course of study, by the aid and conduct, example and counsel of that excellent man: and that they bore the better his going from them to the court, who had brought them on in so good a course, because they knew their disprofit was abundantly recompensed by the profit and safety that would accrue to the whole commonwealth by him. Applying that of Plato to him, 'Plurimum reipub. interesse, ut unus aliquis existat semper præstans excellensque, vir, ad cujus virtutis imitationem, cæteri voluntate, industria, studio, et spe erecti, totos sese effingant et accommodenti."" diments of sities flou before him. Afterwards he acquainted the most reverend person, to The impewhom he wrote, with those things which proved great hin- the univer derances to the flourishing estate of the university; that by rishing his counsel and authority, if possible, they might be redress- state laid ed. And they were two. "The one was, that they wanted elderly men, very few such remaining among them, by whose example the younger sort might be excited to study, and by whose authority the manners of the rest might be rightly formed and fashioned. The other impediment was occasioned by such as were admitted; who were for the most part only the sons of rich men, and such as never intended to pursue their studies to that degree as to arrive at any eminent proficiency and per ["Et in hanc optimam studendi viam, potissimum Joannis Checi vel ope ac præsidio adjuti, vel consilio et exemplo excitati, plurimi sese dediderunt: cujus a nobis digressum, per quem in tam facilem paratumque cursum producti fuerimus, eo facilius ferimus, quo certius cognoscimus, hanc nostram incommoditatem cum universa reipublicæ com modo ac salute conjunctam et fection in learning, but only the better to qualify themselves for some places in the state, by a slighter and more superficial knowledge. The injury accruing thence to the university was double; both because, by this means, all hope of ripe and completed learning was immaturely cut off in the very bud; and also all the expectations of the poorer sort, whose whole time was spent in good studies, was eluded by these drones occupying those places and preferments, which more properly belonged unto them. For parts, learning, poverty, and election, were of no strength at home, where favour and countenance, and the letters of noblemen, and such-like extraordinary and illegal courses from abroad, bore all the swayi." ["Istis studiorum nostrorum rationibus, hoc modo satis in præclaro cursu expeditis, duo inferuntur gravissima impedimenta : alterum, quod nescio, quo fato, vel potius quorum facto effectum st, ut pauci admodum majores natu viri, in Academia commorentur, quorum exemplo, studia literarum excitari, authoritate mores adolescentium fingi atque formari rectissime potuissent: alterum, quod illi fere omnes, qui huc Cantabrigiam confluunt, pueri sunt, divitumque filii, et hi etiam qui nunquam inducunt animum suum, ut abundanti aliqua perfectaque eruditione perpoliantur: sed ut ad alia reipub. munera obeunda, levi aliqua et inchoata cognitione paratiores efficiantur. Et hic singularis, quædam injuria bifariam Academiæ intentata est : vel, quia hoc modo omnis expletæ absolutæque doctrinæ spes, longe ante messem, in ipsa quasi herbescenti viriditate, præciditur: vel, quia omnis pauperum inopumque expectatio, quorum ætates omnes in literarum studio conteruntur, ab his fucis eorum sedes occupantibus exclusa illusaque præripitur. Ingenium enim, doctrina, inopia, judicium, me quicquam domi valent, ubi gratia, favor, magnatum literæ, et aliæ persimiles extraordinariæ illegitimæque rationes vim foris adferunt."-Epist. Rog. Aschami, pp. 199, 200.] CHAPTER VII. DR. SMITH AND OTHERS RECANT. from AND now, before I conclude this year, let me pass more public matters, and present the reader with two or three passages, wherein the archbishop had to do with private men. 171 recants at Cross. May the 15th, Richard Smith, D. D. Master of Whit- Dr. Smith tington collegek, and reader of divinity in Oxford', a hot Paul's turbulent man, made his recantation at Paul's Cross, convinced and moved thereunto by the pains of the archbishop. What his errors were, that he had publicly vented in the university, and in his writings, may be known by the words of his recantation, which were these: "I do confess and acknowledge, that the authority, as well of the bishop of Rome, whose authority is justly and lawfully abolished in this realm, as of other bishops, and others called the ministers of the church, consisteth in the dispensation and ministration of God's word, and not in making laws, ordinances, and decrees over the people, besides God's word, without the consent and authority of the prince and people. I say and affirm, that within this realm of England, and other the king's dominions, there is no law, decree, ordinance, or constitution ecclesiastical, in force, and available by any man's authority, but only by the king's majesty's authority, or of his parliament." This man had wrote two books in favour of popish doc- His books. trine; and those he also now disclaimed, viz. A book of traditions, and another of the sacrifice of the mass. In [See Maitland's Hist. of London, vol. ii. pp. 1042-1044. ed. Lond. 1756.] 