BOOK 1. Number XLVIII. Cox, bishop of Ely, to the queen: who had wrote to him to demise the manor of Somersham to her, for the lord North. LITERAS a celsissima majestate tua, mense Maio scrip- Int. epist. R. Ric. epitas, hodie, nimirum, 18 Junii, accepi. Quibus serio petit scop. Elien. tua sublimitas dimissionem terrarum mearum in agro So- penes me. mershamio. Hic auribus lupum tenere videri possem ; et dubius in bivio versari: si voto tantæ principis et reginæ tot modis de me optime meritæ, non responderem, ingratus habebor, indignationemque subibo morte graviorem. Rursum vero, si postulationi et voto illorum, qui has literas a majestate tua multa solicitudine obtinuerunt, inficias ivero, nimis ægre ferent, et de ingratitudine et pervicacia me insimulabunt, et in celsitudinis tuæ odium trahere non cessabunt. Ex altera vero parte, si quod optant concessero, et me et 86 successores meos injuria et maximo incommodo affecero, et iniquus habebor, si iniquis eorum optatis applausero. Tentarunt me in hac causa non ita pridem aliquot nobiles, et precibus, et pecunia, et amicis, ut me expugnarent. Ego vero hactenus inexpugnabilis perstiti. Nunc autem cum extrema tentant, ad sacram anchoram mihi fugiendum est, nimirum ad supplices preces. Quare per æquitatem, per justitiam, et per innatam tibi miserationem obsecro et obtestor, ne ægre ferat tua summa prudentia, si rationes in medium protulero, quæ huic postulationi non respondere, me movent. Scimus tributa et vectigalia, etiam decimas, primos fructus, et subsidia, potestatibus superioribus deberi. Imo, quicquid in illorum usum cedit, in publicum bonum cedit. Verum enim vero, longe diversissima est subditorum ratio. Illis enim alienis commodis inhiantibus et insidiantibus non cedendum, sed obsistendum potius, maxime vero, si in bona ecclesiastica involare pergunt. I. Nam si pii reges atque reginæ, si vere nobiles, si etiam populus quoque ipse, evangelii propagandi zelo accensi, communicaverunt eis de omnibus suis bonis, qui ipsos cate I. BOOK chizarunt in verbo Dei, quam male pius et ignobilis ille judicandus est, qui non solum non communicat catechizantibus in ullis bonis, sed catechizantium bona minuere, auferre, et in suos usus nequiter commutare satagunt? Gal. vi. Gal. ii. II. Peccat quidem certe, vel in jus gentium, dum testamentum testatoris, et ultimam voluntatem violat et labefactat. Scribit D. Paulus, Hominis testamentum sistit comprobatum, nemo rejicit, aut addit aliquid. III. Præterea, cum Deus in lege sua, suis sacerdotibus et Levitis, abunde suppeditavit ad vivendi rationem: cumque idem dictat ipsa natura: et D. Paulus scribit, de evangelio vivendum esse: denique, si Spiritus Christi Christianorum pectora ita pietatis zelo accenderit, ut in pios usus, nimirum, ad evangelium propagandum, et ad hospitalitatem servandam, sua bona, suos fundos, et agros sanctissime collocaverint; quis ille est, qui hanc divinam providentiam labefactare audeat? Gravissime succensuit populo suo Deus, quod ministri ejus misere essent expilati. Maledictione maledicti estis. IV. Optandum, a Domino Deo, ut regula naturæ, imo, regula Jesu Christi, pectoribus aliena captantium insiderent: Hoc facias alteri, quod tibi vis fieri. V. Deinde, nonne satis molestum est, sacerdotes tuos passim contemni et conculcari, et pro mundi rejectamentis haberi, nisi quæ possident commoditates passim obliguriantur, et abradantur? Deus meliora. Insignis admodum ingratitudo, si nostri labores et pericula, seu Deus potius per nos, papam et papistica omnia exegit ex Anglia; si regem reginamque suo justissimo solio reposuit; si denique, per nos ædes et agri innumerorum monachorum, infinitos Anglos, hos e mendicatione vindicarunt, illos ditaverunt, alios ad honores evexerunt; hæccine tandem nostra merces, ut ingratitudine compensemur? ut commodis nostris privemur? ut barathrum concupiscentiæ malæ impleamus? Denique, vehementer dolendum est, quod qui ista tentant, manifestum Dei Opt. Max. mandatum contemnere audeant: audeantque majestatem tuam in simile discrimen illaqueare. I. Mandatum est, Non concupisces cujusquam domum, &c. BOOK Fas non est mandatum Dei violare. Fas non est mandati violatoribus auxilium præbere, aut favorem. Hæc justissimorum argumentorum pondera ita animum Tuæ majestati a sacris et pastor humillimus, [Number XLVIII.] Reasons drawn up by Cox, bishop of Ely, and sent to the lord treasurer: to tender the state of God's