BOOK "the heavenly Father. At Newcastle, 25th of Febru II. Anno 1580. "ary, 1580. "Your loving friend, Desmond. land by R. Cox, p. 367. Rebellion in The news at court was, that king Philip of Spain preIreland by pared mightily against Portugal: although merchants' letters came daily, that the pope and he prepared against Ireland. And that land indeed was now oppressed with the popish nobility and gentry there: who had raised a rebellion against the queen; headed by the earl of Desmond, lord Baltinglas, with an invasion of Italians and Spaniards, accompanied with the pope's blessing, as was shewed before. Hist. of Ire-Some also of the queen's party were unfaithful; and favoured the other side. Of these earl Kildare and his son-inlaw, lord Delvin, were suspected. The lord deputy appointed that earl, with archbishop Loftus, to be governors of the pale during his intended progress: who going to parley with the lord Baltinglas, which was to no purpose, the earl unadvisedly returned to Dublin. The enemy taking the advantage of his return, did mischief in burning places. The earl was imprisoned upon this occasion; and the news sent to the lord treasurer in England, by sir Nicolas White, master of the rolls there, (with whom a constant correspondence was held.) The the lord treasurer 66 Sorry I am Which lord thus expressed his concern about it, and the thoughts of committing of the earl of Kildare and the baron of Delvyn : that they should give cause: but more sorry, thereupon. ❝ that it should happen in so unseasonable a time; when "the whole body of that realm is so far out of temper, as "the dislocation of such members must needs work a de"formity to the body. The will of God be done, to the "maintenance of his glory, and the preservation of that "crown upon her head: where it ought by justice only to "stand." [As the pope was minded now to place it upon that of the king of Spain.] This he wrote January 3. These confusions and rebellions still continued more and 66 XX. more in Ireland the next year; and these were that good CHAP. lord's contemplations thereupon, in a letter to the master of the rolls: "I do heartily lament the lamentable state of Anno 1580. "that country. And the more I am therewith grieved, in "that I see the calamity to continue, or not to diminish. "And yet I see no way how to remedy it: neither in so "doubtful opinions as there are both there and here for the remedy, dare I lay hold of any of them. And yet I do "not think the remedy is desperate, if good and wise men, "addicted to public state, were therein employed. And "thus uncomfortably I end; referring the success to God's "mercy, to be extended both to you and us; whose sins I "am assured do provoke him to chasten that nation so sharply. I think a late direction from her majesty, to re"duce her army to a convenient number, will mislike many "there, that otherwise are not provided to live in their "lusts, but by wars and spoils." CHAP. XXI. A reformation endeavoured of certain abuses in the church. The parliament's address to the queen for that purpose. Her answer. Church holydays: much sin committed then. The disaffected to the church busy. Appoint fasts. A fast appointed at Stamford: the lord Burghley's letter forbidding it. Beza's book concerning bishops, translated into English. His letter to Scotland. A popish school set up at Doway; and another in Scotland. Dr. Allen's book. The pope sends over priests into England. Intelligence from Switzerland of the pope's preparations against England. Commissions for search after papists in Lancashire and Yorkshire. The archbishop of York's letter concerning them. Countess of Cumberland: lady Wharton. Children of northern gentlemen sent to Caius college, Cambridge; Dr. Legg, a papist, master. Intelligence from the bishop of Winton, concerning papists in the county of Southampton. 627 BOOK II. A search in papists' houses. Sir William Tresham in Hoggesdon. Priests taken: their confession. Popish Anno 1580. cases found in sir James Hargrave's study. Petition in Now for the state of religion. A reformation of several parliament abuses in D'Ewes' for reforma- abuses in the church was moved again in a sessions of partion of liament this year, (as it had been in a former, anno 1575,) the church. by a petition then to the queen for that purpose. Many abuses were specified therein: as, the great number of unlearned and unable ministers; the great abuse for excommunication for matters of small moment; the commutation of penance; the multitude of dispensations and pluralities, and other hurtful things to the church. And some of the Journal, P. members were appointed, in the name of the whole house, to move the lords of the clergy to continue unto her majesty the prosecution of the purposes of the reformation: which the vice-chamberlain, and the secretaries, and chancellor of the exchequer had, as of themselves, moved unto those lords; and should impart unto their lordships the earnest desire of the house for redress of other griefs, contained likewise in the same petition, as to their good wisdoms should seem meet. 801,802. Some mem bers wait Some days after they waited upon the bishops with the same message; and in the name of the house desired them bishops for to join with them in the said petition to her majesty. Who upon the that pur pose. found some of the said lords not only ready to confess and grant the said defects and abuses, and wished a redress thereof; but were very willing to join with the said comThe queen mittees in moving her majesty in that behalf. And accordaddressed to.. 