the King himself was pleased to interpose in his behalf July 7 Thursday 9. Saturday signifying to the House That those things which were then spoken and determined concerning Mountague without his Privitie did not please Him who by his Court-friends being imployed in the Kings Service his Majesty signifiyed to the Parliament that he thought his Chaplains whereof M r. Montague was one might have as much protection as the Servant of an ordinary Burgess neverthelesse his bond of two thousand pounds wherewith he was tailed continued uncancelled and was called on the next Parliament 11. The Plague increasing in London The Parliament removed to Oxford and brake up in discontent the Parliament was removed to Oxford But alas no avoiding Gods hand The infection followed or rather met the Houses there whereof worthy D r. Challenor died much lamented yet were the Members of Parliament not so carefull to save their own persons from the Plague as to secure the Land from a worse and more spreading contagion the daily growth of Poperie In prevention whereof they presented a Petition to his Majesty containing sixteen particulars all which were most graciously answered by his Majesty to their full satisfaction Thus this meeting began hopefully and cheerfully proceeded turbulently and suspiciously brake off suddenly and sorrowfully the reason whereof is to be fetch'd from our Civil Historians 12. The Convocation kept here Dr. James his motion in the Convocation is scarce worth the mentioning seeing little the appearance thereat nothing the performance therein Dean Bowles the Prolocurour absented himself for fear of infection D r. Thomas Good officiating in his place and their meeting was kept in the Chappell of Merton-Colledge Here D r. James that great Book-man made a motion that all Manuscript-Fathers in the Libraries of the Universities and elswhere in England might be perused and that such places in them as had been corrupted in Popish editions much superstition being generated from such corruptions might faithfully be printed according to those ancient Copies Indeed though England at the dissolving of Abbies lost moe Manuscripts than any Countrey of Christendome of her dimensions ever had yet still enough were left her if well improved to evidence the truth herein to all posteritie This designe might have been much beneficiall to the Protestant cause if prosecuted with as great endeavour as it was propounded with good intention but alas this motion was ended when it was ended expiring in the place with the words of the mover thereof 13. The King according to his late answer in the Parliament at Ox. The insolence of Papists seasonably restrained Nov. 11. issued out a Commission to the Judges to see the Law against Recusants put in execution This was read in all the Courts of Judicature at Reading where Michaelmas Terme was kept and a letter directed to the Arch-bishop of Cant. to take speciall care for the discovery of Jesuits Seminary Priests c. within his Province A necessary severity seing Papists presuming on Protection by reason of the late Match were grown very insolent And a Popish Lord when the King was at Chappell was heard to prate on purpose lowder in a Gallery adjoyning then the Chaplain prayed whereat the King was so moved that he sent him this message Either come and doe as we doe or I will make you prate further off 14. In this Severall Writers against Mr. Mountague and the next yeer many Books from persons of severall abilities and professions were writen against M r. Mountague By 1. D r. Sutcliffe Dean of Exeter One who was miles emeritus age giving him a Supersedeas save that his zeale would imploy it self and some conceived that his choler became his old age 2. M r. Henry Burton who then began to be well as afterwards wards too well known to the World 3. M r. Francus Rowse a Lay-man by profession 4. M r. Yates a Minister of Norfolk formerly a Fellow of Emmanuel in Cambridge he intitles his Book Ibus ad Caesarem 5. D r. Carleton Bishop of Chichester 6. Anthonie Wootton Divinitie-Professour in Gresham-Colledge In this Armie of Writers the strength is conceived to consist in the rere and that the last wrote the solidest confutations Of these six Dean Sutcliffe is said to have chode heartily M r. Rowse meant honestly M r. Burton wrote plainly Bishop Carleton very piously M r. Yates learnedly and M r. Wootton most solidly 15. I remember not at this time any of Master Mountague's partie engaged in print in his behalf Mr. Mountague left to deâ—end himself Whether because they conceived this their Champion sufficient of himselfe to encounter all opposers or because they apprehended it unsafe though of the same judgment to justifie a Book which was grown so generally offensive Insomuch as his Majesty himself sensible of his Subjects great distaste thereat sounded by the Duke of Buckingham to that purpose was resolved to leave Mr. Mountague to stand or fall Jan. 19. 1611-16 according to the justice of his cause The Duke imparted as much to Dr. Laud Bishop of Saint Davids who conceived it of such ominous concernment that he entred the same in his Diarie viz. I seem to see a cloud arising and threatning the Church of England God for his mercie dissipate it 16. The day of the Kings Coronation drawing neer A maim on the embleme of Peace his Majesty sent to survey and peruse the Regalia or Royal Ornaments which then were to be used It happened that the left wing of the Dove on the Scepter was quite broken off by what casualty God himself knows The King sent for Mr. Acton then his Goldsmith commanding him that the very same should be set on again The Goldsmith replied that it was impossible to be done so fairly but that some mark would remain thereof To whom the King in some passion returned l His Son succeeding his Father in that place and then present attested to me the truth hereof If you will not doe it another shall Hereupon Mr. Acton carried it home and got another Dove of Gold to be artificially set on whereat when brought back his Majesty was well contented as making no discovery thereof 17. The Bishop of Lincolne A Dilemma well waved Lord-Keeper was now dayly descendant in the Kings favour who so highly distasted him that he would not have him as Dean of Westminster to perform any part of His Coronation yet so was it a favour or a triall that it was left to his free choice to prefer any Prebendary of the Church to officiate in his place The Bishop met with a Dilemma herein To recommend Dr. Laud Bishop of Saint Davids and Prebendary of Westminster for that performance was to grace one of his greatest enemies to passe him by and prefer a private Prebendary for that purpose before a Bishop would seem unhandsome and be interpreted a neglect of his own Order To avoid all exceptions
negotiations wherein he was imployed for he was joyned with S r. William Winter Anno 1576 in a Commission to the Zealanders about their reprisalls And again Anno 1583 he was sent to the Queen of Scots Sharply to expostulate with her concerning some querulous letters Well knew Queen Elizabeth what tools to use on knotty timber our a Camden in his Elizabetha pag. 359. Author giving M r. Beal this Character that he was Homo vehemens austerè acerbus a Eager man and most austerely bitter His affections were wholy Presbyterian and I behold him as one of the best friends of the second Magnitude that party had What he wanted in authority he had in activity on their sides And what influence sometimes the Hands have on the Head I mean Notaries on the Judges themselves at Councell Board others may conjecture He either compiled or countenanced a Book made against the Bishops and the reader may receive a further confirmation of his Character herein from the following Complaint To the Lord Treasurer My singular good Lord I have borne much with M r. Beals intemperate speeches Arch Bishop Whiâ—gift his Letter complaining of Beals insolent carriage towards him unseemly for him to use though not in respect of my self yet in respect of her Majesty whom he serveth and of the laws established whereunto he ought to shew some duty Yesterday he came to my house as it seemed to demand the book he delivered unto me I told him that the book was written to me and therefore no reason why he should require it again especially seeing I was assured that he had a Copie thereof otherwise I would cause it to be written out for him whereupon he fell into very great passions with me which I think was the end of his coming for proceeding in the execution of his Articles c. and told me in effect that I would be the overthrow of this Church and a cause of tumult with many other bitter and hard speeches which I heard patiently and wished him to consider with what spirit he was moved so to say for I said it cannot be by the spirit of God because the spirit of God worketh in men humility patience and love and your words declare you to be very Arrogant proud impatient and uncharitable Moreover the spirit by God moveth men to hear the word of God with meekness c. And you have alomst heard with disdain every sermon preached before her Majesty this lent gibing and jesting openly thereat even in the sermon time to the offence of many and especially at such sermons as did most commended her Majesty and the State and moved the Auditory to obedience which he confessed and justified accusing some of the Preachers of false Doctrine and wrong allegations of Scripture c. Then he began to extol his book and said we were never able to answer it neither for the matter of Divinity not yet of Law I told him as the truth is that there was no great substance in the book that it might be very soon answered and that it did appear neither his Divinity nor Law to be great I further wished him to be better advised of his doings and told him indeed that he was one of the principall causes of the waywardness of divers because he giveth incouragement to divers of them to stand in the matter telling them that the Articles shall be shortly revoked by the Councell and that my hands shall be stopped c which saying is spread abroad already in every place and is the only cause why many forbear to subscribe which is true neither could he deny it All this while I talked with him privately in the upper part of my Gallery my Lord of Winchester and divers strangers being in the other part thereof But M r. Bâ—al beginning to extend his voice that all might hear I began to break off then he being more and more kindled very impatiently uttered very proud and contemptuous speeches in the justifying of his book and condemning of the orders established to the offence of all the hearers whereunto being very desirous to be rid of him I made small answer but told him that his speeches were intolerable that he forgat himself and that I would complain of him to her Majesty whereof he seemed to make small account and so he departed in great heat I am loth to hurt him or to be an accuser neither will I proceed therein further then your Lordships shall think it convenient but I never was abused more by any man at any time in my life then I have been by him since my coming to this place in hardness of speech for doing my duty and for all things belonging to my charge Surely my Lord this talk tendeth only to the increasing of the contention and to the animating of the wayward in their waywardness casting out dangerous speeches as though there were likelihood of sometumult in respect thereof Whereas in truth God be thanked the matter growth to greater quietness then I think he wisheth and will be soon quieted if we be let alone and they not otherwise encouraged It seemeth he is some way discontented and would work his anger no me The tongues of these men tast not of the Spirit of God your Lordship seeth how bold I am to impart unto you my private causes Truly if it were not that my conscience is setled in these matters and that I am fully perswaded of the necessity of these proceedings in respect of the peace of the Church and due observation of Gods laws and that I received great comfort at her Majesties hand as I did most effectually at my last being at the Court and that I were assured to your Lordships constancie in the cause and of your unmoveable good will towards me I should be hardly able to endure so great a burden which now I thank God in respect of the premises seemeth easie unto me neither do I doubt but God will therein prosper me Thus being desirous to impart this matter to your Lordship to whose consideration I leave it I commit you to the tuition of Almighty God John Cantuar. Nor have I ought else to say of this M r. Beal but that afterwards I finde one of his name and quality a Robert Beal Esabque Stow his survey of London pag. 183. dying 1601 and buried in London at Athallows in the wall who by all probability should be the same person Now that the Presbyterian party was not unfriended at the Councell Board but had those there which either out of Dictates of their conscience or reasons of State or reflections on their private interests endeavoured to mitigate the Arch-Bishops proceedings against them Let their ensuing letter to him be perused AFter our hearty commendations to both your Lordships although we have heard of late times sundry complaints out of divers Countries of this Realm of some proceedings against a great number of Ecclesiasticall persons
and Bertha the King of France his Daughter Wife to Ethelbert King of Kent 5. Augustine safely wasted over the Sea 596 lands with the rest at Thanet in Kent taking as it seems deep Footing if it be true what one f Flores Sanctorum Maii 26. in the life of S. Augustine pag. 499. Augustine for all his Power of working Miracles needs interpreters to preach to the English writes that the Print of his Steps where he first landed left as perfect a Mark in a main Rock as if it had been in Wax and the Romanists will cry shame on our Hard Hearts Anno Dom. 596 if our obdurate Belief more stubborn then the Stone will not as pliably receive the Impression of this Miracle But it is worthy our consideration that though Augustine all his way might be track'd by the Wonders he left behind him when Thirsty miraculously fetching a Idem p. 498. a Fountain when Cold a Fire restoring the Blind and Lame to their Eyes and Limbs yet for all this he was fain to bring Interpreters out of France with him by whose help he might understand the English and be understood by them Whereas in Holy Writ when the Apostles and Papists commonly call Augustine the English Apostle how properly we shall see hereafter went to a Forreign Nation God gave them the Language thereof least otherwise their Preaching should have the Vigour thereof abated taken at the second Hand or rather at the second Mouth as Augustine's was who used an Interpreter not as b Gen. 42. 23. Ioseph to his brethren out of State and Policie but out of mere Necessity This I say well thought on will make our Belief to demurre to the Truth of his so frequent Miracles being so Redundant in working them on Triviall Occasions and so Defective in a matter of most Moment But leaving him and his for a time safely landed and lodged that our Gratitude to God may be the greater for freeing the Saxons our Ancestours from the Bondage of Idolatry let us behold with Horrour the huge Fetters of Errour and Ignorance wherewith the Devil kept them in Durance before the Gospell was preached unto them 6. The SAXONS The Rabble of Saxon Idols like the rest of the Germans whil'st pure impure Pagans worshipped many Idols Barbarous in Name some Monstrous all Antick for Shape and Abominable in the Rites and Ceremonies of their Adoration Some averre that as the Germans affecting an Autarchy or Sole-sufficiency amongst themselves disdained Commerce in Customes or Civile Government with the Romans so they communicated not with them in their Religion Yet others affirm that in after-Ages the Dutch did enter Common with the Romish Superstition at least-wise some Modern Authours have reduced the Saxon Idols symbolizing with the Romans in Power and Properties to some conformity with the Roman Deities Now although according to Gods command to the c Exod. 23. 13 Iews their names shall not be heard out of our Mouth by way of praising them praying to them or swearing by them yet an Historicall mention of them here ensuing is as free from Offence as usefull for Information Besides the SUN and MOON the Saxons sacrificed to NAME SHAPE OFFICE Correspondent with d Verstegan's restitution of Decaied Intelligence ch 3 pag. 74. Thor or Thur abbreviated of Thunre which we now write Thunder Thursday named from him A Corpulent Statue reposed on a covered Bed wearing a Crown of Gold about which twelve Starres a Kingly Sceptre in his right Hand He governed the VVind Clouds causing Lightning Thunder Tempest Faire or Foul VVeather The Roman IUPITER Woden that is wood fierce or furious giving the Denomination to Wednesday or Wodensday Armed cap a pe with a Military Coronet on his head He was the God of Battel by whose aid and furtherance they hoped to obtain Victory e So Verstegan pag. 72. but Camden Brit. pag. 135. makes him to be Mercury MARS Friga or Frea remembred on Friday An Hermaphrodite perchance because the reputed Patronesse of Generation wherein both Sexes are joyned The giver of Peace and Plenty the causer of Love Amity and Increase VENUS Seater still remaining on Saturday Of a lean Visage long Haire bare Head holding in one Hand a wheel in the other a Paile of Flowers Conceived to have a great Influence on the kindly Fruits of the Earth SATURNE Tuyse whence Tuesday took it's name Covered with a Skin Armes and Feet naked with an ancient Aspect and a Sceptre in his Hand The Peculiar Tutelar God of the Duyâ—sh whence they had their name OOOOOOOOO Ermensewl that is the Pillar or stay of the Poor Pictured with a Banner in one Hand with a Red Rose in the other a pair of Ballance on his Head a Cock Breast a Beare before him an Escocheon c. The Pretended bestower of VVit and Cunning in Bargains Contracts MERCURIE Heile His stately Statue stood at Cern in Dorcetshire The Preventer of Diseases preserver restorer of Health AESCULAPIUS Thus we see the whole Week bescattered with Saxon Idols whose Pagan-Gods were the God-fathers of the Dayes and gave them their Names This some Zealot may behold as the Object of a necessary Reformation desiring to have the Dayes of the Week new dipt and called after other Names Though indeed this Supposed Scandall will not offend the wise as beneath their Notice and cannot offend the Ignorant as above their Knowledge Wherefore none need so hastily to hurry to the Top of the Main Mast thence to pluck down the Badge of a Acts 28. 11. Castor and Pollux but rather let them be carefull steadily to steere their Shipto the Heaven for which it is bound and let us redeem the Time for the Dayes are evill not because in their Name they bear the Cognizance of the Pagan-Gods but because swarming with the Sins of Prophane men which all should labour to reprove in others and amend in themselves 7. But it was not a Week or a Moneth A recruit of their Idols yea scarce a yeare of Dayes which could severally containe the numerous Saxon Idols Besides the fore-named they had b Selden of Tithes 10. ch pag. 269. Neptune to whom in their abominable Decimations they sacrificed every tenth Captive whom they had taken in War so making that Sea-God to swim in Man's Bloud per hujusmodi non tam sacrificia purgati quam sacrilegia polluti saith an ancient Christian c Sidonius Apollinaris lib. 8 Epist Authour Secondly Eoster or Goster a Goddesse which they worshipped in the Spring-time wherein the Feast of Easter afterwards was celebrated and so thence named as Bede observeth Thirdly Flynt so termed because set on a great Flint-stone which I dare boldly say had more Sparks of Divine nature then that Idol which thereon was erected Lastly Tacitus observeth that the Saxons worshipped the Peculiar God Herthus the self-same which in English we call the Earth adoring that whereon they did
Cruelty to himself if unwillingly was it Dunstan's Fire or his Faith that fail'd him that he could hold out against him no longer But away with all Suspicions and Queries none need to doubt of the truth thereof finding it in a Sign painted in Fleet-street near Temple-barre 16. During Dunstan's abode in his Cell Aelsgine Dunstan's bountifull friend he had to his great Comfort and Contentment the company of a good Lady Aelfgine by name living fast by No Preacher but Dunstan would please her being so ravisht with his Society that she would needs build a little Cell for her self hard by him In processe of time this Lady died and by her last Will left Christ to be the Heir and Dunstan the Executor of her Estate Enabled with the accession thereof joyned to his paternall Possessions which were very great and now fallen into his hands Dunstan erected the Abbey of Glassenbury and became himself first Abbot thereof a Title till his time unknown in England he built also and endowed many other Monasteries filling them with Benedictine Monks who began now to swarm in England more then Magots in a hot May so incredible was their Increase 17. After the death of King Athelstane 16 Dunstan was recalled to Court in the reign of King Edmund 939 Athelstan's Brother Recalled to Court and re-banished thence and flourished for a time in great Favour But who would build on the brittle Bottome of Princes Love Soon after he falls into the Kings Disfavour Edmundi 1 the old Crime 940 of being a Magician and a Wanton with Women to boot being laid to his charge Surely Dunstan by looking on his own Furnace might learn thence there was no Smoak but some Fire either he was dishonest or undiscreet which gave the Ground-work to their generall Suspicion Hereupon he is re-banisht the Court and returned to his desired Cell at Glassenbury but within three dayes was solemnly brought back again to Court if the ensuing Story may be believed 18. King Edmund was in an eager pursuit of a Buck King Edmund his miraculous deliverance on the top of a steep Rock whence no Descent but Destruction Down falls the Deer and Dogs after him and are dashed to pieces The King follows in full speed on an unruly Horse whom he could not rein is on the Brink of the Brink of the Precipice yet his Prayers prove swifter then his Horse he but ran whilst they did fly to Heaven He is sensible of his Sin in banishing Dunstan confesseth it with Sorrow vowes Amendment promiseth to restore preferre him Instantly the Horse stops in his full Career and his Rider is wonderfully preserved 19. Thus farre a strong Faith may believe of the Story Fy for shame lying Monk but it must be a wild one which gives credit to the remainder a Ross Histor Matt. West Iob. Capgr Osbernus Cervus Canes reviviscunt saith the impudent Monk The Deer Dogs revive again I remember not in Scripture that God ever revived a brute Beast partly because such mean subjects are beneath the Majesty of a Miracle and partly because as the Apostle faith brute Beasts b 2 Pet. â— 12. are made to be taken destroyed Well then might the Monk have knockt off when he had done well in saving the Man and Horse and might have left the Dogs Deer to have remained dead on the place the Deer especially were it but to make Venison Pasties to feast the Courtiers at the solemnizing of their Lord and Masters so miraculous Deliverance 20. Dunstan returning to Court was in higher Favour then ever before 6 Edredi 1 Nor was his Interest any whit abated by the untimely Death of King Edmund slain by one Leoff a Thief seeing his Brother Edred 946 succeeding to the Crown King Edred a high Patron of Dunstan continued and increased his Kindness to him Under him Dunstan was the Doe-all at Court Anno Dom. 946 being the Kings Treasurer Anno Regis Edredi 1 Chancellour Counsellour all things Bishopricks were bountifully profered him pick and chuse where he please but none were honoured with his Acceptance Whether because he accounted himself too high for the place and would not stoop to the Employment or because he esteemed the place too high for him unable conscientiously to discharge it in the midst of so many Avocations Mean time Monasteries were every where erected King Edred devoutly resigning all his Treasure to Dunstan's Disposall Secular Priests being thrust out of their Convents and Monks substituted in their rooms 21. But after Edred's Death But King Edwine his profest Enemy the Case was altered with Dunstan falling into Disgrace with King Edwin his Successour 954 This King on his Coronation-day was said to be incestuously imbracing both Mother Daughter 9 Edwini 1 when Dunstan boldly coming into his Bed-chamber after bitter Reproofs stoutly fetcht him thence and brought him forth into the company of his Noblemen An heroick act if true done with a Iohn Baptist spirit and no wonder if Herod and Herodias I mean this incestuous King and his Concubines were highly offended with Dunstan for the same 22. But good men Who though wronged by the Monks was a worthy Prince and grave Authours give no belief herein conceiving King Edwin how bad soever charactered by the Monks his malicious Enemies to have been a worthy Prince In witnesse whereof they produce the words of a Hist lib. 5. pag. 357. Henry Huntington a learned man but no Monk thus describing him Edwin non illaudabiliter regni insulam tenuit Et rursus Ed win rex anno regni sui quito cum in principio regnum ejus decentissime flor eret prospera laetabunda exordia mors immatura perrupit Edwin was not undeserving of praise in managing the Sceptre of this Land And again King Edwin in the fifth year of his Reign when his Kingdome began at first most decently to flourish had his prosperous and pleasant Beginnings broken off with untimely Death This Testimony considered makes many men think better of King Edwin and worse of Dunstan as guilty of some uncivil Intrusion into the Kings Chamber for which he justly incurred his royall Displeasure 23. Hereupon Dunstan is banished by King Edwin He banisheth Dunstan and dieth heart-broken with grief not as before from England to England from the Court to his Cell at Glassenbury but is utterly expelled the Kingdome and flieth into Flanders Where his Friends say that his Fame prepared his Welcome the Governour of Gaunt most solemnly entertained him 956 Mean time 3 all the Monks in England of Dunstan's Plantation were rooted up and Secular Priests set in their places But soon after happened many Commotions in England especially in Mercia and Northumberland The Monks which write the Story of these Rebellions conceive it unfit to impart to Posterity the Cause thereof which makes wise men to
