I. ing, to teach noble Prince Edward: an office ful of hope, SECT. "comfort, and solace, to al true hearts of England. For. "whom al England daily doth pray that he, passing his Anno 1545. “tutor in learning and knowledg, following his father in "wisdom and felicity, according to that example which is "set afore his eyes, may so set out and maintain Gods "word, to the abolishment of al Papistry, the confusion "of al heresy, that therby he, feared of his enemies, loved " of al his subjects, may bring to his own glory, immortal "fame and memory; to this realm, wealth, honour, and felicity; to true and unfaigned religion, perpetual peace, "concord, and unity." on. King Henry, having lately new founded the college of Made Canon of King St. Frideswide in Oxford, (founded first by Cardinal Wol- Henry's sey,) granted Cheke one of the Canonries of that church college, Oxsoon after he became tutor to the Prince, as some reward and token of his favour towards him. Which was about the year 1544, when, according to the registers of that University, he was incorporated into Oxford, and studied there some time. But the rents of the Canons decaying, the King, anno 1545, added special pensions to some of them; as to Peter Vannes, the learned Italian, and sometime Ambassador for the King into Italy; Richard Croke, S. Th. P. employed also abroad by the King; and our Cheke. Which said pensions were 267. 13s. 4d. to each. By this preferment we may conclude him to be now in holy Orders. sign to ren Cheke, as he had now great opportunities by the place Cheke's dewherein he was put, so he had as great designs of making der himself himself useful to the public. For he set before himself, useful. how that he was now to instruct a Prince, that was one day to take on him the government of a mighty kingdom. And therefore he suited his readings and discourses with the Prince thereunto; that he might go out of his hands an excellent monarch, and become a true father of his country. But besides this, considering how his office required him to be always about the Prince's person, where II. CHAP. by he should have the opportunity of having his ear frequently, he resolved to improve it not so much to his Anno 1545. private benefit, as to the benefit of the public, of the University, and of the deserving men there; to get them removed, and placed about the nation in Church and State; that by their influences, truth and virtue might every where be promoted. Thus he spent his time and cares at Court; and ever was a fast friend, and gave his helping hand to learning and religion: which appeared more manifestly afterwards, when his royal scholar, by the death of his most noble father, was advanced to the crown, His letter consolatory SECT. II. His offices to his friends. NOR did this learned man in the midst of the splento Dr.Butts, dors of a Court neglect his private studies, nor his offices being sick. to his friends. Dr. William Butts, M. D. (and a Knight according to his monumental inscription,) domestic Physician to King Henry, had taken notice of Cheke from his youth, and been always a favourer of his hopeful parts, performing the part of a father to him, and Cheke styled himself his son. By this physician's interest he seems to have been first made known to the King, and to have received from him those marks of royal favour bestowed upon him, while he lived in the University; and afterwards by him preferred to the Court. For Butts was a friend to good religion and learning. While Cheke was at Hertford, (where the Prince's Court was mostly kept, in the latter times of his father,) this gentleman, in the year 1545, was seized with an afflicting dangerous fit of sickness; which gave a concern to his grateful friend; who composed a pious consolatory epistle to him, suitable to his condition: which being so expressive of his gratitude to the doctor, and withal of piety, and a sense of God, and of his dispensations, I cannot but here transcribe it, as from whence some character may be taken of the writer. II. The original by time is somewhat defaced in some places, SECT. which I have been fain to supply by some words, which are put in Roman. Johannes Checus, D. Guilielmo Butts, M. D. Anno 1545. Dr. Butts. MSS. Non dubito quin hanc perturbationem valetudinis tuæ, Cheke to Vir ornatissime, imitatione Christi æquissimo animo feras. Nam qui fide intelligunt illum omnia administrare, iis ni- J. Foxii hil potest malum videri, quod ab illo proficiscitur. Et qui Deum sapientissimum ac optimum judicant, sciunt consilio cuncta ab illo gubernari, et bonis ab illo ad salutem mitti. Et quanquam ægritudines aut alii cruciatus pios vexent, non ita autem iis casu aliquo objiciuntur, sed divinitus mittuntur hominibus a Patre eorum cælesti. Nam prudentissmè Propheta dixit, non est malum in civitate, et ego non feci. Et alio loco scribitur, Dominum mortificare et vivificare, deducere ad inferos et reducere. Ut negari non potest, Deum hiis ærumnis ac vitæ miseriis, ad gloriam suam, uti, et