I.

BOOK "sick. And, in a word, he prayed his Honour not to think "that he sought hereby his own private gain, or his idle Anno 1558. " ease; for his heart would right fain serve his Sovereign "Lady in more respects than that of his allegiance; and bid"ding them to put him where they would else; [excepting "the place of a Bishop;] and if, as far as his power of "knowledge and of health of body would extend, he did not apply himself to discharge his duty; let me," said he, “be "thrust out like a thief.”

Parker's judgment

cies.

66

Bacon, it seems, had given him some hint, as though one of prophe- reason of his declining to accept this preferment, was his fear of sad times, conceived from some prophecies, that then went about, of Nostredame and others. Whereat he wrote thus in answer: "I pray you think not, that the prognostication "of Mr. Michael Nostredame reigneth in my head. I esteem "that fantastical hodge-podge not so well as I credit Luci"an's book De veris Narrationibus: nor yet all other vain 38" prophecies of Sands, more than I regard Sir Tho. Moor's "book of Fortune's Answers upon the Chance of Three "Dice casting. I would I saw no more cause to fear the "likelihood of God's wrath deserved for dissolute life, to "fall upon the realm, by the evidence of the true word, and "by God's old practices."

The Bishop's un

charge.

Indeed well might our Doctor shrink at the undertaking willingness of such a weighty province, at this particular juncture espeto take this cially, when the greatest prudence, courage, conduct, learning, and experience, would be required to assist in that reformation that was now to be set on foot, and carried on: the national Church being at this time generally corrupted in doctrine, discipline, and manners; and the correction thereof requiring so much skill and audacity. Besides, he was conscious to himself of an excess of natural bashfulness, and want of experience for government, his spirits having been much depressed under the hard reign of Queen Mary. Of which he complained, not long after his acceptation of the archbishopric, in a secret letter to the SecreHis mean tary, a great instrument of his promotion: " that it grieved "him, that he was not able to answer his friendly report

conceit of

himself.

of

VIII.

"him before time, [meaning when he recommended him to CHAP. "the Queen,] whereby, to his much grief of heart, he pass"ed forth his life in heaviness, having been thus intruded, Anno 1558. "notwithstanding his reluctation by oft letters to his friends,

66

to be in such room: which, he said, he could not sustain agreeably to the honour of the realm, if he should be too "far tried. And that with passing those hard years of Ma"ry's reign in obscurity without all conference, or such man"ner of study, as now might do him service, and what with "his natural vitiosity of over-much shamefacedness, he was so "abashed in himself, that he could not raise up his heart and "stomach to utter in talk with others, which with his pen "he could express indifferently, without great difficulty: "which made him [in an over-much misconceit of himself] request of the Secretary to decline from him such opportu"nities, wherein he might work a lack to his promoters, and "a shame to himself," as he modestly expressed it.

But whatever his low esteem of his own abilities were, others were well satisfied concerning his great endowments: nor did the Queen make an ill choice; but as great things were expected from him, so he failed not in that expectation: which he shall be convinced of, that diligently observeth in what state the English Church stood at Parker's first entrance upon the government of it, and what advances it made under him.

66

Parker, in

lect. p. 361.

Dr. Parker now seemed to lie still for a month or six Summoned weeks, till May 17, when the Lord Keeper writ again to him, Court. again to "That by a resolution made that day in the Queen's pre-Letter to sence, he perceived that his friends would hardly deliver Hist. Ref. "him of the charge written in former letters: and so he vol. ii. Colthought to make him privy thereunto, and to advise him "to commit to the judgment of his friends his ability or dis"ability, to serve where and when he should be called: "that if he knew a man in whom the description made in "the beginning of his letter might more justly be deferred "than to himself, he would prefer him before Parker; but knowing none so meet indeed, he took it, he said, to be "his duty to prefer him before all others: and the rather,

66

BOOK" because otherwise he should not follow the advice Parker

66

I. "had given him: and added, that it was like ere long Anno 1558." he would receive letters subscribed by him and others jointly;" meaning the Council. And accordingly, two days after, that is, May 19, a short letter was sent him, "that for certain causes the Queen's Majesty intended to "use his service; and her pleasure was, that he should repair up with such speed as conveniently he might." This was signed by the Lord Keeper, and the Secretary, from the Court. But Parker, such was his extraordinary unwillingness to be a Bishop, gave no answer, nor took his journey for some days after the aforesaid letter came to him: so that May 28, they both writ to him again, that it was the Queen's pleasure that he should repair up with all speed possible; leaving him not to his convenient speed, as they had done in the former letter.

