of the North parts VVilliam Longchamp Bishop of Ely Chancellour In Henry the second 's time Thomas a Becket Chancellour Sylvester Giraldus Bishop of Saint Davids and Daniel Eccles of his Privy Counsell Gilbert Foliot Bishop of London Baldwin Arch-Bishop of Canterburie and Hugh Bishop of Durham Ambassadours into France and the Bishops of Ely VVinchester and Norwich principal Justices of his Courts In King Iohn's dayes Gray first Bishop of Norwich then Arch-Bishop of Canterburie and Lord President of the Councell also Peter Bishop of VVinchester after Governour to Henry the third Temps Henry the third Gray Lord Deputy of Ireland Stephen Langton Arch-Bishop of Canterburie and Iohn Derlington of the Privie Councell Temps Edward the first Hugh Manchester and VValter Winterbourn the one Ambassadour into France the other the Kings Confessor Temps Edward the third Iefferie Hardebie and Iohn Grandison of the Privie-Councell Iohn Hilton his Ambassadour to the Pope and Thorsby Arch-Bishop of York Chancellour Temps Richard the second William Wickham Bishop of VVinchester Chancellour VValtham Bishop of Salisburie Treasurer Thomas Cardinall the Kings Confessor and Richard Lavenham and Richard Waldeby his Favourites Temps Henry the fourth Iohn Colton Arch-Bishop of Dublin Stanburie Bishop of Bangor and Dr. VValter Hunt Temps Henry the fifth Thomas Arundel Bishop of Yorke Chancellour Stephen Portington Thomas Crawley Arch-Bishop of Dublin and Lord Deputy of Ireland Robert Mascall the Kings Confessor and an Ambassadour abroad VVilliam Linwood Dr. of both Lawes and Divinitie Ambassadour to Spain and Thomas VValden Ambassadour to Poland and Delegate to the Councell of Constance Temps Henry the sixth VVilliam VVainfleet Bishop of VVinchester Chancellour and Iohn Love Bishop of Rochester both of his Councell Temps Henry the seventh Prudent honest faithfull Morton amicus certus in re incerta Arch-Bishop of Canterburie and Chancellour one worthy of whatever his Majestie had to give for he loved much Fox Bishop of Exon Ambassador in Scotland Fisher Bishop of Rochester Alcock Bishop of Ely and Dr. Henry Hornby all in great esteem Temps Henry the eighth this was the squint-eyed time when a stranger coming over hither cryed out Bone Deus qualis religio in Angliâ hîc suspenduntur Papistae illic comburuntur Antipapistae Even in this time many Bishops and Clergy-men were in high place Fox Bishop of Hereford Longland Bishop of Lincoln the Kings Almoner Aldridge Bishop of Carlisle Leigh Arch-Bishop of York VVest Bishop of Ely VVarham Arch-Bishop of Canterburie and Chancellour Ruthall Bishop of Durham all or most of these of the privy Councell Gardiner Bishop of VVinchester Ambassadour into France and Dr. Pace Dean of Pauls Ambassadour to most Princes in Christendome I say nothing of the five last reigns as pregnant of favours to the Church as any preceding them our memories excuse their recitall here and so long as the book of Gods remembrance is kept their kindness will be had in mention before God That which is the most pertinent conclusion to this I shall borrow from that very worthy and judicious Knight Sir Henry Spelman That amongst the many Chancellours of England there hath been no lesse then 160. Clergy-men amongst the Treasurers 80. almost all the Keepers of the Privy Seal all the Masters of the Rols till 26. Hen. 8. all the Itinerant Justices and Judges of the Courts till Edw. 3. time Clergy men Now God forbid the Clergy and faithfull Minsterie should in these big looking times of reformation grow contemptible who have in all times hitherto whether of peace or warre born away a very great share of worship and valuations but if the dayes of visitation are come and the dayes of recompence are come wherein the Prophet is counted a fool and the spiritual man mad as the phrase is Hosea cap. 9. v. 7. If the Messengers of God are with the holy Apostles made a gazing stock both by reproaches and afflictions Heb. c. 10. v. 33. Then may they safely crie with the woman in the siege of Samaria Help O King of Saints and with the Kingly Prophet David My God make hast for my help Psal. 71. v. 12. and in those cries assuredly they will be heard and the time will come when that promise shall be fulfilled to them All they that are incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded they shall be as nothing and they which strive with thee shall perish 41. Isa. v. 11. Let no man condemn this humble interposition either as unnecessarie or unseasonable for truly it highly becomes any Gentleman who hath had his breeding from a Clergy man as most persons of any quality in this Nation have had Tutors in Universities and great houses being for the most part of this Tribe and who knows what the use and pleasure of Learning is to imploy his utmost interest in mediation for them as the great instruments of literature and instituting youth for there is no Parent that in generation doth so much to the Childs felicity as doth the Tutor in his cultivation and nurtriture the Fathers of our bodies may leave us honours