II.

upon.

BOOK missary in all the peculiars. This doctrine being strange,

offended the ears of the simple Cornish men. And the Anno 1576. bishop fearing (as he wrote to the lord treasurer on this

occasion) some danger that might arise thereby, rode himself to the town of Liskerden, which he found in great contention and heat one against another: the young man stoutly

bent to stand in that he had taught. His assertion he deThe course livered to the bishop in writing. But the adverse party took here! being then absent; and for that he saw no truth could be

well tried in that tumult, he put off the hearing thereof
unto the assizes next that should be holden at Launceston
about a fortnight after. And hereupon the bishop sent to
Dr. Tremayne, and other learned of Exon, to be there with
him; that he might be better able to pacify the stir that
buzzed in men's heads. He added, “ That truly the Cor-
“nish men were subtle, many of them, in taking an oath.
“ Now, if they should conceive, that in swearing upon a
~ book, no more danger were than upon a rush, the obe-
“ dience that we owe unto her majesty, the trials that we
“ have in assizes and sessions, wherein the controversies
“ were no otherwise commonly tried but by force of a book
“ oath, it might, as he wrote, open a great gap, and let in a
“ floodgate, as it were, to great disorder, and many mis-
“ chiefs in a commonwealth.

“ For the appeasing of the which, he thought best to have
“ the aid and advice of their judges in the assize, being then
“ so nigh at hand."
The said bishop of Exon was uneasy at this

time

very about an ecclesiastical commission that he heard was suing 418 out, to be granted to divers persons in Devon and Cornwall,

the meaning whereof he much marvelled at. And that divers times before, Dr. Tremain had attempted to have the

same granted to him, and certain his cousins and special An eccle- friends. Which the bishop always withstood: knowing, siastical

as he shewed the lord treasurer, that there was no need; he commission for this dio-himself having so many officers, and Tremain himself being liked by the a commissary in all the peculiars belonging to the church bishop : and why.

Anno 1576.

of Exon. That it should be but a burden and an overcharge, CHAP.

II. to weary the people with so many officers. All which must and would lie, he said, upon the popular cost.

“ My most humble and hearty desire therefore is, (as he

subjoined his request to that great lord and favourer of “ religion and peace,) that your lordship will be good unto “ the country, and suffer no such commission to be sent into “ these parties : and that the people, as far as I see, may “ more quietly be ruled by the orders and laws already re“ceived, and the officers already known, than by new offi“cers which may be appointed, such as will be hardly "ruled themselves, when you have put a new sword in their “ hands. He said further, that he spake somewhat of ex- Puritans

perience. That his diocese was great ; and that the sec-ries in“taries daily did increase. And he persuaded himself he creased in

his diocese, “should be able easier to rule them whom he partly knew “ already, than those which by this means might get them

new friends: which was the only thing he suspected “ (as he spake now more plainly] in this new commis“ sion."

And one thing more must be remarked of this good bi- The bishop shop; that he found the burden of his episcopal care in desires to that large diocese so heavy, that he earnestly desired to re-bishopric,

and return sign his bishopric, and (which is seldom heard of) to accept to his a lower office in the church, viz. to return to his deanery of deanery. Sarum, then, as it seems, vacant; using these words to the aforementioned lord, to whom he was writing : “ If it plea " your lordship to send me hence, and to restore me to the “ place from whence I came, you

could never do me such a “ pleasure. The time serveth ; the place is open. I wish “ your lordship’s favour were no less bent to drive me “ hence to Sarum again, than in my first suit for that " deanery; your lordship’s help was readier than I was to “ crave it. Which benefit, if I should forget, I were the “ingratest of all men. I can do no more, (as he concluded,) " than profess myself to be at your devotion. And so with “ his most humble prayer recommended his long preserva

BOOK

II.

“ tion to God's most merciful tuition. Dated from Newton
“ Ferres, the 11th of March, 1576. Subscribing,

“ Your lordship's own in Christ,

66 William Exon.”

Anno 1576.

at St. Paul's.

