had separated from Rome ever since the time of Reformatior An evill therefore which hath issued not so much from the personall disposition of the Prelates themselves as from the innate quality and nature of their Office and Prelaticall Hierarchie which did bring forth the Pope in Ancient times and never ceaseth till it bringeth forth popish Doctrine and worship where it is once rooted and the Principles thereof somented and constantly followed And from that antipathy and inconsistency of the two formes of Ecclesiasticall Government which they conceived and not without cause that one Island united also under one head and Monarch was not able to beare the one being the same in all the parts and powers which it was in times of Popery and now is in the Roman Church The other being the forme of Government received maintained and practised by all the Reformed Kirks wherein by their owne testimonies and confessions the Kirks of Scotland had amongst them no small eminencie This also we represent to Your Lordships most serious consideration that not only the fire-brands may be removed but that the fire may be provided against that there be no more combustion after this This charge of the Scots against the Arch-Bishop was usherd in with this Introduction in the Scotish Treatie which clearely manifests him to be excepted by name out of the Act of Pacification and Oblivion by the fourth clause thereof An Introduction to the accusation against Canterbury and the Leiutenant of IRELAND SEeing His Majestie hath beene Gratiously pleased concerning out fourth demand to declare that all his subjects shall be lyable to the tryall and sentence of the Parhament respective And seeing the Incendiaries are of two sorts either of the English or Scottish Nation to bee tryed here or there of the Scottish wee shall speake afterward And for the present we shall deliver to your Lordships the grounds of our complaint against the Prelate of Canterbury and the Leiutenant of Ireland whom the Kingdome of Scotland have conceived and expressed to have beene prime Incendiaries that they may be fully presented to your Lordshipps to the Kings Majesty and to the Parliament without prejudice alwayes unto us to adde hereafter what we shall find necessarie And although we do not presently verefie every point therein yet our present proofs of some principall points our probable presumptions of the rest which are annexed therewith are sufficient ground cum constat de incendio to one Nation to desire another to put them per viam transitionis to a tryall and to examine all the Councellors and others here who may be conceived to have beene eye or eare witnesses of any of the Councells speeches or Actions lyable to the Charge and for saving unnecessarie charges and travell to the subjects to direct Commissions and all other Warrants requisite to such as his Majesty and the Parliament shall think fit for examining all such persons as may be apprehended to have knowledge of any of these Councells Speeches or Actions which are alleadged to have beene in Ireland and that upon such Interrogatories as we shall give unto the Parliament shall be pleased to adde for triall All which we earnestly crave of his Majesty and the Parliament as we desire that his Majesty may be pleased to send Warrant to the Committee of at Esr like or to the Sheriffes of Shires for examining witnesse anent the oath pressed upon any of our Country men and other wrongs contained in the complaint if they be not sufficiently proved here 14. December 1640. After these Originall Articles exhibited against the Archbishop both by the Scottish Commissioners and House of Commons to the House of Peeres the Archbishop delaying to plead unto them and the Parliament being taken up with many emergent weighty affaires for their owne and the Kingdomes necessary preservation by reason of the unnaturall bloody Rebellion in Ireland and Warres in England so reploted and raised by the popish party the proceedings against him were respited neare two yeares space And then the Commons intending to bring him to a speedy triall exhibited these ensuing Additionall Articles against him not much different from the Originall except in some particulars Further Articles of Impeachment by the Commons assembled in Parliament against William Laud Archbishop of CANTERBVRY of high Treason and divers high Crimes and Misdemeanours as followeth 1. THat the said Archbishop of Canterbury to introduce an Arbitrary Government within this Realme and to destroy Parliaments in the third and fourth yeares of his Majesties reigne that now is a Parliament being then called and sitting at Westminster traiterously and maliciously caused the said Parliament to be dissolved to the great grievance of his Majesties subjects and prejudice of this Commonwealth And soone after the dissolution thereof gave divers Propositions under his hand to George then Duke of Buckingham casting therein many false aspersions upon the said Parliament calling it a factious Parliament and falsly affirming that it had cast many scandalls upon his Majesty and had used him like a child in his minority stiling them Puritans and commending the Papists for harmlesse and peaceable subjects 2. That within the space of ten yeares last past the said Archbishop hath treacherously endeavoured to subvert the fundamentall Lawes of this Realme and to that end hath in like manner endeavoured to advance the power of the Councell Table the Canons of the Church and the Kings Prerogative above the Lawes and Statutes of the Realme And for manifestation thereof about six yeares last past being then a Privy Councellor to his Majesty and sitting at the Councell Table he said that as long as he sate there they should know that an Order of that Board should be of equall force with a law or Act of Parliament And at another time used these words That he hoped ere long that the Canons of the Church and the Kings Prerogative should be of as great power as an Act of Parliament And at another time said that those that would not yeeld to the Kings power hee would crush them to peeces 3. That the said Archbishop to advance the Canons of the Church and power Ecclesiasticall above the law of the Land and to pervert and hinder the course of Iustice hath at divers times within the said time by his letters and other undue meanes and solicitations used to Iudges opposed and stopped the granting of his Majesties Writs of Prohibition where the same ought to have beene granted for stay ef proceedings in the Ecclesiasticall Court whereby justice hath beene delayed and hindered and the Iudges diverted from doing their duties 4. That for the end and purpose aforesaid about seaven yeares last past a Iudgment being given in his Majesties Court of Kings Bench against one Burley a Person being a man of bad life and conversation in an Information upon the Statute of 21. Hen. 8. for wilfull Non-residency the said Archbishop by solicitations and other undue meanes used to the Iudges
meere art to deterre others from opposing his Graces Popish Innovasions the only prosecutor appearing against him And his shaking up or menacing of his advocate an unlawfull act to discourage him from making any defence and subject his Client to a censure Therefore inexcusable 3ly The main Article against Mr. Burkit was only for his and the Church-wardens removing of the Table when the Sacrament was administred into the body of the Church without the rayles according to the Rubrick Queene Elizabeths Injunctions and the 28. Canon the other Articles being but frivilous not insisted on And for this he was molested in the High Commission yea a traditio Satana a turning over of him to Sir John Lamb pronounced against him who used him like a Lyon a Wolfe in a Lambes Skin 4ly For the Churchwardens of Beckingtons most severe illegall harbarous prosecution we have proved by the deposition of Mr. Iohn Ash a Member of the Commons House that the Archbishop himselfe since his Imprisonment in the Tower confessed that Bishop Pâ—â—res their Diocesâ—n did do nothing herein but by his direction If therefore the rule in Law bee true Plus peccat Author 〈◊〉 Actor he must be far more guilty both of their prosecution Excommunication and heart-breaking submission then Bishop Peirce his Instrument 5ly For Ferdinando Adams he was excommunicated in the Archbishops name by Mr. Dade his Surrogate and this Excommunication pleaded in Barre of his Bill in Starchamber The processe Pursivants sent out to apprehend him and the imprisonment of his Attorney till he withdrew his 〈◊〉 were all by the Archbishops procurement His shutting Bishop VVrens Visitors out of the Church at Jpsmich unlesse they derived their Authority by Letters Patens from the King was warranted by the Statut of 1 Eliz. c. 1. Therefore his prosecution only for his duty and allegeance to the King against the Bishops disloyall incroachments was most unjust and disloyall 6ly Iohn Premly was not prosecuted by Sir Nathaniell Brent but by the Archbishop himselfe for opposing his order in the Metropoliticall Visitation in removing the Lords Table placed Altarwise to the place and posture wherein it formerly stood for which he was fined censured imprisoned in the High Commission where the Archbishop sate chiefe Iudge against all Law and Iustice his act being no contempt nor offence in Law but the Archbishops order by Sir Nathaniell Brent his Visitor and Dr. Nevells act a contempt against Law and Canon 7ly Mr. Sherfield was prosecuted principally by the Archbishops procurement for demolishing according to Law an Idolatrous blasphemous false Image of God the Father which was openly Idolized Hee was then a Justice of Peace Recorder of Sarum and had the Warrant of the whole Vestry wherein were six or seaven Iustices of Peace at that time to demolish this Image and take downe the whole Window which all the Kings Subjects and Iustices of Peace especially have authority to demolish by the Statutes of 3. Ed. 6. c. 10. 3. Iac. c. 5. The Book of Homilies and Queene Elizabeths Injunctions n. 23. within their severall Parishes without any speciall order from King or Bishop yea God himselfe gives speciall Commands not only to the supreame Majestrate but to the Common People also to destroy Idolls 〈◊〉 Jmages and Altars Exod. 34 13. 14. Deut. 7. 5. c. 12. 1. 2. â— Isay 17. 78. In pursuance of which commands not only King Asa 2 Chron. 14. 3. King Hezechiah 2 Kings 18. 4. King Manassâ—h 2. Chron. 33. 15. King Josiah and his people a Chron. 34. to â— demolished and brake in peeces Idolatrous Altars and Jmages but likewise ALL THE PEOPLE of the Land went into the House of Baal and brake it downe Altars and Jmages brake they in peeces and â—low Matâ—an the Priest of Baal before the Altars 2 Kings 11. 1â— without any speciall Warrant or command from King Iehoâ—sh or Iehoâ—ada which the Holy Ghost records for their honour yet were they never questioned or fined in Starchamber for it because they had no warrant from either of them â—â— after King Hezechiah his Passeover the Scripture expresly records 2 Chron. 30 13. 14. c. 31. 1. That ALL ISRAEL that were present went out to the Cities of Iudah and brake the Images in peeces and cut downe the groves and threw downe the High places and Altars out of all Iudah and Benjamin in Ephraim also and Manassith untill they had utterly distroyed them all which is recorded to their Eternall honour by God himselfe nor were they ever questioned or fined for a Riot in any Starchamber or High Commission or for going out of their owne limits or doing this without a speciall Commission from the King Therefore Mr. Sherfield being a publike Majestrate both as a Iustice or Peace and Recorder of Sarum might much more by the whole Vestries Order demolish this Idolatrous Picture in his owne Parish Church in such a privat manner as he did without blame or censure having sufficient authority from these Texts and Presidents of Scripture and from the forecited Statutes and Injunctions to warrant it every man in such a case being a lawfull Majestrate without any speciall warrant Thus the common people in Girmany and else where in the beginning of Reformation brake downe the Popish Images and Altars without any speciall Order from the Superior or Inferior Magistrates as Mr. Fox and others record And therefore his Doctrine of the Archbishops that it is unlawfull to break downe the very Image and Temple of Iupiter and Esculapius where the Divell himselfe was worshiped without the speciall command of the supreame Magistrate is a most impious Paradox for if the supreame Magistrate will give no such command these Idols Devills shall still be to erated worshiped to Gods dishonour and Religions slander in despite of all the people and inferior Magistrates As for the place of Eusebius it only proves that Idolatrous Statues Images Temples were demolished by the Emperor Constantines speciall command but that the Christians under him might not lawfully have defaced them without such a speciall command especially after a Generall Statute and Edicts published by him for their demolishing without being lyable to a seveer censure the only thing in question is no wayes warranted by nor deducible from Eusebius nor Saint Augustine Yea had Mr Sherfields zeale out-run his discretion in this act it deserved rather applause then censure from a Protestant Prelate yet this Bishop was so far from excusing extenuating that hee aggravated his pretended offence beyond all bounds of Law Iustice Conscience pleaded as zealously for the lawfullnesse of Images in Churches and of this abominable Idoll of God the Father as the Pope himselfe could have dont yea he abused Master Sherfeild in his speech and censured him with the highest though a Bishop when some temporall Lords excused yea acquitted him And though this censure was not his alone but carried by the Major voyce yet his voyce Speech violence occasioned and aggravated it For his
to tell him what harme this example might doe and how much hereby the secret Papists would be stirred up to rejoyce hoping for that which they have long looked for now to be neere at hand Was there no man had any sparke of Elias spirit to speake a word in Gods behalfe O lamenrable times in which we live that these things are swallowed downe by your Preachers in silence I forbeare to say much till I bee certified from you the truth of all matters I hope it is not so for I cannot thinke your Prebends would be so fainte hearted having also the Law of the Land on their side that it ought not to stand there where the Altar stood as to shrink at the first wetting without any pressing Speedily send me word I pray you and so with my hearty commendations I end Your loving Friend Iohn White Winchcombe 12th of Feb. 1616. A Copy of this Letter which this Archbishop stiled a Lible was soone after found in the Pulpit of Saint Michaels Church and sent up to the Deanes own hands who made much stir at Gloucester and the Court about it as appeares by these three Letters sound in his Study by Master Prynne and endorsed with his owne hand The first is a Letter sent by two of the Prehends to the Now Archbishop when he was Deane of Glocester upon this occasion Right Worshipfull OUr dutifull love remembred Wee have heard somewhat within these two or three dayes and this day more certainly of a certaine Libell or scandalous writing found in the Pulpit of Saint Michaells within the Citie of Gloucester upon the 14th of this instant Februarie about seaven of the Clocke in the morning when the Parish Clarke there did lay the Pulpit Cloth for Master Prior who was then to preach this scandalous writing was taken up by John Wells Curate there and by Thomas Smith the Clarke and by them read and by their meanes divulged so that all in the Citie well neare doe new speake of it The effect of the writing was as we learne a dislike for the Removing of the Communion Table within our Cathedrall Church affirming untruly that it tended to the animating of the Papists that it savoured of superstition that it was translated from a Communion Table to an High Altar and that Worship and obeysance were made unto it The Libeller marveileth that it is suffered as now it standeth and that there is not one Elias amongst us to reforme it Master John Jones one of our Aldermen and Justice of Peace hath examined some of them and they answer that they are advised by their Counsell not to confesse the effect of that Libell if they give not this day a better answer hee saith his purpose is to binds them ever to answer before the Judges at the next Assizes Master Jones his opinion is that it is very fit that there bee a Commission speedily procured from His Majesties High Commissioners for the examining of this matter and directed to some of the Clergie here and to sence Justies of Peace here provided alwayes that there be none such in that Commission of what degree or dignitie so ever they be that favour that schismaticall faction of the Puritans But now we learne that this Libell was presently delivered by the Curate or Clark unto our now Master Sub-Deane and therefore we assure our selves you are enformed of it by him and Master Robinson 5. or 6. dayes before this day If there be not a speedy course taken for the supressing of this their malicious and scandalous dealing it will in short time breed no small inconvenience within this plâ—â—â— c. Assuredly these zealous people are our Precisians the number whereof is great in this place Thus being bold to manifest unto you our love and dutie as we take it in this behalfe We humbly take our leave with our prayers unto God for Your health and welfare and rest Your Worships assuredly at Command Henry Aisgill Elias Wrench Gloucester Febr 21. 