Common Places, Letters · Letter 46 – Letter 49
To Peter Sturmius. 48.
RIght reuerend ſir, foraſmuch as I am not ignorant that wiſe and learned men doe verie well allowe that ſentence of Cicero which he wrote vntounto Curio, namely that it is the part of a franke heart to deſire to bee excéedingly beholding to him to whom he is alreadie much beholding: therefore coueting to hauehave a liberall heart, and hating the contrarie, I deſire alſo to bée excéedingly beholding vntounto you, ſince I hauehave bin much beholding before not onelyonly to you, but alſo vntounto your moſt deare beloued brother Iames a famous and ſingular patron of godlineſſe and learning. And therefore being deſirous to ſatiſfie (I hope) my honeſt deſire, I craue ſomewhat boldly of you that you will not refuſe to inlarge my debt vntounto you by a certaine newe benefite. The which is, that with ſuch authoritie as you hauehave you will vouchſafe to protect Doctor Zanchus, ſo far foorth as trueth and iuſtice will permit: otherwiſe I ſhoulde be verie impudent, if I woulde require any thing (eſpecially of you) which any maner of waie is againſt theſe vertues. And in this reſpect doe I deſire this, becauſe manie young men of Zuricke, which for learnings ſake hauehave liued for a time in Strasborough, hauehave returned hither a fewe dayes ſince: of whom I vnderſtand that this man (whom I hauehave alwayes accounted both godlie and verie well learned, and theſe xxv. yéeres at the leaſt hauehave helde for the moſt deare friend) is nowe ſo greatly preſſed with ſlaunders and accuſations as he ſtandeth in ieopardie of all his good eſtimation. For it is reported that his function of teaching, is either nowe taken vtterly from him, or at the the leaſt wiſe forbidden him for a time. This to tell you the trueth, for ſo much as I ſo greatlie eſtéeme him, I take verie grieuouſly. And ſince it cannot ſinke into my minde, that ye being of ſo great wiſedome and gentleneſſe as ye are, you would hauehave deſcended into ſo harde and extreme remedies, except verie great neceſſitie had conſtrained: and againe I cannot perſwade my ſelfe, that ſo ſingular a man coulde tranſlate his minde from the ſyncere doctrine, which he alwayes embraced, vntounto ſtraunge and wicked opinions. Wherefore I knowe not whither to turne mée, or what to imagine, vnleſſe perhaps there be ſome other third matter from whence ſo bitter an accuſation of this man did begin: and that is the enuie of thoſe that ſtriue to excell him (I will not ſay his ill willers) where through it may come to paſſe that he ſtriueth for the right, as it is woont otherwhile to happen vntounto thoſe men that be ſtraungers, eſpeciallie when they excell in any indeuour and learning, and that there happen in the meane while, any diuerſitie of iudgement and opinion. For this cauſe am I herein perſwaded to pray and beſéeche you for godlineſſe and iuſtice ſake, (which two things are verie deare vntounto you), that his cauſe maie not be left vndiſcided, but bée verie diligently examined that the man, who is godlie and of great learning, bee not oppreſſed by the partiall iudgements & power of men in fauour. And as touching his doctrine, while I was yet at Strasborough, hée conferred diuers times with mée, yea and that verie fréelie and friendly, & thoſe things which he ſpake, I did héedefully and diligently marke: and I perceiued that of predeſtination and diuine election, of the perſeuerance of Saintes in the faith, and of taking vppon vsus Chriſtian profeſſion, of frée will, of the cauſe of ſinne, and ſuch like queſtions, which I nowe heare to be laide againſt him: he was of no other iudgement than the holie Scriptures doe ſet foorth, than Auguſtine doeth teach, and then Luther and Bucer hauehave written. Wherefore the matter muſt bée well conſidered, leaſt by condemning of him, you ſéeme to diſallowe thoſe opinions, which, at another time, in your Church and ſchoole ye hauehave iudged to bée ſound, godly & firme. Let I beſéeche you one eare bee kept for him that he be not condemned till he be diligently and throughly heard. Furthermore what the opinions of your Church were, in the good and firſt times that the Goſpell reuiued, yee may aſke of the elder ſort of your miniſters. This aſſuredly I am able to affirme, that our Zanchus hath alwaies bin a verie diligent obſeruer of the doctrine of Bucer, the moſt excellent Diuine of our Age: and hath bin of the minde that ſo long as he did treade in the ſteppes of his doctrine, and followe the thréed of his Ariadne in the Labyrinth of the greateſt queſtions, he ſhoulde be profitable and very much welcome both to this Church and Schoole. But if that nowe the face of the Churche and forme of doctrine in ſome things (howe iuſtlie or howe vniuſtly I will not ſay) be changed, I woulde not hauehave this to bee imputed to Zanchus fault or to his cauſe. And therefore I had rather that this matter were debated by ſpéedie counſell and by a quiet and peaceable diſputation, than by promiſed reaſons, and a number of dilatorie pleas and accuſations. Againe as concerning the man, this (right woorthie Sir) would I hauehave you to conſider in your minde that he is of ſuch learning and of ſo graue yéeres, that he may bring verie much profite to the Churches and Schooles, the hope whereof will vtterly periſhe, if he ſhall bée diſcredited by your ſentence and ill opinion of him. For an vniuſt blemiſh eſpecially if it come by your Cenſure cannot eaſilie be blotted out. Howbeit (as you are wiſe and godlie) this I truſt will not come to paſſe: yet I thought good to giuegive him great cōmendation to ſhew, yt in helping of him, I ſuppoſe iuſtice is not ſhunned, but contrariwiſe ye neceſſitie of Churches, (yt which in this our age hauehave an incredible want of good teachers and Miniſters) is no ſmall deale relieued. Beſides this I thought good to ſignifie vntounto you that the courteſie & fauour which you ſhall ſhewe vntounto him, I account it to bee doone to mine owne ſelfe. Fare you well worſhipfull Sir who is euen a pillar of the Senate of Strasborough: God kéepe you manie yéeres ſafe and in health to the profite of the Churche and Common weale: and vouchſafe by your prudent moderation to aſſwage the floudes of this trouble. From Zuricke the 13. of Aprill, 1561.
