Memoires of the lives, actions, sufferings & deaths of those noble, reverend and excellent personages that suffered by death, sequestration, decimation, or otherwise, for the Protestant religion and the great principle thereof, allegiance to their soveraigne, in our late intestine wars, from the year 1637 to the year 1660, and from thence continued to 1666 with the life and martyrdom of King Charles I / by Da. Lloyd ...

THE Life and Death OF Dr. JOHN WILLIAMS, Lord Archbishop of York.

DOctor Iohn Williams, born at Aber Conway in Caernarvon-shire, bred Fellow of St. Iohns Colledge in Cambridge, and Proctor of that University, hath this Character That a strong Constitution made his parts, a strict E∣ducation improved them; unwearied was his Indu∣stry, unexpressible his capacity. He never saw the Book of worth he read not, he never forgot what he read; he never lost the use of what he remembred: Every thing he heard or saw was his own; and what was his own, he knew how to use to the utmost. His Extraction being Gentile, his large and Noble, his Presence and Carriage comely and stately, his Learn∣ing Copious, his Judgment stayed, his Apprehension clear and searching, his Expression lively and Effectual, his Elocution flowing and Majestick, his Proctorship, 1612. discovered him a Person above his Place; and his Lectures to his Pupils, above his Preferment. Bishop Vaughan first admitted him to his Family, and then to his bosom; there his strong Sermons, his exact Go∣vernment (under my Lord,) his plentiful observation, his nume∣rous acquaintance, made him my Lord Chancellor Egertons Friend, rather than his Servant; his Familiar, rather than his Chaplain. Never was there a more communicative Master to instruct, than my Lord Elsemere; never a more capable Scho∣lar to learn than Dr. Williams, who had instilled to him all ne∣cessary State Maxims while his old Master lived, and had be∣queathed unto him four excellent Books when his Master was dead. These four Books he presented to King Iames the very same time that he offered himself to the Duke of Buckingham; The excellent Prince observed him as much for the first gift, as the Noble Duke (of Buckingham) did for the second: The King and Duke made him their own, who they saw had made that excellent Book his. Willing was King Iames to advance Clergy∣men, and glad to meet with men capable of advancements. His two Sermons at Court made him Dean of Westminster; his exact state of the Earl of Somersets Case made him capable of, and the Kings inclination to trust his Conscience in a Divines hand, setled him in a Lord Keepers place actually, only for three years

to please the people, (who were offended with his years, now but thirty four, and his Calling a Divine•• but designedly for ever to serve his Majesty. The Lawyers despised hima 1.1 at first, but the Judges admired him at last: and one of them said, That ne∣ver any man apprehended a Case so clearly, took in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Law, Reason, and other Circumstances more punctually, recollected the various Debates more faithfully, summed it up more com∣pendiously, and concluded more judiciously and discreetly: For many of them might have read more than he, but none digest∣ed what they had read more solidly; none disposed of their read∣ing more methodically, none therefore commanded it more rea∣dily. He demurred several Orders, as that of my Lord Chancel∣lors pardon, the Earl Marshals Pattent, &c. to let his Majesty see his Judgment; yet passed them, to let him see his Obedience: He would question the Dukes Order sometimes discreetly, to let him know he understood himself; yet he would yield handsome∣ly, to let him see he understood him: and indeed he had the ad∣mirable faculty of making every one of his actions carry prudence in the performance. Necessary it was, for one of his years and place, to keep his distance, to avoid contempt; yet fatal was to him to do so, and incur envy. Well understood he the interest of all his places, and resolutely he maintained them. What, saith he, shall the Liberties of Westminster he infringed, when the chief Favorite is Steward, and the Lord Keeper D••an, and I the Contemptible man that must be trampled on? When he was in trouble, what passion, what insinuation, what condescension hath he at command? when Peti∣tioned to, how quickly he looked through men and business? how exactly would he judge, and how resolutely conclude, with∣out an immediate intimation from his Majesty or the Duke? Ma∣ny eyes were upon him, and as many eyes were kept by him upon others; being very watchful on all occasions to accommodate all emergencies, and meet with all humors, always keeping men in dependance on the Duke, according to this intimation of his— Cabal 287. Let him hold it, but by your Lordships favor, not his own power. A good way, had he been constant to it, the neglect whereof undid him; for designing the promotion of Dr. Price to the Bishoprick of Armagh, he moved it to the Duke, who told him it was disposed of to Dr. Vsher. Whereupon he went his own way to advance that man, and overthrew himself: for then his Lord let him feel what he had threatned my Lord Bacon when he advanced him; That if he did not owe his Preferment always to his fa∣vor, he should owe his fall to his frown. The peremptoriness of his judgment rendred him odious: his compliance with Bristol, sus∣pected; and his Sermon at King Iames's Funeral (his tryal, rather than his Preferment) obnoxious. His spirit was great to act, and too great to suffer. It was prudence to execute his Decrees a∣gainst all opposition while in power; it was not so, to bear up his miscarriages against all Authority, while in disgrace. A sanguine Complexion, with its Resolutions, do well in pursuit of success: Flegm and its patience do better in a Retreat from micarriages.

