second petition to his Majesty who without doubt would bring an answer whereas if the Deputies gave it they might he as long without an answer as they had been before but if the Duke of Soubise found it not fitting to doe it then to entreat one or two of the Gentlemen of the Kings Bed chamber to tender it and if they refused to do it as it may be they 〈◊〉 not tender it least they should incurre the Lord Arch-bishop's indignation then the Deputies themselves were to present it to the King the petition to be tendered and the short speech to be made by J. B. The Deputies went to Duke Soubise and beseeched him that he would continue his good affection towards their Churches and those good offices he had begun and that he would be pleased to tender unto the Kings Majesty their second petition and if possible to have an answer knowing that none of the Kings Subjects no not any Noble-man would venture to doe it though some of them were familiar with the King and gracious in his eyes and affected the forraigne Churches and 〈◊〉 them well and told to some of the Deputies that if their cause came to a hearing before the King at the Counsell-board they would speak their mindes and doe some good offices to the Churches but durst not oppose the Arch-bishop under board in that businesse least they should incurre the Kings indignation for his sake who was so potent and gracious with the King The Duke of Soubise Noble-man of a curteous disposition who took to heart the cause of the Churches and pittied their case was very willing to accept of that charge and goe to the King and present him the petion the Deputies offered to goe with him to the Court if he thought good according to the charge given them by the Company and wait on him yea and speak to the King if need were but the Duke found it not convenient they should goe with him for some reasons but went himselfe even that day to the King as having accesse unto him at any time waited in the chamber of presence the Kings returne from dinner and delivered this petition unto him in writing The second petition of the three forraigne Churches of Kent delivered to the Duke of Soubise beseeching his Highnesse that he would be pleased to present it to the Kings Majesty To the KINGS most excellent Majesty The humble Petition of the forraigne Churches of Canterbury Sandwich and Maidston Humbly shewing to your sacred Majesty that the time limited by the most reverend Father in God the Lord Arch bishop of Canterbury his grace concerning the injuctions on Sunday next expireth and your Majesty as yet hath not signified your pleasure upon their petition delivered about fifteen dayes past your sacred Majesty is most humbly prayed to give order that the execution of the said Injunctions be respited and deferred untill their cause may be heard as in all humility they desired And as in duty bound they will daily pray for your Majesties long and prosperous reigne My Lord Soubise delivered this Petition unto the King desired his Majesty to read it which he did the King answered him Je ne puis faire cela and when the Duke said si vostre Majeste ne le fait point l'execution seta rude dure aux Eglises his Majesty replyed l'execution ne seta pas si rude qu'ils craignent and many other words that passed in French betweene the King and the Duke So having taken his leave of the King he told the Deputies what had passed who related it to the Synod The Company seeing the King gave no answer at all or at least not dearely to the Petition of prorogation of time untill his Majesty had leasure to heare them and that the time approached and that there was no appearance to have any other answer from the King thought it convenient to send some of the Company to my Lord of Canterbury who seemed over-swayed the King to know the Kings minde and pleasure and his owne which was also the opinion of a Councellour of State the Deputies therefore of the three forraigne Churches in Kent whom it concerned primarily by the advice and votes of the Sinod went to Sir Nathaniel Brent Vicar generall and told him that my Lord of Canterbury gave them permission to goe to the King which they had done and now came to him to know the Kings pleasure and answer they told him besides that they had studied the case better since they were with my Lord for they had kept the principall arguments in the reare and desired to speake to him againe and to shew him some reasons which he had not seene as yet they told him also that the time of the execution of the Injunction was neere to wit the first of March that they could not returne to their Churches at the appointed time because they had not as yet the Kings answer and hoped that their Churches might continue their accustomed order Sir Nathaniel told them that he would speake to my Lord about it who was not so straight 〈◊〉 for a weeke or two He went to my Lord on some occasion and returned told them they should doe well to goe to my Lord either at Whitehall or Lambeth to know his pleasure concerning the time he would appoint to heare them The Deputies went to Lambeth and expected his comming from the Councell somewhat late for there was a cry in the Hall Hats off and lights for