principal Articles and main branches of it Fuller It is an hard question and yet perchance more dangerous than difficult to answer but the reason I dare alledge is this Even so Father because it pleased thee Let me add that such conscientious observers thereof which have proved unsuccessefull may esteem their losses as Sweet-Bryar and Holy-Thistle and more cordially comfort themselves in such sanctified afflictions than the Infringers of their Charter could content themselves in their successefull oppression I cannot part from this point till I have inserted that Sir Robert Cotton one who had in him as much of the Gentleman Antiquarie Lawyer good Subject and good Patriot as any in England was the Author in his short view of the long reign of King Henry the third who made the observation of those most successefull Kings by whom the Grand-Charter was most conscienciously observed Dr. Heylin Our Author proceeds Fol. 88. The poor Jews durst not goe into France whence lately they had been solemnly banished but generally disposed themselves in Germany and Italy The poor Iews are more beholding to our Author for his commiseration than the high Royalists as he cals them in the former passage But poor or rich they might have passed safely into France had they been so minded For though he tell us that they had been solemnly banished out of France before this time yet either such banishment was repealed or temporary only or as I rather think not so much as sentenced Certain I am our learned Brerewood upon a diligent enquiry hath found it otherwise than our Author doth letting us know That the first Countrey in Christendome whence the Jews were expelled without hope of return was our Countrey of England whence they were banished Anno 1290. by King Edward the first and not long after out of France Anno 1307. by Philippus Pulcher. Not out of France first out of England afterwards as our Author would have it Fuller I wonder any good Christians would be offended with me for pittying them by the name poor Iews If any High royalist as I fear there is too many be in low Estate would it were as well in my power to relieve as to pitty them Till when they shall have my prayers that God would give them patience and support them in their deepest distresse The Author will find that though the Great General and Final banishment of the Jews out of France was Anno 1307. under Philip the Fair yet formely there had been Edicts for their Exile thence Dr. Heylin Our Author proceeds Fol. 100. Thus men of yesterday have pride too much to remember what they were the day before An observation true enough but not well applyed The two Spencers whom he speaks this off were not men of yesterday or raised out of the dirt or dunghill to so great an height but of as old and known Nobility as the best in England insomuch that when a question grew in Parliament whether the Baronesse de Spencer or the Lord of Aburgaveny were to have precedency it was adjudg'd unto de Spencer thereby declar'd the ancientest Barony of the Kingdome at that time then being These two Hughâ—he â—he Father was created Earl of Winchester for term of life and Hugh the Son by marrying one of the Daughters and co-heirs of Gilbert de Clare became Earl of Glocester Men more to be commended for their Loyalty than accused for their pride but that the King was now declining and therefore it was held fit by the prevalent faction to take his two supporters from him as they after did Fuller The two Spencers fall under a double consideration and are beheld in History for their extraction either as Absolutely in themselves Comparatively with others Absolutely they were of honourable parentage and I believe the Elder might be born a Baron whose Baronry by the Heir general is still extant in Mildmay Fane Earl of Westmorland and from the younger House of a Male Heir the Lord Spencer of Wormelayton now Earl of Sunderland doth as I have seen in his Pedigree derive himself Comparatively So were they far inferiour to most of those great persons over whom they insulted being originally Earls and some of them of Royall extraction Again the Two Spencers may and ought by an Historian to be considered as to be 1. Commended for their Loyalty 2. Condemned for their Insolency On the first account they deserve just praise and it is probable enough that they finde the lesse Favour from some Pens for being so Faithfull to so unfortunate a Soveraigne The latter cannot be excused appearing too plain in all our