II.

"ligion, and for sincerity. Whereby hitherto his govern- CHAP. "ment hath had special success; if he shall give the first "example of taking from that see, which before him hath Anno 1576. "not been attempted by any lord president, neither may "be, without the great offence and discontentation of "many."

Elmer

nues.

The same bishop, soon after his translation, met with Bishop more trouble, happening by a contest Elmer, that succeeded contends him in London, (or some busy lawyer for him,) had with with archbishop Sanhim; who required all the incomes of that see, from Mi-dys about chaelmas last. Sandys, on the other hand, would enjoy the the revebenefits from Michaelmas to Candlemas ensuing; having been to that time bishop of London, before he removed to York. And pleaded to the lord treasurer, that he had spent upon the bishopric of London in hospitality what he had received, and 5501. more, since Michaelmas last past. That there was no example that he should make any restitution thereof to his successor. That neither bishop Yong, (who was the first archbishop under queen Elizabeth,) neither the late bishop of York [archbishop Grindal] was so dealt withal; but enjoyed all that they had received, and yet looked so far backward as he [archbishop Sandys] desired. That indeed his said successor had at first required no more than the ensuing Lady-day rent. And that so he had said. And he is able, added the archbishop, and I a beggar. That he had taken the cost and pains, and his successor none. And that if the restitution day looked back to the Purification of our lady, it was as much and more than he looked for.

to the lord

archbishop.

But it seems bishop Elmer, by the advice of some, altered He appeals his mind, and now insisted upon the whole revenue from treasurer, Michaelmas to be restored to him. And to take off any against the pleas of the archbishop to the contrary, gave in a note to the lord treasurer, (to whom he laid open this his cause,) specifying what considerable benefits and advantages the archbishop had received since his coming to York: as first, the Lady-day rents, 5007. the demeans, amounting to

II.

BOOK 400%. the benevolence of his clergy, 8007. and in wood, to the value of 3000l. This note the said lord sent to the Anno 1576. archbishop, by the hand of one of his servants, that he might hear and understand both sides the better. On the margin thereof, which he soon sent back to the treasurer, with his letter, he gave his answer briefly to each article: viz. to the Lady-day rents, "This is untrue by a great sum; "and perhaps some part of the tenths will be required of ." Secondly, to the demeans, he wrote in the margin, "Not five pound." Against the third sum, viz. the clergy's benevolence, he wrote, "In two years to come." Against 427 the value he should make of his woods, thus he answered

The archbishop's letter to

his own

behalf. Paper Of

fice.

me.

in the margin, "He might as well have rated the houses "there, to pull down and sell. He [the bishop of London] "hath as much wood left at London."

And his letter was to this tenor: " My good lord, of "late I came out of Buckinghamshire. Since what time I that lord in "have kept myself here, at the Minoresse, within the "doors, cogitating what to say at the Cross for my farewell. "If that had not stayed me, I had, according to my duty, "visited your lordship ere this. Yesterday I received by "William Seres a note from your lordship (as it seems) "unto me, delivered unto you by the bishop of London, 66 or by his means. If I should say nothing unto it, I trust your lordship can easily espy what spiteful meaning is in "it, and what untruth it setteth forth. But I have set a "brief and a true comment to this false text, as by the bil"let enclosed your lordship may perceive.

66

"Coloured covetousness, an envious heart, covered with “the coat of dissimulation, will, when opportunity serveth, "shew itself. My lord, I am sore dealt withal, and most "shamefully wronged on every side. My only comfort is, "that a clear conscience will answer for me before God: "and that when I shall be tried, veritas liberabit me. To"morrow, if I may find your lordship at home, I will at"tend myself, to open this matter more at large. Thus, "much bound unto your lordship, and ever yours to use

“wherein I can, I recommend you to the good direction of CHAP. "God's holy Spirit. From my lodging at the Minoress,

"this last of April, 1577.

"Your lordship's in Christ, ever assured,

"E. EBOR.

"I shall pray your lordship to keep these things to your"self, unto such time as I speak with your lordship. At "what time I will give you the reason why I desire it.”

66

II.

Anno 1576.

cates him

self, and

upon the

In another letter to that lord, I find the archbishop more He vindiparticularly endeavouring to satisfy him in these matters urged against him; "That he had served there, at London, reflects "until Candlemas last, as bishop, and received the rents bishop of "thereof, according to equity and law. That the sum was London. "small; and in that time he spent there one thousand pounds and upwards. That he received somewhat of her "majesty's liberality at York, as the lord treasurer knew; "but that the new bishop of London, being at no cost, "neither serving the bishopric, received of her majesty's gift in like sort 3971.; in truth more, added the arch"bishop, than he had deserved any way. "received in the mean time the revenues "ings, which amounted not to a little. "this reflection upon the bishop, A greedy desire will never "be satisfied.

