Historical collections of the life and acts of the Right Reverend Father in God, John Aylmer, Lord Bp. of London in the reign of Queen Elizabeth : wherein are explained many transactions of the Church of England, and what methods were then taken to preserve it, with respect to the Papist and Puritan

Front matter

PRINCETON, N. J.

Historical collections of the life and acts of the

Shelf

Preface

To give some account of my doings in publishing this piece, let me premise a few things. I confess I have beef) led, by a strong propension of mind, to make inquiry into the ecclesiastic affairs of this kingdom, happening especially in the last century of years but one, (namely, that called the sceculum reformatum,) when the state of religion underwent so great a change in Europe, and particularly in England. And that I might herein be profitable to others as well as to myself, I have been willing to communicate what I have collected and discovered out of various records and archives, as well as other old cast-by printed tracts ; this kind of history, especially along through the reign of Queen Elizabeth, being very sparingly hitherto made known to us.

And because the hinges of public affairs have chiefly turned on the management of those in eminent places and offices, Biography may deservedly require its place in history : I have had a great respect to it in the collections I have made ; taking due notice of all such persons as have made a figure either in the Church or State, and observing as much as I coidd of their acts and characters ; especially of such whose aims and pursuits have been just and honourable. Of such I have had a mind to revive the memory, and retrieve their names from being lost in perpetual oblivion, by drawing up some accounts of them, taken out of their own letters and papers, or elsewhere; intending to offer some of them to the present age : a thing due to wora 2

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THE PREFACE.

thy men, that their names and good works may never die, nor be forgotten. And as it is a piece of justice to them, so of considerable benefit to us in this age ; the contemplating of their lives being like to prove of very good use to those that have the skill to gather lessons of prudence and conduct in human life from them. I may add, the pleasure and satisfaction that is commonly taken in relations and histories of persons of rank and eminence that liv ed in former times. It hath somewhat very acceptable and agreeable in it, as there is in seeing the lively portraitures or statues of such as have been great Statesmen or learned Ecclesiastics, being the usual ornament of the galleries of noblemen's houses: though those could but represent the outward shape, and not the minds and deeds, as history can and doth. What flocking is there when an ambassador or a great man is to be seen ! Many put themselves to the expenses of travelling abroad, chiefly to see the faces of fortunate princes, or to be acquainted with profound scholars, or men of some other great figure. And what inquiries do they make into their manners, opinions, and factions ! Which shews what a delight mankind usually takes in the knowledge of men, whose dignities or employments have distinguished them from the inferior rank.

I have in this book shewn to the world one of these singular men, viz. Queen Elizabeth's third Bishop of London. Within whose diocese lay both the Court, Westminster Hall, and London, the great metropolis of the nation : and by whom the Archbishop of Canterbury passed all his injunctions and mandates to the rest of the Bishops and Clergy of his province. And therefore we may reasonably look for matters of great moment to be occasionally recommended to this Bishop in this busy reign, and to fall into the accounts we give of him.

If it be asked why I do not rather begin with Grindal and Sandys, this Bishop's two immediate predecessors in the said see of London ; it is enough to answer at present, that the one being afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, and the other of York, it may be more proper to treat of

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\ ii them (as perhaps in due time I may) under the denominations of the sees whereof they were possessed when they died.

