I. BOOK so not to hinder me of it, when the queen's majesty hath given it me: in this you do me wrong. I made your lordship privy to it. I stayed it in the midst, as I declared at my return. I was willing to abide your end in all things: yea, I had rather loose that, and all the living I have, than loose my lord the bishop of Norwich. Unto whom, in a reverend respect of his great good will towards me at all times, and of that faithful and unfeigned service, in friendship whereof I have bound my self with a religious vow, I my self, and all that ever I have beside. hurt your ing your of ambi own advan Your lordship writes, your lordship will withstand any that offereth him [i. e. Roberts] so great wrong. It is an easy matter to withstand me, but not so easy to withstand the queens presentation, when she hath right. I sucked not this out of my own fingers. It came from other heads, how it [i. e. the archdeaconry] came void. And it is so far in other men's heads which wished me unto it; because they thought I should have your goodwill, and do good in the room which had need of a waking archdeacon, and one that hath eyes: that if I have it not, Mr. Roberts shall not enjoy it. I trust my credit remaineth uncracked for any note of You have a ambition shewed in this. O Lord, where are men's eyes? I speak it plainly, it is no ambition for one man that is rich, self greatly in confirm without charge, well provided for, yet no travailer in the opinion that church of God any maner of way, to seek an archdeaconry goeth of you for the living only; when there is an advouson out, [by tious, and which Rugg was presented ;] which indeed is, and was good seeking your in law, if it had been well handled; and to defend the intage. Bp. trusion fas nefasque. But it is ambition in the poor man, that hath wife and four children unprovided for, and that to Dr. Gar- hath travailed (absit jactantia verbo) painfully in the church of God these eleven years in one dioces, to seek for an archdeaconry, when it is clearly void in law, and not without a care to discharge that great charge that this office bringeth: and to seek it in such humble sort as he referreth his furtherance to them that hinder him most. Judge then my cause, O God. of Norwich, in his letter diner. I. Where you wish me to give you no cause of misliking, or BOOK of breach of friendship; O my good lord, as I have at all times and in all places acknowledged your fatherly friendship towards me, so do I now. And loth were I ever to have any occasion to the contrary. Even so, I speak it boldly, have I acquired your goodwil with as true a heart as ever poor man did bear to prelate. You may, to plesure your other friends, cast me off, yet shall the world witness with me, that it was don without my deserving. As for your parenthesis, to continue as of old, (if I use 68 you and your friendship well,) I wish to breath no longer than I use your lordship as it becometh; yea, your friends, your servants, and your dogs for your sake. And although you have provoked my patience, as much as ever it was, with a sharp, a bitter, and taunting letter; containing untruths, which you have received of reports; yet shall you not loose my heart, my hand, my service, and all I have to command at your will, as much as it pleaseth you. I wrot once before, that if the whole right of the archdeaconry were in my hand, your lordship should order the matter as it pleased you. So do I now, when I am fully persuaded, it is in my hand indeed, &c. I mean plainly, let Mr. Roberts ask counsil, and then answer me surely. Thus with my humble commendations to your good lordship, I take my leave, 29th of June, 1573. Your lordships as heretofore, so to the death, Geo. Gardyner. Number XXXVI. Dr. Gardiner to Mr. Roberts; concerning the archdeaconry of Norwich: which he sheweth him was lapsed to the queen: and so became his by her grant. SALUTATION in Christ Jesu, &c. I have received Ubi supra. a very rough letter from my lord bishop; and such an one as I did never think to have received from him, consider ing I never deserved the like. The matter concerneth you BOOK and your archdeaconry. Wherein you shall well perceive, I. that I never undermined you, as I am falsely accused, but have carefully sought to keep your good will, and to seek your commodity, as mine own; and more than I think any man would have don for me. So it is, that in Easter term I understood by those that are well learned in the laws, that John Rugg could not enjoy the archdeaconry, because he was not presented thereunto by Bernes, or any of those unto whom Thimelthorp had made a deed of gift of his goods and chattels : which otherwise without controversie he should have enjoyed, if either the deed of gift had not been good, or if he had been presented thereunto by any of those four unto whom the deed was made. Then was it certain, and so is it still; and so shall you find it: that seeing that their advouson was good, if it had been well handled, your