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.

Bishop Barlow.

The next I am to write of is Bishop Barlow, of whom my Authour in this Book saith little in the Latin Treatise: there is somewhat more, and I will add a word to both. Bath (as I have noted be∣fore) is but a title in this Bishoprick, so as for many years Bath, had the Name, but Wells had the game: but yet that one may know they be Sisters, Your High∣ness shall understand that this game I speak of which was one of the fairest of England, by certein booty play between a Protector and a Bishop (I suppose it was at Tictak) was like to have been lost with a why not, and to use rather another mans word then mine own to explain this Metaphor: thus saith the latine Re∣lation of him. He was a man no less god∣ly then learned, but not so markable in any thing as in his fortunate off-spring,

for which Niobe and Latona might envy them, happy in his own Children, more happy in their Matches (to let passe his Sonnes, of whom one is now Prebend in Wells, and esteemed most worthy of such a Father. He had five Daughters whom he bestowed on five most worthy men, of which three are Bishops at this hour, the other for their merit are in mens ex∣pectation designed to the like dignity hereafter. Howbeit (saith he) in one thing this Prelate is to be deemed unfor∣tunate, that while he was Bishop his Sea received so great a blow losing at one clap, all the Rents and Revenues belong∣ing to it. Thus he, and soon after he tells that for his Mariage, he was deprived, and lived as a man banisht in Germany. Here is his praise, here is his dispraise. If he were deprived for a lawfull Act, no marvel if he be deprived for an unlawful: sith then my Authour compares his feli∣city with that of Niobe, I will also com∣pare his misfortune with Peleus, making Ovids verse to serve my turn in changing but a word or two.

Faelix & Natis faelix & conjuge Barlow, Et cuisi demas: spoliati crimina templi

Omnia contiger ant; hoc tanto crimine sontem accepit profugum patria Germanica tellus.

But God would not suffer this morsell to be quite swallowed, but that it choak∣ed the feeders; to say nothing in this place, but how the Protector was fore∣told by a Poet, that he should lose his head.

Aestatis sedes qui sacras diruis aedes, pro certo credes quod Cephas per dere debes.

I speak now onely of the spoil made under this Bishop scarce were five years past after Baths ruines, but as fast went the Axes and Hammers to work at Wells. The goodly Hall covered with Lead (be∣cause theRoof might seem too low for so large a Room) was uncovered, and now this Roofe reaches to the skie. The Chap∣pel of our Lady late repaired by Stilling∣ton a place of great Reverence and anti∣quity, was likewise defaced, and such was their thirst after Lead (I would they had drunk it scalding) that they took the dead bodies of Bishops out of their leaden Coffins, and cast abroad the Carcases scarce throughly petrified. The Statutes of brasse, and all the ancient Monuments of Kings, benefactors to that goodly Cathedrall Church, went all the same

way, sold as my Authour writes to an Al∣derman of London, who being then rich, and by this great bargain, thinking to have increast it, found it like auruin Tho∣losanum; for he so decayed after, no man knew how, that he brake in his Majoral∣ty. The Statues for Kings were shipt for Bristoll, but disdaining to be banisht out of their own Country, chose rather to lie in St. Georges Channel, where the Ship was drown'd. Let Atheists laugh at such losses, and call them mischances; but all that truly fear God will count them ter∣rible Judgements.

These things were, I will not say done, I will say at least suffered by this Bishop; but I doubt not but he repented hereof, and did pennance also in his banishment in sacco & cinere. But some will say to me, why did he not sue to be restored to his Bishoprick at his return, finding it va∣cant, but rather accepted of Chichester: I have asked this question, and I have re∣ceived this answer, by which I am half perswaded, that Wells also had their pro∣phecies as well as Bath, and that this Bi∣shop was premonstrated (that I may not say predestinate) to give this great wound to this Bishoprick. There remain yet in

the body of Wells Church, about 30 foot high, two eminent Images of stone set there as is thought by bishop Burnel that built the great Hall there in the Raign of Ed: I. but most certainly long before the raign of H. 8. One of these Images is a King crowned, the other is of a Bishop mitred. This King in all proportions resembling H. 8. holdeth in his hand a Child falling, the Bishop hath a Woman and Children about him. Now the old men of Wells had a tradition, that when there should be such a King, and such a Bishop, then the Church should be in danger of ruine. This falling Child they say was King Ed∣ward, the fruitfull Bishop, they affirmed was Doctor Barlow, the first maried Bishop of Wells, and perhaps of England. This talk being rife in Wells in Queen Maries time, made him rather affect Chichester at his return than Wells, where not onely the things that were ruined, but those that remained serv'd for records and re∣membrances of his sacriledge.