and riches but they cannot make us pious wise valiant civil intelligent eloquent these next the blessing of God grow from institution conversation and example of our Instructors 'T was wel said of Diony sius to Helidore Caesar can give thee honours and wealth but he cannot make thee an Oratour Experience of this made all ages eye with gratitude and veneration their Philosophers and religious men as eminent benefactors and devote themselves and theirs to their service and acCommodation Philip of Macedon gave more thanks to the Gods for Aristotle in whose dayes his renowned Sonne Alexander was born then for his Sonne and heire then born because he hoped that by his education under so renowned a Tutor he would become so learned that he might be worthy to be his Sonne and to succeed to his Commands Pericles the great Athenian Prince so doted on his Master Anaxagoras that being sick he went to him and prayed him to be carefull of his life if not for his own yet for Pericles sake and the better to counsell him how to rule wisely Did not Dionysius the Tyrant send for his Master Plato in a royall vessel riding to the Sea-side to meet him in his triumphing Chariot bringing him into the City not like a Philosoper but a Conquerour Did not Alexander honour Phocion and doe all by his advice when he was present with him Was not that the best time of Nero wherein his Master Seneca and Burrus Captain of the Pretorian bands were as powerfull so most wise and learned Had not Octavian his Mecoenas and Agrippa by whom he was guided and counselled Had not Trajan his Plutarch whom he loved as his other self Did not Scipio Africanus honour his Master Panaetius and give to Polybius the title of his Companion at home and abroad what think you Had Domitian good regard to Quintilian the
law but necessity and they would abide here upon no fairer terms then Will. There was no fear of God amongst them nor no terms to be treated upon but such as money bought for help by Arms was not possible Had it not been for Siricius the second Arch-Bishop of Canterbury they had been so long uncompounded with that the whole Nations ruine had undoubtedly been perfected He good man knew that Apollo's golden beard must be given to Mars and therefore adviseth composition with them which is made ten thousand pounds paid and they no more to trouble us But at the instance of their interest they grew faedifragous fell like lightning within a short time upon us amused the people and purchased a second contribution of sixteen thousand pound Qui timidè negat rogare docet Which paid they rest not Hell and the Grave ever cry Give give and having got coyn they proceed to gain the Countrey They thought we had Mines of Money who were so cheaply courted to part with it without any capitulation being like so many Doso's who answer I will give to every demand They come in afresh are offered money refuse it besiege and take Canterbury put to death the Arch-Bishop Elphegus and soon after under the conduct of Swain so havock and waste all that they seem rather to be divels then men so many Melamons turned from men into Lions Which gives me occasion to cry out with the Poet against such rude Souldiers and undisciplin'd strangers Nulla fides pietasque viris qui castra sequuntur Those that the Camp do follow must Live less to Virtue then to Lust. For Truth and Piety in them A Toy is thought no Diadem Thus rested the Nation hurried and chafed all the time of the Danish concussion till Knute setled it who with much prudence and in testimony of his sorrow for those abuses commited by his Predecessors and Countreymen repaired decaied Churches and Abbeys built many Religious houses and Churches His Wife gave most noble and priceful Jewels to the Church at Winchester and he built many Churches and honoured Churchmen extreamly using their counsels in matters of high importance as Athelmare Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and others He made also good Laws and did many things very worthy and well might say with the Philosopher to any that should upbraid him for a rude and loathsome Dane My Country is a shame to me thou art a shame to thy Country Power like all things alated seldome rests long in any continued Line 'T is in perpetual motion wandring from one Master to another and concentring in none but God from whom it first Emanated for all power is from him Just Quà efficiens Unjust quà non impediens and his Justice is as eminent in bearing with mens Usurpations as his Mercy in assisting their Rights the Danish insolency was gained by the good fortune of their Ancestors and their manly resolution broke through all disanimations which seemed to publish any impossibilitie of success their power setled in Knute the best of that breed and the greatest Monarch of that line and Nation for he ruled our England Denmarke Norway Scotland and part of Sweden expired in Knute the second called ordinarily Hardeknute who was a true Dane in lewdness and tyranny and under whom all manner of oppression was uncontrollably acted so just