Chancello'rs neck But afterwards both the ceremonyes of enstallment and his court of Chancery was augmented three seales one of gold two of syluer a great one and a lesser and for the Lawyers abuses and quirkes in the Common law the Chancello'rs court or Chancery erected to moderate all as Vmpire meerly out of equity and justice independent of sophisticall tricks and verball cauills This was the office of the Lord Chancellor of England synce the Norman conquest for the most part with some ceremoniall changes rather accidentall then in substance as the Kings who raignd thought fitt In the administration of this office as our Saint shewd great wisdome so did he also great integrity and these two compleated his justice so that the former securd him against mistakes and ignorance the latter against bribes and extorsions neyther of which eyther was or euer could be justly layd to his charge Nay he was so scrupulously nice in the latter that he would not haue so much as the shadow of it to approach him It is recorded particularly that certaine Religious men who had a suite depending at Law applyd themselues to him for his fauour and furtherance in the dispatch of the same and therto presented him with a jewell of value which he rejected not without indignation asking them whether they thought him to be wonn with guifts Nor was his courage inferiour eyther to his wisdome or integrity vpon which account when reason and equity dictated that such a thing was to be done he was vndaunted as to the execution euen though the king himselfe stood in the way yett none more obseruant of his Majesty then he This may be confirmd by what happend at the councill table and was driuen on by many great ones who perswaded the king to conferr an office vpon a new conuerted Iew wherby he was impowerd ouer the liues and persons of such subjects as were found to be coyners of false money He opposd it with much earnestnes saying it was too unlimited a power ouer Christians to be committed to a new conuerted Iew who might easily be tempted according to his former ill habitts to abuse it and therfore besought his Majesty with teares eyther to reuoke it or giue him leaue to absent himselfe for he could not approue it The king mou'd with his teares and candour as well as the force of his reasons bidding him sit still changd ther vpon his determination I shall say more relating to this in the last Chapter Now how satisfactory his mannagement of affayres in this ticklish charge was both to Prince and people is euidenc'd by this that the King vpon urgent occasions being calld into France left to him during his absence the trust and charge of the whole kingdome IX CHAPTER King Henry dyes his Sonn succeeds S. Thomas with License giues vpp his Seale and retyres IN this equall track of justice declining neyther to the right hand nor the left did our Saint walk all the respitt of King Henry's life Full often during this space of time did he sigh after his former Retyrement and ceasd not vpon fitt occasions to importune the same but the good King who had found his assistance and dexterity so seruiceable in the dispatch of affayres would by noe meanes harken to that request giuing him leaue to groane vnder his burden and he in complyance with his will submitted to it making the best of the worst and a vertue of necessity At last hauing finishd the course of nature as well as of a vertuous life he payd the common tribute of mortality to death and Edward his eldest Sonn calld the first of that name immediately succeded in the throne of whome it will not be amiss to giue some short account as also how things went in the course of affayres This Edward was not onely a warr-like but wise Prince and as he had receiud both Crowne and life from his father so he restord both againe by cutting off with his owne hand the last and most dangerous Rebellion of all This was raisd by Simon Montfort a great souldier and of a high Spiritt otherwise a pious and gracious person to most men by reason of his forward zeale to engage in what he conceiud did concerne the common good which cost him first expulsion out of France and after his being receiud in England and made Earle of Lecester noe less then his life This great Warriour obseruing the march and approach of Prince Edward to giue him battaile turnd to his Commanders and thus aduisd them let vs commend our soules to God for our bodyes are theyrs as it fell out and he dy'd with the rest The same great Prince Edward the first after he had brought the kingdome of Scotland to the vtmost extremity but preuented by death could not compleat the full conquest he chargd his Sonn Edward the 2. or of Caernaruan calld so from his birth in that castle not to enterre his body till he finishd the