Chap. V. 1614.

views; and though not himself in any way sharing the scruples of the Nonconformists, stating their cause boldly and plainly. His straightforwardness on this occasion angered Bancroft, who commanded him, as President, to be silent; just as his simple plainness, at another time, had cost him the favour of Queen Elizabeth. He had preached before the Queen, and so much pleased her, that she told Archbishop Whitgift to inform him that after his death she would make him Archbishop. Perhaps Whitgift was not very well pleased at having his place disposed of before it was vacant; however, he told the Bishop of St. David's that the Queen liked his sermon mightily. Upon this Rudde replied that he was rather surprised, as the sermon was not one on which he had bestowed so much pains as many others which he had preached at Court. "Oh!" said the primate, "the Queen is grown weary of the vanities of wit and eloquence wherewith her youth was formerly affected, and plain sermons which come home to her heart please her the best." Rudde remembered these words, when he was next called on to preach, and taking for his text, Psalm xc., 12, "O teach us to number our days," &c., he discoursed on the infirmities of age, and personally applied his observations to the Queen, reminding her how age had furrowed her face and grizzled her hair. Certainly, if Whitgift did lay a trap for the preacher, by recommending plain speaking, the poor man proved an easy, unsuspecting victim. Elizabeth, who had an especial horror of being reminded of old age and death, was

furious. She did not live to name another archbishop, but we may well believe that if she had, the Bishop of St. David's would not have stood much chance of the promotion.*

Chap. V. 1614.

bon.

Upon the death of Henry IV., of France, the Death of great scholar and critic, Isaac Casaubon, had left Isaac Casauhis native country and come over to England, where he had been honourably received and presented by the King to prebends in Canterbury and Westminster. He continued his learned labours here, and several of his works were composed in England. His sojourn, however, among us was but a short one. Death "stopped him in full speed," said Fuller. The honour and respect of the country which he had adopted followed him to his tomb, and he lies buried in Westminster Abbey, by the side of Camden, the historian, "both whose plain tombs, made of white marble, show the simplicity of their intentions, the candidness of their natures, and the perpetuity of their memories." +

*Fuller's Church History, x., iv., 32-35. Sir J. Harinton's Brief View of the Church of England, p. 162.

+ Casaubon was a layman, but that did not seem a necessary bar to a cathedral appointment. Thus Archbishop Toby Matthews gave a stall in York to Sir Edward Montague. See his letter to Dr. Ward, Tanner MSS., 74, 107.

Fuller's Church History, x., iv., 38.

1615.

CHAPTER VI.

Chap. VI. The Church in Ireland-Devastation of Church property-Uniformity enforced-Spiritual destitution of the country-Bishop of Clogher-Bishop Draper - Plantation of Ulster-Puritanical clergy- No progress in converting Romanists-The Irish Articles of 1615-Folly of the compromise-Doubtful whether the King intended to remove Abbot-Mischief of translations -Montagu moved to Winchester-Inconsistency in promotion of prelates-Their eager seeking for preferment-The legality of Commendams questioned-King's directions for study of divinity at Oxford-Compendiums and bodies of divinityTheir discountenancing a blow to Calvinism-State of the Universities as schools-Witchcraft-Case of Mary SmithKing's Sermon in the Star Chamber to the judges-Sir Edward Coke Preaching before the King - Mr. Edward Sympson's censure - Dr. Mocket's censure Mr. Selden's censure Mr. Montagu's answer to Selden-Dr. TillesleyMr. Nettles-Mr Selden reads his recantation-King publishes Book of Sports for the Lord's Day-Excitement of the Puritan clergy-Sabbatarian controversy.

The Church in Ireland.

HIS year is an epoch in the history of the Reformed Church of Ireland, as it witnessed the passing and ratifying of its articles. It is a fitting place, therefore, to take a short view of the history of religion in that country during the earlier years of this reign. The Reformation had done little for Ireland, save alienate its Church revenues to the Crown,

and introduce elements of discord and internecine Chap. VI.

1615.

of Church

property.

strife. Henry and Elizabeth, little scrupulous as to what they did in England, were still less so in Ireland. A general devastation was made of the Devastation lands of the Church; the patrimony of the bishops and cathedral churches was exposed to public sale, the impropriated tithes, which had been annexed to religious houses, were seized by the Crown, the churches lay unroofed and unrepaired, and forty shillings a year was an average stipend for a benefice.* In the meantime not much had been done in providing for the spiritual wants of the people. Some order had indeed been taken for introducing the English Liturgy and English Bible in many of the churches of the kingdom, “which being not understood by the natural Irish, left them as much in ignorance and superstition as in the darkest times of Papal tyranny." Three, four, or five vicarages were often engrossed in one man's hands, who perhaps did not understand the language nor attempt to perform the service. The sees, having been robbed of their best revenues, were thrown together to make them worth holding, and to induce bishops, appointed in England or Scotland, to go and reside on their preferment.

King James had complained, at the Hampton Court Conference, that he only had the bodies of the Irish, while the Pope had their souls; and though one of the things decided on then was to

*Heylin's History of Presbyterians, 392-3; Mant's History of the Church of Ireland, i., 358.

† Heylin, u. s.

Chap. VI. 1615.

plant schools in Ireland, this state of things did not seem likely to be changed. His accession had been welcomed in Ireland in proportion as Elizabeth had been hated; and the Irish pleased themselves in tracing his descent from the old kings of the land. Uniformity They had hoped that the son of a Catholic martyr

enforced.

(as they styled Mary) would be well affected to the faith which they loved, but they were speedily undeceived by the publication of the Act of Uniformity and its enforcement in Dublin. Sixteen of the most eminent persons in the city were summoned to the Court of Castle Chamber, and fined for recusancy. On July 4, 1605, came forth a proclamation, ordering all the priests and clergy of Rome, if they would not conform, to leave the kingdom before the 16th of the following December.* The Pope issued a pastoral, forbidding Romanists to attend the service of the Common Prayer; and soon afterwards King James sent over his test Oath of Allegiance, to be administered to all. Thus all things were in a miserable confusion, the Roman and Anglican laws and rituals clashing at every point, and the people, helpless and ignorant, Spiritual des- exposed to the tyranny of both. The English titution of Churches of the Pale, as the district most easily the country. accessible from England by the sea was called, had become embued with Calvinistic and Puritanical notions, and lent no effective support to the Church policy of the Crown; † and in the parts where the

*King's History of the Church of Ireland, p. 855; Mant's History, i., 350.

+ Heylin's Presbyterians, p. 392.