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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A83496	Speeches and passages of this great and happy Parliament: from the third of November, 1640, to this instant June, 1641. Collected into one volume, and according to the most perfect originalls, exactly published.	England and Wales. Parliament.; Mervyn, Audley, Sir, d. 1675.; Pym, John, 1584-1643.; Strafford, Thomas Wentworth, Earl of, 1593-1641.	1641 (1641)	Wing E2309; Thomason E159_1; ESTC R212697	305,420	563

for the making of Lawes with him Now Sir the Legislative power is the greatest power and therefore coactive and it is the highest power and therefore independent and if every Estate for the proportion it hath therein should not have such a power it should not have it of right as founded in the Fabricke and frame of the policy and government but of Grace or by Commission as Dr. Beale affirmeth I have done with the first Canon onely I shall adde this that considering the principles and positions that are laid downe therein and comparing them with a clause towards the end of the Canon that in no case imaginable it is lawfull for subjects to defend themselves we may judge how farre forth these Canons were to prepare mens mindes for the force that was to follow after if the accusation against my Lord of Strafford bee layed aright For the matter it selfe I hope there will never be any need to dispute that question and I doe beleeve they had as little need to have published that position had it not beene upon designe As for the second Canon therein also they have assumed to themselves a Parliamentary power in taking upon them to appoynt Holidayes whereas the statute saith in expresse words that such dayes shall bee onely kept as Holy-dayes as are named in the Statute and no other and therefore though the thing may be bonum yet it was not done bene because not ordained by Parliament notwithstanding what hath beene alledged to the contrary it seemeth to mee to bee the appoynting of an Holy-day to set a time a part for Divine service and to force menunder penalties to leave their labours and businesse and to be present at it And of the same nature is that other clause in the same Canon wherein they take upon them without Parliament to lay a charge upon the people enjoyning two Bookes at least for that day to be bought at the charge of the parish for by the same right that they may lay a penny on the Parish without Parliament they may lay a pound or any greater summe As to the third Canon I shall passe it over onely the observation that my neighbour of the long Robe made upon it seemes unto me so good as that it is worth the repeating that whereas in the Canon against Sectaries there is an especiall proviso that it shall not derogate from any Statute or Law made against them as if their Canons had any power to disanull an act of Parliament there is no such proviso in this Canon against Papists from whence it may bee probably conjectured that they might have drawne some colour of exemption from the penall Lawes established against them from this Canon because it might seeme hard that they should be doubly punished for the same thing as wee know in the poynt of absence from the Church the Law provideth that if any man be first punished by the Ordinary he shall not be punished againe by the Iustices For the fourth Canon against Socinianisme therein also these Canon-makers have assumed to themselves a Parliament power in determining an Heresie not determined by Law which is expressely reserved to the determination of a Parliament It is true they say it is a complication of many heresies condemned in the four first Councells but they doe not say what those Heresies are and it is not possible that Socinianisme should bee formally cond●mned in these Councells for it is sprung up but of late Therefore they have taken upon them to determine and damne a Heresie and that so generally as that it may bee of very dangerous consequence for condemning Socinianisme for an heresie and not declaring what is Socinianisme it is left in their breasts whom they will judge and call a Socinian I would not have any thing that I have said to be interpreted as if I had spoken it in favour of Socinianisme which if it be such as I apprehend it to be is indeed a most vile and damnable heresie and therefore the framers of these Canons are the more to blame in the next Canon against Sectaries wherein besides that in the preamble thereof they lay it downe for a certaine ground which the holy Synod knew full well that other Sects which they extend not onely to Brownists and Separatists but also to all persons that for the space of a month doe absent themselves without a reasonable cause from their owne parish Churches doe equally endeavour the subversion of the Discipline and Doctrine of the Church of England with the Papists although the worst of them doe not beare any proportion in that respect