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 Herbert Westphaling.

There succeeded him a learned & famous Doctor indeed, Dr. Westphaling, who after he had been a Bishop divers yeeres, yet to showe that good Bishops do not quite discontinue their studies, but rather in∣crease their knowledge with their digni∣ty, came to Oxford at her Majesties last being there, and made an eloquent and copious Oration before her, for conclusi∣on of the Divinity disputations: among which one speciall question, that bred much attention, was this, whether it be lawfull to dissemble in cause of Reli∣gion? and one Argument more witty then pithy, produced by an opponent was this, it is lawfull to dispute of Religion, therefore it is lawfull to dissemble, and urging it further, he said thus, I my self now do that which is lawfull, but I do now dissemble. Ergo, it is lawfull to dissemble; at which her Majesty, and all the Auditory were very merry, I could

make a rehearsall of some of the Bishops oration concerning this question, how he allowed a secrecy, but without dissimula∣tion, a policy but not without piety, least men taking too much of theSerpent, have too little of the Dove, but I am sure in all his speech he allowed no equivocation. Howbeit, if I should-insist long hereon, I might commit the same fault to your Highness, that the Queen at that time found in him, which was that she thought him too tedious. For she had sent twice to him to cut short his Oration, because her self went to make a publique speech that evening, but he would not, or as some told her, could not put himself out of a set methodicall speech, for fear he should have marr'd it all, and perhaps confounded his memory. Wherefore she forbare her speech that day, and more privately the next morning, sending for the heads of Houses, and a few others she spake to them in Latin, and among o∣there she school'd Doctor Reynolds, for his preciseness, willing him to follow her Laws, and not to run before them. But it seemed he had forgotten it when he came last to Hampton Court, so as there he re∣ceived a better schooling. I may not for∣get

how the Queen in the midst of her o∣ration, casting her eye aside, and seeing the old Lord, Treasur er Burleigh standing on his lame feet for want of a stool, she call'd in all hast for a stool for him, nor would she proceed in her speech till she saw him provided of one, then fell she to it again, as if there had been no interrup∣tion: upon which one that might be so bold with her, told her after, that she did it of purpose to showe that she could in∣terrupt her speech, and not be put out, although the Bishop durst not adventure to do a less matter the day before.

But this Bishop was every way a very sufficient man, and for such esteemed while he was of Christ-Church. Trifling accidents showe as good proof of times, as the waightiest occasions. Such a one hapned this Doctor while he was of the University as a Scholar of that time hath told me, and it was this. There had been a very sharp frost (such as have been ma∣ny this year, and a sudden rain or sleet falling with it from the South-East, had as it were candied all that side of the Steeple at Christ-church, with an ice mix∣ed with snow, which with the warmth of the Sun soon after 10. of the clock be∣gan

to resolve, and Doctor Westphaling being in the middle of his Sermon, it fell down altogether upon the Leads of the Church, with such a noyse, as if indeed it would have thrown down the whole Church. The people (as in sudden ter∣rors is usuall) fill'd all with tumult, and each man hasted to be gonē so fast that they hindered one another. He first kneel∣ing down, and recommending himself to God, as in the apprehension of a sodain danger, straight rose again, and with so chearfull, both voice and countenance, encouraged them as they all returned, and he quietly finished his Sermon. But his chief praise I reserve for the last, which was this; for all such benefices as either were in his own guift, or fell into his hand by Lapse, which were not few, and some of great value, he neither respected Letters nor commendations of Lords nor Knights, nor Wife nor friends in prefer∣ment of any man, but onely their suffici∣ency and their good conversation, so as to sue for a benefice unto him, was rather a means to miss then to attain it.