<231>Upon the death of Archbishop Whitegift, divers worthy men were named in the vacancy. His Majesty, not (after the manner of some princes,) seeking to keep it vacant, but rather lusting to fill it. The Bishops of Durham and Winchester were, as it were, voce populi,<232> made competitors with the bishop of London, rather by their eminency of merit and learning, than by any known desire, or endeavour of them or their friends. Wherein methinks, by the way, envy itself cannot but gratulate the Church of England, that is so furnished with learned bishops, that if choice had been to be made, not by a judicious prince, but by the fortune of a lot among those three, and many more beside, it could not have fallen amiss.

            But his Majesty had long since understanding of his writing against the genevising and scotising<233> ministers; and though some imagined he had therein given the King some distaste, yet finding him, in the disputations at Hampton Court, both learned and stout, he did more and more increase his liking to him. So that although in the common rumour, Toby Matthew then bishop of Durham, was likest to have carried it; so learned a man, and so assiduous a preacher, qui in concionibus dominatur,<234> as his emulous and enemy wrote of him; yet his Majesty, in his learning, knowing, and in his wisdom, weighing, that this same strict charge pasce oves meos "feed my sheep," requires as well a pastoral courage of driving in the stray sheep, and driving out the infectious, as of feeding the sound, made special choice of the bishop of London, as a man more exercised in affairs of the state. I will add also mine own conjecture out of some of his Majesty's own speeches, that in respect he was a single man, he supposed him the fitter, according to Queen Elizabeth's principles of state; upon whose wise foundations, his Majesty doth daily erect more glorious buildings.

            But I lose labour to repeat these things, to your Highness<235> better known than to myself. I should only speak of the former times.

            Of his beginning, therefore, and rising, I will boldly say that, which I would I might as truly of all that follow in this treatise, viz. that he came to all his preferments very clearly, without prejudice or spoil of his churches.

            He was tutor in Cambridge, to the Lord Cromwell,<236> who had cause to wish, and (as I have heard) hath wished, he had stayed with him longer, though he were sharp and austere. My Lord Chancellor Hatton made special choice of him, to be his examiner.

Est aliquid, de tot Graiorum millibus, unum
A Diomede legi.<237>

            By his means Queen Elizabeth came to take knowledge of his wisdom and sufficiency. He both wrote, as I touched before, and laboured earnestly by all good means, for the suppressing of the fantastical novelists,<238> after the strange and frantic attempt of Hacket and his fellows.<239>

            Which practice, though the branches thereof were easily cut off, yet was it thought to have a more dangerous and secret root.

            But for these his travails, as the Queen and state favored him, so these "seditious sectaries," (to use Judge Popham's<240> word, that would not have them called puritans) they, I say, no lease maligned him in libels and rhymes, for they were void of reasons, laying the imputation of papistry unto him; and some of these were punished in the Star-chamber; namely, one Darling, the last Star-chamber day in Queen Elizabeth's time, was sharply censured. And it is no wonder, if they loved him not, for indeed he had stoutly opposed their chiefest darlings.

            As for the imputation of papistry, which they lay on all men that cross their designs, he is so free from it, that I can truly affirm, the greatest blow the papists received in all Q. Elizabeth's time, came from his hand, or at least from his head: for having wisely observed the emulation, and ambition, and envy, that lurked in the minds of their secular priests, and the Jesuits, one against another, he found the means, by the same policy, and with the like spirit, that St. Paul set the Pharisees against the Sadducees, to set the priests against the Jesuits, Watson<241> against Parsons, (impar congressus)<242> but yet thereby he so divided their languages, as scantly they can understand one another as yet.

            These things acted, before the King your father's happy entry, I thought good to touch, though more sparingly than my particular affection and his just deserts do give me occasion.—Of his late employments, of his great care in setting forward and setting forth all his Majesty's godly proceedings, though I know much, yet if I should say all I know, perhaps it is less than your Highness knows; therefore I will conclude with that, which the truth rather than my kindeness enforceth me to say,—that no bishop, since I can remember, hath been counted more vigilant in looking to his charge, ne quid Ecclesia detrimenti capiat.<243>

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