side or party but all so far as he saw they agreed with the Reformed Church of England either in Fundamentals or innocent and decent Superstructures Yet I believe he was so far a Protestant and of the Reformed Religion as he saw the Church of England did protest against the Errors Corruptions Usurpations and Superstitions of the Church of Rome or against the novel opinions and practices of any party whatsoever And certainly he did with as much honour as justice so far own the Authentick Authority Liberty and Majesty of the Church of England in it's reforming and setling of it's Religion that he did not think fit any private new Masters whatsoever should obtrude any Foreign or Domestick Dictates to her or force her to take her copy of Religion from so petty a place as Geneva was or Frankefort or Amsterdam or Wittenbergh or Edenborough no nor from Augsburg or Arnheim nor any foreign City or Town any more than from Trent or Rome none of which had any Dictatorian Authority over this great and famous Nation or Church of England further than they offered sober Counsels or suggested good Reasons or cleared true Religion by Scripture and confirmed it by good Antiquity as the best interpreter and decider of obscure places and dubious cases Which high value it is probable as to his Mother the Church of England and her Constitutions was so potent in the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury that as he thought it not fit to subject her to the insolency of the Church of Rome so nor to the impertinencies of any other Church or Doctor of far lesse repute in the Christian world No doubt his Lordship thought it not handsome in Mr. Calvin to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so censorious of the Church of England as to brand it's Devotion or Liturgy with his tolerabiles ineptiae who knew not the temper of the Nation requiring then not what was absolutely best but most conveniently good and such not onely the Liturgy was but those things which he calls tolerable toys I having occasion to speak with him he upon a time was pleased to grant me access some freedom of speech with him and withal asked me the opinion of the people of him I told him they reported his Lordship endeavoured to betray the Church of England to the Roman correspondency and communion He at length very calmly and gravely thus reylyed protesting with a serious attestation of his integrity before God's Omniscience that however he might mistake in the mean and method yet he never had other design than the glory of God the service of his Majesty the good order peace and decency of the Church of England that he was so far from complying with Papists in order to confirm them in their Errors that he rather chose such Methods to advance the honour of the reformed Religion in England as he believed might soon silence the cavils of fiercer Papists induce the more moderate Recusants to come in to us as having lesse visible occasion given them by needlesse Distances and Disputes to separate from us which he thought arose much from that popular Variety Inconstancy Easinesse Irreverence and Uncomeliness which might easily grow among us in the outward profession of Religion for want of observing such uniformity and decency in Religion as were required by the Laws and Canons of this Church and State He added that he had further a desire as much as he could to relieve the poor and depressed condition of many Ministers which he had to his grief observed in Wales and England where their Discouragements were very great by reason of the tenuity and incompetency of their Livings that in his Visitations he had sometime seen it with grief among twenty Ministers not one man had so much as a decent Garment to put on nor did he believe their other treatment of Life was better that he found the sordid and shameful Aspect of Religion and the Clergy gave great Advantages to those that were Popishly inclined who would hardly ever think it best for them to joyn with that Church which did not maintain either it's own Honour or it's Clergy to some competency and comeliness Much more discourses his Lordship was pleased to use at several times to this purpose which commands my charity to clear him as far as I can judge of any tincture of Popery truly so called or of any superstition which placeth a Religion in the nature and use of that thing which God hath not either particularly commanded or in general permitted I suppose he thought that where God hath allowed to his Church and to every private Christian so far as may consist with the Churches Order and Peace a liberty of ceremonious and circumstantial decency as to God's worship there neither himself was to be blamed nor did he blame other men if they kept within those discreet and inoffensive bounds which either the Churches publick peace required or its indulgence to promote Christians permitted That Uniformity he pressed was not more advantageous to Religion which must of necessity have been propagated when Controversies had been turned to devotion than it was necessary for the