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

This is the enhanced reading edition of Book II, Chapter XII, 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.

A Synod. The Archbishop's doings therein. His character of the Bishops. The oath of the Supremacy. The Archbishop's advice to the Bishops for the moderate administering of it. His letter to the Secretary about it. Dr. Ackworth. The Archbishop's reparation of his palace; and hospitality.

The Synod of 1562

Now in January sat the famous Synod, wherein great and weighty debates were had about religion. The Queen's brief to the Archbishop for calling together this Synod was dated the 11th of November; and ran to this tenor:

The Queen's Brief for the Synod

ELIZABETHA Dei gratia, Angl. Fra. et Hib. Regina, Fidei Defensor, &c. Reverendiss. in Christo Patri MATTHÆO ead. gratia Cantuar. Archiepiscopo, totius Angliæ Primati et Metropolitano, sal. Quibusdam arduis et urgentib. negotiis nos securitatem et defensionem Ecclesiæ Anglican. ac pacem et tranquillitatem, bonum publicum et defensionem regni nostri et subditorum nostrorum ejusd. concernentib. Vobis in fide et dilectione quibus nobis tenemini, rogando mandamus, quatenus præmissis debito intuitu attentis et ponderatis, universos et singulos Episcopos vestræ provinciæ, ac Decanos ecclesiarum cathedralium, nec non Archidiaconos, capitula et collegia, totumque Clerum cujuslibet dioc. ejusdem provinciæ ad comparend. coram vobis in ecclesiâ cathedrali S. Pauli, Lond. duodecimo die Januarii ex futuro, debito more convocari faciatis, ad tractand. consentiend. et concludend. super præmissis, et aliis quæ sibi clarius exponentur tunc ibid. ex parte nostra. Et hoc, sicut nos et statum regni nostri et honorem, et utilitatem ecclesiæ prædictæ diligitis, nullatenus omittatis. Teste meips. ap. Westmon. XI. die Novemb. anno regni nostri quarto.

Accordingly the Archbishop sent his mandate to the Bishop of London, to summon the Clergy to the Convocation: which was dated from Lambeth the 27th of Novemb. 1562.

Preparations for the Convocation

When this Convocation was to meet, the Archbishop had a great eye to the good that he hoped would be done herein, for the settlement of true religion in peace and quiet order, and for the restoring of discipline. Therefore were many matters prepared before, to be moved by the Clergy there; as, for a form of doctrine to be made and received; for rites and ceremonies; for ecclesiastical laws and discipline; for the augmentation of small livings, &c. But though many excellent things were disputed and argued, propounded and endeavoured to be brought to pass with respect to the said particulars, yet little more came to perfection, besides an uniformity of doctrine, contained in Thirty-nine Articles, which were to be subscribed by all Clergymen. The pains the Archbishop took in these Articles of Religion was very considerable. For it was his judgment and care that reduced the forty-two Articles of Religion, framed under King Edward, unto thirty-nine. And there is extant the Archbishop's own original book, wherein appear his corrections, alterations, additions, and expungings, made by his own red lead pen, according to which (in the main) the Articles then passed, and remain to this day. At the end of this book, that the autograph might be most exactly preserved, without any surreptitious additions or alterations, the Archbishop caused it to be written, " That it " was in his keeping, and that it contained nineteen pages, " and that in the first page were four Articles, and thirty" four lines, and so expressing how many Articles and how many lines each page consisted of." And then follows a declaration of the Bishops and the other members of the Synod, that they received the said book of Articles; to which all their hands were subscribed. But all this and the other transactions and debates have been largely set down by me elsewhere. Yet it shall not be amiss here to relate, by way of journal, how the Archbishop was present, influenced and directed from time to time in this famous Synod, wherein he favourably to the Gospel presided. And first, that it might be entered upon in a synodal way, with the greater order and solemnity according to antique practice, the Archbishop himself, or some of his officers by his direction, (as it seems,) drew up a directory in Latin, with the form of choosing a Prolocutor, beginning, Sciendum est ("It is to be known"), &c. It is printed both in The rights and powers of an English Convocation, and in the Synodus Anglicana, in the Appendix to each book. And therefore I shall not here repeat it. But the sum of it in English, taken out of the acts of 1562. pointing out the orders to be observed by his Grace the first day of the Convocation, was as followeth, viz.