To the reuerende Father in Chriſt Iohn Parkhurſt by the grace of God Biſhop of Norwich his very good Lorde. 49.
I Will not write at large Right reuerende Prelate becauſe the manifolde buſineſſe wherewith I am preſſed, doeth ſuffer me to hauehave verie ſmall leaſure. Yet thus much will I ſignifie, that your letters deliuered me by Iulius were for many cauſes verie acceptable. Howbeit it did not a little gréeue me, that I vnderſtand for both your letters you onlie receaued one of mine, whereas I am aſſured that I wrote an aunſwere vntounto both of yours. But what ſhall I here doe? Letters doe oftentimes either ſtray or elſe by the negligence of them whoſe care ſhoulde hauehave béene to ſende them thither lie vnoccupied in ſome coffer or deſke. Which thing ſometime happened both vntounto my letters, and to the Letters of our reuerende friende Maiſter Iewell. Wherefore I heartilie deſire you that you will not thinke anie ſuch thing to be doone vppon contempt, ſince, as méete it is, I reuerence and honour your Lordſhip verie much. I would to God I had once occaſion to make the ſame manifeſt. Nowe that which I can I doe, Peter Martyrs dialogue againſt the vbiquitie of Brentius.I ſende vntounto you the Dialogue which I wrote againſt the vbiquitie of Brentius. For a few monethes paſt hée ſet foorth a little booke, wherein he indeuoureth to defende with all his power that monſterous opinion. Wheruppon I was here required of the brethren that I woulde aunſwere him: which thing as I coulde I hauehave doone. Howbeit you right reuerende Prelate together with other learned men ſhall iudge howe throughlie I hauehave performed it. Pantachus in the Dialogue ſuſtaineth the perſon of Brentius, and Orothetes of mee. Nowe when I am an olde man and might iuſtlie be diſcharged: my labours are increaſed, and I am called into France to deale in conference as touching religion. Safe conduct is brought hither in the name of the king and of the Quéene mother, both ſubſcribed and ſealed. And through the letters of ye king of Nauarre, I am called with great intreatie, ſo as it hardlie ſéemes that my iourney can be differred. And ſéeing the matter is great and full of daunger, I heartilie deſire your Lordſhip that ye will commende the ſame and my ſelfe earneſtlie in your prayers vntounto God. Further I giuegive you moſt great thankes for your ſo gentle and louing intertayning of Iulius. Truelie hee declareth manie thinges of your couteſie which in verie déede are not onelie beléeued of mee, but thoſe thinges which of your goodneſſe you hauehave doone vntounto him, I make account of them to be done vntounto my ſelfe: And I beſéech God that he wil long preſerue you in health amongſt vsus. Fare well right reuerende Prelate. I beſéech you louelove mee ſtill as you do. My Wife heartilie ſaluteth you, and both of vsus together ſende you louing ſalutations. From Tigure the 23. daie of Auguſt. 1561.
To Maiſter Iohn Caluin. 50.
ALbeit right excellent man, Our Beza will in his owne perſon ſhewe you all things which are here doone with vsus in that matter for the which he came: yet did I thinke good not to let him paſſe from hence without my letters, whereby I might partlie ſalute you, and parlie alſo ſignifie of howe ready and willing a minde I am to obaie the deſires of the Frenchchurches. Trulie, I will neuer refuſe anie labours, nor anie perils in ſo notable a cauſe. God which is the fountayne & original of all good things vouchſafe to proſper our enterpriſe. In the meane time aſſure you your ſelfe of me in all thinges which are in my power to do. Fare well my good friende. God long preſerue you in ſafetie, and bleſſe your godlie labours. From Zuricke the 13. of Iulie. 1561. I pray you ſalute my Lorde Marques.
To Maiſter Iohn Caluin. 51.
THe Kinges Ambaſſadour, a very noble man, hath found the meanes that the French Kinges ſafeconducte is brought hither: which whē I had read, I iudged it to be ſtrong & ſufficient enough. Bullinger ſhewed the ſame to both the Conſuls: who aunſwered that they thought the matter was nowe delt in good earneſt: but they thinke not yt as yet anie thing is to be determined of the iourney, vntil of this matter ſomwhat be written out of France: which alſo I perceiued to be your iudgement, by thoſe things which you wrote vntounto me. But as touching me, I continue in the ſame minde and will which I proteſted here to our louing brother Beza, and which I ſignified vntounto you by my laſt letters. I chaunge not my mind: but I promiſe, that in this matter I will by the grace of God, doe whatſoeuer lieth in mee and I will protract no time ſo ſoone as euer I ſhall be diſmiſſed. I giuegive you moſt heartie thankes for the bookes. I hauehave not yet read them becauſe of my buſineſſe: Howbeit I doubt not but that they ſmell of the ſtore-houſe of your goodneſſe and learning. The letters which you verie prouidentlie wrote vntounto the king, both we hauehave reade and doe alſo verie well like of them. And doubt you not, but we will take great héede that neither they be ſpread abroad, nor yet that they goe farre from me. Bullinger and the other fellowe miniſters ſalute you. God long preſerue you my good friende in health, and richlie bleſſe your labours. From Zuricke the 13. of Auguſt. 1561.