depart away with admiration of his skill Additions out of Mr. Priors Sermon at his Funeral 12. His merit in the new Translation of the Bible preferred him to this place of Government in the Church For with Basilius Magnus Non ex majoribus sed ex propria virtute nobilitatem duxit He ennobled himself with his own worth and virtue 13. Two singular ornaments crowned him which seldom meet in one man Learning and Humility On a time and many such I could tell you a poor Minister sending in to speak with him abruptly he brake off a most serious discourse saying But the Minister must not stay lest we should seem to take state upon us Therein imitating the great Athanasius being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazianz. 14. When in his sickness one hoped for his recovery he gave the answer that St. Ambrose gave to the Nobles of Milain that desired him to pray for life Non ita inter vos vixi ut pudeat ms vivere nec timeo mori quoniam dominum bonuns habemus 15. Not many hours before his departure for non obiit sed abiit I found him as me seemed victorious upon some conflict Quis sarctorum sine certamine coronatur I drew near his bed he reached for my hand and greezed it saying I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day This occasioned something about relyance on God by Faith Yea said he I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living And again The mercies of the Lord are from generation to generation on them that fear him Mercy brought in thoughts of Christ Oh saith he in the words of that holy Martyr none but Christ none but Christ Being told how pretiously the Lord esteemeth the death of such He replyed Right dear right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Some prayers made for him upon his desire at conclusion he said Amen I thank God Amen enough Amen I thank God 16. When he was leaving this life he looked on his daughter and on the rest of his children in the chamber present and said Christ bless you all And like that old Patriarch he moved himself upon the bed and cried Christ Jesus help and so Christ took him and conclamatum est â—is soul is now at rest his Name is among the Worthies of our Church His Motto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ob. A. S. 1624. aet supra 70. FINIS A Letter To fill up this void leaf or rather to promote conformity which is partly the designe of these Memorials I take leave to translate hither out of the Oxford-book very worthy to be Reprinted A Letter of the Vice-Chancellour and others the Heads of the Vniversity of Cambridge to the Vice-Chancellour and others of the Vniversity of Oxford Octob. 7. 1603. E Latino WHen neâ—ly and indeed very late there came unto us a report of the Petition for Reformation forsooth of the Church of England offered to his Majestie as is pretended by a thousand Ministers though we found in it nothing new and what hath been answered heretofore a thousand times Yet because they boast of their number that these Millenaries may know if Saul hath his thousand David in this cause will never want his ten thousand we were desirous notwithstanding the work was altogether unworthy of it to provide an answer Whilst we were meditating thereof there is brought unto our hands that most Elegant answer of the Vniuersity of Oxford being a most rational and brief confutation of all that had by those men so laboriously been framed and feigned upon sight whereof nothing seemed to remain for us whom in this best of causes the zeal and industry of our Brethren easily able to refute such Adversaries had prevented but this to add unto the weight of their Arguments because those men glory most in their multitudes the number of our Suffrages This we did formerly as it were divining both foresee and provide for For when after the death of our Excellent Queen Elizabeth alwaies the same and most constant a singular and incomparable example in a woman in this best of causes those men did not so much deplore the loss of a most Religious Princess and the case of Religion it self if not dying with her yet at least in very great hazard as meditate and every day attempt Innovations against the new Kings approach Our Vniversity very opportunely judged her aid to be needful and a decree to be made in a full and solemn Convocation That whosoever shall in the Vniversity of Cambridge publickly oppose in word or writing or any other way the Doctrine or Discipline of the Church of England or any part thereof by Law established He shall be excluded from taking any degree and be suspended ipso facto from the degree he hath taken Which decree even by Unanimous consent of the whole House voted and recorded publickly Jun. 9. 