Characters from the Histories & Memoirs of the Seventeenth Century Part 8

He was a man of greate parts and very exemplar virtues, allayed and discredited by some unpopular[1] naturall infirmityes, the greatest of which was (besydes a hasty sharpe way of exspressinge himselfe) that he believed innocence of hearte, and integrity of manners, was a guarde stronge enough to secure any man, in his voyage through this worlde, in what company soever he travelled, and through what wayes soever he was to pa.s.se, and sure never any man was better supplyed with that provisyon. He was borne of honest parents, who were well able to provyde for his education, in the schooles of learninge, from whence they sent him to St. Johns Colledge in Oxforde, the worst indowed at that tyme, of any in that famous university; from a scholar he became a fellow, and then the President of that Colledge, after he had receaved all the graces and degrees, the Proctorshipp and the Doctorshipp, could be obtained ther: He was alwayes maligned and persequted by those who were of the Calvinian faction, which was then very pouerfull, and who accordinge to ther usefull maxime and practice, call every man they do not love, Papist, and under this senselesse appellation they created him many troubles and vexations, and so farr suppressed him, that though he was the Kings Chaplyne, and taken notice of for an excellent preacher, and a scholer of the most sublime parts, he had not any praeferment to invite him to leave his poore Colledge, which only gave him breade, till the vigour of his age was pa.s.sed; and when he was promoted by Kinge James, it was but to a poore Bishop.r.i.c.ke in Wales, which was not so good a supporte for a Bishopp as his Colledge was for a pri[v]ate scholler, though a Doctor.

Parliaments in that tyme were frequent, and grew very busy, and the party under which he had suffer'd a continuall perseqution appeared very powerfull and full of designe, and they who had the courage to oppose them, begann to be taken notice of with approbation and countenance, and under this style he came to be first cherished by the Duke of Buckingham, after he had made some exsperiments of the temper and spiritt of the other people, nothinge to his satisfaction: from this tyme he prospered at the rate of his owne wishes, and beinge transplanted out of his cold barren Diocesse of S't Davids, into a warmer climate, he was left, as was sayd before, by that omnipotent Favorite, in that greate trust with the Kinge, who was sufficiently indisposed towards the persons or the principles of M'r Calvins disciples.

When he came into greate authority, it may be he retayned to keene a memory of those who had so unjustly and uncharitably persequted him before, and I doubte was so farr transported with the same pa.s.syons he had reason to complayne of in his ad[v]ersaryes, that, as they accused him of Popery, because he had some doctrinall opinions, which they liked not, though they were nothinge allyed to Popery, so he intertayned to much praejudice to some persons, as if they were enimyes to the disciplyne of the Church, because they concurred with Calvin in some doctrinall points, when they abhorred his disciplyne, and reverenced the goverment of the Church, and prayed for the peace of it, with as much zeale and fervency, as any in the kingdome, as they made manifest in ther lives, and in ther sufferings with it and for it. He had, from his first entrance into the worlde without any disguise or dissimulation declared his owne opinion of that Cla.s.sis of men, and as soone as it was in his power, he did all he could to hinder the growth and encrease of that faction, and to restrayne those who were inclined to it, from doinge the mischieue they desyred to do: But his power at Courte could not enough qualify him, to goe through with that difficulte reformation, whilst he had a superiour in the Church, who havinge the raynes in his hande, could slacken them accordinge to his owne humour and indiscretion, and was thought to be the more remisse to irritate his cholirique disposition, but when he had now the Primacy in his owne hande, the Kinge beinge inspired with the same zeale, he thought he should be to blame, and have much to answer, if he did not make hast to apply remedyes, to those diseases, which he saw would grow apace....