Petitions

Coming up now to the Court, no other endeavours succeeding to divert this place, so much dreaded by him, his 39 last application was unto the Queen herself; addressing an excellent letter to her, upon his being nominated by her to the archbishopric, and disabling himself: which letter, though already published, yet containing such a character of the wisdom, goodness, humility, and self-diffidence of this venerable man, I will here present the reader with the substance of it.

the Queen

to be ex

He addressed to her by way of suit; which, as he said, "extreme necessity compelled him to make; both in respect cused. Col- of his constrained conscience to God, and in regard of his in the Hist." duty which he owed to her noble estate. That calling to Ref. vol. ii. ❝ examination his great unworthiness of so high a function,

lect. of Rec.

" and his disability he might allege in particular, but for molesting her most weighty affairs; he was bold to ap"proach by writing to her Honour, to discharge him of that "so high and chargeable an office: which required a man "of much more wit, learning, virtue, and experience, than ❝he saw and perfectly knew could be performed by him worthily; to occupy it to God's pleasure, and to her "Grace's honour, and to the wealth of her loving subjects.

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"He urged to her many other imperfections in him: as, CHAP. temporal abilities for furnishing thereof, as was seemly to

66

VIII.

"the honour of the realm; as also infirmity of body, which Anno 1558. "would not suffer him to attend on so difficult a cure, to "the discharge thereof in any reasonable expectation.

"And where, besides his duty of allegiance to her princely dignity, he was otherwise for the great bene"fits which he sometimes received at her Grace's ho"nourable mother's benevolence, (whose soul he doubted "not but was in blessed felicity with God,) most singularly "obliged above many other, to be her most faithful beads

66

man, both in thanking God for that fatherly protection "hitherto over her noble person; and furthermore, to pray "for the continuance of her fortunate reign; so he was right sorry, and lamented within himself, that he was so basely 66 qualified inwardly in knowledge, and outwardly in extern "sufficiencies, to do her Grace any meet service, as he could "wish could be acceptable to her Grace's expectation: as"suring her noble estate, that in any other smaller vocation "under the degree of such chargeable offices, and more agreeable to his infirmity, if it should so seem to her high ❝ wisdom and merciful liberality, he should endeavour him"self to attend thereon: referring yet himself wholly to her “Grace's pleasure, rather than by just allegation of his un"worthiness, the loyal duty of his faithful heart should be any ways suspected by her reverend Majesty. Subscrib"ing himself,

66

66

"Her Grace's poor subject,

"Matthew Parker."

But nothing would do, and Dr. Parker must be the man Fixed for pitched upon, for his admirable qualities and rare accom- Archbishop. plishments, to fill the see of Canterbury. And in his cares and preparations for this high office, we leave him for a while, six months passing away before his consecration. Yet in the mean time not unemployed in the service of religion and the Church, as we shall see by what follows.

BOOK
I.

CHAP. IX.

Wherein he was now employed. The Secretary consults with him for the new Bishops. His advice for reformation in Cambridge. He informs the Lord Keeper of some present dangerous doctrine. Commissions from the Dean and Chapter during this interval. Assisteth at the French King's obsequies. His endeavour about the exchanges of Bishops' lands. A fraud in the church of Dublin, signified to him from the Archbishop there. His free advice to the Queen concerning the crucifix in her chapel. Anno 1559. FOR one thing wherein he was consulted by the Secretary, 40 (in this interval, as it seems,) was about filling of the sees, Dr. Parker's and in what method it was customary, and might be convefor the nient in this critical juncture to proceed, many difficulties appearing: as now there being no Archbishop at all, and hardly four Bishops remaining; and whether the Popish Ordinal should be used, or that of King Edward VI. which was abolished under Queen Mary, &c. But Dr. Parker being one of the best skilled in ecclesiastical rites and usages, Cecil desired to be assisted with his advice and judgment; for whom the said Doctor drew up this paper of instructions, for entrance into the bishoprics, which I met with in the Paper House.

directions

bishoprics.

Copy of this would be

I. Suit is to be made for the Queen's letters patents, called sent hither. Significaverunt, to the Archbishop of the province, for the

Cecil's

hand.

Paper Office.

confirmation of the elect, and for his consecration.

II. When the archiepiscopal see is vacant, then after election, like letters patents for the confirmation of the elect, are to be directed to any other a Archbishop within the King's dominions. If all be vacant, to bfour Bishops; then they to be appointed by the Queen's letters patents, declaring her

■ There is no Archbishop, nor four Bishops now to be had; wherefore quærendum, &c. [Cecil's hand.]

b Anno 25. Henry VIII. that order is set out at large; so that the restitution of the temporalties is done after the consecration, as it seems to me by the said Act. [Dr. Parker's hand.]