cast of because he would match him selfe to a gentlewoman against his
Lords pleasure.
[Footnote 130: Donne the poet. His marriage to the Lord Keeper's
wife's niece, the daughter of Sir George More, is a well-known
circumstance in his history.]
On Munday last the Queene dyned at Sir Robert Secils [_sic_] newe house
in the Stran. Shee was verry royally entertained, richely presented, and
marvelous well contented, but at hir departure shee strayned hir foote.
His hall was well furnished with choise weapons, which hir Majestie
tooke speciall notice of. Sundry deuises; at hir entraunce, three women,
a maid, a widdowe, and a wife, eache commending their owne states, but
the Virgin preferred;[131] an other, on attired in habit of a Turke
desyrous to see hir Majestie, but as a straunger without hope of such
grace, in regard of the retired manner of hir Lord, complained; answere
made, howe gracious hir Majestie in admitting to presence, and howe able
to discourse in anie language; which the Turke admired, and, admitted,
presents hir with a riche mantle, &c.
[Footnote 131: The mention of this "device" enables us to correct a
little mistake of the otherwise most careful and accurate editor of
Chamberlain's Letters, temp. Elizabeth, (Camden Soc.) p. 169. The
"device" was not the composition of John Davies of Hereford, but of
John Davies, the future Sir John, author of the poem on the
Immortality of the Soul]
[Sidenote: fo. 76.
12 Dec. 1602.]
AT ST. CLEMENTS.
A plaine plodding fellowe, sometimes of Queenes Colledge in Cambridge,
his text Heb. cap. xi. v. 8. He noted the fayth of Abraham, and the
fruit thereof, his obedience; he shewed the kindes of fayth, and sayd
this fayth of Abraham was not hystoricall, not miraculous, not a
momentary fayth; such lasts noe longer then prosperitee, &c. but it was
the true justifieng fayth, which was a firme beleife of Christs
comminge, with the application of his merits. He named fayth to be the
gift of God, because Abraham is said to be called. God performeth his
promises in his due tyme, or in a better kind. He promiseth long lyfe to
the godly: yet oftentymes he takes them away in the floure of their age,
but he gives them a better lyfe for it.
Abraham went into a straunge country; therefore trauailing lawefull, soe
it be either specially warranted by Gods call, or to profitt the
country, not to see and bring home ill fashions, and worse consciences.
He was called, therefore euery one must [take] upon him some calling and
profession, and this calling must be allowed of God; therefore the trade
of stageplayers vnlawefull.
The land of promise given to Abraham for the syn of the people; lett vs
leave synning least our land be given into the hand of a strange people
againe, as it was sometyme to the Romans, and lastly to the Normans, for
a conquest.
[Sidenote: fo. 76^b.
12 Dec. 1602.]
AT THE BLACK FRIARS.
MR. EGERTON, a little church or chappell up stayres, but a great
congregacion, specially of women. After "God be mercifull," reade after
the second lesson; having sat a good tyme before in the pulpit, willed
them to sing to the glorie of God and theire owne edifying, the 66 Psal.
2 part; after he made a good prayer, then turnd the glas, and to his
text, Acts vii. 23, &c. Here he made a recapitulacion of that he had
deliuered the last Sabboth, and soe he came to deliuer doctrines out of
this text. When he had said what he thought good of it, he went to
catachise; it seemes an order which he hath but newely begun, for he was
but in his exordium questions; then he prayed, sung a plasme [psalm],
gave the blessing, and soe an end.
He remembred out of his former text these notes, v. 17: That God
performes his promises not in our tyme, but in his tyme, which is best,
because he is wisest. 2. The pollicy of man folishnes with God. They may
maliciously oppose themselves therein, but cannot alter his decree. 3.
God makes our enimies become our frends, and causeth them to doe good
vnwittingly. 4. Parents ought to giue their children educacion, as well
as foode and rayment, and rather bring them up in learning and trades,
then proud inheritances with wronge. 5. Moses a good orator and a good
warrior, mighty in wordes and in deedes, yet modest in all.
