Though Doctor Guest succeeded Bishop Jewell, and my author makes him a good writer, yet he shall not be my guest in this discourse, having nothing to entertain him with, or rather your Highness with, in reading of him. But how his successor, Dr. Coldwell,<347> of a physician became a bishop, I have heard by more than a good many, (as they say) and I will briefly handle it, and as tenderly as I can, bearing myself equal between the living and the dead. I touched before how this church had surfeited of a capon, which lying heavy in her stomach, it may be thought she had some need of a physician. But this man proved no good church physician. Had she been sick of a pleurisy, too much abounding with blood as in ages past, then such bleeding physic perhaps might have done it no harm. Now inclining rather to a consumption: to let it bleed afresh at so large a vein, was almost enough to draw out the very life-blood; (your Highness will pardon my physic metaphors, because I have lately looked over my Schola Salerni<348>) I protest I am far from any desire to deface the dead undeservedly, and as far from any fancy to insult on the misfortunes of the living uncivilly; and in my particular, the dead man I speak of never hurt me, and the living man I shall speak of hath done me some kindnes; yetthe manifest judgments of God on both of them I may not pass over with silence.

            And to speak first of the Knight<349> that carried the spolia opima<350> of this bishopric; having gotten Sherborne castle, park, and parsonage; he was in those days in so great favour with the Queen, as I may boldly say, that with less suit than he was fain to make to her ere he could perfect this his purchase, and with less money than he bestowed in Sherborne, in building and buying out leases and in drawing the river through rocks into his garden, he might have very justly, and without offence, of church or state, have compassed a much better purchase.

            Also, if I have been truly informed, he had a presage before he first attempted it, that did foreshow it would turn to his ruin, and might have kept him from meddling with it, si mens non læva fuisset;<351> for as he was riding post between Plymouth and the court, as many times he did upon no small employments, this castle being right in the way, he cast such an eye upon it as Ahab did upon Naboth's vineyard; and once above the rest, being talking of it, of the commodiousness of the place, of the strength of the seat, and how easily it might be got from the bishopric; suddenly, over and over came his horse, that his very face, which was then thought a very good face, plowed up the earth where he fell. This fall was ominous; I make no question, as the like was observed in the Lord Hastings,<352> and before him in others; and himself was apt enough to construe it so; but his brother Adrian<353> would needs have him interpret it not as a courtier but as a conqueror, that it presaged the quiet possession of it. And accordingly for the present that fell out, he got it with much labour; and travail, and cost, and envy, and obloquies to him and his heirs, habendum et tenendum,<354> but ere it came fully to gaudendum, see what became of him.—In the public joy and jubile of the whole realm, when favour and peace and pardon was offered even to offenders, he that in wit, and wealth, and courage was inferior to few, fell suddenly. (I cannot tell how) into such a downfall of despair as his greatest enemy could not have wished him so much harm as he would have done himself. Can any man he so wilful blind, as not to see and to say, digitus Dei est hic, "that it is Gods doing," and his judgement; which appears yet also more plain by the sequel. For by St. Augustine's rule, when adversity breeds amendment, then it is a sign it is of God's sending, who would not have our correction turn to our confusion: So happened it to this knight, being condemned to die, yet God (in whose hand is the heart of the king,) put into his merciful mind against man's expectation to save his life; and since, by the suit of his faithful wife, both to preserve his estate, and to ease his restraint in such sort, as many that are at liberty taste not greater comforts than he doth in prison, being not barred of those companions (I mean books) that he may and perhaps doth take more true comfort of, than ever he took of his courtly companions in his chiefest bravery. Neither is he without hope, that upon his true repentance, God may yet add further, to incline his Majesty (ere 7 times go over his head) to restore him to a full liberty.

            Now to return to the bishop that was the second party delinquent, in this petty larceny, or rather plain sacrilege. What was his purpose? To make himself rich by making his see poor? Attained he his purpose herein? Nothing less: no bishop of Sarum since the conquest died so notoriously in debt: his friends glad to bury him suddenly and secretly, sine Lux, sine Crux, sine Clenco, as the old by-word is, being, for haste belike, clapped into Bishop Wivill's grave, that even at the resurrection, he may be ready to accuse him and say, "I recovered Sherborne from a King, when it had been wrongfully detained 200 year, and thou didst betray it to a knight, after it had been quietly possessed other 200 year." Some might imagine this a presage that Sherborne may one day revert again to the bishopric. But there is a sign in hydromancy<355> against it. For in digging the grave (for all the haste was made) so great a spring broke into it, as filled it all with water, and quite washed away the presage; so as the dead bishop was drowned before he could be buried, and according to his name laid in cold well before he was covered with the cold earth.

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