BETH. of the chapter, he believed his calling was lawful, and should ELIZAendeavour to perform the duties required; that notwithstanding, he was willing to refer himself to the judgment of the Church, in case of good behaviour; but on this condition, that no more was demanded from him than what the apostle requires. As to the revenues and privileges of his see, he conceived the title good, and the keeping them very lawful. And as for serving the crown with his advice, he thought his allegiance bound him to it; and, besides, he looked on the bishops being present at such public consultations, as beneficial to the Church." This answer was voted unsatisfactory. But the archbishop withdrew from the assembly, and would give them no better. Upon this, Andrew Melvil, and some other ministers, were commissionated to press his subscription to the Assembly Act, for the reformation of episcopacy: and if he refused to comply, to proceed to excommunication. Melvil went to the utmost length of his commission, menaced the archbishop with the censures of the Church, and finding him under the disadvantage of ill health, worked him to the signing the shocking articles already mentioned. This submission troubled Boyd very much in his last sickness. Spotswood gives him the character of a wise, learned, and religious prelate. Hist. p. 303. moves for down the cathedral at Melvil having thus helped the archbishop into the other Meril world, attempted the demolition of the cathedral. This sin- the pulling gular reformer, and some other ministers, had plied the magistracy with such importunity, that at last they consented to the Glasgow. pulling down this noble structure. One of their topics was, that this church was a monument of idolatry, and the only unruined cathedral in the whole country. But when the masons were brought to take down the building, the townsmen ran to arms, and threatened those with immediate death that should stir the first stone; and thus by the bravery of the burghers, the cathedral was preserved'. To return to England: the queen was now treating a marriage with the duke of Anjou. This alliance was not well relished by the English. And here the Puritans were loudest in their remonstrance. One Stubbs, a lawyer of that persuasion, wrote a book against the match, entitled, "The Gaping Gulph." This tract was penned with a great deal of heat and The Scotch Puritans scem most thoroughly to have deserved the satire which Sir Walter Scott has so wittily bestowed on them. council's let dal. GRINDAL satire. The queen looked upon these intemperate clamours Abp. Cant. as no better than arraigning the government. To check this insolence, therefore, a proclamation came out for seizing the The privy book, the author, and printer; and for the prevention of farter to arch ther mischief, the lords of the council wrote to archbishop Grinbishop Grin- dal, acquainting him with the malignity of the libel: that the design of it was to misreport the queen to her subjects, as if she intended to alter the religion established; and that such insinuations as these were altogether remote from her majesty's intentions. The archbishop, therefore, is required to send for as many of the clergy of character as can conveniently be got together; to read the proclamation to them, to acquaint them with her majesty's unalterable resolution, never to admit of any change in religion. He was likewise to admonish them to keep within the compass of their profession, and not concern themselves with state-matters in the pulpit. Regist. Grindal, fol. 183. A decree of the university of Oxford This year the university of Oxford made a farther provision to guard the Reformation. The heads of the decree passed in convocation are these: "1. For the extirpation of all heresies, and the better against the instruction of young students, they order the following books spreading of popery. to be read to them, viz.: Alexander Nowel's larger CateA.D. 1579. chism, in Latin and Greek; or John Calvin's Catechism, in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew;' or Hyperius's Elements of the Christian Religion;' or The Hydelberg Catechism.' And here the choice is left to the readers, who are to regard the capacity of the audience. 569. A. D. 1565. "2. To these might be added, Henry Bullinger's Catechism, Calvin's Institutions,' The Apology for the Church of England, or The Nine-and-Thirty Articles,' with an exposition upon them; and this explanation and defence drawn from the Holy Scriptures, and the testimony of the Fathers. "3. That all catechisms counter to the orthodoxy in these tracts, and all other superstitious and popish books, are forbidden to be either read or kept in private studies. "4. This business of reading and expounding was enjoined tutors and public catechists. There was likewise an examiWood. Hist. nation ordered to be taken every term of the proficiency of the students." et Antiq. Univers. Oxon. Lib. p. 296. This year, Matthew Hammond, a plough-wright, of Hethersett, near Norwich, was convented before the bishop for heresy BETH. and blasphemy. He denied the inspiration of the New Testa- ELIZAment, the divinity of our Saviour and the Holy Ghost, and the necessity of baptism and the holy eucharist. His blasphemies I shall pass over: he outraged the queen and council in opprobrious language, for which he was sentenced to lose his ears, Hammond which was executed accordingly. In short, he held to his heresy. heresies and blasphemous expressions, and was burnt in the May 20, castle ditch at Norwich. Robert Horne, bishop of Winchester, died the 1st of June, this year. He was born in the bishopric of Durham, and bred in St. John's-college, in Cambridge. His exile, the course of his preferments, and some other passages relating to his character, have been mentioned already. burnt for 1579. Hollandia vincia. Eliz. p. 300, The next year, some Dutchmen, coming over, spread new Advenæ ex and dangerous opinions, to the disturbance of the Church and feraci hæreState. These men, though desperate heretics, made a strong ticorum proappearance of sanctity. They called themselves "The Family Cambden, of Love," or "The House of Charity." They made their proselytes believe, that none but their society were within the number of the elect; and that the rest of mankind were all reprobates, and doomed to damnation: that they had the privilege of denying anything they pleased, upon oath before a magistrate, or any other person of a different religion from themselves. A body of this enthusiastic and scandalous doctrine was translated from Dutch into English. Some of the books were entitled, "The Gospel of the Kingdom;" "Documental Sentences;" "The Prophecy of the Spirit of Love;" "The Publication of Peace upon the Earth, by H. N." They would by no means tell their author's name; but, afterwards, it was found out these tracts were written by one Henry Nicholas, of Leyden. This heretic advanced to blasphemy, and affirmed that the divine nature was communicated to him, and that God was partaker of his humanity. To prevent these men from shedding their venom, a proclamation was published. The Familists' books were ordered to be burnt, and the magistracy commanded to assist the ordinaries'. October, A. D. 1580. The next remarkable occurrence is the meeting of the par- Annal. liament at Westminster. The session began on the 16th of 1 This Henry Nicholas, the most distinguished of the German Familists, was the author of another book, entitled, "The Looking-glass of Righteousness." His opinions died not with him, but exist at this day in new modifications. VOL. VI. Rr Jan. 16, 1580-1. GRINDAL January, continued till the 18th of March, when it was once Abp. Cant. more prorogued. It was dissolved on the 19th of April, in the twenty-fifth year of this reign. Commons appoint a fast. The house of To observe something relating to the Church: Mr. Paul Wentworth, brother to Peter, above-mentioned, moved in the lower house for a public fast, and a sermon every morning before the house sat. Sir Francis Knowles, treasurer of the household, and some other members, opposed this motion. However, that the commons had authority to appoint a fast, was carried by a majority; and thus the 29th of January was fixed for the day. The commons were to meet at the Templechurch; and, that the preachers might deliver no offensive doctrine, they were to be appointed by those members who were of the privy-council. They make a submission to But, before the day came, the speaker declared himself sorry for the error of this resolve; and that her majesty was much displeased with their proceedings. At the same time, the queen sent a message to the house by her vice-chamberlain. The purport of it was, to acquaint them her majesty was extremely surprised at the hardiness of their motions; that the taking such steps against her express order, by the lord chancellor, could be construed to nothing but downright contempt. In short, both the speaker and the vice-chamberlain proposed their making a submission, owning their fault, and asking pardon. After several speeches in the house to this purpose, the question was put, Whether the vice-chamberlain, sir Christopher Hatton, should deliver the submission to her majesty it was carried in the affirmative. On the 25th of January, the vice-chamberlain came to the the queen for house, and acquainted them the queen had accepted their subthis freedom. mission; that she hoped for the future they would move more warily; that she did not dislike their inclination for fasting and prayers: it was the manner which disobliged; it was their presuming to appoint a fast without pre-acquainting her majesty, and receiving her orders for that purpose; and that this was no less than plain encroachment upon her ecclesiastical authority. D'Ewes' Journal, p. 292. Mildmay's When this matter was dismissed, sir Walter Mildmay made speech for a a long speech upon the danger from popery, and moved that a further secu- bill might be brought in for farther security to the government. government. He insisted upon the hostile practice and restless endeavours rity to the BETH. or be recon of the court of Rome: that they looked upon England as the ELIZAmain strength of the Reformation, and that they were perpetually playing their batteries against this quarter. For instances of hostile practice, he mentioned the northern rebellion, raised by the earls of Westmorland and Northumberland; the affording shelter and maintenance to those rebels and other deserters ever since; the publishing a most malicious and scandalous bull against her majesty; the invasion of Ireland by James Fitzmorris; the insurrection headed by the earl of Desmond; and the late landing of strangers and fortifying that country against the government. This speech made an impression, and, it is probable, occasioned the passing the bill "for retaining the queen's subjects in their due obedience." By this statute, it is high treason to draw off any person from To reconcile, the communion of the Church of England to that of Rome; ciled to the and the same penalty is enacted against those reconciled to Church of Rome, high popery. And those who knowingly maintain or conceal the treason. reconciling, or reconciled, and refuse to discover them within twenty days to some justice of the peace, or other "higher officer," shall fall under the penalty of misprision of treason. It is likewise enacted, that every person convicted of saying mass shall forfeit two hundred marks, and suffer a year's imprisonment; and those who willingly hear mass are liable to the forfeiture of a hundred marks, and one year's imprison- Twenty ment. Farther every person above the pounds per of sixteen years, month for who absents himself from church, incurs the forfeiture of not coming twenty pounds per month; and, in case the absence is con- 570. tinued for twelve months, he is to be bound to his good behaviour, to enter into a recognizance of 2007., and find two sufficient sureties. age And lastly, the keeping a school-master, who neither comes to church, nor is licensed by the bishop of the diocese, is made ten pounds per month forfeiture: and the school-master is to suffer a year's imprisonment without bail or mainprize. to church. 23 Eliz. Eliz. There was another act passed this session to check the disor- cap. 1. ders of the Puritan faction. Stubbs's book, entitled "The Gaping Gulph," might not improbably give occasion to this Cambden, bill; for the libel was penned with great rancour and coarse language the French nation was outraged, and the duke of Anjou abused to the last degree; and, which was still more provoking, the queen was dangerously misreported, as if she |