Histories Dr. Heylin Our Author proceeds Fol. 113. The Lord Chancellor was ever a Bishop If our Author by this word ever understands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most commonly or for the most part he is right enough but then it will not stand with the following words viz. as if it had been against equity to imploy any other therein And on the other side if he take the word ever in its proper and more natural sense as if none but Bishops had ever been advanced unto that office he doth not onely misinform the Reader but confute himself he having told us fol. 31. of this present book that Thomas Becket being then but Archdeacon of Canterbury was made Lord Chancellor and that as soon as he was made Archbishop he resign'd that office But the truth is that not onely men in holy Orders but many of the Laity also had attained that dignity as will appear to any who will take the pains to consult the Catalogue of the Chancellors and Keepers of the Great Seal in the Glossary of Sir Henry Spelman in which appear not onely some of inferior dignity as Deans Archdeacons House-hold Chaplains but many also not dignified with any Ecclesiastical Title or Notification and therefore in all probability to be looked on as meer Lay-men Counsellors and Servants to the Kings in whose times they lived or otherwise studied in the Laws and of good affections and consequently capable of the place of such trust and power Fuller May the Reader take notice that this complaint was made by the Commons in the 11th of Edward the 3d Anno 1336. Now Ever I here restrain to the oldest man alive then present in Parliament who could not distinctly remember the contrary from the first of King Edward the first who began his Reign 1272. so that for full 64. years an uninterrupted series of Bishops except possibly one put in pro tempore for a moneth or two possessed the place of Chancellors This complaint of the Commons occasioned that the King some three years after viz. in the fifteenth year of his reign conferred the Chancellors place on a Layman But it was not long before things returned to the old channel of Clergy-men and so generally for many years continued with some few and short interpositions of Lay-men Dr. Heylin Our Author proceeds Fol. 116. This year viz. 1350.
was made Knight of the Bath at the Coronation of King Iames Anno 1603. and afterwards created Lord Montague of Boughton in the nineteenth year of that King Anno 1621. which honourable Title is now enjoyed by his Son another Edward Anno 1658. And thirdly though I grant that Dr. Iames Montague Bishop of Winchester the second Brother of the four was of great power and favour in the time of King Iames. Thus far Dr. Heylin out of his Advertisements written in correction of Mr. Sandersons History of the Reign of King Iames. To rectifie this heap of Errors not to be paralleled in any Author pretending to the emendation of another I have here plainly set down the Male-pedegree of this Noble Numerous and successfull Family 1 Sir Edward Montague Lord Chief Justice in the Reign of King Henry the eighth 2 Sir Edward Montague a worthy Patriot in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth Sir Walter Montague Knight second Son died without Issue Sir Henry Montague third Son Earl of Manchester Lord Chief Justice Lord Treasurer c. Edw. Montague now Earl of Manchester besides other Sons 3 Sir Edward Montague made Knight of the Bath at the Coronation of King Iames never a Martialist and created by Him Baron Montague of Boughton dying in the beginning of the Civill Warres William Mountague Esq of the Middle-Temple second Son 4 Edward now Lord Montague of Boughton Ralfe Montague Esq second Son Edward Montague Esq eldest Son Christopher Montague third Son died before his Father being a most hopefull Gentleman Sir Charles Montague fourth Son who did good service in Ireland and left three Daughters and Co-heirs Iames Montague fifth Son Bishop of Winchester died unmarried Sir Sidney Montague sixth Son Master of the Requests Edward Montague now Admirall and one of the Lords of the Councel I presume the Animadvertor will allow me exact in this Family which hath reflected so fauourably upon me that I desire and indeed deserve to live no longer than whilest I acknowledg the same THE FOURTH BOOK From the first preaching of Wickliffe to the beginning of the Reign of King Henry the eighth Dr. Heylin OUR Author begins this Book with the Story of Wickliffe and continueth it in relating