NOwe sithens we haue declared many thinges which we thought specially worthye of rehersall concerning th estate off corpus Christi coll. and the actes of certaine masters therof ▪ it remaineth that we drawe out the narration a litle longer for the fore said Mathew Parker his sake of whom we haue hitherto spoken those things which he onely did for the amplyfying and commoditie off the said colledge off the which he was mayster . But his praise was not shut vppe onely wythin those walls / but he being called from thence to other functions in the common wealthe / at the last did beare the highest office of the Ecclesiasticall ministerie . for he was the archbischoppe of Canterburye Therfore in his hystorie ( because his fame was more renowmed then any of the maysters of whom we haue made mention ) we will staye a litle longer / and repeate the course of his life euen from his cradell . He was borne in that famous citie of theaft Angles which ys called Norwitche in the yeere of the incarnation of our lorde a thowsand fyue hundreth foure / the sixt daye of the moneth of August / of honest parents citezens / his father called william / and his mother Alice / who caused his childhode to be instructed in th elements of grammer ( as the coustome was then in the citye to frame the witts of children ) within their owne house till he was xviij . yeeres olde . At wihich tyme being Past his Childhode / his mother riddeth him of her house / his father being dead / and sent him to Cambridge / to th entent that the foundation of learning beinge already laid by the knowledge of grammer / he might finishe the rest of the building in lerning the arts . Therfore in corpus Christi coll. he was sustained at the first / wholly by his mothers charges / of the which after a fewe monethes she being eased / he was chosen into the number of those scollers which are called bibleclarkes of the especiall duetye which they execute . He traueiled in logicke and Philosoph●e first in S· Maries hostell / the title and gouernment wheroff partained then to corpus Christi coll. vntill it ceased to be an house of learning for schollers . In these kindes of studye when he had spent three yeres and a litle more / before the fourth was fully complete / he was made bachelor of arte / and three yeeres after that mayster off Arte and fellowe besides off corpus coll. being first entred in all the rites of * * Poope holye . holye orders . But nowe he being very well and perfectly instructed in the libera●l sciences / As the course of his liffe hathe declared . for he gott therby a benefice or two . he applied all his mynde to the studye of diuinitie / and to the readinge of the volūes of th' ecclesiasticall fathers / and that so earnestlye / that in shorte space of tyme he bestowed his labor not vnprofitablye in this behalfe . for after the space of foure or fiue yeeres he issuing from his secret and solitarie studie into open practise in the common welthe preached euerie * * He that Preacheth euery where preach● ▪ no where . where vnto the people with greate commendation / and that in the most famons cities and places of this realme , by the auctoritie of king Henry the viij . by whose lettres patentes this was graunted vnto him togither with the licence of the. Archb. of Canterbury . In executing of this function of preaching he gained this commoditie / that the fame of him came vnto the eares of king Henry . whervppon he being called into the kings courte / was ther / first made chapleyne to Queene Anne while she liued / afterward to king Henry the viij . and last off all to Edward the vj. when he Ruled the common wealth . All which princes bestowed on him very large / and plentifull Rewards for his diligence . for by fauor off Queene Anne / he was made * * Charges liuinges enoughe for one man . But he shewed betymes , what game he loued . Paule sayethe they seke there owne not the thinges which belonge to Christe Iesus . Philip. ● . 21 . deane off Stoke / neere vnto Clare in suffolke . by the liberalitie off king Henrye / ther was geuen vnto him a Prebend off the new erection in the churche off Elye / when he was now Bachelor off diuinitie : after when he had clymed to the degree off doctorshippe / by the kings letters off commendation he was made master off corpus Christi colledge where he had spent his youth in lerning . Edward the sixt not interior to his father in bountifull and liberall nature / in rewarding with free giftes the seruice off suche as partained vnto him gaue him also his desert in the seconde yeere off his raigne / the * * A good conscience . deanerye off Lincolne and the prebend off coringham in the same churche . He had besides by the gifte off the coll. where he was mayster / * * what is to glory in their shame which . Paule speakethe off if this he not . a benefice in the diocesse off Elye / called Landbeache neere vnto Cambrydge : further at this tyme he retayned and safelye held the deanrye off Stoke / against all the importunate suit and complaints off diuers that labored for it / vntill the first yeere off Edward the sixt / when by a statute made at that tyme / he was constrained to leaue that preferment / receyuing