Ecclesia restaurata, or, The history of the reformation of the Church of England containing the beginning, progress, and successes of it, the counsels by which it was conducted, the rules of piety and prudence upon which it was founded, the several steps by which it was promoted or retarded in the change of times, from the first preparations to it by King Henry the Eight untill the legal settling and establishment of it under Queen Elizabeth : together with the intermixture of such civil actions and affairs of state, as either were co-incident with it or related to it / by Peter Heylyn.

An. Reg. Mar. 5^o An. Dom. 1557, 1558.

WE must begin this year with the success of those forces which were sent under the command of the Earl of Pembrock, to the aid of Philip; who having made up an Army of 35 thousand Foot, and 12 thousand Horse, be∣sides the Forces out of England, sate down before St. Quintin the chief Town of Piccardy, called by the Romans, Augusta Veromandnorum, and took this new name from St. Quintin the supposed tutelaty Saint and Patron of it; a Town of principal importance to his future aims, as being one of the Keys of France on that side of the Kingdom, and opening a fair way even to Paris it self. For the raising of which Siege, the French King sends a puissant Army under the command of the Duke of Montmorancy, then Lord High Constable of France, accompanied with the Flower of the French Nobility. On the 10th. day of August the Battels joy••, in which the French were vanquished, and their Ar∣my routed; the Constable himself, the Prince of Mantua, the Dukes of Mont∣pensier and Long••aville, with fix others of the prime Nobility, and many others

of less note, being taken prisoners: The Duke of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, the Viscount Turin, four persons of honorable ranck, most of the Foor Captains, and of the com∣mon Soldiers to the number of 2500 slain upon the place. The news whereof struck such a terrour in King Henry the 2d. that he was upon the point of for saking Paru, and retiring into Lang••edock, or some other remote part of his Dominions; In the suddenness of which surprise, he dispatcht his Curriers for recalling the Duke of Guise out of I••aly, whom he had sent thither at the Popes in••••igation with a right puissant Army for the Conquest of Naples. But Philip knowing better how to enjoy than to use his victory, continued his Siege be∣fore St. Quintin, which he stormed on the 18th. of that month, the Lord Hen∣ry Dudley one of the younger sons of the Duke of Northu••b••r land (who lost his life in the Assault) together with Sir Edward Windsor, being the first that scaled the walls, and advanced their victorious Colours on the top thereof. After which gallant piece of service, the English finding some neglect at the hands of Philip, humbly desire to be dismist into their Country, which for fear of some fu••••her inconvenience was indulged unto them. By which dismission of the English (as Thuan••s and others have observed) King Philip was not able with all his Spaniards to perform any action of importance in the rest of the War.

But the English shall pay dearly for this Victory, which the Spaniard bought with no greater loss than the lives of 50 of his men. The English at that time were possessed of the Town of Calais, with many other pieces and ••orts about, as Guisuesse, Fanim, Ardres, &c. together with the whole Territory cal∣led the County Oye, the Town by Caesar called Portus Iccius, situate on the mouth or entrance of the English Chanel, opposite to Dover, one of the five principal Havens in those parts of England, from which distant not above twenty five miles, a Town much aimed at for that reason by King Edward this 3d. who after a Siege of somewhat more than eleven months, became Master of it, Anno 1347. by whom first made a Colonie of the English Nation, and after one of the Staple Towns for the sale of Wool. Kept with great care by his Successors, who as long as they had it in their possession, were said to ca••∣ry the Keys of France at their girdle; esteemed by Philip de Comin•••• for the goodliest Captainship in the world, and therefore trusted unto none but per∣sons of most eminent ranck both for courage and honour. A Town which for more than 200 years had been such an eye-sore to the French, and such a thorn in their sides, that Monsieur de Cordes, a Nobleman who lived in the Reign of King Lewis the 11th. was wont to say, that he could be content to lie se∣ven years in hell, upon condition that this Town were regained from the Eng∣lish. But the French shall have it now at an easier rate; The Queen had broke the Peace with France, and sent a considerable Body of Forces to the aid of Philip, but took no care to fortifie and make good this place, as if the same Garrison which had kept it in a time of peace, had been sufficient to maintain it also in a time of war.

