hope of which, such attendants in ordinary, who MAINTENANCE IN THE CHURCH. Touching church maintenance, it is well to be weighed what is "jure divino," and what "jure ought to be, as for the most part they are, of the TOUCHING THE PROVISION FOR SUFFICIENT best gifts and sort, may be farther encouraged and rewarded. And as for extraordinary attendants, they may very well retain the grace and countenance of their places and duties at times incident thereunto, without discontinuance or non-positivo," It is a constitution of the divine law, residence in their pastoral charges. Next, for the from which human laws cannot derogate, that case of intending studies in the universities, it those which feed the flock should live of the will more easily receive an answer; for studies flock: that those that serve at the altar should do but serve and tend to the practice of those live at the altar; that those which dispense spistudies: and, therefore, for that which is most ritual things should reap temporal things; of principal and final to be left undone, for the which it is also an appendix, that the proportion attending of that which is subservient and sub- of this maintenance be not small or necessitous, ministrant, seemeth to be against proportion of but plentiful and liberal. So, then, that all the reason. Neither do I see, but that they proceed places and offices of the church be provided of right well in all knowledge, which do couple such a dotation, that they may be maintained, acstudy with their practice; and do not first study cording to their several degrees, is a constitution altogether, and then practise altogether; and permanent and perpetual: but for particularity of therefore they may very well study at their bene- the endowment, whether it should consist of fices. Thirdly, for the case of extraordinary ser- tithes, or lands, or pensions, or mixed, might make vice of the church; as if some pastor be sent to a question of convenience, but no question of prea general council, or here to a convocation; and cise necessity. Again, that the case of the church likewise for the case of necessity, as in the par-"de facto" is such, that there is want in the ticular of infirmity of body, and the like, no man will contradict, but that there may be some substitution for such a time. But the general case of necessity is the case of pluralities; the want of pastors and insufficiency of livings considered, "posito," that a man doth faithfully and incessantly divide his labours between two cures; which kind of necessity I come now to speak of in the handling of pluralities. For pluralities, in case the number of able ministers were sufficient, and the value of benefices were sufficient, then pluralities were in no sort tolerable. But we must take heed, we desire not contraries. For to desire that every parish should be furnished with a sufficient preacher, and to desire that pluralities be forthwith taken away, is to desire things contrary; considering, "de facto," there are not sufficient preachers for every parish: whereunto add, likewise, that there is not sufficient living and maintenance in many parishes to maintain a preacher; and it maketh the impossibility yet much the greater. The remedies "in rerum natura," are but three; union, permutation, and supply. Union of such benefices as have the living too small, and the parish not too great, and are adjacent. Permutation, to make benefices more compatible, though men be overruled to some loss in changing a better for a nearer. Supply, by stipendiary preachers, to be rewarded with some liberal stipends, to supply, as they may, such places which are unfurnished of sufficient pastors: as Queen Elizabeth, amongst other her gracious acts, did erect certain of them in Lancashire; towards which pensions, I see no reason but reading ministers, if they have rich benefices, should be charged. church of patrimony, is confessed. For the principal places, namely, the bishops' livings, are, in some particulars, not sufficient; and therefore enforced to be supplied by toleration of Commendams, things of themselves unfit, and ever held of no good report. And as for the benefices and pastors' places, it is manifest that very many of them are very weak and penurious. On the other side, that there was a time when the church was rather burdened with superfluity, than with lack, that is likewise apparent; but it is long since; so as the fault was in others, the want redoundeth unto us. Again, that it were to be wished that impropriations were returned to the church as the most proper and natural endowments thereof, is a thing likewise wherein men's judgments will not much vary. Nevertheless, that it is an impossibility to proceed now, either to their resumption or redemption, is as plain on the other side. For men are stated in them by the highest assurance of the kingdom, which is, act of parliament; and the value of them amounteth much above ten subsidies; and the restitution must of necessity pass their hands, in whose hands they are now in possession or interest. But of these things, which are manifestly true, to infer and ground some conclusions. First, in mine own opinion and sense, I must confess, let me speak it with reverence, that all the parliaments since 27 and 31 of Henry VIII., who gave away impropriations from the church, seem to me to stand in a sort obnoxious, and obliged to God in conscience to do somewhat for the church, to reduce the patrimony thereof to a competency. For since they have debarred Christ's wife of a great part of her dowry, it were reason they made Thus have I in all humbleness and sincerity of heart, to the best of my understanding, given your majesty's tribute of my cares and cogitations in this holy business, so highly tending to God's glory, your majesty's honour, and the peace and welfare of your states: insomuch as I am persuaded that the Papists themselves should not need so much the severity of penal laws, if the sword of the Spirit were better edged, by strengthening the authority, and suppressing the abuses in the church. her a competent jointure. Next, to say, that im- | before God. But of this point, touching churchpropriations should be only charged, that carrieth maintenance, I do not think fit to enter into farther neither possibility nor reason. Not possibility, particularity, but reserve the same to a fitter time. for the reasons touched before: not reason, because, if it be conceived, that if any other person be charged, it should he a recharge, or double charge, inasmuch as he payeth tithes already, that is a thing