V. ciation of the Greek upon translating the oration of Demosthenes, and of his SECT. antagonist Æschines, into Latin: which would he take. in hand, he should, he said, undertake a thing most proper Anno 1550. and agreeable to his place, his study, his wit, his judgment, and his ability: and that thereby he would hold forth a great light to the commendable imitation of Demosthenes and Tully, the princes of the Greek and Latin speech. He now also propounded to him to disperse and communicate his pronunciation of Greek abroad in the And upon world, that other nations might be acquainted with it: his pronunpublishing adding, that if he would but send him the сору, he would soon offer it to the view of mankind; and that he doubted language. not but to obtain the assistance of Johannes Sturmius (the most learned Professor of Strasburgh) to give some illustrations to it. Pity it was, that this suggestion prevailed not with Cheke to set forth his learned exercitations upon the Greek tongue, and the correct way of sounding it, having this convenience of printing the book well, in some printing-house abroad, and whilst Ascham, or some of his friends, might have had the supervising of it; whether it were our learned man's modesty, or his other cares and business hindered. Yet the sum of his thoughts upon this subject came to light soon after his death, in his exquisite Latin letters to Bishop Gardiner, printed at Basil, as we have told already. And as to the other motion made by Ascham, of translating something of that prince of Greek orators, that he did, either upon this advice or before. And beside these, many other of that orator's works, as his Philippics and Olynthiacs, he translated, and left behind him, (though I fear now utterly perished,) as we shall be told hereafter, when we come to mention his writings. SECT. VI. Cheke translates the Communion Book. His friendship with Martyr and Bucer. Hath a son. BUT now to look at home. It was not far from this time that the Archbishop of Canterbury thought it neces CHAP. munion Book put into Latin by Cheke. sary that the first Communion Book should be carefully reIII. vised and corrected; and that in this work foreign Divines Anno 1550. of the greatest learning in divinity, and best acquainted The Com- with the ancient ecclesiastical writers, should be consulted. There were many in England at that time, the chief whereof were Bucer and Peter Martyr: both whose judgments the said Archbishop required, and willed them to set down their censures in writing for his use. In this matter our Cheke was concerned: he translated into Latin the substance of the said Communion Book for P. Martyr, (not understanding English,) now being at Lambeth with the Archbishop: and from this translation Martyr made his censures by way of annotation. And, moreover, Cheke had conference with that learned man concerning the amendments to be made, and concerning a meeting of the Bishops that were to consult and deliberate about it; many of which secretly bearing a good-will to Popery, Martyr confessed his fears to Cheke, that the reformation of the book would stick with them. But Cheke hinted to him, "bthat if the Bishops would not alter what was fit to be altered, the King would do it by himself, and when the "Parliament met, he would interpose his own authority." Congratulates Bucer's recovery. Cheke was a fast friend and patron to these outlandish learned Confessors. And as we have seen something between Peter Martyr and him this year 1550, so in the same year there was a kind correspondence between him and Bucer. Upon his first coming to Cambridge to be the King's Professor there, he had been dangerously sick and as the fear of losing so useful a man in that public station caused no small trouble to Cheke, and such friends of the Reformation as he, so his recovery gave them no small content. And Cheke, by way of congratulation and counsel, wrote thus from the Court at Greenwich to him in Asch. Ep. May: Audio te firmiorem, &c. i. e. “I hear you are p. 433. b Hoc non me parum recreat, quod mihi D. Cheekus indicavit, si noluerint ipsi, ait, efficere, ut quæ mutanda sint, mutentur, Rex per seipsum id faciet, et cum ad Parliamentum ventum fuerit, ipse suæ majestatis authoritatem interponeret. Mat. Parker's Lett. C. C. C. C. et v. Asch. p. 438. VI. 66 grown stronger, and that all your weakness and sickness SECT. "which had afflicted you is gone: for which I do ear"nestly, as I ought, give thanks to God, the Father of all Anno 1550. 66 comfort, who hath delivered you from so great a disease, "and strengthened you to take in hand and undergo such 66 an office in the Church. But pray take heed you be not "too earnest in your beginning, and undertake more than "the measure of your health will bear. We must so labour, "as to think, not how soon, but how long we shall be able "to perform our work. You know how far that of St. Paul "reaches, Use a little wine; and how it may diffuse itself "to all the actions of life. I do that to you which I could never induce myself to do to any else; that is, to advise "that you be more remiss and moderate in this your al"most intolerable labour of mind: for the greatness of it "stretched beyond one's strength distresses the body, and "disables it to take care for meaner things." This was the advice of a true friend. 