Christ in the work of the Ministry and to restrain and reduce not a few from errours and schisme striving by all meanes to retain them in obedience to the Lawes of the land and to provoke them highly to prize and preciously to esteem the peace of the Church and people of God Having continued at Dry-Drayton about the space of twenty or one and twenty years he left it and went from thence to London about the year 1588 or 89. Yet was very carefull before his remove to get an honest and able man to succeed him in that place The causes of his removal were partly the untractablenesse and unteachablenesse of that people amongst whom he had taken such exceeding great paines For besides his publick Preaching and Catechizing his manner was to walk out into the fields and to conferre with his Neighbours as they were at plough And partly he did it upon supposall that he might do farre more good in a more publick place by comforting afflicted consciences wherein the Lord had given him such an admirable dexterity He wholly spent himself in the service of God and his Church and therefore often made use of that saying of the Prophet David The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up He was a little man of stature and usually indifferent well in health but when at any time he was sick he would suffer no body to sit up and watch with him that so he might more freely converse with God He continued not in London above the space of two years but being quite worn out he comfortably and quietly resigned up his spirit unto God Anno Christi 1591. and about the sixtieth year of his age He hath a Volume of Sermons and Treatises of Divinity in Print Mr. THO CARTWRIGHT The Life of Master Thomas Cartwright who died Anno Christi 1603. THomas Cartwright was born in Hertfordshire about the year 1535. and being by his Parents kept at School till he was fit for the University He went to Cambridge and was admitted into Saint Johns Colledge Anno 1550. He there followed his Studies exceeding hard and being a man of excellent natural parts he profited in learning more then ordinary He never used to sleep above five houres in a night which custom he continued to his dying day Three years after at the death of King Edward the sixt he left the University and betook himself to the service of a Counsellor yet followed his studies very hard as taking more pleasures therein then in the study of the Law Thus he continued till the beginning of Queen Elizabeths Reign at which time his Master meeting with Doctor Pilkinton Master of Saint Johns Colledge in Cambridge he told him of his mans learning and studious disposition the Doctor desired to speak with him and thereby perceiving his great abilities and hopefulnesse with his Masters consent he took him again to Saint Johns Colledge where his proficiency and Progresse both in the Arts and Tongues was so eminent that Anno 1560. he was chosen Fellow in that Colledge and about three years after he was removed to a fellowship in Trinity-Colledge where for his great worth he was ere-long made one of the eight Senior-fellows Anno 1564. Queen Elizabeth coming to Cambridge great Preparation was made for her entertainment and four of the eminentest men in the University being chosen to keep a Philosophy act before her he was one of them who performed it with extraordinary abilities to the great content and satisfaction both of the Queen and his other auditors Anno 1567. He commenced Batchelor of Divinity and three years after he was chosen to be the Lady Margarets Divinity-Reader He read upon the first and second Chapters of the Acts of the Apostles and performed it with such acutenesse of wit and solidity of judgment as caused admiration in his hearers and even at that time he was so famous for his Ministry that when his turn came to preach at Saint Maries the Sextone was fain to take down the windows by reason of the multitudes that came to hear him In his Lectures he was occasioned to discover his judgment about Church-discipline which the Doctors and Heads in the University took very hainously as being dangerous and destructive to the present Hierarchy whereupon he was convented before the Vice-Chancellour Doctor May and other Doctors and examined upon sundry Articles or Propositions of Doctrine delivered by him publickly in his Lectures and elsewhere which they affirmed to be contrary to Religion received and allowed by publick authority in this Realm and thereupon they demanded whether he would stand to or revoke the said Opinions and Doctrines delivered by him Master Cartwright upon deliberation desired that he might have leave to set down in writing what his judgment in those things was and what he would stand to which being granted he drew up in six Propositions what his judgment was and setting his hand to it delivered it to the Vice-Chancellor who thereupon admonished him to revoke the same and upon his refusal punished him by the substraction of his stipend and so he continued in his Lecture that year But the year after Doctor Whitgift being chosen Vice-Chancellour he again convented him before him requiring his absolute answer whether he did mind to teach his Auditors otherwise revoking that he had before taught or whether he would abide in the maintenance of the same Unto this Master Cartwright answered that for the Propositions delivered by him under his hand to Doctor May and now shewed to him they were his own hand writing such as he had openly taught and still continued fully determined to maintain and defend as Truths Hereupon after Master Cartwright had a while withdrawn and the Vice-Chancllor had conferred with the other Doctors Master Cartwright was again