1. BOOK plot that was setting on foot by Babbington, for this queen's escape, or before that by Throgmorton, Paget, and others. Anno 1583. Telling her farther, " That as God delivered David from "the grievous vexation of Saul, and the apostle Paul from "the cruel fury of Nero, that lion; so he could restore her "to the commonwealth, and the commonwealth to her; and "the church to both. He proposed to her thoughts some "of the Scots kings, Malcolme, and the Bruces; some "whereof were kept in custody in England. And God re"stored them to their liberties: and heaped up upon them "afterwards more ample honours than they had before. He "bade her be of good heart by their examples, and hope for 165" greater things. And that Almighty God, moved by the 66 prayers of many for her, would free her from her dan"gers, and would adorn her with far greater honours, "would increase the sweetness of her liberty, enlarge the "borders of her kingdom." [This indeed would have proved true, if the plots that were now carrying on could have succeeded, to have dethroned queen Elizabeth, and advanced her into her place.] Adding, "That God would never "fail to be a father to her, if she would go on to be a daugh"ter to him." He sent her also, with this letter, an history of the kings of Scotland, which he had compiled in English, when he was a resident in England; and now at his leisure had improved it by the history of their country. The reading of which might serve her in her afflictions. And likewise to make use of for the benefit of her son: to excite him to follow his ancestors in their virtues. I shall repeat no more of [Number this letter to this captive queen, but leave it in the AppenXXVII.] dix to be perused. The queen's expostulatory letter to king James. And now we are engaged in Scottish matters, it may not be out of the way to relate a disgust that queen Elizabeth took to king James, the Scots queen's son; who had, it seems, demeaned himself about this time in that ingrateful manner, which she reckoned he ought not to have done towards her, who had done many good offices in his kingdom for him. He had sided with those of his nation that were papists, and ill-willers to her majesty. This gave oc- CHAP. casion to the queen to write to him this letter following: XIV. "Among your many studies, my dear brother and cousin, Anno 1583. "I would Isocrates his noble lesson were not forgot, that Cott.libr. Julius, F. 6. "wishes the emperor, his sovereign, to make his words of more account than other men their oaths; as meetest signs "to shew the truest badge of a prince's arms. It moveth "me much to moan you, when I behold, how diversely 66 sundry wicked paths, and like also evil illusions wrapt "under the cloak of your best safety, endanger your state "and best good. How may it be, that you can suppose an "honourable answer may be made me, when all your do❝ings gainsay your former vows? You deal not with one, "whose experience can take dross for good payment, nor "one that easily will be beguiled. No, no, I mind to set "to school your chiefest counsellor, and am sorry to see 66 66 66 66 you bent to wrong others: yea, those which if they had "not even then taken opportunity to let a ruin that was newly begun, the plot would have perilled the more, than "a thousand of such men's lives be worth, that persuade you to avouch such deeds, to deserve a Sawle's pardon. Why do you forget what you writ to myself with your "own hand, shewing how dangerous a course the duke [viz. Lenox] was entered in? though you excused your"self to think no harm therein. And yet they that with your safety preserved you from it, you must seem to give "them reproach of guilty folk. 66 66 66 "I hope you more esteem your honour, than to give it "such a stain, since you have protested so often to have "taken these lords for your most affectionate subjects, and "to have done all for your best. To conclude, I beseech you, pass no further in this cause, till you receive an ex- 166 press messenger, a trustý servant of mine; by whom I mean to deal like an affectionate sister with you; as of "whom, you shall see plainly, you may receive more honour " and contentment, with your surety to your rest and state, "than all this dissembling will or can bring you to. 66 66 As I. BOOK "knoweth the Lord, to whose most safely keeping I do "commit you, with my many commendations to your perAnno 1583. " son. The 7. August, 1583." The excess of retainers checked by a severe proclama tion. By a proclamation the queen now set forth, it appeareth, how the gentry in these days were addicted to make great shows of servants and retainers, with costly badges, and liveries, to attend on them in their houses, or journeys, or appearances at court, or elsewhere: and this oftentimes beyond their quality, and to their great expenses. Insomuch as it was called in the said proclamation, a pernicious sore in the commonwealth. Nor was this the first time it received a check, and was forbid by act of parliament and her proclamation stinting these retainers under certain rules and Camd. Eliz. limits, as far backwards as the year 1572. But the whole state of this evil will be understood by the proclamation. And this I the rather mention, because our historians are silent of it. The cause of the setting