State which cannot be secure as long as there is a marke of distinction under which all Male-contents may shrowd themselves a note of separation whereby the Factions may reckon their parties and aestimate their strength and a way open to popularity to the ambition of any whose interest or desperatenesse shall adventure to make himself head of so great a party He was a person of so great abilities which are the designations of nature to dignity and command that they raised him from low beginnings to the highest Office the Protestant profession acknowledgeth in the Church and he was equal to it His learning appeared eminent in his Book against Fisher and his piety illustrious in his Diary He was of so publick a spirit that both the Church and State have lasting Monuments of the virtuous use he made of his Princes favour at his admittance into which he dededicated all the future Emolumeuts of it to the glory of God and the good of men by a projection of many noble Works most of which he accomplished and had finished the rest had not the fate of the Nation checked the current of his Design and cut off the course of his Life He was not contented by himself onely to serve his Generation for so he might appear more greedy of fame than desirous of the universal benefit but he endeavoured to render all others as heroick if they aimed at a capacity for his friendship For I have heard it from his Enemies no great man was admitted to a confidence and respect with him unlesse he made Addresse by some act that was for the common good or for the ornament and glory of the Protestant Faith Learned men had not a better Friend nor Learning it self a greater Advance◠He searched all the Libraries of
doubted and won those that contradicted in King Henry's Cause But he served not King Henry more faithfully in Germany then he provided for him honourably in England where the Kings Cause waited for his Assistance and the See of Canterbury for his Acceptance He was willing to promote Religion he was unwilling for some Formalities he scrupled to advance himself but after seven Weeks delay it being as fatal to refuse King Henry's Favours as to offer him Injuries he is Archbishop in his own Defence in which capacity to serve the King and salve his own Conscience he used the Expedient of a Protestation to this purpose In nomine c. Non est nec erit meae voluntatis aut intentionis per hujusmodi Juramentum juramenta qualiter verba in ipsis posita sonare videbuntur me obligare ad aliquid ratione eorundem post hac dicendum faciendum aut attestandum quod erit aut esse videbitur contra legem Dei vel contra Regem aut Rempublicam legesve aut Praerogativa ejus quod non intendo per hujusmodi juramentum quovis modo me obligare quò minùs liberò loqui consulere consentire valeam in omnibus singulis Reformationem Ecclesiae prerogativam Coronae concernentibus ea exequi reformare quae in Ecclesia Anglicana reformanda videbuntur This Protestation he made three times once at the Charter-House another time at the Altar and a third time at the receiving of his Pall. In his place he was moderate between the Superstition of Rome and the Phrensies of Munster As he was chief Instrument in beginning the Reformation so he was in continuing it He withstood the Six Articles and though the King sent five prime Ministers of State to comfort him would not be satisfied until he saw them mitigated in King Henry's time and repealed in King Edward's Gardiner would have questioned him for entertaining forreign Hereticks and promoting Domestick Schisms the Northern Rebells accused him for subverting the Church but the King upheld him against both suppressing the One and checking the Other and advising the good Man whom he called Fool for his meek disposition to appeal to him Whereupon Russel cried The King will never suffer him to be imprisoned until you finde Him guilty of High Treason He is to be pitied for his intermediate failings but renowned for his final constancy The King having declared before all his Servants that Cranmer was his best Servant he employeth him in his best service the Reformation of Religion wherein all others failed but the King Cromwel and Brandon backed him so far that he had the Bible and the necessary Offices of the Church translated into English He had both Universities at his command He brought the Lords House and Convocation to his Lure and was invested with a Power 1. To grant Dispensations in all things not repugnant to Gods Law nor the Kings safety 2. To determine Ecclesiastical Causes He as charitably as politickly advised the King to accept of Bishop Fisher's partial Subscription considering his Learning and Reputation As he is King Henry's Instrument at Dunstable to divorce him from Queen Katharine so he is at Lambeth to divorce him from Anna Bullen He promoted in the Convocation all Primitive Doctrines and condemned all new-fangled Opinions He was so charitable that he interceded with the King for his Enemies so munificent that he made the Church and his own House a Refuge for Strangers particularly for P. Fagius