For so it hapned, that Francis of Lorain Duke of Guise, one of the best Sol∣diers of that age, being called back with all his forces from the war of I••aly, and not well pleased with the loss of that opportunity which seemed to have been offered to him for the conquest of Naples, resolved of doing somewhat answerable unto expectation, as well for his own honor as the good of his Country. He had long fixed his eyes on Calais, and was informed by Senarpont Governor of Bolloigne, and by consequence a near neighbour to it, that the Town was neither so well fortified, nor so strongly garrisoned, but that it might be taken without any great difficulty. For confirmation whereof, Mon∣sieur, a' Strozzie one of the Marshals of France, under the favour of a disguise, takes a view of the place, and heartneth on the Duke with the feasibility of the undertaking. Philip, who either had intelligence of the French designes, or otherwise rationally supposing what was like to follow in the course of War, had often advised the Queen to have a care of that Piece, and freely offered his

assistance for de••ence thereof. But the English over wisely jealous left Philip had a practice on 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it lying commodiously for his adjoyning Neatherlands, neglected both 〈◊〉〈◊〉 advice and proffer. Nay, so extreamly careless were the Council of England in looking to the preservation and defence of this place, that when the Duke sate down before it, there was not above 500 Soldiers, and but two hundred fighting men amongst the Townsmen, although the whole number of Inhabitants amounted to 4200 persons. On New years day the Duke of Guise sate down before it, and on Twelfth-day, had it surrendred up unto him by the Lord Deputy Wentworth, who had the chief command and government of it. The noise of the thundring Canon heard as far as Antwerp, could not but rouse the drousie English to bethink themselves of some relief to be sent to Calais, and they accordingly provided both ships and men to per∣form that service. But the winds were all the while so strong and so cross against them, that before the English ships could get out of their Havens, the French were Masters of the Town. Some greater difficulty found the Duke in the taking of the Castle of Guisnesse, where the Lord Gray, a valiant and expert Soldier, had the chief command. But at length the Accessories follow∣ed the same fortune with the Principal, both Guisnesse and Hanine, and all the other Pieces in the County of Oye, being reduced under the power of the French within few days after.

There now remained nothing to the Crown of England of all its antient Rights in France, but the Islands of Gernsey, Jersey, Sark, and Aldernay, all lying on the coast of Normandy, of which Dukedome heretofore accounted members. Held by the English ever since the time of the Norman Conquest, they have been many times attempted by the French, but without successe; never so much in danger of being lost as they were at this present. Some of the French had well observed, that the Island of Sark (an Island of six miles in compass) enjoyned the benefit of a safe and commodious Haven, but without any to defend it but a few poor Hermites, whom the privacy and solitariness of the place had invited thither. The Island round begirt with Rocks, lying aloft above the Sea, and having onely one streight passage or ascent unto it, scarce capable of two abreast. Of this Island the French easily possest them∣sevles, dislodged the Hermites, fortifie the upper part of the Ascent with some pieces of Ordnance, and settle a small Garrison in it to defend the Haven. But long they had not nested there, when by a Gentleman of the Neatherlands, one of the subjects of King Philip, it was thus regained: The Flemmish Gen∣tleman with a small Bark came to Anchor in the Road, and pretending the death of his Merchant, besought the French that they might bury him in the Chapel of that Island, offering a present to them of such Commodities as they had aboard. To this request the French were easily entreated, upon con∣dition, that they should not come to shore with any weapen, no not so much as a Pen-knife. This leave obtained, the Flemming row'd unto the shoar with a Coffin in their skiff for that us purposely provided, and manned with Swords & Arcubusses. Upon their landing, and a search so strict and narrow, that it was impossible to hide a Pen-kife, they were permitted to draw their Coffin up the Rocks, some of the French rowing back unto the ship to fetch the Present, where they were soon made fast enough and laid in hold. The Flemmings in the mean time which were on the land had carried their Coffin into the Chapel, and having taken thence their weapons gave an Alarum unto the French, who taken thus upon the suddain, and seeing no hopes of succour from their fel∣lows, yielded themselves, and abandoned the possession of that place. A Stra∣tagem to be equalled, if not preferred, unto any of the Antients, either Greeks or Romans, did not that fatal folly, reprehended once by Tacitus, still reign amongst us, that we extol the former days, and contemn the present.

