as we suppose considering that they are already limited and confined as no Antient Canon or Spiritual Laws are in force that are either contrary to the Laws Statutes or Customes of this Realm or tend to the Dammage or Hurt of our Prerogative Royal. For the Grievances apprehended in the Commission First a Soveraign King being Mixta Persona and having Authority as well in Causes Ecclesiastical as Temporal it was with great Wisdom ordained Matters of the Church being many ways impugned and the Censures of it grown into contempt That there should be a Commission consisting as well of Temporal as Ecclesiastical Persons who might have power for one Offence at one time and by one sentence to inflict as there should be cause both Spiritual and Temporal punishment but as to the Inquiry by Juries it hath not for many Years been practised And we are content that hereafter it be omitted in our Commission And concerning Appeals the use hath always been to exclude them in Commissions of this nature And yet if any of our Subjects shall be justly grieved with any Sentence given by our Commissioners we shall be content as we find just cause to grant unto them a Commission of Review Also for the Execution of divers Statutes aimed at in your Grievances although it hath been from time to time committed in some sort unto our Commissioners And that every such Commission hath been still penned by the Attorney-General with the Advice of the chief Temporal Judges yet we are well pleased and will give commandment accordingly that our Temporal and Ecclesiastical Judges assisted with our Learned Council shall confer together concerning the Exceptions by you taken to the end that hereafter our said Commissioners may have no further power to intermeddle with the Execution of any part of the said Statutes then it shall be found fit for our Service necessary for the suppressing of Popery and Schism and no ways repugnant to the Laws and Pollices of this our Realm But for making any Innovations in the forms and proceedings heretofore used by our said Commissioners we know no cause to depart therein from the Examples of our Progenitors nor from that which the Laws of this our Kingdom hath Approved And touching Fees since it is a Court by Statute erected and no Fees in the Statute expressed it was very fit That the Commissioners should have Authority to limit and Appoint to every Officer his Reasonable Fees And we will commend the further care thereof to some Principal person of our Commissioner to take a view of them and as to reform what they find amiss so to Establish such as shall be Moderate and Reasonable touching the Grievances found in the Execution of the Commission We know that there is no Commission nor Court either of Ecclesiastical or Temporal Jurisdiction but may be subject more or less to Abuse in the execution of their Authority Nevertheless it is Our part to have our Ear open to receive Complaints of that kind especially from our Parliament when we shall find them to be just And therefore our purpose is to see such Reformation made of all Abuses made in the execution of the said Commission as may best procure the ease of Our Subject from charge of Vexation And such punishment to be inflicted upon any Pursivants or other inferior Ministers which shall be Offenders as may repress such Misdemeanors in time to come Sure if this Record be considered there is ground enough to justifie that the Spiritual Courts cannot be holden but by the Kings Commission Therefore I need say no more the Case being plain the Law was so to this Year of 1610. which I set down the rather because a use will be made of it by and by But in King Charles the First 's time the Bishops cast about them how to get rid of these Shackles And therefore in Bishop Laud's time the point about Holding Courts in their own Names without the Kings Commission was by him stated and in the Star-Chamber where he ruled the Rost got the Judges there tho' it was but an extra Judicial Judgment to declare in their favour which was easie enough to be done when both the Judges and His Grace were resolved upon the point for those very Judges most of them were the same that gave their Judgment about the Shipp-Money And we know what became of that Judgment and them And for your Prelate he met with his due at Tower-Hill after but before his Lordship had finished his Ministry so prevalent he was that I am told he got a Proclamation to publish the Extra judicial Opinion which made a great noise in the World for Noyse and Decency was all along the Cheat that was put upon the People in those Days by that Prelate and his Gang. But I think no Man will say that that Extra Judicial Opinion is either equal with the Statute Law or with the Judgement of Parliament therefore I shall say no more but proceed After that Extra Judical Opinion of the Judges and by means of the long Intervals of Parliament the Spiritual Courts as well as the Star-Chamber were Lords Paramont and so great that they became a most Heavy Burden to the people of all sorts therefore before the Troubles began the Parliament in 16 Car. primi made an Act to take away the Power that was given by the Statute of 1 Eliz. for