IV. striving for the upper place at their assemblies, both in the CHAP. chapel and elsewhere. In which quarrel the Fellows backed him, against the Master, being desirous to keep the ancient Anno 1565. custom of the house, and to destroy that innovation of Caius. But the said person having merited so much of that college by his noble benefactions, and of the whole commonwealth of learning, it is pity that these or any other frailties in him should now, after so long a time, rise up in judgment against him. And so I take my leave of him, and beg the reader's pardon for this digression. CHAP. V. The Archbishop's care in providing Lent preachers before vides Lent let. 12. IT being now the latter end of January, the Archbishop's The Archthoughts were busied about providing preachers before the bishop proQueen the ensuing Lent. Which was the chief, if not the preachers. only time in the year of her Majesty's hearing sermons, if we may believe a late writer. This business, it seems, Howel's then lay upon the Archbishop, (though now upon the Ep. vol. 4. Lord Chamberlain of the household,) and it created the Archbishop a great and anxious care. For it was somewhat hard in those times to procure a sufficient number of able and fit preachers for that audience, such a scarcity there then was of them. Insomuch as once they failed of a preacher. Which was a matter that the Puritans threw much in our Prelate's teeth : as that he should proceed D d VOL. I. BOOK so hotly to urge conformity upon Ministers, and thereby III. endanger the casting out of the Church divers preachers, Anno 1565. when he himself saw what a need there was of them, that 202 the Queen's turn in Lent could hardly be served. He therefore feared the like sequel of reproof, as was by insultation oft rehearsed of the adversaries. But this accusation was partly true, and partly false: for there was a competent number of preachers even in those times; though not such as were in all points fit to stand in a pulpit, and discourse before so critical and learned a Princess as Queen Elizabeth. The Archbishop sent the Secretary a list of the No. XLIV. combination of the preachers, which is in the Appendix, consisting of four Bishops, four Deans, four Doctors, and the rest Masters. Nowel, Paul's, no him. Jan. 29. Nowel, Dean of St. Paul's, was then a famed preacher, and him the Archbishop thought upon for one of these minated by Lent preachers, as he commonly was one. But because of the great check that good man received at Court, March last, both from the Queen and some of the popishly affected courtiers, before the Archbishop concluded upon him, he wished the Secretary could understand the Queen's inclination. For, he said, if the Queen should not like, after her accustomed manner, to favour him, and give him the hearing, he would be hardly entreated to occupy the place. For if she liked not a man that was put up to preach, she would absent. And according to the answer he should receive from the Secretary, so he intended to invite the Dean to dine with him, and then to move him to officiate a day or two. But he had a further reach by this message to the Secretary; namely, to engage him to interpose his interest with the Queen, for the reconciling her to the good Dean. For (as he said) by her displeasure towards him, she would but please the Papists, and discourage her good Protestants. For he added, "If the Papists be angry, (though in a "flattery they dissemble to win,) and the poor Protestant discouraged, it will make an universal disliking, and "kindle grudging, and secret vain talkings. Tanti est in "tam factioso sæculo æquabilitatem servare. ་་ God bless V. "her Highness long to reign over us in pace et veritate." By CHAP. which two words he seemed to aim at Dissenters and Papists. The one sort the obstructers of peace, and the other Anno 1565. of truth. count of Indeed Nowel in these times was reckoned an excellent Some acDivine, and much esteemed by the heads of our Church. Nowel. He was employed by the Bishop of London, in the last plague, to compose an homily suitable to that occasion. And he was put upon making his Catechism by some great persons in the Church, on purpose to stop a clamour, that then went among the Roman Catholics, that the Protestants. had no principles. And the Convocation, that met in the year 1562, diligently reviewed this Catechism, and interlined it in some places; and so it was by them unanimously approved, and allowed as their own book, and owned doctrine. And when Mr. Dorman, in the preface to his Disproof, reflected upon the learning and abilities of Nowel, and charged him for some upstart preacher upon his return from his exile, he spake thus in his own vindication; "That he had endured sundry years, both in his country Nowel's “and exile, reading, not scattered scraps of old overworn "heretics, (as Dorman lay to his charge,) but the whole "body of the holy Scripture, and whole volumes of the "best ancient Doctors. Neither could any his acquaintance "marvel, that he returning home was become suddenly a preacher, as the other affirmed; who did right well "know, that he was a preacher fifteen years ago, [that is, "about the year 1550 or 1551,] yea, and had preached in "some the notablest places and auditories in this realm, be"fore he went out of his country." 