THE LIFE OF THE WORTHIE PRELATE AND FAITHFVLL SERVANT OF God IOHN IEWEL sometimes Bishop of SARISBVRIE.

IF rare and admirable qualities of our Ancestors do
deserue a thankfull acknowledgement of posteritie,
then most deseruedlie ought the singular naturall
endowments and supernaturall graces of this reuerend
Prelate liue and flourish in perpetual memory;
by whom as an especiall meanes the sincere religion
we now professe receiued much vigor and strength
after her long suppression in the time of superstition.
For although it hath been the singular felicitie of
the Church of England aboue some others, that in it
this sacred order of Bishops hath brought forth
some famous Martyrs, many most woorthie Doctours
and Pastours, as instruments, to purge and refine the golde of the Sanctuarie:
yet such a Iewel in all respects, such nature with such grace, so heauenlie
learning in so heauenlie a life, such eminent gifts in such eminent place,
so fruitfullie distilling their wholesome and sweetest influence to the refreshing
and cherishing of the Church of God, haue not been frequentlie found in these
later times.
Surely the price & happines of Aurelius Augustinus his labors and works,
the industrious vigilancie of Gregory, the heauenlie gifts of Theodosius, the diuine
spirit of Ambrose, the golden mouth of Chrysostome, the sweet veine of Lactantius,
the shining stile of Fulgentius, are very conspicuous in their names, so that
if any where Chrysostome his obseruation is most true, viz. There lies a great
treasurie in names, so heere grace in Iohn, and eminent perfection in Iewel.
His names he tooke from his Father Iohn Iewel, a gentleman, of good sort,
and place. His Mothers name was Bellamie, composed of beauty & loue, which
name he caused to be engrauen in his signet, and had it alwaies imprinted in his
heart; of these two liuing peaceablie & louinglie in the yoke of holie Matrimonie
50. yeres together, beloued of all for their vertuous and religious disposition,
was Iohn Iewel borne at Buden, in the Parish of Berinber, in the Countie of Deuon,
a fertile soile of many good wits, and two most eminent and yet fresh in
our memorie, to wit, Doctour Rainolds, and Master Hooker, whom therefore I
could not iustlie passe ouer in silence, because they were not only borne in the
same Shire, but also brought vp in the same Vniuersitie, and incorporate in the
same Colledge, so that their countrey can exact only a third and least part of
their commendations: the other two greater must be attributed to the famous
Vniuersitie, and noble foundation, whereof they proued the greatest ornaments;
for such wits like some kind of Siences, and fruits, owe more to the stock wherein
they are engraft, than vnto the ground or root which bare them.
I willinglie passe in silence those yeares which harmelesse simplicitie doth
best commend, in the which by the wise care of his Parents, and skill of his Tutors,
the ground colours of those excellent virtues were first laid, which were euer
after fresh and liuely in him. His singular promptnes of wit and industrie accompanied
with ingenuitie and modestie, begat an exceeding loue of him in his
Master Bowin: and this his Masters loue did reciprocallie reflect vpon him, that
afterwards being Bishop, he forgat him not, but most highlie esteemed, and
bountifullie rewarded all Bowins for his Masters sake. From whom he was sent at
the age of thirteene to Oxford, and first committed to Master Burrey of Merton
Colledge, a man meanely learned, and as those times were somewhat tainted
with Popery. But because he had a post-master before diuine prouidence so disposing
by him he was commended to Master Parkhurst, who wanting one, most
willinglie receiued him into his tuition, and the place which he had in his gift:
and being desirous together with all other wholesome learning, to season his
tender yeares with pure religion, tooke occasion often before him to dispute with
Master Burrey about controuersed points, and intending to conferre the translations
of Couerdal and Tindal, gaue him Tindals translation to reade, himselfe
ouerlooking Couerdals. In the which collation of translations Iewel oft smiled,
which Master Parkhurst obseruing, and maruelling that in those yeres he could
note Barbarismes in the vulgar translations, brake into these words, Surely
Pauls Crosse will one day ring of this boy, prophecying as it were of that noble
Sermon of his at Pauls Crosse, which gaue such a blow to the superstitions of
the Popish Masse, or rather to the whole Masse of Popish Superstitions, that all
the defenders of them haue euer since staggered.
