that part of the City was filled with his armed enemies against whom whilest he opposed himself he was invironed by his adversaries and taken Prisoner who presently carried him away to Antwerp Whilst he was Prisoner there he fell dangerously sick and lay fourty daies tormented with a Fever and as soon as he began to recover he called for a Bible by reading whereof he much eased and refreshed his mind and body and by the diligent study thereof he began to embrace the reformed Religion and to have a tast of true Piety and the right manner of calling upon God Not long after he payed his Ransome which was fifty thousand Crowns and so returned home and being weary of the Factions and Affairs at Court and seriously thinking of his change of Religion he gat leave of the King to turn over his Regiment of Foot to his Brother Andelot and his Government of the Isle of France to his Brother-in law Marshall Monmorancy and shortly after he sent one of his intimate Friends to the King humbly to signifie to him that he intended also to lay down his Government of Picardy and therefore desired him to think of one to succeed him therein The King answered that he wondred at his resolution and scarce thought him wise to divest himself so suddainly of so many places of honour and profit and from that time he began generally to be suspected of his change in Religion shewing a minde so free from ambition and desire of rule Monsieur Andelot also discovering his resolution in Religion the Cardinall of Lorraine who hated the Family of Coligni with a deadly hatred as the greatest enemies to the greatnesse of his Family watched his opportunity and suggested to the King that all men took notice that many great men of France were infected with the poison of Calvinisme which they scattered amongst the inferiour sort of people and in particular that Monsieur Andelot had blabbed out many things to the dishonour of the solemn sacrifice of the Masse c. The King being incensed hereby commanded the Cardinall of Chattillion his Brother and Monmorancy his Cosen to send for Andelot and to admonish him to answer modestly to the questions which should be proposed to him When he came before the King he professed his great good will towarde him and spake many things of his great merits and then told him that he was sorry to hear that which was reported viz. that he thought ill of Religion and therefore he required him to tell him what he thought of the Mass which the Calvinists spake so much against Andelot being a man of great courage answered confidently according to the truth which the King being offended at exhorted him to look to himself and to prevent the danger before it were too late Whereunto Andelot with greater courage answered that he had hitherto shewed himself obedient in all things to his Majesty whom he had found alwaies bountifull to himself and his Family but in the cause of Religion he could neither daub nor dissemble with God That his Body Wealth and Dignity were in the Kings power of which he might dispose as he pleased but his Soul was subject to God only that gave it to whom therefore in this cause he must needs be obedient as to his greater Lord. At this the King was so inraged that snatching up a dish he therewith hurt his Son the Dolphin that sat next him and then he commanded one of his privy-chamber to carry Andelot to the City of Meaux where he remained a Prisoner in the Bishops house till he was removed to the Castle of Melodune Not long after King Henry the second dying his Son Francis succeeded him who was married to Mary Queen of Scotland the Daughter of the Duke of Guises Sister by which means the Guises ruled all at Court and they also boasted often of the Kingdom of England to which this Mary was Heir apparent as they said The Admirall knowing their cruel barbarous and bloody dispositions who would never be free from turbulent Counsels and especially from pesecuting those of the Religion he was now without further delay resolved to lay down his Government of Picardy and for that end acquainted Lewis of Bourbon Prince of Conde concerning his intention wishing him to beg that place of the King which accordingly he obtained Our Admirall being thus eased of these publique Burthens and the troubles of them which withdrew his mind from Religion he kept at home in his own Castle and the rather because of his Wife Carola Lavollia born of an Illustrious and Ancient Family which was wonderfully given to the study of Religion exhorting her Husband also that casting off the remainders of Idolatry and Superstition he should wholly betake himself to the true service of Christ. The Admirall having often heard her presse this upon him dealt seriously with her telling her that he never knew any either in France or Germany which embraced in truth this reformed Religion but that they were overwhelmed with manifold afflictions under which they almost perished He told her also that by the Laws of France which were confirmed by all the Parliaments Whosoever made profession of this Religion was to be burnt alive and all his estate to be forfeited to the King Yet saith he if you be so prepared with Faith and courage that you can be content to undergo the same lott with others you shall see that I will not be wanting to do my duty To this she answered That the condition of the Church at this day was no other then what it had been in former ages even from the beginning and she perswaded her self that it would be the same to the end of the world And thus each of them incouraging other the Admirall began to instruct his Family in the true knowledge and worship of God and gave them Bibles and other good Books to read for their furthtr edification Withall he stoutly forbad them those oaths and blasphemies which were common in France especially in the Court He provided also godly Governours and Schoolmasters for his Children so that in a short time there was a wonderfull change in his Family yea by his example his two Brethren Odet the Cardinall and Andelot were exceedingly stirred up to the study of Religion The Admirall from his childhood had been bred in the Court which did in those daies exceedingly abound with luxury and other vices from which he was not altogether free but so soon as he imbraced the true Religion there was such a strange alteration in his life and deportment that the powerfull work of Gods Spirit did wonderfully appear therein Before he durst come to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper he conferred with divers Godly Ministers both about Transubstantiation and Consubstantiation for the setling of his judgment in the truth and once being present in the Town of Vatevill at a private
need of Instruction to those of an inferiour rank many of whom were extreamly ignorant by reason that amongst such a great multitude of people there had in former times been so great a scarcity of preaching together with divers other reasons of the like nature which did more then countervail what could be alledged on the other hand his obligations also to those of Dukes-place not being absolute they judged it most fit that he should leave Dukes-place and undertake that charge at Westminster To this their resolution he consented yet with his Proviso that those of Dukes-place should be first provided of an able faithfull Pastor to succeed him being utterly unwilling to leave them destitute And accordingly having prevailed with Master Thomas Young since Doctor in Divinity and Master of Jesus Colledge in Cambridge to succeed him there who was also an eminent Member of the Assembly of Divines a man of great Learning of much Prudence and Piety and of great ability and fidelity in the work of the Ministry he took his leave of them commending them to the grace of God and the pious care of his Successor taking on him the charge of those belonging to the new Church in Westminster and was the first Pastor of that Church He was here also eminently faithfull and laborious in the work of the Ministry in publique praying reading expounding preaching administring the Sacraments and Catechizing with brief and clear expositions and confirmations of the Principles of Religion as had been his usual custom in other places Beside which he was also one of the seven that by appointment of Parliament did carry on that daily morning Lecture at the Abby-Church insomuch that it seems almost a Miracle that so weak a body as his should possibly be able to do so much as constantly he performed continuing oft-times to speak in publique for the space of six or eight hours on a Sabbath day beside much time spent in more private exercises of Prayer Repetitions c. in the Family yet when his Friends have perswaded him to favour himself judging so much pains to be more then his body could endure his answer hath been that his strength would spend of it self though he did nothing and it could not be better spent then in Gods service Yea so far was he from favouring himself in this kind that it was a rule with him which he constantly observed never to favour himself by declining any ministerial exercise which he was requested to perform whether in publique or private if he were possibly able to perform it Neither did he here neglect what had been his constant practice elsewhere to afford private assistance to those of his flock and others as he had opportunity But what time he could gain from the more publique affairs of the Assembly he spent for the most part in such duties not willing to lose an hour which could be imployed in doing good And to this end beside that free accesse that persons of all ranks might have unto him as they had occasion he spent much time in visiting them at their own Families to communicate some spiritual good to them as Directions Consolations and Encouragements in the waies of Godlinesse which made his company both very profitable and much desired Hereby besides others very many considerable Families of the Nobility and Gentry whose practice commonly hath a great influence on others were much quickned and encouraged in the visible practice of Godlinesse and the power of Religion which thereby was much improved And very many of them are ready upon all occasions to professe that it was their great happinesse to be acquainted with him and bewail the want of it as a great losse And he was hereunto the more fitted for that he was naturally of a loving and friendly disposition of a courteous and affable carriage even towards inferiours and those of mean rank especially if he discovered in them signes of grace which he did honour and encourage wherever he met with it Hereby he gained much love and and affection from those with whom he had to do by reason whereof his counsel and advice became so much the more effectual To which we may adde also his birth and education and his frequent conversing with persons of quality to whom he was related and allied by reason whereof he was well qualified with such accomplishments as might render his company acceptable as knowing well how to give due respect to all according as their places and conditions did require and yet to preserve the honour and reverence of his Ministerial authority which by the gravity sobriety and holinesse of his conversation was much secured In that great Ordinance of the Lords Supper which in these broken and distracted times hath been in many places wholly laid aside and in many more too much neglected he took much care and pains how to manage that great businesse so as might be neither displeasing to God â—o justly offensive to good men The difficulty herein hath been not concerning the manner of administration which hath afforded lesse matter of contest but concerning the persons that might be judged fit to be admitted thereunto which to many men hath been attended with so much perplexity that they have apprehended a necessity of a totall intermission and almost an impossibility of administring it in any tolerable manner while on the one hand they durst not promiscuously admit all by reason of the great ignorance of many and the prophanenesse or loosenesse of others and yet on the other hand saw not how they might be able for want of authority to debar any waiting still for the setling of a Government in the Church whereby this great difficulty might in some measure be removed Till at length through the long intermission of this Ordinance those that are prophane and carnal begin to slight and scorn it and those of better principles do too much abate in their affections to it And that remedy which though late began at length to be applyed in beginning to establish the Presbyterian Government hath been yet so much defective in want of power and so much exposed to scorn and reproach which men of prophane or turbulent spirits cast upon it either from principles of prophanenesse or of seperation or from some other bitter root which renders men unwilling to have their lusts errours unlawfull liberties or licentious courses in any kind whatsoever to be checked or contradicted that the matter is now almost grown desperate unlesse God will be pleased in special favour to afford some unexpected remedy Herein this holy man did manifest a great measure of singular Prudence and Piety wisely avoiding both rocks Neither totally omitting the Celebration of the Sacrament nor yet promiscuously admitting all unto it but those only of whose sufficient knowledge he was assured and whose lives so far as he could discern were unblamable and free from scandal And this he did not only of late years
if she were a stranger but it redounded to the great hurt of France and was the cause of many Civil broils When the day of the publique Convention of the States came he which made the Speech in the behalf of the Nobility about the end of his Oration presented the King with a Supplication that they of the Reformed Religion might have publique places allowed them for the exercise of the service of God in To this one Quintin a Doctor of the Civil Law and Professor of Paris opposed himself and made a long Oration in the name of the Clergy which he rather read then pronounced by heart wherein he took the boldnesse to affirm That all they that moved for publique places for those of the Religion were guilty of Treason against the King and Kingdom the authors of sedition and bringers in of a new Religion and therefore ought severely to be punished Of which when the Admirall in the Kings Councel afterwards complained Quintin to excuse himself professed that he had spoken nothing of his own head but only had pronounced that Oration which was penned and put into his hand by the Clergy and that he was ready again in the Convention of States before the King and all the company to avow that in all that he had said he had no thoughts of hurt to the Admirall In conclusion there was an Edict sent forth in the Kings Name commanding and requiring all the Judges and Magistrates through France to release all those of the Religion that were in prison and it was forbidden them upon great penalties hereafter to meddle with or to trouble any for their Religion sake As for the businesse of allowing them publique places for worship that was put off to the next Generall meeting of the States which was appointed but held not to be at Ponthoise in Piccardy January following there was a meeting of all the Princes and Nobles of France appointed to be held at St. Germans whither also repaired the Deputies from all the Parliaments and there it was decreed that Churches should be allowed to the Protestants in the Suburbs belonging to each City Upon the publishing of which Edict the Peace of the Kingdom seemed to be setled and in the Suburbs of all the greater Cities yea of Paris it self those of the Religion met publiquely and had Sermons preached without the least disturbance But presently after was news brought that the D. of Guise in Campania had basely murthered about two hundred persons who were met together at Vassiac to hear a Sermon according to the power given them by the Kings Edict in a barn and it was conceived that the D. of Guise took this boldnesse relying upon the friendship of the K. of Navarr whose weak mind he had bowed and bound to himself by promising him the Kingdom of Sardinia and other favours and upon this confidence adjoyning his other Brethren to him with a great Army he went to the Court and there seized upon King and Queen Mother who seemed with many tears to bewail the violence profered to to them and carried them away to Paris Hereupon the Queen Mother sent divers messengers to the Admirall and writ with her own hand to the Prince of Conde requesting them to help her and to deliver the King out of this captivity This caused the Prince of Conde with many of the Nobility upon deliberation to resolve to raise an Army for the rescue of the King and to curb the insolency of the Guises often saying that he ought not to be deterred with reports as if he intended to propagate his Religion by arms or to offer violence to the Person of the young King For said he After such a publique Decree made by the King and all the States in favour of those of the Religion What had the D. of Guise who is a Lorrainer by extraction to do in France Or by what confidence doth he exercise such cruelty against the Kings faithfull Subjects And therefore he saw that there was no way left but to repell force with force and that he was not the author of the War but by War defended those that were unjustly oppressed by War There was also a publique report that the D. of Nemours had endeavoured by flatteries to perswade the young Prince Henry the Kings Brother who was afterwards chosen King of Poland to go with him out of the bounds of France which the young youth had declared to his Mother There was much speech also of the Massacre at Vassiac and of their leading the King and Queen Mother as their captives to Paris where they had a powerfull faction They had also sent to the German Princes desiring to be admitted into the league of the Protestants The Cardinall of Lorraine had also sent to Christopher Duke of Wirtzberge a prudent and valiant Prince pretending that both he and his Brethren would embrace the Protestant Religion and desired to be enrolled in the number of the Protestant Princes These things being publiquely divulged the resolution of the Prince of Conde to take Arms was generally approved of and in a few daies many Cities sided with and assisted him as Orleans Biturg Roan Lions Vienna Valentia Mont-alban c. And whereas by the common consent of all the Protestants in France the Prince of Conde was chosen Generall he prevailed so far with them that the managing of the War was conferred upon our Admirall to whom he also delegated his own power and interest for the opinion which he had of his excellent justice gravity and prudence This being generally taken notice of the Queen Mother interposeth as a Mediatrix for peace and sends for the Prince of Conde to come to their tents intreating him that for the convenient situation of it he would deliver up into their hands for a few daies as the fittest place for the Treaty the City of Boience where there is a bridge that passeth over the River Loir which bridge she affirmed to be the fittest of all other places for the Parlee The Prince of Conde upon the perswasions of his Brother the King of Navarr and of the Queen Mother and upon their faithfull promise that the Town should be delivered back to him again and that his person should be in safety during the Treaty without taking any further pledges delivers up Boience to them only desiring that whilst the Treaty lasted the Constable Guise and Saint Andrew who were called the Triumvirate for the ruine of France might be commanded to withdraw from the Camp When these things were done the Queen Mother and the Guises put a garrison into the Town of Bogener fortifie it strongly and keep the Prince of Conde prisoner The Admirall being justly incensed by this perfidiousnesse and resolving not to be wanting in his aid to the Prince of Conde he presently with all his Cavalry sets upon the enemies Camp which brought such a terrour amongst them
