The Marrow of Ecclesiastical History, Peter Boquine – Edmund Grindal
The Life of Peter Boquine, who died Anno Christi 1582.
PEter Boquinus was borne in Aquitane, His birth and education.and being in his youth brought up in learning, he entred into a Monastery at Biturg, where he was made the Prior, and was very much beloved of all the Convent. But it pleased God in the midst of all his riches and honours to discover the Truth to him,His Conversion and thereupon, after the example of Luther, Bucer, Oecolampadius and Peter Martyr, he resolved to leave all, and to follow Christ;Christ best of all. whose example divers of the Friers also followed; From thence he went toward Wittenberg, being very desirous to be acquainted with Luther, and Melancthon, whose fame was very great, and some of whose works he had met with, and read; and so travelling through Germany he came to Basil, He goes to Basil.where he wintered by reason of the Plague, very rife at that time in many Countries. There he diligently heard the Lectures of Myconius, Caralostadius, and Sebastian Munster.
Anno Christi 1542, from thence he went to Lipsich, where he stayed three weeks,He comes to Wittenburg. and so went to Wittenberg; Coming hither he had some converse with Luther, but more with Melancthon: And whilst he was there, Bucer sent to Melancthon to request him, to send an able man to Strasborough to supply Calvins place,He goes to Strasborough. who was now gone back to Geneva; whereupon Melancthon requested Boquine to goe thither, which he accordingly did, and began to read upon the Epistle to the Galatians. Shortly after Peter Martyr came thither also. But Bucer being sent for by the Arch-bishop of Collen, to assist him in the reformation of his Churches, Boquine finding that the Ecclesiasticall and Scholasticall affaires went but slowly forward in his absence, upon the request of his brother who was a Doctor of Divinity, and not altogether estranged from the Reformed Religion, he resolved to goe back into France, and so taking Basil in his way, he went to Geneva, His return… into France.where he heard Calvin preach, and had some speech with him, and from thence to Biturg, where he lived with his brother, the Doctor mentioned before; and when some hope began to appear that the Churches of France would be reformed, at the instigation of his brother, he began publickly to read Hebrew, and to expound the Scriptures.
About that time Francis King of France being dead, the Queen of Navar came into those parts about the marriage of her daughter, to whom Boquine went, and presented her with a book written with his own hand, about the necessity and use of the holy Scriptures, and her daughter with another, concerning our spiritual husband Jesus Christ; whereupon she took him into her Patronage, and allowed him a yearly stipend out of her treasury,He is made the Q. of Navars Chaplain. appointing him to preach a publick Lecture in the great Church in Biturg; Whereunto also the Arch-Bishop consented.
Shortly after the Queen of Navar dying, there succeeded to her King Henries sister, as in name and stock, so also in Doctrine and Piety not unlike her: Whereupon Boquine went and presented her with a book which he had written, De homine perfecto, which she took so gratefully, that she confirmed his former stipend to him; and he made use of that favour so long as he thought his labours were not unprofitable to the Church; but when he saw that there was no hope of any further Reformation in France, and that his enemies lay in wait for his life, he gave it over of his own accord. At that time he underwent the bitter hatred of some Friers, and other enemies of the truth,Popish malice. by whom his life was in great danger; For he was summoned to appear before the Parliament of Paris, and then before the Arch-Bishop of Biturg, where his life was sought; but God raised up some men to stand for him,Gods providence. whereby he was delivered from the present danger.
Then did he resolve to fly into England; but hearing of King Edwards death, he altered his purpose, and by the perswasion of a friend he resolved to returne to his people in Germany, and so accordingly, accompanied with two young men,His return to Strasborough; he went to Strasborough; and when he had scarce been there a month, it so fell out that the French Church in that place wanted a Pastor, and chose him to that office; yet for sundry reasons he refused to accept of it, till by the perswasion of John Sturmius, and some other friends, he was content to preach to them till they could provide them another. That place he discharged for about the space of four months, conflicting with many difficulties, and meeting with much trouble,His troubles. by reason of the improbity and perfidiousnesse of some: At the end of which time the Senat with the consent of the Church, appointed Peter Alexander to be their Pastor, and so Boquine was freed.