1. First, His Grace to repair to Paul's Wharfe or the Black Friars, or to some other place at his pleasure; where the company of the Doctors and Proctors of the Arches, and other officers of his Grace's Courts [are] to meet him: and so to attend upon him to the great south door of Paul's.

2. Item, At the said south door of Paul's, the Dean and Residenciaries, with all other the Ministers of the said church, to wait for his Grace within the said door; and to attend upon him to the vestry of the said church.

3. Item, In the vestry my Lord's Grace and other the Bishops there present put on their Convocation robes: and so to go into the choir by the west door of the same quire. Where my Lord's Grace to be placed in the Dean's stall; and the rest of the Bishops in the stalls of the Prebendaries.

4. Item, My Lord's Grace and the other Bishops being so placed, the Ministers of the church to sing first the Litany, and afterwards the hymn, Veni Creator ("Come, Creator"), in English.

5. Item, The Litany and hymn being so sung, the Preacher to enter into the pulpit, and to preach in Latin.

6. Item, The sermon being done, the Ministers of the church eftsoons to sing the said hymn, Veni Creator, in English. Which hymn being done, my Lord's Grace to repair to the chapter-house: the rest of the Bishops and the whole Clergy of the Lower House to attend upon him.

7. Item, His Grace and the Bishops being set in the chapter-house, the Bishop of London must return his certifi-

cate, and the same to be openly read by my Lord's Grace's Chancellor.

8. Item, The certificate being so read, and all the Bishops in the same openly called, and their appearances noted by my Lord's Grace's Register, his Grace to make a short oration to the Bishops and the Clergy.

9. Item, The oration being ended, his Grace to command the Clergy of the Lower House to repair to the place of their accustomed assembly: and there to choose some one grave, wise, and learned man of their company to be their Prolocutor

and to present him to his Grace, and the rest of the Bishops at a certain other day, by his Grace to be appointed.

10. Item, These things being thus done, my Lord's Grace to appoint his Chancellor to receive the Bishops' certificates, and the proxies of such as shall be absent, and to examine the cause of their absence.

11. Item, After these things so done, his Grace to read a schedule against such as shall be absent: and thereby to pronounce them contumacious, reservata pœna contumaciarum suarum usque in proximam sessionem ("the punishment of their contumacies being reserved unto the next session").

12. Item, The said schedule being thus read, his Grace to read another schedule of prorogation of the Convocation, until his next sitting.

The First Day: January 12

13. Item, These as aforesaid finished, his Grace with the rest of the Bishops attending upon him to the Bishop of London's, there to dine, &c. The first day of the meeting of the Synod at St. Paul's, viz. Jan. the 12th, the Archbishop was not there, but Dr. Robert Weston, Official of the Court of Canterbury, took his place by commission, and continued and prorogued the Synod till Wednesday the 13th of January. Then the Archbishop himself came in person from Lambeth in his barge, and landed at Paul's Wharf: and so to Paul's, entering at the south door, the Dean, Canons, and other Ministers of the said church in their surplices waiting on him, and conducting him to the vestry; there putting on his habit.

And the Bishops Suffragans of Canterbury accompanying him, alike habited, he went thence into the choir, and was placed in the Dean's stall, the Bishops in the Prebendaries ' stalls sitting on both sides of the choir. Then was sung by the Ministers of the church the Litany in the vulgar tongue, according to the manner and rite of the Book of Common Prayer. Then Veni Creator was solemnly sung. Then Day, Provost of Eaton college, in the habit of a Bachelor of Divinity, made a Latin sermon in a fine style, from a pulpit placed in the midst of the choir, the Bishops, Clergy, and people present. Sermon being ended, Blessed is the man that hath not walked, &c. was sung in English. And that finished, the holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was administered by the Bishop of London, the Archbishop, and all the rest of the Bishops receiving. The Communion being ended, the Archbishop went out of the choir into the chapter-house, together with the Bishops, and the rest of the Prelates of the Clergy.

