The Writings of Henry Barrow, 1590-91

Leland H. Carlson

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2004
• ISBN:
  9781134362776
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Histoire
• Subtopic: Histoire du monde

This volume contains the great Separatist's solus writings from 1590-1591. It includes texts taken from manuscript sources, and rare tracts that have been reprinted here for the first time.

The Writings of Henry Barrow 1590–1591

I

A Plaine Refutation

Barrow’s work, A Plaine Refutation of Mr. George Giffarde’s Reprochful Booke, printed at Dort in the Netherlands in 1590– 1591, is a composite work. Besides Barrow’s treatise, A Plaine Refutation, it contains “A Brief Summe of the Causes of Our Seperation, and of Our Purposes in Practise, Withstood by George Gifford, Defended by Henry Barrow as Followeth”. This is a recapitulation with new material of the controversy with Gifford in 1587–1588, and is printed in Carlson, The Writings of Henry Barrow, 1587–1590, pp. 118–150. It also contains “A Refutation of Mr. Giffard’s Reasons Concerning Our Purposes in the Practise of the Truth of the Gospel of Christ,” also by Barrow, and two treatises by Greenwood, “A Breife Refutation of Mr. George Giffard His Supposed Consimilitude betwene the Donatists and Us,” and also his “A Fewe Observations of Mr. Giffard’s Last Cavills about Stinted Read Prayers, and Devised Leitourgies.” Thus there are in all three works by Barrow and two by Greenwood.

In the 1591 edition the arrangement is as follows:

Title page. Verso is blank.

Dedication to Lord Burghley—ii recto—iv verso.

“Wisdome to the Reader”—A recto—A iv verso—B recto—B ii verso, 12 pages.

“A Brief Summe of the Causes”—pp. 1–20.

“A Plaine Refutation”—pp. 21–186.

“A Refutation of Mr. Giffard’s Reasons”—pp. 187–206.

(The title is not given in the 1591 edi tion, but it is in the 1605 edition).

“A Breife Refutation”—pp. 207–234.

“A Fewe Observations”—pp. 235–255.

The 1605 edition is a careful re-issue of the 1591 work, with one major change. It eliminates Greenwood’s “A Fewe Observations” and replaces it with Barrow’s “A Few Observations to the Reader of M.Giffard His Last Replie [A SHORT REPLY].

The title page of the 1591 edition has the word “consimilituda” which becomes “consimilitude” in the 1605 edition. Also, in the re-issued work there is an additional one—paragraph introduction or statement to the reader. I have collated the two editions and checked eight copies of the book. Aside from the differences noted, there are a few minor variations in spelling, punctuation, and overturned letters, but only significant departures from the 1591 text have been noted.

For many decades the copy of the 1591 A Plaine Refutation at the Huntington Library has been regarded as a unique copy, and it is so listed in the Short-Title Catalogue (no. 1523). It came into the library of Sir Thomas Egerton, Attorney-General, perhaps in 1593 after the trial of Barrow and Greenwood. Thus, the book became a part of the family library at Bridgewater House, and in February, 1917, the book was in the collection sold to Henry E.Huntington. This is the only copy of the 1591 edition in the United States, but fortunately there are other copies of the first edition in Lambeth Palace Library, in the Norwich Public Library, and in the Lincoln Cathedral Library. The book is also available in University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, Michigan, reel 172.

The 1605 edition is available in the British Museum, Lambeth Palace Library, Durham Cathedral Library, the University of St. Andrews, and Archbishop Marsh’s Library at Dublin.

The copies of the book at the Bodleian Library, Trinity College, Dublin, the University of Edinburgh Library, have the date 1606, but otherwise are identical with the 1605 edition. It is probable that in the course of printing the book late in 1605 or early in 1605/6 that the date was changed to 1606. American copies of the 1605 edition are available at Yale and the Library of Congress, and there is a 1606 imprint at the Boston Public Library and also at the Union Theological Seminary Library in New York.

[AA 1 recto]

A PLAINE

REFVTATION

OF M.G.GIFFARDES

reprochful booke, intituled a short treatise against the Donatists of England.

Wherein is discouered the forgery of the whole Ministrie, the confusion, false worship, and antichristian disorder of these Parish assemblies, called the Church of England.

Here also is prefixed a summe of the causes of our seperation, and of our purposes in practise, which M.GIFFARD hath twise sought to confute, and hath now twise receiued answere, by HENRIE BARROWE.

Here is furder annexed a briefe refutation of M.Giff. supposed consimilituda [sic] betwixt the Donatists and vs. Wherein is shewed how his Arguments haue bene & may be by the Papists more iustly retorted against himself & the present estate of their Church, by I.GREN.

