his plain Prayer which he immediately after made His Prayer whereby his Speech may be interpreted too long here to insert but set down at large in Mr. Fox and which speaketh him a true Protestant And if negative Arguments avail ought in this matter no superstitious crossing of himself no praying to Saints no desiring of prayers for him after his death c. may evidence him no Papist in the close of his life Indeed Anti-Cromwellists count this controversie of the Religion he died in not worth the deciding no Papists conceiving the gain great to get him on their side and some Protestants accounting the losse as little to part with him However this right ought to be done to his Memory in fixing it on its own principles and not mis-representing the same to posterity 28. Remarkable is that passage in his Speech Heaven is just in Barths injustice wherein he confesseth himself by Law condemned to die because a story dependeth thereupon Not long agoe an Act had passed in Parliament That one might be attainted of Treason by Bill in Parliament and consequently lose his life without any other legal triall or being ever brought to answer in his own defence The Lord Cromwell was very active in procuring this Law to passe insomuch that it is generally believed that the Arme and Hammer of all King Henry's Power could never have driven on this Act thorough both Houses had not Cromwell first wimbled an hole for the entrance thereof and politickly prepared a major part of Lords and Commons to accept the same For indeed otherwise it was accounted a Law injurious to the liberty which reason alloweth to all persons accused and which might cut out the tongue of Innocency it self depriving her of pleading in her own behalf Now behold the hand of Heaven It hapned that this Lord first felt the smart of this rod which be made for others and was accordingly condemned before ever he was heard to speak for himself Nec lex est justior ulla Quam necis artifices arte perire suâ Most just it is that they bad Laws who make Should themselves first of their own Laws partake Thus those who break down the banks and let in the stream of Arbitrary power be it into the hands of Prince or People are commonly the first themselves which without pity are drowned in the deluge thereof 29. Thus farre I have swome along with the winde and tide of all our English Historians Yet the Lord Cromwell by a great person acquitted herein in charging of Cromwell herein But I finde one * Sir Edward Coke Part 4. of Institut in Jurisdiction of Courts p. 37. Authour of strong credit such he needs to be who swims against the stream acquitting the said Lord deriving his intelligence from Sir Thomas Gawdie a grave Judge then living who acquainted him as followeth King Henry commanded the L. Cromwell to attend the Chief Justices and to know whether a man that was forth-coming might be attainted of high Treason by Parliament and never called to his answer The Judges answered That it was a dangerous question and that the high Court of Parliament ought to give examples to inferiour Courts for proceeding according to justice and no inferiour Court could doe the like and they thought the high Court of Parliament would never doe it But being by the expresse commandement of the King and pressed by the said Earl to give a direct answer they said That if he be attainted by Parliament it could not come in question afterwards whether he was called or not called to answer and the Act of Attainder being passed by Parliament did binde as they resolved The party against whom this was intended was never called in question but the first man after the said resolution that was so attainted and never called to answer was the said Earl of Essex whereupon that erroneous and vulgar opinion amongst our Historians grew That he died by the same Law which he himself had made 30. But His exemplary gratitude grant this Lord Cromwell faulty in this and some other actions in the main he will appear a worthy person and a great instrument of God's glory in the reforming of Religion and remarkable for many personal eminencies Commonly when men are as in a moment mounted from meannesse to much wealth and honour first they forget them selves and then all their old friends and acquaintance Whereas on the contrary here gratitude grew with his greatnesse and the Lord Cromwell conferred many a courtesie on the Children from whose Fathers Master Cromwell had formerly received favours As he was a good Servant to his Master so was he a good Master to his Servants and fore-seeing his own full which he might have foretold without the Spirit of Prophesie some half a year before he furnished his Men which had no other lively-hood to subsist by with Leases Pensions and Annuities whereby after his death they had a comfortable maintenance 31. One so faithfull to his Servants His care for his Children cannot be suspected for an Infidel in not providing for his family of his own children It was not therefore his ambition but providence that on the same day wherein he was created Earle of Essex he procured Gregory his Son which otherwise had been then but a Lord by courtesie to be actually made Baron Cromwell of Oke-ham Which honour because inherent in the Son was not forfeited on his Father's attainture but descends at this day on his Posterity 32. We will conclude his story with this remarkable instance of his humility An eminent instance of his humility Formerly there flourished a notable family of the b Camdens Brit. in Lincoln-shire Cromwells at Tattershall in Lincoln-shire especially since Sir Ralph Cromwell married the younger Sister and Coheir of William the last Lord Deincourt Now there wanted not some flattering Heraults excellent Chemists in Pedegrees to extract any thing from any thing who would have entituled this Lord Cromwell to the Armes of that antient Family extinct in the issue male thereof about the end of King Henry the sixt His answer unto them was That he would not weare another mans coat for fear the right owner thereof should pluck it off over his ears and preferred rather to take a new coate viz. * See Vincent in the Earles of Essex AZure Or a Fess inter three Lyons rampant Or a Rose Gules betwixt two Chaughes proper being somewhat of the fullest the Epidemical dissease of all Armes given in the Reign of Henry the eighth 33. After the execution of the Lord Cromwell Men of different judgment meeting at their death the Parliament still sitting a motly execution happened in Smithfield three Papists hanged by the Statute for denying the King's supremacy and as many Protestants burnt at the same time and place by vertue of the six Articles dying with more pain and no lesse patience Papists Protestants Edward Powell
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
in as well by the Duke of Northumberland on the one day as by the King on the other day Also it is to be considered the Kings commandment upon their allegiance by His own mouth and the Articles signed with His Highnesse own hand and also His Commission license and commandment under His Great Seal to the said Sr. Edward and others for the making of the said Booke Also the Kings pardon signed with His Highnesse hand Also it is to be considered that the said Books were made in the Kings life seaven or eight dayes before His death and the Queens Highnesse being Successour by Act of Parliament to the Crown and having the same as a Purchaser may not lawfully by the Laws of the Realme punish the said offence done in the Kings time Also the said Sr. Edward hath humbly submitted himself to the Queen Highnesse and to the order of the Commissioners Which Commissioners have ordered the said Sr. Edward to pay to Her Highnesse a thousand pounds who hath already paid thereof five hundred pounds and the other five hundred pounds are to be paid at the Feast of All-Saints come Twelve-moneth And also to surrender his letters Patents of lands to the yeerly value of fifty pounds called Eltyngton which he had of the gift of King Edward the Sixth which was all the reward he had of the said King Edward for his service costs and expences Also it is to be considered that the said Sr. Edward is put from his office of the Chief Justice-ship of the Common-Pleas being of the yeerly value of six hundred marks which office the most noble King of famous memorie King Henry the Eighth gave him in consideration of his long service and also had six weeks imprisonment Also it is to be considered that the same Sr. Edward hath seaventeen children viz. eleven Daughters and six Sons whereof one of the said Sons had his legge striken off by the knee in Scotland at Muscleborough-field the Duke of Sommerset being there And his Son and Heire by his commandment served the Queens Highnesse with twenty men to the cost of the said Sr. Edward of one hundred pounds as the Gentlemen of Buckingham-shire can report SO far the late Judge with his own hand Wherein he affirmeth that he medled not with the Councell in any thing afterward as may appear by his not subscribing the letter of the Lords to Queen Mary enjoying shall I say or advising Her to desist from claiming the Crown whereto all the Privie * See them exant in Mr. Fox Act. Mon-Anno 1553. Councellours subscribed onely the hand of Sr. Edward Mountagu is wanting And seeing in the whole transaction of this matter the obedience rather then invention of Judge Mountagu was required not to devise but draw things up according to Articles tendred unto him I cannot believe his * Sr. John Heywood in his Edward 6 report report relating that the King used the advise of Justice Mountagu in drawing up the Letters Patents to furnish the same with reasons of Law as Secretary Cicil with arguments from Policie 3. Some will wonder that no mention herein of Sr. Roger Cholmley Sr. R. Chomley comes off with losse Lord Chief Justice of the Kings Bench and in dignity above Sr. Edward Mountagu at this time but Judge of the Common-Pleas that he was not employed to draw up the Book But it seems Judge Mountagu his judgement was more relied on who had been formerly Lord Chief Justice of the Kings-Bench and deserted it Yet the said Sr. Roger Cholmley was imprisoned for bare subscribing this Will and as it seems lost his place for the same For Justice Bromley though equally guilty with the rest so far favour extends in matters of this nature was not onely pardoned but from an inferiour Judge * See Sr. H. Spelman Glossary in Justiciarius p. 417. Sr. Jam's Hales his honesty advanced to be successour to Sr. Roger Cholmly and made Judge of the Kings-Bench 4. Whereas Sr. Edward saith that all the Judges were sent for and that many put their hands to the Book it intimateth that all did not but that some refused the same it being eminently known to the everlasting honour of Sr. James Hales that no importunity could prevail with him to underwrite this will as against both law and conscience 5. Eight weeks and upwards passed between the proclaiming of Mary Queen Contest betwixt two Religions and the Parliament by her assembled during which time two religions were together set on foot Protestantisme and Poperie the former hoping to be continued the later labouring to be restored And as the Jews Children a Neh. 13. 24. after the captivity spake a middle language betwixt Hebrew and Ashdod so during the aforesaid interim the Churches and Chappels in England had mongrell celebration of their Divine services betwixt Reformation and Superstition For the Obsequies for King Edward were held by the Queen in the Tower August the seaventh Aug. 7. with the Dirige sung in Latin and on the morrow a masse of Requiem and on the same day his Corps were buried at Westminster with a sermon service and Communion in English No small iustling was there betwixt the zealous Promoters of these contrary Religions The Protestants had possession on their side and the Protection of the Laws lately made by King Edward and still standing in free and full force unrepealed Besides seeing by the fidelity of the Suffolk and Norfolke Protestant Gentry the Queen was much advantaged for the speedy recovering of her Right they conceived it but reason that as she by them had regained the Crown so they under her should enjoy their Consciences The Papists put their Ceremonies in Execution presuming on the Queen her private practice and publique countenance especially after she had imprisoned some Protestant and enlarged some Popish Bishops advancing Stephen Gardiner to be Lord Chancelour Many which were Newters before conceiving which side the Queen inclined would not expect but prevent her authority in Alteration So that Superstition generally got ground in the Kingdome Thus it is in the Evening Twi-light wherein light and darknesse at first may seem very equally matcht but the later within little time doth solely prevail 6. What impressions the Comming in of Queen Mary made on Cambridge Mr. Jewell pens the first Congratulatory letter to the Queen shall God willing be presented in our particular History thereof The sad and sudden alterations in Oxford thereby are now to be handled Ma. John Jewel was chosen to pen the first Gratulatorie Letter to the Queen in the Name of the Vniversity an office imposed on him by his enemies that either the refusall thereof should make him incurre danger from his foes or the performance expose him to the displeasure of his friends Yet he so warily penned the same in Generall termes that his Adversaries missed their marke Indeed all as yet were confident that the Queen would maintain the Protestant
eies are waking let such who all the foregoing week had their Cheeks moistned with sweat and hands hardened with labor let such have some recreation on the Lordsday indulged unto them whilst persons of quality who may be said to keep Sabbath all the week long I mean who rest from hard labor are concerned in conscience to observe the Lords-day with the greater abstinence from recreations Anno Dom. 34. Pass we now from the pen Troubles begâ—n in Somerset-shire to the practicall part of the Sabbatarian difference Somerset-shire was the stage whereon the first and fiercest Scene thereof was acted Here Wakes much different I dare say from the watching prescribed by our Saviour were kept on thâ— Lords day with Church-Ales Bid-Ales and Clerks-Ales If the Reader know not the criticall meaning and difference of these words I list not to be the interpreter and his ignorance herein neither is any disgrace nor can be any damage unto him The Gentry of that County perceiving such revells the cause of many and occasion of moe misdemeanors many acts of wantonness bearing their dates from such meetings importuned Sr. Thomas Richardson Lord Chief Justice and Baron Denham then Judges riding the Western circuit in the Lent-vacation to make a severe Order for the suppressing of all Ales and Revells on the Lords-day 35. In complyance with their desire March 19 Judg Richardsons order against Lords-day Revells the aforesaid Judges made an order on the 19. day of March founded on former precedents signed by Judge Popeham Lord Chief Justice in the latter end of Queen Elizabeth her Reign therein suppressing such Revells in regard of the infinite number of inconveniences daily arising by means thereof injoyning the Constables to deliver a copie thereof to the Minister of every Parish who on the first Sunday in February and likewise the two first Sundays before Easter was to publish the same every yeare 36. The Archbishop of Canterbury beheld this as an usurpation on Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction Which he would not revoke and complained of the Judges to his Majesty procuring a Commission to Bishop Pierce and other Divines to enquire into the manner of publishing this Order and the Chief Justice his cariage in this business Notwithstanding all which the next Assise Judge Richardson gave another strict charge against these Revels required an account of the publication and execution of the aforesaid Order punishing some persons for the breach thereof After whose return to London the Archbishop sent for him and commanded him to revoke his former Order as he would answer the contrary at his peril telling him it was his Majesties pleasure he should reverse it The Judge alledged it done at the request of the Justices of the Peace in the County with the generall consent of the whole Bench on the view of ancient precedents in that kinde 1634 However the next Assise he revoked his Order with this limitation as much as in him lay At what time also the Justices of the Peace in Somerset shire who in birth brains spirit and estate were inferiour to no County in England drew up an humble petition to his Majesty for the suppressing of the aforesaid unlawfull assemblies concurring with the Lord Chief Justice therein sending it up by the hand of the Custos Rotulorum to deliver it to the Earle of Pembroke Lord Lieutenant of their County to present it to his Majesty 37. Just in this juncture of time a Declaration for sports The Kings Declaration set forth the fifteenth of King James was revived and enlarged For his Majesty being troubled with petitions on both sides thought good to follow his Fathers royal example upon the like occasion in Lancashire and we refer the Reader to what we have writen * See the 15. of K. James before for arguments pro and con about the lawfulnesse of publique reading thereof 38. It was charged at his triall The Archbishop excuseth himself on the Archbishop of Canterbury that he had caused the reviving and enlarging of this Declaration strong presumptions being urged for the proof thereof He denied it yet professing his judgment for recreations on that day alledging the practice of the Church of Geneva allowing shooting in long Bowes c. thereon Adding also that though indulging liberty to others in his own person he strictly observed that day Anno Dom. 1634 Anno Regis Caroli 10 A self-praise or rather self-purging because spoken on his life which seem'd uttered without pride and with truth and was not cleerly confuted Indeed they are the best carvers of libertie on that day who cut most for others and leave least for themselves 39. However No injunction to the Ministers there was no express in this Declaration that the Minister of the Parish should be pressed to the publishing Many counted it no Ministers work and more proper for the place of the Constable or Tithing-man to perform it Must they who were if not worst able most unfitting hold the Candle to lighten and let in licentiousnesse But because the Judges had enjoyned the Ministers to read their order in the Church the Kings Declaration was inforced by the Bishops to be published by them in the same place 40. As for such whose consciences reluctated to publish the Declaration Yet some silenced for refusall to read the book various were their evasions Some left it to their Curats to read Nor was this the plucking out of a thorn from their own to put it in another Mans conscience seeing their Curats were perswaded of the lawfulnesse thereof Others read it indeed themselves but presently after read the fourth Commandement And was this fair play setting God and their King as they conceived at odds that so they themselves might escape in the fray Others point-blanck refused the reading thereof for which some of them were suspended ab officio beneficio some deprived and moe molested in the High Commission it being questionable whether their sufferings procured more pity to them or more hatred to the causers thereof 41. All Bishops urged not the reading of the Book with rigour alike Moderation of some Bishopâ— therein nor punished the refusall with equall severity I hear the loudest longest and thickest complaints come from the Diocess of Norwich and of Bath and Wells I knew a Bishop in the West to whom I stood related in kindred and service who being pressed by some to return the names of such as refused to read the Book to the Archbishop of Canterbury utterly denied and his words to me were these I will never turn an accuser of my Brethren there be enough in the World to take that office As for the Archbishop of Canterbury much was his moderation in his own Diocess silencing but three in whom also a concurrence of other non-conformities through the whole extent thereof But oh The necessity of the generall day of Judgment wherein all Mens actions shall be expounded
some Purposes at the day of his Birth in which respect he may sue out his Liveries for the Dukedome of Cornwall and this perchance may somewhat mend the matter 59. But enough of this matter Conclusion with prayer which some will censure as an Impertinency to our Church-History and scarcely coming within the Church-yard thereof My Prayers shall be that each University may turn all Envy into generous yea gracious yea glorious Emulation contending by laudable means which shall surpasse other in their Serviceablenesse to God the Church and Common-wealth that so Commencing in Piety and Proceeding in Learning they may agree against their two generall Adversaries Ignorance and Profanenesse May it never be said of them what Naomi e Ruth 1. 12. said of her self that she was too old to bear Sons may they never be superannuated into Barrennesse but like the good Trees in Gods Garden They shall still bring forth Fruit in their old age they shall be fat and flourishing 60. Seasonably Sigebert erected an University at Cambridge 632 thereby in part to repair the late great Losse of Christianity in England when the year after Edwine Edwine King of Northumberland slain King of Northumberland was slain in f Beda Eccles Hist lib. 2. cap. 10. Battel by Cadwald King of VVales and Penda King of the Mercians After whose Death his whole Kingdome relapsed to Paganisme and Paulinus Arch-Bishop of York taking with him Queen Ethelburge returned into Kent and there became Bishop of the then vacant Church of Rochester Mortified man he minded not whether he went up or down hill whilest he went on strait in his Calling to glorifie God and edifie others sensible of no Disgrace when degrading himself from a great Arch-Bishop to become a poor Bishop Such betray much Pride and Peevishnesse who outed of eminent Places will rather be Nothing in the Church then any thing lesse then what they have been before 61. After the death of King Edwine The unhappy year his Kingdome of Northumberland was divided into two parts Anno Dom. 632 both petty Kingdomes 1. Bernicia reaching a Camden's Brit. pag. 797. from the River Tees to Edenburgh Frith whereof Eanfrith was King 2. Deira whence say some Deirham or Durham lay betwixt Tees and Humber whereof Osrick was King These both proved Apostates from the Christian Faith and God in his justice let in Cadwald King of the Britans upon them who slew them harassed their Countrey 633 and made a lamentable Desolation within the compasse of one year without respect to Age or Sex untill Oswald bred and brought up in Scotland next of the Bloud-Royall came to be King of Northumberland whom God sent to redeem that miserable Country from the hands of their Enemies and many eminent Victories he obtained 62. The fatall year A lost year well found wherein so many Outrages were committed on the Apostate Northumberlanders by Cadwald King of the Britans is detested by all Saxon Chronologers And therefore all the Annalists and writers of Histories in that Age by joynt-consent universally resolved to damn and drown the Memoriall of that Annus infaustus as they call it Vnlucky year but made so by Vngodly men Yea they unanimously b Bede Eccles Hist lib. 2. c. 1. agreed to allow those two Apostate Kings no yeares reign in their Chronicles adding the time subtracted from them to Oswald their Christian Successour accounting him to have reigned c Idem lib. 3. cap. 9. nine yeares which indeed were but eight of his own and one of these Historians their Adoption Yet is it no news even in Scripture it self to bury the reign of Tyrants under the Monument of a good Prince succeeding them Thus when Ehud is d Iudg. 3. 30. said to have judged the land fourscore year those eighteen e Vers 14. yeares are included wherein Eglon the Moabite oppressed Israel 63. Amongst the many Victories atchieved by this Oswald A victory given from heaven one most remarkable was gained by him near Hexam in Northumberland 635 against the Pagans against whom he erected the Standard of the Crosse in a place which time out of mind was called Heafen-feld Haledon at this day by a Prolepsis not answering the name thereof untill this time Hence a Poet writing the life of Oswald Tunc primum scivit causam cur nomen haberet Heafen-feld hoc est coelestis campus illi Nomen ab antiquo dedit appellatio Gentis Praeteritae tanquam belli praesaga futuri Then he began the reason first to know Of Heafen-feld why it was called so Nam'd by the Natives long since by foresight That in that field would hap an heavenly fight Thus it is generally reported that the place nigh Lipsick where the King of Sweden got one of his signal Victories was time out of mind termed by the Dutch f Swedish Intelligencer Gots Acre or Gods ground And thus as Onesimus and Eutychus were so called from their Infancy but never truely answered their Names till after the g Philem. v. 11 Conversion of the one and Reviving of the h Acts 20. 12. other so Places whether casually or prophetically have Names anciently imposed upon them which are sometimes verified many Ages after 64. About this time Honorius the Pope sent his Letter to the Scotch Nation Pope Honorius his ineffectual letter advising them to an Uniformity with the Church of Rome in the Celebration of Easter His main Reason is thought to have more of State then Strength humane Haughtinesse then holy Divinity in it Namely he counselleth them Ne paucitatem suam in extremis terrae finibus constitutam sapientiorem omnibus Christi Ecclesiis aestimarent This is that Honorius of whom Leo the second Anno Dom. 635 his Successour complaineth in his a Tom. 2. Decret Epist ed. Romae 1591. pag. 654. Epistle to the Bishops of Spain Flammam haertici dogmatis non ut decuit Apostolicam authoritatem incipientem extinxit sed negligendo confovit By his negligence he did countenance the heretical Opinions meaning of the Monothelites then beginning afresh to spring up again which he ought to have suppressed Thus he who could stickle about the Ceremony of keeping Easter could quietly connive at yea interpretatively consent to the depraving of the Doctrinall part of Religion But his Letter to the Scotch took little effect who kept their Easter not one Minute the sooner or later for all his writing unto them 65. In a better Work Birinus converts the VVest-Saxons to the faith and with better Successe was Birinus employed an Italian by Birth sent over by Pope Honorius for the Conversion of the remainder of England and to that purpose that his Preaching belike might be the more powerfull made a Bishop before his b Bede lib. 3. cap. 7. coming over by Asterius Bishop of Genoa Here I am at a losse Bishop of what Where was his Diocese or
yet the King permitted him to appoint or prohibit nothing but what was according to His own will and pleasure and what the King had b Idem ibid. ordained before 9. Lastly Barons not to be excommunicated without the Kings command King William suffered no Bishop to excommunicate any of his Barons or Officers for adultery incest or any such hainous crime except by the Kings Command first made acquainted with the same Here the word Baron is not to be taken in that restrictive sense to which the modern acception hath confined it onely for such of the higher Nobility which have place and Votes in Parliament but c J. Selden Sptcilegium ed Eadmeium pag 168. generally for such who by Tenure en cheef or in Capite as they term it held land immediately of the King And an English d Robert of Glocester Poet counted the Virgil of his age and the Ennius in ours expresseth as much in his Rythmes which we here set down with all the rust thereof without rubbing it off remembring how one e Camdens Elizabeth Anno 1584. John Throkmorton a Justicer of Cheshire in Queen Elizabeth's dayes for not exhibiting a judicial Concord with all the defects of the same but supplying or filling up what was worn out of the Authentical Original was fined for being over officious and therefore take them with their faults and all as followeth The berthe was that noe man that of the King huld ought In Chief or in eni Servise to Manling were throught Bote the wardenis of holy Chirch that brought him thereto The King lede or his Bailifes wat he had misdoe And loked verst were thei to amendment it bring And bote by wolde by their lebe doe the Manling And a grave f Radulphus de diceto sub Anno 11â—3 Author gives a good reason why the King must be inform'd before any of his Barons be excommunicated lest otherwise saith he the King not being certified thereof should out of ignorance unawares communicate with persons excommunicated when such Officers of His should come to kiss His hand be called to his Councel or come to perform any personal attendance about Him Hitherto we have seen how careful the Conqueror was in preserving His own right in Church-matters We will conclude all with the Syllogisme which the g L. Cooks Reports fift part de Jure Regis Ecclesiastico fol. 10. Oracle of the Common-Law frameth in this manner It is agreed that no man onely can make any appropriation of any Church having cure of souls being a thing Eccelesiastical and to be made to some person Ecclesiastical but he that hath Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction But William the first of himself without any other as King of England made appropriation of Churches with cure to Ecclesiastical persons as by many instances may appear Therefore it followeth that He had Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction And so much concerning King William's policy in doing justice to His own power Proceed we now to His bounty confirming old and conferring new favors upon the Church and Clergie 10. First whereas before his time the Sheriff and Bishop joyntly kept their Courts together especially at the two solemn times Bishops jurisdictions first severed from the Sheriffs about Easter and Michaelmas King William in favour of the Clergie assigned the Bishops an a See this cleared by Mr Selden in his notes on Ead. merus pag. 167. entire jurisdiction by themselves wherein they should have cognizance of all causes relating to Religion I say relating to Religion a latitude of a cheverel extension adequate almost to the minde of him that will stretch it out and few Ecclesiastical Judges would lofe what might be got by measuring Now formerly whilest the power of Sheriff and Bishop went hand in hand together in the same Court neither could much outstrip other but but since they were severed the Spiritual power far outwent its old mate improving his own by impairing the Secular Courts and henceforward the Canon-law took the firmer footing in England Date we from hence the squint-eies of the Clergie whose sight single before was hereafter divided with double looks betwixt two objects at once the Pope and the King to put him first whom they eyed most acting hereafter more by forrain then domestick interest 11. A learned pen makes a just complaint The contest betwixt Commen and Canon Law how onely to be reconciled that b Lord Bacen in his advancement of Learning pag. 463. Aphorisme 96. Courts which should distribute peace do themselves practice duels whilest it is counted the part of a resolute Judge to enlarge the priviledge of his Court A grievance most visible in contest betwixt the Common and the Canon Law which as if they were stars of so different an Horizon that the elevation of the one necessitated the depression of the other lie at catch and wait advantages one against another So that whilest both might continue in a convenient and healthful habitude if such envious corrivalitie were deposed now alternately those Courts swell to a tympany or waste to a consumption as their Judges finde themselves more or less strength'ned with power or befriended with favour A mischief not to be remedied till either that mutual consent or a predominant power to both impartially state their jurisdictions rightly seting down the land-marks thereof and binding their proceedings not to exceed their bounds which would both advance learning and expedite the execution of Justice 12. To return to King William King William his Charter to the Clergie As He conferred power on so he confirmed profit to the Clergie Witness his c See it at large in Mr. Selden of tythes cap. 8. pag. 225. Charter granting them thorowout England tythes of calves colts lambs milk butter cheese woods meadows mills c. Which Charter is concluded 't is the strong hem keeps all the cloth from reveling out Qui decimam detinuerit per justitiam Episcopi Regis si necesse fuerit ad redditionem d Others read it adigatur Let him be compelled â—rguatar Who shall detain his tythes by the power of the Bishop and King if need be let him be argued into the payment thereof And Kings arguments we know are unanswerable as aâ— authoritate carrying power and pehalties with them This Charter might seem to give the tenth loaf of all the bread in the land into the hands of the English Clergie But the municipal laws which were afterwards made did so chip and pare this loaf with their Modus decimandi that in many places Vicaridges especially a small shiver of bread fals to the share of the Minister not enough for his necessary maintenance 13. And here Two contrary characters of King William to make a short but needful digression I finde in eminent Writers two contrary characters of King William Some make him an arrand Tyrant ruling onely by the Magna Charta of his own will oppressing all English without cause
