CHAP. fines which each of them were bound to stand to for their V. contempt, and were as follows: the bishop of Litchfield and Anno 1559. Coventry, 3331. 6s. 8d.; the bishop of Carlisle, 250.; the bishop of Chester, 200 mark; Dr. Cole, 500 mark; Dr. Harpsfield, 401.; and Dr. Chedsey, 40 mark. The next day, May the 12th, when they came to make their personal appearances, Dr. Harpsfield paid his 407. into the hands of William Smith, clerk of the council; and Dr. Chedsey his 40 mark. And so they were discharged, recognisances of their good abearing being first taken of them. How and when the greater fines were paid by the rest, I know not, only I find these favourable orders of council for the two bishops in the Tower.

Favourable

orders for the two

April 27, letters were sent from the lords to the lieutenant of the Tower, to suffer the bishop of Lincoln, presently bishops. remaining in his ward, to come at such times as he by his discretion should think meet to his table, for the better relief of his quartan ague: and also to have the liberty of the house, as prisoners heretofore, having the liberty of the Tower, have used: the ordering whereof was referred to his discretion. And May the 10th, the lords sent to the lieutenant their letters, to suffer the bishop of Winchester's cook from time to time to attend upon him, for the dressing of his meat; so as he spake only with him in his presence, or such as he should appoint. And in like sort to suffer the lady White, his sister, to repair unto him at such times as he should think meet. Thus gently did these bishops and divines feel the displeasure of the lords of the council.

CHAP. VI.

The queen's marriage motioned. Exchange of bishops' lands. Bishop Cox's letter to the queen. The bishops elect, their secret application to the queen about it. Considerations about bishops' temporalities.

for the exchanges.

Commissions

The empe THE parliament had a great desire to see the

ror's sons

VI.

for a match

married, that there might be an heir to the crown: nor did CHAP. she want suitors in the very entrance upon her kingdom. Philip, king of Spain, late husband to her sister queen Mary, Anno 1559. was one of the first. And almost as soon as he, did the propounded emperor make a motion for either of his sons, as I find by with the some papers among the Burghlcian MSS. George Van queen. Helfenstein, baron of Gundelfingen, was in England with the queen, soon after her first coming to the crown, in quality of agent or ambassador from the emperor: then there happened communication between him and sir Thomas Chaloner about the queen's marriage, which Chaloner and all good men then had their thoughts much bent upon: 96 they talked together of the emperor's son, the archduke of Austria. And now Van Helfenstein being departed, and at Brussels, wrote March 21, 1558, to Chaloner, and sent him the picture of that duke, which he might shew as he should think most convenient: this representation of him shewed him to be a most comely person, but his mind and inward abilities exceeded his person, as the noble German told Chaloner in his letter; "That if the most excel- Quodsi "lent virtues and gallant endowments of his soul were præclaris"known as well to him, as they were to himself and others, simæ virtu"he would soon acknowledge they did by many degrees surpass the beauty of his body." But that picture re- tibi, æque ceiving some damage by the wagons in which it was brought, aliis, coghe promised to send Chaloner another of the duke's whole body, and of his brother also; wishing that he might have venustatem a sight of them both alive, without the help of paint and corporis colour. He told him all the report at Brussels was, that cellere dithe king of Spain was to marry the queen; although, as he MSS. Burg. subjoined, men of great authority, when he was in England, seemed not a little to misdoubt it. But he prayed Chaloner, out of their great friendship, to give some account of that whole matter. For that indeed was the very reason why the emperor, who intended to offer to the queen either of his sons, did forbear at present to do it; because he would not any ways disoblige one so nearly related. But if the king's suit succeeded not, he then requested his friend, the

animi illius

tes heroica

que dotes

ac mihi et

nitæ forent, facile eas

longe ante

ceres.

VI.

CHAP. said sir Tho. Chaloner, to give him with all silence an account of it and then would the emperor put in strongly Anno 1559. for one of his sons. And so he did afterwards. But the

An act for exchanging bishops' lands.

queen, though she would sometimes retain suitors, yet was not minded to wed herself, but to her kingdom only. How this affair proceeded, and what hand the papists had in it, hoping to effect some benefit to themselves hereby, we shall see hereafter.

