encreased the number of Christian folk daily waxing greater IX That no man commit Advoutry nor Fornication that no man forsake his own Wife but for onely Fornication as the holy Gospel teacheth And if any Man put away his Wife being lawfully married unto him if he will be a right Christian Man let him be joyned to none other but let him so continue still sole or else be reconciled again to his own Wife This Synod Stapleton calleth the first of the English Nation that is whose Canons are completely extant Theodorus Archbishop of Canterbury envyed Wilfrid Bishop of York and endeavoured that the Diocess of York might be divided whereat Wilfrid being offended goes to Rome and in his passage thither by a Tempest he is cast on the Shoar of Freezland in Belgia where the Inhabitants as yet Pagans were by his Preaching converted to Christianity Returning into England he returned not unto York but stayed in the Pagan Kingdom of the South Saxons who also by God's blessing on his endeavours were perswaded to embrace the Christian Faith These South Saxons of all the seven Kingdomes were the last that were converted to Christ and yet their Countrey was next in situation unto Kent where the Gospel was first planted Indeed Edilwalck their King was a little before Christened by the perswasion of Wolpher King of Mercia who was his God-father and at his Baptizing gave him for a gift the Isle of Wight Provinciam Meanvarorum in Gente occidentalium Saxonum but his Countrey still remained in Paganism And although Dicul a Scot with six others had a small Monastery at Bosenham in Sussex yet they were more careful of their own safety than of their Neighbours conversion Wilfrid builded an Abbey in Selsey in Sussex he taught the South Saxons the craft of fishing Cedda the Bishop of West Saxons died and his Deacon Wenfrede was his successor Soon after this time died Wina Bishop of London after whom was Bishop Erkenwald who founded the Monasteries of Chertsey in Surrey and Barking in Essex But that of Chertsey was thrown down by the Danes and re-edified by Edgar King of England Then Theodorus kept a Synod or Council of Bishops at Hatfield by authority of which Council he divided the Province of Mercia that Sexwolphus then ruled alone into five Bishopricks that is one to Chester the second to Worcester the third to Lichfield the fourth to Cedema in Lindsey and the fifth to Dorchester Cadwallader the last King of Wales wearied out with Wars Famine and Pestilence left his own Land and with some small treasure fled to Alan King of Little Britain He was the last King of the stock of Britains After he had reigned three years he went to Rome and there died and was buried in the Church of St. Peter with this Epitaph upon his Tomb. Culmen opus sobolem pollentia regna triumphos Eximias proceros moenia castra lares Quaeque patrum virtus quae congesserat ipse Cadwald armipotens linquit amore Dei The which verses are thus Englished by Fabian Fabian's Chr. part 5. Abounding riches kinred triumph assured Plenteous wealth with clothes richly dyght Houses Castles and Towns strongly mured And other honours which by his Parents Might And his own this Martial vertuous Knight Cadwald the strong descended of Knight's blood For Christ's love renounced all his good About the year 692. Ina King of the West Saxons set forth his Saxon Laws translated into English by Mr. Lambert he enacted many Laws viz. De regula vivendi Ministrorum Dei de Infantibus baptizandis de censu Ecclesiae c. Anno 694. a great Council was held at Becanceld by Withred King of Kent and Bertuald Archbishop of Britain wherein many things were concluded in favour of the Church Five Kentish Abbesses namely Mildred Ethelred Aete Wilnolde and Hereswide were not onely present but subscribed their names and crosses to the Constitutions concluded therein And we may observe that their subscriptions are placed not onely before and above all Presbyters but also above Botred a Bishop present in this Council There was likewise a Council held at Berghamsteed by Withred King of Kent Then Bishop Wilfrid was removed to York again where he continued not long and being thence expelled again he was for a time made Bishop of Leicester CENT VIII WIlfrid was troubled by the Archbishop of Canterbury he appealeth to Rome and is acquitted he is at last restored and died in peace in the LXXVI year of his age having been 45. years a Bishop and was buried in his Monastery at Rippon Camden's Brit. in Wiltshire The Bishoprick of Sherborn having been taken out of the Bishoprick of Winchester by King Ina Adelme his Kinsman was made first Bishop thereof This Adelme was the first of our English Nation who wrote in Latine and the first that taught our English Nation to make Latine verse according to his promise Primus ego in patriam mecum modo vita supersit Aonio rediens deducam vertice Musas If life me last that I do see That native soil of mine From Aon top I 'l first with me Bring down the Muses nine He wrote many Books one of Virginity another of the Celebration of Easter And about this time the Libraries of Monasteries began to be replenished with Books many being written in that Age. In this age there were many Saints such as they were of Royal or Noble extraction of these Noble Saints St. Guthlake a Benedictine Monk was the first Saxon that professed an Eremetical life in England he was a Monk in the Abbey of Repyndon and the third year after he went to Crowland that is the raw or crude Land a fenny place in Lincoln-shire and there led for a while an Anchoret's life and there finally was buried in which Isle and place of his burying was built a fair Abbey About the year 709. a Synod was assembled at Alncester in Worcester-shire to promote the building of Evesham Abbey which was done accordingly and the same was bountifully endowed by Offa and other Mercian Kings with large revenues And not long after another Synod was called at London to introduce into England the doctrine of Image-worship now first beginning to appear in the publick practice of it Now also flourished another Noble-born Saint viz. John of Beverley Archbishop of York a Learned Man and who gave the education to one more Learned than himself I mean Venerable Bede who acknowledgeth that he received the order of Priesthood from him About this time it was fashionable for Kings and Queens in England to renounce the World and turn Monks and Nuns commonly in Convents of their own Foundation but they had an high opinion to merit Heaven thereby Among the Saxon Princes who thus renounced the World in this and the next Century these nine following were the principal 1. Kinigilsus King of West Saxons 2. Ina King of West Saxons 3. Ceololfus King of Northumberland 3. Edbertus King of
about him but more at the great noise not long after raised about the seduceing of the Countess of Newport to the Church of Rome effected by the practices of Walter Mountague a younger Son of the Earl of Manchester and the importunities of Toby Mathews an undeserving Son of a worthy Father Con interposing in it as he found occasion Wherefore he passionately besought the King that they might be barred either from coming into the Court at all or to give no offence and scandal to their misbehaviours Hereupon Mountague and Mathews were discharged the Court the one betaking himself to his Countrey-practice the other for a time to his former Travels in France and Italy The next year he moved for a Proclamation for the calling in of a Popish Book written in French by Francis Sales Bishop of Geneva translated into English entitled an Introduction to a holy life The Printer was thereupon apprehended and the Translator diligently sought for to be brought to Justice His Majesty caused the said Book to be called in and as many as could be seized on to be publickly burned But that which did most generally vindicate the Archbishop's reputation was the enlarging and re-printing of his Conference with Fisher the Jesuite even then when the Libellers were most fierce against him to which he had been moved by some private friends and afterwards advised to it by the King himself at the Council-Table Now as he laboured by these means to preserve the Church of England from the growth of Popery so he took care for preventing the subversion of it by the spreading of Socinian Heresies He also procured a Decree to pass in Star-chamber to regulate the Trade of Printing and prevent all abuses of that Excellent Art to the disturbance of the Church Many Lecturers who had been super-inducted into other Men's Cures had deserted their Stations Heylin's Hist of Archbish Laud. because they would not read the Common-prayer in their Hoods and Surplices And as for the position of the Communion-Table it was no longer left to private Instructions as it was at the first It now began to be more openly avowed in the Visitation Articles of several Bishops and Archdeacons The people in many trading Towns which were near the Sea having been long discharged of the bond of Ceremonies no sooner came to hear of the least noise of a Conformity but they spurn at it And finding that they had lost the comfort of their Lecturers and that their Ministers began to shrink at the name of a Visitation it was no hard matter for those Ministers and Lecturers to perswade them to remove their dwellings and transport their Trades Among the first which separated upon this account were Goodwyn Nye Burroughs Bridge and Symson who taking some of their followers with them betook themselves unto Holland Goodwyn and Nye retired to Arnheim a Town of Gelderland Symson and Bridge fixed at Rotterdam where Burroughs placed himself I am yet to seek These men embraced Robinson's moddel of Church-government in their Congregations consisting of a co-ordination of several Churches for their mutual comfort not a subordination of one to the other in the way of direction or command Hence came that name of Independents continued unto those among us who neither associate themselves with the Preâ—byterians nor embrace the frenzies of the Anabaptists But Rotterdam grew too narrow a place for Bridge and Symson and Symson was forced to leave it and Ward who succeeded him tarried not long More unity there was at Arnheim But the Brethren of the Separation in England desiring elbow-room cast their eye chiefly on New-England a Countrey first discovered to any purpose by Captain Gosnold Anno 1602. and in the next year surveyed more perfectly by some of Bristol afterwards granted by King James Anno 1606. unto a Corporation of Knights Gentlemen and Merchants to be planted and disposed of for the Publick under the direction of Chief Justice Popham by whom a Colony was sent thither in the year next following at what time they built St. George's Fort to secure their Haven It never setled into form till the building of New-Plinmouth Anno 1620. New-Bristol New-Boston and New-Barnstable being quickly added to the other De Laet lib. 3. ca. 8. De Laet a good Chorographer informeth us in his Description of America that the first Planters and those which followed after them were altogether of that Sect which in England were called Brownists many of which had formerly betaken themselves to Holland but afterwards departed thence to joyn with their Brethren in New-England In this estate they stood Anno 1633. when John de Laet gave that character of them Whatsoever were the causes of their separation Doctor Heylin saith the crime was laid on the Archbishop of Canterbury and among the Articles of his Impeachment by the House of Commons we find this for one viz. That in his own person and his Suffragans Visitors Chancellors c. he had caused divers learned pious and orthodox Preachers of God's Word to be silenced susppended deprived excommunicated or otherwise grieved and vexed without any just cause c. and caused divers of his Majesties Subjects to forsake the Kingdom Hereupon saith Doctor Heylin so is the Judge to be accused for all those mischiefs which the condemned Malefactors when they once break prison may design and execute And saith my Author further the principal Bell-weathers of these Flocks were Cotton Chauncy Wells Hooker and perhaps Hugh Peters It was once under consultation to send a Bishop over to them for their better government and back him with some Forces to compel if he he were not otherwise able to perswade obedience But this design was strangled in the first conception by the violent breakings out of the Troubles in Scotland where the Covenanters now began to raise Arms levy Souldiers invite home their Commanders abroad impose Taxes upon the people seize some of the King's Castles raise Fortifications prepare for a War and chose old David Lesley for their General Saunderson of the Reign of King Charles To pacifie these distempers Hamilton is designed for the King's High-Commissioner into Scotland The Bishops and others advised the King to have delegated the Marquiss of Huntley for his High-Commissioner to manage the Affairs of Scotland Hamilton trifleth away the time from July 32. 1637. until June 6. 1638. with Declarations Proclamations Messages Letters while the Scots raised Officers Arms Ammunition from abroad four months more in vain Disputes and three Journeys to the King and back again with the expence of so much money as might have reduced them by reward or power On May 26. he sets forward for Scotland and coming to Edenborough puts himself into Holy-Rood-house where the first thing he did was the waving of his attendance at the reading of the English Liturgy Then he published the King's gratious Proclamation for the nulling of Service-book and High-Commission promising an Assembly to be held at
an old City in Oxford-shire was made the seate of Birinus his Bishoprick Sussex and the Isle of Wight also were converted About this time Honorius Arch-Bishop of Canterbury divided England so much thereof as was Christian into Parishes Anno 64â— the first lent began in those parts of England which obeyed the Roman celebration of Easter Oswald King of Northumberland fighting at Maserfield since Oswastrey in Shrop-shire against Penda the Pagan Prince of Mercia Fabian Chronic part 5. was overthrown slain and his Bodie most barbarously abused and chopped in pieces Oswy his youngeâ— brother recovered his Kingdome after one year and buried his head in the Church-yard of Lyndesar Sigebert was perswaded by his Monks to enter into a Cloister his end was lamentable for when he had given over his Kingdome to his Cousin Egrick the forenamed Penda entred his Kingdome with an Army his subjects forced him to go into the field where both he and Egrick were slain Others say he was murdered by two Villains Penda Prince of Mercia having married Alfreda Daughter of Oswy King of Northumberland renounced Paganism embraced Christianity and propogated it in his Dominions Indeed Penda his father that persecutor of piety was yet alive and survived two years after persisting an Heathen till death but mollified to permit a toleration of Christianity in his Subjects From Colmkil as a most famous Seminary of learning at that time sprang forth those who not onely did resist the beginnings of Anti-Christian pride at home and in our neighbour-Country but they sowed the seed of the Gospel in other Nations Such was that famous Rumold who was called Mechlinensis Apostolus Pappas in histor convers Gent. Gallus brought Helvetia from Paganism as Pappas witnesseth built sundry Monasteries there Calumban a man of excellent holiness and learning lived sometime in Bangor and thence went into Burgundy where he began the Monasterie Luxovien and taught the Monks of his own Country especially to live by the works of their own hands Platina in Bonifacio quarto Also because he rebuked Theodorick for his leacherous life he was forced to flie and visited sundry parts of Germany thence he went into Italy and began another Abby on the Appennine Hills beside Bobium in Tuscany Levin also tur nd many to the faith about Ghent and Esca Furseus and his brother Fullan with two Presbyters Gobban and Dicul obtained land from Sigebert King of Essex and built the Abby of Cnobsherburg and passing into France he began the Abby at Latiniac where he died Diuma was ordained first Bishop of Mercia where he converted many to the Faith in the reign of the Christian Penda and for his rare gifts the Bishoprick of Middlesex was committed to his charge unto whom succeeded Cella a Scot. Also Florentius went to Argentine or Strausburg and was the first Bishop thereof he opened the first School in Alsatia about the year 669. Kilian the first Bishop of Wortsburg did first instruct the people of East France in the Christian Faith Anno. 668. Colonat a Priest and Thomas a Deacon followed him in all his Travels Burcard succeeded to whom King Pippin gave a Dukedome and from thence among all the Bishops of Germany onely the Bishop of Wortsburg carieth a Sword and Priests Gown in his badge Unto these Scots John Pappas joyneth some Britans as Willibrod Reformer of Frisia and two brethren Evaldi the one Sirnamed the Black the other the White John Pappas saith they converted the West-phalians to the Christian Faith and suffered Martyrdome near Bremen John Bale sheweth their Death Pope Agatho sent John the Arch-chaunter of St. Peters in Rome into England to compose the difference betwixt Honoricus and Wilfrid the two Archbishops and withal to deliver them the Acts of Pope Martin the first and to teach them to sing the Liturgy according to the custom of Rome Benedictus Biscopius a Nobleman of England went to Rome in the service of the Church and brought many Books into the Monasteries of Tinmouth and Wirmouth The first Glass in this Island is said to be his gift Mark what Beda saith of the custom in those dayes Then they never came into a Church but onely for hearing the Word and Prayer no word of the Mass the King would come with five or six and he stayed till the Prayer was ended All the care of these Doctors was to serve God not the World to feed Souls not their own Bodies wherefore in those dayes wheresoever a Clerk or Monk did come he was received as a Servant of God If he were seen journeying they were glad to be signed with his Hand or blessed with his Mouth and they gave good heed unto the words of his Exhortation And on the Lord's day they came in Flocks to the Church or Monasteries not to refresh their Bodies nor to hear Masses but to hear the Word and if any Priest entred into a Village incontinently all the People would assemble being desirous to hear the Word of Life for neither did the Priests go into Villages upon any other occasion except to Preach or visit the Sick or to feed Souls At that time the Clergy and Monks in England had liberty to Marry Then Theodorus who succeeded Deus-dedit Bishop of Canterbury brought many Books thither erecting a well-furnished Library and teaching his Clergy how to make use thereof He rigorously pressed Conformity to Rome in the observation of Easter and to that purpose a Council was called at Hartford here Easter was setled according to the Romish Rite In this Synod nine other Articles were concluded of as Stapleton hath thus Translated them out of Bede Lib. 4. c. 5. I. That no Bishop should have ought to do in another's Diocess but be contented with the charge of the people committed unto him II. That no Bishop should any-wise trouble such Monasteries as were Consecrated and given to God nor violently take from them ought was theirs III. That Monks should not go from one Monastery to another unless by the leave of their own Abbot but should continue in the obedience which they promised at the time of their conversion and entrance into Religion IV. That none of the Clergy forsaking his own Bishop should run up and down where he lists nor when he came any whither should be received without Letters of Commendation from his Diocesan c. V. That such Bishops and Clerks as are strangers be content with such Hospitality as is given them and that it be lawful for none of them to execute any Office of a Priest without the permission of the Bishop in whose Diocess they are known to be VI. It hath seemed good to us all that a Synod and Convocation should be Assembled once a year on the first day of August at the place called Clofeshooh VII That no Bishop should ambitiously prefer himself above another but should all acknowledge the time and order of their consecration VIII That the number of the Bishops should be
