CXXII A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Mr. John Selden 383 CXXIII A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher to Mr. 387 CXXIV A Letter from Dr. William Bedell to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 387 CXXV A Letter from Dr. John Bainbridge to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 390 CXXVI A Letter from Dr. William Bedell to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 391 CXXVII A Letter from Dr. Samuel Ward to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 393 CXXVIII A Letter from Sir Henry Spelman to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 395 CXXIX A Letter from Mr. John King to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 396 CXXX A Letter from Sir Henry Spelman to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 398 CXXXI A Letter from Dr. George Hakewill to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 398 CXXXII A Letter from the Reverend John Prideaux Bishop of Worcester to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 399 CXXXIII A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher to the Right Honourable 400 CXXXIV A Letter from the Right Reverend William Laud Bishop of London to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 401 CXXXV A Letter from Dr. William Bedell to the Most Reverend JamesUsher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 402 CXXXVI A Letter from Sir Henry Bourgchier to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 403 CXXXVII A Letter from Mr. Archibald Hamilton to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 405 CXXXVIII A Letter from Sir Henry Bourgchier to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 406 CXXXIX A Letter from the Right Honourable the Lord Deputy Faulkland to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 407 CXL A Letter from Mr. John Philpot to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 407 CXLI A Letter from the Lords of the Council in Ireland to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 408 CXLII A Letter from the Right Reverend William Laud Bishop of London to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 409 CXLIII A Letter from the Right Reverend William Laud Bishop of London to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 410 CXLIV A Letter from Dr. John Bainbridge to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 411 CXLV A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to the Right Reverend William Laud Bishop of London 412 CXLVI A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Ludovicus de Dieu 413 CXLVII A Letter from Sir Henry Bourgchier to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 414 CXLVIII A Letter from the Right Reverend William Laud Bishop of London to the Most rend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 415 CXLIX A Letter from the Right Reverend William Bedell Bishop of Kilmore to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 416 CL. A Letter from Mr. Lawr. Robinson to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 417 CLI A Letter from Sir Henry Bourgchier to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 418 CLII A Letter from the Right Reverend William Bedell Bishop of Kilmore to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 419 CLIII A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to the Right Reverend William Bedell Bishop of Kilmore 424 CLIV. A Letter from the Right Reverend William Laud Bishop of London to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 426 CLV A Letter from the Right Reverend William Bedell Bishop of Kilmore to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 428 CLVI A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to the Lords Justices in Ireland 429 Instructions to Mr. Dean Lesly for the stoping of Sir John Bathes Patent 430 CLVII A Letter from the Right Reverend George Downham Bishop of London-Derry to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 432 CLVIII A Letter from the Right Reverend Thomas Morton Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 432 CLIX. A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Dr. Samuel Ward 433 CLX A Letter from Dr. Samuel Ward to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 435 CLXI A Letter from the Right Reverend William Bedell Bishop of Kilmore to Dr. Samuel Ward concerning Baptism 440 CLXII A Letter from Dr. Samuel Ward to the Right Reverend William Bedell Bishop of Kilmore concerning Baptism 440 CLXIII A Letter from the Right Reverend William Bedell Bishop of Kilmore to Dr. Samuel Ward concerning Baptism 441 CLXIV A Letter from King Charles the First to the Lords of the Council in Ireland 446 CLXV A Letter from the Earl of Cork and the Lord Chancellor of Ireland to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 447 CLXVI A Letter from the Right Reverend William Laud Bishop of London to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 448 CLXVII A Letter from the Kings Council in Ireland to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 450 CLXVIII A Letter from the Right Reverend William Bedell Bishop of Kilmore to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 451 CLXIX A Letter from Dr. John Forbes to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 455 CLXX A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Dr. John Forbes 456 CLXXI. A Letter from the Ministers of the Pallatinate to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 457 CLXXII A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to the Right Reverend William Laud Bishop of London 459 CLXXIII A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to the Right Reverend William Laud Bishop of London 460 CLXXIV A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Ludovicus de Dieu 461 CLXXV A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Ludovicus de Dieu 464 CLXXVI A Letter from Johannes Buxtorfius to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 465 CLXXVII A Letter from Constantinus L'Empereur ab Oppych to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 468 CLXXVIII A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Dr. Samuel Ward 469 CLXXIX A Letter from Dr. Samuel Ward to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 470 CLXXX A Letter from Constantinus L'Empereur ab Oppych to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 472 CLXXXI A Letter from Dr. Samuel Ward to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 473 CLXXXII A Letter from Constantinus L'Empereur ab Oppych to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 474 CLXXXIII A Letter from Mr. Francis Taylor to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 475 CLXXXIV A Letter from the
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
Midensis Dublin Oct. 16. 1622. LETTER LII A Letter from the Most Reverend Dr. Hampton Arch-Bishop of Armagh to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath Salutem in Christo. My Lord IN the exceptions taken by Recusants against your Sermon I cannot be affected as Gallio was at the beating of Sosthenes to care nothing for them I am sensible of that which my Brethren suffer And if my advice had been required I should have counselled your Lordship to give lenitives of your own accord for all which was conceived over harsh or sharp the inquisition whether an offence were given or taken may add to the flame already kindled and provoke further displeasure it is not like to pacifie anger But let your case be as good as Peter's was when the Brethren charged him injuriously for preaching to the uncircumcised the great Apostle was content to give them a fair publick satisfaction Act. 11. and it wrought good effects for the Text saith His auditis quieverunt glorificaverunt Deum it brought peace to the Congregation and glory to God My Noble Lord Deputy hath propounded a way of pacification that your Lordship should here satisfie such of the Lords as would be present wherein my poor endeavours shall not be wanting howbeit to say ingenuously as I think that is not like to have success for the Lord of Kilkenny and your other friends trying their strengths in that kind at Trim prevailed not but can tell your Lordship what is expected And if my wishes may take place seeing so many men of Quality have something against you tary not till they complain but prevent it by a voluntary retractation and milder interpretation of the points offensive and especially of drawing the Sword of which spirit we are not nor ought to be for our Weapons are not Carnal but Spiritual Withal it will not be amiss in mine opinion for you Lordship to withdraw your self from those Parts and to spend more time in your own Diocess that such as will not hear your Doctrine may be drawn to love and reverence your Lordship for your hospitality and conversation Bear with the Plaines of an Old mans Pen and leave nothing undone to recover the Intercourse of Amitie between you and the People of your Charge Were it but one that is alienated you would put on the Bowels of the Evangelical Shepherd you would seek him and support his Infirmities with your own Shoulders how much more is it to be done when so many are in danger to be lost But they are generous and noble and many of them near unto you in Blood or Alliance which will plead effectually and conclude the matter fully whensoever you shew your self ready to give them Satisfaction In the mean time I will not fail to pray God for his Blessings unto the Business and so do rest Your Lordships very loving Brother Armagh Tredagh October 17. 1622. LETTER LIII A Letter from the Right Reverend James Usher Lord Bishop of Meath to Dr. Samuel Ward Master of Sidney Sussex Colledge Cambridge Worthy Sir I Was heartily glad when I heard that upon my Lord of Sarum's Promotion you were chosen to succeed him in Reading the Lady Margaret's Lecture and do very well approve the Judgment of them who advised you to handle the Controversies mentioned in that Chapter of Cardinal Perron's Book which Bertius pretendeth to have been the principal Motive of verifying in himself the Title of his old Book Hymenoeus Desertor His Oration of the Motives to his Perversion I saw before I left England than which I never yet did see a more silly and miserable Discourse proceed from the Hands of a learned Man The Epistle that Chrysostom wrote unto Caesarius against the Heresie of Apollinarius and others that confounded the Deity and Humanity in Chirist is not cited by Leontius but by the Author of the Collections against the Severians who is thought to have lived about the time of Damascen In the 8th Tome Bibliothecae patrum Edit Colon. An. 1618. pag. 336. you shall find these words alledged by him ex Chrysostomo ad Caesarium Monachum Hoc est absurdum dogma Apollinarii amentis haec est hoeresis impiissima introducentium mixtionem et compositionem Sir Henry Savil was of your mind that Pet. Martyr met with this Treatise only in Latine but I shewed him the contrary by the Controversie that was betwixt Gardiner and Him Respons ad Object 201 concerning the Interpretation of the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Martyr mistaking it as if it had been derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so translating it in that Sentence Sic et divinâ mundante corporis naturâ and Gardiner on the other side contending it should be rendred Firmante corporis naturâ and the righter of the three peradventure being that which I follow divinâ naturâ in corpore insidente I am at this present in hand with such a Work as you are imployed in being drawn thereunto by a Challenge made by a Jesuit in this Country concerning the Fathers Doctrine in the Point of Traditions Real Presence Auricular Confession Priest's Power to forgive Sins Purgatory Prayer for the Dead Limbus Patrum Prayer to Saints Images Free-will and Merits I handle therein only the positive Doctrine of the Fathers and the Original of the contrary Error leaving the Vindication of the Places of Antiquity abused by the Adversary until I be urged thereunto hereafter by my Challenger The better part of the Work I have gone through already As soon as the whole is finished I will not forget to send it unto you or else deliver it with mine own hands In the mean time I send you a Treatise written by one of our Judges here touching these Controversies with a Discourse of mine own added thereunto concerning the Religion professed by the Ancient Irish And so leaving you and all your painful Endeavours unto the Blessing of our good God I rest Your own in all Christian Love and Affection Jac. Midensis Tinglass March 18 1622. LETTER LIV. A Letter from Sir Henry Bourgchier to the Right Reverend James Usher Lord Bishop of Meath Salutem à fonte Salutis Most Reverend in Christ I Cannot hope to send you any Portion of our London News which common Fame will not bring sooner to you I notwithstanding fail in my Duty if I adventure not The same day of your departure hence the Houses of Parliament presented their Petition concerning Recusants to the King to which they received a large and very satisfactory Answer and a Proclamation to that purpose is expected within a few days On Saturday the day following the Spanish Ambassador I mean the Marquess desiring Audience acquainted the King with a Practice of Treason namely That the Prince and my Lord of Buckingham had conspired That if they could not draw the King to their Desires this Parliament by the Authority thereof they would confine him to some place of Pleasure and transfer the Government to
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
Bohemia Lusatia and Silesia and Manfeyld in other places I believe I shall see your Lordship in Ireland before I see you here If your Answer to the Challenge be Printed I hope I shall be beholding to you for a Copy And thus wishing your Lordship as much happiness as to my self I will ever remain Your Lordships most Affectionate Friend and Servant Henry Bourgchier London July 14. 1623. Divers of my fellow-Commissioners remember their best Affections to your Lordship especially Sr. Nath. Rich and Mr. Crew My Lord Marshal speaks of you often with much Affection you will find him a noble Friend if occasion be to use him which if it be in your absence and my self present I shall be most glad to be your Sollicitor LETTER LVIII A Letter from the Right Reverend Thomas Morton Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath Salutem in Christo Jesu Right Reverend and Dear Brother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I Do much joy to hear of your health wherein consisteth the comfort of many I have been much beholding unto Mr. Dr. Barlow for his pains both in commending your Lordships health unto me and in inviting me by his presence to write unto you yet more especially for the view that he gave me of your Treatise which is now lately published At the sight of the Inscription viz. The Religion professed by the Ancient Irish I was compelled to usurp that saying Num boni quid ex Galiloea Yet when I came and saw it is that good which beyond expectation doth much affect me This is Ex tenebris lucem Macte industriâ sanctitate and bless the World with your labours When I shall have any thing that may seem acceptable I shall be ready to impart it unto your Lordship My request is That when you shall have occasion for London I may be your Host for I lie directly in the Road In the interim let us I pray you enjoy the Rite of Christian Absents to pray one for another And thus desiring our Lord Jesus to preserve us to the glory of his Saving Grace I rest Your Lordship's loving Brother and Friend Tho. Coven Litch Eccleshall July 19 1623. LETTER LIX A Letter from the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath to the Most Reverend Dr. Hampton Arch-Bishop of Armagh My very good Lord IT is now above a fortnight since I received your Graces direction for prosecuting the Order for settlement of the payment of Tithes in the Escheated Counties whereof some question was made at the Council Table My Lord Docwra and my self the next day after we received your Letters addressed our selves unto the Lord Deputy and possessed him fully with the substance of the business Within two hours after your Graces Letter was openly read at the Table together with which I exhibited the Orders set down in your Triennial Visitation Anno 1620. Whereupon my Lord Deputy very honourably moved that the former Act of State might be renewed and enlarged with the addition of such particulars as were in your Orders expressed and there omitted It was replyed That the matter was of great importance and much concerned the Country and therefore it was not suddenly to be resolved upon until the advice of the Judges and some other of the Bishops were had therein In the mean time for the preparing of matters Mr. Vice-Treasurer my Lord Chief Justice Sir Roger Jones Sir Adam Loftus and my self were appointed to meet in private and to consider of those particulars in your Graces Order which were not formerly contained in the Act of State The things questioned at that meeting were 1. For the Titles of Warrens and Fish of which they made doubt whether they ought to be paid or no. 2. Of Tradesmen Merchants and Sellers of small Wares under which Title they said all sellers of Ale all manual Occupation and day Labourers might be comprehended yea and the Servants of all the Trades also as well as the Masters 3. To the Title of Milk and Calves they would have the words of Cheese and Butter added to take a way all questions about them 4. That no Seed of Hemp and Flax should be paid but such as are in the Bundle with the stalks of the Hemp and Flax as it was no otherwise I told them in the Order intended 5. Of Mortuaries was the last and greatest Controversie which being given heretofore as was alledged for praying for dead mens Souls it was by some said That it was against Law and Conscience to demand them now when such praying is held to be unlawful But generally the exception taken against the Order was That the poor only did suffer therein and therefore it was wished that a certainty might be laid down for all Mortuaries This is the substance of all that passed at that meeting since which I have attended divers times to see unto what issue these things might be brought at the Table And to be sure that nothing should be done therein in my absence I took with me your Graces Orders and the Commissioners Animadversions upon them and still detain them in mine own custody At last considering that it was your Graces pleasure that my Lord Chancellor should be made acquainted with this business before it came to the Table seeing by reason of his absence that could not then be done I thought it not amiss yesterday to move my Lord Deputy that things might be deferred until my Lord Chancellor's coming hither for now that my Lord Docwra is in England I think we shall not find any like affected unto us in this business as my Lord Deputy and Lord Chancellor have always shewed themselves to be My continual expectation of the ending of this matter hath occasioned the delay of my writing unto your Grace therein now as you shall be pleased to give me further direction I will either proceed in the same or forbear until we may have the benefit of my Lord Chancellor's presence While I was writing of this I received your Graces Letter brought by this Bearer together with his complaint made against Heglye and others in the prosecution of that suit I will according to your direction give order to my Official that these violent courses may be stayed until the truth of things upon further examination may appear I find more trouble with Mr. Heglye and Mr. Shepherd in causes of this nature than with all the Ministers in Meath beside and in truth my Lord unless some course be taken for restraining such unquiet spirits as these our whole Clergy will pessime audire for their sakes Yesterday I was fain my self to prefer a Petition to my Lord Deputy in the behalf of my Clergy that no Indictments might be permitted to proceed against them at the Assizes for matters of this kind but they might be referred to the Ecclesiastical Court unto which the cognisance of the right of Tithes doth properly appertain And I do discern at