'ingly afterwards they joined in humble suit unto her highHer answer. ness; and received her majesty's gracious answer. Which 628 was, that as she had, the last sessions of parliament, of by them. her own good consideration, (and before any petition made,) committed the charge and consideration thereof unto some of her clergy, who had not performed the same according as she had commanded; so she would commit the same unto such others of them, as with all convenient speed should see the same accomplished. And that it should be neither delayed nor left undone. XXI. The house made ac For this they all rendered unto her majesty their humble CHAP. thanks. This was reported back to the house. And withal master chancellor of the exchequer declared, that the only Anno 1580. cause why no due reformation had been already made, was by reason of the slackness and negligence of some others; quainted and not of her majesty nor of the house: alleging, that with it. some of the bishops had done something in those matters, delivered by her majesty to their charge; as, in a more advised care of making and ordaining ministers, &c.: and so in conclusion moving the house to rest satisfied with her most gracious answer; and to resolve upon some form of yielding thanks unto her highness for her gracious acceptation of their petition, and putting her in remembrance of the execution thereof. The queen had been displeased of late with some in the parliament, that had attempted reforming matters in the church without her allowance: but now, upon their petition to her, all was made up again. For she insisted upon her supremacy in things ecclesiastical as well as civil, and required application to be made to her, before she would suffer any to meddle with any alteration or regulations of them; and then her orders and directions to be given to her clergy by herself. upon re abuses. What came further of this doth not appear in this ses- The convosion of parliament, by any thing set down in the journal of cation sets parliaments. But, I suppose, the queen upon this ordered forming her privy-council to send that order, as above-mentioned, to the convocation. Which was now ready to regulate, redress, and amend all such matters as might require the same. Which was the way which the queen required reformation in matters of religion to be done: as their proper business of meeting together. This convocation took cognizance of A letter the new heresy of the family of love; and concerning those privy-counthat refused to conform themselves to the religion received cil to the in this kingdom: a letter of these two things having been sent to the archbishop of Canterbury from the privy- Bishop council, he accordingly sent to the convocation. For what Life, book was done in this convocation, I refer to another book. from the archbishop. Grindal's ii. chap. 11. BOOK . II. Sins on church ho lydays. Among others, one great abuse in these times was the abundance of sins committed on the church holydays: which Anno 1580. evil disposed men took hold of to dishonour God, and break his laws on those days more than others, that should by them have been set apart for his worship, service, and honour. This the aged, good bishop of Ely complained of to the lord treasurer, in these words: "Pauca pie sapien"ti; There is a mass of sin [committed] in all church holydays: whereby God's service is let and hindered; "which we in our times ought with all diligence to stay. "And because in these things ye be most ready to do most 66 high service, I am the bolder at this time to move your "lordship in this matter. Thus the Lord have you in his "blessed keeping, both in this life and in the life to come.” 629 Written from his house at Downham, the 30th of July, 1580, with his name only subscribed with his own hand; being now very aged, and sick of the palsy, dying the next year. Many illaffected to the church In the mean time, the disaffected to the reformed church here established by law were continually crying out for of England. more reformation. Their preachers shewed much spiteful rashness, both in their doctrines, and more publicly and openly in their books; calling the ministers of the church reproachfully, dumb dogs, &c. as I find noted in a diary by one Earl, a minister in London. This sort of men appointed fasts to be kept by their own authority. Which was an encroachment upon the state, and the queen's power in spiritual matters. And therefore was resented and forbid. They appoint fasts. One appointed at The lord Burghley's Notice was given for the keeping such a fast in Stamford Stamford. in Rutlandshire by one Johnson, and divers others, in the month of July this year. This place peculiarly belonging letter to the to the lord treasurer Burghley, he sent a letter to the alderalderman to man of that town, forbidding him to permit such a fast, it being an innovation; and relating the matter as he had heard it; viz. that this Johnson (who was parson of Luffenham in the diocese of Peterburgh, and a good preacher) had a disposition to come to Stamford, which forbid it. |