To the Reader.

I Cannot deny, but my delight in the study of histories
and antiquities, hath beene somewhat
greater, then was needfull for a man that had
dedicated himselfe and his labours vnto the
seruice of Gods church in the Ministery. Which
fault acknowledging in my selfe, and being vnable wholy to
amend trahit sua quemq; voluptas, and I would to God that
were the woorst might be said of me I endeuoured long since
in some sort to reforme the same by restrayning my selfe within
the compasse of such antiquities, as seemed to concerne but
ecclesiasticall causes or persons. My collections the one way I
meane concerning matters ecclesiasticall can adde nothing
vnto that large and painefull worke of Master Foxe. In the
other kinde concerning ecclesiasticall persons what many
yeeres reading & obseruation could yeeld vnto me, some seuen
or eight yeeres since I comprised in a volume; which being
perswaded therunto by diuers my friends no lesse godly then
wise I haue at last condiscended after some conuenient augmentation
of the same to publish. The principall reason that
mooued me thereunto, is in effect but that, which Tacitus saith
euery historiographer should propose vnto himselfe, Ne virtutessilea~tur,
vtq; prauis dictis factisq; ex posteritate & infamia
metus sit. In the latter of these the faults of those men
of whom I am to write I need not greatly to paine my selfe.
For it is not to be denied, that the most part of the Chroniclers
& historiographers of our age, haue borne a hand hard ynough
at least vpon the Prelates and Cleargy of former times, euery
where like Chams, discouering the nakednes of these fathers,
but seldome or neuer indeuouring with Sem to hide the same,
much lesse affoording vnto them any honorable mention neuer
so well deserued. This kinde of dealing though happily intended
to good purposes, might not expect that successe and blessing
at Gods hand, that the plaine and sincere truth is wont to
finde. As Marcellus Bishop of Ancyra Socrates reports
it labouring a little too earnestly against one Asterius an Arian,
and so derogating impiously from the person and dignity
of our Sauiour Christ, by forcing some reasons of Paulus Samosatenus
that swaruing as farre on the other side dispoyled
the same our Sauiour of his humanity he fell at last himselfe
and drew many others into those pernicious & impious errors
of the Samosatenians:
Stulti dum vitant vitia in contraria currunt
Euen so, these men inioyning somewhat too furiously the superstition
and errors which the Cleargy of former times much
deale of ignorance did teach and defend; whilest that the rather
to discredit their doctrine, they depraued their persons;
it hath pleased God, that this vncharitable course should sort
to some other effect then was intended, and that such, as without
his great mercy, was like to haue caused an inconuenience
of little lesse importance I will not say greater then that
which our late reformation hath redressed. For in the vulgar
sort which distinguish not so easily betweene persons and
things it bred a conceit, not onely that the men were wicked,
and so their doctrine corrupt although I know the conseque~ce
to be weake but also their functions and callings to be vtterly
vnlawful & Antichristian, which opinion once receiued in the
minds of the multitude, gaue occasion of diuers plots, coloured
with the plausible shew of reformation, but indeed principally
ayming at the goods and reuenues of the church, the temporall
rewards of learning; which being once taken away, what confusion
is like to follow, we may easily see by the effects it bringeth
foorth elsewhere. Those countries that heretofore haue
yeelded great plenty of able-worke-folkes for the Lords vineyard;
now that brood is spent which attayned learning, the rewards
yet standing whole; they hardly can shew a man able to
set pen to paper in defense of the truth. Yea euen amongst vs,
although the godly and excellent care of her Maiestie hath
preserued the state of this our church in such sort, as I thinke
no other reformed Church of Christendome any thing neere
comparable vnto it; yet the example of other, the knowen
greedines of so many sacrilegious cormora~ts as await daily the
destruction of the same, and the doubt least it will decay, for
that we cannot hope for the like piety in all succeeding Princes;
it so far foorth discourageth men from the study of diuinity,
as the best wits dayly refuse the Vniuersities or Diuinity at
the least, which in some other countries is accounted the surest
way to aduauncement and rather betake themselues to any
other kind of life. Hereof it commeth to passe, that euery age
bringeth forth lesse plenty of learned men then other amongst
vs: And it is much to be feared, least our posterity will too
truely say, AEtas parentum peior Auis tulit
Nos rudiores, mox daturos
Progeniem ineruditiosam.
To make no mention of such other reasons as might induce me
to the publishing of these notes, least I make my porch larger
then some principall roomes of my intended building; I thinke
it necessary now to admonish the Reader, that he expect not
any ample discourse of the liues and actions of the Bishops of our
owne time or neere vnto it. I haue purposly auoyded to set
downe any thing of them, but what either I finde written by
other, or else remayneth to be seene in publike record. And
this course I haue taken, because I iudge it neither seemely to
praise, nor safe to reprehend how iustly soeuer those men, that
either by themselues, their neere friends or posterity yet liuing,
may seeme either to haue allured me to flatter, or feared me
from disclosing that truth, which otherwise I would haue vttered.
Neither do I thinke it needefull to say much of them,
who being either present in action, or fresh in memory, are sufficiently
knowen vnto vs. Whereas moreouer, I haue passed
ouer in silence some two Sees; you shal vnderstand, that I haue
beene forced thereunto for want of some necessary instructions,
which, by reason of the far distance of my place of dwelling
from them, I haue not had meanes to attayne, although I haue
endeuoured the same. I would therefore earnestly pray all men
that can, to yeeld me helpe for the supplying of whatsoeuer may
seeme to be wanting, either in those Sees or any other. I shall
take it very thankfully at their hands. In the meane time, this
which now I am able to affoord vnto you, I wish it may be taken
in good part; and God grant it may in some measure
prooue a meanes of the aduauncement of his
glory, and the good of his
Church. Amen.