my Lords grace is at hand where in the Hall they met my Lord I.B. told him that his Vicar generall had told them that his grace was content to heare them againe and therefore they came to know his pleasure desiring a time when they might be heard He told them their motions did not please him because they were not according to his judgement that he was full of businesse and knew not when he should be at leisure but that Sir Nathaniel might pitch upon a probable time he might be at leasure and so dismissed them It might have beene returned to him his judgement did not please them because it was not according to their motion but he held his peace So when the Archbishop said here above mentioned that their Discipline and Bishops were jure 〈◊〉 they might have answered him that though Bishops are indeed jure divino that is to say Ministers who are Bishops are jure divino yet there is but one Archbishop jure divino who is Christ 1 Pet. 5.4 named there the chiefe Shepheard but though that was true yet they did not use such tearmes because they had no order and durst not goe beyond the commission The Deputies sent word to the Vicar generall my Lords minde who esteemed Saturday in the afternoone the fittest day Doctor Primrose and I. B. went to the Duke of 〈◊〉 that day and there dined where they had much discourse together about that businesse and the said Lord thought it
at London the fifth of February following there to conferre together concerning those injunctions But because the time prefixed seemed somewhat long which notwithstanding cou'd not well be abreviated by 〈◊〉 of the great distances of the Churches and their preparation and that the 〈◊〉 required haste for it was thought the Kings Majesty would be gone from White-hall the 16. of the moneth of February and that some presupposed that my Lord of Canterbury might be 〈◊〉 with complements in 〈◊〉 him and offering him their service although there were others that thought otherwise requesting him to let them enjoy their priviledges as they had hitherto done and not be troubled but permitted to live in peace the Deputies therefore of the three forementioned Churches whom it most and primarily concerned were counselled to anticipate the time and goe to London to goe first to my Lord of Canterbury and beseech him to revoke his injunctions and in case he would not be moved to recall them they might prepare matters before the arrivall of the Deputies of other Churches and if need were goe joyntly together to the King So the Deputies of Canterbury and Sandwich went for London and met there the Deputies of Maidston where consulting together with the Ministers and Elders of the French and Dutch congregation in their Coetus it was found expedient to goe to the Arch-bishop to petition him by word of mouth So the Deputies went to the Vicar-generall told him the cause of their comming and the desire they had to speak to my Lord who told them he would goe to my Lord and wisht them to be at White-hall at my Lords lodging on the last of January where the Deputies went at the appointed time my Lord did not call them into his inward room but came out into his outward there being but a curtaine between him and the people who comming there and sitting in his pontisiciall Chaire not so much as vailing his Bonnet to the Deputies who came in the name of their Churches John Bulteel made this speech unto my Lord in the name of the rest Most reverend Father in God WE the Ministers with some Elders of the three 〈◊〉 Churches of Canterbury Sandwich and Maidston deputed by the said congretions doe present our selvs before you tendring in humility our service to your Grace knowing the 〈◊〉 place which you have under our gracious Soveraign whom God long preserve But my Lord interrupted him saying I know your dostrine parity of Ministers hatle fellow well met and used discurteous words and would heare no more of the speech telling the Deputies he had appointed the Munday following for the day of hearing and had no leisure to heare a thing twice had spoken to his Vicar generall and Sir John Lambe Judge of the Arches to be there at the appointed time so he put it off and dismissed then who much wondred at his harsh salutation and hard words at the first meeting and began to conjecture what the issue would be being wo roughly dealt at their first comming and found the contrary by experience of what they had heard that my Lord was affable and curteous to those that came to him The same Deputies returned to my Lord at the appointed houre where the soresaid Minister who began the former speech and had pezed his words the former time as namely when he said knowing the eminent place he had under the King he said not under God for he had it not 〈◊〉 divino but by the liberality and munificence of the King The said J. B. omitting that which he had said before proceeded on My Lord WE returne here to represent unto your grace that the injunction which hath been made unto us by your Commissioners are 〈◊〉 to our priviledges which we have enjoyed for the space of fourscore yeers by the grace favour liberality permission and protection of three high and mighty Princes of blessed and happy memory King Edward