to celebrate their Praises to Posterity and by this means stir'd up Emulation in others to follow so noble Precedents before them For which Cause St. Jerome writ his Catalogus illustrium Virorum before whom also Eusebius with others in short recorded to future Ages the holy Lives of those Primitive Fathers who were signally active or passive for the Christian Faith Suum cuique decus posteritas rependit saith the Historian Posterity doth render to every man the Commendation he deserves Therefore for the Reverend Doctor 's Sake and in due veneration of his Name which I doubt not is honoured by all true Sons of the Church of England both for his learned Writings and constant Sufferings in defence of her Doctrine and Discipline established by Law Here is faithfully presented to them a true and complete Narrative of his Life to answer the common Expectations of men in this Case who would read his Person together with the ordinary and extraordinary occurrences of Providence that befel him as well as his Books that were long before published to the World To give satisfaction in the former here is nothing inserted but the Relations of Truth which hath been often heard from his own Mouth spoken to his dearest Friends or written by his Pen in some loose fragments of Paper that were found left in his Study after his Death upon which as on a sure Foundation the whole Series and Structure of the following Discourse is laid together but would have been more happily done if he had left larger Memoirs for it Nothing was more usual in ancient times than for good men saith Tacitus to describe their own Lives Suam ipsi vitam narrare fiduciam potius morum quam arrogantiam arbitrati sunt upon a confidence of their right behaviour rather than to be supposed any arrogancy or presumption in them First of all I shall begin with his Birth In that Country above all other enobled with the famous seat of the Muses to which he was a constant Votary By Cambden Oxford is called the Sun Eye and Soul of Great Brittain by Matthew Paris the second School of the Church by the Reverend Doctor co-eval to Paris if not before it the glory of this Island and of the Western parts Yet it cannot be denyed as high praises have been attributed by Learned Men to the most famous University of Cambridge that I dare make no comparisions betwixt those two Sisters of Minerva for the Love I owe to either of them who were both my dear Nurses However the University of Oxon was long since honoured with the Title of Generale Studium in nobilissimis quatuor Europae Academiis and this glorious Title conferred upon none else in former times but the Universities of Paris in France Bononia in Italy and Salamanca in Spain Near which Oxon or noble Athens he was born at Burford an ancient Market Town of good Note in the County of Oxford upon the 29th day of November Anno Dom. 1600. In the same year with the celebrated Historian Jacob. August Thuanus on both whom the Stars poured out the like benign influences But the former viz. Peter Heylyn had not only the faculty of an Historian but the gift of a general Scholar in other Learning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as will appear to any one that reads his laborious Writings He was second Son of Henry Heylyn Gentleman descended from the ancient Family of the Heylyns of Peutre-Heylyn in Montgomeryshire then part of Powis-Land from the Princes whereof they were derived and unto whom they were Hereditary Cup-bearers for so the word Heylyn doth signifie in the Welch or Brittish Language an honourable Office in most Nations which we find in Divine as well as Prophane History whereby Nehemiah became so great a Favorite with Artaxerxes that he obtained a Grant for the rebuilding of the holy City Magni honoris erat Pincernae munus apud persas saith Alex. ab Alex. If Camden Clarencieux be of good Authority as with most he is unquestionable the Doctor deriveth his Pedigree from Grono-ap Heylyn who descended from Brockwel Skythrac one of the Princes of Powis-Land in whose Family was ever observed that one of them had a Gag-tooth and the same was a notable omen of good Fortune which Mark of the Tooth is still continued in the Doctors Family These and such like signatures of more wonderful form are indeed very rare yet not without Example So Seleucus and his Children after him were born with the Figure of an Anchor upon their Thigh as an infallible mark of their true geniture saith Justin Origenis hujus argumentum etiam posteris mansit si quidem filij nepotesque ejus anchoram in femore veluti notam generis naturalem habuere The aforesaid Grono-ap Heylyn from whom the Doctor is one of the Descendents was a man of so great Authority with the Princes of North-Wales that Llewelleu the last Prince of the Country made choice of him before any other to treat with the Commissioners of Edward the First King of England for the concluding of a final Peace between them which was accordingly done but afterwards Llewellen by the perswasion of David his Brother raised an Army against the King that were quickly routed himself slain in Battel and in him ended the Line of the Princes of North-Wales who had before withstood many puissant Monarchs whose attempts they always srustrated by retiring into the heart of their Country and as the Doctor saith leaving nothing for their Enemies to encounter with but Woods and Mountains