1616. The second is a Letter writ by him on this occasion to the Bishop of Glocester to this effect My Lord MY love and service remembered unto your Lordship when I came to doe my duty to his Majesty at Christmas it seemed by the speech he uttered to me that some body had done the poore Church of Glocester no very good office For his Majesty was graciously pleased to tell me He was informed that there was scarce ever a Church in England so ill govern'd and so much out of order And withall required me in generall to reforme and set in order what I there found amisse Hereupon at my being at Glocester I acquainted the Chapter with that which his Majesty had said to me and required at my hands And tooke as good order as in so short a space I could both for repaire of some parts of the edifice of the Church and for redresse of other things amisse Among the rest not rashly and of my selfe but by a Chapter Act I removed the Communion Table from the middle of the Quier to the upper end the place appointed to it both by the Injunctions of this Church and by the practise of all the Kings Majesties Chappell 's and all other Cathedrall Churches in the Kingdome which I have seene This Act since my comming thence as I am by letters informed is very much traduced by some in the City and a libell against it layd in the Pulpit of St. Michaells where Master Subdeane preaches to the great scandall of the Church and the Lawes established Good my Lord let me desire this favour in enquity at your Lordships hands that these things may be ordered and that your Lordship will joyne to reforme such tongues and penns as know not how to submit to any Law but their owne I must upon this of force have his gracious Majesty acquainted both with the thing it selfe and the entertainment which it hath found among turbulent Spirits And I presume his Majesty will be well pleased to heare that your Lordship as in other things so in this is carefull to preserve order and peace after it in the Church Thus not doubting but your Lordship will be carefull to rectifie what is amisse I for this time being full of my businesse for Scotland humbly take my leave and shall ever rest Your Lordships in all love and service WILLIAM LAVD Saint Iohns Feb. 27. 1616. The third was a letter writ by him to the Bishop of Lincolne Dr. Neale his great Patron then at Court MY humble duty and service remembered unto your Lordship c. When I was at London at Christmas to doe my duty unto his Majesty he was pleased very graciously to tell me that the Church of Glocester as his Majesty had been informed was more or as much out of order as any Church in England and to require me to order such things as I there found amisse upon this admonition of his gratious Majesty
money too But howsoever his Lordship hath get a very full estate in that Kingdome and hee doth very wisely to fortifie it as well as hee can But besides these I have long since heard though you now mention it not that his Lordship hath done greater service to the Church in some other particulars as namely to the Bishoprick of Lismore and the Colledge of Yong-Hall for which it is great pitty but that his Lordships memory should bee preserved in the Church Thus I have given Your Grace a distinct answer to all the Particulars in Your Letter But for the Tombe which occasioned all the rest I will not take upon mee to judge unlesse I were upon the place how fitly or unfitly it stands there but shall wholly leave it to the view and resolution which shall thereupon bee taken in that place So I leave you to the Grace of God and rest Your Lordships very loving friend and Brother Will Cant. Lamb. March 1633. But some may perchance inquire what was the ground of this Archbishops introduction of these Innovations first of all into Cathedrall Churches Certainly one principall cause of this his method was to make these Mother Churches as he stiled them patterns of imitation for all Daughter Churches and Chapells within the the whole Diocesse that so the Proverbe in Ezech. 16. v. 44. 45. might be verified of them Behold every one tht useth Proverbes shall use this Proverbe against thee saying AS IS THE MOTHER SO IS HER DAVGHTER Thou art thy Mothers Daughter That this was one chiefe end of his to corrupt all Parish Churches and Chappell 's by these Cathedralls examples was infallibly manifested First by the very words of the Order made at the Councell Table at White Hall the third of November 1633 concerning the standing of the Communion Table in Saint Gregories Church neere Paules printed in Dr. Heylins Coale from the Altar and in his Antidotum Lincolniense Sect. 1. c. 2. p. 62. which order was thus printed by the Archbishops direction the chiefe stickler in the procuring and prime Clerke in the penning of it wherein it is positively resolved That all other Churches ought to be guided by the Cathedrall Mother Church whereon they depend and that the Communion Table in Saint Gregories Church removed from the middle of the Chancell to the upper end and there placed Altar-wise in such manner as it standeth in the Cathedrall and Mother Church of St. Paul should so continue that so there might be no difference betweene it and the said Cathedrall Mother Church Secondly by diverse bookes published in print by the Arch-Bishops speciall direction and app obation expresly averring That all Parochiall Churches ought to be guided by the patterne of the Mother Church upon the which they doe depend The Arch-Bishop himselfe in his discourses and these creatures of his in their Bookes applying and urging this leaden rule of theirs in particular for the rayling in of Communion Tables placing them Altarwise against the East end of the Quire and bowing unto them in all Parish Churches because this was done and practised in all Cathedrall Churches by vertue of his New Statutes and Injunctions though not in former times This foundation being layd in our Cathedralls for the like Popish Innovations in all Parochiall Churches wee shall in the next place prosecute this pursuite of his Innovations from our Cathedralls to Parochiall Churches and Chappell 's Wee shall begin with Saint Gregories Church neare Paules where the case was thus About tenne yeares since this Church was repaired by the Parishoners to their great cost at which time the Deane and Chapter of Pauls under whose jurisdiction it is caused the Picture of Saint Gregory to bee set up in the Church and the Communion Table to bee removed rayled about and set Altarwise against the East-end of the Chancell Whereupon Master Wyan and diverse of the Parishioners being offended at it appealed from the Deans and Chapters Order as being against Law to the Arches upon which by the Archbishops means an Order came from Secretary Windebank to call the Parishioners to the Councell Table concernning this Appeale the removing of the Table where they appeared at the appointed time with their Councell The King himselfe the Arch-Bishop and many of the Lords were then present where the businesse being debated before them the Archbishop stood up and with great earnestnesse more like an Advocate then Judge justified maintained this removing and rayling in the Table reading Queene Elizabeths Injunctions to warrant it but left out this most materiall clause that made quite against him Saving when the Communion of the Sacrament is to be administred at which time the same shall be so placed in good sort within the Chancell as whereby the Minister may bee more conveniently heard of the Communicants in his prayer and ministration and the Communicants also more conveniently and in greater number communicate with the said Minister And after the Communion done from time to time the said holy Table to be placed where it stood before The King said hee liked it well that the Table should stand as it used to do heretofore to which the Archbishop answered that if it stood so the Minister could not so well see who kneeled at the Sacrament and who kneeled not To which the King replied then let the seates bee pulled downe Then the Councell for the Parish alleadged that Bishop Jewell in his Reply to Harding Artic. 3. Diuis 26. and Artic. 13. Diuis 6. and Master John Fox in his Acts and Monuments Edit 1610. pag. 1211. 1212. both which Books were enjoyned to be kept in every Church for the people to read in as containing the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England and nought repugnant thereunto maintained and asserted That the Communion Table ought to stand in the MIDST OF THE CHVRCH AMONG THE PEOPLE and not Altar-wise against the wall Hereupon the Archbishop stood up in an angry manner and sayd If this be the use they make of these Books Jewell Fox I desire they may be taken out of Churches and Sir Henry Martin saying merrily that this Table placed close along the wall would make a good Court-cupboord The Archbishop therupon replied that Sir Henry was a stigmaticall Puritan in his bosome All which particulars were proved upon oath by Master Wyan Mr. Clearke and Captain Stackhouse Wherupon by the Archbishops violence this Order was then made against the Parishioners for the standing of that Table Altar-wise as it was situated by the Deanes and Chapters Order and appointment At Whitehall the third day of Novemb 1633. Present the KINGS most Excellent Maiestie Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Keeper Lord Archbishop of Yorke Lord Treasurer Lord Privy Seale Lord Duke of Lenox Lord Chamberlaine Earle of Bridgwater Earle of Carlile Lord Cottington Master Treasurer Master Comptroller Lord High Chamberlain Earle Marshall Master Secretary Cooke Master Secretary Windebanke THis Day was Debated before
His Majesty sitting in Councell the question and difference which grew about the removing of the Communion Table in St. Gregories Church neere the Cathedrall Church of St. Paul from the middle of the Chancell to the upper end and there placed Altar-wise in such manner as it standeth in the said Cathedrall and Mother Church as also in all other Cathedralls and in His Majesties own Chappell and as it is consonant to the practise of approved Antiquity which removall and placing of it in that sort was done by order from the Deane and Chapter of St. Pauls who are Ordinaries thereof as was avowed before His Majesty by Doctor King and Doctor Montfort two of the Prebends there yet some few of the Parishioners being but five in number did complaine of this Act by Appeale to the Court of Arches pretending that the Booke of Common Prayer and the 82 Canon do give permission to place the Communion Table where it may stand with most fitnesse and couveniencie Now His Majesty having heard a particular Relation made by the Counsell of both parties of all the carriage and proceedings in this Cause was pleased to declare His dislike of all Innovation and receding from ancient Constitutions grounded upon just and warrantable Reasons especially in matters concerning Ecclesiasticall order and Government knowing how easily men are drawne to affect Novelties and how soone weake judgments in such cases may be overtaken and abused And He was also pleased to observe that if these few Parishioners might have their wills the difference thereby from the foresaid Cathedrall Mother Church by which all other Churches depending thereon ought to be guided would be the more notorious and give more subject of Discourse and Disputes that might be spared by reason of S. Gregories standing close to the wall thereof And likewise for so much as concerns the liberty given by the sayd Communion Book or Canon for placing the Communion Table in any Church or Chappell with most conveniency that liberty is not so to be understood as if it were ever left to the discretion of the Parish much lesse to the particular phansie of any humorous Person but to the Iudgment of the Ordinary to whose place and function it doth properly belong to give direction in that point both for the thing it selfe and for the time when and how long as he may finde cause Vpon which consideration his Majesty deciared himselfe That he well approved and confirmed the Act of the said Ordinary and also gave Command that if those few Perishioners before mentioned doe proceed in their said Appeale then the Deane of the Arches who was then attending at the hearing of the cause shall confirme the said Order of the aforesaid Deane and Chapter This Order being thus obtained and afterwards published in Print by Doctor Heylyn in his Coale from the Altar and Antidotum Lincolniense the designe of removing rayling in and turning Communion Tables into Altars in Parcohiall Churches Chappell 's was much promoted by coulor of it of the reason of conformity to Cathedrall Mother Churches expressed in it And to hasten this worke the more to which the people and Church-wardens in many places were very averse the Archbishop being to keep a Metropoliticall Visitation in all Diocesses and places exempt and not exempt with in the Province of Canterbury by Sir Nathaniell Brent his Vicar Generall others his Commissioners though he made no mention in his printed Visitation Articles of removing and rayling in Communion Tables Altar wise to avoyd the peoples clamours against him yet hee writ a private Letter to Sir Nathaniell Brent after his departure hence to enjoyne him to remove and raile in the Communion Tables in all Parish Churches and gave him order to see it executed With which practise the Archbishop being charged at the Lords Barre by Serjeant Wilde who mannaged this part of the evidence he peremptorily denied it and protested solemnly before the Lords that he never gave Sir Nathaniell Brent any such order or directions by letter or otherwise and that he could prove by sufficient testimonies Sir Nathaniell had openly acknowledged that this Alteration was made by Sir Nath. himselfe of his own head without any order from him adding that he cold not be so unworthy as to deny it Wherupon he desired Sir Nath. might be called to testify the truth upon his Oath who appearing at the Lords Bar for this purpose the Archbishop demanded of him whether ever hee gave him any command or direction by word or writing in his Metropoliticall Visitation to remove or raile in Communion Tables at the East end of the Chauncell telling him hee was now upon his Oath and wishing him to speake nothing but the truth herein whereunto Sir Nathaniell answered My Lords upon the Oath I have taken I received an expresse direction command from the Archbishop himselfe to do what ever I did in this or any other kind else I durst not have don it To which the Archbishop confidently replyed My Lords I protest I never gave him any such command or directions I wonder Sir Nathaniell dares be so bold unworthy as to affirm it here upon Oath since I can prove he hath formerly denied it To which Sir Nathaniell replyed My Lords since the Archbishop so confidently denies that he ever gave me any such command and directions I shall humbly desire that this Letter of his sent unto me when I was visiting at Maidstonin Kent signed with his own hand may be read which will end the controversie and manifest by whose Authority and command I did it whereupon a Letter under the Arch Bishops owne hand directed to Sir Nathaniell was delivered to the Clarke and openly read to the Arch-Bishops great shame and disparagment of all his Protestations which after this some other passages wherein he was taken tripping in like manner were reputed meere vaporing impostures to delude the vulgar voyd of truth and credit The Letter was to this effect Sir I require you to command the Communion Table at Maidston to be placed at the East or upper end of the Chauncell and there railed in and that the Communicants there shall come up to the Raile to receive the blessed Sacrament and the like you are required to doe in all Churches in all other placse where you are to visit Metropolitically c. W. Cant. This letter being read much daunted discredited the Arch-Bishop in the opinion of all the Auditors he having nothing to reply but that he had forgotten he writ him any such letter Vpon the receipt whereof Sir Nathaniell Brent confessed he did give order throughout his Metropoliticall Visitation that all the Communion Tables should be removed and railed in at the upper end of the Chauncell in all Parish Churches and all seates above the Table or equall with it in any Chancell pulled downe and that the Communicants should goe up to the Raile and there receive the Sacrament kneeling which he
