He<290> was born of a worshipful house, and in the diocese of Winchester, and became after warden of Winchester, thence (for his great learning and virtuous life,) preferred to the bishopric of Lincoln, and after, upon the death of Stephen Gardiner, made bishop of Winchester;<291> wherefore of him I may say, that his fame might have answered his name, saving for one black sermon<292> that he made. Yet for the colour it may be said he kept decorum, because it was a funeral sermon of a great Queen, both by birth and marriage: I mean Queen Mary. But the offence taken against him was this. His text was out of Eccles. 4. 2. Laudavi mortuos magis quam viventes et fæliciorem utroque judicavi qui nec dum natus est.<293> And speaking of Queen Mary, her high parentage, her bountiful disposition, her great gravity, her rare devotion, (praying so much, as he affirmed, that her knees were hard with kneeling,) her justice and clemency in restoring noble houses to her own private loss and hindrance; and lastly her grievous yet patient death: he fell into such an unfeigned weeping, that for a long space he could not speak. Then recovering himself, he said she had left a sister to succeed her, a lady of great worth also, whom they were now bound to obey; for, saith he, "melior est canis vivus [quam] leone mortuo,"<294> and I hope she shall reign well and prosperously over us, but I must say still with my text, laudavi mortuos magis quam viventes; for certain it is, Maria optimam partem elegit."<295> Thus he: at which Queen Elizabeth taking just indignation, put him in prison, yet would proceed no further than to his deprivation, though some would have made that a more heinous matter.

            He was a man of austere life, and much more mortified to the world, than his predecessor Gardiner, who was noted for ambitious, but yet to his Prince very obsequious. But if Dr. Whyte had had a true prophetical spirit, he might have urged the second part of his text, sed feliciorem utroque judicavi qui nec dum natus est; for that may seem verified indeed in the King's Majesty that now is, who was then unborn, and hath since so happily united these kingdoms; yet lest that which I would make in him a prophecy, others will take in me for a flattery; I will proceed to the next, or rather I should say to another, for of the two next.I need ad nothing, my author having testified by both their epitaphs, that they lived and died well.

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