The life of William Bedell D.D., Lord Bishop of Killmore in Ireland written by Gilbert Burnet. To which are subjoyned certain letters which passed betwixt Spain and England in matter of religion, concerning the general motives to the Roman obedience, between Mr. James Waddesworth ... and the said William Bedell ...

THE LIFE OF WILLIAM BEDELL, D. D. Bishop of KILMORE IN IRELAND.

WILLIAM BEDELL was born at Black Notley in Essex, in the year 1570. he was the younger Son of an ancient and good Family, and of no in∣considerable Estate, which has now descended to his Son (his elder Brother dying without Issue): After he had past through the common education at Schools, he was sent to Emmanuel Col∣ledge in Cambridge, and put under Dr. Chadderton's care, the famous and

long-liv'd Head of that House; and here all those extraordinary things, that rendred him afterwards so conspicuous, began to shew themselves in such a man∣ner, that he came to have a very emi∣nent Character both for Learning and Piety: so that Appeals were oft made to him, as Differences or Controversies arose in the University. He was put in Holy Orders by the Bishop Suffragan of Colchester. TH•• I met with this passage, I did not think these Suffra∣gans had been continued so long in Eng∣land: How they came to be put down, I do not kn••w; it is probable they did ordain all that desired Orders, so pro∣miscuously, that the Bishops found it necessary to let them fall. For com∣plaints were made of this S••ffragan, upon which he was threatned with the taking his Commission from him: for though they could do nothing but by a Delegation from the Bishop, yet the Orders they gave were still valid, even when they transgressed in conferring them: Upon that the Suffragan said a thing that was as insolent in him, as it was honourable for Mr. Bedell, That he had ordained a better Man than any the Bishop had ever ordained, naming Bedell. He was chosen Fellow of the

Colledge in 1593. and took his Degree of Batchelour of Divinity in the year 1599.

From the University he was remov∣ed to the Town of S. Edmondsbury in Suffolk, where he served long in the Gospel, and with great success▪ he and his Colleague being of such different characters, that whereas it was said of him that he made the difficultest places of Scripture appear plain, it was said, That his Colleague made the plainest places appear difficult; the opening of dark passages▪ and the comparing of many Texts of Scripture, together with a serious and practical application of them, being the chief subject of His Sermons: Which method several other great Men at that time followed, such as Bishop Vsher, Dr. Iackson, and Mr. Mede. He had an occasion given him not long after his settlement in this charge, to shew his courage, and how little he either courted pre∣ferment, or was afraid of falling un∣der the displeasure of great Men: For when the Bishop of Norwich pro∣posed some things to a meeting of his Clergy, with which they were ge∣nerally dissatisfied, though they had not resolution enough to oppose them; He

took that hard Province upon himself, and did it with so much strength of rea∣son, as well as discretion, that many of those things were let fall: upon which when his Brethren came and magnified him for it, he checkt them and said, He desired not the praises of Men. His reputation was so great and so well established both in the Uni∣versity and in Suffolk, that when King Iames sent Sir Henry Wotton to be his Ambassadour at Venice, at the time of the Interdict; he was recommended as the fittest Man to go Chaplain in so critical a conjuncture. This Imploy∣ment proved much happier and more honourable for him than that of his fellow Student and Chamber-fellow Mr. Wadsworth, who was at that time beneficed in the same Diocese with him, and was about that time sent into Spain, and was afterwards appointed to teach the Infanta the English Tongue, when the match between the late King and her was believed concluded: for Wads∣worth was prevailed on to change his Religion and abandon his Countrey, as if in them those Words of our Saviour had been to be verified, There shall be two in one Bed, the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. For

as the one of these was wrought on to forsake his Religion, the other was very near the being an Instrument of a great and happy change in th•• Repub∣lick of Venice. I need not say much of a thing so well known as were the quar∣rels of Pope Paul the V. and that Re∣publick; especially since the History of them is written so particularly by him that knew the matter best, P. Pau∣lo. Some Laws made by the Senate, not unlike our Statutes of Mortmain, restraining the excessive Donations, ex∣torted from superstitious Men, and the imprisoning two lewd Fryers, in order to the executing Justice on them, were the grounds of the quarrel; and upon those pretences▪ the Ecclesiastical Im∣munity from the Secular Tribunals was asserted to such a degree, that after that high spirited Pope had tryed what the spiritual Sword could do, but without success, (his Interdict not being ob∣served by any, but the Iesuites, the Ca∣pucins and Theatines, who were upon that banished the State, for the age of the Anselms and the Beckets could not be now recalled) he resolved to try the Temporal Sword next, according to the advice Cardinal Baronius gave him; who told him in the Consistory, That

there were two things said to S. Peter, the first was, Feed my Sheep, the other was, Arise and kill; and therefore since he had a••••eady executed the first part of S. Peter's duty, in feeding the Flock, by Exhortations, Admonitions, and Censures, without the desired effect, he had nothing left but to arise and kill: and that not being an Age in which Croisades could pass upon the World; and the Pope not finding any other Prince that would execute his Bulls, he resolved to make War upon them himself, hoping to find assistance from the Crown of Spain, who, he believed, would be willing to enlarge their Do∣minions on that side: but when all help failed him, and he saw that his Censures had not created any distracti∣ons in the Republick, and found their Treasure and F••rce like to prove a match too hard to the Apostolical Cham∣ber, and to such Forces as he could levy and pay, he was at last willing to ac∣cept of a mediation, in which the Se∣nate, though they were content to de∣liver up the two profligate Fryers, yet asserted their Right, and maintained their Laws, notwithstanding all his threatnings; nor would they so much as ask pardon, or crave absolution. But

without going further into matters so generally known, I shall only mention those things in which Mr. Bedell had some share.

P. Paulo was then the Divine of the State, a man equally eminent for vast learning and a most consummated pru∣dence; and was at once one of the greatest Divines, and of the wisest Men of his Age. But to commend the ce∣lebrated Historian of the Council of Trent, is a thing so needless that I may well stop; yet it must needs raise the Character of Bedell much, that an Ita∣lian, who, besides the caution that is natural to the Countrey, and the pru∣dence that obliged one in his circum∣stances to a more than ordinary distrust of all the World, was tyed up by the strictness of that Government to a ve∣ry great reservedness with all people, yet took Bedell into his very Soul; and, as Sir Henry Wotton assured the late King, He communicated to him the inward∣est thoughts of his Heart, and profes∣ed that he had learnt more from him in all the parts of Divinity, whether Spe∣culative or Practical, than from any he had ever conversed with in his whole life. So great an intimacy with so ex∣traordinary a person is enough to raise

a Character, were there no more to be added. P. Paulo went further, for he assisted him in acquiring the Italian Tongue, in which Bedell became such a Master, that he spoke it as one born in Italy, and penned all the Sermons he then preached, either in Italian or La∣tine; in this last it will appear by the productions of his Pen yet remaining, that he had a true Roman Stile, inferior to none of the Modern Writers, if not equal to the Ancients. In requital of the Instruction he received from P. Paulo in the Italian Tongue, he drew a Grammar of the English Tongue for his use, and for some others that desi∣red to learn it, that so they might be able to understand our Books of Divini∣ty, and he also translated the English Common-prayer Book into Italian; and P. Paulo and the seven Divines that du∣ring the Interdict were commanded by the Senate both to preach and write against the Popes authority, liked it so well, that they resolved to have made it their pattern, in case the diffe∣rences between the Pope and them had produced the effect which they hoped and longed for.

The intimacy between them grew so great and so publick, that when P. Paulo was wounded by those Assassi∣nates that were set on by the Court of Rome to destroy so redoubted an Ene∣my, upon the failing of which at∣tempt a Guard was set on him by the Senate, that knew how to value and preserve so great a Treasure; and much precaution was used before any were ad∣mitted to come to him, Bedell was ex∣cepted out of those rules, and had free access to him at all times. They had many and long discourses concerning Religion: He found P. Paulo had read over the Greek New Testament with so much exactness, that having used to mark every Word when he had fully weighed the importance of it as he went through it; he had by going of∣ten over it, and observing what he past over in a former reading, grown up to that at last, that every word was mark∣ed of the whole New Testament: and when Bedell suggested to him critical explications of some passages that he had not understood before, he received them with the transports of one that leapt for joy, and that valued the disco∣veries of divine Truth beyond all other things.

During his stay at Venice, the fa∣mous Ant. de Dominis Archbishop of Spalata came to Venice; and having re∣ceived a just character of Mr. Bedell, he discovered his secret to him, and shew∣ing him his ten Books De Republica Ec∣clesiastica, which he afterwards printed at London: Bedell took the free∣dom which he allowed him, and cor∣rected many ill applications of Texts of Scripture, and Quotations of Fathers. For that Prelate being utterly ignorant of the Greek Tongue, could not but be guilty of many mistakes both in the one and the other; and if there remain some places still that discover his igno∣rance of that Language too plainly, yet there had been many more, if Be∣dell had not corrected them: but no wonder if in such a multitude some escaped his diligence. De Dominis took all this in good part from him, and did enter into such familiarity with him, and found his assistance so useful, and indeed so necessary to himself, that he used to say he could do nothing with∣out him.

A passage fell out during the Inter∣dict, that made greater noise than per∣haps the importance of it could well amount to: but it was suited to the

Italian Genius. There came a Jesuite to Venice, Thomas Maria Caraffa, who printed a Thousand Theses of Philoso∣phy and Divinity, which he dedicated to the Pope with this extravagant Inscri∣ption, PAULO V. VICE-DEO Christianae Reipublicae Monarchae invictis∣simo, & Pontificiae Omnipotentiae conser∣vatori accerrimo. To Paul the U. the Uice-God, the most invincible Mo∣narch of the Christian Common∣wealth, and the most zealous asserter of the Papal Omnipotency.

All people were amazed at the impudence of this Title, but when Mr. Bedell observed that the numeral Letters of the first Words, PAV∣LO V. VICE-DEO being put to∣gether, made exactly 666. the number of the Beast in the Revelation, he com∣municated this to P. Paulo and the Se∣ven Divines, and they carried it to the Duke and Senate: it was enter∣tained almost as if it had come from Heaven, and it was publickly preached over all their Territories, that here was a certain evidence that the Pope was Antichrist: And it is like this was promoted by them more, because they found it took with the Italians, than that they could build much upon it;

though it was as strong as the like com∣putation from the Greek Word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, upon which some of the Ancients laid some weight. This flew so over Italy, that lest it should take too much among the people, the Pope caused his Emissaries to give it out every where, That Antichrist was now born in Baby∣lon, and was descended of the Tribe of Dan; and that he was gathering a vast Army, with which he intended to come and destroy Christendome: and there∣fore all Christian Princes were exhorted to prepare all their Forces for resisting so great an Invasion. And with this piece of false news that was given out very confidently, the other conceit was choaked. But though Mr. Bedell makes use of it in his Book against Wadsworth, yet he was too modest a Man to claim the discovery of it to himself, but Sir Henry Wotton assured King Iames, That he first observed it.

Here I must add a passage, concern∣ing which I am in doubt whether it re∣flected more on the sincerity, or on the understanding of the English Ambassa∣dour. The breach between the Pope and the Republick was brought very near a Crisis; so that it was expected a total separation, not only from the

Court, but the Church of Rome, was like to follow upon it. It was set on by P. Paulo and the Seven Divines with much zeal, and was very prudently conducted by them. In order to the advancing of it, King Iames ordered his Ambassadour to offer all possible as∣sistance to them, and to accuse the Pope and the Papacy as the chief Authors of all the mischiefs of Christendome. The Prince and Senate answered this in words full of respect to King Iames, and said, That they knew things were not so bad as some endeavoured to make the World believe, on design to sow discord between Christian Princes: and when the Popes Nuncio objected, That King Iames was not a Catholick, and so was not to be relyed on; The Duke answered, The King of England be∣lieved in Jesus Christ, but he did not know in whom some others believed. Upon which P. Paulo and the Seven Divines pressed Mr. Bedell to move the Ambassadour to present King Iames's Premonition to all Christian Princes and States, then put in Latine, to the Senate, and they were confident it would produce a great effect. But the Ambassadour could not be prevailed on to do it at that time, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pretended that

since S. Iames's day was not far off, i•• would be more proper to do it on that day. If this was only for the sake of a Speech that he had made on the con∣ceit of S. Iames's Day and K. Iames's Book, with which he had intended to present it, that was a weakness never to be excused. But if this was only a pretence, and that there was a design under it, it was a crime not to be for∣given. All that Bedell could say or do to perswade him not to put off a thing of such importance was in vain; and indeed I can hardly think that Wotton was so weak a Man as to have acted sin∣cerely in this matter. Before S. Iames's day came, which I suppose was the First of May, and not the Twenty fifth of Iuly, the difference was made up, and that happy opportunity was lost; so that when he had his audience on that Day, in which he presented the Book, all the answer he got, was, That they thanked the King of England for his good will, but they were now re∣conciled to the Pope, and that therefore they were resolved not to admit of any change in their Religion, ac∣cording to their agreement with the Court of Rome.

It may be easily imagined what a Wound this was to his Chaplain, but much more to those who were more immediately concerned in that matter; I mean P. Paulo with the Seven Di∣vines, and many others, who were weary of the corruptions of their Wor∣ship, and were groaning for a Refor∣mation. But now the reconciliation with Rome was concluded: the Senate carried the matter with all the dignity and Majesty that became that most se∣••ene Republick, as to all civil things: for they would not ask Absolution; but the Nuncio, to save the Popes credit, came into the Senate-House, before the Duke was come, and crossed his Cushi∣on, and absolved him. Yet upon this they would not suffer any publick signs of joy to be made; nor would they recal the Jesuites. But in all these things greater regard was had to the dignity of their State, than to the interest of Religion; so that P. Paulo was out of all hopes of bringing things ever back to so promi∣sing a conjuncture; upon which he wisht he could have left Venice and come over to England with Mr. Bedell: but he was so much esteemed by the Senate for his great Wisdom, that he was con∣sulted by them as an Oracle, and trust∣ed

with their most important Secrets: so that he saw it was impossible for him to obtain his Congè; and therefore he made a shift to comply as far as he could with the established way of their Wor∣ship; but he had in many things parti∣cular methods, by which he in a great measure rather quieted than satisfied his Conscience. In saying of Mass, he past over many parts of the Canon, and in particular those Prayers, in which that Sacrifice was offered up to the honour of Saints: He never prayed to Saints, nor joyned in those parts of the Offices that went against his Con∣science; and in private Confessions and Discourses, he took people off from those abuses, and gave them right No∣tions of the purity of the Christian Re∣ligion; so he hoped he was sowing Seeds that might be fruitful in another Age: and thus he believed he might live innocent in a Church that he thought so defiled. And when one prest him hard in this matter, and objected that he still held communion with an Idola∣trous Church, and gave it credit by ad∣hering outwardly to it, by which means others that depended much on his ex∣ample would be likewise encouraged to continue in it: All the answer he made

to this was, That God had not given him the Spirit of Luther. He expres∣sed great tenderness and concern for Bedell, when he parted with him; and said that both he and many others would have gone over with him, if it had been in their power: but that he might ne∣ver be forgot by him, he gave him his Picture, with an Hebrew Bible with∣out Points, and a little Hebrew Psalter, in which he writ some Sentences expres∣sing his esteem and friendship for him; and with these he gave him the unva∣luable Manuscript of the History of the Council of Trent, together with the History of the Interdict and of the Inquisition; the first of these will e∣ver be reckoned the chief pattern after which all, that intend to succeed well in writing History, must copy. But a∣mong other Papers that P. Paulo gave him, some that were of great impor∣tance are lost: for in a Letter of Mr Be∣dells to Dr. Ward, he mentions a Col∣lection of Letters that were sent him Weekly from Rome during the contests between the Iesuites and Dominicans, concerning the efficacy of Grace; of which P. Paulo gave him the Origi∣nals; and in his Letter to Dr. Ward he mentions his having sent them to him.

These, very probably, contained a more particular relation of that matter than the World has yet seen, since they were writ to so curious and so inquisitive a Man; but it seems he did not allow Be∣dell to print them, and so I am afraid, they are now irrecoverably lost.

When Bedell came over, he brought along with him the Archbishop of Spa∣lata, and one Despotine a Physician, who could no longer bear with the corruptions of the Roman Worship; and so chose a freer air. The latter lived near him in S. Edmundsbury, and was by his means introduced into much Pra∣ctice, which he maintained so well, that he became eminent in his Professi∣on, and continued to his death to keep up a constant correspondence with him. As for the Archbishop of Spalata his Sto∣ry, it is too well known to need to be much enlarged on. He was an ambitious Man, and set too great a value on him∣self, and expressed it so indecently, that he sunk much in the estimation of the English Clergy, by whom he was at first received with all possible respect; but after he had stayed some years in England, upon the promotion of Pope Gregory the XIV. that had been his School-fellow, and old acquaintance, he

was made believe that the Pope inten∣ded to give him a Cardinals Hat, and to make great use of him in all a••fairs; so that he fancied that he should be the instrument of a great Reformation in the Church: his Pride made him too easie to flatter himself with these vain Hopes, and the distaste some of the English Clergy had taken at him for his ambition and covetousness, gave Gun∣damor the Spanish Ambassadour great advantages in the conduct of that mat∣ter: for his mind that was blown up with vanity, and sharpned with resent∣ment, was easily wrought on, so that he, believing that the Promises made him would not only be performed, but that he might be the instrument of bringing about a great change, even at Rome, went thither. He was at first well re∣ceived by the Pope himself: But he happened to say of Cardinal Bellarmine, that had writ against him, That he had not answered his Arguments. Upon which a complaint was carried to the Pope, as if he had been still of the same mind, in which he was when he pub∣lished his Books. He excused him∣self, and said, That though Bellarmine had not answered his Arguments, yet he did not say they were unanswerable:

and he offered to answer them himself▪ if they would allow him time for it. But this excuse was not accepted, so he was cast into the Inquisition, but was never brought to any Tryal: He was poysoned not long after, and his Body was cast out at a Window, and all his Goods were confiscated to the Pope. This was the tragical end of that great but inconstant Man: If he had had as good a Soul as he had a great understand∣ing, together with vast learning, con∣sidering his education and other disad∣vantages, he had deserved to have been reckoned among the greatest Men of his Age. In his Fate it appeared, how foolishly credulous, Vanity makes a Man; since he that was an Italian born, and knew the Court of Rome so well, could be wrought on so far, as to believe that they were capable of par∣doning and promoting him after the mischief he had done their Cause. This account of that matter, my Author had from Master Bedell's own Mouth.

But now Mr. Bedell had finished one of the Scenes of his life with great honour. The most considerable addi∣tion he made to his learning at Venice, was in the improvements in the He∣brew,

in which he made a great pro∣gress by the assistance of R. Leo, that was the chief Chacham of the Jewish Sy∣nagogue there: From him he learn'd their way of pronunciation, and some other parts of Rabbinical learning; but in ex∣change of it, he communicated to him, that which was much more valuable, the true understanding of many passa∣ges in the Old Testament, with which that Rabbi expressed himself often to be highly satisfied: And once in a solemn dispute, he prest his Rabbi with so clear proofs of Jesus Christ being the true Messias, that he, and several others, of his Brethren, had no other way to escape, but to say that their Rabbins every where did expound those Prophe∣cies otherwise, according to the Tra∣dition of their Fathers. By R. Leo's means, he purchased that fair Manu∣script of the Old Testament, which he gave to Emmanuel Colledge; and, as I am credibly informed, it cost him its weight in Silver.

After Eight Years stay in Venice, he returned to England, and without pre∣tending to Preferment, or aspiring to it; he went immediately to his charge at S. Edmundsbury, and there went on in his ministerial labours; with which he

mixt the translating P. Paulo's immor∣tal Writings into Latine. Sir Adam New∣ton translated the two first Books of the History of the Council of Trent, but was not master enough of the two Lan∣guages; so that the Archbishop of Spa∣lata said it was not the same Work; but he highly approved of the two last, that were translated by Mr. Bedell, who likewise translated the History of the Interdict, and of the Inquisition, and dedicated them to the King. But no notice was taken of him, and he lived still private and unknown in that ob∣scure corner. He had a Soul of too ge∣nerous a composition to stoop to those servile compliances, that are often ex∣pected by those that have the distribu∣tion of Preferments in their power. He thought that was an abjectness of Spi∣rit that became not a Christian Philoso∣pher, much less a Churchman, who ought to express a contempt of the World, a contentedness with a low con∣dition, and a resignation of ones out∣ward circumstances wholly to the con∣duct of Divine Providence; and not to give that advantage which Atheists and Libertines take from the covetous∣ness and aspirings of some Churchmen, to scoff at Religion, and to call Priest∣hood

a Trade. He was content to de∣serve Preferment, and did not envy others, who upon less merit, but more industry arrived at it. But though he was forgot at Court, yet an eminent Gentleman in Suffolk, Sir Thomas Ier∣myn, who was a privy Counsellour, and Vice-Chamberlain to King Charles the First, and a great Patron of Ver∣tue and Piety, took such a liking to him, that as he continued his whole life to pay him a very particular esteem; so a considerable Living that was in his Gift, falling void, he presented him to it in the Year 1615. When he came to the Bishop of Norwich to take out his Title to it, he demanded large Fees for his Institution and Induction: But Bedell would give no more than what was sufficient gratification for the Wri∣ting, the Wax, and the Parchment; and refused to pay the rest. He lookt on it as Simony in the Bishop, to de∣mand more, and as contrary to the command of Christ, who said to his Apostles, Freely ye have received, and freely give. And thought it was a branch of the sin of Simony to sell Spiritual things to Spiritual persons; and since whatsoever was askt, that was more than a decent Gratification to the Ser∣vant

for his pains, was asked by rea∣son of the thing that was granted, he thought this was unbecoming the Go∣spel, and that it was a sin both in the Giver and in the Taker. He had obser∣ved that nothing was more expresly con∣trary to all the Primitive Rules. Chry∣sostome examined a complaint made a∣gainst Autonine Bishop of Ephesu••, for exacting Fees at Ordination. Autonine dyed before the Process was finished; but some Bishops, that had paid those Fees, were upon that degraded and made incapable to officiate any more, though they pretended, that they paid that Mo∣ney as a Fee for obtaining a Release from such Obligations as lay on them by Law, to serve the Court. After∣wards not only all Ordinations for Mo∣ney, but the taking Money for any Im∣ployment that depended upon the Bishops Gift, was most severely con∣demned by the Council of Chalcedon The Buyer was to lose his Degree, and the Seller was to be in danger of it: And after that, severe censures were every where decreed against all Presents that might be made to Bishops, either be∣fore or after Ordinations, or upon the account of Writings, or of Feasts, or any other expence that was brought in

use to be made upon that occasion; and even in the Council of Trent, it was Decreed, That nothing should be taken for Letters dimissory, the Certificates, the Seals, or upon any such like ground▪ either by Bishops or their Servants, even though it was freely offered. Up∣on these accounts Mr. Bedell resolved ra∣ther to lose his Presentation to the Par∣sonage of Horingsheath, than to pur∣chase his Title to it by doing that which he thought Simony. And he left the Bi∣shop and went home: But some few days after, the Bishop sent for him, and gave him his Titles, without exacting Fees of him; and so he removed to that place, where he stayed Twelve Years, during which time he was a great honour to the Church, as well as a pattern to all Churchmen. His habit and way of living was very plain, and becoming the simplicity of his Profession. He was very tender of those that were truly poor, but was so strict in exami∣ning all Vagabonds, and so dexterous in discovering counterfeit Passes, and took such care of punishing those that went about with them, that they came no more to him, nor to his Town. In all that time no notice was ever ta∣ken of him, though he gave a very

singular evidence of his great capacity. For being provoked by his old acquain∣tance Wadsworth's Letters, he writ upon the points in controversie with the Church of Rome, with so much learn∣ing and judgment, and in so mild a strain, that no wonder if his Book had a good effect on him, for whom it was intended: It is true he never returned and changed his Religion himself, but his Son came from Spain into Ireland, when Bedell was promoted to the Bi∣shoprick of Kilmore there, and told him, That his Father commanded him to thank him for the pains he was at in writing it: he said, It was almost al∣wayes lying open before him, and that he had heard him say, He was re∣solved to save one. And it seems he in∣structed his Son in the true Religion, for he declared himself a Protestant on his coming over. This Book was printed, and dedicated to the late King, while he was Prince of Wales, in the Year 1624. The true Reasons that obstru∣cted Bedell's preferment seem to be these; He was a Calvinist in the matter of De∣crees and Grace; and Preferments went generally at that time to those that held the other Opinions. He had also ano∣ther Principle, which was not very ac∣ceptable

to some in power: he thought, Conformity was an exact adhereing to the Rubrick; and that the adding any new Rite or Ceremony, was as much Nonconformity, as the passing over those that were prescribed: So that he would not use those Bowings or Gesticu∣lations that grew so much in fashion, that Mens affections were measured by them. He had too good an understanding, not to conclude, That these things were not unlawful in themselves; but he had observed that when once the humour of adding new Rites and Ceremonies got into the Church, it went on by a fatal increase, till it had grown up to that bulk, to which we find it swelled in the Church of Rome. And this began so early, and grew so fast, that S. Austin complained of it in his time, saying, That the condition of Christians was then more uneasie by that Yoke of Ob∣servances, than that of the Jews had been. And therefore Bedell thought the adhering to established Laws and Rules was a certain and fixed thing; where∣as Superstition was infinite. So he was against all Innovations, or arbitrary and assumed Practices; and so much the more, when Men were distinguished, and markt out for Preferment, by that

which in strictness of Law was a thing that deserved punishment. For in the Act of Vniformity, made in the first Year of Queen Elizabeth's Reign, it was made highly penal, to use any other Rite or Ceremony, Order or Form, either in the Sacraments, or in Morning or Evening Prayers, than what was menti∣oned and set forth in that Book. And this was particularly intended to restrain some that were leavened with the for∣mer Superstition, and yet for saving their Benefices, might conform to the New Service, but retain still with it many of the old Rites in sacred Offices. And it seems our Legislators were of the same mind, when the last Act of Vniformity was past; for there is a special Proviso in it, That no Rites or Ceremo∣nies should be openly used in any Church, other than what was prescribed and ap∣pointed to be used in and by the said Book. Therefore he continued to make the Rubrick the measure of his Con∣formity, as well before his promotion as after it.

But he was well satisfied with that which the Providence of God laid in his way, and went on in the duties of his pa∣storal care, and in his own private Stu∣dies; and was as great a Pattern in Suf∣folk,

of the pastoral care, in the lower degree, as he proved afterwards in Ire∣land in the higher Order. He la∣boured not as an Hireling that on∣ly raised a Revenue out of his Pa∣rish, and abandoned his Flock, trust∣ing them to the cheapest Merce∣nary that he could find; nor did he satisfie himself with a slight perfor∣mance of his duty only for fashions sake; but he watched over his Flock like one that knew he was to answer to God for those Souls committed to his charge: so he preached to the under∣standings and Consciences of his Parish, and Catechised constantly. And, as the whole course of his own most exempla∣ry behaviour was a continued Sermon; so he was very exact in the more pri∣vate parts of his Function, visiting the Sick, and dealing in secret with his peo∣ple, to excite or preserve in them a deep sense of Religion. This he made his work, and he followed it so close, and lived so much at home, that he was so little known, or so much for∣got, that when Diodati came over to England, many years after this, he could hear of him from no person that he met with; though he was acquain∣ted with many of the Clergy. He was

much amazed at this, to find that so extraordinary a Man, that was so much admired at Venice, by so good Judges, was not so much as known in his own Countrey; and so he was out of all hope of finding him out, but by a meer acci∣dent he met him on the Streets of Lon∣den, at which there was a great deal of joy on both sides. And upon that Diodati presented him to Morton the learned and antient Bishop of Duresme, and told how great a value P. Paulo set on him; upon which that Bishop treated him in a very particular manner. It is true, Sir Henry Wotton was alwayes his firm and faithful Friend; but his Credit at Court had sunk: for he fell under ne∣cessities, having lived at Venice in an expence above his appointments. And as necessitous Courtiers must grow to for∣get all concerns but their own; so their interest abates, and the favour they are in lessens, when they come to need it too much. Sir Thomas Iermyn was in more credit, though he was alwayes suspected of being too favourable to the Puritans; so that his inclinations be∣ing known, the characte•• he could give of him, did not serve to raise him in England.

While he was thus neglected at home, his fame was spread into Ireland; and though he was not known either to the famous Bishop Vsher, or to any of the Fellows of Trinity Colledge in Dublin, yet he was chosen by their una∣nimous consent, to be the Head of their Colledge, in the Year 1627. and as that worthy Primate of Ireland, together with the Fellows of the Colledge, writ to him, inviting him to come and accept of that Mastership, so an Address was made to the King, praying that he would command him to go over. And that this might be the more successful, Sir Henry Wotton was moved to give his Majesty a true account of him, which he did in the following Letter.

May it please your most gracious Majesty,

HAving been informed, That certain persons have, by the good Wishes of the Archbishop of Armagh, been directed hi∣ther, with a most humble Petition unto your Majesty, That you will be pleased to make Mr. William Bedell (now resident upon a small Benefice in Suffolk) Governour of your Colledge at Dublin, for the good

of that Society: and my self being re∣quired to render unto your Majesty some Testimony of the said William Bedell, who was long my Chaplain at Venice, in the time of my imployment there; I am bound in all Conscience and Truth (so far as your Majesty will accept of my poor Iudgment) to affirm of him, That, I think, hardly a ••itter Man could have been propounded to your Majesty in your whole Kingdom, for singular Erudition and Piety, Conformity to the Rites of the Church, and Zeal to advance the Cause of God; wherein his Tra∣vells abroad were not obscure, in the time of the Excommunication of the Venetians. For, may it please your Majesty to know, That this is the Man whom Padre Paulo took (I may say) into his very Soul, with whom he did communicate the inwardest Thoughts of his Heart; from whom he professed to have received more knowledge in all Di∣vinity, both scholastical and positive, than from any that he had practised in his Dayes: of which all the passages were well known unto the King your Father, of blessed memory. And so with your Majesties good favour, I will end this needless office: for the general fame of his Learning, his Life, and Chri∣stian

Temper, and those religious La∣bours which himself hath dedicated to your Majesty, do better describe him than I am able.

Your Majesties most humble and faithful Servant, H. Wotton.

