To Princess Elizabeth, Letter 2
To the worſhypfull and learned, the Vicechauncelour, and others the gouernours of learning-houſes in the Vniuerſitie of Oxeforde.
LFarned Fathers, you know that I put foorth ſundry defences of my doctrine, touching the harmonie of Scripture, to cleare my booke which I wrote to her Maieſtie: that I might proue my ſelfe not vnaduiſed, in offering that doctrine to her Highnes: but carefull of duetie to the Church and ſtate. And God is my iudge, that I had deſire and hope therein, to hauehave aduanced not a litle the knowledge of Chriſt, the peace of the Church, and honour of all humane good learning. My defenſes I hope, proue my cauſe to be ſounde. And not onelyonly that, but a more playne dealing vſed, then I hauehave founde from your Studentes. I wyll touch what I wrote: and your mens iniuries: and require your cenſure. Firſt the treatiſe of Mardochai, wrytten without open noting any perticuler aduerſarie, proouing all Churches and Synagoges, and the natiue iudgement of all playne folke, to be of my ſyde, myght hauehave quietly appeaſed all ſtryfe, or hauehave dryuen all you to hauehave defended your owne cauſe. Moreouer I, though I ſtoode in poſſesſion of the ancient opinion, and by that onelyonly myght diſgrace the replyer, conſented to abyde arbitrement, which commonly would part ſtakes. Beſides, I chayned holy teſtimonies for the ſeruice of Shemeſh, vntounto that bleſſed ſeruice of redemption, that the cauſe myght match the Sunnes brightnes in the ſimpleſt ſight: and the ſpeach of eueryevery part appeare of one tenour in phraſe: that he which wold be tropique in one poynt, ſhould be guilty of threatning the lyke to all. Some learned ſtrangers, thought that paynes the beſt of mine. But ſome ſayd, that your D. diſdayned to anſwere that: being whole the expreſſe worde of God. Such reuerence holy Euthyphrones gaue Gods worde. Beſides, your D. affyrming, that there was not a Chronicle in the Bible, diſputed vponupon Abrabams tymes, and the Iudges, to proue them vncertayne. I marueyled what he ſhould meane to diſturbe the trueth, in that moſt famous place: where God vponupon Terahs death, bagan a new accumpt from Chriſtes promiſe. The Sunne differeth not more from the dimmeſt Starre, then that poynt differeth from obſcuritie. And the ancient Grekes ſaw it ſo wonderfull a matter, that Moſes ſhould tell of Terahs death, telling in the eight aboue onelyonly all their yeeres: that to hide the wonder, they put in eight tymes, and he dyed, S. Stephen and Philo in Abrahams peregrination might hauehave tolde your D. that antiquitie therein made no doubt. Neyther did euer any Englyſhe differ from me for S. Stephens wordes. For the Iudges times, my Booke woulde hauehave tolde him by perticuler accomptes, where S. Paul bringeth 18. ſtories to one worde: that no Virginalles were better in tune, then that harmonie of time: though your D. would needes be buſie with me for the ſeauen yeeres of Conqueſt, and the ſeauen Iubilees to Samuel: feauen Seauenties to Nebucadnezars warre, the ſeauenty of Captiuitie, and thence the ſeauen Seauenties. But for Abrahams Promiſe, I moſt labord to reforme him: that he might not preuayle to marre the two moſt heauenly Promiſes, and nobleſt ioyntes of all the Bible: that, and the other to Daniel. In a diſputation vponupon Melchizedek. I conueyed a redreſſe of his opinions: which becauſe ſome litle marked, afterwardes I graued in braſſe, by reaſon of ſome Pictures, a view of the whole Bible, freendly amending his breaches of all the buylding. This alſo being vnregarded, directly do I reproue your Studentes, as denying the Redemption by a ſtrong conſequent: who holde, that it fell not out in the time properly tolde: whereas men and Angels wyll holde, that otherwiſe it coulde not be from God: and the Iewes ſeeke no more colorable defence then to proue, that the proper time cannot be proued to agree with the prophecie. Therein alſo I founde your Studentes enemies to Gods trueth, as before: and bitter, becauſe I liken them to Nero, harping at their owne cities flames. Hearing of their rage againſt my cauſe, and mee for that, I wrote a ſmoth treatiſe of the whole time, with fuller handling of eueryevery ioynt, as though I had no aduerſary: with a Preface, telling what ſome others thought of him, whom yours do ſo much deſpiſe: thinking that among indifferent Athenians Eſchines muſt giuegive leaue to Demoſthenes, extreamely accuſed, to proue how for all his times, others woulde hauehave made him a garlande. Thus I hauehave tolde what, and why I hauehave printed. Now for the next poynt, I thinke it not amiſſe to call your Studentes dealinges to accompt, and to requeſt, what Chriſtian defence they can make, that the pleaſure which they tooke in ſpeaking againſt the trueth, and the defender, may be bitternes to them in hearing a recompence, I wyll not complayne what hinderances and griefes they wrought me: but call them to accompt barely, for bad dealing.
