JACOBUS USSERIUS ARCHIEPISCOPUS ARMACHANUS TOTIUS HIBERNIAE PRIMAS London Printed for Nath Ranew and Ionat Robinson at the Kings Armes in S. Pauls church yard 1676 THE LIFE Of the Most Reverend Father in GOD JAMES USHER Late Lord Arch-Bishop OF ARMAGH Primate and Metropolitan of all IRELAND With a Collection of Three Hundred LETTERS between the said Lord Primate and most of the Eminentest Persons for Piety and Learning in his time both in England and beyond the Seas Collected and published from Original Copies under their own hands by RICHARD PARR D. D. his Lordships Chaplain at the time of his Death with whom the care of all his Papers were intrusted by his Lordship LONDON Printed for NATHANAEL RANEW at the Kings-Arms in St. Pauls Church-Yard MDCL XXXVI THE PREFACE WHEN the Son of Syrach undertook to recount the Famous Men of Old and record their Worth and Renown he says of them That they were Men of Knowledge Wise and Eloquent in their Instructions that of these there are who have left behind them a Name beloved of God and good Men whose Memorials are Blessed honoured in their Generation being the Glory of their times whose Righteousness shall not be forgotten and although their Bodies be buried yet their Names shall live for Ever And as in the former so likewise in these latter Days there have been many Men of excellent Endowments for Wisdom and Learning for Piety and all other eminent Vertues whose Memorials are with us in Church and State Among these of the first Rank this admirable Primate James Usher whose Life we are about to relate ought to be reckoned whether we consider him as he was indeed a profound Scholar exactly skilled in all sorts of Learning Divine and Humane or as a Person of unfeigned Piety and exemplary Vertue and Conversation or as a Subject of steady and unmoveable Loyalty to his Sovereign Prince or as a Clergy Man in all his Capacity from a Presbyter to a Bishop and Primate So that I think of him it may be as truly said as of St. Augustine with a kind of Admiration O Virum ad totius Ecclesiae publicam utilitatem natum factum datúmque divinitùs This Character his Writings have justly purchased him among the best and most Learned whether of these or other Nations whose Encomiums of him are too many and large for this Place let me therefore include all in that of a memorable Bishop of our Church who upon the Receipt of the Primates Book de Primordiis thus writes of him I may truly say that the Church hereafter will owe as much Reverence to his Memory as we of this present Age ought to pay to his Person And therefore when we have before us a subject of so Eminent Dignity we shall no need Apology for reviving the Memory of this incomparable Prelate and collecting such materials from his Life his Papers and the Informations of Wise and Knowing Men as may render him as well useful to future Ages in his Example as a Person truly Illustrious in himself 1. But perhaps it may be a needless attempt to write again the Life and Actions of this incomparable Primate seeing it hath been performed already by several Persons 2. And likewise it may be demanded how it comes to my share and what were the enducements to undertake this Province 1. To the first I say that though Dr. Bernard in the Sermon be Preached at the Funerals of the Lord Primate hath said many worthy things of him truly which we have reason to believe having the joynt Testimonies from Persons of Worth and unquestionable Credit who had been acquainted with this great and good Man for many years both in England and Ireland and must go along with the Dr. a good way in reciting many material passages contained in the said Sermon yet I take leave to say that he hath omitted very many remarkable things which perhaps either slipt his Memory or came not at all under his observation or because that those then in Power would not indure that any thing should be said of the Primate which might reflect upon that Usurpation Therefore we thought it needful to make up those defects by adding such Remarks as are wanting in that Description and likewise to rectifie the mistakes of those Writers of the Lord Primates Life who Writing after Dr. Bernard's Copy are deficient also in their Accounts and lyable to Question in some instances 2. If it be demanded how it comes to my share to revive the Memory of this great Man and to undertake the Task To this I say that I waited and heartily wished to see if any Person better Qualified than my self being sensible of my own weakness would engage himself in this Affair to whom I would most readily have Communicated those Materials and Observations which I had gathered together and lay by me for a long time but at length perceiving it not likely to be undertaken I was perswaded by those who have a prevailing Power with me to take upon me this Task and to acquaint the World with my own Observations touching this most Reverend Primate Usher whom I had the Advantage of any Man now living to know for I had the Blessing of an intimate Acquaintance with his Person and Affairs by my Attendance on him during the last thirteen years of his Life So that I may be thought capable to give a considerable Account not only of the Lord Primates particular Disposition and heavenly Conversation but likewise of those Passages and Performances of which I was an Eye Witness and may confidently relate upon mine own Knowledge This is the thing I undertake to perform especially in that part of the History of his Life and Actions from the year 1642 to the time of his Death 1655. But not withstanding my long experience of this excellent Person and what I had collected from several passages in Letters and by conference with those who made Observations yet I had not the confidence to attempt this work by my own strength or skill without Counsel and Help therefore when I had drawn together the Memorials I consulted with Persons of better understandign than my self with request to correct and amend what was misplaced or not well expressed and to remind me of any remarkable passage that had escaped my Memory And the assistance I had in this kind was administred by that Learned and Judicious Gentleman James Tyrrell Esq Grandson to the Lord Primate one as deeply concerned for the honour of his Grandfather as can be he became helpful to me in hinting many passages touching his Grandfather which he tho then young had himself observed and had heard from Persons of great Worth and Credit and of the Primates familiar Acquaintance We also owe unto him the account given of the Lord Primates Printed Works both of the time and occasion of Writing them and subject matter treated on as the Reader will perceive in the following History
Arbitrary Innovations not within the compass of the Rule and Order of the Book of Common-prayer and that he did not take upon him to introduce any Rite or Ceremony upon his own Opinion of Decency till the Church had judged it so p. 147. What the Lord Primat's behaviour was in England in relation to some of these Ceremonies of lesser moment either to the peace or well-being of the Church the Lord Primat needs no Apology he having reason enough for what he did if he conformed himself no further than the Doctor would have him But to give one Instance for all of the Doctor 's want of Charity towards the Lord Primat Dr. Bernard having asserted his Conformity to the Discipline Liturgy and Articles of the Church of England and that many of those who were called Puritans received such satisfaction from him as to concur with him in the above-said particulars The Doctor immediatly makes this Remark For this says he might very well be done and yet the Men remain as unconformable to the Rules of the Church their Kneeling at the Communion only excepted as they were before Now what other Rules of the Church the Doctor means I know not since I always thought that whoever had brought over a Lay-Nonconformist to conform to the Service and Orders of the Church had done a very good work and I know not when that is done what is required more to make him a true Son of the Church of England But I shall say no more on this ungrateful Subject since I doubt not but the Lord Primat's great Esteem and Reputation is too deep rooted in the hearts of all Good Men to be at all lessened by the Doctor 's hard Reflections tho I thought I could do no less than vindicate the Memory of so pious a Prelate since many ordinary Readers who were not acquainted with this good Bishop or his Writings may think Dr. H. had cause thus to find fault with him So avoiding all invidious Reflections upon the Reverend Doctor long since deceased I shall now conclude heartily wishing that whatever he hath written or published had never done any more prejudice to that Church which he undertook to serve than any of those Writings or Opinions of the Lord Primat's which he so much finds fault with FINIS A COLLECTION Of Three Hundred LETTERS Written between the Most Reverend Father in GOD JAMES USHER Late Lord Arch-Bishop of ARMAGH and most of the Eminentest Persons for PIETY and LEARNING in his Time both in ENGLAND and beyond the SEAS Collected and Published From Original Copies under their own Hands by RICHARD PARR D. D. his Lordships Chaplain at the Time of his Death with whom the Care of all his Papers were intrusted by his Lordship LONDON Printed for NATHANAEL RANEW at the King's Arms in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCLXXXVI THE CONTENTS LETTER I. A Letter from Mr. James Usher to Mr. Richard Stanihurst at the English Colledge in Lovain Page 1. II. A Letter from Mr. James Usher to Mr. William Eyres 2 III. A Letter from Mr. William Eyres to Mr. James Usher 3 IV. A Letter from Mr. Henry Briggs to Mr. James Usher 11 V. A Letter from Mr. Thomas Lydiat to Mr. James Usher 13 VI. A Letter from Mr. James Usher to Mr. Thomas Lydiat 14 VII A Letter from Mr. James Usher to Mr. Thomas Lydiat 15 VIII A Letter from Mr. James Usher to Dr. Challoner 16 IX A Letter from Mr. Samuel Ward to Mr. James Usher 17 X. A Letter from Mr. James Usher to Mr. Samuel Ward 18 XI A Letter from Mr. Samuel Ward to Mr James Usher 22 XII A Letter from Mr. Alexander Cook to Mr. James Usher 32 XIII A Letter from Mr. Samuel Ward to Mr. James Usher 33 XIV A Letter from Mr. Samuel Ward to Mr. James Usher 34 XV. A Letter from Mr. William Eyres to Mr. James Usher 34 XVI A Letter from Mr. Henry Briggs to Mr. James Usher 35 XVII A Letter from the Most Reverend Tobias Matthews Arch-Bishop of York to Mr. James Usher 36 XVIII A Letter from Mr. Thomas Gataker to Mr. James Usher 37 XIX A Letter from Mr. Robert Usher to Dr. James Usher 38 XX. A Letter from Mr. Thomas Lydiat to Dr. James Usher 39 XXI A Letter from Dr. James Usher to Mr. Thomas Lydiat 43 XXII A Letter from Dr. James Usher concerning the Death and Satisfaction of Christ. 46 XXIII An Answer to some Objections against the said Letter by Dr. James Usher 49 XXIV A Letter from Sr. Henry Bourgchier to Dr. James Usher 53 XXV A Letter from Mr. William Crashaw to Dr. James Usher 55 XXVI A Letter from Mr. Thomas Gataker to Dr. James Usher 56 XXVII A Letter from Mr. Thomas Lydiat to Dr. James Usher 57 XXVIII A Letter from Mr. William Eyres to Dr. James Usher 59 XXIX A Letter from Mr. James Warren to Dr. James Usher 60 XXX A Letter from Dr. James Usher to Mr. Thomas Lydiat 60 XXXI A Letter from Sr. Henry Bourgchier to Dr. James Usher 61 XXXII A Letter from Mr. William Eyres to Dr. James Usher 62 XXXIII A Letter from Dr. James Usher to Mr. William Camden 63 XXXIV A Letter from Mr. William Camden to Dr. James Usher 65 XXXV A Letter from Mr. Thomas Warren to Dr. James Usher 66 XXXVI A Letter from the Right Reverend Thomas Morton Bishop of Chester to Dr. James Usher 67 XXXVII A Letter from Mr. Samuel Ward to Dr. James Usher 67 XXXVIII A Letter from Dr. James Usher to Mr. Thomas Lydiat 68 XXXIX A Letter from Dr. James Usher 71 XL. A Letter from Mr. Edward Browncker to Dr. James Usher 72 XLI A Letter from Dr. James Usher Bishop Elect of Meath to the most Reverend Dr. Hampton Arch-Bishop of Armagh 73 XLII A Letter from the most Reverend Dr. Hampton Arch-Bishop of Armagh to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 75 XLIII A Letter from Mr. Thomas Gataker to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 76 XLIV A Letter from Sir William Boswell to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 77 XLV A Letter from Sir Henry Spelman to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 78 XLVI A Letter from Mr. John Selden to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 78 XLVII A Letter from Sir Robert Cotton to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 79 XLVIII A Letter from Sir Henry Bourgchier to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 80 XLIX A Letter from the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath to Mr. John Selden 81 L. A Letter from Dr. Samuel Ward to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 81 LI. A Letter from the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath to Oliver Lord Grandison 83 LII A Letter from the most Reverend Dr. Hampton Arch-Bishop of Armagh to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 84 LIII A Letter from the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath to Dr. Samuel Ward 85
of Dublin And when the Sum was raised it was resolved by the Benefactors That Dr. Challoner and Mr. James Usher should have the said 1800 l. paid into their hands to procure such Books as they should judge most necessary for the Library and most useful for advancement of Learning which they accordingly undertook and coming into England for that purpose where as also from beyond Sea they procured the best Books in all kinds which were then to be had So that they most faithfully discharged that great trust to the Donors and the whole Colledges great satisfaction And it is somewhat remarkable that at this time when the said Persons were at London about laying out this money in Books they then met Sir Thomas Bodley there buying Books for his new erected Library at Oxford so that there began a correspondence between them upon this occasion helping each other to procure the choicest and best Books on several subjects that could be gotten so that the famous Bodleyan Library at Oxford and that of Dublin began together About this time the Chancellorship of St. Patrick Dublin was conferred on him by Dr. Loftus then Arch-Bishop of Dublin which was the first Ecclesiastical Preferment that he had and which he retained without taking any other Benefice until he was thence promoted to the Bishoprick of Meath Here he lived single for some years and kept Hospitality proportionable to his Incomes nor cared he for any overplus at the years end for indeed he was never a hoarder of money but for Books and Learning he had a kind of laudable covetousness and never thought a good Book either Manuscript or Printed too dear And in this place Mr. Cambden found him Anno 1607. when he was putting out the last Edition of his Britannia where speaking of Dublin he concludes thus Most of which I acknowledge to owe to the diligence and labour of James Usher Chancellor of the Church of St. Patricks who in various learning and judgment far exceeds his years And though he had here no particular obligation to preach unless sometimes in his course before the State yet he would not omit it in the place from whence he received the profits viz. Finglass not far from Dublin which he endowed with a Vicaridge and preached there every Lord's Day unless hindered by very extraordinary occasions year 1607 In the year 1607. being the seven and twentieth of his age he took the degree of Batchelor of Divinity and soon after he was chosen Divinity Professor in the University of Dublin wherein he continued thirteen years reading weekly throughout the whole year his Lectures were Polemical upon the chief Controversies in Religion especially those Points and Doctrines maintained by the Romish Church confuting their Errors and answering their Arguments by Scripture Antiquity and sound Reason which was the method he still used in that Exercise as also in his Preaching and Writings when he had to do with Controversies of that Nature then most proper to be treated on not only because incumbent upon him by virtue of his place as Professor but also in respect of Popery then prevailing in that Kingdom But as for those many learned and elaborate Lectures he then read written with his own hand and worthy to be Printed we cannot tell what is become of them those and many other of his Pieces full of excellent Learning being dispersed or lost by the many sudden removals of his Papers or detained by such to whom they were lent and as 't is pity any of the Works of this great man should be lost so I wish that those Persons who have any of them in their hands would restore them to compleat these Remains since they cannot be so useful in private Studies as they would be if published to the World year 1609 About this time there was a great dispute about the Herenagh Terman or Corban Lands which anciently the Chorepiscopi received which as well concerned the Bishops of England as Ireland He wrote a learned Treatise of it so approved that it was sent to Arch-Bishop Bancroft and by him presented to King James the substance of which was afterwards Translated by Sir Henry Spelman into Latin and published in the first part of his Glossary as himself acknowledgeth giving him there this Character Literarum insignis Pharus Which Treatise is still in Manuscript in the Arch-Bishop's Library at Lambeth This year also he came over into England to buy Books and to converse with learned men and was now first taken notice of at Court preaching before the Houshold which was a great honour in those days And now whilst here he made it his business to inquire into the most hidden and private paths of Antiquity for which purpose he inquired after and consulted the best Manuscripts of both Universities and in all Libraries both publick and private and came acquainted with the most learned men here such as Mr. Cambden Sir Robert Cotton Sir John Bourchier after Earl of Bath Mr. Selden Mr. Brigs Astronomy Professor in the University of Oxford Mr. Lydiat Dr. Davenant after Lord Bishop of Salisbury Dr. Ward off Cambridge and divers others with most of whom he kept a constant Friendship and Correspondence to their Deaths After this he constantly came over into England once in three years spending one Month of the Summer at Oxford another at Cambridge the rest of the time at London spending his time chiefly in the Cottonian Library the Noble and Learned Master of which affording him a free access not only to that but his own Conversation year 1610 This being the thirtieth years of his age he was unanimously chosen by the Fellows of Dublin Colledge to the Provostship of that House but he refused it fearing it might prove a hinderance to his studies no other reason caN be given for his refusal For at that time he was deeply engaged in the Fathers Councils and Church History comparing Things with Things Times with Times gathering and laying up in store Materials for the repairing of the decayed Temple of Knowledge and endeavouring to separate the purer Mettal from the Dross with which Time Ignorance and the Arts of ill designing men had in latter Ages corrupted and sophisticated it For some years before he began to make large Notes and Observations upon the Writings of the Fathers and other Theological Authors beginning with those of the first Century and so going on with the rest as they occurred in order of time passing his judgment on their Works and divers Passages in them which were genuine which spurious or forged or else ascribed to wrong Authors So that in the space of about eighteen or nineteen years in which he made it his chief study he had read over all the Greek and Latin Fathers as also most of the considerable School-men and Divines from the first to the thirteenth Century So he was now well able to judge whether the passages quoted by our adversaries were truly cited or not or
that Government as well Ecclesiastical as Civil We have taken in special consideration the growth and increase of the Romish Faction there and cannot but from thence collect That the Clergy of that Church are not so careful as they ought to be either of God's Service or the honour of themselves and their Profession in removing all pretences of Scandal in their lives and conversation wherefore as We have by all means endeavoured to provide for them a competency of maintenance so We shall expect hereafter on their part a reciprocal diligence both by their Teaching and Example to win that Ignorant and Superstitious People to joyn with them in the true Worship of God And for that purpose We have thought fit by these Our Letters not only to excite your care of these things according to your Duty and dignity of your Place in that Church but further to Authorize you in Our Name to give by your Letters to the several Bishops in your Province a special charge requiring them to give notice to their Clergy under them in their Diocesses respectively That all of them be careful to do their Duty by Preaching and Catechising in the Parishes committed to their charge And that they live answerable to the Doctrine which they Preach to the People And further We Will that in Our Name you write to every Bishop within your Province That none of them presume to hold with their Bishopricks any Benefice or other Ecclesiastical dignity whatsoever in their own hands or to their own use save only such as We have given leave under Our Broad Seal of that Our Kingdom to hold in Commendam And of this We require you to be very careful because there is a complaint brought to the said Lords Committees for Irish Affairs That some Bishops there when Livings fall void in their Gift do either not dispose them so soon as they ought but keep the profits in their own hands to the hinderance of God's Service and great offence of good People or else they give them to young and mean men which only bear the Name reserving the greatest part of the Benefice to themselves by which means that Church must needs be very ill and weakly served of which abuses and the like if any shall be practised We require you to take special care for present redress of them and shall expect from you such account of your endeavours herein as may discharge you not to Us only but to God whose honour and service it concerns Given under Our Signet at Our Palace atWestminster the twelfth of April in the Sixth year of Our Reign By which Letter it is manifest how highly his Majesty was offended at the increase of the Popish party in that Kingdom and therefore would have all diligence used to prevent it as also other abuses reformed which had it seems crept in by degrees amongst the Protestant Clergy there But how little his Majesty liked the Romish Religion the Lord Primate was before very well satisfied by this Memorandum which I have of his own hand writing in a Book of his viz. The King once at White-Hall in the presence of George Duke of Buckingham of his own accord said to me That he never loved Popery in all his life But that he never detested it before his going into Spain But to return to the matter in hand the Lord Primate in pursuance of his Majestie 's Command which so fully agreed with his own desires set himself diligently to put in execution what had been committed to his care as well for the good of the Church as his Majestie 's Service He therefore endeavoured to reform first those disorders which had been complained of in his own Province and which had been in good measure rectified already as has been already mentioned and in the next place he made it his business to reclaim those deluded People who had been bred up in that Religion from their infancy for which end he began to converse more frequently and familiarly with the Gentry and Nobility of that perswasion as also with divers of the Inferior sort that dwelt near him inviting them often to his House and discoursing with them with great mildness of the chief Tenets of their Religion by which gentle usage he was strangely successful convincing many of them of their Errors and bringing them to the knowledge of the Truth And he also advised the Bishops and Clergy of his Province to deal with the Popish Recusants in their several Diocesses and Cures after the same manner that if possible they might make them understand their Errors and the danger in which they were which way in a Country where there are no Penal Laws to restrain the publick Profession of that Religion was the best if not the only means which could be used Nor was his care confined only to the conversion of the ignorant Irish Papists but he also endeavoured the reduction of the Scotch and English Sectaries to the bosom of the Church as it was by Law established conferring and arguing with divers of them as well Ministers as Lay-men and shewing them the weakness of those Scruples and Objections they had against their joyning with the publick Service of the Church and submitting to its Government and Discipline and indeed the Lord Primate was now so taken up in Conferences with all sorts of Persons or in answering Letters from Learned men abroad or else such as applied themselves to him for his judgment in difficult points in Divinity or resolutions in Cases of Conscience that whoever shall consider this as also his many Civil and Ecclesiastical Functions together with the constant course of his Studies must acknowledge that none but one of his large capacity and who made a constant good use of his time could ever be sufficient for so many and so different imployments About the end of this year I find the Arch-Bishop was in England by his publishing and printing at London a small Treatise of the Religion Anciently professed by the Irish which comprehends also the Northern Scots and Britains which he writ in English to satisfie the Gentry and better sort of People that the Religion professed by the Ancient Bishops Priests Monks and other Christians of these Kingdoms was the very same in the most material Points with that which is now maintained by publick Authority against those novel and foreign Doctrines introduced by the Bishop of Rome in latter times The next year Anno 1632. the Lord Primate after his return into Ireland published his Veterum Epistolarum Hybernicarum Sylloge containing a choice Collection of Letters out of several Ancient Manuscripts and other Authors partly from and partly to Ancient Irish Bishops and Monks Commencing about the year of our Lord 592. to the year 1180. concerning the Affairs of the Irish Church in those times which abundantly shew the great esteem the Learning and Piety of the Bishops and Clergy of that Church had then both at Rome France
the unhappy Wars which not long after followed yet he made shift to subsist upon it with some other helps until that Rebellious House of Commons seized upon all Bishops Lands and though in consideration of his great losses in Ireland as also of his own Merits and to make him some satisfaction for what they took away they Voted him a Pension of four hundred pounds per Annum yet I cannot hear that he ever received it above once or twice at most for the Independant Faction getting uppermost soon put an end to that payment His Majesty having now left London by reason of the Tumults Anno 1642 there and the undutifulness of the House of Commons towards him the Lord Primate being more deeply afflicted for these breaches than for all his own private sufferings Having now no more satisfaction in abiding longer at London he resolved to remove thence for Oxford not long before his Majesty's coming thither and here though the Lord Primate's outward condition was much lessened to what it was before yet his greatness being founded upon a more solid bottom than riches and outward splendor he was received with the same or rather greater kindness and respect than before The Reverend Dr. Prideaux Bishop of Worcester his good friend lent him his House adjoyning to Exeter Colledge which he accepted of as being near his business at the publick Library where he now pursued his studies preparing divers Treatises for the publick view some of which he also printed there as shall be hereafter mentioned nor did he less endeavour to be serviceable to mens Souls than to the common-wealth of Learning preaching commonly at one Church or other every Sunday and for great part of the time in the forenoons sometimes at St. Olives and sometimes at Alhallows where he had constantly a great Audience both of Scholars and others where notwithstanding the Learnedness of most of his Hearers he rather chose a plain substantial way of Preaching for the promoting of Piety and Vertue than studied Eloquence or a vain ostentation of Learning so that he quite put out of countenance that windy affected sort of Oratory which was then much in use called floride preaching or strong lines And I remember I then heard that there was a person in the University very much famed for that kind of preaching who after he had sometimes heard the Lord Primate's Sermons and observing how plain and yet moving they were and being sufficiently satisfied that it was not for want of Wit or Learning that he did not do otherwise he was soon convinced that this was not the most ready way of gaining Souls and therefore quitting his affected Style and studied Periods took up a more plain and profitable way of preaching so that coming afterwards to visit the Lord Primate he gave him many thanks and told him he had now learned of him how to preach and that since he had followed his example he had found more satisfaction in his own Conscience and comfort in his Ministry than ever he had before And I remember one Sermon above the rest which he preached in Exeter Colledge Chappel about that time the Text Prov. 18. 1. Through desire a man having separated himself seeketh and intermedleth with all Wisdom in which Sermon he so lively and pathetically set forth the excellency of true Wisdom as well Humane as Divine and that desire which every ingenious and vertuous Soul ought to have for it that it wrought so effectually upon the hearts of many of the younger Students that it rendered them more serious and made them ply their Studies much harder than before The first Sunday after his Majesty's return to Oxford from the fights of Edge-hill and Brainford the Lord Primate was called to preach before him as he did likewise on divers other more solemn occasions both in this and the following year About this time likewise the Lord Primate came acquainted year 1643 with the most Learned and Pious Dr. Hammond with whom he contracted so intimate a friendship that it continued to his dying day and though some persons I suppose rather out of misinformation than malice have reported That the Lord Primate should give a scandalous unbeseeming Character of the Doctor he was ever so far from it that he never mentioned him without due kindness and respect as you will find by some Letters in this Collection wherein you may see the Lord Primate much concerned for an aspersion of the like nature with this imputed to him but cast upon him indeed by a foreign Writer a learned though violent and obstinate asserter of his own Anti-Episcopal Opinions contrary to those of the Doctor 's This Summer the Lord Primate was nominated though against his desire to be one of the Assembly of Divines at Westminster as were also Dr. Brownrig Bishop of Exeter Dr. West field Bishop of Bristol and divers others of the Orthodox Clergy but the Lord Primate neither approved of the Authority that named him nor yet of the business they met about so that he never troubled himself to go thither but when that mock Assembly found he scorned to come among them they complained of him to the House of Commons who soon voted him out again which yet the Arch-Bishop took more kindly than their chusing him into it And now when this prevalent Faction sitting at Westminster found that the Arch-Bishop was not for their turn but to the contrary had in divers Sermons at Oxford preached against their Rebellions Proceedings they were so inraged at him that the Committee they had appointed for Delinquents Estates as they Nick-named those who now faithfully served their Prince made an Order for the seizing of a Study of Books of a considerable value which he had either brought over with him or bought here and were left behind in Chelsy Colledge which were seized accordingly and had been sold by them had not Dr. Featly who was then in some favour with them by reason of his being one that sate in that Assembly though otherwise Orthodox and Loyal made an interest with them by the means of Mr. Selden a Member of the House as also of the Assembly to obtain those Books for his own use either as a gift or by laying down some money for them and so got them into his hands and secured them for my Lord Brimat's use at least as many of them as were not imbezled or stollen away whilst they were in their custody as amongst other things divers Papers and Collections of his own Writing with all his Letters either to or from his learned friends which he had left behind him there were then plundered and for which loss this ensuing Collection does fare the worse About this time my Lord Primate published a small but learned Treatise Entided A Geographical and Historical disquisition touching the lesser Asia properly so called Viz. The Lydian Asia so often mentioned in the New Testament and by Ecclesiastical and other Writers by the
though upon a sad occasion of his Majesty's excellent conversation in the same House who received him with his wonted kindness and favour Whilst he was here the Lord Primate preached before him in the Castle and when his Majesty went away and that the Lord Primate had taken his leave of him I heard him declare that nothing came nearer to his heart than the imminent danger of the King and Church with the effusion of so much Christian Blood His Majesty's necessities now not permitting him to leave many men in Garrisons he was now forced to unfurnish this as well as others of its Souldiers and Ammunition so that Sir Timothy Tyrrel was forced to quit that Government by reason of which the Arch-Bishop being forced to remove was in a great strait whether to go the ways from thence to Oxford being all cut off by the Enemy so that he had some thoughts being near the Sea of going over into France or Holland to both which places he had been formerly invited as hath been already mentioned But whilst he was in this perplexity the Lady Dowager Stradling sent him a kind invitation to come to her Castle of St. Donates as soon as he pleased which he accepted as a great favour But by that time he was ready to go with his Daughter the Lady Tyrrel the Country thereabouts was up in Arms in a tumultuous manner to the number of Ten Thousand as was supposed who chose themselves Officers to form them into a Body pretending for the King but yet would not be governed by English Commanders or suffer any English Garrisons in the Country this gave the Lord Primate a fresh disturbance the Welch-men lying upon the ways between that place and St. Donates but there were some at that time in Caerdiffe who would needs undertake to convey the Lord Primate and his company through by ways so that they might avoid this tumultuous Rabble which though it might be well advised by the then Governor of Caerdiffe and was faithfully enough executed by them that undertook it yet happened very ill for my Lord and those that were with him for going by some private ways near the Mountains they fell into a stragling Party that were scouting thereabouts who soon led them to their main Body where it was Crime enough that they were English so that they immediately fell to plundering and breaking open my Lord Brimate's Chests of Books and other things which he then had with him ransacking all his Manuscripts and Papers many of them of his own hand writing which were quickly dispersed among a thousand hands and not content with this they pulled the Lord Primate and his Daughter and other Ladies from their Horses all which the Lord Primate bore with his wonted patience and a seeming unconcernedness But now some of their Officers coming in who were of the Gentry of the Country seemed very much ashamed of this barbarous treatment and by force or fair means caused their Horses and other things which were taken from them to be restored but as for the Books and Papers they were got into too many hands to be then retrieved nor were these Gentlemen satisfied with this but some of them very civilly conducted him through the rest of this tumultuous Rabble to Sir John Aubery's House not far off where he was civilly received and lodged that Night When he came thither and had retired himself I must confess that I never saw him so much troubled in my life and those that were with him before my self said That he seemed not more sensibly concerned for all his losses in Ireland than for this saying to his Daughter and those that endeavoured to comfort him I know that it is God's hand and I must endeavour to bear it patiently though I have too much humane frailty not to be extremely concerned for I am touched in a very tender place and He has thought â—it to take from me at once all that I have been gathering together above these twenty years and which I intended to publish for the advancement of Learning and the good of the Church The next day divers of the neighbouring Gentry and Clergy came to Visit him and to Condole this irreparable loss promising to do their utmost endeavours that what Books or Papers were not burnt or torn should be restored and so very civilly waited on him to St. Donates And to let you see that these Gentlemen and Ministers did not only promise but were also able to perform it they so used their power with the people that publishing in the Churches all over those parts That all that had any such Books or Papers should bring them to their Ministers or Landlords which they accordingly did so that in the space of two or three Months there were brought in to him by parcels all his Books and Papers so fully that being put altogether we found not many wanting those most remarkable that I or others can call to mind were two Manuscripts concerning the VValdenses which he much valued and which he had obtained toward the continuing of his Ecclesiarum Christianarum Successione As also another Manuscript Catalogue of the Persian Kings communicated by Elikmannus and one Volume of Manuscripts Variae Lectiones of the New Testament And of Printed Books only Tully's Works and some others of less concernment Whilst the Lord Primate was at St. Donates till he could get his own Books and Papers again he spent his time chiefly in looking over the Books and Manuscripts in the Library in that Castle and which had been collected by Sir Edward Stradling a great Antiquary and friend of Mr. Cambden's and out of some of these Manuscripts the L. Primate made many choice Collections of the British or Welch Antiquity which I have now in my Custody Within a little more than a Month after my Lord Primate's coming hither he was taken with a sharp and dangerous illness which began at first with the Strangury and suppression of Urine with extremity of torture which at last caused a violent bleeding at the Nose for near forty hours together without any considerable intermission no means applied could stop it so that the Physicians and all about him dispaired of his life till at last when we apprehended he was expiring it stanched of it self for he lay a good while in a trance but God had some farther work for him to perform and was pleased by degrees to restore him to his former health and strength but it is worth the remembering that whilst he was in the midst of his pain as also his bleeding he was still patient praising God and resigning up himself to his Will and giving all those about him or that came to visit him excellent Heavenly advice to a Holy Life and due preparation for death e're its Agonies seized them saying It is a dangerous thing to leave all undone till our last sickness I fear a Death-bed Repentance will avail us little if we have lived
him in converting her Lord and securing her self from Popery as has been already related So after some consideration he thought fit to accept this kind proffer and after having obtained Passes for his Journey he left St. Donates after almost a years residence there But it must not be here forgotten That before he left Wales the great expences of his sickness and removals in the year past had much reduced him as to his Purse nor knew he where to get it supplyed when it pleased God to put it into the hearts of divers worthy Persons of that Countrey to consider that the Lord Primate had not only suffered much by the rudeness of the Rabble as hath been already related but also by a long and expensive sickness So they sent him unknown to each other divers considerable Sums so that he had in a few weeks enough to supply all his present occasions and also to defray the expences of his Journey into England This the good Bishop accounted a special Providence and was very thankful for it And I thought good to take notice of it that it may serve as a memorial of the high Generosity and Charity of the Gentry of this Countrey at that time So that considering all those fore-mentioned occurrences the Lord Primate might very well say with St. Paul In Journeyings often in perils of Waters in perils of Robbers in perils among false Brethren in Weariness and Painfulness in Afflictions Necessities in Tumults in evil and good Report Yet in all these Tryals he could still say Though chastned yet not killed as sorrowful yet rejoicing though poor yet making many rich c. So that in all these dispensations he fainted not his Faith and Patience were still Victorious So the Lord Primate arrived safe at the Countess of Peterborough's House in London in June following where he was most kindly received by her and from this time he commonly resided with her at some or other of her Houses till his death where now he met with a fresh disturbance there was an Order of Parliament That whosever should come from any of the King's Garrisons to London must signifie their names to the Committee at Goldsmiths-Hall and there give notice of their being in Town and where they lodged accordingly June 18th he sent me to Goldsmiths-Hall to acquaint them that the Arch-Bishop of Armagh was in Town and at the Countess of Peterborough's House but they refused to take notice of his being in Town without his personal appearance so upon a Summons from the Committee of Examinations at Westminster he appeared before them being advised by his friends so to do they strictly examined him where he had been ever since his departure from London and whether he had any leave for his going from London to Oxford he answered he had a Pass from a Committee of both Houses they demanded farther whether Sir Charles Coote or any other ever desired him to use his power with the King for a Toleration of Religion in Ireland He answered That neither Sir Charles Coote nor any other ever moved any such thing to him but that as soon as he heard of the Irish Agent 's coming to Oxford he went to the King and beseeched his Majesty not to do any thing with the Irish in point of Religion without his knowledge which his Majesty promised he would not and when the point of Toleration came to be debated at the Council-Board the King with all the Lords there absolutely denyed it and he professed for his part that he was ever against it as a thing dangerous to the Protestant Religion Having answered these Queries the Chair-man of the Committee offered him the Negative Oath which had been made on purpose for all those that had adhered to the King or came from any of his Garrisons but he desired time to consider of that and so was dismissed and appeared no more for Mr. Selden and others of his friends in the House made use of their interest to put a stop to that trouble Not long after this he retired with the Countess of Peterborough to her House at Rygate in Surrey where he often preached either in her Chappel or in the Parish Church of that place and always whilst he continued here there frequently resorted to him many of the best of the Gentry and Clergy thereabouts as well to enjoy his excellent Conversation as for his Opinion and Advice in matters of Religion About the beginning of this year he was chosen by the Honourable Society of Lincolns-Inn to be their Preacher which after year 1647 some solicitations he accepted and the Treasurer and Benchers of that House whereof his good friend Mr. Hales since L. Chief Justice was one ordered him handsome Lodgings ready furnished as also divers Rooms for his Library which was about this time brought up from Chesten being almost all the remains of his worldly substance that had escaped the fury of the Rebels Here he was most kindly received and treated with all respect and honour constantly preaching all the Term time for almost Eight years till at last his Eye-sight and Teeth beginning to fail him so that he could not be well heard in so large a Congregation he was forced about a year and half before his death to quit that place to the great trouble of that Honourable Society About this time he published his Diatriba de Romanae Ecclesiae Symbolo Apostolico vetere aliis fidei formulis wherein he gives a learned account of that which is commonly called The Apostles Creed and shews the various Copies which were used in the Roman Church with other forms of Confessions of Faith that were wont to be proposed to the Catechumeni and younger sort of People in the Eastern and Western Churches together with several other Monuments of Antiquity relating to the same This he dedicated to his Learned Friend Ger. Vossius About the beginning of this year he published his Learned Dissertation year 1648 concerning the Solar Year anciently used among the Macedonians Syrians and Inhabitants of Asia properly so called in which he explains many great difficulties in Chronology and Ecclesiastical History and has particularly fixed the time of the Martyrdom of St. Polycarp He hath also here compared the Grecian and Macedonian months with the Julian and with those also of other Nations and having laid down the method and entire disposition of the Macedonian and Asiatick year he thought fit to add certain Rules whereby to find out the Cycles of the Sun and Moon and Easter for ever with several curious accounts of the Celestial Motions according to the Ancient Greek Astronomers Meton Calippus Eudoxus and others together with an Ephemeris at the end of it being an entire Greek and Roman Kalendar for the whole year with the Rising and Setting of the Stars in that Climate In this small Treatise my Lord Primate has shewed himself admirably well skill'd in Astronomical as well as Chronological Learning
Learning for the first I shall say in general That he always adhered to and maintained the fundamental Catholick Truths observing that Golden Rule concerning Traditions Quod ubique quod ab omnibus quod semper Creditum est c. and never approved of any Religion under what pretence soever obtruded or introduced contrary to the Scriptures and Primitive Truths received and professed in the Church of Christ in all Ages and upon this account could never comply with nor approve of the new Doctrines and Worship obtruded and practised in the Church of Rome as now it is but always protested against their Innovations and humane Inventions as doth most evidently appear in his Writings bearing Testimony against their Corruptions False and Erroneous principles And as for the great Scholars and Leading Men of the Romish Church the Lord Primate usually said That it is no Marvel if they had a veil cast over their Eyes as St. Paul said of the Jews in the reading of the Scriptures for besides the several judgments of God upon them that have blinded their own Eyes their Minds are so prepossessed and Corrupted with false Principles Prejudices and Worldly interest that it is no wonder if they cannot perceive the most manifest and plainest Truths But as this good Mans judgment was sound and not byassed by prejudice or passion or worldly interest so did he heartily approve of the Religion professed and established in the Church of England as most Congruous to the Holy Scriptures and Primitive Christianity and in which if a Man keep the Faith and Lives according to its precepts persevering he need not doubt of his Salvation And in this Faith and Communion of the Church of England he lived Holily and died happily And this Holy Primate being fully perswaded in his own Mind laboured instantly to reduce Popish Recusants and Sectaries from their Errors and vain Conceits to inform them aright and to perswade them for their Souls good to comply with and embrace the Religion and Communion of the Church of England and this he aimed to bring about by his Writing Preaching and Conference upon all occasions and was successful in that enterprise But now for his Opinion in some nice points of Religion that do not touch the foundation of Faith he would not be rigorously Dogmatical in his own Opinions as to impose on others Learned and Pious Men of a different Apprehension in the more obscure points with whom nevertheless thô not altogether of his judgment he had a friendly Conversation and mutual Affection and Respect seeing they agreed in the points necessary Would to God That the Learned and Pious Men in these Days were of the like temper It will be needless here to mention any more particulars of his judgment in several points seeing there are so many instances of this kind in the Collection to which I refer the Reader Yet before I leave this matter I think fit to mind you of some Treatises published by Doctor Bernard after the Primates Death Intituled The judgment of the late Lord Primate on several Subjects 1. Of Spiritual Babylon on Rev. 18. 4. 2. Of Laying on of Hands Heb. 6. 2. and the ancient form of Words in Ordination 3. Of a set form of Prayer in the Church Each being the judgment of the late Bishop of Armagh which being not set down in my Lord Primates own Words nor written by him in the Method and Order they are there put into cannot be reckoned being much enlarged by the Dr. as himself confesseth therefore cannot so well vouch them as if I had been certain that all he writes were purely the Lord Primate 's since the Papers out of which the Doctor says he Collected them were never restored to my Custody thô borrowed under that Trust that they should be so and therefore I desire that those into whose hands those Manuscripts are now fallen since the Drs. decease would restore them either to my self or the Lord Primates Relations And tho perhaps some of those Letters published by Dr. Bernard might have been as well omitted or at least some private reflections of them left out concerning a Person easily provoked to bitterness and ill words being provoked by the publishing those Letters writ an invective Book on purpose to answer to what was contained therein and not contented with this has likewise bestowed great part of that Book to tax my Lord Primates Opinions and Actions as differing from the Church of England only to lessen the Esteem and Veneration which he deservedly had with all those who loved the King and Church of England as also to maintain those old Stories broached before concerning the repeal of the Irish Articles and the Death of the Earl of Strafford to which last particulars I need say no more than what I have already spoken in the Lord Primate's Vindication and as to the former relating to my Lord's Opinions and Actions a near Relation of the Lord Primate's has I hope vindicated him sufficiently in an Appendix at the end of this Account so that I shall concern my self no farther therewith I have now no more to do than to give you a short account of his Opinions in some of the most difficult parts of Learning with some Observations which either my self or others that convers'd with him can remember we have received from him by way of discourse though not the Twentieth part of what might have been retrieved in this kind had this task been undertaken many years agone whilst these things were fresh in our memories and whilst many more of his learned friends were alive who must needs have received divers learned remarks from his excellent conversation As for the Lord Primate's Opinions in Critical Learning it is very well known as well by his Discourse as Writings that he still defended the certainty and purity of the Hebrew Text of the Old Testament before the Translation of the Septuagint since he doubted whether this we have were the true Translation of the LXX or not as you may see in his Epistle to Valesius and his Answer thereunto which controversie as it is a subject above my capacity to give a Judgment on having exercised as it still does both the Wits and Pens of the greatest Scholars in this present Age So I heartily wish That it may never tend to the disadvantage not only of our own but indeed of the whole Christian Religion with Prophane and Sceptical men for whilst one Party decry the Hebrew Text as obscure and corrupted by the Jews and the other side shew the failings and mistakes of the Greek Translation sufficient to prove that it was not performed by men Divinely Inspired it gives the Weak and more Prophane sort of Readers occasion to doubt of the Divine Authority of these Sacred Records though notwithstanding all the differences that have hitherto been shown between the Hebrew Original and Greek Translation do not God be thanked prove of greater moment than
and his Epistle to Lud. Capellus concerning the various readings of the Hebrew Text speak him a great Critick in the Greek and Hebrew Tongues and his Annals of the Old and New Testament do shew how great a Master he was in all the Ancient Authors both Sacred and Prophane besides several other smaller Treatises as well in Latin as English viz. Of the Macedonian Year the Geographical Description of the lesser Asia c. each of which shew his great skill either in Astronomy ancient Geography or the Civil Laws of the Roman Empire besides divers other smaller Works of his too many to be here particularly inserted and therefore I shall refer the Reader to the Catalogue added at the end of this Account Yet must I not omit particularly to take notice of two excellent Posthumous Treatises of his which have not been yet mentioned as being published since his death the first is that of the Power of the Prince and Obedience of the Subject which was written by the King's Command during the late Wars but forborn then to be published because the corruption of those Times still growing worse and worse would not bear this sound Doctrine nor did he think it proper to do it in the short time of that Usurper lest he or others might have interpreted it to his advantage but not long after his late Majesty's happy Restauration it was Published and Dedicated to him by the Lord Primate's Grandson James Tyrrel with an excellent Preface written by that learned and good Bishop Sanderson in which he has given as true a Character of the Author as of the work it self in which he says with a great deal of truth That there is nothing which can be brought either from the Holy Scriptures Fathers Philosophers common Reason and the Laws and Statutes of this Realm to prove it altogether unlawful for Subjects to take up Arms against their Sovereign Prince but is there made use of with the greatest advantage The other Treatise is written in Latin entitled Chronologia Sacra which the Lord Primate never lived to finish but was as much of it as could be found though somewhat imperfectly published by the Learned and Reverend Dr. Barlow now Lord Bishop of Lincoln The occasion and design of this Treatise was to prove the Foundations of the accounts of time in his Annals and that his Chronological Calculations made use of in that work agreed with the accounts laid down in the Scriptures and Prophane Authors which could not be done in the Annals themselves without interrupting the Series of the Work In this he hath solved several difficulties relating to the History and Chronology of the Bible he began with the Creation though the first Chapter is lost being not to be found among his Papers yet in the next he gives an exact account of the differences between the Jewish Samaritan and Greek Calculations from the Creation to the Birth of Abraham which he carried on as far as the time of the Judges but was then interrupted by death Yet he had before happily perfected the account of the Reigns and Synchronisms of the Kings of Judah and Israel from Saul to the Babylonish Captivity which being more perfect than the other part was thought fit by the Printer or Publisher to be set before it though it be indeed contrary to the order of time It was great pity that my Lord did not live to finish this work which would have been of excellent use for the clearing of many difficulties and reconciling the differences between the Sacred and Prophane Chronology and History I may here likewise take notice of those many Volumes of his Collections and several of them all of his own hand on particular subjects both Theological Philological and Historical most of them extracted out of several Manuscripts in the Libraries of the Universities Cathedrals and private mens Studies there being scarce a choice Book or Manuscript in any of them but was known to him nor was he conversant in the Libraries of our own Nation alone but also knew most of the choice pieces in the Vatican Escurial and Imperial Library at Vienna as likewise in that of the King of France of Thuanus at Paris and Erpenius in Holland as still appears by the Catalogues he had procured of them divers of which I have now in my Custody and out of which Libraries he at his great cost procured divers Copies for his own use which made the most considerable Ornament of his Study But to return to his own Collections above mentioned which were the Store-Houses and Repositories from whence he furnished himself with materials for the writing of so many learned Treatises and out of which might be gathered matter towards the performing much more in the same kind though divers Volumes of them were borrowed by Dr. Bernard and never restored by him as I have already said Yet those that remain are thought very considerable by the several Learned men who have perused them and in particular the late judicious Lord Chief Justice Hale having borrowed several of them did out of them Transcribe those four Volumes which he bequeaths in his Will to the Library at Lincolns-Inn among divers other Manuscripts of his by the name of His Extracts out of the Lord Primate's Collections And for the satisfaction of the Reader I shall give you the Heads and Subjects of some of the most considerable of them at the end of this account So that the Lord Primate was like the wise Housholder in the Gospel who brought out of his Treasure things New and Old And a Learned man of this Nation compared the Arch-Bishop of Armagh not only to a careful Surveyor who collects all sorts of materials for his building before he begins his work but also to a skilful Architect who knew Artificially how to frame and put together the materials before Collected till they became one strong entire and uniform Structure Nor does any thing more express the great strength of the Lord Primate's memory than those Collections which though promiscuously gathered by way of Adversaria according as those Subjects offered themselves yet could he as readily call to mind and find out any particular in them which he had occasion to make use of as if they had been digested in the more exact method of a Common-place-Book So that he certainly deserved a much higher Character than that Dr. Heylin Sarcastically puts upon him Of a walking Concordance and living Library as if he had been only an Index for such wise men as himself to make use of but greater Scholars than he had far higher and more Reverend thoughts of him there being scarce a Learned Writer of this present Age who does not mention his great Piety Learning and Judgment with honour and veneration I had once collected a great many Elogies of this kind from the Writings of divers considerable Authors but since I find that done already by others and that it would swell this work
Primis Haereticis Haeresibus Judaeorum Annotationes Rabbinicae ex Scriptis Rabbinorum eorum Scarae Scripturae Interpretum Imperatorum Christianorum à Constantino magno usque ad Justinianum Constitutiones Epistolae collectae recensitae Veterum Anglo-Saxorum Monumenta Anglo-Saxonicarum Epistolarum Sylloge ex variis Manuscriptis Epistolae Alcuini variae ad diversos Missae ineditae in Bibliothecâ Cottonianâ Manuscriptis collectae recensitae Epistolae venerabilis Archiepiscop Lanfranci ad diversos Missae ex antiquissimo exemplari Bibliothecae Cottonianae collectae recensitae Collectiones Genealogicae Historicae Mathematicae Astrologicae Chronologicae Theologicae variae de quibus passim judicium fertur Memorandum THat out of the forementioned Manuscripts the Incomparable Sir Math. Hale late Lord Chief Justice having borrowed them extracted those four Volumes which he calls Chronological Remembrances extracted out of thë Notes of Bishop Usher mentioned in the Catalogue of his Manuscripts which he Left to the Honourable Society of Lincolns-Inn Besides those Manuscripts above cited the Primate Usher had Written his Polemical Lectures in the University of Dublin while professor there touching the Points in Controversie between the Protestants and Pontificians 3 Volumes 4 to Lost His Lectures pro formâ when he commenced Dr. of Divinity touching the 70 Weeks Dan. 9. 24. and de Mille Annis mentioned Apocal. 20. 4. Lost His Treatise of the Hermage and Corban Lands in England and Ireland yet to be seen in Bibliothecâ Lambethianâ His Collections and Observations touching the Advancement and Restauration of our Northern Antiquities in the Gothick Anglo-Saxonick and the like obscure Languages and also concerning the Doxology found in the very Ancient Gospels in Gothick His Numerous Epistles Latin and English touching matters of Learning and Religion many of them now Printed in Collection with others An APPENDIX to the Life of the Lord Primate USHER containing a vindication of his Opinions and Actions in reference to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England and his Conformity thereunto from the Aspersions of Peter Heylin D. D. in his Pamphlet called Respondet Petrus FInding that Dr. Heylin hath taken the pains to write this Book on purpose to callumniate and asperse the Lord Primates Memory and arraign his Opinions and Actions as not conformable to the Doctrines of the Church of England I cannot well omit to consider what that Author hath there laid to his charge how justly I shall leave to the impartial Reader to judg for I hope I shall make it appear that what the Lord Primate hath either publish'd or written in private Letters on those Subjects was on very good grounds and such as may very well be defended as agreeable to the Sence and Doctrine of our Church contained in the 39 Articles Or if after all I can say the Reader shall happen to think otherwise I desire him not to censure too hardly but to pass it by since such difference if any be was not in the fundamental Doctrines of our Religion but only some Points of lesser moment or in which the Church it self has not tied men either to this or that sence and that the Lord Primate held these Opinions not out of contradiction or singularity but only because he thought them more agreeable to Scripture and Reason tho in most of them I doubt not but to shew that the Doctor has stretched the Lord Primate's words farther than ever his own sence and meaning was But to come to the Points in which the Doctor hath made bold to question his Judgment the first is his Opinion of the Divine Morality of the Sabbath or Seventh days rest asserted by him in two several Letters published tho perhaps not so prudently with those private reflections by Dr. Bernard in which Controversy whether the Authorities made use of by the Lord Primate out of the Fathers and other Writers do not make out the Assertion by him laid down or whether the Doctor has fairly and ingenuously answered those Quotations he cites in those Letters I shall not here take upon me to examine but shall observe thus much That as it is a Doctrine held by some of the Fathers as also maintained by divers learned Divines and Bishops of our Church and therefore could not be so Puritanical as the Doctor would have it especially since the Lord Primate thought that he had the Church of England on his side as she hath declared her sence of this matter in the first part of the Homily of the time and place of Prayer viz. God hath given express charge to all Men that upon the Sabbath day which is now our Sunday they shall cease from all weekly and work-day labour to the intent that like as God himself wrought six days and rested the seventh and blessed and consecrated it to quietness and rest from labour even so God's obedient People should use the Sunday holily and rest from their common and daily business and also give themselves wholly to the heavenly exercise of God's true Religion and Service Which passage being expresly in the point of my Lord Primat's side the Sabbath day mentioned in the fourth Commandment being there called our Sunday and the same reason laid down for its observation viz. because God had rested on the seventh day c. The Doctor has no way to oppose this so express Authority but to make if possible this Homily to contradict it self and therefore he produces another passage just preceding in this Homily as making for his Opinion which that you may judge whether it does so or no I shall put down the passage as he himself hath cited it with his Conclusions from it and shall then further examine whether it makes so much of his side as he would have it viz. As concerning the time in which God hath appointed his People to assemble together solemnly it doth appear by the fourth Commandment c. And albeit this Commandment of God doth not bind Christian People so strictly to observe and keep the utter Ceremonies of the Sabbath day as it was given unto the Jews as touching the forbearing of work and labour and as touching the precise keeping of the seventh day after the manner of the Jews for we keep now the first day which is our Sunday and make that our Sabbath that is our day of rest in honour of our Saviour Christ who upon that day rose from death conquering the same most triumphantly yet notwithstanding whatsoever is found in the Commandment appertaining to the Law of Nature as a thing most godly most just and needful for the setting forth of God's Glory ought to be retained and kept of all good Christian People So that it being thus resolved that there is no more of the fourth Commandment to be retained by good Christian People than what is found appertaining to the Law of Nature and that the Law of Nature doth not tie us to one day in seven
