SUPPLIE OR ADDICION TO THE CATALOGUE OF BISHOPS, TO THE YEARE 1608. LIBRARY [OF THE ARCHBISHOPS OF CANTERBURY;] AND FIRST OF DR. PARKER.9 WHEN I consider with myselfe the hard beginning, though more prosperous success of the reformed Church of England, meethinks it may be compared to a battaile foughten, in which 9 Matthew Parker was made Abp. of C. in 1559. Ob. 1575. Et. 72. The industrious biographer, John Strype, published a circumstantial memoir of him in 1711. Granger says, it should be remembered to his honour that he was the founder of the society of Antiquaries in England. He published the “Bishops Bible;" and translated "The whole Psalter into English metre." This work was printed in quarto by John Day, and is pointed out by Warton as a book of uncommon rarity. The copies are thought to have been presented to several of the nobility by the wife of the Archbishop, Margaret Parker, of whom Fuller has given a high character in his Church-history. some captayns and souldiers, that gave the first charge, either dyed in the feild, or came bleeding hoine; but such as followed, putting their enemies to flight, remayned quiet and victorious. Or I may more fitly (without offence) liken it to the successe of them of the primitive church, wherein the apostles and their immediat successors, were one while honoured and magnified by their followers the christians; as St. Peeter, at whose feet the beleevers layd all their goods; and St. Paule, who was receaved as an angell of God; another while tormented, and persecuted, by Jewes and Heathen; as the same apostles, whipped by Jews; hanged and headed by the Romans; sometimes, I say, a centurion, a lieutennant, a proconsull, favouring them; straight a priest, a scribe, and a lawyer, promoting against them: a few of Cæsar's houshold willing well unto them, and beleeving them; but the Cæsars themselves for three hundred yeeres (except a verie few) detesting and suppressing them. For in such sort Cranmer, Ridley, Latimer, Hooper, Rogers, Coverdal, and many others, induring great conflicts in those variable tymes of Henry the Eight, King Edward, and Queene Mary, suffering by fyre, by imprisonment, banishment, losse and deprivation, with many fights, many flights, and ma nie frights, for their conscience sake; those that died, had the glory of valiant soldiers, and worthie martirs; such as survived, have since in a longe and happy peace, enjoyed the comfort of the victorie, and are like still to hold it, if some mutinous souldiers of their own campe, do not by disturbing the peace at home, give heart to the enemy abroad. Among the survivors of these first leaders, that past so many pykes, the first in tyme, and the highest in place, was Dr, Matthew Parker, who, (as by this author is noted) having lost all his lyvings for his maryadge,' now being made Archbishop of Canterbury, dissembled not his mariadge, as Cranmer in King Henry the Eighthis time, was forced to doe; which, because some have taken occasion to note with too black inke, to exclude him from the reputation of a rubricated martyr; and have cyted the testimony of his sonn's widdow, yet living, that she was carryed in a trunke, and by misfortune almost styfled, by being set This happened in the second Year of Q. Mary's reign, if we are to credit "Historiola, a litle Storye of the Actes and Life of Mathew, Archbishoppe of Canterb." dated 1574, a very scarce tract of a libellous tendency, in the possession of my friend Mr. Todd. by an ignorant porter with her head downward; (which talke goes very currant among Papists) I can truly affirme that this is a meer fiction, for I have examined the gentlewoman her self (being of kin to my wife, and a Rogers by name) and she hath sworne to me, she never reported, nor ever her self heard, of anie such misfortune. For But now though this Archbishop (Parker) dissembled not his mariadge, yet Q. Elizabeth would not dissemble her dislike of it. wheareas it pleasd her often to come to his house, in respect of her favour to him that had beene her mothers chaplayn, being once above the rest greatlie feasted; at her parting from thence, the archbishop and his wife being together, she gave him very special thanks, with gratious and honorable tearms, and then looking on his wife; "and you, (saith she) Madam I may not call you, and Mistris I am ashamed to call you, so I know not what to call you, but yet I do thanke you." It is true, she misliked mariadge in bishops, and was not very forward to allow it in some of the layity; for I knew one of good place about her, that had contracted himself to a riche widow, yet would not adventure to marry her, till he |