BOOK" also for the commonweal." Reflecting by these words upon the dissolute life of monsieur.

II.

Anno 1579.

ditious

book.

These and many such like expressions were so provoking, A lewd, se- that a proclamation was issued out, as was shewn before, against the book; wherein it was styled, "a lewd, sedi“tious book, rashly compiled, and secretly printed; and af"terwards seditiously dispersed into sundry corners of the "realm; containing an heap of slanders and reproaches "against the said prince; bolstered up with manifest lies," &c. and a great deal more contained in that proclamation. I meet with a letter of this Stubbs to his friend and camerade, Mr. Michael Hicks, then of Lincoln's Inn, (of which inn of court Stubbs was,) writ with his left hand, his right being cut off; being yet a prisoner in the Tower: subscribing himself, after his name, Sceva; as he usually did at the end of his letters, of which I have seen some. Part of this letter was in these words: "I recommend me "to you, and your honest crew, [some of their society in "Lincoln's Inn.] The Lord make you all to increase in

A letter of
Stubbs, the
author,
with his

left hand.

Another let

ter of his

pose.

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ability and hearty will to serve the Lord and his church. "Farewell to all. Pray for your old restrained friend, that "he may never commit any thing unworthy any your godly acquaintances, or that should make you ashamed to ac"knowledge him to be that he is, your loving and faithful "fellow,

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"John Stubbe, Sceva."

Another letter of his, writ with his left hand, the next good pur- year, was dated in July, 1581, being then at Thelmeton in Norfolk, [or Thelveton.] Wherein he writes with a great sense of religion, and purpose of a more strict behaviour towards God; with counsel of the like import to Mr. Hicks, his foresaid old friend. Whose conversation, with some other gentlemen, used to be more facetious and airy: writing thus familiarly: "I pray thee, good Michael, pray for "me, that after so much time to no purpose spent, I may now give myself from such delights or companions which "are vain, and have no furtherance in them to godliness;

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XIX.

"but rather draw back from an earnest profession thereof. CHAP. "And that now, after forty years almost of my vain life, I "may redeem the time, by giving myself seriously to a sin- Anno 1579. "cere profession of Christ: so as I may feel the power of

“his death and resurrection in my soul and body. That I

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may give continually some time to an ordinary and standing exercise of the word. That I may choose the godly, ❝and none other, to be my company; and to be ashamed to "have any other for my near familiars. That, finally, I may "determine upon some certain calling; wherein to serve the Lord, and my country, where I dwell.

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" and I will pray also the same for you.

Pray this for me,

If you have lei"sure, write again. The Lord direct you in all these by his 'holy Spirit, and keep you ever his. Thelmeton, 22d of "July, 1581. By your own and constant friend,

"John Stubbe, Sceva."

troubles.

I transcribe the whole letter, for the substance of it, as His associates; and well as the writing; proceeding from such a memorable as character well as unhappy gentleman, more out of honest zeal than before his malice. I add, that he was sometime of Bene't college in Cambridge, and removed thence to Lincoln's Inn. His acquaintance and associates there were of the more learned and 610 ingenious sort as Drury, Blyth, Spenser, Brenthwait, Calthorp, Southwel, and Mr. Hicks, afterwards one of the secretaries of the lord treasurer Burghley. All whom he styles, in one of his letters, "his good masters of the bar, and "friends of Lincoln's Inn." And how well he was esteemed, before he fell into his troubles, may appear by a letter written by Robert Southwel from Venice, in his travels, to his friend, the said Mr. Hickes, in the year 1575. "I know "none that in every account I reckon of more, than of your"self; or unto whom I am more beholden: joining with you "Mr. Stubbs. Which as I would choose for commissioner "of the weightiest cause that ever shall behap me, &c."

And the esteem that he had afterwards for his learning He answers and abilities may appear hence, that the lord treasurer

cardinal Al

len's English Justice.

BOOK chose to employ him some years after in answering a poII. pish book, of great vogue in those times, called, The EngAnno 1579.lish Justice, written by cardinal Allen, upon the execution

Byng and Hammond approve his writing.

of certain popish traitors. Which book was answered by this man. And the copy being finished, the aforesaid lord thought fit to have it carefully reviewed first, and examined by some judicious persons, before it should be published. For which purpose he desired two learned civilians, Dr. Byng and Dr. Hammond, to peruse it, and give him their judgment of it; which accordingly they did: and the account they gave thereof, take from their own letter; viz.