Offices ambitiously of the King which happily I might have obtained I retired my self to my own house and there even to this time have lived a quiet and private life But omitting these things and speaking to the present occasion Being sent for by Monmorancy I am come hither not to disturb the peace of the City or to innovate any thing but rather to preserve peace against the audaciousnesse of some that would disturb it It is not unknown unto you how much confidence those of the Religion do put in me These being stirred up with new rumours and terrified with the counsels and factions of the Guises do daily flock to me bring me intercepted Letters of the meetings of certain Captains who command their old Souldiers to be ready in arms that when they have occasion to use them they may be at hand What needs more words Letters are intercepted written into Normandy the originall whereof is sent to the Queen Mother and I will shew you a copy of them wherein amongst others there is this passage There is no readier means of restoring the Crown of France to those to whom it doth belong of old then by rooting out the house of Valois and by massacring all the Hugonots which are the chief upholders of it for this end their woods are to be sold that with the price thereof we may arm our selves and get money and if the Hugonots sue for them the businesse being once adjudged against them they will never move for their charges of the suit Now also what should I speak of the daily plunderings and murthers It 's sufficiently known that after the peace was published more then five hundred of those of the Religion were basely murthered in severall places and yet not one of the murtherers were ever punished by the Magistrates and they which have complained of these things to the King or Queen Mother have carried away either only words or some empty paper or parchment instead of satisfaction Who knows not that in the City of Turon lately and openly many of the Religion were cruelly massacred even under the Ensign and by the Souldiers of him who was sent thither by the Duke of Monpensier to settle the peace These things being so yet I hear that there are many of your Priests who are so terrified by my coming hither that they consult about leaving the City and yet there is no place in all France no City Town or Castle where the Priests live and attend their services with more freedom and safety then in my Town of Castelon The Admirall having ended his speech the company was dismissed and two daies after there came to Monmorancy about thirty Delegates from the Parisian Merchants and with them the Bishop and divers Priests to all whom the Admirall spake very Friendly bidding them be of good cheer and fear nothing and within few daies after going to the Court of Parliament he made a speech to them and told them That nothing was more desirable to him then the Peace and welfare of the City neither did he come to them with any other mind then to advance it and therefore he exhorted them that they also would do their endeavours that the Citizens might behave themselves peaceably and quietly and so shortly after he returned home At his return he was informed that there was one Maius who lived not far from him a famous thief that was hired by the Duke of Aumale the Brother of Guise to lie in wait for him when he should ride forth on hunting for which end he had given him an hundred pieces of gold and an excellent Horse many also complained to the Admirall against him for his thefts and robberies whereupon having gotten sufficient witnesses he complained of him to the Parliament at Paris and a few daies after having apprehended him he caused him to be carried to Paris but when he came before the Parliament this villain accused the Admirall as if he had dealt with him about killing the Queen Mother and had promised him a great reward for the same The Parliament after examination finding this to be but a Calumny and proving him guilty of many thefts condemned him to be broken upon the wheel which accordingly was effected Shortly after the Prince of Conde had a Sonne born to whom the King would be Godfather but because he could not himself be present by reason of his Religion he substituted the Admirall to supply his room which businesse was celebrated with very great pomp for at the Feast a Table was prepared as if it had been for the King himself at which the Admirall sat alone and was attended like a Viceroy which every one interpreted as a pledge of the Kings singular love and favour to him Not many daies after news was brought that the Duke de Alva had by the command of the King of Spain brought a great Army into the Low-Countries to suppresse and root out the Protestants and this Army being to passe by the borders of France the Admirall moved in the Kings Councel that Burgundy might be looked to and lest any tumults might arise about the difference in Religion he advised that a guard might rather be appointed of the Swissers then of the French men and it was commonly reported that six thousand Swissers should be ready to oppose the Duke de Alva in case he attempted any thing against Burgundy But a few daies after the Prince of Rupisurias of the royoll blood wrote to the Admirall to send him some trusty Person to whom he might communicate a secret which would much conduce to his safety he also being a Friend to the Prince of Conde by reason of their propinquity in blood told him that there was secret counsell taken at Baion for the utter extirpation of the Protestant Religion and all the Professors of it and for that end those six thousand Swissers were hired and brought into France under pretence of opposing the Duke de Alva the Admirall also was informed of the same by many Letters and Messengers from severall of his Friends These things coming forth first the Prince of Conde and presently after him the Admirall went to the Court and told the King the Queen Mother and all the Councel that they saw no sufficient reason why so many Swissers should be brought into France except it were to oppresse them and many other honest Families which embraced the Reformed Religion But they should find more that had devoted themselves to that Religion then commonly was thought of an experience whereof they had in the late Wars They told them also that if their adversaries attempted any innovations they would not be wanting to themselves nor like sheep would suffer their throats to be cut by murtherers They therefore earnestly intreat and beseech the Kings Majesty that he would be moved to pity so many honest Families and the afflicted condition of his Countrey and of the common people
c. Having dispatched these things he resolved to march to Vivaret and to the bank of Rhodanus and understanding that some were up in Arms for him in the Delphinate who also had taken some Towns he sent part of his forces to them to assist them in taking in some Cities of greater consequence committing the government of them to Count Lodwick of Nassaw who arriving in the Delphinate struck such a terrour into the Inhabitants as caused them to fly into the Cities but he having no Guns for battery only wasted the enemies Countrey and so with honour returned within few daies to the Admirall Shortly after the Admirall worn out with cares watchings and incessant labours fell sick and though he was greatly afflicted with his disease yet conceiving that it was of great concernment for him to get to the River Liger he made no stay but in his Horselitter marched with his Army thitherward for he was informed that about La Charity and Sancerra there were about two hundred risen in Arms for him whom he thought to be of great concernment to adjoyn to his Army the rather because Cossaeus Marshall of the Kingdom after the Battell in Xantone by the King made Generall of the Army in the room of the Duke of Anjou as he understood advanced with his Army that way and began to approach near him And whereas there came a Trumpet from him to the Admirall about exchange of Prisoners the Admirall sent him word by his Trumpet that he should not need to be at so much pains to seek him for that he himself was hasting towards him so fast as he could When he was advanced so far as the Forrest behold new Ambassadors met him from the King about a Peace for when the Courtiers heard that the Admirall whom they thought to be utterly broken by his former overthrow had in so short a time gotten so gallant an Army together again they were extreamly terrified lest he should march directly towards Paris and there should plunder and destroy the brave Countrey Houses of the Courtiers Senators and rich Citizens of Paris the like whereunto they had heard that the Senators and Citizens of Tholouse had already felt The Admirall by his march though in his Horselitter had his disease much increased upon him and the Physicians gave their judgment that if he continued still to be pressed with so great cares and multiplicity of businesses he could not hold out long whereupon the Treaty with the Kings Ambassadours brake off for a time but some Nobles that were aweary of the Warres complained that there was no reason that the Treaty should cease because the Admirall could not be present at it affirming that though he should die yet there were men enough of honour and interest that could carry on the Treaty to the establishing of Peace The Ambassadors tnswered them We wonder thrt you do not consider of how great authority the Admirall is amongst you who if he should die to day we would not offer to any of you tomorrow so much as a cup of cold water What do you not yet know that the only name of the Admirall can prevail more for you then a great Army without him Within a few daies the Admirall being refreshed and in a good measure recovered the Treaty began again and at last it was concluded That certain Commissioners should go along with the Kings Ambassadours to signifie to his Majesty in the name of them all That they of the Religion desired nothing more then Peace neither was any thing more grievous to them then Warre yet was there none of them but would undergo greater miseries yea and death it self rather then to deny the truth which they had embraced That if the King pleased to grant them Peace and the exercise of their Religion upon the former conditions and to put some cautionary Towns into their power for their security they would willingly and for ever lay down their Arms. These Messengers being dispatched the Admirall advanced forward and in his way took in the Town of Reneducium to which some of the Vantcurriers of Cossaeus were come and from that day forwards there was no day passed without some skirmishes between the two Armies and one day the minds of the Souldiers on both parts were so far inflamed that it had near come to a generall Battell there being only a little Brook between the two Armies Monsieur Mongomry having already broken the first Battell of the adversaries wherein were Valetius and Vasco men of great authority amongst the Royalists But presently came new Messengers from the King desiring a cessation from arms till the Treaty was finished and after great debate an Edict was sent from the King by which certain places were allotted to the Protestants for the exercise of their Religion in for the performance whereof they had for two years four cautionary Towns put into their hands viz. Rochel Montalban Cognac and Charity and the Kings Proclamations hereof were sent all over the Kingdom and so an en end was put to the third Civil Warres The Admirall bringing the German Forces to the borders of their Countrey dismissed them courteously and so taking the two young Princes of Navarr and Conde he went with them to Rochel where the Queen of Navarr was purposing to stay there till the Peace was fully setled in every place and after a few Moneths trusting to the Kings promises and to the oaths of the Kings Brethren and Parliaments having been tired out with so many and great labours he betook himself to rest and at the intreaties and perswasions of his Friends inclined to dispose of himself again in Marriage the rather because he was earnestly solicited thereto by the kindred of Jacoba Monbella the widow of the L. Anthony Monbell who was Daughter of Count Intermontanus of whose modesty piety and wholly life he had heard much formerly She therefore being brought honourably to him to Rochel he solemnly married her and not long after he disposed his own Daughter Ludovica in Marriage to Monsieur Teligni a young man of great Nobility and vertue Of all the Nobility of France none seemed more acceptable and dearer to the King then this Teligni by reason of his admirall ingenuity and therefore being much about the King it was he that did afterwards perswade the Admirall of the great esteem and hearty good will of the King towards him But God quickly mixed sorrow with the joy of these Marriages news being brought about that time of the death of Odet Coligni Cardinall of Chattillion who had been some time in the Court of England as the Procurator for the cause of the Protestants with Queen Elizabeth who much favoured him for the amplitude of his Family and the opinion of his vertue and integrity But the Protestants affairs being composed in France his Brother Gaspar sent for him Whereupon coming to Queen Elizabeth he obtained leave for his departure
being certified that many things were done tumultuously in the City and that weapons were brought together in many places they thought fit that counsell should be taken betimes for that no good could be expected from those proceedings Hereupon one was sent to the King to certifie him of the commontion of the people and of their carrying of Arms and therefore to request him to charge certain of his guard to stand before the Admirals door for his better security The King seeming to be moved with this news began to demand of the Messenger who had told it him and whether the Admirall knew of it and withall he sent for the Queen-Mother who was scarce entred when the King with a disquiet mind as he seemed said What a mischief What is the matter He tels me that the common people are in a tumult and take Arms. She answered They are not in any tumult neither do they take Arms but you know that early in the morning you commanded that all should contain themselves in their own quarters lest any tumult might arise That is true said the King but I forbad them to take Arms. Then the Messenger again requested that he would send some of his Guard to the Admirals lodging The Duke of Anjou being by said Take Cossen to you with fifty Harquibushiers The other answered We desire only six of the Kings Guard for their Authority will more prevail with the people then many armed men Yea quoth the King and the Duke of Anjou take Cossens to you for you cannot have a fitter man which words were pronounced very imperiously The Messenger knowing Cossen to be a great enemy to the Admirall yet held his peace and not far from the Kings Chamber he met with Monsieur Thoree Brother to Marshall Monmorency who whispering in his ear said No greater enemy could be given us for our Keeper to whom the other answered Did you not observe how Imperiously the King decreed it but pray you remember what I answered to the King when he first commanded it A few hours after came Cossen with his fifty Harquibushiers to the Admirals house and chose two shops by to place his Guard in A little after Rambulet the Kings Camp-master followed who by the advice of the Duke of Anjou commanded all the Popish Nobility that lodged in that street to remove their quarters elsewhere that he might dispose of their lodgings to the friends and familiars of the Admirall then which no more crafty counsell could be devised for those matters which afterwards fell out Towards evening this hapned which gave to many no small occasion of suspition A Boy by the command of Teligni brought two hunting poles to the Admirals house but Cossen put him back and would not suffer them to be carried in This being told to the King of Navarr who was now with the Admirall he went down and asked Cossen upon what confidence he did it Cossen answered that he had done it at the command of the King but said he since you will have it so let them be brought in That day the King sent to all the Admirals familiar friends admonishing them to go near to the Admirals house and take up all those quarters But upon the former occurrences another Councel was called under the Admirals lodging wherein the Vidam of Chartres again urged his former opinion that the Admirall should presently be carried out of Paris and that his friends should go along with him That every hour they observed many things that justly increased their suspition But most were of the contrary opinion viz. That they were only to require justice of the King and to desire that the Guises and their Faction might be commanded out of the City as being too powerfull with the people of Paris and of this opinion was the King of Navarr the Prince of Conde and many others and the rather because Teligni urged that it would be a great injury to the King if any should call his faith and sincerity into question and that it would be sufficient if justice were meekly required of him At this debate there was one Bucavannius a Picard who never spake word he was a professor indeed of the true Religion but very gracious with the Queen-Mother and very frequent with her familiars which probably betraied all to her About three a clock in the night there fell out another thing which increased the suspition for one carrying to the Admirals house the Coats of Male of Teligni and Guercius Cossen turned him back again which man complaining to Guercius who was a stout and gallant man he went to Cossen and sharply taxed him for it so that they had well near fallen to blows but Teligni who was of a meek and quiet spirit with gentle words pacified them himself being so deluded with the fair and flattering words of the King that he never thought that he spake enough in his commendation In the mean time a Councell was held at Court where were present the King Queen-Mother Duke of Anjou Duke of Nevers the Bastard of Angolisme Birage Tavannius and Radesianus and it was concluded That seeing by the death of one the mischief diffused amongst so many could not be extinguished therefore all should be destroyed And that the wrath which God would not have fulfilled with the blood of Coligni alone should be poured out against all the Sectaries therefore say they the bridle is to be let loose to the common people who are stirred up enough of themselves and when the businesse is accomplished reasons will not be wanting whereby the deed may be excused the blame being laid upon the Guises who will willingly undergo the same So they all concluded that all the Protestants were to be destroyed even every Mothers child of them Concerning the King of Navarr and the Prince of Conde it was debated Whether they were to be exempted from the number of the rest and it was alleadged that the King of Navarr was to be spared because of his royall Dignity and his affinity newly contracted for it would be without all excuse if so great a Prince next to the King in blood conjoyned in fresh affinity should be slain in the Kings Castle between the arms as it were of the King his Brother-in-law and his Wives imbraces Concerning the Prince of Conde the contention was greater he was much envied for his Fathers sake yet the dignity of his person and the authority of the Duke of Nevers who became surety for him prevailed that he should be spared After this the King calling the King of Navarr told him that by reason of the violence and boldnesse of the Guises and the common people inclining to them he would advise him to command those of his houshold whom he knew most faithfull to him to come to him to the Louure to be at hand upon all occasions This the King of Navarr took in very good part sending for