The losse of this Island gave a new Alarum to the Council of England, who thereupon resolved to set out a right puissant Navy, as well for the securing of the rest of the Islands, as to make some impression on the Main of France.

It was not till the month of April that they entred into consultation about this business, and so exceeding tedious were they in their preparations, that the month of July was well spent before they were ready to weigh Anthor. During which time the French h••d notice of their purpose, and understanding that they had an aim on Brest in Bre••agn, they took more care in fortifying it against the English, than the English did for Calais against the French. It was about the middle of July that the Lord Admiral Clynton set sail for France, with a Fleet of one hundred and forty ships, whereof thirty 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Finding no hopes of doing any good on Brest, bends his course for Conqu••••, an open Sea-town of that Province; at this place he lands his men, takes and sacks the Town, burns it together with the Abbey, and having wasted all the Country round about, returned with safety to his ships. But the Flemish somewhat more greedy on the spoil, and negligent in observing Martial Discipline, are valiantly encountred by a Nobleman of that Country, and sent back fewer by five hundred than they came on shoar. This was the sum of what the English did this year, in order to the recovery of the honour which they lost at Calais; and possibly they might think they had done enough in the spoil of Bre••agn, to satisfie for the loss of a Town in Piccardy; whereas in truth, the waste which they had made in Bre••agn might be compared to the cutting off a mans hair, which will grow again; the loss of Calais to the dismembring of an arm or leg, never to be again united to the rest of the body.

Either by reason of these wars, or that men were not then so prompt to Sutes in Law, the Lawyers found but little work in Westminster-hall, inso∣much that at the King's Bench 〈◊〉〈◊〉 there attended but one man of Law called Foster, and but one Serjeant onely called Bouloise of the Common-Pleas, both having little more to do than to look about them, and the Judges not much more to do than the Lawyers had; but certainly, that great leisure which the Lawyers found for doing nothing, proceeded rather from the noise of the wars, in which the voice of the Law cannot easily be heard, than from the quietness & disposition of the times, in which the number both of Sutes and Pleaders had been much encreased, as may be gathered from the words of Heiwood the old Epigrammatist, and one much made of by the Queen, who being told of the great number of Lawyers, and that the number of them would impoverish the whole Profession, made answer, No, for that always the more Spaniels there were in the field, the more was the game. Not so much elbow-room in the Hall, though possibly not much more business for them in the Term next following, by reason of the Parliament which began on the 20th. of January, and held on till the seventh of March, in which I find no Act which concerned Religion, no•• any thing which had relation to the Clergy; more than the confirmation of their Grant of Subsidies. It was a military time, and the Acts had something in them of that temper also, that is to say, an Act, proportioning what num∣ber of Horse, Arms, and Weapons every man should be charged withall in his several station, cap. 2. an Act for the due taking and observing of Musters, cap. 3. that Accessaries in Murder, and such as were found guilty of divers Felonies, should not have their Clergy, cap. 4. for the quiet behaviour of such French-men as had purchased the privilege of being Denizens, cap. 6. and finally, for granting a Subsidy and Fifteen by the Temporality towards the defence of the Realm, and carrying on the War against those of France, Nothing else memorable in this Session, but that Fecknam the new Abbot of Westminster, and Tresham the new Prior of St. Johns of Jerusalem, took place amongst the Lords in the House of Peers.

