A briefe view of the state of the Church of England as it stood in Q. Elizabeths and King James his reigne, to the yeere 1608 being a character and history of the bishops of those times ... / written ... by Sir John Harington ..., Knight.

Doctor Underhill.

FRom Rochester I should go a long pil∣grimage to St. Davids in Wales, save I must bait a little out of my way at four new Bishopricks erected by King Henry

the eighth of famous memory, and therefore I hope not ordained to be dis∣solved of a Henry the ninth of future and fortunate expectation; I say I will but bait especially at Oxford, lest I be baited, if I stay too long, for I know this dis∣course is to some as Unguis in ulcere. This Bishoprick being but 66 yeers since erected, had two Bishops in 26 yeeres, and then continued voyd 21. yeeres, what time of pure devotion to the Leases that would yield good Fines, a great person recommended Doctor Underhill to this place, perswading him to take it, as in the way to a better; but God knowes it was out of his way every way. For ere his First Fruits were paid, he died (as I heard at Greenwich, in much discontent and poverty; yet his preferrer to seem to doe some favour to the University of Oxford, for recompence of the spoyle done on the Bishoprick of Oxford, erected a new solemne lecture there at his own charge, which Doctor Reynolds did read, at which Lecture I hapned, once to be present with the Founder, where we were taught, Nihil & non,. as elsewhere I have at large shewed to your Highnesse. But though the many-headed beast, the mul∣titude

was bleared with this bounty; yet the Schollers that were more Nasuti, ocu∣lati & Cordati, did smell, and see, and say, that this was but to steale a goose, and stick a feather. And indeed this was the true Theorique and Practique of Puri∣tanisme. One impugning the authority of Bishops secretly, by such Lectures; the other impoverishing their Livings openly by such Leases.

After the Bishop Underhill was laid under the earth, I think the Sea of Oxford would have been drowned in the Sea of Oblivion, if his Majesty, whose soule ab∣hors all sacriledge had not supplied it with the good Father that now holdeth it, Doctor John Bridges, a man whose Volumes in Prose and Verse give suffici∣end testimony of his industry, though for mine own part I am grown an unfit praiser of Poetry, having taken such a surfeit of it in my youth, that I think now, a gray head and a verse doe not agree together, and much lesse a grave matter, and a verse. For the reputation of Poetry is so altered by the iniquity of the times, that whereas it was wont to make simple folke believe some things that were false, now it makes our great

wise men to doubt of things that be true. When the Creed was first put into Eng∣lish verse, as it is now sung in the Church, the descending of Christ into Hell, was never questioned, but since it hath been sung 50 yeere or more,

His Spirit did after this descend into the lower parts To them that long in darknesse were, the true light of our hearts.

The doubt that was made of the latter of these two verses, hath caused the truth of the former to be called in question.

Wherefore though I grant that Psalms and Hymns may, and perhaps ought to be in verse as good Linguists affirme, Moses and Davids Psalms to be originally, yet I am almost of opinion that one ought to abjure all Poetry when he comes to Divi∣nity. But not derogating herein from the travels of my betters and the Judge∣ment of mine Elders I proceed or rather post to my next stage.