"said, that your lordship had written to him, that you "would gladly bestow one on me; and that your lordship "thought, and so did other of my friends, of which he

was one, that I was much too scrupulous in that point. "Whereunto I always say, if I be too scrupulous, as I "cannot think that I am, the matter is such, that I had "rather my conscience were a great deal too strait, than a "a little too large. For I am seriously persuaded, that I "shall never offend God by refusing to have a benefice, "and lie from it, so long as I judge not evil of others; " which, I trust, I shall not; but rather pray God daily, "that all who have cures may discharge their office in his "sight, as may tend most to his glory and the profit of his "church. He replied against me, that your lordship would "give me no benefice, but what you would see discharged "in my absence, as well or better than I could discharge it "myself. Whereunto I answered, that I would be sorry, "if I thought not that there were many thousands in "England, more able to discharge a cure than I find myself. "And therefore I desire they may take both the cure and "the profits also; that they may be able to feed both the "body and the soul, as I think all pastors are bounden. "As for me, I can never persuade myself to take the profit, "and another take the pains: for if he should teach and "preach as faithfully as ever St. Austin did, yet I should "not think myself discharged. And if I should strain my "conscience herein, I strive with it to remain here, or in any "other university, the unquietness of it would not suffer "me to profit in my study at all.

"I am here, at this present, I thank God, very well "placed for study among a company of learned men, joining "to the friers minors; having free access at all times to a "notable library among the friers, men both well learned "and studious. I have entered acquaintance with divers "the best learned in the town; and for my part was never "more desirous to learn in all my life than at present. "Wherefore, I am bold, knowing your lordship's singular 66 good will towards me, to open my mind thus rudely and "plainly unto your goodness, most humbly beseeching you "to suffer me to live without charge, that I may study "quietly.

"And whereas I know well your lordship is careful how "I should live, if God should call your lordship, being "now aged, I desire you will not let that care trouble you. "For if I had no other shift, I could get a lectureship, I

"know, shortly, either in this university, or at least in some "abbey hereby; where I should not lose any time; and this "kind of life, if God be pleased, I desire before any "benefice. And thus I pray Christ always to have your "lordship in blessed keeping. By your lordship's humble "scholar and chaplain,

"BERNARD Gilpin."

The

The bishop was not offended with this letter. unaffected piety which it discovered disarmed all resentment, and led him rather to admire a behaviour, in which the motives of conscience shewed themselves so much superior to those of interest. "Which of our modern "gaping rooks," exclaims Bishop Carleton, "could endea "vour with greater industry to obtain a benefice, than this 66 man did to avoid one!” Mr. Gilpin having got over this affair, continued some time longer at Louvain, daily im proving in religious knowledge. And having remained about two years, he went to Paris; where his first care was the printing of Tonstal's book, which he performed entirely to the bishop's satisfaction, and received his thanks for it.

Mr. Gilpin having spent three years on the continent, was fully satisfied in all his former scruples. He was firmly convinced of the errors and evil tendency of popery; and of the truth and importance of the doctrines of the reformation. Therefore, in the year 1556, he returned to England, though the persecutions of Queen Mary were carrying on with unabating fury. Tonstal received his kinsman with great kindness; and soon after his arrival, gave him the archdeaconry of Durham, to which the rectory of Easington was annexed. He immediately repaired to his parish, where he preached with great boldness against the vices, errors, and corruptions of the times; also, by virtue of his office as archdeacon, he took great pains to reform the manners of the clergy. His free and open reproofs soon roused the malice of proud ecclesiastics, who used every method in their power to remove so inconvenient a person. It soon became their popular clamour, that he was an enemy to the church; a scandalizer of the clergy; a preacher of damnable doctrines; and that if he was spared much longer, religion must suffer from the heresies he was daily propagating. Indeed, a charge of heresy, consisting of

* Mr. Gilpin, in a letter to his brother, makes the following observation:" After I entered upon the parsonage of Easington, and began to "preach," says he, "I soon procured many mighty and grievous adversa"ries; for that I preached against pluralities and nonresidence. Some said,

thirteen articles, was soon drawn up against him; and he was accused in form before the Bishop of Durham. But the bishop, who was much acquainted with the world, easily found a method of dismissing the cause, so as to protect his nephew, without endangering himself. The malice of his enemies, however, could not rest; and they created him so much trouble, and on account of the extreme fatigue of keeping both his places, he begged leave of the bishop to resign either the archdeaconry or his parish. But the bishop observing that the income of the former was not a sufficient support without the latter, and that he was unwilling they should be separated, Mr. Gilpin therefore resigned them both.

The bishop soon after presented him to the rectory of Houghton-le-Spring, in the county of Durham. The living was valuable; but the duties of it were proportionably laborious. The parish contained no less than fourteen villages; and the instruction of the people having been so exceedingly neglected, popery was arrived to its full growth of superstition. Scarcely any traces of true christianity were indeed left. Nay, what little remained, was even popery itself corrupted. Here all its idle ceremonies were carried to a greater extent than in most other places, and were looked upon as the very essentials of religion. And how these barbarous people were excluded from all means of better information, appears from hence, that through the neglect of the bishops and the justices of peace, King Edward's proclamations for a change of worship, had not been even heard of, in that part of the kingdom, at the time of his death. Such was the condition of the parish of Houghton, when first committed to the care of Mr. Gilpin. He was grieved to see ignorance and vice so lamentably prevail; but he did not despair. He implored the assistance and blessing of God, and was much encouraged. The people crowded about him, and heard him with great attention. They perceived him to be a very different teacher from those to whom they had been accustomed.

