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

This is the enhanced reading edition of Book III, Chapter XXV 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.

Papists in the Temples; brought before the Archbishop. Interrogatories for some of them. The Council writes to the Benchers. John Alasco, sometime Superintendent of the Dutch Church, London, dies. Some account of him. Matthew and John Parker have offices conferred on them by their father. By the means of the Archbishop, the Master of Bene't college resigns. Founds certain scholarships and fellowships in this his college. Makes ordinances for them. Provides them chambers and books. Gives a great gilt basin and ewer to the city of Norwich.

Purging the Temples of Papists

IT was thought fit now to purge the Inns of Court, called the Two Temples, of sundry Papists that here harboured themselves. Many of them came not to common prayer nor communion, though sometimes to the sermons in the Temple church. Among these was Paget, Under-treasurer of the Inner Temple; and Shaftow, who did business in law for the Earl of Northumberland, the traitor. These and others were brought before the Archbishop of Canterbury and other Commissioners in the Star-chamber: and some of them were, by the said Commissioners, committed to the Fleet. And for the further instruction of these Commissioners, the Council had sent their letters to them, and interrogatories, for the removing of Papists out of the Temples. In drawing up which interrogatories, the Archbishop had his hand; for in some places are his own insertions. Which when I shall have set down, it will appear what the crimes of these gentlemen were.

Interrogatories for G. H.

Interrogatories to be ministered unto G. H.

"First, Whether you have commonly frequented the Temple church at service time, as others of the house do? "Item, Whether you have received the Communion in the Temple church, accustomably, as others of the house have done? "Item, Whether you said of late time, that the marriage of Priests was unlawful, and their children bastards? "Item, You being requested in your chamber to go to a sermon at Paul's Cross, whether said you, 'That you would not hear one knave of them all:' and, 'That Mr. Alvey, the Master of the Temple, stood in the pulpit like a crow-keeper?' "Item, Whether, after your committing to the Fleet, you said that you cared not a rush for the Commissioners? "Item, Whether you have in your keeping a certain lewd libel, entitled, A Knack to know a Knave, or any other such like; or whether any other, to your knowledge, hath any such? "Memorandum, The two first interrogatories, and this last, be to be ministered to them all."

Interrogatories for T. P., J. S., Paget, and Stone

Other articles there were, as interrogatories for T. P. the Under-treasurer. He was interrogated, Whether he was sworn, when he was admitted to the office of Under-treasurer, according to the statute, as was commanded by the Council's letters? Whether he said not, that he divided every sermon that he heard into two parts; that is to say, into matter touching doctrine, and into matter touching manners? And as for matter touching manners, he could be content to hear it, and partly to digest the same. But as for any matter touching doctrine, that is to say, touching points of religion, you let that pass, and care not a point for it?

Other interrogatories were for J. S. and more for Paget and Stone. They were generally examined of their hearing Mass in the Temple, White Friars, or at the Spital. Whether at Mass they prayed for the Queen? Whether they had the books of Harding and Dorman against the supremacy of the Queen? Whether they had not in their hands any bull of absolution, or seen it in other men's? Concerning their seeing a letter or letters, written by Harding, Dorman, Hopkins, Stanford, or any of them from beyond sea; and what the contents of them were?

Matthew Shaftow: The Archbishop's Own Hand

To Matthew Shaftow (and this is written with the Archbishop's hand) were these interrogatories put. That he was Solicitor to the Earl of Northumberland. Whether he had not his livery and exhibition for the same? And where he made his abode during the time of the late rebellion in the north parts? About contribution to Popish rebels, and fugitives beyond sea; about books, reasons, and arguments, touching the Scotch title, and the authors thereof. Thus did Papists nowadays behave themselves.

And of the Inns of Court in this house chiefly did the young Popish gentlemen shroud themselves and their practices, against the Queen and the laws. And this eye did the government now cast upon them. The issue of these examinations in the Star-chamber was, that some were reformed and profitably reconciled to those laws and ecclesiastical orders which they had before despised; and others expelled and secluded, that were so perverse and seditiously bent, as to continue in disorder.