all Monuments of Antiquity hath emboldned me at this time to put your Lordship in mind of a present occasion which may much conduce to the general good of all of us that employ our Studies in this kind of Learning That famous Library of Giâ—cono Barocci a Gentleman of Venice consisting of 242 Greek Manuscript Volumes is now brought into England by Mr. Fetherstone the Stationer Great pity it were that such a Treasure should be dissipated and the Books dispersed into private hands If by your Lordship's mediation the King's Majesty might be induced to take them into his own hand and add there unto that rare Collection of Arabick Manuscripts which my Lord Duke of Buckingham purchased from the Hens of Erpenius it would make that of his Majestys a Royal Library indeed and make some recompence of that incomparable loss which we have lately sustain'd in the Library of Heidelberg We have 〈◊〉 a poor return unto your Lordship of our Commission in the business of Pbeliâ— Mâ—â— Fâ—â—gh Birr and his Sons And because the directions which we received 〈◊〉 the Lords required the dispatch thereof with all convenient expedition 〈◊〉 we have made more haste I fear than good speed fully purposing in our selves that the examination which 〈…〉 taken should have come unto your 〈…〉 your Lordships Resolutions 〈…〉 have been notified before the beginning of Hilâ—â—y Teâ—m That things have fallen out otherwiseâ— iâ— that I confess wherein we shall be hardly 〈…〉 â—â—â— selves 〈…〉 that this important Business might in such 〈◊〉 be 〈…〉 that the Honour and Dignity of his Majesty 〈…〉 might withal be very tenderly respected for the least shew of 〈…〉 that may 〈…〉 he given from thence 〈◊〉 Authority will add encouragement to such â—â— are too apt to 〈…〉 his Majesty's Ministers here from being so forward as otherwise they would be in prosecution of such publick Services of the State Which I humbly leave unto your Lordship's deeper consideration and evermore rest Your Honour 's in all dutiful Service ready to be commanded Ja. Armachanst Dublin Jan. 22. 1628. LETTER CXXXIV A Letter from the Right Reverend William Laud Bishop of London to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh My very good Lord I Have received your Grace's second Letters and with the Letters from Dr. Barlow a Man known to me only by Name and good Report I have upon receipt of these a second time humbly presented Dr. Barlow's Suit to his Majesty with all fair representation to his Majesty of the necessity of a good Commendam to the Arch-bishop of Tuam And tho in my judgment I hold it very unfit and of ill both Example and Consequence in the Church to have a Bishop much more an Arch-bishop retain a Deanery in Commendam Yet because there is as I am informed much service to be done for that Arch-bishop and because I have conceived this Man will do that Service for so he hath assumed and because much of that Service must be done at Dublin where that Deaury will the better fit him as well for House as Charge and because it is no new thing in that Country to hold a Deanry with a Bishoprick I made bold to move his Majesty for it and his Majesty is graciously pleased to grant it and I have already by his Majesty's special Command given order to Sir Hen. Holcross to send Letters to my Lord Deputy to this purpose But there two things his Majesty commanded me to write to your Lordship The one that young Men be not commended to him for Bishops The other that he shall 〈◊〉 be drawn again to grant a Deanry in Commendam Any other Preferment though of more value he shall be content to yield I am glad I have been able to serve your Grace's desires in this Business And for Dr. Barlow I with him joy but must desire your Lordship to excuse my not writing to him for between Parliament and Term I have not lenure So I leave you to the Grace of God and shall ever rest Your Graces loving Friend and Brother Guil. London Jan. 29. 1628. My Lord Arch-bishop of Tak Dr. Barlow's 〈…〉 that was is of my 〈◊〉 for holding a 〈…〉 LETTER CXXXV A Letter from Dr. William Bedell to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh at Drogheda Right Reverend Father my honourable good Lord SInce your Graces departure from Dublin I began to peruse the Papers you left me of Dr. Ghaloner's hand about the first foundation of the Colledg which although in some places I cannot read word for word yet I perceive the sense and have transcribed so far as they go without interruption But they refer to some Copies of Letters which I have not nor yet are in our Chest as namely the City's Letter to Queen Elizabeth and the Lord Deputy and Comisales and hers to the Lord Deputy here for the founding of the Colledg All which if they might be had would be inserted into the History of the Colledg ad Verbum And which is worse the third Duernion is wholly missing noted it seems in the Front with the Figure 3. This makes me bold to write to your Grace to search if you can find any thing more of this Argument that there may be somewhat left to Posterity concerning the beginnings of so good a Work I have also since your Grace's departure drawn a Form of the Confirmation of our Rectories from the Bishop of Clougher in conformity to two Instruments viz. the Resignation of George Montgomery sometime Bishop thereof and Derry and Rapho and our Colledg Patent I have used all the means I can to know whether any Predecessor of your Grace did in like manner resign into the King's Hands any Patronages within your Diocess and what their Names be which if I could understand I would entreat your Grace to go before in your Diocess and to be our Patron in the soliciting the other Bishops to follow in theirs I send your Grace the form of the Confirmation and the Names of the Rectories in our Patent referring the rest to your wisdom and love to the Colledg This is a Business of great importance to this Society and hath already been deferred so long and Mr. Usher's sudden taking away to omit my Lord of Kilmore admonishes me to work while the day lasts Another Business there is which enforceth me to have recourse to your Grace which is this Yesterday as I was following Mr. Usher's Funeral there was delivered me a Letter from my Lord Chancellor containing another to his Lordship from Mr. Lloyd together 〈◊〉 a Note which I send herewith He demandeth of the Colledg not only his Diâ—t in his absence which the Statute expresly denies to a Fellow and which a your Grace and the Visitors intended to grant him you did him a Favour instead of a Punishment but Wages for being a Prime-Lecturer whereas his Year came out at Midsummer and he had till then his Allowance although he performed not the
in their proper places In the next place it is requisite to mind the Reader touching the following Collection of Letters herewith published being for the most part Originals written by the Lord Primate to learned Men of our own and foreign Nations or of those written to him relating mostly to matters of Learning These Epistles I gathered together with what care I could and when I had selected those out of a far greater number that I thought might prove most fit for publick view and useful both in respect of the Learning contained in them and the various subjects whereof they consisted I would not presume to publish the Collection until they had passed the Inspection and Censure of those Learned Men to whom they were first shown being Persons of great Judgment and Integrity and who retain a very high Esteem and Veneration for the Primate's Memory Perhaps the Reader will expect to meet with if not all yet many more of the Primate's Letters in this Collection than may be found but by all our Industry and search they cannot yet be retrieved partly because the Primate himself seldom kept Copies of his Lettes and many of those he had reserved met with the same fate which many others of his loose Papers and Manuscripts which were either lost in his often forced removals or fell into the hands of the Men of those spoiling times who had no regard to things of that Nature There are other Epistles not numbred with the former at the end of this Collection written by Men of great Names found among my Lord Primate's Papers which are thought worthy to be inserted and Printed Before I dismiss the Reader I have one thing more to advertise touching two Letters in the Collection one written by Dr. Bedell then Bishop of Kilmore in Ireland to the Primate Usher then Arch-Bishop of Armagh and his answer to it as you will find Numb 142. and 143. importing an accidental difference between those two Eminent Bishops and most intire Friends touching the Administration and Jurisdiction in Ecclesiastical Courts as then exercised in the Kingdom of Ireland which Letters however otherwise Worthy of perusal yet are now more especially published for the doing right to the Arch-Bishops Character which might else have suffered by some injurious Reflections upon him in the Life of that Bishop lately Written taken up partly from some uncertain Reports and partly upon the Bishops Letter to him upon that occasion But how little Reason there was to say the Primate was not made for the Governing part of his Function as that Author affirms besides his known abilities that way his Answer to the Bishops Letter and other Composures of his upon those kind of Arguments will sufficiently testifie Of which inadvertency as the Composer of that Life is already made sensible so we hope that he will do him Right according as he hath promised when time shall serve The order observed in disposing these Letters in the following Volume is according to their several Dates that being concluded fittest beth for the use and delight of the Reader only some of them through mistake are transposed and others that were brought in late are Printed at the latter end of which the Reader may consult the Advertisment at the end of the Book Farewell THE LIFE Of the Most Reverend Father in GOD JAMES USHER Late Lord Arch-Bishop OF ARMAGH Primate and Metropolitan of all IRELAND Collected and Written by RICHARD PARR D. D. his Lordships Domestick Chaplain Psalm CXII v. 6. The Righteous shall be had in Everlasting Remembrance Proverbs X. v. 7. The Memory of the Just is blessed but the Name of the Wicked shall rot LONDON Printed for NATHANAEL RANEW at the Kings-Arms in St. Pauls Church-Yard MDCLXXXVI THE LIFE OF The Most Reverend Father in God JAMES USHER SOMETIME Arch-Bishop of Armagh PRIMATE of all IRELAND THIS great Person whose Life we now write was Born in the City of Dublin the Metropolis of Ireland upon the fourth day of January Anno Domini 1580. His Father Mr. Arnold Usher one of the Six Clerks of Chancery and of good repute for his prudence and integrity was of the Ancient Family of the Ushers aliàs Nevils whose Ancestor Usher to King John coming over with him into Ireland and setling there changed the name of his Family into that of his Office as was usual in that Age his descendants having since brancht into several Families about Dublin and for divers Ages bore the most considerable Offices in and about that City His Mother was Margaret Daughter of James Stanihurst who was of considerable note in his time being chosen Speaker of the Honourable House of Commons in three Parliaments and was Recorder of the City of Dublin and one of the Mastres of Chancery and that which ought always to be mention'd for his honour he was the first mover in the last of the three Parliaments of Queen Elizabeth for the Founding and Endowing of a Colledge and University at Dublin which was soon after consented to by Her Majesty and being perfected hath ever since continued a famous Nursery for learning and good manners blessing both the Church and State with many admirable men eminently useful in their several Stations His Uncle by the Fathers side was Henry Usher sometime Arch-Bishop of Armagh a wise and learned Prelate one who industriously promoted the founding of that University and by his Zeal and Interest procured of the said Queen an established Revenue for the maintainance of a Provost and Fellows Students and Officers as may be seen by the Charter and Statutes of that Foundation and so it has flourished ever since with ample improvement A happy Foundation and great honour to that Kingdom having in the space of somewhat more than 90 years sent out divers Persons very considerable both in Church and State and yielded more than fifty Bishops besides others of inferiour Dignities who were many of them of great parts and excellent learning His Uncle by the Mother side was Richard Stanihurst a Learned man of the Romish Perswasion an excellent Historian Philosopher and Poet as appears by several of his Works still extant though some of them for that reason written against his Nephew yet notwithstanding their difference in Judgment they had frequent correspondencies by Letters some of which you will see hereafter in this following Collection He often mentioned two of his Aunts who were blind from their Cradle and so continued to their deaths and yet were blessed with admirable understanding and inspection in matters of Religion and of such tenacious Memories that whatever they heard read out of the Scriptures or was preached to them they always retained and became such proficients that they were able to repeat much of the Bible by heart and as their Nephew told me were the first that taught him to read English He had but one Brother Ambrose Usher who though he died young yet attained to great skill and perfection in the Oriental
were wrested to a wrong sense And this he did not out of bare Curiosity but to confute the Arrogance of those men who will still appeal though with ill success to Antiquity and the Writings of the Fathers But these learned Collections of his being a large Volume and designed by him as the foundation of a more large and elaborate Work which might have been of great use to the Church were never finished but remain still in Manuscript though he fully intended had God afforded him life to have fallen upon this as the only considerable work he had left to do and which perhaps he had performed many years before his death had it not been for that unhappy Irish Rebellion which bereft him not only of that but of all his other Books for some time except those he brought over with him or furnished himself with here so that when at last this Manuscript together with the rest of his Library was brought over from Droghedah they found him engaged in that long and laborious Work of his Annals and when that was done he had as an Appendix thereunto his Chronologia Sacra to perfect though he never lived to make an end of it so that it is no wonder if he wanted opportunity and leisure to finish this great Task But that he intended to give his last hand to this Work will appear from this passage in his Epistle to the Reader before his answer to the Jesuite's Challenge in these words The exact discussion as well of the Authors Times as of the Censures of their Works I refer to my Theological Bibliothcque if God hereafter shall lend me life and leisure to make up that Work for the use of those that mean to give themselves to that Noble Study of the Doctrine and Rites of the Ancient Church And how much he desired it might be done may farther appear that being askt upon his Death-bed What his Will was concerning those Collections He answered to this effect That he desired they might be committed to his dear friend Dr. Langbaine Provost of Queens Colledge the only man on whose Learning as well as Friendship he could rely to cast them into such a Form as might render them fit for the Press According to which bequest they were put into the hands of that learned Dr. who in order thereunto had them transcribed and then set himself to fill up the breaches in the Original the quotations in the Margine being much defaced with Rats about which laborious Task that learned and good man studying in the publick Library at Oxford in a very severe Season got such an extreme cold as quickly to the great grief of all good men brought him to his end Feb. An. 1657. So that though that excellent Person Dr. Fell now Lord Bishop of Oxford who has deserved so well of Learning has endeavoured to get those Lacunae filled up yet these Collections still remain unfit to be published though the transcript from the Original with the Marginal quotations and additions are now in the Bodleyan Library as a lasting Monument of the Lord Primate's Learning and Industry and may be like wise useful to those learned Persons for whom they were designed and who will take the pains to consult them But the Original of the Authors hand writing is or was lately in the possession of the Reverend and Learned Anno 1612 Dr. Edward Stillingfleet Dean of St. Pauls He was now in the 32 d. year of his age in which he took the Degree of Dr. of Divinity in that University wherein he was bred and to which he was admitted by Dr. Hampton then Arch-Bishop of Armagh and Vice-Chancellor after he had performed the usual Exercises part of which was to read two Solemn Lectures on some places of Scripture which he then did on Dan. 9. 24. Of the Seventy Weeks And on Rev. 20. 4. Explaining those Texts so mis-applied Anno 1613 by the Millenaries both in Elder and Latter times The next year being at London he published his first Treatise De Ecclesiarum Christianarum Successione Statu being much magnified by Casaubon and Scultetus in their Greek and Latin Verses before it was solemnly presented by Arch-Bishop Abbot to King James as the eminent First-fruits of that Colledge of Dublin It is imperfect for about 300 years from Gregory XI to Leo X. i. e. from 1371. to 1513. and from thence to this last Century which he intended to have added had God afforded him longer life though he had lost very considerable assistances towards that design as you will find hereafter in the Series of this Relation This he wrote to answer that great Objection of the Papists when they ask us Where our Religion was before Luther And therefore the design of this Book was to prove from Authors of unquestionable Credit and Antiquity that Christ has always had a Visible Church of true Christians who had not been tainted with the Errours and Corruptions of the Romish Church and that even in the midst of the darkest and most ignorant times and that these Islands owe not their first Christianity to Rome About this time also he altered his condition changing a single for a married life marrying Phoebe only Daughter of Luke Challoner Doctor of Divinity of the Ancient Family of the Challoners in Yorkshire who had been a great Assister and Benefactor to the late Erected Colledge at Dublin having been appointed Overseer of the Building and Treasurer for the money raised to that purpose He was a Learned and Pious man and had such a friendship for Dr. Usher that he courted his Alliance and intended had he lived to have given him this his only Daughter with a considerable Estate in Land and Money but dying before he could see it concluded he charged her upon his Death-bed that if Dr. Usher would marry her she should think of no other person for a Husband which command of her dying Father she punctually obeyed and was married to him soon after and was his Wife for about forty years and was always treated by him with great kindness and conjugal affection until her death which preceded his about one year and a half He had by her one only Child the Lady Tyrrel yet living Thus he lived for several years in great reputation pursuing his Studies and following his Calling and whilst he sat at home endeavouring the advancement of Vertue and Learning his fame flew abroad almost all over Europe and divers learned men not only in England but foreign Countries made their applications to him by Letters as well to express the honour and respect they had for him as also for satisfaction in several doubtful points either in humane Learning or Divinity as the Reader may see in this ensuing Collection Anno 1615 There was now a Parliament at Dublin and so a Convocation of the Clergy when the Articles of Ireland were composed and published and he being a Member of the Synod was appointed to
God bless you and whatever you undertake so I rest Your Lordship's most Affectionate Friend Ol. Grandisone Dublin 3 Feb. 1620. But before his going over and while Bishop Elect a Parliament was Convened at Westminster and began Feb. 1 st 1620. and I find this passage among some of his Memorandums of that time viz. I was appointed by the Lower House of Parliament to preach at St. Margarets Westminster Feb. 7. the Prebends claimed the priviledge of the Church and their exemption from Episcopal Jurisdiction for many hundred years and offered their own Service Whereupon the House being displeased appointed the place to be at the Temple I was chosen a second time And Secretary Calvert by the appointment of the House spake to the King that the choice of their Preacher might stand The King said It was very well done Feb. 13 th being Shrove-Tuesday I dined at Court and betwixt 4 and 5 I kiss'd the King's hand and had conference with him touching my Sermon He said I had charge of an unruly Flock to look unto the next Sunday He asked me how I thought it could stand with true Divinity that so many hundred should be tyed upon so short warning to receive the Communion upon a day all could not be in Charity after so late contentions in the House Many must needs come without Preparation and eat their own Condemnation That himself required all his whole Houshold to receive the Communion but not all the same day unless at Easter when the whole Lent was a time of Preparation He bad me to tell them I hoped they were all prepared but wished they might be better To exhort them to Unity and Concord To love God first and then their Prince and Country To look to the urgent necessities of the Times and the miserable state of Christendom with Bis dat qui citò dat Feb. 10 th The first Sunday in Lent I preached at St. Margarets to them And Feb. 27 th the House sent Sir James Perrot and Mr. Drake to give me thanks and to desire me to print the Sermon which was done accordingly the Text being upon the first of the Cor. 10. 17. For we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all partakers of that one Bread This Sermon was printed by the desire of the House and with one more preached before the King at Wansted Jan. 20. 1624. upon Eph. 4. 13. concerning the unity of the Catholick Faith were all the Sermons I can find to have been published by his allowance But the Lord Bishop Elect returning some time after into Ireland was there Consecrated by Dr. Hampton then Lord Primate assisted with some other of the Bishops and being thus advanced to the Episcopal Degree his Province and Imployment might be altered but not his mind nor humble temper of Spirit Neither did he cease to turn as many as he could from Darkness to Light from Sin and Satan to Christ by his Preaching Writing and Exemplary Life observing that which St. Augustine said of St. Ambrose Et eum quidem in populo verbum veritatis recte tractantem omni die Dominico audiebam Magis Magisque mihi confirmabat c. That he handled the Word of God unto the People every Lord's Day About this time some violent Papists of Quality happened to be censured in the Castle-Chamber at Dublin for refusing to take the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance upon this occasion the State ordered the Bishop of Meath on the day of the Sentence to make a Speech to them as well to inform their Consciences of the Lawfulness of it as of the great penalties they would undergo if they persisted to refuse it Which he performed in a Learned Discourse and highly approved of by His Majesty Which was as follows A Speech delivered in the Castle-Chamber at Dublin November 22 th 1622. At the Censuring of certain Officers concerning the Lawfulness of taking and danger of refusing the Oath of Supremacy WHat the danger of the Law is for refusing this Oath hath been sufficiently opened by my Lords the Judges and the quality and quantity of that offence hath been aggravated to the full by those that have spoken after them The part which is most proper for me to deal in is the information of the Conscience touching the truth and equity of the matters contained in the Oath which I also have made choice the rather to insist upon because both the form of the Oath it self requireth herein a full resolution of the Conscience as appeareth by those words in the very beginning thereof I do utterly testifie and declare in my Conscience c. and the persons that stand here to be censured for refusing the same have alledged nothing in their own defence but only the simple plea of Ignorance That this point therefore may be cleared and all needless scruples removed out of mens minds two main branches there be of this Oath which require special consideration The one positive acknowledging the Supremacy of the Government of these Realms in all Causes whatsoever to rest in the King's Highness only The other Negative renouncing all Jurisdictions and Authorities of any foreign Prince or Prelate within his Majesties Dominions For the better understanding of the former we are in the first place to call unto our remembrance that exhortation of St. Peter Submit your selves unto every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake whether it be unto the King as having the preheminence or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well By this we are taught to respect the King not as the only Governour of his Dominions simply for we see there be other Governours placed under him but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as him that excelleth and hath the preheminence over the rest that is to say according to the tenure of the Oath as him that is the only Supreme Governor of his Realms Upon which ground we may safely build this conclusion That whatsoever power is incident unto the King by virtue of his place must be acknowledged to be in him Supreme there being nothing so contrary to the nature of Soveraignty as to have another superiour power to over rule it Qui Rex est Regem maxime non habeat In the second place we are to consider That God for the better setling of piety and honesty among men and the repressing of prophaneness and other vices hath established two distinct powers upon Earth The one of the Keys committed to the Church the other of the Sword committed to the Civil Magistrate That of the Keys is ordained to work upon the inner man having immediate relation to the remitting or retaining of sins That of the Sword is appointed to work upon the outward man yielding protection to the obedient and inflicting external punishment on the rebellious and disobedient By the former the spiritual Officers of the Church
is the Bishop of Rome And the Title whereby he claimeth this power over us is the same whereby he claimeth it over the whole World because he is S. Peter's Successor forsooth And indeed if St. Peter himself had been now alive I should freely confess that he ought to have spiritual Authority and Superiority within this Kingdom But so would I say also if St. Andrew St. Bartholoâ—ew St. Thomas or any of the other Apostles had been alive For I know that their Commission was very large to go into all the World and to preach the Gospel unto every Creature So that in what part of the World soever they lived they could not be said to be out of their Charge their Apostleship being a kind of an Universal Bishoprick If therefore the Bishop of Rome can prove himself to be one of this rank the Oath must be amended and we must acknowledge that he hath Ecclesiastical Authority within this Realm True it is that our Lawyers in their Year-Books by the name of the Apostle do usually design the Pope But if they had examined his Title to that Apostleship as they would try an ordinary man's Title to a piece of Land they might easily have found a number of flaws and main defects therein For first It would be enquired whether the Apostleship was not ordained by our Saviour Christ as a special Commission which being personal only was to determine with the death of the first Apostles For howsoever at their first entry into the execution of this Commission we find that Matthias was admitted to the Apostleship in the room of Judas yet afterwards when James the Brother of John was slain by Herod we do not read that any other was substituted in his place Nay we know that the Apostles generally left no Successors in this kind Neither did any of the Bishops he of Rome only excepted that sate in those famous Churches wherein the Apostles exercised their ministry challenge an Apostleship or an Universal Bishoprick by virtue of that Succession It would secondly therefore be inquired what sound Evidence they can produce to shew that one of the company was to hold the Apostleship as it were in Fee for him and his Successors for ever and that the other eleven should hold the same for term of life only Thirdly if this state of perpetuity was to be cast upon one how came it to fall upon St. Peter rather than upon St. John who outlived all the rest of his follows and so as a surviving feoffee had the fairest right to retain the same in himself and his Successors for ever Fourthly if that state were wholly setled upon St. Peter seeing the Romanists themselves acknowledge that he was Bishop of Antioch before he was Bishop of Rome we require them to shew why so great an inheritance as this should descend unto the younger Brother as it were by Burrough-English rather than to the elder according to the ordinary manner of descents Especially seeing Rome hath little else to alledge for this preferment but only that St. Peter was crucified in it which was a very slender reason to move the Apostle so to respect it Seeing therefore the grounds of this great claim of the Bishop of Rome appear to be so vain and frivolous I may safely conclude That he ought to have no Ecclesiastical or Spiritual Authority within this Realm which is the principal point contained in the second part of the Oath JAMES REX RIght Reverend Father in God and Right Trusty and Welbeloved Councellor We greet you well You have not deceived our expectation nor the gracious opinion We ever conceived both of your abilities in Learning and of your faithfulness to Us and our Service Whereof as we have received sundry Testimonies both from Our precedent Deputies as likewise from Our Right Trusty and Welbeloved Cousin and Councellor the Viscount Falkland Our present Deputy of that Realm so have We now of late in one particular had a further evidence of your Duty and Affection well expressed by your late carriage in Our Castle-Chamber there at the censure of those disobedient Magistrates who refused to take the Oath of Supremacy Wherein your zeal to the maintenance of Our Just and Lawful Power defended with so much Learning and Reason deserves Our Princely and Gracious thanks which We do by this Our Letter unto you and so bid you farewell Given under Our Signet at Our Court at White-Hall the eleventh of January 1622. In the twentieth year of Our Reign of Great Britain France and Ireland To the Right Reverend Father in God and Our Right Trusty and Welbeloved Councellor the Bishop of Meath This discourse had so good an effect that divers of the Offenders being satisfied they might lawfully take those Oaths did thereby avoid the Sentence of Praemunire then ready to be pronounced against them After the Bishop had been in Ireland about two years it pleased King James to imploy him to write the Antiquities of the British Church and that he might have the better opportunity and means for that end he sent over a Letter to the Lord Deputy and Council of Ireland commanding them to grant a Licence for his being absent from his See part of which Letter it may not be amiss to give you here Verbatim JAMES REX RIght Trusty and Welbeloved Cousins c. We Greet you well Whereas We have heretofore in Our Princely judgment made choice of the Right Reverend Father in God Dr. James Usher Lord Bishop of Meath to imploy him in Collecting the Antiquities of the British Church before and since the Christian Faith was received by the English Nation And whereas We are also given to understand That the said Bishop hath already taken pains in divers things in that kind which being published might tend to the furtherance of Religion and good Learning Our pleasure therefore is That so soon as the said Bishop hath setled the necessary Affairs of his Bishoprick there he should repair into England and to one of the Universities here to enable himself by the helps to be had there to proceed the better to the finishing of the said Work Requiring you hereby to cause our Licence to be passed unto him the said Lord Bishop of Meath under Our Great Seal orotherwise as he shall desire it and unto you shall be thought fit for his repairing unto this Kingdom for Our Service and for his continuance here so long time as he shall have occasion to stay about the perfecting of those Works undertaken by him by Our Commandment and for the good of the Church c. Upon which Summons the Bishop came over into England and spent about a year here in consulting the best Manuscripts in both Universities and private Libraries in order to the perfecting that noble Work De Primordiis Ecclesiarum Britannicarum though it was not published till above two years after when we shall take occasion to speak thereof more at large
have shewed themselves more forward than wise in preaching publickly against this kind of Toleration I hope the great charge laid upon them by your selves in the Parliament wherein that Statute was inacted will plead their excuse For there the Lords Temporal and all the Commons do in God's name earnestly require and charge all Arch-Bishops and Bishops and other Ordinaries that they shall endeavour themselves to the utmost of their knowledge that the due and true execution of this Statute may be had throughout their Diocesses and charged as they will answer it before God for such Evils and Plagues as Almighty God might justly punish his People for neglecting these good and wholesome Laws So that if in this case they had holden their Tongues they might have been censured little better than Atheists and made themselves accessary to the drawing down of God's heavy vengeance upon the People But if for these and such like Causes the former project will not be admitted we must not therefore think our selves discharged from taking farther care to provide for our safeties Other consultations must be had and other courses thought upon which need not be liable to the like exceptions Where the burden is born in common and the aid required to be given to the Prince by his Subjects that are of different judgments in Religion it stands not with the ground of common reason that such a Condition should be annexed unto the Gift as must of necessity deter the one Party from giving at all upon such terms as are repugnant to their Consciences As therefore on the one side if we desire that the Recusants should joyn with us in granting a common aid we should not put in the Condition of executing the Statute which we are sure they would not yield unto so on the other side if they will have us to joyn with them in the like Contribution they should not require the Condition of suspending the Statute to be added which we in Conscience cannot yield unto The way will be then freely to grant unto his Majesty what we give without all manner of Condition that may seem unequal unto any side and to refer unto his own Sacred Breast how far he will be pleased to extend or abridge his favours of whose Lenity in forbearing the executing of the Statute our Recusants have found such experience that they cannot expect a greater liberty by giving any thing that is demanded than now already they do freely enjoy As for the fear that this voluntary Contribution may in time be made a matter of necessity and imposed as a perpetual charge upon Posterity it may easily be holpen with such a clause as we find added in the Grant of an aid made by the Pope's Council Anno 11 Hen. 3. out of the Ecclesiastical profits of this Land Quod non debet trahi in consuetudinem of which kinds of Grants many other Examples of later memory might be produced And as for the proportion of the Sum which you thought to be so great in the former Proposition it is my Lord's desire that you should signifie unto him what you think you are well able to bear and what your selves will be content voluntarily to proffer To alledge as you have done that you are not able to bear so great a charge as was demanded may stand with some reason but to plead an unability to give any thing at all is neither agreeable to Reason or Duty You say you are ready to serve the King as your Ancestors did heretofore with your Bodies and Lives as if the supply of the King's wants with monies were a thing unknown to our Fore-fathers But if you will search the Pipe-Rolls you shall find the names of those who contributed to King Henry the Third for a matter that did less concern the Subjects of this Kingdom than the help that is now demanded namely for the marrying of his Sister to the Emperour In the Records of the same King kept in England we find his Letters Patents directed hither into Ireland for levying of Money to help to pay his Debts unto Lewis the Son of the King of France In the Rolls of Gascony we find the like Letter directed by King Edward the Second unto the Gentlemen and Merchants of Ireland of whose names there is a List there set down to give him aid in his Expedition into Aquitaine and for defence of his Land which is now the thing in question We find an Ordinance likewise made in the time of Edward the Third for the personal Taxing of them that lived in England and hold Lands and Tenements in Ireland Nay in this case you must give me leave as a Divine to tell you plainly that to supply the King means for the necessary defence of your Country is not a thing left to your own discretion either to do or not to do but a matter of Duty which in Conscience you stand bound to perform The Apostle Rom. 13. having affirmed That we must be subject to the higher powers not only for wrath but for Conscience sake adds this as a reason to confirm it For for this cause you pay tribute also as if the denying such payment could not stand with a conscionable subjection thereupon he infers this conclusion Render therefore to all their due Tribute to whom Tribute Custom to whom Custom is due agreeable to that known Lesson which he had learned of our Saviour Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's and unto God the things which are God's where you may observe as to with-hold from God the things which are God's man is said to be a robber of God whereof he himself thus complaineth in the case of substracting of Tythes and Oblations So to deny a supply to Caesar of such means as are necessary for the support of his Kingdom can be accounted no less than a robbing of him of that which is his due which I wish you seriously to ponder and to think better of yielding something to this present necessity that we may not return from you an undutiful answer which may be justly displeasing to his Majesty This Speech though it had not its desired effect yet may sufficiently declare the Lord Primate's abilities in matters of Government when ever he would give his mind to them and how well he understood the present state of that Kingdom And it had been well for Ireland if his advice had been then hearken'd to since those standing Forces then moved for being to have been all Protestants would in all probability have prevented that Rebellion that some years after broke out in that Kingdom but a Copy of this Speech being desired by the Lord Deputy was transmitted to his Majesty who very well approved of it as much conducing to his Service and the publick safety It cannot now be expected in times so peaceable and quiet as these seem'd to be and in which my Lord Primate proceeded in one constant course with little
England and elsewhere Containing likewise divers choice matters relating to the great Controversies of those times concerning the keeping of Easter as also divers things relating to the Ecclesiastical Discipline and Jurisdiction of the Church of that Kingdom very worthy the taking notice of And I suppose about this time if not before he contracted a more intimate acquaintance with the Reverend Dr. Laud Lord Bishop of London who had for some time managed the most considerable Affairs both in Church and State And I find by divers of his Letters to the Lord Primate as well whilst he was Bishop of London as after he was advanced to the See of Canterbury that there was scarce any thing of moment concluded on or any considerable Preferment bestowed by his Majesty in the Church of Ireland without his advice and approbation which you may see by some Letters in this ensuing Collection which we have selected from divers others of lesser moment as fittest for publick view but the L. Primate always made use of his interest with the said Arch-Bishop and other great men at Court not for his own private advantage but for the common good of the Church by opposing and hindering divers Grants and Patents to some great men and Courtiers who had under-hand obtained the same and particularly he caused a Patent made to a Person of Quality of the Scotch Nation in Ireland of several Tythes to be called in and vacuated his Majesty being deceived in his Grant who would not have done any thing prejudicial to the Church had he been rightly informed of the nature of the thing and the Lord Primate was so much concerned for a competent maintenance for the Clergy in that Kingdom that he had some years before this obtained a Grant of a Patent from his Majesty to be passed in his own name though for the use of the Church of such impropriations belonging to the Crown as were then Leased out as soon as they should fall which though it did not succeed being too much neglected by those who were concerned more immediately yet it sufficiently shews my Lord's pious intentions in this matter About this time there was a Letter sent over from his late Anno 1634 Majesty to the Lord Viscount Wentworth then Lord Deputy and the Council of Ireland for determining the precedency of the Arch-Bishop of Armagh and Arch-Bishop of Dublin in respect of their Sees the latter making some pretence unto it therefore in regard of a Parliament intended by his Majesty shortly to meet it was thought fit for order's sake that controversie should be decided before their meeting In order to which he was commanded by the Lord Deputy to reduce into writing what he knew upon that subject But he not desiring to engage in so invidious an argument and which so nearly concerned himself and which he did not desire to have stirred did what he could to decline it but being still further urged and commanded to do it he did at last though unwillingly write a short and learned discourse full of excellent remarks wherein he proved the Antiquity and Primacy of his See to have preceded that of Dublin divers Ages which discourse being sent over into England the precedency was determined by his Majesty on his side as afterwards by another Letter from his Majesty and Council here he had also without his seeking the precedency given him of the Lord Chancellor which he being above such trifles were not at all able to elate him At the opening of the following Parliament he preached before the Lord Deputy Lords and Commons at St. Patrick's Dublin his Text was Genes 49. 10. The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his feet till Shiloh come and to him shall the gathering of the People be And in the Convocation which was now Assembled the Lord Primate at the instrance of the Lord Deputy and Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury thought fit to propose That to express the agreement of the Church of Ireland with that of England both in Doctrine and Discipline the Thirty Nine Articles should be received by the Church of Ireland which Proposal was thereupon consented to by both Houses of Convocation and the said Articles were declared to be the Confession of Faith of the Church of Ireland but without abrogating or excluding the former Articles made 1615 either by that Convocation or Parliament as two several Writers of those times viz. a Church and Civil Historian have without ground reported them to be And though the latter was at last brought to confess his Error of their being Repealed by Autority of Parliament yet he still insisted That the reception of the Articles of the Church of England though it be not an express yet is a tacite annulling of the former instancing in the Old Covenant which St. Paul proves to be abrogated by the giving of a New which were a good Argument if the Articles of the Church of England were as inconsistent with those of Ireland as those two Covenants are with each other but if they differ no more than the Nicene does from the Apostles Creed which though it contains more yet does not Annul the former then without doubt the receiving of the Articles of the Church of England was no abrogation of those of Ireland But since it is not my design to write Controversies I shall not enter farther into this Argument but shall leave the Reader to consider whether the instances brought by the Historian to prove the Articles of these two Churches to be inconsistent are convincing or not and shall say no more on this ungrateful subject but that it is highly improbable that the Lord Primate should be so outwitted by the Lord Deputy or his Chaplains as the Historian makes him to have been in this affair but that he very well understood the Articles of both Churches and did then know that they were so far from being inconsistent or contradictory to each other that he thought the Irish Articles did only contain the Doctrine of the Church of England more fully or else he would never have been so easily perswaded to an Act which would amount to a Repeal of those Articles which as hath been already said he himself made and drew up And for a farther proof that this was the sense not only of himself but of most of the rest of the Bishops at that time they always at all Ordinations took the subscription of the Party Ordained to both Articles the Articles of England not being received instead but with those of Ireland as Dr. Bernard hath informed us which course was continued by the Lord Primate and most part of the Bishops till the confusion of that Church by the Irish Rebellion And if at this day the subscription to the Thirty Nine Articles be now only required of the Clergy of that Kingdom I suppose it is purely out of prudential considerations that any divine or other person of that
Church may still either by preaching or writing maintain any point of Doctrine contained in those Articles without being either Heterodox or Irregular It was likewise reported and has been since written by some with the like truth that the Lord Primate should have some dispute with Dr. Bramhall then Bishop of London-Derry concerning these Articles Whereas the contest between the Lord Primate and that Bishop was not about the Articles but the Book of Canons which were then to be established for the Church of Ireland and which the Bishop of Derry would have to be passed in the very same form and words with those in England which the Lord Primate with divers other of the Bishops opposed as somewhat prejudicial to the Liberties of the Church of Ireland and they so far prevailed herein that it was at last concluded That the Church of Ireland should not be tyed to that Book but that such Canons should be selected out of the same and such others added thereunto as the present Convocation should judge fit for the Government of that Church which was accordingly performed as any man may see that will take the pains to compare the two Books of the English and Irish Canons together And what the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury's judgment was on this affair you may see in a Letter of his to the Lord Primate published in this Collection About the end of this year the Lord Primate published his Anno 1639 long expected work entitled Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Antiquitates In which also is inserted a History of Pelagius and his Heresie which Work I suppose my Lord kept so long unpublished because he still found fresh matter to add to it as you may see by the many Additions and Emendations at the latter end of it and as it was long in coming out so it did fully answer expectation when it came abroad into the World being the most exact account that ever yet was given of the British Church beginning with the earliest notices we can find in Ancient Authors of any credit concerning the first planting of Christianity in these Islands within twenty years after our Saviour's Crucifixion and bringing it down with the Succession of Bishops as far as they could be retreived not only in our Britain but in Ireland also as far as towards the end of the VII Century collected out of the best Authors either Printed or Manuscript and is so great a Treasure of this kind of Learning that all that have writ since with any success on this subject must own themselves beholding to him for his elaborate Collections The Lord Primate having now sate Arch-Bishop sixteen years Anno 1640 with great satisfaction and benefit to the Church about the beginning of this year came into England with his Wife and Family intending to stay here a year or two about his private Affairs and then to return again But it pleased God to disappoint him in those resolutions for he never saw his native Country again not long after his coming to London when he had kissed his Majesty's hand and been received by him with his wonted favour he went to Oxford as well to be absent from those heats and differences which then happened in that short Parliament as also with greater freedom to pursue his Studies in the Libraries there where he was accommodated with Lodgings in Christ-Church by Dr. Morice Canon of that House and Hebrew Professor and whilst he was there he conversed with the most Learned Persons in that famous University who used him with all due respect whilst he continued with them so after he had resided there some time he returned again to London where after the sitting of that long and unhappy Parliament he made it his business as well by preaching as writing to exhort them to Loyalty and Obedience to their Prince endeavouring to the utmost of his power to heal up those breaches and reconcile those differences that were ready to break out both in Church and State though it did not meet with that success he always desired This year there was published at Oxford among divers other Treatises of Bishop Andrews Mr. Hooker and other Learned men Anno 1641 concerning Church Government the Lord Primate's Original of Bishops and Metropolitans wherein he proves from Scripture as also the most Ancient Writings and Monuments of the Church that they owe their original to no less Authority than that of the Apostles and that they are the Stars in the right hand of Christ Apoc. 2. So that there was never any Christian Church founded in the Primitive Times without Bishops which discourse was not then nor I suppose ever will be answered by those of a contrary judgment That unhappy dispute between his Majesty and the two Houses concerning his passing the Bill for the Earl of Strafford's Attainder now arising and he much perplexed and divided between the clamour of a discontented People and an unsatisfied Conscience thought fit to advise with some of his Bishops what they thought he ought to do in point of Conscience as he had before consulted his Judges in matter of Law among which his Majesty thought fit to make choice of the Lord Primate for one though without his seeking or knowledge but since some men either out of spleen or because they would not retract what they had once written from vulgar report have thought fit to publish as if the Lord Primate should advise the King to sign the Bill for the said Earl's Attainder it will not be amiss to give you here that relation which Dr. Bernard had under his own hand and has printed in the Funeral Sermon by him published which is as followeth That Sunday morning wherein the King consulted with the four Bishops of London Durham Lincoln and Carlisle the Arch-Bishop of Armagh was not present being then preaching as he then accustomed every Sunday to do in the Church of Covent-Garden where a Message coming unto him from his Majesty he descended from the Pulpit and told him that brought it he was then as he saw imployed about God's business which as soon as he had done he would attend upon the King to understand his pleasure But the King spending the whole Afternoon in the serious debate of the Lord Strafford's Case with the Lords of his Council and the Judges of the Land he could not before Evening be admitted to his Majesty's presence There the Question was again agitated Whether the King in justice might pass the Bill of Attainder against the Earl of Strafford for that he might shew mercy to him was no question at all no man doubting but that the King without any Scruple of Conscience might have granted him a Pardon if other reasons of State in which the Bishops were made neither Judges nor Advisers did not hinder him The whole result therefore of the determination of the Bishops was to this effect That therein the matter of Fact and matter of Law were to be distinguished That of the
matter of Fact he himself might make a judgment having been present at all proceedings against the said Earl where if upon the hearing of the Allegations on either side he did not conceive him guilty of the Crimes wherewith he was charged he could not in justice condemn him But for the matter in Law what was Treason and what was not he was to rest in the opinion of the Judges whose Office it was to declare the Law and who were Sworn therein to carry themselves indifferently betwixt Him and his Subjects Which gave his Majesty occasion to complain of the dealing of the Judges with him not long before That having earnestly pressed them to declare in particular what point of the Lord of Strafford's Charge they judged to be Treasonable forasmuch as upon the hearing of the proofs produced he might in his Conscience perhaps find him guiltless of that Fact he could not by any means draw them to nominate any in particular but that upon the whole matter Treason might justly be charged upon him And in this second meeting it was observed That the Bishop of London spake nothing at all but the Bishop of Lincoln not only spake but put a Writing also into the King's hand wherein what was contained the rest of his Brethren knew not From all which we may observe my Lord Primate's modesty who would not set down his own particular judgment in this matter but only that it agreed with that of his Brethren but also his charity and fidelity who would not though to acquit himself betray his trust and accuse the only person of that company who was supposed to have moved the King to the doing of it Nor is the reason those men have supposed why my Lord Primate should perswade the King to do this less false and improbable viz. Revenge because the Earl of Strafford whilst Lord Lieutenant of Ireland had outwitted him and made him the Instrument before he was aware of abrogating the Articles of Ireland above mentioned the falseness of which Calumny may sufficiently appear from what hath been already said upon this subject for the Lord Primate did willingly and upon due consideration without any surprise propose the Admission of those Articles of the Church of England nor was he ever convinced neither did my Lord Strafford ever insist upon it that the admission of these Articles was an abrogation of the former and if the Lord Primate had any private grudge against the Earl upon this Score he carried it very slyly insomuch that the Earl himself nor any of his friends were ever sensible of it for whilst the Earl continued in Ireland there was never any dispute or unkindness between them but they parted good friends as will appear by some Letters which you will find in this Collection The Earl writ to him after this business and not long before his going for England full of kindness and respect So likewise after the Earl's Commitment to the Black-Rod as also when he was a Prisoner in the Tower the Lord Primate frequently visited him and the Earl was pleased to consult with him in divers matters relating to his defence at his Tryal And certainly had the Earl believed that the Lord Primate bore any malice towards him much more had advised the King to put him to death which could not have been well concealed from him though we may suppose the Earl had so much Christian charity as to forgive so great an injury yet it is not very likely that he should exercise such a piece of mortification as to chuse him whom he believed to be the promoter of his death to prepare him for it and to be the man to whom he addressed his Speech upon the Scaffold and whose assistance he desired in that his last extremity But I shall speak no farther of this matter till I can in order of time tell you what the Lord Primate himself said unto me concerning it when he lay as he thought on his Death-bed and not likely to live an hour and also what his Majesty declared when he heard the report of his death Not many Months after the Execution of this great and unfortunate Earl there came over the unhappy news of the breaking out of the horrid Irish Rebellion in which as his Majesty's with the English and Protestant interest in that Kingdom received an unexpressible blow so likewise the Lord Primate bore too great a share in that common affliction for in a very few days the Rebels had plundered his Houses in the Countrey seized on his Rents quite ruined or destroyed his Tenements killed or drove away his numerous Flocks and Herds of Cattle to a very great value and in a world had not left him any thing in that Kingdom which escaped their fury but his Library and some Furniture in his House in Droghedah which were secured by the strength of that place notwithstanding a long and dangerous Siege by those Rebels which Library was some years after conveyed over to Chester and from thence to London This must needs reduce him to a very low condition happening not long after Michaelmas when he expected a return of his Rents so that he was forced for his present supply to sell or pawn all the Plate and Jewels he had this though a very great Tryal yet made not any change in his Natural Temper and Heavenly Disposition still submitting to God's Providence with Christian Patience and Magnanimity having long before learned to use the things of this World as if he used them not and in whatsoever condition he was therewith to be content Yet these afflictions were sufficient to move compassion even in the breasts of Foreigners for some Months after his losses the City and University of Leyden offered to chuse him their Honorarie Professor with a more ample stipend than had been formerly annexed to that place And Dr. Bernard in the above cited Sermon likewise tells us that Cardinal Richlieu did about the same time make him an Invitation to come into France with a promise of a very noble Pension and freedom of his Religion there and that this is not unlikely though I never heard my Lord Primate speak of it may be proved from the great honour that Cardinal had for him which he expressed by a Letter full of kindness and respect accompanied with a Gold Medal of considerable value having his own Effigies stamped upon it which is still preserved these were sent him upon his publishing his Work De Primordiis Ecclesiarum Britannicarum which Present was also returned by the Lord Primate by a Letter of thanks with a handsome present of Irish Grey-hounds and other rarities which that Countrey afforded But it pleased his late Majesty to provide for him much better in England by conferring on him the Bishoprick of Carlisle lately void by the death of Dr. Potter to be held in Commendam this though very much abated by the Scotch and English Armies Quartering upon it as also by
names of the Proconsular Asia or Asian Diocess Where having shewn his admirable skill in the Geography of the Ancients and also in the Imperial Laws in order to the right understanding the Ecclesiastical and Civil Histories of those Times out of which he hath fixed and setled the several Provinces of the lesser Asia as Mysia Caria and Lydia under which latter were comprehended the adjoyning Countries of Ionia and Aeolis He then proves That the Asia mentioned in the New Testament and the seven Churches of Asia particularly are contained within the limits of Lydia and that each of these seven Cities was a Metropolis and that according to this division of the Civil Government they were made choice of to be the Seats of the most eminent Churches of all Asia 2. That the Roman Provinces were not always the same but according as reason of State required and for greater ease and security of the Government often varied and admitted alterations the division of the Empire being different in the Times of Augustus from what it was under Constantine under whom the Proconsular Asia was confined to the Lydian Asia only the former great extent of its Jurisdiction being then very much abridged and a distinction made between the Proconsular Asia which was under the Jurisdiction of the Proconsul and the Asian Diocess governed by the Vicarius or Comes Asiae or Dioceseos Asianae As it was also subject in the Times of the succeeding Emperors to variety of Changes and that in this disposition made by Constantine it was ordered That there should be but one Metropolis in each distinct Province whereas before there had been several Though this did not hold always in the Reigns of some of his Successors who permitted sometimes two Metropolitans in one Province to satisfie the ambitious humour of several Bishops who contended for that Title upon the account of the riches and greatness of each of their respective Cities 3. That in regard to this Establishment of Constantine Ephesus where the Deputies of the several Provinces of Asia who Constituted and made up the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Common-Council had their Assemblies and which had formerly been lookt upon as the chief City became the sole Metropolis of this new Proconsular Asia the Proconsul of which was exempted from the Authority and Jurisdiction of the Praefectus Praetorio And accordingly in the Ecclesiastical Government for the greater honour of this Renowned See the Bishop of Ephesus was not only held the Metropolitan of the Proconsular Asia but as my Lord most judiciously proves the Primate or Enarchus of all the Provinces that were comprehended within the compass of the whole Asian Diocess of which Diocess he discourses at large and that he acted suitably to this Patriarchal Jurisdiction which was in effect conferred upon him Lastly That there was a great harmony between the Civil and Ecclesiastical Government and consequently that the Bishops of every Province were subject subordinate to the Metropolitan Bishop the same then with our Arch-Bishop as the Magistrates that Ruled in the other subordinate Cities were to the President or chief Governor of that Province The Arch-Bishop in these years whilst he was now at Oxford published in Greek and Latine the Epistles of the holy Martyrs years 1643 1644 Ignatius and as much of the Epistle of St. Barnabas as the great fire at Oxford which burnt the Copy had spared together with a premunition of the entire design The old Latin Version of Ignatius his Lordship publisht out of two Manuscripts found in England noting in red Letters the interpolation of the former Greek Impressions This work was much illustrated by his Collation of several Greek Copies of the Letters and Martyrdom of Ignatius and Polycarp as also with a most learned dissertation concerning those Epistles as also touching the Canons and Constitutions ascribed to the Apostles and to St. Clement Bishop of Rome About seven years after which his Lordship also set forth at London his Appendix Ignatiana wherein besides other Tracts there are added the seven genuine Epistles of Ignatius commended by Eusebius Caesare and other Fathers according to the Amsterdam Edition publisht by the learned Dr. Is. Vossius from the Greek Manuscript in the Medicean Library which the Lord Primate had some years before given him notice of and also obtained the Great Duke's leave to Copy it The signal use of these Epistles so eminently asserting that perpetual order of which his Grace was so great an Ornament well deserved all that time which himself Dr. Hammond and the learned Lord Bishop of Chester have so usefully imployed therein This year my Lord Primate publisht his Syntagma de Editione LXX Interpretum in which he asserts though with great modesty this particular Opinion That Greek Version of the five Books of Moses under Ptolomeus Philadelphus utterly perishing at the Conflagration of his Library Dositheus the Jew made another Greek Translation of the Pentateuch and the rest of the Old Testament about 177. years before the Birth of Christ viz. in the time of Ptolomey Philometor Collecting so much from a Note at the end of the Greek Esther which latter Version his Lordship conjectures the Greek Fathers and all the Eastern Churches cited and made use of instead of the true Philadelphian Then he learnedly and fully discourses concerning the several Editions of this latter Version found in the Library of Cleopatra the last Egyptian Queen As also touching the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or vulgar and that more correct one of Origen those of Eusebius Lucian and Hesychius and lastly of the modern ones as the Complutine Venetian and Roman Hereunto also is added a Specimen of Esther in Greek according to two Ancient Manuscripts in the Arundelian Library as also after the Alexandrian Copy in the King's Library This Syntagma was followed the next year before his death by his Lordships dissertation De Cainane altero or the second Cainan mentioned in the LXX and by St. Luke And that was again followed with a Letter to Ludovicus Capellus wherein the Lord Primate very judiciously moderates in the Controversie between that learned Professor and Ar. Bootius concerning the present Hebrew Bibles Superadding his own conjectures That Dositheus the false Messias was the corrupter of the Samaritan Pentateuch as we now have it And that especially by his Lordships great care and expence But to let you see how he further now imployed his time at Oxford for his Majesties Service I shall give you here his Answers to several Queries made to him from some at London or other Parliament Quarters concerning the Lawfulness of taking up Arms against the King in that unhappy War then newly begun The Queries we have not but you may easily judge what their sense was by the following Answers here inserted To the First NO man is bound to leave his Vocation and turn Souldier unless Summoned and Commanded by his Majesty or those that have Commission from him for the gathering
