A letter lately sent by a reverend bishop from the tovver, to a private friend and by him thought fit to be published. Hall, Joseph, 1574-1656. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A45300 of text R3796 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing H390). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 16 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 8 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A45300 Wing H390 ESTC R3796 12578914 ocm 12578914 63681 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A45300) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 63681) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 249:E134, no 24) A letter lately sent by a reverend bishop from the tovver, to a private friend and by him thought fit to be published. Hall, Joseph, 1574-1656. H. S. [2], 12 p. [s.n.], London : 1642. Signed: Jo. Norvic. In defence of his conduct in the diocese of Norwich. The answer of the friend signed: H. S. Attributed to Joseph Hall. cf. BLC. Reproduction of original in Thomason Collection, British Library. eng Hall, Joseph, 1574-1656. A45300 R3796 (Wing H390). civilwar no A letter lately sent by a reverend bishop from the Tovver, to a private friend: and by him thought fit to be published. Hall, Joseph 1642 2987 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 A This text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. 2005-11 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2005-11 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-12 Judith Siefring Sampled and proofread 2005-12 Judith Siefring Text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-01 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A LETTER Lately sent by A Reverend Bishop FROM THE TOWER , TO A private Friend : AND By him thought fit to be published . LONDON , Printed in the yeare , 1642. TO MY MVCH RESPECTED GOOD FRIEND , Mr H. S. VVorthy Sir , YOu thinke it strange that I should salute you from hence ; how can you choose , when I doe yet still wonder to see-my selfe here ? My intentions , and this place are such strangers , that I cannot enough marvell how they met . But , howsoever , I doe in all humility kisse the rod , wherewith I smart , as well knowing whose hand it is that wields it ; To that infinite justice who can be innocent ? but to my King and Country never heart was , or can be more cleare ; and I shall beshrew my hand if it shall have ( against my thoughts ) justly offended either ; and if either say so , I reply not ; as having learned not to contest with those that can command Legions . In the meane time it is a kind , but a cold complement , that you pity me ; an affection well placed where a man deserves to be miserable ; for me , I am not conscious of such merit . You tell me in what faire termes I stood not long since , with the world ; how large roome I had in the hearts of the best men : But can you tell me how I lost it ? Truly I have in the presence of my God narrowly searcht my owne bosome ; I have unpartially ransackt this fagge-end of my life , and curiously examined every step of my wayes ; and I cannot , by the most exact scrutiny of my saddest thoughts , finde what it is that I have done to forfeit that good estimation , wherewith , you say , I was once blessed . I can secretly arraigne and condemne my selfe of infinite transgresions , before the Tribunal of heaven : Who , that dwels in an house of clay , can be pure in his sight , that charged his Angels with folly ? O God , when I look upon the reckonings betwixt Thee and my soule , and find my shamefull areres , I can be most vile in my own sight , because I have deserved to be so in thine : Yet , even then , in thy most pure eyes , give me leave , the whiles , not to abdicate my sincerity ; thou knowest my heart desires to be right with thee , what ever my failings may have been ; and I know what value thou puttest upon those sincere desires , notwithstanding all the intermixtures of our miserable infirmities : These I can penitently bewaile to thee ; but in the meane time , what have I done to men ? Let them not spare to shame me with the late sinfull declinations of my age , and fetch blushes ( if they can ) from a wrinkled face . Let mine enemies ( for such I perceive I have , and those are the surest monitors ) say what I have offended ; For their better irritation , my cleare conscience bids me boldly to take up the challenge of good Samuel , Behold , here I am ; witnesse against mee before the Lord , and before his Anointed ; Whose Oxe have I taken ? or whose Asse have I taken ? or whom have I defrauded ? whom have I oppressed ? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blinde mine eyes therewith ? and I will restore it you . Can they say , that I bore up the reyns of government too hard ; and exercised my jurisdiction in a rigorous and tyrannicall way , insolently Lording it over my charge ? Malice it self , perhaps , would , but dare not speak it ; or , if it should , the attestation of so grave and numerous a Clergie would choak such impudence ; Let them witnesse , whether they were not still entertained by me with an equall returne of reverence , as if they had been all Bishops with me , or I onely a Presbyter with them ; according to the old rule of Egbert Arch-Bishop of Yorke ; Intra domum Episcopus collegam se presbyterorum esse cognoscat ; Let them say , whether ought here looked like despoticall , or sounded rather of imperious commands , then of brotherly complying ; whether I have not rather , from some beholders , undergone the censure of a too humble remisnesse ; as perhaps stooping too low beneath the eminence of Episcopal dignity ; whether I have not suffered as much in some opinions , for the vvinning mildnesse of my administration , as some others for a rough severity . Can they say ( for this aspersion is likewise common ) that I barred the free course of religious exercises , by the suppression of painfull & peaceable Preachers ? If shame will suffer any man to object it , let me challenge him to instance but in one name ; Nay , the contrary is so famously known in the Westerne parts , that every mouth will herein justify mee . What free admission and incouragement have I alwayes given to all the Sons of peace , that came with Gods message in their mouthes ? What mis-suggestions have I waved ? What blowes have I borne off in the behalfe of some of them , from some gain-sayers ? How have I often and publiquely professed , that as well might we complain of too many stars in the skie , as too many Orthodox Preachers in the Church ? Can they complain that I fretted the neckes of my Clergie with the uneasie yoake of new , and illegall impositions ? Let them whom I have thus hurt blazon my unjust severity , and write their wrongs in marble : But , if disliking all novel devices , I have held close to those ancient rules which limited the Audience of our godly Predecessors ; If I have grated upon no mans conscience by the pressure ( no not by the tender ) of the late Oath , or any unprescribed Ceremonie ; If I have freely in the Committee , appointed by the most honourable House of Peeres , declared my open dislike in all innovations , both in doctrine and rites , why doth my innocence suffer ? Can they challenge me as a close , and backstaire-friend to Popery or Arminianisme , who have in so many Pulpits , and so many Presses , cryed downe both ? Surely , the very paper that I have spent in the refutation of both these , is enough to stop more mouthes then can be guilty of this calumnie . Can they check me with a lazie silence in my place , with infrequence of preaching ? Let the populous Auditories where I have lived , witnesse , whether having furnished all the Churches neare me with able Preachers , I tooke not all opportunities of supplying such courses , as I could get , in my Cathedrall ; and when my tongue was silent , let the world say whether my hand were idle . Lastly , since no man can offer to upbraid me with too much pompe , which is wont to be the common eye-sore of our envied profession ; Can any man pretend to a ground of taxing me ( as I perceive one of late hath most unjustly done ) of too much worldlinesse ? Surely , of all the vices forbidden in the Decalogue , there is no one which my heart upon due examination can lesse fasten upon mee then this : He that made it , knowes that he hath put into it a true disregard ( save onely for necessary use ) of the world , and of all that it can boast of , whether for profit , pleasure , or glory . No , no ; I know the world too well to dote upon it ; Whiles I am in it , how can I but use it ? but I never care , never yeelde to emjoy it . It were too great a shame for a Philosopher , a Christian , a Divine , a Bishop to have his thoughts groveling here upon earth ; for mine , they scorn the imployment ; and look upon all these sublunary distractions ( as upon this mans false censure ) with no other eyes then contempt . And now ; Sir , since I cannot ( how secretly faulty soever ) guesse at my owne publique exorbitances , I beseech you , where you heare my name traduced , learne of mine accusers ( whose Lyncean eyes would seeme to see farther into me then my owne ) what singular offence I have committed . If perhaps my calling be my crime ; It is no other then the most holy Fathers of the Church in the Primitive and succeeding Ages , ever since the Apostles , ( many of them also blessed Martyrs ) have been guilty of ; It is no other then all the holy Doctors of the Church , in all generations , ever since , have celebrated , as most reverend , sacred , inviolable ; It is no other , then all the whole Christian world , excepting one small handfull of our neighbours , ( whose condition denyed them the oportunity of this government ) is known to enjoy , without contradiction : How safe is it erring in such company ? If my offence be in my pen , which hath ( as it could ) undertaken the defence of that Apostolicall institution , ( though with all modesty , and faire respects to the Churches differing from us ) I cannot deprecate a truth : and such I know this to bee : which is since so cleared by better hands , that I well hope the better-informed world cannot but sit downe convinced ; Neither doubt I , but that , as metals receive the more lustre with often rubbing , this truth , the more agitation it undergoes , shall appeare every day more glorious . Onely , may the good spirit of the Almighty speedily dispell all those duskie prejudices from the mindes of men , which may hinder them from discerning so cleare a light . Shortly then , knowing nothing by my selfe , whereby I have deserved to alienate any good heart from me , I shall resolve to rest securely upon the acquiting testimony of a good conscience , and the secret approbation of my gracious God ; who shall one day cause mine innocence to breake forth as