But when this matter was proposed to Mr. Bedell, he expressed so much both of true Philosophy, and real Chri∣stianity in the Answer that he made to so honourable an offer, that I will not undertake to give it otherwise than in his own Words, taken from a Letter which he writ to one that had been im∣ployed to deal with him in this matter. The Original of this and most of the other Letters that I set down, were found among the Most Reverend Pri∣mate Vsher's Papers, and were commu∣nicated to me by his Reverend and worthy Friend Dr. Parre.

SIR,

WIth my hearty commendations re∣membred: I have this Day re∣ceived both your Letters, dated the 2. of this Month; I thank you for your care and diligence in this matter. For answer whereof, although I could have desired so much respite, as to have confer∣red with some of my Friends, such as possibly do know the condition of that place better than I do, and my insufficiencies better than my Lord Primate; yet since that I perceive by both your Letters, the matter requires a speedy and present an∣swer, thus I stand: I am married, and have three Children; therefore if the place requires a single Man, the business is at an end. I have no want, I thank my God, of any thing necessary for this life; I have a competent Living of above a hun∣dred pound a Year, in a good Air and Seat, with a very convenient House near to my Friends, a little Parish, not exceeding the compass of my weak Voice. I have of∣ten heard it, That changing seldom brings the better; especially to those that are well. And I see well, That my Wife,

(though resolving, as she ought, to be contented with whatsoever God shall ap∣point) had rather continue with her Friends in her native Countrey, than put her self into the hazzard of the Seas, and a foreign Land, with many casualties in Travel, which she perhaps out of fear, apprehends more than there is cause.

All these reasons I have, if I consult with Flesh and Blood, which move me rather to reject this offer; (yet with all humble and dutiful thanks to my Lord Primate for his Mind and good Opinion of me:) on the other side, I consider the end, wherefore I came into the World, and the business of a Subject to our Lord Iesus Christ, of a Minister of the Gospel of a good Patriot, and of an honest Man. If I may be of any better use to my Coun∣trey, to Gods Church, or of any better service to our common Master, I must close mine eyes against all private respects; and if God call me, I must answer, Here I am. For my part therefore I will not stir one Foot, or lift up my Finger for or against this motion; but if it proceed from the Lord, that is, If those whom it con∣cerns there, do procure those who may command me here, to send me thither, I shall obey, if it were not only to go into Ireland, but into Virginia, yea though I

were not only to meet with troubles, dan∣gers, and difficulties, but death it self in the performance. Sir, I have as plainly as I can, shewed you my mind; desiring you with my humble service to represent it to my reverend good Lord, my Lord Primate. And God Almighty direct this affair to the glory of his holy name, and have you in his merciful protection; so I rest

From Bury March 6. 1626.

Your loving Friend Will. Bedell.

The conclusion of this matter was, That the King being well informed concerning him, commanded him to undertake this charge, which he did cheerfully obey; and set about the du∣ties incumbent on him, in such a man∣ner, as shewed how well he had im∣proved the long time of retirement, that he had hitherto enjoyed, and how ripely he had digested all his thoughts and observations. He had hitherto liv∣ed

as if he had been made for nothing but speculation and study; and now when he entred upon a more publick Scene, it appeared that he understood the practical things of Government and humane life so well, that no man seem∣ed to be more cut out for business than he was. In the Government of the Colledge, and at his first entry upon a new Scene, he resolved to act nothing till he both knew the Statutes of the House perfectly well, and understood well the tempers of the people; there∣fore when he went over first, he car∣ried himself so abstractly from all affairs, that he past for a soft and weak Man. The zeal that appeared afterwards in him, shewed, That this coldness was only the effect of his Wisdom, and not of his Temper: but when he found that some grew to think meanly of him, and that even Vsher himself began to change his opinion of him: Upon that when he went over to England some Months after, to bring his Family over to Ireland, he was thinking to have resign∣ed his new Preferment, and to have returned to his Benefice in Suffolk; but the Primate writ so kind a Letter to him, that as it made him lay down those thoughts: so it drew from him the fol∣lowing

Words in the Answer that he writ to him.

Touching my return, I do thankfully accept your Graces exhortation, advising me to have Faith in God, and not to con∣sult with Flesh and Blood, nor have mind of this Countrey. Now I would to God, that your Grace could look into my Heart, and see how little I fear lack of Provision, or pass upon any outward thing in this World: My chief fear in truth was, and is, lest I should be unfit and unprofitable in the place; in which case, if I might have a lawful and honest retreat, I think no wise Man could blame me to retain it: Especially having understood that your Grace, whose authority I chiefly followed at the first, did from your own Iudgment, and that of other wise Men, so truly pro∣nounce of me, That I was a weak Man. Now that I have received your Letters so full of life and encouragement, it puts some more life in me. For sure it can∣not agree with that goodness and ingenui∣ty of yours, praised among all Gods Graces in you, by those that know you, to write one thing to me, and to speak another thing to others of me, or to go about to beguile my simplicity with fair Words, laying in the mean while a Net for my Feet, espe∣cially

sith my weakness shall in truth re∣dound to the blaming of your own discre∣tion in bringing me thither.

Thus was he prevailed on to resign his Benefice, and carry his Family to Ireland, and then he applyed himself with that vigour of Mind, that was peculiar to him, to the government of the Colledge.

He corrected such abuses as he found among them; he set such rules to them, and saw these so well executed, that it quickly appeared how happy a choice they had made: And as he was a great promoter of learning among them, so he thought his particular Province was to instruct the House aright in the Prin∣ciples of Religion. In order to this he catechised the Youth in the Colledge once a Week, and preached once a Sunday, though he was not obliged to it: And that he might acquaint them with a plain and particular body of Di∣vinity, he divided the Church Cate∣chism into Two and Fifty Parts, one for every Sunday, and did explain it in a way so mixed with Speculative and Practical Matters, that his Sermons were both learned Lectures of Divinity, and excellent exhortations to Vertue and

Piety: Many took notes of them, and Copies of them were much enquired after; for as they were fitted to the ca∣pacity of his Hearers, so they contained much matter in them, for entertaining the most learned. He had not stayed there above two Years, when by his Friend Sir Thomas Iermyn's means, a Patent was sent him to be Bishop of Kilmore and Ardagh, two contiguous Sees in the Province of Vlster. And in the Letters by which the King sig∣nified his pleasure for his Promotion, he likewise expressed his acceptance of the service he had done in the Col∣ledge, in very honourable terms as fol∣lows:

And as we were pleased by our former gracious Letters to establish the said Wil∣liam Bedell, by our Royal Authority in the Provostship of the said Colledge of the Blessed Trinity near Dublin, where we are informed that by his care and good Government, there hath been wrought great Reformation, to our sin∣gular contentment; so we purpose to con∣tinue our care of that Society, being the principal Nursery of Religion and Learn∣ing in that our Realm; and to recommend unto the Colledge some such person from whom we may expect the like worthy ef∣fects

for their good, as we and they have found from Mr. Bedell.

And now in the 59th. Year of his Age, he entered upon a different course of Life and Employment, when it might have been thought, that the vi∣gour of his Spirits was much broken and spent. But by his administration of his Diocess, it appeared that their re∣mained yet a vast heat and force of Spirit to carry him through those diffi∣cult undertakings, to which he found himself obliged by this new Character; which if it makes a Man but a little lower than the Angels, so that the term Angel is applyed to that Office in Scri∣pture, he thought it did oblige him to an angelical course of life, and to di∣vide his time, as much as could consist with the frailties and necessities of a Body made of Flesh and Blood, as those glorious Spirits do, between the be∣holding the Face of their Father which is in Heaven, and the ministring to the Heirs of Salvation: he considered the Bishops office made him the Shep∣herd of the inferiour Shepherds, if not of the whole Diocess; and therefore he resolved to spare himself in nothing, by which he might advance the interest of Religion among them: and he thought

it a disingenuous thing to vouch Anti∣quity for the Authority and Dignity of that Function, and not at the same time to express those Virtues and Pra∣ctices that made it so Venerable among them. Since the Forms of Church Go∣vernment must appear amiable and va∣luable to the Word, not so much for the reasonings and arguments that learn∣ed Men use concerning them, as for the real advantages that mankind find from them. So that he determined with the great Nazianzen, To give Wings to his Soul, to rescue it wholly from the World, and to dedicate it to God: And not to think it enough to perform his duty in such a manner, as to pass through the rest of his life without reproach: for according to that Father, This was to weigh out Vertue by small weights; but in the Language of that Father he re∣solved to live, As one that had got above his Senses, and all sensible things, that was recollected within himself, and had attained to a familiarity with divine matters, that so his mind might be as an unsullied Mirrour, upon which he might receive and represent the impresses of God and divine things, unallyed with the Cha∣racters of lower objects. He saw he would fall under some envy, and meet

with great oppositions, but he consi∣dered that as a sort of martyrdome for God, and resolved cheerfully to under∣go whatsoever uneasie things he might be forced to suffer, in the discharge of his Conscience and Duty.

In laying open his designs and per∣formances in this last and greatest peri∣od of his life, I have fuller materials than in the former parts. For my Author was particularly known to him during a large part of it, and spent several Years in his Family; so that his oppor∣tunities of knowing him were as great as could be desired, and the Bishop was of so gentle a temper, and of so com∣municative a nature, that he easily o∣pened himself to one, that was taken into his alliance as well as into his heart, he being indeed a Man of primitive sim∣plicity. He found his Diocess under so many disorders, that there was scarce a sound part remaining. The Revenue was wasted by excessive dilapidati∣ons, and all sacred things had been ex∣posed to sale in so sordid a manner, that it was grown to a Proverb. But I will not enlarge further on the ill things o∣thers had done, than as it is necessary to shew the good things that were done by him. One of his Cathedrals, Ar∣dagh,

was fallen down to the ground, and there was scarce enough remaining of both these Revenues to support a Bishop that was resolved not to supply himself by indirect and base methods: he had a very small Clergy, but Seven or Eight in each Diocess of good suffi∣ciency; but every one of these was multiplyed into many Parishes, they having many Vicarages a piece; but being English, and his whole Diocess consisting of Irish, they were barbarians to them; nor could they perform any part of divine Offices among them. But the state of his Clergy will appear best from a Letter that he writ to Archbishop Laud concerning it, which I shall here insert.

Right reverend Father, my honourable good Lord.

SInce my coming to this place, which was a little before Michaelmas (till which time, the settling of the state of the Colledge, and my Lord Primate's Visita∣tion deferred my Consecration) I have not been unmindful of your Lordships com∣mands, to advertise you, as my experience should inform me, of the state of the Church, which I shall now the better do, because I have been about my Diocesses, and can set down, out of my knowledge and view, what I shall relate: and short∣ly to speak much ill matter in a few words, it is very miserable. The Cathedral Church of Ardagh, one of the most an∣cient in Ireland, and said to be built by S. Patrick, together with the Bishops House there, down to the ground. The Church here, built, but without Bell or Steeple, Font or Chalice. The Parish Churches all in a manner ruined, and un∣roofed, and unrepaired. The people, sa∣ving a few British Planters here and there, (which are not the tenth part of the rem∣nant) obstinate Recusants. A Popish

Clergy more numerous by far than we, and in full exercise of all Iurisdiction Ecclesi∣astical, by their Vicar-General and Offici∣als; who are so confident as they Excom∣municate those that come to our Courts, even in matrimonial causes: which affront hath been offered my self by the Popish Pri∣mates Vicar-General; for which I have be∣gun a Process against him. The Primate himself lives in my Parish, within two Miles of my House; the Bishop in ano∣ther part of my Diocess further off. Eve∣ry Parish hath its Priest; and some two or three a piece, and so their Mass-Houses al∣so; in some places Mass is said in the Chur∣ches. Fryers there are in diverse places, who go about, though not in their Habit, and by their importunate begging impover∣ish the people; who indeed are generally ve∣ry poor, as from that cause, so, from their paying double Tythes to their own Clergy, and ours, from the dearth of Corn, and the death of their Cattle these late Years, with the Contributions to their Souldiers and their Agents: and which they forget not to reckon among other causes, the op∣pression of the Court Ecclesiastical, which in very truth, my Lord, I cannot excuse, and do seek to reform. For our own, there are Seven or Eight Ministers in each Diocess of good sufficiency; and

(which is no small cause of the conti∣nuance of the people in Popery still) English, which have not the Tongue of the people, nor can perform any Di∣vine Offices, or converse with them; and which hold many of them Two or Three, Four, or more Vicarages apiece; even the Clerkships themselves are in like manner conferred upon the English; and sometimes Two or Three, or more, upon one Man, and ordinarily bought and sold or let to farm. His Majesty is now with the greatest part of this Countrey, as to their Hearts and Consciences, King, but at the Popes discretion.

Kilmore Apr. 1. 1630.

Will. Kilmore & Ardagh.

Here was a melancholy prospect to a Man of so good a mind, enough to have disheartned him quite, if he had not had a proportioned degree of Spi∣rit and courage to support him under so much weight. After he had reco∣vered somewhat of the spoils made by his Predecessor, and so put himself into a capacity to subsist, he went about the

reforming of abuses: And the first that he undertook was Pluralities, by which one Man had a care of Souls in so ma∣ny different places, that it was not pos∣sible to discharge his duty to them, nor to perform those Vows, which he made at his Ordination, of feeding and instructing the Flock committed to his care. And tho' most of the Pluralists did mind all their Parishes alike, that is, They neglected all equally; yet he thought this was an abuse contrary both to the nature of Ecclesiastical Fun∣ctions, to the obligations that the care of Souls naturally imported, and to those solemn Vows that Church-men made at the Altar when they were ordained: And he knew well that this corruption was no sooner observed to have crept in∣to the Christian Church, than it was condemned by the Fourth general Coun∣cil at Chalcedon. For when some that had removed from one Diocess to ano∣ther, continued to have their share in the dividend of the Church, which they had left, as well as of that to which they had gone; the Council decreed, That such transgressours should restore all that they had got from the Church, which they had left, and should be de∣graded, if they refused to submit to this

regulation. He thought it a vain, and indeed an impudent thing, for a Man to pretend that he answered the obli∣gation of so sacred a trust, and so ho∣ly a Vow, by hiring some mercenary Curate to perform Offices: since the Ob∣ligation was personal, and the ecclesi∣astical Functions were not like the Le∣vitical Service in the Temple, in which the observing their Rites, was all that was required. But the watching over Souls had so many other things involved in it, besides officiating according to the Rubrick, that it drew this severe refle∣ction from a witty Man, in which though the Wit of it may seem too pleasant for so serious a subject, yet it had too much sad truth under it; That when such Betrayers and Abandoners of that trust which Christ purchased with his own Blood, found good and faithful Curates that performed worthily the ob∣ligations of the pastoral Care, the Incum∣bent should be saved by Proxy, but be damned in Person. Therefore the Bi∣shop gathered a meeting of his Cler∣gy, and in a Sermon with which he o∣pened it, he laid before them, both out of Scripture, and Antiquity, the Insti∣tution, the Nature, and the Duties of the Ministerial Imployment; and after

Sermon he spoke to them largely on the same subject in Latin, stiling them, as he alwayes did, His Brethren and fellow Presbyters: And exhorted them to reform that intolerable abuse, which as it brought a heavy scandal on the Church, and gave their Adversaries great advantages against them; so it must very much endanger both their own Souls, and the Souls of their Flocks. And to let them see that he would not lay a heavy Burthen on them, in which he would not bear his own share, he resolved to part with one of his Bishop∣ricks. For though Ardagh was con∣sidered as a ruined See, and had long gone as an accessory to Kilmore, and continues to be so still; yet since they were really two different Sees, he thought he could not decently oblige his Clergy to renounce their Pluralities, unless he set them an example, and re∣nounced his own; even after he had been at a considerable charge in reco∣vering the Patrimony of Ardagh, and though he was sufficiently able to discharge the duty of both these Sees, they being contiguous, and small; and though the Revenue of both did not exceed a competency, yet he would not seem to be guilty of that which

he so severely condemned in others: And therefore he resigned Ardagh to Dr. Richardson; and so was now only Bishop of Kilmore. The Authority of this example, and the efficacy of his Discourse, made such an impression on his Clergy, that they all relinquished their Pluralities. The Arguments that arise out of interest are generally much stronger than those of mere speculation, how well soever it be made out; and therefore this concurrence that he met with from his Clergy in so sensible a point, was a great encouragement to him to go on in his other designs. There seemed to be a Finger of God in it; for he had no authority to compel them to it, and he had managed the minds of his Clergy so gently in this matter, that their compliance was not extorted, but both free and unanimous. For, one on∣ly excepted, they all submitted to it: and he being Dean, exchanged his Dea∣nery with another; for he was asha∣med to live in the Diocess, where he would not submit to such terms, after both the Bishop himself and all his Cler∣gy had agreed to them. But the oppo∣sition that was given him by the Dean, and both his sense of that matter, and his carriage in it, will appear from the

following Letter, which he writ con∣cerning it to the Primate; which, though it be long and particular, yet it seemed to me too important to be either stifled or abridged.

Most reverend Father, my honourable good Lord,

I Cannot easily express what contentment I received at my late being with your Grace at Termonseckin. There had no∣thing hapned to me, I will not say, since I came into Ireland, but, as far as I can call to remembrance, in my whole life, which did so much affect me in this kind, as the hazzard of your good opinion. For, loving and honouring you in Truth (for the truths sake, which is in us, and shall abide with us for ever) without any pri∣vate interest, and receiving so unlookt for a blow from your own Hand, (which I expected should have tenderly applyed some remedy to me, being smitten by others) I had not present the defences of Reason and Grace. And although I knew it to be a fault in my self, since in the perfor∣mance of our duties, the Iudgment of our Master, even alone, ought to suffice us;

yet I could not be so much Master of mine Affections as to cast out this weakness. But blessed be God, who (as I began to say) at my being with you refreshed my Spi∣rit by your kind renewing and confirming your love to me: and all humble thanks to you, that gave me place to make my Defence, and took upon you the cognisance of mine innocency. And as for mine Ac∣cuser (whose hatred I have incurred only by not giving way to his covetous desire of heaping Living upon Living, to the evi∣dent damage, not only of other Souls com∣mitted to him, but of his own) truly I am glad, and do give God Thanks that this malignity, which a while masked it self in the pretence of friendship, hath at last dis∣covered it self by publick opposition. It hath not, and I hope it shall not be in his power to hurt me at all; he hath rather shamed himself: and, although his high Heart cannot give his Tongue leave to ac∣knowledge his folly, his Vnderstanding is not so weak and blind as not to see it. Whom I could be very well content to leave to tast the Fruit of it also, without being further troublesome to your Grace, save that I do not despair, but your Grace's Authority will pull him out of the snare of Satan, whose instrument he hath been to cross the Work of God, and give me

more occasion of joy by his amendment, than I had grief by his perversion and op∣position.

Your Grace's Letters of Aug. 23. were not delivered to me till the 29th. In the mean space what effect those that ac∣companied them had with Mr. Dean you shall perceive by the inclosed which were sent me the 28th. the Evening before our Communion. I answered them the next Morning, as is here annexed. As I was at the Lord's Table, beginning the ser∣vice of the Communion before the Sermon, he came in, and after the Sermon was done, those that communicated not being de∣parted, he stood forth and spake to this purpose:

That whereas the Book of Common Prayer requires, That before the Lord's Supper, if there be any variance or breach of charity, there should be re∣conciliation; this was much more re∣quisite between Ministers: And because they all knew that there had been some difference between me and him, he did profess, That he bare me no malice nor hatred, and if he had offended me in any thing, he was sorry. I answered, That he had good reason to be sorry, considering how he had behaved him∣self. For my part I bare him no ma∣lice,

and if it were in my power, would not make so much as his Finger ake. Grieved I had been that he, in whom I knew there were many good Parts, would be∣come an instrument to oppose the Work of God, which I was assured he had called me to. This was all that passed. He of∣fered himself to the Lord's Board, and I gave him the Communion. After Din∣ner he preached out of 1 Joh. 4.10. And this Commandment have we from him, that he that loveth God, &c. When we came out of the Church, Dr. Sheriden delivered me your Grace's Letters. And thus Mr. Dean thinks he hath healed all, as you may perceive by his next Letters of August 30. Only he labours about Kil∣dromfarten. Whereabouts I purposed to have spoken with your Grace at my being with you; but I know not how it came not to my mind, whether it be that the Soul, as well as the body, after some travel ea∣sily falleth to rest; or else God would have it reserved perhaps to a more seasonable time.

It is now above a Twelvemonth (the Day in many respects I may well wish that it may not be reckoned with the dayes of the year) that your Grace, as it were, de∣livered to me with your own Hands, Mr. Crian a converted Fryer. To whom

I offered my self as largely as my Ability would extend unto: though I had already at your Grace's commendation received Mr. Dunsterville to be in my House, with the allowance of Twenty Pound per an∣num. The next Day before my depart∣ing, Mr. Hilton made a motion to me, That where he had in his Hands sufficient to make the Benefice of Kildromfarten void, if I would bestow it upon Mr. Dean he would do so; otherwise it should re∣main in statu. I answered with professi∣on of my love and good opinion of Mr. Dean, whereof I shewed the reasons. I added, I did not know the place nor the people, but if they were mere Irish, I did not see how Mr. Dean should discharge the duty of a Minister to them. This motion was se∣conded by your Grace: But so as I easily conceived, That being sollicited by your old Servant, you could do no less than you did; and notwithstanding the Lecture he promi∣sed your Grace should be read to me in the matter of Collations, would not be dis∣pleased, if I did as became me, accord∣ing to my Conscience, and in confor∣mity to your former motion for Mr. Crian▪ Mr. Dean after pressed me, that, if with∣out my concurrence your Grace would conferr that Living upon him, I would not be against it; which I promised, but

heard no more of it till about April last. In the mean while the Benefice next unto that which Mr. Dunsterville was already possessed of, falling void: Mr. Crian not coming to me, nor purposing to do so till after Christmas, and whensoever he should come, my House, as I found, not afford∣ing room for him and Mr. Dunsterville both, whose former Benefice was unable, be said, to maintain him, chiefly he promi∣sing Residence, and taking of me for that purpose an Oath, absolutely without any exception of Dispensation, I united it to his former, and dismissed him to go to his Cure; wherein how carelesly he hath be∣haved himself, I forbear to relate. To return to Mr. Dean. About mid-April he brought me a Presentation to Kildrom∣farten under the broad Seal. I could do no less but signifie to the Incumbent, who came to me, and maintained his Title, re∣quiring me not to admit. Whereupon I returned the Presentation, indorsing the reason of my refusal; and being then occasi∣oned to write to the Lords Iustices, I signi∣fied what I thought of these Pluralities, in a time when we are so far overmatcht in number by the adverse part. This passed on till the Visitation; wherein Mr. Dean shewed himself in his Colours. When the Vicar of Kildromfarten was called, he

said, he was Vicar; but would exhibite no Title. After, the Curate, Mr. Smith, signified to me, That his Stipend was un∣paid, and he feared it would be still in the contention of two Incumbents. Vpon these and other Reasons, I sequestred the Profits, which I have heard by a Simonaical compact betwixt them should be for this Year the former Incumbents. Neither did Mr. Dean write or speak a Word to me hereabout, till the day before the Com∣munion in the inclosed. That very Morn∣ing I was certified that he purposed to ap∣peal to your Grace, which made me in an∣swer to his next ••o add, Quod facias, fac∣citius.

Here I beseech your Grace give me leave to speak freely touching this matter, so much the rather, because it is the only root of all Mr. Dean's despite against me. Plainly I do thus think, That of all the diseases of the Church in these times, next to that of the corruption of our Courts, this of Pluralities is the most deadly and pestilent, especially when those are instituted into charges Ecclesiastical, who, were they never so willing, yet for want of the Language of the people, are unable to discharge them. Concerning which very Point, I know your Grace re∣members the Propositions of the learned and

zealous Bishop of Lincoln before Pope Innocent. I will not add the Confession of our Adversaries themselves in the Council of Trent, nor the judgment of that good Father, the Author of the History there∣of, touching non-Residency. Let the thing it self speak. Whence flow the igno∣rance of the people, the neglect of Gods worship, and defrauding the Poor of the remains of dedicate things, the ruine of the mansion-Houses of the Ministers, the desolation of Churches, the swallowing up of Parishes by the Farmers of them, but from this Fountain? There may be cause, no doubt, why sometimes, in some place, and to some Man, many Churches may be committed; but now that, as appears by the late Certificates, there are, besides the titular Primate and Bishop, of Priests in the Diocesses of Kilmore and Ardagh, 66. of Ministers and Curates but 32. of which number also 3. whose wives came not to Church: In this so great odds as the adversaries have of us in number, (to omit the advantage of the Language, the possession of peoples Hearts, the coun∣tenancing of the Nobility and Gentry, Is it a time to commit many Churches to one Man, whom I will not disable, and he saith he hath a very able Interpreter, and I think no less (which made me once

to say, That I would sooner confer the Bene∣fice of Kildromfarten upon him than upon himself, which resolution I do yet hold, in how ill part soever he take it.) But what hath he done in the Parishes already committed to him, for the instruction of the Irish, that we should commit another unto him? he that cannot perform his duty to one without a helper, or to that little part of it whose Tongue he hath, is he sufficient to do it to three? No it is the Wages is sought, not the Work. And yet with the means he hath already, that good Man his Predecessor maintained a Wife and a Fa∣mily; and cannot he in his solitary (he had once written Monkish) life defray himself? Well, if there can be none found fit to discharge the duty, let him have the Wages to better his maintenance. But when your Grace assureth us we shall lack no Men, when there is besides Mr. Crian (whom Dr. Sheriden hath heard preach as a Frier in that very place; which I account would be more to Gods Glory, if there now he should plant the Truth, which before he endeavoured to root out) besides him we have Mr. Nugent, who offereth himself in an honest and discreet Letter lately written to me, we have sun∣dry in the Colledge, and namely, two train∣ed up at the Irish Lecture, one whereof

hath translated your Grace's Catechism into Irish; besides Mr. Duncan and others; with what colour can we pass by these; and suffer him to fat himself with the blood of Gods people? Pardon me, I beseech your Grace, when I say We: I mean not to pre∣scribe any thing to you; my self, I hope, shall never do it, or consent to it. And so long as this is the cause of Mr. Dean's wrath against me, whether I suffer by his Pen or his Tongue, I shall rejoyce, as suf∣fering for Righteousness sake. And, sith himself in his last Letter excuses my in∣tent, I do submit my actions after God, to your Grace's Censure, ready to make him satisfaction, if in any things, in word or deed, I have wronged him.

For conclusion of this business (where∣in I am sorry to be so troublesome to your Grace) let him surcease this his greedy and impudent pretence to this Benefice, let Mr. Nugent be admitted to it, or Mr. Crian, if he be not yet provided for: To whom I will hope ere long to add Mr. Nugent for a Neighbour, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, If these second (questionless bet∣ter) thoughts have any place in him; as in his last Letters he gives some hope, let my complaints against him be cast into the Fire. God make him an humble and modest Man. But if Mr. Dean will needs

persist, I beseech your Grace to view my Reply, to the which I will add no more. As touching his traducing me in your Pul∣pit at Cavan, I have sent your Grace the Testimonies of Mr. Robinson and Mr. Teate; although he had been with them before, and denied what they former∣ly conceived. And if your Grace will be pleased to enquire of Mr. Cape, by a line or two, (with whom I never spake Word about the matter) or compare the Heads of his Sermon (which he saith were ge∣neral) with his former Reports made of me, I doubt not but you will soon find the truth.

I have sent also his Protestation against my Visitation, wherein I desire your Grace to observe the blindness of Malice: He pretends that I may not visit but at or after Michaelmas every Year. As if the Month of July, wherein I visited, were not after Michaelmas: For before the last Michaelmas I visited not. I omit that he calls himself the Head of the Chapter. The Canon Law calls the Bishop so: he will have the Bishop visit the whole Diocess together; directly con∣trary to that Form, which the Canons prescribe. But this Protestation having neither Latin, nor Law, nor common Sense; doth declare the skill of him that

drew it, and the Wit of him that uses it. which, if your Grace injoyn him not to re∣voke it, I shall be inforced to put remedy unto otherwise, in respect of the evil ex∣ample and prejudice it might bring to po∣sterity. And now to leave this unplea∣sing subject. Since my being with you, here was with me Mr. Brady, bringing with him the resignation of the Benefice of Mullagh, which I had conferred upon Mr. Dunsterville, and united to his former of Moybolke; He brought with him Letters from my Lord of Cork, and Sir William Parsons, to whom he is alli∣ed. But examining him, I found him (be∣sides a very raw Divine) unable to read the Irish, and therefore excused my self to the Lords for admitting him. A few Dayes after, viz. the 10th. of this Month, here was with me Mr. Dunsterville him∣self, and signified unto me that he had re∣voked his former Resignation. Thus he playes fast and loose, and most unconscion∣ably neglects his duty. Omnes quae sua sunt, quaerunt. Indeed I doubted his Re∣signation was not good, in as much as he retained still the former Benefice, where∣unto this was united. Now I see clearly there was a compact between him and Mr Brady, that if the second could not be admitted, he should resume his Benefice a∣gain.

I have received Letters from Mr. Dr. Warde, of the Date of May 28. in which he mentions again the point of the justification of Infants by Baptism. To whom I have written an answer, but not yet sent it. I send herewith a Copy thereof to your Grace, humbly requiring your advice and censure (if it be not too much to your Grace's trouble) before I send it. I have also written an answer to Dr. Richardson in the question touching the root of Efficacy or Efficiency of Grace; but it is long, and consists of 5. or 6. sheets of Paper, so as I cannot now send it; I shall hereafter submit it, as all other my endeavours, to your Grace's censure, and correction. I have received also a large answer from my Lord of Derry, touch∣ing justifying Faith; whereto I have not yet had time to reply; nor do I know if it be worth the labour, the difference being but in the manner of teaching, As whether justifying Faith be an assent working affi∣ance; or else an affiance following Assent. I wrote presently upon my return from your Grace to my Lords Iustices, desiring to be excused from going in person to take possession of the Mass-House; and a Certi∣ficate that my suit with Mr. Cook is de∣pending before them. I have not as yet received answer, by reason (as Sir Wil∣liam

Usher signified to my Son) the Lord Chancellor's indisposition did not per∣mit his hand to be gotten.

I do scarce hope to receive any Certifi∣cate from them, for the respect they will have not to seem to infringe your Grace's Iurisdiction. Whereupon I shall be infor∣ced to entertain a Proctor for me at your Grace's Court, when I am next to appear, it being the very time when my Court in the County of Leatrym was set before I was with you.