Now the blossoms of Poetry and Eloquence began in great abundance to
appeare in the spring of his age, vnto the great delight of his hearers, who therby
conceiued a singular hope of his admirable learning in the maturitie of his studies;
when he was out of Merton Colledge, transplanted into Corpus Christi, and
placed at the first in the seniour Logick forme, wherein he so profited, that he
tooke degree before the Senior.
Not long after the height of his vertues growing aboue enuy he was chosen
out of all, by all, before many Masters and Bachelars his Seniours, to reade
the Humanitie Lecture, which he read with such diligence and facilitie, that
many came from diuers other Colledges to behold Rhetorick so richlie set forth,
with her owne costlie apparell, and furniture, by the dexteritie of his wit and learning.
Among others, first fame, and then loue, drew Master Parkhurst to heare
him, who was much delighted with the beames of his owne learning, which
now did more clerely reflect vpon himselfe from a diamond of his owne pointing
and brightning, and therefore after the Lecture ended, he saluted Iewel with this
Distichon:
Olim discipulus mihi chare Iuelle fuisti,
Nunc ero discipulus, te renuente, tuus.
Neither may we maruel why there should be such publike confluence to so
priuate a Lecture, if we consider the yong reader, so rarely accomplished, with
all kind of humane learning often enterlaced. For being but Batchelar, he sifted
much of the flower of S. Augustine with diuine aphorismes, and so industrious
withall, that for the greatest part of the day he hid himselfe in his Studie, and so
much recalled his senses from all externall obiects, that Chrysippus-like, he needed
a Melissa to put him in mind of his meate. His onely recreations from studies
were studious, being spent either in instructing his Schollers, or disputing with
others, or ruminating those things which he before had receiued into his soules
stomacke as mans memorie is called by S. Augustine that he might thereby
the better digest them.
As for his life and conuersation in this slipperie age, wherein many fall, and
most do slide, let an aduersarie of his religion Master Moren Deane of the Colledge
speake, because an aduersaries testimonie in commendation is equiualent
to a generall consent: I should loue thee Iewel, saith he, if thou were not a Zuinglian.
In thy Faith I hold thee an heretick, but surely in thy life thou art an Angell,
Thou art very good & honest, but a Lutheran: as if he should haue said with the
ancient Painims, Bonus vir C. Seius, sed malus tantum quod Christianus, whom Tertullian
iustlie reproueth, Laudant quæ sciunt, vituperant quæ ignorant: cum sit
iustius occulta de manifestis præiudicare, quam manifesto de occultis prædamnare:
Master Moren should rather haue acknowledged in so Angelicall a life, an Euangelicall
truth.
By this which hath bin alreadie related, we may see how he grew in learning
and religion, and fame, in the time of King Henry the eight, in the end whereof
he proceeded Master of Arts: but he flourished much more in the happie reigne
of King Edward the sixt. This blessed Prince whom we may truly call as Suetonius
doth the Emperour Titus Amorem & delitias humani generis, The loue and
darling of mankind, and Phœnix of the world in true zeale towards the house
of God, sent for the chiefest builders, and most renowned earners and workmen
from all parts of the Christian reformed world, to repaire, adorne, and beautifie
the Church of God in England.
Among others, Peter Martyr, as a spirituall Bezeliel, was by his Maiestie
appointed Professour of Diuinitie in Oxford, vt verbi diuini gemmas exsculperet
fideliter coaptaret, adornaret sapienter, adijceret gratiam splendorem venustatem,
to point, fit, and pollish such pearles. Whose excellent skill herein, and rich shop
full of all choise and pretious knowledge, as all admired, so especiallie Iewel, who
repaired vnto this cunning Ieweller, and seeking to be perfited by him obserued
his arte, copied out his Sermons and Lectures, was his Notarie in that tumultuarie
disputation in the Diuinitie Schoole, with Chedsey, Tresham, Morgan, and
others about the Real Presence; and in time, became most intimate with him.