work begunn by him of which little remayn'd to be atchieu'd But those court Parasites the young Kings fauorites hating as death the life of a Souldier drew him of from that noble designe to court againe to the shame and infamy of the English Nation and wretched end of that vnfortunate Prince A sad example of disobedience to the last words of a dying father and such a father as England had scarse his like for valour conduct and wisdome In the very beginning of whose Raigne and first stepp into the throne S. THOMAS as his place and office requird brought him the great Seale of England with most humble acknowledgment of his obligation to his Majesty's father for honouring him aboue all desert with that eminent charge which he resignd into his Majestyes hands with this humble petition that with his Majestyes approbation and leaue he may retyre to that knowne mother of learning and wisdome Oxford where he may more enable himselfe for the seruice of God and of his Majesty and the assistance of his country To which the King answerd first with thanks as the manner is for the great seruice done to the King and kingdome and for his petition that he assented to it and for the present gaue him full liberty to dispose of himselfe as he thought fitting This was it which our Saint much more addicted to the Schooles then the court so earnestly breathd after and as cheerfully hastend to them as a stone to its Center or fyre to its element „ trahit sua quemque voluptas And heer I cannot but pawse a while vpon this noble and heroicall act of S. THOMAS which if we measure by a humane ell and mans naturall inclination to greatnes was perchance one of the noblest of his life For where in the world shall one find euen vertuous and holy men who make not preferrments a part of theyr ayme and reward of theyr studyes much less who will diuest themselues willingly of it especially the highest when they
on the equity of his plea deemd himselfe bound vnles he would betray his trust to attempt the recouery of these Lands His courage was such that in Gods cause he feard no colour of greatnes nor multitude of opposers and why should he synce he was armd with the armour of the just a true armour of prooff hauing justice or a good Conscience for his Sap. 5. 20. breast plate piece syncer judgment for his helmett and equity for an inuincible shield Courage and magnanimity is neuer better seconded then by vertue and sanctity and a good cause when these make the onsett be the opposition what it will they Carry all before them Of his owne nature he was so auerse from suites or contrasts that he would sooner haue yealded vpp his priuate right to an aduersary then sought to regaine it by Law in what belongd to his Church he could not it being not his owne but Gods who requird it at his hands But to moderate and facilitate all the best he could the first essay he made was a modest and peacefull clayme of his right proposing an agreement on reasonable tearmes and in case it were refusd a ready offer of a Reference if that were rejected too then he left the matter to a tryall at law in which he playd the Sollicitour so well and was so diligently watchfull that he would be present at the decision though he were carry'd in a litter This conscientious proceeding grounded on an equitable right driuen on by a studious attendance made him neuer fayle to winn his plea. Hence such was the opinion which euery one conceiu'd of his zeale and courage in behalfe of his Spouse or Church that during the time of 7. yeares which he sate in its Chayre no body durst presume to offer the least encroachment on its immunityes knowing well that to offer such a thing were to awake a sleeping Lion But this was not enough his loue and magnanimity aymd at a recouery of what was vnjustly invaded and detaynd in which behalfe though the endeauours of his immediate predecessours Peter and John had bin little successfull being ouer powerd with might he also would try his chance and began with the greatest first Wherfore after a legall clayme layd to Malbume Chase and other lands and woods ther to adioyning wrongfully withheld by Gilbert de Clare Earle of Glocester nor receiuing any satisfactory answere towards a restitution he commenc'd a suite against him and followd it so close that notw ithstanding all his greatnes and countenance from the King cleare justice was ready to giue verdict on his behalfe The Court was held neer or vpon the place controuerted and the Earle had armd men togeather with his Forresters in case of being cast to keep possession by force and seeing things brought to this pass besought the King for a suspension of the finall Sentence which was granted All this nothing abashd the H. Bishop who going a syde to geather with his