus made a Law not that Theft should be death but death to be caught in their Thieving so these conclude counterfeiting Miracles no fault but when done so bunglingly that it is detected conceiving otherwise the glory accreweth to God by their hypocrisie 9. But Consuted what saith the Holy Spirit * Job 13. 7. Will you speak wickedly For God and talk deceitfully For Him will you accept his Person will you yet contend for God Doe you so mock him shall not his Excellency make you affraid Yea so farre is such fraud from adding repute to Religion that being found out it disposeth men to Atheisme and to a suspition of the truth even of the reall Miracles in Scripture 10. The pretended causes of which Miracles are generally reduceable to these two heads The forgery in Relicts and the Cross especially 1. Saints Relicts 2. Saints Images How much forgery there is in the first of these is generally known So many pieces being pretended of Christ's Crosse as would load a great Ship but amongst all of them commend me to the Crosse at the Priory of Benedictines at Bromeholme in Northfolke the Legend whereof deserveth to be inserted Queen Hellen they say finding the CROSSE of Christ at Jerusalem divided it into nine parts according to the nine Orders of Angels of one of these most besprinkled with Christ's blood she made a little Crosse and putting it into a box adorned with pretious stones bestowed it on Constantine her Son This Relict was kept by his Successours until Baldwin Emperour of Greece fortunate so long as he carried it about him but slain in fight when forgetting the same after whose death Hugh his Chaplain born in Northfolke and who constantly said Prayers before the Crosse g Joh. Capgrave in the Life of K. Edmond stole it away Box and all brought it into England and bestowed it on Brome-holme in Northfolke It seems there is no felony in such wares but catch who catch may yea such sacriledge is supererogation By this Crosse thirty nine dead men are said to be raised to life and nineteen blinde men restored to their sight It seems such Merchants trade much in odde numbers which best fastneth the fancies of folk whilst the smoothnesse of even numbers makes them slip the sooner out of mens memories 11. Chemnisius h In his Exam. Con. trid cap. de imag pag. 1. affirmeth from the mouth of a grave Author False teeth of Apollonia That the teeth of Saint Apollonia being conceived effectuall to cure the Tooth-ach in the Reign of King Edward the sixt when many ignorant people in England relied on that receit to carry one of her teeth about them the King gave command in extirpation of superstition That all her teeth should be brought in to a publick Officer deputed for that purpose and they filled a Tun therewith Were her stomack proportionable to her teeth a County would scarce afford her a meals meat 12. The English Nuns i Anatomie of the Nuns of Lisbon at Lisbon doe pretend False Arms of Tho. Becket That they have both the Arms of Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury and yet Pope Paul the third in a publick Bull set down by Sanders k De schis Angl. lib. 1. pag. 171. doth pitifully complain of the cruelty of King Henry the eighth for causing the bones of Becket to be burnt and the ashes scattered in the winde the solemnity whereof is recorded in our Chronicles and how his Armes should escape that Bonfire is to me incredible 13. The late mentioning of Apollonia curing the Tooth-ach mindeth me of the Popish designing of Saints Saints their severall imployments some to be Physicians of diseases and others Patrons of occupations S. Sebastian cureth the Plague S. Petronel the Fever S. Macurine the Frensie S. Maine the Scab S. Genow the Gout S. Clare the Sore-eyes S. Crepin protects Shoomakers S. Roch the Coblers S. Wendelin the Shepherds S. Pelaud protects Neatherds S. Anthony the Swineherds S. Gertrude the Rat-catchers S. Honor the Bakers S. Eloy the Smiths S. Luke the Painters S. Nicholas the Marriners S. Hubert the Hunters S. Lue the Lawyers Not to speak of S. Anne proper to help people to lost goods S. Leonard said to open the doors of Goales and make Prisoners fetters fall off and pity it is that he should shew a cast of his office to any save to honest Persons in durance Expect not from me a reason why such Saints are Patrons to such Professions superstitious fancy being all the Authour thereof Otherwise were Judgment consulted with Luke should be Tutelar to Physicians as his proper calling though perchance he entertained Painting also as a quality for delight and accomplishment 14. Now most Miracles may be called Conventual Miracles why most in Covents Monks being more dexterous thereat than Secular Priests because their Covents afforded greatest conveniency of contrivance with more heads and hands to plot and practice therein And this may be conceived one main cause which justly incensed Divine jealousie against them and in due time advanced the destruction of Monasteries because fathering the issue of earth or Hell to be the off-spring of Heaven intituling their monstrous delusions to be miraculous operations Of false Miracles many broods whereof were hatched in Monasteries SUch false Miracles are reducible to two Ranks A Dichotomy of Miracles 1. Reported but never done 2. Done but not true Miracles as either the Product of Nature Art or Satanicall Machination 2. Of the former Reported not done whose being is onely in report were many thousands whose Scene for the better countenancing thereof is commonly laid at distance both of Time and Place These like the stuffe called Stand-farre-off must not have the beholder too near lest the coursnesse thereof doth appeare Thus any redish liquor especially if neer the eyes of the Image of a Saint is reported blood any whitish moisture especially if near the breast of the Image of a she-Saint is related to be milk Though both of them neither more nor lesse true than what
ended the other should begin that nothing should interrupt their Prayers though the Thames did divide their Persons Both those Covents dissolved by King Henry the eight were as aforesaid restored by Q. Mary and re-dissolved by Q. Elizabeth The Sion Nunnes though Clementia Thresham a principall amongst them could not go with them for sicknesse dying soon after and buried at Rushton in Northampton shire conveyed their persons and most portable Treasure beyond the Seas to Zurick Zey in Zealand thence to Macklin in Brabant thence to Roan in Normandy but found no certain place of abode till they came to Lisbone in Portugall 6. For here they had a daily Pension of five Crowns from the King of Spaine The revenue and wealth of the Lisbone Nunnes and wheat more than sufficient whilst Lisbone was His and I doubt not but the present King of Portugall performeth the same they have Vine-yards Olive-fields Corn-grounds and Houses to the value of four hundred * Every Milrey is twelve shillings six pence sterling Mil-reis a year which was the Portion of a Portugese sole Heire to her wealthy Father who becoming a Religious Sister in this Covent conveyed her inheritance unto it So that by their boxes in Indian and Brasilean ships sale of Masses and other perquisites they are said yearly to lay up six hundred pounds 7. Indeed A price of blood their first portion they began with a good bank and hereon hangs a story worth reporting When Doctor Lopez a Iew-Portugall undertook to poison Queen Elizabeth he would not to shew himself a Iew indeed doe his work till in some sort secured of his wages The summe * Tho. Robinson pag. 9. promised him was deposited with these Nunnes whilst as yet they lived at Roan in Normandie But Lopez his designe failing the same halter which bereaved him of life endowed these Nunnes with a livelyhood For the King of Spaine either out of scrupulosity not to resume the same into his Treasurie as the price of blood or out of liberality conferred those moneys on the Nunnes which since they have well house-wived and increased 8. We need not repeat what we have formerly said of the Brigetine Nunnes first founded by Briget Queen of Swedeland having Fryers permitted to live under the same roof though disjoyned with walls for their better consolation Their Confessour and Abbesse Some thirty years since Father Ioseph Foster was their Confessour having two other Priests and a Lay Brother to assist him whose names I am lesse carefull to insert because they change them as often as snakes their skins both what they took at the font and fetcht from their Fathers truly called by what they are not known and commonly known by what they are not truly called Elizabeth Preston about that time was Abbesse who being outed as in disgrace with Father Foster Barbara Wiseman succeeded in her place 9. Such as desire further satisfaction herein The Anatomi of the Nunnes of Lisbone may consult the Anatomie of the English Nunnerie at Lisbone made by Thomas Robinson published by authority and lately reprinted I confesse it may seem cruelty to cut up the living and the best of mortalls would winch to purpose if diffected alive But very much of truth is believed in his Discovery telling us of a grate betwixt those Fryers and Nunnes sometimes so churlish as to divide them sometimes so charitable as consenting to be drawn up and so to admit them to a mutuall society so that if the Fryer calleth the Nunne cometh incontinently at his command I have heard since that their Covent of late hath casually been burned down which if so I doubt not but they are able to rebuild it as gaining more by water the gratuities of Merchants than they have lost by fire Bruxells Nunnerie THey are of the Order of S. Benedict Bruxells Nunnerie and yet solely under the inspection of the Iesuits which seems improper seeing it would sound like truer construction that Benedictine Nunnes should be subject to Benedictine Monks The truth is that at the first founding hereof the Iesuiticall activity got the start of the Benedictine dulnesse and these men of lasting mettall as good at length as at hand keep the advantage which once they have gotten Indeed no Nunnes come hither but such as are transported by the Iesuits speciall recommendation and therefore it is but equall they should dresse and prune the Vines of their own planting I assure you the place is too costly for my Daughter to be entred there seeing they receive * Lewis Owen his running Register p. 102. none into their Abbey and habit unlesse she have a thousand pound or two for her Portion 2. The Abbey is very rich Their great wealth having purchased whole Manours and Lordships in Brabant with many thousand of pounds at use in the Lombards and elswhere all which the English Iesuits doe dispose of Father Gardiner and Father * English-Spanish pilgrim pag. 72. Walgrave aliàs Flower were Anno 1630 their Overseers being some sixty English Damosells under their Abbesse then the Sister of the Aunt to the present Earl of Northumberland Cambray Nunnerie DON Carlos de Colmna Governour of the City and Countrey of Cambray for the King of Spaine Cambray Nunnerie and sometimes Ambassadour for England was so allured with the beauty or affected with the piety of our English Women that as it is generally reported he gave them a Cloyster within this City where now they live and have an English Congregation erected according to the Order of S. Benedict Lately they had no lands purchased though possibly since they may be endowed Gravelin Nunnerie THe Family of the Gages at Furle in Suffex were their principall Benefactors whereof John Gage Privie Counsellour Grà velin Nunnerie as I take it to Q. Mary deserted the land and his own large estate at the beginning of Queen Elizabeth as appears by certain Tablets to be seen in their Church Yet are they the poorest of all Forraign Convents being the discalceated Nunnes of the Order of S. Clare Size cinque are sent to Bruxells persons Nobly born or richly dowried Quatur tray to Lisbone or Cambray receiving those of a middle rank whilst Duce ace yea Ames ace are sent to Gravelin the Almes-basket of other Covents Cum nemini obtrudi potest itur ad c. Such who come over with empty hands must be Nunnes at Gravelin with naked feet 2. Here I purposely omit the Nunnes of Lovaine in Brabant because not speaking pure English Nunnes of Lovaine why omitted and scarcely medietatem lingue being a Hodge-podge of Dutch and English and the former at this day most numerous Yea oftentimes the two Nations here strive for Superiority and though nature inclineth me in this contention to favour my Countrey women yet I conceive it better to leave them alone to agree with themselves and proceed to the Jesuitesses jesuitesses THese began at Luke or Liege about