Change or Subversion of RELIGION is grounded upon the daily increase of Papists the only professed Enemies thereof for the reasons formerly mentioned so are the hearts of Your Subjects no lesse perplexed when with sorrow they behold a daily growth and spreading of the faction of the Arminians that being as Your Majestie well knowes but a cunning way to bring in Popery and the professors of those opinions the common disturbers of the Protestant Churches and Incendiaries of those States wherein they have gotten any head being Protestants in shew but Jesuites in Opinion and practise which caused Your Royall Father with so much pious wisdome and ardent zeale to endeavour the suppressing of them as well at home as in our Neighbouring Countries and Your Gratious Majestie inimating his most worthy example have openly and by your Proclamations declared your mislike of those persons and of their opinions who notwithstanding are much favoured and advanced not wanting friends even of the Clergie neere to Your Majestie namely Doctor Neale Bishop of Winchester and Doctor Laud Bishop of Bath and VVells who are justly suspected to bee unsound in their opinions that way And it being now generally the way to preferment and promotion in the Church many Schollers do bend their Studies to maintaine these Errours their Bookes and opinions are suffered to be printed and published and on the other side the impressions of such as are written against them and in defence of the Orthodox Religion are hindered and prohibited and which is a boldnesse most incredible this restraint of Orthodox Bookes is made under colour of Your Majesties formerly mentioned Proclamation the intent and meaning whereof we know was quite contrary c. To which Declaration Bishop Laud returned a Peremptory answer in His Majesties Name written and endorsed with his owne hand the Originall whereof attested by Master Prynne was reade at the LORDS Barre in these following words so farre as concerned the charge of Arminianisme THe next feare is the daily growth and spreading of the Arminian faction called a cunning way to bring in Popery But We hold this charge as great a wrong to Our selfe and Our Government as the former For our People must not bee taught by a Parliament Remonstrance or any other way that We are so ignorant of Truth or so carelesse of the profession of it that any opinion or faction or what ever it be called should thrust it selfe so far so fast into Our Kingdomes without Our knowledge of it This is a meere dreame of them that wake and would make Our Loyall and loving People thinke We sleepe the while In this charge there is great wrong done to two eminent Prelates that attend Our Person for they are accused without producing any the least shew or shaddow of proofe against them and should they or any other attempt Innovation of Religion either by that open or any cunning way we should quickly take other order with them and not stay for Your Remonstrance To helpe on this Our People are made believe there is a restraint of Bookes Orthodoxall But wee are sure since the late Parliament began some whom the Remonstrance calls Orthodox have assumed to themselves an unsufferable liberty in printing Our Proclamation commanded a restraint on both sides till the passions of men might subside and calme and had this beene obeyed as it ought wee had not now been tossed in this tempest As for any distressing or discountenancing of good Preachers Wee know there is none if they be as they are called good But Our good people shall never want that spirituall comfort which is due unto them And for the preferments which VVee bestow Wee have ever made it our great care to give them as rewards of desert and paines but as the preferments are ours so will wee bee Judge of the desert our selfe and not bee taught by a Remonstrance After which the Commons in pursuance of their Opposition against the growing Arminian Faction On the 28. of January 1628. but 11. dayes after the forementioned Proclamation concerning Mountagues Booke and prohibiting books against it passed this notable Vote in Parliament after a large debate which the Archbishop in his indorsment on it stiles The Challenge of the lower House in matters of Religion An Order made by the lower House of PARLIAMENT the 28th of IANVARY 1628. WEE the Commons now Assembled in Parliament doe claime professe and avow for Truth the sence of the Articles of Religion which were established in Parliament the thirteenth yeare of Queene Elizabeth which by the publike Acts of the Church of England and the generall and currant exposition of the Writers of our Church have beene delivered unto Vs and we reject the sence of the Iesuites Arminians and all others wherein they doe differ from Vs. To which Challenge of theirs this pragmaticall Bishop then returned this bold peremptory answer written with his owne hand produced attested by Master Pryn and read at the Lords Barre in Evidence against him 1. The publique Acts of the Church in matters of Doctrine are Canons and Acts of Councells as well for expounding as determining the Acts of the High Commission are not in this sence publike Acts of the Church not the meeting of few or more Bishops Extra Concilium unlesse they be by lawfull Authority called to that worke and their decision approved by the Church 2. The Currant exposition of writers is a strong probable Argument de sensu Canâ—nis Ecclesiae vel Articuli yet but probable The Currant exposition of the Fathers themselves hath sometimes missed sensum Ecclesiae 3. Will ye reject all sence of lesuit or Arminian may not some be true may not some be agreeable to our writers and yet in a way that is stronger then ours to confirme the Article 4. Is there by this Act any Interpretation made or declared of the Articles or not If none to what end the Act If a sence or Interpretation be declared what authority have lay-men to make it for Interpretation of an Article belongs to them only that have power to make it 5. T is manifest there is a sence declared by the House of Commons the Act sayes it wee avow the Article and in that sence and all other that agree not with us in the aforesaid sence wee reject these and these goe about misinterpretation of a sence Ergo there is a Declaration of a sence yea but it is not a new sence declared by them but they avow the old sence declared by the Church The publike authenticke Acts of the Church c. yea but if there be no such publique authenticke Acts of the Church then here 's a sence of their owne declared under pretence of it 6. It seemes against the Kings Declaration 1. That sayes we shall take the generall meaning of the Articles this Act restraines them to consent of VVrighters 2. That sayes the Article shall not be drawne
Vniversities and elsewhere wee shall next discover and make good by evidences under his owne hand In the yeare 1629. soone after the dissolution of the Parliament Bishop Laud presents to His Majestie a Paper written with his owne hand the originall whereof was seized on in his Study at Lambeth by Master Prynne and produced at the Barre thus intituled by him Considerations for the better settling of the Church Government whereof the third consideration was this That His Majestie would be Graciously pleased to command the Lords the Bishops that they give charge in their Trieniall Visitations and at other times both by themselves and by the Arch-Deacons that the Declaration for setling the Questions in difference bee strictly observed And that His Majestie would bee Gratiously pleased once in halfe a yeare to call for an account of all or so many of these as in Wisedome shall thinke fit These considerations were immediately after published sent to every Archbishop and Bishops to be strictly put in execution as his Majesties own Instructions when as in truth they were no other but the Bishops contrived by him alone as the originall Coppie written and another Coppie corrected afterwards with his owne hand together with the Bishop of Bristolls Letter to him dated Febr. 9. 1629. to resolve some Queries touching these Instructions concerning the Lecturers in Bristoll infallibly manifest So that His Majesty was here the Bishops meere Instrument to promote his Arminian and popish designes These Instructions were published in most Diocesse by the Bishops but more solemnly in London-Diocesse by this Bishop who summoning all the Ministers and Lecturers about the City of London to London house made a solemn Oration to them wherein he pressed the necessity of these Instructions of his Majesty for the good of the Church and their chearefull obedience to them and withall sent letters to every Archdeacon in his Diocesse to publish them to all the Clergy and to give an exact account to him how they were observed at the end of their severall Visitations especially the third Instruction For keeping the Kings Declaration that so differences and questions may cease inserted into these Letters with his owne hand as appeared by the Originall Copy found in his Study Soone after this Mr. Mady the Lecturer at Christ-Church in London delivering this Doctrine in a Sermon there That Election was not Vniversall and Common but speciall and peculiar belonging to some And That the Principall and efficient cause of Election was the will and Love of God and not any merit or foreseene faith or workes of man which he manifested by some Scriptures Fathers this Bishop upon information hereof convented him before him for this Orthodox Doctrine the 10. of March 1630. for that contrary to the Kings Proclamation he had treated of Predestination and the forementioned points Whereupon the Bishop by an Act of Court found among his other Papers by Mr. Prynne prohibited him to Preach any more within his Diocesse and admonished him to obey this his Lordships Order And Doctor Cornelius Burges about the same time for using only this Passage in a Sermon on Col. 2. 7. Jf your Minister preach Popery or ARMINIANISME you may change your dwellings and not trouble the Peace and Order of the Church was convented before the Bishop enforced to deliver in the Copy of his Sermon and much molested and Mr. White with sundry others suspended for lightly touching upon some points relating to Arminianisme though agreeable to the Scriptures and 17. Article of our Church As he thus proceeded in his Diocesse so he was farre more violent in this kind in our Vniversities especially in Oxford where he was Chauncellor of which we shall give you these few instances One Mr. Thomas Hill of Hart-hall in Oxford on the 24. of May 1631. Preaching at Saint Maryes Church there on James 1. 16. let fall these Passages in his Sermon And here were my time and learning parallel to my Zeale what a tempting doth present it selfe to shew how rashly that I say not cruelly our Pelagian Votaries have handled the Decrees and Statutes of the King of Heaven But they are to be mischieved into honour but no matter how which tempts them to disrelish sound Doctrine on no other ground then did David because the Lords doe not favour it 1. Sam. 29. 6. Scriptures they use worse then the Turkes do Christians at Tunis enslave it to the vassallage of the foulest error and according to their most current garbe employ it to defend Popery or as bad PELAGIANISME c. Popish Darts whet a freshon a Dutch Grinston have peirced deep and without speedy succor will prove mortall I am perswaded these late transmarine Tâ—nets had not beene so iolly and briefe among us nor the opposite truth so Diametrally condemned by many had they first made proofe of these points in their owne retired and serious contemplations For these slight glances against the Arminians the Copy whereof was sent up to Bishop Laud seised among his Papers and endorsed with his hand by his procurement Mr. Hill was conuented before the Vice-Chancellor heads of Houses and enforced to make a publike submissive Recantation upon his knees in a full Convocation held the 16. of Iuly 1631. recorded in the Vniversity Register f. 35. to this effect I Thomas Hill doe freely and sincerely acknowledge before this Venerable Assembly of Convocation that in a Sermon lately by me Preached in Saint Maries I did let fall divers scandalous speeches partly in opposition to his Majesties Jnjunctions by odious justling together of certaine factions in the Church and imputing Pelagianisme and Popery to the one side Partly in disparagement of the present Government of State and Church by making foule and erronious Opinions the rediest way now adayes to preferment c. All which passages in my Sermon I confesse to have given just offence to the Vniversitie and to deserve the sharpest of Censures Wherefore with all humble submission I beseech the whole Vniversitie represented in this Venerable House to passe by this my woefull error undiscreet and misguided zeale And doe faithfully promise hence forward to abstaine from all such scandalous aspertions and intimations as tending only to the disparagment of our Church and the distraction and detrement of the Vniversity And this my submission I humbly crave may be accepted which I do here make willingly and from my heart with true sorrow for what is past Thomas Hill Upon this submission and Recantation the Arminian faction in Oxford grew very bold and having the both Chauncellor and Vice-Chauncellor of their party vented their errors publikly both in the Pulpit Schooles without any publique check whereupon one Mr. Thomas Forde of Magdalen Hall Mr. Giles Thorne of Bailioll Colledge and Mr. Giles Hodges of Exeter Colledge moved with a pious zeale and indignation against their insolences in Iune and Iuly 1631. in their Sermons at Sr. Maryes used
their reverence to God on this wise both at their entry and return wherefore to follow their good and holy Patterne we also are to doe the like both at our first comming into Gods house and at our going out c. Sundry such Passages are to be found in many other new printed Pamphlets These Popish impious Innovations and practises being complained against by Mr. Burton and others in their Writings this Archbishop not only justifies them in privat but in open Court in a premeditated printed Speech at the censure of Doctor Bastwick Mr. Burton and Mr. Prynu in Star-Chamber the 14. of June 1637. there most inhumanly censured only for opposing these and other Popish Innovasions In which Speech of his P. 34. c. he writes thus One thing sticks much in their Stomacks and they call it an Jnnovation too And that is bowing or doing Reverence at our first comming in to the Church or at our nearer approaches to the holy table or the ALTAR call it whether you will In which they will needs have it that we worship the Holy Table or God knowes what To this I answer that if to worship God when we enter into his House or approach his Altar be an Innovation t is a very Oldone For Moses did Reverence at the very Doore of the Tabernacle c. For my own part I take my selfe bound to Worship with Body as well as in Soule when ever I come where God is worshiped And were this Kingdome such as would allow no Holy Table standing in its proper place and such places some there are yet I would worship God when I came into his House And were the Times such as should beat downe Churches and all the curious carved worke thereof with Axes and Hammers as in Psal 74. and such times have beene yet would I Worship in what place soever I came to pray though there was not so much as a stone laid for Bethell but this is the misery t is Superstition now adayes for any man to come with more Reverence into a Church than a Tinker and his Bitch come into an Ale-house the Comparison is too homely but my just indignation at the Profanenesse of the times makes me speake it And you my Honourable Lords of the Garter in your greater solemnities you do your * Reverence unto Almighty God I doubt not but yet it is versus Altare towards his Altar as the greatest place of Gods Residence upon earth I say the greatest yea greater then the Pulpit For there t is Hoc est Corpusmenm this is my Body but in the Pulpit t is at most but Hoc est verbum meum this is my Word And a greater Reverence no doubt is due to the Body than to the word of our Lord and so iâ— Relation Answerable to the Throne where his body is usually present than to the Seat where his Word useth to be proclaimed and God hold it there at his word for as too many men use the matter t is Hocest verbum Diabolt this is the word of the Devill in too many places Witnesse sedition and the like to it And this Reverence ye do when ye enter the Chapell and when you approach nearer to offer and this is no Innovation for you are bound to it by your order and that 's not new And Idolatry it is not to worship God towards his holy Table for if it had beene Idolatry I presume Queene Elizabeth and