The Dead Yet Speaking, Biography 61
The Life and Death of Bernard …ilpin, who dyed Anno Christi 1583.
BErnard Gilpin was born at Kentmire in the County of Westmoreland Anno Christi 1517. of an ancient, and honorable family: when he was but a child, a Fryar pretending to be a zelous Preacher, came on a Saturday night to his fathers house, and at supper eat like a Glutton, and drank himselfe drunk; yet the next morning in his Sermon sharply reproved the sin of Drunkennesse: whereupon yo…ng Gilpin, sitting near his mother, cryed out, Oh mother! do you heare how this fellow dar's speak against drunkennesse, and yet himselfe was drunken last night? but his mother stopped his mouth with her hand, that he might speak no further, it being a mortall sin in those times to speak against these men. His parents perceiving his aptnesse were carefull to make him a Scholar: and when he had with great approbation passed his time in the Grammer-School, they sen… him to Oxford Anno Christi 1533. where he was admitted into Queen's Colledge, and profited wonderonsly in humane learning: he was very conversant also in the writings of Erasmus, which were much esteemed at that time: Aud to the study of Logick, and Philosophy, he added that of Greek and Hebrew; yea after som few years spent in these studyes, he grew so famous, that their was no place of preferment for a Scholar, whereof the eminency of his vertues had not rendered him worthy: whereupon he was one of the first that was chosen a member of Christ-Church by Cardinall Wol…ey. At that time he was not fully instructed in the true Religion, but held Disputations against Iohn Hooper, afterwards Bishop of Worcester; as also against Peter Martyr who was then Divinity Lecturer at Oxford: upon the occasion of which dispute, that he might defend his cause the better, he examined the Scriptures, and ancient Fathers: But by how much the more he studyed to defend his Cause, the lesse confidence he began to have therein; and so whilst he was searching zealously for the Truth, he began to discern his owne Errors. Peter Martyr used to say, That he cared not for his other …dversaries, but (saith he) I am much troubled for Gilpin; for he doth, and speaketh all things with an upright heart, and therefore he often prayed, That God would be pleased at last to convert to the Truth the heart of Gilpin being so inclinable to honesty: and the Lord answered his prayer; for Gilpin resolved more earnstly to apply himselfe both by study, and prayer to search out the Truth, and it pleased God accordingly to reveal it unto him; as also the many Errors of Popery, and the necessity of seperating from that Apostaticall Church. In the mean while Cuthbert T…nstal Bishop of Durham being his Unckle, resolved to send him beyond Sea to visit the Churches in forrein parts, and to allow him means for his travel; but before his going, he was called to preach before King Edward the sixt, which he performed with good approbation. Then resolving upon his journey, he had a Parsonage given him, which Tunstal perswaded him to keep to maintain him in his travels; but he, sending for a friend whom he knew to be learned and religious, resigned his Parsonage to him: for which, when it came to the knowledge of Tunstal, he chid him sharply, and told him, That he would dye a beggar: but he excused it, saying, That he could not keepe it with the peace of his conscience: but (said the Bishop) thou shalt have a dispensation: to whom Gilpin answered, That he feared when he came to stand before Christ's tribunall, it would not serve his turne to plead a Dispensation, &c. When he came beyond Sea he went to Lovain, Antwerp and Pari… : and after a while Tunstal sent againe to him to perswade him to accept of a Parsonage, which he would confer upon him: to whom he wrote backe, that he had discussed it with all the learned, especially with the Prophets and best writers since Christ's time; so that he was fully resolved not to burthen his conscience to accept of a Change which he could not live upon, &c. Whilest he was at Paris, Tunstal sent him over a Book which himselfe had written, about the Presence of Christ in the Sacrament, to be printed there, which Gilpin