66 Confuta tion, p. 22. nominated room. But to return to the Lent preachers: whether or no the Dr. Cary Archbishop were not secure enough of the Queen's favour. to preach towards this Dean, or whether it were some other unwilling- in Nowel's ness in him, or whether his present study in answering Dorman's book, were hinderances; but he pretended the last, and so prayed the Archbishop to be discharged this Lent. And so he was. And in his room the Archbishop put Dr. Cary, the Dean of Exeter, and Dean of the Queen's chapel : III. BOOK and the rather, for his vindication against one Gibbs, probably a Puritan, who had foully defamed the said Dean to be Anno 1565. altogether unlearned. The combination of Lent The method used in providing these preachers was this; that the Secretary, upon the Archbishop's nomination, drew preachers up bills of such persons as he judged proper and acceptable revised by the Archbi- to preach before the Queen. Which bills he sent to the shop. Archbishop, for his judgment therein, and to alter as he 203 thought good. And accordingly he was to send unto such as were appointed, that they should prepare themselves, giving them timely notice thereof. In the bill sent him this year, the Archbishop made but little alteration, more than that was mentioned above, and the removal of Dr. Pern: who, however he were an excellent preacher, yet was at this time under some dislike. To the rest he had spoken or sent. But many of them returned no answer, whether they should come or no. But for avoiding a failing in any, which once happened, and made so much clamour, he bespake his Chaplain, Mr. Bickley, who was afterwards Bishop of Chichester, to be ready to supply for all such Delibera tion had wants. In the latter end of this year, to wit, in February, resoluabout fill- tion was taken for the speedy supplying of two Welsh ing the va- bishoprics, namely, that of Landaff, and that of Bangor. Landaff and The former of which had been two or three years before in cancies of Bangor. Bangor. effect void, and wanted a vigilant Bishop to manage that diocese. Which therefore the Archbishop, in the year 1563, had earnestly put the Secretary in mind of. But the great dilapidations had so impoverished that see, that few that were honest and able would be persuaded to meddle with it. As for Bangor, that diocese was also much out of order, there being no preaching used, and pensionary concubinacy openly continued: which was, allowance of concubines to the Clergy by paying a pension; notwithstanding the liberty of marriage granted. And the Archbishop was at that time earnestly solicited to have such a Commissioner there as kept openly three concubines, as men of good reputation offered to prove before him. Things in fine were in V. such disorder here, that our Archbishop was desired by CHAP. some well affected of that country to have a visitation, and to set such order there, as whosoever should come to the bi- Anno 1565. shopric should be forced to prosecute it. And accordingly a visitation was instituted the next year by the Archbishop's commission to Dr. Yale: which did great good, as he that was afterwards Bishop there wrote him word. minated to So that Wales being in an evil condition as to religion, Jones nothe inhabitants remaining still greatly ignorant and super-Landaff. stitious, the Queen left it particularly to the care of the Archbishop to recommend fit persons for those two sees, now to be disposed of. And accordingly he writ to the Secretary for one Hugh Jones to be preferred to Landaff, whom Dr. Lewis, a civilian, and two or three other such, had informed him well of. But while he was preparing an instrument for this Jones's commendams, Davies, an exile in Queen Mary's days, and now Bishop of St. David's, sent certain letters to the Archbishop, giving a character of him different to what the Archbishop had heard before. Which made him stop his instruments; and the letter he thought good to send to the Secretary, telling him, that he should be loath, after so long tarriance for Landaff, the Queen's Majesty should be deceived, and her good people not well appointed. But a few days after, he hearing better of the man, proceeded to the finishing of his business. bishop re Bangor. To Bangor the Earl of Pembroke recommended one Dr. The ArchEllis, that had been aforetime Sheriff of the county: but commends was neither Priest, nor had a priestly disposition. Which Hewit for made the Archbishop say, he had rather dissent from that Lord, than to commend a doubtful man to the Queen's Highness; and on whom, as yet persuaded, he would be loath to lay his hands; and that he, the said Ellis, might otherwise do good service. The Archbishop therefore recommended one Hewit, a Welshman, whom he knew himself, and dared upon his own credit to commend. And if the Queen had sought a great way to supply that room, there were not a fitter man. But a few days after, his mind began to alter, having conferred with some wise men, partly |