BOOK "No? How say you to Sampson, and Lever, and others? III. "Do not they preach? and that, though the laws stand in Anno 1566." force against them."

peaceable.

Part of a How John Fox behaved himself in these commotions Register. John Fox's about uniformity, when several Ministers were forbid behaviour preaching for their non-compliance, may be understood by what I am going to relate concerning him. He, having no living, was not taken-notice of, or summoned before the Commissioners, though he was no approver of the habits; and it was well enough known he was not. But his temper was mild, and his principles peaceable; and he carried himself as a promoter of quiet on both sides; being one that 224 declared a great dislike of all separations and schisms among Protestants. But to give a taste of Fox's spirit. There was one West, whom the ecclesiastical Commissioners, in or near this year, had laid in prison for uttering something against the superior powers, going probably upon the principles of Goodman's book. Fox, having been West's schoolfellow and collegian and friend, writ to the Commissioners an elegant letter; not justifying West, but concluding him blame-worthy. And hence descending to lament the differences in the Church of England, and shewing in what an ill state of looseness and wickedness the nation then stood; which, he said, ought chiefly to be ordered, and that many matters were to be reformed, but no schism by any means to be made; he had moreover these expressions in his said letter: "That the more earnestly he favoured the peace " and tranquillity of the Church, the more did these intes"tine differences of opinions and controversies (whence "arisen he could not tell) torture his mind. Yet had they

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sprung from necessary causes, they had less troubled him. "But while from light matters they drew occasions for "grievous contentions, and tossed about unnecessary ques"tions, the fruit of brotherly communion was not only lost, "but the adversaries' forces got strength against them. To "whom they afforded a very joyful spectacle in these their " quarrels. But how much better were it, said he, with "united strength to do Christ's work, and to diffuse his

XI.

"faith in the minds of the godly, as far as possible, and to CHAP. "fight against the sworn enemies of our "than against the friends of the faith.

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salvation, rather

He knew much Anno 1566. was yet wanting to a perfect Church. But prudent phy"sicians should here be imitated, whose first care is wont "to be, that the body live, and then that it flourish and "be in good health. But we, said he, by a preposterous "solicitude, while we strive to bring the Church to a most

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perfect rule of reformation, do in effect by this strife "bring to pass, that we see no Church at all, or one very "deformed. For what Church is to be seen there, where "we have peace neither with our friends nor enemies? Nay, "what peace have we with God, when atheism reigns, lust goes without punishment, covetousness robs and spoils, "benefices are bought and sold, Priests grow cold? and "would they were cold indeed. But now many are neither "cold nor hot. The pulpits are silenced; Christ's sheep"fold is fleeced, not fed; the harvest is despised. And "since it is thus, what can we do better than to shew our"selves good Divines, by minding the greater matters of "Christian religion? And then to build on that, what concerns the external reformation, if we may: but if we may not, by no means to move any schism." This letter, containing this pious admonition to the Clergy, may be found in the Appendix.

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Num. L.

CHAP. XII.

Continuation of the history of the London Ministers suspended. Supply of the vacant churches. The Archbishop vindicates himself. His earnest letter for more countenance from the Court. Becon's Postills. BUT to continue our story of the London Ministers sus- Care taken pended, or deprived. It may be asked, whether upon the ply of the suspending of so many Ministers the church doors of their vacant respective parishes were shut up, and no divine service nor

for the sup

churches.

BOOK sermons there performed? But to this I answer, the ArchIII. bishop and Bishop of London took care by their Chaplains Anno 1566. to provide for the vacant churches, as well as they could. But they could not supply all, being opposed by the suspended incumbents. "Some whereof were peevish, [they "are the Archbishop's own words,] and some froward, and some fearful, and some would fain step in [to their 225" churches again] with honesty. To whom they [the "Commissioners] used such affability, as they might. "Yet not suffering their authority and constancy to seem to "fear, or to be more desirous of them than they moved "them to their own commodity, but especially to the &6 people's quiet, and to the obedience of laws;" as the Archbishop himself gave the account to his friend and correspondent the Secretary.