the successes of him and his followers to which he seems so much addicted as to Christen their Opinions by the name of the Gospel For speaking of such incouragements and helps as were given to Wickliffe by the Duke of Lancaster with other advantages which the conditions of those times did afford unto him he addeth That Fol. 129. We must attribute the main to Divine Providence blessing the Gospel A name too high to be bestowed upon the Fancies of a private man many of whose Opinions were so far from truth so contrary to peace and civil Order so inconsistent with the Government of the Church of Christ as make them utterly unworthy to be look'd on as a part of the Gospel Or if the Doctrines of Wickliffe must be call'd the Gospel what shall become of the Religion then establisht in the Realm of England and in most other parts of the Western World Were all but Wickliffes Followers relaps'd to Heathenism were they turn'd Jews or had imbrac'd the Law of Mahomet If none of these and that they still continued in the faith of Christ delivered to them in the Gospels of the four Evangelists and other Apostolicall Writers Wickliffes new Doctrines could not challenge the name of Gospel noâ— ought it to be given to him by the Pen of any But such is the humor of some men as to call every separation from the Church of Rome by the name of Gospel the greater the separation is the more pure the Gospel No name but that of Evangelici would content the Germans when they first separated from that Church and reformed their own And Harry Nichols when he separated from the German Churches and became the Father of Familists bestows the name of Evangelium Regni on his Dreams and Dotages Gospels of this kinde we have had and may have too many quot Capita tâ—t Fides as many Gospels in a manner as Sects and Sectaries if this world goe on Now as Wickliffes Doctrines are advanc'd to the name of Gospel so his Followers whatsoever they were must be called Gods servants the Bishops being said fol. 151. to be busie in persecuting Gods servants and for what crime soever they were brought to punishment it must be thought they suffered onely for the Gospel and the service of God A pregnant evidence whereof we have in the story of Sir Iohn Oldcastle accused in the time of King Harry the fifth for a design to kill the King and his Brethren actually in Arms against that King in the head of 20000 men attainted for the same in open Parliament and condemn'd to die and executed in St. Giles his Fields accordingly as both Sir Roger Acton his principal Counsellor and 37 of his Accomplices had been before For this we have not onely the Authority of our common Chronicles Walsingham Stow and many others but the Records of the Tower and Acts of Parliament as is confessed by our Author fol. 168. Yet coming out of Wickliffes Schools and the chief Scholar questionlesse which was train'd up in them he must be Registred for a Martyr in Fox his Calendar And though our Author dares not quit him as he sayes himself yet such is his tendernesse and respect to Wickliffes Gospel that he is loath to load his Memory with causlesse Crimes fol. 167. taxeth the Clergie of that time for their hatred to him discrediteth the relation of T. Walsingham and all later Authors who are affirm'd to follow him as the Flock their Belweather and finally leaves it as a special verdict to the last day of the Revelation of the righteous Iudgements of God Fuller First I fain would know whether the Animadvertor would be contented with the Condition of the Church of England as Wickliffe found it for Opinions and Practise and doth not earnestly desire a Reformation thereof I am charitably confident that He doth desire such an Emendation and therefore being both of us agreed in this Point of the convenience yea necessity thereof in the second place I would as fain be satisfied from the Animadvertor whether He conceived it possible that such Reformation could be advanced without Miracle all on a sodain so that many grosse Errors would not continue and some new one be superadded The man in the Gospel first saw men walking as trees before he saw perfectly Nature hath appointed the Twilight as a Bridge to passe us out of Night into Day Such false and wild opinions like the Scales which fell down from the Eyes of St. Paul when perfectly restored to his sight have either vanished or been banished out of all Protestant Confession Far be it from me to account the rest of England relapsed into Atheism or lapsed in Iudaism Turcism c. whom I behold as Erronious Christians