Firſt, your D. taught in his firſt ſpeach, that Papiſtes might hauehave helpe by my doctrine, Choroebus harnes, in his lecture Cxvj. where al our nation in the Geneua bible are of my minde: and from Choroebus his Olympiades are counted: and they ſhould be Choroebus harnes.
He confuteth mee for that which he no leſſe then I writeth: that the 490. yeeres are begunne from Cyrus firſt, and are complete at our Lordes death, and meaneth to finde me ſenſeleſſe: not opening to the worlde how through his. xii. monethes paynes, he confuteth himſelfe. Quo quid ſol vidit vnquam mir abiſius?
He confeſſed to mee, that he had not ſtudied theſe matters: yet tooke vponupon him to diſgrace me in abſence, making himſelfe accuſer and rudge.
He promiſed me to yeelde, yf he ſaw reaſons. When they are ſhewed, whoſe fault is it, yf he wyl not ſee?
You know that I charge him of ſtriuing agaynſt all men, art, and posſibility: that wyll not be diſproued.
A D. of yours tolde him thus when I was in Germany 1590. Inibis paruam gratiam a Chriſtianis qui conatus es hanc prophetiam Danielis labefactare. Praeterea qui iſtic mos eſt in vebi in abſentem: ille cui contradicis iam eſt in media Germania. Adhaec vis aduerſari omnib. Nos omnes ſumus in eadem ſententia.
Any myght maruayle how euer he durſt confute a particuler man for the vniuerſall opinion: that in his xij. monethes gayneſaying, he can not bring one ſillable faultie againſte the graunt, and good of our preſent Religion, and Diuines. VVhether meaneth he to hauehave his aduerſaire and all the Realme ſenſeleſſe, that cannot marke this? All men know that he hath made many blaſpheme the trueth vnawares: who woulde rather die, then do ſo willingly. If in warres a man ſhoulde fight againſt them who hire him, and giuegive him autheritie: it would be looke vntounto. It is no more lawful in learnyng to confute all the learned, and learnyng of the prſent ſtate: and to do it by ſtealth, it cannot agree with the corage of a learned Chriſtian. VVhile the Sunne ſhyneth, herein he can not be defended.