Abbey-Lands so dye other lands when in the hands of a riotous person Thus Lands as well as goods and chattels are moveables though not from their Center yet from their Owner Yea our draught lately presented doth prove that many Mitred Abbeys have survived the dangerous Climactericall of the third Generation 14. For mine own part Sir Hen. Spelman's Observations on Abbey-lands my tongue is so farre from bespeaking such lands with any ill successe that I wish to all lawfully possessed of them either by the bounty of their Prince their own or Ancestors fair purchase that peaceably and prosperously they may enjoy them Et nati natorum ut qui nascantur ab ipsis However it will not be amisse to insert the observation of a most worthy Antiquary in the County wherein he was born and best experienced who reporâ—eâ—h â—hat in Norfolke there were an hundred houses of Gentlemen before the Dissolution of Abbeys possessed of fair estates of whom so many as gained accession by Abbey-lands are at this time extinct or much empaired bemoaning his own familie under the latter notion as diminished by such an addition 15. Hear also what his son faith to the same purpose * Clement Spelman in his Preface to his Father's Book Denon temerandis Eccl fâ—is King Henry exchanged Abbey-lands His Son 's on the same and by this means like the dust flung up by Moses they presently disperse all the Kingdome over and at once become curses both upon the Families and Estates of the Owners they often vitiously spending on their private occasions what was piously intended for publick devotion insomuch that within twenty years next after the Dissolution moe of our Nobility and their children have been attainted and died under the sword of Iustice than did from the Conquest to the Dissolution being almost five hundred years so as if thou examine the List of the Barons in the Parliament of the 27 of Henry the eighth thou shalt finde very few of them whose Sons doe at this day inherit their Fathers titles and estates and of these few many to whom the King's favour hath restored what the rigorous Law of Attainder took both Dignity Lands and Posterity And doubtlesse the Commons have drunk deep in this cup of deadly wine but they being more numerous and lesse eminent are not so obvious to observation 16. As for the report of Reynerus * Apostolatus Benedict in Ang. fol. 227 228. A Papist his observation the Reader may believe the lesse thereof for his known ingagement to Rome thus expressing himself At the Dissolution Henry the eighth divided part of the Church-spoils among two hundred and sixty Gentlemen of families in one part of England and at the same time Thomas Duke of Norfolk rewards the service of twenty of his Gentlemen with the grant of forty pounds a year out of His own inheritance and while not sixty of the Kings Donees had sons owning their fathers estates every one of the Dukes hath a son of his own loines flourishing in his fathers inheritance and I could have set down their several names had conveniencie required it 17. But it is high time for me to put a period to this subject The Conclusion lest as the Abbeys were complained to grow so great that they engrossed the third part of the Land so my discourse of them infected with the same fault will be condemned by the Reader for the tedious prolixity thereof The rather because this old and trite subject is now grown out of fashion men in our Age having got a new object to fix their eyes and observation thereon taking notice how such Church-lands doe thrive which since hath been derived into the hands of new possessors The end of the Sixt Book THE Church-History OF BRITAIN THE SEVENTH BOOK CONTAINING THE REIGNE OF KING EDWARD THE SIXT To the Right Honourable LEICESTER DEVEREUX VISCOUNT HEREFORD Lord FERRARS of Chartley c. My lord GReat was the difference betwixt the breeding of Adonijah and Solomon though sons to the same father The former tasted not of Reproof much lesse of Correction it being never said unto him Why a 1 kings 1. 6. hast thou done so Solomon had his education on severer Principles He was his Parents Darling not their b Prov. 4. 3. Fondling It was after sounded in his ears What c Prov. 31. 2. my Son and what the Son of my womb Our English Gentry too often embrace the first course in breeding their Children whereby they become old-Men before they are wise-Men because their Fathers made them Gentlemen before they were Men making them too soon to know the great Means they are born to and too long to be ignorant of any good quality whereby to acquire a maintenance in case their Estates as all things are uncertain should faile or forsake them Hence it is they are as unable to endure any hardship as David to march in Sauls armour for he f I Sam. 17. 39. had never proved it utterly unacquainted therewith But your discreet Parents though kinde were not cockering unto you whom they sent very young into the Low-Countreys where in some sort you earned what you eat in no lesse honourable than dangerous employment This hath setled the sinewes of your Soule and compacted the ioynts thereof which in too many hang loose as rather tackt than knit together Since being returned into England partly by your Patrimony partly by your Matrimony an antient and fair Estate hath accrewed unto you Yet it hath not grown as S. Basil fancieth roses in Paradise before Adams fall without thorns and prickles Many molestations attended it through which you have waded in a good measure having had TRIALS indeed wherein on what side soever the Verdict went you gained Patience and Experience Indeed there is an experience the MISTRESSE of FOOLS which they learn by their losses and those caused by their own carelesness or wilfulness in managing their affairs But also there is one the MASTER-PIECE of VVISE-MEN to attain wherein they observe the events of all things after their utmost endevours have submitted the success to Divine Providence Yours is of the last and best kind whereby you are become a skilfull Master of Defence Knowing all the advantageous postures and guards in our Lawes not thereby to vex others but save your self from vexation Thus having born the Yoke in your youth you may the better afford ease and repose to your reduced age and having studied many Men in Armes more in Gowns you now may solace your self and entertain the time with perusing of Books amongst which I humbly request this may have the favour of your Honours eye to whom on a double motive it is Dedicated First because containing the Life of that PRINCE who for His Piety may be exemplary to all persons of quality Secondly because it was He who conferred the highest still remaining Honour on your Family advancing it formerly very
profit thereof Nove. 14. Mond He was the first Protestant English Bishop that died in the dayes of Q. Elizabeth 15. Thomas Piercy Earle of Northumberland and Charles Nevill Earle of Westmerland brake out into open Rebellion against the Queen 1569 The Rebellion of the Earls of Northumberland and Westmerland Lords of right noble extraction and large revenue whose titles met with their estates in the Northern Parts and indeed the height of their honour was more then the depths of their judge ment These intended to restore the Romish Religion set free the Queen of Scots pretending much zeal for the liberty of the people and honour of the nation complaining of Queen Elizabeth her neglect of the ancient Nobility and advancing mean persons to the places of highest trust and command though indeed could she have made her Noblemen wise as she did her Wisemen Noble these Earls had never undertaken this Rebellion Numerous their Tenants in the North and their obligations the higher for the low rent they paid though now alass poor souls they paid a heavy sine losing their lives in the cause of their Landlords 16. Their first valour was to fight against the English Bible 16. 〈◊〉 Anno Regin 12. Dece 10. More superstiâ—ous thâ—n valiant and Service-Booke in Durham tearing them in pieces And as yet unable to go to the cost of saying Masse for want of Vestiments they began with the cheapest piece of Popery Holy Water their Wells plentifully affording water and Plumtree the Priest quickly conferring consâ—eration Afterwards better provided they set up Mass in most places where they came b Sâ—ws Cron. 663. Richard Norton an ancient and aged Gentleman carrying the Cross before them and others bearing in their Banners the five wounds of Christ or a Chalice according to their different devices No great matter was atchieved by them save the taking of Baâ—â—ards Castle in the Bishoprick which indeed took it self in effect the Defenders thereof being destitute of Victuals and Provisions 17. But hearing how the Garrisons of Carlile and Barwick were manned against them on their backs Routed â—y the Queen her forces and the Earle of Sussex advancing out of the South with an Army to oppose them their spirits quickly sunk and being better armed then disciplined wanting expert Commanders how easily is a rout routed they fled Northwards and mouldered away without standing a battell 18. An Italian Authour writing the life of Pope Pius Quintus giveth us this brief account of this expedition An Italian Authour reckoning without his Hoast They did not overrun the Kingdom as they ought to have done and followed after Elizabeth for which they could not have wanted followers enough but they stood still and not being able to maintain themselves long in the field for want of mony they finally withdrew themselves into Scotland without any thing doing So easie it is for this Authors fancy which scaleth the highest Walls without Ladders gaineth the straightest passes without blows crosses the deepest Rivers without Bridge Ford or Ferry to overrun England though otherwise this handfull of men never exceeding six hundred horse and four thousand foot were unlikely to run through other shiers who could not stand a blow in their own Country 19. Northumberland fled into Scotland Northumberland with many more of thâ— Rebels executed lurked there a time Anno Dom. 1569. was betrayed to Earle Murrey Anno Regin Eliza. 12. sent back into England and beheaded at Yorke Westmerland made his escape into Flanders the wisest work that ever he did where he long lived very poore on a small and ill paâ—ed Pension Many were executed by S r. George Bowes Knight Marshall every market Town being then made a shire Town for his Assises betwixt New-Castle and Witherby a Sâ—ow his Chronicle p. 663. about sixty miles in length and forty in breadth much terrifying those parts with his severity Insomuch that when next year Leonard Dacres put together the ends of the quenched brands of this Rebellion with intent to rekinâ—le them they would not take fire but by the vigilancy and valour of the L. Hansdon his designe was seasonably defeated 20. John Story D. of Law The execution of Dr. Story a cruel persecutor in the dayes of Q. Mary being said for his share to have martyred two or three hundred fled afterwards over into Brabant and because great with Duke de Alva like cup like 〈◊〉 he made him searcher at Antwerp for English goods Where if he could detect either Bible * Fox Acts Mon. p. 2152. or Hereticall Books as they termed them in any ship it either cost their persons imprisonment or goods confiscation But now being trained into the ship of Mr. Parker an Englishman the Master hoised sail time and tide winde and water consenting to that designe and over was this Tyrant and Traitor brought into England where refusing to take the Oath of Supremacy and professing himself subject to the King of Spain he was executed at Tyburne Where being cut down halfe dead after his * Fox Acts Mâ—n ut prius privie members were cut off he rushed on the Executioner and gave him a blow on the eare to the wonder saith my Author of all the standers by and I who was not there wonder more that it was not recounted amongst the Romish miracles 21. The old store of Papists in England began now very much to diminish The original of the English Colledges beyond the seas and decay insomuch that the Romanists perceiv'd they could not spend at this rate out of the main stock but it would quickly make them Bankerupt Prisons consumed many Age moe of their Priests and they had no place in England whence to recruit themselves The largest cisterne with long drawing will grow dry if wanting a fountain to feed the daily decay thereof Hereupon they resolved to erect Colledges beyond the seas for English youth to have their education therein A project now begun and so effectually prosecuted that within the compasse of fifty years nine Colledges were by them founded and furnished with Students and they with maintenance as by the following Catalogue may appear as they stood at the last yeer of King James Since no doubt they have been enlarged in greatnesse increased in number enriched in revenues as such who shall succeed us in continuing this Story may report to posterity May they at my request if having the conveniencies of leisure and instructions be pleased to perfect this my Catalogue and replenish the vacuities thereof with their more exact observations And let no Papists laugh at our light mistakes Protestants not pretending to such exact intelligence of their Colledges as they have of ours Indeed they have too criticall instructions of all our English societies by their agents living amongst us and it is a bad signe when suspicious persons are over-preying to know the windows doors all the passages and
