BOOK "notwithstanding the absolution granted to all the realm by pope July the Third, for all former offences or pracAnno 1577.“ tices devised against the holy mother church, as they call "it. A strange matter! That things done in England seven 66 years before, and the same universally forgiven, should "afterwards be laid to a man's charge in Rome. But what "cannot malice do?" And what follows will shew more of the character of this worthy statesman. "God be my judge, "I had then as little fear (although death was present, and "the torment at hand, whereof I felt some smart) as ever I "had in all my life before; [undaunted in a good cause.] "For when I saw those that did seek my death to be so "maliciously set, to make such poor shifts for my readier despatch, and to burden me with those back reckonings, "I took such courage, and was so bold, that the judge "then did much mervail at my stoutness: and thinking to "bring down my great heart, told me plainly that I was in "further peril than whereof I was aware, and sought there 66 upon to take advantage of my words, and to bring me in "danger by all means possible. And after long debating "with me, they willed me at any hand to submit myself to "the holy father, and the devout college of cardinals. For ❝otherwise there was no remedy. "With that, being fully purposed not to yield to any "submission, (as one as little trusted their colourable de❝ceit,) I was as ware as could be not to utter any thing 512" for mine own harm; for fear I should come in their dan66 ger: for then either should I have died, or else have de"nied, both openly and shamefully, the known truth of "Christ and his gospel. In the end, by God's grace I was "wonderfully delivered through plain force of the worthy "Romans, (an enterprise heretofore in that sort never attempted,) being then without hope of life; and much less "of liberty.I have been," added he, "tried for this book "tanquam per ignem. For indeed the prison was on fire "when I came out of it. And whereas I feared fire most, [to be burnt for a heretic,] (as who is he that doth not "fear it?) I was delivered by fire and sword together. 66 66 "I was without all help, and without all hope, not only of CHAP. "liberty, but also of life." X. I cannot but add, how he closeth up this story of his ad- Anno 1577. ventures, occasioned by his both religion and learning, and having not then any preferment, thus between jest and earnest. "That his book was shewed him; and he was de"sired to look upon it, to amend it where he thought meet. "Amend it! quoth I; nay, let the book first amend itself, "and make me amends. For surely I have no cause to " acknowledge it for my book; because I have so smarted "for it. For where I have been ill handled, I have much "ado to shew myself friendly. If the son were the occasion "of the father's imprisonment, would not the father be "offended with him, think you? Or at the least, would he "not take heed, how hereafter he had to do with him? If "others never get more by books than I have done, it "were better to be a carter than a scholar for worldly pro"fit. A burnt child fears the fire; and a beaten dog "escapes the whip. And therefore I will none of this book "from henceforth. I will none of him, I say; take him "that list. And by that time they have paid for him so dearly as I have done, they will be as weary of him as I "have been." ries a sister Thomas Cartwright, B. D. who made himself famous, Tho. Cartboth in the university of Cambridge and elsewhere, for his wright marreadings and writings against our liturgy and hierarchy, of Stubbs. married this year the sister of as eminent a man for his writing on another subject, and suffering for it: namely, John Stubb; whose right hand was cut off for writing and publishing a book against the queen's marrying with monsieur, the French king's brother. I have mention of this match from Stubb's own letter to Mr. Michael Hicks, of Lincoln's Inn, and one of his acquaintance at Cambridge, afterwards secretary to the lord treasurer; who from Buxton Wells writ the news of the said marriage, and likewise his own thoughts of it: "We have no news here, but that “Mr. Cartwright hath married my sister. And if with you "also it be publicly known, and any mislike mine act in II. BOOK "providing so for my sister, tell him, on my behalf, that I "contented myself to take a husband for her, whose liveliAnno 1577. “hood was learning: who would endue his wife with wis"dom; and who might leave to his children the rich por❝tion of godliness by Christian careful education. And if "this apology will not defend me, let him not mervail, if I, esteeming these things as precious stones, while he rather "chooseth the worldly, commended things, riches, favour, "&c. which I esteem less worth than a barleycorn." We shall read more of Stubbs under the next year. Tho. Lever dies. 66 This year died Thomas Lever, B. D. master of Sherborn hospital, near Durham: who flourished under king Ed513 ward VI. and was then master of St. John's college in Cambridge; an eloquent preacher, and a sincere professor of true religion, and an