Touching the pretence that antiquitie is of his ſide, a ſincere minde ſhould ſoone acknowledge, how that is turned againſt him. Thus it ſtandeta. 1500. yeeres writers are in the generall on his ſyde (ſauyng that all Ebrewes al their troupes, millions are againſt him) but olde Greekes & Latines are once with him, yet turned againſt him thus: 230. yeeres Iudab was vnderunder Perſia, ſaith antiquitie. Part the time, ſay I, by the Iewes common weale: on part from Iudahs returne, or the Perſians Monarchie, vntounto the building of the Temple by the 49000. returned. VVhat doth antiquitie make that time? 18. yeeres: very well, I wyll graunt that all, and 14. yeeres more. Now from thence to Alexander the great, the D. cannot complaine that I make it ſhorter then he doth: and therein antiquitie can helpe him nothing, where he moſt iuſtly doth damne it as in particuler other ſtories: antiquitie damneth the errour of it ſelfe. VVhy may not I do ſo? Now if I proue that antiquity al eueryevery one man that euer wrote vponupon ſome one ſufficient poynt, is of my ſide: what an iniurie is it to all the worlde, ſo to ſet a face vponupon defences damnyng of hym, VVhy woulde not he playnely tell at the firſt thus: 1500. yeeres wryters are with A. C. for the Temple, that 49000. men at the returne ſhoulde buylde it, as all the Talmudiſtes holde at 18. after the returne, and not 107. But yet he wyll confute all ancient preuayling opinions. An oratour of plaine dealing ſhould not enter an action againſt Cteſipho, where Demoſthenes commeth principall.
An other vnhumane par of this kinde he ſhewed, in ſaying, that in this phraſe Ezra filius Saraiae: the terme Filius, Sonne, deceaued me: where by him it ſhoulde be Abnepos: the fiſt from him. I pleade that I am ſure ſo it is: if it were not ſo, marke how he confuteth all the worlde: Hebrewes, all the millions that folow the Talmudiſtes in Aboth, and al their conſentes in Seder Olam, their common regiſter, and in Rambam, in their ſucceſions, and in Sepher Mitzuoth gadoloth: namely after them I archi, Abrabbaneel, Kimchi. None are to the contrary (but Zakuto forgetting himſelfe, for one diſcent.) Ierome is of the ſame minde: which thing your D. ſhoulde hauehave profeſſed: So be our learned men, Bullinger Pellican, Lauater, Lyra, and Stella, with the generall opinion of Rhomiſtes: and no Diuine of Englande, to my knowledge, euer was of any other mynde. But contrary all helde the fourth of Ezra a witty Booke, wherein Ezra (as borne where I ſet him) is a Prophet 30. after the burnyng of Ieruſalem. This was not fayre play, to blame all in deede, and pretende nouelty in one. As he talkyng of Ezra, ſayd, that I ſhould do wel to confeſſe my ouerſight: ſeeing he, not I, is ouerſcene, he ſhould remember, Patere legem quam ipſe tulenis: And to tell plainely, how all be againſt him. If Mercerus were aliue, who vponupon Aggai maketh Ezra ſonne to Saraias, he woulde maruel why any ſhoulde thinke otherwyſe. I aſked M. Fra. Iunius, whoſe ſonne he thought Ezra? He anſwered, who dare deny him to be ſonne to Saraias. Now the confesſion of M. Iunius is litle leſſe agaynſt your D. then his owne. And yfall antiquitie make Ezra lyue 50. yeeres more then the Perſians raigne: your D. wyl confeſſe, that by antiquitie my cauſe ſtandeth, and his falleth.
The vniuerſal conſent of the French, in their edition 1588. Is fully on my ſide, and expreſly, where Ezra is ſonne to Saraias vponupon I. Ch. 6. 14. relyed vponupon Filius Ezra 7. I. as I tooke it: whom all, he confuted, and agaynſt the ſame his hearers triumphed, when they ſought onelyonly my diſgrace. If none euer were of his mynde for vncertayntie in Daniels 490. agaynſt me, nor for Ezra, why am I onelyonly blamed? or what reuerence of men, do his wordes beare? And this one poynt (where al the worlde is on my ſide) Ebrewes al, Greekes al, Latines al, ouerthroweth al his Chronicle and ſtrife: and as he ouerturned al religion, in framing an vncertayntie for the Angels number: So when he feigneth Ezra abnepotem Saraiae: he might as wel giuegive a new Bible from his authority. S. Auguſtine ſayd that Ezra was borne in Captiuitie. And ſo he might: but begotten before, as poſthumus. And any tyme of the Captiuitie woulde ſerue my turne. But neuer any was towarde his minde.