The Council's Letters to the Benchers

And the Council wrote letters to the Ancients and Benchers, to let them know what was done with these persons, and to furnish them with orders for the better restraining of Popery in those houses for the time to come. The copy whereof the Secretary sent the Bishop of London for his judgment therein. Which, he answered the Secretary, he liked very well: but he wished added thereto a commandment to the Benchers of every house, that in calling men to the bench or bar, they should reject all those that were notoriously known, or vehemently suspected, to be adversaries to true religion, until they had sufficiently purged themselves. And to this effect the Bishop had delivered his mind in a letter himself. This was in the month of May.

The Death of Johannes a Lasco

Johannes a Lasco having been the first Superintendent over the foreigners' church in London, in the reign of King Edward, and a person of the nobility of Poland, we will take occasion here to mention his death, which happened in January this year at Frankford; where he left a wife, scarce known to any, in great trouble; as he had buried one before in England. He had a son named Thomas, and a daughter Barbara, at Groning. This grave and learned man, upon the coming in of Queen Mary to possess the crown, removed with his Church of Germans beyond sea. Being afterwards at Frankford, he laboured much to settle a right understanding in the doctrine of the Sacrament between the Protestants, Lutheran and Reformed. Which was the cause, that in the year 1556. he went from Frankford to the Elector Palatine, and the Duke of Wittenburg, endeavouring the meeting and conference of learned men about the said matter of the Sacrament. Of this Peter Martyr, from Strasburg, acquainted Utenhovius, at London, by letter. But knowing well the heat of the Lutherans, especially at that time, thought it unseasonable, as he wrote in the said letter, and that it would be without any fruit. Quo enim magis hæc ambiuntur, animi adversariorum magis exasperantur, i. e. "The more these things are laboured for, the more are the minds of the adversaries exasperated; yet I pray God to send good success." And it proved as that good man feared. For this produced a hot dispute with Brentius; of which there was afterwards a narration writ; wherein A Lasco was much misrepresented in what he had said.

A Lasco's Picture and Erasmus's Character

This pious man having been the great procurer of the church of the Augustin Friars for the Protestant strangers, and the first Minister thereof, his picture was there hung up, and kept in the library in memory of him, until the fire of London, when it was conveyed away, and could never since be heard of, as I have been told from an ancient member, and elder of that Church.

What A Lasco was in his younger years may be learned from a character Erasmus gave him, whom he called Baro Poloniæ, in a letter to Reginald Pole; Clarissimorum majorum imagines, dignitates amplissimæ, spes ampliores, ingenii mira vena, eruditio neutiquam vulgaris, ne tantulum quidem addunt illi supercilii: i. e. "That his ancestry, his honours, his expectations, his wonderful ingenuity, his uncommon learning, did not in the least puff him up." He went away from Basil from Erasmus there, in the year 1525, towards Rome; whose departure, saith Erasmus, even killed many that knew him, and among the rest himself. So great a love he left behind him among those with whom he conversed.

Offices for the Archbishop's Sons

This is the first time I meet with the names of the Archbishop's children recorded. In a register of the decrees and orders of the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury it is noted, that the office of the Actuary of the Court of Audience was granted by the Archbishop to Matthew Parker and John Parker, Gentlemen. And the office of Principal Register was granted to the said John Parker and Matthew Parker, and Thomas Pede.

Which Matthew, being now eighteen years of age, was, December 29, married to Frances, a woman afterwards renowned for her virtues, one of the daughters of Dr. Toby Barlow, Bishop of Chichester. She being not long after left a widow, disposed herself in marriage to Dr. Toby Matthew, that learned and eloquent Divine, Dean of Christ's Church, Oxon, Dean of Durham, Bishop of Durham, and Archbishop of York, successively.

