[OF THE

BISHOP OF] ROCHESTER.

DOCTOR [WILLIAM] BARLOW.

THIS bishopprick having been noted in Henry the Third his time, to have bene one of the poorest of England, hath, I suppose, bene the less empoverished in the spoyling times: the graund spoylers being of the minde of some taylors, that when their allowance of stuffe was most scant, they would make the garment more larger. This cittie in theis last 100 yeare, hath had 14 bishops; of which one was cardinall, two were arch-bishops, and I take it but one hath dyed bishop, and that was the last before this, whose name was Younge,

3 Dean of Chester. Made Bp. of Rochester in 1605, and of Lincoln in 1608.

+ Thomas Young. Vide infra, Abps. of York.

but lived to be verie old, and desired not to

remove.

5

His successor, Doctor Barlow, is one of the youngest in age, but one of the rypest in learning, of all his predecessors, since Bishop Fisher, that had ill luck with his learning, to dye upon Tower-Hill. There are so manie printed testimonies of his sufficiency, as I need say the lesse of it; but it is like he shall not abide there longe. Of all his sermons he preached afore Queene Elizabeth, (which were manie, and very good,) one that she liked exceedingly was of the plow; of which she said, "Barlows text might seeme taken from the cart, but his talke may teache you all in the court." He made a sermon, not long after that, at Powles, which manie (especially puritans,) did much mislike; and, for that cause, calld it (alluding to his name) "The Barly Loafe;" not marking, how much honor they give it in their scorne, by example both of the old testament and new. In the old testament, the barly loafe

5 Bp. Fisher was beheaded, on a pretence of having been guilty of high treason, in 1535.

signified Gedeons sword, ordayned to distroy the wicked; in the new, by the blessing of our Saviour, it fed more thousands of honest men then this offended.

OF [THE

BISHOPS OF] OXENFORD.

DOCTOR [JOHN] UNDERHILL."

FROM Rochester I should goe a long pilgri mage to St. Davids in Wales, save I must bayt, a little out of my way, at foure new bishopricks, erected by King Hen. 8, of famous memorie; and therefore I hope not ordaind to be ̧· dissolved of a Henry the Ninthe, of future and fortunate expectation. I say I will but bayt, especiallie at Oxford, lest I be bayted if I stay too long, for I know this discourse is to some, as unguis in ulcere.

This bishoprick being but 66 yeare since

• Rector of Lincoln College, Oxford. Made Bp. of Ox ford in 1589. Ob. 1592.

erected, had two bishops in 26 yeare, and then continewd void 21 yeare; what time, of pure devotion to the leases that would yield good fines, a great parson recommended Doctor Underhill to this place, perswading him to take it, as in the way to a better; but God knowes, it was out of his way, everie way. For ere his first fruits were paid, he dyed (as I heard, at Greenwich) in much discontent, and povertie. Yet his preferrer" (to seeme to doe some favour to the universitie of Oxford, for recompence of the spoyle done on the bishoprick of Oxford,) erected a new solemne lecture there at his own charge, which Doctor Reynolds did reade; at which lecture I happend once to be present with the founder, where we were taught nihil et non, as elsewhere I have at large shewd to your Highnes. But though the manieheaded beast, the multitude, was bleared with this bountie; yet the schollers that were more nasuti, oculati, et cordati, did smell, and see, "that this was but to steale a goose, and sticke a feather." And, indeed, this was the true theorike and practick of puritanisme ;

and say,

7 Sir Francis Walsingham.

8

Qu. in the account of Dr. Westphaling? See p. 181.