This he wanted, when (it may be thinking fear was the passion of King Charles's Government as well as King Iames) he seconded his easie fall with loud and open discontents, and those discontents, with a chargeable defence of his Servants that were tob 1.2 justifie them, and all ••••th that unsafe popularity, invidious pomp, and close irregularity that laid him open to too many active persons that watched him. Whether his standing out against Authority to the perplexing of the Government in the Star Chamber in those troublesome times; his entertainment and favor for the Discon∣tented and Non-Conformists, his motions for Reformation and Al∣teration in twelve things; his hasty and unlucky Protestation in behalf of the Bishops, and following actions in England and Wales, where its all mens wonders to hear of his M••ruit su•• 〈…〉〈…〉 had those private grounds and reasons, that if the Bishop could have spoken with the King but half an hour, he said, would have satisfied him, the King of Kings only knoweth, to whom he hath given I hope a better account than any Historian of his time hath given for him.

But I understand better his private inclinations, than his pub¦lick actions; the motions of his nature, than those of his power; the Conduct of the one being not more reserved and suspicious, than the effects of the other manifest and noble: for not to menti∣on his Libraries erected and furnished at St. Iohns and Westminster, his Chappel in Lincoln Colledge; the Repairs of his Collegiate Church, his Pensions to Scholars more numerous than all the Bi∣shops and Noble-men besides, his Rent Charges on all the Benefi∣ces in his gift as Lord Keeper, or Bishop of Lincoln, to maintain hopeful youth, according to a Statute in that Case provided. Take this remarkable instance of his Munificence; that when Du Moulin came over he calleth his Chaplain, now the Right Reve∣rend Father in God, Iohnc 1.3 Lord Bishop of Coventry and Litch∣field, and telleth him, he doubted the good man was low, wishing him to repair to him with some Money, and his respects, with as∣surance that he would wait upon him himself at his first leisure. The excellent Doctor rejoyceth, that he could carry him no less than twenty pounds; The Noble Bishop replyed, he named not the summe, to sound his Chaplains minde; adding, that twenty pounds was neither fit for him to give, nor for the Reverend Forreigner to re∣ceive; Carry, said he, an hundred pounds.

He is Libelled by common fame for unchaste, though those that understood the privacies and casualties of his Infancy, report him but one degree removed from a Misogonist; Though to palliate his infirmities, he was most compleat in Courtly addresses. The con∣versableness of this Bishop with Women consisted chiefly (if not only) in his Treatments of great Ladies and Persons of honor, wherein he did personate the compleatness of Courtesie to that Sex; otherwise a Woman was seldom seen in his house, which therefore had alwayes more Magnificence than Neatness, sometimes defective in the Punctilio's and Niceties of Dainti∣ness, lying lower than Masculine Cognizance, and as level

for a Womans eye to espy, as easie for her hand to amend.

He suffereth for conniving at Puritans, out of hatred to Bishop Loud; and for favoring Papists out of love to them; yet what∣ever he offered King Iames (when the Match went on in Spain) as a Counsellor, or whatever he did himself as a Statesman; such kindness he had for our Liturgy, that he translated and Printed it at his own Cost into Spanish, and used it in the Visitation of Melvin, when sick to his own peril, in the Tower; and such resolution for Episcopacy, that his late Majesty of blessed Memory said once to him; My Lord, I commend you that you are no whit daunted with all Disasters, but are zealous in defending your Order. Please it your Majesty, replyed the Archbishop, I am a true Welshman, and they are observed never to run away till their Generall first forsakes them, no fear of any flinching, while your Majesty doth countenance our Cause.