his Pancrestum or Physick for all diseases which greatly comforted his heart in all his afflictions By his first Wife he had five Children He left alive Lewis his eldest Daughter married to Monsieur Teligni who was murthered the same night with his Father-in-law then Francis Odet and Charles the two elder survived that furious Massacre the third being not eight years old in whom he took much delight for his prettinesse was taken by his enemies and taught to bear the Crosse of Christ in his tender years He left his second Wife great with child who was brought to bed four moneths after of a girl and returning to her native Countrey in the borders of Savoy was not long after committed to prison by the command of P. Philibert D. of Savoy for marrying against his consent The Life of Joane Queen of Navarr who was poisoned at Paris a few daies before the bloody Massacre Anno Christi 1572. IOane of Albert was daughter to Henry the second King of Navarr and to Margueret of Orleance Sister to Francis the first of that name King of France and by her Parents was carefully trained up in the Protestant Religion from her childhood which she constantly adhered to all the daies of her life She was married to Anthony of Bourbon Son to Charles Duke of Vendosme by whom she had Henry the fourth of that name King of France by his Fathers right and the second of that name King of Navarr by his Mothers This Anthony King of Navarr in the minority of Charles the ninth being the first Prince of the blood was to be his Protector but the Queen-Mother and the Guises seeking to draw all the power and management of affairs into their own hands laboured by all means to withdraw the King of Navarr from the Protestants that so by weakening them thereby they might rule the rost as they listed For which end they employed the Ambassadour of Spain the Cardinall of Tournon Escars and some other houshold flatterers to him who perswaded him that carrying himself a Neuter and causing the Prince his Son to go once to the Masse the King of Spain would give him the Realm of Sardinia in recompence for that of Navarr which he had lately taken from him The Pope likewise confirms him in this hope which indeed was but to take from him all means of recovering his Kingdom of Navarr when he should attempt it Yet he being drawn by those Spanish and Lorrain practises estrangeth himself by little and little from the Protestants sollicited the Queen his Wife to return into the bosome of the Romish Church and to draw her children thereunto But she being better grounded in the truth then so easily to forsake it refuseth whereupon a breach grew betwixt them and the King her Husband falls in love with one of the Queen-Mothers Maids The forenamed Guisian instruments seeing this perswade him that Heresie is a sufficient cause of dissolving marriage and that therefore he might be divorced from Joane Albert his Wife as being infected with the poison of Heresie They tell him also that notwithstanding his divorce he should retain to himself the possession of and interest in all the Dominions and Kingdoms belonging to her of which she should be deprived as unworthy of them by reason of her Heresie And instead of her he should marry Mary Queen of Scots whose Dowry say they is the Kingdom of England and as soon as the marriage is contracted the Pope would strip Elizabeth of it as unworthy thereof for the same cause and settle it upon them c. But the King of Navarr abhorring to be divorced from his Wife it remained that he should accept the conditions about the Kingdom of Sardinia for the effecting whereof they left no means unassaied and at last prevailed so far that they gulled the King of Navarr and set him at odds with his Brother the Prince of Conde Coligni the Admirall and the other Protestants The Queen his Wife distasting his change of Religion and adhering to the Popish party retired into Podium in the Countrey of Bearne where she kept her Court But it pleased God that shortly after in the siege of Orleance the King of Navarr was shot into the shoulder whereof he died about three weeks after The next design was to seize upon the Queen together with her Son Henry and her Daughter Katherine and to bring them before the judgment seat of the Inquisition of Spain and the Conspirators doubted not but that Philip King of Spain would more willingly hearken to this counsell for that this exploit would make for the advantage of his Religion the rescuer whereof he proudly boasted himself to be As also the businesse about the Kingdom of Navarr which he unjustly detained would be hereby dispatched by the taking away of the unlawfull heirs thereof They conceived also that the businesse might easily be effected by the means of the King of Spain's Souldiers that lay at Bacinona ready to be transported into Africk who by the waies of the mountains might come upon and surprize the Queen of Navarr and her Children at Podium before they were aware One Dominik a Captain born in the territories of Bearne was singled out to go to the Court of Spain to communicate these counsels with the King and to receive further instructions from him But it pleased God that this Dominik falling sick by the way Annas Hespius an honest man that tended on him smelt out the occasion of his journey and by giving timely notice prevented the effecting of it by which deliverance God shewed his watchfull providence over his handmaid this Religious Queen of Navarr Not long after in the time of the third Civil Warre for Religion this Queen having raised great Troops led them to Rochel together with her Son Henry and her Daughter Katherine from whence she wrote Letters to the King the Queen-Mother the Duke of Anjou and the Cardinall of Bourbon To the King she wrote That in the common Cause of Religion in regard of the duty which she owed to the King and the necessity of blood whereby she was joyned to the Prince of Conde she could not be wanting to him upon such an occasion having alwaies rejected the bloody counsels of the Guisian faction and especially the Ambition of the Cardinall of Lorrain from whose friendship she earnestly dehorted the Duke of Anjou beseeching him that he would not yield up himself a minister of his wicked will in cutting up the Royal stock by the roots In her Letter to the Cardinall of Bourbon she sharply chideth him for not being warned by his former danger For how long saith she will you be the Suffragan of the Cardinall of Lorrain Have you forgotten the treacherous plots that were laid by him for your Head and are you so credulous as to believe his oaths when he sweareth that he minded no treachery c. But these
Letters prevailing nothing the Warre went on and in the Battell of Bassac the Protestants were worsted and the Prince of Conde slain which news being carried to Rochel the Queen of Navarr posted to the Protestant Army where before a great Assembly of Nobles and Souldiers she made an Oration to confirm their mindes praising the vertue and constancy of the Prince of Conde who had employed his faithfull endeavours even unto death in defence of so just a Cause and thereupon she exhorted the rest to imitate his example and to persevere in maintaining the truth of Christ and the Liberty of their Countrey For saith she the good Cause is not dead with the Prince of Conde neither ought godly men to give way to despondency in such cases God having so provided for his Cause that he gave Conde companions whilst he lived that may succeed him now he is dead I have brought with me mine only Son Henry and Conde's own Son who as he is Heir of his name so is he of his vertues These with other Nobles besides I trust will never be wanting to so good a Cause And having thus spoken to the Nobles and Army and many things privately to her Son whetting his youthfull spirit she returned again to Rochel to provide new succours In the mean time a Commission was granted to Terride Governour of Quercie to summon the Queen of Navarr and the Prince her Son to leave the party of the Protestants and in case of refusal to invade the Countreys of Bearne Foix and Navarr in which he so prevailed that he reduced all to the Kings obedience but only Navaren which he besieged as the only strong place that remained to the Queen Hereupon the Queen and the Princes sent the Earl of Montgomery to encounter him who with a small Army of five hundred Horse and four thousand Foot forced Terride to raise his siege and retire himself to Ortheze His men were dispersed and to prevent his gathering them together again the Earl besieged him forced the Town and to beat Terride with his own weapons he turned his Cannons which ht found in the Town against the Castle whereupon it was surrendred to him after which all other places were suddainly reduced to the obedience of the Queen and the Earl having garrisoned the Towns of his new conquest speedily returned to the Princes Not long after Peace being concluded betwixt the King and the Protestants the King published an Edict wherein amongst other things he hath this passage Let it be lawfull for the Queen of Navarr the Kings Aunt besides the benefit which is common to all those which have the highest jurisdiction to enjoy the free exercise of her Religion in the Dukedom of Albert in the Earldoms of Armigniac Foix and Bigorre in one place of all those Dominions which she holdeth in her own possession or which may be consigned to her by the King so that all that will come to that place though she her self be absent may enjoy it without danger Moreover lest any doubt should arise concerning the right meaning of the Queen of Navarr the Kings Aunt as also of the Princes of Conde both Father and Son the King doth declare That he acknowledgeth them all for his faithfull Cosens and Subjects and that they and all that have managed the Warres under them shall be free and not bound to render an account for monies received or taken c. The Peace being concluded the malice of the Popish party was no whit abated whereupon they sought by Policy to effect that which they could not by power and for this end Biron was sent to Rochel in the Kings name to treat with the Queen of Navarr about the marriage between her Son Henry and the Kings Sister the Lady Margaret for which end he invited them to come to the Court where businesses might be fully debated and concluded He added also that hereby a fair occasion was offered from God to settle their affairs in peace c. The Queen of Navarr having returned thanks in a set Oration answered that the matter was of that importance that she would take time to her self in deliberating of it and albeit she did professe and acknowledge that that affinity would be a great ornament and profit to her yet she was for the present doubtfull what to do in regard of the near kindred betwixt her Son and the Lady and the difference in their Religions Wherefore saith she I will consult with my Divines and what I shall find to make for Gods glory and the good of the Kingdom and that may stand with a good conscience that I will readily and willingly imbrace being desirous in all that I may to satisfie the pleasure of the King and Queen to whom I owe all due observance Yet there remained two scruples which troubled the King and the Queen of Navarr in respect of the place and manner of celebrating the marriage For the Queen would not have it done at Paris which City being extreamly addicted to the Popish Religion she feared was long since an enemy to the Family of Navarr and therefore she judged it not safe to have it celebrated there The King on the contrary said That it would make for a certain sign of sure Peace to have the celebrity of the marriage seen in the Metropolis of the Kingdom as it were on a publique Theater The other doubt was about the manner of the celebration For the Queen of Navarr being most addicted to the reformed Religion would never endure that it should be contracted after the Popish manner nor the Queen-Mother after the fashion of the Protestants But the King prayed the Queen of Navarr to pardon him in that matter for that it would tend to his great dishonour if he should suffer the marriage of his Sister to be solemnized in any other form then according to that ancient Religion which he had received from his fore-fathers therefore to resolve this doubt there was time taken on both sides In the mean time the Queen of Navarr consulted with the Ministers of the Reformed Religion what might be done in this matter Some of them insisting upon the simplicity of Gods Word said that it was utterly unlawfull for such marriages to be contracted especially by illustrious Personages in whom it is more dangerous because of more publique concernment Others judging that this marriage would be a sure and as it were an everlasting foundation of a most happy Peace assented to it The Queen of Navarr and the Protestant Nobles striving to find out remedies both for the Kingdom which was grievously afflicted and for their own bruised estates liked these mens judgments best and so the businesse proceeded and the conditions of marriage were agreed upon between the parties The King was to give his Sister for her Dowry three hundred thousand Crowns each Crown being valued at four and fifty Shillings About this time the
special Providence His humility His death His Birth His education His love of the Scriptures His remove to Cambridge His call to Cawk The education of her children His call to Shrewsbury Satans malice His suspension His judgment against separation His studiousnesse His painfulnesse His humility and charity His servent Prayers His remove to Wrenbury A character of Mr. Nicholls Mr. Herrings character His call to Amsterdam The reason of his remove His Letter martyrdome The Lady Bromleys love to Christs Ministers His arrival in Holland His entertainment there His first Sermon Return of prayers His fear of Independency His death His birth and education His first going to Cambridge His conversion His disputation at the Commencement Note He preached a Lecture at Ely His removall to Hanwel His great pains there His frequency in fasting and prayer His hospitality His second marriage The great successe of his Ministry His deprivation His preaching at Fenni-Compton His removall to Cannons-Ashby He is again silenced He had an excellent gift in conference His comforting of afflicted consciences Joy unspeakable Note He is placed at Fausley His hospitality His charity The benefit of afflictions Troubles to be expected His frequency in Fasting and Prayer His diseases His desire of death The reasons of his desire His taking occasions to do good How he prevented swearing His delight in the Law of God His mercifulnesse His love and charity Dr. Prestons love to him He comforts Mr. Throgmorton His weanednesse from the world What wicked men are like Note Afflictions Gods potions The power of his Ministry His excellency for similitudes Benefits of death Benefit of Prayer Benefit of Faith We should not be weary of hearing Sinfull recreations Promises great riches His humility Love better then Law The benefit of turning to God betimes A special Providence His Faith How afflictions may be lessened Meeknesse Comfort in dangers His Faith Cavaliers cruelty His patience Death not feared Passionate rebukes unprofitable What contention should be amongst married persons His manner of preaching The Scope of his Prayers His exposition of Scripture His custom in preaching What preaching is unprofitable True humiliation His preaching by signes Christians should be cheerfull His indefatigablenesse The benefit of plain preach-king His holy life His peace-maing His acutenesse His humility His modesty What Wise should be chosen How we may alwaies have comfort What will make us willing to suffer Assurance to be laboured foâ— Thankfulness in afflictions Prayer His tentation and victory His faith and patience His death His call to Stoke The great successe of his Ministry His flight to Warder Castle Special providences His remove to Sarum He is condemned to be hanged His courage and constancy A special Providence His remove to Winchester He is urged to recant His remove to Oxford His Release He is sent for by the Earl of Essex His going to Barwick A special Providence Possession Satan Balsom Satan Balsom Satan Balsom Satan Balsom Satan Balsom Satan Balsom Satan Balsom A special Providence The great successe of his Ministry His death His Parentage His birth and education He was sanctified from the Womb. His frequent reading of the Scriptures His natural endowments His skill in the French His industry His observance of his Parents Despisers of Parents usually punished by God His admission into the University He is made Fellow of Queens Colledge His care over his Pupils He is ordained Minister His call to Canterbury The occasion of it Friendship His self-denial He was a burning and shining light His opposition to innovations His humility He doth good abroad He is opposed by Sectaries and Cathedralists His Lecture put down He is again restored Tentations prevented His remove to Ashwel His great pains His humility and sincerity His prudence His diligent catechizing His prudent charity His Cathechism His manner of reforming disorders His Family-Government His care for sanctifying the Sabbath His secret duties His Fasting and Prayer His frequency in reading the Scriptures His holy and exact walking He is made University-Preacher He is made a Member of the Assembly His conscientiousnesse therein His fitnesse for it His care for Ashwel in his absence His choice to Dukes-place His self-denial His great pains The success of his Ministry His call to the new Church His temperance The reasons of his removall His great pains A faithfull Pastor His amiable and affable disposition His care about the Lords Supper He is made Master of Queens Colledge His Government of the Colledge His care to promote Religion there His care to advance learning His charity His prudence A true Nathaniel His zeal His courage and faithfulnesse His vindication of the Sabbath A special Providence His faithfulnesse His judgment about the King His temperance and sobriety His liberality and charity His last sicknesse His Prayer before death His death His Parentage His Fathers death His Mothers death Popes Policy His Birth His education His valour He is wounded His advancement His military discipline His military service He is made Admirall He is made Generall He makes Peace with the Emperour His distast of perjury The cause of the feud betwixt him and the Guises His courage St Quintan besieged His fidelity to his Countrey His industry The French Army routed The City battered St Quintan taken The Admirall taken His sicknesse a means of health to his soul. He devests himself of his Offices His temperance Andelot questioned for Religion His stout Answer His imprisonment The cause why he left his Offices His godly wife encourages him Persecution attends the Gospel He instructs and reforms the Family The power of Religion His prudent humility How Christ is received in the Sacrament He partakes of the Sacrament to the great joy of the Churches Persecution the bellows of the Gospel A meeting of the Nobility His zeal and courage The Protestants Petition His boldnesse A Parliament desired The Protestants persecuted The Admirals oversight A general convention of the States A petition for the Protestants The malice of the Clergy The Protestants freed from persecution Churches allowed them A massacre by the Duke of Guise The King seized on by the D. of Guise Why the Protestants first took arms Prince of Conde made Generall The Admirall made Lieutenant Generall P. of Condees facility The Q Mothers perfidiousnesse P. of Conde prisoner The Admirall releases him His eldest Son dieth The Guises call in forraign help And so do the Protestants The Admirall taketh their ammunition A Battell Conde taken prisoner The Admirals valour John Poltrot slew the Duke of Guise A wicked brag A peace concluded The Admirall accused He clears himself The controversie determined by the King The Admirall cleared Treachery against the Admirall He forgives the Traitor The Q. Mothers mischievous counsels Her subtilty God follows her with the plague The Guises attempts against the Protestants frustrated by the Admirall Lies raised of him His speech to the Parisians His speech to the Parliament New treachery against him