Clergy into the wood putt himselfe in his Episcopall Robes and them in theyrs with lighted tapers thus going before them he came to the place where the Judges togeather with the Earle made theyr a bode where the Candles being putt out he solemnly pronouned a sentence of Excommunication against all and euery one who that day hinderd and molested his and the Church of Herefords right in the sayd woods and forrest This done the Earle perceiu'd who he had to deale withall and presently taking horse departed nor was he sooner gone then the Judges proceeded to giue sentence and that giuen the Bishopp causd his seruants to hunt as in his owne libertyes through the same Chase to Regaine possession and he himselfe for the same purpose walkd ouer the bounds vnarmd as he was though it were not done without danger of his life For diuers of the Earles men obstinately persisting to maintaine the quarrell shott at random very neer his person without any respect or reuerence had therto one of whome more injurious then the rest he threatned with the diuine reuenge and the same person shortly after sayth the Record was miserably drownd the Common voyce of all going that it was a just punishment for his contemptuous carriage towards the Saint and well for him if onely a temporall He proceeded much after the same fashon with Lewellin Prince of Wales and to excommunication also for vniustly detayning 3. villages situated neer Montgomery belonging to the sayd his See Who lying thus vnder the Censure came with the King as fearing nothing vnder his shaddow into a Church where the Saint was going to Say Mass He espyd the Excommunicated person and without further complement warnd him as such out of the Church the King himselfe interpossd for his stay but all would not doe nor he beginn till the other had absented himselfe nor could he be admitted into Communion before due satisfaction was performd He was in like manner forc'd to vse the same rigour both spirituall and temporall against some Welshmen who had vsurpt 3. villages of his Territory and defended them by strong hand till proceeding to the like censures he frighted them into a restitution Roger Lord Clifford a Neighbourer vpon his Diocess had trenchd so farr vpon the same in time of warr as to driue bootyes of cattle and vse extorsions vpon some of the diocesans He was too noble minded to denye the fact or putt the H. Bishop to the prooff of it but now willing to restore all his endeauour was to make satisfaction in priuate by some Composition without vndergoing the confusion of a publique and to obtayne this he offerd vnderhand no small summe of money He knew not with whome he had to doe nor the principle it seems that a publique fault must haue a publique pennance the offence being notorious a priuate attonement could not be admitted nor the scandall taken away till he in person in the Church of Hereford appearing in a penitentiall weed barehead and barefoot went in procession vpp to the high Aultar it selfe the Bishop following with a rodd in his hand and according to the canons striking him XVI CHAPTER His iourney to Rome and entertainment there THe last contest he had and which cost him dearer then the rest as going more against the hayre for he lou'd not debates with superiours was with his Metropolitane Iohn Peccham Arch-Bishop of Canterbury a man of great learning and ability and a worthy Prelate as graue Authors doe testify of him Nor is eyther he or our Saint to be the worse thought off for this theyr variance synce good and wise men may be of a different judgment as to matters of right or fact vntill a just umpyre decide the controuersy till then both the Plaintiff and Defendant may inculpably by course of law seek theyr right This Iohn Peccham succeeded Robert Kilwarby in the Chayre of Canterbury with whome he carry'd this reference that as the other had bin Prouintiall of the H. Order
who besydes other great parts wher with Nature had endowd him was so farr fauourd by grace as to be eminent in sanctity of life in attestation wheroff after death his sepulcher was gracd with many Miracles the blind lame and dumb finding there a present cure Now what wonder if one Saint giue another an honorable reception this is no more then to giue vertue its due and from whome may that be more justly expected then from Saints The legality of Appeales to Rome in Church affayres when a decision cannot be had in an inferiour court is ratifyd by the custome and practise of all nations and ages to her all fly as to a common and disinteressd Mother who holds the weights of the Sanctuary and without byass and partiality diuides a distributiue justice according to equity This is no more then to appeale from an inferiour court to a superiour which the course