And now having made this voluntary observation of our two deceafed friends, I proceed to fatisfy your defire concerning what I know and believe of the ever-memorable Mr. Hooker, who was Schifmaticorum Malleus, to great a champion for the Church of England's rights against the factious torrent of Separatifts, that then ran high against church-difcipline; and in his unanswerable books continues to be fo against the unquiet difciples of their fchifm, which now under other names ftill carry on their defign", and, who (as the proper heirs of their irrational zeal) would again rake into the fcarce-clofed wounds of a newly-bleeding' ftate and church.

And first, though I dare not say that I knew Mr. Hooker; yet, as our Ecclefiaftical History reports to the honour of St. Ignatius', " that he lived in the time of St. John, and had seen him in his childhood." So, I also joy, that in my minority I have often seen Mr. Hooker with my father, who was after Bishop of London; from whom, and others, at that time, I have heard most of the material paffages which you relate in the History of his Life; and, from my father received fuch a character of his learning, humility, and other virtues, that, like jewels of invaluable price, they ftill caft fuch a luftre, as envy or the ruft of time fhall never darken.

From my father I have also heard all the circumftances of the plot to defame him; and how Sir Edwin Sandys outwitted his accufers, and gained their confeffion: and I could give an account of each particular of that plot, but that I judge it fitter to be forgotten, and rot in the fame grave with the malicious authors'.

I

a The Separatists from the Church of England, were originally called by a general term, "Puritans." Split into parties, they were foon discriminated by the various appellations of "Prefbyterians," "Independents," "Brownifts," "Familifts," &c.

Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, is in the lift of the Apoftolic Fathers, among whom were placed fuch Chriftian doctors as had conversed with the apostles themselves, or their disciples. This pious and venerable man, who being expofed to wild beafts by the order of Trajan, fuffered martyrdom with the utmost conftancy, was educated under the apostle and evangelist St. John, and intimately acquainted with St. Peter and St. Paul.

• The writer of this letter experienced, in his own person, a pleasure equal to any, of which human nature is capable, that of vindicating the injured fame of a beloved parent. When

Dr.

:

I may not omit to declare, that my father's knowledge of Mr. Hooker, was occafioned by the learned Dr. John Spencer; who, after the death of Mr. Hooker, was fo careful to preserve his invaluable fixth, seventh, and eighth books of "Ecclefiaftical Polity," and his other writings, that he procured Henry Jackson, then of Corpus Chrifti College, to transcribe for him all Mr. Hooker's remaining written papers; many of which were imperfect for his study had been rifled, or worse used, by Mr. Chark, and another, of principles too like his. But these papers were endeavoured to be completed by his dear friend Dr. Spencer', who bequeathed them as a precious legacy to my father, after whofe death they refted in my hand, till Dr. Abbot", then Archbishop of Canterbury, commanded them out of my cuftody, by authorizing Dr. John Barkeham to require,, and bring them to him to his palace in Lambeth; at which time, I have heard, they were put into the Bishop's library, and that they remained there till the martyrdom of H.2. Arch

Dr. John King, Bishop of London, a man of folid gravity and piety, and of fuch an excellent volubility of tongue as well as invention, that James I. denominated him "the King of Preachers," was traduced as having abjured that religion, which in the courfe of a long life he had uniformly defended and adorned, this his fon detected the falfehood of the accufation, and in a fermon at St. Paul's Crofs, clearly expofed, the artifices of an infamous, but at that time no unusual calumny.

'President of Corpus Chrifti College in Oxford. After the death of Mr. Hooker he publifhed the five books of the Ecclefiaftical Polity, with an excellent preface, fubfcribed I. S. the initial letters of his name. (See Wood's Ath. Ox. vol. I. p. 393.)

"The character of this prelate, justly to be admired for his truly Christian moderation and mildness, has been moft happily pourtrayed by the pen of the Right Hon. Arthur Onflow, for many years the venerable Speaker of the British House of Commons, in "The Life of Dr. George Abbot, &c. reprinted with fome additions, &c. Guildford, 1777."

