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.

John Scory.

OF this twice Bishop Scory I have heard but little, yet it hath been my fortune to read something that will not be amisse to acquaint your Highnesse with, that you may see how Satan doth sift the lives and doings of English Bishops with the Quills sometimes of strangers and Forraigners. For whereas this our English modest writer onely reports how he was first Bi∣shop of Chicester, being but Batchelour; of Divinity, and deprived for no fault but that he continued not a Batchelor where∣upon he fled for Religion (as the phrase was) till comming home in the yeare 1560 he was preferred to Hereford: the French writer stayeth not there, but tel∣leth how that being setled there, though he professed to be a great enemy to I∣dolatry, yet in another sence according to St. Paul, he became a worshipper of Images (not Saints but Angels) belike he feared some future tempest, and therefore ••his h•• to provide better for himselfe

then he had at Chichester, so as what with pulling downe houses and selling the Lead, and such loose ends, what with setting up good husbandries, what with Leases to his Tenants, with all manner of viis et modis, he heaped together a great Masse of wealth. He that hath store of mettle must have also some drosse, and no marvaile if this Bishop then according to his name had much Scoria with this Treasure. A Noble and Honourable coun∣cellour and thenLord President of Wales, hearing so frequent complaints made of him for oppressions, extortions, symonies, and the like, caused a bil to preferred into the Star-chamber against him; in which bill was contained such matter as was e∣nough not onely to disgrace him, but to degrade him if it had been accordingly followed. His Sollicitour of his causes brings him a Copy of the bill, and in reading it with him seemed not a little dismaid in his behalfe much, like to the servant of Elisha that came trembling to his Master, and told him how they were beleagred with a huge Army. But this Bi∣shop though not indewed with the spirit of a Prophet, yet having a spirit that could well see into his profit, bids his Sollici∣tour

(who was his kinsman, perhaps his sisters brothers sonne) to be of good com∣fort; adding it may be the very words of Elisha, for there are more of our side then a∣gainst us. But when his Gehezi (for the comparison suits better to the man then to the Master) could see as yet no comfor∣table vision; The good Bishop did not open his eyes to let him see as Elisha did the Chariots of fire on the tops of the mountaines: but he opened his own bags and shewed him some legions or rather chiliads of Angells, who entring all at once, not into a herd of Swine, but into the hoard of a Lady that then was potent with him that was Dominus fac totum, cast such a Cloud into the Star-chamber, that the bill was never openly heard of after. This or the like and much more to the like effect writes this French Author of the said Bishop of Hereford, though the Treatise it selfe was not specially meant against the Bishop, but against a temporall Lord of a higher ranck that was not a lit∣tle netled with the same. In so much as many travelling Gentlemen, and among other this Bishops son was called in que∣stion for the publishing of this booke, be∣like because some particularities of this

matter were discovered that could come from none but him. But to come againe to this Bishop; I hope it shall be no just scandall to other good Bishops, Judas will have Successors as well as James, and Simon Magus as well as Simon Peter (and sometime perhaps both in one chaire. This man indeed had been brought up in the age of the Fryars that made much of themselves, and relinquisht their Cels, that read in the old Testament laetare & fac, but left out bonum; for so he followed the Text in the New Testament, Make you friends of the wicked Mammon, but left out that part that should have brought him to everlasting Tabernacles. For if Gods mercy be not the greater, I feare his friend and he are met in no plea∣sant mansion, though too too durable, if the vision of Henry Lord Hunsdon were true, as an honest Gentleman hath often reported it. But all this notwithstanding, his posterity may doe well, for God him∣selfe forbids men to say, That the fathers eate soure grapes, and the childrens teeth be on edge; and if the worst be, the Eng∣lish Proverb may comfort them, which, lest it want reason, I will cite in rime.

It is a saying common, more then civill, The son is blest, whose sire is with the divel.

After his decease a great and long suit was held against him about his dilapida∣sions, which makes the former report to eem the moreprbable.