a fourth part of Protestants according to his own principles For if no Priests in France Low Countries Swisserland c. then no Sacraments then no Church then no Salvation Far more Charitie in those of the former Age. Bishop Andrews when he concurred with others of his own order in ordaining a Scotishman Bishop who as by proportion of time may be demonstrated received his Deaconship and Pristhood from the Presbytery conceived such ordination of validity when done though I beleeve in his judgement not so well approving the doing thereof Otherwise he would never have consented to make a meer Lay man per saltum a Bishop Dr. Heylin First for the Sabbath for the better day the better deed having repeated the chief heads of Dr. Bounds Book published Anno 1595. in which the Sabbatarian Doctrines were first set on foot he adds that learned men were much divided in their judgements about the same Fol. 228. Some saith he embraced them as ancient truths consonant to Scripture long disused and neglected now seasonably revived for the encrease of piety Amongst which some he that shall take our Author for one will not be much mistaken either in the man or in the matter For that he doth approve Bounds Doctrines in this particular c. Fuller The Animadvertor imposeth on me that which is contrary to my Judgemens I am not of Dr. Bounds Opinion who straineth the Sabbath too high yea the Animadvertor when writing against Mr. Le strange maketh use of above twenty lines out of my Book against him I am of the judgement of moderate men as I have clearly and largely stated it in my Church-History and will live and desire to dye in the maintenance thereof And I hope the Animadvertor will allow me to know my own judgement better than he doth I am not of the Animadvertors mind That the Lords day is alterable and of meer Ecclesiastical constitution much less dare I concur with him in his scandalous expression That the late Parliament hath by their Orders and Ordinances laid greater restraints on People than ever the Scribes and Pharises did on the Iews To what followeth in the Animadvertor concerning the Articles at Lambeth I return no other answer save this As a Historian I have written truly for matter of Fact And if as a Divine I have interposed something of my Judgement in those points I beleeve the Animadvertor if writing on the same subject would not appear more moderate Mean time I am sure he differs as much from me as I from him in these opinions and therefore I see no reason of his animositie on this â—ccount Dr. Heylin Our Author proceeds Fol. 179. Queen Elizabeth coming to the Crown sent for Abbot Fecknam to come to her whom the Messenger found setting of Elms in the Orchard of Westminster Abbey But he would not follow the messenger till first he had finished his Plantation The tale goes otherwise by Tradition than is here delivered and well it may For who did ever hear of any Elms in Westminster Orchard or to say truth of any Elms in any Orchard whaâ—soever of a late Plantation Elms are for Groves and Fields and Forests too cumbersom and overspreading to be set in Orchards c. Fuller When a Traveller on the High-way suddenly returns back again surely 't is to fetch some matter of moment which he hath forgotten and left behind him The Animadvertor in this his Note retreats above 50 pages in my Church-History viz. from fol. 233. to fol. 179. And what is this Retrograde motion for Even to carpe at Elmes which I say were set by Abbot Feckenham in the Orchard of the Dean of Westminster citing my Author Reynerius for the same whose words in horto I translate in the Orchard as more proper for Elmes than a Garden Thus have you my Tale and my Tales maker So that this wooden Animadversion might well have been spared THE TENTH BOOK Containing the Reign of King James Dr. Heylin OUr Author proceeeds Fol. 5. Watson with William Clark another of his own profession having fancied a notional Treason imparted it to George Brooks To these he after adds the Lord Cobham a Protestant the Lord Gray of Whâ—ddon a Puritan and Sir Walter Rawleigh an able Statseman and some other Knights In the recital of which names our Author hath committed a double fault the one of omission and the other of commission A fault of omission in leaving out Sir Griffith Markam as much concerned as any of the principal actors designed to have been Secretary of Estate had the Plot succeeded and finally arraigned