other points of importance have been touched by me elsewhere concerning these matters as also about the new Militant Order that may be erected and brought in I shall here make an end both of this subject and of the Second Part of this Memorial appertaining to the Clergy The THIRD PART of this MEMORIAL Appertaining to the LAITY The Third and last that treateth of Laity or Temporalty hath three principal Heads or Members no less than the former to wit the Prince with his Council the Nobility and Commonalty of every one of which we shall speak in order as in the former Parts hath been done CHAP. I. Of the Laity or Temporalty in general BY that which I have spoken in the First Chapter and Second Part of this Memorial about Clergy-men the difference and distinction may appear that is betwixt these two principal branches of a Christian and Catholick Commonwealth to wit the Clergy and Laity which is a distinction observed from the very beginning of Christian Religion and the Primitive Church as may appear by the first second third eight seventy and divers other Canons of the first general Council of Nice where often mention is made of this distinction And before that again Tertullian a most learned and ancient writer not only setteth down the same distinctly of Clergy and Lay-men as received generally in his time but sheweth also and reprehendeth earnestly the Emulation and Envy that even then began by art of the Devil to be in divers of the Laity against the Clergy using the same objections that Luther and Calvin and other Hereticks of our time set on foot again now against the same sort of Men. When we Lay-men saith Tertullian ' in his Book de Monogamia become proud and are inflamed against the Clergy then we say we are all one and that all Men be Priests for that Christ made all Priests and unto God his Father but when we come to be exhorted and provoked to observe Priestly Discipline equally with them then we lay down our Vomits and confess that we are different and inferiour to them By which words of Tertullian we learn not only the great antiquity of this Distinction between Lay-men and Clergy-men but also the antiquity of that hatred and emulation which our times have received between these two States to the infinite hurt and prejudice of God's Catholick Church and in like manner the antiquity of that heretical Objection which Calvinists and Lutherans make against Clergy-men saying That all Men are Priests as well as they by which is seen that as God's Church hath been ever one from the beginning holding always this distinction of these two Members so hath also the Devil's malice been one from that time hither in setting divisions between the same The Derivation and Original of these two names is known to all the World being deducted of the Greek wherein Clergy signifieth Inheritance Lot or Portion which the holy ancient Father St. Hierome in a certain Epistle to one Nepotian saith may be understood in two ways and both of them true to wit for that either Clergy-men be the peculiar Inheritance Lot or Portion of God or for that Almighty God is the peculiar Inheritance Lot or Portion of Clergy-men above the rest of other People which People in the Greek Language is called Laity And we in England from the first time that we were Christians to explicate more the matter and to make the distinction betwixt these two sorts of Men more full and plain have used to call them the Temporalty and Clergy-men the Spiritualty and so we say in all the Acts of our Parliaments to wit the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in this present Parliament gathered together And the very Hereticks themselves that first envied so much against this distinction of Laity and Clergy are now come to use the very same speech and phrase in their Parliaments that is to say the Spiritualty and Temporalty for better understanding of which distinction of Spiritualty and Temporalty for that it is as I have said most ancient in our Realm it is to be considered that as in Man there are two parts first and principally the Soul which is a Spirit and endureth for ever and consequently the matters belonging thereunto are Spiritual and Eternal And Secondly the Body which endureth but for a time and therefore the things appertaining thereunto are called Temporal Even so for that the Office of the Clergy-men is principally about the Soul and Life to come and of Lay-men about matters appertaining to the Body and to the life present therefore the former are called Spiritual and the other Temporal whereof ensueth that as much as the Soul exceedeth the Body and Spirit excelleth Flesh and as much as the Life to come passeth the Life present and Eternity excelleth Time so much excelleth the State and Vocation of Clergy-men the State of Temporal men as St. Gregory Nazianzen St. Chrysostome and St. Ambrose three worthy Doctors of Christ's ancient Church in their several Treatises about Priesthood do declare notwithstanding that in their particular Lives a Lay-man may be better than a Clergy-man and be preferred before him in matters of his Salvation