exile for it under queen Mary. He was highly valued for his learning and piety. And when he returned home upon the access of queen Elizabeth to the crown, he returned not to the mastership of the college, nor to any higher preferment in the church, than to that of master of the said hospital. Among other his good merits, His address I shall mention an earnest address that he made, not long colleges and before his death, to the lord Burghley, that great patron of hospitals, learning and piety, in behalf of the revenues of divers colwronged by leges and hospitals: which, by means of impropriations annexed to them, had been leased out to tenants, and those tenants granted leases to under-tenants; to the great diminishing of the true benefit that should have accrued to the members of those religious foundations; small rents remaining towards the maintenance of poor scholars or other poor; by means of large sums privately paid to those that made these leases, in consideration of the good pennyworths granted to them. in behalf of leases. Stat. 87. This Lever shewed to the aforesaid nobleman, with a great concern for these wrongs done to those houses; and begged redress of it from him. And particularly urged to him, for this purpose, a statute in 37 Henry VIII. for the preventing of these abuses. In which statute there is a provision, that no manner lands, tenements, possessions, &c. that X. were united to any colleges, chantries, hospitals, &c. be not CHAP. let or set to farm, but kept and reserved in the manurance, tillage, and occupation of the said masters, wardens, &c. for Anno 1577. the maintenance of good housekeeping; and that they might not make any leases for term of life or years. It may be worth repeating the sum of Lever's letter concerning the premises. "That it might please his honour to understand and His letter "consider, that in both the universities many leases of im-treasurer in propriations were so made, bought, and sold, that some that cause. "such as had a lease of impropriation from a college did "set the same to an under-tenant. And so being indeed "neither landlord nor tenant, neither of the same parish "nor of the same college; yet from all these common places and persons, to his own private use, took above the "value of an 1007. for a fine, and 201. a year for an over"plus of rent. Yea, masters, fellows, and others in colleges "which grant leases, take the same under other men's "names to themselves, or else fines and overplus of rents to "their own private profit. So now, many that should get "learning in colleges, and exercise the same in parishes, do "seek and take occasion to get private profit from parishes "and colleges, from landlords and tenants, to serve them"selves in other places, and other vocations. "And as concerning colleges in the university, so it is "likewise concerning hospitals in other places. And by a "statute made 37 Henry VIII. purposely to preserve public "provisions and hospitals from private spoil, such of these "leases as have been made since, be utterly void. There"fore if by any means the said statute be now newly put in "execution, many leases of impropriations belonging to hospitals and colleges shall be found void. And order 66 may be taken that no lease be made hereafter by any "college or hospital of any impropriation, but that the in- II. Anno 1577. BOOK "leges, and hospitals, all such provision made afore for doc"trine and hospitality, poverty and learning, shall remain, 66 or soon be reduced to the common use now that it was "first ordained; and the daily perverting of the same "unto private spoil and profit be reformed or restrained. "And herein is great need, desire, and trust of your godly "wisdom and authority, to consider the case of colleges and "hospitals and how for them the said statute was in good "time well made, and may and should now be well exe"cuted: which God grant. 66 By your honour's to command in Christ, Upon a flat marble stone in the chapel of Sherborn hospital, near the altar, is this inscription, THOMAS Leaver, preacher to king Edward VI. He died in July, 1577. He was succeeded in that hospital by his brother, Rafe Leaver. CHAP. XI. Monsieur Gondy, French ambassador, comes to the court, with intent to go to the Scottish queen. News at court of foreign matters. Duke Casimire comes to court. His esteem here with the queen and nobles. His manifesto in taking arms for the defence of those of the Low Countries. Simier, the French ambassador, still at court soliciting the amours of the duke of Anjou. The archbishop of York continues his visitation. Account thereof sent up. The trouble he met with about the dean of Durham, Whittingham: by occasion of inquiry into his orders, taken at Geneva. A commission for visita tion of that church. Anno 1578. IN the beginning of May, 1578, comes monsieur Gondy, The French the French king's ambassador, into England: whose chief comes hi- business was with the Scottish queen. And therefore came ambassador ther. first to wait upon queen Elizabeth, to have her leave to repair to that queen. How he appeared at court, and what |