[Sidenote: fo. 77.
12 Dec. 1602.]
Then in his text: Not dispaire of calling, for Moses was 40 yeares old
before he thought of this busines. 2. God put the motion in his heart.
3. Lawefull to protect the wronged and reproue them that doe ill, though
a man be hated for his labour. 4. The good rejoyce and are glad to see
the magistrate, and euery good Cristian and true subiect glad to see the
principall magistrat with a gard about, as well to reward and protect
the good, as to reuenge the wronged, glad like[132] one that in a hott
sunshine sees a fayre leauy tree, which promiseth a shaddowe yf he be
sunburnt; such is the prince to the good subject.
[Footnote 132: There is here a superfluous repetition of "glad like
a glad as" in the MS.]
Those which come to sermons and goe away vnreformed are like those which
looke in a glas, spie the spott in their face, but will not take the
pains to wipe it off.
He defined catechising to be a breife and familiar kinde of teaching the
principles of relligion, in a plaine manner by way of question and
aunswere, either publiquely by the minister, or privately by the maister
or mistres of the family. Herein noted the difference betwixt preaching
and catechising, that that is a large continued course of speache, and
may be performed onely by the minister.
It is the custome (not the lawe) in Fraunce and Italy, that yf anie
notorious professed strumpet will begg for a husband a man which is
going to execution, he shal be reprieved, and she may obteine a pardon,
and marry him, that both their ill lives may be bettered by soe holie an
action. Hence grewe a jeast, when a scoffing gentlewoman told a
gentleman shee heard that he was in some danger to haue bin hangd for
some villanie, he answered, "Truely, madame, I was a feard of nothing
soe much as you would have begd me." * * *
In England it hath bin vsed that yf a woman will beg a condemned person
for hir husband, shee must come in hir smocke onely, and a white rod in
hir hand: as Sterrill said he had seen.
[Sidenote: fo. 77^b.
12 Dec. 1602.]
Montagne tells of a Piccard that was going to execution, and when he
sawe a limping wenche coming to begg him, "Oh, shee limps! she limps!"
sayd hee, "dispatch me quickly," preferring death before a limping wife.
J. Cooper demaunded of Nic. Girlington, whoe is lately returned from
Fraunce, what thing he tooke most delight in, in all his travail. He
told him to see a masse in their churches, it was performed with such
magnificent pomp and ceremonie, in soe goodly a place, as would make a
man admire it. The Hugonots are coupt up in barnes, as it were, in
regard of the Papists churches.
I heard that Geneva is beseiged by the Duke of Savoy.
[Sidenote: 16.]
Mr. Hadsor told me that the Earl of Ormonds daughter is come to our
Court, and that shee shall be married to yong Ormond, cosen german to
the old Earle, which yong man was in prison here in Engl[and,] but is
nowe to be released.
[Sidenote: 17.]
Mr. Girlington told me there was on Blackewell brought ouer as
apprehended and sent over by Sir Thomas Parry, Embassador in Fraunce,
because he had confessed under his hand that he came from the Spanyard
to murder hir Majestie or burne the Navy.
[Sidenote: 18.]
Heard that certaine in ragged apparrell, offring their seruice in the
Navy, were apprehended as suspected, and found worthy suspicion.
[Sidenote: fo. 78.
16 Dec. 1602.]
I brought in a moote with Jo. Bramstone.
[Sidenote: 18.]
I was with Stowe the antiquary. He told me that a modell of his picture
was found in the Recorder Fleetewoods study, with this inscription or
circumscription, JOHANNES STOWE, ANTIQUARIUS ANGLIÆ, which nowe is cutt
in brasse and prefixed in print to his Survey of London.[133] He sayth
of it, as Pilat sayd, "What I have written, I have written," and thinkes
himselfe worthie of that title for his paynes, for he hath noe gaines by
his trauaile. He gaue me this good reason why in his Survey he omittes
manie newe monuments: because those men have bin the defacers of the
monuments of others, and soe thinks them worthy to be depriued of that
memory whereof they have injuriously robbed others. He told me that the
Cheife Citizens of London in auncient tymes were called Barons, and soe
divers kinges wrote unto them "_Portegrevio et Baronibus suis London._,"
and the auncient seale had this circumscription, "SIGILLUM BARONUM
LONDONIARUM."