notwithstanding in recompence / a yeerely summe off 40. pounds out off the kings common treasorie . But the case was so / that at his first comming thither he was the author off building a scoole within the coll. off Stoke / and off the apointing a yeerly stipend vnto the scoolemaster / to the ende that the youthe mought be ther instructed in grammer and in the whole studye off humanitie : whervpon by and by ther repaired thither on heapes / the sonnes aswell off noble / as meane men / so that it grieued him aboue all thinges / * * Worldly 〈…〉 & c ? either him selfe to forsake that goodlye compaigny off youthes / or that it shuld be seuered and dispersed againe / althoughe that by his trauaile he had prouided before / that the scoole shold haue some assurance although weake and vnstedfast . But concerning the promotions wherwih the bounty ( as I haue said ▪ off H●nrye the father / and Edward the sonne / had largely enriched him he reaped off them very * * To 〈…〉 vnto hym to be prof●table vnto others pleasant fruite / vntill the hard and troublesome tymes off Queene Mari● . In the seconde yeere off whose raigne he was dispossessed off all his goodes / not enioying any eyther commoditie or yeerely stipend . The which extreame calamitie was common vnto him with almost all the Bishoppes off England and other ministers off the churche for many causes and pointes of Religion / and especially for that one : that they had maried wiues / the which was lawfull to the ministers off the church by the statutes off king Edward the sixt ? established in two seuerall parliamentes / and by the eternall word off God aboue which for any mortall man to presume / it is bothe extreame madnes into●erable pride ● permitteed / and specially for auoyding off whoredome commanded by S· Paule . for this cause therfore he being depriued off all thinges which he had attained to by the bountye off his lordes / he lurked secreatlye for those yeeres wherin Queene Marie raigned / within the house off one off his frendes leading a poore life whithout any mans aide or succour / and yet so well contented with his lotte / that in that pleasant rest and laisure off his studye / he wold neuer in respect off him selfe haue desired any other kinde off life the extreame feare off danger onelye excepted / wherin he liued with all good men / and tha● not without som cause ▪ for from the beginning off the raigne off Queene mary vntill the end ther off very many Good men were burned / not for murther ● theft / whoredome / or any other cryme / But onely for ther manifest constancie in the Religion off Christe and ther open professing off the name off Christ against the Pope and all his confederates . Whose deathe very gloriouslye to ther praise wil be remembred togither with the crueltye off that tyme off all posteritie for euer . But that saynig off the Prophet is full off confort / that God chideth not allwaies nether kepeth his wrath for euer / and that off the Philosophers also is true that nothing violent is perpetuall . For at this tyme queene mary died when she had reigned allmost sixe yeeres / at which tyme God shewed his iustice to all that were afflicted / and his iudgementes to those which had suffred wronge / for Elizabeth the sister off Marie / a ladie off singulare wisdome and mildnes / expelled out off her realme the bondage off Rome / restored the pure doctrine off the gospell / licensing the people to reade the scriptures / and calleth them all home into ther countrye / which had willinglye banished themselues before . At wich tyme she preferre● him * * Yow shot at a Good mar●●e . for whose praise this historie is compiled to the dignitie off th archbishoprick off Canterbury wh●● / he a litell before had crept out off his lurking hole into the open sight off the world with his wife whom he wold not dismisse all the tyme off Queene Marye / a woman very chast and well manered and that did greatly reuerence hir husband off whom he begatt three children wheroff those two which are onely aliue his care is to haue them instructed in all liberall lerning / partlye in th uniuersitye / and sometymes at home in his house . * * The beare that cometh vnwillingly to the stake is willingly caryed from it . But how vnwillinglye ●e tooke vppon him this whither yow call yt burthen or dignitie off the Archbishoprick / refusing yt often times when yt was profered / ther conscience can witnes which haue not least to doo in the gouernment off the common wealth and suche as are in especiall fauor with the Queenes highnes . But when he had once taken vpon him this chiefe cure and charge off the Christian flocke / how wisely he behaued him therin for thos yeeres that are past / with generall allowance / consent / and fauour off all Good men / how discretly also in so great diuersitie and dissention off iudgementes / how vprighly and sincerely in other mens matters and controuersies / with how great gentilnes and patience in other mens wrath and displeasure / with what forbearing and sufferaunce towardes the euill that he might winne them / with what godlines in reconciling the stomakes off gentilmen and determining ther controuersies / how lothe he was that