BOOK ment under all. And therefore my friends and kinsfolks have no cause to be sory for me. For though I have lost a great living, all His Chris- my goods I have, not one farthing left me; am banished tian deport- my native country; shall use no more the familiar comhis loss of pany of my friends; what have I lost? Nothing: but shall be a great gainer. For if to save these things, a man loose his own soul, what hath he won? And if the departure from these have everlasting life to reward, what damage is there? Our Saviour Christ, whose promise is much more sure and precious than the uncertain and flattering glory of the world, hath made faithful promise, that whosoever forsaketh house, brethren, sisters, father, mother, wife, chil dren, for his name's sake, the same shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting life. As for living, he that feedeth the sparrows will not see me unprovided for. Godliness is great riches, when a man is content with that he hath. When we have food and rayment, let us be therewith content. For this is a plain case, We brought nothing into this world, nor we can cary nothing away. We have here no dwelling place, but we seek a city to come, the heavenly Jerusalem; where our Saviour Jesus Christ is. For whose sake I count all things but loss, and do judge them but dung, that I may win him. What he And then as to his own translation of Calvin's two sermons, he shewed; that he did it for the sake of his friends that were left in the midst of so much idolatry at home: that they might learn to bear Christ's cross on their backs, and to follow him strongly, he translated for them two sermons of that great, learned, and godly man, John Calvin, made for the purpose. These I have done travailing; having no place certain where I will remain. But I trust shortly to be where I will stick down the stake, till God call me home again. And forasmuch as the bishop of Durham did openly to my face call the doctrine which I taught, as touching the popish mass, heresy; I shall, by God's grace, declare and prove by write next the testimony of scripture, and the ancient fathers of Christ's in his exile. church, that the popish mass is the greatest heresy, blas intended to II. phemy, and idolatry, that ever was in the church. Which BOOK shall be the next thing that you shall look for from me, by God's grace. The answer of Elmer, bishop of London, to divers objections made to him, for felling and sale of the woods belonging to the see. Objection. To Kendal and Wray, 300 timber trees. Answer. A piece of wood stocked by Edmund, bishop of London. And a few trees left in it, in the time of Edwin, bishop of London. The same trees were cut down by the middle, in the name of lopping: which for the most part grew seare, and withered. Which the said bishop confesseth to have sold. For else they would have withered all. And not thirty timber trees among them. Object. To Parkinson; for one hundred trees of timber. Answer. I do confess the sale of so many in two years: but all such as were withered in the tops, and scare. The most part of those that remain; which, if they be not felled, will shortly decay. The choise of these my predecessors sold for 4s. a tree. Object. To Mr. Cholmely an hundred timber trees. Answer. To him, being my steward, I think I sold eight, or thereabout. Object. To Tarry and Kimberly, twenty timber trees. Answer. This article is untrue. Object. To the repairing of an house in Harnesey, bought by my lord, 40 trees. Answer. I bought no house in Harnesey; but a lease of a copy-hold; where I have bestowed eight trees, being the lands of the see; and the trees seare. Object. To two brewers of London 30 acres : 47. the acre. Answer. In two years I sold coppice wood 21 acres. Which I might lawfully do, saving the spring. Object. To the dutchess of Suffolk 6 or 8 acres. Answer. Onely I sold to her of coppice wood, two acres. Paper Office. BOOK II. Object. To Kimberley 6 or 8 acres. Answer. Onely one acre. The springe whereof being my woodwards, he destroyed. Whereof I have him in suite. Object. Lopt and topt a great number of trees. Answer. Lopt and topt for the poor certain trees. Object. Wood and timber sold since Michaelmas, in Finchley and Sowe wood, the great park and little park, for the sum of 400l. Answer. It is utterly untrue. Two Object. To Mr. Clark and Peacock sixscore acres of wood, at 47. the acre. To every acre two timber trees. Answer. I confess so much sold by my lord Dyers arbitrement; and the consent of the tenants; sold before by Edmund bishop of London: allowing two pollards to every acre. Which were no timber trees, nor never so taken. Object. To Barret and Kimberley sixscore acres. timber trees to every acre. Answer. Barret I know not; but I confess I sold these three years, annis 1577, 1578, 1579, of coppice woods sixscore acres by his said arbitrement; with two lopt and doated trees to every acre, ut supra. Which I will justify to be an increase of wood. For when I have, and shall have 3007. at the next sale, the spring being kept, there are that will give 5007. Object. To Lynford 7 acres and 60 timber trees. Answer. I confess 5 acres, and no timber trees. The 60 trees I confess but not 10s. a tree. Object. To Kimberley 9 acres. Answer. I deny this article. But being but copt wood, I might lawfully have done it. Object. To Lynford and Paxton 200 trees. Answer. I confess so many, but pollards, and not timber trees. For the best of them will not be sawed to boards. And if with great labour they be sawed, some for timber; yet in the sawing they fall insunder. So that they are compelled to pin them together. 