Kings when habited with his Cloaths to be cloathed with the habit of his vertuous Endowments as when putting on the Gloves of this Confessour their Hands ought to be like his in moderate taking of Taxes from their Subjects Indeed Impositions once raised are seldome remitted pretended Necessities being alwayes found out for their Continuance But our Edward released to his Subjects the grievous burden of Dane-gelt payed to his Predecessours conceiving it fit now the Danes were departed that the Gelt or Tax should go after them But now Edward's Staffe is broken Chair overturned Cloaths rent and Crown melted our present Age esteeming them the Reliques of Superstition 27. And yet all things being cast up No Confessour in the slrictness of the word I confesse I understand not how the name Confessour is proper to King Edward in the strict acceptance thereof For a Confessour is one actually persecuted for the testimony of the Truth and prepared to lose his Life for the same He is a Martyr in Bullion wanting onely the Stamp of a Violent Death to be impressed upon him Now a great part of our Edward's Life was led by him in Peace and Plenty nothing bounding his Abundance but his own Moderation for twenty years together having no visible Foe to offend him And although in his youth he lived in Normandy in a middle Condition betwixt an Exile and a Traveller flying thither for fear of the Danes yet such his Sufferings were of Civil Concernment not directly relating to Conscience though at distance reducible thereunto But seeing in the Titles of great Persons it is better to give too much then too little a Confessour we found him and a Confessour we leave him 28. Our Eyes have been so intent in beholding the Vertues of this King Stigand the vicious Arch-bishop of Canterbury we have been little at Leasure to take notice of the Arch-bishops of Canterbury during his Reign Know then that about ten yeares since Robert Arch-bishop of Canterbury who succeeded Eadsin therein fearing some hard measure from Earle Godwin notwithstanding he had been contentedly kissed out of his Mannour of Boseham conveyed himself away beyond the Seas to his Monastery in Normandy whence he came first into England After whose Depature Stig and Bishop of Winchester intruded himself into that See eminent onely for Vice and fordid Covetousnesse 29. As for the Ecclesiastic all Laws made by this King in his Reign King Edward's Ecclesiasticall Constitutions it will be enough to affix their Principall Titles 1. That every Clerk and Scholar should quietly enjoy their Goods and Possessions 2. What solemn Festivalls people may come and goe of without any Law-Sutes to disturb them 3. That in all Courts where the Bishops Proctour doth appear his Case is first to be heard and determined 4. That Guilty folk flying to the Church should there have Protection not to be reprehended by any but by the Bishop and his Ministers 5. That Tithes be paid to the Church of Sheep Pigs Bees and the like 6. How the Ordall was to be ordered for the Triall of Guilty persons by Fire and Water 7. That Peter-pence or Romescot be faithfully payed to the Pope But I loose time and referre the Reader to read these Constitutions at large being three and twenty in number in the worthy a In his Councils pag. 619. Work of that no lesse Learned then Religious Knight Sir Henry Spelman 30. And now the full time was come 24 wherein good King Edward exchanged this life for a better 1066 Jan. 4. Who How the Kings of England come to cure the Kings Evil. as he was famous for many personall Miracles so he is reported to have entailed by Heavens Consort an hereditary Vertue on his Successours the Kings of England onely with this Condition b Primrosius de Vulgat Error cap. ultimo that they continue constant in Christianity to cure the Kings Evil. This Disease known to the Greeks by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 termed by Laâ—ines Struma and Sorophulae hath it's Cause from Phlegm it 's chief and common outward Residence in or near the Neck Throat where it expresseth it self in Knobs and Kernells pregnant often times with corrupted Bloud other putrified matter which on the breaking of those Bunches floweth forth equally offensive to Sight Smell and Touch. And yet this noisome Disease is happily healed by the Hands of the Kings of England stroaking the Soar if any doubt of the Truth thereof they may be remitted to their own Eyes for farther Confirmation But there is a sort of men who to avoid the Censure of over-easie Credulity and purchase the Repute of prudent Austerity justly incurre the Censure of affected Frowardnesse It being neither Manners nor Discretion in them in matters notoriously known to give daily Experience the Lye by the Backwardnesse of their Belief 31 But whence this Cure proceeds Severall opinions of the Causes thereof is much controverted amongst the Learned Some recount it in the Number of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose Reason cannot be demonstrated For as in vicious Common-wealths Bastards are frequent who being reputed Filii Populi have no particular Father so mans Ignorance increaseth the number of Occult Qualities which I might call Chances in Nature where the Effect is beheld but cannot be certainly referred to any immediate and proper Cause thereof Others impute it to the power c Ferrerius lib. 2. method cap. 11. de Homeric Curat of Fancie and an exalted Imagination For when the poor Patient who perchance seldome heard of and never saw a King before shall behold his Royall Hand dabling in a Puddle of Putrefaction with a charitable Confidence rubbing smoothing chafing those loathsome Kernells which I may call Clouds of Corruption dissolved oft-times into a feculent Shower I say when the Sick-man shall see an Hand so humble of an Arme so high such Condescention in a King to stroak that Soar at which meaner Persons would stop their Nostrills shut their Eyes or turn their Faces this raiseth erecteth enthroneth the Patients Fancie summoning his spirits to assist Nature with their utmost Might to encounter the Disease with greater Advantage And who will look into the Legend of the Miracles of Imagination shall find many strange and almost incredible things thereby really effected 32. Other Learned men Others count it Superstition and particularly d Lib. de Incantamentis Gaspar Peucenus though acquitting this Cure from Diabolicall Conjuration yet tax it as guilty of Superstition With him all such do side as quarrell at the Ceremonies and Circumstances used at the Healing of this Maladie Either displeased at the Collect read consisting of the first nine verses of the Gospell of S t. Iohn as wholly improper and nothing relating to the Occasion or unresolved of the Efficacy of the Gold pendent about the Patients Neck whether partly compleating or a bare Complement of the
Now though the said Sir Reginald did modestly decline the Pope's Honour for want of Maintenance yet had he at that time no fewer then forty three Knights Fees held of his Castle of Dunstar I have nothing else to adde herein save that the ancient Armes of the Mohuns viz. a hand in a Maunch holding a Flower de luce in that Age more fashionable then a Rose in Heraldry seems to relate to this occasion which their Family afterward changed into a Sable Crosse in the Atchievements in the Holy land born at this day by the truely honourable the Lord Mohun Baron of Oakehampton as descended from this Family 28. This year died Robert Grouthead 38 Bishop of Lincoln 1254 born at Stodebrook in Suffolk The death of Bishop Grouthead Natalibus pudendis saith my c Bishop Godwin in Catalogue of Linc. Bish. Authour of Shamefull extraction intimating suspicion of Bastardy though the parents rather then the child have caused a blush thereat He got his Surname from the greatness of his head having large Stoage to receive and store of Braines to fill it bred for a time in Oxford then in France a great and generall Scholar Bale reckoning up no fewer then two hundred books of his making and a great opposer of the Popes oppression which now grew intolerable 29. For it appeared by inquisition made the last year The Popes fume against this good Bishop that the Ecclesiasticall Revenues of Italians in England whereof many were Boyes more Blockheads all Aliens amounted per annum unto threescore and ten thousand Marks whereas the Kings Income at the same time was hardly d Matthew Paris in Anno 1552. twenty thousand Bishop Grouthead offended thereat wrote Pope Innocent the fourth such a Iuniper Letter taxing him with extortion and other vitious practices that his Holiness brake out into this expression VVhat meaneth this doting old man surdus absurdus thus boldly to controll our actions By Peter and Paul did not our innate ingenuity restrain us I would confound him and make him a prodigie to the whole world Is not the King of England our Vassall yea our Slave to imprison and destroy what persons we please to appoint 30. The Pope being in this pelt quenched by a Spanish Cardinall Aegidius a Spanish Cardinall thus interposed his gravitie It is not expedient my Lord to use any harshness to this Bishop We must confesse the truths which he saith He is a holy man of a more Religious life then any of us yea Christendome hath not his equall a great Philosopher skilled in Latine and Greek a constant reader in the Schools Preacher in the Pulpit lover of Chastity and loather of Simony 31. Thus the Pope took wit in his anger Grouthead the peoples though not the Pope's Saint and Grouthead escaped for the present though Bale reporteth that he died excommunicate and deprived of his Bishoprick Popish e Iohn Burie Mat. Paris Mat. Westminster Mr. Fabian Authours confidently report a strange vision or rather a passion of Pope Innocent the fourth whom Grouthead appearing after his death so beat with many blows it seems he had a heavy hand as well as a great head that the Pope died thereof soon after No wonder therefore if his successours would not Canonize this Robert who notwithstanding was a Saint though not in the Popes yet in the peoples Calendar many miracles being ascribed unto him and particularly f Godwin in his Catalogue of Bishops Discontents begin in England that a sweet oyl after his death issued out of his monument which if false in the litterall may be true in a mysticall meaning Solomon observing that a good name is as oyntment poured out 32. England began now to â—urfet of more then thirty yeares Peace and Plenty which produced no better effects then ingratitude to God and murmuring at their King Many active spirits whose minds were above their means offended that others beneath them as they thought in Merit were above them in Employment Anno Dom. 1254 cavilled at many errours in the Kings Government Anno Regis Henrici 3. 38 being State-Donatists maintaining the perfection of a Commonwealth might and ought to be attained A thing easie in the Theory impossible in the Practice to conform the actions of mens corrupted natures to the exact Ideas in mens Imaginations 33. Indeed they had too much matter whereon justly to ground their Discontents Grounded on too much occasion partly because the King distrusting his Natives imployed so many French Forrainers in places of power and profit partly because he had used such indirect courses to recruit his Treasuries especially by annihilating all Patents granted in his Minority though indeed he was never more in his Full-age then when in his Non-age as guided then by the best counsell and forcing his Subjects to take out new ones on what Terms his Officers pleased In a word an a Roger Wendover Authour then living complaineth that Iustice was committed to men unjust the Laws to such who themselves were Out-laws and the keeping of the Peace to injurious people delighting in Discords 34. After many contests betwixt the King and his Subjects which the Reader may learn from the Historians of the State four and twenty prime persons were chosen by Parliament to have the supreme inspection of the Land A Title without power onely lest to the King which soon after to make them the more cordiall passed a decoction and were reduced to three and they three in effect contracted to one Simon Mountfort Earle of Leicester the Kings Brother in Law The King himself standing by as a Cypher yet signifying as much as his ambitious Subjects did desire These to make sure work bound him with his solemn Oath to submit himself to their new-modelled Government 35. Here the Pope charitable to relieve all distressed Princes interposed his power The Pope freely gives his curtesies for money absolving the King from that Oath as unreasonable in it self and forced upon him His Holinesse was well paid for this great favour the King hereafter conniving at his Horse-Leeches Legates and Nuncioes sucking the bloud of his Subjects with intolerable Taxations Thus was it not altogether the Flexibility of King Henry but partly the Flexion of his Condition I mean the altering of his occasions which made him sometimes withstand and otherwhiles comply with the Popes extortion Thus alwayes the Popes Curtesies are very dear and the Storm it self is a better Shelter then the Bramble fleecing such Sheep as fly under the shade thereof 36. Mean time the King having neither Coyn nor Credit Sad case when the Royall Root is no better then a sucker having pawn'd his Iewels mortgag'd all his Land in France and sold much of it in England wanting where withall to subsist lived on Abbeys and Prioreys till his often coming and long staying there made what was welcome at the first quickly to become
thy sorceries and the great abundance of thine inchantments And it seemes they still retained their old wicked wont Secondly Poisoning To give the Jews their due this was none of their faults whilest living in their own land not meeting with the word in the whole Bible It seems they learnt this sin after their disperson in other Nations and since are grown exquisite in that art of wickedness Thirdly Clipping of money Fourthly Counterfeiting of Christians hands and seals Fifthly Extortion A Jew occasioned a mutiny in London by demanding from a poor Christian above two shillings for the use of twenty shillings for one week being by proportion no less then five hundred and twenty pounds per annum for every hundred Sxthly Crucifying of the children of Christians to keep their hands in ure always about Easter So that the time pointed at their intents directly in derision of our Saviour How sufficiently these crimes were witnessed against them I know not In such cases weak proofs are of proof against rich offenders We may well believe if their persons were guilty of some of these faults their estates were guilty of all the rest 47. Now although it passeth for an uncontrolled truth Jews say others not cast out but craved leave to depart that the Jews were by the King violently cast out of the Land yet a great a Sir Ed. Coke Lawyer states the case much otherwise viz. that the King did not directly expel them but only prohibit them to put money to use which produced a petition from them to the King that they might have leave to depart the Land a request easily granted unto them some will say it is all one in effect whether one be starved or stabbed death inevitably following from both as here the Jews were famished on the matter out of England usury being their meat and drink without which they were unable longer to subsist However this took off much from the Odium of the act that they were not immediately but only indirectly and consequentially banished the Realm or rather permitted a free departure on their own petition for the same As for the sad accident that some hundreds of them being purposely shipped out of a spightful design in a leaking vessel were all drowned in the Sea if true it cannot but command compassion in any Christian heart 48. It is hardly to be believed The King gets incredible wealth forfeited by the Jews what vast sums of wealth accrewed to the King 1293 by this call it ejection 21. or amotion or decesion of the Jews He allowed them only bare viaticum to bear their charges and seised on all the rest of their estates Insomuch that now the King needed not to listen to the counsel of William Marsh Bishop of Bath and wells 1294 and Treasurer of England but therein speaking more like a Treasurer then a Bishop advising him 22. if in necessity to take all the plate and money of Churches a Polydore Virgil and Monasteries therewith to pay his souldiers The poor Jews durst not go into France whence lately they had been solemnly banished but generally disposed themselves in Germany and Italy especially in the Popes territories therein where profit from Jews and Stews much advance the constant revenues of his Holiness 49. King Edward having done with the Jews King Edward arbitrator betwixt Bailiol and Bruce began with the Scots and effectually humbled them and their country This the occasion Two Competitors appearing for the Crown of Scotland John Bailiol and Robert Bruce and both referring their title to King Edward's decision he adjudged the same to Bailiol or rather to himself in Bailiol For he enjoyned him to do homage unto him and that hereafter the Scotish Crown should be held in fealty of the English Bailiol or his necessity rather his person being in King Edward's power accepted the condition owning in England one above himself that so he might be above all in Scotland 1295 But 23. no sooner was he returned into his own Kingdom and peaceably possessed thereof but instantly in a Letter of defiance he disclaimeth all former promises to King Edward appealing to the Christian world whether his own inforced obedience were more to be pitied or King Edward's insolence improving it self on a Princes present extremitics more to be condemned 50. Offended hereat He proveth Malleus Scotorum King Edward 1297 advanceth into Scotland 25. with the forces he formerly intended for France Power and policy make a good medly and the one fareth the better for the other King Edward to strengthen himself thought fit to take in the title of Robert Bruce Bailiols corrival hitherto living privately in Scotland pretending to settle him in the Kingdom Hereupon the Scots to lessen their losses and the English victories b G. Buchanan 〈◊〉 Scot. libro octavo 〈◊〉 affirm that in this expedition their own Country-men were chiefly conquered by their own Country-men the Brucian party assisting the Englsih Sure it is that King Edward took Barwick Dunbar Sterling Edenbrugh the Crown Scepter and out of Scone the Royal Chair and prophetical Marble therein And though commonly it be observed that English valour hopefully budding and blossoming on this side of Edenburgh-Frith is frost-bitten on the North thereof yet our victorious Edward crossing that sea took Montross and the best Counties thereabout In a word he conquered almost all the Garden of Scotland and left the wilderness thereof to conquer it self Then having fetled Warren Earl of Survey Vice-Roy thereof and made all the Scotish Nobility Doughty Douglas alone excepted who was committed to prison for his singular recusancy swear homage unto him and taking John Bailiol captive along with him he returned triumphantly into England The End of the Thirteenth CENTURY CENT XIV TO CLEMENT THROCKMORTON the Elder OF Haseley in Warwick-shire Esq LEt other boast of their French bloud whilest your English family may vie Gentry with any of the Norman Extraction 1. For Antiquity four Monosyllables being by common pronuntiation crouded into your name THE ROCK MORE TOWN 2. For Numerosity being branched into so many Counties 3. For Ingenuity charactered by †Brit. in Warwick shire Camden to be FRUITFUL OF FINE WITS whereof several instances might be produced But a principal consideration which doth and ever shall command my respect unto your person is your faithful and cordial friendship in matters of highest concernment whatever be the success thereof to the best of my Relations which I conceived my self obliged publickly to confess 1. AMidst these cruel Wars Ed. 1. 29. betwixt the English and Scots 1301. Pope Boniface the eighth The Pope challengeth Scotland as peculiar to himself sent his Letters to King Edward requiring him to quit his claim and cease his Wars and release his prisoners of the Scotch Nation as a people exempt and properly pertaining to his own Chappel Perchance the Popes right to
fall accordingly not by the death of those in Kings Colledg but their advancement to better preferment in the Church and Common-wealth 15. If we cast our eyes on the Civil estate All quickly lost in France we shall finde our Foraign Acquisitions in France 1447 which came to us on foot 25. running from us on horse-back Nulla dies sine Civitate fearce a day escaping wherein the French regained not some City or place of importance so that the English who under King Hen. 6. had almost a third of France besides the City of Paris another third in its self for Wealth and Populousness soon lost all on the Continent to the poor pittance of Calice and a little land or if you will some large suburbs round about it 16. Yet let not the French boast of their Valor Occasioned by the English discords but under Gods providence thank our sins and particularly our discords for their so speedy recoveries There were many Clefts and Chaps in our Councel-board factions betwixt the great Lords present thereat and these differences descended on their Attendants and Retainers who putting on their Coats wore the Badges as well of enmities as of the Armes of their Lords and Masters but behold them how coupled in their Antipathies Deadly feud betwixt Edmund Beaufort Anno Regis Hen 6 37. Duke of Somerset Anno Dom. 1459. Richard Plantagenet Duke of York Humbhrey Plantagenet Duke of Glocester Henry Beaufort Cardinal Bishop of Winchester Deadly feud betwixt William Delapole Duke of Suffolk John Holland Duke of Exeter Humphrey Stafford Duke of Buckingham Richard Nevill Earl of Warwick Humphrey Plantagenet Duke of Glocester William Delapole Duke of Suffolk Richard Nevil Earl of Warwick Betwixt the three last there was as it were a battel Royal in this Cockpit each of them hating and opposing another In all these contests their ambition was above their covetousness it being every ones endeavour not so much to raise and advance himself as ruine and depress his adversary 17. Two of the aforesaid principal persons left the world this year The death of Humphry Duke of Glocester and in the same moneth First Humphrey Duke of Glocester Son to King Henry the fifth Uncle and Gardian to King Henry the sixth A great House-keeper Hospitality being so common in that Age none were commended for the keeping but condemned for the neglecting thereof He was much opposed by Queen Margaret who would have none rule the King her husband save her self and accused of a treacherous design insomuch that at a packt Parliament at Bury he was condemned of high Treason and found dead in his bed not without rank suspicion of cruel practises upon his person 18. His death is suspended betwixt Legal execution and murder A fit work for a good pen. and his memory pendulous betwixt Malefactor and Martyr However the latter hath most prevailed in mens belief and the Good Duke of Glocester is commonly his character But it is proper for some Oxford man to write his just Vindication A Manuel in asserting his memory being but proportionable for him who gave to their Library so many and pretious voluminous Manuscripts As for those who chewing their meat with their feet whilest they walk in the body of S t Pauls are commonly said to Dine with Duke Humphrey the saying is as far from truth as they from dinner even twenty miles off seeing this Duke was buried in St Albans to which Church he was a great Benefactor 19. The same Moneth with the Duke of Glocester The death of the rich Cardinal died Henry Beaufort Bishop of Winchester and Cardinal One of high discent high spirit and high preferments hardly to be equalled by Cardinal Wolsey otherwise but a pigmy to him in birth for wealth and magnificence He lent King Henry the 5 th at once twenty thousand pounds who pawned his Crown unto him He built the fair Hospital of St Cross near Winchester and although Chancellor of the University of Oxford was no grand Banefactor thereunto in proportion to his own wealth commonly called the Rich Cardinal or the practises of his predecessours Wickham and Wainesleet 20. The Bishops * The Clergie move in vain against the Statute of Praemunite assembled in Parliament laboured the recalling of the Act of Praemunire and no wonder if gall'd horses would willingly cast off their saddles but belike they found that statute girt too close unto them The Lords and Commons stickling stoutly for the continuance thereof And because this is the last time we shall have occasion to mention this Statute and therefore must take our farewell thereof it will not be amiss to insert the ensuing passage as relating to the present subject though it happened many years after 21. One a Su Jo. Davies in his Caâ—â— of Praemunire fol. 83. Robert Lalor An eminent instance in Ireland of a priest indiâ—ted on the Statute of Praemunire Priest a Native of Ireland to whom the Pope had given the titulary Bishoprick of Kilmore Anno Dom. 1447 and made him Vicar-general of the See Apostolick Anno Regis Hen. 6 25. within the Arch-Bishoprick of Dublin c. boldly and securely executed his pretended jurisdiction for many years was indicted at Dublin in Hillary Terme Quarto Jacobi upon this Statute of Praemunire made two hundred years before being the sixteenth of Richard the second His Majesties learned Councel did wisely forbear to proceed against him upon any latter Law whereof plenty in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth because Recusants swarming in that Kingdome might have their judgments convinced That long before King Henry the eighth banished the Usurpation of the Pope The King Lords and Commons in England though for the most part of the Romish Religion made strict Laws for the maintenance of the Crown against any foraign Invasion Whereupon after the party indicted had pleaded at large for himself The Jury departed from the Bar and returning within half an hour found the prisoner guilty of the contempts whereof he was indicted whereupon the Sollicitor General moved the Court to proceed to judgement and b Idem fol 99. S r ' Dominick Sarsfield one of the Justices of his Majesties chief Pleas gave judgment according to the form of the Statute whereupon the Endictment was framed Hence it plainly appears that such Misdemeanours of Papists are punishable at this day by vertue of those Ancient Statutes without any relation to such as were enacted since the Reformation 22. About this time Jack Cade raised his Rebellion Cade Straw like and unlike like and unlike to the former commotion of Jack Straw 1450 Like 28. first because Jacks both I mean insolent impudent domineering Clowns Secondly Both of them were Kentish by their extractions Thirdly both of them pressed upon London and there principally plaied their pranks Fourthly both of them after they had troubled the Land for a short time were