P. Martyr Martin Bucer c. The King loved him for his Integrity the People for his Moderation He was called the Kings Father and was Queen Elizabeth's Godfather His Piety reduced the Church and his Policy the State He spake little to others he conferred much with himself Three words of His could do more then three hours discourse of Others He wousd say as Victorinus There is a time to say nothing there is a time to say something but there is never a time to say all things That King who awed all Others feared Him A Second to the Eternal Power is the Wise Man uncorrupt in his Life He was the Executor of God's Will in King Henry's Life-time and the first of His after his Death As He spurred King Henry to a Reformation so King Edward did Him whose Prudence was not so forward as the Others Zeal who looked at what was Lawful as He did at what was Convenient He maintained the Churches Power as resolutely against Bishop Hooper's Scruples notwithstanding potent Intercession as he reformed its Corruptions against the Popes Interest notwithstanding a general Opposition He allowed not the least Errour in not the least contempt of the Church He restored its primitive Doctrine and Discipline lest it should be an impure Church he upheld them lest it should be none He was one of fourteen that compiled the Common-Prayer He was One of Two that set out the Homilies and the onely man that published the Institution of a Christian man and other good Books With his Advice King Edward did much and designed more He was the chief Author of King Edward's Injunctions and the first Commissioner in them He was President of the Assembly at Windsor for Reformation and of the Council at London His Articles were strict and severe as much grounded on the Canon of Scripture as on the Canons of the Church He convinced more Papists with his Reason and Moderation then others by their Power His Heart never failed him in his Life and it was not burned at his Death He did so much for the Protestant Religion in King Henry's Days that he foresaw he should suffer for it in Queen Mary's He was unwilling to wrong Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth therefore he refused at first to sign King Edward's Testament but Duke Dudley's Will He was willing to continue the Protestant Religion therefore he signed it at last It was a Bishop that was one of the first that abolished Popery in England and one of the last that died for Protestantisme It was a Bishop that maintained the Protestant Cause with Arguments while he lived and with his Blood when he died Observations on Sir Thomas More Lord Chancellour of England HE rise up high because he stept out well Sir Thomas More was half way Chancellour when born to Sir John More Chief Justice The Father's Prudence Wit and Noblenesse flowed with his Blood to the Sons Veins Much Honour he received from his Family more he gave to it His Mother saw his Face shining in Dream on her Wedding Night and his Father saw his Life so really A quick City-Spirit made him capable of great State-Employments He was saved by a Miracle and was One For his Nurse riding with him over a Water and being in some danger threw him over a Hedge where she found him not hurt but sweetly smiling upon her A Free-school seasoned his forward Childhood and the grave wise and excellent Cardinal Mortons House his Youth The One
all their Designes and freed him from the mischief projected against him Great was the value the Queen set upon him as her ablest Minister of State for coming once to visit him being sick of the Gout at Burleigh-house in the Strand and being much heightned with her Head-attire then in fashion the Lords servant who conducted her through the door said May your Highness be pleased to stoop The Queen returned For your Masters sake I will stoop but not for the King of Spain She would make him always sit down in her presence saying My Lord we make use of you not for your bad Legs but your good Head He was a good friend to the Church as then established by Law advising his son Thomas never to build a great House or bestow any great charge upon an Impropriation as fearing the foundation might fail hereafter yet conniving at sober Non-conformists to strengthen the foundation at present he checked the forwardness of private men and advanced the honour of the publick Establishment on all hands Good my Lord saith he in his Letter to Archbishop Whitgift in the behalf of some squeamish Ministers bear with my scribbling I write with the testimony of a good Conscience I desire the peace of the Church I desire concord and unity in the exercise of our Religion I fear no sensual or wilful Recusant I would not make Offenders neither would I protect them And I pray your Grace bear this and perchance a fault and yet I have sharply admonished them that if they will be Disturbers in their Churches they must be corrected and yet upon your Graces answer to me Ne sutor ultra Crepidam neither will I put Falcem in alterius Messem Was his Chaplain Traverse his hand in all this And then again If I had known his fault