VVhen the french heare that al their iudgement is diſgraced, their commending of Daniels 490. for a rare iewel, for the certaine time of our Lord his death: & likewiſe for Ezra, by one that brocheh a new opinion from his owne authority, pretending to confute one man, what wyl they ſay? Not Caluin only, and other wholly my partners, nor Iunius and Scaliger, onelyonly his partners once, but al the nation is of him confuted, and al nations of the earth. And I might turne ouer the cauſe to others, whoſe hand was in it before mine.
And for my learned friende I muſt needes confeſſe this much, that when he hath his owne ſide, and al the worlde ſtyl againſt him, and yet hopeth of a victorie, he hath a moſt valint courge. But I, as one In Homer, would wyſhe courage not to exceede ſafety. So for Mardochai al Churches, and natiue iudgement: for Daniel and Ezra, eueryevery ſeueral man is agaynſt him. Now it wylbe an hard demaunde, whether it were better to hauehave al Vniuerſities with Helice and Bura, or peſtered with Studentes, as M. Doctors hearers, who triumph that manifolde teſtimonies of all the worlde, brought to prooue the Sunnes ſeruice recorded vntounto the Redemption, hauehave bin confuted among them by their owne authoritie and courage? The Sonne neuer ſawe the lyke dealyng.
But tochyng your D. I woulde gladly ſhew him all reuerence, not hynderyng fayth.
Iniuries of his hearers muſt be recorded: whereof one Bacheler of D. meeting (1589) at Toceſter with one H. T. of London, and a Miniſter of Lancaſhire, who founde comfort by my paynes: that B. ſayd, Qur D. R. hath confuted all that Booke: yet he could tell no one thing, but ſayd, that he had that booke, and coulde vnderſtande nothing. How diuinely he pleaded ignorance in his owne language and profesſion, I let other iudge: yet he would be a Bacheler of diuinitie.
I wyll ioyne a late like part. M. Koph told, that of my Apologie all you D D. thought the ſame, How well, others know. If vntruly, you muſt blame him. Two of you, one in writing, the other in ſpeach ſent me, tell the contrary, that no one argument can be anſwered. If he hauehave a deſire to winn fame for reſiſtyng the hart of Religion Gabriels lampe of all Scripture, he muſt be cenſured as a Iulian or Lucian. But I hauehave ſome better hope of goodnes in the man, after that your D. publiſheth his recantation. And I truſt, he wyll regarde the common trueth, & Gods honour, more then his owne, Neuer any ſo diſgraced Gabriel, as his lectures do.
A like part, hurtfull not to me, but to your Scholers fame, I wyl here ioyne. At his readinges 1589. vponupon my going to Germany, by ſome of your young heades it was blazed ouer all London, Omnibus & lippis notum & tonſoribus, that your Doctors learned reading droue me away. A Damaſell put in Bridewell for refuſing our Churches aſſemblies, vponupon mention of my iudgement, could reply, that your D. droue me away. Yet I had ſent him worde afore by two of New Colledge, that if he were not foylde, I would neuer more handle penne: and a ſharper warning by M. Kennel, by which he made him make the tyme 490. yeeres, iuſt as I did, and daſh all his former paynes. VVoulde any of you take patiently ſch ſauage iniuries, as to abide opprobrious ſpeches, where the confuter proueth good, the cauſe of the confuted?