divinitùs valida sunt ad subversionem munitionum Antichristi Davidis exemplo in nomine Domini exercituum addebellandum incircumcisum illum accessisti Certe hic in Anglia ad arma Ecclesiae communia capessenda quae preces sunt lachrymae heu nimis segnes sumus omnes alibi forsan ad arma carnalia minimè necessaria nimis proclives fuerunt valdè multi oraculi Apostolici non satis ut videtur memores de interitu Antichristi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod non solum de praedicatione veritatis vivâ voce sed etiam ac praecipuè de Polemicis Theologorum nostrorum scriptis interpretari licet quò Sibyllinum etiam illud a quibusdam transfertur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quoniam scilicet ex linteis contritis fit papyrus quae scriptioni inservit Sed quorsum haec apud Dominationem tuam Accedo ad illa quorum tu nupèr mentionem fecisti Fateor me ante annos aliquot quaedam meditatum fuisse quae verè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel etiam antidoti vice esse possent non solùm contrà venenata aliquam multorum scripta qui sacrosanctos fontes corruptelae passim insimulant sed etiam adversus nonnullorum Pontificiorum nostrorum de origine Biblicae punctationis scriptionisque admodùm periculosas vel certè nimis temerarias conjecturas quorundam etiam aliorum ex adversa parte judaizantium superstitiosas vel minùs probabiles opiniones Nam inter Biblicam masoreticam punctationem diligenter distinguendum esse censeo ut Veritatem tà m ab excessu quà m à defectu inter utrumque vindicemus sartam tectam defendamus Caeterùm haec etiam omnia id genus alia à nobis semipaganis qui nec otio nec literis abundamus qui literis quam libris sumus abundantiores ad te releganda sunt limatissimum tuum judicium stylum desiderant In his aliis ejusdem farinae spinosis perplexis nobis eris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel in Apologia quam in promptu habes pro sacrorum fontium puritate authentica utriusque instrumenti editione vel in Bibliotheca tua Theologica quam post lucubrationes tuas de Christianarum Ecclesiarum successione Expectemus Fieri quidem potest ut rectè quis sentiat forsan etiam firmissimis argumentis ostendat confirmet sed illud ipsum nec commodè nec expeditè nedum politè latinè proferre possit quod tamen in hoc de punctatione Hebraicâ argumento mihi videtur necessarium Quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adtinet lectum reperies in Manuscripto exemplari inter alia Symboli Apostolici Romanis characteribus expresso Cantabrigiae in Archivis Bibliothecae Benedictinae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iisdem ferè verbis cum lxx ut opinor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 63 cum Apostolo Ephes. 4. Mirum in modum debacchantur hic adversarii nostri quod non satis Theologi Catechistae nostri consentiunt in hoc articulo explicando Et certè populus plerisque in locis apud nos articulum hunc tantum non planè negare rejicere jamdudum occoepit Quod Concionatorum Catechistarum quorundam vel imperitia vel ut levissimè dicam incogitantiâ factum esse videtur Mihi semper maximè consentaneum visum est ad obstruendum os Pontificiis ad piorum consolationem si unà cum confutatione errorum de Limbo Patrum c. unum idemque doceamus profiteamur nempe juxta tum articulos Doctrinae Catholicae Ecclesiae Anglicanae tum utrumque Catechismum nostrum minorem majorem Christum scilicet Dominum nostrum verè reapse ad locum damnatorum descendisse quoad efficaciam infernum c. debellasse c. ut in Noellano Catechismo si dextrè intelligatur exprimitur Sed manum de tabula ne Epistolae modum excedendo gravissimum occupationum tuarum cursum impediam Temporis totiusque villicationis nostrae reddenda est ratio in die illo coram supremo judice Quoties mihi in mentem venit venit autem saepiuscule tua in me singularis Clementia toties me ipsum vel ingratitudinis vel socordiae accusare me posse videar quòd non faepius per literas officii grati animi significationem dederim Ignoscas igitur quaeso huic temeritati meae Christus opt max. Te incolumem servet precor omnique benedictionum genere cumulatiffimum reddat Vale Dominationi tuae devotissimus in Domino Guilielmus Eyre Colcestriae Martii vii 1623 4. LETTER LXV A Letter from Dr. James to Mr. Calandrine Good Mr. Calandrine I Am glad my Lord hath a mind this way I am told that he may perhaps have those fair Houses furnished for the speaking Godstow of Sir Tho. Walters which is not far from Oxford by Land or by Water at pleasure Water-Eaton of Sir Richard Lovelace four miles distant Waterstock of Sir Geo. Crooks six miles I move not because I hear not from his Lordship but if I may both Dr. Bambridge and my self will do our best for the best in our Intentions both for my Lord's Health and the facilitating of his Lordship's Studies Sir John Walter and Sir Geo. Crook may be spoken withal in London Concerning our beginning and that with the Councels taking Damasus de Pontificibus and the Epistles Decretals together I wish it here presently if we had my Lord of Canterbury's Letters and Copies Normannus certainly is no Anabaptist Alph. de Castro is in the Index Expurgatorius as well as Cajetan contrary to both our Expectations Not only the peices but the whole Tracts are at my Lord's command That of Anselm Plessis had not from me Of that my Cousin is transcribing I know that Asinus Burnelli of Nigellus Wiraker is long ago printed now out of print but he hath compared his Manuscript with two more and enlarged it the print is not to be come by Stampensis and Serlo I think are no where extant In my note D. I am not as yet assured to be that in Lambeth the sight will shew that it is a MS. so ancient that it was Theodorus's written almost in Gregory's Time The Copy of the Concordance I send you you need not keep a Copy of it for I have the Original by me Anentine of Ingolst I have not seen he is much corrupted as all our Historians two quire taken out of him two out of Cuspinian more than a quire out of Krantzius If my Cousin come I will perhaps send I dare not venture them otherwise Remember my Duty to my Lord sic te Deo Your assured Friend Tho. James April 11 1624. LETTER LXVI A Letter from Dr. Tho. James to Mr. Calandrine Good Mr. Calandrine I Receiv'd your last weeks Letter The Collection out of Stella I have but no Stella it self and that I will not trust an ordinary Carrier with the Lyon's Addition and the Index Expurgatorius of
to God and Honour to our King Thus fearing that I have troubled your Lordship with a slender Discourse humbly take my leave beseeching the Lord of Lords to multiply his Graces upon you recommending you with all yours to God's Grace and Mercy rest Your Lordship 's in all Duty to command Thomas Davies Aleppo 29th September 1624. LETTER LXXII A Letter from Sir H. Bourgchier to the Right Reverend James Usher Lord Bishop of Meath My very good Lord I Received your Lordship's Letter for which I return many thanks My Journy into Ireland is of such necessity that I cannot defer it long though I have many motives besides those mentioned by your Lordship to urge my stay As for the Books which you mention I find Jordanus in vitas Fratrum in the Catalogue of the Publick Library at Oxford Mr. Selden told me he never heard of the Author if any Library about London have it or that other Work of his I will endeavour to discover them As for the new Edition of Sealiger de Emendat Temporum as many as I speak withal are of opinion that it is so far from coming out that it is not yet come in to the Press Here are already come two Dry-fats of Mart Books and they expect but one more you may perceive by the Catalogue what they are Here will be very shortly some good Libraries to be had as Dr. Dee's which hath been long litigious and by that means unsold One Oliver a Physician of St. Edmundsbury of whose writing I have seen some Mathematical Tracts printed and Dr. Crakanthorp are lately dead If there be any extraordinary Books which your Lordship affects if you will be pleased to send a note of them they shall be bought Such News as we have you receive so frequently as coming from me they would be stale which you know destroys their very Essence We have had Bonfires Ringing Shouting and also Ballads and base Epithalamiums for the conclusion of the French Marriage and yet I am but modicae fidei Our Country-man Florence Mr. Carthye was committed to the Tower some five days since And thus remembring my best Affection to your Lordship and Mrs. Usher I will remain Your Lordship 's very affectionate Friend and Servant Henry Bourgchier London in haste Novemb. 24. 1624. LETTER LXXIII A Letter from Dr. Ward to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath at Much-Haddam in Essex My very good Lord IT was my purpose to have come to visit your Lordship at Haddam to morrow but the truth is upon Thusday last before I came out of Cambridg I was made acquainted with a business which will occasion my return to Cambridg to morrow I notwithstanding brought with me the Manuscripts of Bedes Ecclesiastical Story which I have of Sir R. Cotton's and have sent it unto you by this Bearer Walter Mark I will expect the Book from you when you have done with it for that I would keep it till Sir Robert restore a Book of mine which he had of Mr. Patrick Young I had purposed to have borrowed also out of our University Library Simeon Dunelmensis but I find that I am deceived in that I thought it had been his History or Chronicle but it is only the History of the Church of Durham and of the Endowments of that Church and not his History of England And thus sorry that my occasions will not suffer me to see your Lordship this time and with my kind Salutations to Sir Gerard Harvy and his Lady with Thanks for my kind Entertainment when I was there I commend you to the gracious Protection of the highest Majesty Your Lordship 's in all observance Samuel Ward Much-Mondon Jan. 2. 1624. LETTER LXXIV A Letter from the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath to Dr. Samuel Ward Good Mr. Doctor I Received by W. Marks your Ancient Bede which I suppose did sometime belong to the Church of Durham As soon as I have compared it with the printed Book I will not fail God willing to send it you safe back again As for Simeon Dunelmensis his History of the Church of Durham which is in the publick Library of your University I would intreat you to borrow it for me however it hath not proved to be the Chronicle which I at first desired for I have a great mind to see and transcribe all that hath been written by Simeon and Turgotus Dunelmensis Turgotus I hear is with Mr. Tho. Allen of Oxford and if my memory do not much deceive me at my being in England the last time before this you told me that you had begun to transcribe the Annals of Simeon Dunelmensis which continue the History of Bede I pray you if you know where those Annals may be had do your best to help me unto them I could wish that Mr. Lisle would take some pains in translating the Saxon Annals into our English Tongue for I do not know how he can more profitably imploy that Skill which God hath given to him in that Language If I had any opportunity to speak with him my self I would direct him to five or six Annals of this kind three of which belonging to Sir Rober Cotton I have in my hands at this present our of which there might be one perfect Annal made up in the English Tongue which might unfold unto us the full State of the Saxon Times But how that Gentleman's Mind stands affected that way I know not the feeling of his Mind therein I leave to you And so commending all your good Endeavours to the Blessing of our good God I rest Your most assured Friend Ja. Mid. Much-Haddam Jan. 4. 1624. LETTER LXXV A Letter from Sir H. Bourgchier to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath My very good Lord I Received your Lordship's Letter which was must wellcome to me and much more the News of your Recovery which was deliver'd to me by Mr. Burnet and by me to some others of your Friends who were no less glad than my self I am afraid that you converse too much with your Books I need not tell you the danger of a Relapse This News which I sent your Lordship deserved not Thanks because vulgar and trivial that of the Death of Erpenius is but too true and is much lamented by learned Men in all places for the cause by your Lordship truly expressed he died of the Plague Mr. Briggs was gone from London some three days before the Receipt of your Lordship's Letter But I will write to him that which I should have delivered by word of Mouth if he had tarried here In the collating of Books your Lordship hath made a good choice that being a fit study in time of Sickness as not so much imploying the Mind as other Studies As for Bede I doubt the Collation of him will be scarce worth your labour For as far as I went they seemed rather to be variantes lectiones than material Differences a very few excepted To make use
his own Wants and Desires himself I have trespassed too much on your Lordship whom God long preserve Your Lordship 's in all Duty Tho. James Oxon Feb. 15th 1624. LETTER LXXVIII A Letter from Dr. Ward to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath at Much-Haddam in Essex Right Reverend I Received your Lordship's Letter which I should have answered ere now But the truth is I had a purpose to have seen your Lordship at my return from London at the end of the Term but I was hindred in that intention And since my return home I heard your Lordship was fallen into a burning Fever whereupon I purposed to have made a Journey to visit your Lordship and to that purpose went to Mr. Crane to have his Company But being born in hand by one of Jesus Colledg that he should shortly hear from Haddam how your Lordship did the Party went out of Town and so I heard nothing till Mr. Crane came home I did hear at London of the decease of the late Primate of Armagh and of your Lordship's Designment by his Majesty to succeed in that place which I pray God may turn to his Glory the Good of the Nation and your own Comfort and Contentment I have borrowed of Mr. Vice-Chancellor the Book wherein is the History of the Church of Lindifern after of Durham it is in four Books the Book is none of those which Bale mentioneth I borrowed it of him for two Months It is one of them which Matthew Parker gave to the University-Library I spake with Mr. Lisle as touching the setting of some of the Saxon Chronicles He saith he hath seen some but few of them have any thing which are not in other Chronicles now extant If you have any which you think were worth his pains I would incite him thereunto I suppose your Lordship hath seen the Process against the Corps Picture and Books of the Arch-bishop of Spalato Unwise Man that could not easily have presaged these things By halting between two he hath much obscured his worth with all Parties I have perused some of Dr. Crakenthorp's Book which is well done I purpose to see your Lordship at Easter if God will and you continue with Sir Gerard Harvy This Messenger bringeth the Book and things from Mr. Crane with two Letters from him Thus with my Prayers to God for the Recovery of your Health and to bless you in all your Affairs with my best Wishes I commend your Lordship to the gracious Protection of the highest Majesty Your Lordship 's in all Practice Samuel Ward Cambridg this 21st of March 1624. LETTER LXXIX A Letter from Sir H. Bourgchier to the Right Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh at Much-Haddam Salutem in Christo. Most Reverend in Christ IN discharge of my Promise and that great Obligation of Thankfulness due from me I thought good to present these Lines to your Lordship Your Friends here were glad to conceive so good hope of your perfect Recovery which I doubt not will be daily greater I have herewithal sent your Lordship Eusebius's Chronicle and Asserins de vita Alfredi from Mr. Patrick Young together with the remembrance of his Love and Service It was neither his fault nor mine that you had them not sooner He desires that your Lordship will be pleased to return the Transcript of Epistles which you borrowed of me if you have not present occasion to use them for among them are some Epistles of