the matter meant requiring them to wait upon him to the Schools according to their duty which they did and Dr. Sands took the Chair Mr. Mitch and a rable of unlearned Papists seeing this withdrew and conspired amongst themselves to pull him out of the Chair In the mean time Dr. Sands began his Oration expostulating with the University about their dealings and charging them with great ingratitude towards him affirming that he had said nothing in his Sermon but what he was ready to justifie and that if he were faulty they were as deeply guilty in concealing and consenting to that which he had spoken In the midst of his speech in came Mitch with his associates some laid hands on him to pull him out of the Chair telling him it was not his place others called him traytor c. Dr. Sands seeing that they used violence being of a great courage felt for his dagger to have dispatched some of them as Gods enemies but Dr. Bell and Dr. Blith prayed him for Gods sake to hold his hands and patiently to bear that great wrong to which he assented and so the tumult ending he went on and finished his Oration and having some money of the Universities in his hand he delivered it up together with all other things belonging to the University and then resigned his Office praying to God to substitute a better in his room and to give them better and more thankfull hearts and so he repaired to his own Colledge On the morrow came to him Mr. Germingham and Mr. Tho. Mildmay Mr. Germingham told him that it was the Queens pleasure that by two of the guard he should be conveyed to the Tower together with the Duke Mr. Mildmay told him that he wondered that so learned a man as he should speak so unadvisedly against so good a Prince Dr. Sands answered I shall not be ashamed of bonds but if I could do as Mr. Mildmay can I need not to fear them for you came down in armes against the Queen and now you are in arms for her I cannot thus blow hot and cold with one mouth Presently Dr. Sands his stable was robbed of four excellent Geldings and an Inventory was taken of all his goods and he was set upon a lame jade that halted to the ground whereupon a friend of his desired that he might lend him a Nagg to ride upon As he went out at the end of the Town some Papists assembled to jeer and some of his Friends to mourn for him He was carried through London in scorn and as he entred in at Bishops-gate a base woman threw a stone at him and hit him so full on the breast that he was near falling from his Horse To whom he mildly said Woman I pray God forgive thee As he went through Tower street a woman in her door said to him Fie on thee thou Knave thou Knave thou Traytor thou Heretick At this he smiled whereupon she said Look the desperate Heretick laughs at it Another woman on the other side of the street said Fie neighbour thou art not worthy to be called a woman railing thus upon this Gentleman whom thou knowest not nor yet the cause why he is thus used and turning to the Doctor she said Good Gentleman God be thy comfort and give thee strength to stand in Gods cause even to the death and thus he was carried Prisoner to the Tower where the Yeoman of the Guard took from him his borrowed Nagg and whatsoever else he had and whereas his man brought some linen after him that also was taken from him The first three weeks he was in a very bad prison at the end whereof he was removed to another where was put to him Mr. John Bradford On the day of the Queens Coronation his prison door was left open and there came to him one Mr. Mitchell a special friend of his and said Dr. Sands there is such a stir in the Tower that neither gates doors nor Prisoners are looked after this day therefore take my cloak hat and rapier and get you gon save your self and let me do as I may The Doctor refused his offer saying I know no just cause of my imprisonment and if I should do this I should make my self guilty I will expect Gods good will yet am I much bound to you for your love Mr. Mitchell not prevailing departed Dr. Sands and Mr. Bradford continued in prison twenty nine weeks one Bowler a perverse Papist being their Keeper yet by their affable and loving carriage and converse he began to mislike Popery and to favour the Gospel yea he was so far at last wrought upon that on a Sabbath when others went to Masse he carried up to them a Service-Book a manchet and some wine at which time Dr. Sands administred the Sacrament to Mr. Bradford and him and so Bowler became their son begotten in their bonds When Wyat was up in Arms that room might be made for him and his in the Tower Dr. Cranmer Dr. Ridley and Mr. Bradford were put into one prison and Dr. Sands with nine other godly Ministers were removed to the Marshalsey As they went the people every where prayed God to comfort them and to strengthen them in his truth whereupon the Keeper of the Marshalsey said to Dr. Sands I perceive that the vain people would set you forward to the fire but I hope you will not prefer your own knowledg before the judgment of so many worthy and learned Prelates if so you shall find me as strait a Keeper as one that utterly mislikes your Religion Dr. Sands answered I know my self young and my learning small it s enough to know Christ crucified and he hath learned nothing that sees not the great blasphemy that is in Popery I have read in Scripture of some godly and courteous Keepers God may make you one if not I trust he will give me strength and patience to bear your hard dealing with me The Keeper replied Do you then minde to stand to your Religion Yea said the Doctor by Gods grace I do Truly said the Keeper I love you the better for it I did but try you before and what favour I can shew you you shall be sure of it and I shall think my self happy if I may die at the stake with you and ever after he shewed the Doctor much favour suffering him to walk into the fields alone where sometimes he met with Mr. Bradford who being removed to the Kings Bench found the like favour with his Keeper He also lodged him in the best Chamber and would not suffer irons to be put on him as other Prisoners had and suffered his Wife a beautifull Gentlewoman both in body and soul to resort to him He lodged also Mr. Sanders with him To these two holy men there was much resort and much Money was profered to them but they would receive none Three or four times they celebrated the Sacrament and
had many Communicants at which times Dr. Sands gave such exhortations as drew many teares from his Auditours and wrought in them an utter abhorrency of the Masse and all Popery When Sir Tho. Wyat with his Army came into Southwark he sent to Dr. Sands in prison desiring his company and advice telling him that the prison doors should be set open for him and the other Prisoners Dr. Sands bad the Messengers tell him that if his rising were of God he should stand otherwise he should fall and that for his own part he was committed by order and that he would never depart thence except he were discharged by the like order the like answer made Mr. Sanders and the other godly Ministers that were prisoners there Dr. Sands having thus lain there nine weeks at last by the mediation of Sr Tho. Holcraft then Knight Marshall he was set at liberty the manner of it was thus Sir Tho. Holcraft made great suit to the Bishop of Winchester in the behalf of Dr. Sands yet could get no grant from him except he would turn to their Religion which if he would do he should have great preferment yet at last by importunity he extorted from him that if the Queen would grant him his liberty he would not oppose it Then did Sir Thomas by two Ladies of Honour prevail with the Queen that he should have his liberty if Winchester liked of it Sir Thomas having this grant watched the Bishops next going to the Queen and then again moving the businesse he at last prevailed with them and gat a Warrant signed by them for his deliverance yet Winchester afterwards commanded him not to release him till two Gentlemen should give a thousand pound bond for him not to depart the Kingdom without License Sir Thomas seeing this procured two Gentlemen to be willing thus to be bound with him and then sending for Dr. Sands he imparted all the businesse to him to whom Dr. Sands said I give God thanks who hath moved your heart to be so carefull of me I think my self much bound to you for your love which God will requite and I will never prove ungratefull But as I came a free man into Prison so I will not go out a bond-man for as I cannot benefit my friends so neither will I hurt them and if I be set at liberty I will not stay six dayes in the Realm if I can get out Therefore if I may not go free send me back to prison where you shall be sure of me Sir Tho. Holcraft was much troubled at this answer yet seeing the Doctor immoveable in his resolution he said to him Since I cannot change you I will change my own mind and am resolved to set you at liberty come of it whatever will come therefore get you gone quickly over-sea and never write any thing back hither for so you may undo me and so friendly kissing him he bad him farewell and commanded his Keeper to take no fees of him Dr. Sands returning to the Marshalsey tarried all night and on the morrow gave his prison-fellows a dinner bad his bed-fellow and sworn stake-fellow if it had so pleased God Mr. Sanders farewell they kissing each other with many teares Then went he to the Kings bench to Mr. Bradford and Mr. Ferrar comforting them and they praising God for his happy deliverance and so he went into London to a private friend and the next night changed his lodging hearing that search was made after him For Dr. Watson and Christopherson went to the Bishop of Winchester and told him that he had set at liberty the greatest Heretick in England and one who had most corrupted the University whereupon the Bishop sent for all the Constables in London commanding them to make diligent search for him and promising five pound to him that could apprehend him Dr. Sands suspecting the matter shifted from place to place and appointed his man to provide him two Geldings purposing the next day to go into Essex to his Father-in-law Mr. Sands with whom his Wife was But that night having a pair of Hose too long for him which were made without measure whilst he was Prisoner in the Tower he then lodging in Cornhill requested the good Wife of the house to send them to the next Taylor to be cut shorter and it so fell out by Gods providence that the next Taylor was a Protestant and the man that made them he knowing the Hose went at midnight to the Doctors lodging and being admitted into his Chamber wished him not to be troubled at their unseasonable coming in to which he answered Nothing can be amisse what God will that shall come to passe then the Taylor told him of the Bishops sending for the Constables whereof he was one and of their hopes to find him for saith he it 's known that you have provided Geldings and that to morrow you are to go through Algate where you will certainly be taken therefore let your man walk booted and spurr'd to morrow neer where your horses stand and in the mean time they shall be conveyed privately to Bednal-green and at a fit season I will come and convey you thither also as you go along the streets look wildly and if you meet your Brother in the mouth know him not c. Accordingly Doctor Sands attired like a Gentleman and looking wildly went with the Taylor the next day who conveyed him through back lanes to Moore-gate and from thence to Bednal-green where having his horses ready he kissed the honest Taylor and would have given him the greatest part of that little which he had which yet he would not receive and so with teares they parted yet afterwards Doctor Sands requited him thankfully That night he rode to his Father-in-law and within two hours after his coming his Father was informed that that night two of the Guard would seek to apprehend him there whereupon he was presently conveyed to an honest Farmers house neer the Sea-side where he was locked up two dayes and two nights in a chamber all alone and then removed to one Mower a Master of a Ships house at Milton shore attending a wind for his departure and while he was there Mower brought forty or fifty mariners to him to whom he gave such an exhortation that they being taken with it resolved all of them to die rather then he should be apprehended May the sixth the wind served and he took his leave of his Host and Hostesse who had been married eight years and had no child and when he took his leave of the woman he thanked her kindly for his entertainment and gave her his handkerchief with an old royall of gold in it saying Ere a year be past be of good comfort God will give you a Sonne and accordingly it came to passe for when there lacked but one day of a twelvemoneth she was brought to bed of a fair Son Doctor Sands and Doctor Coxe were
taking great affection to him for his wit and disposition was very carefull of him and taught him not only that humane learning that was fitting for his years but the grounds of the Protestant Religion This his School-master was the first blessed Instrument that God was pleased to make use of to work in him a liking and relish of the Reformed Religion He continued with him till he was fit for the University which was not long For when he was but about thirteen years of age he was placed by his Father the good hand of God still over-ruling him with a very godly and Religious Tutor in Christs Colledge in Cambridge where he concontinued till after he was Master of Arts where he gained much love and esteem for his Piety Learning Ingenuity affability and harmlesse inoffensive witty Converse Mr ARTHVR HILDERSAM Being in this dejected and forlorn condition God that comforteth those that are cast down comforted him by meeting with Mr. John Ireton then Fellow of Christs Colledge after Rector of Kegworth in Leicestershire a man famous for Piety and Learning in London who at their meeting said unto him Arthur why art thou so long from thy Book and losest so much time Alas Sir said he I shall go no more to Cambridge and thereupon told him his condition and the occasion of it Be not discouraged saith Master Ireton thou hast a Noble Kinsman whom I will acquaint with thy case and I doubt not but he will provide for thee Accordingly Master Ireton soon after went to the Right Honourable Henry Earl of Huntingdon Lord President of the North whose Mother and Master Hildersams Mother were Brothers Children and representeth to him the sad condition of his poor Kinsman The Noble Earl gladly embraced this opportunity of doing good and sent for him encouraged him promised him maintenance and gave order to Master Ireton to send him back to Cambridge and to place him with a good Tutor For said he I suppose his Father did place him with a Papist But when Master Ireton assured him the contrary he gave order he should go to his former Tutor of whose love to him and care of him Master Hildersam was wont often to speak When Master Hildersam was Master of Arts he was soon after to Common-place a Colledge-exercise in Divinity not different from a Sermon but in length he being loth to adventure upon that Exercise intreated one of the Fellows his special Friend to supply his place the first time but he out of love refused to gratifie him in that and wished him to remember one Master Sidney Zouch Master of Arts of that Colledge who getting one to supply his place the first time and hearing afterwards some of his own year perform that Exercise so well that he despaired of doing the like could never after be perswaded either to Common-place or preach though he were a very able Scholar The first time he was to Common-place he was much afraid but observing that there sate a very godly man his Friend on th' other side of the Chappel he thought that that man prayed for him which much encouraged him He was of so good repute for his Piety and Learning that by the major part of the Fellows he was chosen Fellow of that Colledge but Dr. Barwell the Master making use of his negative voice stopped him and the matter came to the Visitors two of which viz. Doctor Perne and Doctor Goad favouring his Competitor Master Willet who was afterwards Doctor Willet made him Fellow Not long after he was chosen Divine of Trinity-hall in the said University where he continued till Septemb. the 14 1587. at which time by the foresaid Right Honourable Earl he was called to be and placed Preacher at Ashby de la zauce in Leicestershire The impropriate Tithes of the same Parish being setled upon him for his life by the said Earl and continued to him by the favour of the two succeeding Earls George and Henry untill his death He hath given publique notice to the world of his duty and thankfulnesse to that noble house in his Dedicatory Epistle to his Lectures on Joh. 4. January 5. 1590. He married Mistresse Anne Barfoot Daughter to Master Barfoot of Lamborn-hall in Essex who was a very loving and carefull Wife of him and the like Mother of his Children she survived him about eight years He was silenced in June 1590. and restored again in January 1591. He was instituted and inducted into the Vicaridge of Ashby Octob. 4. 1593. He preached at the Assiises at Leicester in the time of a great dearth July 20. 1596. a godly learned zealous plain and powerfull Sermon upon those words 1 King 18.17 18. And it came to passe when Ahab saw Elijah that Ahab said unto him Art thou he that troubleth Israel And he answered I have not troubled Israel but thou and thy fathers house in that ye have forsaken the Commandements of the Lord and thou hast followed Baalim In the handling of which Text he so offended Judge Aderson that he manifested his anger and displeasure both by his countenance and gesture arising to go away But Master Hildersam speaking some words unto him with ministerial authority he stayed till the Sermon was done After Sermon the Judge would have had the Grand-Jury to have indited him but in those daies it would have been hard to have found a Grand-Jury in Leicestershire that would have done that Some further and greater danger Master Hildersam was in by reason of that Judges displeasure for that Sermon but God in mercy prevented it In the year 1598. there was an attachment sent out of the High-Commission for his apprehension In the beginning of King James his reign when many petitioned for Reformation which Petitions were very modest and moderate subscribed by above seven hundred and fifty godly able Preachers in but twenty five Counties which Petition was directed to the Parliament and other Petitions to his Majesty and the Lords of the Council and to the Bishops he with some few others of his Brethren were chosen and chiefly intrusted to mannage that important businesse to prosecute the Petitions to solicite the cause and if required to dispute it And whereas there were some appointed to deal for those that desired Reformation in the Conference at Hampton Court he with Master Stephen Egerton of London and Master Edward Fleetwood of Lancashire delivered to them some ten demands and requests made by thirty Reverend Ministers in the name of themselves and many others which they intreated them to solicite his Majesty for in the behalf of the Church He was deprived and silenced by William Chaderton then Bishop of Lincolne April 24. 1605. for refusall of subscription and conformity yet after some time by the connivance and favour of William Overton then Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield he preached sometimes in that Diocesse specially at those two famous