manner of his death thus far forth as heart-broken with sorrow Grindals grief proceeded from the Queens displeasure undeservedly procured by the practises of his malicious enemies There want not those who will strain the paralel betwixt Eli and Grindal in a fourth respect both being guilty of dangerous indulgence and lenity to offenders Indeed Grindal living and dying sole and single could not be cockering to his own children but as a Father of the Church he is accused for too much conniving at the factious disturbers thereof Sure I am he was an impartial correcter of mens vicious conversations witness his sharp reproving of Julio the Italian Physician for marrying another mans wife Which bitter but wholsome pill the Physician himself not being able to disgest incensed the Earl of Leicester and he the Queens Majesty against the good Arch-bishop But all was put on the account of Grindals non-conformity for favouring the factious meetings called Prophesyings Grindal sensible of the Queens displeasure desired to resigne his place and confine himself to a yearly pension not as some may pretend that it was against his conscience to keep it but because above his impotent age to mannage so great a charge The place was proffered to Whitgift but he in the presence of the Queen utterly refused it yet what he would not snatch soon after fell into his hands by Grindals death 11. Who so beholds the large revenues conser'd on Grindal 〈…〉 the long time he enjoyed them Bishop of London Arch-Bishop of York and Canterbury above eighteen years the little charge incumbring him dying a single man will admire at the mean estate he left behind him Yea perchance they will erroneously impute this to his prodigality which more truly is to be ascribed to his contempt of the world unwilling to die guilty of much wealth not to speak of fat Servants made under a lean Master The little he had as it was well gotten was well bestowed in pious uses on Cambridge and Oxford with the building and endowing of a School at S t. Bees in Cumberland where he was born Yea he may be beheld as a benefactour to the English nation for bringing TamarÃx first over into England As the inventers of evill things are justly taxed by the a â— Rom. 1. 13. Apostle so the first importers of good things deserve due commendation That plant being so soveraign to mollifie the hardness of the spleen a malady whereof Students betrayed thereunto by their sedentarie lives too generally do complain SECTION VI. To the Master Wardens and all the Members of the Honorable Company of Mercers of London As it would be a sin of omission in me so much obliged to your society should no share in my History be allowed unto you so I should commit a great incongruity if assigning it any where else then in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth Whose great Grandfather Sr. Godfrey Bollen 1458. Major of London is generally believed one of your Company so that the Crowned Maidenhead in your Arms may in some sort seem Propheticall Presaging such a Queen-Virgin should be extracted from one of your Society as the Christian-World could not paralel in all particulars Indeed much of credit is imported in your very Name For seeing all Buyers and Sellers are Mercers à Mercando Custom hath confined and fixed the term Eminently on your Corporation as alwayes the prime Chapmen of our Nation in which respect you have the precedency of all other Companies I will detain you no longer from better Customers wishing you sound wares quick vent good prizes sure payment One Commodity alone excepted I mean the Truth it self * * Pro. 23. 23. this buy and sell it not Purchase it on any terms but part with it on no Conditions ABout four a clock in the afternoone on the Lords day Warning to Sabbath-breakers a sad accident hapâ—ned in Paris-gardâ—n on the south-side of Thames Jan. 13. 1583. over against London Whilest multitudes were beholding the baiting of the bear the old under-propped Scaffolds overladen with people suddenly fell down killed a Holinshed pag. 1â—53 eight outright hurt and bruised many moe to the shortning of their lives The b Dr. Bound assertors of the strict observation of the Sabbath vigorously improve this as well they may against them who prophane the Lords-day which afterwards the joyfull effect of a dolefull cause was generally kept with more carefulness 2. Robert Brown began at this time to broach his opinions Robert Brown first appears he was born in Rutland-shire of an ancient and worshipfull family one whereof founded a fair Hospital in a Camdens Brit. in Lincoln-shire Stamford nearly allied to the Lord Treasurer Cicel He was bred for a time in Cambridge I conceive in Corpus Christi Colledge but question whether ever a Graduate therein He used some time to preach at Bennet-Church where the vehemency of his utterance passed for zeal among the Common people and made the vulgar to admire the wise to suspect him D r. Still afterwards Master of Trinity out of curiosity or casually present at his preaching discovered in him something extraordinary which he presaged would prove the disturbance of the Church if not seasonaly prevented Some years after Brown went over into Zealand to purchase himself more reputation from forraign parts For a smack of travail gives an high taste to strange opinions making them better relished to the licourish lovers of novelty Home he returne with a full crie against the Church of England as having so much of Rome she had nothing of Christ in her discipline Norfolke was the first place whereon Brown new flown home out of the Low-Countries pearched himself and therein in the City of Norwich A place which then spake little more then medietatem linguae having almost as many dutch strangers as English natives inhabiting therein Brown beginning with the Dutch soon proceeded to infect his own Country-men for which he was confined as the following letter of the Lord Treasurer Burghly to BP 〈…〉 Phrcke of Norwich will informe us AFter my very hearty commendations to your Lordship whereas I understand that one Brown a Preacher is by your Lordship and others of the Ecclesiasticall Commission committed to the custody of the Sheriff of Norfolk where he remains a prisoner for some matters of offence uttered by him by way of preaching wherein I perceive by sight of some letters written by certain godly preachers in your Lordships Diocess he hath been dealt with and by them disswaded from that course he hath taken Forasmuch as he is my kinsman if he be son to him whom I take him to be and that his errour seemeth to proceed of zeal rather then of malice I do therefore wish he were charitably conferred with and reformed which course I pray your Lordship may be taken with him either by your Lordship or such as your Lordship shall assigne for that purpose And in case there shall not
M r. Cartwright whom I conjecture the President mentioned in the last assembly began to make by the mediation of the Earl of Leicester who now designed him master of his new-built hospital in Warwick compliance with Whitgift though the wary Arch-Bishop not over-fond of his friendship kept him at distance as these two Letters here inserted will sufficiently informe us My good Lord I Most heartily thank you Taken out of the manuscript of Bp. Whitgifts Letters belonging to Sir Peter Manwood and since in my possession for your favourable and courteous usage of M r. Cartwright who hath so exceeding kindly taken it also as I assure your Grace he cannot speak enough of it I trust it shall do a great deal of good and he protesteth and professeth to me to take no other course but to the drawing of all men to the unity of the Church and that your Grace hath so deals with him as no man shall so command him and dispose of him as you shall and doth mean to let his opinion publickly be known even in the Pulpit if your Grace so permit him what he himself will and would all others should do for obedience to the Lawes established and if any little scruple be it is not great and easie to be reformed by your Grace whom I do most heartily intreat to continue your favour and countenance towards him with such accesse sometimes as your leasure may permit For I perceive he doth much desire and crave it I am to thank your Grace also very heartily for Mr. Fenne albeit I understand he is something more opinionate then I wish him But I trust he will also yield to all reasons And I mean to deal with the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield to make some triall of him for surely he is an honest man Thus my good Lord praying to God to bless his Church and to make his servants constant July 14. and faithfull I bid your Grace farewell At the Court this 14 th July Your Graces very assured friend R. Leicester My singular good Lord MAster Cartwright shall be welcome to me at all times and using himself quietly as becometh him and as I hope he will he shall finde me willing to do him any good But to grant unto him as yet my Licence to preach without longer triall I cannot especially seeing he protesteth himself to be of the same minde he was at the writing of his Book for the matter thereof though not for the manner My self also I thank God not altered in any point by me set down to the contrary and knowing many things to be very dangerous wherefore notwithstanding I am content and ready to be at peace with him so long as he liveth peaceably yet doth my conscience and duty forbid me to give unto him any further publick approbation untill I be better perswaded of his Conformity And so being bold to use my accustomed plainness with your Lordship 17. I commit you to the tuition of Almighty God this 17 th of July 1585. John Cantuar. 30. Seminaries and Priests to the number of thirty two Sept. 15. Anno. Regin 28. Dece 8. Seminaries enlarged and transported late prisoners in the Tower Marshalsy Kings-Bench and other places were pardoned enlarged and transported over into Normandie though occasionally they were forced to land at Bulloigne 31. The Earl of Leicester who hitherto had done but little good in England went now over to do less in the Low-Countries commanding a great Army and Name with the illustrious Title of Generall of the Auxiliaries of the Queen of England he was not so much pleased with his place there but that some of his Back-friends were as much delighted with his roome here Mean time the Ministers lost the best stake in their hedge in his Absence their Patron Paramount For though by Letters he might solicit their Cause yet the greatest strength is not so extensive but to have the vertue thereof abated at such a distance And afterwards it fared worse with the Ministers when Whitgift Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Feb. 2. 