called for and this definitive sentence was pronounced against him by the Vice-Chancellour Doctor Whitgift that perceiving that no admonition would help but that he still persisted in the same mind he did therefore pronounce him the said Master Cartwright to be removed from his said Lecture and by his finall decree or sentence did then and there remove him and declare the said Lecture to be void and that he minded according to the foundation thereof to proceed to the Election of a new Reader And further he did then and there by vertue of his Office inhibit the said Master Cartwright from preaching within the University and the Jurisdiction of the same Now that the Reader may be better satisfied what the Arricles were which Master Cartwright drew up and signed with his hand and for which this sentence was passed upon him I shall here set them down in his own words as I have them transcribed out of the Original standing upon Record in the Registry of the University of Cambridge 1. Archiepiscoporum Archidiaconorum nomina simul cum muneribus officiis sunt abolenda 2.
France more skilfull in warlike affairs then was he and I doubt not but even forreign Nations will subscribe to the truth hereof especially those which have had experience of his vertues and this credit he got to himself not by idleness and sluggishness but by undergoing the greatest labours for his Countries sake Truly I knew no man that was more devout to Godward nor more just to men then he Neither am I ignorant that it were unfit for me thus to boast of him to strangers but I mention them more freely to you because I would have you to be imitators of his vertues for I even propose him for my own imitation and I pray God from my heart that when I come to dye I may with the like piety and assurance resign up my spirit to God as I saw him to do And that my grief for him may be the more extenuated I earnestly desire that I may see his graces and vertues to live in you Which that it may be so I exhort you with all your hearts to embrace Piety and true Religion and wholly to apply your selves to your Books that thereby you may through Gods grace be led in the way of vertue and though I willingly allow you to recreate your selves in those hours which your Master allots you yet I charge you take heed that in your play you neither speak nor do any thing whereby you may offend God Be very carefull to reverence your Master and obey him no otherwise then you would obey me for I am perswaded that he will give you no other counsel then what may be for your honour and profit In short see that you love me or rather that you love your selves so that I may hear nothing of you but what I may rejoyce in and as you grow in years and body so you may grow in Piety and Vertue The Lord bless you all and the holy Spirit preserve you for ever From Xantone May 18. 1569 Castellonius The courage and magnanimity of our Admirall did exceedingly appear in this for that though he had lost such a Brother as was second to none in piety justice vertue and the glory of his military actions so that the Admirall called him his right arm yet he told his Friends often that he wholly relied upon the divine providence and knew assuredly that the Church of God was not administred by humane counsels nor this Christian Army led by the providence and valour of its Commanders but by God And speaking concerning his Brother to his Friends he brake out into this expression O blessed Andelot who hast finished the course of thy life so holily and happily About this time news was brought him that Wolfgang Duke of Bipont had brought a strong Army out of Germany into France for the aid of the Protestants and that he had already passed the Loir and had taken Charity where was a Bridge over that River and when he understood that they were advanced as farre as Chalons he intended to joyn his Forces with them and that very day on which he came to them D. Wolfgang died of a violent disease whereupon the German Army unanimously chose Wolradus Count Mansfield to be their Generall This conjunction of theirs exceedingly troubled their adversaries and every one deemed that the Kings Army would not be able to stand before them but that the Courtiers would hereby be brought to stoop to them Yea all good Patriots that studied the publique Peace did abominate the perfidious Authors of these Wars publiquely saying that God never suffered such perjury to escape long unpunished and it was verily believed that if the Admirall had led this gallant Army strait to Paris many great Cities would willingly have yielded and put themselves into the Admirals protection which opinion was much confirmed hereby for that the Duke of Anjou pitching his tents near to them and adventuring a Battell he was easily overthrown most of his foot being either slain or taken together with their Commander in chief Strossius cosen German to the Queen-Mother The Admirall having so brave an Army hoping that now at last the Kings heart would be inclined to Peace he sent an humble supplication to him the Duke of Anjou not suffering him to send Ambassadours in his own and the Armies name intreating and beseeching him no longer to harden his heart but to pity the afflicted condition of the common people and also to consider that if the Warre should be protracted it would turn to the great prejudice of all the States of France there being twenty thousand Auxiliary Souldiers of both parts and that things were brought to this passe that by these Civil Warres mens minds were so farre from union and love to their Countrey that every one sought the blood ruine and destruction each of other They therefore humbly intreated that he would