the Pope to absolve people from Usury Symonie Theft Manslaughter Fornication Adultery and all crimes whatsoever saving Smiting of the Clergie and conspiring against the Pope and some few cases reserved alone to his Holiness This Gigies gat for himself the rich Bishoprick of Worcester yea we observe that in that See a Team of Four b Godwin in his Catalogue of the Bishops of Nor. p. 5â—0 Italians followed each other 1. John Giglis 2. Silvester Giglis 3. Julius Medices afterwards Clement the 7 th 4. Hieronymis de Negutiis Thus as weeds in a garden once got in hardly got out as sowing themselvess so these Italians having planted themselve in that rich place were never gotten out pleading as it were prescription of almost fourty years possession till the power of the Pope was partly banished England and then Hugh Latimer was placed in the Bishoprick 22. Arch-Bishop Morton 10. as one much meriting from the Pope 1494 was not noely honoured with a Cardinals Hat Rochester Bridg repaired by Pardons of the title of S t Anastatius but also privileged from his Holiness to visit all places formely exempt from Archiepiscopal jurisdiction Impowring him also to dispense his Pardons where he saw just cause Hereupon Rochester Bridge being broken down Morton to appear a Pontifex indeed bestowed remission from c Antiquit. Brit. p. 298. Purgatory for all sins whatsoever committed within the compass fourty dayes to such as should Bountifully contribute to the building thereof 23. The King had more then a moneths minde keeping seven years in that humour to procure the Pope to Canonize King Henry the sixth for a Saint The King desired King Henry then the sixth to be Sainted For English Saint-Kings so frequent before the Conquest were grown great dainties since that time France lately had her King Saint Lewis and why should not England receive the like favour being no less beneficial to the Church of Rome Nor could the unhappiness of our King Henry because Deposed from his Throne be any just bar to his Saintship seeing generally Gods best servants are most subject to the sharpest afflictions His Canonizing would add much Lustre of the Line of Lancaster which made his Kinsman and mediate successor King Henry the seventh so desirous thereof Besides well might he be made a Saint who had been a Prophet For when the Wars between Lancaster and York first began Henry the sixth beholding this Henry the seventh then but a Boy playing in the Court said to the standers by See this youth one day will quietly enjoy what we at this time so much fight about This made the king with much importunity to tender this his request unto the Pope A request the more reasonable because it was well nigh fourty years since the death of the Henry so that onely the skeletons of his virtues remained in mens memories the flesh and corruption as one may say of his faults being quite consumed and forgotten 24. Pope Alexander the sixth The requisiteâ— to a Canonization instead of granting his request acquainted him with the requisites belonging to the making of a Saint First that to confer that honour the greatest on earth was onely in the power of the Pope the proper judg of mens merits therein Secondly that Saints were not to be multiplied but on just motions Anno Dom. 1494 lest commonness should cause their contempt Anno Regis Hen. 7 10. Thirdly that his life must be exemplarily holy by the testimony of credible witnesses Fourthly that such must attest the truth of reall Miracles wrought by him after death Fifthly that very great was the cost thereof because all Chaunters Choristers * The Latin is Parafrenarii Bell-ringers not the least clapper in the steeple wagging except money was tied to the end of the rope with all the officers of the Church of Saint Peter together with the Commissaries and Notaries of the Court with all the officers of the Popes Bed-chamber to the very Lock-smiths ought to have their several fees of such cononization Adding that the total summe would amount to fifteen hundred Duckets a Antiq. Brit. pag. 229. of Gold Tantae Molis erat Romanum condere Sanctum Concluding with that which made the charges though not infinite indefinite that the costs were to be multiplied secundum Canonizati Potentiam according to the power or dignity of the person to be Canonized And certain it was the Court of Rome would not behold this Henry the sixth in the notion he died in as a poor prisoner but as he lived a King so long as he had this Henry his Kinsman to pay for the same 25. Most of these requisites met in King Henry sixth in a competent measure These applied to King Hen. 6. First the holiness of his life was confessed by all save that some sullen persons suggested that his simplicity was above his Sanctity and his life pious not so much out of hatred as ignorance of badness As for Miracles there was no want of them if credible persons might be believed two of whose Miracles it will not be amiss to recite 25. Thomas Fuller A brace of Miracles wrought by King Hen. 6. a very honest b Harpâ—field Hist Ecclesiastica saeculo decimo quinto pag. 646. man living at Hammersmith near London had a hard hap accidentally to light into the company of one who had stolen and driven away Cattle with whom though wholly innocent he was taken arraigned condemned and executed When on the Gallows blessed King Henry loving justice when alive and willing to preserve innocence after death appeared unto him so ordering the matter that the halter did not strangle him For having hung an whole hour and taken down to be buried he was found alive for which favour he repaired to the Tomb of King Henry at Chertsey as he was bound to do no less and there presented his humble and hearty thanks unto him for his deliverance The very same accident mutatis mutandis of place and persons with some addition about the apparition of the Virgin Mary hapned to Richard Boyes dwelling withing a mile of Bath the story so like all may believe them equally true 26. All the premisses required to a Saint appearing in some moderate proportion in Henry the sixth especially if charitably interpreted Saints themselves needs some favour to be afforded them it was the general expectation that he should be suddenly Canonized But Pope Alexander the sixth delayed and in effect denied King Henry's desire herein yea Julius his next successor of continuance not to mention the short liv'd Pius the third continued as sturdy in his denial 27. Men variously conjecture why the Pope in effect should deny to Canonize King Henry the sixth a witty Reasons why King Hen. 6. was not Sainted but tart reason is rendred by a Noble c The Lord Bacon pen because the Pope would put a difference betwixt a Saint and an
blood of Christ unworthily shall be guilty of the very body and blood of Christ Vers 28 c. Wherefore let every man first prove himself and so let him eat of this bread and drink of this drink for whosoever eateth or drinketh it unworthily he eateth and drinketh to his own damnation because he putteth no difference between the very body of Christ and other kindes of meat Justification Fiftly As touching the order and cause of our Justification We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by Us to their spiritual charge that this word Justification signifieth remission of our sins and our acceptation or reconciliation into the grace and favour of God that is to say our perfect renovation in Christ Item That sinners attain this justification by contrition and faith joyned with charity after such sort and manner as we before mentioned and declared Not as though our contrition or faith or any works proceeding thereof can worthily merit or deserve to attain the said justification for the onely mercy and grace for the Father promised freely unto us for his Sons sake Jesus Christ and the merits of his blood and passion be the onely sufficient and worthy causes thereof And yet that notwithstanding to the attaining of the same justification God requireth to be in us not onely inward contrition perfect faith and charity certain hope and confidence with all other spiritual graces and motions which as we said before must necessarily concurre in remission of our sins that is to say our justification but also he requireth and commandeth us that after we be justified we must also have good works of charity and obedience towards God in the observing and fulfilling outwardly of his laws and commandements For although acceptation to everlasting life be conjoyned with justification yet our good works be necessarily required to the attaining of everlasting life And we being justified be necessarily bound and it is our necessary duty to doe good works according to the saying of S. Paul s s Rom. 8. 12 c. We be bound not to live according to the flesh and to fleshly appetites for if we live so we shall undoubtedly be damned And contrary if we will mortifie the deeds of our flesh and live according to the spirit we shall be saved For whosoever be led by the spirit of God they be the children of God And Christ saith t t Mat. 19. 17. If you will come to heaven keep the commandements And Saint Paul speaking of evil works saith u u Gal. 5. 21. Whosoever commit sinfull deeds shall never come to heaven Wherefore We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct teach Our people committed by Us unto their spiritual charge that God necessarily requireth of us to doe good works commanded by him and that not onely outward and civil works but also the inward spiritual motions and graces of the Holy Ghost that is to say to dread and fear God to love God to have firm confidence and trust in God to invocate and call upon God to have patience in all adversities to have sin and to have certain purpose and will not to sin again and such other like motions and virtues For Christ saith w w Mat. 5. 20. Except your righteousnesse shall exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the kingdome of heaven that is to say We must not only do outward civil good works but also we must have these foresaid inward spiritual motions consenting and agreeable to the law of God Articles concerning the laudable Ceremonies used in the Church of Christ and first of Images As touching Images truth it is that the same have been used in the Old Testament and also for the great abuses of them sometime destroyed and put down And in the New Testament they have been also allowed as good Authors doe declare Wherefore We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach Our people committed by Us to their spiritual charge how they ought and may use them And first that there be attributed unto them that they be representers of virtue and good example And that they also be by occasion the kindlers and stirrers of mens mindes and make men oft to remember and lament their sins and offences especially the images of Christ and our Lady And that therefore it is meet that they should stand in the Churches and none otherwise to be esteemed And to the intent that rude people should not from henceforth take such superstition as in time past it is thought that the same hath used to doe We will that Our Bishops and Preachers diligently shall teach them and according to this doctrine reform their abuses for else there might fortune idolatry to ensue which God forbid And as for sensing of them and kneeling and offering unto them with other like worshippings although the same hath entered by devotion and falne to custome yet the people ought to be diligently taught that they in no wise doe it nor think it meet to be done to the same images but onely to be done to God and in his honour although it be done before the images whether it be of Christ of the Crosse of our Lady or of any other Saint beside Of honouring of Saints At touching the honouring of Saints We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach Our people committed by Us unto their spiritual charges that Saints now being with Christ in heaven be to be honoured of Christian people in earth but not with that confidence and honour which are onely due unto God trusting to attain at their hands that which must be had onely of God But that they be thus to be honoured because they be known the elect persons of Christ because they be passed in godly life out of this transitory world because they already doe reigne in glory with Christ and most speically to laud and praise Christ in them for their excellent virtues which he planted in them for example of and by them to such as yet are in this world to live in virtue and goodnesse and also not to fear to die for Christ and his cause as some of them did And finally to take them in that they may to be the advancers of our prayers and demands unto Christ By these waies and such like be Saints to be honoured and had in reverence and by none other Of Praying to Saints As touching Praying to Saints We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach Our people committed by Us unto their spiritual charge that albeit grace remission of sin and salvation cannot be obtained but of God onely by the mediation of our Saviour CHRIST which is onely sufficient Mediatour for our sins yet it is very laudable to pray to Saints in heaven everlastingly living whose charity is ever permanent to be Intercxessors and to pray for
hand thought fit to insert this his following account thereof though not knowing whether the same will give the Reader satisfaction 45. A match was made Her plea for leaving her husband by the power of their Parents betwixt Mr. Kyme his Son in Lincoln shire and Sir William Ashcough his eldest Daughter who chanced to die before the completing thereof Sir William loth to lose so rich an Heir and having payed part of her Potion for lucrâ—s sake compelled this Anne his second Daughter to supply her Sisters place and to marry him against her own will and consent notwithstanding the marriage once past she demanded her self like a Christian Wife l Bales Manuscript p 91 92. and bare him two Children In processe of time by oft reading of the sacred Bible she cleerly fell from all Papistrie to a perfect belief in Jesus Christ Whereupon her Husband was so offended that by suggestion of the Priests he violently drove her out of his house And she on this occasion sought from the Law a Divorce and because of his cruell usage would not return unto him again thinking her self free from that uncomely kinde of coacted marriage by the doctrine of Saint Paul m 1 Cor. 7.15 But if the unbelieving depart let him depart A brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases But God hath called us to peace This is the effect of what our Authour speaketh in moe words Now whether this rule laid down by Saint Paul betwixt Christian and Heathen be also commensurate betwixt Protestant and Papist is not my work to decide Perchance she would only answer to the King for her behaviour towards her Husband as hoping for some tendernesse from His Highnesse because of some general conformity in the first part of her Case with the Kings as Who for by respects was first married to then divorced from His Brothers Wife 46. Her several examinations are largely penned by her self extant in Mr. Fox She is first rached and then burnâ— where the Reader may finde them But be it remembred that whereas heresie onely was charged upon her without the least suspition of Treason yet was she rackt to detect some Court Ladies of her opinion by the Lord Wriothisly the then and Sir Robert Rich the n Fox p. 1239 next Lord Chancellour But whether it was noble in these Lords or legall in these Lawyers or conscientious in these Chancellours to rack one already condemned to death belongeth to others to determine Their cruelty extorted no discovery from her whose constancy now made recompense for her former infirmities If it be true what is charged upon her that before she had twice subscribed the Real Presence in the Sacrament of the Altar but zealously died at last in the earnest deniall thereof being amongst those who according to the precept in the o Isa 24.15 Prophet glorified the Lord in the sires Her suffering in Smithfield was most solemnly performed where three men Nicolas Belevian Priest of Shropshire John Lacells Gentleman of the Houshold of King Henry the eighth and John Adams a poor Taylor of London were all burnt together Three couple of qualities meeting together in four persons Clergy and Laity Male and Female Gentle and Simple made the fewell of the same fire 47. John Bale registers this Anne Ashcough Her Prose and Poâ—â—â—y amongst the number of his English learned Writers for her Examinations Letters and Poems wrote with her own hand though the p Parsons utpriùs Jesuite jeers him for his pains as if no works save those of the needle became her sex I have seen a Manuscript of her Verses afterwards printed at Marpurge in Germany and must confesse I better approve her Charity in the four last than her Poetry in all rest Yet Lord I thee desire Ann. Reg. HeÌ„ 8.38 Let them not taste the hire For that they doe to me Of their iniquity However those that have drunk deeper than she of Helicon Ann. Dom. 1546. would be loth to pledge her in the bitter cup of Martyrdome So I take my leave of her memory 48. Now began the troubles of Queen Katharine Parr The King marrieth KatbarineParr whom the King married some two years since For He either being or believing Himself wronged by His last Wife whom He married for a Maid resolved now to take a Widow to Wife who had given proof of her chastity and loyalty to her former Husband and thereupon married this Katharine the Daughter of Sir Thomas Parr of Kendall the Relict of John Nevill Lord Latimer one of great piety beauty discretion Next to the Bible She studied the Kings disposition observing Him to Her utmost And need She had of a nimble soul to attend at all times on His humour whose Fury had now got the addition of Frowardness thereunto She was rather Nurse than Wife unto Him who was more decayed by sickness intemperance than old age 49. Yet sometimes She would presume to discourse with the King about points of Religion The conspiracy of Her enemies against Her defending the Protestant-Tenents by Scripture and reason and sometimes would hold up the King very close hard at it This displeased Him who loved loosness and liberty in His clothes arguments and actions and was quickly observed by Gardiner and others who were the Queens enemies Hereupon taking advantage of an unhappy juncture of time Gardiner drew up Articles against Her and had got them subscribbed with the Kings own hand to remove Her to the Tower Whither had She been sent Vestigia nulla retrorsum without doubt She had followed the way of His former Wives in that place 50. But Divine Providence ordereth all things to fall out for the good of Gods children Chancellour Wriothesly put the paper of those Articles pretious jewels in no worse cabinet than his own bosome Hence it casually fell out By Gods Providence defeated was taken up by one of the Queens servants and brought to Her Grace who on Her sicknesse and submission to the King obtained His pardon signed ad sealed unto Her with may kisses and embraces As for such Her enemies who came at the present to attach Her intending by virtue of the Kings Warrant to send Her the shortest way to Her long home they were sent back with what made worse rumbling than a flea in the eare even the taunts and threats of the enraged King against them 51. And yet Pasons tell q In his Exam. of Fox his Martyrs in June c. 10 p. 433 us that not with standing the King purposed to have burned Her if He had lived Parsons his wild intelligence I know not whence he derived this his strange intelligence and therefore justly suspect the truth hereof The rather because I finde Her in great grace with the King as appeareth by the good language and great Legacie He gave Her in His Will which here we thought fit to transcribe both for the