151 Object. The sales in the whole amount to 1000l. Answer. I think all the sales in three years come to 600%. First, Note, that in these three years I have and must pay to her majesty 18007. besides my house-keeping. In which II. I have threescore persons, young and old. I have bought BOOK my fewel at Fulham wholly. At London and Harnesey coals, sparing wood. Which comes to sixscore pounds yearly. In the whole, in fewel eightscore pounds. The burning of my house charges, 200 marks. And I am able to prove, that where 400 acres of wood be destroyed by my late predecessor, and three acres in my time are, but within these dozen years, the see shall be better yearly by an 1007. Number XXXII. A form of government by rural deans, or superintendents ; exhibited by the chancellor of Norwich, from the bishop. THE strength of God's enemies being grown so univer- Cotton library. sal; and their spreading so dangerous to the state; and li- Cleopatra, centious looseness of life through corruption of ecclesiastical F. 1. officers so untamed; that it is time that ecclesiastical government be put in due and severe execution, without af fection and corruption, according to the wholesome laws, provided and established in that behalf. And for that the bishop is counted in the law the pastor of the whole diocess, in consideration thereof that antient father cryeth out; Væ mihi: non essem de numero damnatorum, si non essem de numero prælatorum. And therefore bound to have a special knowledge of every particular man of his diocess, as near as possibly he may. And he must devise and practise the most certain and ready way, to set before his eyes, as it were in one view, the true estate and platform, and every several part thereof. To which end, since it appears by antient records in the bishop's office, for these three hundred years, that certain choise, picked men were appointed and authorized in every several deanry, called in law decani rurales; and in the bishop's canons, superintendentes; that is, some preachers, resident in the deanry, orderly, grave, learned, discrete, and zelous: it is necessary to renew and revive that antient, commendable practice. BOOK II. Whereby the commissaries and officials, to the great ease of the country, and avoiding excessive charges, may be enjoyned to keep their circuits; and once a year, or twice at the most; whereto law restraineth them. In whose visitation, what selling of the peoples sins, without any regard or consideration of duty at all; what unfiling of verdicts for mony; what manifold corruptions and briberies are used by abuse of registers; all the whole country, with detestation, seeth. And thereupon most men, by the abuse, do utterly contemne all ecclesiastical govern ment. Whereas the dean rural or superintendent, (if prophesie may continue,) to prophesy; if not, to a sermon every month, may call the ministry and questmen. And then and there inquire of all disorders. And to compound and reform the lesser, and certify to the bishop the greater. Which superintendent shall make faithful, careful, and diligent enquiry, not only of every minister in the deanry, but also of every man of account; which may either be profitable or dangerous to the state, in their several parishes. And exhibit their names, according to every several deanry, in a fair long parchment scrole, to the bishop, or his chancellor; to remain with them, or either of them: giving advertisement from time to time, of their amendment, or waxing worse and worse. Whereby the bishop shall be able to cut off any mischief, as it first springeth forth; and be a most notable instrument of advertising and preserving the estate. Besides, by the authority resident, 152 and as it were overwatching the behaviour of the neighbours round about, all smaller, usual offences, as swearing, drunkenness, leud, lascivious talk, and such other enormities, which are as it were entrances into the more grievous and enormous sins, may be restrained and punished. Which now are jesting matters, of small account. The better countenance and assistance of which deans rural, such justices of the peace as are zelous in religion, and favourers of the gospel and state, are to be moved and required, to help and fortify their lawful proceedings: to |