contumeliously they should drawe eche other into the law / * * men may easely tell how often wher the nombre is but smale . lastly how often his voice was hard to sound owt off the holy pulpittes / as well off his cathedrall church / as the churches off other meane townes and villages / especially in this his old age / in his weake and crazed state off bodie / in the middest off so great busines / and in thes contagious and pestilent times ▪ all thes thinges I will leaue as matters vntouched / because ther are verie many which without me by the vew off his manners / and tried trade off his life / are able to report thes and many thinges moo : * * What greater aduersarie then a mans owne conscience . But yt ys impossible that I an howshold witnes / occupyinge my selfe in the setting forth off so great praises / should obteine credit what soeuer I am : notwithstanding that I speake the truth in differently / and wold not applie my selfe to gaine the fauour off men by flattery . Therfore I will passe to the declaration off thos thinges / wherin I may easely auoid the infamous blemishe off flatterie / for that ther are many which can witnes with me / that he deserued no smale commendation because that after he had visited his diocese through owt by him selfe / and not by any substitute / and which was more of his owne charges / for that he * * Antony thought he had greatly pleasured Tully because he killed him not vniustly . freely remitted to all the parishes the sum̄es off ther procurations which they should haue pa●d him for visitinge the diocese : that noble and famous palace off his sea off Canterbury by long continuance off time decaied / rotten / consumed with fire and almost laid euen with the ground in all the buildinges theroff / he reūed / builded ● fully * * Ys it tyme to build your seeled howses and not tyme to build the howse off God . Ag● . restored and beautified yt with this faire and glorious shew wherin yt now florisheth / not feared from this enterprise either by the infinite labour and trauaile / neither dissuaded by the want off necessarie thinges which should haue bene left him off his predecessors / nor by the dearth off the tyme nor by the wages off the laborers which were merueiloussly increased / nor by any other lettes or hinderances / But ●at he fully finished yt in the yeere off the incarnation off our lord 1564. the sixt yeere off the reigne off Queene Elizabeth and in the 6● . yeere off his age / and the fifte off his consecration . In the which yeere he also endeuored to repaire the quires off thos churches which were lately come into his possession / off which sort he had very many in his diocese / partly by the exchaunge off auncient possessions off the Archbishoprick / made betwene kinge Henry the eight and Tho. Archbishopp off Canterbury his predesessor / partly for an other exchange off the possessions off the Archbishoprick by a statute established for the same purpose / in the first yeere off Queene Elizabeth before he obteined the Sea . The charges off which building / besides the yerely reparations off other howses / grew to the summe off a thousand foure ●undreth powndes and somewhat more . The which he did the rather * * Turne mine eyes from 〈…〉 ▪ for that / he had heard that hall off the palaice within his remembrance singular and famous for the largenes theroff / to haue bene honored in the yeere off our saluation 1519. by the presence as well off Charles the fifft emperour / as off Henry the eight king off that name / with his wife Katherine whom the Emperor came then to see being his aunt . This hall thos princes then occupied with all the troupe off ther garde and retinue / so that for all the princes affaires / for triumphes and feastes the vpper part theroff was appointed for the Emperor Charles / and the nether part for Henry the King . But the chefest cause that he coueted to preserue the magnificence off that hall was / for the memory off the coronation off kinges and Queenes very offten times celebrated in that place / and the installinge off Archbishopps his predecessors ( which they commonly call inthronization ) to whose sumptuous feastes ther hath bene very great resort as well off lordes / as gentilmen / with an infinite troup of others to celebrate and honor that feast with ther presence . At which feast in his predecessors times / certeine with much adoo the kinge was excepted from the Archbishops seruice . dukes and earles were high stewardes by custome / receivinge an yeerly pension and a reward ●it for so great personages : as off late the duke off Bukingham in the inthronization off william warham Archbishopp / in the yeere off our lord 1504. The which solemnitie though the foresaid Mathew vsed not at his entraunce to the Archbishoprik ( as also did not Reginald Pole Cardinall his next predecessor / and some other off thos that were before him / partly because they were not able / partly for that the reuenues off the Archbishoprick were muche diminished / yf comparison be made with the former tymes ) yet remembring that his forefathers in buildinge a place so large and stately / had no other respect or consideration but feastinge and hospitalitie / * * A worthy studie for a bishopp might ●e not well haue said o quanta patimur ? he deuiseth by him selfe by what meanes he might best enterteine / with this kind off curtesie in sumptuous feasting a multitude sufficient for that place / both of the communalty / and off the great estates off Kent . For this purpose therfore he taketh the oportunity off time in this sort . In the yeere off Christ 1565. which was the next yeere after the restoringe off the hall / he prepared a feast very magnifically and sumptuoussly / wher vnto when they flocked from euery place in great companies / he placed them al at diuerse tables through out the hall / which was garnished with tapistery and other thinges very comely and beautifull / brought out off flaunders and Holland . and because he wold want no guestes / he prouided that the iudges ( wich by an vsual terme are called in that place Iorneyinge / and then only at Canterbury and no wher els kept ther iudiciall sessions ) sshould repaire thither . At the which time also he badd al them to this feast which were gathered togither out off the whole prouince / for the triall of the law / aswell gentilmen as meane persones . At that tyme ther sate as iudges / mayster Iohn Southcotes / one off thos iudges whose authoritie is to heare mens pleas and controuersies in the common place : and Gilbert Gerard esquier generall attorney off the Queenes highnes / which togither with Tho: Kemp Knight that yeere Sheriffe / and with all ther traine were present at the feast off the Archbishop . which feast howe bountifull it was in daintiekates / how well and orderly all thinges were serued by the Archbishops howshold / how well this his curtesie was accepted / how oftentymes the tables in the hall were freshly furnished with new guestes the same day / I coue●ing to be short will not here declare / but I leaue it to the memorie off thos which then were present out off the whole conntrye . And * * whose God is ther belly . Phil. 3.19 . this curtesie in feasting was not at that time only shewed by that occasion but before also he vsed in the same hall the like solemnitye at other tymes : partly at whitsontide the Archbishopp him selfe both preaching and celebratinge the holy communion / first in the cathedrall church / at which time the prebendaries off the church / and the Maior off the citye with his brethren / and others inferior citizens togither with many gentilmen off that contrie bringing him home / dined in the same hall / the places being so ordered / that the Archbishopp sate in the middest off the high table / on his left hand the maior and all the other men as euery man excelled in dignitie and countenaunce / and so on one side off the hall a continuall rowe of men followed to other tables / sett in order and seuered by a litle space betwene / through out the lenght off the hall . On his right hand sate onely some noble women and the honorable wiues off other men / leading from euery side off his table a course and right line of woomen through owt the length off the hall altogither like and correspondent to that rowe off men wheroff we spake before The which order off placing was obserued in honor of the Queēes highnes / for that vnder hir being gouernor of the realme / the said Mathew obteined his place . And this first furnishing off tables thus ended / ther were others partly off the Arschhishops familie / partly off the country ther about which strait way satte downe in their places which rose / in the same order as before . And this manner off feasting continued by the space of two daies namely monday and tewesdai . Besides this / the daye off the bolye and inseparable Trinitye folowing ( for ●e thougt that that daye ougt especally to be solēnlye cebrated for the famous memorye off king Henrye th eyght who was the laste restorer off the churche and an excellent reformer off euill ceremones and customes ) he spent in the like curtesye off entertayning off guests the accustomed praiers in the cathedrall church being firste finished . At which tyme / one off the chiefe ministers off the church / made a sermon and Mathew th archbishoppe himselfe / was minister off the blessed communion and supper off our Lorde vnto the people / standing in the vpper ende / or corner off the churche . The administration off which comfortable banquett after he had ended he went home accompanied with the whole number and congregation off the cathedrall churche / which sate downe to the festiuall dinner the said hall / and in the same manner as before / with other chiefe menne both off the citye and countrye . Againe the three and twentith day off Iuly folowinge / was the day off assize and publik meetinges off the Iudges / and other off the prouince / ether to vnderstande / mens causes / or to punishe manifeste offenders / as wee haue before declared the said hall was likewise replenished / only excepted / that the guests weare only gentlemen / and off the beste off the woomen being placed at very exquisite fare / within the inner parlors . But amongest thinges whiche happened / vnto him in his life worthi off memorye . I reioyce especially for this his felicitie / that wheras after Augustine