Canterburies dream: IN WHICH The Apparition of Cardinal Wolsie did present himself unto him on the fourteenth of May last past: It being The third night after my Lord of STRAFFORD had taken his farewell to the WORLD.  
Printed in the year 1641.   

canterburies dream.  
ON the fourteenth of May, betwixt the hours of twelve & one, when the night was growing towards the morning, and darkness did yet encompass me, my unquiet thoughts did interrupt my sleep, and the terror of the afflicting place wherein I lodged, did possess my soul: (whether awake, or in a vision I cannot say) but me thought, the reverend shadow of Cardinal Wolsie did present himself unto my view, and with a graceful and majestic gate, accoutered with those habiliments which did become his honours, he walked thrice by the side of my bed, and waving his left hand to me, he leaned himself at his third return, upon his Crosier staff, and with a soft voice he whispered thrice into my ear, My Lord, my Lord, my Lord.  
Though my faith in the great redeemer of the world, my Lord Jesus, to whose Name without superstition I shall ever bow, had prepared and confirmed me to overlook all fears and dangers which frail flesh doth stoop unto, I was amazed at the presence of the man, and by his proud deportment being not able well to distinguish whether it was the Cardinal Wolsie, who had Kings to his favourites; or whether it was the Cardinal of Richeleau, who had Balzac to his servant; my disputing thoughts made up to my first presumption, that it was indeed Cardinal Wolsie; and the rather, because the honesty of Philosophy doth instruct me, that no sublunary creature can make an intuitive dispatch, but being bound by the jurisdiction of Nature, to obey her terms of place, cannot move at once in two several places, though oftentimes the abused fancy presents unto itself the counterfeit and fantastic bodies of absent friends or foes, the fancy being overcome by the dominiering passions of love or hatred. But the Cardinal to cut off all doubtings, began thus to speak unto me: My Lord, the news of your greatness, and the noise of the falling episcopacy, hath roused me from the sloth of death, to understand what new ambition could prompt again the mitre to aspire unto a parity with the crown, what policies could support so bold an enterprise, what spirit give warmth unto so dangerous a work. I gave no answer at all; whereat, either indignation of heart, or in assuming unto himself by my silence, a greater liberty of language, he thus proceeded: My Lord, I had thought after my fate, that no man would again adventure to prefer the pomp of this vain world to the service of Almighty God, & the cares by him enjoined to his charge. My Lord, you might have read in the example of the right reverend Father in God, Thomas Becket, sometimes Archbishop of Canterbury, and in my sad legend, how dangerous it is for Prelates to nourish ambitious thoughts; and that the highest glory of the Church is the humility and the harmony of the Priests; but because that men blown up by Fortune, will swell themselves into any design, be it never so impossible: what flattering conceit did tempt you in your pride of heart to magnify your Grace with mine, in a time when the English clergy lived not in that pomp and flourish as in my days they did; when their best revenues lie impropriated to certain Lay persons, and when it is almost impossible to obtain or to hope for a recovery.  
I had a great mind to give him that answer which his cause deserved, but having quite abandoned this world and anchored my faith on Jesus Christ, I lay silent while he thus proceeded. My Lord, never dream to make such parallels perfect, I must confess my parentage was as low as yours, my education in the University was in Magdalen college of Oxford, as yours of Saint John's; Indeed my growing honours received not that privilege to be President of Magdalen college, as you were of the other, my nobler wing did soar to a brave height, and though the Chronicler who for all his name makes more haste then good speed, delivers me to be a Schoolmaster; I was in Oxford Tutor to my Lord of Dorset's sons, a charge that calleth for the endowments of an honest & an able man. Alexander was more obliged to Aristotle for his educat●on, then unto Philip for his kingdoms, as it is a greater honour to be a Christian then to be a man: God elected me to be an ambassador to his people, & Henry the 7. to be an ambassador to a most royal Prince, besides the honour of the Cardinal's cap, and the broad seal of England. I sat at once in seven episcopal seas, and the primate of England (which is the greatest dignity that ever you arrived at) was content to have his Crosses and his train to follow the Metropolitans of York: I lived as gracious in the eye of my sovereign as yourself, though it was your happiness to meet with a Prince of a more excellent and a more constant temper, Earls have been proud upon their knees to take the assay of my wine: It is true indeed, that you have countenanced learning and the muses and have beautified and improved their habitations, but not in my magnificent way: The hatred of the Commons hath been unto us alike, and some great men in both our times have griveously accused us: I was condemned as the causer of all heavy impositions, and my Lord how you can purge yourself from that accusation, you best can speak: what though Sir Amias Paulet was by my means for the space of six years retained a prisoner in the middle Temple, I doubt not but you have made more than one man suffer, and have put them to a harder if not a longer durance. The ruin of us both was indeed in both our times the joy and the voice of the people, and for the many barrels of gold and silver which I extorted from the Commons to release the captive Pope, I doubt not but you have found new ways to raise as great sums, and for what ends (my Lord) yourself best know. My Lord let not yourself or succeeding ages, make you my parallel, for though you equal me in my errors, I surmount you in my honours and magnificence: much more I have to say, but this is the third summons of the Cock and to fill the number up, I must return unto the children of night; I was preparing to make my answer to him, but immediately he vanished from my sight, but with a louder voice than before as he turned his back, I heard him to utter these or the like words: My Lord though I depart I must leave you behind me, wherein your fate hath prevented the condition of many your late State delinquents, who make a common custom, as they say, first to offend, and then to run away.  
FINIS.