The Arch-Bishopp had all his life eminently opposed Calvins doctryne in those contraversyes, before the name of Arminius was taken notice of or his opinions hearde of; and therupon for wante of another name they had called him a Papiste, which n.o.body believed him to be, and he had more manifested the contrary in his disputations and writings, then most men had done: and it may be the other founde the more seveare and rigourous usage from him, for ther propagatinge that calumny against him. He was a man of greate courage and resolution, and beinge most a.s.sured within himselfe that he proposed no end in all his actions or designes, then what was pyous and just (as sure no man had ever a hearte more intire, to the Kinge, the Church, or his country) he never studyed the best wayes to those ends; he thought it may be, that any arte or industry that way, would discreditt, at least make the integrity of the end suspected: let the cause be what it will, he did courte persons to little, nor cared to make his designes and purposes appeare as candid as they were, by shewinge them in any other dresse, then ther owne naturall beauty and roughnesse: and did not consider enough what men sayd, or were like to say of him. If the faultes and vices were fitt to be looked into and discover'd, let the persons be who they would that were guilty of them, they were sure to finde no connivence of favour from him. He intended the disciplyne of the Church should be felte, as well as spoken of, and that it should be applyed to the greatest and most splendid transgressors, as well as to the punishment of smaller offences, and meaner offenders; and therupon called for, or cherished the discovery of those who were not carefull to cover ther owne iniquitycs, thinkinge they were above the reach of other mens, or ther power, or will to chastice: Persons of honour and great quality, of the Courte, and of the Country, were every day cited into the High Commissyon Courte, upon the fame of ther incontinence, or other skandall in ther lyves; and were ther prosequted to ther shame and punishment, and as the shame, (which they called an insolent tryumph upon ther degree and quality, and levellinge them with the common people) was never forgotten, but watched for revenge, so the Fynes imposed ther were the more questioned and repyned against, because they wer a.s.signed to the rebuildinge and repayringe St. Pauls Church, and thought therfore to be the more sevearely imposed, and the lesse compa.s.sionately reduced and excused, which likewise made the jurisdiction and rigour of the Starrchamber more felte and murmured against, which sharpened many mens humours against the Bishopps, before they had any ill intention toward the Church.

[Footnote 1: 'unpopular' subst.i.tuted for 'ungracious' in MS.]

25.

By THOMAS FULLER.

[Sidenote: Over-severe in his censures.]

Amongst his humane frailties, _choler_ and _pa.s.sion_ most discovered it self. In the _Star-Chamber_ (where if the crime not extraordinary, it was fine enough for one to be sued in so chargable a Court) He was observed always to concur with the severest side, and to infuse more _vinegar_ then _oyle_ into all his _censures_, and also was much blamed for his severity to his Predecessor easing him against his will, and before his time, of his jurisdiction.

[Sidenote: Over-medling in State matters.]

But he is most accused for over-medling in State-matters, more then was fitting, say many, then needful, say most, for one of his profession. But he never more overshot himself, then when he did impose the _Scotch Liturgie_, and was [Greek: allotrio-archiepis[ko]pos] over a free and forrain Church and Nation.

At home, many grumbled at him for oft making the _shallowest_ pretence of the _Crown deep_ enough (by his powerfull digging therein) to drown the undoubted right of any private Patron to a Church-living. But Courtiers most complained, that he persecuted them, not in their proper places, but what in an ordinary way he should have taken from the _hands_ of inferior officers, that He with a _long_ and _strong Arm_ reached to himself over all their heads. Yet others plead for him, that he abridg'd their _bribes_ not _fees_, and it vexed them that He struck their _fingers_ with the _dead-palsie_, so that they could not (as formerly) have a _feeling_ for Church Preferments....

[Sidenote: An enemy to gallantry in Clergiemens cloaths.]

He was very plain in apparrel, and sharply checkt such Clergymen whom he saw goe in rich or gaudy cloaths, commonly calling them of the _Church-Triumphant_. Thus as _Cardinal Woolsy_ is reported the first Prelate, who made _Silks_, and _Sattens_ fashionable amongst clergy-men; so this Arch-Bishop first retrenched the usual wearing thereof. Once at a Visitation in _Ess.e.x_, one in _Orders_ (of good estate and extraction) appeared before him very gallant in habit, whom D'r _Laud_ (then Bishop of _London_) publickly reproved, shewing to him the plainness of his own apparrel. My _Lord_ (said the Minister) _you have better cloaths at home and I have worse_, whereat the Bishop rested very well contented....

[Sidenote: No whit addicted to covetousness.]

