SOME PARTICULARS OF SIR JOHN CHEKE.

A few additional particulars respecting sir John Cheke may be added to those contained in the foregoing account of his royal pupil, as he was an important character among the British reformers. He was born in Cambridge, in 1514, where he afterwards studied, and became very eminent for his knowledge in the learned languages, particularly the Greek tongue, which till then had been almost wholly neglected. He was appointed tutor to prince Edward in 1544. During the reign of his royal pupil, he ever exerted his influence in promoting true religion and learning, and was often called to discharge duties of importance.

On the accession of queen Mary, Cheke was imprisoned for the part he had taken relative to lady Jane Grey, but was par doned and liberated in September, 1554. Foreseeing the rapid approach of romish persecution he procured leave to travel, but remaining at Strasburg, and associating with the protestant exiles, his whole property was confiscated.

Early in 1556, he went to Brussels to see his wife, being encouraged to venture thither by a treacherous invitation from two of queen Mary's counsellors. With the credulity then common, even in some of the most distinguished characters of the age, he had recourse to astrological calculations, and being encouraged thereby, proceeded on his journey. It is unnecessary to make any observations upon the delusions of that art, the fate of Cheke is a sufficient commentary thereon. By order of king Philip he was waylaid, seized, and conveyed to the nearest port, where he was put on board a ship and brought to the Tower of London. It soon appeared that religion was the cause of this treatment. Feckenham and others were sent to reason with him, and he was unable to withstand the usual argument of "turn or burn.” After some conferences with cardinal Pole, he submitted to return to the church of Rome. The triumph of the papists was great, while they took every occasion to mortify their new convert. They obliged Cheke to be continually with their leading ⚫ men, and even to be present at the examinations and condemnations of several protestants. But Cheke, although he thus manifested his frailty like many others, was not like them hardened in his shame. Remorse and vexation of spirit preyed upon him; he pined away, and died in September, 1557.

Strype has minutely recorded the particulars of Cheke's life and writings. We may add an extract from one of his letters to his royal pupil, printed by Harrington; it was written during his sickness, already mentioned, when his recovery was despaired of. He thus urges attention to the most important concerns: "Because I am departing, my sovereign lord, unto the King of all kings, Almighty God, and must by his appointment leave you, whom of long time I have done my best to bring up in

virtue and good learning; and you are now coming to a government of yourself, in which state I pray God you may always be served with them that will faithfully, truly, and plainly give you counsel, I have thought it my duty, for a memory of my last will, and for a token of my well-wishing unto you, which now remains with me as it has heretofore done-to require you, yea, and in God's behalf to charge you, that, forasmuch as years both have and will diminish in you the fear of man, to have yet before your eyes continually the fear of God. By the which if you do not direct, order, and temper all your doings and sayings, be you well assured neither to have good success in the great charge that He hath committed to you, neither in the end to enjoy that joyful place which is promised to them that fear him. For if God do extremely punish men of low estate, and of low degree, for wanting of that necessary jewel, which in scripture hath so many promises, how severely will he punish kings and princes failing therein, in whom the lack thereof must needs be perilous both to themselves and to the commonwealth." After other cautions and serious admonitions, Cheke urges, "For your divinity, I would wish you would diligently continue the reading of the New Testament, with Sapientia, Ecclesiasticus, and the Proverbs."

To the above we may subjoin an extract of a letter written by Cheke in 1549 relating to a charge in private life, his ward, mistress Penelope Pye, daughter of sir William Pye.

"You are to have in mind whose you are: first, the child of God; secondly, the daughter of sir William Pye; thirdly, the charge of your father's friends. Each of these respects hath sundry considerations, both of comforts and helps that they minister, of duties that they lay upon you, and of means and orders how to use them.

"In that you pertain to God, these are your comforts-that he is able to defend and uphold you; that his purpose of preserving you is constant and from eternity; that his foresight for you cannot be deceived; that his care for you never ceaseth; that his promises are infallible; and that whatsoever happeneth is by his ordinance; and whatsoever happeneth by his ordinance, howsoever it seemeth to sense, it is indeed good for you that are his; that he shall continually guide you, he shall prosperously bless you, he shall eternally save you.

"Your duties to him are, that you depend wholly upon him; that you have full faith and affiance in him; that you reverently love him; that you lovingly fear him; that you honour him, and frame yourself as he himself has appointed; that you make his commandments the rule of your life, and charity the mark that you are his. The means of attaining and using these, stand in hearing the word of God, in prayer, and in conversation.