saith he of Brown I might be blamed for Writing for him Thus he carried matters without passion and prejudice prudently as became so great a States-man He was not rigid yet he was careful He would help the good-natured yet punish the stubborn He would rather be where nothing is lawful then where all things are so He would never skrue up the Law to the pitch of cruelty nor unloose it to the remissness of Libertinism He was no less honourable a Patron of the University then he was a faithful Son of the Church the Church strengtheneth the State and the Universities furnish both particularly in the case of Rent-corn which saith my Author first grew in Sir Thomas Smiths head yet was ripened by Burleighs assistance whereby though the Rents of the Colledges stand still their Revenues increase He was not surer of all Church-men and Scholars by his Obligations upon them then he was of all by his complaisance and pleasantness None more grave then he in Publick none more free in Private especially at his Table where he drew something out of his heaviest guests having an admirable Dexterity in reading and observing men their own occasional openings in common discourse there being more hold to be taken of a few words casually uttered then of set solemn Speeches which rather shew mens Arts then their Natures as indited rather of their brains then hearts His power awed many his conversation obliged more He had his hour to put on his Gown and his hour to put it off When he would say Lie thou there Lord Treasurer and bidding Adieu to all State-affairs he disposed himself to his quiet and rest He laid the Designes of War by his own Theory and his friends Intelligence yet he advised peace and died before the Question was determined Whether a War with Spain Others understood the Nature of War but he onely the Expediency and Conveniency If War was necessary none more forward to promote it none more careful to maintain it knowing that in vain do the brows beat the eyes sparkle the tongue threaten the fist bend and the arm strike if the belly be not fed and the back cloathed and indeed this was his Master-piece that the Queen vying Gold and Silver with the King of Spain had Money or Credit when the other had neither Her Exchequer saith my Author though but a Pond in comparison holding water when his River fed with a Spring from the Indies was dreined dry It was with his advice that that Queen paid her Obligations in Preferments rather then Money giving away not above two Largesses of that nature in her life In a word when others set in a Cloud he shined clear to his last He saw Essex dead Leicester slighted Mountjoy discountenanced and what with the Queens constant favour which lodged where it lighted and his own temper and moderation when more violent men failed he died as great a Favourite as he lived leaving his son Thomas so much Estate as advanced him to the Earldome of Exeter and his son Robert so much State-Discipline as raised him successiâ—è to be Secretary of State Master of the Court of Wards Lord Treasurer and Earl of Salisbury He was a very exact and a wary Observer of Forreign Transaction witness this passage to Sir Henry Norris Embassador in France The rare manner of your Entertainment hath moved the Queens Majesty to muse upon what score it should be being more then hath been used in like cases to her Embassadors and such as besides your own report hath been by others lately advertised And for that in such things Guesses be doubtful I pray you by your next advertise me what your self do think of it and in the mean time I know you are not untaught to judge of the difference between fair words and good deeds as the saying is Fortuna cum adblanditur Capitum advenit His thoughts of a Rebel that submitted take in these words Of late Shane Oneal hath made means to the Lord Deputy of Ireland to be received into grace pretending that he hath meant no manner of unlawfulness towards the Queen by which is gathered that he groweth weary of his lewdness yet I think he is no therwise to be reformed then by sharp prosecution which is intended to be followed no whit the less for any his fair Writings as reason is Of Intelligence he writes thus I doubt not but you shall have of his hand no lack of Intelligence which you must credit as you see cause by proof of the event About Embassadors Dispatches he saith He must write apart to the Secretary in matters containing trouble and business and to his Soveraign of Advice In a particular Negotiation about Pyrates he advised That the King of France and his Council might perceive that it is well known how the Pyrates are suffered to do what they will notwithstanding it be contrary to Proclamation And yet you shall so order the matter saith he to a French Ambassador as not that you shall finde fault with this manner of suffering for that ought properly to be to the Spanish or Portugal Embassador with whom you may sometime deal to understand how
