great estimation, that her Majesty was pleased to make choice of him, before many others of eminent place in the Church, to be Bishop of Woreester; to which See he was consecrated April 21, 1577. Upon which his advancement, he first took his leave of the whole University by a public sermon, which he preached in St. Mary's Church, wherein he exhorted them to peace; and afterwards by a private sermon in Trinity College, he gave unto that society such a godly and learned exhortation for their continuance and constancy in peace and unity, as it so moved their affections that they burst out into tears, insomuch that there were scarce any dry eyes to be found amongst the whole number. He chose for his text the same farewell which St. Paul gave unto the Corinthians," Finally, brethren, farewell; be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace shall be with you." 2 Cor. xiii. 11.

In June following, he was attended and accompanied on his way from Cambridge towards Worcester, with a great troop of the Heads and others of choice account in the University, and with exceeding lamentation, and sorrow of all sorts, for the loss they conceived they had of so worthy a governor.

Her Majesty gave him farther testimonies of her favour, by forgiving him his first-fruits, and granting him the disposal of all the prebends of Worcester.

He found the Bishopric much impaired, by his predecessors granting away in long leases divers manors, parks, and mansion houses. But what most troubled him was the letting to Master Abington, Cofferer to the Queen, the rent-corn of his two best manors, Hollow and Grimley, which he succeeded in recovering to the See, giving 3001. out of his own purse to have the lease surrendered.

Here he had great respect from the Gentlemen of the County. In all

proceedings the Bishop's pleasure was first known, for time and place. He would often make appointment of meetings, either at his own house or some of theirs, for some commendable recreations or exercises, whereby still to keep the Gentlemen, by their continual repair to each other, in mutual love and concord.

He was very active as a peacemaker among the people, and particularly in the following instance.

There was a deadly quarrel between Sir John Russell and Sir Henry Barkely, so that great bloodshed was like to have ensued at a Sessions at Worcester, by reason of their many friends and followers, had not the Bishop wisely prevented it, by providing a strong watch at the gates and about the city, and requiring them to bring both parties, with their attendants, well guarded to his palace, where he caused them all, to the number of four or five hundred, to deliver their weapons into his own servants custody; and, after two hours pains taken, sometimes in persuading, and otherwhiles in threatening them, he made them so good friends, as they both attended him, hand in hand, to the Town-hall, where they performed the service of their country in amity and love, and ever after held him in great honour and estimation therefore.

A year after his consecration to that Bishopric, he was made VicePresident of the Marches of Wales. During his first year in this office, he took no part in the government, but after that, having acquired due information, he then applied himself to the direction of affairs, taking exceeding pains, from morn. ing till bed-time, affording himself only small time for meals and study.

He kept a watch over his associates, and also over his family and attendants, to avoid all colour of corruption. A Gentleman of his bed-chamber making request unto him that he might have the delivery of suitors' petitions, and indorse their

answers, he presently discharged him of his chamber, (as supposing he had been tampered withal) and could never afterwards very well brook him.

His great integrity, justice, and mild government, caused him to be selected by the Queen for the reforming of the Cathedral Churches of Lichfield and Hereford, which were then in great disorder.

The Queen further designed him for the Archbishopric of Canterbury, during the life time of Archbishop Grindall, who was then in disgrace, and was himself desirous of resigning the office to him; but Bishop Whitgift utterly refused, and in presence of the Queen herself, besought pardon in not accepting thereof, upon any condition whatsoever, in the lifetime of the other.

Archbishop Grindall died shortly after; upon which, Bishop Whitgift was appointed his successor, September 24, 1583. You would then have wondered to have seen the repair and flocking of Gentlemen and others, both out of Worcestershire and the Marches of Wales, not to congratulate his advancement, but to express their true love and hearty affection towards him, and to beseech him not to depart from thence; and so with tears and sobs they took their leave of him, as kind-natured children use to part from their parents, whose face they are out of hope ever to see again.