Northumberland 5. Ethelred King of Mercia 6. Kenred King of Mercia 7. Offa King of East Saxons 8. Sebbi King of East Saxons 9. Sigebert King of East Angles Ina builded the Abbey at Glastonbury in the 32 year of his Reign Sir H. Speâ—m in conciliis besides his bounty to other Churches he bestowed on the Church of Glastonbury two thousand six hundred pounds weight in the Utensils thereof of massy Gold and Silver He was the first King of this Land that granted a penny out of every fire-house in England to be paid to the Court of Rome which was called long after Rome-scot or Peter-pence and was to be paid on St. Peters day After this he went to Rome in Pilgrimage in the fellowship of poor Men and there built a School for the English and a Church adjoyning to it to bury their dead But Winnifrid an English Man about this time converted to Christ the Provinces of Franconia and Hassia in Germany About the same time flourished Bede a Presbyter in the Monastery of Weremouth near Durham he was born at Girwy now in the Bishoprick of Durham brought up by St. Cuthbert and was the profoundest Scholar of his Age for Latine Greek Philosophy History Divinity Mathematicks Musick and what not Homilies of his making were read in his life-time in the Christian Churches a dignity afforded to him alone He wrote the Ecclesiastical History and dedicated it to Ceolwolfus King of Northumberland He is generally sirnamed Venerable and is still accounted worthy of that Title He was credulous in believing of false Miracles and slipped into some corruptions of the times as Chrism and Confession yet even in these he differed from the latter times In the Articles of positive Doctrine he was clear He did observe and deplore the growing corruptions of the Church for in an Epistle to Ecbert he did not approve the specious and spacious buildings of Monasteries and else-where he saith Let the Reader behold with tears a thing worthy of tears how far the Church slideth daily into a worse or to speak moderately into a weaker estate He wrote many Books as John Bale testifieth He lived 72 years and died Anno 734. At that time began the general viciousness of the Saxons occasioned by the uncleanness of Ethelbald King of Mercia whose unlawful lust made no difference of Places or Persons Castles or Cloisters Then Boniface an English Man having boldly reproved Ethelbald for Adultery and Tyranny was forced by that King who sought his life to fly to Rome from whence Gregory the second Bishop of Rome sent him into Germany to convert the Saxons He caused the Monastery of Eulda to be built in favour of the English and was slain at Borna being Bishop of Mentz Afterwards Ethelbald reformed himself and not onely so but with Cuthbert Archbishop of Canterbury called a Council at Cliffe in Kent the Acts of this Synod were 31 Canons four whereof I shall set down as being the chief I. That the Priests learn and teach to know the Creed Lord's Prayer and words of Consecration in the Eucharist in the English Tongue II. That the Lord's day be honourably observed III. That the sin of drunkenness be avoyded especially in the Clergy IV. That Prayers be publikely made for Kings and Princes King Ethelbald and Offa were present and they two with many Dukes and Counts confirm the Decrees with their subscriptions About the year 755 Kenulphus King of West Saxons conferred large priviledges on the Monastery of Abbingdon in Bark-shire Anno 758. Bodies were first brought to be buried in Churches which by degrees brought in much superstition In the year 789. the Danes first invaded England Danes their first arrival in England with a considerable Army The landing of these Danes in England was ushered with many sad Prognosticks Stars were seen strangely falling from Heaven and sundry terrible flames appeared in the Skies Serpents were seen in Sussex and blood reigned in some parts of this Land Lindesfern or Holy Island was the first that felt the fury of these Pagans but soon after no place was secure from their cruelty At this time the Archbishoprick of Canterbury was in part removed to Lichfield by reason of the Puissance and Ambition of Offa King of Mercia commanding in chief over England Ethelbert King of the East Saxons went to Marry the Daughter of Offa and Offa perfidiously caused him to be murdered After which he gave the tenth part of all that he had unto the Church and several Lands to the Church of Hereford and then he went to Rome and there confirmed and enlarged to Pope Adrian the gift of Peter-pence Then was the corps of St. Alban in pompous manner taken up enshrined and adored by the spectators Offa being at Rome procured the Canonization of St. Alban the absolution of his own sins and many murders and visited and endowed the English Colledge there and then returning home he Founded the Monastery of St. Albans bestowing great Lands and liberties upon it as freeing it from the payment of Peter-pence Episcopal jurisdiction and the like Next year Offa died and was buried at Bedford Then flourished Alcuinus or Albinus Scholar to Venerable Bede and Tutor to Charles the Great who in an Epistle written to him calleth him Master of whom Trithemius give 's this character R. Hoveden Annal. part 1. Vir in divinis Scripturis eruditissimus in secularium literarum peritia nulli suo tempore secundus He opposed the Canons of the second Nicene Council wherein the Superstitious adoration of Images was enjoyned He wrote divers Books against the Errors of Felix and Eliphant Felix in reading them wrote a Recantation to the Presbyters and Deacons of his Church His Books de Trinitate are written so clearly that Sixtus Senensis saith they were written by John Calvin and published in the name of Alcuinus but Dr. James saith that ancient Copies thereof were in the Prince's library at St. James and they were Printed at Lions Anno 1525. when Calvin had not begun to write Egbert King of the West Saxons in the year 800. having vanquished Tho. Cooper Mercia Kent Essex and Northumberland made himself sole Monarch of England and fixed the supreme Sovereignty in himself and posterity For though afterward there continued some petty Kings as Kenulph King of Mercia c. yet they shined but dimly and in the next Age were utterly extinguished Egbert commanded this Land to be called Anglia and the Inhabitants Angles or English Men. CENT IX ANno 801. the Archbishoprick was restored to Canterbury at the instance of Kenulph King of Mercia Then Ethelard the Archbishop called a Synod at Clivesho in Kent where by power from the Pope he riveted the Archbishoprick into the City of Canterbury The subscriptions in this Council were the most formal and solemn of any so Antient. There was likewise at Celichyth an eminent Council under Wolphred who succeeded Ethelard Archbishop of Canterbury King Egbert was now
Alfred dedit probitasque laborem Perpetuumque labor nomen immixta dolori Gaudia semper erant spes semper mixta timori c. Englished by Mr. Flemming Nobility by birth to thee O Alfred strong in Armes Of goodness hath thy honour given And honour toilsome harmes And toilsome harmes an endless name Whose joyes ere alwayes mixt With sorrow and whose hope with fear Was evermore perplext If this day thou wast Conqueror The next day's War thou dread'st If this day thou wast Conquered To next day's War thou spread'st Whose cloathing wet with a daily swet Whose blade with bloody stain Do prove how great a burden 't is In Royalty to reign There hath not been in any part Of all the World so wide One that was able breath to take And troubles such abide And yet with Weapons weary would Not Weapons lay aside Or with the Sword the toilsomness Of Life by Death divide Now after labours past of Realm And Life which he did spend Christ is to him true quietness And Scepter voyd of end In this King's reign flourished Johannes Scotus Erigena with addition sometimes of Sophista born in Ireland for distinction from a former born at Melrose and another in the XIII Century born in Duns otherwise called Subtilis he was a man of pregnant Judgement wondrous Eloquence and in those days rare knowledge of the Greek Chaldean and Arabian Languages He wrote a Book De corpore sanguine Domini against the Opinion of Carnal presence which was condemned at the Synod of Vercelles Bellarmine Bellarm. de Euch. lib. 1. c. 1. saith This man was the first who wrote doubtingly of this matter He was the Counsellor to King Alfred and Teacher of his Children afterwards he retired to the Abbey at Malmesbury Zâ—pper de Calum haerâ—s Berengar where his disciples Murthered him with their Pen-knives being enticed thereunto by the Monks because he spake against the carnal presence and was accounted a Martyr as was recorded by William of Malmesbury de gest Reg. Ang. lib. 2. cap. 4. CENT X. AT this time there was no Bishop in all the West parts of England Pope Formosus being offended hereat interdicted King and Kingdom But Pleigmund Archbishop of Canterbury posted to Rome informing the Pope that Edward called the Elder the Son of King Alfred had in a late summoned Synod founded some new and supplied all old vacant Bishoprickes and carying with him honorifica munera the Pope turned his curse into a blessing and ratified their election The names of the seven Bishops which Pleigmund consecrated in one day were Fridstan Bishop of Winchester Werstan of Shireburn Kenulph of Dorchester Beornege of Selsey Athelme of Wells Eadulfe of Crediton in Devon and Athelstan in Cornwall of St. Petrocks These three last Western Bishops were in this Council newly erected A Synod was called at Intingford where Edward the elder and Guthurn King of the Danes in that part of England which formerly belonged to the East Angles onely confirmed the same Ecclesiastical constitutions which King Alured had made before King Edward remembring the Pious example of his Father Alfred in founding of Oxford began to repair and restore the University of Cambridge Joh. Rossius in lib. de Regib for the Danes who kept the Kingdom of the East Angles for their home had banished all Learning from that place This King Edward the elder expelled the Danes out of Essex Mercia and Northumberland At that time the authority of investing Bishops and other Ecclesiastical Benefices as also of prescribing Lawes unto Church-men as well as unto the Laity was in the power of the King not of the Pope but the Pope would be medling in such matters by way of Confirmation Athelstan his Son succeeded King Edward being much devoted to St. John of Beverley on whose Church he bestowed large priviledges Many Councils were kept in this King's Reign at Excester Feversham Thunderfield and London But one held at Greatlea is of greatest account for the Lawes therein enacted especially that concerning the payment of Tithes which is thus Written I Athelstan King Spelman in Concil p. 405. by advice of Viselm my Archbishop and of other Bishops command all the Prelates of my Kingdom in the name of our Lord and of all the Saints that first of all they out of my own things pay the Tithes unto God as well of the living Beasts as of the Corn of the ground and the Bishops to do the like in their property and the Presbyters This I will that Bishops and other Head-men declare the same unto such as be under their subjection c. He ordained that in every Burrough all measures and weights should be confirmed by the Bishop's advice and testimony About that time Hoel King of Wales made a Law That no Church-man should be a Judge in Civil affairs Now St. Dunstan appeareth in Court born at Glastonbury of Noble Parentage yea Kinsman remote to Athelstane himself His eminencies were Painting and Graving an excellent Musician and an admirable worker in Brass and Iron After a while he is accused for a Magician and banished the Court But after the Death of King Athelstane he was re-called to Court in the Reign of King Edmond Athelstan's brother and flourished for a time in great favour but his old crime of being a Magician and a wanton with Women being laid to his charge he is re-banished the Court. But King Edmond being slain by one Leoff a Thief Edred his Brother succeeding to the Crown Dunstan is made the King's Treasurer Chancellor Councellor Confessor Secular Priests were thrust out of their Convents and Monks substituted in their rooms But after Edred's death Dunstan falls into disgrace with King Edwin his Successor and being expelled the Kingdom flieth into Flanders Mean-time all the Monks in England of Dunstan's plantation are rooted up and Secular Priests set in their places Soon after many commotions happened in England especially in Mercia and Northumberland King Edwin died in the flower of his age Edgar succeedeth him and recalls Dunstan home Fuller Church History who hath two Bishopricks given him Worcester and London King Edgar gave over his Soul Body and Estate to be ordered by Dunstan and two more then the Triumvirate who ruled England viz. Ethelwald Bishop of Winchester and Oswald afterward Bishop of Worcester This Oswald was the man who procured by the Kings Authority the ejection of all secular Priests out of Worcester which Act was called Oswald's Law In that Age Dunstan being made Archbishop of Canterbury Antonin hist lit 19. part 3. ca. 3. Secular Priests were thrown out and Monks every where fixed in their rooms Many did dispute and preach against Dunstan And Alfred Prince of Mercia took part with the Priests Fuller makes mention of a fair and authentick guilded Manuscript wherein he stileth himself God's Vicar in England for the ordering Ecclesiastical matters a Title which at this day the Pope will hardly vouchsafe to
the Pope's protection who thereupon vacated the Charters Then the Archbishop to demonstrate his gratitude to King John for the Patronage and Royalty of the Bishoprick of Rochester newly conferred on him and his Successors delivered up Rochester Castle with all the Ammunition therein to the Barons King John after three months siege took it by force out of the Barons hands who proceeding in their Rebellions against the King the Pope excommunicated them The Pope's Agents gave the Archbishop a personal command to execute the Excommunication which he delayed to do whereupon they suspended him King John complained to the Pope of the Barons obstinacy and how the Archbishop refused to Excommunicate them Soon after there was a General Council held at Rome to which the Archbishop was summoned and there suspended from his Archbishoprick upon the King's complaints against him When this suspension of the Archbishop was executed the Pope commanded all his Suffragans and Subjects to disobey him till by his humiliation and giving sufficient caution for his future deportment he should demerit it A just retaliation inflicted by God's providence on this Arch-enemy to King John The Archbishoprick of York becoming void the King by his Letters Patents granted the Chapter of York a License to elect a new Archbishop in the presence of five Commissioners therein specially named and with their consents to prevent the Election of Simon Langton the Archbishop's Brother this being the first License after his forecited Charter to the Archbishop and Bishops for the freedom of Elections After which the King sent his Patent of Appeal to the Chapter of York in general termes not to Elect any Person for their Archbishop suspected to be an enemy to him to avoid all misconstructions of his former Charter for freedom of Elections He also secretly prohibited them to Elect Simon Langton by name to whom he would never give his Royal Assent This Chapter notwithstanding the King 's and Pope's Inhibition likewise to gratifie Stephen Archbishop of Canterbury Elected Simon Langton his Brother Archbishop of York And the Canons of York appearing in the Council at Rome justified their Election and presented Simon Langton to the Pope for their Archbishop Elect and pressed his Confirmation of him The Covent and Monks of Durham affronted King John in the Election of their Bishop whereupon he was enforced to make use of the Pope's and Legate's power and yet could not effect his ends But the Pope obtains His to dispose of all Elections and Bishopricks at his pleasure The same year the King with some strugling procured R. de Marisco to be Bishop of Winchester Yet we find not in any of our Historians that he was ever Consecrated Bishop of Winchester notwithstanding his Election and the King's approbation and Letters to the Pope's Legate on his behalf so that he miscarried in this design as he did in that of Hugh Foliot to St. Davids Neither did he succeed in his recommendation of three several Persons to the Prior and Covent of Ramsey Then the Monk's of Glastonbury prevailed with Money to have their Abbey severed from the Bishoprick of Bath and Wells and to be governed by an Abbot as formerly parting with â—o less than four Manors and the Patronage of six Benefices to Joceline Bishop of Bath and Wells and his Successors by way of composition to obtain this disunion Then the Pope exempted King John's Chappels from Episcopal Excommunication and Jurisdiction without the Pope's special command which by the Lawes of the Realm were exempted from them long before The Barons and the Londoners slighted the Pope's Excommunication and so doth Lewis of France the Iniâ—ition of the Pope and his Legate not to invade England In the mean time Lewis his Proctors at Rome pleaded that King John had no good Title to the Crown of England shewing Lewis his Title thereunto which put Pope Innocent to a great dilemma But the Pope himself became King John's Advocate as well as Judge not as King of England but onely because he was his Vassal Then was England miserably wasted by Lewis and his Army in the East and South and by King John in the West and North whereupon forty of the Barons became sensible of their error in rejecting King John and in calling in and Crowning Lewis for their King and being likewise informed by Viscount Melun on his death-bed upon his Salvation That Lewis and XVI others of his chief Barons and Earls whereof himself was one had taken an Oath That if ever the Crown of England were quietly setled on his Head he would condemn to perpetual Exile all the English who now adhered to him against King John as Traitors to their Lawful Sovereign and would actually extirpate all their kindred advising them timely to prevent their miseries and lock up his words under the Seal of secrecy thereupon addressed themselves with their Letters of submission to King John but before these Letters were delivered or any Answer returned the King was poisoned by one Simon a Monk of Swinshed-Abbey in Lincoln-shire of which poison he died When he saw his Death approaching he with penitent Confession of his sins and great Devotion received the holy Eucharist having the Abbot of Croxton both for his Bodily and Ghostly Phisitian and then not onely forgave all his Mortal Enemies but also sent Command to Henry his Son to do the like to whom he caused all present to Swear Fealty and sent Letters to all his Officers abroad to assist him After which he commended his Soul to God and his Body to be interred in the Church of Worcester Where he was afterwards solemnly buried near the Body of Bishop Wolston In this year 1216. flourished Walter Mapez Archdeacon of Oxford a very Witty Man who in his Verses painted forth in lively Colours the Life of the Pope the Affections and Rape of the Court of Rome the Excess and Pride of the Popish Prelates as may be Read in his Book Entitled Diverse Poems of the corrupt state of the Church He composed a Treatise Entitled Apocalypsis Pontificis Goliath by which name he signified that Antichrist was revealed in the Pope Also Praedicationem Goliath and other Treatises against the Pope and his Court and of the dayes of the Court of Rome Giraldus Cambrensis mentioneth him in his Mirror of the Church and saith That he was a Man in that Age in great estimation His Poetical description of the City Popes and Court of Rome I shall here set down Roma caput mundi sed nil caput mundum Quod pendet a Capite totum est immundum Trahit enim vitium primum secundum Et de fundo redolet quod est juxta fundum Roma capit singulos res singulorum Romanorum Curia non est nisi forum Ibi sunt venalia jura Senatorum Et solvit contraria copia nummâ—rum In hoc consistorio si quis causam regat Suam vel alterius hic inprimis legat Nisi det pecuniam