more where he and his old setters at Court discovered the grand Plot in the North as Hunsdon and his old Souldiers at Berwick defeated it and both harassed the Scotish Borders all things yeilding to those two grand Disposers of the World now predominant in England Wisedome and Cecil at home Arms and Hunsdon abroad and both with Sussex at home now for his approved Wisdome and Fidelity made Privy Counsellour and abroad alway Lord General Of many I pitch on this one Argument Of the greatness of his Minde that he scorned to trample the Prostrate that he had a just Passion but not an unworthy Malice for an Enemy whom he had a generous goodness to pity when unhappy as well as a brave spirit to contest with when injurious The lesser fry of adversaries railed against this great one pleaded for Leicester when his practices against Anjou's marriage with the Queen confined him to the Castle of Windsor and his Menaces had cast him to the Tower of London had not my Lord minding more the common Interest then his private resentments first moderated the Queens Passion with Reason and then overcame it with this Jest You must allow Lovers their jealousie Alter idem or other Observations on the Life of the Lord Hatton HHis first Preferment at Court was to be one of the fifty Pensioners whence his modest sweetness of Manners advanced him to the Privy Chamber where he had not been long but his face and tongue which most eloquent which most powerful was in those days a question made him Captain of the Guard his presence and service Vice-Chamberlain and his great improvement under my Lord Burleigh placed him in that grave Assembly the wisest Convention in Europe at that time the Privy-Council where he had not sate long when his enemies as well as his friends made him Chancellour and Knight of the Garter the one to raise him and the other by that rise to ruine him The Eagle-eyed men of those times carried up on high the Cockleshel they had a mind to crack A man of a pious Nature very charitable to the Poor very tender of dissenting Judgements saying That neither searing nor cutting was to be used in the cause of Religion very bountiful to Scholars who chose him Chancellour at Oxford very exact in his Place whence he went off though not with the applause of a great Lawyer to split Causes yet with the Conscience and comfort of a just man to do equity Take his Character from his own words those words that prevailed with the Queen of Scots to appear before the Commissioners at Fotheringaz when neither Queen Elizabeths Commission nor the Lord Chancellours Reason nor the Power of the Kingdome could perswade that good Lady to it The words are these You are accused but not condemned You say you are a Queen be it so if you are innocent you wrong your Reputation in avoiding tryal You protest your self innocent the Queen feareth the contrary not without grief and shame To examine your innocence are these honourable prudent and upright Commissioners sent glad will they be with all their hearts if they may return and report you guiltless Believe me the Queen her self will be much affected with joy who affirmed to me at my coming from her that never any thing befel her more grievous then that you were charged with such a crime Wherefore lay aside the bootless priviledge of Royal Dignity which here can be of no use to you appear in Judgement and shew your Innocence lest by avoiding tryal you draw upon your self suspicion and lay upon your Reputation an eternal blot and aspersion Four things I observe he did that deserve a Chronicle 1. That he delayed the Signing of Leicesters Patent for the Lieutenancy of England and Ireland the Preface to his Kingdome until that Earl was sick 2. That he reduced the Chancery and all other Courts to Rules 3. That he stood by the Church against the enemies of both sides Archbishop Whitgift when checked by others for his due severity writes to him thus I think my self bound to you for your friendly Message as long as I live It hath not a little comforted me having received unkinde speeches not long since c. And therefore after an expostulation about some States-mens Proceedings against the Law and State of the Realm and a Declaration of his own resolution saith he your Honour in offering that great courtesie offered unto me as great a pleasure as I can desire Her Majesty must be my Refuge and I beseech you that I may use you as a means when occasion shall serve whereof I assure my self and therein rest John Cant. 4. That he promoted the Proclamations for Plain Apparel for Free Trade for Pure Religion and the Laws against the Papists Observations on the Life of Sir John Puckering SIr John Puckering was born at Flamborough-head in Yorkshire He was second Son to his Father a Gentleman that left him neither a plenteous nor a penurious Estate His Breeding was more beneficial to him then his Portion gaining thereby such skill in the Common Law that he became the Queens Sergeant Speaker in the House of Commons and at last Lord Chancellour of England How he stood in his Judgement in the point of Church-Discipline plainly appeareth by his following Speech delivered in the House of Lords 1588. And especially you are