Ashamed I am to be thus tedious. But I hope you will pardon me, sith you requi∣red, and I promised, to write often; and having now had opportunity to convey my Letters, this must serve in stead of ma∣ny: Concluding with mine and my Wives humble service to your Grace and Mrs. Usher, and thanks for my kind en∣tertainment, I desire the blessing of your Prayers, and remain alwayes

Your Grace's humble Servant, Will. Kilmore & Ardagh.

Kilmore, Sept. 18. 1630.

The condemning Pluralities was but the half of his Project. The next part of it was to oblige his Clergy to reside in their Parishes: but in this he met with a great difficulty. King Iames upon the last reduction of Vlster after Ty∣rone's Rebellion, had ordered Glebe-lands to be assigned to all the Clergy: And they were obliged to build Houses up∣on them, within a limited time, but in assigning those Glebe-lands, the Com∣missioners that were appointed to exe∣cute the Kings Orders, had taken no care of the conveniences of the Clergy: For in many places these Lands were not within the Parish, and often they lay not all together, but were divided in parcells. So he found his Clergy were in a strait. For if they built Houses up∣on these Glebe-lands, they would be thereby forced to live out of their Pa∣rishes, and it was very inconvenient for them to have their Houses remote from their Lands. In order to a reme∣dy to this, the Bishop that had Lands in every Parish assigned him, resolved to make an exchange with them, and to take their Glebe-lands into his own hands for more convenient portions of equal value that he assigned them: and

that the exchange might be made upon a just estimate, so that neither the Bi∣shop nor the inferiour Clergy might suf∣fer by it, he procured a Commission from the Lord Lieutenant▪ for some to examine and settle that matter, which was at last brought to a conclusion with so universal a satisfaction to his whole Diocess, that, since the thing could not be finally determined with∣out a Great Seal from the King, con∣firming all that was done, there was One sent over in all their names to ob∣tain it; but this was a work of time, and so could not be finished in several Years: and the Rebellion broke out before it was fully concluded.

The Lord Lieutenant at this time was Sir Thomas Wentworth, afterwards Earl of Strafford, a name too great to need any enlargement or explanation: for his Character is well known. At his first coming over to Ireland, he was pos∣sessed with prejudices against the Bishop upon the account of a Petition sent up by the County of Cavan, to which the Bishop had set his hand, in which some complaints were made, and some regu∣lations were proposed for the Army: Which was thought an insolent attempt, and a matter of ill example. So that

Strafford, who was severe in his ad∣ministration, was highly displeased with him: And when any Commission or Order was brought to him, in which he found his name, he dashed it out with his own Pen; and expressed great indignation against him. When the Bi∣shop understood this, he was not much moved at it, knowing his own inno∣cence; but he took prudent methods to overcome his displeasure. He did not go to Dublin upon his coming over, as all the other Bishops did, to congratu∣late his coming to the Government: but he writ a full account of that mat∣ter to his constant Friend Sir Thomas Iermin, who managed it with so much zeal, that Letters were sent to the De∣puty from the Court, by which he was so much mollified towards the Bishop, that he going to congratulate, was well received, and was ever afterwards treated by him with a very particular kindness. So this Storm went over, which many thought would have ended in impri∣sonment, if not in deprivation. Yet how much soever that Petition was mistaken, he made it appear very plain, that he did not design the putting down of the Army: For he saw too evident∣ly the danger they were in from Pope∣ry,

to think they could be long safe without it. But a Letter that contains his vindication from that aspersion, car∣ries in it likewise such a representation of the state of the Popish interest then in Ireland, and of their numbers, their tempers, and their principles, that I will set it down. It was written to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and is taken from the printed copy of it that Mr. Prynne has given us.

Right Honourable, my very good Lord,

IN the midst of these thoughts,* 6.1 I have been advertized from an honourable Friend in England, that I am accused to his Majesty to have opposed his service; and that my hand with two other Bishops only, was to a Writing touching the Money to be levied on the Papists for mainte∣nance of the Men of War.—Indeed, if I should have had such an intention, this had been not only to oppose the service of his Majesty, but to expose with the pub∣lick peace, mine own Neck, to the Skeans of the Romish Cut-throats. I that know, that in this Kingdom of his Majesties,

the Pope hath another Kingdom far great∣er in number, and as I have heretofore signified to the Lord Iustices and Council (which is also since justified by them∣selves in Print) constantly guided and directed by the Orders of the new Congre∣gation De propaganda Fide, lately erect∣ed at Rome, transmitted by the means of the Popes Nuntio's residing at Brussells or Paris; that the Pope hath here a Cler∣gy, if I may guess by my own Diocess, double in number to us, the heads whereof are by corporal Oath bound to him, to maintain him and his regalities contra omnem hominem, and to execute his Mandates to the uttermost of their For∣ces; which accordingly they do, stiling themselves in Print, Ego N. Dei & Apostolicae Sedis gratia Episcopus Fer∣mien & Ossorien. I that kn••w there is in the Kingdom for the moulding of the peo∣ple to the Popes obedience, a rabble of irre∣gular Regulars, commonly younger Bro∣thers of good Houses, who are grown to that insolency, as to advance themselves to be members of he Ecclesiastical Hierar∣chy in better ranks than Priests, in so much that the censure of the Sorbon is fain to be implored to curb them, which yet is called in again; so tender is the Pope of his own Creatures. I that know

that his Holiness hath erected a new Vni∣versity in Dublin to confront his Ma∣jesties Colledge there, and to breed the youth of the Kingdom to his Devotion, of which Vniversity one Paul Harris, the Author of that infamous libel, which was put forth in Print against my Lord Ar∣mach's Wansted Sermon, stileth himself in Print to be Dean: I that know and have given advertisements to the State, that these Regulars dare erect new Fry∣eries in the Countrey, since the dissolving of those in the City; that they have brought the people to such a sottish senselesness, as they care not to learn the Command∣ments as God himself spake, and writ them; but they flock in great numbers to the preaching of new superstitio••s and detestable Doctrines, such as their own Priests are ashamed of; and at all those they levy Collections, Three, Four, Five, or Six Pounds at a Sermon. Shortly, I that kn••w, that those Regulars and this Clergy have at a general meeting like to a Synod, as themselves stile it, decreed, That it is not lawful to take the Oath of Allegiance; and if they be constant to their own Doctrine, do account his Majesty in their Hearts to be King but at the Popes discretion. In this estate of

this Kingdom, to think the Bridle of the Army may be taken away, should be the thought not of a brain-sick, but of a brain∣less Man.—

The day of our delive∣rance from the Popish Powder Plot, Anno 1633.

Your Lordsship's in all Duty, Will. Kilmore.

By his cutting off Pluralities there fell to be many Vacancies in his Diocess, so the care he took to fill these, comes to be considered in the next place. He was very strict in his Examinations be∣fore he gave Orders to any. He went over the Articles of the Church of Ire∣land so particularly and exactly, that one who was present at the Ordina∣tion of him that was afterwards his Arch-Deacon, Mr. Thomas Price, repor∣ted that though he was one of the Se∣nior Fellows of the Colledge of Dublin, when the Bishop was Provost; yet his Examination held two full Hours: And when he had ended any examina∣tion, which was alwayes done in the

presence of his Clergy, he desired eve∣ry Clergy-Man that was present to ex∣amine the person further, if they thought that any material thing was omitted by him; by which a fuller discovery of his temper and sufficiency might be made. When all was ended, he made all his Clergy give their approbation before he would proceed to Ordination: For he would never assume that singly to himself, nor take the Load of it wholly on his own Soul. He took also great care to be well informed of the moral and reli∣gious qualities of those he ordained, as well as he satisfied himself by his Exami∣nation of their capacity and knowledge. He had alwayes a considerable number of his Clergy assisting him at his Ordina∣tions, and he alwayes Preached and ad∣ministred the Sacrament on those occa∣sions himself: And he never ordained one a Presbyter, till he had been at least a year a Deacon, that so he might have a good account of his behaviour in that lower degree, before he raised him high∣er. He lookt upon that power of Or∣dination as the most sacred part of a Bishop's trust, and that in which the Laws of the Land had laid no sort of imposition on them, so that this was intirely in their Hands, and therefore he

thought they had so much the more to answer for to God on that account; and he weighed carefully in his thoughts the importance of those Words, Lay hands suddenly on no Man, and be not a partaker of other Mens Sins. There∣fore he used all the precaution that was possible for him in so important an affair. He was never prevail'd on by any recom∣mendations nor importunities to ordain any▪ as if Orders had been a sort of Free∣dom in a Company, by which a Man was to be enabled to hold as great a portion of the Ecclesiastical Revenue as he could compass, when he was thus qualified: Nor would he ever ordain any without a title to a particular Flock. For he thought a title to a maintenance was not enough; as if the Church should only take care that none in Orders might be in want; but he saw the abuses of those emendicated titles, and of the Va∣grant Priests that went about as Jour∣neymen, plying for Work, to the great reproach of that sacred Imployment; and in this he also followed the Rule set by the fourth general Council that carri∣ed this matter so high, as to annul all Or∣ders that were given without a particu∣lar designation of the Place, where the person was to serve. For he made the

Primitive times his Standard, and re∣solved to come as near it as he could, considering the corruption of the Age in which he lived. He remembred well the grounds he went on, when he re∣fused to pay Fees for the Title to his Benefice in Suffolk, and therefore took care that those who were ordained by him, or had Titles to Benefices from him, might be put to no charge: For he wrote all the Instruments himself, and delivered them to the persons to whom they belonged, out of his own Hands, and adjured them in a very so∣lemn manner, to give nothing to any of his Servants. And, that he might hin∣der it all that was possible, he waited on them alwayes on those occasions to the Gate of his House, that so he might be sure that they should not give any gratification to his Servants. He thought it lay on him to pay them such conve∣nient wages as became them, and not to let his Clergy be burthened with his Servants. And indeed the abuses in that were grown to such a pitch, that it was necessary to correct them in so exempla∣ry a manner.

His next care was to observe the be∣haviour of his Clergy; he knew the lives of Churchmen had generally much

more efficacy than their Sermons, or other labours could have; and so he set himself much to watch over the Manners of his Priests; and was very sensibly touched, when an Irishman said once to him in open Court, That the Kings Priests were as bad as the Popes Priests. These were so grosly ignorant, and so openly scandalous, both for drunken∣ness, and all sort of lewdness, that this was indeed a very heavy reproach: Yet he was no rude nor morose Reformer, but considered what the times could bear. He had great tenderness for the weakness of his Clergy, when he saw reason to think otherwise well of them: and he helpt them out of their troubles, with the care and compassion of a Fa∣ther. One of his Clergy held two Li∣vings; but had been cousened by a Gentle∣man of Quality to farm them to him for less than either of them was worth; and he acquainted the Bishop with this: Who upon that writ very civilly, and yet as became a Bishop, to the Gentle∣man, perswading him to give up the bargain: but having received a sullen and haughty answer from him, he made the Minister resign up both to him; for they belonged to his Gift, and he provided him with another Benefice,

and put two other worthy Men in these two Churches, and so he put an end both to the Gentleman's fraudulent bargain, and to the Churchman's Plu∣rality. He never gave a Benefice to any without obliging them by Oath to perpetual and personal residence, and that they should never hold any other Benefice with that. So when one Bu∣chanan was recommended to him, and found by him to be well qualified, he offered him a Collation to a Benefice, but when Buchanan saw that he was to be bound to Residence, and not to hold another Benefice; he that was already possessed of one, with which he resol∣ved not to part, would not accept of it on those Terms. And the Bishop was not to be prevailed with to dispense with it, though he liked this Man so much the better, because he found he was akin to the great Buchanan, whose Paraphrase of the Psalms he loved be∣yond all other Latin Poetry. The La∣tin form of his Collations will be found at the end of this Relation, which con∣cluded thus;* 6.2 Obtesting you in the Lord, and enjoyning you, by vertue of that obedience which you owe to the great Shep∣herd, that you will diligently feed his Flock committed to your care, which he purcha∣sed

with his own Blood; that you instruct them in the Catholick Faith, and perform Divine Offices in a Tongue understood by the people: and above all things that you shew your self a pattern to Believers in good Works, so that the adversaries may be put to shame, when they find nothing for which they can reproach you. He put all the Instruments in one, whereas devices had been found out, for the in∣crease of Fees, to divide these into se∣veral Writings: nor was he content to write this all with his own hand, but sometimes he gave Induction likewise to his Clergy; for he thought none of these Offices were below a Bishop: and he was ready to ease them of charge all he could. He had by his zeal and earnest endeavours prevailed with all his Pres∣byters to reside in their Parishes; one only excepted, whose name was Iohn∣ston. He was of a mean Education, yet he had very quick Parts, but they lay more to the Mechanical than to the Spiritual Architecture. For the Earl of Strafford used him for an Engineer, and gave him the management of some great Buildings that he was raising in the County of Wicklo. But the Bishop finding the Man had a very mercurial Wit, and a great capacity, he resolved

to set him to work, that so he might not be wholly useless to the Church; and therefore he proposed to him the composing an universal Character, that might be equally well understood by all Nations: and he shewed him, that since there was already an universal Mathe∣matical Character, received both for Arithmetick, Geometry, and Astrono∣my, the other was not impossible to be done. Iohnston undertook it readily, and the Bishop drew for him a Scheme of the whole Work, which he brought to such perfection, that, as my Author was informed, he put it under the Press, but the Rebellion prevented his finish∣ing it.

After the Bishop had been for many years carrying on the Reformation of his Diocess, he resolved to hold a Synod of all his Clergy, and to establish some Rules for the better government of the Flock committed to him: The Canons then established will be found at the end of this Work.* 6.3 He appointed that a Sy∣nod should be held thereafter once a Year, on the Second Week of Septem∣ber; and that in the Bishop's absence, his Vicar General, if he were a Priest, or his Arch-Deacon should preside; That no Vicar should be constituted

after that, unless he were in Orders, and should hold his place only du∣ring the Bishop's Pleasure. He revived the ancient custome of Rural Deans, and appointed, That there should be three for the three Divisions of his Dio∣cess; who should be chosen by the Cler∣gy, and should have an inspection into their deportment, and make report to the Bishop of what past among them, and transmit the Bishop's Orders to them; and that once a Month the Clergy of each Division should meet, and Preach by turns, without long Prayers or Pre∣ambles: And that no Excommunication should be made but by the Bishop in person, with the assistance of such of his Clergy as should be present. The rest related to some things of less importance, that required amendment. When the News of this was carried to Dublin, some said it was an illegal Assembly, and that his presuming to make Canons, was against Law, and brought him within the guilt of a Praemunire. So that it was expected that he should be brought up as a Delinquent, and cen∣sured in the Starr-Chamber, or High Commission-Court: But others lookt on what he had done, as nothing but the necessary discharge of his Episcopal

Function. And it seemed strange if some Rules laid down by common con∣sent, for the better Government of the Diocess, should have furnished matter for an Accusation or Censure. His Arch-Deacon, that was afterwards Arch∣bishop of Cashill, gave such an account of this matter to the State, that nothing followed upon it. The Bishop had in∣deed prepared such a Justification of him∣self, as would have vindicated him fully before equitable Judges, if he had been questioned for it. Archbishop Vsher, who knew well how much he could say for himself upon this Head, advised those that moved that he might be brought up upon it, To let him alone, lest he should be thereby provoked to say more for himself, than any of his Accusers could say against him.

When he made his Visitations, he al∣wayes preached himself, and admini∣stred the Sacrament; and the business of his Visitations was, what it ought truly to be, to observe the state of his Diocess, and to give good Instructions both to Clergy and Laity. The Visi∣tations in Ireland had been matters of great Pomp and much Luxury, which lay heavy on the inferiour Clergy. Some slight enquiries were made, and those

chiefly for Forms sake; and indeed no∣thing was so much minded, as that which was the reproach of them, the Fees, that were exacted to such an intollerable degree, that they were a heavy grievance to the Clergy. And as the Bishops Visitation came about every Year; so every third Year the Archbi∣shop made his Metropolitical Visitation, and every seventh Year the Kings Vi∣sitation went round: And in all these as they were then managed, nothing seemed to be so much aimed at, as how to squeeze and oppress the Clergy, who were glad to purchase their Peace by paying all that was imposed on them, by those severe Exactors. These Fees at Visitations were not known in the Pri∣mitive Times, in which the Bishop had the whole Stock of the Church in his hands to defray what expence necessari∣ly fell on him, or his Church. It is true, when the Metropolitan, with other Bishops, came and ordained the Bishop at his See, it was but reasonable that their expence should be discharged; and this came to be rated to a certain Summ, and was called the Inthronistick: and when these grew unreasonably high, the Emperours reduced them to a cer∣tain proportion, according to the Re∣venues

of the Sees. But when the Bi∣shops and the inferiour Clergy came to have distinct Properties, then the Bi∣shops exacted of their Clergy that which other Vassalls owed by their Tenure to the Lord of the Fee, which was the bearing the expence of their Progress: but when they began first to demand those Subsidies from their Clergy, that Practice was condemned, and provision was made, That in case a Bishop was so poor that he could not bear the charge to which his Visitation put him, he should be supplyed by the richer Bishops about him; but not prey upon his Cler∣gy. And both Charles the Great, and his Son Lewis took care to see this exe∣cuted: Yet this abuse was still kept up, so that afterwards, in stead of putting it quite down, it was only regulated, so that it might not exceed such a pro∣portion; but that was not observed: So that an arbitrary Tax was in many places levied upon the Clergy. But our Bishop reformed all these excesses, and took nothing but what was by Law and Custome established, and that was imployed in entertaining the Clergy: And when there was any overplus, he sent it alwayes to the Prisons, for the re∣lief of the Poor. At his Visitation he

made his Clergy sit all with him, and be covered, whenever he himself was covered. For he did not approve of the State, in which others of his Order made their Visitations; nor the distance to which they obliged their Clergy. And he had that Canon often in his Mouth, That a Presbyter ought not to be let stand after the Bishop was set. He was much troubled at another abuse which was, that when the Metropolitical and Regal Visitations went round, a Writ was served on the Bishops, suspending their Jurisdiction for that year: And when this was first brought to him, he received it with great indignation, which was increased by two Clauses in the Writ: By the one it was asserted, That in the year of the Metropolitans Visitation, the whole and entire Iuris∣diction of the Diocess belonged to him; the other was the Reason given for it, Because of the great danger of the Souls of the people: Whereas the danger of Souls rise from that suspension of the Bishops Pastoral power, since during that Year he either could not do the duty of a Bishop; or if he would ex∣ercise it, he must either purchase a De∣legation to act as the Archbishop's De∣puty, and that could not be had with∣out

paying for it, or be lyable to a Suit in the Prerogative Court.

He knew the Archbishop's power over Bishops was not founded on Di∣vine, or Apostolical right, but on Ec∣clesiastical Canons and Practice, and that it was only a matter of Order, and that therefore the Archbishop had no Authority to come and invade his Pastoral Office, and suspend him for a Year. These were some of the worst of the abuses that the Canonists had introduced in the later Ages; by which they had broken the Episcopal Authori∣ty, and had made way for vesting the whole power of the Church in the Pope. He laid those things often before Archbi∣shop Vsher, and prest him earnestly to set himself to the reforming them, since they were acted in his name, and by vertue of his Authority deputed to his Chancellour, and to the other Officers of the Court, called the Spiritual Court. No Man was more sensible of those a∣buses than Vsher was; no Man knew the beginning and progress of them bet∣ter, nor was more touched with the ill effects of them: and together with his great and vast learning, no Man had a better Soul and a more Apostolical mind. In his conversation he expressed the true

simplicity of a Christian: For Passion, Pride, self-Will, or the Love of the World, seemed not to be so much as in his Nature. So that he had all the innocence of the Dove in him. He had a way of gaining peoples Hearts, and of touching their Consciences that lookt like ••omewhat of the Apostolical Age revived; he spent much of his time in those two best Exercises, secret Prayer, and dealing with other peoples Consci∣ences, either in his Sermons or private Discourses; and what remained he dedi∣cated to his Studies, in which those ma∣ny Volumes that came from him, shew∣ed a most amazing diligence and exact∣ness, joyned with great Judgment. So that he was certainly one of the greatest and best Men that the Age, or per∣haps the World, has produced. But no Man is intirely perfect; he was not made for the governing part of his Fun∣ction. He had too gentle a Soul to man∣age that rough Work of reforming Abu∣ses: And therefore he left things as he found them. He hoped a time of Re∣formation would come: He saw the ne∣cessity of cutting off many abuses, and confessed that the tolerating those abomi∣nable corruptions that the Canonists had brought in, was such a stain upon a

Church, that in all other respects was the best reformed in the World, that he apprehended it would bring a Curse and Ruine upon the whole Constitution. But though he prayed for a more fa∣vourable conjuncture, and would have concurred in a joynt Reformation of these things very heartily; yet he did not bestir himself suitably to the Ob∣ligations that lay on him for carrying it on: And it is very likely that this sat heavy on his thoughts when he came to dye; for he prayed often, and with great humility, That God would forgive him his sins of Omission, and his failings in his Duty. It was not without great uneasiness to me that I overcome my self so far, as to say any thing that may seem to diminish the Character of so extraordinary a Man, who in other things was beyond any Man of his time, but in this only he fell beneath himself: And those that upon all other accounts loved and admired him, lamented this defect in him; which was the only al∣lay that seemed left, and without which he would have been held, perhaps, in more veneration than was fitting. His Physician Dr. Bootius, that was a Dutch∣man, said truly of him, If our Primate of Armagh were as exact a Disciplinarian,

as he is eminent in searching Antiquity, defending the Truth, and preaching the Gospel, he might without doubt deserve to be made the chief Churchman of Christen∣dome. But this was necessary to be told, since History is to be writ impartially; and I ought to be forgiven for taxing his Memory a little; for I was never so tempted in any thing that I ever writ, to disguise the Truth, as upon this oc∣casion: Yet though Bishop Vsher did not much himself, he had a singular e∣steem for that vigour of Mind, which our Bishop expressed in the reforming these matters. And now I come to the next instance of his Pastoral care, which made more noise, and met with more opposition, than any of the for∣mer.

He found his Court, that sat in his name, was an entire abuse: It was ma∣naged by a Chancellour, that had bought his place from his Predecessor; and so thought he had a right to all the Profits that he could raise out of it, and the whole business of the Court seem∣ed to be nothing but Extortion and Oppression. For it is an old observati∣on, That men, who buy Justice, will also sell it. Bribes went about almost barefaced, and the exchange they made

of Penance for Money was the worst sort of Simony; being in effect the ve∣ry same abuse that gave the World such a scandal when it was so indecently pra∣ctised in the Church of Rome, and o∣pened the way to the Reformation. For the selling of Indulgences is really but a commutation of Penance. He found the Officers of the Court made it their business to draw people into trouble by vexatious Suits, and to hold them so long in it that for three Pence worth of the Tithe of Turf, they would be put to five Pounds charge. And the solemn∣est and sacredest of all the Church Cen∣sures, which was Excommunication, went about in so sordid and base a man∣ner, that all regard to it, as it was a Spi∣ritual Censure, was lost, and the effects it had in Law made it be cryed out on as a most intolerable piece of Tyranny. The Officers of the Court thought they had a sort of right to oppress the Na∣tives, and that all was well got that was wrung from them. And of all this the good Primate was so sensible, that he gives this sad account of the Venality of all sacred things in a Letter to the Arch∣bishop of Canterbury: As for the ge∣neral state of things here, they are so de∣sperate, that I am afraid to write any

thing thereof. Some of the adverse part have asked me the Q••estion, Where I have heard or read before, that Religion and Mens Souls should be set to sale, af∣ter this manner? Vnto whom I could re∣ply nothing, but that I had read in Mantu∣an, That there was another place in the World where

Coelum est venale, Deúsque.

Both Heaven and God himself are set to sale. But our Bishop thought it not enough to lament this; he resolved to do what in him lay to correct these abuses, and to goe and sit and judge in his own Courts himself. He carried a competent number of his Clergy with him, who sate about him, and there he heard Causes, and by their advice he gave Sentence. By this means so many Causes were dismist, and such a change was wrought in the whole Proceedings of the Court, that instead of being any more a griev••nce to the Countrey, none were now grieved by it but the Chan∣cellour, and the other Officers of the Court; who saw their Trade was sunk, and their Profits were falling; and were

already displeased with the Bishop, for writing the Titles to Benefices himself, taking that part of their Gain out of their Hands. Therefore the Lay Chancel∣lour brought a Suit against the Bishop into Chancery, for invading his Office. The matter was now a common Cause; the other Bishops were glad at this step our Bishop had made, and encouraged him to go on resolutely in it, and as∣sured him they would stand by him: and they confessed they were but half Bishops till they could recover their au∣thority out of the hands of their Chan∣cellours. But on the other hand all the Chancellours and Registers of Ireland combined together; they saw this struck at those Places which they had bought, valuing them according to the Profits that they could make by them: and it cannot be denyed but they had rea∣son to move, That if their places were regulated, the Money, by which they had purchased that right to squeeze the Countrey, ought to have been restored. The Bishop desired that he might be suffered to plead his own Cause him∣self; but that was denyed him, which he took ill: But he drew the Argu∣ment that his Council made for him; for it being the first Suit that ever was

of that sort, he was more capable of composing his Defence than his Councel could be.

He went upon these Grounds, That one of the most essential parts of a Bi∣shop's duty was to govern his Flock, and to inflict the Spiritual Censures on obstinate Offenders: That a Bishop could no more delegate this power to a Lay-man, than he could delegate a pow∣er to Baptize or Ordain, since Excom∣munication and other Censures were a suspending the Rights of Baptism and Orders; and therefore the judging of these things could only belong to him that had the power to give them: and that the de∣legating that power was a thing null of it self. He shewed, That feeding the Flock was inherent and inseparable from a Bi∣shop, and that no Delegation he could make, could take that power from him∣self; since all the effect it could have, was to make another his Officer and Deputy in his absence. From this he went to shew how it had been ever lookt on as a necessary part of the Bishop's Duty, to Examine and Censure the Scandals of his Clergy and Laity in Ancient and Modern times: That the Roman Em∣perours had by many Laws supported the Credit and Authority of these

Courts, that since the practices of the Court of Rome had brought in such a variety of Rules, for covering the cor∣ruptions which they intended to sup∣port; then that which is in it self a plain and simple thing was made very intri∣cate: So that the Canon Law was be∣come a great study; and upon this ac∣count Bishops had taken Civilians and Canonists to be their Assistants in those Courts: but this could be for no other end but only to inform them in points of Law, or to hear and prepare mat∣ters for them. For the giving Sentence, as it is done in the Bishops name, so it is really his Office; and is that for which he is accountable both to God and Man: and since the Law made those to be the Bishops Courts, and since the King had by Patent confirmed that Authority, which was lodged in him by his Office of governing those Courts, he thought all Delegations that were absolute and exclusive of the Bi∣shop, ought to be declared void. The Reader will perhaps judge better of the force of this Argument, than the Lord Chancellour of Ireland Bolton did, who confirmed the Chancellours right, and gave him an hundred Pound Costs of the Bishop. But when the Bishop ask∣ed

him, How he came to make so un∣just a Decree? he answered, That all that his Father had left him was a Register's place; so he thought he was bound to support those Courts, which he saw would be ruined, if the way he took had not been checkt. This my Author had from the Bishop's own mouth.

But as this matter was a leading Case, so great pains were taken to possess the Primate against the Bishop; but his Letters will best discover the Grounds on which he went, and that noble tem∣per of mind, that supported him in so great an undertaking. The one is long but I will not shorten it.

Right Reverend Father, my honourable good Lord,

I Have receiv'd your Grace's Letters con∣cerning Mr. Cook, and I do acknow∣ledge all that your Grace writes to be true concerning his sufficiency and experience to the execution of the Ecclesiastical Iuris∣diction: neither did I forbear to do him right in giving him that Testimony, when before the Chapter I did declare and shew

the nullity of his Patent. I have heard of my Lord of attempt, and I do believe, That if this Patent had due form, I could not overthrow it; how un∣equal soever it be. But failing in the es∣sential parts, besides sundry other defects, I do not think any reasonable creature can adjudge it to be good. I shall more at large certifie your Grace of the whole matter, and the reasons of my Councel herein. I shall desire herein to be tryed by your Grace's own Iudgment, and not by your Chancellors; or (as I think in such a case I ought to be) by the Synod of the Province. I have re∣solved to see the end of this matter: and do desire your Grace's favour herein no farther than the equity of the Cause and the good, as far as I can judge, of our Church in a high degree do require. So with my humble Service to your Grace, and respect∣ful commendations to Mrs. Usher, I rest

Kilmore, Octob. 28. 1629.

Your Grace's in all duty, Will. Kilmore.

Most reverend Father, my honourable good Lord,

THe report of your Grace's indispo∣sition, how sorrowful it was to me, the Lord knows. Albeit the same was somewhat mitigated by other News of your better estate. In that fluctuation of my mind (perhaps like that of your health) the Saying of the Apostle served me for an Anchor, That none of us liveth to himself, neither doth any dye to himself. For whether we live, we live to the Lord; or whether we dye, we dye to the Lord. Whether we live therefore or dye, we are the Lords. Thereupon from the bottom of my Heart commending your estate, and that of the Church here, (which how much it needs you, He knows best) to our common Master, though I had writ∣ten large Letters to you, which have lain by me sundry Weeks, fearing in your sick∣ness to be troublesome; I thought not to send them, but to attend some other oppor∣tunity after your present recovery to send, or perhaps bring them. When I understood by Mr. Dean of his journey, or at least send∣ing an express Messenger to you with other

Letters; putting me also in mind, That perhaps it would not be unwelcome to you to hear from me, though you forbare to an∣swer. I yielded to the example and condi∣tion: so much the rather, because I remem∣bered my self a Debtor to your Grace by my promise of writing to you more fully touch∣ing the Reasons of my difference with Mr. Cooke; and now a suiter in your Court at his instance.