notwithstanding this Law of Provision strugled for a time till the King's Power overswayed them Indeed this grievance continued all this and most of the next King's Reign till the Statute of praemunire was made and afterward the Land was cleared from the encumbrance of such provisions Three years after the Statute against the Pope's Provisions was made the King presented unto the Pope Thomas Hatlif to be Bishop of Durham one who was the King's Secretary but one void of all other Episcopal qualifications However the Pope confirmed him and being demanded why he consented to the preferment of so worthless a person he answered that rebus sic stantibus if the King of England had presented an Ass unto him he would have confirmed him in the Bishoprick In this King's Reign were diverse Learned Men in England John Baconthorp a Man of a very low stature of whom one saith Baleus in ejus vita Ingenio magnus Corpore parvus erat His wit was Tall in Body small Coming to Rome he was hissed at in a publick Disputation for the badness forsooth of his Latin and pronunciation but indeed because he opposed the Pope's power in dispensing with Marriages contrary to the Law of God He wrote on the Sentences where he followeth the truth in many things especially he refuteth the subtilties of John Scotus as Baptist Mantuan hath marked Iste tenebrosi damnat vestigia Scoti Et per sacra novis it documenta viis Hunc habeant quibus est sapientia grata redundat Istius in sacris fontibus omne sophos Joh. Bale Cent. 4. Sect. 82. He wrote De dominio Christi where he proveth that the highest Bishop in every Kingdom should be in subjection to Princes Richard Primate of Ireland alias Armachanus was his Disciple and taught the same Doctrine he Translated the Bible into Irish He discovered the hypocrisie of Friers in that though they professed poverty yet they had stately Houses like the Palaces of Princes and more costly Churches than any Cathedral richer Ornaments than all the Princes c. William Ockham an English Man sided with Lewis of Bavaria against the Pope maintaining the Temporal Power above the Spiritual He was forced to fly to the Emperor for his safety He was a Disciple of John Scotus but became Adversary of his Doctrine He was the Author of the Sect of Nominales He was a follower of Pope Nicholas the fourth and therefore was Excommunicated by Pope John This Ockham was Luther's chief School-man who had his Works at his finger's end Robert Holcot was not the meanest among them who died of the Plague at Northampton just as he was reading his Lectures on the seventh of Ecclesiasticus About that time a Book was written in English called The complaint and prayer of a Plough-man The Author of it is said to have been Robert Langland a Priest After a general complaint of the Iniquity of the time the Author wrote zealously against Auricular Confession as contrary to Scripture and profit of the publick and as a device of man against the Simony of selling Pardons against the Pope as the Adversary of Christ He complaineth of the unmarried Priests committing wickedness and by bad example provoking others of Images in Churches as Idolatry of false Pastors which feed upon their flocks and feed them not nor suffer others to feed them He wrote also against Purgatory In this King's Reign were diverse Archbishops of Canterbury I will begin with Simon Mepham made Archbishop in the first year of his Reign John Stratford was the second Consecrated first Bishop of Winchester The third was Thomas Bradwardine Fellow of Merton Colledge in Oxford and afterwards Chancellor of London and commonly called The profound Doctor He had many disputes with the School-men against the errors of Pelagius and reduced all his Lectures into three Books which he entitled De causa Dei He was Confessor to King Edward the third He died a few Months after his Consecration Simon Islip was the fourth he founded Canterbury Colledge in Oxford This Colledge is now swallowed up in Christ-Church Simon Langham is the fifth much meriting by his Munificence to Westminster-Abbey William Witlesee succeeded him famous for freeing the University of Oxford from the Jurisdiction of the Bishop of Lincoln formerly the Diocesan thereof Simon Sudbury was the last Archbishop of Canterbury in this King's Reign In his Reign also flourished Nicholas Trivet a black Frier born in Norfolk who wrote two Histories and a Book of Annals Richard Stradley born in the Marches of Wales a Monk and a Divine who wrote diverse excellent Treatises of the Scriptures William Herbert a Welchman who wrote many good Treatises in Divinity Thomas Wallis Sir Rich. Baker's Chron. a Dominican Frier and a writer of many excellent Books Walter Burley a Doctor in Divinity who wrote many choise Treatises in Natural and Moral Philosophy Roger a Monk of Chester and an Historiographer John Burgh a Monk who wrote an History and also diverse Homilies Richard Aungervil Bishop of Durham and Lord Chancellor of England Richard Chichester a Monk of Westminster who wrote a good Chronicle from the year 449. to the year 1348. Matthew Westminster who wrote the Book called Flores Historiarum Henry Knighton who wrote an History entitled De gestis Anglorum John Mandevil Knight Doctor of Physick a great Traveller and Sir Geoffry Chaucer the Homer of our Nation About the fortieth year of his Reign there was a Priest in England called William Wickham who was great with King Edward so that all things were done by him who was made Bishop of Winchester Towards the latter end of this King's Reign arose John Wickliff a Learned Divine of Oxford who did great service to the Church in promoting Reformation and in opposing Papal power for he wrote sharply against the Pope's authority the Church of Rome and diverse of their Religious Orders Certain Divines and Masters of the University entertained his Doctrine viz. Robert Rigges Chancellor of the University together with the two Proctors and many others He not onely Preached this Doctrine in Oxford but also more publickly in London At the Court before the King himself the Prince of Wales his Son John Duke of Lancaster the Lord Clifford the Lord Latimer and others likewise the Lord Montacute who defaced Images throughout all his Jurisdiction and John Earl of Sarum who at the point of death refused the Popish Sacrament with diverse others of the chiefest Nobility the Major of London with diverse other worthy Citizens who many times disturbed the Bishop's Officers who were called for the suppressing of Wickliff This Man being much encouraged by the Duke of Lancaster and Sir Henry Piercy Marshall went from Church to Church Preaching his Opinions and spreading his Doctrine whereupon he is cited to answer before the Archbishop the Bishop of London and others in St. Paul's London At the day appointed the Duke of Lancaster and the Lord Marshall go to conduct
was kept three years captive in St. Angelo Against Mendicants 1. Thomas Wilson Doctor of both Laws and say some Dean of S. Paul's a zealous Preacher and Disputant 2. William Ivy Canon of S. Paul's who wrote in the Defence of Richard Hill Bishop of London who Imprisoned two Mendicants for their proud Preaching But after Pope Paul the second had interposed herein concluding that this ought to be declared in all places for a dangerous Doctrine and worthy to be trodden down under all mens feet the controversie ceased At this time George Nevil brother to Richard Nevil the Great Earl of Warwick that set up and pulled down Kings at his pleasure was Archbishop of York He was famous for a prodigious feast made at his Installation unto which he invited as Guests all the Nobility most of the prime Clergy many of the Great Gentry of the Land The Bill of Fare may be read in Bishop Godwins Catalogue of Bishops Seven years after King Edward seized on all his Estate to the value of twenty thousand pounds among which he found so rich a Mitre that he made himself a Crown thereof The Archbishop he sent over prisoner to Callis where he was kept bound in extreme poverty justice punishing his former prodigality He was afterwards restored to his Liberty and Archbishoprick but went drooping till the day of his death It added to his sorrow that the Kingdom of Scotland Scotland freed from the See of York with twelve Suffragan Bishops therein formerly subjected to his See was now by Pope Sixtus freed from any further dependance thereon S. Andrews being advanced to an Archbishoprick and that Kingdom in Ecclesiastical matters made entire within it self whose Bishops formerly repaired to York for their consecration Anno 1473. in August John Goose sole Martyr in this King's Reign was condemned and burned at Tower-hill This man when ready to suffer desired meat from the Sheriff which Ordered his Execution and had it granted unto him I will eat saith he a good competent dinner for I shall pass a sharp shower ere I come to Supper King Edward IV. died April 9. 1483. In his Reign flourished Thomas Littleton a Reverend Judge of the Common-pleas who brought a great part of the Law into method which lay before confusedly dispersed and his book called Littletons Tenures Then John Harding Esquire wrote a Chronicle in English verse John Fortescue a Judge and Chancellor of England wrote divers Treatises concerning the Law and Politick Government Rochus a Charter-house Monk born in London wrote divers Epigrams William Caxton also wrote a Chronicle Miserable King Edward V. ought to have succeeded his Father but he by the wicked practice of his Unckle Richard Duke of Glocester chosen Protector was quickly made away The Protection of the young King's Person was by the last King appointed to Earl Rivers the Queen's brother and by the mother's side Unckle to the said Prince who kept his Residence and Court at Ludlow The Queen with the Earl Rivers her brother and with her Son Richard Lord Gray and other Friends being guarded with a strong power of Armed men and Souldiers intended to bring the Young King from Ludlow to London to be Crowned But the Duke of Glocester wrought so cunningly with the Queen that she dispatched messengers to her Brother and Son who though unwilling upon her request were perswaded to Disband and Cashier all their Souldiers and attended only with their own Menial Servants they set forward with the Young King towards the Queen They came to Northampton and soon after the Dukes of Glocester and Buckingham dismounted themselves in the Earls Inn being accompanied with great store of resolute attendants There they surprized the Earl Rivers and committed him to safe Custody Mart. Chron. in Edw. V. Then the two Dukes rode to Stonystratford where the King then was There they seized on Richard Lord Grey the King's half-brother and on Sir Richard Vaugham and some others all which they sent under a strong guard to Pomfret-castle where without any judicial sentence or legal trial they were beheaded upon the same day that the Lord Hastings who conspired in that action with the two Dukes lost his head The Queen with the rest of her Children enters the Sanctuary at Westminster The young King is brought to London and the Duke of Glocester by the contrivement of the Duke of Buckingham is made Protector of the King and Kingdom by the Decree of the Councel-Table and now he wickedly plotteth to make away the young King and his Brother and in order thereunto he laboureth first to get into his hands the Duke of York the King's brother And to that end the Archbishop of Canterbury was employed with instructions to procure the Queen to part with her younger son to accompany the elder The Protector having gotten both the brothers into his hand causeth them within few days in great pomp and State to be convayed through London to the Tower The Sunday following he caused Doctor Shaa at Paul's cross to blazon the Honourable birth and parentage of the Protector to relate his vertues to commend his valour to weaken the Fame and Honour of the deceased King Edward by reason of his lascivious wantonness with Shore's wife and others to bastardize all his Children because the King was in the person of Richard Earl of Warwick before his said marriage affianced unto the Lady Bona sister to the wife of the French King He also accused the Protector 's own mother of great incontinency When King Edward and George Duke of Clarence were begotten Then setting forth the worthiness of the Protector he supposed that the people could not chuse but receive him for their King Pynkney the Provincial of the Augustinian Friars who in the same place used so loud adulation lost his credit conscience and voice altogether These two were all of the Clergy who engaged actively on his party His Coronation was performed with more pomp than any of his Predecessors Soon after followed the murther of King Edward and his Brother Richard Duke of York After this bloody act having visited his Town of Glocester which he endowed with ample Liberties and Priviledges he took his journey towards York At a certain day appointed the whole Clergy assembled in Copes richly vested and so went about the City in Procession after whom followed the King with his Crown and Scepter apparrelled in his Circot Robe Royal accompanyed with many of the Nobility of the Realm after whom marched in order Queen Anne his wife Crowned leading in her left hand Prince Edward her Son Sir Th. Moores History of King Rich. 3. having on his head a demy-crown appointed for the degree of a Prince The Northern people hereupon extolled and praised him far above the Stars After this glorious pomp and a solemn feast having done all things discreetâ—y he returned by Nottingham and afterwards came to London whom the Citizens more for fear than love received in
in ure any new Canons unless the King 's most Royal assent might be had unto them and soon after the same was ratified by Act of Parliament After the Statute of Praemunire was made which did much restrain the Papal power and subject it to the Laws of the Land Archbishops called no more Convocations by their sole and absolute command but at the pleasure of the King as oft as his necessities and occasions with the distresses of the Church did require it Yea now their meetings were by vertue of a Writ or Precept from the King For it was Enacted in the Parliament of the twenty fifth of Henry the Eight L. Herbert's Hist of Hen. 8. That all Convocations shall be thenceforth called by the King 's Writ and that in them nothing shall be promulged or executed without his Highness Licence under pain of imprisonment of the Authors and Mulct at the King's will And that his Highness shall at his pleasure appoint thirty two men to survay the said Canons or Constitutions for the Confirmation or Abolition of the same And as concerning Appeals they shall be made from inferiour Courts to the Archbishop's and for lack of Justice there to the King's Majesty in his Court of Chancery Bishop Fisher was Arraigned of high Treason I will insert the Sting of the indictment out of the Original Diversis Domini Regis veris subditis false malitiose proditorie loquebatur propalabat viz. The King owre Sovereign Lord is not Supreme Hed yn erthe of the Cherche of England In dicti Domini Regis immund despect vilipendium manifest Of this he was found Guilty had Judgement and was remanded to the Tower The King by the advice and consent of the Clergy in Convocation and Great Council in Parliament resolved to reform the Church under his inspection from gross abuses crept into it Thomas Hitten a Preacher at Maidstone for the Testimony of the Truth after long Torments and sundry imprisonments by William Warham Bishop of Canterbury and John Fisher Bishop of Rochester was burned at Maidstone for the Testimony of the Truth Anno 1530. In the year 1531. Thomas Bilney of Cambridge Professor of both Laws converted Thomas Arthur and Mr. Hugh Latimer then Cross-bearer at Cambridge on procession days Afterwards Bilney recanted but for the space of two years after his abjuration Bilney lived in great anguish of mind and repenting Preached publickly the Doctrine which he before abjured He was afterwards taken condemned and burned without Bishops-gate in a low Valley called the Lollards pit under St. Leonard's Hill Going to Execution one of his friends wished him to stand sure and constant to whom he answered That whatsoever storms he passed in this venture yet shortly after my Ship saith he shall be in the Haven There came forth in print a Book called The Supplication of Beggars made by Simon Fish which Book the Lady Anna Bolen delivered to the King who gave him his protection Sir Thomas Moor wrote an Answer to that Book under the Title of Poor silly Souls pewling out of Purgatory to which John Frith made a pithy and effectual Reply Tindal's Translation of the New Testament came forth in English Richard Bayfield suffered for the truth and was burned in Smithfield He was sometime a Monk of Surrey and converted by Doctor Barnes After him John Tewksbury was burned in Smithfield Valentine Freese and his Wife gave their Lives at one Stake for the testimony of the Truth Afterwards the Bishops which had burned Tindal's Testaments were enjoyned by the King to cause a new Translation to be made but they did nothing at all And on the contrary the Bishop of London caused all the translations of Tindal and many other Books which he had bought to be burnt in Paul's Church-yard James Bainham a Gentleman of the Middle-Temple was put in a Prison in Sir Thomas Moore 's House and whipped at a Tree in his Garden called The tree of Truth and was by him afterward sent to the Tower to be racked by racking he was lamed because he would not accuse the Gentlemen of the Temple of his acquaintance nor shew where his Books lay He abjured had his liberty but he asked God and the world forgiveness before the Congregation in those dayes in a Ware-house in Bow-lane And immediately the next Sunday after he came to St. Austin's with the New Testament in his hand in English and the obedience of a Christian-man in his bosom and there with tears declared before the people that he had denied God and prayed the people to forgive and beware of his weakness He was shortly after apprehended Fox Acts and Monuments and committed to the Tower of London and after three appearances he was condemned and burnt in Smithfield About this time John Benet a Tailor was burnt at the Devizes in Wilt-shire for denying the Sacrament of the Altar In the year 1532. Robert King Nicholas Marsh and Robert Gardiner men of Dedham and one Robert Debnam had overthrown and burned the Rood of Dover-court ten miles from Dedham for which fact half a year after they were hanged in Chains King at Burchet in Dedham Debnam at Cattaway-causey Marsh at Dover-court Gardiner escaped and fled Many Images were cast down and destroyed in many places As the Crucifix by Coggeshal in the High-way St. Petronel in the Church of Great Horksleigh St. Christopher by Sudbury St. Petronel in a Chappel by Ipswich Also John Seward of Dedham overthrew a Cross in Stokepark and took two Images out of a Chappel in the same Park and cast them into the water John Frith who was first a Student in Cambridge and afteward one of those whom Cardinal Wolsey gathered together to furnish his new Colledge was condemned by the Bishop of London and was burnt in Smithfield Great was his learning gravity and constancy though but six and twenty years of age With Frith was Andrew Hewet burned after he had given testimony to the truth Thomas Benet a Schoolmaster of fifty years of age born in Cambridge was burned at Exeter Divers others were condemned to perpetual prison During the time of Queen Anne no great persecution nor abjuration was in the Church of England Sir Thomas Moore Doctor Nicholas Wilson and Bishop Fisher refused the Oath to the Act of Succession made Anno 1534. and Sir Thomas Moor and Doctor Wilson were also sent to the Tower The Doctor dissembled the matter and so escaped but the other two remained obstinate On November the third this Parliament was again assembled in which the Pope and Cardinals with his Pardons and Indulgences were wholly abolished to the abolition of which and to the ratifying of the King's Title of Supreme Head Stephen Gardiner gave his Oath so did John Stokesley Bishop of London Edward Lee Archbishop of York Cuthbert Bishop of Durham and all the rest of the Bishops in like sort to this Title also agreed the sentence of the University of Cambridge Edmond Bonner then
but generally in specie to the great impoverishing of the Land yearly returned the Tenths and First-fruits of the English Clergy to Rome The Pope being now dead in England the King was found his Heir at Common Law as to most of the power and profit the other had usurped But now as the Clergy had changed their Landlord so their Rents were new rated Commissioners being employed in all Counties the Bishop of the Diocess being alwayes one of them to value their yearly Revenue that so their Tenths and First-fruits may be proportioned accordingly These Raters were the chiefest in all Counties under the degrees of Barons These Commissioners were impowred by the King to send for the Scribes and Notaries of all Bishops and Archdeacons to swear the Receivers and Auditors of Incumbents to view their Register-books Fuller Church history Easter-books and all other Writings and to use all other wayes to know the full value of Ecclesiastical preferments with the number and names of persons enjoying the same They were to divide themselves by Three and Three allotting to every number so many Deaneries and to enquire the number and names of all Abbies Monasteries Priories Brotherships Sisterships Fellowships c. Houses Religious and Conventual as well CHARTER-HOVSE as others these Carthusians being specified by name because pretending priviledge of Papal exemption and meeting together to certifie into the Exchequer at the time limited in their Commission the true value of such places or preferments This work took up some years in the effecting thereof Devon-shire and Sommerset were done in the twenty seventh Stafford-shire and many other Counties in the thirty fourth year of King Henry the Eighth and most of Wales not till the Reign of King Edward the Sixth In Ireland the Commissioners found the work so troublesome that they never came into the County of Kerrey the South-West extremity of that Island so that the Clergy thereof are put into their Benefices without any payments But in England all were unpartially rated and Vicaridges valued very high according to their present Revenue by personal Requisites Idem ibid. In that Age he generally was the richest Shepherd that had the greatest Flock where Oblations from the living and Obits for the dead as certainly paid as predial Tithes much advanced their Income In consideration whereof Vicaridges mostly lyinig in Market-Towns and populous Parishes were set very high though soon after those obventions sunk with superstition And the Vicars in vain desired a proportionable abatement in the King's Books which once drawn up were no more to be altered Now Queen Mary did by Act of Parliament exonerate acquit and discharge the Clergy from all First-fruits As for Tenths the same Statute ordered them to be paid to Cardinal Pool who from the same was to pay the Pensions allowed to Monks and Nuns by her Father at the dissolution of Abbeys yet so that when such persons who were but few and aged all named in a Deed indented should decease all such payments of the Clergy reserved Nomine Decimae should cease and be extinct for ever But her Sister Queen Elizabeth Vide Statut. 