VII.

Some he found were offended, that he had not appointed CHAP. general assemblies, as were used, it seems, in the late time. of unseasonable weather; which he thought not meet, for Anno 1563, fear of spreading the infection: and therefore he put it to the Secretary, in the drawing up the Queen's order for the fast, that an admonition should be annexed, that in towns and places infected, general concourses be forborne ; and moderate assemblies, as of those that be of one parish, to meet at their parish churches, to be more commendable. And whereas by this fasting, which was to be enjoined on the appointed prayer days, viz. Mondays and Wednesdays, there would be considerable quantities of provision spared, he advised that a good portion thereof should be weekly bestowed in the back lanes and alleys of London, and among the poor strangers, who were the sorest visited.

The form being finished, and some suitable sentences of Scripture, or a psalm added by the Secretary's advice, and passed the review of the Archbishop, it was soon printed by Jugg, the Queen's Printer, and entitled, "A Book of "Prayers to be used for the Plague, and War, and other "Calamities:" and it began in August to be used in London on Wednesday, and so continued Mondays and Wednesdays, till some abatement of the plague, and till by God's goodness it ended in a thanksgiving for peace and health. And the same day it began at London, the Bishop provided 72 it to begin at Fulham also, where he now was.

Grindal pressed much the religious exercise of fasting; the Urges the duty of fastgreat neglect whereof he blamed Protestants for: and that ing. it might be matter, wherewith the adversaries the Papists might reproach us; saying, "Surely my opinion hath been long, that in no one thing the adversary hath more ad66 vantage against us, than in the matter of fast; which we utterly neglect: they have the shadow." This caused him to put in those words into the said office; "For some "beginning of order herein," [that is, in the business of fasting,]" a command was now issued from her Majesty for "observing a fast to accompany the days of prayer, during "the continuance of it." And by the Queen's order it was

66

I.

BOOK enjoined throughout the whole province. And the Archbishop sent his mandate to our Bishop, to notify the Queen's Anno 1563. pleasure herein to the rest of the Bishops; which was done accordingly.

Causes the prayers to

This book of prayers Sir William Cecil thought fit to be be printed printed, for the use of private persons and families, in form in form of a of a manual, which he signified to our Bishop; who before

manual.

Consults

what assemblies were

was of the very same mind, and had talked with Jugg the printer about it; and it was now in a good forwardness. He also had delivered to the printer a short meditation, (viz. of the shortness and uncertainty of human life, and of the great sins of the nation calling down God's judgments,) proper to be used in private houses.

Finally, he consulted with the Secretary, whether he held it convenient, notwithstanding the infection, that he should convenient. send to the Lord Mayor to have common assemblies twice or once a week, with his brethren and liveries in London, whereat he would see sermons made accordingly; or that he thought it better to be used in every parish church privately, and no common assemblies at all. And this question he asked, because, as he said, it was a matter mixed with religion and policy. But what the advice was from the Court hereupon, I know not.

Concerned for the Queen's safety.

Comforts the Secretary.

But the distemper increasing much this summer, the Bishop was much concerned for the Queen's safety, and urged to the Secretary her removal; she being not yet gone, and the air now in July very hot, and more infectious. And he put the said Secretary in mind of a proverb, which he had learned in Germany, for direction in time of a plague; viz. citò, procul, serò: expounding the ænigma thus, citò fuge, procul fuge, serò revertere; i. e. fly soon, fly afar off, return at leisure.

The nation now was in ill case, by reason of this sweeping plague; as also of the late miscarriage at New-Haven, and the war with a powerful neighbour kingdom, and the jealousy of Scotland. These things stuck close to the heart of the careful Secretary, and created him much discouragement of mind, which was in danger of having an

VII.

influence upon his body, as indeed it had at this time. But CHAP. Grindal perceiving this, seasonably and piously exhorted him, "praying him not to hurt his health with too much co- Anno 1563. "gitations of evil successes of things, which were in God's “hand, and without our compass: and that he knew how 74 "to direct them to the best end."

CHAP. VIII.

The Bishop's charitable mediations. Zanchy, Professor at Strasburgh, consults with him. His letter to the Lord Robert Dudley about his excommunicating of one Sebastian. His advice to the Secretary concerning his disease. Sampson, Dean of Christ Church, applies to him. Office for the plague abated.