the Granting any Commissions at all by which means they well knew that no Courts could be held at all And therefore an Act passed to Repeal that Branch of the Statute of 1 Eliz. which was only one Clause about the granting Commissions as by the Act of Car. primi appears and all Spiritual Courts were utterly Abolished by that Act The Title of the Act runs thus VIZ. A Repeal of the Brauch of a Statute primo Elizabethe concerning Commissions for Causes Ecclesiastical VVhereas in the Parliament holden in the first Year of the Reign of the late Queen Elizabeth 16 Car. c. 11. late Queen of England there was an Act made and Established Intituled An Act Restoring to the Crown the Antient Jurisdiction over the State Ecclesiastical and Spiritual and Abolishing all Forreign Power Repugnant to the same In which Act amongst other things there is contained one Clause Branch Article or Sentence whereby it was Enacted to this effect Namely That the said late Queens Highness her Heirs and Successors Kings or Queens of this Realm should have full Power and Authority by vertue of that Act by Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England to Assign Name and Authorize when and as often as her Highness her Heirs or Successours should think meet and Convenient and for such and so long time as should please her Highness her Heirs or Successors such Person or Persons being Natural Born Subjects to her Highness her Heirs or Successors as her Majesty her Heirs or Successors should think meet to exercise use occupy and execute under her
the Imperial Crown of this Realm the Ancient Iurisdictions Authorities Superiorities and Preheminencies to the same of right belonging and appertaining by reason whereof we your most humble and obedient Subjects from the five and twentieth year of the reign of your said dear Father were continually kept in good order and were disburdened of diverse great and intollerable charges and exactions before that time unlawfully taken and exacted by such Forreign power and authority as before that was usurped until such time as all the said good Laws and Statutes by one Act of Parliament made in the first and second years of the Reigns of the late King Philip and Queen Mary your Highness Sister intituted an Act repealing all Statutes Articles and provisions made against the See Apostolick of Rome since the twentieth year of King Henry the eight and also for the Establishment of all Spiritual and Ecclesiastical possessions and Hereditaments conveyed to the Laity were all clearly repealed and made void as by the same Act of Repeal more at large doth and may appear By reason of which Act of Repeal your said humble Subjects were eftsoons brought under an usurped Forreign power and Authority and yet do remain in that bondage to the intollerable charges of your loving Subjects if some redress by Authority of this your high Court of Parliament with the assent of your Highness be not had and provided Sect. 2 May it therefore please your Highness for the repressing of the said usurped Forreign power and the restoring of the Rites Iurisdictions and Preheminencies appertaining to the Imperial Crown of this your Realm that it may be Enacted by Authority of this present Parliament That the said Act made in the first and second years of the Reign of the said late King Philip and Queen Mary and all and every branches Clauses and Articles therein contained other then such branches Clauses and Sentences as hereafter shall be excepted may from the last day of this Session of Parliament by Authority of this present Parliament be repealed and shall from thenceforth be utterly void and of none effect Sect. 16 And to the intent that all Vsurped and Forreign power and Authority Spiritual and Temporal may for ever be clearly exting uished and never be used or obeyed within this Realm or any other your Majesties Dominions or Countries May it please your Highness that it may be further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That no Forreign Prince Person Prelate State or Potentate Spiritual or Temporal shall at any time after the last day of this Session of Parliament use entry or exercise any manner of power Iurisdiction Superiority Authority Preheminence or Priviledge Spiritual or Ecclesiastical within this Realm or within any other your Majesties Dominions or Countries that now be or hereafter shall be but from thence forth the same shall be clearly abolished out of this Realm and all other your Highness Dominions for ever any Statute Ordinance Custom Constitutions or any other matter or cause whatsoever to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding Sect. 17 And that also it may please your Highness that it may be established and enacted by the Authority aforesaid that such Iurisdictions Priviledges Superiorities and Preheminencies Spiritual and Ecclesiastical as by any Spiritual or Ecclesiastical power or Authority hath heretofore been or may fawfully be exercised or used for the Visitation of the Ecclesiastical State and Persons and for Reformation order and correction of the same and of all manner of Errors Herefies Shismes Abuses Offences Contempts and Enormities shall for