I Was borne at Exeter in De­vonshire the second of March, 1544. descended both by Father and Mother of wor­shipfull parentage. By my Fa­thers side, from an antient Family of Bodley, or Bodleigh of Dunscombe by Crediton; and by my Mother, from Robert H [...]ne Esquire, of Otterey Saint Mary, nine miles from Exeter; my Father in the time of Queen Mary, being noted and knowne to be an ene­my to Popery, was so cruelly threatned, and so narrowly observed, by those that maliced his Religion, that for the safeguard of him­selfe and my Mother, who was wholly affe­cted as my Father, he knew no way so secure, as to fly into Germany: where after a while [Page 2]he found meanes to call over my Mother, with all his children and family, whom he setled for a time at VVesell in Cleveland, (for there, as then, were many English, which had left their Country for their conscience, and with quietnesse enjoyed their meetings and preachings;) and from thence we removed to the Towne of Franckfort, where was in like sort another English Congregation. How­beit we made no long tarriance in either of those two Townes, for that my Father had resolved to fixe his abode in the City of Gene­va, where, as farre as I remember, the English Church consisted of some hundred persons. I was at that time of twelve yeares age, but through my Fathers cost and care, sufficiently instructed to become an Auditour of Cheva­lerius in Hebrew, of Berealdus in Greeke, of Calvin and Beza in Divinity, and of some o­ther Professours in that Vniversity, (which was newly then erected) besides my dome­sticall teachers, in the house of Philibertus Sa­racenus, a famous Physitian in that City, with whom I was boarded: where Robertus Con­stantinus, that made the Greeke Lexicon, read Homer unto me. Thus I remained there two [Page 3]yeares and more, untill such time as our Nati­on was advertised of the death of Queene Ma­ry, & succession of Elizabeth, with the change of Religion, which caused my Father to ha­sten into England, where he came with my Mother, and with all their family, within the first of the Queene, and setled their dwelling in the City of London. It was not long after, [...] was sent away from thence to the Vni­versity of Oxford, recommended to the teach­ing and tuition of Doctour Humfrey, who was shortly after chosen the chiefe Reader in Divinity, and President of Magdalen Col­ledge; there I followed my studies till I tooke the degree of Batchelour of Arts, which was in the yeare, 1563. within which yeare I was also chosen Probationer of Merton Colledge, and the next yeare ensuing admitted Fellow. Afterwards, to wit in the yeare, 1565. by spe­ciall perswasion of some of my fellowes, and for my private exercise, I undertooke the pub­lique reading of a Greeke lecture, in the same Colledge Hall, without requiring or expe­cting any stipend for it; Neverthelesse it plea­sed the Fellowship of their owne accord to allow me soone after foure markes by the [Page 4]yeare, and ever since to continue that Lecture to the Colledge. In the yeare of our Lord 1566. I proceeded Master of Arts, and read forth at yeare in the Schoole streets Naturall Philosophy; after which time, within lesse then three yeares space, I was wonne by in­treaty of my best affected friends, to stand for the Proctourship, to which I and my Col­league, Master Bea [...]blocke of Exeter Colledge, were quietly elected in the yeare 1569. with­out any competion or countersuite of any o­ther. After this for a long time, I supplyed the office of the Vniversity Oratour, and bestow­ed my time in the study of sundry faculties, without any inclination to professe any one a­boue the rest, insomuch as at last I waxed de­sirous to travell beyond the Seas, for attaining to the knowledge of some speciall moderne tongues, and for the encrease of my experi­ence in the managing of affaires, being wholly then addicted to employ my selfe, and all my cares, in the publique service of the State. My resolution fully taken I departed out of England Anno 1576. and continued very neare foure yeares abroad and that in sundry parts of Italy, France, and Germany. A good [Page 5]while after my returne, to wit, in the yeare 1585. I was employed by the Queene to Fre­dericke Father to the present King of Den­marke, to Iulius Duke of Brunswicke, to VVilli­am Landgrave of Hesse, and other German Princes: the effect of my message was, to draw them to joine their forces with hers, for giving assistance to the King of Navarre now Henry the fourth King of France. my next employment was to Henry the third, at such time as he was forced by the Duke of Guise to fly out of Paris; which I performed in such sort, as I had in charge with extraordi­nary secrecy: not being accompanied with a­ny one servant (for so much I was command­ed) nor with any other Letters, then such as were written with the Queenes owne hand, to the King, and some selected persons about him; the effect of that message it is fit I should conceale. But it tended greatly to the advan­tage, not onely of the King, but of all the Pro­testants in France, & to the Dukes apparent o­verthrow, which also followed soon upon it. It so befell after this, in the year 88. that for the better conduct of her Highnesse affaires in the Provinces united, I was thought a fit person [Page 6]to reside in those parts, and was sent thereup­on to the Hague in Holland, where according to the contract that had formerly past, be­tweene her Highnesse and the States, I was admitted for one of their Councell of Estate, taking place in their Assemblies next to Count Maurice, and yeilding my suffrage in all that was proposed. During all that time what ap­probation was given of my painefull endea­vours by the Queene, Lords in England, by the States of the Country there, and by all the English Souldiery, I referre it to be notified by some