placed you, his worthy successor, in his chair, and laid upon you the same weighty office in this Church of England that he once bore; but also in respect of a more private relation your Grace standeth in to him, (which endears his memory to you,) viz. that you were bred up in his native city, and sent to his college, and was his scholar there, (as I have heard your Lordship call yourself,) and enjoyed a part of his noble benefactions for the encouragement of learning. For which reasons, but chiefly for the public benefit, your Grace hath been an approver and encourager of me in my undertaking of this work. A work so long wanted, and so much desired by learned men; especially such as have a veneration for the ancient, both civil and ecclesiastical, history of this realm, and the constitution of this Reformed Church: of both which Archbishop PARKER did so singularly merit.

As for the latter, viz. the Reformation, all the parts of it went through his hand. The methods that were used in this great and blessed undertaking, in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's reign, were chiefly the effect of his deep deliberation and counsel. And this work was justly laid upon him, out of the high esteem the Lord Keeper Bacon and Secretary Cecil (both very wise, able, and the Queen's chief Statesmen) had of his learning, wisdom, moderation, and piety; and likewise for his thorough knowledge of ecclesiastical affairs in general, and particularly his understanding of the state of this Church, when the reforming of it was

first enterprised under King Henry VIII. and of all the steps that were taken in it afterwards.

And for this cause, my Lord, such as have been willing to look into Queen Elizabeth's Reformation, and to satisfy themselves about it, at the first hand, (and not implicitly to depend upon later historiographers of these matters,) and to understand aright the particulars how it began and was carried on in the former part of her reign, have desired so much to see an account of the life and acts of this chief manager thereof. Whereof, I hope, your Grace, as well as other learned and pious men, will not be disappointed in the perusing of these commentaries.

Especially, since what is here related may be credited; being the effect of a great many years' pains and collections, not only out of great plenty of authentic records and MSS. of those times, but of the Archbishop's own letters to others, and of other eminent men to him: which is the best supply and storehouse for the writing a true history. This was the cause that the great Daniel Heinsius approved much of publishing epistolary conferences, written between persons of public rank or office in the State, for the preserving of the real knowledge of things past, and for the drawing thence exact and just accounts of former transactions. "I have "always been of that opinion, (saith he in a letter " to a friend,) that nothing more instructs posterity, "than the reading of familiar discourses, in letters "between intimate friends, especially men of great figure and place, as is usual: since in such corre

"spondences things are sincerely related, without "colour or deceita."

So that, I think, my Lord, nothing is wanting to the credit of this history, but the assurance of my fidelity in the use I have made both of the letters and the other originals. Which I here protest to your Grace, and all the world, I have done without favour or affection, and with an awful regard to truth and sincerity. I will not presume to detain your Grace any longer, after I have recommended myself and my studies unto your Grace's good acceptance; and so take my leave in all due observance, being, If it please your Grace,

Your Grace's most humble servant,

JOHN STRYPE.

a Nihil esse quod posteritatem magis instruat, quàm familiaris sermo, qualis est epistolaris, si à maximis præsertim viris, ad interioris notæ, ut solet fieri, amicos (apud quos nec fuco nec fallaciis est locus) liberè instituatur. Dan. Heins. Nobiliss. Cornelio Vander Mile.

THE

P RE F А СЕ.

I HAVE some things to advertise the reader; partly con

cerning this work, and partly concerning myself.

The Wise Man (Prov. x. 7.) saith, that the memory of the righteous is blessed; or, attended with praises, (according to the vulgar,) as a part of the reward of his virtues, after he is gone hence. This history is intended to contribute to this good end, viz. to revive and do right to the sacred memory of a righteous man: who was pious, and a confessor for pure religion; learned, and a great fautor and promoter of good learning; and also an illustrious member of this Church of England; being both a chief instrument in its reformation, and a primary defender and patron of its constitution. And as honour to his name may be perpetuated by these memorials of him, so considerable advantage and benefit likewise may arise thence unto us that read them. For the various passages and emergencies of this great and good Prelate's life will administer plentiful matter for our own behaviour, and imitation of his piety, prudence, liberality, resolution, patience, unmoveable constancy in a good cause, adherence to, and zealous defence of, the Church of England, as reformed and legally established. Hence also we shall be instructed in much of our ecclesiastic and academic history; which is necessarily and largely interwoven in these writings of his life, and runs along with each year of it.

For though the chief matters herein related respect the Archbishop only, and his painful discharge of his peculiar function and office; yet in the course of the history fall in many transactions about religion and the Church's affairs: as, how true religion was first brought in and settled:

what was done afterwards in ecclesiastical commissions, synods, and convocations, and visitations both of dioceses and houses of learning: what methods and labours were used for the preserving of peace and concord among Christians, and uniformity and unanimity in the service of God, both against those that favoured the old superstitions, and the supremacy of the Roman Bishop in the Britannic dominions, and likewise against a strong faction of the Protestant denomination; which laboured vehemently, not only to cast out the Liturgy of our Church, but to overthrow the ancient government of it by episcopacy; and to set up a different new discipline and regiment in the room thereof: and finally, what the Queen's and Court's influences were in these matters. Here also are shewn the Bishops that were placed in the sees, and that succeeded from time to time, with their characters. And withal, notice is taken of many other learned and eminent ecclesiastics, that in those times made a figure in their places and vocations. Various and remarkable matters are also here declared, that fell out in the Universities, and of controversies that happened there in divers colleges, with respect either to religion or learning.

That which I am next to do is, to reconcile (as far as I may) a reputation to this history. For which purpose I must mention the advantages I have had for the enabling me to write it, and the unbiassed integrity I have used therein.

As to the former, I have seen and perused numberless papers of those times, not only in my own custody, but remaining in the best archives of the nation, and in repositories of charters, letters, instruments, and other curious monuments, belonging to divers honourable and reverend men, some alive and some deceased; whose names, in due respect and gratitude, I have mentioned in the margin of the book, where I have had occasion to cite their MSS. Besides registers of Archbishops, Bishops, cathedral churches, the University, &c. All these I have conversed in for many