after they had reigned Princes of North-Wales for the space of four hundred and five years A goodly time that scarcely the greatest Monarchies in the World have withstood their fatal period and dissolution as Chronologers usually observe Anni quingenti sunt fatalis Periodus Regnorum rerum publicarum saith Alsted But this little Monarchy of Wales may be compared to a Finger or Toe `or the least joynt indiscernable in the vast Body of the four great Empires and yet withal shows the mutability of them and all worldly Powers That Time will triumph in the Ruin of the strongest States and Kingdoms as is most excellently represented to us by Nebuchadnezzar's Image of Gold Silver Iron and Brass that mouldred away though durable Mettal because it stood upon feet of Clay So unstable are all mortal things And of no longer duration are the most high and mighty Powers under Heaven than the Brittish Monarchy which caused the Historian to complain that the more he meditated with himself of things done both in old and latter times tanto magis ludibria rerum mortalium cunctis in negotijs obversantur So much the more saith he the uncertainties and mock Vanities of Fortune in all worldly Affairs came to his remembrance Notwithstanding those great alterations in Wales no longer a Kingdom of it self but annexed to the Crown of England the Family of
In a word are Protestants Christians or no Or only nominal and not real I think they are the best and purest sort of Christians ever since the Apostolick times that they come nearest the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and the example of them at Antioch who were first called Christians We do not know how to distinguish men of the Church of England from the Church of Rome but by this characteristial Name or Appellation because in the times of Popery as appears not only by Linwood but by the constitutions of Otho and Othobon The Ecclesiastical Body of this Nation was anciently called the Church of England Ecclesia Anglicana and so it continueth to this day but with this discrimination only that we are Protestants in the Church of England and not Papists I know it will be objected this Name is abused by Fanaticks who impudently dare arrogate it to themselves and are ordinarily now called Protestants What then Abusus non tollit usum they are Protestants Catachrestice as Papists call themselves Catholicks And if they will boldly usurp the Name which no way belongs to them their Tongues are their own and they will speak Who is Lord over us say they And who can hinder them The Hereticks of old time who were ex parte Donati of Donatus side did the like and yet the Orthodox deemed themselves never the worse for their Pride and Usurpation The Name of Christian was common both to them and the Orthodox as Optatus the good Father tells them Pro utrisque illud est quod nobis commane est vobis Such Scandals are unavoidable therefore with patience must be born And it was the like complaint of Lactantius but what Remedy The Novatians Valentinians Marcionites and Arrians saith he Quilibet alij nominantur Christiani Christiâ—…i esse desâ—…runt any other Hereticks were called Christians though they were none So that 't is no wonder the Sectaries of our Age will confidently take upon themselves the Name of Protestants they do but as other Schismaticks who were their ancient Predecessors Mutato nomine de te Fabula narratur Yet some of the baser sort of them as Quakers and Independents despise the Name of Protestant and hold it in as great derision as the Papists do and no doubt have learned from the soul Mouth of Father Doleman alias Parsons and from Watson in his Quodlibets to call us of the Church of England Queen Besses Protestants However it does not become any Son of the Church much less the Rector of Bourton to bite and snarl at the Name of Protestant which distinguishes him from a Mass-priest especially in such times as ours when Papist and Fanatick joyn hand in hand mouth and tongue together against us because our Church is of Queen Elizabeths Religion and Reformation A Queen notwithstanding the malicious slanders of her Enemies the Popes Bull of Damnation against her and the Non-Conformists now Condemnation of her She was the most admired Princess of Europe in her time the glory and wonder of her Sex etiam supera Sexum saith Thuanus though himself a Papist and Beza the Successor of Calvin at Geneva gives her this Character of high praise which methinks our Dissenters should assent unto that she was a Queen God sent from Heaven to be a Nursing Mother at home unto the Church of England and to Protestant Churches abroad Let us hear his words more fully In Anglia opus Domini qui serenissimam illam ecclesiarum non tantum Anglicanarum fortissimam instauraticem verum etiam peregrinarum religiosissimam nutricem Flizabetham instaurandae suae Domui quasi sua ipsius manu coelitus demisit God be thanked also the Reformation of Religion and the Church of England became Protestant before her time Our Religion being established by Law in the Reign of her young Brother the most excellent Prince Edward the 6th whose Laws were written in Milk and not in Blood like those of Queen Mary his Sister who succeeded him Our Religion and Ecclesiastical Government by Arch-Bishops and Bishops c. is still the same as was in the Reigns of Edward the Sixth and Queen Elizabeth of blessed