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 Thoby Matthews.

The praises of a friend are partiall or suspicious, of strangers uncertain and not iudicious, of courtly persons complemen∣tall and mannerly, of Learned and wise

men more pretious, of a Prince most cor∣diall and comfortable; but of an adver∣sary, though often dangerous, yet never undeserved: what exceptions then can be taken to his just prayses, whom friends commend, strangers admire, Nobles im∣brace, the Learned affect and imitate, his Soveraigns have advanced, and even his enemy and emulous cannot chuse but ex∣toll and approve. For Edmond Campion in his Pamphlet of the ten reasons, which the Catholiques count an Epitome of all their Doctrine, labouring to prove, that the Fathers were all Papists, to give the uttermost credit he can to his assertion, saith, that Thoby Matthew confest to him so much. Pertentavimus (saith he) ali∣quando familiariter Thobiam Mattheum, qui nunc in concionibus dominatur, quem propter bonas artes & virtutum semina di∣leximus. We did once in familiar sort sound Thoby Matthews opinion, he that now domineers in your Pulpits, whom for his good learning and seeds of vertue, we esteemed &c. This then is the testimo∣niall of their Champion concerning his excellent guifts 27 yeers since; if this commendation were then due, as indeed except it had been very due, that Pen

would never have given it, what may we think of him now, that for preaching may say with St. Paul, I have laboured more then ye all, for reading lets no Book passe, which for Authour, matter, or wit hath any fame, who hath so happy a memory that no occasion slips him, whe∣ther premeditate or sudden, either in pub∣lick or private, to make use of that he hath read. But it is worth the hearing, which he answers to this calumniation, as well as commendation, which answer being in a long and learned latine Ser∣mon, Ad Clerum, I will not wrong so much to abbreviate in this place, but on∣ly for that same point. Qui in concionibus domininatur, his sharp and modest return, I could not let passe being but a line. Neque enim nostrū ministeriū est dominatio, ne{que} do∣minatio vest: ministeriū. For neither is our Ministery any Lordly Authority, nor your Lordly command a true Ministery. But his Reading, Learning & preaching is so well known to his Highness, as I do but lose labour in recounting either generall or particular prayses thereof. I will descend now to some personall matters, which though commonly they are more capti∣ous for the writer, yet are they withall

more pleasing and acceptable to the Rea∣der. He was born of honest rather then honourable parents in the City of Bristol, which City, standing in two Counties, Somerset and Gloucester, might move both Counties hereafter to challenge him for their Countreyman, as divers Cities of Greece did Homer, if himself would not somtime clear it, by saying that he is a So∣mersetshire man, or to write it as he spake sportingly a Zomersetshire man, showing a towardliness in his very infancy to learning, he was set very young to school at Wells; but over-running his School∣masters Doctrine with his docility, he went quickly to Oxford, yet ere he went, he had a marvellous misfortune; for even as if Sathan had foreseen that he should one day prove some excellent instrument of his service that must bruise the Ser∣pents head, he forgot not to attempt his part Insidiari calcaneo, procuring him in a plain easie way so terrible a fall, as brake his foot, and small of his legg and ankle almost to pieces. But if the strong man procured this harm, a stronger granted the remedy; for he was soon af∣ter so soundly cured, as there remained after, no sign or scar, no effect or defect.

either for fight or use of this rupture. After his coming to Oxford, he took all his degrees so ripe in learning, and so young in age, as was half a miracle. There it seems also the Colledges strove for him, he removed so oft, till he rested in that for which he was ordained a prin∣cipall Vessel, Christs Church; during his abode, there being Dean of ChristsChurch, it was hard to say, whether he was more respected for his great Learning, Elo∣quence, Authority, countenance given by the Queen, and the great Ones: or belo∣ved, for his sweet conversation, friendly disposition, bounty, that even then showd it self, and above all a chearfull sharpness of wit, that so sawced all his words and behaviour, that well was he in the Uni∣versity, that could be in the Company of Thoby Matthew, and this name grew so popular and plausible, that they thought it a derogation to their love, to add any title of Doctor or Deane to it; but if they spake of one of his men, as he was e∣ver very well attended, they would say Mr. Matthew, or Mr. Thoby Matthews man, yea even since he was Bishop, and Arch∣bishop, some cannot leave that custom yet. Among some speciall men that en∣joyed,

and joyed most in his friendship and company in Oxford, and in remem∣brance of it, since they were sundred, was Doctor Eedes, late Dean of Worcester, one whose company I loved, as well as he loved his Thoby Matthew. He for their farewell, upon his remove to Durham, in∣tending first to go with him from Ox∣ford, but one dayes Journey, was so be∣trayed by the sweetness of his Company, and their old friendship, that he not one∣ly brought him to Durham; but for a pleasant penance wrote their whole Journey in Latine verse, which Poem himself gave to me, and told me so many pretty Apophthegmes of theirs in their younger years, as might make a Book al∣most by it self. And because I wrote onely for your Highness pleasure, I will hazard my Lords displeasure to repeat one or two of his, of one two hundred, that Doctor Eedes when he lived, could remember, being Vice-chancellor in Ox∣ford, some slight matters & men coming before him, one was very importunate to have them stay for his Councel: who is of your Councel saith the Vice-Chancellor, (saith he) Mr. Leasteed, alas said the Vice-Chancellor, no man can stand you in less