While that these Halcyonian daies of peace lasted, he read a publike Lecture
in the Hall, and priuatlie vnto his Schollers. His preaching at Sunningwel,
whither though a cold had caught him at Witney in a lower Chamber,
where the Colledge remoued in the time of the Plague in Oxford he went
on foot at least once euery fortnight. He was famous for an Oration in English
pronounced in Corpus Christi Colledge, in praise of the founder, and two Sermons
in Latin, ad Clerum. He euer loued Eloquence, but non effæminatam, sed virilem,
that is, That which sheweth it life not so much in the fresh and liuely colour
of the blood, in the rhetoricall figures and cadencies, as in the sprightlie and
sinewish motions of arguments: Prudentibus viris non placent phalerata sed fortia.
What more quick, pithy, pure, material, & fraight with all variety of choise
both new and auncient learning can any require, than was his controuersies with
M. Harding, his Apologie, his Sermons? Take for a scantling a speech which he
made before his departure from the Colledge, full of spirit, and life of true eloquence.
"I haue saith he often heretofore vpon diuers occasions, if not with so
good successe as I wished, yet with most ardent affection, & desire of your good,
spoken vnto you out of this place: but now through the iniquitie of times, things
are brought to this passe; that I am to speake only this at the last, that I must
speake no more vnto you. I haue incurred I see some mens implacable hatred,
but how deseruedlie, God knowes, and let them looke vnto it. This I am sure of,
they who would not haue me stay heere, if it were in their power, would suffer me
liue no where. I yeeld to the times; and if they take any delight in my miserie,
I hinder them not of it: and what Aristides prayed before he went into banishment,
that I pray of Almightie God, that no man may once thinke of me when I
am gone, and can they desire any more?" Here it seemes he could refraine no
longer, but opened sluce to affection. "Pardon me good Sirs said he if it doe
grieue me to leaue the place where I haue been brought vp, where I haue liued
hitherto, where I haue been in some place, and reckoning. But why do I stick to
kill my heart with one word? Alas that I must speake it, as with griefe I must,
Valeant studia, valeant hæc tecta, valeat sedes cultissima literarum, valeat iucundissimus
conspectus vestri, valete iuuenes, valete socij, valete fratres, valete oculi mei,
valete omnes, Valete:" Thus he burst out of his speech, and his hearers burst out
into teares.
Now hath he taken his last farewell of his Lecture, Fellowship & College;
and being cut off from the bodie wherein he liued, begins to wither: and canst
thou then but bleed with griefe, o noble bodie? Thou wast as a precious enamilet
ring, on the finger of Christs spouse: Now that thou hast throwen away thy
Diamond, who will much esteeme the ring? But yet the Patriarks of that society
moued with enuie, did sell Ioseph; notwithstanding this is but the beginning of
his wofull Epitasis, and these things may seeme sufferable in comparison of the
tragicall euents ensuing; first when looking euery houre to be deliuered vp to
the cruell Butcher Boner, and to be slaughtered at his shambles, he went on foot
in a snowie Winters night towards London, and was in the way found by Bernet,
Latimers seruant, starued with colde, and faint with wearinesse, lying on the
ground panting and labouring for life, or rather for death, and afterwards being
fled from his natiue soile, he wandred beyond the sea, disappointed of all friends
and meanes to procure him so much as a lodging.
But the calamities of his threefold banishment came not so thicke one vpon
the other, but that there was a breathing place betweene them; in which,
some memorable occurrents are not to be ouerpassed. After his expulsion, lamentable
and very disgracefull in the maner, but happie and glorious in the
cause, he stayd himselfe a while at Brodegates Hall, where fame of his learning
drew many scholars vnto him. The President also and whole society, whence he
was expelled, in a short space out of their franticke fit, began to feele paine for
the losse of so principall a member, so necessary for conueyance of life and blood
to the inferiour parts; which now became faint and feeble in it selfe.