the morning light , and shall give me beauty for bonds , and for a light and momentany affliction , an eternall weight of glory . To shut up all , and to surcease your trouble . I write not this , as one that would pumpe for favour and reputation from the disaffected multitude , ( for I charge you , that what passes privately betwixt us , may not fall under common eyes ) but onely with this desire , and intention , to give you true grounds , where you shall heare my name mentioned , with a causelesse offence , to yeeld mee a just and charitable vindication . Go you on still to doe the office of a true friend , yea , the duty of a just man ; in speaking in the cause of the dumb , in righting the innocent , in rectifying the mis-guided ; and lastly , the service of a faithfull and Christian Patriot , in helping the times with the best aid of your prayers ; which is the daily task of From the Tower , Ian. 24. 1641. Your much devoted , and thankfull friend , JO : NORVIC . TO MY RIGHT Reverend good Lord , JOSEPH , Lord Bishop of NORWICH . My very good Lord , I Received , after much entreaty , your meeke and modest Vindication of your selfe ; I pretended want of satisfaction concerning some late actions of your Lordships , but now I must tell you , and the world together , I was fully convinced of your desert and integrity , before ; and this my request was but to draw from your Lordship such a declaration of your selfe , as might convince others , by my divulging it abroad . But of this you have now sent me , I must say , as not more a friend to you then truth , you have not done your selfe right ; you have not followed your cause halfe throughly : and therefore give me leave ( for I will take it ) a little more to betray you to the eyes of men , and more openly to unvaile your bashfull innocence . I cannot without a vocall compassion , behold your injured vertue , the most remarkable example of the malignity of our times ; which , when I looked it should receive its crowne from God and men , quite contrary to my expectation , I finde cast downe , and trampled in the dust . It is not full two yeares agoe , when in that innovating age you suffered under storms and threats from over-busie instruments : every step waited on by intrapping spyes and informers ; and brought so far into the mouth of danger , that that Accuser , Kilvert , durst openly threaten you , to be the next man designed for his Inquisition . How often have you stood as a shield betweene those men and danger , who can now complain you are a Bishop ; when , if you had not been so , where had they been at this houre ? How many of those Antiprelaticall men , even the most rigid of them , have we heard blessing God for such a Diocesan , by whose provision and government , great hath been the company of Preachers ; and acknowledging the Sun of the Gospel , with your approach , setting in your Western Sea , or rather rising there , in more perfect lustre , when the world justly complained it went downe in some other parts of the Kingdome ? What prayers , what praises , what wishes were then , on all sides , poured out for you ? I should be accounted your flatterer , should I but mention them : Whereas now in these dayes of Reformation , when you might justly expect a reward of your former sufferings , as deserving ( let me confidently speak it ) the greatest share , I see you as much driven at , one the other side , by an ignorant fury of those you defend , and smarting as an enemy to that truth , the maintaining of which hath raised against you so many dangerous adversaries . I find you still the same man you were before ; and yet , what is strange , groaning under the same burthen of censure , and worse , from quite contrary hands ; even from those , whose duty it is to promote and vindicate you ; and yet who think they doe that very truth you maintaine good service , in punishing you its defender . A miserably misguided zeale ! Father , forgive them , for they know not what they doe . In the meane time , what have they to answer for , who when they can finde no reall blemish upon you , dare like the Romish Imagers in Q. Maries dayes , paint fiends and faults upon your coat ; as those cunningly-cruell men , in the Primitive times , cloathing the harmlesse Christian Martyrs with the skins of salvage Bears and Bulls , that they might be baited , and torne by the deceived Mastiffes , which would have fawned upon them , had they appeared in their owne shapes : But I forbeare ; Onely this , my Lord , if you thus sink , and suffer under evill and killing tongues , happy , thrice happy are you ; you know one hath said it , that will make it good : I shall not , I seriously professe , pity , but envy you , for having this eternall honour to expire among scoffes , and unjust ignominy , with our great Master . And therefore now , rouze up those drooping spirits , which age and restlesse labours have left you ; fixe your eyes stedfastly , with blessed Stephen , upon heaven , and rest your thoughts there , as no doubt you doe , with a calme and smiling confidence ; and know , every stone is throwne at you , shall turn a precious one , to deck your crowne of glory . Into the bosome of our gracious God , whom we have thus long served , and enjoyed together , I securely commend you ; And , till I meet you in another world , however this world judge of you , shall continue a constant lover of your tryed goodnesse . Jan. 29 , 1641. H. S.