He found the Archbishopric sur charged in the valuation, and procured an abatement of 100%. in the first-fruits for him and his successors. He also recovered 1000 acres at Long Beachwood, in Kent, which had been many years detained from his predecessor by Sir James Croft, then Comptroller of her Majesty's Household, farmer thereof to her Majesty. In letting leases of his impropriations, if he found the Curate's wages but small, he would abate much of his fine to increase their pensions; some ten pounds a year, REMEMBRANCER, No. 68.

some more, some less, as at Folkstone, Maidstone, and others.

He was now intrusted by the queen with the management of all her ecclesiastical affairs and preferment: in which office "he devoutly consecrated both his whole life to God, and his painful labours to the good of the Church." And yet in this place he met with many oppositions in the regulation of Church affairs, which were much disordered at his entrance, by reason of the age and remissness + of Archbishop Grindall, his immediate predecessor, the activity of the non-conformists, (amongst whom his former opponent in the University, Master Cartwright, was foremost,) and their chief assistant, the Earl of Leicester; and indeed by too many others of the like sacrilegious principles. With these he was to encounter; and though he wanted neither courage, nor a good cause, yet he foresaw that, without a great measure of the Queen's favour, it was impossible to stand in the breach that had been lately made into the lands and immunities of the Church, or indeed to maintain the remaining lands and rights of it. And therefore, by justifiable sacred insinuations, such as St. Paul to Agrippa-" Agrippa, believest thou? I know thou believest”—he wrought himself into so great a degree of favour with her, as by his pious use of it, hath got both of them a great degree of fame in this world, and of glory in that into which they are now both entered ‡.

He linked himself in a firm league of friendship with Sir Christopher Hatton, then Vice-chamberlain to the Queen, and with Lord Burghley,

* Camden's Annals of Queen Elizabeth, quoted by Walton.

Or rather by reason of his suspension and sequestration which he lay under, together with the queen's displeasure, for some years, when the ecclesiastical affairs were managed by certain civilians. J. S. Wordsworth's Eccl. Biog. vol. iv. p. 231. Walton's Life of Hooker. 3 N

then Lord Treasurer, who prevailed so far, that when the Earl of Leicester was in the Low Countries, the Archbishop was sworn Counsellor of State, (February, 1585) which gave him freer access to the Queen, and enabled him better to pursue his measures in the Church's behalf. On the death of Sir Thomas Bromely, the then Lord-Chancellor, (April 12, 1587) it pleased her Majesty to discover her gracious inclination to have made the Archbishop Lord-Chancellor of England; but he excusing himself in many respects, that he was grown into years, and had the burthen of all ecclesiastical business laid upon his back, which was as much as one man could well undergo, considering the troubles with so many sectaries, that were then sprung up, desired to be spared, and besought her Highness to make choice of Sir Christopher Hatton, who shortly after was made LordChancellor in the Archbishop's house at Croydon; thereby the rather to grace the Archbishop. His advancement did much strengthen the Archbishop and his friends; and withal the Earl of Leicester, and his designments, came soon after to an end. For the year following, taking his journey to Kenelworth, he died in the way at Cornbury Park, whereby the Archbishop took himself freed from much opposition.

Upon the death of the said Earl, the Chancellorship of Oxford being

Archbishop Whitgift repaired daily to the council table, early in the morning, and after an usual apprecation of a goodmorrow to the lords, he requested to know if there were any Church business to be debated; and if the answer was returned in the affirmative, he staid and attended the issue of the matter. But if no such matter appeared, he craved leave to be dispensed withal, saying, " Then, my lords, here is no need of me," and departed; a commendable practice, clearing himself from all aspersions of civil pragmaticalness, and tending much to the just support of his reputation.-Fuller's Church Hist. b. ix. p. 197. Wordsworth's Eccl. Biog, vol. iv. p. 349. Note.

void, divers of the Heads, and others of the University, made known unto the Archbishop their desire to choose him their Chancellor, although he was a Cambridge man. To whom he returned this answer; that he was already their friend, whereof they might rest assured; and therefore advised them to make choice of some other in place near about the Queen, that might assist him on their behalf; and both at the council-board, and other places of justice, right them many ways, both for the benefit of the University, and their particular Colleges; and therewithal recommended unto them Sir Christopher Hatton, being sometime of that University; whom accordingly they did choose for their Chancellor, and whom the Archbishop ever found a great assistant in bridling and reforming the intemperate humour of those novelists, the Puritan faction, who by the countenance of some great personages (Earl of Leicester, &c.) were now grown to a strong head, and proceeded to great outrages, as well in their scurrilous pamphlets, (such as Martin Marprelate, and others like it), as in their seditious practices against the established church and government.

