/ s THE LIFE O F William Bedell,D,D. Lord Bifhop O F Killmore in Ireland. WRITTEN By Gilbert Burner D. D. Now Lord Biftiop olSarum. To which are Subjoyned Certain Letters, which patted betwixt Spain and England in Matter of Religion *, concerning the general motives to the Roman Obedience, between Mt.jamet Waddefeorth, a late Penfioner of the ff-'y Inqitifition in Sevil, and the faid William Bedell, then a Minifter of the Gofpd in Suffolk LONDON, Printed tor IRtCfiatO CljtfUJelt at the Rofe and Crown^ in St. PauPs Church- Yard. 1692. THE PREFACE. THe Contefts that have been railed in this Age concerning the law* fulnefs and the ufeful- nels of the Epifcopal Govern- ment , have engaged fo many learned Men to treat that Argu- ment fo fully, that as there is very little excufe left for the Ig- norance or obftinacy of thofe who ftill ftand out againft the Evidence of a Caule made out Co clearly, fb there is fcarce any thing left to be faid by any, whofe zeal may fet him on to A3 handle The? RE FACE. handle a matter that feems to be now exhaufted. There is one fort of Arguments yet remain- ing, that as they are more with- in every ones compais to appre- hend and apply, fo they have a greater force on Mens aflfedtions, which commonly give abiafs to their underftandings. For con- viction has an eafie accefs to us when we are already inclined to wifli that were true, concerning which we imploy our enquiries ; And in practical matters, fiich as Government, Arguments fetched from great Patterns do not only prepare us to think well of fuch Forms, but really give us truer and jufter Ideas of them than Ipeculative Difcourfes can raife in us y which work but coldly on perfons unconcerned. An Argument not foreign to this , is ufed by all the Aifertors of Epifco- fbePREFACE. Epifcopacy, in which the force of the reasoning is equal to the truth of the affertion j Which is, that it is not poffible to think that a Government can be criminal , under which the World received the Chriftian Religion, and that in a xourfe of many Ages , in which as all the corners of the Chriftian Church, fo all the parts of it, the found as well as the unfound i that is the Orthodox as well as the Hereticks and Schifmaticks, agreed : the perfe* cutions that lay then fo heavy on the Church made it no de^ fireable thing for a Man to be expofed to their firft fury, which was always the Bifliops portion ; and that in a courfe of many Centuries , in which there was nothing but Poverty and labour to be got by the Imployment : There being no Princes to fet k A 4 on the? KEF ACE. on as an Engine of Government, and no Synods of Clergymen gathered to affume that Autho- rity to themfelves by joynt de- figns and endeavours. And can it be imagined that in all that glorious Cloud of WitnelTes to the truth of the Chriftian Reli- gion , who as they planted it with their Labours, fo watered it with their Blood, there fliould not fo much as one fingle per- fon be found , oa whom either a love to truth , or an envy at the advancement of others pre- vailed fo far as to declare againft fuch an early and univerfal cor- ruption ( if it is to be efteemed one. ) When all this is compli- cated together , it is really of fo great Authority , that I iove not to give the proper name to that temper that can withftand fo plain a demonftration. For h A what The PREFACE. what can a Man, even heated with all the force of imagina* tion , and poflefled with all the fharpnefs of prejudice, ex- cept to the inference made from thefe Premifles, that a Form fo (bon introduced, and (b won- derfully bleft, could not be con* trary to the Rules of the Gof- pel : and cannot be afoibed to any other Original, but that the Apoftles every where eftablifhed it, as the Fence about the Go-' fpel which they planted, fo that our Religion and Government are to be reckoned Twins born 4at the fame time , and both derived from the fame Fa* thers. But things fo remote require more than ordinary knowledgto fet them before us in a true light ; And their diftance from us makes them TbePREFACE. them leflen as much to our thoughts, as Obje&s that are far from us do to our Eyes. There- fore it will be perhaps neceftary in order to the giving a fuller and amiabler profpeft of that ApoftolicalConftitution, toehufe a Scene that lies nearer, and more within all peoples view ; that lb it may appear, that for the li* ,ving Arguments in favour of this Government we need not go fo far as to the Clement's, the Tgnatius's 7 the Volycarp's, the Irenem's, the T>e* nys's and the Cyprians that were the glories of the Golden Ages : Nor to the Athanafius's, the 'Bafil'sji the Gregoms, the Cbryfoflome's, the Martin s, the Amhrofe's and the An* Jlin's, that were the beauties of the Second but Silver Age of Chri- ftianity ; but that even in this Iron Age , and dreg of time , there have been fuch Patterns, as per- haps The PRE FACE. haps can hardly be matched fince Miracles ceafed. We ought not to deny the Church of <%pme the juft Praifes that belong to fome of the Bi* fliops (lie has produced in this and the laft Age, who were bur- ning and duning Lights : and we ought not to wonder if a Church fo blemiflit all over with the corruptions of her Clergy , and in particular of the Heads of them , covers her (elf from thole deferved Reproaches by the brightnefs of fuch great names ; ^nd by the exemplary Vertues of the prefent Pope, which being fo unufual a thing, it is not ftrange to lee them magnifie and cele- brate it as they do. France has likewife produced in this Age a great many Biftiops , of whom it muft be faid , That as the World The P KEF ACE. World was not worthy of them ib that Church , that ufed them fo ill, was much left worthy of them. And though there are not many of that (lamp now * Who left , yet Cardinal Grhnaldy * , is dead t he Bifliop of Anglers , and the this^vas Bifiiop of Grenobk y may ferve firft to dignifie an Age , as well as written. a Nation. The Bifhop of A' let was , as , a great and good Man told me , like a living and fpeaking Go* fpel. It is true their intangle? ments with the See of 0{ome ana the Court of France , were things both uneafie and dangerous to them ; but I love not to point at their blind Sides, it is their fair one that I would fct out : and if we can bear the higheft com- mendations that can be given to the TbePREFACE. the Vertues of Heathen Philofb- phers, even when they do eclipfe the reputation of the greater part of Chriftians; it will be unjuft for any to be uneafie at the Prai* ies given to Prelates of another Communion, who are to be {b much the more admired, if not* withftanding all the corruptions that lye fo thick about them, that they could hardly break through them, they have let the World (Lich examples as ought indeed to make others afhamed that have much greater advantages. But fince the giving of Orders is al- Aoft the only part of their fun* ftion, that is yet entirely in their Hands, they have indeed brought a regulation into that which was fo grofly abufed in former times, that cannot be enough com men* ded, nor too much imitated ; they have built and endowed Semina* rics The PREFACE. ties for their Diocefles, in which a competent number of young Ecclefiafticks are bred at Studies and Exercifes fuitable to that Profeflion, to which they are to be dedicated ; and as they find them well prepared , they are , by the feveral fteps and degrees of the Pontifical, led up to the Altar, and kept there till Bene* ilces fail, and (6 they are remo- ved from thence, as from a Nur- kiy , into the feveral parts of the Diocefles. By this means the Secular Clergy of France have in a great meafure recovered their reputation , and begin now td bear down the Regulars, whole Credit and Wealth had rifen chief- ly by the Ignorance and Scan- dals of the Curates. In this the prefent Archbifliop of Whelms has let a pattern to the reft, fuitable to the high Rank he holds in that the PREFACE. that Church, for he has raifed & Seminary that coft him Fifty thoufand Crowns a building , and above Five thoufand Crowns a Year infupporting theexpence of it : in which there are about One hundred Ecclefiafticks main- tained ; and out of thefe he Or* dains every Year fuch a number as the extent of his Diocefs does require : And with thefe he iiip- plies the Vacancies that fall. This is a way of imploying the Re- venues of the Church, that is ex- actly fuitable to the len(e of the Primitive times, in which a Bi- lliop was not confidered as the Proprietor, but only as the Ad- miniftrator and Difpencer of the Revenue belonging to his See : And there is fcarce any one thing concerning which the Synods in thofe Ages took more care than to (Jiflinguiflh between the Goods and the? RE FACE, and Eftate that belonged to a Bifiiop by any other Title, and thofe that he had acquired du- ring his Epifcopat : for though he might difpofe of the one , the other was to fall to the Church. But now to return to the Sub- ject that led me into this digref- fion, there is nothing that can have a ftronger operation to o- vercome all prejudices againft Epifcopacy , than the propofing eminent Patterns, whofe Lives continue to fpeak ftill , though they are dead : Of which my native Country has produced , both in the laft and in the pre* lent Age, fome great and rare In- stances , of which very eminent effects appeared, even amidft all that rage of furious Zeal , into which that Nation was tranf^ ported The PREFACE. ported againft it : And I fuppofe the Reader will not be ill plea- fed if I make a fecond digreflion to entertain him with fome paf- fages concerning them, but will bear with it perhaps better than with the former. And fince my Education and the courie of my Life has led me mod to know the Affairs of Scotland, I will not enter upon a Province that is Foreign to me, and therefore fhall leave to others the giving an account of the great Glories of the Church of England , and will content my felf with telling fome moreemi* nent things of fome of our Scot* tifli Bifliops : In which I will lay nothing upon flying Reports, but upon very credible , if not cens tain Information. There was one Patrick Forbes of Jberdeenjhire, a a The PREFACE. a Gentleman of Quality and E* ftate, but much more eminent by his Learning and Piety, than his Birth or Fortune could make him. He had a mod terrible Calamity on him in his Family, which needs not be named : I do not know whether that or a more early principle determined him to enter into Orders : He undertook the labour of a private Cure in the Country, upon the molt earnefl invitations of his Bifliop, when he was Forty Eight Years old , and difcharged his Duty there fo worthily, that with* in a few Years he was promo- v ted to be Bifhop of Aberdeen ; in which See he lac about Seven- teen Years. It was not eafiefor King James to perfwade him to accept of that Dignity, and ma* ny Months pall before he could be induced ro it, for he had in- tended The PREFACE. tended to have lived and dyed, in a more obfcure corner. It ibon appeared how well he deier* ted his Promotion , and that his unwillingnefs to k w r as not feigned, but the real effe£t of his humility : He was in all things an Apoftolical Man, he u- led tO;go round his Diocefs with- out noife, and but with one Ser- vant, that fo he might be rightly informed of all matters. When he heard reports of the weak- nefs of any of his Clergy , his cuftome was to go and lodge unknown near their Church on the Saturday Night , and next day* when the Minifter was got into the Pulpit, he would come to Church, that fohe might obferve what his ordi- nary Sermons were$ and ac- cordingly he admonifhed or encouraged them. He took a % fudh The PREFACE. fuch care of the two Colledges in his Diocefs , that they be- came quicklv diftinguiflied from all the reit of Scotland: So that when the troubles in that Church broke out , the Do- lors there were the only per- fons that could maintain the Caufe of the Church ; as ap- pears by the Papers that pall: between them and the Cove- nanters. And though they be= gun firft to manage that Argu- ment in Print, there has no- thing appeared fince more per* feet than what they writ. They v were an honour to the Church v both by their Lives , and by their Learning , and with that excellent temper they feafoned that whole Diocefs both Clergy and Laity, that it continues to this day very much diftinguiflied from all the reft of Scotland, both for The V KEF ACE. for Learning,Loyalty and Pc^ce- ablenefs; and, ilncc that goo.i Biflhop died but three years be- fore the Rebellion broke out , the true fource of that advan- tage they had, is juftly due to his Memory : One of thefe Dodtors was his Son John, the Heir of his Vertues and Piety, as well as of his Fortune : But much fuperiour to him in Learn- ing ; and he was perhaps in* ferior to no Man of his Age , which none will dilpute , that have read his hjirufliones Hiflo* *rko'Thcolovic£ , a Work which if he had finifhed it, and had been fuffered to enjoy the pri- vacies of his Retirement and Study , to give us the Second Volume, had been the greateft Treafure of Theological Lear* ning that perhaps the World has yet feen. He was Divinity a 3 Pro* TkePREEACE. Profeffor at Aberdeen , an en* dowment raifed by his Father : But was driven out by the Co* venant, and forced to fly be- yond Sea. One memorable thing of his Father ought not to be left unmentioned ; he had Synods twice a year of his Cler* gy, and before they went upon their other bullnefs, he always began with a fliort difcourle, ex* eufing his own infirmities and charging them that ? if they knew or obferved any thing a* mifs in him, they would ufeall freedom with him , and either v come and warn him in fecret of fecret errours, or if they were publick, that they would fpeak of them there in publick ; and upon that he withdrew to leave them to the freedom of Speech, This condefcenfion of his was never abuled but by one pe- tulant TkPKEFACE. tulant Man , to whom all others were very fevere for his infolence > only the Bifliop bore it gently and as became him. One of the Do&ors of Aber- deen bred in his time and of his name William Forbes y was promoted by the late King , while he was in Scotland in the Year one thoufand fix hundred thirty and three, to the Biflhop- rick of Edenburgbj that was then founded by him , lb that that .glorious King laid on good grounds, that he had found out a Bitliop that deferved that a See fhould be made for him ■ he was a grave and eminent Divine ; my Father, that knew him long, and beina of Coun- cil for him in his Law- mat* ters , had occafion to know a 4 him TbePREFACE. ^im well, has often told me, That he never faw him but he thought his Heart was in Hea* \en, and he was never alone with him but he felt within himfelf a Commentary on thefe Words of the Apoftles , Vid not our Hearts burn within us , phik he yet talked with us , and opened to us the Scriptures ? He preached with a zeal and ve- hemence, that made him of- ten forget all the meafures of time, two or three Hours was no extraordinary thing for him ; thofe Sermons wafted tusStrength fo faft, and his afcetical courfe of life was fuch , that he fup- plyed it fo fcantly that he dy* ed within a Year after his Pro* motion ; fo he only appeared there long enough to be known, but not long enough to do what might have been other- wife The PREFACE. wife expected from fo great a Prelate. That little remnant of his that is in Print fhews how Learned he was. I do not deny but his earned defire of a general Peace and Union among all Chri- ftians has made him too favour- a]>le to many of the Corruptions in the Church of <%ome : but tho' a Charity that is not well ballan- ced, may carry one toveryindif- creet things;yet the Principle from whence they flowed in him was fo truly good , that the errors to which it carried him ought to be dther excufed, or at leaft to be very gently cenfured . Another of our late Bifliops was the nobleft born of all the Order, beingBrother to the Lord!?W,that is one of the bed Families of Scot* land, but was provided to the poor- eft Bifhoprick, which was Agile ; yec he did great things in it. He found TbePREFACE. found his Diocefs overrun with ignorance and* barbarity, Co thac in many places the name of Chrifl Was not known ; but he went about that Apoftolical Work of planting the Gofpel i with a particular induftry, and almoft with equal fuccels. He got Cbur* ches and Schools to be railed and endowed every where \ and lived to fee a great blefllngon his en* deavours 5 fo that he is not fo much as named in that Country to this day but with a particular ve* neration, even by thofe who are other wife no way equitable to tha^t Order. The only anfwer that our angry people in Scotland ufed to make when they were prefled with fuch Inrtances, was,that there were too few of them : But fome of the ievereft of them have owned to me, that if there were many luch Bifhops, they would all be Epi- (copal. I The PRE FACE. I fliall not add much of the Bifliops that have been in that Church fince the laft re-eftablifli- ing of the Order, but that I have oblerved among the few of them, to whom I had the honour to be known particularly, as great, and as exemplary things, as ever I met with in all Ecclefiaftical Hi- ftory : Not only the pra£tice of the ftri&eft of all the Antient Ca- nons, but a pitch of Vertue and Piety beyond what can fill under common imitation, or be made the meafure of even the moft Angeli- ^.1 rank of Men 5 and faw things in them that would look liker fair Ideas , than what Men cloathed with Flefli and Blood could grow up to. But of this I will fay no more, fince thole that are con- cerned- are yet alive , and their Character is too fingular, not to make them to be as eafily known, if the PREFACE. The if I enlarged upon it, as if I na- W0 J? b y medthem. perlon here meant, is dead fince this was put in the Prefer but both his Name and a more particular account of him, as it well deferves a Book by it felf, fo will perhaps be given on another occafion. But of one that is dead I may be allowed to fay fomewhat ; with whom the See of Aberdeen was as happy in this Age, as it was in his worthy Predeceflbr Forbes in the lafl: ; both in the number of the Years, for he fat feventeen Years in that Chair, and in the rare qua- lities that dignified them both al- raoft equally. He alfo faw his Son fill the Divinity Chair, as the othfcr had done ; but here was the fatal difference, that he only lived long enough to raife the greateft expe- ctation that I ever knew upon any of that Nation of his (landing ; for when all hoped to fe in him a le-- condDr.Fork5,or,to bring it nearer home, another BifliopSowW/, for thai The V KEF ACE. that was his Fathers name, he dy- ed very young. The endearing gentlenefs of the Father to all that differed from him, his great ftrict- nefs in giving Orders, his moll un- affected humility and contempt of the World, were things [o fingu* lar in him, that they deferved to be much more admired than his other Talents, which were alio ex- traordinary, a wonderful ftrcngth of Judgment, a dexterity in the conduit of Affairs, which he im- ployed chiefly in the making up of Differences, and a Difcretion in his whole deportment. For he Ifad a w r ay of Familiarity , by which he gave every body all forr of freedom with him , and in which at the fame time he inipired them with a veneration for him, and by that he gained fo much on their affe&ions, that he was confi- dered as the common Father of his TbePREFACE. his whole Diocefs, and the Dif- fenters themfelves feemed to e* fteem him no lefs than the Confor- mifts did. He took great pleafure in difcourfing often with young Divines, and fethimfelfto frame in them right and generous Noti- ons of the Chriftian Religion, and of the Paftoral Care ; (o that a Set of Men grew up under his Labors, that carry (till on them clear Cha- racters of his fpirit and temper. One thing more I will add , which may atford a more general Inftrudion. Several years ago he obferv'd a great heat inlbme young Minds, that, as he believed, had very good intentions, but were too forward, and complained much ofabufes, calling loudly, and not very decently, for a Reformation of them: upon which he told them, the noile made about re* forming abufes was the likelieft way TbePREFACE. way to keep them up ; for that would raiie Heats and Difputes, and would be aicribed to envy and faction in them 5 and ill-minded Men, that loved the abules for the advantages they made by them, would. Waft and mifreprelent thole that went about to corre& them, by which they would fall under the jealoufie of being ill affe&ed to the Church j and they being once loaded with this prejudice , would be disabled from doing the goodj of which they might other- wife be the Inflruments : There- fore he thought a Reformation of Xbufes ought to be carried on by every one in his ftation, with no other noile than what the things themfelves mull neceflarily pro- duce, and then the filent way of convi&ion that is railed by great Patterns would fpeak louder, and would recommend fuch Practices more The? KEF ACE. more ftrongly, as well as more modeftly. Difcourfes work buc upon fpeculative people ; and it has been fo long the method of fa- ctious and ill defigning Men, to accufe publick Errors, that he wiflhed thofe, to whom he addref- fed his advice, would give over all thoughts of mending the world, which was grown too old in wick- ednefs to be eafily corrected j and would only fet themfelves to do what good they could, with left noife ; and ib to give left occaiion to angry people to quarrel with them,- and to juftifie thole abules which are by fuch indifcreet oppo* fition kept in fome credit, and pre- lerved ; whereas without that they muft have fallen under fo general an Odium, that few could have the face to excufe them. And now I have done with this digreflion ; which not being at all foreign The PREFACE. foreign to my defign of raifing the credit due to that venerable Order. I fhall make no Apology for it ; but fhall come next to the fubjeft of the following Book. I had a great Collection of Memorials put in my hands by a worthy and learned Divine, Mr. Clogy, who as he lived long in this Biflhops Houfe, fo being afterwards Mi- nifter at CaVan , had occafion to know him welf : And as he had a great zeal to fee the Juftice done to his Memory and the Service done to the World \ which the putting thcle in order, and the j^iblilhing them muft needs pro- duce; fo he judged it would come better from another hand than his, that was fo much obliged by him, that it might be thought affe&ion and gratitude had biaifed him too much. I confefs my part in this was ibfmall, that I canfcarce af- b fume The PREFACE. fume any thing to my lelf, but the copying out what was put in my hands. Lives muft be writ- ten with the ftri&nels of a fevere Hiftorian, and not helped up with Rhetorick and Invention. But there are two great Imperfedtions that muft be pardoned in this ao count : The one is,That there is fo little laid of him gathered from a* ny of his own Writings, which would raile his Character much higher than any thing that others, though of his moft intimate Ac- quaintance, could preferve in their Memories : The other is, That fuch Journals as perhaps forrte th(it intended to give a full reprelentati* on of him to Pofterity, might have writ, were all loft in the lame com- mon Shipwrack of the Irijh Rebel- lion : In which though our Bifliops Works were fwallowed up, yet he himfelf met with a moft diftin* guiflhed The PREFACE. guiflied Fate, more fuitable to his own rare merit, than to the en- raged fury of thofe Cannibals. And it was fo unlike their deportment in all other places, and to all other perfbns, that it ought rather to be afcribed to a tender and watchful Providence, and to be reckoned among its Miracles, than to any impreffions that his worth made on thofe Barbarians, who feemed to be as incapable of all the tendernefles ofHtimaneNature,and asregardlefsof Religion andVer- tue, as Bears or Wolves are : Or n there was any difference, it lay in this, that the one are fatiated with Blood and Prey, whereas thefe burnt with a thirft of Blood that feemed unfatisfiable: And their cruel tempers being excited by the Priefts of a Religion whofe proper chara&er is Blood, as their Ele- ment is Fire, no wonder if they b 2 made The V KEF ACE, made havock of all that fell in their way : Thegreateft Wonder was, how one that had fo juft a title to the rage of their Priefts,that is chiefly founded on extraordinary Worth and great zeal for theTruth, fliould have been fo preferved a* raong them , when he fell into their Hands, and fo honoured by them at his Death : By which it appear- ed that the fame mighty Power that faved Darnel's three Friends from the violence of the Fire, and himfelf from the rage of the Lions, is not yet exhaufted. The Memorials here put in ol- der, are nothing but what the me- mory of that good Man could afford , together with fome few Remnants of the Biflhops own Pen, gathered up like Boards af- ter a Shipwrack. But in them we may find all that is Great in a Man, in a Chriftian, and in a Bifhop: The? KEF ACE. Bifliop : And that in fo eminent a manner, that if the fame of the perfon were not fo great, and if the u(age he met with among the Irtfh, were not a Teftimo- ny beyond exception, I could fcarce hope to be believed. I will give only a bare and Am- ple Relation of his Life , and will avoid the beftowing on him or his Adtions fuch Epithets and Prailes as they delerve : But will leave that to the Reader i For in writing of Lives all big Words are to be left to thofe ^who drefs up Legends , and Make Lives rather than Write them : the things themfelves muft praiie the Perfon, other- wile all the good Words that the Writer beftows on him, will on* ly fliew his own great kindnels to his Memory , but will not perfwade others ; On the con* trary the PREFACE. trary it will incline them to fir Iped his partiality, and make them look on him as an Author rather than a Writer. Letters Letters inferted in the Life ofBifhop Bedell. i . \ Letter of Sir Henry Wottons to XI K? Charles I. concerning Bijhop Bedell. pag. ji 2 A Letter of Bijhop Bedells upon his being invited to go over to I reland . p. } 4 . 