to the Papists I say besides that they make them equall in crime and punishment to the Papists notwithstanding the great disproportion of their Tenents there is another passage in this Canon relative to that against Socinianisme which I shall especially offer to your consideration and that is this If a Gentleman comming from beyond Seas should happen to bring over with him a Booke contrary to the Discipline of the Church of England or should give such a Booke to his friend nay if any man should abett or maintaine an opinion contrary thereunto though it were but in Parliament if hee thought it fit to be altered by this Canon he is excommunicated ipso facto and lyeth under the same consideration and is lyable to the same punishment as if he had maintained an opinion against the Deity of Christ and of the Holy Ghost and of our Iustification by the satisfaction of Christ Sir if in things that are in their owne Nature indifferent if in things disputable it shall bee as hainous to abett or maintaine an opinion as in the most horrible and monstrous herefies that can be imagined what liberty is left to us as Christians What liberty is left to us as men I proceed to the sixt Canon wherein these Canonists have asumed to then selves a Parliamentary power and that in a very high degree in that they have taken upon them to impose new Oathes upon the Kings Subjects Sir under favour of what hath beene alleaged to the contrary to impose an Oath if it be not an higher power then to make a Law it is a power of making a Law of most high Nature and of higher and farther consequence then any other Law and I should much rather chuse that the Convocation should have a power to make Lawes to binde my person and my estate then that they should have a power to make Oathes to binde my Conscience a Law bindes me no longer than till another Law bee made to alter it but my Oath bindes mee as long as I live Againe a Law bindes me either to obedience or to undergoe the penalty inflicted by the Law but my Oath bindes mee absolutely to obedience And lastly a Law bindes me no longer than I am in the Land or at the farthest no longer than I am a member of the State wherein and whereby the Law is

thee are utterly deleated Many evidences there be in this part of the Communion of the bodily presence of Christ very agreeable to the doctrines taught by his Secretaries which this paper cannot containe They teach us that Christ is received in the Sacrament Corporaliter both objective and subjective Corpus Christi est objectum quod recipitur corpus nostrum subjectum quo recipitur The booke of England abolisheth all that may import the oblation of any unbloudy Sacrifice but here we have besides the Preparatorie oblation of the Elements which is neither to be found in the booke of England now nor in King Edwards booke of old the oblation of the body and bloud of Christ which Bellarmine calleth Sacrificium Laudis quia Deus per illud magnopore laudatur This also agreeth well with their late Doctrine We are ready when it shall be judged convenient and we shall be desired to discover much more matters of this kinde as grounds layd for missa sicca or the halfe masse the private masse without the people of communicating in one kinde Of the consumption by the Priest and consummation of the Sacrifice of receiving the Sacrament in the mouth and not in the hand c. Our Supplications were many against these bookes but Canterbury procured them to be answered with terrible Proclamations We were constrained to use the remedie of Protestation but for our protestations and other lawfull meanes which we used for our deliverance Canterbury procured us to be declared Rebels and Traytors in all the Parish Kirks of England when we were seeking to posse●●e our Religion in peace against these devices and Novations Canterbury kindled warre against us In all these it is knowne that he was though not the sole yet the principall Agent and Adviser When by the pacification at Barwick both Kingdoms looked for peace and quietnesse he spared not openly in the heating of many often before the King and privately at the Councell-Table and the privy Join to to speake of us as Rebels and Traytors and to speak against the pacification as dishonorable and meet to be broken Neither did his malignancie and bitternesse ever suffer him to rest till a new warre was entred upon and all things prepared for our destruction By him was it that our Covenant approven by Nationall Assemblies subscribed by his M. Commissioner and by the Lords of his M. Counsell and by them commanded to be subscribed by all the Subjects of the Kingdome as a testimony of our duty to God and the King by him was it still called ungodly damnable Treasonable by him were oathes invented and pressed upon divers of our poore Country-men upon the pain of imprisonment and many miseries which were unwarrantable by Law and contrary their Nationall oath When our Commissioners did appeare