"In hearing the word of God, whether it be by the voice of others pronouncing, or by yourself reading, you are ever to think that God speaketh to you. In prayer, either public or private, you are to remember that you speak to God. In conversation,

either open or secret, in close place or in hidden thought, you are not to forget that you walk in the eye and sight of God. In hearing God speak to you in his word, know that He speaketh that made you, that seeth you, that shall judge you, that hath power to damn and save you; whose word is, to the believing and obedient, the savour of life unto life; but to the unbelieving and disobedient, it is the savour of death unto death; therefore hear it humbly with reverence. Know, that he speaketh to you that loved you, that chose you, that adopted you, that redeemed you, that preserveth you daily, and will save you for ever; therefore hear it with love and joyfulness. Know, that he speaketh to you that is perfectly wise, infallibly true, and unchangeably constant; therefore hear it with heedfulness, belief, and assurance. Know, that he speaketh that will have account how you heard him; therefore hear it with care, that you may receive it to fruit. This that you well do, do it often and with diligence.

"In prayer, when you speak to God, know that you have attained the honour to be admitted to the presence and speech of the unspeakable Majesty, infinitely passing the highest princes; therefore pray with humbleness. Know, that you speak to your Father that loveth you, to him that calleth you, to him that hath promised to hear you, to him that joyeth in hearing you; therefore pray with love and confidence. Know, that you speak to him that understandeth the bottom of your heart, and regardeth none but hearty prayer; pray, therefore, with a clean heart, which he seeth; with a true, unfeigned heart, which he understandeth; with a loving heart, which he embraceth; with a bold, assured heart, which he encourageth; and with a whole heart, which he challengeth.

"In your conversation, know that it extendeth to God, to yourself, and to others: to God, in the rules of religion; to yourself, in the precepts of virtue; to others, in the duties of obedience, kindness, truth, and charity.

"Of religion, you are to keep those rules that God in his own word hath delivered, knowing that none other can please God; and therein remember a wise and godly meaning of your late natural father, who heartily wished that, without spending time in variance of questions, the people might be diligently instructed in two things, the one, of sufficiency of salvation by Christ alone; the other, the sufficiency of doctrine in the only word of God."

He tells her, "For the hiding of sins, there is no covering but God's mercy; and the mercy of God, as it is gotten with humble repentance and true faith, so it is lost by desperation, and driven away by presumption." Cheke then proceeds to urge those duties which were peculiarly incumbent upon her, cautioning her against the papists, and adding, "In all your doings, therefore, and in all advices, either given you by others or conceived by yourself, cast this in mind, to think what your father would have liked had he lived."

KING EDWARD THE SIXTH.

His own arguments against the Pope's Supremacy.

WHEREIN SEVERAL POPISH DOCTRINES AND PRACTICES CONTRARY TO GOD'S WORD ARE ANIMADVERTED ON, AND THE MARKS

OF ANTICHRIST ARE APPLIED TO THE

POPE OF ROME.

Translated out of the original, written with the king's own hand in French, and still preserved.

Edward the Sixth, by the Grace of God, King of England, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, and on Earth, after God, Head of the Church of England, and of Ireland.

To his most dear and well-beloved Uncle, Edward, Duke of Somerset, Governor of his Person, and Protector of his Kingdoms, Countries, and Subjects.

Ι

AFTER having considered, my dear and well-beloved uncle, how much they displease God, who waste all their time on the follies and vanities of this world, spending it in trifling sports and diversions, from whence comes no profit or benefit to themselves, or mankind; I have determined to employ myself about the doing something, which will be, as I hope, profitable to myself, and acceptable unto you. Having then considered, that we see many papists not only curse us, but call and name us heretics, because we have forsaken their artichrist, and its traditions, and followed the light which God hath been pleased to afford us; we are inclined to write something to defend us against their contumelies, and lay them, as it is just, upon their own backs. For they call us heretics, but alas! they are so themselves, whilst they.forsake the pure voice of the gospel, and follow their own imaginations; as is most evident from Boniface

EDWARD VI.

4

25

the third, who thought, when he was made the universal bishop, that the falling away, which St. Paul speaks of in his second epistle to the Thessalonians, and second chapter, had happened in himself. For St. Paul saith, We beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who exalteth himself above all that is called God, so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, &c.

Notwithstanding, he followed his own proud imaginations and fancies, and did not forsake his errors, which he knew to be very wicked.

Considering then by your life and actions, that you have a great affection to the Divine word, and the sincere religion, I dedicate this present work to you, praying you to take it in good part. God give you his perpetual grace, and show his benignity upon you for ever.

From our Palace at Westminster, in London, this last day of August, 1549.*

* From the date set down by himself, it appears that the following treatise was written by king Edward when only twelve years of age. He began it December 13th, 1548, and finished it March 14th following.