spare his poor Subjects that had so long groaned under these heavy pressures and that he would no longer be led away by the Cardinals and Italians who had too much power over him and could not have the like fellow-feeling of the miseries of France as the French men themselves They suggested also that this was the fittest time for a Treaty when both parties were so confident of their own strength and that the conditions which he and his Army would propose were very easie viz. That they might enjoy that Peace and Liberty for the exercise of their Religion which was often confirmed to them by the Decrees of all the States and by the Kings own Proclamations That it was extream madnesse in those Italians and strangers to think that those of the Religion whereof there were at least two hundred thousand men could so easily be rooted out the truth whereof the experience of the former Warres might easily demonstrate The Duke of Anjou having received that disgrace which we spake of before by the advice of his Councel dismissed a great part of his Army especially of his Horse for a moneth or two bidding them go home and refresh their bodies Things standing thus the Admirall called a Councel wherein it was determined That seeing Rochel and divers other Maritine Cities and places were wholly in the power of the Protestants That therefore they should take care for the fortifying of them and then should attempt the taking in of the City of Poictiers which would be as a Bulwark to all that Countrey but to this there seemed a main impediment which was the taking in of the Castle of Lusiniac the strongest piece in all France yet after they had besieged it a few daies it was surrendred to them and so also was Castelheraut about the same time Then they proceeded to besiege and batter Poictiers but within a few daies the Admirall being quite tired with watchings and labours fell sick of a Flux which held him so violently for thirty daies together that he could neither assist them with his Counsels nor presence so
In the aformentioned and such like imployments publick and private he spent his time He spent his strength like a Torch or Taper wasting and consuming himself for the profit and benefit of others having his work with God then and his reward for it from God afterwards And for these imployments sake was it principally that he desired recovery of health and strength Unto the performance whereof also though therein injurious to himself and contrary to his own desires he oft strained himself and that in the midst of his infirmity and weaknesse not to uncertain hazard only but to evident impreaching and impairing of either What is the sign saith Hezekias when he promised recovery that I shall go up to the house of the Lord as desiring continuance of life and recovery of health for no one end more then that And therefore also was it that this worthy man was desirous of recovery that he might repair to Gods house again and that he might return to Gods work again To which purpose the very last Lords day before his disease having after many relapses recovered a little strength he made shift to get out to a neighbour Congregation there to joyn with Gods people in publick performance of such solemn service of God as that day is usually spent and imployed in And having held out with them to the end in both parts of the day he rejoyced much therein that he was able so to do the rather because he thereby conceived some good hope that he should be strong enough ere long to return to his wonted work and imployment again But the Lord saw it better for his will appears by his work to put an end to his incessant labours here and to transhate him to the place of his endlesse rest elsewhere and that upon the twentieth day of April Anno Christi 1626. having been Preacher at All-Hallows Bredstreet during the spence of thirty two years where he was an exmple to his people in word in inconversation in charity in spirit in faith in purity But as one saith An exact face is seldom drawn but with much disadvantage so neither is his character so that we may well say as one doth of Basil There wanted but his own tongue to commend him with The Life of Master Richard Rothwel who died Anno Christi 1627. RIchard Rothwel was born in Lancashire at or near Bolton in the Moors about the year of our Lord 1563. After he took the Ministry upon him and God gave him another heart he disposed his temporal estate amongst his friends and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 9.11.14 He lived of the Gospel His education was in the Schools and afterward in Cambridge in the one he attained to an exact knowledge of the tongues especially Greek and Hebrew wherein he was a Critick and in the other of the Arts so that he became a skil-Linguist subtil Disputant copious Orator and of a deep insight into any kind of knowledge Humane or Divine In this first course of his studies appeared presently to his observers the buds and blossomes of that fame which after he attained for he had a prompt wit a quick apprehension a clear understanding a sound judgement a ready speech and a strong memory All these seldome meet in one man but did in him very eminently and were improved by diligent study which out of a desire of learning and knowledge he continued to his last without wearinesse His constitution of body and moral endowments of minde were great props and supporters to his intellectual habits Gratior est virtus veniens è corpore pulchro This is not the ordinary lot of Scholars He was tall well set of great strength of body and activity of a stern countenance of invincible courage of approved valour and of a very goodly and majestick presence