thought had better be disused than urged, deserves to be remembered. He died in the month of July, 1588, in the sixty-ninth year of his age, and was buried in the collegiate church of Southwell, where there is a monument erected to his memory, with his own effigies on the top, and a great number of his children kneeling round the sides of it, CHAP. VIII. FROM THE SPANISH INVASION TO THE DEATH OF QUEEN ELIZABETH. WHILE there were any hopes of compromising matters between the church and Puritans, the controversy was carried on with some decency; but when all hopes of accommodation were at an end, the contending parties loaded each other with the heaviest reproaches. The public printing presses being shut against the Puritans, some of them purchased a private one, and carried it from one country to another to prevent discovery: it was first set up at Moulsey in Surrey, near Kingston-on-Thames; from thence it was conveyed to Fawsley in Northamptonshire; from thence to Norton, from thence to Coventry, from Coventry to Woolston in Warwickshire, and from thence to Manchester in Lancashire, where it was discovered. Sundry satirical pamphlets were printed by this press, and dispersed all over the kingdom; as, "Martin Mar-Prelate;" written, as is supposed, by a club of separatists, for the authors were never discovered: it is a violent satire against the hierarchy and all its supporters; it calls the lord-bishops petty antichrists, petty popes, proud prelates, enemies to the gospel, and most covetous wretched priests. It says, "that the Lord has given many of our bishops over to a reprobate sense, because they wilfully *Bishop Sandys was one of the translators of the Bible in this reign, and the anthor of a volume of sermons esteemed superior to any of his contemporaries. The words of his last will, quoted above, agree with his former declaration to bishop Parker, produced by our author, p. 160. But his treatment of the Puritans was a contradiction to both; and is one proof amongst the several instances furnished by these times, of the influence of preferment and prosperity in corrupting the human mind, or blinding the judgment. For, in the same will, he entered his serious protest against the platforms offered by the Puritans. See Maddox's Vindication, p. 352.-F.D. 2 D VOL. I. oppose and persécute the truth; and supposes them to have committed the unpardonable sin, because they have manifested in their public writings, &c. most blasphemous and damnable doctrines." The author then addresses himself to the clergy who had subscribed, and who were for pressing subscription upon others, in such punning language as this, "right puissant and terrible priests, my clergy masters of the confocation or conspiration house, whether fickers [vicars], pallripolitans, or others of the holy league of subscription. Right poisoned, persecuting, and terrible priests; my horned masters, your government is antichristian, your cause is desperate, your grounds are ridiculousMartin understands all your knavery; you are intolerable withstanders of reformation, enemies of the gospel, and most covetous, wretched, and Popish priests, &c."* There are a great many sad truths in the book, but delivered in rude and unbecoming language, and with a bitter angry spirit, The titles of the rest were, "Theses Martiniano; i.e. certain demonstrative conclusions set down and collected by Martin Mar-Prelate the Great, serving as a manifest and sufficient confutation of all that ever the college of cater-caps, with their whole band of clergy-priests, have or can bring for the defence of their ambitious and antichristian prelacy. Published by Martin junior, 1589, in octavo, and dedicated to John Kankerbury" [i. e. Canterbury]. The author of this tells the bishops, that he would plant young Martins in every diocess and parish, who should watch the behaviour of the clergy, that when any thing was done amiss it might be made public. "Protestation of Martin Mar-Prelate; wherein, notwithstanding the surprising of the printer, he maketh it known to the world, that he feareth neither proud priest, antichristian pope, tyrannous prelate, nor godless cater-cap, &c, Printed 1589." Octavo. "His appellation to the high court of parliament from the bad and injurious dealing of the archbishop of Canterbury, and other his colleagues of the high-commission, &c.t Printed 1589." Octavo. "Dialogue, wherein is plainly laid open the tyrannical dealings of the lords-bishops against God's children. Printed 1589." Quarto. *Life of Whitgift, p. 290. † Ath. Oxon, vol. 1. p. 259. "A treatise, wherein is manifestly proved, that reformation, and those that sincerely favour the same, are unjustly charged to be enemies to her majesty, and the state. Printed 1590." Quarto. "Ha' ye any work for the Cooper ?" This was written against Dr. Thomas Cooper, bishop of Winchester; and is said to be printed in Europe, not far from some of the bouncing priests, 1590. "Epitome of the first book of Dr. John Bridges against the Puritans;" with this expression in the title-page, "Oh!. read over Dr. John Bridges, for it is a worthy work. Printed over-sea in Europe, within two furlongs of a bouncing priest, at the cost and charges of Martin Mar-Prelate, gent. in quarto." "The cobler's book,"* which denies the church of England to be a true church, and charges her with maintaining idolatry under the name of decency, in the habits, fonts, baptism by women, gang-days, saints' eves, bishoping of children, organs, wafer-cakes, &c. "Ha'ye any more work for the Cooper?"