At the Convocation then holden for the Province of Canterbury, Harpsfield Arch-Deacon of London, is chosen and admitted Prolocutor for the House of the Clergy. Which done, the Cardinal-Archbishop offers it to the confide∣ration of the Bishops and Clergy, that some course might be thought upon for the recovery of Calais, then lately taken by the French. Which whether it were done to spur on the Parliament, or to shew their good affections to the

publick service, is not much material, considering that I find nothing acted in pursuance of it. As little was there done in order to another of his propositi∣ons, touching the revieuing and accommodating of the Statutes of the new foundations, though a reference thereof was made to the Bishops of Lincoln, Chester, and Peterborough, together with the Deans of Can••erbury, Worcester, and Winchester. Some desires also were agreed on to be presented to the Prelate Cardinal, in the name of the Clergy, as namely▪

1. That request may be made to the Queens Majesty, That no Parson, Vicar or Curate, be pressed by any Captain to go to the wars. 2. That where two Benefices being con∣tiguous, are so small that they are not able to find a Priest, the Bishop of the Diocess may give them in commendam to some one man to serve them alter∣n••s vicibus. 3. That the Pa••ishioners which have Chapels of ease, and yet want Priests to serve the Cure, may be compelled to come to the Parish Churches, until some Curate may be gotten to serve the same. And 4. That every Bishop may be authorised by the Pope to give Orders extra tempora praescripta, that is to say, as well at any other times, as on the Sundayes after the four Ember weeks.

And finally taking into consideration the great ne∣cessities of the State, and preparation of the enemies, they granted first unto the Queen, a Subsidy of eight shillings in the pound, to be paid in four years, beginning after the last payment of the former grant; and because the Laity at that time had charged themselves with horse and armour for defence of the Realm; the Clergy also did the like according to their several Orders and abilities. For the imposing whereof upon the rest of the Clergy, they had no recourse at all unto the Midwifry of an Act of Parliament, but acted the whole business in their own Synodical way, without contradiction.

But the main business of this year, in reference to the concernments of ho∣ly Church related to the Ca••dinal Legate; against whom the Pope had borne an inveterate grudge, sharpned by the suggestions of Bishop Gardiner, as be∣fore was signified. Being of himself a rigorous man, and one that was ex∣treamly wedded to his own opinion, he had so passionately espoused the quar∣rel of the French against the Spaniard, that he intended to divest Philip of the Realm of Naples, and to confer it on the French. For this cause Francis Duke of Guise with a puissant army is drawn into Italy for the subduing of that King∣dom, but suddenly recalled again, upon the routing of the French before St Quintin, wherein the English forces had appeared so serviceable. Which gave the Pope so much displeasure, that he resolved to let his greatest enemies feel the dint of his spirit. But not daring upon second thoughts to fall foul with the Queen, he turned his fury against Pole, by whose perswasion it was thought that the Queen had broke her league with France to take part with her husband. In which humour he deprives him of the Legantin•• power, confers the same on Frier Peitow an English man by birth, but of good descent, whom he designs also to the See of Salisbury, then vacant by the death of Capo••. Karn the Queens Agent with the Pope, advertiseth her Majesty of these secret practices, which the Queen concealing from the Cardinal, endeavoureth by all fair and gentle means to mitigate the Pope's displeasure, and confirm the Cardinal in the place and power which he then enjoyed. But the Pope not a man to be easily altered, Pole in the mean time understanding how things went at Rome, laid by the Cross of his Legation, and prudently abstaineth from the exercise of his Bulls and Faculties. Peitow the new Cardinal Legate, puts himself on the way to England, when the Queen taking to her self some part of her fathers spirit, commands him at his utmost peril, not to adventure to set foot upon English ground; to which he readily inclined, as being more affected unto Cardinal Pole, than desirous to shew himself the servant of another mans passion. In the end, partly by the Queens mediation, the intercession of Ormaenete, the good successes of the French in the taking of Calais, but principally by the death of Peitow in the April following, the rupture was made up again, and Pole confir∣med in the possession of his former powers.

