BL La 6, 87

BL MSS Lansdowne 6, 87
Wright: Queen Elizabeth and her Times Vol 1, 1838, No. 73 Page 156
Bishop of Ely to Cecil, Downham, Dec. 28 1563
Transcribed by Thomas Wright

Syr, hitherto I have made you no answer to your frendly letters, which ye sent me in September last, wherin were lyvely sparkes of godlynes, wishing us to preache and cry out for repentance, which undoubtedly ought to be one principall poynte of all preaching ; and with all the layemen (say ye) talke in corners. That example in preachers were never worse, so covetouse, so undiscrete, so rash, so negligent they be, &c. for Christ's passion. Let every priest, high and lowe, be burdened particularly. Let it be said to the accused, redde rationem vilicationis tuae, &c. Let them not be sclandered generally, and snatched at in corners ; that is no charitie, nor godly policie, for this is the fetch of the adversaryes of truth, whether theie be neuters, papists, or carnall gospellers, to deface the parsons, that the worde may be discredited, and theie interim licenter vivant, genioque impune indulgeant, &c. For my parte, I loke dayly to be called before the judgmente seate of Christ; my travaile is to presente hym an upright conscience. Touching the former faults: Nihil mihi conscius sum, sed non in hoc justificatus sum. In other sorts besyde the clergyes, it is toto horrible to see the wyckednes abrode. It is true almost everywhere : dixit insipiens in corde suo, non est deus. I feele sometyme, will I, nill I, the heavy affection which was in David : Deduxerunt oculi mei lachrymas quia non custodierunt legem tuam. I praise God, that the Queene's Majestie (as you wryte) is such a good student, &c. But when all is done, the majestie of the scripture is that that pierceth : vivus est sermo Dei, &c. Chrysostomus et Graeci interdum Pelagianizant, Bernardus monachizat. I trust her Grace meddleth with them but succisivis horis, nam alio eam vocant negotiorum undae. I wish her Majestie somtymes to be well refreshed and pleasante, ut possit durare et diu vivere. Hosius' bokes flye abrode in all corners, unica gloriatio omnium papistarum, who swarme in all corners, saying and doing almost what they lyste. You have encombered me with one, &c. If Godde's adversaryes and the Queene's may be thus tolerated agaynst God and the Queene, and we preach and crye against them, and be mocked and gyred at, and dayly sclandered in corners, intolerabilis fuerit dei offensa formidandaque pietatis et regni ruina. Syr, Mr. Straunge is a good and a zealouse gentleman, the Queene's Majestie' s olde and most faithfull servant ; he is very poore and in debt, forced to sell his office, and not able to sustayne his familie : I pray you put yourself in his case, and helpe hym as ye maye. Dominus Jesus te nobis diutissime servet incolumem. From Downham (1), 28th of December.
Hartylye yours,

Richarde Ely

(1) Downham, in the Isle of Ely.