is a great deal when it must be taken from a new-shorne sheep so pilled and polled were all people before with constant exactions Such whom his hard usage forced beyond the seas were recalled by his Proclamation So that his heavy leavies would not suffer them to live here and his hard Laws would not permit them to depart hence And when the Clergy complain'd unto him to be eased of their burdens I beseech you said he have ye not coffins of gold and silver for dead mens bones intimating that the same treasure might otherwise be better imployed 36. The streams of discord began now to swell high variance between the King and Anselme betwixt the King and Arch-Bishop Anselme flowing principally from this occasion At this time there were two Popes together so that the Eagle with two heads the Arms of the Empire might now as properly have fitted the Papacy for the present Of these the one Guibertus I may call the Lay-Pope because made by Henry the Emperor the other Vrban the Clergy-Pope chosen by the Conclave of Cardinals Now because like unto like King William sided with the former whilest Anselme as earnestly adhered to Vrban in his affections desiring to receive his Pall from him which the King resused to permit Hereupon Anselme appealed to his Pope whereat King William was highly offended 37. But Their several pleadings and present reconcilement because none are able so emphatically to tell their stories and plead their causes as themselves take them in them in their own words The King Objected The custome from my Father's time hath been in England that no person should appeal to the Pope without the Kings license He that breaketh the customs of my Realm violateth the power and Crown of my Kingdom He that violateth and taketh away my Crown is a Traytor and enemy against me Anselme Answered The Lord hath discussed this question Give unto Cesar the things that are Cesars and unto God the things that are Gods In such things as belong to the terrene dignities of temporal Princes I will pay my obedience but Christ said Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church c. Whose Vicar he ought to obey in spiritual matters and the fetching of his Pall was of that nature At last an expedient was found out that Anselme should not want his Pall nor fetch it himself from Rome being by the King's consent brought to him by Gualter Pope Urban's Legate whom the King at last was fain to acknowledg and so all things for the present reconciled 38. But the wound betwixt them was rather skinned over They disagree again then perfectly healed and afterwards brake out again the King taking occasion of displeasure at Anselmes backwardness to assist him in his expedition into Wales Whereupon Anselme desired a second journey to Rome there to bemoan and probably to relieve himself by complaint to the Pope But the King stopt his voyage affirming that Anselme had led so pious a life he need crave no absolution at Rome and was so well stored with learning that he needed not to borrow any counsel there Yea said the King Vrban had rather give place to the wisdom of Anselme then Anselme have need of Urban In fine after much contesting Anselme secretly stole out of the Realm and the King seized all his goods and lands into his own coffers Three years was he in exile somtimes at Lions sometimes at Rome welcome wheresoever he came and very serviceable to the Church by his pious living painfull preaching learned writing and solid disputing especially in the general Councel of Bar where he was very useful in confuting and condemning the errours of the Greek-Church about the Procession of the Holy Spirit 39. King Rufus was a hunting in New-Forest 14. Aug. 2. which was made by King William 1100 his Father King Rufus his death not so much out of pleasure or love of the game as policy to clear and secure to himself a fair and large landing-place for his forces out of Normandy if occasion did require Here then was a great devastation of Towns and Temples the place being turned into a wilderness for Men to make a Paradise for Deer God seemed displeased hereat for amongst other Tragedies of the Conquerors family acted in this place Rufus was here slain by the glancing of an arrow shot by S r Walter Tirrel An unhappy name to the Kings of England this man casually and another wilfully S r James Tirrel employed in the murthering of King Edward the fifth having their hands in royal bloud Now it is seasonably remembred that some yeers since this King William had a desperate disease whereof he made but bad use after his recovery and therefore now Divine Justice would not the second time send him the summons of a solemn visitation by sickness but even surprized him by a sudden and unexpected death 40. Thus died King William Rufus His hurial and character leaving no issue and was buried faith my a John Bromton pag. 997. Author at Winchester multorum Procerum conventu paucorum verò planctu many Noble-men meeting but few mourning at his funerals Yet some who grieved not for his death grieved at the manner thereof and of all mourners Anselme though in exile in France expressed most cordial sorrow at the news of his death A valiant and prosperous Prince but condemn'd by Historians for covetousness cruelty and wantonness though no woman by name is mentioned for his Concubine probably because thrifty in his lust with mean and obscure persons But let it be taken into serious consideration that no pen hath originally written the life of this King but what was made by a Monkish pen-knife and no wonder if his picture seem bad which was drawn by his enemy And he may be supposed to fare the worse for his opposition to the Romish usurpation having this good quality to suffer none but himself to abuse his Subjects stoutly resisting all payments of the Popes imposing Yea as great an enemy as he was conceiv'd to the Church he gave to the Monks called De Charitate the great new Church of S t Saviours in Bermondsey with the Manor thereof as also of Charlton in Kent 41. Henry Beauclarke Henry the first succeedeth Rufus and is crowned his brother succeeded him in the Throne one that crossed the common Proverb The greatest Clerks are not the wisest men being one of the most profoundest Scholars and most politick Princes in his generation He was Crowned about four dayes after his brothers death Anno Dom. 1100. At that time Anno Regis Hen. 1. the present providing of good swords was accounted more essential to a Kings Coronation then the long preparing of gay clothes Such preparatory pomp as was used in after-ages at this Ceremony was now conceived not onely useless but dangerous speed being safest to supply the vacancy of the Throne To ingratiate himself to
Sons having much of the Mother in them grew up as in Age in obstinacy against him His Subjects but especially the Bishops being the greatest Castle mongers in that Age very stubborn and not easily to be ordered 54. Mean time one may justly admire What became of Maud the Empress than no mention in Authors is made of nor provisions for Maud the Kings Mother surviving some years after her Son's Coronation in whom during her life 〈◊〉 lay the real right to the Crown 〈◊〉 Yet say not King Henries policy was little in preferring to take his Title from an Usurper by adoption rather then from his own Mother the rightful heir by succession and his piety less in not attending his Mothers death but snatching the Scepter out of her hand seeing no Writer ever chargeth him with the least degree of undutifulness unto her Which leadeth us to believe that this Maud worn out with age and afflictions willingly waved the Crown and reigned in her own contentment in seeing her Son reign before her 55. Those who were most able to advise themselves 1. are most willing to be advised by others 1155. as appeared by this politick Prince The body of the Common-Law compiled Presently he chuseth a Privy Councel of Clergie and Temporalty and refineth the Common Laws Yea towards the end of his Reign began the use of our Itiâ—erant Judges The platform hereof he fetch'd from France where he had his education and where Charles the Bald some hundred of years before had divided his Land into twelve parts assigning several Judges for administration of Justice therein Our Henry parcelled England into six Divisions and appointed three Judges to every Circuit annually to visit the same Succeeding Kings though changing the limits have kept the same number of Circuits and let the skilful in Arithmetick cast it up whether our Nation receiveth any loss by the change of three Judges every year according to Henry the second 's Institution into two Judges twice a year as long since hath been accustomed 56. The Laws thus setled King Henry cast his eye on the numerous Castles in England 2. As a good reason of State formerly perswaded the building 1156. so a better pleaded now for the demolishing of them Castles demolished William the Conqueror built most of them and then put them into the custody of his Norman Lords thereby to awe the English into obedience But these Norman Lords in the next generation by breathing in English ayre and wedding with English wives became so perfectly Anglized and lovers of Liberty that they would stand on their guard against the King on any petty discontentment If their Castles which were of proof against Bowes and Arrows the Artillery of that Age could but bear the brunt of a sudden assault they were priviledged from any solemn Siege by their meanness and multitude as whose several beleguerings would not compensate the cost thereof Thus as in foul bodies the Physick in process of time groweth so friendly and familiar with the disease that they at last side together and both take part against Nature in the Patient so here it came to pass that these Castles intended for the quenching in continuance of time occasioned the kindling of Rebellion To prevent farther mischief King Henry razed most of them to the ground and secured the rest of greater consequence into the hands of his Confidents if any ask how these Castles belong to our Church-History know that Bishops of all in that Age were the greatest Traders in such Fortifications 57. Thomas Becket Thomas Becket L. Chancellor of England born in London and though as yet but a Deacon Arch-Deacon of Canterbury Doctor of Canon-Law bred in the Universities of Oxford Paris Bononia was by the King made Lord Chancellor of England During which his office who braver then Becket None in the Court wore more costly clothes Anno Dom. 1158. mounted more stately steeds made more sumptuous feasts kept more jovial company brake more merry jests used more pleasant pastimes In a word he was so perfect a Lay-man that his Parsonages of Bromfield and S t Mary-hill in London with other Ecclesiastical Cures whereof he was Pastor might even look all to themselves he taking no care to discharge them This is that Becket whose mention is so much in English and miracles so many in Popish writers We will contract his acts in proportion to our History remitting the Reader to be satisfied in the rest from other Authors 58. Four years after His great reformation being made Arch-Bishop of Canterbury upon the death of Theobald 1162 Becket was made by the King 8. Arch-Bishop of Canterbury The first Englishman since the Conquest and he but a mongrel for his mother was a Syrian the intercourse of the Holy-War in that age making matches betwixt many strangers who was preferred to that place And now if the Monks their writing his life may be believed followed in him a great and strange Metamorphosis Instantly his cloaths were reformed to gravity his diet reduced to necessity his company confined to the Clergie his expences contracted to frugality his mirth retrenched to austerity all his pastimes so devoured by his piety that none could see the former Chancellor Becket in the present Arch-Bishop Becket Yea they report that his clothes were built three stories high next his skin he was a Hermite and wore sack-cloth in the midd he had the habit of a Monk and above all wore the garments of an Arch-Bishop Now that he might the more effectually attend his Archiepiscopal charge he resigned his Chancellors place whereat the King was not a little offended It added to his anger that his patience was daylie pressed with the importunate petitions of people complaining that Becket injured them Though generally he did but recover to his Church such possessions as by their covetousness and his predecessors connivence had formerly been detained from it 59. But A stubborn defender of the vicious Clergy against secular Magistrates the main matter incensing the King against him was his stubborn defending the Clergie from the secular power and particularly what a great fire doth a small spark kindle that a Clerk having killed and stolen a Deer ought not to be brought before the Civil Magistrate for his punishment Such impunities breeding impieties turned the house of God into a den of thieves many rapes riots robberies murders were then committed by the Clergie If it be rendered as a reason of the viciousness of Adonijah that his father never said unto him a 1 King 1. 6. Why doest thou so No wonder if the Clergy of this age were guilty of great crimes whom neither the King nor his Judges durst call to an account And seeing Ecclesiastical censures extend not to the taking away of life or lim such Clerks as were guilty of capital faults were either altogether acquitted or had onely penance inflicted upon
the English at this present had not injured his Holinesse by any personall offence against him the Pope by Interdicting the whole Realme discovered as much emptinesse of Charity as plenitude of Power But some will say his bounty is to be praised that he permitted the People some Sacraments who might have denied them all in rigour and with as much right yea 't is well he Interdicted not Ireland also as a Countrey under King Johns Dominion deserving to smart for the perversnesse of their Prince placed over it 10. But after the continuance of this Interdiction King John by name excommunicated a year and upwards 1209. the horrour thereof began to abate 10. Use made ease and the weight was the lighter born by many shoulders Yea the Pope perceived that King John would never be weary with his single share in a generall Burden and therefore proceeded Nominatim to excommunicate him For now his Holinesse had his hand in having about this time excommunicated Otho the German Emperour and if the Imperiall Cedar had so lately been blasted with his Thunderbolts no wonder if the English Oak felt the same fire He also Assoiled all English subjects from their Allegiance to King John and gave not onely Licence but Incouragement to any Forreigners to invade the land so that it should not onely be no sinne in them but an expiating of all their other sinnes to conquer England Thus the Pope gave them a Title and let their own swords by Knight-service get them a Tenure 11. Five years did King John lie under this sentence of Excommunication Yet is blessed with good successe under the Popes curse in which time we find him more fortunate in his Martiall Affairs 1210. then either before or after 11. For he made a successefull voyage into Ireland as greedy a Grave for English Corps as a bottomlesse Bag for their Coin and was very triumphant in a Welsh Expedition and stood on honourable termes in all Foraine Relations For as he kept Ireland under his feet and Wales under his elbow so he shak't hands in fast friendship with Scotland and kept France at arms end without giving hitherto any considerable Advantage against him The worst was not daring to repose trust in his Subjects he was forced to entertain Forainers which caused his constant anxiety as those neither stand sure nor go safe who trust more to a staffe then they lean on their legs Besides to pay these Mercenary Souldiers he imposed unconscionable Taxes both on the English Clergy especially and Jews in the Kingdom One Jew there was of b Mat. Paris in Anno 1210. pag. 229 Bristoll vehemently suspected for wealth though there was no cleer Evidence thereof against him of whom the King demanded ten thousand Marks of silver and upon his refusall commanded that every day a Tooth with intolerable torture should be drawn out of his head which being done seven severall times on the eight day he confessed his wealth and payed the fine demanded who yeelding sooner had sav'd his teeth or stubborn longer had spar'd his money now having both his Purse and his Jaw empty by the Bargain Condemn we here mans cruelty and admire heavens justice for all these summes extorted from the Jews by temporall Kings are but paying their Arrerages to God for a debt they can never satisfie namely the crucifying of Christ 12. About the same time The Prophesie of Peter of Wakefield against K John one Peter of Wakefield in Yorkshire a Hermit 1212. prophesied that John should be King of England 13. no longer then next Ascension-day after which solemn Festivall on which Christ mounted on his glorious Throne took possession of his heavenly Kingdom this Oppose of Christ should no longer enjoy the English Diadem And as some report he foretold that none of King Johns linage should after him be crowned in the Kingdom Anno Regis Joh. 13. The King called this Prophet an a Fox Martyr pag. 229. Idiot-Knave Anno Dom. 1212. which description of him implying a contradiction the King thus reconciled pardoning him as an Idiot and punishing him as a Knave with imprisonment in Kors-Castle The fetters of the prophet gave wings to his prophesie and whereas the Kings neglecting it might have puft this vain Prediction into wind men began now to suspect it of some solidity because deserving a wise Princes notice and displeasure Farre and neer it was dispersed over the whole Kingdom it being b Cominaeus faith that the English are never without some Prophesie on foot generally observed that the English nation are most superstitious in beleeving such reports which causeth them to be more common here then in other Countries For as the Receiver makes the Thief so popular credulity occasioneth this Propheticall vanity and Brokers would not set such base ware to sale but because they are sure to light on chapmen 13. Leave we the person of this Peter in a dark Dungeon 14. and his credit as yet in the Twilight 1213. betwixt Prophet and Impostor to behold the miserable condition of King John King Johns submission to the Pope perplexed with the daily preparation of the French Kings Invasion of England assisted by many English Male-contents and all the banish'd Bishops Good Patriots who rather then the fire of their Revenge should want fuel would burn their own Countrey which bred them Hereupon King John having his soul battered without with forrain fears and foundred within by the falsenesse of his Subjects sunk on a sudden beneath himself to an act of unworthy submission and subjection to the Pope For on Ascenision Eve May 15. being in the town of Dover standing as it were on tip-toes on the utmost edge brink and labell of that Land which now he was about to surrender King John by an Instrument or Charter sealed and solemnly delivered in the presence of many Prelates and Nobles to Pandulphus the Popes Legat granted to God and the Church of Rome the Apostles Peter and Paul and to Pope Innocent the third and his Successours the whole Kingdom of England and Ireland And took an Estate thereof back again yeelding and paying yeerly to the Church of Rome over and above the Peter-pence a thousand Marks sterling viz. 700. for England and 300. for Ireland In the passing hereof this ceremony is observable that the Kings Instrument to the Pope was * Both Instruments for the present were but sealed with Wax and the next yeer solemnly embossed with mettall in the presence of Nicholas the Popes Legat. sealed with a seal of Gold and the Popes to the King which I have beheld and perused remaining amongst many rarities in the Earl of Arundels Library was sealed with a seal of Lead Such bargains let them look for who barter with his Holinesse alwayes to be losers by the contract Thy silver saith the c Isai 1. 22. The Rent never paid the Pope nor demanded
Henry so quickly recovered his Kingdom he recovered the entire possession of his Kingdom many things concurring to expedite so great an alteration First the insolency of the French disobliging the English by their cruelty and wantonness Secondly the inconstancy of the English if starting loyalties return to its lawful Soveraign may be so termed who as for their own turns they call'd in Lewis so for their turns they cast him out Thirdly the innocence of Prince Henry whose harmless age as it attracted love to him on his own account so he seemed also hereditarily to succeed to some pitty as the Son of a suffering Father Fourthly the wisdom and valor counsel and courage of William Earl of Pembroke Anno Regis Hen. 3 1. his Protector who Anno Dom. 1217. having got the French Lewis out of his covert of the City of London into the champion field so maul'd him at the fatal battel of Lincoln that soon after the said Lewis was fain by the colour of a composition to qualifie his retreat not to say his flight into the honour of a departure Lastly and chiefly the Mercy of God to an injured Orphan and his Justice that detained right though late yet at last should return to its proper owner 26. But it were not onely uncivil Our Principal design in writing this Kings life but injurious for us to meddle with these matters proper to the pens of the civil Historians We shall therefore confine our selves principally to take notice in this Kings Reign as of the unconscionable extortions of the Court of Rome on the one side to the detriment of the King and Kingdom so of the defence which the King as well as he could made against it Defence which though too faint and feeble fully to recover his right from so potent oppression yet did this good to continue his claim and preserve the title of his priviledges until his Son and Successors in after-ages could more effectually rescue the rights of their Crown from Papal usurpation 27. Indeed at this time many things imboldened the Pope not over-bashful of himself to be the more busie in the collecting of money Occasions of the Popes intolerable extortions First the troublesomness of the times and best fishing for him in such waters Secondly the ignorance of most and the obnoxiousness of some of the English Clergie Now such as had weak heads must finde strong backs and those that led their lives loose durst not carry their purses tied or grudg to pay dear for a connivence at their viciousness Thirdly the minority of King Henry and which was worse his non-age after his full-age such was his weakness of spirit and lowness of resolution Lastly the Pope conceiving that this King got his Crown under the countenance of his excommunicating his enemies thought that either King Henrie's weakness could not see or his goodness would winke at his intolerable extortions which how great soever were but a large shiver of that loaf which he had given into the Kings hand Presuming on the premisses Gualo the Popes Legat by his Inquisitors throughout England collected a vast summe of money of the Clergie for their misdemenours Hugo Bishop of Lincoln paying no less for his share then a thousand a Mat. Paris pag. 299. marks sterling to the Pope and an hundred to this his Legat. Yet when this Gualo departed such as hated his dwelling here grieved at his going hence because fearing a worse in his room chusing rather to be suck'd by full then fresh flies hoping that those already gorg'd would be afterwards less greedy 28. And being now to give the Reader a short account of the long Reign of this King A new design I shall alter my proceedings embracing a new course which hitherto I have not nor hereafter shall venture upon Wherein I hope the variation may be not onely pleasant but profitable to the Reader as scientifical and satisfactory in it self namely I will for the present leave off consulting with the large and numerous Printed or Manuscript Authors of that Age and betake my self only to the Tower-Records all authentically attested under the hands of William Ryley Norroy keeper of that pretious Treasury 29. When I have first exemplified them Good Text what ere the Comments I shall proceed to make such observations upon them as according to my weakness I conceive of greatest concernment being confident that few considerables in that Age which was the crisis of Regal and Papal power in this Land will escape our discovery herein 30. Onely I desire a pardon for the premising of this Touch of State-matters Serenity in the State At this instant the Common-wealth had a great serenity as lately cleared from such active spirits who nick-named the calme and quiet of Peace a sloth of Government Such Falcatius de Brent and others Anno Dom. 1214. who had merited much in setting this Henry the third on the Throne and it is dangerous when Subjects conferr too great benefits on their Sovereigns Anno Regis Hen. 3 7. for afterwards their mindes are onely made capable of receiving more reward not doing more duty These were offended when such Lands and Castles which by the heat of War had unjustly been given them by Peace were justly took away from them finding such uprightness in the King that his Power of Protection would not be made a wrong doer But now the old stock of such male-contents being either worne out with age or ordered otherwise into Obedience all things were in an universal tranquillity within the first seven years of this Kings Reign THOMAE HANSON Amico meo Anno Regis Anno Dom. DIsplicet mihi modernus Scribendi Mos quo Monumenta indies exarantur Literae enim sunt fugaces ut quae non stabili manu penitus Membranis infiguntur sed currente Calamo summam earum Cuticulam vix leviter praestringunt Hae cum saeculum unum alterum duraverint vel Linceis oculis lectu erunt perdifficiles Haud ita olim Archiva in Turre Londinensi Rotulis Scaccario c. deposita in quibus ingens Scribarum cura justa Membranarum firmitas Atramentum vere Aethiopicum integra Literarum lineamenta ut Calamus Praeli Aemulus videatur Ita adhuc vigent omnia in illis quae trecentis ab hinc Annis notata ut Is cui Characteris Antiquitas minus cognita nuperrime descripta judicaret Ex his nonnulla decerpsi ad Rem nostram facientia ea Tibi dedicanda curavi quem omnes norunt Antiquitatis Caniciem venerari Quo in Ducatus Lancastrensis Chartulis custodiendis nemo fidelior perlegendis oculatior communicandis candidior HEre we begin with the Kings Precept to the Sheriff of Buckinghamshire Henriâ— 3. 7 considerable for the Rarity thereof 1214 though otherwise but a matter of private concernment A remarkable writ of the King to the Sheriff of Buckinghamshire Vic. Bucks
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
particularities of their own Foundations then the exactest Historian who shall write a generall description thereof Masters Io. Fodering hay Robert Twaits Io. Abdy Io. Wickleffe Rob. Burley Ric. Burningham Will. White Geo. Cootes Will. VVright Fran. Babington Rich. Stubbs Ia. Gloucester Anth. Garnet Rob. Hooper Ia. Brookes Io. Piers Adam Squier Edm. Lilly Rob. Abbots Doct. Parkhurst Doct. Laurence Doct. Savadge Bishops Roger VVhelpdale Fellow Bishop of Carlile Geor. Nevill Chancellour of the University at twenty yeares of Age afterwards Arch-bishop of York and Chancellour of Engl. VVill. Gray Bishop of Ely Io. Bell Bishop of VVorcester Ioh. Piers Archbishop of York Rob. Abbots Bishop of Salisbury Geo. Abbot Fellow Arch-bishop of Canterbury Benefactours Philip Somervile Marg. his wife Ella de Long-Spee Countesse of Salisbury Rich. de Humsnigore L. VVill. Fenton Hugh de Vienna Knight Iohn Bell Bishop of VVorcester VVil. Hammond of Gilford Esq Peter Blundill of Teverton L. Eliz. Periam of the County of Buck. Tho. Tisdale of Glymton Com. Oxon. Esquire Mary Dunch Iohn Brown Learned Writ Io. Duns Scotus first of this then of Merton Colledge Humfrey Duke of Glocester commonly called the good VVill. VValton Fellow Chancellour of the Vniversity Tho. Gascoign Fellow Chancellour of the Vniversity a See more of him in our dedication to the second book Iohn Tiptoft Earle of VVorcester Rob. Abbots That Iohn VVickleffe here mentioned may be the great VVickleffe though others justly suspect him not the same because too ancient if this Catalogue be compleat to be the fourth Master of this House except they were incredibly vivacious Nothing else have I to observe of this Foundation save that at this day therein are maintained one Master twelve Fellows thirteen Scholars four Exhibitioners which with Servants Commoners and other Students lately made up one hundred thirty and six 50. Nor must we forget that besides others two eminent Iudges of our Land were both Contemporaries and Students in this Foundation A paire of Learned Iudges the Lord chief Baron Davenport and the Lord Thomas Coventry Lord Chancellour of England whose Father also a Iudge was a Student herein So that two great Oracles both of Law and Equity had here their Education 51. The other was Vniversity Colledge Vniversity Col. founded whereof I find different Dates and the founding thereof ascribed to severall Persons Founder 1 King Alfred 2 VVilliam de S to Carilefo Bishop of Durham 3 VVilliam Bishop of Durham though none at this time of the name 4 VVilliam Arch-deacon of Durham whom others confidently call VValter Time Anno 882. 1081. the 12. of King VVilliam the Conquerour 1217. in the first of Henry the 3. uncertain Author 1 Vniversall Tradition 2 Stow in his Chronicle Page 1061. to whom Pitz consenteth 3 Iohn Speed in his History pag. 817. 4 Camd. Brit. in Oxfordshire I dare interpose nothing in such great differences onely observe that Master Camden no lesse skilfull a Herald in ordering the antiquity of Houses then martialling the precedency of men makes Vniversity the third in order after Merton Colledge which makes me believe the founding thereof not so ancient as here it is inserted Masters 1 Roger Caldwell 2 Richard Witton 3 M. Rokleborough 4 Ranulph Hamsterley 5 Leonard Hutchinson 6 Iohn Craffurth 7 Richard Salvaine 8 George Ellison 9 Anthony Salvaine 10 Iames Dugdale 11 Thomas Key 12 William Iames 13 Anthony Gates 14 George Abbot 15 Iohn Bancroft 16 VValker 17 Hoile 18 Bishops St. Edmond Archb. of Cant. George Abbot Arch. of Cant. Iohn Bancroft Bishop of Oxford Benefactours VValer Shirlow Archdeacon of Durham 3 Fellowsh Henry Percey Earle of Northumberland 3 Fellowsh R. Dudley Earle of Leicester 2 Exhibitions each 20. pou per Annum Iohn Freistone 2 Exhibitions 20. pounds in all per Annum Gunsley 2 Exhibitions Mistris Payn 1 Exhibition 8 pounds Mr. Aston Sir Simon Bennet who hath bequeathed good lands after the decease of his Lady to encrease the Fellows and Scholars Mr. Charles Greenwood sometimes Fellow of this Colledge and Proctour to the Vniversity gave a thousand pounds to the building thereof Learn Writ Some charitable and able Antiquary fill up this vacuity So that at this present are maintained therein one Master eight Fellows one Bible-Clark which with Servants Commoners and other Students amount to the number of threescore and nine 52. Sure it is Iews damnable extortioners at this time Oxford flourished with multitude of Students King Henry conferring large favours upon them and this amongst the rest That no Iews a Claus 22. of Hen. 3. memb 9. in dorso living at Oxford should receive of Scholars above two-pence a week interest for the loan of twenty shillings that is eight shillings eight-pence for the interest of a pound in the year Hereby we may guesse how miserably poor people in other places were oppressed by the Iews where no restraint did limite their Usury so that the Interest amounted to the half of the Principall 53. Secondly A second priviledge whereas it was complained of That Iustice was obstructed and Malefactours protected by the Citizens of Oxford who being partiall to their own Corporation connived at offenders who had done mischiefs to the Scholars The King ordered that hereafter not onely the Citizens of Oxford but also any Officers in the Vicinage should be imployed in the apprehending of such who offered any wrong to the Students in the University 54. Lastly The third priviledge he enjoyned the Bailiffs of Oxford solemnly to acquaint the Chancellour thereof of those times when Bread and other Victualls were weighed and prized But in case the Chancellour had timely notice thereof refused to be present thereat then the Bailiffs notwithstanding his absence might proceed in the foresaid matters of weight and measure 55. We will conclude this Section with this civil and humble submission of the Dean and Chapter of S t. Asaph The submission of the Dean and Chapter of S. Asaph sent to the King in the vacancy as it seems of their Bishoprick though dislocated and some yeares set back in the date thereof Pat. 33. H. 3. M. 3. Universis Christi fidelibus ad quos presens scriptum pervenerit De recognitione Decani Capit de Sancto Asapho Decanus Capitulum de Sancto Asapho salutem in Domino Consuetudini antique dignitati quas Dominus Henricus illustris Rex Angl. progenitores sui habuerunt in Ecclesia Anglicana de petenda licentia eligendi vacantibus Episcopatuum Sedibus de requirendo assensu Regio post factam electionem obviare nolentes protestamur recognoscimus nos quotiens Ecclesia nostra Pastore vacaverit ab illustri Domino Rege Angl. Heredibus suis debere reverenter petere licentiam eligendi post electionem factam assensum eorum requirere Et ne super hoc futuris temporibus dubitetur presenti scripto Sigilla nostra fecimus apponi Dat. apud Sanctum Asaph Anno Domini M o.