Covetousness He perfectly hated, being a single man and having no project to raise a name or Family, he was the better enabled for publick performances, having both a _price in his hand_, and an _heart_ also to dispose thereof for the general good. S't _Johns_ in _Oxford_, wherein he was bred, was so beautified, enlarged, and enriched by him, that strangers at the first sight knew it not, yea, it scarce knoweth it self, so altered to the better from its former condition. Insomuch that almost it deserveth the name of _Canterbury-Colledge_, as well as that which _Simon Islip_ founded, and since hath lost its name, united to _Christ-Church_. More buildings he intended, (had not the stroke of one _Axe_ hindred the working of many _hammers_) chiefly on Churches, whereof the following pa.s.sage may not impertinently be inserted.

[Sidenote: The grand causer of the repairing of Churches.]

It happened that a _Visitation_ was kept at S't _Peters_ in _Corn-hill_, for the Clergy of _London_. The Preacher discoursing of the painfulness of the Ministerial Function, proved it from the Greek deduction of [Greek: Diakonos] or Deacon, so called from [Greek: konis] _dust_, because he must _laborare in arena in pulvere_, _work in the dust_, doe hard service in hot weather. Sermon ended, Bishop _Laud_ proceeded to his charge to the Clergy, and observing the Church ill repaired without, and slovenly kept within, _I am sorry_ (said He) _to meet here with so true an Etymologie of Diaconus, for here is both dust and dirt too, for a Deacon (or Priest either) to work in. Yea it is dust of the worst kind, caused from the mines of this ancient house of G.o.d, so that it pittieth his[1] servants to see her in the dust_.

Hence he took occasion to press the repairing of that, and other decaied places of divine worship, so that from this day we may date the general mending, beautifying and adorning of all English Churches, some to decency, some to magnificence, and some (if all complaints were true) to superst.i.tion.

[Sidenote: Princ.i.p.ally of S. Pauls]

But the Church of S't Pauls, (the only Cathedral in Christendom dedicated to that _Apostle_) was the master: piece of his performances. We know what[2] one Satyrically said of him, that _he pluckt down Puritans, and Property, to build up Pauls and Prerogative_. But let unpartial Judges behold how he left, and remember how he found that ruinous fabrick, and they must conclude that (though intending more) he effected much in that great designe.

He communicated his project to some private persons, of taking down the _great Tower_ in the middle, to the _Spurrs_, and rebuild it in the same fashion, (but some yards higher) as before. He meant to hang as great and tuneable a ring of Bels, as any in the world, whose sound advantaged with their height and vicinity of the _Thames_, must needs be loud and melodious. But now he is turned to his dust, and all _his thoughts have perished_, yea that Church, formerly approached with due reverence, is now entred with just fear, of falling on those under it, and is so far from having its old decays repaired, that it is daily decayed in its new reparations.

He was low of Stature, little in bulk, chearful in countenance, (wherein gravity and quickness were well compounded) of a sharp and piercing eye, clear judgement, and (abating the influence of age) firme memory. He wore his hair very close, and though in the beginning of his greatness, many measured the length of mens stricktness by the shortness of their hair, yet some will say, that since out of Antipathy to conform to his example, his opposites have therein indulged more liberty to themselves. And thus we take our leave of him.

[Footnote 1: Psal. 102. 14]

[Footnote 2: Lord F.]

26.

By SIR PHILIP WARWICK.

Archbishop Laud was a man of an upright heart and a pious soul, but of too warm blood and too positive a nature towards a.s.serting what he beleived a truth, to be a good Courtier; and his education fitted him as little for it, as his nature: which having bin most in the University, and among books and scholars, where oft canva.s.sing affairs, that are agitated in that province, and prevailing in it, rather gave him wrong than right measures of a Court. He was generally acknowledg'd a good scholar, and throughly verst in Ecclesiastical learning. He was a zealot in his heart both against Popery and Presbytery; but a great a.s.sertor of Church-authority, inst.i.tuted by Christ and his Apostles, and as primitively practised; which notwithstanding, he really and freely acknowledged subject unto the secular authority. And therefore he carefully endeavored to preserve the jurisdiction, which the Church anciently exercised, before the secular authority own'd her; at least so much thereof, as the law of this our Realm had apply'd to our circ.u.mstances; which our common Lawyers dayly struck at; and thro' prohibitions and other appeals every day lessened; and this bred an unkindnes to him in many of the long robe, however some of them were very carefull of the Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction.