For more Explication whereof it is to be understood that Christ at his being upon Earth shewing his coming to be only for gaining of Souls would not meddle in Temporal Government but framed unto himself a new Order of the Clergy for this purpose choosing first Apostles and giving them authority to ordain others for their Successors by Imposition of Hands by the name of Bishops and besides these other inferiour Orders also by the name of Priests Deacons and the like and to this sort of People which he called the Light and Salt of the Earth he committed the managing of Souls and all authority and jurisdiction necessary for the same as to Teach Preach Baptise Administer Sacraments to bind and loose from Sin to correct and reprehend to make intercession by Prayer and finally the opening and shutting of the Gates of Heaven Which heavenly jurisdiction over Souls to the end he might shew how high and worthy a thing it was and not depending any way of the Temporal Jurisdiction and Government of Emperours Kings and Princes which respected Temporal ends but much higher and far more eminent he did ordain it and caused to be in practice for many Years together when all Temporal Princes of the World were Infidels and Enemies and knew not of this But yet on the other side was not this Government of Secular Princes impeached taken away or hindered by this other and different Spiritual Government of the Clergy but rather confirmed and established by the same so far forth as they tended to common Justice Peace Equity and Vertue which this Spiritual Government of Christ did principally procure as means as well to their ends that is to the Salvation of Souls as to the Temporal end of the Weal publick And therefore when afterwards Princes
very promising in those affairs and did not deceive their expectations being fierce and zealous in promoting their Cause He seems to have over-acted his part since he quickly drew upon himself no very favourable Opinion from the General of their Order who found him too turbulent busie and medling and therefore complain'd That he was more troubled with one English man meaning our Father Parsons than with all the rest of his Society He was however after having been but five years among them pitch'd upon to be one of the Jesuits that should be sent in their first Mission into England and perhaps his unquiet and boisterous temper might be the best reason their General had to send him away Cardinal Allen was the person that first motioned such a mission of Jesuits into England and named Father Parsons not only for one but to be the Superiour The picking out such a man does tell the World as plain as words themselves could what the true business was upon which these Jesuits were first sent into England The great pretence and what was published every where was that they were only sent into Christ's Vineyard to serve the necessities of the remaining Catholicks in England and to recover others from their Heresies and Schism but Cardinal Allen knew other things and another sort of a design a design that required such men as Father Parsons himself was Had their sending been only and purely about Spiritual matters and the Salvation of Souls of all men living he would not have singled out our Jesuit whom he lookt upon to be a man very violent and of an unquiet Spirit and therefore more likely to cause Breaches and Divisions than to heal them And therefore some people who were not let into the Secret were very much disturbed when they heard that Father Parsons was sending amongst them expecting no good but a great deal of mischief to all the Catholicks left in England from the management of such a violent not cholerick and domineering Superiour even Blackwel himself that was afterwards Arch-Priest and so much at Father Parson's Devotion bewailed the coming of Parsons into England to a Friend of his saying That the President at Rhemes meaning Dr. after Cardinal Allen played a very indiscreet part to send him hither as being an unfit man to be employed in the Causes of Religion And being asked by that Friend why Father Parsons was unmeet for that Employment his answer was because his casting out of Baliol College and other Articles and Matters depending upon it betwixt him and Dr. Squire then living were very likely to be renewed and so to work great discredit both to him and to the Catholick Cause And indeed one cannot but wonder how a man who had left England so lately and upon such very scandalous accounts should have the face not only to come but to put himself forward upon such an Employment It confirms the Character of Mr. Camden and others of him that he was a man of confident boldness but it does not prove either Policy or Discretion in hiâ—â— except he had brought himself to believe that the Absolution he got in the Church of Rome when he turn'd Apostate had bloâ—ted his false tricks and knavish pranks oâ— of all Peoples Memories as well as out of Heavens Records However to do them justice who were for sending him into England against all those complainers against him and them such a man as Father Parsons