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
pay and reward some of his poorest servants giving them money on this condition that hereafter they should serve no subject but onely the b Rex Platonicus pag. 43. King himself as if this had been suscipere gradum Simeonts for those who so long had attended on a Lord-Cardinal But this happened many years after we return to this proud Prelate while he flourished in the height of his Prosperity 36. Their heads will catch cold Wolsey turns his waiting into revenge which wait bare for a dead Popes Tiple-Crown Wolsey may be an instance hereof who on every avoidance of S t Peters Chaire was sitting down therein when suddenly some one or other clapt in before him Weary with waiting he now resolved to revenge himself on Charles the Emperour for not doing him right and not improving his power in preferring him to the Papacy according to his promioses and pretences He intends to smite Charles through the sides of his Aunt Katharine Queen of England endeavouring to alienate the Kings affections from her And this is affirmend by the generality of our Historians though some of late have endeavoured to acquit Wolsey as not the first perswader of the King divorce 37. Indeed he was beholding The scruple of the Kings marriage for the first hint thereof to the Spaniards themselves For when the Lady Mary was tendered in marriage to Philip Prince of Spain the Spanish Embassadours seemed to make some difficulty thereof and to doubt her extraction as begotten on a mother formerly married to her husbands elder brother Wolsey now put this scruple into the head of Bishop Longlands the Kings Confessour and he insinuated the same into the Kings conscience advising him hereafter to abstain from the company of his Queen to whom he was unlawfully married Adding moreover that after a divorce procured which the Pope in justice could not deny the King might dispose his affections where he pleased And here Wolsey had provided him a second Wife viz Margarite Countess of Alenzon sister to Francis King of France though heavens reserved that place not for the Mistress but her Maid I mean Anna Bollen who after the return of Mary the French Queen for England attended in France for some time on this Lady Margarite 38. Tunder needs no torch to light it The King willingly embraceth the motion the least spark will presently set it on flame No wonder if King Henry greedily resented the motion Male issue he much wanted and a young Female more on whom to beget it As for Queen Katharine he rather respected then affected rather honoured then loved her She had got an habit of miscarrying scarce curable in one of her age intimated in one of the Kings private papers as morbus incurabilis Yet publickly he never laid either fault or defect to her charge that not dislike of her person or conditions but onely principles of pure conseience might seem to put him upon endeavours of a Divorce 39. The business is brought into the Court of Rome The Pope a Captive there to be decided by Pope Clement the seventh Bnt the Pope at this time was not sui juris being a prisoner to the Emperour who constantly kept a guard about him 44. As for the Queens Councel Fishers short plea. which Anno Dom. 1529 though assigned to her Anno Regis Hen. 8 25. appear not dearly accepted by her as chosen rather by others for her then by her for her self I finde at this present little of moment pleaded or performed by them Onely Bishop Fisher affirmed that no more needed to be said for the validity of the marriage then Whom God hath joyned together let no man put asunder A most true position in it self if he could have cleared the application thereof to his Royal Client but Hoc restat probandum the contrary that God never joyned them together being vehemently urged by her adversaries 45. Notwithstanding the Queens absence The pleas of the Kings Councel the Court proceeded And first the Kings Proctors put in their exceptions against both Bull and Breve of Pope Julius the second dispensing with the Kings marriage with his brothers wife viz. 1. That they were not to be found amongst the Original Records in Rome 2. That they were not extant in Chartaphylacio amongst the King of Englands papers most concerned therein but found onely in Spain amongst the writings of a State-Officer there 3. That in them it was falsely suggested as if the same were procured at the instance of Henry Prince of Wales who then not being above thirteen years old was not capable of such intentions 4. That the Date thereof was somewhat discrepant from the form used in the Court of Rome 46. After this Secrets sub sigillo thalami many witnesses on the Kings side were deposed July 12. and though this favour is by custome indulged to the English Nobility to speak on their Honours yet the Canon-Law taking no notice of this their municipal priviledg and for the more legal validity of their restimonies required the same on oath though two Dukes one Dutchess one Marquess many Lords and Ladies gave in their depositions These attested 1. That both were of sufficient age Prince Arthur of fifteen years the Lady Katharine somewhat elder 2. That constant their cohabitation at board and in bed 3. That competent the time of the same as full five moneths 4. That entire their mutual affection no difference being ever observ'd betwixt them 5. That Henry after his Brothers death by an instrument produced in Court and attested by many witnesses refused to marry her though afterwards altered by the importunity of others 6. That by several expressions of Prince Arthur's it appeared he had carnal knowledg of the Lady Katharine The beds of private persons are compassed with curtaines of Princes vailed also with canopies to conceal the passages therein to which modesty admitteth no witnesses Pitty it is that any with Pharaoh should discover what is exchanged betwixt Isaac and Rebekah all which are best stifled in secrecy and silence However such the nature of the present cause that many privacies were therein discovered 47. Observe by the way A shrewd retortion that whereas it was generally alledged in favour of the Queen that Prince Arthur had not carnal Knowledg of her because soon after his marriage his consumptionish body seemed unfit for such performances this was retorted by testimonies on the Kings side his witnesses deposing that generally it was reported and believed the Prince impaired his health by his over liberal paiment of due benevolence 48. It was expected that the Cardinals should now proceed to a definitive sentence An end in vain expected according as matters were alledged and proved unto them The rather because it was generally reported that Campegius brought over with him a Bull Decretal to pronounce a nulsity of the match if he saw just cause for the same Which rumor like
an injurious and violent degradation deprived him not of his Episcopal indeleble character so that still in right he remained a Bishop 41. Eight Cavil God send valour at last He failed more in his Martyrdome by reason of his cowardly recantation thorow hopes of life and restitution to his former dignity then any of his fellow Martyrs Answer It is confessed But his final constancy may well cover his intermediate failings Better it is faintly and fearfully to bear in our body the marks of our Lord Jesus then stoutly and stubbornly to endure the brands of our own indiscretion 42. Last Cavil Remember not what God had forgotten He was condemned for high Treason for an act done by him as an Arch-Bishop and Councellor of State for which he professed both his sorrow a Mr Pryn 134. and repentance Did he so indeed by the confession of this his adversary The more unworthy man his accusor after this his sorrow and repentance to upbraid him therewith M r Pryn might also remember that the two Lord chief Justices were in the same Treason whose Education made them more known in the Laws of the Land and our Cranmer was last and least in the fault it being long before he could be perswaded to subscribe to the disinheriting of Queen Mary 43. We appeal to the unpartial Reader upon the perusal of the premisses whither an ordinary charity might not yea ought not to have past by these accusations and whether the memory of Arch-Bishop Cramner may not justly say of M r Pryn as once the King of b An appeal to any indifferent Israel of the King of Syria wherefore consider I pray you and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me Indeed so great is his antipathy against Episcopacy that if a Seraphim himself should be a Bishop he would either finde or make some sick feathers in his wings 44. Cranmer was now setled in his Arch-Bishoprick Cranmer Divorceth King Henry and the first eminent act of his office was exercised in the Kings Divorce A Court is called in the Priory of Dunstable in Bedford-shire as a favourable place indifferently distanced but five miles from Amphil where Queen Katharine resided With Cranmer were the Bishops of London Winchester Bath and Lincoln with many other great Prelates These summoned Queen Katharine to appear before them full fifteen dayes together on whose refusal they not onely adjudged her contumacious but also pronounced her match with the King as null and unlawful by Scripture and soon after it was proclaimed that hence forward none should call her Queen but the Dowager of Prince Arthur And thus a few dayes had dispatched that Divorce which had depended many years in the Court of Rome 45. And now I cannot call King Henry a Batchelor Who Marrieth a Lady and a Bollen because once married nor a married man because having no wife nor properly a widower because his wife was not dead But he therefore a single or rather a separated person remaining so if at all but a very short time as soon after solemnly married to the Lady Anna Bollen of whom largely hereafter 46. Now began Elizbeth Barton to play her tricks The Imposture of Elibeth Barton commonly called the holy Maid of Kent though at this day of Kent alone is left unto her as whose Maiden-ship is vehemently suspected and holiness utterly denied she was famous on a double account First for knowing secrets past and indeed she could tell any thing which was told her conversing with Fryers her familiars and other folks Confessors who revealed many privacies unto her Secondly she was eminent for foretelling things to come and some of her predictions hit in the mark procured to the rest the reputation of prophecy with credulous people She foretold that King Henry should not be King a full twelve moneth except he reassumed Queen Katharine to be his Wife 47. I am heartily sorry that the gravity of John Fisher Fisher More befooled by her forgery Bishop of Rochechester should be so light and the sharp sight of S r Thomas More so blinde as to give credit to so notorious an Impostrix which plunged them both into the Kings deep displeesure As for Elizabeth Bvrton soon after she was executed with many of her complices and complotters The Papist at this day unable to defend her forgery and unwilling to confess her cheating seek to salve all by pleading her to be distracted Thus if succeeding she had been praised and perchance Canonized for her devotion now failing she must be pardoned and pittied for her distraction 48. We may remember Bish Fisher imprisoned for refusing the Oath of Supremacy how not long since the Clergie did own and recognize King Henry the eighth for Supreme Head of the Church which was clearly carried by a plurality of voices in the Convocation John Fisher Bishop of Rochester was the onely eminent Clergy-man who openly opposed it One obnoxious to the Kings dispeasure on a threefold account first for engaging so zealously above the earnestness of an Advocate against the Kings Divorce Secondly for tampering with that notable Impositrix the holy maid of Kent Thirdly for refusing the Oath of Supremacy for which he was now imprisoned Indeed this Bishop lost himself both with his friends and his â—oes by his inconstancy at the first seeing he who should have been as staid as the Tower was as wavering as the Weather-cock neither complying with the King nor agreeing with himself but would and would not acknowledge the Kings Supremacy But at last he fixed himself on the negative and resolutely continued therein till the day of his death of whom more largely hereafter 49. The Clergie in the Province of York did also for a long time deny the Kings Supremacy The Convocation of York denies the Kings Supremacy Indeed the Convocation of York hath ever since struck Talies with that of Canterbury though not implicitly unanimously post-concurring therewith But here they dissented not because more Knowing in their judgments or tender in their consciences but generally more superstitious and addicted to Popery Insomuch that they sent two LETTERS to the King I conceive them written one from the upper the other from the lower house of Convocation wherein they acquainted his Highness with their judgments interlacing many expressions of general submission and their Reasons in a large discourle why they could not acknowledg him to be Supreme Head of the Church 50. Give me leave to suspect Edward Lee Edw. Lee Arch-Bishop of York a furious Papist De Scriptoribus Drit in Edwardo Sexto Arch-Bishop of York for a secret fomentor of this difference He was a virulent Papist much conceited of his own Learning which made him to write against Erasmus and a persecutor of Protestants witness John Bale convented before him for suspicion of heresie who in vain earnestly pleaded Scripture in his own defence till at last he casually made use of a
be then alive thereunto before the marriage had in writing sealed with their seals which Condition We declare limit and appoint and will by these presents shall be to the said estate of Our said Daughter ELIZABETH in the said Imperiall Crown and other the premises knit and invested And if it shall fortune Our said Daughter ELIZABETH to die without Issue of Her body lawfully begotten We will that after Our decease and for default of Issue of the several bodies of Us and of our said Son Prince EDWARD and of Our said Daughters MARY and ELIZABETH and said Imperiall Crown and other the premises after Our decesse shall wholly remain and come to the Heires of the body of the Lady FRANCES Our Niece eldest Daughter to Our late Sister the French Queen lawfully begotten and for default of such Issue of the body of the said Lady FRANCES We will that the said Imperiall Crown and other the premises after Our decease and for default of Issue of the severall bodies of Us and of Our Son Prince EDWARD and of Our Daughters MARY and ELIZABETH and of the Lady FRANCES lawfully begotten shall wholly remain and come to the Heirs of the body of the Lady ELANOR Our Niece second Daughter to Our said Sister the French Queen lawfully begotten And if it happen the said Lady ELANOR to die without Issue of Her body lawfully begotten We will that after our decease and for default of Issue of the severall bodies of Us and of Our said Son Prince EDWARD and of Our said Daughters MARY and ELIZABETH and of the said Lady FRANCES and of the said Lady ELANOR lawfully begotten the said Imperiall Crown and other the premises shall wholly remain and come to the next rightfull Heirs And we sill that if Our said Daughter MARY doe marry without the consent and assent of the Privy Counsellours and others appointed by Us to be of Counsell to Our said Son Prince EDWARD or the most part of them as shall then be alive thereunto before the said marriage had in writing sealed with their seals as is aforesaid that then and from thenceforth for lack of Heirs of the severall bodies of Us and of Our said Son Prince EDWARD lawfully begotten the said Imperial Crown shall wholly remain be and come to Our said Daughter ELIZABETH and to the Heirs of Her body lawfully begotten in such manner and form as though Our said Daughter MARY were then dead without any Issue of the body of Our said Daughter MARY lawfully begotten Any thing contained in this Our Will or any Act of Parliament or Statute to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding And in case Our said Daughter the Lady MARY doe keep and perform the said Condition expressed declared and limited to Her estate in the said Imperiall Crown and other the premises in this Our last will declared And that Our said Daughter ELIZABETH doe not keep and perform for Her part the said condition declared and limited by this Our last Will to the estate of the said Lady ELIZABETH in the said Imperiall Crown of this Realm of England and Ireland Ann. Dom. 1546 and other the premises Ann. Regis HeÌ„ 8. 38. We will that then â—and from thencesorth after Our decease and for lack of Heirs of the several bodies of Us and of Our said Son Prince EDWARD and of Our said Daughter MARY lawfull begotten the said Imperiall Crown and other the premises shall wholly remain and come to the next Heirs lawfully begotten of the body of the said Lady FRANCES in such manner and form as though the said Lady ELIZABETH were then dead without any Heir of Her body lawfully begotten Any thing contained in this Will or in any Act or Statute to the contrary not withstanding the remainders over for lack of Issue of the said Lady FRANCES lawfully begotten to be an continue to such persons like remainders and estates as is before limited and declared And We being now at this time thanks to Almighty God of perfect memory Names of the Executo s. doe constitute and ordain these personages following Our Executors and Performers of this Our last Will and Testament willing commanding and praying them to take upon them the occupation and performance of the same as Executors Tho Cranmer that is to say the Archbishop of Canterbury the Lord Wriothesly Chancellour of England the Lord St. John greater Master of Our House Edw. Seymour John Dudley the Earl of Hartford great Chamberlain the Lord Russell Lord Privie Seal the Viscount Lisle high Admirall of England the Bishop Tonstall of Duresme Sir Anthony Browne Knight Master of our Horses Sir Edward Montague Knight chiefe Judge of the Common Pleas Justice Bromley Sir Edward North Knight Chancellour of the Augmentations Sir William Pagett Knight Our chief Secretary Sir Anthony Denny Sir William Herbert Knights chief Gentlemen of Our Privy Chamber Sir Edward Wotton Knight and Mr. Doctor Wotton his brother and all these We will to be Our Executors and Counsellors of the Privie Counsell with Our said Son Prince EDWARD in all matters concerning both his private affairs and publick affairs of the Realm willing and charging them and every of them as they must and shall answer at the day of judgment wholly and fully to see this my last Will and Testament performed in all things with as much speed an diligence as may be and that none of them presume to meddle with any of Our treasure or to do any thing appointed by Our said Will alone unlesse the most part of the whole number of these Co-executors doe consent and by writing agree to the same And will that Our said Executors or the most part of them may lawfully doe what they shall think most convenient for the execution of this Our Will without being troubled by Our said Son or any other for the same Willing further by Our said last Will and Testament that Sir Ed mund Peckham Our trusty servant and yet Cofferer of Our house shall be Treasurer and have the receipt and laying out of all such treasure and money as shll be defrayed by Our Executors for the performance of this Our last Will straightly charging and commanding the said Sir Edmund that he pay no great summe of money but he have first the hands of Our said Executors or of the most part of them for his discharge touching the same charging him further upon his allegiance to make a true account of all such summes as shall be delivered to his hands for this purpose And sithence We have now named and constituted Our Executors We will and charge them that first and above all things as they will answer before God and as We put Our singular trust and confidence in them that they cause all Our due Debts that can be reasonably shewed and proved before them to be fully contented and payed as soon as they conveniently can or may after Our decease without longer delay and that they doe
those daies deserveth not ivie in cur Age. Now seeing by the rules of justice and the Kings own appointment His Debts were to be paid before His Legacies and seeing many of His personall debts remained unsatisfied till the daies of Queen Elizabeth probably most of these Legacies were never paid especially to inferiour persons As if it were honour enough for them to have such summs bequeathed unto though never bestowed upon them 53. Whereas mention in this Will of a Monument well onwards and almost made Monument made for the King by the Cardinal it is the same which Cardinal Wolsey built For King Henry and not for himself as is commonly reported Wherefore whereas there goeth a tale That King Henry one day finding the Cardinal with the workmen making His Monument should say unto him Tumble your self in this Tomb whilest you are alive for when dead you shall never lie therein it is a meer fiction the Cardinal originally intending the same for the King as appeareth by the ancient Inscription * Godwin in Hen 8. p. 200. thereupon wherein King Henry was stiled LORD not KING of Ireland without addition of supreme Head of the Church plainly shewing the same was of antient date in the daies of the Cardinal 54. Whereas the Lady Mary and Elizabeth Why His Nieces more at liberty than his Daughters Their marriages are so severely conditioned that if made without consent of the Councell They were to forfeit Their right to the Crown men interpret it as provided in terrorem and not otherwise Yet this clause was it which afterwards put so plausible a pretence on Wiat his rebellion which though made of rotten cloth had notwithstanding a good colour thereon Now whereas the King's Nieces the Daughters to Mary His younger Sister were not clogg'd in this His Will with such restrictions concerning their Marriages the plain reason was because both of them were already married before this Will was made Frances the elder to Henry Gray Marquesse Dorset afterward Duke of Suffolke and Eleanour the younger to Henry Clifford Earl of Cumberland 55. The Portion of but ten thousand pounds a piece left to His two Daughters Ten thousand pounds the portion of a Princesse was not much unproportionable to the value of money as it went in that Age though a summe small for such an use in our daies And I have heard that Queen Elizabeth being informed that Doctor Pilkington Bishop of Durham had given ten thousand pounds in marriage with his Daughter and being offended that a Prelates daughter should equal a Princesse in portion took away one thousand pounds a year from that Bishoprick and assigned it for the better maintenance of the Garrison of Barwick 56. Very much of His own abitrarinesse appears in this Will of King Henry Much of arbitrarinesse in this Will entalling the Crown according to His own fancie against all right and reason For first how unjust was it that His female issue by Queen Katharine Parr His last Wife had He had any should inherit the Crown before Mary and Elizabeth His eldest Daughters by His former Wives If Mary and Elizabeth were not His lawfull Children how came They by any right to the Crown If His lawfull Children why was Their birth-right and seniority not observed in succession Well it was for Them that Henry Fitz Roy His naturall Son but one of supernaturall and extraordinary endowments was dead otherwise some suspect had He survived King Edward the sixth we might presently have heard of a K. Henry the ninth so great was His Fathers affection and so unlimited His power to preferre Him 57. But the grand injury in this His Testament is The Scotish Line quite left out That He quite passeth over the Children of Margaret His eldest Sister married into Scotland with all Her issue not so much as making the least mention thereof 58. Great indeed when this Will was first made was the antipathy which for the present possessed Him against the Scotch with whom then He was in actual warre though at other times when in good humour very courteous to His kinred of that extraction For most sure it is that when Margaret Douglas His Sisters Daughter was married to Math. Earle of Lenox He publickly professed That in case His own Issue failed He should be right glad some of Her body should sacceed to the Crown as it came to * Henry Lord Darly her Son Father to King James passe 59. Of the eleven Witnesses Legatees Witnesses in Kings Will. whose names are subscribed to His Will the nine first are also Legatees therein and therefore because reputed Parties not sufficient Witnesses had it been the Will of a private person But the Testaments of Princes move in an higher sphere than to take notice of such Punctilloes and forraigners being unfit to be admitted to such privacies domesticall Servants were preferred as the properest Witnesses to attest an Instrument of their Lord and Master 60. It is but just with God that He who had too much of His Will done Little of His Will performed when living should have the lesse when dead of His Testament performed The ensuing Reformation swept away the Masses and Chantery Priests founded to pray for His soul The Tombs of Henry the sixth and Edward the fourth the one the last of Lancaster the other the first of Yorke the Titles of both which Houses met in this Henry remain at this day in statu quo priùs without any amendment Where by the way seeing in this Will King Henry the sixth is styled his Uncle I cannot make out the relation in the common sence of the word except any will say that Kings Uncles as their Cousins are oft taken in a large and favourable acception But the main wherein His Will missed the intent is in that the Scotch Line neglected and omitted by Him ordinary Heirs are made in Heaven Heirs to Crowns in the Heaven of Heavens came in Their due time to the Throne Their undoubted Right thereunto recognized by Act of Parliament 61. After the making of this his Will His disease and the manner of His death He survived a full Month falling immediately sick He had sesque corpus a body and half very abdominous unweldy with fat and it was death to Him to be dieted so great His appetite and death to Him not to be dieted so great His corpulency But now all His humours repaired to one place and setled themselves in an old sore in His thigh which quickly grew to be greatly enflamed Here flame met with fire the anguish of the sore with an hot and impatient temper so that during his sickness few of His Servants durst approach His presence His Physicians giving Him over desired some who tendred the good of His soul to admonish Him of His estate But such who could flie with good tidings would not halt to Him with ill newes Besides lately a Law was made That