The Bishops Assembled

He sat in his place, and his Suffragan Bishops sitting with him on each side; namely, Edmund of London, Robert of Winchester, William of Chichester, John of Hereford, Richard of Ely, Edwin of Worcester, Roland of Bangor, Nicolas of Lincoln, John of Salisbury, Richard of St. David's, Edmund of Rochester, Gilbert of Bath and Wells, Thomas of Coventry and Lichfield, William of Exeter, John of Norwich, Edmund of Peterborough, Thomas of St. Asaph, Richard of Gloucester, and the Commendatory of Bristol. Then certain things of form and custom, and the protestation of the Dean of Westminster, being despatched, his Grace made a short speech full of eloquence to the said Fathers and Clergy. Wherein among other things he shewed the opportunity they now had offered them for reforming matters in the Church of England: and further declared how ready and inclinable the Queen and others of the nobility of the kingdom were towards such a reformation. Then he exhorted and bade the Prelates and Clergy of the Lower House to provide a grave, learned, and able man among them for a Prolocutor or Referendary, recommending to them especially Alexander Nowel, Dean of St. Paul's: and on Saturday following, to present whom they should choose to him, or

The Second Session: Nowel Chosen Prolocutor

whom he should appoint in his place. After this, he commissioned Dr. Yale, his Chancellor, and Dr. Drury, his Commissary for the Faculties, to receive the Bishops' certificatories, and to look into the proxies of the absents, and to examine the causes of their respective absences. And then pronounced all of the Clergy that appeared not by themselves, nor by their proxies, to be contumacious, reserving the punishment of their contumacies unto the next session. The next session being Saturday, Jan. the 16th, the Archbishop came again to the Synod held at St. Paul's, between one and two in the afternoon, with the rest of the Bishops. There, in the chapter-house, first of all prayers were said by him, pronounced with a loud and intelligible voice, in Latin, with the usual Collects, and a new prayer proper to be said 122 in a provincial Synod. These prayers were responsed by the Bishops, the Prelates, the Clergy, and people present. After these things, the Clergy resorting to their own house, the Archbishop sent for them; who being come presented the foresaid Nowel for their Prolocutor, being conducted between the Deans of Westminster and of Christ Church, Oxon.

The former in a short Latin speech shewed, how

deservedly they had elected him, on the account of his virtues and endowments. But the venerable Elect in another speech disabled himself for various reasons for so great an office. Yet lest he should seem to decline a work so godly, he promised willingly to take it upon him. Then the most reverend having some discourse with the rest of the Bishops concerning his fitness for this place, all with one mind concluded and affirmed him most fit for the said office of Prolocutor. Then the said most reverend Father, with the common assent of the rest of the Fathers, in a handsome speech confirmed the election made of so worthy a person. And so dismissed the Lower House. The next thing he did, was to desire the Bishops, that each of them would bethink themselves of such things as in their several dioceses wanted reformation; and that they would propound them in the next session. And then the Archbishop and his brethren had secret communication among themselves, all others being

The Third Session: January 19

withdrawn. And so by their consent he continued and prorogued the Convocation to the Tuesday following, being January the 19th, appointing that next meeting to be in King Henry VII.'s Chapel in Westminster. When the Archbishop was there again in person, beginning the session with the prayer mentioned before. Now the most reverend Father, with the rest of his Suffragans, held a conference or disputation concerning some articles relating to the Christian faith. And afterwards sent for the Prolocutor; who with six others of the Lower House appeared before the Bishops; and certified them, that some of their house had exhibited certain sheets of paper concerning matters to be reformed; being respectively devised by them and reduced into writing. Which sheets by common consent were delivered to certain of the graver and learneder sort of that Lower House, whom they had pitched upon for this purpose, to take a careful view of them, and to consider them