And, First, I beseech your Grace, let it be a matter meerly of merriment, that I skirmish a little with your Court touching the Inhibition and Citation which thence proceeded against me, as you shall perceive by the inclosed Recusation. For the thing it self, as I have written, I do submit it wholly to your Grace's decision. And to enlarge my self a little, not as to a Iudge, but a Father, to whom, besides the bond of your undeserved love, I am bound also by an Oath of God; I will pour out my Heart unto you, even without craving pardon of my boldness. It will be perhaps some little diversion of your thoughts from your own infirmity, to understand that you s••ffer not alone, but you in Body, others other∣wise; each must bear his Cross, and follow the steps of our high Master. My Lord, since it pleased God to call me to this place in this Church, what my intentions have

been to the discharge of my duty, he best knows. But I have met with many im∣pediments and discouragements; and chief∣ly from them of mine own Profession in Re∣ligion. Concerning Mr. Hoile, I ac∣quainted your Grace: Sir Edward Bag∣shaw, Sir Francis Hamilton, Mr. Wil∣liam Flemming, and diverse more have been, and yet are, pulling from the Rights of my Church. But all these have been light in respect of the dealing of some o∣thers, professing me kindness, by whom I have been blazed a Papist, an Arminian, a Neuter, a Politician, an Equivocator, a niggardly Housekeeper, an Vsurer: That I bow at the name of Iesus, pray to the East, would pull down the Seat of my Predecessor to set up an Altar, deny∣ed burial in the Chancel to one of his Daughters: and to make up all, That I compared your Grace's preaching to one Mr. Whiskins, Mr. Creighton, and Mr. Baxters; and preferred them: That you found your self deceived in me. These things have been reported at Dublin, and some of the best affected of mine own Dio∣cess (as hath been told me) induced here∣by to bewail with tears the misery of the Church: some of the Clergy also, as it was said, looking about how they might remove themselves out of this Countrey. Of all

this I heard but little, till Mr. Price; coming from Dublin before Christmas to be ordered Deacon, having for his memo∣ry set down Twelve Articles, among a number of Points more, required satisfa∣ction of me concerning them. Which I endeavoured to give both to him, and to them of the Ministry, that met at our Chapter for the examination of Mr Cookes Patent. Omitting all the rest; yet be∣cause this Venome hath spread it self so far, I cannot but touch the last, touching the preferring others to your Grace's preaching. To which Mr. Price's answer was, as he told me, I will be quartered if this be true. Thus it was, Mr. Dunster∣ville acquainted me with his purpose to preach out of Prov. 20.6. But a faith∣ful Man who can find; where he said, the Doctrine he meant to raise was this, That Faith is a rare gift of God. I told him I thought he mistook the mean∣ing of the Text, and wished him to choose longer Texts, and not bring his Discour∣ses to a Word or two of Scripture; but rather to declare those of the Holy Ghost. He said your Grace did so sometimes. I answered, there might be j••st cause, but I thought you did not so ordinarily. As for those Men, Mr. Whiskins, and the rest, I never heard any of them preach

to this day. Peradventure, their manner is to take longer Texts; whereupon the comparison is made up, as if I preferred them before you. This slander did not much trouble me. I know your Grace will not think me such a Fool (if I had no fear of God) to prefer before your excel∣lent gifts, Men that I never heard. But look as the French Proverb is, He that is disposed to kill his Dog, tells Men he is mad: And whom Men have once wronged, unless the Grace of God be the more, they ever hate. Concerning the wrongs which these people have offered me, I shall take another fit time to inform your Grace. Where they say, Your Grace doth find your self deceived in me, I think it may be the truest word they said yet. For indeed I do think both you and many more are deceived in me, accounting me to have some honesty, discretion, and Grace, more than you will by proof find. But if, as it seems to me, that form hath this mean∣ing that they pretend to have undeceived you, I hope they are deceived; yea I hope they shall be deceived, if by such courses as these they think to unsettle me; and the Devil himself also, if he think to dis∣may me.

I will go on in the strength of the Lord God, and remember his righteousness, even his alone, as by that reverend and good Father my Lord of Canterbury, when I first came over, I was exhorted, and have obtained help of God to do to this day.

But had I not work enough before, but I must bring Mr. Cooke upon my top? One that for his Experience, Purse, Friends, in a Case already adjudged, wherein he is ingaged, not only for his profit, but re∣putation also, will easily no doubt overbear me. How much better to study to be qui∣et, and to do mine own business; or, as I think Staupitius was wont to bid Lu∣ther, go into my Study and pray. My Lord, all these things came to my mind, and at the first I came with a resolution to take heed to my self, and, if I could, to teach others moderation and forbear∣ance by mine own example. But I could not be quiet, nor without pity hear the complaints of those that resorted to me, some of them of mine own Neighbours and Tenants, called into the Court, common∣ly by information of Apparitors, holden there without just cause, and not dismis∣sed without excessive Fees, as they ex∣claimed. Lastly, one Mr. Mayot, a Minister of the Diocess of Ardagh, made

a complaint to me, That he was excommu∣nicated by Mr. Cooke, notwithstanding, as I heard also by others, the correction of Ministers was excepted out of his Pa∣tent. Whereupon I desired to see the Pa∣tent, and to have a Copy of it, that I might know how to govern my self. He said Mr. Ask, being then from home, should bring it to me at his return. Him∣self went to Dublin to the Term. At the first view I saw it was a formless Chaos of Authority, conferred upon him against all reason and equity. I had not long af∣ter, occasion to call the Chapter together at the time of Ordination. I shewed the Original, being brought forth by Mr. Ask, desired to know if that were the Chap∣ter Seal, and these their Hands; they acknowledged their Hands and Seal, and said they were less careful in passing it, be∣cause they accounted it did rather concern my Predecessor than them. I shewed the false Latin, Non-sense, Injustice of it, Preju∣dice to them, Contrariety to it self, and the Kings Grant to me. I shewed there were in one Period above 500 Words, and, which passed the rest, hanging in the air without any principal Verb. I desired them to consider if the Seal hanging to it were the Bishop's Seal; they acknowledged it was not. Therefore with protestation,

That I meant no way to call in question the sufficiency of Mr. Cooke or his for∣mer Acts, I did judge the Patent to be void, and so declared it; inhibiting Mr. Cooke to do any thing by vertue thereof, and them to assist him therein. This is the true History of this business howso∣ever Mr. Cooke disguise it. I suspend him not absent, and indicta causa; it was his Commission, which was present, that I viewed, which, with the Chapter, I censured; which if he can make good, he shall have leave, and time, and place enough.

And now to accomplish my promise, to relate to your Grace my purpose here∣in. My Lord I do thus account, that to any work or enterprize, to remove impedi∣ments is a great part of the performance. And amongst all the impediments to the work of God amongst us, there is not any one greater, than the abuse of Ecclesi∣astical Iurisdiction. This is not only the opinion of the most Godly, Iudicious, and Learned Men that I have known; but the cause of it is plain. The people pierce not into the inward and true Rea∣sons of things; they are sensible in the Purse. And that Religion that makes Men that profess i••, and shews them to be despisers of the World, and so far from encroaching upon others in matter of

base gain, as rather to part with their own; they magnifie. This bred the admiration of the Primitive Christians, and after of the Monks. Contrary causes must needs produce contrary effects. Wherefore let us preach never so painfully, and piously: I say more, let us live never so blamelesly our selves, so long as the Officers in our Courts prey upon them, they esteem us no better than Publicans and Worldlings: and so much the more deservedly, because we are called Spiritual Men, and call our selves reformed Christians. And if the honestest and best of our own Protestants be thus scandalized, what may we think of Papists, such as are all, in a manner, that we live among? The time was when I hoped the Church of Ireland was free from this abuse, at least freer than her Sister of England: But I find I am de∣ceived; whether it be that distance of place, and being further out of the reach of the Scepter of Iustice, breeds more boldness to offend, or necessarily brings more delay of redress. I have been wont also in Ire∣land, to except one Court, (as he doth Plato) but trust me my Lord, I have heard that it is said among great perso∣nages here, That my Lord Primate is a good Man; but his Court is as corrupt as others. Some say worse, and which,

I confess to your Grace, did not a little terrifie me from visiting till I might see how to do it with Fruit, that of your late Visitation they see no profit, but the taking of Money.

But to come to Mr. Cooke, of all that have exercised Iurisdiction in this Land these late Years, he is the most noted Man, and most cryed out upon. Inso∣much as he hath found from the Irish, the nickname of Pouc: Albeit he came off with credit when he was questioned, and justified himself by the Table of Fees, (as by a leaden Rule any Stone may be ap∣proved as well as hewed). By that little I met with since I came hither, I am indu∣ced to believe, it was not for lack of matter, but there was some other course of his escaping in that Tryal. By this pretended Commission, and that Table of Fees, he hath taken in my Predecessors time, and seeks to take in mine for Ex∣hibits at Visitations, and his Charges there above the Bishop's Procurations, for Vni∣ons, Sequestrations, Relaxations, Certi∣ficates, Licences, Permutations of Pe∣nance, Sentences (as our Court calls them) Interlocutory in Causes of Corre∣ction. Such Fees as I cannot in my Conscience think to be just. And yet he doth it in my Name, and tells me I can∣not

call him into question for it. Alas, my Lord! if this be the condition of a Bishop, that he standeth for a Cypher, and only to uphold the Wrongs of other Men, What do I in this place? Am I not bound by my Profession made to God in your presence, and following your Words, To be gentle and merciful for Christs sake to poor and needy people, and such as be destitute of help. Can I be excu∣sed another day, with this, that thus it was ere I came to this place, and that it is not good to be over just? Or, sith I am perswaded Mr. Cooke's Patent is un∣just and void, am I not bound to make it so? and to regulate, If I may, this mat∣ter of Fees, and the rest of the disorders of the Iurisdiction, which his Majesty hath intrusted me withal? Your Grace saith, Truly it is a difficult thing, if not impos∣sible, to overthrow a Patent so confirmed; and I know in deliberations it is one of the most important considerations, what we may hope to effect. But how can I tell till I have tryed: To be discouraged ere I begin, is it not to consult with Flesh and Blood? Verily I think so. And therefore must put it to the Trial, and leave the success to God. If I obtain the Cause, the Profit shall be to this poor Nation; if not, I shall shew my consent to those

my Reverend Brethren that have endea∣voured to redress this enormity before me; I shall have the testimony of mine own Con∣science, to have sought to discharge my du∣ty to God and his People. Yea, which is the main, the work of my Ministry and service to this Nation, shall receive fur∣therance howsoever rather than any hin∣derance thereby. And if by the continu∣ance of such oppressions any thing fall out otherwise than well, I shall have acquitted my self towards his Majesty, and those that have engaged themselves for me. At last I shall have the better reason and ju∣ster cause to resign to his Majesty the ju∣risdiction which I am not permitted to manage. And here I beseech your Grace, to consider seriously whether it were not happy for us to be rid of this Charge, which not being proper to our Calling, is not pos∣sible to be executed without such Deputies, as subject us to the ill conceit of their un∣just or indiscreet carriage, and no way fur∣ther our own Work? Or if it shall be thought fit to carry this load still, whether we ought not to procure some way to be discharged of the envy of it, and redress the abuse, with the greatest strictness we can devise? For my part I cannot bethink me of any course fitter for the present, than to keep the Courts my self, and set some

good order in them. And to this purpose I have been at Cavan, Belturbet, Gra∣nard, and Longford, and do intend to go to the rest, leaving with some of the Ministry there, a few Rules touching those things that are to be redressed, that if my health do not permit me to be always pre∣sent, they may know how to proceed in my absence. I find it to be true that Tully saith, Justitia mirifica quaedam res mul∣titudini; and certainly to our proper work a great advantage it is to obtain a good opinion of those we are to deal with. But besides this there fall out occasions to speak of God and his presence, of the Re∣ligion of a Witness, the danger of an Oath, the purity of a Marriage, the preciousness of a good name, repairing of Churches, and the like. Penance it self may be en∣joyned, and Penitents reconciled, with some profit to others besides themselves.

Wherefore, albeit Mr. Cooke were the justest Chancellour in this Kingdome, I would think it fit for me, as things now stand, to sit in these Courts; and the rather sith I cannot be heard in the Pulpits to preach as I may in them: Albeit innocency and Iu∣stice is also a real kind of preaching. I have shewed your Grace my intentions in this matter. Now should I require your dire∣ction in many things, if I were present

with you. But for the present it may please you to understand, that at Granard one Mr. Nugent, a Nephew as I take it to my Lord of Westmeath delivered his Let∣ter to Mr. Aske, which he delivered me in open Court, requiring that his Te∣nant might not be troubled for Christnings, Marriages, or Funerals, so they pay the Minister his due. This referred to a Letter of my Lord Chancellors to the like purpose, which yet was not delivered till the Court was risen. I answered ge∣nerally, That none of my Lord's Tenants or others should be wronged. The like motion was made at Longford, by two or three of the Farralls, and one Mr. Faga∣rah, and Mr. Rosse to whom I gave the like answer, and added, That I would be strict in requiring them to bring their Children to be Baptized, and Marriages to be so∣lemnized likewise with us, sith they acknow∣ledged these to be lawful and true; so as it was but wilfulness if any forbare. Here I desire your Grace to direct me. For to give way that they should not be so much as called in question, seems to fur∣ther the Schism they labour to make To lay any pecuniary mulct upon them, as the value of a Licence for Marriage, three Pence or four Pence for a Christning, I know not by what Law it can be done. To

Excommunicate them for not appearing or obeying, they being already none of our bo∣dy, and a multitude; it is to no profit, nay rather makes the exacerbation worse.

Many things more I have to confer with your Grace about, which I hope to do co∣ram; as about the re-edifying of Churches, or employing the Mass-houses, (which now the State inquires of) about Books, Te∣staments, and the Common Prayer Book, which being to be reprinted would perhaps be in some things bettered: But especially about Men to use them; and Means to maintain them, now that our English have engrossed the Livings. About the printing the Psalter, which I have caused to be di∣ligently surveyed by Mr. James Nangle, who adviseth not to meddle with the Verse, but set forth only the Prose: Which he hath begun to write out fair to the Press. Mr. Murtagh King I have not heard of a long time, I hope he goeth on in the Histo∣rical Books of the Old Testament. Mr. Cri∣an was with me about a Forthnight after I came to Kilmore; since I heard not of him. Of all these things, if by the will of God, I may make a journey over to you, we shall speak at full.

As I was closing up these, this Morning, there is a complaint brought me from Ar∣dagh, That where in a cause Matrimoni∣al

in the Court at Longford, a Woman had proceeded thus far, as after contesta∣tion, the Husband was enjoyned to appear the next Court to receive a Libel; one Shaw-oge, Mr. Ingawry, the Popish Vi∣car General of Ardagh, had excommuni∣cated her, and she was by one Hubart, and Mr. Calril a Priest upon Sunday last, put out of the Church and denounced excom∣municate. Herein, whether it were more fit to proceed against the Vicar and Priest by vertue of the last Letters from the Coun∣cil; or complain to them: I shall attend your Graces advice. And now for very shame ceasing to be troublesome, I do re∣commend your Grace to the protection of our merciful Father, and rest, with my respe∣ctive salutations to Mrs. Usher,

Kilmore, Feb. 15. 1629.

Your Grace's in all duty, Will. Kilmore & Ardaghen.

The other Bishops did not stand by our Bishop in this matter; but were contented to let him fall under Cen∣sure, without interposing in it as in a cause of common concern: Even the excellent Primate told him, The tide went so high that he could assist him no more; for he stood by him longer than any other of the Order had done. But the Bishop was not disheartened by this. And as he thanked him for assisting him so long; so he said he was resolved by the help of God, to try if he could stand by himself. But he went home, and resolved to go on in his Courts as he had begun, notwithstanding this Censure. For he thought he was doing that which was incumbent on him, and he had a Spirit so made, that he resol∣ved to suffer Martyrdome, rather than fail in any thing that lay on his Con∣science. But his Chancellour was ei∣ther advised by those that governed the State, to give him no disturbance in that matter; or was overcome by the autho∣rity he saw in him, that inspired all peo∣ple with reverence for him: For as he never called for the 100 Pound Costs, so he never disturbed him any more, but named a Surrogate, to whom he gave

order to be in all things observant of the Bishop, and obedient to him: So it seems, that though it was thought fit to keep up the Authority of the Lay Chancellours over Ireland, and not to suffer this Bishop's practice to pass in∣to a Precedent; yet order was given un∣der hand to let him go on as he had be∣gun; and his Chancellour had so great a value for him, that many Years after this, he told my Author, That he thought there was not such a Man on the face of the earth as Bishop Bedell was; that he was too hard for all the Civilians in Ireland, and that if he had not been born down by meer force, he had overthrown the Consisto∣rial Courts, and had recovered the Epis∣copal Jurisdiction out of the Chancel∣lours hands. But now that he went on undisturbed in his Episcopal Court he made use of it as became him, and not as an Engine to raise his power and do∣minion; but considering that all Church power was for Edification, and not for Destruction, he both dispensed that Ju∣stice that belonged to his Courts equal∣ly and speedily, and cut off many Fees and much expence, which made them be formerly so odious; and also when scan∣dalous persons were brought before

him to be censured, he considered that Church-Censures ought not to be like the acts of Tyrants, that punish out of revenge, but like the Discipline of Pa∣rents, that correct in order to the amend∣ment of their Children: So he studied chiefly to beget in all offenders a true sense of their sins. Many of the Irish Priests were brought oft into his Courts for their lewdness; and upon that he took occasion with great mildness, and without scoffing, or insultings to make them sensible of that tyrannical imposi∣tion in their Church, in denying their Priests leave to marry, which occasion∣ed so much impurity among them; and this had a good effect on some.

This leads me to another part of his Character, that must represent the care he took of the Natives; he observed with much regret that the English had all along neglected the Irish, as a Na∣tion not only conquered but undisci∣plineable: and that the Clergy had scarce considered them as a part of their Charge, but had left them wholly into the hands of their own Priests, without taking any other care of them, but the making them pay their Tythes. And indeed their Priests were a strange sort of peo∣ple, that knew generally nothing but

the reading their Offices, which were not so much as understood by many of them: and they taught the people no∣thing but the saying their Paters and Aves in Latin. So that the state both of the Clergy and Laity was such, that it could not but raise great compassion in a Man that had so tender a sense of the value of those Souls that Christ had pur∣chased with his Blood: therefore he re∣solved to set about that Apostolical work of converting the Natives with the zeal and care that so great under∣standing required. He knew the gain∣ing on some of the more knowing of their Priests was like to be the quickest way; for by their means he hoped to spread the knowledge of the reformed Religion among the Natives; or ra∣ther of the Christian Religion, to speak more strictly. For they had no sort of notion of Christianity, but only knew that they were to depend upon their Priests, and were to confess such of their actions, as they call sins, to them; and were to pay them Tythes. The Bishop prevailed on several Priests to change, and he was so well satisfied with the truth of their conversion, that he pro∣vided some of them to Ecclesiastical Be∣nefices: which was thought a strange

thing, and was censured by many, as contrary to the interest of the English Nation. For it was believed that all those Irish Converts were still Papists at Heart, and might be so much the more dangerous, than otherwise, by that dis∣guise which they had put on. But he on the other hand considered chiefly the duty of a Christian Bishop: he also thought the true interest of England was to gain the Irish to the knowledge of Religion, and to bring them by the means of that which only turns the heart to love the English Nation: And so he judged the wisdom of that course was apparent, as well as the piety of it. Since such as changed their Religion would become thereby so odious to their own Clergy, that this would provoke them to further degrees of zeal in gaining others to come over after them: And he took great care to work in those whom he trusted with the care of Souls, a full con∣viction of the truth of Religion, and a deep sense of the importance of it. And in this he was so happy, That of all the Con∣verts that he had raised to Benefices, there was but one only that fell back, when the Rebellion broke out: And he not only apostatized, but both plundered and killed the English among the first.

But no wonder if one murderer was among our Bishop's Converts, since there was a traitor among the twelve that fol∣lowed our Saviour. There was a Co∣vent of Fryers very near him, on whom he took much pains, with very good success: That he might furnish his con∣verts with the means of instructing o∣thers, he made a short Catechism to be printed in one sheet, being English on the one Page, and Irish on the other; which contained the Elements, and most necessary things of the Christian Religi∣on, together with some forms of Prayer, and some of the most instructing and e∣difying passages of Scripture: This he sent about all over his Diocess; and it was received with great joy, by many of the Irish, who seemed to be hunger∣ing and thirsting after▪ Righteousness, and received this beginning of know∣ledge so well, that it gave a good en∣couragement to hope well upon further endeavours.

The Bishop did also set himself to learn the Irish Tongue; and though it was too late for a Man of his years to learn to speak it, yet he came to under∣stand it to such a degree, as to compose a compleat Grammar of it, (which was the first that ever was made, as I have

been told) and to be a Critick in it: he al∣so had Common Prayer read in Irish every Sunday in his Cathedral for the benefit of the Converts he had made, and was alwayes present at it himself, and he engaged all his Clergy to set up Schools in their Parishes: For there were so very few bred to read or write, that this obstructed the conversion of the Na∣tion very much. The New Testament and the Book of Common Prayer were already put in the Irish Tongue; but he resolved to have the whole Bible, the Old Testament as well as the New, put also into the hands of the Irish; and there∣fore he laboured much to find out one that understood the Language so well that he might be imployed in so sacred a work: And by the advice of the Primate, and several other eminent persons, he pitched on one King, that had been con∣verted many years before, and was belie∣ved to be the elegantest Writer of the Irish Tongue then alive, both for Prose and Poetry. He was then about seventy, but notwithstanding his age and the dis∣advantages of his Education, yet the Bi∣shop thought him not only capable of this Imployment, but qualified for an higher character; therefore he put him in Orders, and gave him a Benefice in

his Diocess, and set him to work, in or∣der to the translating the Bible: which he was to do from the English Transla∣tion; since there were none of the Na∣tion to be found that knew any thing of the Originals. The Bishop set him∣self so much to the revising this Work, that alwayes after Dinner or Supper he read over a Chapter; and as he compa∣red the Irish Translation with the Eng∣lish, so he compared the English with the Hebrew and the Seventy Interpreters, or with Diodati's Italian Translation, which he valued highly; and he cor∣rected the Irish where he found the English Translators had failed. He thought the use of the Scriptures was the only way to let the knowledge of Religion in among the Irish, as it had first let the Reformation into the other parts of Europe: And he used to tell a passage of a Sermon that he heard Fulgentio preach at Venice, with which he was much pleased: It was on these Words of Christ, Have ye not read; and so he took occasion to tell the Au∣ditory, That if Christ were now to ask this Question, Have ye not read? all the Answer they could make to it, was, No, for they were not suffered to do it. Upon which he taxed with great zeal the re∣straint

put on the use of the Scriptures, by the See of Rome. This was not unlike what the same person delivered in another Sermon preaching upon Pi∣late's Question, What is Truth? he told them that at last after many searches he had found it out, and held out a New Testament, and said, There it was in his Hand, but then he put it in his Pock∣et, and said coldly, But the Book is pro∣hibited; which was so suited to the Ita∣lian genius, that it took mightily with the Auditory. The Bishop had observed that in the Primitive times as soon Nati∣ons, how barbarous soever they were, began to receive the Christian Re∣ligion, they had the Scriptures tran∣slated into their vulgar Tongues: And that all people were exhorted to study them; therefore he not only un∣dertook and began this Work, but fol∣lowed it with so much industry, that in a very few years he finished the Tran∣slation; and resolved to set about the printing of it: for the bargain was made with one that engaged to perform it. And as he had been at the great trouble of examining the Translation, so he resolved to run the venture of the Impression, and took that expence upon himself. It is scarce to be imagined

what could have obstructed so great and so good a Work. The Priests of the Church of Rome had reason to op∣pose the printing of a Book, that has been always so fatal to them; but it was a deep fetch to possess reformed Divines with a jealousie of this work, and with hard thoughts concerning it: Yet that was done; but by a very well disguised me∣thod: For it was said that the Translator was a weak and contemptible Man, and that it would expose such a work, as this was, to the scorn of the Nation, when it was known who was the Au∣thor of it: And this was infused both into the Earl of Strafford, and into the Archbishop of Canterbury: And a bold young Man pretended a lapse of the Benefice that the Bishop had given to the Translator, and so obtained a Broad Seal for it; though it was in the Bishop's Gift. This was an abuse too common at that time, for licentious Clerks to pretend either that an Incumbent was dead, or that he had no good right to his Benefice, or that he had forfeited it; and upon that to procure a Grant of it from the King, and then to turn the In∣cumbent out of Possession, and to vex him with a Suit till they forced him to compound for his peace. So upon this

occasion it was pretended that the Tran∣slator had forfeited his Living; and one Baily that had informed against him, came down with a Grant of it under the great Seal, and violently thrust him out of it. The Bishop was much touch∣ed with this, and cited Baily to appear before him. He had given him a Vica∣rage, and had taken an Oath of him ne∣ver to hold another; so he objected to him both his violent and unjust intrusi∣on into another man's right, and his Per∣jury. Baily to cover himself from the last, procured a Dispensation from the Prerogative Court, notwithstanding his Oath, to hold more Benefices. The Bi∣shop lookt on this as one of the worst and most scandalous parts of Popery, to dissolve the most sacred of all Bonds; and it grieved his Soul to see so vile a thing acted in the name of Archbishop Vsher, though it was done by his Sur∣rogates: So without any regard to this he served this obstinate Clerk with se∣veral Canonical admonitions; but find∣ing him still hardned in his wickedness, he deprived him of the Benefice he had given him, and also excommunicat'd him, and gave orders that the Sentence should be published through the whole Deanry: upon which Baily's Clerk appealed to the

Prerogative Court, and the Bishop was cited to answer for what he had done. He went and appeared before them, but de∣clined their Authority, and would not answer to them. He thought it below the Office and Dignity of a Bishop to give an account of a spiritual Censure, that he had inflicted on one of his Cler∣gy, before two Laymen that pretended to be the Primate's Surrogates; and he put his Declinator in 24 Articles, all writ∣ten with his own Hand, which will be found at the end of this Narrative: he ex∣cepted to the incompetency of the Court,* 8.1 both because the Primate was not there in person, and because they that sate there had given clear Evidences of their partiality, which he had offered to prove to the Primate himself. He said the appeal from his Sentence lay only to the Pro∣vincial Synod, or to the Archbishop's Consistory; and since the ground of Bai∣lys Appeal, was the dispensation that they had given him from his Oath, they could not be the competent Judges of that, for they were Parties: And the Appeal from abusive faculties lay only to a Court of Delegates by the express words of the Law: And by many Indications it appeared, that they had prejudged the matter in Baily's favours, and had ex∣pressed

great resentments against the Bishop; and notwithstanding the digni∣ty of his Office, they had made him wait among the croud an hour and an half, and had given directions in the ma∣nagement of the Cause as Parties against him; they had also manifestly abu∣sed their power in granting Dispensati∣ons contrary to the Laws of God: and now they presumed to interpose in the just and legal Jurisdiction that a Bishop exercised over his Clergy both by the Laws of God and by the Kings Authority. Upon these grounds he ex∣cepted to their Authority; he was served with several Citations to answer, and appeared upon every one of them: but notwithstanding the highest contempts they put upon him, he shewed no in∣decent passion, but kept his ground still. In conclusion he was declared Contumax, and the perjured Intruder was absolved from the Sentence, and confirm∣ed in the possession of his ill-acquired Be∣nefice. It may be easily imagined, how much these Proceedings were censured by all fair and equitable Men: The con∣stancy, the firmness, and the courage that the Bishop expressed being as much com∣mended, as the injustice and violence of his Enemies was cryed out upon. The

strangest part of this transaction was, that which the Primate acted, who though he loved the Bishop beyond all the rest of the Order, and valued him highly for the zealous discharge of his office, that di∣stinguished him so much from others; yet he could not be prevailed on to in∣terpose in this matter; nor to stop the injust Prosecution that this good Man had fallen under, for so good a Work. Indeed it went further, for upon the endeavours he used to convert the Irish; and after he had refused to answer in the Archbishop's Court, it appears that he was in some measure alienated from him, which drew from the Bishop the following Answer to a Letter, that he had from him.

Most Reverend Father, my honourable good Lord,

THE Superscription of your Grace's Letters was most welcome unto me, as bringing under your own hand the best evidence of the recovery of your health, for which I did and do give hearty thanks unto God. For the Contents of them, as your Grace conceived, They were not so pleasant. But the Words of a Friend are faithful, saith the Wise Man: Sure they are no less painful than any other. Vnkindness cuts nearer to the Heart than Malice can do. I have some experience by your Grace's said Letters, concerning which I have been at some debate with my self, whether I should answer them with David's demand, What have I now done? or as the wrongs of Parents, with Patience and Si∣lence. But Mr. Dean telling me, That this day he is going towards you, I will speak once, come of it what will.

You write that the course I took with the Papists, was generally cryed out against, neither do you remember in all

your life that any thing was done here by any of us, at which the Professors of the Gospel did take more offence, or by which the Adversaries were more con∣firmed in their Superstitions and Idola∣try; wherein you could wish that I had advised with my Brethren before I would adventure to pull down that which they have been so long a building. Again; What I did, you know, was done out of a good intention; but you were assured that my project would be so quickly re∣futed with the present success and event, that there would be no need my Friends should advise me from building such Castles in the air, &c.

My Lord, All this is a riddle to me. What course I have taken with the Pa∣pists; what I have done at which your Professors of the Gospel did take such offence, or the Adversaries were so con∣firmed; what it is that I have adven∣tured to do; or what piece so long a build∣ing, I have pulled down; what those Pro∣jects were, and those Castles in the air so quickly refuted with present success, as the Lords knows, I know not. For truly since I came to this place I have not changed one jot of my purpose or practice, or course with Papists from that which I held in England, or in

Trinity Colledge, or found (I thank God) any ill success, but the slanders only of some persons discontented against me for other occasions. Against which I cannot hope to justifie my self, if your Grace will give ear to private informati∣ons. But let me know, I will not say, my Accuser, (let him continue masked till God discover him) but my Transgression, and have place of defence; and if mine Adver∣sary write a Book against me, I will hope to bear it on my Shoulder, and bind it to me as a Crown.

For my recusation of your Court, and advertisement of what I heard thereof, I see they have stirred not only laughter, but some coals too. Your Chancellour de∣sires me to acquit him to you, That he is none of those Officers I meant; I do it ve∣ry willingly: For I neither meant him nor any Man else. But though it concerned your Grace to know what I credibly heard to be spoken concerning your Court; nei∣ther, as God knows, did I ever think it was fit to take away the Iurisdiction from Chancellours, and put it into the Bishops hands alone; or so much as in a dream con∣demn those that think they have reason to do otherwise, nor tax your Grace's Visita∣tion: Nor imagine you would account that to pertain to your reproof, and take it as

a wrong from me, which out of my duty to God and you, I thought was not to be con∣cealed from you. I beseech you pardon me this one errour, Si unquam posthac —For that knave whom (as your Grace writes) they say I did absolve; I took him for one of my Flock, or rather Christs, for whom he shed his blood. And I would have absolved Julian the Apostate under the same form. Some other passages there be in your Grace's Letters, which I, — but I will lay mine Hand upon my Mouth and craving the blessing of your prayers, ever remain,

Your Grace's poor Brother, & humble servant, Will. Kilmore.

Kilmore, March 29. 1630.

