called unpardonable and so affirmed to be by our Lord and Saviour _____ XVII Of Predestination and Election Predestination unto life is the everlasting purpose of God whereby before the foundations of the world were laid he hath constantly decreed by his counsel secret â—nto us to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen out of Mankind and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation as vessels made to honor Wherefore they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God be called according to Gods purpose by his Spirit working in due season they through grace obey the calling they be justified freely they are made sons by Adoption they are made like the image of the onely begotten Jesus Christ they walk religiously in good works and at length by Gods mercy they attain to everlasting felicity As the godly consideration of Predestination and Election in Christ is full of sweet pleasant and unspeakable comfort to godly persons and such as feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ mortifying the works of the flesh and their earthly members and drawing up their mind to high and heavenly things as well because it doth greatly establish and confirm their faith of eternal salvation to be enjoyed through Christ as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God So for curious and carnal persons lacking the Spirit of Christ to have continually before their eyes the sentence of Gods Predestination is a most dangerous downfall whereby the devil doth thrust them either into desperation or into wretchlesness of most unclean livingâ— no lesse perilous than desperation Furthermore though the Decrees of Predestination be unknown to us 17 yet must we receive Gods promises in such wise as they be generally set forth to us in holy Scripture and in our doings that will of God is to be followed which we have expresly declared unto us in the Word of God XVII Of Predestination and Election Predestination unto life is the everlasting purpose of God whereby before the foundations of the world were laid he hath constantly decreed by his counsel secret unto us to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ 16 out of Mankind and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation they are made the sons of God by Adoption they be made like the Image of His onely begotten Son Jesus Christ c. Furthermore we must receive Gods promises in such wise as they be generally set forth to us c. XVIII Everlasting Salvation to be obtained onely in the Name of Christ. They also are to be had accursed that presume to say That every man shall be saved by the Law or Sect which he professeth so that he be diligent to frame his life according to that Law and the light of Nature For holy Scripture doth set out unto us onely the Name of Jesus Christ whereby men must be saved XVIII Of obtaining Eternal Salvation by the Name of Christ. They also are to be had accursed that presume to say That every man shall be saved by the Law or Sect which he professeth c. XIX All men are bound to keep the Precepts of the Moral Law 18 Although the Law given from God by Moses as touching Ceremonies and Rites do not bind Christian men nor the Civil Precepts thereof ought of necessity to be received in any Common-wealth yet notwithstanding no Christian man whatsoever is free from the obedience of the Commandments which are called Moral Wherefore they are not to be heard 19 which teach that the holy Scriptures were given to none but to the Weak and brag continually of the Spirit by which they do pretend that all whatsoever they preach is suggested to them though manifestly contrary to the holy Scripture _____ XX. Of the Church The visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of faithful men in which the pure Word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duly ministred according to Christs Ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same As the Church of Jerusalem Alexandria and Antioch have erred so also the Church of Rome hath erred not onely in their Livings and manner of Ceremonies but also in matters of Faith XIX Of the Church The visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of faithful men in which the pure Word of God is preached c. XXI Of the Authority of the Church It is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to Gods Word written neither may it so expound one place of Scripture that it be repugnant to aâ—other Whereâ—ore although the Church be a witnesse and keeper of holy Writ yet as it ought not to decree any thing against the same so besides the same ought it not to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of Salvation XX. Of the Authority of the Church The Church hath power to decree Rites and Ceremonies and Authority in Controversies of Faith 20 It is not lawful for the Church c. XXII Of the Authority of General Councils General Councils may not be gathered together without the commandment and will of Princes And when they be gathered together forasmuch as they be an Assembly of men whereof all be not governed with the Spirit and word of God they may erre and sometimes have erred even in things pertaining unto God Wherefore things ordained by them as necessary to Salvation have neither strength nor authority unless it may be declared that they be taken out of holy Scripture XXI Of the Authority of General Councils General Councils may not be gathered together without the commandment and will of Princes c. XXIII Of Purgatory The Doctrine of the School-men concerning Purgatory Pardons Worshipping and Adoâ—ation as well of Images as of Relicts and also invocation of Saints is a fond thing vainly invented and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture but rather perniciously repugnant to the Word of God XXII Of Purgatory The Doctrine of the School-men concerning Purgatory c. XXIV No man to minister in the Church except he be called It is not lawfull for any man to take upon him the office of publick Preaching or ministring the Sacraments in the Congregation before he be lawfully called and sent to execute the same And those we ought to judge lawfully called and sent which be â—hosen and called to this work by men who have publiâ—k Authority given unto them in the Congâ—egation to call and send Ministers into the Lords Vineyard XXIII Of ministring in the Congregation It is not lawful for any man to take upon him the office of publick Preaching c. XXV All things to be done in the Congregation in such a Toung as is understood by the People It is most fit and most agreeable to to the Word of God 21 that nothing be read or rehearsed in the Congregation in a Tongue not known unto the People which Paul hath forbidden to be done unless
rather to their condemnation do eat and drink the Sign or Sacrament of so great a thing XXX Of Both Kinds 32 The Cup of the Lord is not to be denyed to the Lay People For both the parts of the Lords Sacrament by Christs Ordinance and Commandment ought to be ministred to all Christian People alike _____ XXX Of the one Oblation of Christ finished upon the Crosse. The Offering of Christ once made is the perfect Redemption Propitiation and Satisfaction for all the sins of the whole World both Original and Actual and there is none other Satisfaction for sin but that alone Wherefore the Sacrifices of Masses in which it was commonly said that the Priests did offer Christ for the quick and the dead to have remission of pain or guilt were fables and dangerous deceits XXXI Of the one Oblation of Christ finished upon the Crosse. The offering of Christ once made is the perfect Redemption c. were blasphemous fables and 33 dangerous deceits XXXI A single Life is imposed on none by the Word of God Bishops Priests and Deacons are not commanded by God's Law either to vow the estate of a single life or to abstain from Marriage XXXII Of the Marriage of Priests Bishops Priests and Deacons are not commanded by Gods Law c. Therefore it is lawful also for them 34 as for all other Christian men to marry at their own discretion as they shall judge the same to serve better to godlinesse XXXII Excommunicated Persons are to be avoided That person which by open Denunciation of the Church is rightly cut off from the unity of the Church and Excommunicated ought to be taken of the whole multitude of the faithful as an Heathen and Publican untill he be openly reconciled by Penance and received into the Church by a Judge which hath authority thereunto XXXIII Of Excommunicated Persons how they are to be avoided That person which by open Denunciation of the Church c. XXXIII Of the Traditions of the Church It is not necessary that Traditions and Ceremonies be in all places one and utterly like for at all times they have been divers and may be changed according to the diversities of Countries Times and mens Manners so that nothing be ordained against Gods Word Whosoever through his private judgment willingly and purposely doth openly break the Traditions and Ceremonies of the Church which be not repugnant to the Word of God and be ordained and approved by common Authority ought to be rebuked openly that others may fear to do the like as he that offendeth against the common Order of the Church and hurteth the Authority of the Magistrate and woundeth the Consciences of the weak Brethren XXXIV Of the Traditions of the Church It is not necessary that Traditions and Ceremonies c. Every particular or National Church 35 hath Authority to ordain change or aboâ—ish Ceremonies or Rites of the Church ordained onely by Man's Authority so that all things be done to edifying XXXIV Of the Homilies The Homilies lately delivered 36 and commended to the Church of England by the Kings Injunctionâ— do contain a godly and wholsome Doctrine and fit to be embraced by all men and for that cause they are diligently plainly and distinctly to be read to the People XXXV Of Homilies The second Book of Homilies the several Titles whereof we have joyned under this Article doth contain a godly and wholsome Doctrin and necessary for the times as doth the former Book of Homilies which were set forth in the time of Edward the sixth and therefore we judge them to be read in Churches by the Ministers diligently and distinctly that they may be understood of the People The names of the Homilies Of the Right use of the Church Of Repairing Churches Against the Peril of Idolatry Of Good Works c. XXXV Of the Book of Common Prayer and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England The Book lately delivered to the Church of England by the Authority of the King and Parliament 37 containing the manner and form of publick Prayer and the ministration of the Sacraments in the said Church of England as also the Book published by the same Authority for Ordering Ministers in the Church are both of them very pious as to â—uth of Doctrine in nothing contrary but agreeable to the wholsome Doctrine of the Gospel which they do very much promote and illustrate And for that cause they are by all faithful Members of the Church of England but chiefly of the Ministers of the Word with all thankfulness and readiness of mind to be received approved and commended to the People of God XXXVI Of Consecration of Bishops and Ministers The Book of Consecration of 38 Archbishops and Bishops and ordering of Priests and Deacons lately set forth in the time of King Edward the sixth and confirmed at the same time by Authority of Parliament doth contain all things necessary to such Consecration and Ordering Neither hath it any thing that of it self is superstitious and ungodly And therfore whosoever are Consecrated or ordered according to the Rites of that Book since the second year of the afore-named King Edward unto this time or hereafter shall be Consecrated or ordered according to the same Rites we decree all such to be rightly orderly and lawfully Consecrated and Ordered XXXVI Of the Civil Magistrates The King of England is after Christ 39 the Supream Head on Earth of the Church of England and Ireland The Bishop of Rome hath no Jurisdiction in this Realm of England The Civil Magistrate is ordained and approved by God and therefore are to be obeyed not onely for fear of wrath but for conscience sake Câ—vil or temporal Laws may punish Christian men with death for heinous and grievous offences It is lawful for Christian men at the commandment of the Magistrate to wear Weapons and serve in the Wars XXXVII Of the Civil Magistrates The Queens Majesty hath the chief Power in this Realm of England and other her Dominions unto whom the chief Government of all Estates of this Realm whether they be Ecclesiastical or Civil in all cases doth appertain and is not nor ought to be subject to any Forein Jurisdiction Where we attribute to the Queens Majesty the chief Government 40 by which Titles we understand the minds of some slanderous folks to be offended We give not to our Princess the Ministry either of Gods Word or of the Sacraments the which thing the Injunctions lately set forth by Elizabeth our Queen do most plainly testifie but that onely Prerogative which we see to have been given always to all godly Princes in holy Scriptutes by God himself that is that they should rule all Estates committed to their charge by God whether they be Ecclesiastical or Temporal and restrain with the Civil Sword the stubborn and evil doers The Bishop of Rome hath no Jurisdiction in this Realm of England The Laws of this Realm may punish Christian men with death
Edward Wotton Doctour Wotton and Sir Richard Southwell Of which some shewed themselves against him upon former Grudges as the Earl of South-hampton some out of hope to share those Offices amongst them which he had ingrossed unto himself many because they loved to follow the strongest side few in regard of any Benefit which was like to Redound by it to the Common-Wealth the greatest part complaining that they had not their equal Dividend when the Lands of Chanteries Free-Chapels c. were given up for a Prey to the greater Courtiers but all of them disguising their private Ends under pretense of doing service to the Publick The Combination being thus made and the Lords of the Defection convented together at Ely-House in Holborn where the Earl then dwelt they sent for the Lord Mayour and Aldermen to come before them To whom it is declared by the Lord Chancellour Rich a man of Sommerset's own preferring in a long Oration in what dangers the Kingdom was involved by the mis-Government and Practices of the Lord Protectour against whom he objected also many Misdemeanours some frivolous some false and many of them of such a Nature as either were to be condemned in themselves or forgiven in him For in that Speech he charged him amongst other things with the loss of the King's Peeces in France and Scotland the sowing of Dissension betwixt the Nobility and the Commons Embezelling the Treasures of the King and inverting the Publick stock of the Kingdom to his private use It was Objected also That he was wholly acted by the Will of his Wife and therefore no fit man to command a Kingdom That he had interrupted the ordinary Course of Justice by keeping a Court of Requests in his own House in which he many times determined of mens Free-holds That he had demolished many Consecrated Places and Episcopal Houses to Erect a Palace for himself spending one hundred pounds per diem in superflous Buildings That by taking to himself the Title of Duke of Sommerset he declared plainly his aspiring to the Crown of this Realm and finally having so unnaturally laboured the Death of his Brother he was no longer to be trusted with the Life of the King And thereupon he desires or conjures them rather to joyn themselves unto the Lords who aimed at nothing in their Counsels but the Safety of the King the Honour of the Kingdom and the Preservation of the People in Peace and Happiness But these Designs could not so closely be contrived as not to come unto the Knowledg of the Lord Protectour who then remained at Hampton-Court with the rest of the Lords who seemed to continue firm unto him And on the same day on which this meeting was at London being the sixth day of October he causeth Proclamation to be made at the Court-Gates and afterwards in other places near adjoyning requiring all sorts of persons to come in for the defence of the King's Person whom he conveyed the same night unto Windsore-Castle with a strength of five hundred men or thereabouts too many for a Guard and too few for an Army From thence he writes his Letters to the Earl of Warwick to the rest of the Lords as also to the Lord Mayour and City of London of whom he demanded a supply of a thousand men for the present service of the King But that Proud City seldom true to the Royal Interess and secretly obsequious to every popular Pretender seemed more inclinable to gratifie the Lords in the like Demands then to comply with his Desires The News hereof being brought unto him and finding that Master Secretary Peter whom he had sent with a secret Message to the Lords in London returned not back unto the Court be presently flung up the Cards either for want of Courage to play out the Game or rather choosing willingly to lose the Set then venture the whole Stock of the Kingdom on it So that upon the first coming of some of the opposite Lords to Windsore he puts himself into their hands by whom on the fourteenth day of the same Moneth he is brought to London and committed Prisoner to the Tower pitied the less even by those that loved him because he had so tamely betrayed himself The Duke of Sommerset no longer to be called Protectour being thus laid up a Parliament beginneth as the other two had done before on the fourth of November In which there passed two Acts of especial consequence besides the Act for removing all Images out of the Church and calling in all Books of false and superstitious Worship before-remembred to the concernments of Religion The first declared to this Effect That Such form and manner of making and Consecrating Arch-Bishops and Bishopt Priests Deacons and other Ministers of the Church as by six Prelates and six other Learned Men of this Realm learned in God's Law by the King to be appointed and assigned or by the most number of thâ—m shall be devised for that purpose and set forth under the Great Seal before the First of April next coming shall be lawfully exercised and used and no other The number of the Bishops and the Learned Men which are appointed by this Act assure me that the King made choice of the very same whom he had formerly imployed in composing the Liturgie the Bishop of Chichester being left out by reason of his Refractoriness in not subscribing to the same And they accordingly applyed themselves unto the Work following therein the Rules of the Primitive Church as they are rather recapitulated then ordained in the fourth Councel of Carthage Anno 401. Which though but National in it self was generally both approved and received as to the Form of Consecrating Bishops and inferiour Ministers in all the Churches of the West Which Book being finished was made use of without further Authority till the year 1552. At what time being added to the second Liturgie it was approved of and confirmed as a part thereof by Act of Parliament An. 5. Edw. 6. cap. 1. And of this Book it is we finde mention in the 36th Article of Queen Elizabeth's Time In which it is Declared That Whosoever wâ—re Consecrated and Ordered according to the Rites thereof should be reputed and adjudged to be lawfully Consecrated and rightly Ordered Which Declaration of the Church was afterwards made good by Act of Parliament in the eighth year of that Queen in which the said Ordinal of the third of King EDVVARD the Sixth is confirmed and ratified The other of the said two Acts was For enabling the King to nominate Eight Bishops as many Temporal Lords and sixteen Members of the Lower House of Parliament for reviewing all such Canons and Constitutions as remained in force by Virtue of the Statute made in the 25th year of the late King HENRY and fitting them for the Vse of the Church in all Times succeeding According to which Act the King directed a Commission to Arch-Bishop Cranmer and the rest of the Persons whom he
who were appointed to revise it as before is said In the performance of which service there was great care taken for expunging all such passages in it as might give any scandal or offence to the Popish party or be urged by them in excuse for their not comming to Church and joyning with the rest of the Congregation in Gods publick Worship In the Letany first made and published by King Henry the 8th and afterwards continued in the two Lituâ—gies of King Edward the 6th there was a Prayer to be delivered from the tyranny and all the detestable enormities of the Bâ—shop of Rome which was thought fit to be expunged as giving matter of scandal and dis-affection to all that party or otherwise wisht well to that Religion In the first Liturgie of King Edward the Sacrament of the Lords Body was delivered with this Benediction that is to say The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was given for the preservation of thy body and sâ—ul to life everlasting The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ c. Which being thought by Calvin and his Disciples to give some countenance to the grosse and carnal Presence of Christ in the Sacrament which passeth by the name of Transâ—bstantiation in the Schools of Rome was altered into this form in the second Liturgy that is to say Take and eat this in remembrance that Christ died for thee and â—eed on him in thy heart by faith with thanksgiving Take and drink this c. But the Revisors of the Book joyned both Forms together lest under colour of rejecting a Carnal they might be thought also to deny such a Real Presence as was defended in the Writings of the Antient Fathers Upon which ground they expunged also a whole Rubrick at the end of the Communion-service by which it was declared that kneeling at the participation of the Sacrament was required for no other reason than for a signification of the humble and grateful acknowledging of the benefits of Christ given therein unto the worthy Receiver and to avoid that prophanation and disorder which otherwise might have ensued and not for giving any adoration to the Sacramental Bread and Wine there bodily received or in regard of any real and essential presence of Christs body and blood And to come up the closer to those of the Church of Rome it was ordered by the Queens Injunctions that the Sacramental Bread which the Book required onely to be made of the finest flower should be made round in fashion of the Wafers used in the time of Queen Mary She also ordered that the Lords Table should be placed where the Altar stood that the accustomed reverence should be made at the name of Jesus Musick retained in the Church and all the old Festivals observed with their several Eves By which compliances and the expunging of the passages before remembred the Book was made so passable amongst the Papiâ—ts that for ten years they generally repaired to their Parish Churches without doubt or scruple as is affirmed not onely by Sir Edward Coke in his speech againâ—t Gâ—â—net and his Charge given at the Assizes held at Norwich but also by the Queen her self in a Letter to Sir Francis Walsingham then being her Resident or Leiger-Ambassador in the Court of France the same confessed by Sanders also in his Book de Schismate And that the Book might passe the better in both Houses when it came to the Vote it was thought requisite that a Disputation should be held about some points which were most likely to be checked at the Disputants to be five Bishops and four other learned men of the one side and nine of the most learâ—ed men graduated in the Schools on the other side the Disputation to begin on the 30th of March and to be holden in the Church of Westminster in the presence of as many of the Lords of the Council and of the Members of both Houses as were desirous to inform themselves in the state of the Questions The Disputation for that reason to be held in the English Tongue and to be managed for the better avoiding of confusion by a mutual interchange of writings upon every point those writings which were mutually given in upon one day to be reciprocally answer'd on another so from day to day till the whole were ended To all which points the Bishops gave consent for themselves and the rest of their party though they refused to stand unto them when it came to the tryal The points to be disputed on were three in number that is to say That it is against the word of God and the custom of the antient Church to use a Tongue unknown to the people in Common-Praier and in the administration of the Sacâ—aments 2. That every Church hath authority to appoint take away and change Ceremonies and Ecclesiastical Rites so the same be to edification 3. That it cannot be proved by the word of God that there is in the Masse offered up a sacrifice propitiatory for the living and the dead And for the Disputants of each side they were these that follow that is to say first for the Popish party Dr. White Bishop of Winchester Dr. Bayn Bishop of Lichfield Dr. Scot Bishop of Chester and Dr. Watson Bishop of Lincâ—ln Dr. Fecknam Abbot of Westminster Dr. Henry Cole Dean of St. Pauls Dr. Harpâ—field Archdeacon of Canterbury Dr. Chadsey Prebend of St. Paâ—ls and Dr. Langdale Archdeacon of Lewis in Sussex For those of the Protestant perswasion appeared Dr. Scory the late Bishop of Chichester Dr. Cox the late Dean of Westminster Dr. Sandys late Master of Katherine Hal. Mr. Horn the late Dean of Durham Mr. Elmar late Archdeacon of Stow Mr. Whâ—tehead Mr. Gryndal Mr. Gâ—est and Mr. Jewel all of which except onely Whiâ—ehead attained afterwards to some eminent place in the sacred Hieraâ—chy The day being come and the place fitted and accommodated for so great an audience the Lord Keeper Bacon takes the Chair as Moderator not for determining any thing in the points disputed but for seeing good order to be kept and that the Disputation might be managed in the form agreed on When contrary to expectation the Bishops and their party brought nothing in writing to be read publickly in the hearing of all the Auditors but came resolved to try it out by word of mouth and to that end appointed Cole to be their Spokesman For which neglect being reproved by the Lord Keeper they promised a conformity on the Monday following being the second day of April but would not stand unto it them because they would not give their Adversaries so much leisure as a whole nights deliberation to return an answer Desired and pressed by the Lord Keeper to proceed according to the form agreed on for the better satisfaction and contentment of so great an Audience it was most obstinately denyed Wâ—tson and White behaving themselves with so little reverence or so much insolency rather as to threaten the Queen