After the acceptance of Houghton, Tonstal urged him to accept of a stall in the cathedral of Durham; telling him, that there did not exist the same objection against this as against the archdeaconry, it being altogether a sinccure;

"all who preached that doctrine became heretics soon after. Others found 66 great fault, for that I preached repentance and salvation by Christ; " and did not make whole sermons, as they did, about transubstantiation, 66 purgatory, holy-water, images, prayers to saints, and such like.”

and that he could have no reasonable pretence for refusing it. But Mr. Gilpin resolving not to accept it, told the bishop, that by his bounty he had already more wealth, than he was afraid, he could give a good account of. He, therefore, begged that he might not have any additional charge; but that his lordship would bestow his preferment on some one who stood in greater need of it.

Mr. Gilpin now lived retired, and gave no immediate offence to the clergy. The experience he had of their temper, made him more cautious not to offend them. He was, indeed, more cautious than he afterwards approved. For in future life he often taxed his behaviour, at this period, with weakness and cowardice. But all the caution he could use availed nothing. He was soon formally accused a second time before the Bishop of Durham; who again found means to protect him. The malice of his enemies, however, succeeded in part. From this time, Tonstal's favour towards him visibly declined; and to shew his dislike of heresy, and of his kinsman's conduct, he struck him out of his will, though he had before made him his executor. The loss gave Mr. Gilpin very little uncasiness. His heart was not set upon the things of this world. It was no less than he expected, nor more than he had provided for. He was, indeed, sorry to see the bishop disgusted; and would have given up any thing, except his conscience, to have satisfied him. But good conscience, he was assured, was the best friend in the world; and he was resolved not to part with that, to please any man upon earth.

His enemies, in the mean time, were not silenced. They were so exceedingly enraged by their second failure, that they caused thirty-two articles, expressed in the strongest terms, to be exhibited against him, before Bonner, bishop of London. Here they went the right way to work. Bonner was a man exactly suited to their purpose, nature having formed him for an inquisitor. The fierce zealot at once took fire, extolled so laudable a concern for religion, and promised that the heretic should be at the stake in a fortnight. Mr. Gilpin, who was no stranger to the burning zeal of the Bishop of London, received the account with great composure, and immediately prepared for martyrdom. Laying his hand on the shoulder of a favourite domestic, he said, "At length they have prevailed against me. I am "accused to the Bishop of London, from whom there will "be no escaping. God forgive their malice, and give me

"strength to undergo the trial." He then ordered his servant to provide a long garment, in which he might go decently to the stake, and desired it might be got ready with all expedition; "for I know not," said he, "how 66 soon I may have occasion for it."* As soon as he was apprehended, he set out for London, in expectation of the fire and faggot. But on his journey to the metropolis, we are informed, that he broke his leg, which unavoidably detained him some time on the road. The persons conducting him, took occasion from this disaster maliciously to retort upon him a frequent observation of his, viz. "That nothing happens to us but what is intended for our good." And when they asked him whether he thought his broken leg was so intended, he meekly replied, that he had no doubt of it. And, indeed, so it soon appeared in the strictest sense. For before he was able to travel, Queen Mary died, and he was set at liberty. Thus he again escaped out of the hands of his enemies.

Mr. Gilpin having obtained this providential deliverance, returned to Houghton through crowds of people, expressing the utmost joy, and blessing God for his happy release. The following year he lost his friend and relation Bishop Tonstal;+ but soon procured himself other friends. Upon the deprivation of the popish bishops, the Earl of Bedford recommended him to the patronage of Queen Elizabeth, who offered him the bishopric of Carlisle; and according to Wood, he was much pressed to accept it. The Bishop of Worcester, his near relation, wrote to him expressly for this purpose, and warmly urged him to accept the offer, declaring that no man was more fit for such kind of preferment. After all, Mr. Gilpin modestly refused. No arguments could induce him to act contrary to the dictates of his conscience. The accounts given us by Bishop Nicolson and Dr. Heylin of Mr. Gilpin's behaviour on this occasion, are extremely disingenuous: they both ascribe it to his lucrative motives. The former intimates that the good man knew what he was about, when he refused to part with the rectory of Houghton for the bishopric of Carlisle: the latter supposes that all his

Biog. Britan. vol. vii. Sup. p. 72.

+ Bishop Tonstal was one of the politest scholars of the age, and a man of the most amiable character. He published a book, entitled De Arte Supputandi, which was the first book of arithmetic ever printed in England, and passed through many editions.-Granger, vol. i. p. 95.

Athenæ Oxon. vol. i. p. 593.

Fuller's Church Hist. b. ix. p. 63.