THE LIFE AND ACTS OF ARCHBISHOP WHITGIFT. BOOK I. CHAP. I. The introduction. Whitgift's name, stock, and family. His birth, education, and removal to the University of Cambridge. Made Fellow of Peter house. His danger in the visitation under Queen Mary. The rigour thereof. Dr. Perne, the Master of the college, his favour towards him. Whitgift's gratitude. IT was the Queen's care and resolution to preserve the Church of England on the same foot it was at first in the beginning of her reign, reformed and constituted, both in respect of the doctrine and of the government of it. The Papists endeavoured more clandestinely to overthrow the former; but a rank of Protestants, that required a further reformation, more openly and violently struck at the latter, both by many books and libels published, and diligently dispersed abroad; and also by frequent bills and addresses in Parliament against the established hierarchy by diocesan Bishops: and therein also finding much fault with many things in the Liturgy and Offices prescribed in the Book of Common Prayer. The Queen therefore (the metropolitical see of Canter resolves Archbishop. BOOK bury being now void by the death of Archbishop Grindal) I. carefully sought out for an active, as well as pious and The Queen learned person, as highly requisite to place in that see, upon Whit. Who might, by his diligence and watchfulness, preserve gift for and maintain the present constitution of the Church, and check and quell these innovators; who by this time indeed became formidable to the State, as well as the Church. And of all her Divines, she looked upon none so fit for this high office on this account, as Dr. John Whitgift, Bishop of Worcester. By the experience she had of whom, and of whose government, both in the Church, and in the marches of Wales, (whereof he was for some years Vice-President,) she knew him to be both wise and stirring in the management of both ecclesiastical and civil affairs. And by his book, written some years before, against this disaffected set, in vindication of the present establishment of religion, he appeared to all that were unprejudiced, to be a Divine of a clear head, well seen in ancient ecclesiastical history, and versed in the Fathers of the Church, and also a man of excellent temper and moderation. For though Sandys, Archbishop of York, and 2 Aylmer, Bishop of London, were both very stout and learned men, and as tight to the present establishment of this Church, and his elders in years; yet their tempers were somewhat hot, and also both married men, a thing which the Queen disliked in the Clergy. As were likewise Horn, Bishop of Winchester, and Cox, Bishop of Ely; though otherwise they also his seniors, and excellently qualified in respect of learning and conduct. What to be considered in this Archbishop's life. I purpose, as much as I can, by the help of records, registers, and other original and authentic papers, to retrieve the memory and acts of this Archbishop, (as I have, done the two former,) the third and last of that most venerable rank, that presided over the Church of England in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, of happy memory. In the writing whereof, I humbly implore the assistance of the good Spirit of God. Archbishop Whitgift may be considered in his birth and younger years; in his flourishing state in I. the University; and in his advancements and usefulness CHAP. there and then, (after his removal thence,) in the high trusts committed to him in the government and care of the Church. name des Whitgift's name gave occasion once to the Queen to Whitgift's make a descant upon him, expressing her value of him, canted calling him her White Gift. And Hugh Broughton, the upon. most learned Hebrician in Europe in those days, but an humourist, in a good mood, called him Archbishop Leuco-Called Leudore, by a Greek denomination, answering his name in codore by English. And so I find did others affect (in intended honour) to style him. So Thomas Newton, of Cheshire, a poet in those times, in a copy of Latin verses dedicated to him, which I will here offer to the reader. Ad maximè reverendum in Christo Patrem, D. Johannem Qui populo instillas nectar cæleste, gubernans Per Thomam Newton, Chestreshyrium. some. He was (as an historian in those times, and an herald, Related to good famiwriteth) by kindred and blood, related to the Fulnetbies, lies. Fran. and to Goodrich, sometime Lord Chancellor of England, Thynne. and Bishop of Ely. The family of the former being descended from an ancient