About this time whilst his late Majesty was kept Prisoner at year 1648 Carisbrook Castle in the Isle of Wight the Lord Primate was highly concerned at the disloyal actions of the two Houses towards their Lawful Prince to express which he preached at Lincolns-Inn on this Text Isa. 8. 12 13. Say ye not a Confederacy to all them to whom this people shall say a Confederacy neither fear you their fear nor be afraid Sanctifie the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your fear and let him be your dread Wherein he sufficiently expressed his dislike of those Covenants and Consederacies which they had now entred into contrary to that Oath they had taken already and that we should not fear man more than God when we were to do our Duty to our Prince or Country Not long after which the Presbyterians finding the Independant party too strong for them had no way left to secure themselves but by recalling their Votes of Non-Addresses and to Vote a Treaty with his Majesty in the Isle of Wight And because the differences concerning Church-Government were not the least of those that were to be setled and concluded at this Treaty and for which it was necessary for his Majesty to consult with some of his Bishops and Divines the Lord Primate was sent for by the King among divers others to attend him for that purpose when he came thither he found one of the greatest points then in debate was about the Government of the Church The Parliament Commissioners insisting peremptorily for the abolishing and taking away Arch-Bishops Bishops c. out of the Churches of England and Ireland His Majesty thought he could not with a good Conscience consent to that demand viz. totally to abolish or take away Episcopal Government but his Majesty then declared that he no otherwise aimed at the keeping up the present Hierarchy in the Church than what was most agreeable to the Episcopal Government in the Primitive and purest Times But his Majesty since the Parliament insisted so obstinately on it was at last forced to consent to the suspension of Episcopacy for three years but would by no means agree to take away Bishops absolutely But now to stop the present career of the Presbyterian Discipline the Lord Primate proposed an expedient which he called Episcopal and Presbyterial Government conjoyned and which he not long after he came thither delivered into his Majesty's hands who having perused it liked it well saying it was the only Expedient to reconcile the present differences for his Majesty in his last Message to the Parliament had before condescended to the reducing of Episcopal Government into a much narrower compass viz. Not only to the Apostolical Institution but much farther than the Lord Primate proposed or desired even to the taking away of Arch-Bishops Deans Chapters c. Together with all that additional Power and Jurisdiction which his Majesty's Predecessors had bestowed upon that Function Which Message being read in the House was by them notwithstanding voted unsatisfactory So that the Presbyterian Party was so absolutely bent to abolish the very Order of Bishops that no proposals of his Majesty's though never so moderate would content them till at last when they had wrangled so long till they saw the King's person seized by the Army and that the power was like to be taken out of their hands they then grew wiser and would have agreed to his Proposals when it was too late and so the Presbyterian Party saw themselves within a few days after forcibly excluded and turned out of doors by that very Army which they themselves had raised and hired to fight against their Prince which as it was the cause of his Majesty's destruction so it proved their own ruine But since some of the Church of England have been pleased to judge very hardly of this Proposal made by the Arch-Bishop as if it too much debased the Episcopal Order and levelled it with that of Presbyters To vindicate the Lord Primate from which imputation I desire them to consider these particulars first the time when this Expedient was proposed viz. When his Majesty had already consented to the suspension of Episcopal Government for three years absolutely as also for setling Presbytery in the room of it for that time and for quite taking away Arch-Bishops Deans and Chapters c. as hath been already said whereas the Lord Primate's Expedient proposes none of these but supposes the Arch-Bishops or Primates ought to be continued appointing them to be the moderators of the Provincial Synods of Suffragans and Pastors And though it is true he mentions Bishops as to be only Presidents of the Diocesan Synod yet he no where denies them a Negative Voice in that Assembly and though he mentions at the beginning of this Expedient that the Bishops were wont in the Primitive times to do nothing of moment without the advice of a Synod of their Clergy as he proves from divers quotations out of the Fathers and Ancient Councils yet he does not assert this practice as a thing of Divine or unalterable right but only as the custom and practice of the Church in those Times which being only prudential may be altered one way or other according as the peace and order of the Church or the exigency of Affairs may require and though in Sect. 11. of this Expedient he proposes the making of as many Suffragans in each Diocess as there are Rural Deanries in the same and who should assemble a Synod of all the Rectors or Ministers of their Precinct yet their power was only to be according to the Statute of the 26th of Henry the Eighth whereby they are expresly forbid to act in any matters but by the Authority of and in Subordination to their Diocesan Bishop nor does the Lord Primate here extend their power farther than to be moderators of this lesser Synod where matters of Discipline and Excommunication only were to be determined still reserving the power of Ordination to the Diocesan this being no where given from him in this Expedient neither was this power of Excommunication left absolutely to this lesser Synod without an Appeal to the Diocesan Synod of the Suffragans and the rest of the Pastors wherein the Bishop was to preside only I shall say thus much That it was not the Lord Primate's design or intention in the least to rob the Bishops of any of those just Rights which are essentially necessary to their Order and Constitution and without abasing Episcopacy into Presbytery or stripping the Church of its Lands and Revenues both which the Lord Primate always abhorred for he was of his Majesty's mind in his excellent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Presbytery is never so considerable or effectual as when it is joyned to and Crowned with Episcopacy And that the King himself was then convinced that this was the best Expedient for the setling of the differences of the Church at that time You may
likewise see by what he writes in the same Chap. in these words viz. Not that I am against the managing of this Presidency and Authority in one man by the joynt Counsel and Consent of many Presbyters I have offered to restore that as a fit means to avoid those Errors Corruptions and Partialities which are incident to any one man And so likewise in the Chapter about the Reformation of the Times he has this passage I was willing to grant or restore to Presbytery what with reason or discretion it can pretend to in a Conjuncture with Episcopacy but for that wholly to invade the Power and by the Sword to Arrogate and quite Abrogate the Authority of that Ancient Order I think neither just as to Episcopacy nor safe for Presbytery nor yet any way convenient for this Church or State And that the most Pious and Learned Dr. Hammond was about the same time of the Lord Primate's judgment in this matter may appear by this passage in the Preface to his Treatise of the Power of the Keys That a moderate Episcopacy with a standing assistant Presbytery as it will certainly satisfie the desires of those whose pretentions are regular and moderate craving nothing more and in some things less than the Laws of the Land so that it will appear to be that which all parties can best Tolerate and which next himself both Presbyterian Independant and Erastian will make no question to choose and prefer before any of the other Pretenders And though it may be true that divers of the more sober of the Presbyterian party have seemed to have approved of these terms of Reconciliation yet it has been only since the ill success their Discipline hath met with both in England and Scotland that has made them more moderate in their demands for it is very well known that when these Terms were first proposed the Ring-leaders of the Party utterly cryed them down as a great Enemy to Presbytery Since this Expedient would have yet left Episcopacy in a better condition than it is at this day in any of the Lutheran Churches but they were not then for Divisum Imperium would have all or nothing and they had their desires So that it is no wonder if the Lord Primate in this endeavour of Reconciliation met with the common fate of Arbitrators to please neither party But thô the Church is now restored beyond our expectation as well as merits to all its just Rights and Priviledges without the least diminution Yet certainly no good Subject or Son of the Church either of the Clergy or Laity at that time when this Expedient was proposed but would have been very well contented to have yielded farther than this to have preserved his late Majesty's life and to have prevented those Schisms and Confusions which for so many years harrassed these poor Nations But if our King and Church are both now restored it is what then no man could fore-see it is the Lord 's doing and is marvellous in our Eyes but I have dwelt so long upon this subject that I forgot to relate a passage though not of so great moment as the Affair we last mentioned yet as it happened in order of time before it so was it too considerable to be passed over viz. the Sermon which the Lord Primate now preached before the King at Newport in the Isle of Wight presently after his coming thither on the 19th of Novemb. being his Majesty's Birth-day which because it then was the occasion of a great deal of discourse I shall give you the heads of it being there present at that Sermon which afterward was published though very imperfectly by some that took Notes the Text was Gen. 49. 3. Ruben thou art my first-born my Might and the beginning of my Strength the excellency of Dignity and the excellency of Power These remarkable passages he had in this Sermon among others in Explication viz. The Regal power which comes by Descent is described by a double Excellency The Excellency of Dignity and the Excellency of Power By Dignity we understand all outward Glory by Power all Dominion And these are the two branches of Majesty The Greeks express it in the abstract And so in respect of Dignity The Supreme Magistrate is called Glory and in respect of Sovereignty he is called Lord Both these are joyned in the Epistle of Jude ver 8. There are a wicked sort there described that despise Dominion and speak evil of Dignities and make no Conscience to Blaspheme the Footsteps of the Lord 's Anointed And what is their Censure ver 13. To whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever We used to say That those that have God's Tokens upon them are past hopes of life here you may plainly see God's Tokens upon these men they are reserved to everlasting Damnation After he had shewen in many instances of the outward Splendor and Pomp which peculiarly belong to Majesty and are lawful and requisite to maintain the Dignity of a Prince c. then he proceeded to shew the Eminency of Power belonging thereunto For a King to have great State and to have no Power he were then but a poor weak King There is a subordination of Power in all Governments which because it cannot go in Infinitum it must needs rest some where and that is in the King Let every Soul be subject to the higher power whosoever resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God And the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. 13. To the King as Supreme If any Professors of Religion do Rebel against the King this is a scandal to Religion and 't is the fault of the Professors and not of the Profession for the Church of England doth teach the contrary But when men shall not only practise but teach Rebellion this amounts to a very high Crime indeed The King as St. Peter saith hath the Excellency of Power as sent by God But what need I say any more we all swear that the King is the Only Supreme Governor in his Dominions A man would think that that word Only might be spared since nothing can be above a Supreme but it is put there by way of Eminency I read in Josephus That Herod having offended Cleopatra she besought Antony to call him to account for it But Antony refused so to do for then said he He will be no King And after he had enlarged somewhat on these points he added this In the word of a King there is power saith the Preacher It was wont to be so and by the word of God it ought to be so I might enlarge upon this but some Ears will not endure sound Doctrine The King you see must be acknowledged to be Supreme and no Superior to the King on Earth far be it from me to flatter any man I thank God I fear no flesh but do deliver the Truth This day is the Birth-day of our Sovereign Lord. Birth-days of Kings have been usually Celebrated
with great Solemnity in former times it pleaseth God that this day begins the 49th year of his Majesty's life and let me call it the year of Jubilee to his Majesty The Jews had a Custom that in the 49th year of any mans life he should be at liberty whatever his sufferings were before It must be the desire and prayer of every Loyal heart that the King may have a Jubilee indeed This is that which Loyalty bids us do I will not stand too much upon this particular but this I will say Oh! that we knew our happiness to have a King that is the Son of Nobles a King that is not a Child a King that is at full Age to Govern by Wisdom and Prudence And truly as God gives us this blessing so he expects we should acknowledge it thankfully Eccles. 10. 16. Wo be to thee O Land saith the Preacher when the King is a Child To have him when his experience hath riveted in him sound judgment and ability to Govern The Lord threatned Jerusalem in Isa. 3. 4. I will give Children to be their Princes and Babes shall rule over them Those that would have their own Wills could I warrant you be content that the youngest should Reign To have a base man exalted is one of the things that the Earth cannot bear but some Body must have the Government it doth not belong to all you see here is one that alone hath a right to it After which he concluded to this effect That all true Christians are the First-born of God Heb. 12. The Congregation of the First-born they are all Heirs of Heaven in the same relation that Christ is by Nature we are by Grace and Adoption c. This Sermon together with the Arch-Bishop's steady carriage in the point of Episcopacy did so much enrage both the Presbyterian and Independant Factions that in their News Books and Pamphlets at London they reproach'd the Lord Primate for flattering the King as also for his perswading him not to abolish Bishops and that he had very much prejudiced the Treaty and that none among all the King's Chaplains had been so mischievous meaning to Them as He which reproaches whether the Lord Primate did deserve or not I leave to the candid Readers both of the said Sermon and Reconciliation above mentioned to judge I am sure his Majesty's Affairs were in as ill a condition to tempt any man to flatter him as the temper of his Soul was then to suffer it But the truth is the Lord Primate did no more than assert his Majesty's just Rights and Prerogative then trampled upon and it was no more than what he had both preached and written before in that Treatise since published Of the Power of the Prince and Obedience of the Subject After the Lord Primate had taken his last leave of his Majesty and done him and the Church all the service he was able at that time though not with that success he desired he returned to Southampton in order to his going towards London where he was kindly received by the chief of the Town and withal intreated to preach there the next day being Sunday but when he thought of complying with their desires the Governor of the Garrison hearing of it came to my Lord Primate and told him he had been informed he intended to preach on the morrow to which when my Lord answered yes 't was true he replyed that it might be at that time of ill consequence to the Place and therefore wished him to forbear for they could not permit it and so they suffered him not to preach there for they were afraid of his plain dealing and that he would have declared against that Villainy they were then about to execute For not long after my Lord's return to London his Majesty was brought up thither as a Prisonerby the Army in order to that wicked piece of Pageantry which they called his Tryal And now too soon after came that fatal Thirtieth of January never to be mentioned or thought on by all good men without grief and detestation on which was perpetrated the most Execrable Villainy under the pretence of Justice that ever was acted since the World began A King Murthered by his own Subjects before his own Palace in the face of the Sun For which the Lord Primate was so deeply sensible and afflicted that he kept that day as a private Fast so long as he lived and would always be wail the scandal and reproach it cast not only on our own Nation but Religion it self saying That thereby a great advantage was given to Popery and that from thence forward the Priests would with greater success advance their designs against the Church of England and Protestant Religion in general Nor will it be impertinent here to relate a passage that happened to the Lord Primate at the time of his Majesty's murther The Lady Peterborough's House where my Lord then lived being just over against Charing-Cross divers of the Countesse's Gentlemen and Servants got upon the Leads of the House from whence they could see plainly what was acting before White-Hall as soon as his Majesty came upon the Scaffold some of the House-hold came and told my Lord Primate of it and askt him if he would see the King once more before he was put to death My Lord was at first unwilling but was at last perswaded to go up as well out of his desire to see his Majesty once again as also curiosity since he could scarce believe what they told him unless he saw it When he came upon the Leads the King was in his Speech the Lord Primate stood still and said nothing but sighed and lifting up his Hands and Eyes full of Tears towards Heaven seemed to pray earnestly but when his Majesty had done speaking and had pulled off his Cloak and Doublet and stood stripped in his Wastcoat and that the Villains in Vizards began to put up his hair the good Bishop no longer able to endure so dismal a sight and being full of grief and horror for that most wicked Fact now ready to be Executed grew pale and began to faint so that if he had not been observed by his own Servant and some others that stood near him who thereupon supported him he had swounded away So they presently carried him down and laid him on his Bed where he used those powerful weapons which God has left his People in such Afflictions viz. Prayers and Tears Tears that so horrid a sin should be committed and Prayers that God would give his Prince patience and constancy to undergo these cruel Sufferings and that he likewise would not for the vindication of his own Honour and Providence permit so great a wickedness to pass unpublished This I received from my Lord Primate's Grandson who heard it from the mouth of his Servant who lived with him till his death After this sad Tragedy the Government if it may be so called was managed by a
corrupt Oligarchy until Oliver Cromwell turned them out and set himself up for Protector by the help of his Army and Creatures though with equal Tyranny and Arbitrariness as the former during most of which sad Times the Lord Primate kept close to his Study and Charge at Lincolns-Inn utterly disowning those Usurpers and their wicked actions and still comforting the Loyal Party then sufferers that this Usurpation would quickly expire and that the King whose right it was would return unto his Throne though he himself should not live to see it and thus much he declared not long before his death to his said Grand-son and my self among others saying That this usurpation of Cromwell's was but like that of some of the Grecian Tyrants which As it began by an Army so it commonly ended with the death of the Usurper About the middle of this year he finished the first part of his year 1650 great and long expected work of the Annals of the Old Testament from the beginning of the World to Anno Mundi 3828. as far as to the Reign of Antiochus Epiphanes in which he has very exactly fixed the three great Epocha's of the Deluge the going of the Children of Israel out of Egypt and the return of the Jews from their Captivity in the first year of Cyrus which is the only certain Epocha or rule of conjoyning the Sacred with Prophane Chronology In this Volume he gives a most exact account of the Reigns of the Kings of Israel and Judah with their Synchronisms As also the Succession of the Babylonish Persian and Macedonian Monarchs with the concurrent Olympiads and Aera of Nabonussar and the most remarkable Eclypses of the Sun as they might any way serve to regulate the account of time which he has collected out of all Authors both Sacred and Prophane with singular Industry Learning and Judgment About this time the Lord Primate had finished and published year 1654 the second part of his Annals beginning with Antiochus Epiphanes and continued to the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus Vespasian In which Volume he has given an exact account of the Macedonian Empire under the Asiatick and Egyptian Kings reducing their Reigns to a more certain Calculation than ever had been done before and restoring several of them to their due Places and Times which had been omitted by other writers of Chronological History as also an account of the Affairs of the Roman Empire especially those relating to the Oriental Parts thereof together with a History of the New Testament from the Birth of St. John the Baptist to Anno Christi 73. out of the Holy Scriptures as also from the best Greek and Roman Authors that have written of those Times So that these two Volumes may well be accounted of as the most useful as well as the Learned'st Works he ever wrote and are a Repository or Common-place of all Ancient History I cannot now omit to take Notice That Oliver Cromwell to make the World believe that he did not persecute men for Religion had for some time before this shewed favour to some of the Orthodox Clergy as particularly to Dr. Brownrig Bishop of Exeter whom he had sent for and treated with great outward respect and as for Dr. Bernard who had been the Lord Primate's Chaplain in Ireland and was after Dean of Kilmore Cromwell having saved his life at the taking of Droghedah had made him his Almoner here So that it is the less wonder if he also sent for the Lord Primate to come to him who was at first unwilling to go but upon 2d thoughts considering that his refusal would but exasperate him the more against himself and the rest of the Clergy of the King's party and that perhaps he might thereby prevail with him to do some Good or at least hinder him from acting some greater Evil he went accordingly and was received by Cromwell with great outward kindness and civility what the conversation was in particular I cannot tell but as I have heard it was chiefly about advancing the Protestant Interest as well at home as abroad to which Cromwell made great pretences but be it as it will you may be sure he was too great an Enthusiast to take my Lord Primate's advice and so after a great deal of Canting discourse he civily dismist him But whether now or at any other time Oliver Cromwell bestowed any Gratuity or Pension upon him I know not nor do at all believe notwithstanding a late English writer of his life I know not upon what grounds has made bold to say so only this much I remember my Lord Primate said that Oliver Cromwell had promised to make him a Lease of some part of the Lands belonging to the Arch-Bishoprick of Armagh for 21 years which my Lord Primate thought it no harm to accept considering it was but his own and which he had been deprived of above half that time especially in consideration of his Daughter and many Grand-Children for whom he had as yet been able to do nothing And if the Church did happen to be restored before that time it could lose nothing by this Grant and if not he thought his Children might as well deserve to reap the benefit of it as others but though Dr. Bernard in his Epistle to the Reader before the life of the Lord Primate was made by Cromwell's Secretary who then had the Copy in his power to publish as if this Grant had been really past yet the Usurper was craftier then so and as he delayed the passing of it as long as the Lord Primate lived so after his death he made a pretence by imputing malignancy which was indeed Loyalty to the Lord Primate's Son-in-law and Daughter to free himself from that promise This year about the beginning of Winter the most Learned Mr. Selden happening to dye the Lord Primate was desired by Mr. Vaughan and Mr. Hales and the rest of his Executors to preach his Funeral Sermon which though he had now left off preaching in great Congregations yet he now granted as well out of respect to those two above mentioned as also to the deceased between whom and himself there had been so long an acquaintance so he preached at the Temple-Church where he was buried giving him all the Elogies which so great and Learned a man could deserve though to the lessening of himself having this passage among others in his Sermon that he looked upon the person deceased as so great a Scholar that himself was scarce worthy to carry his Books after him Cromwell being now highly enraged against the Loyal Party year 1655 for their indefatigable though unsuccessful endeavours for his Majesty's Restauration to his Throne after he had shewed himself very implacable and severe to the Cavalier Gentry as they then called them began now to discharge part of his rage upon the Orthodox Clergy forbidding them under great penalties to teach Schools or to perform any part of their Ministerial Function whereupon
some of the most considerable Episcopal Clergy in and about London desired my Lord Primate that he would use his Interest with Cromwell since they heard he pretended a great respect for him that as he granted Liberty of Conscience to almost all sorts of Religions so the Episcopal Divines might have the same freedom of serving God in their private Congregations since they were not permitted the publick Churches according to the Liturgy of the Church of England and that neither the Ministers nor those that frequented that Service might be any more hindered or disturbed by his Souldiers So according to their desires he went and used his utmost endeavours with Cromwell for the taking off this restraint which was at last promised though with some difficulty that they should not be molested provided they medled not with any matters relating to his Government But when the Lord Primate went to him a second time to get this promise Ratified and put into Writing he found him under his Chyrurgeons hands who was dressing a great Boyl which he had on his Breast so Cromwell prayed the Lord Primate to sit down a little and that when he was dressed he would speak with him whilst this was a doing Cromwell said to my Lord Primate If this Core pointing to the Boyl were once out I should quickly be well to whom the good Bishop replyed I doubt the Core lies deeper there is a Core at the heart that must be taken out or else it will not be well Ah! replyed he seeming unconcerned so there is indeed and sighed But when the Lord Primate began to speak to him concerning the business he came about he answered him to this effect That he had since better considered it having advised with his Council about it and that they thought it not safe for him to grant liberty of Conscience to those sort of men who are restless and implacable Enemies to him and his Government and so he took his leave of him though with good words and outward civility The Lord Primate seeing it was in vain to urge it any farther said little more to him but returned to his Lodgings very much troubled and concerned that his endeavours had met with no better success when he was in his Chamber he said to some of his Relations and my self that came to see him This false man hath broken his word with me and refuses to perform what he promised well he will have little cause to glory in his wickedness for he will not continue long the King will return though I shall not live to see it you may The Government both in Church and State is in confusion the Papists are advancing their Projects and making such advantages as will hardly be prevented Not long after this viz. about the midle of February following he went from London to Rygate taking his last leave of his Friends and Relations who never had the happiness to see him again As soon as he came thither he set himself to finish his Chronologia Sacra which took up most of that little time he after lived he was now very Aged and though both his Body and mind were healthy and vigorous for a man of his years yet his Eye-sight was extremely decayed by his constant studying so that he could scarce see to write but at a Window and that in the Sun-shine which he constantly followed in clear days from one Window to another so that had he lived he intended to have made use of an Ammanuensis He had now frequent thoughts of his dissolution and as he was wont every year to Note in his Almanack over against the day of his Birth the year of his Age so I find this year 1655. this Note written with his own hand Now Aged 75 years My Days are full and presently after in Capital Letters RESIGNATION From which we may gather that he now thought the days of his Pilgrimage to be fulfilled and that he now wholly resigned up himself to God's Will and Pleasure Not long before his death going to Rygate I preached a Sermon there where this good Bishop was present after Church he was pleased to confer with me in private as 't was usual with him so to do and he spake to this effect I thank you for your Sermon I am going out of this World and I now desire according to you Text To seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God and to be with him in Heaven of which said he we ought not to doubt if we can evidence to our selves our Conversion True Faith and Charity and live in the Exercise of those Christian Graces and Vertues with perseverance mortifying daily our inbred Corruptions renouncing all Ungodliness and worldly Lusts and he that is arrived at this habitual frame and holy course of life is the blessed and happy man and may rejoyce in hope of a glorious Eternity in the Kingdom of Heaven to receive that Inheritance given by God to those that are sanctified So that all his discourse was of Heavenly things as if his better part had been there already freed from the Body and all Terrene affections and he seemed as if he were seriously considering his Spiritual State and making ready for his departure which he now shortly expected But since it had been usual with him to insist on things of this Nature when we were together and that he was at this time in health I did not believe that his Change was so near as he presaged yet he himself had other thoughts and it proved he was not mistaken for on the 20th of March the day he fell sick after he had been most part of it as long as he had light at his Study he went from thence to visit a Gentlewoman then sick in the House giving her most excellent preparatives for death together with other holy advice for almost an hour and that in such a Heavenly manner as if like Moses upon Mount Pisgah he had then a prospect of the Celestial Canaan that Night after Supper he first complained of his hip judging it to be a touch of the Sciatica which he had many years agone next Morning early he complained of a great pain in his side a Physician being sent for prescribed what he thought convenient in that case but it could not thereby be removed but rather encreased more and more upon him which he bore with great patience for 13 or 14 hours but his strength and spirits decaying he wholly applied himself to prayer and therein had the assistance of the Countesse's Chaplain upon some abatement of the torture he advised those about him to provide for death in the time of health that then they might have nothing else to do but to dye Then taking his leave of the Countess of Peterborough by whom he had been so long and kindly entertained and giving her many thanks for all her kindness to him with excellent Spiritual Counsel as
a return for all her favours Then he desired to be left to his own private Devotions After which the last words he was heard to utter about One of the Clock in the Afternoon praying for forgiveness of Sins were these viz. O Lord forgive me especially my sins of Omission So presently after this in sure hopes of a glorious Immortality he fell asleep to the great grief and affliction of the said Countess who could never sufficiently lament her own and the Churches great loss by his too sudden departure out of this life Thus dyed this humble and holy man praying for his sins of Omission who was never known to omit his duty or scarce to have let any time slip wherein he was not imployed in some good action or other and if such a man thought he had so much to beg pardon for what an account must those have to make who scarce bestow any of their time as they ought to do He had been when he died 55 years a Minister and almost all that time a constant Preacher near 14 years a Professor of Divinity in the Univesity of Dublin and several years Vice-Chancellor of the same he sat Bishop of Meath near 4 years and one and thirty years Arch-Bishop of Armagh being from St. Patrick the 100 Bishop of that See As soon as his Relations received the sad news of his death they gave orders for his interment at Rygate where he dyed the Honourable Countess with whom he had lived and dyed intending to have him buried in her own Vault in order to which his Relations being then not near it was thought fit to preserve the Corps by such means as are proper in that case so a Chyrurgeon being sent for the Body was opened and a great deal of Coagulated blood found setled in his left side which shewed that the Physician had mistook his disease not expecting a Pleurisie in a man of above 75 years of Age. But now whilst they were preparing speedily to bury him some or other put it into Oliver Cromwell's head how much it would be for the Lord Primate's as well as his own honour to have him solemnly buried which he approving of and thinking it a good way to make himself Popular because he well knew what great reputation the deceased had among all Ranks and Degrees of men Whereupon he presently caused an Order to be drawn and sent to the Lord Primate's Son-in-law and Daughter straitly forbidding them to bury his Body any where else than at Westminster Abby for that his Highness as he then called himself intended a Publick Funeral for him This Command his Relations durst not disobey as the Times then were though it was much against their Wills perceiving well enough the Usurper's design that as it was intended so it would make more for his own honour than that of the deceased Primate and withal perceiving what accordingly happened that he would never defray half the expence of such a solemn Funeral which therefore would cause the greatest part of the charge to fall upon them though they were least able to bear it and yet he would reap all the glory of it I should not have said so much on this subject had it not been to shew the World the intriguing subtilty of this Usurper even in this small Affair and that for the expence of about 200 l. out of the Deodands in his Amoner's hands which was nothing at all to him he was able to put those he accounted his Enemies to treble that charge However since it could not be avoided the Corps was kept unburied till the 17th of April following when it was removed from Rygate towards London being met and attended by the Coaches of most of the Persons of Quality then in Town the Clergy in and about London waiting on the Hearse from Somerset House to the Abby Church where the Crowd was so great that there was forced to be a Guard to prevent the rudeness of the people The Body being brought into the Quire Dr. Nicholas Bernard then Preacher of Grays-Inn preached his Sermon his discourse was on 1 Sam. 25. 1. And Samuel died and all Israel were gathered together and lamented him and buried him Of which I shall say nothing more since it is in print and is but for the most part an account of his life which we now give you more at large The Sermon ended the Corps was conveyed to the Grave in St. Erasmus Chappel and there buried by the said Dr. according to the Liturgy of the Church of England his Grave being next to Sir James Fullerton's once his School-Master there waiting a glorious Resurrection with those that dye in the faith of our Lord Jesus Many Tears were shed at his Obsequies the City and Country being full of the singular Piety Learning and Worth of the deceased Primate which though it fall not to every man's Lot to equal yet it is his duty to follow so good an example as far as he is able Quamvis non passibus aequis In the next place I shall give you a faithful account without flattery of his personal Qualifications Opinions and Learning As for his outward form he was indifferent tall and well shaped and went always upright to the last his Hair naturally Brown when young his Complexion Sanguine his Countenance expressed Gravity and good Nature his Carriage free a presence that commanded both Respect and Reverence and though many Pictures have been made of him the Air of his face was so hard to hit that I never saw but one that was like him He was of a strong and healthy Constitution so that he said That for the most part of his life he very rarely felt any pain in his head or stomach in his youth he had been troubled with the Sciatica and some years after that with a long Quartan Ague besides the fit of the Strangury and Bleeding above mentioned but he never had the Gout or Stone A little sleep served his turn and even in his last years though he went to Bed pretty late yet in the Summer he would rise by five and in the Winter by six of the Clock in the Morning his Appetite was always suited to his dyet he would feed heartily on plain wholsom Meat without Sauce and better pleased with a few Dishes than with great Varieties nor did he love to tast of what he was not used to Eat He liked not tedious Meals it was a weariness to him to sit long at Table but what ever he Eat or Drank was never offensive to his Stomach or Brain for he never exceeded at the greatest Feast and I have heard some Physicians impute the easieness of his Digestion to something very particular in the frame of his Body for when the Chyrurgeon had opened him he found a thick Membrane lined with Far which as I suppose was but a continuation of the Omentum which extended it self quite over his Stomach and was fastened above to
the Peritonaeum somewhat below the Diaphragma so that I have heard him say he never felt his heart beat in the most Exercise and the Chyrurgeon said That had it not belonged to the Body of a Person of his Eminency he would have taken it out and preserved it as a rarity which he had never found or heard of in any other Body besides and therefore the quickness of his Digestion considered it was no wonder if he bred blood so fast as he did so that he used to have frequent Evacuations thereof from the Veins on one side of his Tongue but more usually in some lower parts of his Body to the stopage of which for some time before his death may very well be ascribed that Distemper which was the cause of it As for his natural temper and disposition he was of a free and easie humour not morose proud or imperious but courteous and affable and extremely obliging towards all he convers'd with and though he could be angry and rebuke sharply when he ought that is when Religion or Vertue were concerned yet he was not easily provoked to passion rarely for smaller matters such as the neglects of Servants or worldly disappointments He was of so sweet a nature that I never heard he did an injury or ill Office to any man or revenged any of those that had been done to him but could readily forgive them as our blessed Lord and Master enjoyns Nor envyed he any man's happiness or vilified any man's Person or Parts nor was he apt to Censure or Condemn any man upon bare reports but observed that rule of the Son of Syrach Blame not before thou hast examined the Truth understand first and then rebuke His natural endowments were so various and so great as seldom are to be met with in one man viz. a Fertile Invention a Tenacious Memory with a Solid and Well-weigh'd Judgment whereby he was always from a young man presently furnished for any Exercise he was put upon which lay within the compass of those studies he had applied himself to so that in short that Character given of St. Augustin might be very well applied to him viz. Insignis erat sanctissimi praesulis mansuetudo ac miranda animi lenitas quaedam invincibilis clementia Linguam habebat ab omni petulantia convitiis puram Ingenii felicitas prorsus erat incomparabilis sive spectes ingenii acumen vel obscurissima facile penetrans sive capacis memoriae fidem sive vim quandam Mentis indefatigabilem c. But that which is above all he was endowed with that Wisdom from above Which is Pure Peaceable Gentle easie to be Intreated full of Mercy and good Fruits without Partiality and without Hypocrisie No man could charge him of Pride Injustice Covetousness or any other known Vice he did nothing mis-becoming a prudent or a good man and he was so Beneficent to the Poor that when he was in prosperity besides the large Alms with which he daily fed the attendants at his door he gave a great deal away in money keeping many of the Irish poor Children at School and allowing several Stipends to necessitous Scholars at the University not to mention other Objects which he still found out on whom to bestow his Charity And after the Irish Rebellion when he himself was in a manner bereft of all it is incredible to think how liberal he was to poor Ministers or their Widows and others that had been undone by that wicked Insurrection and I scarce ever knew he refused an Alms to any person whom he believed to be really in want insomuch that I have heard this passage from his Servant who then waited on him That once at London when he was out of the way there was brought to my Lord a poor Irish Woman pretending great necessity but he being either somewhat displeased to be called off from his Study upon which he was then very intent or perhaps he might not have at that time much to spare told her in short He was not able to relieve all that came to him upon that account if he did he should soon have nothing left for himself which this poor Woman was so far from taking ill that she went away praying for him which he immediately reflecting was much concerned at for fear he should have neglected his duty when a fit Object of Charity was offered him wherefore he presently commanded some of my Lady's Servants to run after her and if possible overtake her and bring her back but they could not light of her So when his Servant returned home he told him this accident with great concern ordering him to go the next day to some places where such people used to resort to inquire out such a Woman whom he described as exactly as he could to him which orders his man obeyed though without success At which his Lord was much troubled and could she have been found no question but she would have been very well rewarded for her being sent away empty the day before by him Yet notwithstanding all these Vertues none was more humble and free from vain glory than this person who was endowed with them so that what high esteem soever others might have of him he never put any value on himself but was little in his own thoughts and would often bewail his own infirmities and the want of those Graces he thought he saw in others and which he most earnestly desired He was so great a lover of real Piety that he thought no other accomplishments worth speaking of without it and he heartily loved and respected all humble devout Christians and would always say they were God's Jewels highly to be valued and with these though of the meanest condition he would gladly discourse speaking kindly to them causing them to sit down by him and if they were bashful he would encourge them to speak their minds freely in any words that might best express their love to God and the State of their Souls and he was so skilful a Physician in Spiritual matters that he could readily perceive every man's case and necessities and would apply suitable remedies thereunto if wavering to settle them if doubting to resolve them if sad to comfort them if fallen into a fault to restore them administering means to prevent the like Temptations nor did he neglect any opportunities by good advice and admonitions to reclaim those that were corrupted with Errors or Vices So that in all his discourses as well publick as private he still endeavoured to bring Religion into reputation and to make sin and a wicked course of life odious shameful and destructive to the Souls and Bodies of men And he would press this point with such a concerned earnestness that one would have believed those to whom he then applied himself must needs resolve not to love sin any longer And on the other side he would so magnifie the happiness and excellencies of a Vertuous and Pious Life
this good Bishop took delight to advise others in the exercise of this great Duty so likewise he said none of his Labours adminstred greater comfort to him in his Old Age than that he had ever since he vvas called to the Ministry vvhich vvas very early endeavoured to discharge that great Trust committed unto him of preaching the Gospel vvhich he accounted so much his duty that he made this the Motto of his Episcopal Seal Vae mihi si non Evangelizavero I mention not this as if he thought all those of his ovvn Order vvere obliged to preach constantly themselves since he was sensible that God hath not bestowed the same Talents on all men alike but as St. Paul says Gave some Apostles and some Pastors and Teachers though on some he hath bestowed all these gifts as on this great Prelate yet it is not often And besides God's Providence so ordained that as he had qualified him in an extraordinary manner for the preaching of the Gospel so likewise towards his latter end he should be reduced to that condition as in great part to live by it And here I cannot omit that amongst many of those Advices which he gave to those who came to him for Spiritual Counsel one was concerning Afflictions as a necessary mark of being a Child of God which some might have gathered out of certain unwary passages in Books and which he himself had met with in his Youth and which wrought upon him so much that he earnestly prayed God to deal with him that way and he had his request And he told me that from that time he was not without various Afflictions through the whole course of his life and therefore he advised that no Christian should tempt God to shew such a Sign for a mark of his paternal love but to wait and be prepared for them and patient under them and to consider the intention of them so as to be the better for them when they are inflicted And by no means to judge of a man's Spiritual State either by or without Afflictions for they are fallible Evidences in Spiritual matters but that we should look after a real sincere Conversion and internal Holiness which indeed is the only true Character and Evidence of a state of Salvation I have already given you some account of his carriage whilst he exercised his Sacred Function in his own Country to which I shall only add That as his Discipline was not too severe so was it not remiss being chiefly exercised upon such as were remarkably Vicious and Scandalous in their Lives and Conversations whether of the Clergy or Laity for as he loved and esteemed the sober diligent and pious Clergy-men and could not endure they should be wronged or contemned so as for those who were Vicious Idle and cared not for their Flocks he would call them the worst of men being a scandal to the Church and a blemish to their profession and therefore he was always very careful what persons he Ordained to this high Calling observing St. Paul's injunction to Timothy Lay hands suddenly on no man And I never heard he Ordained more than one person who was not sufficiently qualified in respect of Learning and this was in so extraordinary a case that I think it will not be amiss to give you a short account of it there was a certain English Mechanick living in the Lord Primate's Diocess who constantly frequented the publick Service of the Church and attained to a competent knowledge in the Scriptures and gave himself to read what Books of Practical Divinity he could get and was reputed among his Neighbours and Protestants thereabouts a very honest and Pious Man this Person applyed himself to the Lord Primate and told him That he had an earnest desire to be admitted to the Ministry but the Bishop refused him advising him to go home and follow his Calling and pray to God to remove this Temptation yet after some time he returns again renewing his request Saying He could not be at rest in his Mind but that his desires toward that Calling encreased more and more whereupon the Lord Primate discoursed him and found upon Examination that he gave a very good account of his Faith and knowledge in all the main points of Religion Then the Bishop questioned him farther if he could speak Irish for if not his Preaching would be of little use in a Country where the greatest part of the People were Irish that understood no English The Man replyed that indeed he could not speak Irish but if his Lordship thought fit he would endeavour to learn it which he bid him do and as soon as he had attained the Language to come again which he did about a Twelvemonth after telling my Lord that he could now express himself tolerably well in Irish and therefore desired Ordination whereupon the Lord Primate finding upon Examination that he spake Truth Ordained him accordingly being satisfied that such an ordinary Man was able to do more good than if he had Latin without any Irish at all nor was the Bishop deceived in his expectation for this Man as soon as he had a Cure imployed his Talent diligently and faithfully and proved very successful in Converting many of the Irish Papists to our Church and continued labouring in that Work until the Rebellion and Massacre wherein he hardly escaped with Life And as this good Bishop did still protect and encourage those of his own Coat so did he likewise all poor Men whom he found oppressed or wronged by those above them And for an instance of this I will give you part of a Letter which he Writ to a Person of Quality in Ireland in behalf of a poor Man which was his Tenant whom he found much wronged and oppressed by him viz. I Am much ashamed to receive such Petitions against you Have you never read that the unrighteous and he that doth wrong shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Think there is a God who heareth the Cry of the Poor and may bring a rot upon your Flocks and Curse every thing you put your hand to And if you think not of him because you see him not although he sees you through and through yet believe your own Eyes and consider that he hath appointed his Deputies upon Earth the higher Powers which will not suffer the Poor to be oppressed by you or those that are greater than you for shame therefore give content to this Petitioner that you hear not of this in a place where your Face must blush and your Ears tingle at the hearing of it J. A. Now having given as brief a Character as I could of this excellent Prelate not only as a private Man but also a Minister and Bishop of Gods Church and as a most Loyal Subject to his Lawful Sovereign Prince expressed upon all occasions I should proceed in the last place to give some account of his Judgment and Opinions in points of Religion and
in the accounts of Time Names or Numbers of men difference of some Words and Phrases c. whilst they still agree in all the main points both of the History and Doctrine which I think ought to satisfie any sincere considering Person that God's Providence has taken sufficient care to convey these Sacred Records and Foundations of our Faith clear and uncorrupted to us a reasonable allowance being still given to the Mistakes and Errours of the Copiers or Translators which were not Divinely Inspired so as to secure us from all mistakes in a Book which has been so often transcribed in so many hundreds of years and that out of a Language which is thought by divers of the learned to have been written without any of those Points which in most of these Eastern Languages stand for Vowels But to other of the Learned of the contrary Opinion and what our Primate thought of this and some beside him skill'd in this point we may understand among the Collections hereafter unto which I refer the Reader and to return from whence we have digressed The Lord Primate being once importuned by a Learned man to give some directions in Writing for the advancement of solid and useful learning as well Sacred as Prophane he said it might be thus performed 1. By learned Notes and Illustrations on the Bible 2. By censuring and inquiring into the Ancient Councils and Works of the Fathers 3. By the orderly Writing and Digesting of Ecclesiastical History 4. By gathering together whatsoever may concern the State of the Jews from the destruction of Jerusalem to this present Age. 5. By Collecting of all the Greek and Roman Histories and disting them into a Body And to effect all this he proposed That the most ingenious and studious men of both Universities being preferred to Prebends in Cathedral Churches should be enjoyned and amply encouraged to prosecute this design for the advancement of this most profitable Learning And how much the Lord Primate desired the performance of these so useful works appears by what he had long since recommended to the University of Oxford touching the revising the Works of the Ancient Fathers of the Church What his design was in this kind the Reader may best judge by this passage in a Letter written 1626. recommending this design to the University of Oxford which I shall here insert The business of Revising the Ancient Fathers works in Latin so long projected and so many years followed by Dr. James I do greatly approve and judge it to be as the times now are and the Books now printed at Cologne and else where most necessary tending to the great honour of this famous University the benefit of them that shall be imployed therein and the great good of the Church And if the Heads of the University would be pleased or might be intreated to incourage and imploy some of their Younger Divines herein whereof I see so great store and some I have found very painful in another kind I shall think my self greatly honoured by this University as I confess I have been very much already if by my means they may be the rather encouraged to the performance of this great work And indeed he had so great an esteem of the Ancient Authors for the acquiring any solid learning whether Sacred or Prophane that his advice to young Students either in Divinity or Antiquity was not to spend too much time in Epitomes but to set themselves to read the Ancient Authors themselves as to begin with the Fathers and to read them according to the Ages in which they lived which was the Method he had taken himself and together with them carefully to peruse the Church Historians that treated of that Age in which those Fathers lived by which means the Student would be better able to perceive the reason and meaning of divers Passages in their Writings which otherwise would be obscure when he knew the Original and Growth of those Heresies and Heterodox Opinions they wrote against and may also better judge what Doctrines Ceremonies and Opinions prevailed in the Church in every Age and by what means introduced So likewise for Prophane Authors his advice was to begin with the most Ancient and so to read them in the order of time of which they writ which was the Method he used in the composing of his Annals Nor did he advise Students in Divinity to spend more time than was necessary in the subtilties of the School-men only so far as might serve for the understanding and answering the Controversies between those of the Church of Rome and us saying That they were good to puzzle mens heads with unnecessary doubts but bunglers in resolving them and that their Writings had done more mischief to the Church than brought advantage either to Learning or Religion That they might serve for Controversial Disputes in the Schools but were very improper for the Pulpit and altogether useless for the Functions of a Civil Life And whom one would think Prudentius had on purpose thus described Solvunt ligantque quaestionum vincula per Syllogismos plectiles fidem minutis diffecant ambagibus c. As for the Heathen moral Philosophers he advised young Divines not to spend too much time in them for they were much mistaken in many great points of Morality and true happiness the best rules of life c. and the shortest and plainest for all moral Duties being delivered by God in the Holy Scriptures In Theological Treatises and Discourses he was displeased with new wording of old Truths and changing the Terms used by the Ancients to express the things they meant he would have the old form of sound words retained for Qui nova facit verba nova gignit Dogmata and ever suspected that those who purposely used new coined words had no very good meaning or else affected too great singularity But I think I need say no more to prove the Lord Primate's great knowledge in all parts of useful Learning since besides the Suffrages of the most knowing men of this Age his many and learned works of which I have given you a short account in this Treatise sufficiently declare it to the World but let us look back a little and survey at once those various parts of Learning he was skilled in First his Sermons Treatises Theological and Writings against the Papists do sufficiently shew how great a Doctor he was in Theology as well Practical as Polemical his Theological Bibliotheke as imperfect as it is together with the Epistles of Ignatius and Polycarp which he put forth with learned dissertations concerning their Writings as also his Treatise of the Ancient Apostolical Symbol of the Roman Church declare how well he was versed in all the Ancient Monuments of the Church as his works of the Succession and state of the Christian Churches and of the Antiquities of the British Church do his knowledge in Ecclesiastical History and Antiquity his Syntagma of the Version of the Septuagint
or more to one day of the seven than to any other let us next see by what Authority the day was changed and how it came to be translated from the seventh to the first Concerning which it follows thus in the said Homily viz. This Example and Commandment of God the godly Christian People began to follow immediately after the Ascension of our Lord Christ and began to chuse them a standing Day of the week to come together in yet not the seventh Day which the Jews kept but the Lord's Day the Day of the Lord's Resurrection the Day after the seventh Day which is the first Day of the week c. sithence which time God's People hath always in all Ages without any gainsaying used to come together on the Sunday to celebrate and honour God's blessed Name and carefully to keep that Day in holy rest and quietness So far the Homily And by this Homily it appears plainly that the keeping of the Lord's day is not grounded on any Commandment of Christ nor any Precept of the Apostles but that it was chosen as a standing day of the week to come together in by the Godly Christian People immediately after Christ's Ascension and hath so continued ever since But the Doctor has been very careful in his Quotations not only to take whatsoever in this Homily he thinks makes for his purpose but has also been so wary as to leave out whatsoever he thinks is against him and therefore the Reader is to take notice that the place first cited by the Doctor immediately precedes that before quoted by the Lord Primate being connected to it by this passage which the Doctor omits And therefore by this Commandment we ought to have a time as one day in the week wherein we ought to rest yea from our lawful and needful works So likewise doth he omit that which immediately follows the words quoted by my Lord Primate viz. So that God doth not only command the observation of this Holy Day but also by his own example doth stir and provoke us to the diligent keeping of the same And after the obedience of natural Children not only to the Commands but also to the Example of their Parents is urged it follows thus as an Argument for its observation So if we will be the Children of our heavenly Father we must be careful to keep the Christian Sabbath Day which is the Sunday not only for that it is God's express Commandment but also to declare our selves to be loving Children in following the Example of our gracious Lord and Father After which it follows again in the next Paragraph which is also concealed by the Doctor tho it connects the words aforegoing and the passage he next makes use of together Thus it may plainly appear that God's Will and Commandment was to have a solemn time and standing-day in the week wherein the People should come together and have in remembrance his wonderful Benefits and to render him thanks for them as appertaineth to loving and obedient People From all which put together I shall leave it to the ingenuous Reader to judge who hath most perverted the sence of this Homily the Lord Primate or the Doctor and whether or no these Conclusions following do not clearly follow from the passages above-cited first that by the fourth Commandment it is God's perpetual Will to have one solemn and standing Day in the week for People to meet together to worship and serve him Secondly That this day tho it be not the seventh day from the Creation yet is still the Christian Sabbath or day of Rest being still the seventh day and still observed not only because of our Saviour Christ's Resurrection on this day but also that we keep the Christian Sabbath which is the Sunday as well for that it is God's express Commandment as also to shew our selves dutiful Children in following the Example of our gracious Lord and Father who rested on the seventh day Thirdly That on this Christian Sabbath or Sunday we ought to rest from our lawful and needful works and common and daily business and also give our selves wholly to Heavenly Exercises of God's true Religion and Service And therefore this being the express words and sence of this Homily that we may not make it contradict it self the passages which the Doctor relies so much upon must have this reasonable construction viz. That the Maker thereof tho he supposed that we Christians were not obliged to the precise keeping of the seventh day after the manner of the Jews Yet notwithstanding whatsoever is found in this Commandment appertaining to the Law of Nature c. as most just and needful for the setting forth of God's Glory ought to be retained and kept of all Christian People Which words must be understood in a clean contrary sence to the Doctor 's viz. that the meaning of the Author was and which our Church confirms that by the Law of Nature the seventh day or one day in seven is to be kept holy or otherwise to what purpose serve these words before recited viz. thus it may plainly appear that God's Will and Commandment was to have one solemn and standing Day in the week wherein People should come together c. that is now under the Gospel as before under the Law And what follows which the Doctor thinks makes for him viz. This Example and Commandment of God the Godly Christian People began to follow immediatly after the Ascension of our Lord Christ and began to chuse them a standing day of the week to come together in yet not the seventh day which the Jews kept but the Lord's Day the Day of the Lord's Resurrection the day after the seventh day which is the first day of the week c. does rather make against him that is by Gods Example as well as Command they were obliged after Christs Ascension to chuse them one standing day of the week to meet together in And if so that must be one day in seven by an immutable moral institution or else the Church might if they had so pleased have celebrated the Lord's Resurrection not as the Homily says on one standing day of the week but only at Easter and the Law of Nature according to the Doctor not tying us to observe one day in seven if this Commandment of keeping the Sabbath or seventh day oblige none but the Jews then the primitive Church might if they had pleased have quite left off setting aside any particular day of the week for God's Service and have thought it sufficient to have kept one day suppose in a month or two for Men to meet together for the Service and Worship of God which whether those of the Doctor 's Party would be pleased with I shall not dispute but sure I am that the Church of England maintains no such Doctrine But the Doctor because he thinks the Homily not enough of his side undertakes to shew us upon what grounds the Lord's day
