II.

"was Northumberland, and those that were actually in SECT. 66 arms: and that his trust was not yet gone, except it. "were for his earnestness in religion. For which," said Anno 1554. the good Archbishop, " if he suffer, blessed is he of God, "that suffereth for his sake, however the world judge of "him" adding, out of his dear respect for him, and his usefulness to be continued in the world, "Alas! if any "means could be made for him and my Lord Russel, it 66 were not to be omitted, nor in any wise to be neg"lected."

to go

Sir John, (together with some others,) the next year, Pardoned. being almost spoiled of all his substance, obtained the fa- Is licensed vour of the Queen's pardon. But being not able to satisfy abroad. his conscience in the religion that was setting up, and foreseeing the evil times that were drawing on, obtained a licence from the Queen for some time to travel into foreign parts; but intending a voluntary exile, with many other noble and reverend personages, who fled their own country upon this change, and sojourned in divers places in Germany and Switzerland, or elsewhere, where they might enjoy their religion with safety. Such were Sir Anthony Cooke, Sir Thomas Wroth, Mr. Knolles, Mr. Hales, the Duchess of Suffolk and her husband Mr. Bertue, Mr. Rogers, and many of the best and eminentest sort of divines, as Barlow, Scory, Bale, and Ponet, Bishops; Cox, Grindal, Horne, Parkhurst, Jewel, Sandys, Pilkington, Nowell, Whittingham, Fox, Lever, and many more. And some took this opportunity to travel into Italy, and to see the countries and of these were Sir Anthony Cooke, and our Sir John Cheke, who passed into Italy through Basil; Comes to where staying some time, (for there were divers English Protestants here,) he came acquainted with Cælius Secundus Curio, a learned man, father-in-law to Hieronymus Zanchius. With this man he happened in their learned conferences to discourse of the pronunciation of the Greek tongue, and communicated to him at length the letters of that argument that passed between himself and the Bishop of Winchester. But because Cælius could not read

Basil.

CHAP. them over suddenly, Cheke, at his request, left them with V. him, till he should call for them again, and so pursued his Anno 1554. journey into Italy.

Reads Greek at Padua.

And being come to Padua, where was a famed University, he met with Dr. Thomas Wylson, sometime Fellow of King's college in Cambridge, (afterwards Secretary of State to Queen Elizabeth,) and other English youth also, students there. To whom Cheke in an obliging way addressed, and exhorted them to follow their books, and directed them in their studies; and for the time he stayed there, read to Wylson and others certain orations of Demosthenes out of the Greek; the interpretation whereof they had from his mouth. And Wylson made his use of this afterwards, when being in England, and preferred for his learning to be Master of St. Katharine's near the Wylson sets Tower, he looked among his writings for Cheke's translaforth De- tion of those orations; and some he found, though not all, Orations in which he turned out of his Latin into proper English, and English from printed anno 1570, viz. three Orations in favour of the Olynthians, and four against King Philip of Macedon; dedicating the book to Sir William Cecil, Cheke's brotherin-law and most dear friend; taking occasion there to speak largely of the great skill and learning of the said Sir John Cheke.

mosthenes'

Cheke's
Latin.

Settles at

When he returned from Italy, he cared not to go into Strasburg. England, observing how rigorously things went there, and what a dark and dismal cloud hung over his own country, but chose rather to settle himself at Strasburg, where the English service was kept up, and a great many of his learned and pious friends resided. This was taken hold of at home, and his back-friends aggravated matters against him; of whom his old antagonist Bishop Gardiner, now Lord Chancellor, may be reckoned none of the least. He had been chief instructor of King Edward, in his principles of religion, to which he stuck so fast: he was one of the great stays of evangelical doctrine, and had complete learning to maintain it against the gainsayers: and therefore, whatsoever his innocence and merits otherwise were,

II.

it was concluded by these Popish politicians, that he was SECT. to be dealt severely withal. And this advantage in not coming home at the expiration of his travel was to be Anno 1554. taken against him.

seized.

So first Cheke's demeans, lands, and estate were con- His estate fiscated to the Queen's use, whatsoever was left him. Nor would this suffice, till by an inhuman piece of craft, and insidious way-laying, they got his person too, as we shall hear in the process of our story.

SECT. III.

Some letters of his printed. Writes to Cecil. His condition become mean. Reads a Greek lecture at Strasburg. Taken prisoner, and brought to England.

the Greek

Basil.