Neither was their vniust eiection of him punished onely with losse, but
with disgrace also, when M. Welchey Deane of the College who had a hand, or
rather a shoulder, in thrusting out Iewel bragged of their wisdome and deuotion
before D. Brooks B. of Glocester, and D. Wright Archdeacon of Oxford, that their
College alone, among all the Vniuersitie, had kept their Church treasurie and
ornaments entire, closely layd vp in their Vestrie. Ye haue so done indeed, saith
D. Wright, but ye haue wilfully lost one ornament and great treasure, farre more
precious than any of them: meaning Iewel, whom most ignominiously and iniuriously
they had cast out of their College. Heere I can not forget that speech
which they should haue remembred of Camelia, the mother of the Gracchi, who
when a matron of Campania her noble guest, layed out before her peerelesse
pearles, and all her costly attire and furniture; held her in talke till her sonnes
came home, and then pointing to them, Hæc sunt, inquit, ornamenta mea: See,
here be my iewels, saith she, these are my only treasure.
Thus the College his stepmother ought to haue esteemed; and the Vniuersitie
as a naturall mother did worthily value him, gracing him in what she
could, and chusing him in this shipwracke of his estate to be her Oratour. In
whose name he curiously penned a gratulatorie letter to Queen Mary, consisting
of exclamations of griefe, for the late funerals of K. Edward, and acclamations of
ioy for her happie coronation, expressing in it the countenance of the Romane
Senatours in the beginning of Tiberius his reigne, exquisitly tempered and composed
to keepe out ioy and sadnesse, which both stroue at the same time to display
their colours in it; the one for dead Augustus, the other for reigning Tiberius.
By this letter of the Vniuersitie it is euident M. Iewel and others conceiued
good hope, that Queene Marie would not altogether change the religion, as many
of her Nobles auouched at Oxford, and her selfe as it was said promised to
the Gentlemen of Norfolke and Suffolke, who rescued her in her greatest danger.
This her promise, and her Nobles protestations, stayed Iewel so long in Oxford,
till the Inquisition caught him, vrging vpon him subscription vnder paine of
proscription and horrible tortures.
Here Iewel brought into such streights, hauing no other counsellers in this
heauie encounter than horrour without, and frailtie within, saying to them, Do
you desire to see my hand, and will you trie how well I can write? tooke the
pen, and vnwillingly and hastily wrote his name, whereby he seemed to approue
some articles of Poperie. Howbeit, this subscribing as it much obscured
the glorie of his persecutions, so it nothing procured his safetie; because his familiar
conuersing with Peter Martyr was euidence enough against him, and D.
Martiall Deane of Christs church had certainly caught him in a snare layed for
him, had he not by the speciall prouidence of God gone that very night when he
was sought for a wrong way to London, and so escaped their hands as we reade
of S. Augustine, that by the errour of his guide leading him out of the way, he auoided
the Circumsellian Donatists, who layd wait to kill him in the vsuall way.
Yet as now by going out of the way he found the safest way, so before, by taking
the safest way in the iudgement of fleshly wisdome he went very farre out of the
way, and his faith and fame was more stained with this foule dissimulation, than
was the virgin paper with the inke he wrote with.
I would most willingly haue layd my finger vpon this foule scarre, but the
truth of loue must not preiudice loue of truth, and, I verily thinke, the wisdome
of God, who draweth good out of mans euill so ordered this matter: for as among
the Fathers S. Augustine was most famous for many his works, but especially
two, to wit, his Retractations which are the confessions of his errours and
of Confessions, which are retractations of his life: where we finde this modest
and religious admonition to the Readers of those his books. "He, who after thy
calling, o Lord, saith he hath followed thy voice, and auoided these enormous
crimes which he readeth me heere confessing, let him not laugh at mee, seeing it
was the only preseruatiue of the same Physitians grace that kept me from these
dangerous diseases, which now it hath cured in me. In whom the spirit is strongest,
the flesh is weake; and where the flesh falleth through weaknesse, the spirit
is readie to raise it vp againe."
