mend Mr. Hooker to Father Alvy's place, which he did with so effectual an earnestness, and that seconded with fo many other teftimonies of his worth, that Mr. Hooker was fent for from Draiton Beauchamp to London, and there the Mastership of the Temple proposed unto him by the Bishop, as a greater freedom from his country cares, the advantage of a better fociety, and a more liberal penfion than his parfonage did afford him. But these reasons were not powerful enough to incline him to a willing acceptance of it: his wifh was rather to gain a better country Living, where he might be free from noije, (fo he expreft the defire of his heart) and eat that bread which he might more properly call his own, in privacy and quietnefs. But, notwithstanding this averseness, he was at laft perfuaded to accept of the Bishop's propofal; and was by Patent for life made Mafter of the Temple the 17th of March, 1585, he being then in the 34th year of his age. to be Mafter [But before any mention was made of Mr. Hooker Endeavours for this place, two other Divines were nominated for Travers to fucceed Alvey; whereof Mr. Walter Travers, a of the Temdifciplinarian in his judgment and practice, and ple. J.S. Preacher here in the afternoons, was chief, and recommended by Alvey himself on his death-bed, to be Mafter after him: and no marvel, for Alvey's and and Travers's principles did fomewhat correfpond. And many gentlemen of the houfe defired him; which defire the Lord Treasurer Burghley was privy to, and by their requeft, and his own inclination towards him, being a good preacher, he moved the Queen to allow of him; for the difpofal of the place This you may find in the Temple Records. Will. Ermftead was Master of the Temple at the diffolution of the Priory, and died 2 Eliz. Richard Alvy, Bat. Divinity, Pat. 13 Feb. 2 Eliz. Magister five Cuftos Domûs et Ecclefiæ novi Templi; died 27 Eliz.-Richard Hooker fucceeded that year by Patent, in terminis, as Alvy had it, and he left it 33 Eliz.-That year Dr. Belgey fucceeded Rich. Hooker. D 2 was was in her. But Archbishop Whitgift knew the man, and his hot temper and principles, from the time he was Fellow of Trinity College, and had obferved his steps ever after: he knew how turbulently he had carried himself at the College, how he had disowned the English established Church and Episcopacy, and went to Geneva, and afterwards to Antwerp, to be ordained Minister, as he was by Villers and Cartwright, and others the Heads of a Congregation there; and fo came back again more confirmed for the difcipline. And knowing how much the doctrine and converfe of the Mafter to be placed here, would influence the gentlemen, and their influence and authority prevail in all parts of the realm, where their habitations and eftates were, that careful Prelate made it his endeavour to ftop Traver's coming in the Archb. and had a learned man in his view, and of principles more conformable and agreeable to the Church, namely, one Dr. Bond the Queen's Chaplain, and well known to her. She well understanding the importance of this place, and knowing by the Archbishop what Travers was, by a letter he timely writ to her Majefty upon the vacancy, give particular order to the Treafurer to difcourfe with the Archbishop about it. Oppofed by The Lord Treasurer, hereupon, in a letter, confulted with the faid Archbishop, and mentioned Travers to him, as one defired by many of the house. But the Archbishop, in his anfwer, plainly fignified to his Lordship, that he judged him altogether unfit, for the reafons mentioned before; and that he had recommended to the Queen Dr. Bond, as a very fit perfon. But, however, the declined him, fearing his bodily ftrength to perform the duty of the place, as fhe did Travers for other causes. And by laying both afide, fhe avoided giving difguft to either of those great men. This Dr. Bond, feems to be that Dr. Nicolas Bond that afterwards was was President of Magdalen College, Oxon, and that was much abused by Martin Mar-Prelate. These particulars I have collected from a letter of the Archbishop to the Queen, and other letters that paffed between the Archbishop and the Lord Treafurer about this affair, while the Mastership was vacant. The paffages whereof taken verbatim out of their faid Letters, may deferve here to be specified for the fatisfaction of the Readers. And first, in the month of Auguft, upon the death of the former Mafter, the Archbishop wrote this letter unto the Queen. to the Queen of the Tem ple. IT may please your Majefty to be advertised, that The Archb. the Maftership of the Temple is