The malice of Mr. King's Enemies was not satiated with the spoiling him of his Benefice. For often it falls out, That those who have done acts of high injustice seek some excuse for what they have done, by new injuries, and a vex∣atious prosecution of the injured person, designing by the noise, that such repeat∣ed accusations might raise, to possess the World with an Opinion of his guilt, which much clamour does often pro∣duce: and so to crush the person so en∣tirely that he may never again be in a capacity to recover himself, and to ob∣tain his right, but be quite sunk by that vast encrease of weight that is laid up∣on him. But I will give the Reader a clearer view of this invidious affair from a Letter which the Bishop writ concern∣ing it to the Earl of Strafford.

Right honourable, my good Lord.

THat which I have sometimes done willingly, I do now necessarily, to make my address to your Honour by wri∣ting. My unfitness for conversation here∣tofore hath pleaded for me, and now your Lordship's infirmity allows, and in a sort inforces it. The occasion is, not my love of contention (which I have committed to God) or any other matter of profit, but God's honour, and (as he is witness) yours. I have lately received Letters from my Lord of Canterbury; whereby I per∣ceive his Grace is informed that Mr. King, whom I imployed to translate the Bible into Irish, is a Man so ignorant that the Tran∣slation cannot be worthy publick use in the Church, and besides, obnoxious, so as the Church can receive no credit from any thing that is his. And his Grace adds, That he is so well acquainted with your Lordship's disposition, that he assures him∣self you would not have given away his Living, had you not seen just cause for it. I account my self bound to satisfie his Grace herein, and desire, if I may be so

happy, to do it by satisfying you. I do sub∣scribe to his Grace's assured perswasion that your Lordship, had you not conceived Mr. King to be such as he writes, would not have given away his Living. But (my Lord) the greatest, wisest, and justest Men do, and must take many things upon the information of others; who them∣selves are Men, and may sometimes out of weakness, or some other cause, be deceived. Touching Mr. King's silliness, (which it concerns me the more to clear him of, that I be not accounted silly my self) I beseech your Lordship to take informati∣on, not by them which never saw him till yesterday, but by the ancient either Church- or Statesmen of this Kingdom (in whose eyes he hath lived these many Years) as are the Lord Primate, The Bishop of Meath, the Lord Dillon, Sir James Ware, and the like: I doubt not but your Lordship shall un∣derstand that there is no such danger that the Translation should be unworthy, because he did it; being a Man of that known suf∣ficiency, for the Irish especially, either in Prose or Verse, as few are his matches in the Kingdom. And shortly, not to argue by conjecture and divination, Let the Work it self speak, yea let it be exa∣mined rigoroso examine: If it be found ap∣proveable, let it not suffer disgrace from

the small boast of the Workman, but let him rather (as old Sophocles accused of dotage) be absolved for the sufficiency of the Work. Touching his being obnoxious, it is true that there is a scandalous Infor∣mation put in against him in the High Com∣mission Court, by his despoiler Mr. Baily (as my Lord of Derry told him in my hear∣ing he was) and by an excommunicate despoi∣ler, as my self before the Execution of any sentence, declar'd him in the Court to be. And Mr. King being cited to answer, and not appearing, (as by Law he was not bound) was taken pro confesso, deprived of his Ministry, and Living, Fined an hundred Pound, Decreed to be attached, and impri∣soned. His Adversary Mr. Baily, before he was sentenced, purchased a new Dis∣pensation to hold his Benefice, and was the very next day after (as appears by the date of the Institution) both presented in the King's Title (although the Benefice be of my Collation) and instituted by my Lord Primate's Vicar: Shortly after inducted by an Archdeacon of another Diocess, and a few dayes after, he brought down an At∣tachment, and delivered Mr. King to the Pursevant: He was haled by the Head and Feet to Horseback; and brought to Dub∣lin, where he hath been kept, and continu∣ed under Arrest these four or five Months:

and hath not been suffered to purge his sup∣posed Contempt, by Oath and Witnesses, that by reason of his sickness he was hindered, whereby he was brought to Death's Door, and could not appear and prosecute his de∣fence: And that by the cunning of his Ad∣versary he was circumvented, intreating that he might be restored to liberty, and his cause into the former estate. But it hath not availed him: my Reverend Colleagues of the High Commission do some of them pity his Case, others say the Sentence past cannot be reversed, lest the credit of the Court be attached. They bid him simply submit himself, and acknowledge his Sen∣tence just. Whereas the Bishops of Rome themselves, after most formal proceedings, do grant restitution in integrum, and ac∣knowledge, That, Sententia Romanae Se∣dis potest in melius commutari. My Lord, if I understand what is Right Divine or humane, these be wrongs upon wrongs; which if they reached only to Mr. King's per∣son, were of less consideration; but when through his side, That great Work, the Translation of God's Book, so necessary for both his Majesty's Kingdoms, is mortally wounded; pardon me (I beseech your Lord∣ship) if I be sensible of it. I omit to con∣sider what feast our adversaries make of our rewarding him thus for that service; or

what this example will avail to the alluring of others to conformity. What should your Lordship have gained if he had dyed (as it was almost a miracle he did not) under Ar∣rest, and had been at once deprived of Liv∣ing, Liberty and Life. God hath repriev∣ed him, and given your Lordship means up∣on right information, to remedy with one word all inconveniencies. For conclusion (good my Lord) give me leave a little to apply the Parable of Nathan to King Da∣vid to this purpose: If the way-faring man, that is come to us (for such he is, having never yet been settled in one place) have so sharp a Stomach that he must be provided for with Pluralities, sith there are Herds and Flocks plenty; suffer him not, I beseech you, under the colour of the King's name to take the coset Ewe of a poor Man, to satis∣fie his ravenous appetite. So I beseech the Heavenly Physician to give your Lordship health of Soul and Body. I rest,

My Lord,

Your Lordship's most humble servant in Christ Jesus, Will. Kilmore.

Decemb. 1. 1638.

By these practices was the printing of the Bible in Irish stopt at that time, but if the Rebellion had not prevented our Bishop, he was resolved to have had it done in his own House, and at his own charge; and as preparatory to that, he made some of Chrysostome's Homi∣lies, the three first upon the parable of the rich Man and Lazarus, together with some of Leo's; all which tended chiefly to commend the Scriptures in the highest strains of Eloquence that were possible, to be translated both into Eng∣lish and Irish; and reprinting his Cate∣chism, he added these to it in both Lan∣guages: and these were very well re∣ceived, even by the Priests and Friers themselves.

He lived not to finish this great de∣sign; yet, notwithstanding the Rebel∣lion and confusion that followed in Ireland, the Manuscript of the Tran∣slation of the Bible escaped the storm, and falling into good Hands, it is at this time under the Press, and is carried on chiefly by the zeal, and at the charge of that Noble Christian Philosopher Mr. Boyle, who as he reprinted upon his own charge the new Testament, so he very cheerfully went into a Propo∣sition

for reprinting the Old. But this is only one of many instances, by which he has expressed, as well his great and active zeal for carrying on the true in∣terest of Religion, as by his other pub∣lick labours he has advanced and im∣proved Philosophy.

But to go on with the concerns of our Bishop, as he had great zeal for the purity of the Christian Religion in op∣position to the corruptions of the Church of Rome; so he was very mo∣derate in all other matters, that were not of such importance. He was a great supporter of Mr. Dury's design of reconciling the Lutherans and the Cal∣vinists; and as he directed him by ma∣ny learned and prudent Letters, that he wrote to him on that subject, so he allowed him 20l. a year in order to the discharging the expence of that negoti∣ation; which he payed punctually to his Correspondent at London. And it appeared by his managing of a business that fell out in Ireland, That if all that were concerned in that matter, had been blest with such an understanding, and such a temper as he had, there had been no reason to have despaired of it. There came a company of Lutherans to Dublin, who were afraid of joyning

in Communion with the Church of Ireland, and when they were cited to an∣swer for it to the Archbishop's Consisto∣ry, they desired some time might be granted them for consulting their Di∣vines in Germany: And at last Letters were brought from thence concerning their Exceptions to Communion with that Church; Because the Presence of Christ in the Sacrament was not ex∣plained in such a manner, as agreed with their Doctrine. The Archbishop of Dublin sent these to our Bishop, that he might answer them; and upon that he writ so learned and so full an answer to all their Objections, and explained the matter so clearly, that when this was seen by the German Divines, it gave them such entire satisfaction, that upon it they advised their Countreymen to join in Communion with the Church. For such is the moderation of our Church in that matter, that no posi∣tive definition of the manner of the Presence being made, Men of diffe∣rent sentiments may agree in the same acts of Worship, without being obli∣ged to declare their Opinion, or being understood to do any thing contrary to their several Perswasions.

His moderation in this matter was a thing of no danger to him, but he expressed it on other instances, in which it appeared that he was not a∣fraid to own it upon more tender oc∣casions. The Troubles that broke out in Scotland upon the account of the Book of Common Prayer, which encreased to the height of the swear∣ing the Covenant and putting down of Episcopacy, and the turning out of all Clergy Men that did not con∣cur with them, are so well known, that I need not inlarge upon them. It is not to be denyed but provocations were given by the heats and indiscretions of some Men; but these were carried so far beyond all the bounds either of Order in the Church, or Peace in the State, that, to give things their proper names, it was a Schismatical rage against the Church, backt with a rebellious fu∣ry against the State. When the Bi∣shop heard of all these things, he said, that which Nazianzene said at Constan∣tinople, when the stir was raised in the second General Council upon his ac∣count, If this great tempest is risen for our sakes, take us up, and cast us into the Sea, that so there may be a Calm. And if all others had governed their Dioces∣ses,

as he did his, one may adven∣ture to affirm after Dr. Bernard, That Episcopacy might have been kept still upon its Wheels. Some of those that were driven out of Scotland, by the fury of that time, came over to Ireland: among these there was one Corbet, that came to Dublin, who being a Man of quick Parts, writ a very smart Book, shewing the parallel between the Jesuites and the Scotch Covenanters, which he prin∣ted under the Title of Lysimachus Ni∣canor. The Spirit that was in this Book, and the sharpness of the stile procured the Author such favour, that a consi∣derable Living falling in the Bishop of Killala's Gift, he was recommended to it, and so he went to that Bishop; but was ill received by him. The Bishop had a great affection to his Countrey (for he was a Scotchman born) and though he condemned the courses they had taken, yet he did not love to see them exposed in a strange Nation, and did not like the Man that had done it. The Bishop was a little sharp up∣on him; he played on his Name: Corby in Scotch being a Raven, and said it was an ill Bird that defiled its own Nest. And whereas he had said in his Book, That he had hardly escaped with his

own life, but had left his Wife behind him to try the humanity of the Scots; he told him, He had left his Wife to a very base office. Several other things he said, which in themselves amounted to nothing, but only expressed an inclina∣tion to lessen the faults of the Scots, and to aggravate some provocations that had been given them. Corbet came up full of wrath, and brought with him many Informations against the Bishop, which at any other time would not have been much considered; but then, it be∣ing thought necessary to make exam∣ples of all that seemed favourable to the Covenanters, it was resolved to turn him out of his Bishoprick, and to give it to Maxwell, that had been Bishop of Rosse in Scotland, and was indeed a Man of eminent parts, and an excellent Preacher; but by his forwardness and aspiring he had been the unhappy in∣strument of that which brought on all the disorders in Scotland.

A Pursevant was sent to bring up the Bishop of Killala; and he was accused before the high Commission Court for those things that Corbet objected to him; and every Man being ready to push a Man down that is falling under dis∣grace, many designed to merit by ag∣gravating

his faults. But when it came to our Bishop's turn to give his Sen∣tence in the Court, he that was afraid of nothing but sinning against God, did not stick to venture against the Stream: he first read over all that was objected to the Bishop at the Barr, then he fetched his Argument from the quali∣fications of a Bishop set down by S. Paul in his Epistles to Timothy and Titus; and assumed that he found nothing in those Articles contrary to those quali∣fications; nothing that touched either his Life or Doctrine. He fortified this by shewing in what manner they pro∣ceeded against Bishops both in the Greek and Latin Churches, and so con∣cluded in the Bishops favour. This put many out of countenance, who had considered nothing in his Sentence but the consequences that were drawn from the Bishop's expressions, from which they gathered the ill disposition of his mind, so that they had gone high in their Censures, without examining the Canons of the Church in such Cases. But though those that gave their Votes after our Bishop, were more moderate than those that had gone before him had been; yet the current run so strong that none durst plainly acquit him, as

our Bishop had done: So he was de∣prived, fined, and imprisoned, and his Bishoprick was given to Maxwell, who enjoyed it not long. For he was stript naked, wounded, and left among the dead, by the Irish; but he was preser∣ved by the Earl of Tomond, who pas∣sing that way took care of him; so that he got to Dublin. And then his Talent of Preaching, that had been too long neglected by him, was better im∣ployed; so that he preached very often, and very much to the edification of his Hearers, that were then in so great a consternation, that they needed all the comfort that he could minister to them; and all the Spirit that he could infuse in them. He went to the King to Ox∣ford, and he said in my Author's hear∣ing, That the King had never rightly understood the innate hatred that the Irish bore to all that professed the true Religion, till he had informed him of it. But he was so much affected with an ill piece of News, that he heard con∣cerning some misfortune in the King's affairs in England, that he was some hours after found dead in his Study. This short digression, I hope, may be forgiven me; for the person was very extraordinary, if an unmeasured ambi∣tion

had not much defaced his other great abilities and excellent qualities.

The old degraded Bishop Adair was quickly restored to another Bishoprick, which came to be vacant upon a dismal account, which I would gladly pass o∣ver, if I could; for the thing is but too well known. One Adderton Bishop of Waterford, who, as was believed, had by a Symoniacal compact p••ocured such favour, that he was recommended to that Bishoprick; and had covered his own unworthiness, as all wicked Men are apt to do, by seeming very zealous in every thing that is acceptable to those who govern, and had been in par∣ticular very severe on Bishop Adair; came to be accused and convicted of a crime not to be named, that God pu∣nished with fire from Heaven; and suf∣fered publickly for it: He expressed so great a repentance, that Dr. Bernard, who preached his funeral Sermon, and had waited on him in his Imprisonment, had a very charitable opinion of the state in which he dyed. Upon this, Adair's Case was so represented to the King, that he was provided with that Bi∣shoprick. From which it may appear, That he was not censured so much for any guilt, as to strike a terrour in all

that might express the least kindness to the Scotch Covenanters. But our Bi∣shop thought the degrading of a Bishop was too sacred a thing to be done meerly upon politick Considerati∣ons.

Bishop Bedell was exactly conform∣able to the Forms and Rules of the Church; he went constantly to Com∣mon Prayer in his Cathedral, and often read it himself, and assisted in it always, with great reverence and affection. He took care to have the Publick Service performed strictly according to the Ru∣brick; so that a Curate of another Pa∣rish being imployed to read Prayers in the Cathedral, that added somewhat to the Collects; the Bishop observing he did this once or twice, went from his place to the Reader's Pew, and took the book out of his Hand, and in the hearing of the Congregation suspended him for his presumption, and read the rest of the Office himself. He preached constantly twice a Sunday in his Cathedral on the Epistles and Gospels for the Day; and catechised alwayes in the Afternoon be∣fore Sermon; and he preached always twice a Year before the Judges, when they made the Circuit. His Voice was low and mournful, but as his matter

was excellent, so there was a gravity in his looks and behaviour that struck his Auditors. He observed the Rubrick so nicely, that he would do nothing but according to it; so that in the reading the Psalms and the Anthems he did not observe the common custome of the Mi∣nister and the People reading the Verses by turns; for he read all himself, be∣cause the other was not enjoyned by the Rubrick. As for the placing of the Communion Table by the East wall, and the bowing to it, he never would depart from the Rule of observing the Conformity prescribed by Law; for he said, That they were as much Noncon∣formists who added of their own, as they that came short of what was en∣joyned; as he that adds an Inch to a measure disowns it for a Rule, as much as he that cuts an Inch from it: and as he was severe to him that added Words of his own to the Collect, so he thought it was no less censurable to add Rites to those that were prescribed. When he came within the Church, it appeared in the composedness of his behaviour, that he observed the Rule given by the Preacher, of Keeping his Feet when he went into the House of God; but he was not to be wrought on by the greatness of

any Man, or by the Authority of any persons example, to go out of his own way; though he could not but know that such things were then much ob∣served, and measures were taken of Men by these little distinctions, in which it was thought that the zeal of Conformi∣ty discovered it self.

There is so full an account of the tenderness with which he advised all Men, but Churchmen in particular, to treat those that differed from them, in a Sermon that he preached on those Words of Christ, Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly; that I am assured the Rea∣der will well bear with the length of it. It was preached soon after some heats that had been in the House of Commons in the Parliament of Ireland, in which there were many Papists; and in it the sense he had of the way of treating all differences in Religion, whether great or small, is so well laid down, that I hope it will be looked on as no ordinary, nor useless piece of Instruction.

IS it not a shame that our two Bodies, the Church and Commonwealth, should exercise mortal hatreds, (or im∣mortal rather) and being so near in place should be so far asunder in affecti∣on? it will be said by each that other are in fault, and perhaps it may truly be ••aid, that both are; the one in that they cannot endure with patience the lawful superiority of the worthier Body; the other in that they take no care so to go∣vern, that the governed may find it to be for their best behoof to obey: until which time it will never be, but there will be repining and troubles, and brangles be∣tween us. This will be done in my Opinion, not by bolstering out and main∣taining the errours and unruliness of the lower Officers or Members of our body, but by severely punishing them; and on both sides must be avoided such Men for Magistrates and Ministers, as seek to dash us one against another all they may.

And would to God this were all; but is it not a shame of shames, that Mens emulations and contentions cannot stay

themselves in matters of this sort, but the holy profession of Divinity is made fuel to a publick fire; and that when we had well hoped all had been either quenched or raked up, it should afresh be kindled and blown up with bitter and biting Words? God help us! we had need to attend to this Lesson of Christ, Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in Heart; or to that of the Apostle, It be∣hoves the servant of God not to contend, but to be meek towards all, instructing with lenity those that be contrary af∣fected, waiting if at any time God will give them a better mind to see the truth, 2 Tim. 2.25.

And here give me leave (R. W. and beloved Brethren and Sisters) to speak freely my mind unto you: I know right well that I shall incur the reproof of divers, yet I will never the more for that spare to utter my Conscience; I hope wise Men will assent or shew me better. For my part, I have been long of this mind, that many in their Ser∣mons and Writings are to blame for their manner of dealing with the ad∣versaries of their Opinions, when they give Reins to their Tongues and Pens, to railing and reproachful Speeches, and think they have done well, when they

exceed or equal them in this Trade; wherein to have the better is indeed to be the worse: and alledging that Text for themselves, That a fool is to be an∣swered according to his folly;* 10.1 they do not consider that other, where such manner of answer is forbidden, whereby the an∣swerer becometh like him: Prov. 26.4.15.1.24.26.

And this is yet more to be blamed, because sometimes all reasons are laid by, and nothing is soundly refuted, but only hot Words are given, yea, and with a misconceiving, or misreporting at least, of ther Opinions, and making every thing worse than it is: which many times ariseth upon ambiguity of Words not used in the like sense by both sides. What then? Do I approve of tolerati∣ons and unions with errours and here∣sies? truly I wish not to live so long. And yet as our sins are, and our folly too to fall together by the Ears about small matters amongst our selves, there is just cause to fear it: but yet such Points as may be reconciled, saving the truth, I see not what should move us to hold off in them, and why we may not seek to agree in word? as we do in mean∣ing: For the rest, their purpose and endeavours shall deserve thanks, who,

bringing them to the fewest and nar∣rowest terms, shall set down how far we are to joyn with our dissenting Bre∣thren, and where for ever to dissent; that so controversies being handled with∣out the vain flourish of swelling Words, and (like proportions) our Opinions being set down in the least terms, Men may know what to bend their Wits to, and where against to plant their Argu∣ments, not, as many do, roving always at randome; but may alwayes remember to imitate Christ's meekness, and to deal with Arguments rather: let us not envy the Papists and other Hereticks, the glo∣ry and preheminence in railing, where∣in the more they excel, the more un∣like they are to Christ, whose pattern is of meekness, Learn of me, &c.

Yea,* 10.2 but will some Man say, This course will not stay Men from backsliding to any er∣rour or heresie, &c. Who can keep off his enemy without shot, &c.

I.* 10.3 Gods Truth needs not to be gra∣ced, nor his Glory sought by my sin.

II.* 10.4 Again it is so perhaps in an ig∣norant Auditor, and at the first; but if inquiring himself, he shall find that they or their Opinions are not so bad as we make them to be, and would have them

seem, it will be a hundred to one that in other things too, they will not seem to be so bad as they are; and, unless I much mistake, it is not the storm of Words, but the strength of Reasons, that shall stay a wavering Judgment from errours, &c. when that like a tempest, is overblown, the tide of others examples will carry other men to do as the most do; but these like so many Anchors will stick, and not come again.

* 10.5III. Besides, our Calling is to deal with errours, not to disgrace the Man with scolding Words. It is said of Alex∣ander, I think, when he overheard one of his Souldiers railing lustily on Da∣rius his enemy, he reproved him, and added, Friend (quoth he) I entertain thee to fight against Darius, not to revile him. Truly it may be well thought that those that take this course shall find but small thanks at Christ's, our Captains, hands; and it is not unlike but he would say to them, were he here on earth again, Masters, I would you should refute Popery, and set your selves against Antichrist my enemy, with all the discoloured Sects and Heresies, that fight under his banner against me, and not call him and his Troops all to nought.

And this is my poor Opinion concern∣ing our dealing with the Papists them∣selves, perchance differing from the pra∣ctice of Men of great note in Christ's Family, Mr. Luther and Mr. Calvin, and others; but yet we must live by Rules, not examples; and they were Men, who perhaps by complexion, or other∣wise, were given over too much to an∣ger, and heat: sure I am, the Rule of the Apostle is plain, even of such as are the slaves of Satan, that we must with lenity instruct them, waiting that when escaping out of his snare, they should re∣cover a sound mind to do Gods will, in the place I quoted before.* 10.6

But now when Men agreeing with our selves in the main (yea and in pro∣fession likewise enemies to Popery) shall, varying never so little from us in Points of less consequence, be thereupon censured as favourers of Popery, and other errours; when Mole-hills shall be made Mountains, and unbrotherly terms given: alas! methinks this course savours not of meekness, nay it would hurt even a good cause, thus to handle it; for where such violence is, ever there is errour to be suspected; Af∣fection and Hate are the greatest ene∣mies that can be to soundness of judg∣ment,

or exactness of comprehension; he that is troubled with passion, is not fitly disposed to judge of truth.

Besides, Is my conceit ever consonant with truth? and if I be subject to er∣rour my self, have I forgotten so much the common condition of mankind, or am I so much my own enemy, as to pursue with a terrible Scourge of Whip∣cord, or wyer, that which was worthy of some gentler lashes: for indeed he that taketh pet, and conceiveth in∣dignation, that another should, I will not say, differ from himself, but err, and be deceived, seems to proclaim war to all mankind, and may well look him∣self to find small favour, but rather to endure the Law that he had made, and be bated with his own rod.

To make an end of this point, which I would to God, I had not had an oc∣casion to enter into: if this precept of our Lord Jesus Christ be to be heard, these things should not be so; if it were heard, they would not be so; and undoubtedly, if it be not heard, they that are faulty shall bear their judgment, whosoever they be. Mean while they shall deserve great praise of all that love Peace, who shall maintain quietness, even with some injury to themselves:

And in a good Cause do still endeavour to shew forth the vertue of Christ, that hath called us, as the Apostle Peter ex∣horteth us at large from this example of Christ, in his first Epistle, 21.20, 21, 22, 23. It is the glory of a Man to pass by an offence. Injuries, if by re∣garding them a man lay himself open to them,* 10.7 wound and hurt us: if they be contemned, or born off with the Shield of Meekness, they glance off, or rebound unto the party that offereth them.

Finally, he that in matters of contro∣versie shall bring meekness to his de∣fence, undoubtedly he shall overcome in the manner of handling; and if he bring truth also, he shall prevail at last in the matter.

This is a part of one of his Sermons; of which I have seen but very few; and because they are not sufficient to give a full Character of him, I have not published them: But I will add to this two parcells of another Sermon that is already in print, and was published by Dr. Bernard, the Text is that of the Re∣velation 18.4. Come out of her (Ba∣bylon) my people: And the design of it is to prove that the See of Rome is the

Babylon meant in that Text; but in this he mixes an Apology for some that were in that Communion; and I doubt not but he had his Friend P. Paulo in his thoughts when he spoke it: The pas∣sage is remarkable, and therefore I will set it down.

WHerein observe first, (he calls his people to come out of Babylon,) a plain Argument that there are many not only good Moral and Civil honest Men there, but good Christians, not re∣deemed only, but in the possession of the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; which may be confirmed by these rea∣sons.

First, There is amongst these that are under the tyranny of the Romish Ba∣bylon, the Sacrament of entrance into the Covenant of Grace; Baptism, by which those that are partakers thereof are made Members of Christ, the Chil∣dren of God, and Heirs of Eternal Life: And these that have but this Seal of God's Covenant, (viz. Infants) are no small and contemptible part of God's people, though as yet, they cannot hear

this Voice of Christ calling out of Baby∣lon; besides this there is a publication of the tenure of the Covenant of Grace to such as are of Years, though not so openly and purely as it might and ought, yet so as the grounds of the Catechisme are preached, sin is shewed, Christ's redemption (or the Story of it) is known,* 11.1 Faith in him is called for, and this Faith is by the Grace of God, wrought in some: For the Word of God and his Calling is not fruitless, but like the rain returneth not in vain; and where true Faith is,* 11.2 Men are translated from death to life, he that believeth in the Son, hath everlasting life.

Some Men perhaps may object, the Faith which they describe and call by this name of Catholick Faith, is none other but such as the Devils may have.

I answer, Religion is not Logick, He that cannot give a true definition of the Soul, is not for that, without a Soul; so he that defines not Faith truly, yet may have true Faith: Learned Divines are not all of accord touching the definition of it; But if (as by the whole stream of the Scripture it should seem) it be a trust and cleaving unto God; this Faith many there have, the Love of

our Lord Iesus Christ is wrought in many there;* 11.3 now he that loveth Christ is loved of him, and of the Father also; and because the proof of true love to Christ is the keeping of his Sayings, there, are good Works, and according to the measure of knowledg great conscience of obedience.

Yea, will some Man say, But that which marreth all is the Opinion of me∣rit and satisfaction. Indeed that is the School Doctrine, but the Conscience en∣lightned to know it self, will easily act that part of the Publican, who smote his Breast, and said, God be merciful to me a sinner. I remember a good advice of one of that side: Let others (saith he) that have committed few sins, and done many good works satisfie for their sins; But whatsoever thou dost, refer it to the Honour of God: so as whatsoever good come from thee, thou resolve to do it to please God, accounting thy works too lit∣tle to satisfie for thy sins: For as for thy sins thou must offer Christ's Works, his Pains and Wounds, and his death it self to him, together with that love of his out of which he endured these things for thee. These are available for the satisfaction for thy sins. But thou whatsoever thou dost or sufferest, offer it not for thy sins to

God, for but his love and good pleasure, wishing to find the more grace with him, whereby thou mayest do more, greater and more acceptable Works to him; let the love of God then be to thee the cause of well-living, and the hope of well-working. Thus he, and I doubt not but many there be on that side that follow this counsel; herewith I shall relate the Speech of a wise and discreet Gentleman, my neigh∣bour in England, who lived and dyed a Recusant; he demanded one time, What was the worst Opinion that we could impute to the Church of Rome? It was said, There was none more than this of our merits:* 11.4 And that Cardinal Bellar∣mine not only doth uphold them, but saith, we may trust in them, so it be done so∣berly; and saith, they deserve Eternal life, not only in respect of God's Promi∣ses and Covenant, but also in regard of the Work it self: Whereupon he an∣swered, Bellarmine was a learned Man, and could perhaps defend what he wrote by learning; But for his part he trusted to be saved only by the merits of his Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ, and as for good Works he would do all that he could; Et valeant quantum valere possint.

To proceed: In or under the Obedi∣ence of Rome there is Persecution, and that is a better mark of Christ's peo∣ple, then Bellarmine's Temporal felicity. All that will live godly in Christ Iesus (saith the Apostle) shall suffer persecu∣tion; ye shall be hated of all Men for my Names sake, (saith our Saviour) and so are all they on that side that are less superstitious than others, or dare speak of redress of abuses; yea, there is Mar∣tyrdome for a free opposing Mens Tra∣ditions, Image-worshippers, Purgatory, and the like.

Add, That in obedience to this call of Christ, there do some come daily from thence; and in truth how could our Sa∣viour call his people from thence if he had none there? How could the Apo∣stles say that Antichrist, from whose cap∣tivity they are called, shall sit in the Tem∣ple of God, (since that Ierusalem is fi∣nally and utterly desolated) unless the same Apostle otherwhere declaring himself, had shewed us his meaning, that the Church is the House of God: and again,* 11.5 ye are the Temple of the liv∣ing God, and the Temple of God is Holy, which are ye. It will be said that there are on that side many gross errors, many open Idolatries, and Superstiti∣ons,

so as those which live there must needs be either partakers of them, and like minded, or else very Hypocrites. But many errours and much ignorance, so it be not affected, may stand with true Faith in Christ; and when there is true Contrition for one sin, (that is, because it displeaseth God) there is a ge∣neral and implicite repentance for all un∣known sins. God's Providence in the gene∣ral revolt of the ten Tribes, when Elias thought himself left alone, had reserved seven thousand,* 11.6 that had not bowed to the Image of Baal: and the like may be conceived here, since especially, the Ido∣latry practised under the obedience of Mystical Babylon, is rather in false and will-worship of the true God, and rather commended, as profitable, than enjoyn∣ed as absolutely necessary, and the cor∣ruptions there maintained are rather in a superfluous addition than retraction in any thing necessary to salvation.