Grief nor any misery could ever break him but joy would presently melt him into tears He was of a generous spirit and deportment yet withall very humble and courteous His language was sententious and proverbial I have heard many others say what I must needs my self Nunquam illi accedo quin doctior evadam I never came to him but I went the learneder from him He had a great dexterity in communicating his mind to another and speaking to his understanding God gave him a great inlet into the hearts of men After many years spent in the University he betook himself to the Ministry and was ordained Presbyter by Doctor Whitgift then Archbishop of Canterbury who forbade him medling with interpretation of Moses Types the Book of Canticles Daniel and the Revelation Which then he thought himself as the Bishop did were not so useful for him to study as some other Scriptures But alas all these natural dispositions intellectual habits personal deportments were but as so many weapons in the hands of a mad man Judge how able by these to resist the truth for he remained some years without any change of heart or sensible work of grace upon his soul but preached learnedly as they called it and lived vainly abhorring debauchery and debauched companions through the height of his spirit but gave himself to hunting bowling shooting more the◠became a Minister of the Gospel and sometimes he would swear Faith and Troth and in his passion greater blasphemies I have heard him tell that there were two Knights in Lancashire fallen out and great fewd betwixt them That the one had a very good Park with store of Deer That the other had excellent good Fish-ponds and store of Fish He robbed the Park of the one and presented what he got to the other and the Fish-ponds of the other and presented the Fish to his adversary thus he pleased himself in the daies of his vanity with such kind of follies In doing this one night the Keeper met with him his Dog having killed a Buck at the fall of the Buck the Keeper came in with his fauchion and staff and met Master Rothwel who had a staff also They fell from words to blows He got the Keeper down bound him by the thumbs and drew him up to his full height that he could but touch the ground with his toes and so left him tied to a tree till next morning when others found him and loosed him At length God pleased who separated him from his Mothers womb as he did Paul and called him by his grace to reveal his Son in him Which because it was famous and he himself afterwards proved the means of the Conversion of so many I shall set it down as I remember I have heard him speak it He was playing at Bowles amongest some Papists and vain Gentlemen upon a Saturday somewhere about Rachdale in Lancashire there comes into the green to him one Master Midgley a grave and godly Minister of Rachdale whose praise is great in the Gospel though far inferiour to Master Rothwel in parts and learning he took
offer and so Master Preston of Preston in Lancashire became a kind of Farmer in Northamptonshire where he afterwards lived and died and his Son succeeded him and so it came to Thomas Preston as we have said His Mothers name before she married was Marsh but she had an Uncle by the Mothers side whose name was Craswel a man of means and good esteem in Northampton where he lived and where he had been several times Maior This Uncle being rich and having no Child was very carefull of her and took this Sonne whilest he was young unto himself and sent him to the Free-School in Northampton where he was a Scholar under the Government of Master Sanderson then Master of the School and after under Master Wastel who succeeded him and when he had been there some time his Uncle was perswaded to remove him into Bedfordshire unto one Master Guest who had sometime taught a private School in Northampton and was accounted a better teacher of the Greek tongue from whence after he had perfected his Studies in the Greek he was sent to Cambridge and admitted of Kings Colledge under the tuition of Master Busse one of the Fellows Anno Dom. 1684. where he did as young Scholars use to do that is applied himself to that which was the genius of the Colledge and that was musick and finding that the Theory was short and soon attained he made account the practice would also be so and accordingly adventured on the Noblest but hardest Instrument the Lute but here he found that Art was long and was not willing to attend it he used to say within himself while he was fingering of his Instrument quantum hoc tempore legi potuit and whilest his fingers were thus distempered and foundred upon the Lute it fell out that his Tutor Master Busse was chosen Master of the School at Eaton and so removed from the Colledge about two years after he was admitted Coming not from Eaten School but from another he could not be of the foundation and was therefore uncapable of those preferments in the Colledge that were of most worth and the sooner perswaded also for to remove which he did unto Queens Colledge where he was received and admitted under the tuition of Master Oliver Bowles one of the Fellows of that House a very godly learned man and a noted and carefull Tutor under whose Government he setled to his Book and left his musick and by whose conduct and directions he grew in knowledge and was improved unto very thriving and undertakings in his Studies It is not nothing to be well descended fortes creantur fortibus bonis Sheep and Neat bred in Lancashire or on the Peak-hils and after driven into Northamptonshire and planted there produce a very gallant race These Prestons though removed from their native soil and much impaired in their Revenue retained