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.

Of DURHAM,

and the present Bishop thereof Dr. James.

It is noted of Dionysius of Sicily that he had no care of any religion that was pro∣fessed in his country, as neither had his father before him, making but a sport to robbe their Gods, taking away Aesculapi∣us Beard of Gold, because his father Apollo had no Beard, and Jupiters golden Cloake saying that it was too heavy for Sommer and too cold for Winter, yet used he to conferre sometimes with Philosophers, and have the choysest of them and give them honourable entertainment, which honour at last bred him this commodity, that losing his Crowne hee learned to beare poverty not onely without dismay but with some disport. The like I may say of a late great Earle of this Realme, Son of a great Duke, who though he made no great conscience to spoyle the Church livings no more then did his fa∣ther, yet for his reputation and perhaps for his recreation, he would have some choyce and excellent men for his Chap∣laines

of both Universities, as Doctor Thoby Matthew now Archbishop of Yorke, Doctor John Still Bishop of Bath and Wells, and this Prelate that I am now to speake of Doctor James then Deane of Christchurch and this hope of comfort came to his Lordship thereby, that if it pleased God to impart any mercy to him (as his mercy endureth for ever) it was by the speciall Ministery of this man, who was the last of his Coat that was with him in his sicknesse. Concerning this Bishop∣rick it is formerly noted by mine Author, that it was once dissolved by Act of Par∣liament in the Minority of King Edward the sixth, what time the two new Dukes of Sommerset and Northumberland like the Souldiers that cast lots for Christs gar∣ment divided between them Patrimonium Crucifixi, namely, the two good Bishop∣ricks of Bath and Durham, one being de∣signed as a seat for the Western Duke, the other for the Northern; and whereas by an old Metamorphofis the Bishop of Dur∣ham had been Earle of Northumberland, now by a new Apotheosis the Duke of Nor∣thumberland would have beene Bishop of Durham: But qui despexit de coelo deribe∣dat eos. That visible hand that wrote in

the wall while Balthasar was quaffing in the holy Vessels, that hand though invisi∣ble weighed these petty Monarks in the ballance of Gods judgements, found them too light; and because they should not grow too long, they were both cut shor∣ter by the head: the Bishopricks restored to what they now are by Queene Mary, one being in substance, the other by acci∣dent of leaden Mines, two of the best Bi∣shopricks of England, and as worthy Bi∣shops they have had, especially these two of them, namely two Matthews are spoken of in the Title of Yorke. There remaines now this third, who having had yet scant a yeare and a day as they say, I have the lesse to speake of as of a Bishop. But that examining by the infallible square set downe by St. Paul to Timothy chap. 3. for choyce of a Bishop he will be found as worthily chosen as any: For his Lear∣ning it may be sufficient to say he was Deane of Christchurch, which as I have said formerly attaines not to but choyce men, and there are sermons of his extant in Print that testifie no lesse. For hospi∣tality which is a speciall praise of a Bi∣shop, he shewed in Oxford his disposition thereto in that lesse hability, and for both

at once at the comming of divers great States, and lastly fifteen yeares past of the Queen her self before whom he preached, and to whom he gave so good entertain∣ment, as her Majesty commended the or∣der and manner of it long after; which commendation of well setting out and ordering a feaft, I should have thought of the lesse moment, if I did not finde in Plu∣tarke in the life of Paulus Aemylius a great Captain and Conquerour, and otherwise a man of much vertue and temperance, the well ordering of a feast to be esteemed not one of his least commendations. But I will conclude with a greater and more worthy commendation; and which I could wish, as it is exemplar, so it might be followed by all ensuing Bishops. For whereas Durham house had been granted to Queen Elizabeth only during her life, when few thought that such a house would have proved too little for her e∣state. It fortuned after she was Queen this house to be neglected according to the proverbe not unfit to be applyed to his Learning that first built it: Praestat esse ca∣put asini quam cauda leonis. Among other roomes the Chappell was not onely pro∣phaned but even defaced This good Bi∣shop

the first thing he doth at his com∣ming repaires this Chappell, and and fur∣nisheth it within in comely and costly sort; for which good mind and act, I doubt not but God wil build him a house, toward which he shall ever have my best wishes.