her in short time not only to protect her Merchants but command the Ocean Of which the Spaniard found good proof to his great loss and almost to his total ruine in the last 20 years of her glorious government And knowing right well that mony was the â—inew of war she fell upon a prudent and present course to fill her coffers Most of the monies in the Kingdom were of forein coynage brought hither for the most part by the Easterling and Flemish Merchants These she called in by Proclamation â—â—ted the 15th of November being but two dayes before the end of this 3d. year commanding them to be brought to her Majesties Mint there to be coyned and take the stamp of her Royal authority or otherwise not to pass for current within this Realm which counsel took such good effect that monies came flowing into the Mint insomuch that there was weekly brought into the Tower of London for the space of half a year together 8000. 10000. 12000. 16000. 20000. 22000 l. of silver plate and as much more in Pistols and other gold of Spanish coins which were great sums according to the standard of those early dayes and therefore no small profit to be growing to her by the coynage of them The Genevians slept not all this while but were as busily imployed in practising upon the Church as were the Romanists in plotting against the Queen Nothing would satisfie them but the nakedness and simplicity of the Zuinglian Churches the new fashions taken up at Franckfort and the Presbyteries of Geneva According to the pattern which they saw in those mounts the Church of England is to be modell'd nor would the Temple of Jerusalem have served their turn if a new Altar fashioned by that which they found at Damascus might not have been erected in it And they drove on so fast upon it that in some places they had taken down the steps where the Aâ—tar stood and brought the Holy Table into the midst of the Church in others they had laid aside the antient use of Godfathers and Godmothers in the administration of Baptism and left the answering for the child to the charge of the father The weekly Fasts the time of Lent and all other dayes of abstinence by the Church commanded were looked upon as superstitious observations No fast by them allowed of but occasional only and then too of their own appointing And the like course they took with the Festivals also neglecting those which had been instituted by the Church as humane inventions not fit to be retained in a Church reformed And finally that they might wind in there outlandish Doctrines with such forein usages they had procured some of the inferiour Ordinaries to impose upon their several Parishes certain new books of Sermons and Expositions of the holy Scripture which neither were required by the Queens Injunctions nor by Act of Parliament Some abuses also were discovered in the Regular Clergy who served in Churches of peculiar or exempt jurisdiction Amongst whom it began to grow too ordinary to marry all such as came unto them without Bains or Licence and many times not only without the privity but against the express pleasure and command of their Parents For which those Churches past by the name of Lawlesse Churches in the voice of the people For remedy whereof it was found necessary by the Archbishop of Canterbury to have recourse unto the power which was given unto him by the Queens Commission and by a clause or passage of the Act of Parliament for the Uniformity of Common Prayer and Service in the Church c. As one of the Commissioners for Causes Ecclesiastical he was authorized with the rest of his associates according to the Statute made in that behalf To reform redresse order correct and amend all such Errours Heresies Schisms abuses offences conâ—empts and enormities whatsoever as might from time to time arise in the Church of England and did require to be redressed and reformed to the pleasure of Almighty God the increase of vertue and conservation of the peace and unity of the Kingdom And in the passage of the Act before remembred it was especially provided That all such Ornaments of the Church and of the Ministers thereof should be retained and be in use as were in the Church of England by authority of Parliament in the second year of the Reign of King Edward the 6th until further Order should be therein taken by authority of the Queens Majesty with the advice of her Commissioners Appointed Ordered under the Great Seal of England for Causes Ecclesiastical or of the Metropolitan of this Realm And also if there shall happen any contempt or irreverence to be used in the Ceremonies or Rites of the Church by the misusing of the Orders of the said Book of Common Prayer the Queens Majesty might by the like advice of the said Commissioners or Metropolitan Ordain or publish such further Ceremonies or Rites as should be most for the advance of Gods glory the edifying of his Church and the due reverence of Christs holy Mysteries and Sacraments Fortified and assured by which double power the Archbishop by the Queens consent and the advice of some of the Bishops Commissionated and instructed to the same intent sets forth a certain book of Orders to be diligently observed and executed by all and singular persons whom it might concern In which it was provided That no Parson Vicar or Curate of any exempt Church commonly called Lawless Churches should from thenceforth attempt to conjoin by solemnization of Matrimony any not being of his or their Parish Church without sufficient testimony of the Bains being ask'd in the several Churches where they dwel or otherwise were sufficiently licenced That there should be no other dayes observed for Holy days or Fasting dayes as of duty and commandment but only such Holy dayes as be expressed for Holy dayes in the Calendar lately set forth by the Queens authority and none other Fasting dayes to be so commanded but as the Lawes and Proclamations of the Queens Majesty should appoint that it should not be lawful to any Ordinary to assign or enjoyn the Parishes to buy any Books of Sermons or Expositions in any sort than is already or shall be hereafter appointed by publick Authority that neither the Curates or Parents of the children which are brought to Baptism should answer for them at the Font but that the antient use of Godfathers and Godmothers should be still retained and finally that in all such Churches in which the steps to the Altar were not taken down the said steps should remain as before they did that the Communion Table should be set in the said place where the steps then were or had formerly stood and that the Table of Gods Precepts should be fixed upon the wall over the said Communion Board Which passage compared with that in the Advertisements published in the year 1565. of which more hereafter make up this construction that
the Communion Table was to stand above the steps and under the Commandments and therefore all along the wall on which the ten Commandments were appointed to be placed which was directly where the Altar had stood before Some other Innovations and disorders had been obtruded on the Church at the same time also by those of the Genevian faction for the suppressing whereof before they should prescribe to any Antiquity the like course was taken But what those Innovations and disorders were will easily be seen by the perusal of the Orders themselves which were then published in Print by the Queens command as a judicious Apothecary is able to conjecture by the Doctors Recipe at the distemper of the Patient and the true quality of the disease Nothing else memorable in this year of a publick nature but the foundation of the Merchant-Taylors School in London first founded by the Master Warden and Assistants of the Company of Merchant-Taylors whence it had the name and by them founded for a seminary to St John's in Oxon built and endowed at the sole costs and charges of one of their Livery The School kept in a fair large house in the Parish of St Laurence Poutney heretofore called the Mannor of Roose belonging to the Dukes of Ruckingham towards the purchase and accommodating whereof to the present use five hundred pounds was given by one Richard Hills who had been once Master of the Company and still lives in the charity of so good a work The day of the foundation is affirmed by Stow to have been the 21 of March and so may either fall in the year 1560. or 1561. according to the several computations which are now in use but howsoever within the compass of this third year of the Queen And it is probable that it may be fixed by him upon that day either because the purchase of the House doth bear date upon it or because it was then first opened for a Grammar School And of this kind but of a far more private nature was the foundation of another Grammar School in the Town of Sandwich built at the charge of Sir Roger Manwood and indowed with 40 l. per annum which was a very large allowance as the times then were Anno Reg. Eliz. 4. A. D. 1561 1562. GReat preparations had been made in the former year in order to the holding and continuance of the Council of Trent many Italian Bishops which were to be maintained at the Popes charge being sent before and the Popes Legats hastning after to be there in readiness when the Ambassadors and Prelates of forein Nations should give attendance on the same After long expectation it begins at the last on the 18th of January the Legats having first obtained in a privat Session that nothing should be discussed in the Council but what should be first proposed by them which in effect was to subvert the whole hopes of that Reformation which was desired by many pious men amongst them Which day being come a Proâ—ession was made of the whole Clergy of the city of the Divines Prelates who besides the Caroinals were 112 that did wear Miters accompanied by their families and by many country people armed going from St. Peters Church to the Cathedral where the Cardinal of Mantua sung the Mass of the holy Ghost and Gasparo del Fosso Archbishop of Rheggio made the Sermon his subject was the Authority of the Church Primacy of the Pope and Power of Councils He said That the Church had as much authority as the Word of God that the Church hath changed the Sabbath ordained by God into Sunday and taken away Circumcision formerly commanded by Divine Majesty and that these precepts are changed not by the preaching of Christ but by the authority of the Church Turning himself unto the Fathers he exhorted them to labour constantly against the Protestants being assured that as the Holy Ghost could not erre so neither could they be deceived And having sung the Hymn of Come holy Ghost the Secretary who was Bishop of Tilesie read the Bull of the Convocation and the foresaid Archbishop propounded the Decree for opening the Council saying Fathers doth it please you that the General Council of Trent should be celebrated from this day all suspension whatsoever being removed to handle with due order that which shall seem fit to the Synod the Legats and Presidents propâ—sing to remove the controversies of Religion correct Manners and reconcile the Peace of the Church To which they answered Placet with so full a vote that there were found no more than four Bishops and those four all Spaniards who stumbled at the clause about discussing nothing in the time of that Council but what the Legats should propose so servile were the rest in prostituting the Authority of the Council to the lust of the Pope In the first opening of the Council it was propounded by the Legates amongst other things Whether a safe conduct should be given unto those who were fallen into heresie with a large promise of great and singular clemency so that they would repent and acknowledge the power of the Catholick Church In the discussing of which point the Cardinal of Manâ—ua was for the affirmative seeing that it was a remedy used by all Princes in Seditions or Rebellions to pardon those whom they could not overcome because by that means those which were least faulty did retire and the other did remain more weak But as for the safe conduct after it had been considered of and resolved at Rome it was again disputed in the Council on the third of March whether it was to be given by name to the French English and Scots and some spake of the Greeks and other Nations of the East It was presently seen that these poor men afflicted in servitude could not without danger and assistance of mony think of counsels And some said that there being a division of the Protestants it was good to let them alone and not to name them alleging the danger of moving ill humors in a body which was then quiet To give a safe conduct to the English-men which neither they nor any of them did require would be a great indignity they were content it should be given to the Scots because their Queen would demand it but so as that the demand should first be made For France there was a doubt made whether the Kings Council would take it ill or not because it would be thought to be a declaration that that King had Rebels Of Germany none would doubt because it had been formerly granted unto them and if it were granted to that Nation alone it would seem that the others were abandoned But at the last all difficulties were resolved into this conclusion that the safe conduct should be given unto those of Germany in the same words wherein it formerly had passed An. 1552. that the like conduct in the self-same words wherin it was given to the Germans
Englanâ— by Thomas Bolâ—n Viscount Rochford at his return from the Frenâ—h Court where he had been Ambassador for the King of England which firâ—t occasioned areport in the common people and afterwaâ—ds a mistake in our common Chronicles touching this Ladie 's being designed by Wolsie for a wife to his Master whereas she was at that time actually married to the Count of Aâ—bret King of Navarre in title and in title only But Rochford brought with him out of France another Piece which more excelled the picture of the Dutchesse of Alanzâ—n then that Dutchesse did the ordinary beauties in the Court of France that is to say his daughter Anne whom he had bred up for a time in the house of the Dutchesse which render'd her an exact mistresse of the gaities and garb of the great French Ladies Appearing in the Court of England she shewed her selfe with so many advantages above all other Ladies about the Queen that the King easily took notice of her Whether more captivated by the Allurements of her beauty or the facetiousnesse of her behaviour it is hard to say certain it is that he suffered himselfe to be so far transpoâ—ted in affection towards her that he could think of nothing else but what might tend to the accomplishment of his desires so that the separation from the bed of Katherine which was but coldly followed upon case of Conscience is now more hotly prosecuted in the heat of Concupiscâ—nce In the mean time the King adviseth with the Cardinal and the Cardinal with the most learned men in the Realm of England By whom it was modestly resolved that the King had a very just ground to consult the Pope and to 〈…〉 lawful means for extricating himselfe out of those perplexities in which this marriage had involved him The Pope had been beholden to the King for procuring his liberty when the Imperialists held him prisoner in the Fort of St Angelâ— and was in reason bound to gratifie him for so great a benefit But then withall he neither was to provoke the Emperour nor hazard the Authority and Reputation of the See Apostolick by running on the King's errand with more haâ—te then speed He therefore goes to work like a Pope of Rome and entertains the King with hopes without giving the Emperour and his adherents any cause of despair A Commission is therefore granted to two Cardinals that is to say Cardinal Thomas Wolsiâ— Archbishop of York and Laurene Campâ—gius whom Henry some few years before had made Bishop of Saâ—isbury both beneficiaries to the King and therefore like enough to consult more his interest then the Queen's contentment Of the erecting of a Court Lâ—gantâ—ne in the Convent of the Black Friers in London the citing of the King and Queen to appear before them the Kings patheticall Oration in the bemoaning of his own misfortunes and the Queen's Appeal from the two Cardinals to the Pope I shall now say nothing leaving the Reader for those passages to our common Annals Suffice in this place to note that while the businesse went on favourable in the King's behalfe Wolsie was given to understand of his desperate loves to Mistrisse Bollen which represented to him two ensuing mischiefs not to be otherwise avoided then by slackning the course of these proceedings For first he saw that if the King should be divorc'd definitively from his present wife he should not be able to draw him to accept of Madam Rhenee the French Queens sister which was the mark he chiefly aimed at And secondly he feared that Mistrisse Anne had brought so much of the Lutheran with her as might in time become destructive to the Church of Rome Of this he certifies the Pope the Pope recals Campegius and revokes his Commission leaving the King to cast about to some new wayes to effect his purpose And at this time it hapned that Dr Thomas Cramâ—er who afterwards obtained to the See of Canterbury discoursing with some of the Kings Ministers about the intricaâ—enesse and perplexity of this great affair declared for his opinion in it that it were better for the King to govern himselfe therein by the judgement and determination of the Universities beyond the seas then to depend upon the shifts and Artifices of the Court of Rome Which being told unto the King he dispatcheth Cramner unto Rome in the company of Rochford now made Earl of Wilâ—shire to maintain the King's cause by disputation and at the same time employs his agents to the Universities of France and Italy who being under the command of the French King or the power of the Pope gave sentence in behalfe of Henry condemning his marriage with the Lady Katherine the Relict of his brother to be simply unlawful in it selfe and therefore not to be made valid by a dispensation from the Popes of Rome The putting the King upon this course proved the fall of Wolsiâ— who growing every day lesse then other in the King's esteem was brought within 〈◊〉 compasse of a Pramunire and thereby stript of all his goods to an infinite value removed not long after unto York and there arrested of High Treason by the Earl of Northumberland and committed to the custody of Sir William Kingston being then Lievtenant of the Tower By whom conducted towards London he departed this life in the Abby of Leicester his great heart not being able to endure so many indignities as had been lately put upon him and having cause to fear much worse then his former sufferings But the removing of this Rub did not much smooth the way to the King's desires The Queen's appeal unto the Pope was the greatest difficulty from which since she could not be removed it must be made unprofitable and ineffectual for the time to come And thereupon a Proclamation is set forth on the 19 of September 1530. in these following words viz. The King's Highnesse streightly chargeth and commandeth That no manner of person of what estate degree or condition he or they be of do purchase or attempt to purchase from the Court of Rome or elsewhere nor use nor put in execution divulge or publish any thing heretofore within this year passed purchased or to be purchased hereafter containing matter prejudicial to the High Authority Jurisdiction and prerogative Royal of this his said Reâ—lm or to the lett hinderance or impeachment of his Grace's Noble and Vertuous intended purposes in the premises upon pain of incurring his Highnesse's indignation and imprisonment and farther punishment of their bodies for their so doing at his Graceâ—s pleasure to the dreadful example of all others This was the Prologue to the downfall of the Pope in England seconded by the Kings taking to himselfe the Title â—upream Head of the Churches of England and Ireland acknowledged in the Convocation and confirmed in Parliament and ending finally in an Act intituled An Act for extinguishing the authority of the Bishops of Rome And in all this the King did nothing but what
unquietness in her people by interpreting the Laws of this Realm after their brains and fantasies but quietly to continue for the time till 〈◊〉 before is said further Order may be taken and therefore willeth and strâ—ightly chargeth and commondeth all her good loving subjects to live together in quiet sort and Christian Charity leaving those new found devilish terms of Papist and Heretick and such like and applying their whole care study and travail to live in the fear of God exercising their conversations in such charitable and Godly doing as their lives may indeed express the great hunger and thirst of God's glory which by rash talk and words many have pretended And in so doing they shall best please God and live without danger of the Laws and maintain the tranquility of the Realm Whereof as her highness shall be most glad so if any man shall rashly presume to make any assemblies of people or at any publick assemblies or otherwise shall go about to stir the people to disorder or disquiet she mandeth according to her duty to see the same most severely reformed and punished according to her Highnese's Lawes And furthermore for asmuch as it is well known that sedition and false rumours have been nourished and maintained in this Realâ— by the subtilty and malice of some evil-disposed persons which take upon them without sufficient authority to preach and to interpret the word of God after their own brains in Churches and other places both publick and private and also by playing of Interludes and Printing of false fond Books and Ballads Rimes and other lewd Treatises in the English Tongue conteining Doctrine in matter now in question and controversies touching the high points and mysteries in Christian Religion which Books Ballads Rimes and Treatises are chiefly by the Printers and Stationers set out to sale to her Graces subjects of an evil zeal for lucre and covetousnesse of vile gain Her Highnesse therefore streightly chargeth and commandeth all and every of her said subjects of whatsoever state condition or degree they be that none of them presume from henceforth to preach or by way of reading in Châ—rches or other publick or prâ—vate places except in Schools of the University to interpret or teach any Scriptures or any manner of points of Doctrine concerning Religion Neither also to Print any Boâ—k Matâ—er Ballad Rime Enterlude Processe or Treatise nor to play any Enterlude except they have her Graces special Licence in writing for the same upon pain to incur her Highnesse indignation and displeasure It cannot be denied but that this Proclamation was very cautiously and cunningly penned giving encouragement enough to those which had a mind to outrun the Law or otherwise to conform themselves to the Queen's Religion to follow their own course therein without dread or danger and yet commanding nothing contrary to the Lawes established which might give trouble or offence to the other party For hereupon many of the people shewed themselves so ready for receiving their old Religion that in many places of the Realm before any Law was made for the same they erected again their Altars and used the Masse and Latin Service in such sort as was wont to be in King Henry's time Which was so well taken by the Queen that all such as stood upon the Lawes which were made to the contrary before had a mâ—â—k of displeasure set upon them Which being observed by some of the Clergy they were as forward as the rest in setting up the Pageants of St Catherine and St Nicholas formerly erected in the Chancels and to set forth their Processions which they celebrated in the Latin tounge with their old solemnities contrary to the Lawes and Ordinances of King Edward's time All which irregular activities in the Priest and People were sheltred under the name of setting forward the Queens proceedings And by that name the official of the Arch-Deacon of Ely gave it in charge amongst the Articles of his visitation that the Church Wardens should present all such as did disturb the Queen's proceedings in letting the Latin Service setting up of Altars saying of Mass c. But more particularly at Cambridge the Vicechancellor challenged one Pierson on the 3d. of October for officiating the communion in his own Parish Church in the English tounge and on the 26. displaced Dr Madew Master of Clare Hall for being maried though they had both as much authority on their side as the Lawes could give them In like manner some of the Popish party in King's Colledge not tarrying the making of any Law on the 28th of the same officiated the Divine Service in the Latin tounge and on the 6th of November then next following a Sermon is preached openly at St Michaels contrary to the Lawes in that behalf not as then repealed Not altogether so eager on the scent at Oxon as they were at Cambridge though with more difficulty brought at first to the Reformation Only it pleased Dr Tresham one of the Canons of Christ Church of the last foundation to cause the great bell there to be new cast and christned by the name of Mary much comforting himself with the melodious found thereof when it toll'd to Mass which Marshall the new Dean by his help and counsel had again restored But these were only the Essays of those alterations which generally were intended in all parts of the Church assoon as the times were ripe for them and the people fitted to receive them in order whereunto it was not thought sufficient to displace the Bishopâ— and silence the Old Protestant Preachers also unless they brought them under some exemplary punishment that others might be terrified from the outward profession of that truth out of which they could not be disputed Of Ridley's being brought prisoner to the Tower and of Coxe's committing to the Marshalâ—ey we have spoke before On the 22d of August Letters are sent from the Lords of the Council commanding Bishop Coverdale and Bishop Hooper to appear before them By whom after two or three appearances committed to their several Prisons the one reserved for the stake the other sent upon request to the King of Denmark On the 5th of September the like Letters are dispatched to old Bishop Latimer committed close prisoner to the Tower on the 8th day after followed the next morning by Archbishop â—ranmeâ— whose Story doth require a more particular account of which more anon Harley of Hereâ—ord to which he had been conâ—ecrated in May foregoing and â—aylor of Lincoln another of the lâ—â—t of King Edward's Bishops were present at the opening of the Parliament on the 10th of October But no sooner was the Mass began though not then restoâ—ed by any Law than they left the Church For which the Bishop of Lincoln being first examined and making profession of his Faith prevented the malice of his enemies by a timely death And Harley upon information of his marriage was presently exâ—luded from the Parliament House and not long after