[Footnote 133: "_Ætatis suæ 77_, 1603." This now rare engraving was
carefully copied by John Swaine, and republished in the Gentleman's
Magazine for Jan. 1837.]
[Sidenote: fo. 78^b.
18 Dec. 1602.]
I heard that Dr. Smith, Master of Clare Hall,[134] is Vice Chauncellor
of Cambridge this yeare. It was told me by one of St. Johns Colledge
that Dr. Playfare[135] hath bin halfe frantike againe, and strangely
doted for one Mrs. Hammond, a gentlewoman in Kent, is nowe well
reclaimed, and hath reade some lectures since. A mad reader for
divinity! _proh pudor, et dolor!_
[Footnote 134: Dr. William Smith, master of Clare Hall from 1598 to
1612, when he became Provost of King's College. (Hardy's Le Neve,
iii. 671, 683.)]
[Footnote 135: Dr. Thomas Playfere of St. John's College was Lady
Margaret's Professor of Divinity from 1596 to 1609. (Hardy's Le
Neve, iii. 654.)]
Mr. Perkins was buried verry neere with as great sollemnity as Dr.
Whitaker.[136]
[Footnote 136: "His funeral was solemnly and sumptuously performed
at the sole charges of Christe College, which challenged, as she
gave him his breeding, to pay for his burial; the Vniversity and
Town lovingly contending which should express more sorrow thereat.
Dr. Montague, afterwards Bishop of Winchester, preached his funeral
sermon, and excellently discharged the place, taking for his text,
_Moses my servant is dead_." This is Fuller's description of the
honourable way in which Perkins was brought to his grave. (Holy
State, ed. 1840, p. 71.) Whitaker died in 1595, and was buried in
St. John's College, whereof he was master. (Ibid. p. 53.)]
The Lord Mountjoy in Ireland will never discourse at table; eates in
silence. Sir Robert Gardner mislikes him for it, as an unsosiable
quality (_Hadsor_); but great wisdome in soe captious a presence,
especially being such a man as desyres to speake wisely.
Mr. Bramstone told howe he sold his bed in Cambridge. Mr. Pym[137] sayd
he did wisely, for he knewe those that kept their beds longe seldome
prove riche.
[Footnote 137: Doubt has existed whether Pym the statesman was a
member of one of the Inns of Court. The allusion to him in our text
has led to inquiries which have enabled us to place this point
beyond a question. J. E. Martin, Esq. Librarian of the Inner Temple,
has sent us an extract from the books of the Middle Temple, which
proves that "Mr. Johannes Pym, filius et heres Alexandri Pym nuper
de Brymour in comitatu Somerset, ar. defuncti," was admitted
"generaliter" into the Society of the Middle Temple on the 23rd of
April 1602. His relation Mr. Francis Rowse and Mr. William Whitaker
were his sureties, "et dat pro fine ad requisicionem M^{ri} Gybbes,
unius Magistrorum de Banco hujus hospicii, nisi, xx^s."]
[Sidenote: 21.]
One Merredeth, a notable coward, when he was in field, and demaunded why
he did not fight and strive to kill his enemies? He, good man, told
them, he could not finde in his heart to kill them whom he never sawe
before, nor had ever any quarrell with them.
[Sidenote: fo. 79.
19 Dec. 1602.]
AT PAULES.
One with a long browne beard, a hanging looke, a gloting eye, and a
tossing learing jeasture; his text "Take heede of false prophets which
come to you in sheepes clothinge, but within are rauening wolves; you
shall know them by their fruits."
False prophets _qui veritatem laudant sed amant mendacia_ preache truely
but liue wickedly. He ran over manie heresies, and concluded still to
take heede of them; false prophets which soothe up in synn by pardons
for past, and dispensacions for synn to come.