is the judgement of God that Malè parta malè dilabuntur Ex malè quaesitis vix gaudet tertius haeres Now the vogue of the Nation was for the Saxon line the great men and people chuse Edward one of the sonnes of Ethelbert who before was faine to flye into Normandy to his Couzen Duke William with whom he was when chosen to the Crown This Edward was a noble Prince and religious called Edward the Confessor his Lawes are notable he was a Clerkly man and they say Compiler of our common Lawes or rather restorer of them After this mans departure out of life the Kingdom was in disturbance by Earle Goodwin and his Sonnes Edward the sonne of Ironside prepared to obtain it Harold got most power and only gave battaile to Duke VVilliam the Norman who had the promise of K. Edward to be his heir if he dyed issuess as much from Harold to assist him Upon this occasion the Duke hearing King Edward was dead without child and that no Declaration was by him made touching his succession sent Embassadors to Harold now in possession on of the Crown to mind him of his promise in his extremity Harold returns answer in the negative Crownes are not easily come by nor ought to be courted away upon cheap terms he is no man at all that will not venture his mole-hill to gain the mountain of Kingly power 'T was notably said potentiam qui consecutus fuerit nemo tam facile deponit quam damnat Aeneas Sylvius They are both resolved one to hold what he hath the other to gaine what he expected to have their forces meet joyn battaile and Duke VVilliam proves Victor Now comes Change crowded in a new upon the Nation like waves in a disturbed Sea New Lords new Lawes feared I and for a while it proved so but the wisdome of Duke VVilliam gave continuance and peace to his power and conquest though he altered the favours and fortunes of particular persons yet he continued the old customes at least for the most part and gave them assurance that the furie of blood warmed once over there would be a cessation of all rigour and an aime at a just settlement which was promoted by nothing more then by conserving the rights of the Church and the reverence due to Church-men And therefore our Stories doe mention the Bishops and Clergy in high veneration in all reigns nay in the troublesome and impious reign of King Iohn who for that they reproved his profuse dissolute and cruell carriage to his Subjects hated them with a more then Vatinian hatred yet did many eminent Clergy-men keep places of favor greatness I will that the truth of this be not thought an obtrusion on the credulities of people specifie some few of those many religious men both Prelates and others which have been eminent Favourites and Officers in the severall reigns of Princes from the Conquest that men may see to love and consult with the Church-man has been held both the pietie and policie of former times In the time of the Conquerour I find Stigand Arch-Bishop of Canterburie a favourite In William Rufus his time Lanfrank of the the same See In the time of Henry the first Roger Bishop of Salisburie Protector of the Land in the Kings absence in Normandy In King Stephen's reign Thurstan Arch-Bishop of Yorke and Cardinall Robert Pulleyn great both with the King and Mawd Fitz-Empresse In Richard the first 's reign Ioseph Exon Arch-Bishop of Bourdeaux Richard Canon Comes ejus individuus saith Pitsaeus to the holy Land Hugh Bishop of Durham chief Justice
Oratour when he committed his Nephews to his care Was not Charles the great in love with our Alcuinus when he took him into his bosome and owned him to all the world as his beloved Master Yea was not Learning in high account when Craesus the Lydian King sent a solemn Embassie to Anacharsis then at Athens under the name of the great Philosopher with mighty presents and an Epistle from the King in which were these passages That he desired to correct the barbarous manners of his people and to see the Commonwealth reformed to be principled to live wel to regulate the Court and to doe other matters of import which cannot be effected without Thee for nothing truly laudable is feasible without the assistance and interposition of Wisdom And a little after adds Though I am squint-eyed lame bald distorted dwarfie black crump-shouldred in fine a monster amongst men yet they are his very expressions these deformities are toyes to those more reall blemishes of my Mind for that I am so unhappy to have no Philosopher with me for hee onely lives the life of lives who is propped up by wise men There are more Instances of Archelaus Antigonus Pyrrhus Kings infinitely tender of and noble to Learned men But take one for all Ptolomaeus Stoter the Eighth King of Egypt whom Historians call Literarum Literatorum amantissimus This man bore away the Garland from all the other 11 Ptolomies Men more warlike and One gives the reason Non propter victorias bello partas sed propter scientias studio comparatas These in stead of many more render Philosophers and learned Men under what name soever accountable as the Images of Vertue and Pillars of