CHELSEA COLLEGE. 152

CHELSEA COLLEGE.

Let us therefore, good Countrymen and Christians, hearken willingly to his Majesty's Motion, and readily follow his Example. Let it appear by our Bounty, how zealous we are to maintain his everlasting Truth, and root out Error and Idolatry. Let us, by Effects, declare how studious we are to do good Works, and to advance our Country's Honour. They that have much, may give of their Abundance; the rest according to the Measure of their Means. God as well accepteth the Widow's Mite, and poor Man's good Will, as the rich Man's Treasure.

If we honour God with our Substance, he will honour us, and increase our Substance. If we build a House for the Maintenance of his Truth, that it may continue to our Posterity, God will uphold our Houses, restore to us, and double it to our Posterity. Abraham, by offering his Son, was made a Father of many Sons, yea, of Nations. And Solomon, that shewed his Royal Magnificence in building God a Temple, in Honour and Riches passed all other Kings. How then can we excuse our selves, if we deny God a small Offering, that daily offereth to us many Graces, and giveth us all the good Things we possess? Our Souls and Bodies are a Sacrifice due to him; and therefore no Christian may deny to him an Offering out of his worldly Goods, if God's Service require it.

As for those that draw back in this Service, and refuse to concur in promoting God's Honour, let them mark the Words of our Saviour, Matth. xii. He that is not with me, is against me. And the Curse of the Angel upon the People of Meroz, Judg. v. Curse ye Meroz, saith the Angel; for they came not up to help the Lord.

But we hope we shall not need many Words to move them that already are so well perswaded, nor to perswade Men that in Religion and Devotion are so forward. It is the Duty of good Christians to advance God's Honour, and repress Superstition, Heresy, Idolatry, Blasphemy. It is the Office of good Subjects to defend the Honour of the State, against the Sycophancies of English Fugitives, and the secret Practices of soreign Enemies, their Adherents. The Adversaries using all their Skill, and joining their Forces against Religion and the State; it behoveth us likewise to unite our Forces, and to join in Consultation how to resist them. This common Business requireth common Help: The Practices of the Adversaries provoke us to use Speed; the Quality of the Work being for Defence of Religion and the State, will move any, whose Heart is not hardened, chearfully to give. Whosoever shall willingly give, shall receive of God a full Reward in this Life, and when they dye, their Works shall follow them; and then whatsoever they have given to God on Earth, they shall assuredly find in Heaven.

Wherefore recommending the College of Chelsea to every Religious Christian's devout Thoughts, we cease further to press them. Only for Satisfaction of those that desire to know why this College is erected at Chelsea, and not in one of the Universities, this we thought fit to add; That this Place was thought most fit to receive Directions from our Superiors; to consult with Men of best Experience; to obtain Intelligence from foreign Parts; to print Books, and to disperse them; and lastly, to obtain the Favour of the State and City. Further hereby; As all Emulation may be avoided, so the Help of both Universities may as well be had by Intercourse of our Agents, as if the College stood in either of the Universities.

This College, why at Chelsea?

Thus all Things now stand. God bless the Proceeding of this Work, and give Honour to his own Name, and a happy Issue to this holy Design. Amen.

But after all this Endeavour and Pains to bring this good Work to some Perfection, there was only one Range of Building erected, and that scarce finished, which cost 3000l. all begun and done chiefly by the said Dr. Sutcliff. But this was scarce an Eighth Part of the whole intended Edifice; that is, a double Quadrangle, besides Wings on each Side. But however, Provosts and Fellows were appointed from Time to Time. The first Provost and Set of Fellows, nominated by the King himself, were these:

Only a small Part built.

J. S.

Full. Church Hist. Lib. X. p. 52.

Matthew Sutcliff, Dean of Exeter, Provost.
John Overal, Dean of St. Paul's.
Thomas Morton, Dean of Winchester.
Richard Field, Dean of Gloucester.
Robert Abbot.
John Spenser.
Miles Smith.
William Covitt, [perhaps for Covel].
John Howson.
John Layfield.
Ben. Charrier. [This Man turned Papist afterwards.]
Martin Fotherby.
John Boys.
Richard Bret.
Peter Lilie.
Francis Burley.

Names of the Provost and Fellows.

      Doctors of Divinity.
William Hellier, Archdeacon of Barnstable.
John White, Fellow of Manchester-College.
William Camden, Clarencieux, Historians.
John Heywood, Doctor of Law, [perhaps Heyward].

All great, learned Men, and of the best Figure in those Times. And as these were preferred to Bishopricks, (as many of them were) or died; K. James, by Letters Patents, dated November 14. 1622, substituted others in their Rooms: Among whom was the remarkable Archbishop of Spalato.

To advance this Work, the King, 1616, sent his Letter to Abbot, Archbishop of Canterbury (as was mentioned before) to stir up all the Clergy in his Province to a liberal Contribution. He accordingly wrote his Letters to the Bishops to deal with their respective Clergy and others of Ability, to give their charitable Benevolence for the perfecting so pious a Design. But the Collections came in but slowly and sparingly, so that finally the Building stopt and went not forward, and so by little and little fell to Decay and Ruin. And at last there was a Decree in Chancery, made by Coventrie, Lord Keeper, that three of those four Farms formerly given to the College, should return again to the Possession of the Heir general of Dr. Sutcliffe; and this by the Consent of Dr. Featly the third Provost of the College, and Dr. Prideaux surviving Trustee. Suits were also commenced about the Title of the very Ground it stood on, between William Lord Mounson, who Married the Widow of the Earl of Nottingham, that granted the Lease of the Land, and the fourth Provost. This Provost was Dr. Samuel Wilkinson, living about the Year 1654 or 1655, when Dr. Fuller wrote his Church History, to whom the said Provost imparted the Records of the said College.

A Contribution towards it among the Clergy.

The Building stopt.

Suits commenced about the College.

But though this College, set apart for Learning, came to this unhappy Disappointment, yet now in our Times, after it had laid long neglected, our Kings have cast a favourable Eye up-

on