The sheepes clothing, pretended innocency, simplicity, and profitt; they
come onely to teache us the auncient universall, and that relligion
which our fathers lived and dyed in; that ours is scarse an hundred
yeares old, received but in a corner or twoe as it were of the world.
But ours is auncient, theirs newe, all since 600 yeares after Christ, as
their universall vicarage. 2. Their singing by note in the churche. 3.
Their lifting up of the breade. 4. Auricular confession and universall
pardon, &c.
[Sidenote: fo. 79^b.
19.]
The multitude noe signe of the churche, for Noah and his family in the
old world, Lott in Sodome, &c.
And a true note of the true church, that it hath bin allways persecuted,
and the false the persecutor. Abel slayne, &c. This cruelty the property
of wolves.
His whole sermon was a stronge continued invectiue against the papists
and jesuites. Not a notable villanous practise committed but a pope, a
cardinall, a bishop, or a priest had a hand in it; they were still at
the worst ende.
They come, they are neuer sent, they come without sending for.
[Sidenote: fo. 80.
19 Dec. 1602.]
[Sidenote: fo. 80^b.
19 Dec. 1602.]
In the afternoone, at a church in Foster Lane end, one Clappam, a blacke
fellowe, with a sower looke, but a good spirit, bold, and sometymes
bluntly witty; his text Salomon's Song, iv. ca. 3 v.: "Thy lips are like
a thred of skarlett." For the exposicion of this text he said he would
not doe as many would after the fancy of their owne braine, but
according to the Scripture, expound it by some other place, and that was
ii. of Josua, where he findeth the same words, a skarlet thred, v. 21,
"Shee bound the skarlet threed in the windowe." He told a long story of
Rahab before he came to the threed; and after almost all his sermon was
some allusion to that story. Rabby Shulamo makes this comparison, that
the lips are said to be like a threed of skarlett, to signifie such
person in the churche whose promises are performaunces, whose wordes are
workes, as the red threed was a simbole and a signe unto Rahab. Rahab
was a tauernes, and it signifies alsoe an harlot, because such kinde of
people in that country used to sell their honesty with their meate. Like
scarlett; the colour sheweth life within, as palenes death.
Joshua a type of Jesus, and the wordes the same in seuerall languages.
Moses could not bring the children of Israel into the land of promise,
but that was the office of Joshua; the lawe could not be our saviour,
but Christ is he that must bring us to heaven. Joshua sent two spies;
Christ obserued the same number, and alwayes sent two disciples
togither. 3. What the spies undertooke and promised according to their
commission was firme and ratified by Joshua; whose synnes the disciples,
and nowe the ministers, according to their power, remitt or binde on
earth, shalbe remitted or bound in heaven.
There are enough of Rahab's profession in euery place; a man may finde a
greate many more then a good sorte. "I would not give a penny for an 100
of them," said he.
Rahab beleeved and shewed it by hir workes. Every one will say he
beleeues, but except he can showe it to me by his workes, I will not
give two strawes for it; lett him carry it to the exchange and see what
he can gett for it.
[Sidenote: fo. 81.
19 Dec. 1602.]
An harlot is like a pantofle or slipper at an inne, which is ready to
serve for every foote that comes.
Paule, like the spies, was lett downe out at a windowe, and ouer a city
wall too. Wee promise in babtisme to fight against Sathan; but, alas,
will some say, I finde that I haue often stroue with him, and still I
finde I goe away with some wound or other. "Be therefore comforted" sayd
he, "for these woundes are signes of your fighting."
When God deliuered his people from the Aegiptians he led them with a
pillar of light, but caste a darke cloud betwixt, "and soe the blinde
buzards," said he, "ran up and downe, they knewe not about what."
When he shewed that Salmon was the husband of Rahab, he said "Yf anie
nowe, after 44 yeares preaching, and the bible being in English were
ignorant of that, it were a horrible shame." And here he sett downe a
posicion that none could soundly interpret or vnderstand the Scripture
without genealogy, which he commended verry highly.