Grossetede which my Lord Keeper desires to have having contracted with the Printer for the Impression of his Works with which he goes in hand presently as I told your Lordship Sir Rob. Cotton hath not yet gotten Malmesbury de Antiquit. Glaston but expects it daily I have been with my Lord of Winehester and presented your Lordship's Love and best Respects to him I also told him of your Samaritan Pentateuch of which he was very glad and desires to see it with your Lordship's best Convenience He keeps his Chamber for a Cold being otherwise very well Since my being with your Lordship I understand that Mr. Mountagues Appeal to Caesar for so he stiles it is in the Press I am promised Sirmundus upon Sidonius Apollinaris and Anastasius Bibliothecarius History which are not common the former with Savarons Notes I have but Mr. Selden will furnish your Lordship in the mean time with both Vettius Valens in Greek is Mr. Selden's now but was sometimes Dr. Dees But the rest of his Books will be had very shortly as many as are worth the having and so much de re literaria Now your Lordship will expect something of the publick Occurrents of the World which may be to you some Recreation The Siege of Breda holds still the Prince of Orange will be in the Field by the 20th of April Stylo novo with 50000 Foot 9000 Horse and 150 pieces of Ordnance and as they say is resolved to fight rather then Breda shall be lost Here is now great talk of the French Match and of the Duke 's present Journey thither but I confess I believe little For I hear others speak of the Popes Nephew Cardinal Barberino coming with great Pomp into France and as some say rather to hinder thâ—n further the Match Here is great preparation for a Fleet to go to Sea They speak of a Press of 10000 Land Souldier and 7000 Mariners to furnish that Fleet and that it shall be victual'd for eight Months Here is News come out of Spain of a great loss lately sustained by the Spaniards in the South Sea and that by the Holland Fleet that went for Lima. And thus wishing your Lordship perfect Health and as much Happiness as to my self I will ever remaim Your Lordship 's very affectionate Friend and humble Servant Henry Bourgchier London March 23d 1624. LETTER LXXX A Letter from the Bishop of Kilmore to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop Elect of Armagh Most Reverend and my honourable good Lord I Do congratulate with unspeakable Joy and Comfort your Preferment and that both out of the true and unfeigned Love I have ever born you for many years continued as also out of an assured and most firm Perswasion that God hath ordained you a special Instrument for the good of the Irish Church the growth whereof notwithstanding all his Majesty's Endowments and Directions receives every day more Impediments and Oppositions than ever And that not only in Ulster but begins to spread it self into other places so that the Inheritance of the Church is made Arbitrary at the Council-Table Impropriators in all places may hold all ancient Customs only they upon whom the Cure of Souls is laid are debarr'd St. Patrick's Ridges which you know belonged to the Fabrick of that Church are taken away Within the Diocess of Ardagh the whole Clergy being all poor Vicars and Curats by a Declaration of one of the Judges this last Circuit by what direction I know not without speedy remedy will be brought to much
to move his Majesty that he the said Doctor might be spoken to for the surrendering of his Patent together with the renewing of a former Suit of making him my Servant in that place sealed up with a promise of rendring his due obedience and thankfulness unto me for my favour So far was he then from those high terms whereon he now standeth But the case is now so far altered that this obedient Servant of mine affecteth not an Equality only with me by exempting himself wholly from my controul but also for ought I see a Superiority over me For if it shall please him to visit my Diocess or my Province as he did in the time of my Predecessor what is there in that Patent as he hath drawn it whereby I may hinder him from so doing Your Honour may by private Instructions and his Discretion free your self of this fear faith my Lord-Keeper in his Marginal Annotations upon my former Letter But good my Lord give me leave to think that the hope of such a Prize as he got by his other Visitation of all the Arch-bishops and Bishops in our Kingdom will very easily blind this Man's Discretion and for my private Instructions what weight will they be of if it be now thought a matter not reasonable that my Substitute should be tied by them As for the Report which your Lordships are to make unto his Majesty upon the reference of this Business unto you I humbly crave that for so much as doth concern me it may be made to this effect First That I never did nor do refuse to submit my self to that Agreement which you have put under your hands to be signified to his Majesty but am ready to perform it in every particular Secondly That for the limiting of my Substitute and the terms whereupon he must hold his Place under me of which there is nothing laid down in that Agreement which you have signed that which concerneth Fees and Profits only excepted I do desire that his Patent only be drawn according to the Pattern of Sir Henry Martin's and that the same Power may be reserved to me and my Successors that my Lord of Canterbury's Grace doth retain unto himself in the exercise of the Office of Prerogative and Faculties Which if it may here stand well with Sir Henry Martin's Reputation I see not but it may stand as well likewise in Ireland without any such great disparagement to Mr. Doctor 's Dignity And lastly If the Doctor herein shall not hold himself to be fairly and exceeding favourably dealt withal my desire is that both of us may be left to the Law to try our Rights together For thereby it shall be made as clear as the Light that the Doctor 's Patent was absolutely void or voidable ab initio that whatsoever validity it had at the beginning yet it was afterwards forfeited by his notorious Misdemeanour and in fine that it was actually surrendred into the Hands of His Majesty and by him cassated and annulled howsoever the Ceremony of cancelling it hath been neglected Which kind of Trial by course of Law I do now the rather desire yet strill submitting my self to the former Agreement if it shall so seem fit unto your Lordships 1. Because the Doctor wished mine Agent to certify me in plain terms that he would not be under me and hereby for his part hath disclaimed the benefit of your Lordships Order 2. Because by his incensing of my Lord of Canterbury against me of whose Grace I never yet deserved evil by his abusing of me in his Reports unto your Lordships and by his disgraceful traducing of me in all Companies he hath made himself utterly unworthy of the Favour which I intended to shew unto him 3. Because as long as my Life shall be conceived to remain in that pretended Patent the validity of the Acts that have passed in the Prerogative Court during the time of my Predecessor some whereof have been of very great moment may be held in suspence it being still questionable whether they were done coram non-Judice or no. All which I leave unto your honourable consideration and humbly craving pardon if I have any way overshot my self in defending mine Innocency and Reputation against the unworthy Proceedings of my ungrateful Accuser I rest Your Lordships ready to do you Service J. A. Much Haddam Aug. 20. 1625. LETTER XCIII A Letter from Mr. John Selden to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh My Lord IT was most glad News to me to hear of your so forward Recovery and I shall pray for the addition of Strength to it that so you may the easier go on still in the advancement of that Common-wealth of Learning wherein you can so guide us I humbly thank your Lordship for your Instructions touching the Samaritan Bible and the Books I have returned the Saxon Annals again as you desired with this suit that if you have more of them for these are very slight ones and the old Book of Ely Historia Jornallensis the Saxon Evangelist the Book of Worcester the Book of Mailros or any of them you will be pleased to send me them all or as many as you have of them by you and what else you have of the History of Scotland and Ireland and they shall be returned at your pleasure if you have a Saxon Bede I beseech you let that be one also If I have any thing here of the rest or ought else that your Lordship requires for any present use I shall most readily send them to you and shall ever be Your Lordship's most affectionate Servant J. Selden Sept. 14. 1625. Wrest Sept. 19. Sent him upon this Annales Latino-Saxonici the Book of Mailros Fordoni Scotichronic Fragment Scotic Annal. ad finem Ivonis Carnot Fragment Annalium Abb. B. Mariae Virginis Dublin Annales Hiberniae Thomae Case The Book of Hoath Pembrig's Annals Ms. There is hope as Sir Robert Cotton tells me that a very ancient Greek MS. Copy of the Council of Nice the first of them of that name is to be had some where in Huntingdonshire I thought it was a piece of News that would be acceptable to your Lordship he is in chase for it LETTER XCIV A Letter from Mr. John Cotton of Boston in New-England to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Right Reverend MY beloved Neighbour-Minister Mr. Wood acquainted me with your desire to hear from me how I conceived of the way of God's eternal Predestination and the Execution of it I should not have hearkned to him herein tho I love him well were it not for the deep Affection and Reverence I bear to your Person and Gifts which hath constrained me together with his importunacy to yield to the sending of this Discourse to you which I was occasioned to write a year ago for the satisfaction of a Neighbour-Minister in Points of this nature The Questions and Answers in the beginning of the Book I delivered and opened
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
Letter for his Consecration is like to be there as soon as this I am heartily glad of his good Preferment but am somewhat grieved withal that the Colledg hath enjoyed him for so small a time who was like to make it much happy by his careful Government Some fear there is conceived that one or other from hence may be put upon the House who will not it may be so truly aim at the religious Education of the Students for some one deeply tainted with the Arminian Tenets putteth in close to be recommended thither by his Majesty and thinks to prevail by that means This I thought good to certify that your Grace may give timely warning thereof to the Fellows that they may make a wary and a safe Election of some sound Scholar and Orthodox Divine I will not presume to name any but I think Mr. Mead might be well thought of the place being formerly intended for him and he generally reputed a very able Man for such a Charge The Earl of Totnes departed this Life some ten days since his Corps is not yet buried Soon after his decease I went and made enquiry after that Press of Books and Manuscripts which only concern Ireland and asked whether he had left them as a Legacy to our Colledg as your Lordship heretofore moved him and as he himself lately promised to Sir Fran Annesly and my self that he would whatsoever the good Man intended or whatsoever direction he gave I cannot learn but the Colledg is not like to get them for one Sir Thomas Stafford the reputed Son of the said Earl hath got them and many other Things of my Lord 's into his hands out of which there will be hard wringing of them Sir Fran. Annesly and I have earnestly dealt with him that he would give them to the Colledg as the Earl intended to leave them and if not that he would let your Lordship have the refusal of them before any other if they be to be made away he absolutely refuseth to part with them upon any terms alleadging that he purposeth to erect a Library wherein they and all other the Earl's Books are to be preserved for his everlasting memory He promiseth withal that if your Grace or any that your Lordship will appoint hath a mind to exemplify write out or collect any thing out of any of the said Books and Manuscripts he will most willingly affoyd your Lordship or them a fire and leasurely use of the same as to you shall seem sitting and this was all that we could get from him If your Lordship's Letter can be so powerful it were not amiss to write to himself for it may be conjectured for all his fair pretences that a ready sum of Mony may make an easy purchase of them In my last Letter I advertised your Lordship how far I had proceeded in the business of Armagh since which time I have driven it to no further perfection partly because I expect to hear your Lordship's express pleasure therein and partly by reason of the Lord Keeper and Lord Grandison's late Sickness which hath kept them and the rest of the Committees from meeting to make a final determination of their Report that his Majesty's Letter may be procured accordingly for the setting off all things to your Lordship's desire If the Report were once made the Letter shall come speedily over and in a sufficient time to settle all before the Parliament sit or can conclude any Acts for restraining of Bishops to set any Leases for any longer term than one and twenty Years Thus recommending your Lordship to the blessed protection of the Almighty and humbly intreating your Lordship to have a vigilant care for the providing of an able Head to the Colledg I humbly take leave and remain Your Grace's Servant Archibald Hamilton White-hall April 8. 1629. LETTER CXXXVIII 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 Received your Lordship's Letter of the 22d of March by Sir Jo. Neutervill I doubt not but your Grace hath heard of the Greek Library brought from Venice by Mr. Fetherston which the Earl of Pembroke hath bought for the University-Library of Oxford it cost him 700 l. there are of them 250 Volumes Dr. Lindsell now Dean of Litchfield tells me that it is a great Treasure far exceeding the Catalogue He likewise tells me that there are a great number of excellent Tracts of the Greek Fathers never yet published besides divers ancient Historians and Geographers and particularly that there is as much of Chrysostom as will make a Volume equal to any of those published by Sir H. Savil I do not hear of any Books brought home by Sir Thomas Rae besides the ancient Greek Bible which was sent to his Majesty by him from Cyrill the old Patriarch sometime of Alexandria but now of Constantinople It is that which went among them by Tradition to be written by St. Tecla the Martyr and Scholar of the Apostles but it is most apparent not to be so ancient by some hundreds of years and that as for divers reasons so especially because there is before the Psalms a Preface of Athanasius I hear he hath brought home a rare Collection of Coyns and Medals I now spend my spare time in gathering Matter for the Story of Hen. 8. which in time if God spare me Life and Health I intend to publish And thus with the tender of my Love and Service to your Grace I will remain Your Grace's very affectionate Friend and humble Servant Henry Bourgchier Lond. April 13. 1629. LETTER CXXXIX A Letter from the Right Honourable the Lord Falkland Lord Deputy of Ireland to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh My Lord I Have received information both of the unreverend manner of publishing the late Proclamation at Drogedah and the ill observance of the same since it was published For the first That it was done in scornful and contemptuous sort a drunken Souldier being first set up to read it and then a drunken Serjeant of the Town both being made by too much Drink uncapable of that task and perhaps purposely put to it made the same seem like a May-game And for the latter That there is yet very little obedience shewed thereto by the Friers and Priests only that they have shut up the Fore-doors of some of their Mass-houses but have as ordinary recourse thither by their private Passages and do as frequently use their superstitious Service there as if there were no command to the contrary those Mass-houses being continued in their former use though perhaps a little more privately without any demolishing of their Altars c. I expected to have been informed as well of the publishing thereof there as of the Effects it had wrought from no Man before your Lordship both in respect of your Profession and the eminent place you hold in the Church and of your being a