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"Our humble duties premised; according to your lordship's commandment, we have perused the treatise written "by Mr. Stubbs in defence of the English justice, erewhile impugned by a Rhemish Romanist. The author's travel "had so well throughout acquitted itself, as it little needed any censure, much less ours. Nevertheless, sith your lordship was pleased to have it reviewed, we have joined in "conference with the writer about such places as might 66 seem to have most occasion of doubt. Touching the "work, it is more than time, in our opinion, it were abroad; "not only for the better staying of such weak ones, as may "lightly be carried away with fair shows of the adversary, "but also for the repressing of some insolent vaunts, lately

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given out by petty pamphleteers of that Romish faction, "who had dared so highly to magnify that popish libel; as "though it were for workmanship unmatchable, and for "sound matter uncontrollable by ours. But, God be "thanked, it is ripped in sunder; and the rottenness of every member in such sort discovered, as all their shifting surgery will never recure it.

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"For the rest, we have not further to say; but referring "all to your honourable wisdom, we humbly take our leave, "and commit your good lordship to the blessed protection "of the Almighty. The 11th of July, 1587.

"Your lordship's humbly at commandment,

"Tho. Byng, Jo. Hammond."

To these books already mentioned, let me add one or two CHAP. more, that appeared in print this year.

XIX.

Plutarch's

One was Plutarch's Lives; translated into English by sir Anno 1579. Thomas North, from the French, done by Amiot, abbot of 611 Bellozane: with his epistle dedicatory to the queen. Where- Lives in in he gave her this compliment: "Though this book be no English. "book for your majesty's self, who are meeter to be the "chief story, than a student therein; and can better under"stand it in Greek [in which language it was writ by the "author] than any man can make it in English." In the epistle to the reader he hath these words in commendation of history; "All other learning is private, fitter for universities than cities; fuller of contemplation than experience; more commendable in students there, than profitable unto "others. Whereas stories are fitter for every place; reach "to all persons; serve for all times; teach the living; re"vive the dead."

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of the bi

Now came forth a Catalogue of the bishops of Exeter; Catalogue collected by John Vowel, alias Hooker, gent. concluding shops of with John Wolton; preferred to that bishopric, and conse-Exeter. crated by archbishop Grindal, August, 1579: a professor of divinity, and a preacher of the gospel, and universally seen in all good letters. So his character there ran. This Catalogue is transferred into Holinshed's Chronicle.

Surgery.

A book of Simples and of Surgery was set forth also now; Book of though writ divers years before, viz. in the year 1562, by the Simples and author William Bullein; published, it seems, now after his death. By this book it appears, there were in those early times quacks and empirics; called by him dog-leeches, and Egyptians, and Jews: all pretending to the telling of fortunes, and curing by charms. That author thus describes them. "They [dog-leeches] buy some gross stuff, with a Dog"box of salve, and cases of tools, to set forth their slender leeches. "market withal, &c. Then fall they to palmistry, and telling "of fortunes; daily deceiving the simple. Like unto the "swarms of vagabonds, Egyptians, and some that call them"selves Jews: whose eyes were so sharp as lynx. For they "see all the people with their knacks, pricks, domifying and

II.

BOOK "figuring, with such like fantasies. Feigning that they have "familiars and glasses; whereby they may find things that Anno 1579. “be lost. And beside them are infinite of old doltish witches, "with blessings for the fair, and conjuring of cattle. And "that is the cause that there is so much idleness, and infi

Rich. Bul

vine and

delity is practised in this ill estate, &c. These be worse “than the subtle limitours and begging friars, which de"ceived many through hypocrisy, and more hurtful than "the crafty pardoners; which preached remission of sins in

every parish church, with bells, and pardons from Rome. "These be worse than vagabonds, beggars, robbing the peo"ple: nay, more hurtful than private murderers, in killing "men for lack of knowledge."

This William Bullein, in his said book, takes occasion to lein, a di- mention his brother Richard Bullein, a divine by profesphysician. sion, but a learned physician also; living in the beginning of queen Elizabeth's reign. Who practised the art chiefly in Christian charity, for the comfort and relief of the poorer sort. Whose memory therefore deserves a line or two in our history. Of whom he gives this account: "That he "was a zealous lover of physic; more for the consolation "and help of the afflicted sick people, being poor, than for "the lucre and gain of the money of the wealthy and rich. "And that although he professed comfortable cordials and 612" heavenly medicines for the soul, being a divine, yet he "had good experience of many infirmities and sicknesses in"fecting the body of mankind; and had done many good "cures." And speaks particularly of his medicine for the gravel in the reins, and for the stone. And promised, if it pleased God, that it should hereafter come abroad to the profit of the commonwealth of the English nation. And then this writer sets down particularly his brother's receipt of a syrup for the stone, and an electuary, pills, and plaister. Both these brothers lie buried in Cripplegate church; where were inscriptions upon their grave-stones.

This gives occasion to descend to some remarks on two or three other persons, (and they of the university,) which this year brings to my hand.