and that it was appointed them to reduce these

January 20–22: Articles of Religion

sheets into chapters, and to exhibit them the next session before him, the Prolocutor. And he further proposed that the Articles in the London Synod, set forth, as he said, in the time of King Edward VI. might be delivered to some other of their company, chosen also for this purpose, to take a diligent view, examination, and consideration of them; and, as they thought good, to correct and reform them; and the next session also to exhibit them. All this the most reverend did approve and allow, and willed and commanded them to proceed in the same according to their determination. And then he continued and prorogued the Convocation to the next day, viz. Jan. the 20th. The said day the Archbishop was again present, with the rest of his brethren, the Bishops. Where, after prayers begging the Divine assistance, being set, for three hours space they treated and held communication between them-Present a selves, upon certain articles touching Christ's holy religion: whereof mention was made in the acts yesterday. And so the Convocation was prorogued and continued to Friday, January the 22d, when the diligent Archbishop was present again with the rest of the Bishops.

January 25–29: The Thirty-nine Articles Subscribed

And so he was with them constantly every session after, for some time, viz. Jan. 25, 27, and 29, consulting with his brethren commonly for three hours together before they brake up, upon the articles of doctrine, and matters to be reformed.

On which 29th day they subscribed their names unanimously, to certain articles of orthodox faith, viz. the Thirty-nine Articles, and sent them down to the Lower House to be subscribed there.

February: Discipline and Subsidy

In this session also the most reverend, with the consent of his brethren, chose these Bishops following, viz. of London, Winchester, Lincoln, and Hereford, to devise certain heads for a discipline in the Church, the doctrine of it being now so well despatched. He was present also in the session February the 3d, consulting then with the rest of the Upper House in secret communication for about three hours. After which he committed his place to some of the Bishops. Because by this time, as it seems, they were come to a resolution concerning discipline, and matters that required reformation. But after three sessions, in the session Febr. the 13th, being Saturday, the Archbishop appeared again; the reason whereof was for the forwarding a subsidy to be raised by the Clergy as he was present the next session, Febr. the 15th, upon the same business: and likewise Febr. 22. when it was despatched and finished. And though the most reverend Father was present divers times after, (for the knowledge of which, recourse

may be had to the journal of this Convocation,) yet I shall mention only one of his comings more, which was on Friday the 19th of February, having then a weighty business to offer to the consideration of the Lower House; which declared his patriarchal care for the state of the poor Clergy, to stop (if possible) some severe counsels of laying heavier burdens upon them. For having now at this session sent for the Prolocutor; and he with six others of the said House appearing, the Archbishop gave him certain articles in writing; and bade them all diligently to inquire into the contents thereof; and whatsoever they should find, to reduce into writing, and deliver and exhibit to him. The Articles were these: "First, Whether if the writ De melius inquirendo ("concerning inquiring more fully") be sent forth, the likelihood be, that it will turn to the Queen's commodity. "Item, Whether some benefices ratable be not less than they be already valued.

"Item, To enquire of the manner of dilapidations, and other spoliations, that they can remember to have passed upon their livings; and by whom.

"Item, How they have been used for the levying of arrearages of tenths and subsidies: and for how many years past.

"Item, How many benefices they find that are charged with pensions of religious persons.

"Item, To certify how many benefices are vacant in every diocese." These inquiries, I make no doubt, were framed by the Archbishop, that the answers to them from the Clergy throughout the nation (which the Lower House represented) might declare their poverty and miserable harassed condition. Which, being offered and better known to the Court, might facilitate compassion to be shewn them, and prevent more rigours designed against them. But I do not find any answers brought in from the Lower House to this paper. This Synod, after thirty-six sessions, by virtue of the Queen's writ to the Archbishop, was, on the 14th of April 1563, prorogued and continued to the third day of October ensuing, by Dr. Yale, commissioned thereto by the said most reverend Father. The Synod being thus broke up, and the Bishops and inferior Clergy, the members thereof, departed and gone home, our Archbishop and Secretary Cecil, in an evening soon after, had a serious conference between themselves concerning the Bishops, their tempers, dispositions, discretions, abilities, qualifications, and fitness for their office. The Archbishop found many of them, by the late experience he had of them in the Synod, to have had their frailties: which chiefly consisted in their not proceeding with that prudent moderation with regard to Papists, as he reckoned convenient; which he still pressed upon them, as he wrote in a private letter to the Secretary about this time.

