He soone grew into far greater esteem with her successor
the most learned King James, who to say but truth admired
him beyond all other Divines; not onely for his transcendent
gift in Preaching, but for his excellency and sollidity
in all kinde of Learning; selecting him, as his choysest
peece, to vindicate his Regality against his foule-mouthed
adversaries. His Majesty not long after his happy entrance
to this Crowne bestowed upon him the Bishopricke of
Chichester which he held about foure yeares and withall
made him Lord Almoner: and because of the exility of that
Bishopricke soon after added the Parsonage of Cheyham in
Surry, to his Commendam.
Upon the vacancy of the Bishopricke of Ely, his Majesty
made him Bishop thereof; and there he sate about nine
yeers. In which time he was made a Privie Councellor, first
of England & then of Scotland, in his attendance of the King
thither. He was afterwards preferred to the Bishopricke of
Winchester and the Deanry of the Kings Chappell, which
two last preferments he held to his death, which hapned
about eight yeeres after, in the third yeer of the raigne of
our late King Charlse; with whom he held no lesse reputation
then he had done with his Father before him.
It is worth the observation, that having bin preferd to
many, and those no small dignities, yet he never used any
meanes to obtaine the least of them, but they were all conferd
upon him without the least suit on his part: For he
was so farre from ambition or covetousnesse, as that when
the Bishopricks of Salisbury and Ely were at severall times
tendred unto him upon some propositions, prejudiciall to
the state of those Churches, he utterly refused them.
The vertues and good parts of this honorable Prelate
were so many, and those so transcendent, that to doe him
right, a large volumn would be but sufficient, which I shall
leave to some of better abilities to performe, which I shall
by way of an Epitome onely point a finger at, in these
heads which follow.
His first and principall vertue, was his singular zeale and
piety, which shewed it selfe not onely in his private and
secret Devotions betweene God and himselfe in which,
they that were about him, well perceived, that he daily
spent many houres, yea, and the greatest part of his life, in
holy prayers and abundant teares, the signes whereof they
often discovered but also in his exemplary publicke prayers
with his Family in his Chappell; wherein he behaved
himselfe so humbly, devoutly and reverently, that it could
not but move others to follow his example. His Chappell
in which he had Monthly Communions was so decently
and reverently adorned, and God served there with so holy
and reverend behaviour of himselfe and his Family by his
patterne that the soules of many that obiter came thither
in time of Divine Service were very much elevated,
and they stirred up to the like reverend deportment; yea,
some that had bin there, were so taken with it, that they
desired to end their dayes in the Bishop of Elyes Chappell.
The next is his Charity and compassion, which he practized
even before he came to great preferments: for while
he was yet in private estate, he extended his Charity in liberall
manner, to the reliefe of poore Parishioners, prisons
and prisoners; besides his constant Sundayes Almes at his
Parish of Saint Giles. But when his Meanes became greater,
his Charity encreased to a large proportion; releasing
many prisoners of all sorts, that were detained either for
petty Debts or keepers fees. And one thing in his Charity
is remarkable; that whereas he sent much money at severall
times to the reliefe of poore Parishes, Prisons, Prisoners
and the like, he gave strict charge to his servants whom
he entrusted therewith, that they should not acknowledge
whence this reliefe came; but directed that the acquittances,
which they to make the discharge of their trust appeare
to him desired from them that received such reliefe,
should be taken in the name of a Benefactor unknown. Other
large sums he bestowed yeerly and oftner in clothing
the poore and naked, in relieving the sicke and needy, in
succouring Families in time of infection besides his Almes
to poore house-keepers at his gate: insomuch, that his private
Almes in his last six yeeres besides those publique amounted
to the sum of 1300l. and upwards. Lastly, though
it might well have beene supposed by that which is said
already that he had bin in his life time his own Almoner,
yet as he lived a pattern of compassion and worke of mercy
so he dyed also; for it appeareth by his Will, that his chief
care was, to provide that his pious workes should never
have end, leaving 4000l. to purchase 200l. Land per annum
for ever, to be distributed by 50l. quarterly, thus; To aged
poore men and decayed with an especiall eye to Sea faring
men, wherin he reflected upon his Fathers Profession 50l.