Anno Christi 1557.He goes to Heidleberg. he went from thence to Heidleberg, being sent for by Otho Henry, Prince Elector Palatine, who was about to reforme his Churches. There hee was made the Publick Professor of Theologie, and met with much opposition, and manifold contentions in that alteration,His patience which yet he bore with much prudence.
Anno Christi 1564. there was a disputation appointed at Malbourn for composing the great controversie about the ubiquity of Christs body: This was appointed by Frederick the third, Elector Palatine, and Christopher Duke of Wertemberg. To this meeting the Elector sent Boquine, Diller, Olevian, Dathen and Ursin; but very little fruit appeared of their labours, as the event shewed.
Boquin continued in Heidleberg about twenty years, under Otho and Frederick the third. But after that Princes death, An. Christi 1576, by reason of the prevalency of the Hetorodox party,He is driven from thence. he, with other Professorr, and Divines, was driven thence: and it pleased God that immediately hee was called to Lausanna, He is called to Lausanna.where he performed the part of a faithfull Pastor, so long as he lived.
Anno Christi 1582 on a Lords day he preached twice, and in the evening heard another Sermon, then supped chearfully, and after supper refreshed himself by walking abroad; then went to visit a sick friend, and whll'st he was conforting of him, he found his spirits to begin to sink in him, and running to his servant, he said unto him Pray; adding further, Lord receive my soul, His sudden death.and so he quietly departed in the Lord, Anno Christi, 1582.
The workes which he left behind him were these: Defensio ad calumnias Doctoris cujusdam Avii in Evangelii professores.His Works. Examen libri quem Heshusius inscripsit, De praesentia corporis Christi in caena domini. Theses de coena Domini. Exegesis divinae communicationis. Adsertio veteris, ac veri Christianismi adversus novum, & fictum Jesuitismum. Notatio praecipuarum causarum diuturnitatis controversiae de Coena Domini. Adsertio ritus frangendi & in manus sumendi panis Eucharistici.
E. GRINDALL
The Life of Edmund Grindall, who dyed Ano Christi 1583.
EDmund Grindal was borne in Cumberland Anno Christi 1519.His Birth and education. and carefully brought up in learning, first at school, and then in the University of Cambridg, His preferment in Cambridge.where being admitted into Pembrook Hall, he profited so exceedingly, that he was chosen first Fellow, and afterward Master of that house: And Bishop Ridley taking notice of his piety and learning, made him his Chaplain, and commended him to that pious Prince King Edward the sixth, who intended to prefer him, but that he was prevented by an immature death. In the bloody daies of Queen Mary, Grindal, Flight in persecution.amongst many others, fled into Germany, where he continued all her Reigne: But comming back in the beginning of Queen Elisabeth, she preferred him to that dignity which her brother King Edward intended him to,He is made Bish. of Lond. making him Bishop of London, wherein hee carried himself worthily for about eleven years.
Anno Christi 1570 hee was removed by the Queen to the Archbishoprick of York, Arch bishop of York.where he continued about six years; and then for his piety and learning she made him Archbishop of Canterbury, Arch-bishop of Canterbury.wherein he lived about seven years more, and then falling sick at Croidon, hee resigned up his spirit unto God that gave it,His death. Anno Christi 1583, and of his Age, sixtie four.
Both in his life,His Charity. and at his death he did many excellent works of Charity: At St. Beighs in Cumberland, where he was born, he erected a Free-schoole, and endowed it with thirty pound per annum for ever. To Pembroke Hall in Cambridge, where he was educated, he gave twenty two pounds a yeare in lands for the maintaining of a Greek Lecturer, one Fellow, and two Scholars, to be chosen out of the aforesaid School of St. Beighs. He gave also much mony to the said Colledge. To Magdalen Colledge in Cambridge, hee gave lands for the maintainance of one Fellow from the said School. To Christs Colledge in Cambridge he gave forty five pounds. To Queens Colledge in Oxford he gave twenty pound per annum in lands to maintain one Fellow, and two Scholars out of the aforesaid Schoole: And at his death he gave his Library, which was a very great, and good one, to that Colledge; besides a great sum of money. To eight Alms-houses in Croidon he gave fifty pounds per annum; and to Canterbury he gave an hundred pounds to set the poor on work.