Sermons in a Church once constituted were needlesse as ministring matter of Schismes and disputes and at the best onely profiting the present whilest prayers benefitted as well the absent as the present dead as living But especially prayers of Monasteries commanded Heaven pleased with the holy violence of so many and mighty petitioners By these and other artifices they undermined all Priests in the affections of their own people and procured from Pope and Prince that many Churches Presentative with their Glebes and Tithes were app-ropriated to their Covents leaving but a poor pittance to the Parish Vicar though the Pope as styling himself but a Vicar ought to have been more sensible of their sad condition 3. Besides appropriation of such Churches And other Priests from exemption from Tithes Abbeys also wronged Parish-Priests by procuring from the Pope Paschal the second Anno Dom. 1100 in the Councel of Mentz that their Demesnes Farmes and Granges antiently paying Tithes like the Lands of other Lay-men should hereafter be free from the same But this exemption was afterwards by Pope Adrian the fourth about the year 1150 justly limited and restrained Religious Order being enjoyned the payment of Tithes of whatsoever increase they had in their own occupation save of new improvements by culture of pasture of their cattle a Vid. Alex. 4. in 6. de dec c. 2. Statuto In. Noc 8. tom 2. p. 4. 10. Edit Coloniens and of garden fruits Onely three Orders namely the Cistertians Templers and Knights-Hospitallers otherwise called of S. John's of Jerusalem were exempted from the generall payment of all Tithes whatsoever 4. And Freedom from Tithes goeth by favour why Cistertians rather than any other Order Give me leave to conjecture three Reasons thereof 1. Adrian the fourth our none Countrey-man was at first a Benedictine-Monke of S. Albans and these Cistertians were onely Benedictines refined 2. They were the Benjamins one of the youngest remarkable Orders of that Age and therefore made Darlings not to say Wantons by the Holy Father the Pope 3. It is suspitious that by bribery in the Court of Rome they might obtain this priviledge so beneficial unto them For I finde that K. Richard the first disposed his Daughter Avarice to be married to the Cistertian-Order as the most grasping and griping of all others I leave it others to render Reasons why Templers and Hospitallers being meer Lay-men and divers times of late adjudged in the Court of Aides in b Le Bret. Advoc ex la dicte cour Playdoie 27. Paris no part of the Clergie should have this priviledge to be exempted from Tithes But we remember they were Sword-men and that aweth all into obedience 5. However the Lateran-Councell Confined to Lands given before the Lateran Councel holden Anno 1215 Ordered That this priviledge of Tithe-freedome to the aforesaid three Orders should not extend to Postnates as I may term them to Covents erected since the Lateran-Councell nor to Lands since bestowed on the aforesaid Orders though their Covents were erected before that Councell Therefore when the covetous Cistertians contrary to the Canons of that Councell purchased Bulls from the Pope to discharge their Lands from Tithes Henry the fourth pitying the plea of the poor Parish Priest by Statute nulled such c Anno 2 Hen. the fourth cap. 4. Bulls and reduced their Lands into that state wherein they were before 6. Once it was in my minde to set to down a Catalogue easie to doe Offend none in a captious Age. and usefull when done of such houses of Cistertians Templers and Hospitallers which were founded since the Lateran Councell yet going under the generall notion of Tithe-free to the great injury of the Church But since on second thoughts I conceived it better to let it alone as not sure on such discovery of any blessing from those Ministers which should gain but certain of many curses from such Lay-men who should lose thereby 7. Now A price in the hand but no heart when King Henry the eight dissolved Monasteries there was put into His hand an opportunity and advantage to ingratiate Himself and His memory for ever namely by restoring Tithes appropriated to Abbeys to their respective Parishes But whether He wanted minde or minding or both God would not doe Him so much honour that He should doe so much honour to God and his Church being now past like Lay-fees with the rest of the Abbey-land to the great empairing of the just maintenance of Ministers 8. Lastly Sancturies Sewers of sin one grand mischief to omit many others done by Monasteries was by the priviledges of Sanctuaries whereby their houses became the sink and center of sinners to the great dishonour of God and obstruction of justice 9. And here I commend the memory of Turketill The conscientious Abbot of Crowland once Abbot of Crowland being confident that the Reader will joyn with me in his commendation Such vast immunities were bestowed on that Covent by Witlaffe King d In Gulphi Histor pag. 856. of Mercia that if any Officer did follow an Offender of what nature soever to fetch him out of that Liberty he was to have his right foot cut off Strange exchange when a legall Presecutor is made a Malefactour and the Malefactour an Innocent such the converting power of a Monkish Asylum But in processe of time and depredation of the Danes this priviledge was lost and profered afterwards by some Saxon Kings to be restored which Turketill would never consent unto and take it in the e Idem p. 879. Authors own words Antiquam verò loci impunitatem vel immunitatem nullo modo consensit acquirere ne sceleratis impiis refugium à publicis legibus videretur in aliquo praebere cum hujusmodi maleficiis compelleretur vel in aliquo contra conscientiam suam cohabitare seu consentire This Priviledge other Churches of S. Albans Beverly Westminster did accept Such Sanctuaries were grievances constantly complained of in Parliaments till Richard the second first began Henry the fourth and seventh proceeded to regulate them as abused and usurping and Henry the eighth utterly abolished them as uselesse and unlawfull Of the prime Officers and Officines of Abbeys The Officers in Abbeys were either supreme The Abbot as the Abbot or to use a Canonical term a In Vitis viginti trium Abbatum S. Alban pag. 170. Obediential as all others under him The Abbot had Lodgings by himself with all Offices thereunto belonging The rest took precedencies according to the Topical Statutes of their Covents but for the generality they thus may be marshalled 2. First the Prior The Prlor who like the President under the Master in our Colledges in Cambridge was next to the Abbot Note by the way that in some Covents which had no Abbots the Prior was Principal as the President in some b Magd. Corp. Christi Trâ—n S. Johns Oxford-Foundations and being
His choller now swelling high because opposed by the Rebels more than His judgment in this His expression and seeing an Historian should suum cuique tribuere give me leave a little to enlarge in this subject 2. Of the Lord Marney What the Lord Marney was I can say but little finding him whilst as yet but a Knight Sir Henry Servant and one of the Executors to the Lady Margaret Countesse of Darby at which time he was Chancellour of the Dutchie of Lancaster It seemeth he rose by the Law being the first and last Baron of his name whose sole Daughter was married to Thomas Howard Vicount Bindon 3. Longer must we insist on the Parentage Three noble Branches of the Darcyes in the North. performances and posterity of Thomas Lord Darcy finding in the North three distinct branches thereof whereof the first was Begun Continued Extingnished In Norman de Adrecy or Darcy possessed under K Will the Conquerour of many Manours in Yorke shire and * Dooms-day book chap. 32. in Lincoln shire Lincoln shire where Normanbye His prime seat seemeth so named by him For ten Generations most of them buried in Noketon Priory in Lincoln sh by them founded and indowed viz 1. Robert 2. Thomas 3. Thomas 4. Norman 5. Norman 6. Philip. 7. Norman 8. Philip. 9. Norman 10. Philip. In Philip Darcy dying issue-less whose two Sisters and Co-heires were married the one to Roger Pedwardine the other to Peter of Limbergh 4. The first Male Line of the Darcyes being thus determined a second Race succeeded derived from Norman Darcy the Penultim Lord in the last Pedigree Begun Continued Extinguished In Iohn Darcy Son to the aforesaid Norman Steward to the King's Houshold Justice of Ireland For five descents being Barons of Knaith Moynill 1. John 2. John 3. Philip. 4. John 5 Philip. In Philip the fifth Baron who though dying under age left two Daughters Elizabeth married to Sir James Strangewayes of Hartley Castle and Margaret to Sir Iohn Coigniers of Hornbey-Castle 5. Thus expired the second Male stem of the Darcyes styled Barons of Knaith long since aliened from their Family and for this last hundred years the habitation of the Lord Willoughby of Parham Come we now to the third Stemme which was Begun Continned Extinguished In Sir Iohn Darcy of Torxay second Son to the last Lord John Darcy of Knaith Through seven Generations 1. Richard 2. William 3. Thomas 4. George 5. Iohn 6. Michael 7. Iohn In Iohn Lord Darcy of Ashton dying issue-lesse though hee had foure Wives in the Reigne of King Charles 6. Thomas Darcy here named is the person the subject of this discourse of whom four things are memorable 1. He was Knighted by K. Henry the seventh who made him Captain of the Town and Castle of Barwick * privatae Sigilla de anno 14 Henrici 7. and Commander of the East and Middle Marches 2. K Henry the eighth in the first year of his Reign made him Iustice in Eyre of the Forests beyond Trent summoned him the same yeare as a Baron to Parliament imployed him with a Navie An. 1511. to assist Ferdinand King of Arragon against the Moores and made him knight of the Garter 3. Though the Ancestours of this Thomas Darcy since the second Branch was expired were styled Lords in some Deeds whether by the courtesie of the Countrey or because the right of a Barony lay in them yet this Thomas was the first summoned Baron to Parliament in the first of King Henry the eighth and his Successours took their place accordingly 4. Though the Revenue of this Thomas Lord Darcy was not great at the beginning of King Henry the eighth because the Heires Generall of the Lord Darcyes of Knaith carried away the maine of the Inheritance yet he had a considerable Estate augmented by his Match with Dowsabella the Daughter and Heire of Sir Richard Tempest The result of all is this This Lord was most Honourably descended and his Nobility augmented not first founded by K. Henry the eighth as his words did intimate Let therefore passionate Princes speak what they please their patient Subjects will believe but their just proportion And although the Foxes eares must be reputed horns whilst the Lyon in presence is pleased so to term them yet they never alter their nature and quickly recover the name after the Lyons departure This I though fit to write in vindication of the Lord Darcy who though he owed his life to the Law it is cruelty he should lose both it and the just honour of his Extraction 7. As for the present Coigniers Lord Darcy he is not onely descended from the foresaid Lord Thomas but also from the Heire Generall of the second Stem of the Lord Darcyes of Knaith and was by King Charles accordingly restored to take his place in Parliament The antient English Nobility great Losers by the Dissolution of Abbeys ALthough many modern Families have been great Gainers by the destruction of Monasteries Antient Nobility losers yet the Antient Nobility when casting up their Audits found themselves much impaired thereby both in power and profit commodity and command I mean such whose Ancestours had been Founders of Abbeys or great Benefactours unto them These reserved to themselves and their Heirs many Annual Rents and Services Reliefs Escuage as also that such Abbots and their Successours should doe Fealry and Homage to their Heirs for such Lands as they held of them in Knights Service 2. Now although order was taken at the dissolution to preserve such Rents to the Founders Heires payable unto them by the Kings Officers out of the Exchequer yet such summes after long attendance were recovered with so much difficulty that they were lost in effect Good rents ill paid Thus when the few sheaves of the Subject are promiscuously made up in the Kings mewe it is hard to finde them there and harder to fetch them thence 3. As for the foresaid Services reserved either at money Services wholly lost or money worth to them and their Heires they were totally and finally extinguished for formerly such Abbeys used 1. To send men on their own Charges in Voyages to Warre to aid and attend such of their Founders and Benefactors Heires of whom they held Land in Knights service 2. They bountifully contributed a Portion to the Marriage of their eldest Daughters 3. They bear the Costs and charges to accoutre their eldest Sonnes in a gentile military equipage when Knighted by the King But now the Tree being pluckt up by the roots no such fruit could afterwards be expected 4. Nor must we forget the benefit of Corrodies With the commodity of Corodies so called à conradendo from eating together for the Heires of the foresaid Founders not by courtesie but composition for their former favours had a priviledge to send a set number of their poor Servants to Abbeys to diet therein Thus many aged Servants past working not feeding costly to keep and
the Kings power but flattered into them by the apprehension of their own profit For many lands of subjects either naturally bald or newly shaven of their woods were commuâ—ed for Granges of Abbeys which like Satyres or Salvages were all over grown with trees and timber besides other disadvantages both for quantity and quality of ground as enhaunced for old rent Oh! here was the Royall Exchange 6. Lastly Unconscionable under-sale of Abbey-lands by sale at under-rates Indeed it is beneath a Prince enough to break His state to stoop to each Virgate and rod of ground Pedlar-like to higgle for a toy by retail and all Tenants and Chapmen which contract with Kings expect good bargains yet Officers entrusted to manage the revenue of the Crown ought not to behold it abused out of all distance in such under-valuations Except any will say He is not deceived who would be deceived and King Henry for the reason aforesaid connived at such bargains wherein rich Meadow was sold for barren Heath great Oaks for Fewell and Farms for revenue passed for Cottages in reputation But for farther instruction we remit the Reader to that information i Weaver's funerall Mon. pag. 125. presented to Queen Elizabeth by a man in authority though namelesse of the severall frauds and deceipts offered the Crown in this kinde But the motion rather drew odium on the Authour than brought advantage to the Crown partly because of the number and quality of persons concerned therein and partly because after thirty years the owners of Abbeys were often altered And though the chamber be the same yet if the guests be a new company it is hard for the host from them to recover his old arrearages Yea by this time when the foresaid information was given in the present possessors of much Abbey-land were as little allied to those to whom King Henry granted them as they to whom the King first passed them were of kin to the first Founders of those Monasteries Of the actions of policie pietie charitie and justice done by King Henry the eighth out of the revenues of dissolved Abbeys WE would not willingly be accounted like those called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amongst the Jewes Good as well as bad must be observed in mixt actions whose office it was onely to take notice of the blots or blemishes the defects and deformities in sacrifices We would not weed King Henry's actions in His dissolving of Abbeys so as onely to mark the miscarriages and misdemeanous therein Come we to consider what commendable deeds this King did raise on the ruines of Monasteries 2. First K. Henry augmented the Crown-revenues He politickly increased the revenues of the Crown and Dutchie of Lancaster on which He bestowed the rich Abbey of Fourness in that County with annexing much land thereto and erecting the Court of Augmentations whereof largely hereafter for the more methodicall managing thereof though alas what the Crown possessed of Abbey-land was nothing to what He passed away Surely had the revenues of Monasteries been entirely kept and paid into the Exchequer there to make an Aerarium sacrum or Publick treasurie it is questionable whether the same had been more for the ease of the Subject or use and honour of the Soveraigne 3. Secondly Founded five new Bishopricks He piously founded five Bishopricks de novo besides one at West-minster which continued not where none had been before For though antiently there had been a Bishops Seat at Chester for a short time yet it was then no better than the Summer-house of the Bishop of Lichfield onely during the life of one Peter living there which now was solemnly made a Bishoprick for succession and four others namely Bishops See Diocesse assigned it Taken from the Bishoprick of 1. Oxford 2. Bristoll 3. Peterborough 4. Gloucester 5. Chester 1. Oxford shire 2. Dorset and some part of Gloucester shire 3. Northampton shire and Rutland 4. Gloucester-shire the rest 5. Chester Lancaster and Richmond shire 1. Lincolne 2. Sarisbury 3. Lincolne 4. Worcester 5. Lichfield and York Such who are Prelatically perswaded must acknowledge these new foundations of the King 's for a worthy work Those also of contrary judgment will thus farre forth approve His act because had He otherwise expended these Abbey-lands and not continued them to our times in these new Bishopricks they had not been in being by their late sale to supply the Common-wealth 4. Thirdly Monks places turned into Prebends where He found a Prior and Monks belonging to any antient Cathedral-Church there He converted the same into a Dean and Prebendaries as in 1. Canterbury 2. Winchester 3. Elie. 4. Norwich 5. Worcester 6. Rochester 7. Duresme 8. Carlile I dare not say that He entirely assigned though a good a Godwin in Henry the 8. Anno 1539. Nothing was taken away Authour affirmeth it all or the most part of those Priorie-lands to these His new foundations However the expression of a late b Dr. Montague Bishop of Norwich is complained of as uncivil and untrue that King Henry took away the sheep from that Cathedral and did not restore so much as the trotters unto it 5. Fourthly Grammar-schools founded by Him He charitably founded many Grammar-schools great need whereof in that Age in this Land as in Canterbury Coventry Worcester c. allowing liberall salaries to the Masters and Ushers therein had they been carefully preserved But sometimes the gifts of a bountifull Master shrink in the passage thorough the hands of a covetous Steward 6. Fiftly Hospitalls by Him conferr'd on London He charitably bestowed Gray Friers now commonly called Christ-Church and the Hospital of S. Bartholomew in London on that City for the relief of the poor thereof For the death of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke His beloved Brother-in-Law happ'ning the July before so impressed King Henry with a serious apprehension of His own mortality such the sympathy of tempers intimacie of converse and no great disparity of age betwixt them that He thought it high time to bethink Himself of His end and to doe some good work in order thereunto Hereupon on the 13 of January following Anno c Stows Survey of London pag. 417. 1546. He bestowed the said Hospitals on the City a gift afterwards confirmed and enlarged by King Edward the sixt 7. Sixtly Trinity College in Cambridge and Professors places by Him endowed He built and endowed the magnificent Colledge of Trinity finished Kings-Colledge Chappell-in Cambridge and founded Professours places for Languages Physick Law and Divinity in both Universities as in the proper place thereof shall hereafter largely appear 8. Seventhly Leland employed by Him to survey collect and preserve Antiquities He employed John Leland a most learned Antiquary to perambulate and visit the ruines of all Abbeys and record the Memorables therein It seems though the buildings were destroyed King Henry would have the builders preserved and their memories transmitted to
