BOOK could bring it into, he did shew himself both stout and 1. honest, in a free reproof of their courses. And one day, Anno 1549. with his brother Thomas and some friends, did adventure his sermon. himself into Ket's mad camp, resolving to bestow his good counsel upon them, and to try to reclaim them from their evil course: but, observing the camp then everywhere drowned in drunkenness and luxury, and all in the confusions and disturbances of excess, he thought not convenient to talk soberly to such a mad rout, and so went back into the city. But the next day in the morning, not having any rest in his own mind till he had discharged his conscience, and spoken his mind; and supposing now the heat of wine and madness were somewhat abated, he went again to the camp with his said brother: and now he found them in quite another posture than they were in the day before; for they were now all at their prayers under the oak of reformation, (as they called the tree under which Ket and his party exercised their justice,) and one Thomas Conyers, Vicar of St. Martin's in Norwich, (whom they had made their Chaplain,) was saying the Litany among them. Dr. Parker judging this a very fair opportunity, ascended the oak, and there preached a sermon to them of prudence, sobriety, and moderation. He distributed his discourse into three parts chiefly: The sum of I. He admonished them to temperance and sobriety, and that the provisions they had brought into their camp, being God's gifts, they would not consume and spend in luxury and ungodliness: secretly hereby reproving their yesterday's excesses. II. Next, That they should not pursue their private enmities, nor lift up themselves in anger, or study of revenge, nor imbrue their hands in civil blood, nor restrain in custody and bonds those that they had taken as enemies, nor cruelly deprive them of their lives. Which things they were notoriously guilty of. III. And lastly, That, consulting for the common profit, they would desist from their purpose; and that they should VI. not withdraw their faith from the King's heralds and mes- CHAP. sengers, but give the King's Majesty his honour even in his tender age. Anno 1549. While he preached these things to them, he was very His great earnest; and all heard him with much attention and good danger. will, the Doctor being a most charming preacher, till one of the most wicked and loosest sort of them said, “How 66 long shall we bear this hireling teacher, who, being hired "by the gentlemen, is come hither with a tongue, that is "sold for money, and tied up for a reward. But, for all "his prating, let us bridle their intolerable power, and bring "them under our law." Upon this a tumult was made, and the Preacher was threatened. One was for bringing him 27 down, as he said, with arrows and javelins. And presently there was heard a clattering of weapons under him; so that he looked for present death. Yet those that were next him under the tree were quiet, and none of them made the least stir or murmur against him, but rather defended him. But, in this juncture, Conyers, with some others, on purpose to divert the mischief, fell to singing the Te Deum ; whereat the rabble was composed into some quiet; which gave opportunity to the Preacher to convey himself away. But, before he was got into the city, some of the gang overtook him, and began to question with him about his licence to preach. He might have told them he was sufficiently licensed, both by King Henry VIII, and the Archbishop of Canterbury; but he, knowing how vain and dangerous it was to talk to such a pack, hastened away slightly, and left his brother, who was then in his company, to hold them in discourse. And so our Doctor got free from them for that time. preserved his horses. But the next day, in St. Clement's church, where many How he of the rebels were present, he made an exposition out of one of the Lessons; where he spake against these wicked hurlyburlies. Coming out of the church, some of these fellows, who were put into great displeasure by what he had said, followed him and knowing that he had three or four good geldings, charged him that they might be ready in the af I. BOOK ternoon to serve the King; that is to say, to serve themselves with them. But, to prevent this, he cunningly bade Anno 1549. his groom pull off the shoes of some of his horses, and pare their hoofs to the quick; and to rub others of them with nerve oil, as though they had been lamed with travel, and so to have them to pasture. The rebels afterwards coming for his horses, and seeing in what a case they were, forbore meddling any further with them. But the Doctor, apprehending his danger here, resolved to go back to Cambridge: and so soon after, walking two miles on foot, as though he took a walk in the fields, met his horses at the place appointed, where he mounted, and got safe to his journey's end. resigns Birlingham. CHAP. VII. Dr. Parker in commission against Anabaptists. Preaches at St. Paul's Cross; and at Court; and at St. Mary's in Cambridge, at the