yet the garb and mettal of their Ancestors they carried themselves and were accounted Gentlemen something there was in this young Prestons spirit that was not vulgar I have seen in a Book of his under his own hand when he was young such sparklings of aspiring ingenuity as argued in him something that was not common He was as yet but Junier Sophister but looked high and grew acquainted with those that were Gentile and fancied state-affairs and Courtship that had desires or dispositions to be Secretaries or Agents in Princes Courts thought it below him to be a Minister and the study of Divinity a kind of honest siliness and accordingly got in with a Merchant by whose means he did procure that he should live in Paris and learn the language and garb of France and another Gentleman in recompence should be received and entertained in London to learn our garb and language Master Creswel of Northampton was by this time dead and had bequeathed certain Lands in that Town to him after his Wives decease These Lands he sels to put himself into a posture fit for that design but here he now began to find that he had reckoned without his Host and that he should have said if the Lord will I shall live and do this or that Jam. 4.15 for the Merchant dies before the exchange could be accomplished and so these blooming hopes that had thus long held up his imagination died with the Merchant He was of an able firm well-tempered constitution brown comely visage vigorous and vivide eye but somewhat inclining to that kind of melancholly that ariseth from a dust and parched choler which now began a little to be discovered in him For being mated in his first design he grew discouraged went not so much abroad among the Gallants but struck sail to fortune and retired yet his appetite was rather dammed then dried up for after a very little pause and boyling over of his sullennesse he begins to steer again the same course although by more certain and domestick mediums and if he must be shut up and confined to the Muses resolves to be no ordinary Servant to them his genius led him unto natural Philosophy which by that time was become his proper task which he undertakes not as boyes use to do to serve their present use but with devotion resolves to leave no secret unattempted adoreth Aristotle as his Tutelary Saint and had a happinesse to enter often where others stuck and what broke others teeth was nuts to him no dark untrodden path in all his Physicks or Metaphysicks but he was perfect in it and so drowned and devoted was he that he seldom or never could be seen abroad to the wonder and amazement of his former brave companions so that no time passed sine linea not that between the ringing and tolling of the Bell to meals and for his sleep he made it short and whereas notwithstanding all endeavours there was one in the Colledge that would alwaies be up before him he would let the bed-cloths hang down so that in the night they might fall off and so the cold awaken him insomuch that his Tutor was constrained to read unto him moderation and to tell him as their might be intemperance in meats and drinks so also there might be in studies but the evil of it as yet he felt not the sweet and good he did came off with honour and applause in all his acts and was admired in the Regent House when he sate for his degree both by the Posers and all the Masters that examined him and from that time much observed throughout the University About this time his Tutor Master Bowles was called to the Rectory of Sutton in Bedfordshire and so left the Coledge and another of the Fellows then Master afterward Doctor Porter became his Tutor a very learned man and great Philosopher who never went about for to disswade him from his studies but gave him all assistance and encouragement The year following it came unto his Tutor to be Head-Lecturer in the Colledge and Sir Preston being to
When he was Bishop he was a constant Preacher and Performer of Family-duty both evening and morning and kept his Servants and Attendants in good order Being called to London in the beginning of the Parliament he made at Westminster a worthy and zealous Sermon wherein he inveighed against the corruptions that were crept into the Church especially in respect of Ceremonies so eagerly prest by sundry Bishops as bowing to the Altar and such like innovations His Sermon was well approved of by the best but he seeing the tumults that were then raised in London about the Parliament House and hearing that he himself was censured as Popish because a Bishop he took it grievously to heart sickned and died there about the great climactericall year of his age He was a great favourer of zealous Professors and Lecturers and therefore he was accounted by many a Puritanical Bishop and indeed some at the Court in King James his time said That Organs would blow him out of the Church He was well skilled in the Hebrew tongue and for his further Progresse therein disdained not to learn of one of the Fellows even when he was Provost He utterly disliked the Book of sports for Recreation on the Sabbath day and told a Minister with whom he was acquainted that if it were sent down to his Diocesse he would sleight it and urge none of his Jurisdiction to read it He was of a weak constitution of body melancholick and lean as being a hard Student and therefore to recreate his spirits he loved vocal musick and to this end he sent divers times for such Scholars in the Colledge as could sing well and he would bear a part with them in his lodgings after supper where they made most excellent melody He was the last Bishop that died as a Member of the Parliament and was Bishop of Carlisle some fourteen