CHAP.

III.

three roses. Which seemed to be an addition to the bishop's coat; for his brother, Dr. William May, dean of Paul's, bore it plain. He married Amy, daughter of Will. Anno 1576. Vowel of Creke abbey in Norfolk, gent. and widow of John Cowel of Lancashire: and had issue, John, his son and heir; Elizabeth, married to Richard Bird, D. D. Alice, married to Richard Burton of Burton in the county of York; Anne, married to Richard Pilkington, D. D. John, the bishop's son and heir, of Shouldham abbey, comitat. Nor. esq. married to Cordela, daughter of Martin Bowes of London, esq. and had issue Henry, John, Stephen, Marga-434 ret, married to Richard Fawcet of Catericks, in com. Richmond, clerk; Frances, Fortunata, Frances, Dorothy.

This bishop's death, place of interment, and memorial, His death. follow being taken from the register of the parish of Dal-Rev. Tho. ston in Cumberland.

Feb. 15, 1597. Reverendus in Christo pater, Johannes Mey, divina providentia episcopus Carliolensis, hora octava matutina decimi quinti diei Februarii, mortem oppetiit, et hora octava vespertina ejusdem diei, Carliolensi in ecclesia sepultus fuit. Cujus justa celebrabantur die sequenti Dal

stonii.

Baker.

CHAP. IV.

Rockrey, B. D. of Queen's college, Cambridge, inconformable to the apparel prescribed by statute: his case signified by the master of the college. One Gawton, a puritan, summoned before the bishop of Norwich. The matters laid to his charge. Is suspended. One Harvey, another puritan minister of Norwich, suspended. Gawton's letter to the bishop, disowning his jurisdiction. A sect of libertines. Dr. Laurence Humfrey made dean of Gloucester. Observation of the 17th of November. Irish priests, bastards. Dispensed with by the pope to take orders.

WE turn now to the puritanical sort, and such as refused

to the

habits.

BOOK conformity to the customs and practice of the church, enII. joined. Of this sort was one Rockrey, B. D. of Queen's Anno 1576. college, Cambridge. He was an enemy to the wearing both Rockrey of of the apparel required of the clergy and of the university. Cambridge, incompliant And so inconformable he had been some years before; and was cast out of the college for the same fault, by command of the queen's council. But such was the tenderness of the lord Burghley, chancellor of that university, that he prevailed to have him received again, in hopes of better compliance; being a person, it seems, of some merit. But instead thereof, he shewed himself afterwards more averse and obstinate than before. So that still complaint being made thereof by Dr. Chaderton; the master, some time still was allowed him to reform himself. The year being expired, and the man as perverse as before, or more, the said Dr. Chaderton stated the matter at large to the said lord, in a letter dated in October; and requiring his direction how to proceed with him, that would not yet conform to the rites and customs of the church and college, viz.

435

of Queen's

"That Rockrey, S. T. B. still remained in the college; The master << one not unknown to his honour: who, four years ago, by college, his "the public authority of the queen's council, was ejected "the college for contumacy; again admitted by his [the lord Burgh-❝ chancellor's] entreaty into his fellowship. But that he ley. "from that time had been so averse, not from the rites

report of

him to the

66

only, and ceremonies, but even a communi etiam vita, "hardly conversing with the rest, that he had offended "very many honest men; and by his evil example had ex"cited others also to the same aragia. That he dealt,.as it

was fit, with the man at first friendly and piously, but 66 profited nothing. That afterwards, as their statutes required, he admonished him three times that he should "compose himself as well in habitu as in vestitu, to the "common and approved customs of the university. But "he refused to wear either the ecclesiastical habit or the "university cap. That this he had signified to his lordship "the last year, when he was with him at Theobald's. And "that then this was his decree, that he [the master] should

IV.

"for one year bear his [improbitatem] stubbornness; but CHAP, "that afterwards, unless he conformed himself to the cus"toms of the university, he should pronounce sentence ac- Anno 1576, "cording to the statute. He desired therefore his lord"ship's advice by letter or message. For that he could not "contain others in their duty and in order, if, as he said, every one might live freely according to their own plea"sure: nor certainly would the laws of the university have any force, unless rebels and stubborn persons were re"strained by punishment prescribed."

66

66

66

before the

ter.