The great clamour a

But the Puritans took great advantage at this present gainst the necessity of leaving divers churches unsupplied, by reason suspensions of this late censure inflicted upon the Ministers: and they took care to get the Court acquainted with the great inconvenience thereof: noising it abroad, that now against Easter there were none to officiate, and administer the Sacrament: and that there were on Palm Sunday six hundred persons ready to receive the Communion, and came to church for that purpose, and found the doors shut. These reports brought to the Court, and cherished there by some about the Queen, caused the Secretary to write unto the Archbishop concerning them; and concerning the imprisonment of some; of which severe handling great complaints were made. And finally advising him to continue his care of London.

The Archbishop's vin

Concerning these matters, the Archbishop, April 12, dication of being Good Friday, now indisposed in his bed, wrote by

himself.

another hand unto the Secretary, that all this was no more than he foresaw before he began: and that when the Queen put him upon doing what he had done, he told her at his first speech with her the second Sunday in Lent, that these precise folks would offer their goods, and bodies to prison, rather than they would relent. And her Highness then

XII.

cies of the

willed him to imprison them. And in a letter that he after- CHAP. wards wrote the Queen, he signified this to her, and likewise the vacancy of several churches. And in a joint letter Anno 1566. of his and of the Bishop of London to the Secretary, they said, there would be many parishes unserved, and many speeches would arise, and much resistance there would be. And therefore nothing more than what was expected. As for the disappointment of those well disposed people, that came to receive the Sacrament, he said, in general, that these reporters made ex musca elephantem: and that my Lord of London, being that very day, viz. Good Friday, to preach at Court, and so present there, was able to give the truest account of matters in his own jurisdiction. But that he could say, that whereas he had sent divers days three or four of his Chaplains to serve in the greatest parishes, what for lack of surplice and wafer bread, they did mostly but preach. And one of his Chaplains serving Palm The insolenSunday, and being informed that divers communicants Dissenters. would have received, the table made ready accordingly, while he was reading the Passion, one man of the parish drew from the table both cup and wafer bread, because the bread was not common: and so the Minister was derided, and the people disappointed. And divers churchwardens, to make a trouble and a difficulty, would provide neither surplice nor bread. All this the Archbishop signified to the Secretary. He called upon the Bishop of London also to do his part, to supply some of the vacancies by his Chaplains. Who sent him word, that there needed only preachers, for others might be appointed to serve the cures. He added, moreover, that it was no great inconvenience, though some parishes wanted in London, saying, that London was no grange, and that they might go otherwhere. But these precise men, said he, for all their brags of six hundred communicants, did promise openly that they would neither communicate, nor come to church, where either the surplice or the cap is. And so he knew it was practised.

one Min

I meet with a paper without date, probably to come in Orders how at this time; wherein one Minister was appointed to serve ister should

BOOK two churches in London. And it contained the order how III. this should be performed; which ran thus: "Those MinAnno 1566,"isters which in this time of necessity are commanded and "appointed to serve another church beside their own, shall "on Sundays and holydays at the one church begin morn

serve two

parishes.

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ing prayer at seven of the clock, or soon after; and "reading only one Lesson, which shall be the Lesson of the "New Testament, shall afterwards say the Litany: and 226" that ended, which may be done by eight of the clock, "shall go to the other church appointed unto him, and "there say the morning prayer in like form with the Li

His care of
London.

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tany; and after a sermon made, or homily read, shall "minister the whole Communion, when any just number "of communicants shall be disposed to receive. And like"wise, preventing the accustomed hour for evening prayer "at the one church, shall afterwards serve the other. Item, "The said Ministers shall use this order at the said churches "alternis vicibus: so that in the church, where he be

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ginneth one Sunday at seven, he shall begin the next "Sunday at eight. And so in course continually, till other "provision can be made. Item, The said Ministers shall "use the same order for the prayers appointed on Wednesdays and Fridays before noon, and Saturdays afternoon." Concerning the last particular in the Secretary's letter, which related to his care of London, the Archbishop signified back, that for his own peculiars, fourteen or fifteen were all in good order. Some had refused, but now they were induced; and they were sortly learned with the best of them. Among whom was one Cole, of Bow church, and one Beddel, of Pancras. He complained, that the charge of another should be thus devolved upon him: secretly pointing to the remissness of the Bishop of London. He said, that for his part he could do no more, nor promise any more: that his age would not suffer him to peruse all the parishes; and that he had called on the Bishop of London, who was younger and nearer them, and had vacant priests in his church. And that that Bishop sent him word, that there needed preachers only, having sufficient to