3 A Letter of B. Bedells to Archbishop Laud concerning the Jlate of the Clergy , and other particulars relating to his Dio- cefs. p. 45 4. A Letter ofB. Bedells to Archbishop Uflier, againjl Pluralities, p. 52 5. A Letter ofB. Bedells to Archbijhop Laud, fet ting forth the infolence of the ^Irifh Priefts. p. 69 ♦ 6,7. Two Letters ofB. Bedells to Arch- bijhop Ufher concerning the abnfes of the Spiritual Courts, and of the Lay Chan- cellours. p. 94, 96 8 . A Letter ofB. Bedells to Archbijhop Ufher, juftifying himfelf in fever al parti- culars, p. 126 9. ALetter of B. Bedells to the E. of Strafford, concerning the T ran [I at ion of the Bible into the Irifh Tongue, p. 151 10. A io. Apart of a Sermon of B. Bedells concerning brotherly love and, moderation i& the managing ofControverfies. p. 1 4 8 1 1 . Apart of a Sermon of B. Bedells, excufmg fame well meaning perfons that were in the Church of Rome. p. 1 56 1 2. The Conclufion of that Sermon^ ex- horting to a more entire Reformation of abufes. p. 166 ij. The Re?nonftrance of the Rebels in the County of Cavan fetting forth the Grievances that had provoked them to the Rebellion. p. 185 14. A Letter of B. Bedells to the Po- pifh Bifhop 0/Kilmore when he was befet by the Rebels. p. 188 15. A Letter containing Chrijlian di- rections in time of Perjecution, writ by B.Bzddfor aLadythat deftfdthem.\>.i<)2. 16. B. Bedells laji Words. p. 210 At the end of the Life there are added fome Papers in Liatine. 1. B. Bedells form of Lnjlitution to Benefices* p. 2 5 J 2. The Decrees of a Diocefan Synod that he held at Kilmore. p. 2 37 3. B. Bedells Declinator of Archbijhop Ufhers Lay Chancellour upon an Appeal. 4„ His Letter to Bifhop Swmey. p. 2 5 1 THE THE LIFE O F WILLIAM BEDELL, D. D. Bifhop of KILMORE IRELAND. ILLIAM BEDELL was born at Black Not ley in EJf ex, in the year i 570.11c was the younger Son of an ancient and good Family, and of no in- confiderable Eftate , which has now defcended to his Son ( his elder Brother dying without I flue ) : After he had ■paft through the common education at Schools, he was lent to Emmanuel Col- ledge in Cambridge , and put under Dr„ ChaddertopsoaxQ) the famous an4. B long- Ti:e Life of long-liv'd Head of that Houfe ; and here all thofe extraordinary things, that rend red him afterwards fo confpicuous, be^an to fhew themfelves in fiich a man- ner, that he came to have a very emi- nent Character both for Learning and Piety : fb that Appeals were oft made to him, as Differences or Controversies arofe in the Univerfity. He was put in Holy Orders by the Bifhop Suffragan of Colchefter. Till I met with this paffage, I did not think theft Suffra- gans had been continued lb long in Eng- land : How they came to be put down, I do not know ; it is probable they did ordain all thatdefired Orders, fo pro- mifcuoufly, that the Bifhops found it neceffary to let them fall. For com- plaints were made of this Suffragan , upon which he was threatned with the taking his Cornmiilion from him : for though they could do nothing but by a Delegation from the Bifhop, yet the Orders they gave were ftill valid, even when they tranfgreffed in conferring them: Upon that the Suffragan {aid a thing that was as infolent in him, as it was honourable for Mr. Bedell, That he had ordained a better Man than any the Bifhop had ever ordained, naming Bedell. He was chofcn Fellow of the Colledge (Bijlwp Bedell. Colledge in 1595- and took his Degree of Batchelourof Divinity in the year M99. From the Univerfity he was remov- ed to the Town of S. 'Edmondsbury in Suffolk, where he ferved long in the Gofpel, and with great fuccefs, he and his Colleague Deing of fuch different chara£ters, that whereas it was laid of him that he made the difficukeft places of Scripture appear plain, it was laid, That his Colleague made the plaineft places appear difficult ; the opening of dark palfages, and the comparing of many Texts of Scripture , together with a ferious and pra&ical application of them, being the chief fubjeft of His Sermons : Which method leveral other great Men at that time followed, fuch m 2.s BilhopX^r, Dr. Jackfon , and Mr. Mede. He had an occafion eiven him not long after his fettlement in this charge , to flhew his courage , and how little he either courted pre- ferment, or was afraid of falling un- der the difpleafure of great Men : For when the Bifhop of Norwich pro- pofed fbme things to a meeting of his Clergy, with which they were ge- nerally diifatisfied, though they had not refblution enough to oppofe them ; Hs B 2 took 27?e Life of took that hard Province upon himfelf, and did it with fb much ftrength of rea- fbn, as well as difcretion, that many of thole things were, let fall : upon which when his Brethren came and magnified him for it, he checkt them and laid, He defired not the praifes of Men. His reputation was fb great and fb w r ell eftablifhed both in the Uni- verfity and in Suffolk, that when King James lent Sir Henry Wotton to be his .AmbaiTadourat Venice, at the time of the Interdict ; he was recommended as the fitteft. Man to go Chaplain in fo critical a conjuncture. This Imploy- ment proved much happier and more honourable for him than that of his fellow Student and Chamber-fellow Mr. Wadfworth, who was at that time beneficed in the fame Diocefe with him, ri and was about that time lent into Spain, and was afterwards appointed to teach the Infanta the Englift? Tongue, when the match between the late King and her was believed concluded : for Wad.fr tvortb was prevailed on to change • his Religion and abandon his Countrey , as if in them thofe Words of our Saviour had been to be verified, There be two in one Bed, the one (hall be taken, and the other {hall be left. For as (Eifhoj) Bedell. as the one of thefe was wrought on to forfake his Religion, the other was very near the being an Inftrument of a great and happy change in the Repub- lick of Venice. I need not fay much of a thing fb well known as were the quar- rels of Pope Paul the V. and that Re- publick ; efpecially fince the Hiftory of them is written fo particularly by him that knew the matter beft, P. Pau- lo. Some Laws made 'by the Senate, not unlike our Statutes of Mortmain, reftraining the exceflive Donations, ex- torted from fuperftitious Men, and the imprifoning two lewd Fryers, in order to the executing Juftice on them, were the grounds of the quarrel ; and upon thofe pretences, the Ecclefiaftical Im- munity from the Secular Tribunals was ^fferted to fuch a degree, that after that high fpirited Pope had tryed what the fpiritual Sword could do, but without fuccels, (his Interdict not being ob- ferved by any, but the Jefuites, the CV fucins and Theatines, who were upon that banifhed the State, for the age of the Anfelms and the Beckets could not be now recalled ) he refblved to try the Temporal Sword next, according to the advice Cardinal Baronies gave him ; who told him in the Confiftoiy, That B 5 there Ti:c Life rf there were two things laid to S. Peter, the firrt was, FV^-t my Sheep, the other was, A) : k:R\ and taerefore iince he bad already r.xenitH the firfi: part of S. Percrs duty, ;/z r* F/twi, by Exhortations , Admonitions , and Cenfures, without the deiirede.-ftfr, he had nothing left but to .\r;(e .v.. ana that no: being an Age in which Croilad : hi pais upon the World j and the Pope not finding any other Prince that would execute his Bulls, he refolved to make War upon them Ifimfelf, hoping to find ailifrance from the Crown oi Sv.::?; y who, he believed, would be willing to enlarge their Do- minions on that fide : but when all help failed him, and he few that his Ccnfiires had not created any diffracti- ons in the Repuoiick, and found th Treaiure and Force like to prove a match too hard to theApoitolicaiCham- ber, and to fuch Forces as he could levy andoav, he was a: lait willing to ac- ceo: ji a mediation, in which the Se- nate, thou v were c t to de- liver up the two profligate Fryers, ye: a:T-r:~:i their . and ined their Laws , bat tithftanding all his thrt :v nar would thev lo much as ask [ irfblatiocL But without &jhp Bedell: without going further into matters fj gen Known, I fhall or. tbofc : i:rgs to which Mr. IWW had fome fhafle. P. Pr.do was then the Divine c: State, a man equally eminent for \ learning and a moii coniummated t dence ; and was at Qpce Que of :\t greateft D; and of the wikit Men of his Age. Bat to commend the cr- eated Hiitorian of the Council c: Trent , is a thing fo needlefs that I may well ltop ; yet it muit needs raifc Character or Bedell much, z j ] : ,. Inn, who, bcfides the caution that is natural to the Countrey, and the pru- dence that QbHgjgd on- i:i bis ■■-:r„am- ftances to a rdinarv Gift. of ail the World, wastyed up by the Jtrictneis of that Government to a ve- ry great refervednefs with ail people, yet took Bedell into his very Son: ; . as SirHemry JV. fared the lateKing, He tommamawd to him the inward- eft : is Hea~t, and or; ed that he had learnt mor; : n in the P-^rts of Divinit Spe- •e or Practical, than from a he had ever converted with in his whole lire. So great an intimacy with fb ex- traordinary- a perfon is enough to r; life B 4 $ Tlie Life of a Chara&er, were there no more to be added. P. Paulo went further, for he aflifted him in acquiring the Italian Tongue , in which Bedell became fuch a Matter, that he fpoke it as one born in Italy j and penned all the Sermons he then preached, either in Italian or La- tine ; in this laft it will appear by the productions of his Pen yet remaining , that he had a true Roman Stile, inferior to none of the Modern Writers, if not equal to the Ancients. In requital of the Inftru&ion he received from P. Paulo in the Italian Tongue, he drew a Grammar of the Englijb Tongue for his ufe, and for fome others that defi- red to learn it, that fb they might be able to underftand our Books of Divini- ty, and he alio tranQated the Engliflj Common-prayer Book into Italian ; and P. Paulo and the feven Divines that du- ring the Interdict were commanded by the Senate both to preach and write againft the Popes authority, liked it fb well, that they refblved to have made it their pattern , in cafe the defe- rences between the Pope and them had produced the effe£fc which tftiey hoped rind longed for, Th< tBijhop Bedell. The intimacy between them grew lb great and fb publick, that when P. Paulo was wounded by thofe AfTafTi- nates that were fet on by the Court of Rome to deftroy fo redoubted an Ene- my, upon the failing of which at- tempt a Guard was fet on him by the Senate, that knew how to value and preferve fb great a Treafure ; and much jprecaution was ufed before any were ad- mitted to come to him, Bedell was ex- cepted out of thofe rules, and had free accefs to him at all times. They had many and long difcourfts concerning Religion : He found P. Paulo had read over the Greek New Teftament with fb much exactnefs, that having ufed to mark every Word when he had fully weighed the importance of it as he „jvent through it ; he had by going of- ten over it, and obferving what he paft ov 7 er in a former reading, grown up to that at laft, that every word was mark- ed of the whole New Teftament : and when Bedell fuggefted to him critical explications of fbme pafTages that he had not understood before, he received them with the tranfports of one that leapt for joy, and that valued the difco- veries of divine Truth beyond all other things. During i o TIm L I F e of During his ftay at Venice, the fa- mous Ant. de DominU Archbifhop of Spalata came to Venice ; and having re- ceived a juft character of Mr. Bedell, he difcovered his iecret to him, and {hew- ing him his ten Books De RepMicx Ec- clejia/lica, which he afterwards printed at London : Bedell took the free- dom which he allowed him, and cor- re&edmany ill applications of Texts of Scripture, and Quotations of Fathers. For that Prelate being utterly ignorant of the Greek Tongue, could not but be guilty of many miltakes both in the one and the other ; and if there remain fbme places ftill that difcover his igno- rance of that Language too plainly , yet there had been many more, if Be- dell had not corrected them : but no wonder if in fuch a multitude fbme elcaped his diligence. De Dominis took all this in good part from him, and did enter into fuch familiarity with him, and found his affiftance fb ufeful, and indeed fb neceiTary to himfelf, that he ufed to fay he could do nothing with- out him. A paffage fell out during the Inter- dift, that made greater noife than per- haps the importance of it could well amount to : but it was fiiited to the Italian fBiflhop Bedell. 1 i i It dim Genius. There came a Jefuite to Venice, Thomas Maria Carajfa, who printed a Thoufand Tnefes of Philofb- phy and Divinity, which he dedicated to the Pope with this extravagant Infcri- ption,PAULO V. V1CE-DEO Chriftian& Reipublic* Monarch a invicftf- fimoy & Pont if cia Omnifoentia confer- Bedell. 1 15' It may be eafily imagined what a Wound this was to his Chaplain, but much more to thofe who were more immediately concerned in that matter ; I mean P. Paulo with the Seven Di- vines, and many others , who were weary of the corruptions of their Wor- fhip, and were groaning for a Refor- mation. But now the reconciliation with Rome was concluded : the Senate carried the matter with all the dignity and Majefty that became that moft fe- rene Republick, as to all civil things ; for they would not ask Abfblution ; but the Nuncio, to fave the Popes credit, came into the Senate-Houfe, before the Duke was come, and crolTed his Cufhi- on,and abfblved him. Yet upon this they would not fuffer any public k figns of joy ,to be made ; nor would they recal the Jefuites. But in all thele things greater regard was had to the dignity of their State, than to the intereft of Religion ; fb that P. Paulo was out of all hopes of bringing things ever back to fb promi- fing a conjun&ure ; upon w r hich he wifht he could have left Venice and come over to England, with Mr. Bedell : but he was fb much efteemed by the Senate for his great Wifdom, that he was co:> fulted by them as an Oracle, and truft- ed 1 6 The la i "be of ed with their mod important Secrets : 16 that he faw it was impoffible for him to obtain his Conge ; and therefore he made a fhift to comply as far as he could with the eftablifhed way of their Wor- fhip ; but he had in many things parti- cular methods, by which he in a great meafure rather quieted than fatisfied his Conference. In faying of Mafs, he paft over many parts of the Canon, and in particular thofe Prayers , in which that Sacrifice was offered up to the honour of Saints : He never prayed to Saints, nor joyned in thofe parts of the Offices that went againft his Con- fidence ; and in private Confeflions and Difeourfes , he took people off from thofe abufes, and gave them right No- tions of the purity of the Chriftian Re- ligion; fb he hoped he was lowing- Seeds that might be fruitful in another Age : and thus he believed he might live innocent in a Church that he thought fo defiled. And when one preft him hard in this matter, and objefted that he ftill held communion with an Idola- trous Church, and gave it credit by ad- hering outwardly to it, by which means others that depended much on his ex- ample would be likewife encouraged to continue in it : All the anfwer he made to $ifl?Qp Bedell. i? to this was. That God had not given him the Spirit of Luther. He exjjreP led great tenderriefs and concern for Bedell, when he parted with him ; arid faid that both lie and many others would have gone over with him, if it had been in their power : but that he might ne- ver be forgot by him, he gave him his Picture, with an Hebrew Bibie with- out Points, arid a little Hebrew Pfalter, in which he writ fbme Sentences expref- fing his efteem and friendfHip fdr him ; and with thele he gave him the unva- luable Mariufcript df the Hiftory of the Council of Trent , together with the Hiftory of the Interdict and of the Inquifition ; the firft of thefe will e- ver be reckoned the chief pattern after which all, that intend to fucceed well in writing Hiftory, muft copy. But a- Inong other Papers that P. Paulo gave him, forrie that were of great impor- tance are loft : for in a Letter of Mr Be- dells to Dr. JVardy he mentions a Col- lection of Letters that were lent him Weekly from Rome during the contefts between the JefuL'es and Dominicans , concerning the efficacy of Grace ; of which P. Paulo gave him the Origi- nals ; and in his Letter to Dr. Ward hz mentions his having fent them to him.- G Tfefey i 8 Tie Lifeo/" Thefe , very probably , contained a more particular relation of that matter than the World has yet feen, fince they were writ to lb curious and fb inquifitive a Man ; but it feems he did not allow Be- dell to print them, and fo I am afraid , they are now irrecoverably loft. When Bedell came over, he brought along with him the Archbifhop of Spa- lata, and one Defpotine a Phyfician , who could no longer bear with the corruptions of the Roman Worfhip ; and fb chofe a freer air. The latter lived near him in S. Edmundsburyy and was by his means introduced into much Pra- ctice , which he maintained lb well, that he became eminent in his Profeffi- on, and continued to his death to keep up a conftant correfpondence with him. As for the Archbifhop of Spa/ata his S^> ry, it is too well known to need to be much enlarged on. He was an ambitious Man, and let too great a value onhim- felf, and expreffed it fo indecently, that he funk much in the eftimation of the Engliflj Clergy, by whom he was at firft received with all poflible refpeft'; but after he had flayed fbme years in EngLwd, upon the promotion of Pope Gregory the XIV. that had been his School-fellow, and old acquaintance, he was OZifrop Bedell. 19 was made believe that the Pope inten- ded to give him a Cardinals Hat, and to make great ufe of him in all affairs ; fb that he fancied that he flbould be the inftrument of a great Reformation in the Church : his Pride made him too eafie to flatter himfelf with thefe vain Hopes, and the diftafte fome of the English Clergy had taken at him for his ambition and covetoufnefs, gave Gun- damor the Spamflj Ambaifadour great advantages in the conduct of that mat- ter : for his mind that was blown up with vanity, and fharpned with refent- ment, was eafily wrought on, fo that he, believing that the Promifes made him would not only be performed, but that he might be the inftrument of bringing about a great change, even at Rome , ^jvent thither. He was at firft well re- ceived by the Pope himfelf : But he happened to fay of Cardinal Bellarmme, that had writ againft him, That he had not anfwered his Arguments. Upon which a complaint was carried to the Pope, as if he had been ftill ofthe fame mind, in which he was when he pub- lifhed his Books. He excufed him- felf, and faid, That though BeiLrmwe had not anfwered his Arguments, yet he did not fay they were uuanfwerable : C 2 and 20 The Life of and he offered to anfwer them himfelf* if they would allow him time for it. But this excufe was not accepted, fb he was caft into the Inquifition, but was never brought to any Tryal : He was poylbned not long after, and his Body was caft out at a Windbw, and all Ins Goods were confifcated to die Pope. .This was the tragical end of that great but inconftant Man: If he had had as good a Soul as he had a great underftand- ing, together with vaft learning, con- fidering his education and other difad- -vantages, he had deferved to have been -reckoned among the greateft Men of his Age. In his Fate it appeared, how fooliihly credulous, Vanity makes . a Man ; fince he that was an Italian born, and knew the Court of Rome fb well, could be wrought on fofar, astq^ believe that they were capable of par- doning and promoting him after the mifchief he had done their Caufe, This account of that matter , my Author had frpm Mafter BedelPs own Mouth. But now Mr. Bedell had finifhed one of the Scenes of his life with great honour. Tlie moft confiderable addi- tion he made to his learning at Venice, was in the improvements in the He- brew, ijhop Bedell. 