The Church of God hath had many a Castus and Aemilius soiled in the
first combat, yet Conquerours in a second. Et fortiores ignibus facti sunt, qui ante
ignibus cesserunt, & vnde superati sunt inde superarunt. That is, Ouercame the violence
of fire, by feare whereof they had beene ouercome. S. Peter recouers the
field with a threefold promise of loue, which he had lost by a threefold deniall of
feare. Pope Marcellinus washeth out his staine of idolatrie with teares of repentance
and blood of martyrdome. The Christian souldiers vnder Iulian the Apostata
expiated the burning incense which their hands had offered vp vnto idols,
by offering their whole bodies to be burnt for the wickednesse of their hands.
Cranmer purged the polluted hand, that had subscribed, with fire, before he was
made an Holocaust. Origen and Iewel repealed their publike subscription by
publike confession and contrition. Origen being requested to preach at Hierusalem,
and chusing for his text those words in the 50 Psalme, But vnto the vngodly,
saith God, Why doest thou preach my lawes, and takest my couenant in thy mouth? had
no sooner read them, but he sate downe and shut the booke, and commented
vpon them only with sighes and teares.
Iewel also almost assone as he came to Franckford made an excellent sermon,
and in the end of it openly confessed his fall in these words: "It was my abiect
and cowardly minde and faint heart, that made my weake hand to commit
this wickednesse." Which when he had brought forth with a gale of sighes from
the bottome of the anguish of his soule, and had made humble supplication for
pardon, first to almightie God, whom he had offended; and afterwards to his
Church, which he had scandalized; no man was found in that great Congregation
who was not prickt with compunction, and wounded with compassion; or
who embraced him not euer after that sermon as a most deare brother, nay as an
Angell of God. So farre was this saint of God from accounting Sophistrie any
part of the science of Saluation, or iustifying any æquiuocating shifts, which are
daily hatched in the schoole of Antichrist.
But I leaue these Priscillianists, who believe the truth, nay, which is worse,
make Truth it selfe a lier, that they may make lying a doctrine of Trueth, and
come to Iewels holy conuersation, with Robert Horne, afterward Bishop of Winchester,
D. Sands Bishop of London, Sir Francis Knowles Priuie Counseller and
afterward Treasurer, and his eldest sonne, and diuers other noble Confessers at
Franckford. From hence he was often inuited by many kinde letters of Pet. Martyr
to Argentine, where he met with I. Poynet late Bishop of Winchester, Edmund
Grindall Archbishop of Yorke, Sir Edwin Sands, I. Cheeke, Antony Cooke, and diuers
other Knights and Gentlemen, who had forsaken their natiue soile, the seat
of their estate, the place of their honour, the bosomes of their dearest friends and
kindred, for the testimonie of the Gospell of Iesus Christ. All these were partakers
of the spirituall food which Peter Martyr set before them out of the booke of
Iudges; but Iewel he inuited also to his common table, and vsed his helpe in the
edition of those Commentaries: and when he was sent for by the Senate of the
Tigurines to succeed Pelican in the Hebrew Lecture and Exposition of holy Scripture,
he tooke Iewel with him, accompanied also with many other English exiles,
who were mainteined by the charitable deuotion of the Londiners, till Steuen
Gardiner, hauing notice of it, by casting in prison and impouerishing their
benefactours, stopped the current of their bountie.