commanded by Her Majesty to take heed that no ear be given nor time afforded to the wearisome Sollicitations of those that commonly be called Puritans wherewithal the late Parliaments have been exceedingly importuned which sort of men whilst that in the giddiness of their spirits they labour and strive to advance a new Eldership they do nothing else but disturb the good repose of the Church and Commonwealth which is as well grounded for the body of Religion it self and as well guided for the Discipline as any Realm that professeth the Truth And the same thing is already made good to the world by many of the Writings of godly and learned men neither answered nor answerable by any of these new-fangled Refiners And as the present case standeth it may be doubted whether they or the Jesuites do offer more danger or be more speedily to be repressed For albeit the Jesuites do empoyson the hearts of Her Majesties Subjects under a pretext of Conscience to withdraw them from their Obedience due to Her Majesty yet do they the same but closely and in privy-corners But these men do both teach and publish in their printed Books and teach in all their Conventicles sundry Opinions not onely dangerous to a well-setled Estate and the Policy of the Realm by putting a Pike between the Clergy and the Layty but also much derogatery to her sacred Majesty and her Crown as well by the diminution of her ancient and lawful Revenues and by denying Her Highness Prerogative and Supremacy as by offering peril to her Majesties safety in her own Kingdome In all which things
above other Princes but above other men be but his scholar and you are safe in that 3. For the Discipline of the Church of England by Bishops c. I will not positively say as some do that it 's Jure Divino but this I say and think 〈◊〉 animo that it is the neerest to Apostolical truth and confidently I shall say it is fittest for Monarchy of all others I will use no other authority to you than that excellent Proclamation set out by the King himself in the first year of his Reign and annexed before the Book of Common Prayer which I desire you to read and if at any time there shall be the least motion made for Innovation to put the King in minde to read it himself It is most dangerous in a State to give ear to the least alterations in Government 4. Take heed I beseech you that you be not an instrument to countenance the Romish Catholicks I cannot flatter the world believes that some near in blood to you are too much of that perswasion you must use them with fit respects according to the bonds of nature but you are of kin and so a friend to their persons not to their errors 5. The Arch-Bishops and Bishops next under the King have the government of the Church and Ecclesastical affairs be not you the mean to prefer any to those places for any by-respects but onely for their learning gravity and worth their lives and Doctrine ought to be exemplary 6. For Deans and Canons or Prebends of Cathedral Churches In their first institution they were of great use in the Church they were not onely to be of Council with the Bishop for his revenue but chiefly for his Government in causes Ecclesiastical use your best means to prefer such to those places who are fit for that purpose men eminent for their learning piety and discretion and put the King often in minde thereof and let them be reduced again to their first institution 7. You will be often sollicited and perhaps importuned to prefer Scholars to Church-Livings you may further your friends in that way caeteris peribus otherwise remember I pray that these are not places meerly of favour the charge of souls lies upon them the greatest account whereof will be required at their own hands but they will share deeply in their faults who are the instruments of their preferment 8. Besides the Romish Catholicks there is a generation of Sectaries the Anabaptists Brownists and others of their kinds they have been several times very busie in this Kingdom under the colour of zeal for reformation of Religion The King your Mr. knows their disposition very well a small touch will put him in minde of them he had experience of them in Scotland I hope he will beware of them in England a little countenance or connivance sets them on fire 9. Order and decent ceremonies in the Church are not onely comely but commendable but thâ—â— must be great care not to introduce Innovatio 〈…〉 they will quickly prove scandalous men are 〈…〉 rally over-prone to suspition the true Pr 〈…〉 Religion is seated in the golden mean the 〈◊〉 unto her are the extreams on either â—and 10. The persons of Church-men are to be 〈◊〉 in due respect for their words-sake and protected from scorn but if a Clergy-man be loose and 〈…〉 dalous he must not be patroniz'd nor wink 't at the example of a few such corrupt many 11. Great care must be taken that the patrimony of the Church be not sacrilegiously diverted 〈◊〉 lay-uses His Majesty in his time hath religio 〈…〉 stopped a leak that did much harm and would 〈◊〉 have done more Be sure as much as in you lyes stop the like