King James would not have practised it no not in those solemnities being not Idolatry but true Divine worship you will I hope give a poore Prjest leave to worship God as your selves do for if it be Gods worship I ought to do it as well as you and if it be Idolatry * you ought not to do it more then I. I say againe I hope a poore Priest may worship God with as lowly Reverence as you do since you are bound by your Order by your Oathes according to a constitution of Hen. the 5. as appeares to give due honour and Reverence Domino Deo Altari ejus in modum virorum Ecclesiasticorum that is to the Lord your God and to his Altar for there is a Reverence due to that too though such as comes farre short of Divine Worship and this in that manner as Ecclesiasticall persons both worship and do reverence The story which led in this Decree is this King Hen the 5th that Noble and Victorius Prince returning gloriously out of France sat at this solemnity and finding the Knights of the Order scarce bow to God or but sleightly and then bow towards him and his seat startled at it being a Prince then growne as Religious as he was before Victorious and after asking the Reason for till then the Knights of the Order never bowed towards the King or his Seat the Duke of Bedford Answered it was settled by a Chapter Act three yeares before hereupon the great King replyed No I le none of this till you the Knights do it satis bene welenough and with due performance to Almighty God And hereupon the forenamed Act proceeded that they should doe this dutie to Almighty God not sleightly but ad modum virorum Ecclesiasticorum as low as well as decently as Clergy-men use to doe it Now if you will turne this off and say it was the superstition of that age so to do Bishop Iewell will come in to helpe me there for where Harding names divers Ceremonies and particularly bowing themselves and adoring at the Sacrament I say Adoring at the Sacrament not adoring the Sacrament there Bishop Jewell that learned painfull and Reverend Prelate approves all both the kneeling and the bowing and the standing up at the Gospell which as ancient as it is in the Church and a common Custome is yet fondly made another of their Jnnovations And further the Bishop addes That they are all Commendable gestnres and tokens of Devotion so long as the people understand what they meane and apply them unto God Now with us the People did ever understand them fully and apply them to God and to none but God till these factious Spirits and their like to the great disservice of God and his Church went about to perswade them that they are Superstitious if not Idolatrous gestures as they make every thing else to be where God is not served slovenly This raliacious ridiculous discourse and practise of Altar Bowing being fully answered resuted in the Quench-Cole in a Pleasant purge for a Roman Catholike in the Marginall Annotations and here formerly proved to be derived from the Papists pag. 63. 64. we shall proceed to other Doctrines of this Nature 5. That Iesus Christ and his Passion are offered up to God as a sacrifice in the Sacrament of the Altar and that it is a Sacrifice as well as a Sacrament VVEE shall begin with Bishop Mountagnos Visitation Articles printed both at London
it seems for he doubted of hell of the resurrection and of God surely Gregory the IX was none he called Christ an Imposter Yet the Pope pretends Christ's name titles himself by him will be Christ's Vicar beare Christ's name above all men affect Christs titles above all men his attribute of Holinesse Men on earth Saints in Heaven are but called holy Peter is no more his Predecessor sanctus Petrus Christ's Mother is no more sancta Maria holy Peter holy Mary God's selfe rests in it too every person holy Father sayes Christ John 17. The sonne sanctus Dei God's holy one Mark 1. the Spirit the holy Ghost The Pope likes not this positive degree he will be stiled Sanctissimus the most holy 't is not likely that iniquity is in this man this most holy man Lutherans and Calvinists charge him with much both his person and his doctrine but they are lyars hereticks all Sacriledge and Symony Incest and Adultery setting of Subjects against Soveraignes King against King Murther and Massacre infinite iniquities sic that holy Father Pope should doe such things they are not Calvin's calumnies nor Luther's lyes but confest by their owne Writers nor doe Popes thus in person onely that craves some pardon But 't is their Doctrine too their Churches Doctrine That a Priest of Jesuit may forsweare deny his parents defraud his friend betray his country kill his King fie that holy Mother Church should teach such things This theame some may say sits not this place neither the Pope is not here c. In his Sermon upon Quadragessima page 122. line 10. page 124. line 37. the Licenser hath quite expunged these following lines How then is the Popedome in the Devils gift if Kingdomes be not Satan gives it and it is a kind of Kingdome Regnum sacerdotale a priestly Kingdome The Pope a Melchesedeck King and Priest wears a Crowne beares a sword both Regallities three Crownes multa diademata Christ does Revel 19. and he is his Vicar two swords Ecce duo gladij hic Popes are Kings betters Cardinals Kings Peers is the Pope the Devils creature and not Kings But the Popedome is not Satans gift neither Aeneas Sylvius himselfe sometimes a Pope writes that one got the Popedome fraude diabolica we beleeve it moe then one Silvester the Nccromancer Boniface 7. Gregory 7. all fraude diabolica by devillish machinations that does not prove the Devill made them or construe it if you will by the Devils meanes it will not serve so neither so Kings come often to their Crownes by devillish meanes and yet God gives them God may be the author of an act whereof Satan may be in the meanes God gave his Sonne to death for us yet the Devill had his hand in it John sayes the Devill put in Iudas heart to betray Christ God destroyes Ahaz but the Devill was his meanes a lying spirit in the mouth of all the Prophets God would afflict Iob the Devill was his instrument 't is plaine in the story For the poynt as I would not belye so I would not rob the Devill of his right the Popedome is of God but the Papacy is of Satan To be a Prince and Bishop yea I will yeeld him highest Bishop too God gives him that but his universall Prelacy and presumption over Princes the Devill gives him that his power is from God but his pride is from the Devill Satan is yet more frank The Pope Patrissall playes satan some here craves not prostraction onely least happily you say that 's but civill reverence and yet saving his reverence 't is more then the greatest Monarch craves in all our Westerne Kingdome I say he craves not prostraction onely but adoration too Worship divine worship what else meant the cry of the Cicilian Ambassadours prostrate before him Tu tollis peccati mundi misereri nostri O thou that takest away the sinnes of the world have mercy upon us c. Ibid. page 172. line 4. this is deleted by the Licenser Was not Iudas an Apostle Origen sayes he was the Gospell sayes he was among the twelve Apostles not Disciples onely but Apostles Saint Matthew reckons him here is then a place put for the Papists which they never yet observed for their Apostolicall Traditions here is Traditio Apostolica indeed Here I observe it not what doe they else 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Trechery their occupation Treason the Pope's trade best they leave it 't is Iudas act and brings a sort of them to Iudas end it will strangle the Papacy it selfe at length In his second Sermon upon severall occasions page 293. l. 10. the Licenser deletes And there 's a man in Rome the Pope will be as God the Sonne for he is his Vicar Ibid. page 495. l. 22. Gods Peere that 's little will be his superior will be worshipt Paul sayes above all that is called God Who is that even the Pope c. This Monster c. Let every soule be subject to the higher Powers Paul bids be the Clergy exempt they are not bound to the Lay barre Thou shalt not make an Image nor bow downe to it thou shalt doe both Gods lawes are strait the Pope will dispence with them break thy Oath marry thy wives sister thine owne sister thine Aunt keep a Concubine be a Catamite or Sodomite kill a King though a catholike the Pope will absolve thee Hold we the Pope arrogant in the title of Christs Vicar he is more his power it seems is above Christs Page 296. bids God a Bishop be the husband unius of one Wife the Popes bids nullius marry not at all forbids the Cup at the Communion of the Lord though Christ have ordained it Scripture Gods Word sayes Sylu Perer hath none authority but from the Pope I must end the Pope is Omnipotent Gods Attribute yet one cals this Pope so He can doe all things yea he is all things Gods peculiar too so he is Gods Peere behold the man is become like one of us Idem page 301. There 's a people in Affricke curse the Sunne because it fireth them there 's a Pope to curse the Starres Mars Venus Iupiter and Mercury because he lost at dice gamesters here curse Cards and Dice bite them teare them that 's all at most banne one another tame Protestants and base spirited learne of holy Father Pope to curse the Heavens and God why wrong I our brave spirits as hereticall as the Pope was not Christ God his passions wounds nayles blood and death yea heart and soule black mouthed blasphemy what dares it not doe against Heaven in execrable Oathes The Law c. page 338. The Popes Mint can coyne words too to his Forge nothing comes amisse in its Scriptures Fathers Counsels yea if it needs be hee in a word writes too In spite of all Gramarians if the Pope say but. Fiatur page 344. Balaak of Spaine heires Balaam of Rome to curse Israel his brothers
in Magistrates Princes and others IN Doctor Clerks Sermons in the Sermon on Innocents day page 81. l. 5. After these words but onely Malefactors should follow this deleted clause These were not nay slay they may not any man that terme is odious justice loveth no slaughter capitall offenders Kings may put to death but they may not slay men I may not be peremptory before so learned hearers who can judge better then I I will not say certainly but I will say happily the Evangelist used this word of purpose to make the act the more erronious Murther in a Magistrate in a King to slay Uriahs death plotted by David David's selfe blood Psal 51. Blood and murther are synonimous the Prophet expresly cals Ahab a murtherer 2 King 6. for Naboths death The sword of justice smites it slayes not in Scripture phrase Nay a King may not slay not a delinquent if in his passion either himselfe or his men at his command shall shed his blood it is flat homicide he might have sentenced him to dye but his private sword may not kill any Sauls Javelin throwne at Jonathan or David had it kild either it had been murther yea though they had been trespassers and their crime never so capitall In Master Wards Comentary on Matthew fol. 110. this is expunged There is an excuseable homicide which is either casuall c. or sodaine and strange Now this is gathered from Numb 35. 17 18. where the Lord saith if he smite him with throwing a stone whereby he may dye and he dye c. and if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood wherewith he may dye c. as if he would say if he chance to kill him with a stone or a peice of wood which there was no feare or likelihood would kill him then he should be quit and not dye But here is a threefold doubt or scruple will arise which I confesse I am not able to resolve viz. First whether such indulgence pardon or exemption from punishment be altogether to be granted to him who thus unexpectedly killeth his Neighbour or whether this execution can be collected out of this place Secondly if such a freedome from punishment be here to be understood then whether the blow wherewith the party was killed be to be understood of a stroke that was given in anger or in jest Thirdly whether by the blow which was given be understood a stroke not mortall for the present but a blow whereof the party long languisheth and at last dyes 49. That Christ is our sole Mediatour not Saints and Angels and against prayer to Saints deleted IN Doctor Clerks Sermons page 191. l. 24. after these words hath it often should follow this expunction This provideth too against popery God hath made Christ the only Mediatour the sole meanes of grace of all his gifts whatsoever Papists adde to him too more merits of men and intercession of Saints horrible sacriledge to rob Christ of his right he is our Intercessor if not yet blasphemy to disable him he belike is unsufficient they put into his office the Saints as Coadjutors they be his fellow advocates he is weake alone or they thinke him very proud He is our Mediator but they must make meanes to him his Mother must entreat him Entreat command her sonne jure Matris impera they are not worthy the answering what prayer is not made in his name is sin And page 200. l. 19. After these words Saint Peter to his Master should follow Protestants some like not of the Liturgie they say t is Popery surely they mistake t is a wonder the Papist censure it not rather that they call it not Calvinisme or the Teregamus Domine and Christ have mercy upon us because we pray in it immediately to Christ 50. That Nature used well and improved is a meanes to obtaine Grace and greater graces then before Expunged IN Master Ward 's Comentary upon Mat. 25. 14. p. 355. Object Some object these words to prove That God will give greater graces unto him or bestow greater upon him who hath well used the light of nature Answ By those Talents are here understood the gifts of God and especially the knowledge of God by the Gospell which knowledge he is said to hide who doth detaine the truth in unrighteousnesse and doth keepe in the known truth This Talent therefore cannot be that sufficient grace which they say doth happen to Infidels and unregenerate persons but that grace which God doth bestow upon his domesticall servants Neither by him who hath is understood a man in his meere naturals or some heathen man furnished with sufficient grace but a man furnished with the knowledge of the Gospell which is given to me for that end that by edifying his neighbour he might spread the knowledg far abroad and like monie put to use it might be increased with daily additions 51. Passages deleated concerning Originall Sin IN Master Ward 's Comentary on Mat. 3. ver 10. this is expunged written copy fol. 21 Every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire Argum. The Papists say that for originall guilt onely we are not guilty at all of Hel-fire and therefore Infants dying before the commiting of actual sinne shall not be damned or punished poena sensue with any sensible punishment Now against this these words may be thus aptly objected Every tree which bringeth forth not good fruit it hewen down and cast into the fire but Infants vvho are vvithout the Covenant are trees obnoxious of originall sinne vvhich brings forth no good fruit therefore Infants that are without the Covenant being guilty of originall sin shall be cut down and cast into the fire c. The Papists say that those vvho are onely guilty of originall sinne shall not be punished poena sensue vvith any sensible torments after this life Against vvhich Tenet this Text is thus aptly objected All Chaffe is to be burnt with eternall fire vvhich is a sensible torment but whosoever are poluted vvith originall sinne and not purged by the blood of Christ are chaffe therefore they shall be burnt with eternall fire which is a sensible torment The major proposition is proved from this verse He will burne up the chaffe with unquenchable fire The minor proposition is confirmed thus It is necessary that such as are poluted with originall sinne and not purged by the blood of Christ are either Chaffe or Wheat and this the Papists I hope will not deny but they are not Wheat because they are not gathered into the Garner for they say that such as dye before Baptisme are not made partakers of the joyes of Heaven and therefore they are Chaffe prepared for the fire 52. Deleted clauses against the Oath ex Officio and forced Oaths IN Master Ward 's written Comentary on Mat. p. 138. this Discourse is purged out Faulty they are faulty here who injuriously constraine men to sweare and this is two-fold