Of love; they wilbe at your commaundement. But you may doe it yourselfe.
You shall commaund and goe without.
[Sidenote: fo. 81^b.
22 Dec. 1602.]
When Dr. Colpeper, warden of New Colledge in Oxford,[138] expelled one
Payne of that house for some slight offence, this Payne recited that
verse alluding to their name.
[Footnote 138: Dr. Martin Culpeper, warden 1573 to 1599. (Hardy's Le
Neve, iii. 555.)]
_Pæna potest demi, Culpa perennis erit._ (_Rous._)
[Sidenote: 24.]
I tooke my journey and came to Bradborne.
John Kent told me of a pretty cosenning connycatching trick of late used
in London. On that was in execution for debt at the suit of a gent. that
dwelt in a far country, procured one of his acquaintaunce to surmise
that his creditor was deade, dyed intestate, and he the next of kin, and
thereupon to procure letters of administracion, by coulour whereof he
might have good opportunity to discharge the party, which was effected
accordingly.
My cosen told me that the county of Kent hath compounded, by the
mediacion of the justices of peace, with the Greene clothe to be
discharged of the purueyors for the Queenes house for all victualls, &c.
except timber and carriage, with the price of wheate raised to 20_d._
the bushell, which before was but 10_d._, and for this to pay 2100_l._
per annum, for which the parishes rated, and East Malling at 5_l._
[Sidenote: 27.]
We have good cardes to shew for it, said a lawyer to the old Recorder
Fleetewood: "Well," said he, "I am sure wee have kings and queenes for
us, and then you can have but a company of knaues on your syde."
[Sidenote: fo. 82.
29 Dec. 1602.]
I tooke my journey about my cosens busines, to have a sight of certaine
bondes in Mrs. Aldriche handes, as executrix to hir husband, wherein my
cosen G. Mannyngham, deceased, and his executors, &c. with William
Sumner, stoode bound; which bonds, by the meanes of my cosen Mr. Watts,
I had a sight of, and finde that eache of them is in 500_l._ The
condicion of one of them is to pay to Mr. Aldriche during his lyfe
100_l._ yearely at severall feasts. And yf William Sumner fayle in
payment, or not put in nue suretyes upon the death of anie, then to
stand in force. Nowe Sumner sayth he did not pay allwayes at the day,
and it is apparent that noe sureties are put in since the death of my
cosen, nor since the death of one Savil an other obligor. The condicion
of the other was, whereas Mr. Aldriche had deputed William Sumner to
exercise his office, that he should not comitt any thing which might
amount to a forfayture of the letters patents whereby Mr. Aldriche held
his office, and alsoe that William Sumner should performe all covenants
conteyned in a payre of Indentures bearing the same date with the
obligacion, all dated the 20 of June _A^o Reginæ 37, A^o Dni. 1595_.
These I was to have a sight of, that yf the legataries sue my cosen, as
executor in the right of his wife, he might pleade these obligacions in
barr.
[Sidenote: fo. 82^b.
29 Dec. 1602.]
I lay at my cosen Chapmans at Godmerrsham.
I dined at my cosen Cranmers at Canterbury, and by him understoode howe
Mr. Sumner had submitted himselfe to the arbitrement of Mr. Rauens and
another, but the arbitrators, not regarding their authority, shuffled it
vp vpon a sudden betweene Mrs. Aldriche and Sumner, whereas the
submission and obligacion was betweene one of Mr. Aldriches sonnes and
Sumner; and soe, by their negligent mistaking, all was voyd. The cause
of controversy was, Mr. Aldriche dyed some 2 or 3 dayes before the day
of payment, his widdowe executrix desyred the whole, Sumner denied all,
yet, in regard that Mrs. Aldriche should cancell his bondes and make him
a generall acquittaunce, he offred 20 markes, and the arbitrators gaue
but 20_l._, which Sumner refuseth to pay, and therefore the widdowe
threatenes either to sue the bondes or bring an accion of accompt
against Sumner for all the monies he receiued as deputy; but Sumner told
me he hath generall acquittances for all accompts, except the last
quarter.