These seditious stirs of the reforming sect happening at a time when the invincible Spanish navy, (as some vainly termed it) was upon our coasts, and her Majesty was employed in the preparation of forces to encounter and resist them; the Archbishop also had not the meanest part to perform in so great and weighty an action; when the whole forces of the Clergy, not only within his particular diocese, but through the whole province, were committed unto his care and charge, to have in readiness, besides his own family and tenants, which were by him gathered together, and all prepared, mustered, and trained, for defence of Prince and country.

While he actively suppressed the designs of the factious, he was still remarkable for his clemency towards

them, using his interest with the Queen in their behalf. For Cart. wright, among others, he procured the Queen's pardon and dismission, and bestowed on him many personal favours, tolerating his preaching, on his promise of not impugning the laws, orders and government in the Church of England, but that he would persuade and procure, so much as he could, both publicly and privately, the estimation and peace of the same-though the Queen, on hearing it, would by no means endure his preaching without subscription, and was not a little offended with the Archbishop for such connivancy at him.

As he used such clemency towards the irregular sort, so towards the conformable he was carried with an exceeding tender respect and kindness. He loved a learned minister, virtuous and honest, with all his heart; framing himself unto that rule of Aristotle, which directeth a good magistrate, "to be as careful in encouraging good men, according to their merits, as in punishing the bad, according to the quality of their offences." If he found a scholar of extraordinary gifts or hopes, that out of wants grew discontented, and inclined to popery or puritanism, (as most of their discontentments and wayward ness proceeded thence,) him would he gain both with supplies of money out of his purse, and preferments of his own gift, or otherwise as opportunity served.

Now as our countrymen of all sorts had daily taste of the kind disposition of this our Archbishop, so was it not wanting unto sundry men of learning and quality, of foreign countries, whom he entertained both with his love and his bounty. He sent sundry times much money to Master Beza out of his own purse, besides the general collections and contributions to Geneva, which he also greatly furthered-upon which occasion many letters passed betwixt them.

As from Master Beza, so from other famous men beyond the seas, he received many letters, arguing their great love and due respect of him. At their request and recommendation, he relieved and entertained into his house, for many years together, divers distressed ministers out of Germany and France, who were enforced to forsake their own countries, some by banishment, others by reason of wars and extremity, which they were put unto, and at their departure he dealt bountifully with them; as namely Drusius, Renicherus, Frigeville, and Monsieur Buse, a French minister, who read weekly a lecture in Latin in his chapel. And although his French pronunciation, and want of good delivery, did somewhat blemish the goodness of the matter which he handled; yet the Archbishop's property ever was, to cherish and encourage him, and all others that preached before him, and he was never heard to give the preacher distaste, but rather would commend, or excuse him against other men's censures; saying, "if he were young, better experience would correct his defaults, and if he were in years, he was in that respect to be borne withal," alleging for both, that some would take exceptions, sometimes rather to satisfy their own too much curiosity, than for any just cause of dislike in the preacher.

Wherein he shewed a disposition very rarely to be found; in that, having himself an excellent gift in that faculty, his modesty in prizing himself, and his mildness in censuring others, was extraordinary, and very singular; so that thereby he gave great encouragement unto some, whom otherwise his exquisite judgment might have daunted.

Neither herein did he, as in service of war the trumpeters use to do, who encourage others to fight, never taking weapon in hand themselves, but as his continual endeavours were to reward those of best gifts, and to encourage those of