Francis Mason

, who is worthily stiled Vindex Ecclesiae Anglicanae, was born in the County Palatine of Durham and there educated in Gram. learning, began to be conversant with the Oxonians in the beginning of the year 1583. aged 17, and making a hard shift to rub out till he was Bach. of Arts, being the Son of a poor Plebeian, was elected probationer-Fellow of Merton coll. in the latter end of 1586. After he had proceeded in his faculty, he entred into the sacred function, and when full standing, he was admitted to the reading of the Sentences in 1597. About which time he was made Rector of Orford a Market Town near to the Sea-side in Suffolk, Chaplain to K. James 1. (who usually stil’d him a wise builder in Gods house) and at length upon the death of Rich. Stokes LL. Bach. was installed Archdeacon of Norfolke 18. Decem. 1619. which Dignity the said Stokes had held from the month of Apr. 1587. Our author Mason hath written,

The authority of the Church in making Canons and constitutions concerning things indifferent, &c. Sermon on 1 Cor. 14. 40. Lond. 1607. Ox. 1634. qu. From which, as also from the Epist. dedic. before it, made to his patron Rich. Archb. of Cant. it appears that the author was a zealous conformist to the Ch. of Engl. This Serm. was answered by Anon. in a book entit. The second part of the defence of the Ministers reasons for refusall, &c. See in Tho. Hutton, an. 1639.

Vindication of the Church of England concerning the consecration and ordination of the Bishops, &c. as also of the ordination of Priests and Deacons, in five books. Lond. 1613. fol. Framed in form of a conference between Philodox a Seminary Priest and Orthodox a Minister of the Church of England. From which book it appears that the author was a general-read-Scholar, thorough-pac’d in the councils, and all sorts of Histories, whether divine, civil, or profane. The next year, he, as a greatful Son, sent a copy of it to be reposed in the Library of his tender Parent Mert. coll. with this note at the end of it written with his own hand,—Whereas Mr. (a)(a) Tho. Fitzherbert. Fitzherbert hath lately sent a book from Rome against the most rev. Bishop (b)(b) Dr. Lanc. Andrews. of Ely, to which he hath annexed an appendix concerning the records and registers by me produced, desiring that some of their discreet Catholicks might view and consider whether they be true, or counterfeit: Know therefore that upon the 12. of this present May an. 1614. his Grace of Canterbury sent for Mr. (c)(c) Job. Colleton. Colleton the Archpriest, Leake (d)(d) Tho. Leake. a secular Priest, as also one Jesuit called (e)(e) Tho. Lathwait. Lathwait, &c. and shewed unto them the register and other records of his predecessor Matth. Parker, which they perused over and over, and found that the said Parker was (f)(f) See more of this matter in Godwin D: praesuti [•] . Angliae. Lond. 1616. lat. p. 219. consecrated in Lambeth Chappel (and not at the Nags head in Cheapside) by certain Bishops that had been ejected in Qu. Maries reign, &c. This book of the Vindication of the Church of England, coming at length into the hands of Anthony Champney an English man born, a Rom. Cath. Priest and a Doctor of the Sorbon, was by him answered in English and dedicated to George Archb. of Canterbury not without some reproaches and scoffes given to him in the Epistle. But afterwards Champney recollecting himself, thought that he had not sufficiently consulted his own reputation by publishing his answer in English. Wherefore he translated it into Latine, (intit. Tractatus de vocatione Ministrorum. Par. 1618. in oct.) that his pretended victory over Mason, might by this means be spread over all Europe. Soon after our author, to be even with him, translated his own book also, and entitled it Vindiciae Eccles. Anglicanae, &c. and therein interweaves answers to Thom. Fitzherbert Priest, Hen. Fitzsimons Jesuit, Dr. Matth. Kellison, A. Champney, &c. and withal dedicated it to Hen. de Gondy Bishop of Paris, without any aspersions at all thrown upon him. All this he did in the year 1619. or 20. at farthest, but before he could conveniently put it in the Press, he died. Whereupon at the desire of the Archbishop of Cant. Dr. Nath. Brent Warde [•] of Mert. coll. did review it, examine the quotations, compare them with the originals, and at length printed the copy as he had found it under the authors hand, an. 1625. [•] ol. printed again at Lond. 1646. fol. The said author also wrote,

Two Sermons preached at Court concerning David adultery and his publick practices, on 2 Sam. [〈…〉] 13. Lond. 1621. oct.

The vadility of the ordination of the ministers of the reformed Churches beyond the Seas, maintained against the Donatists. Oxon. 1641. qu. Taken, I presume, by the publisher from our authors book intit. A vindication, &c. At length our author Mason surrendring up his pious soul to him that first gave it, (not without the great grief of those who well knew his learning and piety) in the month of Dec. in sixteen hundred twenty and one, was buried in the Chancel of the Church of Orford before-mentioned. 1621 Over his grave was soon after a Monument put, with an Inscription thereon, which, for brevity sake, I shall now pass by. In his Archdeaconry of Norf. was installed Tho. Muriel M. A. 30. Dec. 1621. After him was installed Writhington White 19 Oct. 1629. and after him Rob. White Bach. of Div. 23. Sept. 1631. who dying in the times of usurpation, Philip Tenison was installed in his place 24. Aug. 1660. who dying, Edw. Reynolds M. A. and Son to Dr. E. Reynolds B. of Norwich was installed therein 15. Apr. 1661.