enjoying all those Rights and Privileges which formerly he stood possessed of in this Kingdom For the passing of which Bill into Act the King and Queen vouchsafed their presence as soon as it was fitted and prepared for them not staying till the end of the Session as at other times because the businesse might not suffer such a long delay It was upon the 24 th of November that the Cardinal came first to London and had his Lodgings in or near the Court till Lambeth house could be made ready to receive him Having reposed himself for a day or two the Lords and Commons are required to attend their Majesties at the Court where the Cardinal in a very grave and eloquent speech first gave them thanks for being restored unto his Country in recompence whereof he told them that he was come to restore them to the Country and Court of Heaven from which by their departing from the Church they had been estranged He therefore earnestly exhorts them to acknowledge their errors and cheerfully to receive that benefit which Christ was ready by his Vicar to extend unto them His Speech is said to have been long and artificial but it concluded to this purpose That he had the Keys to open them a way into the Church which they had shut against themselves by making so many Laws to the dishonour and reproach of the See Apostolick on the revoking of which Laws they should â—ind him ready to make use of his Keys in opening the doors of the Church unto them It was concluded hereupon by both Houses of Parliament that a Petition should be made in the name of the Kingdom wherein should be declared how â—orry they were that they had withdrawn their obedience from the Apostolick See and consenting to the Statutes made against it promising to do their best endeavour hereafter that the said Laws and Statutes should be repealed and beseeching the King and Queen to intercede for them with his Holiness that they may be absolved from the Crimes and Censures and be received as penitent children into the bosom of the Church These things being thus resolved upon both Houses are called again to the Court on St. Andrews day where being assembled in the presence of the King and Queen they were asked by the Lord Chancellor Gardiner whether they were pleased that Pardon should be demanded of the Legat and whether they would return to the Unity of the Church and Obedience of the Pope Supream Head thereof To which when some cryed Yea and the rest said nothing their silence was taken for consent and so the Petition was presented to their Majesties in the name of the Parliament Which being publickly read they arose with a purpose to have moved the Cardinal in it who meeting their desires declared his readinesse in giving them that satisfaction which they would have craved And having caused the Authority given him by the Pope to be publickly read he showed how acceptable the repentance of a sâ—nner was in the sight of God and that the very Angels in Heaven rejoyced at the conversion of this Kingdom Which said they all kneeled upon their knees and imploring the mercy of God received absolution for themselves and the rest of the Kingdom which Absolution was pronounced in these following words Our Lord Jesus Christ which with his most precious blood hath redeemed and wash'd uâ— from all our sins and iniquities that he might purchase unto himself a glorious Spouse without spot or wrinckle and whom the Father hath appointed Head over all his Church He by his mercy absolve you And we by Apostolick Authority given unto us by the most holy Lord Pope Julius the 3 d his Vicegerent here on earth do absolve and deliver you and every of you with the whole Realm and the Dominions thereof from all Heresie and Schism and from all and every Judgment Censures and Pains for that cause incurred And also we do restore you again unto the unity of our Mother the holy Church as in our Letters more plainly it shall appear In the Name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost Which words of his being seconded with a loud Amen by such as were present he concluded the days work with a solemn Procession to the Chapel for rendring Prayers and Thanks to Almighty God And because this great work was wrought on St. Andrews day the Cardinal procured a Decree or Canon to be made in the Convocation of the Bishops and Clergy that from thenceforth the Feast of St. Andrew should be kept in the Church of England for a Majus Duplex as the Rituals call it and celebrated with as much solemnity as any other in the year It was thought fit also that the actions of the day should be communicated on the Sunday following being the second of December at St. Paul's Crosse in the hearing of the Lord Mayor Aldermen and the rest of the City According to which appointment the Cardinal went from Lambeth by water and landing at St. Paul's Wharf from thence proceeded to the Church with a Cross two Pillars and two Pole-axes of silver born before him Received by the Lord Chancellor with a solemn Procession they â—arried till the King came from Westminster Immediately upon whose comming the Lord Chancellor went into the Pulpit and preached upon on those words of St. Paul Rom. 13. Fratres scientes quia hora est jam nos de somno surgerâ— c. In which Sermon he declared what had been done on the Friday before in the submission which was made to the Pope by the Lords and Commons in the name of themselves and the whole Kingdom and the Absolution granted to them by the Cardinal in the name of the Pope Which done and Praiers being made for the whole Estate of the Catholick Church the company was for that time dismissed And on the Thursday after being the Feast of St. Nicholas day the Bishops and Clergy then assembled in their Convocation presented themselves before the Cardinal at Lamboth and kneeling reverently on their knees they obtained pardon for all their Perjuries Schisms and Heresies From which a formal Absolution was pronounced also that so all sorts of people might partake of the Pope's Benediction and thereby testifie their obedience and submission to him The news whereof being speedily posted over to the Pope he caused not onely many solemn Processions to be made in Rome and most parts of Italy but proclaimed a Jubile to be held on the 24th of December then next comming For the anticipating of which solemnity he alleged this reason That it became him to imitate the father of the Prodigal child and having received his lost son not onely to expresse a domestical joy but to invite all others to partake thereof During this Parliament was held a Convocation also as before was intimated Bonner continuing President of it and Henry Cole Archdeacon of Ely admitted to the office of Prolocutor They knew well how the Cards were
London to give God thanks for their conversion to the Catholick Church Wherein to set out their glorious pomp were ninety Crosses one hundred sixty Priests and Clarks each of them attired in his Cope and after them eight Bishops in their Pontificalibus followed by Bonner carrying the Popish Pix under a Canopy and attended by the Lord Mayor and Companies in their several Liveries Which solemn Procession being ended they all returned into the Church of St Paul where the King and Cardinal together with all the rest heard Mass and the next day the Parliament and Convocation were dissolved Nothing now rested but the sending of a solemn Embassery in the name of the King and Kingdom to the Court of Rome for testifying their submission to his Holiness and receiving his Apostolical benediction To which employment were designed Sir Anthony Brown who on the 2d of September had been created Viscoâ—nt Mountacute in regard of his descent from Sir John Nevil whom King Edward the 4th advanced unto the Title of Marquisse Mountacute as being the second son of Richard Nevil Earl of Sarisbury and Alâ—ce his wife daughter and heir of Thomas Mountacute the last and most renowned Earl of Sarisbury of that Name and Family With whom was joined in Commission an another Ambassador extraordinary Dr Thomas Thurlby Bishop of Ely together with Sir Edward Karâ— appointed to recide as Ordinary in the Papal Court. On the 18th day of February they began their journy but found so great an alteration when they came to Rome that Pope Juâ—â—â—us was not only dead but that Marcellus who succeeded him was deceased also so that the honour and felicity of this address from the King of England devolved on Cardinal Caraffa no great friend of Poles who took unto himself the name of Paul the 4th on the first day of whose Papacy it chanced that the three Ambassadors came first to Rome It was in the first Consistory also after his inauguration that the Ambassadors were brought before him Where prostrating themselves at the Pope's feet they in the name of the Kingdom acknowledged the faults committed relating them all in particular for so the Pope was pleas'd to have it confessing that they had been ungrateful for so many benefits received from the Church and humbly craving pardon for it The pardon was not only granted and the Ambassadors lovingly imbraced but as an overplus the Pope was pleas'd to honour their Majesties with the Title of Kings of Ireland Which Title he conferred upon them by the authority which the Popes pretend to have from God in erecting and subverting Kingdoms He knew right well that Ireland had been erected into a Kingdom by King Henry the 8th and that both Edward the 6th and the Queen now reigning had alwayes used the Title of Kings of Ireland in the style Imperial But he conceived himself not bound to take notice of it or to relinquish any privilege which had been exercised in that kind by his predecessors And thereupon he found out this temperament that is to say to dissemble his knowlege of that which had been done by Henry and of himself to erect the Island into a Kingdom that so the world might be induced to believe that the Queen rather used that Title as indulged by the Pope than as assumed by her Father And this he did according to a secret mystery of Government in the Church of Rome in giving that which they could not take from the possessor as on the other side some Kings to avoid contentions have received of them their own proper goods as gifts and others have dissembled the knowledge of the Gift and the pretence of the Giver These things being thus dispatched in publick the Pope had many private discourses with the Ambassadors in which he found fault that the Church goods were not wholly restored saying that by no means it was to be tolerated and that it was necessary to render all even to a farthing He added that the things which belong to God could never be applied to humane uses and that he who withholdeth the least part of them was in continual state of damnation that if he had power to grant them he would do it most readily for the fartherly affection which he bare unto them and for the experience which he had of their filial obedience but that his authority was not so large as to prophane things dedicated to Almighty God and therefore he would have the people of England be assured that these Church lands would be an Anathema or an accursed thing which by the just revenge of God would keep the Kingdom in perpetual infelicity And of this he charged the Ambassadors to write immediately not speaking it once or twice only but repeating it upon all occasions He also told them that the Peter-Pence ought to be paid assoon as might be and that according to the custome he would send a Collector for that purpose letting them know that himself had exercised that charge in England for three years together and that he was much edified by seeing the forwardness of the people in that contribution The discourse upon which particular he closed with this that they could not hope that St Peter would open to them the gates of Heaven as long as they usurped his goods on earth To all which talk the Ambassadors could not chuse but give a hearing and knew that they should get no more at their coming home At their departure out of England they left the Queen in an opinion of her being with child and doubted not but that they should congratulate her safe delivery when they came to render an account of their imployment but it proved the contrary The Queen about three months after her mariage began to find strong hopes not only that she had conceived but also that she was far gone with child Notice whereof was sent by Letters to Bonner from the Lords of the Council by which he was required to cause Te Deum to be sung in all the Churches of his Diocess with continual prayers to be made for the Queen 's safe delivery And for example to the rest these commands were executed first on the 28th of November Dr Chadsey one of the Prebends of Paul's preaching at the Cross in the presence of the Bishop of London and nine other Bishops the Lord Mayor and Aldermen attending in their scarlet Robes and many of the principal Citizens in their several Liveries Which opinion gathering greater strength with the Queen and belief with the people it was Enacted by the Lords and Commons then sitting in Parliament That if it should happen to the Queen otherwise than well in the time of her travel that then the King should have the politick Government Order and Administration of this Realm during the tender years of her Majestie 's issue together with the Rule Order Education and Government of the said issue Which charge as he was pleased to undergo at their humble
vain about it In these distractions some of the Franckfort Schismaticks desire that all divine Offices might be executed according to the order of the Church of Geneva which Knox would by no means yield unto thinking himself as able to make a Rule for his own Congregation as any Calvin of them all But that the mouths of those of Stralsburge and Zuriâ—k might be stopped for ever he is content to make so much use of him as by the authority of his judgment to disgrace that Liturgy which those of Zurick did contend for He knew well how he had bestirred himself in quarrelling the first Liturgy of King Edward the 6th and nothing doubteth but that the second though reviewed on his importunity would give him as little satisfaction as the other did To this intent the Order of the English Liturgy is drawn up in Latine transmitted to him by Knox and Whittingham by this infallible judgment to stand or fall The Oracle returns this answer on the 31 of January In Liturgia Anglâ—cana qualem mihi describitis multas vidâ—o tolerabiles ineptias That in the Book of England as by them described he had observed many tolerable fooleries Whiâ—h last words being somewhat ambiguous as all Oracles are he explicates himself by telling them That there wanted much of that purity which was to be desired in it that it contained many relicks of the dregs of Popery that being there was no manifest impiety in it it had been tolerated for a season because at first it could not otherwise be admitted But howsoever though it was lawful to begin with such beggarly rudiments yet it behoved the learned grave and godly Ministers of Christ to endeavour farther and set forth something more refined from filth and rustinesse This being sent for his determinate sentence unto Knox and Whittingham was of such prevalency with all the rest of that party that such who â—ormerly did approve did afterwards as much dislike the English Liturgy and those who at the first had conceived onely a dislike grew afterwards into an open detestation of it Those who before had been desirous that the Order of Geneva should be entertained had now drawn Knox and Whittingham unto them Mr. John Fox the Author of the Acts and Monuments contributing his approbation amongst the rest But in the end to give content to such as remained affected to the former Liturgy it was agreed upon That a mixt Form consisting partly of the Order of Geneva and partly of the Book of England should be digested and received till the first of April consideration in the mean time to be had of some other course which should be permanent and obliging for the time to come In this condition of affairs Doctor Richard Cox the late Dean of christ-Christ-Church and Westminster first Schoolmaster and after Almoner to King Edward the sixth putteth himself into Franckfort March 13. accompanied with many English Exiles whom the cause of Religion had necessitated to forsake their Country Being a man of great learning of great authority in the Church and one that had a principal hand in drawing up the Liturgy by Law established he could with no patience endure those innovations in it or rather that rejection of it which he found amongst them He thereupon first begins to answer the Minister contrary to the Order there agreed on and the next Sunday after causeth one of his company to go into the Pulpit and read the Letany Against which doings of his Knox in a Sermon the same day inveigheth most bitterly affirming many things in the Book of England not onely to be imperfect but superstitious For the which he is not onely rebuked by Cox but forbidden to preach Wherewith Whittingham being much offended deals with some of the Magistrates from whom he procureth an Order of the 22 of March requiring That the English should conform themselves to the Rules of the French Knox had not long before published a seditious Pamphlet entituled An Admonition to Christians containing the substance of some Sermons by him preached in Engâ—and in one of which he affirmed the Emperor to be no lesse an enemy to Christ that the â—yrant Nero. For this and several other passages of the like dangerous nature he is accused by Cox for Treason against the Emperor the Senate made acquainted with it and Knox commanded thereupon to depart the City who makes hâ—s Farewel-Sermon on the 25th of March and retires himself unto Geneva Following his blow Cox gets an order of the Senate by the means of another of the Glaâ—berges by which Whittingham and the rest of his faction were commanded to receive the Book of England Against which order Whiâ—tingham for a time opposeth encouraged therein by Goodman who for the love of Knox with whom afterwards he associated in all his practices had left the grave soâ—iety of those of Stralsbâ—rge to joyn himself unto the Sectaries of 〈…〉 But finding Cox to be too strong for them in the Senate both they and all the rest who refused conformity resolved to betake themselves to some other place as they shortly did Cox thus made Master of the field begins to put the Congregation into such order as might preserve the face and reputation of an English Church He procures Whitehead to be chosen for the principal Paâ—â—or appoints two Ministers for Elders and four Deacons for aâ—â—istants to him recommends Mr. Robert Horn whom he had drawn from Zurick thither to be Hebrew-Reader Mullings to read the Greek Lecture Trahern the Lecture in Divinity and Chambers to be Treasurer for the Contributions which were sent in from time to time by many godly and wellâ—affected persons both Dutch and English for the use of that Church Having thus setled all things answerable to his own desires he gives an account thereof to Calvin subscribed by fourteen of the chief men in that Congregation partly excusing themselves that they had proceeded so far without his consent and partly rejoycing that they had drawn the greatest part of that Church to their own opinions Calvin returns his Answer on the last of May which puts his party there on another project that is to say to have the whole business referred to some Arbitrators equally chosen on both sides But Cox was already in possession great in esteem with the chief Magistrates of the City and would by no means yield to refer that point which had already been determined to his advantage With these debates the time is taken up till the end of August at what time Whiâ—tingham and the rest of the faction take their leave of Franckfort Fox with some few others go to Basil but the main body to Geneva as their Mâ—ther-City where they make choice of Knox and Goodman for their constant Preachers under which Ministry they reject the whole frame and fabrick of the Reformation made in England conformed themselves wholly to the fashions of the Church of Geneva and therewith entertain
for pressing him to the disinheriting of his foâ—mer children But whether this were so or not certain it is that his last wife being a proud imperious woman and one that was resolved to gain her own ends upon him never leâ—t plying him with one suspition after anoâ—her till in the end she had prevâ—iled to have the greatest part of his lands and all his Honourable Titles setled on her eldest son And that she might make sure work of it she caused him to obtaine a private Act of Parliament in the 32. yeare of Henry the Eighth Anno 1540. for entailing the same on this last Edward and the Heires male of his body So easie was he to be wrought on by those that knew on which side he did lie most open to assaults and batteries Of a farr different temper was his brother Thomas the youngest sonne of Sir John Seimour of a daring and enterprising nature arrogant in himselfe a dispiser of others and a Contemner of all Counsells which were not first forged in his own brain Following his sister to the Court he received the Order of Knighthood from the hands of the King at such time as his brother was made Earle of Hartford and on May day in the thirtieth yeare of the Kings Reign he was one of the Challengers at the Magnificent Justs maintained by him and others against all comers in the Pallace of Westminster in which together with the rest he behaved himselfe so highly to the Kings contentment and their own great Honoâ—r that they were all severally rewarded with the Grant of 100. Marks of yearely rent and a convenient house for habitation thereunto belonging out of the late dissolved order of Saint John oâ— Iâ—rusalem Which being the first foundation of his following greatness proved not sufficient to support the building which was raised upon it the Gentleman and almost all the rest of the challengers coming within few yeares after to unfortunate ends For being made Lord Seimour of Sudley and Lord High Admirall of England by King Edward the sixth he would not satisfie his ambition with a lower marriage then the widow of his deceased Soveraign aspiring after her death to the bed of the Princes of Elizabeth the second daughter of the King Which wrought such Jealousies and distrusts in the Head of his brother then being Lord Protector of the King and Kingdom that he was thereupon Arraigned Condemned and Executed of which more anon to the great joy of such as practised to â—ubvert them both As for the Barrony of Sudley denominated from a goodly Mannor in the County of Glâ—câ—ster it wasâ— ancâ—ently the Patrimony of Harrold the eldest Son of Ralph d' Mont. the son of 〈◊〉 Medantinuâ— or d' Mount and of Goda his wife one of the daughters of Ethilred and sister of Edmond sirnamed â—roâ—side Kings of England whose Posterity taking to themselves the name of Sudley continued in possession of it till the time of John the last Baron of this name and Famiâ—y VVhose daugâ—ter Joane conveyed the whole estate in marriage to Sir William Botteler of the Family of Wemm in Shropshire From whom deâ—cended Ralph Lord Botteleâ— of Sudley Castle Chamberlain of the Houshold to King Henry the sixth by whom he was created Knight of the Garter and Lord High Treasurer of England And though the greatest part of this Inheritance being devided between the sisters and co-heires came to other Families yet the Castle and Barony of Sudley remained unto a male of this house untill the latter end of the Reign â—f King Henry the eighth to whom it was escheated by the Attainder of the last Lord Botteller whose greatest Crime was thought to be this goodly Mannor which some greedy Courtiers had an eye on And being fallen unto the Crown it was no hard matter for the Lord Protector to estate the same upon his brother who was scarce warmed in his new Honour when it fell into the Crown again Where it continued all the rest of King Edwards Reign and by Queen Mary was conferred on Sir John Bruges who derived his Pedigree from one of the said sisters and co-heires of Ralph Lord Botteler whom she ennobled by the Title of Lord Chaundos of Sudley As for Sir Henry Seimour the second son of Sir John Seimour he was not found to be of so fine a metall as to make a Courtier and was therefore left unto the life of a Country Gentleman Advanced by the Power and favour of his elder Brother to the oâ—der of Knighthood and afterwards Estated in the Mannours of Marvell and Twyford in the County of Southhampton dismembred in those broken times from the see of Winchester To each of these belonged a Park that of the first containing no less then foure miles that of the last but two in compass the first being also Honoured with a goodly Mancion house belonging anciently to those Bishops and little inferiour to the best of the Wealthy Bishopricks There goes a story that the Priest Officiating at the Altar in the Church of Ouslebury of which Parish Marvell was a part after the Mass had been abolished by the Kings Authority was violently dragged thence by this Sir Henry beaten and most reproachfully handled by him his servants universally refusing to serve him as the instruments of his Rage and Fury and that the poore Priest having after an opportunity to get into the Church did openly curse the said Sir Henry and his posterity with Bell Book and Candle according to the use observed in the Church of Rome Which whether it were so or not or that the maine foundation of this Estate being laid on Sacrilidge could promise no long blessing to it Certain it is that his posterity are brought beneath the degree of poverty For having three Nephewes by Sir John Seâ—mour his only Son that is to say Edward the eldest Henry and Thomas younger sons besides severall daughters there remaines not to any of them one foot of Land or so much as a penny of money to supply their necessities but what they have from the Munificence of the Marquesse of Hartford or the charity of other well disposed people which have affection or Relation to them But the great ornament of thisâ— house was their sister Jane the only daughter of her father by whose care she was preferred to the Court and service of Queen Ann Bollen where she outâ—shined all the other Ladies and in short time had gained exceeding much on the King a great admirer of Fresh Beauties and such as could pretend unto no command on his own affections Some Ladies who had seen the pictures of both Queenes at White Hall Gallery have entertained no small dispute to which of the two they were to give Preheminence in point of beauty each of them having such a plentifull measure of Perfections as to Entitle either of them to a Superiority If Queen Ann seemed to have the more lively countenance Queen Jane was thought to carry it in the exact
