"The beggars of Bath."]

Many in that place; some natives there, others repairing thither from all parts of the land; the poor for alms; the pained for ease. Whither should fowl flock, in a hard frost, but to the barn door? here, all the two seasons, being the general confluence of gentry. Indeed laws are daily made to restrain beggars, and daily broken by the connivance of those who make them: it being impossible, when the hungry belly barks, and bowels sound, to keep the tongue silent. And although oil of whip be the proper plaister for the cramp of laziness, yet some pity is due to impotent persons. In a word, seeing there is the Lazars-bath in this city, I doubt not but many a good Lazarus, the true object of charity, may beg therein.

SAINTS.

DUNSTAN was born in the town of Glastonbury in this county. He afterwards was abbot thereof, bishop of London and Worcester, archbishop of Canterbury, and at last, for his promoting of monkery, reputed a Saint.* I can add nothing to, but must subtract something from, what I have written of him in my "Church History." True it is, he was the first abbot of England, not in time but in honour, Glastonbury being the proto-abbaty, then, and many years after, till pope Adrian advanced St. Alban's above it. But, whereas it followeth in my book,t"That the title of Abbot till his time was unknown in England," I admire by what casualty it crept in, confess it a foul mistake, and desire the reader with his pen to delete it. More I have not to say of Dunstan, save that he died anno Domini 988; and his skill in smithery was so great, that the goldsmiths in London are incorporated by the name of the Company of St. Dunstan.

MARTYRS.

JOHN HOOPER was born in this county,‡ bred first in Oxford, then beyond the seas. A great scholar and linguist; but suffering under the notion of a proud man, only in their judgments; who were unacquainted with him. Returning in the reign of king Edward the Sixth, he was elected bishop of Gloucester; but for a time scrupled the acceptance thereof, on a double account.

First, because he refused to take an oath tendered unto him. This oath I conceived § to have been the oath of canonical obedience; but since (owing my information to my worthy friend the learned Dr. John Hacket) I confess it the oath of supremacy, which Hooper refused, not out of lack of loyalty but store of conscience: for the oath of supremacy, as then modelled, was more

*Lives of the Saints.

† Century x. p. 129.

"Terræ Sommersetensis alumnus." Bale, de Scriptoribus Britannicis,

Cent. viii. num. 86.

In my "Ecclesiastical History."

than the oath of supremacy enjoining the receiver's thereof conformity to the king's commands in what alterations soever he should afterwards make in religion; which implicit and unlimited obedience learned casuists allow only due to God himself. Besides the oath concluded with "So help me God, and all his angels and saints." So that Hooper had just cause to scruple the oath; and was the occasion of the future reforming, whilst the king dispensed with his present taking thereof.

The second thing he boggled at, was the wearing of some episcopal habiliments; but at last, it seemeth, consented thereunto, and was consecrated bishop of Gloucester.

His adversaries will say, that the refusing of one is the way to get two bishoprics, seeing afterward he held Worcester in commendam therewith. But be it known, that as our Hooper had double dignity he had treble diligence, painfully preaching God's word, piously living as he preached, and patiently dying as he lived, being martyred at Gloucester, anno 155..

He was only a native of this shire suffering for the testimony of the truth; and on this account we may honour the memory of Gilbert Bourn bishop of Bath and Wells in the reign of queen Mary, who persecuted no Protestants in his diocese to death, seeing it cannot be proved that one Lush was ever burnt, though by him condemned. I mention bishop Bourn here the more willingly, because I can no where recover the certainty of his nativity.

PRELATES.

JOCELINE of WELLS.*-Bishop Godwin was convinced, by such evidences as he had seen, that he was both born and bred in Wells, becoming afterwards the bishop thereof.

Now whereas his predecessors styled themselves bishops of Glaston (especially for some few years after their first consecration), he first fixed on the title of Bath and Wells, and transmitted it to all his successors. In his time the monks of Glastonbury, being very desirous to be only subjected to their own abbot, purchased their exemption, by parting with four fair manors to the see of Wells.

This Joceline, after his return from his five years' exile in France (banished with archbishop Langton on the same account of obstinacy against king John), laid out himself wholly on the beautifying and enriching of his cathedral. He erected some new prebends; and, to the use of the chapter, appropriated many churches, increasing the revenues of the dignities (so fitter called than profits, so mean then their maintenance); and to the episcopal see he gave three manors of great value. He, with Hugo bishop of Lincoln, was the joint founder of the

• Taken generally out of Bishop Godwin.

hospital of St. John's in Wells; and, on his own sole cost, built two very fair chapels, one at Wokey, the other at Wells. But the church of Wells was the master-piece of his works, not so much repaired as rebuilt by him; and well might he therein have been afforded a quiet repose. And yet some have plundered his tomb of his effigies in brass, being so rudely rent off, it hath not only defaced his monument, but even hazarded the ruin thereof. He sat bishop (which was very remarkable) more than thirty-seven years (God, to square his great undertakings, giving him a long life to his large heart), and died 1242.

FULKE of SAMFORD was born in this county; but in which of the Samfords (there being four of that name therein, and none elsewhere in England) is hard (and not necessary) to decide. He was first preferred treasurer of St. Paul's in London, and then by papal bull declared archbishop of Dublin,* 1256. Matthew Paris calleth him Fulk Basset by mistake. He died in his manor of Finglas 1271, and was buried in the church of St. Patrick, in the chapel of St. Mary's, which likely was erected by him.