Memory in whose time this Kingdom was accounted Regnum Evangelii the Kingdom of the Gospel Now why our Dissenters should dissent why they should be so averse to the Protestant Religion then established by Law and is now the very same in all Articles of Faith Form of Worship and Ecclesiastical Discipline and yet they are not satisfied I must profess that I see no reason for their dissatisfaction but Will and Humor that they are as they have been and still resolve to be of a perverse and democratical Spirit in all matters relating to Church and State much less cause have they to reproach the Name of the most Renowned Queen Elizabeth which has been held in exceeding great veneration among all Protestants in forreign Kingdoms whose incomparable Vertues of Learning Piety Prudence Modesty Meekness Stoutness and other rare Perfections are described by a Poet living in her days and are as followeth O 〈◊〉 solum sapias 〈◊〉 Anglia parte hac Ut grate agnoscas Jovis benefacta 〈◊〉 En dedit affectam divina mente 〈◊〉 Imperij quae â—…um docta ingeniosa severa Et 〈◊〉 veneranda pudica animosa venenda 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tenera 〈◊〉 commoda 〈◊〉 Tot tibi contulerit quot 〈◊〉 nemo priorum Et quae vera Dei sit religione fruare Papa fugit solio Patris Regina locatur May be Englished thus O England native Soil of mine pay thanks to Jove The great and powerful God of Heaven above No one with larger gifts he could inspire Than such a noble Princess for Empire Learn'd ingenious modest meek and bold England's great Scepter in her hand to hold Queen of all Blessings to this Nation more Hath brought than all her Ancestors before Gods true Religion flourish'd Pope he 's gone When she ascended to her Fatherâ—… Throne Let us then not be ashamed of our Religion nor judge the worse of it much less deny our Christian Name since our departure from the Church of Romé because Papists and Fanaticks nick-name us Queen Besses Protestants Such dirt flung upon Majesty rebounds back with shame on their own Faces and will hereafter to their eternal confusion who dare reproach the Lords anointed The Pope himself first played 〈◊〉 part to throw Dirt and Stones at her by calling her misera Faemina a wretched Woman afterward followed many Rabsâ—…eka's especially Sanders and Rishton who termed her Lupam Anglicanam the Wolf-Bitch of England though she had more of the Lamb than the Wolf for she thirsted not after Blood as her Sister Queen Mary did Finally Parsons alias Cow 〈◊〉 a Priest's Bastard writ a Cart-load of Libels against her These were the Popes Birds and many other of the same Feather employed by his Holiness as the Alexandrians kept their Ibides to devour the
Book of Nature and Scripture This Knowledge excelleth all other and without it who knoweth not the saying Omnem Scientiam magis obesse quam prodesse si desit scientia optimi that all other Knowledge does us more hurt than good if this be wanting Notwithstanding he met with some discouragements to take upon himself the Profession of a Divine for what reasons it is hard for me to conjecture but its certain at first he fonnd some reluctancy within himself whether for the difficulties that usually attend this deep mysterious Science to natural reason incomprehensible because containing many matters of Faith which we ought to belâ—…eve and not to question though now Divinity is the common mystery of Mechanicks to whom it seems more easie than their manual Trades and Occupations or whether because it drew him off from his former delightful Studies more probably I believe his fears and distrusts of himself were very great to engage in so high a Calling and Profession and run the hazards of it because the like Examples are very frequent both in Antiquity and modern History however so timerous he was upon this account lest he should rush too suddenly into the Ministry although his abilities at that time transcended many of elder years that he exhibited a Certificate of his Age to the President of the Colledge and thereby procured a Dispensation notwithstanding any local Statutes to the contrary that he might not be compelled to enter into holy Orders till he was twenty four years old at which time still his fears did continue or at least his modesty and self-denyal wrought some unwillingness in him till at last he was overcome by the Arguments and powerful Perswasions of his Learned Friend Mr. Buckner after whose excellent Discourses with him he followed his Studies in Divinity more closely than ever having once tasted the sweetness of them nothing can ravish the Soul more with pleasure unto an Extasie than Divine Contemplation of God and the Mysteries in his holy Word which the Angels themselves prye into and for which reason they love to be present in Christian Assemblies when the Gospel is preached as the Apostle intimates to us That by continual study and meditation and giving himself wholly to read Theological Books he found in himself an earnest desire to enter into the holy Orders of Deacon and Priest which he had conferred upon him at distinct times in St. Aldates Church at Oxon by the Reverend Father in God Bishop Howson At the time when he was ordained Priest he preached the Ordination Sermon upon the words of our Saviour to St. Peter Luke 22. 