BENISON. 295 " us of your charitable dealing. We bid you farewell. " Signed, " BROMLEY, Chan.. " WIL. BURGHLEY, " AMIL WARWICK, " FR. BEDFORD, " ROBERT LEICESTER, " CHARLES HOWARD, FRANCIS KNOLLES, JAMES CROFT, WALTER MILDMAY. CHRIST. HATTON, FR. WALSINGHAM." Upon the bishop's reception of the above letter, he returned this answer :-" I beseech your lordships to ." consider, that it is a rare example thus to press a bishop, " for his zealous service to the queen and the peace of the " church, especially as the man was found worthy to be " committed for refusing to go to church, and other instances " of nonconformity, to say nothing of his contemptuous " behaviour towards me. Nevertheless, since it pleaseth " your lordships to require somereasonable sum of money, " I pray you consider my poor estate and great charges, " together with the great Daunt the man will make of his " conquest over a bishop. I hope, therefore, your lordships " will be favourable to me, and refer it to myself, either to " bestowupon him some small benefice, or otherwise to help " him as opportunity offers. Or if this shall not satisfy the " man, or not content your lordships, leave him to the trial " of the law, which, I hope, will not be so plain for him as " he taketh it. Surely, my lords, this and the like must " greatly discourage me in this poor service of mine in the " commission; wherein, if I seem remiss, I pray you impute " it to the troubles and infirmities of old age."* The manner in which the bishop answered the accusations against him, is a sufficient evidence that his conduct could not be defended. What reparation Mr. Benison obtained for the injurious treatment he received, or whether any, does not appear. But he was certainly too wise to go to law with a bishop of theigh commission court, who having but little conscience, exercised much cruelty; and who, notwithstanding his poor estates and great charges, left behind him at his death several very large estates, properties out upon mortgage, and above sixteen thousand pounds in money.+ These were immense riches in those 'days. Mr. Strype represents Aylmer's ill treatment of Mr. Benison as MS. Register, p. 589. + Strype's Aylmer, p. 112, 194.---Neal's Puritans, vol. i. p. 284. Strype's Aylmer, p. 205.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=