1 Eliz. cap. 4. succeeding her was exact to have her Dues from the Clergy Sir Christopher Hatton who was Master of this First-fruits Office was much indebted to her for Moneys received All which Arrears her Majesty required so severely and suddenly from him that the grief thereof cost him his life I say this Queen in the first of her Reign resumed First-fruits and Tenths only with this case to Parsonages not exceeding ten Marks and Vicaridges ten pounds that they should be freed from First-fruits In the months of October and November Anno 1538. the Abbeys and Monasteries in England were dissolved Cromwel being made General Visitor employed Richard Layton Thomas Lee William Detre Doctors of the Law Doctor John London Dean of Wallingford with others giving them instruction in eighty six Articles for visiting Monasteries every where by which they were to enquire into the government behaviour and education of the persons of both Sexes to find out all their offences and to this purpose give them encouragements to accuse both their Governors and each other To command them to exhibit their Mortmains Lord Herbert in vit Henr. 8. Evidences and Conveyances of their Lands to produce their Plate and Money and give an Inventory thereof The King also gave forth Injunctions to be observed some tending to the establishing of his Supremacy Some touching the good Government of the Houses As that no Brother go out of the Precinct That there be but one entrance That no Woman frequent the Monks nor any Man the Nuns c. And some for Education As that a Divinity-lecture be every where read and frequented That the Abbot daily expound some part of the Rule of their Order shewing yet that these Ceremonies are but Introductions to Religion which consisteth not in Apparel shaven Heads c. but in purity of mind That none shall profess or wear the Habit till twenty four years of age That no feigned Relicks or Miracles be shewed no Offerings to Images c. Lee and the rest at their return gave that account of their feigned Miracles and Relicks as well as sinful and sluggish life of the Religious Orders as not only Cromwel said their Houses should be thrown down to the foundation but the whole Body of the Kingdom when it was published to them became so scandalized thereat as they resolve if the King ever put it into their hands to give remedy thereunto Yet were not all alike criminal for some Societies behaved themselves so well as their life being not only exempt from notorious faults but their spare times bestowed in writing Books Painting Carving Graving and the like Exercises their Visitors became Intercessors for them But these being not many were at last involved in the common fate Not long after this the King caused all Colledges Chantries and Hospitals to be visited not omitting to take a particular survey of all the Revenues and Dignities Ecclesiastical within his Kingdom which was returned to him in a Book to be kept in the Exchequer Then King Henry sent Fox Bishop of Hereford to the Protestant Princes in Germany assembled at Smalcald to exhort them to an unity in Doctrine wherein he offered his assistance by conference with their Divines Immediately after the ruine of Monasteries in the Month of November followed the condemnation of John Lambert that faithful Servant of Christ On a set day Lambert was brought forth where he had not only the King 's fierce countenance against him but also ten Disputers against him from twelve of the clock till five at night among which were the Archbishop Stephen Gardiner C. Tunstal Bishop of Durham and J. Stokesley Bishop of London Through Winchester's perswasion to gratifie the people the King himself condemned Lambert and commanded Cromwel to read the Sentence He was burned in Smithfield where he suffered
St. John's-colledge in Oxford Tutor to Philip Earl of Arundel eldest Son to Thomas Duke of Norfolk Afterwards he went over beyond Sea and became Divinity Professor in the Colledge of Rhemes and died there Now as touching the Controversie of Church-government the Ministers of Kent having been called to subscribe to certain Articles propounded to them by the Archbishop of Canterbury seâ—d their Petition to the Privy Council Subscribed thus Your Honours daily and faithful Orators the Ministers of Kent which are suspended from the execution of their Ministry The Lords of the Council sent this Petition with another Bill of complaint exhibited unto them against Edmond Freak Bishop of Norwich unto the Archbishop of Canterbury What his Answer was thereunto may be seen at large in Fuller's Church History Doctor John Whitgift was now Archbishop of Canterbury Anno 1583. who wrote a Letter to the Lord Treasurer complaining of Mr. Beal Clerk of the Council who brought these Letters to him his insolent carriage towards him Now that the Presbyterian party were befriended at the Council-board who endeavoured to mittigate the Archbishop's proceeding against them appeareth also from the Privy Counsellors Letter to the Archbishop in favour of the Non-conformists Signed W. Burleigh G. Shrewsbury A Warwick R. Leicester C. Howard J. Croft Ch. Hatton Fr. Walsingham But albeit Sir Chr. Hatton subscribed among the Privy Counsellors for moderation to Non-conformists yet that he was a great countenancer of Whitgift's proceedings against them appeareth in an immediate Address of the Archbishop unto him As for the Lord Burghleigh he was neither so rigid as to have Conformity prest to the height nor so remiss as to leave Ministers at their own liberty He would argue the case both in Dâ—scourse and Letters with the Archbishop and one Letter he wrote to the Archbishop for some Indulgence to the Ministers Mr. Travers seems to have an hand in all this who being the Lord Burghleigh's Chaplain by him much respected and highly affected to the Geneva Discipline was made the mouth of the Ministers to mediate to his Lord in their behalf But the Archbishop's unmoveableness appeared by his Letter sent to the Lord Treasurer at some passages whereof he took exception and sends a smart Letter to the Archbishop That which concerneth the Non-conformists therein is this I deny nothing that your Grace thinketh meet to proceed in with those whom you call factious and therefore there is no controversie between you and me expressed in your Letter the controversie is passed in your Graces Letter in silence and so I do satisfie Your Grace promised me to deal I say only with such as violated Order and to charge them therewith which I allow well of But your Grace not charging them with such faults seeketh by examination to urge them to accuse themselves and then I think you will punish them I think your Grace's proceeding is I will not say rigorous or captious but I think it is scant charitable c. If I had known the fault of Brown I might be blamed for writing for him but when by examination only it is to sift him with twenty four Articles I have cause to pity the poor man Your Grace's as friendly as any W. Burghleigh The Archbishop writes a calm Letter in answer to the Lord Treasurer's Letter sending him enclosed therein certain Reasons to justifie the manner of his proceedings praying his Lordship not to be carried away either from the cause or from the Archbishop himself upon unjust surmises and clamours lest he be the occasion of that confusion which hereafter he would be sorry for Professing that in these things he desired no further defence neither of his Lordship nor of any other than Justice and Law would yield unto him Sir Francis Walsingham was a good Friend to Non-conformists he wrote a Letter to the Archbishop to qualifie him for a Semi-Non-conformist one Mr. Leverwood Grindal being sensible of the Queens displeasure had desired to resign his place and confine himself to a yearly Pension This place was proffered to Whitgift but he in the presence of the Queen refused it yet what he would not snatch suddenly fell into his hands by Grindal's death who out of his contempt of the world left not much wealth behind him That little he had as it was well gotten was well bestowed in pious uses in Oxford and Cambridge with the building and endowing of a School at St. Bees in Cumberland where he was born yea he may be held as a Benefactor to this Nation by bringing in Tamarix first over into England that Plant being very excellent in mollifying the hardness of the Spleen Now Robert Brown a Cambridge-man and young Student in Divinity of whom the Separatists in those dayes and long after were called Brownists born in Rutland-shire of an ancient Family near allied to the Lord Treasurer Cecil began with one Richard Harison a Schoolmaster to vent their Opinions They set forth Books in Zealand whither they travelled Brown returning home disperseth these Books all over England But their Books were suppressed by the Queens Authority confuted by Learned men and two of his followers were executed one after another at St. Edmonds-bury Brown coming to Norwich there infected both Dutch and English for which he was confined The Lord Treasurer writes a Letter to the Bishop of Norwich in his behalf Brown being thus brought up to London was wrought to some tolerable compliance and being discharged by the Archbishop was by the Lord Treasurer sent home to his Father Anthony Brown at Tolethorp in Rutland Esquire But it seems Brown's errors were so inlaid in him no conference with Divines could convince him to the contrary whose incorrigibleness made his own Father weary of his company He and Harison inveighed against Bishops Ecclesiastical Courts Ceremonies Ordination of Ministers fancying here on earth a platform of a perfect Church Doctor Fulk learnedly proveth that the Brownists were in effect the same with the ancient Donatists Nicholas Saunders more truly Slanders died this year 1583. being starved to death among the Bogs and Mountains in Ireland Near the same time one John Lewis was burnt at Norwich for denying the Godhead of Christ and holding other detestable Heresies At this time the Jesuites set forth many slaunderous libels against her Majesty one of their principal Pamphlets was a Treatise of Schism William Carter the Stationer was executed at Tyburn for publishing it Soon after five Seminaries John Fen George Haddock John Munden John Nutter and Tho. Hemmerford were hanged bowelled and quartered for Treason at Tyburn and many others about the same time executed in other places Yet at the same time the Queen by one Act of Grace pardoned seventy Priests some of them actually condemned to die all legally deserving death Among these were 1. Gasper Haywood Son to that eminent Epigrammatist the first Jesuite that ever set foot in England 2. James Bosgrave 3. John Hart a zealous disputant 4. Edward
beheld him as an ingenuous man carrying his conscience with the reason thereof in his own breast He was permitted peaceably to possess his Parsonage being none of the meanest though he continued a stiff Non-conformist onely quietly enjoying his own opinion He died an old man at Warkton Anno 1617. Stone 's discovery marred for the future all their formal meetings as Classically or Synodically methodized Then began the foundation of an University in Dublin in Ireland Henry Vsher then Archdeacon of Dublin afterwards Archbishop of Armagh and Unckle to James Vsher late Archbishop thereof took a journey into England and procured the Mortmain from Queen Elizabeth who graciously granted it naming the corporation Collegium Sanctae ac Individuae Trinitatis ex fundatione Reginae Elizibethae juxta Dublin The Lord Burgley is appointed first Chancellor of the University Sir William Fitz-Williams Lord Debuty of Ireland issued out his Letters to all the Counties in Ireland to advance so good a design The Irish Papists were very bountiful thereunto The Mayor and Aldermen of Dublin Sir Warham St. Leger Sir Francis Shane Robert D'eureux Earl of Essex afterwards Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and second Chancellor of this University were Benefactors to it King James confirmed the revenues of this Colledge in perpetuum endowing it with good Lands in the Province of Vlster Adam Loftus Archbishop of Dublin and Chancellor of Ireland was the first Master of the Colledge Mr. Luke Chaloner received and disbursed the moneys had the oversight of the Fabrick which he faithfully procured to be finished The first stone in this foundation was laid March 13. 1591. and in the year 1593. Scholars were first admitted and the first of them James Vsher since Bishop of Armagh that mirrour of Learning and Religion Now began a sad contest betwixt Mr. Richard Hooker Master and Mr. Walter Travers Lecturer of the Temple Hooker was born in Devonshire bred in Oxford Fellow of Corpus Christi Colledge one of a solid Judgment and great Reading A great defender both by Preaching and Writing of the Discipline of the Church of England yet never got nor cared to get any eminent dignity therein Mr. Travers was bred up in Trinity Colledge in Cambridge Travers travelling to Geneva contracted familiarity with Beza and other forreign Divines Then returned He and commenced Batchelor of Divinity in Cambridge and after that went beyond Sea again and at Antwerp was ordained Minister by the Presbytery there where he continued some years and Preached with Mr. Cartwright unto the English Factory of Merchants untill at last he came over into England and for seven years together became Lecturer in the Temple refusing all presentative preferment to decline subscription and lived Domestick Chaplain in the house of the Lord Treasurer Cecil being Tutor for a time to Robert his Son afterwards Earl of Sarisbury Yea now so great grew the credit of Mr. Travers that by the advice of Mr. Andrew Melvin he and Mr. Cartwright were solemnly sent for to be Divinity-professors in the University of St. Andrews This proffer being joyntly refused Travers quietly continued Lecturer in the Temple till Mr. Hooker became the Master thereof Mr. Hooker's voice was low stature little gesture none at all standing still in the Pulpit His stile was long and pithy so that when the copiousness of his stile met not with proportionable capacity in his Auditors it was unjustly censured for tedious and obscure His Sermons were for the most part on Controversies and deep points of School-divinity Mr. Travers his utterance was graceful gesture plausible matter profitable and method plain But these two Preachers acted with different Principles and clashed one against another so that what Mr. Hooker delivered in the Fore-noon Mr. Travers confuted in the After-noon Here Archbishop Whitgift interposed his power and silenced Travers from Preaching in the Temple or any where else Travers Petitions the Lords of the Council his Petition is publickly extant in Print with Master Hoooker's answer thereunto But Mr. Travers notwithstanding his friends at Court was over-born by the Archbishop Adam Loftus Archbishop of Dublin and Chancellor of Ireland invited him over to be Provost of Trinity Colledge in Dublin Embracing the motion he accepted the place and continued some years therein till for fear of their Civil Wars he returned into England and lived here many years after very obscurely In the year 1592. In London more than ten thousand died of the Plague and among them Reverend Mr. Richard Greenham He was one that always bitterly inveighed against Non-residents he ended his days at Christ Church in London Mr. Vdal was indicted and arraigned at Croidon for defaming the Queen her Government in a Book by him written and entitled A Demonstration of the Discipline which Christ hath prescribed in his Word for the Government of his Church in all times and places unto the World's end But the mortal words as they may be termed are in the Preface of the Book written To the supposed Governours of the Church of England Archbishops Bishops c. and are inserted in the Body of his indictment To this Indictment he pleaded Not guilty denying himself to be the Author of the Book Next day he was cast by the Jury but was remanded to the Marshalsey March following he was brought again to the bar before the Judges to whom he had privatelp presented a Petition with all advantage but it found no entertainment insomuch that in this moneth of March he at the Assizes held in Southwark was there condemned to be executed for a Felon Various were mens Censures on these proceedings against him The proof was not pregnant saith Mr. Fuller and it is generally believed that he made onely the Preface out of which his indictment was chiefly framed and not the body of the Book laid to his charge But without any other sickness save heart-broken with sorrow he died peaceably in his bed The Ministers of London flocked to his Funeral and he was decently interred in the Church-yard of St. George in Southwark not far from Bishop Bonner's grave He was Father to Ephraim Vdal a pious and solid Divine but in point of Discipline differing in Opinion from his Father Anno 1593. Henry Barrow Gentleman and John Greemood Clerk were condemned and executed at Tyburn for writing certain Seditious Pamphlets And not long after John Penry a Welch-man was arraigned and condemned of Felony at the King's Bench Bar for being a principal penner and publisher of a Libellous Book called Martin-mar-prelate and executed at St. Thomas Waterings Sir John Haringt addit supply to Bish Godwin p. 134. This year Queen Elizabeth took her last farewel of Oxford where a Divinity-Act was kept for her Next day her Highness made a Latin Oration to the Heads of Houses in which she gave a check to Dr. Rainolds for his Non-conformity The same year died John Piers Archbishop of York highly esteemed by Queen Elizabeth whose Almoner he was many years and
Anno 1600. died two eminent Roman Catholicks John Saunderson born in Lancaster bred in Trinity Colledge in Cambridge from whence he fled to Cambray in Artois The other Thomas Case of St. Johns in Oxford Doctor of Physick always a Papist in heart but never expressing the same till a little before his Death CENTURY XVII THe difference betwixt the Seculars and the Jesuites still continuing and encreasing Bishop Bancroft afforded the Seculars countenance and maintenance in London-house furnishing them with necessaries to write against their Adversaries hoping the Protestants might assault the Romish cause with the greater advantage by the breach made to their hands by the others own dissentions Archbishop Whitgift founded and endowed an Hospital at Croydon in Surrey for a Warden and twenty eight Brethren as also a free School with liberal maintenance for the training up of Youth Sir Rich. Bakers Chron. The Queen and Her Council finding both the Jesuites and the Secular Priests dangerous to this Common Wealth both the one and the other commandeth them to depart out of the Kingdom presently The last Parliament in this Queen's Reign was now begun at Westminster and dissolved the Moneth next following In this Parliament it was Enacted That overseers of the poor should be nominated yearly in Easter-week under the Hand and Seal of two Justices of peace and that these with the Church-wardens should take care of the poor binding out of Apprentices c. As also That the Lord Chancellor should award Commissions under the great Seal into any part of the Realm as cause should require to the Bishop of every Diocess and his Chancellor c. to enquire by oathes of twelve men into the misemployment of any lands or goods given to pious uses Francis Godwin D. D. Subdean of Exeter son of Thomas Godwin Bishop of Bath and Wells was made Bishop of Landaff He was born in the fourth year of Queen Elizabeth and was made a Bishop within Her Reign Anno 1601. Now came forth a notable book against the Jesuites written Scholastically by Watson a secular Priest consisting of ten Quodlibets each whereof is subdivided into as many Articles which discovereth the Jesuites in their Colours Anno 1602. died Herbert Westphaling Bishop of Hereford being the first Bishop of that foundation a man very pious and of such gravity that he was scarce ever seen to laugh There died also Alexander Nowel D. D. and Dean of S. Paul's in London He fled into Germany in the Reign of Queen Mary and was the first of English exiles that returned in the days of Queen Elizabeth an holy and Learned Man He bestowed two hundred pound a year rent on Brazen-nose Colledge wherein he was educated for the maintenance of thirteen Students He died at ninety years of age a single man fresh in his youthful Learning his eyes were not dim nor did he ever make use of Spectacles Mr. William Perkins who was born in the first died also in the last year of Queen Elizabeth Gregory Sayer also and William Harris two Popish Writers bred the one at Cambridge the other at Oxford died this year beyond the Seas At this time the City of Geneva was in a low estate for the Duke of Savoy addicted to the Spanish faction had banished all Protestants of his Dominions By the Liberal example of Archbishop Whitgift large summes of Money were Collected and seasonably sent over for the Relief of Geneva Queen Elizabeth the mirrour of her Sex and Age died having Reigned over this Kingdom above fourty years Her Corps were Solemnly interred under a fair Tomb in Westminster Abbey Now the Defenders both of Episcopacy and Presbitery with equal hopes of success make besides private and particular Addresses publick and visible Applications to King James the first to continue the last to set up their Government Dr. Thomas Nevil Dean of Canterbury sent by Archbishop Whitgift to his Majesty in the name of the Bishops and Clergy of England brought back a well-come answer which was to uphold the Government of the Late Queen as she left it setled Then Watson a Secular Priest with William Cleark another of his Profession having fancied a notional Treason impart it to George Brook These break it to Brook's brother the Lord Cobham to the Lord Gray of Wilton and Sir Walter Rawleigh besides some other discontented Knights Watson devised an Oath of secrecy for them all The ends they propounded to themselves were to kill the King raise Rebellion alter Religion and procure a Forreign invasion c. The treason was discovered The two Priests alone with G. Brook were executed the rest were pardoned No sooner was King James setled on the English throne but Mr. Cartwright presented unto him his Latine Comment on Ecclesiastes and died soon after Mr. Dod Preached his funeral Sermon Now there being a general expectation of a Parliament to succeed the Presbterian party went about to get hands of the Ministers to a petition which they intended seasonably to present to the King and Parliament A conference was appointed at Hampton-Court which began on January 14. 1603. The names of the Persons which were employed therein are as follow For Conformity Archbishop of Canterbury Whitgift Bishops of London Durham Winchester Worcester S. David's Chichester Carlile Peterborow Bancroft Mathew Bilson Babington Rudd Watson Robinson Dove Deans of The Chappel Christ-Church Worcester Westminster S. Paul's Chester Sarisbury Windsor Doctor Field King Against Conformity Doctor Reinolds Sparks Master Knewstubs Chadderton Moderator Spectators King James All the Lords of the Privy Council On the first dayes Conference the Bishops and five of the Deans were called in severally by themselves then the King reduceth some special points wherein he desireth to be satisfied to three Heads 1. Concerning the Book of Common Prayer c. used in the Church 2. Excommunication in Ecclesiastical Courts 3. The providing of fit and able Ministers for Ireland In the Common-prayer-book he required satisfaction about three things 1. About Confirmation 2. Absolution 3. Private Baptism Touching Confirmation he said he abhorred the abuse wherein it was made a Sacrament or Corroboration to Baptism As for Absolution he said he had heard it likened to Pope's Pardons And Concerning Private Baptism he would be satisfied if called private from the place or if so termed that any besides a Lawful Minister may Baptize which he disliked Concerning excommunication he offered two things to be considered of 1. The Matter 2. The Persons For the first whether it were executed in light Cases which causeth the undervaluing thereof For the persons he would be resolved why Chancellors and Commissaries being lay men should do it and not rather the Bishops themselves c. As for providing Ministers for Ireland he said he would refer it in the last dayes Conference to a Consultation The Archbishop of Canterbury answered that Confirmation hath been used in the Catholick Church ever since the Apostles The Bishop of London That it is an Apostolical