In what I have writ, I have endeavoured invariably to follow the tract of truth, and have related things as I found them. I may perhaps be censured for this plain and impartial way of writing, and blamed, that I have not put some veil or varnish upon some things, and been wholly silent of others, which might reflect some blemish upon the man I write of. In truth, I make no scruple to express the defects and failings of men, as well as their excellent qualities and praiseworthy deeds. We are not writing a panegyric, but a faithful account. A sober reader might justly misdoubt the whole, when all is praise, and every passage of the life is represented as coming up to the perfect and commensurate rule of justice, virtue, and honour. And herein I follow a good historian, (Morison, Secretary to the Lord Mountjoy, sometime Lord Deputy of Ireland,) who, undertaking to write his Lord and Master's acts, bids his reader confidently to believe, " that as in the duty of " a servant he would not omit any thing he remembered, " which might turn to his Lord's honour; so, in his love " to truth, he would be so far from lying and flattery, as " he would rather be bold modestly to mention some of his " defects, whereof the greatest worthiness of the world can- " not be altogether free.11 Adding, that "as he esteemed ly- " ing and flattery by word of mouth among the living to be in- " fallible notes of baseness and ignorance, so he judged these " vices infamous and sinful, when they were left in print to " deceive posterity.11 And as for the errors in good men's lives, it suffices to say, that we are not angels in this state of mortality, and men will be men, as Archbishop Parker used to say. The best have their imperfections ; and there have been many singular useful men, whose passions or other temptations have made them sometimes to deviate and go aside ; and yet may their names stand fair, and their examples be recommended to posterity. Some slips and failings perhaps we may find in this Bishop in reading a3 viii THE PREFACE.

his history : which his public spirit, his zeal for the Protestant religion, his learning, his steady and careful government, and other singular accomplishments, wall abundantly atone. But whereas a great many charges and criminations of a fouler nature were cast upon him, they will prove but the uncharitable and angry slanders of his enemies, the innovators, whom he neither, favoured nor spared. And, in justice to the memory of a great Father of our Church, I have endeavoured to vindicate and clear his name from such impudent calumniations and picked-up stories, as are in Martin Marprelate, and some other malicious scribblers in those times.

But to prevent the objection of some, who do not like this age's practice, of burdening the world, as they call it, with such abundance of needless and frivolous books, let me add to what I have already said concerning the reason of my setting forth this piece, that (besides the life and acts of a single man, that, dying above an hundred years ago, the present generation is not much concerned for) it contains in it matter of more public concern. For there fall in with it many transactions in the Church ; as the proceedings of the Commission for ecclesiastical causes ; particular relations what grounds and interests both Papistry, and that which was termed Puritanism and Separatism got; how the State was awaked with these things; what orders came down, and what prosecutions thereupon; the state of the Clergy of London and the diocese ; matters discovered in visitations ; things not yet taken notice of in our histories, but rather declined and purposely omitted. Camden, our best historian for these times, lightly toucheth at matters of this nature, professing to leave them to the ecclesiastical historian.

Notices and characters are here likewise given of divers remarkable persons then living both in the Church and State, as, namely, the faithful, the just, and wise Lord Treasurer Burghley, the great favourite the Earl of Leicester, the diligent Secretary Walsingham, the truly learned and experienced Secretary Wylson, and other Statesmen ;

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divers Archbishops and Bishops, and other eminent Churchmen, viz. Parker, Grindal, Whitgift, Sandys, Cox, Nowell, Goodman, Fox ; many of the chief Papists, Feckenham,W atson, Meridith, Allen, Campion ; and Puritans, as Whright, Chark, Field, Wilcox, Carew, Giffard, Cartwright, Cavvdry, Barrow, Greenwood, and others of that rank. Which things, when duly considered, may render this book of public use and advantage, though the argument of it be more private, and relate chiefly to one man.

Should any be desirous to know upon what foot of truth I stand, and what authority I have for what I have written, I acknowledge the demand to be very reasonable, and I shall freely declare what notes I have made use of, and whence I have gathered my materials. In general, I have been furnished from authentic registers and records, from original letters and other MSS. some lying in public archives, and others in more private libraries. Some help also I have had from certain old tracts and pamphlets printed in those times. But to be more particular, (for this perhaps may give a satisfaction to some more inquisitive persons,) at the end of this book I have set down a catalogue of the manuscripts, together with the other ancient printed treatises, both that I have made use of, and that are mentioned in the history.