The fear of running the like hazard for the time to come, made him appear more willing to connive at his under Officers, in shedding the blood of many godly and religious persons, than otherwise he would have been. Whereup∣on followed the burning of ten men in the Diocess of Canterbury, on the 15th of January, whereof two suffered at Ashford, two at Ri••, and the other six in his own Metropolitan City; and possibly the better to prepare the Pope towards this Attonement, the Queen was moved to issue her Commission of the month of February, directed to the Bishop of Ely, the Lords, Windsor, North, and seventeen others, by which the said Commissioners, or any th••e••, or more of them, were impowred

to enquire of all and singular Heretical opinions, Lollardies, Heretical and seditious books, conceal••ents, contempts, con∣spiracies, and all false tales, rumours, seditious or slanderous words, &c. As also seize into their hands all manner of Heretical and seditious Books, Let∣ters and Writings, wheresoever they, or any of them should be found, as well in Printers houses, and shops, as elsewhere, willing them, and every of them, to search for the same in all places according to their discretions. And finally to enquire after ••ll such persons as obstinately do refuse to receive the blessed Sacrament of the Altar, to hear Mass, or co••e to their Parish Churches, and all such as refuse to go on Procession, to take holy bread, or holy water, or otherwise misuse themselves in any Church or hallowed place, &c.

The party so offending to be proceeded against according to the Ecclesiasti∣cal Lawes, or otherwise by fine or imprisonment, as to them seemed best.

But the Commissioners being many in number, persons of honour and im∣ployment for the most part of them, there was little or nothing done in pursu∣ance of it, especially as to the searching after prohibited books; the number whereof increasing every day more and more, a Proclamation was set forth on the 6th. of June, to hinder the continual spreading of so great a mischief. Which Proclamation was as followeth, viz.

Whereas divers books filled with Hersie, Sedition, and Treason, have of late been dayly brought into this Realm out of forein Countries and places beyond the seas, and some co∣vertly printed within this Realm, and cast abroad in sundry parts thereof; whereby not only god is dishonoured, but also incouragement given to disobey lawful Princes and Governours; the King and Queens Majesties for redress hereof, do by their present Proclamation, declare and publish to all their subjects, that whosoever shall after the Proclamation hereof, be found to have any of the said wicked and seditious books, or finding them, do not forthwith burn the same, without shewing or reading the same to any other persons, shall in that case be reputed and taken for a rebel, and shall without further delay be executed for that offence, according to the order of Martial Law.

Which Proclamation though it were very smart and quick, yet there was somewhat of more mercy in it, than in another which came out in the very same month, at the burning of seven persons in Smithfield, publish∣ed both at Newgate, where they were imprisoned, and at the stake where they were to suffer; whereby it was straightly charged and commanded, That no man should either pray for, or speak to them, or once say God help them. A cruelty more odious than that of Domitian, or any of the greatest Tyrants of the elder times, in hindering all entercourse of speech, upon some jealousie and distrusts of State between man and man.

Which Proclamation notwithstanding, Bentham the Minister of one of the London Congregations, seeing the fire set to them, turning his eyes unto the people, cried and said, We know they are the people of God, and therefore we cannot chuse but wish well to them, and say God strengthen them; and so boldly he said, Almighty God for Christs sake strengthen them. With that all the people with one consent cryed Amen, Amen, the noise whereof was so great, and the cryers so many, that the Officers knew not whom to seize o••, or with whom they were to begin their accusation. And though peradv••nture