One Gauton, formerly of a trade, now curate of a church Gauton, a in Norwich, is called before Freake, the bishop of Norwich, minister in for his principles and practices dissonant from the esta-convented blished discipline of the church; and who had also confuted bishop. Part in his sermon what the bishop's chaplain had preached a of a Regislittle before. Being summoned before the bishop in his house, he began to take notice to Gauton of his taking upon him to confute what his chaplain had preached; and that he admonished his parishioners to beware of such false doctrine. To whom Gauton briskly answered, (as he related the matter himself,) "Was it not meet for me so to do, "since he preached such false doctrine? As, that we had "natural motions to draw us unto God: and, that albeit none came to Christ but such whom the Father draweth, "yet all come not whom God doth draw; but that it is in "man whether he will be drawn or no." him, that he did this but the Sunday next after his chaplain had preached; and that he had in the mean time explained what he had asserted before, to the satisfaction of all. The other replied, Nay, he had made it worse than at first. The bishop asked him, Wherein? Gauton said, for that in his last sermon he said, that hearing was [believing]; and that Paul saith, Faith cometh by hearing. But hearing is a natural gift. And so we have faith by nature: and consequently are saved by nature; as that minister inferred from the chaplain's argument. Hereupon the bishop said, he would call him to dispute with him upon this point. The other answered, that he was well enough able to confute his false 448

The bishop told

II.

Anno 1576.

not wearing

nor observing the

book.

BOOK doctrine. But the bishop said, that was not the matter he was sent for: for that he had other matters against him. Then the bishop charged him, that he wore not the surCharged for plice, nor observed the orders of the queen's book, neither the surplice, in prayers nor administration of the sacrament. He answered, that indeed he wore not the surplice; but otherwise he was not to be charged for not observing the order of the book: and added very confidently, that he had long since heard at the court, that he, the bishop himself, liked not so greatly of the surplice; and that therefore he doubted that worldly dignity and vain glory led him to do against his own conscience; and wished him to look if it were not Whereunto the bishop replied, that there was no cause why any should think so of him: for he ware the surplice, or the apparel, that was as ill, in his account: or that if he were now to say service, or to minister the sacraments, he would wear it. To which the other very pertly answered, that he was the more sorry.

SO.

By the dean and commissary he was asked, whether, by serving his cure in Norwich, he acknowledged himself subject to the jurisdiction of the bishop. He answered, that he did not acknowledge himself subject to such jurisdiction as the bishop did use and claim. And when they willed him to beware what he answered in denying authority; he answered, he was not afraid to deny the unfaithful authority of bishops, archdeacons, chancellors, commissaries, and such like.

This man, so very impudent and malapert with the bishop, and with his officers, after divers other articles alleged against him, was suspended. And when the bishop told him he would suspend him, and he should go again to his former occupation; he said, he thanked God he had an occupation, and so, he said, had Paul and our Saviour too.

The dean sat a little before at St. George's about such ecclesiastical matters; but now, about the examination of Gawton, he sat in the bishop's chamber: against which he The inso- excepted, crying out, This your dealing with me in huggerpuritans. mugger, and in corners, will not further your cause, but

lence of the

IV.

hinder it, and further ours. For all men may see that you CHAP. fear the light. The dean answered, he was so used at St. George's the other day, that he durst not for his life sit Anno 1576. there any more. But that Gawton might without peril of his life come to the bishop's chamber. One Harvy, a noncomplier, and a disowner of the bishop's jurisdiction, was at that time suspended. But Gawton took his part, and said, that Harvy was able by the word of God to prove his calling lawful. And further he then said, both to the bishop and the dean, that they had no authority on their side: but, in a confident way of challenge, bade them both take unto them whom they would in England; "We are here not past half a dozen in this city, and (if you dare) confer "with us by learning. And if we be not able to prove that "we hold by the word of God, we will not only yield, but "we will also yield our lives." But the bishop only said 449 to this, that it was uncharitably spoken; they sought not their lives.

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I might here subjoin the other articles exhibited at this Other articles against time against him before the bishop; with his answers: as, him. that he observed not the orders prescribed by the book. To which he answered, that he did not think himself by law bound precisely to every part of it. Item, That he did not read the service appointed, nor the chapters, gospels, and epistles, nor the collects; nor married, and ministered the sacraments according to the book. He answered to this, that by reason of preaching he omitted some of them, as by law he might. That he observed the rest, except in baptism the cross and vows. Item, That he preached without renewing his licence, since the day appointed in the bishop's canons. To which he said, he was a minister of the word of God; and therefore that was sufficient authority to preach the word in his own parish without their licence.

One Harvey also, a minister in the city of Norwich, Harvey sus (mentioned before,) was summoned before the bishop of pended his ministry. that diocese, May the 13th, for some puritan principles, and particularly for preaching against the government of this church by the hierarchy of bishops, and their dignity, and