To poor Widowes, the wives of one Husband fifty pounds.
To the binding of poor Orphans Apprentices fifty pounds.
And to the reliefe of poore Prisoners fifty pounds. Besides
among other, too many to be comprehended in an Epitome
he left, to be distributed presently after his decease,
among Mayd-servants of honest report, and who had served
one Master or Mistris seven yeers, the sum of two hundred
pounds. Lastly, a great part of his Estate which remained
after his Funerall and Legacies discharged he left
to be distributed among his poore Servants.
The third is his fidelity and integrity; faithfull, upright
and just he ever was, whether you respect him in his ordinary
transactions, in which no man could ever justly taxe
him with the least aspersion of injustice; or whether you
looke upon him as entrusted with those great Offices and
Places which he did undergoe; and they were either his
Spirituall preferments or Temporall Office, besides some
other matters committed to his fidelity. In the first of which
he declared evidently to the world, that he reputed himself
but Gods Steward, and that he must give an account to his
Lord and Master for them. To begin then with the lowest
account: He was ever faithfull, provident and carefull to
keepe in good repaire the Houses of all his Spirituall preferments,
and spent much money that way; as upon the
Vicarage house of Saint Giles, the Prebends and Deanes
houses of Westminster, and the Residentiaries house of Saint
Pauls. Upon the House belonging to the Bishopricke of
Chichester, he expended above 420 l. Of Elye above 2440 l.
Of Winchesters besides a Pention of 400 l.per annum, from
which he freed his See at his owne charge he spent two
thousand pounds.
But in that part of the Account which concerned him
more neerly to perfect, which was his Pastorall and Episcopall
charge, the cure of Soules, and the well ordering of
the severall Diocesse committed to his trust, never any
made a more just and exact account.
Some particulars of this account was, the promoting
of sufficient, able and good men to Livings and preferments
which fell within his owne gift. To the better discharge
of this part of the account he tooke order still before hand,
by continuall search and enquiry, to know what hopefull
young men were in the University: his Chapleins and
friends receiving a charge from him, to certifie him, what
hopefull and towardly young wit they met with at any
time: and these till he could better provide for them were
sure to taste of his bounty and goodnesse, for their better
encouragement.
Diverse eminent men in Learning that wanted preferment,
when any thing fell in his guift convenient for them
though otherwise they had no dependance at all upon
him, nor interest in him he would send for, before they
knew why, and entertaine them in his owne house, and
conferre the preferment upon them, and also defray the
very charges incident for a dispensation or a faculty, yea,
of their very journey; and all this, that he might have his
Diocesse in generall, and his preferments in particular,
the better fitted: So that, that may fitly be applyed to
him, which was sometimes to Saint Chrysostome. In administratione
Epatus, prebuit se fidelem, constantem, & Vigilantem
Ministerum Christi. And if you looke upon him in those Temporales wherwith
he was intrusted, you shall find him no lesse faithfull
and just: As first, diverse summes and many of them of good
value were sent to him, to be distributed among poore
scholers, and others, at his discretion: all which he disposed
with great care and fidelity, even according to the
Donors minds and entents.
For his faithfulnesse in managing those places, wherein
he was entrusted for others, joyntly with himselfe, let
Pembrooke Hall and Westminster Colledge speake for him; for
when he became Master of the first, he found it in debt, being
of a very small endowment, then espcially but by his
faithful providence, he left above eleven hundred pounds in
the Treasury of that Colledge, towards the bettering of the
estate thereof. And when he was made Deane of the other,
it is not unknowne to some yet living who will testfie
that he left it for all orders, aswell of the Church as of the
Colledge and Schoole, a place then truly exemplarily Collegiate
in all respects, both within and without, free from
debts and arrerages, from encrochments & evill Customes;
the Schoole-boyes in the foure yeeres he stayed there being
much improved, not by his care and oversight onely,
but by his owne personall, and often labours also with
them.