to render the reasons of our demands he spared not in the presence of the King and Committee to raile against our Nationall Assembly as not daring to appeare before the World and Kirks abroad where himselfe and his actions were able to endure tryall and against our just and necessary defence as the most malicious and Treasonable contempt of Monarchiall Government that any bygone Age hath heard of His hand also was at the Warrant for the restraint and imprisonment of our Commissioners sent from the Parliament warranted by the King and seeking the peace of the Kingdomes When we had by our Declarations Remonstrances and Representations manifested the truth of our intentions and lawfulnesse of our actions to all the good Subjects of the Kingdome of England when the late Parliament could not be moved to assist or enter in warre against us maintaing our Religion and liberties Canterbury did not onely advise the breaking up of that high and honorable Court to the great griefe and hazzard of the Kingdome but which is without example did sit still in the Convocation and make Canons and Constitutions against us and our just and necessary defence ordaining under all highest pains that hereafter the Clergie shall preach foure times in he yeare such doctrine as is contrary not only to our proceedings but to the doctrine and proceedings of other reform'd Kirks to the judgement of all sound Divines and politiques and tending to the utter slavery and ruining of all Estates and Kingdomes and to the dishonor of Kings and Monarchs And as if this had not been sufficient he procured six Subsidies to be lifted of the Clergie under pain of deprivation to all that should refuse And which is yet worse and above which malice it self cannot ascend by his means a prayer is framed printed and sent through all the Paroches of England to be sayd in all Churches in time of Divine Service next after the prayer for the Queene and Royall Progeny against our Nation by name of Trayterous Subjects having cast of all obedience to our annointed Soveraign and comming in a rebellious manner to invade England that shame may cover our faces as Enemies to God and the King Whosoever shall impartially examine what hath proceeded from himselfe in these two books of Canons and Common-prayer what Doctrine hath been published and printed these years by-past in England by his Disciples and Emissaries what grosse Poperie in the most materiall points we have found and are readie to shew in the posthume writings of the Prelate of Edinburgh and Damblane his own Creatures his nearest familiars and most willing instruments to advance his counsells and projects sall perceive that his intentions were deep and large against all the reformed Kirks and reformation of Religion which in his Majesties Dominions wes panting and by this time had rendred up the ghost if God had not in a wonderfull way of mercy prevented us and that if the Pope himselfe had been in his place he could not have been more popish nor could he more zealously have negotiated for Rome against the reformed Kirks to reduce them to the Heresies in Doctrine the Superstitions and Idolatry in worship and the Tyranny in Government which are in that Sea and for which the reformed Kirks did seperate from it and come forth of Babel From him certainly hath issued all this deluge which almost hath overturned all We are therefore confident that your Lordships will by your meanes deale affectually with the Parliament that this great firebrand be presently removed from his Majesties presence and that he may be put to triall and put to his deserved censure according to the Lawes of the Kingdome which sall be service to God honor to the King and Parliament terror to the wicked and comfort to all good men and to us in speciall who by his means principally have been put to so many and grievous afflictions wherein we had perished if God had not been with us We do indeed confesse that the Prelates of England have been of very different humors some of them of a more hot and others of them men of a more moderate temper some of them more and some

true Church hath not erred in Fundamentall points and that Salvation is attainable in that Religion and therefore have restrained to pray for the Conversion of our Soveraigne Lady the Queene Hence also hath come XIV The great Conformity and likenesse both continued and encreased of our Church to the Church of Rome in Vestures Postures Ceremonies and Administrations namely as the Bishops Rochets and the Lawne sleeves the foure-cornerd Cap the Cope and Surprisse the Tippet the Hood and the Canonicall Coat the Pulpits clothed especially now of late with the Jesuites Badge upon them every way XV. The standing up at Gloria Patri and at the reading the Gospell praying towards the East the bowing at the name of JESVS the bowing to the Altar towards the East Crosse in Baptisme the Kneeling at the Communion XVI The turning of the Communion Tables