1585-86 was sworne of the Privy Councell an honour which his Predecessour Grindall never obtained yea never desired by the Procurement as it is believed of the Lord Burghley 32. Now for the present The Liturgâ— supported by its opposers I will trouble the Reader no longer with these brawls about discipline only one story must not be omitted Though it be fathered â—ather on publick report then fixed on any particular Author in those dayes avowing the same Some complained against the Liturgy to the Lord Burleigh of whom he demanded whether they desired the taking away thereof They answered No. But only the amendment of whâ—â— was offensive therein He required them to make a better such as they would have sâ—tled in the stead thereof Whereupon The first Classis framed a new one Somewhat according to the form of Genevah The second Classis disliking it altered it in six a 〈…〉 164â— hundred particulars The third quarrelled at these alterations and resolved on a new Modell The fourth Classis dissented from the former Thus because they could not agree amongst themselves That wise States-man put them off for the present untill they should present him a pattern with a perfect consent 33. Three Protestant Bishops this year exchanged this life for another Accusations not to be bebelieved in full latitude The first was Richard Curteys somtimes fellow of S t. Johns in Cambridge Bishop of Chichester The second Nicholas Robinson Bishop of Bangâ—r and John Scory Bishop of Hereford Of the two former we have not enough to furnish out their Character Of the later too much if all be true which I finde charged upon him Sure I am he began very well being an Exile and Confessour in the dayes of Queen Mary but is accused afterwards to be so guilty of Oppressions Extortions and Symonies that a Bill was put up against him in the Starr-Chamber conteyning matter enough not only to disgrace but degrade him if prosecuted But he bought out his innocence with his money Here know that our b Sr. John Harâ—â—gton iâ— his Character of Bp. p. 131. Author though a person of witt and worship deriveth his intelligence from a French writer disaffected in religion and therefore not to be believed in full latitude When calling him Scoria or Drosse in allusion to his name but as all is not Gold that Glisters all is not Drosss reputed so by our Popish Adversaries 34. The same year also John Fecknam late Abbot of Westminster ended his life The death of John Fecknam whereon we must enlarge our selves if not for His for History sake Seeing he was a land-mark therein His personall experience being a Chronicle who like the Axiltree stood firme and fixed in his own judgement whilst the times like the Wheels turn'd backwards and forwards round about him He was born in Worcestershire in the Forrest of
pained Him not no not when He was troubled with the gout this cunning Don being able to please Him in His greatest passion And although the Match was never effected yet Gondomar whilst negotiating the same in favour to the Catholick cause procured of His MAJESTY the enlargement of all Priests and Jesuits through the English Dominions 23. The actions of Princes are subject to be censured A malicious Comment on a mercifull Text. even of such people who reap the greatest benefit thereby as here it came to passe These Jesuits when at liberty did not gratefully ascribe their freedome to His MAJETIE's mercy but onely to His willingnesse to rid and clear His gaoles over-pestered with prisoners As if His Majestie if so minded could not have made the gallows the besome to sweep the gaole and as easily have sent these prisoners from Newgate up westward by land as over Southward by Sea What moved King JAMES to this lenity at this time I neither doe know nor will enquire Surely such as sit at the stern and hold the helm can render a reason why they steer to this or that point of the compasse though they give not to every mariner much lesse passenger in the ship an account thereof I being onely by my place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a rower or minister in the vessel content my self in silence with the will of the Master thereof But let us exemplifie the Lord Keeper's Letter to this purpose To the Judges AFter my hearty commendations to you His Majesty having resolved out of deep Reasons of State and in expectation of the like correspondence from forraign Princes to the profession of our Religion to grant some grace and connivency to the imprisoned Papists of this Kingdome hath commanded me to passe some Writs under the Broad Seal to this purpose Requiring the Judges of every Circuit to enlarge the said Prisoners according to the tenour and effect of the same I am to give you to understand from His Majesty how His Majesties Royal pleasure is that upon receipt of these Writs you shall make no nicenesse or difficulty to extend that His Princely favour to all such Papists as you shall finde Prisoners in the Gaols of your Circuits for any Church Recusancy whatsoever or refusing the Oath of Supremacy or dispersing Popish Books or hearing saying of Masse or any other point of Recusancie which doth touch or concern Religion only and not matters of State And so I bid you farewell Westminster-Colledge August 2. 1622. Your loving friend John Lincolne Now although one will easily believe many Priests and Jesuits were set at liberty Yet surely that p Mr. Prâ—â— in loc Gentleman is no true accomptant if affirming to fewer than four thousand to be set free at this time Especially considering that q Jo Gee in his Foot out of the snare one who undertakes to give in a perfect list of all the Jesuits in England and is since conceived rather to asperse some Protestants than conceal any Papists cannot mount their number higher than two hundred twenty and five To which if such whom he detects for Popish Physicians with all those whom he accuses for Popish Books be cast in they will not make up the tithe of four thousand 24. However Bitter Complements betwixt Gondomar and the Earl of Oxford most distastful was Gondomar ' s greatnesse to the English antient Nobility who manifested the same as occasion was offered as by this one instance may appear Henry Vere Earle of Oxford chanced to meet with Count Gondomar at a great entertainment The Don accosted him with high Complements vowing That amongst all the Nobility of England there was none he had tendred his service with more sincerity than to his Lordship though hitherto such his unhappiness that his affections were not accepted according to his integrity who tendred them It seems replied the Earle of Oxford that your Lordship had good leisure when stooping in your thoughts to one so inconsiderable as my self whose whole life hath afforded but two things memorable therein It is your Lordships modesty returned Gondomar to undervalue your self whilst we the spectators of your Honours deserts make a true and unpartiall estimate therof Hundreds of Memorables have met in your Lordships life But good my Lord what are those Two signall things more conspicuous than all the rest They are these two said the Earl I was Born in the Eighty Eight and Christned on the Fift of November 25. Henry Copinger Dec. 21. The death of Master Henry Câ—pinger formerly Fellow of S. John's Coll in Cambridge Prebendary of Yorke once Chaplain to Ambrose Earl of Warwick whose funeral Sermon he preached made Master of Magdalene Colledge in Cambridge by Her MAJESTIES Mandate though afterwards Resigning his Right at the Queens shall I call it request to prevent trouble ended his religious life He was the sixth Son of Henry Copinger of Bucks-Hall in Suffolke Esquire by Agnes Daughter of Sir Thomas Jermyn His Father on his death-bed asking him what course of life be would embrace He answered he intended to be a Divine I like it well said the old Gentleman otherwise what shall I say to Martin Luther when I shall see him in heaven and he knows that GOD gave me eleven Sons and I made not one of them a Minister An expression proportionable enough to Luther's judgement who r Pantalcon de Illustribus Germaniae in Vitae Lutheri p. 82. maintained some houres before his death That the Saints in heaven shall knowingly converse one with another 26. Laneham Living fell void A free Patrone and faithfull Incumbent well met which both deserved a good Minister being a rich Parsonage and needed one it being more than suspicious that Dr. Reinolds late Incumbent who ran away to Rome had left some superstitious leaven behinde him The Earl of Oxford being Patrone presents Mr. Copinger to it but adding withall That he would pay no Tithes of his Park being almost half the land of the Parish Copinger desired to resigne it again to his Lordship rather than by such sinfull gratitude to betray the Rights of the Church Well! if you be of that minde then take the Tithes saith the Earl I scorn that my Estate should swell with Church-goods However it afterwards cost Master Copinger Sixteen hundred pounds in keeping his questioned and recovering his detained rights in suit with the Agent for the next minor E. of Oxford and others all which he left to his Churches quiet possession being zealous in Gods cause but remisse in his own 27. He lived forty and five years the painfull Parson of Laneham His long and good life in which Market-Town there were about nine hundred Communicants amongst whom all his time no difference did arise which he did not compound He had a bountiful hand plentiful purse his paternal inheritance by death of elder Brothers and others transactions descending upon him bequeathing Twenty pounds
there to perform their Acts and pay the Beadles their sees which formerly they refused and this was some years before the coming of the Crowland-Professors hither 3. Probably some emulation not to say envie a canker we finde fretting the fairest flowers might make some distance betwixt the old stock of standing Scholars in Cambridge and this new addition of Professors Our Aunt Oxford may easily remember what little love yea how great grudging there was betwixt her ancient Students and that new plantation of Scholars which S t. * Vide suprà Bo. 2. Centur 8. Grimbal under King Alfred first placed there 4. The marvellous increase of learning in Cambridge in so short a time after the coming of the Crowland Professors thither is justly imputed to this cause for that Cambridge had formerly been a place of learning Thus when green-wood is long is kindling brands which before were half burnt and then quenched doe quickly take fire and presently blaze into a bright flame In a word such men who have made remarkable additions to what was begun long before oftentimes as proudly as falsly conceit themselves the first Founders thereof Thus p Dan. 4. 30. Nebuchadnezzar Is not this great Babylon that I have built whereas he and all the world knew that Semiramis built it a thousand yeers before his cradle was made though he no doubt might strengthen enlarge and beautifie the same And as Restorers are apt to mistake themselves for the Founders so by infection of the same error the Spectators of such Repairers are prone to mis-interpret them for Beginners as here these Crowland-Professors are erroneously apprehended the Founders of Cambridge Thus the river Anas in Spain after it hath runne above sixty miles under ground may be by ignorant people conceived to have his Birth his fountain there wherein truth he hath but his Resurrection at his springing out of earth the second time And thus sluggards in the morning count the Sunne but then to arise when it newly breaks forth of a cloud and was risen some hours before 16. Pain Peverell Stander-bearer to Robert Duke of Normandy in the Holy-Land 13 removed Picot his foundation from S t. 1112 Giles in Cambridge where they were pent for room to a larger place of thirteen acres at Barnewell Pain Peverel foundâ— Barnewell Priorie about a mile off where one Godesonn formerly led an Eremitical life This Peverell encreased the number of those Canons from six to thirty because forsooth at that time he was just thirty yeers old and endowed them with large revenues Afterwards in process of time Barnwell became a prime Priorie through the bounty of many Benefactors and able at the dissolution of Abbies to expend of old rents low rated three hundred fifty one pounds fifteen shillings four pence Insomuch that the Prior thereof in the fourty ninth year of King Henry the third by Writ bearing date at Woodstock the twenty fourth of December was with many moe voluntariè summonitus freely summoned saith the Record to be present as a Baron in Parliament But let him make much of this favour which never before or after was bestowed upon him or his successors These Black-Canons of Barnewell were generally kind neighbours to the Scholars and their Prior did sometimes good offices unto them 17. Now amongst the eminent Scholars Alphred of Beverlie Student in Cambridge who at this time studied in Cambridge 1129 Alphred of Beverley was of especial note 30 He was born in Yorkshire lived many yeers in Cambridge to gain learning q Bale De Scriptor Britan Cent. 2. pag. 157. where he attained to be an excellent Philosopher Divine and Historian Returning into his native countrey at Beverlie he wrote the History of the British Nation from the beginning of the world unto his ownage which work was by him truly and elegantly composed He is commonly surnamed the Treasurer a title given him as I conceive not for bearing that office in his Covent but from his diligent searching discreet selecting methodical compiling and carefull preserving or treasuring up pretious passages of former ages for the use of Posterity This Alphred when living in Cambridge maintained himself as the rest of the Students there on his own cost every Scholar in that age being his own Founder and Benefactor For as yet no publique Halls or Hostles were built for to receive them but each one lived as r Acts 28. 