then of Pembroke-Hall much profited in his Learning sent him by the advice and direction of his Uncle the Abbot to Cambridge where he was first of Queen's College but liking not the Education and Disposition of some there went to Pembroke-Hall Dr. Ridley afterwards Bishop of London being there Master who hearing by Mr. Bradford his Tutor of his great towardliness and small means by reason of his Father's Losses at Sea made him Scholar and then Mr. Gurth became his Tutor from thence he was Chosen Fellow of Peter-House May 1555. chosen Fellow of Peterhouse Dr. Pearne being then Master there 7. Whilst he was Fellow of that Had a grievous Sickness House he fell grievously Sick and was by commandment of Dr. Pearne who much tendred him in regard of his good Parts carried to an House near the College whither Dr. Pearne came often to visit him and willed the Woman Dr. Pearne's special Care of him of the House that he should want nothing neither should she spare any cost for his good and the recovery of his Health saying that if he lived he would be able to defray the Charge himself but if he died the said Dr. Pearne would satisfy her and pay for all things 8. When it pleased God to restore him to his former Health he determined Recovering his Health determined to Travel to Travel beyond the Seas purposely to avoid certain Visitors sent in Queen Mary's time to the University to establish Popery and to enjoyn the young Fellows and Scholars to take Primam tonsuram being their first entrance into Popish Orders 9. Dr. Pearne hearing of this his purpose Disswaded by Dr. Pearne talked with him and found him resolute in his Religion yielding as Dr. Pearne often acknowledged afterwards many good and sound Reasons therefore whereupon the Doctor willed him to be silent and not troublesome in uttering his Opinion whereby others might take occasion to call him in question and he for his part would wink at him and so order the matter that he might continue his Religion and not travel out of the University which accordingly the good old Man justly performed For which his Favour the Archbishop carried a loving faithful and true heart towards him unto his dying Day 10. He Commenced Batchelor of Commenced Batchelor of Arts 1553. Master of Arts 1556. Batchelor of Divinity 1562. Doctor of Divinity 1569. Arts in the Year 1553. Master of Arts 1556. Batchelor of Divinity 1562. Doctor of Divinity 1569. at which time he answered the Divinity Act publickly in the Commencement wherein he maintained this Position Papa est Ille Antichristus 11. After he was entered into the Ministry which was upon the Year 1560. being to Preach his first Publick Sermon in St. Mary's he chose His Act-Sermon at St. Mary ' s 1560. on Rom. 1. 16. for his Text that excellent saying of St. Paul I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ c. wherein his singular Method choice of Matter and judicious handling thereof were such that his whole Auditory especially the chief of the University grew into great admiration of those great Parts in so young Years 12. From being Fellow of Peter-house Made Master of Pembroke-Hall Chaplain to the Bishop of Ely Prebendary of Ely Parsâ—n of Teversam he succeeded Dr. Hutton late Archbishop of York in the Mastership of Pembroke-Hall being then Chaplain to Dr. Cox Bishop of Ely by whose means he had a Prebend in Ely and the Parsonage of Teversam near Cambridge 13. He was also chosen Divinity Divinity Reader Reader of the Lady Margaret's Lecture which he discharged with so great liking of the whole University that for his sake they encreased the Stipend from Twenty Marks to Twenty Pounds and afterwards he was made the Queen's Queen's Professor publick Professor of Divinity 14. Whilst he read these two Lectures the publick Schools were frequented with throngs of Students in Divinity Young and Old such was his diligence great learning and extraordinary gifts shewed in the reading thereof insomuch as many of the precise Faction were his daily Auditors and the Lectures themselves so highly accounted of especially those which he read upon the Apocalyps and the Read upon the Apocalyps and the Hebrews Epistle to the Hebrews that through the importunity of divers his honourable Friends then his Pupils and others of great learning and judgment he was persuaded to set down those his Lectures in writing which are like shortly for their excellency and worth to be published for the common benefit 15. His singular and extraordinary 1567. gift in preaching caused him upon the recommendation of Sir Nicholas Bacon the then Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England and Sir William Cecill principal Secretary afterwards Lord Treasurer of England to be sent for to preach before Her Majesty who took Sent for to preach before the Queen so great liking of him for his method and matter that hearing his Name to be Whitgift she said he had a whitegift indeed And as his Gifts were then esteemed white so his Fortune afterwards proved white and happy his good Name and Reputation white and spotless so that it may be properly said of him that he was gallinae filius albae 16. Her Majesty within four Months Was made Master of Trinity College July 4. 