IT was shewed before how our learned exile had left his Anno 1555. His letters papers concerning the true pronouncing of Greek, at Basil, about proin Curio's hands; who, after he had them a year or better, nouncing and by perusing them understood the excellent learning printed at and use of them, put them into the press without the author's knowledge, setting only his own dedication before the book to Sir Anthony Cooke; wherein he prayed him, that in case Sir John Cheke should take amiss what he had done, that Sir Anthony would appease him; considering that he thought he might take the boldness to do that, which would neither be injurious to Cheke's name, and would serve so much to the profit of others. The book was printed at Basil in octavo, bearing this title, Joannis Cheki Angli de Pronuntiatione Græcæ potissimum Lingua, Disputationes cum Stephano Wintoniensi Episcopo, septem contrariis Epistolis comprehensa, magna quadam et elegantia et eruditione refertæ. In these elegant, copious, and learned epistles, both the Bishop and Cheke shewed so great learning, parts, and reading, that they seemed not epistles, but rather the antagonistical orations of the best orators, as the publisher wrote. And it was a token of the constancy and presence of Cheke's mind, in a good cause, and a cause of truth, that he was not afraid of

H

CHAP. the power of so great a man as he contended with, and so V. much then above him: nor would forsake the cause he Anno 1555. had undertaken, but stedfastly persisted in it; having this in his thought, that nothing is stronger than truth.

Cheke at

In this year 1555 he was at Strasburg, among the rest Strasburg. of the godly exiles there, where he enjoyed indeed his liberty and his religion; but his lands and livings were seized, and the stock he brought out of England in effect spent; so that now was the time come for him to exercise his philosophy and religion, to uphold him under such a change of fortune: but this mean condition he willingly chose, rather than to swim in his former plenty and grandeur; which undoubtedly had been restored him, if he would have returned into England, and renounced his former good principles. In this juncture he wrote a letter to Sir William Cecil, advising him most piously to stedfastness in religion, knowing how sharp the persecution now grew, and what severity was commonly exercised to all that would not go to mass, and believe transubstantiation. But Cecil had the favour and connivance of Cardinal Pole, *and other great friends, that he made a shift to rub out the reign, and was reserved for better times.

Writes to
Cecil.

Cheke sick.

Cecil's be

year,

And in this year of his exile he fell into an ill state of body, and was oppressed with a fit of sickness: for which cause he excused his omission of writing to his friends in England. He and the rest of the good men abroad, in their pilgrimage for the sake of religion, had often made their inquiries after the state of affairs in their own counPleased with try, and particularly concerning religion. In a Parliament the news of this Sir William Cecil, however Popery now carried haviour in all before it, had the courage to speak boldly in the Parliament House against some abuses and intrusions of the Pope upon the ancient liberties of this imperial crown and kingdom; whereby the said Cecil did not a little endanger his own peace and safety. The fame of which speech, as it made a great noise in the realm, so coming abroad as far as Cheke, created in him a satisfaction: and when he first heard that Cecil was a member of that Parliament, he

Parliament.

III.

was glad, expecting some service to be done by him there; SECT. supposing, as he told his friends, that such fruits of honesty were left in him, as would and should serve for the Anno 1555. good of the commonwealth. And his expectation, as he said, was not deceived in him, being glad to hear tell of his well-doing, to his praise, and others' profit.

counsel to

Cecil.

He had a great eye upon this man, remaining still in Cheke's England, whom he seemed to foresee like to prove afterward one by whom great things would be brought to pass, being also his brother-in-law, and sometime his pupil; who made a shift, by a wary behaviour and some great friends, (as was shewed before,) to continue these hard times in the realm. Cheke heard now and then of him; and was sorry sometimes on his account, lest he should go too far in straining of his conscience to secure his peace. And therefore in the latter end of this year, he took upon him to be his monitor, and by an excellent letter to him.

to remind him, "a that he had much to do in this brittle His letter

This letter of Cheke's to Cecil, transcribed from the original, exactly word for word, (according to his way of reforming the spelling of English,) was as followeth :

If I received a letter from you, & maad noo answear to the saam, ye think peradventure I wold much lesse hav written unto you unprovoaked, I wold heerin excus miself, if my staat of helth weer or hav been unknown unto mi frende; but bicaus it is known unto them, as I diverslie do perceive, I presum it not unknown unto you, and therfoar think mi lettres do not maak mi excus, but confirm them maad.

I was verie glad to heer of your being in the parl. h. supposing to be left in you such fruits of honestee as wold and shold serv for the C. W. [commonwealth.] Mi looking was not utterlie deceived in you, and was and am as glad to heer tell of your wel doing, to your prais and others profit; as I am sorie many tyms, when I heer the contrarie.

You hav much adoe in this britil staat of lyf, as everie good examiner of his lyf hath, to content God quietlie, & to satisfie an unhardened conscience, wherin bicause you be wys inough your self, & habil to giv others counsil in such a cas, I need not sai much unto you. On thing I wold wish whatsoever multitud of men, the dazed zel of the ignorant, the commun allowans in order doth approv, deceiv not your self in judgment: whatsoever ye know to be evil indeed, so judg it, & taak it alwais, and let nother your own doings whatsoever, nor commun usadg, nor favour of anie freendship carrie you away to deceiv your self in error, that yee may avoid the extreem curs of the Prophet that crieth again them that cal gud bad, & bad gud. For thoos who of frailtie do

to him.