the fyrste Archbishoppe / he was the seuentith / yet he was both the firste / and only man / that attayned vnto th archbishoplike dignitie with out any blemishe or spott off olde wiues superstitions and vnprofytable cerimonies off the Romishe Pope . for as euery one off them entred firste herunto by buils / off approbation sent from the Pope : so he was consecrated nether with these / nor any other olde / and idell ceremonies off Aarons ornamentes / nether with gloues / nor sandales / nor sslippers / nor miter / nor pall / but more chastely and religioussly / according to the puritie off the gospelie / fowre bishoppes beinge appointed accordinge to a lawe made in that behalfe whyche placed him in his chaire with so godly promisses protested by him / as it is meete shoulde of a gospellike pastor . And yet this his ( that I may so tearme it ) ioyfull and solempne daye he spent not negligentlye / but with garments conly for a bishoppe with godly praiers / off th ecclesiasticall ministers / and peopell / vnto whome a sermon was made by a learned religious and a professed bishoppe in diuinitie / chiefly to * * He that knoweth the will off his Mayster and doth it not shall bee beaten with many stripes . admonishe the pastor of his dewtie / and faythfullnes toward his flocke / and contrarywise / the flocke off loue / obedience and reuerence whiche they ougthe to yelde to their pastor . The sermon ended when the companie presente / had refreshed themselues / by partakinge the spirituall bāquett : they make an ende with earneste praiers vnto god / that that function whiche was laide on him / by the clergie / migthe chiefly tende to the glory of god / to the saluation of Christian flocke / and the ioyfull testimonie off his owne conscience / by faithfull executinge of his office / when yt shall happen him to departe vnto his lorde / to whome he vowed hym selfe . And the very same solempnitie / and manner of consecration / he vsed toward his bretherne bishoppes vppon whome afterward he laide his hande / of the which this is not to be let sslipped by / that wheare wee reade in histories / that some one off his predecessors hath consecrated vnto god in one yeare 5.3 . or 4. bretherne / or at the moste 6. which them was thougt very strange : to him it chaunsed that in the first yeare off his gouernment / he consecrated 11. he confirmed 2. and the 2. yeares followinge he placed in their seas the whole number of the bishops off Engeland ( saue only the bishoppe of Landoffe ) namelye / Paul reioyced not off those whome he had baptised but the false Aposteles , as for him ●e saye●h yowe are my glory and my ioy to the. Thesalonians whom he won to the Gosp. the first yere he placed bishope in London sea Edmond Gryndall / in Elye Richard Cockes / in worcester Edwine Sandes / in Bangor Rouland Meri●k / in Lincolne Nycolas Bullingham / in Salisburye Iohn Ieuell / in S. Dauides / Thomas younge / in S. Asaph Richard Dauid / in Rochester Edmond / Gest / in Bathe and we●les Gilbert Barkley / at Lichfeld and Couentree Iohn Benram . And in the same yeare he confirmed william Barlowe somtimes bishope of Bathe and welles in chichester and Iohn Scorie before bispope off chichester in Herforde : And in the second yere next follownge he created william Alley bishope off Exceter / Iohn Parkhurst off Norwich / Robart Horne off winchester / Edmund Scamler off Peterboroughe Thomas Dauid off Saint Asaphe / and Richard Cheyney off Glocester . Besides that / the same yere he confirmed Archbishoppe off york / Thomas younge / transslated from Saint Dauides / and confirmed allso Thomas Dauid bishope off Sainte Dauides / translated from Sainte Asaphe . And in the yere off our Lorde 1564. when Antonie bishoppe off Landoffe died ( who only remained in his sea / and agreed to the religion / whearas thother bishopes created in the time off Queen Marie / withelde ther consent from the Religion established in the generall assemblie off all estates and orders / whearat they weare present / in the which assemblye this lawe was made that who so refused to professe the receyued Religion should be depriued off their authoritie / offices and promotions / as obstinat / in the number off whome as their weare many off the eccesiasticall order / so wear ther as many which retained their dignities and places / professing with vs the restored religion by A publik othe ministred vnto them ) in the rome off him being deade / he consecrated in the yere of oure Lorde 1565. Hughe Dauides Doctor off Lawe . And in the yere 1566. he consecrated Nicolas Robinson Doctor off diuinitie into the bishoprike off Bangor / and in the yere 1567. he confirmed Henry Curwin Doctor off Lawe in the bishoprike off Oxforde . The which pastores and fathers / althoughe diuersslye professed in the Scoles off vniuersities / yet all weare / so well learned / that they knewe howe to distribute the liuely worde off the scriptures to the people off God / with due respecte off tyme place and persone the whiche euery one off them very often or rather continually doth in the cures committed vnto them the testimonie wheroff . * * Aes you haue sett youre bias so runneth your bowle . The day willtri .