was necessary for such a work as he was sent hither upon and what that work was we shall hear very quickly He and Father Campian were appointed for this Mission and parted from Rome on the Sunday after Easter 1580. with the Pope's Benediction Their Dispatches were given them there before they set out by Everard Mercurianus the General of their Order which Morus in his History of this Mission makes to be in short some Commands about faithfully discharging their Ministerial Function and by no means either by Word or Writing to meddle with the Publick Affairs of the Kingdom of England I was very careful not to omit the putting down these dispatches for the two Jesuits according to Father Moor's â—â—count of them because I shall shew by and by how wonderfully these do agree with another dispatch which though Father Moor leave it out of his History I will not leave out of mine and with the Practices of both these Jesuits as soon as they were got into this Kingdom Father Moor tells us that the two Jesuits with their Companions took Geneva in their way from Rome and made a visit to Beza with whom they had some Conference but no victory it seems because the poor ignorant Man took the advantage of the shutting in of the Evening to break off the Discourse and to conceal his ignorance a piece of History this that Father Moor ought not to expect to be credited in by any Body that hath ever heard of learning or learned Men or by any one but a Jesuit and a Jesuit's Fellow First Parsons set sail from Calice the two Sparks being unwilling to venture two such Treasures in one Bottom after Midnight which was the properest time for such works of darkness as he wâ—â— going about and got safe to Canterbury as Campian acquaints their General in his Letter to Rome in the disguise of Soldier but so gaudy and so airy thâ—â— he must be a very nice Man that coâ—â— â—hen suspect or find Piety or Modesty under such a dress and mien ay or without that dress I dare add for who ever heard otherwise of Father Parson's Modesty or Piety either After this he got as safe to London where he stayed for his Companion Father Campiâ—n who likewise escaped the strict search that was made for them their Pictures as well as the time of their setting out from Rome being got into England before them I must leave these Jesuits in their disguises for a while and look back to the State Queen Elizabeth was in with the Bishops of Rome Pius Quartus had a mind to attempt her by fair speeches and to perswade her to submit her Sceptre to his Crosier by fair Promises for which purpose by his Agent Parpaglia he wrote a very â—mooth Letter unto her giving her assurance of every thing she could desire from him But Queen Elizabeth was too prudent to be caught by such a gilded bait or to part with her Supream Power for a few good Words and therefore would have nothing to do with the Bishops of Rome so that all this Pope's hopes of her were lost Pius Quintus seeing his Predecessor's mild ways unsuccessful resolved upon harsher methods and made it his chief business to contrive and encourage Plots against her and not content with this 〈◊〉 slow and unsuccessful way of destroying her he without giving warning or sending Admonition to her le ts fly his Bull of Excommunication and Deprivation against her and causes it by an impudent Wretch Felton to be
pious Men may have Commission to consult what were to be redressed about the common Laws either for learning teaching or practice of the same to the end the Prince and Parliament might afterwards determine thereof And the like about our Colleges Halls and manner of reading both of Philosophy and Divinity Physick Civil and Common Laws and other Sciences in the Universities And amongst other Points to consider whether a Third University were not necessary in the North parts of England as at Durham Richmond New-Castle or the like place in these quarters for the better polishing of those parts towards Scotland and planting learned Men in the same seeing they have need and that the other two Universities which we have already are both of them far towards the South and many of the North parts cannot so conveniently send their Children unto them And divers other Countries have three Universities within much less circuit than these three would be A like Consideration also might be whether it were not expedient to have a third Archbishoprick in England for example at Bristol or thereabouts which might have for his Suffragant Bishopricks those of the West Country and more parts of Wales that lye near about And hereby might the Archbishoprick of Canterbury's charge and labour be eased much and the Metropolitan Visitations from three Years to three Years more commodiously performed and yet sufficient priviledges and preeminence left to the said Archbishop and Primate of Canterbury according to the ancient dignity of the said Church In like manner it may be put in Deliberation whether the number of Bishops in some part of the Realm were not to be increased for the better governing of the Clergy or at leastwise that their circuits were better