The Master of Bene't Resigns

We said something the last year concerning the fatherly care of our Archbishop for Bene't college: now we shall add a passage or two more. The Master, Dr. Pory, who was also Minister of Lambeth, and a Prebendary of Westminster, was now superannuated, and so not fit to reside and act there as he ought to have done. Which contributed much to the disorders in that house; and was the reason the Archbishop had, for two or three years past, moved him to resign up his mastership; a thing he always seemed loath to do. But with calling on him, he prevailed with him about Christmas to do it. And Pory went down for that purpose. But he resigned up, as he said, all his joy with it. For with that academical preferment his mind seemed more to be delighted than with his other dignities. But while the Archbishop, now in March, expected his return back again to Lambeth, where he lived, he perceived that he was minded, with his mastership, to resign up all he had besides. And by a letter to the Archbishop, he signified that he was content to resign up his prebend to his successor in the mastership: namely, to one Mr. Aldrich, then Senior Proctor. He was known to the Archbishop, according to the character he gave of him, to be an honest young man, and skilled in the learned tongues; as also in French and Italian, and, as he trusted, like to do service in the realm hereafter. Whereupon the Archbishop laboured to obtain this Prebend for the new Master: and for that purpose wrote to the Secretary to prefer Pory's resignation to the Queen with favour, and he doubted not it would be well bestowed. He sent also another message to the Lady Stafford, a great Lady of Honour about the Queen, that she might also speak some good word, for the love of her son, who then was of that college.

That Pory had kept this headship so long was commonly imputed to the Archbishop; and that he stayed him in it in hopes to be his executor, for he was reckoned to be very rich. But the Archbishop, to take off any such sinister opinions of him, "protested, in good faith, to the Secretary, that he looked not to be advantaged five shillings by him, nor would be either his executor or supervisor, if God should take him to his mercy. But he might live, and spend all, said the Archbishop; and so he had, for ought he knew: and that he was but a poor man, contrary to the world's opinion of him."

The New Master Proves Ungrateful

Whether Aldrich enjoyed this prebend, I know not: yet in order to it, he had the endeavours of the Archbishop, and his good character of him to the Secretary. The mastership was actually in his possession, chiefly by the means of his Grace's recommendation. But the good Archbishop was mistaken, and Aldrich proved ingrateful. For afterwards he created a great deal of vexation to his patron; insomuch, that some few years hence we shall see how he laboured all he could to out him of this mastership, as he had been very instrumental to bring him into it: and at last got it voided of him.

Founding Canterbury Scholars

To this his beloved college he shewed his great affection this year, as he had upon all occasions done before, by obtaining and granting benefits to it. And he so prudently ordered it, that certain schools and counties felt the benefit of it too. First, by an indenture, dated May the 22d, ann. Regin. 11. it appears he appointed two scholars to be sent from the freeschool in Canterbury, to Bene't college in Cambridge, and procured for their salaries yearly, six pound, thirteen shillings, and four pence, payable out of the rents of the hospital of Eastbridge. Which the said Archbishop had, by his pains and diligence, increased and augmented to the revenues of the said hospital, over and above what the original endowment of that house was. And hereupon it was decreed, between the Master of the said hospital, and the Master and Fellows of the said college, and their successors, that the said Master, with the assent of the Dean of Christ's Church, Canterbury, should always send from the said school, according to the condition of the time, (until the number of two hundred years should be completed,) two scholars born within the county of Kent. For which the said Master of the hospital should, out of the annual rents thereof, make the payments of the said salaries, as aforesaid.