Neither let that hard term of hypocri∣sie be used of the infirmity, and some∣time, of humble and peaceable carriage of some that oppose not common errors, nor wrestle with the greater part of Men, but do follow the multitude, re∣serving a right knowledge to themselves: and sometimes, (by the favour which

God gives them to find where they live,) obtain better conditions than o∣thers can. We call not Iohn the belov∣ed Disciple an hypocrite, because he was known to the High Priest,* 11.7 and could procure Peter to be let to see the arraign∣ment of our Saviour: nor call we Peter himself one that for fear denied him; much less Daniel and his companions, that by Suit, obtain'd of Melzar their kee∣per that they might feed upon Pulse, and not be defiled with the King of Babel's meat,* 11.8 and these knew themselves to be cap∣tives and in Babel. But in the new Babel how many thousands do we think there are that think otherwise; that they are in the true Catholick Church of God, the name whereof this harlot hath usur∣ped: And although they acknowledge that where they live there are many a∣buses, and that the Church hath need of reformation, yet there they were born, and they may not abandon their Mother in her sickness. Those that converse more inwardly with Men of Consci∣ence, on that side, do know that these are speeches in secret; which how they will be justified against the commands of Christ, (come out of her, my people) belongs to another place to consider. For the purpose we have now in hand,

I dare not but account these the people of God, though they live very danger∣ously under the captivity of Babylon, as did Daniel, Mordechai, Hester, Nehemiah, and Ezra, and many Jews more, not∣withstanding both Cyrus's Commission, and the Prophets command to depart.

This point may give some light in a Question that is on foot among learned and good Men at this day, Whether the Church of Rome be a true Church or no? where I think surely if the mat∣ter be rightly declared, for the terms, there will remain no question. As thus, whether Babylon pretending to be the Church of Rome, yea the Catholick Church, be so or not? or this, Whether the people of Christ that are under that Captivity be a true Church or no? ei∣ther of both wayes if declared in these terms, the matter will be soon resol∣ved.

Except some Man will perhaps still object,* 11.9 Though there be a people of God, yet they can be no true Church, for they have no Priesthood which is necessary to the Constitution of a Church,* 11.10 as S. Cyprian describes it, Plebs Sacerdoti adunata, people joyned to their Priest: They have no Priesthood, be∣ing by the very form of their Ordi∣nation,

Sacrificers for the quick and the dead.

* 11.11I answer, under correction of bet∣ter judgments, they have the Ministry of Reconciliation by the Commission which is given at their Ordination; being the same which our Saviour left in his Church,* 11.12 Whose sins ye remit, they are remitted, whose sins ye retain they are retained.

As for the other power to sacrifice, if it be any otherwise than the celebrating the Commemoration of Christ's Sacrifice once offered upon the Cross, it is no part of the Priesthood or Ministry of the New Testament, but a superfluous addition thereunto, which yet worketh not to the destruction of that which is law∣fully conferred otherwise. This Do∣ctrine I know not how it can offend any, unless it be in being too Charitable, and that I am sure is a good fault, and serves well for a sure mark of Christ's Sheep, and may have a very good ope∣ration to help Christs people out of Babel: By this,* 11.13 saith he, shall Men know that ye are my Disciples, if ye have Charity one to ano∣ther. But they call us Hereticks, Miscreants, Doggs, &c. and persecute us with more deadly hatred than Jews and Turks; yea, this is Babylon, and perhaps some of

God's People in it that are misinformed of us. Thus did Saul for a while, yet a chosen vessel to bear Christ's Name over the World. But let us maintain our Charity to them, as we are wont to bear with the weakness of our Friends or Children, when in hot Feavers or Phrensies, they miscal us. Let us re∣member if they be Christ's people, how little loving soever they be to us, they must be our beloved Brethren, and this of the Persons.

To this I shall add the conclusion of that excellent Sermon in which there is such a mixture both of serious Pi∣ety and of an undissembled sincerity, that I hope the Reader will not be dis∣pleased with me for laying it in his way.

NOW should I come to the Motives from the Danger of sin, and of partaking in punishment. But the handling of these would require a long time, let me rather make some Ap∣plication of that which hath been said already. And First and most properly to those that this Scripture most con∣cerns and is directed unto: The People of God holden in the Captivity of the Romane Babylon: But alas they are not here, for this is one part of their Captivity, that they are kept, not only from hearing the voyce of the Ser∣vants of Christ, or of S. Iohn the be∣loved Disciple, but of himself speaking here from Heaven; and since they are so contented, what remedy may there be for those that are thus bewitched, un∣less you (My L. L's. and Brethren) will be contented to become faithful Feoffees in trust, to convey this voyce and Message of Christ unto them: and by my request you shall be pleased to do it, with a great deal of Love. As this President of our Lord himself doth lead you as to Brethren, and, as you

hope, faithful People, loth to sin against him, and desirous to please him in all things. Tell them then, that it is ac∣knowledged by their own Doctors: That Rome is Babylon, and it is aver∣red, That this is the present Papal Monarchy, that out of this they must depart by the Commands of our Lord Iesus Christ's own Voyce, under pain of being accessary to all her sins, and ly∣able to all her punishments: wish them to use the Liberty to read the Holy Scripture, and to come out of the blind Obedience of Mens Precepts and Traditi∣ons; be pleased to tell them further, that others may have some colour of excuse, that live in such places where they may not discover themselves without danger of the loss of their Goods, Honour or Life; they may do it here, not only with safety, but with Reputation and Profit: intreat them to beware lest they make themselves extreamly Culpable, not only of partaking with the for∣mer Idolatries, Extortions, Massacres, Powder Treasons, and King-killings of that bloody City, but the new detest∣able Doctrines, Derogatory to the blood of Christ, which moderate Men even of her own Subjects detest: But which she, for fear it should discontent her own

Creatures, and devoted Darlings will not disavow: O if they would fear the plagues of Babylon, and that of all o∣thers the fearfulest,* 12.1 Blindness of Mind, and strong delusions to believe Lyes, that they may be damned that believed not the Truth, but had pleasure in unrighteous∣ness. But you hope better things of them, accompanying Salvation; and this Message of our Lord Jesus Christ, if you will be pleased to deliver, ac∣companying it with those General and common goods of Charity and Meek∣ness, Integrity, good Example, and the special furtherance, which your Cal∣lings and Places in State, Church or Family can give it, doubtless to Christs people, it will not be uneffectual.

Blessed be God that hath long ago stirred up the Spirits of our Princes,* 12.2 like Cyrus to give liberty to God's Peo∣ple to go out of Babylon, and to give large Patents,* 12.3 with Darius, and Ar∣taxerxes, for the building of the Tem∣ple, and establishing the Service of God.

And blessed be God, and his Ma∣jesty that hath sent us another Nehemi∣ah, to build up the Walls of Jerusalem,* 12.4 and to procure that the Portion of the Levites should be given them. Give

me leave (Right Honourable) to put you in mind,* 12.5 That this also belongeth to your Care, to cooperate with Christ in bringing his People out of the Ro∣mish Captivity. And if to help away a poor Captive out of Turky hath been Honourable to some Publick Ministers: What shall it be to help to the enlarging of so many thou∣sand Souls out of the bondage of Mens Traditions, and gaining to his Maje∣sty so many entire Subjects. Your wis∣dom (my Lord) is such, as it needeth not to be advised; and your Zeal as it needeth not to to be stired up: yet pardon me one Word, for the purpose of helping Christ's People out of Ba∣bylon.

They are called by himself often in Scripture, His Sheep; and verily, as in many other, so in this they are like to Sheep; which being cooped up in a nar∣row Pent, though they find some pres∣sure, and the Passage be set open, are not forward to come out; unless they be put on, but strain Courtesie, which should begin; yet when they are once out with a joyful frisk they exult in their Freedome, yea, and when a few of the foremost lead, the rest follow; I shall not need to make Application: Do

according to your wisdom in your place, and Christ whose Work it is shall be with you, and further your endea∣vours.

The like I say unto you the rest of my Lords, Fathers and Brethren, help your Friends, Followers, and Tenants out of Babylon, what you may in your places; you have the Examples of Abra∣ham, Ioshua, Cornelius, praised in Scri∣pture for propagating the Knowledge and Fear of God in their Families and Commands, with the report of God's accepting it, and rewarding it, and this to the use of others.

But shall you not carry away some∣thing for your selves also; yes verily, take to your selves this Voyce of our Sa∣viour, Come out of Babylon; you will say we have done it already, God be thanked we are good Christians, good Protestants, some of us Preachers and that call upon others to come out of Ba∣bylon: But if S. Paul prayed the con∣verted Corinthians to be reconciled to God;* 12.6 And S. Iohn writing to Believers, sets down the Record of God touching his Son,* 12.7 That they might believe in the Name of the Son of God; Why may not I exhort in Christ's Name and Words, even those that are come out of Baby∣lon,

to come out of her, Qui monet ut f••••ias, &c. He that perswades another to that which he doth already, in per∣swading incourageth him, and puts him on in his performance; but if there be any yet unresolved, and halting or hanging between two, (as the people did in Elias time) that present their bodies at such meetings as this is,* 12.8 when their hearts are perhaps at Rome, or no where; If any are in some points rightly infor∣med and cleared, and in others doubt∣ful, to such Christ speaks, Come out of her, my people, press on by Prayer, Con∣ference, Reading, (if Christ's Voyce be to be heard) If Rome be Babylon, Come out of her.

And let it be spoken with as little offence as it is delight: we that seem to be the forwardest in Reformation, are not yet so come out of Babylon, as that we have not many shameful badges of her Captivity, witness her Impropria∣tions, being indeed plain Church-robberies, devised to maintain her Colonies of idle and irregular Regulars; idle to the Church and State, zealous and pragmatical to support and defend her power, pomp, and pride, by whom they subsisted: witness her Dispensations, or dissipations rather, of all Canonical Orders; bear∣ing

down all with her Non obstante, her Symoniacal and Sacrilegious Ve∣nality of holy things, her manifold Ex∣tortions in the exercise of Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction, which we have not whol∣ly banished: Let each of us therefore account it as spoken to himself, (Come out of her my people.)

In this Journey let us not trouble and cast stumbling blocks before God's peo∣ple, that are ready to come out; or hin∣der one another with Dissentions in matters either inexplicable, or unprofi∣table: Let it have some pardon, if some be even so forward in flying from Babylon, as they fear to go back, to take their own goods for haste: and let it not be blamed or uncharitably censured, if some come in the Rear, and would leave none of Christ's people behind them:* 12.9 No man reacheth his hand to a∣nother whom he would lift out of a Ditch, but he stoops to him. Our ends immediate are not the same, but yet they meet in one final intention; The one hates Babylon, and the other loves and pities Christ's people: The one be∣lieves the Angel that cast the Milstone into the Sea; in the end of this Chap∣ter, with that Word (so shall Babylon rise no more.) The other fears the threat∣ning

of our Saviour against such as scan∣dalize any of the little ones believing in him, that it is better for such a one to have a Milstone hanged upon his neck, and be cast into the Sea himself.

Finally, let us all beseech our Lord Ie∣sus Christ to give us Wisdom and oppor∣tunity to further his work, and to give success unto the same himself, to hasten the judgment of Babylon, to bring his people out of this bondage, that we with them and all his Saints in the Church Triumphant,* 12.10 may thereupon sing a joyful Hallelujah, as is expressed in the next Chapter.

Salvation, and Honour, and Glory, and Power, be unto the LORD our GOD, Amen. Hallelujah.

He preached very often in his Epis∣copal habit, but not alwayes, and used it seldome in the Afternoon; nor did he love the pomp of a Quire, nor Instru∣mental Musick; which he thought fil∣led the ear with too much pleasure, and carried away the mind from the serious attention to the matter, which is indeed the singing with grace in the Heart, and the inward melody with which God is chiefly pleased. And when another Bishop justified these things, be∣cause they served much to raise the af∣fections; he answered, That in order to the raising the affections, those things that tended to edification ought only to be used: And thought it would be hard otherwise to make stops; for upon the same pretence an infinity of Rites might be brought in. And the sense he had of the excesses of superstition, from what he had observed during his long stay in Italy, made him judge it necessary to watch carefully against the beginnings of that disease, which is like a green Sickness in Religion. He never used the Com∣mon Prayer in his Family; for he thought it was intended to be the so∣lemn Worship of Christians in their Publick Assemblies, and that it was not

so proper for private Families. He was so exact an observer of Ecclesiastical Rules, that he would perform no part of his Function out of his own Diocess, with∣out obtaining the Ordinaries leave for it; so that being in Dublin, when his Wife's Daughter was to be married to Mr. Clogy, (that is much more the Au∣thor of this Book than I am) and they both desired to be blest by him, he would not do it till he first took out a Licence for it in the Archbishop of Dublin's Consistory.

So far I have prosecuted the Relati∣on of his most exemplary discharge of his Episcopal Function; reserving what is more personal and particular to the end where I shall give his Character. I now come to the conclusion of his life, which was indeed suitable to all that had gone before. But here I must open one of the bloodiest Scenes, that the Sun ever shone upon, and represent a Nation all covered with Blood, that was in full peace, under no fears nor apprehensi∣ons, enjoying great plenty, and under an easie yoke, under no oppression in Civil matters, nor persecution upon the account of Religion: For the Bishops and Priests of the Roman Communion enjoyed not only an impunity, but

were almost as publick in the use of their Religion, as others were in that which was established by Law; so that they wanted nothing but Empire, and a pow∣er to destroy all that differed from them. And yet on a sudden this happy Land was turned to be a Field of Blood. Their Bishops resolved in one particular to fulfil the Obligation of the Oath they took at their Consecration of persecu∣ting all Hereticks to the utmost of their power; and their Priests, that had their breeding in Spain, had brought over from thence the true Spirit of their Religion, which is ever breathing cru∣elty, together with a tincture of the Spanish temper, that had appeared in the conquest of the West-Indies, and so they thought a Massacre was the surest way to work, and intended that the Natives of Ireland; should vie with the Spaniards for what they had done in America.

The Conjuncture seemed favourable; for the whole Isle of Britain was so im∣broiled, that they reckoned they should be able to master Ireland, before any For∣ces could be sent over to check the pro∣gress of their butchery. The Earl of Straf∣ford had left Ireland some considerable time before this. The Parliament of

England was rising very high against the King; and though the King was then gone to Scotland, it was rather for a present quieting of things that he gave all up to them, than that he gain∣ed them to his Service. So they laid hold of this conjuncture, to infuse it in∣to the people, That this was the pro∣per time for them to recover their an∣cient Liberty, and shake off the English Yoke, and to possess themselves of those Estates that had belonged to their An∣cestors: And to such as had some rests of Duty to the King it was given out, That what they were about was war∣ranted by his Authority, and for his service. A Seal was cut from another Charter, and put to a forged Commissi∣on, giving warrant to what they were going about. And because the King was then in Scotland, they made use of a Scotch Seal. They also pretended that the Parliaments of both Kingdoms be∣ing either in rebellion against the King, or very near it, That the English of Ireland would be generally in the in∣terest of the English Parliament; so that it was said, That they could not serve the King better than by making them∣selves Masters in Ireland, and then decla∣ring for the King against his other rebel∣lious Subjects.

These things took universally with the whole Nation; and the Conspiracy was cemented by many Oaths and Sa∣craments, and in conclusion all things were found to be so ripe that the day was set in which they should every where break out; and the Castle of Dublin being then as well stored with a great Magazine, which the Earl of Strafford had laid up for the Army, that he intended to have carried in∣to Scotland, had not the pacification prevented it, as it was weakly kept by a few careless Warders; who might have been easily surprized: it was re∣solved that they should seize on it, which would have furnished them with Arms and Ammunition, and have put the Metropolis, and very probably the whole Island in their hands. But, though this was so well laid, that the execution could not have mist, in all humane appearance; and though it was kept so secret, that there was not the least suspicion of any design on foot, till the Night before, and then one that was among the chief of the managers of it, out of kindness to an Irishman, that was become a Prote∣stant, communicated the Project to him: The other went and discovered it

to the Lords Justices; and by this means not only the Castle of Dublin was preserved, but in effect Ireland was saved. For in Dublin there was both a shelter for such as were stript and turn∣ed out of all they had, to fly to, and a place of rendezvous, where they that escaped before the storm had reached to them, met to consult about their pre∣servation. But though Dublin was thus secured, the rest of the English and Scotch in Ireland, particularly in Vlster, fell into the hands of those merciless Men, who reckoned it no small piece of mercy, when they stript people naked, and let them go with their lives. But the vast numbers that were butchered by them, which one of their own Wri∣ters in a Discourse that he printed some years after, in order to the animating them to go on, boasts to have exceed∣ed two hundred thousand, and the bar∣barous cruelties they used in murthering them, are things of so dreadful a na∣ture, that I cannot easily go on with so dismal a Narrative, but must leave it to the Historians. I shall say no more of it than what concerns our Bishop: It may be easily imagined how much he was struck with that fearful storm, that was breaking on every hand of him,

though it did not yet break in upon himself. There seemed to be a secret guard set about his House: for though there was nothing but Fire, Blood and Desolation round about him; yet the Irish were so restrained, as by some hidden power, that they did him no harm for many Weeks: His House was in no condition to make any resistance, so that it was not any apprehension of the opposition that might be made them, that bound them up. Great numbers of his Neighbours had also fled to him for shelter: He received all that came, and shared every thing he had so with them, that all things were common a∣mong them; and now that they had nothing to expect from Men, he invi∣ted them all to turn with him to God, and to prepare for that death, which they had reason to look for every day; so that they spent their time in Prayers and Fasting, which last was now like to be imposed on them by necessity. The Rebels expressed their esteem for him in such a manner that he had reason to ascribe it wholly to that overruling pow∣er, that stills the raging of the Seas, and the tumult of the people: they seemed to be overcome with his ex∣emplary conversation among them,

and with the tenderness and charity that he had upon all occasions expressed for them, and they often said, He should be the last Englishman that should be put out of Ireland. He was the only Englishman in the whole County of Ca∣van that was suffered to live in his own House without disturbance; not only his House, and all the out-Buildings, but the Church and Church-Yard were full of people; and many that a few dayes before lived in great ease and much plenty, were now glad of a heap of Straw or Hay to lye upon, and of some boiled Wheat to support Nature: and were every day expecting when those Swords, that had according to the Prophetick Phrase, drunk up so much Blood, should likewise be satiated with theirs. They did now eat the Bread of Sorrow, and mingled their Cups with their Tears. The Bishop continued to encourage them to trust in God, and in order to that he preached to them the first Lords Day after this terrible calami∣ty had brought them about him, on the Third Psalm, which was penned by David when there was a general in∣surrection of the people against him un∣der his unnatural Son Absolom; and he applyed it all to their condition. He had

a doleful Assembly before him, an Au∣ditory all melting in Tears: It re∣quires a Soul of an equal elevation to his, to imagine how he raised up their Spirits, when he spake to these Words, But thou, O Lord, art a Shield for me, my glory, and the lifter up of my Head. I laid me down and slept: I awaked, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of the people, that have set themselves against me, round about. And to the conclusion of the Psalm, Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. The next Lords day, hearing of the Scoffings, as well as the Cruelty, of the Irish, he preached on these Words in Micah, Re∣joyce not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, untill he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness. Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said un∣to me, Where is the Lord thy God. By these means, and through the bles∣sing of God upon them, they en∣couraged themselves in God, and were

prepared for the worst that their ene∣mies could do to them.

The Irish themselves were at a stand; The miscarriage of the design on Dub∣lin Castle was a sad disappointment: they were unarmed, they had no Trea∣sure, no Fleet, nor foreign support; and though there were some good Officers among them, yet they found the Soul∣diers to be as cowardly as the English Inhabitants felt them to be cruel: For as those two Characters are observed generally to meet in the same per∣son; so it was very visible upon this oc∣casion, since a very small Body of good Men, could have gone over the whole Kingdom, and have reduced it in few∣er Months than it cost Years. Their chief hope was, the only thing in which they were not disappointed, That the Disputes between the King and the Parliament of England, would make Supplies come over so slow, that they might thereby gain much time; and in conclusion they might hope for a more favourable conjuncture. Those of the County of Cavan seemed to see their er∣rour, and apprehend their danger: so they came to the Bishop, as the fittest Man to interpose for them; he was willing to oblige those on the one hand,

at whose mercy he was, and on the other hand to bring them to such a sub∣mission, as might at least procure some breathing time to the poor English, and to those few Houses that stood out, but were falling within doors under an Enemy, that was more irresistible than the Irish: For they were much strait∣ned, their Provisions failing them. The Petition, that they signed and sent up to the Lords Justices and the Council, was too well penned to come from those that set their hands to it. It was drawn by the Bishop, who put their matter in his own Words; therefore I shall insert it here, though it gives the best colours to their Rebellion of any of all their Papers that I ever saw.

To the Right Honourable the Lords Justices and Council, The humble Remonstrance of the Gen∣try and Commonalty of the County of Cavan, of their Grievances com∣mon with other parts of this Kingdom of Ireland.

WHereas we, his Majesties loyal Sub∣jects of his Highness Kingdom of Ireland, have of long time groaned under many grievous pressures, occasioned by the rigorous Government of such placed over us, as respected more the advancement of their own private Fortunes, than the Honour of His Majesty, or the welfare of us his Subjects; whereof we in hum∣ble manner declared our selves to His Highness by our Agents sent from the Parliament, the representative body of this Kingdom: Notwithstanding which, we find our selves of late threatned with far greater and more grievous Vexations, either with captivity of our Consciences,

our losing of our lawful Liberties, or ut∣ter expulsion from our Native Seats, with∣out any just Ground given on our parts, to alter his Majesties goodness so long conti∣nued unto us; of all which we find great cause of fears in the proceeding of our Neighbour Nations, and do see it already attempted upon by certain Petitioners for the like course to be taken in this Kingdom, for the effecting thereof, in a compulsory way, so as Rumors have caused fears of Inva∣sion from other parts, to the dissolving the Bond of mutual agreement, which hitherto hath been held inviolable between the seve∣ral Subjects of this Kingdom; and where∣by all other his Majesties Dominions have been linkt in one. For the preventing therefore of such evils growing upon us in this Kingdom; we have, for the preser∣vation of his Majesties Honour, and our own Liberties, thought fit to take into our Hands, for his Highnesses use and Service, such Forts, and other places of Strength as coming into the possession of others might prove disadvantagious, and tend to the utter undoing the Kingdom. And we do hereby declare, That herein we har∣bour not the least thought of disloyalty to∣wards his Majesty, or purpose any hurt to any of his Highnesses Subjects in their Possession, Goods or Liberty: only we de∣sire

that your Lordships will be pleased to make remonstrance to his Majesty, for us, of all our Grievances, and just Fears, that they may be removed, and such a course setled by the advice of the Parliament of Ireland, whereby the Liberty of our Con∣sciences may be secured unto us, and we eased of other Burthens in Civil Govern∣ment. As for the mischiefs and inconve∣niences that have already happened through the disorder of the common sort of people, against the English Inhabitants, or any other; we with the Noblemen, and Gen∣tlemen, and such others of the several Counties of this Kingdom, are most wil∣ling and ready to use our and their best en∣deavours in causing restitution and satis∣faction to be made as in part we have alrea∣dy done.

An answer hereunto is most humbly desi∣red, with such present expedition as may by your Lordships be thought most convenient for avoiding the inconvenience of the bar∣barousness and uncivility of the Commonal∣ty, who have committed many outrages with∣out any order, consenting, or privity of ours. All which we leave to your Lordships most grave Wisdom.

And we shall humbly pray, &c.

But this came to nothing: while these things were in agitation, the ti∣tular Bishop of Kilmore came to Cavan; his name was Swiney, he was like his name, for he often wallowed in his own Vomit. He had a Brother, whom the Bishop had converted, and had enter∣tained him in his House, till he found out a way of subsistence for him. He pretended that he came only to pro∣tect the Bishop, so he desired to be ad∣mitted to lodge in his House, and as∣sured him that he would preserve him. But the Bishop hearing of this, writ the following Letter in Latin to him; which will be found at the end of this Book, and is indeed a stile fit for one of the most eloquent of the Roman Authors.* 13.1 Here I shall give a Translation of it in English.

Reverend Brother,

I Am sensible of your civility in offer∣ing to protect me by your presence in the midst of this tumult; and upon the like occasion I would not be wanting to do the like charitable office to you: but there are many things that hinder me from ma∣king

use of the favour you now offer me. My House is strait, and there is a great number of miserable people of all Ranks, Ages, and of both Sexes, that have fled hi∣ther as to a Sanctuary; besides that some of them are sick, among whom my own Son is one. But that which is beyond all the rest, is the difference of our way of worship: I do not say of our Religi∣on, for I have ever thought, and have published it in my Writings, that we have one common Christian Religion. Vnder our present miseries we comfort our selves with the reading of the Holy Scriptures, with daily Prayers, which we offer up to God in our vulgar Tongue, and with the singing of Psalms; and since we find so little truth among Men, we rely on the truth of God, and on his assistance. These things would offend your company, if not your self; nor could others be hin∣dered, who would pretend that they came to see you, if you were among us; and un∣der that colour those murtherers would break in upon us, who after they have robbed us of all that belongs to us, would in conclusion think they did God good ser∣vice by our slaughter. For my own part, I am resolved to trust to the Divine Protection. To a Christian, and a Bi∣shop, that is now almost seventy, no

death for the cause of Christ can be bit∣ter: on the contrary, nothing is more de∣sireable. And though I ask nothing for my self alone, yet if you will require the people under an Anathema, not to do any other acts of violence to those whom they have so oft beaten, spoiled and stript, it will be both acceptable to God, honourable to your self, and happy to the people, if they obey you: But if not, consider that God will remember all that is now done. To whom, Reverend Brother, I do heartily commend you.

Yours in Christ, Will. Kilmore.

November 2. 1641.

Endorsed thus, To my Reverend and Loving Brother, D. Swiney.

This Letter commends it self so much, that I need say nothing but wish my Reader to see where he can find such a∣nother, writ on such an occasion, with so much Spirit, as well as Piety and Discretion: It was the last he ever writ, and was indeed a conclusion well be∣coming such a Pen. It had at that time some effect, for the Bishop gave him no further disturbance till about five Weeks after this, so that from the 23. of Octo∣ber, which was the dismal day in which the Rebellion broke out, till the 18. of December following, he, together with all that were within his Walls, enjoyed such quiet, that if it was not in all Points a miracle, it was not far from one; and it seemed to be an accom∣plishment of those Words, A thousand shall fall on thy side, and ten thousand at thy right-Hand; but it shall not come nigh thee; there shall no evil befal thee; for he shall give his Angels charge over thee. But to the former Letter I shall add the last Paper of Spiritual advice and direction that ever the Bishop writ; which he did at the desire of one Mrs Dillan, that was a zealous and devout Protestant, but had been fatally deluded in her widowhood by Mr. Dil∣lan

Son to the Earl of Roscommon, ta∣king him to be a Protestant, and had married him, but enjoyed her self very little after that: for though he used no violence to her, or her Children by her former Husband, in the point of Religi∣on; yet he bred up his Children by her in his own Superstition, and he was now engaged in the Rebellion. So that she had at this time a vast addition to her former sorrows upon her; and there∣fore desired that the Bishop, whose Neighbour and constant Hearer she had been, would send her such Instru∣ctions in this sad calamity, as might both direct and support her. Upon which he writ the following Pa∣per.

YOU desire, as I am informed (dear Sister in Christ Jesus) that I would send you some short Memorial, to put you in mind how to carry your self in this sorrowful time. I will do it willingly; the more, be∣cause with one and the same labour, I shall both satisfie you, and recol∣lect my own thoughts also, to the

like performance of mine own duty, and bethinking my self how I might best accomplish it, there came to my mind that short Rule of our Life, which the Apostle mentions in his Epistle to Titus, and whereof you have been a diligent hearer in the School of Grace, where he reduceth the whole practice of Christianity un∣to three Heads, of living Soberly, just∣ly, and Godly; This last directing our carriage towards God, the midle most towards our Neighbour, and the foremost towards our Selves Now since this is a direction for our whole Life, it seems to me that we have no more to do at any time, but to conn this Lesson more perfectly, with some particular application of such parts of it, as are most suitable to the present occasions. And as to Sobriety first, (under which the Vertues of Humility, Modesty, Tem∣perance, Chastity, and Contented∣ness are contained) since this is a time, wherein, as the Prophet saith, The Lord of Hosts calleth to weeping and mourning, and pulling off the Hair, and girding with Sack-cloth, you shall, by my advice, conform your self to those, that by the Hand of

God suffer such things. Let your ap∣parel and Dress be mournful, as I doubt not but that your Mind is; your Dyet sparing and course, rather than full and liberal; frame your self to the indifferency, whereof the Apostle speaketh, In whatsoever state you shall be, therewith to be content; to be full, and to be hungry; to abound and to want. Remember now that which is the Lot of others, you know not how soon it may be your own. Learn to despise, and defie, the vain and falsly called wealth of this World, whereof you now see, we have so ca∣sual and uncertain a possession.

This for Sobriety, the first part of the Lesson pertaining to your self.

Now for Iustice, which respects others (and containeth the Vertues of Honour to Superiors, discreet and equal government of Inferiors, peace∣ableness to all, Meekness, Mercy, just dealing in matters of getting and spending, Gratitude, Liberality, just Speech and desires) God's Judgments being in the Earth, the Inhabitants of the World should learn Righteous∣ness, as the Prophet speaketh: Call

to mind therefore and bethink you, if in any of these you have failed, and turn your Feet to God's Testimo∣nies; certainly these times are such, wherein you may be afflicted, and say with the Psalmist, Horrour hath taken hold of me, and Rivers of Tears run down mine Eyes, because they keep not thy Laws. Rebelling against Su∣periors, Misleading, not only by Ex∣ample, but by Compulsion, Inferiors, laying their Hand to them, that were at peace with them, unjustly spoiling and unthankfully requiting, those that had shewed them kindness, no Faith nor Truth in their Promises; Judge by the way, of the School that teach∣eth Christ thus; are these his doings? as for those that suffer, I am well as∣sured, I shall not need to inform you, or stir you up to mercy and compassi∣on. That which is done in this kind, is done to Christ himself, and shall be put upon account in your reckoning, and rewarded accordingly at his glori∣ous appearance.

The last and principal part of our Lesson remains, which teacheth how to behave our selves Godly, or religi∣ously; (to this belong, First, the

Duties of Gods inward Worship, as Fear, Love, and Faith in God; then outward, as Invocation, the holy use of his Word and Sacraments, Name and Sabbaths). The Apostle makes it the whole End and Work for which we were set in this World, to seek the Lord; yet in publick affliction, we are specially invited thereto, as it is written of Iehoshaphat, when a great multitude came to invade him, He set his Face to seek the Lord, and cal∣led the people to a solemn fast: So the Church professeth in the Prophet Isaiah, In the way of thy Iudgments Lord we have waited for thee, the de∣sire of our Soul is to thy Name, and to the remembrance of thee. With my Soul have I desired thee in the Night, yea with my Spirit within me will I seek thee early. In this publick Calamity therefore it is our duty, to turn to him that smiteth us: and to humble our selves under his mighty Hand, to conceive a reverend and Religious fear towards him, that only, by turning away his countenance, can thus trou∣ble us, against that of Man, which can do no more but kill the Bo∣dy.