represent And seeing Sir Thomas More would have his own jests when dying no wonder if he makes others to jeer when dead 6. These two Supplications pressing both together for audience and reception The first Supplication best received that of the Beggars on earth found the best entertainment Whether because it came first which we know is great advantage in Beggars first come first served Or because these Terrestrial beggars were neerer at hand and so best able to manage their own suit whilst those in Purgatory were conceived at a greater distance Or chiefly because their Supplication suggested matter of profit to the King and His Courtiers and such whispers sound loud and commonly meet with attentive ears And as an introduction to the dissolution of all Abbeys spies were sent forth to make strict discovery of mens behaviours therein Indeed the Lord Cromwell Scout-Master-Generall in this designe stayed at the Court whilst his subordinate Emissaries men of as prying eyes as afterwards they proved of gripple hands sent unto him all their intelligence in manner and form as in due time shall ensue The lesser Monasteries bestowed on the King NOW because some moneths were imployed in that service before a perfect account was returned to the Lord Cromwell The suppressing of the smaller Monasteries may here seasonably be inserted For in the twenty seventh of the King's Reign Anno 1539 a motion was made in Parliament A gainfull motion made for the King That to support the King's States and supply His wants all Religious Houses might be conferred on the Crown which were not able clearly to expend above Two hundred pounds a year 2. Some may report Reported by mistake opposed by Bishop Fisher that John Fisher Bishop of Rochester earnestly though pleasently opposed the motion by alledging an Apologue out of Aesope That the Helve of the Axe craved a Handle of the wood of Oaks onely to cut off the Serebowes of the Tree but when it was a complete Instramentall Axe it felled down all the wood Applying it That the grant of these smaller Houses would in fine prove destructive to all the rest But Fisher being now in his grave this could not be spoken in this Parliament which with more probability was formerly urged by him against Cardinal Wolsey in dissolving the forty Houses whereof before 3. This Proposition found little opposition in either Houses Easily passed in Parliament Henry the eighth was a King and His necessities were Tyrants and both suing together for the same thing must not be denied besides the larger thongs they cut out of other mens leather the more intire they preserved their own hide which made the Parliament to ease their own purses by laying the load on those lesser Houses which they accordingly passed to the Crown 4. The Lord Herbert in his a Of Henry 8 pag. 376. Historie complaineth and that justly That this Statute for dissolution of the lesser Monasteries doth begin very bluntly A Preamble of importance restored out of the Records to the Printed Statute without any formall Preamble in the Printed Books they are Published It seemeth that herein he never searched the Record it self otherwise industrious in that kinde to which a solemn Preface is prefixed shewing some Reasons of the dissolution and pious uses to which they were attained In form as followeth The Preamble is this Forasmuch as manifest sin vitious carnall and abominable living is daily used and committed commonly in such little and small Abbeys Priories and other religious houses of Monks Canons and Nuns where the Congregation of such religious persons is under the number of twelve persons whereby the Governours of such religious Houses and their Covent spoile destroy consume and utterly waste as well the Churches Monasteries Priories principall Houses Farms Granges Lands Tenements and Hereditaments as the ornaments of the Churches and their goods and Chattels to the high displeasure of Almighty God slander of good Religion and to the great infamy of the King's Hignesse and the Realm if redresse should not be had thereof And albeit that many continuall Visitations hath been heretofore had by the space of two hundred years and more for an honest and charitable reformation of such unthrifty carnall and abominable living yet neverthelesse little or no amendment is hitherto had but their vitious living shamefully increaseth and augmenteth and by a cursed custome so grown and infested that a great multitude of the religious persons in such small Houses do rather choose to rove abroad in Apostasie than to conform themselves to the observation of good Religion so that without such small Houses be utterly suppressed and the Religion therein committed to the great and honourable Monasteries of Religion in this Realm where they may be compelled to live religioussly for reformation of their lives there can else be no redresse nor reformation in that behalf In consideration whereof the King 's most royall Majesty being Supreme head in earth under God of the Church of England daily studying and devising the increase advancement and exaltation of true doctrine and virtue in the said Church to the onely glory and honour of God and the totall extirping and destruction of vice and sin having knowledge that the premises be true as well by the compts of his late visitations as by sundry credible informations considering also that divers and great solemn Monasteries of this Realm wherein thanks be to God Religion is right well kept and observed be destitute of such full numbers of religious persons as they ought and may keep have thought good that a plain Declaration should be made of the premises as well to the Lords spirituall and Temporall as to other His loving Subjects the Commons in this present Parliament assembled WHEREUPON the said Lords and Commons by a great deliberation finally be resolved That it is and shall be much more to the pleasure of Almighty God and for the honour of this His Realm that the possessions of such small religious Houses not being spent spoiled and wasted for increase of maintenance of sin should be used and converted to better uses and the unthrifty religious persons so spending the same to be compelled to reform their lives And hereupon most humbly desire the King's Highnesse that it may be enacted by authority of this present Parliament That His Majesty shall have to Him and to Hit Heirs for ever all and singular such Monasteries His Majesty shall have and enjoy c. As it foloweth in the printed b Cap. 28. Statute In this Preamble two principles are laid down of infallible truth Two principles which must not be questioned and posterity must not be so presumptuous as to question them 1. The smallest Convents were the greatest sinners and they who had the least lands led the leudest lives 2. It was harder to reform little Covents than those that were greater It seems such small Houses like little fishes could not be caught with the
net of Reformation as slipping through the holes thereof and therefore no way to represse their faults except by suppressing their foundation All I will adde is God first punished great Sodome and spared little Zoar though probably also in fault here Zoar was first punished let great Sodome beware and the larger Monasteries look to themselves 5. And now adieu all religious Houses in England that could not cleerly spend above Two hundred pounds per annum Exact measuring to the standard of dissolution and we must not believe any finister dealing was used by favour to wrack the revenues of some above and out of dislike to shrink the rents of others beneath the standard of dissolution when Twenty shillings a year under or over the aforesaid summe might save or destroy a small Monastery As for such if any in that posture who had just Two hundred pounds and no more they were obnoxious to the Statute whilst Five shillings more saved all as that is a fair ball in the Tennis-Court which toucheth the line yet goeth over it 6. Ten thousand persons were by this dissolution sent to seek their fortunes in the wide world Many aged persons at a losse for livelihood some indeed had Fathers or Friends to receive them others none at all some had Twenty shillings given them at their Ejection and a new Gown which needed to be of strong cloath to last so long till they got another Most were exposed to want I see no such certainty for a comfortable livelihood as a lawfull calling for Monkish profession was no possession and many a young Nun proved an old Beggar I pity not those who had hands and health to work but surely the gray hairs of some impotent persons deserved compassion and I am confident such had they come to the doors of the charitable Reader hereof should have had a meals meat and a nights lodging given unto them 7. A clear Revenue of Thirty thousand pounds per annum Abbey-lands politickly scattered among many puâ—chasers was here advanced to the Crown besides Ten thousand pounds in plate and moveables though the King enjoyed it but a short time as passing it away by grant sale and exchange to His Subjects This was done by the politick counsell of the wise Lord Cromwell not hoping that these small morsels to so many mouthes should satisfie their hunger but onely intending to give them a taste of the sweetnesse of Abbey-lands And here Papists plentifully rail upon him in scattering these Lands all abroad that if any should be so scrupulous as to finde fault with the fact a general guiltinesse should amount unto innocence Thus say they there is no fear that a man shall be condemned for felony who hath so many receivers in the County that scarcely a Judge can sit and surely no Jury can be impanelled upon him saving such who had been parties with him 8. No fewer than Three hundred seventy five Covents as Sanders doth account them were dissolved at this time sure I am The number of the lesser Monasteries none was left standing in the whole Diocesse of Bangor where no Foundation was valued c See Speed his Catalogue of Valuations at full seventy pounds per annum 9. We must not forget how in the foresaid Preamble Why the King cajoleth the great Monasteries the King fairly claweth the great Monasteries wherein saith He Religion thanks be to God is right well kept and observed though He clawed them soon after in another acceptation The truth is King Henry could not suppresse the lesser Abbeys but by the consent of the greater Abbots whereof twenty six as Barons voted in the Parliament who mollified them by this Commendation into a Concurrence with His desire 10. However Specious uses pretended on heavy penalties most specious uses were pretended though few perchance had faith firm enough to believe their full performance That all should be done to the pleasure of Almighty God and for the honour of the Realm And particular care is taken in the Statute as it is printed for the reservation of many Rents and Services Corrodice and Pensions to Founders Donours and Benefactors Order also was taken that those to whom Abbey-lands were passed should keep or cause to be kept a continual House and Houshold in the same Site or Precinct They were also to occupy yearly as much of the demeans in Tilledge as the Abbots did or their Farmers under them within the time of twenty years next before this Act otherwise forfeiting to the King's Highnesse for every Moneth so offending 6 lib. 13s 4 d. to be recovered to His use in any of His Courts of Record The arrears whereof if rigoroussly exacted would amount to a vast summe from such Offenders whose hospitality was contracted to a Shepheard and his Dog neither relieving those that would work by industry nor such who could not work by their charity 11. These penalties stood in full force above eighty years Such penalties graciously repealed by King Iames. viz untill the 21 of King Iames when by Act of Parliament they were repealed Indeed such who are obnoxious to penall Statutes are onely innocent by courtesie and may be made guilty at their Princes pleasure And though such Statutes may be dormant as disused they are never dead till revoked seeing commonly Princes call on such Statutes when themselves are called on by their necessities Many of the English Gentry knew themselves subject to such penalties when instead of maintaining Tillage had converted the Granges of Abbeys into inclosures And therefore provided for their own safety when they * See the Statutes the 21 of K. James c. 28. wrought the King to a revocation of those Statutes 12. But the Courtiers grudged at this Grant and great Indulgence given by the King without any valuable compensation some sticking not to say Some grudge at so great a grant That hereby the King at once gave His Subjects more than ever they gave Him in Subsidies Benevolences Contributions or any other way whatsoever all the time of His Reign Which if so Let no mans eye be evil because the King 's was so good to His Subjects The Northern Rebellion occasioned by this dissolution WHen all in the School are equally guilty Northern Rebellion and the Master beginneth at the bottome to correct the least boyes first no wonder if those in the highest form begin to shake as here no doubt the bigger Abbeys did except some few who to follow the Metaphor like sturdy striplings counting themselves above correction began to prepare themselves to make resistance hence presently arose the Northern Rebellion wherein all the open Undertakers were North of Trent though no doubt many secret Compliers South of Thames were ingaged 2. This Commotion began first in Lincoln shire begun suppressed punished where the Rebels presented six Articles to the King in the last whereof they complained That divers Bishops of England of
to oppose and the flattery of the Courtiers most willing to comply matters were made as sure as mans policy can make that good which is bad in it self But the Commons of England who for many yeers together had conn'd loyalty by-heart out of the Statute of Succession were so perfect in their lesson that they would not be put out of it by this new started designe so that every one proclaimed Mary next Heir in their consciences and few daies after King Edwards death all the project miscarried of the plotters whereof some executed more imprisoned most pardoned all conquered and Queen Mary crowned Thus though the streame of Loyalty for a while was violently diverted to runne in a wrong channell yet with the speediest opportunitie it recovered the right course again 2. But now in what manner this Will of King Edwards was advanced The truth of the carriage of Sr. Edward Mountagu in his drawing up the Will of King Edw. the sixth that the greatest blame may be laid on them who had the deepest guilt the following answer of Sr. Edward Mountagu Lord Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas accused for drawing up the Will and committed by Queen Mary to prison for the same will truly acquaint us The original whereof under his own hand was commnuicated unto me by his great grandchilde Edward Lord Mountagu of Boughton and here faithfully exemplified SR Edward Mountagu Knight late Chief-Justice of the Common Pleas received a letter from Greenwich dated the eleventh day of June last past signed with the hands of the Lord Treasurer the Duke of Northumberland John Earl of Bedford Francis Earl of Shrewsburie the Earl of Pembroke the Lord Clynton the Lord Darcie John Gate William Peter William Cecill John Cheke whereby he was commanded to be at the Court on the morrow by one of the clock at after-noon and to bring with him Sr. John Baker Justice Bromley the Attorney and Solicitour General and according to the same all they were there at the said hour of one of the clock And after they were brought to the presence of the King the Lord Treasurer the Marquesse of Northampton Sr. John Gate and one or two more of the Councill whose names he doth not now remember were present And then and there the King by His own mouth said that now in His sicknesse he had considered the state of this His Realm and Succession which if He should decease without Heir of His body should go to the Lady Mary who was unmarried and might marry a stranger-borne whereby the Lawâ— of this Realm might be altered and changed and His Highnesse proceedings in Religion might be altered Wherefore His pleasure was that the state of the Crown should go in such forme and to such persons as His Highnesse had appointed in a Bill of Articles not signed with the Kings hand which were read commanded them to make a Book thereof accordingly with speed And they finding divers faults not onely for the incertainty of the Articles but also declaring unto the King that it was directly against the Act of Succession which was an Act of Parliament which would not be taken away by no such devise Notwithstanding His Highnesse would not otherwise but that they should draw a Book according to the said Articles which he then took them and they required a reasonable time of His Highnesse for the doeing thereof and to consider the Laws and Statutes made for the Succession which indeed were and be more dangerous then and of them they did consider and remember and so they departed commanding them to make speed And on the morrow all the said persons met and perusing the said Statutes there grew this question amongst them whether it were presently treason by the words of the Statute of Anno primo Edvardi Sexti or no treason till it were put in execution after the Kings death because the words of the Statute are the King His Heirs and Successours because the King can have no Successours in His life but to be sure they were all agreed that it were the best and surer way to say to the Lords that the execution of this devise after the Kings decease was not onely treason but the making of this devise was also presently treason as well in the whole Councell as in them and so agreed to make their report without doing any thing for the execution thereof And after Sr. William Peter sent for the said Sr. Edward to Eely-place who shewed him that the Lords required great speed in the making of the said Book and he told him there were none like to be made for them for the danger aforesaid And after that the said S. Edward with the rest of his company went to the Court and before all the Council the Duke of Northumberland being not in the Council-chamber made report to the Lords that they had considered the Kings Articles and also the Statutes of Succession whereby it appeared manifestly that if they should make any Book according to the Kings commandment they should not onely be in danger of treason but also their Lordships all wherefore they thought it their bounden duties to declare the danger of the Laws unto them and for avoiding of the danger thereof they had nothing done therein nor intended to doe the Laws being so dangerous and standing in force The Duke of Northumberland having intelligence of their answer either by the Earle of Huntington or by the Lord Admiral cometh into the Council-Chamber before all the Council there benign in a great rage and fury trembling for anger and amongst his ragious talk called the said Sr. Edward Traitour and further said that he would fight in his shirt with any man in that quarrel as all the whole Council being there will report whereby the said Sr. Edward with the rest were in great fear and dread in special Mr. Bromley and the said Sr. Edward for Mr. Bromley told the said after that he dread then that the Duke would have striken one of them and after they were commanded to go home and so departed in great fear without doing any thing more at that time wishing of God they had stood to it as they did then unto this time And after the said Sr. Edward received another letter dated at Greenwich the 14 th of June last past signed with the hands â—f the Lord Treasurer the Earl of Bedford the Marquesse of Northampton the Earle of Shrewsburie the Lord Clynton the Lord Cobham the Lord Darcy William Peter John Gate John Cheeke whereby he was commanded to bring with him Sr. John Baker Justice Bromley and Mr. Gosnolde and to be at the Court on the morrow by one of the clock at after-noon where all they were at the same houre and conveyed into a chamber behinde the Dining-Chamber there and all the Lord looked upon them with earnest countenance as though they had not known them So that the said Sr. Edward with the other might perceive there
conscious to themselves of cowardly compliance with the Superstitions of the Times hoped in some degree to lessen their offence by their liberality to such Exiles as were more constant and couragious than themselves in the cause of the Truth And although great the distance betwixt London and Zurich yet Merchants have long armes and by their Bils of Exchange reach all the world over Richard Springham and John Abel Merchants of London gave much and sent more to their support as being entrusted to make over the gifts of many good people utterly unknown to such as received them That is the best charity which Nilus-like hath the severall streams thereof seen but the fountain concealed Such silent and secret bounty as good at all times to avoid vain-glory is best in bad times to prevent danger As for Thomas Eaton a London Merchant but living in Germany he was saith my a Hamphrey ut prius author communis hospes the host-general of all English Exiles thanks and that forced on him against his will being all the Shot his Guests paied at their departure 24. The King of Denmark Forrain liberality unto them Henry Prince Palatine of Rhene Christopher Duke of Wirtenburge Woulfgange Duke of Bipont c. with all the States and free cities wherein the English sojourned were very bountifull unto them So were the Dutch Divines especially those of Zurich and take them in order as my foresaid Author nameth them Bullinger Pellican Bibliander Simler Wolphius Lavator Zuinglius whose short stipends would scarce reach to maintain themselves and yet their thrift and charity stretched them so as therewith also to relieve others Nor let learned Gesâ—er be forgotten that great natural Historian and no less loving of men then knowing in beasts foule and fishes As for Peter Martyr he had a petty colledge in his house at Strashburge whereof M r. Jewel was the vice-master wherein most of the clergy paied if any easie rates for their diet therein 27. Some of the English Schollars Improved by their own industry subsisted partly by their own pains the making of Books the Copies whereof were very beneficiall unto them Say not this argued salable souls savouring more of the Stationer then the Scholler to sell their Books yea that it was a kinde of Simony in them to make profit of those their parts which God had freely bestowed upon them For as it betrayeth a mercenary minde in those who having plenty themselves will sordidly contract for their Copies so much Authors who are in want are faulty in being wanting to their own just relief if neglecting moderate benefit by their own endeavours Thus John Bale much advantaged him self by his folio edition of his Centuries M r. Fox gained by his first and least Latine Book of Martyrs M r. Laurence Humphrey was no loser by his making and setting forth his three books de Nobilitate which he intituled Optimates as by translating Philo de Nobilitate and Origen de recta fide out of greek Others imployed themselves in overseeing and correcting the Press especially about the English Eible with the Geneva notes thereon 28. Such sums attained by their own Industry And God his blessing above all though small in bulke were great in blessing a divine benediction being alwayes invisibly breathed on painful and lawful diligence Thus the Servant imployed in making and blowing of the fire though sent away thence as soon as it burneth cleare oft-times getteth by his pains a more kindly and continuing heat then the Master himself who sitteth down by the same and thus persons industriously occupying themselves thrive better on a little of their own honest getting the lazy Heirs on the large revenues left unto them 29. One thing much kept up the credit of the English Exiles Q Mary her sickness believed enlivens the credit of English Exiles with the Merchants and Bankers beyond the Seas namely the certain and constant report of Queen Maries decaying condition daily consuming though increasing wasting though swelling with an Hydropicall distemper which could not be kept so close under the key of Confession but that it became the publike discourse at home and abroad And although many reports of Queen Maries death were shot out at random whereof one some moneths after hit the mark and the same were proved to be false yet thereby the news of her sickness gained a general belief This gave reputation to such English in Germany as were known to be possessed of estates in their own country enabling them with Trust to borrow convenient summs from any creditours who would make probable adventures for their advantage beholding the English very responsible in an approaching reversion 30. So much of our English Exiles Sr. John Cheek his unprosperous return whom our Pen will shortly handle under a better notion Return we to S r. John Cheek lately mentioned with a promise to enlarge his story though so sad in it self we would willingly but for wronging of the truth have buried the same in silence Well and welcome Anno Regin Mar. 5. loved and respected was this Knight at Strasburge when He would needs return for Brabant ut uxorem duceret to marry a wife saith the printed Sleidan but by mistake for He was marryed some yeers before to a Lady which long survived him instead of ut uxorem educeret that He might fetch forth and bring home his wife lately it seems come out of England into the Low-Countries a Fox Acts Mon. tom 3. pag. 701. He is said first to have consulted the Starrs would He had not gone so high or else gone higher for his advice being too much addicted to judicial Astrologie Now whether here the Errour was in the Art it self as false and frivolous or in his misapplying the rules thereof not well understanding the language of the Stars more sure it is his journy had sad success For in his return from Bruxels to Antwerpe no whit secured by his own innocence nor by the promise of the Lord Paget nor by the pledging of S r. John Mason for his publick protection nor by the intercession of his friend Fecknam Abbot of Westminster to Q. Mary He with S r. Peter Carew was beaten from his Horse tied hand and foot to the bottom of a cart thence conveyed hoodwinkt to the next Haven and so shipt over under hatches unto the Tower of London 31. Here all arts were used on Him which might prevaile to drive Recanteth orally and died for grief thereof or draw an easie Soule surpris'd on a suddain to make him renounce his Religion untill hard usage in prison joyned with threatnings of worse and fair promises on his submission drew from his mouth an abrenuntiation of that Truth which He so long had professed and still believed and thereupon was restored to his liberty but never to his contentment For such is the tyranny of Papists that they are not satisfied to take mens Consciences