And here I cannot but take this occasion publicly to acknowledge my singular obligations to divers reverend and honourable persons, who have granted me the liberty of consulting very valuable papers in their possession or custody. Among these is the right honourable and learned Sir Joseph Williamson ; who, after my requests of being admitted into the Paper Office had been made known unto him by the favour of the most reverend Father in Christ the present Archbishop of Canterbury, allowed me to take a view of the ecclesiastical papers there; and afterward, by a warrant from the most honourable the King's Privy Council, with the same obliging readiness, to take copies of divers of them for my use, in the compiling an ecclesiastical history under my hands; whereby I was furnished with a 4

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THE PREFACE.

some things for my present purpose. By the favour also of my right honourable and right reverend Diocesan Henry Lord Bishop of London, I have had access to the Registry of the Bishops of London: where I was kindly received and directed by Mr. Alexander, the Deputy Register. The right reverend the Lord Bishop of Norwich, the possessor of a great and curious collection of MSS. and other ancient printed pieces, (little inferior to MSS. in regard of their scarceness,) hath also been very considerably assistant to me, as well in this present work, as in others, by that free leave, nay, and invitation, he hath given me to peruse, and make transcriptions out of am of them. Nor do I forget the obliging readiness of Sir Henry St. George Clarent. King at Arms, with others belonging unto the noble Office of Heralds ; who with all willingness afforded me the use of their books, in order to the searching for the family and pedigree of our Bishop, as well as for divers other things, serviceable to some purposes I have in hand.

And this at length is the sum of what I had to say to the reader ; praying him, in case he discovers any slips or oversights, to pardon them to one who looks upon himself as a frail and fallible man, and is apt enough to have mean conceits of his own performances, and very ready to be set right, and thankful to be instructed, as well as willing to contribute his talent to instruct others. And thus I bid the reader farewell.

J. S.

From Low Leyton in Essex, February 6, 1700.

THE

Contents

OF THE

HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS OF THE RIGHT REV. BP. AYLMER'S LIFE ;

TOGETHER WITH THE CHRONOLOGY.

Chap. I

The Bishop's birth, education and preferments, exile and return. Made Archdeacon of Lincoln. P. 1.

The name of Aylmer. His extract and birth. His education, ^nn. 1521. Tutor to the Lady Jane Grey. Her proficiency under him. 1553, Aylmer's character when young. Reckoned amongst the best x 559] and politest wits. Studies divinity. Becomes Archdeacon of1562- Stow. Flies abroad for his religion. Instructs youth in his 1573] exile. Publisheth the Lady Jane's letter. Assists Mr. Fox the 1573- Martyrologist. Aylmer a severe critic. Aylmer at Zurich. Adviseth to invite Peter Martyr to read at Frankfort. He travels. Prints a book at Strasburgh against Knox. Engaged in a disputation. Made Archdeacon of Lincoln. Present at the Synod anno 1562. Writes to the Archbishop concerning old books at Lincoln. Sticks at Lincoln. Justice of the Peace, and in the ecclesiastical Commission there. His usefulness. Becomes Dr. of Divinity. Moved by the Archbishop to answer a certain book. A controversy between the Archdeacon and Bishop of Lincoln decided.

xii

CONTENTS

CHAP. n.

He is preferred to the see of London. His cares in that function : chiefly about Papists. Visits his diocese. Preaches often. P. 16.

A"°,718576- Why neglected so long. The Archbishop's character of him.

Made Bishop of London. Contest between Aylraer and bis predecessor Sandys. Archbishop Sandys's plea. The kindness of his predecessor. His confirmation and consecration. His request to the Queen. His primary visitation. His expenses. Preaches frequently. His main endeavour. His first ordination. Discovers a Popish Priest. His apprehensions of Spain. His advice to the Lord Treasurer concerning Papists. Orders for Papists in prison. A secret letter to the Bishop concerning them. Thimbletborp. The Bishop an enemy to Papists. Writes to John Fox. His care about the plague in London. Discovers Carter, a Popish printer. Removes Pond to his prison at Stortford.