the disposition of many of the deponents what little credit was to be given to them and that Master Hildersam might have had the most odious and capital crimes desposed against him by such Witnesses who did not only in matter of fact affirm upon oath that which all the Parish knew to be notoriously false but did also take upon them to know and deliver upon their oath the reason and ground of his pretended practice which they having ever been as all the neighbours knew meer strangers to him was impossible for them to do it The next term the cause came to be heard and censured but Master Hildersam hearing of the heavy sentence against Master Dighton and Master Holt November 21. 1616. viz. to return back to prison there to remain till they conformed themselves they were also fined a thousand pounds a piece pronounced excommunicate and ordered to be so publiquely denounced and injoyned to make their submissions in conceptis verbis in three several places and lastly they were condemned in expences and costs of the suit concealed himself and did not appear at the day of his calling and censuring but did eight daies before send a Copy of his answer to the several points that were desposed against him to his Advocate Doctor Hussey to be shewed to the Court Which Answer in the judgment of rational honest indifferent men was full and satisfactory To instance but in the proof of one Article and his Answer thereunto One George Reding deposed That upon Palm-sunday was two years he was one of those that came up to the Communion-Table in Ashby Church in several companies and though Master Hacket had before given warning that he would admit none that would not receive it kneeling refused so to receive it but would have received it standing and when he could not have it so yet stood still among them that kneeled till the Communion was done To which disposition Master Hildersams answer was That it is notoriously known to all the Inhabitants at Ashby that I was at that time sick in my bed and for many weeks before and after utterly unable to stir out of my Chamber neither did I ever at any other time present my self in that manner to the Communion-Table neither doth Master Hacket or any other deponent charge me with any such matter And this fellow that hath devised this against me whereof there was no colour at all of truth would in all likelihood have sworn any thing that might have done me hurt if he had been required to do it Notwithstanding this his answer to that and his answer to all the rest delivered as aforesaid to his Advocate the Court proceeded to censure him November 28. 1616. whereby he was pronounced a man refractory and disobedient to the orders rites and ceremonies of the Church of England And because he yet refused to submit himself and to joyn in the administration of publique Prayer and divine Service and Sacraments as they are here lawfully administred therefore he was by the Court pronounced a schismaticall person and a Schismatick and thought well worthy of severe punishment And in respect that he was the prime Ring-leader of all the schismatical persons in that Countrey both of the Clergy and Laity he was first fined two thousand pounds to his Majesties use pronounced excommunicate and ordered to be so publiquely denounced as also was ordered to be attached and committed to prison and so to be brought before the Commissioners to be degraded from his Ministry and was further ordered to make his publique submission conceptis verbis as shall be prescribed him by this Court and lastly he was condemned in charges When he heard of this terribly cruel sentence it was his wisdom now to conceal himself which accordingly he did for a long time in the City and God so hid him under the shadow of his wings that his adversaries could not meet with him During this time of his keeping close one Master John Hartly one of the Elders of the English Congregation at Leiden in Holland came with Letters of Credence from the Congregation making offer to him of the Pastors place then vacant which he resolved to have accepted of had not his Wives unwillingnesse to go over the Seas retained him here The foresaid fine of two thousand pounds was estreated without abatement into the Exchequer March 12. 1616. whence several Processes were issued to the Sheriffs of Leicestershire to enquire of his estate but they by several returns answered They could find none At length the said fine was begged and granted by his Majesty King James under the Great Seal to Master Williams Page to the then Marquesse of Buckingham whereupon Master Hilderdsam compounded both with him giving him a great summe of money and with the Registers also of the High-Commission Court for their part of the fine and obtained a discharge from them both I suppose it will be hard to find that any man was before or scarce hath been since in that Court so deeply fined and heavily censured meerly for his judgment and conscience having done nothing either factiously or contemptuously against that Government and those orders of the Church that were then established He was indeed alwaies from his first entering into the Ministry a resolved and conscientious Non-conformist as appeareth by the foregoing story and so continued to his dying day witnesse that clause in his last Will I do hereby declare and protest that I do continue and end my daies in the very same Faith and Judgment touching all points of Religion as I have ever been known to hold and profess and which I have both by my Doctrine and Practice and by my sufferings also given testimony unto He was a great admirer follower and friend of Master Thomas Cartwright famous for Religion and learning who left his papers to Master John Dod and him to peruse and publish what they thought fit Though he himself was a constant Non-conformist yet such was his ingenuity and Christian Charity that he respected esteemed and was very familiar with those he knew to be religious and learned though of another judgment He did alwaies oppose the separation of the Brownists and the semi-separation of Master Jacob with whom as also with some Ring-leaders of the former sort he had divers conferences and disputes He is called by Doctor Willet his Contemporary and sometimes Competitor The Hammer of schismaticks whom they commonly call Brownists as you have it in J. C. his Epistle to the Reader before the forenamed Lectures on John 4. That is Master John Cottons of New-England his dear and familiar Friend who there expresses his high opinion of the Authour those Lectures and his Treatise of the Doctrine of the Lords Supper printed 1608. annexed to a little Treatise of the like Argument set forth by a godly learned man his intimate Friend Master William Bradshaw of which Treatise of Master Hildersams Master Cotten
in the afternoon and kept a Lecture on the Wednesday constantly and besides this he was one of the five Ministers who held up the Lecture at Banbury He gave himself much to Fasting and Prayer and as his seeds-time was painfull so his Harvest was gainfull hundreds of souls being converted by his Ministry He was given to Hospitality delighting therein keeping a constant Table on the Sabbath and on the Wednesdays Lecture upon which daies he had not under eight or twelve persons commonly dining with him and he spent the time amongst them in spiritual exhortation and conference He was about thirty years old when he came to Hanwel and continued there above twenty years where he had twelve Children by his dear Wife formerly Anne Bound Daughter-in-law to the worthy Servant of Jesus Christ Master Greenham of Draighton near Cambridge and Daughter to Doctor Bound she was one that truly feared God and after her decease by the perswasion of some Friends he took to Wife Mistresse Cleiton who then lived at Stratford Bowe she also was a godly woman and he was contracted to her by Master Egerton of Black-Fryers and married by his ancient and loving Friend Doctor Gouge But to return back again to Hanwel it pleased the Lord to give a great blessing to his Ministry in that place yet he had much trouble from the envy of some Ministers that lived about him who though they seldome preached themselves yet they would not suffer that their people should go from them and hence he was frequently questioned in the Bishops Courts And besides this though some of Hanwel were very courteous and kind yet there were some others who were glad to get from him what they could and to keep from him what they could thinking that that which he had was too much Upon a time Master Dod took a journey to Draighton to bemoan himself to his Father-in-law Master Greenham by reason of his crosses and hard usage Master Greenham heard him what he could say and when he had done answered him thus Son Son when affliction lieth heavy sin lieth light This deserves the rather to be remembred because Master Dod used often to blesse God for it saying also that if Master Greenham had bemoaned him which he expected he had done him hurt and he forgot not this speech in his old age but made excellent use of it for himself and others He was suspended from his Ministry at Hanwel by Doctor Bridges Bishop of Oxford And suspecting what would follow the Sabbath before he went to the Visitation he gave his hearers a farewell Sermon out of that text I will smite the Shepherd and the Sheep shall be scattered the people did attend unto him with sad countenances and weeping eyes Being thus driven from Hanwel he preached at Fenni-Compton in Warwickshire where he had but small means but he was desirous to be doing good From thence he had a fair call unto Cannons-Ashby in Northamptonshire where he lived quietly divers years preached over the whole Prophesie of Danel with some other Scriptures having much kindnesse from Sir Erasmas Dryden in whom there was a rare mixture of Piety and Learning and good affection from Master Cope He was silenced from preaching at Ashby upon a complaint made against him by Bishop Neal to King James who commanded the Arch-bishop Abbot to silence him Then he ceased for some time to preach publiquely yet in regard of his heavenly gift in conference he might have been said daily to preach privately he was in his element when he was discoursing of heavenly things And God in goodnesse so ordered it that when he was restrained from publique preaching yet himself conceived that at that time his life was no lesse profitable then it had been in former times He had much employment in comforting such as were wounded in their spirits being sent for not only nigh at hand but also into remote Countries There was a Gentlewoman who had a great worldly estate and a loving Husband but she was so sadly assaulted with tentations that she often attempted to make away her self Master Dod was sent for to come to her and the Lord so blessed his Councels Exhortations and Prayers that she did not only recover out of her anguish of spirit but she was afterwards taken notice of for her singular Piety and the Lord so ordered that this affliction was not only the means of her Conversion but also of her Husbands so that both of them were a great mercy in the Countrey where they lived promoting Religion according to their power and entertaining and cherishing godly people She lived divers years quieted in her heart and being rich in good works and when she lay on her death-bed Master Dod was sent for to her again who spake of heaven and to fit her for that glory she told him that she felt the comforts of God and that she could as hardly at that time forbear singing as formerly in child-bearing she could forbear crying and shortly after she died There was a Gentlemen related to a noble Family so perplexed in his mind that he hath been known in hard frosts to go barefooted that the pain of his feet might divert his thoughts Master Dod was sent for to him who was his spirituall Physician to heale him It would be long to insist on all particulars of this nature the Lord having made him a happy Instrument for the good of many When he had spent some years in this kind of service by the care and industry of Master Richard Knightley of Preston a worthy Patriot after the death of King James his liberty was procured for preaching again publiquely and then he was setld at Fausley where he preached twice every Lords day There he went over the Gospel of John the Epistle to the Colossions and other Scriptures He was much given to Hospitality at Fausley as he had formerly been at Hanwel so that there was scarce any Sabbath in the year in which he did not dine both poor and rich commonly three or four poor persons besides those that came from other places to hear him He had so large an heart that upon occasion he hath given to some three shillings to some ten shillings to some twenty shillings and when the poor came to buy butter or cheese he would command his maid to take no money of them At Fausley he had quietnesse from the Courts as also at Ashby for in neither of those places was there any Church-wardens He was beholding at Fausley to the Right Worshipfull Family of the Knightleys where his bones was laid He used to bear crosses with much patience and meeknesse being wont to say that Sanctified afflictions were great promotions quoting that of the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 1.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. is much more precious then gold which he conceived to signifie the affliction that
many well-affected people came to him being affrighted with the Cavaliers he encouraged them using this speech that if a house were full of rods what need the Child fear when none of them could move without their Fathers hand and the Lord was a loving Father state and life and all was in his disposing When afterwards the Cavaliers came to his house and threatned to knock him on the head he answered with confidence that if they did they should send him to Heaven where he longed to be but they could do nothing except God gave leave They broke open his Chests and Cupboards and plundred him of his goods but he said to a Friend of his that he would not do them that honour to say they had taken ought from him but it was the Lord alledging that of Job who when he was spoiled by the Chaldeans and the Sabâ—ans yet he did not so much as name the Instruments but The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken blessed be the Name of the Lord. At length they came to him when through weaknesse he was unable not only to stirre out of his chamber but also out of his bed they cut the Curtains of his bed and pulled away the Pillowbeers from under his head asking him whether he could speak Latine in all which losses which were great he never uttered one word of impatience In his sicknesse when extream pain was upon him as soon as the fit was over he would say to his maid-servant that attended him O think well of God for it for it is most justly and wisely done whatsoever he sendeth or doth When his servants came to visit him in the morning he would say have ye been with God to blesse him for your sleep this night He might have made your bed your grave He would often say in his sicknesse I am not afraid to look death in the face I can say death where is thy sting Death cannot hurt me He spake how death was a sweet sleep to a Christian adding that if Parents should tell little children who had played all the day that they must go to bed they would be ready to cry but a labouring man is glad when night comes that he might go to rest So wicked men death is unwelcome unto them but a Child of God who hath laboured and suffered is glad when death cometh that he may rest from his labours When he had been long speaking to those who came to him and used to ask him questions and hath been perswaded to spare himself he would say hear but this one thing more it may be I shall never speak to you again but if it should be so Blessed is the servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Hearken to a few words more God hath heard all the words we have spoken and considered with what hearts and affections we have spoken them He used to compare rebukes uttered in passion to scalding potions which the Patient could not take down And his opinion was that if we would do good unto others we should labour for meeknesse of wisdome whereby we shall be inabled to use soft words and hard arguments He allowed to Husbands and Wives only one contention which was this who should love one another best and advised them that when either of them were in passion they should not answer passions with passions but with compassions He was very plain and familiar both in preaching and conference yet very spiritual and performed all with much gravity The chief things he sought God for in his frequent secret fastings and prayers as himself said were the knowledge of the Scriptures and a blessing upon his Ministry in both which God answered him abundantly As for the Scriptures God had so enlightened him that he was able to give account of the drift and scope of the Spirit of God in the greatest part of them with great clearnesse and to open them in such sort as proved very effectual for the bringing of Scripture-light into simple mens understandings who were not able to reach the obscure and scholastick interpretations of many His manner was to compare Scripture with Scripture seldome naming the dissenters and but sparingly different readings but making out the truth positively or by necessary consequence In preaching he usually took some portion of Scripture in order before him opening a verse or two or more at a time first clearing the drift and connection then giving the sense and interpretation briefly but very plainly not leaving the text untill he had made it plain to the meanest capacity then raising those Doctrines that were most agreeable to the mind and meaning of the Spirit of God in that text clearing and exemplifying his points excellently out of the Word opening his proofs not multiplying particulars for oppressing memory not dwelling so long as to make all truth run through a few texts He spake most largely and very home in application mightily convincing and diving into mens hearts and consciences and leaving them little or nothing to object against it He took great care to speak to the meanest capacity and to feed the Lambs saying he must stoop to the lowest capacity and if he could reach them others might help themselves He could not endure that Ministers should use hard and unusuall English He said that most Ministers in England usually shoot over the heads of their hearers He did not strive to speak all that might be said to a point nor to shew variety or please curiosity but to speak to the heart He would say that there were many tricks and devices that some men used in preaching but they seldome did good The pure Gospel and that preaching which the world counts foolishnesse was that that works most kindly He was very Evangelicall striving first to make men see their lost condition clearly and to be convinced of it saying Sense of misery was a gooâ— step to the remedy And then largely and excellently opening the Promises and the grace of God in Christ according to the Gospel looking at that as the most effectual preaching Some saies he labour still to keep men under terrors and load them with threatnings c. lest they should not be humbled enough but the Gospel works true humiliation not the Law it arises from sense of sin and misery joyned with hope of mercy The damned have terror and sense of misery enough but that did not humble them He desired to speak distinctly not giving the childrens bread to dogs but to discover hypocrisie and sincerity by lively characters and signes but yet with great tendernesse to babes in Christ striving to discover a babe from an hypocrite He was excellent for practical Divinity and living by Faith as to spirituals and temporals and self-denial and very consolatory rendring Religion the most sweet and comfortable life notwithstanding sufferings He used to presse much