service to your Grace I rest Your Grace's in all duty W. Kilmore Kilmore Decemb. 28. 1629. LETTER CL. A Letter from L. Robinson to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh My honourable and most dear Lord MY poor Prayers to God shall never be wanting for the continuance and increase of your Lordship's Health and all true Happiness nor my serviceable and thankful Affections for all your noble Favours done to me and mine I forbear to treat with my Lord of Kilmore altogether about any of those things which are divulged under his hand being perswaded his Desires were only to do good and assured himself sees his expectation fail in them partly by the Apology he made for himself amongst his Ministers gathered together in the Church of Kilmore at the inhibiting of Mr. Cook where he shewed much grief that there were divers scandalous Reports rais'd of him As that he was a Papist an Arminian an Equivocator Politician and traveller into Italy that he bow'd his Knee at the Name of Jesus pull'd down the late Bishop's Seat because it was too near the Altar preached in his Surplice c. There generally he affirmed his education in Christian Religion and his love to the Truth shewing the Reasons of his Travels and the Use of the Ceremonies not to hinder any Man's liberty of Conscience nor urge Conscience but as he had voluntarily practis'd them in England for the good of some others so here Some things he denied and others he shew'd Reasons for so that he gave us all good satisfaction and we hope we shall have much comfort in him Yet 't is true he sent a strange Absolution to an Irish Recusant in a Letter using many good Instructions for the Man was sick in this form If you be content to receive Christ and believe in him by the Authority which is given to me I absolve you from all your Sins you have confessed to Almighty God and are truly contrite for in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Amen Thus craving pardon for being troublesome to your Grace I take leave and will ever rejoice to remain Your Lordship 's poor Servant to be commanded Lau. Robinson Farnh Jan. 18. 1629. LETTER CLI A Letter from Sir Henry Bourgchier to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Most Reverend in Christ and my very good Lord I Did very lately presume to present my Service to your Grace by my Servant whom I sent into Ireland whose return from thence I expect very shortly and by him to hear at least of your Grace's Health and welfare than which no news can be more welcome to me Your Friends here as many as I know are all well Sir Rob. Cotton is not altogether free of his Trouble but he and his Friends hope he shall shortly Mr. Selden is also a Prisoner in the King's-Bench but goes abroad when he pleaseth so that his Friends enjoy him often I hope we shall have his Titles of Honour very shortly At Paris there is ready to come forth the King of Spain's Bible that was It will be now in ten Volumes whereas the other was but in eight and much fairer than the other as they say that have seen it which I think can hardly be Here is little News at this present The French Army is gone into Italy commanded by the Cardinal Richleau The Imperialists are so terrified with their coming that they have raised the Siege of Mantua and drawn themselves into the Dutchy of Milan for the defence thereof There is a Treaty of Peace there and in the Low-Countries of a Truce between the King of Spain and the States and the Spanish Ambassador is here about the same Business and ours in Spain And these several Treaties depend so one upon another that it is thought it will either prove a general Peace or a general War I wrote to your Grace in my former Letter of Mr. Vossius being here in England Within these two days I heard from him by Mr. Junius his Brother-in-law who went over with him He liked his entertainment so well in England that he hath now a good mind to settle himself here Concerning our own poor Country I can say nothing only that the Business of Philim Mac Teagh is in question which I mention the rather because your Grace had your part in it as a Commissioner The King hath sat two days already with the Lords and heard it with great patience and attention My Lord of Falkland as I hear hath ended his part which was to answer the Certificate and Report of the Commissioners in Ireland as far as it touched himself Sir Henry Beatinges part is next when those have done the other side shall have liberty to reply I cannot hear any speech of a new Deputy I believe the Government will continue as it is and the rather because it is a saving way which these Times do easily hearken unto I have sent your Grace here inclosed something that hath been lately done concerning the Church of England I doubt not but your Grace hath received it from other hands but I thought good to adventure it howsoever I intend with God's Assistance to be in Ireland about the midst of March at the farthest If your Grace desire any thing from hence I shall willingly conveigh it to you and if they be Books I can do it conveniently because I carry many of my own I will desire your Grace to esteem me in the number of those who most reverence and honour you and will ever approve himself Your Grace's most affectionate Friend and humble Servant Henry Bourgchier London Jan. 21. 1629. LETTER CLII. 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 report of your Grace's indisposition how sorrowful it was to me the Lord knows albeit the same was somewhat mitigated by other News of your better Estate In that fluctuation of my mind perhaps like that of your Health the saying of the Apostle served me for an Anchor That none of us liveth to himself neither doth any die to himself For whether we live we live to the Lord or whether we die we die to the Lord Whether we live therefore or die we are the Lord's Thereupon from the bottom of my heart commending your Estate and that of his Church here which how much it needs you he knows best to our common Master though I had written large Letters to you which have lien by me sundry Weeks fearing in your sickness to be troublesom I thought not to send them but to attend some other opportunity after your perfect recovery to send or perhaps bring them When I understood by Mr. Dean of his Journey or at least sending an express Messenger to you with other Letters putting me also in mind that perhaps it would not be unwelcome to you to hear from me though you
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
of him to what value the Temporal Rents not yet passed in reversion do arise and what proportion thereof Sir John Bathe is now a passing in his Book 3. Whereas the Lords Justices in their Letter do signifie unto 〈◊〉 that such a Certificate had been made unto his Majesty by the Lord Treasurer and Chancellor of the Exchequer you may certifie them that Sir John Bathe sent unto me a Certificate under their hands to view wherein they do inform his Majesty that in their Judgments the granting of 〈◊〉 l. Rent in Reversion will countervail the Sum which Sir John was to remit but that there was no other thing leâ—t to be passed but Impropriations which is the main thing that concerns this business that to my remembrance they meddle not with at all and Sir John Bathe by the Temporal Lands that now he is passing in his Book doth prove it to be otherwise 4. Take a view of Sir John Bathe's Letter and consider with your Counsel first whether there be any general Non obstante in it against all precedent Instructions and Directions of which I much doubt And secondly Whether any such general Non obstante have power to cross the particular Letter which in â—y apprehension is more then an Instruction at large which I brought over from his Majesty that now is for the disposing of the Impropriations otherwise 5. Let Sir John Bathe be demanded upon his Conscience whether he did so much as know that I had obtained any such Letter from his Majesty when he procured his If he did why did he not to take away all suspicion of surreption cause a special Non obstante to be inserted against it as well as he hath done against another particular Instruction mentioned in the end of his Letter If he did not as his Kinsman who brought me the Lords Justices Letters assured me he did not how in any common intendment can it be presumed that the Particularities of my former Letter were 〈◊〉 into due consideration and revoked by his Majesty If it be alledged that his Letter coming after mine is of it self a sufficient Revocation thereof I alledg in like manner that this last Letter of mine coming after his is of it self a sufficient Revocation of his and so much the more by far because his was obtained upon my direct Complaint against Sir John Bathe's Letter as surreptitiously procured which I take to be a Non-obstante sufficient enough against him whatsoever it be against any other whereas in the procuring of Sir John Bathe's there was no notice at all taken of my particular Letter 6. You are to 〈…〉 the Instructions which they received with the Sword they are 〈…〉 make stay of the passing of any Grant for which the King's Letters are brought unto them where they have cause to doubt whether his Majesty were fully informed or no concerning the 〈◊〉 or inconveniency of that Particular Wherein if my Lord of London's Letter be not of authority sufficient otherwise to make a legal Attestation of his Majesties Royal Intendâ—ent yeâ— I suppoâ—◠〈◊〉 will 〈◊〉 so much weight with it as to 〈◊〉 theâ—◠〈◊〉 little which longer as they have done 〈◊〉 when they had nothing so strong a 〈◊〉 until his Majesty being fully informed upon both sides shall signifie his express Pleasure unto them in this particular And in doing otherwise they may justly conceive that it will be charged upon them for a neglect in performance of his Majesties Pleasure LETTER CLVII A Letter from the Right Reverend George Downham Bishop of London-Derry to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Most Reverend MY very good Lord. The Book and Papers which you were pleased to send to me I have now returned with Thanks Of which I made this use so soon as I had received them that I gave Directions to Mr. Price to insert those Additions unto the 13th Chapter of Perseverance and § 3. both in the beginning whereof I spake of Adulti of whom properly this Controversy is understood And in the end thereof where I speak of Infants touching whom I say first That this Controversy is not understood of those who neither are endued with Habit of Grace nor are able to produce the Acts thereof as not having the use of Reason And therefore being neither justified by Faith nor sanctified by the Habits of Grace cannot be said to fall from them Thus I thought good to rid my self of that Question rather then to profess a difference from them who notwithstanding that Objection taken from Baptism agree with me in the Doctrine of Perseverance yet I must profess to your Grace that I do not subscribe to their Opinion who extend the benefit of Baptism beyond either the Purpose or Covenant of Grace But hereof more when it shall please God to give us a meeting In the mean time and always I commend your Grace to the gracious Protection of the Almighty In whom I ever rest Your Grace's in all Duty Georg. Derens. Fawne April 24. 1630. LETTER CLVIII A Letter from the Right Reverend Thomas Morton Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Salutem in Christo Jesu Most Reverend I Was right glad to receive by your Graces own Letters the report of your late almost desperate Sickness they being therein the Messengers of your present Health Wherein I and others are to acknowledg the Mercâ— of God unto us who hath preserved you to be still a most emâ—nenâ—â—nstrument of his Glory and Comfort of his Church I do also condole with your Lordship the loss of those rare Lights of Learning mentioned in your Letter but yet enjoying also with you the hopes of their Blessedness Your Grace inquires after Christ his Mass a Fruit which will not be in season before Michaelmas I have an eager longing to be made partaker Histoâ—icae Controversiae Predestinatianae together with your new Edition of altering the Jesuits Challenge I had the sight of your Adversaries Book but obiter at what time I alight on a palpable Falsification of his but ea est infelicitas Memoriae that I have forgot it else according to my Duty I should have acquainted your Grace with it Good my Lord that which our outward Man denieth let our inward continually seek to embrace and enjoy our mutual presence by brotherly Affection and holy Prayer unto God that we may be that which we profess Filii Gratiae Charitate Fratres Our Lord Jesus preserve us to the Glory of his saving Grace Your Grace's in respectful Acknowledgment Tho. Covent Litchfield Eccleshall-Castle May 21 1630. LETTER CLIX. A Letter from the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh to Dr. Ward Salutem à salutis fonte D. N. Jesu Christo. YOur Letter of the 24th of November lay by the way almost a quarter of a Year before it came into my hands but was the most welcome when it came of any that I did receive from
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
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
IT is Lawful to fight in the Company of notorious wicked men and of a different Faith looking at the Cause whatever inordinate ends they have The Primitive Christians fought in the Company of Heathens and Idolaters under their Heathen Emperors and did by prayer obtain relief for the whole Army when it was in distress Which did also shew That God approved that their Service it being the duty they owed to their Lawful Emperors From the performance of which duty to a Sovereign the many evil Examples and occasions of Sin which the Military life abounds with cannot excuse that Subject that is justly Commanded to it But the Conscionable Souldier must commend himself to the Grace and Protection of the Almighty who is able to keep him from the dangers as of the Body so of the Soul too Remember the Examples of the good and faithful Centurion that came to our Saviour Luke 7. And of the Godly Centurion Cornelius who is approved of God Acts 10. To the Seventh FOR obeying Extrajudicial Precepts of his Majesty If they be such as command a Man to be Active in doing that which is unjust by the known Laws of the Land he yields truest Obedience that denies to fulfil such a Command Only this must not be generally pronounced as a Rule in time of War where necessity will be in many things a stronger Law than that which is fixed for a peaceable Government But if they be such Commands as make me only Passive by requiring some of my Estate upon a Loan or Tax I may not hastily square with my Sovereign by denyal and standing out For any Man as he may recede from his right and that which is his own so ought he not to contest with his Sovereign upon matters of no very great Moment As for the Infringing of the Liberties of the Subject such Taxes or Loans or any other Extrajudicial Commands of the King must be General extending to all or most Subjects and Customary being often imposed before they can be judged so immediately to infringe the Subject's Liberty as to make a Subject think he is bound to deny To the Last TO yield to Martialists quartered upon him if they be the King 's he is bound in duty if of the Rebels he is directed by prudence to yield unto it when they can by force command it About this time he also preached before the King on a Fast day the Text 2 Chron. 7. 14. If my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways Then will I hear from Heaven and will forgive their Sin and will heal their Land In this Sermon among other things suitable to the occasion he had this remarkable passage viz. The casting of our Eyes upon other mens sins more than upon our own makes us to esteem the things we suffer to be the injuries of men and not the punishments of God When the outward senses fail we take it to be a sign of approaching death and so when we are given over to have Eyes and see not Ears and hear not it is an argument of decaying Souls For as no Prayers or Fastings in the World can sanctifie a Rebellion nor tempt God to own an unjust party so neither will a good cause alone justifie us any more than a true Religion without practice we must first do our duties otherwise neither the one nor the other will do us any good with many other things against that looseness and debauch'dness of manners which he had observed in too many who believed that the being of the right side would atone for all other faults Thus he neither spared or flattered any when his duty required him to speak the truth and to reprove those sins that were most scandalous at that time and place He would also tell them in conversation that such actions would frustrate all our hopes of success for how could they expect that God should bless their Arms whilst they were fighting against him Nor was he less severe against the actions of the then Rebellious Houses against his Majesty and declared against the War they made as wicked and of fatal Consequence and which cast an irreparable scandal upon the Reformed Religion so that they thereby rendered themselves liable to the Censures of the Church that might justly have been pronounced against them And during the Treaty of Peace at Uxbridge he preached likewise before the King on a Fast day upon Jam. 3. 18. The fruits of Righteousness is sown in Peace of them that make Peace Wherein he shewed from vers 16. the great evils which come of Contention Strife and War and from whence they proceed and the great happiness and blessings of Peace and wished that those then up in Arms in a Rebellious manner against their Prince would seriously consider this and speedily accept of those gracious Concessions that His Majesty then offer'd though all to no purpose for the Treaty quickly after broke off the Rebels being too stout to yield to any equal Terms and so that unhappy War for a short time suspended broke out again with greater violence never ceasing till at last it ended not only with the murder of the best of Kings but also with the loss and destruction of those very Rights and Priviledges for which these men pretended to shed so much blood And now it being given out that Oxford would soon be besieged year 1644 5 and that the King would speedily quit that place the Lord Primate was advised by his friends if it were possible to be avoided not to run that hazard and therefore having been before invited by his Son-in-law Sir Timothy Tyrrel who had married his only Daughter to come to them to Caerdiffe in Wales where the said Sir Timothy was then Governor and General of the Ordnance under the Lord Gerard Lieutenant General of his Majesty's Forces in South Wales which invitation the Lord Primate resolved to accept and so having taken leave of His Majesty he with his approbation took the opportunity of waiting upon his Highness the Prince of Wales our late Gracious Sovereign as far as Bristol and from thence he went to Caerdiffe where his Son and Daughter welcomed him with all that Joy and Affection which so good a Father after so long an absence could expect Here he staid almost a year free from the dangers of War this being a strong Garrison and well manned which invited many persons of good Quality to come thither for safety so that the Lord Primate had a good opportunity to pursue his Studies having brought many Chests of Books along with him and he now made a great progress in the first part of his Annals Whilst he was at Caerdiffe his Majesty after the fatal Battle at Naseby came into Wales to my Lord Marquess of Worcester's at Ragland and from thence to Caerdiffe where he staid some days And the Lord Primate then enjoyed the satisfaction
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
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