+ In printing of which the press was discovered and seized, with several pamphlets unfinished; as, Episto [Episco] Mastix, Paradoxes, Dialogues, Miscellanea, Varia Lectiones, Martin's Dream, The Lives and Doings of English Popes, Itinerarium or Visitations, Lambethisms. The two last of these were imperfect; but to complete the Itinerarium, the author threatens to survey all the clergy of England, and note their intolerable pranks and for his Lambethisms he would have a Martin at Lambeth. Other books were published of the same nature; as "A demonstration of discipline;" « The counter-poison," &c. The writers on the church-side came not behind their adversaries in buffoonery and ridicule, as appears by the following pamphlets printed at this time. Pappe with an hatchet, alias, A fig for my godson: or, Crack me this nut, that is, a sound box of the ear for the ideot Martin to hold his peace. Written by one that dares call a dog a dog. Imprinted by John Anoke, and are to be sold at the sign of the Crab-Tree Cudgel, in ThwackCoat-Lane."+ "Pasquil's apology. In the first part whereof he ren*Life of Whitgift, p. 296, + Ibid. p. 288. Ath. Oxon. 6. 280. ders a reason of his long silence, and gallops the field with the treatise of reformation. Printed where I was, and where I shall be ready, by the help of God and my muse, to send you a May-game of Martinism. Anno. 1593." Quarto. "An almond for a parrot: or, An alms for Martin MarPrelate, &c. By Cuthbert Curry-Knave." Quarto. "The return of the renowned Cavaliero Pasquil to England, and his meeting with Marforius at London, upon the Royal Exchange, London 1589, against Martin and Martinism." "A counter-cuff given to Martin junior, by the Pasquil of England, Cavaliero. 1589." Octavo. : It is sad when a controversy about serious matters runs these dregs ridicule and personal reflection may expose. an adversary and make him ashamed, but will never convince or reconcile; it carries with it a contempt which sticks in the heart and is hardly ever to be removed, nor do I remember any cause that has been served by such methods. Dr. Bridges answered Martin in a ludicrous style; but Cooper bishop of Winchester did more service by his grave and sober reply, with the assistance of the archbishop of Canterbury, who, being miserably aspersed, furnished the bishop with replies to the particular charges brought against him. The book is entitled, "An advertisement to the people of England;" wherein the standers of Martin Mar-, Prelate the libeller are distinctly answered. But after all, it was impossible for the bishops to wipe off from themselves the charge of persecution and violation of the laws. To put a stop to these pamphlets the queen sent a letter to the archbishop, commanding him to make diligent inquiry after the printing press, and issued out her royal proclamation, dated February 13th, 1589, "for the bringing in all seditious and schismatical books, whether printed or written, to the ordinary, or to one of the privy council, as tending to bring in a monstrous and dangerous innovation of all manner of ecclesiastical government now in use, and with a rash and malicious purpose to dissolve the state of the prelacy, being one of the three ancient estates of this realm under her highness, whereof her majesty mindeth to have a reverend regard; she therefore prohibits any of her, subjects from keeping any books in their custody against the order of the church, or the rites and ceremonies of it, her majesty being minded to have the laws severely executed against the authors and abettors of them, as soon as they shall be apprehended."* As soon as the printing press was discovered, his grace wrote to the treasurer to prosecute the persons with whom it was found; but, like an able politician, wishes it might be done by the lords of the council, rather than by the ecclesiastical commissioners, because they had already suffered for supporting the government, which was wounded through their sides.† Accordingly sir Richard Knightly, sir Wigston, who had entertained the press, together with the printer, and Humphrey Newman the disperser, were deeply fined in the star-chamber; and others were put to death.‡ The archbishop being now in his visitation had framed twenty-two articles of inquiry, upon which the churchwardens of every parish were to be examined upon oath. By these articles they were to swear, that their minister was exactly conformable to the orders of the church, or else to impeach him; and to declare farther, whether they knew of any of their neighbours or fellow-parishioners, that were "common swearers, drunkards, usurers, witches, conjurers, heretics; any man that had two wives; or women that had two husbands; whether they knew any that went to conventicles or meetings for saying prayers in private houses; any that were of age, and did not receive the sacrament at church three times a year:"§ with others, calculated to dissolve all friendship in country-towns, and set a whole diocess in a flame. When sir Francis Knollys had read the articles he sent them to the treasurer, calling them by their proper name, "articles of inquisition, highly prejudicial tò the royal prerogative:" but there was no stopping his grace's career.|| Life of Whitgift, in Rec. b. 3. no. 41. + Ibid. p. 314. Fuller, b. 9. p. 194. : Fuller adds, archbishop Whitgift improved his interest with the queen, till, though she was at first angry with his solicitations, they were delivered out of prison and eased of their fines. Bishop Maddox censures Mr. Neal for passing this over in silence but he himself omits the construction put on this apparently, kind conduct of the prelate; "which, while some highly commended, so others (says Fuller) imputed it to the declining of envy, gaining of applause and remorse of conscience for over-rigorous proceedings: it being no charity to cure the wound he had caused, and solicit the remitting those fines which he had procured to be imposed.” -Our author proceeds; "Thus impossible is it to please forward spirits, and to make them like the best deed, who dislike the doer."-ED. § Life of Whitgift, p. 309. 311. Pierce's Vindic. p. 129. |