32. And when thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren An apposite Text upon so solemne Occasion Being thus ordained to his great satisfaction and contentment the method which he resolved to follow in the Course of his Studies was quite contrary to the common Rode of young Students for he did not spend his time in poring upon Compendiums and little Systems of Divinity whereby many young Priests â—…hink they are made absolute Divines when perhaps a Gentleman of the â—…ish doth oftentimes gravel them in an ordinary Argument But he fell upon the main Body of Divinity by studying Fathers Councils Ecclesiastical Histories and School-men the way which King James commended to all younger Students for confirming them in the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England that is most agreeable to the Doctrine of the Primitive Church By this time his Book of Geography in the first Edition bought up by Scholars Gentlemen and almost every Housholder for the pleasantness of its reading was reprinted and enlarged in a second Edition and presented again to his Highness the Prince of Wales who not only graciously accepted the Book but was pleased to pass a singular Commendation upon the Author But afterward the Book being perused by his Royal Father King James the second Solomon for Wisdom and most Learned Monarch in Christendom the Book put into his Majesties hand by Dr. Young then Dean of Winton and Mr. Heylyn's dear Friend the Kings peircing Judgement quickly spyed out a fault which was taken no notice of by others as God always endows Kings his Vice-gerents with that extraordinary gift the Spirit of discerning above other Mortals Sicut Angelus Dei est Dominus meus Rex saith the holy Scripture as an Angel of God so is my Lord the King who lighting upon a Line that proved an unlucky Passage in the Author who gave Precedency to the French King and called France the more famous Kingdom with which King James was so highly displeased that he presently ordered the Lord Keeper to call the Book in but this being said in his Anger and Passion no further notice was taken of it in the mean time Dr. Young took all care to send Mr. Heylyn word of his Majesties displeasure the News of which was no small sorrow to him that he was now in danger to lose the Kings Favour Nil nisi peccatum manitestaque culpa falenda est Paenitet ingenij judiciique mei that Mr. Heylyn could have wished them words had been left out Dr. Young advised him to repair to Court that by the young Prince's Patronage he might pacifie the Kings Anger but not knowing whethâ—… the Prince himself might not be also offended he resided still in Oxford and laid open his whole grief to the Lord Danvers desiring his Lordships Counsel and best advice what Remedy he should seek for Cure according to the good Lord's Counsel he sent up an Apology to Dr. Young which was an Explanation of his meaning upon the words in question and then under Condemnation The Error was not to be imputed to the Author but to the Errata of the Printer which is most ordinary in them to mistake one word for another and the grand mistake was by printing is for was which put the whole Sentence out of joynt and the Author into pain if it had been of a higher Crime than of a Monosylable it had not been pardonable for the intention of the Author was very innocent Quis me deceperit error Et culpam in facto non scelus essemeo The words of his Apology which he sent up to Dr. Young for his Majesties satisfaction are these that followeth That some Crimes are of a nature so injustifiable that they are improved by an Apology yet considering the purpose he had in those places which gave offence to his sacred Majesty he he was unwilling that his Innocence should be condemned for want of an Advocate The Burdens under which he suffered was a mistake rather than a Crime and that mistake not his own but the Printers For if in the first Line of Page 441. was be read instead of is the Sense runs as he desired it And this appears from the words immediately following for by them may be gathered the sense of this corrected reading When Edward the third quartered the Arms of France and England he gave
precedency to the French First because France was the great and more famous Kingdom 2. That the French c. These reasons are to be referred to the time of that King by whom the Arms were first quartered with the Arms of England and who desired by honour done unto their Arms to gain upon the good Opinion of that Nation for the Crown and Love thereof he was then a Sutor For at this time besides it may seem incongruous to use a Verb of the Present-Tense in a matter done so long agoe that reason is not of the least force or consequence the French King having so long since forgot the Rights of England and our late Princes claiming nothing but the Title only The Place and Passage so corrected I hope I may without detraction from the Glory of this Nation affirm That France was at that time the more famous Kingdom our English Swords for more than half the time since the Norman Conquest had been turned against our own Bosomes and the Wars we then made except some fortunate Excursions of King Edward the First in France and King Richard in the Holy Land in my Opinion were fuller of Piety than of Honour For what was our Kingdom under the Reigns of Edward the Second Henry the Third John Stephen and Rufus but a publick Theater on which the Tragedies of Blood and civil Dissentions had been continually acted