of Warning The Protestants triumph on the other side seeing besides that both sides were warned at the same time that Party sent a challenge and gave the first defiance in their late Declaration and now it was Senselesse in them to complain that they were set upon unawares That if the truths were so clear as they pretended and their learning so great as was reputed little Study in this Case was required That Bacon was appointed Moderator not to decide the matters Controverted but to regulate the manner of their Disputation whereunto his known Gravity and Discretion without deep learning did sufficiently enable him That it was an old Policy of the Papists to account every thing fundamentall in Religion which they were loth should be removed and that the receiving of erroneous principles into the Church without examination had been the mother of much ignorance and security therein For the preventing of the farther growth whereof no fitter means then an unpartiall reducing of all Doctrines to the triall of the Scriptures that their declining the Disputation manifested the badnesse of their Cause seeing no pay-master will refuse the touch or scales but such as suspect their Gold to be base or light That formerly Papists had disputed those points when power was on their side so that they loved to have Syllogisms in their mouths when they had swords in their hands 14. It remaineth now Nine Bishops now dead that we acquaint the reader how the popish Bps. were disposed of who now fell under a 4. fold division 1 Dead 2 Fled 3 Deprived 4 Continued There were nine of the first sort who were of the Death-gard of Q. Mary as expiring either a little before her decease viz. John Capon Robert Parfew Maurice Griffin William Glyn. B p. of Sarisbury Hereford Rochester Bangor These were Q. Mary her Vshers to her grave Or a little after her departure as Riegnald Pole John Hopton John Brookes John Holyman Henry Morgan B p. of Canterbury Norwich Glocester Bristol S. Davids These were Q. Maries trainbearers to the same 15. Three only made their flight beyond the seas Three fled beyond the Seas namely 1. Thomas Goldwell of S t. Asaph who ran to Rome and there procured of the Pope the renewing of the indulgences for a set time to such as superstitiously repaired to the well of S t. Winnifride 2. Cuthert Scot of Chester who afterwards lived and died at Lovain 3. Richard Pates of Worcester whose escape was the rather connived at because being a moderate Man he refused to persecute any Protestant for his difference in religion 16. Be it here remembred 〈…〉 that the See of Worcester had nine Bishops successively whereof The four first being all Italians none of them lived there The five last Latimer Bel Heath Hooper Pates none of them died there as either resigning removed or deprived and all five were alive together in the raigne of Q. Mary As for Pates we finde him thus subscribing the councell of Trent Richardus Patus Episcopus Wigorniensis under-writing only in his private and personall capacity having otherwise no deputation as in any publick imployment 17. The third sort succeeds The rest restrained of such who on the refusall of the oath of supremacy were all deprived though not restrained alike Bonner was imprisoned in the Marshalsea a Jaile beeing conceived the safest place to secure him from peoples fury every hand itching to give a good squeeze to that Spunge of Blood White and Watson Bishops of Winchester and Lincoln died in durance their liberty being inconsistent with the Queens safety whom they threatned to excommunicate 18. As for Bishop Tonstal and Thyrlby they were committed to Arch-Bishop Parker Here they had sweet chambers soft beds warme fires plentifull and wholsome diet each Bishop faring like an Arch-Bishop as fed at his table differing nothing from their former living save that that was on their own charges and this on the cost of another Indeed they had not their wonted attendance of supperfluous Servants nor needed it seeing a long train doth not warme but weary the wearer thereof They lived in 〈◊〉 custody and all things considered custody did not so soure their freedome as freedome did sweeten their custody 19. The rest though confin'd for a while soon found the favour to live Prisoners on their Parole Some living in their own Houses having no other Jaylour than their own promise Thus Poole of Peterburgh Turbervile of Exeter c. lived in their own or their friends houses The like liberty was allowed tho Heath Arch-Bishop of Yorke who like another Abiathar * 1 King 2. 26. sent home by Solomon to his own fields in Anathoth lived cheerfully at Chobham in Surry where the Queen often courteously visited him 20. Popish writers would perswade people Cruelty causelessly complainâ—d of that these Bishops were cruelly used in their prisons should their hyperbolicall expressions be received as the just measure of truth Carceribus varijsque cusodiis commissi longo miseriarum taedio extincti sunt De Schism Ang. pag. 335. saith Sanders Confessor obiit in vmculis saith Pitzeus of White A great cry and a little pain Many of our poor Protestants in the Marian dayes said lesse and suffered more They were not sent into a complementall custody but some of them thrust into the prison of a prison where the Sun shined as much to them at mid-night as-at noon-day Whereas Abbot Feckenham of Westminster who as a Parliamentary Baron may goe in equipage with the other Bishops may be an instance how well the Papists were used after their deprivation For He grew Popular * Camdens Eliz. in hoc Anno. for his alms to the poor which speaks the Queens bounty to Him in enabling him a prisoner to be bountifull to others 21. Onely one Bishop conformed himself to the Queens commands One Bishop continued and was continued in his place viz. Anthony Kitchin alias Dunstan of Landaffe Camden calls him Sedis sâ—ae calamitatem The bane of his Bishoprick wasting the lands thereof by letting long leases as if it were given to Binominous Bishops such as had two Names to be the empairers of their Churches as may appear by these 4. contemporaries in the raigne of K. Henry the 8. John Capon John Voisey Robert Parfew Anthony Kitchin alias Salcot Harman Warton Dunstan spoiled Sarisbury Exeter S t. Asaph Landaffe I know what is pleaded for them that Physicians in desperate consumptions prescribe the shaving of the Head which will grow again to save the life and that these Bishops fearing the finall alienation of their lands passed long leases for the prevention thereof though whether Policy or Covetousnesse most shared in them herein we will not determine Only I finde a mediate successour * Godwin in the Bps. of Landaffe of Kitchins and therefore concerned to be knowing therein much excusing him from this common defamation of wronging his See because many
miseries I have been alwayes stifled and that which yet makes this Tempest more cruel unto me is that those who had promised to make provisions for my good have afterwards failed me nor given me the least favour in the world nor do I hope that ever they will do it except perhaps these made or prepared for or journey most inclined to help me shall not be moved to undertake such enterprises in my behalf But to say the truth of it although there were succours gathered together and a most assured Army of-from beyond the Seas certainly not without great perill could they cross the Ocean into Scotland in the winter time which then is wont to be most turbulent and stormy But the English on the other side who are not separated from the Scots with any River interposed between them are able not only in Summer but in Winter time also to move warr against the Scots themselves who when there doth rise up even the least occasion of discord between them are wont suddenly to put themselves effectually into Arms. Constrained therefore by these principall respects without I should expose the interest of my Life and Country to the hazard of the greatest dangers I am by no means able to help it but that even to my greatest disadvantage I must make peace with the English saving alwayes as they say my honour and conscience because honour doth regard the civill administration whereby to be able afterwards to rule or govern the Commonwealth Then the conscience as being the forme and force divine given to men to direct them to a good end which admitting it to be sometimes straightned and bound with calamities Yet nevertheless may it neither for torments nor for promises of rewards be ever expelled or deprived from the Communion and obedience of the Catholick Church But amongst other things it now happeneth that I must relate to your Holiness one thing most truly bitter unto me that is that we are come to those tearms of desiring my only Son the Heir of the Temporal Kingdoms to be delivered by a certain time into the hands of the English by way of Hostage or pledge reserving to me nevertheless the liberty to appoint him such Governours and Councellours afterwards as shall best please me There is moreover granted leave of accession unto him not only for me but likewise to all those that for my satisfaction shall be sent into England to visit him Let not your Holiness for this cause have any doubt but that he shall be not only full of good and holy conversation but also though he be amongst an unluckie nation a perfect member of the Catholick and Apostolick Church and alwayes ready and prone to help the same But because that by this my letter I may not extend my self in greater length beyond my duty I do conclude with this that I have determined with my self nevertheless to give your Holiness to understand of my estate and of all these things which for the present do pass between them and me and if these also which shall happen in the journey of any importance and because it is a most difficult thing to put all my occasions in writing I have for that cause informed the Bishop of Dublin with all mine occurrences as him that is and alwayes hath been my most faithfull Nâ—ncio and most lovingly affected towards your Holiness and the seat Apostolick May it please your Holiness to give faith unto him concerning all the things whereof he shall treat with you in my name Mean time I pray our Lord God that he by his most holy grace protect the Catholick Church from all the wicked thoughts of her Adversaries in which case all we have fixed our eyes upon your Holiness as upon a most clear light expecting of the same continually in name of his Divine Majesty your most Holy Benediction And all with the same minde do desire unto your Holiness a most long life to the glory of the most mighty God and comfort of all the faithfull From Chattisworth in England the last of October 1570. The most Devout Daughter of your Holiness Mary the Queen Who so consults our State-Historians in this very juncture of time shall finde the Queen of Scots on tolerable tearms daily likely to amend with Queen Elizabeth Yea now she was in the Verticall of her favour wherein hence-forward she began to decline principally for practising with the Pope and Forraign Princes SECTION III. To M rs ANNE DANVERS of Chelsey Madam LEt not your Maiden modesty be betrayed to a blush seeing your self here left alone sorrounded on all sides with Masculine Dedications It will keep you in countenance if reflecting your eye either on the first page of this Booke or side Columnes of this page Where you shall finde the Queen of Virgins in the front thereof whose Reign in this Booke is described Indeed a portion thereof being designed to your late Brother now glorious Saint falls of course to you with his goods and Chattells as his sole Executrix If any Latine Letters occurr in this Section I doubt not but God will seasonably provide you such a Consort who amongst his many other Virtues will change you to a happy wife and translate them to your understanding 1. ABout this time deceased William Alley Bishop of Exeter The death of the Bps. of Exeter and Salisbury a Painfull Preacher and John Jewell of Salisbury of whom largely before He was borne in Devonshire bred first in Merton then Corpus Christi Colledge in Oxford first Pupill to afterwards Fellow Exile with M r. Parkhurst in Germany After Queen Maries death Parkehurst durst not for danger return with Jewell but went a securer way as he supposed by himself Though Jewell came safe and sound home whilest Parkehurst was robbed of all in his return and relieved by the other at his journies end and soon after both of them were made Bishops M r. Parkehurst of Norwich and Jewell of Salisbury * Vide supra in the first year of Queen Mary 2. A Jewell sometimes taken for a single precious stone is properly a collective of many The praise of Bp. Jewell orderly set together to their best advantage So severall eminences met in this Worthy man Naturals Artificials amongst which I recount his studied memory Anno Dom. 1572. Anno Regin Eliza. 15. deserving as well as Theodectes the Sophister the Sirname of Mnemonicus Moralls but principally Spiritualls So devout in the Pew where he prayed diligent in the Pulpit where he preached grave on the Beach where he assisted milde in the Consistory where he judged pleasant at the Table where he fed patient in the bed where he died that well it were if in relation to him Secundâ—m usum Sarum * Laurence Humfrey in the long life of Bp Jewell were made Precedentiall to all Posterity He gave at his death to Peter Martyr a golden rose yet more fragrant for the worth of the Giver
contemners of learning in the countries abroad do fret against it which in truth doth the more commend it the dissolution of it would breed triumph to the adversary and great sorrow and gries to the favourers of religion contrary to the counsell of Ezekiel 13. 18. who saith Cor justi non est contristandum and although some have abused this good and necessary exercise there is no reason that the malice of a few should preâ—udice all Abuses may be re formed and that which is good may remain neither is there any just cause of offences to be taken if diverse men make divers sences of one sentence of scripture so that all the senses be good and agreeable to the analogie and proportion of faith for otherwise we must needs condemne all the ancient Fathers and divers of the Church who most commonly expound one and the same text of scripture diversly and yet all to the good of the Church and therefore doth Basil compare the scriptures to a well out of which the more a man draweth the better and sweeter is the water I trust when your Majesty hath considered and weighed the premises you will rest satisfied and judge that no such inconveniences can grow oâ— such exercises as these as you have been informed but rather the clean contrary and for my own part because I am well assured by reasons and also by arguments taken out of the holy scriptures by experience the most certain seal of sure knowledge that the said exercises for the interpretation and exposition of the scriptures and for the exhortation and comfort drawn out of the same are both profitable to encrease knowledge amongst ministers and tendeth to the edifying of the hearers I am inforced with all humility and yet plainly to profess that I cannot with safe conscience and without the ofence of the Majesty of God give mine assent to the suppressing of the said exercises much less can I send out any injunction sor the utter and universall subversion of the same I say with S. Paul I have no power to destroy but only to edifie and with the same Apostle I can do nothing against the truth but with the truth If it be your Majesties pleasure for this or any other cause to remove me out of this place I will with all humility yield thereunto and render again unto your Majesty that which I have received of the same I consider with myself quod terrendum est incidere in manus Dei viventis I consider also quod qui facit contra conscientiam divinis in rebus aedificat ad gehennam And what shall I win if I gained I will not say a Bishoprick but the whole world and lose my own soul Beare with me I beseech you Madam if I chuse rather to offend your earthly Majesty then to offend the heavenly Majesty of God And now being sorry that I have been so long and tedious to your Majesty I will draw to an end most humbly praying the same that you would consider these short petitions following The first that you wound referr all these Ecclesiasticall matters which touch religion or the Doctrine or Discipline of the Church unto the Bishops and Divines of the Church of your Realm according to the example of all Christian Emperours and Princes of all Ages for indeed they are to be judged as an ancient Father writeth in Ecclesia seu Synodo non in Palatino When your Majesty hath questions of the laws of your Realm you do not decide the same in your Court or Palace but send them to your judges to be determined Likewise for the duties in matters in Doctrine or Discipline of the Church the ordinary way is to defer the decision to the Bishops and other head Ministers of the Church Ambrose to Theodosius useth these words Si de causis pecuniarijs comites tuos consulis quanto magis in causa religionis sacerdotes Domini aequum est consulas And likewise to the Emperour Valentinian Epist 32. Si de fide conferendum est Sacerdotum debet esse just collatio si enim factum est Constantino Augustae memoriae principi qui nullas leges ante praemisit sed liberum dedit judicium Sacerdotis And in the same place the same Father saith that Constantius the Emperour son to Constantine the great began well by reason he followed his Fathers steps at the first but ended ill because he took upon him difficile intra Palatinum judicare and thereby fell into Arianisme a terrible example The said Ambrose so much commended in all histories for a godly Bishop goeth further and writeth to the said Emperour in this forme Si docendus est episcopus à laico quid sequitur laicus ergo disputet Episcopus audiat à laico At certè si vel scripturarum seriem divinarum vel vetera tempora retractemus quis est qui abundat in causa fidei inquam fidei episcopos solere de Imperatoribus christianis non imperatores de episcopis judicaâ—e Would God your Majesty would follow this ordinary you should procure to your self much quietness of minde and better please God avoid many offences and the Church should be more peaceable and quietly governed much to the comfort and quietness of your Realm The second petition I have to make to your Majesty is this that when you deal in matters of faith and religion or matters that touch the Church of Christ which is the Spouse bought with so dear a price you would not use to pronounce so resolutely and pèremptorily quasi ex authoritate as you may do in civill and extern matters but always remember that in Gods cause the will of God and not the will of any earthly creature is to take place It is the antichristian voice of the Pope Sic volo Sic jubeo stet pro ratione voluntas In Gods matters all Princes ought to bow their Septers to the Son of God and to ask counsell at his mouth what they ought to doe David exhorteth all Kings and Rulers to serve God with fear and trembling Remember Madam that you are a mortall creature look not only as was said to Theodosius upon the people and princely array wherewith you are apparrelled but consider withall what it is that is covered therewith Is it not flesh and blood is it not dust and ashes is it not a corruptible body which must return to her earth again God knoweth how soon Must you not one day appear ante tremendum tribunal crucifixi ut recipias ibi prout gesseris in corpore sive bonum sive malum 2 Cor. 5. And although you are a mighty Prince yet remember that he that dwelleth in heaven is mightier as the Psalmist saith 76. Terribilis est is qui aufert spiritum principum terribilis super omnes reges Wherefore I beseech you Madam in visceribus Christi when you deal in these religious causes set the Majesty of God before your eyes laying all earthly
as did creep in to the said Book through private mens affections without authority Therefore that argument is against them and only used by them as it seemeth in contempt the rest is frivolous and argueth their presumption in writing this to so honourable a Board of so worthy and godly a Book which hath an hundred learned men to justifie it for one that will impugne it And thus much concerning them which I have written rather to satisfie your Lordships then that I thought the matter worthy my labour The complaint which those of Kent being of my own Diocess and by oath bound to me in Canonicall obedience have exhibited unto your Lordships doth make me more to wonder that they most of them being unlearned and young such as I would be loath to admit into the Ministry if they were not already admitted thereunto much less to allow as Preachers dare presume to bring my doings against them into question before your Lordships seeing I have done nothing but that which God the Law her Majesty and my duty forceth me unto dealing with them not as an Arch-Bishop with the Inferiour sort of the Clergy nor as a master of a Colledge with his fellows nor as a Magistrate with his inferiours but as a Friend and a Brother which as I think hath so puffed them up and caused them to be so presumptuous They came to me unsent for in a multitude which I reproved because it imported a conspiracy and had the shew of a Tumult or unlawfull Assembly Notwithstanding I was content to hear their complaint I spent with them the whole afternoon from two of the clock till seven and heard their Reasons whereof some were frivolous and childish some irreligious and all of them such as gave me occasion to think that they rather sought quarrel against the Book then to be satisfied which indeed is true as appeareth by some of their own confessions which I am able to shew when I shall be thereunto urged The two whole dayes following I spent likewise for the most part in dealing severally with them requiring them to give unto me the Chief and principal of their Reasons which moved them not to subscribe meaning to hear them in the rest if I could have satisfied them in it or else not to spend any further time which reasons if I may so term them they gave unto me and I have and mean to make known when occasion shall serve Whereas they say in their bill that the publick administration of the Sacraments in this Land is as touching the substance of it lawfull c. They say no more then the Papists themselves do confess and in truth they say nothing in effect to that wherewith they are charged And yet therein they are contrary to themselves for they have pretended matter of substance against the Book But of what spirit cometh it that they being no otherwise then they are dare to the greatest Authority in this land next to her Majesty so boldly offer themselves thus to reason and dispute as in their bill they vaunt against the State established in matters of Religion and against the book so learnedly and painfully penned and by so great Authority from time to time confirmed It is not for me to sit in this place if every Curate within my Diocess or Province may be permitted so to use me neither is it possible for me to performe forme the duty which her Majesty looketh for at my hands if I may not without interruption proceed in execution of that which her Highness hath especially committed unto me The Gospell can take no success neither the number of Papists be diminished if unity be not procured which I am not in doubt in short time to bring to pass without any great adoe or inconvenience at all if it be not hindred The number of those which refuse to subscribe is not great in most parts of my Province not one in some very few and in some none whereof many also and the greater part are unlearned and unwornthy the Ministry In mine own little Diocess in Canterbury threescore Preachers and above have subscribed whereas there are not ten worthy the name of Preachers which have as yet refused and most of them also not allowed Preachers by lawfull Authority and so I know it to be in all other Diocesses within my Province the Diocess of Norwich only excepted Wherein nevertheless the number of disordered is far less then the number of such as are obedient and quietly disposed Now if these few disordered which the Church may well spare having meeter men to place in their rooms shall be countenanced against the best the wisest in all respects the worthiest and in effect the whole state of the Clergy it will not only discourage the dutifull and obedient persons but so encrease the schism that there will never hereafter be hope of appeasing the same This disordered flocking together of them at this time from divers places and gadding from one to another argueth a Conspiracy amongst them and some hope of incouragement and of prevailing which I am perswaded is not meant nor shall ever be by me willingly consented unto Some of them have already as I am informed bruted abroad that your Lordships have sent for me to answer their complaints and that they hope to be delivered wherein I know they report untruly as the manner is for I cannot be perswaded that your Lordships have any such intent as to make me a party or to call my doings into question which from her Majesty are immediately committed unto me and wherein as I suppose I have no other Judge but her self And for as much as I am by God and her Majesty lawfully without any ordinary or extraordinary or unlawfull means called to this place and function and appointed to be your Pastor and to have the greatest charge over you in matters pertaining to the soul I am the more bold to move and desire you to aid and affist me in matters belonging to my office namely such as appertain to the quietness of the Church the credit of religion established and the maintenance of the laws made for the same And here I do protest and testifie unto your Lordships that the three Articles whereunto they are moved to subscribe are such as I am ready by learning to defend in manner and form as they are set down against all mislikers thereof in England or elsewhere And thus desiring your Lordships to take this my answer in good part and to forbear my comming thither in respect of this advantage that may be taken thereof by these wayward persons I beseech Almighty God long to prosper you Your good Lordships in Christ John Cantuar. Who this M r. Beal was who brought these letters is worthy our inquiry I finde his Christian name Robert his office Clark of the Councell his abilities very great The character of Mr. Beal who brought the Bills as may appear by the publick