of justice deemes lawfull nor indeed in our present controuersy which was betwixt a Bishop and his Primate could any other court giue a finall verdict To it therfore our Saint appeald and in prosecution of it made his long journey and as he was allwayes happy in this that he undertook nothing but vpon mature aduise and circumspection grounded on the sound judgment of wise Councellors so he seldome or neuer miscarry'd in any cause but all being well digested the very laying it open prou'd its decision Yett a legall course of law was to be obseru'd and things by degrees brought to an issue and his was such as he desyrd that is an enioyment of the rights he was inuested in by the decrees of former Popes without suffering any infringment therin by his Metropolitane who had not power to explicate Papall Constitutions as our Saint objected to him in the fore mentiond Councell of Redding and vpon his owne explication to lay a clayme Where all proceeds according to rigour of justice fauour pretends no place nor did it heer further then to obtaine a quick dispatch and remouall of those delayes which render law-suites both costly and tedious This was all the fauour that was or could be shewd him and he took it for no meane one longing as he did after a speedy returne his hart being at home where was also the chiefest of his concerns while the rest of his body was at Rome He did t is true by an interiour vnion of mind enioy God euery where hauing long habituated himselfe in the same but yett his content was in Recollection he lou'd not the Ceremonious visitts of courts nor the loss of time that 's made in them they being toylsomly fruitles and fruitlesly toylsome while he was Lord Chancellor he felt the smart of that and the surfeyt causd then made him less able to disgest them all his life after Yett to omitt them would haue bin deemd a solecisme against ciuility and argu'd at the best a stoicall sanctity therfore who can blame a seruant of God if he indeauour to withdraw himselfe out of the concourse of such courtshipps He that touches pitch shall be defild by it XVII CHAPTER Of his Returne homewards and death on the Way HAuing thus obtaynd a fauorable dispatch and taken leaue of that great court he putt himselfe with ioy vpon the way as to himselfe though he left it in a kind of regrett for his departure and the priuation of the sweet odour of his sanctity causd therby What is admird as present is regretted as absent nor doe we ordinarily know the worth of things better then by theyr priuation It cannot be prudently doubted but that according to his settled practise of piety during the space of his abode there he left many monuments both of his Wisdome and Sanctity most richly worth recounting had they come to our knowledg But synce they doe not we must rather content our selues with a patient silence then discourse vpon less groundles conjectures contenting our selues that all is registerd in the book of life or Annalls of heauen to be publishd at the day of judgment Nor can I doubt but according to the vsuall strayne of sanctity which has for its motto „ ama nesciri loue Concealment he playd the silent Eagle not the talkatiue parrot and that the course of his vertuous actions the more profound they were the more silent like deep riuers and with less noyse did they imperceptibly flow and therfore no wonder if they escapd the record Hauing putt himselfe on his journey as soon as the heats would permitt all his endeauours now after Alm. God were to render it as speedy as he could much reioycing in the success of his negotiation and longing earnestly to make the concernd neighbouring Churches at home as well as his owne partake of the same Thus doe the Wisest many times project according to humane reasons and motiues while reckning as I may say without theyr host they propose and God disposes Little did he dreame that his journey was destin'd to a better home and himselfe design'd not for new labours but a fruition of the past the euening being at hand when the Master of the Vineyard was to call his Workman to receyue his hyre and inuite him into the ioyes of our Lord a thing if not sought for yett alwayes wellcome as being the much better home He was resignd for life and death putting both in the hands of God and hauing learnd to possess his soule in patience he was not sollicitous to dye soon or liue long but to liue and dye well which latter can be done but once and giues the vpshott to all He was now in the Clymactericall yeare of his age 63. and his crazy body was worne out with former labours and not onely what he now did but what he had done these diuers yeares was more by the vigour of his spiritt then Corporall strength This is a thing propper to holy soules who measuring