The foresaid indenture of the 22d of May was made between William Murphet, Clerk, Master of the hospital of the poor of Eastbridge, in the city of Canterbury, and John Porie, D. D. Master or Keeper of Corpus Christi college in Cambridge. The said William and his successors to pay to the said Master or Keeper yearly, at the choir door in the church of Westminster, on the west part of the said church, at the feast of St. Michael the Archangel, or within thirty days next following, the sum of twenty-seven pound, thirteen shillings, and four pence, for and during the term of two hundred years. In consideration of which, the Master or Keeper of the said college should admit and receive into the said college, for the increase of the number of scholars there, two scholars, to be named and chosen by the Master of the hospital and Dean of Christ's church, Canterbury, to be taken out of the freeschool in Canterbury, and such as should be born within the county of Kent.

Scholars from Norfolk, Suffolk, and Lincoln

And further, by another indenture, dated the last of May this same year, it appears the Archbishop obtained from the Queen, out of certain tenements, situate in Westminster, in a place called Long Ditch, in the parish of St. Margaret's, an annual clear rent of eight pound, thirteen shillings, and four pence, for the more happy progress and increase of three scholars in the college of Corpus Christi, or Bene't college. And because the foresaid cathedral church of Canterbury had some part of their farms and possessions within the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, by a certain agreement and consent it was determined, that two of the three foresaid scholars might be freely taken by the Dean and Chapter out of them, who were the children of their tenants, in the said farms and possessions, if their parents did crave and desire it. The third to be of the county of Lincoln; of the cathedral church whereof the Archbishop was sometime Dean. Which three, after they should be sufficiently instructed in grammar learning, the said Dean and Chapter were to send from the school to the said college, to enjoy the same benefit, table, and stipend, as other scholars of that college had a right to; as by an instrument between the said Dean and Chapter, and the foresaid Master and Fellows, did appear. And here the Archbishop made a wise proviso, viz. that the Master and Fellows might increase or diminish the said sum to the scholars, according as the said living should increase or diminish: foreseeing what improvements might in aftertimes be made of those tenements.

Fellowships and Scholarships for Norwich

Still further, this same year, he founded two fellowships and two scholarships more, in Bene't college, appropriated to Norwich. For which, and other charitable uses, he paid three hundred and twenty pounds to the mayor, sheriffs, citizens, and commonalty of the said city. In consideration of which money there was an indenture made, August the 6th, 11. Regin. between the said mayor, sheriffs, &c. and the said college; wherein the former gave and granted to the college an annuity of eighteen pound of lawful money, out of all and singular the messuages, lands, tenements, &c. lying within the parishes of the said city, hamlets, or fields, belonging unto the same, which they had in the right of their corporation; to employ the same annuity for several uses and purposes. As, to the use of two Fellows yearly to be found, and to continue within the said college; likewise to the use and towards the exhibition of two grammar scholars, to be sent out of the schools at or in the city of Norwich, Wymondham, or Aylsham, to the said college; and other uses.

Ordinances for the Norwich Fellows

The Archbishop also made certain articles, or ordinances, concerning these two fellowships, and also concerning the ninth and tenth fellowships, and concerning the two Norwich scholars, viz. that these two Fellows be called the Norwich Fellows, and always to be at the order of the election of the Master and Fellows of Corpus Christi college, as they chose other Fellows of the same house. That these two Fellows might enjoy any pension or canonship, prebend or prebends, in any cathedral or collegiate church, without cure, valued not above ten pounds in the book of first-fruits and tenths: and that the ninth and tenth Fellows might enjoy, with their fellowships, the like ecclesiastical livings, valued not above six pound in the said books. By reason of which preferments the said four Fellows were bound to teach freely the five Norwich Scholars. That if the two Norwich Fellows, the ninth or tenth Fellows, or any of them, would not or could not enjoy in their own persons such canonship or canonships, prebend or prebends, that then the Master and Fellows for the time being should have the disposition thereof, pro hac vice tantum, with such convenient consideration as should seem best unto their consciences, to the relief of the four Fellows aforesaid, and five Norwich Scholars. And that every the said Fellows, at the acceptation or presentation of the said ecclesiastical livings, should enter into sufficient bonds to the Master and Fellows, and that at their departure out of the said fellowships they should resign up their said ecclesiastical livings, to the behalf of such as should succeed them in their rooms.