Chap. III

His farther dealing with Papists. Campion's book. P. 31.

Ann. 1581. Campion's book. The Bishop wished to answer it. His judgment of Protestant writers. His advice to the Lord Treasurer. Persons by him nominated for answering the Popish book. His reflections upon Campion's book. The Bishop not for disputing. The Papists boast.

Chap. IV

His dealing with the Puritans. His advice concerning the University. His trouble about felling his woods. P. 36.

Ann. 1577. Puritans. His opinion of some of them; and advice con- — 1580. cerning them. Imprisons a bookseller. One of the Clergy of Lincoln dedicates a book to him. One Welderi abuses the Bishop. Complains of it. A book against the Queen's marriage with Monsieur : occasions the Bishop suddenly to summon the London Clergy. Andreas Jacobus. The ubiquitarian controversy. Admonishes his Clergy about the Queen. The Ministers of London now often cited. Articles of inquiry. Other Articles, by virtue of the Council's letters. Orders for the Clergy. Another call of the Ministers. Another. His advice

AND CHRONOLOGY.

Mil concerning the University. Licence for keeping and looking to hearses at funerals. Commissions, Sir Julius Caesar. Troubled about felling his woods. Writes to the Lord Treasurer about it. His defence of himself. Forbid to fell any more of his woods. Endeavours a commission for dilapidations. His letters to the Secretary. He sues the Archbishop of York. The charge of the dilapidations

Chap. V

An earthquake occasions the Bishop to compose certain prayers. He visits. His business with the Lord Rich. His device about appointment of preachers. His counsel for rilling the see of Bath and Wells, and other sees.

An earthquake. Frames prayers for this occasion. A visita- Ann- t5S0* tion. Articles to be inquired of. Chiefly forPapists. City Ministers cited again. And again. Contends with the Lord Rich, a Puritan. Wright his preacher. They come before the Commission ecclesiastical. Writes to the Queen concerning his doings. Wright offers a subscription. His device for preachers. His grave advice for supplying vacant sees. His letter to the Treasurer for that purpose.

Chap. VI

The Bishop's care about the Commission. Labours a remove to Ely. P. 60.

Several punished for inconformity. Complains of some Com- Ann. 1 58 1 . missioners that absented. Apparitors employed on Sundays. The Lord Treasurer sends cautions to the Bishop. His answer thereupon. The Bishop the great stay of the Commission. The success of his pains. Meets with troubles at Court. Labours a remove. He hath the grant of Ely. Solicits his remove to Ely. Solicits again the next year. Fed with hope. Troubled again by informers. The elms in Fulham. The Queen lodges at Fulham.

Chap. VII

The Bishop celebrates the 17th of November. Slandered. Papists have mass in prison. Goes his visitation. Suspends one Huckle. Suit with his predecessor for dilapidations. Thomas Cartwright taken up. P. 68. The Queen's dav solemnized at Paul's. His enemies slander Ann- 1583-

Xiv

CONTENTS him. His request hereupon. Papists in prison pervert many. Visits. Complaints of commutation of penance. His advice for the reforming thereof. Silenceth a dangerous Minister. Another suspended by him, viz. George Giffard, Minister of Maiden. Restored. Suspended again. A large testimonial of him by his auditors. Giffard wrote against Barrow the Separatist. Casts Archbishop Sandys for dilapidations. His reasons against a new commission for examination of the matter. The Bishop desires the judgment of the Judges concerning certain Papists. Vauce, a Popish Priest. Takes up Cartwright the Puritan. The Queen offended with the Bishop. Charged unjustly to have spoiled the bishopric. A controversy between the Queen and him about a vicarage. A Presbytery set up at Hatfield. Enormities and strange doctrines of their preacher. His dealing at Hatfield. Composes a prayer for a present occasion. The Bishop endeavours to pacify the citizens concerning the strangers. Holds a visitation. Visits in London. Goes into Essex. A strange rudeness intended against the Bishop at Maiden. Goes to Wickham. Dr. Aylmer, Archdeacon. Visits. CHAP. VIII.