1603. we do now desire to publish to the whole World that all may be assured what is the judgment not of some Opiniasters in their corners and Conventicles but of allmost all the Cantabrigians in open senate concerning that Discipline which we have not forced on us but freely received and entertained Whose consent so fraternally and sweetly concurring with the Oxford-answer with Scripture Fathers and Councils with the decrees of our Princes our Laws and Parliaments Away with those thousand Ministers let them go and answer at thousand Books of ours already written and set forth for their satisfaction before they do so impudently obtrude their Crambe so often boiled upon so wise a King and so excellently learned Or if they would have Suffrages rather to be numbred then weighed let the poor Fellows forsaken of the Universities and Muses bethink themselves of how little account what nothings they are Thus we take our leave of our most dear Brehren in Christ and as we and our Vniversity beng united to you both by similitude of studies and manners are most fitmly Yours So we intreat you alwaies to continue your love to Us. Camb. Oct. 7. 1603.
at Evening Prayer laid aside their Surplices three only excepted 9. Doctor Whitgift after that Mr. Cartwright had broached his dangerous Doctrin used to confute it in the same Church the next Sunday following and settled the judgment of many and fore-seeing these sparks of sedition if not timely quenched would grow to a great flame often sent to Mr. Cartwright and in friendly manner advised him to surcease from those courses but finding him wilfull and obstinate highly conceited of himself and a despiser of others that were not of his mind and a refuser of any fair tryal of his cause by Conference or writing caused him to be expelled the House and deprived likewise of the Margarit Lecture An. 1570. 10. Not long after the Disciplinarians published a seditious Treatise entituled An Admonition to the Parliament the summary of their opinions and slanders And in regard of the applause it found among the greener heads given to novelty Doctor Whitgift answers it Cartwright replyes and Doctor Whitgift defends his Answer A second Reply being publisht by Cartwright the Doctor addresses himself to answer that too but is dissuaded by his judicious friends and especially by Doctor Whitaker in a Letter wherein are these among other words concerning the Authour Veris ludit sententiis dormitat plane indignus est qui à quopiam docto refutetur 11. In his ten years Government of Trinity Colledge Doctor Whitgift bred many excellent Scholars six whereof were in his time Bishops and some great States-men he procured an Amendment of the Statutes of the Vniversity and as the causes he dealt in were alwaies just so his success was ever prosperous through his wisdom and stoutnesse And yet that stoutnesse was so well tempered and mingled with his other vertue of mildnesse and patience that Mr. Hooker made this true observation of him He alwaies govern'd with that moderation which useth by patience to suppresse boldnesse and to make them conquer that suffer which well suted with his Motto Vincit qui patitur 12. An. 1577. He was chosen to be Bishop of Worcester consecrated 21. Apr. and having taken leave of the Vniversity and Colledge by preaching of peace publickly and privately he was in June following attended on his way to Worcester by a great Troup of the chiefest persons full of sorrow for their losse of so excellent a Governour The Queen to shew her Bounty and Love forgave him his first fruits and gave him the disposing of all the Prebends of that Church during his Continuance there 13. He found the Bishoprick at his first coming much impaired by his Predecessors in long Leases and Grants but that which most troubled him was the letting of the Rent Corne of his two best Mannors Hollow and Grimley the chief upholding of the Bishops hospitality To redeem the said Corn from a powerfull Tenant the Bishop was contented by way of Composition to give three hundred pound out of his own purse to have the lease surrendred 14. There was such mutual love between the Gentlemen and the Bishop that they delighted to converse much together And if the Bishop understood of any jar or discord he â—ould send for both parties under pretence of some service to be done and make them friends If they were froward against perswasion he would interpose his Authority as Vice President of Wales which place her Majesty bestowed on him shortly after he was made Bishop and threaten the obstinate with imprisonment 15. He had a special care of his own family as behoved him and of his Attendants neer unto him and to avoid all colour of corruption would never receive informations or petitions in his private Chamber but abroad by the Petitioners themselves in so much that a Gentleman of his Bed-chamber making request he might have the delivery of Suitors Petitions and indorse their Answers he grew into such dislike that he presently discharged him 16. Her Majesty out of her experience of his wise and prudent Government was pleased upon complaint of the many discords and disorders