of Scripture a clear judgment and strength of reason as well in the accurate stating of questions for debate as in confirming the truth and dissolving objections against it in all a great measure of Zeal Piety and Prudence All which procured him much reverence and esteem from the rest of his Brethren who judged his presence and assistance a very great help and advantage in that difficult work and bewailed his death as an unspeakable losse His judgment was known to be for the Presbyterian Government the principles whereof he did throughly understand and was well able to defend and was a very great Instrument for the promoting of it Yet in two things he was at first much unsatisfied but by the debates of the Assembly did professe himself to receive satisfaction in both One was concerning the Divine-Right of Ruling Elders wherein he afterwards professed himself to be fully convinced principally by the Authority of those two places 1 Cor. 12.28 where Government is attributed to a distinct rank of Officers inferiour to Teachers and 1 Tim. 5.17 which implyeth that there are other Elders which rule well beside those that labour in the Word and Doctrine The other was whether there ought not to be continued in the Church an Office superiour to that of Presbyters For although he did not approve of the Hierarchical Government as it was of late established and practised amongst us yet since it is confessed that Timothy and Titus as Evangelists did exercise an authority superiour to that of ordinary Presbyters the object of which authority seemed to be of perpetual continuance in the Church it seemed probable to him that the Office also of an Evangelist was no extraordinary Office but ought to be continued in the Church But hereunto he received satisfaction principally from hence that in case the Holy Ghost had intended the continuance of that Office he would withall have described the work and qualification of persons fit for it and taken some course for continuing the succession thereof as is done in that of Elders and Deacons But this being wholly omitted there being no more extant in that kind then concerning the Apostolical Office the power of working miracles c. We are rather to esteem that Office as well as these to be extraordinary and but of a temporary continuance expiring with the persons Being thus called to attend the Assembly at Westminster he was forced to intermit his ordinary residence at Ashwel being able only to exercise such a care of them as might be performed at a distance and by making occasionall journeys thither as he could obtain opportunities so to do But the ordinary exercise of the ministerial work there together with the profits of the place he put over to a godly and able Divine to be performed in his absence reserving notwithstanding his title to the place not knowing how soon God might afford him opportunity of returning to them again But unwilling to intermit the exercise of his ministerial function he did at first preach occasionally as he was requested in divers Churches in and about London resolving notwithstanding within himself to accept of the first invitation for the constant exercise thereof And accordingly being soon after requested by the Inhabitants of Dukes-place in London who were then destitute of a Minister to preach amongst them he did notwithstanding their inability to raise any considerable maintenance which might invite him willingly accept of that employment This work he performed amongst them with much faithfulnesse and diligence as well by publique reading praying and preaching amongst them twice every Lords day and at other times as there was occasion as also by administring the Sacraments publique catechizing and exposition of such portions of Scripture as were read amongst them And likewise as his custom had been elsewhere by more private acquaintance and converse with them in their Families whereby he might be the better able to afford personall directions and other Ministeriall helps to them as their severall conditions might require All which was performed with so much Meeknesse Wisdom and Piety and accompanied with such a blessing from God as that it made a very great impression on them for their good and was entertained by them with much approbation and affection they being ambitious who should enjoy most of his heavenly Communion and Converse with him Hereby in a short time he did much good informing such as were weak in knowledge setling and confirming such as were wavering in judgement and stirring up in all both by his heavenly conversation and Christian counsell a greater zeal and affection to the power of Godlinesse By reason of all which during the time of his abode amongst them they were much preserved both from errours and divisions whereunto the great unsetlednesse of the times did much expose them Afterwards when the new Church at Westminster was perfected and made fit for use the Inhabitants there and others concerned therein did sollicite him to undergo the charge of that great people with profer of far larger maintenance then he received or could expect from those of Dukes-place where the inhabitants were neither many nor of great estates But this consideration did not at all prevail with him who regarded the work more then the wages For although he doubted not but that both Religion and Reason did require a comfortable and honourable Maintenance for those that laboured in the work of the Ministry yet for his own part he was willing to deny himself in that particular if so doing might ought advance the service of God And so much the rather because being a Batchelour and intending so to continue nor at all addicted to pompous vanities or excesse either in diet or apparell in both of which he was exceedingly moderate he had the lesse need of being sollicitous in getting riches being indeed much more sollicitous how like a faithfull Steward to dispose and order what he had as might be most for Gods honour and service then how to encrease it Yet his removall being much pressed upon grounds of another nature he did at length with the approbation of those concerned on both parts refer the whole businesse to be considered and concluded by divers of the most eminent of his Reverend and godly Brethren of the Assemby whom he did frequently desire that they would wholly lay aside the consideration of maintenance and deliver their judgements what in other considerations they judged to be most agreeable to Gods will and his duty Hereupon they to whom the matter was referred meeting severall times about it and hearing at large what could on either side be alledged either for his stay or removall after mature deliberation had and seeking of Gods direction agreed in this opinion That setting aside the consideration of maintenance yet in regard of the eminency of the place the greatnesse of the Auditory the many persons of quality residing there and the great
but even formerly from his first undertaking a Pastoral charge at what time it may well be supposed to have been a thing both of greater difficulty and danger then of late years to keep off unworthy receivers from prophaneing that holy Ordinance In order hereunto his first work was to abate as much as might be the number of ignorant people by perswading them to be willing to receive instruction which with much care and diligence he was ready to afford unto them in such waies as is before expressed Which though a difficult work was yet carried on with so great successe through Gods blessing on his endeavours that in his Parish of Ashwel where was no small number of people he had in a short time brought them to so great a measure of knowledge that there was either none or very few either old or young who were not able to give a good account of the principles of Religion When he had once prevailed with them to be so far sensible of their own ignorance as to be willing and desirous to learn it waâ— then no hard matter to perswade such of their own accord to forbear a while till they had attained so much knowledge as that they might come with comfort which would be so much the sooner according as they were more diligent in labouring to attain knowledge When they had attained a competent measure of knowledge if their lives were answerable and not obnoxious to just exception or at least they willing to redresse what was amisse and ready to follow such good advice and directions as were given them for the ordering their conversations aright towards God and man there was then no reason why they should be longer debarred but rather such good beginnings cherished and encouraged yet with cautions frequently inculcated to beware of hypocrisie and formality and not to rest in these beginnings but to presse forward to perfection But in case they did either obstinately refuse Instruction or notwithstanding their knowledge were scandalous and incorrigible or such as in point of conversation he could not judge fit to be admitted to that Ordinance Then probably they would either be found such as were obnoxious to such scandals as might endanger a more publique prosecution and so curst not be refractory or else by the conviction of their own consciences when the danger of unworthy receiving should be laid open to them or by friendly perswasions from himself or others or by the reverence and awe of his holy and grave carriage and ministerial authority backed with the concurrence of others amongst them eminent for worth and Piety or for fear of being shamed in case they should be openly reproved or refused in the face of the Congregation or upon some other the like consideration would be perswaded to forbear in case he judged them as yet unfit to be admitted to that Ordinance So that scarce any whom he judged utterly unfit have ever peremptorily pressed upon him to partake of it And by these means even in times of greatest danger was he able to avoid the mixture of prophane and unworthy persons at the Lords Table Hereunto his naturally courteous and affable disposition did much conduce whereby he could with the more ease gain accesse both to the persons and affections of all sorts of people together with an excellent mixture of meeknesse and courage which being managed with singular Prudence and indefatigable industry enabled him happily to carry on that difficult work which might otherwise seem almost insuperable And by the same courteous and prudent carriage he obtained a like interest in the affections of his people both at Dukes-place and Westminster Insomuch as those who were fit to be admitted to that Sacrament were either otherwise sufficiently known to him by his conversing with them or else would willingly upon that occasion approve themselves to him both in point of knowledge and conversation And others who were unfit nor cared to attain a fitnesse for it would rather of their own accord forbear then venture the hazard of being refused By means whereof himself and some hundrds of godly persons who did communicate with him could with great comfort joyn in that holy Communion and Fellowship On the 11 of April in the year 1644. he was constituted Master of Queens Colledge in Cambridge by the Earl of Manchester then employed by Ordinance of Parliament for thâ— reforming of that University He had a great influence upon the general Reformation of that University and by his advice and counsell did very much help forward that work exciting also and encouraging others therein notwithstanding the difficulties in the way that were represented as almost invincible and did improve all that interest which he had both in that Noble and Religious Earl of Manchester and in the Assembly of Divines who were to give their approbation to all such as should be put into the places of such as were ejected in that University whether Masters or Fellows that all possible care and circumspection might be used that such only as were both learned and religious might be commended to or approved for those places lest in stead of those that were cast out others as bad as they should succeed them as well in their vices as their places But more especially in reference to that place to the Government whereof he was designed whereof also he had formerly been a Fellow it cannot easily be believed how exceeding circumspect he was how cautious and wary in the choice of those who as Fellows were to joyn with him in the Government that they might be learned pious and unanimous The happy effect of which care in so quiet and peaceable establishment of that society as could not easily be expected in so troublesome a time was to the great astonishment and amazement of all even of those that hated them and hath had a very great influence upon that happy and flourishing condition thereof ever since What his aime was in that place did continually appear by his constant expressions and Prayers which sounded of nothing more then the advancement of Religion and Learning And he was as true to those expressions in his continued endeavours and actings His first and main care was the advancement of Religion and practical Piety knowing that where this took place a conscionable improvement of time in other things could not well be wanting This made him extraordinary sollicitous for the constant presence of the whole society at the publique Worship of God which he did carefully look to when he was present amongst them and was usually one of the last things he gave in charge to all the Students when his more publique employments at the Assembly called him away and whereof he was very inquisitive in his absence He took care also for the constant instruction not only of the young Scholars but likewise of all the Colledge-Servants in the principles of Religion The exercises of Common-places or Sermons in the
meeting of the godly where there was a Sermon and the Sacrament to be administred after Sermon he requested those that were present that they would not be offended at his weaknesse but that they would pray to the Lord for him and then requested the Minister that he would a little more explain himself about the Sacrament which he willingly did and having by sundry texts of Scripture shewed that Christ is received only Spiritually and Sacramentally therein he concluded with that of St. Augustine Manducare cibum qui non perit sed permanent ad vitam est credere in Christum Et Quid paras dentem ventrem crede manducasti Item Nolite parare fauces sed cor Christ is to be fed upon not with our mouths but with our faith c. Our Admirall being much satisfied with this discourse gave thanks first to God then to that Minister and Congregation and shortly after was himself partaker of that holy Sacrament the same whereof when it was once spread abroad in France it cannot be believed what joy and consolation it brought to the Churches of Christ for though till that time the true worshippers of God had many Laws made against them by the Kings and Parliaments though they were daily dragged to prisons torments and death so that they were forced to hold all their meetings in secret yet was true Religion after a wonderfull manner dispersed through all the Provinces of France and the Popish party found by experience that the more they sought to suppresse and extinguish the light of Gods Word and the Professors of it the more it daily encreased Not long after fell out the tumult at Amboise and the conspiracy of the Nobility against the Guises whose pride and insolency the Princes of France could no longer bear with Of this number was the Prince of Conde and the King of Navarre his Brother Whereupon the Guises procured an Edict from the King whereby a meeting of the Nobility was appointed at Fontainbleau especially to treat about matters of Religion and when the day came which was Aug. 24. 1560. the King requested those that were present to deliver their opinions Whereupon the Admirall rising out of his seat humbly presented the King with two Supplications under this title The humble Supplications of those who in severall parts of your Majesties Kingdom do truly and purely serve God These Supplications were delivered to Albespine the Kings Secretary who publiquely read them This bold fact of the Admirall was much wondered at considering the Kings bitter enmity against that Religion and the great power of the Guises The summe of those Petitions was this They which purely and sincerely serve God taking this fit opportunity do humbly beseech your Majesty that of your clemency you will be pleased to pity a great number of our Subjects who unto this day are miserably afflicted tormented and wasted for the cause of Religion in all your Provinces We humbly beg of you that you will not be grieved to take cognisance of our cause and to appoint that the Scripture may be the judge in these great controversies whereby it will easily appear how much we do abhor heresie which hitherto hath been laid to our charge as also how falsly we have been charged with sedition when we never used force or arms to defend our selves but ever thought it our duty in our greatest extremities only to have recourse to your Majesties clemency Our humble request therefore to your Majesty is that you would be pleased to restrain our persecutors by whose means there is no part of your Majesties Kingdom which in these late years hath not been defiled with the blood of your innocent Subjects Our case hath been miserable when we have been forced to plead our cause before the Popes Clients and Pensioners rather then before equall and indifferent Judges Our humble request therefore is that you would be pleased favourably to look upon so many Families who have alwaies acknowledged you for our gracious Lord and King and according to Gods command have honoured and obeyed you and shall be ready if occasion be offered to spend our lives for your dignity and service and therefore we think it but equal that our lives and welfare should be protected against the rage of our cruel and bloody adversaries We further pray that some publique places may be allowed us where our Ministers may Preach the Word of God sincerely and Administer the Sacraments truly that our Religion being no longer concealed we may be freed from those false calumnies which our adversaries have hitherto cast upon us And we shall ever pray c. After these Supplications were read there were great debates but little about Religion great complaints being made of the Kings debts and consideration had how the same might be discharged Hereupon our Admirall spake freely and boldly against the Forces raised by the Guises under the pretence of a guard for the King as if he needed such a guard in the heart of his own Kingdom whereas the Authority of the Kings name in France is so sacred and powerfull that thereby the meanest Constable is able to suppresse any tumult whatsoever This free speech of his extreamly vexed the Guises who hated him so much the more for it Some others propounded that there might be a publique Convention of the States called as the only means to cure the distempers of France which though some had laboured to discredit and so had caused an intermission of it for eighty seven years yet it had alwaies been exceeding advantagious to the Kingdom as the Parliaments in England consisting of three States had alwaies been there whereby the English Kings had been enabled to make such powerfull Invasions of France Shortly after King Francis the second dying his younger Brother Charles the ninth succeeded and thereupon the former request was renewed for calling a Convention of all the States At this time Catherine of Medice was the Queen Mother a Florentine by birth to whom the education of the young King and the care of his person was committed according to the ancient custom of France but she was not suffered to have any thing to do with the Government of the Kingdom and hereupon the Guises who for a long time had been powerfull at Court intruded themselves into that Office And at that time many of the Nobility proceeded cruelly to torment and afflict those of the Religion whereupon there was great fear lest some new Commotions should be raised in the Kingdom But the Queen Mother pretended favour towards them for which cause our Admirall endeavoured and at last effected that she should be joyned in Commission with Anthony King of Navarr who was made Protector during the Kings Minority This many wise men disliked and opposed saying that in the stories of former times it did appear that the Government was never committed to the Queen Mother especially