passage is not only seconded by Doctor Pocklingtons forecited clause who brands our Martyrs suffering in Queen Maries dayes for Rebels Traytors Hereticks but by Doctor Heylyn in his Moderate Answer to Master Burton penned and published by the Archbishops command who thus disparageth King Edwards applauds Queene Maries lawes and actions pag. 100. 101. 102. Now for King Edward the sixth the case stands thus King Edward being a Minor about nine yeers old at his first comming to the Crowne there was much heaving at the Church by some great men that were about him who purposed to enrich themselves with the spoyles thereof For the effecting of which purpose it was thought expedient to lessen the number of those Bishops which were then in place and to make all those that were to come the more obedient to the Crowne Vpon this ground there passed a Statute 1. of this King consisting of four principall Branches whereof the first cut off all Elections and Writs of Conge dislier formerly in use the other did if not take off yet very much abate the edge of Ecclesiasticall censures Then he recites the words of the Statute and concludes which Act with every branch and clause thereof was afterwards repealed 1. of Queen Mary c. 2. and hath stood so repealed to this very day c. This magnifying then of Queen Maries dayes and depressing King Edwards implyes a grand designe in this Arch-prelate to rvevie those Marian times as happy and desirable From these few generall we shall next descend to some more particular instances to prove that there was a serious designe and endeavour of the Pope and his Instruments in forraigne parts to reduce us back to Rome that the Archbishop had exact notice of it and yet was so far from resisting opposing this their designe according to his place trust duty that he complied with them to the utmost of his wit and power therein It cannot be expected that in a Plot of this nature being a hidden work of darknesse and abstruce mystery of iniquity carried on with all the artifice and cunning that Rome or Hell could suggest disguised concealed under divers charactaristicall Letters which we cannot as yet unriddle though we have some of them in our custody sealed up under oaths promises of secresie and acted by such Jesuiticall spirits as will rather obstinately die then disclose the secrets of their hellish conspiracies which we cannot possibly manifest to the full unlesse we had been so happy as to have seized the Arch-bishops most secret papers which he conveyed away or burned before his closet dores were sealed up and the Popes Nuncioes Cabinet or might have liberty to search the Popes own Closet or Cardi. Barbarino his secret papers and the private intelligences of the Roman Conclave yet we presume we shall produce so many cleer demonstrations and circumstantial proofs as shall abundantly satisfie your Lordships judgements consciences and the world both of the reality of this plot and the Arch-bishops guiltinesle in concurring in it We know it is usuall for Juries to convict for Judges to condemne and execute Traitors felons as well upon violent presumptions circumstances as upon eye witnesses and punctuall testimonies of the facts for which they are indicted and we doubt not but our evidence in this kind will be so cleer as it will surmount a violent presumption yea amount to an infallible demonstration conviction of his guiltinesse if not severally considered yet at least conjoyned The first particular Evidence to prove a designe at Rome to reduce us to our ancient vassalage under it is a very notable paper printed at Rome Superiorum permissu in two large folio sheets pasted together An. 1636. In the first uppermost sheet there is a coper Peece cut with Anticks wherein there are two Scutchions the one hanging just in the middest neere the upper end of the sheet wherein the Popes and Cardinall Barbarino his Nephewe's Armes are engraven the other hanging a little lower then the former on the right side of the sheet containing the King of Englands Armes The Author of this paper was an English Fryar who stiles himselfe Frater Franciscus a Sauctâ Mariâ Sacra Theologiae Lector Generalis Primario Jubilato ac Provinciae Sanctae Elizabethae Custos The substance of it he stiles Conclusiones Theologiae which are thirteen in number but that which is most observable therein is this dedication of it to Cardinall Barbarino Eminentissimo Reverendissimo Principi Francisco Cardinali Barbarino Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Vice-Cancellariâ— R. R. ANGLIAE SCOTIAE necuon Seraphicae Religionis PROTECTORI VIGILANTISSIMO Frater Ludovicus à Sancta Maria Anglus D. D. D. MAGNAE BRITANIAE PATRONO MAXIMO ET BRITANICAE NATIONIS Minorum Familiae minimus Theologiam devovet suâ—m By this paper it is evident that this Cardinall was publikly deputed and stiled even in print at Rome The most vigilant Protector of England Scotland and of the Seraphicall Religion there the greatest Patron of great Brittaine designed to this charge for this very purpose to reduce it againe to the bosome of the Roman Church the onely use end of this his office and Title Of this designe this Arch-bishop had most certaine intelligence from Master Middleton Chaplaine to the English Agent at Venice to whom this paper was sent from Rome and by him conveyed to the Arch-bishop who thus indorsed it with his owne hand-writing 1636. Fra. Ludovici â Sa. Maria Angli Theses c. and reserved it in his Study at Lambeth where Master Prynne attested it was seized This Fryar's right name as appears by a paper under Secretary Windcbanks owne hand was Kerton alias Morton who soon after repaired into England to help reduce it Where he lived so wickedly in drawing Maids Women and others to sinne carnally and committed such horrible acts in prosecuting his lusts that be was enforced to returne to Paris in France Secretary Windebank giving his son Tom speciall instructions when he went over thither to negotiate the Palsgraves release To advise those of his Order there to prevent his returne bither because he would be assuredly publikely punished according to the laws to the great seandall of his Religion which manifests a correspondency in Windebank and his sonne this Arch-bishops creatures even with the Franciscan Fryars beyond the seas and a care in them to prevent this Fryars with his Religious publike disgrace and scandall The second Evidence which backs the former is a discovery of a most desperate Plot of this Cardinall Barbarim and his four sorts of English and Scottish Jesuits residing in and about Drury-lane and Long-acre where they had built a Colledge and had their constant meeting of which society this Cardinall was the immadiate head next under the Pope to whom they bad their immediate addresses and directed their weekly intelligence The plot was to subvert the Protestant Religion set up Popery and reconcile us unto Rome by
Majesties royal Diadem with at his Coronation 5. He proves not that it was his duty thus to offer up the regalia at the Altar yea the Form of the Kings Coronation found in his own study enjoyned it not and he pretends no command at all for it Therefore it was his own spontaneous act as for the Common Prayer Book surely it prescribes neither this nor any other solemn oblation at all at an Altar And so this charge remains unavoyded Fourthly from Westminster they proceed to the Universities first of Oxford where I was Chancellor next of Cambridge In Oxford they object 1. That there were some old Crucifixes repaired and divers new ones erected in divers Colledges there since I became Chancellour of the University whereas there were none before my time 2. That Communion Tables were railed in Altarwise and bowed to which they were not before 3. That I enjoyned all Schollers by a University Statute and Oath to give due reverence and bow to the Communion Table and that my Letter required bowing and prostation before the Altar 4. That my visitor at Merton Colledge enjoyned the Fellows and Schollers there to bow to the Lords Table and questioned Mr. Chainel and Mr. Corbet for not bowing 5. That they used Copes in some Colledges which they did not before 6. That there was a very scandalous Statue of the Virgin Mary with Christ in her Arms set up in the front of the New Church porch of St. Maries next the street to which Mr. Nixon deposeth he saw one bow and another pray 7. That I enjoyned Latin Prayers all the Lent not used before my Chancellorship since the Reformation 8. That I enjoyned by a Statute all Regent Masters to reade and sing what should be prescribed them in solemn Processions I Answer 1. That there is no proof at all that I knew of the repairing and setting up of these Crucifixes or that any complained of them to me That the Crucifix in Lincoln Colledge was set up by the Bishop of Lincoln and it would have been thought hard if I should have opposed it 2. That the turning and rayling in of the Tables Altarwise is warranted by the Queens Injunctions as I have proved 3. That the Statute enjoyne only due reverence when they come to offer at the Lords Table and that my Letter implies a bowing or prostration only according to the 95 Psalm 4. That Sir John Lamb only questioned Master Chainel and Master Corbet which is nothing to me and Doctor Frewens words are but a hear-say besides they were not punished for not doing it 5. That Copes are warrantable by the 24 Canon 6. That the Statue at St. Maries was set up by Dr. Owen reputed a reverend Orthodox Divine not by me nor is there any proof I had notice of it or of any bowing or praying to it which might be a mistake in Alderman Nixon 7. That Latin prayers have been anciently used in the University on Ashwednesday and being among Schollers who understand the Language there can be no hurt therein 8. That no Processions are intended in the Statute but such as our Law allows in nature of perambulations the Statutes of the University prescribing That nothing shall be done therein but according to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England 9. For the Innovations of like nature in the Vniversity of Cambridge they concern me not I being not their Chancellor and not enjoyning them nor made acquainted with them Whereunto was Replied 1. That all those Crucifixes were erected at Oxford since he became Chancellor of it That his own example in his Chappels at Lambeth and Croyden where he repaired the old broken Crucifixes at his own cost were the primary occasions of setting up those in Oxford by way of imitation That he could not choose but take notice of them being himself several times at Oxford in person where he entertained the King Queen Prince and Prince Elector sundry dayes Besides having constant weekly intelligence by Letters and recourse of Schollers of all sorts to him from the University who acquainted him with all particulars there transacted he could not but take notice and have exact knowledge of them And he being both Chancellor and Visitor of the University his not hindring of their setting up at first not pulling them down when set up contrary to our Statutes Homilies Injunctions was in Law both a commanding and approving of them Nam qui non prohibet malum quod potest jubet That none complained to him of them was his own fault since none durst complain against that then as a crime which himself first practised in his own Chappels as a commendable action His Answer to the Crucifix erected in Lincoln Colledge proves clearly he had knowledge of it and truly it could not have been well taken at his hands to pull that down according to Law unlesse he had pulled them down first in other Colledges and his own Chappel the Bishop of Lincoln perchance setting it up onely to humour his Grace and manifest to the world he was but his Ape in this particular 2. We have already refuted his second Answer as false and therefore shall repeat nothing here 3. That this due reverence was interpreted by himself in his Speech in Star-chamber to be a bowing to the Altar or Lords Table For saith he THERE IS A REVERENCE DUE TO IT Namely of bowing the body not onely towards but to the Altar DEO ET ALT ARI EJVS in the dative case and prostration not simply to God but CORAM ALT ARE DEI Christi ejus is prescribed by his Letter as much worship as the Divel himself required of our Saviour Luk. 4. 7. Si adoraveris CORAM ME as the vulgar Latin or fall down BEFORE ME as the Margin of our English Bibles render it whereas the 95 Psalm requires no worshipping and falling down thus before an Altar but before the Lord our Maker only without any mention of an Altar or Lords Table in the Psalm 4. His Visitors act in questioning those Fellows for not bowing was his own and must concern him since he did it only in his name and right by his Commission in pursuit of his Injunctions and Dr. Frewens words are expresse that the Archbishop sent him to Master Corbet when Proctor requiring and pressing him in his name to bow to the Altar in regard of his place else it would be ill taken And though these fellows were not punished nor suspended for not bowing yet they were often questioned menaced forced to obscure themselves and desert the Colledge for a time and had not the Scottish Troubles intervened would have been severely punished too 5. Copes in Colledges are neither within the words nor meaning of the 24 Canon 6. Neither the Church-porch nor statue at St. Maries being the University Church could or would have been erected there by Dr. Owen without the Archbishops special licence being Chancellour and supream Visitor there
last Common Prayer Book in King Edwards dayes expresly prohibits them Therefore the 24 Canon which was never any binding Law confirmed by Parliament and expired with King Iames if not before can be no warrant for their use 2. That the 24 Canon enjoyns onely the chief Minister to wear a Cope and that but at the administration of the Sacrament not at any other season But the Archbishop contrary to the Canon enjoyned Cathedrals to provide divers Copes at least four a peece and prescribed them to be worn as well when the Sacrament was not administred as when it was and that by others beside the chief Ministers Therefore he exceeded the Canon it self 3. None of his Predecessors in their visitation Articles or Injunctions ever prescribed exacted the providing or wearing of Copes in Cathedrals but himself alone and in many Cathedrals they had never any Copes at all in others but mean ones as appears by the Abstract of his visitation under his visitors hand found in his study yet notwithstanding he enjoyned the providing of new better and costlier Copes to their great cost in imitation of the Roman Pontifical that so they might be like Romish Cathedrals in forraign parts This allegation therefore of his will not excuse him Secondly we grant that the name of Altars together with the thing are frequent in the Old Testament to offer Sacrifices and burnt offerings upon which were but types and shadows of Christs real Sacrifice for us on the Crosse needing no iteration yea not to be iterated without blasphemy Hebrew 7. 27. cap. 9. 26 27 28. All Altars therefore vanished at his death as meer Iewish types and Ceremonies wherefore though in the New Testament we finde the name of an Altar yea thing it self with reference to the Iewish Altars and Paganish Idolaters onely yet we never finde the name Altar in any text given to the Lords Table but Altars and Priests serving at the Altar are put in contradistinction to the Lords Table and Ministers of the Gospel 1 Corinth 9. 13. 14. c. 10. 16. to 21. Hebr. 7. 12 13 14. Christ him self celebrated instituted the Sacrament onely at a Table not Altar yea he called it a Supper which is to be eaten at a Table not a Sacrifice to be offered at an Altar Luk. 22. 30. Ioh. 12. 2. 1 Cor. 10. 22. And it is as evident as the Sun at noon-day by the expresse testimonies of Origen Contra. Celsum lib. 4. and 7. Minucius Felix his Octavius Cyprian Contra. Demetriadem Cyrillus Alexandrinus Contra Julianum lib. 9. Arnobius Contra Gentes lib. 6. Lactantius de vero cultu Cap. 24. who all lived within 300 yeers of Christ which Bishop Morton proves at large in his Institution of the Sacrament Edit 2. London 1635. lib. 6. c. 3. p. 417 418 419 and c. 5. p. 461 to 495. By the current sufferage of the third part of the Homily against the peril of Idolatry p. 44. ratified by the 35. Art of Religion to which all Ministers by the Statute of 13. Eliz. c. 12. are to subscribe Bishop Iewell in his Defence of the Apology Artic. 3. Divis 26. p. 145. Thomas Beacon in his Reliques of Rome Tit. of Gods Church f. 322. Mr. Calfehill his Answer to Marshall f. 31. 32. King Edward the 6. and his whole Councell in Mr. Fox Acts and Monuments p. 1211. with sundry other of our owne Authorized Writers That the Primitive Christians for above 250. yeares after Christ had no Altars at all but only Lords Tables Pope Sixtus the second first introducing Altars into the Church and that the Fathers which succeeded them deemed Christ himselfe and his Crosse the only Altar meant and intended Hebr. 13. 