II. shall appoint for the same matter; and that brother or sis- BOOK ter which shall refuse to be obedient to this order, and doth not learn the Catechism against the same time, or else doth negligently forget the same, after he or she hath once learned 25 it, that brother or that sister so offending shall want or lose his or her quarter's stipend at the next quarter day following, for the same offence, and be further punished, as we or our successors shall appoint, if they do not conform themselves to this order afterwards. And the said quarter's stipend, or stipends, in such sort abridged, and taken from such unorderly persons, shall go to the reparation of the house, to be immediately imployed upon the same. Examined by N. Battely. Matth. Cantuar'. Number XIII. Sandys, Bishop of Worcester, to the Archbishop; apologizing for himself in some things, for which the Archbishop had taken offence at him. Petyt. Ar MY duty remembred, I thank your Grace for your large MSS. G. letters. But I am often put to a doubtful interpretation mig. by reason of your sundry dark sentences, hard to scan forth. As I doubt not of equity at your hands, so have I at al times assured my self of your friendship. In Northfolk's and Arden's deprivation, troth is, I neither followed affection, nor sought my private gain. I was right sorry that they compelled me to do, as they deserved I should do. And their displacing can no ways profit me. Only I sought therein the vauntage of Christ's Church. They have bragged, but I never thought that they should find so much favour at your hands. I know your nature in shewing of humanity, which I never misliked. And as I judge yours to be good, so I think ye wil not utterly condemn all Germanical natures. For Germany hath brought forth as good natures as England hath. And if ye mean of us which were strangers in II. BOOK Germany for a time, sure I am there be some of us that be neither big-hearted nor proud-minded, but can in al simplicity seek the kingdom of Christ. And most sure I am, that there be of us that have given you no offence, but have offended others in defending of you, and have favoured you and your authority so much as any your old friends have done. And for my part, I am right glad that ye know from whence it cometh, that Canterbury is misliked. If ye know truly, sure I am I shal not be blamed. If ye follow suspicions, ye may easily be deceived. Et si liceat pace et bona cum venia tua dicere, soles aliquando nimium in eam declinare partem. And many probable collections may cause prudent men sometimes to conclude indirectè. As when you think or suspect that my letters of answer written unto you were first expended by my Lord of London, and so sent down. Certainly he never saw them. I have at no time so distrusted either your good wil, or yet mine own wit, that I durst not write unto you without such perusing of my letters before-hand. Troth is, I writ a letter to my Chancellor, which then was at London, requiring him to certify your Grace fully concerning my visitation. The letter written unto you, whereof I made mention, was enclosed in his letter, he returned or [ere] the letter was delivered; his friend at London, to whose hand it came, sent down the letter again to my Chancellor, and then enclosed, this is most true. Neither was I at that time, neither am I at this time otherwise delicate or soft in body, either so tender in ear, but that I could and can gladly receive vulnera amantis: yet methinks, quòd amantis est vulnerare delinquentes, and not to burthen the blameless. For as concerning my visitation, wherewith your Grace seemed so much offended, and that therin I sought my commodity before I was lukewarm in place. First, I visited with your consent: I proceeded orderly, according to laws and injunctions: I innovated nothing: I was altogether led by laws. What sobriety I used, let the adversary re26 port. I redrest, as I could, disorders, and punished sin. II. And my private gain was xxiiiil. loss. I gained only in BOOK doing some piece of duty, and that with my great travail. Those sharp letters whereof I spake, I have put out of the way, because I would neither hereafter see them, nor remember them. Where your Grace burtheneth me, that I should think that men may do something to win a favour against another day; methinks, I am sure I wrot no such matter: that were too unadvised. For I am perswaded, that neither you nor I shal find favour at that day. Ye bid me live, and leave off talking. Sir, in my best life, I confess with Paul, quod primus sum peccatorum: yet I hope quòd nemo de me queri possit; except malice overturn truth. I have testimonium conscientiæ, that my chief study is, that my life hinder not my preaching. And I trust my adversary cannot be so impudent as to open mouth against me. My Lord of Hereford and I be neighbours; and we often meet and confer by reason of council-matters here, and commissions directed to us. I have brotherly monished him of such things as I saw in him, or heard