Altar-wise setting Images Crucifixes and Conceits over them and Tapers and Books upon them and bowing and adoring to or before them the reading of the second Service at the Altar and forcing people to come up thither to receive or else denying the Sacrament to them tearming the Altar to be the mercie-seat or the place of God Almighty in the Church which is a plaine device to usher in the Masse XVII The Christning and Consecrating of Churches and Chappell 's the Consecrating Fonts Pulpits Tables Chalices Churchyards and many other things and putting holinesse in them yea reconsecrating upon pretended pollution as though every thing were uncleane without their Consecrating and for want of this sundry Churches have beene interdicted and kept from use as polluted XVIII The Liturgie for the most part 's framed out of the Romish Breviary Ritualium masse-Masse-book also the book of Ordination for Archbishops and Ministers framed out of the Roman Pontificall XIX The multitude of Canons formerly made wherein among other things Excommunication ipso facto is denounced for speaking of a word against the devises above said or subscription thereunto though no Law enjoyned a restraint from the Ministry without such subscription and Appeale is den●ed to any that should refuse subscription or unlawfull conformity though he be never so much wronged by the inferiour Judge also the Canons made in the late sacred Synod as they call it wherein are many strange and dangerous Devices to undermine the Gospel and the Subjects liberties to propagate Popery to spoyle Gods people insnare Ministers and other Students and so to draw all into an absolute subjection and thral dome to them and their government spoyling both the King and the Parliament of their power XX. The countenancing plurality of Benefices prohibiting of Marriages without their Lycence at certaine times almost halfe the yeare and lycensing of Marriages without Banes asking XXI Prophanation of the Lords day pleading for it and enjoyning Ministers to read a Declaration set forth as 't is thought by their procurement for tolerating of sports upon that day suspending and depriving many godly Ministers for not reading the same onely out of Conscience it was agaist the Law of God so to doe and no Law of the Land to enjoyne it XXII The pressing of the strict observation of Saints Dayes whereby great summes of Moneyes are drawne out of Mens purses for working on them a very high burthen on most people who getting their living by their dayly imployments must either omit them and be idle or part with their money whereby many poore families are undone or brought behind-hand yea many Church-wardens are sued or threatned to be sued by their troublesome Ministers as persured persons for not presenting their Parishioners who say●ed in observing Holy-dayes XXIII The great encrease and frequencie of Whoredomes and Adulteries occasioned by the Prelates corrupt administration of Justice in such Cases who taking upon them the punishment of it doe turne all into moneyes for the filling of their purses and lest their Officers should defraud them of their gaine they have in their late Canon in stead of remedying their vices decreed that the Commutation of Pennance shall not be without the Bishops privity XXIV The generall abuse of that great ordinance of Excommunication which God hath left in his Church to be used as the last and greatest punishment the Church can inflict upon obstinate and great Offenders and that the Prelates and their Officers who of right have nothing to doe with it doe daily excommunicate men either for doing that which is lawfull or for vaine idle and triviall matters as working or opening a shop on a Holiday for not appearing at every beck upon their summons not paying a fee or the like yea they have made it as they doe all other things a hook or instrument wherewith to empty mens purses and to advance their owne greatnesse and so that sacred ordinance of God by their preventing of it becomes contemptible to all men and seldome or never used against notorious offenders who for the most part are their favourites XXV Yea further the pride and ambition of the Prelates being boundlesse unwilling to be subject to either man or Lawes they claime their Office and Jurisdiction to be Iure divino exercise Ecclesiasticall authority in their owne names and Rights and under their owne Seales and take upon them Temporall dignities Places and Offices in the Common-wealth that they may sway both swords XXVI Whence followes the taking Commissions in their owne Courts and Consistories and where else they sit in matters determinable of Right at Common Law the putting of Ministers upon Parishes without the Patrons peoples consent XXVII The imposing of Oathes of various and triviall Articles yearely upon Church-wardens and Side-men which without perjury unlesse they fall at jarres continually with their Ministers and Neighbours and wholly neglect