stood in the Church of England at the time of the making this Homily and therefore he has put down the Proem of an Act of Parliament of the fifth and sixth years of Edward the 6th concerning Holy-days by which he would have the Lord's day to stand on no other ground but the Authority of the Church not as enjoyned by Christ or ordained by any of his Apostles Which Statute whosoever shall be pleased to peruse may easily see that this Proem he mentions relates only to Holy days and not to Sundays as you may observe from this passage viz. which holy Works as they may be called God's Service so the times especially appointed for the same are called Holy-days not for the matter or nature either of the time or day c. which title of Holy-days was never applied to Sundays either in a vulgar or legal acceptation And tho the Doctor fancied this Act was in force at the time when this Homily was made and therefore must by no means contradict so sacred an Authority as that of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons assembled in Parliament because this Act tho repealed by Queen Mary he would have to be revived again the first year of Queen Elizabeth and so to stand in force at the time of making this Homily whereas whoever consults our Statute-Book will find that this Statute of King Edward the 6th was not revived nor in force till the first of King James when the Repeal of this Statute was again repealed tho certainly the reviving of that or any other Statute does not make their Proems which are often very carelesly drawn to be in every clause either good Law or Gospel But tho the Doctor in other things abhors the Temporal Powers having any thing to do in matters of Religion yet if it make for his Opinion then the Authority of a Parliament shall be as good as that of a Convocation But I have dwelt too long upon this Head which I could not well contract if I spoke any thing at all to justifie the Lord Primat's Judgment in this so material a Doctrine The next Point that the Doctor lays to the Lord Primat's charge as not according to the Church of England is a passage in a Letter to Dr. Bernard and by him published in the Book intituled The Judgment of the late Primat of Ireland c. viz. That he ever declared his Opinion to be that Episcopus Presbyter gradu tantum differunt non ordine and consequently that in places where Bishops cannot be had the Ordination by Presbyters standeth valid And however saith he I must needs think that the Churches in France who living under a Popish Power and cannot do what they would are more excusable in that defect than those of the Low-Countries that live under a Free-State yet for the testifying my communion with these Churches which I do love and honour as true members of the Church Universal I do profess that with like affection I should receive the blessed Sacrament at the hands of the Dutch Ministers if I were in Holland as I should do at the hands of the French Ministers if I were at Charenton Which Opinion as I cannot deny to have been my Lord Primat's since I find the same written almost verbatim with his own hand dated Nov. 26. 1655 in a private Note-Book not many months before his death with the addition of this clause at the beginning viz. Yet on the other side holding as I do That a Bishop hath Superiority in degree above Presbyters you may easily judg that the Ordination made by such Presbyters as have severed themselves from their Bishops cannot possibly by me be excused from being schismatical And concluding with another clause viz. for the agreement or disagreement in radical and fundamental Doctrines not the consonancy or dissonancy in the particular points of Ecclesiastical Government is with me and I hope with every man that mindeth Peace the rule of adhering to or receding from the Communion of any Church And that the Lord Primate was always of this Opinion I find by another Note of his own hand written in another Book many years before this in these words viz. The intrinsecal power of Ordaining proceedeth not from Jurisdiction but only from Order But a Presbyter hath the same Order in specie with a Bishop Ergo A Presbyter hath equally an intrinsecal power to give Orders and is equal to him in the power of Order the Bishop having no higher degree in respect of intension or extention of the character of Order tho he hath an higher degree i. e. a more eminent place in respect of Authority and Jurisdiction in Spiritual Regiment Again The Papists teach that the confirmation of the Baptized is proper to a Bishop as proceeding from the Episcopal Character as well as Ordination and yet in some cases may be communicated to a Presbyter and much more therefore in regard of the over-ruling Commands of invincible necessity although the right of Baptising was given by Christ's own Commission to the Apostles and their Successors and yet in case of Necessity allowed to Lay-men even so Ordination might be devolved to Presbyters in case of Necessity These passages perhaps may seem to some Men inconsistent with what the Lord Primate hath written in some of his printed Treatises and particularly that of the Original of Episcopacy wherein he proves from Rev. 2. 1. that the Stars there described in our blessed Saviour's right hand to be the Angels of the seven Churches 2. That these Angels were the several Bishops of those Churches and not the whole Colledg of Presbyters as Mr. Brightman would have it 3. Nor has he proved Archbishops less ancient each of these seven Churches being at that time a Metropolis which had several Bishops under it and 4 that these Bishops and Archbishops were ordained by the Apostles as constant permanent Officers in the Church and so in some sort Jure Divino that is in St. Hierom's sence were ordained by the Apostles for the better conferring of Orders and for preventing of Schisms which would otherwise arise among Presbyters if they had been all left equal and independent to each other And that this may very well consist with their being in some cases of Necessity not absolutely necessary in some Churches is proved by the Learned Mr. Mason in his defence of the Ordination of Ministers beyond the Seas where there are no Bishops in which he proves at large against the Papists that make this Objection from their own Schoolmen and Canonists and that tho a Bishop receives a Sacred Office Eminency in Degree and a larger Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction than a Presbyter yet that all these do not confer an absolute distinct Order and yet that Bishops are still Jure Divino that is by the Ordinance of God since they were ordained by the Apostles and whereunto they were directed by God's Holy Spirit and in that sence are the Ordinance of
retained by God For the Priests put the Name of the Lord upon the Children of Israel but it was he himself that blessed them Neither do we grant hereby as the Adversary falsly chargeth us that a Lay-man yea or a Woman or a Child or any Infidel or a Parrat likewise if he be taught the words may in this sence as well absolve as the Priest as if the speech were all the thing that here were to be considered and not the power whereas we are taught that the Kingdom of God is not in word but in power Indeed if the Priests by their Office brought nothing with them but the Ministry of the bare Letter a Parrat peradventure might be taught to found that Letter as well as they but we believe that God hath made them able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit and that the Gospel ministred by them cometh unto us not in vvord only but also in power and in the holy Ghost and in much assurance For God hath added a speical beauty to the feet of them that preach the Gospel of Peace that howsoever others may bring glad-tidings of good things to the penitent Sinner as truly as they do yet neither can they do it with the same authority neither is it to be expected that they should do it with such power such assurance and such full satisfaction to the afflicted Conscience The speech of every Christian we know should be imployed to the use of edifying that it may minister Grace unto the Hearers and a private Brother in his place may deliver sound Doctrine reprehend Vice exhort to Righteousness very commendably yet hath the Lord notwithstanding all this for the necessary use of his Church appointed publick Officers to do the same things and hath given to them a peculiar power for edification wherein they may boast above others and in the due execution whereof God is pleased to make them Instruments of ministring a more plentiful measure of Grace unto their Hearers than may be ordinarily looked for from others These are God's Angels and Ambassadors for Christ and therefore in delivering their Message are to be received as an Angel of God yea as Christ Jesus That look how the Prophet Esay was comforted when the Angel said unto him Thy Iniquity is taken away and thy Sin purged and the poor Woman in the Gospel when Jesus said unto her Thy Sins are forgiven The like Consolation doth the distressed Sinner receive from the mouth of the Minister when he hath compared the truth of God's Word faithfully delivered by him with the work of God's Grace in his own heart For as it is the Office of this Messenger to pray us in Christ's stead that we would be reconciled unto God so when we have listned unto this motion and submitted our selves to the Gospel of Peace it is a part of his Office likewise to declare unto us in Christ's stead that we are reconciled to God and in him Christ himself must be acknowledged to speak who to us-ward by this means is not weak but mighty in us Having now shewn what the Lord Primate hath said in that Treatise That the Absolution of the Priest or Minister tho it be declarativè yet is still authoritativè by virtue of that power which Christ hath commited unto him But that this is no absolute power but still only declarative I shall prove in the next place as well from what the Lord Primat hath here laid down as from the nature of the Absolution it self The Lord Primat having before declared that the prayer of the Priest is one great means of obtaining remission of Sins I shall now shew you that the Doctor did not so well peruse the Lord Primat's Book as he might have done when he so confidently affirms That tho the Lord Primat has spoken somewhat of the declarative and optative Forms of Absolution yet he hath taken no notice of the Indicative or that which is used in the Absolution of the Sick of which sort take the Lord Primat's words In the days of Thomas Aquinas there arose a Learned Man among the Papists themselves who found fault with that Indicative Form of Absolution then used by the Priest I absolve thee from all thy Sins and would have it delivered by way of deprecation alledging that this was not only the Opinion of Guliel Altisiodo Guliel Paris and Hugo Cardinal but also that thirty years were scarce passed since all did use this Form only Absolutionem Remissionem tribuat tibi Omnipotens Deus Almighty God give unto thee Absolution and Forgiveness This only will I add that as well in the ancient Rituals and in the new Pontificial of the Church of Rome as in the present practice of the Greek Church I find the Absolution expressed in the third Person as attributed wholly to God and not in the first as if it came from the Priest himself And after the Lord Primat hath there shewn That the most Ancient Forms of Absolution both in the Latin and Greek Church were in the third and not in the first person he proceeds thus Alexander of Hales and Bonaventure in the form of Absolution used in their time to observe that Prayer was premised in the Optative and Absolution adjoined afterward in the Indicative Mood Whence they gather that the Priest's Prayer obtaineth Grace his Absolution presupposeth it and that by the former he ascendeth unto God and procureth pardon for the fault by the latter he descendeth to the Sinner and reconcileth him to the Church For although a man be loosed before God saith the Master of the Sentences yet is he not held loosed in the face of the Church but by the Judgment of the Priest And this loosing of Men by the Judgment of the Priest is by the Fathers generally accounted nothing else but a restoring them to the peace of the Church and admitting of them to the Lord's Table again which therefore they usually express by the terms of bringing them to the Communion reconciling them to or with the Communion restoring the Communion to them admitting them to Fellowship granting them Peace c. Neither do I find that they did ever use any such formal Absolution as this I absolve thee from all thy Sins wherein our Popish Priests notwithstanding do place the very Form of their late-devised Sacrament of Penance nay hold it to be so absolute a Form that according to Thomas Aquinas his new Divinity it would not be sufficient to say Almighty God have mercy upon thee or God grant unto thee Absolution and Forgiveness because forsooth the Priest by these words doth not signifie that the Absolution is done but entreateth that it may be done Which how it will accord with the Roman Pontifical where the Form of Absolution is laid down Prayer-wise the Jesuits who follow Thomas may do well to consider Now how near the Doctor approaches to this Opinion
of the Papists when he urges these words I absolve thee from all thy Sins as an Argument of the Priests power to forgive Sins authoritative and as if this Form had something more in it or could work further towards the remission of the Sins of the Penitent than any of the rest I shall leave it to the Reader Whereas whosoever will consider the Office of the Priest will find that it is not like that of a Judg or a Vice-Roy as the Doctor would have it under a Soveraign Prince who has power not only to declare the person absolved from his Crimes but also may reprieve or pardon him when guilty or condemn him tho innocent neither of which perhaps the Prince himself by whose Commission he acts would do whereas the Priest whatever power he has delegated from God vvhich I do not deny yet it is still only declarative and conditional according to the sincerity of the Repentance in the person absolved For as his Absolution signifies nothing if the Repentance of the Penitent or dying person be not real and sincere so neither can he hinder God from pardoning him if it be so indeed tho he should be so wicked or uncharitable as to deny him the benefit of this Absolution if he desire it so that the Office of the Priest in this matter rather resembleth that of an Herald who has a Commission from his Prince to proclaim and declare Pardon to a company of Rebels who have already submitted themselves and promised Obedience to their Prince which Pardon as it signifies nothing if they still continue in their Rebellion so tho the Herald alone has the power of declaring this Pardon yet it is only in the Name and by the Authority of his Prince who had passed this Pardon in his own Breast before ever the Herald published it to the Offenders so that it is in this sence only that the Priest can say thus By his Authority viz. of our Lord Jesus Christ committed to me I absolve thee from all thy Sins since he does this not as Christ's Vicar or Judg under him but as his Herald or Ambassador or as St. Paul words it In the Person of Christ forgives our Offences Yet still conditionally that we are really penitent and consequently is not effective but only declarative of that Forgiveness I shall now in the last place shew you that the Church of England understands it in no other sence but this alone and that if it did it would make it all one with that of the Papists First That the Form of Absolution which follows the general Confession is only declarative the Doctor himself grants so likewise that before the Communion is only optative in the way of prayer and intercession and consequently no other than declarative or conditional and therefore that the Absolution to particular Penitents both in order to receive the Communion as also in the Visitation of the Sick are no other likewise than declarative appears from the great tenderness of the Church of England in this matter not enjoining but only advising the Penitent in either case to make any special Confession of his Sins to the Priest in which case alone this Absolution is supposed to be necessary unless he cannot quiet his Conscience without it or if he feel his Conscience troubled vvith any weighty matter after which Confession the Priest shall absolve him But our Church does not declare that either the Penitent is obliged to make any such special Confession to the Priest either before the Sacrament or at the point of Death or that any person cannot obtain remission of their Sins without Absolution as the Church of Rome asserts so that it seems our Church's Absolution in all these cases is no other than declarative and for the quieting of the Conscience of the Penitent if he find himself so troubled in mind that he thinks he cannot obtain pardon from God without it Tho the Priest as the Herald above-mentioned whose Office it is to proclaim the King's Pardon still absolves authoriative and could not do it unless he were authorized by Jesus Christ for that purpose And if the Doctor or any other will maintain any higher Absolution than this it must be that of the Church of Rome where a small Attrition or sorrow for Sin by virtue of the Keys that is the Absolution of the Priest is made Contrition and the Penitent is immediately absolved from all his Sins tho perhaps he commit the same again as soon as ever he has done the penance enjoyned And that the pious and judicious Mr. Hooker who certainly understood the Doctrine of the Church of England as well as Dr. H. agrees fully with the Lord Primat in this matter appears from his sixth Book of Ecclesiastical Policy where after his declaring with the Lord Primat that for any thing he could ever observe those Formalities the Church of Rome do so much esteem of were not of such estimation nor thought to be of absolute necessity with the ancient Fathers and that the Form with them was with Invocation or praying for the Penitent that God would be reconciled unto him for which he produces St. Ambrose St. Hierom and Leo c. p. 96. he thus declares his Judgment viz. As for the Ministerial Sentence of privat Absolution it can be no more than a declaration what God hath done it hath but the force of the Prophet Nathan's Absolution God hath taken away thy Sins than which construction especially of words judicial there is nothing more vulgar For example the Publicans are said in the Gospel to have justified God the Jews in Malachy to have blessed the proud man which sin and prosper not that the one did make God righteous or the other the wicked happy but to bless to justifie and to absolve are as commonly used for words of Judgment or Declaration as of true and real efficacy yea even by the Opinion of the Master of the Sentences c. Priests are authorized to loose and bind that is to say declare who are bound and who are loosed The last Point in which the Doctor taxes the Lord Primat as differing from the Church of England is in the Article of Christ's descent into Hell The Church of England says he maintains a Local Descent that is to say That the Soul of Christ at such time as his Body lay in the Grave did locally descend into the nethermost parts in which the Devil and his Angels are reserved in everlasting Chains of Darkness unto the Judgment of the great and terrible Day This is proved at large by Bishop Bilson in his learned and laborious Work entitled The Survey of Christ's Sufferings And that this was the meaning of the first Reformers when this Article amongst others was first agreed upon in the first Convocation of the Year 1552 appears by that passage of St. Peter which is cited by them touching Christ's preaching to the Spirits which were in prison And tho
there be any other places or other Mansions by which the Soul that believeth in God passing and coming unto that River which maketh glad the City of God may receive within it the lot of the Inheritance promised unto the Fathers For touching the determinate state of the faithful Souls departed this life the ancient Doctors as we have shewed were not so throughly resolved The Lord Primat having thus shewn in what sence many of the ancient Fathers did understand this word Hades which we translate Hell proceeds to shew that divers of them expound Christ's Descent into Hell or Hades according to the common Law of Nature which extends it self indifferently unto all that die For as Christ's Soul was in all points made like unto ours Sin only excepted while it was joined with his Body here in the Land of the Living so when he had humbled himself unto the Death it became him in all things to be made like unto his Brethren even in the state of dissolution And so indeed the Soul of Jesus had experience of both for it was in the place of human Souls and being out of the Flesh did live and subsist It was a reasonable Soul therefore and of the same substance with the flesh of Men proceeding from Mary Saith Eustathius the Patriarch of Antioch in his Exposition of that Text of the Psalm Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the place of humane Souls which in the Hebrew is the world of Spirits and by the disposing of Christ's Soul there after the manner of other Souls concludes it to be of the same nature with other Mens Souls So St. Hilary in his Exposition of the 138th Psalm This is the Law of humane Necessity saith he that the Bodies being buried the Souls should go to Hell Which descent the Lord did not refuse for the accomplishment of a true man And a little after he repeats it that desupernis ad inferos mortis lege descendit He descended from the supernal to the infernal parts by the Law of Death And upon Psal. 53. more fully To fulfil the Nature of Man he subjected himself to Death that is to a departure as it were of the Soul and Body and pierced into the infernal seats which was a thing that seemed to be due unto Man I shall not trouble you with more Quotations of this kind out of several of the ancient Greek and Latin Fathers which he makes use of in this Treatise most of them agreeing in this That Christ died and was buried and that his Soul went to that place or receptacle where the Souls of good Men do remain after Death which whether it is no more in effect but differing in terms than to say he died and was buried and rose not till the third day which the Doctor makes to be the absurdity of this Opinion I leave to the Judgment of the impartial Reader as I likewise do whether the Lord Primat deserves so severe a Censure after his shewing so great Learning as he has done concerning the various Interpretations of this word Hades or Hell both out of sacred and prophane Writers that it only serves to amaze the Ignorant and confound the Learned Or that he meant nothing less in all these Collections than to assert the Doctrine of the Church of England in this particular Or whether Christ's Local Descent into Hell can be found in the Book of Articles which he had subscribed to or in the Book of Common-Prayer which he was bound to conform to And if it be not so expressed in any of these I leave it to you to judge how far Dr. H. is to be believed in his Accusation against the Lord Primat in other matters But I doubt I have dwelt too long upon this less important Article which it seems was not thought so fundamental a one but as the Lord Primat very well observes Ruffinus in his Exposition of the Creed takes notice that in the Creed or Symbol of the Church of Rome there is not added He descended into Hell and presently adds yet the force or meaning of the word seems to be the same in that he is said to have been buried So that it seems old Ruffinus is one of those who is guilty of this Impertinency as the Doctor calls it of making Christ's descent into Hell to signifie the same with his lying in the Grave or being buried tho the same Author takes notice that the Church of Aquileia had this Article inserted in her Creed but the Church of Rome had not which sure with Men of the Doctor 's way should be a Rule to other Churches And further Card. Bellarmin noteth as the Lord Primat confesses that St. Augustin in his Book De Fide Symbolo and in his four Books de Symbolo ad Catechumenos maketh no mention of this Article when he doth expound the whole Creed five several times Which is very strange if the Creed received by the African Church had this Article in it Ruffinus further takes notice that it is not found in the Symbol of the Churches of the East by which he means the Nicene and Constantinopolitan Creeds the latter of which is nothing else but an Explanation or more ample Enlargement of Creed Apostolical Tho this indeed be not at this day read in the Greek or other Eastern Churches or so much as known or received in that of the Copties and Abyssines But the Doctor having shown his Malice against the Lord Primat's Memory and Opinions in those Points which I hope I have sufficiently answered cannot give off so but in the next Section accuses him for inserting the nine Articles of Lambeth into those of the Church of Ireland being inconsistent with the Doctrine of the Church of England But before I answer this Accusation I shall first premise that as I do not defend or approve that Bishops or others tho never so learned Divines should take upon them to make new Articles or define and determine doubtful Questions and Controversies in Religion without being authorized by the King and Convocation so to do Yet thus much I may charitably say of those good Bishops and other Divines of the Church of England who framed and agreed upon these Articles that what they did in this matter was sincerely and as they then believed according to the Doctrine of the Church of England as either expresly contained in or else to be drawn by consequence from that Article of the Church concerning Predestination And certainly this makes stronger against the Doctor for if with him the Judgment of Bp. Bilson Bp. Andrews and Mr. Noel in their Writings be a sufficient Authority to declare the sence of the Church of England in those Questions of Christ's true and real Presence in the Sacrament and his Local Descent into Hell why should not the Judgment and Determination of the two Arch-Bishops of Canterbury and York with divers other Bishops and
6 am Propositiones nee denique cujuscunque limae Versiones nostrae sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conscriptae ut patet ex 3 a appendice libri primi Ergo Sola Hebraica Veteris Instrumenti editio sicut Graeca Novi authentica est pura Vides methodum quam mihi proposui In animo etiam fuit difficultates quasdam tibi doctissime vir proposuisse in quibus exactissimum tuum judicium cognoscerem Sed sentio me jam modum epistolae excessisse vereor ne interpellem te nimis nugis meis à gravioribus negotiis Ignoscas quaeso Guilielmo tuo qui prolixè cordatè potiùs quam eleganter suaviter te compellare maluit Nactus jam tandem Tabellarii opportunitatem remisi ad te manu fidâ ejusdem Postelli Grammaticam unâ cum libello altero quem tibi benevolentiae ergô dicavi majorem daturus si Anglia nostra aliquid librorum non-vulgarium ad antiquitatem eruendam suppeditaret Nondum aliquid efficere potui in Arabicis quod dignum sit operâ forsan si Christmanno muto Magistro aut Bedwello Londinensi vel potiùs Ambrosio tuo Dubliniensi vivâ voce praeceptore uti liceret aliquid efficerem Sed non licet Velit jubeat clementissimus pater qui in coelis est ut Ecclesiae suae pomoeria dilatet nostras Ecclesias in verâ pace conservet tibÃque frater doctissime tuis omnibus in Christo benedicat Vale è Musaeo m Collegio Emmanuelis Cantabrigiae 9 o Kalendas Aprilis juxta veteres Fastos anno Domini 1607 juxta computum Ecclesiae Anglicanae Tuus in communi fide ac Ministerio Evangelii frater Amantissimus GUIL EYRE LETTER IV. A Letter from Mr. H. Briggs to Mr. James Usher afterward Arch-Bishop of Armagh Salutem in Christo. Good Mr. Usher PArdon me I pray you that I have not written unto you of late nor gotten the Book you gave me printed for now I cannot think it yours I received your Letter the other day and did the same day twice seek Mr. Rimay and your Books mentioned in the end of your Letter of all which Abraham could get none save one Catalogue of the last Mart which I have sent you within a Book of the Shires of England Ireland and Scotland which at length I send to Mr. D. Chaloner to whom I pray you commend me very kindly with many thanks and excuses for my long deferring my promise Abraham hath taken all the names of your Books and promiseth to get them for you at the next Mart. I was likewise with Mr. Crawshaw he hath not gotten nor cannot find Confes. Ambrosianam of whom I have now received your Book again because he saith it is impossible to get it printed here without the Author's name or without their Index Expurgatorius if any thing in it do sound suspiciously He hath not read it over himself and he is had in some Jealousie with some of our Bishops by reason of some points that have fallen from his Pen and his Tongue in the Pulpit I will keep your Book till you please to send me word what I shall do with it I think Sir J. Fullerton or Sir J. Hamilton may with one word speaking have it pass without name but I am now determined not to mention it to them until you give me some better Warrant Concerning Eclypses you see by your own experience that good purposes may in two years be honestly crossed and therefore till you send me your Tractate you promised the last year do not look for much from me for if another business may excuse it will serve me too Yet am I not idle in that kind for Kepler hath troubled all and erected a new frame for the Motions of all the Seven upon a new foundation making scarce any use of any former Hypotheses yet dare I not much blame him save that he is tedious and obscure and at length coming to the point he hath left out the principal Verb I mean his Tables both of Middle-motion and Prosthaphaereseων reserving all as it seemeth to his Tab. Rudolpheas setting down only a lame pattern in Mars But I think I shall scarce with patience expect his next Books unless he speed himself quickly I pray you salute from me your Brother Mr. Lydyat Mr. Kinge Mr. Martin Mr. Bourchier Mr. Lee. Macte Virtute Do not cease to help the building of Sion and the ruinating of Babel yet look to your health ut diu valide concutias hostium turres The Lord ever bless you and your labours and all that most worthy Society Farewel Tuus in Christo H. Briggs Aug. 1610. Concerning Sir R. Cotton's Letter I must crave pardon at this time for I am but very lately come home and full of business going out of the Town again I think to morrow and now if perhaps I find him I shall hardly get it copied But I pray you to what question of sound Divinity doth this appertain Yet do not think me so censorious but I can like you should sometimes descend to Toys for your Recreation My opinion is He that doth most good is the honestest man whosoever have precedence but if harm the less the better Pray for us The Lord ever bless his Church and us all in particular Mr. Bedwell is not well and keepeth altogether at his t'other Living at Totenham Farewel Yours ever in the Lord Henry Briggs LETTER V. A Letter from Mr. Thomas Lydyat to Mr. James Usher afterward Arch-Bishop of Armagh Mr. Usher I Received your Letter this Friday the 13th of March for which I thank you It had been broken open by Chester Searchers before it came to him but I thank God I have not lost any thing of moment for ought I find as yet The East-Indian Fleet is gone about six weeks since but I remain at London still a suiter unto you that the School of Armagh be not disposed of otherwise than I have hitherto requested you until I speak with you in Ireland or rather here in London where I shall be glad to see you The night before I received your Letter Mr. Crashaw acquainted me with a Letter from Mr. Cook wherein he seemed to doubt of divers things in Mr. James his English Book whereof you write signifying withal that he purposeth to be at London this Spring where I hope to see you all three meet to the better performing of that business Mr. Provost told me that he had sent you a Minister for Warberies Mr. I have forgot his name Mr. Provost being now out of Town with my Lord Arch-Bishop his Letters commendatory to my Lord Chancellor I think he is come to you ere this time Printing of Books especially Latin goeth hard here mine is not yet printed nevertheless I thank God mine honourable friends whom I have acquainted with the matter shew me still a friendly countenance with which I rest comforting my self with that pro captu lector is habent sua
very desirous to be certified of from you the one In what sort you would have him answer that Calumniation of our Irish Libeller where he intimateth that you dissemble your Religion and write otherwise than you think delusus Spe hujus secult et mundani honor is lenocinio illectus The other What you think of our great St. Patrick and of his Miracles Touching the former I assured him of my own knowledge that you were wrong'd most shamefully what you did you did out of Judgment and not led by any such base Respect as you were charged withal and that I knew for certain that with your heart you embraced the Religion which by Authority is maintained in the Church of England For the latter I gave him good leave to discredit as much as he list that Pack of ridiculous Miracles which latter Writers had fastned upon St. Patrick but wished him in no wise to touch the Credit of that worthy man himself nor to question his Succession to Palladius nor to cast him unto lower Times contrary to the consent of all Writers that ever make Mention of him And to this end I shewed unto him what I had gathered together to this purpose in a Treatise which I lately wrote at the Request of Dr. Hampton Lord Arch-Bishop of Armagh of the first Planters of the Christian Faith in Ireland and specially of St. Patrick and his Successors in the See of Armagh but one word from you will satisfie him more than a hundred from me and therefore let me intreat you that you would here erranti comiter monstrare viam You easily may see what little Credit the Testimony or the Silence rather of so late an Author as Platina is may carry to bear down the constant agrement of all our own Writers The Objection would be far more specious if it were drawn from the Silence of venerable Bede who making express Mention both in his History and his Chronicle of Palladius speaketh nothing at all of Patricius Yet have I seen in Sir Robert Cotton's Library an ancient Fragment written before the time of Bede wherein St. Patrick is not only mentioned but also made to be as ancient in time as hitherto we have still believed him to have been It was found among Mr. Josseline's Papers and is now bound up in blew Leather with other Antiquities If you can come by the Book and will be pleased to transcribe that place of it where the Tradition of the Liturgy from Man to Man is described for there this Mention of St. Patrick is to be found either that or nothing will give full Satisfaction to our Doctor The Company of Stationers in London are now erecting a Factory for Books and a Press among us here Mr. Felix Kingston and some others are sent over for that Purpose They begin with the printing of the Statutes of the Realm afterwards they purpose to fall in Hand with my Collections De Christianarum Ecclesiarum Successione Statu I do intreat you of all Love to look over the first Edition and what you find I have mistaken or what you think may be further added out of the Antiquities which you have met withal signifie unto me I wrote unto you to this purpose about four years since by a Kinsman of mine Mr. John Brereton at which time also I desired to understand from you Whether it were possible to get the Copy of the Epistles to the Monks of Glastenbury attributed to St. Patrick which I remember you told me you had sometimes seen But since that time I have heard nothing from you If you will be pleased at this time to write unto me or to Dr. Rives who earnestly expecteth your Answer you may leave your Letters at my Lord Knevet's House in Westminster there to be delivered unto Sir Henry Docwra our Treasurer at Wars who will take Order that they shall be safely conveyed unto me And thus craving Pardon for my Boldness in troubling you thus far I take my Leave for this time resting always Your most loving and firm Friend James Usher Dublin June 8. 1618. LETTER XXXIV A Letter from Mr. William Camden to Dr. James Usher afterward Arch-Bishop of Armagh My most esteemed good Mr. Dr. YOur loving Letter of the Eighth of June I received the Fourth of July being retired into the Country for the recovery of my tender health where portum anhelans beatadinis I purposed to sequester my self from Worldly business and cogitations Yet being somewhat recovered I could not but answer your love and Mr. Doctor Rieves Letter for your sake with the few lines herein enclosed which I submit to your censure I thank God my life hath been such among men as I am neither ashamed to live nor fear to die being secure in Christ my Saviour in whose true Religion I was born and bred in the time of King Edward VI. and have continued firm therein And to make you my Confessor sub sigillo Confessionis I took my Oath thereunto at my Matriculation in the University of Oxon. when Popery was predominant and for defending the Religion established I lost a fellowship in All-Souls as Sir Daniel Dun could testifie and often would relate how I was there opposed by the Popish Faction At my coming to Westminster I took the like Oath where absit jactantia God so blessed my labours that the now Bishops of London Durham and St. Asaph to say nothing of persons employed now in eminent place abroad and many of especial note at home of all degrees do acknowledge themselves to have been my Scholars Yea I brought there to Church divers Gentlemen of Ireland as Walshes Nugents O Raily Shee s the eldest Son of the Arch-Bishop of Cassiles Petre Lombard a Merchants Son of Waterford a youth of admirable docility and others bred Popishly and so affected I know not who may justly say that I was ambitious who contented my self in Westminster School when I writ my Britannia and eleven years afterward Who refused a Mastership of Requests offered and then had the place of a King of Arms without any suit cast upon me I did never set sail after present preferments or desired to soar higher by others I never made suit to any man no not to his Majesty but for a matter of course incident to my place neither God be praised I needed having gathered a contented sufficiency by my long labours in the School Why the Annalectist should so censure me I know not but that men of all humours repair unto me in respect of my place and rest content to be belied by him who is not ashamed to belie the Lords Deputies of Ireland and others of honourable rank Sed haec tibi uni soli That I might give you better satisfaction I sent my Servant with directions to my Study at Westminster who found this which I have herein inclosed Which if they may stead you I shall be right glad As my health will permit I will look over
Consecrated and thereupon desire Justice I shall be ready to shew reason and yield account of my Opinion as well in the King's Courts as in Theological Schools For to pass the general words of his grant cum omnibus Jurisdictionibus which grant him Jus ad rem but not in re The Statute of 2 Eliz. cap. 1. expresly forbiddeth all that shall be preferred to take upon them receive use exercise any Bishoprick c. before he hath taken the corporal Oath of the King's Supremacy before such person as hath Authority to admit him to his Bishoprick As for the Statute of Conferring and Consecrating Bishops within this Realm I find not the words you have written viz. That he which hath the King's Letters Patents for a Bishoprick is put in the same state as if he were Canonically elected and confirmed But that his Majesties Collation shall be to the same effect as if the Conge delire had been given the election duly made and the same election confirmed for the Dean and Chapters election in England is not good until the King have confirmed by his Royal assent then it followeth in the Statute upon that collation the person may be consecrated c. Afterward in the same Statute it is further enacted That every person hereafter conferred invested and consecrated c. shall be obeyed c. and do and execute in every thing and things touching the same as any Bishop of this Realm without offending of the Prerogatives Royal. Now by an argument à contrario sensu it appeareth that it is not I which stand against his Majesties Prerogative but they which exercise Jurisdiction without the form prescribed in these Statutes Confider again how impertinent the opinion of Canonists is in this case where the King's collation is aequivalent to a Canonical Election and Confirmation The Confirmation which the Canonists speak of is from the Pope not from the Prince Gregoriana constitutione in Lugdunensi Consilio cautum est Electum infra tres menses post consensum suum electioni proestitum si nullum justum impedimentum obstat confirmationem à superiore Proelato petere debere alioqui trimestri spatio elapso electionem esse penitus irritandam When the See of Armagh falleth void the Dean and Chapter have Authority by the Canons to exercise Jurisdiction which the Bishop elect hath not until he be consecrated as you may read in Mason's Book and elsewhere and so it is practised in England Behold the cause which maketh the Dean capable namely the Authority Canons and Custom of the Church So is not the Bishop elect warranted and standeth still in the quality of a simple Presbyter until he be further advanced by the Church When Jo. Forth shall bring his Libel I will do the part which belongeth to me In the mean time I commend you to God and rest Your Lordships very loving Friend Armagh 13 July 1621. LETTER XLIII A Letter from Mr. Thomas Gataker to the Right Reverend James Usher Lord Bishop of Meath Right Reverend MY duty to your Lordship remembred This Messenger so fitly offering himself unto me albeit it were the Sabbath Even and I cast behind hand in my studies by absence from home yet I could not but in a line or two salute your Lordship and thereby signifie my continued and deserved remembrance of you and hearty desire of your welfare By this time I presume your Lordship in setled in your weighty charge of Over-sight wherein I beseech the Lord in mercy to bless your Labours and Endeavours to the glory of his own Name and the good of his Church never more in our times oppugned and opposed by mighty and malitious Adversaries both at home and abroad never in foreign Parts generally more distracted and distressed than at the present Out of France daily news of Murthers and Massacres Cities and Towns taken and all sorts put to the Sword Nor are those few that stand out yet likely to hold long against the power of so great a Prince having no succours from without In the Palatinate likewise all is reported to go to ruine Nor do the Hollanders sit for ought I see any surer the rather for that the Coals that have here been heretofore kindled against them about Transportation of Coin and the Fine imposed for it the Quarrels of the East-Indies the Command of the Narrow Seas the Interrupting of the Trade into Flanders c. are daily more and more blown upon and fire beginneth to break out which I pray God do not burn up both them and us too I doubt not worthy Sir but you see as well yea much better I suppose than my self and many others as being able further to pierce into the state of the times and the consequents of these things what need the forlorn flock of Christ hath of hearts and hands to help to repair her ruines and to fence that part of the Fold that as yet is not so openly broken in upon against the Incursions of such ravenous Wolves as having prevailed so freely against the other parts will not in likelihood leave it also unassaulted as also what need she hath if ever of Prayers and Tears her ancient principal Armor unto him who hath the hearts and hands of all men in his hand and whose help our only hope as things now stand is oft-times then most present when all humane helps and hopes do fail But these lamentable occurrents carry me further than I had purposed when I put Pen to Paper I shall be right glad to hear of your Lordship's health and welfare which the Lord vouchsafe to continue gladder to see the remainder of your former learned and laborious Work abroad The Lord bless and protect you And thus ready to do your Lordship any service I may in these parts I rest Your Lordships to be commanded in the Lord Thomas Gataker Rothtrith Sept. 19. 1621. LETTER XLIV A Letter from Sir William Boswel to the Right Reverend James Usher Lord Bishop of Meath My very good Lord IF your Lordship hath forgotten my name I shall account my self very unhappy therein yet justly rewarded for my long silence the cause whereof hath especially been my continual absence almost for these last eight years from my native Country where now returning and disposed to rest I would not omit the performance of this duty unto your Lordship hoping that the renewing of my ancient respects will be entertained by your Lordship as I have seen an old Friend or Servant who arriving suddenly and unexpected hath been better welcomed than if he had kept a set and frequent course of visiting and attendance With this representing of my service I presume your Lordship will not dislike that I recommend my especial kind friend Dr. Price one of his Majesties Commissioners for that Kingdom and for his Learning Wisdom and other Merits which your Lordship will find in him truly deserving your Lordships good affection The most current news I can signifie to
your Lordship from this place are That the Lord Vicomte Doncastré returneth within three days into France as 't is thought invited thereunto by that King both at his coming from thence and since by his Ambassadour resident here which occasioneth some forward natures to presage of Peace very speedily in those Parts between the King and his Protestant Subjects Whereof notwithstanding except want of moneys the importunity of his old Councellors at length having been long slighted the disunion of his Grandees and desperate resolution of the afflicted Protestants to withstand these Enemies shall beget an alteration for my own part I see little reason for it is not likely That either the Prince of Condé who hateth the Protestants and loveth to fish in troubled Waters or the Jesuit party earnest votaries of the House of Austria being still powerful in France will ever suffer that King to be at rest until their Patrons Affairs shall be settled in Grisons Germany c. From Italy I hear that in Rome there is lately erected a new Congregation De fide propaganda consisting of 12 Cardinals whereof Cardinal Savelli is chief A principal Referendary thereof being Gaspar Schioppius There are to be admitted into this Congregation of all Nations and their Opus is to provide maintenance from their Friends c. for Proselites of all Nations who shall retire into the Bosom of the Romish Church But I fear I begin to be tedious to your Lordship and therefore craving Pardon as well for my present boldness as former omissions with my ancient and most unfeigned Respects I take leave of your Lordship desiring to know if in these parts I may be useful to your Lordship and remaining ever Your Lordships most Affectionate to love and serve you William Boswel From Westminster Colledge March 17. 1621. LETTER XLV A Letter from Sir Henry Spelman to the Right Reverend James Usher Lord Bishop of Meath Right Reverend and my most worthy Lord THough I be always tied to reiterate my thankfulness to your Lordship for your favours here in England yet is it not fit to trouble you too often with Letters only of complement And other occasion I have hitherto not had any save what in Michaelmas Term last I wrote unto you touching the Monument of Bury Abby which the Cutter going then in hand with came to me about as directed so by your Lorship I was bold to stay him for the time and signified by those Letters that I thought much exception might be taken to the credit of the Monument for that both the ends of the upper Label pictured in the Glass over the head of Antichrist are stretched out so far as they rest not in the Glass but run on either way upon the stone Pillars which as your Lordship knows could not possibly be so in the Window it self How it cometh to pass I do not know whether by the rashness of the Painter not heeding so light a matter as he might take it or that perphaps those which in the picture seem to be the Pillars of the Window were but painted Pillars in the Glass it self and so the whole Window but one Pannel I cannot determine this doubt but out of all doubt such a picture there was and taken out exactly by a Painter then as a right honest old Gentleman which saw it standing in the Abby Window and the Painter that took it out did often tell me about 40 years since affirming the picture now at the Cutters to be the true pattern thereof But at that time my understanding shewed me not to make this doubt if I had he perhaps could have resolved it For my own part though I think it fitter in this respect not to be published as doth also Sir H. Bourgchier yet I leave it to your direction which the Cutter hitherto expecteth So remembring my service most humbly to your Lordship and desiring your blessing I rest Your Lordships to be commanded Henry Spelman Tuttle-street Westm. Mar. 18. 1621. LETTER XLVI A Letter from Mr. John Selden to the Right Reverend James Usher Lord Bishop of Meath My Lord I Should before this have returned your Nubiensis Geographia but Mr. Bedwell had it of me and until this time presuming on your favour he keeps it nor can we have of them till the return of the Mart. Then I shall be sure to send your through Mr. Burnet There is nothing that here is worth memory to you touching the State of Learning only I received Letters lately out of France touching this point Whether we find that any Churches in the elder times of Christianity were with the Doors or Fronts Eastward or no because of that in Sidonius Arce Frontis ortum spectat aequinoctialem lib. 2. ep 10. c. and other like I beseech your Lordship to let me know from you what you think hereof I have not yet sent it but I shall most greedily covet your resolution And if any thing be here in England that may do your Lordship favour or service and lye in my power command it I beseech you and believe that no man more admires truly admires your worth and professes himself to do so than Your Lordships humble Servant J. Selden March 24. 1621. Styl-Anglic My Titles of Honour are in the Press and new written but I hear it shall be staid if not I shall salute you with one as soon as it is done LETTER XLVII A Letter from Sir Robert Cotton to the Right Reverend James Usher Lord Bishop of Meath My honourable Lord THe opportunity I had by the going over of this honourable Gentleman Sir Henry Bourgchier I could not pass over without doing my service to your Lordship in these few lines We are all glad here you are so well settled to your own content and merit yet sorry that you must have so important a cause of stay that all hopes we had to have seen your Lordship in these parts is almost taken away Yet I doubt not but the worthy work you gave in England the first life to and have so far happily proceeded in will be again a just motive to draw you over into England to see it perfected for without your direction in the sequel I am afraid it will be hopeless and impossible Let me I pray you intreat from your Honour the Copy of as much as you have finished to show his Majesty that he may be the more earnest to urge on other Labourers to work up with your Lordships advice the rest I have received Eight of the Manuscripts you had the rest are not returned If I might know what my Study would afford to your content I would always send you and that you may the better direct me I will as soon as it is perfected send your Honour a Catalogue of my Books The Occurrents here I forbear to write because a Gentleman so intelligent cometh to you What after falleth worthy your Honours knowledge I will write hereafter upon direction from your
Lordship whither and by whom I may address my Letters I cannot forget your Lordships promise to get me a Book of the Irish Saints Lives and that Poem of Richard the Second your Honour told me of A love to these things I hope shall make excuse for my bold remembrance My service to your self I remain Your Lordships constant and assured to be ever Commanded Robert Cotton New Exchange Mar. 26. 1622. LETTER XLVIII A Letter from Sir Henry Bourgchier to the Right Reverend James Usher Lord Bishop of Meath Most Reverend in Christ I Must excuse my long silence partly by my long stay by the way and partly by my expectation of your Lordship here about this time Now being somewhat doubtful of your repair hither I have adventur'd these as an assured Testimony of my respect and observance to your Lordship Many of your good friends here were glad to hear of your health and hopeful to see you Sir Robert Cotton hath purchased a House in Westminster near the Parliament House which he is now repairing and there means to settle his Library by Feoffment to continue for the use of Posterity Mr. Camden is much decayed Et senio planè confectus in so much that I doubt his friends shall not enjoy him long Sir Henry Spelman is busie about the impression of his Glossary and Mr. Selden of his Eadmerus which will be finished within three or four days together with his Notes and the Laws of the Conqueror the comparing whereof with the Copy of Crowland was the cause of this long stay for they could not get the Book hither though they had many promises but were faign to send one to Crowland to compare things We have not yet the Catalogue of Frankfort nor any news but what you often hear The reports of the Princes entertainment in Spain fills the Mouths and Ears of all men and not so only but also set the Printers a work I should be very glad to know your Lordships resolution of coming into England that I might accordingly send you either Books or other news which we have here If your Lordship would be pleased to send me your Copy of Dionysius Exiguus I would willingly take some pains in the publication of him for I doubt your own labours take you up so much that you cannot attend him I desire to be most kindly remembred to Mr. Dean of Christ-Church I hear much murmurings among the Papists here especially those of our County against some new persecutions you know their Phrase lately raised in Ireland and particularly against some courses of your Lordships in the Diocess of Meath as namely in the case of Clandestine Christnings c. beyond all others of your rank I should be larger did I not doubt of my Letter 's finding your Lordship there but wheresoever God will dispose of us let it be I will ever approve myself Your Lordships true Affectionate Friend and Servant Henry Bourgchier London April 16. 1622. Your Colledge Statute of seven years continuance is much disliked here with some other things in that Society and some fault laid upon us that we did not take a more exact Survey of their Affairs LETTER XLIX A Letter from the Right Reverend James Usher Lord Bishop of Meath to Mr. John Selden Worthy Sir I Received your loving Letter sent unto me by Sir Henry Bourgchier and do heartily thank you for your kind remembrance of me Touching that which you move concerning the situation of Churches in the elder times of Christianity Walafridus Strabo De rebus Ecclesiasticis cap. 4. telleth us Non magnoperè curabant illius temporis justi quam in partem orationis loca converterent Yet his conclusion is Sed tamen usus frequentior rationi vicinior habet in Orientem orantes converti pluralitatem maximam Ecclesiarum eo tenore constitui Which doth further also appear by the Testimony of Paulinus Bishop of Nola in his twelfth Epistle to Severus Prospectus verò basilicae non ut usitatior mos Orientem spectat And particularly with us here in Ireland Joceline in the Life of St. Patrick observeth That a Church was built by him in Sabul hard by Downe in Ulster Ab aquilonali parte versus meridianam plagam Add hereunto that place of Socrates lib. 5. hist. Eccles. cap. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And compare it with that other place of Walafridus Strabo where he sheweth both in the Church that Constantine and Helena builded at Jerusalem and at Rome also in the Church of All-Saints which before was the Pantheon and St. Peters Altaria non tantum ad Orientem sed etiam in alias partes esse distributa I desire to have some news out of France concerning the Samaritan Pentateuch and how the numbers of the years of the Fathers noted therein do agree with those which the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath in Graecis Eusebianis Scaligeri also whether Fronto Ducoeus his Edition of the Septuagint be yet published I would intreat you likewise if it be not too great a trouble to transcribe for me out of the Annals of Mailrose in Sir Robert Cotton's Library the Succession and Times of the Kings of Scotland So ceasing to be further troublesome unto you at this time I rest Your most assured loving Friend Ja. Mid. Dublin April 16. 1622. LETTER L. A Letter from Dr. Ward Margaret Professor at Cambridge to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath My good Lord THe remembrance of our former love doth embolden me to present these lines to your Lordship which otherwise I would not presume to do I wish your Lordship in your great Place and Dignity all happiness and contentment still perswading my self That your Place and Dignity doth not so alter you but that you still do continue to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no less than that Bishop of Durham R. Angervile was I hope therefore it will not be altogether ungrateful to write of things touching that argument I am right sorry to hear of that heavy news which was reported unto me upon Monday last of the taking of Heydelberg by Tilly the Commander of the Duke of Bavaria It is a great grief that the place where the purity of the Reformed Religion hath so long been maintained should now come into the hands of the Enemy I take it I have heard that out of fear it should be Besieged care was taken that the Manuscripts were conveyed into the Duke of Wirtemburg's Country I wish it were so if it be not It should grieve me if that famous Library too should come into their hands who are so faithless in setting them out Your Lordship was partly acquainted with a business which I had undertaken to answer one Chapter of Perron's latest work set out after his decease Since that time Petrus Bertius the Remonstrant is turned Roman Catholick and hath undertaken the Translation of that whole Book into Latin and hath in Specimen set forth the Translation
the Princes About this there is now much consultation in what manner to proceed Salvo legatino jure and Sir Robert Cotton as you know his manner is hath been very busie in ransacking his Papers for Presidents Of this more hereafter This day my Lord Treasurer makes his Answer about the beginning of the next Week we shall know his Doom Our good Friend D. Lyndsel was cut on Munday and is yet God be praised well after it there was a Stone taken out of his Bladder about the bigness of a Shilling and rough on the one side I am now collating of Bede's Ecclestastical History with Sir Robert Cotton's Copy wherein I find many Variations I compare it with Commelyn's Edition in Folio which is that I have All that I expect from your Lordship is to understand of the Receipt of my Letters which if I know I shall write the more confidently I should also willingly know how you like your Dwelling My Lord of Bristol is come I pray you present my Love and Service to Mrs. Usher And so with many thanks for all your kind Respects I will ever remain Your very affectionate Friend and Servant Henry Bourgchier London April 28. 1623. Sir Robert Cotton is like to get a very good Copy of Malmsbury de Antiquit Glaston It is a Book I much desire to see I pray you remember the Irish Annal which you promised me before your going out of Town LETTER LV. A Letter from Mr. H. Holcroft to the Right Reverend James Usher Lord Bishop of Meath My Lord IT hath pleased his Majesty now to direct this Letter to the Lord Deputy to admit you a Privy Counsellor of that Kingdom I am ashamed it hath staid so long in my hands before it could be dispatch'd But if it had come at the first to me during the Duke of Buckingham's being here it had not staid three days but gone on in the plain High-way which is ever via sana After the Lord Deputy was pleased to put it into my Hands at my first Access I moved his Majesty and shewed his Lordships Hand But the King willed it should stay and it became not me to press it further at that time I know the Cause of the Stay was not any dislike of your Person or Purpose not to grant it But if the Duke had come home in any time you should have been beholding to him for it I pray your Lordship not to think it strange that about the same time his Majesty dispatch'd the Letter for Sir Edward Trevour to be a Counsellor The Grant was gotten by my Lord of Buckingham before his going and by his Commandment I drew it I do strive to give your Lordship a particular Accompt of this Business and do pray your Lordship to endeavour to satisfie the Lord Deputy of whose Commands herein I was not negligent So soon as I acquainted his Majesty with his Lordships second Letter I had his Royal Signature of which I wish you much Joy My Lord Grandison is in reasonable good Health So I remain Your Lordships most assured Friend Henry Holcroft Westminster June 13. 1623. LETTER LVI A Letter from Dr. Goad and Dr. Featly Chaplains to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath Admodum Reverende Domine HAving so convenient a means we send to your Lordship which perhaps you have not yet seen translated and thus Armed with a Preface by a worthy and learned Gentleman Sir Humphrey Lynd our Neighbour To whose Observations concerning the Censures upon this Tractate de Corpore Sang. Christi if you will add any thing which he hath not espyed we will impart the same from you to him whereby your Lordship shall more encourage this well deserving Defender of the Cause of Religion to whom in other Respects the Church and common Cause oweth much For at this instant upon our Motion he hath undertaken the Charge of printing the particular passages of many late Writers castrated by the Romish Knife The Collections are made by Dr. James and are now to be sent unto us for preparation to the Press We shall begin with Polydore Virg. Stella Mariana and Ferus Proeterea in eodem genere alia texitur tela The Story of the Waldenses written in French and comprising Relations and Records for 400 years is now in translating into English to be published Before which it is much desired that your Lordship will be pleased to prefix a Preface for the better pass which we think will be very acceptable and the rather because we hope your Lordship will therein intimate that in the same Subject jamdudum aliquid parturis whereto this may serve for a Midwife unless the Masculine birth deliver it self before this foreign Midwife come Thus desiring to hear from your Lordship but more to see you here upon a good occasion we take our Leave and rest Thomas Goad Your Lordships to be commanded Daniel Featly Lambeth June 14. 1623. LETTER LVII A Letter from Sir Henry Bourgchier to the Right Reverend James Usher Lord Bishop of Meath Salutem à Salutis fonte D. N. Jesu Christo. Most Reverend in Christ THough I have little to say more than the remembrance of my love and best respects I could not forbear to lay hold on the opportunity of this Bearer our common friend thereby to present them as many ways most due from me to your Lordship You have been so long expected here that your Friends Letters have by that means come more rarely to your hands We have little News either of the great business or any other though Messengers come Weekly out of Spain And I conceive that Matters are yet very Doubtful The new Chapel for the Infanta goes on in Building and our London-Papists report That the Angels descend every Night and Build part of it Here hath been lately a Conference between one Fisher a Jesuit and one Sweete on the one side and Dr. Whyte and Dr. Feately on the other The Question was of the Antiquity and Succession of the Church It is said that we shall have it Printed All our Friends are in good Health namely Sr. Robert Cotton Sr. Henry Spelman Mr. Camden Mr. Selden and the rest and Remember themselves most Affectionately to you Mr. Selden will send you a Copy of his Eadmerus with the first opportunity which should have been done before this time had not his expectation of you here stayed his hand Philip Cluverius is lately Dead at Leyden of a Consumption Before his Death he was so happy as to finish his Italia which they say is done with great diligence and the Impression so forward that we shall have it this Autumnal Marte My Lord Chichester is to go within a Fortnight to Colen to the Treaty and Meeting there appointed for the Restitution of the Palatinate But some think that the Armies now a-foot in Germany will much hinder it Bethlem Gabor troubles the Emperor again in Austria The Duke of Brunswick in