30. S t. Paul at Rome in his own hired house as they could contract with the Townsmen who unconscionably improving themselves on the Scholars necessities extorted unreasonable rents from them as hereafter God willing shall appear 18. And here I must admire one thing and shall be thankful to such who will cure my wonder Unwonder me this wonder by shewing me the cause of that I wonder at What might be the reason that Monks and Friers in this age had such stately houses rich endowments plentifull maintenance whilest Students in the Universitie had poor chambers hard fare short means and that on their own or parents charges and yet there was more honesty industry painfulnesse and piety within the study of one Scholar than the cells of an hundred Monks Some perchance will impute this to the fancie of men lapping dandling and feeding Monkies and Marmosets whiles Creatures of more use are lesse regarded Others will say It was becauuse Scholars studied the liberall Monks the lucrative Sciences University men were more busied in reading Books than numbling of Masses and praying for the dead the main matter which brought grift to the Monks mill Whatever was the secret cause this was the apparent effect thereof Scholars as they were lean so they were lively attracted less envie procured more love endured more labour which made them to last and to live after the destruction of the other 19. William Meschines The first Earle of Cambridge brother to Ranulph Earl of Chester 1139 was by King Stephen made the first Earl of Cambridge Steph. 4 And it is no small credit to Cambridge that after this William none were ever honoured with that title but such who were Princes of the Blood Royall either actuall Kings of Scotland or Kings sons or nephews of England or forain and free Princes of their next alliance as hereafter God willing will appear at their several creations So carefull were our English Kings in choosing such persons for the place who receiving honor from so famous an Universitie might also by their high birth and honourable demeanor return lustre thereunto 20. For after the death of this Meschines David King of Scoâ—s Earl of Cambridge one may confidently pronounce that David King of the Scots commonly called S t. David was Earl of Cambridge And although his Chatter cannot be produced with the formalities used at his creation modern ceremonies at the investing of Counts not being used in that age yet Anno Regis Steph. that he was
effectually Earle of Cambridge Anno Dom. by the ensuing evidence doth sufficiently appear It is a Å¿ Extant among the Records of the Earls of Oxford cited at large by Augustine Vincent in hâ— Correction of Bâ—â—â—ks errours pag. 393. Grant made by Mâ—uld the Emperesse Daughter of King Henrie the first unto Aubery de Vere afterward Earl of Oxford part whereof so much as concerns the present point we have here transcribed translated and commented on conceiving it to contain some criticisms in History and Heraldry worthy observation Concedo quòd sit Comes de Cantebruggescire 10 habeat inde tertium denâ—ium sicut Comes debet haberâ— 1144 Itâ— dico si Rex Scotiae non habet illum Comitatum Et si Rex habuerit perquiram illud ei ad posse meum per Escambium Et si non potero tunc do 〈◊〉 concede quòd sit Câ—mes de quolibet quatuor Comitatuum subserptorum viz. Oxenfordscire Berkscire Wiltscire Dorsetscire per consilium considerationem Comitis Glocestriae frairis mei Comitis Gaufridi Comitis Gilberti I grant that he be Earl of Cantbruggshire and that he have from thence the third penny as the Earl ought to have So I say if the King of Scotland hath not that Earldom And if the King hath it I shall to my power procure it him by exchange And if I cannot then I give and grant unto him that he be Earl of which he will of the four Earldoms subscribed namely Oxfordshire Berkshire Wiltshire and Dorsetshire by the counsel and advise of the Earl of Glocester my brother and of Earl Geofrey and of Earl Gilbert The date of this Grant is uncertain but from the hand of her brother the Earl of Glocester subscribed thereunto we collect that it must be before the yeer 1146 wherein the said Earl ended his life 21. Out of this Grant observe Observations collected from this Grant First That though Steven de facto was King of England yet the right was in this Mauld the Emperesse Betwixt these two for many yeers it was catch who catch may both in gaining of places and giving of Honours as successe befriended them Secondly That Earls in that age were Earls indeed not meerly titular but substantiall as receiving the third penny I humbly conceive it of the Crown-revenues therein of the County whence they had their honour Thirdly Kings of Scotland accounted it no abatement to their Crown-Royall to we are with it an English Coronet holding in Commendam as I may say with their own Crown one or moe of English Earldoms As here King David held Cambridge in his own and Huntingdon in right of his Wife Fourthly As the Counties of Cambridge and t See Câ—mdens Britan. in Hunting donshire Huntingdon soon after the Conquest were united under one Comes or Earl so they two onely of all Shires in England remain under one Vicecomes or Sheriff at this day Fifthly Queen Mauld earnestly endeavoured in compliance no doubt with the desires of her favorite Aubery de Vere to confer the County of Cambridge upon him as a place of principal honour above the four other Counties proffered unto him Sixthly The honour of the title of Cambridge arose from the famous University therein otherwise the foresaid Aubery if consulting his profit would cleerly have preferred either Oxfordshire Berkshire Wiltshire or Dorsetshire as greater in extent and therefore returning by the third penny therein larger revenues Lastly Seeing a good title of Cambridge could not be made to him as prepossessed by the Scotch King Aubery was contented with and thankfull for Oxford as the other famous University in England which title his noble and most ancient family enjoyeth at this day 22. Nigellus or Neale 11 second Bishop of Ely 1145 having first obtained a faculty from the Pope Nigellus his foundation in Cambridge â—ounded â—n Hospitall for u Godwin in Epist. â—â—ie pag. 3â—6 Canons regular in Cambridge in the place where now S t. John's Colledge is erected Hee is said to have endowed the same with an hundred and fourty pound by the yeer Anno Dom. yeerly rent Anno Regis Hen. 2 which it so in that age was a vast proportion 23. Roger of Hereford Roger of Hereford Student in Cambridge so named because born there 1170 studied at this time in Cambridge 16 became an admirable Astronomer Philosopher and Chymist diving much into the mysteries of metals He wrote many books of Astronomy and Astrologie which for a long time were kept in Cambridge Librarie but not extant I fear at this day Yet the Oxford w â—â—ri Twine Apolog. lib. 2. pag. 219. Antiquarie will by no means allow this Roger a Student in Crambridge as who flourished before the coming of the Crowland Professors thither but whether more credit may be hung on this single Twine than on the twisted testimonie of Leland Bale and Pitz all agreeing both in his education at Cambridge and flourishing in this Age be it reported to any ingenuous Reader 24. There happened a merciless fire in Cambridge A merciless fire onely so pitifull as to goe out when no more fewell was left to feed the furie thereof 1174 Most of the Churches in the town then built of wood 20 and therefore the more combustible were burnt in part and Trinity-Church wholly x Caius Hist Contab consumed Hence it was that for time to come the Steeple thereof was firmly built of free-stone to prevent by Gods goodnesse the return of the like casualty 25. A sad accident happened this yeer at y Matth. Paris in Anno 1209 pag. 228. Oxford Oxford deserted and partly removed to Cambridge A Clergie-man 1208 and Student in that University K John 9 casually kill'd a woman and fled upon it The Maior of the City with other officers search after him light on three of his Chamber-fellows both innocent and ignorant of the fact committed These they injuriously thrust into Prison and some dayes after King John a back friend to the Clergie as continually vexed with their constant opposition commanded them to be executed in contempt saith my Author of Ecclesiastical libertie Offended hereat three thousand Students at once left Oxford as well Masters as Scholars It a quòd nec unus ex omni Universitate remansit So that not one remain'd of all the Universitie Of these some removed to Cambridge some to Reading so that in this total eclipse of learning therein Oxford was left emptie for a season 26. John of S t. John of St. Omers a Poet bred in Cambridge Omers studied about this time at Cambridge 1209 By his surname I should have conjectured him a Forainer of Artois 10 had not my z Baleus Cent. 3 pag. 261. Author assured me that he was born in Norfolk Yea when a Monk of Peterburgh bred also in Cambridge had with his Iatyrical
1332 in order whereunto K. Edward foundeth Kings Hall he had for some years maintained 32 Scholars in the University occasioning the mistake of John Rouse reporting he built a Colledge therein laid the foundation of KINGS HALL out of some remorse that he had consented to the death of so affectionate a Father As one so transported with the news of the birth of his son that he gave to one John Langer a Knight three hundred pounds pro primo rumore quem idem Johannes tulit Edvardo secundo de nativitate filii sui with a pension paid unto him many a Pat. 5 E. 3. Rot. 2. men 7. yeers after Masters Benefactors Bishops Learned Writers Coll. Livings 1 Mr. Tho. Powis 2 Mr. Tho. Hetorset 3 Mr. Radulph Selbie 4 Mr. Ric. Dearham 5 Mr. Jo. Stone 6 Mr. Ric. Holmes 7 Mr. Rob. Fitz-bugh 8 Mr. Ric. Cawdrey 9 Mr. Rob. Ascough 10 Mr. Ric. Listrope 11 Mr. Hen. Booste 12 Mr. Rich. le Scroope 13 Mr. Galfr Blyth K. Rich. 2. gave 53 l. yearly out of the mannor of Chesterton c. in lieu of so much they formerly received out of the Exchequer with much trouble and over and above 70 yearly out of the pensions of severall Abbeys K. Henry the fourth gave them leave to pluck down the stately Hall in Cambridge Castle therewith to build their Chappell K. Hen. 6. gave them 120 volumes and freed them from all accounting in the Exchequer K. Edw. 4. gave them 8 marks to be payed by the Sheriff of Cambridge-shire yearly thereby to buy two Robes Robert Fitzhugh Bishop of London 1431.  