Sir Christopher Wren: His Family and His Times: With Original Letters and a Discourse on Architecture Hitherto Unpublished. 1585-1723.Phillimore, Lucy
History
Sir Christopher Wren: His Family and His Times: With Original Letters and a Discourse on Architecture Hitherto Unpublished. 1585-1723.
Phillimore, Lucy
Great Britain -- History -- Stuarts, 1603-1714 -- Biography; Wren family; Wren, Christopher, Sir, 1632-1723
royal prerogative, and determined him to favour Matthew Wren.
[_MATTHEW WREN._]
Lancelot Andrewes, who had been Bishop of Chichester, was in 1609
translated to Ely, and so enabled to watch over the University and 'to
search out,' as he entreated his friends to do also, 'hopeful and
towardly young wits,' and train them up for Holy Orders.[6] He made
Matthew Wren his chaplain, gave him the living of Feversham in
Cambridgeshire, and some years later made him a canon of Winchester. But
very different duties from the ordinary ones of a parish priest devolved
upon Wren. King James planned for the Prince of Wales the famous
'Spanish match,' and gave a most reluctant consent to the Duke of
Buckingham's scheme, that the Prince should himself go to Spain to fetch
home his bride. Two of his chaplains were to attend the Prince, and by
the advice of Bishop Andrewes and of Laud, then Bishop of S. David's,
Dr. Leonard Maw, afterwards Bishop of Bath and Wells, and Dr. Matthew
Wren were chosen. The Prince and Buckingham departed hastily, leaving
the chaplains and suite to follow as they could. King James had no
sooner allowed the expedition than he repented of it, and being unable
to recall his permission, was tormented by a thousand fears for the
Prince's safety. The nation was in a state of ferment, persuaded that
the Prince's faith would be tampered with as well as his person
endangered. Thus the two chaplains had by no means an enviable post.
They went down to Newmarket, took their leave of the King and received
his last instructions:--
'So as all their behaviour and service should prove decent and
agreeable to the purity of the Primitive Church, and yet so near
the Roman form as can lawfully be done; "for," said he, "it hath
ever been my way to go with the Church of Rome _usque ad
aras_."'[7]
'The two bishops gave them also written and detailed instructions
that there might appear a face of the Church of England in all
forms of worship; that in the sermons there may be no polemical
preachings to inveigh against the Romanists or to confute, but only
to confirm the doctrine and tenets of the Church of England by all
positive arguments either in fundamental or moral points.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account