Here are also inserted a fewe obseruations of M.Giff. his cauils about read prayer & deuised Leitourgies. [Dort], 1591

“Good Reader,¹ the treatises here insuing (being some while since intercepted)² are now republished for thy good, together with a few observations of Mr. Giffard his last Reply, not printed heretofore.³ Read and ponder them with judgment and indifferencie, and as thou findest them to accord with the word of God, so acknowledge and accept them: but not in any thing wherin they do erre therefrom; as al men’s writings are subject to errour. It shal bee thy part therfore in these, as in al the writings of any men, to consider and examine them by the Scriptures and word of God, which is alone the word of truth; and so far to receive them, and no furder but as they agree therwith. The Lord give thee understanding and grace to to [sic] follow the truth in love, to the salvation of thy soule, by Jesus Christ. Amen. 1605.

[AA 2 recto]⁴ To the right honorable pere [peer] and grave Counselor Sr. [Sir] William Cecill, Knight of the most noble order, Baron of Burleigh, Lord High Treasurer of England, etc., grace and wisdome be multiplied from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Proverbs 18:17. Justus qui primus in lite sua, donec advenit proximus eius et pervestiget illum.⁵

Hitherto (Right Honorable) have our malignant adversaries [Robert Some and George Giffard] had their full scope against us with the lawe in their owne handes, and have made no spare or conscience to accuse, blaspheame, condempne, and punish us, yea, to pronounce and publish us as damnable heretickes, schismatikes, sectaries, seditious, disobedient to princes, deniers and abridgers of their sacred power, etc., to the eares and eies of all men openly in B* their pulpits, and in their printed bookes, published by the consent and approbation of their church.⁶ No trial all this while upon anie sute or complaint graunted us: either civile, that we might know for what cause and by what lawe we thus suffer, which yet is not denied the most horrible malefactors and offendors: or ecclesiasticall by the word of God, where place and freedome might be given us to declare and pleade our owne cause in sobrietie and order: that so the meanes appoincted of God for our recoverie might be used, and wee (wherein we should be found to erre or transgresse) might be convinced to our faces by the Scriptures, and left inexcuseable. But in stead of this christian course, they have shut us up now more than three yeares⁷ in miserable and close prisons from the aire, from all exercise, from all companie or conversation with anie person, from all meanes so much as to write, yncke and paper being taken and kept from us, [AA 2 verso] and a diligent watch both by our keapers held over us, and also continuall searches upon one pretence or other made, where we were rifled from time to time of all our papers and writinges they could find.⁸ And being thus streightly kept and watched from speaking or writing, their conscience yet giving them no rest in all their prosperitie and pleasures, whilest we the Lord’s poore witnesses against their sinnes breathed (not to speake of their secret and indirect meanes wherby they sought to take away our lyves), they suborned (amongest sondrie others) two special instruments, Mr. Some and Mr. Giffard, to accuse and blaspheme us publiquelie to the viewe of the world, etch [sic] of them in two bookes,⁹ the one [Dr. Some] labouring to prove us Anabaptists, the other [Mr. George Giffard] Donatists in the same. Which bookes they have preferred especiallie to your Honor,¹⁰ as the chiefe obstacle that bindered them from their violent and bloudie course, of the same intent (no doubt) that their predicessors the chiefe priestes and pharasies accused our Saviour unto Pilat, and the Apostle Paule unto the Romane governours. Yet even all this, we hope, the Lord hath disposed to the furder manifestation of his truth, by directing our adversaries to bring our criminations before your Honor. Of whose wisdome and equitie we have so great experience and assurance, as we cannot from henceforth doubt to be condempned unheard, or to find therein worse usage, than our Saviour and the Apostles found at those heathen rulers.