the Church joyned with them in the Town house Rich Pepists feared their goods would be condemned as heretical even by the Rebels of their own Religion which made them persist in their loyalty to their Soveraign 8. John Russell Lord privie Seal was sent down with small Forces to suppresse the Commotion A person very proper for that service as of a stout spirit and richly landed in this County He stayed some time at Honyton in vain expecting promised supplies either because this Lord was lookt on as of the Protectors party whose Court-interest did much decline or because Norfolke Rebellion as nearer London engrossed all warlike provisions Thus was this Lord in deep distresse having nothing save his Commission strong about him and his few forces for fear and want of pay began daily to forsake him 9. And now following the advice of the Dorset-shire Gentry he was ready to return when three Princely Merchants for so may I term them both for great interest and loyal intentions viz Thomas Prestwood Thomas Bodly and John Periam so improved their credits with Bristoll Lime and Taunton that they furnished the Lord Russell with necessaries to march forward Animated herewith they advance and gave the Rebels such a blow at Fenington-bridge that they left three hundred of their bodies dead on the place 10. Soon after the Lord Gray of Wilton whose slownesse may be excused as busied by the way in suppressing Tumults in Buckingham and Oxford shire came with a company of Horsmen and 300 Italian Shot under Baptist Spinola their Leader to recruit the Lord Russell Here one would wonder to behold the native English fighting in the maintenance of the Masse opposed by Italians untill he considereth that these foraigners being Souldiers of Fortune consulted the Coine not the Cause of such as entertained them And now the Kings Army advanceth towards Exeter a word or two of which Cities sad condition 11. The Rebels had often attempted to fire the Gates of the City till at last the Citizens found the Paradox true that the onely way to keep their City shut was to set their Gates open making rampires more defensible behinde them As for the Enemies intent to undermine and blow up the Walls it was first discovered then defeated by John Newcombe a Tinner of Teingmouth Philip Comineus For taking advantage of the declivity of the City on that side he countermin'd the Rebels work and then deriv'd into it all the kennels and water-courses falling down with a great precipice and so drowned the vault intended with powder to blow up the Walls Besides at the same instant set an impetuous showre which added to the Deluge Thus in vain doth Hell seek to kindle that Fire when Heaven intendeth to poure water for the quenching thereof 12. Famine raged most extremely insomuch as they were fain to bake bran and meal moulded up in cloathes for otherwise it would not stick together Nor must the worthy resolution of a loyall Citizen be forgotten publickly professing That rather than he would surrender the City to the Rebels he would fight with one arm and feed on the other And now were they reduced to utmost extremity when the seasonable approach of Lord privie Seale put a period to their Miseries For at the winde-mill of S. Mary Clist after a bloody Battle wherein Sir William Francis was slain on the King's side the Rebels were routed and sorced to flie leaving a thousand of their corps dead on the place Miles Coverdail gave publick thanks to God for the victory in the view of Exeter and soon after was made the Bishop thereof 13. Then the Lord caused S. Mary Clist to be burnt to the ground though it was his own Town as knowing full well Traytours to their King would never make good Tenants to their Landlord And on Clist-heath a second fight was begun where the Rebels were finally overcome The Lord privie Seal marched into Exeter and was there as he well deserved welcomed with all possible expressions of joy Sir William Herbert with 1000 Welsh came too late to fight but soon enough to be an honourable Witnesse of the victory 14. This sixt of August Two solemne yearly festivals the day of their deliverance is an high festival in the Almanack of Exeter Good cheer and thereby I justly guesse their great gratitude being annually observed with a publick Sermon to perpetuate the memory of Gods mercy unto them Yet such Solemnities doe daily decay every new Generation being removed one degree farther from the deliverance The King conferred the Manour of Exetland formerly belonging to the City but wrested from it by the Earls of Devon-shire on their Corporation in reward of their loyalty and valour 15. Humphrey Arundle Winslade Bery and Coffi were executed and as this Commotion began it ended at Sampford-Courtney where their last remnant was defeated Six Popish Priests were hanged with Welsh the Vicar of St. Thomas though all this was but mercy to the cruelty of Sir Anthony Kingston Provost-Marshall in trussing up many mean offenders 1. It began about the 20 th of June at Attilborrough about the laying open of Commons The beginning of two Rebellions pretended lately inclosed to the prejudice of the Poor Much increased on the 6â— of July at Windham Play where there was a great confluence of idle people repairing from all parts of the County 2. Robert Ket Their Ring-leaders and number Tanner of Windham one of more wealth than common folk of his craft yet of more wit than wealth confidence than either was chosen their Captain He with two Assistants chosen out of every hundred kept his Kings Bench Chancery and all other Courts under a Tree termed the Oake of Reformation where he did justice be it wrong or right to all such as were summoned before him In short time they increased to be more than twenty thousand 3. Sir Edmond Windham Sheriffe of Northfolke The Sheriffs endevours succeed not commanded them in the King's name peaceably to depart But had not his Horsemanship been better than his Rhetorick himself had not departed the place Yea now the * Hooker alias Vowell in Hollingshed p. 1015 1017. Rebels began to play their pranks threatning to burn the House Idem p. 1029. and defacing the Dovecoat formerly a Chappel before it was turned of an House of Prayer into a Den of Thieves of Master Corbets of Sprowston and committing many outrages layed all Pastures rather waste than open where they came Yea now they march towards Norwich the chief place in the County 4. Norwich is like a great volume with a bad cover The description of Exeter and Norwich having at best but parchment walls about it Nor can it with much cost and time be effectually fortified because under the frowning brow of Moushold Hill hanging over it The River Yere so wanton that it knoweth not its own minde which way to goe such the involved flexures thereof within a
mile of this City runneth partly by partly through it but contributeth very little to the strengthning thereof 5. The Rebels encamped or rather enkennelled themselves on Moushold-Hill whereon Mount-Surry a fair House of the Dukes of Northfolk whence they had free egresse and regresse into Norwich as oft as they pleased One Coigniers a Vicar in the City they had for their Chaplain and were so religiously rebellious that prayers Morning and Evening were read amongst them Mean time so intolerable was their insolence that now they sent up such Demands to the King to which He neither would in honour nor could in justice condescend Yet the King constantly chequered His comminations with Proclamatians of pardon which the Rebels scorn'd to accept 6. As for Thomas Cod Major of Norwich and others of the Gentry detained prisoners in Ket's camp they were admitted to the counsels of the Rebels for the better credit thereof If Ket were present they were no better than herbe John in the pottage and had no influence on their consultations But if he happily chanced to be absent then they were like S. Johns wort so soveraign for soars and against the plague it self and did much mitigate the fury of their mischievous Decrees Mean time great plenty was in Kets camp where a fat sheep was sold for a groat but penury and misery in all other places 7. Doctor Matthew Parker afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury getting up into the Oake of Reformation preached to their Rebels of their duty and allegiance But the Oake as soon as the Auditory would embrace his Doctrine yea his life was likely to be ended before his Sermon Arrows being shot at him had not Coigniers Kets Chaplain seasonably yet abruptly set the Te Deum during the singing whereof the Dr. withdrew to sing his part at home and thank God for his great deliverance 8. William Par Marquesse of Northhampton Aide sent to suppresse the Rebels but more acquainted with the witty than the warlike part of Pallas as compleat in Musick Poetry and Courtship with many persons of honour as the Lords Sheffield and Wentworth Sir Anthony Denny Sir Ralph Sadlier Sir Thomas Paston c. is sent to quell this Rebellion They were assisted with a band of Italians under Malatesta their Captain whereof the Rebels made this advantage to fill the Countrey with complaints that these were but an handfull of an armfull to follow driving on the designe to subject England to the insolence of Foraigners 9. Now The Lord Russell conqueror Lord Marquiss conquered though neither wisdome nor valour was wanting in the Kings Souldiers yet successe failed them being too few to defend Norwich and oppose the Rebels Insomuch that the Lord Sheffield was barbarously butcher'd S r Tho Corwallis taken prisoner and the City fired by the Rebels which probably had been burnt to ashes had not the clouds commiserating the Cities calamity and melting into tears quenched the flames and thus the Marquesse fain to quit the service returned to London 10. Then was John Dudley Earle of Warwick The Lord Gray and Earle of Warwick come with new supplies with such Forces as were intended for Scotland sent to undertake the Task The Marquesse of Northhampton attended him to trie whether he could be more fortunate in following than he had been in leading Coming to Norwich he easily entred the City and entertained the Rebels with many sallies with various successe here too long to relate but generally the Earle of Warwick came off with the better 11. Now the Rebels impregnable in some sort if still keeping Moushold-Hill whereon the Earles Horse could doe small service deserted it of their own accord and came down into Dussin-dale Here their superstition fancied themselves sufficiently fenced by the virtue of an old prophecie Hob Dick and Hick with clubs and clouted shoon Shall fill up Dassin-dale with blood of slaughtered bodies soon It hath ever been charged on the English as if they alwaies carried an old Prophesie about with them in their pockets which they can produce at pleasure to promote their designes though oft mistaken in the application of such equivocating Predictions as here these silly folke were deluded For it being believed that Dussin dale must make a large and soft pillow for Death to rest thereon these Rebels apprehended themselves the Upholsters to make who proved onely the stuffing to fill the same 12. The Earle glad that the enemy had quitted the Hill fell with all his forces upon them and here happened a most bloody Battle The Rebels disputed the ground with their naturall Logick as I may term it down-right blows without much military Discipline Here one might have seen young Boyes timely Traytours plucking the arrows wherewith they were wounded out of their own flesh and giving them to those of their owne party to shoot them back againe July 27. Here some thrust through with spears wilfully engaged their Bodies the deeper thereon onely striving to reach out their revenge on those who wounded them But at last rage was conquered by courage number by valour Rebellion by Loyalty and in the fight and pursuit two thousand at the least were slain 13. Remarkable was Divine Providence in preserving the captive Gentlemen of the Countrey whom the Rebels coupled together and set them in the front of the Fight Now although it be true what David saith * 2 Sam. 11. 25. The sword devoureth one as well as another yet so discreetly did Captaine Druery charge the Van of the Rebels that most of these innocent Prisoners made their escape The last litter of Kets kennell stifly standing out and fortifying themselves accepted of pardon on the Earls promise it should be assured unto them 14. On the nine and twentieth of August a solemn Thanks-giving was made in Norwich for their deliverance Aug. 6. and is annually continued Indeed this City being betwixt weaknesse and strength â—s taxed for wavering at the time betwixt Loyalty and Revolt though to give the Citizens their due many expressed their fidelity to their Prince as farre as they durst for fear of destruction Yet better had it been had Norwich been weaker to be quitted or stronger to be defended whose mongrell strength exposed it to the greater misery 15. Robert Ket was hanged on Norwich Castle The legal 〈◊〉 of the Rebels William his brother on Windham Steeple Nine others on the Oake of Reformation which never till then brooked the name thereof Amongst these Miles a cunning Cannoneer was much lamented because remorse kept him from doing much mischief to which his cunning did enable him Thus by Gods blessing on Mans endevours both these Rebellions were seasonably supprest That of Devon-shire did openly avouch the advancing of Popery the other was suspected secretly fomented by some Papists who stood behinde the curtain but ready to step on the stage had Successe of the Designe but given them the Cue of Entrance As for the Rebellion at the same
other strangers in London to have and to hold for them their heirs and successours in Frank Almonage to be a meeting-place for them therein to attend God's Word and Sacraments He ordered also that hereafter it should be called by the new name of the Church of the Lord IESUS and incorporated the said Superintendent Ministers and Congregation to be a body politick for all purposes and intents empowering them from time to time in the vacancy of a Superintendent to chuse name and substitute any able and fit person in that place provided that the person so chosen be first presented to the King His Heirs and Successours to be approved and confirmed by them in the Office of the Ministerie enjoyning all Archbishops Bishops and other Officers Quòd permittant praefatis g The Letters are kept in the Dutch Church and exemplified in Iohannes Utenbovius in his narration of the Dutch Congregation pag. 13. c. Superintendenti Ministris Sucessoribus suis liberè quietè frui gaudere uti exercere ritus ceremonias suas proprias disciplinam Ecclesiasticam propriam peculiarem non obstante quòd non conveniant cum ritibus ceremoniis in Regno nostro usitatis That they permit the foresaid Superintendent and Ministers and their Successours freely and quietly to hold enjoy use and exercise their own proper rites and ceremonies and their proper and peculiar Church-discipline notwithstanding that they agree not with the rites and ceremonies used in Our Kingdome 34. Now followed the fatall tragedy of the Duke of Somerset Womens brawles Mens thralles and we must recoile a little to fetch forward the cause thereof Thomas Seymour Baron of Sudely and Lord Admirall the Protectours younger Brother had married the Lady Katharine Parre the Relict of King Henry the eighth A contest arose betwixt their Wives about place the Protectresse as I may call her refusing to give it to the Kings Dowager Yet was their precedencie no measuring cast but clear in the view of any unpartiall eye Nor needed other Herauld to decide the controversie than the Kings own Injunctions a Vide supra in the first of this King wherein after prayer for His own Royall person Ministers were commanded to pray for the Queen Dowager even before the Kings Sisters Mary and Elizabeth the Protectour under whom his Lady must claim place being placed last in the List of their Devotions 35. The Womens discords derived themselves into their Husbands hearts Lord Thomas â—eymour executed for Treason Whereupon not long after followed the death of the Lord Thomas Seymour arraigned for designing to traslate the Crown to himself though having neither Title to pretend unto it nor effectual Interest to atchieve the same Let b 1 King 2. Adonijah and this Lord's example deterre Subjects from medling with the Widows of their Soveraigns left in the same match they espouse their own danger and destruction This Lord thus cut off the Protectour stood alone on his own bottome at which his enemies daily endevoured to undermine 36. Soon after the Lords of the Councel resolved to accuse him of many high offences A tripartite accusation Of these Lords some were Lawyers as the Lord Wriothesley lately the Lord Rich then Lord Chancellour Sir Edward Montague Chief Justice c. some Martialists as S r Ralph Sadler Treasurer to the Army and some meer Statesmen as William Pawlet Lord Treasurer and their accusations participated of the severall conditions of the Accusers The Lawyers charge him for bringing Westminster-hall into Somerset-house keeping there a Court of Request and therein determining Titles of Land to the apparent injury of the Subject Military men taxed him for his Sumptuous buildings having their Morter tempered with the tears of Souldiers Wives and Children whose wages he detained and for betraying Bolloigne and other places in France to the Enemy States-men chiefly insisted on his engrossing all power to himself that whereas by the constitution of the Protectourship he was to act nothing without the advice of King Henry's Executours he solely transacted matters of the highest consequence without their privity 37. Here I must set John Dudley Earl of Warwick as a Transcendent in a form by himself Earle of Warwick the Proectors grand enemy being a competent Lawyer Ann. Dom. 1551. Son to a Judge known Soldier Ann Reg. Ed 6 5. and able States man and acting against the Protector to all these his capacities Indeed he was the very soul of the Accusation being all in all in every part thereof And seeing the Protector was free spirited open hearted humble hard to distrust easie to forgive The other proud suttle close cruell and revengefull it was impar congressus betwixt them almost with as much disadvantage as betwixt a naked and an armed person 38. Hereupon The Protector accused and imprisoned yet restored he was imprisoned at Windsor in a place antiently called c Fox Acts Mon. pag. Beauchamp's Tower it seems by a sad Prolepsis but never verified till now when this Vâ—count Beauchamp by his original honour was therein consined and hence was he removed to the Tower of London However although all this happened in the worst juncture of time viz in the disjuncture of his best Friend the Lord Russell Privie Seal then away in the West yet by his own innocence his other Friends endeavour the Kings interposing and Divine Providence he was acquitted and though outed his Protectorship restored and continued Privie Counsellour as in the King's Diarie was formerly observed 39. But after two years and two months Accused the second time his enemies began afresh to assault him hoping that as the first stroak shak'd the next would fell him to the ground Indeed Warwick who had too powerfull an influence upon all the Lords could not erect his intended Fabrick of Soveraignty except he first cleared the ground work from all obstructive rubbish whereof this Duke of Somerset was the Principall In whose absence the Lords met at the Councell Table where it was contrived how all things should be ordered in relation to his Arraignment 40. R. Rich Lord Chancellor then living in great S. Bartholomews though outwardly concurring with the rest Lord Rich his Servants dangerous mistake began now secretly to favour the Duke of Somerset and sent him a Letter therein acquainting him with all passages at the Councell Board superscribing the same either out of haste or familiarity with no other direction save To the Duke enjoying his Servant a raw attendant as newly entred into the family safely to deliver it The man made e This story attested to me by his great grand childe the Earl or Warwick more haste than good speed and his Lord wondring at his quick return demanded of him where the Duke was when he deliver'd him the Letter In Charter-house said his Servant on the same token that he read it at the window and smiled thereat But the
Anthony his fire that it is mortall if it come once to clip and encompasse the whole body So had the North-East Rebels in Norfolke met and united with the South-East Rebels in Devonshire in humane apprehension desperate the consequence of that conjuncture 61. The second forme of Homilies As also those in Q Eliz. are those composed in the Raign of Queen Elizabeth amounting to one and twenty concluding with one against Rebellion For though formerly there had been one in King Edwards dayes for obedience yet this was conceived no superfluous tautologie but a necessary gemination of a duty in that seditious age wherein dull schollers needed to have the same lesson often taught unto them 62. They are penned in a plain stile The use of Homilies accommodated to the capacities of the Hearers being loth to say of the Readers the Ministers also being very simple in that age Yet if they did little good in this respect they did no harme that they preached not strange Doctrines to their people as too many vent new darknesses in our dayes For they had no power to broach Opinions who were only employed to deliver that liquor to them which they had received from the hands of others better skilled in Religion then themselves 63. However some behold these Homilies Their authenticall necessity questioned as not sufficiently legitimated by this Article to be for their Doctrine the undoubted issue of the Church of England alledging them composed by private men of unknown names who may probably be presumed at the best but the Chaplains of the Arch-Bishops under whom they were made Hence is it that some have tearmed them Homely Homilies others a popular * Mr. Mountuga in his appello Caesarem discourse or a Doctrine usefull for those times wherein they were set forth I confesse what is necessary in one age may be less needfull in another but what in one age is godly and wholsome Doctrine characters of commendation given by the aforesaid Article to the Homilies cannot in another age be ungodly and unhealthfull as if our faith did follow fashions and truth alter with the times * 2 Sam. 17. like Aâ—hitophell his Counsell though good in it self yet not at some seasons But some are concerned to decry their credits as much contrary to their judgement more to their practise especially seeing the second Homily in the second book stands with a spunge in one hand to wipe out all pictures and a hammer in the other to beat down all Images of God and Saints erected in Churches And therefore such use these Homilies as an upper garment girting them close unto or casting them from them at pleasure allowing and alledging them when consenting denying and disclaiming them when opposite to their practise or opinions 64. The Religion in England being setled according to these Articles which soon after were published Rastall writes against Bp. Jewel the first Papist that fell foule upon them was William Râ—stall Nephew to S r. Thomas More by Elizabeth his Sister and a great Lawyer Yet we beleeve not him * Pitzaeus de Ang. Scriptor pag. 764. that telleth us he was one of the two Chief justices as knowing the * See Sr. Henry Spelmâ—n his glâ—â—sary in Indic contrary However he was very knowing in our common law Witnesse his collections of statutes and comments thereon with other works in that faculty But this veteranus Jurisconsutus was vix Tyro Theologus shewing rather zeal to the cause then ability to defend it in those Books which he set forth against BP Jewell 65. No eminent English Protestant died this yeer The death of Dr. Smith but great grief among the Romanists for the loss of D r. Richard Smith Kings professour of Divinity in Oxford till outed by Peter Martyr Whereupon he forsook the land returned in the Raign of Queen Mary went back after her death into the Low-Countries where he was made Dean of S t. Peters in Doway and appointed by King Philip the second first Divinity professor in that new erectd Vniversity His * Pitzaeus de Ang. Script pag. 761. party much complain that his strong parts were disadvantaged with so weak sides and low voice Amo Regin Lliza 5. though indeed too loud his railing against the truth as appears by his Books 66. The English Bishops conceiving themselves impowered by their Canons The Original of Puritans began to shew their authority in urging the Clergy of their Diocess to subscribe to the Liturgie Ceremonies and Discipline of the Church and such as refused the same were branded with the odious name of Puritanes 67. A name which in this notion first began in this yeer The Homonymie of the tearm 1564 6. and the grief had not been great if it had ended in the same The Philosopher banisheth the term which is polysaemon that is subject to several senses out of the Predicaments as affording too much Covert for cavill by the latitude thereof On the same account could I wish that the word Puritan were banished common discourse because so various in the acceptions thereof We need not speak of the ancient Cathari or Primitive Puritans sufficiently known by their Hereticall opinions Puritan here was taken for the Opposers of the Hierarchie and Church-service as resenting of Superstition But prophane mouths quickly improved this Nick-name therewith on every occasion to abuse pious people some of them so far from opposing the Liturgie that they endeavoured according to the instructions thereof in the preparative to the Confession to accompany the Minister with a PURE heart and laboured as it is in the Absolution for a life PURE and holy We will therefore decline the word to prevent exceptions which if casually slipping from our pen the Reader knoweth that only Non-conformists are thereby intended 68. These in this age were divided into two ranks Mr. Fox a moderate Nonconformist Some milde and moderate contented only to enjoy their own conscience Others fierce and fiery to the disturbance of Church and State Amongst the former I recount the Principall Father John Fox for so Queeu Elizabeth termed him summoned as I take it by Arch-Bishop Parker to subscribe that the generall reputation of his piety might give the greater countenance to Conformity The old man produced the new-Testament in Greek to this saith he will I subscribe But when a subscription to the Canons was required of him he refused it saying I have nothing in the Church save a Prebenâ— a Salisbuâ—y and much good may it do you if you will take it away from me However such respect did the Bishops most formerly his Fellow-Exiles bear to his age parts and pains that he continued his place till the day of his death who though no friend to the Ceremonies was otherwise so devout in his carriage that as his nearest relation surviving hath informed me he never entred any Church without expressing solemn reverence therein 69.