* Chaplain to Archbishop Bancroft, as well as to his fucceffor, Dr. Abbot, and Dean of Bocking in Effex: An able divine and an amiable man. To his knowledge in divinity he added other literary accomplishments, being an accurate hiftorian, well skilled in coins and antiquities, and fo great a proficient in heraldry, that he is generally fuppofed to have been the author of that celebrated work, which was published in the name of John Guillim. He was alfo the editor of Crakanthorpe's book against the Archbishop of Spalato, entitled " Defenfio Ecclefie," &c. Speed, at the conclufion of his History of Great Britain, gratefully acknowledges "The most acceptable helps both of books and collections (especially in matters re"moter from our times) from that worthy divine, Mafter John Barkeham, a gentleman compofed of learning, vertue, and courtefie, as being no leffe ingeniously willing, than learn❝edly able, to advance and forward all vertuous endeavours." He bequeathed his valuable coins to Archbishop Laud, through whofe munificence they were depofited in the Bodleian Library at Oxford..

Archbishop Laud; and were then, by the brethren of that faction, given, with all the library, to Hugh Peters', as a reward for his remarkable service in those fad times of the Church's confufion: And though they could hardly fall into a fouler hand; yet there wanted not other endeavours to corrupt and make them speak that language for which the faction then fought, which indeed was-to fubject the fovereign power to the people.

But I need not ftrive to vindicate Mr. Hooker in this particular; his known loyalty to his prince whilst he lived, the forrow expreffed by King James at his death, the value our late fovereign (of ever-bleffed memory) put upon his works, and now, the fingular character of his worth by you, given in the paffages of his Life, efpecially in your Appendix to it, do fufficiently

Hugh Peters, a man of loofe morals, having been expelled in the earlier part of his life from the University of Cambridge, became afterward an itinerant preacher in New England, Holland, and other countries, and was at length appointed one of Oliver Cromwell's Chaplains, and a Colonel in the army. He and Dr. Burgefs are claffed among thofe preciousgifted teachers, to whom Butler alludes in the heroical epiftle of Hudibras to his Lady, ver. 305, 306. He occafionally preached the lecture at Stepney, and from thence was called by William Greenhill, the noted Independant, "The Evening Star of Stepney." Many inftances are recorded of the violence of his zeal against monarchy. When Oxford was furrendered in 1646, for the ufe of the Parliament, he was one of the chaplains who, by propagating the most feditious doctrines in the town and in the university, endeavoured to fe duce the inhabitants and the young scholars from their allegiance.In the pulpit he not unfrequently acted the part of a buffoon or merry-andrew. He used to fay, that it would never be well till 150-" The three L's, the Lords, the Levites, and the Lawyers," were put down. He preached divers fermons to perfuade the army to deftroy the king, whom he compared to Barabbas.It was given in evidence against him, that he was wont to call the king tyrant and fool; and that, on the Sunday after his Majesty was brought to his trial, in the courfe of his fermon, he uttered thefe words,-"Lord, now letteft thou thy fervant depart in "peace, for mine eyes have seen thy falvation."

Such was the man who got poffeffion, not only of the Archbishop's library at Lambeth, but alfo of the invaluable one which belonged to the King. A commiffion was granted by Charles II. dated Sept. 10, 1660, to Thomas Rofs, tutor to the Duke of Monmouth, and Elias Afhmole, Efquires, empowering them to examine Hugh Peters concerning the books and medals which he was suspected of having embezzled. It was well known that he had ranfacked the royal library and closet, and that their most valuable curiofities were taken out, and difperfed over Europe. In his examination (Biogr. Brit. vol. II. p. 230. K.] he declared, that he gave up the key and cuftody of them to Major General Ireton. Of his behaviour, during his trial and at his execution, fee the State Trials,

fufficiently clear him from that imputation. And I am glad you mention how much value Thomas Stapleton, Pope Clement the VIII. and other eminent men of the Romish perfuafion, have put upon his books: Having been told the fame in my youth by perfons of worth that have travelled Italy.

Laftly, I must again congratulate this undertaking of yours, as now more proper to you than any other perfon, by reafon of your long knowledge and alliance to the worthy family of the Cranmers (my old friends alfo), who have been men of noted wisdom, especially Mr. George Cranmer, whofe prudence added to that of Sir Edwin Sandys, proved very ufeful in the completing of Mr. Hooker's matchlefs books: one of their letters I herewith fend you, to make use of if you think fit. And let me fay further; you merit much from many of Mr. Hooker's best friends then living; namely, from the ever-renowned Archbishop Whitgift, of whofe incomparable worth, with the character of the times, you have given us a more short and significant account than I have received from any other pen. You have done much for the learned Sir Henry Savile, his contemporary and familiar friend; amongst the furviving monuments of whose learning (give me leave to tell you fo) two are omitted; his edition of Euclid, but especially his tranflation of "King James's Apology for the Oath of Allegeance," into elegant Latin; which flying in that drefs as far as Rome, was by the Pope and Conclave fent to Salamanca unto Francifcus Suarez (then refiding there as prefident of that college) with a command

