"I had rather you understood a truth by my report in fuche matters wherein I am a doer, "than by the uncertain fpeech of the Court. I "have travailed much by myself, alone, for the "want of other Commiffioners, to trie out a "Poffeffion which was very erneftlie beleeved and "fet forth, and by printe recondict and fpredd "without lycenfe. The two printers whereof, "with others that fold thefe pamphlets, were "commytted to prifon. And if I had my will, "I would commytt fome of the principal actreffes "to pryfon, to learn them hereafter not to abuse "the Queen's Majeftie's people fo bafely, falsely, "and impudently. After I had by divers exami"nations tryed out the falfehood, I required Sir "Rowland Hayward and Mr. Recorder of the "City to be affiftant with me, who heard the "wench examined and confeffed, and plaied her pranks before them. We had the father and "the mother, by which mother this wench was "counfelled and fupported; and yet would she "not confefs any thing. Whose stubborneffe "we confidering, fent her to close prison at "Westminster Gate; where the remaineth, "until her daughter and another maid of Loth"burie have openlie done their penance at Paul's "Croffe, as it is ordered. "I am fo greeved with fuch diffemblers, that "I cannot be quiett with myfelf. I doo intend, "because their bookes are fo fpredd abroade and "believed, to fet out a confutation of the fare "falfehood. The tragedie is fo large that I might "fpend much time to trouble your Honor withal; "but brieflie I have fent to your Lordship a copie " of the vaine book, printed, and a copie of their "confeffions at length. And thus knowing that your Lordship is at the Court, I thought good to fend to you, wishing his Majeftie and all you "wayting upon him, a profperous retorne. From "my houfe at Lambeth, this Frydaie the 13th of 66 SIR, "I retorne to your Honor agayn your letters, by wch may be understanded that ye have them "ready to execute your orders of the best fort, "and of the most part excepting a fewe Catylyns, "who bi fufferance will infect the whole Coll. "Whereupon, when King Edward's ftatutes "stablished by his Counfell, delivered them bi his "Vifitors, "Visitors, the fame nowe bi the Queen's Majef"tie's Vifitours retorned to them, your orders "of late, with confent of the body of the Uni"versity, the Queene's Highnefs pleasure sent to "them by my letter; you, the Chancellor, of "the Privy Councill, and in fuch place and credyt as ye be, would ye fuffer fo much authority "to be borne under foote by a bragging braynles "head or two? In my opinion, your confcience "shall never be excufable (I praye your charitie pardon my plainnes) ex intimo corde ex purá confcientiâ coram Deo et Chrifto ejus I fpeke, we 66 66 mar our religion; our circumfpection so va"riable (as though it was not God's caufe which we would defend) maketh cowards thus to "cocke over us. I do not like that the Com"miffioners letters fhould go to private Colleges, especially after fo much paffed. I must faye "as Demofthenes anfwered, what was the chief part in rhetorick, the fecond and the third; "Pronunciation, fayd he; fo faye I, Execution, "execution, execution of lawes and orders must "be the firft and the laft part of governance; "although I yet admit moderators for tymes, "places, multitudes, &c. and hereafter, for God's "love never ftyr any alterations, except it be fairly meant to have them established. For 66 or ellis we should hold us in no certaintye, "but be ridiculous to our adverfaries, and con" temned 66 "temned of our own, and gyve the adventure "of more dangers. And thus ye must pardon my boldnes. For my own part, I repose my"felf in filentio et in fpe, et fortitudo mea eft "Dominus, howfoever the world fawneth or "frowneth. "Your, in Christ our Lord, "To the Right Honnble "Mr. Secretary. " October 8, 1565. ARCHBISHOP WHITGIFT. THERE is a very pretty little book in French, called "Great Events from Little Causes," by M. Richer. He fuppofes the Peace of Utrecht to have arisen from the Duchefs of Marlborough's spilling fome water upon Queen Anne's gown. In that very entertaining piece of biography "Sir George Paul's Life of Archbishop Whit "gift," there is a trifling circumstance mention. ed, which, in the opinion of a very acute and intelligent Lady, perhaps gave rife to the fect of the Diffenters in England. The 1 The circumftance is this: The firft difcon❝tentment of Master Cartwright (a Fellow of "Trinity College, Cambridge, and a celebrated difputant) grew at a publick Act in that Uni"versity before Queen Elizabeth, because Master "Prefton, (then of King's College, and after"wards Master of Trinity Hall,) for his comely gefture and pleafing pronunciation, was both "liked and rewarded by her Majefty, and him"felf received neither reward nor commenda❝tion, prefuming on his own good scholarship. "This his no fmall grief he uttered unto divers "of his friends in Trinity College, who were "alfo much discontented, because the honour "of the difputation did not redound unto their "College. Mafter Cartwright, immediately "after her Majefty's neglect of him, began to "trade into divers opinions, as that of the dif cipline, and to kick against her Ecclefiaftical "Government; and that he might the better "feed his mind with novelties, he travelled to "Geneva, where he was fo far carried away "with an affection of their new-devifed dif"cipline, as that he thought all Churches and Congregations for Governments Ecclefiaftical "were to be measured and fquared by the prac"tice of Geneva. Therefore, when he returned "home he took many exceptions against the "eftablished Government of the Church of "England, 5 |