advouson could take no place (this is plain) at this time. But after six months, it fell into lapse in my lord of Canterburies hands; and after twelve months, into the queens. Where now it doth remain. For my lord, our bishop, can have no advantage of lapse, in those things that he is patron of. I declared all these things to your atturny, and to Mr. Baispole, in Easter term; offering this, that if he would sue for it to the queen's majesty, for my lord his sake, you should have my furtherance. If not, then if I might have my lords good will and yours, I would sue for it. And in consideration of your advouson lost, I would give you the mean fruits of these two years by-past. To this Mr. Baispole answered, that he would warrant me it should be mine own. For he thought that you would not enter into new charge and trouble. Yet dealt I not upon this warrant; but returning home, I told my lord as is before. Who, after the old manner, wishing the thing to you above all men, if it might be, next graunted his goodwill to me upon the obtaining of your goodwil. Which he willed me to crave. Whereupon I was determined to come to you in my journey to London: but that I was caried another way with company. I. At my being there, although I had good occasion to try BOOK my friends in this and other matters; yet this token I gave of a reverend regard to the friendship of my lord bishop, 69 that having my honourable friends to do as much as I required, yet I left the matter re infecta. I might finish here: and if I had not been so visited in my feet, that I could neither ride nor go, I had been with you my self, before this rumour should have come to your ears. And for a conclusion make your choice, whether I shall have your goodwill to go forwards upon the former conditions; or that you will leave it to some other, that will admit no such condition. For truly without my lord bishops goodwil, which I cannot have without yours, I will not once write or speak more in the matter. And yet I wish you to look to it, either in taking it, or in departing from it. And thus I crave, that you will return me answer of your pleasure in the premisses: and that you would send this letter to my lord: and then you shall command twice as much. Thus resting to trouble you any further, I commit you to God. The 28th of June, 1573. Some heads of the university of Cambridge, to the lord Burleigh, their high chancellor: acquainting him with the case of Mr. Aldrich, master of Benet college, as to his breach of a college statute. dem. penes OUR dutiful thanks for your lordships continual good- Epist. Acaness towards this whole university, most humbly premised. According to your lordships appointment, we have called before us the master and company of Benet college. Wee have heard their complaints and causes of controversy. And have entred to consider the state of their house. And now to make report to your honour of our proceedings. May it please the same to be advertised, that touching the principal difference between Mr. Aldrich and the fellows, viz. I. BOOK whether the said Aldrich, being not qualified according to the statute, may still nevertheless retain his mastership. After deeper weighing of the said statute, and hearing what might be alledged in his defence, we inclined in opinion to this point, that like as the like statutes are in sundry colleges binding the collegiates to be qualified diversly; for not accomplishing whereof, some heretofore have either voluntarily relinquished, or been put from their rooms: and considering again how dangerous a thing it were to admit the contrary example in one house, to the special prejudice of a great number; so likewise were we in this case induced to think, that the plain meaning of that statute is, that whoso hath not the quality required, is not to occupy and enjoy the place. Nevertheless forasmuch as by the parties consents heretofore, (as most of them have confessed,) the resolution of the same doubt was referred to the judgment of the archbishop of Canterbury, we have thought it not amiss to follow that course; as well to satisfy his grace in behalf of our late thought: whereby we meant only to preserve our privileges, and not to withdraw from his graces hearing any private matter that before had been orderly committed unto him: as also, and chiefly, for that your honour, not without great consideration, (as we verily take it,) eftsones advised Aldrich to ensue that way. To the which effect we have 70 addrest our letters to his grace, not doubting but that as he hath a singular care for the good estate of that house, so he will determine in this case accordingly. For our own part, we thought best not to set down any definitive sentence therein, unless your honours speedy advice shall otherwise direct us. The blessed God long preserve your lordship in most prosperous estate to his good plesure, and our chief comfort. At Cambridge, the 8th of August, 1573. Your lordships most bounden humbly at commandment, |