him they sent him Prisoner to the Fleet where he remained from the twenty fifth of September till the seventh of January the King's Commissioners proceeding in the mean time without any disturbance With less aversness but with success not much unlike was the business entertained by Dr. Edmond Bonner then Bishop of London whom the Commissioners found far more tractable then could have been expected from a man of so rough a Nature and one so cordially affected to the Church of Rome The Commissioners Authorised for this Imployment were Sir Anthony Cook and Sir John Godsal Knights John Godsal Christopher Nevinson Doctours of the Laws and John Madew Doctour in Divinity who sitting in St. Paul's Church on the first day of September called before them the said Bishop Bonner John Royston the renowned Polydore Virgil and many other of the Dignitaries of the said Cathedral to whom the Sermon being done and their Commission openly read they ministred the Oath of the King's Supremacy according to the Statute of the thirty first of King Henry the Eighth requiring them withall to present such things as stood in need to be Reformed Which done they delivered to him a Copy of the said Injunctions together with the Homilies set forth by the King's Authority received by him with Protestation that he would observe them if they were not contrary to the Law of God and the Statutes and Ordinances of the Church Which Protestation he desired might be enrolled amongst the Acts of the Court But afterwards considering better with himself as well of his own Danger as of the Scandal and ill Consequents which might thence arise he addressed himself unto the King revoking his said Protestation and humbly submitting himself to His Majestie 's Pleasure in this manner following Whereas I Edmond Bishop of London at such time as I received the King's Majestie 's Injunctions and Homilies of my most Dread and Sovereign Lord at the Hands of His Highness Visitours did unadvisedly make such Protestation as now upon better consideration of my Duty of Obedience and of the evil Example that might ensue unto others thereof appeareth to me neither Reasonable nor such as might well stand with the Duty of a most humble Subject for so much as the same Protestation at my Request was then by the Register of the Visitation Enacted and put in Record I have thought it my Duty not onely to declare before your Lordships that I do now upon better consideration of my Duty renounce and revoke my said Protestation but also most humbly beseech your Lordships that this my Revocation of the same may be in like wise put in the same Records for a perpetual Memory of the Truth most humbly beseeching your Good Lordships both to take order that it may take effect and also that my former unadvised doings may be by your good Mediations pardoned of the King's Majesty Edmond London This humble carriage of the Bishop so wrought upon the King and the Lords of the Council that the edg of their displeasure was taken off though for a terrour unto others and for the preservation of their own Authority he was by them committed Prisoner to the Fleet. During the short time of whose Restraint that is to say on the Eighteenth day of the same Moneth of September the Letany was sung in the English Tongue in Saint Paul's Church between the Quire and the High Altar the Singers kneeling half on the one side and half on the other And the same day the Epistle and Gospel was also read at the High Mass in the English Tongue And about two Moneths after that is to say on the seventeenth day of November next following Bishop Bonner being then restored to his former Liberty the Image of Christ best known in those Times by the name of the Rood together with the Images of Mary and John and all other Images in that Church as also in all the other Churches of London were taken down as was commanded by the said Injunctions Concerning which we are to note That though the Parliament was then sitting whereof more anon yet the Commissioners proceeded onely by the King's Authority without relating any thing to that High Court in this weighty Business And in the speeding of this Work as Bishop Bonner together with the Dean and Chapter did perform their parts in the Cathedral of Saint Paul so Bellassere Arch-Deacon of Colchester and Doctour Gilbert Bourn being at that time Arch-Deacon both of London and Essex but afterwards preferred by Queen Mary to the Bishoprick of Bath and Wells were no less Diligent and Officious in doing the like in all the Churches of their Respective Jurisdictions according to the Charge imposed upon them by his Majestie 's Visitours In the mean time whilst matters were thus calmly Acted on the Stage of England all things went no less fortunately forward with the Lord Protectour in his War with Scotland in which he carried himself with no less Courage and Success when it came to blows then he had done with Christian Prudence before he put himself on the Expedition For having taken Order for his Forces to be drawn together he thought it most expedient to his Affairs to gain the start in point of Reputation with his very Enemies by not ingaging in a War untill they had refused all Terms of Peace And to this end a Manifest is dispatched unto them declaring the Motives which induced him to put this Kingdom into a posture of Arms. In which he remembred them of the Promises Seals and Oaths which by publick Authority had passed for concluding this Marriage That These being Religious Bonds betwixt God and their Souls could not by any Politick Act of State be dissolved untill their Queen should attain unto years of Dissent Adding that The Providence of God did therein manifestly declare it self in that the Male-Princes of Scotland failing the Kingdom was left unto a Daughter and in that King Henry left onely one Son to succeed That These two Princes were agreeable both for Years and Princely Qualities to be joyned in Marriage and thereby to knit both Realms into One That This Vnion as it was like to be both easily done and of firm continuance so would it be both profitable and Honourable to both the Realms That Both the Easiness and Firmness might be conjectured for that both People are of the same Language of like Habit and Fashion of like Quality and Condition of Life of one Climate not onely annexed entirely together but severed from all the World besides That as these are sure Arguments that both discended from one Original so by Reason that Likeness is a great Cause of Liking and of Love they would be most forcible Means both to joyn and hold them in one Body again That Profit would rise by extinguishing Wars between the two Nations by Reason whereof in former times Victories abroad have been impeached Invasions and Seditions occasioned the Confines of both Realms lay'd wast
King's Designs that he was sent for to the Coâ—rt and after some Reproofs dismissed unto his house in South-Wark where he was commanded to remain untill further Order But there also he behaved himself with much unquietness medling in many matters which concerned the King for which he had neither Warrant nor Commission whereof being once again admonished by their Lordships he did not onely promise to conform himself like a good Subject but to declare his Conformity to the World in an open Sermon in sundry Articles agreed upon that such as were offended might be satisfied in him St. Peter's-Day then near at hand was given him for the Day whereon he was to Preach this Sermon In which though he allowed the Sacrament to be Administred in both Kinds and shewed his Approbation of the King's Proceedings in some other Points yet in the rest he gave such little satisfaction to the King and Council that the next day he was sent Prisoner to the Tower where he remained till his Enlargment by Queen Mary The Punishment of this great Prelatâ— did not so much discourage those of the Romish Party as his Example animated and emboldened them to such Iâ—conformity as gave no small Disturbance to the King's Proceedings For notwithstanding His great Care to set forth one Vniform Order of Administring the Holy Communion in both Kinds yet so it happened that through the perverse Obstinacy and froward Dissembling of many of the inferiour Priests and Ministers of Cathedral and other Churches of this Realm there did arise a marvailous Schisme and Variety of Factions in celebrating the Communion-Service and Administration of the Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church For some zealously allowing the King's Proceedings did gladly follow the Order thereof and others though not so willingly admitting them did yet dissemblingly and patchingly use some part of them but many causlesly contemning them all would still continue in their former Popery Besides it is Observed in the Register-Book of the Parish of Petworth That many at this time affirmed the most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar to be of little regard that in many places it was irreverently used and cast out of the Church and many other great Enormities committed which they seconded by oppugning the established Ceremonies as Holy Water Holy Bread and divers other Usages of the seven Sacraments And yet these were not all the Mischiefs which the Time produced For in Pursuance of this Schism and to confirm the People in their former ways many of those which had been Licenced in Form and Manner prescribed by the Proclamation of the twenty fourth of April appeared as Active in Preaching against the King's Proceedings as any of the Unlicenced Preachers had been found to be Which being made known unto the King and the Lords of the Council it was advised That a Publick Liturgie should be drawn and confirmed by Parliament with several Penalties to be inflicted on all those who should not readily conâ—orm to the Rules and Appointments of it For though some ill-affected men mâ—ght look upon the late Order for Administring the Holy Sacramâ—nt in the English Tongue as the Act of some few Persons about the King and not proceeding reallâ— from the King Himself yet when the King's Pleasure came to be decâ—ared by Act of Paâ—liâ—ment it was to be presumed that all such Subterfuges and Evâ—sioâ—s being tâ—ken away the Subjects would conform unto it without fuâ—ther trouble Which being thus resolved upon He caused those Godly Bishops and other Learned Diviâ—es whom He had formerly imployed in drawing up the Order for the Holy Communion to attend His pleasure on the first day of September then next following Attending at the day appointed it pleased His Majesty to commend unto them the framing of a Publick Liturgie which should contain the Order of Morning and Evening Prayer together with a Form of Ministring the Sacraments and Sacramentals and for the Celebrating of all other Publick Offices which were required by the Church of good Christian People Which as His Majesty commanded out of a most Religious Zeal to the Honour of God the Edification of His Subjects and to the Peace and Happiness of His Dominions so they who knew no better Sacrifice then Obedience did chearfully apply themselves to the Undertaking And that they might proceed therein not onely with the less Disquiets but with the greater Hope of gaining their desired End it pleased His Majesty to declare by His Proclamation bearing Date the twenty third day of the said Moneth of September into what course he had put this Business letting them know That for the settling of an Vniformity and Order thâ—oughout his Realm and for putting an End to all Controversies in Religion He had caused certain Godly Bishops and other notable Learned men to be Congregated or called together And thereupon doth inferr That notwithstanding many of the Preachers formerly Licenced had behaved themselves very discreetly and wisely to the Honour of God and the Contentation of His Highness yet till such time as the said Order should be generally set forth throughout the Realm His Majesty did thereby inhibit all manner of Persons whatsoever they be to Preach in open Audience in the Pulpit or otherwise by any sought colour or fraud to the disobeying of His Commandment And this he did to this intent That the whole Clergy in the mean space mâ—ght apply themselves to Prayer to Almighty God for the better atchieving of this same Godly Intent and Purpâ—se not doubting but that all His Loving Subjects in the mean time would occupie themselves to God's Honour with due Prayer in the Church and patient Hearing of the Godly Homiliâ—s heretofore set forth by His Highness Injunctions and so endeavour themselves that they may be tâ—e more reaâ—y with thankfull Obedience to receive a most quiet Godly and Vniform Order through all His said Realms and Dominions And to the end that His Majestie 's Pleasure in the Premisses should be the more punctually obeyed He wilâ—â—th and râ—quireth all His Loving Officers and Ministers as well Justices of the Peace as Maors Sheriffs Bailiffs Constables or any other His Officers of what State Degree and Condition soever they be to be attendant upon this Proclamation and Commandment and to see the Infringers and Breakers thereof to be Imprisoned and His Highness or the Lord Protectour's Grace or His Majestie 's Council to be certified thereof immediately as they tendered His Majestie 's Pleasure and would answer to the contrary at their Perils And here it is to be Observed That those who had the chief directing of this weighty Business were before-hand resolved that none but English Heads or Hands should be used therein left otherwise it might be thought and perhaps Objected that they rather followed the Example of some other Churches or were swayed by the Authority of those Foreign Assistants then by the Word of God and the most uncorrupted Practice of the Primitive Times Certain it
that St. Hierom having Translated the whole Bible into the Dalmatick procured that the Service should be celebrated in that Language also The like St. Hierom himself in his Epistle to Heliodorus hath told us of the Bessi a Sarmatian People The like St. Basil in his Epistle to the Neo-Caesarians assures us for the Egyptians Libâ—ans Palestinians Phoenicians Arabians Syrians and such as dwell about the Bank of the River Euphrates The Aethiopians had their Mâ—ssal the Chaldeans theirs each in the Lanâ—uage of their Countries which they still retain so had the Moscovites of old and all the scattered Chuâ—ches of tâ—e Eastern Parts which they contiâ—â—e to this day Nay rather then the People shâ—uld be kept in Ignorance of the Word of God and the Divine Offices of the Church a signal Miracle should be wrought to command the contrary For we are told of the Sclavonians by Aeneas Sylvius who being afterwards Pope was called Pius the Second that being converted unto the Faith they made suit unto the Pope then being to have their Publick Service in their Natural Tongue but some delay being made therein by the Pope and Cardinals a voice was heard seeming to have come from Heaven saying in the Latine Tongue Omnis Spiritus laudet Dominum omnis lingua confiteatur Ei that is to â—ay Let every Soul praise the Name of God and every Tongue or Language make Profession of it whereupon their Desires were granted without more delay Which probably might be a chief Inducement to Innocent the Third to set out a Decree in the Lateran Councel importing That in all such Cities in which there was a Concourse of divers Nations and consequently of Different Languages as in most Towns of Trade there doth use to be the Service should be said and Sacraments administred Secundum diversitates Nationum Linguarum that is According to the Difference of their Tongues and Nations So that if we consider the Direction of the Holy Ghost the Practice of the Primitive Times the General Vsage of all Nations not inthralled to the Popes of Rome the Confession of the very Adversary the Act and Approbation of the Pope himself and finally the Declaration of God's Pâ—easure by so great a Miracle The Church did nothing in this Case but what was justifiable in the sight both of God and Man But then again it is Objected on the other side That neither the undertaking was advised nor the Book it self approved in a Synodical Way by the Bishops and Clergy but that it was the Act onely of some few of the Prelates imployed therein by the King or the Lord Protectour without the Privity and Approbation of the rest The Consideration whereof shall be referred to another place when we shall come to speake of the King's Authority for the composing and imposing of the Scotish Liturgy In the mean time we must take notice of another Act of as great importance for the Peace and Honour of the Church and the Advancing of the Work of Reformation which took away those positive Laws by which all men in Holy Orders were restrained from Marriage In which 〈◊〉 it is first declared That It were much to be desired that Priests and all others in Holy Orders might abstain from Marriage that thereby being freed from the Cares of Wed-lock and abstracted from the Troubles of Domestical Business they might more diligently attend the Ministery and apply themselves unto their Studieâ— But then withall it is considered That as all men have not the Gift of Continence so many great Scandals and other notable Inconveniencies have been occasioned in the Church by the enforced Necessity of a single Life in those admitted unto Orders Which seeing it was no more imposed on them then on any other by the Word of God but onely such positive Laws and Constitutions as had been made to that Effect by the Church of Rome It was therefore Enacted by the Authority of the present Parliament That All such Positive Laws and Ordinances as prohibited the Marriages of Priests or any other in Holy Orders and Pains and Forfeitures therein contained should be utterly void Which Act permitting them to marry but looked on as a matter of Permission onely made no small Pastime amongst those of the Romish Party reproaching both the Priests and much more their Wives as not lawfully married but onely suffered to enjoy the Company of one another without Fear of Punishment And thereupon it was Enacted in the Parliament of the fifth and sixth of Edw. 6. cap. 12. that The Marriages of the Priests should be reputed lawfull thâ—mselves being made Capable of being Tenants by Courtesie their Wives to be endowed as others at the Common Law aâ—d their Childâ—en Heritable to the Lands of their Fathers or Mâ—thers Which Privileges or Capacities rather notwithstanding the Repeal of this Statute in the Time of Queen Mary they and their Wives and Children still enjoyed without Dâ—sturbance or Dispute And to say truth it was an Act not onely of much Châ—istian Piety but more Civil Prudence the Clergy by this means being taken off from all Dependance on the Popes of Rome and rivited in their Dependance on their Natural Princes to whom their Wives and Children serve for so many Hostages The Consequents whereof was so well known to those of Rome that when it was desired by the Ambassadours of the Emperour and the Duke of Bavaria in the Councel of Trent That Marriage might be permitted to the Priests in their several Territories it would by no means be admitted The Reason was Because that having Houses Wives and Children they would depend no longer upon the Pope but onely on their several Princes that the Love to their Children would make them yield to many things which were prejudicial to the Church and in short time confine the Pope's Authority to the City of Rome For otherwise if the Popeâ— were not rather governed in this business by Reason of State then either by the Word of God or the Rules of Piety they had not stood so stiffly on an Inhibition accompanied with so much Scandal and known to be the onely Cause of too much Lewdness and Impuâ—ity in the Râ—mane Clergy If they had looked upon the Scriptures they would have found that Marriage was a Remedy ordained by God for the preventing of Incontinencies and wandring Lusts extending generally to all as much to those in Holy Orders as to any others as being subject all alâ—ke to Humane Infirmities If they had ruled the Case by the Proceedings oâ— the Councel of Nice or the Examples of many Good and Godly men in the Primitive Times they would have found that when the single Life of Priâ—sts was moved at that great Councel it was rejected by the general Consent of all the Fathers there assembled as a Yoke intolerable that Eupsychius a Cappadâ—cian Prelate was married after he had taken the Degree of a Bishop the like observed of one Phileus an Egyptian Prelate
and his Preaching before the King till March next following and then we may hear further of him And thus we have the first beginning of that Opposition which hath continued ever since against the Liturgie it self the Cap and Surplice and other Rites and Vsages of the Anglican Church Which Differences being thus begun were both fomented and increased by the Pragmaticalness of John à Lasco Opposite both in Government and Forms of Worship if not perhaps in Doctrine also to the Church of England For John à Lasco not content to enjoy those Privileges which were intended for the use of those Strangers onely so far abused His Majestie 's goodness as to appear in favour of the Zuinglian or Calvinian Faction which then began more openly to shew it self against the Orders of the Church For first he publisheth a Book entituled Forma ratio totius Ecclesiastici Ministerii Wherein he maintains the Use of Sitting at the Holy Communion contrary to the Laudable Custome of the Church of England but much to the Encouragement of all those who impugned her Orders A Controversie unhappily moved by Bishop Hooper concerning the Episcopal Habit was presently propagated amongst the rest of the Clergy touching Caps and Surplices And in this 〈◊〉 John à Laâ—co must needs be one not onely countenancing those who refused to wear them but writing unto Martin Bucer to declare against them For which severely reprehended by that Moderate and Learned Man and all his Cavils and Objections very solidly Answered which being sent to him in the way of Letter was afterwards Printed and dispersed for keeping down that Opposite Humour which began then to overswell the Banks and threatned to bear all before it And by this Passage we may rectifie a Mistake or a Calumny rather in the Altare Damascenum The Authour whereof makes Martin Bucer Peremptory in refusing to wear the Square Cap when he lived in Cambridg and to give this simple Reason for it That he could not wear a Square Cap since his Head was Round But I note this onely by the way to shew the Honesty of those men which erected that Altar and return again to John à Lasco who being born in Poland where Sitting at the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper had been used by the Arians who looking no otherwise on Christ then their Elder Brother might think it was no Robbery at all to be equal with Him and sit down with Him at His Table what he learned there he desired might be Practiced here the better to conform this Church to the Polish Conventicles As for the other Controversie about Caps and Surplices though it found no Encouragement from Martin Bucer yet it received no small countenance from Peter Martyr For in a Letter of his of the first of July inscribed Vnto a nameless Friend who had desired his Judgement in it he first declares according to the very Truth That being indifferent in themselves they could make no man of themselves to be either Godly or Vngodly by the use or forbearance of them but then he addeth That He thinks it most Expedient to the Good of the Church that they and all others of that kind should be taken away when the next convenient Opportunity should present it self And then he gives this Reason for it That Where such Ceremonies were so stifly contended for which were not warranted and supported by the Word of God there commonly men were less sollicitous of the Substance of Religion then they were of the Circumstances of it But he might well have spared his Judgement which had so visibly appeared in his dayly Practice For he hath told us of himself in one of his Epistles bearing Date at Zurick the fourth of November 1559. being more then five years after he had left this Kingdom That He had never used the Surplice when he lived in Oxford though he were then a Canon of christ-Christ-Church and frequently present in the Quire So that between the Authority of Peter Martyr on the one side and the Pragmaticalness of John à Lasco on the other many were drawn from their Obedience to the Rules of the Church for the time then present and a ground laid for more Confusions and Disturbances in the time to come The Regular Clergy in those days appeared not commonly out of their own Houses but in their Priests Coats with the Square Cap upon their Heads and if they were of Note and Eminency in their Gowns and Tippets This Habit also is decryed for Superstitious affirmed to be a Popish Attire and altogether as unfit for Ministers of the Holy Gospel as the Chimere and Rochet were for those who claimed to be the Successours of the Lord's Apostles So Tyms replyed unto Bishop Gardiner when being asked Whether a Coat with Stockings of divers Colours the upper part White and the nether-stock Russet in which Habit he appeared before him were a fit Apparel for a Deacon which Office he had exercised in this Church he sawcily made Answer That his Vesture did not so much vary from a Deacon's as his Lordships did from that of an Apostle The less to be admired in Tyms in that I finde the like aversness from that Grave and Decent Habit in some other men who were in Parts and Place above him For while this Controversie was on Foot between the Bishops and Clergy about wearing Priests-Caps and other Attire belonging to their Holy Order Mr. John Rogers one of the Prebends of Saint Paul's and Divinity-Reader of that Church then newly returned from beyond the Seas could never be perswaded to wear any other then the Round Cap when he went abroad And being further pressed unto it he declared himself thus That he would never agree to the point of Conformity but on this Condition that if the Bishops did require the Cap and Tipper c. then it should also be decreed that all Popish Priests for a Distinction between them and others should be constrained to wear upon their Sleeves a Chalice with an Host upon it The like aversness is by some ascribed also to Mr. John Philpot Arch-Deacon of Winchester not long before returned from beyond the Seas as the other was and sâ—ffering for Religion in Queen Marie's Days as the other did Who being by his place a Member of the Convocation in the first of Queen Mary and required by the Prolâ—cutour to come apparelled like the rest in his Gown and Tippet or otherwise to forbear the House chose rather to accept of the last Condition then to submit unto the former But there was some thing else in the first Condition which made him unwilling to accept it and that was That He must not speak but when he was commanded by the Prolocutour Which being so directly against the Customes of the House and the Privileges of each Member of it he had good reason rather to forbear his Presence then to submit himself and consequently all the rest of the Members to so