the VI Queen Elizabeth and King James and confirmed by the royall promise of our dread Soveraigne whom God long preserve and never were as yet hindered by the command of any of the Lords Arch-bishops your predecessors we hope we shall enjoy the like favour as having never abused of the same liberty as may appeare by divers certificates of our good behaviour and 〈◊〉 conversation in the places Where we live As for the observation of those injunctions it wil be very prejudicial unto our Churches as an occasion of the dispersion and diseput on of them the ruine of many Families and a hinderance of the conversion of many papists which come from beyond the seas to our churches We beseechmost humbly your grace that you would be pleased to revoke these injunctions and to permit us to continue to enjoy our priviledges with out any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and molestation to the comfort of our churches that are very much perplexed with these injunctions so shall we be the moreobliged and bound c. My Lord made a discourse of his proceedings before he answered to the discourse told them he had a visitation to make in all the Diocesses of his Jurisdiction and would begin with his owne house and Diocesse and so with them he thanked them for their prayers and wishes and he would pray for them but whether they prayed for him or no he would goe on and would them good but in a Canonicall way that he did nothing but that he had communicated it to the King and Counsell which had been there debated that their discourse contained some reasons but he could see no reason that the observation of the injunctions could or would bring such inconveniences that he had a copy of the patent of King Edward the VI which he drew out of his pocket and said that would not serve them and that they were much mistaken He spake often very harshly and bitterly unto the Deputies and in a jeering and scoffing way spake very basely of their communion said that their Churches used irreverence at their communion sate altogether as if it were in a Tavern or Ale-house where one drunk to another the Minister beginning and the people following him that their Ministry Discipline was not secundum Evangelium the english was and Bishops 〈◊〉 divine that he would engage his Arch. bishoprick theron and would dispute with the best of them that all they did was to take away Bishops that they were the wise and religious and he with the rest the superstitious and idolaters that they were Israel in AEgypt that they would make a state in a state and if they did so he needs not be there in that place that their Churches were nests and occasion of scisme that his intention was to hinder the scisme in Kent where there are so many factious who though they were not guilty of death yet worthy to be punished that it were better there were no forraigne Churches nor strangers in England then to have them thereby to give occasion or
them saving his patience was abused which was conceived by the Major to be said in regard of the Injunction and was thought by him that my Lord had an a king tooth against them In the meane time J. B. wrote to one of the court relating what had happened who speaking to S. C. about it said he knew not what to say of it as for himselfe he 〈◊〉 the worst but hoped the best and in his letters a while after wrote that 〈◊〉 he nor others had heard any thing of the affaires so that he hoped the churches should have a calme and serene Ayre after some stormes and cloudy dayes past or at least should gaine time 〈◊〉 In the moneth of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sir 〈◊〉 Brent came to Canterbury where he sent for the 〈◊〉 of the severall 〈◊〉 of the City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of them if the Injunction was observed and obeyed by the 〈◊〉 English that were of the second descent telling them that my Lord had beene informed that it was not kept as it ought to be most of them or all returned their answer that it was obeyed as farre as they could perceive that they that were of their Parishes came to their Churches He asked one of the Ministers if he would set his hand to that he said he would signe such a writing if he required it but it was not pressed The French Ministers were somewhat moved to see that there were so many misinformations and that my Lord should so easily beleeve every false rumour for except there were some Promoters or pick-thankes in every Church who could know it one man could not be at one time in all the Parishes to see and which is more to know every stranger native to know the number in every Parish and to know whether they were there or no none could better informe my Lord or Sir Nathaniel Brent then the Ministers and Churchwardens of the Parishes and complained to Sir Nathaniel Brent of it who went to London where he caused the stranger Churches of London French Dutch and others to appeare before him at Bowe Church but of that Visitation we intend not to write About the same time the Congregation of Sandwich was troubled by one of the Ministers who went to divers that were in his Parish that were strangers by descent but borne in England and that of the first