upon all occasions 12. Colledges and Schools of Learning are to be cherished and encouraged thereto breed up a 〈◊〉 stock to furnish the Church and Common-wealth when the old store are transplanted This Kingdom hath in later ages been famous for good literature and if preferment shall attend the deservers there will not want supplies Next to Religion let your care be to promote Justice By justice and mercy is the Kings throâ—â— established 1. Let the rule of Justice be the Laws of the Land an impartial arbiter between the King and his people and between one Subject and another I shall not speak superlatively of them left I be suâ—pected of partiality in regard of my own profession but this I may truly say they are second to none in the Christian world 2. And as far as it may lie in you let no Arbitrary power be intruded the people of this Kingdome love the Laws thereof and nothing will oblige them more then a confidence of the free enjoying of them What the Nobles upon an occasions once said in Parliament Nolumus leges Anglia mutari is imprinted in the hearts of all the people 3. But because the life of the Laws lies in the due execution and administration of them let your eye be in the first place upon the choice of good Judges These properties had they need to be furnished with To be learned in their profession patient in hearing prudent in governing powerful in their elocution to perswade satisfie both the parties and â—earers just in their judgement and to sum up all they must have these three Attributes They must be men of courage fearing God and bating covet 〈…〉 e An ignorant man cannot a Coward dares not be a good Judge 4. By no means be you perswaded to interpose your self either by word or letter in any cause depending or like to be depending in any Court of Justice nor suffer any other great man to do it where you can hinder it and by all means disswade the King himself from it upon the importunity of 〈◊〉 for themselves or their friends If it should prevail it perverts Justice but if the Judge be so just and of such courage as he ought to be as not to be enclined thereby yet it always leaves a 〈◊〉 of suspition behind it Judges must be as chaste as Caesar's Wife neither to be nor to be suspected to be unjust and Sir the honour of the Judges in their judicature is the Kings honour whom they represent 5. There is great use of the service of the Judges in their Circuits which are twice in the year held throughout the Kingdome the tryal of a few causes between party and party or delivering of the Gaols in several Counties are of great use for the expedition of justice yet they are of much more use for the government of the Counties through which they pass if that were well thought upon 6. For if they had instructions to that purpose they might be the best intelligencers to teh King of the true state of his whole Kingdome of the disposition of the people of their inclinations of their intentions and motions which are necessary to be truly understood 7. To this end I could wish that against every Circuit
private spirited men accommodated to their ease and interest he adjusted to truth and settlement consulting not humors which are uncertain as interest but truth which is certain as Eternity Arch-Bishop Abbot's Yield and they will be pleased at last was a great miscarriage Arch-Bishop Laud's Resolve for there is no end of yielding was great policy His great reach in Government suitable to that King's apprehensions commended him to King James his vast ability and integrity to K. Charles and the Duke of Buckingham To the first whereof he was a Privy-Councellor to the other a Bosom-friend before both whom he laid the best Representations and Ideas of the English government as to things and persons in severall abstracts of any man under heaven I have heard a States-man say That none knew the joynts turnings flexures and interests of all Parties in Church or State that were either to be encouraged or suppressed with the seasons and opportunities to do it so well as Dr. Laud. Discerning was his fore-sight compleat his intelligence exact his correspondence quick his dispatches seasonable and effectual his Sermons and Discourses inquisitive and observing his Converse His Instruments were able and knowing men that were faithful to the Church as he was in Manwaring and Mountagu's case to them Knowing well as he wrote to my Lord of Buckingham that discouragements would deter men of parts whom encouragements might make serviceable He knew no man better how to temper a Parliament having a Catalogue of all the Nobility and Gentry with their Interest and Inclination in his eye He understood none more exactly what was to be discoursed and proposed to them having a clear apprehension of the several Junctures and Tendencies of affairâ— He entertained no thought but what was publick 〈◊〉 his breast no man but what was nobly spiritâ—â— in his familiarity Ever watchful he was of all opportunities to advance the Churches honour 1. In her Sons as Bishop Iuxon c. 2. Hâ—â— Discipline as in his several Visitations