such offencive Ministers as they thought to be touched with such dishonest conversation together with their proofs thereof promising on our parts to see the same redressed accordingly It seemeth by this which is exhibited now to your Lordships they have prevented the time hoping thereby to alter the course whereunto it tendeth I leave to your Lordships consideration surely if the Ministers be such as this Schedule reporteth they are worthy to be grievously punished And for my own part I will not be slack or remisse Godwilling therein But if that fall out otherwise upon tryal and that they or many of them in respect of their obedience to her Majesties laws be thus depraved by such as impugne the same then I doubt not but your Lordship will judge those amusers to deserve just punishment This I can assure your Lordships of that my Lord of London affirmed in my hearing that not long since upon that occasion that none or few at his or his Arch-Deacons visitations had at any time by the Church-wardens or sworn men been detected or presented for any such misdemeanours as are now supposed against them Of the Preachers which are said to be put there to silence I know but few Notwithstanding I know those few to be very factious in the Church contempners in sundry points of the Ecclesiasticall laws and chief authors of disquietness in that part of the Country And such as I for my part cannot doing my duty with a good conscience suffer without their further conformity to execute their ministry But your Lordships God willing shall have a more particular answer to every point of your letter when my Lord of London who is now at his house in the Country and I shall meet and have conferred thereupon In the mean time I trust that neither there nor elsewhere within this province either by my self or others of my brethren any thing is oâ— shall be done which doth not tend to the peace of the Church the working of obedience to laws established the encouragement of the most the Godliest and most learnedst Ministers in this Church of England and to the Glory of God To whose protection I commit your good Lordships Now although we finde S r. Christopher Hatton for companies sake as we humbly conceive it amongst the Privie Councellors Peter Rihadeneira in his Appendix to Sanders pag. 41. subscribbing for moderation to non-conformists yet we take him to be a zealous Stickler for the pressing Church Ceremony And although I look on the words of the Jesuite as a meer scandal when he saith that this Hatton was Animo Catholicus a Papist in his heart yet I know him to be no favourer of the Presbyterian party But a great countenancer of Whitgifts proceedings against them as appears by the following Address of the Arch-Bishop unto him To Sr. Christopher Hatton Right Honorable I give you most hearty thanks for that most friendly message which you sent unto me by your man M r Kemp I shall think my self bound unto you therefore as long as long as I live The Arch-Bishâ—ps gratulatory letter to Sr. Christopher Hatton It hath not a little comforted me having received not long since unkinde speeches where I least looked for them only for doing my duty in the most necessary business which I have in hand I marvell how it should come to passe that the selfsame persons will seem to wish peace and uniformity in the Church and to mislike of the contentious and disobedient sort cannot abide that any thing should be done against them wishing rather the whole Ministry of the land to be discountenanced and discouraged then a few wayard persons of no account in comparison suppressed and punished Men in executing the laws according to their duties were wont to be encouraged and backed hy such but now it falleth out clean contrary Disobedient wifull persons I will tearm them no worse are animated Laws contemned her Majesties will and pleasure little regarded and the executors thereof in word and deed abused howbeit these overthwarts grieve me yet I thank God they cannot withdraw me from doing that duty in this cause which I am perswaded God himself her Majesty the laws and the State of this Church and Commonwealth do require of me In respect whereof I am content to sustain all these displeasures and fully resolved not to depend upon man but upon God and her Majesty and therefore your honour in offering me that great curtesie 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 Cantuar. As for the Lord Burleigh such was his moderation that both parties beheld him as their friend carrying matters not with Passion and prejudice but prudently as became so great a Statesman He was neither so rigid as to have conformity prest to the Height nor so remiss as to leave Ministers to their own liberty He would argue the case both in discourse and by letters with the Arch-Bishop Amongst many of the latter kinde let not the Reader grudge to peruse this here inserted IT may please your Grace The Treasuâ—ers Letter to the Arch-Bishop for some Indulgence to the Ministers I am sorry to trouble you so often as I doe but I am more troubled my self not only with many private petitions of sundry Ministers recommended for persons of credit and for peaceable persons in their Ministry and yet by complaints to your Grace and other your Colleagues in Commission greatly troubled But also I am daily now charged by Councellers and publick persons to neglect my duty in not staying of those your Graces proceedings so vehement and so Generall against Ministers and Preachers as the Papists are thereby greatly incouraged and all evill disposed persons amongst the Subjects animated and thereby the Queens Majesties safety endangered with these kinde of arguments I am daily assayled against which I answer That I think your Grace doth nothing but being duly examined tendeth to the maintenance the Religion established and to avoid schism in the Church I also have for example shewed by your papers sent to me how fully the Church is furnished with Preachers and how small a number there are that do contend for their singularity But these reasons do not satisfie all persons neither do I seek to satisfie all persons but with reason and truth But now my good Lord by chance I have come to the sight of an instrument of 24 Articles of great length and curiosity formed in a Romish stile to examine all manner of Ministers in this time without distinction of Persons which Articles are intituled apud Lambeth Maâ—j 1584. to be executed Ex officio mero c. and upon this occasion I have seen them I did recommend unto your Graces favour two Ministers Curates of Cambridge-shire to be favourably heard and your Grace wrote
consequence thereof which encreased the Secular Opposition against this leading case of Jurisdiction 17. He will not stand to the determination of a grave priest chosen Umpire About this time came to Wisbich an aged Priest who had given great Testimony of the Ability of his judgement and ardency of his affections to the Catholick Cause being the Generall Collector of the charitable contributions unto the Prisoners In which place he had been so diligent in gathering secret in conveying faithfull in delivering unpartiall in dispensing such sums committed unto him that deservedly he had purchased reputation to himself Who as he had been a Benefactor to both Parties so now he was made an Arbitrator betwixt them with promise of both sides to rest satisfied with his decision He condemneth the Jesuits guilty of a scandalous separation and that Weston ought to desist from his Supriority But the Jesuits would not stand to his sentence confessing their separation Scandalous but only per accidens and therefore not to be left off And whereas the aforesaid Priest had determined that that separation could not be continued without sin the Jesuits in derision demanded of him whether he meant a venial sin or a mortall and so the whole business took no effect 18. At last is forced by letters from his provincial to leave off his Agency Some moneths after two reverend Priests often sent for by both sides were by joynt consent made Judges in this Cause who resolved that Westons Agency should be abolished as the original of evill and seminary of much discord and because Weston refused to obey their order these two Priests posted up to London where Garnet the Jesuits Provincial did lodge and from him with much adoe obtained peremptory letters to Weston presently to leave off his pretended superiority A message which went to the proud Jesuits heart who was formerly heard to say that he o Declaratio motuum ac c. pag. 20. had rather throw himself headlong from the Castle wall then desist from his office But now there was no remedy but he must obey desiring only he might make a speech to his society exhorting them to unity and concord and in the midst of his Oration as if he would have surrendred his soul and place both together he fell speechless into a p Ibidem swoond and hardly recovered again so mortall a wound it is to a proud heart to part with Authority Thus ended Westons Agency the short continuance whereof was the best commendation of his command 19. The Schism notwithstanding continues and increases But this was but a palliate cure to skin the sore over which festered within the enmity still continued Seculars complaining that the Jesuits traduced them to Lay-Catholicks as cold and remiss in the cause only dull to follow beaten paths not active to invent more compendious wayes for the advance of Religion Anno Regin Eliza. 38. Anno Dom. 1595. The Jesuits also boasted much of their own merit how their order though last starting had with its speed overtook and over-run all before them Indeed they are excellent at the art of self-praising not directly but by certain consequence for though no man blazed his own praise for one to be a herauld to commend himself the same on the same is false blazon as well against the rules of modesty as prudence yet every one did praise his partner laying an obligation on him to do the like who in justice must do as much and in bounty often did more gratefully repaying the commendations lent him with interest And thus mutually arching up one another they fill'd the ears of all Papists with loud relations of the transcendent Industry Piety Learning of the men of their society to the manifest derogation of all other orders But more of these discords in the year following 20. The strickt keeping of the Sabbath first revived About this time thorowout England began the more Solemne and strickt observation of the Lords day hereafter both in writing and preaching commonly called the Sabbath occasioned by a Book this year set forth by one P. Bound Doctor of Divinity and enlarged with Additions Anno 1606. wherein these following opinions are maintained 1. That the commandement of Sanctifying every seventh Day as in the Mosaicall Decalogue is morall and perpetual 2. That whereas all other things in the a Dr Bounds BOOK of the Sabbath p. 91. Jewish Church were taken away Priesthood Sacrifices and Sacraments this Sabbath was so changed that it still remaineth 3. b pag. 247. That there is a great reason why we Christians should take our selves as streightly bound to rest upon the Lords day as the Jews were upon their Sabbath it being one of the morall Commandements where all are of equall Authority 4. c pag. 124. The rest upon upon this day must be a notable and singular rest a most carefull exact and precise rest after another manner then men are accustomed 5. d pag. 163. Schollers on that day not to study the liberall Arts nor Lawyers to consult the case nor peruse mens evidences 6. e pag. 164. Sergeants Apparitours and Sumners to be restrained from executing their offices 7. f pag. 166. Lustices not to examine Causes for the conservation of the peace 8. g pag. 102. That ringing of more bell's then one that day is not to be justified 9. h pag. 206. 209. No Solimâ— feasts nor wedding dinners to be made on that Day with permission notwithstanding of the same to i pag. 211. Lords Knights and Gentlemen of Quality which some conceive not so fair dealing with him 10. k pag. 102. All honest recreations and pleasures lawfull on other dayes as shooting fencing bowling on this day to be forborn 11. l pag. 272. 275. No man to speak or talk of pleasures or any other worldly matter It is almost incredible how taking this Doctrine was partly because of it's own Purity and partly for the eminent piety of such persons as maintained it so that the Lords Day especially in Corporations began to be precisely kept people becoming a Law to themselves forbearing such sports as yet by statute permitted yea many rejoycing at their own restraint herein On this day the stoutest fencer laid down the buckler the most skillful Archer unbent his bow counting all shooting besides the Marke Mâ—y-games and Morish-dances grew out of request and good reason that Bells should be silenced from gingling about mens leggs if their very Ringing in Steeples were adjudged unlawful some of them were ashamed of their former pleasures like children which grown bigger blushing themselves out of their rattles and whistles Others forbear them for fear of their Superiors and many left them off out of a Politick Compliance least otherwise they should be accounted licentious 21 Yet learned men were much divided in their judgements about these sabatarian Doctrines some embraced them as ancient truths consonant
be accompted Puritans though these Familists could not be so desirous to leave them as the others were glad to be left by them For if their opinions were so senslesse and the lives of these Familists so sensuall as is reported no purity at all belonged unto them 20. b Sam. Ruthersurd in his Survey pag. 353. Some take exceptions at their Prayer for King JAMES Phrases in their Petition censured willing him and his Peace long life all honour and happinesse without mentioning of Life Eternall and the Blessings thereof whilst others are so much of the Family of Charity to this Family of Love as to excuse the omission as casual or else extend happinesse as comprehensive of the World to come Others are more justly offended to see God and Dung joyned together Gods Word and the words of H. Nicholas equally yeaked by them as infallible alike They confesse in this book some unusuall words which are Dark and Doubtfull which at this day is affected by many Sectarists whilst Truth is plain and easie amusing People with mysticall expressions which their Auditors understand not and perchance not they themselves So that as one saith very well of their high soring pretended spirituall language That it is a great deal too high for this world and a great deal too low for the world to come 21. I find one in his Confutation of this Petition inveighing against our Bishops Mr. Ruthorfurd causlesly asperseth the Bishops and Courtiers of Queen Eliz That they were friends unto Familisme c In his Notes on his Petition of Survey pag. 349. and favoured the Promoters thereof adding moreover That sew of the Prelaticall way refuted them Now though the best friends of Bishops yea and the Bishops themselves will confesse they had too many faults Yet I am confident this is a false and uncharitable aspersion upon them No better is that when he saith That divers of the Court of Queen Elizabeth and some Nobles were Familists wherein I am sure Plenty of Instances hath put him to such a Penury that he cannot insist upon any one But I am inclined the rather to Pardon his Errour herein because the Author reporting this is a Forreigner then living in Scotland And should I trear of the Character of the Court of King JAMES at Edinburgh at the same time possibly my Pen at so great a distance might commit farre worse mistakes 22. Some will say where are these Familists now adaies Familists turned into modern Ranters are they utterly extinct or are they lost in the heap of other Sects or are they concealed under a new name The last is most probable This Family which shut their Dores before keeps open house now Yea Family is too narrow a name for them they are grown so numerous Formerly by their own Confession in this Petition they had three Qualities Few Poor and Unlearned for the last Billa vera their Lack of Learning they still retain being otherwise many and some rich but all under the name of RANTERS and thus I fairly leave them on condition they will fairly leave me that I may hear no more of them for delivering Truth and my own Conscience in what I have written concerning their Opinions 23. I find no Protestant tears dropt on the grave of any eminent Divine this year but we light on two Romanists dying beyond Sea The death of Hall and Eli. much lamented one Richard Hall bred in Christs College in Cambridge whence he ran over to Rome whence he returned into the Low Countreys and died Canon and Official of the Cathedral of S. Omer The other Humphrey Eli an Herefordshire man by birth Fellow of St. John's in Oxford whence going beyond sea at Rome he commenced Doctour of Law and afterwards died Professour thereof in the University of Ponta * In the Duchy of Lorraine Mousan He is charactred to be Juris peritus doctus pauper pacificus A Lawyer learned poor and peaceable And thus much my charity can easily believe of him but the h Pitseui de illustrâ—buâ— Angliâ— scriptoribus pag. 804. Distich the Epitaph I take it on his Tomb is damnable hyperbolicall Albion haereseos velatur nocte viator Desine mirari sol suus hic latitat Wonder not Ann. Dom 1605. Ann. Reg. Jac. 4. England's dark with errours night For loe here buried lies her Sun so bright Or else the Poet lies who made the Verses But his ashes shall not be disturbed by me 24. The Romish Catholicks The plotrers in the Powder Treason now utterly despairing either by flattery to wooe or force to wrest any free and publick exercise of their Religion some of them entered into a damnable and devilish conspiracie to blow up the Parliament-House with gun-powder In this plot were engaged 1. Robert Catesbie 2. Thomas Percie 3. Sir Everard Dighie 4. Francis Tresham 5. Robert Winter 6. Thomas Winter 7. John Wright 8. Christopher Wright 9. Ambrose Rookwood 10. Robert Keys 11. John Grant 12. Thomas Bates Catesbie's man 13. Guido Faux Twelve besides their Foreman but how honest and true let their ensuing action declare Surely all of resolute spirits most of antient families some of plentifull fortunes and Percie though weak in purse himself pretended to command the wealthiest coffers of another 25. But Gaâ—net his deciding a case of conscience a treason without a Jesuit or one of Jesuited principles therein is like a drie wall without either lime or morter Gerard must be the cement with the Sacrament of Secrecie to joyn them together Garnet and Tismond whelps of the same litter commended and encouraged the designe But here an important scruple was injected How to part their friends from their foes in the Parliament they having many in the House of alliance yea of the same in conscience a nearer kinred Religion with themselves To slay the righteous with the a Gen. 18. 25. wicked be it farre from God and all good men And yet as such an unpartiall destruction was uncharitable so an exact Separation seemed as impossible Here Garnes instead of untying cut this knot asunder with this his sharp decision That in such a case as this it was lawfull to kill friend and foe together Indeed the good husbandman in the b Mat. 13. 29. Gospel permitted the tares to grow for the corne's sake whereas here by the contrary counsell of the Jesuit the corn so they reputed it was to be rooted up for the tares sake 26. This scruple in conscience Two other difficulties removed thus satisfied by Garnet two other difficulties in point of performance presented themselves For CHARLES Duke of York probably by reason of His minority would not be present and the Lady ELIZABETH would certainly be absent from the Parliament-House How then should these two the next Heires to the Crown be compassed within their power But for the first Percie profered his service promising to possesse himself by a
and nice-conscienced Elects scrupled to be consecrated by him He gave during his own life Twenty pounds a year to the Man's Widow which was not long a Widow as quickly re-maried He kept a Monethly-Fast on a Tuesday as the day whereon this casualty befell in a word this Keeper's death was the Archbishop's mortification 18. A project against the Clergy to get money At this time the KING's Exchequer grew very low though Lionel Cransield Lord Treasurer and Earl of Middlesex neglected no means for the improving thereof In order whereunto Reader let this Story passe into thy belief on my credit knowing my selfe sufficiently assured thereof a Projector such necessary evils then much countenanced informed His MAJESTY of a way whereby speedily to advance much Treasure And how for sooth was it Even that a new Valuation should be made of all Spiritual preferments which now in the King's Books passed at Under-tates to bring them up to or near the full value thereof This would promote both the casual fines as I may term them of First-fruits and the Annual rent of Tenths to the great advantage of the Crown The KING sent to the Lord Treasurer demanding his judgment thereof 19. Declined by the Lord Treasurer The Treasurer returned His MAJESTY an Answer to this effect so near as I can remember from the mouth of a Noble person then present Sir You have ever been beheld as a great Lover and Advancer of Learned men and You know Clergy-mens education is chargeable to them or their friends Long it is before they get any preferment which at last generally is but small in proportion to their pains and expences Let it not be said that You gained by grinding them other waies lesse obnoxious to just censure will be found out to furnish your occasions The KING commended Cranfield as doing it only for triall adding moreover I should have accounted thee a very knave if encouraging Me herein and so the project was blasted for the present as it was when it budded again propounded by some unworthy instrument in the Reign of King CHARLES 20. Who is truly excused I know some will suspect the Treasurer more likely to start than crush so gainful a design as who by all waies means sought to encrease the royal Revenue I know also that some accuse him as if making his Master's wings to molt thereby the better to feather his own nest Indeed he raised a fair estate and surely he will never be a good Steward for his Master who is a bad one for himself Yet on due and true enquiry it will appear that though an High power did afterwards prosecute him yet his innocence in the main preserved him to transmit a good estate to his posterity So that much of truth must be allowed in his * Frequent in his House at Copâ—hall Motto PERDIDIT FIDES he was lost at Court for his fidelity to K. JAMES in sparing His Treasure and not answering the expensivenesse of a great Favourite 21. The L. Bacon outed â—or Bâ—ibery A Parliament was call'd Jan. 20. wherein Francis Bacon L d Chancellor was outed his Office for Bribery the frequent receiving thereof by him or his was plainly proved Yet for all his taking just and unjust he was exceedingly poor and much indebted Wherefore when motion was made in the House of Commons of Fining him some thousand of pounds Sir Fr. S. a noble Member standing up desired that for two Reasons his Fine might be mitigated into fourty shillings First because that would be payed whereas a greater summe would onely make a noise and never be payed Secondly the shame would be the greater when such his prodigality that he who had been so large a taker in his Office was reduced to such penury that forty shillings should be conceived a sufficient Fine for his Estate But it was fine enough for him to lose his Office remitted to a mean and private condition 22. None can character him to the life An 〈…〉 his character save himself He was in parts more than a Man who in any Liberal profession might be whatsoever he would himself A great Honourer of antient Authors yet a great Deviser and Practiser of new waies in Learning Privy Counsellor as to King JAMES so to Nature it self diving into many of her abstruse Mysteries New conclusions he would dig out with mattocks of gold silver not caring what his experience cost him expending on the Trials of Nature all and more than he got by the Trials at the Barre Posterity being the better for his though he the worse for his own dear experiments He and his Servants had all in common the Men never wanting what their Master had and thus what came flowing in unto him was sent flying away from him who in giving of rewards knew no bounds but the bottome of his own purse Wherefore when King JAMES heard that he had given Ten pounds to an under-keeper by whom He had sent him a Buck the KING said merrily I and He shall both die Beggars which was condemnable Prodigality in a Subject He lived many years after and in his Books will ever survive in the reading whereof modest Men commend him in what they doe condemn themselves in what they doe not understand as believing the fault in their own eyes and not in the object 23. Bishop Williams made Lord Keeper All stood expecting who should be Bacon's Successour in the Chancery Sure he must be some man of great and high abilities otherwise it would seem a valley next a mountain to maintain a convenient and comely level in that eminent Place of Judicature Now whilst in common discourse some made this Judge others that Sergeant Lord Chancellor King JAMES made Dr. Williams lately and still Dean of Westminster soon after Bishop of Lincolne Though the KING was the principal July 10. the Duke of Buckingham was more than the instrumental advancer of him to the title of Lord Keeper in effect the same in Place and Power with the Lord Chancellor 24. Some causlesly offended The KING's choice produced not so much dislike as general wonder Yet some cavilled at Doctor Williams his Age as if it were preposterous for one to be able for that Office before antient and as if one old enough for a Bishop were too young for a Chancellor Others questioned his abilities for the Place Could any expect to reap Law where it was never sown who can apply the remedy whilst he is ignorant in the malady Being never bred to know the true grounds and reasons of the Common Law how could he mitigate the rigour thereof in difficult cases He would be prone to mistake the severity of the Common Law for cruelty and then unequal equity and unconscionable conscience must be expected from him Besides the Place was proper not for the plain but guarded Gown and the Common Lawyers prescribed for six * Yet Sir Ch.