66

66

And besides, he of his other livConcluding with

"That for the demeans since Michaelmas, at York, be"ing in the lord president's hands, until our Lady-day past, it was easy to conceive what benefit would grow 428 "thereof to him, the archbishop. But that the demeans in "London, saved well in winter, would be as much worth.

"That if it were lawful for the archbishop of York to "sell all his woods upon a day, as this bill seemed to in"sinuate, (rating the woods at 40007.) then was it lawful "for the bishop of London to do the like, who had as "much wood left him as his was at York.

"That it was desire of gain, and envy that the archbishop of York should have any thing, or be so dealt with "as he himself, that had made him give forth this untruth

BOOK" and envious note: wherein he laboured to hinder the

II. "archbishop of York, lest her majesty should shew him Anno 1576. "further favour; and to set forth the commodities there, "as might be thought for a melius inquirendum; and "hereby not to gain himself. For how came he to look "for that, that the bishop of York would give his revenues "to so unthankful a man, that so soon as he had holpen "him on with his rochet, was transformed, and shewed "himself in his own nature ?"

429

of Wor

cester is

dent of

Hist.

Cambr.

CHAP. III.

The bishop of Worcester made vice-president of the marches of Wales. The presidents thereof. Curteis, bishop of Chichester, preaches at Paul's Cross. Process against the bishop of Gloucester from the queen. Pilkington, bishop of Durham, dies. His prayers. Dr. May makes interest to succeed him. Bishop of Carlisle is made bishop of Durham: sues for dilapidations. And Dr. May succeeds to Carlisle. Holds the rectory of Darfield in commendam. Dr. May's family.

The bishop THIS year, Whitgift, bishop of Worcester, was made vice-president of the marches of Wales; a great honour, as vice-presi- well as trust; sir Henry Sydney, the president, being abWales. sent in Ireland, the queen's lieutenant there. That office Dr. Powel's was first put into the hands of a bishop, viz. Rowland Lee, bishop of Coventry and Litchfield, the 26th Henry VIII., being then sent to be president of that king's council in those marches. In whose time the principality and country of Wales was incorporated and united unto the kingdom of England, when this bishop and his associates did notable good service. He died the 34th Hen. VIII. and lieth buried in Shrewsbury. After him another bishop, Richard Sampson, who was removed from Chichester to Coventry and Litchfield, was (35 Hen. VIII.) appointed lord president of the said marches. Then succeeded first a layman,

III.

viz. Dudley, earl of Warwick, in the reign of king Edward CHAP. VI. And next him William Herbert, knight of the garter, earl of Pembroke. After him, 1mo Mariæ, Nicolas Hethe, Anno 1576. bishop of Worcester, became president. Then, 6o Mariæ, succeeded another bishop, viz. Gilbert Bourn, of Bath and Wells. Then, 1mo Eliz. the lord Williams of Thame. And then sir Henry Sydney, and the bishop of Worcester, vicepresident, as aforesaid. Omitted in this account, Yong, archbishop of York, who had been also president or vicepresident. And among the presidents of this council of Wales, held at the castle of Ludlow, who were wise governors, and men of great credit, Dr. Powel, the author of the History of Cambria, reckoneth particularly three bishops, Heath, archbishop of York, Yong, archbishop of York, and Whitgift, then living, archbishop of Canterbury.

Curteis

preaches

Curteis, bishop of Chichester, chaplain to the queen, and Bishop a great court preacher, preached a sermon this year at St. Paul's Cross, upon Rev. xii. 1, &c. And there appeared a at Paul's great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars, &c. It was printed.

Cross.

against the

for tenths.

Cheny, bishop of Gloucester, was this year in danger of 430 falling under the same fate with Parkhurst bishop of Nor-Process wich, in the year 1572, running behindhand with the bishop of queen for his clergy's tenths. His vice-collector (whose Gloucester name was Gifford) having brought him 5007. in debt to her majesty. So that in the month of October process came down from Mr. Fanshaw and Mr. Godfrey, belonging to the exchequer, to the sheriffs, to seize the bishop's lands and goods for payment. They accordingly called upon the bishop for the debt; who prayed them to forbear executing their office, and promised to save them harmless. And so speedily despatched his letters, dated October 5, to the lord treasurer, in his and their favour. The sum whereof was, that he was ready to pay what was due after some forbearance. Money, he said, he had but little, spending all hitherto in housekeeping. And, in fine, he made two suits