legall Tryall is the greatest torment in the World God keepe all good men from feeling and chiefly from deserving it I am the easier induced to believe the Exquisitenesse of the Torture being sensible in my self by your bounty what a burden it is for One who would be ingenuous to be Loaded with Curtesies which He hath not the least hope to requite or deserve 1. IN this year began the Suit betwixt Robert Horne Bishop of Winchester The suit betwixt Bp. Horne and Bonner and Edmund Bonner late Bishop of London on this occasion All Bishops were impowred by the statute quinto Elizabethae to tender the Oath of Supremacy to all persons living within their Diocess Now Bishop Bonner was within the Diocess of Winchester full ill against his will as being a Prisoner in the Marshall-See in Southwarke to whom Horne offered this Oath and he refused the taking thereof Hereupon his refusall was returned into the Kings-Bench and he indicted on the same Being indicted he appeared there confessed the fact but denied himself culpable and intending to traverse the Indictment desired that Councell might be assigned him S r. Robert Cateline then Chief Justice granted his motion and no meaner then Ploydon that eminent Lawyer Christopher Wray afterwards Lord Chief Justice and Lovelace were deputed his Councell 2. First they pleaded for their Client Bonner his Councell that Bonner was indicted without the title and addition of Bishop of London and only stiled Doctour of Law and one in Holy Orders But the Judges would not allow the exception as legall to avoid the Indictment 3. Secondly Their 1. Plea 2. Exception they pleaded that the Certificate entred upon Record was thus brought into the Court. Tali die anno per A. B. Cancellarium dicti Episcopi Winton And did not say per mandatum Episcopi for the want of which clause Bonner his Councell took exceptions thereat sed non allocatur because the Record of it by the Court is not of necessity 4. Pass we by their third exception Main matter debared by the Judges that he was indicted upon that Certificat in the County of Middlesex by the common Jury of enquest in the Kings-Bench for that County It being resolved by the Judges that his triall could not be by a Jury of Middlesex but by a Jury of Surrie of the neighbourhood of Southwark The main matter which was so much debated amongst all the Judges in the Lord Cateline his chamber was this Whether Bonner could give in evidence of that issue that he had pleaded of not guilty that Horne Bishop of Winchester was not a Bishop tempore oblationis Sacramenti at the time wherein he tendred the oath unto Bonner And it was resolved by them a Dyer fol. 234 Mich. 6. 7. El. z. plaâ—â—to 15. all that if the truth of the matter was so indeed that he might give that in evidence upon that issue and that the Jury might trie whether he was a Bishop then or no. 5. Whilest this suit as yet depended Divided by the Parliament Eliz. 8. Sept. 30. 1567. the Queen called a Parliament which put a period to the controversie and cleared the legality of Horne his Episcopacy in a Satute enacting That all persons that have been or shall be made oâ—d red or consicrate Arch-Bishops Bishops Priests Ministers of Gods Holy Word and Sacraments or Deacons after the forme and order prescribed in the said order and form how Arch-Bishops Bishops Priests Deacons and Ministers should be consecrated made and ordered be in very deed and also by authority hereof declared and enacted to be and shall be Arch-Bishops Bishops Priests Ministers and Deacons and rightly made consecrated and ordered Any Statute law Canon or other thing to the contrary notwithstanding 6. However it immediately followeth A favourable proviso Provided alwayes and nevertheless be it enacted by the authority aforesaid that no person or persons shall at any time hereafter be impeached or molested in body lands livings or goods by occasion or mean of any Certificate by any Arch-Bishop or Bishop heretofore made or before the last day of this present Session of Parliament to be made by vertue of any Act made in the first Session of Parliament touâ—hing or concerning the refusal of the oath declared and set forth by Act of Parliament in the first yeer of the Reign of our said Soveraign Ladie Queen Elizabeth Any thing in this Act or any other Act or Statute her tofâ—re made to the contrary notwithstanding 7. The seasonable interposing of this Statute made it a Drawn battell betwixt Horne and Bonner Their suit superseded The former part thereof here alledged cleared Horne his Episcopacy from all cavils of law the later Proviso was purposely inserted in favour of Bonner who here himself found that which he never shewed to others that he as all other Popish Bishops deprived might be no more molested for refusing the Oath of Supremacy The Parliament saw they had already lost their livelihood and liberties for their erroneous consciences and had received their thirty nine stripes more then which the State thought not fit to inflict lest their justice should degenerate into cruelty 8. The enacting of this Statute did not stop the railing mouths of Papists against our Bishops but only made them alter their note and change their tune in reviling them Formerly they condemned them as illegall whose calling was not sufficiently warranted by the laws of the Land henceforward * 〈…〉 Sanders and others railed on them for Parliamentary Bishops deriving all their Power and Commission from the State But as well might the Jesuits terme b 〈…〉 pag. 449. Cuâ—on 17. Shemaiah Nethaniah Prerogative Levites because sent by Jehâ—saphat to preach the word to the people of the Land For that good King did not give but quicken and encourage their Commission to teach as here the Parliament did only publish notifie and declare the legall authority of the English Bishops whose Call and Consecration to their place was formerly performed derived from Apostolicall or at leastwise Ecclesiastical institution 9. These were the prime of the first Set of Puritans Anno Regin Eliza. 8. Anno Dom. 1567. The Ring leader of the second set of Nonconformiâ—â—s which being very aged expired for the most part at or about this time when behold another generation of Active and zealous Nonconformists succeeded them Of these Coleman Button Halingham and Benson whose Christian names I cannot recover were the chief inveighing against the established Church-Discipline accounting every thing from Rome which was not from Geneva endeavouring in all things to conforme the government of the English Church to the Presbyterian Reformation Add these three more though of inferiour note to the aforesaid Quaternion William White Thomas Rowland Robert Hawkins all beneficed within the Diocess of London and take a tast of their Spirits out of the Register thereof 10. For this
as at London at Terms and Parliament times in Oxford at the Act in Cambridg at the times of Commencement and Sturbridge-fair and also more particular and Provinciall Synods and at Classes or Conferences of certain selected Ministers in one or moe places of sundry severall shires as Warwick Northampton Râ—tland Oxford Leicester Cambridge Norfolke Suffolke Essex and others 27. Item that at such Synods and Conferences it hath been concluded that all the Ministers which should be received to be either of the said generall Synods or of any more particular and Provincial or of a Classis or Conference should subscribe to the said Discipline that they did allow it would promote it practise it and be governed by it And according to the form of a schedule hereunto annexed or such like both he the said Thomas Cartwright and many others at sundry or some generall Assemblies as at Provincial and at several conferences have within the said time subscribed the same or some part thereof 28. Item that at such Synods and all other Assemblies a moderator of that meeting was first by him and them chosen according to the prescription of the said book And at some of such meetings and Assemblies amongst other things it was resolved and concluded that such particular conferences in severall Shires should be erected how many persons and with what letters from every of them should be sent to the generall Assembly and that one of them at their coming home to their Conference should make known the determinations of the generall Assembly to be by every of them followed and put in practice which course in sundry places of this Realm hath within the time aforesaid been accordingly followed and performed 29. Item that he with others in some such Classis or Conference or in a Synod Anno Dom. 1590. Anno Regin Eliza. 33. or more generall Assembly holden did treat and dispute among other points these six Articles conteined in another schedule annexed and set down their resolution and determination of them 30. Item that he with others assembled in such a generall Assembly or Synod at Cambridge did conclude and decree as in another schedule annexed or in some part thereof is conteined which decrees were made known afterwards at Warwick to sundry Classes there by his means assembled and allowed also by them then met together in the same or like form 31. Item that all such severall meetings Synods and Conferences within the said time many other determinations as well what should be done and performed or omitted as also what should be holden consonant to Gods word or disagreeing from it have been set down by the said Thomas Cartwright and others As namely that all admitted to either Assembly should subscribe the said book of Discipline Holy and Synodicall that those who were sent from any Conference to a Synod should bring letters fiduciarie or credence that the last Moderator should write them that the superscription thereof should be to a known man of the Assembly then to be holden that no book made by any of them should be put in print but by consent of the Classis at least that some of them must be earnest and some more milde and temperate whereby there may be both of the spirit of Elias and Elizeus that all admitted amongst them should subscribe and promise to conform themselves in their proceedings administration of Sacraments and of Discipline to the form of that Book and that they would subject themselves to the censuring of the Brethren both for doctrine and life and lastly that upon occasion when any their brethren shall be sent by them upon affairs of the Church as to the great meetings Parliament c. they all would bear their charges in common that there might be no superiority amongst them and that the Moderatorship as it happ'ned is not a superiority or honour but a burden that no profane writer or any other than Canonical Scripture may be alledged in Sermons that they should all teach that the ministry of those who did not preach is no ministry but a meer nullity that it is not lawfull to take any oath whereby a man may be driven to discover any thing penal to himself or to his brother especially if he be perswaded the matter to be lawfull for which the punishment is like to be inflicted or having taken it in this case need not discover the very truth that to a Bishop or other Officer ecclesiasticall as is used now in the Church of England none obedience ought to be given neither in appearing before them in doing that which they command nor in abstaining from that which they inhibit that in such places as the most of the people favoured the cause of sincerity Eldership should warily and wisely be placed and established which Consistory in some places hath been either wholy or in part erected accordingly yea in some Colledges in the University as he knoweth hath heard or verily beleeveth These Articles were tendered to M r. Cartwright in the Consistory of Pauls before John Almare Bishop of London the two Lord Chief Justices Justice Gawdy Sergeant Puckering afterwards Lord keeper and Attorney-Generall Popham 28. Mr. Cartwright refuseth to answer an oath These Commissioners did move him to give in his answer the rather because the chief points in the Jnterrogatories were delivered in general terms unto him and they severally assured him on their credits that by the Laws of the Realm he was to take his oath and to answer as he was required But M r. Cartwright desired to be born withall pleading that he thought he was not bound by the laws of God so to do Hereupon he was sent to the rest of his brethren to the Fleet where he secretly and silently took up his lodging many admiring at the pannick peaceableness and so quiet a calm where so violent a tempest was feared to arise 29. Wigington his ridling words Some soon after expected the appearance of the Presbyterian party Nov. 6. accounting it more valour to free than to keep their friends from prison The rather because of a passage in a letter of M r. Wigingtons to one M r. Porter at Lancaster M r. Cartwright is in the Fleet for the refusall of the oath as I hear and M r. Knewstubs is sent for and sundry worthy Ministers are disquieted who have been spared long So that we look for some Bickering ere long and then a Battle which cannot long endure Words variously expounded as mens fancies directed them Some conceived that this Bickering and Battle did barely import a passive conflict wherein their patience was to encounter the power of their adversaries and to conquer by suffering Parallel to the Apostles a 2 Cor. 7. 5. words Without were fightings meaning combats to wrastle with in many difficulties opposing their proceedings Others expounded the words literally not of a tame but wilde Battle and of some intended violence as if shortly they would
in the Church-yard of S t George's in Southwark not far from Bishop Bonners grave So near may their bodies when dead in positure be together whose mindes when living in opinion were farr asunder Nor have I ought else to observe of him save that I am informed that he was father of Ephraim Vdal a solid and pious Divine dying in our dayes but in point of discipline of a different opinion from his father 6. H. B. I. G. I. P. executed And now the Sword of Justice being once drawn it was not put up again into the Sheath before others were executed For Henry Barrow Gentleman Marc. 31. and John Greenwood Clerk who some dayes before were indicted of felony at the Sessions Hall without Newgate before the L rd Major and the two chief Justices Stew his Chronicle pag. 265. for writing certain Seditious Pamphlets were hanged at Tyburn And not long after John Penry a Welchman was apprehanged at Stebunhith by the Vicar thereof arraigned and condemned of felony at the Kings-Bench at Westminster for being a principal penner and publisher of a libellous Book called Martin-mar-prelates and executed at S t Thomas Waterings Daniel Studely Girdler Saxio Billot Gentleman and Robert Bowley Fishmonger were also condemned for publishing scandalous Books but not finding their execution I beleeve them reprieved and pardoned 7. The Queens last coming to Oxford About this time if not somewhat sooner for my enquiry cannot arrive at the certain date Queen Elizabeth took her last farewell of Oxford where a Divinity Act was kept before her on this question Whether it be lawfull to dissemble in matters of Religion One of the opponents endeavoured to prove the affirmative by his own example who then did what was lawfull and yet he dissembled in disputing against the Truth Sr I. Harrington in his additional supply to Bp. Godwin p. 134. the Queen being well pleased at the wittines of the Argument D r Westphaling who had divers years been BP of Hereford coming then to Oxford closed all with a learned determination wherein no fault except somewhat too copious not to so say tedious at that time her Highness intending that night to make a Speech and thereby disappointed 8. 37. 1594. Next day her Highness made a Latin oration to the Heads of Houses Her Latin Oration on the same token she therein gave a check to D r Reynolds for his non-conformity in the midst whereof perceiving the old Lord Burileigh stand by with his lame legs she would not proceed till she saw him provided of a stool a Idem p. 136. and then fell to her speech again as sensible of no interruption having the Command as well of her Latin tongue as of her loyal Subjects 9. John Pierce Arch-Bishop of York ended his life Dean of Christ-Church in Oxford Bishop of Rochester Sarisbury and Arch-Bishop of York When newly beneficed a young man in Oxford-shire he had drowned his good parts in drunkenness conversing with his country parishioners but on the confession of his fault to a grave Divine reformed his conversation so applying himself to his studies that he deservedly gained great preferment and was highly esteemed by Queen Elizabeth whose Almoner he continued for many years and he must be a wise and good man whom that thrifty Princess would intrust with distributing her mony He was one of the most grave and reverent prelates of his age and after his reduced life so abstemious that his Physitian in his old age could not perswade him to drink wine So habited he was in sobriety in detestation of his former excess 10. The death of Bp. Elmar The same year died John Elmar Bishop of London bred in Cambridge well learned as appeareth by his Book titled the Harborough of Princes One of a low stature but stout spirit very valiant in his youth and witty all his life Once when his Auditory began at sermon to grow dull in their attentions he presently read unto them many verses out of the Hebrew Text whereat they all started admiring what use he meant to make thereof Then shewed he them their folly that whereas they neglected English whereby they might be edified they listened to Hebrew whereof they understood not a word Anno Dom. 1594. Anno Regin Eliza. 37. He was a stiff and stern champion of Church Discipline on which account none more mocked by Martin Mar-Prelate or hated by Non-conformists To his eldest son he left a plentiful estate and his second a D r of Divâ—nity was a worthy man of his profession 11. The death of Wâ—ll Reginald But of the Romanists two principal Pillars ended their lives beyond the Seas First William Reginald alias Rose born at a Pâ—â—zaeus de illustribus Angliae Scriptoribus in Anno 1594. Pinho in Devon-shire bred in Winchester School then in New-Colledge in Oxford Forsaking his Country he went to Rome and there solemnly abjur'd the Protestant Religion and thereupon was permitted to read a favour seldome or never bestowed on such novices any Protestant Books without the least restriction presuming on his zeal in their cause From Rome he removed to Rhemes in France where he became professor of Divinity and Hebrew in the English Colledge where saith my b Idem ibidem Author with studying writing and preaching against the Protestants perchance he exhausted himself with too much labour and breaking a vein almost lost his life with vomiting of blood Recovering his strength he vow'd to spend the rest of his life in writing against Protestants and death at Antwerp ceased on him the 24 th of August the 50 th year of his age as he was a making of a book called Calvino-Turcismus which after by his dear friend William Gifford was finished set forth and dedicated to Albert Duke of Austria 12. The death of Cardinal Allen. William Allen commonly called the Cardinall of England followed him into another world born of honest Parents and allied to noble Kindred in Lancashire Brought up at Oxford in Oriall Colledge where he was Proctor of the University in the dayes of Queen Mary and afterwards Head of S t Mary-Hall and Canon of Yorke But on the change of Religion he departed the land and became Professor of Divinity at Doway in Flanders then Canon of Cambray Master of the English Colledge at Rhemes made Cardinall 1587. August the 7 th by Pope Sixtus Quintus the King of Spain bestowing on him an c Camd. Eliz. in hoc Anno. Abby in the Kingdom of Naples and nominating him to be Arch-Bishop of Machlin But death arrested him to pay the debt to Nature d Pitzaeus de illust Aâ—g Script pag. 793 October 16 th and he was buried in the Church of the English Colledge at Rome This is that Allen whom we have so often mentioned conceived so great a Châ—mpion for their Cause that Pope Gregory the 13 th said to his Cardinalls e
to Scripâ—ure long difused and neglected now seasonably revived for the encrease of piety Others conceived them grounded on a wrong bottome but because they tended to the manifest advance of Religion it was pitty to oppose them seeing none have just reason to complain being deceived into their own good But a third sort flatly fell out with these positions as galling mens necks with a jewish yoak against the liberty of Christians That Christ as Lord of the Sabbath had removed the Rigour thereof and allowed men lawfull recreations That this Doctrine put an unequall Lustre on the Sunday on set purpose to eclipse all other Holy dayes to the derogation of the authority of the Church That this strickt observance was set up out of Faction to be a Character of Difference to brand all for libertines who did not entertain it 22. Tho Rogers first publickly opposeth Dr Bounds opinions However for some years together in this controversie D r Bound alone carried the Garland away none offering openly to oppose and not so much as a feather of a quill in print did wag against him Yea as he in his second edition observeth that many both in their Preachings Writeings and Disputations did concurr with him in that argument and three several profitable treatises one made by M r Greenham were within few years successively written by three godly learned a Dr Bound in his preface to the Reader 2 edition Ministers But the first that gave a check to the full speed of this doctrine was Thomas Rogers of Horningâ—r in Suffolk in his preface to the Book of Articles And now because our present age begins to dawn and we come within the view of that Truth whose footsteps heretofore we only followed at distance I will interpose nothing of my own but of an historian only turn a Notarie for the behoof of the Reader faithfully transcribing such passages as we meet with in order of time Notwithstanding what the b Rogers preface to the Articles Parag. 20. Brethren wanted in strength and learning they had in wiliness and though they lost much one way in the general and main point of their Discipline yet recovered they not a little advantage another way by an odde and new device of theirs in a special Article of their Classical instructions For while worthies of our Church were employing their engins and forces partly in defending the present Government Ecclesiastical partly in assaulting the Presbyterie and new discipline even at that very instant the Brethren knowing themselves too weak either to overthrow our holds and that which we hold or to maintain their own they abandoned quite the Bulwarks which they had raised and gave out were impregnable suffering us to beat them down without any or very small resistance and yet not careless of their affairs left not the Warrs for all that but from an odde corner and after a new fashion which we little thought of such was their cunning set upon us a fresh again by dispersing in Printed Books which for tenn years space before they had been in hammering among themselves to make them compleat their Sabbath speculations and Presbyterian that is more then either kingly or Popely Directions for the observation of the Lords day And in the next page he c Idem Parag. 23. proceedeth It is a comfort unto my soule and will be till my dying hour that I have been the man and the means that the Sabatarian errors and impieties are brought into light and knowledge of the state whereby whatsoever else sure I am this good hath ensued namely that the said Books of the Sabbath comprehending the above-mentioned and many moe such fearfull and heretical assertions hath been both called in and forbidden any more to be printed and made common Your Graces predecessor Arch-Bishop Whitgift by his letters and officers at Synods and Visitations Anno 1599. did the one and S r John Popham Lord chief Justice of England at Bury S t Edmonds in Suffolk Anno 1600. did the other But though both Minister and Magistrate joyntly endeavoured to suppress Bounds Book with the Doctrine therein contained yet all their care did but for the present make the Sunday set in a cloud to arise soon after in more brightness As for the Arch-Bishop his known opposition to the proceedings of the Brethren rendered his Actions more odious as if out of envie he had caused such a pearl to be concealed As for Judge Popham though some conceived it most proper for his place to punish fellonious Doctrines which robbed the Queens subjects of their lawfull liberty and to behold them branded with a mark of Infamie yet others accounted him no competent Judge in this controversie And though he had a dead hand against offenders yet these Sabbatarian Doctrines though condemned by him took the priviledge to pardon themselves and were published more generally then before The price of the Doctors Book began to be doubled as commonly Books are then most called on when called in and many who hear not of them when printed enquire after them when prohibited and though the Books wings were clipt from flying abroad in print it ran the faster from friend to friend in transcribed Copies and the Lords day in most Places was most stricktly observed The more liberty people were offered the less they used it refusing to take the freedom Authority tendered them For the vulgar sort have the Actions of their Superiors in constant jealousie suspecting each gate of their opening to be a Trap every Hole of their Diging to be a Mine wherein some secret train is covertly conveyed to the blowing up of the Subjects liberty which made them almost afraid of the recreations of the Lords day allowed them and seeing it is the greatest pleasure to the minde of man to do what he pleaseth it was sport for them to refrain from sports whilst the forbearance was in themselves voluntary arbitrary and elective not imposed upon them Yea six years after Bounds Book came forth with enlargements publickly sold and scarce any comment Catechism or controversie was set forth by the stricter Divines wherein this Doctrine the Diamond in this Ring was not largely pressed and proved so that as one saith the Sabbath it self had no rest For now all strange and unknown writers without further examination passed for friends and favourites of the Presbyterian party who could give the word and had any thing in their Treatise tending to the strict observation of the Lords day But more hereof God willing in the 15 th year of K. JAMES 23. Now also began some opinions about Predestination The Articles of Lambeth Freewill Perseverance c. much to trouble both the Schools and Pulpit Whereupon Arch-Bishop Whitgift out of his Christian care to propagate the truth and suppress the opposite errours caused a solemn meeting of many grave and learned Divines at Lambeth where besides the Arch-Bishop Richard Bancroft Bishop of London Richard Vaughan
to Himself to be deceived by him and humoured into a peace to His own disadvantage 31. Once King James in an Afternoon was praising the plentifull provision of England King Iames his return to Gondomer especially for flesh and fowle adding the like not to be had in all Spaine what one County here did afford Yea but my Master quoth Gondomer there present hath the gold and silver in the East and West Indies And I by my Saule saith the King have much adoe to keep my men from taking it away from Him To which the Don 's Spanish gravity returned silence 32. His judgment was most solid in matters of Divinity Judicious bountifull and mercifull not fathering Books of others as some of His Predecessours but His Works are allowed His own by His very adversaries Most bountiful to all especially to Scholars no King of England ever doing though His Successour suffered more to preserve the revenues of the English Hierarchy Most mercifull to Offendors no one person of Honour without parallel since the Conquest being put to death in His Reign In a word He left His own Coffers empty but His Subjects Chests full the Land being never more wealthy it being easier then to get than since to save an estate The end of the Reign of King JAMES THE CHURCH-HISTORY OF BRITAIN THE ELEVENTH BOOK Containing the Reign of KING CHARLES excepted who in due time may be happy in their Marriage hopefull in their Issue These five have all been of the same Christian Name Yet is there no fear of Confusion to the prejudice of your Pedigree which Heralds commonly in the like cases complain of seeing each of them being as eminent in their kinde so different in their eminency are sufficiently distinguished by their own character to Posterity Of these the first a Judge for his gravity and learning famous in his Generation The second a worthy Patriot and bountifull House-keeper blessed in a numerous Issue his four younger Sonnes affording a Bishop to the Church a Judge and Peer to the State a Commander to the Camp and an Officer to the Court. The third was the first Baron of the House of whose worth I will say nothing because I can never say enough The fourth your Honourable Father who because he doth still and may he long survive I cannot doe the right which I would to his merit without doing wrong which I dare not to his modesty You are the fift in a direct Line and let me acquaint you with what the world expected not to say requireth of you to dignifie your self with some select and peculiar desert so to be differenced from your Ancestours that your memory may not be mistaken in the Homonymie of your Christian Names which to me seemeth as improbable as that a burnning-Beacon at a reasonable distance should not be beheld such the brightnesse of your parts and advantage of your education You was bred in that Schoole which hath no superiour in England and successively in those two Vniversities which have no equall in Europe Such the stock of your native perfection before graffed with the forraigne accomplishments of your travells So that men confidently promise themselves to read the best last and largest Edition of MERCATOR's ATLAS in your experience and discourse That good God who went with you out of your Native Countrey and since watched over you in forraign parts return with you in safety in due time to his Glory and your own Good which is the daily desire of Your Honour 's most devoted Servant THOMAS FVLLER THE CHURCH-HISTORY OF BRITAIN XVII CENTURIE 1. THe sad newes of King James his death was soon brought to White-hall Anno Regis Caroli primi 1 Anno Dom. 1625 News of the Kings death brought to White Hall at that very instant when D r Land Bishop of S t Davids was preaching therein This caused him to a See his own Diatie on that day March 27 Sunday May 14 break off his Sermon in the middest thereof out of civil complyance with the sadness of the congregation and the same day was King Charles proclaimed at White-Hall 2. On the fourteenth of May following King James his funeralls were performed very solemnly His solemn funeralls in the Collegiate-Church at Westminster his lively statue being presented on a magificent Herse King Charles was present thereat For though modern state used of late to lock up the chief Mourner in his Chamber where his grief must be presumed too great for publique appearance yet the King caused this ceremonie of sorrow so to yeeld to the substance thereof and pomp herein to stoop to pietie that in his person he sorrowfully attended the funerals of his Father 3. D r. Williams Dr. Williams his text Sermon and parallel betwixt K. Solomon and K. James Lord Keeper and Bishop of Lincolne preached the Sermon taking for his Text 2 Chron. 9. 29 30. and part of the 31 verse containing the happy reign quiet death and stately buriall of King Solomon The effect of his Sermon was to advance a parallel betwixt two peaceable Princes King Solomon and King James A parallel which willingly went not to say ran of its own accord and when it chanced to stay was fairly led on by the art and ingenoitie of the Bishop not enforcing but improving the conformitie betwixt these two Kings in ten particulars all expressed in the Text as we read in the vulgar Latin somewhat different from the new Translation King Solomon King James 1. His eloquence the rest of the words of Solomon 2. His actions and all that he did 3. A well within to supply the same and his wisedome 4. The preservation thereof to eternitie Are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon made by Nathan the Prophet Ahijah the Shilonite and Iddo the Seer 5. He reigned in Jerusalem a great Citie by him enlarged and repaired 6. Over all Israel the whole Empire 7. A great space of time full fourtie years 8. Then he slept importing no sudden and violent dying but a premeditate and affected kinde of sleeping 9. With his fathers David especially his Soul being disposed of in happiness 10. And was buried in the City of David 1. Had b Tacitus of Augustus profluentem quae Principem deceret eloquentiam 2. Was eminent in his actions of Religion Justice War and Peace 3. So wise that there was nothing that any c pag. 59. would learn which he was not able to teach 4. As Trajan was nicknamed herba parietaria a Wal-flower because his name was engraven on every wal so King James shall be called herba chartacea the paper-flower and his glory be read in d pag 61. in all writers 5. He reigned in the capital City of London by him much augmented 6. Over great Britain by him happily united and other Dominions 7. In all fiftie eight though over all Britain but two and twenty years reigning as