1282. that they had a Synodal Authority unto them committed to make such Spiritual Laws as to them seemed to be nâ—câ—ssary or convenient for the use of the Church Had it been otherwise King Edward a most Pious and Religious Prince must needs be looked on as a Wicked and most Lewd Impostour in putting such an horrible Cheat upon all His Subjects by Fathering these Articles on the Convocation which begat them not nor ever gave consent unto them And yet it is not altogether improbable but that these Articles being debated and agreed upon by the said Commitee might also pass the Vote of the whole Convocation though we finde nothing to that purpose in the Acts thereof which either have been lost or were never Registred Besides it is to be observed that the Church of England for the first five years of Queen Elizabeth retained these Articles and no other as the publick Tenents of the Church in point of Doctrine which certainly She had not done had they been commended to Her by a less Authority then a Convocation Such hand the Convocation had in canvasing the Articles prepared for them and in concluding and agreeing to so much or so many of them as afterwards were published by the King's Authority in the name thereof But whether they had any such hand in Reviewing the Liturgie and passing their Consent to such Alterations as were made therein is another Question That some necessity appeared both for the Reveiwing of the whole and the altering of some Parts thereof hath been shew'd before And it was shewed before by whose Procurement and Sollicitation the Church was brought to that necessity of doing somewhat to that Purpose But being not sufficiently Authorised to proceed upon it because the King 's sole Authority did not seem sufficient they were to stay the Leasure and Consent of the present Parliament For being the Liturgie then in force had been confirmed and imposed by the King in Parliament with the Consent and Assent of the Lords and Commons it stood with Reason that they should not venture actually on the Alteration but by their permission first declared And therefore it is said expresly in the Act of Parliament made this present year That The said Order of Common Service Entituled The Book of Common-Prayer had been Perused Explained and made fully perfect not single by the King's Authority but by the King with the Assent of the Lords and Commons More then the giving of their Assent was neither required by the King nor desired by the Prelats and less then this could not be fought as the Case then stood The signifying of which Assent enabled the Bishops and the rest of the Clergy whom they had taken for their Assistants to proceed to the Digesting of such Alterations as were before considered and resolved on amongst themselves and possibly might receive the like Authority from the Convocation as the Articles had though no such thing remaining upon Record in the Registers of it But whether it were so or not certain it is that it received as much Authority and Countenance as could be given unto it by an Act of Parliament by which imposed upon the Subject under certain Penalties Imprisonments Pecuniarie Mulcts c. which could not be inflicted on them by Synodical Acts. The Liturgie being thus Settled and Confirmed in Parliament was by the King's Command translated into French for the Use of the Isles of Guernsey and Jersey and such as lived within the Marches and Command of Calais But no such Care was taken for Wales till the fifth year of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth nor of the Realm of Ireland from that time to this King Henry had so far prepared the Way to a Reformation as His own Power and Profit was concerned in it to which Ends he excluded the Pope's Authority and caused Himself to be declared Supreme Head on Earth of the Church of Ireland by Act of Parliament And by like Acts he had annexed to the Crown the Lands of all Monasteries and Religious Orders together with thetwentieth Part of all the Ecclesiastical Promotions within that Kingdom and caused the like Course to be settled for the Electing and Consecrating of Arch-Bishops and Bishops as had been done before in England Beyond which as he did not go so as it seems King Edward's Council thought not fit to adventure further They held it not agreeable to the Rules of Prudence to have too many Irons in the Fire at once nor safe in Point of Policy to try Conclusions on a People in the King's Minority which were so far tenacionsly addicted to the Superstitions of the Church of Rome and of a Nature not so tractable as the English were And yet that Realm was quiet even to Admiration notwithstanding the frequent Embroilments and Commotions which so miserably disturbed the Peace of England which may be reckoned for one of the greatest Felicities of this King's Reign and a strong Argument of the Care and Vigilancy of such of His Ministers as had the chief Direction of the Irish Affairs At the first Payment of the Money for the Sale rather then the Surrendry of Bulloign eight thousand pounds was set apart for the Service of Ireland and shortly after out of the Profits which were raised from the Mint four hundred men were Levied and sent over thither also with a Charge given to the Governours that the Laws of England should be Carefully and Duly administred and all such as did oppose suppressed by Means whereof great Countenance was given to those who embraced the Reformed Religion there especially within those Counties which are called commonly by the name of the English Pale The Common-Prayer-Book of England being brought over thither and used in most of the Churches of the English Plantation without any Law in their own Parliaments to impose it on them But nothing more conduced to the Peace of that Kingdom then that the Governours for the most part were men of such Choice that neither the Nobility disdained to endure their Commands nor the inferiour sort were oppressed to supply their Wants Besides which as the King drew many men from thence to serve him in his Wars against France and Scotland which otherwise might have disturbed the common Peace so upon notice of some great Preparations which were made in France for the Assistance of the Scots he sent over to guard the Coast of Ireland four Ships four Barks four Pinnaces and twelve Victuallers By the Advantage of which Strength He made good three Havens two on the South-side toward France and one toward Scotland which afterwards made themselves good Booties out of such of the French as were either cast away on the Coast of Ireland or forced to save themselves in the Havens of it For the French making choice rather of their Passage by Saint George's Chanel then by the ordinary Course of Navigation from France to Edenborough fell from one Danger to another and for fear of being
Christians should cease from all other kinde of Labours and apply themselves onely and wholely unto such Holy Works as properly pertain to True Religion that the said Holy Works to be performed upon those Days are more particularly to hear to learn and to remember Almighty God's great Benefits his manifold Mercies his inestimable Gracious Goodness so plentifully poured upon all his Creatures rendring unto him for the same our most hearty thanks That the said Days and Times are neither to be called or accounted Holy neither in the Nature of the time or day nor for any of the Saints sakes whose Memories are preserved by them but for the Nature and Condition of those Godly and Holy Works with which onely God is to be Honoured and the Congregation to be Edified That the Sanctifying of the said Days consisteth in separating them apart from all prophane uses and Dedicated not to any Saint or Creature but onely to the Worship of God That there is no certain time nor definite number of days appointed by Holy Scripture but that the appointment of the time as also of the days is left to the Liberty of Christ His Church by the Word of God That the days which from thenceforth were to be kept as Holy days in the Church of England should be all Sundays in the Year the Feast of the Circumcision the Epiphany the Purification of the Blessed Virgin c. with all the rest recited at the end of the Calender in the publick Liturgy That the Arch-Bishops Bishops c. shall have Authority to punish the Offenders in all or any of the Premisses by the usual censures of the Church and to impose such penance on them as to them or any of them shall seem expedient and finally that notwithstanding any thing before declared it shall and may be lawfull for any Husbandman Labourer Fisherman c. to labour ride fish or work any kind of work on the foresaid Holy days not onely in the time of Harvest but at any other time of the year when need shall require with a Proviso for the Celebrating of St. Georg's Feast on the two and twenty three and twenty and four and twentieth Days of April yearly by the Knights of the Right Honourable Order of the Garter or by any of them Which Declaration as it is agreeable in all points to the Tenour of approved Antiquity so can there nothing be more contrary to the Doctrine of the Sabbatarians Which of late time hath been Obtruded on the Church Then for the number of the Fasts It is Declared that from that time forwards every Even or Day going before any of the aforesaid Days of the Feasts of the Nativity of Our Lord of Easter of the Ascension of our Lord Pentecost of the Purification and the Annunciation of the aforesaid Blessed Virgin of All-Saints of all the said Feasts of the Apostles other then of St. John the Evangelist and of St. Philip and Jacob shall be fasted and Commanded to be kept and observed and that none other Even or Day shall be Commanded to be Fasted For Explication of which last Clause it is after added that the said Act or any thing therein contained shall not extend to abrogate or take away the Abstinence from Flesh in Lent or on Fridays and Saturdays or any other appointed pointed to be kept for a Fasting-Day but onely on the Evens of such other Days as formerly had been kept and observed for Holy and were now abrogated by this Act. And for the better suppressing or preventing of any such Fasts as might be kept upon the Sunday it was Enacted in the same according to the Practice of the Elder Times that when it shall chance any the said Feasts the Eves whereof are by this Statute to be kept for Fasting-Days to fall upon the Munday that then the Saturday next before shall be Fasted as the Eve thereof and not the Sunday Which Statute though repealed in the first of Queen Mary and not revived till the first year of the Reign of King James yet in Effect it stood in Force and was more punctually observed in the whole time of Queen Elizabeth 's Reign then after the Reviver of it Such course being taken for the due observing of Days and Times the next care was that Consecrated Places should not be Prophaned by Fighting and Quarrelling as they had been lately since the Episcopal Jurisdiction and the Ancient Censures of the Church were lessened in Authority and Reputation And to that end it was Enacted in this present Parliament that if any Persons whatsoever after the first day of May then next following should quarrel chide or brawl in any Church or Church-yard he should be suspended ab ingressu Ecclesiae if he were a Lay-man and from his Ministration if he were a Priest that if any Person after the said time should smite or lay violent hands upon another he should be deemed to be Excommunicate ipso facto and be excluded from the Fellowship and Company of Christ's Congregation and finally that if any Person should strike another with any weapon in the Church or Church-yard or draw his sword with an intent to strike another with the same and thereof be lawfull convicted he should be punished with the loss of one of his Ears c. A seasonable severity and much conducing to the Honour both of Church and State There were some Statutes also made for taking away the benefit of Clergy in some certain Cases for making such as formerly had been of any Religious Order to be Heritable to the Lands of their Ancestours or next of Kindred to whom they were to have been Heirs by the Common Law for Confirming the Marriages of Priests and giving them their â—ives and Children the like Capacities as other Subjects did enjoy whereof we have already spoke in another place There also passed another Act that no Person by any means should lend or forbear any Sum of Mony for any manner of Vsury or encrease to be received or hoped for above the sum lent upon pain to forâ—eit the sum so lent and the encrease and to suffer imprisonment and make fine at the King's pleasure But this Act being found to be prejudicial to the â—rade of the Kingdom first discontinued of it self and was afterwards repealed in the thirteenth year of Queen Elizabeth This Parliament ending on the fifteenth of April gave time enough for Printing and Publishing the Book of Common-Prayer which had been therein Authorised the time for the Officiating of it being fixed on the Feast of All-Saints then next ensuing Which time being come there appeared no small Alteration in the outward Solemnities of Divine Service to which the people had been formerly so long accustomed For by the Râ—brick of that Book no Copes or other Vestures were required but the Surplice onely whereby the Bishops were necessitated to forbear their Crosses and the Prebends of St. Paul's and other Churches occasioned to leave off their
conclusion to his just reward Others there were and doubt less many others also in the House of Commons who had as great zeal as he to the Papal interess but either had more modesty in the conduct of it or preferred their duty and allegiance to their natural Prince before their zeal to the concernments of the Church of Rome In this Parliament there passed an act for recognizing the Queens just Title to the Crown but without any Act for the validity of her mothers mariage on which her Title most depended For which neglect most men condemned the new Lord Keeper on whose judgement she relied especially in point of Law in whom it could not but be looked on as a great incogitancy to be less careful of her own and her mothes honour than the Ministers of the late Queen Mary had been of hers But Bacon was not to be told of an old Law-Maxim That the Crown takes away all defects and stops in blood and that from the time that the Queen did assume the Crown the fountain was cleared and all attainders and corruption of blood discharged Which Maxim how unsafe soever it may seem to others yet since it goes for a known rule amongst our Lawyers could not be questioned at that present And possible it is that he conceived it better for the mariage of the Queens mother to pass unquestioned as a matter justly subject unto no dispute than to build the validity of it on no better ground than an Act of Parliament which might be as easily reversed as it was agreed to There paâ—t an Act also for restoring to the Crown the tenths and first fruits first serled thereon in the time of King Henry the 8th and afterwards given back by Queen Mary as before was said For the better drawing on of which concession it was pretended that the Patrimony of the Crown had been much dilapidated and that it could not be supported with such honour as it ought to be if restitution were not made of such rents and profits as were of late dismembred from it Upon which ground they also passed an act for the dissolution of all such Monasteries Convents and Religious Orders as hâ—d been founded and established by the Queen deceased By vertue of which Act the Queen was repossessed again of all those lands which had been granted by her sister to the Monks of Westminster and Sheene the Knights Hospitalers the Nuns of Sâ—on together with the Mansion Houses re-edified for the Observants at Greenwich and the Black Friers in Smithfield Which last being planted in a house neer the dissolved Priory of Great St Bartholomews had again fitted and prepared the Church belonging thereunto for religious offices but had scarce fitted and prepared it when dissolved again and the Church afterwards made a Parochial Church for the use of the Close and such as lived within the verge and precincts thereof How she disposed of Sion House hath been shewn already and what she did with the rich Abby of Westminster we shall see hereafter In the passing of these Acts there was little trouble in the next there was For when the Act of the Supremacy came to be debated it seemed to be a thing abhorrent even in Nature and Polity that a woman should be declared to be the supream Head on Earth of the Church of England But those of the reformed party meant nothing less than to contend about words and phrases so they might gain the point they aimed at which was the stripping of the Pope of all authority within these Dominions and fixing the supream power over all persons and estates of what ranck soever in the Crown Imperial not by the name of Supream Head which they perceived might be made lyable to some just exceptions but which comes all to one of the Supream Governesse Which when it gave occasion of discourse and descant amongst many of the captious Papists Queen Mary helped her sister unto one good Argument for her justification and the Queen helped her self to another which took off the cavil In the third Session of Parliament in Queen Mary's time there pass'd an Act declaring That the Regal power was in the Queens Majesty as fully as it had been in any of her predecessors In the body whereof it is expressed and declared That the Law of the Realm is and ever hath been and ought to be understood that the Kingly or Regal Office of the Realm and all Dignities Prerogatives Royal Power Preheminences Privileges Authorities and Jurisdictions thereunto annexed united or belonging being invested either in Male or Female are be and ought to be as fully wholly absolutely and intirely deemed adjudged accepted invested and taken in the one or in the other So that whatsoever Statute or Law doth limit or appoint that the King of this Realm may or shall have execute and do any thing as King c. the same the Queen being Supream Governesse possessor and inheritor to â—he Imperial Crown of this Realm may by the same power have and execute to all intents constructions and purposes without doubt ambiguity scruple or question any custome use or any other thing to the con trary notwithstanding By the very tenor of which Act Queen Mary grants unto her sister as much authority in all Church concernments as had been exercised and enjoyed by her Father and Brother according to any Act or Acts of Parliament in their several times Which Acts of Parliament as our learned Lawyers have declared upon these occasions were not to be consider'd as Introductory of a new power which was not in the Crown before but only Declaratory of an old which naturally belonged to all Christian Princes and amongst others to the Kings and Queens of the Realm of England And to this purpose it is pleaded by the Queen in her own behalf Some busie and sedâ—tious persons had dispersed a rumour that by the Act for recognizing of the Queens Supremacy there was something further ascribed unto the Queen her heirs and successors a power of administring Divine Service in the Church which neither by any equity or true sence of the words could from thence be gathered And thereupon she makes this Declaration unto all her subjects That nothing was or could be meant or intended by the said Act than was acknowledged to be due to the most Noble King of famous memory King Henry the 8th her Majesties Father or King Edward the 6th her Majesties Brother And further she declareth That she neither doth not will challenge any other authority by the same than was challenged and lately used by the said two Kings and was of ancient time due unto the Imperial Crown of this Realm that is under God to have the Soverainty and Rule over all persons born within her Realms or Dominions of what estate either Ecclesiastical or Temporal soever they be so as no other forein power shall or ought to have any superiority over them Which explication published in the Queens