their owne calling XXVIII The exercising of the Oath Ex Officio and other proceedings by way of Inquisition reaching even to mens thoughts the apprehending and detaining of men by Pursivants the frequent suspending and depriving of Ministers fining and imprisoning of all sorts of people breaking up of mens Houses and Studies taking away mens Books Letters and other writings seizing upon their Estates removing them from their callings seperating betweene them and their wives against both their wills the rejecting of prohibitions with threatnings and the doing of many other out-rages to the utter infringing the Lawes of the Realme and the Subjects liberties and arraigning of them and their Families and of latter time the Judges of the Land are so awed with the power and greatnesse of the Prelates and other wayes promoted that neither prohibition Habeas Corpus or any other lawfull remedy can be had or take place for the distressed Subjects in most Cases onely Papists Iesuits Priests and such others as propagate Popery or Arminianisme are countenanced spared and have much liberty and from hence followed amongst others these dangerous Consequences I. FIrst the generall hope and expectation of the Romish part that their superstitious Religion will ere long be

inclining and returning to Popery and the Religion of Antichirst as hath most cleerly appeared even in our daies as well as before since the restoring of Religion I shall for this time instance onely in three places of the Rubrick corrupted by Bishops In the Rubrick confirmed by act of Parliament in the beginning of it It is directed that prayer shall be in such place of the Church or Chancell and the Minister shall so turne him as the people may best heare In the Rubrick as it is now Printed prayer shall be used in the accustomed place c. except it shall be otherwise determined by the Ordinary Whereby they have introduced the Popish practice of reading Prayers at the upper end of the Chancell at their Altar where few in the Church can see them and fewer heare them and turning their faces to the East and their backs to the people in reading in the Desk and colour all with the determination of the Ordinary Secondly in the Letany there are these words in the book of Common prayer confirmed by the Statutes of 5. and 6. Ed. 6. and of 1 Eliz. From the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and all his detestable enormities good Lord deliver us and that the Bishops in the latter books have caused to be left out wholly Thirdly in the Rubrick concerning the administration of the Lords Supper as it stands now altered an excellent declaration of the reason why kneeling at this Sacrament was left in the reformation and a renunciation of Transubstantiation Consubstantiation adoration of the bread and wine as abhominable Idolatries are wholly obliterate and left out that the use of that gesture there might be rendred the more suspicious and superstitious and a more clear way might be made to induce the Popish superstitious innovations that have been since obtruded upon us concerning the Table Altar supreminent presence of God almighty there cringings Altar-worship and the like And I conceive alterations were made by the Bishops as appeares unto me by the Proclamation they procured to be set forth 5. Martii 1. Jac. concerning the booke of Common prayer And how can things prosper better in the hands of the Episcopacy when Gods blessing alone giveth out prosperity and the Lord disposeth his blessing in his owne way only and not in any other And this being no plant planted by God in his Church how can it be expected it should yeeld us any better fruits then we have received from it Againe if I be not much deceived the Episcopacy in whatsoever it exceeds the Presbyters office in which sense only I speak of it is abranch of the Hierarchy of Rome and of the Antichrist and of that consider what is prophesied Revel 14.11 They shall not have any rest day nor night that receive any print of the name of the Beast and examine the former and present times whether the same hath not been verified among us and in all such places where that Hierarchy hath been entertained whether the most troubles and miseries of the Churches and in great part also of the Common-wealth have not sprung from the said Episcopacy and the fruites thereof Therefore let us proceed to the perfecting of the Reformation of our Church and to the gathering out of it every stone that offends even whatsoever is not according to God and the standard of his word and reduce every thing in the government to the rule and walke in it in Gods way which is the sure way to have his presence with us and blessing upon us and ours for ever It hath ever been a point of higher honour from God and of greater acceptance and esteem with him to advance the reformation of his Church and worship 2 Cro. 17.6 3. iI● 1 Kings 15.14 2 Kings 12.3 1 Cron. 28.16 Zac. 4.7 and was ever will