resolution that he would not have this high point medled withall or debated either the one way or the other because it was too high for the peoples understanding and other points which concern Reformation and newness of life were more needfull and profitable I promised obedience herein and so kissing his Majesties hand departed I thought fit to acquaint you with the whole cariage of this business because I am afraid many false reports will be made of it and contrary one to another as men stand contrarily affected I shewed no letter or instructions neither have any but these geneâ—all instructions which King James gave us at our going to Dort which make little or nothing to this business I sought amongst my papers but could not finde them on the suddain and I suppose you have them already As for my Sermon the brief heads were these Text Rom 6. 23. Eternall life is the gift of god through Jesus Christ our Lord. As in the former part I had spoken of the threefold miserie of the wicked so here I expounded the threefold happiness of the godly to be considered 1. Happy in the Lord whom the serve God or Christ Jesus 2. Happy in the reward of their service Eternall life 3. Happy in the manner of their reward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or gratnitum donurn in Christo The two former points were not excepted against In the third and last I considered eternall life in three divers instances in the eternall destination thereunto which we call Election Anno Regis Caroli Anno Dom. in our Conversion Regeneration or Justification which I termed the Embryo of Eternall life John 4. 14. And last of all in our Coronation when full possession of eternall fiâ—e is given us In all these I shewed it to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the free gift of God through Christ not procured or premented by any speciall Acts depending upon the free will of Men. The last point wherein I opposed the Popish Doctrin of Merit wà s not disliked The second wherein I shewed the effectuall Vocation or Regeneration whereby we have Eternall life inchoated and begun in us is a free gift was not expresly taxed Only the first was it which bred the offence not in regard of the Doctrin it self but because as my Lords grace said the King had prohibited the debating thereof And thus having let you understand the carriage of this businesse I commit you to the protection or the Almighty 17. This yeer Thomas Dove Bishop of Peterborough ended his life The death of Bishop Dove He was bred in Pembroke-Hall in Cambridge chosen Tanquam therein which it seems is a Fellow in all things save the name thereof Afterwards Chaplain to Q. Elizâ—beth who made him Dean of Norwich being much affected with his Preaching as wont to say that The * Godwin in the Bishops of Peterborough and Sir john Havington in his continuation Holy Ghost was again come down in the Dove He was a constant Housekeeper and Reliever of the Poor so that such who in his life time condemned him for Covetousnesse have since justly praised his Hospitality Now though Doves are generally said to want gall yet the Non-conformists in his Diocesse will complain of his severity in asserting Ecclesiasticall Discipline when he silenced five of them in one morning on the same token that King James is said to say it might have served for five yeers He was an aged man being the only Queen Elizabeths Bishop of that Province which died in the Reign of King Charles living in a poor Bishoprick and leaving a plentifull estate to shew that it is not the moisture of the Place but the long lying of the stone which gathereth the great mosse therein In a word had he been more carefull in conferring of Orders too commonly bestowed by him few of his Order had exceeded him for the unblamablenesse of his behaviour 18. Now began great discontents to grow up in the University of Oxford on this occasion 7 1631 Troubles begin in Oxford Many conceived that Innovations defended by others for Renovations and now only reduced as used in the Primitive times were multiplied in Divine service Offended whereat they in their Sermons brake our into what was interpreted bitter invectives Yea their very Texts gave some offence one preaching on Numbers 14. 4. Let us make us a Captain and let us return into Egypt Another on 1 Kings 13. 2. And he cried against the Altar in the word of the Lord and said O Altar Altar c. In prosecution whereof they had not only tart reflexion on some eminent Persons in the Church but also were apprehended to violate the Kings Declaration for the sopiting of all Arminian controversies 19. Dr. An apreale from the Vice-chancellor to the Procters Smith Warden of Wadham convented the principal persons viz. Mr. Thorn of Bailiol Col. and Mr. Ford of Magdalen Hall as offenders against the Kings instructions and ordered them to bring in the Copies of their Sermons They suspecting partiality in the Vice-Chancellor appealed from him to the Procters two men of eminent integrity and ability Mr. Atherton Bruch and Mr. John Doughty who received their appeal presuming the same justifiable by the Statutes of the University But it seems the Procters were better Scholars than Lawyers except any will say both Law and Learning must submit when Power is pleased to interpose 20. Archbishop Laud did not like these retrograde appeals Severely punished but sensible that his own strength moved rather ascendendo than descendendo procured the cause to be heard before the King at Woodstock where it was so ordered that 1 The Preachers complained of were expelled the University 2 The Procters were deprived of their places for accepting their appeal Anno Dom. 1631 Anno Regis Caroli 7 3 Dr. Prideaux and Dr. Wilkinson were shrewdly checkt for engaging in their behalf The former of these two Doctors ingenuously confessing to the King Nemo mortalium omnibus horis saepit wrought more on his Majesties affections than if he had harangued it with a long oration in his own defence 21. The expulsion of these Preachers expelled not And il resâ—nted but increased the differences in Oxford which burnt the more for blaZing the lesse many complaining that the Sword of Justice did not cut indifferently on both sides but that it was more Penal for some to touch than others to break the Kings declaration 22. This yeare ended the dayes of Mr. Arthur Hildersham The death of Mr. Haldershâ—â— born at Stechworth in the County bred in Christ-Colledge in the University of Cambridge whose education was an experimentall Comment on the words of David * Psalm 27. 10 When my father and mother forsake me then the Lord taketh me up My Father Thomas Hildersham a Gentleman of an ancient Family And Mother Anne Poole daughter to Sir Jeffery neece to Cardinall Poole grandchild to
witnesses Henceforward 〈…〉 all his first information which from this day sunk 〈◊〉 silence and employed all his power on the proof of Subornation That 〈…〉 too hard for his Teeth to enter and fastned his fangs on a softer place so to pinch the Bishop to purpose yea so expensive was the suit that the Bishop well skilled in the charge of charitable works might with the same cost have built and endowed a small Colledge 84. Some daies before she hearing a Noble Lord of his Majesties Councell In 〈…〉 with the King the Bishops great Friend interposed himself to compound the matter prevailing so farre that on his payment of two thousand pound the Suit should be superseded in the Star-Chamber and he freed from further molessation But at this Lords return the price was risen in the market and besides the aforesaid 〈◊〉 it was demanded of him that to procure his peace he must part with his Deanery of Westminster Parsonage or Walgrave and Prebend of Lincoln which he kept in commendam To this the Bishop answered that he would in no base forgoe those few remainders of the favour which his dead master King James had conferred 〈◊〉 him 85. Not long after another bargain was driven frustrated therein by his great Adversary by the well intended endeavours of the same Lord that seeing his Majesty at that time had much occasion of moneys if he would but double the former summe and lay down four thousand pounds he should be freed from further trouble and might goe home with all his 〈◊〉 about him The Bishop returned that he took no delight 〈◊〉 at law with his Soveraign and thankfully embracing the motion prepared himself for the payment When a great Adversary stepping in so violented his Majesty to a Tryall that all was not onely frustrated but this afterwards urged against the Bishop to prove him conscious of a crime from his forwardness to entertain a composition 86. The day of censure being come July 11. Tuesday Sir John Finch Lord chief Justice fined the Bishop ten thousand pound for tempering to suborn Witnesses His heavy censure Secretary Windebank concurred with that little Bell being the lowdest and shrillest in the whole peaâ— as who alone motioned to degrade him which was lustily pronounced by a Knight and Layman having no precedent for the same in former ages The other Lords brought the fine downe to eight thousand pound and a thousand marks to Sir John Munson with suspension ab officio et beneficio and imprisoning him during the Kings pleasure The Earl of Arundell added that the cause in its self was extraordinary not so much prosecuted by the Atturney as immediately by the King himself recommended to their justice Manchester Lord privy Seal said that this was the first precedent wherein a Master had undone himself to save his Servant 87. The Archbishop of Canterbury did consent thereunto To which the Archbishop of Canterbury did concurre aggravating the fault of subornation of perjury with a patheticall speech of almost an houre long shewing how the world was above three thousand years old before ripe enough to commit so great a wickedness and Jesabell the first in Scripture branded with that infamie whose false Witnesses the holy Spirit refused to name otherwise than under the Character of Men of Belial Wherefore although as he said he himself had been five times down on his knees to his Majesty in the Bishops behalf yet considering the guilt so great he could not but agree with the heaviest censure And although some Lords the Bishops Friends as Treasurer Weston Earl of Dorset c. concurred in the fine with hope the King should have the sole honor of the mitigation thereof yet his Majesties necessaries meeting with the person adjudged guilty and well known for solvable no wonder if the utmost penny of the fine was exacted 88. At the same time were fined with the Bishop Three of his Servants fined with 〈◊〉 George Walker his Secretary Cadwallader Powell his Steward at three hundred pounds a piece and Thomas Lund the Bishop his Servant at a thousand 〈◊〉 all as 〈◊〉 in the same cause yet none of them was imprisoned save Lund for a few weeks and their fine never called upon into this day which the Bishop said was commuted into such Office as hereafter they were go doe in the favour of Kilvert 7. To make this our History entire The complaints against the unjust proceedings against him put in by the Bishop into the Parliament the matter in this particular suite Be it therefore known to the Reader than some foure years after 〈◊〉 1640 when this Bishop was fetch out of the Tower and restored a Peer in Parliament he there in presented severall grievances concerning the indirect prosecution of this cause against him whereof these the principall First that his Adversaries utterly waâ—ed and declined the matter of their first Information about revealing the Kings secrets as hopeless of success therein and sprung a new mine to blow up his credit about perjury in the examination of Witnesses Whereas he conceived it just that all accidentalls and occasionalls should sink with the substance of the accusation otherwise suits would be endless if the branches thereof should still survive when the root doth expire * These complaints I extracted out of the Bishop his Originall Secondly that he was deprived of the benefit of bringing in any exceptions against the Testimonies of Sir John Lambe and Dr. Sibthorp to prove their combination against him because they deposing pro Domino Rege nonâ— must impeach the credit of the Kings Witnesses who must be reputed holy and sacred in what they 〈◊〉 in so much that after Briefs were drawn by Counsells on both sides the Court was moved to expunge those Witnesses which made most against the King and for the Defendant Thirdly that Kilvert used all wayes to menace and intimidate the Bishop his Witnesses frighting them as much as he could out of their own consciences with dangers presented unto them To this purpose he obtained from Secretary Windebank that a Messenger of the Star-chamber one Pechye by name was directed to attend him all along the speeding of the Commission in the Country with his Coat of Armes upon him with power to apprehend and close imprison any person whom Kilvert should appoint pretending from the Secretary Warrants for matters of State and deep consequence so to doe by vertue whereof in the face of the Commission he seised on and committed George Walker and Thomas Lund two materiall Witnesses for the Bishop and by the terror thereof chased away many more whose Depositions were necessary to the clearing of the Bishop his integrity yet when the aforesaid two Prisoners in the custody of the Messenger were produced before Secretary Winebank he told them he had no matters of State against them but turned them over to Kilvert wishing them to give him satisfaction and were not permitted
Scotland and the people dwelling by have an old Rythme If * Camdens Brit. in Cumber p. 7â—7 Skiddaw hath a Cap Scrussle wotâ—s full well of that Meaning that such the vicinity and as I may say sympathy betwixt these two Hills that if one be sick with a mist of clouds the other soon after is sad on the like occasion Thus none seeing it now foul weather in Scotland could expect it fair sunshine in England but that she must share in the same miseries as soon after it came to passe 10. Let those who desire perfect information hereof March 27. satisfy themselves The Reader referred to other Authors from such as have or may hereafter write the History of the State In whom they shall find how King Charles took his journey Northward June 17. against the Scottish Covenanters How some weeks after on certain conditions a Peace was concluded betwixt them How his Majesty returned to Londons and how this palliated cure soon after brake out again more dangerous than ever before 11. In these distracted times a Parliament was called with the wishes of all April 13 Monday and hopes of most that were honest A Parliament and Convocation called yet not without the feares of some who were wise what would be the successe thereof With this Parliament began a Convocation all the mediate transactions for ought I can finde out are embezled and therein it was ordered that none present should take any private notes in the House whereby the particular passages thereof are left at great uncertainty However so far as I can remember I will faithfully relate being comforted with this consideration that generally he is accounted an unpartial Arbitratour who displeaseth both sides 12. On the first day thereof Dr. Turner Doctor Turneâ— his text and Sermon Chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury 14. Tuesd made a Latine Sermon in the Quire of St. Pauls His text Matth. 10. 16. Behold I send you forth as Sheep in the mid'st of Wolves In the close of his Sermon he complained that all Bâ—shops held not the reins of Church-discipline with an even hand but that some of them were too easie and remiss in the ordering thereof Whereby whiles they sought to gain to themselves the popular praise of meeknesse and mildnesse they occasionally cast on other Bishops more severe then themselves the unjust imputation of rigour and tyranny and therefore he advised them all with equall strictness to urge an universal conformitie The effect of the Archbishopâ— Latâ—n speech Sermon ended we chose Dr. Stewart Dean of Chichester Prolocutor 13. 17. Friday Next day of sitting we met at Westminster in the Chappell of King Henry the seventh both the Houses of Convocation being joyned together Anno Dom 1640 when the Archbishop of Canterbury entertained them with a Latin Speech Anno Regis Caroli 16 welnigh three quarreâ—s of an hour gravely uttered his eies oft-times being but one remove from weeping It consisted most of generals bemoaning the distempers of the Church but concluded it with a speciall passage acquaining us how highly we were indebted to his Majesties favour so far intrusting the integrity and ability of that Convocation as to empower them with his Commission the like whereof was not granted for may yeers before to alter old or make new Canons for the better government of the Church 14. Some wise men in the Convocation began now to be jealous of the event of new Canons The just suspicions of wise men yea became fearfull of their own selves for having too great power lest it should tempt them to be over tampering in innovations They thought it better that this Convocation with its predecessors should be censured for lazinesse and the solemn doing of just nothing rather than to runne the hazard by over activity to doe any thing unjust For as waters long dammed up oft-times flownce and flâ—e out too violently when their sluces are pulled up and they let loose on a sudden so the judicious feared lest the Convocation whose power of meddling with Church-matters had been bridled up for many yeers before should now enabled with such power over-act their parts especially in such dangerous and discontented times Yea they suspected lest those who formerly had outâ—runne the Canons with their additionall conformitie ceremonizing more then was enjoyned now would make the Canons come up to them making it necessary for others what voluntarily they had prepractised themselves 15. Matters began to be in agitation The Parliament suddenly dissolved May 5 when on a sudden the Parliament wherein many things were started nothing hunted down or brought to perfection was dissolved Whilest the immediate cause hereof is commonly cast on the King and Court demanding so many Subsidies at once England being as yet unacquainted with such prodigious payments the more conscientious look higher and remoter on the crying sinnes of our Kingdome And from this very time did God begin to gather the twiggs of that rod a civill warr wherewith soon after he intended to whip a wanton nation 16. Next day the Convocation came together Yet the Convocation still continues 6 as most supposed meerly meeting to part and finally to dissolve themselves When contrary to generall expectation it was motioned to improve the present opportunity in perfecting the new Canons which they had begun And soon after a new Commission was brought from his Majesty by virtue whereof we were warranted still to sit not in the capacity of a Convocation but of a Synod to prepare our Canons for the Royall Assent thereunto But Doctor Brownrigg Doctor Hacket Doctor Holesworth Master Warmistre with others to the number of thirty six the whole House consisting of about six score earnestly protested against the continuance of the Convocation 17. These importunately pressed that it might sink with the Parliament A party dissents and protests against the continuance thereof it being ominous without precedent that the one should survive when the other was expired To satisfy these an Instrument was brought into Synod signed with the hands of the Lord Privy-Seal the two chief Justices and other Judgâ—s justifying our so sitting in the nature of a Synod to be legal according to the Lawes of the Realm It ill becometh Clergy-men to pretend to more skill in the Lawes then so learned Sages in that profession and therefore unpartiall judgements may take off from the fault of the followers and lay it on the leaders that this Synod sate when the Parliament was dissolved This made the aforesaid thirty six dissenters though solemnly making their orall protests to the contrary yet not to dissever themselves or enter any act in Scriptis against the legality of this Assembly the rather because they hoped to moderate proceedings with their presence Surely some of their own coat which since have censured these dissenters for cowardly compliance and doing no more in this cause would have
be in the Commission of the Peace nor Judges in Temporall Courts 3. Nor sit in the Star-Chamber nor be Privy-Counsellors The two last branches of this Bill passed by generall consent not above two dissenting But the first branch was voted in the Negative wherein all the Bishops gave their own voices for themselves Yet had their suffrages been secluded and the question only put to the lay-Lords it had been carried for the Bishops by sixteen decisive June 8 76. After some dayes debate the Lords who were against the Bishops protested that the former manner of voting the Bill by branches was unparlamentary and illegall Wherefore they moved the House that they should be so joyned together as either to take the Bill in wholly or cast it all out Whereupon the whole Bill was utterly cast out by many voices had not the Bishops as again they did given their suffrages in the same 77. Master Maynard made a Speech in the Committee of Lords against the Canons At last wholly cast out made by rhe Bishops in the last Convocation therein with much learning indeavouring to prove 1. That in the Saxons times as Malmesbury Hoveden Sir Henry Spelman c. doe witnesse Lawes and constitutions Ecclesiasticall had the confirmation of Peers and sometimes of the People Mr. Maynards Speech against the Canons to which great Councells our Parliaments doe succeed 2. That it appears out of the aforesaid Authors and others that there was some checking about the disuse of the generall making of such Church Lawes 3. That for Kings to make Canons without consent of Parliament cannot stand because built on a bad foundation viz. on the Popes making Canons by his sole Power so that the groundwork not being good the superstructure sinketh therewith 4. He examined the Statute 25 of Henry 8 avouching that that clause The Clergy shall not make Canons without the Kings leave implyeth not that by his leave alone they may make them Lastly he endeavoured to prove that these Canons were against the Kings Prerogative the Rights Liberties and Properties of the Subject insisting herein on severall particulars 1. The first Canon puts a penalty on such as disobey them 2. One of them determineth the Kings Power and the Subjects right 3. It sheweth that the Ordinance of Kings is by the Law of Nature and then they should be in all places and all alike 4. One of the Canons saith that the King may not be resisted 5. Another makes a Holy Day whereas that the Parliament saith there shall be such and no more This his Speech lost neither life nor lustre being reported to the Lords by the Bishop of Lincoln a back friend to the Canons because made during his absence and durance in the Tower 78. One in the House of Commons heightned the offence of the Clergy herein Severall judgments of the Clergyes offence into Treason which their more moderate adversaries abated into a Premunire Many much insisted on the Clarks of the Convocation for presuming being but private men after the dissolution of the Parliament to grant subsidies A Bill read against the High-Commission and so without Law to give away the estates of their fellow-subjects 78. A Bill was read to repeal that Statute of 1 Eliz. whereby the High-Commission Court is erected This Bill afterwards forbad any Archbishop Bishop c. deriving power from the King to Assesse or inflict any pain penalty amercement imprisonment or corporall punishment for any ecclesiasticall offence or transgression Forbidding them likewise to administer the Oath Ex officio or give Oath to Church-Wardens Sides-men or any others whereby their own or others offences should be discovered DIGNISSIMO DOM. THOMAE FISHER BARONETTO CUM Insignia tua Gentilitia intueor Anno Regis Carol 16 Anno Dom. 1640 non sum adeò Heraldicae Artis ignarus quin probè sciam quid sibi velit Manus illa Scutello inserta Te scilicet Baronettum designat cùm omnes in illum Ordinem cooptati ex Institutione sua ad * * Seldenus in titulis Honoris Vltoniam Hiberniae Provinciam forti dextrâ defendendam teneantur At sensum praeter hunc vulgarem alium latiorem quoad meipsum laetiorem Manui illi expansae quae in tuo Clypeo spectabilis subesse video Index est summae tuae Munificentiae quo nomine me tibi divinctissimum profiteor 1. OMitting matters of greater consequence The High-Commission Court put down know that the Bill against the High-Commission June 24 was the third time read in the House of Lords and passed it which some dayes after was confirmed by his Majesty Thus the edge of the Spiritual Sword as to discipline was taken away For although I read of a Proviso made in the House of Lords that the generall words in this Bill should extend only to the High-Commission Court and not reach other Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction yet that Proviso being but writen and the Statute printed all coercive power of Church Consistories were taken away Mr. Pim triumphed at this successe crying out Digitus Det it is the finger of God Anno Dom. 1641 that the Bishops should so supinely suffer themselves to be surprised in their power Anno Regis Caroli 16 Some disaffected to Episcopy observed a Justice that seeing many simple souls were in the high Commission Court by captious interrogatories circumvented into a self-accusation an unsuspected clause in this Statute should abolish all their lawfull authority 2. The Bishop of Lincoln brought up a Bill to regulate Bishops and their jurisdiction The Bill for Regulation of Bishops consisting of severall particulars July 2 1. That every Bishop being in his Diocesse not sick should preach once every Lords day or pay five pounds to the poor to be levyed by the next Justice of Peace and distresse made by the Constable 2. That no Bishop shall be Justice of Peace save the Dean of Westminster in Westminster and St. Martines 3. That every Bishop should have twelve assistants besides the Dean and Chapter four chosen by the King four by the Lords and four by the Commons for jurisdiction and ordination 4. That in all vacancies they should present to the King three of the ablest Divines in the Diocesse out of which his Majesty might choose one to be Bishop 5. Deans and Prebends to be resident at the Cathedralls but sixty dayes 6. That Sermons be preached therein twice every Lords day once every Holy day and a Lecture on Wednesday with a salary of 100. Marks 7. All Archbishops Bishops Collegiate Churches c. to give a fourth part of their fines and improved rents to buy out Impropriations 8. All double beneficed men to pay a moiety of their benefice to their Curates 9. No appeal to the Court of Arches or Audience 10. Canons and Ecclesiasticall capitulations to be drawn up and fitted to the Lawes of the Land by sixteen learned men chosen six by the King