1567. and the Queen's Chaplain after that he was Master of Pembroke-Hall made him Master of Trinity College and caused him immediately after to be sworn her Chaplain 17. IN the College at his first entrance Found Divisions in the College he found much division especially amongst such as laboured innovation in the Church being begun and headed in the government of his Predecessor Master D. Beaumont Yet did he in short time wisely appease these Wisely appeased them Stirs and governed for five years space with great quietness both of the whole Company and himself until Master Thomas Cartwright a Fellow of that College his last return from beyond the Seas 18. The first discontentment of the Cartwright ' s first discontent said Master Cartwright grew at a Disputation in the University before Queen Elizabeth because Master Preston then of King's College and afterward Master of Trinity Hall for his comely Gesture and pleasing Pronunciation was both liked and rewarded by her Majesty and himself received neither reward nor commendation presuming of his own good Scholarship but wanting indeed that comely grace and behaviour which the other had This his no small grief he uttered unto divers of his inward Friends in Trinity College who were also very much discontented because the honour of the Disputation did not redound unto their College 19. Mr. Cartwright immediately after His Self-conceit her Majesty's neglect of him began to wade into divers Opinions as that of the Discipline and to kick against her Ecclesiastical Government he also then grew highly conceited of himself for Learning and Holiness and
it is pacified by the Archbishop so offended his Friends having laboured exceedingly therein on his behalf that being then Lord General of her Majesty's Forces in France he made open profession of his dislike of the Archbishop But upon his return into England finding how firm her Majesty stood for him and that his stirring in the matter must needs call in question her Majesty's Judgment did therefore in a temperate manner expostulate the matter with the Archbishop from whom he received such an Answer as he knew not well whom to be angry withal unless with the Queen her self who thought him too young a man being yet no Counsellor for so grave a Title and fearing happily lest if she should have committed the guiding of that University unto his young Years and unexperienced Judgment some hot and unruly Spirits there like Phaeton's untamed Horses might have carried him in such an headlong course of government as that the sparks of Contention which were then scarce kindled in that University might have broken forth into open flames to the utter destruction and devastation of the whole State Ecclesiastical And besides this she held the Lord Buckhurst being an ancient Counsellor and her Kinsman more fit for the Place a great deal And so much it seemed the Queen had told The Queen justifies the Archbishop to Essex the Earl in justification of the Archbishop before his questioning of the matter with him for in effect he acknowledged so much and thereupon they parted in no unkind terms but with due respect of each other in very friendly manner The Queen not long after She makes them firm Friends was the mean of their entring into further Friendship having oftentimes recommended unto the Archbishop the Earl's many excellent Parts and Vertues which she thought then rare in so young Years And the Earl likewise confessed to the Archbishop that her Majesty's often speech of her extraordinary opinion of him and his worth was the cause of his seeking after the Archbishop and therefore did offer to run a course for Clergy Causes according to his directions and advice and to cast off the Novelists as indeed he did immediately after Sir Francis Walsingham's Sir Francis Walsingham died Apr. 6. 1590. The Archbishop's firmness to Essex in his Troubles death which was a special cause of the Archbishop's constancy and firmness to the Earl in his disgrace and trouble afterwards 83. But now to return to our former course The Lord Chancellor's death much troubled and perpexed the Archbishop The Archbishop fears on the Lord Chancellor's death fearing that new Troubles would befal him and the Church Howbeit things were then so well and firmly setled that he had no great ado afterwards saving with their dispersing New Pamphlets dispersed by the Puritans of Pamphlets and that some few Persons though thanks be to God not powerful both in Court and Country Attempts in Parliament on their behalf did attempt as much as in them lay by motions in Parliament and Bills there preferred to bring in I know not nor they themselves what kind of new Government in the Church but were prevented by the Wisdom of her Majesty who always suppressed those Bills and Motions and still comforted the Archbishop who was oftentimes The Queen comforts the Archbishop with fresh Assurances of her Countenance and Favour to the Church much grieved with their causeless Complaints and assured him they should not prevail to do any hurt except it were to hurt themselves For she did see in her Princely wisdom how dangerous they were to her and all Imperial Government And when she found them still bent to pursue such Bills and Motions she to deliver the Archbishop from farther trouble and vexation before it was expected and as it were with silence brake up the Parliament 84. AFter the death of Sir Christopher Sir John Puckering Lord Keeper June 4. 1592. Hatton Sir John Puckering was made Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England of whom because he lived not long I shall not have occasion to say much But for ought that I ever Upon Hatton ' s death the Queen offered the Archbishop his Place But he declined it because of his Age and Ecclesiastical Business Sir Thomas Egerton made Lord Keeper of the Great Seal May 6. 1596. heard he shewed himself a Friend to the Church unto the Archbishop and his Proceedings and acknowledged him to have been amongst his other good Friends a Furtherer of his Advancement 85. Sir Thomas Egerton Master of the Rolls succeeded him May 6. 