in money and Ten pounds per annum to the Poor of the Parish in the Chancell whereof he lyeth buried under a fair Monument dying on S. Thomas his day in the Threescore and twelfth year of his age 28. Papists now appearing very daring A Conference with Iesuits Dec. 21. a Conference or Dispute if you please was entertained betwixt Doctor White and Doctor Featley Protestants Father Fisher and Father Sweete Jesuits on his occasion Edward Buggs Esq living in London aged seventy and a professed Protestant was in his sicknesse seduced to the Romish Religion But recovering this Dispute was held at his request in the house of Sir Humphrey Linde a learned and religious Gentleman about the Visibility of the Church and the Tenents now maintained by the Protestants to have been before Luther The printed Book hereof may satisfie the Reader as this Conference did so satisfie Master Buggs that renouncing his former wavering he was confirmed in the Protestant-Truth 29. Now hapned the sad Vespers The fatâ—l Vespers at Black-Fryers Octob. 26. or dolfull Evening-song at Black Fryers in London Father Drury a Jesuite of excellent Morals and ingratiating Converse wanting nothing saving the embracing of the truth to make him valuable in himself and acceptable to others Preached in a great upper-Room in Black-Fryers next to the house of the French-Ambassadour where some Three hundred persons were assembled His Text the 18 Chap. of S. Matthew ver 32. O thou ungracious servant I forgave thee all the debt because thou desiredst me shouldst not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant c. In application whereof he fell upon a bitter invective against the Protestants 30. His Sermon began to incline to the middle Death without giving any warning 1623. the Day to the end thereof when on the soddain the Flore fell down whereon they were assembled It gave no charitable warning-groan before-hand but crackt brake and fell all in an instant Many were killed more bruised all frighted sad sight to behold the flesh and blood of different persons mingled together and the brains of one on the head of another One lackt a leg another an arm a third whole and intire wanted nothing but breath stifled in the ruines Some Protestants coming meerly to see were made to suffer and bare the heavy burden of their own curiosity About Ninety five persons were slain out-right Ann. Reg. Ja. 21 Ann. Dom. 1623. amongst whom Mr. Drury and Mr. Rodiat Priests with the Lady Webbe were of the greatest quality Nor must we forget how when one comforted a Maid-childe about 10 years of age Exhorting her to patience for her Mother and Sister The Childe replied That however it fared with them this would be a great scandall to their Religion A speech commendable in any admirable in one of her age 31. Yet marvellous was God's mercy in the preservation of some there present â— will sing of mâ—rcy and justice One corner of the first Flore rather hung still than stood without any beams by the relative strength from the side walls and about Twenty persons upon it These beheld that Tragedy wherein instantly they expected to act and which was the worst their fall would not onely kill them but by their weight they should be the unwillingâ— slayers of others which as yet laboured for life beneath them It was put into their mindes with their knives fright adding force unto them to cut their passage out of a lome-wall into the next chamber whereby their lives were preserved Of those that fell one was kept alive though imbraced by death on either side a chair falling hollow upon her Thus any arms are of proof if Divine Providence be but pleased to put them on 32. Next day was Impannelled a Coroner's Inquest of substantial Citizens to inquire into the cause and manner of their death A fair and true verdict These found it done neither by miracle nor malice no plot or indirect practice appearing as some no lesse falsly than maliciously gave it out the Roof standing Side-wall sound Foundation firm onely the Flore broken by God's wisdome permitting it and their own folly occasioning it Nor could the Carpenter be justly accused for slight and unfaithfull building making it substantial enough for any private purpose and none could foresee that they would bring a Church into a Chamber Twenty of the poorer sort were buried hard by in one Grave and the rest bestowed by their friends in severall places of Sepulture 33. The sad death of these persons Beware wildewishes the Object of Pity to all good and wise men was the Subject of Envy to some so sillily superstitious as to repine at it That they had not a share in this slaughter On this accompt because the Priest or Clerk after every Masse in the City of London solemnly invited the people present with a loud voice to say Three Pater noster's and three Ave Maria's for the souls of such as died in Black-Friers Particularly one Parker * Jo. Gee in his Book called the Foot out of the snare who narrowly escaped the danger there professed That nothing grieved him more but that he had not been one of those that died by the aforesaid mischance But see what hapned this man going over to Doway to take Priestly Orders the week following was drowned in his passage Thus wild-wishes for death prove sometimes such Guests as come home to the Inviters before they be welcome unto them 34. This accident fell on Sunday the 26 of October which according to the new style observed beyond-sea having the speed of ours by ten daies fell upon their fifth of November a day notoriously known in the Popish Calendar Whereupon Master Edward Benlowes a Religious and Learned Gentleman no small Promoter of my former and present Labours thus expressed himself Quinta Novembris eat Graias orsura Calendas Sit quocunque Stilo quinta Novembris eat Illa Dies Letho BRITONUM devoverat Aulam Letho Devotam sospitat illa dies Ista dies duxit Sacra ad Miseranda Misellos Adductos Sacris sustulit ista dies Lapsa repentè domus vos irâ atroce peremit Quêis fuit irâ atrox lapsa repentè Domus Drurie cum Cerebro conspergis Pulpita vano Dum spargis Cerebri Phasmata vana tui Trabe peremptus obis qui Lignea vivus adoras Lignea vivus ades Trabe peremptus obis Ligna LapÃsque manus in foedera dantia mactant Hos quibus in sacra sunt foedera Ligna Lapis Quêis Crux coeca Deus tenebrosa Magistra colentes In tenebras Coecos coeca Magistra rapit Ah! erit Exemplum cui non hoc triste timori Tristis hic Exemplum triste timoris erit Haec Romista cave Domus unâ ut corruit horâ Vnâ sic horâ Roma caveto Ruet I have nothing else to adde of this sad disaster A Caveat to Rome save that the news
c pag. 6â— better so also longer than King Solomon 8. Left the world most resolved most prepared embracing his Grave for his Bed 9. Reigning gloriously with God in Heaven 10. Whilest his body was interred with all possible solemnitie in King Henry the seventh his Chappell Be it here remembred that in this Parallel the Bishop premised to set forth Solomon not in his full proportion faults and all but half-faced imagine lusca as Apelles painted Antigonus to conceal the want of his eye adding that Solomons vices could be no blemish to King James who resembled him onely in his choicest vertues He concluded all with that verse Ecclesiasticus 30. 4. Though his Father die yet he is as though he were not dead for he hath left one behinde him that is like himself in application to his present Majestie 4. Some Auditors Exceptions taken at his Sermon who came thither rather to observe than edifie cavill than observe found or made faults in the Sermon censuring him for touching too often and staying too long on an harsh string three times straining the same making eloquence too essentiall and so absolutely necessary in a King that the want thereof made Moses in a manner f pag. 16. refuse all Government though offered by God that no g pag. 5. man ever got great power without eloquence Nere being the first of the Caesars qui alienae facundiae eguit who usurp'd another mans language to speake for him Expressions which might be forborn in the presence of his Sonne and Successor whose impediment in speech was known to be great and mistook to be greater Some conceived him too long in praising the passed too short in promising for the present King though saying much of him in a little and the Bishops Adversaries whereof then no want at Court some took distaste others made advantage thereof Thus is it easier and better for us to please one God than many men with our Sermons However the Sermon was publiquely set forth by the Printer but not the express command of his Majestie which gave but the steddier Mark to his enemies noting the marginall notes thereof and making all his Sermon the text of their captious interpretations 5. Now began animosities to discover themselves in the Court Discontents begin in the Court. whose sad influences operated many years after many being discontented that on this change they received not proportionable advancement to their expectations Anno Regis Car. 1. 1 Anno Dom. 1625 It is the prerogative of the King of Heaven alone that he maketh all his Sonnes Heires all his Subjects Favourites the gain of one being no losse to the other Whereas the happiest Kings on Earth are unhappy herein that unable to gratifie all their Servants having many Suitors for the same place by conferring a favour on one they disoblige all other competitors conceiving themselves as they make the estimate of their own deserts as much if not more meriting the same preferment 6. As for Doctor Preston he still continued Dr Preston a great favourite and increased in the favor of the King and Duke it being much observed that on the day of King James his death he h Sâ—e his Life pag. 503. rode with Prince and Duke in a Coach shut down from Theobalds to London applying comfort now to one now to the other on so sad an occasion His partie would perswade us that he might have chose his own mitre much commending the moderation of his mortified minde denying all preferment which courted his acceptance verifying the Anagram which a i Mr Ayâ—â— of Lincolns Inn. friend of his made on his name Johannes Prestonius Enstas pius in honore Indeed he was conceived to hold the Helme of his own partie able to steere it to what point he pleased which made the Duke as yet much to desire his favor 7. A booke came forth called Appello Caesarem made by M. Mountague He formerly had been Fellow of Kings Colledge in Cambridge Mr. Mountague his character at the present a Parson of Essex and Fellow of Eaton One much skilled in the Fathers and Ecclesiasticall Antiquity and in the Latin and Greek Tongues Our great k Mr. Selden in his book De Diâ—s Syris pag. 361. Antiquarie confesseth as much Graecè simul Latinè doctus though pens were brandished betwixt them and vertues allowed by ones adversarie may passe for undeniable truths These his great parts were attended with tartnesse of writing very sharp the neb of his pen and much gall in his inke against such as opposed him However such the equability of the sharpnesse of his style he was unpartiall therein be he antient or modern writer Papist or Protestant that stood in his way they should all equally taste thereof 8. Passe we from the Author to his Book Settâ—th forth his Appellâ— Caesaâ—em whereof this was the occasion He had lately writen satyrically enough against the Papists in consutation of The Gagger of Protestants Now two Divines of Norwich Dioces M r. Yates and M r. Ward informed against him for dangerous errours of Arminianisme and Poperie deserting our cause in stead of defending it M. Mountague in his own vindication writes a second Book licensed by Francis White Dean of Carlile finished and partly printed in the reign of James to whom the Author intended the dedication But on King James his death it seems it descended by succession on King Charles his Sonne to whom M r. Mountague applyed the words which Ockam once used to Lewes of Bavier Emperour of Germanie Domine Imperator defende me gladio ego te defendam calamo Lord Emperour defend me with thy Sword and I will defend thee with my Pen. Many bitter passages in this his Book gave great exception whereof largely hereafter 9. On Sunday being the twelfth of June Queen Mary her first arrival at Dover about seven of the clock at night June 12. Queen Marie landed at Dover at what time a piece of Ordinance being discharged from the Castle flew in fitters yet did no bodie any harm Moe were fearfull at the presage than thankfull for the providence Next day the King coming from Canterburie met her at Dover whence with all solemnitie she was conducted to Sommerset-House in London where a Chappell was new prepared for her devotion with a Covent adjoyning of Capuchin-Friers according to the Articles of her Marriage 10. A Parliament began at London The King rescueth Mr. Mountague from the House of Commons wherein the first Statute agreed upon was for the more strict observation of the Lords-day Which day as it first honoured the King His Reign beginning thereon so the King first honoured it by passing an Act for the greater solemnitie thereof Anno Regin Caroli 1 The House of Commons fell very heavie on M r. Mountague for many bitter passages in his Book who in all probability had now been severely censured but that
by hindering the Reformation of Religion dividing the King from his people or one of the Kingdomes from another or making any faction or parties amongst the people contrary to this League and Covenant that they may be brought to publick trial and receive condign punishment as the degree of their offences shall require or deserve or the supream Judicatories of both Kingdoms respectively or others having power from them for that effect shall judge convenient And whereas the happiness of a blessed peace between these Kingdoms denied in former times to our progenitours is by the good providence of God granted unto us and hath been lately concluded and setled by both Parliaments we shall each one of us according to our place and interest endeavour that they remain conjoyned in a firme peace and union to all posterity and that justice may be done upon the wilfull opposers thereof in manner expressed in the precedent Article We shall also according to our places and callings in this common cause of Religion liberty and peace of the Kingdoms assist and defend all those that enter into this league and Covenant in the maintaining and pursuing thereof and shall not suffer our selves directly or indirectly by whatsoever combination perswasion or terrour to be divided and withdrawn from this blessed Conjunction and union whether to make defection to the contrary part or to give our selves to a detestable indifferency or neutrality in this cause which so much concerneth the glory of God the good of the Kingdomes and honour of the King but shall all the dayes of our lives zealously and constantly endeavour to continue therein against all opposition and promote the same according to our power against all lets and impediments whatsoever and what we are not able of our selves to suppress or overcome we shall reveal and make known that it may be timely prevented or removed All which we shall do as in the sight of God And because these Kingdoms are guilty of many sins and provocations against God and his Son Jesus Christ as is too manifest by our present distresses and dangers the fruits thereof We profess and declare before God and the world our unfeined desire to be humbled for our own sins and for the sins of these Kingdoms especially that we have not as we ought valued the inestimable benefit of the Gospel that we have not laboured for the purity and power thereof and that we have not endeavoured to receive Christ in our hearts nor to walk worthy of him in our lives which are the causes of other sins and transgressions so much abounding amongst us and our true and unfeined purpose desire and endeavour for our selves and all others under our charge both in publick and in private in all duties we owe to God and man to amend our lives and each one to goe before another in the example of a real reformation that the Lord may turn away his wrath and heavie indignation and establish these Churches and Kingdoms in truth and peace And this Covenant we make in the presence of Almighty God the searcher of all hearts with a true intention to perform the same as we shall answer at the great day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed most humbly beseeching the Lord to strengthen us by his Holy Spirit to this end and to bless our desires and proceedings with such success as may be deliverance and safety to his people and encouragement to other Christian Churches groaning under or in danger of the yoak of Anti-Christian Tyranny to joyn in the same or like Association and Covenant to the glory of God the enlargement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and the peace and tranquillity of Christian Kingdoms and Commonwealths We listen not to their fancy who have reckoned the words in the Covenant six a Rev. 13. 19. hundred sixty six Preface and Conclusion as only circumstantial appendants not accounted and esteeme him who trieth it as well at leisure aliàs as idle as he that first made the observation Much less applaud we their paralel who the number in branches agreeing compare it to the superstitious and cruel Six Articles enacted by King Henry the Eighth But let us consider the solid and serious exceptions alledged against it not so light and slight as to be puffed away with the breath of the present age but whose weight is likely to sink them down to the consideration of posterity 14. First Exceptions general to the whole seeing this Covenant though not as first penned as Prosecuted had heavie penalties inflicted on the refusers thereof such pressing is inconsistent with the nature of any Contract wherein consent not constraint is presumed In a Covenant men should go of their own good 〈◊〉 or be led by perswasions not drawn by frights and fears much less driven by forfeits and punishments 15. Secondly Made without the Kings consent Subjects are so far from having the express or tacit consent of the King for the taking thereof that by publick Proclamation he hath forbidden the same Now seeing Parents had power by the b Num. 30. 6. law of God to rescind such vows which their children made without their privity by the equity of the same law this Covenant is void if contrary to the flat command of him who is Parens Patriae 16. Many words occur in this Covenant Full of doubtful words some obsure others of doubtfull meaning viz. Common enemies Best-Reformed-Churches Malignants Highest Judicatories of both Kingdomes c. Untill therefore the obscure be cleared the doubtfull stated and fixed the same cannot as it ought be taken in judgement Exceptions to the Preface Therein it is suggested that Supplications Remonstrance Protestations to the King were formerly used which proving ineffectual occasioned the trying of this Covenant Anno Dom. 1643. Anno Regis Carol. 19. as the last hopefull means to preserve Religion from ruine c. Now seeing many joyned neither with their hands nor hearts in presenting these writings such persons scrupled this Covenant which they cannot take in truth because founded on the failing of the aforesaid means to the using whereof they concurred not in the laast degree 17. It is pretended in the Preface Pretended ancient yet unprecedented that this Covenant is according to the commendable practice of these Kingdoms in former times Whereas indeed it is new in it self following no former Precedents a grand Divine a a Phil. Nye Covenant with Narrat pag. 12. of the Parliament-party publickly professing that We read not either in Divine or Hamane Histories the like Oath extant in any age as to the matter persons and other circumstances thereof Exceptions to the First Article 18. They are unsatisfied to swear Cannot be taken knowingly to maintain the Preservation of the Reformed Religion of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government as being ignorant such their distance thence and small intelligence there of the particulars thereof
our Lord 1655. To the Honourable BANISTER MAINARD Esq Sonne and Heire to the Right Honourable WILLIAM Lord MAINARD Baron of Estaynes in England and Wicklow in Ireland THERE is a late generation of People professed enemies to all humane Learning the most moderate amongst them accounting it as used in Divinity no better then the barren a Luke 13. 7. Fig-tree Cut it downe why cumbreth it the ground whilest the more furious resemble it to the wilde b 2 Kings 4. 40 Gourd in the Pottage of the Children of the Prophets deadly and pernicious Thus as Wisdome built c Prov. 9. 1. her an house with seven Pillars generally expounded the Liberal Sciences Folly seeketh but I hope in vaine to pluck down and destroy it The staple place whereon their ignorance or malice or both groundeth their error is on the words of the Apostle d Colos 2. 1. Beware lest any man spoyle you through Philosophy and vain deceipt or which is the same in effect vain and deceitfull Philosophy VVhich words seriously considered neither expresse nor imply any prohibition of true Philosophy but rather tacitly commend it Thus when our Saviour saith e Mat. 7. 15. Beware of false Prophets by way of opposition hee inviteth them to beleeve and respect such as true-ones Indeed if we consult the word in the notation thereof consisting of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to love and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wisdom nothing can bee cavilled thereat The childe of so good Parents cannot bee bad and the compound resulting thence viz. Philosophy or the love of Wisdom is the same so commended by f Prov. 29. 3. Solomon Who so loveth Wisdom rejoyceth his Father True Philosophy thus considered in it selfe is as Clemens Alexandrinis termeth it Aeternae veritatus sparagmon a Sparke or Splinter of Divine truth Res Dei Ratio saith Tertullian God himselfe being in a sort the great Grand father of every Philosophy Act. But wee confesse there is a great abuse of Philosophy making it vain and deceitfull according to the Apostles just complaint when it presumeth by the principles of Reason to crosse and controll the Articles of Faith then indeed it becometh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vain or empty as wherein nulla impletio multa inflatio nothing to fill man's minde though too much to puffe it up which is true both of Philosophy in generall and of all the parts thereof Thus Logick in it selfe is of absolute necessity without which Saint Paul could never have g Act. 19. 9. disputed two yeeres no nor two houres in the School of Tyrannus so highly did the Apostle prize it that hee desired to be free'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from men who have no Topicks from absurd men who will fixe in no place to bee convinced with reason But Logick thus usefull may bee abused and made deceitfull either in doubtfull Disputations where the Questions can never bee determined or k 1 Tim. 6. 5. in perverse disputings of men where the Disputants are so humorous and peevish that they are unwilling to understand each other making wrangling not satisfaction the end of their dispute Ethicks in like manner are of speciall use in Divinity though not to bee beleeved where they crosse Christianity namely where they exclude Humility from being a virtue on the erroneous account that it is destructive to Magnanimity which is the Christians Livery Bee ye clothed l 1 Pet. 5. 5. with Humility and the m Mica 6. 8. Third part of all which God in this world enjoyneth us to performe Natural Philosophy must not bee forgotten singularly usefull in Divinity save when it presumes to control the Articles of our Creed it is one of the four things for which the Earth is n Pro. 30. 22. moved A Servant when hee Reigneth and intolerable is the pride of Natural Philosophy which should hand-maid it to Divinity when once offering to rule over it Your Honors worthy Grandfather William Lord Maynard well knew the great conveniency yea necessity of Logick for Divines when hee founded and plentifully endowed a Professors place in the Vniversity of Cambridge for the Reading thereof Of Cambridge which I hope ere long you will grace with your presence who in due time may become a â—tudent and good Proficient therein Learning being no more prejudiciall to a Person of Honor then moderate ballaste to the safe-sayling of a Ship Till which time and ever after the continuance and increase of all Happinesse to you and your relations is the daily prayer of Your Honours humble Servant THOMAS FULLER THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF Cambridge Since the CONQVEST ⧠Preface ALthough the foundation of this Vniversity was far ancienter yet because what before this time is reported of it is both little and doubtfull and already inserted into the Body of our Ecclesiasticall History it is early enough to begin the certain History thereof Farre be it from me to make odious comparisons between a 1 Kings 17. 21. Jachin and Boaz the two Pillars in Solomons Temple by preferring either of them for beauty and strength when both of them are equally admirable Nor shall I make difference betwixt the Sisters Coheires of Learning and Religion which should be the Eldest In the days of King Henry b Ex bundello Petitionâ—m Parliamenti Anno 23 Hen. 6 num 12. the sixth such was the quality of desert betwixt Humphrey Stafford Duke of Buckingham and Henry Beauchampe Duke of Warwick that to prevent exceptions about Priority it was ordered by the Parliament That they should take precedency by turns one one yeare and the other the next yeare and so by course were to checquer or exchange their going or setting all the years of their life Sure I am there needeth no such pains to be took or provision to be made about the preeminence of our English Universities to regulate their places they having better learned Humility from the Precept of the c Rom. 12. 10 Apostle In honour preferring one another Wherefore I presume my Aunt Oxford will not be justly offended if in this Book I give my own Mother the upper hand and first begin with her History Thus desiring God to pour his blessing on both that neither may want Milk for their Children or Children for their Milk we proceed to the businesse 1. AT this time the fountain of learning in Cambridge was but little Anno Regis Will. the Conq. 1 and that very troubled Anno Dom 1066 For of late the Danes who at first The low condition of Cambridge at the Conquest like an intermitting Ague made but inroads into the Kingdom but afterwards turn'd to a quotidian of constant habitation had harraged all this Countrey and hereabouts kept their station Mars then frighted away the Muses when the Mount of Parnassus was turn'd into a Fort and Helicon derived into a Trench And at this present Anno Dom. 1070 King William
