viii THE PREFACE. 



his history : which his public spirit, his zeal for the Pro 

 testant religion, his learning, his steady and careful govern 

 ment, and other singular accomplishments, will abundantly 

 atone. But whereas a great many charges and criminations 

 of a fouler nature were cast upon him, they will prove but 

 the uncharitable and angry slanders of his enemies, the in 

 novators, whom he neither favoured nor spared. And, in 

 justice to the memory of a great Father of our Church, I 

 have endeavoured to vindicate and clear his name from 

 such impudent calumniations and picked-up stories, as are 

 in Martin Marprelate, and some other malicious scribblers 

 in those times. 



But to prevent the objection of some, who do not like 

 this age s practice, of burdening the world, as they call it, 

 with such abundance of needless and frivolous books, let 

 me add to what I have already said concerning the reason 

 of my setting forth this piece, that (besides the life and 

 acts of a single man, that, dying above an hundred years 

 ago, the present generation is not much concerned for) it 

 contains in it matter of more public concern. For there 

 fall in with it many transactions in the Church ; as the pro 

 ceedings of the Commission for ecclesiastical causes ; parti 

 cular relations what grounds and interests both Papistry, 

 and that which was termed Puritanism and Separatism 

 got; how the State was awaked with these things; what 

 orders came down, and what prosecutions thereupon; the 

 state of the Clergy of London and the diocese ; matters dis 

 covered in visitations ; things not yet taken notice of in our 

 histories, but rather declined and purposely omitted. Cam- 

 den, our best historian for these times, lightly toucheth at 

 matters of this nature, professing to leave them to the eccle 

 siastical historian. 



Notices and characters are here likewise given of divers 

 remarkable persons then living both in the Church and 

 State, as, namely, the faithful, the just, and wise Lord 

 Treasurer Burghley, the great favourite the Earl of Lei 

 cester, the diligent Secretary Walsingham, the truly learned 

 and experienced Secretary Wylson, and other Statesmen ; 