vacant by the death of concerning Mr. Alvey. The Living is not great, yet doth it re- the vacancy quire a learned, difcreet, and wife man, in respect of the company there: who being well directed and taught may do much good elsewhere in the Commonwealth, as otherwife also they may do much harm. And because I hear there is fuit made to your Highness for one Mr. Travers, I thought it my duty to fignify unto your Majesty, that the faid Travers bath been, and is one of the chief and principal authors of diffention in this Church, a contemner of the Book of Prayers, and of other Orders by Authority established; an earnest feeker of innovation; and either in no degree of the Miniftry at all, or else ordered beyond the feas; not according to the form in this Church of England used. Whofe placing in that room, especially by your Majefty, would greatly animate the rest of that Fallion, and do very much harm in fundry respects. Your Majefty bath a Chaplain of your own, Dr. Bond, a man in my opinion very fit for that office, and willing alfo to take pains therein, if it shall please your Highness to bestow it upon him. Which I refer to your own most gracious difpofition: befeeching Almighty God long long to blefs, profper, and preferve your Majefty to bis glory, and all our comforts. Your Majefty's most faithful Servant and Chaplain, JO. CANTUAR." From Croyden, the of The Archb. to the Lord Next, in a letter of the Archbishop to the Lord Treasurer, dated from Lambeth, Sept. 14, 1584, he hath these words: I beseech your Lordship to help fuch an one to the Treasurer. Mastership of the Temple as is known to be conformable to the laws and orders eftablished; and a defender, not a depraver of the prefent state and government. He that now readeth there is nothing lefs, as I of mine own knowledge and experience can testify. Dr. Bond is defirous of it, and I know not a fitter man. The Lord The Lord Treasurer in a letter to the Archbishop, dated from Oatlands, (where the Queen now was) Sept. 17, 1584, thus wrote: THE Queen hath afked me what I thought of the Archb. Travers to be Master of the Temple. Whereunto I answered, That at the request of Dr. Alvey in his ficknefs, and a number of boneft gentlemen of the Temple, I had yielded my allowance of him to the place, fo as be would fhew himself conformable to the Orders of the Church. Whereunto I was informed, that he would fo be. But her Majefly told me, that your Grace did not fo allow of him. Which, I faid, might be for fome things fuppofed to be written by him (in a book) intituled, De Difciplina Ecclefiaftica. Whereupon ber Majefty commanded me to write to your Grace, to know your opinion, which I pray your Grace to fignify unto ber, as God fhall move you. Surely it were great pity, that that any impediment fhould be occafion to the contrary; for be is well learned, very honeft, and well allowed, and loved of the generality of that boufe. Mr. Bond told me, that your Grace liked well of him; and fo do I alfo, as of one well learned and honeft; but, as I told bim, if he came not to the place with fome applause of the company, be fhall be weary thereof. And yet I commended him unto her Majesty, if Travers fhould not bave it. But her Majesty thinks him not fit for that place, because of his infirmities. Thus wishing your "Grace affiftance of God's Spirit, to govern your charge unblameable. Your Grace's to command, WILL. BURGHLEY. From the Court at Oatlands, the 27th. Sept. 1584. Part of the Archbishop's letter in answer to this, was to this tenor: in answer to Treasurer, Mr. Travers, whom your Lordship names in your The Archb. letter, is to no man better known, I think, than to my- the letter of felf: I did elect him Fellow of Trinity College, being the Lord before rejected by Dr. Beaumont for his intolerable ftomach; whereof I bad alfo afterwards fuch experience, that I was forced by due punishment so to weary him, till he was fain to travel, and depart from the College to Geneva, otherwise be should have been expelled for want of conformity towards the orders of the house, and for his pertinacy. Neither was there ever any under our government, in whom I found less fubmission and humility than in him. Nevertheless if time and years have now altered that difpofition, (which I cannot believe, feeing yet no token thereof, but rather the contrary) I will be as ready to do him good as any friend he bath. Otherwife I cannot in duty but do my endeavour to keep him from that place, where he may do so much harm, and do little or no good at all. For bowfoever fome commend him to your D 4 Lordship |