silence they seemed to consent Then the King said to Doctor Rainolds and his Associates I expect obedience and humility from you the marks of honest and good men and that you would perswade others abroad by your example Doctor Rainolds answered We here do promise to perform all duties to Bishops as Reverend Fathers and to joyn with them against the common Adversary for the peace of the Church Thus ended the three dayes Conference Doctor Sparks soon after set forth a Treatise of Unity and Uniformity This Conference produced some alterations in the Liturgy Womens baptising formerly frequent hereafter forbidden in the Rubrick of Absolution Remission of sins inserted Confirmation termed also an Examination of Children and some words altered in the Dominical Gospels with a resolution for a new translation of the Bible Henceforward many that wavered before for the future quietly digested the Ceremonies of the Church About this time a Petition called the Millenary Petition for Reformation was solemnly presented to his Majesty in the name of the Ministers of the Church of England desiring Reformation of certain Ceremonies and abuses of the Church Subscribed Your Majesties most humble Subjects the Ministers of the Gospel that desire not a disorderly Innovation but a due and godly Reformation The Episcopal party gave this Petition a lash some with their Pens more with their Tongues The Universities were justly netled thereat Cambridge passed a Grâ—ce in their Congregation That whosoever in their Vniversity should by word or writing oppose the received Doctrine and Discipline of England or any part thereof should be suspended from their former and excluded from all future Degrees Oxford followed making a sharp and strong confutation of the Petition After his Majesty had discountenanced it some of the opposite party maintained That now the property thereof was altered from a Petition to a Libel Soon after died Archbishop Whitgift of the Palsey and was buried at Croidon the Earl of Worcester and Lord Zouch his Pupils attending his Herse and Bishop Babington his Pupil also made his Funeral Sermon Richard Bancroft Bishop of London brought up in Jesus colledge succeeded him in the Archbishoprick Now a Parliament was assembled in which it was enacted That neither the King himself nor his Successors should be capable of any Church-land to be conveyed unto them otherwise than for three lives or twenty one years Thus the King was pleased to bind himself for the liberty of the Church and hereby he eased himself of many troublesome Suitors In the Convocation many Canons were made A Book of Canons was compiled not only being the sum of the late Queens Articles Orders of her Commissioners Canons of 1571. and 1597. which were in use before but also many more were added the whole number amounting unto 141 An explanation was made in one of the Canons of the use of the Cross in Baptism Bishop Rudd of St. Davids opposed the Oath of Simony Anno 1664. the Family of Love presented a tedious Petition to King James wherein by fawning expressions they seek to insinuate themselves into his Majesties good opinion We find not what effect this Petition produced This year died two Romanists beyond Sea much lamented one Richard Hall bred in Christ's-colledge in Cambridge whence he ran over to Rome and after died Canon and Official at St. Omers Cathedral The other Humfrey Ely born in Hereford-shire Fellow of St. John's-colledge in Oxford whence going beyond Sea at Rome he commenced Doctor of Law and afterwards died Professor thereof in the University of Ponta Mousan in the Dutchy of Lorrain Now the Romish Cotholicks despairing of getting any free and publick exercise of their Religion some of them entred into a devilish Conspiracy to blow up the Parliament House with Gunpowder In this Plot were engaged Robert Catesby Thomas Piercy Sir Everard Digby Francis Tresham Thomas Winter John Wright Christopher Wright Ambrose Rookwood Robert Keys Robert Winter John Grant Thomas Bates Catesbies man Guido Faux The principal Contriver of this Plot was Robert Catesby a Gentleman of good account in Northampton-shire who drew in many other Papists to assist him Gerard tyeth them together with an Oath of secrecy Garnet and Tismond encourage the design But here an important scruple was injected how to part their Friends from their Foes in the Parliament Here Garnet instead of untying cut this knot asunder That in such a case as this it was lawful to kill Friend and Foe together Now though these Plotters intended at last with honour to own the Action when success had secured all things yet they purposed when the blow was first given to father the fact upon those that were called Puritans But for the discovery of this Plot God's Providence so ordered it that a Letter was framed and sent to the Lord Mounteagle brought him by one of his Footmen which he received from an unknown man in the street in manner following My Lord out of the love I bear to some of your Friends I have a care of your preservation Therefore I would advise you as you tender your life to forbear your attendance at this Parliament for God and man have concurred to punish the wickedness of this time And think not slightly of this advertisement but retire your self into your Countrey where you may expect the event in safety for though there be no appearance of any stir yet I say they shall receive a terrible blow this Parliament and yet they shall not see who hurts them This counsel is not to be contemned because it may do you good and can do you no harm for the danger is past as soon as you have burnt the Letter And I hope God will give you the grace to make use of it to whose holy protection I commend you The Lord Mounteagâ—e communicates the Letter to the Earl of Sarisbury He to the King who on the second perusal expounded the mystical blow meant therein must be by Gunpowder and gives order for searching the Rooms under the Parliament House The first search about evening discovered nothing but Percie 's Cellar full of Wood and Johnson his man under that name was Faux disguised attending therein At midnight a more strict and secret search was made by Sir Thomas Knevet Gentleman of his Majesty's Privy Chamber and others Fuller Church Hist in the Vault under the Parliament House There was quickly discovered a pile of fewel faced over with Billets lined under with thirty six Barrels of Powder besides Iron bars to make the force of the fire more effectual Guido Faux was apprehended in the outward room with a dark Lanthorn in his hand and three Matches ready to give fire to the Train Mean-time Catesby Percy Rookwood both the Wrights and Thomas Winter were hovering about London to attend the issue of the matter They and their Servants post down into the Countrey through Warwick-shire Worcester-shire into Stafford-shire Sir Richard Verney High Sheriff of Warwick-shire chased them from thence and
fitted to this new Edition of the Bible And as some perchance over-valued the Geneva Notes out of that special love they bear to the Authors and place whence it proceeded so on the other side some without cause did slight or rather uncharitably did slander the same for about this time Anno 1611. Fuller Church History Anno 1611. a Doctor in Oxford publickly in his Sermon at St. Maries accused them as guilty of misinterpretation touching the Divinity of Christ and his Messias-ship as if symbolizing with Arrians and Jews against them both for which he was afterwards suspended by Doctor Robert Abbot Propter conciones publicas minus orthodoxas offensionis plenas This year King James was careful for the seasonable suppression of the dangerous Doctrines of Conradus Vorstius This Doctor had lived about fifteen years a Minister at Steinford within the Territories of the Counts of TECLENBVRG BENTHAM c. the Counts whereof were the first in casting off the Romish yoke and ever since continuing Protestants This Vorstius had written to and received Letters from certain Samosatenian Hereticks in Poland and became infected therewith Hereupon he set forth two Books the one entitled IRACTATVS THEOLOGICVS DE DEO dedicated to the Land-grave of HESSEN the other EXEGESIS APOLOGETICA dedicated to the States both of them stuffed with many dangerous Positions concerning the Deity This Wretch debased the Purity of God assigning him a material body confining his Immensity as not being every where shaking his Immutability as if his Will were subject to change darkening his Omnisciency as uncertain in future contingents with many more monstrous Opinions Notwithstanding all this the said Vorstius was chosen by the Curators of the University of Leyden to be their publick Divinity-Professor in the place of Arminius lately deceased and to that end the States General by their Letters sent and sued to the Count of TECKLENBOVRGH and obtained of him that Vorstius should come from Steinford and become publick Professor in Leyden King James being this Autumn in his hunting Progress did light upon and perused the aforesaid Books of Vorstius he observed the dangerous Positions therein determining speedily to oppose them Hereupon he presently dispatched a Letter to Sir Ralph Winwood his Ambassador Resident with the States requiring him to let them understand how highly he should be displeased if such a Monster as Vorstius should be advanced in their Church This was seconded with a large Letter of his Majesties to the States dated October the sixth to the same effect But the States entertain not the motion of King James against Vorstius according to expectation They said That if Vorstius had formerly been faulty in offensive expressions he had since cleared himself in a new Declaration For lately he set forth a Book entitled A Christan and modest Answer but he gave no satisfaction in his new Declaration King James therefore gave Instructions to his Ambassador to make publick protestation against their proceedings which Sir Ralph Winwood most solemnly performed And after his Majesties Request Letter and Protestation had missed their desired effect he wrote in French a Declaration against Vorstius which since by his leave hath been translated into English among his other Works Vorstius his Books were also by the King's Command publickly burnt at St. Paul's-cross in London and in both Universities The same year in March Bartholomew Legate an Arrian was burnt in Smithfield for denying the Deity of the Son of God and holding that there are no Persons in the Godhead with many other damnable Tenets In the next month Edward Wightman of Burton upon Trent was burnt at Litchfield for holding ten several Heresies viz. those of Ebion Cerinthus Valentinian Arrius Macedonius Simon Magus Manes Manicheus Photinus and of the Anabaptists Only a Spanish Arrian who was condemned to die was notwithstanding suffered to linger out his Life in Newgate where he ended the same This year died Richard Sutton the Founder of Charter-house Hospital Esquire The Manors which in several Counties he setled for the maintenance of this Hospital were these 1. Balsham Mannor in Cambridge-shire 2. Blastingthorp Mannor in Lincoln-shire 3. Black-grove Mannor in Wilt-shire 4. Broad-Hinton Land in Wilt-shire 5. Castle-Camps Mannor in Cambridge-shire 6. Chilton Mannor in Wilt-shire 7. Dunby Mannor in Lincoln-shire 8. Elcomb Mannor and Park in Wilt-shire 9. Hackney Land in Middlesex 10. Hallingbury-Bouchers Mannor in Essex 11. Missunden Mannor in Wilt-shire 12. Much-Stanbridge Mannor in Essex 13. Norton Mannor in Essex 14. Salthrop Mannor in Wilt-shire 15. South-minster Mannor in Essex 16. Tottenham Land in Middlesex 17. Vfford Mannor in Wilt-shire 18. Watelscot Mannor in Wilt-shire 19. Westcot Mannor in Wilt-shire 20. Wroughton Mannor in Wilt-shire Anno 1612. On November the sixth died Prince Henry of a burning Fever He was generally lamented of the whole Land both Universities publishing their Verses in print Prince Henry's Funerals are followed with the Prince Palatine's Nuptials solemnized with great state Anno 1613. Nicholas Wadham Esquire of Merrifield in the County of Sommerset bequeathed by his Will four hundred pounds per annum and six thousand pounds in Money to the building of a Colledge in Oxford leaving the care of the Whole to Dorothy his Wife This year the same was finished built in a place where formerly stood a Monastery of the Augustine Friars This year Anthony Rudd Bishop of St. Davids ended his Life Some three years since on the death of King Henry the Fourth Isaac Causabon that learned Critick was fetcht out of France by King James and preferred Prebendary of Canterbury Presently he wrote First to Fronto Duraeus his learned Friend then to Cardinal Perron in the just vindication of our English Church After these he began his Exercitations on Baronius his Ecclesiastical Annals which more truly may be termed The Annals of the Church of Rome He died and was buried in the South-Isle of Westminster-Abby His Monument was erected at the cost of Thomas Morton Bishop of Durham Anno 1614. Mr. John Selden set forth his Book of Tithes wherein he Historically proveth that they were payable jure humano and not otherwise Many wrote in answer to his Book Anno 1616. Mr. Andrew Melvin was freed from his imprisonment in the Tower whither he had been committed for writing some Satyrical Verses against the Ornaments on the Altar in the King's Chappel He afterwards became a Professor at Sedan in the Duke of Bovillon's Country Here he traduced the Church of England against which he wrote a Scroll of Saphicks entitled TAMI-CHAMI-CATEGERPA When first brought into the Tower he first found Sir William Seymour afterwards Marquess of Hertford and Duke of Sommerset there imprisoned for marrying the Lady Arabella so nearly allyed to the Crown without the King's consent To whom Melvin sent this Distick Causa mihi tecum communis carceris Ara Regia Bella tibi Regia sacra mihi Anno 1615. died Thomas Bilson Bishop of Winchester a profound Scholar well read
of Bavaria was invested in the upper Palatinate Anno 1624. The match with France was concluded and in November the Articles were sworn unto by King James Prince Charles and the French King The Articles for Religion were not much short of those for Spanish match Count Mansfield was at this time in England and the Forces raised in the several parts of the Kingdom for the recovery of the Palatinate were put under his command Dover was the place assigned for their Rendezvous where the Colonels and Captains were to receive their several Regiments and Companies from the Conductors employed by those several Counties where the men were raised These being long pent up in their Ships suffered the want of all necessaries by which means a Pestilence devoured many of them so that scarce a Third part of the men were landed the which also afterwards mouldred away and the design came to nothing At this time upon the death of William Titular Bishop of Calcedon most of the English Secular Priests did petition the Pope that another Bishop might be sent over into England there to ordain Priests give Confirmation and exercise Episcopal jurisdiction Among others Matthew Kellison and Richard Smith were presented Not long after Pope Vrban the Eighth created Richard Smith Bishop of Calcedon and sent him into England with Episcopal Authority over the Priests within the English Dominions King James after he had been troubled with a Tertian Fever four weeks at Theobalds called unto him his onely Son Prince Charles to whom he recommended the protection of the Church of England c. and died on the seven and twentieth day of March He Reigned twenty two years and three days The sad news of King James his death was brought to White-hall when Dr. Laud Bishop of St. David's was Preaching therein This caused him to break off his Sermon in the midst thereof out of civil compliance with the sadness of the Congregation And the same day was King Charles Proclaimed at Whitehall Shortly after King James his death Bishop Land delivered to the hands of the Duke of Buckingham brief memorables of the Life and Death of King James On May fourteenth following King James his Funerals were performed very solemnly in the Collegiate-church at Westminster King Charles in his own person mournfully attended the Funerals of his Father Dr. Williams Lord Keeper and Bishop of Lincoln Preached the Sermon taking for his Text 2 Chron. 9.29 30 and part of vers 31. containing the happy Reign quiet Death and stately Burial of King Solomon In this Sermon he made a parallel between two peaceable Princes King Solomon and King James adding that Solomon's vices could be no blemish to King James who resembled him onely in his choycest vertues Doctor Preston still continued and increased in the favour of the King and the Duke of Buckingham Then a Book came forth called Apello Caesarem made by Mr. Mountague then Fellow of Eaton upon this occasion He had lately written Satyrically enough against the Papists in confutation of The Gagger of the Protestants Now two Divines of Norwich Diocese Mr. Yates and Mr. Ward inform against him for deserting our Cause instead of defending it Mr. Mountague in his own Vindication writes a second Book licensed by Francis White Dean of Carlile finished and partly Printed in the Reign of King James Many bitter passages in this his Book gave great exception At that time a Schedule was delivered to the Duke wherein the names of Ecclesiastical persons were written under the letters of O and P Rushw Collect An. 1625. O standing for Orthodox and P. for Puritans for the Duke commanded that the names of eminent persons to be presented unto the King should be thus digested under that partition On Sunday June 12. Queen Mary landed at Dover Next day the King coming from Canterbury met her at Dover Thence his Majesty conducted the Queen to Canterbury and the same Evening the Marriage was there consummated On June 16. the King and Queen came both to London A Chappel at Sommerset-house was built for the Queen and her Family with conveniences thereto adjoyning for Capuchin Friers who were therein placed and had permission to walk abroad in their Religious habits Then began a Parliament at London wherein the first Statute agreed upon was for the more strict observation of the Lord's day Sir Edward Coke went to the House of Peers with a message from the Commons desiring their concurrence in a petition concerning Religion and against Recusants which being agreed to and presented to the King his Majesty answered That he was glad that the Parliament was so forward in matters of Religion and assured them they should find him as forward Mr. Richard Mountague was brought to the Bar of the Commons House for his Book fore-mentioned which was Printed and dedicated to King Charles But the King rescued him from the House of Commons by taking Mr. Mountague's business into his own hand The Plague increasing in London the Parliament removed to Oxford where Doctor Chalenor died of that infection The Parliament to prevent the growth of Popery presented a petition to his Majesty containing sixteen particulars to which they received a satisfactory answer from the King Mr. Mountagues cause was recommended to the Duke of Buckingham by the Bishops of Rochester Oxford and St. Davids as the cause of the Church of England They affirm boldly that they cannot conceive what use there can be of Civil Government in the Common-wealth or of external Ministry in the Church if such fatal Opinions as some are which are opposite to those of Mr. Mountague be publickly taught and maintained But other Learned men were of a different judgement At Oxford in a late Divinity disputation held upon this Question Whether a Regenerate man may fall away totally and finally from Grace The Opponent u ging the Appeal to Caesar the Doctor of the Chair handled the Appellator very roughly saying That he was a man that studied phrases more than matter That he understood neither Articles nor Homilies or at least perverted both That he attributed he knew not what vertue to the sign of the Cross and concluded with an Admonition to the Juniors That they should be wary of reading that and the like Books The King according to his late answer to the Parliament at Oxford issued out a Commission to the Judges to see the Law against Recusants put in Execution This was read in all the Courts of Judicature at Reading where Michaelmas Term was kept and a letter directed to the Archbishop of Canterbury to take special care for the discovery of Jesuites Seminary Priests c. within his Province In this and the next year many Books from persons of several abilities and professions were written against Mr. Mountague by Dr. Sutcliff Dean of Exeter Mr. Henry Burton Mr. Yates a Minister of Norfolk his Book he entitled Ad Caesarem ibis Dr. Carleton Bishop of Chichester Anthony Wotton Divinity-professor
