BOOK "thren of the province of Canterbury, and hitherto not III. 66 published: willing him to call before him, and to publish Anno 1566. " to them the said orders prescribed in that book, to move, "persuade, and command them, as they would answer at 217" their peril, duly to observe her Majesty's laws in the ad

These

courses

grievously

ers.

"ministration of public prayers and sacraments, and in "their extern apparel, and all the orders sent to them there"with. And upon obstinate disobedience to suspend them "from public ministration, and also sequester all the fruits "of their livings so long time as they shall remain in diso"bedience. And to signify to him the names of all, to the "intent that he might take further order with them: and "to signify to them, that if they continue so three months "they are to be deprived."

A like letter was writ to Mr. Denne, Commissary of Canterbury; to the Bishop of Chichester, Commissary of the peculiar jurisdiction of South Malling, Pagham, and Terring; and to Mr. Dr. Weston, Dean of the Arches, Shoram, and Croydon, with several of the books above mentioned inclosed therein.

These Advertisements came now abroad so well strengthened with authority, and menace of animadversions upon taken by disobedience; and this with the fresh proceedings against the Dissent- the London Ministers; as did mightily awaken and terrify such as would or could not comply; as appeared by a April 23, letter that Laurence Humfrey wrote from Oxon in April, 1566. to the Secretary on this occasion, with his earnest desire to discontent him to procure the stopping the execution, and laying aside hereupon. the book. "I am sorry, writes he, that the old sore is

Humfrey's

"broke out again, in such sort, at such a solemn time, in

66

66

print, to the common calamity of many, and marvel and

misery of all. The cause is not so sound in my poor

opinion, as it is made. The trouble is greater than we "think. The inhibition of preaching, strange and lament"able. The cry of a number is and will be pitiful in the "ears of God and man. The book of Advertisements,

66

though it contain much, that is many ways of the wise "misliked, yet because it hath no determination of time,

66

IX.

"nor of penalty, was better esteemed. The execution hi- CHAP. "therto vehemently urged marvellously moveth and marreth "all. I am so highly bound to God, that giveth me this Anno 1566. "bold access to your Honour, that I cannot for this his "goodness yield to him condign thanks. Wherefore, as I "of these proceedings simply promote the judgment of many; so I humbly request you to bear with this my "rude plainness, and to be a means to the Queen's Majesty to stop the execution, and to suffer the book to sleep "in silence. These days, these evils, this people, this age, require other advertisements. The Queen's Majesty in "the Preface seeketh unity and concord; this hath bred variety and discord more than ever was. To your wisdom, goodness, and godliness, I refer all; as also the con"tinuance of your prosperous state to the Almighty."

66

66

66

СНАР. Х.

Some are sequestered and silenced. Crowley, Minister of Cripplegate, one of them. The stir made by him in his church. Sent for and censured by the Archbishop. Some account of Crowley. The Archbishop clamoured against. His protestation and resolution.

of these se

BUT let us turn our eyes to these sequestered and silenced Some view Ministers, and see how they behaved themselves, and what questered course they took. Some of these sely recusants (I use the Ministers. very words of the Archbishop) said now, that they thought not that ever the matter, in such scarcity of Ministers, should have been forced: and some began to repent. One of them was with the Archbishop two days after, to be admitted again to his parish, and promised conformity: but he repelled him, till he had him bound with two good sureties of his own parish: and so he was. The said Minister told the Archbishop, that there would more come to that point. And them also the Archbishop intended so to

BOOK order. But the most part of those recusants he wished III. out of the ministry, as being "mere ignorant and vain Anno 1566. "heads;" as his Grace wrote to the Secretary.

218

made upon

some that

wore the surplice.

And indeed the Archbishop reckoned, that by what he An assault had done, and by making this determination known abroad, the speech raised would soon cease, and the offence assuage, and more peace and order follow, as he signified to his friend: but he was deceived. For but four or five days after, viz. April 2, one Crowley, Minister of the parish of St. Giles, Cripplegate, London, and one of those that had been suspended, this person and his Curate gave a great occasion of much trouble in his church. A certain corpse being to be buried in his church, divers Clerks were in their surplices attending, to sing as accustomably they used, and as my Lord of London before had prescribed, namely, to wear surplices within the churches. But Crowley quarreled with them for their porters coats, as he called them, and said, he would shut the doors against them. And one Sayer, an Alderman's deputy, also assisted Crowley, and used words likewise to that purpose. He seemed to be an honest man, but too much leaning from the surplice. But the singingmen on the other hand made resistance against Crowley, willing to go on with their business: insomuch that the deputy threatened them to set them fast by the feet, if they should break the peace. These things caused a great uproar. At length the singing-men shrunk away; and they then had some quietness, though with shrewd stomachs. The Arch- But the noise of this coming to the ears of the Archbishop mons those and the other Commissioners; and complaint being made concerned hereof by the Lord Mayor to him, desiring him to examine

bishop sum

in it.