Yet that we may learne to cast the burden of our cares vpon diuine prouidence
which in greatest wants is not wanting to his in this their extremitie
they were bountifully relieued by Christopher Prince of Wittenberg, who inuited
many of them vnto him, and the Tigurine Senatours, who at the proposall of
Bullinger opened the treasures of their liberalitie vnto the rest. Neither these only,
but also Caluine, Zuinglius, Melancthon, Pelican, Lauater, Gesner, and all the
greatest ornaments of religion and learning in all the reformed Churches, were
very kinde and courteous to the English exiles, sending them daily most comfortable
letters, and omitting no duty of loue or humanity towards them all the time
of their banishment: the greatest part whereof Iewel spent in the house and
company of Peter Martyr, bettering him, and being bettered by him, and imploying
all the spare time from his more necessarie studies in seeking to appease
by word of mouth and epistle the contentions among his brethren, arising from
difference of opinion, concerning ceremonies and Church-discipline: which
they brought not with them from England, but like scattered seed they receiued
from the nature of the place and soile where they were dispersed. These small
jarring strings, which haue so much troubled the sweet harmony of our Church,
he then sought by all meanes to put in tune, exhorting them as brethren to lay aside
all strife & emulation, especially about such small matters; lest therby they
should greatly offend the mindes of all good men: which thing, he sayd, they
ought to haue a principall care of: and if he heard any, more grieuously than others,
groaning vnder the burden of his affliction, and seeking to cast it off, hee
persuaded him to patience, admonishing him that he ought not to leape from
the smoake into the fire, that we all ought to beare a part of Christs crosse, by
whomsoeuer it be imposed, that now when our brethren suffer extreme tortures
in England, we must not looke to liue delitiously in banishment, shutting vp all
with that sweet close often repeated by him: Hæc non durabunt ætatem:Beare a
while, these things will not endure an age.
Neither did they: For Queene Maries religion as her childe with whom
she long trauelled came to nothing, and proued in the end, but a winde which
breathed out it last breath with hers. The blessed spouse Christ could no longer
endure to heare his beloued calling for food in her starued, or sighing for home
in her banished, or groaning for ease in her burdened, or mourning for libertie in
her imprisoned, or crying for pitie in her tortured, mangled, scourged, scorched
and burnt members: when he beheld her blacke & blew with buffets and stripes,
and not so much sicke of loue as euen dead for his loue, he after a short triall of
her constancie cheares her vp againe, imbraceth her with the armes of compassion,
kisseth her with the kisses of his lips who is the word of truth, sends his anointed
Lady Elizabeth to be a tender nursing mother of this his spouse her
mother, deliuers her out of prison, to set this free; crownes her, to aduance this;
blesseth her with peace and plenty all her dayes, to nourish this starued, to reuiue
this languished, to supple this wounded, to loose this fettered, and to binde vp
this broken one; and to restore not so much Preachers to the Gospell, as Gospell
to the Preachers and hearers of it, whom, after their bloodie triall he crowned
with gladnesse: for the which we his people and sheepe of his pasture will giue
him thanks for euer, and will be alway shewing forth his praise from generation
to generation.
We are now come to the happy Catastrophe in the state not only of Iewel,
but also of the Church and Common-weale. All the learned Preachers which
wee set in Geneua, Franckford, Argentine, and other reformed cities, as so many
nursery gardens for England, were now transported into their owne garden, &
Iewellus iterum gemmat, Iewel appeares as the first and fairest Primerose in this
late Spring of the Church: for very shortly after his safe returne he was sent for
to a Disputation held at Westminster, the tenents were these: 1. That it is repugnant
to the word of God and custome of the primitiue Church, that Church
seruice and Liturgie should be performed in an vnknowen tongue. 2. That
euery Church hath power to alter rites and ceremonies for her better edification.
3. That the propitiatorie sacrifice of the Masse for quicke and dead hath
no warrant in the word of God. Will ye know the end? The Papists, like Verres
in Tully, Non quid responderent, sed quemadmodum non responderent laborabant.
They shrinke from the conditions of disputation agreed vpon, and as the Donatists
in Augustine his time when all men sollicitously expected what would be
done at such an assembly, are very instant that nothing be done. So by their tergiuersation
the disputation was broke off, and all things referred to the ordering
and determination of the Parliament; where, by the singular consent of all states
assembled and royall approbation it was appointed and enacted, That Popish
tyranny being banished out of the Realme, and Idolatry out of the Church, the
true honour and worship due to almighty God, lawfull power to the Prince, holy
vse of Scriptures, and Prayers in the mother tongue to the people should be
restored and established.
