SYLVA 231 



were us'd to discourse de rerumpublicarum institutis, & 

 optimis legibus^ in the groves of cypress, and other 

 umbrageous recesses: It was under a vast oak growing 

 in the park at St. Vincent's, near Paris, that St. Louis 

 was us'd to hear complaints, determine causes, and 

 do justice to such as resorted thither : And we read 

 of solemn treaties of peace held under a flourishing 

 elm between Gisors and Trier, which was afterwards 

 fell'd by the French King Philip in a rage against 

 King Henry II. not agreeing to it. Nay they have 

 sometimes been known to crown their kings under a 

 goodly tree, or some venerable grove where they had 

 their stations and conventions ; for so they chose 

 Abimelech, see Tostatus upon Judges 9. 6. and I read 

 (in Chronicon Jo. Bromton) that Augustine the monk 

 (sent hither from the Pope) held a kind of council 

 under a certain oak in the West of England, and that 

 concerning the great question, namely the right 

 celebration of Easter, and the state of the Anglican- 

 Church, &c. where also 't is reported he did a great 

 miracle. In the mean time I meet with but one 

 instance where this goodly tree has been (in our 

 country) abus'd to cover impious designs, as was that 

 of the arch-rebel Kett, who in the reign of King 

 Edw. VI. (becoming leader to that fanatick insur- 

 rection in Norfolk), made an oak (under the specious 

 name of * reformation) , the court, counsel-house, and 

 place of convention, whence he sent forth his 

 trayterous edicts : The history and event of which, 

 to the destruction of the rebel and his followers, 

 together with the sermon, (call it speech or what 

 you please) which our then young Matth. Parker, 

 (afterward the venerable and learned archbishop of 



1 Quercus Reformation-is. 