Articles Star-Chamber and High-Commission-matters 3. In her Endowments as the buying of Impropriations in Ireland 4. In her Priviledge as the Canons of England 5. In her Ornaments as the repairing furnishing of St. Pauls and most other Churches in his Province 6. In her Universities 〈◊〉 the Statutes of Oxford the priviledges of Cambridge and his vast gifts of Oriental Books and Buildings and his vaster design for both and as watchful against all the designs to undermine it The Feoffees for Impropriations he laid aside the Sabbatizing and Predestinarian controversies he silenced the Licentious Presse he reduced Dignities and Preferments he worthily filled up bribes at Court he retrenched No interest no alliance could ever advance an unworthy person while he lived Breed up your children well and I will provide for them was his saying to all his Relations Many a man would be disobliged by his sternnesse at first view for whom if deserving he would afterwards contrive kindnesses by after and unexpected favours No place of experience did he ever misse none of employment did he ever decline He would never see Authority baffled but either wave all proceedings against offenders or go through with them His prosecutions as in Leighton's Case were close his observation of all circumstances as in Lincoln's wary his declarations of the Cases clear and conâ—â—cing as in Pryn's Bastwick's and Burton's 〈◊〉 sentence milde and compassionate as in Walâ—â—'s his resolution and justice ever making way to 〈◊〉 mercy and his mercy crowning his justice Often did he confer with the ablest and most Orâ—â—odox Clergy with the most experienced and â—owing Civilians with the most observing and â—â—served Courtiers with the profoundest Lawyers â—ith the skilfullest and discreetest Mechanicks out fall whose opinions the result was his most exact â—â—dgement in any case that came before him at Court or at Lambeth The roughnesse of his nature sent most men disâ—â—tented from him but so that he would often of â—â—â—self find ways and meanes to sweeten such as had 〈◊〉 worth again when they least looked for it â—ny were offended at his prudent zeal against the â—â—wish Sabbatism in his government who were â—â—ry well satisfied with the strictnesse of his obserâ—â—tion of the Lords day in his person But let â—â—e great man expresse another Bishop Gauden â—â—rch-Bishop Laud whose thoughts lye so much â—â—e more levelled to his brave Sentiments as his â—â—ignity did to his high place As to his secret design of working up this Church by little and little to a Romish conformity and captivity I do not believe saith he he had any such purpose or approved thought â—ecause beside his declared judgement and consciâ—â—nce I finde no secular Policy or Interest which â—ecould thereby gain either private or publick â—ut rather lose much of the greatnesse and freedom â—hich he and other Bishops with the whole Church had without which temptation no man in charity may be suspected to act contrary to so cleaâ— convictions so deliberate and declared determinations of his Conscience and Judgement in Religion as the Arch-Bishop expresses in his very excellent Book I am indeed prone to think that possibly he wished there could have been any fai 〈…〉 close or accommodation between all Christian Churches the same which many grave and learned men have much desired And it may be 〈◊〉 Lordship thought himself no unfit Instrument 〈◊〉 make way to so great and good a work considering the eminencies of Parts Power and Favour which he had Haply he judged as many learned and moderate men have that in some things between Papists and Protestants differences are made wider and kept more open raw and sore they need be by the private pens and passions of some men and the Interests of some little parties whose partial policies really neglect the public and true Interest of the Catholike Church and Christian Religion which consists much in peace as well as in purity in charity as in verity He found that where Papists were silenced and convinced in the more grand and pregnant Disputes that they are Novel partial and unconform to Catholick Churches in ancient times then he found they recovered spirits and contested afresh again 〈…〉 the unreasonable transports violences and immoderations of some professing to be Protestants who to avoid Idolatry and Superstition run to Sacriledge and rudenesse in Religion denying many things that are just honest safe true and reasonable meerly out of an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excessive Antipathy to Papists Possibly the Arch-Bishop and some other Bishops of his minde did rightly judge That the giving an Enemy fair play by just safe and honourable concessions was not to yield the conquest to him but the most ready way to convince him of his weaknesse when no honest yieldings could help him any more then they did endanger the true cause or courage of his Antagonist For my part I think the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury was neither Calvinist nor Lutheran nor Papist as to any