10. which Bishop Morton in his Institution of the Sacrament Edit 2. London 1635. l. 6. c. 3. p. 417 418 419. c. 5. p. 461. to 465. fully proves Therefore the Archbishops bold assertion that the Scriptures Fathers and primitive Christians practise Iustifie both the Antiquity use and lawfullnesse of Altars is a most grosse untruth though averred by his Creatures Dr. Heylin Dr. Pocklington in their late Popish Bookes published by his direction As for our Church state in the beginning of Reformation they were so far from allowing Altars that they exploded abolished both the name and thing out of our Common Prayer Booke Articles Homilies Statutes yea by publique Lawes and Injunctions commanded the Altars in all Churches whatsoever to betaken away and removed as Superstitions Popish unfit to be tolerated in any kinds and set up Lords Tables in their stead which continued ever since till this Archbishop turned many of them into Altars to introduce the Popish Sacrifice of the Masse againe Thirdly The Rayling in and placing of Communion Tables Altarwise against the VVall like a Dresser or side Table is not consonant to Queene Elizabeths Injunctions which require the Communion Table not to be fixed to the Wall or rayled in close prisoner against it but to be removed when ever the Sacrament as distributed and placed in such sort within the Chancel as whereby the Minister may be more conveniently board of the communicants in his prayer and administration the communicants may more conveniently in greater number communicate with him If then it were to be thus removed and placed conveniently from time to time then not to be constantly fixed impounded Altarwise against the East Wall of the Quire remotest from the people but seated in the Body of the Church where the Chancell is too small or inconvenient or in the Chancell where it is capacious neare the midst as the Rubrick of the Common prayer Booke and the 82. Canon Anno 1603. determine But the Archbishop objects that the Injunctions prescribe the Communion Table in every Church shall be set in the place where the Altar stood True Now saith he the Altar in every Church stood at the upper end of the Quire North and South as appeares by the practise of the Church This we deny as most false Therefore his conclusion from the Injunction That the Table in all Churches ought thus to be placed North and South at the upper end of the Quire is a meer inconsequent To refute this grosse dotage of his and display his learned superstitious Ignorance to the world least any should be deluded with a fond opinion of his great learning we confidently affirme that he neither doth nor can produce so much as one President or Authority in all Antiquity but only his owne groundlesse confidence to justifie his assertion On the contrary we shall offer some few punctuall arguments presidents Authorities undeniably manifesting that Altars and Lords Tables anciently not only among Pagans and Iewes but 〈…〉 the Primitive Christians and learned Papists themselves were not rayled in North South against the East end of their Quires but seated in or neare the midst of their Churches or Quires that all the people might sit stand and go round
and had as great an influence upon it if not power and activity in it as in Oxford giving all encouragement to the Arminian party there advancing them to Headships and other preferments For the Considerations they are written with his owne hand savour of his stile spirit That Bishop Harsnet was the compiler of them is but his owne averment without proofe or probability and admit they were his in the penning yet certainly they were his owne in the contriving executing and so were the Instructions though drawne up in his Majesties name and sent to Archbishop Abbot who must be ordered to send them inclosed in a Letter unto him onely to colour the Plot as if it were not his whereas the Originall under his owne hand discovers the contrary Fiftly the purging of those objected innocent orthodox passages even out of two Bishops Letters by his Chaplaine was certainly by his owne command else his Chaplaine durst not be so bold with his Superiours of such note and eminency who if they consented to this purgation at all it was onely as Mariners consent to throw over some of their goods into the Sea in a storme least the whole Ship and fraight should be lost either this must be expunged or the whole Book suppressed and all under pretext of his Majesties Declaration and the Churches peace neither of which could restaine Arminian Books from the Presse And whether the Stationer Butter deserved to be imprisoned without Baile or Mainprize in the Fleet to be Articled against in the high Commission to sustaine the losse of all his Books and suffer other penalties for printing these passages the best part of his Book without which the Letters themselves were meere Ciphers fragments let the indifferent judge till the Archbishop can produce an Arminian Stationer punished in this sort for printing Arminian Treatises contrary to the Kings Proclamation and Declaration Sixtly our Evidence sufficiently proves that the revocation of the Articles of Ireland proceeded orinally from him who was virtually though not corporally present there in Doctor Bramhall Master Chapple and his other Arminian instruments and the Lord Deputy Wentworth who had neither power nor malice sufficient to effect such an Arch-exploit without his omnipotent concurrence and abuse of his Majesties authority For that of King James that he never censured Arminius for an Heretick nor his opinions for Heresie but onely Vorstius the contrary is most apparent by his very words in his Declaration against Vorstius pag. 15. to 33. where he stiles Arminius that Enemy of God Arminianisme HERESIE Arminians Heretiks and Atheisticall Sectaries Bertius his Book of the Apostacy of the Saints a blasphemous Book and this his Doctrine a wicked Doctrine an abominable Heresie So that all particulars of this his heavy Charge stick still fast upon him Tenthly I am charged with various attempts and endeavours to undermine the true Protestant Religion established in our Churches and set up Popery in its stead by maintaining Printing publishing all kind of doctrinall points of Popery and hindering all publike opposition against them which generall was branched forth into sundry particulars which I shall answer in their Order The first is The authorizing printing dispersing of sundry popish Doctrines Books and the prohibiting the contary impressions to refute them by vertue of a Decree made in Star-Chamber by my Procurement the 1. of July 1637. by colour whereof it is objected divers old printed Books were prohibited to be reprinted imported as the English Geneva Bible with marginall Notes the printing whereof I endeavoured to suppresse abroad in the Netherlands as well as at home The questioning of Master Gellibrand in the high Commission for his mans publishing an Almanack according to Master Fox his Calander in the Book of Martyrs wherein our English Martyrs names were inserted in stead of popish Saints whom Doctor Pocklington abused in print my checking threatning of Mistris Griffin for reprinting Thomas Beacons Display of the Poposh Masse my calling in of the Palsgraves Religion the deniall of reprinting Master Fox his Acts and Monuments Bishop Jewels Works and some part of Doctor Willets for refusing to license new Books against Popish errours and calling in of Mr. Prynnes Master Burtons and others Books against popery yea questioning them with sundry Printers and Stationers in the high Commission for printing publishing Books against the Papists and Arminians my licensing countenancing divers popish bookes lately printed dispersed to infect and poyson his Majesties people with popish errours as Francis Sales his Book Christs Epistle to a devout Soule Bishop Mountagues Doctor Pocklingtons Doctor Heylins Doctor Lawrences Reeves Shelfords Chownaeus Staffords Books and Sermons The lives of the Emperours the popish Index Biblicus my owne Speech in Star-chamber and others wherein divers grosse points of popery and superstition mustered up under divers heads are comprized many of which were complained of by Master Prynne in his Crosse Bill in Star-Chamber suppressed by my meanes and by Master Burton in his For God and the King for which they were unjustly censured in the Star-Chamber to which Master Croxtons Letter to me with a crosse in the front approving most grosse Auricular confession in the open Church is subjoyned To which I answer First That the Decree in Star-Chamber was the act of the whole Court who likewise ordered it to be printed not mine That it was made onely to regulate the abuses of printing That the Stationers themselves desired approved and gave me thanks for it Secondly That the English Bible with Geneva Notes was onely tolerated and connived at not allowed heretofore that some passages in it were abused and very ill use made of them as among others that in the first of Exodus which teacheth men not to obey the commands of Kings King James himselfe in the Conference at Hampton Court pag. 47. publikely declared his dislike of this translation as the worst of all and thereupon took care for a new translation to be made but withall gave this Caveat that no marginal Notes should be added to it having found in them annexed to the Geneva translation some Notes very partiall untrue seditious and savouring too much of dangerous and traiterous conceits As for example the first chapter of Exodus and the 19. verse where the marginall Note alloweth disobedience unto Kings The endeavour to suppresse it in the Netherlands was not any extent of my power thither but the act of Sir Will. Boswell the Kings Agent there who did but his duty therein Thirdly for Master Gellibrands Book it was printed not in forme of a Calender but Almanack it was published to discountenance the old Saints and was a meer innovation contrary to all former Almanacks in use among us and to that in the Common-prayer book That the Queen sent to me about it I could not help that That I told Master Gellibrand he laboured to raise a faction in the Court I remember not the words and if he did
so he deserved to be censured for it That the Papists burnt it I could not help that Neither did it agree with Master Fox his Calender but he abused it in leaving out divers Saints allowed by the Church of England as the Epiphany and Annunciation of our Lady For Doctor Pocklingtons Book wherein he abused our Martyrs it was licensed by his Chaplain Doctor Bray who was censured for it as was Doctor Pocklington too in the Lords House But it is objected that my Chaplaines act is in law mine owne I answer not unlesse I command it But the Book it selfe was found in my Study and I preferred Doctor Pocklington for it I know no such thing and though I had the Book yet I knew not of this passage in it Fourthly for the calling in of Beacons Book printed by Mistris Griffin it is nothing to me what a Jesuit said of it and if called in it was because she reprinted it contrary to the Star-chamber Decree Fiftly for the Palsgraves Religion I remember it not and if called in it was because it was contrary to the Kings Declaration and touched upon some points of controversie prohibited by it Sixtly the hindring of the reprinting of Master Fox Bishop Jewell and Doctor Willet was no act of mine Seventhly I hindered the printing of no new Books against Popery Eightly the questioning of Master Prynne Master Burton and the rest in the High Commission was no act of mine but the Courts nor were they censured but got off without censure Master Burton said he was questioned before the Counsell Table for one of his Books as a Libell If it were a Libell there was cause to doe it He added he could not be quiet for being troubled in the high Commission nor could the Church be quiet for him which was the cause of his trouble He affirmed I committed him to the Fleet and denied him the benefit of the Petition of Right I answer there was cause enough for his commitment for printing of Books without license and for disturbing the peace of the Church and he had the benefit of the Petition of Right because the reason of his commitment was expressed in the Warrant Ninthly I licensed none of the particular books forecited my selfe nor any of my Chaplains to my knowledge I am certaine not by my command and if any of them have transgressed herein themselves must answer for it not I who having many other weighty publike affaires to look after had no time to peruse or license Books my selfe and was enforced to commit this trust to their care Tenthly to the particular books I answer First that though Sales his book was licensed by my Chaplaine yet he was abused therein by the Translator Printer who was punished for it in Star-chamber The book it self was called in and burnt by Proclamation and I dismissed the Doctor for licensing it out of my house and service For Christs Epistle to a devout Soule it was licensed at London House by Doctor Weeks the Bishop of Londons Chaplain not mine and so nothing to me besides it was suppressed before it was published For Doctor Heylins Books they are nothing to me I had no hand in them nor yet in Doctor Pocklingtons who hath been censured for them himselfe For Bishop Mountagues Impressions they concerne not me I did neitheir advise nor authorize them For the Lives of the Emperours which commend the Councell of Trent the Book was not licensed and I know not of it For the Popish Index Biblicus printed in England it is nothing to me it was without my privity and direction For the severall popish passages objected out of some newbooks the Authors themselvs must answer them at their perill they concerne not me For the rejecting of Master Prynnes Crosse Bill in Star-chamber complaining of these popish Books and Doctrines it was none of my act but the Courts and Lord Keeper Coventries and so was Mr. Burtons censure for his Book in which I gave no Vote For Master Croxtons Letter to me with a Crosse enjoyning Auricular confession I could not hinder it nor his practise of confession being in Ireland And for the passages objected out of mine owne Speech in Star-chamber that they imply and necessarily inferre the popish Doctrine of Transubstantiation and the giving of divine worship to the Altar even the same that is given to God I answer that neither of these can be inferred from thence for my words onely imply that Christs body is truly and really present in the Sacrament yet not corporally but in a spirituall manner and so is received by us which is no more then Master Calvin himselfe affirmes on the 1 Cor. 11. 24. where thus he writes Neque enim mortis tantum Resurrectionis suae beneficium nobis offert Christus sed corpus suum in quo passus est Resurrexit Concludo REALITER ut vulgo loquuntur id est VERE Nobis in Coena datur Christi corpus ut sic Aâ—imis Nostris in Cibum salutarem and Master Perkins himselfe faith as much For my words that we should bow DEO ET ALTARI which are coupled both together with a Conjunction Copulative yea both bowed to at the self-same time in one and the same act and the worship directed to and terminated in both alike Ergo divine worship is given to the Altar herein as well as to God which is flat Idolatry or but such civill reverence given to God as is rendred to the Altar which is to dishonour God and gives him no greater worship in his house then is due unto a creature I answer that though the act of bowing be the same to both yet the object mind and intention being different the worship must be so too There is a double worship and bowing one of the body the other of the heart as Master Perkins himselfe distinguisheth which is properly called Veneration when done but to a creature in a civill respect and worship onely when given to God himself To this was replied Ferst that this Decree of Star-chamber concerning printing was onely his owne act originally who projected and put that Court upon it whereof he was an over-potent Member theirs onely Ministerially to satisfie his importunity therein as the forecited Passages in the Decreee it selfe and our Witnesses attest Yea the printing of it was by his own command to enlarge his Jurisdiction which it much advanced We grant that some things in the Decree were good approved of by the Stationers who desired the same of which we complain not and some particulars very usefull had a right use been made of them But the prohibiting reprinting of all Orthodox Books formerly printed by authority unlesse re-licensed by him or his Agents the deniall of any old book to be reprinted even against Popery it selfe with the suppressing or purging most new Books against Popery under pretext of this Decree and the arbitrary punishing such who transgressed herein both in the Star-chamber