His Extraction was Gentile and Antient, as appeared from his Ancestors estatea 1.4 which was more than he could purchase without borrowing, when at once Lord Keeper, Bishop of Lin∣coln, and Dean of Westminster. His minde great and resolute, in∣somuch that he controuled all other advices to his last, to his loss in Wales; and daunted Sirb 1.5 Iohn Cook, as you may see in his Character to his honor in England.

His Wariness hath these Arguments.

1. That he would not send the Seal to the King, but under Lock and Key.

2. That being to depute one to attend his place at the Coronati∣on of King Charles the First, he would not name his Adversary, Bi∣shop Laud, to gratifie him; nor yet any other, to displease the King; but took a middle way, and presented his Majesty a List of the Prebendaries, to avoid any exception, referring the Election to his Majesty himself.

3. That he proposed a partialc 1.6 Reformation of our Church to the Parliament, to prevent an utter extirpation by it.

4. That he exposed others to the censure of the Parliament, 1625. to save himself.

5. That he answered to several Examinations upon the strength of his memory, without any the least advantage taken by his An∣tagonist.

This Character of his I think very exact; that his Head was a well-fitted treasury, and his Tongue the fair key to unlock it; that he had as great a memory, as could be reconciled with so good a judgment; that so quick his parts, that others study went not be∣yond his nature; and their designed and fore-laid performances, went not beyond his sudden and ready accommodations. Only he was very open, and too free in discourse, disdaining to lye at a close guard, as confident of the length and strength of his wea∣pon.

The first eminent Performance that raised him, was the enter∣tainment he made 1612. when Proctor to the Spanish Ambassadors, brought thither by my Lord Chancellor Elsmere, where with the gracefulness of his presence, the great ingenuity of his discourses,

the comeliness of his Addresses, the short, courtly, pleasant me∣thod of the Exercises, whereof he was Moderator; and especially that skill in the Spanish tongue, wherewith he had prepared him∣self, he did himself, the University, and the Nation so much right, that the Lord Chancellor of England, and of the University, in the presence, and with the approbation of the Spanish Ambassa∣dor, took his leave of him, with this Character, That he had behaved himself so well in this Treat to the Ambassadors, that he was fit to serve a King, and that he would see him as much wellcomed at Court, as they were in the Vniversity.

He knew the value of an opportunity, whereof he would say, that every man had it sooner or later, and the neglect or improve∣ment of it, was the marring or making of every man in the world, and therefore he hazarded the expence of his present fortune, to furnish himself to a capacity for a new one. Having occasion to appear in publick but seldom, when he came up, he was very care∣ful in the choice, pertinenoy, and seasonableness of his subject, and in the exactness of his composure, setting out at once the variety of his learning, the strength of his parts, and thea 1.7 choiceness of his observation and prudence.

The greater the performance was (whether a Speech, or a Ser∣mon, or a Debate) he was to undertake, the more liberty and re∣creation he took, to quicken and open his spirits, and to clear his thoughts; aiming at two things, which he said, was all we could add to former perfection,

1. Method.

And 2. Perspicuity.

He understood well the divided interests, and Faction of the Kingdom; and knew as well how to make use of them being able to Buoy himself up at any time against any one side by the cosistance of the other, presently striking in withb 1.8 William Earl of Pembroke, and other Patriots, for the publick good of the Nation, as soon as he was deserted by George Duke of Buckingham, and other Courtiers, that aimed only at their own personal inte∣rest.

After four years Imprisonment, 40000l. losses, when resto∣red as one of the Minions of the Parliament, he disputed for Epis∣copacy in the House of Lords unanswerably; he drew up a De∣murrer in behalf of the Bishops, in regard of the Tumults that disturbed the freedom of their Votes and Sitting 1641. whereof the Lord Keeper professed it was the strongest Demurrer, and the fullest of Law, that ever he saw in his life. And when with Ste∣nelaidos the Ephor, he saw it in vain for that party to stand debating with words, which was injured above words, he contrived and modelled such an Association in North-Wales to assert that authori∣ty, under which he had suffered, as not only secured that Country against the Rebels, but yielded his Majesty several very great and seasonable Supplies. Until God punishing Rebellion with success, and suffering it to overthrow the best Government, that it might with its own weight, as Rome did, overturn its self. (For take off the

common principles, in which Rebels agree, and the common persons, that keep them together with those principles; their variety of humors, and interests bring them immediately to a division, and so to a ruin, Mach. Prince l. 2. c. 3. and on Livy, l. 6. c. 2. §. 3. And he saw that those rods upon our backs, might singly be broken, when they could not be broke, united, and in a bundle.) He thought it prudence to make that composition in time for Wales, to prevent plundering, and the making of it the seat of war, which he saw must be made for all England; and the dreadful stories of his declaring for the Parliament was nothing else, but his garrisoning of his own house, and discountenancing some stragling Cavaliers, that did no good, but lye upon the Countrys themselves, and draw thither whole Armies of the enemy to lye upon it too.

