<519>The praises of a friend are partial or suspicious, of strangers uncertain and not judicious, of courtly persons complemental and mannerly, of learned and wise men more precious, of a prince most cordial and comfortable; but of an adversary, though often dangerous, yet never undeserved. What exceptions then can be taken to his just praises, whom friends commend, strangers admire, nobles embrace, the learned affect and imitate, his sovereigns have advanced, and even his enemy and emulous cannot choose but extol and approve. For Edmund Campion, (in his pamphlet of the ten reasons,<520> which the Catholics count an epitome of all their doctrine,) labouring to prove that the fathers were all papists, to give the uttermost credit he can to his assertion, saith, that Toby Matthews confessed to him so much, Pertentavimus (saith he) aliquando familiariter Tobiam Matheum, qui nunc in concionibus dominatur, quem propter bonus artes et virtutum semina dileximus: "We did once in familiar sort sound Toby Matthew's opinion, he that now domineers in your pulpits, whom, for his good learning and seeds of virtue, we esteemed," &c. This then is the testimonial of their champion, concerning his excellent gifts 27 years since. If this commendation were then due, as, indeed, except it had been very due, that pen would never have given it, what may we think of him now, that for preaching may say with St. Paul, "I have laboured more than ye all:" for reading lets no book pass, which, for author, matter, or wit, hath any fame; who hath so happy a memory that no occasion slips him, whether premeditate or sudden, either in public or private, to make use of that he had not read. But it is worth the hearing, which he answers to this calumniation, as well as commendation, which answer being in a long and Latin sermon, ad Clerum, I will not wrong so much to abbrevrate in this place, but only for that same point, Qui in concionibus dominatur?<521> his sharp and modest return I could not let pass, being but a line, neque enim nostrum ministerium est dominatio, neque dominatio ministerium; "For neither is our ministry any lordly authority, nor your lordly command a true ministry." But his reading, learning, preaching, is so well known to your Highness, as I do but lose labour in recounting either general or particular praises thereof. I will descend now to some personal matters, which though commonly they are more captious for the writer, yet are they withal more pleasing and acceptable to the reader. He was born of honest rather than honourable parents; in the city of Bristol, which city, standing in two counties, Somerset and Gloucester, might move both countries hereafter to challenge him for their countryman, (as divers cities of Greece did Homer,) if sometime himself would not clear it, by saying he is a Somersetshire man; or to write it as he speaks it, sportingly, a Zomeretshyre man. Showing a towardliness in his very infancy to learning, he was set very young to school at Wells; but over-running his schoolmasters' doctrine with his docility, went quickly to Oxford; yet ere he went, he had a marvellous misfortune; for even as if Satan had foreseen that he should one day prove some excellent instrument of his service that must bruise the serpents head, he forgat not to attempt his part, insidiari calcaneo,<522> procuring him, in a plain easy way, so terrible a fall, as broke his foot and small of his leg and ankle almost all to pieces. But if the strong man procured this harm, a stronger granted the remedy; for he was soon after so soundly cured, as there remained after no sign or scar, no effect or defect, either for sight or use, of this rupture. After his coming to Oxford, he took all his degrees, so ripe in learning, and so young in age, as was half a miracle. There it seems also the colleges strove for him, he removed so oft; till he rested in that for which he was ordained a principal vessel,—Christ Church. During his abode there, being dean of Christ Church, it was hard to say, whether he was more respected for his great learning, eloquence, authority, countenance given him by the Queen, and the great ones; or beloved for his sweet conversation, friendly disposition, bounty, that even then showed itself, and above all, in cheerful sharpness of wit, that so sauced all his words and behaviour, that well was he in the university that could be in the company of Toby Matthew; and this name grew so popular and plausible, that they thought it a derogation to their love, to add any title of Doctor or Dean to it; but if they spake of one of his men, (as he was ever very well attended,) they would say Mr... or Mr..., Toby Matthew's man; yea even since he was bishop and archbishop, some cannot leave that custom yet. Among some special men that enjoyed and joyed most in his friendship and company in Oxford, and in remembrance of it since they were sundered, was Doctor Eades, late dean of Worcester, one whose company I loved, as well as he loved his Toby Matthew. He, for their farewell upon his remove to Durham, intending first to go with him from Oxford but one day's journey, was so betrayed by the sweetness of his company and their old friendship, that he not only brought him to Durham, but, for a pleasant penance, wrote their whole journey in Latin verse; which poem himself gave to me, and told me so many pretty apothegms of theirs in their younger years, as might make a book almost by itself. And because I write only for your Highness' pleasure, I will hazard my Lord's displeasure, to repeat one or two of his, of one or two hundred that Doctor Eedes, when he lived, could remember. Being vice-chancellor in Oxford, some slight matters and men coming before him, one was very importunate to have them stay for his council:—"Who is of your council?" saith the vice-chancellor. Saith he, "Mr. Leasted." "Alas," said the vice-chancellor, "no man can stand you in less stead." "No remedy," saith the other, "necessity hath no law." "Indeed," quoth he, "no more I think hath your councillor." In a like matter another was to be bound in a bond very like to be forfeited, and came in haste to offer it, saying, "he would be bound, if he might be taken;"—"Yes," saith he, (Toby Matthew) "I think you will be taken; what's your name?"—"Cox," saith the party; (and so pressed as the manner is to come into the Court.) "Make him room there," said he, "let Cox come in." Such facetious passages as these, that are as delightful to the hearer as a fair course at tilt is to the beholders, where the staff breaks both at the point and counterbuff even to the hand: such, I say, a man might collect a volume of, not at the second hand but at the first, that had been so much in his company, and so oft at his board, as I have been, but that I must keep good manner; remembering the Greek proverb, μισω μνημονα συμποτην [Greek: Miso mnemona sympoten] odi memorem compotorem.<523> And if your Highness had a fancy to hear more of them, Mr. Davy Dromond can as well relate them as myself, both of us having met in his Grace's dish sometimes, and tasted of this sauce.