performed faithfully. He returned into England after three years, in Queen Maries raign, and beheld (to his griefe) the Church oppressed with blood and fire: and being placed by Tunstal in the Rectory of Essingdon, he began sharply to tax the vice… which then raigned in the Church, and propounded the Doctrine of Salvation plainly, and soundly, which procured him many enemies, especially of the Clergy, who accused hin often to the bishop for an Heretick; but Tunstal could not endure to shed blood, and therefore he de…lt mildly with him. At a certain time the Bishops Ch…plain… discoursed with him about Luther, and the Sacrament of the Altar: whom he answered so judiciously, that the Bishop hearing their discourse, said to his Chaplains, L…th… alone for he hath more l…arning then you all. The Archdeacon… of Durham being annexed to the Parsonage of Essingdon, Master Gilpin for a …ime supplyed both places, but after a wh… he wrote to the Bishop, that he might have his good w…ll to resign one of them; which the Bishop was very angry … saying, I told thee thou wouldst die a begger. Not long after …he Bishop conferred upon him instead of them, the Rectory of Houghton, which was a great Parish, and a very fine s…t. He took great care to performe the dutye… of the Mini…ry …mongst his people; and seeing the miserable condition of many places in those parts; where …he Ti…hes being Impropr…ated, the Souls of the people were st…rved, he preached often abro…d also: and once a year he took a journy into No…thumberland, Riddesdale, and Tindal, usually abou… C…istmas, because of the opportunity of so many holy d…ie…; where he gat himselfe mu…h …steem by his pr…achi…g to thos… barbarou… people, and distributing money to the poor: sometimes h… was forced to lodge in the snow all night in that jou…ny, at which times he made his man to trot his horse… up and downe whilst he bestirred himselfe that he might not perish by the could. Once as he returned home, a husbandman, as he was ploughing, had a horse in hi… team that fell down, and dyed, for which he made great moan; whereupon Master Gilpin caused his man to alight, and take off his saddle and bridle, and so to carry them to the next town, and gave his horse to this husbandman; & when by chance h… met with any naked poor people, he would pull off some of his own clothes, and give them. In the towne of Houghton there was a street of poor people; for whose reliese every thursday, he caused a great pot of meat to be boyl…d, and distributed amongst them; ye…, his charity was such, that he was commonly called, The Father of the Poor: Yet had he many enemies, who often accused him to Bishop Tunstal, but he abhorring to shed blood, was still a sweet defence to him. At last they accused him to Bonner, who sent a messenger to apprehend him, whereof he had notice before hand, and therefore prepared himselfe for Martyrdome, commanding his Steward to provide him a long garment to goe to the stake in, but it pleased God that by the sudden death of Queen Mary he was freed from thi… danger. In the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's raign Master Gilpin was exc…eding studious to doe all the good that possibly he could; whereupon he erected a Grammer-School, allowing maintenance for a Master, and Usher: divers of the Scholars he also instructed himselfe, so that in that School were bred many that were exceedingly profitable to the Church afterwards: for there was great resort to it, some of which he tabled in his owne house, others in the towne; yea, upon many poor mens sons he bestowed both meat, drinke, apparell, and …eaching: out of this School were sent daily many to the University, to diverse of which he allowed maintenance, whereby his name was renowned, and the Earl of Bedford much esteemed him, and procured of the Queen the Bishoprick of Carlile for him, and sent him his Congedeslier, but Master Gilpin returned it back with many thanks, alleging his own insufficiency for the discharge of so great a place. Not long after also he was much importuned to take upon him the Provost's place of Queens Colledge in Oxford, but he refused it, being wholly unwilling to remove from the place where God had set him.