Most Reverend William Laud Arch-Bishop of Canterbury to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 476 CLXXXV A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Dr. Samuel Ward 477 CLXXXVI A Letter from Ludovicus de Dieu to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 478 CLXXXVII A Letter from Ludovicus de Dieu to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 480 CLXXXVIII A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Ludovicus de Dieu 481 CLXXXIX A Letter from the Most Reverend William Laud Arch-Bishop of Canterbury to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 482 CXC A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Gerardus Vossius 483 CXCI. A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Fredericus Spanhemius 484 CXCII A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Constantinus L'Empereur ab Oppych 485 CXCIII A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Ludovicus de Dieu 486 CXCIV A Letter from Ludovicus de Dieu to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 487 CXCV. A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Ludovicus de Dieu 487 CXCVI. A Letter from Mr. J. Battiere to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 488 CXCVII A Letter from Constantinus L'Empereur ab Oppych to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 490 CXCVIII. A Letter from Arnoldus Bootius to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 491 CXCIX A Letter from Dr. William Gilbert to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 492 CC. A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Dr. Samuel Ward 494 CCI. A Letter from Sir Simon D'Ewes to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 495 CCII. A Letter from the Right Honourable Dudly Loftus Lord Chancellor of Ireland to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 497 CCIII A Letter from Mr. Arnold Boate to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 498 CCIV. A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Lewis de Dieu 499 CCV A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh concerning the Sabbath and Observation of the Lords Day 500 CCVI. A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Sir Simon D'Ewes 505 CCVII. A Letter from Johannes Priceus to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 506 CCVIII A Letter from Sybilla Christiana Comitiss Hanoviae to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 507 CCIX. A Letter from D. Blondellus to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 508 CCX A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Claudius Salmasius 508 CCXI. A Letter from Mr. John Greaves to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 509 CCXII. A Letter from Dr. Gerard Langbaine to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 510 CCXIII. A Letter from Christianus Ravius to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 511 CCXIV. A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Dr. Gerard Langbaine 512 CCXV A Leter from Dr. Gerard Langbaine to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 513 CCXVI A Letter from Dr. Gerard Langbaine to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 514 CCXVII A Letter from T. to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 515 CCXVIII A Letter from the Right Reverend Joseph Hall Bishop of Norwich to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 516 CCXIX. A Letter from Mr. Patrick Young to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 517 CCXX A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Fredericus Spanhemius 518 CCXXI A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Johannes Gerardus Vossius 518 CCXXII A Letter from the Right Reverend Thomas Barlow now Bishop of Lincoln to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 519 CCXXIII. A Letter from Claudius Sarravius to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 521 CCXXIV. A Letter from Fredericus Spanhemius to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 522 CCXXV. A Letter from Dr. Gerard Langbaine to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 523 CCXXVI A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Christophorus Justellus 526 CCXXVII A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Claudius Sarravius 527 CCXXVIII A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Isaacus Vossius 527 CCXXIX A Letter from the Right Reverend Joseph Hall Bishop of Norwich to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 528 CCXXX A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to the Right Reverend Joseph Hall Bishop of Norwich 529 CCXXXI A Letter from Gerardus Johannes Vossius to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 529 CCXXXII A Letter from Dr. Jsaac Basire to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 530 CCXXXIII A Letter from Sir Thomas Ryves to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 531 CCXXXIV A Letter from Mr. Arnold Boate to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 533 CCXXXV A Letter from Dr. Gerard Langbaine to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 535 CCXXXVI A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Dr. Alexander More 536 CCXXXVII A Letter from Sir Thomas Reeves to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 537 CCXXXVIII A Letter from Isaacus Gruterus to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 538 CCXXXIX A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Johannes Gerardus Vossius 539 CCXL A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Johannes Hevelius 540 CCXLI. A Letter from Dr. Henry Hammond to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 541 CCXLII. A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Dr. Henry Hammond 541 CCXLIII A Letter from Dr. Henry Hammond to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 542 CCXLIV A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Dr. Henry Hammond 542 CCXLV A Letter from Dr. Henry Hammond to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 543 CCXLVI A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Dr. Henry Hammond 543 CCXLVII. A Letter from Mr. Edward Davenant to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 544 CCXLVIII A Letter from Mr. Abraham Wheelock to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 545 CCXLIX A Letter from Isaacus Gruterus to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 547 CCL A Letter from Petrus Scavenius to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 547 CCLI A Letter
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
though in substance they agree yet in many circumstances they disagree as for example in many particulars in the said Prefaces also in the distinction of Canons and sometimes in Titles So it should seem also for number of Decretal Epistles if that which Eckius saw were the same with that H. Canisius had for it should seem that Eckius's Book had the Decrees of 15 Popes whereas Codex Moguntinus hath but 13 and not 11 only as you seem to say out of Pithoeus And now since I mention Pithoeus if his copy of Ferrandus's Breviary of the Canons were true there were other Canons amongst the Sardican Canons than those we have as may appear in Ferrandus his Breviary num 92 93 and 214 for the 1. and 13. Tit. there alledged are not to be found in the Canons of Sardica now extant Another thing also touching Pithoeus He saith in the Preface of Ferrandus's Breviary that that Version which is in Codice Moguntino is not that of Dionysius Exiguus but I assure you Baronius Ant. Augustinus and the Recognisers of Gratian in their Annotations and Binius in the late Cologne Edition take that which is in Codice Moguntino to be that of Dionysius Exiguus You alledge Hincmarus Rhemens in lib. de variis capitul Eccles. I would know whether you have the Book or you have it from some others who do alledge him I would desire your help for such Books as were pertinent to this business Hincmarus was an excellent man and a stout Champion against Innovations and all such as prejudged ancient Canonical Liberties As for the Decretal Epistles I am of opinion with you That first they were brewed in Spain and broached by Riculfus and afterward by Otgarius or Autcarius as Bened. Levit. proefat in 5. lib. capitular termeth him And so much doth Hincmarus lib. contra Hincman Laudunens insinuate alledged inter testimonia proefixa capitularibus and in Fr. Pithoeus his Glossary lit R. and by Baron ad an 865. n. 5. But in one thing I cannot accord to Fr. Pithaeus in the forenamed place That Isidorus Mercator was the Collector of the Decretal Epistles from Clement to Gregorius Magnus It seemeth tho that the Decretal Epistles began chiefly to be in request about the time that Isidore lived according to your account for in the XIV Council of Toledo Can. 11. there is somewhat which may argue so much But I do not think that Cresconius followed Isidore his Collection considering it may be doubted whether ever he saw it and therefore though Isidore gathered the Decretals to Gregory the Great as he intimateth in his Preface yet Cresconius as it should seem followed some former My Error in Concil Cellensi was in that I presupposed that all the Councils mentioned by Ferrandus excepting those which are in Codice Tiliano were in Africk whereas Tela is in Spain as Antoninus's Itinerarium witnesseth I have not that Edition of Isidore printed by Merlinus 1530. but by those your directions I shall acknowledge it when I meet with it I have included here a note by which you may know how to find the whole Codex Moguntinus in Crab's Edition I had verily thought you had had it As for the Acts of the Councils in Greek which are promised to be set out at Rome and have been a long time I do fear me there will be jugling in that work It is much to be lamented that Ant. Augustinus who had gotten Manuscript Copies out of the chief Libraries of Asia and Europe of the IV General Councils and had them almost in a readiness for the Press was prevented in this Work by untimely death I have been at Bennet Colledge but could not get into the Library the Master who had one of the Keys being from home I will remember sometime for to look the places out of Burchardus As for that other place of your Irish Synod alledged Dist. 82. Can. 5. But of that Canon thus writeth Ant. August emendat Gratian. lib. 1. Dialog XIV Post Concilium Carthaginens III. quaedam fragmenta sunt incerta quibus proeponitur illud quod Gangrensi Concilio falsò Gratianus poenitentiale Romanum tit 8. c. 6. ascribunt cujus initium est Presbyter si fornicatione Concilio Hiberniensi vindicatur in lib. Anselmi Lucensis Romano lib. 8. cap. ult Et ut audio ita inscribitur à Gregorio Presbytero in Polycarpi lib. 4. titulo De Incontinentia Clericorum Poenitentiali Theodori in veteri lib. Mich. Thomasii certè illud Hiberniense Concilium sub eodem Theodoro Cantuariensi habitum est Since the time in which I writ the former part of this Letter which was in the beginning of Lent upon the receipt of yours I have been occasioned to be going and coming from and to Cambridge to have some settled place of abode being limited in my time for the keeping of my place in our Colledge which if I could have enjoyed I should hardly have removed hither where I am now with the Bishop of Bath Wells or any where else But the Bishop sending for me and offering me a Competency in that kind I requested of him then when I was unprovided I could not neglect God's Providence and was advised hereunto by my best Friends This unsettled Abode of mine was the Cause why I finished not this Letter so long since begun and sent it not before this I have since got Jacob Merlin's Edition of Isidore's Collection and before that at my being in the North I borrowed out of Durham Library the Manuscript of it which is all one with Corpus Canonum in Bennet Colledge Library and in Trinity Colledge Library newly erected there is another Copy of the same I got also in the North a fair Transcript of the Greek Canons which as I understand Erasmus caused to be copied out of an ancient Copy which was brought to Basil at what time the Council of Basil was held This Copy Erasmus sent to Cuthbert Tunstall Bishop of Durham where it hath been since Bishop Barnes who was Bishop there since gave it to his Son and his Son to me It is the same with that which is translated by Gentian Harvett and which Balsamon commenteth upon The other day my Lord shewed me a Letter which came from one of his Chaplains at Windsor who signified unto him that Sir Henry Savil had an intendment to set out the Greek Councils I fear me he will hardly get Copies I will inquire further into it and will further it what lyeth in me Antonius Augustinus had gathered all the Acts of the 4 first General Councils out of all the Libraries of Italy and had purposed to have set them forth as Andreas Schottus reporteth in a funeral Oration upon him Nay he saith further he had writ a Book thus entituled Concilia Graeca Latina cum Historia Scholiis Variae Lectiones But surely they will be suppressed for ever As for the Title of Volusianus ad Nicholaum in
do not demurre themselves nor intangle others though needlesly yet sophistically in any one Quillity or Cavil more than in that particular before expressed Were I not throughly perswaded both of your sufficiency and integrity I would not intimate thus much unto you All which notwithstanding I refer to your own Pious and Discreet consideration yet hoping withal to hear from you ere long by whom you now receive these from me which I trust you will reserve to your self alone howsoever you entertain or dislike yea or deliberate of the motion The while here I right heartily commend you and your godly studies to the special good blessings of the Almighty Yours very loving in the Lord Tobias Eboracensis Bishopthorpe May 12 1616. LETTER XVIII A Letter from Mr. Thomas Gataker to Mr. James Usher late Arch-Bishop of Armagh Health in Christ. Good Sir PResuming on your kindness shewed me at your being in these parts together with your ingenuous disposition otherwise I am bold to request a further courtesie from you I have in mine hands a Manuscript containing among others certain Treatises which I cannot yet learn to have been printed to wit Guilielmi de Sancto Amore de periculis novissimorum temporum as also divers things of Robert Grosthed sometime of Lincoln viz. An Oration delivered in writing to the Pope at Lions whereof I find a peice recorded in Catalogus Testium excerpta quaedam ex ejusdem epistolis tractatus de oculo morali de modo confitendi sermones quidam Some of these peradventure if they be not abroad already might not be unworthy to see the light nor should I be unwilling if they should be so esteemed to bend my poor and weak endeavours that way but of that Oration to the Pope certain lines not many are pared away in my Copy though so as the sense of them may be guessed and gathered from the context And in the other Treatises there are many faults that cannot easily or possibly some of them without help of other Copies be amended My desire is to understand from you whether at your being here in England for I wot well how careful you were to make inquiry after such Monuments you lighted upon any of these and where or in whose hands they were There are besides in this Manuscript a Commentary on Augustine De Civitate Dei and a Postil on Ecclesiastes with a Treatise De modo proedicandi but these two imperfect of nameless Authors Besides Guilielm Paris de Prebendis Malachiae Minorith de veneno spirituali which two last I understand to have been published I should be glad to hear as many others desire that the second part of your painful and profitable Task so generally applauded and no less greedily expected were preparing or fully prepared for the Press and much more to see it abroad Works of that kind are in these times very seasonable nor deserve any better of God's Church than those that deal soundly and learnedly in them among whom your self as not a few acknowledge may well claim a prime place Your Labours both in that kind and others the Lord bless and continue unto you life and strength to be long an Instrument to his glory and of his Churches good Yours assured in the Lord Thomas Gataker Rederith Martii 18. 1616. LETTER XIX A Letter from Mr. Robert Usher to Doctor James Usher afterward Arch-Bishop of Armagh Ornatissimo viro amantissimoque suo sobrino Jacobo Usserio dignissimo in nostra Academia Theologiae Professori Salutem DUas fulgentes insignes stellas vir ornatissime firmamento nostrae Ecclesiae nuper decessisse cimmeriae horrendae quibus miserima haec Insula in occasum vergens Academia involvuntur tenebrae promulgant ad quas dispellendas te sulgenti scientiarum splendore omnibus praelucentem admirabili morum candore corruscantem summoque honore coronatum Deus elegit ut studiorum tuorum habenas ad emolumentum nostrae Ecclesiae Babylonica superstitione infestae ad salutem Patriae mentis caecitate laborantis ad dignitatem Academiae in praecipitem ruinam irruentis expeditè flectas Miseris fuccurrere te didicisse ter nobilis illa pugna nunquam fatis laudanda nuper cum superba septemplici Romanae gentis Hydra sub Christi vexillo inita pro maturata aetate ac illibatâ despectae Ecclesiae castitate palam testatur quam pene oblivio vel potius cruenta tyrannorum rabies etiam spirantem absorbuit sepelivit Perpetuas hujus peregrinationes duraque exilia terribilem Draconis faciem fugientis ab ultima antiquitate quâ in cunabulis fuerat ad nostra fere tempora vivis coloribus depinxisti Nunc igitur facessant nostris finibus mendaces Romanae Synagogae Cretenses quos olim abyssus turmatim evomuit facessant inquam non sine hac novitate quâ perfidam obscoenam Babyloniae meretricem salutent ferreo tui ingenii ariete Antichristiani regni fundamenta concussa vel potius convulsa novâ restauratione indigere veram Christi sponsam demum tenebrosis umbris extulisse caput teque istius gravissimae controversiae contentionis palmam reportasse Hinc omnes quos liber tuus variâ sane lectione doctrina perpolitus vel saltem ejus fama à limine salutavit uno ore te solum in hac materia Apollinis lyram attigisse constanter perhibent hoc idem insignis tua fama astipulatur quae nullam Europae partem insalutatam reliquit idem industriae ingenii tui foetus quem omnes avidè arripiunt summoque prosequuntur amore Filium equidem parentis causâ omnes fovent parentem filii gratiâ omnes admirantur sic cunctos te cum admiratione amare cunctosque te cum amore admirari facile percipias Immortales Deo grates propterea quod te per devios antiquorum campos vagantem in penetralia suae veritatis deduxit benignitatis suae Thesauros tibi apperuit teque patriae incolumem patriamque tibi restituit tibique amantissime sobrine justissimas habeo gratias quas me tibi diu debuisse immensa tua erga me gratia comprobat cujus tuum cubiculum mihi creditum minimam non esse tesseram ingenuè fateor Sed ne chartacea haec salutatio te gravissimorum negotiorum mole obrutum molestiâ afficiat vela contraham hoc interim abs te flagitarem hoc audaciae meae symbolum pariterque amoris ferena humanitatis fronte accipias Tuae salutis felicitatis studiosiss Rob. Usserius Ad obscoenam meretricem septem insidentem Montibus de tuo libro Carmen Frigore cur pavido trepidas Babylonica Thais Cur trepidae proebes turpia terga fugoe Fluctibus Hesperiis emergit lucida stella Quâ Veniente fagis quâque Oriente cadis Purpuream lucem vitat caligo profunda Dagon sic Arcam concidit ante Dei. Hac radiante patent cunctis genitura nefanda Gorgoneusque tuus partus uterque parens Mordaces anni violataque foedera lecti
