to work, intimating if not affirming, that this holy order was a part of it. So that they will rather traduce these holy men, who sacrificed their bloods for Jesus Christ and his Church, of pride, ambition, and a too great love of rule, than allow the establishments of our Church. Nay they will rather root out the monarchy, because supported by, and upholding episcopacy, than shew any the least reverence to the Church, in obedience to our laws and Princes.

So that leaving these implacable self-condemned enemies, give me leave, O ye loyal and religious sons of this holy and ever persecuted Church, to make my last address and application to you. You see by whom the Church has been ever persecuted; you see the reason of it; you cannot but know also what she has suffered on both sides; you have read the one, and your eyes have seen the other; rouse up then, and take effectual care of this innocent, this persecuted spouse of Christ. Stretch out your hands to Heaven by humble and fervent prayers, and implore the assistance of the most Holy God, for her safety and protection against all her ene mies.

Let the virtue, piety, and holiness of your lives, assure the world that you profess this Holy Religion in good earnest, and that you do not dissemble either with God or man in it, but are sincere and resolved to live and die in this profession.

Put those laws we now have in execution duly and regularly, and with discretion and mercy, not out of bitterness and passion, but out of Conscience and a true fear of God, and care of his Church; that all the world may see it is nothing but a sense of your duties, and a zeal for God, that makes you active and prudently severe.

And as far as you shall have opportunity, take further

further care by new laws, to secure this great and inestimable blessing to your posterity and the generations to come, that they may rise up and bless God for you; and remember your names with eulogies and honour for ever.

And if any thing in these Papers may in any degree be serviceable to, and promote these good ends, I shall for ever be thankful to God and man for the favour.

VOL. IV.

C

BISHOP

BISHOP JEWEL.

THOUGH Truth and Reason may justly claim the Privilege of a kind reception, whoever brings them; yet such is the Nature of Mankind, that the Face of a Stranger is ever surveyed with a little more than ordinary Attention, as if Men thought generally that in it were the most lively Characters of what they seek to know, the Soul and Temper of a Man. Now because this is not to be expected at the first sight in Books, where yet it is most eagerly desired, Men have attempted to supply that defect with Pictures; and (which affords much more satisfaction) by premising the Lives and Characters of the Authors, which gives the Reader a truer and more lasting Idea of Men, than it is possible for Pencils and Colours to attain to.

The Author of the ensuing Tracts ought to be so well known to all English men, that his Name alone should have given a sufficient Commendation to any thing that can claim a descent from him: But it being now above an hundred years since his death, and his Works which were for a long time chained up in all Churches, being now superannuated or neglected, it may not be an unseasonable piece of Service to the Church, to revive the Memory of this great Man, the stout and invincible Champion of the Church of England; who losing the opportunity of sacrificing his Life for her in the Reign of Queen Mary, did it with more advantage to us, and pains to himself, under her glorious Successor,

C 2

successor, when he so freely spent himself in her service, that having wasted his thin body by excessive labour and study, he died young, but full of good works and glory.

He was born the 24th of May, in the year of our Lord 1522. at Buden in the parish of Berinber in the County of Devon; and tho a younger brother, yet inherited his fathers name. His mother was a Bellamie, and he had so great an esteem for it and her, that he engraved it on his signet, and had it always imprinted in his heart; a lasting testimony both of her virtue and kindness to him.

His father was a gentleman descended rather of an ancient and good, than very rich family. It is observed that his ancestors had injoyed that estate for almost two hundred years before the birth of this great man. And yet such was the number of his children, that it is no wonder if this, when young, wanted the assistance of good men for the promoting of his studies; for it is said that his father left ten children, between sons and daughters, behind him.

This John Jewel proving a lad of pregnant parts, and of a sweet and industrious nature and temper, was from his youth dedicated to learning; and with great care cultivated by his parents and masters, which he took so well, that at the entrance of the thirteenth year of his age, about the Feast of St. James, he was admitted in Merton College in Oxon, under one Mr. Peter Burrey, a man neither of any great learning, nor much

7 Dedicated to Learning.] "Literis Grammaticalibus apud Branton, Southmoulton, et Barnstapliam institutus sub auspiciis Walteri Bowen: Oxoniamque missus mense Julio anno 1535". Tanner's Bibliotheca. p. 427. Compare Humfrey's Life of Jewel. p. 17.

addicted