He was much given to Hospitality, insomuch as William Cecill Lord Burghley returning out of Scotland, drawn with the same of Master Gilpin came to Houghton, where he was entertained with all due respect: and when he had well observed Master Gilpin, and the diligence, and abundance of all things, with so compleat service in the entertainment of so great, and unlooked for a Guest, he said at his parting, That he had heard much of Master Gilpin, but what he had now seen, and tryed was much more then the report; and thereupon taking his his leave of Master Gilpin, he r… quested him if he had any occasion, or suit at the Court that he would make use of him to meditate it for him. He still continued his yearly visit of Riddesdale, and Tindale, where he was esteemed a Prophet, and little lesse then adored by that barbarous people. Being once amongst them, one had stoln his horses, whereupon Hue and Cry was sent abroad for Master Gilpin's horses: the fellow that had stoln them, hearing that they were Master Gilpin's, fell a trembleing, and presently carryed them back againe, humbly craving pardon, and the benediction of Father Gilpin, protesting that he feared that he should be thurst into hell if he should doe him any wrong. Also he being to preach at a towne called Rothbury, there was a deadly fewd between the Inhabitants, so that the men of both sides never met at Church without blood-shed, and therefore when one party came the other used to stay away: but Master Gilpin being in the Pulpit, both partyes came to Church, one party going into the Chancell, and the other into the body of …he Church, armed with Swords and Javelins; Master Gilpin, though somewhat moved with this uncouth spectacle, yet went on in his Sermon; but when their weapons began to make a clashing sound, and the one side drew near to the other, Master Gilpin came downe from the Pulpit, and stepping to the ringleaders of either faction, he laboured to establish a peace; and when he could not prevaile in that, yet he got a promise from them to continue the peace whilst he was in the Church, & afterwards whilst he was in those quarters, and so going up againe, he spent the rest of the time in discharging that barbarous and bloody custom. At another time Master Gilpin coming to a Church in those parts, before the people assembled, and walking up, and downe, he espied a glove hanging up in the Church; end enquiring of the Sexton the meaning of it, he told him that it was a glove of one of the Parish who hung it up as a challenge to his enemy, with whom he would fight hand to hand, or with any else that durst take it downe. Master Gilpin requested the Sexton to take it downe, who replyed, That he durst not. Then said Master Gilpin, Bring me a staff, & I will take it down; which accordingly he did, and put it into his bosome, and in his Sermon he took occation to reprove these inhumane challenges, and reproved him in particular that had hug up the glove, shewing them that he had taken it downe, and that such practices were unbeseeming Christians, and therefore he perswaded them to love, and mutuall charity amongst themselves: after Sermon he distributed mony amongst the poor, and as his manner was, visited the prisoners, gave them mony, and preached to them, and brought many of them to repentance, and for some that were condemned to die he procured pardon, and saved their lives.
Not long after a Rebellion was raised in the North by the Earls of Northumberland, and Cumberland; which Master Gilpin having intelligence of, resolved to retire himselfe, and making a speech to the Master, aud Scholars to demean themselves carefully, and peaceably in his absence; he went to Oxford, till the Queens Army commanded by the Earl of Sussex, had dissipated the Rebels: but before that Army came, the Rebels having seazed upon Durham, some of them flew as far as Houghton, and finding Master Gilpin's Barns full of corn, young cattell fatted, and many things provided for hospitality, they made spoile of all; the chiefest of which plunderers was a knave whom Master Gilpin had saved from the Gallows: but when those Rebels were overthrown, Master Gilpin returned home, and begged the lives of many of the simpler sort, whom he knew to be drawn into that Rebellion through ignorance.
After the death of Bishop Pilkington, who was Master Gilpins faithfull friend, there succeeded in the Bishoprick of Durham one Richard Barns who was offended with him upon some false suggestions, which came thus about: Master Gilpins custom was sometimes to goe to Oxford, and once as he was upon his way, he espied a young youth before him sometimes walking, and sometimes runing. Master Gilpin demanded of him what he was, whence he came, and whether he was going? He answered, That he came out of Wales, and was bound for Oxford to be a Scholar.
Master Gilpin thereupon examined him, and finding him a prompt Scholar for the Latin, and that he had a smattering in the Greek, asked him if he would goe with him, and he would provide for him: the youth was contented, whereupon he took him with him to Oxford, and afterwards to Houghton, where he profited exceedingly bo…h in Greek, and Hebrew, whom Master Gilpin at last sent to Cambridge: and this was that famous Hugh Broughton, who afterwards r… quited evill for good, by stirring up of the Bishop of Durham against Master Gilpin. Now the Bishop sent to Master Gilpin to preach at a Visitation, appointing time and place: but it fell out just at that time when Master Gilpin was going his Northern journy into Riddesdale, &c. whereupon he sent his man to the Bishop, desiring him to appoint som other to preach the Visitation-Sermon, for that he might have many to doe that, but none would goe amongst the Borderers if he did it not: when his man had delivered his message to the Bishop, the Bishop h…ld his peace, which being related to Mr. Gilpin, he said, Silence argu…'s consent, and so went on in his journy. But so soon as the Bishop heard of it, he suspended him, which Master Gilpin at his returne much wondred at: Shortly after the Bishop sent to him to warn him to meet him, and the rest of the Clergy at Chester: whither Master Gilpin went, and when the Bishop and Clergy were all met in the Church: he said to Master Gilpin, Sir, I must have you preach to day. Master Gilpin desired to be excused, because he was unprovided, and for that he was suspended. But (saith the Bishop) I free you from that suspension. Yet Master Gilpin replyed, That he durst not go up into the Pulpit unprovided. You are never unprovided (saith the Bishop) you have such an habit of preaching. Master Gilpin still stifly refused, saying… That God was not so to …e tempted, &c.