1596. Her Majesty and the State had long experience of his Integrity and Wisdom as may appear by the great Places which he worthily held being first her Highness's Sollicitor and then Attorney General In which time besides his many great and weighty Services he was very careful and industrious in labouring earnesty to suppress the aforesaid Libellers a lover of Learning and a most constant Favourer of the Clergy and Church Government He is a constant Friend to the Church before and after his Advancement established as also a faithful loving Friend to the Archbishop in all his Affairs insomuch as after his advancement to that Honour and that the Earl of Essex and the Archbishop concurred together being also out of the affection of his most honourable Friend the Lord Burghley Lord Treasurer further strengthned by the friendship The Archbishop cherished and strengthened by union of many Friends and love of Sir Robert Cecyll principal Secretary and now Earl of Salisbury and Lord Treasurer of England he began to be fully revived again and as well fortified by them as ever he was when he was most and best friended And her Majesty finding in him a zealous care and faithful performance of his duty and service towards the Church and her Highness shook off those Clergy Cares and laid the burthen The Queen throws the whole care of the Church upon him of them upon his Shoulders telling him That if any thing went amiss be it upon his Soul and Conscience to answer it for she had rid her hands and looked that he should yield an account on her behalf unto Almighty God 86. And now though the Archbishop He disposeth of Bishopricks and all other Ecclesiastical Promotions was in this singular favour and grace with her Majesty so that he did all in all for the managing of Clergy-Affairs and disposing of Bishopricks and other Ecclesiastical Promotions yet was he never puffed up with Pride His great Humility and Lenity nor did any thing violently by reason of his Place and greatness with her Majesty against any man For he ever observed this Rule that he would not wound where he could not salve And I leave to the report of the Adversaries themselves when he had that sway in Government and favour with her Highness whether his Carriage were not exceeding mild and temperate and whether he did not endeavour
foris collocatur sic contra pacem Christi ordinationem atque unitatem Dei rebellatur The First fruits of Hereticks and the first Births and Endeavours of Schismaticks are these to admire themselves and in their swelling Pride to contemn any that are set over them Thus do men fall from the Church of God thus is a foreign unhallowed Altar erected and thus is Christ's Peace and God's Ordination and Unity rebelled against For mine own part I neither have done nor do any thing in these Matters which I do not think my self in conscience and duty bound to do and which her Majesty hath not with earnest Charge committed unto me and which I am not well able to justify to be most requisite for this Church and State whereof next to her Majesty though most unworthy or at the least most unhappy the chief care is committed unto me which I will not by the grace of God neglect whatsoever come upon me therefore Neither may I endure their notorious Contempts unless I will become Aesop ' s Block and undo all that which hither to hath been done And how then shall I be able to perform my Duty according to her Majesty's Expectation It is certain that if way be given unto them upon their unjust Surmises and Clamours it will be the cause of that Confusion which hereafter the State will be sorry for I neither care for the Honour of this Place I hold which is Onus unto me nor the largeness of the Revenue neither any worldly thing I thank God in respect of doing my Duty neither do I fear the displeasure of Man nor the evil Tongue of the uncharitable who call me Tyrant Pope Knave and lay to my charge things that I never did nor thought Scio enim hoc esse opus Diaboli ut Servos Dei mendaciis laceret opinionibus falsis gloriosum nomen infamet ut qui conscientiae suae luce clarescunt alienis rumoribus sordidentur For I know that this is the work of that Accuser the Devil that he may tear in pieces the Servants of God with Lies that he may dishonour their glorious Name with false Surmises that they who through the clearness of their own Conscience are shining bright might have the filth of other mens Slanders cast upon them So was Cyprian himself used and other Godly Bishops to whom I am not comparable But that which most of all grieveth me and is to be wondred at and lamented is that some of those which give countenance to these Men and cry out for a learned Ministry should watch their opportunity and be Instruments and means to place most unlearned Men in the chiefest Places and Livings of the Ministry thereby to make the state of the Bishops and Clergy contemptible and I fear saleable This Hypocrisy and dissembling with God and Man in pretending one thing and doing another goeth to my heart and maketh me to think that God's Judgments are not far off The day will come when all mens hearts shall be opened In the mean time I will depend upon him who never faileth those that put their trust in him Thus far his Letters 57. After this he linked himself in a After which he is in strict league with Sir Christopher Hatton by means of Dr. Bancroft firm league of friendship with Sir Christopher Hatton then Vice-Chamberlain to the Queen's Majesty and by the means of Dr. Bancroft his then Houshold Chaplain and afterwards Lord Archbishop of Canterbury had him most firm and ready upon all occasions to impart unto the Queen as well the Crosses offered him at the Council-Table as also sundry impediments whereby he was hindred from the performance of many good Services towards her Majesty and the State He had always the Lord Burley then Lord Treasurer Burley his firm Friend Lord Treasurer of England his firm and constant Friend and one that would omit no opportunity for his advancement who prevailed so far that when the Earl of Leicester one of those honourable Personages afore-mention'd was in the Low-Countries the Archbishop The Archbishop sworn of the Privy Council and the Lord Cobham were first sworn Counsellors of State and Thomas Lord Buckhurst was sworn the day after whereat the Earl was not a little displeased The Lord Buckhurst was joined Lord Buckhurst his faithful Friend in like affection to the Archbishop as the other two were and continued after he came to be Lord Treasurer his faithful and loving Friend to the time of his death 58. When the Archbishop was thus established in friendship with these Noble Personages as aforesaid their Favours and his Place wrought him free He has free access to the Queen access to the Queen and gracious acceptance of his Motions in the Church's behalf His Courses then at the Council-board His Oppositions abated were not so much crossed nor impeached as heretofore but by reason of his daily attendance and access he then oftentimes gave impediment to the Sir Thomas Bromeley Lord Chancellor died April 12. 