A Chronicle of the Kings of England from the Time of the Roman Government, Regnal history 17 · Part 3
Affayres of the Church in his time.
THe King as a Religious Prince, desiring nothing so much as to settle Peace in the Church, and hearing of some dissensions of his Divines in points of Religion, in the very first yeare of his Raigne, appointed a Conference to bee holden before himselfe at Hamp…on Court, to which were called diverse Bishops, Deanes, and Doctors of one side, and of the other, foure eminent Divines; namely, Doctor Reynolds, Doctor Sparkes, Mr. Knewstabbs, and Mr. Chadderton: who all meeting before the King the 14 day of Ianuary: the King first signified, the cause of his calling them together, and then told them he was there ready to heare, what they could object or say against the present Government of the Church, whereupon Doctor Reynolds being their Foreman, redu…ed all matters disliked, or questioned to these foure Heads.
1. First that the doctrine of the Church might be preserved in purity, acco… ding to Gods Word.
2. That good Pastours might be plan…ed in all Church…s to preach the same.
3. That the Church Government might be sincerely administred, according to the Word of God.
4. That the Book of Common Prayer might be fitted to more encrea…e of Piety.
Out of these Heads, he drew and moved divers points: One that Confirmation might not be by Bishops only, but that every Pastour in his Parish might Confirme, but this was thought to trench too much upon the Iurisdiction of Bi…hop…, and to be a step to bring in a Presbiterian government, which the King much misliked, and the Bishop of Winchester challenged Dr. Reynolds with a… his learning to shew, where ever he had read, that Confirmation was at a… used in antient times, by any other than by Bishops. Another motion of Doc…o… Reynolds was; That there might be a new Translation of the Bible beca…se the present page missing page missing page missing from sevenscore to two hundred, so he increased their Pensions, from two shillings a day, for three moneths in the summer, to seven groats a day for six moneths in the summer. Then, where at his comming, he found but only foure Iudges in the Courts of Law at Westminster, hee added a fifth, with the like allowance as the former had; besides many other Pensions of like nature. But the works of Piety done by others in his time, were very many: whereof we may justly set in the first place, the repairing of Pauls Church, begun in his time, though not finished till many yeares after; a worke of as great cost and labour, as the first founding it: towards the furtherance whereof, though many well devoted persons contributed liberally: yet none was more industrious, than the learned Doctor Laud, first Bishop of London, and after Arch-bishop of Canterburie; who also was a bountifull Benefactor to the Colledge of Saint Iohns in Oxford, where he had his Education. Next to him his Predecessor next before him, the worthy George Abbot, Arch-Bishop of Canterburie, founded a faire Almes-house at Croydon in Surrie: as likewise Robert the second Earle of Dorset, founded another in Sussex; to the maintenance whereof, hee gave Lands to the value of three hundred pounds a yeare. But of all the Almes-houses that were ever founded in Christendome, there is none I thinke can parallell that of Thomas Sutton Esquire. This man borne at Snayth in Lincoln-shire, having alwayes lived a Batchelour, and by sundrie imployments, and parcimony, being growne to great wealth, bought of the right Honourable, Thomas Earle of Suffolk, his Mansion house, called the Charter-house, neare to Smithfield in London, and out of a pious mind converted it into an Almes-house, by the name of Suttons Hospitall, endousing the same with above three thousand pounds of yearely rent: wherein are maintained fourescore poore men, with convenient lodging, dyet, and allowance of money for apparell: also forty poore children with the like provision, and a Grammer Schoole, with a Master and Vsher to teach them: overall whom, hee ordained a learned man to bee Master of the houshold, and to be chosen by the Governours, whom he appoynted for the present, by the Authority of the Kings Letters Patents, to be George, Arch-Bishop of Canterburie, Thomas Lord Elsmore, Lord Chancellour, Robert Earle of Salisburie Lord Treasurer, Iohn Bishop of London, La…ncel…t Bishop of Ely, Sir Edward Cook, chiefe Iustice of the Common Pl…as, Sir Thomas Foster, a Iudge of the Common Pleas, Sir Henrie Hubbard the Kings Atturney generall, Doctor Overall Deane of Pauls, Doctor Mountaine Deane of W…stminster, Henrie Thursby Esquire, Master of the Chancerie, Richard Sutton Esquire, Auditor of the Imprests, Ieff…rie Nightingall Esquire, Iohn Low Gentleman, Thomas Browne Gentleman, and Master of the Houshold for the time being, to bee alwayes one: and as any of these six…eene Governours should dye, the Survivers to make present addition of others. Next to this, was a faire Colledge in Oxford founded by Nicholas Wilbe Esquire, and called after his name. About this time also Edward Allin of Dulwich in Surrie, founded a faire Hospitall at Dulwich for six poore men, and six poor women, and for twelve poore children, from the age of foure or six yeares, to be there maintained and taught till the age of foureteen or sixteen, and to have a Schoolemaster