To these may be added, that whereas by vertue of his
Deanry of Westminster, his Mastership at Pembrooke Hall, and
his Bishopricke of Ely, the elction of Scholers into the
Schoole of Westminster, and from thence to the two Universities,
as also of many Scholers and fellowes in Pembrook
Hall; some in Saint Peters Colledge, and some in Jesus Colledge,
were in his power and disposall, he was ever so faithfull
and just, that he waved all Letters from great Personages,
for unsufficient Scholers, and cast aside all favor
and affection, and chose onely such as in his judgment were
fittest. And lastly which is not the least in this kind being
many times desired to assist at the election of Scholers,
from the free Schooles of the Merchantaylors, and from that
at Saint Pauls, of the Mercers, and perceiving favour and
affection, and other by-respects, sometimes to oversway
merit, with those to whom the choyce belonged, and
that diverse good Scholers were omitted, and others of
lesse desert preferred, he of his owne goodnesse, diverse
times tooke care for such as were so neglected, and sent
them to the University; where he bestowed preferment
upon them.
To conclude this account of his, take a view of his fidelity,
in that great place of trust, the Almonorship; which
was sufficiently evident especially to those who attended
him neerly. First, in that he would never suffer one penny
of that which accrewed to him by that place, to be put
or mingled with any of his own Rents or Revenewes and
wherein he kept a more exact account then of his owne
private Estate: and secondly, being so separated, he was
as faithfull in the disposing of it: not onely in the generall
trust of his Soveraigne, in the daily charges incident
to that place, expended by the Sub-Almoner and other yeerly
ordinary charges; but when he perceived that he had a
surplussage those charges defrayed he would not suffer it
to lye by him; but some of it he disposed to the reliefe of
poore Housekeepers, some in releasing of poore Prisoners,
and comforting them which lay in misery and iron; and
some in furnishing poore people with Gownes, hose, shooes
and the like; for all which, many so bestowed by him
had he reserved to his owne use his Patent being sine computo
no man could have questioned him: But he was a
faithfull Steward in this, as in the rest, and expected that
joyfull Euge, Well done thou good and faithfull servant, thou hast
bin faithfull, &c. enter thou into the joy of thy Lord; which no
doubt but he possesseth.
The next is, his Gratitude or thankfulnesse to all, from
whom he had received any benefit. Of this vertue of his
there are and were lately divers witnesses; as Doctor Ward
Son to his first Schoolemaster, upon whom he bestowed the
Living of Waltham in Hampshire; and Master Mulcaster, his
other Schoolmaster, whom he ever reverently respected during
his life, in all companies, and placed him ever at the
upper end of his Table; and after his death, caused his Picture
having but few other in his House to be set over his
Study door. And not onely shewed he this outward thankfulnesse
to him, but supplyed his wants many times also,
privately, in a liberall and plentifull manner; and at his
owne death the Father being dead he bequeathed a Legacy
to his Son of good valure, who as is said before, bestowed
a full Scholarship on him in Pembrooke Hall. Concerning
the kinred of Doctor Watts, after much enquiry, he
found onely one, upon whom being a Scholar he bestowed
preferments in Pembrooke Hall; and he dying there his
Lordship much grieved, that he could heare of no more of
that kinred, to whom he might expresse his further thankfulnesse.
And yet he forgat not his Patron Doctor Watts,
at his end; for by his Will he tooke order, that out of the
Scholarships of that Foundation, the two Fellowships
which he himselfe Founded as you shall see by and by in
Pembrooke Hall, should be supplyed, if they should be found
fit for them.
Lastly, to Pembrooke Hall omitting the Legacies by him
bequeathed to the Parishes of Saint Giles, Saint Martin Ludgate,
where he had dwelt; Saint Andrewes in Holborne, Saint
Saviours in Southwarke, All-Saints Barking, where he was
borne, and others to that Colledge, I say where he had
beene a Schollar, Fellow and Master he gave one thousand
pounds to purchase Land for two Fellowships, and for other
uses in that Colledge, expressed in his Will; besides
three hundred such Folio Books of his own, to the encrease
of that Colledg Library, as were not there before. Together
with a guilt Cut and a Bason and Ewer, in all points as
weight, fashion, inscription, &c. so like to the Cup, Bason
and Ewer given about 300. yeers since to that Colledge, by
the religious Foundresse thereof, as that not Ovum Ovo similius:
and these, he profest, he caused to be made and given,
not for the continuance of his owne memory, but for
feare that those which she had given so long since, might
miscarry, and so her remembrance might decay.