and condemned at Winchester as the others were Fuller I distinguish betwixt total Omission express Enumeration and implicit Inclusion Sir Griffith Markam cannot be said to be omitted by me because included in that clause and some other Knights Yea this whole treason had not at all sound any mention in my History not being bound to take cognizance thereof save for the two Priests who were engaged therein Dr. Heylin His fault of commission is his calling the Lord Gray by the name of the Lord Gray of Whaddon a fault not easily to be pardoned in so great an Herald whereas indeed though Whaddon in Buckinghamshire was part of his Estate yet Wilton in Herefordshire was his Barony and ancient Seat his Ancestors being call'd LL. Gray of Wilton to difference them from the Lord Gray of Reuthen the Lord Gray of Codnor c. Fuller A fault not so great neither in an Herauld seeing I call him not Lord Gray Baron of Whaddon but of Whaddon and a noble Person may be additioned either from his Honour or his Habitation Besides Wilton in Herefordshire long since being run into ruin those Lords some sixscore years agoe removed their residence to Whaddon in Bucks where some of them lived died and are burâ—ed The Animadvertor made as great an omission in his Short view of K. Charles when mentioning his Tutor Mr. Murrey but quite leaving out Sir Iames Fullerton conjoyned with him in the same charge of the Princes education And a greater fault of Commission is he guilty of when taxing Mr. Murrey as disaffected to the English Church who when made Provost of Eaton took his oath and therein professed his good liking of our Discipline as in the Cabala doth appear To return to Whaddon the Animadvertor might have spared this his Note who in the Postcript annexed to this Book maketh Edward Lord Montagu created Baron of Broughton in Northamptonshire Now though the L. Montagu hath the Manor of Broughton with the appendant Advowson and other considerable Lands therein yet is he Baron of Boughton in the same County A mistake so much the greater in the Animadvertor because done in his Emendation of his Emendations of the faults of another so that he cannot hit it right in this his third endeavor This I had passed over in silence had not his cruelty on my Pen or Presse-slips occasioned me to
which were setled upon it by Divine Right Fuller I Report you concluded Deans and Chapters lands alienable without sin of Sacriledge from that particular Use yet so as that they ought still to be preserved to the Church in generall I confesse I neither was nor might be present in the Parliament and therefore must take it on Hear-say However I distinguish on hear-say which is double Hear-say Common Credible I conceive mine to be of the latter and better sort And I have no other way to defend my selfe than by appealing to many members of the House then present still alive and firmly remembring that transaction Surely Sir the Parliament never brought into question Whether things might be alienated from the Church which by Divine Right were setled thereon It was inconsistent with their prudence amounting in effect to this question Whether Gods or their power were the highest And Sir if you concluded no more than what you say you concluded what was never controverted by any Christian. Whereas you call me a FLASHY WRITER God forbid that in all my Books such a flash of folly and falshood should be found as falls from your Pen in your own praise Part. 1. pag. 32. lin 30 31. Albeit Dr. Burges performeth more service in that Church than any Bishop that ever sat there I read Act. 10.2 of a Cornelius praised by God for his Prayers and Alms but you are the first of the name which publickly in print commendeth himselfe And as for the Bishops of that See Have you forgotten William Barlow who in the Marian dayes exul in Germania inopem vitam ut potuit toleravit Preaching a practicall Sermon of patience and contentednesse to all posterity whilst another usurped his habitation What shall I speak of Sâ—ilâ— Montague c. What proportion I pray doth a petâ—y brook bear to a large LAKE If I be a flashy Writer you should have been so carefull as not to have brought fuell in your Book which I so soon may burn to ashes Part. 1. pag. 20. And that this was the high-way wherein the Popish Clergy of England long before as well as since the Conquest constantly travelled take one Testimony more of that famous Gildas the Elder surnamed Sapiens who being a Brittain Presbyter within the sixth