funeral of Bucer. Bishop Ridley writes to him to preach again at the Cross. A third son born to him. Tremellius. Made Dean of Lincoln. His friends: reputation in the University. His writings. His condition under Queen Mary; being deprived of all. Anno 1550. WE are come to the year 1550; in which, Octob. I, the Dr. Parker Archbishop resigned his living of Birlingham, after he had now held it six years and upwards: not caring, as it seems, any longer to be a pluralist; or thinking he could not frequently enough inspect that cure, being at such a distance. Parker in a commis sion against Anabaptists. Many now there were in the kingdom, who, though they were not Papists, yet differed from the doctrine and usage of religion now established. They would not baptize their children; held as the Arians in the doctrine of the Godhead, and as Pelagius in the doctrine of free-will and predestination: all these came under the denomination of Anabaptists. Many also there were that adininistered the Sa VII. craments in other manner than was prescribed by the Book CHAP. of Common Prayer, lately set forth by public authority.. For the prevention of the spreading of these people, a com- Anno 1550. mission was issued out in the month of January to one and thirty persons, empowering them to correct and punish these men. Of which number was the Archbishop, and four other Bishops, and divers other Protestants and learned men of the Court; and of the King's Chaplains, Redman, Latymer, Coverdale, Eyre, and among the rest our Dr. Parker. Bishop Archbishop Cranmer wrote to him a letter to preach, 28 March the 16th, at Paul's Cross; praying him "purely and Cranmer "sincerely to set forth God's word there, and to exhort his calls him "audience to due obedience to the King's Highness' laws Cross; "and statutes." to Paul's And again, he had a command to preach before the King And to the four days after. For thus the same Archbishop wrote to him: Court, to preach be- King. "I commend me hertily unto you; and wheras the Kings Majesty, by th'advise of his most honourable C. C. "Counsail, hath appointed you to preach one sermon be"fore his Highnes person at the Court, upon Sonday the "XXth of March next coming, being the VIth Sonday in Lent, and hath commanded me to signify unto you his grace and pleasure in this behalf; thes therefore shalbe "to requyre you to put your self in a redyness in the mean "time to satisfy the day and place to you appoynted, ac 66 cording to the King's Majesties expectation, and not to fayle in any wise. Thus hertily fare ye wel. From my "mannour at Lambeth, the XIIth of February 1550. "To my loving frend "Your loving frend, "T. Cant." "Mr. Doctor Parker." February 28, Parker lost his great friend Dr. Martin Bucer dies. Bucer, the King's Professor of Divinity in Cambridge. He, with Dr. Sandys, Master of Katherine hall, Grindal Greatly ac E 4 quainted with him. I. BOOK and Bradford, Fellows of Pembroke hall, held a more particular converse and acquaintance with that great learned Anno 1550. foreign Divine. And with these men Bucer held some communication concerning his writing that book De Regno Christi, dedicated to King Edward; as Sampson, a man of note, then in Pembroke hall in that University, conjectured. But that they had an high esteem for the book, after it was written, was certain, by certain private talk that Parker and the rest had among themselves: which Sampson was privy to, as he once signified in a letter to the Lord Burghley. And in the controversy that reverend Professor had with Yong, in a public disputation at Cambridge, begetting great heats and parties, (insomuch that he was fain to appeal to Bishop Ridley, and sent up his disputation in writing to him,) our Doctor, together with Dr. Sandys, adhered firmly to him. Which he signified in a letter he wrote to Grindal, then with the foresaid Bishop; viz. Fidelissime agere Christi et meam causam D. Parkerum et D. Sandes. The friendship between Bucer and our Parker grew so intimate afterwards, that a little before his death he constituted him, and Dr. Haddon, Professor of the Civil Law, the executors of his last will and testament; as appeared by the codicil to his will, wherein are these words, Testamentarios appello hic eximios Dominos Doctores, Parkerum et Haddonum. A transcript of which codicil Parker sent to Strasburgh to Ulrich Chelius, and Conrad Hubert, the tutors and guardians to his children. Preached his funeral And, as the last respects they could pay to this their sermon at highly honoured friend deceased, both Haddon and Parker St. Mary's. were the orators at his funeral at St. Mary's. The former, being University Orator, pronounced, very moving, a Latin speech, in his commendation, before that solemn assembly of the town and University that attended his funerals. And then, the corpse being interred, Parker ascended the pulpit, and preached a sermon in English, in such a strain of melting oratory, as was to the admiration of the auditory: taking his text out of the Book of Wisdom, chap. iv. beginning |