These things thus concluded by Parliament, the Queenes Maiesty seeking
by all meanes to bring her kingdomes to the obedience of the Gospell decreed
a general suruey of the whole land & visitation of all the Churches whithin
her Dominion to root out profane superstition, and plant true religion. In which,
Iewel was appointed for the Westerne circuit: and so it fell out very fitly, that he
presented the first borne of these his labours in the Ministery, after his returne, in
Deuonshire and parts adiacent; there first breaking the bread of life, where first
he receiued the breath of life: and trauelling as it were in childbirth there, till
Christ were formed in them. After which Visitation he was consecrated Bishop
of Sarisburie with much reluctancie, often repeating the sentence of the blessed
Apostle, He who desireth a Bishopricke, desireth a worke. And surely, if euer to
any, then vnto him his Bishopricke was a continuall worke of ruling and gouerning,
not only by the Pastorall staffe of his iurisdiction in his Consistory; but also
in the court of mens consciences, by the golden scepter of Gods word preached.
The memorie of his assiduitie in preaching, carefulnesse in prouiding Pastours,
resolutenesse in reforming abuses, bountie in relieuing the poore, wisdome in
composing litigious strifes, equitie in iudging spirituall causes, faithfulnesse in
keeping, and sincerity in bestowing Church-goods, is as an ointment powred out
and blowen abroad thorow the Diocesse of Sarum by the breath of euery mans
commendation.
When a Courtier went about to let a Prebend, giuen to him, to another
lay person, acquainting Bishop Iewel with the conditions betweene them, and
some Lawyers opinions about it; What, saith he, your Lawyers may answer, I
know not; but for my part, to my power, I will take care that my Church shall
susteine no losse while I liue. And lest by the negligence or corruptions of Officials
great abuses might grow euen in the reformation of abuses for it is not alwayes
an idle interrogation, Quis custodes custodiet ipsos? he sate often himselfe
with his Chancellour, and was President in his Consistorie; where though
he were a strict executour of Ecclesiasticall lawes, yet no doubt he tempered seueritie
with that lenitie which he exhorted the Bishop of Nowick D. Parkhurst
vnto in a letter vnto him. Let your Chancellour saith he be harder, but you
easier; let him wound, but do you heale; let him lance, do you plaister; wise clemencie
will do more good than rigid seueritie; one man may moue more with
an engine, than six with the force of their hands.
It is almost incredible, that any oppressed with such varietie of businesse,
either necessarily imposed vpon him by his calling, or voluntarily vndertaken by
himselfe for the good of others, in so short time of his Bishopricke should reade
so much, write so exactly, preach so often at the Court, at Pauls Crosse, and in
all parts of his Diocesse. Which ouer-heauie burden of ruling and instructing
euery particular Church therein, when his friends admonished him to lighten by
substitutes and coadiutors; he replied: Vnlearned men can do me no good, and
to the learned I can doe no good. I haue no Benefices in my gift to mainteine
and nourish them, Capon, my predecessour hath deuoured all: for this Capon vnhappily
vnderstanding those words of S. Paul, as one is said to haue read them
Qui desiderat Episcopatum bonum, opes desiderat made hauocke of all the good
liuings in his Diocesse, and as Varus is sayd by Valerius to haue entred poore into
the rich Prouince of Syria, but at his departure to haue left it poore, himselfe being
inriched by it: so he made a profitable kind of exchange, taking away all the
wealth he found, and leauing to the Bishopricke the pouertie he brought with
him. Yet was he not so couetous of gaine as Bishop Iewel of time, not so greedy
to cram himselfe, as this Bishop to feed his flocke, and to distribute and dispense
vnto Gods people the riches of his heauenly wisdome; which contrarie to the
nature of the other are kept by giuing, lost by keeping, diminished by sparing;
encreased by spending.