21 brew, in which he made a great pro- grels by the affiftance of R.Leo, that was the chief Chacham of the Jewifh Sy- nagogue there:From him lie learn'd their way of pronunciation, and ibme other parts of Rabbinical learning ; but in ex- change of it, he communicated to him, that which was much more valuable, the true underftanding of many paifa- ges in the Old Teftament, with which that Rabbi expreffed himfelf often to be highly fatisfied ; And once in a folemn difpute, he preft his Rabbi with lb clear proofs of Jefus Chrift being the true Meflias, that he, and feveral others , of his Brethren, had no other way to efcape, but to fay that their Rabbins every where did expound thole Prophe- cies otherwife, according to the Tra- dition of their Fathers. By R. Leo's means, he purchafed that fair Manu- fcript of the Old Teftament, which he gave to Emmanuel Colledge ; and, as I am credibly informed, it coft him its weight in Silver. After Eight Years ftay \\\Venice y he returned to England, and without' pre- tending to Preferment, or afpiring to it ; he went immediately to his charge at S. Edmundsbury, and there went on in his minifterial labours ; with which he C 1 mixt 11 The Life of mixt the tranflating P. Paulo s immor- tal Writings into Latine. Sir Adam New- ton tranflatedthe two firft Books of the Hiftory of the Council of Trent , but was not mafter enough of the two Lan- guages j lb that the Archbifhop of Spa- lata faid it was not the fame Work ; but he highly approved of the two laft, that were tranflated by Mr. Bedell, who likewife tranflated the Hiftory of the InterdiQ:, and of the Inquifition, and dedicated them to the King. But no notice was taken of him, and he lived ftill private and unknown in that ob- fcure corner. He had a Soul of too ge- nerous a compofition to ftoop to thole fervile compliances, that are often ex- pected by thofe that nave the diftribu- tion of Preferments in their power. He thought that was an abje&nefs of Spi- V rit that became not a Chriftkn Philofb- pher, much left a Churchman, who ought to exprefs a contempt of the World, a contentednels with a low con- dition , and a refignation of ones out- ward circumftances wholly to the con- duct of Divine Providence ; and not %o give that advantage which Atheifts and Libertines take from the covetoufc nels and afpirings of lome Churchmen, to fco.f at Religion., and to call Priejl- hocd fBiJkop Bedell, 23 hood a Trade. He was content to de- ferve Preferment, and did not envy others, who upon lefs merit, but more induftry arrived at it. But though he was forgot at Court, yet an eminent Gentleman in Suffolk, Sir Thomas Jcr- myn, who was a privy Counfellotir , and Vice-Chamberlain to King Charles die Firth and a great Patron of Ver- tue and Piety, took fuch a liking to him, that as he continued his whole life to pay him a very particular efteem ; fo a confiderable Living that was in his Gift, falling void, he prefented him to it in the Year 1 6 1 5. When he came to the Bifhop of Norwich to take out his Title to it, lie demanded large Fees for his InlHtution and Indu&ion : But Bedell would give no more than what ^vas fufficient gratification for the Wri- ting, the Wax, and the Parchment ; and refufed to pay the reft. He lookt on it as Simony in the Biftiop, to de* mand more, and as contrary to the command of Chrift , who faid to his Apoftles, Freely ye have received, and freely give. And thought it was a branch of the fin of Simony to fell Spiritual things to Spiritual perfbns ; and fince whatfoever was askt , that was mors than a decent Gratification to the Ser- C 4 vant ^4 Yh e Lifeo/ vant for his pains, was asked by rea- fori of the thing that was granted, he thought this was unbecoming the Go- fpel, and that it was a fin both in the Giver and in the Taker. He had obfer- ved that nothing was more exprefly con- trary to all the Primitive Rules, Chry- fojlome examined a complaint made a- gainft Autonine Bifhop of Ephefus, for exa£Hng Fees at Ordination. Autonine dyed before the Procefs was finiflied ; but fbme Bifhops, that had paid thofe Fees, were upon that degraded and made incapable to officiate any more, though they pretended, that they paid that Mo- ney as a Fee for obtaining a Releafe from fuch Obligations as lay on them by Law, to ferve the Court. After- wards not only all Ordinations for Mo- ney, but the taking Money for any Im-- ployment that depended upon the Bifhops Gift , was moft feverely con- demned by the Council of Chalcedon The Buyer was to lofehis Degree, and the Seller was to be in danger of it : And after that, fevere cenfures were every where decreed asrainft all Prefents that I o might be made to Bilhops, either be- fore or after Ordinations, or uppn the account of Writings, or of Feafts, or any other expends that was brought irt life IBiJJjop Bedell. ly ufe to be made upon that occafion ; and even in the Council of Trent, it was Decreed, That nothing fhould betaken for Letters dimiiTory, the Certificates, the Seals, or upon any fuch like ground, either by Bifhops or their Servants, even though it was freely offered. Up- on thele accounts Mr. Bedell relblved ra- ther to lole his Prelentation to the Par- fbnage of Horwgfheath , than to pur- chafe his Title to it by doing that which he thought Simony. And he left the Bi- fhop and went home: But fbme few days after, the Bifhop lent for him, and < gave him his Titles, without exacting Fees of him ; and fb he removed to that place, where he flayed Twelve Years, during which time he was a great honour to the Church, as well as •a pattern to all Churchmen. His habit and way of living was very plain, and becoming the fimplicity of hisProfeffion. He was very tender of thole that were truly poor, but was lb ftrict in exami- ning all Vagabonds, and fo dexterous in dilcovering counterfeit PalTes , and took fuch care of punilhing thole that went about with them, that they came no more to him, nor to his Town. In all that time no notice was ever ta- ken of him , though he gave a very fingular *6 Tht Li fe of fmgular evidence of his great capacity* For being provoked by his old acquain- tance JVadf worth's Letters, he writ upon the points in controverfie with the Church of Rome, with fb much learn- ing and judgment , and in fb mild a ftrain, that no wonder if his Book had a good effett on him, for whom it was intended : It is true he never returned and changed his Religion himfelf, but his Son came from Spain into Ireland, when Bedell was promoted to the Bi- flioprick of Kjlmore there, and told him, That his Father commanded him to thank him for the pains he was at in writing it : he faid, It was almoft al- wayes lying open before him, and that he had heard him fay, He was re- fblved tofave one. And it feems he in- truded his Son in the true Religion,^ , for he declared himfelf a Proteftanton his coming over. This Book was printed, and dedicated to the late King, while he was Prince of Wales, in the Year 1624. The true Reafons that obftru- QiedBe delPs preferment leem to be thefe \ He was a Calvinifi in the matter of De- crees and Grace ; and Preferments went generally at that time to thofethat held the other Opinions. He had alfo ano- ther Principle, which was not very ac- ceptable UJhop Bedell. 27 ceptable to fome in power : he thought, Conformity was an exact adhereing to the Rubrick ; and that the adding any- new Rite or Ceremony, was as much Nonconformity, as the paffing over thole that were prescribed : So that he would not ufe thofe Bow r ings or Gefticu- lations that grew fo much in fafhion,that Mens affections were meaSured by them. He had too good an understanding, not to conclude , That thefe things were not unlawful in themfelves; but he had obferved that when once the humour of adding new Rites and Ceremonies got into the Church, it went on by a fatal increafe, till it had grown up to that bulk, to which we find it Swelled in the Church of Rome. And this began fc early, and grew fo fall, that S. Aufiin «*€omplained of it in his time , Saying, That the condition of Christians was then more uneaiie by that Yoke of Ob- fervances, than that of the Jews had bttn. And therefore Bedell thought the adhering toeftablifhed Laws and Rules was a certain and fixed thing ; where- as Superftition was infinite. So he was againSt all Innovations, or arbitrary and aiiumed Practices ; and fo much the more, when Men were distinguished, and markt out for Preferment, by that which 18 71x Li fe of which in flxi&nefs of Law was a thing that deferved punifhment. For in the A 9: of Uniformity , made in the fir ft Year of Queen Elizabeths Reign , it was made highly penal, to ufe any other Rite or Ceremony y Order or Form, either in the Sacraments , or in Morning or Evening Prayers, than what was menti- oned, and fet forth in that Book. And this was particularly intended to reftrain fbme that were leavened with the for- mer Superftition , and yet for faving their Benefices, might conform to the New Service, but retain ftill with it many of the old Rites in facred Offices. And it feems our Legiflators were of the fame mind, when the laft Aft of Uniformity was paft; for there is a fpecial Provifo ink, That no Rites or Ceremo- nies fbould he openly ufed in any Church other than what was prefcribed and ap* pointed to he ufed in and by the faid Book. Therefore he continued to make the Rubrick the meafure of his Con* formity, as well before his promotion a$ after it. But he was well fatisfied with that which the Providence of God laid in his way, and went on in the duties of his pa* floral care, and in his own private Stu- dies ; and was as great a Pattern in Suf folk, Eijhop Bedell. 29 folk, of the paftoral care, in the lower degree, as he proved afterwards in Ire- land in the higher Order. He la- boured not as an Hireling that on- ly railed a Revenue out of his Pa- xifli, and abandoned his Flock, truft- ing them to the cheapeft Merce- nary that he. could find ; nor did he fatisfie himfelf with a flight perfor- mance of his duty only for fafhions fake ; but he watched over his Flock like one that knew he was to anfwer to God for thole Souls committed to his charge : fo he preached to the under- ftandings and Conferences of his Parifh, and Catechifed conftantly. And, as the whole courfe of his own mod exempla- ry behaviour was a continued Sermon ; fb he was very exaft in the more pri- vate parts of his Function, vifiting the oick, and dealing in fecret with his peo- ple , to excite or preferve in them a deep fenfe of Religion. This he made his work, and he followed it fb clofe, and lived fb much at home, that he was fb little known, or fb much for- got, that when Diodati came over to England , many years after this , he could hear of him from no perfbn that he met with ; though he was acquain- ted with many of the Clergy. He was much 30 77;e Li fe of much amazed at this, to find that fb extraordinary a Man, that was fb much admired at Venice, by lb good Judges, was notfb much as known in his own Countrey ; and fo he was out of all hope of finding him out, but by a meer acci- dent he met him on the Streets of Lon- ctenj at which there was a great deal of joy on both fides. And upon that Diodati prefented him to Morton the learned and antient Bifhop of Dnrefme, and told how great a value P. Paulo let on him ; upon which that Bifhop treated him in a vety particular manner. It is true, Sir Henry Wot ton was alwayes his firm and faithful Friend ; but his Credit 2tt Court had funk : for he fell under ne- ceflities, having lived at Ve-niw in an expence above his appointments. And as neceflitous Courtiers muft grow to foi> M get all concerns but their own ; lb their intereft abates,and the favour they are in lelTens, when they come to need it too much. Sir Thomas Jtrmyn was in more credit, though he was alwayes fufpe&ed of being too favourable to the Puritans ; lb that his inclinations be- ing known, the character he could give of him, did' not ferve to raife him in England. While HSiJhop Bedje'll. 31 While he was thus negle&ed at home, his fame was fpread into Ireland ; and though he was not known either to the famous Bifhop Vfber , or to any of the Fellows of Trinity Colledge in Dublin , yet he was choten by their una- nimous content, to be the Head of their Colledge, in the Year 1627. and as that worthy Primate of Ireland , together with the Fellows of the Colledge, writ to him, inviting him to come and accept of that Mafterflhip, ib an Addrefswas made to die King , praying that he would command him to go over. And that this might be the more fuccefiful, Sir Henry Wot ton was moved to give his Majefty a true account of him, which he did in the following Letter. May it pleafe your mod gracious- M2jefiy, HAving been informed. That certain per pons have, by the good Wijhes of theArchbijhop of 'Armagh, been directed hi- ther y with a mofi humble petition unto your Majejly, That you will be pie afed to make Mr. William Bedell ( now re f dent upon afmall Benefice in Suffolk ) Governour of your Colledge at Dublin, for the good 32 The Life of of that Society : and my felf being re- quired to render unto your Majejly fame Tejlimony of the [aid William hedell , who was long my Chaplain at Venice, in the time of my imployment there ; I am bound in all Confcience and Truth (fofar as your Majejly will accept of my poor Judgment ) to affirm of him, That, 1 think, hardly a fitter Man could have been propounded to your Majejly in your whole Kjngdom, for fmgular Erudition and Piety , Conformity to the Kites of the Church , and T^eal to advance the Caufe of God ; wherein his Tra- vells abroad were not obfcure , in the time of the Excommunication of the Venetians. For , may it pleafe your Majejly to know , That this is the Man whom Padre Paulo took ( I may fay ) into his very Soul , with whom he did communicate the inwardefi Thoughts of ™ his Heart ; from whom he profejfed to have received more knowledge in all Di~ vinity ,. both fcholaftical and pofitive , than from any that he had praffifed in his Dayes : of which all the pajfages were well known unto the Kjng your Father, of blejfed memory* Andfo with your Majejties good favour, I will end this ncedlefi office : for the general fame of his Learning, his Life , and Chri- (Hart ijbop Bedell. 33 Jlian Temper , and thofe religious La* hours rvhich himjelf hath dedicated to your Majejly, do better defer ibe him than 1 am able. Your Majefties moft humble and / faithful Servant, H. Wottom But when this matter was propofed to Mr. Bedell j he expreffed ib much both of true Philofbphy, and real Chri- ftianityin theAnfwer that he made to tia honourable an offer, that I will not undertake to give it otherwife than in his own W ords, taken from a Letter which he writ to one that had been im- ployed to deal with him in this matter. The Original of this and moft of the other Letters that I let down , were found among the Moft Reverend Pri- mate Vjherh Papers, and were commu- nicated to me. by his Reverend and worthy Friend Dr. Pane. D Sir, 34 Tlpe Live of Si r, With my hearty commendations re- membred: I have this Day re- ceived both your Letters, dated the 2. of this Month \ I thank you for your care and diligence in this matter. For anfrver whereof, although I could have defired fo much refpite, as to have confer- red with fome of my Friends , fuch as poffibly do know the condition of that place better than I do , and my infufficiencies better than my Lord Primate ; yet fince that I perceive by both your Letters, the matter requires a fpeedy and prefent an- fwer, thus I fland: I am married , and have three Children \ therefore if the , place requires a fingle Man, the bufinefis at an end. I have no want, I thank my God, of any thing necejfary for this life ; I have a competent Living of above a hun- dred pound a Tear, in a good Air and Seat, with a very convenient Houfe near to my Friends, a little Parifh, not exceeding the compafof my weak Voice. I have of ten heard it, That changing feldom brings the better ; ehecially to thofe that are well. And I fee well, That my Wife, (though IBiJhop Bedell. 1 35 ( though refdving, as {he ought, to be contented with whatfoever God jh all ap* point ) had rather continue with her Friends in her native Countrey , than put her fe If into the hazzard of the Seas, and a foreign Land, with many cajualties in Travel, which {he perhafs out of fear % apprehends more than there is caufe. All thefe reafons I have, if I confult with Flefh and Blood, which move me rather to refect this offer ; (yet with all humble and dutiful thanks to my Lord F rim ate for his Mind and good Opinion of me : ) on the other fide, Iconfider the end, wherefore I came into the World, and the bufmtfs of a Subject to our Lord Jefu* Chrijl , of a Mmifier of the G of pel of a good Patriot, and of an honefi Man* If I may be of any better ufe to my Coun- trey, to Gods Church, or of any better vfervice to our common Mafler, I muft clofe mine eyes againfi all private refpecls ; and if God call me, I mufi anfver, Here lam. For my part therefore I will not ftir t>ne Foot, or lift up my Finger for or againfi this motion \ but if it proceed from the Lord, that is, If thofe whom it con- cerns there , do procure thofe who may command me here , to fend me thither, I {hall obey, if it were not only to go into Ireland, but into Virginia, yea though I D 2 were 3 6 77;e Life of were not only to meet with trouble s, dan- gerSy and difficulties, but death it felf in the performance. Sir, I have as plainly as I can, fhewed you my mind\ de firing you with my humble fervice to reprefent it to my reverend good Lord, my Lord Primate. And God Almighty direct this affair to the glory of his holy name, and have you in his merciful protection \ fo Jreji From Bury March 6. Your j6i6. loving Friend Will. BeM. The conclufion of this, matter was,*-* That the King being well informed concerning him, commanded him to undertake this charge, which he did cheerfully obey ; and let about the du^ ties incumbent on him, in luch a man- ner, as ftiewed how well he had im- proved the long time of retirement, that he had hitherto enjoyed, and how ripely he had digefted all his thoughts •and oblervations. He had hitherto liv- ed Blfhop Bedell. 37 cd as if he had been made for nothing but {peculation and ftudy ; and now when he entred upon a more publick Scene, it appeared that he underftood the practical things of Government and humane life fb well, thatnomanfeem- ed to be more cut out for bufinefsthan he was. In the Government of the Colledge, and at his firft entry upon a new Scene, he refblved to a£t nothing till he both knew the Statutes of the Houfe perfe&ly well, and underftood well the tempers of the people ; therer fore when he went over firft, he car* ried himfelf (b abftra&ly from all affairs, that he paft foF a foft and weak Man. The zeal that appeared afterwards in him, fhewed, That this eoldnefs was itaonly the effefl: of his Wifdom, and not of his Temper : but when he found that fbme grew to think meanly of him, and that even Vfhe r himfelf began to change his opinion of him : Upon that when he went over to England ibme Months after-to bring his Family over to Ireland, he was thinking to have refign- ed his new Preferment , and to have returned to his Benefice in Suffolk ; but the Primate writ fo kind a Letter to him, that as it made him lay down thofe thoughts : lb it drew from him the fol- D j lowing 1 8 The L I F e of lowing Words in the Anfwer that he Writ to him. Touching my return, I do thankfully accept your Graces exhortation, advifwg me to have Faith in God, and not to con- fult with Flejh and Blood, nor have mind of this Count rey. ' Now I would to God, that your Grace could look into my Heart, and fee how little I fear lack ofProvifwn, or pafs upon any outward thing in this World : My chief fear in truth was, and is, left I jhould be unfit and unprofitabk in the place \ in which cafe, if I might have a lawful and honeft retreat, I think no wife Man could blame me to retain it : Efpecially having underftood that your Grace, who fe authority I chiefly followed at the firft, did from your own Judgment^* and that of other wife Men, fo truly pro- nounce of me, That I was a weak Man. Now that I have received your Letters fo full of life and encouragement, it puts fome more life in me. for fure it can- not agree with that goodnefs and ingenui- ty of yours, prai fed among all Gods Graces inyou y by thofe that know you, to write one thing t o me, and tofpeak another thing to others of me, or to go about to beguile my fimplicity with fair Words, laying in the mean while a Net for my Feet, efpe- cially !Bi/hop Bedell. 39 ciaUy fith my weaknefi fball in truth re- dound to the blaming of your own dtfcre* tion in bringing me thither. Thus was he prevailed on to refign his Benefice, and carry his Family to Ireland^ and then he applyed himfelf with that vigour of Mind, that was peculiar to him, to the government of the Colledge. Hecorre£tedfuch abufes as he found among them ; he fet fuch rules to them, and faw thefe (b well executed, that it quickly appeared how happy a choice they had made : And as he was a great promoter of learning among them, fo he thought his particular Province was to inftruQ: the Houie aright in the Prin- ciples of Religion. In order to this he eatechifed the Youth in the Colledge once a Week , and preached once a Sunday , though he was not obliged to it : And that he might acquaint them with a plain and particular body of Di- vinity , he divided the Church Cate- chifm into Two and Fifty Parts, one for every Sunday 7 and did explain it in a way \o mixed with Speculative and practical Matters, that his Sermon? were hoth learned Le&ures of Divinity, and excellent exhortations to Vertue and D 4 Piety : 40 7k Life of Piety : Many took notes of them, and Copies of them were much enquired after ; for as they were fitted to the ca- pacity of his Hearers, fo they contained much matter in them, for entertaining the moft learned. He had not flayed there above two Years, when by his Friend Sir Thomas Jermyn's means, a Patent was lent him to be Bifhop of Kjlmore and Ardagh , two contiguous Sees in the Province of Vlfler. And in the Letters by which the King fig- nified his pleafure for his Promotion, he likewife exprefled his acceptance of the fervice he had done in the Col- ledge, in very honourable terms as fol- lows : And as we were pleafed by our former gracious Letters to ejlablifh the f aid Wil- liam Bedell , by our Royal Authority in the Provojljhip of the faid Co/ledge of the Bleffed Trinity near Dublin, where we are informed that by his care and good Government , there hath been wrought great Reformation , to our Jin- gular contentment ; fo rve purpofe to con- tinue our care of that Society > being the principal Nurfery of Religion and Learn- ing in that our Realm > and to recommend unto the Colledge fo?ne fuch perfon from whom we may expeff the like worthy ef ifhop Bedel l. 4* feBs for their good, as rve and they have found from Mr. Bedell. And now in the 59^. Year of his Age, he entered upon a different courfe of Life and Employment, when it might have been thought, that the vi- gour of his Spirits was much broken and fpent. But by his adminiftration of his Diocefs, it appeared that their re- mained yet a vaft heat and force of Spirit to carry him through thofe diffi- cult undertakings, to which he found himfelfobligedbythis new Chara&er; which if it makes a Man but a little lower than the Angels, fb that the term Angel is applyed to that Office in Scri- pture, he thought it did oblige him to an angelical courfe of life, and to di- vide his time, as much as could confift: ^with the frailties and neceflities of a Body made of Flefh and Blood, as thofe glorious Spirits do, between the be- holding the Face of their Father which is in Heaven , and the miniftring to the Heirs of Salvation : he confidered the Bifhops office made him the Shep- herd of the inferiour Shepherds, if not of the whole Diocefs ; and therefore he reftlved to fpare himfelf in nothing, by v/hich he might advance the intereft of Religion among them : and he thought it 42 The Life of it a difingenuous thing to vouch Anti- quity for the Authority and Dignity of that Fun&ion , and not at the fame time to exprefs thofe Virtues and Fra- nces that made it fb Venerable among them. Since the Forms of Church Go- vernment muft appear amiable and va- luable to the Word, not fb much for the reafbnings and arguments that learn- ed Men ufe concerning them, as for the real advantages that mankind find from them. So that he determined with the great Nazianzen, To give Wings to his Soul y to refcue it wholly from the World, and to dedicate it to God : And not to think it enough to perform his duty in fuch a manner, as to pais through the reft of his life without reproach : for according to that Father, This was to weigh out Vertue by f mall weights ; but^ in the Language of that Father he re- iblved to live, As one that had got above his Senfes , and all fenfible things, that was recollected within himfelf, and had attained to a familiarity with divine matters , that Jo his mind might be as an unfullied Mir r our, upon which he might receive and refrefent the imprejfes of God and divine things, unallyed with the Cha- racters of lower objects. He faw he would fall under fome envy, and meet with fBiJhop Bedell. 45 with great oppof#ions , but he confi- dered that as a fort of martyrdome for God, and refojved cheerfully to under- go whatfbever uneafie things he might be forced to fuffer, in the difcharge of his Confcience and Duty. In laying open his defigns and per- formances in this laft and greateft peri- od of his life,I have fuller materials than in the former parts. For my Author was particularly known to him during a large part of it , and (pent feveral Years in his Family ; fb that his oppor- tunities of knowing him were as great as could be defired, and the Bifhop was of (b gentle a temper, and of fb com- piunicative a nature, that he eafily o- pened himfelf to one, that was taken into his alliance as well as into his heart, he being indeed a Man of primitive fim- plicity. He found his Diocefs under fb many difbrders, that there was fcarce a found part remaining. The Revenue was wafted by exceflive dilapidati- ons, and all facred things had been ex- pofed to fale in fb fordid a manner, that it was grown to a Proverb. But I will not enlarge further on the ill things o- thers had done, than as it is neceffary to fhew the good things that were done by him. One of his Cathedrals, Jr- dagh> 44 Tl* Life of dagh, was fallen down to the ground, and there was fcarce enough remaining of both thefe Revenues to fupport a Biftiop that was relblved not to fiipply himfelf by indireft and bale methods : he had a very fmall Clergy, but Seven or Eight in each Diocefs of good fuffi- ciency ; but every one of thefe was multiplyed into many Parifhes, they having many Vicarages a piece ; but being Englijhj and his whole Diocefs confiftingof/r//^, they were barbarians to them ; nor could they perform any part of divine Offices among them. But the ftate of his Clergy will appear beft from a Letter that he writ to Archbifhop Laud concerning it, which I fhail here infert. Right %5'tjhop Bedell. 