1587. Earl's Designments in Clergy Causes 59. About this time Sir Thomas Bromely the then Lord Chancellor died whereupon it pleased her Majesty The Queen disposed to make the Archbishop Lord Chancellor to discover her gracious Inclination to have made the Archbishop Lord Chancellor of England But he excusing himself in many respects that he was He excuses himself and recommends Sir Christopher Hatton grown into years and had the burthen of all Ecclesiastical Businesses laid upon his back which was as much as one man could well undergo considering the troubles with so many Sectaries that were then sprung up desired to be spared and besought her Highness to make choice of Sir Christopher Hatton who Sir Christopher Hatton made Lord Chancellor Ap. 29. 1587. shortly after was made Lord Chancellor in the Archbishop's House at Croydon thereby the rather to grace the Archbishop His advancement did much strengthen the Archbishop and his Friends and withal the Earl of Leicester and his Designments came soon after to an end For the Year following taking his Journey to Kenelworth he died in the way at Cornbury Park whereby the Archbishop took himself The Earl of Leicester died Sept. 4. 1588. freed from much opposition 60. Upon the death of the said Earl the Chancellorship of Oxford being Oxford desire the Archbishop for their Chancellor in the Earl's room void divers of the Heads and others of the University made known unto the Archbishop their desire to chuse him their Chancellor although he was a Cambridge man To whom he returned this Answer That he was already their Friend whereof they might rest assured and therefore advised them to make choice of some other in near place about the Queen that might assist him on their behalf And both at the Council-board and other Places of Justice right them many ways both for the benefit of the University and their particular Colleges And
Lincoln the space of seven years so long as he remained in Cambridge 34. By his Government in Trinity Norwich Redman Worcester Babbington St. David ' s Rud. Glocester Golsborough Hereford Benet College he made many excellent Scholars that came afterwards to great Preferment in the Church and Common-wealth five whereof were in his time Bishops that then were Fellows of the College when he was Master and some of them his Pupils besides many Deans and others of Dignity and Estimation in the Church at this day 35. He had divers Earls and Noblemens Several Noblemen c. his Pupils Sons to his Pupils as namely the Earls of Worcester and Cumberland the Lord Zouch the Lord Dunboy of Ireland Sir Nicholas and Sir Francis Bacon now his Majesty's Solicitor General in whom he took great comfort as well for their singular Towardliness as for their observance of him and performance of many good Offices towards him All which Their respects towards him together with the rest of the Scholars of that House he held to their publick He holds the Scholars strictly to their Exercises and Devotion Disputations and Exercises and Prayers which he never missed chiefly for Devotion and withal to observe others absence always severely punishing such Omissions and Negligences 36. He usually dined and supped in the Common Hall as well to have a watchful Eye over the Scholars and to keep them in a mannerly and awful obedience as by his Example to teach them to be contented with a Scholar-like College Diet. 37. The sway and Rule he then did bear through the whole University the Records themselves will sufficiently testify for by his meer travail and labour and the Credit which he had with her Majesty and the Lord Burghly then Lord Treasurer of England and Chancellor of Cambridge he procured an alteration and amendment of the Statutes Procures amendment of the University Statutes of the University In which kind of Affairs and Business all the Heads of the Houses were directed and advised by him as from an Oracle For commonly whatsoever he spake or did they still concurred with him and would do nothing without him 38. He never took the foil at any man's hands during his ten years continuance in Trinity College being therein not unlike unto Pittacus in his Diog. Laert. de vita Philosoph ten years Government of Mitilene Cui nunquam per id tempus contigit in aliquâ causâ quam in se susciperet cadere For as the Causes he dealt in were always just so his Success was ever prosperous wherein his singular Wisdom was to be noted and his Courage and His Wisdom and Courage Stoutness in his Attempts were observed of the greatest and the general Fame thereof remaineth yet fresh in the University and will continue as his Badge and Cognizance so long as his Memory lasteth And yet that Stoutness of his was so well tempered and mingled with his other Virtue of Mildness and Patience His Moderation Mr. Hooker's Character of him in his Eccles Policy that Master Hooker made this true observation of him He always governed with that moderation which useth by patience to suppress boldness and to make them conquer that suffer which I think well suted with his Posey or Motto Vincit Qut Patitur 39. The first Wound which those fervent Reprehenders received at Doctor Whitgift's hands and his prudent order of Government together with his singular gift in Preaching made his Fame spread and gained him so great estimation that her Majesty was pleased to make choice Whitgift's esteem with the Queen Consecrated Bishop of Worcester April 21. 