The bishop From this bishop we turn to another, not less worthy,
of Lincoln
preaches

viz. Cooper, bishop of Lincoln: and take notice of a sermon this Lent he preached in Lent this year, at St. Paul's Cross, upon Luke 419

xvi. Reddite rationem dispensationis tuæ, i.e. Give an
account of thy stewardship. A proper text for magistrates,
and all that were in public place and authority: and be-
fore such the bishop now preached. His sermon he managed
with so great life, and application to his auditory, that
Fleetwood, the recorder of London, who was among those
that were present, was so affected with the discourse, that
he resolved to forsake a speech that he had prepared to use
before the queen the next week, when the lord mayor was,
on some occasion, to be present before her, and to follow
the matter that bishop had taken in hand, although he
would not do it (as he said in his letter to the lord trea-
surer) in that very form, yet to that effect. And that he
was moved to do for two causes: the one, for that it gave
occasion to remember my lord mayor, his brethren, himself,
and all other in London, that had charge and authority of
government from her highness, that they should, and we,
yield to her majesty justam rationem dispensationis nostre.
The other cause was, for that he, the lord treasurer, both
could and would use the matter so wisely and learnedly,
that it might do the more good to awaken them from their
drowsy and negligent dealings, than the fifty weekly ser-
mons, and the Easter sermons, yearly preached in every
mayor's time, either could or should do.

We find the same bishop this year also busy, as being quired to ordinary visitor of King's college in Cambridge. Into visit King's which college, at this time, were many evils broken in by college, in

intestine jars. Which the lord Burghley, high chancellor
of that university, had taken notice of. And some of the

ST

The said bi

college themselves desired a visitation for the redress thereof. CHAP. But the bishop found he could not visit at that time, what

II. ever need there were of it, unless he had some extraordinary Anno 1576. authority committed to him for that purpose. And so first, the bishop, by his letters, acquainted the said chancellor, that divers of the house had made complaint of sundry great and enormous disorders, as well touching the state of the house, as of certain particular persons in the same: exhibiting unto him many articles drawn and set down to that effect; the bishop of Lincoln for the time being, being their visitor. The bishop found the articles were such as touched the state of the house very near; and therefore required speedy amendment. But he answered them, that though he were their visitor by statute, yet he had no authority extraordinary to visit; his visitation being but a triennio in triennium; and the time since his last visitation there not yet elapsed. Nor would he take upon him, he said, to visit them extraordinary without authority ; lest his proceedings might be frustrate, and to none effect. And though they urged him, yet he would by no means visit; however they urged, that the stay of the visitation would be a great impediment to the state of their college. Then they requested his leave, with great importunity, according to the appointment of their statutes, to seek redress of the higher autho rity. Whereunto, in the end, the bishop condescended.

He wrote this to the lord Burghley, adding, “ That he His letter was sorry to see so great tumult in a house of study ; Burghley.

especially there, where he had beforetime in some part 420 “ laboured to join them together in unity and concord.

Though he knew not in whether party the cause of trouble was. But that in his opinion it were not ill, if by some • lawful and ordinary means the matters might be heard, " and some good order set between them. And that if “ both parties would join together to desire him to visit, he

might, by order of statute, deal in it. But because that “ had not been done, neither could he orderly, nor was “ he willing to meddle in it. But that indeed, for example “sake, he could wish they were visited rather by such or

II.

וי

of the fel.

BOOK “ der as statute admitted, than otherwise, if they would on

“ both parts condescend thereunto. But, he added, he was Anno 1576. “ loath to move them unto it, lest he should seem, to some

"jealous mind, to be desirous more to meddle in their mat“ ters than need was. This, as he said, he thought fit to “ signify to his honour, leaving the rest to his wisdom to “ consider of: meaning, as it seems, that he should pro

“pound it himself to them, being their chancellor.” Complaints

The reason of these disturbances was a malice conceived lows against against Dr. Goad, the provost of the college, in several of the provost. the fellows, and especially Fletcher, Lakes, Johnson, and

Dunning, appearing most in it. The accusations they drew up against him were of two sorts, viz. hinderance of learning in the college, and hinderance of the college revenues : as, granting prejudicial leases; making an ill bargain of grain, to the damage of the college; taking his friends and strangers with him when he went his progress to view the college's estate; sending some about the college affairs without the college's consent. Further, they complained of his wife; that she came within the quadrant of the college ; (though she came never twice within the quadrant, but kept within the lodgings.) That their statutes did forbid the provost to marry; though the statutes, as the provost in his answer shewed, did not forbid the provost's marriage : and that the visitor's statutes in the beginning of the queen's reign, and the university statutes lately made, allowed heads of colleges to marry. And many more articles they said they had against him, to the number of forty: though they could produce but five and twenty. To all which the

provost gave

in his For the matter was now come before the lord Burghley, vost's an. the university chancellor, and others, the bishop of Lincoln, good deit is like, being one.

Who received their book of articles, and likewise his answers to each. And as to the articles of wards the college. his being a hinderance to good learning in the college, he

gave in a paper, wherein - he shewed particularly what he had done for the furtherance of learning since his coming. As, that he had erected a new library, furnished with

answers.

The pro

swer; and

serts to