45 Right reverend Father, my honourable good Lord. Since my coming to this place, which was a little before Michaelmas ( till which time, the fettling of the fiat e of the Colledge, and my Lord Primate *j Visita- tion deferred my Confecration ) I have not been unmindful of your Lord/hips com- mands, to advert if e you, as my experience fljould inform me , of the flate of the Church, which I {hall now the better do, becaufe I have been about my Dioceses, and can fet down, out of my knowledge and view ^ what I jhall relate : and jhort- ly tofpeak much ill matter in a few words, it is very miferable. The Cathedral Church ^Ardagh, one of the mofi an- cient in Ireland, and faid to be built by S. Patrick , together with the Bijhops Houfe there, down to the ground. The Church here, built , but without Bell or Steeple, Font or Chalice. The Parijb Churches all in a manner ruined, and un- roofed, and unrepaired. The people, fa- ying afewBntiih Planters here and there, ( which are not the tenth part of the rem- nant ) obfiinate Recufants. A Popijb Clergy 46 Tl:e L 1 f e of Clergy more numerous by far than ive, and in full exercife of all Jurifditfion Ecclefi- aftical, by their Vicar-General and Offici- als ; who are fo confident as they Excom- municate thofe that conie to our Courts, even in matrimonial caufes : which affront hath been offered my f elf by the Popifh Pri- vates Vicar-General \ for Mich I have be- gun a Procefs againft him. The Primat* himfelf lives in my Parifh , within two Milts of my Houfe ; the Bifhop in ano* t her part of my Diocefs further off. Eve- ry Parifh hath its Priefi \ andjome two or three a piece , andfo their Mafs-Houfes al~ fo ; in fome places Majiisfaidin the Chur- ches. Fryers there are in div erf e places, who go about, though not in their Habit, and by their importunate begging impover- ifh the people ; who indeed are generally ve- ry poor, as from that cdufe, fo, from their paying double Tythes to their own Clergj,*** ahd ours, from the dearth of Corn, and the death of their Cattle theft late Tears, with the Contributions to their Souldiers and their Agents : and which they forget not to reckon among other cattfes, the op- preffion of the Court Ecclefiaflical, which in very truth, my Lord, I cannot excufe, and do feek to reform. For our own, there are Seven or Eight Minifiers in tacb Diocefs of good jufficiency ; and ( which Bifhop Bedell. *j ( which is no [mall caufe of the conti- nuance of the people in Popery ftill ) Englifh , which have not the Tongue of the people, nor can perform any Di- vine Offices, or converfe with them", and which hold many of them Two or Three, Tour, or more Vicarages apiece ; even the Clerk foips them} elves are in like manner conferred upon the Englifh ; and fometimes Two or Three, or more, upon one Man, and ordinarily bought and fold or let to farm. His Majefiy is now with the greatefi part of this Countrey , as to their Hearts and Confciences, Kjng, but a the Popes difcretion. KilmoreApr. i. 1530. Will. Kilmore & Ardagh. Here was a melancholy profpeft to a Man of fb good a mind, enough to have difheartned him quite, if he had not had a proportioned degree of Spi- rit and courage to fupport him under lb much weight. After he had reco- vered fbmewhat of the fpoils made by his PredecefTor, and fb put himfelf into a capacity to fubfift, he went about the rein- 48 The Life of reforming of abufes : Arid the firft that he undertook was Pluralities, by which one Man had a care of Souls in fb ma- ny different places, that it was not pot fible to difcharge his duty to them, nor to perform thofe Vows, which he made at his Ordination, of feeding and inftru&ing the Flock committed to his care. And tho' moft of the Pluralifts did mind all their Parifhes alike , that is, They negle&ed all equally ; yet he thought this was an abule contrary both to the nature of Ecclefiaftical Fun- ctions, to the obligations that the care of Souls naturally imported, and to thole folemn Vows that Church-men made at the Altar when they were ordained : And he knew well that this corruption was no fboner obferved to have crept in- to the Chriftian Church, than it was condemned by the Fourth general Coun- cil at Chalcedon. For when fbme that had removed from one Diocefi to ano- ther, continued to have their fhare in the dividend of the Church , which they had left, as well as of that to which they had gone ; the Council decreed , That fuch tranfgreffours fhould reftore all that they had got from the Church, which they had left, and fhould be de- graded, if they refuted to fubmit to this regulation. !BiJJ>op Befell. 45* regulation. He thought it a vain, and indeed an impudent thing, for a Man to pretend that he anfwered the obli- gation of fb (acred a truft, and fb ho- ly a Vow, by hiring fbme mercenary Curate to perform Offices : fince the Ob- ligation was perfbnal, and the ecclefi- aftical Fun&ions were not like the Lr- vitical Service in the Temple, in which theobferving their Rites, was all that was required. But the watching over Souls had fb many other things involved in it, befides officiating according to the Rubrick, that it drew this fevere refle- ction from a witty Man , ia which though the Wit of it may feem too pleafant for fo ferious a fuhject, yet it had too much fad truth under it ; That- when fuch Betrayers and Abandoners of ^jhat tr/ijl which Chrift purchafcd with his own Blood, found good and faithful Curates that performed worthily the oh- . ligations of the paftoral Care, the Incum- bent fljould be faved by Proxy , but be damned in Perfon. Therefore the Bi- fliop gathered a meeting of his Cler- gy, and in a Sermon with which he o- pened it, he laid before them, both out of Scripture, and Antiquity, the Infti- tution, the Nature, and the Duties cf the Minifbrial Imployment \ and after E Set- 50 The Liho/ Sermon he fpoke to them largely on the fame fiibject in Latin, Ailing them, as he ahvayes did, His Brethren and fellow Presbyters : And exhorted them to reform that intolerable abufe, which -as it brought a heavy fcandal on the Church , and gave their Adverfaries great advantages againft them ; fb it mull very much endanger both their own Souls, and the Souls of their Flocks. And to let them fee that he would not lay a heavy Burthen on them, in which he would not bear his own fhare, he refblved to part with one of his Bilhop- ricks. For though Ardagh was con- fidered as a ruined See, and had long gone as an accelfory to Kjlmore, and continues to be fb itill ; yet fince they were really two different Sees , he thought he could not decently oblige^ his Clergy to renounce their Pluralities, unlets he fet them an example, and re- nounced his own ; even after he had been at a conliderable charge in reco- vering the Patrimony of Ardagh , and though he was fufficiently able to difcharge the duty of both thefe Sees, they being contiguous , and final] ; and' though the Revenue of both did not exceed a competency, yet he would not feem to be guilty of that which. he (Bifiop Bedell jJ he fb feverely condemned in otliers: And therefore he refigned Jrdagh to Dr. Rich>irdfon\ and fb was now only Bifhop of Kjlmore. The Authority of this example, and the efficacy of his Difcourfe, made fuch an impreflion on his Clergy, that they all relinquished their Pluralities. The Arguments that arife out of intereft are generally much ftronger than thofe of mere fpeculation , how well fbever it be made out ; and therefore this concurrence that he met with from his Clergy in fb fenfible a point, was a great encouragement to him to go on in his other defigns. There feemed to be a Finger of God in it ; for he had no authority to compel them to it, and he had managed the minds of his Clergy fb gently in this matter, that p-their compliance was not extorted, but both free and unanimous. For, one on- ly excepted , they all fubmitted to it : and he being Dean, exchanged his Dea- nery with another ; for he was afha- med to live in the Diocefs, where he would not fubmit to fuch terms, after both the Bifhop himfelf and all his Cler- gy had agreed to tiiem. but the oppo- fition that was given him by the Dean., and both his fenfe of that matter, and his carriage in it, will appear from the' E 2 following 5 z 'the Life of following Letter, which he writ con- cerning it to the Primate ; which , though it be long and particular , yet it feemed to me too important to be either ftifled or abridged. Mcft reverend Father, my honourable good Lord, I Cannot eafily exprefs what contentment I received at my tate being with your Grace at Termonfeckin. There bad no- thing hapned to me, I will not fay, fmce I came into Ireland, but, as far a:; I can call to remembrance , in my whole life, which did fo much affect me in this kind, as the hazzard of your good opinion. For, loving and honouring you in Truth (for the truths fake, which is in us, and fh all abide with us for ever ) without any pri- vate inter eft, and receiving fo u-n look t for a blow from your own Hand, ( which I expected fbould have tenderly apply ed fome , remedy to me, being fmitten by others ) I had not prefent the defences of Reafon and Grace. And although I knew it to be a fault in my felf Jince in the per for- mance of our duties, the "Judgment of our Majler, even alone, ought to fuffice us', yet ®//7;o/> Bedell. 53 yet I cotdd not be fo much Ma.fi er of mine Affections as to caft out this weaknefs. But blejjed be God, who (as I began to fay) ■at my being with you refrefoed my Spi- rit by your kind renewing and confirming your love to me : and all humble thanks to you, that gave me place to make my Defence j and took upon you the cogmfance of mine innocency. And as for mine Ac- cufer ( whofe hatred I have incurred only by not giving way to his covet om defire of heaping hiving upon Living-, to the evi- dent damage, not only of other Souls com- mitted to him, but of his own ) truly I am glad, and do give God Thanks that this malignity, which a while masked it f elf in the pretence of friend/hip, hath at lafidif covered it felf by publick cppofition. It hath not, and I hope it {hall not be in his I pdwer to hurt me at all ', he hath rather {bamed him f elf : and, although his high Heart cannot give his Tongue leave to ac- knowledge his folly, his Vndcrfianding is Hot fo weak and blind as not to fee it. Whom I could be very well content to leave to iaft the Fruit of it alfo, without being further troublefome to your Grace, fave that I do not defpair, but your Grace's Authority will pull him out of the fnare of Satan, whofe infirument he hath been to crofs the Work of God, and give me E 3 more £4 Tta Lite of more occasion of joy by his amendment , than I bad grief by his perverfion and op- pofition. Tour Grace* s Letters of Aug. 23, were not delivered to me till the 29th. In the mean fpace what effect thofe that ac- companied them had with Mr. Dean you fly all perceive by the inclofed which were fent me the 28 th. the Evening before our Communion. I anfwered them the next Mornings as is here annexed. As I was at the Lor£s Table y beginning the fer- t>ice of the Communion before the Sermon, he came in, and afer the Sermon was done? thofe that communicated not being de- parted, he flood forth and fpake to this purpofe : That whereas the Book of Common Prayer requires. That before the Lord's Supper , if there be any variance or • breach of charity, there ihould be re- conciliation ; this was much more re- quifite between Minifters : And becanfe they all knew that there had been fome difference between me and him > he did profefs, That he bare me no malice nor hatred , and if he had offended me in any thing, he was forry. / anfwered, . That he had good reafbn to be fbrry, confidering how he had behaved him- lelf. For* my pan I bare him no ma- ""..' i • lice, !BiJJ?op Bedell. 55 lice, and if'it were in my power, would not make fo much as his Finder ake. Grieved I had been that he, in whom I knew there were many good Parts , would be- come an inftrument to oppofe the Work of God, which I was affured he had called me to. This was all that faffed. He of- fered himfelf to the Lord s Board, and I gave him the Communion. After D ] in- ner he fre ached out of 1 J oh. 4. 10. And this Commandment have we from him, that he that loveth God, &c When we came out of the Churchy Dr. Sheriden delivered me your Grace"* s Letters. And thus Mr. Dean thinks he hath healed all, as you may perceive by his next Letters ofAuguii 30. Only he labours about Kil- dromfarten. Whereabouts I purpofed to have f poke n with your Grace at my being with you ; but I know not how it came not to my mind, whether it be that the Soul, as well as the body, after fome travel ea- ftly falleth to rejl ; or elfe God would have it referved perhaps to a more feafonable time. It is now above a Twelvemonth ( the Day in many refpecls I may well wiflj that it may not be reckoned with the dayes of the year ) that your Grace, as it were, de- livered to me, with your own. Hands, Mr. Crian a converted Fryer. To whom E 4 I j 6 The L i f e of I offered my felf as largely as my Ability would extend unto : though I had already at your Grace 1 s commendation received Mr. Dunfterville to he in my Trioufe, with the allowance of Twenty Pound per an- num. The next Day before my depart* ing, Mr. Hilton made a motion to me. That where he had in his Hands fufficient to make the Benefice of Kilclromfarten void, if I would he flow it upon Mr. Dean he would do fo ; otherwi/e it jhould re- main m ftatu. / anfvered with profeffi- on of my love and good opinion of Mr. Dean, whereof 1 /hewed the reafons. 1 added, I did not know the place nor the people •, but if they were mere Iriih, / did not fee how Mr. Dean /hould dif charge the duty of a Minijier to them. This motion was fe- conded by your Grace : But fo as I eafily conceived. That being follicited by your old Servant, you could do no lefs than you did; and not with/landing the Lecture he promi- Jed your Qrace fljould be read to me in the matter of Collations , would not be dif f leafed, if I did as became me, accord- ing to my Conference , and in confor- mity to your farmer motion for Mr. Crian. Mr, .Dean after pre/fed me, that, if with- out ?ny concurrence your Grace would conftrr that Living upon him, I would not be aqainf it \ which I promifed, but heard Bifrop Bed E i L. 57 heard no mere of it till about April I aft. In the mean while the Bene fee next unto that which Mr. D U n iter v ill e was already f°$ e ff e d °f> fatting v oid : Mr. Crian not coming to me, nor purposing to do fo till after Chriftmas, and whensoever hejhould come, my Houfe, as I found, not afford- ing room for him and Mr. Dunfterville both , whofe former Bene fee was unable y he f aid, to i?iaintain him, chiefly he promt- fing Re fide nee, and taking of me for that purpofe an Oath, abfolutely without any exception of Dif pen fat ion, I united it to his former, and dif miffed him to go to his Cure , wherein how carelefty he hath be- haved himfelf, I forbear to relate. To return to Mr. Dean. About mid-April be brought me a Prefentation to Kildrom- far ten under the broad Seal. I could do no lefs but ftgnife to the Incumbent, who came to me, and maint ainedhis Title, re- quiring mt not to admit. Whereupon I returned the Prefentation, indorfing the reafen of my reftjal , and being then occaji- oned to write to the Lords Jufiices y Ifigni- fed what I thought oftkefe Pluralities, in a time when we are fo far overmaicht in number by the adverfepart. This pajfed on till the Vifitation ; wherein Mr. Dean fjerved himfelf in his Colours. When the Vicar of Kildromfarcen was called , he faidi 58 77;£ Li FE of faid, he was Vicar ; but would exhibite no Title, After , the Curate, Mr. Smith, fgnified to me, That his Stipend was un- paid , and he feared it would be fill in the contention of two Incumbents. Upon thefe and other Reafons, Ifequeflred the Profits, which I have heard by a Simonaical compact betwixt them fhould be for this Tear the former Incumbents. Neither did Mr. Dean write or fpeak a Word to me hereabout, till the day before the Com- munion in the inclofed. That very Morn* ing I was certified that he purpofed to ap- peal to your Grace, which made me in an- fwer to his next to add, Quod facias, fac titius. Here Ibefeech your Grace give me leave to fpeak freely touching this matter, fo much the rather, becaufe it is the only root of all Mr. DeanV defpite againjl me. Plainly I do thus think , That of all the difeafes of the Church in thefe times y next to that of the corruption of cur Courts, this of Pluralities is the mofi deadly and pejlilent, efpecially when thofe are infituted into charges Eccleftaflical y whoy were they never fo willing, yet for want of the Language of the people, are unable to dif charge them. Concerning which very Point, I know your Grace re- members the Proportions of th Bedell. dj drew it, and the Wit of him that ufes it. which, if your Grace in joy n him not to re- voke it, 1 /hall be inforced to put remedy unto other wife, in refpeff of the evil ex- ample and prejudice it might bring to po- jlerity. And now to leave this unp lea- fing fubjecl. Since my being with you 9 here was with me Mr. Brady, bringing with him the refignation of the Benefice of Mullagh , which I had conferred upon Mr. Dunfterville , and united to his former of Moybolke ; He brought with him Letters from my Lord of Cork, and Sir William Parfdns, to whom he is alii* ed. But examining him, 1 found him * ( be- fides a very raw Divine ) unable to read the Irido, and therefore excufed my felf to the Lords for admitting him. A few Dayes after, viz. the ioth. of this Month, h?re Wits with me Mr. Dun Iter ville him- felf, and Jignified unto ?ne that he had re- voked his former Refignation. Thm he playesfafi andloofe, and mo (I unconfcion- ably neglects his duty. Omnes quae fua funt, quaerunt. Indeed I doubted his Re- fignation was not good, in as much as he retained fill the former Benefice, where- unto this was united. Now 1 fee clearly there Wits, a compact between him and Mr Brady, that if the fecond could not be admitted, he- (fjoidd refmne his Benefice a* gain. I <$4 Hie Life of I have received Letters from Mr, Dr. Warde, of the Date of May 28. in which he mentions again the point of the jnji if cat ion of Infants by Baptifm. To whom I have written an anfver, but not yet fent it. I fend herewith a Copy thereof to your Grace, humbly requiring your advice and cenfure ( if it be not tod ?nuch to your Grace's trouble ) before I fend it. I have alfo written an anfver to Dr. Richardfbn in the quefion touching the root of Efficacy or Efficiency of Grace ; but it is long, and confifts of $*or 6.fheets of Paper, Jo as I cannot now fend it ; / fhall hereafter fubmit it, as all other my endeavours, to your Grace's cenfure, and correction. I have received alfo a large anfver from my Lord of Deny, touch- * n & 3 !f fttfy* n g Eaith ; whereto I have not yet had time to reply ; nor do I know if it be worth the labour, the difference being but in the manner of teaching, As whether fiftifying Faith be an affent working affi- ance ; or elfe an affiance following A (fent. Iwroteprefently upon my return from your Grace to my Lords Juflices, de firing to be excufed from going in p erf on to take foffejfon of the Mafs-Houfe ; and a Certi- ficate that my futt with Mr. Cook is de- pending before them. I have not as yet received anfver, by re af on (as Sir WUr liam SiJInp. Bedell. 6$ liam Ufher jignifed to my Son ) the Lord Chancellors indifpofition did not per- mit his hand to be gotten. I do fcarce hope to receive any Certifi- cate from them, for the re f peel they will have not to fcem to infringe your Grace's Jurifdufion. Whereupon I jh all be in for' cedto entertain a Prpctor forme at your Grace* s Court, when I am next to appear, it being the very time when my Court in the County of Leatrym was fet before I was with you. Jjhamed I am to be thus tediotts- But I hope you will pardon me y fith you requi- red, and I promifed, to write often ; and having now had opportunity to convey my Letters, this rnujl ferve in fie ad of ma- ny : Concluding with mine and my Wives humble fervice to your Grace and JM[rs. U flier, and thanks for my kind en- tertainment, I defire the blejjing of your Prayers, and remain alwayes kiIfnore,Scpt. i8. 16 jo. Your Grace's humble Servant, Will. t\ilmore &c ArdagL F The 66 Tl>e Life of The condemning Pluralities was but the half of his Projeft. The next part of it was to oblige his Clergy to refide in their Parifhes : but in tnis he met with a great difficulty. King James upon the laft reduction ofVlJler after Ty- rone % Rebellion, had ordered Glebe-lands to be affigned to all the Clergy : And they were obliged to build Houfes up- on them, within a limited time, but in afligning thofe Glebe-lands , the Com- miffioners that were appointed to exe- cute the Kings Orders, had taken no care of the conveniences of the Clergy : For in many places thefe Lands were not within the Parifh, and often they lay not all together, but were divided in parcells. So he found his Clergy were in a ftrait. For if they built Houfes up- on thefe Glebe-lands , they would be thereby forced to live out of their Pa- rifhes, and it was very inconvenient for them to have their Houfes remote from their Lands. In order to a reme- dy to this, the Bifhop that had Lands in every Parifh affigned him, refblved to make an exchange with them, and to take their Glebe4ands into his own hands for more convenient portions of equal value that he affigned them : and that fBiJbop Bedell. 67 that the exchange might be made upon a juft eltimate, fo that neither the Bi- fhop nor the inferiour Clergy might fuf* fer by it, he procured a Commiifion from the Lord Lieutenant, fbrfbmeto examine and fettle that matter, which was at laft brought to a conclufiofl with fo univerfal a latisfa&ion to his whole Diocefs , that, fince the thing could not be finally determined with- out a Great Seal from the King, con- firming all that was done, there was One lent oyer in all their names to ob- tain it ; but this was a work of time, and lb could not be finifhed in feveral Years : and the Rebellion broke out before it was fully concluded. The Lord Lieutenant at this time was Sk Thomas JVentrvorth, afterwards Earl of Strafford, a name too great to Aeed any enlargement or explanation : for his Chara&er is well known. At his firft coming over to Ireland, he was pot feiTed with prejudices againft the Bilhop upon the account of a Petition lent up by the County of Cavan, to which the Bifhophad let his hand, in which feme complaints were made, and fume regu- lations were propoled for the Army : Which was thought an infolent attempt, and a matter of ill example. So that F 2 Strafford, 68 71* Life of Straffordy who was fevere in his ad- miniitration, was highly difpleafed with him: And when any Commiffion or Order was brought to him, in which he found his name , he dallied it out with his own Pen ; and expreffed great indignation againft him. W hen the Bi- fhop underftood this, he was not much moved at it, knowing his own inno- cence ; but he took prudent methods to overcome his difpleafure. He did not go to Dublin upon his coming over, as all the other Bifhops did, to congratu- late his coming to the Government: but he writ a full account of that mat- ter to his conftant Friend Sir Thomas Jermiv, who managed it with fb much zeal, that Letters were lent to the De- puty from the Court, by which he was fo much mollified towards the Bifhop, that he going to congratulate, was well received,and was ever afterwards treated by him with a very particular kindnels. So this Storm went over, which many thought would have ended in impri- fonment, if not in deprivation. Yet how much ibever that Petition was miftaken, he made it appear very plain, that he did not defign the putting down of the Army : For he law too evident- ly the danger they were in from Pope- ry, (Bijbop Bedell. 6p ry, to think they could be long lafe without it. But a Letter that contains his vindication from that alperfion, car- ries in it likewife fuch a reprefentation of the ftate of the Popifh intereft then in Ireland , and of their numbers , their tempers, and their principles, that I will let it down. It was written to the Archbilhop of Canterbury, and is taken from the printed copy of it that Mr. Prynne has given us. Right Honourable, my very good Lord, T N the midft of thefe thoughts, I have This 1 been advertized from an honourable feems to friend in England, that lam accufedto he but his Majejly to have oppofed his fervice ; the halt and that my hand with two other Bifhops , only, was to a Writing touching the Money ^ y t ^ e to be levied on the Papijls for mainte- begm- nance of the Men of War. Indeed, if I ning. jbould have had fuch an intention, this had been not only to oppofe the fervice of his Majefly, but to expofe with the pub- lick peace, mine own Neck, to the Skeans of the Romifh Cut -throats. I that knew that in this Kjngdom of his Majejlies , F 3 J the 70 Tk Life of the Pdpe hath another Kjngdom far great- er in number, and as I have heretofore (ignified to the Ldrd Jujlices and Council ( which is alfo fince juflified by them- f elves in Print ) conflantly guided and directed by the Order of the new Congre- gation De propaganda Fide, lately erect- ed at Rome, transmitted by the means of the Popes Nuntio s refiding at BrufTells or Pans, that the Pope hath here a Cler- gy y if I may guefs by my own Diocefs, double in number to us, the heads whereof are by corporal Oath bound to him, to maintain him and his regalities contra omnem hominem, and to execute his Mandates to the uttermoft of their For- ces J which accordingly they do , filing t hem f elves in Print , Ego N. Dei &r Apoftolkae Sedis gratia Epifcopus Fer- mien &: OiTorien. I that knew there is in the Kjngdom for the moulding of the peo- ple to the Popes obedience, a rabble of irre- gular Regulars, commonly younger Bro- thers of good Houfes, who are grown to that infolency, as to advance themfelves to be members of the Ecclefiaflical Hierar- chy in better ranks than Priefls , in fo much that the cenfure of the Sorbon // fain to be implored to curb them, which yet is called in -again ', fo tender is the Pope of his own Creatures* I that knew that tBifioj) Bedell. 