1577. of him before many others of eminent Place in the Church to be Bishop of Worcester Upon which his Advancement he first took his leave of the whole University by a publick Sermon which he preached in St. Mary's Church wherein he exhorted them to peace And afterwards by a private Sermon in Trinity College he gave unto that Society such a godly and learned Exhortation Takes leave of the University with an Exhortation to Peace and Unity for their continuance and constancy in peace and unity as it so moved their Affections that they burst out into Tears insomuch that there were scarce any dry Eyes to be found amongst the whole number He chose for his Text the same Farewel which St. Paul gave to the Corinthians Finally brethren fare His Farewel-Text 2 Cor. 13. 11. you well Be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you 40. IN June following he was attended Sets out for Worcester June 1697. attended with the Heads of Houses c. and accompanied on his way from Cambridge towards Worcester with a great Troop of the Heads and others of choice account in the University and with exceeding lamentation and sorrow of all sorts for the loss they conceived they had of so worthy a Governor 41. But their grief for the loss of The Queen forgives his First-fruits and gives him the disposal of all the Prebends of that Church him was not so great as was the joy of them who had found him amongst whom it pleased her Majesty to grace his very first entrance both in forgiving him his First-fruits a Princely and extraordinary Bounty as also in bestowing on him for the better encouragement and provision of his Chaplains and other learned men about him the disposing of all the Prebends of that Church of Worcester during his continuance there 42. He found the Bishoprick at his He finds the Bishoprick impaired by Grants of long Leases first coming much impaired by his Predecessors granting away in long Leases divers Manors Parks and Mansion-houses But that which much troubled him and wherein he most of all stirred Particularly the Rent-Corn of Two of the best Mannors Hollow and Grimly was the letting to Master Abington Cofferer to the late Queen the Rent-corn of his two best Manors Hollow and Grimley which is the chief upholding of the Bishop's Hospitality and without which especially in dear Years he is not able to keep House This Lease being let to Master Abington a great Man then to contend withal his Wife also being sometimes the Queen's Bedfellow the Bishop notwithstanding did He questions the said Lease call it in question having now besides his Honourable Friends the Lord Keeper and the Lord Treasurer gained by his attendance at Court many more about her Majesty who much favoured him and professed great love unto him especially the Earl of Leicester Sir Christopher Hatton Vice-Chamberlain Has great Friends at Court and Sir Francis Walsingham Principal Secretary all in special grace with her Highness Master Abington by his Wife's greatness procured her Majesty's gracious Letters written very earnestly in his behalf The Bishop returning Satisfies the Queen answer unto her Majesty and enforming her by means of his honourable Friends how
Papists as fearing lest they conceived an hope of advancing their Cause and Quarrel by help of the aforesaid Contentions betwixt the Bishops and these Sectaries and so soon as they should have found the Forces on both sides sufficiently weakned and enfeebled by a long continuance of the Conflict to have destroyed the Vanquished with the Vanquishers whereby to re establish their Papal Jurisdiction and superstitious Impieties as not long after this Archbishop's death they attempted to do by the divelish Device of that damnable Powder-Treason which if it had succeeded their intendment then was to have put both alike to the Sword 99. You may perceive by the Premisses He is unjustly traduced by the Sectaries how untruly some of the uncharitable and precipitate Sectaries traduced him for a Papist and called him The Pope of Lambeth in their Libels and Conventicles and most unjustly reproached him with the Title of Doctor Pearn ' s Servant whom they likewise taxed with Popery and falsly charged him to have infected the Archbishop therewith because of his affection and love unto him for the reasons specified before The truth is as the Archbishop was of his own nature a very loving kind man so he did hate ingratitude He hated Ingratitude in any and could never be taxed with that fault He was likewise as the Gentlemen of Worcestershire and Kent had daily experience very firm Is firm in his Friendships and marvailous constant where he affected and professed love which brought him in great displeasure in the Cause of the late Earl of Essex with whose Life and Actions though I have nothing to do having only taken upon me to report another Man's yet thus much I may truly say that his misfortune drew upon the Archbishop the greatest discontentment and severest reprehension Censured for his affection to the Earl of Essex from her Majesty that he had ever before undergone in all his life 100. For after that the Earl began to fall upon Courses displeasing and distastful unto her Majesty nevertheless such was the confidence the Archbishop had in the Earl's Loyaly and his own stedfastness in that Friendship which he had formerly professed unto him that he could not be drawn from being a continual Intercessor for him wherewith her Majesty was so highly displeased The Queen displeased at his inter cession for the Earl which much grieves him and so sharply rebuked him for the same that the good old Archbishop came sometimes home much grieved and perplexed 101. Within a while after the Earl forgetting that unto Princes the highest Tacit. Annal lib 4 judgment of things is given and unto us the glory of obedience is left went out indeed The Archbishop being that Sunday Earl of Essex apprehended Feb. 8. 