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

This is the enhanced reading edition of Chapter VI, 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.

An address of the Archbishop, and other Bishops, to the Queen, against images. She is offended with a Common Prayer Book with cuts. Articles concerning the Clergy, agreed upon in the ecclesiastical Commission. An apology of the Church of England, now preparing, by the advice of the Archbishop. The honourable re-burial of Peter Martyr's wife.

An Address to the Queen Against Images

Now did the Archbishop and Bishops, to their great renown, write an humble free letter to the Queen; being another address to her (after sundry others) against erecting images, and receiving them in the churches; which it seems the Queen had persuaded them to do. They wrote with exceeding deference and tenderness of displeasing her, whom they saw inclinable to allow them, for ornament and honour to Christ and his saints, and to make the way more fair to bring the Papists into the present constituted Church. They urged to her the necessity of the matter they had to move; "Not in any respect, they said, of self-will, stoutness, or striving against her Majesty, (God they took to witness,) they being in comparison with her, to use David's words, but canes mortui aut pulices: but they did it only out of that fear " and reverence which they bore to the majesty of Almighty " God; and lest in giving just offence to the little ones, and " setting a trap of error for the ignorant, and digging a pit " for the blind to fall into, they should be guilty of the "blood of their brethren, and deserve the wrathful vengeance of God; and also procure to their reclaiming consciences the biting worm that never dieth. For in what thing soever they might serve her, not offending the divine majesty of God, they should with all humble obedience be most ready to, though it were to the loss of their " lives: for so God commanded, and duty required; and "they had given proof of it. They humbly acknowledged, and daily gave God thanks, that through her gracious government God had delivered unto them innumerable benefits: and they doubted not, but that of his mercy he " would happily finish in her Majesty that good work which “ he had begun. That following the worthy examples of godly princes that went before, she might clearly purge " the polluted Church, and remove all occasions of evil. " But lest they should seem to say much, and to prove little, " to allege conscience without warrant of God's word, they "had now put in writing, and did humbly exhibit to her gracious consideration, those authorities of Scriptures, reasons, and pithy persuasions; which as they had moved all their brethren, that now bore the office of Bishops, to think and affirm images not expedient for the Church of Christ, so would they not suffer them without the great offending of God, and wounding their consciences, to consent to the erecting or receiving of the same in the places of worship. And they trusted, and earnestly asked of God, " that they might also persuade her Majesty, by her royal " authority, and in the zeal of God, utterly to remove this " offensive evil out of the Church of England."

Reasons from Scripture and the Fathers

Then follow the reasons at large, taken from places of Scripture; as Exod. xx. Deut. xxvii. &c. and from quotations taken out of the Fathers, Councils, and Histories. And then the letter proceeds, " That having declared to her a few " causes of many, which moved their consciences in this " matter, they begged her not to strain them any further, " but to consider that God's word did threaten a terrible "judgment unto them, if they, being Pastors and Ministers " in the Church, should assent to a thing, which in their learning and conscience they were persuaded did tend to " the confirmation of error, superstition, and idolatry, and to

St. Ambrose to Theodosius

"the ruin of souls committed to their charge: for which they must give an account to the Prince of pastors at the last day. They mentioned some of St. Ambrose's speeches to the Emperor Theodosius. As, In causâ Dei, &c. In God's cause, whom will you hear, if you hear not the Priests? "And who will dare to tell you the truth, if the Priests dare not? That the good Emperors took such speeches in good part, and they doubted not but her Grace would do so too; of whose not only clemency, but beneficence also, they had largely tasted. "And lastly, they prayed her to leave these and the like controversies of religion to the discussing and deciding of a synod of her Bishops, and other godly learned men, according to the example of Constantine and other Christian Emperors. And in fine, leaving it to her to consider " concerning the present matter, that beside weighty causes " in policy, which they left to the wisdom of her counsel"lors, the establishing of images by her authority should not only utterly discredit their ministry, as builders of the things which they had destroyed, but also blemish the fame of her godly brother, and such notable Fathers as had given their lives for the testimony of God's truth: who by public laws removed all images."

The Letter's Date

But this letter I find is published by the Bishop of Sarum in his History, placing it by conjecture under the year 1559, (for it is without date in the MS.) but in all probability it was writ some considerable time after; and, as near as I can guess, in this year, or the former. No more need be said of this, having been related more largely in another history.