He was a man of great modesty in his own person and habit, and of regularity and devotion in his family: and as he was very kind to his Clergy, so he was very carefull to make them modest in their attire, and very diligent in their studies, in faithfully dispensing G.o.d's Word, reverently reading the Prayers, and administring the Sacraments, and in preserving their Churches in cleanlines and with plain and fitting ornament, that so voyd of superst.i.tion, G.o.d's House in this age, where every man bettered his own, might not lye alone neglected; and accordingly he sett upon that great work of St. Paul's Church, which his diligence perfected in a great measure: and his Master's piety made magnificent that most n.o.ble structure by a Portico: but not long after the carved work thereof was broken down with axes and hammers, and the whole sacred edifice made not only a den of thieves, but a stable of unclean beasts, as I can testifie, having once gone into it purposely to observe: from which contamination Providence some few years since cleansed it by fire.

He prevented likewise a very private and clandestine designe of introducing Nonconformists into too too many Churches; for that society of men (that they might have Teachers to please their itching ears) had a designe to buy in all the Lay-Impropriations, which the Parish-Churches in Henry the VIII's time were robb'd of, and lodging the Advowsons and Presentations in their own Feoffees, to have introduced men, who would have introduced doctrines suitable to their dependences, which the Court already felt too much the smart of, by being forced to admitt the Presentations of the Lay-Patrons, who too often dispose their benefices to men, rather suitable to their own opinions, than the Articles and Canons of the Church.

All this bred him more and more envy; but if it had pleas'd G.o.d to have given him an uninterrupted course, and if few of his Successors had walked in his stepps, wee might, without any tendency to Popery, or danger of superst.i.tion, have serv'd G.o.d reverently and uniformely, and according unto Primitive practice and purity, and not have bin, as we are now, like a shivered gla.s.s, sca.r.s.e ever to be made whole again.

Thus finding Providence had led him into authority, he very really and strongly opposed both Popery and Presbytery. He was sensible, how the first by additions had perverted the purity of Religion, and turned it into a policy; but resolving not to contest Rome's truths, tho'

he spared not her errors, both Papist and Presbyter, with all their Lay-Party, were well contented, that it might be believed, he was Popishly affected. And being conscious likewise, how Presbytery or the Calvinisticall Reformation, which many here, and more in Scotland, affected, by substraction and novel interpretation, had forsaken the good old ways of the primitive Church, and was become dangerous to Monarchy, he sett himself against this, as well as that: but both their weights crusht him....

As this good Arch-Bishop I write of, had these great eminences, so he may be acknowledged to have failed in those prudences, which belong unto a great Minister of State, who like a wise Physician is to consider times and seasons, as well as persons and diseases, and to regard those complications, which usually are mixed in ill habits of body, and to use more alterative than purgative Physick. For popular bents and inclinations are cured more by a steddy than precipitate hand or counsel; mult.i.tudes being to be drawn over from their errors, rather by wayes they discerne not, than by those, which they are likely to contest; whilst upon single persons and great men courses of violence and authority may be exercised. But Ministers of State unwillingly run this course, because they would have the honour of perfecting the work they affect in their own time; and the mult.i.tude of this good man's busines, and the promptnes of his nature, made those ceremonies, which are necessary by great Persons to be paid unto men in his station, to be unwelcome unto him, and so he discharged himselfe of them, and thereby disobliged those persons, who thought their quality, tho' not their busines, required a patient and respectfull entertainment. This I reflect upon, because I heard from a good hand, that the Marquiss of Argile making him an insidious visit, and he, knowing he neither loved him nor the Church, entertaining him not with that franknes he should have done, but plainly telling him, he was at that time a little busy about the King's affairs, this great Lord took it so much in indignation, and esteem'd it such a Lordly Prelacy, that he declaimed against it, and became (if possible) more enemy both to him and the Church, than he was before. The rect.i.tude of his nature therefore made him not a fitt instrument to struggle with the obliquity of those times; and he had this infirmity likewise, that he beleived those forward instruments, which he employed, followed the zeal of their own natures, when they did but observe that of his: for as soon as difficulty or danger appeared, his petty instruments shrunk to nothing, and shewed, from whom they borrowed their heat.