the cause; he summoned Crowley and others to appear before them, April the 4th, to hear the cause: resolving to execute punishment, if he found the deserts of them to be such, as that they gave such occasion of tumult among the people so gathered together. And that the rather, considering the time, being now just upon enjoining the wearing of that garment. Signifying withal to the Secretary, that he trusted that neither the Queen's Majesty nor her Council

X.

would charge their doings herein, as guilty of any severity CHAP. or lack of prudence. Which charges, it seems, some of the Court had been wont before to cast in their teeth.

Anno 1566.

the chief

At the examination was present, with the Archbishop, Examines the Bishop of London. They found that Crowley quarreled author, first with the singing-men. In their examination of him, Crowley. there fell from him several fond paradoxes, that tended to anabaptistical opinions. As, to have a motion in conscience to preach in the church (being not deprived) without extern vocation and saying, as pastor, he would resist the wolf, meaning the surplice-men. The Commissioners asked him, if he would resist a Minister so sent to them. He said, that till he was discharged, meaning from his living by deprivation, his conscience would so move him. And thereupon desired to be discharged. The Archbishop seeing his desire, did presently, without any more ado, discharge him of his flock and parish. Then he fled to this, that he would be deprived by order of law. Which the Archbishop told him was to say, he would be deprived, and yet not be deprived. Then he seemed to be desirous to have the glory to be committed to prison, rather than he would grant to suffer such a wolf to come to his flock. But the Archbishop, as he told the Secretary, dulled his glory. And yet His punishfor some severity, being in suspense, they charged him to finement. keep his house, and remain under confinement at home: that so they might stay his resistance of any that should come to officiate at his church with the surplice. As for the deputy, they bound him in an hundred pounds to be ready at calling, when the Queen's Council should call for either of them, to judge of their doings. And so he and the Bishop of London dismissed them all, advertising them to be obedient. So gentle was our Archbishop in his censure of so great a fault as quarreling (and, it may be, coming to strokes) in God's house. But he reckoned the suspension and secret prison would be some terror. He imagined, that the Secretary might think that they had done too little, and he doubted not but that that side would think it too much. How long he was confined I know not, only I find him

ment, con

bishop's

BOOK remaining imprisoned in his own house, April 12th: when III. the Archbishop gave the Secretary a further account of the Anno 1566. matter; which was, that he could do no less, considering his behaviour and speech, that "he would not suffer the Chaplain "wolf to come to his flock." And therefore to prevent his And the next Sunday he 219 sent Mr. Bickley, his Chaplain, to preach in his parish: whom they heard quietly. And a Minister, thither sent, was received with his surplice.

preaches at

his church, resistance they committed him.

A conference between

and some

Popish
Priests in

the Tower.

This Crowley was once a stationer, but bred at the University of Oxford, and for his parts and good disposition to Crowley religion, was under King Edward ordained a Minister by Ridley, Bishop of London; and in Queen Mary's days was an exile in Frankford. He was a man of note among the Dissenters long after this; for I find him and Field, and Charke, and one Hern, in the year 1582, very diligent in visiting and disputing with certain Priests in the Tower. And Crowley particularly took a great deal of pains with one of them named Kirby; endeavouring to bring him off from his opinion of the lawfulness of deposing princes by the Pope. Crowley also was one of those that attended them to execution. There he laboured to convince Kirby of the falseness of his principle that he was going to death for. And that from Rom. xiii. and the beginning; and from the words of Christ to Pilate, Joh. xix. 10, 11. Urging thence, that princes, having their authority from God alone, could not be deposed by any, but God alone. But while Crowley was discoursing this to Kirby, he demanded of him, whether, if a prince were guilty of Turcism, atheism, or infidelity, he might not be lawfully deposed, (which question he had asked him before in the Tower.) To which Crowley and the rest of the preachers answered learnedly, and in the negative. Whereat Kirby cried out, O Mr. Crowley, Mr. Crowley! and there paused, as if, Hollinshed. saith the historian, that Mr. Crowley had agreed with him in this point, in his conference with him in the Tower. So that Crowley was fain to justify himself there, saying to one standing by, that when Kirby had propounded this