101 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. " courte as soon as convenientley ye may, to thende that if " yebe enclined to embrace this charge, his highnesse may " at your comynge give such ordre for the farther pro- " cedings with yow berin, as shall be convenient. And " thus we bid yow hartely farewell. From Southampton, " the 16 daye of August 1552. Your loving. frendes, W. " Winchestre, F. Bedford, H. Suffoike, W. Northampton, " T. Darcy, T. Cheine, F. Gate, W. Cecill.".' Bale, at first, refused the offered preferment, on account ofhis age, poverty, and ill health ; but the king not admit ting his excuses, he at length consented, and went soon after to London, where every thing relative to his election and confirmationwas dispatched in a few days, without any expense to him. He was consecrated by the Archbishop of Dublin, assisted by the Bishops of Kildare and Down ; and Hugh Goodacre, aparticular friend of his, was, at the same time, consecrated Archbishop of Armagh. There was, however, some dispute about the form of consecration. Dr. Lockwood, dean of the church, desired the lord chancellor not to permit the form, in the Book of Common Prayer lately set forth by the parliament in England, to be used on this occasion, alledging that it would cause a tumult, and that itwas not consented to by the parliament of Ireland. Thu lord chancellor proposed the case to the archbishop and the bishops, who agreed in opinion with the dean. Dr. Goodacre wished it might be otherwise, but was unwilling to enter into any disputation about it. But our author positively refused being consecrated according to the old popish form, alledging, that as England and Ireland were under one king, they were both bound to the observance of the same laws. Upon which, the lord chancellor ordered the ceremony to be performed according to the newbook, and afterwards entertained the bishops at dinner.t This celebrated divine having entered upon his new charge, did not become indolent, nor yet rise in worldly grandeur, but was constantly employed in his beloved work of preaching the gospel, labouring to the utmost of his power to draw the people frompopery to Christ. He spent a great part of his income in the purchase of books, manu- scripts, and records, for the purpose of publishing certain learned works which he had then in contemplation. Upon the accession of Queen Mary, and the return of popery, Dr. Bale was again exposed to the resentment and Biog. Britan. vol. i. p. 532. t
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