Injunctions Anno 1559. Not giving such a general satisfaction to that groundless cavil as was expected and intended the Bishops and Clergy in their Convocation of the year 1562. by the Queens authority and consent declared more plainly that is to say That they gave not to their Princess by vertue of the said Act or otherwise either the ministring of Gods word or Sacraments but that only Prerogâ—tive which they saw to have been given alwaies to all godly Princes in holy Scripture by God himself that is to say that they should 〈◊〉 all estates and degrees committed to their charge by God whether they be Ecclesiastical or Temporal and restrain with the Civil Sword the stubborne and evil doers By all which if the cavils of the Adversary be not fully answered it would be known upon what reason they should question that in a soverain Queen which they allow in many cases to a Lady Abbess For that an Abbess may be capable of all and all manner of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction even to the dâ—nouncing of that dreadful sentence of Excommunication and that thâ—y may lawfully exercise the same upon all such as live within the verge of their authority is commonly acknowledged by their greatest Canonists First for suspension it is affirmed by their Glosse that an Abbess may suspend such Clerks as are subject to her both from their Benefice and Office And questionless either to suspend a Clerk or to bring his Church under the sentence of an Interdict is one of the chief parts of Ecclesiastical or spiritual Censures Nor have they this authority only by way of delegation from the Pope in some certain cases as is affirmed by Aquinas Durandus ' Sylvâ—ster Dominicus Soto and many other of their Schoolmen but in an ordinary way as properly and personally invested them which is the general opinion of their greatest Canonists Next for the Sacraments it is sufficiently known that the ministration of Baptism is performed by Midwives and many other women as of common course not only as a thing connived at in extreme necessity but as a necessary duty in which they are to be instructed against all emergencies by their Parish Priests for which we have the testimony of the late Lord Legate in the Articles published by him for his visitation And finally for excommunication it is affirmed by Palladanus and Navarre none of the meanest in the Pack that the Pope may grant that power to a woman also higher than which there can be none exercised in the Church by the sons of men And if a Pope may grant these powers unto a woman as to a Prioress or Abbess or to any other there can be then no incapacity in the Sex for exersing any part of that jurisdiction which was restored unto the Crown by this Act of Parliament And if perhaps it be objected that a Lady Abbess is an Ecclesiastical or spiritual person in regard of her office which cannot be affirmed of Queens Pope Gregory himself will come in to help us by whom it was not thought unfit to commit the cognisance of a cause concerning the purgation of a Bishop who stood charged with some grievous crime to Brunichildis or Brunholi Queen of France of which although the Gloss upon the Decretals be pleased to say That the Pope stretched his power too far in this particular yet Gregory did no more therein but what the Popes may do and have done of late times by their own confession so little ground there is for so great a clamour as hath been made by Bellarmine and other of the Popish Jesuites upon this occasion Now for the better exercising and enjoying of the jurisdiction thus recognised unto the Crown there are two Clauses in the Act of great importance the first whereof contains an Oath for the acknowledgment and defence of this Supremacy not onely in the Queen but her heirs and successors the said Oath to be taken by all Archbishops Bishops and all other Ecclesiastical persons and also by all temporal Judges Justiciaries Mayors or any other temporal Officers c. For the refusal whereof when lawfully tendred to them by such as were thereto commissionated under the great Seal of England every such person so refusing was actually to stand deprived of his or their Eâ—clesiastical Preferments or other temporal office of what sort soever onely it was provided that the Oath should not be imposed on any of the temporal Peers of whose fidelity the Queen seemed willing to assure her self without any such tye though this exemption was esteemed by others but a piece of cunning the better to facilitate the passing of that Act amongst them which otherwise they might have hindred But this provision was not made till the following Parliament though for the reason before mentioned it was promised now By the last Clause it was enacted That it should and might be lawful to the Queen her heirs and Successors by Letters Patents under the great Seal of England to assigne name and authorise when and as often as her Highness her Heirs or Successors should think convenient such persons being natural born Subjects to them to exercise use and occupie under her Highness her Heirs and Successors all manner of Jurisdictions Privileges and Preheminences in any wise touching or concerning any Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction within the Realms of England and Ireland or any other her Highness Dominions or Countries and to visit reform repress order correct and amend all such errors heresies schisms abuses offences contempts and enormities whatsoever which by any manner of Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Power Authority or Jurisdiction or can or may lawfully be reformed ordered redressed corrected restrained or amended to the pleasure of Almighty God the increase of vertue and conservation of the peace and unity of this Realm With a Proviso notwithstanding that nothing should from thenceforth be accounted for Heresie but what was so adjudged in the holy Scripture or in one of the four first General Councils or in any other National or Provincial Council determining according to the word of God or finally which should be so adjudged in the time to come by the Court of Parliament first having the assent of the Bishops and Clergy in their Convocation This was the first foundation of that famous Court of High Commission the principal Bulwark and Preservative of the Church of England against the practices and assaults of all her Adversaries whether Popish or Puritan And from hence issued that Commission by which the Queens Ministers proceeded in their Visitation in the first year of her Reign for rectifying all such things as they found amiss and could not be redressed by any ordinary Episcopal power without the spending of more time than the exigencies of the Church could then admit of There also past another Act for recommending and imposing the Book of Common-Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments according to such alterations and corrections as were made therein by those
with Excommunication in that publick Audience for which they were committed to the Tower on the fifth of April The rest of the Bishops were commanded to abide in London and to give bond for their appearance at the Council-Table whensoever they should be râ—quired And so the whole Assembly was dismist and the conference ended before it had been well begun the Lord Keeper giving to the Bishops this sharp remembrance Sincâ— said he you are not wâ—lling that we should hear you you shall very shortly hear from us Which notwithstanding produced this good effect in the Lords and Commons that they conceived the Bishops were not able to defend their Doctrin in the points disputed which made the way more easie for the passing of the publick Liturgy when it was brought unto the Vote Two Speeches there were made against it in the House of Peers by Scot and Fecknam and one against the Queens Supremacy by the Archbishop of York but they prevailed as little in both points by the power of their Eloquence as they had done in the first by their want of Arguments It gave much matter of discourse to most knowing men that the Bishops should so wilfully fall from an appointment to which they had before agreed and thereby forfeit their whole Cause to a Condemnation But they pretended for themselves that they were so straightned in point of time that they could not possibly digest their Arguments into form and order that they looked upon it as a thing too much below them to humble themselves to such a Conference or Disputation in which Bacon a meer lay-man and of no great learning was to sit as Judge and finally that the points had been determined already by the Catholick Church and therefore were not to be called in question without leave from the Pope Which last pretence if it were of any weight and moment it must be utterly impossible to proceed to any Reformation in the state of the Church by which the power and pride of the Popes of Rome may be any thing lessened or that the corruptions of the Church should be redressed iâ— it consist not with their profit For want of time they were no more straightned than the opposite party none of them knowing with what arguments the other side would fortifie and confirm their cause nor in what forms they would propose them before they had perused â—heir reciprocal Papers But nothing was more weakly urged than their exception against the Presidency of Sir Nicholas Bacon which could not be considered as a matter either new or strange not strange because the like Presidency had been given frequently to Cromwel in the late Reign of King Henry the 8th and that not only in such general Conferences but in several Convocations and Synodical meetings Not new because the like had been frequently practised by the most godly Kings and Emperors of the Priâ—â—itive times for in the Council of Chalceâ—on the Emperor appointed certain Noblemen to sit as Judges whose names occur in the first Action of that Counâ—il The like we find exemplified in the Ephesine Council in which by the appointment of Theodosius and Vulentinian then Roman Emperors Candidianus a Count Imperial sate as Judge or President who in the managing of that trust over-acted any thing which was done by Cromwel as Vicar-General to that King or Bacon was impowered to do as the Queens Commissioner No such unreasonable condescention to be found in this as was pretended by the Bishops and the rest of that party to save themselves from the guilt and censure of a Tergiversation for which and other their contempts we shall find them called to a reckoning within few months after In the Convocation which accompanied the present Parliament there was little done and that little which they did was to little purpose Held under Bonner in regard of the Vacancy of the See of Canterbâ—ry it began without the ordinary preamble of a Latine Sermon all preaching being then prohibited by the Queens command The Clergy for their Prolocutor made choice of Doctor Nicholas Harâ—sâ—ield Archdeacon of Canterbâ—ry a man of more ability as his works deâ—lare than he had any opportunity to make use of in the present service The Aâ—t of the submission of the Clergy to King Henry the 8th and his Successors Kings of England had been repealed in the first year of Queen Mary so that the Clergy might have acted of their own authority without any license from the Queen and it is much to be admired that Bonner White or Watson did not put them to it but such was either their feaâ— or modesty or a despair of doing any good to themselves and the cause that there was nothing done by the Bishops at all and not much more by the lower Clergy than a declaration of their judgment in some certain points which at that time were conceived fit to be commended to the sight of the Parliament that is to say 1. That in the Sacrament of the Altar by vertue of Christs assisting after the word is duly pronounced by the Priest the natural body of Christ conceived of the Virgin Mary is really present under the species of Bread and Wine as also his natural Blood 2. That after the Câ—nsecration there remains not the substance of Bread and Wine not any substance save the substance of God and Man 3. That the true body of Christ and his Blood is offered for a propitiatory sacrifice for the quick and the dead 4. That the supream power of feeding and governing the militant Church of Christ and of confirming their brethren is given to Peter the Apostle and to his lawful Successors in the See Apostolick as unto the Vicars of Christ. 5. That the authority to handle and define such things which belong to Faith the Sacraments and Discipline Ecclesiastical hath hitherto ever belonged and onely ought to belong unto the Pastors of the Church whom the holy Spirit hath placed in the Church and not unto Lay-men These Articles they caused to be engrossed so commended them to the care and consideration of the Higher House By Bonner afterwards that is to say on the 3d. of March presented to the hands of the Lord Keeper Bacon by whom they were candidly received But they prevailed no further with the Queen or the House of Peers when imparted to them but that possibly they might help forwards the disputation which not long after was appointed to be held at Westminster as before was said It was upon the 8th of May that the Parliament ended and on the 24th of June that the publick Liturgy was to be officiated in all the Churches of the Kingdom In the performanâ—e of which service the Bishops giving no encouragement and many of the Clergy being backward in it it was thought fit to put them to the final test and either to bring them to conformity or to bestow their places and preferments on more tractable persons The Bishops at that time
both Religions and finally amongst many other particulars that neither the Queen of Scots nor the French King should from thenceforth assume the Titles and Arms of England Which Articles being signed and confirmed for both Kingdoms the French about the middle of July take their leave of Scotland and the English Army at the same time set forward for Barwick being there disbanded and dismissed to their several dwellings Followed not long after by the Earls of Morton and Glencarn in the name of the rest of the Congregation sent purposely to render to the Queen their most humble thanks for her speedy prosperous assistance and to desire the continuance of her Majesties favours if the French should any more attempt to invade their Country Assured whereof and being liberally rewarded with gifts and presents they returned with joy and glad tydings to the Congregation whom as the Queen had put upon a present confidence of going vigorously on in their Reformation so it concerned them to proceed so carefully in pursuance of it as might comply with the dependence which they had upon her First therefore that she might more cordially espoâ—se their quarrel they bound themselves by their subscription to embrace the Liturgy with all the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England which for a time remained the onely form of Worship for the Kirk of Scotland when and by whose means they receded from it may be shown hereafter In the next place they cause a Parliament to be called in the month of August according to the Articles of the Pacification from which no person was excluded who either had the right of Suffrage in his own capacity or in relation to their Churches or as returned from their Shrevalties or particular Burroughs of which last there appeared the accustomed number but of the Lords Spiritual no more than six Bishops of thirteen with thirteen Abbots and Priors or thereabouts and of the Temporal Lords to the number of ten Earls and as many Barons By whose Authority and consent they passed three Acts conducing wholly to the advantage of the Reformation the first whereof was for abolishing the Popes Jurisdiction and Authority within the Realm the second for annulling all Statutes made in former times for maintenance of Idolatry and Superstition and the third for the punishment of the Sayers and Hearers of the Masse To this Parliament also some of the Ministers presented A Confession of the Faith and Doctrine to be believed and professed by the Protestants of the Kirk of Scotland modelled in many places by the Principles of Calvin's Doctrine which Knox had brought with him from Geneva but being put unto the Vote it was opposed by no more than three of the Temporal Lords that is to say the Earl of Atholl and the Lords Somervil and Borthwick who gave no other reason for it but that they would believe as their fathers did The Popish Prelates were silent in it neither assenting nor opposing Which being observed by the Earl-Marshal he is said to have broke out into these words following Seeing saith he that my Lords the Bishops who by their learning can and for the zeal they should have to the truth ought as I suppose to gainsay any thing repugnant to it say nothing against the Confession we have heard I cannot think but that it is the very truth of God and that the contrary of it false and deceivable Doctrine Let us now cross over into Ireland where we shall find the Queen as active in advancing the reformed Religion as she had been in either of the other Kingdoms King Henry had first broke the ice by taking to himself the Title of Supream Head on earth of the Church of Ireland exterminating the Popes authority and suppressing all the Monasteries and Religious Houses In matters doctrinal and forms of Worship as there was nothing done by him so neither was there much endeavoured in the time of King Edward it being thought perhaps unsafe to provoke that people in the Kings minority considering with how many troubles he was elsewhere exercised If any thing were done therein it was rather done by tolleration than command And whatsoever was so done was presently undone again in the Reign of Queen Mary But Queen Elizabeth having setled her affairs in England and undertaken the protection of the Scots conceived her self obliged in point of piety that Ireland also should be made partaker of so great a benefit A Parliament is therefore held on the 12th of January where past an Act restoring to the Crown the antient jurisdiction over all Ecclesiastical and Spiritual persons By which Statute were established both the Oath of Supremacy and the High Commission as before in England There also past an Act for the Uniformity of Common Prayer c. with a permission for saying the same in Latine in such Church or place where the Minister had not the knowledge of the English Tongue But for translating it into Irish as afterwards into Welsh in the 5th year of this Queen there was no care taken either in this Parliament or in any following For want whereof as also by not having the Scriptures in their native language most of the natural Irish have retained hitherto there old barbarous customes or pertinaciously adhere to the corruptions of the Church of Rome The people by that Statute are required under several penalties to frequent their Churches and to be frequent at the reading of the English Liturgy which they understand no more than they do the Mass. By which means the Iâ—ish was not only kept in continual ignorance as to the Doctrines and Devotions of the Church of England but we have furnished the Papists with an excellent Argument against our selves for having the Divine Service celebrated in such a language as the people do not understand There also past another Statute for restoring to the Crown the first fruits and twenty parts of all Ecclesiastical promotions within that Kingdom as also of all impropriat Parsonages which there are more in number than those Rectories which have cure of souls King Henry had before united the first fruits c. to the Crown Imperial but Queen Mary out of her affection to the Church of Rome had given them back unto the Clergy as before was said The like Act passed for the restitution of all such lands belonging to the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem as by that Queen had been regranted to the Order with the avoidance of all Leases and other grants which had been made by Sir Oswald Massingberd the lâ—te Lord Prior of the same Who fearing what was like to follow had voluntarily forsook the Kingdome in the August foregoing and thereby saved the Queen the charge of an yearly pension which otherwise he might have had as his Predecessors had before him in the time of King Henry During the Reign of which King a Statute had been made in Ireland as in England also for the electing and consecrating of
for his favour in it of whom they after served themselves upon all occasions Upon the news of which success divers both French and Dutch repaired into England planting themselves in the Sea-towns and openly professing the Reformed Religion under which covert they disguised their several Heterodoxies and blasphemous Dotages some of them proving to be Anabaptists others infected with unfound opinions of as ill a nature but all endeavouring to disperse their Heretical Doctrines and by invenoming the good people amongst whom they lived to encrease their Sects Which being made known unto the Queen she presently commands them all by her Proclamation to depart the Kingdom whether they were Aliens or natural born English and not to stay above the tearm of twenty days upon pain of imprisonment and forfeiture or loss of all their goods Which Proclamation notwithstanding too many of them lurked in Engâ—and without fear of discovery especially after the erecting of so may French and Dutch Churches in the Maritime parts as at this time they did in London infecting the French and Dutch Churches there with some of their frenzies and occasioneâ— such disputes amongst them upon that account that Peâ—er Marâ—yr found it necessary to interpose his authority with them to the composing of those Heats and differences which had grown amongst them for which consult his Letter bearing date at Zurick on the 15th of February next following after the date of the said Proclamation and superscribed Unto the Church of Sâ—rangers in the City of London Now for the date of the said Proclamation it seemeth to have been about the 19th of September at which time it pleased the Queen to set forth another no less conducing to the honour than did the other to the preservation of the Churches purity She had given command by her Injunctions in the year foregoing for destroying and taking away all Shrines and coverings of Shrines all Tables Candlesticks Trindals and Rolls of Wax together with all Pictures Paintings and other monuments of â—eigned Miracles Pilgrimages Idolatry and Superstition so that there remain no memory of the same in walls glass-windows or else-where whether it were in Churches or mens private houses But some perverting rather than mistaking her intention in it guided by covetousness or over-ruled by some new fangle in Religion under colour of conforming to this command defaced all such Images of Christ and his Apostles all Paintings which presented any History of the holy Bible as they found in any windows of their Churches or Chapels They proceeded also to the breaking down of all Coats of Arms to the tearing off of all the Brasses on the Tombs and Monuments of the dead in which the figures of themselves their wives or children their Ancestors or their Arms had been reserved to posterity And being given to understand that Bells had been bapâ—ized in the times of Popery and that even the Churches themselves had been abused to Superstition and Idolatry their zeal transported them in fine to sell their Bells to turn the Steeples into Dove-coats and to rob the Churches of those sheets of Lead with which they were covered For the restraining of which Sacrilege and prophane abuses she gave command in her said Proclamation of the 19th of September That all manner of men should from thenceforth forbear the breaking or defacing of any parcel of any Monument or Tomb or Grave or other Inscription and Memory of any person deceased being in any manner of place Or to break any Image of Kings Princes or Nobles Estates of this Realm or of any other that have been in times past erected and set up for the onely memory of them to their posterity in common Churches and not for any Religious honor Or to break down or deface any Image in glass-windows in any Church without the consent of the Ordinary upon pain of being committed to the next Gaol without Bail or Mainprize and there to remain till the next comming of the Justices for Gaol-delivery and then to be further punished by Fine or Imprisonment besides the restitution or re-edification of the thing broken as to the said Justices shall seem meet and if need shall be to use the advice of her Majesties Council in her Star-chamber It was also signified in the said Proclamation That some Patrons of Churches and others who were possessed of Impropriations had prevailed with the Parson and Parishioners to take or throw down the Bells of Churches or Chapels and the Lead of the same and to convert the same to their private gain by which ensued not onely the spoil of the said Churches but even a slanderous desolation of the places of Prayer And thereupon it was commanded that no manner of person should from thenceforth take away any Bells or Lead off any Church or Chapel under pain of Imprisonment during her Majesties pleasure and such further Fine for the contempt as shall be thought meet With a charge given to all Bishops and other Ordinaries to enquire of all such contempts done from the beginning of her Majesties Reign and to enjoyn the persons offending to repair the same within a convenient time and of their doing therein to certifie the Privy Council or the Council in the Star-chamber that order may be taken therein And in persute of this most seasonable and religions Act she did not onely signe the said Proclamation one for all to authorise it for the Press as the custom is but signed them every one apart amounting to a very great number with her own Royal Hand that so it might be known rather for her own proper act than an act of the council With like care also she provided for the honor and prosperity of her estate in affairs Politick and Civil The monies of the Realm had been much debased by King Henry the 8th to the great disprofit of the Merchant and reproach of the Kingdom for which no remedy had been taken by her Brother or Sister though they had better opportunities and more advantages to go thorow with it But this brave Queen endeavouring nothing more than the restoring of her Kingdom to its antient splendor first caused all such base monies as were coined by any of her Predecessors to be decryed to a less value according to the fineness or alloy thereof and that being done by vertue of her Proclamation bearing date the 28th of September she caused all the said base monies so reduced to a lower value to be brought in to her Majesties Mint for which she gave them mony of the purest silver such as passed commonly by the name of Easterling or Sterling mony since which time no base mony hath been coyned in England but onely of pure Gold and Silver to pass for current in the same save that of late times in relation to the necessity of poor people a permission hath been given to the coyning of Farthings which no man can be forced to accept in satisfaction of a Rent or Debt which as it could
