TO HIS GRACE THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, THOMAS, BY THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE, LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, PRIMATE OF ALL ENGLAND, AND METROPOLITAN ; AND ONE OF HER MAJESTY'S MOST HONOURABLE PRIVY COUNCIL. May it please your Grace, As I did, divers years ago, present Memorials of CRANMER, the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury, to your immediate predecessor in the said see; so I am ambitious to dedicate this Life of PARKER, the second Protestant Archbishop, unto your Grace: both of them equal, as in the great work they undertook, of reforming corrupt religion, and restoring the ancient Church of England; so in their sufferings, and all the effects of rage from evil men, for their most beneficial pains and service therein : whereof we, the succeeding generations in this happy island, have reaped the blessed fruits in our deliverance from the foreign Romish yoke, and for the holy primitive religion and worship established among us. And, my Lord, this history of Archbishop PARKER is your due, not only as divine Providence hath 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 66 "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; leave in all due observance, being, and so take my 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. |