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
Parts wherein was certified of them ducentis abhinc annis ex regione Pedemontanâ profectos in provinciae partemillam commigrasse c. as may be seen in Crispin lib. 3 o Actionum Moniment Martyrum Thuanus hath here 300 Years but 200 of these times they were persecuted under the Name of the Beghardi I alledge the Testimony of Matthias Parisiensis who lived in Bohemia about the year 1390. Qui alienant se strenuè saith he in lib. de Sacerdotum Monachorum spiritualium abominatione Cap. 30. ab exercitio tulium à contubernio propter Domini Jesu timorem amorem mox à vulgo Christiano hujus mundi conviciantur confunduntur nota pessima singularitatum vel Hoeresum criminantur propter quod tales homines devoti qui similia vulgo profano non agunt Bechardi vel Turspinii lego Turebipini aut aliis nominibus blasphemis communiter jam nominantur quod figuratum est in illis primis in Babylone quibus alia nomina impofuerunt quà m habuerunt in terra Israel There cometh also unto my mind another place which is not common touching the Beghardi and Fratricelli out of the Book de squaloribus Romanae Curiae written by Matthew de Cracovia who was Bishop of Worms ab anno 1405 ad 1410. Thus he there complaineth Vadunt Beckardi Fratricelli Sectuarii suspectissimi de hoerefi clero infestissimi erectis capitibus absque ullo timore in urbe et seducunt liberè quotquot possunt And mark that this fell upon the time of Pope Gregory the XII who usually did send his Letters to the Princes and Bishops of Christendom per Lollardos seu Beguardos ad quos semper videbatur ejus affectio specialitèr inclinari As is affirmed by Theodoricus à Niem lib. 3. de Schism cap. 6. Whereby we see what Rest and Boldness the same Professors got by the great Schism in the Papacy agreeable to that which Wickliff writeth lib. 3. de Sermone Domini in monte You see when I begin I know not how to make an end and therefore that I prove not too tedious I will abruptly break off desiring you to remember in prayers Your most Assured Loving Friend and Brother James Usher Dublin Aug. 16. 1619. LETTER XXXIX A Letter of Dr. James Usher 's afterwards Arch-Bishop of Armagh Sir YOU hear I doubt not ere this of the lamentable news out of Bohemia how it pleased God on the 29th of October last to give victory to the Emperor's Army against the King of Bohemia His whole Army was routed 3000 flain on the ground others taken Prisoners who have yielded to save their lives to serve against him Himself and the chief Commanders fled with 2000 Horse came to Prague took away the poor Queen being with Child and some of his Councellors with such things as in that hast could be carried away and so left that Town it not being to be held and withdrew himself into Silesia where he hath another Army as also in Moravia though not without an Enemy there invading also How those of the Religion in Bohemia are like to be dealt with you may imagine and what other evil effects will follow God knoweth if he in mercy stay not the fury of the Enemy who in all likelihood intendeth to prosecute the Victory to the uttermost Spinola also prevaileth still in the Palatinate one Town or two more with two or three little Castles he hath gained and now we hear that a Cessation of Arms is on either side agreed upon for the space of five months The Spaniard hath made himself Master of the Passage betwixt Italy and Germany by getting Voltelina where he hath put down five Protestant Churches and Erected Idolatry in their places He hath so corrupted many among the Switzers as they cannot resolve on any good course how to help the mischief or how to prevent the further increasing of it The French that should protect them are Hispaniolized The Germans have their hands full at home And the Venetians that would dare not alone enter into the business And now newly while I am writing this addition we are certified here that the King of Bohemia hath quit Moravia and Silesia seeing all things there desperate and hath withdrawn himself unto Brandenburgh God grant we may lay this seriously to heart otherwise I fear the judgment that hath begun there will end heavily upon us and if all things deceive me not it is even now marching toward us with a swift pace And so much touching the Affairs of Germany which you desired me to impart unto you whether they were good or evil Concerning Mr. Southwick's departure although not only you but divers others also have advertised me yet I cannot as yet be perswaded that it is intended by him for both himself in his last Letter unto me and his Wife here no longer than yesterday hath signified unto me the plain contrary Your Son Downing wisheth the place unto Mr. Ward your neighbour Mr. Johnson unto Mr. Cook of Gawran and others unto one Mr. Neyle who hath lately preached there with good liking as I hear The last of these I know not with the first I have dealt and am able to draw him over into Ireland Your assured loving Friend James Usher 1619. LETTER XL. A Letter from Mr. Edward Browncker to the Right Reverend James Usher Lord Bishop of Meath SIR I Marvel much at the Deputy's exceptions he discovers a great deal of unworthy suspicion What answer I have made unto him you may here see I doubt not but he will rest satisfied with it unless he hath resolved to do me open wrong You may seal it up with any but your own Seal I pray you lend me your best furtherance it shall not go unacknowledged howsoever I speed As for the Manuscripts you desire to hear of neither one nor the other is to be found It is true according unto Dr. James his Catalogue there was one Gildas in Merton Colledge Library but he was Gildas Sapiens not Gildas Albanius whom Pitts says was the Author of the Book entituled De Victoria Aurelii Ambrosii neither is that Gildas Sapiens now to be seen in Merton Colledge he hath been cut out of the Book whereunto he was annexed Yet there is one in our Publick Library who writes a story De Gestis Britannorum in whom I find mention of King Lucius his Baptism His words be these Post 164 annos post adventum Christi Lucius Britannicus Rex cum Universis Regulis totius Britaniae Baptismum susceperunt missa legatione ab Imperatore Papa Romano Evaristo As for the Orations of Richard Fleming there be no such to be heard of in Lincoln Colledge Library Neither can I find or learn that the Junior Proctor's Book relates any passage of the Conversion of the Britains If you have any thing else to be search'd for I pray make no scruple of using me further So wishing you comfort in your
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
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
of my Collations your Lordship shall not want the Heydelburg Edition which I will take care to have sent unto you I have been this Morning with Mr. Patrick Young who cannot give me satisfaction concerning those Books till he have been in the Princes Library For the nameless Annal I conceive that your Amanuensis mistook your meaning for where you say that it begins at the year of our Lord 744 and ends in the year 1100 I cannot see how Asserius Menevensis could be the Author of most of it Mr. Young will make search for it and return an Answer as soon as conveniently he may As for Asserius de rebus gestis Alfredi he tells me that they have only a Transcript of it but Sir Robert Cotton hath an ancient Copy the same he tells me of Florentius Wigorniensis and Simeon Dunelmensis Of Eusebius Chronicle they have three or four Copies and if you please shall have all of them or which you please Sir Rob. Cotton doth daily augment his store he hath gotten lately a Book of St. Edm. Bury By the next return I hope to send the Books which you desire and perhaps to play the Carrier my self There is a rumor of the Adjournment of the Parliament till April but no Proclamation yet come forth There is a new Secretary Sir Albertus Morton to be sworn in the place of Sir Geo. Calvert I have not heard any thing out of Ireland since my last to your Lordship Mr. Young tells me that he received lately a Letter from Paris from one Lucas Holstenius a young Man whom I mention'd sometime to your Lordship being acquainted with him here in London the last year he writes to him that a Jesuit there doth publish a new Edition of Eusebius in Greek and Latin for the furtherance of which Work Mr. Mountague and Mr. Young sends thither their Notes and Observations upon him Petavius is busy about his work de Emendat Temp. which will shortly come abroad Holstenius is printing Scylax Artemidorus Ephesius with divers other old Geographers some of which were heretofore publish'd by D. Haeschelius and some till now never publish'd I doubt not but D. Ryves hath sent your Lordship his Answer to the Analecta I have read him over and approve the Work but not in every particular as where he makes Sedulius among others pag. 46. lib. 2. to be one of St. Patrick's forerunners in the plantation of Christian Religion in Ireland I do not see how that can be The best Authors making him contemporary if not later than St. Patrick Some other passages I could censure both of ancient and modern times but I will spare that labour till our meeting In the mean time with the remembrance of my Love and Service to your Lordship and Mrs. Usher and my heartiest Wishes and Prayers for your Health I will remain Your Lordship's most affectionate Friend and Servant Henry Bourgchier Lond. Jan. 17. 1624. LETTER LXXVI A Letter from Dr. Thomas James to the Right Reverend James Usher Lord Bishop of Meath AFter my Duty in humble manner premised I hope and am right glad to hear of your Lordship's Recovery I have received from your Lordship two Books whereby I have not been a little benefited yet of Boston I hear there is a greater Catalogue extant I forbore to write all this while for fear of trouble I have laboured ever since in the common business as your Lordship shall perceive by an humble Supplication printed which your Lordship shall receive by Mr. Calandrine which could I have had the happiness that it might have passed your learned Censure would have been much more perfect but ut quimus aut quando non ut volumus I have done it as advisedly as I could and doubt not to give every Man good satisfaction in good time If our Friends of Cambridge will joyn with us the Work may be well atchieved within half the time they taking half the Points mentioned and they both sending to us their Observations to be revised by us we ours to them to be revised by them that it may be the work jointly of both Universities My Zeal and Knowledg cannot match Dr. Ward 's yet I will endeavour to do my best I deâ—ire to have my Service remembred to my Lord of Ely I have upon a Letter of your Lordship's imployed some in transcribing Guil. de S. Amore not that which your Lorship sent but another greater and fuller Work that is done and a great deal besides More had been if we had not been compell'd for want of Mony to have surceased and my poor Means would not serve to supply Wants and I am indebted for that which is done Your Lordship by Letter if I mistake not undertook for my Lord of Ely's 20 l. per Annum had all promised been paid I had had 20 or 30 quire in readiness that which I have shall be fitted against the Parliament in the exactest manner that it can be done for the Press I have in the Press at the present these things A Confutation of Papists out of Papists in the most material Articles of our Religion whose Testimonies are taken either out of the Indices Expurgatorii or out of the ancient Books especially the Manuscripts An Index librorum prohibitorum 1ae 2ae vel 3ae Classis vel expurgatorum quovismodo chiefly for the use of our publick Library that we may know what Books and what Editions to buy their prohibition being a good direction to guide us therein I have cast them into an exact Alphabet My Cousin Rich. James desireth to have his Duty remembred to your Lordship he hath reviewed and inlarged his Book of Bochel's Decanonization a Book so nearly concerning Kingly Dignity and so fully opening the History of those Times that I know not where a Man shall read the like I would he might have the happiness that your Lordship might see it being now fair transcribed that it might pass your Lordship's Censure before it pass any further And I am perswaded over-weaning perhaps in love to my Cousin that if his Majesty saw it it would please him having so many good pieces of Antiquity in it it is his and shall be my chiefest Study I have here found upon search thereof Petrus Minorita's Homil. upon Matthew and two Books of St. Augustins coming here into England which are of good note but I make no doubt your Lordship hath seen them already I leave therefore to trouble your Lordship any further being right glad to hear of your Lordship's Preferment as I am informed for the good of the Church and so I rest Your Lordship 's in all Duty Thomas James Oxon Febr. 8. LETTER LXXVII A Letter from Dr. Thomas James to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath My humble Duty remembred to your Lordship I Am incouraged by your Lordship's Letters to go on chearfully in my intended course and discovery solus aut quomodo what is one Man able to resist when
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
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
which I told your Lordship of whereof I would have had this but an Appendix We have had this Week a gracious Letter from his Majesty much approving the Choice of our Chancellor And another from our Chancellor To both which Answers are returned by our University God dispose of all to good Our Chancellor seemeth to be forward for the erecting a Library here I have not spoken with Mr. Boyse as yet nor do I hear that Mr. Chaunty is come home I would be sorry your Lordship should so soon leave us I will still hope of your longer continuance Howsoever when you leave us I will accompany you and all yours with my best Devotions for your safe Journey and Arrival at your home And so commend you and Mrs. Usher to the gracious Protection of the highest Majesty Your Lordship 's in all observance Samuel Ward Sidney-Coll June 10th 1626. LETTER XCVIII A Letter from the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh to Dr. Samuel Ward SIR I Have received from you the divers readings of the continuation of Eusebius's Chronicle and your Concio ad Clerum for which I heartily thank you Your Gratia Discriminans I doubt not will settle many Mens minds in those dubious Times to which I wish that the other things which you intended had been added especially those places which you observed out of St. Augustin against falling from Grace But of this Argument I earnestly beseech you to take special care as soon as your Commencement Businesses are past over and when you have put your Notes together I pray you make me so happy as to have a Copy of them Neque enim mihi gratior ulla est Quam sibi quae Wardi praefixit pagina nomen The suddain Dissolution of the Parliament hath amazed us all Mens hearts failing them for fear and for looking on those things which are coming on the Land The Lord prepare us for the Day of our Visitation and then let his blessed Will be done There is a Proclamation to be presently set out for the stopping of those Contentions in Points of Religion I have dealt with your Chancellor very effectually for the erecting of your Library to which he is of himself exceeding forward I have procured him to send unto Leyden for all the printed Hebrew Books of Erpenius his Library which together with his Manuscripts which he hath already he purposeth to bestow upon your University I have also perswaded him to send thither for the Matrices of the Syriack Arabick Aethiopick and Samaritan Letters and to bestow them like wise upon you Mr. White hath sent up unto me the Variae Lectiones of the Psalms accompanied with a very kind Letter I pray you tell him from me that I will keep them by me as a perpetual testimony of his love and respect to me whereof he shall find that I will not be unmindful whensoever either himself or any of his shall have occasion to use me Nicetus his Orthodaxus Thesaurus I have not seen in Greek the Latin I have in Ireland but whether it be inserted into Bibliotheca Patrum I cannot tell the Book being not now by me That Gregory Nyssen's Catechetical Oration hath been evil handled and interpolated by Hereticks I think is somewhere observed by Nicephorus himself see his Ecel Elist lib. 11. cap. 19. yet that Discourse of the Eucharist if my Memory fail me not is inserted by Cuthimius in his Panoplia And I have seen it my self in two ancient Greek Manuscripts of Gregory Nyssen with Mr. Patrick Toung the one whereof was Mr. Caâ—sabon's the other of Metrophanes the Grecian which you may do well to see collated with the printed Spalatensis also I think suspecteth this place of Forgery In Sir Rob. Cotton's Library there be four several Saxon Annals and one written both in the Saxon and in the Latin Tongue In Benet-Colledg Library likewise Vol. 269. there is another ancient Saxon Annal. I should have gone from hence at the time I wrote unto you of but since that time I received a Letter from the Lord Chamberlain signifying the King's Pleasure that I should preach at Court the 25th of this Month which hath caused me to put off my Journey until the end of the Term. So with the remembrance of my best wishes to you I rest Your most assured Ja. Armachanus Lond. Jun. 16. 