be a reproach from him and blot upon such as have left any thing not agreeable to his word unreformed and not taken away Up then let us be doing and the Lord will goe before us and make plain all mountains that may occurre in our way and give a blessed issue and successe To the honorable Houses of Parliament now assembled The humble Petition of many of the Inhabitants within his Majesties County of Kent Most humbly shewing THat by sad experience we doe daily finde the Government of the Church of England by Arch-Bishops Bishops Deans and Arch-Deacons with their Courts Jurisdictions and Administrations by them and their inferiour Officers to be very dangerous both to Church and Commonwealth to be the occasions of manifold Grievances unto his Majesties Subjects in their Consciences Liberties and Estates and likely to be fatall unto us in the continuance thereof the dangerous effects of which Lordly power in them have often appeared in these particulars following 1 They doe with a hard hand over-rule all other Ministers subjecting them to their cruell Authority 2 They doe suspend and deprive many godly Religious and painfull Ministers upon sleight and upon no grounds whilest in the mean time few of them preach the Word of God themselves and that but seldome but they doe restrain the painfull preaching of others both for Lectures and for afternoon Sermons on the Sabbath day 3 They doe countenance and have of late encouraged Papist Priests and Arminian books and persons 4 They hinder good and godly books yet they doe license to be published many Popish and Arminian and other dangerous Books and Tenents 5 They have deformed our Churches with Popish Pictures and seated them with Romish Altars 6 They have of late extolled and commended much the Church of Rome denying the Pope to be Antichrist affirming the Church of Rome to be a true Church in Fundamentals 7 They have practised and enforced antiquated and obsolete Ceremonies as standing at all Hymns and at Gloria patri turning to the East at severall parts of the Divine Service Bowing at the Altar which they term the place of Gods Refidence upon earth the reading of a second Service at the Altar and denying the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist to such as have not come up to the new set rayl before the Altar 8 They have made and confirmed new illegall Canons and Constitutions and framed a most pernitious and desperate Oath an Oath of covenant and confederacy for their own Hierarchicall greatnesse besides many other very dangerous and pernitious passages in the said Canons 9 They doe dispense with pluralities of Benefices they doe both prohibit and grant Marriages neither of them by the rule of Law or Conscience but doe prohibit that they may grant and grant that they may have money 10 They have procured a licentious liberty for the Lords day and have pressed the strict observation of the Saints Holydayes and doe punish suspend and deprive godly Ministers for not publishing that book for liberty of sports on the Sabbath day 11 They doe generally abuse the great Ordinance of Excommunication making a great gain of it

of Rome doth eate into our Religion and fret into he banks and walls of it the Lawes and Statutes of this Realme especially since these Lawes have beene made in a manner by themselves even by their owne Treasons and bloudy designes and since that Poperie is a consused masse of errors casting downe Kings before Popes the Precepts of God before the tradition of men living and reasonable men before dead and sencelesse stocks and stones I desire that we consider the encrease of Arminianisme and errors that makes the grace of God to lackie it after the will of man that makes the Sheepe keepe the Shepheard and make an immortall seed of a mortall God Yea I desire that we looke into the very belly and bowells of this Trojan horse to see if there be not in it men readie to open the gates of Romish tyranny and Spanish Monarchie for an Arminian is the spaune of a Papist and if their come the warmth of favour upon him you shall have him turne into one of those frogs that arise out of the bottomelesse pit and if you marke it well you shall see an Arminian reach out his hand to a Papist to a Jesuite a Jesuite gives one hand to the Pope another to the King of Spaine and therein having kindled a fire in our neighbors Countrey now they have brought some of it hither to set on flame this kingdome also Let us further search and consider whether these be not the men that breake in upon the goods and liberties of this Common-wealth for by these meanes they may make way for the taking away of Religion It was an old tricke of the Devills when he meant to take away Jobs Religion he began at his goods Lay thy hand on all be hath and be will curse even to thy face Rather they thinke hereby to set a distance betweene Prince and people or to finde some other way of supply to avoyd or breake Parliaments that so they may