it may seem to have somewhat of a miracle in it, that the Protestants should have a Congregation under Bonner's nose; yet so it was, that the godly people of that time were so little terrified with the continual thoughts of that bloody Butcher, that they maintained their constant meetings for religious offices, even in London it self; in one of which Congregations, that namely whereof Bentham was at this time Minister, there assembled seldome under 40. many times 100. and sometimes 200. but more or less as it stood most with their conveniency and safety. The Ministers of which successively were Mr Ed∣ward Scambler, after Bishop of Peterborough, Mr Thomas Foule, of whom I find nothing but the name, Mr John Rough, a Scot by Nation, convented and con∣demned by Bonner, and suffering for the testimony of a good conscience, December 20. After whom followed Mr Augustine Bernher, a moderate and learned man; And finally, Mr Thomas Bentham before mentioned, who conti∣nued in that charge till the death of Queen Mary, and was by Queen Elizabeth preferred to the See of Lichfield, Anno 1589. By the encouragement and con∣stant preaching of which pious men, the Protestant party did not only stand to their former principle, but were resolved to suffer whatsoever could be laid upon them, rather than forfeit a good conscience, or betray the cause. They had not all the opportunity of such holy meetings, but they me•• frequently e∣nough in smaller companies, to animate and comfort one another in those great extremities.

Nor sped the Queen much better in her Proclamation of the sixth of June, concerning the suppression of prohibited Books; but notwithstanding all the care of her Inquisitors, many good Books of true Christian Consolation and good Protestant Doctrine, did either find some Press in London, or were sent over to their brethren by such learned men as had retired themselves to their several Sanctuaries, their places of Retreat, which not improperly may be cal∣led their Cities of Refuge, which we have seen already; amongst which, I find none but Embden in the Lutheran Countries, the rigid Professors of which Churches abominated nothing more than an English Protestant, because they concurred not with them in the monstrous Doctrine of Ubiquity, and their device of Consubstantiation. Insomuch thata Peter Martyr telleth us of a friend of his in the Dukedom of Saxony, that he was generally hated by the rest of Country-men, for being hospitable to some few of the English Nation, who had been forced to abandon their native soil. And it is further signified by ^b Ph. Melancthon with no small dislike, in an Epistle of this year, that many of those rigid Luthe••ans could find no other name but the Devils Martyrs, for such as suffered death in England in defence of Religion; so that they seemed to act the part of Diotrephes in St John, not only prating against us with malicious words, and refusing to receive the brethren in the day of their trouble, but for∣bidding and condemning them that would. But John Alasco and his company had been lately there, where they spoke so reprochfully of Luther, the Augu∣stan Confession, the Rites and Ceremonies of their Churches, as rendred them uncapable of any better entertainment than they found amongst them. And by the behaviour of these men coming then from England, the rigid Lutherans passed their judgement on the Church it self, and consequently on all those who suffered in defence thereof. For stopping the course of which unchari∣table censures, it was thought fit by some of the Divines in Embden, that Archbishop Cranmers book about the Sacrament▪ should be translated into La∣tin, and forthwith published in Print, which was done accordingly. Some of the Lutherans had given out on the former ground, that the English had deservedly suffered the greatest hardships both at home and abroad, because they writ and spake less reverently of the blessed Sacrament; and it was hoped that by the publishing of this book, they would find the contrary. The like course taken also at Geneva by the English exiles, by publishing in the Latin tongue, a dis∣course writ by Bishop Ridley on the self same Argument, to the end it might appear unto all the world how much their brethren had been wronged in these odious calumnies.

Notes

• 1557/8
• Quod vetera extollimus, ve∣nientium incuriosi.
• 1558.
• An. Reg. Mar. 5. 155.
• a

  In summo cum ess•• o••io, quod Anglos pro•••••••• hospi∣tio susc••••••rat, &c. P. Mart. Epist. Ubi vocif••ra••∣tur quidam, Martyres An∣glicos, esse Martyres Dia∣b••••••, In epist. octob. 8.