The Queen on the other hand, as he proceeded to tell the Secretary, thought him too soft and easy. And indeed towards the Popish sort he acknowledged he carried himself affably, sparing punishment. Yet towards the wilful of them severe enough. But now happened another occasion for our Archbishop to shew his wisdom and moderation. In this fifth year of the Queen, Jan. 12, her second Parliament began to sit. Wherein an act was made for the assurance of the Queen's power over all estates. The chief intent was to fortify the Queen's power ecclesiastical, in her own dominions, against the Papal pretences.

By virtue of this act all people whatsoever, ecclesiastical as well as lay, that took any preferment upon them, whether in the Inns of Court, or University, or in the Church, were bound to take the oath framed in the Queen's first Parliament in the first year of her government. Which ran to this tenor: "I A. B. do utterly testify and declare in my conscience, that the Queen's Highness is the only supreme governor " of this realm, and of all other her Highness' dominions " and countries, as well in all spiritual or ecclesiastical things or cases, as temporal; and that no foreign prince, person, prelate, state, or potentate, hath, or ought to have, any jurisdiction, power, superiority, preeminence, or authority ecclesiastical or temporal within this realm. And therefore I do utterly renounce and forsake all foreign jurisdiction, powers, superiorities, and authorities; and do profess, that from henceforth I shall bear faith and true allegiance to the Queen's Highness, her heirs and lawful successors; and to my power shall assist and defend all jurisdictions, privileges, preeminences, and authorities, granted or belonging unto the Queen's Highness, her heirs and successors, or united or annexed to the imperial Crown of this realm. So help me God, and by the contents of this book." This oath the Archbishops and Bishops were empowered to administer to all their Clergy. The penalty, pain, and forfeiture of the refusal of this oath was, that the first time they proceeded against the refusers by the statute of provisions and premunire, made in the 16th year of King Richard II. And the Bishop was, within forty days after the refusal, to certify under his seal into the King's Bench, the name, place, and degree of the person so refusing. And if the same person did within three months after the first tender of the oath to him refuse again to take it; that then, for the second offence, he was to forfeit, lose, and suffer such like and the same pains, forfeitures, judgments, and executions, as were used in cases of high treason. Against the severity of the penalty of this bill did a member of the Lower House stand up and argue. "And whereas some had said in behalf of this law, that by the " common law of the nation the offence of not owning the " Queen's supremacy was treason, and that the offenders were traitors, as men that sought to take away the " crown from the King's head, and give it to the Pope; " this gentleman denied this. And that if it might be proved, that the maintenance of foreign jurisdiction was " not by the laws ever accounted treason; then the offence " not being so great, the punishment ought not to be great " neither. He heard the preachers say, that though in the " old law idolatry was punished with death, yet since the " coming of Christ, who came to win the world by peace, " the greatest punishment taught by the Apostle was that " of excommunication. That religion, as they said also, " must sink in by persuasion, it cannot be pressed in by " violence. And for the dealings in Queen Mary's days, " they much misliked them, calling the Bishops bloodsuckers, " and bade fy on the tormentors, that delighted in nothing " but in the blood of innocents, that threatened the whole " realm with fire and fagot: that they were murderers, " worse than Caiaphas and Judas.

And that they spake with such vehemency, that he wondered how it should be " that they should now desire to establish that as a law, " which they thought then so far unlawful. That indeed many a solemn Clerk and holy Father had been in the " Church, that much misliked these cruel handlings, and " wished rather the opinions of the men to be taken away " than the men themselves.

