V

THE MARPRELATE LIBELS

[The immediate causes which led to the Marprelate controversy were these:-Archbishop Whitgift, in 1583, met the attempt of Cartwright and Travers to establish their 'Book of Discipline,' by compelling subscription to three articles: (1) The Royal Supremacy, (2) The Book of Common Prayer, (3) The Articles of 1562. The Puritans now based their hopes on the Parliament of 1584, and with this end in view, The Practice of Prelates was published by Tyndal. It was the first of the series which reached its last term in the Marprelate libels, and was scarcely less coarse than they. The attempt of 1584 was a failure; and, when it was renewed in 1586, the House refused to allow the Bill to be introduced. From this time the flow of Puritan tracts, which had begun about 1570, increased both in number and violence; and, in 1587 Dr John Bridges wrote his Defence in answer to them. This led next year (1588) to the first of the Marprelate tracts the Epistle, which we here in part reproduce. The Epitome followed very shortly after; and in 1589 nearly all the other tracts were issued. Bishop Cooper's Admonition came out early in that year, and the Queen's Proclamation against certain seditious and schismatical books and libels is dated February 13, 1589 (N.S.).

Theses Martinianae, or Martin Juniar is dated July 22nd; the Just Censure and Reproofe of Martin Senior, July 29th. In August a press that Penry had set up in Manchester was seized, at the instigation of the Earl of Derby, while printing More worke for Cooper, but, nothing daunted, Penry continued his printing operations elsewhere. The attack of the anti-Martinists began in the same month with 'A Countercuffe, given to Martin Junior by the venturous, hardie and renowned Pasquill of England, Caviliero,' which is dated August 8th. Next followed Pappe with an Hatchet. The Return of Pasquil is dated October 20th, and close upon this An Almond for a Parrat appeared. In the winter a final squib was fired, 'Martins Months minde that is, a certaine Report and true Description of Death and Funeralls of olde Martin Marre-prelate, the great Makebate of England and Father of the Factions, contayning the cause of his death, the manner of his buriall, and the right copies both of his will and such epitaphs,' etc.

On the Martinist side the Protestatyon of Martin Marprelate appeared in September, and the answer to Bishop Cooper's Admonition, called Hay any Worke for Cooper, seems from internal evidence to have been published in the Winter of 1589. 'Ha' ye any work for John Cooper' was one of the cries of London at the time; and Martin had recognised the good Bishop in the initials 'T. C.,' which had appeared on the Admonition. In January 29th, 1590 (N.S.), Penry's house was searched, but he was not arrested. Shortly afterwards, however, the mayor was directed to apprehend him as a traitor. He hid himself, and escaped to Scotland, having first issued his defiant 'Appellation of John Penri unto the Highe court of Parliament.' In Scotland he preached openly; and issued a Treatise' in

favour of reformation, the answer to which, The First Parte of Pasquils Apologie, brought the Marprelate controversy to an end in the same year 1590. Two years later, September 1592, the excitement having subsided, Penry had the rashness to leave Edinburgh for London, where he presented an address to the Queen, which began, 'Madam, you are not so much any adversary to us poor men, as unto Jesus Christ and the commonwealth of his Kingdom.' In March 1593, he was arrested, charged with inciting to rebellion and insurrection, on the evidence not of his printed works but of MS. notes found in his possession, and executed in May. He was born in 1559, and thus was twentynine when the Epistle was produced.

The authorship of the Martinist pamphlets is shrouded in some mystery. But it is at least certain that John Penry the Welshman was the prime mover in the matter, and the manager of the secret press. He was probably the original Martin, though the names of Barrow, John Udall, Job Throckmorton and Fenner have also been suggested; but Penry was not the only writer on that side, as might be gathered from An Almond for a Parrat quoted below. We may accept Mr Arber's conclusion ('Introd. Sketch of the Marpr. Cont.' 1880) that Penry was the principal writer, assisted by Throckmorton, a Puritan country gentleman, and with the use of some memoranda of John Udall, who himself disliked this method of controversy.

The Epistle was secretly printed by Penry and Waldegrave in Mistress Crane's country-house at East Moulesey, in Surrey, about Michaelmas 1588. Waldegrave was engaged to superintend the technical arrangements: Penry corrected the proofs, and paid the two compositors. About a fifth part of it is here reproduced as a fair specimen

of the whole. In fact, both in this and his other pamphlets, Martin harped pretty much on the same string.]

MARTIN MARPRELATE'S EPISTLE.

OH READ OVER D. JOHN BRIDGES, FOR IT

IS A WORTHY WORKE:

1

OR AN EPITOME OF THE

FYRSTE BOOKE OF THAT RIGHT WORSHIPFULL VOlume, written against the Puritans, in the defence of the noble cleargie, by as worshipfull a prieste, John Bridges, Presbyter, Priest or elder, doctor of Divillitie, and Deane of Sarum. Wherein the arguments of the puritans are wisely prevented, that when they come to answere M. Doctor, they must needes say something

that hath beene spoken.

COMPILED FOR THE BEHOOFE AND OVERTHROW of the Parsons, Fyckers, and Currats, that have lernt their Catechismes, and are past grace: By the reverend and worthie Martin Marprelate gentleman, and dedicated to the Confocationhouse.

THE EPITOME IS NOT YET PUBLISHED, BUT IT SHALL be when the Bishops are at convenient leysure to view the same. In the meanetime, let them be content with this learned Epistle.

1 Pp. 1-8. Dr John Bridges was Dean of Salisbury in 1587, when he wrote a large 4to of 1,401 pages called 'A Defence of the Government established in the Church of England,' etc. This is the book here sarcastically recommended. Bridges became Bishop of Oxford in

PRINTED OVERSEA, IN EUROPE, WITHIN TWO FURlongs of a Bounsing Priest, at the cost and charges of M. Marprelate, gentleman.

To the

RIGHT PUISANTE, AND TERRIBLE PRIESTS, my cleargie masters of the Confocation-house, whether fickers generall, worshipfull Paltripolitane, or any other of the holy league of subscription : this worke I recommend unto them with all my heart, with a desire to see them all so provided for one day, as I would wish, which I promise them shall not at all be to their hurt.

Right poysond, persecuting and terrible priests, the theame of mine Epistle, unto your venerable master-domes, is of two parts (and the Epitome of our brother Bridges his booke, shall come out speedily). First, most pitifully complayning, Martin Marprelate, &c. Secondly, may it please your good worships, &c.

Most pitifully complayning therefore, you are to understand, that D. Bridges hath written in your defence, a most senceless book, and I cannot very often at one breath come to a full point, when I read the same.

Againe, may it please you to give me leave to play the Duns for the nonce as well as he, otherwise dealing with master doctors booke, I cannot keepe decorum personoe. And may it please you, if I be too absurd in any place (either in this Epistle, or that Epitome) to ride