ever by Authority of this present Parliament be united and annexed to the Imperial Crown of this Realm Now by these Branches of this Statute it is most clear that all manner of Jurisdiction in Causes Spiritual and Ecclesiastical is more absolutely invested in the Crown then ever before so that if that of Edward the sixth be repealed yet here it is past all doubt that Act is now by this more inforced then ever And that it may appear more plain that no Court Spiritual was to Act any more but by Authority from the Queen in the next Section of this Statute of 1. Eliz. Power was given to the Queen in express words to grant Commissions to hold Courts under the great Seal of England or else by this Statute none could be held at all neither in their own name nor in the name of the Queen which branch of the said Statute runs thus Sect. 18 And that your Highness your Heirs and Successors Kings or Queens of this Realm shall have full power and authority by vertue of this Act by letters patents under the great Seal of England to assign name and authorize when and as often as your Highness your Heirs or Successors shall think meet and Convenient and for such and so long time as shall please your Highness your Heirs or Successors such person or persons being natural born Subjects to your Highness your Heirs and Successors as your Majesty your Heirs or Successors shall think meet to exercise use occupy and execute under your Highness your Heirs and Successors all member of Iurisdictions Priviledges and Preâ—enâ—nences in any wise touching or concerning any Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction within these your Reaâ—â—s of England and Ireland or any other your Highness Douâ—â—â—ions and Countries and to vis it reform redress order correct and amend all such errors herisies schisms abirses offences contempts and enormities whatsoever which by any manner of Spiritual or Ecclesiastical power Authority or Iurisdiction can or may lawfully be reformed ordered redressed corrected restrained or amended to the pleasure of Almighty God the increase of vertue and the conservation of the peace and unity of this Realm And that such person or persons so to be named assigned authorised and appointed by your Highness your Heirs or Successors after the said Letters Patents to him or them made and delivered as is aforesaid shall have full power and authority by vertue of this Act and of the said Letters Patents under your Highness your Heirs and Successors to exercise use and execute all the premises according to the Tenor and effect of the said Letters Patents any matter or cause to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding Here it is most evident that the Queen had the only sole power to nominate and appoint by her Commission under the great Seal of England both lay-men as well as Bishops to exercise Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction when and as often as she pleased and it is most evident it was not to be done at all without such Commissions But besides this Law it was the practice both in the times of Edward the sixth Queen Elizabeth and King James That all the Bishops and the Spiritual Courts whatsoever were held by such Commissions and to satisfie the Reader I have here inserted a Copy of one of them taken out of the Rolls Verbatim viz. Elizabeth by the Grace of God Rot. 9. Pars. 10. Eliz. c. To
Highness her Heirs and Successors all manner of Iurisdictions Priviledges Preheminencies in any wise touching or concerning any Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction within these her Realms of England or Ireland or any other her Highness Dominions and Countries and to visit reform redress order correct and amend all such Errors Heresies Schisms Abuses Offences Contempts and Enormities whatsoever which by any manner Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Power Authority or Iurisdiction can or may Lawfully be Reformed Ordered Redressed Corrected Restrained or Amended to the Pleasure of Almighty God the increase of Vertue and the Conservation of the Peace and Vnity of this Realm And that such Person or Persons so to be Named Assigned Authorized and appointed by her Highness her Heirs or Successors after the said Letters Patents to him or them made and delivered as aforesaid should have full Power and Authority by Vertue of that Act and of the said Letters Patents under her Highness her Heirs or Successors to exercise use and Execute all the Premises accordidg to the Tenor and Effect of the said Letters Patents any matter or cause to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding And whereas by culler of some VVords in the aforesaid Branch of the said Act whereby Commissioners are Authorized to Execute their Commission according to the Tennor and effect of the Kings Letters Patents grounded thereupon the said Commissioners have to the great and in-Sufferable VVrong and Oppression of the Kings Subjects used to Fine and Imprison them and to exercise other Authority not belonging to Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction restored by that Act and divers other great Mischiefs and Inconveniencies have also ensued to the Kings