this time a kind of a general combination to be made for the disgrace and keeping down of our Ministers What that particular is which your Grace doth mention in the beginning of your Letter I do not yet understand John Forth having not as yet sent any Letter unto me But whatsoever it is I will not fail God willing to be present at the Assizes in Trim and both in that particular and in all other things wherein your Grace shall be pleased to employ me to follow your directions as one who desireth always to be accounted Your Graces ready to do you all service Ja. Midensis Pinglass August 6. 1623. LETTER LX. A Letter from the Most Reverend the Arch-Bishop of Armagh to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath Salutem in Christo. UPon Sunday last as I was going to Bed a Pacquet was brought unto me from my Lord Deputy with the Advertisements of all that passed at White-Hall the 20th of July But by good hap I received advice from my Lord Grandison five days before of the King 's noble profession in a Speech used to his Judges That as he had so he would still maintain the Religion Established in the Church of England and would never give way to the contrary Only he wished the Judges to proceed in the execution of Laws with temperance and fitting moderation Seeing it hath pleased God whose Councils may be secret but not unjust to exercise us with this mixture let us remember how dangerous it is to provoke Princes with too much animosity and what hazard Chrysostom brought to Religion that way The Gospel is not supported with wilfulness but by patience and obedience And if your Lordship light upon petulant and seditious Libels too frequent now-a-days as report goeth I beseech you to repress them and advise our Brethren to the like care So I commend you to God resting Your Lordships very loving Brother Armagh August 12. 1623. LETTER LXI A Letter from Dr. Ryves to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath Right Reverend and my very good Lord I Have now too long time forborn to write unto your Lordship the cause whereof hath been for that we have here lived in suspense our selves of what would ensue of our Noble Prince his Journey into Spain neither durst I write you any thing for certain because I was ever in fear of a contrary report before my Letter could come unto you and as for Uncertainties they were not worth the writing But now at the last thanks be to our good God we have our Prince again he came to London on Monday Morning last being the 6th of this present at Eight of the Clock in the Morning it was my hap to be at Lambeth at that time with my Lord of Canterbury and whilst I was there the Prince came to Lambeth Stairs where his Grace received him and kissed his Hand and from thence in his Graces Barge went to York-House where he brake his Fast and presently went away to Royston where the King then was and is News of his lodging that Night at Guilford came to his Grace of Canterbury that Morning at Three of the Clock and presently all London rang with Bells and flamed with Bonfires and resounded all over with such Shouts as is not well possible to express The day without bidding was kept festival by every Man whereof because I took such pleasure in seeing it I conceive your Lordship will also take some pleasure in hearing the Relation As for the Match Rumor in ambiguo est pars invenit utraque causas some say it will be a Match others that it will not and each part thinks he hath reason for what he says but nothing is yet known that may be reported for a certainty As for my self hanging otherwise in equal Ballance between the two Opinions your divining Spirit is always obversant before mine eyes and sways me to believe as I hope that it will please God to dispose of our Prince's Affections for the greater benefit of his Church and our State It hath happly ere this came to your Lordship's Ears that I was not long since commanded to attend my Lord Chichester into Germany after a while that Negotiation was hung up upon the Nail in expectance of the Princes return and now we look to hear of a new Summons but nothing is done as yet therein And even so my good Lord humbly desiring your good Prayers to God for me in all my honest Endeavours I take leave and rest Your Lordship 's in all Service to be commanded F. Ryves From my House near the Doctors-Commons this 8th of October 1623. POSTSCRIPT MY good Lord no Man doubts but that the Prince went a good Protestant out of England but it 's as certain thanks be given to God for it that he is returned out of Spain tenfold more confirm'd in ours more obdurate against their Religion than ever he was before So is the Duke of Buckingham in so much that upon his Letters to his Dutchess out of Spain she went also publickly to her Parish-Church at St. Martins the Sunday before Michaelmas-day and on Michaelmas-day it self and so continueth Moreover what is befallen to the Prince himself and to the Duke the same is befallen to all the rest of his Company they all return more resolv'd Protestants than ever being thorowly perswaded ex evidentia facti that Popery is Idolatry if ever any were F. R. LETTER LXII A Letter from Sir H. Bourgchier to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath Salutem à D. N. Iesu Christo. Most Reverend in Christ I Hope you will impute my long silence to your long expected and much wished repair hither which you seemed in your last kind Letter to intend before this time I trust that your Stay proceeds not from want of Health but some other occasion which I shall most gladly understand We are here full of business but all in Treaty and so little concluded that I know not what to deliver for Truth to my Friends Here hath been a great Conventicle of Embassadors which is now dissolved Dieguo de Mendoza who accompanied the Prince is gone yesterday Dieguo de Meshia who came from Bruxells with a fair train of Nobles Gentlemen and Military Men goes away on Tuesday next Our late prodigious Events as that of the fall of the House in Black-friers being related in three several Pamphelts the late dangerous Fire in London with some others of that kind cannot now be new to your Lordship The latest which I must send you is very sad and dolorous being of the death of our late worthy Friend Mr. Camden whose Funeral we solemnized at Westminster on Wednesday last in the Afternoon with all due Solemnity At which was present a great Assembly of all Conditions and Degrees the Sermon was preached by Dr. Sutton who made a true grave and modest Commemoration of his Life As he was not factious in Religion so neither was
Spain will satisfy your longing therein some of the first places are amended according to the Prescript of that unholy Inquisition but farther they proceed not all the rest and in one place a whole leaf or two are to be expunged but untouched in that of Lyons We have fully finished the Collation of the Opus imperfectum hereafter more of that matter mean time I have taken pains for trial sake to compare both our Basil and it with the Manuscript for one Homily I find wonderful need of a second review I have sent you a Proof of some few Differences from both the printed Copies whereby you may perceive how this Book and sundry others have been tossed and tumbled by ignorant Men what and how great mistakes and need of a diligent review for this is but lapping I do send you up also in thankfulness for Dr. Goad's Project a Fancy of mine which I pray you to impart to the good Bishop if he give any liking to it let it go forward if otherwise let it be remanded it is both fesible and possible in my judgment If Cambridge will set up or set forward the like I dare undertake more good to be done for the profit of Learning and true Religion than by building ten Colleges I have of late given my self to the reading only of Manuscripts and in them I find so many and so pregnant Testimonies either fully for our Religion or against the Papists that it is to be wondred at Religion of Papists then and now do not agree How many private Men out of their Devotion would singly be able to found such a College much more jointly considered but I leave all to God's Providence it shall suffice and be a great comfort to me if this cannot be effected that by my Lord of Canterbury's Letters which I have long'd for we may have a quasi College and the whole benefit of that which is expected in Dr. Goad's refin'd Project I my self by my intreaty have set twenty or thirty a-work how may the Lord Archbishop command our Heads of Houses and they their Company or at least one out of a College or Hall I have or shall receive this week three quire of Paper of my Workmen for which as they finish the quire I lay out the Mony 20 s. for each quire of Gu. de S. Amore I have received one quire and so of Wickleph 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is harder to read and the other in English of Wicklephs I look for this day Platina is almost done Alphonsus à Castro respited a while and Cajetan likewise till I hear from the Learned Bishop Touching Wicelius I thank you for your Advertisment I now perceive my Conjecture fails me not that Cassander was much holpen by him and his Judgment confirm'd by reading his but if I read his Epistles I will tell you my mind howsoever in the interim Wicelius is of more authority than Cassander and his Books concealed purposely or made away quantum in illis by the Inquisitors I have ever been of Dr. Ward 's mind touching the publishing those Books which they make away so fast ut jugulent homines furgunt c. Fisher de natura Dei is in one of their Indices impudently denied to be his tho some one in the Council of Trent say nay Upon the fifth of Matthew is but a scantling to those great Volumes which I have ready if any Man please to come hither he may see the whole My Lord of Meath's return and earnestness for the Plot both before and since as also Dr. Goad's forwardness to print ought hereabout I pray God the News be not too good to be true glads me much as the Sickness of my Lord of Ely doth some no less It were not from the purpose if Dr. Sutcliff do see this whole Project of our College and Purpose and if he did turn away his mind wholly from Chelsey I durst presume of more fasibility and possibility here of doing good Lastly for the Catalogue it is a great and painful Work but hath well requited my Pains in that I find some Books that I have long sought after and could not find as Stella of the Popes and such like If any thing be printed I would print only those that are not mentioned in our present Catalogue But where is the Encouragement for the printing or doing any thing If our Genevians had sent us over that of Gregory at this Mart how seasonable had it been to have put an egde to our great Business I am sorry it came not but see no remedy What of the Enchiridion nothing my Judgment you have and it is free to alter that do nothing at pleasure but sure I am some things are past question lay aside and expunge all doubtful Treatises till our College take them in hand which shall rivet them in after another fashion if God give Life I have now at length recovered the Spanish Book of Mr. Boswell the Book is a Commentary upon our English Laws and Proclamations against Priests and Jesuits spightful and foolish enough but especially about the Powder-Treason laying it to Puritans as Cobham Gray and Rawley or to the whole State or a Policy to intrap Them and their Estates I would my Lord of Meath did understand the Tongue that from him the King might understand the Mystery of Iniquity contained in the Book No Place or Time when or where it was printed Was he asham'd of that he did and it seemeth it or the like like hath been divulged in many Languages But I end and pray God That the Clergy give us not a fair denial that is a delay to our Businesses at this Session Let my Lord prevent as wisely and timely as he can God have you and all yours in his safe keeping and remember my Service in dutiful manner to my Lord and Commendations to my Cousin with whom if I had had the Spirit of Prophecy Dr. Featly should not have coaped withal but God send the Truth to take place if the President be faulty to be punished if innocent to be delivered And so once again I bid you heartily farewel Your most assured Friend Tho. James Oxon the 23d of May 1624. If my Lord of Meath nor any other there hath Wicelius it shall be written out unless my Lord please to speak with Sir William Paddy who was the Donor of the Book and may command it to London where it may be reprinted LETTER LXVII A Letter from the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath My very good Lord YEsterday being the 27th of September I received this inclosed Letter In reading whereof it presently came into my mind that this was the Man at whose Sermon his Majesty was so much offended when I was last at Court Whereupon I sent for the party and upon Conference had with him found indeed that I was not deceived in mine Opinion I put him in mind that his Conceits were contrary to the
did not send it which by the next Ship if your Lordship please God willing I will send you But I pray understand that by the Syriack Tongue they mean here the Caldean And every Man tells me it is all one the Syrians and Caldeans being one and the same People but questionless the same Language Therefore if your Lordship mean and desire to have the Old Testament in Caldean I beseech you to write me by the first over Land that I may provide it by the next Ship Also I beseech you to take knowledge that I dare not promise you to send it according to the Hebrew for neither my self nor any other Man here can determine it only I must be forc'd to take his word that sells it me who is a Minister of the Sect of the Marranites and by birth a Caldean but no Scholar neither is there any to be found in these parts but if your Lordship will have me send it at adventures though it cost dear as it will cost 10 l. I will do my best endeavour to send it by the first Conveyance but shall do nothing herein until such time I have further order from your Lordship to effect business of this nature in these parts requires time Travel being very tedious in these Countries I have inquired of divers both Christians and Jews of the overflowing of Jordan but can learn no certainty Some say it never rises but after great Rain but I met with a learned Jew at least so reputed who told me that Jordan begins to flow the 13th of July and continues flowing 29 days and is some 18 or 20 days increasing but I dare not believe him his Relation not agreeing with the Text for Harvest is near ended with them by that time and unless you will understand by Harvest the time of gathering Grapes it cannot agree I have also sent to Damascus concerning this and trust ere long to satisfy your Lordship in this Particular and in the Calendar of the Samaritans A French Frier who lived at Jerusalem told me that it never overflowed except occasiond by Rain whereupon I shewed him the words in Joshua 3. 15. that Jordan overfloweth his Banks at the time of Harvest which words are written with a Parenthesis and therefore said he are no part of the Text which I know is his ignorance I could have shewed him the thing plainly proved by that which he holds Canonical Scripture Ecclus. 24. 26. If I have done your Lordship any Service herein I shall greatly rejoyce and shall ever be ready and willing to do the best Service I can to further the Manifestation of God's Truth yea I should think my self happy that I were able to bring a little Goats Hair or a few Badgers Skins to the building of God's Tabernacle I acknowledg your Lordship's Favour towards me who have not neither could deserve at your hands the least Kindness conceivable yet the Graciousness of your sweet Disposition emboldens me to entreat the continuance of the same and also the benefit of your faithful Prayers so shall I pass the better amongst these Infidel Enemies to God and his Christ. And so I pray God to encrease and multiply his Favours and Graces both upon your Soul and Body making you happy in what ever you possess here and hereafter to grant you Glory with Christ into whose hands I recommend your Lordship and humbly take leave ever resting Your Lordship 's in all bounden duty to command Thomas Davies Aleppo Aug. 29. 1624. LETTER LXX A Letter from Mr. Thomas Pickering to the R. R. James Usher Bishop of Meath at Wicken-Hall Right Reverend and my very good Lord I Was not unmindful according to my Promise to send to Dr. Crakenthorp for Polybius and Diodorus Siculus immediatly after I was with your Lordship But he attending the Visitations at Colchester and Maldon came not home till yesterday At which time sending my Man for the Books the Doctor returned Answer That your Lordship shall command any Books he hath whensoever you please That he had not Diodorus Siculus but he sent me Polybius and Marianus Scotus which he says Dr. Barkham told him you desired to borrow These two Books your Lordship shall now receive and if it fall out that you be already provided of Marianus Scotus then it may please you to let that come back again because the Doctor tells me that after a while he shall have occasion to see some things for his use in Sigebert and other Writers which are bound in this Volume with Marianus but by all means he desires your turn should be served however I shall be most ready to afford your Lordship any Service that lieth in my power during your aboad in these parts holding my self in common with the Church of God much bound to you for your great and weighty Labours both formerly and presently undertaken in the Cause of our Religion The God of all Wisdom direct your Meditations and Studies and grant you Health and all Conveniences for the Accomplishment of your intended Task And so with remembrance of Dr. Crakenthorp's and my own Love and Service I humbly take leave and shall ever rest Your Lordship 's in my best Devotions and Services to be commanded Tho. Pickering Finchingfield Sept. 9. 1624. LETTER LXXI A Letter from Mr. Thomas Davies in Aleppo to the Right Reverend James Usher Lord Bishop of Meath Right Reverend Sir MY bounden Duty remembred c. News here is not any worthy your knowledg the great Rebel Abassa still troubles the State and hinders the going forward of the Army against the Persian Some few days time News came that the Vizier had given Battel to the Rebel and that the Rebel had cut off 12000 Janisaries yet they report the Vizier to have the best of the day which most Men judg to be but report certainly it is that Abassa will give them great trouble pretending only Revenge upon the Janisaries for the Blood of his Master Sultan Osman The greatest Villanies that ever were practised or intended never wanted their Pretences Yet it is thought by many that this Man hath done nothing without leave from the Port otherways it is strange they had not cut him off long since for what can be his Forces against the Grand Signior's Powers The Janisaries refuse to go to War before the Rebel be cut off or Peace made with him whereby you may observe what Power the King hath over his Souldiers the truth is they command and rule all oppressing and eating up the Poor When I consider the Estate of the Christians in these Parts yea the Mahumetans themselves that are not Souldiers then must I say happy yea thrice happy are the Subjects of the King of England who live in peace and enjoy the Fruits of their own Labours and yet have another and a greater Blessing the free passage of the Gospel I pray God we may see and be thankful for so great Favours expressing it by Obedience
Insolence of an Arab called Emeere Farrach there is a force of Men gone against him he being of no great power will be soon quiet The Estate of his Empire decays and will be utterly ruined by the Tyranny and Oppression of the Spahees and Janisaries who are Lords and Governors of the Country what Man is he that dare oppose a Souldier The Mahometans are Slaves to the Souldiers the Christian and Jew under both it would grieve a Man's Heart to see the poor Estate and Condition of the Christians in these Parts nor so much for their outward Estate tho that be marvelous grievous but they are to be pitied for their Estate of Christianity for I know that in a manner all true knowledg is departed both from Minister and People the Lord in Mercy visit them Pardon my Tediousness and Presumption and excuse my weakness who shall daily pray unto the Lord of Lords to prosper all your ways and bless all your Endeavours and grant you a long Life here with Happiness and everlasting Glory in the Life to come and will ever rest Your Graces in all humble observance to be commanded Thomas Davis Aleppo the 16th of January 1625. LETTER LXXXII A Letter from Sir H. Bourgchier to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh at Much-Haddam Most Reverend in Christ and my very good Lord I Received your Lordship's Letter of the 26th of March for which I return many humble Thanks I have written to Mr. Pat. Young both concerning his Transcript of Epistles and the nameless Annal but I could yet receive no Answer from him and I have not yet had time to go to him myself I have spoken with Sir Rob. Cotton concerning Malmesbury and the two Books of Saints Lives in Sarisbury Library all which he hath undertaken your Lordship shall have with all convenient speed As for the other two Books he tells me that you have one of them if not both already but if you want either of them you shall have it sent to you Giraldus Cambrensis of the Lives of David and Patrick was in my hands which I send your Lordship herewithal I have transcrib'd him for the Press only I will desire that when the Printer is ready for that part I may have it to compare with my Transcript for I purpose to go in hand with the Impression of his Works tho I make some adventure of my own Purss. If my Memory fail me not that Arabick Book is in my Lord Marshall's Library but I have not had opportunity to go in since the receipt of your Lordship's Letter by the next I will give your Lordship an account of it I received some Letters out of Ireland of the 25th of March but containing little memorable only which is very lamentable of five hundred Souldiers lately transported from the River of Chester three hundred at least are lost by Shipwrack upon the Coast of Wales Sir Ed. Chichester is created Baron of Belfast and Viscount of Carikfergus Here is much preparation for the Solemnities of the Funeral Parliament and Coronation The new Writs are gone out returnable the 17th of May. The Funeral-day is appointed the 10th of May which doubtless will be very great and sumptuous It is said that the King of Bohemia his eldest Son comes over to be chief Mourner There is no day certain for the Coronation because it depends upon the Marriage that both may be done together Italy which hath been quiet sixty Years some few Brables of the D. of Savoy excepted is now grown the Stage of War The French the Duke of Savoy and the Venetian Forces are 50000 and are come within twelve Miles of Genoa having already taken divers of their Towns But now my Paper bids me end wherefore with the remembrance of my Love and Service to your Lordship and Mrs. Usher as also to Sir Garret Harvy and my Lady I will ever remain Your Graces most affectionate Friend and humble Servant Henry Bourgchier London April 7. 1625. LETTER LXXXIII A Letter from Mr. Thomas Davies to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Most Reverend Father and my no less honoured Lord IT is a good while since I writ your to Grace for want of a good occasion not presuming to trouble you with unnecessary Lines so trust my long silence will be excused The five Books of Moses with those parcels of the New Testament which your Lordship writ for in the Caldean Tongue sent you ten Months ago I trust in safety are come to your hands whereof I should be glad to hear I have used my best Industry to procure those other Books that you would have bought but hitherto have not been so happy as to light upon any of them such Books being very rare and valued as Jewels tho the Possessors are able to make little use of them Amongst all the Caldeans that lay in Mount Libanus Tripoly Sidon and Jerusalem there is but only one old Copy of the Old Testament in their Language extant and that in the custody of the Patriarch of the Sect of the Maronites who hath his residence in Mount Libanus which he may not part with upon any terms only there is liberty given to take Copies thereof which of a long time hath been promised me and indeed I made full account to have been possessed of one ere this time having agreed for it but I was deluded which troubled me not a little so in fine resolved to send a Man on purpose to Libanus to take a Copy thereof who is gone and I hope in four or five Months will finish it and by the assistance of the Almighty I trust to be able to send it by our next Ships By our Ships lately departed I have sent your Lordship some of the Works of Ephrem which if they prove useful I have my desire however I trust will be acceptable The last Letter I received from your Lordship bears date the 21st of February and came to my hands the 18th of July where I perceive you would have the New Testament in the Aethiopian Language and Character wherein my best Endeavours have not wanted for which purpose I have sent to Damascus where a few of the Abissines do inhabit yet have had no answer thence and in case do not prevail here I purpose to send to Jerusalem where divers of them do attend upon the Sepulcher of our Lord whence I hope to be furnished and in due time to send it with the Old Testament in the Syriack Tongue by the next Ships Thus much I beseech your Lordship to be assured of that I will omit no time nor neglect any means for effecting what you have or shall command me Touching such Occurrences which are worthy your Lordship's knowledg this unsettled tottering Estate affords little The Turks Forces were before Bagdat and during the Siege the Persians sallied out of the City divers times and had many Skirmishes with the Turks but ever came off with Honour
where he addeth much more concerning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if I were able to give the sum of it it needeth not if your Lordship have Plato if not except London Stationers now furnish I can with much conveniency send down to Tottenham any Book I was lately with one Mr. Boyse whose Notes are on Chrysostom with Mr. Downes's he is now comparing of Nicene Syn. in Greek with an old Manuscript which was by great chance offered to him he is very learned in the Greek Authors and most willing to communicate tho your Lordship needs not those Excellencies he is but four Miles dwelling out of Cambridg I intend to go over of purpose to him concerning the same Queries which your Lordship propounded because he was Mr. Downes his Scholar I shall intreat him to furnish me with all the Notes if he may conveniently that he gathered from Mr. Downes My Lord if I be not over-bold to desire such a Favour I wish I had that Table wherein your Lordship hath compared the Hebrew Greek and Latin Alphabet which sheweth plainly the right Pronunciation of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the whole consent of the rest When I have done with Mr. Boyse and have obtained any thing worth your view I will by that Messenger desire your Servant to copy out that Table for me which would give great content to my Scholars which study the Languages And thus craving pardon of your Lordship I humbly take my leave and rest Your Lordship's humble Servant to his Power Abraham Wheelock Clare-Hall July 12. 1625. LETTER LXXXVI A Letter from Dr. Sam. Ward to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh at Much-Haddam Most Reverend and my very good Lord I Received a Note from Dr. Lindsell written by your Lordship wherein you desire to have a Book out of Trinity-Colledg Library which you intitle Psalterium Gallicum Romanum Hebraicum MS. in magno Folio There is no such Book there as the Master telleth me but he shewed me the Psalter in Hebrew MS. interlinear with a Latin Translation and two other Collateral Translations in Latin but there is no French and it is but in a little Folio The Catena in Psalmos 50 priores Daniele Barbaro interprete I cannot learn where it is Whereas you desire some old Impression of the Greek Psalms in Trinity-Colledg Library there is Augustini Justiniani Episcopi Nebiensis Psalterium Octaplum in which there is the Greek Translation also the Arabick and Chalde Paraphrase but I suppose you have that Book already Also they have a Manuscript Psalter in Greek a very good Hand which it seemeth was Liber Theodori Archiepiscopi Cantuariensis If you would have any of those I will procure them from Dr. Maw I had purposed to have seen you e're now and now this Week I had purposed to have brought my whole Family to Mundon but this day I received a Letter that one of my Workmen at my Parsonage had a Sister who is suspected the last Saturday to die of the Plague at Standon I thank God we are yet well at Cambridg If you please to write unto me your mind touching the Books aforesaid I will do what you would have me Thus desiring the Lord to mitigate this grievous Judgment which hath seized upon our Mother-City and from thence is diffused to many other Towns in the Land and to stay it in his good time and in the mean time to sanctify this Correction unto the whole Land that it may have that powerful working for which God sends it to make us sensible of our Sins and of his Wrath for our Sins and of the Miseries of our Brethren under the Cross and so to move us to true Repentance and new Obedience which He effect in us for his Mercy 's sake Thus with my best Service to your self and Mrs. Usher and my kind Love to Sir Gerard and his Lady I commend you to the safe protection of the highest Majesty Your Lordships in all observance Samuel Ward Sidney-Coll Aug. 3. 1625. I am careful that the Letter be conveyed by Persons safe from all Infection LETTER LXXXVII A Letter from Dr. James to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh After the remembrance of my humble Duty MAY it please your Grace to pardon my long silence and neglect of writing according to my Duty occasioned partly by Sickness partly by Discontent and Discouragement from our great Ones But being now freed from both God be thanked I address my self wholly to the care of the Publick long since by me intended Wherein now more than ever I must be bold to crave your Lordships furtherance that as it had its first beginnings from your Grace so it may its final end and a fulfilling by your Lordships good means It is true my Lord of Litchfield is intrusted with the whole direction and managing of this Business but had your Grace been near there would have been none more able nor willing than your Grace I do therefore most humbly intreat your Lordship that sometime before your Grace's departure into Ireland you would be pleased upon conference with my Lord of Litchfield to settle the whole Business what Authors we shall begin with in what order and after what manner As for the Canon-Law which I have looked unto not without the vocation and approbation of Mr. Vice-chancellor I must confess my forwardness therein upon a supposal of sundry Additions unto Gratian and my Fellow-labourers are as earnest as my self upon that little which we have hitherto found Doubtless Gratian was one of the first Compilers of the Popish Religion in his hotch-potch of the Canon-Law but yet he is not so bad as he is made the Corruptions are of a later hue and came in long since his time I have given a taste as of all that I have hitherto done in certain rude Papers overhastily perhaps sent up to pass your Lordships Censure and Judgment and from thence to the Press that I may have a taste to present unto my Lord the Bishops and others that have already promised their helps If this of almost an hundred places corrupted in point of Religion not taking all upon an exact survey but a few to give proof of the faisibility of the Work to the common profit of the Church shall be thought fit to be printed and an hundred places of flat contradiction Men if ever will be stirred up to advance this Work for the doing whereof with some jeopardy of my Health and loss of all worldly Preferment I am most willing to be imployed to the uttermost of my simple Endeavours having nothing to promise but Fidelity and Industry Good my Lord what can be done by your Grace let it be done to the uttermost the Work is in a manner yours to God be the Glory and if the Church of England receive not as much profit by this one Work being well done as by any thing since Erasmus's Time I will never look hereafter to be
credited of your Grace or any Man clse But to the well-doing and perfecting of this Work two things are requisite First That the Fathers Works in Latin be reprinted the Vindiciae will not serve wherein I desire to have three or four able Doctors or Batchelors of Divinity to be my Assistants in framing the Annotations Secondly That there be provision either in Parliament or out that the Copies may be sent from any Cathedral Church or Colledg upon a sufficient Caution non obstante statuto both these being granted as at your Lordships instance they may be I doubt not of a most happy success of the whole Business Which that I may not be too troublesome to your Grace I commend unto the protection of the Almighty praying for your Lordships health and happiness and resting as I am in all Bands of Duty and Service Your Grace's in all Duty Tho. James Oxon 27 Feb. 1625. I have a Pseudo-Cyprian Arnaldus Bonavillacensis Work collated and restored by the MS. and printed here under your Graces Name of Authors falsified it is the greatest instance that can be given the whole Treatise fairly written forth is at your Grace's dispose your mind being signified It hath sundry foul Additions and Diminutions in many Points of Controversy LETTER LXXXVIII A Letter from Mr. John Selden to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh My Lord I Was glad to have occasion to send to your Lordship that I might so hear of the good Estate of your Self and your Family to which certainly all good Men wish happiness I was the last week with Sir Robert Cotton at Connington at my parting from him when he was with his Son to go to Oxford to the Parliament he gave me leave to send to your Lordship to spare me the two Saxon Chronicles you have of his which I beseech you to do and to send them me by this Bearer together with my Matthew Paris Baronius his Martyrologie and Balaeus I exceedingly want these five Books here and if you command it they shall be sent you again in reasonable time I presume too my Lord that by this time you have noted the Differences between the Texts of the received Original and that of the Samaritan I beseech you to be pleased to permit me the sight of those Differences if they may with manners be desired especially those of Times I shall desire nothing more than upon all opportunity to be most ready to appear and that with all forwardness of performance in whatsoever I were able Your Lordships most Affectionate Servant J. Selden Wrest in Bedfordshire August 4. 1625. LETTER LXXXIX A Letter from the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh to Dr. Samuel Ward Salutem in Christo Jesu SIR Robert Cotton did assure me that the Psalterium Gallicum Romanum Hebraicum was in Trinity-Colledg in an extraordinary large Folio but hereby you must not understand any Text written either in the French or in the Hebrew Language but by Hebraicum the Latin Psalter translated by St. Hierom out of the Hebrew and by Gallicum the Latin Psalter translated by him out of the Greek which is the very same with our Vulgar Latin Edition so called because it was first received in the French Church as the other Romanum because it was used in the Church of Rome which if our last Translators had considered they would not have alleaged as they do in their Epistle to the Reader for confirmation of the translating of the Scriptures into the Vulgar Tongue the Testimony of Trithemius that Efnarde Einardus they mean about the Year 800 did abridg the French Psalter as Beda had done the Hebrew If this Book cannot be had as I much desire it may I pray fail not to send me the other two Manuscript Psalters which you write unto me are in the same Library viz. the Greek thought to be Theodori Cantuar. and the Hebrew that is interlin'd with a Latin Translation for Aug. Justiniani Psalterium Octaplum I have of mine own When you remove to Munden if it be not troublesome unto you I wish you did bring with you your Greek Ganons Manuscript I understand that Mr. Boyse hath gotten lately into his hands a Greek Manuscript of the Acts of the first Council of Nice I should be glad to hear how it differeth from that of Gelasius Cyzicenus which we have and whether he can help me with any old Greek Copy of the Psalms or any Commentary upon them So ceasing to trouble you any further at this time I commend you and all yours to God's blessed direction and protection ever resting Your own in Christ Jesus Ja. Armachanus Much-Haddam Aug. 9. 1625. LETTER XC A Letter from Dr. Ward to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Most Reverend and my very good Lord IReceived your Lordship's Letter and according as you will me have borrowed the two Books you mention Dr. Maw would intreat you to set down some limited time for which you would borrow them and to signify the receipt of them in some Note under your hand There is as I remember a part of the Psalter in King's-Colledg Library Manuscript in a great Folio which was brought from Cales I will look into it When I come to Munden I will bring the Books you mention Mr. Boyse his Manuscript of the Acts of the Nicene Council is surely the Collection made by Gelasius He came to me to borrow the printed Copies I lent him two of them and withal told him there is another Manuscript of Gelasius in Trinity-Colledg Library The next time I speak with Mr. Boyse I will know whether he have any Greek Copy or Commentary upon the Psalms Thus hoping to see you e're long if God will with my best Service remembred I commend you and all yours to the gracious protection of the highest Majesty in these dangerous Times resting Your Lordships in what he may Samuel Ward Sidn Coll. Aug. 11. 1625. LETTER XCI A Letter from Dr. Ward to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Most Reverend my very good Lord I Received your Letter and the enclosed which I will deliver to Dr. Maw This day I met with one of King's-Colledg and he tells me the great Volume they have in Manuscript of the Psalms in Latin which was brought from Cales is but half of the Psalter I willed him to compare it with the Vulgar Edition and to tell me whether they differ He promised me he would I received not the Letter â—ill six a Clock this Night and this Bearer is to be gone early in the Morning so that I cannot compare it with the Vulgar now but I verily think it is no other but the Vulgar Edition it is the greatest Folio that ever I saw Yesterday after I sent you the two Books I hit upon the Book you desired Psalterium Gallic Roman Hebraicum at one of our Stationers set out by Jacobus Stapulensis with his Commentary which I here send you
I will also write to Mr. Bedell for the Manuscript Psalter he hath Thus in some haste I commend your Lordship to the safe protection of the highect Majesty Your Lordships in what he may Samuel Ward Cambridg Aug. 12. 1625. I send you also one Edition of the Psalms Graeco Lat. but I think it will do you no great pleasure LETTER XCII A Letter from the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh To the Right Honourable and my special good Lords the Lord-Keeper of the Great Seal and the Lord High-Treasurer of England My most honoured Lords YOUR Lordships Letters bearing date the 9th of this Present were delivered unto me by a Servant of Dr. Rives the 18th of the same In reading whereof I found my self much grieved that the Doctor by his sinister Suggestions should so far prevail with your Wisdoms as to make you conceive that I refused to perform the Agreement which your Lordships made betwixt us True it is indeed that I complained unto your Lordships that the drawing up that Agreement was committed to the Party himself who was careful enough to lay down all things therein to his own best advantage without reservation of any Power unto me to limit him any way in the exercise of that Authority which he was to hold under me But as soon as I had received satisfaction from your Honour my Lord Keeper under your hand writing that I might limit him by private Instructions though not by Patent and that the clause of good-behaviour was ever included in these Offices howsoever they were granted during Life I presently did agree to sign his Patent And this is that second Agreement he talketh so much of which I never took to be any other than that which was at first intended Concerning this he affirmeth in his Petition that having shewed unto me my Lord Keeper's Opinion signified in writing concerning the Exceptions taken by me against his Draught of the Patent I agreed to seal him the said Patent provided that two Clauses only might be added but most guilefully suppresseth that which was not to be inserted in the Patent but to pass in private betwixt us two namely that I might limit him by private Instructions according to my Lord Keeper's direction which at that very time he delivered unto me in writing My Lords if you think that I have any Faith or Honesty in me believe me herein that I propounded this unto him as the main foundation of our Agreement and that he gave his assent unto it before ever I would promise to seal his Patent He only adding this That he did not doubt when he could shew cause unto me why I should vary from my Instructions in any Particular I would be ruled by better Reason Herewith for the present did I rest satisfied but the day following I considered better with my self what a slender Tie I had upon him if I only should rest contented with his bare Word only which at his pleasure he might deny where-ever he saw cause And therefore to prevent all matter of future Discord I intreated him by Letter that as I had shewed my self ready to gratify him by binding my self publickly under my Hand and Seal unto him so he would privately tie himself in like manner for giving more full satisfaction unto me in two Particulars For the former of these which doth concern the Registership I signified unto him at the time of our Agreement that I had made promise of it already to one Mr. Hilton Which being a Matter of less importance the Doctor doth now so little stand upon it that in a Letter lately written unto me he hath utterly disclaimed all Power of conferring the said Office upon the next avoidance But for the latter which concerneth the limiting of him by private Instructions according to my Lord-Keeper's express direction he hath now at full discovered that whereof I conceiv'd at first but a jealousie namely that he did but dare verba and intended nothing less than performance when to get my consent unto the signing of the Patent of his own drawing he submitted himself to be ordered by the Instructions which I should give him For as if res were adhuc integra and no such Agreement at all had passed betwixt us he now maketh your Lordships to write that you do not think it reasonable that this should be imposed upon him I am bold to say that he maketh your Lordships to write thus because I am verily perswaded that if the Matter be examined it will be found that this Letter was of his own drawing Wherein what infinite wrong he hath done unto your Honour my Lord-Keeper I humbly beseech you to consider First He bringeth your Lordship's Writing unto me signifying that I might limit him by private Instructions though not by Patent and hereunto he shewed himself then content to yield And now he hath stolen another Letter from your Honour wherein he would have you signify again that you do not think it reasonable that he should be tied to follow the Instructions that I shall give him Behold Jordanes conversus est retrorsum and now not Littora littoribus contraria but litterae litteris Your Lordships had need to watch this Man's Fingers when-ever you trust him with drawing up of any Orders or Letters that do concern his own Particular for otherwise you may chance to find him as nimble in putting Tricks upon your selves for his own advantage as now he is in putting them upon me Which that your Lordships may yet be more sensible of I intreat you to weigh well the Reason which he maketh you here to render of the unreasonableness of the Condition that I require of him For did ever any reasonable Man hold it to be a thing unreasonable that a Substitute should be ordered by him that hath appointed him to be his Substitute This may be true will he say in thesi but not in hypothesi in other Substitutions but not in this because upon your Lordships motion he hath submitted himself to take that under me which he hath a fair pretence to challenge in his own Right So that were it not for the respect which he did bear unto your Lordships motion his stout heart belike would not stoop to such terms of submission but hazard the whole rather by putting his own Right in trial Yea but what if this prove to be another piece of the Doctor 's Legerdemain and that it do appear evidently under his own hand that this desire of submission did primarily and originally proceed out of his own breast ex motu mero proprio long before your Lordships had any thing to do in the business If you will be pleased to take so much pains as to peruse the inclosed copy of a Letter which he wrote unto me not long before the decease of his late Majesty of blessed memory you shall find a Motion tendred therein unto me for the intreating of Sir Henry Holcraft
can Mr. Walker hath not Gersham nor any Comment on Daniel but the same that I have only he lent me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so I have read over the whole Tractate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but there is not any word touching the duration of the Babylonian Kingdom or any other Kingdom It only handleth on what days the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be read and their Rites and Ceremonies I confess I read only the Text of Megillah I read not Rambanus nor Bartinorah's Comment for that would require many days and I found no one word in the Text tending any thing at all towards any such Matter and therefore my Lord I would be glad to know what Author referred you to that Tractate of Megillah or whether your Grace hath mistaken the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I humbly thank your Grace for your Lordship's last kindness unto me when I was at Much-Haddam for defraying my Charges at mine Inn. And now my Lord vetus conferendo beneficium invitas novum It hath pleased my Lord Carew who lieth at Nonesuch some mile and an half from Sutton before whose Honour I have often preached to be pleased to write his Letter to the Right Honourable my Lord Keeper Sir Thomas Coventry that he would be pleased at his Request to bestow a Benefice on me when any shall fall in his Gift And he was pleased moreover to send the Letter by Sir Thomas Stafford to my Lord Keeper to sollicit the Matter also by word of mouth And so I was there at Hampton-Court and presented my self to my Lord Keeper who gave me his hand and promised that within three months or sooner he assured himself he should provide for me And now my Lord my request is that your Grace would be pleased to write your Letter also unto my Lord Keeper in my behalf to this effect having relation to my Lord Carew's Precedent That whereas your Lordship is informed that my Lord Carew hath sollicited my Lord Keeper to bestow a Benefice on one Ralph Skynner Minister and Preacher of the Word at Sutton under Mr. Glover a Man of honest Life and Conversation and conformable to the Orders of our Church and so forth as it shall please your Lordship to write of me that you would be pleased to second my Lord Carew's Request effectually for that I am but mediocris fortunae Vir and have not means and maintenance to buy me Books and other Necessaries This your Grace's Letter in my behalf to my Lord Keeper if your Lordship would be pleased to send it before Christide inclosed in a Letter to Mr. Burnet's and to give me leave to seal it after I have read it it 's likely my Lord Keeper would remember me the sooner I have given my Lord Carew satisfaction in many Questions at sundry times of conference and especially in these three 1. That the Pope and Conclave be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. That the Points and Vowels were given by God from Sinai and not the invention of the Masorits 3. That the Hebrew Tongue is the most ancient Tongue and that Moses wrote in it and not in the Caldee and Egyptian and all this proved expresly out of the Text of the Scripture For which my Lord hath given me a greater commendation in the ancient Tongues to my Lord Keeper than I either have deserved or can answer unto And thus with my humble Service to your Grace I end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Per Metathesin RADULPH SKYNNER London Decemb. 8. 1625. LETTER CVII A Letter from Mr. James White to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Illustrissime Reverendissime Antistes QUòd venerandae Antiquitatis Monumenta quae meae curae non ita pridem conferenda credidit Dominatio vestra tardiùs multò quà m vellem ad umbilicum perduxerim est quod sperem apud tantum Candorem veniae locum me inventurum Quòd autem eo auspicio dicam an infortunio transacta sint ut neutiquam industriae meae specimen exhibendi nedum judicio vestro sublimi satisfaciendi copia fiat quicquid veniae audacia arrogaverit nullam fidenter sperari posse exploratum habeo Siquidem quod minimè dissimulandum existimavi vel ipsae liturae quibus inter scribendum imprudens indulsi incuriae me vel invitum coarguunt Quin inter sacras illas paginas conferendas semel atque iterum in ea loca incidi unde me facilè expedire non potui Intelligat obsecro Dominatio vestra Psalmos 117 147. Quo utroque in loco idem scrupulus eadem occurrit difficultas Utrobique enim Psalmi duo fronte satis distincti materiâ varii titulis etiam à se invicem diversi Identitatem numericam si ipsum Catalogum spectemus mirum in modum prae se ferunt Porrò naevo haud minore laborant Psalmi 145 146. ad quos liber ille typis excusus quem praeire voluisse expectavi claudus adeò inventus est ut id spatii meâ solius conjecturâ in versibus à nnotandis emetiri coactus fuerim Has istiusmodi densiores ingenii mei nebulas vestro benignè affulgente candore opportunè dispersum iri nullus dubito Colophonem imposuimus quatuor S. S. Evangeliis ante-Pentecosten coronidem pariter Actis Apostolorum si Deus dederit breve addituri Interim quà m sim obstrictus Dominationi vestrae quòd me indignum ullis negotiis hisce sacris dignatus fueris Praesul amplissime preces meae testatum faciant Deo Opt. Max. apud quem ardentissimis uti par est votis contendo ut Reverentiam vestram Ecclesiae suae columen diutissimè conservet Reverendissimae vestrae Dominationis Observantissimus Jacobus White Cantabrigiae ex Col. Sid. Nonas Junii 1626. LETTER CVIII A Letter from Mr. Samuel Ward to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Most Reverend and my very good Lord I Received your Lordship's I understood by others this Commencement of your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Sermon before his Majesty as touching the repressing of the Arminian Faction God's Blessing be upon you for this good Service to opportunely performed I pray God his Majesty may have a true apprehension of the ensuing Danger I was told by some that notwithstanding the Proclamation Mr. Mountague was to set out a Book but I cannot say it for certain Mr. Whalley spoke to me above a month ago to write to your Lordship to leave Mr. Lively his Chronology with him and me and we would take care for the publishing thereof If your Lordship have not sent it away we desire it may be sent hither I had quite forgot in my last Letters to mention it I did your Lordship's Message to Mr. Chancy I have sent your Lordship the Book which Mr. Boys had as also his Transcript which he doth expect hereafter again Those Commencement-Affairs here so distracted me that I cannot recollect my self to bethink of some things which I would
for to get a License of Mortmain for the holding of 240 Acres of Capite Land which a Gentleman would give to our Colledg but I find great difficulty in effecting it so as I fear me I must return re infectâ If you would be pleased to send Mr. Lively's Chronology I think Mr. Whalley would see to the publishing of it And thus with tender of my best Service and my best Wishes and Prayers for the happy success of your good Designs and prospering of all your Endeavours and for the publick Peace and Safety of both the Nations Yours and Ours in these tottering and troublesome Times I commend your Lordship and all yours to the gracious protection of the highest Majesty Your Lordship 's in all Service Samuel Ward London Feb. 13. 1626. LETTER CXVIII A Letter from the Right Honorable the Lord Deputy Falkland to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh My Lord YOur judicious apprehension of the Perils which threaten the Peace of this Kingdom which your dutiful consideration of the King's Wants through his other manifold Occasions of Expence together with your Zeal to his Service is clearly manifested by conforming your Tenants to the good Example of others to join with the rest of the Inhabitants in contributing to the relief of the new Supplies and other Souldiers sent hither for the publick Defence notwithstanding your Privileges of Exemption by Patent from such Taxes which I will take a fitting occasion to make known to his Majesty for your Honour And where your Lordship doth complain that other Country Charges are imposed upon your Tenants whereof you conceive they ought to be free by virtue of your Patent I can give no direct answer thereunto until I be informed from your Lordship of what Nature they be but do faithfully assure your Lordship that neither my Lord Chichester nor my Lord Grandison did ever shew more respect to your Predecessors than I will be ready to perform towards your Lordship as well in this your Demand as in all other things which lie in my Power not being prejudicial to the King's Service which I know is as much as your Lordship will ever desire and do pray your Lordship to send me a Copy of their Warrants for my information what hath been done in that behalf before my Time I have kept Sir Charles Cootes Company from that County as long as I could and will remove them thence as soon as I can conveniently But your Lordship may please to understand that by the earnest intercession of some well-willers to that County it hath been less burthened with Souldiers than any other within that Province saving only Fermannagh which is much smaller in scope than it And for the Distinction you desire to be made between your Town-Lands which you alleadg are generally less by one half than those that are held by others that Error cannot be reformed without a general admeasurement and valluation of the different Fertilities for we all know that a hundred Acres in a good Soil may be worth a thousand Acres of Lands that are mountainous and barren and therefore it will surely prove a Work of great difficulty and will require a long time to reduce it to any perfection so as it is best to observe the custom in usage until such a reformation shall be seriously debated and agreed upon For the Bridg to be built at Charlemount it was propounded to the Board by the Lord Caulfield he informing that the old one was so decayed that it could hardly last out another Year The usesul Consequence of that Bridg in time of War guarded by a strong Fort which Defence others want being well known to the Table did make it a short Debate every Man concurring in Opinion with an unanimous consent that it was most necessary for the King's Service that a substantial Bridg should be erected there with expedition Then the Question grew At whose Charge whether at the King 's or Countries Which upon mature debate was ordered that the Country should bear as well for that it is a place of equal conveniency with any other that is or can be made elsewhere for passage of the Inhabitants over that deep River in times of Peace as because they shall enjoy great security by their Neighbourhoods to that strong Fort of Charlemount in times of Combustion built and maintained without their Charge These Considerations did move us to give direction to certain of the Justices of Peace of each of these Counties of Tyrone and Armagh to view the place and treat with Workmen which they accordingly did Upon whose Certificate we gave Warrant to applot the same according to their Agreement with Workmen which I wish may be levied without opposition or interruption and do make it my request unto your Lordship to give way and furtherance thereunto for this Work tending so much to the Service of the King and Country which I shall take in very good part from your Lordship and you cannot want your Reward in Heaven for it it being a Work of that kind which is accounted pious And so I commit your Lorship to God's protection and rest Your Lordships very affectionate Friend Falkland Dublin-Castle March 15. 1626. I have given order for the preparing a Fyant for the passing of those Particulars your Lordship desired by Mr. Singe Falkland LETTER CXIX A Letter from the most Reverend George Abbot Arch-bishop of Canterbury to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh My very good Lord I Send unto you Mr. Sibbes who can best report what I have said unto him I hope that Colledg shall in him have a very good Master which hitherto it hath not had You shall make my excuse to the Fellows that I write not unto them You shall do well to pray to God that he will bless his Church but be not too sollicitous in that Matter which will fall of it self God Almighty being able and ready to support his own Cause But of all things take heed that you project no new ways for if they fail you shall bear a grievous Burthen If they prosper there shall be no Thanks to you Be patient and tarry the Lord's leasure And so commending me unto you and to the rest of your Brethren I leave you to the Almighty and remain Your Lordship's loving Brother G. Cant. Lambeth March 19. 1626. LETTER CXX A Letter from Mr. Thomas Davis to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Most Reverend Sir MAY it please your Lordship to take a view of my Proceedings for the procuring of such Books you gave me order for such as I could get and have in readiness to be sent by our next Ships which may depart this Port about four months hence are certain Books and loose Papers in the Samaritan Tongue of what use or value I cannot learn The Old Testament in the Chaldean which after seventeen months time is written in a fair Character wanting only the Book
Do acknowledg no Promise made unto you on my part but upon a Condition to be performed on your part of desisting to prosecute any further your Sacrilegious Intention either by your self or by any of yours the jealousy whereof you have been so far from taking away out of my mind by your two last Letters that you have increased it much more To bear me in hand that you will not follow the Business your self but leave it only to the prosecution of your Friends and that if they obtain your desire yet you will submit all afterward to mine own disposition I esteem no better than a meer delusion of me And therefore if you intend to say no more than this when you come up you may save your Journey for I will accept no other Satisfaction but an absolute disclaiming of the prosecution of this Business either by your self or by others And this I look you should certify unto me before Sir Archibald Atcheson's arrival for afterward I care not a rush for it And when you both have tried the uttermost of your Wits to subvert the good Foundation laid by King James of happy Memory you shall but struggle in vain with shame enough And so beseeching Almighty God to give you the Spirit of a right Mind and to pardon the Thoughts of your Heart I rest Your Loving Friend Ja. Armachanus Drogheda Febr. 1. 1627. LETTER CXXIV A Letter from Dr. W. Bedell Provost of the Colledg at Dublin to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Right Reverend Father my honourable good Lord YOur Letters of the 20th of September came not to my hands till the beginning of November Upon the receipt whereof I wrote to the Vice-Provost to forbear to proceed to the election of Fellows if it were not past before Not but that the Course was such as stood by the Statutes in being e're I came to the place but because by your Grace's earnestness therein I conceived your Wisdom saw more to lie in it than I could perceive Since that I am sorry to understand the success of that Election was not such as gave satisfaction to your Grace and hath bred a new Broil in the Colledg For the restriction of the Statute for Batchelors that they should be at least of seven Terms standing if there be any blame it must lie upon me who would have had it according to that in Emanuel Colledg that they should be of the third Year but that by some of the Company this temper was found Wherein the Lord is witness I respected meerly the good of the Colledg and had not so much as in my thoughts the Case of any that was to pretend the next Election but resolved as every Statute came to be considered to reduce it to such perfection as there should be as little need as was possible to touch them afterward I have seen by experience that the timely preferring of young Men makes them insolent and idle and the holding them a little longer in expectation of Preferment doth them more good in one year than two years before or perhaps after Wherefore I cannot herein repent me of that which was done If Mr. Vice-Provost and the Seniors have in any other Point failed of their Duty I desire your Grace not only to excuse me in participation in it but them also thus far that as I hope it proceedeth of Error and not Malice And of one thing I do assure my self and have been bold to undertake so much to the Fellows that your Grace though it be in a sort necessary for you and all Men of place to give satisfaction in words to importune Suitors will not take it ill that we discharge our Consciences coming to do acts upon Oath such as this is otherwise miserable were the condition of such places and happy are they that are farthest from them I understood further by your Grace's said Letters That you dislike not that the time of the Fellows should be extended to twelve years though you would not have it mentioned upon this suddain c. Which made me send for the University-Statutes of Cambridg to my Friend Mr. Ward having leisure this Winter to that purpose to think of some Project according to my last Letters to your Grace And shortly it seems to me that with one labour the University might be brought into a more perfect Form and yet without touching our Charter At my being in Dublin there came to me one Dr. de Lanne a Physician bred in Immanuel Colledg Who in speech with me discovered their purpose to procure a Patent like to that which the Colledg of Physicians hath in London I noted the thing and partly by that occasion and partly also the desire of the Fellows to extent their time of stay in the Colledg I have drawn a Plot of my Thoughts in that behalf which I send your Grace herewith I have imparted the same generally to my Lord of Canterbury who desireth that your Grace would seriously consider of it and to use his own words That it may be weighed with Gold Weights and if it be found fit will concur thereto when time shall be I could have wished to have been present with you at the survey of it to have rendred the reason of some things which will now perhaps be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but your Wisdom Experience and Knowledg of the Place will easily pierce through and disperse all those Mists which perhaps overcloud my understanding and howsoever I shall hereby dare sapienti occasionem For my speedy return which your Grace presseth I confess to them that I am ready to forethink that ever I came there so conscious to my self of mine own weakness and unfitness for the place as I fear rather to be burthensom than profitable to the Colledg Which also made me desirous to retain if I might lawfully the Title to my Benefice resigning the whole Profits and care to some able Man to be nominated by the Patron and approved by the Bishop of the Diocess that I might have upon just cause whither to retire my self I have not yet received your Grace's decision of this Case I wrot also to the Society hereabout who being conditores juris perpetui are also interpretes Neither have I understood what they conceive Since my coming away by occasion of my Lord Deputy his voluntary Offer to confer upon me the Treasurership of St. Patricks I entreated them to present a Petition to his Lordship for the enjoying the 40 l. anciently granted to the Colledg for the enlarging the Provost's Maintenance and upholding the Lecture at Christ's Church whereof I was put in hope before my coming They have not so much as vouchsafed me an Answer When I took my Oath to the Statutes I made protestation that I intended not to renounce my Benefice that place being litigious and my Affairs not yet accommodated here Since my coming home hither my Corn Cattel and some Goods and a Lease
