Life of Matthew Parker (Strype, 1821)/Book III/Chapter IX
This is the enhanced reading edition of Book III, Chapter IX of John Strype's The Life and Acts of Matthew Parker (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1821), Vol. I. It has been proofread against the original printed pages, and is presented with descriptive section headings, Strype's Latin passages translated, editorial notes, and Strype's footnotes preserved as references. Strype's own words, chronology, claims, and spelling are retained; editorial additions are clearly distinguished.
The Archbishop in commission. His proceedings with the London Clergy. The book of Advertisements revived, and published. Dr. Humphrey's letter to the Secretary thereupon.
The Courtiers Fail Them
IN fine, the 26th day of March was the day appointed for the Ministers' appearance. And the Secretary[ed 1] gave the Archbishop notice, that according to his desire, and the Queen's promise, the Lord Keeper [Bacon][ed 2] and the Lord Marquess [of Northampton][ed 3] and himself intended to be present.
But the Archbishop desiring to be certain, whether they would come or no, as laying great stress upon the presence of some great persons, sent a message on purpose to the Secretary; minding, if they would come, to invite them to dinner. Or if they came not, he intended to have more assistance with himself and the Bishop of London.[ed 4] And indeed they came not, detained either by weightier matters, or their own unwillingness.
Proceedings with the London Clergy
The day being come, the Ministers, serving within the city, according to command did appear. When by persuasion several of them, backward before, did conform themselves; and those that would not from the 28th day of March were declared suspended; and standing out three months longer to be ipso facto[ed 5] deprived of all their spiritual promotions: and the patrons might present and collate thereto.
The Archbishop the same day gave the Secretary an account what they had done in the examination of them. Which was, that sixty-one of them had promised conformity: nine or ten were absent: thirty-seven denied. Of which number, as the Archbishop acknowledged, were the best, and some preachers. Six or seven convenient sober men pretending a conscience. Divers of them zealous, but of little learning and judgment. And in short, he and the rest in commission with them, (whereof the Bishop of London was one,) did suspend them, and sequester their fruits,[ed 6] and put them from all manner of ministry; with signification, that if they would not reconcile themselves within three months, then to be deprived. The Archbishop did expect hereupon, that their behaviour would have been rough and clamorous, but, otherwise than he looked for, they shewed reasonable quietness and modesty.
The Archbishop's Judgment of the Refusers
Of them the Archbishop delivered his judgment to the Secretary, viz. "That some of them, he thought, would come in, when they should feel their wants; especially such, as by a spiced fancy[ed 7] held out. Some of them he doubted not were moved in a conscience; which he laboured by some advertisements to pacify. But the wood, he said, was yet green;[ed 8] and it was not felt, as he thought it would be hereafter."
Some of them at this time alleged they were in fruits, [that is, were now in payment for their first-fruits,[ed 9] having not long been come in to their livings,] and would have had some toleration or discharge of payment. Which indeed seemed to be reasonable, that if they were sequestered from the benefit, they should not pay the first-fruits. But the Archbishop told them he could not so dispense, and left them to their own suit.
Fears of the Bishop of London's Mildness
Thus far the Bishop of London had gone along with him: but he seemed still, as he had been before, to be jealous of the too much lenity of his nature, and tenderness towards these men: which might spoil this round beginning they had used with them. And therefore the Archbishop did entreat the Secretary, that he would move the Bishop to execute orders, fearing he might hereafter slacken in this course that was now begun.
Confirmed by the Bishop of Ely
But the Archbishop was the more confirmed in these his measures that he was now taking, from the judgment of another ancient and experienced Prelate, to whose wisdom great deference was in those times given, viz. Cox, Bishop of Ely:[ed 10] who had at this very juncture writ to him concerning the London Ministers; viz. that if they were reformed, all the rest would soon follow. And this the Archbishop thought good to let the Secretary know, that he might see that he was not singular in his judgment.
The Advertisements Corrected
And to back this step to uniformity already made, at the same time he revived the book of Advertisements,[ed 11] but with some amendments, and some omissions of things that before had given offence, and were the cause, at least pretended, of stopping it; as some matters of doctrine, this book being only intended for order: and the Articles of Religion, agreed upon in the year 1562,[ed 12] being sufficient for that. And such passages also were omitted, as might seem to render the book contrary to the laws of the land. And so, with the Queen's letters to him, he had these corrected Advertisements printed: but not yet published, till he had sent a copy thereof to the Secretary to peruse with his pen, and to give him his advice. Telling him in his letter, dated March 28th, "That he had weeded out of these Articles all such matters of doctrine, &c. which peradventure stayed the book before from the Queen's Majesty's approbation: and that he had put in but things advouchable,[ed 13] and, as he took them, against no law of the realm."
The Advertisements Published
After the Secretary had done with them, he sent them to the Bishop of London, and so had them published. "For he was fully bent, he said, to prosecute that order, and to delay no longer. And this he was the more resolute in, because the Queen's Highness would needs have him assay[ed 14] with his own authority what he could do for order. But he trusted, he said, he should not be stayed hereafter, [as he had been formerly,] and prayed the Secretary to have his advice, to do that more prudently in the common cause, which there was a necessity to be done."
