XIII. advises said Cole by force in the said presidentship, breaking open CHAP. the gates of the house which they had shut against him. And when the said Bishop had made some progress in visit-Anno 1568. ing the house, in order to the purging it of some of the worst affected Fellows, they were so refractory and abusive, that the visiting Bishop sent a letter to Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury, shewing that it was his judgment, that the irregularities of this college, as likewise of New College and Winchester, would be better remedied by the Ecclesi- The Bishop astical Commission than his private visitation. The Arch-taking cogbishop signified this to the Bishop of London, and withal nizance in sent him Winchester's letter. He considering the stubborn- mission, of ness of these University men, approved of the counsel of some men bringing them before the Commission, perceiving well what versity. seminaries of irreligion and disobedience they might prove: and sending the letter back again, he wrote his mind at the bottom briefly in these words, "My Lords, I like this let"ter very well, and think as the writer, if by some extraordinary ready [means] that house and school be not "purged, those godly foundations shall be but a nursery of "adder's brood, to poison the Church of Christ. 66 "Edm. London.” the Com of that Uni The Protestant We must turn our eyes once more this year to the strangers inhabiting in London. About the month of December, strangers'ill Duke D'Alva, Governor of the Netherlands, had unjustly condition. seized the goods and effects of the English residing in those countries, and had made them prisoners: the reason whereof was, because the Queen had detained some monies conveyed by land from Plymouth, by borrowing it for a time, which that Duke pretended did belong to the King of Spain, but in truth did not so, but to certain Italian merchants. The Queen, in vindication of her subjects, the merchants, thus misused, commanded the goods and ships of such Netherlanders, as lived and traded in England, in like manner to be arrested. Of these Netherlanders, 134 subjects of the King of Spain, there were great numbers now in London: most whereof were such as fled over BOOK hither from the tyranny and persecution exercised in those I. parts. This arrest falling upon the effects of many of these Anno 1568. good people, created great disturbances and confusions The French complaint shop. among them. For their creditors now came earnestly upon them for the payment of their debts: and those who owed them money refused to pay them. So that they were in very evil case; nor were able to keep touch in paying their bills of exchange. For thus did Cousin the French Minister complain in their behalf to the Bishop of London, their Superintendent, in a letter to him: 66 "Honoré seigneur, suyvant l'advertisement que je vous ay donné touchant les complaintes de nos marchans, pour "les incommodités qui leur surviennent bien grandes, et "journellement en leurs traffiques; je vous supplie d'avoir souvenance des lettres que vous ferez pour la cour de points suivans. 66 66 "Primierement, leur debiteurs sont refus de les payer. "Secondement, leur crediteurs ne les veulent supporter, "ains les pressent par importunité pour avoir payement. "Tiercement, quant aux lettres de change pour ne "pouvoir satisfaire promptement, il tombent en reproche et prejudice de leur credit. 66 "Votre humble serviteur, "Jean Cousin." The Bishop Now did the Bishop of London interpose himself, and by seasonably his intercession with some at Court, (whereof Secretary Cecil interposes for them. was chief,) obtained, that those who were Protestants, and members either of the Dutch, or French, or Italian Church, or that frequented their English parish churches, might either escape, or be released of this arrest. And that only such as were factors for the King of Spain's subjects abroad, and their effects lying in their hands, should be subject to this arrest. The names of the members of the This proceeded so far, that catalogues of the names of all foreigners the members of these foreign churches planted in London churches were sent in to the Bishop, testified under the respective sent in, viz. The Dutch; XIII. Ministers' and elders' hands. And these lists were by him CHAP. sent to the Court: who accordingly, I suppose, had the desired favour shewn them. The catalogues sent from the Anno 1568. Dutch congregation, out of honourable respect to the memories of such good men, that left their countries, or suffered persecution for the sake of Christ, I shall set down in the Appendix, with the testimonial of the Ministers and elders Num. XIX. subjoined. : The Ministers and elders of the French Church likewise, The in January, gave in the names of all their