Life of Matthew Parker (Strype, 1821)/Book III/Chapter XIII

This is the enhanced reading edition of Chapter XIII, 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.

The Judgments of Bishop Cox, in a letter to the Archbishop; and of Bishop Grindal, concerning these controversies. The Bishops' arguments with the Dissenters. Their practices. A letter to the Bishops from the Church of Scotland. The deprived Ministers remitted their first-fruits. A Dominican pretends himself a Puritan. Examined by the Archbishop.

The Bishops' Uneasiness with the Dissenters

THE Bishops, (for the Archbishop's mind we have seen already,) how little stress soever they laid upon these observances, and how willing soever they were to have them removed by authority; yet were not at all pleased to see the oppositions and the refractoriness of many against them, when they were once by law enacted, and by the Queen's determinate will and pleasure enjoined.

Bishop Cox to the Archbishop

Cox, Bishop of Ely, wrote thus in May to the Archbishop.

"Salutem in Christo. ("Greeting in Christ.") I thank your Grace for your sundry letters. Your Grace's last I received by Jug, one of the Queen's Majesty's printers. Wherein I perceive your travail and zeal, and some griefs that things proceed not rightly; which is too too much to be lamented, for such respects as your Grace with others consider rightly. Quod Dominus dixit Josue, hoc tibi dictum puta; Confortare et esto robustus. Noli metuere, et noli timere, quum tecum est Dominus Deus tuus, &c. ("What the Lord said to Joshua, consider said to thee; Be strong and of a good courage. Fear not, neither be dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee," Josh. i. 9.) Time and truth shall put folly to flight. Interim modis omnibus enitendum, ne nostra Heroina frangatur animo, aut offendatur ad verrucas paucorum, ac interea ad multorum tubera conniveat. ("In the mean time we must strive by all means, lest our Heroine be broken in spirit, or offended at the warts of a few, and meanwhile wink at the sores of many.") Malesanus est nostrorum zelus, at Papistarum deliria quavis peste nocentiora. ("Mad is the zeal of ours, but the frenzies of Papists are more harmful than any plague.") Et Dom. Jesus pietatem tuam nobis diutissime servet incolumem. ("And may the Lord Jesus long preserve thy piety to us in health.") From Somersham 3 Maii 1566.

"Your Grace's assured,

"Richarde Ely."

Strype's Gloss on Cox's Letter

By which letter it appears, that the great fears among the wise and good men were, that the Queen, taking offence at these differences among her Protestant subjects, should incline the more to her Popish subjects. And upon that account Bishop Cox reckoned the Puritans the more to be blamed, as endangering even the Gospel itself by their stubborn incompliances. For that this reverend Father seems to mean by those expressions: "In the mean time we must take care, and endeavour by all means, lest our royal Mistress be discouraged, or offended with the little warts of a few, and wink at the greater sores of many. Ours are guilty of a wild zeal, but the madness of Papists do more harm than any plague."

Bullinger's Judgment Printed by Bishop Grindal

And Grindal, Bishop of London, a wise and learned man, but reputed to be not vigorous enough in these matters, was often upon the bench in the commission at Lambeth, in order to the reproof and restraint of these men. For he saw now these contentions about indifferent things did not edify, but divide the Churches, and sow discord among brethren. And therefore, as a means to allay them, caused to be printed in Latin and English the judgment of Bullinger, which he sent over hither to Grindal, Horn, and Parkhurst, concerning the habits and the lawfulness of wearing them; but drawn up for the satisfaction of Sampson and Humfrey. Which had so good an effect, that many who had resolved to leave their ministry, rather than put them on, took now other resolutions; and the common people came to soberer thoughts of these habits, by reading that learned foreigner's writing hereupon: who though he used them not himself, yet condemned them not of any impiety; which none should ever have persuaded them to believe, before the publishing of this writing.

All this I collect from a letter of Grindal to Bullinger, wrote in August this year.

Arguments Used to the Dissenters

The Bishops indeed did endeavour to bring in these Dissenters, not only by authority, as ecclesiastical Commissioners, but by the milder course of argument and persuasion. In a paper near about this time, as I guess, I find these syllogisms propounded to them.

I. No faithful Minister ought once to seem to condemn his faithful fellow Ministers, Fathers, and Bishops, which are yet living, or such as are departed this life by martyrdom, in the true confession of Christian faith. But so straitly to refuse such priestly apparel as they did use, seemeth to condemn them. Ergo, No faithful Minister ought so straitly to refuse such priestly apparel.

II. In things indifferent the Prince may command, and we ought to obey. But this priestly apparel is a thing indifferent. Ergo, In this priestly apparel the Prince may command, and we ought to obey.

But these and such like arguments were usually replied unto again.

The Puritans' Endeavours

In the mean time the Puritans were not wanting to themselves, by all means labouring for a toleration in the neglect of these human constitutions. And as they got an interest with some great men in the Court at home, so they made their complaints to the reformed Churches abroad: and by writings and books printed, endeavoured to justify their incompliances. And they sent their case to the Churches of Geneva and of Zurich, as was shewed before.

