Of this bishopric may be observed that which I think happened to no other in all Queen Elizabeth's reign, that from the first year of her entrance (what time she made them all new) she never after gave this bishopric but once, and that was to Doctor William Overton,<337> the 21st year of her reign, he being then of good years; so as one may probably conjecture, that he honoured his parents well, because he hath the blessing promised to such, viz. that his "days have been long in the land."<338> I can make no special relation concerning him, but the general speech as I have travelled through the country, which is not to be contemned; for, vox populi, vox Dei est.<339> Two special things are commended in him, which very few bishops are praised for in this age: one that he keepth good hospitality for the poor; the other, that he keepeth his houses in good reparation. Both which I have seldom heard a married bishop commended for; and I will be bold to add this further, that if they would do both these, I think no man would take exceptions either for their marriage or bigamy. The churches also are very well kept; and for those of Coventry, they are of parish churches the fairest I have seen; though (as I partly noted before) they have had sometimes another kind of superintendency, for the bishop keeps most at Lichfield.

            The pavement of Coventry church is almost all tombstones, and some very ancient; but there came a zealous fellow with a counterfeit commission, that, for avoiding of superstition, hath not left one penny-worth, nor one penny-breadth of brass upon the tombs, of all the inscriptions, which had been many and costly.

            Further, I note this, that whereas in bishop Langton's time there were many parks belonging to this see, in which the prince committed some disorder in the time of Edw. I., now it is much altered, for he hath not past two, the rest being perhaps turned to pastures, and the deer into tamer beasts.

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