others relation; sith it was not un­knowne to any of any calling, that then were acquainted with the State of that govern­ment. For at my first comming thither, the people of that Country stood in dangerous termes of discontentment, partly for some courses that were held in England, as they thought, to their singular prejudice, but most of all in respect of the insolent demeanour of some of her Highnesse Ministers, which one­ly respected their private emolument, little weighing in their dealing what the Queene had contracted with the States of the Coun­try; whereupon was conceived a mighty feare [Page 7]on every side, that both a present dissolution of the Contract would ensue, and a downright breach of amity betweene us and them. Now what meanes I set a foot for redresse of those perils, and by what degrees the state of things was reduced into order, it would require a long treatise to report it exactly; but this I may averre with modesty and truth, and the Country did alwaies acknowledge it with gratitude, that had I not of my selfe, without any direction from my Superiours, proceed­ed in my charge with extreame circumspecti­on, as well in all my speeches and proposalls to the States, as in the tenour of my letters that I writ into England, some suddaine a­larme had beene given, to the utter subversi­on and ruine of the State of those Provinces: which in processe of time must needs have wrought in all probability, the self-same ef­fect in the state of this Realme. Of this my di­ligence and care in the managing of my busi­nes, there was, as I have signified, very speci­all notice taken by the Queene and State at home, for which I received from her Majesty many comfortable Letters of her gracious ac­ceptance: as withall from that time forward [Page 8]I did never receive allmost any set instructi­ons how to governe my proceedings in her Majesties occasions, but the carriage in a man­ner of all her affaires was left to mee and my direction. Through this my long absence out of England, which wanted very little of five whole yeares, my private estate did greatly require my speedy returne, which when I had obtained by intercession of friends, and a tedious suite, I could enjoy but a while, being shortly after enjoyned to repaire to the Hague againe. Neverthelesse upon a certaine occasion to deliver unto her some se­cret overtures, and of performing thereupon an extraordinary service, I came againe home within lesse then a Twelve-moneth: and I was no sooner come, but her Highnesse em­bracing the fruit of my discoveries, I was pre­sently commanded to returne to the States with charge to pursue those affaires to perfor­mance, which I had secretly proposed; and according to the project which I had concei­ved, and imparted unto her, all things were concluded and brought to that issue that was instantly desired, whereupon I procured my last revocation. Now here I can not choose [Page 9]but in making report of the principall acci­dents that have fallen unto me in the course of my life, but record among the rest, that from the very first day I had no man more to friend among the Lords of the Councell, then was the Lord Treasurer Burleigh: for when occasion had beene offered of decla­ring his conceit as touching my service, he would alwaies tell the Queen (which I recei­ved from her selfe & some other ear-witnes­ses) that there was not any man in England so meet as my selfe to undergoe the office of the Secretary. And sithence his sonne, the present Lord Treasurer, hath signified unto me in private conference, that when his father first intended to advance him to that place, his purpose was withall to make me his Col­league. But the case stood thus in my behalf: before such time as I returned from the Pro­vinces united, which was in the yeare 1597. and likewise after my returne, the then Earle of Essex did use mee so kindly both by letters and messages, and other great tokens of his inward favours to me, that although I had no meaning, but to settle in my mind my chiefest desire and dependance upon the [Page 10]Lord Burleigh, as one that I reputed to be both the best able, and therewithall the most willing to worke my advancement with the Queene, yet I know not how, the Earle, who sought by all devises to divert her love and liking both from the Father and the Son (but from the Sonne in speciall) to withdraw my affection from the one and the other, and to winne mee altogether to depend upon himselfe, did so often take occasion to enter­taine the Queene with some prodigall spee­ches of my sufficiency for a Secretary, which were ever accompanied with words of dis­grace against the present Lord Treasurer, as neither she her selfe, of whose favour before I was throughly assured, tooke any great pleasure to preferre me the sooner, (for she hated his ambition, and would give little countenance to any of his followers) and both the Lord Burleigh and his Sonne waxed jealous of my courses, as if under hand I had beene induced by the cunning and kindnesse of the Earle of Essex, to oppose my selfe a­gainst their dealings. And though in very truth they had no solid ground at all of the least alteration in my disposition towards ei­ther [Page 11]of them both, (for I did greatly respect their persons and places, with a setled resolu­tion to doe them any service, as also in my heart I detested to be held of any faction whatsoever) yet the now Lord Treasurer, upon occasion of some talke, that I have since had with him, of the Earle and his actions, hath freely confessed of his owne accord un­to me, that his daily provocations were so bit­ter and sharpe against him, and his compati­sons so odious, when he put us in a ballance, as he thought thereupon he had very great reason to use his best meanes, to put any man out of hope of raising his fortune, whom the Earle with such