dedegree and told them about a fortnight before Easter that they were to come to his Communion according to my Lords order and pleasure but Master Gasparus the Minister and the Elders of the Dutch Congregation sent and part of them went to their houses told them 〈◊〉 they were not bound to doe it that there was no such order given by my Lord that those that were of the first degree were to goe to the Dutch Church and to the Communion and not commanded to goe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 English Church and Communion and need not feare his threatnings A while after there were some supercilious and 〈◊〉 Ministers and church-wardens in Canterbury that dealt 〈◊〉 with some of the Natives beyond the Order and commission and did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Natives in their Parishes by menaces and threatnings among others the churchwardens of one of the parishes in an imperious and threatning stile sent a note to the 〈◊〉 Householders and Masters of families of their Parish 1 We hereby signifie that we have 〈◊〉 you of the French and Walloon Congregation and that are strangers inhabiting in our Parish whether lately come over or of the first and second descent for this time to pay for the 〈◊〉 and adorning of our Church and necessary 〈◊〉 thereunto belonging the sum of five pounds ten shillings 〈◊〉 which we desire you to 〈◊〉 among your selves because you best know your owne estates and say to us the churchwardens before next Saturday 〈◊〉 at six of the clocke And if this you neglect to doe then we give you notice to appeare in the north chancell of our church next Lords day immediately after evening prayer to see your selves sessed according to our discretions 2 On saturday night next we desire the names of all married persons in your congregation of the second descent that are inhabitants in our Parish that we may take order for decent seats for them as they shall signifie their estates and qualities to be 3 Then we also entreat the names and ages of those unmarried in our parishes of the second descent and whose children and servants they he to the end we may take care of their due resort to our hurch being 〈◊〉 and communicating there according as their severall age require 4 That those of sixteen yeers and upwards that have not this Easter time already communicated prepare themselves to receive the blessed Sacrament in our Church next Lords day and so thrice in the yeere afterwards as the Canons of our church require as they will avoyd 〈◊〉 to their ordinary for their neglect therein 5 We admonish friendly and entreat you that are Parents and Masters of Families of the first and second descent henceforth duly on the Lord's day halfe an houre before evening prayer to send your men children and 〈◊〉 under sixteen to be catechized according to the order of our Church as you your selves upon presentments will answer for their absences April the 15. 1639. But what the reason was that the first Church-warden or both were more forward and strict then the rest of the Towne is not known whether their blind zeale to uphold the ceremony of the English Church or knew water would come to their Mill by presentments or would curry favour with my Lord or were set on it by some of his followers or shew their power and authority Magistratus indicat virum and to make the parish know what they should expect of them in their office yet vana sine 〈◊〉 ira it is good a curst Cow hath short horns for a few dayes after there was an election of new Church-wardens the one of them hoped to continue in his office but whether the parish perceived he would be a busie body and intended to do some fine design he was outed of his place and another chosen in his stead so 〈◊〉 strangers of that parish though threatned were not pressed to it nor presented but had their 〈◊〉 est and the other strangers also for the time For the Archbishop who had many Irons in the fire did not onely trouble the three forraign Churches of Kent and the other forraign Churches in 〈◊〉 but did vex the English Churches advancing superstitious Ceremonies and innovasions by secret 〈◊〉 and open violent persecutions having a designe to doe the like in the English Churches and Regiments in the united Provinces of the States Generall He had an intention to introduce it in Ireland where he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 totum even when he was Bishop of London having the Lord Deputy Counsell Bishops and Clergy at his owne devotion And as soon as he was Arch-bishop he began to put on his
