At Gloucester I shall, at this time, make a very short bait, the last bishop thereof being but lately removed to London, and the present bishop<462> scant yet warm in his seat: yet this I must say, that I have heard some students of good judgement, that knew him in Oxford, affirm, that in his very young years he gave a great hope and good presage of his future excellency; having a rare gift ex tempore in all his school exercises, and such a happy wit to make use of all occurrents to his purpose, as if he had not taken the occasions as they fell out, by accident, but rather bespoken such pretty accidents, to fall out to give him the occasions. I have often heard him before Queen Elizabeth, and it was not possible to deliver sounder matter, nor with better method; for which cause he was greatly respected and reverenced at the court. But for his Latin sermon before the two most magnificent Kings, your Highness' father and uncle, I cannot praise him; no, for I am a Cambridge man; but I can envy him, that in two judgements, omni exceptione majoribus, did carry the commendations of the pure Latin language (peculiar as I thought unto Cambridge) to her younger sister of Oxford.<463> And thus much for him, whose virtues no doubt will give matter for some furder relation under, some other title hereafter.

Prev Next