PARKER, sistory and ecclesiastical commission. He was of a sedate Abp. Cant. temper, had no starts of passion, nor treated any person with rough language. When a cause had any depth and difficulty in it, he always examined with the nicest exactness, and made himself master of the argument, before he came to a decision. He was easy of access, had great penetration in going to the bottom of things, and was very quick in apprehending the tendency of what was proposed. His retinue, and the appearance of his family, was suitable to his station: but the credit of the figure was his least concern. He was particularly careful of the regularity of those that belonged to him: and, to prevent miscarriage, he assigned every body business, and would have no idle people about him. Those who were not employed in learning, the affairs of the house, or the management of his revenues, spent their time some other way that turned to account. Thus, for instance, he entertained book-binders, engravers, and painters, and those who wrote fine hands, and understood drawing and illuminating. He kept a hospitable table, and once gave the queen a splendid entertainment at Canterbury. As to his private life, it was unexceptionable and exemplary. He wrote a learned book in defence of the marriage of the clergy: the lives of the archbishops of Canterbury, intituled, "Antiquitates Britannica," though by some supposed to be writ by his secretary Joscelin, was undoubtedly Id. Append. Parker's performance. He owns himself the author of this book in a letter to the lord Burleigh, to whom he sent it in manuscript for his opinion. This book shows him a good antiquary, which may be farther collected from his publishing Matthew Paris, Matthew Westminster, Walsingham, and the Four Gospels, in the Saxon language.

num. 89.

Archbishop Parker's Life in Latin. Strype's Append. num. 90.

To mention some of his benefactions: he founded a school at Rochdale, in Lancashire; purchased an estate for founding two fellowships and thirteen scholarships in Benet College in Cambridge, built a library for that society, and besides a considerable value in printed books, furnished it with a great number of curious manuscripts. He gave likewise a hundred books, half of them in manuscript, to the university library. He gave Benet College three hundred and ten ounces of gilt plate enchased, and the advowson of St. Mary Abchurch, in London. He made a new street from the west end of St. Mary's church to the public schools. He left legacies in plate to the city of

BETH.

Norwich, Caius College, and Trinity-hall, where he likewise ELIZAfounded a scholarship. And to conclude, he expended considerable sums in pious and charitable uses.

He was buried

in Lambeth Church, with this inscription upon his monument :

Sobrius et prudens, studiis excultus et usu,
Integer et veræ religionis amans,

MATTHEUS vixit PARKERUS. Foverat illum
Aula virum juvenem; fovit et aula senem.
Ordine res gessit, recti defensor et æqui;
Vixerat ille Deo, mortuus ille Deo est1.

To go back a little on Easter-day this spring a conventicle of Dutch Anabaptists was discovered at a house without the bars at Aldgate. Twenty-seven of them were seized and com- May 15, mitted. Of these four were recovered and brought to a recantation at Paul's-cross in the form following:

"Whereas I, N. N., being seduced by the spirit of error, 4 recantaand by false teachers, his ministers, have fallen into many Dutch Anution of some damnable and detestable heresies, viz. 1. That Christ took not baptists. flesh of the substance of the blessed Virgin Mary. 2. That infants born of faithful parents ought to be rebaptized. 3. That no Christian man ought to be a magistrate, or bear the sword or office of authority. 4. And that it is not lawful for a Christian man to take an oath. Now, by the grace of God, and through conference with good and learned ministers of Christ his Church, I do understand and acknowledge the same to be most damnable and detestable heresies, and do ask God here, before his Church, mercy for my said former errors, and do forsake them, recant, and renounce them, and abjure them from the very bottom of my heart. And further I confess, that the whole doctrine and religion established in this realm of England, as also that which is received and practised in the Dutch Church here in this city, is sound, true, and according to the Word of God: whereunto in all things I submit myself, and will most gladly be a member of the said Dutch Church; from henceforth utterly abandoning and forsaking all and every anabaptistical error."

This discipline carried something of terror, and checked the

This epitaph on archbishop Parker seems, on the whole, well deserved his memorial, however, would be less exceptionable had he understood the wholesome policy of toleration and concession.

Stow's
Annals.

heresy. But some were so obstinate, that neither instruction nor punishment could make any impression. Ten Dutchmen, and one woman of the same country, proving thus incorrigible, were brought into the consistory at St. Paul's, and condemned to the stake. There was great pains taken to undeceive them; but none but the woman was recovered. However, the government was so merciful as to banish the rest without any farther punishment. This clemency giving encouragement to others, it was thought necessary to proceed to some instances of exTwo of them tremity. Thus two of the same nation and heterodoxies were burnt in Smithfield. While they lay under sentence, Fox, the martyrologist, petitioned the queen in their behalf: he wrote a Latin letter in a very handsome Christian strain. It was to mitigate the rigour, and change the punishment; or at least to respite the execution for a month or two: and that during this interval they might have the assistance of some learned men to disentangle their understandings, and bring them off their Id. Fuller's heresy. But a reprieve being granted, and Fox's expedient tried without success, the forfeiture of their lives was taken.

burnt in Smithfield.