Again, to renew our love to our heavenly Father, that now offereth himself to us, as to Children, and to give a proof of that Love that we bear to our Saviour, in the keeping of his Sayings, hating in comparison of him, and competition with him, Father, Mother, Children, Goods, and Life it self; which is the condi∣tion, and proof of his Disciples; and above all to receive, and to re-inforce our Faith and Affiance, which is now brought unto the tryal of the fiery Furnace, and of the Lions Den; O that it might be found to our honour, praise, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ. In the mean space, even now, let us be partakers of Christ's Sufferings, and hear him from Hea∣ven encouraging us, Be thou faithful unto Death, and I will give thee a Crown of Life.

Touching Prayer, we have this gracious invitation, Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will hear thee; the example of all Gods Saints, and of our Saviour in his agony; to this belong the humble confession of our Sins, with earnest request of Par∣don; the complaint of our Misery, and danger, with request of suc∣cour

and protection; we have besides the intercession of our Advocate, with the Father, the cry of the innocent Blood, that hath been cruelly shed, and the Lords own interesting himself in the cause, so as we may say with the Psalmist, Arise, O God: plead thine own cause, remember how the foolish Man, (yea, the Man of Sin) reproach∣eth thee daily. Forget not the voice of thine Enemies; the tumult of those that rise against thee, encreaseth continually. That Psalm, and many others, as the 6, 13, 35, 43, 71, 74, 79, 80, 88, 92, 94, 102, 115, 123, 130, 140, 142. do give Precedents of Prayers in such times as these; and the Prayer of Daniel, and Ezra 9. of Asa and Ie∣hoshaphat, 2 Chron. 14. and 26.12. The Stories of David's flight before Absolom, and Iehoshaphat's behaviour when the Enemies came against him, of Hezekiah's, in Sennacherib's Invasion, Isa. 37. and the whole book of Esther, are fit Scriptures now to be read, that through the patience and comfort of them we might have hope.

Now because we know not how soon we may be called to sanctifie God's name, by making profession thereof, you may perhaps desire to know what

to say in that day. You may openly profess your not doubting of any Ar∣ticle of the Catholick Faith, shortly laid down in the Creed, or more largely laid down in the Holy Scri∣ptures, but that you consent not to certain Opinions, which are no points of Faith, which have been brought into common belief, without warrant of Scriptures, or pure Antiquity, as Namely,

• That it is of necessity to Salva∣tion to be under the Pope.
• That the Scriptures ought not to be read of the common peo∣ple.
• That the Doctrine of Holy Scri∣pture is not sufficient to Salva∣tion.
• That the Service of God ought to be in a Language not understood of the people.
• That the Communion should not be adminstred to them in both kinds.
• That the Bread in the Lord's Sup∣per, is transubstantiated into his Body.
• That he is there sacrificed for the quick and the dead.
• ...

• That there is any Purgatory be∣sides Christ's Blood.
• That our good Words can merit Heaven.
• That the Saints hear our Prayers, and know our Hearts.
• That Images are to be wor∣shipped.
• That the Pope is Infallible, and can command Angels.
• That we ought to pray to the Dead, and for the Dead.

In all these notwithstanding, you may profess your teachableness, if by sound Reasons out of God's Word, you shall be convinced of the truth of them: And because we know not how far it will please God to call us to make resistance against sin, whether unto Blood it self, or no; it shall be Wisdom for us to prepare our selves to the last care of a godly life, which is to dye Godly. This the Apostle Paul calleth, Sleeping in Iesus, im∣plying thereby our Faith in him, our being found in his Work, and our committing our Souls into his Hands with peace; such a sweet and Heavenly Sleep was that of S. Ste∣phen, whose last Words for himself

were, Lord Iesus receive my Spirit, and for his Tormentors, Lord lay not this sin to their charge; wherewith I will end this Writing, and wish to end my life, when the will of God shall be, to whose gracious protecti∣on (dear Sister) I do heartily com∣mit you.

November 23. 1641.

These Advices shew in what temper that holy Man was in this his extremi∣ty. They had a very good effect on the Lady; for as by reading them over very often, she got to be able to say them all without Book, so she did that which was much more, she lodged them in her heart, as well as in her memory. While this good Man was now every day wait∣ing f••r his Crown, the Rebells sent to him, desiring him to dismiss the company that was about him; but he refused to obey their cruel order, and he resolved to live and dye with them; and would much more willingly have offered him∣self to have dyed for them, than have accepted of any favour for himself,

from which they should be shut out. And when they sent him word, That though they loved and honoured him beyond all the English that ever came into Ire∣land, because he had never done wrong to any, but good to many, yet they had received orders from the Council of State at Kilkenny, that had assumed the government of the Rebells, that if he would not put away the people, that had gathered about him, they should take him from them; he said no more, but in the Words of David and S. Paul, Here I am, the Lord do unto me as seems good to him, the will of the Lord be done: So on the eighteenth of December they came and seized on him, and on all that belonged to him, and carried him, and his two Sons, and Mr. Clogy prisoners to the Castle of Lochwater, the only place of strength in the whole County. It was a little Tower in the midst of a Lake, about a Musquet shot from any Shoar: And though there had b••••n a little Island about it anciently, yet the Water had so gained on it, that there was not a foot of Ground above Water, but only the Tower it self. They suf∣fered the Prisoners to carry nothing with them; for the Titular Bishop took pos∣session of all that belonged to the Bi∣shop,

and said Mass the next Lords day in the Church. They set the Bishop on Horseback, and made the other Pri∣soners go on foot by him: And thus he was lodged in this Castle, that was a most miserable dwelling. The Castle had been in the hands of one Mr. Cul∣lum, who, as he had the keeping of the Fort trusted to him, so he had a good allowance for a Magazine to be laid up in it, for the defence of the Country: But he had not a pound of Powder, nor one fixt Musquet in it, and he fell under the just punishment of the neglect of his trust, for he was taken the first day of the Rebellion, and was himself made a prisoner here. All but the Bishop were at first clapt into Irons, for the Irish that were perpetually drunk, were afraid lest they should seise both on them and on the Castle. Yet it pleased God so far to abate their fury, that they took off their Irons, and gave them no disturbance in the Worship of God, which was now all the comfort that was left them. The House was extreamly open to the wea∣ther, and ruinous: and as the place was bare and exposed, so that Winter was very severe; which was a great addi∣tion to the misery of those that the Re∣bels had stript naked, leaving to many

not so much as a Garment to cover their nakedness. But it pleased God to bring another Prisoner to the same Dungeon, that was of great use to them, one Richard Castledine, who had come over a poor Carpenter to Ireland with no∣thing but his Tools on his back, and was first imployed by one Sir Richard Wal∣dron in the carpentry work of a Castle, that he was building in the Parish of Cavan: But Sir Richard wasting his Estate before he had finished his House, and afterwards leaving Ireland, God had so blest the industry of this Castledine, during Thirty years labour, that he bought this Estate, and having only Daughters, he married one of them, out of gratitude, to Sir Richard's young∣est Son, to whom he intended to have given the Estate that was his Fathers: He was a Man of great vertue, and a∣bounded in good Works, as well as in exemplary Piety: he was so good a Husband that the Irish believed he was very rich; so they preserved him, hoping to draw a great deal of Mo∣ney from him: He being brought to this miserable Prison, got some Tools and old Boards, and fitted them up as well as was possible, to keep out the Weather. The Keepers of the Prison

brought their Prisoners abundance of Provision, but left them to dress it for themselves; which they that knew lit∣tle what belonged to Cookery were glad to do in such a manner as might preserve their lives; and were all of them much supported in their Spirits. They did not suffer as evil doers, and they were not ashamed of the Cross of Christ; but rejoyced in God in the midst of all their afflictions; and the old Bishop took joyfully the spoiling of his Goods, and the restraint of his per∣son, comforting himself in this, That these light afflictions would quickly work for him a more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory. The day af∣ter his imprisonment, being the Lord's day, he preached to his little flock on the Epistle for the day, which set be∣fore them the pattern of the humility and sufferings of Christ; and on Christ∣mas day he preached on Gal. 4.4, 5. and administred the Sacrament to the small Congregation about him; their Keepers having been so charitable as to furnish them with Bread and Wine. And on the 26th. of December Mr. Wil∣liam Bedell, the Bishop's eldest Son, preached on S. Stephen's last Words, which afforded proper matter for their

meditation, who were every day in ex∣pectation when they should be put to give such a testimony of their Faith, as that first Martyr had done: And on the second of Ianuary, which was the last Sunday of their imprisonment, Mr. Clo∣gy preached on S. Luke 2.32, 33, 34. During all their religious exercises, their keepers never gave them any distur∣bance; and indeed they carried so gen∣tly towards them, that their natures seemed to be so much changed, that it lookt like a second stopping the mouths of Lions. They often told the Bishop, that they had no personal quarrel to him, and no other cause to be so severe to him, but because he was an English∣man.

But while he was in this dismal Pri∣son, some of the Scots of that County, that had retired to two Houses, that were strong enough to resist any thing but Cannon, and were commanded by Sir Iames Craig, Sir Francis Hamilton, and Sir Arthur Forker, now Lord Gre∣nard, finding themselves like to suffer more by hunger, than by the Siege that was laid to them, made so resolute a Sally upon the Ir••sh, that they killed se∣veral, took some Prisoners, and disper∣sed the rest, so that many Months pas∣sed

before they offered to besiege them any more. Among their Prisoners four were Men of considerable interest; so they treated an exchange of them for the Bishop, with his two Sons and Mr. Clogy; which was concluded, and the Prisoners were delivered on both sides on the 7th. of Ianuary: but though the Irish promised to suffer the Bishop with the other three to go safe to Dub∣lin, yet they would not let them go out of the Country, but intended to make further advantage by having them still among them; and so they were suffered to go to the House of an Irish Minister, Denis O Shereden, to whom some re∣spect was shewed, by reason of his ex∣traction, though he had forsaken their Religion, and had married an English Woman: he continued firm in his Re∣ligion, and relieved many in their extre∣mity. Here the Bishop spent the few remaining dayes of his Pilgrimage, ha∣ving his latter end so full in view, that he seemed dead to the World and every thing in it, and to be hasting for the coming of the Day of God. During the last Sabbaths of his life, though there were three Ministers present, he read all the Prayers and Lessons himself, and likewise preached on all those days.

On the 9th. of Ianuary he preached on the whole 44th. Psalm, being the first of the Psalms appointed for that day, and very suitable to the miseries the English were then in, who were killed all day long, as Sheep appointed for Meat. Next Sabbath, which was the 16th. he preached on the 79. Psalm, the first Psalm for the day, which runs much on the like Argument, when the Temple was defiled, and Ierusalem was laid on heaps, and the dead Bodies of God's ser∣vants were given to be meat to the Fouls of Heaven, and their Flesh to the Beasts of the Earth, and their blood vvas shed like Water, and there vvas none to bury them. Their condition being so like one another, it vvas very proper to put up that Prayer, O re∣member not against us, former iniquities: Let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us, for we are brought very low. Toge∣ther with the other. Let the sighing of the Prisoner come before thee, according to the greatness of thy power, preserve thou those that are appointed to dye. On the 23d. he preached on the last ten Verses of the 71. Psalm, observing the great fitness that was in them to express his present condition, especially in these Words, O God thou hast taught me from

my youth, and hitherto have I declared thy wonderous works: now also when I am old, and gray headed, forsake me not. And on the 30th. which was the last Lord's day in which he had strength enough to preach, he preached on the 144. Psalm, the first appointed for that day, and when he came to the Words in the seventh Verse, which are also re∣peated in the eleventh Verse, Send thine hand from above, rid me and deliver me out of great Waters, from the hand of strange Children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and whose right-hand is a right hand of falshood. He repeated them again and again, with so much zeal and affection, that it appeared how much he was hasting to the day of God, and that his Heart was crying out, Come Lord Iesus come quickly, how long, how long? and he dwelt so long upon them, with so many sighs, that all the little assembly a∣bout him melted into Tears, and lookt on this as a presage of his approaching dis∣solution. And it proved too true, for the day after, he sickned; which on the second day after appeared to be an Ague, and on the fourth day he apprehending his speedy change, called for his Sons, and his Sons Wives, and spake to them

at several times, as near in these Words as their memories could serve them to write them down soon after.

I am going the way of all flesh, I am now ready to be offered up, and the time of my departure is at hand: knowing therefore that shortly I must put off this Tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me, I know also that if this my earthly House of this Tabernacle were dis∣solved, I have a building of God, an House not made with Hands, eternal in the Heavens, a fair Mansion in the New Ierusalem, which cometh down out of Heaven from my God. There∣fore to me to live is Christ, and to dye is gain; which encreaseth my de∣sire, even now to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better, than to continue here in all the transitory, vain, and false pleasures of this world, of which I have seen an end. Hear∣ken therefore unto the last Words of your dying Father; I am no more in this World, but ye are in the World; I ascend to my Father and your Fa∣ther, to my God and your God, through the all-sufficient merits of Jesus Christ

my Redeemer; who ever lives to make intercession for me, who is a propitiation for all my sins, and wash∣ed me from them all in his own Blood who is worthy to receive Glory and Honour, and Power, who hath cre∣ated all things, and for whose pleasure they are and were created.

My witness is in Heaven, and my record on high, That I have endea∣voured to glorifie God on Earth, and in the Ministry of the Gospel of his dear Son, which was committed to my trust; I have finished the Work, which he gave me to do, as a faith∣ful Embassadour of Christ, and Stew∣ard of the mysteries of God. I have preached Righteousness in the great Congregation: lo I have not refrained my Lips, O Lord, thou knowest. I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart, I have declared thy faithful∣ness, and thy Salvation; I have not concealed thy loving kindness, and thy truth from the great Congrega∣tion of mankind. He is near that ju∣stifieth me, That I have not conceal∣ed the Words of the holy one; but the Words that he gave to me, I have given to you, and ye have received them. I had a desire and resolution

to walk before God (in every station of my pilgrimage, from my youth up to this day) in truth and with an up∣right Heart, and to do that which was upright in his Eyes, to the utmost of my power; and what things were gain to me formerly, these things I count now loss for Christ; yea doubt∣less, and I account all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and I account them but Dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the Law, but that which is through the Faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by Faith; that I may know him, and the power of his Resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his Death, I press therefore towards the mark, for the price of the high Calling of God in Jesus Christ.

Let nothing separate you from the love of Christ, neither tribulation nor distress, nor persecution, nor famine, nor nakedness, nor peril, nor Sword; though (as ye hear and see) for his sake we are killed all the day long,

we are counted as Sheep for the slaugh∣ter: Yet in all these things we are more than conquerers, through him that loved us: For I am perswaded, That neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Pow∣ers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor heighth, nor depth, nor any Creature shall be able to sepa∣rate me from the love of God in Christ Jesu my Lord. Therefore love not the World, nor the things of the World; but prepare daily and hourly for death, (that now besieges us on every side) and be faithful unto death; that we may meet together joyfully on the right-Hand of Christ at the last day, and follow the Lamb whereso∣ever he goeth, with all those that are cloathed with white Robes, in sign of innocency, and Palms in their Hands in sign of Victory; which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their Robes, and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb. They shall hunger no more, nor thirst, nei∣ther shall the Sun light on them, or any heat; for the Lamb, that is in the midst of the Throne, shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living Fountains of Waters, and shall wipe

away all Tears from their Eyes.

Chuse rather with Moses to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; which will be bitterness in the latter end. Look therefore for sufferings, and to be daily made par∣takers of the sufferings of Christ, to fill up that which is behind of the af∣fliction of Christ in your Flesh, for his Bodies sake, which is the Church. What can you look for, but one woe after another, while the Man of sin is thus suffered to rage, and to make ha∣vock of God's people at his pleasure, while Men are divided about trifles, that ought to have been more vigilant over us, and careful of those, whose Blood is precious in God's sight, though now shed every where like Water. If ye suffer for righteousness, happy are ye; be not afraid of their terrour, nei∣ther be ye troubled; and be in no∣thing terrified by your adversaries; which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. For to you is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. Rejoice therefore in as much as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that

when his Glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. And if ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; the Spirit of glory, and of Christ resteth on you. on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

God will surely visit you in due time, and return your captivity as the Rivers of the South, and bring you back again into your possession in this Land: though now for a season (if need be) ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations; yet ye shall reap in joy, though now ye sow in Tears: all our losses shall be recompen∣ced with abundant advantages, for my God will supply all your need, ac∣cording to his riches in glory by Je∣sus Christ, who is able to do exceed∣ing abundantly for us, above all that we are able to ask or think.

After that he blessed his Children, and those that stood about him, in an audible Voice, in these Words.

God of his infinite mercy bless you all, and present you holy, and unblameable, and unreproveable in his sight, that we may meet together at the right-Hand of our blessed Saviour Jesus

Christ, with joy unspeakable and full of glory, Amen.

To which he added these Words,

I have fought a good fight, I have finished the course of my Ministry and life together. Though grievous Wolves have entered in a∣mong us, not sparing the Flock; yet I trust the great Shepherd of his Flock will save and deliver them out of all places, where they have been scatter∣ed in this cloudy and dark day; that they shall be no more a prey to the Heathen, neither shall the Beasts of the Land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid. O Lord, I have waited for thy Salvation.

And after a little in∣terval, he said,

I have kept the Faith once given to the Saints; for the which cause I have also suffered these things; but I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am per∣swaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him a∣gainst that day.

After this time he spoke little; for as his sickness encreased, his Speech failed, and he slumbered out most of the time, only between hands it appeared that he was cheerfully waiting for his change; which at last came about Midnight on the 7th. of Fe∣bruary,

that he fell asleep in the Lord, and entred into his rest, and obtained his Crown, which in some sort was a Crown of Martyrdom; for no doubt the sad weight of sorrow, that lay upon his Mind, and his ill usage in his Impri∣sonment, had much hastened his death: And he suffered more in his mind by what he had lived to hear and see these last fifteen Weeks of his Life, than he could have done, if he had fallen by the Sword, among the first of those that felt the rage of the Irish. His Friends went about his Burying; and since that could not be obtained, but by the new intruding Bishop's leave, Mr. Clogy and Mr. Shereden went to ask it, and Mr. Dillon was prevailed with by his Wife, to go and second their desire. They found the Bishop lying in his own Vomit, and saw a sad change in that House, which was before a House of Prayer, and of Good Works; but was now a Den of Thieves, and a Nest of uncleanness. The Bishop, when he was awakened out of his Drunkenness, excepted a little to it, and said, The Church-Yard was holy Ground, and was no more to be defiled with Here∣tick's Bodies; yet he consented to it at last. So on the 9th. of February he was

buried according to the direction himself had given, next his Wife's Coffin. The Irish did him unusual honours at his Bu∣rial, for the chief of the Rebells ga∣thered their Forces together, and with them accompanyed his Body from Mr. Shereden's House to the Church∣yard of Kilmore, in great solemnity, and they desired Mr. Clogy to bury him according to the Office prescribed by the Church; but though the Gentlemen were so civil as to offer it, yet it was not thought adviseable to provoke the Rab∣ble so much, as perhaps that might have done; so it was past over. But the Irish discharged a Volley of Shot at his In∣terment, and cryed out in Latin, Re∣quiescat in pace ultimus Anglorum, May the last of the English rest in peace: for they had often said, That as they estee∣med him the best of the English Bishops, so he should be the last that should be left among them.

Thus lived and dyed this excellent Bishop; in whom so many of the great∣est Characters of a Primitive and Apo∣stolical Bishop did shew themselves so eminently, that it seemed fit that he should still speak to the World, though dead, both for convincing the unjust enemies of that venerable Order, and

for the instruction of those that succeed him in it; since great Patterns give the easiest notions of eminent Vertues, and teach in a way that has much more au∣thority with it than all speculative Dis∣courses can possibly have. And as the Lives of the Primitive Christians were a speaking Apology for their Religion, as well as a direction to those that grew up; so it is to be hoped that the solemn though silent language of so bright an Example will have the desired effect both wayes: And then my Author will have a noble reward for his Labours. To this I shall add a little of his Character.

He was a tall and graceful person; there was something in his looks and carriage that discovered what was with∣in, and created a veneration for him. He had an unaffected Gravity in his De∣portment, and decent Simplicity in his Dress and Apparel. He had a long and broad Beard; for my Author ne∣ver saw a Razor pass upon his Face. His grey Hairs were a Crown to him, both for Beauty and Honour. His Strength continued firm to the last; so that the Week before his last sickness, he walked about as vigorously and nimbly as any of the Company, and leapt over a broad Ditch; so that his Sons were

amazed at it, and could scarce follow him. His Eyes continued so good, that he never used Spectacles, nor did he suffer any decay in any of his natural Powers, only by a fall in his Childhood he had contracted a deafness in his left Ear. He had great Strength and Health of Body, except that a few years before his death, he had some severe Fits of the Stone, that his sedentary course of life seemed to have brought on him, which he bore with wonderful patience. The best Remedy that he found for it was to dig in his Garden till he had very much heated himself, by which he found a mi∣tigation of his Pain. He took much pleasure in a Garden, and having brought over some curious Instruments out of Italy, for Racemation, Engraft∣ing, and Inoculating, he was a great Master in the use of them.

His Judgment and Memory, as they were very extraordinary, so they re∣mained with him to the last. He al∣wayes preached without Notes, but often writ down his Meditations after he had preached them. He did not af∣fect to shew any other learning in his Sermons, but what was proper for opening his Text, and clearing the dif∣ficulties in it; which he did by com∣paring

the Originals with the most an∣cient Versions. His Stile was clear and full, but plain and simple; for he ab∣horred all affectations of pompous Rhe∣torick in Sermons, as contrary to the simplicity of Christ. His Sermons did all drive at the great design of infusing in the Hearts of his Hearers right ap∣prehensions and warm thoughts of the great things of the Christian Religion; which he did with so much the more authority, because it appeared that he was much moved himself with those things that he delivered to others. He was always at work in his Study, when the affairs of his Function did not lead him out of it. In which his chief im∣ployment was the study of the Text of the Scripture. He read the He∣brew and the Septuagint so much, that they were as familiar to him as the English Translation. He read every Morning the Psalms appointed by the Common Prayer for the day in Hebrew; or if his Son, or any other that was skilled in the Hebrew, was present, he read one Verse out of the Hebrew, turning it into Latin, and the other read the next, and so by turns till they went through them. He had gathered a vast heap of critical Expositions of

Scripture. All this, with his other Manuscripts, of which there was a great Trunk full, fell into the Hands of the Irish. He had writ very learned Paraphrases and Sermons on all those parts of Scripture that were prescribed to be read in the second Service, but all these are lost. His great Hebrew Ma∣nuscript was happily rescued out of the hands of those devourers of all sacred Things, and is to this day preserved in the Library of Emmanuel Colledge: for an Irishman, whom he had converted, went among his Country Men and brought out that and a few other Books to him.

Every day after Dinner and Supper, there was a Chapter of the Bible read at his Table, whosoever were present, Pro∣testants or Papists, and Bibles were laid down before every one of the Company, and before himself either the Hebrew or Greek, and in his last years the Irish Translation was laid, and he usually explained the difficulties that occur∣red. He writ many Books of Contro∣versie; which was chiefly occasioned by the engagements that lay on him, to labour much in the conversion of persons of the Roman Communion; and the knowledge he had of that

Church, and their way of Worship, by what he had seen and observed while he was at Venice, raised in him a great zeal against their corruptions. He not only look'd on that Church as Idolatrous, but as the Antichristian Babylon; con∣cerning which S. Iohn saw all those Vi∣sions in the Revelation: And of this the Sermon, out of which I have made some extracts, gives Evidence. He writ a large Treatise in answer to those two Questions, in which the Missionaries of that Communion triumph so much, Where was our Religion before Luther, and what became of our Ancestors that dyed in Popery? Archbishop Vsher prest him to have printed it, and he had resolved to do it, but that, with all his other Works, was swallowed up in the Re∣bellion. He kept a great correspondence, not only with the Divines of England, but with many others over Europe; for he writ both Latin and Italian very elegantly. He was very free in his con∣versation, but talked seldome of indif∣ferent matters, he expressed a great mo∣desty of Spirit, and a moderation of temper in every thing he spoke, and his Discourse still turned to somewhat that made his company useful and in∣structing. He spoke his own thoughts

very plainly, and as he bore well with the freedom of others, so he took all the discreet liberty that became a Man of his Age and station, and did not stick to tell even the Learned and Worthy Primate Vsher, such things as he thought were blame-worthy in him, and with the same sincerity he shewed him some critical mistakes that he met with in some of his Works. They were very few, and not of any great importance; but they did not agree with the Pri∣mates exactness in other things, and so he laid them before him; which the other took from him with that kindness and humility that was natural to him. His Habit was decent and grave; he wore no Silk, but plain Stuffs; the fur∣niture of his House was not pom∣pous nor superfluous, but necessary for common use, and proper. His Table was well covered, according to the plenty that was in the Country, but there was no luxury in it. Great resort was made to him, and he observed a true hospitality in House-keeping. Many poor Irish families about him were maintained out of his Kitchin: And in the Christmass time, he had the Poor always eating with him at his own Table; and he brought himself to en∣dure

both the sight of their Rags, and their rudeness: He was not for∣ward to speak, and he expressed him∣self in very few Words in publick com∣panies. At publick Tables he usually sat silent. Once at the Earl of Straf∣ford's Table, one observed, That while they were all talking, he said nothing. So the Primate answered, Broach him, and you will find good liquor in him; Upon which that person proposed a question in Divinity to him, and in answering it the Bishop shewed both his own sufficiency so well, and pusled the other so much, that all at Table, ex∣cept the Bishop himself, fell a laugh∣ing at the other. The greatness of his mind, and the undauntedness of his Spirit on all occasions has appeared very evidently in many of the passages of his life; but though that height of mind is often accompanied with a great mixture of Pride, nothing of that ap∣peared in the Bishop. He carried him∣self towards all people with such a gaining humility, that he got into their Hearts: He lived with his Clergy as if they had been his Brethren: When he went his Visitations, he would not ac∣cept of the Invitations that were made him by the great Men of the Country,

but would needs eat with his Brethren in such poor Inns, and of such course fare, as the places afforded. A person of Quality, that had prepared an entertain∣ment for him during his Visitation, took his refusing it so ill, that whereas the Bishop promised to come and see him after Dinner; as soon as he came near his Gate, which was standing open, it was presently shut, on design to affront him, and he was kept half an hour knocking at it: the affront was visible, and when some would have had him go away, he would not do it, but said, They will hear e're long. At last the Master came out, and received him with many shews of civility, but he made a very short visit, and though the rudeness he met with prevailed not on him, either to resent it, or to go away upon it, yet it appeared that he under∣stood it well enough. He avoided all affectations of state or greatness in his carriage: He went about always on foot, when he was at Dublin, one Ser∣vant only attending on him, except on publick occasions, that obliged him to ride in Procession among his Bre∣thren. He never kept a Coach: for his strength continued so entire that he was alwayes able to ride on Horseback:

He avoided the affectations of humility as well as of Pride; the former flowing often from the greater pride of the two, and amidst all those extraordinary Ta∣lents, with which God had blest him, it never appeared that he overvalued himself, nor despised others; that he assumed to himself a Dictatorship, or was impatient of contradiction. He took an ingenious device to put him in mind both of his Obligations to purity and humility: It was a flaming Cru∣cible with this Motto in Hebrew, Take from me all my Tin. The Word in He∣brew that signifies Tin, was Bedil. This imported that he thought that every thing in himself was but base alloy, and therefore he prayed that God would cleanse him from it. His great humi∣lity made the secreter parts of his good∣ness, as to his private walking with God, less known, except as they ap∣peared in that best and surest indicati∣on of it, which his life and conversati∣on gave; yet if the Rebells had not destroyed all his Papers, there would have been found among them great discoveries of this; for he kept a daily Journal for many years; but of what sort it was, how full, and how parti∣cular, is only known to God; since no

Man ever saw it, unless some of the Rebells found it. Though it is not probable that they would have taken the pains to examine his Papers, it being more likely that they destroyed them all in a heap. He never thought of changing his See, or of rising up to a more advantagious Bishoprick, but considered himself as under a tye to his See, that could not be easily dissolved. So that when the translating him to a Bishoprick in England, was proposed to him, he refused it, and said he should be as troublesome a Bishop in England, as he had been in Ireland.

It appeared he had a true and gene∣rous notion of Religion, and that he did not look upon it so much as a System of Opinions, or a set of Forms, as a Divine Discipline that reforms the Heart and Life; and therefore when some Men were valued upon their zeal for some lesser matters, he had those Words of S. Augustine's often in his Mouth, It is not Leaves but Fruit that I seek. This was the true prin∣ciple of his great zeal against Popery: It was not the peevishness of a party, the sourness of a speculative Man, nor the concern of an interested person, that wrought on him: But he consi∣dered

the corruptions of that Church, as an effectual course for enervating the true design of Christianity; and this he not only gathered from Speculation, but from what he saw and knew during his long abode in Italy. His Devoti∣on in his Closet was only known to him, who commanded him to pray in secret. In his Family he prayed al∣wayes thrice a day, in a set Form, though he did not read it: This he did in the Morning, and before Dinner, and after Supper: And he never turn∣ed over this duty, or the short De∣votions before and after Meat, on his Chaplain, but was always his own Chaplain. He lookt upon the Obliga∣tion of observing the Sabbath as moral and perpetual, and considered it as so great an Engine for carrying on the true ends of Religion, that as he would never go into the liberties that many practised on that day; so he was exem∣plary in his own exact observation of it; Preaching alwayes twice, and Cate∣chising once; and besides that, he used to go over the Sermons again in his Fa∣mily, and sing Psalms, and concluded all with Prayer.