Sr that the least wrong may redound to You by my indiscretion in the writing hereof desiring You only to Patronize what is acceptable therein and what shall appear otherwise is left on my account to answer for the same YOu may know Anno Regis Carol. 21. that amongst the most Remarkables effected by the Assembly of Divines Anno Dom. 1645. the compiling of the Directory was one The Directory drawn up by the Assembly which although composed in the former yeare yet because not as yet meeting with universal Obedience it will be seasonable enough now to enter on the consideration thereof The Parliament intending to abolish the Liturgie and loath to leave the Land altogether at a loss or deformity in publick service imployed the Assembly in drawing up a model of Divine Worship Herein no direct forme of Prayer Verbis conceptis was prescribed no outward or bodily worship enjoyned nor people required in the Responsals more than in Amen to bear a part in the Service but all was left to the discretion of the Minister not enjoyned what but directed to what purpose he ought to order his devotions in publick-prayer and administring Sacraments 2. The dissenting Brethren commonly call'd Independents were hardly perswaded to consent to a Directory Even libera custodia To which the dissenting Brethren at last assent though it be the best of Restraints is but a restraint and they suspected such a Directory would if inforced be an infringing of the Christian-liberty Anno Dom. 1645. Anno Regis Carol 21. However they consented at last the rather because a Preface was prefixed before it which did much moderate the matter and mitigate the rigorous imposition thereof 3. In this preface A discreet and charitable Preface respectful terms are no less discreetly than charitably afforded to the first compilers of the Liturgie allowing them wise and pious in redressing many things which were vain erroneous superstitious and idolatrous affirming also that many Godly and Learned men of that age rejoyced much in the Liturgie at that time set forth But adding withall that they would rejoyce more had it been their happiness to behold this present reformation they themselves were perswaded that these first Reformers were they now alive would joyn with them in this work at advanting the Directory 4. The Assemblie-work of the Directorie thus ended The Directorie inforced by ordinance of Parliament the Lords and Commons began therewith prefixing an Ordinance thereunto made much up of forms of repeal laying down the motives inclining them to think the abolishing of the Common-Prayer and establishement of this Directory necessary for this Nation First the consideration of the many inconveniences risen by that book in this Kingdom Secondly their Covenant-Resolution to reform Religion according to Gods word and the best reformed Churches Thirdly their consulting with the learned pâ—â—us and reverend Divines for that purpose 5. The Benefit of Printing the Directorie was bestowed on M r Rowborrough and M r Byfield Scribes to the Assembly who are said to have sold the same for some hundreds of pounds Surely the Stationer who bought it A good price if well paid did not with the dishonest * Pro. 20. 14. Chap-man first decry the worth thereof and then hoast of his penniworth If since he hath proved a loser thereby I am confident that they who sold it him carried such a Chancery in their bosoms as to make him fair satisfaction 6. Now because it was hard to turn people out of their old track and put them from a beaten path such was call it constuncy or obstinacy love or doting of the generality of the Nation on the Common-Prayer the Parliament found it fit yea necessary to back their former Ordinance with a second dated twenty third of August 1645. And entitled an Ordinance of the Lords and Commons for the more effectual putting in execution the Directorie c. Wherein directions were not only given for the dispersing and publishing of the Directory in all Parishes Chappelries and Donatives but also for the calling in and suppressing of all books of Common-Prayer A Second Ordinance to back the former and several forfeitures and penalties to be levied and imposed upon conviction before justices of Assize or of Oyer and terminer c. 7. But in opposition hereunto the King at Oxford set forth a Proclamation bearing date the thirteenth of November 1645. enjoyning the use of Common-Prayer according to the Law notwithstanding the pretended ordinances for the new Directory Thus as the waves The Kings Proclamation contrary to the Parliaments Ordinance commanded one way by the Tide and countermanded another with the wind know not which to obey so people stood amused betwixt these two forms of service line upon line * Isa 28. 10. precept upon precept being the easiest way to edifie whilst line against line precept against precept did much disturb and distract 8. The King and Parliament being thus at difference Arguments pro and con to Directory no wonder if the pens of the Chaplains followed their Patrons and engaged violently pro and con in the controversy I presume it will be lawful and safe for me to give in a breviat of the Arguments on both sides reserving my private opinion to my self as not worthy the readers taking notice thereof for as it hath been permitted in the height and heat of our Civil man for Trumpeters and Messengers to have fair and free passage on both sides pleading the Priviledge of the publick faith provided they do not interest themselves like parties and as spies forfeit the protection so subjecting themselves justly to the severest punishment So. Historians in like manner in all ages have been permitted to transmit to posterity an unpartial account of actions preserving themselves Neuters in their indifferent relations Against the Liturgie 1. Sad experience hath made it manifest that the Liturgie used in England notwithstanding the religious intentions of the compilers thereof hath prove an offence to many godly people 2. Offence thereby hath also been given to the reformed Churches abroad 3. M r Calvin himself disliked the Liturgie in his letter to the Lord Protector charitably calling many thing therein tolerabiles ineptias 4. The Liturgie is no better then confining of the Spirit tying it to such and such words which is to be left alone to its own liberty use praying and have praying the extemporary gift is improved by the practice thereof 5. It being a compliant with the Papists in a great part of their Service doth not a little confirm them in their Superstition and Idolatry 6. It is found by experience that the Liturgie hath been a great means to make an idle and an unedifying Ministry For the Liturgie 1. Such offence if any was taken not given and they must be irreligious mistakes which stand in opposition to such religious intentions 2. No forrain Church ever in print expressed
make the said Marquess Earl of Cambridge before John Earl of Hanault was graced with the Title All agree that both were Earls thereof and the transposition of them is no whit materiall to our History of the University 53. Mary de Saint Paul daughter to Guido Castillion Earle of Saint Paul in France 18 third wife to Audomare de Valentia Earle of Pembroke 1343 maide wife Mary de S P. founds Pembrook Hall and widow all in a day her husband being unhappily stain at a tilting at her nuptials sequestred herself on that sad accident from all worldly delights bequeathed her soul to God and her estate to pious uses amongst which this a principall that she founded in Cambridge the Colledge of Mary de Valentia commonly called Pembroke Hall She survived the death of her husband forty two yeares and died full of dayes and good deeds A hall afterwards much augmented by the benefaction of others Masters Benefactors Bishops Learned Writers Coll. Livings 1. Tho. de Bingham 2 Robert de Thorp 3 Rich de Morris 4 John Tinmew 5 John Sudbury 6 John Langton 7 Hugh Dainlet 8 Laurence Booth 9 Tho. Rotheram 10 George Fitzbugh 11 Roger Leyburne 12 Rich. Fox 13 Robert Shirton 14 Rob. Swinburne 15 George Folburie 16 Nich. Ridley 17 John Young 18 Edmond Grindall 19 Matth. Hutton 20 John Whitgift 21 John Young 22 Wil. Fulk 23 Lanc. Andrews 24 Sam. Harsenet 25 Nich. Felton 26 Jerom Beale 27 Benjamin Laney 28 Rich. Vines 29 Sidrach Simson 1 Henry the sixth 2 Edward Story 3 Gerhard Shipwith 4 Nicholas 5 Dr. Atkinson 6 William Hussy Knight 7 Charles Booth 8 Roger Strange Knight 9 Dr. Wats 10 Wil. Marshall 11 Will. Smart 12 Alice 13 Jane Cox Widow 14 John Langton 15 Laur. Booth 16 Thomas Scot alià s Rotheram 17 Rich. Fox 18 Dr. Shorton 19 Edmond Grindall 20 John Whitgift 21 Will. Fulk 22 Lancelot Andrews 1 Will. Bottlesham Rot. 2 Will. Linwoode S. Da. 3 John Langton St. Da. 4 Laur. * Charles Booth Bishop of Hereford ought to be inserted in this Catalogue bred in Benefactor to this Hall Booth York 5 Tho Rotheram York 6 Edward Story Cich 7 Tho. Langton Wint. 8 Rich. Foxe Wint. 9 Will. Smith Linc. 10 Rog. Layburne Car. 11 Nich. Ridley Lon. 12 John Christopherson Chichester 13 Edmond Grindall Cant. 14 John Young Rot. 15 Matth. Hutton York 16 John Whitgift Cant. 17 Tho. Dove Peterb 18 Joh. Bridges Oxford 19 Lancelot Andrews Winton 20 Sam. Harsenet York 21 Theophilus Field St. Dav. 22 Nich. Felton Ely 23 Matth. Wren Ely 14 Rog. Dod 25 Randolph Barlow Bishops in Ireland 1 Wil. Linwoode famous for his writing the Provincial constitutions of Canterbury 2 John Somerset Dr. of Physick to King Henry the sixth 3 John * See more of him hereafter viz an 1525. Thix stille whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carried it in â—y Schools 4 John Rogers the first 5 Nicholas Ridley the most learned 6 John Bradford the hardiest Martyr under Queen Mary 7 Will. Fulke who so learnedly confuted the Rhemish Testament Not to repeat these many worthy Bishops besides many other Writers since unknown unto me 8 Edmund Spencer prime of English Poets Tilney Vic. in Norv Dioc. valued at 30 l. Soham Vic. in Norv Dioc. valued 32 l. 16 s. Overton R. in Linc. Dioc. valued Saxthorp Vic. in Norv Dioc. valued 4 l. 13 s. 4 d. Rawreth R. in Lond. Dioc. valued 20 l. 13 s. 4 d. Waresley Vic. in Linc. Dioc Wherein there is at this present a Master nineteen Fellows one Tanquam thirty three Scholars of the house besides officers and servants of the foundation with other Students the whole number being 100. 54. The aforesaid Mary de Valentia founded also Denny Abbey nigh Cambridge And Denny Abbey richly endowed and filled it with Nuns whom she removed from Water-Beach She enjoyed also her Fellows of Pembrook Hall to visit those Nuns and give them ghostly counsel on just occasion who may be presumed having not only a fair invitation but full injunction that they were not wanting both in their courteous and conscientious addresses unto them 54. Amongst the ancient plate of this Hall Two remarkeable peeces of Plate two peeces are most remarkable Anno Dom. 1343 one silver and gilt Anno Regis Edw. 3. 18 of the Foundresses produced on Festivals who being of French extraction was much devoted to their tutelar Saint witness this inscription as I remember it Saint Dionyse is my deer Wherefore be merry and make good cheer The other very like the former weighing 67 ounces the gift of Thomas Langton Bishop of Winton with this insculption Thomas Langton Winton Episcopus Aulae Pembrochianae olim socius dedit hanctassiam coopertam eidem Aulae 1497. Qui alienaret Anathema sit 55. King Henry the sixth was so great a favorer of this House An invidious Elogie of this Hall that it was termed his adopted Daughter Kings Coll. onely being accounted his naturall sonne and great were his benefactions bestowed thereon But above all we take notice of that passage in his Charter granting repeated in another of King Edwards confirming lands to this House Notabile insigne quà m pretiosum Collegium quod inter omniae loca Universitatis prout certitudinaliter informamur mirabiliter splendit sempter resplenduit Now although it is frequent for inferiors to flatter their superiors it is seldome seen that Subjects are praised by their Soveraigns without due cause as this doth appear true to such who seriously peruse our foregoing Catalogue And though the commendation in the Kings Charter be confined to Cambridge yet may it be extended to any Colledge in Christendom of the same proportion for Students therein I say as the * 2 Cor. 8. 14. Apostle in another kinde that there may be an equality let Prembroke Hall be compared with any foundation in Europe not exceeding it in bigness time and number of Members and it will acquit it self not conquered in all learned and liberal capacities 56. Amongst the Masters of this Hall Rob. Thorp Lord Chancellor Robert de Thorp the second in number was in the thirtieth year of King * Spelman Glos pag. 417. Edward the third Lord chief Justice of the Common-Pleas which place he held thirteen years till 1371 when he was made Lord Chancellor of England His Executors anno 1375 gave fourty marks apiece to every Colledge in Cambridge then eight in number out of his own estate who in his life time began the publique-Schools as we shall shew hereafter 57. Amidst the Benefactors A Greek and gratefull Scholar Thomas Watts Doctor of Divinity and Archdeacon of Middlesex gave certain Farmes in Ashwell and Sauston for the maintenance of 7 Scholars by the name of Greek-Scholars Lancelot Andrews was one of his foundation Who at this day is neither indebted to this House in general to which he gave besides plate three hundred folio-books c. one thousand
to be accounted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as of great performances for the generall Good expended 3000. pound of his own in altering and enlarging the old and adding a new Court thereunto being at this day the Stateliest and most uniform Colledge in Christendom out of which may be carved three Dutch Vniversities Masters Bishops Benefactours Livings in the Coll. gifts 1 Iohn Redman 2 VVilliam Bill 3 Iohn Christopherson 4 VVilliam Bill restored by Q. Elizab. 5 Rob. Beamont 6 Io. Whitgift 7 Iohn Still 8 Tho. Nevyle 9 Iohn Richardson 10 Leonard Maw 11 Sam. Brooks 12 Tho. Cumber 13 Tho. Hill 14 Iohn Arrowsmith 1 Io. Christopherson B p. of Chichester 2 Iohn VVhitgift Arch-Bishop of Canterbury 3 Iohn Still Bishop of Bath and Wels. 4 Gervase Babington B p. of VVorcester 5 VVilliam Redman Bishop of Norwich 6 Anthony Rud Bishop of S t. Davids 7 Godfrey Gosborrough Bishop of Glocester 8 Robert Bennet Bishop of Hereford 9 Martin Fotherby Bishop of Sarisbury 10 Godfrey Goodman Bish of Glocester 11 Leonard Maw Bishop of Bath and VVells 11 Iohn Bowle Bishop of Rotchester 12 Adam Lofius Arch-bishop of Dublin 12 Doct. Hampton Arch-bishop of Dublin in Ireland 1 Tho. Allen Clark 2 S r. Edward Stanhop who gave 900. l. to the Library 3 The Lady Bromley 4 George Palin Girdler 5 The Lady Anne VVeald 6 Roger Iesson Haberdasher 7 M rs Elizbeth Elwis 8 Doct. Bill 9 D r. Beaumont 10 D r. Whitgift Masters of this House 11 D r. Cosins 12 D r. Barrow 13 D r. Skevington 14 Wil. Cooper Es 15 Peter Shaw 16 S r. VVilliā Sidley Knight Baronet 17 S r. Thomas Lake 18 S r. Iohn Sucklin Knights 19 D r. Robert Bankworth Fellow 20 S r. Ralph Hare Knight 21 M r. Silvius Elwis still in the Coll. S t. Maries the great in Cambridge S t Michaels in Cambridge Chesterton Vic. Eely val 10. 12. 03. Orwell Rect. Eely val 10. 07. 07 1 2. Kendal Vic. Carlile val Barington Vic. Eely val 7. 14. 04. Blythe Vic. York Dioc. val 14. 09. 04. Gryndon Vic. Peterb val 8. 00. 00. Felmersham Vic. Lincoln val 13. 13. 04. Ware Vic. London val 20. 08. 11. Thunridge Vic. London val 6. Swinsted Vic. Lincoln val 14. 00. 09. Chedull R. Cove Lich. val 12. 09. 00. See the Livings in Michael-House and Kings-Hall So that at this day there are therein maintained Anno Regis Henrici 8. 38 one master Anno Dom. 154 5 6 sixty Fellows sixty seven Scholars four Conducts three publick Professours thirteen Poor-Scholars twenty Almes-men besides lately a Master of the Choristers six Clerks and ten Choristers with the Officers Servants of the Foundation and other Students in all four hundred and fourty 20. It is not much above an hundred years since the first sounding of this House and see how marvellously God hath blessed it with eminent men in all Professions besides the Bishops afore-mentioned States-men Divines Criticks Poets 1 S r. Francis Bacon Lord Chancellour of England 2. S r. Edw. Coke lord-Lord-Chief Justice 3 S r. Edward Stanhop Vicar-Generall 4. Richard Cosin D r. L. Deane of the Arches 5. S r. Robert Naunton 6 Sir Iohn Cooke Principle-Seeretaries of State both 7. M. Iohn Facker Secretary to the Duke of Buckingham 8. S r. Francis Nethersole Secretary to the Q. of Bohemia 1 Thomas Cartwright 2 Walter Travers 3 VVilliam Whitaker 4 Matth. Sutcliffe Founder of Chels Coll. D. of Exeter 5 Io. Layfield 6 Tho. Harison 7 Will. Dakings All three Translatours of the Bible 1 Edward Lively one of the best Linguists in the World 2 Philemon Holland an industrious Translatour 3 William Alabaster most skilfull in Cabalisticall learning 4 Edward Simson who hath wrote a large History the Mythologicall part whereof is most excellent 6 Robert Creiton 1 Walter Hawksworth an excellent Comedian 2 Giles Fletcher of Christs Victory 3 George Herbert whose Piety Poëtry cannot be sufficiently commended 4 Tho. Randolph D r. Comber the twelfth Master of this House must not be forgotten of whom the most learned a In Animad in Censuram Exercitationum Ecclesiasticarum Pentateucum Samaritanum pag. 419. Morinus makes this honourable mention Alius praeterea codex Samaritanus celebratur dicitur esse Archiepiscopi Armachani ab eo è Palaestina in Hiberniam exportatus qui Leydensibus Academicis nonnullo tempore fuit commodatus Istum codicem vir clarissimus Thomas Comberus Anglus quem honoris officii reddendi causa nomino cum textu Judaico verbum è verbo imo literam cum liter a maxima a diligentia indefesso labore comparavit differentiasque omnes juxta capitum versuum or dinem digestas ad me misit humanissime officiosissime 21. Besides many worthies still alive With many moe living Iohn Hacket Doctour of Divinity whose forwardnesse in farthering these my Studies I can onely deserve with my prayers Doctour Henry Ferne whose pen hath published his own worth Master Herbert Thornedyke so judicious and indistrious in setting forth the many Languaged-Bible M r. Iames Duport so much the more priced by others for his modest undervaluing his own worth with many moe whose number God daily encrease 22. King Henry the eighth with Trinity Colledge Kings Professours founded founded also publick Professours For formerly the Vniversity had but two one of Divinity founded by the Lady Margaret Countess of Richmond allowing him Salary of twenty Marks and another for Phisick at the Cost of Thomas Linacre that exellent Critick Tutour to Prince Arthur and afterwards Doctor of Physick But now King Henry added to these a Regius Professour in Divinity Law Hebrew and Greek allowing them 40. pounds per annum and increasing the stipend of Physick Professour now acknowledged as onely of the Kings foundation But see the Catologue Lady-Margarets-Professours Kings Professours in Divinity Kings Law-Professours Iohn Fisher President of Queens Col. Bishop of Rochester Erasmus Roterodamus Thomas Cosin D. D. Master of Corpus-Christi Coll. Iohn Fawn D. D. President of the Vniversity Thomas Ashley D. D. Fellow of Kings Coll. William Sket D. D. Fellow of Kings Coll. Robert Beaumont D. D. Master of Trini Coll. Matthew Hutton D. D. M r. of Pembroke Hall Iohn Whitgift D. D. Master of Trin. Coll. William Chaderton D. D. President of Queens Coll. Thomas Carwright Master of Arts Fellow of Trinity Coll. Iohn Hanson Master of Arts Fel. of Trin. Col. Iohn Still D. D. Master of Trinity Coll. Peter Baro a Frenchman D. D. of Trinity Col. Thomas Playford D. D. Fell. of S t. Iohn ' s Col. Iohn Davenant D. D. President of Q. Coll. Samuel Ward D. D. Master of Sidney Suffex Coll. Rich Holdsworth D. D. M r. of Emanuel Coll. Rich. Love D. D. M r. of Corpus-Christi Coll. Doctor Wiggin Martin Bucer D. D. D r. Sedgwick Leonard Pilkington D. D. Master of Saint Iohn ' s Coll. Matthew Hutton D. D. Fellow of Trinity Col. Iohn Whitgift D. D. fellow of S t.
our leave of this Bishop whosoever considers the vast buildings and rich endowments made by this Prelate besides his expence in repairing the Cathedral at Winchester will conclude such atcheivements unpossible for a Subject until he reflect on his vast Offices of preferments being Bishop of Winchester Rector of S t Martins Le Grand holding twelve Prebends in Comendam with it Anno Dom. 1392. Lord Privy-Seal Chancellor and Treasurer of England besides other places of meaner consequence Anno Regis Ric. 2. 16. Wardens Rich. Toneworth Nich. Wickam Tho. Cranely Rich. Malsorde Jo. Bouke Will. Escot Nich. Osylbury Tho. Chaundler Walt. Hill Will. Porter Jo. Reade Jo. Younge Jo. London Hen. Cole Ral. Skinner Tho. White Mart. Culpepper George Rives Arth. Lake Pink. Stringer Marshal Benefactors M r Rawlins S r Rich. Read K t. D r Newman D r Reeve Ward D r Martin Rob. Bell. D r Smith Bishops Will. Warham Arch-Bish of Cant. Will. Wainffet Bish of Winchester Jo. White Bish of Winchester Tho. Bilson Bish of Winchester Will. Knight Bish of Bath Wells James Turbervil Bish of Exeter Rob. Sherbourne Bish of Chichester Arth. Lake Bish of Bath and Wells Learned Writers Tho. Harding Tho. Nele Nich. Sanders Nich. Harpsfield Will. Reynolds * He was brother to Doct John Reynolds the great protestant Tho. Hide Jo. Marshall Tho. Stapleton Jo. Fenne Rich. White * He wrote a History of England Jo. Pits All violent maintainers of the Popish Religion S r HEN. WOOTTON D r Tooker Dean of Lichfield D r James Cook Arch-Dec of Winch. S r. Tho. Rives besides other elegant works for his VICARS PLEA S r James Hassee S r Hen. Martin D r Merideth Dean of Wells ARTHUR LAKE Bish of Bath and Wells William Twisse John White One may defie the suspicion of flattery if adding D r Harris the reverend Warden of Winchester D r Rich. Zouch not beholden to his Noble extraction for his Repute founded on his own worth and Books reprinted beyond the Seas D r Merick late Judg of the Prerogative but it is better to leave the characters of their worth to the thankfullness of the next Age to describe 32. Lately the Popes usurpation was grown so great Good Laws in due season in intrenching on the Crown that there was an absolute necessity seasonably to retrench his usurpation For albeit the Kings of England were as absolute in their demeans their Prelacy and Clergie as learned their Nobility as valiant and prudent their Commons as free and wealthy Anno Dom. 1393. as any in Christendom Yet had not some Laws of Provision now been made England had long since been turned part of S t Peters Patrimony in demeans Yea the Scepter wrested out of their Kings hands her Prelates made the Popes Chaplains and Clerks Nobility his servants and vassals Commons his slaves and villaines had not some seasonable Statutes of Manumission been enacted 33. For now came the Parliament wherein the Statute was enacted The Maul-Popes Statute of premunire which mauled the Papal power in England Some former laws had pared the Popes nailes to the quick but this cut off his fingers in effect so that hereafter his hands could not grasp and hold such vast summes of money as before This is called the Statute of PREMUNIRE and let not the Reader grudg the reading therof which gave such a blow to the Church of Rome that it never rcovered it self in this Land but dayly decayed till its finall destruction VVHereas the Commons of the Realm in this present Parliament have sued to our redoubted Lord the King grievously complaining that whereas the said our Lord the King and all his liege people ought of right and of old time were wont to sue in the Kings Court to recover their Presentments to Churches prebends and other benefices of holy Church to the which they had right to present the Conisance of Plea of which Presentment belongeth onely to the Kings Court of the old right of his Crown used and approved in the time of all his Progenitors Kings of England And when judgment shall be given in the same Court upon such a Plea and Presentment the Arch-Bishops Bishops and other Spiritual persons which have Institution of such Benefices within their jurisdictions be bound and have made Execution of such Judgments by the Kings commandements of all the time aforesaid without interruption for another Lay person cannot make such execution and also be bound of right to make execution of many other of the Kings commandements of which right the Crown of England hath been peaceably seised as well in the time of our said Lord the King that now is as in the time of all his Progenitors till this day But now of late divers Processes be made by the Bishop of Rome and censures of Excommunication upon certain Bishops of England because they have made execution of such commandements to the open disherison of the said Crown and destruction of our said Lord the King his Law and all his Realm if remedie be not provided And also it is said and a common clamor is made that the said Bishop of Rome hath ordained and purposed to translate some Prelates of the same Realm some out of the Realm and some from one Bishoprick into another within the same Realme without the Kings assent and knowledg and without the assent of the Prelates which so shall be translated which Prelates be much profitable and necessary to our said Lord the King and to all his Realme By which translations if they should be suffered the Statutes of the Realm should be defeated and made void and his said liege Sages of his Councel without his assent and against his will carried away and gotten out of his Realm and the substance and treasure of the Realm shall be carried away and so the Realm destitute as well of Councel as of substance to the final destruction of the same Realm And so the Crown of England which hath been so free at all times that it hath been in no earthly subjection but immediately subject to God in all things touching the realitie of the same Crown and to none other should be submitted to the Pope the Laws Statutes of the Realm by him defeated avoided at his will in the perpetual destruction of the Soveraigntie of the King our Lord his Crown his Regalitie of all his Realm which God defend And moreover the Commons aforesaid say that the things so attempted be clearly against the Kings Crown and Regality used and approved of the time of all his Progenitors Wherefore they and all the liege Commons of the same Realm will stand with our said Lord the King and his said Crown and his Regalitie in the cases aforesaid and in all other cases attempted against him his Crown and his Regalitie in all points to live and to die And moreover they pray the King and him require by way of justice that he would
examin all the Lords in Parliament as well Spiritual as Temporal severally and all the States of the Parliament how they think of the cases aforesaid which be so openly against the Kings Crown and in derogation of his Regalitie and how they will stand in the same cases with our Lord the King in upholding the rights of the said Crown and Regalitie Whereupon the Lords Temporal so demanded have answered everie one by himself that the cases aforesaid be clearly in derogation of the Kings Crown and of his Regalitie as it is well known and hath been of along time known and that they will be with the same Crown and Regalitie in these cases especially and in all other cases which shall be attempted against the same Crown and Regality in all points with all their power And moreover it was demanded of the Lords Spiritual there being and the procurators of others being absent their advise and will in all these cases which Lords that is to say the Arch-Bishops Bishops and other Prelates being in the said Parliament severally examined making protestations that it is not their minde to denie nor affirm that the Bishop of Rome may not Excommunicate Bishops nor that he may make translation of that if any Execution of Processes made in the Kings Court as before be made by any and censures of Excommunication to be made against any Bishops of England or any other of the Kings liege people for that they have made execution of such commandments and that if any executions of such translations be made of any Prelates of the same Realm which Prelates be very profitable and necessarie to our said Lord the King and to his said Realm or that the sage people of his Councel without his assent and against his will be removed and carried out of the Realm so that the substance and treasure of the Realm may be consumed that the same is against the King and his Crown as it is contained in the petition before named And likewise the same procurators every one by himself examined upon the said matters have answered and said in the name and for their Lords as the said Bishops have said and answered and that the said Lords Spiritual will and ought to be with the King in these cases in lawfully maintaining of his Crown and in all other cases touching his Crown and his Regalitie as they be bound by their Liegeance Whereupon our said Lord the King by the assnt aforesaid and at the request of his said Commons hath ordained and established that if any purchase or pursue or cause to be purchased or pursued in the Court of Rome or elsewhere any such translations processes sentences of Excommunications Bulls Instruments or any other things whatsoever which touch the King against him his Crown and his Regalitie or his Realm as is aforesaid and they which bring within the Realm or them receive or make thereof notification or any other execution whatsoever within the same Realm or without that they their notaries procurators maintainers abbettors fantors and councellors shall be put out of the Kings protection and their Lands and Tenements Goods and Chattels forfeit to our Lord the King and that they be attached by their bodies if they may be found and brought before the King and his Councel there to answer to the cases aforesaid or that process be made against them by Praemunire facias in manner as it is ordained in other Statutes of Provisors and other which do sue in any other Court in derogation of the Regality of our Lord the King 43. Something of the occasion The occasion of this Statute name and use of this Statute the first is notoriously known from the Papal encroachments on the crown No Bishoprick Abathie Dignitie or Rectorie of value in England was likely to fall but a successour in reversion was by the Popes provisions fore-appointed for the same To make sure work rather then they would adventure to take the place at the first rebound Anno Dom. 1392. they would catch it before it light on the ground Anno Regis Ric. 2 16. This was imputed to the Popes abundance yea superfluity of care 〈◊〉 â—etur vacuum in the Church and rather then a Widow Benefice should mourn it self to death a second husband had his License for marriage before the former was deceased But great parishes where small the profit and numorous the people and where indeed greatest care ought to be had of their soules were past by in the Popes Bulls His Holiness making no provisions for those Livings which Livings had no provisions for his Holiness 35. Some will have it called Praemunire Why called Praemunire from fencing or fortifying the Regal power from forain assaults as indeed this was one of the best bulworks and sconces of Soveraignty Others that Praemunire signifieth the Crown fortified before the making of this Statute as fixing no new force therein but onely declaring a precedent and forgoing just right and due thereof Others conceive the word Praemonere turned by corruption of barbarous transcribers interpreters and pronouncers into Praemunire Others alledg the figure of the effect for the cause and the common Proverb Praemonitus Praemunitus Most sure it is that Praemunire sacias are operative words in the form of the Writ grounded on the Statute which may give denomination to the whole 36. It may seem strange such a Statute could pass in Parliament where almost sixty Spiritual Barons Popes covetousness odious to the Clergy Bishops and Abbots Voted according to Papal Interest except any will say that such who formerly had much of a Pope in their bellies had now more of Patriots in their breast being weary of Romes exactions Indeed no man in place of power or profit loves to behold himself buried alive by seeing his successour assigned unto him which caused all Clergy-men to hate such superinductions and many friends to the Pope were foes to his proceedings therein 37. This Law angred all the veines in the heart of his Holiness The Popes Letter against this Statute the Statute of Mortmain put him into a sweat but this into the sit of a fever The former concerned him onely mediately in the Abbies his darlings this touched him in his person and how cholerick he was will appear by the following Letter here inserted though written some fifty years after to make the story entire MArtinus Episcopus The Original of this Bill was in the Study of Sir Nichol. Bacon L. C ancellor whence the Arch-Bish of Armagh had this his Copy from which that of S Robert Cottons is derived servus servorum Dei 1393. Dilecto filio nobili viro Jobanni 16 Duct Bedsord Salutem Apostolicam Benedictionem Quamvis dudum in regno Anghae jurisdictio Romanae Ecclesiae liberatas Ecclesiastica suerit oppressa vigore illius Execrabilis Statuti quod omni divinae humanae rationi contrarium est Tamen adhuc non