The life of BERNARD GILPIN.

Ernard Gilpin was borne at Kentmire in
the County of Westmorland in the yeare
of our Lord 1517. of an ancient and honorable
family, being the son of Edwin Gilpin,
the elder brother of which Edwin was
slain in the battle of Bosworth, being heire
in the fifth descent to Richard Gilpin, who in the Raign of
King Iohn was enfeoffed in the Lordship of Kentmire hall
by the Baron of Kendall for his singular deserts both in
peace and warre. This was that Richard Gilpin who slew
the wilde Boore, that rageing in the mountaines adioyning,
as sometimes did that of Erimanthus, had much indammaged
the Country-people: whence it is that the
Gilpins in their Coate Armes giue the Boore. The Mother
of Bernard Gilpin was Margaret the Daughter of
William Laton of Delamain in Cumberland, a man of an ancient
house, and a family famous in that warlike age, as
from whence had sprung many right valiant Gentlemen.
This Bernard being yet a very childe gaue testimony
of future holinesse vpon this occasion. A certaine begging
Frier the better to dispose the hearts of the people
to liberality towards him, professed himselfe a Zealous
Preacher: howbeit the Friers of those dayes, and that
ranke were but a sordid and dishonest people, some of
them, yea the greatest part labouring for a forme of holinesse,
but denying the power of it in their liues and conversations,

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whereas others of them retained not so much
as an outside thereof. This wandring companion was
come vpon the Saturday to the house of this Gilpins Father,
as purposing to preach the next morrow being the
Lords day; where he was enterteined respectiuely enough:
for at that time it was a sinne vnpardonable to
offend the least of these locusts. The holy Frier at supper
time eate like a glutton, and like a beast could not giue over
tossing the pot, vntill being overcome with drinke
he exposed himselfe a shamefull spectacle to so chast and
sober a family. But in the morning as if he had beene
some young Saint lately dropped from heaven, he causeth
the Bell to towle to the Sermon, and in the midst thereof
blustering out certaine good words, he presumed to
grow hot against some sinnes of the time, and amongst
the rest to thunder bouldly against drunkennesse. Young
Gilpin who had but newly got the vse of his tongue, having
observed as it seemed the hatefull basenesse of the
man by his oversight the night before, and now hearing
the beast cry out so loud against these crimes which himselfe
had so lately beene guilty of, as he was sitting neere
to his Mothers lap in the Church sodainly crieth out in
these words: O Mother, doe you heare how this fellow
dare speak against drunkennesse, who was drunke himselfe
yesternight at our house? The Mother made speed
to stop the childes mouth with her hand, that he might
speake no further. After this the parents of the boy perceiving
his disposition by many evident testimonies
were diligently carefull to make him a scholler. He had a
schoolfellow one Edwin Airy whom afterwards he loved
intirely for his good disposition and approoved honesty,
but Gilpin did farre excell the rest in acutenesse of wit.
Having therefore with great approbation passed his time
in the Grammar-schoole, he is by his parents, who had
now conceived great hope of their sonne sent to Oxford.
At that time in Oxford both learning and Relligion were
in all things out of ioynt, and over-grown with the rust of
Barbarisme. And now was young Gilpin sixteene yeares
of age at his comming to Oxford, being in the yeare of
our Lord 1533. Being entred in Queenes Colledge, he
profited wondrously in humane learning: He became, as
almost all the good wits of that time very conversant in
the writings of Erasmus. He fell very close to the study
Logick and Philosophy, wherein he was observed to
grow excellent, and to beare away the bell in schooles.
He added to this his humane learning, the singular knowledge
of the Greeke and Hebrew, wherein he made vse
of the assistance and friendship of one Neale, betwixt
whom and this Gilpin was growne much familiarity by
the affinity of their studies. This Neale was a Fellow of
New-Colledge, and afterwards Professour of the Hebrew
in Oxford. And now after some few yeares carefully spent
in these studies Gilpin began to be so famous, and so beloved
in Oxford, that there was hardly any place of preferment
for a scholler, whereof the eminency of Gilpins
vertue had not rendred him worthy in the publick estimation.
There was then an enquiry made for men of
more then ordinary learning and fame, who might make
vp a number of schollers in Christ-Church at that time
newly begun, and honour it with the commendation of
learning. Amongst these was our Gilpin one of the first
elected. At that time he had not fully attained to truth
and sincerity in Relligion, as having beene alwayes instructed
in the traditions of the Church of Rome; for in
those dayes the most part of men did not regulate their
Relligion and piety by the rule of Gods word, but according
to the Traditions of their Fathers received from
hand to hand. His minde although disposed to holinesse
did for a while remaine in darknesse, and being overclouded
with preiudiciall respects laboured vnder the
burthen of superstition not without some shadow of Antiquity;
being more earnest against vices and corruptions
of the time, then against the traditions of the Fathers.
Therefore at that time Gilpin seemed a great vphoulder

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of the Popish Relligion. He held disputation publickly
against Iohn Hooper, who was afterwards Bishop of Worcester,
and at the last a glorious Martyr of Christ. After
the death of King Henry the eight, when Edward the sixt
was King, Peter Martyr induced by the piety and Munificence
of such a Prince read the Divinity Lecture in
Oxford. Against whom the Sophisters indeavoured to
make opposition, Chedsey, Woston, and Morgan, who
desired also to draw in Gilpin on their side, that by his
advise and help they might the more distract Peter Martir:
and the matter at last came to this push, that Gilpin
was produced to hould disputation against the positions
of Peter Martir. Vpon occasion of which dispute Gilpin
to the end that he might defend his cause in hand adventureth
more diligently then ordinary to examine the
Scriptures and the auncient Fathers: And by how much
the more he studied to defend the cause which he had vndertaken,
so much the lesse confidence he began to haue
therein, because he supposed that he ought to stand for
the truth, which he stroue with all his might to discover
and finde out. But whiles he was zealously searching for
the truth, he began by little and little to haue a sight of his
owne errours. Whereupon Peter Martir was wont often
to say, that he was not much troubled either for Weston,
Morgan, or the like, but as for that Gilpin, saith he I
am very much mooved concerning him, for he doth and
speaketh all things with an vpright heart. The rest seeme
to me to be men, who regard their bellies most of all, and
being most vnconstant are carried away as it were with
every blast of ambition and covetousnesse. But Gilpin resting
firmely vpon gravity of manners, and the testimony
of a most laudable life seemeth to honour with his
owne goodnesse the cause which he vndertaketh. Yea,
and he did often pray vnto God that he would be pleased
at the last to convert vnto his truth the heart of Gilpin,
being so inclinable to all honest desires. And doubtlesse
God heard the prayer of Peter Martir: For from that

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time forward Gilpin drew neere to the knowledge of the
truth, not vpon a sodaine, but as himselfe confessed by degrees.