Kindgoms and Governments And God forbid that those who are our present Governours should lesse favour Learning and learned Men then former Powers and Governours have done or think any so worthy their ears or hearts as those that are as it were the soul and life blood of Common-wealths Without which Tribe to live were to die and to be happie were to be miserable For as the Philosopher said Nihil majus deorum immortalium munere hominibus datum est Philosophiâ And if Learned men are so to be loved then surely are the Clergie as the great Conducts of it to be appreciated They They are and ever have been the great Luminaries in this our Sphere the grand instruments of our conversion from Paganism of our reputation and glory throughout the World Who converted this Nation to Christianity from Paganism was it not the Clergy Who moved our converted Kings and their pious Subjects to build Churches and endow them to make good Lawes for their preservation and reverence was it not the Clergy Who taught the people Letters when they were ignorant and sought after and home brought Arts of all Natures to the maturation of our repute was it not the Clergy Who have been good Counsellers Treasurers Judges yea and if need were holy Martyrs to dye for as well as live in the true Religion have not the Clergie Turn over our Chronicles for I speak to Englishmen and shall make use of English Authority to confirm what I write on this Head Was not Alfred excited to build Schools at Oxford by Neot a learned Benedictine And did not Cardinal Pulleyn who fled the distractions of King Stephen's time return to Oxford and there moved with compassion to see the desolate Schools as it were restored Learning almost lost to life again at his own costs and charges calling for Professours and Masters out of all parts of the Kingdome Hee himself also labouring with them Who enlarged the Universities by building more and more Colledges to the small beginnings sacrated to the Muses but Clergy-men I will particularize their bounty that those who would tear them in pieces now they think there is none to help them may read and blush at their ingratitude and impudence There is hardly in any of both the Universities a Colledg but hath either had a Clergy-man for its Founder or Amplifier I will begin with my Mother-University quae habet ubera verè vino meliora fragrantiâ unguentis optimis in holy S. Bernards phrase The first Colledg that I find built in Cambridg was S. Peters Colledg about the time of Ed. 1. by Hugh Blasham first Prior then Bishop of Ely who endowed it nobly and compleated it about the year 1284 After in Edward the Second his time Robert Litlington and Robert de Aylsham and Iohn de Felmingham made additions of two Buildings to it all Clergy men The Colledg of S. Michael on part whereof Trinity Colledg now stands was built by Henry de Stanton Canon of York and Wells about the yeer 1324. The Colledg now called Clare Hall quondamque University Colledg was founded by the Body of the University in Anno 1326. Richard Baden Vicechancellor S. Benets Colledg built by the Order of Benedictines in Edw. the Thirds time about the year 1350 and their Statutes confirmed by Tho. Lisle Bishop of Ely Trinity Hall begun by divers Priests but finished to compleating by William Bateman Bishop of Norwich Gonvile Colledg begun by Edward Gonvile Priest and Parson of Terrington in Norfolk and a great summ of money left by him to Doctor Bateman Bishop of Norwich to perfect it The Colledg called anciently Domus Dei but since added to Christs Colledg was begun by Wil. Bingham Pastor of S. Iohn in London Queens Colledg augmented much by Andrew Ducket Pastor of S. Butolphs in Cambridg and Principall of Bernards House Katherine Hall founded by Robert Woodlark Dr. of Divinity Chancellor of the University Anno 1475. and Provost of Kings Iesus Colledg founded by Iohn Alcock Bishop of Ely Anno 1497. S. Iohns Colledg anciently was a house of Canons regulars founded by Nigel Bish. of Ely about 1130. and in an 1280. temp E. 1. Hugh Balsham B. of Ely joyned the secular schol to the religious men Yea was not the liberall Endowments of Lady Margaret Countesse of Richmond on that University and the Professors thereof given at the request and upon the recommendation of Fox Bishop of Winchester and Fisher Bishop of Rochester her Executors to whom she by Will left great summs of mony to perfect that her charity Lo the Clergy's bounty to Cambridg They have One blessing more for Oxford like the field which the Lord hath blessed Their Mother Colledg University Colledg restored and augmented if not wholly built by William Bishop of Durham in the time of the Conqueror Merton Colledg by William Merton Bishop of Rochester Anno 1276. Exeter Colledg and Harts Hall by Walter Stapleton Bishop of Exeter Anno 1320. Oryel Colledg and S. Mary Hall were founded by Adam Brian Edw. the Second his Almoner An. 1323. Canterbury Colledg added to Christs Church by Simon Islip Archbishop of Canterbury about Anno 1553. New Colledg and Winchester Colledg buitl by William