71 that his Holme fs hath erected a new Vni- verflly in Dublin to confront his Ma- je 'flies Colledge there, and to breed the youth of the Kjngdom to his Devotion , of which Vniverflly one Paul Harris, the Author of that infamou* libel, which was put forth in Print againft my Lord Ar- machV Wanfted Sermon, ftileth hirnfelf in Print to be Dean : I that knew and have given advert if ement to the State, that thtfe Regulars dare erect new Fry- cries in the Countrey, flnce the dijfolving ofthefe in the City, that they have brought the people to fuch a fottijh fenfelefnefs, as they care not to learn the Command- ments as God hirnfelf f pake , and writ them ; but they flock in great numbers to the preaching of new Juperftitious and det eft able Doctrines , fuch as their own Priefts are ajhamed of \ and at all thofe they levy Collections, Three, Four, Five, or Six Pounds at a Sermon* Shortly, I that knew that thofe Regulars and this Clergy have at a general meeting like to a Synod, as themf elves ftile it, decreed, "That it is not lawful to take an Oath of Allegiance ; and if they be conftant to their own Doctrine , do account his Mayfly in their Hearts to be Kjng but At the Popes difcretion. In this ft ate of F 4 this y% Tlx Life of, this Kjngdom, to think the Bridle of the Army may be taken away, (hould be the thought not of abrain-ficky but of '& brain- lefs Man. The day of our delive- rance from thePopifti ^erPiot, m* your Lordsfhip^s in all Duty, Will. Kilmore* J3y his cutting off Pluralities there fell to be many Vacancies in his Diocefsi, Jo the care he took to fill thefe, comes to be confidered in the next place. ' He was very ftrick in his Examinations be- fore he gave Orders to any. l He went over the Articles of the Church of Ire- land fb particularly and exa-9:ly , that one who was preient at the Ordina- tion of him that was afterwards his Arch-Deacon, Mr. Thomas Price, repor- ted that though he was one of the Se- nior fellows of the Colledge of Dublin^ when theEifhop was Provoft; yet his Examination Held two full Hours : And when he had ended any examina- tion, which was alwayes done in the pre- Bifhop Bedell. 7$ prefence of his Clergy, he defired eve- ry Clergy-Man that was prefent to ex- amine the perfbn further,if they thought that anysnaterial thing was omitted by him ; by which a fuller difcovery of liis temper and fufficiency might be made. When all was ended, he made all his Clergy give their approbation before he would proceed to Ordination : For he would never affume that fingly to himfelf,nor take theLoad of it wholly on his own Soul. He took alio great care to be well informed of the moral and reli- gious qualities of thofe he ordained, as well as he fatisfied himfelf by his Exami- nation of their capacity and knowledge. He had alwayes a confiderable number of hisClergy aflifting him at his Ordina- tions, and he alwayes Preached arid ad- ininiftred the Sacrament on thofe occa- fions himfelf : And he never ordained one a Presbyter, till he had been at leaft a year a Deacon, that fb he might have a good account of his behaviour in that lower degree, before he raifed him high- er. He lookt upon that power of Or- dination as the moft facred part of a Bifhop's truft, and that in which the Laws of the Land had laid no fort of impofition on them, fo that this was intirely in their Hands, and therefore he thought 74 T3* L i f e of thought they had fb much the more to anfwer for to God on that account ; and he weighed carefully in his thoughts the importance of thofe Words , Lay hinds fuddenly on no Ma/t, and be not a partaker of other Mens Sins. There- fore he ufed all the precaution that was poflible for him in fb important an affair. He was never prevailed on by any recom- mendations nor importunities to ordain any ; as if Orders had been a fort of Free- dom in aCompany,by which a Man was to be enabled to hold as great a portion of the Ecclefiaftical Revenue as he could compafs, when he was thus qualified : Nor would he ever ordain any without a. tide to a particular Flock. For he thought a title to a maintenance was not enough ; as if the Church fhould only take care that none in Orders might be in want ; but he faw the abufes of thofe emendicated titles, and of the Va- grant Priefts that went about as Jour- neymen, plying for Work, to the great reproach of that facred Imployment ; and in this he alfb followed the Rule fet by the fourth general Council that carri- ed this matter fb high, as to annul all Or- ders that were given without a particu- lar defignation of the Place, where the perfbft was to ferve. For he made the Primitive BiJJjop Bed £L l. 7 j Primitive times his Standard, and re- fblved to come as near it as he could , confidering the corruption of the Age in which he lived. He remembred well the grounds he went on, when he re- futed to pay Fees for the Title to his Benefice in Suffolk, and therefore took care that thofe who were ordained by him, or had Titles to Benefices from him, might be put to no charge : For he wrote all the Inftruments himfelf, and delivered them to the perfbns to whom they belonged, out of his own Hands, and adjured them in a very fb- lemn manner, to give nothing to any of his Servants. And, that he might hin- der it all that was poflible, he waited on them alwayes on thofe occafions to the Gate of his Houfe, that fb he might be lure that they fhould not give any gratification to his Servants. Bethought it lay on him to pay them fiich conve- nient w r ages as became them, and not to let his Clergy be burthened with his Servants. And indeed the abufes in that were grown to fuch a pitch, that it was neceffary to correQ: them in fo exempla- ry a manner. His next care wias to obferve the be- haviour of his Clergy ; he knew the lives of Churchmen had generally much more y6 Tlie Life of more efficacy than their Sermons , or other labours could have ; and fo he fet himfelf much to watch over theManners of his Priefts ; and was very lenfibly touched, when an Irishman laid once to him in open Court , That the Kjngs Priefts were as bad as the Popes Priefts* Thefe were fo grofly ignorant, and fo openly fcandalous , both for drunken- nefs, and all fort of lewdnefs, that tliis was indeed a very heavy reproach : Yet he was no rude nor morofe Reformer, but confidered what the times could bear. He had great tendernefs for the weaknefs of his Clergy, when he law reafon to think otherwife well of them : and he helpt them out of their troubles, with the care and compaflion of a Fa- ther. One of his Clergy held two Li- vings^but had been coufened by aGentle- man of Quality to farm them to him for lefs than either of them was worth ; and he acquainted the BiChop with this : Who upon that writ very civilly, and yet as became a Bifhop, to the Gentle- man, perfwading him to give up the bargain : but having received a fallen and haughty anfwer from him, he made the Minifter refign up both to him ; for they belonged to his Gift, and he provided him with another Benefice, and fciflwp Bedell. ?j and put two other worthy Men in tlieie two Churches, and Jo he put an end both to the Gentleman's fraudulent bargain, and to the Churchman's Plu- rality. He never gave a Benefice to any without obliging them by Oath to perpetual and perfonal refidence , and that they fhould never hold any other Benefice with that. So when one Bu- chanan was recommended to him, and found by him to be well qualified, he offered him a Collation to a Benefice, but when Buchanan law that he was to be bound to Refidence, and not to hold another Benefice; he that was alreadv poireiTed of one, with which he refol- ved not to part, would not accept of it on thofe Terms. And tie Biihop was not to be prevailed with to difp^nie with it, though he liked tins Man fo much the better, becaufe he tbund he was akin to the great Buchanan, whole Paraphrafe of the Pfalms he loved be- yond all other Latin Poetry. The La- tin form of his Collations will be found at the end of this Relation, which con- cluded thus ; Obtejling you in the Lord, See at the and en]oyning you , by vertue of that f nd \ obedience which you owe to the great Shev- herd, that you will diligently feed his Flock committed to your care, which he purcha- fid 7% Tl:e Life of fed with his own Blood- ; that yon infirnci them in the Catholick Faith, and perform Divine Offices in a Tongue underfiood by the people : and above all things that you jfjew your felf a pattern to Believers in good Works, fo that the adverfaries may be put to (hame, when they find nothiw for which they can reproach you. He put all the Instruments in one, whereas devices had been found out, for the in- creafe of Fees, to divide thefe into fe- veral Writings : nor was he content to write this all with his own hand, but fometimes he gave Induction likewife to his Clergy ; for he thought none of thefe Offices were below a Bifhop : and he was ready to eafe then) of charge all he could. He had by his zeal and earneii endeavours prevailed with all his Pref- byters to relide in their Parifhes ; one only excepted, whole name was John- jlon. He was of a mean Education, yet he had very quick Parts, but they jay more to the Mechanical than to the Spiritual Architecture. For the Earl of Strafford ufed him for an Engineer, and gave him the management of lome great Buildings that he was raifing in the County of Wicklo. But the Bifhop finding the Man had a very mercurial Wit, and a great capacity, he relolved to fBifhop Bedell. yy to fet him to work, that {b he might not be wholly ufelefs to the Church \ and therefore he propofed to him the compolingan univerfal Chara&cr, that might be equally well underftood by all Nations : and he fhewed him, that fince there was already an universal Mathe- matical Chara&er, received both for Anthmetick, Geometry, and Aftrono- rtiy, the other was not impoffible to be done. 'Jahnjion undertook it readily, and the Bifhop drew for him a Scheme of the whole Work, which he brought to fuch perfe&ion, that, as my Author was informed, he put it under the Prefs, but the Rebellion prevented his finifh- mg it. After the Bifhop had been for many years carrying on the Reformation of hisDiocefs, he refblved to hold a Synod of all his Clergy, and to eftabliili fome Rules for the better government of the Flock committed to him : The Canons then eftablifhed will be found at the end of this Work. He appointed that a Sy- *jj a - lhe nod fhould be held thereafter once a Nu.nb. i. Year, on the Second Week of Septem- ber ; and that in the Bi (hop's ablence, his Vicar General, if he were a Prieft, or his Arch-Deacon fhould prefide ; That no Vicar fhould be conftitut^d after 80 Tl?e Life of after that, urilefs he were in Orders'^' and fhould hold his place only du- ring the Bifhop's Pleafure. He revived the ancient cuftome of Rural Deans , and appointed, That there fhould be three for the three Divifions of his Dio- cefs ; who fhould be chofen by the Cler- gy, and fhould have an infpe&ion into their deportment, and make report to the Bifhop of what paft among them, and tranfmit the Bifhop'sOrders to them; and that once a Month the Clergy of each Divifion fhould meet, and Preach by turns, without long Prayers or Pre- ambles : A nd that no Excommunication fhould be made but by the Bifhop in perfbn, with the afliftance of fuch of his Clergy as fhould be prefent. The reft related to fbme things of left importance, that required amendment. When the News of this was carried to Dublin , fbme laid it was an illegal Affembly, and that his prefuming to make Canons, was againft Law , and brought him within the guilt of a Pramumre. So that it was expe&ed that he fhould be brought up as a Delinquent, and cen- fured in the Starr-Chamber , or High Commiffion-Court : But others lookt on what he had done, as nothing but the neceffary difcharge of his Epifcopal Function. e covered, whenever he himfelf was covered. For he did not approve of the State , in which others of his Order made their Vifitations ; nor the diftance to which they obliged their Clergy. And he had that Canon often in his Mouth, That a Presbyter ought not to be let ft and after the Bifhop rvasfet. He was much troubled at another abufe which was, that when the Metropolitical and Regal Vifitations went round, a Writ was ferved on the Bifhops, fufpending their Jurifdi&ion for that year : And when this was firft brought to him, he received it with great indignation , which was increafed by two Claufes in the Writ: By the one it was afferted,. That in the year ef the Metropolitans Vifitation, the whole and entire Jurif- ■ diction of the Diocefs belonged to him \ the other was the Reafbn given for it, Becarfe of the great danger of the Souls of the people : Whereas the danger of Souls rife from that fufpenfion of the Bifhops Paftoral power, fince during that Year he either could not do the duty of a Bifhop ; or if he would ex- ercile it, he muft either purchafe a De- legation to aft as the Archbifhop's De- parr, and that could not be had with- out fBifiop Bedell. 85 out paying for it^ or be lyable to a Suit in the Prerogative Court. He knew the Archbifhop's power over Bifhops was not founded on Di- vine, or Apoftolical right, but on Ec- clefiaftical Canons and Practice, and that it was only a matter of Order, and that therefore the Archbifhop had no Authority to come and invade his Paftoral Office, and fufpend him for a Year. Thefe were fbme of the worft of the abufes that the CanOnifts had introduced in the later Ages ; by which they had broken the Epifcopal Authori- ty, and had made way for veiling the whole power of the Church in the Pope. He laid thofib things often before Archbi- fhop Vjber, and preft him earneftly to let himfelf to the reforming them, fince they were a£ted in his name, and by vertue of his Authority deputed to his Chancellour, and to the other Officers of the Court, called the Spiritual Court, No Man was more fenfible of thole a- bufes than Vfber was ; no Man knew the beginning and progrefs of them bet- ter, nor was more touched with the ill effects of them : and together with his great and vail learning, no Man had a better Soul and a more Apoftolical mind. In his convention he expreiTed the true G 3 (implied 86 Tl?e Li fe of fimplicity of a Chriftian : For Paffion, Pride, {elf-Will , or the Love of the World, teemed not to be fo much as in his Nature. So that he had all the innocence of the Dove in him. He had a way of gaining peoples Hearts, and of touching their Conferences that lookt like fomewhat of the Apoftolical Age revived ; he {pent much of his time in thole two beft Exercifes, {ecret Prayer, and dealing with other peoples Confci- ences, either in his Sermons or private Difcourfes ; and what remained he dedi- cated to his Studies, in which thole ma- ny Volumes that came from him, {hew- ed a moft amazing diligence and exa£l- nels, joyned with great Judgment. So that he was certainly one of the greateft and beft Men that the Age , or per- haps the World, has produced. But no Man is intirely perfefl; ; he was not made for the governing part of his Fun- ction. He had too gentle a Soul to man- age that rough Work of reforming Abu- les: And therefore he left things as he found them. He hoped a time of Re- formation would come: He {aw the ne- ceflity of cutting off many abufes, and confeffed that the tolerating thofe abomi- nable corruptions that the Canonifts had brought in, was fuch a ftain upon a Church, fBifrop Bedell. 87 Church, that in all other refpeffc was the beft reformed in the World, that he apprehended it would bring a Curie and Ruine upon the whole Conftitution. But though he prayed for a more fa- vourable conjuncture, and would have concurred in a joynt Reformation of thefe things very hearcily ; yet he did not beftir himfelf fiiitably to the Ob- ligations that lay on him for carrying it on : And it is very likely that this fat heavy on his thoughts when he came to dye ; for he prayed often, and with great humility, That God would forgive him his fins of Omiffion, and his failings in his Duty. It was not without great uneafinefs to me that I overcome my. felf fb far, a9 to fay any tiling that may feem to diminifh the Character of fo extraordinary a Man , who in other things was beyond any Man of his time, but in this only he fell beneath himfelf: And thofe that upon all other accounts loved and admired him, lamented this defed in him ; which was the only al- lay that feemed left, and without which he would have been held, perhaps, in more veneration than was fitting. His Phyfician Dr. Rootiws, that was a Dutch- man, laid truly of him, If our Primate ^/"Armagh were at exact a Difciplinarian, G 4 as 88 7k Life o/. as he is eminent in fe arching Antiquity , defending the Truth , and preaching the Gofpely he might without doubt deferve to be made the chief Churchman of Chriften- dome. But this was neceifary to be told, fince Hiftory is to be writ impartially \ and I ought to be forgiven for taxing his Memory a little ; for I was never fb tempted in any thing that I ever writ, to difguile the Truth, as upon this oc- cafion : Yet though Bifhop Vjher did not much himfelf, he had a fingular e- fteem for that vigour of Mind, which our Bifhop exprefled in the reforming thefe matters. And now I come to the next inftance of his Paftoral care, which made more noife , and met with more oppofition, than any of the for- mer. He found his Court, that fat in his name, was an entire abufe : It was ma- naged by a Chancellour, that had bought his place from his Predeceffor ; and fo thought he had a right to all the Profits that he could raife out of it, and the whole bufinels of the Court feem- ed to be nothing but Extortion and Oppreffion. # For it is an old obfervati- on. That men, who buy Juftice, will alio fell it. Bribes went about almoft barefaced, and the exchange they made of Bijhop Bedell. gp of Penance for Money was the worft fort of Simony ; being in effeQ: the ve- ry lame abufe that gave the World fuch a fcandal when it was fb indecently pra- ftifed in the Church of Rome, and c- pened the way to the Reformation. For the felling of Indulgences is really but a commutation of Penance.He found the Officers of the Court made it their bufinefs to draw people into trouble by vexatious Suits , and to hold them 16 long in it that for three Pence worth of the Tithe of Turf, they would be put to five Pounds charge. And the fblemn- eft and lacredeft of all the Church Cen- fiires, which was Excommunication., went about in lb fordid and bale a man- ner, that all regard to it, as it was a Spi- ritual Cenfure, was loft, and the effefts it had in Law made it be cryed out on as a moft intolerable piece of Tyranny. The Officers of the Court thought they had a fort of right to opprefs the Na- tives, and that all was well got that was wrung from them. And of all this the good Primate was lb fenlible , that he gives this lad account of the Venality of all lacred things in a Letter to the Arch- bifliop of Canterbury : As for the ge- %eraljlate of things here, they are fo de- fy e rate y that I am afraid to write any thing $>o Tilt Ll FE of thing thereof. Some of the adverfepart have asked me the Quefiion > Where I have heard or read before, that Religion and Mens Souls fhould be fet to fale y af- ter this manner ? Unto whom I could re- ply nothing, but that I had read in Mantu- an, That there was another place in the World where Coelum eft venale, Deiifque. Both Heaven and God himfelf are fet to fale. But our Bifhop thought it not enough to lament this ; he refblved to do what in him lay to correct thele abufes, and to goe and fit and judge in his own Courts himfelf. He carried a competent number of his Clergy with' him, who fate about him, and there he heard Caufes, and by their advice he gave Sentence. By this means lb many Caufes were difmift, and fiich a change was wrought in the whole Proceedings of the Court, that inftead of being any more a grievance to the Countrey, none were now grieved by it but the Chan- cellour, and the other Officers of the Court ; who law their Trade was funk, and their Profits were falling ; and were already (BiJJ?op Bedell, g t already difpleafed with the Bifhop, for writing the Titles to Benefices himfelf, taking that part of their Gain out of their Hands. Therefore the Lay Chancel- lour brought a Suit againft the Bifhop into Chancery, for invading his Office. The matter was now a common Caufe ; the other Bifhops were glad at this ftep our Bifhop had made, and encouraged him to go on refolutely in it, and at fured him they would ftand by him : and they confefled they were but half Bifhops till they could recover their au- thority out of the hands of their Chan- cellours. But on the other hand all the Chancellours and Regifters of Ireland combined together ; they law this ftruck at thofe Places which they had bought, valuing them according to the Profits that they could make by them : and it cannot be denyed but they had rea- fbn to move, That if their places were regulated, the Money, by which they had purchafed that right to fqueeze the Countrey, ought to have been reftored. The Bifhop defired that he might be luflfered to plead his own Caufe him- lelf ; but that was denyed him, which he took ill : But he drew the Argu- ment that his Council made for him ; for it being the firft Suit that ever was of pi Tlx Life of of that fort, he was more capable of compofing his Defence than his Councel could be. He went upon thefe Grounds, That one of the moft elfential parts of a Bi- fhop's duty was to govern his Flock, and to infli£t the Spiritual Cenfures on obftinate Offenders : That a Bifhop could no more delegate this power to a Lay-man, than he could delegate a pow- er to Baptize or Ordain, fince Excom- munication and other Cenfures were a fufpending the Rights of Baptifm and Orders;and therefore the judging of thefe things could only belong to him that had the power to give them : and that the de- legating that power was a thing null of it jfelf. He {hewed, That feeding the Flock was inherent and infeparable from a Bi- fhop, and that no Delegation he could make, could take that power from him- felf ; fince all the effeQ: it could have, was to make another his Officer and Deputy in his ablence. From this he went to fhew how it had been ever lookt on as a neceffary part of the Bilhop's Duty, to Examine and Cenfiire the Scandals of his Clergy and Laity in Ancient and Modern times : That the Roman Em- perours had by many Laws fupported the Credit and Authority of thefe Courts, !B//7;^ Bedell. j>3 Courts, that fince the practices of the Court of Rome had brought in fuch a variety of Rules, for covering the cor- ruptions which they intended to fiip- port ; then that which is in it felf a plain and fimple thing was made very*intri- cate : So that the Canon Law was be- come a great ftudy ; and upon this ac- count BiThops had taken Civilians and Canonifts to be their Afiiftants in thofe Courts : but this could be for no other end but only to inform them in points of Law, or to hear and prepare mat- ters for them. For the giving Sentence, as it is done in the Bifhops name, fb it is really his Office ; and is that for which he is accountable both to God and Man : and fince the Law made thofe to be the Bifhops Courts , and •fince the King had by Fate nt confirmed that Authority, which was lodged in him by his Office of governing thofe Courts, he thought all Delegations that were abfblute and exclufive of the Bi- fhop, ought to be declared void. The Reader will perhaps judge better of the force of this Argument, than the Lord Chancellour of Ireland Bolton did, who confirmed the Chancellours, right, and gave him an hundred Pound Cofts of the Bifhop. But when the Bifhop as!$- ed 94 jflfe L I F e of ed him, How he came to make fb un- juft a Decree ? he anfwered, That all that his Father had left him was a Regifter's place ; lb he thought he was bound to liipport thofe Courts, which he law would be ruined, if the way he took had not been checkt. This my Author had from the Bifhop's own mouth. But as this matter was a leading Cafe, fo great pains were taken to poifefs the Primate againfl: the Bifhop; but his Letters will beft difcover the Grounds on which he went, and that noble tem- per of mind, that fupported him in fb great an undertaking. The one is long but I will not fhorten it. Right Reverend Father, my honourable good Lord, THave received your Grace's Letters con" cerning Mr, Cook, and I do acknow- ledge all that your Grace writes to be true concerning his f efficiency and experience to the execution of the Ecclefi aft teal Jurif- diction : neither did I forbear to do him right in giving him that Teflimony, when kef ore the Chapter I did declare andfherv the BijJ?o[) Bedell. pj the nullity of his Patent. I have heard of my Lord of attempt, and I do believe, That if this Patent had due form, I could not overthrow it ; how un- equal foever it be. But failing in the ef- fential farts, be fides fundry other defects, I do not think any reafonable creature can adjudge it to be good. I flail more at large cert ife your Grace of the whole matter, and the reafons of my C ounce I herein. Ifhall defire herein to be tryed by your Grace 7 s own Judgment, and not by your Chancellors ; or fas I think infuch a cafe I ought to be) by the Synod of the Province. I have re- folved to fee the end of this matter : and do defire your Grace 7 s favour herein no farther than the equity of the Caufe and the good, as far as lean judge, of our Church in a high degree dove quire. So with my humble Service to your Grace, and refpecJ- ful commendations to Mrs. Ufher, / refl KilmorCjOaob. 