their houses, or else do you sequester their livings, allotting a fit portion for them to live upon, and causing the rest to be so employed; for besides that such neglecting of their houses doth argue too much greediness, and is a 5 great scandal to the best affected in their parish, it is very injurious to their successors. Eleventhly, there have been many constitutions formerly made concerning the apparel of ministers, but never was their pride in that respect so great as now it is, from the dean to every 10 curate, nothing being left that way to distinguish a bishop from any of them; you shall find deans usually either in their velvet, damask, or satin cassocks, with their silk netherstocksb; nay some archdeacons and inferior ministers, having two benefices, are likewise for the most part so 15 attired; to omit that their wives, in the cost and vanity of their apparel, do exceed as much and more, which is one principal motive why there is such exclamation against double-beneficed men, and such as beside their two benefices have some other preferment "sine cura." 20 What to move your lordship in this behalf I well know not, but as any so attired shall come before you, let him know particularly, and in my name, that they do greatly forget themselves in these so chargeable vanities, many of them having more care, to their own scorn, so to garnish 25 themselves and their wives, than to furnish their studies with such books, as might enable them the better to discharge their duties, as well for the confirmation of the truth, as for the refuting of all their opposites and adversaries. Assuredly if at our next session, your lordship, 30 b silk netherstocks] "Then have they nether-stocks to these gay hosen, not of cloth (though never so fine) for that is thought too base; but of Jarnsey worsted crewell silke thred, and such like: or else at the least of the finest yarn that can be got; and so curiously knit with open seame down the legge, with quirkes and clockes about the ancles, and 35 sometime (haply) interlaced with golde or silver threds, as is wonderful to beholde." Stubs, Anatomie of Abuses, p. 31. and so the rest of my brethren shall not be able to inform me, that upon this my letter and admonition there is some hope, that these abuses will be redressed, I will be an humble suitor unto his majesty, that some straight order, by his direction, may be taken in that behalf, for s that this so chargeable a vanity should not be still continued; whilst many other men endure great want, it is very intolerable; seeing that by such their bravery in apparel, they do procure no manner of credit unto themselves, but rather, upon my knowledge, great envy 10 and heartburning against their calling and estates. These and some other abuses being oft objected unto me, do oftentimes plunge me, as being always ready to cover and excuse our imperfections of the clergy; but I must be forced to leave them, if they will not be content to be 15 advised by me. Twelfthly, I have been content, that all bishop Jewel's works should be printed together in one volume, to the end that every parish in England might have one of them. In the late queen's time of worthy memory, every parish was driven to buy " Erasmus's Para- 20 phrased upon the New Testament," and the said bishop's 66 Reply against Hardinge;" one of the said books delivering plainly to every man's understanding the true sense and meaning of the whole New Testament, and the other containing a very notable and learned confutation of all 25 the principal points almost of popery: and therefore forasmuch as the same true causes, which moved her late majesty to impose the said books upon every parish, do remain still in force, there being more recusants now than at that time; I have thought it my duty very 30 heartily to entreat your lordship, so to deal with the c Bishop Jewel's works] This edition was printed in folio in the year 1609 by "John Norton, printer to the king's most excellent majesty." d Erasmus's Paraphrase] See queen Elizabeth's Injunctions No.XLIII. It had been required previously in king Edward's Injunctions No. II. 35 e Reply against Harding] See Strype, Parker, vol. ii. p. 151. chancellor, commissary, archdeacons, and officials, as by their means, and your own, with the rest of the preachers and ministers of your diocese, they may induce their parishioners to be willing, every parish to buy one of the 5 works of bishop Jewel; and I am so far persuaded of your lordship's ability to prevail with your clergy herein, as I did likewise in as hearty manner desire you to send for as many of the said books ready bound unto Mr. Norton, as there are parishes in your diocese, that hereby To the said parishes may have those books near at hand, which will the better encourage them to buy them. What you shall be content to do herein, I know his majesty will take in very good part, being ever of his most princely goodness ready to like and approve of that, 