Then he undertook to shew,

"I. The cause why in all Christian realms offenders in religion were punished with death. II. How far the punishment in this bill devised, exceeded that in rigor and cruelty. III. How offenders in this cause of religion ought not to be punished by the one, nor by the other, but liberty of their consciences allowed them." This whole speech is set down in the Annals of the Reformation; to which I refer the reader. The Lord Mountague also made another speech in the House of Lords (as the former was made in the House of Commons) against passing this bill: and his discourse ran upon these three arguments; viz. That this law was not necessary, was not just nor reasonable, nor that it was possible and commodious, apt or fit to be put in execution. Yet, notwithstanding the best arguments the Papists could make, the bill passed. This Lord's speech also is set down at large in the book above said. But to our Archbishop this severe act created some pensive thoughts; being a matter that might occasion much hard speech against the Bishops, if any by their information (which they were by the act directed to make) should come to lose their lives. The result of the Archbishop's deliberation in this matter was, privately to send his letters to his brethren, warning them to have a great regard, and use much prudence, in executing that act, and not to tender the oath a second time to any (as they might be provoked probably by the Papists' obstinacy sometimes to do) before they had sent to him, giving him notice thereof, and had received his letter in answer thereunto. This tenderness of the Archbishop, in requiring the Bishops not to offer the oath the second time without his notice, was very commendable;

able; that none might have occasion to clamour against them or their order as cruel, or affecting the shedding of the blood of those that differed from them, or revenging themselves for former injuries.

And having drawn up the minutes of the said letter, he sent it to Secretary Cecil for

his judgment and advice, and according to his approbation he would proceed therein. Which letter ran thus: "To his loving brother, &c. After my right hearty commendations to your Lordship, this is upon good and deliberate consideration to require you, as also upon your obedience to charge you, to have a very grave, prudent, " and godly respect, in executing the act ofthe establishment " of the Queen's authority over her ecclesiastical subjects, "late passed in this Parliament. And that if upon very " apparent cause your Lordship shall be as it were compelled, for the wilfulness of some of that sort, to tender "the oath mentioned in the same act, the peremptory refusal whereof shall endanger them in premunire, that immediately upon such refusal of any person you do address your letters to me, expressing the disorders of such " one who is fallen into such danger; and that ye proceed "not to offer the said oath a second time, until your Lordship shall have mine answer returned again to you in writing. Which upon your declaration of the behaviour " of such wilful recusants shall, I trust, extend to the pu" nishment and abolishment of such corrupt members, "if reason and clemency will not convince their wilful error and stubborn ignorance. Praying your Lordship

" also not to interpret mine advertisement, as tending to " shew myself a patron for the easing of such evil-hearted subjects, which, for divers of them, do bear a perverse " stomach to the purity of Christ's religion, and to the state of " the realm thus by God's providence quietly reposed, and " which also do envy the continuance of us all so placed by "the Queen's favour, as we be: but only in respect of a " fatherly and pastoral care; which must appear in us, " which be heads of his flocks, not to follow our private af"affection and hearts, but to provide coram Deo et hominibus ("before God and men"),

" for saving and winning of others, if it may be so ob- " tained. “ And I also pray you to assure and persuade yourselves, “ that this manner of my sudden writing at this time is This added was to grounded upon great and necessary consideration, for the these minutes by " weal and credit of us that are governors in the Church, Secretary " under the Queen's Majesty, and yet for divers respects Cecil's hand. "meet to be kept secret to yourselves, as I doubt not but your wisdoms will easily see and judge.” This device aforesaid did the Archbishop send unto his

friend the Secretary, together with a letter to him, explaining his reason of penning it in his own name, rather than in the Queen's, who also was privy to this business, not willing to have this act executed to the extremity. Wherein also he gave some character of his brethren the Bishops, of whom he had now better knowledge since the late Synod. And this was the Archbishop's letter: "Sir, in consideration of yesternight's talk, calling to my remembrance the qualities of all my brethren, in experience of our Convocation societies, I see some of them to be pleni rimarum, hac atque illac effluunt ("full of chinks, they leak here and there"), although indeed the Queen's Majesty may have good cause to be well contented with her choice of the most of them, very few excepted. Among whom I count—furthermore, though we have done among ourselves little in our Queen's cause, yet I assure you our mutual con" sciences have taught us such experiences, that I trust we " shall all be yet the better in governance for hereafter. " And where the Queen's Highness doth note me to be " soft and easy, I think divers of my brethren will rather " note me, if they were asked, too sharp and too earnest in " moderation. Which towards them I have used, and will " still do, till mediocrity shall be received among us. Though towards them qui foris sunt ("who are without"), I cannot but shew civil affability, and yet, I trust, inclining to no great " cowardness, to suffer wilful heads to escape so easily. "Sed ista parerga ("But these are by-works"). I have thought to use this kind of writing to my brethren,