ministers. THE Jews pinched God himself, in their sacrilegious Int. epist. Rich. episc. defrauding him of his tiths and first fruits. Whereby they Elien. procured his heavy displeasure and indignation. At this Mal. iii. day some men pinch God, in withdrawing double honour from his ministers: and not onely not communicating, but 1 Tim. v. plucking from their catechizers [i. e. teachers.] They pinch God in withdrawing things from a godly use to a profane use: wherewith God was never pleased, as by stories and examples doth appear. They violate the testaments and wills of their forefathers, who were zelous and bountiful unto God's ministers, for the maintenance of God's holy gospel. They pinch the ministers against the law of nature and charity. Hoc facias alteri quod tibi vis fieri. BOOK I. 1 Cor. ix. Heb. xiii. Esay xlix. They pinch the ministers by wringing away part of their livings, against God's express commandment, Non concupisces, &c. St. Paul laboureth with many substantial reasons, to shew how bountiful the Christians ought to be towards their pastors. Again, St. Paul willeth, that the pastors being watchmen, and must account for the souls of their flocks, so be used, that they might do their office chearfully, and not dolefully. Hoc enim non expedit vobis. Esay prophesied of kings, and queens, and godly governors, that they shall be nourses to God's flock, to tender them, and to defend them in their just doings, from malicious accusers, slanderors, and persecutors. St. Paul, tendring the state of God's ministers, and considering the malice of the wicked world, writeth thus: Take no accusation against an elder under two or three witnesses. St. Paul cannot but mean lawful witnesses. For quarellers, hateful and malicious, are excluded by all laws. It may please you at your convenient leisure to read Mr. Calvin upon this place of St. Paul, 1 Tim. v. Int. epist. Elien. Number XLIX. The substance of the complaints of the lord North against the bishop of Ely, in his letter to him. With the bishop's answers to each. FIRST, What I have done I was urged thereto by such Rich. episc. commandment as I dare not disobey. Yet have I dealt in nothing against you, but received such griefs as the parties themselves do exhibit. 88 Answer. I am fully persuaded, that her majesty would not urge you in such sort, but upon your urging and exaggerating of matters against me. And it is not true yee received onely griefs against me: but ye have sent for some to the intent ye might get matters against me. II. I wish you from the bottom of my heart to shake off the yoke of your stubbornness, &c. and to lay aside your BOOK stubborn determination. Answer. My duty to her majesty, I trust, I always shew: who I hope will not so judge of me as ye pronounce. Indeed it belongeth to her highness to judge of us both. But you, my lord, thus to judge of me, I may say, satis pro imperio. III. To whom as yet ye have done no special service. Answer. Indeed I have done no special service in embassage to any mortal king, as ye have done. But I do special service daily by ambassage for her highnes to the King of kings. And I do, and by grace will do, her majesty special service, to the uttermost of my power, whensoever I am commanded, either by word, letter, or commission. Her highnes hath many mo special services than embassage. IV. I hear say, ye have reported to your friends, that ye would leave your bishoprick to her highness, to dispose at her plesure. Answer. What I have said to her majesty, she well knoweth. I use not to report such matters abroad. V. I know well how ye are horsed and manned. Answer. I thank God I have horse, and hable men in livery and wages, well neer fourty, and horse to serve them; as may appear. As for reteyners, I have no rout of them to brag on. VI. My lord, it will be no plesure for you to have her majesty and her council to know how wretchedly ye live within and without your house. Answer. I am open to all the world, how I deal within and without: whereof I have no cause to be ashamed. Malice set apart, I will be judge by noblemen, gentlemen, and other honest men. Wretchedly is no meet term for your lordship. VII. How extremely covetous. Answer. Covetousnes lyeth hidden in the heart, which cannot be seen. And this is sore and extremely judged of you. Mine account made, it shall easily appear how covetous I am, if ye be not mine auditor. I. |