a

to

2 Or rather his works entitled "Prælectiones tredecim in Principium Elementorum Euclidis Oxoniæ Habitæ. Oxon, 1621." 4to. Sir Henry Savile having read thirteen lectures upon the first eight propofitions of Euclid, furrendered the chair to Mr. Briggs, taking leave of his audience in his laft lecture with thefe words, "Trado Lampadem fucceffori meo, "doctiffimo viro, qui vos ad intima Geometriæ Myfteria perducet."

(Ward's Profefors of Gresham College, p. 121.)

a A celebrated Jefuit, the author of many controverfial and other tracts. He was born in 1548, and died in 1617. His works are contained in 23 vol. folio. The treatise here alluded to is entitled "Defenfio Fidei Catholicæ, contra Angélican Sectæ Errores, una cum Refponfione ad Jac. Regis Apologiam pro Juramento Fidelitatis. Mag. 1619." A copy of this book was burnt in England by public authority. It is related of him, that he met death with the most joyful tranquillity and compofure of mind, uttering thefe words, "Non puta

"bam

to answer it. And it is worth noting, that when he had perfected the work which he calls "Defenfio Fidei Catholicæ," it was tranfmitted to Rome for a view of the inquifitors; who, according to their custom, blotted out what they pleased, and (as Mr. Hooker hath been used fince his death) added whatsoever might advance the Pope's fupremacy, or carry on their own intereft; commonly coupling together Deponere et Occidere, the depofing, and then killing of princes. Which cruel and unchriftian language, Mr. John Saltkel', the Amanuenfis to Suarez, when he wrote that answer (but fince a convert, and living long in my father's house), often profeffed the good old man (whose piety and charity Mr. Saltkel magnified much) not only difavowed, but detefted. Not to trouble you further; your reader (if according to your defire, my approbation of your work carries any weight) will here find many just reasons to thank you for it; and poffibly for this circumstance here mentioned (not known to many), may happily apprehend one to thank him, who heartily wishes your happiness, and is unfeignedly, Sir, your ever-faithful and affectionate old friend, HENRY CHICHESTER.

CHICHESTER, Nov. 17, 1664.

"bam tam dulce, tam fuave effe mori." (Dictionaire Hiftorique, &c. à Paris, 1777.)—————— Dr. Robert Abbot, Bishop of Salisbury, delivered a courfe of lectures against Suarez. They were published after his death by his fon, with this title, "De fupremâ poteftate regiâ exercitationes habitæ in Academià Oxonienfi, contra Rob. Bellarmine et Francis Suarez. Londini, 1619." 4to.-Pope Paul V. difhonoured his title of Holinefs, and caft an indelible ftain on his infallibility, by an exprefs approbation of the doctrine advanced in the writings of Suarez in defence of the murder of Kings.

b Mr. John Saltkel or Salkeild; for fome years a Member of the Church of Rome and a Jefuit. He was profoundly read in theological and other authors; but, being for the fame. of his learning brought before King James, he was fo far convinced by his Majefty's arguments, as to come over to the Church of England, for which he was wont to ftyle himself "The Royal Convert," and the King honoured him fo far, as to call him "The Learned Salkeld" in his works and writings. (Echard's Hiftory of England, vol. II. p. 871.)—— "Never had England more learned bishops and doctors: Which of them ever returned "from his majefty's difcourfe without admiration? What king chriftened, hath written fo "learned volumes? To omit the reft, his laft of this kind, wherein he hath fo held up Car"dinal Bellarmine and his master Pope Paulus, is such, that Pleffis and Mouline, the two great "lights of France, profefs to receive their light in this difcourfe from his beams, and the "learned Jefuit, Salkeild, could not but be converted with the neceflity of thofe demonftra"tions" (Holy Panegyric, Bishop Hall's Works, p. 1142.)—Mr. Salkeld became Rector of Church Taunton in Devonshire, in 1635, and was afterward, for his loyalty, deprived of his preferment, and died at Ulculm, in Feb. 1659-60.