Felmersham Vic. Linc. Dioc. valued at 13 l. 13 s. 4 d. Henclesham Norwich Dioc. Grindon Vic. Peterb Dioc. valued at 8 l. St. Mary Cant. Ely Dioc. Chesterton Vic. Ely Dioc. valued at 10 l. 12 s. 3. I had put Pope Eugenius the fourth in the catalogue of Benefactors to this Hall till I discovered his bounty resolved into a point of revenge For at the instance of King Henry the sixth he possessed on this Hall of the Rectory of Chesterton nigh Cambridge formerly ingrossed as many other English Benefices in that age by an Alien William Bishop of Millain from whom the Pope b R. Parker in Sceletos Cantab MS. extorted it because he sided against him with Amadeus Duke of Savoy aliàs Pope Felix the fift in the Councill of Basill 47. This Hall then surpassed any Colledge in the University Three eminencies of this Hall in a three-fold respect 1. For building being of such receipt that it could entertain the Kings Court without disturbance to the Students 2. For lands though not effectually endowed by King Edward till about the end of his reign for the maintenance of one Custos and thirty three Scholars under him 3. For learning Anno Dom. many grave Seniors residing therein Anno Regis Edw. 3. so that this house was accounted c Idem Ibid. Oraculum Academiae The greater therefore our grief that for want of intelligence all the Records of this Hall being lost our columne for learned Writers standeth so empty herein This Hall at this day is united with others in Trinity Colledge on the North-gate whereof standeth the stately statue of King Edward the third in Armor 48. We must not forget how the Master and Fellows of this House were complained of Tempora mutantur that they did Epicure it in daily exceedings as indeed where should men fare well if not in a Kings Hall Hereupon they of their own accord petitioned King Henry the fourth that they might be stinted not to exceed weekly d Caeius Hist Cant. Acad. lib. 1 pag. 66. eighteen or at the highest twenty pence in their commons the last two pence being allowed them onely in case of dearness of victuals and festival solemnities 49. This House had one peculiar happiness The happiness of this Hall being of Royall descent of both sides I mean founded by King Edward the third the founder of the two houses of York and Lancaster both deriving themselves from his body Hence it was that during the Civil warres it found favour from the Kings of both lines Whereas afterwards such Colledges which were as I may say but of the half blood built either by some Prince of Lancaster or York felt in process of time the anger of the one because of the love of the other Queens Colledge may be partly and Kings Colledge too plainly a pregnant instance thereof 50. Nor was King Edward bountifull to this Hall alone Priviledges granted by K Edward the third to the University but a great benefactor to the whole University on which he conferred priviledges whereof these the principal 1. The Maior of the Town should make essay of the bread whether the weight according to statute as oft as the Vice-Chancellor should require him 2. That the Chancellor should receive the oathes of the Maior Baylifs and Aldermen 3. The Licence should be given to the University to appropriate any Church thereunto of 40. l. yearly revenue 4. That the Chancellor should not be disquieted for the imprisoning of such offenders which he conceived deserving the same 5. That such who imprisoned by the Vice-Chancellor should not be set free by the Kings writ 6. That Masters of Arts should not be cited out of the University into the Court of Christianity 7. That the Chancellor should take cognizance of all causes wherein Scholars were concerned these of Maime and Felonies only excepted Many immunities of lesser consequence did this King bestow on Cambridge here too redious to be repeated largely exemplified and carefully preserved in the University Muniments Robert de Milden-Hall 1334 D r. of Divinitie Chancellor 9 Henrie de Herwarden 1335 D r. of Law Chancellor 10 Richard de Harling 1337 D r. of Law Chancellor 12 Robert de Lung 1339 Chancellor 14 51. William A German Marquess made Earl of Cambridge Marquess of Juliers 1340 is created by King Edward the third 15 the fourth Earle of Cambridge accounting this lesse honour no degradation but advancement unto him nor the motion retrogade from a Germane Marquesse to an English Earle whilest graced with the title of so famous an University And this stil justifies our former observation that the first Earle alone excepted none were dignified with the title of Cambridge but either forain free Princes or some neerly allied to the Royall blood of England 52. This yeer John Earl of Hanault brother to Queen Philippa Anno Regis Edw. 3. 17 wise to King Edward the third Anno Dom. 1342 was created the fifth Earl of Cambridge And here may the Reader take notice that I meet with a difference in Authors Some making this John first Earl of Cambridge On whose forfeiture thereof for his siding with the French King King Edward conferred the same on William the foresaid Marquess of Juliers And a Belgian Earle Others
at London Robert Gilbert VVarden of Merton Colledge Doctor of Divinity in the behalf of Oxford and Thomas Kington Doctor of Law Advocate of the Arches in the behalf of d Ex Registro Cantuar. Hen. Chichely Cambridge made two eloquent Orations that the worth of Scholars in the Vniversity might be rewarded and preferment proportioned to their Deserts Hereupon it was ordered that the Patrons of vacant Benefices should bestow them hereafter on such as were Graduated in the Vniversity Gradus Professionis ratione juxta Beneficiorum census valores habita So that the best and most Livings should be collated on those of the best and highest Degrees 39. Doctor Kington returning to Cambridge Refused by their own folly instead of Thanks which he might justly have expected for his successfull industry found that the favour he procured was not accepted of The Regent-Masters in the Congregation out of their e Ant. Brit. pag. 278. Youthfull Rashnesse rejected the kindness merely out of Spleen and Spite because the Doctors would be served with the first and best Livings and the Refues onely fall to their share Iohn Riken d ale 1419 7 Chancellour g p 40. The Regent-Masters being grown older and wiser But on second thoughts accepted were perswaded to accept the profer sending their thanks by the Chancellour to another Synod now kept at London And now when the bestowing of Benefices on Vniversitymen was clearly concluded the f Ant. Brit. ut prius unlearned Friars whose interest herein was much concerned mainly stickled against it untill by the Kings interposing they were made to desist The same year it was ordered in Parliament that none should practise g Rob. Hare in Archivis Physick or Surgery except approved on by one of the Vniversities Hen. 6. 1 Thomas de Cobham 1422 1423 Chancellour Robert Fitzhugh Master of Kings Hall Chancellour afterward Bishop of London 2 Marmaduke Lumley Anno Regis Hen. 6. 7 8 9 Anno Dom. 1428 1429 1430 Chancellour afterwards Bishop of Lincoln VVilliam VVimble Chancellour Iohn Holebroke Chancellour 41. Difference arising betwixt the Vniversity Differences betwixt the Bishop of Ely and the University and Philip Morgan Bishop of Ely Pope Martine the fifth at the instance of the Vniversity appointed the Prior of Barnwell and Iohn Deeping Canon of Lincoln his Delegates to enquire of the Priviledges of the Vniversity 42. The Prior undertook the whole businesse Remitted by the Pope to the Prior of Baâ—nwell examined seven witnesses all Aged some past threescore and ten and perused all Papal Bulls Priviledges and Charters wherein he found that the Chancellours of Cambridge have all a Rob. Hare 〈◊〉 Archivis vol. 2. fol 103 Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction viz. Excommunication and suspension over Scholars and their servants probates of VVills granting of Administration and taking their accounts the aged witnesses deposing it on their own sight and knowledge 43. This being returned by the Prior The Pope giveth his sentence for Cambridge it's exemtion Pope Martine pronounced his sentence wherein he declareth that the Vniversity time out of mind was in the Possession use and exercise of Ecclesiasticall and spirituall Iurisdiction without any disquieting of Arch-bishops Bishops or their Officers and for the time to come he confirmed their b Hare in Archivis vo 2. fol. 115. Immunities which his Successour Eugenius the fourth re-confirmed unto them This strengthens our former Conjecture that the Vniversity willingly receded from their own Priviledges in Arundel's visitation VVilliam Lassells 10 1431 Chancellour Richard Caudrey 11 1432 Chancellour Iohn de Langton 15 1436 Chancellour 44. Richard Duke of York was at this time Earle of Cambridge A constant Tenure of Princely Earles the last that ware that Honour for many years in whose death it was extinct And now let the Reader at one view behold the great Persons dignified with the Earledome of Cambridge Scotch Kings Germane Princes English Dukes 1. David 2. Henry 3. Malcolm 4. Iohn Earle of Henault 5. VVilliam Marques of Iuliers 6. Edmond of Langly fifth Son to Edward the third 7. Edward his Son 8. Richard Duke of York his Brother Father to King Edward the 4 th No City Town or place in England was ever honoured with so many and great persons as Cambridge was whose Earledome sleeping for almost two hundred yeares was at last conferred by King Iames on the royallyextracted Marques Hamilton whereof in due place 45. About this time the many Chests of Money formerly well filled The Universities money embezeled and worthily employed for the good of the University and eminent Scholars therein were squandered away and embezeled to private mens profit I cannot particularize in their names nor charge any single person but it appeared too plainly that of 14. or 15. Chests not four were left and the summes in them inconsiderable so that Cambridge never recovered her Bank nor recruited her Chests to the former proportion Anno Dom. 1436 Yet afterwards she met with two good Benefactours Anno Regis Henri ci 6. 15 the one Thomas Bourchier Never reâ—lored to the same degree Arch-bishop of Canterbury who bestowed on her an hundred pounds the other the Lady Elizabeth Cleere Dutchesse of Norfolk which put the Vniversity in stock again bestowing no lesse then a thousand Marks at severall times on the publick Treasury though within few yeares little was left thereof 46. I know it is pleaded Vehement suspition of corruption that the expensive Suites of the University against the Towns-men in the Reigns of King Henry the seventh and King Henry the eighth much exhausted their Coffers But when all is audited a strong suspition still remaines on some in publick employment of unjust dealing Sure it is in the Reign of King Edward the sixth the Treasury was so empty it wanted wherewith to defray necessary and ordinary Expences SECTION V. Anno Regis RADULPHO FREEMAN Anno Dom. in Comitatu Hertfordensi Armigero SOlon interrogatus à Croeso Regum opulentissimo Plutarch in vita Solon quem ille mortalium agnosceret Beatissimum Tellum quendam Atheniensem civem privatum nominavit Huic res nec augusta nec angusta cum inter Invidiam Inoptam pari fere distantia collocaretur Si Solon nunc in vivis Te faelicissimis hujus Seculi annumeraret cui Mens composita Corpus licet tenue integrum Domus elegans Supellex nitida Patrimonium satis amplum Soboles numerosa ac ingenua Nec nimiis Titulis tumescis necte Obscuritas premit cui talis obtigit Conditio qua melior haud facile fingi potest Quod si tibi suppetat hora succisiva quae non sit fraudi serioribus tuis Negociis perlegas quaeso hanc Historiae meae portiunculam cujus pars majuscula in Collegio Regali describendo consumitur in quo