The Archbishop's Letter to the Bishop of London
The Archbishop, as was said before, sent the book to the Bishop of London, March 28. enjoining him to send and disperse copies thereof to all the Bishops, with his letter to them, to see them duly executed. Then, as for executing punishment upon the recusants in his diocese, he earnestly required the said Bishop to be diligent therein; especially since by the act of Parliament they had all power and authority to reform and punish, by censures of the church, all that should offend. And out of his obedience to Almighty God, allegiance to his Prince, and sincere zeal to the Church, he could do no less, than to require and charge him, as he would answer to God and her Majesty, to see her laws and injunctions duly performed within his diocese. This letter may be read at length in the Appendix, Numb. XLVIII.[ed 15] as I took it out of the Archbishop's register.
Letters to the Deans
The same 28th of March, the Archbishop sent these books of orders to the several Deans of his own peculiar jurisdiction, with his letter to this purport to the rest, as he wrote to the Dean of Bocking; "That he had heard, that divers Parsons, Vicars, and Curates, within his peculiar jurisdiction of the deanery of Bocking, had not conformed themselves to the Queen's Injunctions, that he sent him a book of certain orders, agreed upon by him and his brethren of the province of Canterbury, and hitherto not published: willing him to call before him, and to publish to them the said orders prescribed in that book, to move, persuade, and command them, as they would answer at their peril, duly to observe her Majesty's laws in the administration of public prayers and sacraments, and in their extern apparel, and all the orders sent to them therewith. And upon obstinate disobedience to suspend them from public ministration, and also sequester all the fruits of their livings so long time as they shall remain in disobedience. And to signify to him the names of all, to the intent that he might take further order with them: and to signify to them, that if they continue so three months they are to be deprived."
A like letter was writ to Mr. Denne, Commissary of Canterbury; to the Bishop of Chichester, Commissary of the peculiar jurisdiction of South Malling, Pagham, and Terring; and to Mr. Dr. Weston, Dean of the Arches, Shoram, and Croydon, with several of the books above mentioned inclosed therein.
Humfrey's Letter to the Secretary
These Advertisements came now abroad so well strengthened with authority, and menace of animadversions upon disobedience; and this with the fresh proceedings against the London Ministers; as did mightily awaken and terrify such as would or could not comply; as appeared by a letter that Laurence Humfrey[ed 16] wrote from Oxon in April, to the Secretary on this occasion, with his earnest desire to him to procure the stopping the execution, and laying aside the book. "I am sorry, writes he, that the old sore is broke out again, in such sort, at such a solemn time, in print, to the common calamity of many, and marvel and misery of all. The cause is not so sound in my poor opinion, as it is made. The trouble is greater than we think. The inhibition of preaching, strange and lamentable. The cry of a number is and will be pitiful in the ears of God and man. The book of Advertisements, though it contain much, that is many ways of the wise misliked, yet because it hath no determination of time, nor of penalty, was better esteemed. The execution hitherto vehemently urged marvellously moveth and marreth all. I am so highly bound to God, that giveth me this bold access to your Honour, that I cannot for this his goodness yield to him condign thanks. Wherefore, as I of these proceedings simply promote the judgment of many; so I humbly request you to bear with this my rude plainness, and to be a means to the Queen's Majesty to stop the execution, and to suffer the book to sleep in silence. These days, these evils, this people, this age, require other advertisements. The Queen's Majesty in the Preface seeketh unity and concord; this hath bred variety and discord more than ever was. To your wisdom, goodness, and godliness, I refer all; as also the continuance of your prosperous state to the Almighty."
Notes
Editorial Notes
- ↑ William Cecil, the Queen's Principal Secretary.
- ↑ Sir Nicholas Bacon, Lord Keeper of the Great Seal.
- ↑ William Parr, Marquess of Northampton.
- ↑ Edmund Grindal, Bishop of London (1559–1570).
- ↑ "By the very fact": i.e. deprived automatically, without any further legal process.
- ↑ "Fruits": the revenues or profits of a benefice.
- ↑ "Spiced fancy": an affected or capricious notion; a fancifully seasoned, i.e. artificially flavoured, way of thinking.
- ↑ A proverbial figure: green, unseasoned wood will not burn; i.e. the matter was not yet ripe for a settlement.
- ↑ First-fruits: the first year's income of a benefice, payable to the Crown.
- ↑ Richard Cox, Bishop of Ely (1559–1581).
- ↑ The Book of Advertisements (1566): the Archbishop's orders prescribing clerical dress and ceremonial, first drafted in 1564–65 and now revised for publication.
- ↑ "The year 1562": the Convocation of 1562–63, which framed the Articles of Religion (the Thirty-nine Articles).
- ↑ "Advouchable": capable of being avouched or warranted; defensible.
- ↑ "Assay": attempt, try.
- ↑ Strype here refers to the Appendix of his original edition (Numb. XLVIII.), which is not present in the scan from which this chapter is transcribed.
- ↑ Laurence Humphrey (1527?–1590), President of Magdalen College, Oxford, and a leader of the nonconformist party. The print gives "Humphrey" in the chapter summary and "Humfrey" in the body; both forms are kept as printed.
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, Book III. 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.