divided some of them being at the present very ample and laboursome as Lincoln York and some other and in some other places perhaps the Livings of some other Bishopricks were to be augmented for better maintaining of the Dignity though ordinarily this is the least want of our Bishops in our Realm and the authority of the Place is better maintained by opinion of Gravity Learning Wisdom and Holiness than by much abundance of Riches CHAP. IX There ensue more matters that appertain to the Council of Reformation THough I have touched divers points yet follow there more belonging to this Council among which one very special is as hath been signified before the particular care that ought to be had of erecting of Seminaries at the very beginning for the encrease of the Clergy and this in every Bishoprick according to the Order of the Council of Trent And before that Men be interessed in the Livings either of Bishopricks or Benefices all the Ecclesiastical Livings of the Realm might be searched what each one might contribute to the erections and maintenance of these Seminaries which may be at such an easie rate as none had need to feel it and yet may the Furniture for Education of English youth be such by these means as no Realm in the World will have the like and all these Seminaries may be divided into two or three parts according to the number of the Universities or Archbishopricks and every University have one great Seminary wherein only the course of Divinity and Philosophy may be read and in the other abroad that are subordinate to these may be read Grammar Humanity and Rhetorick alone and as the Scholars shall grow fit they may be transferred to the great Seminaries of the Universities The like care must be had for well ordering of Grammar-Schools what Books are to be read and what manner of Masters are to be allowed as also for other Schools for Children Writing Reading and casting of Accounts by Arithmetick which greatly doth awaken and sharpen the wits of young Children and make them the more able Men for their Commonwealth if it be taught with care and good order as in other Countries it is where Children are wont to be examined in publick and made to Compose Divide and Multiply numbers upon the suddain and without Book and rewards proposed to them that do best And in all Schools must there be particular order also for teaching of the Christian Doctrine and divers proofs appointed for the same Publick and private Libraries must be searched and Examined for Books as also all Book-binders Stationers and Booksellers Shops and not only heretical Books and Pamphlets but also prophane vain lascivious and other such hurtful and dangerous Poysons are utterly to be removed burnt suppressed and severe order and punishment appointed for such as shall conceal these kind of Writings and like order set down for printing of good things for the time to come It would be of great importance that in every City or great Shire Town there should be set up a certain poor Man's Bank or Treasury that might be answerable to that which is called Monte della Pieta in great Cities of Italy to wit where poor Men might either freely or with very little interest have Mony upon Sureties and not to be forced to take it up at intolerable Usury as oftentimes it happeneth to the utter undoing and general hurt of the Commonwealth and for maintenance of these Banks some Rents or Stocks of Mony were to be assigned by the Council of Reformation out of the common Purse at the beginning and afterwards divers good People at their deaths would leave more and Preachers were to be put in mind to remember the matter in Pulpits and Curates and Confessors in all good occasions either of Testaments when they are made or of cases of Restitution when they should fall out and other such occasions The like good use were to be brought in that Ghostly Fathers in hearing Confessions and otherwise should admonish their Spiritual Children among other works of Piety to visit Hospitals and sick People as also publick Prisons and enjoin it some times for Penance and part of Satisfaction especially to principal People whose Example would do much good to others and by the Fact to themselves And to the end there should not be so much repugnance therein as commonly is wont to be in delicate Persons the Hospitals were to be kept fine cleanly and handsome and publick Prisons were to be inlarged with Courts and open Halls for People to visit them by day and relieve them with their Alms though by night they were kept more strait And above all other things convenient place is to be made in all Prisons to say and hear Mass and for Spiritual Men to make Exhortations to the Prisoners seeing that besides the chastisements of their Bodies the salvation of their Souls is also to be sought and oftentimes they are in better disposition to hear good Council and profit themselves thereby standing in the Prison than when they were abroad And for this effect only that is to say for looking to Prisoners and procuring the comfort relief and instruction of such as be in necessity therein divers