The fift is, his Munificence and Bounty. To prove which
little need be said more, then that which hath bin touched
in his bountifull Charity. But besides that, the two famous
Universities, and they which then were poore Scholars in
them, will witnesse for him in this point; he never coming
neer either of them after he was Bishop but that he sent
to be distributed among poore Scholars, sometimes one
hundred pounds, and ever fifty pounds at the least. One
thing I cannot passe over in silence; That when King James
was pleased to grace the University of Cambridge with his
presence, in 1617. this reverend Father being present also
at the Philosophy Act, he sent at his departure to foure
of the Disputants forty peeces of Gold, of two and twenty
shillings a peece, to be equally divided among them. But
what speake I of these? Was ever Prince better entertained,
and in more magnificent but orderly manner, then was his
said Majesty at Farneham Castle one of the Houses belonging
to the Bishopricke of Winchester where in the space of
three dayes he spent three thousand pounds, to the extraordinary
contentment of his Majesty, and the admiration
of all his Followers.
The next is, his Hospitality: from the first time of his
preferment to meanes of any considerable value even to
his dying day, he was ever Hospitable, and free in entertainment
to all people of quality and worthy of respect,
especially to Schollars and Strangers; his Table being ever
bountifully and neatly furnished with provisions and attendants
answerable; to whom he committed the care of
providing and expending in a plentifull yet orderly way:
himselfe seldome knowing what meat he had, till he came
from his Study to Dinner; at which he would shew himselfe
so noble in his entertainment, and so gravely facecious,
that his guests would often professe, they never came
to any mans Table, where they received better satisfaction
in all points, and that his Lordship kept Christmas all the
yeer, in respect of the plenty they ever found there. And
yet by the way take this, that he ever strictly observed in
his provisions of dyet, the time of Lent, Embers, and other
Fasting dayes, according to the Lawes of this Kingdome,
and the orders of the Church.
I shall not need to speake of the extraordinary great Hospitality
he kept, and the large expence he was at, in entertainment
of all sorts of people in Scotland, at what time he
attended King James thither; the Nobility, Clergy, Gentry,
and others of both Nations there present, will as they
often already have speake of it for me, to his exceeding
great honour. So that I know not, whether I have fitly
couched it under this Head of Hospitality, or whether it
had more properly belonged to that of his Munificence
and Bounty.
The seventh, is his Humanity and affability, not onely
to the last mentioned his Guests but to every one that
did converse with him; for which, not onely divers famous
Scholars and others of this Kingdome, but others of
Forraigne parts as they had just cause have admired him.
As not to mention Natives Master Cansabow, Master Cluvecius,
Master Vossius, Master Grotius, Master Moulm, Master
Barclay, and besides many others Master Erpenius, to whom
he tendered an Annuall Stipend, to have read and taught
here the Orientall tongues wherein long before his death
he himselfe had bin well versed, as may appeare by his
Commencement Verses the experienced Professors whereof
he much delighted in, and did much for them, as Master
Bedwell to whom he gave the Vicarage of Tottenham in
Midd. if living among others would testifie. And the
reason for this, a late reverend Father of this Church hath
given Omnes quid in se amant, in aliis venerantur: loving and
honoring those gifts in others which he had in himselfe;
for among the other parts of his profound Learning, he
by his industry, had attained to the knowledge of fifteene
tongues, if not more.
To these former, may be added his Modesty, which was
ever such, that although the whole Christian world tooke
especiall notice of his profound and deep learning, yet was
he so farre from acknowledging it in himselfe, that he
would often complaine of his defects, even to the extenuating,
yea vilifying of his owne worth and abilities; professing
many times, that he was but inutilis servas, nay inutile
pondus; insomuch, that being preferd by King James to the
Bishopricke of Chichester, and pretending his owne imperfections
and insufficiency to undergoe such a charge, as also
that he might have not onely his Clergy, but all others
to take notice thereof, he caused to be engraven about
the Seale of his Bishopricke, those words of Saint Paul, Et ad hæc quis idoneus? and who is sufficient for these
things, 2 Cor. 2.16.