1626. LETTER XCIX A Letter from the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh to Dr. Samuel Ward Salutem in Christo Jesu SIR SInce I wrote unto you last I have received intelligence from Leyden that all Erpenius's printed Books are already sold and his Matrices of the Oriental Tongues are bought by Elzevir the Printer there so that now you must content your selves with his Manuscripts only which are a very rare Treasure indeed and for which your University shall rest much beholden unto your Chancellor I my self have now received out of Mesopotamia an old Manuscript of that Syrian Translation of the Pentateuch out of the Hebrew the same which St. Basil citeth in his Hexameron which I make very great account of The Patriarch of the Jacobites in those parts who sent this promiseth also to send the rest of the Old Testament e're long in the mean time I have received the Parcels of the New Testament which hitherto we have wanted in that Language viz. the History of the Adulterous Woman the 2d Epistle of Peter the 2d and 3d Epistles of St. John the Epistle of Jude and the Revelation as also a small Tractate of Ephram Syrus in his own Language Elmenhorst is dead but I will do my best to hearken after his Copy of the Acts of the Council of Calcedon at Hamburg I will also speak with Mr. Patrick Young for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the 37th Chapter of Greg. Nyssen's Catechet as soon as I can meet with him The place of Nyssen doth not trouble you more than a like one of Chrysostom hath done me viz. Sermone quinto de Poenitentiâ Tom. 6. edit Savil. pag. 791. which in the Latin Tomes is Homil. de Eucharistiâ in Eucaeniis where I would willingly understand what the meaning of his Similitude is and of that Mysteria consumi Corporis substantiâ There is another place likewise of Chrysostom cited by Bellarmin in his Apology Ex Hom. 3. in 2 Thess. Jubebit seipsum pro Deo coli at in Templo Collocari non Hierosolymitano solum sed etiam Ecclesiis where my Lord of Winchester telleth the. Cardinal that the word tantum is not in the Greek I pray you see in Commelinus's Edition or that of Verona for Sir H. Savil's is otherwise Tom. 4. pag. 232. Your Assured Friend J. Arm. London June 23. 1626. LETTER C. A Letter from Dr. Ward to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Most Reverend and my very good Lord I Received your Lordships last Letter of the 23 d of this month and do perceive thereby that Erpenius's printed
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
propound any indefinite Sum to be levied according to their Discretions but a precise one of 395 l. and 4 s. for one months pay of the new Supplies in Ulster And as for the present paiment of that Sum order hath been already taken that according to your Lordships special Directions 70 l. should be delivered unto Sir William Calfield One hundred twenty one Pounds and a Noble I have since received which is ready to be delivered unto any one who shall be authorized to receive the same under your Lordship's Hand The Bishop of Clogher who hath already paid half of that Sum which was assigned unto Sir William Calfield is there at Dublin ready to give an account of that which remaineth due upon his Clergy The Bishop of Derry hath left with me his Ticket wherein he undertakes to pay 50 l. unto any one of the Captains to whom your Lordship shall appoint Upon the Diocess of Meath there was 85 l. 1 s. 4 d. taxed in this Levy which is the double twentieth part of the Clergy there the twentieth part of the Bishoprick it self being abated because the Bishop is yet in First-Fruits For this I have used my utmost endeavour both with the Bishop and with his Clergy but could not prevail to get from them more than 50 l. And therefore of them I must rid my self and wholly leave them unto your Lordship As for the Remain of the Total Sum betwixt this and the beginning of the Term I will use my best endeavour to get in what may be had and give a particular Certificate of the Names of those who will not pay to the end your Lordship may deal with them as in your Wisdom you shall think fit And so expecting your Lordship's further Commands in this or any other Service I humbly take leave for the present and ever-more rest Your Honour 's faithful Servant J. A. Droghedah Jan. 7. 1626. LETTER CXIII A Letter from the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh to the most Reverend George Abbot Arch-bishop of Canterbury My most gracious Lord WHen I took my last leave of you at Lambheth I made bold to move your Grace for the settlement of the Provostship of our Colledg here upon some worthy Man whensoever the place should next become void I then recommended unto you Mr. Sibbes the Preacher of Grays-Inn with whose Learning soundness of Judgment and upâ—â—ghtness of Life I was very well acquainted And it pleased your Grace to listen unto my Motion and give way to the coming over of the Person named when time required The time my Lord is now come wherein we have â—t last wrought Sir William Temple to give up his place if the other may be drawn over And therefore I most humbly intreat your Grace to give unto Mr. Sibbes that Encouragement he deserveth in whose behalf I dare undertake that he shall be as observant of you and as careful to put in Execution all your Directions as any Man whosoever The matter is of so great importance for the good of this poor Church and your Fatherly Care as well of the Church in general as our Colledg in particular so well known that to shall not need to press you herein with many words And therefore leaving it wholly to your Grace's grave Consideration and beseeching Almighty God to bless you in the managing of your weighty Imployments I humbly take leave and rest Your Grace's in all Duty ready to be commanded J. A. Droghedah January 10th 1626. LETTER CXV A Letter from the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh to the Honourable Society of Lincolns-Inn My most worthy Friends I Cannot sufficiently express my Thankfulness unto you for the Honour which you have done unto me in vouchsafing to admit me into your Society and to make me a Member of your own Body Yet so is it fallen out for the present that I am enforced to discharge one piece of debt with entring into another For thus doth the case stand with us Sir William Temple who hath governed our Colledg at Dublin these seventeen Years finding Age and Weakness now to encrease upon him hath resolved to ease himself of that Burthen and resign the same to some other Now of all others whom we could think of your worthy Preacher Mr. Sibbs is the Man upon whom all our Voyces have here settled as one that hath been well acquainted with an Academical Life and singularly well qualified for the undertaking of such a place of Government I am not ignorant what damage you are to sustain by the loss of such an able Man with whose Ministry you have been so long acquainted but I consider withal that you are at the Well-head where the defect may quickly be supplied and that it somewhat also tendeth to the honour of your Society that out of all the King's Dominions your House should be singled out for the place unto which the Seminary of the whole Church in this Kingdom should have recourse for help and succor in this case And therefore my most earnest suit unto you is that you would give leave unto Mr. Sibbes to repair hither at leastwise for a time that he may see how the place will like him For which great Favour our whole Church shall be obliged unto you and I for my part shall evermore profess my self to rest Your own in all Christian Service ready to be commanded J. A. Droghedah Jan. 10th 1626. LETTER CXVI A Letter from the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh to the most Reverend George Abbot Arch-bishop of Canterbury My very good Lord I Wrote unto your Grace heretofore concerning the Substitution of Mr. Sibbes into the place of Sir William Temple But having since considered with my self how some occasions may fall out that may hinder him from coming hither and how many most unfit Persons are now putting in for that place I have further emboldened my self to signify thus much more of my Mind unto you That in case Mr. Sibbes do not come unto us I cannot think of a more worthy Man and more fit for the Government of that Colledg than Mr. Bedel who hath heretofore remained with Sir Henry Wotton at Venice and is now beneficed about Berry If either he or Dr. Featly or any other worthy Man whom you shall think fit can be induced to accept of the place and your Grace will be pleased to advise the Fellows of the Colledg to elect him thereunto That poor house shall ever have cause to bless your Memory for the Settlement of it at such a time as this where so many labour to make a Prey of it In ordering the Affairs that do belong unto the Primacy the greatest trouble that I yet meet withal is the Persidiousness of the Register whom my Predecessor hath fastened upon me He hath combined with one Chase a base Fellow that is now acting this business at Court to overthrow the Ministry which King James by your Grace's special
Incitation hath so happily planted in the Diocess of Armagh by making the Rectories that did belong to the Vicars Chorals of Armagh to be Lay-fee unto which Incumbents have been hitherto by his Majesties own Direction still presented and the Livings also taxed with payment of First-fruits as all other presentative Livings are Dawson is a Man so notoriously branded for his lewd Carriage that I dare not trust him with the keeping of the Records or suffer him any ways to intermeddle with the businesses of the Church To see therefore whether I can fairly rid my hands of him I have made a grant of his places unto others and so left them to the trial of their Titles by course of Law Which hath so incensed Dawson that he laboureth now by his Emissary Chase to disgrace me in Court with all the Calumnies that his wicked Heart can devise Wherein I doubt not but your Grace as occasion shall require will be ready to stand for me in my just defence As for the general state of things here they are so desperate that I am afraid to write any thing thereof Some of the adverse part have asked me the question Where I have heard or read before that Religion and Mens Souls should be set to sale after this manner unto whom I could reply nothing but that I had read in Mantuan that there was another place in the World where Coelum est venale Deusque I procured a meeting of all the Prelates at my House who with one voice protested against these Courses and subscribed this Protestation of theirs with their hands But forasmuch as we knew that the Project was wonderful distastful unto the Papists themselves we contained our selves in publick and suffered the Breach to come from their side I know their Agents are not asleep at Court but our hope is that your Grace is as vigilant there to make opposition unto their Practices and to advise of some other course to give the King content which may be more for his honour and the good of the Church All which I humbly leave unto your Grace's sage Consideration and evermore rest Your Graces ready to do you all Service Ja. Armachanus Drogheda February 9. 1626. LETTER CXVII A Letter from Dr. Ward to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Most Reverend and my very good Lord MY best Service premised c. I received your Lordship's last Letters to me dated from Leverpool and have heard by others since of your Lordship's safe arrival in Ireland As touching Sir Gerard Harvy I have been with him at Hadham since and have had Letters once or twice about his business from him I consulted with Mr. Whalley and wrote to Sir Gerard what Fine will be expected besides his coming in Rent-corn which he is willing to pay The Fine will be about 200 l. for renewing his Lease and adding of ten Years to the time he hath about Easter he will be with us about it I am sorry your Lordship missed of that Epistle of Chrysostom ad Caesarium Monachum at Oxford I was in good hope your Lordship would have hit upon it It is to be feared it is purloin'd away I received Mr. Boys his variae lectiones in Liturgiam Basilii which your Lordship left to be sent him I spake with Mr. Patrick Young who telleth me that Sirmondus hath all Fronto's Papers and that he is in hand with Theodoret and that after he is set out I shall have my Transcript upon the Psalms He saith your Lordship hath the Greek Transcript of Euthymius I have seen Athanasius Graecol newly set forth at Paris it hath some Homilies added by one Holstein but it wanteth the varia lectiones which are in Coâ—mâ—lin's Edition Eusebius in three Volumes Graecol is daily expected but not yet come Dr. White now Bishop of Carlisle hath sold all his Books to Hills the Broker His Pretence is the charge of Carriage so far by Land and the danger by Water Some think he paid for his Place I did hear of his Censure of your Lordship which I would not have believed but that I heard it credibly reported about the time of your Lordship's departure hence Sundry Bishopricks are still remaining unbestowed The Precedent is not good Concerning Court and Commonwealth-affairs here I suppose you have better Information than my Pen can afford I would I could be a Messenger by my Letter of better news than any I hear here The 25th of January deceased your good Friend and mine Mr. Henry Alvey at Cambridge I was with him twice when he was sick the first time I found him sick but very patient and comfortable He earnestly prayed that God would give him Patience and Perseverance The later time I came he was in a slumber and did speak nothing I prayed for him and then departed Shortly after he departed this Life He desired to be buried privatly and in the Church-yard and in a Sheet only without a Coffin for so said he was our Saviour But it was thought fitting he should be put in a Coffin and so he was I was at his interring the next day at night Thus God is daily collecting his Saints to himself The Lord prepare us all for the Dies accensionis as St. Cyprian stileth it Since the decease of Dr. Walsall Dr. Goslin our Vice-Chancellor and Dr. Hill Master of Katherine-Hall are both dead In their places succeed in Bennet-Colledg Dr. Butts in Caius-Colledg Mr. Bachcroft one of the Fellows in Katherine-Hall Mr. Sibbs of Grays-Inn Concerning the place of Chrysostom Homilia de Encaeniis which you mention in your last Letters I cannot write now as I would I having not my Book by me My last Lecture was touching it I see a great difference in the Reading between the reading in the Manuscript of New-Colledg in Oxon which Sir H. Savill printed and the reading in M. Baraciro which is in the Notes of Sir H. Savill The Latin Translation is answerable to that of New-Colledg That speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gave occasion I think to Damascene to say the like Though I do somewhat suspect some corruption by later Grecians in that Point especially Origen writing to the contrary as you know in Matth. 15. In the similitude following from Wax the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is translated in the Latin Translation nihil remanet substantiae contrary as I conceive to the Greek for it should be nihil substantiae perdit For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est aliquid substantiae perdo It is not easy to conceive the sense of that Similitude both for the Protasis and Apodosis But of this when I come home at better leasure I do purpose God willing in my Determinations when I shall dispute upon any to go in the Point of Free-will for that as I conceive it is the chief ground of the rest of the Errors maintained by the Remonstrants or at least of most of them I have been here above a fortnight