he contracted great debts taking up money upon use to enable him to it yea he pawned his very Wives Jewels Bracelets Rings and other rich furniture thereby to furnish himself with money by which means he did so weaken his estate that in the end of this third Civil Warre he was forced in a Councel of the Princes to move for some allowance wherewith to sustain his Family About this time he wrote another Letter to his Sons and the Sons of his Brother Andelot who were still at Rochel under the same Tutor the tenour whereof was this Truly it would be very gratefull unto me if I had opportunity to see you and to speak face to face but seeing I am deprived of that happiness I thought fit by this Epistle to admonish you alwaies to set Piety and the fear of God before your faces especially at this time when you find by experience that there is no trusting to those things which are called Goods Our hope must be placed elsewhere then in this world and other things must be sought after then those which we see with our eyes and handle with our hands but because to do that is not in our own powers we must earnestly pray unto God that he would lead us in that way which is most sure and safe neither yet must you expect that that way will prove pleasant and delicate and abounding with worldly felicity For Christ himself who hath gone before us and is our Captain and Ensign bearer must be imitated by us Men indeed have dispoiled us of those things which are fading and transitory but if we be willing and carefull to submit to the will of God we shall be happy and it shall be well with us at the last for those men have wronged you not for any injury you ever did them but out of a hatred against me which also proceeds from hence because the Lord is pleased to honour me by being an Instrument of assisting has afflicted Church and therefore if for this cause we suffer losse and inconveniences we have no reason to grieve for it but rather to assure our selves that he will give us such a reward as men shall not be able to take from us I have many other things to write to you of if I had leasure but for the present I have enough if I may admonish and request you for Gods sake that you go on valiantly in the study of vertue and that in all your words and actions you shew an aborrency of all vices be obedient to your Master and your other Governours that though I seldom see you yet I may hear that you increase in Piety and good Manners To conclude I pray if it be the will of God that whatsoever further befals us either in our estates or persons we may have it sanctified to us for our spiritual good and I heartily pray to God that he will be a refuge and help unto you and a defence in this your minority Fare you well From Xantone Octob. 16. 1568. Castellonius The Admirall and all the Commanders of his Army having often consulted about their future proceedings resolved to strengthen all their garrisons and so with their light Horse to go into Tholouse where they of the Religion held Montalban a place very strong both by Nature and Art who also had gotten together a good summe of money for paying the German Auxiliaries besides they hoped by passing over the two Rivers of Garone and Lotters to joyn to themselves those forces which were under the command of Mongomry a man of great authority by reason of his skill and experience in military affairs who also had lately by the assistance of his forces quieted Berne that belonged to the Prince of Navarr This journey by reason of the roughnesse of the way proved very difficult and painfull especially considering that the enemies had Garrisoned all the Cities and broken down all the Bridges where they were to passe yet at length with much difficulty they came to Montalban from whence the Admirall sent to the King and Queen-mother in in his own and in the names of all that were with him humbly intreating them that they would not suffer so many valiant and gallant men as were in both Armies mutually to shed the blood each of other but that rather out of their clemency they would put an end to those mischiefs that the contrary was the counsell of some Cardinals and Bishops that never came into the field to try the miseries of Warre or else of certain Italians that rejoyced in the ruines of France and that it was extream madnesse to suppose that two huedred thousand Protestants to whom so many of the Nobility had joyned themselves could so easily be suppressed and destroyed Besides also it could not be but in those Warres many Papists must be great sufferers as well as the Protestants some in their persons and others in their estates and Families That the speeches of the Courtiers were unworthy the Kings Majesty who used commonly to say That the King would not spare his Popish Subjects so he might destroy his adversaries For it was the voice of a Tyrant not of a King to say Pereant amici dum unà in mici intercidant Let my friends perish whilst mine enemies fall together with them That the conditions of Peace were easie viz. That the Decrees made by the States of Orleance and the Edicts of Paris might be renewed and established whereby the Protestants were allowed certain places for publique Worship These Messengers being dispatched away they presently resolved to passe the River Oaronna which was between theirs and Mongomries forces but the passage seemed very difficult by reason of the breadth depth and swiftnesse of the River whereupon the Admirall resolved to take in the Town of Marian which stands upon the Rivers bank which he also did and Mongomry coming to the other bank the Admirall intended to make a Bridge which also with admirable art and industry he effected and so in two daies space passed the German horse over it but the night after a Ship coming swiftly along the stream brake down the Bridge so that they were forced to make a new one of Boats whereby Mongomries Army came over safe to them and the German horse also which brought up his rear and so having stayed there two daies for the refreshing of his men he led his Army to Tholouse and took in all the neighbouring Towns either by storm or surrender though he had only two great Guns in his Train which he brought with him from Montalban And the Protestant Army was the more incensed against them of Tholouse because say they they have been violent to burn them of our Religion They beheaded Captain Rapin who carried them the Edict of Peace from the King they have also committed many other insolencies which now cry for vengeance and God hath put an opportunity into our hands which we must not neglect
of Spain which the King made such use of that the Admirall thence collected arguments of his greater good will towards him That they must use such artifices whilst they expected an opportunity to effect what was resolved on That the King of Spain was throughly acquainted with all these proceedings that so he might suspect nothing by reason of those great preparations which were made for Warre for he was assured that this was done upon good grounds as subservient to the principal end That therefore he desired the Cardinall that whatsoever he had heard or should hear hereafter yet he should assure himself that the King would never depart from his first purpose and that whatsoever he did did but conduce to hasten the end of their Counsels and that both the King Queen-Mother and the Duke of Anjou were all very solicitous for this thing and that as soon as ever the businesse should be effected they would instantly send away Messengers to acquaint Lorraine with it And as for the businesse of the Prince of Navarrs marriage they hoped that it would quickly be effected for this was ro begin all their future designs c. He that sent these Letters to the Admirall hoped that he would have been warned by them to look to himself and his affairs but he had such a strong confidence of the Kings love and good will towards him which also was daily nourished in him by his Son-in-law Teligni that he which was most provident and sharp-sighted in all others businesses was fatally blind in this In the beginning of May 1571. the King desired the Queen of Navarr to go to Paris to provide all things necessary for the marriage where she arrived the fifteenth day of the same moneth and the fourth day of June she fell sick of a feavour whereof she died five daies after to the extream grief and sorrow of all her Servants and Friends Two daies before her death being in perfect memory she made a most Christian Testament and last Will finishing her course with singular piety and joy in God She was a Princesse of great experience by reason of her manifold adversities in all which she shewed an invincible constancy and heroicall greatnesse of courage most affectionate to her Religion very carefull of the education of her children training them up in the fear of God In her words most grave and full of motherly affections to them She had a ready and well advised wit was pitifull and easie to be intreated constantly maintained that which she judged to be good and agreeable to the will and good pleasure of God She had a great vivacity of spirit whereby she was able to comprehend all her affairs and had a lively grace in representing them either by word or writing She died June 9. 1572. and of her age 44. It was believed that she was poysoned by the smell of certain perfumes the Doctors and Chyrurgions which opened her were commanded not to open her brain where the mischief lay and therefore could not determine about the cause of her death The Admirrll in this time was at his house aa Castallion where he received many Letters and Messages from the King to come to him and because he stirred not the King sent Cavagnes and Briquemaud to fetch him that they might come to a conclusion about the Warres in Flanders and special commandment was given to the Provost of Merchants and other chief men that at the Admirals coming to Paris there should be no affronts done him About the same time the Admirall had many advertisements from his Friends both within and without the Realm that though he could not conceive any sinister opinion of the King his Mother or Brother that yet at least he would consider into what place he was about to thrust himself amongst so many implacable enemies But he resting upon the testimony of a good conscience and the providence of God rejected all those counsels as proceeding from mens covetousnesse or desire of new troubles which he abhorred worse then death and therefore taking a small train with him he went to Paris and was very honourably intertained by the King Queen-Mother the Kings Brethren and others to the great astonishment of the whole City At the Admirals coming to Paris amongst other Letters that were brought to him there was one that gave him these warnings Remember the Popish Maxime confirmed by the Authority of Councils That faith is not to be kept with Hereticks in which number the Protestants are accounted Remember the implacable spirits of the Papists at this time irritated by the last Warres There is no doubt but it is the fixed purpose of the Queen-Mother to destroy the Protestants by any means whatsoever Consider that she is an Italian of a most crafty wit born of the Progeny of Popes who contrives all extream things against her enemies Remember in what School the King hath been brought up from his childhood how he hath been taught to swear and forswear To pollute himself with whoredomes and adulteries To compose his countenance To counterfeit Faith and Religion How he hath been accustomed to cruelty and bloodshed How he hath been taught not to suffer above one Religion in his Kingdom How it hath been whispered into his ears That the Protestants seek to dispoil him of his life and Kingdom That he is not bound to keep Covenants made with armed Subjects That he is taught the Mysteries of State Policy Remember that Commodus caused Julianus to be slain whom he pretended to honour and imbrace as a Father That Antoninus Caracalla under the pretence of a Muster caused all the chief youths of the City to be slain That Lysander under the pretence of friendship commanded the throats of four hundred Milesians to be cut That lately Atonius Spinola invited all the chief men of Corsica to a Banquet where they were all slain That Christian King of Denmark used the same art to commit that horrid massacre at Stockholme c. That the Kings speech to his Mother at Blois was no secret when swearing fearfully he asked her whether he had not carried himself well at the coming of the Queen of Navarr To whom she answered That he had begun well but that would profit little unlesse he went on But I quoth he swearing often will bring them all into the net Wherefore if you be wise haste both out of the Court and City with all speed as out of a most impure sink The Admirall having read this Letter though he were offended yet lest he should seem to neglect the prayers and warnings of his Friends he returned this answer That there was no place left any longer for these suspitions That he was verily perswaded that so great perfidiousnesse could not enter into the heart of so good a King That indeed the Duke of Anjou was more estranged from the Protestants but that hatred would by degrees cease by
or ten hours and now by the same mercy I am wholly freed from them I promise thee that in these great Feasts and Pastimes I will trouble none Once again Farewell Thy most loving Husband Chattillion About the same time their Counsels for the Massacre being not yet ripened the King with the greatest demonstrations of good will that might be thus accosts the Admirall My Father Remember what you have undertaken to me that you will be injurious to none of the Guises whilst you are in the Court they also have interchangeably given their faith that they will carry themselves honourably and modestly towards you And truly I put as great trust as may be in your words but I have not the same confidence in their promises For besides that I know that the Guises seek occasion of revenge I know their disposition to be bold and haughty and with what great favour and affection the people of Paris do follow them It would be a great grief to me if they who have brought into the City many men of Warre notably furnished with arms under colour of coming to the marriage solemnity should go about any thing for your destruction which would extreamly reflect upon me and therefore I think it fit if you be of the same minde to bring a Regiment of Praetorian Souldiers into the City under the command of such men meaning some that were least suspected who may not only be ready for the publique securiry but upon all emergencies if turbulent spirits should attempt any thing against you This friendly speech so prevailed with the Admirall that he gave his consent and so a Regiment was brought in without the suspition of the Protestants which afterwards helped to cut their throats Five daies after as the Admirall came from the Court where he had been all that morning accompanied with twelve or fifteen Gentlemen being on foot about a hundred paces from the Louure walking softly and reading a Petition just over-against the house of one Villemure a Canon and Tutor to the young Duke of Guise one shot with an Harquebush at him through a lattice window the Gun was laden with three brasse bullets one whereof brake his forefinger of his right hand the other two pierced his left arm He that shot it had a horse ready at the back door whereon being mounted he escaped through St. Anthonies gate where finding a Spanish Jennet held ready for him he posted away to the place appointed for his retreat The door of the house being burst open the Harquebush was found with a Lacquey and another servant who belonged to Challey Steward of the Kings house and a great dealer in the Duke of Guises affairs who also the day before had brought this Harquibushier to that house desiring that he might be well intertained the Lacquey also was sent that morning by this Harquebushier whose name was Maurevel to the Duke of Guises Groom of his Stable requiring that the Horse should be ready that was promised him The Admirall being brought to his lodging shewed singular piety and patience Chyrurgions were sent for and amongst the rest Ambrose Pareus the Kings Chyrurgion who began first with his finger which he cut off but his pincers not being keen he opened and pressed them three times before he could cut it off Then he lanced both those places in his arm which the bullets had pierced all which the Admirall bore not only with a couragious heart but with a constant countenance insomuch as seeing his Friends to weep which held his arm whilst the incisions were made he said unto them My Friends why do you weep I judge my self happy that bear these wounds for the cause of my God And withall looking upon Monsieur Merlin his Minister he said These wounds my Friends are Gods blessings the smart indeed of them is troublesome but I acknowledge the will of my Lord God therein and I bless his Majesty who hath been pleased thus to honour me and to lay any pain upon me for his holy name sake let us beg of him that he will enable me to presevere unto the end And seeing Monsieur Merlin to weep and lament he said to him My Merlin you should rather comfort me To whom he answered Indeed there can be no greater comfort then to think upon the honour which God hath done you in judging you worthy for his Name and Religions sake to suffer these pains My Merlin answered the Admirall if God should have dealt with me aâ—cording to my deserts or have used his power over me he must have deâ—â— far more severely with me but blessed be his Name who hath dealt so mildly and lovingly with me his unworthy Servant Then said another that stood by Go on with this your piety foâ— God ought to be praised by you who hath left the greatest part saâ— and untouched for which cause you have greater reason to admire hâ—â— mercy in these wounds then to complain of his justice especialâ—â— considering that neither your head nor your mind are wounded Thâ—â— said Merlin You do very well Sir that you turn your thoughts froâ— these murtherers to God for truly it was his hand that inflicted theiâ— wounds neither ought you at all to think upon the blâ—ody-mindednesse of your adversaries Truly said the Admirall I freely and from my heart forgive both him that shot at me and those also that set him on for I know assuredly that it is not in their power to hurt me no though they should kill me for my death is a most certain passage to eternal life Thâ— same words he shortly after spake to Marshall Danvill when he came to visit him And whereas Monsieur Merlin told him that the afflictions and calamities which happen to Gods Children use to quicken theâ— more in Prayer The Admirall thereupon with an audible voice and fervent soul poured out this Prayer unto God O Lord God and my heavenly Father have mercy upon me for thy tender mercies sake Remember not against me my former iniquities neither charge me with the sins of my youth If thou Lord shouldst strictly mark what is done amiss or shouldst impute to us our breach of Covenant what flesh could stand before thee or endure thine anger As for me disclaiming all false gods and worship I only call upon thee the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and worship thee alone for Christ his sake I beseech thee to bestow thy holy Spirit upon me and give me the grace of patience I only trust in thy mercies all my hope and confidence is placed on that alone whether thou pleasest to inflict present death upon me or to spare my life to do thee further service Behold Lord I am prepared to submit to thy will in either nothing doubting but if thou pleasest to inflict death upon me thou wilt presently admit me into thine everlasting Kingdom But if Lord thou sufferest me to live longer here grant O