in the two Cathedral Churches of Lichfield and Hereford to direct two Commissions unto him for the visiting of the said Churches He reformed them both and ordained them Statutes for their better Government 17. Arch-bishop Grindal laboured him in most earnest manner to accept of the Arch-bishoprick being himself contented to shake off his cares and receive from her Majesty some yearly Pension which Bishop Whitgift utterly refused and in presence of the Queen her self besought pardon in not accepting thereof upon any condition whatsoever in the life time of the other Whereupon the Queen was graciously pleased to say As she had made him an Archbishop so he should dye an Arch-bishop As he did shortly after 18. He was advanced to the Arch-bishoprick of Canterbury Sept. 24. 1583. At his first entrance he procured an Order for the abatement of his first fruits he recover'd from the Queen a thousand Acres of Land and by abating the fines of his Impropriations encreased the Pensions of Curates 19. Her Majesty commanded him to be vigilent and carefull for the reducing of Non-Conformists much strengthened by his Predecessors connivency Wherein he had much adoe many conflicts and was opposed by some great Personages Concerning whom he thus writeth I trust those that love me indeed will not so lightly cast off their old friends for any of these new fangled and factious Sectaries whose fruits are to make division If my honourable friends should forsake me when I think to deserve best and in a manner consume my self to satisfie that which God her Majesty and the Church requireth of me I should be evil rewarded Sed meliora spero The slanderous tongues of this uncharitable Sect reported that I am become a Papist but it proceedeth from their leudness not any desert of mine c. But how is it possible that I should perform the charge which I have undertaken after so long liberty and lack of Discipline if a few persons so meanly qualified as most of these factious Sectaries are should be countenanced against the whole state of the Clergy of greatest account both for learning years staidnesse wisdome religion and honesty and open breakers and impugners of the Law young in years proud in conceit contentious in disposition should be maintained against their Governours seeking to reduce them to order and obedience c. The day wil come when all mens hearts shall be opened In the mean time I will depend upon him who never fiaileth those that put their trust in him 20. An. 1587. Tho. Bromley the then Lord Chancellor dyed Whereupon it pleased her Majesty to discover her gracious inclination to have made the Arch-bishop Lord Chancellour of England But he excusing himself in many respects that he was grown into years and had the burthen of all Ecclesiastical businesses laid upon his back which was as much as one man could well undergoe considering the troubles with so many Sectaries that were then-sprung
up desired to be spared and besought her Highnesse to make choice of Sir Christopher Hatton who shortly after was made Lord Chancellour in the Archbishops house at Croydon thereby the rather to grace the Arch-bishop His advancement did much strengthen the Arch-bishop and his friends and withall the Earl of Leicester and his designments came soon after to an end 21. An. 1588. Upon the death of the Farl of Leicester the Chancellorship of Oxford being void divers of the Heads and others of the University made known unto the Arch-bishop their desire to chufe him their Chancellour although he was a Cambridge man To whom he returned this Answer That he was already their friend whereof they might rest assured and therefore advised them to make choice of some other in near place about the Queen that might assist him on their behalf and both at the Council-board and other places of Justice right them many waies both for the benefit of their Vniversity and of their Colledges And therewithall recommended unto them Sir Christopher Hatton being sometime of that University Whom accordingly they did chuse for their Chancellour and whom the Arch-bishop ever found a great Assistant in bridling and reforming the imtemperate humour of those Novelists who by the Countenance of some great personages were now grown to a strong head 22. It was in their Assemblies Classical and Synodical concluded that the Discipline should within a time limited be put in practice and erected all in one day by the Ministers together with the people whom those Disciplinarians bragged â—o be already enflamed with zeal to lend so many thousand hands for the advancement of their Cause In their publick Sermons and Exhorcations as in their private Conventicles they did alienate the hearts of their Auditors from all obedience of the Ecclesiastical Magistrates As namely Mr. Cartwright who also in his prayer before his Sermons used thus to say Because they meaning the Bishops which ought to be pillars in the