* I liave gfithered these names, after Masson (Life of Milton, i. 92-99), from numerous sources, but mainly from Cooper's 'Annals of Cambridge,' Wood's ' Athenae'
Ey memoir of RICHARD SIBBES, D.D.
in Cambridge than by here submitting a hitherto nnpubUshed document of this period, 1G26-27, recovered from the 'Church- wardens' books of the parish.* It very strikingly reveals the in- terest pervading the community in the Trinity lectureship. The document explains itself. I adhere to its orthography —
' Whereas, such p'sons as are interessed in the seates of the gallerie of this church (" Trinity") to sit there dureinge the time of the lecture, have- inge paid for the same to the p'ish, and yet, notwithstanding, are displaced by others haveinge not interest there, to their greivance and wronge ; and, unles redresse herein be speedely had, such p'sons soe greived will with- draw their cotribucons from the said lecture. For remedie whereof, it is ordered and agreed unto, by a joynt consent of all the p'shioners, that from henceforth noe p'son nor p'sons of what condyc'on soever, except such who have interest in the seats, shal be permytted to goe up into the gal- leries untyl the bell have done toUinge ; and then, yf any place be voyd, or may be spared to p'mytt, in the first place, grave divines, and after them such others as shall be lyked of by such as shall keep the dore : and yf any who have interest in the seates shall bringe any stranger to be placed there, and will have him to have his place in the gallerie, then such p'son bringing such stranger, to keepe belowe, and take his place els where for such t}TQe ; and yf any person interessed in the seats doe not repair to the church before the beU have done tollinge, then he to lose his place for that tymo.
' It is likewise ordered, by ye like consent, that such p'sons as have inte- rest in any of ye seates in ye church, shall not have it particularly to them- selves to place and displace whom they will, but only to have ye use of the seats, duringe the tyme of the lecture, for theire owne p'sons, and to receave into them such other of the parish, yf any such come, as shall belonge to such seate, and such others likewise as are people of qualitye who doe con- tribute to ye lecture ; and not to receave any children into their seats.
' It is further ordered that noe seats eyther in ye galleries or in ye church shall hereafter be disposed of to any w^^'out the consent of the parishiners at a publiq meetinge in the church. f
Thus moving the ' whole city,' Sibbes and Preston went hand-in- hand ; and long after they were gone, when a very different spirit
{by Bliss), Fuller's ' Worthies' (by Nichols), and the ' Lives of Nicholas Ferrar, and of Matthew Rohinson,' two of, I trust, a series of like ' Biographies,' under the scho- larly editorial care of Mr Mayor of St John's. Consult also the ' Memoirs' of each name given. All, however, wishing to get real insight into Cambridge-life of the period, I must again and again refer to Mr Masson's 'Milton.' Sibbes'a popularity and success is testified by all who write about him, and I can trace none who was so frequently called to preach in St Mary's.
* From ' Between the Churchwarden's Accounts for 1626 and 1627, Trinity Parish, Cambridge.' Kindly pointed out to mo by Mr Wallis, and obligingly transcribed, with his usual exactness, by Mr Cooper,
t It may be as well to round off, in a foot-note, such additional memoranda as are in my possession about the lectureship. On 11th May 1630, there was again in- terference and controversy, Dr Thomas Goodwin being the lecturer. A letter respecting it was addressed to the vice-chancellor by Dudley Carlcton, Viscount Dor- chester, one of the principal secretaries of state. This ' letter' may bo here given from
MEMOIR OF EICHAED SIBBES, D.D. Iv
reigned in Cambridge, born of the wild licence of the Restoration, white-headed men would recall their honoured names with a sigh.
But, while thus faithful as a ' servant of Jesus Christ' in preach- ing, Richard Sibbes had the faculty of government. Catharine Hall soon found itself on an equality with its sister colleges. He returned from Sunday to Sunday, while the 'Courts' sat, to Gray's Inn, and was ever forward to plead the claims of his ' little house,' with his noble friends there.
We have many testimonies to his influence and usefulness in both. Of the former, Samuel Clarke observes : ' About the year 1618 (1616), he was chosen Preacher to Gray's Inn, one of the learnedest societies in England, where his ministry found such, general approbation and acceptance that, besides the learned lawyers of the house, many noble personages, and many of the gentry and citizens, resorted to hear him, and many, till this day
the Baker MSS. (xxvii. 137), as inserted in Cooper's Annals of Cambridge (iii. 229- 30).
To my Reverend Friend Mr Dr BuTS, Vice-chan, ^c.
Sir, — By reason of his Majesties late directions concerning lecturers, that they should read divine service according to the Liturgy, before their lectures, and th& afternoone sermons to be turned into catechising, some doubt hath beene made of the continuance of the lecture at Trinity Church, in Cambr. which for many yeares past liath beene held at one of the clocke in the afternoone, without divine service read, before yt, and cannot be continued at that hower, if the whole service should be reade before the sermon begin. Whereujjon his Majestic hath been informed that the same is a publick lecture, serving for all the parishes in that town (being fourteen in number), and that the university sermon is held at the same tyme, which would be troubled with a greater resort than can be well permitted, yf the towne sermon should bo discontinued : and that the same being held at tlie accustomed hower, there will b& tyme enough left after that sermon ended, and the auditory departed thence to their own parish churches, as well for divine service as for catechising in that and all other churches in the towne, which could not well be, yf divine service should be read in that church before the lecture ; besides the catechising in that church, would hereby be lost. Upon these motives his Majesty, being graciously pleased that the said lecture may be continued at the accustomed hower, and in manner as yt hath been heretofore used, hath given me in charge to make knowne to you his royall pleasure accordingly, but under this caution, that not only divine service, but cate- chising be duely read and used after that sermon ended, both in that and the rest of the churches of the towne ; and that the sermon doe end in convenient tyme for that purpose, soe as no pretext be made, either for the present or in future tyme, by color of the foresaid sermon, to hinder either divine service or catechising, which, his Majestic is resolved to have maintained. And so I bidd you heartily farewell, and rest. Yours to doe you service, Doechestee.