Subjects by reason of the said Branch and Commissions issued thereupon and the Executions thereof Therefore for the Repressing and Preventing of the aforesaid Abuses Mischiefs and inconveniencies in time to come Be it Enacted by the Kings Most Excellent Majesty and the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament Assembled and by Authority of the same That the aforesaid Branch Clause Article or Sentence contained in the said Act and every word matter and thing Contained in that Branch Clause Article or Sentence shall from henceforth be Repealed Annulled Revoked Annihilated and utterly made void for Edect any thing in the said Act to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding And be it also Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That no Arch-Bishop Bishop or Vicar-General nor any Chancellor Official or Commissary of any Arch-Bishop Bishop a Vicar General nor any Ordinary whatsoever nor any other Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Iudge Officer or Minister of Iustice nor any other Person or Persons whatsoever exercising Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Power Authority or Iurisdiction by any Grant Licence or Commission of the Kings Majesty his Heirs and Successors or by any Power or Authority derived from the King his Heirs or Successors or otherwise shall from and after the first Day of August which shall be in the Year of our Lord God One Thousand Six Hundred Forty and One award impose or inflict any pain penalty fine amerciament imprisonment or other Corporal Punishment upon any of the Kings Subjects for any Contempt Misdemeanour Crime Offence matter or thing whatsoever belonging to Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Cognizance or Iurisdiction or shall Ex Officio or at the Instance or Promotion of any Person whatsoever Vrge enforce tender give or Minister unto any Church-warden Sideman or other Person whatsoever any corporal Oath whereby he or she shall or may be Charged or Oblieged to make any presentment of any Crime or Offence or to confess or accuse himself or her self of any Crime Offence Delinquency or Misdemeanour or any neglect matter or thing whereby or by reason whereof he or she shall or may be siable or exposed to any censure pain penalty or Punishment whatsoever upon pain and penaity that every person who shall offend contrary to this Statute shall forfeit and pay treble Dammages to every Person thereby grieved and the Summ of One Hundred pounds to him or them who shall first Demand and Sue for the same VVhich said Treble Dammages and Summ of One Hundred Pounds shall and may be Demanded and Recovered by Action of Debt Bill or Plaint in any Court of Record wherein no Priviledge Essoin Protection or VVager of Law shall be admitted or allowed to the Defendant And be it further Enacted That every Person who shall be once Convicted of any Act or Offence Prohibited by this Statute shall for such Act or Offence be from and after such Conviction utterly dissabled to be or continue in any Office or Imployment in any Courts of Iustice whatsoever or to exercise or execute any Power Authority or Iurisdiction by force of any Commission or Letters Patents of the King his Heirs or Successors And be it further Enacted That from and after the first Day of August no New Court shall be Erected Ordained or Appointed within this Realm of England or Dominion of Wales which shall or may have the like Power Iurisdiction or Authority as the said High Commission Court now hath or pretendeth to have but that all and every such Letters Patents Commissions and grants made or to be made by his Majesty his Heirs or Successors And all Power and Authority granted or pretended or mentioned to be granted thereby and all Acts Sentences and Decrees to be made by Vertue or Culler thereof shall be utterly void and of no effect After the making of this Act all Jurisdiction of the Spiritual Courts was wholly dain'd as appears plainly by the Statute Thus it stood still 13 Car. 2d Now in this Act of Car Primi it must be observed that it meddles no farther with the Act of Eliz. then that one branch about Commissions it meddles not with the Ecclesiastical power being in the Crown nor with the Statute 8 Eliz. Nor any thing of Edward 6. or Henry 8. which must be observed Thus then their power was wholly discontinued till the thirteenth of Charles 2d And then coming into their Bishopricks and great Estates they thought it hard that they must have their Spiritual Swords tied therefore all hands to work to get loose and so an Act is passed the 13 Charles 2d For Repeal of part of the Act Car Primi And now they thought all was sure but as it fell out this will do them no good at all neither for the Act which was intended to Repeal this Act of the 16 of Charles the first hath misrecited it and called it an Act made the 17 of Charles the first not only in the Title but all along in the body of the Act which is plain upon the Roll though not in the Statute Books viz. An Act for Explanation of a Clause contained in an Act of Parliament made in the seventeenth year of the late King Charles Intituled an Act of Repeal of a Branch of a Statute Primo Elizabethe concerning Commissions for Causes Ecclesiastical viz. VVhereas in an Act of Parliament made in