be inflamed so was the mischief more incapable of a present remedy The terror being over most men began to cast about for the first occasion of such a miserable misfortune the generality of the Zuinglian or Genevian party affirmed it for a just judgment of God upon an old idolatrous Fabrick not throughly reformed and purged from its Superstitions and would have been content that all other Cathedrals in the Kingdom had been so destroyed The Papists on the other side ascribe it to some practice of the Zuinglian faction out of their hatred unto all solemnity and decency in the service of God performed more punctually in that Church for examples sake than in any other of the Kingdom But generally it was ascribed by the common people to a flash of lightning or some such suddain fire from heaven though neither any lightning had been seen or any clap of thunder had been heard that day Which fiction notwithstanding got such credit amongst the vulgar and amongst wiser persons too that the burning of St. Paul's Steeple by lightning was reckoned amongst the ordinary Epoches or accounts of time in our common Almanacks and so it stood till within these thirty years now last past when an old Plumber at his death confessed that wofull accident to have hapned through his negligence onely in leaving carelesly a pan of coals and other fewel in the Steeple when he went to dinner which catching hold of the dry timber in the Spire before his return was grown so dangerous that it was not possible to be quenched and therefore to no purpose as he conceived to make any words of it Since which discovery that ridiculous Epoche hath no more been heard of But the Queen quickly hearing what a great misfortune had befallen the City regarded not the various reports of either party but bent her thoughts upon the speedy reparation of those fearful ruines And knowing right well without the help of an Informer that the Patrimony of that Church had been so wasted in these latter times that neither the Bishop nor the Dean and Chapter were able to contribute any thing proportionable to so vast a charge She directed her Letters to the Lord Mayor and city of London to take care therein as most concerned in the preservation of their Mother-Church and in the honor of their City In obedience to whose Royal pleasure the citizens granted a Benevolence and three Fifteens to be speedily paid besides the extraordinary bounty of particular persons or was to be issued from the chamber And that they might proceed therein with the greater zeal the Queen sent in a thousand Marks in ready money and warrants for one thousand load of timber to be served out of her Majesties woods Incouraged by which brave example the Clergy of the Province of Canterbury contributed towards the furtherance of the work the fortieth part of their Benefices which stood charged with first fruits and the thirtieth part of those which had paid the same The Clergy of the Diocess of London bestowing the thirtieth part of such of their Livings as were under the burthen of that payment and the twentieth part of those which were not To which the Bishop added at several times the sum of 900 l 1 s. 11 d. the Dean and Chapter 136 l. 13 s. 4 d. By which and some other little helps the benevolence the three fifteens and the contributions of the Bishop and Clergy with the aid aforesaid amounting to no more than 6702 l. 13 s. 4 d. the work was carried on so fast that before the end of April 1566. the timber work of the roof was not only fitted but compleatly covered The raising of a new spire was taken also into consideration but conceived unnecessary but whether because it was too chargeable or that some feared it might prove a temptation is not yet determined And now the season of the year invites the Popes Nuncio into England advanced already in his way as far as Flanders and there expecting the Queens pleasure touching his admittance For the Pope always constant to his resolutions could not be taken off from sending his Nuncio to the Queen with whom he conceived himself to stand upon tearms of amity It had been much laboured by the Guisiards and Spanish faction to divert him from it by telling him that it would be an undervaluing of his power and person to send a Nuncâ—o into England or to any other Princes of the same perswasions who openly professed a separation from the See of Rome To which he made this prudent and pious answer that he would humble himself even to Heresie it self in regard that whatsoever was done to gain souls to Christ did beseem that See And to this resolution he adher'd the rather because he had been told and assured by Karn the old English Agent that his Nuncio would be received by one half of the Kingdom with the Queens consent But as it proved they reckoned both without their Host and Hostess too who desired not to give entertainment unto any such guests For having designed the Abbot Martiningo to this imployment and the Abbot being advanced as far as Flanders as before was said he there received the Queens command not to cross the seas Upon advertisement whereof as well the King of Spain himself as Ferdinand of Toledo Duke of Alva the most powerful Minister of that King did earnestly intreat that he might be heard commending the cause of his Legation as visibly conducing to the union of all the Christian Church in a general Council But the Queen persevered in her first intent affirming she could not treat with the Bishop of Rome whose authority was excluded out of England by consent of Parliament Nor had the Popes Nuncio in France any better fortune in treating with Throgmorton the English Agent in that Court to advance the business who though he did solicit by his Letters both the Queen and the Council to give some satisfaction in that point to the French and Spaniards though not unto the Pope himself could get no other answer from them but the same denyal For so it was that on the first noise of the Nuncio's coming the business had been taken into consideration at the Council Table and strongly pleaded on both sides as mens judgements varied By some it was alleged in favour of the Nuncio's coming that Pope Pius was nothing of so rugged a nature as his Predessor that he had made a fair address unto the Queen by his last years Letters that his designs did most apparently tend to the peace of Christendome that the admitting of the Nuncio was a matter which 〈◊〉 nothing it being â—â—ill left in her Majesties power whether she would embrace or reject his Overtures but that the refusing to admit him to a publick audience was the most ready way to disoblige all Catholick Princes with whom she stood at that time in terms of amity On the other side it was alleged that King Henry
should be given to all of every Nation Province City and Place where any thing was preached taught believed contrary to that which was believed in the Church of Rome But the Legats might have spared themselves the trouble of these considerations the Protestant Bishops of England not being so forward to venture themselves into that Council on such weak assurance considering how ill the safe conduct had been formerly kept to John Hus and Jerom of Prague at the Council of Constance And as for those of the Papal party though they might have a good will to be gadding thither yet the Queen kept them safe enough from going abroad So that there was no hopes for any English Bishops of either party to attend that service The Queen had absolutely refused to admit the Nunciâ— when he was sent on purpose to invite them to it And some of the most learned of that sacred Order had shown sufficient reasons in their printed Manifest why no such service or attendance could be looked for from them One Scipio a Gentleman of Venice who formerly had some acquaintance with Bishop Jewel when he was a student in Padua had heard of Martiningo's ill success in his Negotiation which notwithstanding he resolved to spend some eloquence in labouring to obtain that point by his private Letters which the Nuncio could not gain as a public Minister And to this end he writes his Letters of expostulation to his old friend Mr. Jewel preferred not long before to the See of Salisbury in which he seemed to admire exceedingly that England should send no Ambassador nor Message or Letter to excuse their Nations absence from the general Appearance of Christianity in that Sacred Council In the next place he highly extolled the antiquity and use of General Councils as the onely means to decide controversies in Religion and compose the distractions in the Church concluding it a superlative sin for any to decline the authority of it But this Letter did not long remain unanswered that learned Prelate was not so unstudied in the nature of â—ouncils as not to know how little of a General Council could be found at Trent And therefore he returns an Answer to the Proposition so eloquently penned and so elaborately digested that neither Scipio himself nor any other of that party durst reply upon him the Answer to be found at large in the end of the history of this Council translated into English by Sir Nathaniel Brent late Warden of Merton College in Oxon c. which though it were no other than the Answer of one single Prelate and writ on a particular occasion to â— private friend yet since it speaks the sense of all the rest of the 〈◊〉 â—nd to justifie the result of the Council-Table on the debate about 〈◊〉 or refusing the Popes invitation it will not be amiss to present the sum and substance of it in a short Epitome In the first place he signifies to the said Scipâ—o that a great part of the world professing the name of Christ as Greeks Armenians Abâ—ssines c. with all the Eastern Church were neither sent â—o nor summoned to this Council Secondly That England's absence was not so great a wonder seeing many other Kingdoms and Free states as Denmark Sweden Scotland Princes of Germany and Hanse-towns were not represented in this Council by any of their Ambassadors Thirdly That this pretended Council was not called according to the antient custom of the Church by the Imperial Authority but by the Papal Usurpation Fourthly That Trent was a petty place not of sufficient receit for such multitudes as necessarily should repair to a General Council Fifthly That Pope Pius the 4th by whose command the Council was re-assembled purchaâ—â—d his place by the unjust practices of Simonie and Briberie and managed it with murder and cruelty Sixthly That repairing to Councils was a free act and none ought to be condemned of Contumacy if it stood more with their conveniency to stay at home Seventhly That antiently it was accepted as a reasonable excuse of holy Pisâ—ops absenting or withdrawing themselves from any Council if they vehemently suspected ought would be acted therein prejudicial to the truth lest their though not actual included concurrence might be interpreted a countenancing thereof Eighthly That our Bishops were employed in feeding their Flocks and governing their Churches and could not be spared from their charge without prejudice to their consciences Ninthly That the Members of that Council of Trent both Bishops and Abbots were by Oath pregaged to the Pope To defend and maintain his authority against all the world And lastly He desired to know in what capacity the English Clergy should appear in this Council not as free persons to debate matters therein in regard they had been pre-condemned as Hereticks by Pope Julius the 3d. nor as offenders to receive the sentence of condemnation to which they had no reason to submit themselves Of these refusals and the reasons of them neither the Pope at Rome nor the Cardinal Legâ—ts in the Council could pretend to be ignorant yet still the expectation of the comming of some English Bishops must be kept on foot partly for the encouragement of such as were there already and partly for the drawing on of others who came slowly forwards and sometimes also it was used for an artifice to divert the Prelates when any business was in agitation which seemed dangerous to them For so it hapned that some of the Prelates being earnest in the point of Residence none of the Legats could devise a better expedient to put off that Question than to propose that some means should be used to set at liberty the English Bishops which were imprisoned by their Queen that comming to the Council it might be said that that noble Nation was present also and not wholly alienated from the Church This pleased all but the common opinion was that it might sooner be desired than hoped for They concluded that the Queen having refused to receive a Nuncio expresly sent from the Pope it could not be hoped that she would hearken to the Council therefore all they could do was to perswade the Catholick Princes to mediate for them And mediate though they did as before was said both for the admitting of the Nuncio and the restoring of those Bishops to their former liberty they were not able to prevail especially as to the licensing of any of them to attend the Council which if the Queen had yielded to she must have armed so many of her enemies to disturb her peace who questionless would have practised with the Ambassadors of all Princes and with the Prelates of all Nations whom they found there present to work some notable alteration in the Government and affairs of England Of all the Bishops which were left in England at the end of the Parliament I find none but Pates of Worcester and Goldnel of St. Asaph who forsook the Kingdom though possibly many of the rest
might have done so also if they had not either been well watched or trusted upon their Parol to be forth-comming as the phrase is upon all occasions And though I find the name of Pates subscribed to some of the former Sessions yet it is not to be found to this the man being of a moderate and gentle spirit and possibly not willing to engage himself in any Counsels which might prove detrimental to his native country And as for Goldnel though his zeal to Popery was strong enough to carry him beyond the Seas yet it did not carry him so far as Trent there being so many retireing places nearer home in which he might repose himself with more contentment But leaving the Fathers in Trent to expect the comming of the holy Ghost in a cloak-bag from Rome according to the common scorn which was put upon them we must prepare our selves for England first taking in our way the affairs of France which now began to take up a great part of the thoughts of the Queen and her Council The Reformed Religion had made some entrance in that kingdome during the Reign of king â—rancis the first exceedingly dispersed and propagated in most parts thereof notwithstanding the frequent Martyrdoms of particular persons the great and terrible Massacres of whole Townships Commonalties and Churches even by hundreds and thousands in divers places of the Realm To which encrease the fickle nature of the French the diligence of their Preachers and the near neighbourhood of Genevâ— were of great advantage all which advantages were much improved by the authority and reputation which Calvin carried in those Churches and the contentment which the people took in a form of Government wherein they were to have a share by the rules of their Discipline and thereby draw the managery of affairs unto themselves Being grown numerous in the City of Tours and not permitted to enjoy the liberty of assembling within the walls they held their meetings at a village not far off for their publick Devotions the way to which leading through the gate of St. Hugo is thought to have occasioned the name of Hugonots which others think to have been given them by reason of their frequent nightly meetings resembled by the French to the walking of a Night-spirit which they called St. Hugh but from what ground soever it came it grew in short time to be generally given as a by-name to those which professed the Reformed Religion whether in France or else-where after Calvin's platform Their numbers not diminished by so many butcheries gave them the reputation of a party both stout and active which rendred them the subject of some jealousie to the Roman Catholicks and specially to those of the House of Guise who laboured nothing more than their extirpation But this severity sorted to no other effect than to confirm them in their Doctrines and attract many others to them who disdained to see poor people drawn every day to the Stake to be burned guilty of nothing but of zeal to worship God and to save their own souls To whom were joyned many others who thinking the Guisiards to be the cause of all the disorders in the Kingdom judged it an Heroick Act to deliver it from oppression by taking the publick Administration out of their hands But nothing more encreased their party than the accession of almâ—st all the Princes of the Blood of the House of Burbon the Chiefs whereof were the Duke of Vendosm who called himself King of Navarr in right of his Wife the Princes of Conde the Duke of Montpensier who finding themselves neglected by the Queen-Mother and oppressed by the Guisiards retired in no small discontments from the Court and being otherwise unable to make good their quarrels offered themselves as Leaders of the Hâ—gonot-faction who very cheerfully submitted to their rule and conduct The better to confirm their minds they caused the principal Lawyers of Germany and France and the most famous Protestant Divines to publish in writing that without violating the Majesty of the King and the dignity of the lawful Magistrate they might oppose with Arms the violent Domination of the House of Guise who did not onely labour to suppress the true Religion and obstruct the free passage of Justice but seemed to keep the King in prison Having thus formed their Party in the minority of King â—rancis the second their first design was that a great multitude should appear before the King without Arms to demand that the severity of the judgments might be mitigated and liberty of conscience granted intending that they should be followed by Gentlemen who should make supplication against the Government of the Guisiards But the purpose being made known to the Court the King was removed from Bloâ—sâ—n â—n open Town to the strong Castle of Amboise as if he could not otherwise be safe from some present Treason After which followed a strict inquiry after all those who had a hand in the design the punishment of some and the flight of others with the conclusion taken up by the Guisian faction to settle the Spanish Inquisition in the Realm of France To pacifie the present troubles an Edict is published by the King on the 18th of March 1560 in the French account for the pardoning of all who simply moved with the zeal of Religion had ingaged in the supposed conspiracy upon condition that they disarmed within 24 hours and after that another Edict by which a general pardon was indulged to all Reformatiâ—â—â— but so that all assemblies under the colour of Religion were prohibited by it and a charge laid upon the Bishops to take unto themselves the cognisance of all causes of Heresie in their several Diocesses But this so little edified with those of that party that greater tumults were occasioned by it in Provence Languedock and Poictoâ— To which places the Ministers of Geneva were called who most willingly came By whose Sermons the number of Protestants so increased in those Provinces and by their Agents in most others that in this year 1562. they were distributed into two thousand one hundred and fifty Churches as appeared upon a just computation of them But in the midst of these improvements the power and reputation of the side was shrewdly weakned by the falling off of Anthony Duke of Vendosme and King of 〈◊〉 who did not only openly forsake the party but afterwards joined himself in counsel and design against it with the Duke of Guise The foundâ—ing of so great a pillar threatned a quick ruine to the fabrick if some other butteress were not found to support the same The war was carried on from one place to another but seemed to aim most at the reduction of Normandâ— where the Hugonoâ—s had possessed themselves of some Towns and Casâ—les by which they might be able to distress the City of Paris and thereby make a great impression on the rest of the Kingdom It was thereupon advised by Lewis Prince of Coâ—de the
and Chancellor of the Realm of Ireland who having held it but a year it was again kept vacant twenty years together and then bestowed on Dr. John Underhil who was consecrated Bishop thereof in Dâ—cember 1589. but he dying also shortly after viz. Anno 1592. it was once more kept void till the year 1603. and then took up by Dr. John Bridges Dean of Salisbury rather to satisfie the desires of others than his own ambition So that upon the point this Church was filled but little more than three years in forty sâ—x the Jurisdiction of it was in the mean time managed by some Officers thereunto authorised by the Archbishop of Canterbury the Patrimony and Revenues of it remaining in the hands of the Earl of Leicester and after his decease of the Earl of Eâ—â—ex by whom the Lands thereof were so spoiled and wasted that they left nothing to the last Bishops but Impropriations by means of which havock and destruction all the five Bishopricks erected by King Henry the 8th were so impoverished and destroyed that the new Bishops were necessitated to require the benevolence of their Clergy at their first comming to them to furnish their Episcopal Houses and to enable them to maintain some tolerable degree of Hospitality in their several Diocesses of which we shall hear more hereafter from the pen of an Adversay An. Reg. Eliz. 5. An. Dom. 1562 1563. THe last years practices of the Papists and the dangers thereby threatning both the Queen and State occasioned her to call a Parliament on the 12th of January in which first passed an Act For assurance of the Queens Royal power over all Estates and Subjects within her Dominions In the body whereof it was provided That no man living or residing in the Queens Dominions under the pains and penalties therein appointed should from thenceforth either by word or writing or any other open deed willingly and advisedly endeavour to maintain the Power and Jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome heretofore claimed and usurped within this Realm And for the better discovery of all such persons as might be popishly affected it was enacted That none should be admitted unto holy Orders or to any Degree in either of the Universities or to be Barrester or Bencher in any of the Inns of Court c. or to practise as an Atturney or otherwise to bear any Office in any of the Courts at Westminster Hall or any other Court whatsoever till he or they should first take the Oath of Supremacy on the holy Evangelists With a Power given to every Archbishop and Bishop within this Realm and the Dominions of the same to tender or minister the Oath aforesaid to all and every spiritual person in their proper Diocesses as well in places exempt as else-where Of which last clause the Reader is to take especial notice because of the great controversie which ensued upon it of which more hereafter And because many of the Popish party had lately busied themselves by Conjurations and other Diabolical Arts to enquire into the length or shortness of her Majesties life and thereupon had caused some dark and doubtful prophecies to be spread abroad There passed two other Statutes for suppressing the like dangerous practices by which her Majesties person might be endangered the people stirred to rebellion or the peace otherwise disturbed For which consult the Acts of Parliament 5 Eliz. c 15 16. By which three Acts and one more for the better executing of the Writ de Excommunicato capiendo the Queen provided very well for her own security but more provoked the Pope his adherents to conspire against her in the time to come against whose machinations back'd by the power and counsels of forein Princes nothing was more conducible than her strength at Sea for the encrease whereof and the continual breeding of a Seminary of expert Mariners an Act was made for adding Wednesday to the number of the weekly Fasâ—s which from thenceforth was called Jejunium Cecilianum as being one of the devices of Sir William Cecil In reference to Religion and the advancement of the service and worship of God it had been declared by the Bishops and Clergy assembled at the same time in their Convocation To be a thing plainly repugnant to the Word of God and the custom of the Primitive Church to have publick prayer in the Church or to minister the Sacraments in a Toung not understood by the people To comply with which pious Declaration and take off all retortion which possibly might be made by those of Rome when they were charged with the administration of the Service and Sacraments in an unknown Toung it was enacted That the Bishops of Hereford St. Davids Bangor Landaff and St. Asaph should take care amongst them for translating the whole Bible with the Common-Prayer Book into the Weâ—ch or British Toung on pain of forfeiting 40 l. a piece in default thereof And to encourage them thereunto it was ordered That one Book of either sort being so translated and imprinted should be provided and bought of every Cathedral or Parish Church as also for all Parish Churches Chapels of Ease where the said Toung is commonly used the Ministers to pay one half of the price and the Parishioners the other The like care was also taken for translating the Books of Homilies but whether it were done by any new order from the Queen or the piety of the four Welch Bishops or that they were considered as a necessary part of the publick Lituâ—gy by reason of the Rubrick at the end of the Nicene Creed I have no whâ—â—e found As for the Convocation which accompanied the present Parliament it began on the 13â—h day of Jaâ—uary in the Cathedral of St. Paâ—l the Latine Sermon 〈◊〉 by Mr. William Day then Provost of Eaton College afterwards 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 also and Bishop of Winchester which being finished the Bishop of Lâ—ndâ—â— presents a list of the several Bishops Deans and Chapters which had been cited to appear the catalogue of the Bishops ending with Gabriel Goodman Dean of Westminster that of the Deans beginning on another file with Alexander Novel Dean of St. Pauls elected by the Clergy for their Prolocutor The Convocation after this is adjourned to Westminster for the conveniency of the Prelates by reason of their attendance on affairs of Parliament Goodman the Dean of Westminster had made his Protestation in the Church of St. Paul that by appearing as a Member of the Convocation by veâ—tue of the Arch-bishops Mandat he subjected not himself nor the Church of Westminster to the authority or jurisdiction of the See of Canterbury And now on the Archbishops personal comming to the Church of Westminster he delivers the like Protestation in writing for preserving the Liberties of the Church in which it was declared according to the privilege just rights therof that no Archbishop or Bishop could exercise any Ecclesiastical jurisdiction in it without leave of the Dean for the time