use aforesaid to be illegal and so dissolved the same confiscating their money to the King's use About this time died Samuel Harsenet Archbishop of York He lies buried at Chigwel Church in Essex where he built a School Now the Sabbatarian controversie began to be revived Theophilus Bradburn a Minister of Suffolk had five years before set forth a book Entitled A defence of the most ancient and Sacred Ordinance of God the Sabbath-day Francis White now Bishop of Ely was employed by his Majesty to confute Mr. Bradburn's erroneous opinion In the writing whereof many strict people were offended at some expressions dropping from his pen. Hereupon many Books were wrote and controversies on this subject were multiplied These were distinguished into three several opinions Sabbatarians Moderate men Anti-sabbatarians In Sommerset-shire some of the Justices were offended at the keeping of Wakes Church-ales c. on the Lord's day which occasioned many disorders to be committed They moved the Lord Chief-justice Richardson and Baron Denham then in their circuit in the Lent-vacation to make some order therein These in compliance with their desire make an Order to suppress such Revels in regard of the manifold inconveniences daily arising thereby Sir Rich. Baker's Chro. enjoyning the Constables to deliver a Copy thereof to the Minister of every Parish who on the first Sunday in Feburary and likewise the two first Sundays before Easter was to pub ish the same every year This was looked upon by the Bishops as an Usurpation of Ecclesiastical jurisdiction and they therefore procured a Commission directed to the Bishop of Bath and Wells and other Divines and to enquire into the manner of publishing this Order and the carriage of the Judges in the Business Notwithstanding which the Chief-justice at the next Assizes gave strict charge against the Revels requiring an account of the pub ication and execution of the former order punishing some persons for the breach thereof This Order was af erward revoked And hereupon the Justices of that County made an humble supplication to the King for suppressing the foresaid Assemblies In this juncture of time a Declaration for sports on the Lord's day published in the Reign of King James was revived and enlarged This gave great distast to many and some Ministers were suspended and some deprived ab officio beneficio and more vexed in the High-commission All Bishops urged not the reading of the Book with rigour alike nor punished the refusal with equal severity The thickest complaints came from the Diocess of Norwich and of Bath and Wells Much was the Archbishop's moderation in his own Diocese silencing but three in whom also a concurrence of other Non-conformities through the whole extent thereof Here it is much to be lamented that such who at the time of the Sabbatarian controversie were the strictect observers of the Lord's day are now become in another extreme the greatest neglecters yea contemners thereof Now such Irish Impropriations as were in the Crown were by the King restored to the Church to the great Diminishing of the Royal Revenue And Archbishop Laud was a worthy Instrument in moving the King to so pious a work A Convocation concurrent with a Parliament was called and held at Dublin in Ireland wherein the Nine and thirty Articles of the Church of England were received in Ireland for all to subscribe to Dr. William Juxon Bishop of London was made Lord Treasurer of England whose carriage was so discreet in that place that it procured a general love to him Anno 1635. Archbishop Laud kept his Metropolitical Visitation and hence-forward Conformity was more vigorously pressed than before Now many differences about Divine Worship began to arise and many Books were written pro and con One controversie was about the Holyness of our Churches Another about Adoration towards the Altar A Controversie was also started about the posture of the Lord's Boord Communion-table or Altar This last controversie was prosecuted with much needless animosity Indeed if moderate men had had the managing of these matters the accommodation had been easie In June Anno 1636. Mr. Prynne Dr. Bastwick and Mr. Burton were sentenced in the High-commission-court Some three years since Mr. Pyrnne set forth a Book called Histrio-mastrix for which he was censured to lose his ears on the Pillory and for a long-time after two removals to the fleet Imprisoned in the Tower whence he dispersed New Pamphlets against the established Discipline of the Church of England for which he was indited in the Star-chamber Dr. John Bastwick set forth a Book Entitled Flagellum Pontificis Episcoporum latialium in a fluent Latine Style He was accused in the High-commission committed to the Gate-house where he wrote a second Book taxing the injustice of the proceedings of the High-commission for which he was indited in the Star-chamber Mr. Burton Preached a Sermon on the last fifth of November On Prov. 24.21 My son fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are subject to change This Sermon was afterwards Printed charging the Prelats for Introducing several Innovations in Divine Worship for which as a Libel he was indited in the Star-chamber Mr. Pâ—ynne's Plea is rejected and his answer refused so is Dr. Bastwick's and Mr. Burton's is cast out for imperfect The Censure of the Court was that they should lose their ears in the Palace-yard at Westminster fining them also five thousand pounds a man to his Majesty and perpetual Imprisonment in three remote places The Lord Finch added to Mr. Prynne's Censure that he should be branded in each Cheek with S. L. for a slanderous Libeller to which the whole Court agreed Two days after three Pillories were set up in Palace-yard or one double one and a single one at some distance for Mr. Prynne as the chief offender Mr. Burton first suffered making a long speech in the Pillory not entire but interrupted with occasional expressions His ears were cut so close that the Head-artery being cut the blood abundantly streamed down upon the Scaffold at which he did not shrink at all Dr. Bastwick succeeded him His friends highly commended the erection of his mind over pain and shame Others conceived that anger in him acted the part of patience as to the stout undergoing of his sufferings The Censure was with all rigour executed on Mr. Prynne commended more for his kindly patience than either of his Predecessors in that place Not long after they were removed Mr. Prynne to Carnarvan-castle in Wales Dr. Bastwick and Mr. Burton the one to Lancaster-castle the other to Lanceston in Cornwal The two latter again were removed one to the Isle of Scilly the other to the Isle of Gernezey and Mr. Prynne to Mount-orguile-castle in Jersey Next came the Bishop of Lincoln to be Censured in the Star-chamber The Bishop of Lincoln censured After the great Seal some ten years since taken from him he retired himself to Bugden in Huntington-shire where he lived
very hospitably and had great concourse Among others Sir John Lamb Dean of the Arches formerly a favourite of the Bishop of Lincoln fetcht off from being prosecuted in Parliament and Knighted by his means with Dr. Sibthorp Allen and Burden two Proctors came to visit him and being at dinner with him there was much discourse about Non-conformists The Bishop knowing these to be busie men in the prosecution of such advised them to take off their heavy hand from them informing them that the King intended to use them hereafter with more mildness c. adding that He had communicated this unto him by his own mouth A few years after Sir John Lamb upon some difference with the Bishop informed against him for revealing the King's secrets whereupon an Information was put in against him in the Star-chamber unto which Bishop Williams by good advice of Counsel did plead and demurre as containing no matter fit for the Cognisance of that Court as concerning words spoken of matters done in Parliament and secrets pretended to be revealed by him a Privy-counsellour and Peer of Parliament and therefore not to be heard but in that high Court The Demurrer being rendred useless in the Bishop's Defence he put in a strong plea which likewise being argued and debated in open Court came at last to the same fate with the demurrer as referred to Judge Richardson and smothered by him in a Chamber This plea thus over-ruled the Bishop put in a special answer to the Information declaring how all was grounded by a Combination of the persons named in the Bill out of an intent to advance themselves c. To this special answer Attourney Noy rejoyned in issue admitting the Bishop to prove his special matters by his Witnesses After a while the Attorney being somewhat remiss in the prosecution one Richard Kilvert became the Bishop's Prosecutor who had found out that one John Prigion a Register of Lincoln and Leicester was a most material Witness in the Bishop's defence the credit of whose testimony he desired to invalidate by charging him with getting a Bastard on one Elizabeth Hodson This Bastard was by the Sessions at Lincoln ordered to be kept by Prigion as the reputed Father thereof but at a Sessions following the order was reversed and the Child fathered on one Bourn and Prigion acquitted and at a third Sessions it is returned upon Prigion again This last Order of Sessions was again dissolved as illegal by the Judges of the King's Bench and Prigion cleared from the Child charged on him in the doing whereof it was said that Powel and Owen two Agents of the Bishops did menace and tamper with the Witnesses Hence-forward Kilvert let fall his first information in the Star-chamber and employed all his power on the proof of Subornation and therein he succeeded The Bishop was fined eight thousand pounds and a thousand marks to Sir John Munson with Suspension ab Officio Beneficio and to be imprisoned during the King's pleasure All his Preferments in the Church were sequestred to the use of the King and the Archbishop of Canterbury as Archbishop of the Province exercised all kind of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction throughout the Diocess of Lincoln not only as an Ordinary of that Diocess but as Visitor of all those Colledges which had any dependance on that See At the same time were fined with the Bishop George Walker his Secretary Cadwallader Powel his Steward at three hundred pounds a piece and Thomas Lund the Bishop's Servant at a thousand marks all as Defendants in the same Cause yet none of them was imprisoned save Lund for a few weeks and their fine never called upon to this day About four years after viz. 1640. when this Bishop was fetcht out of the Tower and restored a Peer in Parliament he therein presented several grievances concerning the prosecution of this Cause against him And the Parliament ordered all the Records of that Suit in the Star-chamber to be obliterated Sir Rich. Baker s Chron. In the year 1616. King James had obtained an Act of the General Assembly at Aberdeen for the compiling a Liturgy which was to be first presented to the King and after his approbation universally received throughout the Kingdom This Book was framed and sent up to the King who himself perused revised it referring it also to the consideration of others in whom he much confided And after his own and their Observation Additions Expunctions Mutations c. he returned it to Scotland to be commended to that Church but before a period was put to that business the King died King Charles understanding his Father's intention in composing a Liturgy for the Church of Scotland ordereth the Archbishop of Canterbury the Bishop of Ely together with divers other Bishops of both Nations to revise and correct as they should think meet the Liturgy compiled in his Father's life-time which very little differeth from that of England ordereth it to be sent to the Council in Scotland to be made use of there On July twenty three 1637. as the Dean of Edenborough began to read the Book in St. Giles his Church Lambert Wood of the Life and Reign of King Charles a sudden uproar began by the women and baser sort of people The Bishop appointed to preach goes into the Pulpit hoping to convince them of their irreverent carriage which nothing prevailed for they were the more insolent flinging stools stones and whatever else came next to hand at him so that he hardly escaped with life Divers other Churches were infested with the like fury but by the Industry of the Archbishop of St. Andrews Lord Chancellor and other Magistrates the tumult was appeased some were afterwards apprehended and endeavours made to find out the first beginner But not long after a great concourse of people from all parts of that Kingdom came to Edinborough which occasioned the Lords of the Council to put forth several Proclamations to prevent the like disorders but they nothing prevailed For the next day the Bishop of Galloway going to the Council was followed by a great multitude reviling him until he came to the Council-door where he was no sooner entred but they beset the House with very great numbers threatening destruction to all that were within The Council require aid of the Provost and other Magistrates of the City who return answer that they were in the like danger The tumult still increasing they of the City were forced for the safeguard of their own lives to subscribe as followeth 1. To joyn in opposition to the service-Service-book and to petition against it 2. To restore Ramsey and Rollock two silenced Ministers 3. To receive in Mr. Henderson formerly silenced Which being signed the Council thought was a good step to suppress the tumult But entring into the High-street the Lord Treasurer and other Lords were fresh assaulted trodden underfoot and brought back by violence to the Council-house where being in great danger they require aid of divers
abolition of Episcopacy and the ruine of all that adhered to it their actings in it being confirmed in his name by the High-Commission The news whereof caused the King to send for the Lord Wentworth out of Ireland who was presently made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and not long after with great solemnity created Earl of Strafford in the County of York As Lord Lieutenant he had power to appoint a Deputy that he might the better attend the service here without any prejudice to that Kingdom which Office he committed to Wansford a York-shire Gentleman whom he had took along with him into Ireland at his first going thither His Majesty was pleased to commit the conduct of the Scottish Affairs to a Juncto of three namely the Archbishop of Canterbury the Earl of Strafford and the Marquiss of Hammilton These three move his Majesty to call a Parliament and it was concluded that a Parliament should be called on April 13. 1640. In the mean time the Lord Lieutenant held a Parliament in Ireland and so governed the affair that an Army of eight thousand Horse and Foot was speedily raised and money granted by the Parliament to keep them in pay to furnish them with Ammunition Arms and all other necessaries And the Lords of the Council here subscribed largely for the carrying on of the War until such time as the Parliament should convene The Scots being informed of the King's preparation for a War sent the Earl of Dumferling the Lord London Sir William Douglas and Mr. Barkham to represent the Affairs of their transactions which were received by the King in a friendly manner Some dayes being unprofitably spent in these debates the Archbishop and the rest of the Committee delegated for this business made a report of the whole business to the rest of the Council who came to this result That since the Scots could not be reclaimed to their obedience by other means they were to be reduced by force Therefore the Scots as much bestirred themselves on the other side Part of the walls of Edenborough-castle with all the Ordnance upon it had fallen down on the nineteenth of November last being the Anniversary day of his Majesties birth for the repair whereof they would neither suffer Timber nor other Materials to be carried to it but on the contrary they began to raise Fortifications against it with an intent to block it up and render it unuseful to his Majesties service Neither would they suffer the Souldiers to come into the Market to recruit their victuals They made provisions of great quantity of Artillery Munition and Arms from forreign parts laid Taxes of ten Marks in the hundred upon all the Subjects scattered abroad many seditious Pamphlets for justifying themselves and seducing others some of which were burnt in England by the hand of the Hangman fortified Inchgarvy and other places imprisoned the Earl of Southesk and other Persons of Quality for their fidelity to the King took to themselves the government of Edenborough and employed their Emissaries in England to sollicit them to aid them in maintaining the War against their Sovereign But their chief corespondence was with France and Ireland In France they had made sure of Cardinal Richlieu who governed all Affairs in that Kingdom In Ireland they had a strong party of natural Scots planted in Vlster by King James upon the forfeited Estates of Tir-Owen Tir-Connel Odighirty c. But Wentworth crushed them in the beginning of the combination seizing upon such Ships and Men as came thither from Scotland imprisoning some fining others and putting an Oath upon the rest By which Oath they were bound to abjure the Covenant not to aid the Covenanters against the King nor to protest against any of his royal Edicts as their Brethren in Scotland use to do for the refusing of which Oath he fined one Sir Henry Steward and his Wife at no less than five thousand pound apiece two of their Daughters and one James Gray of the fame confederacy at the sum of three thousand pound apiece committing them to prison for not paying the fines imposed on them Some Scots having endeavoured to betray the Town and Castle of Carick fergus to a Noble-man of that Countrey the principal Conspirator was executed Finally The Lord Lieutenant gave a power to the Bishop of Down and Connor and other Bishops of that Kingdom and their several Chancellors to attach the bodies of all such of the meaner sort who either should refuse to appear before them upon citation or to perform all lawful Decrees and Orders made by the said Bishops c. and to commit them to the next Gaol till they should conform or answer the contempt at the Council-Table By means whereof the poorer sort became very obedient to their several Bishops In the mean time the Archbishop of Canterbury is intent on the preservation of the Hierarchy and the Church of England against the practices of the Scots and Scotizing English and no less busied in digesting an Apology for vindicating the Liturgy commended to the Kirk of Scotland He took order for translating the Scottish Liturgy into the Latin Tongue that being published with the Apology which he had designed it might give satisfaction to the world of his Majesties Piety and his own great care the orthodoxy and simplicity of the Book it self and the perverseness of the Scots in refusing all of it Which Work was finished and left with him the present distemper of the times and the troubles which fell heavily on him putting an end to it in the first beginning He recommended to Doctor Hall then Bishop of Exon the writing of a Book in defence of the Divine right of Episcopacy in opposition to the Scots and their Adherents Exeter having undertaken it sent the first delineations of the Pourtracture to Lambeth in the end of October which were generally well approved of by the Metropolitan who having made some alterations sent them back with many kind expressions of a fair acceptance And such was the freedom he used in declaring his judgment in the case and such the Authority which his Reasons carried along with them that the Bishop of Exon found good cause to correct his Opinon according to the Rules of these Animadversions agreeable unto which the Book was writ and published not long after under the name of Episcopacy by Divine right c. Whilst the Archbishop laboured to support Episcopacy on the one side some of the adverse party laboured as much to suppress it by lopping off the branches first and afterwards by laying the Axe to the root of the Tree Bagshaw a Lawyer of some standing of the Middle-Temple began to question the Bishop's place and vote in Parliament their Temporal power and the authority of the Commission For being chosen Reader by that House for the Lent-vacation he first selected for the Argument of his discoursings the Statute of 25 Edw. 3. cap. 7. His main design was intended chiefly for the defence
