132 7heH'ISTORY of the Pua1T iris. Chap. IV. Qaeen The learned foreigners gave their opinions upon this nice queflion with Elizabeth, caution and referve. Peter Martyr in his letter to Grindal writes thus; i6;4v " As for the habits to be ufed in holy things, fnce they carry an ap Sentiments of" pearance of the mats, and are merely remainders of popery, it is, fays foreign di- " he, the opinion of the learned Bollinger, the chief minifler of Zurich, sttyp' " that they are to be refrained from, left by your example a thing that Strype's life of Grinds', " is scandalous fhould be confirmed; but (he adds) though I have been P 29+ 3 ° " always againft the ufe of fuch ornaments, yet I fee the prefent danger, Strvpe's an - left you fhould be put from the office of preaching. There may alto Haft, Vol. 1. y p p. 193. " be fome hopes, that as images and altars are taken away, fo alto thofe " appearances of the mafs may be removed, if you and others who " have taken upon you epifcopacy, labour in it. I am therefore more " backward to advife you rather to refufe the bifhoprick, than to fubmit " to the ufe of thofe veftures ; and yet becaufe I am fenfible fcandals " of this kind are to be avoided, I am more willing to yield_to But- " linger's opinion aforefaid: " But after all, he advifes him to do nothing againft his confcience. Of the Bollinger and Gualter, miniflers of Zurich, in their letters to Hornand Switzerl " Grindal, " lament the unhappy breach in the church of England, " and approve of the zeal of thofe divines, who with to have the Hifi R f " houfe of God purged from all the dregs of popery. They are not Vol. Ill. " leafed with them who firft made the laws about habits, nor with P. 5o8. " p who zealoufly maintain them. They declare that they aäed " ° unwifely, if they were ofthe reformed fide ; but if they were difguifed NIS. P. 889. " enemies, that they had been laying fnares with ill defigns. They are " therefore abfolutely againft the impofition of theme, and other grievances ; but they think many things of this fort fhould be fubmitted to, rather than " men thould forfake the miniftry at this junêture, left the whole refor " mation thould be loft; but that they fhould preis the queen and the no- " bility to go on and complete the reformation, fo gloriouíly begun." Thefe divines wrote alto to the earl of Bedford, and acquainted him, " That they were folly to hear that not only the veftments, but many " other things were retained in the church, which favoured plainly of " popery. They complain of the bifhops printing their letter, and that " their private opinion about the lawfulnefs of wearing the habits for the " prefent, fhould be made ufe of to cart reproaches on perfons, for " whom they thould rather have compaffion in their fufferings, than " ftudy to aggravate them. They pray his lordfhip to intercede with " the queen and nobility, for their brethren that were then under fuf " ferings, who deferved a very great regard, £orafinuch as it had ap- peared what true zeal they had for religion, fence the only thing they " defired was, that the church fhould be purged from all the dregs of " popery. This caufe (fay they) in general is filch, that thofe who promote
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