years The Life of Master Richard Sedgwick who died Anno Christi 1643. RIchard Sedgwick was born at East Deereham in the County of Norfolke Anno Cbristi 1574. His Father was a Clothier but by reason of a great losse by fire fell into decay He had an Uncle living in Yorkshire who was very rich and of large yearly revenues having no Children whereupon he took this Richard in his tender years home to himself and put him to School with an intent to make him his heir but God had laid up a better portion for him His Uncle and his Family were prophane hating the power of godlinesse and wedded to games and sports yet even in such a Family God visited him in mercy and awakened his soul by working in him hearty desires after himself While the rest of the Family were at their games and dancings he would be in a corner mourning His Uncle at first thought his retirednesse to have been bookishnesse and therefore rebuked him gently and called upon him to take more liberty but at last perceiving the truth of the thing he began to hate him and to deal roughly with him and not being able to bring him to his will cast him out of his Family saying that a Puritane should never inherit his land Before this his Father died and his Mother being industrious and sparing out of the little means she had left her maintained him at Peter-house in Cambridge where he profited greatly in all kind of learning He began the exercise of his Ministry in Kent where he being called to preach in the Cathedral at Canterbury in his Sermon touching the corruption of the Prebends and their Cathedral service he so far displeased them as that by threats they brought him to condescend through weaknesse to promise to recant and a day for this was appointed Upon his return home and his second thoughts he became very sad and in his perplexity took his Bible and opened it and at the first lighted on that encouraging Word of God to Jeremiah Jer. 1.7 8. Whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak be not afraid of their faces for I am with thee to deliver thee saith the Lord. By this he was so strengthened that he resolved to stand to what he had formerly delivered whatsoever dangers did attend him At the time appointed he preached again in the Cathedral having a very large Auditory both of the Countrey and City in which Sermon he confirmed what he had before delivered earnestly pressing the Prebends to reform the abuses amongst them By this they were so offended that they complained of him to the Bishop and so persecuted him that he was forced to forsake his place and to retire himself into private and was entertained for a time by Sir Edward Bois the elder a man eminent for Piety in those daies During this his retirement he came upon occasion to London and by the meanes of Master Egerton Pastor at Black-fryers was received into the Family of Sir Edward Anslow who lived in the City during the winter and in summer at Crawley in Surrey a place destitute of a preaching Ministry In this Family his encouragement was great but his labours aboundant Every day his usuall course was to pray in the morning at six a clock with the Husbandmen and at ten to pray with the rest of the Family and expound a Chapter in which course he went through the four first Books of Moses His course at night was after Prayer to catechize the Family by turns wherein he used no respect of Persons the meanest not being left out and the chiefest not forborn On the Lords day during his abode at Crawley he preached twice constantly and after publique exercise called the whole Family in private to render an account of what was delivered in publique In the winter when the greatest part of the Family was at London under an able Ministry he was ready to help others and by Providence was called to improve his talent at Battersey in Surrey Master Wybourne a Reverend Divine who constantly preached in that place having by a fall broke his legge and being disabled thereby to continue his labours desiring his assistance At this place the people were so affected with his Ministry that they requested him to continue to preach among them promising to strain themselves to provide him maintenance He had a fair call and opportunity denying himself to answer it for Sir Edward Anslow about this time had an estate befallen him in Hertfordshire whither he resolved to go to dwell in which place was an able and godly Minister Master Sedgwick seeing that by continuing in this Family he should not have occasion of exercising his publique Ministry relinquished fifty pounds annuity during his life assured to him by this worthy Knight and accepted of this call to preach at Battersey Before his departure out of this Family he married a Wife of an honest and Religious stock in the City of London He had not long exercised
Queen of Navarr being zealously carefull to propagate the Protestant Religion in Cantabria a Province of the Jurisdiction of Navarr she sent Pastors who had learned the Countrey language which is understood by almost none of the neighbours and was before believed that it could not be written She took care also that the New Testament the Catechism and the Prayers used in the Church of Geneva should be translated into the Gascoine or Cantabrian tongue which she caused to be printed at Rochel in a most fine letter and sent to them And so upon the earnest solicitation of the King she went the March following Anno Christi 1572. from Rochel to the Court which was then at Blois with great attendance where it is incredible to think what welcome she had on all sides especially from the King and his Brethren who yet when all was done could boastingly say to his Mother Now Madam have