Cawdry's case: who was deprived, and deposed from the ministry. P. 84.

Ann. 1587. Cawdry of Luffenham cited before the Commission. The 1591. Bishop deprives him. Cawdry refuses to submit to the sentence. His lawyer's arguments. James Morice his lawyer. Cawdry vindicates his abilities in learning. Urges his using the Common Prayer. The reason of his sentence. Which he would not abide by : and why. His letter to the Lord Burghley. Offers some kind of submission : but will not recant publicly. Appears at Lambeth. Degraded and deposed. The Bishop of Peterborough sequesters his living. Cawdry sues in the Star-chamber. The Lord Burghley recommends his case to the Bishop of London. The Bishop's letter to the said Lord. Cawdry's counsellor's angry advice. Dr. Aubrey's judgment of the case. The statute urged by Cawdry's counsel. Offered to be restored to his ministry upon subscription.

Chap. IX

The Bishop's contest with one Maddocks. Smith the preacher at St. Clement's suspended. A visitation. Dyke,

AND CHRONOLOGY.

xv of St. Alban's, forbid preaching. Cartwright the Puritan. Sir Denys Roghan, an Irish Priest. The see of Oxford void. P. 97.

The occasion of a contest between the Bishop and Maddocks. Ann. 1588. Maddocks complains to the Council. The Bishop relates the 1590' case. Maddocks submits. Smith, Lecturer of St. Clement's. 1592- Greehham's account of him to the Lord Treasurer. The Bishop suspends him. The reasons why. His answer to them. Certain of the parish sue to the Lord Burghley for Smith to be their Minister. An abusive book against the King of Spain. The Bishop sent unto, to find the printer. Visits. Suspends Dyke of St. Alban's. Gives his reasons for so doing. Cartwright in the Fleet appears before the Bishop : who expostulates with him. The Bishop's house vexed with an Irish Priest. Sues to be rid of him. Who this Irishman was. His informations to the Council ; and advice. But proves a right Irishman. The Bishop commends certain for the see of Oxford. Desirous to resign.

Chap. X

The Bishop's last visitation. His death. His burial. His last will. His children and posterity. P. 112.

His last visitation. Departs this life. His estate. His last Ann. 1592. will. His wife and children. His eldest son, Samuel. Dr. — 1594' Aylmer, his second son. Some character of him. Some farther character of Dr. Aylmer. His charity. Humble and mortified. His preparation for death. The Bishop's third son, John. His fourth, fifth, and seventh sons. Tobel, his sixth son. His daughters. Dr. Squire, the Bishop's son-in-law. Squire a prodigal. The Bishop's letter to the Lord Treasurer concerning Squire. The Bishop's name and family. George Aylmer one of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. The Bishop's housekeeping and expenses. His purchase. His dilapidations : for which Bishop Bancroft sues his son and heir.

Chap. XI

Some observations upon Bishop Aylmer. Certain things charged upon him cleared. The Lord Burghley his friend. P. 129.

A review taken of the Bishop. Faults charged upon him.

xvi

CONTENTS

Wronging the see by felling the wood. Charged for his licences for marriage. Faculties. Old Sir Roger. Charged again for disorders in Essex. Desires to be heard by the Queen. Marprelate's slanders of the Bishop. Detaining stolen goods. Wronging his grocer. Keeping one in the Clink. Ordaining his porter. These calumnies wiped off. The business between the Bishop and the diers ; and the executors of Allen his grocer. Benison's business. His charge of making his porter a Minister, cleared. Other calumnies. Bowling on the sabbath. His friends. Lord Treasurer Burghley.