pro voluntate sua hominibus has quasi medicinas ad salutem et conservationem hominum adhibere. Cum enim judicamur a Domino, castigamur, ne cum mundo condemnemur. Quod si hæc, morborum, ærumnarum, variaque crucis genera depellunt supplicia æterna, viam ad salutem muniunt, condemnationem tollunt, exercitia pietatis excitant, et fide Domini nostri Jesu Christi nituntur, et totos se illius misericordiæ tradiderunt afflicti, hilari ac lubentissimo animo sustinenda nobis ac perferenda sunt. Neque tam reputanda quæ noster sensus ferat, quam lætandum, cum causam cur a Deo missa sint perpendamus. Certus, inquit Paulus, sermo est, siquidem compatimur, et conregnabimus. Relinquendus ergo hic doloris sensus, vel abjiciendus potius a pio viro, quia minimus dolor maximam habet adjunctam gloriæ ac gaudii remunerationem. Sed tu ista omnia per te melius ac planius intelligis, qui fide Jesu Christi per gratiam Dei inniteris, qui mortem Christi, remissionem peccatorum, et reconciliationem tuam esse putas, qui omnium redemptorem Christum, qui fidelium præcipue credis; adeo ut cum II. CHAP. Thoma Didymo ingenue clames, Deus meus, et Dominus meus. Quare te in hac tristi ægritudine, quam tu, ut Anno 1545. spero, tranquillissimo ac serenissimo animo fers, non detinebo longior. Hoc unum a Deo patre Domini nostri Jesu Christi assidue precor, ut quem ego in loco patris in terris habui, sanum atque incolumem aliquando ab hac ægritudine propter gloriam nominis sui liberet. Atque utinam certe, quemadmodum præsens, tecum animo ac voluntate sum, sic liceret mihi corpore tecum adesse, quo mihi, percipere solatium conspectus tui, sed aliter tum voluntate tua tum negotiis meis impedito, fas esset, si non morbum tuum tollere ad te veniendo, saltem dolorem meum minuere, quem ex invita absentia mea capio. Dominus Jesus, cujus est omnis potestas, pro beneplacito suo uxorem, liberos, familiamque tuam conservet, ac ab hac ægritudine eruat. Harfordiæ xiii. Octobris. Tuus animo filius, Ornatissimo viro D. Guliel- "Sir, JOANNES CHECUS. To this tenor in English. "I doubt not but in imitation of Christ you bear with a "most equal mind this loss of your health. For to them, "who by faith understand that he disposeth all things, "nothing can seem evil which proceeds from him. And they who think God to be very wise and good, know "that he governs all by counsel, and that he sends all "things to good men for their salvation. And howsoever "sicknesses, or other afflictions, do disturb those that are 66 godly, they are not so thrust upon them by some chance, "but sent to them from above by their heavenly Father. "For the Prophet spake very wisely, [or rather God by "the Prophet,] There is no evil in the city, and I have "not done it. And in another place it is written, that the "Lord killeth and restoreth to life, that he bringeth down "to the grave, and bringeth back again. So that it can II. "not be denied, that God maketh use of these troubles SECT. "and miseries of life to his glory, and according to his "pleasure prescribes men these medicines, as one may Anno 1545. "call them, for their health and preservation. For when 66 we are judged of the Lord, we are chastised, that we 66 may not be condemned with the world. But if these "divers sorts of diseases, troubles, and crosses, drive "away eternal punishments, make a way to salvation, "free from condemnation, stir up the exercises of piety, "and if the afflicted depend upon the faith of our Lord "Jesus Christ, and have submitted themselves wholly to "his mercy, we should with a cheerful and most willing "mind suffer and undergo them. For we are not so much to regard what things we feel by our senses, as to re66 joice when we well weigh the cause why they are sent by God. It is a faithful saying, saith Paul, if we suffer "with him, we shall reign with him. A godly man there"fore should lay aside, or rather cast off this apprehension "of pain. Because a very little share of grief hath a very "great recompense of glory and joy annexed to it. 66 66 "But you, Sir, of yourself understand better and more 66 plainly all these things, who rest firmly on the faith of "Jesus Christ by the grace of God; who reckon the "death of Christ, the remission of sins, and reconciliation "to be yours; who believe Christ to be the Redeemer of "all men, but to be the Redeemer especially of those that "believe; so that you may freely cry out with Thomas 66 Didymus, My God, and my Lord. Wherefore I will not "detain you longer in this doleful sickness, which you, I hope, bear with a very calm and composed spirit. This one thing I daily beg of God the Father of our Lord "Jesus Christ, that him whom I had here on earth in the "stead of a father, he would restore to health, and for "the glory of his name at length deliver from this sickness. And I wish surely, that as I am present with you "in mind and will, so I might be in body; whereby I "might partake of the comfort of seeing you, being other"wise hindered as well by your will, as mine own busi 66 66 |