Tenderness Toward the Popish Bishops

" thren, already departed home; not to recite the Queen's Majesty's name; which I would not have rehearsed " to their discouragement of the honest Protestants; nor " known too easy, to the rejoice of the adversaries, her " adversaries indeed. I had rather to bear the burden my" self, to sustain the note of what they both will, than the good cause should be touched like to [produce ] much quiet obedience. Whereupon though I shall thus write, as having no warrant in writing, to stay full execution of " the impartial laws, as it may be so far forced; yet if the jeoparding of my private estimation may do good, that "the purpose itself may be performed, that the Queen " would have done, it shall suffice, I think. If ye shall " allow this device, I pray your Honour to return it me again, with your correction as you shall think meet.” Which the Secretary did with an addition of his own pen, as we saw above. The favour The effect of this was, that none of the Popish Bishops of the State to the nor Divines had this oath now administered to them, except Popish Bi that bloody man Boner; so tender was the State of the shops. estates and lives of these men. And this Nowel, the Dean Reproof, p. 11. of St. Paul's, confidently tells Dorm an his adversary in print, saying, that the oath was never required of them. Dr. Ack This year the Archbishop sent a commission to Dr. worth admitted Ad-West on, Official of the Court of the Arches, to admit vocate. George Ackworth, LL.D. to be an Advocate in that Court. This Ackworth, a learned man, was entertained by the Archbishop in his family: he was Orator of the University of Cambridge, and made an eloquent speech at the restitution of Bucer and Fagius; and was employed by the Archbishop, not long after this, in answering a part of Saunder's book De Visibili Monarchia ("Of the Visible Monarchy"); and was one of the learned men he made use of in his courts and visitations, as we may hear hereafter. What the In these first four years our Archbishop settled many things Archbishop relating to the state of religion and God's service hitherto had done. in his province. In that time he discharged his first-fruits, and furnished his house with provisions and householdstuff

suitable to the dignity of his place.

Then he fell upon the thoughts of repairing the palace of Canterbury. In which, when it was finished, he made extraordinary feasting, and kept vast hospitality there divers times, and sometimes for some days together. And at the assizes he had his feastings, that he might have the opportunity of entertaining all the gentry of the county.

Here also was noble entertainment at the confirmation of the Archbishop of York. But this was some years after, as we shall be told.

A Contemporary Tribute

The next year when he went down to Canterbury, his He repairs the palace presence and directions greatly set forward the work of the at Canterbury. said palace. But the fair progress religion had by this time made by his prudent government and wary counsel, in the midst of so many difficulties and oppositions, redounded more to his praise. And " how gravely, (according to the observation Preface to Muscul. " of one in those days,) learnedly, and Christianly, his Grace Comm. " and others the Bishops, by their most godly travail, with J. Places, Man.by pr. "the good help of the Queen's laws in that behalf pro-1563. “ vided, had reformed the state of the corrupt Church, re" stored to God his due honour in public service, planted "true obedience to her Majesty in the hearts and con"sciences of her subjects, delivered the thralled minds of 127 'true Christians from their heavy bondage and oppression, " drawn deceived souls out of most dangerous error, and to "the people's eternal comfort published the most glorious light of God's most holy truth, both her Majesty, to her great contentation, joyfully beheld, and they the flock

" committed to her charge, and under her to his execution, " did both feel to their benefit, and right worthily did confess with most loving memory." ment was thought due to him.

This public acknowledg-

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.