There being hardly any ingenious person in England, that he in∣couraged not, stealing favours upon them in a way equally suiting with their occasion, and their modesty; the very wretch that writ the Satyr upon him, Printed with Cleavelands Poems, owing his heat to the wine in his Cellar; and his Vein, to his Gold. For receiving twenty pieces of him, and despairing of more, to please his new patrons in the next Ale-house, vomited this Libel upon his old one. A Libel nothing would be guilty of, but Poetry, and Beggery.

AEternitati S.

I. Johannes Williams S. Th. Dr. & omnium quibus Instruitur & quibus regitur gens humana; quibus regnamus, & quibus, vivimus Magister artium. Coll. Io. Cant. non suit, seda 1.9 quod majus magistrum creavit dum tantum socius; omnium, & re∣rum, & hominum sagacissime peritus.

1. Westmonasterii Decanus
2. Lincolniae Episcopus	Haud quadragenarius quasi ad magna natus potius quam elatus.
3. Magni sigilli Custos
4. Serenissimo R. Jacobo a secretioribus consiliis.

Vsitatos honorum gradus & moras devora∣vit vir honoribus Augustior. Cujus ultima lans est, quod fuerit inter nos primus. majorem enim officiis reddidit quam accepit gloriam grandia fecit grandiora patiens; suis illustrior infortuniis uti nube Iris, & eclipsi Phoebus mensa lautus; sed sui pars quota est Festivus, & facundus Dominus Convivii! Florente Ecclesia eum Episcopum nollet Invidia quem jam labantisb 1.10 Archiepiscopum creavit necessitas; ruentis Coeli Atlantem vel Atlanti succedaneum Herculem peracto jam duodecimo laborum Anno, ab Anno nempe 1628. ad annum 1640. Invita fortuna Duas Absolvit Bibliothecas

hanc Westmonasterii illam Cantabrigiae tresque restauravit capellas, & plurimos suo collegio addidit socios omnes Clandestinis beneficiis sibi demerens bonae Indolis Iuvenes; Quem praedicando creta nigraret minor, haud paucioribus quam quae devinxit celebrandus Ingeniis. Panegyrista sibi est clemens pater. Quem nominasse carmen est, & loqui epigramma; dum enim maecenatem sonant: Properant ligari verba, & in numerum fluunt; materia quem non reperit, argutum facit.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Sir Ed∣ward Cook hath some∣where a saying that Divines meddle with Law, but they commit great Errors.
• b 1.2

  〈…〉〈…〉
• c 1.3

  With whom he was very familiar, calling him to an account a∣bout his fludy every night, and conser••ing with him a∣bout Affairs and Histo••ies.
• a 1.4

  He left 1000l. per annum to his Heir, who is a Knight and Beronet, dying March 25. 1 (4). when it was a que∣stion whether his R••••t be∣longed to his ••••••••cuto, or his Heir.
• b 1.5

  Sir J••hn Cook, was sent to com∣mand him into the Country out of his Dea¦nery of West∣minster. He asked 〈◊〉〈◊〉 John how d••••st he command a man out of his Free-hold? which wrought upon the old Gentleman so far, that he never rested until he had his pardon s••aled for it.
• c 1.6

  At the Meeting in Je∣rusalem-chamber, March 1641. with 20. mo∣derate Confor∣mists and Non-conformists, appointed upon his motion to consider of the reformation of discipline and government, worship and doctrine, with the innova••i∣ous lately crept into all of them.
• a 1.7

  Se•• his Serm••ns on King James his buncial of App••••el, of ••••••••ag.
• b 1.8

  A•• he plainly told the Duke of B. at Ox∣ford.
• a 1.9

  Dr. G••yn.
• b 1.10

  Ebocac•••• 1641.