had to make promulge or execute the same And that his Majesty do give his most Royal assent and authority in that behalf And whereas diverse Constitutions Ordinances and Canons Provincial or Synodal which heretofore have been enacted and be thought not only to be much prejudicial to the Kings Prerogative Royal and repugnant to the Laws and Statutes of this Realm but also overmuch onerous to his Higness and his Subjects The said Clergy have most humbly besought his Highness that the said Constitutions and Canons may be committed to the Examination and Iudgement of his Highness and of thirty two persons of the Kings Subjects whereof sixteen to be of the upper and nether house of Parliament of the Temporality and the other sixtéen to be of the Clergy of this Realm and all of the said thirty two persons to be chosen and appointed by his Majesty c. And then Enacts viz. Be it therefore Enacted by the Authority of this present Parliament according to the said submission and petition of the said Clergy that they nor either of them from henceforth shall presume to attempt alledge claim or put in urd any Constitutions or Ordinances Provincial or Synodal or any other Canons nor shall enact promulge or execute any such Canons Constitutions or Ordinances Provincial by whatsoever name or names they may be called in their convocations in time coming which always shall be assembled by authority of the Kings Writ c. And the Penalty for doing other than this Act directs was imprisonment and Fine at the Kings will as by the Statute more at large appears So that by this Statute their whole power was now invested in the King and till new Canons were made or the old ones confirmed as the Statute directs the Clergy of England could in no sort act and from that time of the making of this Statute until this present I cannot find that ever any liberty was given or that any Canons were made or confirmed by Law other than what were judged unlawful in King Charles the First 's time and damn'd by Act of Parliament in 1640. Which you will hear more of by and by If it be thus then from 25 H. 8. I must date their downfal a most happy day to England from that time and it may be said all their Canons are now out of doors or at seast very lame and if so then let the Reader judge where is their Authority for their Courts for they must and do own that it was the Canon Law they acted by and if so then sure if they have no Canons to act by or at best but doubtful Canons then I conceive they can have no power except they can find it by the Statute Law which I would be glad to see In the next place another Law is made against them in 25 H. 8. which takes away all First-fruits to the Bishop of Rome 25 H. 8. c. 20. and ordains that Elections of all Bishops shall be by the Kings Writ under a severe pain In the same year an Act is made to take away Peter-pence and Dispensations Idem cap. 21. in which Statute it is expresly declared that this Land ought not to be subject or bound to any humane Laws but such as are of their own making within this Realm The King being declared head of the Church 26 H. 8. cap. 1. it is expresly there enacted viz. Shall have full power and authority from time to time to visit repress redress reform order correct restrain all such errors heresies abuses offences contempts and enormities whatsoever they be which by any manner of Spiritual Authority or Iurisdiction ought or may lawfully be reformed repressed ordered redressed corrected restrained or amended most to the pleasure of Almighty God c. This being the Case what colour can here be for any Spiritual or Ecclesiastical power to any person whatever but what must be derived from and under the King and by his Authority and Commission and in his name and not in their own nor in the Bishop of Rome But because the Reader may be more fully satisfied I have here inserted the Statute made 37 H. 8. cap. 17. 37. H. 8. c. 17. Entituled viz. A Bill that the Doctors of Civil Law being married may exercise Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction In most humble wise shew and declare unto your Highness your most faithful humble and obedient Subjects the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons of this present Parliament assembled That whereas your Royal Majestie is and hath always been justly by the word of God Supreme head in the Earth in the Church of England and hath full power and authority to correct punish and repress all manner of Heresies Errors Vires Sins Abuses Idolatries Hypocrisies and Superstitions sprung and growing within the same and to exercise all other manner of Iurisdictions commonly called Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction Nevertheless the Bishop of Rome and his adherents minding utterly as much as in him lay to abolish obscure and delete such power given by God to the Princes of the Earth whereby they might gether and get to themselves the Government and rule of the world have in their Councils and Synods Provincial made ordained established and decréed diverse Ordinances and Constitutions that