An other part no leſſe groſſe, or rather fully the part of a bad man, I can not omit. A. M. of art of your breede, being at London on Thames 1590. in a Bote with one M. A. Cot. and others, ſayd, that I had yeelded vntounto your D. for Mardochaj: that not he, but Kis was the captiued. Then one knowing the contrary, ſayd. Are not you aſhamed to behe one ſo, that the laſt weeke openly read with cleere reaſons to the contrary. Areye paſt ſhame? I hen ſayd the M. of his art: You in London ſpeake ill of M. D. R. and why ſhould not we of Oxford ſpeake ſo of M. B. Yf this muſt be ſo, I muſt requeſt all the graue of our nation, to admit neuer any Oxford teſimony againſt mee.
The lyke part of one ſpeaking to certaine Counſellers, when the Court was at Oxford, I put in print, how one of yours ſayd, that I was aſhamed of my cauſe, and yeelded vntounto your D. His eyes might hauehave tolde him, that I wrote otherwyſe to all Chriſtians, and ſpecially to ſome Honorable, in an other opinion. The like part a third man playde.
An other borne in Hereforde towne, of B. N. C. told one thence in Paules, that his hart reioyced to ſee how your D. flouted mee, as promiſing to lende my Rabbines, and after for feare, breaking promiſe. If your D. did ſo, this much I muſt tell him, That all who know both our ſtudies, wil ſay, that I hauehave ſpent more yeeres, then he hours in the principal Rabbines. It may be founde that neuer any Rabbine was of his minde for the cauſe then in ſtrife of Mardochaj, nor againſt mee. He deemed that he had the Chaldy Paraphraſt: by which he was moſt notably condemned: and thought that he had Aben Ezra, but was deceyued. By all argumentes that can be brought foorth from any Rabbine vponupon Scripture, or either Talmuds, I trow he ſhal finde his condemnation ſure. Iupiter and Mercurj might ſoner make Amphitryo and Soſia beleeue others to be them ſelues: then he make any from Rabbine recordes belecue Kis not Mardochaj to be of the Captiued. Floutyng from your men I can not ſtay: but I can ſhew to others, that they hauehave no more ſtay for trueth in theſe ſtudies, for the holy ſtory, then Vlyſſes ſhyp had ſtay in a tempeſt, when he knew not where ſtoode eaſt or weſt. I cannot abyde to ſloute, and I am ſory that your D. woulde be counted pleaſaunt that way. But for ſad trueth, the blinde may ſee all kindes of ſtudy turned agaynſt him, euen ſuch as in which he put al his truſt and confidence.
His fayth ſtayed vponupon Olympiades: and by them he woulde gather 560. yeeres preciſely. But they are turned agaynſt him: and Phlegon taketh part with my ſyde: in whom yf he reſt not, then I ſhew that Thallus, Caſtor, Phlegon, Timaeus, Philiſtus, Xenophon, Laertius, Africanus, Clemens, Triclinius, Soſigenes, Pamphila, Apollodorus, Plutarch, and ſuch, differ ſo exceedingly one from an other, and from them ſelues, hundrethes of yeeres for famous matters, touching Olympiades, that one myght wonder how your D. coulde miſſe, to ſee that by them Cyrus myght touch Iudas Machabeus: Aggai and Zachary goe afore Daniel and Ezekiel: and all heathen antiquities be brought vntounto an infinite Chaos. Likewyſe he myght hauehave ſeene how by prophane Greekes the Perſians myght be ſayd (in Clemens) to hauehave reigned 500. yeeres, or bare ten yeeres. He ſpent his tyme not in theſe ſtudies. And I commende his courage, that durſt prouoke one readier of youth in this tongue, then in any. He lytle looked that 50. of 80. in Erat…ſthenes accompt, cited by M. Ioſeph Scal. ſhould be cut off. For, twixt Cyrus & X