July 2, 1575.

Ch. Hist. book 9. The lawfulness of epi

to the

scopacy put question in the general assembly.

About this time the reformed in Scotland began to divide and break into parties: the form of Church government was pushed at, and a design on foot to break the settlement at Leith. Andrew Melvil, as far as it appears, was the principal undertaker. He had studied some time at Geneva, and was entirely in Beza's sentiments: he was of a warm enterprising temper, apt to believe himself always in the right, and impatient of disappointment. This gentleman, whose learning lay mostly in languages, was strongly in the project of a Presbyterian parity but being but lately come from Geneva, and wanting a character to break the ice, he thought it most advisable to make use of another hand. To this purpose he made an acquaintance with several of the preachers, and particularly with one John Dury, a minister of Edinburgh. This Dury, as Spotswood represents him, was a well-meaning, undissembling man, open in declaring his mind, and zealous in maintaining his opinion but then he was somewhat unguarded in his management, had an overbalance of belief, and was easily imSpotswood, posed on.

550.

p. 275. 457.

Melvil, having practised upon this Dury and brought him over to his singularities, prevailed with him to open the cause, Aug. 1575. and remonstrate against episcopacy, at the general assembly.

BETH.

The first essay touched the matter somewhat tenderly, and an ELIZAinquiry was only proposed concerning the lawfulness of the episcopal function and the authority of chapters in the election. When Dury had started the question, Melvil struck in and seconded the motion. However, he managed as if the subject had been perfectly new, and the matter unconcerted between them. He began with a commendation of Dury's zeal, harangued upon the flourishing condition of the Church of Geneva, dilated upon the opinions of Calvin and Beza, and at last advanced to a direct assertion, "that none ought to bear office in the Church, unless they could make out their claim and prove their title from the inspired writings. It is true, the distinction of bishops was mentioned in Scripture; but then it was not to be taken in the customary construction; for our Saviour has allowed no superiority amongst his ministers; He himself is the only Lord of his Church; and, as for his officers, they are all ranged in the same degree, and allotted the same proportion of power." In the close of his discourse he took the freedom to say, "that the episcopal function, as now managed, was so far degenerated, and overgrown so much with corruption and abuse, that, unless this grievance was removed, the Church could never be happily settled, nor the purity of religion long preserved.”

This speech being well received by many of the members, a A committee committee of six was appointed to debate the question. Mr. debate the appointed to David Lindsay, Mr. George Hay, and Mr. John Row, repre- matter. sented the present establishment, and argued for the lawfulness of episcopacy. The other three, on the opposite side, were Mr. James Lawson, Mr. John Craig, and Mr. Andrew Melvil. After several conferences, and a great deal of dispute, they came to somewhat of a compromise, and made the report of their resolution to the assembly in writing. It is digested under five heads :

lution.

"First. They did not think it expedient at present to Their resoanswer the questions proposed by Dury." However, though they waived speaking directly to that point, something was offered towards satisfaction: for they add, "that, if any bishop was unfurnished with the qualities required by the Word of God, he was to be tried by the general assembly, and deposed.

Id. MS.

Acts of the
Assembly.

66

Secondly. They conceived that the name of a bishop was no appropriated distinction, but common to all ministers that had the charge of a parish; and that, by the Word of God, the principal function of such ecclesiastical governors consisted in preaching, in administering the sacraments, and in the exercise of the Church discipline, with the concurrence of his elders.

66

Thirdly. That, out of the body of the ministers, some one might be chosen to inspect and visit beyond his own charge, and superintend within such a precinct as the general assembly should appoint.

Fourthly. That the ministers so elected might settle preachers within the limits last mentioned: but then this was not to be done without the advice of the ministers of that division, and the consent of the flock where they were to officiate.

66

And, lastly, that such a distinguished ecclesiastic might suspend ministers from the exercise of their office upon reasonable causes, with the consent of the ministers of the bounds.”

And here, notwithstanding the Presbyterians gained some ground in putting episcopacy to the question, yet they fell short of their purpose; for they could not prevail for a decision against the function; and, more than that, by the first and third articles, the project for parity is clearly baffled.

When this assembly was held, and the grand question put, the archbishop of Glasgow, the bishops of Dunkeld and Galloway, of Brichen, Dumblane, and Isles, the superintendents of Lothian and Angus, were present. But, notwithstanding they were so much concerned in the business, it does not appear by the records, that either they were so far considered as to make part of the conference, or that they offered at any defence of their office and dignity. What made them so silent and passive under so warm an attack, is somewhat mysterious. If they expected the regent would crush the motion, and disappoint their adversaries, they miscalculated upon the event; but if it was done out of a principle of resignation and self-denial, there was more humility than conduct in it for it was by no means prudential to give way to such novelties, and suffer the warrantableness of their function to be made a moot point.

However, the contest was much short of victory on the