On the other side the French had exercised their Arms with Credit and Renown both in Syria Palestine and Egypt and had much added to the Glory of their Name and Nation by conquering the Kingdoms of Naples and Sicilia and driving the English themselves out of France Guyen only excepted If we look higher we shall find France to be the first Seat of the Western Empire and the forces of it to be known and felt by the Saracens in Spain the Saxons in Germany and the Lombards in Italy At which time the Valour of the English was imprisoned in the same Seas with their Island And therefore France was at that time when first the Arms were quartered the more famous Kingdom 'T is true indeed that since the time of those victorious Princes those duo fulmina belli Edward the Third and the Black Prince his Son the Arms of England have been exercised in most parts of Europe Nor am I ignorant how high we stand above France and all other Nations in true fame of our Atcheivements France it self diverse times over run and once conquered The House of Bâ—…rgundie upheld from Ruin The Hollanders supported Spain awed The Ocean commanded are sufficient Testimonies that in pursuit of Fame and Honour we had no Equals That I always was of this opinion my Book speaks for me and indeed so unworthy a Person needs no better Advocate in which I have been no where wanting to commit to Memory the honourable performances of my Country The great Annalist Baronius pretending only a true and sincere History of the Church yet tells the Pope in his Epistle Dedicatory that he principally did intend that Work Pro Sacrarum Traditionum Antiquitate Authoritate Romanae Ecclesiae The like may I say of my self though not with like imputation of imposture I promised a Description of all the World and have according to the measure of my poor Ability fully performed it yet have I apprehended withal every modest occasion of enobling and extolling the Souldiers and Kings of England Concerning the other place at which his most sacred Majesty is offended viz. The precedency of France before England besides that I do not speak of England as it now stands augmented by the happy Addition of Scotland I had it from an Author whom in my poverty of reading I conceived above all Exception Cambdeâ—… Clarenceux that general and accomplish'd Scholar in the fifth page of his Remains had so informed me If there be Error in it 't is not mine but my Authors The Precedency which he there speaks of is in general Councils And I do heartily wish it would please the Lord to give such a sudden blessing to his Church that I might live to see Mr. Cambden confuted by so good an Argument as the sitting of a general Council Thus Mr. Heylyn apologized for himself in his Letter written to the Dean of Winton who shewed the whole Apology to the King with which his Majesty was fully satisfied as to the sincere intention and innocent meaning of Author yet to avoid all further scruples and misconstructions that might arise hereafter Mr. Heylyn by the advise of his good Friend the wise and most worthy Dean took order that whole Clause which gave so much offence should be left out of all his Books It a plerique ingenio sumus omnes nostri nosmet paenitet as once the Comedian said Having undergone such troubles about France he was resolved upon a further Adventure to take a Voyage thither with his faithful Friend Mr. Leuet of Lincolns Inn who afterward poor Gentleman through misfortune of the Times lived and dyed Prisoner in the Fleet. They both set out An. Dom. 1625. and after their safe arrival in France took a singular interview of the chief Cities and most eminent Places in the Realm of which Mr. Heylyn gives a more accurate account and description though his stay was not there above five Weeks than Lassel the Priest doth of his five years Voyage into Italy And now Mr. Heylyn was sufficiently convinced with his own Eyes which was the more famous Kingdom that after his return home he composed a History of his Travels into France and being put into the Hands of several Friends was at first printed by a false Copy full of gross Errors and insufferable mistakes that he caused his own true Copy to be printed one of the most delightful Histories of that nature that hath been ever heretofore published wherein is set out to the Life the Monsieurs and the Madams the Nobility and the Pezantry the Court and Country their ridiculous Customs fantastical Gate Apparel and Fashions foolish common Talk so given to levity that without singing and dancing they cannot walk the open Streets in the Church serious and superstitious the better sort horridly Atheistical Besides all he hath written in that ingenious Book I think he hath in short most excellently deciphered them in his Cosmography where he maketh a second review of their pretty Qualities and Conditions as thus if the Reader has a mind to read them They are very quick witted of a sudden and nimble apprehension but withal rash and hair-brain'd precipitate in all their actions as well military as civil falling on like a clap of Thunder and presently going off in Smoke full of Law-suits and Contentions that their Lawyers never want work so litigious that there are more Law-suits tryed among them in seven years than have been in England from the Conquest Their Women witty but Apish sluttish wanton and incontinent generally at the first fight as