As for his Domestick concerns, he married one of the Family of the L' Estranges, that had been before married to the Recorder of S. Edmondsbury: she proved to be in all respects a very fit Wife for him; she was exemplary for her life, humble and modest in her Ha∣bit and behaviour, and was singular in many excellent qualities, particularly in a very extraordinary reverence that she payed him: She bore him four Chil∣dren, three Sons and a Daughter, but one of the Sons and the Daughter dyed young, so none survived but William and Ambrose. The just reputation his Wife was in for her Piety and Ver∣tue, made him choose that for the Text of her Funeral Sermon, A good name is better than Oyntment. She dyed of a Lethargy three years before the Rebel∣lion broke out; and he himself preached her Funeral Sermon, with such a mix∣ture both of tenderness and moderati∣on, that it touched the whole Congre∣gation so much, that there were very few dry Eyes in the Church, all the while. He did not like the burying in the Church; For, as he observed there was much both of Superstition and Pride in it, so he believed it was a great annoy∣ance to the Living, when there was so

much of the steam of dead Bodies rising about them; he was likewise much of∣fended at the rudeness which the crow∣ding the dead Bodies in a small parcel of Ground, occasioned; for the Bodies already laid there, and not yet quite rotten, were often raised and mangled; so that he made a Canon in his Synod against burying in Churches, and as he often wisht that Burying-Places were removed out of all Towns, so he did chuse the most remote and least fre∣quented place of the Church-Yard of Kilmore for his Wife, and by his Will he ordered that He should be laid next her with this bare Inscription,

Depositum Gulielmi quondam Episcopi Kilmorensis.

Depositum cannot bear an English Tran∣slation, it signifying somewhat given to another in Trust, so he considered his Burial as a trust left in the Earth till the time that it shall be called on to give up its dead.

The modesty of that Inscription adds to his Merit, which those who knew him well, believe exceeds even all that this his zealous and worthy Friend does through my hands convey to the World,

for his memory; which will outlive the Marble or the Brass, and will make him ever to be reckoned one of the speaking and lasting Glories, not only of the Episcopal Order, but of the Age in which he lived; and of the two Nations, England and Ireland, be∣tween whom he was so equally di∣vided, that it is hard to tell which of them has the greatest share in him. Nor must his Honour stop here, he was a living Apology, both for the Reformed Religion, and the Chri∣stian Doctrine: And both he that col∣lected these Memorials of him, and he that copies them out, and pub∣lishes them, will think their Labours very happily imployed, if the read∣ing them produces any of those good effects that are intended by them.

As for his two Sons, he was sa∣tisfied to provide for them in so mo∣dest a way, as shewed that he nei∣ther aspired to high things on their behalf, nor did he consider the Reve∣nue of the Church as a property of his own, out of which he might raise a great Estate for them. He provi∣ded his eldest Son with a Benefice of Eighty Pound a Year, in which

he laboured with that fidelity that be∣came the Son of such a Father; and his second Son, not being a Man of Letters, had a little Estate of 60l. a year given him by the Bishop; which was the only Purchace that I hear he made; and I am informed, that he gave no∣thing to his eldest Son but that Bene∣fice, which he so well deserved. So little advantage did he give to the ene∣mies of the Church; either to those of the Church of Rome, against the mar∣riage of the Clergy, or to the dividers among our selves, against the Revenues of the Church: The one sort objecting that a married state made the Clergy co∣vetous, in order to the raising their Fami∣lies, and the others pretending that the Revenues of the Church being converted by Clergymen into Temporal Estates for their Children, it was no Sacriledge to in∣vade that which was generally no less abused by Churchmen, than it could be by Laymen; since these Revenues are trusted to the Clergy as Depositaries, and not given to them as Proprietors.

May the great Shepherd and Bishop of Souls, so inspire all that are the Over∣seers of that Flock, which he purcha∣sed with his own Blood, that in imi∣tation of all those glorious patterns that

are in Church-History, and of this in the last Age, that is inferior to very few that any former Age produced, they may watch over the Flock of Christ, and so feed and govern them, that the Mouths of all Adversaries may be stopt, that this Apostolical Order recovering its Primitive spirit and vigour; it may be received and obeyed with that same submission and esteem, that was payed to it in former times: and that all diffe∣rences about lesser matters being laid down, Peace and Truth may again flourish, and the true ends of Religion and Church-Government may be ad∣vanced, and that instead of biting, de∣vouring and consuming one another, as we do, we may all build up one ano∣ther in our most holy Faith.

Some Papers related to in the former History.

Guilielmus Providentiâ Divinâ, Kilmorensis Episcopus, dile∣cto in Christo, A. B. Fratri & Synpresbytero salutem.

AD Vicariam perpetuam Ecclesiae Pa∣rochialis de C. nostrae Kilmoren∣sis Dioecesios jam legitimè vacantem,* 15.1 & ad nostram▪ collationem pleno jure spec∣tantem, praestito per te prius juramen∣to de agnoscenda & defendenda Regiae Majestatis suprema potestate in omnibus causis tam Ecclesiasticis quam Civilibus, intra ditiones suas, deque Anglicano ordine, habitu & Lingua pro Viribus in dictam Parochiam introducendis, juxt a for∣mam Statutorum hujus Regni; necnon de perpetua & personali Residentia tua in Vicaria praedicta, quodque nullum aliud

Beneficium Ecclesiasticum una cum ••a retinebis: deque Canonica obedientia no∣bis ac Successoribus nostris Episcopis Kil∣morens. praestanda, te admittimus, in∣stituimus, & canonicè investimus: Cu∣ramque Animarum Parochionarum, ibi∣dem commorantium, tibi committimus, per Praesentes. Obtestantes in Domino, & pro obedientia qua summo Pastori teneris injungentes: ut ejus Gregem quem suo sanguine acquisivit, tibi commissum, diligenter pascas, & in Fide Catholica instituas, officia divina Lingua à populo intellecta, peragas; exemplar ante omnia teipsum praebeas fidelibus in bonis operibus, ut erubescant Adversarii, nihil habentes quod in te reprehendant. Mandantes in∣super dilecto Fratri, Thomae Archidiaco∣no Kilmorensi, ut te in realem & actua∣lem possessionem dictae Vicariae de C. indu∣cat, cum effectu, in quorum omnium fidem & Testimonium Sigillum nostrum Episco∣pale Praesentibus apposuimus.

Datum sep∣timo die Maii, anno Salutis, 1640.

Guiliel. Kilmorensis.

Decreta primae Synodi Kilmorensis. In nomine Domini Dei & Salva∣toris nostri Jesu Christi.

REgnante in perpetuum,* 15.2 ac gubernan∣te Ecclesiam suam, eodem Domino nostro Iesu Christo, annoque imperii, serenissimi Principis ac domini Caroli, Dei gratia, magnae Britanniae & Hiber∣niae Regis, decimo quarto, cum ad Eccle∣siam Cathedralem Kilmorensem, monitu Guilielmi Episcopi convenisset Capitulum totius Dioecesios, ad Synodum Dioecesia∣nam celebrandam, post fusas ad Deum Preces pro publica Pace, Regisque, & Familiae Regiae incolumitate, & peracta sacra Synaxi, verba fecit Episcopus de ejusmodi Synodorum Antiquitate, neces∣sitate & Authoritate, & cum venisset in consultationem, quibus rationibus, & fidei sinceritas, & morum sanctitas, & decor Domus Dei, & Ministrorum libertas con∣servari posset, nihil conducibilius visum est, quam ut ea quae à Patribus bene ac pru∣denter

Antiquitus instituta sunt, quasi postliminii jure revocarentur, atque tra∣ctatu inter nos habito, ad extremum, in haec capitula unanimiter consensum est.

I. Synodum Dioecesanam sive Capitulum quotannis tertia & quarta feria secundae hebdomadae Mensis Septembris in Ecclesia Kilmorensi tenendam, eum diem huic con∣ventui statum, & solennem fore sine allo mandato; si res poscat in caeteris ordina∣tionum temporibus Presbyterium con∣trahi, Episcopi mandatum expectan∣dum.

II. In Episcopi absentia aut morbo, Vi∣carius ejus si Presbyter fuerit, presidebit, alioqui Archidiaconus qui de jure Vicarius est Episcopi.

III. Vicarius Episcopi in posterum nul∣lus constituatur aut confirmetur qui laicus est, nec quisquam prorsus nisi durante dun∣taxat beneplacito.

IV. Vt Archidiaconus de triennio in triennium Dioecesin personaliter visi∣tet, singularum Ecclesiarum, Aediumque mansionalium sarta tecta tueatur, libros & ornamenta in indiculo descriptos habe∣at,

defectus omnes supplendos curet; Epis∣copalis procurationis dimidium habeat, ea conditione ut Episcopus illo Anno non vi∣sitet.

V. Vt secundum pristinam & anti∣quam hujus Dioecesios Kilmorensis consti∣tutionem in tribus ejus regionibus, tres Decani sint, ab ipsis Ministris ejusdem Decanatus eligendi, qui vitam & mores cleri jugi circumspectione custodiant, & ad Episcopum referant, ejusque manda∣ta accipiant, & quoties opus erit per apparitorem Decanatus ad Compresbyteros suos transmittant.

VI. In quovis Decanatu, in oppido ejus principali, conventus, sive Capitu∣lum sit Ministrorum quolibet saltem Mense, ubi lectis plene publicis precibus, concionentur per vices sine longis precibus & prooemiis.

VII. Advocationes Ecclesiarum non∣dum vacantium quae ad collationem Epis∣copi spectant, nemini conferantur aut confirmentur.

VIII. Possessiones Ecclesiae non alie∣nentur aut locentur contra Regni jura, nempe terrarum Mensalium nulla sit lo∣catio,

nisi quoad Episcopus in Sede aut vita supersit, caeterarum in plures annos, quam leges sinunt, aut prioribus lo∣cationibus, triennio minus nondum ex∣pletis.

IX. Vt Corpora defunctorum dein∣ceps in Ecclesiis non humentur, sed nec intra quintum pedem à pariete extror∣sum.

X. Vt mulieres in Sacrario non se∣deant, sed infra Cancellos, & quidem à viris.

XI. Vt Sacrarium in consistorium non convertatur, aut sacra Mensa Notariis aut Scribis sit pro pluteo.

XII. Ne in funeribus mulieres luctum aut ullulatum facient.

XIII. Vt Ossa defunctorum in Coeme∣teriis non coacerventur, sed tradantur sepulturae.

XIV. Vt matricula sit, in quam re∣ferantur nomina eorum qui ad sacros or∣dines admissi sunt, aut instituti, aut ad∣missi ad Beneficia, sive ad curam Anima∣rum coaptati; clericorum item Parochiali∣um

& Ludimagistrorum, neque deinceps ad literas testimoniales in visitationibus ex∣hibendas adigatur.

XV. Ne quis Minister Oblationes ad Funera, Baptismum, Eucharistiam, Nup∣tias, post puerperium; aut portionem Cano∣nicam cuiquam locet.

XVI. Ne quis ejusmodi oblata acer∣be exigat, praesertim à pauperibus.

XVII. Vt fas sit Ministro à sacra Coe∣na repellere eos qui se ingerant ad Syna∣xin, neque nomina sua pridie Parocho signi∣ficarunt.

XVIII. Vt pueri saltem à septimo aetatis Anno, donec confirmentur per ma∣nuum impositionem, stent inter Catechu∣menos, factoque Catalogo, singulis domini∣cis certus eorum numerus sistatur in Ec∣clesia examinandus.

XIX. Si quis Minister quenquam ex fratribus suis alibi accusaverit prius∣quam Episcopo denunciet, ab ejus consor∣tio caeteri omnes abstinebunt.

XX. Clerici comam ne nutriant, & habitu Clericali prout Synodo Dubli∣niensi

institutum est, incedant.

XXI. O Economi Parochiarum provi∣deant ne in Ecclesia tempore cultus divi∣ni pueruli discursent, utque canes arcean∣tur, constitutis Ostiariis, vel mulcta im∣posita, si quis semel atque iterum admonitus canem secum in Ecclesiam introduxerit.

Vt nulla Excommunicationis sententia feratur ab uno solo Ministro, sed ab Epi∣scopo, assistentibus quotquot in Capitulo fuerint praesentes.

Haec Decreta Synodalia, quoniam ex usu hujus Dioecesios futura credimus, & ipsi observabimus, & quantum in nobis est ab aliis observanda curabi∣mus, adeoque Manûs suae quisque subscriptione corroboremus.

Septemb. 19. 1638.

Recusatio 24. Articulorum Epi∣scopi Kilmorensis.

COram vobis venerabilibus Viris Georgio Riv. Legum Doctore, & Guilielmo Hilton Artium Magistro, Reve∣rendissimi in Christo Patris Iacobi pro∣videntia divina Armachani Archiepisco∣pi, totius Hiberniae Primatis, nec non Iudicis, Praesidis, sive Commissarii Curiae Regiae Praerogativae pro causis Ecclesiasti∣cis, & ad facultates in & per totum reg∣num Hiberniae, Regia authoritate legi∣time constituti, substitutis sive surrogatis, ut vulgo creditur, Ego Guilielmus Kil∣morensis Episcopus cum debita vobis re∣verentia propono, Quod licet ante hoc exceptionem quandam declinatoriam ju∣risdictionis vestrae in quadam praetensa causa duplicis querelae mota à Guilielmo Bayly clerico Dioecesios Kilmorensis justis de causis interposuerim, ac nominatim propter incompetentiam fori, per absenti∣am Reverendissimi Praesidis, & suspicio∣nem

animi vestri in me iniqui, quas eti∣am coram eodem reverendissimo Praeside, aliisve aequis arbitris probandas in me recepi, ac licet etiam pro parte mea, ve∣nerabilem virum Edwardum Parry sa∣crae Theologiae Professorem elegerim ac no∣minaverim: Vos tamen dictae recusationi meae non modo deferre recusastis, sed novis insuper & pluribus indiciis animum vestrum mihi infensum prodidistis; ea propter ego Episcopus antedictus animo non prorogandi, sed expressius & particu∣larius contra jurisdictionem & personas vestras excipiendo, dico & allego.

I. Inprimis quod praetensa querela dicti Guilielmi Bayly oritur ex senten∣tia quadam in causa correctionis ex offi∣cio meo Episcopali, & jussa illustrissimi Proregis, in qua si modum excesserim, legitima appellatio erat ad Synodum Pro∣vinciae, vel Consistorium Archiepisco∣pale.

II. Quod dictus Bayly à Sententia praedicta judicialiter & viva voce appella∣vit, unde servato ordine jurisdictionum ex decreto nuperi Synodi Dublinensis cau∣sae cognitio, omisso intermedio Archiepi∣scopali Consistorio, devolvi non potest ad hanc Curiam.

III. Quod firmamentum defensionis dicti Bayly nititur facultate quadam ab hac Curia concessa; cum vero nemo sit idoneus judex in propria causa, satis inverecunde vos hic inquiritis.

IV. Quod regiae Majestati cognitio abu∣sivarum facultatum in ipsa lege reservatur expressis verbis, ut hoc forum vestrum, à quo ejusmodi facultates emanant, huic rei incompetens sit.

V. Quod sub nomine Reverendissimi Primatis Armachani delitescentes tenorem Commissionis vestrae non inseritis citatio∣nibus vestris, ut nesciatur nedum quod, aut quatenus vobis commissum sit, sed an om∣nino ab ipso surrogati.

VI. Quod jurisdictione vestra non fundata, illud satis scitur, homines vere Laicos in Episcopos ex executione Episco∣palis officii nullam habere potestatene.

VII. Quod litem vestram facitis, dum in citatione vestra, narratis à me gesta in praejudicum jurisdictionis Curiae Regiae praerogativae, & ad facultates cedere, ejus∣que contemptum, ex quo constat (fatente actore) hanc causam ad commodum

& honorem vestrum spectare.

VIII. Quod ut quoquo modo proces∣sum vestrum defendatis, fingitis causam esse duplicis querelae, cum nulla sit hic mutua petitio aut reconventio aut querela, nisi simplex tantum.

IX. Quod nimium favorem & pro∣pensitatem ad partem dicti Guilielmi Bay∣ly ostendatis, cum probum virum & di∣sertum appellatis causa nondum dis∣cussa; cum accusatorem Episcopi sui, Ca∣nones Ecclesiastici, nec laudandum, nec facile audiendum, & nisi causam probave∣rit, infamem haberi volunt.

X. Quod causa nondum audita in ea pronunciastis, dum dictum Bayly, Vicari∣um de Dyne appellatis, qua tamen Vicaria se à me spoliatum conqueri∣tur.

XI. Quod vetus mihi litigium est vo∣biscum super institutionibus (quas haec Curia usurpavit,) ex quo in admissione Ni∣colai Prenard ad Vicariam de Kildrom∣ferton, protestationem interposui, quam tu Guilielme Hilton indignè tulisti, ea∣que non obstante, & illum, & multos ali∣os instituisti, reclamantibus Episcopis,

quo nomine ergo, iniqui estis, non mihi tantum, sed aeque omnibus.

XII. Quod cum nuper de prima Cita∣tione vestra conquestus essem apud illustris∣simum Praesidem in qua Majestas laesa vi∣debatur, vos ea de causa, haud dissimu∣lanter iratos habui.

XIII. Quod comparentem ex ea Ci∣tatione, ad Tribunal vestrum, expectare & per sesquihoram inambulare, tanquam ex infima plebecula coegistis.

XIV. Quod cum proximo die juridico à vobis dimissus essem sub hac formula, quod me non moraremini, quod nihil ha∣buistis mihi objiciendum, t•• tamen Gui∣lielme Hilton post paulo dixisti futurum ut denuo citarer, ex quo consiliorum com∣municationem cum dicto Guilielmo Bayly prodidisti.

XV. Quod cum secunda Citatio minus succederet, perperam facta, sub nomine Episcopi Lismorensis, tu idem Guilielme Hilton actorem admonuisti, ut de integro inciperet.

XVI. Quod cum tertio citatus Recu∣sationem quandam jurisdictionis vestrae,

opposuiss••m propter incompetentiam & suspicionem, quarum causas paratus eram coram arbitris ostendere, vos jam non admisistis ut oportuit, sed in proximum diem juridicum super ea deliberastis.

XVII. Quod quarto citatum ad audi∣endum voluntatem vestram super recusa∣tione praedicta cum cerneretis ad Tribunal vestrum appropinquantem, surrexistis il∣lico, & quanquam nec Auditorio egressi eratis, nec Praeco populum missum fecisset, nec hora effluxerat, renuistis me Epi∣scopum antedictum comparentem audire, ut haberetis aliquem colorem me contumacem pronunciandi.

XVIII. Quod cum proximo die juri∣dico comparuissem, & contumaciam mihi falso impositam purgassem, & iterata praedicta Recusatione & arbitrum probati∣onis pro parte mea reverendum Virum Ed∣wardum Parry sacrae Theologiae Professo∣rem nominassem, vos haec admittere recu∣sastis, sed me ad libellum accipiendum & Procuratorem constituendum adigere volu∣istis.

XIX. Quod in Acta Curiae referri cu∣rastis, me non comparuisse, & in iisdem narratis tamen, me praesentem admonitum

fuisse de comparendo de die in diem usque ad finem litis, in altero imperite, in alte∣ro inepte, in utroque (salva reverentia vobis debita) injuste.

XX. Quod Sigillum officii curiae▪ Re∣giae Praerogativae, & ad facultates, dis∣pensationibus circa Pluralitatem Benefi∣ciorum & Residentiam temerarie profusis, & interdum legi divinae repugnantibus ap∣ponitis.

XXI. Quod Episcoporum jurisdictio∣nem & ordinariam & excitatam à supre∣mo Magistratu impedire, ipsos ad Tribu∣nal vestrum protrahere, vexare & vili∣pendere non veremini.

XXII. Quod eorum jura Episcopalia in institutionibus notorie usurpastis.

XXIII. Quod rescripta conceditis, in quibus multa, quoad sensum inepta, quoad verba incongrua continentur, quibus ideo de jure nulla fides adhibenda sit; cu∣jusmodi sunt quae sub sigillo vestro in hac causa emanarunt.

XXIV. Quod nuper in hac eadem cau∣sa, sigillum vestrum literis, in quibus Regia Majestas laesa fuerit, apponebatur minus

discrete, ne quid gravius dicam, judex tamen indiscretus quoad recusationem iniquo ae∣quiparatur.—Has ob causas, quas omnes aut earum plurimas ego Episcopus antedictus coram aequis arbitris verificare paratus sum (adeoque reverendum virum Edwar∣dum Parry, S. Theologiae Doctorem, ex parte mea nomino) vestrum Tribunal, ab∣sente reverendo Praeside, vestrasque per∣sonas, tanquam mihi merito in hac causa suspectas, declino & recuso ad quemcunque juris effectum.

Dublin. anno Domini 1638.

Reverendo in Christo Fratri Eu∣genio Guilielmus Ecclesiae Kil∣morensis Minister S. P.

BEnigne tu quidem (reverende Fra∣ter) qui tua praesentia te mihi offers in hoc tumultu praesidio fore. Nec ego in re simili impar tibi in hoc charitatis officio deprehenderer. Sed quo minus hoc tuo be∣neficio utar in praesentia, multis impedior. In primis loci angustiis, tum calamitosorum omnis ordinis, sexus, aetatis, numero; qui huc tanquam ad Asylum co••fugiunt. Ac∣cedit quorundam & inter hos Filii mei invaletudo. Quod caput est, non Religi∣onis inter nos (unica nempe ea est & com∣munis Christiana, quod ego semper & ••ensi & scriptis professus sum) sed cul∣tus disparitas: nos nempe in ejusmodi miseriis, lectione sacrarum Scripturarum, precibus assiduis Lingu•• Vernacula ad Deum fusis, nos ipsos solamur; & quan∣do in humanis tam parum Fidei est, Fidem & Opem Divinam imploram••s. Ea res si non te, at comites tuos offenderet, nec prohiberi possent, qui te hic commo∣rantem visitare se velle dicerent: Quo praetextu circumcelliones isti irrumperent,

qui cum caetera omnia nostra deripuerunt, ad extremum, se nece nostra cultum Deo gratum exhibituros opinantur. Mihi igitur certum est in divino praesidio acqui∣escere, Christiano homini & quidem Epi∣scopo jam pene Septuagenario, Christi causa, nulla mors acerba esse potest, nulla non op∣petenda. Interea si quid tibi visum fue∣rit interdicere apud populum sub Anat••e∣mate; ne deinceps, concussis, spoliatis, to∣ties exutis vim adferant, (mihi nempe so∣li nihil posc••) rem facies Deo gratam, tibi honorificam, populo isti (si tibi obtem∣peraverit) salutarem; sin minus, at spe∣rate Deum memorem. Cui te, reverende Frater, ex animo commendo.

Tuus in Christo, G. Kilmorensis.

Nov. 11. 1641.

An Advertisement concerning a Chara∣cter given by Sir Henry Wotton of F. Paul the Author of the History of the Council of Trent.

SInce there was so particular a men∣tion made of Father Paul in the for∣mer Life, I thought it would not be unacceptable to the Reader to see a Cha∣racter that was given of him by Sir Hen∣ry Wotton, in a Letter that he writ from Venice to the Famous and Learned Dr. Collings, the Kings Professor of Di∣vinity in Cambridge, which is not prin∣ted in his Remains: And therefore I hoped it would be received with the en∣tertainment that is due to every thing that comes from such a Hand, and is writ on such a Subject. And we may better depend on Characters that are gi∣ven in private Letters to Friends, than in more studied Elogies, where the heat either of friendship or Eloquence is apt to carry a Man too far; but Letters that pass among Friends, are colder and more careless things, and therefore they ought to be the less suspected.

SIR,

THough my Feet cannot perform that Counsel which I remember from some Translation in Siracides, Teras limen sensati viri; yet I should at least have often visited you with my poor Lines: But on the other side, while I durst not trust mine own conceit in the power of my present infirmity, and therefore have sel∣dome written to any; I find my self in the mean time overcharged with divers Let∣ters from you of singular kindness, and one of them accompanied with a dainty peaceful piece: which truly I had not seen before, so as besides the weight of the Sub∣ject, it was welcome, even for the Grace of newness. Yet let me tell you, I could not but somewhat wonder to find our Spi∣ritual Seneca (you know whom I mean) among these Reconcilers, having read a former Treatise of his (if my memory fail me not) of a contrary complexion. Howsoever, let him now have his due praise with the rest, for shewing his Chri∣stian Wisdom and Charity. But I fear, as it was antiently said of a Roman General, That Bellum sese alit, so it will prove, though in somewhat a different sense, likewise as true of this Church-warfare,

That the very pleasure of con∣tending will foment Contention till the end of all flesh. But let me leave that Sacred Business to our well-meaning Fathers.

And now, Sir, having a fit Messenger, and being not long after the time when love-tokens use to pass between Friends, let me be bold to send you for a New-Years-Gift, a certain Memorial not alto∣gether unworthy of some entertainment under your Roof, namely a true Picture of Padre Paulo the Servite, which was first taken by a Painter, whom I sent un∣to him from my House, then neighbouring this Monastery. I have newly added there∣unto a Title of mine own conception,* 16.1 and had sent the Frame withal if it were por∣table, which is but of plain Deal coloured black like the Habit of his Order. You have a luminous Parlor, which I have good cause to remember, not only by delicate Fare, and Freedome (the Prince of Dishes) but above all your own learned Discourse; for to dine with you is to dine with many good Authors. In that Room, I beseech you to allow it a favourable place for my sake.

And that you may have somewhat to tell of him more than a bare Image, if any shall ask, as in the Table of Cebes; I am desirous to characterize a little unto

you such part of his Nature, Customes and Abilities, as I had occasion to know by sight or enquiry. He was one of the hum∣blest things that could be seen within the bounds of Humanity; the very Pattern of that Precept, Quanto doctior, tanto submissior; and enough alone to demon∣strate that Knowledge well digested non inflat; excellent in Positive, excellent in Scholastical and Polemical Divinity; a rare Mathematician, even in the most abstruse parts thereof, as in Algebra and the Theoricks; and yet withal so expert in the History of Plants, as if he had never perused any book but Nature: Last∣ly, A great Canonist, which was the Title of his ordinary Service with the State: And certainly in the time of the Popes Interdict, they had their principal Light from him. When he was either reading or writing alone, his manner was to sit fen∣ced with a Castle of Paper about his Chair, and over Head; for he was of our Lord of S. Alban's Opinion, That all Air is praedatory, and especially hurtful, when the Spirits are most imployed. You will find a Scar in his Face, that was from a Roman Assassinate that would have killed him, as he was turned to the Wall near his Covent; and if there were not a greater Providence about us, it

might often have been easily done, especi∣ally upon such a weakly and wearish Body. He was of a quiet and settled temper, which made him prompt in his counsels, and answers, and the same in Consulta∣tions which Themistocles was in Action, as will appear unto you in a Passage be∣tween him and the Prince of Conde; The said Prince in a voluntary journey toward Rome came to Venice, where to give some vent to his own humours, he would often devest himself of his great∣ness, and after other less laudable curio∣sities, not long before his departure, a de∣sire took him to visit the famous obscure Servite, to whose Cloyster coming twice he was the first time denied to be within; at the second it was intimated, That by reason of his daily admission to their deli∣beratives in the place he could not receive the visit of so illustrious a personage, with∣out leave from the Senate, which he would seek to procure. This set a great edge on the Prince, when he saw he should confer with one participant of more than Monkish Speculations: So after leave got∣ten, he came the third time, and there be∣sides other voluntary discourse (which it were a tyranny over you to repeat) he assailed with a question, enough to have troubled any Man but himself, and him

too, if a precedent accident had not eased him. The question was this: He desi∣red to be told by him before his going away, who was the true unmasked Author of the late Tridentine History. You must know, that but newly advertisement was come from Rome, That the Archbishop of Spalato being there arrived from Eng∣land, in an interview between him and the Cardinal Ludovisio, Nephew to Grego∣ry XV. the said Cardinal after a com∣plemental welcoming of him into the Lap of the Church, told him by order from the Pope, That his Holiness would expect from him some Recantation in Print, as an antidote against certain Books and Pam∣phlets, which he had published whilst he stood in revolt, namely his first Manife∣sto: Item, Two Sermons preached at the Italian Church in London. Again, a lit∣tle Treatise intituled, Scogli. And lastly, His great Volumes about Church Regiment and Controversies: These were all named; for as touching the Tridentine History, his Holiness, saith the Cardi∣nal, will not press you to any disavowment thereof, though you have an Epistle before the Original Edition, because we know well enough that Fryer Paulo is the Fa∣ther of that Brat. Vpon this last Piece of the aforesaid Advertisement the good

Father came fairly off; for on a sudden, laying all together, that to disavow the Work was an untruth, to assume it a dan∣ger, and to say nothing, an Incivility; he took a middle Evasion, telling the Prince, That he understood he was going to Rome, where he might learn at ease who was the Author of that Work, as they were freshly intelligenced from thence. Thus without any mercy of your time, I have been led along from one thing to another, while I have taken pleasure to remember that Man whom God appointed and furnished for a proper Instrument to anatomize that Pack of reverend Cheaters. Among whom, I speak of the greater part, Exceptis se∣nioribus, Religion was shuffled like a Pair of Cards, and the Dice so many Years were set upon us.

And so wishing you very heartily many good years, I will let you breath, till you have opened these inclosed.

Notes

• * 6.1

  This seems to be but the half of the Letter by the begin∣ning.
• * 6.2

  See at the end, Numb. 1.
• * 6.3

  See at the end, Numb. 1.
• * 8.1

  Se at the end, Numb. 3.
• * 10.1

  Prov. 26.5.
• * 10.2

  Object.
• * 10.3

  Resp. 1.
• * 10.4

  Resp. 2.
• * 10.5

  Resp. 3.
• * 10.6

  2 Tim. 2.25.
• * 10.7

  Prov. 19.11.
• * 11.1

  John 3.18.36.5.24.
• * 11.2

  John 3. ult.
• * 11.3

  John 14.21.23.
• * 11.4

  De justifi∣ca. lib. 5. cap. 7.
• * 11.5

  1 Tim. 3.15.
• * 11.6

  1 Kings 19.18.
• * 11.7

  John 18.15, 16.
• * 11.8

  Dan. 1. v. 16.2.
• * 11.9

  Object.
• * 11.10

  Epistola 69.
• * 11.11

  Answ.
• * 11.12

  Joh. 20.23.
• * 11.13

  Joh. 13.35.
• * 12.1

  2 Thes. 2.11.
• * 12.2

  Ez•••• 1.1.
• * 12.3

  C. 6.3. & 7.12.
• * 12.4

  Neh. 2.18.
• * 12.5

  C. 10.37. & 13.10.
• * 12.6

  2 Cor. 5.2.
• * 12.7

  1 John 5.13.
• * 12.8

  1 Kings 18.21.
• * 12.9

  Et qui tar∣diùs ambu∣lant, non sunt relin∣quendi.

  S. Aug. in Epistola 1. Joh. Tract. 5.
• * 12.10

  Matt. 18.6.
• * 13.1

  See at the end Numb. 4.
• * 15.1

  See p. 77.
• * 15.2

  See p. 79.
• * 16.1

  Concil. Tri∣dent. evi∣sc••rator.