But that wee maye speake sumwhate off his manners and life / off whom wee presently entreat / I can saye thus muche that he was so thriftye an husbande by that frugall waye / whiche he toke in disposing the yeerely reuenues off th archbishopricke / that by his prudent sparinge the rentes suffized for those great charges / which he was at by reason off his firste frutes / and subsidies paide vnto the Queene / and other necessarie expenses / whiche he laied out in the begininge off his gouermente / for the prouision of housholde stuffe / and inplementes / and by reason off hospitalitie . And yet he so liberally ordered the fruites / which he reaped / and receiued off his Archiepiscopall dignitie / that withwhome soeuer he del●e / in byinge necessarie thinges for the vse off his familie / ether wecklye he ●endered their money vnto them / or at the moste / he differred it not to the end off three monethes / so that neuer any man s●ed him for debte . And it semeth that his greatest By his heapinge vpp of liuinge by hauinge of charges without doinge of dewtie by sumptuous feastinge by great coste in brauiti● and Lordly pompe as is before declared . care thorowe ought his whole life / was that in euery estate off life / he might liue from day to day withe A good testimonie off conscience / before god / and out off the debte off euerye man / the which he especially abhorred / whearin he wisely considered bothe the sshortnes off mans life / and the profitte off his creditors / who he was vnwillinge shoulde suffer any losse for his sake / for that they trusted him so frendly for all the furniture off his howse : which losse perchaunce should haue happened vnto them iff for the moste parte off those thinges which he boughte off them he had not paide them their monye before his death .

He therfore leadinge his liffe so vpprightlye and in differentlye / althoughe by reason off the possessions off his landes diminished / he coulde not benefitt his * * you shall bee better consydered no doubte . seruants with any great prefermentes / or rewardes : yet their are very fewe amongest them on whome / he hath not bestowed sumwhat / that maye succor ther necessities . Which yff yt weare all together gathered in one sume / it woulde come to no smale deale / considering the shorte tyme off his administration . Besides that all thinges are so deare / that the stipend which he yerely geueth to his seruantes / is greater then off any his predecessors . He allso often tymes bestoweth on them more then couenaunt / especially to his needye seruantes / in whome he hathe perceiued honestie / diligence and trustines in his affaires . By which wise gouernmente / he semed vnto me to remember the mortalitie off man / the inconstancie both of life / and death / which often tymes taketh A man a waye vnawares / and to be myndfull allso to lessen and diminishe his charges / so that if he had longer to liue / he might haue whearwith to mayntayne his greate costes and expenses . And it cannot be otherwise / but that this was his minde and meaning / because that off all the sentences off the scripture / he especially chose that one / out off Iohn th apostel / the which / as he oftentymes vsed in his daylye talke / so he caused it to be writen on the walles of his house and the glasse off his windowes ( the * * The Pharises did the like in the hem of their garmentes The worlde laughethe at it . worlde passeth and the concupiscence theroff ) whearby he was wonte to call into his minde / the brittlenes off mans life / and the vanitie theroff / learninge therby / to repose his trust vpon God alone / and wholly to applye hymselfe to his will / commaundement / that when he should giue an accompt off his stewardshippe / God might not * * God be mercyfull vnto him if it be possible : lest he finde him beatinge his fellowe seruaunts . finde hym vnprouided / nor se●t vpon hym vnarmed . And to the end that his mynde might more vehementlye be stirred to the meditation hereof / he caused to be grauen in th archbishopes s●ale / the manner off the last iudgement / wheare Christ sitteh gloriusslye / and with maiestye / to iudge the quicke / and the dead / vtteringe this voyce full of confort to his chosen / come ye blissed / &c. and that other woefull voyce to the reprobate / goe ye cursed . Besides A man may theare see the images off the dead / grauen / comminge out off theare graues to iudgment . And that he might signifye / that men off his estate / seeldome founde such counselers / as would boldlye / and freely tell them off there duetye / it happened by wise advise off the herauld / that suche armes weare allotted hym ( as the vse for noble personages ) which both might expresse th ancient armes of the stocke from whence he issued / and might admonishe hym also off his honor / and office in the church / in that / that starres weare added to his armes . Whearunto Gualter Haddon Doctor of lawe / a man off singular learninge / and authoritye ( whome our most noble Queene Elizabeth appointed to be one off the Masters off the requestes / and Mathew hym selfe hadd made hym chiefe Iudge off his prerogatiue court ) very finely alluded in these verses .