or change often avouched by noe other Authour then this Doctors Vnconstancy However let us not be over cruel to his memory for not suffering for his own who was so kind and carefull to keep other from suffering for their conscience Andrew Pern 1559 6◠Vice-Chan Barth Dodington George Fuller Proct. Tho. Ventris 2 Major Doct. Leg. 3 Medic. 1 Bac. Theol. 6 Mag. Art 25 Bac. Art 60 Henry Harvy Vice-Chanc Anthony Gilblington Iohn Cowell Proct. Roger Slegg 156 ◠◠Maj. 3 Doct. Leg. 1 Bac. Theol. 9 Mag. Art 31 Bac. Leg. 1 Mus 2 Art 53 Philip Baker 156 1 2 Vice-Chan VVilliam Master Georg Blithe Proct. Tho. Kymbold 4 Major Doct. Theol. 1 Leg. 2 Medic. 1 Bac. Theol. 8 Mag. Art 20 Bac. Leg. 3 Art 51 Francis Newton 156 2 3 Vice-Chan Andrew Oxenbridg Iohn Igulden Proct. Hen. Serle 5 Major Doct. Theol. 3 Leg. 1 Medic. 1 Bac. Theol. 4 Mag. Art 44 Bac. Leg. 7 Art 80 Edward Hauford 156 1 4 Vice-Cha Richard Curtesse Henry Woorley Proct. Rob. Cano 6 Major Doct. Theol. 12 Medic. 2 Bac. Theol. 4 Mag. Art 39 Bac. Leg. 2 Art 71 Robert Beaumont 156 4 5 Vice-Chanc Tho. Bing Barth Clark Proct. William Munsey 7 Maj. Doct. Theol. 1 Bac. Theol. 7 Mag. Art 27 Bac. Art 85 Now began a great difference in Trinity Colledge betwixt Doctor Beaumont Master thereof and some in that Society which hath its Influence at this day on the Church of England whereof hereafter SECT VII TO FRANCIS ASH OF LONDON Ann. Dom. 156 3 4. Esquire Ann. Reg. Eliz. 6. IT is the life of a Gift to be done in the life of the Giver farre better than funeral Legacies which like Benjamin are born by the losse of a Parent For it is not so kindly charity for men to give what they can keep no longer besides such donations are most subject to abuses Silver in the living Is Gold in the giving Gold in the dying Is but Silver a flying Gold and Silver in the dead Turn too often into Lead But you have made your own hands Executors and eyes Overseers so bountifull to a flourishing foundation in Cambridge that you are above the standard of a Benefactour Longer may you live for the glory of God and good of his servants QUeen Elizabeth Aug. 5. partly to ease Her self Queen Elizabeth comes to Cambridge with some recreation partly to honour and encourage Learning and Religion came to Cambridge where she remained five whole daies in the Lodgings of the Provost of Kings Colledge She was entertained with Comedies Tragedies Orations whereof one most eloquent made by William Masters the Publique Oratour disputations and other Academical Exercises She severally visited every House And at Her departure She took Her leave of Cambridge with this following Oration ET si foeminilis iste meus Pudor subditi fidelissimi Academia charissima in tanta doctorum turba illaboratum hunc Sermonem Orationem me narrare apud vos impediat Her Oration to the University tamen Nobilium meorum intercessus Ann. Dom. 1563-64 erga Academiam benevolentia me aliqua proferre invitat Ann. Regi Eliz. 6. Duobus ad hanc rem stimulis moveor Aug. 10. Primus est bonarum literarum Propagatio Alter est vestra omnium expectatio Quod ad propagationem spectat unum illud apud Demosthenem memini Superiorum verba apud inferiores Librorum locum habent Principum dicta legum Authoritatem apud subditos retinent Hoc igitur vos omnes in memoria tenere velim quod semita nulla praestantior est sive ad bona fortunae acquirenda sive ad Principum gratiam conciliandam quam graviter ut coepistis studiis vestris exhibeatis operam quod ut faciatis vos omnes oro obsecróque De secundo stimulo vestra nimirum expectatione hoc unum dico me nihil libenter praetermissuram esse quod vestrae de me animae benevolae concipiunt cogitationes Jam ad Academiam venio Tempore ante meridiano vidi ego aedificia vestra sumptuosa à meis majoribus clarissimis Principibus literarum causa extructa inter videndum dolor Artus meos occupavit atque ea mentis suspiria quae Alexandrum quondam tenuisse feruntur qui cum legisset multa à Principibus monumenta conversus ad familiarem seu potius ad Consiliarium multum doluit se nihil tale fecisse Haec tamen vulgaris sententia me aliquantum recreavit quae etsi non auferre tamen minuere potest dolorem Quae quidem sententia haec est Romam non uno aedificatam fuisse die tamen non est ita senilis mea aetas nec tam diu fui ex quo regnare coepi quin ante redditionem debiti naturae si non nimis cito Atropos lineam vitae meae amputaverit aliquod opus faciam quamdiu vita hos regit artus nunquam à proposito deflectam Et si contingat quam citò futurum sit nescio me mori opportere priusquam hoc ipsum quod polliceor complere possim aliquod tamen egregium opus post mortem relinquam quo memoria mea in posterum celebris fiat alios excitem exemplo meo vos omnes alacriores faciam ad studia vestra Sed jam videtis quantum inter sit inter doctrinam Lectam disciplinam animo non retentam Quorum alterius sunt complures satis sufficientes testes alterius autem vos omnes nimis quidem inconsideratè testes hoc tempore effeci quae meo barbaro Orationis genere tam diu doctas vestras aures detinuerim DIXI At that time the Degree of Master of Art Noble-men made Masters of Art was conceived to take a Degree and it self commenced in honour when the following Peers and Noble Persons were in the Regent House created Masters of Art a Caius Hist Cant. Acad. Pag 88. Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke Edward Veere Earl of Oxford Ambrose Dudley Earl of Warwicke Edward Manners Earl of Rutland Thomas Ratclyf Earl of Sussex Robert Dudley Earl of Leicestre Edw Clinton high Adm. of England William Howard Lord Chamberlain Henry Carew Lord Hunsden Sir William Cecil Secretary Sir Francis Knolls Vice-chamb Tho Heneage John Ashley Richard Bartue William Cooke Edmond Cooke Esquires Thus Acts being ended Degrees conferred University Officers well rewarded and all persons pleased Her Majesty went on in Her Progresse and the Schollers returned to their Studies 2. And yet we finde one great Scholler much discontented if my * Sir Geo. Paul in the Life of Archbishop Whitigist p. 7 Author may be believed namely The first cause of Mr. Cartwrights discontentment Mr. Thomas Cartwright He and Thomas Preston then Fellow of Kings Colledge afterwards Master of Trinity Hall were appointed two of the four Disputants in the Philosophy Act before the Queen Cartwright had dealt most with the
more than they are able whereby their gifts become suckers impairing the root of the Foundation Sir Iohn his gift was so left at large for the disposall thereof that it became a gift indeed and really advanced the good of the Colledge 29. This Colledge continued without a Chappell some years after the first founding thereof A Chappell added after some years untill at last some good mens charity supplied this defect Some have falsely reported that the now-Chappell of the Colledge was formerly a Stable whereas indeed it was the Franciscans antient Dormitory as appeareth by the concavities still extant in the walls places for their severall reposure But others have complained that it was never ceremoniously consecrated which they conceive essentiall thereunto whilst there want not their equalls in learning and religion who dare defend that the continued series of Divine duties Praying Preaching administring the Sacrament publickly practised for more than thirty yeares without the least check or controul of those in Authority in a Place set apart to that purpose doth sufficiently consecrate the same 30. It is as yet but early daies with this Colledge A Childes prayer for his Mother which hath not seen sixty yeares yet hath it been fruitfull in worthy men proportionably to the Age thereof and I hope it will daily increase Now though it be onely the place of the Parents and proper to him as the greater to blesse his c Heb. 7. 6. Childe yet it is the duty of the Child to Pray for his Parents in which relation my best desires are due to this Foundation my Mother for my last eight years in this University May her lamp never lack light for the oyle or oyle for the light thereof Zoar is it not a little one Yet who shall despise the day of small things May the foot of sacriledge if once offring to enter the gates thereof stumble and rise no more The Lord blesse the labours of all the Students therein that they may tend and end at his glory their own salvation the profit and honour of the Church and Common-wealth Iohn Iegon Vicecan 1596-97 William Moon Richard Sutton Proct. 39. Robert Wallis Major John Iegon Vicecan 1597-98 Nathaniel Cole William Rich Proct. 40. James Robson Major 31. The young Schollars conceiving themselves somewhat wronged by the Townsmen CLUB LAW acted in Clare-Hall the particulars whereof I know not betook them for revenge to their wits Ann. Dom. 1597-98 as the weapon wherein lay their best advantage Ann. Regi Eliz. 39. These having gotten a discovery of some Town privacies from Miles Goldsborrough one of their own Corporation composed a merry but abusive Comedy which they call'd CLUB-LAW in English as calculated for the capacities of such whom they intended spectatours thereof Clare-Hall was the place wherein it was acted and the Major with his Brethren and their Wives were invited to behold it or rather themselves abused therein A convenient place was assigned to the Townsfolk riverted in with Schollars on all sides where they might see and be seen Here they did behold themselves in their own best cloathes which the Schollars had borrowed so livelily personated their habits gestures language lieger-jests and expressions that it was hard to decide which was the true Townsman whether he that sat by or he who acted on the Stage Sit still they could not for chasing go out they could not for crowding but impatiently patient were fain to attend till dismissed at the end of the Comedy 32. The Major and his Brethren soon after complain of this libellous Play to the Lords of the Privie Councell Complain'd of by the Townsmen to the Councell Table and truly aggravate the Scollars offence as if the Majors Mace could not be played with but that the Scepter it selfe is touched therein Now though such the gravity of the Lords as they must maintain Magistracy and not behold it abused yet such their goodness they would not with too much severity punish Wit though waggishly imployed and therefore only sent some slight and private check to the principall Actors therein 33. There goeth a tradition How declined many earnestly engaging for the truth thereof that the Townsmen not contented herewith importunately pressed That some more severe and publick punishment might be inflicted upon them Hereupon the Lords promised in short time to come to Cambridge and because the life in such things is lacking when onely read they themselves would see the same Comedy with all the properties thereof acted over again the Townsmen as formerly being enjoyned to be present thereat that so they might the better proportion the punishment to the fault if any appeared But rather than the Townsmen would be witnesses again to their own abusing wherein many things were too farre from and some things too near to truth they fairly fell off from any farther prosecution of the matter 34. Upon the death of William Cecill Lord Burghly Robert Earle of Essex made Chancellour Robert Devereux Earl of Essex was chosen Chancellour of the University Comming to Cambridge he was entertained in Queens Coll where the Room he lodged in is called Essex Chamber to this day and where the pleasant Comedy of LELIA was excellently acted before him Robert Soame Vicecan 1598-99 William Boise Randal Woodcock Proct. 40. John Yaxley Major Iohn Iegon Vicecan 1599-600 Iohn Goslin Geo 41. Mountain Proct. Ieremy Chase Major Iohn Duport Vicecan 1600-â—â— Rob Naunton Tho 42. Morison Proct. Iohn Ienkinson Major Sir Robert Cecill principall Secretary of Estate Ann. Dom. 1600-01 was chosen Chancellour of the University Ann. Regi Eliz. 42. and did greatly befriend it on all occasions Sir Robert Cecill chosen Chancellour He was afterward Earle of Salisbury and Lord Treasurer of England Will Smith Vicecan 1581-2 Richard Trim John Forthenho Coll Trin Proct. 43. Edward Potto Major John Cowell Vicecan 1682-3 Nathaniel Wiburn Edward Barwel Coll Christi Proct. 44. Hen Jackson Major 35. King IAMES removed by many small journeys and great feastings from Scotland to London 1592 3. Alwaies the last place He lodged in Ann. Reg. Jac. 1. seemed so compleat for entertainment that nothing could be added thereunto K. James his matchlesse Entertainment at Hinchinbrooke And yet commonly the next Stage April 27. exceeded it in some stately accession Untill at last His Majesty came to Hinchinbrooke nigh Huntington the House of Master Oliver Cromwell where such His reception that in a manner it made all former entertainments forgotten and all future to despair to doe the like All the pipes about the house expressed themselves in no other language than the severall sorts of the choisest wines The Entertainer being so rich a Subject and the Entertained so renowned a Sovereign altered the nature of what here was expended otherwise justly censurable for prodigality to be deservedly commended for true
