Page images
PDF
EPUB

companied with ingenuity and modesty, begat an exceeding love of him in his master Bowin; and this his master's love did reciprocally reflect upon him, that afterwards, being bishop, he forgat him not, but most highly esteemed and bountifully rewarded all Bowins for his master's sake: from whom he was sent at the age of thirteen to Oxford, and first committed to Master Burrey, of Merton college, a man meanly learned, and (as those times. were) somewhat tainted with popery.

But because he had a post-master before (Divine Providence so disposing), by him he was commended to Master Parkhurst, who, wanting one, most willingly received him into his tuition, and the place which he had in his gift; and being desirous, together with all other wholesome learning, to season his tender years with pure religion, took occasion often before him to dispute with Master Burrey about controverted points; and intending to confer the translations of Coverdale and Tindal, gave him Tindal's translation to read, himself overlooking Coverdale's.

In the which collation of translations Jewell oft smiled, which Master Parkhurst observing, and marvelling that in those years he could note barbarisms in the vulgar translations, brake into these words: "Surely, Paul's Cross will one day ring of this boy;" prophesying, as it were, of that noble sermon of his at Paul's Cross, which gave such a blow to the superstitions of the popish mass, or rather, to the whole mass of popish superstition, that all the defenders of them have ever since staggered.

5. Now the blossoms of poetry and eloquence began in great abundance to appear in the spring of his age, unto the great delight of his hearers, who thereby conceived a singular hope of his admirable learning in the maturity of his studies; when he was out of Merton college transplanted into Corpus

Christi, and placed at the first in the senior-logie form, wherein he so profited, that he took degree before the senior.

6. Not long after (the height of his virtues grow ing above envy) he was chosen out of all, by all, before many masters and bachelors his seniors, to read the Humanity Lecture, which he read with such diligence and facility, that many came from divers other colleges to behold Rhetoric so richly set forth, with her own costly apparel and furniture, by the dexterity of his wit and learning.

Among others, first fame, and then love, drew Master Parkhurst to hear him, who was much delighted with the beams of his own learning, which now did more clearly reflect upon himself from a diamond of his own pointing and brightening; and therefore, after the lecture ended, he saluted Jewell with this distichion:

Olim discipulus mihi, chare Juelle, fuisti;

Nunc ero discipulus, te renuente, tuus.

7. Neither may we marvel why there should be such a public confluence to so private a lecture, if we consider the young reader, so rarely accomplished, with all kind of human learning often interlaced. For being but bachelor, he sifted much of the flower of St. Augustine with divine aphorisms, and so industriously withal, that for the greatest part of the day he hid himself in his study, and so much recalled his senses from all external objects, that, Chrysippus like, he needed a Melissa to put him in mind of his

meat.

His only recreations from study were studious, being spent either in instructing his scholars, or disputing with others, or ruminating those things which he before had received into his soul's stomach (as

man's memory is called by St. Augustine), that he might thereby the better digest them.

8. As for his life and conversation in this slippery age, wherein many fall and most do slide, let an adversary of his religion, Master Morch, Dean of the college, speak, because an adversary's testimony in commendation is equivalent to a general consent. "I should love thee, Jewell," saith he, " if thou wert not a Zuinglian. In thy faith I hold thee an heretic, but surely in thy life thou art an angel. Thou art very good and honest, but a Lutheran ;" as if he should have said with the ancient Painims," Bonus vir C. Sejus, sed malus tantum quod Christianus;" whom Tertullian justly reproveth, "Laudant quæ sciunt, vituperant quæ ignorant, cum sit justius occolta dé manifestis præjudicare, quam manifesta de occultis prædamnare. Master Moren should rather have acknowledged in so evangelical a life an evangelical truth.

1

9. By this which hath been already related, we may see how he grew in learning, and religion, and fame, in the reign of King Henry the Eighth (in the end whereof he proceeded master of arts); but he flourished much more in the happy reign of King Edward the Sixth. This blessed prince, whom we may truly call (as Suetonius doth the Emperor Titus) "Amorem et delitias humani generis,"" the love and darling of mankind," and phoenix of the world, in true zeal towards the house of God, sent for the chiefest builders, and most renowned carvers and workmen, from all parts of the Christian reformed world, to repair, adorn, and beautify the church of God in England.

10. Among others, Peter Martyr, as a spiritual Bezeliel, was by His Majesty appointed professor of divinity in Oxford, " ut verbi divini gemmas exculperet, fideliter coaptaret, adornaret sapienter, ad

jiceret gratiam, splendorem, venustatem," to point, fit, and polish such pearls. Whose excellent skill herein, and rich shop-full of all choice and precious knowledge, as all admired, so especially Jewell, who repaired unto this cunning jeweller, and (seeking to be perfected by him), observed his art, copied out his sermons and lectures, was his notary in that tumultuary disputation in the divinity school, with Chedsey, Tresham, Morgan, and others, about the real presence, and in time became most intimate with him.

[ocr errors]

1. While that these halcyon days of peace lasted, he read a public lecture in the hall, and privately unto his scholars. He preached at Sunning-well, whither (though a cold had caught him at Witney in a lower chamber, where the college removed in the time of the plague in Oxford) he went on foot at least once a fortnight. He was famous for an oration in English, pronounced in Corpus Christi college, in praise of the founder, and two sermons in Latin ad clerum. He ever loved eloquence; but "non effoeminatam, sed virilem;" that is, that which sheweth it life, not so much in the fresh and lively colours of the blood, in the rhetorical figures and cadences, as in the sprightly and sinewish motions of arguments. Prudentibus viris non placent phaJerata, sed fortia.

12. What more quick, pithy, pure, material, and fraught with all variety of choice, both new and ancient learning, can any require, than was his controversy with Mr. Harding, his Apology, his sermons? Take for a scantling a speech which he made before his departure from the college, full of spirit and life of true eloquence.

"I have," saith he," often heretofore upon divers occasions, if not with so good success as I wished, yet with most ardent affection and desire of your

good, spoken unto you out of this place; but now, through the iniquity of times, things are brought to this pass, that I am to speak only this at the last, that I must speak no more unto you. I have incurred (I see), some men's implacable hatred, but how deserv edly God knows, and let them look unto it. This I am sure of, they, who would not have me stay here, if it were in their power, would suffer me live no where, I yield to the times; and if they take any delight in my misery, I hinder them not of it; and what Aris tides prayed before he went into banishment, that I pray of Almighty God, that no man may once think of me when I am gone; and can they desire any more?" Here it seems he could refrain no longer, but opened sluice to affection. "Pardon me, good Sirs," said he, "if it do grieve me to leave the place where I have been brought up, where I have lived hitherto, where I have been in some place and reckoning. But why do I stick to kill my heart with one word? Alas! that I must speak it, as with grief I must: Valeant studia; valeant hæc tecta; valeat sedes cultissima literarum ; valeat jucundissimus conspectus vestri; valete juvenes, valete socii, valete fratres, valete oculi mei, valete omnes. Valete." Thus he burst out of his speech, and his hearers burst out into tears.

13. Now hath he taken his last farewell of his lecture, fellowship, and college, and being cut off from the body wherein he lived, begins to wither; and canst thou then but bleed with grief, O noble body? Thou wast as a precious enamelled ring on the finger of Christ's spouse; now that thou hast thrown away thy diamond, who will much esteem the ring? But yet the patriarchs of that society, moved with envy, did sell Joseph. Notwithstanding, this is but the beginning of his woful epitasis, and these things may seem sufferable in comparison of the tragical

« PreviousContinue »