1600. Morning at the Court whether by direction or by his own accord I know not hastned home without any Attendant and commanded as many men as he then had in the House to be presently armed and sent them over unto the Court but not to go within the Gates until Master Secretary Cecill or some other by his instruction should appoint them a Leader There were immediately The Archbishop arms his Servants for the Queen's defence presented unto him Threescore men well armed and appointed who with a Message from the Archbishop shewed themselves before the Court of whose arrival there Master Secretary Cecill with the rest of the Lords of the Council were right glad and said he Well taken at Court was a most worthy Prelate They had speedily a Leader appointed unto them and marched presently and were the first that entred into the Gates of Essex-house and in the first Court made good the place until the Earl yielded himself Earl of Essex brought to Lambeth-house then sent to the Tower and was by the Lord Admiral brought to Lambeth-house where he remained an hour or two and was from thence conveyed to the Tower The Archbishop had likewise in readiness that Afternoon Forty Horsemen well appointed and expected Directions from the Court how to dispose of them The next Morning he sent a Gentleman to know how the Queen did and how she rested all night To whom she made answer that she rested and slept the better for his care the day before but I beshrew his heart said she he would not believe this of Essex though I had often told him it would one day thus come to pass 102. After this when her Majesty understood that her own recommendation of the Earl had wrought that good The Archbishop in the Queen 's good opinion and favour to her dying-day opinion of him in the Archbishop and that she now found his readiness for her defence with Horse and Men and the nearness thereof unto the Court to stand her at that time in great stead she began to entertain him in her wonted favour and grace again and ever after continued her good opinion of him unto her dying day 103. Towards which time though Queen Elizabeth died March 24. 1602. The Archbishop Dr. Bancroft Dr. Watson Dr. Parry attend the Queen in her Sickness by reason of her melancholy Disease she was impatient of others speeches with her yet was she well pleased to hear the Archbishop the then Bishops of London and Chichester and the now Bishop of Worcester with some other Divines give her comfort and counsel to prepare her self to God-ward and most devoutly prayed with them making signs and tokens unto her last remembrance of the sweet comfort which she took in their presence especially when towards her end they put her in mind of the unspeakable Joys she was now going unto where no doubt she remaineth a glorious Saint of God and as a most religious Prince rewarded with a Crown of Immortality and Bliss 104. NOW the much-lamented The Faction take heart on the Queen's death death of this noble Queen gave great hope to the Factious of challenging forth with all exemption from the Censures and subjection of Ecclesiastical Authority But how vain their hopes were the issue hath declared and although the Archbishop was much dejected and grieved for the loss of his dear Sovereign and Mistress who had so highly advanced him yet he with the rest of the Lords repaired immediately to Whitehall and after two hours sitting in Council about the penning of the Proclamation he principally as his Place required with a chearful countenance and the rest of the Lords in like sort accompanying him first at the Court-gate at White-hall with the applause and unspeakable comfort of all the People proclaimed her most rightful Successor JAMES then King James proclaimed King of England March 24. 1602. King of Scotland King of England France and Ireland Afterwards in like chearful sort the Archbishop with the rest of the Lords trooped up to the Cross in Cheapside and there with like acclamation of the Lord Mayor and Citizens Sir Robert Leighe Lord Mayor The People are
alledged Whereby upon that which he heard and knew is confessed that he is verily persuaded Hacket menat her Majesty should have been deprived both of Kingdom and Life which he also gathered by Coppinger's Letters albeit he denieth that he was ever made acquainted by what special means it should be done Thus having in some part described the Qualities Persuasions in Opinion Familiarity Inducements unto mutual crediting one of another Exercises and Designments of these Persons It resteth to go on with the Narration of the rest of the Action for better perfiting up of this History Hacket on a time recounting up unto the other two his Torments which he pretended to have endured told how amongst others one Pigg a Preacher did so beat him with Rods at a place in Hartfordshire whilst he lay bound there in a Sink-hole that this cost him the said Hacket more dear than all the rest of his Torments because thereby he was enforced to suffer for all Hypocrites also adding thereunto that all their best Preachers so they term such as thirst after and persuade Innovations were no better in very truth than Hypocrites nevertheless he They account their Puritanical Preachers Hypocrites and Idolaters for their conformity to the Laws of the Church would he said daily hear them preach Hereupon Arthington took occasion to tell him that he could prove all such Preachers to be Hypocrites and Idolaters both albeit of ignorance because they do yield in some sort to the Commandments of the Governors and unto the Laws of this Church that they may be tolerated to preach This pleased Hacket so exceedingly well as that he began highly to esteem of Arthington and