Life of Matthew Parker (Strype, 1821)/Book I/Chapter II

This is the enhanced reading edition of Chapter II, prepared according to the AnglicanWiki Editorial Guidelines for Historical Texts. It adds descriptive section headings, English translations of Latin passages (with the original preserved), verified internal links, and editorial notes clearly distinguished from Strype's text. Strype's wording, historical spelling, and substance are preserved.

Preaches. His first preferments. Made Queen Anne's Chaplain, and Dean of Stoke college. Some account of it. Preaches before the King.

Preaching in Lent

BUT to return to our Divine. He was commonly appointed to preach in the solemn time of Lent in the most public auditories: an office, for which the best-learned preachers were sought out. On this occasion he preached often before King Henry VIII. King Edward VI. and Queen Elizabeth. Nevertheless he was a man of modest manners; and though his learning and abilities were so well known, that he was often solicited to take public places, and to go abroad into the world, and make himself more known, yet he was unwilling to be brought thereunto, affecting an University and close life. His first public sermon was preached at Balsham, before the Bishop of Ely in his visitation anno 1534. And when without his seeking, being about thirtyone or thirty-two years of age, he was sent for up to Court into the service of Queen Anne, he earnestly declined it.

Made Chaplain to Queen Anne

It was in the year 1533 or 1534, that Mr. Betts her Chaplain died, who was one of those selected Cambridge men, that Cardinal Wolsey placed in his new-founded college at Oxford: of whom Fox gave this character, that " he was a " good man and zealous, and so remained." He, with divers other learned students there, being favourers of the Gospel, and readers of the Scriptures, were put into a doleful dungeon in that college for that reason, and endured much hardship, to that degree that many of them died. After some time Wolsey ordered they should be delivered thence. But Betts not long after escaped, and went back to Cambridge; and afterwards became Chaplain to Queen Anne Bolen, and was in great favour with her. In whose room, being dead, Parker was sent for to succeed. For John Skyp, Almoner to that Queen, (afterwards Bishop of Hereford,) from Hampton Court writ two letters to him to Cambridge to come up; and the second, the week before Easter, more earnest, upon his declining the summons of the former: for that (as he wrote him plainly) the Queen was minded upon Betts's death to make him her Chaplain: bidding him bring with him a long gown, and that should be enough.

In Favour with the Queen

Mr. Parker soon came in great favour with his mistress the Queen, liking him for his learning, and for his prudent and godly behaviour. Insomuch that not long before her death, he being with her, she gave him a particular charge to take care of her daughter Elizabeth, (afterwards the glorious Queen of England, ) that she might not want his pious and wise counsel, with some other private instructions concerning her. And as a token of the interest he had with her, I find

Cheke Seeks the Queen's Bounty

Cheke, the learned man of St. John's college in Cambridge, (afterwards tutor to Prince Edward,) writ a letter to Parker then at Court, desiring him to acquaint the Queen, that there was a very hopeful scholar chosen Fellow of their college, but so poor that he could not pay some dues required before he entered into that society: and so earnestly entreated him to obtain some liberality for him at her hand. For it was well known in the University how extraordinary munificent she was towards poor scholars that were studious and virtuous, and how liberal in her exhibitions towards them. She only required some good character from Dr. Skip, or Parker, or some other of her Chaplains, of any scholar that expected or sued for her bounty. After he had spent about eight months or more in her service, having now commenced Bachelor in Divinity, July 14, the college of Stoke by Clare, in Suffolk, fell void, by the death of Robert Sherton, the last Dean thereof. This,

Preferred to the Deanery of Stoke

The Queen having the right of presentation, preferred her Chaplain Parker to, November 4, being now thirty-two years of age, under the title of Dean of the college of St. John Baptist de Stoke, in the diocese of Norwich: into which he was inducted November 13, 1534, (or, according to a MS. 1535,) and in the 27th of King Henry VIII.

Parker's Tusculanum

This happened to him to his great satisfaction; not so much because of the value thereof, (which was but indifferent, being but 43l. 6s. 8d. per annum,) as because it was a pleasant solitary retirement for him, when he pleased to withdraw himself from the Court or the University, from which it was within twenty miles distant. This college, his friend Dr. Walter Haddon used to call Parker's Tusculanum: and in a letter to him from Cambridge about the latter end of King Henry's reign, the plague being then in the University, the said Haddon wanting a retirement, writ his desire to be admitted into some corner of that pleasant college; adding, " how that place seemed in a manner to be " made on purpose for scholars, both to learn themselves, " and to teach others; and that its situation was such, that " above all others it best suited for honest and ingenuous " pleasures." This college was in former times a priory of Benedictines, but by Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March, (by whose ancestors it had been founded,) it was changed into a collegiate