Whearupon / as he aknowledgeth the Keyes to perteyne vnto hym by the lawe off nature / and inheritaunce / as left hym off his fore fathers His Father was an honest poore man a scourer or Calender off worsteddes of Norwich so Knowne and taken . / from whome he descended / yett he thinketh them especiallye to agree with hym / by reason off his spiriatuall function / which is wiselie to open and shutt the Kingdome off heauen to the Christian congregation / in the which meaninge / the Keies weare deliuered vnto Peter / and to all that execute that spirituall office in church of preachinge the gospell .

But whearas we see the keye thrise in his armes / that hath respecte to Peters conuenaunt made with Christ vnder that worde ( feede ) * * O deepe diuinitie , th archbishope hath three keies because Christ saied pas●● , pas●● Nay rather because he locketh vp the Kingdome of heauen soe fast by holdinge out of ministers that might preache the worde , and keapinge in of idell and ignoraunt that can doe nothinge , that hardlie doth anie man enter thearin . thrise repeated .

Lastly the starres represent that off Danyell : The learned shall shine as the brightnes off the firmament / and they which instructe manie in the waye off righteousnes as starres for euer and euer .

As therfore the starres bringe him into the remembraunce off his spirituall authoritie / and office / soe also by the starr / he learneth to remember what is required of him / that by the purenes off his lighte / he should shine to other / and by the heauenly doctrine off the worde / should bringe againe into the lighte the congregation off Christ / which nowe a greate while hath miserably lyen hidden / and ouerwhelmed in grosse darknes / by the traditions off men . And that he might not altogither forgett himselfe ( as theye are wont to doe which are sett vpp aloft in the ●yest roomes off the worlde ) he was wonte to rubbe his minde / with the memorye off that sentence / that all fame / aestimation / honor / all magistratshippes / be theye off neuer so ample authoritye / all titles and names howe glorious soeuer theye seeme in the eyes off men for a tyme / yett att the last / as the whole world it selfe / and all brittle and transitorye thinges / theye shall perishe / and decaye . And in this sorte reasoninge with him selfe / he passed by all the entis●●ents / off the worlde nether stayed at them / as att the rockes off the Syrenes . Therfore agreinge vnto Paule / that he hadd not heere an abidinge citye / accordinge to his meaninge / he sought that which was to come . The which as it hath in it selfe / the greatest certaintye / and safetye / soe this life is vnconstant and corruptible / for as much as all fleshe is grasse / and all the glorye off man is as the flouer off the grasse / which quicklye is cutt downe and withereth . In the which frayle / and transitorye lyfe / he was carried forward with a continuall desiere / to profite the church off god / for that he thoughte / he coulde not bestowe his laboure better on anye thinge ( consideringe the place wh●●h he occupied ) then in the busie searchi off the opinion off Doctores off his tyme and conferringe them with the writers off all ages . Besides he was verie carefull / and not without some charges / to seeke out the monumentes / off foremer tymes / to knowe the religion off th ancient fatheres / and those especiallye which were / off the Englishe churche . Therfore in seekinge vpp the cronicles off the Brittones and Inglishe Saxons / which laye hidden euery wheare contemned and buried in forgetfullnes / and throwgh the ignoraunce off the Languages not wel vnderstanded / his owen especially / and his mens diligence wanted not .

And to the ende / that these antiquities might last longe / and be carefullye kept ● he caused them / beinge broughte into one place to be well bounde and trymly couered . A●d yet not so contented / he deuored to sett out in printe / certaine off those aunciente monumentes / whearoff he knew very fewe examples to be extante / and which he thoughte woulde be most profitable for the posterytye / to instructe them / in the fay the and religion off the elders .