One note of his Modesty mixt with his last vertue of
Humanity may be added, that after his Chaplaines had
Preached in his Chappell before him, he would sometimes
privately request them, that he might have a sight of their
Notes, with very good words and full of encouragement;
insomuch, as they would professe of him, that they would
never desire a more candid Auditor. So that what was said
of Bede, may as fitly be said of him; A pietate modestia, & castitate,
nomen Venerabilis adeptus est.
His Indefatigability in Study cannot be paralleld, if we
consider him from his Childe-hood to his old age. Never
any man tooke such paines or at least spent so much time
in Study, as this reverend Prelate; for even in those dayes,
when it might have been supposed he would have taken
some ease for his former paines, then also from the houre
he arose his private Devotions finished to the time he was
called to Dinner, which by his own order was not till
twelve at noone at the soonest, he kept close at his Booke,
and would not be interrupted by any that came to speake
with him, or upon any occcasion publick Prayer excepted:
Insomuch, that he would be so displeased with Scholars
that attempted to speake with him in a morning, that he
would say, He doubted they were no true Scholars, that
came to speake with him before noon.
After Dinner, for two or three houres space, he would
willingly passe the time, either in discourse with his guests,
or other friends, or in dispatch of his own temporall affaires,
or of those, who by reason of his Episcopall Jurisdiction
attended him: and being quit of these and the like
occasions, he would returne to his Study, where he spent
the rest of the after-noone, even till Bed-time, except some
friend tooke him off to Supper, and then did he eat but
sparingly.
Of the fruit of this his seed-time, the world especially
this Land hath reaped a plentifull harvest, in his Sermons
and writings: Never went any beyond him in the first of
these his Preaching wherein he had such a dexterty, that
some would say of him, that he was quicke againe, as soone
as delivered: and in this faculty he hath left a patterne
unimitable. So that he was truly stiled Stella perdicantium;
and an Angell in the Pulpit. And his late Majesty tooke
especiall care in causing that volume of his Sermons to be
divulged though but a handfull of those which he Preached
by enjoying whereof, this kingdome hath an inestimable
treasure.
And for his acutenesse and profundity in writing against
the Adversary, he so excelled all others of his time,
that neither Bellarmine champion to the Romanists
nor any other of them, was ever able to answere what he
wrote: So, that as his Sermons were unimitable, his writins
were unanswerable.
To draw to an end of deciphering his vertues, and endowments:
It may truly be said of him, that he had those
gifts and graces, both of Art and Nature, so fixed in him,
as that this age cannot paralell him; for his profundity,
and abisse of learning, was accompanied with wit, memory,
judgment, Languages, gravity and humility: insomuch
that if he had bin Contemporary with the Ancient Fathers
of the Primitive Church, he would have bin and that worthily
reputed, not inferior to the chiefest among them.
He generally hated all vices, but three which he ever reputed
sinnes were most especially odious unto him. First,
Usury, from which he was so farre himselfe, that when
his friends had need of such money as he could spare, he
lent it to them freely, without expectance of ought backe,
but the Principall. Secondly, The second was Simony
which was so detestable to him, as that for refusing to admit
diverse men to livings whom he suspected to be Simonically
preferd, he suffered much by suits of Law: choosing
rather to be compelled against his will to admit them by
Law, then voluntarily to doe that which his conscience
made scruple of. And for the livings and other preferments,
which fell in his owne gift, he ever bestowed them
freely as you have seene before upon deserving men,
without suit: So that we may say of him as was said long
since, concerning Robert Winchelsey, Archbishop of Canterbury.
Beneficia Ecclesiastica nunquam, misi doctis contulit: Precibus
ac gracia Nolitium fretos, & ambientes, semper repulit.