Century or hundred of years after Christ thus chargeth the Popish Clergy of his time who had sacked their Principles from Augustine the Monk sent from Rome on purpose to advance the State and Pompe of the Clergy under Colour of planting the Christian faith in England For thus he saith Britannia habet sacerdotes c. Brittain saith he hath Priests but some of them very dolâ—s very many Ministers but many of them impudent ones Clergy men but very Thieves or Cheaters Pastors as they are termed but in truth Woolves standing to slay and flay the souls of the sheep for that they seek not the good of the people but the Grambing of their owne bellies They have Church houses but they never repaire to them unlesse for their own filthy lucre But know Sir that herein you are much mistaken in your Chronology for Gildas died saith Arch-bishop Usher in his Index-Chronolog pag. 1144. in the year of our Lord 570. Augustine the Monk came not over â—nto England untill the year 596. as â—s notoriously known to all that open a Book I am therefore confident that Gildas his complaint related onely to his Country-men the Brittish Clergy without the least reflection on the Saxon which as yet were unconverted pagans And therefore to say they had sucked in principles from Augustine the Monk is an Anti-Chronism which cannot be justified Respect Sir to your age degree and profession charms my Pen into some reverence unto you and because I hear abler Men are undertaking your Confutation I add no more but remain Your Loving Friend Thomas Fuller FINIS AN INDEX OF THE MOST REMARKABLE PERSONS and Passages in this BOOK TO THE READER ALthough a Methodicall Book be an Index to it self yet an Index is not to be contemned by the most Industrious Reader Whom we request to take notice of the following Particulars I. C. stands for Century B. for Book P. for Page ¶ for Paragraph II. In the two first Books memorables are ranked onely according to Centuries and Paragraphs but afterwards by Books III. Paragraph without page doth for brevity sake referre to that page which was last named IV. Page without Book on the same reason relates to the last Book that was named V. VVhere no Paragraph is named it sheweth that the page by it self is sufficient notification Lastly know that the discounting of Sheets to expedite the work at severall Presses hath occasioned in the Fifth book after page 200. compleated to go back again to page 153 surrounded in this fashion to prevent confusion AARON a Citizen of Caerlion martyred Cent. 4. ¶ 10. ABBEYS The prodigious expence in building and endowing them Cent. 10. ¶ 40. multitudes of them causeth the Danish invasion ¶ 51. mischiefs done by them b. 2. p. 282 283 284. prime Officers and Officines p. 285 286 287. the civil benefits by them p. 296 297 298. presage of their ruin p. 300. and offers to overthrow them p. 301 302. the lesser which could not expend 200. pounds a year bestowed on the King p. 310 311. and the rest visited with three sorts of Officers p. 314 315. some appear vertuous p. 316. others notoriously vitious p. 317. all resigned by their Abbots unwillingly willing to the King p. 319 c. Rob. ABBOT Bishop of Salisbury his death and commendation B. 10. P. 70. ¶ 53. George ABBOT Arch-bishop of Cant. B. 10. p. 57. ¶ 47. casually killeth a keeper p. 87. ¶ 12 c. befriended by Sir Edward Coke ¶ 15. and Bishop Andrews ¶ 16. mortified by this chance ¶ 17. seven years after severely suspended from his jurisdiction b. 11. ¶ 51. his character ¶ 53. and vindication ¶ 54. 55. Tho. ADAMS Alderman of London foundeth an Arabick Professours place in Cambridge Hist. of Cam. p. 166. ¶ 22. ADELME the first Bishop of Sherborn Cent. 8. ¶ 4. and the first Englishman who wrote in Latin or made a verse ibid. AETHELARD Arch-bâ—â—hop of Cant. calleth a Synod Cent. 9. ¶ 2. with the solemn subscriptions thereunto ibidem AGRICOLA a principall spreader of Pelagianisme in Britain Cent. 5. ¶ 3. AIDAN Bishop of Lindissern his due Commendation Cent. 7. ¶ 70. dissenteth from the Romish Church in the Celebration of Easter ¶ 71. inciteth Lay-men to the Reading of Scripture ¶ 72. St. ALBAN though a Britan how a Citizen of Rome Cent. 4. â— 2. converted to Christianity by Amphibalus ¶ 3. his Martyrdome and reported Miracles ¶ 4.5 his intire body pretended in three places Cent. 5. ¶ 11. Enshrined some hundred years after by King Offa Cent. 8. ¶ 35. St. ALBANS Abbey founded by King Offa Cent. 8. ¶ 38. the Abbot thereof confirmed first in place of all England