not only from the Samaritan but also betwixt themselves Eusebius pag. 10. Graeci Chronici differeth from my Samaritan Text only in the Years of Ragau Yet there lin 15. in Phalec instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would be read more fully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and lin 17. in Seruch instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod res ipsa indicat lin 16. it is said of Ragau 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas the Samaritan Text hath a whole hundred Years less And that we may not suspect there was here any Error Librarii by putting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wheraas Rehu or Ragau is said to have lived 132 Years before he begat Serug 107 after the whole sum of the Years of his Life is added to be 239. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For so the Samaritan in the 11th of Genesis as allothers in the 5th useth to sum up the whole Time of the Lives of the Fathers It is true indeed that attributing unto Ragau 207 years after he begat Serug he should have continued his Life by this Account until the 77th of Nachor But the Text it self of the Samaritan Bible beareth such sway with me that I should rather think Eusebius did out of it as elsewhere always set down 107 as he found it there And Georgius the Monk in his miswritten Copy finding 207 laboured thus to fit the whole unto the 77th of Nachor Which I am so much the more easily induced to believe because in the Chronology of the LXX related by Eusebius pag. 9. lin 37. Non dissimile quid animadvertisse mihi videor for there the same Ragau is said to have begotten Seruch at 135 years Scaliger giveth there a mark that it should be 132 as every where else it is read and that so it should be here appeareth plainly by the Total in lin 44 and 45 of 942 from the Flood and 3184 from Adam unto Abraham Which to be the genuine calculation of Eusebius Nemo harum rerum paulo peritior ignorat Yet George not heeding this but finding 35 written in that Copy which came to his hands of Eusebius turneth the Stream that way and maketh the 406 years which Eusebius giveth to Salah after he begat Eber to end in the 7th of Seruch which would not so fall out unless Ragau did hold his 135 years In like manner he maketh the 207 years of Ragau himself after he begat Serug in the printed Books pag. 10. lin 37. there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to end in the 77th of Nachor And the 209 of Peleg after he begat Ragau to end in the 75th of Serug though in these there be one years odds For of the 135 years that Eber is said to have lived until the 38th of Nachor p. l. 33. we can make here mense because both the Numbers are vitiated Thus much I thought good to write unto you concerning the State of the Samaritan Account because no Man hath dealt herewith since Scaliger I have likewise the old Syriack Translation of the Pentateuch which was received from the beginning of Christianity in the Church of Antioch but neither have I transcribed any thing unto you out of that nor out of my Arabick Manuscript of Moses because the former hath but a meer Translation of the Years of the Fathers as they are found in our common Hebrew Text and the other is wholly taken out of the LXX I have had also another Book lately sent unto me from the East intituled Otzar Raza or rather Razaja a Treasury of Secrets containing a brief Commentary in the Syriack Language upon the whole Old Testament excepting the Book of the Lamentations Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah and Esther and likewise the New those parts only excepted which are wanting in our printed Syriack Testaments the Text whereof I have procured likewise from the Patriarch of the Nestorians in Syria viz. The 2d Epistle of St. Peter the 2d and 3d of St. John that of St. Jude and the Revelation In this Treasure among other things worth the observation are found 1. A Genealogical Table from Adam to Moses 2. A Table of the Judges to Samuel 3. A Table of the Kings of Judah from Saul to Sedechias 4. A Chronological Table of the Kings that successively reigned in Babylon Persia and Egypt from thence unto Vespasian Where to Nebuchadnezzar after the time of Sedechias are assigned 24 years To Evilmerodach 1. To Belshatzar 2. To Darius the Mede 3. To Cyrus 30. To Cambyses 8 and all this to make 70 years to the second of Darius Hystaspis from the desolation of Jerusalem according to Zachar. 1. 12. In these Tables some Heathenish Antiquities also are inserted as of the building of Tarsus c. But these are nothing in comparison of the Treasure which you have found of the Kings and Archons of Athens than which as you have rightly judged nothing can please me more You have made my Teeth water at the mention thereof and therefore I pray you satisfy my longing with what convenient speed you may I can give you no occasion of Inscriptions because I am fixed here in a Country where the old Romanists never had any footing All that I have in this kind I did but borrow from the Monuments of my Lord of Arundel my Lord William Howard of Naworth and Sir Robert Cotton which to send back unto you who are there at the Well-head were inanis opera Those Hebrew Fragments of Aldersgate had your own explication in Latin adjoined unto them as I remember which made me seek no further especially because those Inscriptions were made by later Jews and so were of the same stamp with that of R. Moses filii R. Isaac found in Ludgate whereof Stow maketh mention in his Survey I think you may do well to put together all the Inscriptions printed and imprinted which are not to be found in the great Volume of Goltzius and amongst the rest the Latin one v. Scipionis Barbati F. with Sirmondus his Explanation and the Greek of Herod expounded by Casaubon for Salmasius his Exposition is a little too long And whatsoever Punick Letters can be had in any Coin as one or two Sir Robert Cotton hath of them would be added also because these are scarce known to any There was a Chronology some years since published by one of Ausborough and dedicated to the Pope the Emperor and King James which was prescribed by the Church of Rome I pray you if you can help me to a sight of it and let me understand whether your second Edition of Titles of Honour be yet come abroad for as yet I have heard nothing of it By this time I suppose I have tired you with a tedious Letter and therefore now I dismiss you and rest always Your most assured loving Friend Ja. Armachanus Drogheda Nov. 30. 1627. LETTER CXXIII A Letter from the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh to Mr. Dean Mr. Dean I
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-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
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
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
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
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.
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
Maximus Venerandae Dignissimae Amplitudini Tuae tuisque in Ecclesiâ suâ magnis laboribus abunde benedicere pergat Vale. Tuae Excellentiae Observantissimus cultor Gothofredus Hotton Propria manu Dabam xxviii Januarii 1652. Amstelodami LETTER CCLXX. A Letter from R. Vaughan to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh Reverend Father MY Duty most humbly remembred unto you with thanks for your Opinion of King Cadwalader which hereafter shall be unto me a Tract to follow as best agreeing with Reason and Truth I hope you have received your Books in November last and if they are any way impaired in the carriage if you please to send them me I will have them fairly written again for you What I omitted in my last Letter by reason of the Bearers haste is that in your Giraldus his first Book Laudabilium and 8. Cap. I observe that my Countrymen in his time used to yoke their Oxen for the Plow and Cart four in a breast in these words Boves ad aratra vel plaustra non binos jungunt sed quaternos c. which I find not in the printed Book This may happily give some light and help to understand a clause in our ancient British Laws treating of Measures made as is there alleged by Dyfrewal Moel-mud King of Britain where it is said that the Britains in his time used four kinds of Yokes for Oxen the first was four foot long the second eight foot the third twelve and the fourth was sixteen foot long The first was such as we use now a-days for a couple of Oxen the second was that mentioned by Giraldus serving for four Oxen the third as I suppose suitable with those two for six Oxen and the fourth consequently for eight Oxen. The two last are clean forgotten with us and not as much as a word heard of them saving what is in that old Law but of the second mentioned by Giraldus we have a Tradition that such was in use with us about sixscore Years ago and I heard how true I know not that in Ireland the People in some places do yet or very lately did use the same I pray you call to your mind whether that be true or whether you have heard or read any thing of the use of the other two in any Country and be pleased to let me know thereof The Copy of Ninnius you sent me hath holpen me well to correct mine but finding such difference between the three Manuscript Books which the Scribe confesseth to have made use of I presume your Transcript comprehends much more in regard you have had the benefit of eleven Copies as you confess to help you which Differences are very requisite to be known of such as love Antiquity And also where those several Copies that you have seen are extant and to be found at present and how many of those Copies bear the name of Gildas before them and how many the name of Ninnius And what those of Gildas do comprehend more or less in them than those of Ninnius And whether the Notes of Samuel Beulan are found in any of those of Gildas or yet in every one of the Copies of Ninnius and whether the name of Samuel be added to those Notes in any of those Copies and to which of them All which with the antiquity of the Character of those several Copies are very necessary to be known and may easily be discovered by you and very hardly by any other ever after you Moreover about three Years ago I sent a Copy of the Tract concerning the Saxon Genealogies extant if I mistake not in Gildas and Ninnius unto you to be corrected by your Book and Sir Simon D'Ewes undertaking that charge for you as Mr. Dr. Ellis told me returned me only this Answer upon the back of my own Papers viz. The eldest Copy of this Anonymon Chron. doth in some places agree with the Notes sent up but in others differs so much as there can be no collation made of it c. But those my Notes do agree very well with the Book you sent me and differs not in twenty words in all the Tract whereof either many are only Letters wanting or abounding and therefore I marvel what he meant in saying so unless he had seen a larger Copy of the same than that I had but your last Letter unto me tells that it is only extant in Sir Thomas Cotton's two Books and wanting in all the other Books that bear the name either of Gildas or Ninnius and that Book you sent me was copied out of one of Sir Thomas Cotton's Books and examined by the other He further addeth that the Author of that Tract being as he saith an English-Saxon lived in the Year of our Lord 620 upon what ground I know not Yet I cannot think otherwise but that Sir Simon D'Ewes had some grounds for the same and it may be the very same that Leland the famous Antiquary had to say that Ninnius lived tempore inclinationis Britannici imperii and Jo. Bale who more plainly saith that he lived in the Year 620 just as Sir Simon D'Ewes hath And for that Sir Simon is dead I desire to know of you whether the said Tract be not more copious in one of Sir Thomas Cottom's Books than it is in the other Or whether Sir Simon D'Ewes might not find a larger Copy of the same elsewhere for if it be not the work of Ninnius nor Samuel Beulan it may as well be in other Books as in those especially if an English-Saxon was Author of it But if it be not found elsewhere I pray you tell me upon what grounds is the Author of it said by Sir Simon to live Anno 620 and Ninnius by Leland and Bale likewise said to live in the same Time when by the first Chapter of some Copies of Ninnius his Book it seemeth he wrote not two hundred Years after Moreover in regard you prefer that small Tract so much spoken of by me before all the rest of the Book it were a deed of Charity for you to paraphrase a little upon it whereby such as are but meanly skilled in Antiquity may reap some profit by it Truly some remarhable Passages from the Reign of Ida to the Death of Oswi Kings of Northumberland are contained in it which being well understood would add a greater luster to the British History Lastly Most Reverend Father I pray you be pleased to lend me your Copy of that Fragment of the Welch Annals sent by the Bishop of St. David's Rich. Davies to Matthew Parker Arch-bishop of Canterbury who bestowed a Copy thereof upon the Library in Bennet-Colledg in Cambridg or your Copy of the Book of Landaff and I shall rest most heartily thankful unto you and I do hereby faithfully promise to return whatsoever you shall send me as soon as I shall have done writing of it I have already taken order to provide a little Trunk or Box for the safe carrying of
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
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
LIV. A Letter from Sir Henry Bourgchier to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 86 LV. A Letter from Mr. Henry Holcroft to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 87 LVI A Letter from Dr. Goad and Dr. Feately to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 88 LVII A Letter from Sir Henry Bourgchier to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 89 LVIII A Letter from the Right Reverend Thomas Morton Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 90 LIX A Letter from the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath to the Most Reverend Dr. Hampton Arch-Bishop of Armagh 90 LX. A Letter from the Most Reverend the Arch-Bishop of Armagh to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 92 LXI A Letter from Dr. Ryves to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 301 LXII A Letter from Sir Henry Bourgchier to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 302 LXIII A Letter from Dr. Thomas James to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 303 LXIV A Letter from Mr. William Eyres to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 304 LXV A Letter from Dr. Thomas James to Mr. Calandrine 306 LXVI A Letter from Dr. Thomas James to Mr. Calandrine 307 LXVII A Letter from the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 309 LXVIII A Letter from Dr. Thomas James to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 310 LXIX A Letter from Mr. Thomas Davis in Aleppo to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 311 LXX A Letter from Mr. Thomas Pickering to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 312 LXXI A Letter from Mr. Thomas Davis in Aleppo to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 313 LXXII A Letter from Sir Henry Bourgchier to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 314 LXXIII A Letter from Dr. Samuel Ward to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 315 LXXIV A Letter from the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath to Dr. Samuel Ward 315 LXXV A Letter from Sir Henry Bourgchier to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 316 LXXVI A Letter from Dr. Thomas James to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 317 LXXVII A Letter from Dr. Thomas James to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 318 LXXVIII A Letter from Dr. Samuel Ward to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 320 LXXIX A Letter from Sir Henry Bourgchier to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath 321 LXXX A Letter from the Right Reverend the Bishop of Kilmore to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop Elect of Armagh 322 LXXXI A Letter from Mr. Thomas Davis from Aleppo to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 323 LXXXII A Letter from Sir Henry Bourgchier to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 325 LXXXIII A Letter from Mr. Thomas Davis at Aleppo to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 326 LXXXIV A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to the Right Reverend John Williams Bishop of Lincoln and Lord Keeper 327 LXXXV A Letter from Mr. Abraham Wheelock to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 329 LXXXVI A Letter from Dr. Samuel Ward to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 330 LXXXVII A Letter from Dr. Thomas James to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 331 LXXXVIII A Letter from Mr. John Selden to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 332 LXXXIX A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Dr. Samuel Ward 333 XC A Letter from Dr. Samuel Ward to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 333 XCI A Letter from Dr. Samuel Ward to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 334 XCII A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to the Lord Keeper and Lord Treasurerer 335 XCIII A Letter from Mr. John Selden to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 338 XCIV A Letter from Mr. John Cotton of New England to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 338 XCV A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Dr. Samuel Ward 340 XCVI A Letter from Dr. Samuel Ward to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 340 XCVII A Letter from Dr. Samuel Ward to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 341 XCVIII A Letter from Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Dr. Samuel Ward 342 XCIX A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Dr. Samuel Ward 343 C. A Letter from Dr. Samuel Ward to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 344 CI. A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Samuel Ward 345 CII A Letter from Mr. Ralph Skinner to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 346 CIII A Letter from Mr. Ralph Skinner to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 356 CIV A Letter from Mr. Ralph Skinner to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 358 CV A Letter from Mr. Ralph Skinner 363 CVI. A Letter from Mr. Ralph Skinner to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 366 CVII A Letter from Mr. James White to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 368 CVIII A Letter from Dr. Samuel Ward to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 368 CIX A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to Dr. Samuel Ward 369 CX A Letter from Dr. John Bainbridge to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 370 CXI A Letter from Mr. Thomas Davis from Aleppo to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 371 CXII A Letter from Mr. Alexander Cook to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 372 CXIII A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to the Lord Faulkland 373 CXIV A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to the Most Reverend Robert Abbot Arch-Bishop of Canterbury 374 CXV A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to the Honourable Society of Lincolns-Inn 375 CXVI A Letter from the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh to the Most Reverend Robert Abbot Arch-Bishop of Canterbury 376 CXVII A Letter from Dr. Samuel Ward to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 377 CXVIII A Letter from the Lord Deputy Faulkland to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 379 CXIX A Letter from the Most Reverend Robert Abbot Arch-Bishop of Canterbury to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 380 CXX A Letter from Mr. Thomas Davis in Aleppo to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 381 CXXI A Letter from the Reverend John Hanmer Bishop of St. Asaph to the Most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh 382