of him. And he hath promised, when occasion shal serve, to do the like to me. How the folks go I cannot wel tel, but I assure you Habits of his Clergy. mine go so soberly and decently, as they offend no piece of the Queen's Majesties Injunctions. For if I be under the yoke, such as pertain to me shal draw in the same yoke with me. And for my preaching and theirs, I trust it is altogether to edify and to win, using obsecro, and not jubeo. And I thank God the people hear me and believe me, and the chief comfort that I have is, that they universally favour me. I speak not of such as wil never receive the truth, nor favour honesty. And for the better utterance of the food for the soul, I am forced largely to feed the body. Without loaves people do not follow the word. I spend al and more, if I were of an even board, as I was at the beginning: such joy have I of this office, that I could wish to be dispatched; and I have often wrestled with my self in keeping it thus long. If God's cause were not, I should soon be at a point. BOOK II. Sir, to make an end of my babbling, I shal pray you not to mislike or cut off a hearty wel-willer without cause, but to continue my good lord and friend, as ye were wont. Quo amore te amavi, quibus verbis erga te usus sum, quá benevolentiâ te semper sum prosecutus, utinam æquè ipse scires, atque ille novit, qui abdita cordium scrutatur. If I am any thing, I am yours, and that unfeignedly. And although ye have, as ye know, put me to sore pinches and dangers of too heavy displesure, yet could I never be persuaded that your good wil was alienated from me. If I have been earnest in matters of conscience, I trust ye wil not mislike me therin. When Gods cause cometh in hand, I forget what displesure may follow. In al other things, ye know, I could ever be guided by you. As I followed mine own conscience, so condemned I none others. Thus as I thanked you for your long letter, I pray pardon for mine. The Lord Jesus preserve you to the great profit of his Church. Your Graces in Christ, At Hartilbery, Octob. 24, 1560. Edw. Wigorn. MSS. G. Petyt. Armig. Number XIV. The Archbishop's secret letter to the Queen; persuading her to marry. Signed by himself and two other Bishops. Most redoubted Soveraign, AS our suite is simple, so in most lowly reverence we beseech your Majesty graciously to accept the same. We wish your Highness al maner benediction from God our heavenly Father, so to procede in your godly enterprize as ye have blessedly begun, and hitherto continued; doubting nothing in your earnest zele to Godward, but that ye wil bear in continual remembrance to advance his honour 27 in your government. As he hath miraculously preserved your estate to restore again the sincerity of his religion, we shal pray to God, the God of hosts, to arm your princely II. is no slug Judas no heart with constancy in the same. We know how mali- BOOK ciously the adversary envieth your doings, how he compasseth subtilly to pervert your gracious affection to the same a but we trust, that he whose cause it is, and who For Satan hath begun this notable work in you, shal perform it b to gard, nor your eternal fame and renowne, to the establishing of your reign in al prosperity and wealth, and to the comfort of Writ in the the whole Christian world. Which, as may appear dayly Bishop Cox. margin by at eye, laboureth universally to be disburthened from that ↳ To the old tyrannical yoke, and to aspire to Christian liberty. Which glory of we now, by Gods mercy and your authority, do peaceably by Bishop enjoy. Only our care shalbe to labour in our vocation, that this incomparable benefit of God be not turned in your subjects to carnal liberty. Our travail shalbe the more comfortable herein to us, being assured of your Majesties favour to continue towards our endeavours. In trust whereof, according to our duty, we crave at your hands to see you entred into this blessed state of wedlock : Wherby your Highnes's establishment, and their assurance might be fully concluded. The hollow-hearted subject feedeth his hope only in this delay. We do not herein, right godly Lady, as counsillors in policy, but as Christs Ministers in vigilancy, loquentes ad cor, and burthening your Majesties conscience in charity: which is a cause incident to our ministery, evermore favourably heard of princes, and faithfully observed of pastors; that is to say, to regard the continuance of sincerity in doctrin, unity in the common Christian charity, and safety of realms by godly succession in bloud. For the which, with honour be it spoken, your Majesty hath to account before the just Judge, ye pretermit the ordinary godly means appointed by Gods wisdom uttered in his word. if Our affections of true heart toward your Majesty in this case of importance, could utter many other weighty considerations, but that with words we wil not be tedious to your prudent contemplation. But this we may say, until we se that fortunate day arose, we shal never repose our God. Writ Grindal. |