and High Commission was a transcendent crime of which this Arch-prelat and his Confederates not the whole Court of Star-chamber were onely culpable Yea the Stationers were so farre from being well pleased with or returning him thanks for this that they complained to the chiefe Justice and groaned under the pressure thereof Secondly the English Bible with the Geneva Notes was not onely tolerated but printed and reprinted among us in England Cum Privilegio during Queen Elizabeths and King James Reignes and in 15. Jacobi there was an Impression of them printed here by the Kings own Printer since which time the new Translation without Notes being most vendible the Kings Printers forbearing to print them for their private lucre not by vertue of any publike restraint they were usually imported from beyond the Seas and publickly sold without any inhibition or punishment till this Archbishops time who made it no lesse then an High Commission crime to vend bind or import them For the Notes they are generally approved by all our Protestant Divines which fled hence for Religion in Queen Maries dayes who dedicated the same to Queen Elizabeth For the Note on Exodus 1. it is both sound and Orthodox condemning onely obedience to the arbitrary tyranicall unjunst not lawfull commands of Kings contrary to the Lawes of God nature men being warranted by the example of the Midwives who disobeyed King Pharaohs bloody Mandate in not murdering all the male Children of the Israelites by sundry other Scripture Texts yea warranted by the Fathers and Canonists themselves who speake as much or more then this Annotation doth For King James his censure of this Translation and Notes upon it no doubt it proceeded from some Prelats mis-information However we are certain that his own inserting of popish Pictures of the Birth Life Passion Resurrection and Ascention of Christ the Holy Ghost the Apostles yea the very Assumption of the Virgin Mary and the like into our English and of a Popish Index into our Latin Bibles was farre worse more dangerous then any Geneva Notes and the prohibition of inserting Marginall Notes into the Bible a policy learned from our English Prelats in King HRNRY the eighth his Reigne who when they could not hinder the printing of the Bible it selfe in English of Master Tyndals Translation yet procured an Act of Parliament for the Obliterating of his Notes thereon as the Statute of 35. Hen. VIII cap. 1. and Master Fox informes us And his endeavour to hinder the importation of Bibles with Notes from Holland of which he had information by two Letters sent from thence discovers his vigilance yea spite against this Translation and the Notes upon it Thirdly for Master Gellibrands Almanacke set forth by his servant it was agreeable to Master Foz his Calender onely inserting our English Martyrs in the place of popish Saints no High Commission crime by any knowne Law That it differed from other Almanacks herein is no greater offence then for one Almanack-maker to vary from another in calculating the Weather or other Astronomicall Observations who better deserve an High Commission censure for retaining the names of sundry Popish Saints yea arrant Traytors as Becket Anselme with sundry others omitted in the Calender of the Common-Prayer Book and agreeing Verbatim with the Calender in the Roman Missall then he for omitting the names of Romish Saints whom God never Canonized but the Pope alone for their zeale or sufferings for the Papall Cause and Romish Superstitions The Queens sending to him about this Almanack shewes that the Papists took it to be a great blow to their Religion and though he could not hinder the message yet certainly he might have surceased all prosecution of Mr Gellibrand upon the Queens and Papists complaints for this act of his where as he pursued him with al violence to gratifie them For the words he remembers not our Witnesse swears them precisely and his threatning Master Gellibrand upon a meere groundlesse supposition that he had raised a faction in the Court because they acquitted him full sore against his will argues both his violence and injustice That the Papists burnt it when he could not attaine the burning of it in the High Commission argues their malice and his owne readinesse to comply with them against so good a work in honour of our owne English Protestant Martyrs For his omission of some Saints viz. the Epiphany and Anunciation no man knew them to be Saints till now but onely Festivals which other Almanacks mentioned and it is onely alleaged not proved that he omitted them For Doctor Pocklingtons Altare Christianum it was licensed by his owne Chaplaine Doctor Bray yea published by his owne command without the Authors privity if we beleeve his Petition to the Lords and their two punishments censures in the Lords House for this Book adjudged to the fire and burnt is no extenuation but aggravation of his guilt the most culpable of all three Himselfe confesseth that his Chaplaines act is his owne in Law if he command it and this Doctor himselfe affirmes that he did command its printing therefore the act is his more then the Authors or his Chaplains who did but obey his superiour command That Doctor Pocklington did present him with both the printed Impressions of this Book curiously gilt he cannot deny they being found in his Study endorsed with his owne hand That he knew not of this passage in it against our Martyrs and in honour of Popish Saints is not probable yea impossible since generally complained of in print and particularly by Master Prynne at the Pillory who desired all to take notice of it of which the Archbishop had present information yet neither recalled the book nor obliterated the passage Fourthly the calling in of Mr Beacons book against the Masse upon the complaint of a Priest or Jesuit with his words and threats to Mistris Griffin for reprinting it at such a time as this reflect as fouly upon him as possible yet he puts it off with this impudent common shift It is nothing to me For the reprinting and his calling of it in it is directly sworne to be before the Star-chamber Decree therefore not done in pursuance of it and were it done after yet not justifiable without highest impudency by any true Protestant Prelate Fiftly for the Palsgraves Religion it is proved to be called in by him who hath the happinesse to forget all the evil deeds which he cannot justifie though others sweare them And it was not contrary to the Kings Declaration which himselfe originally contrived in the Kings intention but in his owne perverting of it to suppresse the truth Sixtly the hindering of the reprinting of Master Fox Bishop Jewel and Doctor Willets Works was certainly his owne act because done by colour of this Star-chamber Decree procured by himselfe for this very purpose and the reprinting of them was stopped by his owne Officers creatures meanes who knew his mind if not received his command
herein Seventhly himselfe if not immediatly yet originally and mediatly hindered the printing of all the new Books against Popery refused at the Presse and denied license by his Instruments Chaplaines Doctor Bray Doctor Haywood Doctor Weekes Doctor Baker unlesse first purged by them Ninthly the questioning of Master Prynne Master Burton with their Printers and Stationers in the High Commission for their Books against Doctor Cosins his popery Babel no Bethel Baiting of the Popes Bull and the like was originally his act alone not the Courts which did naught in it but by his instigation Their getting off thence was by Prohibitions sore against his will where else he resolved to ruine them Master Burtons answering the Popes Bull by license deserved no questioning at the Counsell Table and was certainly no Libell at all unlesse the Pope or his Partisans deemed it such to them His Books then were no trouble to the Church and therefore it was strange and most unjust he should be troubled for them yea his imprisonment without Baile which he tendered when bailable by Law was contrary to Magna Charta and the Petition of Right though the cause of it not warranted by Law was expressed in the Warrant Tenthly his owne Chaplaines oversights and offences in licensing popish Books even with this speciall Encomium that there was nothing in them contrary to faith and sound Doctrine the forme of licensing himselfe prescribed them under his owne hand is certainly both in law and justice his owne crime more then theirs who must answer for it much more then they the trust of licensing books being originally reposed in himselfe by the State and in his Chaplaines onely by his owne Deputation for whom he must answer at his perill To prove this and take away this poore evasion which he so much insists on we shall put but these few cases adjudged in Law If a Bailiffe under Jaylor or under Sheriffe suffer a prisoner to escape or any way to misdemeane themselves in their office an action of escape debt an fine in cases of felony and treason and action of the case lyeth against the high Sheriffe and chiefe Jaylor for it who must undergoe the penalty and blame because they are their servants entrusted by themselues And to put a case which comes neerer home and is farre stronger then this of a Chaplaine 21. E. 1. membr 3. Dorso Clauso and in the Pleas of that Parliament placit 17. John Archbishop of Yorke was questioned in Parliament for excommunicating William of Willicon and John Rowman servants to the Bishop of Durham then imployed in the Kings service the Archbishop pleaded just as this Archbishop doth now That they were not excommunicated by himselfe but onely by his Commissary who must answer for it and so no act of his for which he ought to answer But yet notwithstanding it was upon serious debate resolved in Parliament that the Act of his Commissary being his owne immediate Officer was his owne act for whose misdemeanour he must answer and thereupon he was fined 4000. markes to the King and forced to pay it a great fine in those times for such an offence yea gladed to make many friends to the King to avoid a further censure which is farre stronger then the case of this Arch-prelate For this Commissary was an Officer established by Law which the Archbishop could not remove at pleasure without just cause but his Chaplaines were no Officers by Law but meer meniall servants under his immediate command and removable at pleasure therefore certainly they durst license nothing especially against our established Religion without his privity and command Besides there were never any such popish Books authorized since the beginning of Reformation in any of his Predecessors times by themselves or their Chaplaines neither durst such erronious pamphlets appeare publickly amongst us till he grew great to patronize them yea when they were thus licensed and publickly complained against as Popish erronious and destructive to our Religion he censured persecuted such who durst complaine or write against them never questioning nor punishing the Licensers Printers or Authors of them exemplarily as he should have done to discharge the trust reposed in him and vindicate his sincerity herein whereas if any new Book against Arminians or Popish Innovations did but privily passe the Presse by license of his Predecessors Chaplaines as Bishop Carltons Book against Mountague Master Prynnes Perpetuity his Survey of Master Cozens his Cozening Devotions Histriomastix with other forenamed Impressions did he presently suppressed burnt them questioned the Authous Printers Dispersers Licensers of them both in the High Commission and Star-chamber too where Master Prynne by his meanes was censured in the highest degree of extremity for his Histriomastix a licensed Book and Master Buckner too who licensed it fined by this Archbishop himselfe and that Court therefore this act of his Chaplaines must rest upon his own head and the guilt thereof lye heaviest upon him whose fault it was to make choyce of such and to entrust them in this kind As for his excuse of his many other grand imployments which so engrossed his time that he had no leisure to peruse what Books were tendred and licensed for the Presse it is so farre from being any excuse that it aggavates his crime Certainly the preservation of our Religion in its purity the keeping out all Popish innovations in Ceremony Doctrine Worship and the suppression of Popish errours Books Doctrines were the principall things of all others which his Place Calling yea his Majesties trust engaged him to look unto for him then to neglect this principall part of his Episcopall duty the frequent preaching of Gods Word he seldome appearing in the Pulpit after he became Archbishop and a Privy Counsellour to drowne himselfe in all manner of secular imployments in the Star-chamber Counsel-Chamber Exchequer spending his time in proling about Tobacco Licenses illegall Taxes Projects Monopolies of all sorts contrary to the Lawes and Liberties of the Subjects in undermining Parliaments oppressing the people every where and managing the Kings Revenues things no way suitable to his spirituall Function is so farre from extenuating that it puts the highest degree of aggravation upon this his negligence and Chaplaines misdemeanours which he should have better looked too But admit the reall duties of his Place alone had been overburthensome to him he should then have intrusted imployed such in Licensing and perusing Books who would have discharged the trust reposed in them in farre better manner then his knowne Popish and Arminian Chaplains did Tenthly to his excuses touching the particular Popish Books objected We answer first that Sales his Booke was Licensed by Doctor Haywood his own Chaplain that he was not abused in it but the Printer whom he checked for complaining to him of the Popish passages in the Booke and encouraged to proceed in the printing of it which otherwise he durst not have printed That it was afterwards
to infuse feares and jealousies of the increase of Popery into the peoples mindes and casting aspersions upon the Governours of the Church For Master Bernards prosecution it was upon the Complaint of Doctor Cumber Vice-Chancellour of Cambridge Fiftly for other Ministers that were questioned or fled from hence to New-England they were Non-conformists questioned upon just complaints and most of them fled hence out of a consciousnesse of guilt or of a panick feare before they were questioned or pursued To this was replyed first that we must not follow a multitude to doe evill and injustice done by a whole Court is a greater crime in every particular person who votes or concurres in it then if he had done an act of Injustice alone because more dangerous more inexcusable a greater perverting of Justice framing of mischiefe by a Law and making the very throne of Justice a throne of wickednesse Yea since the injustice of the whole Court flowes from the injustice of each particular Members vote and is the Act of each particular man who concurres in or consents to it he may no doubt be justly censured for it and others concurrence with him will be no excuse If twenty men joyne in a Treason Felony or Trespasse any one of them may by Law be severally arraigned and condemned for it as well as all of them together We have a notable President to prove this in the Judges censured and condemned in Parliament in King Richard the seconds time for delivering their opinions contrary to Law against the Members of Parliament and in the Judges questioned impeached this present Parliament for their false Judgement given in the case of Ship-money who might have pleaded as well as the Archbishop each for himselfe the judgement we gave in these cases was the Act and Judgement of the whole Bench therefore we ought not to be severally impeached for it but none of them were so inconsiderate as to make such a childish plea which himselfe refused to admit in the High-Commission in the case of the men of Gloucester censured for granting an Annuity to Master Workman their Minister under the City Seale an Act of the whole Corporation yet they were there Sentenced for it in their naturall capacities as single men And if this Plea should be admitted no corrupt Judges in any Court of Justice should be severally proceeded against for any illegall Judgement or proceedings of the Court which would be the very bane of publicke Justice and encourage ill Judges to doe what they list Secondly the objected Act of Parliament leaves the Judgments of both Courts as it found them neither better nor worse and the Judges that gave them in the same condition as before not in a better If the Judgment be unjust it leaves both them and the Judges as far forth liable to examination repeal censure as formerly as appeares by divers of them now questioned in Parliament for unjust Sentences therein given Thirdly the Proceedings Sentences against these persons were certainly most unjust being onely for Preaching necessary Truths and that which is but a Misdemeanour in others simply considerated as a single offence may prove high-treason in him being conjoynedwith and done in pursuit of his other Treasonable practises to subvert Religion Lawes Liberties introduce popery an arbitrary tyrannicall government which we have fully manifested Fourthly the passages for which they were censured were neither scismatical nor seditious nor scandalous but necessary for those secure times to mind the people of the dangerous covert encrease of popery Arminianisme and undermining of our Religion which all now visibly discerne but few then observed and to ruine godly Ministers for discharging their consciences duties in warning men of those dangers and speaking for the safety of that endangered Religion which we all