The Queen Offended at a Prayer Book with Cuts

By these frequent inculcations of the Archbishop, and some of his fellow Bishops, and by their discreet behaviour towards the Queen, she was at length brought off from the fancy of images; and, which is very remarkable, she shewed herself not long after very highly disgusted at the very sight of some ornamental pictures set before the Epistles and Gospels, in a Book of Common Prayer, which on New Year's Day, anno 1561/2, Nowel, the Dean of St. Paul's, had laid

before her, when she came thither on that day to hear a sermon, preached by the same Dean, intending to present her the book for a new-year's gift: which is mentioned at large elsewhere. The Archbishop of Canterbury, with Thomas, Archbishop of York, the Bishops of London and Ely, and some others of the ecclesiastical Commission, were now sitting at Lambeth, upon the regulating and ordering of the matters of the Church.

Articles for the Regulation of the Clergy

And on the 12th day of April, (being their second session,) certain Articles were agreed upon by them, with the assent of their brethren Bishops to the same: namely,

First, That the Articles agreed on at the first sessions be ratified, confirmed, and be put in execution accordingly. Item, That Readers be once again by every Ordinary

reviewed, and their abilities and manners examined: and by discretion of their Ordinaries, to remain in their office, or to be removed: and their wages to be ordered; and that abstinence from mechanical sciences to be also enjoined by the discretion of the said Ordinaries, as well to Ministers as to Readers. Item, That the Declaration devised for unity of doctrine may be enjoined to be used throughout the realm uniformly.

De non locando beneficia, vel aliquam inde parcellam; i. e. Concerning letting benefices, or any parcel thereof. Item, At the institution of every Parson or Curate, they be examined by oath upon these Articles following, of secret compacts: For alienation of their glebe lands. For the forgiving of the patron's tithes. For pensions newly exacted. For sums of money, and other contributions.

Intimation to be made them, that if they be after found culpable in any of the same, to be deprived: and for the time to come, to enter into voluntary band, ad usum Reginæ, vel alicujus hospitalis pauperum, de non locando sine consensu Ordinarii Item, That no Curate or Minister be permitted to serve without examination, and admission of the Ordinary, or his deputy, in writing; having respect to the greatness of the cure, and the meetness of the party. And that the said Ministers, if they remove from one diocese to another, be by no means admitted to serve without testimony of the Diocesan, from whence he cometh, in writing. Item, That all old service books, grails, antiphonars, and others, be defaced and abolished, by orders in visitations. Item, That besides the Catechism for children which are to be confirmed, another, somewhat larger, may be devised for communicants, and a third in Latin for schools.

Item, That Priests deprived, and other private Chaplains, be commended by the Ordinary's discretion, in this great necessity, to minister in cures; or else to be according to law excommunicate, and the excommunicate effectually prosecuted. Item, It is agreed, that all such marriages as have been contracted within the Levitical degrees, be dissolved: and namely, those who have married two sisters one after another; who are by common consent judged to be within the case. Item, It is agreed, to give twenty shillings by every Bishop of Canterbury province to the metropolitical church there: so that it be registered as a composition between us and the church for all demands and requests: and the same presently to be conveyed to Dr. Alexanders, as for his claim. For the Readers of Cambridge and Oxford: A contribution to be made by the Archbishop and Bishops. For learned strangers, Readers; for stipends and expenses of journey, according to the rate of our revenues.

Matthæus Cantuar. Edm. London. Richard. Ely.

Observations upon These Articles

From the foregoing Articles, we may observe somewhat of the ill and disorderly state of things in the Church at this time: as, the lamentable corruption of the patrons and clerks: that parsons alienated their glebe, forgave their patrons their tithes, paid sums of money, and charged their livings with new pensions; and doing all this mischief to themselves and their churches, to get admission thereinto. Many Popish Service Books still remained in the churches. Though in this revolution no small numbers of Priests were deprived, yet it was not allowed them to remain idle. But the Ordinaries were to take care to set them to officiate in suitable places, or else to excommunicate them according to some ecclesiastical law against idle Priests. We may observe moreover the care then taken for the education and instruction of youth; in that beside the short Church Catechism, two other Catechisms were appointed to be made, one in Latin for schools, and another for communicants. That for schools was framed and published not long after by Nowel, Dean of St. Paul's: but that for communicants, I think, never went further than in design.