members, as the French; Dutch had done, having been born in King Philip's dominions which were in number four hundred and twenty two; to which eighteen more were added. Those that subscribed to this list were Jean Cousin, Anthony de Pouchel, Pierre Chastellain, who were the Ministers; Michael Chau- 135 dron, Gerard de Lobel, and others that were seniors. The Span Then also was another catalogue brought in of those of TheItalian; the Italian Church in London; being also persons born in ish. Flanders, and other places under the dominion of the said King of Spain. In this Church were both Italians and Spaniards, to the number of about fifty-seven. Among whom these seemed to be of some rank, Dr. Cornelio Spirinck, Dr. Andrea Medico Romano, Cornelio de Vischer, painter, Il Senior Baron, Il Senior de Longwater. Some of this Church were also of Antwerp, some of Gaunt, some of Almain. This paper was signed by Cornelius Spiringus, Gasper Vosbergius, M. de Questor, Baptista Oijens, Marcos de la Palma. The Minister of this congregation was Hieronymus Jerlitus. It appears that these names were thus diligently taken, (namely, of those that were born in the Spanish dominions,) upon account of the arrest, for the favouring of them that were true Protestants, and the laying of the said arrest chiefly upon Papists, who were in effect but a sort of spies upon the Queen and her government. But as they were tender to take the goods of Protestants, so if any of these were factors for merchants abroad under the King of Spain, the goods in their hands were stayed. And divers of these BOOK factors and correspondents were met with in all the strangers' The rest were favoured. I. Anno 1568. churches. procures li vers Puri tans in pri son. CHAP. XIV. Separatists set at liberty by the Bishop. The Dean of St. Paul's letter to him, upon the poisoning of Dandelot. His care for checking Popery at the Inns of Court. Sir John Southworth committed to the Bishop: and Milerus an Irishman. The Bishop's letter about Bonner's burial. A visitation of King's college in Cambridge by the Bishop's means. Anno 1569. THERE were divers separatists kept in the prison of BrideThe Bishop wel, for holding private assemblies, and using a form of berty for di- prayer different from that allowed and enjoined by law: and here they had lain for about a twelvemonth. Their great opinion was, that certain of the ceremonies used in the public service were Popish, having been used by the Papists, and therefore that they ought in conscience not to be present at it. Nor could all the Bishop's endeavours reclaim them. And therefore pitying their condition he moved the Secretary, that clemency might be used towards them: that so by giving them freely their liberty, only with an admonition, they might be more prevailed withal to comply with 136 the laws, than by severity: and praying the Secretary to obtain from the Lords of the Council an order to him the Bishop to release them. Accordingly the Lords approved of Grindal's counsel, and in April sent him a letter with a warrant for that purpose: but withal to let them understand, that if after their enlargement any one of them carried themselves factiously and disorderly again, they must expect severe punishment to the example of others. and to give them further admonition according as he should think convenient. Dismisses them with exhortation. Upon this the good Bishop, having them all before him, XIV. gave them to understand the favour of the Council toward CHAP. them, and withal read their letter to them, adding his own sober advice. And then by a warrant from himself to the Anno 1569. governor of that prison, that all the persons underwritten should be discharged; viz. Which being twenty-four, besides seven women, were accordingly discharged. ons state of The graver Clergy, especially the Bishops, did use in The dangerthese days to take their opportunities to exhort and stir up religion; the nobility to take care of religion, and to press them to make use of the power and authority committed to them to consult for the safety thereof in those times, when so many implacable enemies beset it and the peace of this kingdom, where it was openly professed and set up. At this juncture the condition of the reformed religion abroad was but low, and in France especially, where the Prince of Condé with his army met this spring with a great overthrow: and soon after the Admiral Coligni, and his brother Andelot, excellent captains, and the heads of the Protestants, were both treacherously poisoned by the Popish faction, and the villain that did it acknowledged that Katharine de Médici, the Queen, set him on. The latter died, the former narrowly escaped with life after a deadly sickness. This calamity to religion abroad threatened us here: so that there |