erxes. He leſſe loked to hauehave all the worlde with Iude to proue this. Lykewyſe thence he marked not, that Iſocrates maketh Athens principality 25. ſhorter then Lycurgus doth: (Wherein I coulde wyſhe it to be no more ſhortened.) Nor marked how Athenianes, Andocides, and Aeſchines, recken for thoſe tymes 30. where Thucidides and Xenophon make but 14. Likewyſe Aeſchines ſcholerſhyp vnderunder Socrates, and his warfare vnderunder Alcibiades, and death after great Alexanders (the doubtful poynt) recorded from Demetrius Phalereus: this wyll make Lyſander neare Alexander, then Olympiades accompt about 30. yeeres, though ſome Olympiades proue the ſame: for K K. Philip & Mauſolus. The very ſame is holpen by Plutarch and Vlpian, by Lyſias: for if Lyſias were 63. before Athens fall, and a pleader for Iphicrates at Philip Macedons tyme, the diſtance can not be about 50. but rather leſſe then halfe. The Olympique fayth is fayne to deny the orations to be from Lyſias: as though Plutarch and Vlpian knew not the ſtyle of Lyſias. So yf the Angel had ſpoke nothyng, cunnyng humaniſtes myght hauehave ſeene the ſame ſpace from heathen. Aelianus that maketh Demetrius Phalereus to be ſeruant to Conon and Timotheus (Conons death being neare Lyſanders) and Phalereus ſeeing the 70. tranſlaters: this alſo would hauehave troubled your D. hope of a longer compt then the Angels from Heathen. Iſocrates agayne woulde reſiſt him, that telleth how Lacedemonan ruled Greece not 34. yeeres, but ten: though he touched not exactly Leuctra fall. But Polybius who telleth that by the 12. yeere they were at the loſſe of it, galleth the Olympiques. Athenaeus troubleth them ſomewhat, in whom Philip reigneth not 24. yeeres, but 20. And Clemes more, in whom Alexander by ſome is 12. yere, hygher then by others: that is neare Socrates. And agayne by Phalereus the ſame is playne, out of Reinecius, for if he liuing ſo long after great Alexander were ſcholefelow with Alcibiades brother, the ſpace betwixt Lyſander and Alexander, can hardly come neare halfe 70. The whole ſpeaches in the later Attique oratours talke in the ſame tenour of Conon, and the equals, as knowen well to ſome then alyue. Thus Grecia is with S. Matthew and S. Luke, in their ages: and not I, but your D.hath the new opinion. For ten by him muſt draw 527. yeeres in their ſuccesſions: the lyke where of ſince Dauids tyme, that is 2500. yeres, the Sunne neuer ſaw. I may not blame him agayne for callyng thoſe ten men the glory of all the earth, and rare argumentes for this cauſe, Obſcura ſydera. But this I may tell, that a diuine, M. I. I. bred at Cambridge, there in iudgement holden inferiour to none of yours, ſeeing in the countrey your Doctors booke of Lectures, was greeued to ſeetherin for thoſe ten men theſe wordes: Autoris Concentus obſcura ſydera. The man him ſelfe tolde mee: And gaue your diuines this prayſe, that they were indifferent iudges: and ſayd, that your D. was now out of his ſtudies. That, all the worlde may ſee, whom rancour blyndeth not. But how then wyll he be able to ſatisfie the Church, pretending trueth and antiquity, and defence of the ſetled opinion, diſturbyng all Englande, all Europe, and Aſia. May not I require that he be called to accompt, for what one ſyllable in my Booke for this matter, differing from others of our beſt he blameth me, and putteth me to priuate paynes and charges, for the deſence of the publique trueth? If the young ſtudent delyght in floutyng, let him ſee whoſe dealynges deſerueth that: your Doctors, myne, or his owne?