2% - li29 ' Your Grace's in all duty, Will. Kilmore. Moil $6 Tl?e Li f e of Moft reverend Father,my honourable good Lord, T He report of your Grace s indifpo- fit ion, how for row ful it was to me y the Lord knows. Albeit the fume was fomewhai mitigated by other News of your better eft ate. In that fluctuation of my mind (perhaps like that of your health ) the Saying of the Afoftle ferved me for an Anchor, That none of us liveth to himfelf, neither doth any dye to himfelf. For whether we live > we live to the Lord ; or whether we dye, we dye to the Lord. Whether we live therefore or dye, we are the Lords. Thereupon from the bottom of my Heart commending your eft ate, and that of the Church here, (which how much it needs you y He knows befl ) to our common Majler, though I had writ- ten large "Letters to you, which have lain by 7ne fundry Weeks, fearing in your fick- nefs to be troublefome ; I thought not to fend them, but to attend fome other oppor- tunity after your pre fent recovery tofend,or perhaps bring them. When I under flood by Mr. Dean of his journey, or at leaf fend- ing an exprefs Meffenger to you with other Letters ? (Bifiop BedelL. 97 Letters \ putting me alfo in mind, That perhaps it would not be unwelcome to you to hear from >ne y though you forbare to an- fwer. I yielded to the example and condi- tion: fo much the rat her y becaufe I remem- bered my f elf a Debtor to your Grace by my promife of writing to you more fully touch' ing the Reafons of my difference with Mr. Cooke \ and now afuiter tnyour Court at hisinflance. Andy Fir fly I befeech your Grace, let it be a ??iatter meerly of merriment , that I skirmifh a little with your Court touching the Inhibition And Citation which thence proceeded againft me, as youfb all perceive by the inclofed Recufation. For the thing it felfy as I have writ t en y I do fubmit it wholly to your Grace* s decision. And to enlarge my f elf a little ', not as to a Judge, bu,t a Fat her y to whomy be fides the bond of your undeferved love, I am bound alfo by an Oath of God ; I will pour out my Heart unto youy even without craving pardon of my boldnefs- It will be perhaps fome little diversion of your thought s from yo'(r own infirmity y to under (I and that youfffer not alone, but you in Body, others O'her- wife 7 each mufl bear his Crofy and follow the fleps of our high Mafter. My Lord : fwceit pleafed God to call me to this place in this Church, what my intentions have H been p8 Tlx Li t e of been to the dif charge of my ^duty, he be ft knows. But I have met with many im- pediments and difcouragements ; and chief- ly from them of mine own ProfeJJion in Re- ligion. Concerning Mr. Hoile , / ac- quainted your Grace: Sir Edward Bag- fliaw, Sir Francis Hamilton, Mr. Wil- liam Flemming, and diver fe more have been, and yet are, pulling from the Rights of my Church. But all thefe have been light in refpeci of the dealing of fome o- thers, profejjwg me kindnejs, by whom I have been blazed a Pap i ft, an Ar mini an, a Neuter, a Politician, an Equivocator, a niggardly Houfekeeper, anVfurer: That I bow at the name of Jeftts , pray to the Eaft , would pull down the Seat of my Predecejfor to fet up an Altar, deny- ed burial in the Chancel to one of his Daughters : and to make up all, That I compared your Grace's preaching to one Mr. Whiskins, Mr. Creighton, and Mr. Baxters ; and preferred them : That you foun,d your f elf deceived in me. Thefe things have been reported at Dublin, and fome of the be ft affected of mine own Dio- cefs ( as hath been told?7ie ) induced here- by to bewail with tears the mifery of the Church : fome of the Clergy alfo, as it was faid, looking about how they might remove them} elves out of this Count rey. Of all this 'Bifiop Bedell. among a mmibcr of Points more, required fat is fa- ff ion of me concerning them* Which I endeavoured to give both to him, and to them of the Minifiry , that met at our Chapter for the examination of Mr Cookes Patent. Omitting all the reft ; yet be- c/iufe this Venome hath fgread it felf fo far, I cannot but touch the loft, touching the f refer ring others to your Grace 1 s preaching. To which Mr. Priced anfver was, as he told me, I will be quartered if this be true. Thm it was, Mr. Dunfter- ville acquainted me with his purpofe to f reach out of Prov. 20.6. Put a faith- ful Man who can find ; where he faid, the Doctrine he meant to raife was this. That Faith is a rare gift of God. I told him I thought he mftook the mean- ing of the Text , and wifoed him to choofe longer Texts^ and not bring his Difcour- fes to a Word or two of Scripture ; but rather to declare thofe of the Holy Ghoft. He faid your Grace did fo fome times. I anfvered, there might be yuft caufe, but I thought you dJd not fo ordinarily. As for thofe Men, Mr. Whiskies, and the reft, I never heard any of them preach H 2 to ioo The Life 0/ to this day. Per adventure, their manner is to take longer Texts \ whereupon the comfar ijon is made up, as if I preferred them before yon. This (landxr did not much trouble me. I know your Grace will not think me fuch a Fool ( if I had no fear of God) to prefer before your excel- lent gifts, Men that I never heard. But look as the French Proverb is. He that is difpofed to kill his Dog, tells Men he is mad : And whom . Men have once wronged, unlefs the Grace of God be the more, they ever hate. Concerning the wrongs which t he fe people have offered me, I /ball take another fit time to inform your Grace. Where they fay, Tour Grace doth find your felf deceived in me, I think it .may be the t rue fl word they f aid yet . Tor indeed I do think both you and many more are deceived in me, accounting me to have fome hone fly, difcretion^ and Grace, more than yon will by proof find. But if as it fcems to me, that form hath this mean- ing that they pretend to have undeceived you, I hope they are deceived \ yea I hope . they flail be deceived , if by fuch courfes as thefe they think to unfettle me \ and \ the Devil himfelf alfo, if he think to dif- . -jnay me. Bijhop Bedell. iof / rv ill go on in the Jlrength of the Lord God, and remember his right eoufnefs , even his alone, as by that reverend and good father my Lord of Canterbury , when I firjl came over, I was exhorted y and have obtained help of God to do to this day. But had I not work enough before, but Imufi bring Mr. Cooke upon my top? One that for his Experience, P urfe, Friends, in a Cafe already adjudged , wherein he is ingaged, not only for his profit, but re- putation alfo, will eafily no doubt overbear me. How much better to fludy to be qui- et, and to do mine own bn 'fine fs ; or, as I think Staupitius was wont to bid Lu- ther, go into my Study and pray. My Lord, allthefe things came to my mind, and at the frfi I came with a refolution to take heed to my felf, and, tf I could, to teach others moderation and forbear- ance by mine own example. But I could not be quiet, nor without pity hear the complaints of thofe that reforted to me, fome of them of mine own Neighbours and Tenants, called into the Court, common- ly by information of Apparitors, holden there without juft caufe, and not dif mif- fed without exceffive Fees, as they ex- claimed. Laflly , one Mr. Mayot, a Minifier of the Diocefs of Ardagh, made H j a 'ioz Tl?e Life of a complaint to me, That he was excommu- nicated by Mr. Cooke, notwithfianding, as I heard alfo by others, the correction of Minijlers was excepted out of his Pa- tent* Whereupon I de fired to fee the Pa- tent j and to have a Copy of it , that I might know how to govern my f elf He faid Mr* Ask, being then from home , jhould bring it to me at his return. Him- f elf went to Dublin to the Term. At the firjl view I faw it was a formlefs Chaos of Authority, conferred upon him againfl all reafon and equity. I had not long af- ter y occafwn to call the Chapter together at the time of Ordination. Ijhewed the Original, being brought forth by Mr. Ask, defired to know if that were the Chap- ter Seal, and thefe their Hands ; they acknowledged their Hands and Seal, and f aid they were lefs careful inpaffing it, be* caufe they accounted it did rather concern my Predecejfor than them. I fhewedthe falfe Latin, Non-fenfe, Injujlice of it, Preju- dice to them y Contrariety to itfelf and the Kjngs Grant to me. I (loewed there were in one Period above 500 Words , and, which pttjfed the refl, hanging in the air without any principal Verb. I defired them to confider if the Seal hanging to it were theBfjhofs Seal ', they acknowledged it was not. Therefore with pr ot e fiat ion ^ That S//7;o/> Bedell. 103 That I meant no way to call in queflion the fufficiency of Mr. Cooke or his for- mer Acts, I did judge the Patent to be void , and fo declared it ; inhibiting Mr. Cooke to do any thing by vertue thereof, and them to aj/ift him therein. This is the true Hi ft or y of this bufne/i hoivfo- ever Mr. Cooke difguife it. I faff end him - not abfent, and indifta caufa ; it was his C ommiffion, which was prefent ,t hat I viewed, which, with the Chapter, Icenfured ; which if he can make good, he {ball have leave , and time > and place enough. And now to accomplifl) my promife > to relate to your Grace my purpofe here- in. My Lord I do thus account, that to any work or enterprise, to remove impedi- ments is a great part of the performance. And among ft all the impediments to the work of God amongft m, there is not any one greater , than the abufe of Ecclefi- afiical J ur if diction. This is not only the opinion of the moft Godly, Judicious, and Learned Men that I have known ', hut the caufe of it is plain. The people pierce not into the inward and true Rea- fons of things ; they are fenfible in the Purfe. And that Religion th*t makes Men that profe.fi it, and fljews thery to be defpifers of the World, and fo far from encroaching upon ethers in matter of H 4 bafe IP4 Ti- e Life of bafe gain, as rather to fart with their own \ they magnife. This bred the admiration of the Primitive Chriflians, and after of the Monks. Contrary caufe f muft needs produce contrary effects. Wherefore let us preach never fo painfully y andpioufly ; I fay more, let us live never fo hlamelefly our felves, fo long as the Officers in our Courts prey upon them, they efteem us no better than Publicans and Worldlings : and fo much the more defervedly, becaufc we are called Spiritual Men, and call our felves reformed Chriflians* Jnd if the honejlefi and beft of our own Protejlants be thus Jcandalizedy what may we think of Papifts, fuch as are all y in a manner, that we live among ? The time was when I hoped the Church of Ireland was free from this abufe, at leafb freer than her Sifter of England : But I find I am de- ceived ; whether it be that diftance of place y and being further out of the reach of the Scepter ofjuftice, breeds more boldnefs to offend^ or neceffarily brings more delay of redreff. I have been wont alfo in Ire- land, to excevt one Court, ( as he doth Plato ) but truft me my Lord , / have heard that it is faid among great perfo- nages here. That my Lord Primate is a good Man \ but his Court is as corrupt <:<$ others, Some fay worfe , and vphich, h ©//7;o^ Bedell. 105 J confefi to your Grace, did not a little t err i fie me from vi ft ting till I might fee how to do it with Fruit, that of your late Vi fit at ion they fee no profit, but the taking of Money. But to come to Mr. Cooke, of all that have exerctfed JuriJ r diclion in this Land thefe late Tears , he is the mo(l noted Man, and moft cryed out upon. Info- much as he hath found from the Irifh, the nickname of Pouc : Albeit he came off with . credit when he was queflioned , and jujlifed him f elf by the Table of Fees, ( as by a leaden Rule any Stone maybe ap- proved as well as hewed ). By that little I met with [wee I came hither, I am indu- ced to believe , it was not for lack of matter, but there was fome other courfe of his efcaping in that TryaL By this pretended Commijfwn, and that Table of Fees, he hath taken in my Predecejfors time, and feeks to take in mine for Ex- hibits at V i fit at ions, and his Charges there above the Bifbop's Procurations, for Vni- ons, Sequeflrations, Relaxations, Certi- ficates , Licences , Permutations of Pe- nance , Sentences ( as our Court calls them ) Interlocutory in Caufes of Cor re- el ion. Such Fees as I cannot in my Confcience think to be jufl. And yet he doth it in my Name, and tells me I can- not io6 71>e Life of not call him into queftion for it. Alas, my Lord t if this be the condition of a Bijhop, that he fiandeth for a Cypher, and only to uphold the Wrongs of other Men, What do I in this place ? Am I not hound by my ProfeJJion made to God in your pre fence, and following your Words , To be gentle and merciful for Chrifls fake to poor and needy people, and fuch as be dejlitute of help. Can I be excn- fed andther day, with this, that thus it %v as ere I came to this place ', and that it k ndt good to be over juft ? Or, fith I am perfwaded Mr. Cooked Patent is nn- jufi and void, am I not bound to make it fo t and to regulate. If I may, this mat- ter of fees, and the reft of the diforders of the Jurifdiffion, which his Majefty hath intrufted me withal? Tour Grace faith, Truly it is a difficult thing, if not impof fible, to overthrow a Patent fo confirmed', and I know in deliberations it is one of the moft important conftderations , what we may hope to effect. But how can I tell till I have tryed : To be difcouraged ere I begin, is it not to confult with ¥ lefty and Blood? Verily I think fo. And therefore muft put it to the Trial , and leave the fuccefi to God, If I obtain the Cauft , the Profit fljall be to this poor Nation ', if not , I fhall fhew my confent -to thofe my fBiJJiop Bedell. 107 my Reverend Brethren that have endea- voured to redrefs this enormity before me ; I (Jj all have the tefltmony of mine own Con- jciencc, to have fought to dif charge ?ny du- ty to God and his People. Tea, which is tire main, the work of my Mini fry and fervice to this Nation^ {hall receive fur- therance honfoever rather than any hin- der atice thereby. And if by the continu- ance offuch opprejfions any thing fallout cthcrwife than well, J {hall have acquitted my felf towards his Majefty > and thofe that have engaged them{ elves for me* At I aft I {ball have the better reafon and ja- fter caufe to refign to his Majefiy the jtt- rifdiction which I am -not permitted tb manage. And here I befeech your Grace, to confider ferioufly whether it wire not happy for w to be rid of this Charge, which not being proper to our Calling, is not pof {ible to be executed without {uch Dtputies^ as fubject tot to the ill conceit of their un- ftft or indijereet carriage, add no way fur- ther our orvn Work ? Or if it flj all be thought fit to carry this load fill, whether we ought not to procure fome way to be dif charged of the envy of it, and YedVefs the ahufe, with the greattft flrittnefs we can devife t For my part I cannot betlrink me of any c'ourfe fitter for theprefeh't, than to keep tfa Courts tfiy felf 'and fet fome good 08 Tk Life of . good order in them. And to this purpofe I have been ^Cavan, Belturbet, Gra- nard, and Longford, and do intend to go to the rejl, leaving with fome of the Minifiry there, a few Rules touching thofe things that are to be redrejfed, that if my health do not permit me to be always pre- fent, they ?n ay know how to proceed in my abfence. I find it to be true that Tully faith, Juftitia mirifica qu9sdam res mul- titudini ; and certainly to our proper work a great advantage it is to obtain a good opinion of thofe we are to deal with. But be fides this there fall out occafions to fpeak of God and his pre fence, of the Re- ligion of a Witnefs, the danger of an Oath, the purity of a Marriage, the precioufnefs of, a good name, repairing of Churches , and the like. Penance it f elf may been- joyned, and Penitents reconciled, with fome profit to others be fides themf elves. Wherefore, albeit Mr. Cooke were the j 'ufi l ejl Chance Hour in thisKjngdome,! would think it fit for me, as things now fi and, to fit in thefe Courts ; and the rather fith I cannot be heard in the Pulpits to preach as 1 may in them : Albeit innocency and Ju- jlice is alfo a real kind of preaching. I have fhewed your Grace my intentions in this matter. Now JJjould I require your dire- ction in many things, if I were pre fent with fBifiop Bedell. iop with you . But for the prefent it may p leaf e you to under ft and, that at Granard one Mr. Nugent, a Nephew as I take it to my Lord 0/Weftmeath delivered his Let- ter to Mr* Aske , which he delivered me in open Courts requiring that his Te- nant might not be troubled for Chrijlnings y Marriages , or Funerals , fo they pay the Mini ft er his due. This referred to a Letter of my Lord Chancellors to the like purpofe, which yet was not delivered till the Court was rifen. I anfwered ge- nerally, That none of my Lord^s Tenants or others fljould be wronged. The like motion was made at Longtord, by two or three of the Farralls, and one Mr. Faga- T3.h,and Mr. Rofle to whom I gave the like anfwer, and added, That I would be fir ici in requiring them to bring their Children to be Baptized , and Marriages to be fo- lemnized like wife with us, fith they acknow- ledged thefe to be lawful and true ; fo as it was but wilfulnefs if any forbare. Mere I de fire your Grace to direct me. For to give way that they Jhculd not be fo much as called in que ft ion, feems to fur- ther the Schifm they labour to make To lay any pecuniary mulct upon them, as the value of a Licence for Marriage , three Fence or four Fence for a Chriftning, I know not by what Lax it can be done* To Excom- no Tlx Life 0/ Excommunicate them for not appearing or obeying, they being already none of our bo- dy, and a multitude ; it is to no profit > nay rather makes the exacerbation worfe. Many things more I have to confer with your Grace about? which I hope to do co- ram ; as about the re-edifying of Churches y or employing the Mafs-houfes, ( which now the State inquires of) about Books, Te- fiaments , and the Common Prayer Book y which being to be reprinted would perhaps be in fome things bettered : But especially about Men to ufe them \ and Means to maintain them, now that our Engiifh have engrojfed the Livings. About the printing the t falter, which I have canfed to be di- ligently furveyed by Mr. J ames Nangle, who advifeth not to meddle with the Verfe, but fet forth only the Profe : Which he hath begun to write out fair to the Prefs. Mr. Murtagh King I have not heard of a, long time, I hope hegoeth on in the Hifio^ ncal Books of the Old Tejlament. Mr. Crir a a was vjith me about a Forthnight after J came to Kilmore ; fince J heard not of him. Of all thefe things, if by the will of G.od, I may make a journey over to you, we fcallfpeak at full. As I was clofing up thefe, this Morning, there is a complaint brought me from Ar- dagh, That where in a caufe Matrimoni- al tBijhop Bedell. IU dl in the Court at Longford, a Woman bad proceeded thus far, as after contejia- twn, the Husband was enjoy ned to appear the next Court to receive a Libel) one Shaw-oge, Mr. Ingawry, the Popijh Vi- car General of Ardagh, had excommuni- cated her, and foe was by one Hubart, and Mr. Czlrll a Priejt upon Sunday UJt, put out of the Church and denounced excom- municate. Herein, whether it were more fit to proceed againfl the Vicar and Priejl by vert tie of the lafl Letters from the Coun- cil \ or complain to them : I jhall attend, your Graces advice. And now for very fhame ceafing to be troublefome, I do re- commend your Grace to the protection of our merciful Father, and reft, with my refpe- ctivefalutations to Mrs. Uflher, Kilmore, Feb. 6$ * I * a9 ' Your Grace's in all duty, Will. IQlmore & Jrdagben* ■ ■ ] i 2 ft* L I F E of The other Bifhops did not ftand by our Bifhop in this matter ; but were contented to let him fall under Cen- fiire, without interpofing in it as in a caufe of common concern : Even the excellent Primate told him , The tide went fo high that he could aflift him no more ; for he ftood by him longer than any other of the Order had done. But the Bifhop was not difheartened by this. And as he thanked him for aflifting him fo long ; fo he faid he was refblved by the help of God, to try if he could ftand by himfelf. But he went home, and refblved to go on in his Courts as he had begun , notwithftanding this Cenfure. t'or he thought he was doing that which was incumbent on him, and he had a Spirit fb made, that he refgl- ved to fufter Martyrdome, rather than fail in any thing that lay on his Con- fidence. But his Chancellour was ei- ther advifed by thofe that governed the State, to give him no diiturbance in that matter ; or was overcome by the autho- rity he few in him, that infpired all peo- ple with reverence for him : For as he never called for the ioo Pound Cods, fo he never difturbed him any more, but named a Surrogate, to whom he gave order !BiJ}?op Bedell. i i order to be in all things obfervant of the Bilhop, and obedient to him : So it feems, that though it was thought fit to keep -up the Authority of the Lay Chancellours over Ireland, and not to iiiffer this Bifhop's prafitice to pals in- to a Precedent ; yet order was given un- der hand to let him go on as he had be- gun ; and his Chancellour had 16 great a value for him, that many Years after this, he told my Author, That he thought tjiere was not fuch a Man on the face of the earth as Bifhop Bedell was ; that he was too hard for all the Civilians in Ireland , and that if he had not been born down by meer force, he had overthrown the Confifto- rial Courts, and had recovered the Epif- copal Jurifdi&ion out of the Chancel-* lours hands. But now that he went on undifturbed in his Epifcopal Court he made tile of it as became him, and not as an Engine to raife his power and do- minion ; but confidering that all Church power was for Edification, and not for Deftru&ion, he both difpenfed that Ju- ftice that belonged to his Courts equal- ly and fpeedily, and cut off many fcees and much expence, which made them be formerly fb odious ; and alio when Scan- dalous per ions were brought before I him 1 1 4 The L i f e of him to be cenfured, he confidered that Church-Cenf iires ought not to be like the a£ts of Tyrants, that punifh out of revenge, but like the Difcipline of Pa- rents,that corre£t in order to the amend- ment of their Children : So he ftudied chiefly to beget in all offenders a true fenfe of their fins. Many of the Irifb Priefts were brought oft into his Courts for their lewdnefs ; and upon that he took occafion with great mildnefs, and without fcoffing, or infultings to make them fenfible of that tyrannical impofi- tion in their Church, in denying their Priefts leave to marry, which occafion- ed fo much impurity among them ; and this had a good eifefl: on fome. This leads me to another part of his Chara&er, thatmuft reprefent the care he took of the Natives ; he obferv^d with much regret that the EngltjJj had all along neglefted the Iriflj, as a Na- tion not only conquered but undifci- plineable : and that the Clergy had fcarce confidered them as a part of theirCharge, but had left them wholly into the hands of their own Priefts, without taking any other care of them , but the making them pay their Tythes. And indeed their Priefts were a ftrange fort of peo- ple, that knew generally nothing but the fBifhop Bedell. 