with dyet, and a convenient stipend. This man may be an example, who having gotten his wealth by Stage-playing, converted it to this pious use… not without a kind of repu…ation to the Society of Players. In this Kings time also, William Cambden, King at Armes, founded an Historie Professor in Oxford, to which hee gave the Mannor of Bexley in Kent, which some yeares expired, will be worth foure hundred pounds a yeare. In his tenth yeare, Sir Baptist Hicks, one of the Iustices of Peace in Middlesex, who was after made Viscount C…bden, built a faire Sessions house of Brick and Stone in St. Iohns street, which by the Iustices was called after his name, Hicks Hall, a great convenience for the Iustices; who sate before in a common Inne, called the Castle. Hee also founded a faire Hospitall of Free stone at Cambden in Gloucester-shire, for six men and six wowomen, allowing each of them a yearely Gowne, and two shillings six pence a week, with two roomes and a garden. In this Kings time, George Patyn Citizen and Grocer of London, gave to good uses, three thousand an six hundred pounds, whereof twelve hundred pounds to the two Vniversities, nine hundred pounds for an Almes-house, and a certaine summe of money to buy two Bells, and make a Chime in Bow-Church. Also Thomas Teasdale of Glympton in the Countie of Oxford Gentleman, gave five thousand pounds to purchase lands, for perpetuall maintenance of seven fellowes, and Six Scholars, to be placed in Baylyoll Colledge in Oxford, and to be chosen thither from time to time, out of the Free-Schoole of Abbington in Berk-shire: to which Schoole he also gave lands for maintenance of an Vsher. In this Kings time also, Sir Mermaduke Darrell, being Lord of Fulmer, a Town in Buckingham shire, where was an old ruinous Church, standing a mile distant from the Towne, pulled downe that old Church, and at his owne charge builded a faire new one in the Towne, and furnished it with a Font, a Pulpit, and all Ornaments necessarie. Also Thomas Watson of Halstead, in the County of Kent, Esquire, new builded a faire Chappell, on the North side of the parish Church of Halstead, of Freestone from the ground, and gave to the Church foure new Bells, and two Pulpits. In his time also Doctor Aylmer Bishop of London, and Elizabeth Countesse Doweger of Shrewesburie, gave certaine summes of money towards the better maintenance of Sermons hereafter at Pauls Crosse: As likewise Thomas Russell Draper gave ten pounds a yeare for ever, to be given to unbeneficed Ministers, that should preach there: and to the same use, George Bishop Stationer of London, gave ten pounds a yeare more. In this Kings time also, the Citizens of London new builded Algate, where pulling downe the old Gate, they found many ancient R…ma… Coynes.
On the fi…een…h of Iune, 1614. dyed Henrie Earle of Northampton, who built from the ground a house neare Charing-Crosse; and dying, was buried in the an…ient Chapp…ll of Dov…r Castle, who in his life time founded three faire Hospit…lls, and endowed them with large maintenance for ever, one at Rysing in Norfolke for twelve poore women, and a Governesse, a second at Clun in Shr…p-shire, for twelve poore men and a Governour… The third at Greenwich in …ent, for a Governour, and twenty poore Almes-men. In this Kings time also, Master Robert Dowes of London Merchant Tayler, give a competant maintenance for ever, unto Sepulchers parish, for the tolling of the great Bell, and for finding some Devine to come to the prison of New-ga…e, the mid-night before Execution, and there to ring a hand Bell, and put the prisoners in mind of their approaching death, with a Christian remembrance and exhortation; and the next morning to toll the great Bell, from sixe a Clock till ten, and then to ring it out when the Execution should be past. He also established a free singing Schoole, in Christs Hospitall: for the better education of the poore children there… besides many other good deeds of Almes. About the same time, Robert Peake of London Gold-smith, gave to Sepulchers Church a Communion Table of two yards long, and three quarters and a halfe broad, richly guilded over, and at every corner imbost with pla…es of silver. In this Kings foureteenth yeare, William Iones of London Merchant, gave about eight thousand pounds to found a Free-Schoole in Wal…s, where he was born, with Almes-houses and Pensioner… in London: and a hundred pounds a yeare for ever to a learned Preacher in London: ord…yning all things to bee ordered by the Company of Haberdashers, whereof himselfe was free. This yeare also the old ruinous gate, called Aldersgat… was q…ite taken downe, and new builded from the foundation, to…wa…ds the b…ing whereof, William Par…et, Merchant Taylor of London, gave a thousand pounds. In this Kings time also, was erected a building neare to Chels…y … with a purpose to be a Colledge for Devines to study the Controversies of Religion: but upon the second thoughts, the Cage indeed stands finished, but … Birds have ever yet beene brought to sing in it; and perhaps never will. If any other deeds of Almes, or publike benefit were done in this Kings time, as perhaps there were many, the Reader may be pleased both here and in other Kings Reignes… to adde them, as hee meets with them: for partly to this end, I have digested this Chronicle into such severall Heads and Chapters.