A graue Preacher dwelling betwixt Algate and Bow, gaue this cenſure: that your D. and one other D. wryting both contrary to them ſelues, and to the thirde that helde the true, beginnyng vponupon affection out-off their ſtudie, had made many Athieſtes. The man, yf partiality might ſerue, is knowen otherwiſe bent. Many hauehave ſayd ſince: What, ſhall we ſtudy the Bible, when ſo great Scholers cannot agree? And a Preacher of your breede, now teaching in London, ſeeing your D. confuted, ſayd, For two pence halfepeny he woulde be of eyther opinion: to ſuch a paſſe come your Diuines. They triumph at the firſt, as hauing caried away Burlyſpoyles, and ample laude: how one is by yours confuted, for endeuoring to proue, that God draweth vsus by the Sunnes Chronicle, vntounto the Sonnes iuſtice, contriuing all Libraries, all, playnely to this high poynt. When the matter is detected, that he confuted the trueth, himſelfe, and all the worlde: then a new peſtiferous errour is bred, that the matters are ſmall: though they be the harmony of all Scripture, and ioy of Chriſtianity. An other B. of D. of yours neare Lon. thanked God, that he neuer troubled his head with theſe matters: That is, why God vponupon Terahs death, leaueth to honour man with the Sunnes ourneys, and tyeth all to the promyſe of Chriſt: and what wiſedome Gabriel promiſed to teach Daniel. Belike yong diuines are in deepe myſteries, that can diſpiſe ſuch high poyntes.
But here I muſt needes pardon your young Students; whereas Preachers abroad, ſome not of your breede, fall to groſſe ſchiſme. A certaine learned man was to be preferred vntounto a charge, one that helde my ſtudies for the trueth of the frame of the Bible not vnprofitable. An aged graue Gentleman liked well to collate a place on him. Certayne that would be counted Preachers, deſirous of that which they call reformation, aboue al holyer knowledge, come to the Gentleman with greater heate then the Terentian Chremes came to Simo, charging the Gentleman in his conſcience, that the ſhoulde not prefer him, for the doctrine which he liked off. The gentleman aſked an olde great-learned man, what he thought of the doctrine, and of the man. He ſhewed how groſly the Preachers were deceaued. Becauſe of their calling, I wyll not lyken them to Alexander the Capper-ſmith: but I am ſure that Paul would abandon them. Olde M. Iohn More, preacher of Norwich, lately a neighbour of theirs, one in their zeale, but ſeaſoned better, no colder then they, & as great a ſtudent in the text Hebrew & Greke, as they knew any: he was of an other ſpirit, & diſdayned not to treade in eueryevery ſtep, where theſe men, like Paris of Homer ſhrunke, as if they had troden neare a Serpent. I know it to be farre from your D. minde, to pricke forwarde rumors in that kind. And I thinke that he is reſolued, how zeale (as Iewes proued) running afore knowledge, is the ruine of Religion: and knoweth tradeſinen, who be cunninger in the depht of the holy booke, then the common ſort of teachers: whoſe zeale medleth not beyond their owne boundes. I would not be thought to thinke, that your D. could fauour ſuch dealings: But becauſe they wil needes be ſhrowding vnderunder his winges, I thought good to warne of that. This euil ſowen by miſtaking your D. is like a Grangraena further growing. A Cambridge man that liueth in Eſſex a Scholmaſter and a Preacher, meeting with a Gentleman that knew from Geneſis to the Apocalyps, the frame of the Bible better thē he, was counſelled by that Gentleman to make a declaratio of chriſtianity, how in al ages it was cleere (before he trauelled to ſtir the ſimple vncertainly) and to make the people know the euerlaſting certainty of ſaluation, by Moſes, the Prophets, the Goſpel, and the Epiſtles. He anſwered, that ſome bookes of Scripture could neuer yet be vnderſtood: namely the Reuelation. The Gentleman vſing an inſtance from ſome for that, he ſayd, that your D. had confuted that paines: though he medled not with one worde. You may ſee what harme to himſelfe, and to the Church is wrought by his reading, being miſtaken, and miſreported. I could wiſh that he would eyther reuoke all his gain-ſayinges: as I charge him, that they be all iniurious & erronious: or print al his lectures, which I ſaw for the one halfe, an yeeres reading, that all might ſee what is in controuerſy.
