CHAP. XVIII. Grindal. 1575-6 Bishop of Winchester, was at that time their pastor. When Horne returned to England, he was regarded as Edmund taking too low a view both of the discipline and of the ceremonial of the Church: he was willing to sacrifice much for conciliation; consequently we may feel confident that when he failed in effecting a reconciliation between the contending parties, the blame did not rest with him, and that the opposition to the Church had proceeded to great extremes. 1583. and of Dean Horne. Queen The violent, intolerant, and we may say un-Christian bitterness, with which Calvin and his faction heaped abuse on the Church of England and her Prayer-book we need not repeat; it is sufficient to say here, that Grindal, though withdrawing from the controversy, was induced by his friends Sandys and Cox occasionally to correspond with the exiles at Frankfort, and to bring them to a right understanding, though he henceforth remained for the most part a quiet student at Strassburg. While Grindal was at Strassburg, reports reached ill health. Germany and Switzerland of the bad state of Queen Mary's health. The unfeeling conduct of her husband towards her was rendering her condition extremely * It had been my intention to write a more detailed history of the troubles of Frankfort, but I have been obliged to desist for want of materials. The Brieff Discours' is so entirely one-sided that it requires to be corrected by contemporary documents. In 1846 this book was reprinted by John Petherham of London. This work must be compared with Fuller's Church History, with Dyer's Life of Calvin, with Strype's Memorials, and with Jeremy Collier. It is generally stated that in the 'Troubles of Frankfort' we may trace the origin of English Dissent; but this could hardly have been the case, for the Dissentients at Frankfort had no desire to leave the Church: they may rather be spoken of as the founders of what has subsequently been called the Evangelical Party.' They wished to retain the offices, emoluments, and honours of the Church, but to force the Church to adopt their own theological views. XVIII. precarious; but it was certainly with anything but feel- CHAP. ings of grief that the English heard of the approaching death of their sovereign. At length the news arrived, Edmund that by her death on November 17, 1558, the English 1575-6— were released from her misgovernment and persecutions. 1583. Grindal. revisits We may suspect that Grindal was in no haste to return Grindal to England; for we find him, Sandys, and Nowell linger- Frankfort. ing at Frankfort, and not arriving in England until the day 1558-9. of Queen Elizabeth's coronation, which took place on the fifteenth of January. It is probable that these three eminent men had revisited Frankfort, in the hope that at such a crisis as the present they might bring the opposing parties to a good understanding. Nowell was associated with the other two, being himself much more inclined than they to the principles of Calvin, though determined to conform, when conformity was required, with the English Church. The placability and kind disposition of Grindal always made him a welcome visitor. He was respected and beloved by those even who were opposed to him; and it was so evident that he had no private ends to serve, that all parties were ready to receive him with consideration and kindness. return to When he arrived in England he was cordially Grindal's welcomed by all, and especially by Parker. To Parker, England. who had hitherto refused the archbishopric, was confided 1558-9. by the queen and Cecil the chief management of ecclesiastical affairs; and he evidently, hoped that, in engaging the services of a man who had displayed such discretion, such sound judgment, such kind feeling as Grindal had done at Frankfort, he should find in him a coadjutor, adviser, and friend. To Cecil Calvin commended himself by his habits of ? XVIII. CHAP. business; and the queen delighted in a courtier who was eminently distinguished for his own learning, and for Edmund his appreciation of her own character, as the patron of literature, and as one who retained her love of study till a late period of life. Grindal. 1575-61583. His popularity with the queen and Cecil. CHAPTER XIX. GRINDAL BISHOP OF LONDON. Grindal is appointed a commissioner on the Prayer-book.-Conference at Westminster.-Grindal preaches at St. Paul's.-One of the Royal Visitors. His scruples of conscience.-Consults Peter Martyr concerning them.-Master of Pembroke Hall.-Protests against the queen's appropriation of ecclesiastical property.-Is present at the consecration of Archbishop Parker.-Consecrated Bishop of London. -Assists at Jewel's consecration.-One of the commissioners appointed to amend the Lectionary and the Calendar and to reform the state of the churches.-Fire at St. Paul's.-Grindal's generosity. -St. Paul's before the Reformation.-Royal Exchange built by Sir Thomas Gresham.-Grindal's Funeral Sermon on the Emperor Ferdinand I.-Treatment of Bonner.-Grindal takes his Doctor's degree. The Plague in Kent and London.-Prayers and thanksgivings drawn up by Grindal.-His letter to Cecil on this matter.-Convocation of 1562.-Grindal's visitation of his diocese.-Certain suspected persons confided to his care. His gifts to the queen.-Treatment of Stowe. His kindness towards certain merchants on the Continent. -His difficult position in regard to the Puritans.-His correspondence with Bullinger.-Separation of certain Puritans from the Church —Their examination before the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.— Reverence to the Eucharist enforced.-Grindal's proceedings against certain Oxford colleges.-Against the Inns of Court. CHAP. XIX. EDMUND GRINDAL, having arrived in London on the 15th of January, 1558-9, was immediately employed in preparing a further revision of the old Catholic Liturgy, Edmund to be laid before Parliament, now summoned to meet. It was a third Prayer-book such as is now in use. Grindal Grindal. 1575-6 1583. CHAP. Grindal. was not immediately appointed to any public office; but XIX. it was impossible to dispense with the services of a man Edmund who had been the friend and adviser of Bishop Ridley. 1575-6- By Ridley his sagacity had been recognised, while his practical wisdom in all public affairs was indisputable. Parker, now Archbishop elect of Canterbury, required such a coadjutor as he expected to find in Grindal. visions of Grindal was not indeed all that the archbishop expected 1583. Grindal is employed in further re the Liturgy. One of the commissioners on the Prayerbook. to find him he was too yielding and vacillating, too willing to yield to what the people would accept, rather than to enforce what the Church might demand. Nevertheless, at the beginning of his career, when Parker was confined to the sick room, the activity of Grindal did him great service. Grindal was one of the commissioners who were accustomed to meet in Cannon Row, Westminster, at the house of Sir Thomas Smith, of whom mention has been made in the life of Parker. He was there associated with Coxe, Sandys, Whitehead, and Pilkington, who, with himself, had been exiles; and also with Parker, May, and Sir Thomas Smith himself, who had remained in England during the reign of Queen Mary, by whom a toleration was extended towards them to which justice is not always done. The chaplain and intimate friend of Bishop Ridley must have been well acquainted with the reasons and methods used by King Edward's government in reforming, by enlarging or curtailing, the Book of Common Prayer, and his opinion had considerable weight and influence.* Of the conference between these divines, which took *Strype's Grindal, p. 33. The original papers laid before this Commission are extant among the Petyt MSS. in the Inner Temple Library. To the biographer of Grindal they are the more valuable, since they contain several comments and suggestions in his own handwriting. |