Wherfore we addressed our selves (by such meanes as the Lord administred, and as the incommodities [sic] of the place, and the infirmities of our decaied bodies and memories would permit) to our defence, or rather to the defence of that truth, wherof God bath made and set us his unworthie witnesses, though as signes to be spoken against, and as monstrous persons in this sinful generation. And have hereunto undertaken Mr. Giffard’s two reprochfull blasphemous bookes: shewing the true causes of our separation from the parish assemblies, confirming and approving the same to be both true and sufficient [AA 3 recto] by sondrie weightie reasons and expresse Scriptures; refelling¹¹ by the like all the frivolous cavills and injurious sclanders which Mr. Giffard hath there brought to hide their sinnes, deface the truth, and to defame us. As also shewing such apparant dissimilitude betwixt the Donatists and us, both in the causes of our and their seperation, and in the manner of our and their proceedings, and in sondrie errors they held, as no man of anie knowledge or judgment before attempted, or shall hereafter be able (with anie truth or conscience) to compare us unto them herein, or to excuse Mr. Giffard for this his unchristian deeling with us. All whose unsanctified reproches wherwith his bookes through everie sentence are seasoned in stead of better grace, hereupon fall to the ground, and remaine upon his owne, and not upon our accompt. This defence when whe [we] had through the mercifull hand of our God finished, though not with anie shew of humane wisdome or arte, so much as in simplicitie of the truth and innocencie of our heartes, wee held it our dutie to present in like maner in al reverence and humilitie unto your honorable view and grave consideration. That both sides beeing heard according to equitie, and our answeres as well as their criminations duly expended, your sentence, or at the le[a]st [your] approbation, might proceede according to the truth. Craving herein no furder favour, than according to the equitie of our cause and innocencie of our doings: nor yet shunning any furder triall of the one or the other, that your Honor shall appoinct or thincke meet; whether with these our adversaries, or anie other that shall be contrarie minded, whosoever. Beeseaching your Honor’s perdon for this our bould presumption, the rather because such necessitie was layed upon us by the hand of God, through the importunate chalenges and insolent provocations of these our accusors: whose mouthes must either be stopped, or else through our default the holy truth of God, which we beleeve and professe, yea, and our innocencie be betrayed to the perpetual infamie of these our reprochfull adversaries, to our owne [AA 3 verso] present perill and future judgment, to the scandall of all that professe the same truth with us, but chiefly to the offence and torning backe of many, even of the whole land, from the streight waies of the Lord, even the waies of life and peace. All which mischiefes (we trust) shalbe prevented by these our simple indevours, the Lord giving testimonie and blessing to his owne word. The truth wherof shall shine forth in our simplicitie, the power therof be made manifest in our weakenes, to the discoverie and reformation of these publique enormities in the false worship, open sacrilege, antichristian ministerie and heinous disorder exercised and soffred in this land, and to the discipation of all the delusions and vain promises and perswasions of these false prophetts, wherwith they have a long time (for their owne fleshlie pompe and filthie lucre) seduced the whole land, drawen them into, and held them in the wrath and heavie judgments of God. That so the mightie hand of God working in the heart of our sovereigne prince and nobles, especiallie through your Honor’s faithfull counsell and furtherance; and also in the heartes of all the Commons, when the truth of these things shal be shewed unto them, a general and sincere conversion to the Lord may be made, even from all things that now are, or hereafter shall be found contrarie to his holie will, whither in the publique estate of all, or in the private estate of anie. For sure, as everie perticular person goeth forward from faith to faith as knowledge is increaced, everie day teaching other unto eternal life, so in the publique estate of the church no change that is made according unto the truth, as the publique error is espied, ought to be held strange or dangerous. But most heavenlie is that harmonie, where all the members kint [knit] together in the same faith, both in general and perticular, with one accord goe forward in their callings and duties, still amending what is found amisse, and daylie indevouring to doo better. Then should [AA 4 recto] there not be found anie such unchristian contention abought the truth, pleading and spurning against the truth, or persecution for the truth. Then should the Lord’s dreadful judgments, which now hang over the whole land for these sinnes, be avoided, and his blessings in stead therof be multiplied. But sure in the meane time until these sinnes be removed out of God’s sight and redressed, there is no peace to be looked for or asked of the Lord, there is no pleading with or against Him, howsoever the false prophet may goe abought to heale the hurte of this people as a light evill, saiing, “peace, peace, when there is no peace,”¹² and to repaire the breaches that are as the sea, with untempered stuffe and vaine visions tending unto abdication. Wherfore, to the torning away of so great evills, and the procuring of so great and inestimable benefites to our sovereign queene and countrie, as we have not with-holden our utmost indevours to the discoverie of the publique enormities and sinnes of these times, in all truth and freedome, being readie yet furder to witnesse and approve the same, if such neade be, to the face of our greatest adversaries and gainsayers, by the evidence of God’s word. So now it remaineth that we instantly beseach your Honor, even in the name of God, before whome we shall all of us shortly appeare to our accompt and judgment, by whome this chardge is layed upon you (the cause being now brought, and by both sides, aswell our adversaries as us, layed open before your Honor) that you would now be a meanes to her right excellent Majestie that these weighty and dangerous matters may be no longer wrapped up or put off in securitie and silence (lest these our soffrings and testimonies rise in judgment with this generation), but may rather be furder inquired and discussed, and order and redresse taken according to the will of God. Which shall no doubt torne [turn] to the high glorie and most acceptable service of God and of your prince, to the unspeakable [AA 4 verso] benefite of this whole land, and to the happie discharge of your dutie and conscience to your eternall praise in this life and in the life to come.

Your lordship’s most humble and addict in the Lord...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Preface
• Introduction
• The Writings of Henry Barrow, 1590–1591
• Appendices
• Index