Fecknam whence he fetcht his name Bred a Benedictâ—ne Monke in the Abbey of Evesham where he subscribed with the rest of his Order to the resignation of that house into the hands of King Henry the eighth Afterwards he studied in Oxford then applied himself first to Bell Bishop of Worcester and after his death to Bonner of London where he crossed the Proverb like Master like Man the Patron being Cruel the Chaplain Kinde to such who in Judgement dissented from him he never dissembled his religion being a zealous Papist and under King Edward the sixth suffered much for his Conscience 35. In the Reign of Queen Mary His Courtesy to Protestants he was wholy imployed in doing good offices for the afflicted Protestants from the highest to the lowest The Earle of Bedford and who afterwards were of Warwick and Leicester tasted of his kindnesse so did S r John Cheek yea and the Lady Elizabeth her self So interposing his interest with Queen Mary for her enlargement that he incurred her Graces displeasure Hence it is that Papists complain that in the reign of Queen Elizabeth he reaped not a Cropp of Courtesie proportionable to his large seed thereof in the dayes of Queen Mary 36. Queen Mary afterwards preferred him from being Dean of Pauls Made Abbot of Westminster a Sanders de schismate Ang. in the Reign of Q. Mary to be Abbot of Westminster which Church she erected and endowed for Benedictine Monks of which order fourteen only could be found in England then extant since their dissolution which were unmarried unpreferred to Cures and unaltered in their opinions These also were brought in with some difficulty at first and opposition for the Prebendaries of Westminster legally setled in their places would not resigne them till Cardinall Poole partly by compulsion partly by compensation obteined their removall 37. Queen Elizabeth coming to the Crown Q. Elizabeth send eth for him and prossers him preferment sent for Abbot Fecknam to come to her whom the messenger found setting of Elmes in the Orchard of Westminster Abbey But he would not follow the messenger till first he had finished his Plantation which his friends impute to his soul imployed b Reinerius in Apost Bened. pag. 235. in mysticall meditations that as the Trees he there set should spring and sprout many years after his decease So his new Plantation of Benedictine Monks in Westminster should take root and flourish in defiance of all opposition which is but a bold conjecture of others at his thoughts Sure I am those Monks long since are extirpated but how his Trees thrive at this day is to me unknown Coming afterwards to the Queen what discourse passed betwixt them they themselves knew alone some have confidently guessed she proffered him the Arch-Bishoprick of Canterbury on condition he would conform to her laws which he utterly refused 38. In the Treaty between the Protestants and Papists primo Elizabethae Kindly used in restraint he was present but in what capacity I cannot satisfie my self Surely more then a Disputant amongst whom he was not named Yet not so much as a Moderator And yet his judgement perchance because Abbot and so principall man in that place was c â—Fox Acts Mon. asked with respect and heard with reverence His Moderation being much commended Now although he was often confined sometimes to the Tower sometimes to friends houses and died it seems at last in restraint in Wisbeeich Castle Yet generally be found fair usage from the Protestants He built a Conduit in Holborn and a Crosse in Wisbeeich and relieved the poor wheresoever he came So that Flies flock not thicker about spilo honey then beggars constantly crouded about him 39. Abbot Fecknam thus being dead A recruit of English Benedictines made after Fecknams death the English Benedictines beyond the seas began to bestirr themselves as they were concerned about the continuation of their Order we know some maintain that if any one species or kinde of Creatures be utterly extinct the whole Univers by Sympathy therewith and consciousnesse of its own imperfection will be dissolved And the Catholicks suspected what a sad consequence there would be if this Ancient Order of English Black Monks should suffer a totall and finall defection The best was Vnus homo Nobis there was one and but one Monke left namely Father Sigebert Buckley and therefore before his death provision was made for others to succeed him and they for fear of failing disposed in severall Countries in manner following In Rome 〈…〉 In Valladolit in Spain 1. Father Gregory Sayer 2. Father Thomas Preston 3. Father Anselme of Manchester 4. Father Anthony Martin commonly called Athanasius 1. Father Austine S t. John 2. Father John Mervin 3. Father Marke Lambert 4. Father Maurice Scot. 5. Father George Gervis From these nine new Benedictines the whole Order which hung formerly on a single string was then replenished to a competent and since to a plentifull number 40. Hitherto our English Papists affectionately leaned not to say fondly doâ—â—d on the Queen of Scots 〈…〉 promising themselves great matters from her towards the advancing of their Religon But now they began to fall off in their 〈◊〉 partly because beholding her a confined person unable to free her self and more unlikely to help others partly because all Catholicks come off with losse of life which practized her enlargement As for her Son the King of Scots from whom they expected a settlement of Popery in that land their hopes were lately turned into despairs who had his education on contrary principles 41. Whereupon hereafter they diverted their eyes from the North to the West Unto the King of Spain expecting contrary to the course of nature that their Sun should rise therein in magnifying the might of the King of Spain and his zeal to propagate the Roman Catholick faith And this was the practise of all Jeâ—uites to possess their English proselytes with high opinions of the Spanish power as the Nation designed by Divine providence to work the restitution of their Religion in England 42. In order hereunto Pretending a 〈◊〉 the Crown of England and to hearten their Countrimen some for it appears the result of severall persons employed in the designing and effecting thereof drew up a Title of the King of Spains to the English Crown are much admired by their own party as slighted by the Queen and her Loyall Subjects for being full of falsehoods and forgeries Indeed it is easie for any indifferent Herauld so to derive a pedigree as in some seeming probability to intitle any Prince in Christendome to any Principality in Christendome but such will shrink on serious examination Yea I beleeve Queen Elizabeth might pretend a better Title to the Kingdoms of Leon and Castile in Spain as descended by the house of Yorke from Edmond Earl of Cambridge and his Lady Coheir to King Peter then any Claime that the King of Spain could
make out to the Kingdome of England However much mischief was done hereby many Papists paying their good wishes where they were not due and defrauding the Queen their true creditòr of the allegiance belonging unto her 43. Now did the Queen summon a Parliament Anno Regin Eliza. 30. Anno Dom. 1587. wherein her Majesty appeared not in person An Act without precedent But passed over the presidentship of that her great Councel unto John Whitgift Arch-Bishop of Canterbury William Cecill Lord treasurer and to the Earle of Darby A thing done without precedent when the King at home and in health But the pleasure of so powerful a Princess might create a leading case in things of this nature 44. Wonder not if the Nonconformists were very quiet in this Parliament Good reason why the Nonconformists were quiet Beholding the Arch-Bishop their great adversary in so great power and place However their activity in the next will make their party amends for their stilness in this Session 45. This year ended the doleful life of a distressed Lady The death of Mary Queen of Scotland Mary Queen of Scots whose Triall and Death belongeth to the State Historian She was aged fourty six years passing the last twenty in Imprisonment One of a sharp Wit undaunted Spirit comely person beautiful Face Majestick presence one Reason why Queen Elizabeth declined what the other so much desired a personal conference with Her as unwilling to be either out-shone or even-shone in her own Hemispheare For her morals the belief of moderate men embraceth as middle Courts betwixt Buchanan aspersing and Causinus his Hyperbolical Commending her because zealous in his own Religion 46. She was an excellent Poet Her Poetry both Latine and English of the former I have read a distick made and written by her own hand on a Pane of Glass at Buxton well Buxtona quae calidae celebraris nomine Lymphae * So it is in the Glass I had in my hand though it be celebrabere in Cand. Brit. in Derby-shire Forte mihi posthac non adeunda Vale. Buxton who dost with waters warme excell By me perchance never more seen Farewell And at Fotheringhay-Castle I have read written by Her in a window with a pointed Diamond From the Top of all my Trust Mishap hath lai'd me in the dust But her Adversaries conceive had she not been laid there the happiness of England had been prostrated in the same place She was buried in the Quire of Peterborough and Doctor Wickham Bishop of Lincolne preached her funeral sermon causelessly carped at by the Martin Mar-Prelate as too favourable concerning her final condition though he uttered nothing inconsistent with Charity and Christian discretion 47. Some twenty years after Her Body removed to Westminster King James caused her Corps to be solemnly removed from Peterborough to Westminster where in the south-side of the Chappel of King Henry the seventh he erected a stately monument to her memory and thereon this Epitaph wherein such cannot but commend the Piety of her Son who will not believe all the praises of his Mother D. O. M. MAriae Stuartae Scotorum Reginae Franciae Dotariae Jacobi V. Scotorum Regis Filiae Haeredis unicae Henrici VII Ang. Regis ex Margareta majori Natu Filia Jacobi IIII Regi Scotorum matrimonio copulata proneptis Edwardi IIII. Angliae Regis ex Elizabetha Filiarum natu maxima abneptis Francisci II. Gallorum Regis conjugis Coronae Angliae dum vixit certae indubitatae haeredis Jacobi magnae Brittanniae monarchae potentissimi matris Stirpe verè Regiâ antiquissima prognata erat Anno Dom. 1587. maximis Totius Europae Principibus Agnatione Cognatione conjuncta Anno Regin Eliza. 30. exquisitissimis Animi corporis dotibus ornamentis cumulatissima Verum ut sunt variae rerum humanarum vices postquam annos plus minus viginti in custodia detenta fortiter strenuè sed frustrà cum malevolorum obtreclationibus timidorum suspitionibus inimicorum capitalium insidijs conflictata esset tandem inaudito infesto Regibus exemplo securi percutitur Et contempto mundo devicta morte lassato Carnifice Christo Servatori animae salutem Jacobi Filio spem Regni posteritatis universis caedis infaustae spectatoribus exemplum patientiae commendans piè intrepidè Câ—rvicem Regiam securi maledictae subjecit vitae caducae sortem cum coelestis Regni perennitate commutavit Besides this there is a long inscription in verses one distich whereof I remember because it is the same in effect with what was made of Maud the Empress On Maud Magna Ortu majorque Viro sed maxima Partu Hic jacet Henrici Filia sponsa Parens On Queen Mary Magna Viro major Natu sed maxima Partu Conditor hic Regis Filia sponsa Parens So that it is no disgrace for a Queen to weare part of an Epitaph at the second hand with some little alteration 48. About this time it was A designe propounded that some Privie Councellors endeavoured to perswade Queen Elizabeth to raise and foment a difference betwixt the Pope and King of Spain and to assist the former not as Pope but temporal Prince by her shipping to regain Naples detained from him by the Spanish King They alledged the designe advantagious to work a diversion of Spanish forces and prevent an invasion of her own Land 49. But her Majesty would not listen to the motion to entertain Compliance in any capacity And blasted by the Queen on any Conditions with the Pope as dishonourable in her self distastful to the Protestant Princes nor would she touch Pitch in jest for fear of being defiled in earnest but crushed the designe in the birth thereof 50. A first onset was now made by the Nonconformists against the Hierarchie Conformity to the height though the more they opposed it the more the Queen did Countenance their persons and preserve their power In so much that she would not in Lent feed on any fish as forbidden by the Canons of the Church until she had first attained a solemn * Camdens Eliz. Manuscript shortly likely to be Printed Licence from the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and every year of her life renew'd the same 51. The power of the high Commission began now to extend far and penalties to fall heavie on offenders Whereupon the favourers of the Nonconformists much opposed it in their printed books some questioning the Court as not warranted by Law others taxing their proceedings as exceeding their Commission but hear their Arguments on both sides Against the High Commission It is pretended founded on the Statute primo Elizabethae wherein the Parliament impowered the Queen by her Letters patents to appoint Commissioners to punish Offendors in Ecclesiastical Causes But no mention therein of Temporall penalties and therefore the Commissioners are to confine themselves to Church Censures by Excommunicating