no Lay or married man should or might exercise or occupy any Iurisdiction Ecclesiastical nor should be any Iudge or Register in any Court commonly called Ecclestatical Court lest their false and usurped power which they pretend and went about to have in Christs Church should decay wax vile and be of no reputation as by the said Councils and Constitutions Provincial appeareth Which standing and remaining in their Effect not abolished by your Graces Laws did sound to appear to make greatly for the said usurped power of the said Bishop of Rome and to be directly replignant to your Majesty as supreme head of the Church and Prerogative Royal your Grate being a Lay man. And albeit the said Decrées Ordinances and Constitutions by a Statute made in the five and twentieth year of your most noble reign be utterly abolished frustrate and of none effect yet because the contrary thereunto is not used nor put in practice by the Arch-Bishops Bishops Arch-Deacons and other Ecclesiastical persons who have no manner of Iurisdiction Ecclesiastical but by under and from your Royal Majesty it addeth or at the least may give occasion to some evil disposed persons to think and little to regard the procéedings and censures Ecclesiastical made by your Highness and your Vicegerent Officials Commissaries Iudges and Visitators being also Lay and Married men to be of little or none effect or force whereby the people gathereth heart and presumption to do evil and not to have such reverence to your most Godly injunctions and procéedings as becometh them But forasmuch as your Majesty is the only and undoubted supreme head of the Church of England and also of Ireland to whom by Holy Scripture all authority and
power is wholly given to hear and determine all manner of causes Ecclesiastical and to correct all vice and sin whatsoever and to all such persons as your Majesty shall appoint thereunto That in consideration thereof as well for the Instruction of ignorant persons as also to avoid the occasion of the opinion aforesaid and the setting forth of your prerogative Royal and Supremacy It may therefore please your Highness that it may be ordained and enacted by the authority of this present Parliament That all and singular persons as well Lay as those that be now married or hereafter shall be married being Doctors of the Civil Law lawfully create and made in any Vniversity which shall be made ordained constituted and deputed to be any Chancellour Vicar-General Commissary Official Scribe or Register by your Majesty or any of your Heirs or Successors or by any Arch-Bishop Bishop Arch-Deacon or other person whatsoever having authority under your Majesty your Heirs and Successors to make any Chancellour Vicar-General Commissary Offical or Register may lawfully execute and exercise all manner of Iurisdiction commonly called Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction and all Censures and Coercions appertaining or in any wise belonging unto the same albe it such person or persons be Lay married or unmarried so that they be Doctors of the Civil Law as is aforesaid any Law Constitution or Ordinance to the contrary notwithstanding Now here it appears plain that all Authority must be derived from the King and he alone as head of this Church hath power to correct or amend Heresies and all other Misdemeanours having the sole jurisdiction in Courts Spiritual called Ecclesiastical Courts and none to be made or Synold held but by his authority and permission so that it cannot be imagined by any that the Clergy had power to make Canons either new or to go on with their old ones till another Law be made and power given them by the King as the Law directs And from this time of the making of this Law none of the Canons or pretended Canons are any more in force in England than if there never had been any such thing in the world This therefore I lay down as a sure rule that the Ecclesiastical Courts have no power but what must be given them by the Statute Law of the Land. And therefore to come nearer to the matter I shall set down what Laws have been since made in their favour and what against them Which is thus King Edward the Sixth being a Protestant and having a wise and honest Council about him foreseeing the great benefit did accrue to the Crown and whole Nation by those good Laws made in his Fathers time made a Law that takes away all scruple and doubt whatsoever about the Ecclesiastical Courts and gives them not so much as power to hold any Courts in their own name nor to use their own Seal although they were suffered to act by from and under the King according to the Laws made by his Father And it appears by the Statute Entituled viz. An Act for the Election of Bishops Which Act for the better information I have inserted at large hoping those worthy Spiritual men will vouchsafe the reading it Which is as follows Forasmuch as the Elections of Arch-Bishops and Bishops 1 Ed. 6. cap. 2. by the Deans and Chapters within the Kings Majesties Realms of England and Ireland at this present time be as well to the long delay as to the great costs and charges of such persons as the Kings Majesty giveth any Arch-Bishoprick or Bishoprick