I SHALL mention a few remarks more concerning our Bishop, which fell out within the compass of this year.

in the case of an honest

soned in

Remarkable was his gratitude and care of innocency, in a matter that now fell out. There was one Leache, a Scotch-Interposes man, who had in the former reign lived in good credit at Spires in Germany, and was Grindal's host when he once man impricame as a traveller there, to whom he gave very kind re- Ireland. ception; and the same being a good Protestant, joyfully returned home with the exiles. This man's occasions led him to Ireland; where this year were great and dangerous matters laid to his charge, as though he had spoken treason against the Queen. For this he was laid up in prison, and in danger of his life; being prosecuted and sworn against by some Irish, whether out of some private grudge or hatred to him for his good-will to the reformed religion, or no, I cannot tell. This matter came to Grindal's ears, who was very much affected with it, and the rather because he knew this Leache to have been a hearty lover of the Queen, and one that rejoiced at her, access to the crown.

I.

BOOK The poor man had made a shift to get a letter sent into England, wrote by him to some friend relating his condition: Anno 1563. which letter, coming to the Bishop's hand, he sent inclosed to the Secretary in one of his; compassionately and seasonably thus interposing for him :

"That he could affirm nothing of his case. But this "he could say, he knew the man well, and that he was his "host at Spire in Germany: that he was of good religion, "honest, and one that ever wished to live to see the Queen's "Majesty come to the crown; and that for declaration of "his affection herein, he forsook Germany, where he was "in good estimation, and good case to live, and came "over amongst them, exiles. That he could not believe he "would speak any dishonour of the Queen's Majesty; and "therefore, if I should die this hour," said the Bishop, “I "think he is wrongfully accused. I pray you therefore be 66 good to him, and help that the matter be not hastily judged, but may be thoroughly examined. I fear me it is "too easy a matter, either in Ireland or in Wales, to get 75" false witnesses to swear, &c. I pray you be good to the poor man, and obtain him at least some time. God will "reveal the truth, I doubt not. God keep you. Ult.

66

66

"July, 1563.

"Yours in Christ,

"Edm. London."

Intercedes for some

French refugees.

Nor was this letter all the intercession he made for Leache, but soon after he sent to one Quintin, the Secretary's servant, to remember him of that poor man's case.

cence.

Yet again about the same time the good Bishop found it necessary to use his interest in the behalf of distressed innoThe persecution being very hot in France, many poor Protestants fled thence daily hither, and planted themselves with their goods and effects at London. And there having been hot war this year between England and France, many Englishmen's goods and merchandizes had been seized by the French. Whereupon certain proclamations

VIII.

were issued out in like manner to seize Frenchmen's goods, CHAP. and to make them prizes. Some evil disposed men took occasion hence to take several poor French Protestants who Anno 1563. were coming hither for sanctuary from their own country, and made them prizes, as they now were at London. Grindal looked upon their condition as his own, (for he remembered himself an exile for religion not long ago,) and therefore like a good Christian made earnest application to Sir William Cecil in their behalf; "praying him, that among his "weighty affairs (as he might) he would remember to give "the Lord Mayor, and some other godly, honest persons, "order for those poor, afflicted French, exiled for religion, "that they might not be taken as prizes, (as they then "were at London,) by virtue of the late proclamations, "wilfully wrong understood. And let that be," said he, one mean to mitigate God's ire."

Farnham,

In the very beginning of August, I find the Bishop, Goes to having left the book of prayers for the plague in some readiness, and appointing the printer to wait upon the Secretary with it, went to Farnham, and took Dean Nowell along with him; taking harbour there for a time with the Bishop of Winchester, his fellow exile, the better to avoid the pestilence. But he returned in ten or twelve days.

writes to

ment in a

ter.

Hierom Zanchy, an Italian by birth, was now public Zanchy Reader of Divinity at Strasburgh: with him Grindal was our Bishop acquainted ever since himself lived there; and since his de- for his judg parture kept a correspondence with him. This year letters certain mathappened between them upon this occasion. The Augustan Confession about this time began to be pressed vigorously, and particularly in the said town of Strasburgh, upon all the reformed there, or no abiding for them. This was the cause of great contests and debates between the learned Lutherans in the school there, and Zanchy, who in the matter of the Sacrament, and predestination, and some other things, could not accord with their Confession. But at last, for peace sake, this year the difference was composed, and he did subscribe (yet with some exceptions and conditions) in these words, Hanc doctrine formulam, ut piam agnosco: ita etiam recipio ego HIERONYMUS ZANCHIUS.