violence, to his extreame pre­judice, had endeavoured to dignifie. And this, as he affirmed, was all the motive he had to set himselfe against me, in whatsoever might redound to the bettering of my estate, or in­creasing of my credit and countenance with the Queene. When I had throughly now be­thought me, first in the Earle, of the slender hold-fast that he had in the favour of the Queene, of an endlesse opposition of the chei­fest of our States-men like still to waite upon him, of his perillous, and feeble, and uncertain [Page 12]advice, aswell in his owne, as in all the causes of his friends: and when moreover for my selfe I had fully considered how very unto­wardly these two Counsellours were affected unto me, (upon whom before in cogitation I had framed all the fabrique of my future pro­sperity) how ill it did concurre with my na­turall disposition, to become, or to be counted either a stickler or partaker in any publique faction, how well I was able, by God's good blessing, to live of my selfe, if I could be con­tent with a competent livelyhood; how short time of further life I was then to expect by the common course of nature when I had, I say, in this manner represented to my thoughts my particular estate, together with the Earles, I resolved thereupon to possesse my soule in peace all the residue of my daies, to take my full farewell of State imployments, to satisfie my mind with that mediocrity of worldly li­ving that I had of my owne, and so to retire me from the Court, which was the epilogue and end of all my actions and endeavours of any important note, till I came to the age of fifty three. Now although after this, by her Majestie's direction, I was often called to the [Page 13]Court, by the now Lord Treasurer, then Se­cretary, and required by him, as also divers times since, by order from the King, to serve as Embassadour in France; to goe a Commissio­ner from his Highnesse, for concluding the truce betweene Spaine and the Provinces, and to negotiate in other very honourable im­ployments, yet I would not be removed from my former finall resolution, insomuch as at length, to induce me the sooner to returne to the Court, I had an offer made me by the pre­sent Lord Treasurer (for in processe of time he saw, as he himselfe was pleased to tell me more then once, that all my dealing was up­right, faithfull, and direct) that in ease I my selfe were willing unto it, he would make me his associate in the Secretaries office; And to the intent I might beleive that he intended it Bonâ fide, he would get me out of hand to be sworne of the Counsell. And for the better enabling of my state to maintaine such a dig­nity, whatsoever I would aske, that might be fit for him to deale in, and for me to enjoy, he would presently sollicite the King to give it passage. All which perswasions notwith­standing, albeit I was often assaulted by him, [Page 14]in regard of my yeares, and for that I felt my selfe subject to many indispositions, besides some other private reasons which I reserve un­to my selfe, I have continued still at home, my retired course of life, which is now methinks to me as the greatest preferment that the State can afford. Onely this I must truly confesse of my selfe, that though I did never repent me yet of those and some other my often refusalls of honourable offers, in respect of enriching my private estate, yet somewhat more of late I have blamed my selfe, & my nicety that way, for the love that I beare to my Reverend Mo­ther the Vniversity of Oxford, and to the ad­vancement of her good, by such kind of means as I have since undertaken. For thus I fell to di­scourse and debate in my mind, that although I might find it fittest for me, to keep out of the throng of Court contentions, & addresse my thoughts & deeds to such ends altogether, as I my selfe could best affect; yet withall I was to think, that my duty towards God, the expecta­tion of the world, my naturall inclination, & very morality, did require, that I should not wholly so hide those little abilities that I had, but that in some measure, in one kind or other, [Page 15]I should doe the true part of a profitable mem­ber in the State: whereupon examining exactly for the rest of my life, what course I might take, and having sought (as I thought, all the waies to the wood) to select the most proper, I conclu­ded at the last to set up my Staffe at the Library doore in Oxford; being throughly perswaded, that in my solitude and surcease from the Com­mon-wealth affaires, I could not busy my selfe to better purpose, then by reducing that place (which then in every part lay ruined and wast) to the publique use of Students; For the effecting whereof, I found my selfe furnished in a competent proportion, of such foure kindes of aides, as unlesse I had them all, there was no hope of good successe. For without some kinde of knowledge, as well in the learned and mo­derne tongues, as in sundry other sorts of scho­lasticall literature, without some purse-ability to goe through with the charge, without very great store of honourable friends to further the designe, and without speciall good leisure to fol­low such a worke, it could but have proved a vaine attempt, and inconsiderate. But how well I have sped in all my endeavours, and how full provision I have made for the benefit and ease [Page 16]of all frequenters of the Library, that which I have already performed in sight, that besides which I have given for the maintenance of it, and that which hereafter I purpose to adde, by way of enlargement to that place (for the pro­ject is cast, and whether I live or dye it shall be, God willing, put in full execution) will testifie so truly and aboundantly for me, as I need not be the publisher of the dignity and worth of mine owne Institution. Written with my owne hand Anno 1609. December the 15.