414 A Y L M E R. ably ; when, finding they were thoroughly awake and very attentive, he proceeded in his fermon, after admonifhing them how much it reflected on their good fenfe, that in matters of mere novelry, and when they underftood not a word, they fhould lifbn fo needfully, and yet be f- very ne- gligent and regardlels of points of the utmoft impoitance. He took mu.h pains in examining fuch as came to him for ordination, and kept a Oriel eye over all diflenters, as well Papifts as Puritans, fo far as his epifcopal authority would permit; and where he found that not fufficient, he wrote his thoughts veiy freely to the treafurer Burleigh. When the plague raged in London in 157^, his principal attention was directed to preferve the lives of his clergy ; and yet to make provifion that the infecled mi'_'ht be vilited, and have proper affiftance with refpedt to religion. He fummoned the Lon- don clergy before him, in order to elect and appoint out of their body vifitors of the lick, purpofing to Ipare the reft by reafon of the danger of the infection Strype tells us, that the forwardnefs of many minifters to undertake this office was remarkable; Come from coveto >ui< fs, others from vain- glory, and others to fupply their wants. The bifhop likewife ordered books, containing director for preventing the rage of the peftilence, to be printed and ofperied. 101581, came out Campian's book, containing his rea- fons for deferting the reformed and returning to the popifh communion. It waswritttn in very elegant Latin, and de- dicated to the fcholars of both univerfuies, among whom it was fecretly difperfed. One of the principal points infifted on therein was, the ftrange and contradictory doclnnes taught by fome of the fir ft Reformers. The lord treaiurer liurkijh dcfired the bifhop of London to anfwer it ; but his Jordfhip excufed himiVlf, on account of his bad {fate of health, and the trouble which his eccleluftical commifri n gave him [c]. However, he procured a proper anfwer to be writ- ten. He was no lefs indu(trious in checking the Puritans : indeed his pioceedings a^ainlt them were not only rigorous, but what in thefe times of tolerance and moderation would Vimticat of* 56 ca l' e ^ even l>' ra "nical [D]. Accordingly they fuggefted ' icnters, f c] He fi<t;pcfted moreover to ths from faults ; wherefore he was for fup- trtafurcr, that though he had hfn well porting the Refi-rmation rather than the acqujmted^v. ilh many cf the fiift Re- Reformers. Strype, p. 48. 51. formers, and had a profound vincra- fnj He committed to Newgate one tion for their virtues ; yet that he well Woodcock, a bookfelkr, for felling a knew even thtl'o great men were treatife entitled "An Admoniiion to ot free from blame, or their writings ** Parliament," which tended to fub- vert