Chap. XII

His great abilities in learning. His disputation. Writings. A logician : an historian : an hebrician : a civilian.

His debates in Queen Mary's Convocation: concerning the sense of ov<r!a. His free speech to the Prolocutor. He takes up the Prolocutor again. His book called The Harborough. Dedicates it to the Earl of Bedford and Lord Dudley. Some character of the book. A specimen of it. The arguments of Knox's book reduced to six. Aylmer's book of the supremacy. He was a logician, au historian, a good hebrician. His sense of the descent of Christ into hell. Bishop Aylmer favours Hugh Broughton. His opinion of the LXX. Greek. Skilled in the civil law. Shews the difference between the law of England and the civil law.

Chap. XIII

A great Divine. Well skilled in Hebrew learning. A good textuary and preacher. His judgment. Some of his sayings. P. 168.

Well seen in all divine learning. A good interpreter of the Scripture. Several places by him explained. Conversant in the ancient Church writers. An excellent preacher. A preacher, how to be qualified, in his judgment. Curious in books. A good judge of learning. Some of his thoughts concerning various matters. Quakers. His opinion of Bishops' lands. His opinion of the English government. Compares the two Queens, Mary and Elizabeth. His judgment of the Queen's marriage.

AND CHRONOLOGY.

xv 11

His judgment of the French : and of the Spaniard. His proverbial sayings. True fraternity. The benefit of counsellors. Women's pride. The Popish Clergy. The Bible. No infallibility. Miracles. A false argument. Women. Neglect of good counsel. Acquiescence in God.

Chap. XIV

His qualities, conditions, and temper of mind. P. 182.

His temper and disposition. Zealous for the true religion. His opinion of Luther. His prayer for a great Minister. His zeal against the French King, a persecutor. Diligent and painful. Not to be tempted by bribes. His devotion. Punctual in his visitation; and ordination of Ministers. Quick and hot in his temper. Expostulates with the Lord Treasurer. The Lord Treasurer's answer. Sharp in his discourse. His words concerning Queen Mary's match with King Philip; and the Parliament receiving absolution from Cardinal Pole. Facetious. His story of the Vicar of Trumpington. Judges, drudges. He called the Under Sheriff Under Thief. Bold. Free in speech. Blunt in words. Stout and courageous. An odd instance of his courage before the Queen. His recreation. His personage. His picture now in the possession of Mr. Aylmcr of Chelmsford. His household. A man of both fortunes. His relation of a passage concerning the Lady Jane Grey. His opportunity of knowing the Lady (after Queen) Elizabeth. Roger Ascham.

Contents of the Additions. P. 199.

Campion the Jesuit. The Bishop's doings in Convocation. Dyke the Puritan. Dyke's auditors solicit the Treasurer : who thereupon writes to the Bishop. His second letter in Dyke's behalf. Cartwright the Puritan imprisoned. The other Puritans in other prisons. Their names. The conference between the Bishop, with the other Commissioners, and Cartwright. Mr. Attorney's speech to him. The Bishop puts him upon taking the oath, which he declines. His answer to the Articles. Dr. Lewin's speech to him. The oath ex officio. Bancroft's speech to him. Some debate arises between the Bishop and Dr. Bancroft. Cartwright's argument against the oath. Cartwright's replies, when it was told him he had once taken the xviii CONTENTS AND CHRONOLOGY.

oath : and that we are bound to confess our faults ; and that he and others held conferences and made laws j and when he was moved again to take the oath. Bancroft shews the danger of the discipline ; in France, in Scotland, and Geneva. Cartwright's reply to this. The Bishop makes an act of Cartwright's refusal. The Queen had read his answers. The Articles charged against Cartwright and his fellows. The proceedings with them. How the cause with the Puritans stood. Interrogatories put to them. Upon the Bishop's death, the Dean and Chapter claim the temporalties. The Dean and Chapter custodes episcopatus. The Aylmers of Ireland. The stolen match of the Lady Dorothy Devereux with Sir Tho. Parrot. An injunction about licences to marry.

HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS

CONCERNING THE

RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD,

JOHN AYLMER,

SOMETIME

LORD BISHOP OF LONDON.

Chap. I

His birth, education, and preferments ; exile and return. Made Archdeacon of Lincoln.

Bishop Aylmer (of whom this ensuing book must treat) The name bore a name variously written ; sometimes Aylmer, some- of Ay'mcrtimes Ailemare, (and so I find it written by the learned int.MSS.D. Camden Clarentieux in one of his books of heraldry,) G^ge Mil sometimes Elmer, sometimes JElmer, with the Saxon diph-Ciarenthong, (and so he wrote himself,) contracted, as it seems, tieux' from the Saxon name Adelmar, or Ethelmar ; for that the name is Saxon is undoubted. And in the catalogue of the Bishops of Sherborn in the Saxon times, viz. anno 1009, we have one of the same name.

He was one of the excellent Bishops made choice of by Queen Elizabeth to assist in the government of the Church of England; and placed in one of the chief sees thereof, being to superintend ecclesiastical matters in the chief metropolis of the realm, the city of London, with the diocese thereof.

He was a gentleman by birth, of the ancient family of"" birth**

CHAP, the Aylmers, spreading in Norfolk and Suffolk ; for the ' Aylmers of Quadring, in the county of Lincoln, gave a different coat of arms, and so may be concluded to be of another family. The Aylmers with whom we are to be concerned bear for their coat of arms, argent, a cross sable, between four choughs of the same ; whence some derive the name Ailmar, quasi ab alite de mart : but the chough is no sea-fowl. The reason of which bearing may be perhaps conjectured from the relation some of the family, they say, bore to a Duke of Cornwall ; from whence, for their crest, they bear on a ducal coronet a Cornish chough's head and neck, wings displayed. He received his first breath in the county of Norfolk, about the year 1521. For in 1581 I read him in one of his letters calling himself homo sexagenarius, i. e. " a man of threescore years of age." Born, according to Dr. Fuller, at Aylmer Hall, in the parish of Tilsley, as he saith the Bishop's nearest relation informed him ; mistaken, I suppose, for Tilney in the same county ; for as for Tilsley, there is scarce such a town in England. In the neighbouring county of Suffolk, within four miles of Ipswich, there is a very fair house called Claidon Hall, now, or late, in the possession of the Aylmers. His elder Sir Robert brother was Sir Robert Aylmer, of Aylmer Hall aforesaid, Aylmer. whose ancestor was High Sheriff of that county of Norfolk

in the time of Edward II.

His educa- Aylmer, though he took his degrees of divinity in Ox- 1 ford, had his first education at Cambridge ; but when ad-

mitted, and under what tutor, and in what society, I am to learn : whether in Bene't or Gonvil hall, where the Norfolk youth commonly studied, or Trinity hall, entered there by the fame that Bilney, formerly of that house, bore, who much conversed and carried a great stroke among the people of Norfolk. But these things are uncertain. Grey, Marquis of Dorset, (afterwards Duke of Suffolk,) took a liking to him from a child going to school, and entertained him as his scholar, and exhibited to him when transplanted to the University. After he had attained some competent knowledge in University learning, and taken, I presume, his de-

BISHOP AYLMER.

S grees, the Marquis took him into his family, and made him c HAP. tutor to his children ; one whereof was the Lady Jane, that L afterwards wore a crown : who, as she was a lady of excel- Tutor to the lent parts, so by his instruction she attained to a degree GreyJane above her sex in the knowledge of Latin and Greek ; so that she read, and that with ease and delight, Plato and Demosthenes, and wrote excellently well. And he bred her up in piety as well as learning, being very devout to God, and a serious embracer of evangelical doctrine purged from the superstitions of Rome.