1622. living of West-Ilsley, in Berkshire, having made a Chap. VIII. shift to read the Thirty-nine Articles in English,* for his induction. Quickly he gave proof of his avarice, by trying to overset all the leases granted by his predecessors at the Savoy, that he might levy fresh fines. In this design, however, he was checked by Dr. King,† Bishop of London, who severely reproved him for his covetousness. The archbishop now set himself to work to perfect and publish his books, and brought out three large folios-De Republicâ Ecclesiasticâ.‡ "He ex claims," says Fuller, "In reading, meditation, and writing, I am almost pined away,' but his fat cheeks did confute his false tongue in that expression." Being now grown confident, he ventured to indulge his jeering temper at the expense of Count Gondomar, the Spanish Ambassador. The don took deadly offence, and immediately proceeded to contrive the archbishop's ruin. Having great influence at Rome, he was easily able to induce the Pope to send the most flattering offers to the Archbishop of Spalatro if he would return. The greedy old man swallowed the bait. When he heard of the premium octuplicis stipendii,"§ he was at once smitten with a longing desire to revisit his native *Hacket's Life of Williams, i., 94. † Dr. King was a good and liberal prelate. James used to call him the king of preachers. He contributed £500 (a large sum then) to the restoration of St. Paul's.-Goodman. Among the Tanner MSS., in the Bodleian, at Oxford, the original of this work still exists. It was translated into ten languages. Howes's continuation of Stow's Chronicle, 914. § Crakanthorp. VOL. I. X 1622. Chap. VIII. land, and petitioned the King to allow his departure. The King was indignant, as he justly might be, at the barefaced hypocrisy of the pretended convert. He was ordered to leave England in twenty days. At this moment, Toby Matthews, the aged Archbishop of York, set forth one of his accustomed hoaxes as to his own death.* De Dominis had the inconceivable assurance to ask for the place. He was, of course, refused with scorn. Then he started for Brussels, with his trunks full of English gold. At Brussels he was to receive his red hat of Cardinal, and his appointment to a rich bishopric, according to the Pope's promise. None of these good things, however, came. Having occupied some time in writing a railing book against the Church of England,† he was obliged to go on his way to Rome, without any safe conduct or assurance of the Pope's favour. Arrived there, he found himself an object of suspicion to the Inquisition, which soon managed to get him immured in prison, and after his death, caused his body to be burnt as that of a heretic, *Hacket (Life of Williams, i., 98) says that the archbishop used constantly to publish this report that he might amuse himself by watching the movements of the eager crowd of suitors. His grace was very fond of a joke. When he heard that Williams was designed to be his successor, he wrote to him, telling him that he need not think of getting the place for some twenty years or so. "As the Psalmist begins, so I end, Dixi Custodiam. I love your lordship well, but I will keep you out of this seat as long as I can."-Hacket's Williams, i., 168. Called Concilium Reditús, and principally famous as having produced one of the most vigorous and talented controversial works ever written.-Crakanthorp's Defensio Ecclesia Anglicana. 1622. It was a fitting end for a rank impostor and hypo- Chap. VIII. crite. The character of him, given by Dr. Fitzherbert, Rector of the English College at Rome, to Sir E. Sackville, seems not an unjust one: "He was a malcontent knave when he fled from us, a railing knave while he lived with you, and a motley parti-coloured knave now he is come again." * Goodman's King James, i., 353, note. Chap. IX. 1623. Discontent at the Prince's journey to Spain. CHAPTER IX. Discontent at the Prince's journey to Spain-Archbishop Abbot's letter-Prince solicited to change his religion-King's directions for the English service at Madrid-Jesuit device for preventing the appointment of a Romish bishop in England-Accident to a Romanist congregation-The Prince returns and the match is broken off-A Parliament and Convocation-General fastLarge subsidies of the clergy-Disputes begin between Calvinists and Arminians-Richard Montagu and his opponents -The Appello Cæsarem-The King dies-Critical state both in Church and State. HE discontent in the country at the Spanish match and the toleration of Popery, which was still increasing, was now carried to a head by the sudden departure of the Prince of Wales for Spain, accompanied only by Buckingham and two attendants. Everybody thought that he would never be suffered to return again without becoming a Papist. The Archbishop archbishop could no longer contain himself. He delivered his conscience in a letter to the King, the boldness and honesty of which do him credit.* Abbot's letter. *This letter is given in the Cabala, as written by the Archbishop of York. Neither Heylin nor Hacket believe it to be He says, Abbot's. Fuller, however, and Rushworth give it as his. Among the Tanner MSS. there are two copies of it, both of which attribute it to Abbot, but it is observable that it is styled in both a speech and not a letter.-Tanner MSS., 73, 302, 303. * Rushworth, i., 85. Chap. IX. 1623. |