Recantation tendered unto him which he refused to subscribe though professing his sincere sorrow and penitencie in his Petitions and Letters to the Bishop for any oversights and unbeseeming expressions in his Sermon Hereupon he was sent back to the new Prison where he died If he was miserably abused therein by the Keepers as some have reported to the shortning of his life He that maketh inquisition for blood either hath or will be a revenger thereof Benjamin Lany Vicecan 1632-33 Iohn Lothian Dan Chaundeler Proct. 9. George Saunders Major Richard Love Vicecan 1633-34 Henry Molle Luke Skippon Proct. 10. Robert Twelves Major 27. Now began the University to be much beautified in buildings Organserected in Chappels every Colledge either casting its skin with the Snake or renewing its bill with the Eagle having their Courts or at leastwise their fronts and Gate-houses repaired and adorned But the greatest alteration was in their Chappels most of them being graced with the accession of Organs And seeing Musick is one of the Liberal Arts how could it be quarelled at in an University if they sang with understanding both of the matter and manner thereof Yet some took great distant thereat as attendancie to superstition At this time I discontinued my living in the University and therefore crave leave here to break off my History finding it difficult to attain to certain intelligence However because I meet with much printed matter about the visitation of Cambridge in these trouble some times though after some years intervall I shall for a conclusion adventure to give posterity an unpartiall relation thereof 28. Richard Holdesworth being Vice-Chancellour 1641-42 The Masters and Fellows of all Colledges send their plate or money in lieu thereof to the King to Yorke Aug. ult many wishing that every ounce thereof were a pound for His sake Colledge-plate sent to the King conceiving it unfitting that they should have superfluities to spare whilest their Soveraigne wanted necessaries to spend 29. This was beheld by the Parliament as an Act unjust in it self The act aggravated and dangerous in the consequence thereof for the present Masters and Fellowes were onely Fiduciaries not Proprietaries of the Plate to keep and use it not to dispose thereof Was not this obliterating the Records of Gentlemens bounty who had conferred those costly Utensils on the Colledges Besides this was interpreted a somenting of the Civil War thereby encouraging and enabling the King against His Subjects 30. In vain did the Heads plead for themselves And excused that they affrighted at the plundering of the House of the Countesse of Rivers at Long-Melford the first-fruits of Rapine in our Age did suspect the like violence Plunderers have long Armes and can quickly reach out of Suffolke into Cambridge shire For prevention whereof they thought good to secure some of their Plate in a safe hand and could not finde a fitter than His Majesties Heire to His Ancestours the Founders paramount of all Houses Besides though the clouds look black with a louring complexion yet did it not rain warre downright betwixt King and Parliament Anno Dom. 1641-1642 Anno Regis Car. 1. Aug. it being some daies before the erecting of His Standard at Nottingham 31. Dr. Beale Dr. Martin and Dr. Stern Masters of S. Johns Queens Three Doctors imprisoned in the Tower and Iesus Coll are carried to London and imprisoned in the Tower for their activity in the Plate-businesse And Cambridge is made the Seat of the Committee for the Easterne Association which escaped the best of all parts in this Civil Warre the smoak thereof onely offending those Counties whilst the fire was felt in other places 32. Richard Holdesworth Vicecan Before his year expired he was seized on and imprisoned first in Elie-house then in the Tower for executting His Majesties command in printing at Cambridge such His Declarations as were formerly printed at Yorke Mar. 30. 33. The Vice Chancellour and Heads of Houses solemnly assembled in the Consistorie The Heads deny the Parliament mony were demanded to contribute to the Parliament so to redeem their forwardnesse in supplying the King Which performed by them would notwithstanding their former crooked carriage in the Cause bolster them upright in the Parliaments esteem But they persisted in the Negative that such contributing was against true Religion and a good conscience for which some of them were afterwards imprisoned in S. Iohns Colledge 34. Amongst these was Doctor Samuel Ward Master of Sidney Colledge The death of Dr. Ward and Divinity Professour Lady Margarets or the Kings shall I say in the University For though the former by his Foundation he may seem the later by his resolution Yet was he a Moses not onely for slowness of speech but otherwise meekness of nature Indeed when in my private thoughts I have beheld him and Dr. Collins disputable whether more different or more eminent in their endowments I could not but remember the running of Peter and John to the place where Christ was buried In which race John came first as the youngest and swiftest but Peter first entred into the Grave Doctor Collins had much the speed of him in quicknesse of parts but let me say nor doth the relation of a Pupill misguide me the other pierced the deeper into under-ground and profound points of Divinity Now as high windes bring some men the sooner into sleep so I conceive the storms and tempests of these distracted times invited this good old man the sooner to his long rest where we fairly leave him and quietly draw the curtains about him 35. Now approached the generall Doom of Malignant Members so termed in the University The Oath of Discovery tendred and refused the Earle of Manchester with his two Chaplains Mr. Ash and Mr. Good coming thither to effect a Reformation In preparation whereunto I read how an oath of * Quercla Cantabrigieusis pag. 20. Discovery was tendred to many and universally refused as against all Law and conscience as being thereby made to accuse their nearest and dearest Friends Benefactors Tutors and Masters and betray the Members and Acts of their several Societies contrary to their peaceable Statutes viz Non revelabis aliquod secretum Collegii nec malum aut damnum inferes cuilibet Sociorum Whereupon this Oath was generally denied 36. To be satisfied in the truth hereof Mr. Ash disaâ—oweth any such Oath I wrote to Mr. Ash whose face I had never seen requesting him to inform me such proceedings seeming very strange to my apprehension But heare his Answer TRuly Sir I am so great a stranger to that Oath of Discovery which you mention that I cannot call to minde the moving of any such matter by the Lord of Manchester or any who attended him And as for my selfe having been a Sufferer upon the dislike of the Oath Ex Officio I have all along my life been very tender in appearing as an
Alexander to the suppression of Waltham Dean and Canons Rome-land in Waltham and substituting Augustinians in their room mindeth me of a spacious place in this Town at the entrance of the Abby built about with houses called Rome-land as Peter-pence were termed Rome-scot at this day It is generally believed that the rents thereof peculiarly belonged to the Church of Rome Thus the Pope would not be so bad a carver as to cut all away to others and reserve no corner to himself King Richard the first though generally not too loving to the Clergie amply confirmed his Fathers Foundation Fitz-Aucher setied at Copt-Hall and gave Lands to Richard Fitz-Aucher in this Parish 1189 to hold them in Fee Ric. 1 1. and hereditarily of the Church of Waltham-Holy-Cross This Fitz-Aucher fixed himself at Copt-Hall a stately house in the Parish Whether so called contractedly quasi Cobbing-Hall from Cobbing Anno Regis Hen. 3. 10. a rivolet running not far off Anno Dom. 1226. or from two ancient and essential Turrets of that house which are coped and covered with Lead or from in my minde most probable an high and sharp-Hill thus Copeland so called in Cumberland whereon the house is founded In or about this Kings Reign Hugh Nevil a bountiful benefactor Hugh Nevil with the consent of Jone his wife and John his son bestowed the Manor of Thorndon on the Monastery of Waltham of whom largely before King Henry the third to spare Court-keeping came often and lay long at Abbies so that Waltham the nearest mitred Abby to London had much of his company Being a Religious Prince great were his desires but withall necessitous small his deeds in endowing Churches However what he wanted in giving himself he supplied in confirming the gifts of others And finding it the cheapest way of benefaction to give liberties then lands he bestowed on Waltham a weekly Market and a Faire so called à seriando from peoples playing there to last seven dayes which now is divided into two but of shorter continuance the one on the third day of May the Invention the other on the fourteenth of September the Exaltation of the Cross We now have a Market on Tuesday Waltham Market but cannot boast of much trading therein Indeed there is plenty of Flesh but little Corn brought thither and Bread is the staff as of a man so of a Market Nor let us impute the thinness of Chapmen in Summer to Husbandmens having no leasure as busied in tillage Hay or harvest or in Winter to their having no pleasure to repair thither in so deep and dirty wayes seeing the plain truth is no underwood can thrive neer the droppings of so great an Oke the vicinity of London The golden Market in Leaden-Hall makes leaden Markets in all the Townes thereabouts In the first year that Simon was made Abbot which by exactest proportion we collect to be about the thirtieth year of King Henry the third the * M. S. of Edward Stacy written as appears by character 140 years since fol. 42. men of Waltham came into the Marsh 30. which the Abbot and his Covent formerly enjoyed 1245 as several to themselves Broils betwixt the Abbot and the Townsmen about Commons killed four Mares worth fourty shillings sterling at least and drove away all the rest The Abbot was politickly pleased for the present not to take notice thereof The next year some men of Waltham went to the Abbot the Thursday before Easter in the name of the whole Village and demanded of him to remove his Mares and Colts out of the Marsh This the Abbot refused to do adding withal that if his Bailiffs had placed his Cattle otherwhere then they ought they might do well to have it amended yet so as to defer the matter till Tuesday after Easter On that Tuesday 31. Richard 1246 Brother to the King The sturdiness of the Townsmen Duke of Cornwall came to Waltham at what time both the men and women of the Town repaired to the gate of the Abbey to receive the Abbots final answer He told them that he could not speak with them for the present as providing himself for a long journey into Lincoln-shire there to visit the Justices itinerant but by his Prior and other Canons he desired them to be patient till his return when he would mend what was to be mended Not satisfied therewith and neither respecting the spiritual holiness of the Abbot nor temperal greatness of the Duke railed at and reviled him Then into the pasture they go and in driving out the Abbots Mares and Colts drowned three worth twenty shillings spoiled ten moe to the value of ten marks and beat their keepers who resisted them even to the shedding of bloud But The most guiltie first accuse after the Abbot returned from Lincoln-shire the Townsmen fearing they should be trounced for their riot desired a Love-day submitted themselves unto him and profered to pay him damage But next day when the performance of these promises were expected away went the Waltham-men with their wives and children to the King to London inraging him as much as in them lay against the Abbot accusing him that he would disinherit them of their right Anno Dom. 1246. bring up new customes Anno Regis Hen. 3. 31. take away their Pasâ—ures and to use their own words eat them up to the bones and that he had wounded and abused some of them who stood defending their own rights Which false report was believed of many to the great disgrace of the Covent of Waltham The Abbot would not put up so great a wrong The Abbot comes off conqueror but having Episcopal power in himself proceeded to the Excommunication of the Rebellious Walthamites But the Townsmen went another way to work namely to defend their right by the Common Laws of the Realm Whereupon Stephen Fitz-Bennet Simon of the Wood William Theyden and Ralph of the Bridge in the name of all the rest implead the Abbot for appropriating their Commons to himself But in fine after many cross pleadings here too long to relate the Abbot so acquitted himself that he made both his own right and the Townsmens riot to appear who at last at the Kings-Bench were glad to confess that they had done evil and were amerced twenty Marks to the Abbot which he not onely remitted unto them but also on their submission assoiled them from the Excommunication The brawls betwixt the Abbot and Townsmen of Waltham were no sooner ended The sute betwixt the Abbot of Waltham and the Lord of Chesthunt but far fiercer began betwixt the said Abbot and the Lord of Chesthunt 1248 on the like occasion 33. This Chesthunt is a large Parish in Hertford-shire confining on the West of Waltham so called saith * In his short Survey of Hertford-shire Norden quasi Castanetum of Chestnut-trees though now I believe one hardly
Bridge thorough all the parts of Town and so returned with a good appetite to the place where they began 6. Then in Corpus Christi Colledge was a dinner provided them Endeth in a feast at Bennet Colledge where good stomacks meeting with good chear and welcome no wonder if Mirth followed of course Then our comes the Cup of John Goldcorne once Alderman of the Guild made of an Horn with the Cover and appurtenances of silver and gilt which he gave this company and all must drink therein And although some years after happened the dissolution of this Guild the exact date whereof I cannot learn yet the Master of this Colledge continued this custome of Procession till it was abolished in reign of King Henry the eighth 7. It is remarkable that in the Procession that Canopy under which the Host was carried fell on fire The Canopy ominously fired leaving men to guess as they stood affected whether it was done casually by the carelesnes of the Torch-bearers or maliciously by some covertly casting fire thereon out of some Window or miraculously to shew that God would shortly consume such Superstition And indeed in the twenty seventh of King Henry the eighth when Thomas Legh D r. of Law visited the University the same was finally abrogated Then those Silver Trinkets were sold and those SHIELDS had their property altered to sence and defend the Colledge from wind and weather being converted into mony and laid out in reparations 8. However the Townsmen still importunately claimed their Dinner as due unto them The Townsmen quarrell for their Dinner insomuch that Richard * No such appeareth in the Cambridge Catalogue of Mators mistaken probably for Richard Woolfe Maior anno 1529 and now active in the absence or sicknes of the Maior Roulfe then Maior of the Town required it of the Colledge in a commanding manner The Master and Fellowes whereof resolved to teach the Townsmen a distinction to put difference betwixt a Debt and a Courtesy this dinner falling under the latter notion They minded them also of the Maxime in Logick how sublata causa tollitur effectus the Procession the Cause being taken away the Dinner as the effect ceased therewith But the Belly having no eares nothing would satisfie the other Party save a Suite themselves prejudging the cause on their own side Insomuch that what they brewed in their hopes they broached in their brags boasting that as the Houses belonging to this Colledge came originally from Townsmen so now they should return to the Townsmen again as forfeited for default of this dinner Yea so confident they were of success that they very Equally Unequally because invading other mens right divided aforehand such Houses amongst themselves But the worst and coldest Fur is what is to be made of a Bears-skin which is to be killed 9. For the Colledge procured that certain Commissioners were sent down by the King Are cast by the Kings Commissioners amongst whom John Hind Knight Sergeant at Law John Hutton Esq to examine the matter and summon the Master and Fellowes to appear before them Who appearing accordingly produced most authenticall evidences and charters of Mortmaine whereby their Lands in Cambridge were sufficiently conveyed and confirmed unto them And thus the Townsmen both hungry and angry at the losse both of their Dinner and Houses were fain to desist 10. To return to the benefactors of this Colledge Duchess of Norfolk builds their Buttresses the Buttresses thereof were in the reign of King Henry the seventh made at the cost of Elizabeth Duchess of Norfolk and God grant say I good buttresses to the Colledges in both Universities to support them firmely against all opposition The said Duchess founded also one Fellow-ship and one Bible-Clarkship 11. But amongst modern Benefactors The Benefaction of Matthew Parker none to be mentioned with Matthew Parker Master of the Colledge if we consider what thereunto He 1. Saved In stating their accounts and regulating the method of their rents carelesly kept that is lost in effect before his time 2. Gave Besides many unvaluable Manuscripts two Fellowships and five Scholarships 3. Recovered A Bason and Ewre of silver from the Executors of Laurence Maptide a rent-charge of fifty shillings yearly detained for a long time out of the Mannor of Gerton He disburdened the Colledge of a pension for the impropriation of Grand-Chester and cast it where it was due on the Farmer Now I conceive this is the best Benefaction to recover the diverted donations of former Benefactors Partly because it keepeth the dead from being wronged restoring their gifts according to their true intentions Partly because it keepeth the Living from doing wrong and continuing their unjust detentions I confesse some have complained of this Matthew Parker A great favorer of Norfolk men that in favor to his native county he made all this Colledge to Norfolkize appropriating most Fellowships thereunto But the worst I wish this Colledge is that they may have the like Benefactor who on the same termes may be partiall to the same County Masters Benefactors * viz. besides the aforenamed Bishops Learned Writers Coll. Livings 1 Tho Eltisley 2 Rich. Treton 3 John Kynne 4 John Neckton 5 Rich. Billingford 6 John Titshall 7 John Botryght 8 Walter Smith 9 Simon Green 10 Thom. Cosin 11 John Ediman 12 Peter Nobis 13 William Sowde 14 Matthew Parker 15 Laurence Maptyde 16 John Perey 17 Tho. Aldricht 18 Rob. Norgate 19 John Copeot 20 John Jegon 21 Tho. Jegon 22 Sam. Walsal 23 Henry Butts 24 Richard Love 1. Marg. Brotherton Duchesse of Northfolke 2. John Meers Esq Beadle 3. Sr. Nich. Bacon Ld. keeper bred in this Colledge 4. Roger Manner Esquire 5. Roger Manner Earle of Rutland 6. Mr. William Benedict 7. M. Leonard Cawson 1 Matth. Parker Arch. of Cant. 2 Richard Flecher Bish of London 3. John Jegon Bishop of Norwich 4 Antonie * Godwin in his catalog of Bishops set forth 1616. Watson Fellow Bishop of Chichester Henry Hornby Landbeach R. in Ely Dioc. valued at 10 l. 1 s. 3 d. Wilburham R. in Ely Dioc. valued at 19 l. 16 s. 8 d. St. Bennet Cant. in Ely Dioc. valued at 4 l. 9 s. 9 d. Grandchester V. in Ely Dioc. valued at 7 l. 14 s. 3 d. Mary Abchurch R. in Lond. 2 l. 2 s. 6 d. So that lately anno 1634. Dr. Sowd and Dr. Copcot there were maintained in this Colledge one Master twelve Fellowes thirty seven Scholars besides Officers and Servants of the foundation with other students Anno Regis Edw. 1. the whole number being one hundred twenty and six Anno Dom. 13. Of the foresaid Masters the thirteenth in order viz. William Sowde is with M r. Fooke Fellow also of this Colledge acknowledged by M r. * Actes and Mon. 1013. Fox a great favourer and fartherer of the truth in the dark daies of King H. the Eight D r. Copcot the nineteenth Master
born at Calis was a great Critick in the Latin and Greek Tongue very familiar with Drusius who wrote a Letter to him subscribed Manibus Johannis Copcot to the Ghost of John Capcot so much was the Doctor macerated with his constant studying 14. We must not forget how in the beginning of the reformation some took exceptions at the ancient Armes of this Colledge as Superstitious The Colledge Armes why altered and therefore at the desire of Matthew Parker the Heraulds did alter them and assigned new ones viz. azure a Pelican on her nest over her young ones Argent * I aime more at plainness than Terms of Heraldry pecking out her own blood Guttee proper Gules three Lilies argent and thus a Poet commented on them Signat Avis Christum qui sanguine pascit alumnos Lilia virgo parens intemerata refert So that still they innocently relate to the ancient Guildes of Corpus Christi and the Virgin Mary united in this foundation 15. So much of this Colledge 22 the ancient history out of the archives whereof 1347 my good friend M r. Crofts Fellow of the same Where I had my Instructions of this Colledge lately gone to God communicated unto me with the courteous consent of D r. Rich. Love the worthy Master of this Colledge Yea I must thankfully confesse my self once a Member at large of this House when they were pleased above twenty years since freely without my thoughts thereof to choose me Minister of S t. Benedicts Church the Parish adjoyning in their Patronage 16. Two years after was Trinitie Hall begun A Bank and a Lank of Charitie I confesse building of Colledges goeth not by Planets but by Providence yet it is observable that now we had FOUR founded within the compasse of SEVEN years Pembroke Hall Bennet Colledge already past Trinitie Hall Gonvill immediately following Thus as the Zeale of Achaia provoked many 2 Cor. 9. 2. so here when one once brake the Ice many followed the same beaten track of Charity Whereas on the other side when mens hands begin to be out of giving it is a long time before they recover the right stroke again After this feast followed a famine for it was almost a hundred yeers betwixt the founding of Gonvill Hall and the next which was Kings Colledge Though Charity in the interval may be presumed not to stand still but to move not in the generation of New but augmentation of Old foundations 17. Now Trinity Hall was built by WILLIAM BATEMAN William Bateman foundeth Trinitie Hall born in the City of Norwich and became to be Episcopus in patria afterwards Bishop in the place of his nativitie He was one of a very stout spirit and very well skilled in Civill and Canon Law and we may presume the Common Law too because a Norfolke man therefore imployed by the King to the Pope in which embassie he died in Avenion The place whereon he built this his Hall belonged formerly to the Monks of Ely John de Crawden their Prior purchasing and other Benefactors inlarging the same So that it was a house for Students before Bishop Bateman and by the exchange for the advowfances of certain Rectories procured it into his own possession He appointed by his foundation only one Master two Fellowes and three Scholars all of them to be Students of the Canon and Civill Law Allowing one Divine to be amongst them Whose number and maintenance have since been much increased by other Benefactors Anno Dom. 1347 Anno Regis Edw. 3. 20 Masters Benefactors Bishops Learn Writers Coll. Livings 1 Adam de Wichmere 2 Robert Braunch 3 Simon Dallinge 4 Simon Thornton 5 Will. Dallinge 6 Edw. Shuldham 7 John Wright 8 Walter Huke 9 Robert Larke 10 Steph. Gardiner 11 Willi. Mouse 12 Hen. Harvey 13 John Preston 14 John Cowell 15 Clemens Corbet 16 Tho. Eden 17 D r. Bonde 1 M r. Simon Dallinge 2 Walter Huke 3 Robert Goodnap 4 John Maptid 5 Gabriel Dun. 6 Richard Nix Bishop of Norwich 7 Steph. Gardiner 8 Mat. Parker 9 D r. Mouse 10. D r. Harvey 11 M r. Busbie 12 Mr. Hare Esquire 13 Dr. Cowell 14 Sr. George Newman Knight 1 Marmaduke Lumley Bish of Lincoln 2 Steph. Gardiner Bish of Winchester 3 Rich. Sampson Bish of Coventry and Leich 4 Willi. Barlow Bish of Lincoln 1 Steph. Gardiner Lord Chancellor of England 2 Walter Haddon Master of requests to Q. Eliz. 3 John Cowell famous for his Interpreter other Learned works Fenstanton V. in Linc. Dioc. valued at 11. l. 11 s. 4 d. q. Stoukley V. in Linc. Dioc. valued at 6 l. 14 s. 2 d. Hemingford V. in Lin. Dioc. valued at 9 l. 16 s. 10 d. Wetchetsfield V. in Lon. Dioc. valued at 12 l. Swanington R. in Nor. valued at 6 l 11 s. 5 d. ob Gaysley V. in Norvic Dioc. valued at 7 l. 3 s. 4 d. St. Ed. Cant. Elien Woodalling V. in Nor. Dioc. valued at 8 l. 8 s. 3 d. So there are at this present viz. anno 1634. one Master twelve Fellowes fourteen Scholars besides Officers and Servants of the foundation with other Students the whole number being threescore 18. I am loath to discompose the Catalogue of Masters warranted both by D r. Caius The Masters Catalogue might be amended and M r. Parker Otherwise might I insert my own observations After Robert Branch I would nominate Henry Wells M r. of Arts and next to him Marmaduke Lumley I would also after Stephen Gardiner place Walter Haddon for one year in the reign of King Edward the sixth and after him D r. Mouse in the same Kings reign then Gardiner again in the first of Queen Mary and Mouse again after Gardiners death submitting all to the censure of those in that foundation as best read in their own Records 19. Henry Harvey the twelvth Master of this Hall was he who out of a pious intent as we are bound to believe A pious designe because profitable to others with great expence did make a Cawsed-way on the South and other sides of Cambridge for the more convenience of passengers in those Dirty-wayes So that his bounty have made Summer unto them in the depth of Winter allowing a large annuall revenue for the maintenance thereof 20. Here I cannot forbear one passage which I may call a serious jest which happened on this occasion A noble Person but great Anti-Academick met D r. Harvey one morning overseeing his workmen A bitter retort and bitterly reflecting on his causlesly suspected inclinations to Popery Doctour said he you think that this Cawsed way is the high way to Heaven To whom the other as tartly replied Not so Sir For then I should not have met you in this place 21. We must not forget that when Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury made his metropoliticall visitation at Cambridge A dispensation for increase of Commons about sixty years after the first founding of the house on