Benefice as aforesaid or the profits thereof On June the twenty third following by the Protector with the advice of his Council it was further ordained That in case any person who since April the first 1653. hath been proved in any publick Benefice or publick Lecture should not before the twenty fourth of June 1654. obtain approbation and admittance in manner as in the said Ordinance is expressed that then the person or persons who have right thereunto should and might present and nominate some other fit person to that place It was ordained also That tho said Commissioners in that Ordinance be authorized to give approbation and admittance to any person concerned in that clause of the said Ordinance at any time before the twenty third day of July 1654. and that in the mean time no person should present or nominate any person to any Benefice or publick Lecture in the place of any such person for the want of such approbation by the time aforesaid But if such approbation and admittance should not be by the said twenty third of July obtained by the said persons therein concerned then such person or persons as have right thereunto might present or nominate some other fit person to such place according to the said Ordinance August the sixteenth 1654. an Ordinance was passed against ignorant and scandalous Ministers in all the respective Counties within England and Wales in which it was declared 1. That such Ministers and Scholars should be accounted scandalous in their lives as should be proved guilty for holding such blaspemous and Atheistical Opinions as are punishable by an Act of Parliament entitled An Act against several Atheistical Blasphemous and Execrable Opinions derogatory to the Honour of God and destructive to Humane society or guilty of cursing swearing or subornation of perjury 2. Such as hold or teach any of those Popish opinions required in the Oath of abjuration to be abjured or be guilty of adultery fornication drunkenness c. carding dicing profaning of the Lord's day or allow the same in their Families 3. Such as have publickly and frequently received and used the common-prayer-Common-prayer-book since the first of January last or shall at any time hereafter do the same 4. Such as do encourage or countenance by word or practice any Whitsun-ales Wakes Morris-dances May-poles 5. Such as have declared or shall declare by writing preaching or otherwise their disaffection to the Government 6. Such Ministers were to be accounted negligent as omit the publick Exercises of Preaching and Praying on the Lord's-day not being hindered by necessary absence or infirmity of sickness or that are or shall be non-resident 7. Such School-masters should be accounted negligent as absent themselves from their Schools and do wilfully neglect their duties in teaching their Scholars 8. Such Ministers and School-masters should be accounted ignorant and insufficient as should be so declared and adjudged by the said Commissioners five or more of them together with five or more of the Ministers particularly named in the Ordinance for the several and respective Counties of England and Wales Assistants to the said Commissioners August the thirtieth 1654. It was ordained That Sir Hugh Owen Baronet and divers other persons particularly named in the Ordinance for all the several Counties in the Dominion of Wales be Commissioners in their several limits and that the said Commissioners or any three of them therein are authorized by their Warrants under their hands and seals to call before them all such persons who by authority and colour of an Act of Parliament made February the twenty second 1649. entitled An Act for the better Propagation and Preaching of the Gospel in Wales c. have intermedled in the receiving keeping and disposing the said rents issues and profits of all or any of the Rectories Vicarages portion of Tenths and other Ecclesiastical livings Impropriations and Glebe-lands within the said Counties and to give a true and perfect account upon Oath which Oath the Commissioners are impowred to administer of all such rents issues and profits which they or any of them have received And if any of them shall refuse to give a true account to commit him or them so refusing to the Gaol of the County there to remain till they conform themselves The moneys found in their hands to be paid into the hands of such Treasurer as the respective Commissioners should nominate and appoint for that purpose which Treasurer should within three months pay in the same into the Exchequer Seâ—tember the second 1654. It was ordained That the Ordinance entitled An Ordinance for bringing in the publick Revenue of this Common-wealth into one Treasury to be paid into the Receipt of the Exchequer nor any thing therein contained shall extend or be construed to extend to any the Rents Profits or Revenues by Acts of Parliament of Rectories impropriate appropriate Tythes c. or any of them setled in the Trustees in the said Acts named That all and every the Rectories Impropriations Tithes aâ—propriate Donatives Oblations Obventions First-fruits Tenths Pensions Portions of Tiths by the said recited Acts vested in the Trustees and not exâ—osed to sale by an Act entitled An Act for the sale of Mannors of Rectories and Glebe-lands belonging to Archbishops Bishops Deans Deans and Chapters shall from henceforth be setled in the possession and seizin of W. Steele Serjeant at Law and other persons particularly named in the Ordinance Survivor and Survivors of them and their Heirs to the uses and upon the Trusts in the said Acts expressed c. That they shall sue for recover collect and gather the Rents Issues and Profits thereof as Owners in Trust and manage the Revenue in such way and manner as shall be most advantageous for the carrying on of this service That the said Trustees shall haâ—e power to make unions of two Parishes or more into one and the whole Ecclesiastical Revenues Tithes and Profits belonging to the said Parishes so united to be supplied for a provision for one godly and painful Minister to preach in such of the said Parish charge where such union shall be made as the said Trustees shall judge convenient The said Trustees also shall appoint where the meeting of both the said Parishes for the worship of God shall be c. The said Trustees also shall have power to sever and divide Parishes where they shall conceive it needful and fix such maintenance out of the profits of the said Church so to be divided as they shall think fit to be approved of by the Parliament and in the Intervals of Parliament by the Protector and his Council c. This year died that famous and learned Antiquary Mr. John Selden and was buried in the Inner-Temple Church in London Addition to Sir Rich. Bakers Chron. Anno 1655. the Duke of Savoy's Souldiers having committed many cruel outrages upon the Protestants in Piedmont Cromwel took this occasion to ingratiate himself with the Protestants abroad and appointing a solemn
also taken from him and given to a sure Confider and one Major Wildman a great Leveller was taken at Marleborough enditing and drawing Declarations against the Protector so the danger from the Army was soon suppressed About the same time a Book was published called Killing no Murther wherein it was urged That it was most lawful just necessary and honourable to kill the Protector and this printed with the name of one Allen a disbanded Leveller but so politely written that it intimated a more exact and curious hand that framed it Whosoever was the Author it scared Cromwel almost out of his Wits This made him most suspitiously fearful so that he began to dread every person or strange face he saw which he would anxiously and intently view for an Assassinate that Book perpetually running in his mind It is said it was his constant custom to shift and change his Lodging to which he passed through twenty several Locks and out of which he had four or five wayes to avoid pursuit June iwenty six 1657. Then followed the Protector 's Instalment in a more solemn manner in Westminster-hall than before and the Speaker of the Parliament Sir Thomas Widdrington in the name of the Parliament presented to him a Robe of Purple-velvet a Bible Sword and a Scepter and having made a Speech thereupon the Speaker took the Bible and gave the Protector his Oath Mr. Manton Minister then of Covent-Garden made a Prayer wherein he recommended the Protector Parliament Council the Forces by Sea and Land Government and People of the three Nations to the protection of God Which being ended the Heraulds by Trumpets proclaimed Cromwell Protector of England Scotland and Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging requiring all persons to yield him due obedience Then were the attempts of the Royal Party in behalf of his Majesty betrayed and discovered to the Protector and Sir Henry Slingsby Doctor Huet Minister of St. Gregories by Pauls in London Mr. Mordant and others are imprisoned and brought to trial before an High Court of Justice set up under the Presidentship of Commissioner Lisle Sir Henry and the Doctor were the two first that were brought to trial and both of them sentenced to die as Traitors the first upon the bare testimony of those three men who had so treacherously circumvented him which in vain he pleaded the other as a Mute disowning the Authority of the Court and thereupon denying to plead On the eighth of June 1658. they were beheaded on Tower-hill Afterwards on July the seventh Colonel Edward Ashton and John Bettley were hanged and quartered the first in Tower-street the other in Cheapside Cromwell was now again adorned with another success and triumph by the defeat of the Spanish Army and surrender of Dunkirk into his hands Lockart his Kinsman and General of the English Forces being made Governor thereof In August 1658. the Protector was taken sick at Hampton-court having not been well in mind some time before troubled with the last distracted words of his beloved Daughter Cleypole who died on the sixth day of August which went near to his heart After a weeks time his Disease began to shew very desperate symptomes wherefore he was removed to White-hall where his Chaplains kept Fasts for his recovery but having declared his Son Richard his Successor he died on Friday September the third at three of the Clock in the Afternoon The deceased Protector 's Will concerning his Successor being imparted to the Council and chief Officers of the Army they all consent to the election of his Son Richard and the President and whole Council went at once to congratulate him and to condole his Fathers death Then was he proclaimed by the City of London and chief Officers of the Army After the Proclamation the Lord Mayor presented his Sword to him which he presently returned and after some Ceremonies passed the Council and many Officers of the State and of the Army being present Nathanael Fiennes one of the Commissioners of the Great Seal administred an Oath unto him A Gentleman was sent into Ireland who was chief Governor of that Kingdom to acquaint Henry Cromwell with the present posture of Affairs in England and Mr. Thomas Clarges was sent into Scotland to General Monk to see how he stood affected to Richard's advancement Then Addresses were made to the Protector from all parts of the Nation and the Army of Scotland submit to what was was done in England Addresses were also made to the young Protector from all the Regiments of the Army in England Scotland and Ireland and other parts After the pompous solemnity of the Funerals of the late Protector the new Protector summoned a Parliament to meet at Westminster on January twenty seven he endeavours to new model his Council but the Army grows jealous of him and censure him and the factious part of the Army had many seditious meetings and he is perswaded to resign the command of the Army to Fleetwood which he refuseth The General Council of Officers as they called themselves met in Fleetwood's House where they acted with as much formality as if they had been the supreme Legislators of the three Kingdoms At length things came to this issue the young Protector was forced to sign a Commission to Commissioner Fiennes for the dissolving of the Parliament and a Proclamation came forth in the Protector 's name to publish the dissolution of the Parliament Soon after whilst many of the Superiour Officers of the Army met at Wallingford-house in further consideration of a Module of Government Supplem to Sir Rich. Baker's Hist the inferiour Officers being the most numerous assembled in the Chappel at St. Jame's having Doctor Owen and other Independent Ministers to assist at their Devotion and at last declared their forwardness to restore the latter part of the long Parliament and to restore Lambert and the rest of the Officers to their Commands who had been displaced by Oliver Cromwel for disaffection to him Several Colonels were removed from their Regiments and others put in their rooms as likewise Governours of Towns and other Officers Lambert being thus brought again into the Army recovereth much of his former power Then a Declaration of the Officers of the Army was drawn up which invited the Members of the long Parliament who had sate till April the twentieth 1653. to return to the exercise and discharge of their trust They accept of the Invitation and take their places in the House General Monk seems to consent to what was done in England They publish their Intentions by Declaration viz. That they are resolved by God's assistance to endeavour to secure and establish the property and Liberties of the people without a single Person Kingship or House of Peers and shall vigorously endeavour the carrying on of Reformation so much desired to the end there may be a godly and faithful Magistracy and Ministry upheld and maintained in the Nations c. The Officers of the Army
Ecclesiastical Person formerly Sequestred or ejected after Lawful presentation and reception of the profits that hath not subscribed any petition to bring the late King to Trial or by any Act endeavoured or justified the murther of the said King or declared his judgement against Infant-baptism by Preaching Writing Printing or constant refusal to Baptize shall be restored to the possession thereof at or before the twenty fifth day of December next ensuing and every Ecclesiastical person to be removed may enjoy the profits to that day On December 29. following on which day the Parliament was dissolved 32 Acts more were passed by the King Among which one was an Act for Confirmation of Marriages during the time of the late Usurpations Another was for making the Precinct of Covent-garden Parochial And an Act for the disappropriating of the Rectory appropriate of Preston and uniting and consolidating of the said Rectory and of the Vicarage of the Church of Preston and for the assuring of the Advouson and right of Patronage of the same unto the Master Fellows and Scholars of Immanuel-colledge in Cambridge And an Act for Confirmation of Grants and Leases from Colledges and Hospitals Now some sixty Fifth-monarchy men under the conduct of one Thomas Venner a Cooper broke forth into Rebellion This Venner was a Preacher to a Conventicle of that opinion in Coleman-street in London Such was the madness of these men that they believed that They and the rest of their judgement were called by God to reform the world and make all the earthly powers which they called Babylon subservient to the Kingdom of Jesus and in Order thereunto never to sheath their swords till the carnal powers of the world were subdued They were taught and believed that one of them should subdue a Thousand making account when they had done their work in England to go into France Spain Germany and other parts of the world there to prosecute their pretended holy design The place where they plotted and continued their conspiracy was the meeting-place for their devotion and thither they had at several times convayed arms On Sunday January 6. which was the day before their excursion they were very late at their Assembly which made one Martin the Landlord of the House inquisitive after their doings He peeping through a chink in their door saw them arming themselves with Back breast and head-piece and thereupon immediately gave notice to the next Officers Half an hour after they came down and first marched to S. Thomas the Apostle to call some of their party from thence to Bishops-gate and after to White-cross-street They escaped to S. John's Wood and from thence to Cane-wood betwixt High-gate and Hampsted On Wednesday morning the Rebels came again into London and divided themselves into two parties one whereof about five or six in the morning appeared about Leaden-hall and from thence marched to little East-cheap where they fought desperately but were dispersed by the trained bands Venner and another party came to my Lord Mayor's house thinking to have taken him Prisoner but missing him they marched into Woodstreet where Colonel Corbet and nine of his party charged through the Rebels and broke them They fought with admirable courage and if they had not been hindred from encreasing their numbers a Thousand men so resolved might have done much mischief Venner himself was much wounded before he was taken and about five or six were killed that refused quarter About eight or ten dayes after Venner with about sixteen or seventeen of the most notorious were arraigned at Justice-hall in the old Baily found guilty and executed in several parts of London About this time there was a conference at the Savoy between divers Episcopal and Presbyterian Divines about the Church discipline but to little effect A new Parliament was called which assembled at Westminster May 8. 1661. In the first Session whereof an Act was passed Entitled An Act for disenabling all Persons in Holy Orders to exercise any temporal jurisdiction or Authority Repealed The Bishops were brought to sit again as Peers in the House of Lords and their Ecclesiastical jurisdiction restored to them The Parliament explained a clause contained in an Act of Parliament made in the seventeenth year of King Charles the first Entitled An Act for Repeal of a branch of a Statute Primo Elizabethae concerning Commissioners for causes Ecclesiastical At the second Session of this Parliament an Act was made against Quakers and others denying to take a Lawful Oath with several penalties to be inflicted on them for several offences An Act was also passed for Uniformity of publick Prayers and Administration of Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies and of ordering and consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons in the Church of England The King's Majesty according to his Declaration of the 25th of October 1660. had granted his Commission under the Great Seal of England to several Bishops and other Divines to review the Book of Common-Prayer and to prepare such additions and alterations as they thought fit to offer And afterwards the Convocations of both the Provinces of Canterbury and York being by His Majesty called and assembled His Majesty was pleased to Authorize and require the Presidents of the said Congregation and other the Bishops and Clergy of the same to review the said Book of Common-Prayer and the Book of the Form and manner of making and Consecrating of Bishops Priests and Deacons c. Since which time upon full and mature deliberation they the said Presidents Bishops and Clergy of both Provinces having accordingly reviewed the same Books and made some alterations which they thought fit to be inserted to the same and some additional Prayers to be used upon proper and emergent occasions and having presented the same unto His Majesty in Writing in one Book entitled The Book of Common-Prayer and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church according to the use of the Church of England together with the Psalter or Psalms of David pointed as they are to be sung or said in Churches and the form and manner of making Ordaining and Consecrating of Bishops Priests and Deacons All which His Majesty having duly considered fully approved and allowed the same and recommended to this present Parliament then sitting and yet continuing to sit that the said Book of Common-Prayer c. be the Book which shall be appointed to be used by all that officiate in all Cathedral and Collegiate Churches and Chappels and in all Chappels or Colledges and Halls in both the Universities and the Colledges of Eaton and Winchester and in all Parish-Churches and Chappels within the Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales and Town of Berwick upon Tweed and by all that make or consecrate Bishops Priests or Deacons in any of the said places under such sanctions and penalties as the Houses of Parliament shall think fit And accordingly it was Enacted by the King's Majesty and both Houses of Parliament That Morning and Evening Prayers in the