1 [See vol. i. p. 178. n. 2, and above, pp. 48, 9.] Num. Gardiner offended with this recantation. the former of which he maintained, "That Christ and his apostles taught and left to the church many things without writing; which," he asserted, "were stedfastly to be believed, and obediently fulfilled, under pain of damnation." In the other book he maintained, "that Christ was not a priest after the order of Melchisedec, when he offered himself upon the cross for our sins, but after the order of Aaron: and that when Christ did offer his body to his Father, after the order of Melchisedec, to appease his wrath, it was to be understood not of the sacrifice of the cross, but of the sacrifice that he made at his maundy, in form of bread and wine." In which book were other errors. He that is minded to see his recantation of these his books, may have it in the Appendix, as I transcribed it out of an old book made by Becon, intituled, "Reports of certain Men." This recantation he not long after made at Oxon, viz. in August following: where he also protested openly, "That he would abide in the sincere and pure doctrine of Christ's gospel, all human trifling traditions set apart, even unto death, though it should cost him his life." And this recantation he also printed, for further satisfaction to the world. Bishop Gardiner, who was now at Winchester, was very uneasy at the news of this recantation, which some took care to bring down to him. He signified to the protector, "That Smith was a man with whom he had no familiarity, 172 nor cared for his acquaintance: that he had not seen him in three years, nor talked with him in seven. He was greatly displeased with the first words of his recantation, Psal. cxvi. (which yet were but the words of Scripture), 'Omnis homo mendax:' making all the doctors in the church, (as he inferred), to be liars with himself: how it argued his pride; for he that sought for such company in lying, had small humility; and that he would hide himself by that number: that his depraving of man's nature in that sort was not the setting out of the authority of Scripture." He said, "he neither liked his tractation, nor yet his retractation. That he was mad to say in his book of Unwritten verities, that bishops in this realm could make laws, wherein," he said, "he lied loudly"." About this Other unitime Chadsey", Standish, Young, Oglethorpe, and divers recant. m [" And in the mean time Dr. Smith recanted, which a priest of this town, [i. e. Winchester], (who to mine own mouth boasted himself to be your grace's chaplain, but I believed it not), brought down with speed, and made by means to have it brought to my knowledge, which I knew besides, for they had by and bye filled all the country hereabouts of tales of me. And when I saw Dr. Smith's recantation begin with Omnis homo mendax,' so Englished, and such a new humility, as he would make all the doctors of the church liars with himself, knowing what opinions were abroad, it enforced me to write unto your grace for the ease of my conscience: giving this judgment of Smith, that I neither liked his tractation of Unwritten verities, nor yet his retractation, and was glad of my former judgment, that I never had familiarity with him, and saw him not, that I wot these three years, nor talked with him these seven years, as curious as I am noted in the commonwealth. And whereas in his Unwritten verities he was so mad to say, bishops in this realm may make laws, I have witness, that I said at that word, we should be then daws, and was by and bye sorry that ever he had written of the sacrament of the altar, which was not, as it was noised, untouched, with that word, all men be liars, which is a marvellous word, as it soundeth in our tongue when we say a man were better to have a thief in his house than a liar. If Smith had only written of bishops' laws, and then said he had, (saving your honour), lied loudly, or to mitigate the matter, said he had erred by ignorance, that had been done truly and humbly; for he that seeketh for much company in lying as he did, hath small humility; for he would hide himself by the number. And this much as touching Smith, of whom, nor his book, till he was in trouble, I never heard talking.”—Foxe's Acts and Monuments, p. 1347. ed. Lond. 1583.] n["Examples whereof, in this king's (i. e. Edward v1.) days, be not far to seek. For as touching the success of the gospel of peace, while public peace and the gospel did join together, marvellous it was how error and popery were in themselves confounded, and ashamed almost to shew their faces. Insomuch that then, both Dr. Smith, Chadsey, Standish, versity-men |