Incestuous Marriages and University Readers

Incestuous marriages were still too common: and it was looked upon as lawful to marry two sisters successively. It may be marked also, what care the Archbishop and his colleagues took for restoring right religion and good learning in the Universities, by allowing stipends for learned Readers out of their own revenues: and their design of promoting religion and learning by following the course used under King Edward; which was by calling in learned strangers. Though I think there came in not many in either University for Readers, except (after Tremellius) Chevalier, Professor of Hebrew in Cambridge, Bignon, Baræ, and a few others. While these Commissioners were thus sitting, and employed about religion, their great maxim was to purge the Church as much as they might from all Popish dregs and superstitions. And they had but little stomach to retain so much as any habits or ceremonies used in the Popish service. That this was the judgment of one of the chief Commissioners, Cox, Bishop of Ely, may appear by this passage in a

Cox to Bullinger: The Principle of Reform

That this was the judgment of one of the chief Commissioners, Cox, Bishop of Ely, may appear by this passage in a letter of his to Bullinger, who had wrote to the said Cox his advice, how things should be managed in the Reformation; viz. "that all things should be reformed in the purest manner." To which the said Bishop answered, "that that was also his judgment; and that he thought that in the Church all things ought to be pure, simple, and very far from the rudiments and pomps of this world." Omnia debere esse pura, simplicia, et ab hujus mundi elementis et pompis longè alienissima. Ep. Elien. ad Bullinger. In these proceedings in religion, it was also wisely foreseen by the Archbishop and his colleagues, how the world would take them: and therefore it was thought necessary by them, that some public apology, or manifesto, should be set forth, to vindicate the Church of England before all the world, for her departure from the Bishop of Rome, and for her rejection of his pretended authority, and for what was done in reforming religion. This work was, as it seems, recommended to Bishop Jewel: and he performed it in a short time to a wonder. The copy was sent this year 1561 to Secretary Cecil, for his judgment, and the Queen's approbation. And in September the Archbishop put him in mind of reviewing and sending it back, in order to the publishing; giving him this hint in the close of a letter, that he hoped he forgat not the Apology.

Jewel's Apology

It came forth in Latin the next year; and soon after in English, and again in the year 1564, and was afterwards the ground of much pains to the right reverend author, in his most learned vindication of it; but to the abundant establishment of this Reformed Church upon antiquity, Fathers and Councils, and the word of God.

The Apology in 1562 was published, and went abroad. Bishop Grindal first sent it over sea to Peter Martyr, then at Zurich. And he, with Bullinger, and other Divines there, read it with great pleasure and admiration. And the said Peter Martyr sent a congratulatory letter to Jewel upon it, to this tenor.

Peter Martyr to Jewel

Operâ Episcopi Londinensis, &c. In English thus:

"Right reverend Prelate, and my Lord, ever by me more and more to be esteemed; by the pains of the Bishop of London,

"London, the copy of your Apology for the Church of England was brought hither; which neither I nor any of our friends had seen before. In your last indeed, you hinted rather than signified it should come forth. It came not to us before the calends of August. Hence you may measure in your own mind, how much loss we suffer

"sometimes by the distance of places. As for the Apology, it did not only give me (to whom all your studies are approved, and highly pleasing) satisfaction in all points, but also Bullinger and his sons, and his sons in law, and Gualter and Wolphius: to whom it seemed so wise, admirable, and eloquent, that they can make no end of commending it, and think nothing at this time hath been set forth more perfect. I congratulate with all my heart to your excel" lent parts this felicity, to the Church this edification, to England this glory and beseech you to proceed in the same way you are entered. For although we have a good cause, yet in comparison of the number of our adversaries, they are but few which defend it. And they seem now so "awakened, that in the goodness of style, and crafty sophisms, they much recommend themselves to the ignorant multitude. I mean the Staphili, the Hosii, and many other writers of that sort, who at this time shew themselves stout patrons of the Pope's lies. Wherefore, since " in that your most learned and handsome Apology you " have raised such hope and expectation of you, all good " and learned men do already promise themselves, that while you are alive, the truth of the Gospel shall not be rudely " handled by any of its enemies, without being called by you "to a severe account. And I exceedingly rejoice to see that day, that you are become the parent of so illustrious and elegant an offspring. May God the heavenly Father grant of his goodness, that you may often bring forth the like fruit." This, with some other matters, P. Martyr wrote to Bishop Jewel from Zurich, the 24th of August; and died a short time after. We shall hear more of this Apology, when we come to the year 1564. On the 11th day of January happened a remarkable