JOHN of SAMFORD.-It is pity to part brethren. He was first dean of St. Patrick in Dublin (preferred probably by his brother), and for a time escheator of all Ireland.+ Indeed the office doth "malè audire," (sound ill to ignorant ears); partly because the vicinity thereof to a worse wordt (Esquire and Squire are known to be the same); partly because some, by abusing that office, have rendered it odious to people, which in itself was necessary and honourable. For the name escheator cometh from the French word eschoir, which signifieth to hap pen or fall out; and he by his place is to search into any profit accruing to the crown by casualty, by the condemnation of malefactors, persons dying without an heir, or leaving him in minority, &c. And whereas every county in England hath an escheator, this John of Samford being escheator-general of Ireland, his place must be presumed of great trust from the king, and profit to himself.

He was canonically chosen, and by king Edward the First confirmed, archbishop of Dublin, 1284, mediately succeeding (John de Derlington interposed) his brother Fulke therein; and I cannot readily remember the like instance in any other see. For a time he was chief justice of Ireland, and thence was sent (with Anthony bishop of Durham) ambassador to the emperor; whence returning, he died at London, 1294; and had his body carried over into Ireland (an argument that he was well respected), and buried in the tomb of his brother in the church of St. Patrick's.

THOMAS BECKINTON was born at Beckinton in this county; bred in New College,* doctor in the laws, and dean of the Arches, till by king Henry the Sixth he was advanced bishop of Bath and Wells.

1. A good Statesman; having written a judicious book to prove [the right of] the kings of England to the crown of France, notwithstanding the pretended Salique law.

2. A good Churchman (in the then notion of the word); professing in his will that he had spent six thousand marks in the repairing and adorning of his palaces.

3. A good Townsman; besides a legacy given to the town where he was born, he built at Wells, where he lived, a fair conduit in the market-place.

4. A good Subject; always loyal to`king Henry the Sixth even in the lowest condition.

5. A good Kinsman; plentifully providing for his alliance with leases, without the least prejudice to the church.

6. A good Master; bequeathing five pounds a-piece to his chief, five marks a-piece to his meaner servants, and forty shillings a-piece to his boys.

7. A good Man; he gave for his rebus (in allusion to his name) a burning Beacon, to which he answered in his nature, being "a burning and shining light:" witness his many benefactions to Wells church, and the vicars therein; Winchester, New Merton, but chiefly Lincoln College, in Oxford, being little less than a second founder thereof.t

A Beacon (we know) is so called from beckoning; that is, making signs, or giving notice to the next beacon. This bright Beacon doth nod, and give hints of bounty to future ages; but, it is to be feared, it will be long before his signs will be observed, understood, imitated. Nor was it the least part of his prudence, that (being obnoxious to king Edward the Fourth) in his life-time he procured the confirmation of his will under the broad seal of England, and died January the 14th, 1464.

RICHARD FITZ-JAMES, doctor at law, was born at Redlinch in this county, of right ancient and worshipful extraction; bred at Merton College in Oxford, whereof he became warden; much meriting of that place, wherein he built most beautiful lodgings, expending also much on the repair of St. Mary's in Oxford. He was preferred bishop, first of Rochester, next of Chichester, last of London.

He was esteemed an excellent scholar, and wrote some books, which, if they ever appeared in public, never descended to posterity. He cannot be excused for being over busy with fire and faggot in persecuting the poor servants of God in his

• New College Register, in anno 1408.

Extracted and contracted out of Bishop Godwin's Bishops of Bath and Wells. Pits, in Appendice.

diocese. He deceased anno 1512; lieth buried in his cathedral (having contributed much to the adorning thereof) in a chapellike tomb, built (it seems) of timber,* which was burnt down when the steeple of St. Paul's was set on fire, anno 1561. This bishop was brother to judge Fitz-James, lord chief justice, who, with their mutual support, much strengthened one another in church and state.

To the Reader.

I cannot recover any native of this county who was a bishop since the Reformation, save only John Hooper, of whom formerly in the catalogue of Martyrs.

STATESMEN.

Sir AMIAS POULETT, son to Sir Hugh, grandchild to Sir Amias Poulett (who put cardinal Wolsey, then but a schoolmaster, in the stocks,†) was born at Hinton Saint George, in this county. He was chancellor of the Garter, governor of the Isles of Jersey and Guernsey, and privy councillor to queen Elizabeth, who chiefly committed the keeping of Mary queen of Scots to his fidelity, who faithfully discharged his trust therein.

I know the Romanists rail on him, as over-strict in his charge; but indeed without cause, for he is no unjust steward who to those under him alloweth all his master's allowance, though the same be but of the scantiest proportion. Besides, it is no news for prisoners (especially if accounting their restraint unjust) to find fault with their keepers merely for keeping them. And such who complain of him, if in his place, ought to have done the same themselves.

When secretary Walsingham moved this knight to suffer one of his servants to be bribed by the agents of the queen of Scots, so to compass the better intelligence, he would in no terms yield thereunto. Such conniving at, was consenting to; and such consenting to, in effect, was commanding of such falsehood. Whereupon the secretary was fain to go further about, and make use of an instrument at a greater distance, who was no menial servant to Sir Amias.

He died anno Domini 15. .; and was buried in London, in St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, where his epitaph is all in allusion to the three swords in his arms, and three words in his motto, " Gardez la Foy," (Keep the Faith.) Which harping on that one string of his fidelity (though perchance harsh music to the ears of others) was harmonious to queen Elizabeth.

CAPITAL JUDGES.

JOHN FITZ-JAMES, Knight, was born at Redlinch in this county, of right ancient and worthy parentage; bred in the study of our municipal laws, wherein he proved so great a pro* Bishop Godwin's words are, è materie.

† Godwin, in the Life of king Henry the Eighth.