it forth is shewed in the preamble, viz. "The inconveniences and enormities “that had universally grown in the realm by unlawful re"taining of multitudes of unorderly servants by liveries, "and otherwise, contrary to the ancient statutes of the "realm." I leave this proclamation to be read in the Appendix. p. 189. Number XXVIII.. I meet with another letter of queen Elizabeth, wrote to the lord Burghley, her treasurer; shewing her high esteem of him, and his abilities for her service. That which gave the occasion seems to be, that he had petitioned her majesty, that he might lay down his office, and leave the court, and retire to a private life. Whether this proceeded from some discontent, or upon some displeasure he conceived the queen had taken against him, or, more probably, some hard words that some of the council had used towards him, (perhaps it was the earl of Leicester,) and other misreports given out concerning him, which he resented. But the queen could not part with such an useful counsellor, and such a faithful treasurer; and knew his merits and wisdom too well to yield to his petition. And with her own hand wrote him XIV. a short comfortable letter, between jest and earnest, styling CHAP. him sir Spirit: the reason whereof I leave to others to conjecture. feel Anno 1583. letter to her treasurer. "Sir Spirit. I doubt I do nickname you. For those The queen's "of your kind (they say) have no sense. But I have of "late seen an ecce signum, that if an ass kick you, you "it so soon. I will recant you from being Spirit, if ever "I perceive that you disdain not such a feeling. Serve "God, fear the king, and be a good fellow to the rest. Let 66 never care appear in you for such a rumour: but let' "them well know, that you rather desire the righting of "such wrong, by making known their error, than you to "be so silly a soul, as to foreslow that you ought to do, or "not freely deliver what you think meetest, and pass of no "man so much, as not to regard her trust, who putteth it "in you. "God bless you, and long may you last, Omnino, E. R." On this letter (wherein the queen expressed so much kind-167 ness and value for him) the lord treasurer endorsed, Received the 8th of May, 1583. CHAP. XV. The Apprehensions from papists. The archbishop of York's letter to the bishop of Chester; exciting to diligence. bishop and the earl of Darby, acting in the ecclesiastical commission. Bishop of St. David's visits his diocese: the corrupt state thereof. The bishop of Norwich weary of his diocese: and why. Desires a remove. Two of this bishop's servants taken at mass. A divinity lecture settled at Litchfield. The dean's account of it. The bishop of Lincoln removed to Winton. The bishop of Meath moves for schools in Ireland. Matthew made dean of Durham. Now we shall apply ourselves to take notice of matters Affairs of more nearly relating to religion, and to the labours of the bishops in behalf of the reformed church established, with respect both to papists and innovators and schismatics. the church. BOOK I. shop of his province, to watch the common enemy. The kingdom was at this time in great apprehensions from the papists, and their seminary priests, skulking about Anno 1583. every where; especially in the north parts. On which ocThe archbi-casion, Sandys, the good archbishop of York, laying to York to the heart the great impiety of the age, and what tares the bishops of enemy had sown in the Lord's field, composed a monitory letter (as it seems) to the bishops of his province, to exert and stir themselves up with more vigilancy in their stations. In his letter to Dr. Chaderton, bishop of Chester, (which is still extant in one of our university libraries,) he thus delivered his mind: "That being stirred up by a pious charity, and brotherly good-will, he thought it his duty to "exhort him, that as the same burden lay upon them, and "the same account was to be given of the discharge of their "office, so they should weigh unanimously what kind of persons they ought to be; to shake off security and drow"siness, redeem the time, make themselves ready to battle, "to take the sword and armour of the Spirit, to defeat the 66 common enemy, and to defend the faith even to blood and Librar. Gonv. and 66 66 "death." Then he proceeded to shew him, "How God had set "them over nations and people, to extirpate and root out, 168" to destroy and throw down, and to build up and plant, Jer. i. 10. [in allusion to God's commission to his prophet Jeremiah.] "That therefore it was their parts, by the sharp sickle of "God's word, to cut away the fibres of superstition and "the roots of idolatry; and by the propagation of the gospel, to plant good fruit in the minds of men, and to build 66 66 up the walls of Jerusalem, and the holy temple, as much "as lay in them; and with all earnestness to shake down "the cruelty and tyranny of Antichrist; and by diligent 66 preaching, to establish the kingdom and empire of the "Son of God. And that God did not only require their "labour in feeding the flock, but also expected that sin 66 might not go free of punishment; that lust, wickedness, "and dissolute manners should be checked and restrained, "by executing severe law and punishment. And so they "might consult better for the safety of their sinking coun |