He weighed not well his Master's condition; for he saw him circled in by too many powerfull Scots, who mis-affected the Church, and had joyned with them too many English Counsellors and Courtiers, who were of the same leaven. If he had perceived an universall concurrence in his own Clergy, who were esteemed Canonicall men, his attempts might have seem'd more probable, than otherwise it could: but for him to think by a purgative Physick to evacuate all those cold slimy humors, which thus overflowed the body, was ill judged; for the good affections of the Prince, back'd only by a naked or paper-authority, sooner begets contumacy, than complyance in dissaffected Subjects....

And this shall suffice to be said of that well intentioned, but not truly considerative, great man, unles wee add this single thing further, that he who looks upon him thro' those Canons, which in Synod pa.s.sed in his time, will find him a true a.s.sertor of Religion, Royalty, and Property; and that his grand designe was no other, than that of our first Reformation; which was, that our Church might stand upon such a foot of Primitive and Ecclesiastick authority, as suited with G.o.d's word, and the best Interpreters of it, sound reason and Primitive practice. And untill this Nation is blest with such a spirit, it will lye in that darknes and confusion the Sects at this time have flung it into.

27.

WILLIAM JUXON.

_Born 1582. President of St. John's College Oxford, 1621. Bishop of London 1633-49. Lord Treasurer 1635-41. Archbishop of Canterbury 1660.

Died 1663_.

By SIR PHILIP WARWICK.

Having thus described one great Church-man, wee may the more fitly make mention of another, because they were so intimate and bosome Friends, and because this first is supposed to have introduced the last into that eminent employment of Lord Treasurer. Had nature mingled their tempers, and allayed the one by the prudence and foresight of the other, or inspirited the other by the zeal and activity of his Friend, nature had framed a better paist, than usually she doth, when she is most exact in her work about mankind: sincerity and integrity being eminent in them both. This reverend Prelate, Dr.

Juxon, then Bishop of London, was of a meek spirit, and of a solid and steddy judgment; and having addicted his first studies to the Civil Law, (from which he took his t.i.tle of Doctor, tho' he afterwards took on him the Ministry) this fitted him the more for Secular and State affairs. His temper and prudence wrought so upon all men, that tho'

he had the two most invidious characters both in the Ecclesiasticall and Civil State; one of a Bishop, the other of a Lord Treasurer: yet neither drew envy on him; tho' the humor of the times tended to brand all great men in employment. About the year 1634 the Lord Portland dyed, and the Treasury was put into Commission; by which means the true state thereof became distinctly to be known: and in the year 1635, this good and judicious man had the white staff put into his hand: and tho' he found the revenue low and much antic.i.p.ated, yet withall meeting with times peaceable and regular, and his Master enclined to be frugall, he held up the dignity and honor of his Majestie's Houshold, and the splendor of the Court, and all publick expences, and justice in all contracts; so as there were as few dissatisfactions in his time, as perchance in any, and yet he cleared off the antic.i.p.ations on the revenue, and sett his Master beforehand.

The choice of this good man shewed, how remote it was from this King's intentions, to be either tyrannicall or arbitrary; for so well he demeaned himselfe thro' his whole seaven years employment, that neither as Bishop or Treasurer, came there any one accusation against him in that last Parliament 1640, whose eares were opened, nay itching after such complaints. Nay even after the King's being driven from London, he remained at his house, belonging to his Bishop.r.i.c.k, in Fulham, and sometimes was visited by some of the Grandees, and found respect from all, and yet walked steddily in his old paths. And he retained so much of his Master's favour, that when the King was admitted to any Treaty with the two Houses Commissioners, he alwayes commanded his attendance on him: for he ever valued his advice. I remember, that the King, being busy in dispatching some letters with his own pen, commanded me to wait on the Bishop, and to bring him back his opinion in a certaine affaire: I humbly pray'd his Majestie, that I might rather bring him with me, least I should not expresse his Majestie's sense fully, nor bring back his so significantly, as he meant it; and because there might be need for him further to explain himselfe, and least he should not speake freely to me: to which the King replyed, _Go, as I bid you, if he will speak freely to any body, he will speak freely to you: This_ (the King said) _I will say of him, I never gott his opinion freely in my life, but when I had it, I was ever the better for it_. This character of so judicious a Prince I could not omitt, because it carried in it the reason of that confidence, that called him to be his Majestie's Confessor before his death, and to be his Attendant on the scaffold at his death; so as all Persons concurring thus about this good Prelate, wee may modestly say, he was an eminent man.

28.

THE MARQUIS OF HERTFORD.