115 the reading their Offices, which were not fb much as underftood by many of them : and they taught the people no- thing but the laying their Paters and Ave s in Latin. So that the ftate both of the Clergy and Laity was fuch, that it could not but raife great comparison in a Man that had fb tender a fenfe of the value of thofe Souls that Chrift had pur- chafed with his Blood : therefore he re- fblved to fet about that Apoftolical work of converting the Natives with the zeal and care that fb great under- ftanding required. He knew the gain- ing on fbme of the more knowing of their Priefts was like to be the quickeft way ; for by their means he hoped to fpread the knowledge of the reformed Religion among the Natives ; or ra- ther of the Chriftian Religion, to fpeak moreftri£tly. For they had no fort of notion of Chriftianity, but only knew that they were to depend upon their Priefts, and were to confefs fuch of their aftions, as they call fins, to them ; and were to pay them Tythes. The Bifhop prevailed on feveral Priefts to change, and he was fb well fatisfied with the truth of their converfion, that he pro- vided fome of them to Ecclefiaftical Be- nefices : which was thought a ftrange I 2 thing, n6 the LiFE.df thing, and was cenfured by many, ffa contrary to the intereft of the Englijk Nation. For it was believed that all x\iofc Irifh Converts were ftill Papiftsat, Heart, and might be fb much the more dangerous, than otherwiie^ by that dit guile which they had put on. But he on the other hand confidered chiefly the duty of a Chriftian Bifhop : he alio thought the true Intereft of England was to gain the Irifh to the knowledge of Religion, and to bring them by the means of that which only turns the heart to love the Englifb Nation : And fo he judged the wiidom of that courfe was apparent, as well as the piety of it. Since fuch as changed their Religion would become thereby fo odious to their own Clergy ,that this would provoke them to further degrees of zeal in gaining others to come over after them : And he took great care to work in thole whom he trufted with the care of Souls, a full con- viction of the truth of R eligion, and a deep fenfe of the importance of it. And in this he was fb happy, That of all theCon- verts that he had railed toBenefices,there was but one only that. fell back, when the Rebellion broke out : And he not only apoftatized, but both plundered and killed the English among the firft. But Wj> B ; £DEL L, Uy .But no \yonder if ft Reverend Father, my honourable good Lord, THE Superfcription of your Grace's Letters was mofi welcome unto me> as bringing under your own hand the be ft evidence of the recovery of your health, for which I did and do give hearty thanks unto God. For theContents of them^as yourGr.ce conceived. They were not fo pie af ant* But the Words of a Friend are faithful , faith the Wife Man : Sure they are no left painful than any other. Vnkindnefs cuts nearer to the Heart than Malice can do. I have fome experience by your Graces faid Letters, concerning which I have been at fome debate with my felf whether I fhould anfwer them with DavidV demand, What have I now done ? or as the wrongs of Parents, with Patience and Si- lence. But Mr. Dean telling me, That this day he is going towards you 7 I will fpeak once, come of it what will. u Ton write that the courfe I took with " What I didy you know, wa Bedell* 129 a wrong from me, which out of my duty to God and you, I thought was not to be con-, cealed from you. 1 he f tech you pardon ' me this one err our, Si unquam pofthac — For thitt knave whom ( as your Grace writes ) they fay I did abfolve \ I took him for one of my Flock, or rather Chrijls y for whom he fhed his blood* And I would have abfolve d Julian the Ap oft ate under the fame form. Some other pajj ages there be in your Grace s Fetters, which I, but I will lay mine Hand upon my Mouth and craving the blejjing of your prayers, ever remain, Kilmore, March 29. 1530, Your Grace's poor Brother, & humble fervant, Will. Kilmore, K The 130 The Life of The malice of Mr, Kjngs Enemies was not fatiated with the fpoiling him of his Benefice. For often it falls out, That thofe who have done a£ls of high injuftice feek lome excufe for what they have done, by new injuries, and a vex- atious profecution of the injured perlbn, defigning by the rioife, that fuch repeat- ed accufations might raife, to poffefs the World with an Opinion of his guilt , which much clamour does often pro- duce : and fb to crufh the perfbn ib en- tirely that he may never again be in a capacity to recover himfelf, and to ob- tain his right, but be quite funk by that vaft encreafc of weight that is laid up- on him. But I will give the Reader a clearer view of this invidious affair from a Letter which the Bifhop writ concern- ing it to the Earl of Strafford. P irht having never yet been fettled in one place ) have Jo (harp a Stomach that he nmjl be provided for with Pluralities, fith there, are Herds and Flocks plenty \fuffer him not, I befeech you 7 under the colour of the Kjng s name to tajce the cofet Ewe of a poor Man, to fat if fie his ravenous appetite. So I befeech the Heavenly Phyfcian to give your Lordjhip health of Soul and Body. I reft, My Lord, Your Lordiliip^s moft humble fervant Decemb. «• i*3»' in Chrift Jefus, Will. Kilmore. K 4 By j 5 6 7%e Life of f\ By thele pra&ices was the printing of the Bible in Irijh ftopt at that time, but if the Rebellion had not prevented our Bifhop, he was refblved to have had it done in his own Hoiife, and at his own charge ; and as preparatory to that, he made fome of Chryfofiomes Homi- lies, the three firft upon the parable of the rich Man and Lazarus , together with fome of Leo's ; all which tended chiefly to commend the Scriptures in the higheft ftrains of Eloquence that were poflible, to be tranflated both into Eng- lijh and Irijh ; and reprinting his Cate- chifm, he added thefe to it in both Lan- guages : and thefe were very well re- ceived, even by the Priefts and Friers themfelves. He hved not to finifh this great de- fign ; yet, notwithstanding the Rebel- lion and confufion that followed in Ireland, the Manufcript of the Tran- flation of the Bible qfcaped the ftorm, and falling into good Hands, it is at this time under the Prefs, and is carried on chiefly by the zeal, and at the charge of that Noble Chriftian Philofopher Mr. Boj!e y who as lie reprinted upon his own charge the new Tefhment, f o he very cheerfully went into a Propo- fition . Bifioj) Bed ell, 137 fition for reprinting the Old. But this is only one of many inftances, by which he has expreffed, as well his great and aftive zeal for carrying on the true in- tereft of Religion, as by his other pub- lick labours he has advanced and im- proved Philofbphy. But to go on with, the concerns of our Bifhop , as he had great zeal for the purity of the Chriftian Religion in op- pofition to the corruptions of the Church of Rome \ fb he was very mo- derate in all other matters, that were not of Fuch importance. He was a great fupporter of Mr. Dury s defign of reconciling the Lutherans and the Col- vinifts ; and as he direfted him by ma- ny learned and prudent Letters, that he wrote to him on that lubjeft , lb hq allowed him 20/. a year in order to the difcharging the expence of that negoti- ation j which he payed punctually to his Correlpondent at London. And it appeared by his managing of a bufmefs that fell out in Ireland , That if all that were concerned in that matter, had been bleft with fuch an underftanding, and fuch a temper as he had, there had been no realbn to have defpaired of it. There came ^company of Lutherans to Dublin , who were afraid of joyning in i ? 8 The Life of in Communion with the Church of Ireland, and when they were cited to an- fwer for it to the Archbifhop's Confifto- ry, they defired ibme time might be granted them for confulting their Di- vines in Germany : And at laft Letters were brought from thence concerning their Exceptions to Communion with that Church \ Becaufe the Prefence of Chrift in the Sacrament was not ex- plained in fuch a manner , as agreed with their Doftrine. The Archbifhop of Dublin fentthefetoour Bifhop, that he might anfwer them ; and upon that he writ fo learned and lb full an anfwer to all their Objeftions, and explained the matter fb clearly, that when this was feen by the German Divines, it gave them liich entire fatisfa&ion, that upon it they ad vifed their Countreymen to join in Communion with the Church. For fiich is the moderation of our Church in that matter , that no pofi- tive definition of the manner of the Prefence being made , Men of diffe- rent fentiments may agree in the fame a&s of Worfhip , without being obli- ged to declare their Opinion, or being underftood to do any thing contrary to their feveral Perfwafions* His (BifJwp Bedell. 139 His moderation in this matter was a thing of no danger to him, but he expreffed it on other in fiances , in which it appeared that he was not a- fraid to own it upon more tender oc- casions. The Troubles that broke out in Scotland upon the account of the Book of Common Prayer , which encreafcd to the height of the fwear- ing the Covenant and putting down of Epifcopacy , and the turning out of all Clergy Men that did not con- cur with them, are fb well known, that I need not inlarge upon them. It is not to be denyed but provocations were given by the heats and indifcretions of fome Men ; but thefe were carried fb far beyond all the bounds either of Order in the Church, or Peace in the State, tint, to give things their proper names, it was a Schifinatical rage againfl: the Church , backt with a rebellious fu- ry againft the State. When the Bi- fliop heard of all thefe things, he faid, that which Nazianzene faid at C on ft an- tinofle, when the ftir was railed in the fecond General Council upon -his ac- count, If this great temfeft is ri fen for our Jakes, take us up, and caji us into the Sea, that fo there may be a Calm. And if all others had governed their Diocef- 140 Tl:e Lipe 0/ fes , as he did his, one may adven- ture to affirm after Dr. Bernard, That Epifcopacy nnght have been kept ftill upon its Wheels. Some of thole that were driven out of Scot /and, by the fury of that time, came over to Ireland : among thefe there was one Corbet, that came to Dublin j who being a Man of quick Parts, writ a very imart Book, (hewing the parallel between the Jefuites and the Scotch Covenanters, which he prin- ted under the Title of Lyfimachus Ni- canor- The Spirit that was in this Book, and the fharpnels of the ftile procured the Author fuch favour, that a confi- derable Living falling in the Bifhop of Kjllalas Gift, he was recommended to it, and lb he went to that Bifhop ; but was ill received by him. The Bifhop had a great affeftion to his CountreV ( for he was a Scotchman born ) and though he condemned the courles they had taken , yet he did not love to lee them expoled in a ftrange Nation, and did not like the Man that had done it. The Bifhop was a little fharp up- on him ; he played on his Name : Corby in Scotch being a Raven , and laid it was an ill Bird that defiled its own Neft. And whereas he had fa id in his Book, That he had hardly efcaped with his y own BiJJ?o[> Bedell. X41 own life, but had left his Wife behind him to try the humanity of the Scots , he told him, He had left his Wife to a very bale office. Several other things he faid, which in themfelves amounted to nothing, but only expreifed an inclina- tion to leifen the faults of the Scots , and to aggravate fome provocations that had been given them. Corbet came up full of wrath, and brought with him many Informations againftthe Bifliop, Which at any other time would not have been much considered ; but then, it be- ing thought neceffary to make exam- ples of all that feemed favourable to the Covenanters , it w r as refolved to turn him out of his Bifhoprick, and to give it to Maxwell, that had been Bifliop of Rojfe in Scotland, and was indeed a Man of eminent parts, and an excellent Preacher; but by his forwardnefi and afpiring he had been the unhappy in- ftrument of that which brought on all the difbrders in Scotland. A Purfevant was lent to bring up the Bilhop of Kjllala \ and he was accufed before the high Commiflion Court for thofe things that Corbet obje&ed to him ; and every Man being ready to pufh a Man down that is falling under diP grace, many defigned to merit by ag- gravating 1 42 Tlie Life of ' gravating his faults. But when it came to our Bifhop's turn to give his Sen* tence in the Court, he that was afraid of nothing but finning againft God, did not flick to venture againft the Stream : he firft read over all that was objefted to the Bifhop at the Barr , then he fetched his Argument from the quali- fications of a Bifhop fet down by S. Paul in his Epiftles to Timothy and Titos ; and aflumed that he found nothing in thofe Articfes contrary to thole quali- fications ; nothing that touched either his Life or Doctrine. He fortified this by (hewing in what manner they pro- ceeded againft Bifhops both in the Greek and Latin Churches, and lb con- cluded in the Bifhops favour. This put many out of countenance, who had confidered nothing in his Sentence but the confequences that were drawn from the Bifhop's expreffions , from which they gathered the ill difpofition of his mind, fo that they had gone high in their Cenfures, without examining the Canons of the Church in fuch Cafes. But though thofe that gave their Votes after our Bifhop, were more moderate than thofe that had gone before him had been ; yet the current run fo ftrong that none durft plainly acquit him, as our Sifjop Bedell. 145 our Bifhop had done : So he was de- prived, fined, and imprifbned, and his Bifhoprick was given to Maxwell, who enjoyed it not long. For he was ftript naked, wounded, and left among the dead, by the Irijh ; hut he was prefer- ved by the Earl of Tomond, who paP fing that way took care of him ; fb that he got to Dublin. And then his Talent of Preaching, that had been too long neglefted by him, was better im- ployed ; fb that he preached very often, and very much to the edification of his Hearers, that were then in fo great a confirmation, that they needed all the comfort that he could minifter to them ; and all the Spirit that he could infule in them. He went to the King to Ox- ford, and he faid in my Authors hear- ing, That the King had never rightly underftood the innate hatred that the Iri{b bore to all that profetled the true Religion, till he had informed him of it. But he was fo much a Jected with an ill piece of News, that he hea;a con- cerning fame misfortune in the King's affairs in England , that he wis -ome hours after found dead in his ^udy. This fhort digreilion, 1 hope, may be for.jiven me ; for the perfjn was very ex. ; , if an un \ ambi- tion 144 The Life of tion had not much defaced his other great abilities and excellent qualities. The old degraded Bifihop Adair was' quickly reftored to another Bifhoprick, which came to be vacant upon a difinal account, which I would gladly pafs o- ver, if I could; for the thing is but too well known. One Adderton Bifhop of Waterford, who, as was believed, had by a Symoniacal compa£t procured fitch favour, that he was recommended to that Bifhoprick ; and had covered his own unworthinefs, as all wicked Men are apt to do, by feeming very zealous in every thing that is acceptable to thofe who govern, and had been in par- ticular very fevere on Bifhop' Adair ; came to be accufed and convifted of a crime not to be named, that God pu- niQied with fire from Heaven; and fiif- fered publickly for it : He expreffed fb great a repentance,that Dv.Bermrd, who* preached his funeral Sermon, and had waited on him in his Imprifbnment, had a very charitable opinion of the ftate in which he dyed. Upon this, Adair $ Cafe was fb reprefented to the King , that he was provided with that Bi- fhoprick. From which it may appear, That he was not cenfured fb much for ■ any guilt, as to ftrike a terrour in all that Bifiop Bedell. 14^ that might exprefs the leaft kindnefs to the Scotch Covenanters. But our Bi- fhop thought the degrading of a Bifhop was too lacred a thing to be done meerly upon politick Confiderati- ons. Bifhop Bedell was exaftly conform- able to the Forms and Rules of the Church ; he went conftantly to Com- mon Prayer in his Cathedral, and often read it himfelf, and affifted in it always, with great reverence and affeftion. He took care to have the Publick Service performed ftri£tly according to the Ru- brick ; fb that a Curate of another Pa- rifh being imployed to read Prayers in the Cathedral, that added fbmewhat to the Collects; the Bifhop obferving he did this once or twice, went from his place to jtheR eader's Pew, and took the book out of his Hand, and in the hearing of the Congregation fufpended him for his prefiimption, and read the reft of the Office himfelf. He preached conftantly twice a Sunday in his Cathedral on the Epiftles and GofpelsfortheDay \ and catechifed alwayes in the Afternoon be- fore Sermon; and he preached always twice a Year before the Judges, when they made the Circuit. His Voice was low and mournful, but as his matter L was 146 Tk Li f e of was excellent, fb there was a gravity in his looks and behaviour that ftruck his Auditors. He obferved the Rubrick lb nicely, that he would do nothing but according to it ; fb that in the reading the Pfalms and the Anthems he did not obferve the common cuftome of the Mi- nifter and the People reading the Verfes by turns ; for he read all himfelf, be- caufe the other was not enjoyned by the Rubrick. As for the placing of the Communion Table by the Eaft wall , and the bowing to it, he never would depart from the Rule of obferving the Conformity prefcribed by Law ; for he faid, That they were as much Noncon- formifts who added of their own, as they that came fliort of what was en- joyned ; as he that adds an Inch to a meafiire difbwns it for a Rule, as mych as he that cuts an Inch from it : and as he was fevere to him that added Words of his own to the Colleft, fb he thought it was no lefs cenfurable to add Rites to thofe that were prefcribed. When he came within the Church, it appeared in the compofednefs of his behaviour , that he obferved the Rule given by the Preacher, of Kjefing his Feet when he \ve7tt into the Houfe of God ; but he was not to be wrought oa by the greatnefs of any fBiftoj) Bedell; 147 any Man, or by the Authority of any perfbns example, to go out of his own way ; though he could not but know that fuch things were then much ob- ferved, and meafures were taken of Men by thefe little diftin&ions, in which it was thought that the zeal of Conformi- ty difcovered it felf. There is fb full an account of the tendernefs with which he advifed all Men, but Churchmen in particular, to treat thofe that differed from them, in a Sermon that he preached on thole Words of Chrift, Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly ; that I am affured the Rea- der will well bear with the length of it. It was preached fbon after fbme heats that had been intheHoufe of Commons in the Parliament of Ireland, in which there were many Papifts ; and in it the fenfe he had of the way of treating all differences in Religion, whether great or finall, is fb well laid down, that I hope it will be looked on as no ordinary, nor ufelefs piece of Inftru&ion. L 2 Is 148 T/;c Life of IS it not a fhame that our two Bodies, the Church and Commonwealth, jThould exercife mortal hatreds, ( or im- mortal rather ) and being lb near in place fhould be fb far afunder in affecti- on ? it will be faid by each that other are in fault, and perhaps it may truly be faid, that both are; the one in that they cannot endure with patience the lawful fuperiority of the worthier Body ; the other in that they take no care fb to go- vern, that the governed may find it to be for their beft behoof to obey : until which time it will never be,but there will be repining and troubles,and brangles be- tween us. This will be done in my Opinion,not by bolftering out and main- taining the errours and unrulinefs of the lower Officers or Members of our body, but by feverely punifhing them ; and on both fides muft be avoided fuch Men for Magiftrates and Minifters , as feek to dafh us one againft another all they may. And would to God this were all ; but is it not a fhame of fhames, that Mens emulations and contentions cannot ftay themfelves fBifbop Bedell. i 49 themlelves in matters of this fort, but the holy profeflion of Divinity is made fuel to a publick fire ; and that when we had well hoped all had been either quenched or raked up, it fhould afrefh be kindled and blown up with bitter and biting Words ? God help us ! we had need to attend to this Leifon of Chrift, Learn of me, for I am meek and, lowly in Heart ; or to that of the Apoftle, It be- hoves the fervant of God not to contend, but to be meek towards all, inftru&ing with lenity thofe that be contrary af- fected, waiting if at any time God will give them a better mind to lee the truth, 2 Tim. 2. 25. And here give me leave ( R. JV. and beloved Brethren and Sifters ) to (peak freely my mind unto you: I know right well that I fhall incur the reproof of divers, yet I will never the more for that Ipare to utter my Conference ; I hope wife Men will alTent or fhew me better. For my part, I have been long of this mind, that many in their Ser- mons and Writings are to blame for their manner of dealing with the ad- verfaries of their Opinions, when they give Reins to their Tongues and Pens, to railing and reproachful Speeches, and think they have done well, when they L 3 exceed 1 56 The Life of exceed or equal them in this Trade ; wherein to have the better is indeed to be the worfe s and alledging that Text for themfelves, That a fool is to be an- I tov ' 7 *'• fared according to his folly ; they do not confider that other, where fuch manner of anfwer is forbidden, whereby the an- fwerer becometh like him : Prov. 26. 4. 15. i. 24. 26. And this is yet more to be blamed, hecaufe fbmetimes all realbns are laid by, and nothing is fbundly refuted, but only hot Words are given,yea,and with a milconceivingjOr mifreporting at leaft,of ther Opinions, and making every thing worfe than it is : which many times arifeth upon ambiguity of Words not ufed in the like fenfe by both fides. What then ? Do I approve of tolerati- ons and unions with errours and her$- fies ? truly I wifh not to live £0 long. And yet as our fins are, and our folly too to fall together by the Ears about ftnall matters amongft our {elves, there is juft caufe to fear it : but yet fuch Points as may be reconciled, faving the truth , I lee not what fliould move us to hold off in them,and why we may not feek to agree in word ? as we do in mean- ing : For the reft, their purpole and endeavours lhall deferve thanks, who, bring- (Bijhop Bedell. 151 bringing them to the feweft and nar- roweft terms, fhall fet down how far we are to joyn with our diflenting Bre- thren, and where for ever to diifent ; that fo controverfies being handled with- out the vain flourifh of fwelling Words, and ( like proportions ) our Opinions being fet down in the leaft terms, Men may know what to bend their Wits to, and where againft to plant their Argu- ments, not, as many do, roving always at randome; but may al wayes remember to imitate Chrift's meeknefs, and to deal with Arguments rather : let us not envy the Papifts and other Hereticks, the glo- ry and preheminence in railing, where- in the more they excel, the more un- like they are to Chrift, whole pattern is of meekoefs, Learn of me, &x. Te a, but willfome Man fay , This courfe Object, mil not ft ay Men from backjliding to any er- tour or here fie j &c. Who can keep off his enemy without (hot ^ 8tC. I. Gods Truth needs not to be gra- Refp. U ced, nor his Glory fought by my fin. II. Again it is fo perhaps in an ig- Refp. 2. norant Auditor, and at the firft ; but if inquiring himfelf, he (hall find that they or their Opinions are not fo bad as we make them to be, and would have them L 4 feem, \z% Tloe L i f e of feem, it will be a hundred to one that in other things too, they will not feem to be ib bad as they are ; and, unlefs I much miftake, it is not the ftorm of Words, but the ftrength of Reafons, that fliall ft ay a wavering Judgment from errours, &c. when that like a tempeft, is overblown , the tide of others examples will carry other men to do as the moft do ; but thefe like fb many Anchors will ftick, and not come again. Re/p.}. HI. Befides, our Calling is to deal with errours, not to dilgrace the Man withholding Words. It is laid of Alex- ander, I think, when he overheard one of his Souldiers railing luftily on Da- rius his enemy, he reproved him, and added, Friend (quoth he) J entertain thee to fight againft Dariut^not to revile him. Truly it may be well thought that thofe that take this courfe fliall find but fmall thanks at ChrifFs, our Captains, hands ; and it is not unlike but he would fay to them, were he here on earth again , Matters, I would you fhould refute Popery,and let your lelves againft Antichrift my enemy, with all the difcoloured Setts and Herefies, that fight under his banner againft me, and not call him and his Troops all to iiought. And (Bifiop Bedell. 