discreet wise and stout enough si res exigat he will be frugi and provident for the Colledg and for converse of a sweet and amiable disposition and well experienced In a word he is homo perpaucorum hominum si quid judico I pray the God of Heaven to bless his coming to you to the good of your Colledg and the Church of Ireland I suppose your Lordship will desire to hear somewhat of our Cambridg-Affairs though I doubt not but you hear by some Cambridg Men which come over to you I suppose you have heard of a Lecture for reading of History intended to be given us by the Lord Brook Who as you know first intended to have had Mr. Vossius of Leyden afterward his Stipend being augmented by the States he resolved of Dr. Dorislaw of Leyden also He before his coming hither took his Degree of Doctor of the Civil Law at Leyden was sent down to Cambridg by my Lord Brook with his Majesty's Letters to the Vice-Chancellor and the Head signifying my Lord Brook's intent and also willing us to appoint him a place and time for his Reading which accordingly was done He read some two or three Lectures beginning with Cornehâ—s Tacitus where his Author mentioning the conversion of the State of Rome from Government by Kings to the Government by Consuls by the suggestion of Junius Bruâ—us he took occasion to discourse of the Power of the People under the Kings and afterward When he touched upon the Excesses of Tarquintus Superâ—us his infringing of the Liberties of the People which they enjoyed under former Kings and so among many other things descended to the vindicating of the Netherlanders for retaining their Liberties against the violences of Spain In conclusion he was conceived of by some to speak too much for the defence of the Liberties of the People though he spake with great moderation and with an exception of such Monarchies as ours where the People had surrendered their Right to the King as that in truth there could be no just exception taken against him yet the Master of Peter-house complained to the Vice-Chancellor Master of Christ's-Colledg and complaint also was made above and it came to â—is Majesty's ear which we having intelligence of Dr. Dorislaw denied to come and clear himself before the Heads and carried himself so ingeâ—â—ously that he gave satisfaction to an whereupon 〈…〉 were 〈◊〉 to his Patron to the Bishop of Durham and others to signify â—â— much But he going to his Patron first he suppressed the Letters 〈…〉 he would 〈…〉 before any excuse should be made After word came from the Bishop of Winchester then Durham in the Majesty's Name to prohibit the History-Reader to read But after that both his Majesty and the Bishop and all others above and here were satisfied but then his Patron kept off and doth to this day and will allow his Reader the Stipend for his time but we fear we shall lose the Lecture I see a Letter which his Patron writ to him to Malden to will him to be gone into his Country but he would assure him of his Stipend The Doctor kept with me while he was in Town He married an English Woman about Malden in Essex where now he is He is a fair-conditioned Man and a good Scholar I had a Letter from Mr. Vossius before Christmass with a Book of the Latin Historians which he lately set forth and dedicated to my Lord the Duke of Buckingham He sent also a Book to his Majesty and the Court-Bishops I writ back unto him and sent him my Lord of Sarum his Commentary on the Colossians willing him to revise his Pelagian History especially about the Points of Original Sin and the Efficacy of Grace As touching my self in my Readings I have suspended my Reading upon the Real Pretence though I had almost finished it And have read this Year and half at least upon that Point which I chiefly insist upon in my Sermon in Latin to shew that the Grace of Conversion giveth not only posse convertere but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 velle I have been long in vindicating the third Argument used by the Contra-Remonstrants in Colloq Hagiensi taken from the places where we are said to be mortui in peccatis wherein the Remonstrants do discover the grounds of their Assertions more than elsewhere Dr. Jackson hath lately set forth a Book of the Attributes of God wherein in the Preface to the Earl of Pembroke he doth profess himself an Arminian ascribing to the opposites of Arminius as I conceive that God's Decrees before the Creation take away all possibilities of contrary Events after the Creation True it is that God's eternal Decree of any Event as that I should write at this moment cannot consist with my actual not writing at this time But none say it taketh from me all possibility of writing at this time unless it be sensu composito This conceit as I conceive maketh him elsewhere to impugn all Divine Predefinitions as prejudicious to Man's Liberty and Freedom which is a most silly conceit I do conceive all that which he disputeth in his Book against Negative Reprobation as not sorting with the antecedent Will of God for the Salvation of all to be against the seventeenth Article of Religion which plainly averâ—eth a gratuitous predestination of some and not of all Therefore from thence is inferred a not-election of others to that Grace which is that which properly is stiled Reprobation As for our University none do patronage these Points either in 〈…〉 or Pulpit though because Preferments at Court are conferred upon such as incline that way causeth some to look that way I suppose your Lordship hath seen my Lord of 〈…〉 Reading 〈…〉 the Colossions which should have been exhibited 〈…〉 his Majesty when he was here about the beginning of Lent But my Lord of Winchester hindred that intention though herein he 〈◊〉 the University For we having received a Favour from his Majesty to enjoy the priviledg of our Charter for printing all kind of Books against the London Printers thought to shew to his Majesty a Specimen of our Printing both for good Letter and good Paper of both which his Majesty had 〈…〉 in printing the Bibles at London Thus with remembrance of my best Service to your good Lordship with my best Wishes and Prayers for the continuance of your Lordship's Health and Prosperity here for the good of God's Church and your happiness hereafter I commend you to the gracious protection of the highest Majesty resting Your Graces in all Service Samuel Ward Cambridg May 16. 1628. Mr. Whalley and Mr. Mead are both in good health for which Friends I am beholden to your Lordship tho you take Mr. Bedell from me Dr. Chaderton also is in health LETTER CXXVIII A Letter from Sir Henry Spelman to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Pleaseth it your Grace I Cannot express with what humble gladness I received your Letters
First For that they gave me assurance of your Recovery then that among your weighty Affairs of Church and Common-wealth you should descend to think on me so remote in Application to your Lordship though no Man nearer in Affection and Devotion I register it in my Memorials of your Goodness as also your sending to me the Copy of the Synod of St. Patrick which I much desired and many thanks to your Lordship for it Touching the Books it pleased you to require my help in procuring them by some of my Friends and Kindred in France your Grace knoweth that all intercourse between us and them is now stopped up Yet have I taken order with Mr. Boswell who is gone over with my Lord of Carlisle and to pass near Province that if any opportunity may serve he will endeavour to procure them and my Son who is gone after them shall put him in mind of it It is said that my Lord of Carlisle having treated beyond the Sea with the States of the Low-Countries and not satisfied in their Answer hath left some Protestation against them as he passed from them and that the States have done the like against us I hope it is not true we have Enemies enow I suppose your Lordship would gladly hear how the great Orb of State moveth here in Parliament your own and many others depending on it And I would very willingly have been the first that should have done you that Service if the Messenger had staid a day or two longer that we might have seen the Event For all hangeth yet in suspence but the Points touching the Right of the Subject in the Property of their Goods and to be free from imprisonment at the King's Pleasure or without lawful cause expressed upon the Commitment hath been so seriously and unanswerably proved and concluded by the Lower House that they have cast their Sheat Anchor on it and will not recede from any tittle of the Formality proposed in their Petition of Right touching the same The Upper House hath in some things dissented from them proposing a Caution to be added to the Petition for preservation of the King 's Soveraign Prerogative which the Lower House affirms they have not rub'd upon in ought that of right belongeth to it Yet will they not admit that Addition lest it impeach the whole intent of their Petition Wherein they are so resolute that having upon Thursday last admirably evinced the Right of the Subjects in every part thereof at a Conference with the Upper House they refused to meet the Lords the day following in a Committee required by them for qualification as was conceived Thereupon the Lords spent Saturday in debate among themselves but concluded nothing that we hear of It is reported the Lord Say did then speak very freely and resolutely on behalf of the Subject with some unpleasing rubs upon the Duke there present but by others interposition all was well expounded What this Day will produce Night must relate And of what I have written I have nothing but by hear-say for I am no Parliament-man My Lord of Denbigh with the Navy that went for the rescue of Rochel is returned without blow or blood-draught It is said their Commission gave them not sufficient Warrant to fight and one Captain Clark suspected in Religion is committed to the Gatehouse for disswading them Thus praying for your Health and Happiness I rest Your Grace's most humbly devoted in all Service Henry Spelman Barbacan May 26. 1628. LETTER CXXIX A Letter from J. King to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Most Reverend and my especial good Lord TWo things do occasion me to write to your Lordship the one to show the continuance of my dutiful and best respect to your Lordship which I have born to your Lordship ever since your Childhood which indeed descended first from your Father who loved me always in his life-life-time as I did him truly and faithfully The other is upon some mislike I understand your Lordship hath conceived of the Lord Camfield my Son-in-Law which indeed I am sorry for for I never found him but honest and religious I know he may have ill Instruments about him and the World is full of Pick-thanks and such as usually do lewd Offices amongst Men of Place and Quality But if your Lordship would please to take him into your favour and upon any occasion if any happen to make known to him what is or may be reported to your Lordship of any of his miscarriages or unfriendly dealings towards your Lordship I would not doubt of his conformity and giving of your Lordship meet satisfaction and this is my Suit and Petition to your Lorship for of all Men in that Kingdom I do wish him and all others that are my Friends to be serviceable and respective to your Lordship and for my self so long as it shall please God to give me Life I will pray for your Lordship which is all the Service I can do you Our worthy Bishop here who I have found here ever since I came hither a worthy Friend and a godly Pastor and Pillar of the Church hath many times and often most kindly remembred your Lordship and surely he is as good a Man as may be yet in this Parliament which is yet scarcely ended some have conceited not so well of him as before but who can or doth escape the malice of wicked Men this being the last and worst Age of the World and surely for all crying and notorious Sins as Whoredom Lying Swearing and Drunkenness I am perswaded that now our own Nation is become the very worst of any in the Christian World which makes me much afraid that God Almighty hath some heavy Judgment a preparing for us It is certain that in Spain are wondrous great preparations for War especially for Sea-Service which some think is rather for Denmark and those Eastern parts than for us and the rather it is conjectured of because Monsieur Oillur lies yet with a great Army of above 60000 Men about Stoade Hambourgh and other parts If his Fleet come on this Summer as it is thought it will and pass the Narrow Seas unfought withal and unbeaten by us it is to be feared that Spain and France or one of them will next land upon our Continent and sit down and fortify being hopeful as it may be well imagined of aid from English Papists whereof the Kingdom is too well stored Rochel is much doubted cannot long hold out and then there is little hope of any Mercy from the King of France which would be a woful case to have so many poor Souls put to the Sword It is thought his Majesty would relieve them if these Subsidies could come in time And it is to be wished now that his Majesty had never medled with them for in the beginning they were well provided to have made their own Peace It is strange to be believed how this Kingdom is weakned by the
Duty But here is not all for it seems he hopes by the words of your Decree to hold all this till he be possessed of some Ecclesiastical Benefice notwithstanding his Term by the Charter expires at Midsommer We have answered my Lord Chancellor as your Grace shall find by these inclosed and do humbly desire your Grace to certify either him or us of your intention and to draw a Line or two to be sent to the rest of the 〈◊〉 for this Allowance if you 〈◊〉 it for mine own and the Fellows Discharge in the paying it These Letters your Grace will be also pleased to send us back as having by reason of the shortness of time no time to copy them We have obtained this night a Warrant from my Lord Chancellor to the Serjeant at Arms to arrest Sir James Caroll who in all this time of your Grace's being in Dublin would never be seen and is now as we hear in Town We have not yet delivered your Grace's return of the Reference made to you at the Council Table touching the Inclosure at the Colledg-Gate as having but lately received it In the mean while the Scholars upon St. Matthew's Day at night between Supper and Prayer-time have pulled it all down every Stick and brought it away into the Colledg to several Chambers Yet upon warning that night given at Prayers that every Man should bring into the Quadrangle what he had taken away there was a great pile reared up in the Night which we sent Mr. Arthur word he might fetch away if he would and he did accordingly This Insolency though it much grieved me I could not prevent I did publickly upon the Reference pray them to be quiet signifying our hope that we had of a friendly composition but when they heard that Mr. Arthur fell off they would no longer forbear Concerning the Affairs in England I know your Grace hath better intelligence than I. Our Translation goeth on in the Psalms and we are now in the 88th Mr. Neile King is in Chester Your Grace will pardon this scribling And so I commit you to God desiring to be remembered in your Prayers and resting Your Grace's in all Duty W. Bedell Trinity Coll. March 5. 1628. LETTER CXXXVI A Letter from Sir Henry Bourgchier to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Most Reverend in Christ my very good Lord I Must first desire your Grace's pardon for my long silence and that you will be pleased to believe that it proceeded not from any neglect of him whom I have so long and so much honour'd I presume your Grace continually receiveth advertisement of what passeth here from abler Pens than mine and therefore my pains in that may well be spared Among the rest you cannot be ignorant of the close imprisonment of your Grace's Friend and Servant Mr. Selden for some offence given or rather taken at his carriage and deportment in Parliament Here is lately deceased the Earl of Marleburgh I was often with him about his Irish Collections and was so happy in the pursuit of them that I received from him the greatest part of them not many days before his death Also the Earl of Westmoreland is lately dead and my ancient Friend and Kinsman the Earl of Totnes deprived of his sight and not like to live many days If his Library will be sold I will strain my self to buy it wholly for it is a very select one But howsoever I will not miss God willing his Irish Books and Papers Mr. Selden's Titles of Honour is ready to come forth here and his De Diis Syris at Leyden both well enlarged I wish he were so too that his Friends who much love him might enjoy him Sir Robert Cotton doth add to his inestimable Library Mr. Thomas Allen hath been lately bountiful to it He is now in London and also Mr. Brigges If I should only enumerate those who make enquiry of your Grace's Health their Names would fill a Letter Mr. Brigges's Book of Logarithms is finished by a Dutch-man and printed again in Holland Mr. Brigges tells me that Kepler is living and confesses his mistake in the advertisement of his Death by being deceived in the similitude of his name with one D. Kapper who died in that manner as he related But it appears sufficiently by his long-promised Tabulae Rodolphiae which now at last are come forth but they answer not the expectation which he had raised of them Dr. Bainbridge is well at Oxford Dr. Sutcleffe is lately deceased Yesterday at Newgate Sessions Fa. Muskett your Grace's old Acquaintance was arraigned and two other Priests and one of them an Irish-man they were all found guilty of Treason and had judgment accordingly There were an hundred Recusants presented at the same time It is said that a Declaration shall come forth concerning the Arminian Doctrine done by those Divines who were at the Synod of Dort L. Wadding our Country-man hath published a second Tome of his Annales Fratrum Minorum The Jesuit's Reply to your Grace is not to be gotten here those that came into England were seized and for ought I can hear they lie still in the Custom-house that which I used was borrowed for me by a Friend of the Author himself half a year since he being then here in London and going by the Name of Morgan Since the Dissolution of the Parliament there is a strange suddain decay of Trade and consequently of the Customs God grant there follow no inconvenience in the Common-Wealth The French and Dunkerkers are very bold upon the Coast of England and I hear of no means used to repress them It is said that our Deputy shall be presently removed his designed Successor my Lord of Danby is expected from Garnsey He was imployed thither to furnish that Island with Munition and other Necessaries when there was some jealousy of the French while that Army lay hovering about the parts of Picardy and Normandy but it is now gone for Italy and is passed the Mountains they have taken some Town in Piedmont the King is there in Person It is now said that Matters are accommodated by Composition if not it will prove a bloody War between those two great Kings and the French will put hard for the Dutchy of Millain I humbly desire to be held in your Grace's Opinion as one who will ever most willingly approve himself Your Grace's very affectionate Friend and humble Servant Henry Bourgchier London March 26. 1629. Sir Robert Cotton desires to have his humble respects presented to your Grace LETTER CXXXVII A Letter from Mr. Archibald Hamilton to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Most Reverend ON Thursday last I understood by certain intelligence that my Lord of London whether by the perswasion of Sir Henry Wotton or others I know not earnestly moved his Majesty in Dr. Bedell's behalf Provost of Dublin-Colledg that he might be preferred to the Bishoprick of Kilmore which his Majesty hath granted and the
Privy Counsellor who was present and assistant in all the Consultations about setting it forth and privy to the Resolutions of the Board thereupon But since this is come to my hands from another I do hereby pray and authorize your Lordship calling to your assistance Mr. Justice Philpot who is now resident there to enter into a serious examination of the Premises and to give me a full information of what you find thereof by the first opportunity So desiring to be remembred in your daily Prayers I am Your Lordship 's very affectionate Friend Falkland Dublin-Castle Apr. 14. 1629. LETTER CXL A Letter from Mr. Philpot to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh My good Lord I Have had some Conference with my Lord Deputy about those Matters wherein your Grace and I were lately imployed he telleth me that this day he will advise with the Counsel upon the Informations sent by us and afterwards will take such course therein as shall be thought fit His Lordship insisteth much upon that part of Mr. Sing's Information where he saith That the Titulary Bishop of Rapho did make a Priest at a publick Mass in an Orchard He saith That the said Bishop is as dangerous a Fellow here in Ireland as Smith is in England and that he hath good Bonds upon him and would be glad to this occasion to call him in and therefore I pray your Grace to wish Mr. Sing to be ready to make good his Accusation for the said Bishop is bound not to exercise Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction I told my Lord Deputy how careful you were to see him before his going from hence and that your Grace intended to make a journey of purpose hither having now no other business here He told me that if your Grace had any such purpose that you need not make any great haste for he hoped to have time enough before his going to make some good progress in the Business begun concerning the Jesuits and their Houses c. and that he had not his Summons yet to go away which could not come till the Wind turned and if it came then he said he would stay ten days after at the least in which your Grace may have notice time enough to perform your desire I told my Lord that your Grace was somewhat troubled at his Letter for which he was sorry and blamed his Secretary protesting he did not intend to give your Grace any cause of discontent His Lordship told me that the News of Mantua is true which is relieved and the French King returned but there is no certainty but a common report of any Peace concluded with France I shall be ready upon all occasions to do your Lordship any acceptable Service and will for ever remain Your Grace's faithful Servant Jo. Philpot. Dublin April 27. 1629. LETTER CXLI A Letter from the Lord Deputy c. to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh After our right hearty Commendations to your Lordship BY your Letters of the 6th of this Instant which we the Lord Deputy thought fit to communicate to the Council we perceive and do well approve the care and pains you have taken as well in searching out the truth of the Matter concerning the Titulary Bishop of Raphae as in endeavouring to inform your self of the Proprietors and Possessors of the Popish Conventual-Houses in that Town Touching the Titulary Bishop we rest satisfied by your Lordship 's said Letters that at that time he did no publick Act nor gave Orders to any But as yet remain unsatisfied whether there were any great Assembly of People at that Meeting and what Persons of Note were among them wherein we desire to receive further satisfaction from your Lordship As to their Conventual-Houses we have given his Majesty's Attorney-General a Copy of the Paper enclosed in your Letters to us and gave him direction to put up Informations in his Majesty's Court of Exchequer against the Proprietors and Possessors of those Houses that thereby way may be made to such further course of proceeding as the several Cases shall require And this being all for the present we bid your Lorship very heartily farewel From his Majesty's Castle of Dublin May 15. 1629. Your Lordship 's very loving Friends H. Falkland A. Loftus Canc. Anth. Midensis Hen. Docwra W. Parsons Tyringham LETTER CXLII A Letter from the Right Reverend William Laud Bishop of London to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh My very good Lord I Am glad Mr. Bedell's Preferment gives your Grace such contentment Your former Letter came safe to my hands so did your second I see nothing is so well done but Exceptions can fret it for I hear that which I looked not for concerning Mr. Bedell's Preferment whole Name was never put to the King till both the other Competitors were refused by his Majesty as too young Ardagh is not forgotten in the Letter for since upon receipt of your Lordship's last Letters I spake with Sir Hen. Holcroft about it Beside those of your Lordship's I have received Letters from Mr. Bedell and from the Fellows about their freedom of election of a Provost My Lord his Majesty would fain have a Man to go on where Mr. Bedell leaves I am engaged for none I heartily love Freedoms granted by Charter and would have them maintained If they will return which are come hither and all agree or a major part upon a worthy Man that will serve God and the King I will give them all the assistance I can to keep their Priviledg whole The King likes wondrons well of the Irish Lecture begun by Mr. Bedell and the course of sending such young Men as your Grace mentions I hope before our Committee for the establishment of Ireland end I shall find a time to think of the Remedy your Lordship proposes about scandalous Ministers in which or any other Service I shall not be wanting For the particulars concerning Clark I have your inclosed and if he stir any thing while I am present you shall be sure I will do you right Now my Lord I have answered all your Letter save about the Arch-bishop of Cassa's for the old Dean I have done all I am able for that reverend and well-deserving Gentleman but the King's Majesty hath been possessed another way and it seems upon like removes hereafter will move more than one And at this time he will give Cassils to my Lord of Clougher if he will take it and so go on with another to succeed him of whom he is likewise resolved And who shall be Cassils if my Lord of Clougher refuse There is nothing which the Dean of Cassils can have at this time unless he will with a good commendam be content to take Kilfanora To which tho I do not perswade yet I would receive his Answer And I add it will be a step for him to a better As for Betts the Lord-Elect that was he hath lapsed it by not proceeding to
whom his Majesty hath very gracious Intentions But of him I shall need deliver no more than what is contained in the enclosed Testimonial sent by my Predecessor unto King James of blessed Memory And so with remembrance of my Service unto your Lordship I rest Your Lordship 's in all Christian Duty ready to be commanded J. Armac Armagh August 10th 1629. LETTER CXLVI Reverendo Viro D. Ludovico de Dieu Orientalium Linguarum in Academiâ Leydensi Professori eximio Siab Academiâ is abfuerit tradantur Literae istae vel Danieli Heinsio vel Gerardo Joh. Vossio resignandae QUod ita compellem te familiaritèr homo quem tu ne de facie quidem nosti non est quòd adeo mireris Vir eruditissime Ex Apocalypsi enim tuâ Syro-Latinâ quam cum MS o meo codice diligenter contuli Hebraeo-Chaldaicis Institutionibus ita mihi visus sum habere te cognitum ut participare me tecum thesauros ex Oriente advectos primo quoque tempore communicare penè gestiam Interim ecce tibi Samaritanorum illud Pentateuchum in quo comparando Christianae pietatis homines paulo negligentiores hactenus fuisse conquestus est olim magnus vester Scaliger Cujus voto aliquâ certe ex parte fuerit satisfactum si ex Academiâ cujus ille dum vixit ingens fuit ornamentum primùm in lucem prodeat tamdiu desideratum venerandae antiquitatis monumentum Verum properato hîc opus ne hanc vobis desponsam jam destinatam laudem alius praereptum eat Neque est quod deterreat libri moles merum enim Pentateuchum est idque à punctis vocalibus accentibus omnibus planè liberum Ut cùm in promptu vobis sint Samaritani typi à Clarissimo Erpenio relicti nihil obstare videam quo minus proximis Vernalibus Nundinis opus absolutum publice edi possit ac passim divendi Tu modo operi manum admovere velis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in te suscipere officium Ad exemplar ipsum quod attinet recentius quidem illud est verum ex antiquioribus satis fideliter expressum Leviticum à se descriptum annotavit librarius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mense Giumadi altero anni nongentesimi filiorum Ismaelis Mensis vero ille anni aerae Ismaeliticae sive Mahummedicae 900 mensi respondet Martio anni Christianae nostrae epochae 1495. Geneseos vero librum qui casu aliquo exciderat ab alio suppletum fuisse res ipsa loquitur quidem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hoc est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 si ego decurtatas illas voces recte interpretor qui annus Hegirae 986. in aere nostrae 1578. incurrit Ut autem Judei in describendo Libro Legis quo in Synagogis suis utuntur minores suas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ita Samaritani sectiones illis ut plurimum respondentes quos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellant curiose observant propriâ notâ apposita unamquamque terminantes interjecto insuper spatio à proxime insequente discludentes Quin numerum earum ad uniuscujusque libri calcem recensent 250 Geneseos Exodi 200. levitici 134 vel 135. Numerorum 118. 160 Deuteronomii Harum igitur distinctionem uti in editione negligi nollem ita quo commodius textus Samaritani cum Judaico collatio possit institui tùm capitum quibus vulgò utimur ad marginem tum verficulorum intra contextum numerum adjiciendum existimarem eo modo quo in primis partibus libri Geneseos à nobis factum vides quidem versiculorum nostrorum numerum constanter retinendum judicarem etiam iis in locis nam ejusmodi aliquando occurrunt in quibus à Samaritis ordo est immutatus Ubi vero integrae periodi ab iisdem ad sacrum contextum sunt adjectae ut in XI Capite Geneseos verbi gratiâ post xxx Capitis 36 versiculum in libro Exodi frequentissimè Ziphram o praeâ—igimus Habeo Praefationem paratam in quâ inter alia quî factum ut solos Mosis libros Samaritani receperint rationem explico quo tempore quo Authore facta sit haec primigenii contextus interpolatio ostendo authoresque veteres Eusebium Diodorum Tarsensem Hieronymum Cyrillum Anesperum Georgium Syncellum alios qui illius Testimoniis sunt usi commemoro Eam si editione dignam censebis accipies quam primùm quid illic acturi sitis resciero Est apud nos Dublinii Petrus quidam Wiboraeus cujus in Mercaturis faciendis operâ utuntur Middleburgensium vestrorum negotiatorum nonnulli Est Londini Franciscus Burnetus qui in vico quem Lombardicum vocant habet domicilium ad insigne Aurei Velleris Horum uter literas tuas recte ad me curabit deferendas Vale vir doctissime V. V. Cl. Danieli Heinsio ac Gerardo Joh. Vossio quos ego ambos ob interiores illas reconditas in quibus praeter caeteras excellunt literas unicè diligo salutem meis verbis dicito Tuus ex animo JACOBUS USSERIUS Armachanus Pontanae in Hiberniâ Kalendis Octobris An. MDCXXIX LETTER CXLVII A Letter from Sir H. Bourgchier to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Most Reverend in Christ my very good Lord MY last Letter sent by Mr. Ja. Ware I presume is come to your Grace's hands long before this time I have the happiness to hear of your Grace sometimes by Mr. Burnet which is a great Comfort unto me especially when I heard of your Health and Ability to perform so great a Journey in your late Visitation of your Province of which I shall ever wish the continuance I am very sorry that it is my ill fortune so often to advertise your Grace of the misfortune of your Friends here Sir Robert Cotton hath been lately committed to the Custody of the Bishop of Ely and often strictly examined concerning the publication of a Project tending to the oppression of the Common-wealth and with him were restrained in several places the Earls of Bedford Somerset and Clare and some others after ten or twelve days close Imprisonment and several Examinations they were all enlarged and an Information exhibited against them in the Star-Chamber to which they are now to answer Mr. Solden is also made a party to this Information he is still a Prisoner in the Tower but enjoyeth now the liberty of the Prison At my last being with him he desired me to present his Service to your Grace he would have done it himself if he might with safety Here hath been a good while with us Ger. Jo. Vossius of Leyden a Man well known to your Grace by his Books and now to me de facie and which is more with whom I have contracted Familiarity and Friendship He told me that your Grace was well known to him both by your Latin Book which he had diligently read and by the Report of divers learned Men. and when
he understood by me how much you esteemed and loved him he desired me to return his humble Thanks with desire that you would imploy his Service in whatsoever he is able to perform His Majesty has conserr'd on him the Prebend in Canterbury which lately was Dr. Chapman's He is now settling himself in it he saith he hath received a late Advertisement of the Death of Bertius who over-lived his own Credit and Reputation Mr. Selden's Titles of Honour hath long slept under the Press by reason of his long close Imprisonment but now he tells me it shall go forward and he thinks within two Months it will come abroad The War in Italy is like to proceed the French King raiseth a great Army for that Expedition Here was a report that the States had taken Gulick but it holds not for a certain Truth One thing I must not over-pass and that a strange and monstrous Accident lately happened here in England One Dorington a younger Son of Sir William Dorington of Hamp-shire and Grand-Child to that Dorington who brake his Neck from St. Sepulchres Steeple in London being reprehended for some disorderly Courses by his Mother drew his Sword and ran her twice through and afterwards she being dead gave her many Wounds and had slain his Sister at the same time had he not been prevented I presume your Grace hath heard of the Death of Dr. Tho. James his Nephew Mr. Rich. James is fallen into some Trouble by reason of his Familiarity and Inwardness with Sir Robert Cotton I suppose you have the last Catalogue of Francfort which hath nothing of note But I fear I have been over troublesome to your Grace's more serious and weighty Imployments wherefore with the remembrance of my Love and Service I will ever remain Your Grace's most affectionate Friend and humble Servant Henry Bourgchier London December the 4th 1629. LETTER CXLVIII A Letter from the Right Reverend William Laud Bishop of London to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh My very good Lord I Have received two or three Letters from you since I writ you any Answer I hope your Grace is not of opinion that it is either idlenesi or neglect which have made me silent for the plain truth is I fell into a fierce burning Fever August the 14th which held me above three Weeks It was so fierce that my Physicians as well as my Friends gave me for dead and it is a piece of a Miracle that I live I have not yet recovered my wonted Strength and God knows when I shall yet since I was able to go to the Court tho not to wait there I have done as much business as I could and I think as your Grace hath desired of me for the Church of Ireland as your Lordship will see by this brief Account following And first my Lord I have obtain'd of his Majesty the new incorporating of the Dean and Chapter of Derry and I think the Dean is returned At the same time the King was pleased to give order for confirming the Election of Dr. Usher to be Governour of the Colledg in Dublin Thirdly upon the refusal of my Lord of Clougher his Majesty gave in the time of my Sickness the Arch-bishoprick of Cassills to the Bishop of Killally and the Bishoprick of Killally to the Dean of Rapho And whereas your Grace in the close of one of your Letters did acquaint me that there was a fear lest some cunning would be used to beg or buy some Patronages out of the King's Hands I moved his Majesty about that likewise and he made me a gracious promise that he would part with none of them And now my Lord I give your Lordship thanks for the Catalogue of the Bishopricks of Ireland which I heartily desire your Grace to perfect as occasion may be offered you And for the last business as I remember concerning the Table of Tything in Ulster I have carefully look'd it over but by reason I have no experience of those parts I cannot judg clearly of the Business but I am taking the best care I can about it and when I have done I will do my best with his Majesty for Confirmation and leave Mr. Hyegate to report the Particulars to your Grace I have observed that Kilphanora is no fertile Ground it is let lie so long Fallow Hereupon I have adventured to move his Majesty that some one or two good Benefices lying not too far off or any other Church-Preferment without Cure so it be not a Deanery may be not for this time only but for ever annex'd to that Bishoprick The care of managing that Business he refers to your Grace and such good Counsel in the Law as you shall call to your assistance And I pray your Grace think of it seriously and speedily and though I doubt you will find nothing actually void to annex unto it yet if that Act be but once past the hope of that which is annex'd will make some worthy Man venture upon that Pastoral Charge and so soon as you are resolv'd what to do I pray send me word that so I may acquaint his Majesty with it and get pow'r for you to do the Work These are all the Particulars that for the present I can recall out of your Letters sent unto me in the time of my Sickness So with my hearty Prayers for your Health and Happiness and that you may never be parch'd in such a Fire as I have been I leave you to the Grace of God and rest Your Grace's loving poor Friend and Brother Guil. London London-house Decemb. 7. 1629. LETTER CXLIX A Letter from the Right Reverend William Bedell Bishop of Kilmore to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Right Reverend Father my Honourable good Lord I Have received your Grace's Letters concerning Mr. Cook I do acknowledg all that which your Grace writes to be true concerning his sufficiency and experience to the execution of the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction neither did I forber to do him right in giving him that Testimony when before the Chapter I did declare and shew the nullity of his Parent I have heard of my Lord of Meathe's attempt and I do believe that if this Patent had due Form I could not overthrow it how unequal soever it be But falling in the essential parts besides sundry other defects I do not think any reasonable Creature can adjudg it to be good I shall more at large certify your Grace of the whole Matter and the reasons of my Counsel herein I shall desire herein to be tried by your Grace's own Judgment and not by your Chancellor's or as I think in such a case I ought to be by the Synod of the Province I have resolved to see the end of this matter and do desire your Grace's savour herein no farther than the equity of the Cause and the Good as far as I can judg of the Church in a high degree do require So with my humble
of Wiâ—chester that now is nor Dr. Lindsell did ever acquaint me with your Grace's purpose of drawing Johannes Gerardus Vossius into those parts had I known it in time the Business might have been easier than now it will be For First Upon an attempt made by the Lord Brook to bring Vossius into England to be a Reader in Cambridg the States allowed him better Maintenance and were unwilling to have him come and himself was not very willing in regard of his Wife and many Children being loth to bring them from all their Kindred and Friends into a strange place And if he were unwilling upon these Grounds to come into England I doubt whether he will venture to Ireland or no. But secondly my Lord since this my Lord Duke in his life-life-time procured him of his Majesty the Reversion of a Prebend in Canterbury which is since fallen and Vossâ—â—s came over into England in the time of my Infirmity and was installed and I was glad I had the happiness to see him After he had seen both the Universities he return'd home again and within these two days I received a Letter from him of the safety of his return thither The Church of Canterbury notwithstanding his absence â—â—ow him an hundred pounds a Year as they formerly did to Mr. Casaubaâ—â— Now I think the Prebend of Canterbury would he have been Priest and resided upon it would have been as much to him as the Deanery of Armagh But howsoever my Lord the King having given him that Preferment already will hardly be brought to give him another especially considering what I could write unto you were it fit Nevertheless out of my lovâ— to the Work you mention if you can prevail with Vossius to be willing and that it may appear the Deanery of Armagh will be of sufficient Means for him and his numerous Family if your Grace then certify me of it I will venture to speak and do such Offices as shall be fit And now my Lord for your own Business Mr. Archibald Hamilton who it seems by your Grace's Letters is your Agent here hath not as yet been with me but whensoever he shall come he shall be very welcome and I hope your Grace knows I will be very ready to do that Church and you the best Service I can As I had written thus far Mr. Hamilton came to me so that now I shall inform my self as well as I can of your Lordship's Business which he tells me is perpleâ—d by some to whom it was formerly refer'd His Majesty is now going to New-Market so that tâ—â— his return little or nothing can be done but so soon as he comes back I will not be wanting to that part which shall be laid upon me I formerly writ to your Grace about divers Businesses and I have received your Answer to the most of them only to one particular you have answered nothing which makes me think that Letter scarce came safe to your hands It is about the Bishoprick of Kilfanora which is so poor in it self that no Man asks it of the King and his Majesty is graciously pleased that your Lordship would think of some good Parsonage or Vicariâ—g or Donative that might for ever be annex'd unto it And though nothing be now perchance actually void to fit this Purpose yet I conceive the Annexation may be presently made though the Profit arising from the thing come not to the Bishop till it become void I pray your Grace take as much care of this as possibly you can and let me hear from you what may be done This Letter my Lord is a great deal too long but so many Occasions would not suffer it to be shorter I wish you all Health and so leave you to the Grace of God ever resting Your Grace's loving poor Friend and Brother Guil. London Loâ—d House Feb. 23. 1629. LETTER CLV A Letter from the Right Reverend William Bedell Bishop of Kilmore to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Most Reverend Father my Honourable good Lord THe Superscription of your Grace's Letters was most welcome unto me as bringing under your own Hand the best evidence of the recovery of your Health for which I did and do give hearty thanks unto God For the Contents of them as your Grace conceived they were not so pleasant but the Wounds of a Friend are faithful saith the Wise Man Sure they are no less painful than any other Unkindness cuts nearer to the Heart than Malice can do I have some experience by your Grace's said Letters Concerning which I have been at some debate with my self whether I should answer them with David's Demand What have I now done Or as the Wrongs of Parents with Patience and Silence But Mr. Dean telling me that this day he is going towards you I will speak once come of it what will You writ That the course I took with the Papists was generally cried out against neither do you remember in all your Life that any thing was done here by any of us at which the Professors of the Gospel did take more offence or by which the Adversaries were more confirmed in their Superstitions and Idolatry Wherein you could wish that I had advised with my Brethren before I would adventure to pull down that which they have been so long a building Again what I did you know was done out of a good intention but you were assured that my Project would be so quickly refuted with the present Success and Event that there would be no need my Friends should advise me from building such Castles in the Air c. My Lord all this is a Riddle to me What course I have taken with the Papists What I have done at which the Professors of the Gospel did take such offence or the Adversaries were so confirmed What it is that I have adventured to do or what Piece so long a building I have pulled down what those Projects were and those Castles in the Air so quickly refuted with present success as the Lord knows I know not For truly since I came to this place I have not changed one jot of my Purpose or Practice or Course with Papists from that which I held in England or in Trinity-Colledg or found I thank God any ill Success but the Slanders only of some Persons discontented against me for other Occasions Against which I cannot hope to justify my self if your Grace will give ear to private Informations But let me know I will not say my Accuser let him continue mask'd till God discover him but my Transgression and have place of Defence and if mine Adversary write a Book against me I will hope to bear it on my Shoulder and bind it to me as a Crown For my recusation of your Court and advertisement what I heard thereof I see they have stirred not only Laughter but some Coals too Your Chancellor desires me to acquit him to you that he is none of those Officers
I meant I do it very willingly for I never meant him nor any Man else but thought it concerned your Grace to know what I credibly heard to be spoken concerning your Court Neither as God knows did I ever think it was fit to take away the Jurisdiction from Chancellors and put it into the Bishops Hands alone or so much as in a Dream condemn those that think they have reason to do otherwise nor tax your Grace's Visitation nor imagine you would account that to pertain to your Reproof and take it as a Wrong from me which out of my Duty to God and you I thought was not to be concealed from you I beseech you pardon me this one Error Si unquam posthac For that Knave whom as your Grace writes they say I did absolve I took him for one of my Flock or rather Christ's for whom he shed his Blood And I would have absolved Julian the Apostata under the same form Some other Passages there be in your Grace's Letters which I But I will lay mine Hand upon mine Mouth And craving the blessing of your Prayers ever remain Your Grace's poor Brother and humble Servant Will. Kilmore and Ardaghen Kilmore March 29. 1630. LETTER CLVI A Letter from the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh to the Lords Justices My most Honoured Lords I Received a Letter from your Lordships without any Date wherein I am required to declare what Motives I can alleadg for the stopping of Sir John Bathe's Patent Whereunto I answer That I cannot nor need not produce any other reason than that which I have done and for the maintenance of the sufficiency whereof I will adventure all I am worth namely that for the Particular now in question Sir John Bathe's Letter hath been gotten from his Majesty by meer surreption and therefore no Patent ought to be passed thereupon For although I easily grant that my Lord Treasurer and the Chancellor of the Exchequer might certify unto his Majesty that there was no other thing left to be passed here but Impropriations though Sir John Bathe I think hath found already somewhat else to be passed in his Book and may do more if he will not be so hasty but take time to enquire Yet how doth it appear that either of these two noble Gentlemen did as much as know that his Majesty had taken a former Order for the settlement of these things upon the Church To which Resolution had they been privy I do so presume of their Nobleness and care of the Publick Good that the remittal of a Matter of two thousand pounds would not induce them to divert his Majesty from making good that precious Donation which by the Example of his Father of never-dying memory he had solemnly devoted to God and his Church such an eximious Act of Piety as is not to be countervalued with two or twenty thousand pounds of any earthly Treasure But whatsoever they knew or knew not of his Majesty's own pious Resolution and constant Purpose never to revoke that which he hath once given unto God I rest so confident as I dare pawn my Life upon it that when he did sign those Letters of Sir John Bathe's he had not the least intimation given unto him that this did any way cross that former Gift which he made unto the Church upon so great and mature deliberation as being grounded upon the Advice first of the Commissioners sent into Ireland then of the Lords of the Council upon their report in England thirdly of King James that ever blessed Father of the Church and lastly of the Commissioners for Irish Affairs unto whom for the last debating and conclusion of this business I was by his now Majesty referr'd my self at my being in England I know Sir John and his Counsel do take notice of all those Reasons that may seem to make any way for themselves But your Lordships may do well to consider that such Letters as these have come before now wherein Rectories have been expresly named and those general Non obstantes also put which are usual in this kind and yet notwithstanding all this his Majesty intimateth unto you in his last Letters that he will take a time to examine those Proceedings and punish those that then had so little regard to the particular and direct expression of his Royal Pleasure for the disposing of the Impropriations to the general benefit of the Church Which whether it carrieth not with it a powerful Non obstante to that surreptious Grant now in question I hold it more safe for your Lordships to take Advice among your selves than from any other bodies Counsel who think it their Duty to speak any thing for their Clients Fee As for the want of Attestation wherewith the credit of the Copy of a Letter transmitted unto you is laboured to be impaired If the Testimony of my Lord of London who procured it and the Bishop Elect of Kilfennora who is the bringer of it and of a Dean and an Arch-Deacon now in Ireland who themselves saw it will not suffice it will not be many days in all likelihood before the Original it self shall be presented to your Lordships In the mean time I desire and more than desire if I may presume to go so far that your Lordships will stay your hands from passing Sir John Bathe's Patent until my Lord of London himself shall signifie his Majesties further Pleasure unto you in this Particular And it my Zeal hath carried me any way further than Duty would require I beseech your Lordships to consider that I deal in a Cause that highly concerneth the good of the Church unto which I profess I owe my whole self and therefore craving Pardon for this my Boldness I humbly take leave and rest still to continue Your Lordships in all dutiful Observance J. A. Droghedah April the 3d 1630. Instructions given to Mr. Dean Lesly April 5. 1630. for the stopping of Sir John Bathe's Patent 1. YOU are to inform your self whether Sir John Bathe's Patent be already sealed and if it be whether it were done before Saturday which was the day wherein I received and answered the Lords Justices Letters touching this business and at which time they signified the Patent was as yet unpast and use all speedy means that the Patent may not be delivered into Sir John Bathes hands before you be heard to speak what you can against it and if that also be done I authorize you to signifie unto the Lords Justices that I must and will complain against them to his Sacred Majesty 2. You are to go unto Sir James Ware the younger from me and enquire of him whether he gave any Certificate unto my Lord Treasurer and the Chancellor of the Exchequer that the King had not of Temporal Lands the annual Rent of 300 l. to grant in reversion but that of necessity must be supplied with the Grant of the reversion of Tithes impropriate And withal learn
bear to your Person and to the eminence of your place in the Church have moved us to make choice of your Lordship to preach here before this State on the Day whereon we purpose to perform those Ceremonies of Thankfulness due from us which we have thought fit to make known unto you purposing shortly to let you know the day when we desire your presence Yet if you shall find by your late Sickness any indisposition in your Body or danger to your Health to perform this Charge which we know would otherwise be very acceptable to you we do not in such case so strictly require your presence with us but that we do freely leave it to your own choice to come or stay as you shall find the disposition of your Body to enable you Only we desire to understand from you whether we shall then expect you or not to the end we may make choice of another if you may not come And so we bid your Lordship very heartily farewel From his Majesty's Castle of Dublin Junii 18. 1630. Your Lordship 's very loving Friends R. Cork Ad. Loftus Canc. In imitation of the like sent us out of England we have caused the inclosed to be imprinted here LETTER CLXVI A Letter from the Right Reverend William Laud Bishop of London to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Salutem in Christo. My very good Lord I Hope your Grace will pardon me that in all this time I have not written unto you For though I thank God I have recovered my Health in a measure beyond expectation yet I have been so overlaid with Business that I have not been able to give you any account or at least not such as I desired Your Lordship's first Letters for I owe you an answer to two bear date April the 5th and your later June the 4th 1630. The Main of both Letters is concerning Sir John Bathe And though in your last Letters you be confident that Sir John's Grant is not past the Seals as he hath avouched it is yet I must acquaint your Grace that you are mistaken therein for it appeared at the last sitting of the Committee that the Seal was put to his Grant at the beginning of April last Of which Doctrine you may make this Use what close conveyance and carriage there may be when the Church is to be spoiled I understand by Mr. Hamilton that the Lord Chancellor of Ireland is in Holy Orders and that being Deacon he holds an Arch-Deaconry yet of good value Surely my Lord if this be so there is somewhat in it that I will not express by Letter but were I his Superior in Ordinary I know what I would do and that I have plainly expressed both to his Majesty and the Lords Committees But my Lord for the Business I have stuck so close unto it both with his Majesty and with the Lords especially the Lord Treasurer who hath been and is very noble to the Church that I hope Sir John Bathe will see his Error and pitch upon some other Reward for his Services and surrender this Patent though seal'd that we may go on with the King 's Royal and Pious Grant to the Church Things being thus far onward once more there are two things which stick with the Lords 1. One is They like not the placing of these Impropriations upon any Incorporations Dublin or other To this I answered That neither did I like it and that it must be alter'd because it is against Law So it is resolved that we shall hereafter take not only that but all other material Passages of the Grant into consideration and therefore I think neither your old nor your new Letter will stand Some thought it fittest that these Impropriations should be left to the King to give To this I replied That that course would by the Suit of the Clergy and their Journeys over take off a great part of the Benefit intended them And to leave them in the Power of the Lord Deputy that might be but to enrich his Secretaries and expose the Church to that which I will not speak 2. The other Difficulty is That this Grant to the Church is too much against the King's Profit in these difficult Times because in the Lay-way the King's Rent may be improved which according to this Grant cannot be This Blow I looked not for but answered upon the sudden That I thought the Church of Ireland would be glad to take the King's Grant though it were with some improvement upon such Impropriations as might well bear it This I did partly to bear off the shock for the time and partly to gain opportunity to write to you who understand that Business better And I pray you by your next Letters give me all the help you can towards this Business One thing more and then I have done with Sir John Bathe Upon occasion of his Speech That the Clergy had a third part of that Kingdom I represented to the Lords the Paper which you sent me concerning the State of the County of Louth It was a miserable spectacle to them all yet at the last some Doubt arose whether those Values there expressed were the Rate in the King's Books or the uttermost value to the Incumbent To this I was not able to make a resolute Answer yet I feared they were Rates to the utmost value Hereupon the Lords required of me to write unto you to desire you to send me word with all the speed you can what value that Note of yours contain'd of which I pray fail not Your Grace is pleased in another Passage to desire me not to be too strict to my Rule in chusing Deans only to be Bishops My Lord it is true Deans are or should be the likeliest Men to be fitted for Bishopricks but they and no other was never any Rule of mine to my remembrance My Rule was and is and to that I shall ever be strict not to suffer any Bishop to hold any Deanery in Commendam if it lie in my power to hinder it For that which concerns the Bishop of Clonfert and Killmacduagh I have read the inclosed Papers you sent and see cause more than enough to pity but the way for remedy will be full of difficulty And for Killâ—anora there will be time enough to think upon Annexation For the Colledg and their Chauntry-Lands c. when they come for their Patent they shall not need to doubt all the lawful assistance that I can give them And now my Lord for as my Business stands 't is time to make an end I must needs thank you that you make it a matter of Joy to hear of my late Honour in being chosen Chancellor of Oxford My Lord I speak really it was beyond my deserts and contrary to my desires but since it hath pleased God by their Love to lay it upon me I must undergo the Burden as I may My honourable Predecessor enriched his Name by the Greek Manuscripts
were many good parts would become an Instrument to oppose the Work of God which I was assured he had called me to c. This was all that passed He offered himself to the Lord's Board and I gave him the Communion After Dinner he preached out of 1 Joh. 4. ult And this Commandment have we from him that he that loveth God c. When we came out of the Church Dr. Shiriden delivered me your Grace's Letters And thus Mr. Dean thinks he hath healed all as you may perceive by his next Letters of August 30. Only he labours about Kildromfarten Whereabouts I purposed to have spoken with your Grace at my being with you but I know not how it came not to my mind Whether it be that the Soul as well as the Body after-some travel easily falleth to rest or else God would have it reserved perhaps to a more seasonable time It is now above a Twelve-month the Day in many respects I may well wish that it may not be reckoned with the days of the Year that your Grace as it were delivered to me with your own hands Mr. Crian a converted Friar To whom I offered my self as largely as my ability would extend unto though I had already at your Grace's commendation received Mr. Dunsterville to be in my house with the allowance of 20 l. per Annum The next day before my departing Mr. Hilton made a motion to me that where he had in his hands sufficient to make the Benefice of Kildromfarten void if I would bestow it upon Mr. Dean he would do so otherwise it should remain in Statu I answered With profession of my love and good opinion of Mr. Dean whereof I shewed the Reasons I added I did not know the Place nor the People but if they were meer Irish I did not see how Mr. Dean should discharge the Duty of a Minister to them This Motion was seconded by your Grace But so as I easily conceived that being solicited by your old Servant could do no less than you did and notwithstanding the Lecture he promised your Grace should read to me in the matter of Collations would not be displeased if I did as became me according to my Conscience and in conformity to your former motion for Mr. Crian Dr. Dean after pressed me that if without my concurrence your Grace would confer that living upon him I would not be against it Which I promised but heard no more of it till about April last In the mean while the Benefice next unto that which Mr. Dunsterville was already possessed of falling void Mr. Crian not coming to me nor purposing to do so till after Christmass and whensoever he should come my House as I found not affording room for him and Mr. Dunsterville both whose former Benefice was unable he said to maintain him chiefly he promising Residence and taking of me for that purpose an Oath absolutely without any exception of Dispensation I united it to his former and dismissed him to go to his Cure Wherein how carelesly he hath behaved himself I forbear to relate To return to Mr. Dean About mid April he brought me a Presentation to Kildromfarten under the Broad Seal I could do no less but signify to the Incumbent who came to me and maintained his Title requiring me not to admiâ— Whereupon I returned the Presentation indorsing the Reason of my refusal And being then occasioned to write to the Lords Justices I signified what I thought of these Pluralities in a Time when we are so far overmatched in number by the Adverse Party This passed on till the Visitation wherein Mr. Dean shewed himself in his Colours When the Vicar of Kildromfarten was called he said He was Vicar but would exhibit no Title After the Curat Mr. Smith signified to me that his Stipend was unpaid and he feared it would still be in the contention of two Incumbents Upon these and other Reasons I sequestred the Profits which I have heard by a Simoniacal Compact betwixt them should be for this Year the former Incumbents Neither did Mr. Dean write or speak a word to me hereabout till the day before the Communion in the Inclosed That very Morning I was certified that he purposed to appeal to your Grace which made me in answer to his next to add Quod facis fac citius Here I beseech your Grace give me leave to speak freely touching this matter so much the rather because it is the only Root of all Mr. Dean's despite against me Plainly I do thus think that of all the Diseases of the Church in these times next to that of the Corruption of our Courts this of Pluralities is the most deadly and pestilent especially when those are instituted into Charges Ecclesiastical who were they never so willing yet for want of the Language of the People are unable to discharge them Concerning which very Point I know your Grace remembers the Propositions of the Learned and Zealous Bishop of Lincoln before Pope Innocent I will not add the Confession of our Adversaries themselves in the Council of Trent nor the Judgment of that good Father the Author of the History thereof touching Non-residence Let the thing it self speak whence flow the Ignorance of the People the Neglect of God's Worship the Defrauding of the Poor of the remains of dedicate Things the Ruin of the Mansion-houses of the Ministers the desolation of Churches the swallowing up of Parishes by the Farmers of them but from this fountain There may be cause no doubt why sometimes in some Place and to some Man many Churches may be committed But now that as appears by the late Certificates there are besides the Titulary Primat and Bishop of Priests in the Diocesses of Kilmore and Ardagh 66 of Ministers and Curats but 32 of which also three whose Wives come not to Church In this so great odds as the Adversaries have of us in number to omit the advantage of the Language the possession of the Peoples Hearts the countenancing of the Nobility and Gentry is it a Time to commit many Churches to one Man whom I will not disable and he saith he hath a very able Interpreter and I think no less which made me once to say that I would sooner confer the Benefice of Kildromfarten upon him than upon himself which Resolution I do still hold in how ill part soever he takes it But what hath he done in the Parishes already committed to him for the instruction of the Irish that we should commit another unto him He that cannot perform his Duty to one without a helper or to that little part of it whose Tongue he hath is he sufficient to do it to three No it is the Wages is sought not the Work And yet with the Means he hath already the good Man his Predecessor maintained a Wife and a Family and cannot he in his Solitary he had once written Monkish Life defray himself Well if there can be none found fit to
discharge the Duty let him have the Wages to better his Maintenance But when your Grace assureth us we shall lack no Men when there is besides Mr. Crien whom D. Sheriden hath heard preach as a Frier in that very place which I account would be the more to God's Glory if there now he should plant the Truth which before he endeavoured to root out besides him we have Mr. Nugent who offereth himself in an honest and discreet Letter lately written to me We have sundry in the Colledg and namely two trained up at the Irish Lecture one whereof hath translated your Grace's Catechism into Irish besides Mr. Duncan and others With what colour can we pass by these and suffer him to fat himself with the Blood of God's People Pardon me I beseech your Grace when I say We I mean not to prescribe any thing to you My self I hope shall never do it or consent to it And so long as this is the cause of Mr. D's Wrath against me whether I suffer by his Pen or his Tongue I shall rejoice as suffering for Righteousness sake And sith himself in his last Letter excuses my Intent I do submit my Actions after God to your Grace's Censure ready to make him Satisfaction if in any thing in Word or Deed I have wronged him For conclusion of this business wherein I am sorry to be so troublesome to your Grace let him surcease this his greedy and impudent pretence to this Benefice let Mr. Nugent be admitted to it or Mr. Crien if he be not yet provided for to whom I will hope ere long to add Mr. Nugent for a Neighbour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If these second questionless better Thoughts have any place in him as in his last Letters he gives some hope let my Complaints against him be cast into the Fire God make him an humble and modest Man But if Mr. Dean will needs persist I beseech your Grace to view my Reply to the which I will add no more As touching his traducing me in the Pulpit at Cavan I have sent your Grace the Testimonies of Mr. Robins and Mr. Teate altho he had been with them before and denied what they formerly conceived And if your Grace will be pleased to enquire of Mr. Cape by a Line or two with whom I never spake word about the matter or compare the heads of his Sermon which he saith were general with his former Reports made of me I doubt not but you will soon find the Truth I have sent also his Protestation against my Visitations wherein I desire your Grace to observe the blindness of Malice He pretends that I may not visit but at or after Michaelmas every Year As if the Month of July wherein I visited were not after Michaelmas for before the last Michaelmas I visited not I omit that he calls himself the Head of the Chapter The Canon Law calls the Bishop so he will have the Bishop visit the whole Diocess together directly contrary to that form which the Canons prescribe But this Protestation having neither Latin nor Law nor common Sence doth declare the Skill of him that drew it and the Wit of him that uses it Which if your Grace enjoyn him not to revoke I shall be enforced to put a remedy to it otherwise in respect of the evil Example and Prejudice it might bring to Posterity And now to leave this unpleasing Subject Since my being with you here was with me Mr. Brady bringing with him the Resignation of the Benefice of Mullagh which I had conferred upon Mr. Dunsterville and united to his former of Moybolk he brought with him Letters from my L. of Corke and Sir W. Parsons to whom he is allied But examining him I found him besides a very raw Divine unable to read the Irish and therefore excused my self to the Lords for admitting him A few days after viz. the 10th of this Month here was with me Mr. Dunsterville himself and signified unto me that he had revoked his former Resignation Thus he plays fast and loose and most unconscionably neglects his Duty Omnes quae sua sunt quaerunt Indeed I doubted his Resignation was not good in as much as he retained still the former Benefice whereto this was united Now I see clearly there was a compact between him and Mr. Brady that if he could not be admitted he should resume his Benefice again I have received Letters from Mr. Dr. Ward of the Date of May 28 in which he mentions again the point of the Justification of Infants by Baptism To whom I have written an Answer but not yet sent it I send herewith a Copy thereof to your Grace humbly requiring your Advice and Censure if it be not too much to your Graces trouble before I send it I have also written an Answer to Dr. Richardson in the question touching the Root of Efficacy or Efficiency of Grace but it is long and consists of five or six sheets of Paper so as I cannot now send it I shall hereafter submit it as all other my Endeavours to your Grace's Censure and Correction I have received also a large Answer from my Lord of Derry touching Justifying Faith whereto I have not yet had time to reply Nor do I know if it be worth the labour the difference being but in the manner of teaching As whether justifying Faith be an Assent working Assiance or else an Assiance following Assent I wrote presently upon my return from your Grace to my Lords Justices desiring to be excused from going in person to take Possession of the Mass-houses and a certificate that my Suit with Mr. Cook is depending before them I have not as yet received Answer by reason as Sir Will. Usher signified to my Son the Lord Chancellor's Indisposition did not permit his hand to be gotten I do scarce hope to receive any Certificate from them for the respect they will have not to seem to infringe your Grace's Jurisdiction Whereupon I shall be inforced to entertain a Proctor for me at your Graces Court when I am next to appear it being the very time when my Courts in the County of Leatrym were set before I was with you Asham'd I am to be thus tedious but I hope you will pardon me sith you required and I promised to write often And having had opportunity to convey my Letters this must serve instead of many Concluding with my humble Service to your Grace and Thanks for my kind Entertainment I desire the Blessing of your Prayers and remain always Your Graces humble Servant Will. Kilmore and Ardaghen Kilmore Sept. 18. 1630. LETTER CLXIX A Letter sent from Dr. Forbes Professor of Divinity at Aberdeen with his Irenicum to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Reverendissimo in Christo Patri Jacobo Usserio Dei miseratione Archiepiscopo Armacano totius Hiberniae Primati meritissimo Domino suo colendissimo Salutem in Domino Reverendissime Sanctissime Pater TAnta mihi ex
