66. venom her highness doth abhor. Some have embrued CHAP. "themselves in blood: wherewith her majesty did never XVI. 66 yet stain the tip of her finger. When they tumble in Anno 1579. 66 wars, she sitteth in peace. When they break oaths and "covenants, she keepeth promise. Therefore God hath "blessed the work of her hands. She found this realm in "war; she hath established it in peace. She found it in "debt; which she hath discharged. She hath changed dross "into silver and gold. She hath, by living within compass, "and sparing wasteful expenses, without pressing the peo"ple, or seeking more than ordinary and useful tribute, fur"nished this land with so great a navy, with store of armour "and warlike munition, both for defence and offence, as England never had in former times. This I speak, not of flattery, (it was never my fault,) but rather in sincerity, "testifying the truth. That seeing your happiness, you "may be thankful." 66 66 no advow mitted any This archbishop shewed his conscientious discharge of his This archbiepiscopal office, and how immoveable he was in his resolution shop gave for the well governing of his church, by this one instance that son, nor adhappened this year, while he was in such a dependance upon resignation. the said lord treasurer, his friend. That lord had moved him to grant the promise of the next advowson of a prebend in Southwel upon his chaplain, Mr. Mountford. Which request he modestly refused to grant, that he might keep a good purpose that he had made, in order to the preferring none but worthy men; and that none might obtain preferment under him by any sinister ways and means.. Which purpose 578 was, never to grant an advowson before it actually fell void; nor ever to take a resignation. According to which resolution, when that lord had sent to him (as abovesaid) for the favour of such a grant, he returned him this honest answer; "That he might command him in what he could. But the "truth was, he had never in his life given any advowson of "any prebend. That he had given his word to the con"trary which he might not, he said, recede from. Neither "had he at any time admitted of resignation: for that they proceeded of unlawful pactions." Again, he added in fur ઈ II. BOOK ther excuse to his lordship, "That he had many learned chap"lains, which wholly depended upon him: and as yet it had Anno 1579.❝ not been his hap to reward them with any living. And 579 "that when an ecclesiastical living fell in his gift, he should "be thought unthankful, if he should not prefer them be"fore others. Neither did they serve him, but in hope of "some requital." And then applying further to that lord, "I know," said he, " that in honour and wisdom your lord"ship will consider thereof." But that it might not fare the worse with his lordship's chaplain, whom he had minded to gratify, the archbishop subjoined, that he learned, that Dr. Chaderton should be made bishop of Chester, who had a prebend in the church of York. And that upon his preferment it was in her majesty's donation: which, if it were not granted, his lordship might for a word obtain it. CHAP. XVII. Cox, bishop of Ely, defends the see against a lease for Hatton-Garden. The lord North's actions against him. Labours to resign his bishopric. His letters thereupon ; and requests. The bishop of Norwich declines a remove to Ely. His honest letter on that occasion. By the lord treasurer's intercession, the queen grants the bishop of Ely leave to resign. Sectaries of the family of love in Norwich diocese. The bishop of Norwich prevents a change of some lands belonging to his church. The bishop of Peterborough endeavours to ease a heavy tax laid upon the poorer sort there, for draining a common. The bishop of London takes a seditious printer, named CarChatham hospital in danger by pretence of concealThe bishop of Rochester stirs in its behalf. His notes upon the book called, The Gospel of the Kingdom. The bishop of Lincoln's letter upon the queen's thoughts of removing him to Norwich. The vicar of Cuckfield, vicious: the bishop of Chichester required to deprive him. Cox, the learned, well-deserving, and now very ancient ter. ment. bishop of Ely, was fellow-bishop and fellow-confessor with CHAP. the former: and his life mixed with continual troubles and XVII. cares, as the other's was, as hath been shewn in the former Anno 1579. chapter. suit about Garden. This bishop was now in chancery, for the preserving the The bishop revenues of his see, about the lease made by Goodrick, his of Ely's lawpredecessor, of Hatton-Garden. It was a long and charge- Hattonable suit, (as himself expressed it to the lord treasurer,) that the see of Ely should not be spoiled by bishop Goodrick's lease. By which lease, as bishop Cox added, he meant nothing less than the spoil of the bishopric. Her majesty being moved diversely by the lord treasurer, by Mr. Hatton, and by him, the present bishop, had sent to the late lord keeper, that the matter should be heard only in her honourable court of chancery. And thus far he [the lord keeper] had proceeded; viz. he heard the complaint; he sent forth commissioners. The witnesses had been examined and certified: publication was orderly made; and the day of hearing was appointed that term. And hereupon, it was his request to the lord treasurer, (and the rather because her majesty was a party therein,) that if need required, he would vouchsafe to move the lord keeper in the matter: that (whereof he doubted not) equity and justice might prevail. And so, like a father of the church, he concluded with his prayer; "That the Lord Jesus would send him long life, "that he might be able to prevail especially on God's cause, 580 "and in faithful travel towards her majesty, and fruitful 66 dealing towards the whole realm." This was dated from his house at Doddington, April the 26th, 1579. A pretty while after, in the month of October, the busi- A decree for bishop ness of Goodrick's lease wanted nothing but the lord chan- Goodrick's cellor's decree to be finished. The good bishop moves his lease. said friend, the lord Burghley, to put the chancellor in mind to do it. Which now hung only upon a decree to be made by him: who, he knew, was well bent, he said, to the justice of the cause. Still this grave bishop of Ely was vexed with the old con- Lord test of the lord North with him; which he called, "the North's action against for felling wood. BOOK" cruel and malicious dealing of Lawrence Johnson and the 11. "lord North." Which last had entered two or three actions Anno 1579. against him for felling of wood; and charged him with the bishop 18007. which if it should take place, said the bishop, would make me not worth 18d. This he also opened in a letter to his friend, the abovesaid lord: and that Mr. Gouldwel had the doing of the matter, and could inform his lordship at large. That that lord was upon him last summer, and prevailed nothing; and that the lord chief justice understood the cause at full. And yet the lord North, as the bishop' added, pretended great friendship. But what his dealing was, by reason of some of the honourable council's letters, he [the] bishop] had rather the bearer should open the whole matter unto his lordship, than himself; because there had been, as he said, some mystical devices therein. Which bearer he desired his lordship to hear, and to give credit to, and his best advice therein. Desires leave of the queen to re In the midst of these his troubles, too heavy for his years, and all underwent for the preserving of the revenues of his sign his bi- bishopric, he earnestly begged of the queen her liberty to be shopric. granted to him to resign; and hoped her majesty would also give him a reasonable time to depart, and a fit pension for his life, and Doddington house, the worst of five belonging to his see. A pursuivant comes to This request he made in the latter part of the year: but had many months before signified his inclination to resign. the bishop When on a sudden he was surprised with the news of a to come up pursuivant sent down to the bishop of Norwich, requiring of Norwich to court. him to come up to court, in order to be made bishop of Ely. The whole matters, and what the bishop's thoughts and desires were upon this occasion, take from himself, in his own words, imparted in his letter to the lord treasurer. The bishop 66 upon. Right honourable, such news as I suddenly heard of "late, I must needs impart unto you: That a pursuivant "came by my lord North's, and told him, that he was going "to the bishop of Norwich, to require him to repair to the "court; for that he was appointed to be bishop of Ely. "Sir, no man is better acquainted with this matter than 66 XVII. And not Anno 1579. your lordship. I was and yet am very desirous to be de- CHAP. "livered from my charge; for that my age and weakness "and imbecility of senses move me thereunto. "otherwise than it shall stand with her majesty's pleasure "and discretion. I doubt not but her majesty will have very good consideration of me; to appoint such a time as "shall seem most meet to her gracious wisdom. And then "that I may resign with such a pension out of the bishop❝ric, as her honourable judgment shall think convenient for 581 "the little time that I have to live. And that her majesty "will cause that I may enjoy the least house that the bishop "hath here in these parts, of five houses: which is Doding"ton house; which I have preserved from great ruin. And thirdly, for that bishop Thirlby, being bishop six years, "never came into his diocese; whom, notwithstanding, I "could not move to grant me one penny of dilapidations; "though the suit thereof, and the implements of the see, "cost me much money in suit: which was a thousand "marks: but all in vain. And I constrained to repair all "decays of all his houses, after I came to them. I am there"fore to become humble suitor to her majesty, that whereas my successor shall find his houses in good repair, and I " content notwithstanding to yield unto him 1007. or the "value thereof, she would vouchsafe to move my successor "in this reasonable request. Hæc tibi, quasi anchoræ fir"missima." This was dated from Dodington, the 29th of April, 1579. 66 of Norwich But this came to nothing, the uprightness of Freak, the The bishop bishop of Norwich, not suffering him to comply with terms refuses the that he suspected (not without ground) would be put upon bishopric of Ely: and him, in giving his consent for the withdrawing certain of the why. benefits and revenues of that rich bishopric from it. For thus, in a month or two after, he intimated his mind and resolution to the lord treasurer. "That whereas he heard "there was speech in court of his being translated to Ely, "if the present bishop did resign, he doubted, that there "would be a curtailing that good bishopric. And that "therefore he writ to his lordship, that if he were removed |