theyr ability as indeed they ought rather by the former then the latter make this against its will keep pace with that as hath bin obseru'd in S. Basil S. Gregory and others and eyther by Communicating a new force or reiecting the sleeules excuses of self loue or by a speciall blessing of God they doe wonders in this kind This vigorous resolution had now brought him as farr as the state of Florence and in it to a place knowne by the name of Monte Fiascone but its stock or viaticum being spent could carry him no further Heer his debility destitute of vitalls for a reinforcement causd a distemper that was hightned to a feauer this in its accesses as a certaine fore runner of death by its symptomes told him that the dayes and wayes of his pilgrimage would shortly be ended and so they were in not very many houres Compass all its periods concluding in one poynt to witt Alm. God in whose sight the death of Saints is pretious Now we must look on him a while as deaths victime and learne of
the greatest rigour of Pennance and pouerty then to see them seated on the highest Thrones of Monarchs When infine those two great Patriarchs S. Dominick and S. Francis peopled the world with so many quires of Angells and brought Euangelicall perfection out of vnknowne retyrements and solitudes to the Common habitation of men Our country of England though separated by nature from the rest of the world was not excluded from that vniuersall influence of deuine grace wherwith it please'd God to bless those times The blood of the glorious Martyr S. Thomas of Canterbury as the true seed of the Catholique Church was not spilt in vayne and being in this age yet fresh and warm brought forth speciall fruit both in Lay and Clergy But in all none more eminent then another S. Thomas another Chancellor of England another Prelate another Champion of Ecclesiasticall libertyes and though not slayne by the sworde yet lost his life in the cause Thus the mercy of God powr'd downe sweet showers of deuine blessings upon that Kingdome by the mirits of his H. Martyr yet his iustice layd not downe the sword of due reuenge for that bloody sacriledge nor was it yet satisfyed with the personall disasters of that vnfortunate King Henry the second who hauing found as many Absoloms as he had Sonns ready to teare the Crowne from his gray hayres and to bury him aliue who had giuen them life after he had seen two of them lead him the way to his graue followd not long after and left the other two his Curse for inheritance of which they had each one theyr share by succession The former of whome was Richard the first third Sonn of the aforesayd King who though otherwise a valiant and great Prince and therfore surnam'd Coeur de Lion yet for that curse entayld vpon him by his father and much more if there were true cause of deseruing it had his Crowne torne from his head by a violent and vntimely death And that it might not fall to a more innocent hand left no child but a brother farr worse then himselfe who that his royall purple might be of a more lasting tincture gaue it the second dye with the blood of his Nephew Arthur next heyre by birth to the Crowne of England as Sonn of Geffrey Earle or Duke of little Britannie in France which Geffrey was fourth Sonn of Henry the second King of England And though it is not certaine that Arthur was murderd by his Vncle 's owne hands as the French do tell vs yet all agree that Arthur was put in prison in Rouen by his vncle King John and neuer appeard after the manner of his death is best knowne to God alone before whose invisible eyes all things lye visible Howeuer King John fift Sonn of Henry the second and surnam'd Sans terre makes the land his owne and on this wrong builds all his right which he euer mannag'd withan equall tenour as weakly as wickedly Till at last calld to an account by a stranger for oppressing his country left the world like an Outlaw and a poore child to pay his forfeyt Who though otherwise most innocent could not altogeather plead not guilty being he claymd all his right from so great injustice In the midst of this dismall and dark cloud our morning starr first appeard in the hight of this horrid storme which threatned no less then a totall destruction of the nation it pleasd God to giue a pledg of attonement between heauen and earth to bless the world with our glorious S. THOMAS CANTILUPE as a Rayn-bow after a deluge of blood and misery whose birth not like another Benjamin purchasd his life with his Mothers death but finding his country in Agony restord life Neyther was he onely a Common benefitt and happy presage to the plublique but a speciall blessing and reward of his fathers loyalty who when the greatest part and power of the kingdome eyther out of personall