The church-history of Britain from the birth of Jesus Christ until the year M.DC.XLVIII endeavoured by Thomas Fuller.

The forraign Covents of English Monks and Fryers.

WE will not so farre distrust the Readers memory as to repeat our premised distinction betwixt Monks and Fryers:* 1.1 Onely know that the Papists themselves report, that towards the end of Queen Eliza∣beth there was but one English Monk (Mauro by name) living in the whole world. A thing not incredible to such who consider Monks generally grown men before admitted into their Order, and that more than sixty years were passed from the dissolution of Abbeys to the end of Queen Elizabeth. Hereupon, several Catholicks of the Anti-Jesuiticall faction (as Doctor Gifford, Bagshaw, Stevens, Smith) fearing the Jesuits on Father Mauro's death, would (for want of lawfull successours to the old English Benedictine Monks) enter upon all the Abbey lands they had here, solicited many English Students then living in their Colledges and Seminaries to become Monks of the Order of S. Bennet, perswading them that hereby they should intitle themselves to a large Patrimony of land now likely to fall unto them.

2. Here am I put to a double wonder. First,* 1.2 whereon this Papisticall confidence was grounded of the speedy restitution of Abbey land at Queen Elizabeth her death, finding no visible probability for the same. Secondly, I admire how Ie∣suits

could pretend (in default of Benedictine issue) themselves Heires to these lapsed or vacant lands, seeing other Orders, farre more antient, might lay a better claim thereto. Except they conceive such English Abbey-lands held in Burrough English, wherein the youngest, according to the custome of some Manours, is to inherit; and so by the same advantage this last and newest of all Orders possessed themselves thereof.

3. However, to prevent them, at the instance of the aforesaid secular Priests many English students got into forraign Covents of Benedictines, and took on them the habit of S. Bennet. John Roberts first a Lawyers Clerk in London, then a student in the English Colledge at Vallydolid first led the dance, running away to a neighbouring Covent of Spanish Benedictines. More of the flock followed this Bell-weather thick and threefold, leaving the Colledge of the Iesuits in despight of all the care and caution of their Father-Prefects. Father Angustine (if that his true and not assumed name) was the second Monke of note at this time, a name very active, I am sure, in propagating superstition in England, and Roberts and Augustine, the two revivers of the new Benedictines. These obtained leave of Pope Pius quintus, and the King of Spaine, to build them a Covent at Doway. And though Roberts coming over into England to procure the Catholicks con∣tribution thereunto, had the hard hap to meet with Tyburne in his way; yet the designe proceeded, and was perfected.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Jesuits gapeing for the Bene∣dictines lands in England.
• * 1.2

  Defeated by Father Roberts and others.