race, and had its being in Lincolnshire. And that a Fulnetby, towards the latter end of Queen Elizabeth, was living, and endowed with fair possessions there. And the other, viz. Bishop Goodrich, being a man as learned as honourable, having obtained a perpetual remembrance for both among posterity: not de I. BOOK generating from the Saxon etymon of his name, (saith the forsesaid author,) signifying both good and rich; being virtuous in his life, and honourable in his calling. His pedi gree. John Fitz- The name and family was ancient in Yorkshire, from a town in that country in the West Riding, called Whitgift. And I have seen in an old ledger-book of St. Peter's in York, and St. Bee's in Cumberland, two religious houses, some of this name mentioned, benefactors to those ancient foundations. One of these was John Fitz-Adam de Whitgift, who in the year of our Lord 1308, gave and granted to John de Gilling, Abbot of the monastery of St. Mary's in York, and to the rest of the convent for ever, quinque tofta et quatuor bovatas terræ, cum omnibus suis pertinentiis, in villa de Stamburn, or Staynburn. Which grant, or charter, was dated the year above; as appears by a letter of attorney, signed at York, and dated the second day of January the same year, by the said John Fitz-Adam, to two persons, to grant and deliver full seizin of the said lands to the said convent. The charter I have exemplified in the Number I. Appendix to this history. And whence we may conclude the family of the Whitgifts to have been very ancient. Robert Whitgift. Life of 3 Our Archbishop's grandfather was John Whitgift, of the county of York, Gent. as appears by a visitation book of Surrey, anno 1623, in the Office of Heralds. Whose son was Henry Whitgift, a merchant, of Great Grimsby, (anciently called Grimundsby,) in the county of Lincoln. Another of his sons was Robert Whitgift, who was Abbot de Wellow, or Welhove juxta Grimsby, in the said county of Lincoln, being a monastery of Black Canons, dedicated to the honour of St. Augustin: a man memorable, not only for the education of our John Whitgift, his nephew, but also for his remarkable sentence and prediction concerning the corruption of the Church in his time; which is recorded by Sir George Paul, and which his young nephew had often heard him say, viz. " That he had read the holy "Scriptures over and over, but could never find there, "that their religion was founded by God;" and therefore Archbishop Whitgift. I. he foretold that it could not long continue: grounding it CHAP. upon that saying of our Saviour, Every plant that my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. As indeed it happened not long after, in the time of King Henry the VIIIth, and Edward the VIth; and never but once after (for four or five years only) could that corrupt religion take place in this kingdom. The foresaid John (besides his two sons before mentioned) had a daughter, named Isabel, who was married to Michael Shall, or Shaller, a verger of the cathedral church of St. Paul's, London. Henry, the merchant, had six sons, (whereof our John Henry was the eldest,) by Anne Dynewel, a virtuous young genWhitgift. tlewoman, of good parentage in the said town of Grimsby. The names of the other five were William, George, Philip, Richard, and Jeffrey; and a daughter Alice, married to Henry Cuckson, without issue. William was styled of Curleis at Clavering, in the William county of Essex. Which Curles, or Crulles, was a manor Whitgift. descended to the said William, from his brother, our John Whitgift; whereof he was possessed, anno 7 Elizabeth. Which William of Curles married Margaret, daughter of Bell, of the county of Norfolk: by whom he had issue, John Whitgift of Curleys, son and heir to his father, and cousin and heir to our Archbishop. Which John married Anne, daughter of John Goodman of Cumberlew Green, in the county of Hertford, Gent. He had issue, John, his son and heir apparent, of Borom (Boreham) in the county of Essex: which John married Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel Aylmer of Ackenham, in the county of Suffolk, Esquire: whose son and heir was Aylmer Whit- Offic. Argift, who was aged about five years, anno 1634, when the mor.Visitat. visitation of the county of Surrey (whence this pedigree is taken) was made. The said William (besides John his heir) had issue, Isaac, two Alices, Elizabeth, Jane, and Bridget: which Bridget married to Robert Collingwood of Visitation Hetton on the Hill, in the county palatine of Durham, and North Sur. of Durham |