Church do band themselves against Christ and his truth therefore O Lord give us grace and power all as one man to set our selves against them Which words by way of Emphasts he would often repeat And doth not â—dall threaren that the Presbytery shall prevail and come in by that way and means as shall make all their hearts to ake that shall withstand or hinder the same 23. Great was the temper and moderation of the good Arch-bishop in handling these bâ—sinesâ—es In his time Brown was changed from his fansies and afterwards obtained a Benefice called Achurch in North-Hamptonshire where he became a painfull Preacher He did not though he might have blemished with her Majesty the reputations of some in great place for favouring the Libellers and Libels which had stowage and vent in their Chambers He procured at her Majesties hands both pardon and dismission for Mr. Cartwright and the rest out of their troubles For which Mr. Cartwright held himself much obliged and in his letters acknowledgeth his bond of most humble duty so much the straiter because his Graces favour proceeded from a frank disposition without any desert of his own 24. The Arch-bishop hath been heard to say That if Mr. Cartwright had not so far engaged himself as he did in the beginning he thought verily he would in his later time have been drawn to Comformity For when he was freed from his troubles he often repaired to the Arch-bishop who used him kindly and was contented to tolerate his preaching in Warwick divers years upon his promise that he would not impugn the laws orders and government in this Church of England but perswade and procure so much as he could both publickly and privately the estimation and peace of the same Which albeit he accordingly performed yet when her Majesty understood by others that Mr. Cartwright did preach again though temperately according to his promise made to the Arch-bishop She would by no means endure his preaching any longer without subscription and grew not a little offended with the Arch-bishop for such conniving at him Not long after Mr. Cartwright dyed rich as it was said by the benevolence and bounty of his followers 25. An. 1592. After the death of Sir Christopher Hâ—tton Sir John Puckering was made Lord Keeper who shewed himself a friend to the Church to the Arch-bishop and his proceedings and acknowledged him a furtherer of his Advancement Sir Thomas Egerton Master of the Rolles succeeded him 6. May. 1596. a lover of learning and a most constant favourer of the Clergy and Church-government established as also a faithfull loving friend to the Arch-bishop in all his affairs In so much as after his advancement to that honour and that the Earl of Essex and the Arch-bishop concurred together being also further strengthned by the friendship and love of Sir Robert Cecil Principal Secretary he began to be fully revived again And her Majesty finding in him a zealous care and faithfull performance of his duty laid the burthen of the Church upon his shoulders telling him That if any thing went amiss be it upon his soul and conscience to answer it for she had rid her hands and looked that he should yeeld an account on her behalf to Almighty God 26. And now though the Arch-bishop was in this singular favour and grace with his Majesty so that he did all in all for the managing of Clergy-affairs and disposing of Bishopricks and other Ecclesiastical promotions yet was he never puffed up with pride nor did any thing violently against any man For he ever observed this rule That he would not wound where he could not salve So that it was truly noted by the Earl of Salisbury a great Counsellour in the Star-chamber when Pickering was there censured for libelling against him after his death That there was nothing more to be feared in his Government especially toward his later time then his mildnesse and clemency And some younger spirits were of opinion that he was much to blame in that kind and sometimes would be bold to tell him That he knew not his own strength with her Majesty 27. As you may perceive his clemency towards the irregular sort so towards the conformable he was carried with an exceeding tender respect and kindnesse He loved a learned Minister vertuous and honest with all his heart framing himself unto that rule of Aristotle which directeth a good Magistrate to be as carefull in encouraging good men according to their merits as in punishing the bad according to the quality of their offenses If he found a Scholar of extraordinary gifts or hopes that out of wants grew discontented and enclined to Popery or Puritanism as most of their discontentments and way-wardnesse proceedeth thence him would he gain both with supplies of mony out of his purse and preferments of his own gift or otherwise as opportunity served 28. Neither was his Bounty wanting to men of learning and quality of forrein Countries Sundry times sent he mony to Mr. Beza