Diary of John Manningham Part 18

[Sidenote: fo. 41.]

2. The Lord's vineyard is not to be knowne by the fruit (for we reade here that it bringeth forth wyld grapes), but where the roote is planted, where Christ is professed, there the Church is; it is nowe universall, not yed to anie place; we reade of 7 Churches in the Reuelacions, though all not alike pure, yet all churches: Israell is his eldest sonne, though a prodigall: as betwixt man and woman after a publique contract celebrated, though the woman play the harlot and bring forth children of fornicacion unto hir husband, yet continues shee his wife whose name shee beares vntill a publique divorce be sued. Some churches are soare, some sicke, some soe leprous that noe communion ought to [be] continued with them, yet churches still. Yf anie aske, as manie papists use to doe, where our church was before Martin Luther was borne, we aunswer that it is the same churche that was from the beginninge, and noe newe on as they terme it, for the weeding of a vyneyard is noe destroyinge, nor the pruning any planting; for we have remoued but idolatrie and a privat ma.s.se of ceremonies, which with the burying the author[?] of life in a hidden and unknowne language had almost put the heavenly light out of our candlesticke; and when the trashe of humaine inventions had raysed themselues to soe high esteeme, it was tyme to say, "Yf Ephraim play the harlot, yet lett not Israell synn."

[Sidenote: fo. 41^b.]

Jerusalem litterally is the mother Churche of all.

The Churche, like the vine that hath many branches but one roote, may haue severall members, but all knit together with the vnity of three bonds--one Lord, one fayth, one baptisme. But nowe Rome, usurping over his fellowes, speakes like Babilon in the 18 Reuel. "I cannot erre," and have encroched an article vpon the Creede, that must be beeleeved upon payne of d.a.m.nation, that there is one visible heade of the Churche (which must be the Pope). And yet in an oec.u.menical Counsell of 330 Catholike Bishops it was decreed that Constantinople should have equall authority with Rome; which plainely confuted their usurped universall supremacy. Yet the Popes, by the a.s.sistaunce of the Emperours, haue, like ivy, risen higher then the oke by which it climed: soe much that our countriman Stapleton doubts not to call his Holines _Supremum in terris numen_.

3. The benefites and manner of dressing the vine: Genesis is but the nurse of it; Exodus, the removing; Leviticus, the ordering and manner of keeping it; Josua, the weeding, &c. G.o.d soe loued it that he gave his onely Sonne to redeeme it, and when he gave him, what gave he not with him?

Might not the Church use the wordes of the leeper in the Ghospell: "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me cleane;" and why then complaynest thou?

[Sidenote: fo. 42.]

True it is, yf we consider his power: for he that is able to rayse vp children to Abraham of stones, to make the iron sweate, &c. can purifie our corruptions yf wee regard his power, and that without our meanes; but G.o.d hath tyed himself to ordinary meanes, by his eternall decree: and he that will not heare Moses and the prophets neither will he beleeve though one should rise from the dead. Many were foule with the leprosie in Nathans [Elishas?] tyme, yet none cured but Naman.

4. The fruit. All things, euen the meanest, imitate the Creator in doing something in their kind for the common good, not themselves alone; the olive doth not anoint itself with its owne oyle; the trees and plants which spend themselues in bringing forth some fruit or berry holds it noe longer then till it be ripe, and then letts it fall at his masters feete; the grape is not made drunke with its owne iuyce.

"He that receiveth a benefit hath lost his liberty," saith Seneca; and, since we have received such benefits of G.o.d as we can not, we would not renounce, lett us glorifie him in our bodies whose we are, not our owne.

Aeternitie cometh before we worke, therefore our workes merit not eternall life: and infants incorporat into the mysticall vyne are saued though they dy before they are able to bring forth anie good worke.

Our good workes growe as it were in a cold region; the best of them, even our prayers, scarce come to perfection throughe the imperfection of our nature.

[Sidenote: fo. 42^b.]

Good workes to be performed for mutuall helpe, and though we holde ourselves sufficient, yet they are to be done, even as every thing bringeth forth something yf for noe other purpose yet to continue in its owne state; like the spring, which, because it yeildeth water, is therefore continually fed with water.

_Bona opera sunt via regni, non causa regnandi. (Bernard.)_

The fruits brought forth; wyld grapes: an heavy sight to a carefull husbandman, to haue noe better reward of his paynes.