mistaken. For it must be remembered, that as the realm gave tithes to the church, so the realm since again hath given tithes away from the church unto the king, as they may give their eighth sheaf or ninth sheaf. And, therefore, the first gift being evacuated, it cannot go in defeasance or discharge of that perpetual bond, wherewith men are bound to maintain God's ministers. And so we see in example, that divers godly and well-disposed persons, not impropriators, are content to increase their preachers' livings; which, though in law it be but a bene. volence, yet before God it is a conscience. Farther, that impropriation should not be somewhat more deeply charged than other revenues of like value, methinks, cannot well be denied, both in regard of the ancient claim of the church, and the intention of the first giver: and, again, because they have passed in valuation between man and man somewhat at the less rate, in regard of the said pretence or claim of the church in conscience To conclude, renewing my most humble submission of all that I have said to your majesty's most high wisdom, and again, most humbly craving pardon for any errors committed in this writing; which the same weakness of judgment that suffered me to commit them, would not suffer me to discover them, I end with my devout and fervent prayer to God, that as he hath made your majesty the corner-stone, in joining your two kingdoms, so you may be also as a corner-stone to unite and knit together these differences in the church of God; to whose heavenly grace and never-erring direction, I commend your majesty's sacred person, and all your doings. THE TRANSLATION OF CERTAIN PSALMS INTO ENGLISH VERSE. BY THE RIGHT HONOURABLE FRANCIS, LORD VERULAM, VISCOUNT ST. ALBAN. PRINTED AT LONDON, 1625, in quarto. TO HIS VERY GOOD FRIEND, MR. GEORGE HERBERT. The pains that it pleased you to take about some of my writings, I cannot forget; which did put me in mind to dedicate to you this poor exercise of my sickness. Besides, it being my manner for dedications, to choose those that I hold most fit for the argument, I thought, that in respect of divinity and poesy met, whereof the one is the matter, the other the style of this little writing, I could not make better choice: so, with signification of my love and acknowledgment, I ever rest Your affectionate friend, FR. ST. ALBAN. THE TRANSLATION OF THE Ist PSALM. WHO never gave to wicked reed A yielding and attentive ear; On law of God to meditate; He shall be like the fruitful tree, A goodly yield of fruit doth bring: With wicked men it is not so, For why the Lord hath special eye THE TRANSLATION OF THE XIIth PSALM. HELP, Lord, for godly men have took their flight, But fears, or seeks to please, the eyes of men. But fair they flatter with a cloven heart, By pleasing words, to work their own behoof. But, God, cut off the lips, that are all set And pierce the tongues, that seek to counterfeit *Of translating part of the Advancement of Learning into Latin. Now, for the bitter sighing of the poor, The Lord hath said, I will no more forbear The wicked's kingdom to invade and scour, And set at large the men restrain'd in fear. And sure the word of God is pure and fine, And in the trial never loseth weight; Like noble gold, which, since it left the mine, Hath seven times pass'd through the fiery strait. And now thou wilt not first thy word forsake, Nor yet the righteous man that leans thereto; But wilt his safe protection undertake, In spite of all their force and wiles can do. And time it is, O Lord, thou didst draw nigh; The wicked daily do enlarge their bands; And that which makes them follow ill a vie, Rule is betaken to unworthy hands. The life of man is threescore years and ten, Or, if that he be strong, perhaps fourscore; Yet all things are but labour to him then, New sorrows still come on, pleasures no more. Why should there be such turmoil and such strife, To spin in length this feeble line of life? But who considers duly of thine ire? Or doth the thoughts thereof wisely embrace? For thou, O God, art a consuming fire: Frail man, how can he stand before thy face? If thy displeasure thou dost not refrain, A moment brings all back to dust again. Teach us, O Lord, to number well our days, This bubble light, this vapour of our breath, THE TRANSLATION OF THE XCth PSALM. Return unto us, Lord, and balance now, O LORD, thou art our home, to whom we fly, Or that the frame was up of earthly stage, Both death and life obey thy holy lore, And visit in their turns, as they are sent; A thousand years with thee they are no more Than yesterday, which, ere it is, is spent: Or as a watch by night, that course doth keep, And goes, and comes, unwares to them that sleep. Thou carryest man away as with a tide: Much like a mocking dream, that will not bide, At morning, fair it musters on the ground; Thou buryest not within oblivion's tomb Our trespasses, but enterest them aright; As a tale told, which sometime men attend, With days of joy, our days of misery; Help us right soon; our knees to thee we bow, Depending wholly on thy clemency; Then shall thy servants, both with heart and voice, All the days of their life in thee rejoice. Begin thy work, O Lord, in this our age, Show it unto thy servants that now live; But to our children raise it many a stage, That all the world to thee may glory give. Our handy work likewise, as fruitful tree Let it, O Lord, blessed, not blasted be. THE TRANSLATION OF THE CIVth PSALM. All set with spangs of glittering stars untold, His angels spirits are, that wait his will; And then the hills began to show their head; And that the earth no more might drowned be, But when the day appears, they back do fly, O Lord, thy providence sufficeth all; But seas and streams likewise do spread the same. The rolling seas unto the lot doth fall Of beasts innumerable, great and small; And though his waves resound, and beat the shore, The greater navies look like walking woods; Yet it is bridled by his holy lore. Then did the rivers seek their proper places, And found their heads, their issues, and their races; The springs do feed the rivers all the way, The asses wild, that hide in wilderness, The higher grounds, where waters cannot rise, That ask their meat of God, their strength restoring; VOL. II.-55 The fishes there far voyages do make, Shut thou thy hand, and then they troubled are. As long as life doth last I hymns will sing, But as for sinners, they shall be destroy'd THE TRANSLATION OF THE CXXVIth PSALM. WHEN God return'd us graciously Unto our native land, We seem'd as in a dream to be, 20 |