required subscription of the rest in their several places threatning no less than deprivation to such as wilfully refused and obstinately persisted in that refusal Many there were whoâ— bogled at it as they all did but did it not so perversely nor in such great numbers as when their faction was grown strong and improved to multitudes Some stumbled at it in regard of the first clause added to the 20th Article about the Authority of the Church others in reference to the 36th touching the Consecration of Archbishops and Bishops some thought they attributed more authority to the Supream Magistrate over all persons and causes both Ecclesiastical and Civil than could consist with that Autocratie and Independency which Calvin arrogated unto his Presbyteries and other Churches of that platform And others looked upon the Homil es as beggarly rudiments scarce milk for Babes but by no means to be served in for a stronger stomach In general thought by the Genevians and Zuinglian Gospellers to have too much in them of the Pope or too little of Calvin and therefore not to be subscribed by any who desired the reputation of keeping a good conscience with faith unfeigned Of which number none so much remarkable as father John Fox the Marâ—yrologist who had before appeared in the Schism at Franckfort and left that Church when Cox had got the better in it to retire to Geneva being now called on to subscribe that the opinion which was had of his parts and piety might advance the service he is said to have appeared before the Bishop but whether before the Archbishop or his own Diocesan is not much material with the New-Testament in Greek To this said he I will subscribe and it this will not serve take my Prebend of Salisbury the onely preferment which I hold in the Church of England and much good may it do you This refractory answer for it was no better might well have moved the Bishop to proceed against him as he did against some others who had stood on the same refusal but kissing goes by kindness as the saying is and so much kindness was shewed to him that he both kept his resolution and his place together which whether it might not do more hurt to the Church than that preferment in the Church did advantage him I think no wise man will make a question for commonly the exemption or indemnity of some few particulars confirms the obstinacy of the rest in hope of being privileged with the like indemnity And therefore it was well observed by Bishop Bancroft when King James proposed the writing of a Letter to the Bishop of Chester for respiting some Ministers of his Diocess from a present conformity That if this purpose should proceed the copy of those Letters would fly over the Kingdom and then others would make the same request for some friends of theirs and so no fruit would follow of the present Conference but that all things would be worse than before they were But Queen Elizabeth was not drawn so easily to the like indulgencies for which she received her own just praises from the Pen of an Adversary Harding by name in his Epistle Dedicatory prefixed before his Answer to the Bishops Apology commends her earnest zeal and travail in bringing those disordered Ministers into some order of decent apparel which yet some of them wanted reason to apply themselves to And Sanders who seldom speaks well of her first informs his Reader What bickerings there were in England about the Rochet and other Vestments of the Clergy that many of the opposite party regarded not the Queens judgment in it but sent for counsel and advice to Germany France Savoy and Switzerland but specially to Theodore Beza and Peter Martyr but finally that notwithstanding the advice of the one and the addresses of the other the Queen proceeded vigorously to the deprivation of all such persons as wilfully opposed her order made in that behalf It seems by this that our Genevians for the greater countenancing of their inconformity had stirred up the most eminent Divines of the Gallick and Helvetian Churches to declare in favour of their doings And it appears also by remembrances in some Authors that Calvin apprehending some neglect from Mr. Secretary Cecil in making either no return or a return which signified nothing to his first addresses had laid aside his care of the Church of England for which he could expect no thanks from the Bishops or had received so little from the greaâ— men of the Court But Peter Martyr while he lived conceived himself to have some interess in this Church in which he had enjoyed such a good preferment but more in some particular persons and members of it who seemed to depend upon his judgment and to ask counsel of him as their surest Oracle In which how much he countenanced that faction in King Edward's time both by his practice and his pen and what encouragement he gave them in this present Reign hath been shewn before how much out-gone by Theodore Beza who next usurped a super-intendency over all the Churches of this Island may be seen hereafter All that shall now be said of either of them or of all together shall be briefly this that this poor Church might better have counted their best helps in points of Doctrine than have been troubled with their intermedlings in matter of Discipline More modestly then so dealt Bullinger and Gualter two Divines of Suitzerland as eminent in all points of learning as the best amongst them who being sollicited by some some zealous brethren to signifie their judgment in the present controversie about the Aparel of the Clergy return an approbation of it but send the same inclosed in several Letters to Sandys Horn and Gryndal that they might see that neither of them would engage in the affairs of this Church without the privity of the Governors and Rulers of it To bring this quarel to an end or otherwise to render all opponents the more inexcusable the Queen thought fit to make a further signification of her Royall pleasure not grounded onely on the Soveraign Power and Prerogative Royal by which she published her Injunctions in the first year of her Reign but legally declared by her Commissioners for causes Ecclesiastical according to the Acts and Statutes made in that behalf for then it was to be presumed that such as had denyed obedience to her sole commands would at least give it to the Laws The Archbishop is thereupon required to consult together with such Bishops and Commissioners as were next at hand upon the making of such Rules and Orders as they thought necessary for the peace of the Church with reference to the present condition and estate thereof Which being accordingly performed presented to the Queen and by her approved the said Rules and Orders were set forth and published in a certain book entituled Advertisements partly for due order in the publick Administration of the Common-Prayers and using the
person which was the Marquis of Winchester Lord Treasurer of England the other twelve being two Earls six Lords and four Knights the sacred part thereof performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury assisted by the Bishops of London and Rochester the funeral Sermon being pâ—eached by the Bishop of London which tended much unto the praise and commendation of that famous Emperor By which solemnity as she did no small honor to the dead so she gave great contentment to the living also the people being generally much delighted with such glorious pomps and the Church of England thereby held in estimation with all forein Princes Nothing else memorable in this year but the comming out of certain books and the death of Caâ—vin Dorman an English fugitive first publisheth a book for proof of certain of the Articles denyed in Bishop Jewel's challenge encountred first by Alexander Nowel Dean of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul who first appeared in print against those of Lovain and is replyed upon by Dorman in a book entituled A Discovery of Mr. Nowel's untruths not published till the year next following But of more consequence to this Church was the death of Calvin by whose authority so much disorder and confusion was to be brought upon it in the times succeeding a name much reverenced not onely by those of his own party and perswasions but by many grave and moderate men who did not look at first into the dangers which ensued upon it His platform at Geneva made the onely pattern by which all reformed Churches were to frame their Government his Writings made the onely rule by which all Students in Divinity were to square their Judgments What Peter Lombart was esteemed to be in the Schools of Rome the same was Calvin reckoned in all those Churches which were reformed according to the Zuinglian doctrine in the point of the Sacrament But Hic Magister non tenetur as the saying was he was not so esteemed in England nor was there any reason why it should be so for though some zealous brethren of the Presbyteterian or Puritan faction appeared exceeding ambitious to wear his Livery and thought no name so honorable as that of Calvinist yet the sounder members of the Church the Royal and Prelatical Divines as the others called them conceived otherwise of him And the right learned Adrian Sararia though by birth a Dutch-man yet being once preferred in the Church of England he stomached nothing more than to be called Calvinian Anno Reg. Eliz. 7. A. D. 1564 1565. WE shall begin this year with the concernments of the Kirk of Scotland where Queen Eâ—izabeth kept a Stock still going the Returns whereof redounded more to her own security than to the profit and advantage of the Church of England The Queen of Scots was young poffessed of that Kingdom and next Heir to this first married to the Daulphin of France and sued to after his decease in behalf of Charls the younger son of the Emperor Maximilian as also of the Prince of Conde and the Duke of Bavaria But Queen Elizabeth had found so much trouble and danger from her first alliance with the French that she was against all Marriages which might breed the like or any way advance the power of that Competitor But on the contrary she commended to her the Earl of Leicester whom she pretended to have raised to those eminent honors to make him in some fort capable of a Queens affection Which proposition proved agreeable to neither party the Queen of Scots disdaining that unequal offer and Leicester dealing underhand with Randolph the English Resident to keep her still in that averseness He had foolishly given himself some hopes of marrying with Elizabeth his own dread Mistress interpreting all her favours to him to proceed from affection and was not willing that any Proposition for that purpose with the Queen of Scots should be entertained During these various thoughts on both sides the English began to be divided in opinion concerning the next heir to the Crown Imperial of this Realm One Hales had writ a discourse in favour of the House of Suffolk but more particularly in defence of the late marriage between the Earl of Hertford and the Lady Katherine for which he was apprehended and committed prisoner The Romish party were at the same time sub-divided some standing for the Queen of Scots as the next heir apparent though an alien born others for Henry Lord Darnlie eldest son to the Earl of Lenox born in the Realm and lineally descended from the eldest daughter of King Henry the 7th from whom the Queen of Scots also did derive her claim The Queen of Scots also at the same time grown jealous of the practices of the Lord James her bastard-brother whom she had not long before made Earl of Murrey and being over-powered by those of the Congregation was at some loss within her self for finding a fit person upon whose integrity she might depend in point of counsel and on whose power she might rely in point of safety After a long deliberation nothing seemed more conducible to her ends and purposes than the recalling of Matthew Earl of Lenox to his native Country from whence he had been forced by the Hamiltonians in the time of King Henry Being of great power in the West of Scotland from the Kings whereof he was extracted Henry conceived that some good use might be made of him for advancing the so much desired marriage between his onely son Prince Edward and the Infant-Queen The more to gain him to his side he bestowes upon him in marriage the Lady Margaret Dowglas daughter of Queen Margaret his eldest sister by Archibald Dowglas Earl of Angus her second husband of which marriage were born Henry Lord Darnly of whom more anone and Charls the second son whom King James created Earl of Lenox father of Arabella before remembred And that they might support themselves in the nobler equipage he bestowes upon him also the Mannor of Setrington with other good Lands adjoyning in the County of Yoâ—k passing since by the name of Lenox his Lands in the style of the people In England he remained above twenty years but keptâ— himself constant in all changes to the Church of Rome which made him the more estimable both with his own Queen and the English Papists Being returned into his Country he found that Queen so gracious to him and such a handsome correspondence with the chief Nobility that he sends for his two sons to come thither to him but leaves his wife behind in the Court of England lest otherwise Queen Elizabeth might take some umbrage or displeasure at it if they should all remove at once It was about the middle of February that the Lord Darnly came to the Court of Scotland Who being not full twenty years old of lovely person sweet behaviour and a most ingenuous disposition exceedingly prevailed in short time on the Queens affection She had now met with such a
following they were dismist with many rich Presents and an annual pension from the Queen conducted honourably by the Lord Aburgavenny to the Port of Dover and there shipped for Calais filling all places in the way betwixt that and Baden with the report of the magnificence of their entertainment in the Court of England And that the Glories of their entertainment might appear the greater it hapned that Rambouillet a French Ambassador came hither at that time upon two solemnities that is to say to be installed Knight of the Garter in the place and person of that King and to present the Order of St Michael the principal Order of that Kingdom to Thomas Duke of Norfolk and the Earl of Leicester The one performed with the accustomed Pomps and Ceremonies in the Chapel of St George at Windsor the other with like State and splendour in the Royal Chapel at Whitehall Such a well tempered piety did at that time appear in the Devotions of the Church of England that generally the English Papists and the Ambassadors of forein Princes still resorted to them But true it is that at that time some zealots of the Church of Rome had begun to slacken their attendance not out of any new dislike which they took at the service but in regard of a Decree set forth in the Council of â—rent prohibiting all resort to the Churches of Hereticks Which notwithstanding the far greater part continued in their first obedience till the coming over of that Roaring Bull from Pope Pius the 5th by which the Queen was excommunicated the subjects discharged from their obedience to the Laws and the going or not going to the Church made a sign distinctive to difference a Roman Catholick from an English Protestant And it is possible enough that they might have stood much longer to their first conformity if the discords brought into the Church by the Zuinglian faction together with their many innovations both in Doctrine and Discipline had not afforded them some further ground for the desertion For in this year it was that the Zuinglian or Calvinian faction began to be first known by the name of Puritans if Genebrard Gualier and Spondanus being all of them right good Chronologers be not mistaken in the time Which name hath ever since been appropriate to them because of their pretending to a greater Purity in the service of God than was held forth unto them as they gave it out in the Common Prayer Book and to a greater opposition to the Rites and Usages of the Church of Rome than was agreeable to the constitution of the Church of England But this Purity was accompanied with such irreverence this opposition drew along with it so much licenciousnesse as gave great scandal and offence to all sober men so that it was high time for those which had the care of the Church to look narrowly unto them to give a check to those disorders and confusions which by their practices and their preachings they had brought into it and thereby laid the ground of that woful schism which soon after followed And for a check to those disorders they published the Advertisement before remembred subscribed by the Archbishop of Canâ—erbury the Bishops of London Winchester Ely Lincoln Rochester and other of her Majesties Commissioners for Causes Ecclesiastical according to the Statute made in that behalf This was the only present remedy which could then be thought of And to prevent the like confusions for the time to come a Protestation was devised to be taken by all Parsons Vicars and Curates in their several stations by which they were required to declare and promise That they would not preach not publickly interpret but only read that which is appointed by publick authority without special Licence of the Bishop under his Seal that they would read the Service plainly distinctly and audibly that all the people might hear and understand that they would keep the Register book according to the Queens Majesties Injunctions that they would use sobriety in apparel and especially in the Church at Common Prayers according to Order appointed that they would move the Parishioners to quiet and concord and not give them cause of offence and help to reconcile them that be at variance to their utmost power that they would read dayly at the least one Chapter of the Old Testament and another of the New with good advisement to the increase of their knowledge that they would in their own persons use and exercise their Office and Place to the honour of God and the quiet of the Queens subjects within their charge in truth concord and unity as also observe keep and maintain such Order and Uniformity in all external Policy Rites and Ceremonies of the Church as by the Lawes good usages and Orders are already well provided and established and finally that they would not openly meddle with any Artificers occupations as covetously to seek a gain thereby having in Ecclesiastical Livings twenty Nobles or above by the year Which protestation if it either had been generally pressed upon all the Clergy as perhaps it was not or better kept by them that took it the Church might questionlesse have been saved from those distractions which by the Puritan Innovators were occasioned in it Anno Reg. Eliz. 8. A. D. 1565 1566. THus have we seen the publick Liturgy confirmed in Parliament with divers penalties on all those who either did reproach it or neglect to use it or wilfully withdrew their attendance from it the Doctrine of the Church declared in the Book of Articles agreed upon in Convocation and ratified in due form of Law by the Queens authority external matters in officiating Gods publick service and the apparel of the Clergy regulated and reduced to their first condition by the Books of Orders and Advertisements Nothing remaineth but that we settle the Episcopal Government and then it will be time to conclude this History And for the setling of this Government by as good authority as could be given unto it by the Lawes of the Land we aâ—e beholden to the obstinacy of Dr Edmond Bonner the late great slaughter-man of London By a Statute made in the last Parliament for keeping her Majesties Subjects in their due obedience a power was given unto the Bishops to tender and receive the oath of Supremacy of all manner of persons dwelling and residing in their several Diocesses Bonner was then prisoner in the Clink or Marshalsea which being in the Burrough of Southwark brought him within the Jurisdiction of Horn Bishop of Winchester by whose Chancellor the Oath was tender'd to him On the refusal of which Oath he is endicted at the Kings Bench upon the Statute to which he appeared in some Term of the year foregoing and desires that counsel be assigned to plead his cause according to the course of the Court The Court assigns him no worse men than Christopher Wâ—ay afterwards chief Justice of the Common Pleas that famous Lawyer Edmond
some be present to interpret XXIV Of speaking in the Congregation in such a Toung as the people understandeth It is a thing plainly repugnant to the VVord of God and the custom of the primitive Church to have publick prayer in the Church or to minister the Sacraments in a Tongue not understanded by the people XXVI Of the Sacraments Our Lord Jesus Christ gathered his people into a Society 22 by Sacraments very few in number most easie to be kept and of most excellent signification that is to say Baptism and the Supper of the Lord. The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon or to be carried about but that we should duly use them And in such onely as worthily receive the same they have a wholesome effect or operation not as some say Ex opere operato 24 Which terms as they are strange and utterly unknown to the Holy Scripture so do they yield a sense which savoureth of little piety but of much superstition but they that receive them unworthily receive to themselves damnation The Sacraments ordained by the Word of God be not onely badges or tokens of Christian mens profession but rather they be certain sure witnesses effectual signs of grace and Gods Good will toward us by the which he doth work invisibly in us and doth not onely quicken but also strengthen and confirm our faith in him XXV Of the Sacraments Sacraments ordained of Christ 23 be not onely badges and tokens of Christian mens profession but rather they be certain sure witnesses and effectual signes of Grace and Gods good-will towards us by the which he doth work invisibly in us and doth not onely quicken but also strengthen and confirm our faith in him There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Loâ—d in the Gospel that is to say Baptism and the â—upper of the Lord. Those five commonly called Sacraments 25 that is to say Confirmation Penance Orders Matrimony and Extream Unction are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel being such as have grown partly of the corrupt following of the Apostles partly are states of life allowed in the Scriptures but yet have not like nature of Sacraments with Baptism and the Lords Supper for that they have not any visible Sign or Ceremony ordained of God The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed on or to be carried about but that we should duly use them And in such onely as worthily receive the same they have a wholsome effect or operation But they that receive them unworthily purchase to themselves Damnation as St. Paul saith XXVII The wickedness of the Ministers takes not away the Efficacy of Divine Institutions Although in the visible Church the Evil be ever mingled with the Good and sometimes the Evil have chief Authority in the Ministration of the Word and Sacraments yet forasmuch as they do not the same in their own name but in Christs and do minister by his Commission and Authority we may use their Ministry both in hearing the Word of God and in receiving of the Sacraments Neither is the effect of Christs Ordinance taken away by their wickednesse nor the Grace of Gods of Gifts diminished from such as by faith and rightly do receive the Sacraments ministred unto them which be effectual because of Christs Institution and promise although they be ministred by evill men Neverthelesse it appertaineth to the Discipline of the Church that inquiry be made after them and that they be accused by those that have knowledge of their offences and finally being found guilty by just judgment be deposed XXVI Of the unworthiness of the Ministers which hinder not the Effect of the Sacraments Although in the visible Church the Evill be ever mingled c. that inquiry be made after evill Ministers c. XXVIII Of Baptism Baptism is not onely a sign of Profession and mark of Difference whereby Christian men are discerned from others that be not Christned but it is also a sign of Regeneration or new birth whereby as by an Instrument they that receive Baptism Rightly are grafted into the Church the promises of forgivnesse of sin and of our Adoption to be the sons of God by the holy Ghost are visibly signed and sealed Faith is confirmed and Grace increased by vertue of Prayer unto God The custom of the Church 26 for Baptising young Children is both to be commended and by all means to be retained in the Church XXVII Of Baptism Baptism is not onely a sign of Profession and mark of Difference c. The Baptism of young children is in any wise to be retained in the Church as most agreeable to the Institution of Christ. 27 XXIX Of the Lords Supper The Supper of the Lord is not onely a sign of the Love that Christians ought to have amongst themselves one to another but rather it is a Sacrament of our Redemption by Christs death Insomuch that to such as Rightly Worthily and with Faith receive the same the Bread which we break is a partaking of the Body of Christ and likewise the Cup of Blessing is a partaking of the Blood of Christ. Transubstantiation or the change of the substance of Bread and Wine in the Supper of the Lord cannot be proved by Holy Writ but it is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture and hath given occasion to many Superstitions Since the very beeing of human nature doth require 29 that the body of one and the same man cannot be at one and the same time in many places but of necessity must be in some certain and determinate place therefore the Body of Christ cannot be present in many different places at the same time And since as the holy Scriptures testifie Christ hath been taken up into Heaven and there is to abide till the end of the world it becommeth not any of the faithful to believe or professe that there is a Real or Corporal presence as they phrase it of the Body and Blood of Christ in the holy Eucharist The Sacrament of the Lords Supper was not by Christs Ordinance reserved carried about lifted up or worshiped XXVIII Of the Lords Supper The Supper of the Lord is not onely a sign of the Love c. but is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament 28 and hath given occasion to many Superstitions The Body of Christ is given taken and eaten in the Supper onely after an heavenly and spiritual manner 30 And the mean whereby the Body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper is Faith The Sacrament of the Lords Supper was not by Christs Ordinance c. _____ XXIX Of the Wicked which eat not the Body of Christ in the Lord's Supper 31 The wicked and such as be void of a lively faith although they do carnally and visibly presse with their teeth as St. Augustine saith the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ yet in no wise are they partakers of Christ but