            Yet this kind of pleasantness that I repeat as one of his praises, himself will most seriously check in himself, sometime as his fault and infirmity, which he confesses he is enforced to use; sometime as a recreation of his wearied spirits, after more painful<97> and serious studies. And though in these conceits the wit might seem to labour as much as in the gravest, and had need to carry as it were a good bent to send them so smartly as they come ordinarily from him; yet methink it may be fitly compared to a bow that will endure bending the contrary way, and thereby come to cast the better in his right bent; or, by a more homely comparison, to a true and tough labourer in our country, that having sweat at hard labour all the week, asketh no better refreshing than to sweat as fast with dancing about the Maypole, or running at base,<524> or wrestling, upon the holyday. Wherefore let himself call it his fault, (as I have heard him oft,) and say that he knows such nugacity becomes not his place, and lament that nature and custom have so fram'd him, that when he ceases to be pleasant at his meat, he must cease to be. For my part, I speak frankly, I will love this fault in him if it be a fault, and be glad if I can follow it, having learnt an old rule of my mother-in-law,<525>

At meat be glad,
For sin be sad:

            and I will say hereafter for myself,

Haud metuam, si jam nequeo defendere crimen
Cum tanto commune viro:<526>

            Or, as upon no unlike occasion, I wrote ten years since to Dr. Eades.

Though Momus love men's lines and lives to scan,
He saith, he thinks me no dishonest man;
Yet one great fault of mine he oft rehearses,
Which is,—" I am too full of toys and verses:"
True, Momus, true, that is my fault I grant;
Yet when thou shalt thy greatest virtue vaunt,
I know some worthy sprites one may entice
To leave that greatest virtue, for this vice.

            But if any will be so stoical as to make this confession of my lord's grace (which is indeed of grace) to serve them for an accusation, to give him thereby the nick-name of Nugax,<527> given 500 years past to Radulphus, archbishop of Canterbury, and successor of the great Anselm, (as is noted in the Catalogue, p. 38,) I should think them unjust and undiscreet to stir up new emulation between Canterbury and York; but rather I might compare him with one of his own predecessors in Durham, Cuthbert Tunstall,<528> (p. 532 of the same book,) well worth the reading and remembering.<529>

            In the meantime let me allay their censorious moode with this verse:

Qui sic nugatur tractantem ut seria vincat,
Hic tractaturus seria quantus erat.

            But to draw to an end; I will tell one act of his of double piety, done not long since. He made a journey, accompanied with a troop fit for his calling, to Bristol, to see his mother, who was then living, but not able to travel to him. After much kindness showed unto her, and much bounty to the city, he went to visit his other mother of Oxford, and coming near the town with that troop of his retinue and friends to the water, it came into his mind how that time 40 year or more, he passed the same water, as a young poor scholar, going to Oxford; and remembering Jacob's words, In baculo meo transivi Jordanem istum, &c. "With my staff I passed over this Jordan";<530> and now I pass over again with these troops; he was so moved therewith, that he alighted from his horse, and going apart, with devout tears of joy and thankfulness, he kneeled down, and used some like words.

            It may seem pity that a man of so sweet and mild disposition should have any cross, but he that sends them knows what is best for his. He hath had one great domestical cross, though he bears it wisely; not in his wife, for she is the best reported and reputed of her sort I think in England, and they live together by St. Paul's rule, utentes hoc mundo tanquam non utentes; "using the world as if they used it not:"<531> but I mean such a cross as David had in his son Absolom; for though he gave both consent and commission to prosecute him, yet nature overcame displeasure, and forced him to cry, "Absolom, my son, my son, I would I might suffer for thee, or in thy stead, my son, my son."<532> For indeed this son of his, whom he and his friends give over for lost, (yea worse than lost,) was likely for learning, for memory, for sharpness of wit, and sweetness of behaviour to have proved another Toby Matthew; neither is his case so desperate, but that if he would believe Matthew better than Toby, I would think yet there were hope to reclaim him.<533>

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