break in upon our Religion and bring in their errors but let us doe as Job did he held fast his Religion and his goods were restored with advantage and if we hold fast God and our Religion these things shall be unto us Let us consider the times past how we flourished in honor and abundance when Religion flourished amongst us but when Religion decayed so the honour and strength of our Nation decayed when the soul of this Common-wealth is dead the bodie cannot long over live it If a man meete a Dogge alone the Dog is fearefull but though never so fierce by nature if that Dog have his Master by him he will set upon that man from whom he fied before This shewes the lower natures being back't with the higher increase in courage and strength and certainly man being back't with omnipotence is a kinde of omnipotence Wherefore let it now be the unanimous consent and resolution of us all to make a vow and Covenant from henceforth to hold fast on God and his Religion and then may we from henceforth expect prosperitie in the Kingdome and Nation to this Covenant Let every one of us say Amen The Accusation and Impeachment of Sir George Ratcliffe by the Commons in this present Parliament Assembled Charging him with High-Treason and other misdemeanours as ensue 1640. IMprimis That he had conspired with the Earle of Strafford to bring into Ireland an Arbitrary Government and to subvert the fundementall Lawes and did joyn with the Earle to bring in an Armie from Ireland to subdue the Subjects of England Secondly That he hath joyned with the Earle to use Regall power and to deprive the Subjects of their liberties and properties Thirdly That he hath joyned with the Earle to take _____ thousand pounds out of the Exchequer in Ireland and bought Tobacco therewith and converted the same profits to their own uses Fourthly That he had Trayterously confederated with the Earle to countenance Papists and build Monasteries to alienate the affections of the Irish Subjects from the subjection of England Fiftly That he had Traiterously confederated with the Earle to draw the Subjects of Scotland from the King Sixthly That to preserve himselfe and the sayd Earle he had laboured to subvert the liberties and priviledges of Parliament in Ireland The Charge of the Scottish Commissioners against the Prelate of CANTERBVRY NOvations in Religion which are universally acknowledged to be the maine cause of commotions in Kingdomes and States and are knowne to be the true cause of our present troubles were many and great beside the book of Ordination and Homilies 1. Some particular alterations in matters of Religion pressed upon us without order and against Law contrary to the forme established in our Kirk 2. A new booke of Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiasticall 3. A Liturgy or booke of Common-prayer which did also carry with them many dangerous errors in matters of Doctrine Of all which we challenge the Prelate of Canterburie as the prime cause on earth And first that this Prelate was the Author and urger of some particular changes which made great disturbance amongst us we make manifest 1. By fourteen letters subscribed W. Cant. in the space of two yeares to one of our pretended Bishops Bannatine wherein he often enjoyneth him and other pretended Bishops to appeare in the Chappell in their whites contrary to the custome of our Kirk and to his promise made to the pretended Bishop of Edinburgh at the Coronation that none of them after that time should be pressed to weare these garments thereby moving him against his will to put them on for that time wherein he directeth him to give order for saying the English Service in the Chappell twice a day for his neglect shewing him that he was disappointed of the Bishopricke of Edinburgh promising him upon the greater care of these Novations advancement to a better Bishoprick taxing him for his boldnesse in Preaching the sound Doctrine of the reformed Kirks against Master Mitchell who had taught the errors of Arminius in the point of the extent of the merit of Christ bidding him send up a list of the names of Councellours and Senators of the Colledge of Justice who did not communicate in the Chappell in a forme which was not received in our Kirk commending him when he found him obsequious to these his commands telling him that he had moved the King the second time for the punishment of such as had not received in the Chappell and wherein he upbraided him bitterly that in his first Synod at Aberdein he had only disputed against our custome of Scotland of fasting sometimes on the Lords day and presumptuously censuring our Kirk that in this we were opposite to Christianity it selfe and that amongst us there were no Canons at all More of this stuffe may be seen in the letters themselves Secondly by two papers of memoirs and instructions from the pretended Bishop of Saint Androis to the pretended Bishop of Rosse comming to this Prelate for ordering the