most heavenly Father that I may spend all the remainder of my daies in advancing thy glory and in observing and sticking close to thy true Religion Amen His Prayer being ended Monsieur Merlin asked him if he pleased that they also should go to Prayer with him Yea said he with all my heart and whilst Merlin was praying the Admirall with his eyes fixed upon heaven joyned with very great devotion And after Prayer when Merlin minded him of the examples of the ancient Martyrs telling him that there was never any man from the beginning of the world that laid out all his labour and interest for God and his true Religion but that he met with manifold afflictions the Admirall interrupted him saying I am refreshed and confirmed with this speech and the examples of the holy Fathers and Martyrs do much comfort me and mitigate my pain Presently after the two Marshals of the Kingdom Monsieur de Cosse and Danvill came to visit him telling him that they were extreamly grieved for his mishap and that nothing could have happened more bitter to them yet withall say they we judge it equal and agreeable to your former valour to recollect and shew your self a man for your vertue hath given you far more then this ill chance can take from you Then the Admirall turning to de Cosse said Do you not remember Sir what I told you of late Truly so much attends you also But said Danvill My Admirall I purpose neither to comfort you nor to exhort you to courage and constancy for your self is the man from whom such Consolations and Exhortations use to proceed only I request you to consider wherein I may be serviceable unto you I wonder from whence this mischief did proceed Then said the Admirall Truly I can suspect none but the Duke of Guise yet dare I not affirm that it was he However through Gods mercy I have learned neither to fear mine enemies nor death it self which I am sure can do me no hurt but may forward my eternal peace and happinesse For I know that my God in whom I have put all my confidence can neither deceive nor lye unto me Only herein I am sorrowfull for that by this accident I am disabled to shew the King how much I would have done for his service meaning in the Warre of Flanders Would to God I had an opportunity to speak with his Majesty for I have some things to impart ro him which much concern his interest and I believe there is none that dare tell it him but my self In the mean time the King of Navarr and the Prince of Conde complained grievously of this vile and treacherous fact to the King To whom the King cursing and swearing grievously called God to witnesse that he would so severely punish this wickednesse towards the Admirall that he would leave the example to all future ages to take heed of such villany and thereupon the Lacquy and Woman that were found in the house were apprehended and cast into prison At two a clock in the afternoon the King hearing of the Admirals desire to speak with him went to him accompanied with the Queen-Mother his two Brethren the Duke of Monpensier the Cardinall of Bourbon Marshall Danvill Tavenes de Cosse c. When the King came first into the Admirals chamber he caused all his servants to go forth except Monsieur Teligni his Wife and Merlin then going to the beds side the Admirall said to him I humbly thank you Sir that you have been pleased to put your self to so much trouble for my sake Then did the King with flattering words congratulate his valiant mind and bid him be of good courage and hope well of the issue To whom the Admirall replied Sir There are three things wherewith I was desirous to acquaint your Majesty First To professe my fidelity and observance to your Majesty and I pray God so to be mercifull unto me before whose Throne I may be brought shortly to appear by these my wounds as I was alwaies studious and carefull of your honour and dignity Neither yet am I ignorant how often mine adversaries have calumniated me to your Majesty and accused me for a disturber of the publique Peace but through Gods mercy though I should hold my peace yet my actions will sufficiently clear me from this charge Indeed this hath been the fountain of all these calamities because I resisted their fury and impudency and because I asserted the authority of your Edicts against their turbulent and violent proceedings neither could I endure to suffer them so often to violate the faith confirmed by your oathes to your Subjects God is witnesse of the sincerity of my mind herein who also fully knows the difference between me and my adversaries and will righteously judge the same Furthermore also considering the great Honours and Offices conferred upon me by your Father and Grandfather and confirmed by your self I should be ungratefull and unfaithfull if I should not humbly request your Majesty to provide a remedy against all those maladies and perturbations which already disturb the peace of your Kingdom And now to proceed to the businesse of Flanders Never any of your Predecessors had the like opportunity of getting Honour as your self You know that many Cities in the Low Countries desire your favour and to throw themselves into your protection This occasion I perceive is in your Court laugh't and scoff't at and through the default of some few men the opportunity is like to be overslipt Those Forces which were lately led by Genlisse thitherward were circumvented and destroyed by de Alva you know what a great number of Catholicks were in that Army Of what Religion then I pray you are those who make a jest at the slaughter of so many of their Countrey-men and of their own Religion There is scarce any secret word spoken in your Privy-Councell but presently the Duke de Alva knows of it I pray you Sir What good can we expect when those that sit in your Privy-Councell and should assist your Majesty and your Brethren do betray your most secret counsels to your publique and professed enemies I beseech you Sir that you take care of a businesse of such concernment as this is yea again and again I intreat it of you And lastly I beg with the like earnestnesse that you will not suffer your Edict of Pacification to be so ordinarily broken You know how often you have sworn to keep it You know that forreign Nations and all your neighbour Princes have taken notice of it What an unworthy thing is it Sir that an Oath so solemnly sworn should be so much slighted and neglected Do you think that forreign Princes will hereafter make any account of your Oath But the other day in Champaigne as the Nurse carried a child home from Baptism and from a Sermon which was held in a place allowed by your authority certain seditious persons lying in wait by
of the Queen and State wrote to Master Cartwright earnestly requesting him to undertake the work assuring him also of such aid as should further him in the finishing thereof for which end he sent him one hundred pounds towards the charges of buying Books and procuring Writers which were to be employed by him therein This was Anno 1583. The same year also he was earnestly sollicited by the most learned men of the University of Cambridge by a solemn Epistle with joynt consent written to him to undertake the answer wherein amongst other passages they have these expressions With you we are earnest most Reverend Cartwright that you would set your self against the unhallowed endeavours of these mischievous men either by refuting the whole Book or at least some part thereof It is not for every man Work-man-like to frame Gods Tabernacle but for Bazaleel and Aholiab neither is every one rashly to be thrust forth into the Lords battels but such Captains are to be chosen from amongst Davids Worthies Of which as we acknowledge you to be one by the former battels undergone for the wals of our City the Church we doubt not if you will enter this War which truly you ought to 〈◊〉 according to the Zeal and Piety you bear to your Countrey and Religion but that you fighting for Conscience and Countrey yea even for the very inmost holy place of the Temple will be able to tread underfoot the forces of the Jebusites which set themselves to assault the Tower of David Moreover which may marvellously sharpen the edge of your courage you are not now to fight with a Brother or fellow of the same Religion which maketh the Conflict more faint but with the most inveterate enemies of Jesus Christ c. Then they thus conclude You see to what an honourable fight we invite you Christs business shall be undertaken against Satans Champions We stir you up to fight the battels of our Lord where the Victory is certain which the triumph and applause of the Angels will ensue Our Prayers shall never be wanting unto you Christ without doubt whose cause is defended will be preset with you The Lord Jesus much increase your courage and strength and keep you very long in safety for his Churches good Vale. This was subscribed by Roger Goad William Whittaker Thomas Crook John Ireton William Fulk John Field Nicholas Crane Giles Seintler Richard Gardener William Charke c. But besides these the Reverend Ministers of London and Suffolk did by their several letters earnestly exhort him to this work and Master Cartwright was at last by these importunities drawn to undertake it and neither diligence nor constancy was wanting in him to have carried it on to perfection but he met with such great discouragements and hinderances from Potent Adversaries that he was forced often to lay pen aside yea Arch-Bishop Whitgift sent him a positive command that he should deal no further in it yet afterwards by an Earl and privy Counsellor of great note and some other noble Personages he was at last drawn to take pen in hand again But receiving new discouragements and having such continual employment in the Ministry he lived not to perfect that work Whilst he was at Warwick being silenced by the Bishops he was requested by the Lord Zouch Governour of Gernsey to go with him into that Island with whom he continued some time and in the mean space he substituted one Master Lord a godly and holy Minister then living at Woolstone in his room at the Hospital in Warwick allowing him the greatest part of the profits of the place during his abode there and the rest he caused to be distributed amongst the poor He was far from seeking after great places or great things in the world and for riches he sought them not yea he rejected many opportunities whereby he might have enriched himself His usual manner was when he had good summes of gold sent him to take only one piece lest he should seem to slight his Friends kindnesse and to send back the rest with a thankfull acknowledgement of their love and his acceptance of it professing that for that condition wherein God had set him he was as well furnished as they for their high and great places His manner was not to keep any more money in his purse but what might serve for charitable uses He was very bountifull to poor Schollers He distributed money every Sabbath-day amongst the poor of the Town of Warwick besides what he gave to the Prisoners and upon other occasions both at home and abroad For his Houshold affairs he never troubled himself with them but wholly left them to be ordered and managed by the Prudence of his Wife He was very carefull to regulate and order the businesses of the Hospital for the best advantage of the poor Brethren He continued his diligence and assiduity in his studies even in his old age and his usual manner was to rise at two three and four a clock in the morning at the latest both summer and winter notwithstanding that his bodily infirmities were such that he was forced to study continually kneeling upon his knees He was of a very meek and quiet spirit as appears in those conflicts which he had with Doctor Whitgift and Doctor Sutcliffe wherein he used soft words and hard arguments he could not endure so much as in private to hear his adversaries reproached and if any in his presence used disgracefull speeches of them he would sharply reprove them for it saying That it 's a Christians duty to pray for and not to reproach his adversaries and when Martin Mar-Prelates Book came forth he shewed much dislike of the Satyrical and tart language used therein He was also very humble not enduring to hear any thing spoken in his own commendation or any titles given him which in the least measure savoured of ambition He affected not popularity but avoided it as much as possibly he could Indeed all his ambition was to advance the Kingdom and cause of our Lord Jesus Christ and to promote Gods glory It was the great joy and rejoycing of his heart to hear of the welfare and prosperity of the Churches at home and abroad for this he earnestly and daily prayed and when he heard any ill tydings with Nehemiah he sate down and mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of Heaven so that all that conversed with him might easily discern that nothing did affect him in any degree like the good or ill tydings of the Churches state He was frequent in Prayer every day and in his younger years hath risen many times in the night to seek our private places to pray in And as his labours were very great in the work of the Ministry so it pleased the Lord to make them very successefull for the conversion and confirmation of many and for terrour and restraint
unto others There was one Master Chaplin a woollen Draper in Warwick who made a Profession of Religion but many times brake out into scandalous practices Master Cartwright on a time walking with him in his Garden dealt plainly and faithfully with him rebuking him for his miscarriages and shewing him the dishonour that he brought to God and the Gospel thereby This so wrought upon Chaplin that he presently sunk down and being carried home died within a few hours after In his old age he was much troubled with the stone and gout which much empaired his strength yet would he not intermit his labours but continued preaching when many times he could scarce creep up into the Pulpit The Sabbath before his death which was the last Sermon that he made December the 25. he preached upon Eccles. 12.7 Then shall the dust return to the earth and the spirit shall return to God who gave it The morning before his death which was the Tuesday following he was two hours on his knees in private Prayer In which as he told his Wife he found wonderfull and unutterable joy and comfort God giving him a glimpse of heaven before he came to it and within a few houres after he quietly resigned up his spirit unto God December the 27. Anno Christi 1603. And of his age sixty eight Master Dod preached his Funeral Sermon During his abode in the University he was of great power and credit in the Regent-house so that the Doctors feared lest the Precisians as they were then called should choose him Vice-Chancellour whereupon they procured the alteration of the Statute whereby the choice was formerly in the Regent-house and confined the Election of the Vice-Chancellour to one of those two whom the Heads should prick After long discontinuance Master Cartwright coming to Cambridge was importuned to preach on a week day in Saint Maries where there was a great confluence of all sorts to hear him grave men ran like boys in the streets to get places in the Church After Sermon he dined at Master Chaddertons and many went to the house to see and hear him speak The Life of Master Paul Baines who died Anno Christi 1617. PAul Baines was born in London and had his Education in his younger years at Withersfield in Essex under one Master Cosens his Schoolmaster from whence being fitted for it he was sent to the University of Cambridge and admitted into Christs Colledge where his conversation at first was so irregular that his Father being grieved at it before his death being intimately acquainted with one Master Wilson a Sailes-man in Birchin-lane he left with him forty pounds by the year desiring him that if his Sonne did forsake his evil courses and become an honest man he would then give him that fourty pounds per annum if not that he would never let him have it But it pleased God not long after his Fathers decease to shew him his sinnes and to work effectual repentance in him for the evil of his waies so that forsaking his former evil company and practices he became eminent for Piety and Holinesse and according to that of our Saviour Much being forgiven him he loved much After which gracious change wrought in him by the goodnesse of God it was not long before Master Wilson fell dangerously sick and hearing how God had dealt with his Master Baines he sent for him and desired him to pray with him by which as also by his savoury discourse finding that what he had heard of him rather came short of the truth then exceeded it according to that trust reposed in him perceiving himself to be upon his death-bed he told Master Baines of the fourty pounds per annum which his Father left with him and so faithfully delivered up to him those writings of the agreement which had passed betwixt his Father and him and being like to leave behind him a Wife and two Children he intreated Master Baines that as he had faithfully and carefully discharged his trust towards him so when God should take him away hence that he would have a care of his Wife and Children and be a Friend to them And Master Baines after Master Wilsons death that he might fully discharge that trust which was reposed in him and also by way of gratitude for that friendship and fidelity which he had found in Master Wilson married his widow But before this for his eminency in learning he was chosen Fellow in Christs Colledge where he so much through Gods blessing on his studies and endeavours improved his time and talents that he became inferiour to none for sharpnesse of wit variety of Reading depth of judgment aptnesse to teach holy and pleasant language wise carriage heavenly conversation and all other fulnesse of grace By his holy life and coversation also he did largely preach to all such as came neer unto him and for the heavenly frame of his spirit what it was his incomparable Writings will sufficiently demonstrate to all future generations When Master Perkins who was Lecturer at Saint Andrews in Cambridge had there for many years held forth a burning and shining light the sparkes whereof did flie abroad into all the corners of the Kingdom and after he had served in his generation was taken up into Heaven there was none found so meet to receive as it were the Torch out of his hand and succeed him in that great Office of bearing it before such a people as Master Baines upon whom also the spirit of that Elias was by experience found to be doubled In which station he so demeaned himself for some years that impiety only had cause to complain But all that favoured the wayes of God or savoured of Religion rejoyced and gloried in him and his Ministry as in a spiritual and heavenly treasure But at length the hour of darknesse came from Lambeth when Arch-bishop Bancroft sent Master Harsnet to visit in that Diocesse which was but a trick to suppresse those which were not friends to the Bishops Kingdom At which time though there were multitudes of unable and notoriously scandalous Ministers yet none were found worthy of censure but only Master Baines of whom indeed the world was not worthy and one other godly Minister like unto him It 's yet hard to say whether the silencing of this good man were more odious or the manner of it more shamelesse which was thus Their custome was for fashion sake at their visitations to have a Sermon and Master Baines was chosen out by the Visitor to preach it at this time not out of love and respect to him but from a designe either to ensnare him in his words if he did not apply himself to their humour or else to grace their ungracious courses if he did But it succeeded not handsomly either way for Master Baines delivered holy and wholesome Doctrine appertaining to the present audience in such a