The Re-burial of Peter Martyr's Wife

action at Oxford; viz. the solemn restoring of Katharine Vermilia (sometime the pious wife of the same Peter Martyr) to honourable burial, after a strange indignity offered to her corpse. For our Archbishop, together with Grindal, Bishop of London, Richard Goodrick, Esq. and others, by virtue, as it seems, of the Queen's ecclesiastical Commission, (appointed to take cognizance of matters belonging to religion, and redress of Papal abuses) deputed certain fit persons in that University (whereof James Calfhill, B.D. was one) to inquire into a barbarous and inhuman usage of that virtuous woman's dead body; that two years after her burial had been digged up and carried away, and buried in a dunghill belonging to Dr. Marshal, then Dean of Christ's church: whereof he himself was the great actor by authority from Cardinal Pole. Her restitution accordingly was performed after this manner. The persons appointed for this business cited those that were concerned in the digging up of the body: who being charged, shewed them the place where she was first buried: which was near St. Frideswide's tomb, on the north

part of Christ's church. Then requiring where they had conveyed the corpse, they were conducted towards Dr. Marshal's stables; and there out of a dunghill it was digged up, not quite consumed.

Which they caused to be carefully deposited in a convenient receptacle, and so brought back therein to the said church, leaving it thus to be watched by the officers of the church, till they might conveniently celebrate the re-interment. There were belonging to the said church two silk bags, wherein the bones of St. Frideswide were wrapped up and preserved: which were wont on solemn days to be taken out and laid upon the altar, to be openly seen and reverenced by the superstitious people. Now, for the preventing of any future superstitions with those relics, (and yet that no indecency might be used towards the said saint and foundress's bones,) and withal, for the better securing of this late buried holy woman's bones from being disturbed any more, by the advice of Mr. Calfhill, the bones of both were mixed and put together; and so laid in the earth in one grave in the upper part of the said church toward the east; after that a speech had been made to a very great auditory, declaring the reason of the present undertaking. And on the next day, being the Lord's day, one of the society, named Rogerson, preached a learned and pious sermon upon the occasion: and therein took notice "of the cruelty exercised by Papists to the bodies of innocent and good men, which they burnt alive; and then, of the horrible inhumanity shewed to this pious matron's dead body: "whose life, he said, he propounded as an excellent pattern " to imitate; and the cruelty of that worst sort of men, " concerned in it, as a rock to avoid. Not with intention "to wound godly hearts with the mentioning of that tyran" nical power that then prevailed, but rather that he might " inflame them to set forth the praise and glory of God, and "to do all their endeavours for the utter overthrow of that ungodly dominion." And for her further honour, the University hung upon the church doors many copies of Latin and Greek verses composed by eminent members thereof. This is the sum of what Calfhill, one of the chief managers, wrote to Bishop Grindal concerning this matter. The Papists have been twitted by Protestants with this base usage of this good woman: and they to lessen their fault have laboured to disparage and defame her. One of them thought he did some right to their cause in calling her Fustiluggs, being somewhat corpulent. This occasioned Dr. George Abbot, in his excellent answer to that Romanist, to say some things remarkable of her: which he had the opportunity of knowing, being himself of the University of Oxford, and living in or near those times. " She was," said he, reasonably corpulent, but of most matron-like modesty: for " the which she was much reverenced by the most. She was "of singular patience, and of excellent arts and qualities. And among other things for her recreation, she delighted to cut plumb-stones into curious faces and countenances; of which, exceeding artificially done, I once had one, with a woman's visage and head-attire on the one side, and a bishop with his mitre on the other: which was the elegant work of her hands.

By divers yet living in Oxford [anno 1604] this good woman is remembered, and commended, as for her other virtues, so for her liberality to the poor: "which by Mr. Fox, writing how she was treated after her death, is rightly mentioned. For the love of true religion, "and the company of her husband, she left her own country to come into England in King Edward's days. And

" so good was her fame here, that when Papists in Queen " Mary's time, being able to get nothing against her, being " dead, were yet desirous to wreak their spleen upon her " integrity: and would needs rage upon the bones of her, a " woman and a stranger; and took them out of her grave " from Christian burial, and buried them in a dunghill." Whereupon one made these verses:

Femineum sexum Romani semper amarunt:
Projiciunt corpus cur muliebre foras?
Hoc si tu quæras, facilis responsio danda est:
Corpora non curant mortua, viva petunt.

Which thus the said Dr. Abbot translates:

The Popish crew have evermore the female sex embraced: How is it, that a woman's corse they have from grave displaced ? Thus if you ask, right readily mine answer may be this: Their bodies dead they care not for; live ones they clip and kiss.

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.