to King Arthur removed his See from Caerleon to Menevia which ever since from him is called St. Davids He sate sixty five years and died Anno 642. having first built twelve Monasteries in the Countrey thereabout being now one hundred forty six years of age 2. Cenauc who was first Bishop of Patern 3. Teilaw 4. Cenew 5. Morwal 6. Haerunen 7. Elwaed 8. Gurnuen 9. Lendivord Anno 810. the Church of St. David was burnt by the West-Saxons 10. Gorwyst 11. Gorgan 12. Elvoed 13. Anian 14. Elvoed 15. Ethelmen 16. Elanc 17. Molscoed 18. Sadermen 19. Catellus 20. Sulhaithnay 21. Nonis 22. Etwal 23. Asserius called in the Chronicle of VVales Archbishop of all VVales He died Anno 906. he was Vnkle to Asserius Bishop of Sherborn 24. Arthvael 25. Sampson Henceforth the Bishops of St. Davids never subjected themselves unto Canterbury until the time of King Henry the First King of England 26. Kucline 27. Rodheric 28. Elquin 29. Lywarch 30. Nergu 31. Hubert 32. Everus 33. Morgenu This man of all the Bishops of St. Davids first refused to eat flesh saith Giraldus 34. Nathan 35. Ievan He continued only one night 36. Argustel 37. Morgenveth 38. Hernun a godly and learned man 39. Carmerin 40. Ioseph 41. Bleithud 42. Sulghein 43. Abraham 44. Rythmarch 45. VVilfrid 46. Bernard 47. David Fitz-Gerald 48. Peter His Church had been often destroyed in former Ages by Danes and other Pyrats and in his time was almost ruined He bestowed much in re-edefying the same and may in some sort he said to have built the Church which now standeth 49. Sylvester Giraldus He was commonly called Giraldus Cambrensis He was Son unto Giraldus de VVindsor that built the Castle of Pembrock and Nesta the Sister of Griffith ap-Rice ap-Theodore Prince of VVales He wrote a description of England Ireland and VVales Of many Books that he wrote you may find the Catalogue in Iohn Bale 50. Edward an Abbot 51. Alselmus 52. Thomas Archdeacon of Lincoln 53. Richard Carren 54. Thomas Beck 55. David Martin 56. Henry Gower 57. Iohn Thorsby 58. Reginald Brian 59. Thomas Falstaf 60. Adam Houghton 61. Iohn Gilbert 61. Gray Mohun Keeper of the Privy Seal he was for a while Lord Treasurer of England 63. Henry Chichley 64. Iohn Keterich 65. Stephen Patrington 66. Benet Nichols 67. Thomas Rodburn a great Mathematician and Historiographer 68. VVilliam Lynwood Doctor of Law 69. Iohn Langton 70. Iohn Delabere 71. Robert Tully 72. Thomas Langton 73. Hugh Pavy 74. Iohn Morgan 75. Robert Sherborn 76. Edward Vaughan 77. Richard Rawlins 78. VVilliam Barlow 79. Robert Ferrars He was burnt at Carmarthen for the Truth March 30. 1555. in Queen Maries dayes 80 Henry Morgan He pronounced the sentence of death against his Predecessor and invaded his Bishoprick he was displaced in the beginning of the reign of Queen Elizabeth 81 Thomas Young 82 Richard Davies 83 Marmaduke Middleton 84 Anthony Rudd 85 Richard Milborn 86 VVilliam Laud 87 Theophilus Field 88 Roger Manwaring 89 VVilliam Lucy Bishops of Dandaff 1 Dubritius 2 Telian 3 Odoceus 4 Ubylwynus 5 Aidan 6 Elgistil 7 Litnapeius 8 Comergen 9 Argistwil 10 Gurvan 11 Guodoloin 12 Edilbiu 13 Grecielus 14 Bertygwyn 15 Trychan 16 Elgovus 17 Cargwaret 18 Cercennir 19 Nobis 20 Galfridus 21 Nudd 22 Cimeliaue 23 Libian 24 Marchhuth 25 Pater 26 Gogwan consecrated by Dunstan 27 Bledri 28 Ioseph consecrated by Agolnoth In his time Kilthereh King of VVales gave many priviledges to his Church 29 Herewald he sate fifty eight years 30 Urbanus R. Hoveden saith He was consecrated Bishop of this Church Anno 1108. His See being spoiled and the Church ruined he obtained Letters of the Pope from the Council of Rhemes to the King and Archbishop for a supply to repair it which he obtained and began to build the Church of Landaff as now it is He seeketh to recover divers Lands taken from his See by the Bishop of St. Davids and dieth in his way to Rome 31 Uhtrid 32 Geoffry 33 Nicholas ap Gurgant 34. William de falso Marisco 35. Henry Prior of Burgavenny Vntil this man's time the Bishoprick and Chapter was one body and their possessions not severed 36. William Prior of Goldcliff 37. Elias de Radnor 38. William de Burgo 39. John de la Ware 40. William de Radnor 41. William de Brews 42. John de Monmouth 43. John de Egglescliff 44. John Pascal 45. Roger Cradock 46. Thomas Rushock 47. William de Bottlesham 48. Edmond de Bromfield 49. Tideman Abbot of Beaulien 50. Aâ—drew Barret 51. Iohn Burghil 52. Thomas Peverel 53. John de la Zouch 54. Iohn Wellys 55. Nicholas Ashby 56. John Hunden 57. John Smith 58. John Marshal 59. Iohn Ingleby 60. Miles Saley 61. George de Arthegua a Spaniard and Dominican 62. Robert Holgate 63. Anthony Dunstan or Kitchin 64. Hugh Iones 65. William Blethin 66. Gervase Babington 67. William Morgan 68. Francis Godwyn 69. George Carleton 70. William Murrey 71. Morice 72. Hugh Lloyd 73. Davies Bishops of Bangor 1 Hervaeus 2 David 3 Maurice 4 William Prior of St. Augustines 5 Guianus 6 Albanus 7 Robert of Shrewsbury 8 Caducanus 9 Howel 10 Richard 11 Anianus 12 Caducanus 13 Gruffin 14 Lewes 15 Matthew 16 Thomas de Ringsted 17 Gervase de Castro 18 Howel 19 Iohn Gilbert 26 Iohn called Episcopus Clovensis 21 Iohn Swaffham 22 Richard Young 23 Lewes 24 Benet Nichols 25 William Barrow 26 Nicholas 27 Thomas Cheroton 28 Iohn Stanberry 29 Iames called Episcopus Achadensis 30 Thomas Ednan 31 Henry Dean 32 Thomas Pigot 33 Iohn Penny 34 Thomas Skevington He built all the Cathedral Church from the Quire downward excepting that the two sides were partly standing He was consecrated Iune 17. 1509. 35 Iohn Salcot 36 Iohn Bird 37 Arthur Bulkley 38 William Glyn 39 Rowland Merrick 40 Nicholas Robinson 41 Hugh Bellot 42 Richard Vaughan 43 Henry Rowland He gave four Bells to the Church of Bangor he gave also two fellowships to Iesus-colledge in Oxford 44 Lewes Baily 45 David Dolben 46 William Roberts 47 Robert Morgan 48 Humphrey Lloyd Bishops of St. Asaph About the year 560. Kentigern Bishop of Glascow in Scotland being driven out of his own Countrey erected a Monastery for himself and his company between the Rivers of Elwyd and Elwy where in process of time having builded a Church and some other Edifices fit for his entertainment there flocked unto him such multitudes of people as the number of his Monks amounted to no less than six hundred and sixty His Church was first built of timber and afterwards of stone Malgocunus a British King allowed the same Church to be an Episcopal See and endowed it with divers Lordships Mannors and Priviledges The Bishop of that See was then called Elvensis of the River near which it standeth and this Kentigern became the first Bishop of the same After many years he was called home into Scotland whereupon he gave over this Bishoprick unto a Disciple of
Charles after long and grievous pains died of exceeding bleeding Now begin the Anabaptists to encrease in England On Easter-day was disclosed a Congregation of Dutch Anabaptists without Aldgate in London whereof twenty seven were taken and imprisoned and four bearing Faggots at Paul's-cross solemnly recanted their Opinions In the next month one Dutch-man and ten Women were condemned of whom one Woman renounced her errors eight were banished the Land Two more so obstinate that command was issued out for their burning in Smithfield where they died in great horror with crying and roaring Anno 1573. one Peter Burchet who had perswaded himself that it was lawful to kill any that had opposed the truth of the Gospel drew his Dagger upon Hawkins that famous Navigator in the open street and wounded him supposing him to be Hatton who was then in great favour with the Queen whom he had heard to be one of the Innovators Being cast into the Tower of London he slew one of his Keepers with a Billet which be snatched up out of the Chimney for which he was condemned of murther had his right hand cut off and nailed to the Gallows and then he was hanged In the year 1574. certain Ministers of London were deluded by a Maid which counterfeited her self to be possessed of the Devil So powerful was the party of the Non-conformists grown at this time that Doctor Humfrey then President of Maudlins and Mr. John Fox himself both which scrupled subscription in some particulars were deserted by them as luke-warm and remiss in the cause Coleman Burton Hallingham Benson out-did all of their own Opinions Then died Matthew Parker Archbishop of Canterbury an excellent Antiquary a great Benefactor to Bennet-colledge in Cambridge on which he bestowed many Manuscripts Edmond Grindal succeeded him in his place Not long after died James Pilkinton Bishop of Durham He was as appeareth by many of his Letters a great conniver at Non-conformity The same year died Edward Deering an eminent Divine born of an ancient Family in Kent bred Fellow of Christ's-colledge in Cambridge a pious and painful Preacher but disaffected to Bishops and Ceremonies Rowland Jenkes a Popish Bookseller was indicted at the Summer-Assizes in Oxford for dispersing of scandalous Pamphlets defamatory to the Queen and State Then the Queen laboureth to compound the Netherland differences but it had little effect She relieveth the Estates and the Prince of Orange with twenty thousand pounds of English money upon condition they should neither change their Religion nor their Prince nor receive the French into the Netherlands Then one Cuthbert Mayn a Priest was drawn hanged and quartered at Launston in Cornwal for his obstinate maintaining of the Papal power and Trugion a Gentleman of that Countrey which had harboured him was turned out of his Estate and condem ed to perpetual imprisonment In this year 1577. died Nicholas Bullingham Bishop of Worcester And the same year died William Bradbridge Bishop of Exeter and Edmond Guest Bishop of Salisbury Anno 1579. died Richard Cheiney Bishop of Bristol Robert Horn Bishop of Winchester succeeded Thomas Centham Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield followed him And not long after died Richard Cox Bishop of Ely Now the Sect called The Family of Love began to grow so numerous that the Privy Council thought fit to endeavour their suppression They perswaded their followers That those only were elected and to be saved which were admitted into that Family and all the rest Reprobates and to be damned and that it was lawful for them to deny upon their Oath before a Magistrate whatsoever they list Of this Fanatical vanity they dispersed Books among their followers translated out of the Dutch Tongue into English which they entitled The Gospel of the Kingdom Documental Sentences The Prophesy of the Spirit of Love The publishing of Peace upon Earth The Author was Henry Nicholas of Leyden who blasphemously said That he did partake of God and God of his Humanity This Man came over into England in the Reign of King Edward the Sixth joyned himself to the Dutch Congregation in London where he seduced many Artificers and silly Women among whom two Daughters of one Warwick to whom he dedicated an Epistle were his principal Perverts The Abjuration may be read in Fuâ—ler church Hist ad An. 1580. Mr. Martin Micronius and Mr. Nicholas Charineus then the Ministers of the Dutch Congregation zealously confuted his errors but it seems their Antidotes pierced not so deep as his Poysons The Privy Council now tendred unto them an Abjuration but with what success we find not The Queen commanded by Proclamation That the Civil Magistrate should be assistant to the Ecclesiastical for the timely suppressing of them and that their Books should be burnt Then divers Seminary Priests were sent forth into several parts of England and Ireland to administer as they pretended the Sacraments of the Romish Religion and to preach But the Queen and her Council found that they were sent under-hand to withdraw the Subjects from their Allegiance and Obedience due to their Prince to bind them by Reconciliation to perform the Pope's Commandements to raise intestine Rebellion under the Seal of Confession and flatly to execute the Sentence of Pope Pius the Fifth against the Queen To these Seminaries for as much as there were sent daily out of England from the Papists very many Boys and young Men of all sorts and admitted into the same making a Vow to return and others from thence crept secretly into England there came forth a Proclamation in the month of June That whosoever had Children Pupils Kinsmen or others in the parts beyond the Seas should after ten dayes deliver their names to the Ordinary and to those which returned not they should not directly or indirectly supply any money That no Man should entertain in his house or lodge Priests sent forth of the Seminaries and Jesuits or cherish and relieve them And whosoever did the contrary should be accounted a favourer of Rebels c. Camden's Hist of Queen Eli. Anno 1580. But Robert Parsons and Edmond Campian Jesuits living at Rome obteined of the Pope license to come over into England Parsons was born in Sommerset-shire of Baliol-colledge in Oxford a man of a fierce nature and rude behaviour he professed openly the Protestants Religion until he was for his dishonesty expelled the University then fled he to the Papists Campian was born in London and bred in St. John's-colledge in Oxford one of a sweet nature and fluent tongue These two notably advanced the Roman cause travelling up and down the Countrey secretly and to Popish Gentlemens houses in disguised habit sometimes of Souldiers sometimes of Gentlemen sometimes of Ministers of the Word sometimes of Apparitors Campian by a Writing set forth challenged the Ministers of the English Church to a Disputation and published a Book in Latin of ten Reasons for maintenance of the Doctrine of the Church of Rome and Parsons another virulent Book
in English against Chark who had written soberly against Campian's challenge But to Campian's Reasons Whitaker answered soundly He was taken a year after and put to the rack and afterwards being brought forth to dispute hardly maintained the expectation raised of him Parsons hardly escaping at Norwich in Cheshire politickly returneth to Rome This year Edmond Grindal Archbishop of Canterbury groaning under the Queens displeasure was forbidden access to the Convocation But a Petition was drawn up in the name of the whole Convocation for the restitution of the Archbishop by Toby Matthew Dean of Christ-church This Petition after delayes ended in a final denial it being daily suggested to the Queen that Grindal was a great Patron of Prophecyings now set up in several parts of the Land which if permitted would in fine prove the bane of the Church and State These Prophecyings were thus modelled 1. The Ministers of the same Precinct by their own appointment Fuller Church Hist An. 1580. met at the principal place therein 2. The Junior Divine went first into the Pulpit and for about half an hour treated upon a portion of Scripture formerly by a joynt agreement assigned unto him After him four or five more observing their seniority successively dilated on the same Text. 3. At last a Grave Divine made the closing Sermon somewhat larger than the rest praising the pains of such who best deserved it and mildly reproving the mistakes of such of those if any were found in their Sermons Then all was ended as it was begun with a solemn Prayer And at a publick refection of those Ministers together with many of the Gentry repairing to them the next time of their meeting was appointed Text assigned Preachers deputed a new Moderator elected or the one continued and so all were dissolved But some incoveniences were seen and more foreseen if these Prophecyings might generally take place in the Land However the Archbishop to vindicate himself wrote a large Letter to the Queen But all in vain for the Earl of Leicester had so filled the Queens ears with complaints against him that there was no room to receive his Petition Indeed Leicester cast a covetous eye on Lambeth-house and maliced him because he stoutly opposed the alienating this his principal Palace Now began Priests and Jesuits to flock faster into England than ever before having exchange of clothes names and professions Hereupon the Parliament now met at Westminster enacted severe Laws against them John Pain a Priest was executed at Chelmsford Thomas Ford John Shert and Robert Johnson Priests were executed at London This year died Gilbert Berkley Bishop of Bath and Wells The Presbyterian party met at Cockfield Mr. Knewstub's Cure in Suffolk even sixty Ministers of Norfolk Suffolk and Cambridge-shire to confer of the Common-prayer-book what might be tolerated and what refused in every point of it apparel matter form dayes fastings injunctions c. whilst the severity of the State was at this time great against Jesuites some lenity of course fell to the share of the Non-conformists The City of Geneva being now reduced to great extremities by the Duke of Savoy Beza addressed himself by Letters to Mr. Walter Travers one of the chief of the Presbyterian party then Chaplain to the Lord Treasurer in which Letter may be seen much of the secret sympathy betwixt England and Geneva about Discipline Geneva helping England with her Prayers England aiding Geneva with her purse The Duke of Anjou came into England and was an earnest Suitor to Queen Elizabeth A Book was set forth against the Marriage entitled The Gulps wherein England will be swallowed by the French Marriage The Queen by open Proclamation commended the Duke of Anjou's affection towards her and the Protestants Religion sorrowed that so great an injury was offered to so high a Prince she condemned the Author of the Book as a publisher of Sedition and commanded the Book to be burnt before the Magistrates face From this time she began to be more incensed against the Innovators from whom she believed that these things proceeded And within few dayes after John Stubs of Lincolns-Inn whose Sister Mr. Cartwright formerly mentioned had married the Author of this Book William Page who dispersed the Copies and Singleton the Printer were apprehended Stubs and Page had their right hands cut off with a Cleaver driven through the wrist with the force of a Beetle upon a Scaffold in the Market-place at Westminster The Printer was pardoned Stubs having his right hand cut off put off his hat with his left and said with a loud voice God save the Queen The Queen also to take away the fear which had possessed many mens minds that Religion would be altered and Popery tolerated permitted that Edmond Campian Jesuite Ralph Sherwin Luke Kirby and Alexander Briant Priests should be arraigned they were condemned and executed for Treason This was done during the abode of Anjou in England The Earl of Leicester improved his power at this time very great with the Queen to obtain great Liberty for the Non-conformists Hence it was that many Bishops active in pressing subscription in their Diocess when repairing to Court were checked by this great Favourite to their great discouragement Hereupon the Brethren who hitherto had no particular platform of Discipline among themselves The form of Discipline by the Brethren considered of in a solemn Synod with the Decrees thereof may be read in Fuller church Hist Cent. 16. Anno 1582. as universally practised by their party began in a solemn Council held by them to conclude on a certain form as may be seen in their Decrees faithfully translated out of their Latin Copy The Title thereof These be the things that do seem may well stand with the peace of the Church This year died three that seemed Pillars in the Romish Church Frist Richard Bristow born in Worcester-shire bred at Exeter-colledge in Oxford whence he fled beyond the Seas and by Cardinal Allen was made Overseer of the English Colledge first at Doway then at Rhemes For the recovery of his health he returned into his native Land and died quietly near London The second Nicholas Harpsfield bred first in Winchester-school then in New-colledge in Oxford where he proceeded Doctor of Law and after became Archdeacon of Canterbury Under King Edward the Sixth he banished himself Under Queen Mary he returned and was advanced Under Queen Elizabeth imprisoned for denying her Supremacy Yet such was his mild usage in his Restraint that he wrote much therein and among the rest his Ecclesiastical History He wrote also six Dialogues in favour of his own Religion He set it forth under the name of Alan Cope Yet caused he these Capital letters to be engraven at the end of his Book A. H. L. N. H. E. V. E. A. C. Hereby mystically meaning Auctor Hujus Libri Nicolaus Harpfeldus Edidit Vero Eum Alanus Copus The third Gregory Martin born at Mayfield in Sussex bred with Campian at