66 VII. truly such haste to amend (though it be for some) as is CHAP. "zealous and yet none extremity shewed to any, other"wise than by threatening: which hath wrought pannicum Anno 1577. "timorem in their minds; and in the clergy a good readi- 483 ness to apply their travels to their callings. Only that Augie stabulum, the church of Durham, exceeds: whose "stink is grievous in the nose of God and men; and which "to purge far passeth Hercules' labours." ders of the Hence it appears what great disorders were in the church The disorof Durham, occasioned perhaps by the too much remissness church of of the former bishop. The habits enjoined the clergy seem Durham. to have been neglected, and a deviating from the orders appointed to be used in divine service. The bishop endeavoured to redress all this; but how small hopes he had of success he shewed by these his following words: "I have "an external show of some dutiful obedience, but their deal❝ings underhand are nothing less. So that he feared he "should be enforced to weary his honour and the lords with "the reforming of their disorders; which were more than "he was as yet well able to undergo: nevertheless promising he would do all his endeavour first even to the ut"termost." And how it stood with him in the affection of the people The bishop bated by the for this service, and the malice and slander he underwent people for from many, take his own words to the same lord: "The his good "Lord of his endless and infinite mercies bless her high 66 ness. And as he hath stirred up her heart to tender my "faithful travel in advancing virtue and religion, and in "weeding out vices, and banishing popery, superstition, " and the remainants of idolatry; whereby the malicious of "this country are marvellously exasperated against me: and "whereas at home they dare neither by words nor deeds "deal undutifully against me; yet abroad, (as he proceeded "in his relation of these his ill-willers,) they practised to de"face him by all slanders, false reports, and shameless lies; "though the same were never so inartificial or incredible, "according to the northern guise: which is never to be "ashamed, however impudently they belie and deface him service. II. Anno 1577. 66 66 BOOK" whom they hate, yea, though it be before the honorablest. "A vile kind of people, as he saith, Pessimum hoc hominum genus, ex alicua invidia laudem sibi quærens. Yet "that her majesty had tendered and pitied his case, and "had required his good lordship to defend his innocency "and integrity from their slanders and calumnies; as his good lordship did advertise him to his greatest comfort. "And thereupon he beseeched his good lordship to stand "his good patron under her highness: and as he should "need, he would fly under his wing. That the former "bruits and slanders were vanished; and a short time had 66 speedily displayed their shameless and impudent untruths. "Wherefore that he trusted he need not to trouble his ho"nour therewith, as now; but only most humbly to be"seech his lordship to stand his good lord, and not to cre"dit any slanders before they were tried, and he answered "the same; and to advertise him [the bishop] what he "heard. And if ever he returned untrue answer, let me "(said he) be never credited again." And as he had thus cleared himself of slanders raised upon him by such as were popishly inclined, so he proceeded to vindicate himself in a matter relating to Grindal, archbishop of Canterbury, now lying under suspension and the queen's displeasure: who could not obey her command in putting down those exercises called prophesies; holding them so useful for promoting learning and knowledge in the clergy, and true religion among the people. For which disobedience the bishop of Durham had freely censured the 484 archbishop. Concerning which, thus he expressed his mind, in order to the setting himself fair to the said lord, to whom he was writing. Vindicates himself for the archbishop of "That as touching that he was reported not to have a what he had "good mind to the archbishop of Canterbury in the time said against of his trouble, truly, my good lord, I detest his wilful"ness, and contending with the regal majesty, and obstinacy in not yielding to that which your honours [of the privy-council] set down, the same being godly and expe"dient for the time, the malapertness of brainless men con Canterbury.c 66 VII. "sidered; who nowadays, if but a proclamation, a decree, CHAP. "or commandment come forth from her majesty, and by "your honours' advice, straightways, and first in their con- Anno 1577. "venticles, will call the same into question, and examine "and determine whether with safe conscience they may or "ought to obey the same: a thing so perilous as none can "be more, and savouring of the anabaptismey; who wish a "popular government. 