Marke further infection of an other learned man: I know not whether he were bred amongſt you, a certaine Gentleman, whom I neuer ſaw, writeth to a friend of his from Dunſlei in Staffoideſhyre, to a Londoner thus: Dec. 20. 1592. I hearde not long ſince, a learned man, yet ignorant, and ouer ſwift in iudgement, diſprayſe this Booke (of Scripture Concent) as needeleſſe, and a ſuperfluous worke: of whom I demaunded, whether he did know it: or euer read it. His anſwere was, no. How can you giuegive iudgement then, ſayd I, of that you know not. He anſwered, that he heard ſo. Thus leauing the counſell of S. Iohn, which biddeth vsus try ſpirites, whether they be of God or no: ſuch fall into the curſe of the Lord, that call lyght darknes, and darknes lyght: that iudge good euyl and euyll good. Although he tooke himſelfe learned, I am ſure he was not able of his owne pregnant wit, ſo much as to reade ouer the booke in ſuch order as it requireth, without an inſtructer: much leſſe then to vnderunder ſtande the ſame, and the drift therien. The Gentleman that wrote this, fauoureth much your ſtudentes, and hearing of my iuſt griefes, wrote a requeſt to beare with the loſers. But when he perceiued the ſtrang dealinges of ſome from you, and ſauage barbarouſnes, he was of that mynde, that pitty may not marre the citie. VVhat ſome Doctors of Cambridge thought, I recorded. One being at London vponupon your Doctors firſt Antilogy, being aſked of a Londoner, what he thought of the Booke which your D. confuted, ſayd thus: The argument is as profitable, as could be choſen for this age. Then ſayd the Londoner: yf it be ſo, VVhy did none of you DD. or of the BB. take it in hande? Then ſayd he: The man who tooke it in hande knew, by reaſon of his ſtudies in the tongues, longer then any others, that he was ableſt to performe it. Truely, I woulde not for any preferment, hauehave troubled her Maieſtie with accepting any worke of mine, aboue all others in the kinde: in yeeres the youngeſt of dealers in ſo weighty affaires, vnleſſe I had thought my houres moſt of any in that ſtudy, and my ſelfe able to keepe our nation from all foyle for accepting my paynes. And I know that by that helpe, an other may ſee more into Scripture by a learned guide in few monethes, then I coulde before I founde the order, in ten yeeres. And acertaine Nobleman of my age tolde me, that he learned more in two houres by that helpe, with open ſpeach vponupon it, then by all his former paines. I hope you wyll beare with me: the cauſe is not now mine owne. And I may giuegive as good leaue to diſgrace the cauſe, as the defender. Pericles or Neſtor would do this vnprouoked. Iob. Moſes, and Paul, would in defence ſpeake of them ſelues. And as I made the cauſe from priuate by arbitrement to be publique, ſo I wyll enterlace here the teſtimony of a publique perſon. The Archbyſhop of C…terbury his grace, you know, was by both ſides choſen vmpire: you may ſoone know whether he thus cenſured, That neuer any humane paynes was of greater trauell and dexteritie, then againſt. 1500. yeeres errours, ſo to cleare the holy ſtory, as the booke of Concent hath done. Of what ſpirite then ſhal we holde Studentes, that cannot abide their owne Religion to go cleare forwarde, nor the publique teſtimonie, which ſtandeth as the Princes owne? I moſt humbly woulde intreate her Maieſtie to commaunde that a publique teſtimonie which might be knowen ouer the Realme, may paſſe betwixt ys. But now I deſire your goodnes to giuegive your teſtimony, eyther in print, or as you wil: whether I holde not the trueth, and hauehave bin more groſly iniuried▪ then euer any by any of a contrary religion. I hope all wyll ſo conclude, who reuerence learning, care for trueth, honour Scripture, and regarde Religion.
End of the text · Hugh Broughton, To Princess Elizabeth (1594)