hereby the rather he thought good that Arthington should be made acquainted with their Letters For about ten days before their rising Arthington saith that Coppinger did greatly importune him to read the Letters which he and Hacket had written if it were but to see the stile assuring him they tended to nothing else but to make a way to acquaint her Majesty with their Secrets So that when Arthington saw so great Counsellors so resolutely thereby charged with matter of so high quality by Coppinger especially her Majesty's sworn Servant he was induced to believe it and to think they had some very good ground thereof Arthington also with great contentment unto Hacket framed certain Syllogisms I believe in a lewd Mode and in an unperfect and fond Figure to prove forsooth one of the said honourable Counsellors whom he and Coppinger villanously afterward proclaimed Traitors to be such as they do charge him to be This worthy work of Syllogisms therefore being first finished his other Treatise to prove those Preachers to be Hypocrites and Idolaters was straightway set upon the stocks and began to be built on the Monday before their rising after they all had for obtaining good success in this and the rest of their business humbled themselves on the Lord's day Fasting and Prayer on the Lord's-day before the Insurrection afore in fasting and prayer for so be their words This latter Treatise Arthington finished up the Thursday morning next after and termed it A Prophecy of Judgments against England whose skill in this precipitate kind of Pistling the other two so magnified as that they termed him by a Title mentioned in a Psalm viz. The pen of a ready writer Whereas wiser men think they might have looked a little lower and he have better compared it as the Wiseman doth the like where he saith A word in a fool's mouth is like an arrow in a dog's leg because he will never leave wrinching and fisking till he have got it out In this Prophecy he first setteth down Arthington's Prophecy the Third Commandment inferring what Plagues shall light on himself if he offend therein Then cometh he to his nine several Assertions adding to every one of them The Lord to confound him viz. that if he think not himself to be the vilest sinful Wretch living If he take not himself to be the most ignorant in God's Book of any man that hath professed the Gospel so long If he acknowledge not himself most unfit and unworthy of all men to serve the Lord Jesus If nevertheless he be not extraordinarily called to do the Message of God more faithfully than any Preacher in England hitherto hath done If the Scripture do not justify extraordinary Callings before the ends of the World If he know not two Persons within the City of London that have greater extraordinary Callings than himself videlicet Edmund Coppinger and William Hacket If the former be not a Prophet raised up of the Lord to bring a Message of great Mercy to the Land if all the People truly repent of their Sins If the latter be not the holiest Man and of the greatest power to bring fearful Judgments upon the whole Earth that ever was born Christ Jesus excepted If the said Hacket as the Messenger of God's Vengeance where mercy is refused do not bring such great Plagues upon this Realm of England the like whereof was never seen In these and in every of these several Cases he prayeth the Lord to confound His dreadful Imprecations him Whereupon he inferreth that having thus denounced so many fearful Woes against his own Soul as would sink it into the bottomless Pit of Hell if he were guilty in any one of them Then thereupon with chearfulness he cometh to declare his Message to England accusing it to be the most rebellious though it have been most blessed of all other Nations Then he affirmeth the City of London and the Courts of Justice at Westminster and the counterfeit Worship of God with Cross and Surpless to be worse than Sodom and Gomorrah or the Purple Whore of Rome or else desireth to be confounded Nay he preferreth Rome before London because at Rome they sin only of ignorance Of her Majesty he saith she is least guilty of the common Sins but most abused of any Prince that ever was by those whom she hath most advanced Then he speaks to three great Counsellors C. C. T. daring them to protest for their innocencies against themselves as deeply as he hath done and then if they be not swallowed up quick he is contented to be hanged up in Chains at Paul's-Cross Then he threatneth them that they three shall be otherwise Note detected ere long and all those that are their Partakers when her Majesty shall reign and live to see better days if God give her true repentance Then he saith he will leave all other of the Clergy as sufficiently detected already save such as pretend to seek Reformation who he saith are as guilty in two points as any of the other The first point for not crying out continually against Archbishops Bishops Deans Archdeacons and others as wicked Usurpers in the House of God The second for not crying out against the wicked Magistrates of this Land because they keep out the Elderships