This night I lay at my Cosen Watts, by Sandwich, and he rode with me the
next morning to Canterbury.
[Sidenote: fo. 83.
30 Dec. 1602.]
Sir Wa. Rawley made this rime upon the name of a gallant, one Mr. Noel,
The word of deniall, and the letter of fifty,
Makes the gent. name that will never be thrifty. (_Noe. L._)
and Noels answere,
The foe to the stommacke, and the word of disgrace,
Shewes the gent. name with the bold face. (_Raw. Ly._)
My cosen Watts told me that the Bishop of Yorke, Dr. Hutton,[139] was
esteemed by Campion the onely man of all our divines for the fathers.
[Footnote 139: Dr. Matthew Hutton, Archbishop of York, 1595-1606.
(Hardy's Le Neve, iii. 115.)]
That opinion which some hold that Paule did not publishe his writings
till he and they were confirmed by Peter, as the head of the Apostles,
is plainely everted by the 1 and 2 chapters to the Ga[lla]thians, where
it is apparant that Paule withstoode and contradicted Peter, &c.
[Sidenote: 31.]
[Sidenote: fo. 83^b.
Dec. 1602.]
[Sidenote: fo. 84.
Dec. 1602.]
Dyned with my cosen Watts, at my cosen Cranmers in Canterbury. In
discourse howe obstinate some are, that they will not confesse a fact,
wherefore they were justly condemned, my cosen Cranmer remembred this
story. Not long since one Keyt a Kentishe man had made [his] will,
whereby he bequeathed a great legacy to one Harris, but after, being
displeased, he gave out that he would revoke his will, and Harris should
have nothing, whereupon Harris, thinking to prevent his purpose, hired a
thrasher to murther him. This poore knave having effected this villany
began to grow resty, could not endure to worke any more, but would be
maynteyned by Harris for this feate, otherwise most desperatly he
threatened to reveall the matter. Thus the fellowe fedd soe long, and
spent soe lavishly upon himselfe and his queanes, out of Harris's purse,
that Harris, growing weary of the charge, began to thinke howe he might
conceale the first by practising a second murther; which he plotted in
this manner, he would invite the knave to a dynner at Maidstone, and
procure some to murther him as he should come through the woodes. But
the fellowe, fearing the worst (because they had bin at some hott words
before) imparted his feare to his whore whome he kept, told hir that yf
he were murthered shee should accuse the Harrisses, and wisht hir to
looke in the bottome of his deske, and there shee should finde that
would be sufficient to hang them. As he feared it happened, for he was
murthered; the queane brought all to light, and those papers in his
deske shewed the whole manner of the former murther of Keyt, whereupon
the Harrises were indited, found gilty, and adjudged to be hanged. The
former tooke it upon his death that he was guiltles of the latter
murder, but the other confest it as he was tumbling from the ladder.
When certaine schollers returning from Italy were at the Bishops of
Canterbury, amongst other they came about my cosen Cranmer with their
new fashioned salutacions belowe the knee. He, like a good plaine honest
man, stoode still, and told them he had not learned to dissemble soe
deepely.
Hee told mee what dissembling hyppocrites these Puritanes be, and howe
slightly they regard an oath: Rauens having a booke brought unto him by
a puritane to have his opinion of it, the booke being written by B.
Bilson, Rauens as he had reade it would needes be shewing his foolishe
witt in the margent, in scoffing at the booke. When the fellowe that had
but borrowed it was to carry it home again, he swore it neuer went out
of his hands. After, when it was shewed him what had bin written in it
when himselfe could not write, he confessed that Ravens had it; then
Rauens forswore his owne hand.
[Sidenote: fo. 84^b.
7 Jan, 1602.]
I came from Canterbury to Godmersham.
Cosen Jo. Chapman takes the upper hand and place of his elder brother
Drue.