15? And this is my poor Opinion concern- ing our dealing with the Papifts them- {elves, perchance differing from the pra- ctice of Men of great note in (thrift's Family,Mr. Luther and Mr. Calvin, and others ; but yet we muft live by Rules, not examples ; and they were Men , who perhaps by complexion, or other- wife, were given over too much to an- ger, and heat : fure I am, the Rule of the Apoftle is plain, even of fuchas are the flaves of Satan, that we muft with lenity inftruct them, waiting that when efcapingout of his fhare, they fhould re- cover a ibund mind to do Gods will, in the place I quoted before. But now when Men agreeing with our felves in the main ( yea and in pro- feffion likewife enemies to Popery ) ftiall, varying never fb little from us in Points of lefs confequence, be thereupon cenfured as favourers of Popery , and other errours ; when Mole-hills fhall be made Mountains, and unbrotherly terms given : alas ! methinks this courie favours not of meeknefs, nay it would hurt even a good caufe, thus to handle it ; for where liich violence is, ever there is errour to be f iifpefted ; Af- feftion and Hate are the greateft ene- mies that can be to foundnefs of judg- ment, 2 Tim. 2. 25- ^54 ^ Life of ment, or exa&nefs of comprehenfion ; he that is troubled with paffion, is not fitly difpofed to judge of truth. Befides, Is my conceit ever confbnant with truth ? and if I be fubje& to er- rour my felf, have I forgotten fb much the common condition of mankind, or am I fb much my own enemy, as to purfue with a terrible Scourge of Whip- cord, or wyer, that which was worthy of fbme gentler lafhes : for indeed he that taketh pet, and conceiveth in- dignation, that another fhould, I will not fay, differ from himfelf, but err, and be deceived, feems to proclaim war to all mankind, and may well look him* felf to find fmall favour, but rather to endure the Law that he had made, and be bated with his own rod. To make an end of this point, which I would to God, I had not had an oc-~ cafion to enter into : if this precept of our Lord Jefiis Chrift be to be heard, thefe things fhould not be fb ; if it were heard, they would not be fo \ and undoubtedly, if it be not heard, they that are faulty (hall bear their judgment, whofbever they be. Mean while they fhall delerve great praife of all that love Peace , who fhall maintain quietnefs, even with fbme injury to themfelves : And ZBifhof) Bedell. ji* And in a good Caufe do ftill endeavour to fhew forth the vertue of Chrift, that hath called us, as the Apoftle Peter ex* horteth us at large from this example of Chrift, in his firft Epiftle, 21. 20, 21, 22, 23. It is the glory of a Man to pais by an offence. Injuries, if by re- garding them a man lay himfelf open ?rov ,^ to them, wound and hurt us: if they 11. be contemned, or born off with the Shield of Meeknefi , they glance off, or rebound unto the party that offereth them. Finally, he that in matters of contro- verfie fhall bring meeknefs to his de- fence, undoubtedly he fhall overcome in the manner of handling ; and if he bring truth alfb, he fhall prevail at laft in the matter. This is a part of one of his Sermons ; of which I have feen but very few ; and becaufe they are not fufficient to give a full Charafter of him, I have not pu'blifhed them : But I will add to this two parcells of another Sermon that is already in print, and was publifhed by Dr. Bernard^ the Text is that of the JRe L t f e of To proceed : In or under the Obedi- ence of Rome there is Perfecution, and that is a better mark of Chaffs peo- ple, then Ee/larmine^s Temporal felicity. All that will live godly in Chrift Jefus ( faith the Apoftle ) {hall fuffer perfec- tion', ye jh all be hated of all Men for my Names fake, (faith our Saviour) and fo are all they on that fide that are lefl fiiperftitious than others, or dare fpeak of redrefs of abufes ; yea, there is Mar- tyrdome for a free oppofing Mens Tra- ditions, Image-voorfhippers , Purgatory, and the like. Add, That in obedience to this call of Chrijl, there dofome come daily from thence ', and in truth how could our Sa- viour call his people from thence if he had none there ? How could the Apo- ftles fay that Antichrifl, from whofe cap- tivity they are called, {hall fit in the Tem- ple of God, ( fince that Jeritfalem is fi- nally and utterly defblated ) unlefs the fame Apoftle otherwhere declaring himfelf, had fhewed us his meaning, that the Church is the Houfe of God : 1 Tim. 3, and again, ye are the Temple of the liv- * 5 * tag God, and the Temple of God is Holy, which are ye. It will be faid that there are on that fide many grofs errors , many open Idolatries , and Superititi- ons. > Bijhop Bedell. i6i ons, lb as thofe which live there mull: needs be either partakers of them^ and like minded , or elfe very Hypocrites. But many errours and much ignorance, lb it be not affected, may ftand with true Faith in Chrift ; and when there is true Contrition for one fin, ( that is, becaufe it diftleafeth God ) there is a ge- neral and implicite repentance for all un- known fins. .God's Providence in the gene- ral revolt of the ten Tribes, when Elias thought himfelf left alone, had referved [even thoufand, that had not bowed to the « K ' n g* Image of Baal : and the like may be 9 * d conceived here, fince efpecially, the Ido- latry pra&ifed under the obedience of Myftical Babylon, is rather in falfe and will-worfhip of the true God,and rather commended, as profitable, than enjoyn- e<4 as abfblutely neceifary , and the cor- ruptions there maintained are rather in a fuferfiuom addition than retraction in any thing necelfary to falvation. Neither let that hard term of hyper i- fie be ufed of the infirmity, and fbme- time, of humble and peaceable carriage of Ibme that oppofenot common errors, nor wreftle with the greater part of Men, but do follow the multitude, re- ferving a right knowledge to themfelves: and fometimes, ( by the favour which M God 10. 2. i6t Tlie Li f e of God gives them to find where they live, ) obtain better conditions than o- therscan. We call not John the belov- ed Difciple an hypocrite, becaufe he was 1 5, "J. " known to the High Priejt, and could procureP^er to be let to fee the arraign- ment of our Saviour : nor call we Peter himfelf one that for fear denied him ; much lefs Daniel and his companions, that bySuit,obtainM ofMelzar their kee- per that they might feed upon Pulfe, and Tan.i.v. no t he defiled with the Kjng of Babel's me at jand thefe knew themlelves to be cap- tives and in Babel. But in the new Babel how many thoufands do we think there are that think otherwife ; that they > are in the true Catholick Church of God y j the name whereof this harlot hath ufur- * ped : And although they acknowledge that where they live there are many a- bufes, and that the Church hath need of reformation, yet there they were born , and they may not abandon their Mother .in her fickneji. Thofe that converfe more inwardly with Men of Confid- ence, on that fide, do know that thefe are fpeeches mfecret ; which how they will be juftitied againft the commands of Chrift, ( come out of her, my people ) belongs to another place to conlider. For the purpjfe we have now in hand, Bifrop Bedell. x6$ I dare not but account thefe the people of God, though they live very danger- oufly under the captivity of Babylox, as did Daniel, Mordechai, Hejler y Nehemiah, and Ezra, and many Jews more, not- withftanding both Cyrus's Commiffion, and the Prophets command to depart. This point may give fome light in a Quejlion that is on foot among learned and good Men at this day, Whether the Church of Rome he a true Church or no ? where I think fiirely if the mat- ter be rightly declared, for the terms, there will remain no queftion. As thus, whether Babylon pretending to he the Church of Rome, yea the Catholick Church, be fo or not ? or this, Whether the people of Chrijl that are under that Captivity be a true Church or no? ei- ther of both wayes if declared in thefe terms, the matter will be fbon refol- ved. Except fome Man will perhaps ftill 0bjec7\ object, Though there be a people of God, yet they can be no true Church, for they have no Priefthood which is neceflary to the Conftitution of a Church, z$S. Cyprian dzfcnbes it, Plebs EpifloU Sacerdoti adunata, people joy ned to their * 9 * Prieft : They have no Priefthood, be- ing by the very form of their Ordi- M 2 nation, 1 04 Tiie Lifeo/ nation, Sacrificers for the quick and the dead. Anfw. * anfwer, under correction of bet- ter judgments, they have the Miniftry of Reconciliation by the Commiffion which is given at their Ordination ; being the fame which our Saviour left Joh.20.23. j n hi s Church , Whofe fins ye remit , they are remitted, whofe fins ye retain they are retained. As for the other power tofacrifice,if it be any otherwile than the celebrating the Commemoration of Chrift's Sacrifice once offered upon the Crofs , it is no part of the Priefthood or Miniftry of the New Teftament, but a fuferfluous addition thereunto, which yet worketh not to the deftru&ion of that which is law- fully conferred otherwile. This Do- Qxine I know not how it can offend any, unlefs it be in being too Charitable, and that I am fure is a good fault, and ferves well for -a fure mark of ChrijFs Sheep j and may have a very good ope- ration to heipChrifts people out of Babel: Joh.13.25. fy this filth hty/ha/l Men know that ye are myDifcifleSjif ye have Charity one to ano- t her. Butthcy call usHereticks,Mifcreants 7 DoggSy &c. and perlecute us with more deadly hatred than Jews and Turks; yea, this is Babylon, and perhaps lome of God's {Biftop Bedell. 165 God's People in it that are mifinformed of us. Thus did Said for a while, yet a chofen vejfel to bear Chrift's Name over the World. But let us maintain our Charity to them, as we are wont to . bear with the weaknefs of our Friends or Children, when in hot Feavtrs or Phrenfies, they mifcal us. Let us re- member if they be ChrijFs people, how little loving ioever they be to us, they muft be our beloved Brethren, and this of the Perfbns. To this I fhall add the conclufion of that excellent Sermon in which there is fuch a mixture both of ferious Pi- ety and of an undiffembled fincerity , that I hope the Reader will not be diP pleafed with me for laying it in his way. M 5 Now 1 66 7l?e Life of NOW fhould I come to the Motives from the Danger of fin, and of partaking in punifhment. But the handling of thefe would require a long time , let me rather make fome Jp- plication of that which hath been faid already. And Fir ft and moft properly to thofe that this Scripture moft con- cerns and is dire&ed unto : The People of God holden in the Captivity of the Komane Babylon ; But alas they are . not here, for this is one part of their / Captivity , that they are kept , not * only from hearing the voyce of the Ser- vants of Chrift, or of S. "John the be- loved Difciple, but of himlelf fpeaking here from Heaven ; and fince they are fo contented, what remedy may there be for thofe that are thus bewitched, un- lefs you (My L. Vs. and Brethren ) will be contented to become faithful Feoffees in truft, to convey this voyce and MeiTage of Chrift unto them : and by my requeft you {hall be pleafed to do it, with a great deal of Love. As this Prefident of our Lord himfelf doth lead you as to Brethren, and, as you hope^ Hiijhop Bedell. i 67 hope, faithful People, loth to fin againft him, and defirous to pleafe him to all things. Tell them then, that it is ac- knowledged by their own Doftors : That Rome is Babylon, and it is aver- red , That this is the prefent Papal Monarchy, that out of this they muft depart by the Commands of our Lord Jefa ChriJFs own Voyce, under pain of being acceffary to all her fins, and ly- able to all her puniflhments :. rvijh them to ufe the Liberty to read the Holy Scripture, and to come out of the blind Obedience of MensPrecepts andTraditi- ons ; be pleafed to tell them further,thac others may have fome colour of excufe, that live in fuch places where they may not difcover themfelves without danger of the lofs of their Goods, Honour or Life ; they may do it here, not only with fafety, but with Reputation and Profit : intreat them to beware left they make themfelves extreamly Culpable, not only of partaking with the for- mer Idolatries , Extortions, Majfacres, Powder Treafons, and /C/#£-killings of that bloody City, but the new deteft- able Doftrines, Derogatory to the blood of Chrijl, which moderate Men even of her own Subje&s deteft : But which fhe,for fear it fhould difcontent her owq M 4 Creatures^ i68 77;* Life of Creatures, and devoted Darlings will not difavow : O if they would fear the plagues of Babylon, and that of all o- aThef. thers the fearfuleft, BlmdneJS of Mind, ? ,IX# and Jit "ong delusions to believe Lyes, that they may be damned that believed not the Truth, but had pleafure in unrighteouf nefi. But you hope better tilings of them, accompanying Salvation ', and this Meffage of our Lord Jefus thrift, if you will be pleafed to deliver , ac- companying it with thofe General and common goods of Charity and Meek- riefi, Integrity, good Example, and the fpecial furtherance, which your Cal- lings and Places in State, Church or Family can give it, doubtlefs to Chrifts people,it will not be uneffeftual. Blejfed be God that hath long ago E$n i. X* ftirred up the Spirits of our Princes, like Cyrus to give iiberty to God's Peo- ple to go out 0/ Babylon, and to give 7.T2. large Patents, with Dart us, and Ar- iaxerxes, for the building of the Tem- ple , and eftablifhing the Service of God. And bleffed be God, and his Ma- jefty that hath lent us another Nehemi- Neb*2.if, ah, to build up the Walls of Jeruialem, and to procure that the Portion of the Levites {hould be given them. Giv<£ me C. 6,$. IBiJhop Bedell. i 6p me leave ( Right Honourable) to put c. 10.3 7. you in mind, That this alfo belongeth & l3,10 ' to your Care, to cooperate with Chrift in bringing his People out of the Ro- mifh Captivity. And if to help away a poor Captive out of Turky hath been Honourable to fbme Publick Minifters : What fhall it be to help to the enlarging of fb many thou- iand Souls out of the bondage of Mens a Traditions, and gaining to his Maje- fty fb many entire Subjects. Your wit dom (my Lord) is fiich, asitneedeth not to be advifed ; and your %eal as it needeth not to to be ftired up : yet pardon me one Word, for the purpofe of helping Chrift's People out of Ba- bylon, They are called by himfelf often in Scripture, His Sheep ; and verily, as in many other, fb in this they are like to Sheep ; which being cooped up in a nar- row Pent, though they find fome pref- fure, and the PafTage be let open, are not forward to come out ; unlefs they be put on, but ftrain Courtefie, which fhould begin ; yet when they are once out with a joyful frisk they exult in their Freed ome, yea, and when a few of the foremoft lead, the reft follow ; I fhall not need to make Application : Do according 170 Tlie Life of according to your wifHom in your place, and Chrift whofe Work it is fhall be with you , and further your endea- vours. The like I fay unto you the reft of my Lords, Fathers and Brethren, help your Friends, -Followers, and Tenants out of Babylon, what you may in your places ; you have the Examples ofjbra- ham j Jofbua, Cornelius, praifed in Scri- pture for propagating the Knowledge and Fear of God in their Families and Commands, with the report of God's accepting it, and rewarding it, and this to the ufe of others. But fhall you not carry away fbme- thing for your f elves alfo ; yes verily, take to your f elves this Voyce of our Sa- viour, Come out of Babylon ; you will lay we have done it already, God be thanked we are good Chriftians, good ProteJlantSy fome of us Preachers and that call upon others to c6me out of Ba- • by Ion : But if S. Paul prayed the con- verted Corinthians to be reconciled to God ; And S. John writing to Believers, lets down the Record of God touching |]ohn$. his Son, That they might believe in the Name of the Son of God ; Why may not I exhort in Chrifts Name and Words, even thole that are come out of Baby- lon y »3 !BifJ?op Bedell. 171 Ion, to come out of her, Qui monet ut facias, &"C. He that perfwades another to that which he doth already, in per- fwading incourageth him, and purs him on in his performance ;but if there be any yet unreiolved, and halting or hanging between two , ( as the people did in Elias time) that prefent their bodies , Kings at fuch meetings as this is, when their 18.21. hearts are perhaps 2&Rome,ov no where; If any are in fome points rightly infor- med and cleared, and in others doubt- ful, to fuch Chrift fpeaks, Come out of her, my people, prels on by Prayer, Con- ference, Reading, ( if Chrift s Voyce be to be heard ) If Rome be Babylon, Come out of her. And let it be fpoken with as little offence as it is delight : we that feem tO be the forwardeft in Reformation,are not yet fb come out of Babylon, as that we have not many fhameful badges of her Captivity, witnefs her Impropria- /70#.f, being indeed plain Church-robberies, deviled to maintain her Colonies of idle and irregular Regular s' 7 ldh to the Church and State, zealous and pragmatical to fupport and defend her power, pomp, and pride, by whom they liiblifted ; witnefs her Difpenfationspr diffipations rather, of all Canonical Orders ; bear- mg \yi Tl?e Life 0/ ing down all with her Non obftanfe, her Symoniacal and Sacrilegious Ve- nality of holy things, her manifold Ex- tortions in the exercife of Ecclefiajlical JurifdiBion, which we have not whol- ly banifhed : Let each of us therefore account it as fpoken to himfelf, ( Come out of her my people. ) In this Journey let us not trouble and caft fiumbling blocks before God's peo- ple, that are ready to come out ; or hin- der one another with Dijfentions in matters either inexplicable, or unprofi- table : Let it have fbme pardon , if ibme be even fo forward in flying from Babylon, as they fear to go back, to take their own goods for hafte : and let it not be blamed or uncharitably cenfured, if uiUYm fbme come in the Rear, and would din's ambu- leave none of ChrifFs people behind iant t non^ xhz m : N man reacheth his hand to a- qmdi. U *' nother whom he would lift out of a & Aug. ia Ditch, but hejloops to him. Our ends ^ p joh! a immediate are not the fame, but yet Traa. $. they meet in one final intention'; The one hates Babylon, and the other loves and pities Chrift^s people : The one be- lieves the Angel that caft the Milfione into the Sea ; in the end of this Chap- ter, with that Word ( fofiall Babylon rife no more. ) The other fears the threat- ning Bijhop Bedell. 172 ning of our Saviour againft flxch as {can- dalize any of the little ones believing in him, that it is better for fiich a one to have a Milfione hanged upon his neck, and he cafi into the Sea himfelf. Finally, let us all befeech our Lordje- fmChrifl to give us Wifdom and oppor- tunity to further his work, and to give fuccefi unto the fame himfelf, to haflen the judgment of Babylon , to bring his people out of this bondage, that we with them and all his Saints in the Church Triumphant, may thereupon fing a joyful Hallelujah, as is exprefled in the next Chapter. Salvation, and Honour, and Glory, and Power, be unto the LORD our GOD, Amen. Matug.*. Hallelujah, He 1 74 *fl ?e L i f e of He preached very often in his Epi£ eopal habit, but not alwayes, and ufed it feldome in the Afternoon ; nor did he love the pomp of a Quire, nor Inftru- mental Mufick ; which he thought fil- led the ear with too much pleafiire, and carried away the mind from the ferious attention to the matter, which is indeed the finging with grace in the Heart, and the inward melody with which God is chiefly pleated. And when another Bifihop juftified thefe things, be- caufethey ferved much to raife the af- feftions ; he anfwered, That in order to the raifing the afleftions, thoie things that tended to edification ought only to be ufed : And thought it would be hard otherwife to make flops ; for upon the fame pretence an infinity of Rites might be broughtin. And the fenfe^he had of the exceffes of fiiperftition/rom what he had obferved during his long ftay in Italy, made him judge it necelfary to watch carefully againft the beginnings of that difeafe, which is like a green Sicknefs in Religion. He never ufed the Com- mon Prayer in his Family ; for he thought it was intended to be the fb- lemn Worfhip of Chriftians in their Publick Aflemblies, and that it was not fo fBipwp Bedell. 17 j {b proper for private Families.He was lb exa&an obferverof Ecclefiaftical Rules, that he would perform no part of his Fun&ion out of his own Diocefs, with- out obtaining the Ordinaries leave for it *, fo that being in Dublin, when his Wife's Daughter was to be married to Mr. Clogy, ( that is much more the Au- thor of this Book than I am ) and they both defired to be bleft by him,he would not do it till he firft took out a Licence for it in the Archbifhop of Dublin* Confiftory. So far I have profecuted the Relati- on of his moft exemplary difcharge of his EpilcopalFunclion;referving what is more peribnal and particular to the end where I {hall give his Chara&er. I now cometotheconclufionofhis life, which was indeed fuitable to all that had gone before. But here I mult open one of the bloodieft Scenes , that the Sun ever fhone upon, and reprefent a Nation all covered with Blood , that was in full peace, under no fears nor apprehenfi- ons, enjoying great plenty, and under an eafie yoke, under no oppreffion in Civil matters, nor perfecution upon the account of Religion : For the Bifhops and Priefts of the Roman Communion enjoyed not only an impunity, but were 176 Tl?e Life of were almoft as publick in the ufe of their Religion, as others were in that which was eftabliflied by Law ; fb that they wanted nothing but Empire,and a pow- er to deftroy all that differed from them. And yet on a fudden this happy Land was turned to be a Field of Blood. Their Bifhops refblved in one particular to fulfil the Obligation of the Oath they took at their Confecration of yerf edi- ting all Hereticks to the utmofl of their power ; and their Priefts, that had their breeding in Spain, had brought over from thence the true Spirit of their Religion, which is ever breathing cru- elty, together with a tincture of the Spamfh temper, that had appeared in the conqueft of the WeJI-Indies, and fo they thought a Maffacre was the fureft way to work, and intended that the Natives of Ireland ; fhould vie with the Spaniards for what they had done in America. The Conjun&ure feemed favourable; for the whole Ifle of Britain was fb im- broiled, that they reckoned they fhould be able to matter Ireland y beforG any For- ces could be fentover to check the pro- grefs of their butchery.TheEarl oiStr af- ford had left Ireland fome confiderable time before this. The Parliament of En?+ !BiJhop Bedell. 177 England was riling very high againft the King; and though the King was then gone to Scotland, it was rather for a prefent quieting of things that he gave all up to them, than that he gain- ed them to his Service. So they laid hold of this conjun£ture, toinfufe it in- . to the people, That this was the pro- per time for them to recover their an- cient Liberty, and fhake off the Englifb Yoke, and to poiTefs them f elves of tliofe Eftates that had belonged to their An- ceftors : And to fuch as had fbme refts of Duty to the King it was given out, That what they were about was war- ranted by his Authority, and for bis fervice. A Seal was cut from another Charter, and put to a forged Commiffi- on, giving warrant to what they were going about. And becaufe the King was then in Scotland, they made ufe of a Scotch Seal. T he v alio pretended that the Parliaments or both Kingdoms be- ing either in rebellion againft the King, or very near it, That the Englijh of Ireland would be generally in the in- tereft of the Engltflj Parliament ; fo that it was laid, That they could not ferve the King better than by making them- felves Mafters in Ireland, and then decla- ring for the King againft his other rebel- lious Subjefts. N Thefe 7 8 The L i f e of Thefe things took univerfally with the whole Nation ; and I )iifbiracy was cemented by many Oaths and Sa- craments., and in eonclufion all things were found to he fo ripe that the day was fet in which they fhe aid every where break out ; and the Caftle of Dublin being then as well ftored with a great Magazine, which the Earl of Strafford had laid up for the Army , that he intended to have carried in- to Scotland j had not the pacification prevented it , as it was weakly kept by a few carelefs Warders ; who might have been eafily furprized : it was re- folved that they fhould feize on it , which would have furnifhed them with Arms and Ammunition, and have put the Metropolis, and very probably the whole Ifland in their hands. But, though this was fo well laid, that the execution could not have mift, in all humane appearance ; and though it was kept fb fecret, that there was not the leaft fufpicion of any defign on foot, till the Night before, and then one that was among the chief of the managers of it, out of kindnefs to an Igjbman, that was become a Prote- itani-, communicated t 7 ie Project to Mm : The other went and discovered it to