In this parliament was a bill (mentioned before) for exchange of bishops' lands, and it passed into an act, remaining among the private and unprinted acts of parliament. By virtue whereof authority was given to the queen, on the avoidance of any archbishopric or bishopric, to take into her hands certain of the temporal possessions thereof, recompensing the same with parsonages impropriate and tenths. And soon after this time, there being an avoidance of all, or almost all, the bishoprics, the queen and her courtiers had a fair opportunity to pick and choose what houses, lands, and revenues they pleased, belonging to the episcopal sees throughout England, that were the fairest and the best, and that had no incumbrances upon them; which, no question, was now done; and in lieu thereof were made over to those sees certain parsonages formerly belonging to the monasteries. To many of which parsonages appertained decayed chancels and ruinous houses, and sometimes pensions to be paid out for the maintaining of vicars and curates. And for the tenths, which were also to go in exchange for the bishops' good lands, these were and would be but ill paid, being to be collected from the clergy, many whereof were indigent, and some obstinate, and so could not or would not pay them without great trouble. And, which was 97 worse than this, the tenths being so peculiarly settled upon the crown, the bishops could not have a right to receive them, unless some law were made in that case, and provided. These and many other inconveniences arising from this act, and well perceived by the clergy, and especially Parker, and other bishops elect, made them sad.

But to help the matter as well as they could, they put up

VI.

shops elect

the queen

an address to the queen, suing to her " to stay and remit this CHAP. exchange, and not to use this liberty which the parlia"ment had given her. And that if they could not obtain Anno 1559. "that, (to make the best terms they could for themselves,) The bi"that the exchanges might be even and equal, and that address to "consideration might be had of the expenses of parsonages, hereupon. " and the ill payment of tenths, and of the advantages and "benefits of their lordships and manors. In this address "they signified, how much this, if it came to pass, would "endanger the decay of hospitality and of learning, and discourage men from serving the church in the ministry." And to incline the queen to grant this their suit, and lest they should not appear to consider the queen's great charges daily sustained, (which, it seems, was one of the pretences for this bill,) Parker and the other four elects, who made the address in the name of the province of Canterbury, did offer to give unto her yearly a thousand marks during their lives and continuance in their bishoprics, for and in consideration of the exoneration of the said exchange.

They took this opportunity also to pray the queen in their own behalf, that they might be discharged of all arrearages of subsidies and tenths past in the days of their predecessors, and in times of vacation; and to be discharged of their own subsidies the first year of their fruits-paying; and that in consideration of their necessary expenses, as in furniture of their houses, and the payment of great fees, to suffer them to enjoy the half year's rent last past, and that their first-fruits might be abated somewhat, and distributed unto more years, and that she would take their own bonds for payment. In the behalf also of the new bishoprics Favours reerected by king Henry, they besought her for their conti- the small nuance: and that the bishops thereof might nominate and bishoprics. appoint the prebendaries, as other bishops did, for the maintaining of learned men and preachers; and that Cliff might be joined to the see of Rochester; and that from the see of Chester the benefice lately annexed might not be dismembered, in consideration of the smallness of the revenues of those bishoprics.

quested for

CHAP.

And here let me add, that Cox, bishop of Ely, an ancient VI. and very learned man, and in great esteem both with the Anno 1559. queen's father and brother, and likewise with her, privately Bp. Cox's on this occasion addressed himself to her, against taking ter to the away the bishops' temporalities by exchanges; in some pagainst ex-pers of arguments sent her, shewing the inconvenience and changes. evil, not to say unlawfulness of them.

private let

queen a

MSS. Guil.

Petit. arm.

Numb. 64.

"Forasmuch" (writeth he in one paper to her) "as I am “fully persuaded, that God's Holy Spirit hath adorned your "majesty with three excellent graces; first, that you are well "instructed in God's sincere and true religion; secondly, "because I have heard you say, that you are not in fear of "death, whensoever it shall please our heavenly Father to 98" call you; thirdly, necessarily to follow upon this former, "that you work uprightly in conscience and in the fear of "God; I am the more bold to become an humble petitioner "to your highness, and that alone, without the knowledge or consent of others; to the intent that, if your highness "incline to my petition, the grant may come only of your "own bountifulness; or if your grace grant not my peti"tion, it may pass in silence, as though never motion had "been made thereof.

His argu

ments used

with her.

66

66

66

"Mine humble request unto your Majesty is, that it might stand with your highness' pleasure, to command your officers not to proceed any further in the exchange appertaining to your grace's bishoprics: which will be as "noble and as famous an act as the like hath seldom been seen. The causes which move me to sue unto your ma

66

66

jesty are these." This paper goes no further: but in another paper of the same bishop, in the name of the rest, there be divers considerations urged to her, all writ with his own hand. But whether it was actually delivered her, or only prepared for her, I cannot tell. It begins with apt arguments, taken from scripture, viz.

I. Genesis xlvii. Joseph brought all the lands of the kingdom of Egypt unto the possession of king Pharaoh in the extremity of famine; but the lands of the priests remained untouched.