66 "In effect, the exercises, though they, being best order"ed, be accounted to be de bene esse, yet they are not de esse religionis sincera: and therefore not to be so urged "of him, as by the same to contend with her highness or "her council, to the great hinderance of true religion, &c. "Thus much have I said, I think, to two or three persons "at the utmost; and to no mo: and that urged in de"fence of her majesty, when bruits have been that he was 66 cruelly dealt withal, and had not deserved to be strait"ened; and other slanders dispersed, that my lord of Lei"cester and some others should further his troubles, (which "I know to be most false,) I have been forced to affirm his "own wilfulness and undutifulness towards his sovereign to "be the just occasion of his troubles. And this is true; and "I have said so upon these occasions: and I think it was 'my duty so to do, in defence of my gracious sovereign, "and the right honourable my good lords of the council. "And more I have not done in any wise; nor, but that I "was enforced, I would not have done or said any thing of "him at all." When this bishop was lately come up to London, he omitted giving the archbishop a visit. To take off any hard interpretation of that neglect, he added, "That possibly some might think much that he visited him not at "his last being in London: indeed he once determined so "to have done; but that he was warned by those whom he "would obey, not so to do: which ought, he said, to be his 66 warrant." But that the bishop had taken some offence against the archbishop, appears by his words that follow: "How his grace and his had dealt against him otherwise, II. 66 BOOK" he needed not to declare, her highness and his good lordship knew. All which notwithstanding, he never minded, Anno 1577." if he might, (as he had no power,) to urge her highness' "indignation against any man, neque addere afflictionem "afflicto." Epist. dedic. to the Life of While I am giving some account of bishop Barnes, I thought it not amiss to exemplify this remarkable letter; Archbishop though some brief notice was given thereof elsewhere. Grindal. His pedigree and preferments. This bishop was of the ancient family of the barons of Bernes, of Lancashire. He was bred at Brasen Nose college, Oxon: preferred first at York, and was chancellor there; and read divinity publicly there for some years: made suffragan bishop of Nottingham, anno 1567: thence advanced to be bishop of Carlisle and lastly to this see of Durham. His coat of arms and of his family were confirmed to him by Robert Glover, Somerset. His patent ran as followeth : 485 Reverendus in Christo pater, et venerabilis vir, Richardus Patent for Barnes, S. T. P. sive Dr. in comitat. Lancastr. ex honesta Vincent, familia, quæ a dominis baronibus de Bernes originem traxit, oriundus. Oxonii apud musas in colleg. Enestiacensi [Eneanasensi] educatus. Cui per aliquot annos pie et provide præfuit. Hinc Eboracum evocatus, almæque illius ecclesiæ metropolitana cancellarius, ac schelarcha [scholarcha] creatus, sacram theologiam inibi ad aliquos annos, publice prælegit et professus est. Deinde episcopus factus [Carliolensis.] Novissime Dunelmium translatus. Ubi Apr. anno jama ad Dei gloriam episcopus illius ecclesiæ habenas ac gubernacula moderatur. his arms. No. 15. 1580. The ancient coat of the family of the Barnes was, party per pale, or and vert, on a fesse azure, three etoiles, or. But the bishop bore quarterly, namely, that paternal coat. And the second quarter was granted to him when bishop of Carlisle, April 23, 13 Eliz.; which was, azure, a bend arg. charged with a bear passant, or, ready to eat a child naked, or, between two etoiles of the same. The third as the second: the fourth as the first. He had brothers, Oliver, then Edmund, Edwin, James, Edward, and John; all married: and our Richard, who was the youngest son, mar VII. ried Fredesmond Gyfford, daughter of Ralph Gyfford, of CHAP. Claidon, in the county of Bucks; by whom he had Emanuel, Walter, Elizabeth, wife to Robert Taylbois, son of Anno 1577. Rauf; John, Barnabas, Mary, Timothy, Margaret, Anna. thoughts of But as for those exercises called prophesyings, before The bishop spoken of, whatsoever good opinion archbishop Grindal and of Ely's divers other bishops and learned members of this protestant the exerchurch had thereof, as tending so much to the instruction of the people in true religion, and setting the clergy on study; the queen, as it appeared by what the foresaid bishop wrote, had other conceptions of them, by means of some prejudices she had taken up by reports made to her. Upon the archbishop's sequestration on that account by the queen's command, the aged and learned bishop of Ely was much troubled. And in June, the next month after the declaration of her displeasure against him, that right reverend prelate signified his mind to the lord treasurer: shewing his judgment, that indeed it had been better for the archbishop at that juncture to have complied with the queen; namely, for the stop of those exercises for the present: and that in convenient time, good rules about them being made and enjoined for regulation of them, they might be renewed again; well knowing how very useful they were for the improving the clergy in knowledge, otherwise in these times ignorant enough. To this purport was the letter of that good bishop to the said lord; which deserves to be preserved, for the letting in some further light into this affair: writing in this pathetic manner. 'queen's dis with archbi "That it was not without a deep anxiety of heart that His letter “he then writ, that her majesty should be so highly dis-upon t "pleased with her principal priest; whose indignation was pleasure "death. Deus meliora. But that a priest should happen shop Grin"to anger so gentle a prince, and such a favourer of sin- dal. "cere religion, it drew a fountain of tears from his eyes." He proceeded, "That from the beginning of their acquaintance, both of them (for which he gave glory to God's "blessed name) had constantly, through many brunts on "all hands, persevered and held out, he [the lord treasurer] 486 |