Chambers and Books for the Scholars

And here let me add, that, for the more convenience and benefit of the Scholars founded by him, he afterwards, anno 1574, allotted them chambers in the college, and procured them several books to be used in common by them in their studies. Whereby he saved them much money, that must otherwise have gone out of their purses to provide them. The chambers were on the east side of the college; for three of which (if no more) the Archbishop provided implements, viz. beds, mattresses, bolsters, and coverlids of tapestry, chairs, and tables; that is, one of each sort belonging to each chamber. Which cost him ten pound eight shillings. The books, which were for the common use of all the six Norwich Scholars, were chained, and remained within the under-chamber of the tenth chamber on the east side. And they were these:

Textus Bibliæ cum Gloss. Lyra in quatuor voluminibus. Novum Testamentum Græcum, cum versionibus Vulgat. et Erasmi. Paraphrasis Erasmi super Novum Testament. in duob. voluminib. Latinè. Concordantiæ Bibliorum. Lexicon Græco-Latinum, recognitum an. 1562. Thesaurus Linguæ Roman. et Britannic. per Thom. Cooper, anno 1565. Thesaurus Linguæ Latin. in trib. voluminib. recognit. anno 1561. Lexicon Latino-Græc. anno 1554. Historia Antiquitat. Cantabrigiæ. anno 1574.

The Basin and Ewer for Norwich

This year the Archbishop expressed a further testimony of his good-will to his native city of Norwich, by presenting (as a new-year's gift) a basin and ewer, whole gilt, weighing an hundred, threescore, and fifteen ounces, to the Mayor, Sheriffs, and Citizens thereof. For which they gave a bond of an hundred pound, to Bene't college, never to alienate it, except for urgent causes of necessity, as might be thought reasonable to the Master of the said college. On the outward bottom of the basin was this inscribed, Matthæus Parker, Norvicens. Archiepisc. Cantuar. dedit eidem civitat. 1. Jan. anno Dom. 1569. et anno consecrationis suæ XI., ætatis suæ vero 66.

Preferments

I meet with these persons preferred this year by the Archbishop; viz. Radulphus Cavelarius, (Hebrew Professor at Cambridge,) admitted Jan. 27, to the seventh prebend of Christ's church, Canterbury: and Thomas Lawse, Clerk, admitted the 13th of February, to the government of the hospital of East Bridge in Canterbury.

Cecil Recovers the Queen's Favour

I end this year with the emergence of an excellent man, Secretary Cecil, out of a very great danger of disgrace, if not of death; most of the great men about the Queen combining to bring her into displeasure with him. He was the Archbishop's chief and fast friend, and to whom he constantly made his applications on all occasions, (as is evident by what hath been already said,) and so did all the rest of the good Bishops in their affairs and necessities. So that on his safety and credit with the Queen, the Church's welfare in great measure depended. In what strength and security this great patron and friend of the Archbishop and hierarchy now again stood, after a desperate shock, I had rather express in his own words than mine. Writing thus to a friend of his. "I am in quietness of mind, as feeling the nearness and readiness of God's favour to assist me with his grace, to have a disposition to serve him, before the world. And therein have I lately proved his mere goodness to preserve me from some clouds or mists; in the midst whereof I trust mine honest actions are proved to have been lightsome and clear. And to make this rule more proper and special to be applied, I find the Queen's Majesty, my gracious good Lady, without change of any part of her old good meaning towards me. And so I trust only by God's goodness to observe the continuance. I am also presently moved to believe, that all my Lords, from the greatest to the meanest, think my actions honest and painful, and do profess inwardly to bear me as much good-will as ever they did heretofore."

END OF VOL. I.

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. Proofread against the original printed pages; enhanced reading edition prepared per the AnglicanWiki Editorial Guidelines for Historical Texts.