offence and hatred of the deceased king would yett pursue him in his image or led by interest the common Idoll of the world thought sitt to combine with the stronger party and rather adore the preualent might and fortune of an a inuading forraigner then to support the weaknes both in yeares and forces of theyr natiue Prince Yett William lord Cantilupe father of our glorious Saint lookd vpon the present state of things with another eye and was resolu'd to lay downe his life and fortune at the feet of iustice leauing the euent to the diuine ballance whether he stood or fell being secure of victory which euer crownes them who sacrifice them selues to truth and loyalty Wherfore as a person of eminent ability and honour he giues strength to the better but lesser party and as he euer maintaynd his fayth inuiolable to the faâ—her though a Prince of most odious and lawless gouerment he could neuer forgett the respect of soueraignty so he continu'd the same vnto the sonn with all the disaduantage of humane interest The Barons with theyr French Protectour were not only masters of the field both in strength and number but also many months possess'd of the head Citty of the Kingdom a thing euer held of highest consequence as being the ordinary residence and Court of Kings whosoeuer winns it seems to weare the Crowne The little king at nine yeares of age being sollemnly Crownd at Glocester was in a manner Confind to that Citty and other two Bustow and Worcester though some other particular places and Castles in seuerall parts of the kingdome stood firmly to him And chiefly Lincolne which was our Orleans where a lady not inferiour to the french sheepardess in Courage as she was farr aboue her in birth and quality defended the Castle of Lincolne the space of a whole yeare against Gilbert de Gant a prime Commander of the french forces though he had possessd himselfe of the Towne and pressd the Castle with a vigorous siege The kings honour Besydes his interest was Conceiu'd to be not a little Concern'd in the reliefe of so much fidelity especially of so rare and vnusuall example in the weaker sexe The Lord Cantilupe therfore with other Nobles of the Royall party accompany'd likewise by the legate of the see Apostolique with what power they could make marchd forth vpon this designe Being arriu'd within 8. miles of Lincolne they all Confessd and receiud the holy Eucharist with a plenary Indulgence which the Legate granted them and sollemnly declard the aduerse faction separated from the Communion of the holy Catholique Church Thus armd and encouragd from heauen they fall on with such irresistible violence that though the defendants exceeded the assaillants farr in number besydes the aduantage of theyr walls and trenches the Towne was soon ground with a totall defeat of the Enemy THOMAS Earle of Perche a person of highest nobility and Command in the Barons army allyd to both the Crownes of England and France being with many others slaine vpon
meritts we may deserue to be associated to the quires of Angells and the first lesson of the same Office calls him Angelicus homo an Angelicall man And the loue and esteem he had for this vertue was not onely verball or from the teeth outwards but he made good in deed what he professd in word and Alm. God was pleasd to permitt Certamen forte dedit ei ut vinceret Sap. â—0 12. some trialls in this kind and to giue him a strong Combatt for the greater glory of his victory While he liu'd at Paris he like another chast Joseph was assaulted in the same as dangerously as impudently and he like him forc'd to flye and leaue his cloak behind him nor can that flight by deemd disgracefull when by it we gett the victory He gott it and in this was more happy then Joseph that he wonn not onely the Combatt but also the Tempter into the bargaine reclayming her to a chast life from her impudent lubricity and so deseru'd a double reward Such a chast body was fitt to be the consort of so pure a soule to make vpp an Angelicall Compound and it s but meet that such a jewell of purity should be keept in a suitable Cabinett that both parts might beare proportion and mutually correspond A Christian ought to trayne vpp his body to immortality and labour to leaue it such in life and death as he desyres to find it in the Resurrection such that it may be acknowledgd and ownd for a Member of Chtist as indeed it is and what a shame then is it as the Apostle argues to make it the member of a harlott Our B. Saint vnderstood this right well both as to proportion decency and other aduantages which thence accru'd and therfore he made it allwayes his busynes to procure and maintaine a good Correspondence betwixt both Now he that was so industrious in the Cultiuating and preseruation of his body