Quotis ad R. D. Tuam unà cum Eucharisticis missimus rectè redditas esse Ita nunc etiam pro novissimis duabus Quotis quae 185 libras Sterl 8 Solidos continuerunt hic nostrae Monetae florenos 1231 confecerunt Catalogum hisce adjunctum mittimus Ut hanc distributionem non minùs quà m priores duas fideliter à nobis factas esse inde constare possit In quem finem etiam Apocham pro acceptis pecuniis non tantùm à nobis collectae Administratoribus sed etiam ab aliis Primariis Viris subscriptam ad opt humaniss Virum Dom. Christianum Bor. Mercatorem Dublinensem missimus Habemus praeterea hîc ad manus diligenter asservamus singulorum Participantium Chirographa quibus se portiones in Catalogo assignatas accepisse attestantur Si fortè ad probandam Accepticum Expenso congruentiam iis aliquando opus sit Quod restat quod unum gratitudinis argumentum edere nunc possumus nos non tantùm pro salute incolumitate tuâ seduli ad DEUM precatores verùm etiam tuorum in nos meritorum laudumque tuarum grati buccinatores apud homines futuri sumus ita ut quocunque terrarum nostra nos fata deferent fidelem tui memoriam nobiscum simus ablaturi Bene vale Pater eximie venerande DOMINUS JESUS opus manuum tuarum confirmet ad nominis sui gloriam Ecclesiae suae incrementum Amen Norinburgae die xiii Septembris Anno Dei Hominis facti M. DC XXXI Reverendiss Dom. Tuam Subjectissimo Studio colentes Sacrae Collectae pro Exulib Archipalatinatus Superioris Administratores Fratrum omnium nomine Ambrosius Tolner quondam Pastor Ecclesiae Tursehennentensis Dioceseos Waldsassensis Inspector unde nunc exul in agro Norico suo Ln. Georgii Summeri nomine jam absentis Gebhardus Agricola Ecclesiae Aurbacensis quondam Pastor Inspector nunc in Marchionatum exulans c. Jonas Libingus Judex quondam Archipalatinus Caenobii Weisseno nunc in Exilio ad facrae Collectae negotia Deputatus Norimbergae LETTER CLXXII A Letter from the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh to the most Reverend William Laud Arch-bishop of Canterbury My most gracious Lord WHen I took Pen to write the first thing that presented it self to my thoughts was that saying in the Scripture Why are you the last to bring the King back to his House For methought I could not but be much blamed for coming thus late to congratulate both his Majesty's safe return and your own advancement joined therewith unto the highest place of Church-Preferment that is within his Highnesses Dominions Wherein I may truly say thus much for my self to begin withal that since the time I received the Letter you wrote unto me the day before you began your Journey for Scotland no day hath passed hitherto wherein I have not made particular mention of you in my Prayers unto Almighty God who hath graciously heard my Request and granted therein as much as my Heart could desire But thus in the mean time did the Case stand with me Upon the arrival of the Lord Deputy I found him very honourably affected toward me and very ready to further me as in other things that concerned the Church so particularly in that which did concern the settlement of the Lands belonging to the Arch-bishoprick of Armagh Wherefore not being willing to let slip so fair an opportunity I presently obtained a Commission for making an inquiry of all the Lands that remained in my quiet possession and took my Journey though in an unseasonable time of the Year into the Northern Parts of the Kingdom Where beside the speeding of the Offices that were taken in the three several Counties of Armagh Tirone and London-Derry there was offered the opportunity of solemnizing the translation of the Bishop of Raphae and a Consecration of the Bishop of Ardagh in the Cathedral Church of Armagh where no such Act had been before performed within the memory of any Man living And much about this time had we the News of your Grace's Election into that high Dignity which his Majesty hath called you unto for which as this poor Church in general so none more than my self in particular have great cause to rejoice God having no doubt given you such high favour in our Master's Eyes that you might be enabled thereby to do the more good unto his Church and especially to put a happy end to that great Work which hitherto hath received so many Impediments of setling the Reversion of the Impropriations of this Kingdom upon the several Incumbents Whereunto I assure my self your Grace will easily work my Lord Deputy who every day sheweth himself so zealous for the recovering of the dissipated Patrimony of the Church that mine Eyes never yet beheld his match in that kind By the death of your Predecessor our University of Dublin was left to seek a new Chancellor whom I advised to pitch upon no other but your self which they did with all readiness and alacrity If your Grace will design to receive that poor Society under the shadow of your Wings you shall put a further tie of observance not upon that only but upon me also who had my whole breeding there and obtained the honour of being the first Proctor that ever was there I am further intreated by our Lord Treasurer the Earl of Corke to certify my knowledg touching the placing of his Monument in the Cathedral Church of St. Patrick's in the Suburbs of Dublin The place wherein it is erected was an ancient Passage into a Chappel within that Church which hath time out of mind been stopped up with a Partition made of Boards and Lime I remember I was present when the Earl concluded with the Dean to allow thirty Pounds for the raising of another Partition betwixt this new Monument and the Quire wherein the Ten Commandments might be fairly written Which if it were put up I see not what offence could be taken at the Monument which otherwise cannot be denied to be a very great Ornament to the Church I have nothing at hand to present your Grace withal but this small Treatise written unto Pope Calixtus the 2d by one of your Predecessors touching the ancient Dignity of the See of Canterbury Which I beseech you to accept at the hands of Your Grace's most devoted Servant J. A. 1632. LETTER CLXXIII Another Letter to the same May it please your Grace UPon my return from my Northern Journey I wrote unto you by Sir Francis Cook declaring the cause of my long silence together with the extraordinary Zeal of our noble Lord Deputy I may justly term him a new Zerubbabel raised by God for the making up of the Ruins of this decayed Church who upon an occasion openly declared himself an opposite to the greatest of those that have devoured our holy Things and made the Patrimony of the Church the Inheritance of their Sons and Daughers I likewise made bold
to intreat your Lordship in the same Letter to accept our poor University of Dublin into your gracious Protection I caused the Draught of two other Letters to be made in the Name of the Society unto your Grace the one penned by the Provost the other by Dr. Hoyle the Divinity-Professor there But the Fellows of the House were so factious that nothing could please them which came from their Superiors and so idle that they would not take pains to do the like themselves So that now I have the more cause to implore your Grace's Aid afresh and to present you with a new Supplication of Miserere domus labentis Wherein that I may conceal nothing from your Grace the very Truth is this The Provost albeit he be a very honest Man and one that mindeth the Good of the House yet is of too soft and gentle a disposition to rule so heady a Company The Lord Bishop of Kilmore while he was Provost there composed Statutes for the good of the House conformable to those of Emmanuel-Colledg in Cambridg where he himself in former time lived But there is so little Power given to the Provost for redressing of things that are amiss without the consent of the greater part of the Senior Fellows that they finding thereby their own strength perpetually join together in crossing whatsoever the Provost attempteth for reformation either of themselves or of the Scholars being sure never to give their consent that any punishment shall be inflicted upon themselves either for absenting themselves from the Church or lying out of the House or frequenting of Taverns or other such Enormities So that the Provost by their perverse dealing being now made weary of his place it were to be wished that some other Preferment might be found for him and one of a more rigid Temper and stouter Disposition placed in his room for such a Wedg for the breaking of so evil a Knot must necessarily be used The Earl fearing that my former Letter might not have come unto your hands hath earnestly entreated me to write thus much again which as I could not well deny unto him being but the bearing of a Testimony to the very Truth so do I wholly submit the same unto your graver Judgment Your Grace's most devoted Servant J. A. 1632. LETTER CLXXIV Doctissimo Ornatissimo viro D. Ludovico de Dieu Ecclesiae Lugduno-Batavae Pastori Fratri plurimùm honorando Leydam Salutem à salutis fonte D. N. Iesu Christo. LIbros quos ad te Clariss Vossium miseram acceptos fuisse laetus ab utroque vestrûm audio sed literas alteri cuidam è Belgio vestro in Hispaniam ut audivi postea profecto commissas interiisse video Quae jactura effecit ut nulli facile nuncio fidem deferendarum literarum adhibuerim hactenus Discedente vero hinc ad vos nobilissimo Juvene Dunharvainae Vicecomite oblatam tam opportunè occasionem praetermittere nolens perspectae nobis fidei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ipsius Vicecomitis Ephoro tradendas curo quas jam scribo literas Atque ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod aiunt ab eo in quo postremas tuas terminaveras ego nunc incipiam monachum illum de quo ad D. Rivetum scripsit Marinus Marsenius non alium quà m Johannem Morinum fuisse suspicor qui tum in prolixâ illâ praefatione editioni 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae Lutetiae An. 1628. Graeco-latina prodiit praefixa tum in Exercitationibus Ecclesiasticis quas in Samaritanum Pentateuchum ibidem Anno 1631. evulgavit ex Graecorum Samariticorum codicum fide Hebraeum nostrum textum corruptum depravatum esse stultissimâ operâ astruere conatus est Stultissimam enim quid ni dixerim cum eâdem ipse operâ sua sibi caedat vineta quod probè est à te annimadversum Vulgatae editionis Latinae authoritatem pariter enervet Tridentinorum suorum Decreti parùm memor qui ut haec ipsa editio pro authenticâ habeatur statuerunt ut eam nemo rejicere quovis praetextu audeat vel praesumat atque adeò eodem cum illo afflatus spiritu cui immanis iste versus olim excidit Pereant amici dum unà inimici intercidant Tui eruditissimi Constantini tui erit hominis nimio sibi placentis audaciam atque 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comprimere sacrorum fontium integritatem sartam tectam ab omni detrimento conservare Quâ in re praestandâ maximo vobis erit subsidjo Veteris Testamenti Editio Syriaca quam ab Apostolorum temporibus hucusque magno omnium Orientis populorum qui Chaldaicâ sive Syriacâ utuntur linguâ consensu retentam semper summâ in veneratione auctoritate esse habitam demum publice in omnibus eorum Ecclesijs antiquissimis constitutis in Syriâ Mesopotamiâ Chaldaeâ Aegypto denique in universi Orientis partibus dispersis ac disseminatis lectam esse ac legi in Diatribâ de Chaldaicae lingua Utilitate confirmat Georgius Amira Syrus Cum enim haec in Ecclesiâ Antiochenâ à quà Christianum nobis processit nomen à primis usque temporibus recepta a veteribus Patribus Melitone Sardens Basilio Caesareens Apollinario Laodiceno Eusebio Emeseno Diodoro Tarsensi Theodoreto Cyrensi Procopio Gazaeo Hesychio Polychronio authore Questionum Respons ad Orthodoxos quae Justino Martyri tribuuntur subinde citata fuerit argumentum nobis praebet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loca textus Hebraici cum ea consentientia à posterioribus Masorethis Judaeorum Rabbinis quod isti nugatores clamitant haudquaquam interpolari potuisse Quare sicut anteà Samaritanum ita nunc Syriacum Pentateuchum per D. Freyum nostrum tibi mittendum duxi ut ad Mosaicos quamprimùm libros ab ardelionis istius nefariâ Criticâ vindicandos aggredereris Habeo totius Veteris instrumenti librorum quam mihi emptam in Syriâ vidit D. Jacobus Golius versionem similem nec Canonicorum tantum sed Apocryphorum quoque adjuncto etiam Fl. Josephi de Macchabaeis Hanc quicquid penès me est Samariticorum fragmentorum tecum communicaturus sum libens si quando animum induxeris Parisiensem quam expectamus Samaritani Syriaci contextus editionem cum MSS. nostris exemplaribus comparare Id enim tantum relinquitur peragendum primae editionis gloriâ quam Academiae vestrae optabam aliorum festinatione jam praereptâ Neque alium in finem quaternio ille Arabico-Samaritanus elegantissimo Charactere exaratus à me missus fuerat quam ut formulae archetypae quas matrices vocant inde exprimerentur si quod sperabam Editio ista apud vos procederet Integrum verò Samaritanum Pentateuchum in Arabicam Cuthaeis vernaculum linguam translatum extat licet ea solum pars quae Genesin Deuteronomion complectitur ad meas manus pervenerit Sunt etiam apud me nummi fex aenei vetustissimi partim Phoeniciis partim
of our Church contained in our Articles and Homilies Innovators are too much favoured now a-days Our Vice-Chancellor hath carried Business for Matter of Religion both stoutly and discreetly Dr. Lane died on Sunday last and was buried in the night upon Tuesday in St. John's Colledg It may be you are willing to hear of our University Affairs I may truly say I never knew them in worse condition since I was a Member thereof which is almost 46 years Not but that I hope the greater part is Orthodox but that new Heads are brought in and they are backed in maintaining Novelties and them which broach new Opinions as I doubt not but you hear others are disgraced and checked when they come above as my self was by my Lord of York the last Lent for favouring Puritans in Consistory and all from false Informations from hence which are believed without any examination At that time also I intreated my Lord of Canterbury to speak to the Dean of Wells that now is who had sundry times excepted against me for not residing three months per Annum as I should by Charter which I nothing doubt but it was by his instigation he promised me then he would but not having done it yet I repaired again to my Lord's Grace about it in November But now he cannot for that his Majesty hath given him in charge to take account of the Bishops in his Province how Residence is kept I told him my Case was not every Man's Case and that I had a Benefice at which I desired to be in the Vacation-Time but nothing would prevail And yet as I told him I am every Year at Wells sometimes a month or six weeks I think they would have me out of my Professor's place and I could wish the same if I could have one to succeed according to my mind for then I should have leasure to transcribe things Well howsoever God's Will be done and he teach us Humility and Patience I heard also of some doings with you The Lord of Heaven direct you and us and teach us to submit to him in all things I have not yet sent my Answer to Mr. Ch. but intend e're long I have not finished yet one Point to shew the Arminian Opinions were condemned in the Synods which condemned the Pelagian Heresy At Mr. Burnet's importunity who could not get a good Scrivener to transcribe my Lord of Sarum's Readings de Praedestinatione morte Christi I gave way that he should send it to you which I intreat your Lordship if you have received it to return it me as soon and as safely as you conveniently can The Tractate de Praedestinatianis in defence of your Lordship I know not your Adversary nor his Name is Dr. Twisses it may be he hath sent your Lordship a Copy of it He is a deserving Man We have a Vice-Chancellor that favoureth Novelties both in Rites and Doctrines I could write more sed manum de Tabula The greatest part of this was inclosed in the Letter your Lordship had sent Jan. 14. I made now a few additions And so I rest Your Grace's in all observance Samuel Ward Sidn Coll. Jun. 14. 1634. Dr. Baden a Dean with you in Ireland answereth the Act In Vesperiis Comitiórum His Questions are 1. Justificatio non suscipit magis minus 2. Non dantur Consilia perfectionis supra legem LETTER CLXXX A Letter from Constantinus L'Empereur ab Oppych to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Illustrissimo Primati D. Jacobo Usserio Archiepiscopo Armachano Hyberniae Primati I. V. S. P. Vir Reverende EST quod mihi admodum gratuler qui cum antea viro illustri nonnisi de nomine innotuissem tamen quod in votis habebam audacter petiissem tantam evestigio nactus sim benevolentiam ut illustris tua dignitas expetitum commentariorum in sacras literas volumen Syriacum transmittere gravata non fuerit Dabitur Deo favente opera ut fideliter in Hyberniam transmittatur ubi usus fuero In veteri Testamento spei meae non respondet licet subinde notatur digna animad vertam Ad textum Syriacum commentaria accommodata sunt non verò quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suadebat consultus fuit Ebraicus Imo quantum adhuc videre possum Syriacus quo usus fuit contextus è Graeco expressus fuit ideoque saepe aliter legit author quam in Ebraeo extat Aliquando etiam verba de industria secus collocat quam invenit Graecae Linguae peritiam prae se fert in Syriaca nimis anxiè quae ad vocales spectant persequitur Occidentalem Syrum fuisse id est viciniorem Mari Mediterraneo ostendit quod sect 28. Usa annotat Tandem hoc observo ut omnia conglomerem quae è lectione in mentem veniunt non satis ad messam applicare quae ad ipsum passim directa fuere Nihilominus pro usu istius libri gratias habeo maximas inprimis cum praeclara annotentur in Testamentum Novum Quae in c. 1. Matt. observata sunt evolvi placent admodum Caeterum est in illustris D. T. Bibliotheca uti intelligo versio Syriaca duplex V. T. patruus autem meus D. Antonius Thysius paratum habet commentarium in duo priora cap. Genes ubi Historiam creationis illustrat cui praemittere statuit versiones primarias Ideoque summa diligentia è variis autoribus Symmachi Theodotionis Aquilae c. interpretamenta ita collegit ut continuum contextum reddant Itaque valdè sibi gratum fore dicit si versionem Syriacam ab Amanuensi aliquo descriptam obtinere in 2. cap. Gen. posset Hoc vix à me impetro ut subjungam verum fortassis post libri editionem istius consilii se non factum certiorem D. tua aegre ferret ut cui hoc unum cordi sit prodesse publico Hic subsisto Patri D. nostri I. Christi commendo Illustrem tuam dignitatem cujus permanere gestio cliens humillimus Constantinus L'Empereur ab Oppych Lug. Bat. 3. Kal. Jul. ā partae salutis 1634. LETTER CLXXXI A Letter from Dr. Ward to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Most Reverend and my very good Lord OUR Commencement is now over where Dean Baden now Dr. Baden did well perform his part who answered the Act Vesperiis Comitiorum And so did the Batchelor of Divinity Die Comitiorum being one of the Fellows of our Colledg The Vice-Chancellor Dr. Love did well perform his part especially in encountring with one Franciscus de S. Chara but his true name is Davenport who in a Book set forth at Doway would reconcile si diis placet our Articles of Religion with the Definitions of the Council of Trent But we have dismissed the Auditors this Year with much more content than they were the Year before Our Stirs we had a little before the Commencement are prettily well over There is a little Book intituled
metrum investigent Atque haec hactenus Caeterum D. O. M. veneror ut curis ac laboribus D. tuae benedicat eamque Ecclesiae suae quam diutissimè superesse concedat Interim permanere gestio Amplitudinis tuae cliens humillimus Constantinus l'Empereur Lug. Bat. 8 Kal. Jan. An. 1637. LETTER CXCVIII. A Letter from Mr. Arnoldus Botius to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Reverendissime Domine DUM tuam in Evangelia catenam Syriacam percurro obiter deprehendi quod praeter ineptas illas allegorias de quibus jam tum ex prima inspectione R. D. T. locutus fueram multa etiam seria ac lectu omnino digna contineat ac plerorumque locorum difficiliorum interpretationes afferat minime poenitendas Sed non pauca ibi reperi ad controversias hodie inter nos ac Pontificios agitari solitas spectantia quidem ejusmodi partim ut ipsis potius quam nobis favere videantur Sane de sacra communione ita loquitur acsi panis vini transubstantiationem ut nunc loquimur planissime agnosceret adeo quidem ut siquis Papistarum velit Veterum quempiam pro sua causa loquentem introducere ac pro arbitrio suo ipsius verba efformare non videam quid ultra desiderare possit Sed fortasse me judicium fallit Tu Domine judicabis in quem finem totum locum non quidem hic inserendum duxi quum prolixior esset sed per se descriptum huic epistolae inclusi Rursus sunt ibi quae pro nobis potius facere videantur cujusmodi est enarratio Matt. 3. 6. ad verba illa Confitentes peccata sua ubi quum movisset quaestionem Quomodo veriti non fuerint Judaei peccata sua palam profiteri quum ex lege Mosis quae minuta duntaxat peccata tamque quae per ignorantiam commissa essent expiabat confitentes reos certe mors quidem lapidationis maneret ego adhuc quaero unde hoc hauserit ac respondisset his verbis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Johannes major ipsis habetur dederatque ipsi Deus baptisare in poenitentiam ut ostenderet abolitam esse Legem sacrificiorum tempus praeteriisse ac advenisse foedus novum quod peccatores poenitentes suscipit Deinde hanc apponit observationem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hinc animo collige tres ordines sacerdotum unus est eorum sub lege qui offerebant sacrificia pro peccatis per ignorantiam commissis iis vero peccatis quae scienter patrata erant mortem lapidationis infligebant 2. Johannis qui baptisando peccata scienter commissa palam faciebat 3. Sacerdotes novi foederis dum baptisant non faciunt peccata palam sed expiant peccata tam scienter quam ignoranter commissa remissionem eorum exhibeat Hic quum novi foederis sacerdotibus non aliam remissionis peccatorum administrationem attribuat quam baptismum omnino mihi inde sequi videtur confessionem auricularem quae ipsi annectitur remissionem peccatorum ipsi ignotam fuisse quum alioquin ejus mentionem hic facere debuerit loco ipso id prorsus efflagitante Pluribus R. D. T. nunc non distinebo quare hic finiens Divinae protectioni ipsam supplianter commendo R. D. Tuae Devotissimus cliens Arnoldus Botius Dublin 30 Octob. 1638. LETTER CXCIX A Letter from Dr. William Gilbert to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh My very good Lord ALL my expectancies for observation of this Lunar Eclipse last Tuesday morning were lost in the cloudy disposition of the Heavens for that time which offered matter of more consequence to my meditation in that idle interim of expecting a fairer Season That Hysteron Proteron of Opinions in translating the Sun into the Center and making it Stationary In advancing the Earth up into an Orb and making it Ambulatory Howsoever it hath suffered by popular prejudice in some and the resty disposition of others in their own Errors yet doth it excellently accommodate many irregular Motions to Account and open a large Field for the search and invention of high things for thus By the apparent Semidiameter of the Sun in his Apoge and the Angle of half the Conick shadow of the Earth is most artificially and easily determined the true Parallax of the Sun And by the Parallax his distance from the Earth And by these the semidiamiter of the fixt Stars and Planets together with the several parallaxes they make upon the Orb of the Earth and their distances Upon this Account the Semidiameter of the Orb of the Earrh in his middle-distance from the Sun is 1498 semidiameters of the Earth the Cube of 1498 is 3 361 517 992 And so many times is the Orb of the Earth or Sun bigger than the Earth it self yet all this whole Orb in respect of the Orb of Saturn which makes not one minute of parallax upon it is but a Point And the Orb of Saturn again in respect of the Firmament is but a Point for the fix'd Stars make but a Parallax of five minutes at the Orb of Saturn as by the Difference of the Semidiameters of their Orbs may appear so that I wonder at many of the Ancients that have shrunk and shrivelled up these two Heavens of the Planets and of the fix'd Stars into one whereas they are not only almost infinitely and disproportionably distant but are also distinguish'd by their different Heat and Light this Planetary Heaven having its Heat and Light from its Heart and Centre the Sun which from thence communicates his Heat and Light to all the Planets more or less as they are nearer or farther from him And therefore we see how languishing a Light he lends to Saturn as being twice farther from him than some of the rest and the last of those Bodies receive Light from him What the World now come to Spectacles hath by her Optick Eyes of Glass lately discovered is obvious to every Man namely that Saturn a Body 46 times bigger than this Earth that bears us hath besides the same Sun common to us with it to serve it by day a certain number of Moons also appropriate to it to serve it by night And that Jupiter a Body 25 times bigger than this Earth hath besides the same Sun common to us with it to serve it by day three Moons also appropriate to it to serve it by night and whereof if need were we could give the Places and the several Vicissitudes of their Changes Wains and Fulls Our Earth also proportionable to her bigness hath one Moon assigned her for her service by Night which howsoever great by its very nearness it appears to us on Earth yet undoubtedly is as undiscoverable from the Orb of Jupiter as are his Moons from hence which are not seen without Spectacles What all these things may import I spare to speak that this Earth may enjoy her own Opinion to have been the only work of
scilicet qualis nulla unquam fuit nisi in primo seu aureo seculo quando hominibus praeerant Dii sicuti mutis animalibus homines quam fabulam prolixe tractat in eodem libro Plato non magis conferendum sit quam homines Diis Quanquam enim utrique 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unum idemque 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nomen sit commune ac ambo Reges appellentur latissimum tamen inter ipsos esse intervallum Ex illo igitur loco non potest Platoni attribui acsi dixisset Regem esse velut Deum inter homines quum illud dixerit non de Regibus quales sunt fueruntque in mundo sed qualem inter reliquas Ideas sibimet ipse consinxit quod quia videre non poteras si nuda tantum verba illa de quibus R. D. T. quaerebat ascripsissem ideo me in tantam prolixitatem necessario diffudi I do not in any part of my Studies take so much delight as I do in what may be serviceable to your Grace Whom praying to rest fully assured of that and accordingly to employ me as often as occasion shall be offered I humbly take leave ever remaining Your Grace's most affectionate Servant Arnold Boate. Dublin Nov. 15. 1639. LETTER CCIV. A Letter from the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh to the Learned Lewis de Dieu Reverendissimo in Christo fratri D. Lodovico de Dieu Ecclesiae Lugduno-Batavae Pastori fidelissimo Leydam POstremae tuae Literae dilectissime frater Londini mihi sunt redditae unà cum Catalogo librorum quos mihi comparaveras Pretio quod ut illic persolveretur probi cujusdam Bibliopolae Londinensis fidei commendavi Interim gratissima mihi fuit tua cura de locupletandâ Bibliothecâ meâ novo hoc auctario cui xx illa volumina Graecorum Aristotelis interpretum accessisse mihi jam gratulor ea cum reliquis libris Londinum ad Bibliopolam illum de quo dixi post pretium enumeratum transmitti velim Quas Britannicarum turbarum futurus sit exitus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hiberniae enim nostrae status adhuc est pacatissimus de cujus motibus inanes apud vos sparsi fuerant rumores sed de nostris rebus omnibus certiores vos reddet D. Boswellus noster qui confestim ad vos iter ingressurus est Deus te Custodiat piis tuis laboribus benedicat Scripsit haec raptim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ja. Usserius Armacanus Londini Jun. 28. M. DC XL. LETTER CCV A Learned Letter of the late Arch-bishop of Armagh concerning the Sabbath and observation of the Lord's Day Worthy Sir YOur Letter of the first of February came unto my hands the seventh of April but my journy to Dublin following thereupon and my long stay in the City where the multiplicity of my publick and private Employments would scarce afford me a breathing time was such that I was forced to defer my Answer thereunto untill this short time of my retiring into the Country Where being now absent also from my Library I can rather signify unto you how fully I concur in judgment with those grounds which you have so judiciously laid in that question of the Sabbath than afford any great help unto you in the building which you intend to raise thereupon For when I gave my self unto the reading of the Fathers I took no heed unto any thing that concerned this Argument as little dreaming that any such controversy would have arisen among us Yet generally I do remember that the word Sabbatum in their writngs doth denote our Saturday although by Analogy from the manner of speech used by the Jews the term be sometimes transferred to denote our Christian Festivities also as Sirmondus the Jesuite observeth out of Sidonius Apollinaris lib. 1. Epist. 2. where describing the moderation of the Table of Theodorick King of the Goths upon the Eves and the excesse on the Holy-day following he writeth of the one that his convivium diebus profestis simile privato est but of the other De luxu autem illo Sabbatario narrationi meae super sedendum est qui nec latentes potest latere personas And because the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the fourth Commandment pointeth at the Sabbath as it was in the first institution the seventh day from the Creation therefore they held that Christians were not tied to the observance thereof Whereupon you may observe that S. Augustine in his speculum in operum tomo 3o. purposely selecting those things which appertained unto us Christians doth wholly pretermit that Precept in the recital of the Commandments of the Decalogue Not because the substance of the Precept was absolutely abolished but because it was in some parts held to be ceremonial and the time afterwards was changed in the state of the New Testament from the 7th to the first day of the week as appeareth by the Author of the 25 Sermon de tempore in 10 o tomo Operum Augustini and that place of Athanasius in homil de semente where he most plainly saith touching the Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whereupon Caesarius Arelatensis in his twelfth homily doubted not to preach unto the people Verè dico Fratres satis durum prope nimis impium est ut Christiani non habeant reverentiam diei Dominico quam Judaei observare videntur in Sabbato c. Charles the Great in his Laws taketh it for granted that our observation of the Lord's Day is founded upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the fourth Commandment Statuimus saith he libro 1o. Capitularium cap. 81. secundum quod in lege Dominus praecepit ut opera servilia diebus Dominicis non agantur sicut bonae memoriae genitor meus in suis Synodalibus edictis mandavit And Lotharius likewise in legibus Alemannorum titulo 30. Die Dominico nemo opera servilia praesumat sacere quia hoc lex prohibuit sacra scriptura in omnibus contradicit Accommodating the Law of God touching the Sabbath unto our observation of the Lord's Day by the self-same Analogy that the Church of England now doth in her publick Prayer Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keep this Law The Jewes commonly hold two things touching their Sabbath as Manasses Ben-Israel sheweth in his eighth Probleme de creatione which he published at Amsterdam the last Year First that the observation thereof was commanded only unto the Israelites where he speaketh also of the seven Precepts of the Sons of Noah which have need to be taken in a large extent if we will have all the duties that the Heathen were tyed unto to be comprised therein Secondly that it was observed by the Patriarchs before the coming out of Egypt For that then the observation began or that the Israelites were brought out of Egypt or the Egyptians drowned upon the Sabbath I suppose our good Friend Mr.
is our Sunday For which they produce the Letter of the Law Levit. 23. 15 16. where the Feast of the first Fruits otherwise called Pentecost or the Feast of Weeks is prescribed to be kept the morrow after the seventh Sabbath which not they only but also amongst our Christian Interpreters Isychins and Rupertus do interpret to be the first Day of the Week Planius saith Isychius Legislator intentionem suam demonstrare volens ab altero die Sabbati memorari praecepit quinquaginta dies Dominicum diem proculdubiò volens intelligi Hic enim est altera dies Sabbati in hâc enim resurrectio facta est qua hebdomadae numerantur septem usque ad alterum diem expletionis hebdomadae Dominicâ rursus die Pentecostes celebramus festivitatem in quâ Sancti Spiritus adventum mernimus Where you may observe by the way that although this Author made a little bold to strain the signification of altera dies Sabbati which in Moses denoteth no more than the Morrow after the Sabbath yet he maketh no scruple to call the Day of Christ's Resurrection another Sabbath Day as in the Council of Friuli also if I greatly mistake not the Matter you shall find Saturday called by the name of Sabbatum ultimum and the Lord's Day of Sabbatum primum with some allusion perhaps to that of St. Ambrose in Psal. 47. Ubi Dominica dies caepit praecellere quâ Dominus resurrexit Sabbatum quod primum erat secundum haberi caepit à primo not much unlike unto that which Dr. Heylin himself noteth out of Scaliger of the Ethiopian Christians that they call both of them by the name of Sabbaths the one the first the other the latter Sabbath or in their own Language the one Sanbath Sachristos i. e. Christ's Sabbath the other Sanbath Judi or the Jews Sabbath But touching the old Pentecost it is very considerable that it is no where in Moses affixed unto any one certain day of the Month as all the rest of the Feasts are which is a very great presumption that it was a moveable Feast and so varied that it might always fall upon the day immediately following the ordinary Sabbath And if God so order the matter that in the celebration of the Feast of Weeks the Seventh should purposely be passed over and that Solemnity should be kept upon the First what other thing may we imagine could be presignified thereby but that under the State of the Gospel the solemnity of the weekly Service should be celebrated upon that day That on that day the famous Pentecost in the 2d of the Acts was observed is in a manner generally acknowledged by all wherein the Truth of all those that went before being accomplished we may observe the Type and the Verity concurring together in a wonderful manner At the time of the Passeover Christ our Passeover was slain for us the whole Sabbath following he rested in the Grave The next day after that Sabbath the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or sheaf of the first Fruits of the first or Barly Harvest was offered unto God and Christ rose from the Dead and became the first Fruits of them that slept many Bodies of the Saints that slept arising likewise after him From thence was the Account taken of the seven Sabbaths and upon the morrow after the seventh Sabbath which was our Lord's Day was celebrated the Feast of Weeks the day of the first Fruits of the second or Wheat Harvest upon which day the Apostles having themselves received the first Fruits of the Spirit begat three thousand Souls with the Word of Truth and presented them as the first Fruits of the Christian Church unto God and unto the Lamb. And from that time forward doth Waldensis note that the Lord's Day was observed in the Christian Church in the place of the Sabbath Quia inter legalia saith he tunc sublata Sabbati custodia fuit unum planum est tunc intrâsse Dominicam loco ejus sicut Baptisma statim loco Circumcisionis Adhuc enim superstes erat sanctus Johannes qui diceret Et fui in spiritu die Dominicâ Apoc. 1. cùm de Dominicâ die ante Christi Resurrectionem nulla prorsùs mentio haberetur Sed statim post missionem Spiritus sancti lege novâ fulgente in humano cultu sublatum est Sabbatum dies Dominicae Resurrectionis clarescebat Dominicâ The Revelation exhibited unto St. John upon the Lord's Day is by Irenaeus in his fifth Book referred unto the Empire of Domitian or as S. Hierome in his Catalogue more particularly doth express it to the fourth Year of his Reign Which answereth partly to the forty-ninth and partly to the ninty-fifth Year of our Lord according to our vulgar computation and was but eleven or twelve Years before the Time when Ignatius did write his Epistles Of whom then should we more certainly learn what the Apostle meant by the Lord's Day than from Ignatius who was by the Apostles themselves ordained Bishop of that Church wherein the Disciples were first called Christians And in his Epistle to the Magnesians clearly maketh the Lord's Day to be a weekly Holy-Day observed by Christians in the room of the abrogated Sabbath of the Jews than which can we desire more But here you are to know beside the common Edition wherein the genuine Epistles of Ignatius are fouly depraved by a number of beggarly Patches added unto his Purple by later hands There is an ancient Latin Translation to be found in the Library of Caius Colledg in Cambridg which although it be very rude and corrupt both in many other and in this very same place also of the Epistle to the Magnesians yet is it free from these Additaments and in many respects to be preferred before the common Greek Copy as well because it agreeth with the Citations of Eusebius Athanasius and Theodoret and hath the Sentences vouched by them out of Ignatius and particularly that of the Eucharist in the Epistle to the Smyrnians which are not at all to be found in our Greek and hath in a manner none of all those places in the true Epistles of Ignatius against which exception hath been taken by our Divines which addeth great strength to those Exceptions of theirs and sheweth that they were not made without good cause Now in this Translation there is nothing to be found touching the Sabbath and the Lord's Day in the Epistle to the Magnesians but these words only Non ampliûs sabbitazantes sed secundùm Dominicam viventes in quâ vita nostra orta est Whereunto these of our common Greek may be made answerable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All those other words alleadged by Dr. Heylin Part. 2. pag. 43. to prove that Ignatius would have both the Sabbath and the Lord's Day observed being afterwards added by some later Grecian who was afraid that the custom of keeping both days observed in his
The publication of the Martyrdoms of Ignatius and Polycarpus sure cannot be unseasonable we are born to those times quibus sirmare animum expedit constantibus exemplis For my self I cannot tell what account to make of my present Employment I have many Irons in the Fire but of no great consequence I do not know how soon I shall be called to give up and am therefore putting my House in order digesting the confused Notes and Papers left me by several Predecessors both in the University and Colledg which I purpose to leave in a better method than I found them At Mr. Patr. Young's request I have undertaken the Collation of Constantines Geoponicks with two MSS. in our publick Library upon which I am forced to bestow some vacâ—nt hours In our Colledg I am ex officio to moderate Divinity-Disputations once a week My honoured Friend Dr. Duck has given me occasion to make some enquiry after the Law And the opportunity of an ingenious young Man come lately from Paris who has put up a private course of Anatomy has prevailed with me to engage my self for his Auditor and Spectator upon three days a week four hours each time But this I do ut explorator non ut transfuga For tho I am not sollicitous to engage my self in that great and weighty Calling of the Ministery after this new way yet I would be loth to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to Divinity Tho I am very insufficient to make a Master-buider yet I could help to bring in Materials from that publick store in our Library to which I could willingly consecrate the remainder of my days and count it no loss to be deprived of all other Accommodations so I might be permitted to enjoy the liberty of my Conscience and Study in that place But if there be such a price set upon the latter as I cannot reach without pawning the former I am resolved the Lord's Will be done I shall in all conditions be most desirous of the continuance of your Grace's Affection and at this time more especially of your Prayers for him who is Your Lordship's most engaged Servant Ger. Langbaine Queens Coll. Feb. 9. 1646 7. LETTER CCXIII. Viro Reverendissimo Honoratissimo Jacobo Usserio Patrono meo summo Venerande Christianus Ravius S. P. D. NON possum omittere Patrone Pater Domine quin subinde ad Te scribam ut solâ meâ voluntate animoque interim gratitudinem meritorum ergà me ingentium tuorum ostendam quando reapse nihil dum possum Rogo saltem hoc ut cùm nuper intellexerim Rev. Dominum Rutilium habuisse Commissum à Tuâ Honoratissimâ Reverendissimaque Dign ut aliquos pro te libros inquireret procuraret meâ potiùs eâ te operâ uti velis tanquam clientis tui obsequentissimi Iste enim meus amicus eam fortè nequeat praestare operam ita laboriosam quam tali in re requiri scio Jam fere annus est elapsus elabeturque ad Calendas Majas à quibus Lectiones meas Amstelodamenses tractavi absolvique interim praeter Grammaticam Mehlfureri Ebraicam A. Buxtorfii Chaldeam Joelem prophetam itemque tria priora Capita Danielis privatisque Collegiis binis de septimanâ publicis lectionibus diebus Martis Veneris hora tertiâ pomeridianâ frequentiori certè auditorio quà m Leidae L'Empereurius Franekerae Coccejus Groningae Altingius Altingii Theologi Germani Filius Cl. Pasor qui olim Arabica Oxoniae docuit publicè jam ab aliquot benè multis annis quibus Groningae Professor vivit nihil omnino praestat in Orientalibus eorum amorem penitus rejecit P. L' Empereurius est Professor Theologiae isque locus vacat si Cl. Buxtorfium Basileâ nancisci potuissent vocatum magno gaudio suscepissent cum desistat locum illum pariter supplere perget L' Empereurius Ego Amstelodamensem Conditionem multo praeferam Leidensi proximo Maio res experientur an Magistratus noster Amplissimus Orientalium Professionem constituerere Ordinariam possit velitque Hoc interim fatentur Curatores ipsi rem ultrà suam omnium spem felicius procedere Aliquot MSS. misi Tigurum à quo loco omnium Tigurinarum Ecclesiarum Antistitis Professoris literas T. D. Committo ut videas me non Amstel 8 Aprilis 1647. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LETTER CCXIV. A Letter from the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh to Dr. Langbaine Salutem in Christo Jesu YEsterday I received your Letter sent by Mr. Patrick Young and thank you very much for your readiness in contributing your pains to the furtherance of my little Treatise de Fidei Symbolis which is now in the Press I hold therein against Vossius and the vulgar Opinion that the Nicene Creed in our Common-Prayer Book is indeed the Nicene and not the Constantinopolitan I mean the Nicene as it is recited by Epiphanius in his Anchoratus p. 518. Edit Graec. Basiliens a Book written seven Years before the Council of Constantinople was held and yet therein both the Article of the Holy Ghost and the others following are recited 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which have been hitherto thought to have been added to the Symbol first by that Council If the Synodicon which you think to have been written Anno Christi 583 have any thing touching the distinction of Nicene and Constantinopolitan Creed I would willingly understand and with what number your Synodicon is noted in the former disposition of the Baroccian Library according to which my Catalogue is framed In the first Tome of the Graeco-Latin Edition of Gregory Nazianzen about the 728 Page there is a kind of Symbol the first part whereof I find at the end of the Acts of the Council of Chalcedon in Crabbes Edition intituled Fides Romanorum that is as I conceive it Constantinopolitanorum It is to be found also if I remember aright among the Manuscript Tractates of Nazianzen translated by Ruffinus in Magdalen Colledg Library in the first Edition of S. Ambrose his Works and in Georgius Wicelius his Euchologium By comparing of all which together if I might get a right Copy thereof it would do me some pleasure It is also by some attributed to Athanasius and happily may be that Symbol of his differing from ours which Cazanorius or Czecanorius in his Epistle to Calvin saith to be so common in the Moscovitical and Russian Churches of whose Ecclesiastical Offices you have in the publick Library some Copies by which we might understand the truth hereof I will trouble you no further at this time but rest Your most assured loving Friend Ja. Armachanus London April 22. 1647. I send you back with much thanks your Catalogue of the Arch-bishops of Constantinople In Epistolis Photii Epistola prima MS. quae ad Michaelem Bulgariae Regem est cujus partem aliquiam interprete Turriano Latine dedit Hen. Canisius Antiquarum lectionum Tom. 5. pag. 183. post septem Synodos plus
as were many more of his Parts and Merits Your Grace was pleased to ask him what I was doing My Lord I cannot spend my time better than after the Holy Scriptures in gathering your Lordship's Observations upon many obscure Texts of the Bible but by my constant attending on my Lectures I am prevented of doing what I otherwise might Sir Henry Spelman's Saxon Lecture honoured by your Lordship's first motion to the Heads of Houses and have I not cause to admire God's Providence as my Lord of Exeter told me that the Work should be countenanced by so transcendent Patronage hath made me your Grace's Scholar as in truth the Ecclesiae ipsae Britannicae Universae at this time are But my Lord pardon my boldness and give me leave to chalenge the Stile if not of Scholar or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 since I never counted my self worthy to wait on your Person yet a true admirer of all your Lordship's most rich Treasures now in your most learned Writings bequeathed to the Church but my Saxon Imploiment will bind me much to be acquainted with your Primordia Eccles. Britannicarum tho your Grace will pity my Condition as being not able to compass the use of those rare Manuscripts cited in that most rich Magazine yet I am glad that we have many excellent and rare Antiquities there at large cited to us I presumed two Years since to send Mr. Hartlib a Specimen of my Intentions and beginnings of a Confutation of the Alcoran It was according to my poor skill a discovery of Mahomet's and his Chaplains devilish Policy to raze out of the Faith of the Eastern People the memory of the Three Persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by substituing in the stead thereof three words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so in the same manner as by fair and goodly Language he blotted out of the Christian Church the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so doth he the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gloria Patri by his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glory be to God the Lord of the World c. for this intent to square out a Platform of Faith easy for all the World to believe that so he and his succeeding Chalifs may gain such a false believing and seduced World to the infernal See of Meccha and that was his meaning in binding all to pray towards Meccha Had I Skill and Means and Encouragement from your Grace I would endeavour to make some progress in the same Work not but that I know many in this Kingdom far more able than my self but that I fear none of them will attempt it but rather smile at the Design The Language of the Alchoran to write in that stile may be attained the matter of Confutation may be easy to any that will attend to the wicked Plots of Apostates then and ever practised in the World But Mr. Hartlib returned my Papers and told me they were not or else my Intention was not approved I purposedly was desirous to be ignorant who should give this severe Censure lest they should think I should grieve thereat Mr. Hartlib I thank him did me the pleasure as to conceal it from me I could scarce keep my self from some such Imployment about the Alchoran but these Times call us now to other Thoughts The fear of losing the Univers as well as Regnum Sacerdotium doth not a little amaze us When a Messenger comes hither from your Grace I shall be glad to be informed by him wherein I may best in this Lambeth Library be serviceable and express my bounden Duty to your Lordship The Lord still add to the number of your Days to the comfort of the afflicted Britain Churches which next to God cast their Eyes upon you in these sad Extremities which they have already suffered Your Grace's most humble Servant Abraham Wheelocke We expect every day the setting up of the Lambeth Books in the Schools where your Grace above 30 Years since heard Mr. Andrew Downs read the Greek Lecture as yet they remain in Fat 's or great Chests and cannot be of any use LETTER CCXLIX A Letter from the Learned Isaacus Gruterus to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Viro Maximo Jacobo Usserio Archiepiscopo Armachano Hiberniae Primati S. P. D. Isaacus Gruterus NON passus sum me abripi affectu virtutes tuas si non aestimare saltem venerari nescio cum mihi nuper apud te calamum feci pararium Neque ex alto nunc causas arcesso quae necdum consumptae fiduciam sustinent fore ut secundae allocutioni sua venia sit interiorem tantae Eruditionis in perspectâ multis humanitate cultum meditanti Eorum quae tunc scripsi alia tempus mutavit intermedium alia integram officii gratiam habent si vel partem desiderii nostri expletam imputare liceat tuae benevolentiae Savilii enim filiam Sidleijo cuidam olim nuptam obiisse narravit mihi Nobiliss. Boswellus vir non aliis magis virtutibus quas plures benignior indulsit natura quam literarum patrocinio illustris Quid vero Savilianae industriae ineditum servent alicubi scrinia chartacea non alîunde quam ex te melius constare mihi posse videtur cum doceant scripta tua propriori vos familiaritate coaluisse Illud ergo repetere ausus sum hoc Epistolae compendio explicatum forte olim uberius ut in concilianda istius rei notitia gratificari velis homini extero in magna felicitatis parte habituro per istud obsequium posse tibi commendare quamcunque affectus sui operam testem positi non apud ingratum beneficii Vale. Isaacus Gruterus Hagae-Comitis 26. Febr. iv Calendas Martii CICICCL LETTER CCL A Letter from P. Scavenius to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Vir Illustrissime Reverendissime NIhil gratius mihi accidere potuit quà m tuas literas iisque inclusa mandata accipere Totus fui in ea exequendo ut tuae petitioni meo voto rectè satissecisse viderer sed nescio quo fato res hic aguntur ut semper objiciantur tantae remorae praetextus quibus suas res ornare allaborant quibus alienae parum curae sunt qui potius nomine quam reipsa aliis inservire cupiunt divites ut aiunt promissis tardi vel seri in fide datâ servandâ Clariss Dominus Holsteinius infinitis destrictus negotiis nam Censor est librorum qui hic typis mandantur merito fugit hunc laborem quippe immensum quem requirit vel descriptio vel collatio hujus MS. cum excusis codicibus Codex enim est antiquissimus hinc inde mutilus ut interdum Oedippo opus sit sensum indagare Promisit tamen se missurum parvulas aliquot varias lectiones quas successive sparsim in unum vel alterum Prophetam notavit excusavit se non posse ipsum Codicem mittere eumque periculis
most familiar Language I have thus poured out my Fancies to you which I know you will in your excellent Goodness and Judgment look upon with gentle pardon So that if Gallio in the Acts were either of Them that had such relation to the Seneca's I suppose it to be most probable it was this Novatus LETTER CCLXXX A Letter from Dr. Price to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Most Reverend my good Lord THE last week and no sooner fix of your Books were delivered to me one of them I presented in your Name to the Prince Elector three others I am sending into France two of them in your Name to Bignonius and Sarravius and a third as from my self to Monsieur Militerius the fifth I will give as from you to the Fr. and the sixth I will keep by me to be disposed of as shall be ordered I lately received Letters from Bignonius and Sarravius in the former o◠which there is my Lord this passage concerning you Particuliement j◠vous ay grande obligation de m' avoir concilié la bienuiellance d'un Prelat tres eminenten doctrine dont je cognois des long temps le merites par la reputation Publique qui le publie non seulement pour son rare scauoir mais aussy pour sa grande sagesse singuliere moderation In the other there is this passage Et particulierement je vous prie d' asseuner Monsieur l' Archevesque d' Armach des mes tres-humbles respects Lors que i'auray receu son liure que vous me promettez je prendray la liberté de l'en remercier moy mesme par vostre entremise which I suppose I shall not need to English I likewise received Letters from Sir G. Radcliffe which do thus conclude I long to hear what my Lord Primate does with his Chronological Observations It were pitty that a Work about which he hath bestowed so much time should perish or prove imperfect for want of his last hand And so much for these Matters We are here still as far as I see in a doubtful and dangerous estate In the Houses there are great Divisions and since the return of those Members which the General himself guarded and conducted the Presbyterians a pretty ridiculous Business out-vote the Independents The Scots likewise by a constant Report are coming in again In this condition we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing can comfort us but the coming again of our Titus A few days 't is thought will produce somewhat very extraordinary The rest of this Letter is nothing else but what is verbatim to be found in Pricaeus's Notes upon 1 Tim. 4. 12 15 16. As is also what is inserted in Letter 283 upon 2 Tim. 2. 9. Your Grace's most humble and faithful Servant John Price London Aug. 19. The sixth Copy I have thought upon it would not be unfitly sent to Monsieur Naudeus There will want one likewise for the Puteani Fratres whom I presume my Lord it is your mind should have one I will therefore send them mine but as from you my Lord. LETTER CCLXXXI A Letter from the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh to the Learned Ludovicus Capellus Viro Clarissimo Ludovico Capello S. T. Literarum Hebraicarum in Academiâ Salmuriensi Professore eximio Vir Clarissime LIteras tuas Salmurii die Septembris XXVI datas Octobris nostri Juliani die XXIII o Londini accepi quibus tamèn respondere ut vellem Caligantes oculi non sinunt qui me à toto hoc scribendi studio jampridem avocant Conabor tamen Deo volente post absolutam Annalium partem alteram quae jam effecta proditur in lucem quae de LXX Interpretum versione animo concepi in brevem diatribam conficere licet ut hic versione Graecâ ità in historiae Apostolicae dispositione in Annalibus non semel à te dissentiam semper tamen apud me valiturum illud dubitare noli Non eadem sentire bonis de rebus iisdem incolumi licet semper amicitia Codicem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alexandria à Cyrillo Patriarchâ in Angliam transmissum quem Theclae vocant edere caepit eruditissimus Patricius Junius Sed eo ad meliorem vitam translato nulla illius editionis spes nobis est relicta Cuduntur tamèn apud nos Biblia Polyglotta in quibus veteres sacri contentus Editionis uno conspectu representatae exhibentur In his Alexandrini illius codicis cum editione Graecâ Vaticana collatio instituitur textus quem desideras Samariticus simùl adjungitur quemadmodum inprimis hisce magni operis paginis quas ad te mittere libuit videre licet Tu ista quaeso boni consule me amare pergas Tuus in Christo frater amantissimus Ja. Usserius Armachanus Londini Octobris 27. Anni MDCLIII LETTER CCLXXXII A Letter from Dr. Price to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Most Reverend my good Lord I Have been somewhat the longer in answering your Letter conveyed to me by Mr. Thorndike as desiring to satisfy you about the Tractate of Chrysostom against Apollinarius Much search hath been made in this Library but as yet it appears not and no great wonder here being almost thirty Volumes of that Father some of them without beginning others without end and some like Eternity without beginning and end if the Pluteus and Number had been specified by your Lordship it would have facilitated the Enterprize And perhaps there is no such thing here for neither hath your Lordship specified from whom you learned it Canisius whom to that end I looked into citing only in Latin two Passages out of it but not telling us in the Margin where the Greek Manuscript is Of Gregory Nyssen contra Apollinarium we have the Greek here but that we know is printed I will not yet count your Business desperate perhaps that piece of Chrysostom may be lighted upon in some other Volume of promiscuous Tractates and what we could not by Industry we may obtain by good Fortune I understand with much both satisfaction and consolation of the perfecting of your Lordship 's Chronology but despair for the present at least in this interruption of Traffique by the War between England and Holland to get sight of it as likewise of Mr. Young's Septuagint and Dr. Hammond's Version and Notes on the New Testament Some Notes of mine upon a part of Paul's Epistles which I would not have mentioned but that your Lordship is pleased to enquire of my low Studies lie ready by me and had been printed above a Year since if in Venice at least for here in Florence is not so much as a Greek Stamp there could have been found ô tempore ô moribus as says Sir Philip Sidney's Rhombus a fit Corrector In those Notes on the passage of 2 Tim. 2. 9. there is somewhat concerning Ignatius which coming yesterday under mine eye while I was thinking of writing to your Lordship
occasionally and I hope without your dislike I will insert verbatim desiring your Lordship to confirm me or which perhaps there will be more cause for to reform me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Imo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per me nempe indignum ministrum ejus cui Deus non spiritum timoris sed virtutis dedit 2 Tim. 1. 7. Chrysostomus Homil. 16. ad Antiochenos Doctor vinctus erat verbum volabat ille in carcere latitabat doctrina alata passim currebat Tertullianus ad Martyres Habet carcer vincula sed vos soluti Deo estis Ignatius causam afferens cur Trallensibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non scriberet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inquit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Addit deinde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. ubi legitur in omnibus editis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sententiâ implicatâ vel potius nulla Nos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exigua mutatione pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 substituendo eruimus sensum similem Paulino Scribere inquit potuimus vobis altiora at nos retuimus respectus imbecillitatis vestrae neque enim quia in carcere detinemur eo minus caelestia Angelorum ordines c cognoscere potis sum contemplari Seneca 3. 20. de Beneficiis Corpora obnoxia sunt c. mens quidem sui juris Quae adeo libera vaga est ut ne ab hoc quidem carcere cui inclusa est teneri queat quo minus impetu suo utatur ingentia agat in infinitum comes coelestibus exeat Cicero de vere invicto Lib. 3. de Finibus Cujus etiamsi corpus constringatur animo tamen vincula nulla injici possunt I have had Letters from Sir G. R. at Paris which call upon me for A. Gellius upon whom I have more Matter congested than I have published upon Apuleius but the digesting which is the more troublesome part remains Which when I shall have leisure or appetite for I yet see not I heard long since and I doubt by too true a Reporter of the death of my intimate Friend Sarravius in that City Mr. Selden I hear as he flourishes in Estate so declines in strength it will be your Lordship's favour when you see him to mention my humble Service to him I live here God be praised in no want but in little health and much solitude which hath cast me into the passio Hypocondriaca that afflicts me sore and which is worse into some fits of Acedia 'gainst which I arm my self as I can by Prayer and otherwise The Air of this place in the Winter is as to many others most pernicious to me the Conversation of this place both in Winter and Summer is most contrary to me but the Great Duke's Civilities rather than ought else have made me thus long abide here Much Comfort and Favour I should esteem it sometimes to hear from your Lordship there being no Man in the World near whose Person and indeed at whose feet I would die so willingly as at your Lordship's and at those of Bignonius whose infinite Learning and transcendent Christian Humility have made me a perpetual Servant and Slave to him Mr. Jeremy Bonnel Merchant in the Old Jewry who perhaps will present this Letter hath the ready and weekly means of conveyance hither Your Graces most humble and faithful Servant John Price Florence Decemb. 1 11. 1653. LETTER CCLXXXIV A Letter from the Right Reverend Thomas Morton Bishop of Duresm to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Salutem in Christo Jesu Most Reverend Father in God TOO long silence among Friends useth to be the Moth and Canker of Friendship and therefore I must write unto your Grace although I have nothing to write but this Nothing And yet I have as much as Tully had to his Friends Si vales bene est c. Notwithstanding in earnest I grieve at the Heart to hear of your Grace's declination of Sight though it be my own Disease yet so I thank God that it is not more considering mine Age. Something I should add of O Tempora O Mores albeit an Exclamation which I reprove in the Authors because of Hysteron proteron for that it ought to be rather O Mores O Tempora but it is God that moves the Wheels and blessed be his holy Name and let it be our comfort my Lord that in his good Time he would remove us from those vexatious Mutabilities If there were any thing in my Power which I might contribute as grateful unto your Grace I would not be wanting However according to the mutual Obligation between us I shall still commend your Grace to the Protection of the Almighty to the glory of saving Grace in Christ Jesus I am Your Grace's in all dutiful acknowledgment Th. Duresm Jan. 20. 58. My Lord Since the conclusion of this Letter I have been moved by this Bearer that your Grace would be pleased to favour him in his reasonable Request unto you Th. D. LETTER CCLXXXIV A Letter from Mr. Thomas Whalley to the most Reverend James Usher late Arch-bishop of Armagh Right Reverend YOur last Letter to me dated April 7. I received not till Easter-even April 15. your Messenger bringing it too late to my Nephew as he saith The Holy-days being past I have since wholly attended to satisfy your demands touching the Autumn Aequin and Mr. Lin. computation is Ecl. ad a m. I m. Olymp. 293 ae which I have here sent you inclosed with my whole Proceedings therein that you may the better judg thereof where if you espy any Error as well may be among such variety and wanting the help of any other Man albeit I have been very careful to examine my whole working over and over again let me intreat so much that you would be pleased to certify me thereof Indeed at last I found out Garsilias whom you call Garsills his other Copy which also transcribed by my Scholar for lack of leasure in my self because I have not my own Copy at home to compare the difference only I have sent you examined though by my self and him together D. Ward saith he remembreth your Business and will be with you as he sent me word within this week Though I have calculated the Autum Aequ as precisely as I could by the Prutenicks yet you know by Tycho's Observations the Prut fail of the true Ingress into the Aequinoctial 12 hours sometimes and sometimes more which 4000 Years backward will perhaps make a greater difference than in 400 of Tycho's You may read in Peucer whereabout the Aequin Vernal was at the first Olymp. c. Amandus Polanus in Syntagm Theolog. and Origan in his Ephem have argued contrarily touching the World's Original Time which methinks in regard of correspondence of the Second Adam with the first Adam as in other things so in this should be in the Spring as Polanus holdeth when our Saviour suffered for the Recreation as I may so speak of the