professe was a most unjust and monstrous misdemeanour especially in an Arch-prelat who should have encouraged rewarded advanced them for this their faithfulnesse as for the aspersions pretended to be cast upon the Governours of the Church therein they were in truth meer generall censures without particularizing of such who justly deserved them And it is no calumny but a necessary duty for Ministers to tell negligent or unfaithfull Prelates of their duties and reprehend them for their supinesse when they are faulty as well as other men For Master Bernard and the rest they were prosecuted onely by this Archbishops own instigation for all the passages and proceedings against them were found in his study endorsed with his own hand he was the person to whom they made their humble addresses though without relief and the only inexorable enemy they met with their unjust censures therfore must rest principally on him who though he voted last in their condemnation yet appeared first in their prosecution and pre-directed their censures in private before they were given in open Court Fiftly all the forementioned godly Ministers were unjusty molested by him and few fled from hence but such who were actually prosecuted or threatned with ruine ere they left the Kingdom most of them being then conformable to all Rites and Ceremonies by Law established in our Church though not to his popish Innovations Ceremonies and Book of Sports against our Lawes and their consciences too This charge therefore still rests entirely upon him notwithstanding his evasions The fifteenth charge objected against me is my endeavours practises proceedings to suppresse preaching Lecturers Lectures on Lords-dayes and week-days and that first by a paper of Considerations which I tendred to the King Secondly by Instructions extracted out of them and sent as the Kings in his name and authority to both the Archishops and all Bishops of the Realm to be put in strict execution by colour whereof many Lectures Lecturers were suppressed in my owne Diocesse of London and in other Diocesses especially by Bishop Mountague Bishop Wren and Bishop Peice as appeares by their Articles and proceedings Thirdly orders for Combination Lectures Fourthly the Kings Letters that none should be ordained without a Title Fiftly the silencing of Master Leigh and others by my own direction and Letters signed by me Sixtly by suppressing the Feoffees for Impropriations alledged to be my act and project To this I answer first that these Considerations were originally drawne by Bishop Harsnet not me who onely transcribed them out of his Copy Secondly that these Instructions of the King were before I was made Archbishop and were sent unto me by my Predecessour in the Kings name to be put in execution in my Diocesse whereupon I was bound in duty to see them executed being good and necessary the intent of them being principally to bring all Lecturers to conformity to suppresse single Lecturers where there were Preaching Ministers to preserve peace between the Minister and people betwixt whom Lecturers in many places made great contentions alienating the peoples affections from their Ministers person Ministry and raising divers Schismes to the disturbance of the Churches
Majesties warrant to each of them so that herein I averre I did not offend unlesse that I gave not these men notice of it or asked them leave to obey the King To which it was answered First that the Arch-bishop confeseth clearly in his Speech and publisheth it to all the world in print That he made the alterations in this prayer which neither of his Predecessors Bancroft or Abbot durst once to think of or attempt Secondly That he esteemed Master Burtons and Master Prynnes dislike of him for making these alterations in extentation of the horrid Gunpowder-plot and favour of trairerous Jesuits Priests Romanists and the popish Religion a most transcendent crime worthy the severest bloodiest censure that ever was inflicted on any person in the Star-chamber as appeared by their herbarous Sentence there for which he heartily thanked the Lords in the close of his speech whereas his offence was certainly ten thousand times greater in making these alterations then theirs in charging him with them when himselfe confesseth and just fieth them or disliking them when made for such sinister popish ends Thirdly that his reasons to justifie these alterations to be fit and necessary were very absurd discovering the rottennesle of his heart with his extraordinary affection to popery and Papists His first reason that it was fit and necessary to make these Alterations to avoyd scandall and offence to Papists in calling their religion Rebellion c. was very unreasonable and absurd For since this clause had continued un-altered un-excepted against neer thirty yeers space together and was never deemed scandalous by K. James K. Charle's our subsequent Parliaments or Church which approved and confirmed it no solid reason can be given why it should grow unseasonable or scandalous only now so an as to call for a necessary alteration but that the Arch bishop and his confederates had now a new resolved plot to reconcile us to Rome and her Religion which former ages never had to which designethis clause might happily prove seandalous and obstructive Besides he could not but conclude the alteration of it after so many yeers continuance of purpose to gratifie Papists priests and Jesuits the sole contrivers of that marchlesse excerable Gunpowder-plot would give extraordinary seandall offence to all the whole Church State and cordiall protestants of Engl. and lay a secret tax if not a publike censure on them and on K. James for injuring the papists and their Religion even in these publike prayers neer thirty yeers spice together yet this zealous Romish Agent would rather scandalize censure injure our whole Church State parliaments King Iames with all true-hearted English protestants then give the lest scandall to the papists or suffer this just imputatation of Rehellion to continue upon their religion Moreover the whole parliament of 3. Iacobs in the Oath of Alleagiance then enjoyned with all our parliaments prelats Peers who since have approved it The second part of our authorized Homilies for Whit-sunday with our Homilies against wilful rebellion Bishop B â—â—on in his True difference between Christian Subjection and unchristian Rebellion Bishop Iewel in his Defence of the Apology of the Church of England part 4. p. 439. to 470. Doctor Iohn White in his Sermon at Pauls-Crosse and in his Defence of the Way ch 6. 11. Doctor Crakenthorp's Treatise of the Popes temporall Monarchy Deus Rex Haddon contra Osorium and generally all our Writers against the Popes supremacy at home and in the reformed Churches abroad resolve unanimously in their writings the Romanists Religion and Faith in the poynts of deposing excommunicating murthering Christian Princes Kings Emperours of absolving subjects from their alleagiance arming them against their Soveraigns by the Popes authority and command for not submitting to his tyrannicall or Antichristian Edicts it is meere Rebellion and Faction For this Arch-prelate then thus publikely to averre it a scandalous imputation to them and their religion and upon this ground to make these alterations in this prayer and not in all those Statutes Homilies Authors too is a most false absurd scandalous suggestion and in truth a meer evasion to colour his affection to papists their Antichristian Religion His second reason that it wil be of dangerous conquence sadly to avow that the Papists Religion is Rebelion because it is Christian religion and the same with ours is both fals fallacious for popish religion as popish is not Christian but Antichristian and though papists hold many points of Christian Religion as they are Christians yet not one point of it as Papists popery truly so called being no part of Christian Religion but deviations from or paradoxes against it Yea himselfe confessing That some opinions of theirs teach rebelion That 's apparently true which opinions of theirs are that part of their Religion which this prayer cals Rebellion refutes his owne Objection His third reason that if you make their religion to be rebelion then you make their religion and rebelion to be all one and that is against the ground both of State and Law c. which never put any man to death for Religion but for Treason and Rebellion onely is a meere childish fallacy For their Religion is not any actuall treason or rebellion for which only they suffered death but doctrinall and habituall rebelion prone to produce actuall rebellions and the mother of them in which sense onely this prayer stiles it Rebellion yet such for which no Romanist ever dyed unlesse he reduced it into some treasonable and rebellious action and then he suffered onely for the act not the Religion or opinion which induced him thereunto he might well then have spared these three irrationall reasons for this Alteration with this assertion of his p. 39. I took it my duty to lay it before you that the King had not onely Power but Reason to command it which onely aggravate not extenuate or justifie his fact his justification then rests solely upon the Kings command and warrant but this will not excuse his guilt For we have nothing but his own bare word in his own case to which no faith can be given having so often bin taken tardy in this kind to prove first that himselfe did not move the King to command these alterations to be made which is more than probable by his aleaging the reasons whereupon they were made and his activity in other changes of this nature Secondly that himself did not procure the Warrant for these Alterations after they were made and printed being written with his own hand and having no witnesse but himself to prove the date as he hath done in other cases Thirdly admit the command and warrant proceeded originally from the King himselfe not him yet he being by his place and office principally entrusted with the care honour safety of our Religion and Church so much concerned in these alterations it had been his duty to have disobeyed this command and disswaded his Majesty from such a
dishonourable scandalous and offensive act which would scandalize and disgust all his wel-affected protestant Subjects dishonour his owne royall Father King James our Parliaments Church State who all authorized approved used this prayer for thirty yeeres space together encourage Papists Priests Jesuits to such like horrid treasons and exceedingly animate elevate the popish faction causing them to deride if not to insult over the Protestants and our Church which must now alter retract her own approved Collects to gratifie them and their Antichristian Religion But so farre is he from this that he readily obeyes the first command without the lest disswasion resistance without advising with or giving notice thereof to any other of his Brethren the Privy-Counsell Judges and other publike persons as much concerned in it as himselfe to whom he ought to have given notice and asked their leave at least opinions herein ere he obeyed the King though not Master Burtons and Master Prynnes being more ready to obey than his Majesty to command them Finally admit his Majesty had commanded him to make these alterations yet for him in his owne cause in an open Court of Justice where by Law he ought not to have been present or spoken as a Judge to lay all the Odium of these alterations with all his other Innovations in Religion only on his Majesty to render him odious to his people to cloke his own shame extenuate his own guilt and then to publish it in print to all the World to his perpetuall dishonour when there was no necessity and that by pretext of his Majesties speciall command was such a disloyalty and transcendent aggravation of his crime as no age can paralell no punishment expiate but that which the Gunpowder Traytors justly suffered Besides this after the publication of his â—peech in Star-chamber he specially imployed Doctor Heylin to iustifie these alterations to the world in print in his Moderate Answer to the seditious and scandalous chalenges of Henry Burton as he stiles them written by his * speciall command and licensed by his Chaplaine p. 150. to 157. and ordered Christopher Dowe to second him herein in his Innovations unjustly charged upon the present Church and State p. 136 to 14â— where thus he writes Secondly I say that the alteration of those Prayers being done by the same authority that first set them forth it is neither for him nor me nor anyother of inferiour ranke to question them but with humble reverence to submit to their judgements and to think them wiser and farre more fit to order those things that belong to then places than we whom it neither concernes nor indeed can know the reasons that move them either to doe or alter anything But more particularly that which he objecteth against the former is that they would not hereby have all Jesuits and Papists termed a Babylonish and Antichristian Sect but restraine it to some few of them and mentally transferre it to those Puritanes who cry downe with Babylon that is popery But what then what if out of a charitable respect to those which in that Religion are peaceable and honest men as no doubt but some of them whatsoever Master B. beleeves of them are such they are not willing nor think it fit to pray for the rooting up and confusion of all Papists indiscriminatim under those harsh termes surely charitably minded Christians cannot but approve such an alteration if there were no other ground than that for it As for any mans transferring it to Puritanes that is as meer a surmise as it is a false slander that any of those whom he intimates doe call Rome Jerurusalem or Popery the true Catholique Religion Yet I know not why such furious cryers downe of popery as Master B. hath shewed himselfe may not be accounted of a Baby lonish and Antichristian Sect as well as any Jesuit in the world nor why we may not pray and that with better reason than Master B. would have men to doe and under those titles against the Hierarchy of our church that God would root them out of the Land c. Wherein he makes zealous opposers of popery those the world then stiled Puritanes more dangerous persons and fitter to be rooted out of the Land as a Babylonish Antichristian Sect than papists or Jesuits Now thus to justifie this alteration in so daring impudent a manner in favour of popery priests Papists Jesuits what a transcendent crime it is and of what a rotten popish spirit it savours let all impartiall persons determine The third purgation made by himselfe discovering the hidden popery of his heart is his purging out this notable clause against popery in the first Collect of the publike book of prayers appointed at the generall Fast for ceasing the Plague in the yeere 1636. Thou hast delivered us from Superstition and Idolatry wherein we were utterly drowned and hast brought us into the most cleare and confortable light of thy blessed Word by which we are taught how to serve and honouor thee and how to live orderly with our Neighbours in truth and verity The King by his Proclamation Anno 1636. commanded that the Booke of prayers for the Fast formerly set forth by authority should be reprinted re-published and likewise used in all Churches and places at the publike meetings during this Fast The Arch-bishop instead of re-printing the book formerly set forth by authority purgeth this clause out of it in the new impression though used in the Fast-books upon like occasions in Queen Elizabeths and King James their severall reignes and in that of 1. Caroli and that upon these very grounds which should have moved him to retaine it still had his heart been upright or sincere to God and our Religion because it layes a just censure and blemish upon popery by stiling it superstition and idolatry and thankfully recites Gods goodnesse to us in delivering us from Popish superstition and idolatry wherein we were utterly drowned and bringing us into the most cleare and comfortable light of his holy Word by which we are taught how to serve and honour him c. A clause so pious so just and equitable that it is almost a miracle how any but a most inveterate Papist could except against it yet this Arch bishop is so irreconcileably angry with it that it must be wholy obliterated and quite omitted out of this new impression and that without any speciall order or command from his Majesty which he pleaded for the former alterations in the Gunpowder-treason book or any suggestion from Papists Priests or Jesuits who were scandalized with it for he doth not so much as pretend any such thing in his justification of this purge but by his owne papall authority contrary to his Majesties Proclamation out of his own metro popish genius which perswades us that the former alcerations in the book for the fift of Novem. proceeded originally from himself too as well as this however he would translate it to the