I pray G.o.d the Church of England may not justifie the synns of Sodome and Judas. Couetousnes, the roote of all wickednes, maketh men desyre to be greate rather then good, and this desyre causes them to sucke even the lyfe from one another. There is a synn amongst us which hath not bin heard of amongst the Gentiles, that wee should robb G.o.d, and that is in t.i.thing. Howe manie desyrous that the labouring man, the minister, might be put out, that themselues might haue the inheritaunce. It is the corruption of the ministery that all the dores of entraunce are shut up but the dore of symony, soe that the most and best places are for the most possessed by the worst; and, yf anie of the better be forced to come in, they are constrayned to make shipwracke of a good conscience.

[Sidenote: fo. 43.]

If it be true which is published in the names of the popish faction, the Pope hath sent a dispensation that the popish patrons may sell their presentations, soe be it the money come to the maintenance of the Jesuites. And will Peters successor thinke it lawefull to sell the guifts of the Holie Ghost? Will Simon Peter become Simon Magus? But he will nowe become a fisher for men; because he findes in their mouthes greater peices then twenty pence. The ministers are like the hart and liver, from whence are derived lyfe and nourishment by sound doctrine and good example into the members of the Church, and yf these be corrupt it is much to be feared the whole body is like to languishe in a dangerous consumption.

In defrauding the ministery, we pull downe the pillers of the house wee dwell in.

[Sidenote: fo. 43^b.

11 October, 1602.]

The Lord Zouche, Lord President of the Marches of Wales, begins to knowe and use his authoritie soe muche that his iurisdiction is allready brought in question in the Common place, and the Cheif Justice of that bench[96] thinkes that Glostershire, Herefordshire, &c., are not within his circuit.

[Footnote 96: Sir Edmund Anderson; 1582-1605.]

When he came to sitt on the benche at Ludlowe, there were, as it was wont, two cushions layd, one for the Cheife Justice Leukenour, another for the President, but he tooke the on, and casting it downe said, one was enough for that place. (_Tho: Overbury._)

Sir Walter Rhaleighs sollicitor, on Sheborough, was verry malapert and saucy in speache to Justice Walmesley[97] at the bench in the Common place; soe far that, after words past hotly betwixt them, he said he thought it fitt to commit him for his contemptuous behauiour, but the other iudges were mum. _Quantus ille!_ His wordes, "Before G.o.d, you do not well to lay their practises vpon us. You knowe me well enough. If you list, &c."

[Footnote 97: Mr. Justice Thomas Walmesley, puisne Judge of the Common Pleas 1589-1611. (Foss's Judges, vi. 191.)]

[Sidenote: fo. 44.

10 October, 1602.]

I heard that Sir Robert Cecile is fallen in dislike with one of his Secretaries of greatest confidence (Mr.[98] [Transcriber's Note: Blank s.p.a.ce was in original text and is maintained here] ,) and hath discarded him, which moues manie coniectures and much discourse in the Court. This Secretary was a sutour to be on of the clerkes of the signet, as a place of more ease and lesse attendaunce then a clarke of the counsell, which it is though[t] he might haue.

[Footnote 98: Blank in MS.]

The Irish Earle of Clanrichard[99] is well esteemed of by hir Maiestie, and in speciall grace at this tyme; hath spent lavishly since he came ouer, yet payes honestly. (_Mr. Hadsor._)

[Footnote 99: Richard of Kinsale, the fourth Earl, 1601-1635.]

The Earl of Ormond[100] is purposed, and hath licence, to marry his daughter to one of his cosens, not to the Lord Mountioy as was thought.

(_Idem._)

[Footnote 100: Thomas, the tenth Earl, 1546-1614. The young lady here mentioned, who was the Earl's only child, was ultimately married, through the influence of King James I. to Sir Richard Preston, subsequently created Earl of Desmond.]

Evill companie cuttes to the bone before the fleshe smart. It is like a fray in the night, when a man knowes not howe to ward. (_Ch. Dauers booke._)

The libertines from the rose of _Sola fides_, sucke the poyson of security. (_Idem._)

A souldier being challenged for flying from the camp said, _h.o.m.o fugiens denuo pugnabit_.

Booth being indited of felony for forgery the second time, desyred a day to aunswere till Easter terme; "Oh!" said the Attorny, "you would haue a spring; you shall, but in a halter," (_Ch. Da._)

[Sidenote: 25.]

I heard that Sir Richard Ba.s.set is much seduced, indeed gulled, by one Nic. Hill, a great profest philosopher, and nowe abuseth this yong knight by imagined alchymie.[101] (_Jo. Chap._)

[Footnote 101: Antony Wood tells several strange tales about Nicholas Hill, who was one of the astrologers and alchemists whom the Earl of Northumberland gathered round him during his long imprisonment in the Tower. Ben Jonson laughed at