World Notwithstanding I am of opinion the stay of Adam in Paradise was much longer than most Men hold and Reasons I could yield for it perhaps so long as Christ lived upon Earth after his Baptism but in such a nice Point I list not to be curious Mr. Lively seems to render a Reason why Whitsunday was deferred from May 21 d. to 28 d. because the Easter before fell upon the Jewish Pascha which Reason I leave to your better Judgment than mine if it be not good but by mistaking the Eclipse that Year of Christ current 394 I think this Calculation I have sent will sufficiently demonstrate Hoping you will accept these endeavours for this time I cease to trouble you further commending your Welfare to the Grace of God Yours in the Lord Tho. Whalley LETTER CCLXXXV A Letter from Mr. Thomas Whalley to the most Reverend James Usher late Arch-bishop of Armagh Right Reverend SInce the late receipt of your Letter I have had very little time and leasure to make answer thereto and am inforced at this present to abbreviate the same Your acceptance of my small pains I am rather to thank you for than you to account them any trouble to me who would be right glad if in any Matter my Service may stand you in stead If I thought you had not taken a Copy of my Garsilias whilst you had it I would send you the difference so soon as I can The precise time of the Autum Aequin complet retrò I remember was set down and if porrho and current not also expressed was through my haste but it may be gathered to be upon the 21st current of Octob. 5 h. 10 m. post med noct I wrought as you see according to the Alphonsine way because those Tables of equal Motions are more truly printed than those which are secundùm vulgarem rationem Mulerius have I read cursorily but never practised by his Tables yet methinks it strange there should be such difference that by your Calculation the middle Motion of Sol should fall upon the 24th or 25th day without there be some Error in our Operations It 's no wonder if Firmicus strayed guessing by Supposition rather what might be than out of Judgment examining the truth himself as an Heathen holding the World's Eternity Capell no question as you write was deceived About Adam's continuance in Paradise as I affirm nothing so think it cannot be evicted his stay might not be many Days or some Years 1. To dress and keep the Garden a compendium of all kinds of Plants and Animals 2. To take notice of and contemplate their several Natures 3. To have Beasts of all kinds presented in order before him 4. And then to give names to such a multitude of Species 5. To visit and search the Properties also of so many sorts of Herbs and Plants in likelihood that he might see and know what great things God had done for him and whereof he was made Sovereign that so after his fall he might have the greater compunction and remorse for his trespass remembring the Glory he lost 6. In probability also to keep a Sabbath 7. Lie in an heavy sleep till the Woman was built 8. And then to take knowledg thereof and give her a Name 9. And for her to enter a long Conference by conjecture with the Serpent then eat and give of the forbidden Fruit to the Man 10. And both of them to sew for themselves Garments of Leaves All these with other Circumstances that might be added seem to imply a respit of more than one or two days And if there was no necessity of knowing his Wife in three or four days why in three or four years considering it is not unlike but that God would first limit some time for him to behold and contemplate the Creatures and acknowledg his bounty therein Considering also Man was made 1. Animal Perfectissimum and so as the more noble among Beasts and Fowls do also not exercise Generation but at set times 2. Atque immortale quatenus potuit non mori and therefore need not be too sollicitous to preserve the Species of humane Nature without delay by Generation when the Individuals might remain incorruptible 3. Et originaliter Justum and therefore freed from inordinate concupiscense rather delighting himself in the fellowship than knowledg of Women and in divine Speculation and worship of his Creator and inquisition of the Creatures Conditions than in sensual though lawful Appetites 4. And being a Type of Christ the second Adam perhaps as the one some three or four or more Years upon Earth preached Righteousness at his inauguration in Baptism so the other might remain as long time in injoying the benefit of his Innocence in his first estate 5. Lastly The blessing of Fruitfulness he might well expect in due time to come sufficient to replenish the World whenas even in those 930 Years of his Life after the Fall if but every 30 Years his Seed were doubled an easy supposition the Total would amount to many hundred millions of Persons Years Persons 30 2 60 4 90 8 100 16 150 32 Sic deinceps Your correspondence of the Feast of Expiations on the 10th of Tisri in memory of the first Sin I hold very ingenious howsoever other Expositors deem that Time appointed as fit for Humiliation at the end of the Ecclesiastical Year when all their Fruits were reaped But granting that good the consequence of his Creation in Autumn is not necessary unless we suppose he fell within few days The forbidden Fruit 1. in the midst of the Garden and 2. but some individual and 3. pleasing to the Eye seemeth to be different from the Pomegranat and so I suppose you will not deny For Mr. Livlys mistaking of Whitsunday I have not to say till leasure suffer me to examine whether fourteen Years after the Vernal Aequinox fell that Year upon the Lord's Day But I thank you heartily for imparting so much as you have to me whereby to make further search hereafter And so having been both tedious and troublesome to you I cannot but crave pardon in regard of your important Occasions and commit your welfare to the Grace of God resting ever Yours to use in the Lord Tho. Whalley May 30. I would fain know where it is that Eras. Rheinholt failed in his Tables that Mulerius noteth them of Error in computing the Eclipses in Gordianus the Emperor's time and the birth of Romulus mentioned by Tarrutius c. LETTER CCLXXXVI A Letter from Mr. Thomas Whalley to the most Reverend James Usher late Arch-bishop of Armagh Salutem in Christo. Right Reverend IF in omitting a day of the Bissextile Year I committed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I hope you will bear with elder Years and long discontinuance from these kind of Supputations I suppose the Default may easily be amended in the Total without any great change in the Particulars Dr. Bainbridg in his Hypotheses what certainty they are
assignata fuerunt ut haeserit istis temporibus circa priores partes Geminorum Perspicuum est jgitur quâ ratione quaestio de Solaris apogaei motu huc pertineat quòd Cydo meo LXX annorum nullus detâ—r 〈◊〉 Superest ut coâ—â—odior quoque ostendatur isto 33 annorum Nam per 〈…〉 tempora per quam oportunum est nec infrequens Divinis Oraculiâ— quae non solum exitum Israëlitarum aetatibus sed aetatem hominis LXX annis LXX annis sabbathum terrae sanctae totidem annorum hebdomadibus Unctionem Messiae praesiniuint Proinde quemadmodum Hebraeorum Jubilaei septies septenis annis distinguebantur ita nostra aetas spetuagenis Cyclus seriarum septies septuagenis annis absolvitur Imò si Matthaeus Evangelista praecipuas mundi aetates generationibus distinguit atque in eo septenarium numerum affectat licebit nobis mundana tempora aetatibus metiri septenarium sacrum sponte oblatum amplecti qui Naturae humanae familiaris est adeò ut non solùm integram nostram aetatem coronet sed in partes digestam insuper Climactericis insigniat Deinde promtum facile est cuilibet in Arithmeticis leviter versato progressionem septuagenarii numeri memoriter continuare quo in 33 annorum periodo vix procedat quemadmodum distributio cujus bet annorum summae multò facilior est in Hebdomecontaëteridas quà m in Triacontatrieteridas nam aequè facile est multiplicare vel dividere per 70 atque per 7 nec minus facile per 7 atque per 4 quare operandi facilitate Cyelus 7 orius vix cedit ipsi quatuor annorum periodo Ac licet ex 33 37 annorum Cyclis componatur meus LXX annorum hujus tamen utpote rotundi observatio commodior accidit imaginationi quae naturaliter non acquiescit prius quà m imparem numerum multiplicando ad rotunditatem perduxerit Postremò quanquam periodus feriarum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sequitur ultrò Cyclum LXX annorum etiamsi nemo illud curet adeòque nullam prolixitudine suâ difficultatem parit tamen absque hoc foret periodus septem aetatum non tantùm aequè facilè sed commodius etiam sive per literas conservatur sive traditione propogatur atque ista 231 annorum quâ videlicet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 atque ideo corruptioni vel abolitioni minus oportuna est Hisee o decus ingens Anglae velificari in praesens debui sublimi tuo favori quo ut porro adspirare meis studiis digneris supplex oro Reverendissimi atque Illustrissimi Domini mei devotus cultor Nicolaus Mercater Hasniae Martii 4 14. 1653 4. LETTER CCXCI. A Letter from the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh to the Learned Henricus Valesius Viro Doctissimo D. Henrico Valesio Lutetiam Parisiorum Vir Clarissimo MItto ad te non Eufebium solum sed caeteros quoque Ecclesiastieae Historiae Scriptores à D. Henrico Savilio cum Manuscripto suo codice quem in bombycinâ papyro descriptum publicae Oxoniensis Academiae Bibliothecae donavit diligenter collatos Ubi lacunas in libris de vita Constanti suppletas invenies Plura ad te scribere volentem caligantes oculi prohibent Hoc tamen supprimere non valentem Seldenum nostrum jam septuagenarium Pridie Kalendas Decembris Julianas magno nostro cum luctu ex hac vitâ decessisse Te vero ad Reipublicae literariae bonum diu velit Deus esse superstitem quod ex animo exoptat Studiorum tuorum Fautor Summus Ja. Usserius Armachanus Lond. xiii Kalend. Januar. Anno Christi 1654. Stylo vetere LETTER CCXCII A Letter from the Right Reverend Jos. Hall Bishop of Norwich to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Most Reverend and Honourable WIth never enow thanks for this precious Gift which I receive from your Grace's Hand I have with no small eagerness and delight turned over these your learned and accurate Annals wondring not a little at that your indefatigable Labour which you have bestowed upon a Work fetch'd together out of such a World of Monuments of Antiquity whereby your Grace hath better merited the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than those on whom it was formerly imposed But in looking over this admirable Pile of History my curiosity cast me upon the search of two over-famous Persons Simon Magus and Apòllonius Tyanaeus the particularities of whose Story seems so much to be concerned in the disquisition of that Antichrist lately set on foot by Grotius and Dr. Hammond I had hoped to have found a just account both of their Times and their Actions and Events in this your compleat Collection Which missing of I have taken the boldness to give this touch of it to your Grace as being desirous to know Whether you thought good to omit it upon the opinion of the invalidity of those Records which mention the Acts and Issue of those two great Juglers or whether you have pleased to reserve them for some further opportunity of Relation Howsoever certainly my Lord it would give great satisfaction to many and amongst them to my self if by your accurate search I might understand whether the Chronology of Simon Magus his Prodigies and affectation of Deity may well stand with St. Paul's Prediction of an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as following it in time after the writing of that second Epistle to the Thessalonians I must confess if the Times may accord there may seem to be some probability in casting Antichrist upon an Age not so far remote from the Apostolick as hath been commonly reputed since the Apostle speaks of it as a thing so near hand that the ordinary Christians of Thessalonica were well acquainted with the bar of his Revelation I beseech your Grace to pardon this bold importunity of him who out of the consciousness of his deep devotion to you and his dependence upon your oracular Sentence in doubts of this Nature have presumed thus to interrupt your higher Thoughts In the desire and hope whereof I humbly take leave and profess my self Your Grace's in all Christian Observance and fervent Devotion Jos. Norvic Higham May 1 1654. LETTER CCXCIII A Letter from the Right Reverend J. Bramhall Bishop of Derry afterward Primate of Ireland to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Most Reverend I Thank God I do take my Pilgrimage patiently yet I cannot but condole the Change of the Church and state of England And more in my Pilgrimage than ever because I dare not witness and declare to that straying Flock of our Brethren in England who have misled them and who they are that feed them But that your Lordship may be more sensible of the Churches Calamities and of the Dangers she is in of being ruin'd if God be not mercifull unto Her I have sent you a part of my Discoveries and it from credible hands at this present having so sure a Messenger and so fit
Pains for a Cause or two so followed will free thee from Suits a great part of thy Life after 8. Be sure to keep some Gentleman thy Friend but trouble him not with every trifling Complaint often present him with many yet small Gifts And if thou have cause to bestow any great Gratuity let it be such as may be daily in his sight otherwise in this ambitious Age thou shalt remain like a Hop without a Pole live in obscurity and be made a Footstool for every insulting Companion to spur at 9. Towards thy Superiors be humbly generous with thy Equals familiar yet respective towards thy Inferiors shew much humility and some familiarity as to bow thy Body stretch forth thy Hand and to uncover thy Head with such be popular Complements the first prepares the way to Advancement the second makes thee known for a Man as well bred the third gains a Man good report which once being gotten is easily kept for high Humilitudes take such deep root in the minds of the Multitude who are more easily won by unprofitable Courtesies than curious Benefits that I advise thee not to affect nor neglect Popularities Trust not any Man with thy Estate for it is a meer folly for a Man to enthral himself to his Friends as though if occasion be offered he should not dare become his Enemy 10. Be not scurrilous in thy Conversation nor Stoical in thy Jests the one will make thee unwelcome to all Companies the other will breed Quarrels and get thee hatred of thy best Friends for Jests when they savour too much of Truth leave bitterness in the minds of those that are touched Although I have pointed at all these inclusive yet I think it fit and necessary to leave it thee as a special Caution because I have seen many so prone to quip and gird that they will rather lose their Friend than their Scoff then they will travel to be delivered of it as a Woman with Child these nimble Apprehensions are but the Froth of Wit Your loving Father Henry Sydney LETTER XVII A Letter from Sir William Boswell to the most Reverend William Laud late Arch-bishop of Canterbury remaining with Sir Robert Cotton 's choice Papers Most Reverend AS I am here employ'd by our Soveraign Lord the King your Grace can testify that I have left no Stone unturn'd for his Majesty's Advancement neither can I omit whenever I meet with Treacheries or Conspiracies against the Church and State of England the sending your Grace an Accompt in General I fear Matters will not answer your expectations if your Grace do but seriously weigh them with deliberation For be you assur'd the Romish Clergy have gull'd the misled Party of our English Nation and that under a Puritanical Dress for which the several Fraternities of that Church have lately received Indulgences from the See of Rome and Council of Cardinals for to educate several of the young Fry of the Church of Rome who be Natives of his Majesty's Realms and Dominions and instruct them in all manner of Principles and Tenents contrary to the Episcopacy of the Church of England There be in the Town of Hague to my certain Knowledg two dangerous Impostors of whom I have given notice to the Prince of Orange who have large Indulgences granted them and known to be of the Church of Rome altho they seem Puritans and do converse with several of our English Factors The one James Murray a Scotchman and the other John Napper a Yorkshire Blade The main drift of these Intentions is to pull down the English Episcopacy as being the chief Support of the Imperial Crown of our Nation For which purpose above sixty Romish Clergy-men are gone within these two Years out of the Monasteries of the French King's Dominions to preach up the Scotch Covenant and Mr. Knox his Descriptions and Rules within that Kirk and to spread the same about the Northern Coasts of England Let therefore his Majesty have an inkling of these Crotchets that he might be persuaded whenever Matters of the Church come before you to refer them to your Grace and the Episcopal Party of the Realm For there be great Preparations making ready against the Liturgy and Ceremonies of the Church of England And all evil Contrivances here and in France and in other Protestant Holdings to make your Grace and the Episcopacy odious to all Reformed Protestants abroad It has wrought so much on divers of the Forreign Ministers of the Protestants that they esteem our Clergy little better than Papists The main things that they hit in our teeth are our Bishops to be called Lords The Service of the Church The Cross in Baptism Confirmation Bowing at the Name of Jesus The Communion Tables placed Altar-ways Our manner of Consecrations And several other Matters which be of late buzz'd into the Heads of the Forreign Clergy to make your Grievances the less regarded in case of a Change which is aimed at if not speedily prevented Your Grace's Letter is carefully delivered by my Gentleman 's own hands unto the Prince Thus craving your Graces hearty Prayers for my Undertakings abroad as also for my safe arrival that I may have the freedom to kiss your Grace's hands and to tell you more at large of these things I rest Your Grace's most humble Servant W. B. Hague June 12. 1640. FINIS ERRATA IN the Preface Line 35 after the word be add thought In the Life Page 1. l. 10. after since read been P. 1. l. 16. for Mastres r. Masters P. 25. l. 23. f. two r. ten P. 36. l. 5. f. Erigene r. Erigena l. 6. et per tot P. 47. l. 19. f. Tenements r. Tenants P. 93. l. penult dele most In the Appendix Page 7. l. 22. after the word his read Lat. Determinations Quaest. xlii p. 187 191. P. 9. l. antepenult f. would r. would not P. 10. l. 10. after sence add alone l. 18. over against these words Sermon upon John add in the Margin vid. Collection of Sermons printed at the end of the last Edition of the Lord Primates Body of Divinity p. 83. P. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈…〉 P. 29. l. 35. f. to r. do The Author since he wrote this has thought fit to add the Passages following toward the illustration of the Life Page 5. l. 1. after the word Doctrine add Nay it is evident that our Church maintains the contrary Doctrine that the Fourth Commandment as to the substance of it is moral and binds Christians to observe it as well since Christ as it did the Jews before For in our Liturgy which is confirmed by Supream Authority Sacred and Civil by Convocation and Parliament in the Communion-Offices after the repeating of the Fourth Commandment concerning the Observation of the Sabbath it follows Lord have Mercy upon us and incline our Hearts to KEEP THIS LAW Whence it is evident that in the Judgment of our Church not only the Jews but we Christians are under the
draw them up which Articles being signed by Arch-Bishop Jones then Lord Chancellor of Ireland and Speaker of the House of the Bishops in Convocation as also by the Prolocutor of the House of the Clergy in their names And signed by the then Lord Deputy Chichester by order from King James in his name As I shall not take upon me to defend these Articles in all points therein laid down or that they were better than those of the Church of England So on the other side I cannot be of the opinion of that Author who would needs have the passing of these Articles to be An absolute Plot of the Sabbatarians and Calvinians in England to make themselves so strong a Party in Ireland as to obtain what they pleased in this Convocation unless he will suppose that the Bishops and Clergy of that Church could be so inveagled by I know not what Inchantments as to pass those things for Articles of their Belief which they had never so much as studied nor understood the true meaning of And that the then Lord Deputy and King James were likewise drawn in to be of the Plot to Sign and Confirm those Articles which they knew to be Heterodox to the Doctrine and Articles of the Church of England Anno 1619 But though Dr. Usher was thus remarkable for Piety and Learning yet he could not escape the common Fate of extraordinary men viz. Envy and Detraction for there were some in Ireland though of no great repute for Learning or Worth who would needs have him to be a Puritan as then they called those whom they looked upon as disaffected to the discipline of the Church as by Law establisht And to lay a block in the way of his future Preferment they had got some to traduce him as such to the King who had no great kindness for those men as he had little reason But the Dr. hearing of it and having occasion about this time to come for England as he always had done once in three or four years The Lord Deputy and Council were so sensible of this scandal that for his Vindication they writ by him this Recommendatory Letter to His Majesties Privy-Council here May it please Your Lordships THe extraordinary merit of this Bearer Mr. Doctor Usher prevaileth with us to offer him that favour which we deny to many that move us to be recommended to Your Lordships and we do it the rather because we are desirous to set him right in His Majesties Opinion who it seemeth hath been informed that he is somewhat Transported with Singularities and unaptness to be Conformable to the Rules and Orders of the Church We are so far from suspecting him in that kind that we may boldly recommend him to Your Lordships as a man Orthodox and worthy to govern in the Church when occasion shall be presented And His Majesty may be pleased to advance him he being one that hath preached before the State here for eighteen years And has been His Majesties Professor of Divinity in the University thirteen years And a man who has given himself over to his Profession An excellent and painful Preacher a modest man abounding in goodness and his Life and Doctrine so agreeable as those who agree not with him are yet constrained to love and admire him And for such an one we beseech Your Lordships to understand him And accordingly to speak to His Majesty And thus with the remembrance of our humble Duties we take leave Your Lordships most humbly at Command Ad. Loftus Canc. Henry Docwra William Methwold John King Dud. Norton Oliver St. John William Tuameusis Fra. Anngiers From Dublin the last of Sept. 1619. But that you may see this odious nick-name was put upon many Pious and Orthodox Divines that did not deserve it it will not be amiss to give you this following Letter to Dr. Usher then in England from a worthy Divine then in Ireland Reverend Sir I Hope you are not ignorant of the hurt that is come to the Church by this name Puritan and how his Majesties good intent and meaning therein is much abused and wronged and especially in this poor Country where the Pope and Popery is so much affected I being lately in the Country had conference with a worthy painful Preacher who hath been an instrument of drawing many of the meer Irish there from the blindness of Popery to imbrace the Gospel with much comfort to themselves and heart-breaking to the Priests who perceiving they cannot now prevail with their jugling Tricks have forged a new device They have now stirred up some crafty Papists who very boldly rail both at Ministers and People saying They seek to sow this damnable Heresie of Puritanism among them which word though not understood but only known to be most odious to his Majesty makes many afraid of joyning themselves to the Gospel though in conference their Consciences are convicted herein So to prevent a greater mischief that may follow it were good to Petition his Majesty to define a Puritan whereby the mouths of those scoffing Enemies would be stopt And if his Majesty be not at leisure that he would appoint some good men to do it for him for the effecting thereof you know better than I can direct and therefore I commit you and your Affairs to the blessing of the Almighty praying for your good success there and safe return hither resting Your assured Friend to his power Emanuel Downing Dublin 24th Oct. 1620. But to return whence we have digressed this Character of the Lord Deputy together with King James's own conversation with and tryal of Dr. Usher whom he sent for on purpose to that end did so fully satisfie the King that after he had discoursed with him in divers points both of Learning and Religion he who was well able to judge of both was so extreamly well satisfied with him that he said he perceived That the knave Puritan was a bad but the knave's Puritan an honest man And of which latter sort he accounted Dr. Usher to be since the King had so good an opinion of him that of his own accord he now Nominated him to the Bishoprick of Meath in Ireland being then void Anno 1620 with this expression That Dr. Usher was a Bishop of his own making and so his Conge d' Eslire being sent over he was elected by the Dean and Chapter there And that you may perceive how much the report of his advancement rejoyced all sorts of men this following Letter from the then Lord Deputy of Ireland may testifie To Dr. James Usher Bishop Elect of Meath My Lord I Thank God for your Preferment to the Bishoprick of Meath His Majesty therein hath done a gracious favour to his poor Church here There is none here but are exceeding glad that you are called thereunto even some Papists themselves have largely testified their gladness of it Your Grant is and other necessary things shall be Sealed this Day or to Morrow I pray
alteration that every year should afford matter enough to be taken notice of in this account therefore I shall only here give you in general the more remarkable transactions of his Life from this time till his going over into England not long before that unhappy War After his being Arch-Bishop he laid out a great deal of money Anno 1627 in Books laying aside every year a considerable Sum for that end and especially for the procuring of Manuscripts as well from foreign Parts as near at hand having about this time by the means of Mr. Thomas Davis then Merchant at Aleppo procured one of the first Samaritan Pentateuchs that ever was brought into these Western Parts of Europe as Mr. Selden and Dr. Walton acknowledge as also the Old Testament in Syriack much more perfect than had hitherto been seen in these Parts together with other Manuscripts of value This Pentateuch with the rest were borrowed of him by Dr. Walton after Bishop of Chester and by him made use of in the Polyglot Bible All which Manuscripts being lately retrieved out of the hands of the said Bishop's Executors are now in the Bodleyan Library at Oxford a fit Repository for such Sacred Monuments About this time the Lord Viscount Falkland being re-called Anno 1629 from being Deputy of Ireland was waited on by the Lord Primate to the Sea side of whom taking his leave and begging his Blessing he set sail for England having before contracted an intimate friendship with the Lord Primate which lasted till his death nor did the Lord Primate fail to express his friendship to him on all occasions after his departure doing his utmost by Letters to several of the Lords of his Majesties Privy-Council here for his Vindication from several false Accusations which were then laid to his charge by some of the Irish Nation before his Majesty which Letters together with the Vindication of the Council of Ireland by their Letter to his Majesty of his just and equal Government did very much contribute to the clearing of his Innocence in those things whereof he was then accused This year the happy news of the birth of Prince Charles his late Gracious Majesty then Prince of Wales being brought into Ireland Anno 1630 by an Express on purpose the Lords Justices and Council order'd a Solemn Day of Thanksgiving for that great happiness and the Lord Primate was invited as I find by their Letter to preach before them on that occasion as he did accordingly My Lord Primate published at Dublin his History of Gotteschalcus Anno 1631 and of the Predestinarian Controversie stirred by him being the first Latin Book that was ever printed in Ireland Wherein after a short account of Pelagianism which had then much spread it self in Spain and Britain he proceeds to the History of Gotteschalcus a Monk of the Abby of Orbais who lived in the beginning of the IX Century and his Opinions shewing out of Flodoardus and other approved Writers of that Age that the points then held by this learned Monk and that were then laid to his charge by Hincmar Arch-Bishop of Rhemes and Rabanus Arch-Bishop of Mentz and which they got condemned in a Synod held in that City as also in another at Quierzy were notwithstanding defended and maintained by Remigius or St. Remy Arch-Bishop of Lyons and the Church of that Diocess as consonant to the Scriptures and Writings of the Fathers And that indeed divers dangerous Opinions and Consequences were imputed to this learned Monk which he was not guilty of And after an account of the heads of a Treatise written by J. Scotius Erigene in defence of Free-will and the contrary Opinions to those of Gotteschalce the Lord Primate then likewise gives the sum of the Censure which Florus Deacon of Lyons writ against the same in the name of that Church As also of several Writings of Remigius Arch-Bishop of Lyons Pudentius Bishop of Troyes and Ratramus a Monk of Corbey in defence of the said Gotteschalce's Opinions and against the extravagant Tenets of Scotus Which Disputes produced two other Synods at Bonoil and Neufle in France wherein the Opinions held by Gotteschalce were asserted and the contrary as maintained by Scotus were condemned Though those Councils were still opposed and censured by Hincmar in a large Book dedicated to the Emperour Charles the Bald the heads of which are there set down out of Flodoard Which yet did not at all satisfie the contrary party nor hinder Remigius Arch-Bishop of Lyons and his Provincial Bishops from calling another Council at Langres wherein the Canons of the Valentinian Council were confirmed and those Propositions maintained by Scotus were again condemned Which Canons were also referred to the judgment of the General Council of the XII Provinces assembled at Thoul and being there debated were not by it condemned as Baronius and others will have it but for quietness sake were again referred to the judgment of the next General Assembly that the Doctrines of the Church and Fathers being produced those should be agreed on that should then appear most Sound and Orthodox And in the Conclusion my Lord there shews the great constancy of this poor Monk who notwithstanding his cruel whippings and long imprisonment to which he had been condemned by the Council of Mentz till his death yet he would never Recant but made two Confessions of his Faith which are there set down and by which it appears That many things were laid to his charge and condemned in those Councils which he never held In this Treatise as the Lord Primate has shewn himself excellently well skill'd in the Church History of those dark and ignorant Ages so he there concludes that men should not Dogmatize in these Points And indeed there ever have been and still will be different Opinions concerning these great and abstruse questions of Predestination and Free-will which yet may be tolerated and consist in any Church if the maintainers of either the one side or other will use that Charity as they ought and forbear publickly to condemn rail at or write against each other About this time the Romish Faction growing there very prevalent Anno 1631 by reason of some former connivance by the State as also for want of due instruction as hath been already said and likewise that divers abuses had crept into the Church not only among the inferior Clergy but the Bishops themselves all which had been represented by the Lords Committees for Irish Affairs to his Majesty who thereupon thought fit to send over his Letters into Ireland to all the Arch-Bishops of that Kingdom as well to put them in mind of their duty as to strengthen their Authority which were as follows CHARLES REX MOst Reverend Father in God right Trusty and entirely Beloved We Greet you well Among such disorders as the Lords of Our Privy-Council Deputed by Us to a particular care of Our Realm of Ireland and the Affairs thereof have observed and represented to Us in
Grosthead's Epistles out of a Manuscript remaining in Merton Colledge Library That treatise de oculo morali I lighted lately on in another Manuscript bound together with Grosthead in Decalog having this Title before it Incipit Liber de Oculo morali quem composuit Magister Petrus de Sapiere Lemovicensis And I find it cited by Petrus Reginaldeti a Friar in his Speculum finalis retributionis under the name of Johannes de Pechano as the Author of it Neither seemeth it though written honestly yea wittily and learnedly as the wit and learning of those times was to be of the same frame and strain for gravity that other the works of that Bishop are which also maketh me suspect those Sermons that in my Manuscript go under his name should not be his having lately at idle times run over some of them If I meet with your Country-man Malachy at any time I will not be unmindful of your request And if any good Office may be performed by me for you here either about the Impression of your Learned and Religious Labours so esteemed and much desired not of my self alone but of many others of greater judgment than my self or in any other imployment that my weak ability may extend it self unto I shall be ready and glad upon any occasion to do my best therein I lighted of late upon an obscure fellow one Hieronymus Dungersheim de Ochsenfart who in Anno 1514 published a confutation dedicated to George then Duke of Saxony of a confession of the Picards which whether it be the same with that which Gretser saith Luther set out with his Preface I wot not The Title of it is Totius quasi Scripturae Apologia and the beginning of it In summi Dei maximo nomine terribili Amen Nos homines in terrae or be quanquam ad ima subacti c. And though it be not entirely inserted by him in his answer yet so much is picked out of it and set down in their words as may shew in divers main points their dissent from them and consent with us But it is not likely that this Author though obscure and not worthy the Light hath escaped your curious eye Gesner seemeth mistaken in him when he saith Hieronymus Dungersheim scripsit Apologiam sacrae Scripturae Boemorum for he wrote not it but against it But I trouble you it may be unseasonably with needless trifles amids your more serious Affairs which forbearing therefore to do further at this present with hearty Salutations and my best Prayers unto God I commend you and your godly Labours to his gracious Blessing and rest Your assured Friend and Unworthy Fellow-Labourer in the Lord Tho. Gatacre Rederith June 24. 1617. LETTER XXVII A Letter from Mr. Thomas Lydyat to Dr. James Usher afterward Arch-Bishop of Armagh Salutations in Christ. Reverend Mr. Usher I Received both your Letters and as touching your discourse in the latter about the beginning of Artaxerxes's Reign and Daniel's weeks and the time of our Lord's Passion c. depending thereupon I framed mine answer to your former discourse therebout in your Letter bearing date Octob. 6. 1615. upon the ground of your opinion which I gathered out of the Words thereof Darius hath there in Ptolemy 's Canons 36 years and Xerxes 21 which maketh me somewhat to stagger at your beginning of Artaxerxes Which words I could not otherwise understand than that they had drawn Artaxerxes's Beginning back again in your conceit unto the vulgar Station lower than I had advanced it upon the grounds mentioned in the beginning of your last Letter and that place of Fast. Sicul. which either I had not marked or else had neglected and forgotten And to the same purpose seems unto me to tend that you inferr in the same Letter upon Cimon's taking Eione and Scyrus in the beginning of his Admiralty first mentioned by Diodorus Siculus in Demotion's year Whence it would follow That the Siege of Naxos and Themistocles's Flight at the same time was later and the Victory at Eurymedon yet later than that My Manuscript Chronicle being the third part of my Treatise de Emendat Tempor after my first project wherein I have wholly translaed those places of Thucydides and Diodorus concerning Themistocles's Flight I did communicate unto you if I have not much forgotten my self and if I be not much deceived you shall find that part of my Translation agreable both to Diodorus his Words and to the Truth Wherefore it made me marvel that in the latter part of the same Letter you now go about contrariwise to set Themistocles's Flight according to Eusebius's Chronicle and consequently the beginning of Artaxerxes according to Thucydides two or three years higher at what time I supposed his troubles began about the Arraignment and Examination of Pausanias and so much the more that for your purpose you alledge Aurelius Probus or Cornelius Nepos affirming Themistocles to have been expelled Athens four years before Aristides's Death and the beginning of Perieles's Government which falling out just upon the very same year of my supposal strongly confirmeth the same and so much the more strongly for that his Words seem to have direct reference to those of Thucydides Erat enim Themistocles patriâ puisus per ostracismum Argis vitam agens per caeteram Peloponnesum commeans Whereas therefore Cornelius Nepos his account casts Themistocles's expulsion or exostracism from Athens right upon that same year after which time saith Thucydides he lived at Argis and was going up and down about Peloponnesus needs must his Pursuit and Flight be supposed a good space after that upon the Execution of Pausanias whose first plotting of Treason and endictment thereupon whereabout was long and much ado before his Execution seem to have be fallen the 4th year of the 75 Olympiad Where Diodorus relateth his whole History together according to his manner But that that made me most of all to marvel was that by your thus urging Artaxerxes's beginning together with Themistocles's Flight two or three years higher than my Pitch you not only utterly discredit your Ptolemy's Canons for giving 36 years to Darius and 21 to Xerxes together with Diodorus and Eusebius but also all other Authors of Antiquity that I know whereof none ascribes less than 31 to Darius and 20 to Xerxes which hereby whether upon oversight or otherwise you enforce your self to do namely subtracting two or three years more from Xerxes leaving him scarce 15. whose Authorities and Testimonies together with the other reasons that I have in place alledged will I trust in the end prevail with you to move and draw you to assent to the truth which I have delivered concerning the beginning and ending of Daniel's weeks and the time of the Passion and Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Christ with all the dependences thereupon For certainly how weak soever I the restorer and publisher thereof am yet it is strong and will prevail and notwithstanding mine obscure estate in
due time the Clouds and Mists of errors being dispersed and vanished it will shine forth as bright as the clear Sun at Noontyde As touching the Books you wrote for I told this Messenger that I meant to send them and therefore I appointed him to call for them together with my Letter this Day But since I have altered my purpose not envying you the sight of them but expecting your coming into England ere long as of custom once within three or four years at which time I shall be glad to shew you them and to confer them together with your Ptolemy's Canons In the mean time if you have any more urgent occasion of desiring to be resolved of any thing in them do but acquaint me with your purpose what you would prove out of them and I will truly give my best diligence to â—â—â— what may be found in them for the same and so save you that Labour on seeking which I suppose you may better bestow otherwise and so I trust I shall deserve better of you than if I sent you the Books Thus desiring your daily Prayers as you have mine for Gods blessing to bend our Studies to the best ends and make them most profitable to the setting forth of his glory and the good of his Church and of our Countries I take leave of you for this time resting Yours to be commanded in all Christian duties Thomas Lydyan 〈◊〉 July 8 1617. LETTER XXVIII Mr. William Eyres Letter to Dr. James Usher afterward Arch-Bishop of Armagh Eximio Doctori Domino Jacobo Usserio Guilielmus Eyre S. P. D. Praestantissime Domine FAteor me tibi plus debere quà m verbis exprimere possim etiamsi centiès ad te quotannis literas darem idque non solùm propter privatae benevolentiae erga me tuae fructus uberrimos sed etiam ob magnitudinem tuorum erga nos omnes qui Theologiae studiosi sumus meritorum Macte virtute tua faxitque Christus Opt. Max. cujus sub vexillo militamus ut Scripta tua polemica cedant in nominis sui gloriam Antichristi interitum quo de in Sibyllinus memini me legisse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod de scriptis doctissimorum Virorum quidam interpretantur Nos hic plerique omnes ut opinor preces fundimus dum vos sive gubernatores sive nautae vel clavum tenetis vel per foros cursitatis c. navali praelio dimicatis preces lachrymae arma nunquam magis necessaria fuerunt quà m in hac in exulceratissima tempestate omnium pessimâ morum corruptelâ Serenissimus Rex noster Jacobus jam denuò collegium illud Chelseiense prope Londinum Theologorum Gratia qui controversiis dent operam adornare locupletare coepit Matthaeus Sutlivius ea in re nullum lapidem immotum relinquit Quid fiet nescio Res agitur per Regias literas ad Episcopos apud Clerum eorum operâ apud subditos ditiores ut opus tandem perficiatur Forsan majora adhuc à vobis in Dubliniensi Collegio quà m ab illis Chelseiensibus expectare possumus quamdiù vivit acviget amicus ille meus de quo Draxus quidam nostras in libello nuper edito lumen illud Irlandiae in Academia Dubliniensi Professor regius Theologus tam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut sive scripta sive disputationem requiras idoneus est qui cum tota Papistarum natione concertet Sed quid ego haec autem ne quicquam ingrata revolvo Me quod atinet ita nuper praesertim per integrum annum novissime elapsum eo plus secularibus negotiis quotidianis contra genium voluntatem meam concionibus ad populum nimis ut videtur frequentibus quasi demersus fuerim ut nihil in Hebraicis quaestionibus me posse videar atque in quibusdam absque te quem pure indigitare possim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ita haeret aqua ut ulterius progredi non liceat fas sit igitur mihi Oraculum tuum consulere limatissimum judicium tuum expiscari Nolo tamen in hoc tempore diutiùs te interpellare Gratulor tibi ex animo purpuram tuam costam illam quam tibi Deus restituit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cura Valetudinem Gratia Jesu Christi sit cum omnibus vobis Amen G. Eyres Colcestriae 170 die Augusti 1617. LETTER XXIX A Letter from Mr. Edward Warren to Dr. James Usher afterwards Arch-Bishop of Armagh at St. Patricks Reverend Sir THat the Beast which was and is not and yet is should be Romanus Pontifex I like your Conjecture very well and the Ground seems to me firm and such as I may tread safely on And that which you quote out of Dionys. Halicarnas touching his Immunity brought me to consider better of his Office and Authority set down by Livy lib. 1. Caetera quoque omnia publica privataque sacra pontificis scitis subjecit Numa ut esset quò consultum Plebs veniret ne quid divini juris negligendo patrios ritus peregrinósque asciscendo turbaretur Which in my conceit is some Resemblance of that Head-ship which the latter Pontifex now challengeth to himself In the other Part I take all to be clear save only that I stick somewhat at the Accommodation of those Words pag. 10. That when he cometh he shall continue but a short Space I heartily thank you that for my satisfaction you have taken so much Pains Your poor Friend Edward Warren Kilkenny Novemb. 4. 1617. The God of Peace be with you Usserii notae Of Pontifex Maximus see Plutarch in Vitâ Numae Ciceronem in orat pro domo apud Pont. et de aruspic Resp. Val. Max. lib. 1. cap. 1. Georg. Fabrice observat lect Virgil. Aenead 6. Insolentia superbia eorum abiit in Proverbium Horat. Od. 2. 14. Mero Tinget pavimentum superbo Pontificum potiore Coenis Vid. loc ubi Interpres not at proelautas coenas Proverbio Pontificales appellari solitas Exemplum hujus Coenae vide in Macrobio lib. 2. Saturnal cap. 9. LETTER XXX A Letter from Dr. James Usher afterwards Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Mr. Thomas Lydyat Rector of Askerton in Oxford-shire Salutem in Christo. AS I was now going out of the House I met with Robert Allen who told me he was to go presently for England and required my Letters unto you I have nothing that upon this sudden I can well write of but the renewing of my former Request for those two Books which I wrote for in my two former Letters And therefore according to the Form which our Canonists use in their Court Proceedings Peto primò secundò tertio instantèr instantiùs instantissimè That you will let me have the use of your Geminus and Albategnius which shall God willing be returned unto you as safely and as speedily as you shall desire which I hope you will the rather condescend unto because I have no purpose to see England these many
loss of Shipping for within this three years it is said England hath lost of Vessels great and small 400. All things concur very untowardly against us but God Almighty hath reserved Victory to himself only We had great rejoicing every where for his Majesty's gracious and good agreement with the Parliament but some ten days ago the House of Commons having exhibited certain Remonstrances to his Highness which as it seemed touched the Duke after reading thereof his Majesty rose up and said They should be answered and instantly gave the Duke his Hand to kiss which the Parliament-men and others were much amazed at God Almighty amend what is amiss if it be his blessed Will and send Unity at Home that we may the better keep off and withstand our Enemies Abroad and continue Peace in these Kingdoms and more pertinently I pray to keep the Spaniards out of Ireland for we shall far better hold tack with them here if they should land than you can do there where too many are ready to join with them I know I can write nothing to your Lordship which is News to you yet express my Love and hearty and humble Affection to your Lordship I make bold to trouble you with a long Letter And so with my Service to Mrs Usher I take leave and rest Your Lordship 's ever truly assured to honour and serve you J. King Layfield June 30. 1628. LETTER CXXX A Letter from Sir Henry Spelman to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh May it please your Grace I Have nothing since my Letter by your Servant Mr. Sturges to trouble you with but this Bearer my Kinsman coming to see your noble Country I have requested him and therewith enjoined him to present my humble and most devoted Service to your Lordship and to bring me certain word how it standeth with you for your Health which to the good of the Common-Wealth as well as my own particular respect no Man more desireth and prayeth for For the Passages here of note I know you receive them by many Pens and therefore I will not enter into any relation of them only I wish they were better Yet amongst them I desire to present your Grace with the first printed Copy of the Petition of Parliament to his Majesty for their ancient Rights and Liberties with his gracious Answer thereto And by much instance I even in this hour obtained it from Mr. John Bill the Printer before they yet are become publick and to the laming of the Book from whence they are taken I send you also Mr. Glanvill's and Sir Henry Martyn's Speeches to the Upper House about this Matter and the Proclamation agaisnt Mr. Doctor Manwaring's Sermons But the King notwithstanding hath as it is credibly reported released him of all the censure imposed upon him by the Upper House of Parliament and this next month he is to serve in Court The Deputys Lieutenants also of the West Country are released and some of them repaired with the dignity of Baronet others of Knighthood all with Grace Mr. Bill desired me to remember him most humbly to your Lordship and to advertise you that he willingly will print your noble Work in one Volume as well in Latin as in English which with multitude of others I shall much rejoice to see Thus with all humble remembrance to your Grace I rest A Servant thereof most bound and devoted Henry Spelman Barbacan July 1. 1628. LETTER CXXXI A Letter from Dr. George Hakewill to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh My very good Lord YOur Lordship 's favourable interpretation and acceptance of my poor Endeavours beyond their desert hath obliged me to improve them to the utmost in your good Lordship's Service and more especially in the good education of that going Gentleman Ja Dillâ—â— whom you weâ—â— pleased to commend as a Jewel of price to my care and trust praising God that your Lordship hath been made his Instrument to reclaim him from the Superstitions of the Romish Church and wishing we had some more frequent Examples in that kind in these cold and dangerous Time For his tuition I have placed him in Exeter Colledg with Mr. Bodley a Batchelor of Divinity and Nephew to the great Sir Thomas Bodley of whose sobâ—â—ty gravity piety and every way sufficiency I have had a long trial and were he not so near me in Blood I could easily afford him a larger Testimony He assures me that he finds his Scholar tractable and studious In that such a Disposition having met with such a Tutor to direct and instruct it I make no doubt but it will produce an effect answerable to our expectation and desire And during mine abode in the University my self shall not be wanting to help it forward the best I may Your Lordship shall do well to take order with his Friends that he may have credit for the taking up of Monies in London for the defraying his Expences for that to expect it from Ireland will be troublesome and tedious I wish I could write your Lordship any good News touching the present state of Affairs in this Kingdom but in truth except it please God to put to his extraordinary helping hand we have more reason to fear an utter downfal than to hope for a rising Thus heartily praying for your Lordship's Health and Happiness I rest Your Lordship 's unfeignedly to command Geo. Hakewill Exeter Colledg in Oxford July 16. 1628. LETTER CXXXII A Letter from Dr. Prideaux Rector of Exeter Colledg or Oxon to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Most Reverend Father in God YOur letters 〈◊〉 the more welcome unto me in that 〈◊〉 brought news of the publishing of your Ecclesiastical 〈◊〉 so much desired In which the 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 thing fully and in 〈…〉 see will put a period I trust to the 〈…〉 is a high favour that iâ— pleased you to make use of my 〈◊〉 for the placing of your Kinsman I shall strain 〈◊〉 best endeavours to make good your Undertakings to his Friends Young Tutors oftentimes fail their Pupils for want of Experience and Authority to say nothing of Negligence and Ignorance I have resolved therefore to make your Kinsman one of my peculiar and tutor him wholly my self which I have ever continued to some especial Friends ever since I have been Rector and Doctor He billets in my Lodgings hath three fellow Pupils which are Sons to Earls together with his Country man the Son of my Lord Caulfield all very civil studious and sit to go together I trust that God will so bless our joint Endeavours that his worthy Friends shall receive content and have cause to thank your Grace Whose Faithful Servant I remain Jo. Prideaux Oxon Aug. 27. 1628. LETTER CXXXIII A Letter from the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh to the Right Honourable My most honourable Lord THE noble respect which in a singular manner you have still born to the preservation of
Cook 's Patent to be void and so judicially declâ—â—ing it I wish you would not be too forward in standing upon that Point To 〈◊〉 in a judicial manner of the validity or invalidity of a Patent in no office of the Ecclesiastical but of the Civil Magistrate and for the one to 〈…〉 the Judiciture of that which appertaineth to another you know draweth near to a 〈…〉 Complaints I know will be made against my Court and your Court and every Court wherein Vice shall be punished and that not by Delinquents alone but also by their Landlords be they Protestants or others who in this Country 〈◊〉 not how their Tenants live so they pay them their Rents I learned of old in Aeschylus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and if they 〈…〉 the like Authority will be ready to receive such Accusations against their Brethren every one will judg that there is less cause why they should be pitied when they are served so themselves The way to help this is not to take away the Jurisdiction from the Chancellors and to put it into the Bishops hands alone All Bishops are not like my Lord of Kilmore I know a Bishop in this Land who exerciseth the Jurisdiction himself and I dare boldly say that there is more Unjustice and Oppression to be found in him alone than in all the Chancellors in the whole Kingdom put together and though I do not justify the taking of Fees without good ground yet I may truly say of a great part of mine own and of many other Bishops Diocesses that if Men stood not more in fear of the Fees of the Court than of standing in a white Sheet we should have here among us another Sodom and Gomorrah Your course of taking pains in keeping Courts your self I will commend so that you condemn not them that think they have reason why they should do otherwise As for my self mecum habito and am not ignorant quam sit mihi curta supellex My Chancellor is better skilled in the Law than I am and far better able to manage Matters of that kind Suam quisque norit artem runneth still in my mind and how easy a matter it is for a Bishop that is ignorant in the Law to do wrong unto others and run himself into a Premunire and where Wrong is done I know Right may more easily be had against a Chancellor than against a Bishop If my Chancellor doth Wrong the Star-Chamber lieth open where I will be the Man that will cast the first Stone at him my self as I did for the removing and censuring of him whom I found at my first coming into the Diocess of Meath And as for my late visiting of your Diocesses your Lordship need not a whit be terrified therewith It is not to be expected that an Arch-bishop passing through a whole Province upon a suddain should be able to perform that which a Bishop may do by leasure in his every years Visitation Neither may the Arch-bishop meddle with the Reformation of any thing but what is presented If any such Presentation were made and reformation of the Abuse neglected there is cause to complain of the Visitation But as for the taking of Mony your Lordship will find that when you come next to visit your self there will be great odds betwixt the Sum that ought to be paid unto you and that which was delivered unto me and yet if your Clergy can get but half so much for their Mony from you as they did from me they may say you were the best Bishop that ever came among them When the Clergy of the Diocess of Ardagh was betrayed into the hands of their Adversaries à quibius minime omnium oportuorat and like to be so overborn that many of them could scarce have a bit of Bread lest them to put in their Mouths I stood then in the Gap and opposed my self for them against the whole Country and stayed that Plague In the other Diocess of Kilmore when complaint was made against the Clergy by that Knave whom they say your Lordship did absolve I took him in hand and if the Clergy had not failed in the prosecution would have bound him fast enough without asking any question for Conscience-â—ake whether he were of our Communion or no. And whereas they held their Means as it were by courtesy from the State I took the pains my self to make up the Table of all their Tithes and Duties and at this very instant am working in England to have it firmly established unto them by his Majesty's Authority And yet the Sums of Meâ—â—y which they paid me were not so great but that I could make a shift to spend it in defraying the Charges of the very Journey I am a Fool I know in this commending or defending rather my self but consider who constrained me The Writings which you sent me I had long before from the same hand which sent them unto you I should be glad to hear your judgment of them and would be glad also to go on in further answering of the remain of your Letter but that I am quite tired and what I have written I fear will not be so pleasing unto you What resteth I partly refer to Mr. Dean's Relation and partly to our Conference when we shall next meet where many things may be more fitly delivered by word of mouth than committed to a Letter In the mean time I commend you to the Blessing of our good God and ever rest Your most assured loving Friend and Brother notwithstanding any unkind Passages which may have slip'd from me in this Letter Ja. Armachanus Drogheda Feb. 23. 1629. LETTER CXLIV A Letter from the Right Reverend William Laud Bishop of London to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh My very good Lord I Thank your Grace heartily for your Letters especially for the Preface of this your last It is true my Lord God hath restor'd me even from Death it self for I think no Man was farther gone and scap'd And your Grace doth very Christian-like put me in mind that God having renewed my Lease I should pay him an Income of some Service to his Church which I hope in the strength of his Grace I shall ever be willing and sometime able to perform I have not yet recovered the great Weakness into which my Sickness cast me but I hope when the Spring is come forward my strength will encrease and enable me to Service In the mean time my Lord as weak as I have been I have begun to pay my Fine but what the Sum comes to God knows is very little Your Table of the Tithes of Ulster and the Business concerning the Impropriations are both past and concerning both I leave my self to Mr. Hygat's Report As touching the Deanery of Armagh I am glad to hear that any place of Preferment in that Kingdom hath so good means of subsistence without Tithes But I must needs acquaint your Grace that neither my Lord
time should appear otherwise to be directly opposite to the sentence of Ignatius whereas his main intention was to oppose the Ebionites of his own time who as Eusebius witnesseth in the third Book of his Ecclesiastical History did both keep the Sabbath with the Jews and also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By whose imitation of the Church herein the antiquity of the observation of the Lord's Day may be further confirmed Ebion being known to have been St. Paul's Antagonist and to have given out of himself that he was one of those that brought the prices of their Goods and laid them down at the Apostles feet as the universality of the observance may be gathered by the Argument drawn from thence by Eusebius towards the end of his Oration of the Praises of Constantine to prove the Preeminency of our Saviour Christ above all the Gods of the Heathen because this Prescript of his touching the Celebration of this Day was admitted and submitted unto not within the Dominions of Constantine only but also throughout the compass of the whole World Quis enim saith he cunctis totins orbis terrarum incolis seu terra seu mari illi sint praescripserit ut singulis septimanis in unum convenientes diem Dominicum festum celebrarent instituentque ut sicut corpora pascerent cibariis sic animos Divinis Disciplinis reficerent We see then that the Doctrine which the true Ignatius received immediately from the hands of the Apostles was the very same with that was delivered by the Father of the Council of Laodicea about 250 Years after for the Proofs produced by the Authors to whom my Lord of Ely pag. 73. referreth us for having it to be held before the first Nicene are nothing worth Non oportet Christianos Judaizare in Sabbatho otiari sed ipsos eo die operari diem autem dominicum praeferentes otiari si modo possint ut Christianos The contrary whereunto Pope Gregory the First in Registr lib. 11. Epist. 3. esteemeth to be the Doctrine of the Preachers of Antichrist Qui veniens diem Dominicum Sabbatum ab omni opere faciet custodiri Which my Lord of Ely pag. 219 rendreth Upon the old Sabbath-day or upon the Sunday by a strange kind of mistake turning the Copulative into a Disjunctive Ja. Armachanus LETTER CCVI. A Letter from the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh to the Worshipful Sir Simon Dewes D. Simonidi Dewesio Equiti Aurato Suffolciensi Vice-Comiti Vir Eximie SEcundae tuae literae ix Kalend. datae hic Londini mihi demum sunt redditae sicut tertiae prid Non. Junii insequentis perscriptae ex quibus postremis tristem de unici tui filii immaturâ morte nuncium dolens accepi sed cum Deus hoc ità voluerit ac ipsius decreta impatientèr ferre non minus irreligiosum sit quà m irritum omninò in ipsius voluntate est acquiescendum Et quanquam propriâ sapientiâ ad haec similia quibus omnes obnoxii sumus fortitèr toleranda abundè instructus sis Optâssem tamen ut parti alicui tanti doloris leniendae aliquod solatium praesens adhibere possem Illo Enniano subinde mihi in mentem recurrente fi quid ego adjuto curamve levasso quae nunc te coquit versat sub pectore fixa Verùm quo minùs voto hìc meo satisfacere valeam Comitiorum utriusque Academiae facit vicinitas quae Cantabrigiae haerere me nòn patitur sed ad Oxoniensium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 porrò visendam confestìm inde me avocat spes tamèn adhuc superest post finitam agri Suthfolciensis tibi commissam custodiam simul nos conventuros cùm de aliis ad Remp. literariam pertinentibus tùm de Spelmanni nostri instituto tuisque 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quas avidissime percurri aliquanto liberius quà m ista scribendi ratiò permittit collocuturos Quo tempore Ninium ità enim appello vetustissimi codicis authoritatem nominis ejusdem in Ninia Niniano expressa vestigia secutus cum variis MSS. à me nòn indiligentèr comparatum tecum sum communicaturus ut Exemplaria Cottoniana quibus in hac ipsâ collatione ego sum usus denuò consulete necesse nòn habeas Nà m ad diplomata Anglo-Saxonica quod attinet non in uno aliquo volumine simul collecta sed per varios illius Bibliothecae libros dispersa ea fuisse animadverti de quibus in unum corpus compingendis dabitur ut spero opportunus tecum coram consultandi locus Interim ut egregiis tuis conatibus Deus adsit benedicat summis votis exoptat qui Ex animo tuus est Ja. Armachanus Londini xii Kal. Jul. An. M. DC XL. LETTER CCVII. A Letter from the Learned Johannes Priceus to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Joannes Priceus Reverendissimo in Christo Patri ac Domino D. Jacobo Archiepiscopo Armachano S. D. COllectanea Antistes eruditissime de Britannicarum Ecclesiarum primordiis accepi dudum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ac humanitatis pariter insigne specimen At dum indies quem cassus rumor vulgaverat praestolor adventui tuo alieno jam satis tempore adimplevi officium meum Nae tu nimis doctissime Praesul facilis es communis qui in tantâ illustrium literis aut honoribus abundantiâ homunculum nullius ordinis cohonestare sustines Contrectabitur sanè eximium manus istud assiduis ac religiosis manibus librorumque atque adeò cogitationum mearum locum principem occupabit Joannes Priceus Dabam ex rure suburbano Honoratissimi Domini Georgii Radcliffe iiii Kalend. Sept. 1640. LETTER CCVIII Reverendo Illustri Praesuli Domino Jacobo Usserio Archiepiscopo Armachano totius Hyberniae Primati c. Amico nostro honorando Reverende Illustris Domine Praesul Amice honorande EA quae Scholarchae de Illustris nostri Gymnasii Hanovici restauratione ex mandato nostro non ità pridem ad Tepleniùs perscripsêre atque efflagitâre multis verbis repetere supersedemus non dubitantes quin animo tuo adhuc infixa haereant Notum est ità res esse humanas ut alias copiâ abundent aliàs penuriâ laborent subindè aliter atque aliter sese habeant notum illud quando res humanae semel loco moveri inclinarivè sede sua captae quò majores sunt eò aegriùs seriusque vestigio sisti atque reponi Quid mirum igitur quod Scholarchae nostri aliena quaerant subsidia utpotè propriis destituti Eo enim res rediit ut propter penuriam redituum totum fere Gymnasium suo quoque splendore inclinari coeperit nec multùm abfuit quin vix ac ne vix quidem restitueretur nisi rebus nostris ex bona parte restitutis nihil antiquiùs duxissemus quà m ut animum quoque ad restaurationem dicti Gymnasii converteremus quod ab initio tanta Authoris