Thirdly, The last was Sacriledge, which he did so much
abhorre, that when the Bishopricke of Sarum, and that of
Ely before it was so much deplumed were offered to him,
upon termes savoring that way, he utterly rejected them.
Concerning that of Salisbury, give leave to adde a particuler
passage of his, which happened many yeeres after his said
refusall of it, which was this; At a Parliament under King
James, when an Act was to passe, concerning Sherburne
Castle, it was observed, that onely Bishop Andrewes and
another gave their Votes against the same. That the other
should so doe was not much merveiled at, but that Bishop
Andrewes should doe it, when none but that other Lord did
so, was so remarkeable, as that he was demanded by a great
Person, what his reason was for it. To which he most worthily
replyed, that it could not be well wondred, why he
should now vote against that which if he would have yeelded
unto many yeeres before, in the dayes of Queene Elizabeth
he might have had this Bishopricke of Sarum: which
reason of his, when his late Majesty being then Prince,
and present at the passing of the Act heard; He beshrewed
him, that when he denyed his consent, he did not declare
the reason of his denyall also: Professing that had he bin
made acquainted with the state of that Case, as now he
was, he would with the King his Fathers good leave
have labored against the passing of the said Act. To close
up this point: This reverend Prelate went yet a degree further,
in refusing when he was Bishop of Winchester diverse
large and considerable summes, to renew some Leases, because
he conceived that the renewing of them might be
prejudiciall to Succession.
Now let us lay all these together: His Zeale and Piety:
His Charity, and Compassion: His Fidelity, and Integrity:
His Gratitude, and Thankfulnesse: His Munificence and
Bounty: Hospitality, Humanity, Affability, and Modesty:
and to these, His Indefatigability in study, and the fruits
of his labours in his Sermons and Writings, together with
his profundity in all kinde of Learning; his wit, memory,
judgement, gravity and humility. His detestation of
all vices and sinne, but especially of three. All which by couching
them onely in this Compend we have seen in him, as
ex ungue Leonem, or by Hercules foot, his whole body: and
consider, whether the Church of God in generall, and this
in particular, did not suffer an irreparable losse, by his
death.
Having taken a short survey of his Life, let us now see
him Dying. He was not often sicke, and but once till his
last sicknesse in thirty yeers, before the time he dyed, which
was at Downham in the Isle of Ely, the ayre of that place
not agreeing with the constitution of his body. But there
he seemed to be prepared for his dissolution; saying oftentimes
in that sicknesse, It must come once, and why not
here? And at other times, before and since, he would say,
The dayes must come, when, whether we will or nill, we
shall say with the Preacher I have no pleasure in them,Eccl.
12.1. Of his Death he seemed to presage himselfe a yeere
before he dyed, and therefore prepared his oyle, that he
might be admitted in due time into the Bride Chamber.
That of qualis vita, &c. was truly verified in him; for as he
lived, so dyed he. As his fidelity in his health was great,
so encreased the strength of his Faith in his sicknesse. His
Gratitude to men, was now changed into his Thankfulnesse
to God. His Affability to incessant and devout Prayers
and speech with his Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier.
His laborious Studies, to his restlesse groanes, sighes, cryes
and teares; his hands labouring, his eyes lifted up, and
his heart beating and panting to see the living God, even
to the last of his breath. And him no doubt he sees face
to face, his workes preceding and following him, and he
now following the Lambe, crowned with that immortality,
which is reserved for every one, that lives such a life
as he lived.
He departed this life September 25. 1626. in the seventy
one yeer of his age, and lyeth buried in the upper Isle of
the Parish Church of Saint Saviours in Southworke. His Executors
have erected to him a very faire Monument of Marble
and Alabaster. And one that formerly had beene his
Houshold Chaplaine whom this honorable and reverend
Prelate loved most tenderly from his Childehood, rather
like a Father then a Lord or Patron but since his death a
Successour to him in some of his Places in the Church; for
the duty and reverence which he ever bare to him while he
lived, hath most gratefully and cordially in his everlasting
honorable memory, added to it a most excellent, significant
and speaking Epitaph, which followeth.