Heere vpon / he caused the perpetuall histories off the inglishe affaires / by Mathaeus Paris●ensis once a Monke off Sainte A●banes / and Mathaeus Florilegus / a Monke off Sainte Peters in westminster / written in latin / to be printed / after he had diligentlie conferred them with th examples ▪ / which he coulde gett in anye place / to the ende / that as sincerelye as might be / as th authors first left them / he mighte deliuer them into mens handes .

Lastlye that he mighte not be vnmindfull off those monumentes which both in antiquitye / worthines / and authoritye excelled all other / or rather wheare with none are to be compared ( I meane the holy scriptures ) heere be thougthe to doe great good / if by his number / he increased the holye Bibles / which shortli woulde be wantinge vnto manye Churches / ●ff this discommoditye weare not prouided for in tyme . Therfore it seemed good vnto him first with his learned seruantes to examine thorowghlye th inglishe translation / whearin he partlye vsed the helpe off his bretheren Bishoppes / and other Doctores / with whome he delte so diligentlye in this matter / that theye disdained not to be parteners and fellowes with him off his laboure .

And nowe all The chaplaynes trauiled , and the Bishopes brought forthe ▪ there worke is sett out in verye fayer formes / and letters off printe / and that not without greate * * Let men iudge whether he did so much good by br●gīge in that transla●ion , as harme by stayinge the Gene●●● frute ( we hope ) to all them / which desier accordinge to the prescripte worde off God / to worshippe God / to yelde there dutifull obedience to there Prince / and to profit there contrye to there pouer : and lastlye / to all those / that by the mercye off God in Christe / doe thirste for the health off there soules / and the inioyinge off the life to come .

But it happened vnto him / when he sawe the happye finishinge / and ende of the foresaied worcke / that he was soe affected in minde / as that holy man Simeon off whome Luke th euangeliste maketh mention . Thefore in the same sorte as he / he spake within * * And youe harde it beinge without him : els howe knewe youe it . himselfe . Nowe letest thou thy seruaunt o Lorde depart in peace / for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation / &c. Finallie / the mortall condition off man cominge into his minde ( with the memorie whearoff / he was wonte offtentimes in his sermones / to rubbe other menes mindes / lest death sshoulde finde them vnprepared / at any tyme ) he thoughte / that for hym beinge nowe an old man / it was especiallye requisite / to bende his whole minde / and studie / vpon the meditation off mans frayltie . Thefore he carfullie prouided / lest at anye tyme the remembraunce heeroff / sshoulde be driuen out off his minde : first fitlie and conuenientlye disposinge his worldlye substance : and then by discribinge the manner off his buryall : thirdly by apointinge his Tombe off blacke Marbell / to the ende he mighte haue it readye and furnisshed for euerye occasion off death . And this Tombe off purpose he caused to be made of noe exquisite worke / but smothe / streighte / and plaine / thinkinge it enoughe if being represented to the eie / it mighte serue eyther for him selfe / while he liued / as a token / or monumente off his vncertaine estate / or when he was deade / as a testimonie to his posteritye / what principall place by the bountye off his Prince he obteyned in Christe h●s common And that he was a blacke bishopbe to the churche off Englande . welthe . The whiche commoditie / and profitt he receiued not rather off his tombe / then off the inscription off his epitaphe / th author whearoff was a frend off his / and one that bare office vnder him / Doctor Gualter Haddon . In whiche epitaphe / althoughe he acknowledgeth that Haddon speaketh more off him then he deserueth yet he thinketh him selfe to bee forwarned by that frendly commendation / that while he liueth / and occupieth the hieste Rome off the spirituall authoritie / he shoulde endeuour to his powre / to come as neare as he maye to those thinges which are attrybuted vnto him .

So contynually waightinge / when god shall call him / and willingly content at the pleasure off god / e●h●r to liue longer in this his estate / and to continew his life / or by and by to leaue it / and to laye downe all thinges partayning vnto him / that the wisdome off god may dispose and order them / howe and to what vse soeuer it shall please him / he yeldeth and commendeth himselfe wholye into the tuition off God the father / god / the sonne / and God the holy ghoste to whome bee honor and glorie for euer Amen . Glory vnto god , and confusion to his enemyes which perseuer in their wickednes .