History of Stoke College

church, for a Dean and six secular Canons, eight Vicars, two greater Clerks, and five Chorists: which change was ratified by Papal authority of John XXIII. and Martin V. Barneslay being the first Dean, in the year 1422 made statutes for the government of it; which are preserved in the Monasticon Anglicanum. It was valued at 324l. 4s. 1d. This deanery seems to have been appropriated for the Chaplains of Queens. For King Henry's former Queen, Katherine, procured it to Bekensaw, Professor of Divinity, her Chaplain and Almoner in the year 1517. But to this he had a large accumulation of other preferments, as was customary in those days: for he was Treasurer of the church of Lincoln, Canon of Windsor, Subcentor of the church of Wells, Vicar of Croxton, Rector of Bradwell, (that in Essex, I suppose,) Rector of Chagforth in Devonshire, Master of Queen's college Cambridge, and Fellow of St. Michael college there; as I find them set down by Parker, in a certain MS. shewing the names, titles, and dignities of all the Deans of Stoke, from the first foundation to his own time. While Mr. Parker was Dean, he laboured to reform the superstitions here used. And for this purpose, within his college, even at his first coming, he founded a grammar-school for children, to be instructed in good learning, and in the principles of Christian religion; and constituted a yearly stipend for a schoolmaster. And here youth were taught not only grammar, but brought up in all other studies of humanity. Thither soon flocked in great plenty the children as well of gentlemen as other poor men: and those of the poorer sort had their schooling gratis. The scholars here were taught also to sing, and to play upon the organs, and other instrumental music, with other exercises, according to their ages and capacities: and there were sundry teachers attending accordingly. In one of his papers relating to this college, he made this memorandum concerning his building of this school, and other his works, for the advancing of the college, viz. Erexit et ædificavit, &c. i. e. "He erected and built a grammar-school, in the north part of the college near the gate, and adorned the old house called the Celerer's Hall, for a hall for the Dean, Prebendaries, and Vicars. He paved it, and decked it with hangings." And to purge the college the more from abuses and superstitions, and to make it serviceable to the realm, he caused new statutes to be made for it, constituting Queen Anne founder. The first whereof was, That the Dean and Canons preach continually, every one of them by themselves, or their lawful deputy; especially once in the year, in every such town and parish where the college have an annual rent or pension. Item, That the money that remains after the whole charges and expenses of the college, be employed in this manner: A reasonable stipend to be made, by the appointment of the Dean and Chapter, for some one that is learned and able, to read a lecture of Scripture four days a week at the least in the college. And the Canons Resident and Vicars shall be bound to be present.

New Statutes for Stoke

The lecture to be read by one of them, or by some chosen out of Cambridge or Oxford; and his commons allowed him among the Vicars of the said college. Item, That the reader endeavour himself unfeignedly to open, and plainly to entreat his lecture the first half hour in the vulgar tongue, for the capacity of those that be not learned; and then the next half hour in the Latin tongue, without curious or superfluous discourses, or invections. Item, That there be one that is able and learned sufficiently, to teach grammar in the said college to the youth of the country about the college. And he to be allowed for his stipend yearly ten pounds. Item, To be found in the college henceforth a more number of queristers, to the number of eight or ten, or more; as may be borne conveniently of the stock, to have sufficient meat, drink, broth, and learning. Of which said queristers, after their breasts be changed, we will the most apt of wit and capacity be helpen with exhibition of forty shillings, four marks, or three pounds apiece, to be students in some

The Statutes Secured

college in Cambridge. The exhibition to be enjoyed but six years. These statutes Dean Parker procured to be translated into Latin by the elegant pen of John Cheke. We may safely conclude, that these new statutes added unto the ancient ones (which were noted to be very good) made this religious foundation of considerable use and benefit, both to the neighbourhood and those of the college too. And withal, the Dean seemed hereby to have an eye to the securing of his college in these times, when religious houses were in such a tottering posture, being in the greater likelihood of escaping the threatening ruin, as now put under the peculiar patronage of the King's favourite and royal consort Queen Anne, the new founder.

Counsel from Nicolas Bacon

As he by other ways and means endeavoured the good of this his college, and to promote the credit and usefulness of it, so he was not wanting to preserve its wealth and revenues. Once there happening some contest with the tenants, and among the rest with one Mr. Colt of Clare, a gentleman, as it seems, of worship, the Dean sent Pory, one of the Prebendaries, I suppose, and his man, to Mr. Nicolas Bacon, a great lawyer, and his good acquaintance and collegian, (afterwards Lord Keeper,) with his questions for the said lawyer to resolve, together with the evidences. One case seemed to have been, the detaining of a gift, which Colt, an executor, upon some pretence refused to make good. And another was about a debt, owing to the college by the last Dean deceased; whether they might require it of the tenant, the said Dean having let it to him by himself without the Chapter, or else should require it of that Dean's executors. Bacon returned Dean Parker a letter, giving his opinion at large in the foregoing cases. And beside his own, he had the judgments of two Judges, whereof the one was the Lord Chief Justice, whom Bacon had consulted for the sake of his friend the Dean. And, in conclusion, he advised him not to attempt the law: telling him, that though in common law they had no remedy in this case, yet before the Lord Chancellor they might have remedy in conscience.

Favour with the King

But then, by way of postscript, lest Mr. Dean should (as probably he might sometimes have argued about that point with his friend Mr. Bacon) charge the defectiveness of the common law, " he prayed him however to speak well of the "law, till he next met with him, though it appeared by his "letter, that conscience and the law stood sub-contrary in figura: adding, that the reason of that required a quire " of paper at the least. And this he left therefore for a " further leisure." But he that is minded to see this letter of this learned Counsellor to Parker, may have it in the Appendix, Numb. II. And as the Queen had given Parker this college of Stoke, so the King already took notice of him. And as a token of the favour he had at Court, I will set down one thing, how small soever it be, which I find remaining among his papers, namely, a warrant from the King himself in the year 1535, to the Keeper of the forest of Waybridg, for a doe of the season for Mr. Parker, Chaplain to Queen Anne. Perhaps this was a reward for a sermon which he preached before the King this year the third Sunday in Lent. But before this he was brought up this year also, to preach a sermon before the Lady Elizabeth at Hunsdon.

Editorial Notes

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Source: John Strype, The Life and Acts of Matthew Parker, the First Archbishop of Canterbury in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1821), Vol. I. Enhanced reading edition: section headings, Latin translations, verified internal links, and editorial notes added per the AnglicanWiki Editorial Guidelines for Historical Texts. Strype's text faithfully transcribed from the Google Books scan; spelling and substance as in the original.