BISHOP AYLMER. 103 



&quot; tuned his Lordship [notwithstanding to lay them aside, CHAP. 



&quot; and] to prefer Mr. Smith in this, and them some other 



&quot; way, as his Lordship had many. And in behalf of them- 



&quot; selves they set forth, that [if this might be obtained] then 



&quot; Mr. Smith s living should be ascertained, [which was but 



&quot; precarious before,] and they eased of his stipend, [and so 



&quot; a charge taken from them,] and their desires satisfied 



&quot; in enjoying him for their Parson. In fine, giving this 



&quot; character of him, that his preaching, living, and sound 



66 doctrine, had done more good among them, than any 



&quot; other that had gone before, or, which they doubted, could 



&quot; follow after.&quot; But notwithstanding, I scarce think these 



men, nor their reasons, were of strength to prevail with the 



Treasurer. 



The care of the press lay also upon the Bishop ; and An abusive 

 complaint was made to him in the year 1589, in April, by g a j ns t the 

 the Lord Treasurer, concerning a piece that was now come |p&quot; of 

 abroad. The matter was this. After the Spaniards were 

 so shamefully defeated at sea the last year, and their Invin 

 cible Armada came to nothing, as thanks and praise was 

 given to God by the devout sort, so lighter minds set them 

 selves to exercise their wits in the abuse of that proud na 

 tion, not sparing King Philip himself. One pamphlet of 

 this sort in foolish rhyme was dispersed in London about 

 this time ; which gave offence to the said Lord, and, as it 

 seems, to the Queen herself: for the persons of Princes are 

 sacred, and that great statesman ever spake reverently of 

 them ; nor was it thought advisable to provoke that Prince. 

 Whereupon he sent to the Bishop to know who presumed The Bishop 



.7 , -, sent unto, 



to print it. The Bishop was of the same judgment, and tofim jthe 

 said, that in his opinion it had been better to have thanked P rmter - 

 God than to have insulted upon men ; and especially upon 

 Princes : and that he marvelled that they of Oxford (where 

 it was first printed by Jos. Barnes) should suffer such toys 

 to be set forth by their authority : and that he had found 

 Toby Cook printed it at London without licence, and he 

 would talk with him about it. 



The diligent Bishop was now very aged, near seventy visits. 



H4 