unto And whereas the said Elections be in very déed no Elections but only by a Writ of Conge d'Eslire have colours shadows or pretences of Elections serving nevertheless to no purpose and séeming also derogatory and prejudicial to the Prerogative Royal to whom only appertaineth the Collation and gift of all Arch-Bishopricks and Bishopricks and Suffragan Bishops within his Highness said Realms of England and Ireland Wales and other his Dominions and Marches For a due reformation hereof Be it therefore enacted by the Kings Highness with the assent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by Authority of the same That from henceforth no such Conge d'Eslire be granted nor Election of any Arch-Bishop or Bishop by the Dean and Chapter made But that the King may by his Letters Patents at all times when any Arch-Bishoprick or Bishoprick is void confer the same to any person to whom the King shall think méet The which Collations so by the Kings Letters Patents made and delivered to the person whom the King shall confer the same Arch-Bishoprick or Bishoprick or to his sufficient Proctor or Attorney shall stand to all intents constructions and purposes to as much and the same effect as though Conge d'Eslire had béen given the Election duly made and the same confirmed And thereupon the said person to whom the said Arch-Bishoprick Bishoprick or Suffraganship is so conferred collated or given may be consecrated and sue his Livery or Ouster le Main and do other things as well as if the said Ceremonies and Elections had béen done and made Provided always and be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that every such person to whom any collation and gift of any Arch-Bishoprick or Suffraganship shall be given or collated by the King his Heirs or Sure essors shall pay do and yield to all and every person all such fées interests and duties as of old time hath béen accustomed to be done any thing in this Act or in any other to the contrary hereof in any wise notwithstanding And whereas the Arch-Bishops and Bishops and other Spiritual persons in this Realm do use to make and send out their summons citations and other processes in their own names and in such form and manner as was used in the time of the usurped power of the Bishop of Rome contrary to the form and order of the summons and process of the Common Law used in this Realm séeing that all Authority of Iurisdiction Spiritual and Temporal is derived and deducted from the Kings Majesty as supreme head of these Churches and Realms of England and Ireland and so justly acknowledged by the Clergy of the said Realms that all Courts Ecclesiastical within the said two Realms be kept by no other power or authority either foreign or within the Realm but by the authority of his most excellent Majesty Be it therefore further enacted by the Authority aforesaid that all summons and citations or other Process Ecclesiastical in all suits and causes of Instance betwixt party and party and all causes of Correction and all causes of Bastardy or Bigamy or enquiry de jure patronatus Probates of Testaments and Commissions of Administrations of persons deceased and all Acquittances of and upon account made by the Executors Administrators or Collectors of goods of any dead person be from the first day of July next following made in the name and
the Reverend Father in God Mathew Parker nominated Bishop of Canterbury and Edmond Grindale nominated Bishop of London And to our right Trusty and well beloved Councellor Francis Knowls our Vice-chamberlain and Ambrose Cave Knight And to our Trusty and well beloved Anthony Cooke and Thomas Smiths Knights William Bill our Almoner Walter Haddome and Thomas Sackford Masters of our Requests Rowland Hill and William Chester Knights Randoll Cholmely and John Southcote Serjeants at the Law William May Docter of Law Francis Cave Richard Goodrick and Gilbert Gerrard Esquires Robert Weston and _____ Hunck Doctors of Law Greeting Where as our Parliament holden at Westminster the Five and Twentieth Day of January and there continued and kept until the _____ Day of May then next following Amongst other things there was Two Acts and Statutes made and Established the one Intituled An Act for the Vniformity of the Common-Prayer and Service in the Church and Administration of the Sacraments And the other Intituled An Act Restoring to the Crown the Antient Jurisdiction of the State-Ecclesiastical and Spiritual and Abolishing all Forraign Power repugnant to the same As by the same several Acts more at large doth appear And whereas divers Seditious and Slanderous Persons do not cease dayly to invent and set forth false Rumours Tales and Seditious Slanders not only against us and the said good Laws and Statutes but also have set forth divers Seditious Books within this our Realm of England meaning thereby to move and procure Strife Division Dissention amongst our Loving and Obedient Subjects much to the Disquieting of us and our People Wherefore we earnestly minding to have the same Acts before mentioned to be duely put in Execution and such Persons as shall hereafter Offend in any thing contrary to the Tenor and Effect of the said several