him see that they were all as drunken men and Fools without wit That in the end they should throw all their Books away and be at a great confusion one with another That afterward viz. about the beginning of Easter Term last the Lord brought him to London and how he was made acquainted with Coppinger at that time as hath been afore declared How after his departing out of the City from Coppinger he could not but remember him in his Prayers desiring the Lord to reveal himself extraordinarily to him so that he might be encouraged to go forward in the Action Whereupon as the said Coppinger affirmed he had two extraordinary Seals in very short space after Hacket ' s departure and was wonderfully strengthened to proceed in the Cause Then is told how the Lord commanded him to go from one place to another in and about the City for two days space and how he was commanded to rail against the said two great Counsellors in divers places where he came How being in that time commanded to see the Lyons in the Tower he took the fiercest of them by the Head and had none harm Then is told what Preachers in the City he heard and that going to hear one he saw a Surpless lie in the Church whereupon he would not stay there That he went to certain Preachers in Prison to command them to deal faithfully in the Lord's business And how he was commanded by God to deface the Arms of England in Kaye's House in Knight-Rider's-street Lastly It is said that God hath appointed two others to deal for and with Hacket whom it will stand upon to deal faithfully for the Lord for they know what Hacket is and what shall follow if their Counsels and Directions be not followed Now if any shall marvail how such an absurd and ridiculous lying Legend should seduce men of any consideration so earnest for a supposed Reformation and so exercised in praying and fasting let him remember not only the effectual but the efficacy it self of illusion and the spirit of slumber falling by God's secret yet always just Judgment upon the Children of disobedience such as be wise in their own conceits and not wise with sobriety that they might believe Lies because they have not believed the Truth And that they might ask and not obtain because they ask not as they ought After Arthington On Thursday morning had ended his aforesaid Treatise of Prophecy being the very day before their rising Coppinger told him that God the night before had enlightned him the said Coppinger who they all three were saying that Arthington had unawares prophesied truly for he was the greatest Prophet of God's Judgments against the whole World that ever was but that they both were greater than he for Coppinger himself was he said the greatest that ever was and last Prophet of mercy and that he must describe the new and holy Jerusalem with the several places of joy that the Elect should enjoy after this Life and that they the said Coppinger and Arthington were ordained to separate the Lambs from the Goats before the Lord Jesus at the last day Whereat it is said they were both astonished considering their own unworthiness and unfitness crying out against themselves and their Sins yet submitting themselves to the direction of God's Spirit which they were assured should sufficiently furnish them to do him that service which himself did command Then Coppinger proceeded to tell further That Hacket was greater than either of them and that they two must obey him in whatsoever he commanded but told not then what nor how great he was other than King of Europe which Title was afore this time concluded of amongst them Hereupon according to Coppinger's commandment Arthington offered to honour Hacket with his Title of the King of Europe and to demean himself toward him accordingly But Hacket himself herein dispensed with him until the time should come that he was to honour him before others bidding him withal to be of good cheer for faith he I serve a good Captain who makes so dear accompt of me that all the Devils in Hell nor Men in Earth cannot take my life from me Then Coppinger for confirmation of the like unto them two also said that Arthington and himself were possessed not only with Prophetical but also with Angelical Spirits which Arthington taking to be true by a great burning that he felt in himself after that time did thereupon fancy to himself that no power in Earth nor Hell could hurt either of them because they had the spirit of Angels and they were subject to no Power but to God alone And that God being the master of the whole Work all things should prosper with them they only seeking his glory which he faith he vowed with himself and to deal throughly in his Office to rebuke the World of Sin and to denounce Judgments against whomsoever the Spirit should move him without fear or favour of Men or of Devils in Hell which Spirit he faith then moved him according to his hatred afore conceived against them and his opinion that they were Trayors against the Queen's Majesty to utter and to declare his detestation he had against the aforesaid three worthy Counsellors being by their places the greatest Subjects in the Land But herein may be said with the Poet Quis tulerit Gracchos de seditione querentes Verrem de furto Who can with any patience indure such Seditious Companions as these to appeach others of Treason but especially so Loyal Honourable and Worthy Counsellors as they three are known to the World to be By the way we may note the subtil managing and carriage of this Action by Hacket and Coppinger in this one principal Point which Arthington himself also now observeth Videlicet in that they opened not at any time Hacket's chief pretended Office unto Arthington videlicet to represent and to participate with Jesus Christ's Office of severing with his Fan the good from the bad until the very time they were to go into the Streets to do the Message that Hacket enjoyned them For hereby they prevented a doubt of driving Arthington back who seemed a Man so serviceable for their purpose as that he was worthy to be still retained by them and the rather for that he had not yet finished the writing up of Hacket's History that was to be annexed to the Prophecy until late that Thursday night which was afore their rising for they might have feared if leisure had served him to have considered of it and examined it at full how this could be lest it might have made him at least to stagger and be doubtful of it Besides Hacket kept as Arthington now gathereth that honour wholly to himself to proclaim it to them both together as it were by a Voice from Heaven at that very instant when they should receive their charge of him and thereby have no time to reason against it being straightway to go forward as