66

only; neither ought any in government of the church to CHAP. "be urged other than God in his word commandeth."

II.

And then the writer concluded, "That to be brief, no Anno 1581. "minister as yet they had in St. Mary's church, [one of the

66

parish churches, by reason, as it seems, of the differences "in the town,] neither did he know what to do, that they "might have one. That, for himself, he must seek his quiet, "as he might: and he did not doubt, but by his [the bi"shop's] help to obtain it. That Mr. Badbie [one of these "favourers of the party] had called him Toss-pot, and "otherwise greatly reviled him. Oh! that your lordship "would but send for him, and bind him over to his good ❝behaviour. And that he should greatly hereby encourage "him to go forward. At the least, he added, he would make "friends to be in commission of the peace. Otherwise he "feared there would be no dwelling there for him. He left "all to his lordship's good care of him. And then piously "ends with his prayer, God work for me his will. Sub"scribing, Your lordship's most faithful in God,

"John Deye."

"Postscript. The justices do threaten to do many things."

This Dr. Deye was commissary to the bishop of Norwich, or to the archdeacon of Sudbury.

Norwich,

by the bi

shop. Part

p. 393.

This Gaiton, of whom all this complaint was made, was a Gaiton, a preacher in Norwich some years before. And suspended by preacher in the bishop about the year 1576, after an examination of him suspended before the bishop and dean; for that in his pulpit he had taken upon him to confute his chaplain's sermon, and admo- of a Regist. nished the parishioners to beware of such false doctrine. This gave the occasion of his being cited, and charged in several articles; as, for his not wearing the surplice, nor observing the order of the queen's book, neither in the prayers nor administration of the sacraments, which was the cause of 20 his suspension: but how he came afterwards to get off his suspension, and to preach at Bury, I know not. But I am apt to think he did it by the slackness of discipline, and out of the countenance he met with there, notwithstanding his

BOOK former suspension; since it appears that his opinions and I. practice were the same. This matter between him and the Anno 1581. bishop's court, and proceeding, may be read more at large Annals, vol. in the second volume of my Annals.

ii. b. 2. c. 4. But to see a little farther what issue this matter had. The

The bishop

the justices.

prefers arti- good bishop found himself not strong enough to encounter cles against these gentlemen and justices, who carried all before them in their countenancing of these disaffected persons to the orders and discipline of the church. And therefore he applied himself again to the lord treasurer; sending the very letters aforesaid of Philips and Day to him to peruse, with his own letter. Wherein he shewed how far he had proceeded with these justices, in articles drawn up against them, to the number of twelve, which he sent to the said treasurer. The chief whereof were concerning their rigorous dealing with the commissary Dr. Day, and Philips the preacher: and binding some others to their good behaviour, that stood for the due observation of orders, as appointed in the church. The justices' answers to those articles sent to the lord treasurer in their own vindication, being somewhat long, may be found in the Appendix; being entitled, The answer of sir Robert Jermin, sir John Higham, knights, Robert Ashfield, and Thomas Badby, esqrs. gentlemen of Suffolk and Norfolk, to certain articles objected against them by the bishop of Norwich.

No. III.

The sum of In these articles they were charged to countenance disothe articles. bedient and disorderly men. Particularly, that they favour

ed Coppin and Tyler, who some years ago were imprisoned for spreading of Browne's books, which condemned the Book of Common Prayer, and the whole constitution of the church: and that for obtaining the freedom of these spreaders of those books, the said justices had used their endeavours with the judges. That they refused divers ministers, ordained by the bishop, because they were ignorant, and could only read. That they were for nothing but Geneva psalms and sermons. That they endeavoured to remove one Wood, a minister, from his living, because he only read; and gave him warning to be gone: and put the parish upon

IL.

choosing another, though the collation was in the bishop. CHAP. That at an inn, called the Angel, they meddled in ecclesiastical causes, that belonged to the bishop. That they joined Anno 1581. their authority together against the commissary, and threatened to send him to the gaol. That violence and violent speeches were used towards him; and their part sir Robert Jermin took; and denied him justice; and denied him to have any authority, as a magistrate: and further, that they bound him, a bishop's commissary, to his good behaviour. That Mr. Philips, for a sermon preached at Bury, exciting to obedience to the queen and her laws, was required and bound to an appearance before them.

tices make

them.