The Church of Scotland Writes to the Bishops

They sent also their messengers and letters to the Church of Scotland, setting forth how they were deprived; many whereof, as they gave out, of the greatest learning within the realms; because their conscience would not suffer them, at the command of authority, to wear such garments as idolaters used in their idolatry: and that they were hindered by the Bishops from promoting the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Whereat that Church, in the month of December this year 1566, sent an earnest letter to the Bishops in their behalf. Wherein, "they, upon a misinformation no doubt, spake of many thousands, both godly and learned, that refused the habits, (for as yet the Church was not so well replenished.) They argued, that the surplice, cornered cap and tippet, had been badges of idolatry in the very act of idolatry, and that they were the dregs of the Romish beast. That the scruplers of these things did not damn nor molest the Bishops that used such vain trifles; and therefore the Bishops should not trouble them. That they should walk more circumspectly than for such vanities to trouble the godly. That they, the Bishops, should boldly oppose themselves against the authority, that urged the consciences of their brethren further than God burdened them. That though there appeared no great worldly pomp in them, [the Scotch Ministers and Pastors,] yet, they supposed, the Bishops would not despise them, but esteem them to be of the number of those that fought against the Romish Antichrist. And so concluded, craving favour for the Dissenters." This was dated from the General Assembly at Edinburgh. The whole letter may be read in the Appendix, Numb. LI. But surely this was somewhat rough treating their brethren, the English Bishops.

Deprived Ministers Pardoned Their First-fruits

But as for those that stood out the three months' suspension, and so were deprived, the hardship of paying their first-fruits (which they had compounded for) was mollified: their compounding for which, and their obligations, some of them had complained of to the Archbishop, as we heard before. He, in all probability, as he had acquainted the Secretary with it, so he moved him to obtain favour for them of the Queen in this behalf. And accordingly I meet with a formal warrant drawn up to discharge them. The draught whereof will be seen in the Appendix, Numb. LII. It was directed to the Treasurer and Barons of her Exchequer, letting them understand, that of her grace and mere motion, she had clearly remitted and forgiven unto those persons that were deprived and amoved from their promotions and dignities spiritual, for not obeying certain ecclesiastical rites and ceremonies, by her laws and injunctions appointed, such sums of money as were or should be due from them by their writings obligatory, for the first-fruits of the same. And therefore commanding them, that upon the sight of these her letters, and proof had of their deprivations by certificate of the Ordinaries under their hands and seals to them directed, or by any other due means, to cancel and make void the said specialities and writings obligatory.

A Dissenting Preacher Proves a Dominican Friar

In this year came one of these dissenting preachers (in appearance, but in truth a Dominican Friar) to Maidstone, to the Maidenhead Inn there, with divers others his followers; where as guests they bespake a dinner. Divers others resorted hither, inquiring for this man, whose name was Faithful Cummin. These were his congregation. Being thus met in the room they had taken up, Cummin exercised extemporary prayer for about two hours, groaning and weeping much. The exercise being over, most of the company departed; some few tarried and partook with the exerciser of the dinner provided. Of this meeting, John Clarkson, the Archbishop's Chaplain, being informed, acquainted his Grace, and he the Queen and Council. Before whom at length this man was convented the next year, as a sower of sedition among the Queen's subjects.

Cummin's Examination by the Archbishop

Here the Archbishop examined him. He acknowledged he was ordained by Cardinal Pole; but said, that he was fallen off from Rome, and that he was a preacher of the Gospel; but that he had no licence to preach from any of the Bishops since the Reformation. And when the Archbishop asked him, if he had no such licence, how any could be assured that he was not of the Romish Church; he would prove that by his prayers and sermons, wherein he had spoken against Rome and the Pope, as much as any of the Clergy. And he pretended, that it was licence enough to preach, to have the Spirit; which, he said, he had. When the Archbishop again demanded, whether that could be the Spirit, that complied not with the orders of the Church, lately purged and cleansed from idolatry; he replied, he endeavoured to make the Church purer than it was. This man had a congregation that followed him, which he termed men of tender consciences: and with them he prayed and preached, and administered the Sacrament. When he preached in public, he would be absent till the divine service were over, (for the English Liturgy he could not away with,) and then he would come into the church and preach.

Departs Beyond Sea

After his former examination, and giving bail for a further appearance, he found opportunity to escape beyond sea: telling his congregation, that he was warned of God to travel abroad, to instruct Protestants in other parts of the world, and would come again to them: leaving these as his last words to them: That spiritual prayer was the chief testimony of a true Protestant; and that the set form of prayer was but the Mass translated; and so praying with them, and getting money from them to bear his expenses, in many tears he parted from them.

This matter and the issue of it shall be related more at large under the next year.

I relate this only as a memorable matter, not to be omitted by an ecclesiastical historian, without making any observation; only noting, how diligent Papists have been, from the first times of our Reformation, to cherish divisions among Protestants: and whether it were the hand of Papists that made this unhappy separation so early in our Church, it is uncertain; to be sure, they presently took hold of these misunderstandings, to continue and blow them up, and to embitter the spirits of well-meaning men against the reformed religion, so well established.

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, 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.