His extraordinarie diligence is easily seene in his Paraphrasticall interpretation
of the Epistles and Gospels thorowout the whole yeere, his diuers Treatises
of the Sacraments, and exhortations to the Readers, his continuate expositions
of the Lords prayer, the Creed, and Ten Commandements, the Epistle to
the Galatians, the first of Peter, and of both the Epistles vnto the Thessalonians:
scarse any yeere in all the time of his Bishopricke, passed which was not made
noble and illustrious for some famous worke set out in it by him. The yeere 1560.
began with his noble challenge at Pauls Crosse, and ended with his confutation
of D. Cole. His Apologie, begunne in the yeere 1561, and perfected in the yere
1562, was made so much of, not onely by the Tigurines, but of all Protestants,
that it was translated almost into all tongues, that it might be in all mens
mouthes: the Councell of Trent held about this time saw it, and censured it, and
appointed one French man, another Italian to answer it; but they are now not to
answer the Apologie, but to Apologize for their politique not answering it.
The yeers 1564. 1565. were renowmed with his and M. Hardings contentions
about the former named challenge, of whom the same is fitly affirmed which
was spoken of Ingurtha and Manus; They learned in the same that which in contrary
camps they practised. In which time also he was solemnly created Doctor,
and bare the part of a Moderatour in those famous acts, concluding with a diuine
speech of our then, and now more truly to be called Vrania, Elizabeth. His
Apologie fell in the yeeres 1566, 1567. after which time diuers famous books
were dedicated vnto him by Peter Martyr, Bullinger, Lauater, Simler, and others;
diuers other excellent works he had intended, but death preuented the birth of
them. We may grieue at our owne losse, we may not enuie the more glorious
part of his Societie with the saints in heauen. And although he was taken from
vs NoValue, in the perfection of his best faculties, yet seeing that it is truly sayd,
vita est vigilia, That our liuing heere is nothing but the keeping the vigils of our
Sabaoth day in heauen, we may truly say his eeue was long, and in Senecaes sense,
Diu vixit licet non diu fuit; He liued long in the short scantling of his life. At
meales, a chapter being first read, he recreated himselfe with scholasticall warres
betweene yoong scholars, whom he maintained at his table. The Conquerours
and their Masters also he rewarded bountifully. In this pædomachy and wittie
frayes he tooke a speciall delight. After meales his doores and eares were open
to all sutes and causes; and at these times, for the most part, hee dispatched all
those businesses which either his place or others importunity forced vpon him,
making gaine of the residue of this time for his studie. About the houre of nine
at night he called all his seruants to an account, how they had spent the day, and
after prayers admonished them accordingly. From this examination, to his studie
how long, it is vncertaine, oft times after midnight and so to bed; wherein
after some part of an Authour read vnto him by the gentleman of his bed chamber,
commending himselfe to the protection of his Sauiour, he tooke his rest.
Two things yet remaine, not more commendable than admirable which
can not let passe without wrong to historie it selfe his memorie of things past,
and presage of things to come. His memorie raised by Art to the highest pitch
of humane possibilitie: for he could repeat faithfully any thing he had penned, as
he had penned it, after once reading; and therefore vsually at the ringing of the
bell began to commit his sermons to heart: and by Art was made so firme in keeping
things committed vnto it, that he was wont to say, That if he were to make
speech premeditated, before a thousand auditours shouting or fighting all the
while, yet he could say all that he had prouided to speake. And so quicke also he
was in receiuing, that when the Bishop of Norwich proposed vnto him many
barbarous and hard names out of a Calender, and Hooper Bishop of Glocester
fortie strange words, Welsh, Irish, and many other outlandish termes, he after
once or twise reading at the most, and short meditating, repeated them all by
heart backward and forward. Nay, which is yet more strange, when the L. Bacon
Keeper of the Broad seale, before the Bishop of Norwich and others at his
table, read only vnto him the last clauses of ten lines in Erasmus his Paraphrase
confused and dismembred, of set purpose, he sitting silent for a while and coueting
his face with his hand, on the sudden rehearsed all those broken parcels of
sentences, the right way and the contrary without any stay or stumbling. Hee
professed to teach others this skill, and taught his master M. Parkhurst beyond the
sea; insomuch, that spending but one houre in the day at it, in a very short time
he learned all the Gospell backward and forward by the benefit of this artificiall
memory, setting his places and images in cleue.