66 cits Cheke Bucer had solicited Cheke in behalf of his friend and coun- Bucer solitryman Sleidan the historian, who had a yearly honorary for Sleidan. pension assigned him by King Edward the VIth, for his excellent learning and abilities. This pension, behind and unpaid, (for money was not very plentiful with this King,) it was Bucer's request to Cheke to use his interest for it, signifying what address had been made to the Archbishop of Canterbury in this behalf. To this Cheke's answer was, "That the Archbishop was of a benevolent disposition, "but a slow patron of causes; and that in this business "there was need of a Privy Counsellor, and likewise of a "greatness of spirit, that might be fit to undertake causes "with moderation and judgment; adding, that if the opportunity once slipped away, it would be more easily "sought than found. That, for his part, he did not cease "to put the Archbishop in mind, and that he would still "do further what he could." 66 Asch. Ep. p. 434. Bucer sends In the same year, the xii. of the calends of November, there passed another letter from Bucer to Cheke, styling Cheke his him therein his most honoured patron; herewith sending book De Regno. III. CHAP. him up his famous book that he wrote for the use of the King in reforming religion, De Regno Christi constiAnno 1550. tuendo; signifying that he had shewn it to none but P. Martyr, who was, as he said, of the same opinion with him. He added, that this book should be read by none but such who should read it for their own and the Church's profit. And he desired him to recommend this his labour and pains to the King. Cheke's presence desired at Asch. Ep. p. 434. This year Cheke was about coming to Cambridge, as we find him afterwards to do, in a considerable capacity. Cambridge. But when some doubted of his coming, Bucer entreats him to come, because his presence would be so very necessary for that School; he meant that University. He lastly prayed the Lord to keep him, his most honoured wife, and his son, who might now be about two years old. Cheke's course in tion of the King's studies. SECT. VII. Cheke reads Aristotle's Ethics in Greek to the King. CHEKE still plied his duty close with the King, in folhis direc- lowing him in his studies. A Cambridge friend of his (who was wise and learned, and well understood the education of noble youth) took occasion now to tell Cheke his judg ment concerning the instruction of his royal charge, who, being now about thirteen years of age, and endued with an understanding beyond his years, should be let into the reading of such books as might be proper to shew him his duty as a Prince. And a book of that nature having been composed by Xenophon the Grecian, for the institution of Cyrus, he thought the King might be a double gainer in reading of it, both by forwarding him in Greek, and also by the noble and wise instructions proper for a Prince's behaviour. But though Cheke approved well of this counsel, yet he thought fit first to enter him into Aristotle's Ethics in Greek: that so his royal mind might first be well principled in moral virtues; and when he understood well these precepts, and had imbibed the knowledge of all VII. the parts of virtue and vice, he would be the better enabled SECT. to look into and judge of the manners and actions of men; and thence might more properly be led into history, and Anno 1550. be able to pass a judgment upon the matters he should read there. Cheke had read over Tully's philosophy to him already; and, by his pains, Latin and Greek were become easy to him, both to write and speak elegantly the former, and to translate into the latter. state and dom. Let us add here some few things more relating to Instructs Cheke's care in the education of his Prince. Among other him in the things that he instructed him in, one was about matters interest of the kingof the kingdom. He shewed him the general history of England, the state and interest, the laws and customs of it, and such like: and this he taught him before he was King. Where Cheke shewed himself so well skilled in the mysteries of this State, that it is said that King Henry observing it, had an eye upon him for Secretary. And that all King Edward's transactions, and the emer- Directs him to keep a gencies of his kingdom, whether public or private, might diary. be the better remembered by him, (whereby his experience might be the greater,) Cheke directed him to keep a diary of all occurrences of weight; and to write down briefly, under each day of every month, debates in Council, despatch of Ambassadors, honours conferred, and other remarks, as he thought good: and this, we may conclude, produced that excellent Journal of this King preserved in the Cotton library, and printed thence by Bishop Burnet. And, to set forth the benefit of keeping of such a day's book, Cheke is said to use this aphorism, "That a dark "and imperfect reflection upon affairs floating in the me66 mory, was like words dispersed and insignificant; whereas a view of them in a book, was like the same words "digested and disposed in good order, and so made signi"ficant." |