15 which may tend to the instruction and benefit of his loving subjects; and besides, you shall bind me very much hereby unto you, in that I gave encouragement to the printing of the said works in one volume, to the end, that the whole realm might in that sort be furnished with 20 them; and for the prices of them I will take order that they shall be reasonable. Lastly, his majesty is not well pleased with the negligence generally of almost all the bishops in England, touching the collections prescribed heretofore by his majesty, for the building of the church 25 and chapels of Arthure in Cumberland; and therefore I pray you in any wise call your officers before you, and take a strict account of them; first, how many collections have been made, and where the money remaineth; for I am persuaded that in many dioceses, much doth 30 rest in the collector's hands. Besides, there be sundry f Arthure in Cumberland] "The parish church of Arthuret in Cumberland was built in the year 1609, by the help of a charity brief; but the persons employed in the building going off with a considerable part of the money collected, the tower was left unfinished: towards which 35 Dr. Todd the rector expended about 60l. and procured contributions of 20l. or 30l. more." Hutchinson's Cumberl. vol. ii. p. 546. note. dioceses wherein there hath been no collection at all, and in some not past one or two. Let me receive your lordship's particular letter to be shewed to his majesty, how his pleasure and directions touching this collection have been accomplished in your particular diocese, after you 5 have informed yourself of the premises, and done the best you can in this matter. I must tell your lordship, that I am to send to his majesty, by his commandment, a copy of this letter, and that I keep likewise a copy of it myself, to the end, that both his majesty may know what 10 I have done, and I be able to justify myself for the discharge of mine own duty, and so leave the blame and burden upon them, who shall through their negligence deserve it; and so with my hearty commendations and prayer I commit your lordship to the tuition of Almighty 15 God. At Lambeth the 27th of July, MDCX. CXXVII. Archiepisc. Cant. RIC. BANCROFT 6. Anno Christi Reg. Angliæ A letter for contributions towards the prince's library.- THE prince is earnestly affected to have such a library, as is fit for his highness; whereof I having notice, did hold it very convenient, that the abler sort of the clergy, as well as we that are bishops, should give unto his high 20 A letter for contributions] Prince Henry died Nov. 6, 1612, in the 18th year of his age. Of his love of learning sir Walter Ralegh has furnished evidence in the preface to his "History of the World," which was written at this period. "It was for the service of that inestimable prince Henry, the successive hope, and one of the greatest of the 25 Christian world that I undertook this work. It pleased him to peruse ness some books towards the furnishing of the said library; and because they shall not be able to know what books the prince doth want, deal with the abler sort of double beneficed men in my name, to send up unto me every 5 one of them five pound apiece to be bestowed for them upon such books as I shall know are meet, having the catalogue of all his books, to be presented afterwards by me unto his highness in their names. I trust they will give me so much credit, offering unto them my service 10 herein. I have not hitherto been ready to move any extraordinary charge, but in this case I hold it very convenient, that his highness being so wise, judicious, and worthy a prince, should have some little glimpse of our love and duty towards him. I did not think it fit to 15 mention this point in my letter, as holding it convenient that no more should be acquainted with it than such men, as you mean shall contribute. Your lordship well knoweth that the prince will take it very kindly that your chancellor, and the richer sort of commissaries 20 of yours and other dioceses should bestow some law books. upon his highness; and accordingly I think fit that some of them ought to give twenty marks, some 10%. and the least twenty nobles. I therefore pray your lordship to deal with yours accordingly, and to cause them forth25 with to send up the money unto me, assuring them that their names, their books, and the prices of them shall not be omitted in the general book, which is to be exhibited to his highness of the whole contribution. some part thereof and to pardon what was amiss." And again at the 30 end of the work "besides many other discouragements persuading my silence, it hath pleased God to take that glorious prince out of the world, to whom they were directed; whose unspeakable and never enough lamented loss hath taught me to say with Job 'versa est in luctum cithara mea, et organum meum in vocem flentium."" See also 35 Wood's Ann. vol. ii. p. 312. Collect. Curiosa, vol. i. p. 212. |