Upon these articles preferred against them, and an appeal The justhe bishop had made to the queen against them, they were their ancited up to answer before her: where, after their said an-swers to swers given in, (smartly and rudely in some places retorting 21 upon the bishop,) they required the lord treasurer that they might be dismissed by the queen to their own country; and that he would be their petitioner to her for that purpose in these words: "That now they had been called out of their "own country, and every street sounded their disgrace, "wrought by the bishop, that either they might deserve the "just deserts of their doings by due punishment; or being cleared, both in her majesty's royal judgment, or his lordship's opinion, the bishop, for his bold and untrue sug"gestions, might be so censured, as they might, with the "restitution of their poor reputations, be attended with some "good comfort upon their places. In which they desired "no longer to live, than they should be found very loyal ❝ and dutiful to their so gracious sovereign."

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count of

I have this to add concerning the aforesaid preachers, Sir Robert Handson and Browne; the former yet remaining under sus- Jermin's acpension. The lord treasurer had examined his case himself, Handson. and had wrote a letter to the bishop, that upon due reformation of what was done amiss by him, he might be restored to his preaching. And sir Robert Jermin on this opportunity, with the lord North and some others, wrote to the bishop on his behalf, to this purpose: "That since his lord

BOOK
I.

ship had examined Handson's case at length, even as it "was set down at the hardest against him, and in his [sir Anno 1581." Robert's] opinion, very indiscreetly, as he said, in many "the most principal parts thereof; and that they knew his "ministry to have been very profitable to a great number; "that they who sought to remove him, were rather adver"saries than friends to the truth: that for matter of faith "and manners he was ever held a sound teacher; and that "in these indifferent things he had never laboured much: "that therefore, in consideration of these things, he [the bi"shop] would give him liberty to exercise his ministry." To which the bishop's resolute answer was, "That unless "he would publicly confess his fault, and to be bound to "follow another course, he would not set him free."

And

Browne, to the lord

treasurer.

And upon this denial of the bishop, sir Robert and others apply earnestly to the lord treasurer again, that notwithstanding the bishop's refusal, he would grant him the freedom to teach the people, and take off his suspension. But this I conclude that lord would not do, nor would arbitrarily intrude so far into the bishop's right. Nor did he ever go farther than persuasive letters to the bishop sometime in behalf of such ministers, who, notwithstanding some scruples, brake not off communion with the church.

And then as for Browne, this favourable account the said
and how he dealt

sir Robert to the treasurer of him;
gave

That Mr. Browne

with him now upon his second coming. came by chance to Bury: that he [sir Robert] sent for him, and moved him to be careful of his proceedings. He told him, how dangerous his course seemed in the opinion of many honest and godly men; and how apt the adversaries of the truth would be, to slander and discredit the profession and professors of the truth, if these his singular conceits might not be warranted by the word and Christian policy. 22" To which Browne's answer," as sir Robert added, “ had many things that were godly and reasonable, and, as he "thought, to be wished and prayed for. But with the same, "there were other things (in this his answer) strange and "unheard; and the means to put the same in execution, as

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II.

they reached beyond both their callings, being private; so CHAP. "he [sir Robert] thought them over dangerous to be re"tained in opinion." [He meant, in reference to the opinion Anno 1581. about setting up a new discipline, and overthrowing the present established church government by episcopacy.] "And "then moving the said lord treasurer to advise Browne to a more careful regard of himself in so deep and dangerous "a matter; the man being young both in years and expe"rience; and to threaten him, that he should be very "sharply censured to the example of others." And he presumed his lordship should do a good and honourable deed in staying him from going too far; and making him of a man very able, so very fit to yield the church his profitable

service.

But these courses went on at Bury for some years, the Errors ministers varying from, or altering the Common Prayer at at Bury. maintained their discretion, disliking the order of it, and depraving the book; asserting the queen's supremacy to be only in civil matters, not religious; and some also holding certain heresies, as that Christ was not God, &c. and many young ministers of this sort increasing in those parts; and all this in great measure by the favour of some of the justices. Till in the year 1583, they received a check by some severe proceedings at the assizes at Bury, sir Christopher Wray, lord chief justice, being upon the bench; when many were convicted, and some, obstinately persisting, put to death; and The judge's the justices reprimanded, and warned to keep the peace as sharp reshall be shewn at large when we come so far. The bishop, quite weary of living there, got a remove, a year or two after, to another bishopric.

proof.

of the fa

I meet this year with an instance of the pastoral care of OneRandal, another bishop, in taking cognizance of some heterodox opi- mily of love, nions in one of his diocese; and his proceedings against him. deprived by the bishop John, bishop of Exon, had received information against one of Exeter. Anthony Randal, parson of Lydford, of the family of love, a sect that spread about these times in that diocese, as well as in other parts; whom, for his damnable doctrines and heresies, the bishop had deprived. This man taught and assert