stead, no remedy saith the other, necessi∣ty hath no Law. Indeed quoth he, no more I think hath your Councellor. In a like ruatter another was to be bound in a bond very like to be forfeited, and came in hast to offer it, saying he would be bound if he might be taken, yes saith he, I think you will be taken, what's your name, Cox saith the party, and so prest as the manner is to come into the Court, make him more room there said he, let Coxcome in. Such facetious passages as these that are as delightfull to the hearer, as a fair course at tilt is to the beholders, where the staffe breaks both at the point, and counterbuffe even to the hand, such I say a man might collect a volum of, not at the second hand but at the first, that had been so much in his company, and so oft at his board as I have been, but that I must keep good manners, remembring the Greek Proverb, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Odi memorem compotorem. And if your Highness had a fancy to hear more of them, Mr. Doctor Dromond can as well relate them as my self, both of us having met in his graces dish sometimes, and ta∣sted of this sawce. Yet this kind of plea∣santness that I repeat as one of his pray∣ses,

himself will most seriously check in himself, sometime as his fault and infir∣mity, which he confesses he is inforced to use, sometime as a recreation of his wea∣ried spirits, after more painfull and seri∣ous studies, and though in these conceits, the wit might seem to labour, as much as in these gravest, and had need to carry as it were, a good bent to send them so smartly as they come from him ordinari∣ly: yet methinks it may be fitly compa∣red to a bow that will endure bending the contrary way, and thereby come to cast the better in his right bent, or by a more homly comparison, to a true and tough Laborer in our Countrey, that ha∣ving sweat at hard labour all the week, asketh no better refreshing, then to sweat as fast with dancing about the May-pole, or running at Base, or wrestling upon the Holiday. Wherefore let himself call it his fault, as I have heard him oft, and say he knows such nugacity be∣comes not his place, and lament that nature and custom have so fram'd him, that when he ceases to be plea∣sant at his meat, he must cease to be; for my part, I' speak frankly, I will love this fault in him, if it be a fault, and

be glad if I can follow it, having learnt an old rule of my mother in law, At meat be glad, for sin be sad; and I will say here∣after for my selfe,

Haud metuam si jam nequeo defendere cri∣men Cum tanto commune viro.

Or, as upon no unlike occasion, I wrote ten yeers since to Dr. Eeds.

Though M••s love mens lines and lives to scanne, He saith he thinks me no dishonest man; Yet one great fault of mine he oft rehearses, Which is, I am too full of Toyes and Uerses: True 〈◊〉〈◊〉 true it is, my fault I grant; Yet when thou shalt thy greatest vertues vaunt, I know some worthy spirits one might entice To leave that greatest vertue for this Uice.

But if any wil be so Stoicall, as to make this confession of my Lords grace (which is indeed of grace) to serve them for an accusation, to give him thereby the nick-name of Nugax, given 500 yeers past to Radulphus Archbishop of Canterbury, and successour of the great Anselme, as is no∣ted in the Catalogue p. 38. I should think them unjust and undiscreet to stir up new emulation between Canterbury and Yorke; but rather I might compare him with one

of his own predecessors in Durham, Cuth∣bert Tunstall, p. 532. of the same book, well worth the reading and remembring. In the mean time let me lay their censo∣rious mood with this verse.

Qui sic nug atur tractantem ut seria vincat, Hic tractaturus seria quantus erat.

But to draw to an end, I will tell one act of his of double piety, done not long since. He made a journey, accompanied with a Troop, fit for his calling, to Bristol, to see his mother, who was then living, but not able to travel to him; after much kindnesse shewed to her, and much boun∣ty to the City, he went to visit his other mother of Oxford, and comming neer the Town with that troop of his retinue, and friends to the water, it came into his mind how that time 40 yeer, or more, he past the same water, as a young poor scholler, going to Oxford, remembring Jacobs words, In baculo meo transivi Jor∣danem istum, &c. with my staffe I passed over this Jordan, and now I passe over a∣gain with these troups, he was so moved therewith, that he alighted from his hors, and going apart, with devout tears of joy and thankfulnesse, he kneeled down and used some like words.

It may seem pity that a man of so sweet and milde disposition should have any crosse, but he that sends them knowes what is best for his. He hath had one great domesticall crosse, though he beares it wisely, not in his wife, for she is the best reported and reputed of her sort I thinke in England, and they live together by St. Pauls rule. Uientes hoc seculo.

But I meane such a crosse as David had in his sonne Absalom, for though he gave both consent and commission to prosecute him, yet nature overcame displeasure, and forced him to cry, Absalom my son, my son, I would I might suffer for thee or in thy stead my son, my son. For indeed this son of his whom he and his friends gave over for lost, yea worse then lost, was likely for learning, for memory, for sharpnesse of wit and sweetnesse of behaviour to have pro∣ved another Thoby Matthew, neither is his case so desperate, but that if he would belief Matthew better then Thoby, I would thinke yet there were hope to reclaime him.