Statutes to be accordingly punished and haveing Especial Trust and Confidence in your Wisdoms and Discretion have Authorized Assigned and Appointed you to be our Commissioners And by these Presents do give our full Power and Authority to you or Six of you whereof you the said Matthew Parker Edmond Grendale Thomas Smith Walter Haddon Thomas Sack-ford Richard Godrick and Gilbert Gerrard to be one from time to time hereafter dureing our pleasure to Inquire as well by the Oaths of Twelve Good and Lawful Men as also by Witnesses and all other Lawful ways and means you can devise for all Offences Misdoers and Misdemeanors done and committed of them and hereafter to be committed or done contrary to the Tenor and Effect of the said several Acts and Statutes and either of them and also of all and singular Heretical Opinions Seditious Books Contempts Conspiracies false Rumours Tales Seditious-Misbehaviours Slanderous Words or Shewings published invented or set forth or hereafter to be published invented or set forth by any Person or Persons against us or contrary or against any of the Laws or Statutes of this our Realm or against the quiet Governance and rule of our People and Subjects in any County City Burrough or other place or places within this our Realm of England and of all and every the Coad jutors Councellors Comforters Procurers and Abbettors of any such Offender And further We do give Power and Authority to you or six of you Whereof the said Mathow Parker Edmond Grindale Thomas Smith Walter Haddon Thomas Sack-ford Richard Godrick or Gilbert Gerrard to be one from time to time hereafter during our pleasure as well to hear and determine all the premises as also to inquire hear and determine all and singular enormities disturbance and misbehaviors done and committed or hereafter to be done and committed in any Church or Chappel or against any Divine service or the Minister or Ministers of the same contrary to the Laws and Statutes of this Realm and also to enquire oft search out and to order correct and reform all such persons as hereafter shall or will obstinately absent themselves from Church and such Divine Service as by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm is appointed to be had and used And also we do give and grant full power and Authority to you or six of you whereof you the said Mathew Parker Edmond Grindale Thomas Smith Walter Haddon Thomas Sack-ford Richard Godrick or Gilbert Gerrard to be one from time to time and at all times during our pleasure to visit reform redress order correct and amend in all places within this our Realm of England all such Errors Heresies Schisms Abuses Offences Contempts and Enormities Spiritual and Ecclesiastical wheresoever which by any Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Power Authority or Jurisdiction can or may be lawfully reformed ordered redressed corrected restrained or amended to the pleasure of Almighty God the encrease of Vertue and the Conservation of the Peace and Unity of this our Realm and according to the Authority and power limitted given and Appointed by any Laws or Statutes of this Realm And also that you and six of you whereof the said Mathew Parker Edmond Grindale Thomas Smith Walter Haddon Thomas Sack-ford Richard Godrick or Gilbert Gerrard to be one shall likewise have full power and Authority from time to time to enquire oft and search out all Mercilesimen quarrels Vagarant and suspected persons within our City of London and ten Miles Compass about the same City and of all assaults and affrays done and committed within the same City and the compass aforesaid And also we give full power and Authority unto you and six of you as before sumerly to hear and finally determine according to your discretions and by the Laws of this Realm all Causes and Complaints of all them which in respect of Religion or for lawfully Matrimony contracted and allowed by the same where injuriously deprived defrauded or spoiled of their Lands Goods Possessions Rights Dignities Livings Offices Spiritual or Temporal and them so deprived as before to restore unto their said livings and to put them into possession amoveing the Usurpers in convenient speed as it shall seem to your discretions good by your Letters Message or otherwise all frustratory appellations clearly rejected And further we do give Power and Authority unto you and six of you whereof you the said Mathew Parker Edmond Grindale Thomas Smith Walter Hadden Thomas Sack-ford Richard Godrick or Gilbert Gerrard to be one by vertue hereof full Power and Authority not only to hear and determine the same and all other Offences and matters before mentioned and rehearsed but also all other Notorious and manifest advoutry and Fornications and Ecclesiastical crimes and offences within this our Realm according to your Wisdoms Consciences and Discretions willing and commanding you or six of you whereof you the said Mathew Parker Edmond Grindale Thomas Smith Walter Haddon Thomas Sack-ford Richard Godrick or Gilbert Gerrard to be one from time to time hereafter to use and devise all such pollitick ways and means for the Tryal and Searching out of all the premises as by you or six of you as