what would he be for his soule and Conscience the other 's but the seruant this the Mistress that but the Shell this the Pearle and he knew very well how to giue euery one its due All he was to doe in this kind was to keep it to Christian duty according to his state to cultiuate it in piety and the seruice of God sowing in it the seeds of all vertues and how he did this euen in his youth and in what a nice and delicate temper he keept it maybe knowne by what we related in the end of the 5. Chapter of the vine-propp taken out of anothers vineyard and the 7. yeares pennance he did for the same Whence we may gather how Angelically pure that delicate soule was which checkd so feelingly at so small a matter and how farr it was from harbouring any great offence which deemd the least to be so great Nor yett was it one of those which flea a gnatt and swallow a Camell according to the expression of our B. Sauiour or stumbles at a straw and leaps ouer a block but pure illuminated soules in theyr quick-sightednes can espye a blemmish where a dimm eye of a grosser Complexion makes no discouery at all This was the Constitution of his mind and tenour of proceeding when he was now in the flower of his youth and nature pronest to lubricity where nothing but the speciall grace of God in an eminent sanctity could work such effects so opposite to nature and aboue it And as he went allwayes aduancing to Sanctity euen till death so did he also in purity sanctity as S. Anselme defines out of S. Denys being a most perfect and vnspotted purity free and entyre from all blemmish and to what a pitch of eminency must he needs arriue I shall conclude all in this that he liu'd and dy'd a pure Virgin both in body and mind XXV and last CHAPTER Of his Justice and Prudence BOth these are Cardinall Vertues and when I haue shewd with what a rich stock our Saint traded in them I shall haue made him Conspicuous in in all fower As for his temperance and fortitude I haue already giuen a character of them the former while I treated of his abstinence the latter of his courage and magnanimity in defence of his Church As to what we treat of at present he had great practise of the former to witt Iustice in both his Chancellorships and dischargd his trust with such integrity that all partyes concernd were abundantly satisfyd And he took the true way to doe it for he sought it not himselfe and made its advance his end not his owne nor the enrichment of his estate while others peruersly inuert true order by taking the quite contrary course The ordering of this depends much vpon the well or ill ordering of theyr owne Conscience which must be the beame of the ballance and to be right stand allwayes perpendicular inclining neyther to one syde or other but as the scales sway it in the one wheroff must be justice in the other the thing controuerted to the end an eeuen and vnpartiall hand may be keept It were much to be wishd that all distributers of justice did this more indeed to be wishd then hopd for while so many make a trade of selling what they ought to giue and gratis theyr honesty becoming venall to auarice and them selues imitatours of Iudas who as he sold his Master so they theyr Mistress for what are all in office but her Seruants and Ministers that which Captiuated the other Captiuates them peruerts theyr sense and misleads them from the paths of equity This proceeds from being not so well principled in poynt of Conscience and justice which goe allwayes hand in hand togeather and are attended by vprightnes and syncerity and thus our B. Saint walkd in them with the Common approbation of all guided not by the dictamens of this world but Diuine Wisdome by whose Prou. 8. 15 direction all both Lawgiuers and Administers of justice decree and execute just things Thus he purchasd that vogue of integrity which euery where accompany'd his proceedings growing vpp with him euen from his youth and so habitually rooted and relucent in all his carriage that it is noted as the prime Motiue why he was chosen first to the Chancelorship of the Vniuersity and then of the whole Kingdome And Certainly such an integrity of justice is an excellent Cemmendatory to preferment as giuing great aduantages to a full discharge of trust and strange it is that men do not take this way to Compass it when they seek so greedily after it If naturall abilityes be so much regarded how much more in all reason ought supernaturall if witt how much more vertue Witt without vertue and grace degenerates for the most part into Craft and turnes publique justice into priuate ends and selfseeking Euen those that are not vertuous are great admirers of it in others as being praise worthy in a very enemy and synce no body but loues to haue theyr things well done and