Whereupon the Bishop commanded him to goe into the Pulpit forthwith. Well Sir (said Master Gilpin) since it must be so, your Lordships will be done, & so after a little pause, went up, and began his Sermon, and though he saw some extraordinarily prepared to write his Sermon, yet he proceeded in his application to reprove the enormities in that Diocesse. And now saith he, Re…erend Father, my speech must be directed unto you; God hath exalted you, and will require an account of your Gove…nment: a reformation of what's amisse in the Church is required at your hands, &c. neither can you henceforth plead ignorance, for b…h…ld I bring these things to your knowledge this day, and therefore what evils you shall …ither doe your s…lfe, or suffer by your connivance …ereaf…er you make it your own, &c… His friends hearing him thū der out these things, much feared what would become of him: and after Sermon, some of …hem told him with tears, That now the Bishop had that advantage against him which he had long looked for, &c. to whom he answered, Be not affraid, the Lord God over-ruleth all, a…d if God …ay be glorified, and his Truth propagated, Gods will be done …on…erning …ee. After they had dined together (all men exspecting the issue of this businesse) Master Gilpin went to take his leave of th… Bishop. Nay (said the Bishop) I will bring you home, and so went along with him to his house, and walked there together in a Parlour, the Bishop took him by the hand, saying, Father Gilpin, I acknowledge you are fitter to be Bishop of Durham, then my selfe to be Parson of your Church, I aske forgiveness… for errors past; forgive m…, Father, I know you have hatched … some chickens that now seek to pick out your eyes; but be sure so long as I am Bishop of Durham, no man shall injure you: Master Gilpin, and his friends much rejoyced that God had so overruled things… that that which was purposed for his disgrace, should turn to his greater credit.
His body being quite worn out with pains-taking, at last he feeling before hand the approach of death, commanded the poor to be called together, unto whom he made a speech, and took his leave of them: He did the like also to others; made many exhortations to the Scholars, to hi… servants, and to diverse others, aud so at the last he fell asleep in the the Lord, March the fourteenth An. Christi 1583. and of his Age 66.
He was tall of stature, slender, and hawk-nosed: his clothes not costly, but frugal in things that belonged to his own body: bountifull in things that tended to the good of others, especially to the Poor, and Scholars. His doore… were still open to the poor, and strangers; he boorded, and kept in his owne house twenty four Scholars, most of them poor mens sons, upon whom he bestowed meat, drink, apparell, and learning. Having a great Parish he entertained them at his table by course every Sabbath, from Michaelmasse to Easter. He bestowed upon his School, and for stipends upon the Schoolmasters, the full sum of five hundred pounds, out of which School he supplyed the Church of England with great store of learned men. He was carefull not onelyonly to avoid all evill, but the least appearance of it: Being full of faith unfeigned, and of good works; he was at last put into his grave as an heap of wheat in due time put into the garner.
What pen can be susficient to set forth
Th'exuberous praises of brave Gilpins worth?
Though at the first his heedlesse soul did stray,
And ramble in a foule erronious way:
Yet at the last he left those paths which bended
Unto distruction; and his follyes ended:
Then he began to exercise the truth,
And hate the former errours of his youth.
His soul was fil'd with piety, and peace;
And as the truth, so did his joyes encrease:
His fame soone spread abroad; his worth was hurl'd
Through every corner of th'inquiring world.
And to conclude, in him all men might find
A reall heart, and a most noble minde.