not I quit my self well Let me alone and I will bring them all into the net In April following were the Articles concluded concerning the marriage of the Prince of Navarr with the Kings Sister And in the beginning of May the King woed the Queen of Navarr again to come to Paris for preparing things fitting for the Marriage which she at last consented to and so May the 6. she took her journey from Blois and came to Paris May the 15. After which she went from place to place in the City into sundry houses and shops to find out such things as might tend to the adorning of the day of so great a solemnity The Queen-Mother in the mean time who could not endure this good Queen and yet not finding with what colour she could dispatch her with the rest though she feared the greatnesse of her spirit in case she should survive them and judged it impossible to work upon the flexibility of the young Prince her Son whilst she lived She therefore consulted with one Rene an Italian whose practice was to impoyson things by whose devilish help she brought her accursed purpose to passe This Rene sold the Queen of Navarr certain Perfumes whereby he found out the way to poyson her therewith and afterwards he was heard to make his brags of it saying also that he had the like in store for two or three more who suspected no such matter By this means June the 4. this good Queen fell sick of a continued Feavor and though others sleighted it yet she perceiving by the strength of her disease that she should not long continue prepared her self to receive from the hand of God her mercifull Father that which he had appointed concerning her And calling her Son Henry she commanded him above all things carefully to serve God according to the confession of Faith wherein he had been educated and not to suffer himself to be plucked or diverted from the same by the smoaky pleasures and delights of the world and other incentives unto vices and that he should take care that the Constitutions concerning the same which she had published in the Principality of Berne and the lower Navarr be inviolably kept That he should throughly purge his Family and cause all bad Counsellors to be gone from thence which thought ill concerning God As also all flatterers the abusers of Princes and all other vicious Persons That he should retain with him all good men as Bellovarius Francutius and Betulus who were men of an unblameable life That he should have a special care of his Sister Katherine using her gently and lovingly without bitternesse causing her to be brought up in the Town of Berne in the same School of godlinesse which himself had been trained up in and when she should grow marriagable that he should marry her to a Prince of equall dignity professing the same Religion That he should love Henry Bourbon his Cosen German as his Brother and also Francis Marquesse of Contium taking care that as great concord as may be be cherished betwixt them and the Admirall Coligni for the advancement and propagation of Gods glory Lastly she makes her Son her Heir intreating the King the Queen-Mother the Duke of Anjou and the Duke of Alenson the Kings Brethren to undertake the Protection of the Prince her Son and of Katherine his Sister and to permit them the free exercise of their Religion Then she requested that she might have such nigh about her as might comfort her in her sicknesse out of the Word of God as also to pray with her and for her according to that of Saint James Is any sick amongst you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him knowing that the Prayers of a righteous man prevail much with God According to her desire a Minister resorted to her shewing out of the Scriptures that Christians ought in all things to submit to the will of God as to the Father of spirits that they may live and albeit by reason of the severity of his chastisements sometimes it may seem to our flesh as if they were sent for no other end but for our destruction yet ought we to consider that the just God can do nothing but justly and being withall a mercifull Father he cannot but therein seek the welfare of his afflicted Children To this she replied I take all this as sent from the hand of God my most mercifull Father Nor have I during this extremity feared to die much lesse murmured against God for inflicting this chastisement upon me knowing that whatsoever he doth he doth so order the same as that in the end it shall turn to my everlasting good Then said the Minister The causes of sicknesses and diseases must be sought beyond the course of Physick which alwaies looks to the corruption of the humours or of the distemper to the more noble parts of the body And though it be not amisse to have respect to these things as to secondary causes yet ought we to ascend higher namely to the first even to God himself who disposeth of all his creatures even as best pleaseth him He it is that makes the wound and heals that kils and makes alive Deut. 32.39 and therefore to him we ought to direct our Prayers for our comfort in all our griefs and sufferings and in the end to expect full deliverance seeing it's easie with him to restore our health if it stand with his his good pleasure To this she answered That she depended wholly upon Gods Providence knowing that all things are wisely disposed by him and therefore she besought him to furnish her with all such graces as he saw to be necessary for her salvation As for this life said she I am in a good measure weaned from it in regard of the afflictions which have followed me from my youth hitherto but especially because I cannot live without offending my good God with whom I desire to be with all my heart Then said the