Master-piece 〈◊〉 Scotland in imposing upon them a popish Service book the Hellena of Greece and cause of all these controversies and fuell of this fire who supposed his authority not surely setled nor fully confirmed untill Scotland were conformed but God raised the 〈◊〉 of that Nation to oppose it with zeale indignation and courage a woman Dux foemina 〈◊〉 leading the dance Whereupon they proclaimed them Rebels and Traytors and an Army speedily raised to enforce them to obedience the 〈◊〉 popish Clergy and Papists instigating the King to this warre and contributing very largely so that it might be called bellum Episcopale and Papale This caused the religious and valiant Scots to raise an Army in their owne defence and when the two Armies were ready for a bloody encounter God who is the Lord of Hosts and God of peace the Stickler and Umpire of both Armies did cast downe his Warder whereupon a friendly pacification ensued to the joy 〈◊〉 both Nations But the Archbishop of 〈◊〉 did mightily 〈◊〉 against it as a dishonorable disgracefull and dis-advantagious peace to King and Kingdome caused the King to break his promise and to renew the warre imitating Julian the Cardinall who 〈◊〉 Ladislaus King of Hungarie to breake the 〈◊〉 with Amurath the Turkish Ottaman fought a battell with that Emperour and lost his Army and life for both the 〈◊〉 King and that Popish Legat Jnlian were slaine The King called a Parliament to have supplies towards the maintainance of that warre which by the jealousies and feares of the Arch-bishop and such 〈◊〉 was dissolved to the amazement and griefe of the Subjects but God who turneth all to the good of his children turned that dissolution to the benefit and safety of the Kingdome so that England might say with Themistocles My children we had been undone if we had not 〈◊〉 undone For had that Parliament continued it had in all appearance afforded twelve Subsidies which would have fomented that unnaturall warre and in 〈◊〉 would have made a 〈◊〉 quarrell though otherwise then the Parliament did intend And that Parliament in all likelihood would have been contented with a superficiall reformation of the Service-book of prayers of the Civill and Commission Court of the exorbitancy of Bishops of the irregularity of the Star-Chamber c. as Luther at the beginning intended onely to cry downe the base sale of indulgences and 〈◊〉 of pardons and goe noe farther Now the Scots seeing the precedent Parliament 〈◊〉 the Kings eare stopped he could he would not heare any Petition from them entred this Kingdome with a strong Army as farre as Newcastle not with a sword and trowall but with a sword and a Petition not pressing on the Army though having opportunity and advantage publishing their Declaration and sending their Petition to his Majesty for justice in their innocent cause against their violent enemies The King whose heart was in the hand of God as the Rivers of water to turne it which way he pleased embraceth and entertaineth good counsell at York where a Treaty was agreed and a cessation of arms and a 〈◊〉 called which may be named a healing Parliament a Parliament which worketh wonders In this Parliament the Archbishop of Canterbury was impeached of high Treason and sent to the Tower to whom might be said that which was spoken to Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester coopt up in the Tower in King Edward the sixth his dayes by the religious Dutchesse of Suffocke It is merry with Lambs when the Wolfe is shut 〈◊〉 The Archbishop had a long time to repent had his grace had the grace to doe it he was not like Sir Thomas Palmer who on the 〈◊〉 on Tower-hill where he suffered in Queene Maries dayes thanked God that he had caused him to learne more in one little darke corner of that Tower then ever he learned by any travell The Archbishop did not confesse his sinne as Achan who troubled all Israel did to 〈◊〉 and gave glory to God he was according to his 〈◊〉 beheaded the axe making a divorce betweene his head and body 〈◊〉 and by the just judgement of God who hath occasioned a divoce betweene the King the head and his faithfull Subjects the body A yong Martyr at the stake 〈◊〉 and said 〈◊〉 of God shine upon me and immediately it shone out of a darke cloud at the 〈◊〉 of this yong 〈◊〉 that the 〈◊〉 was constrained to looke another way but here immediately after the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 and death of this old Impostor and Traytor the 〈◊〉 did shine the curtaine of the clouds drawne open and the Sonne of God the Saviour of the world seemed to be pleased with that act of justice but God's justice on offenders goes nor alwayes in the 〈◊〉 path nor the same pace sometimes the Guest in the Inne goes quietly to bed before the reckoning for his supper is brought to him to discharge others pay it before they goe to bed 〈◊〉 who dyed exemplary a strange death his paines saith Austin encreaseth in hell according as his 〈◊〉 encreased on earth sed nolo 〈◊〉 esse we will not enter into Gods private Closet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or dive into his Privy Counsell Lackeys that hold their Masten horses before the Pallace of justice are not to dispute of the causes and sentences of judgement Austin saith Misericordia Dei inter pontem 〈◊〉 My friend judge not me I judge not thee betwixt the stirrop and the ground 〈◊〉 I askt 〈◊〉 I found So might the Arch-bishop find 〈◊〉 the Axe and the Block Howsoever he a tumbling and a stumbling block is taken out of the way and removed from troubling the State and the Church and we leave him to his Lord Master and Judge before whom he stands or fals April 15. 1645. Imprimatur JAMES CRANFORD FINIS Errata Page 6 line 9 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 l. 16 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 p. 11 l. 13 Major Bourmouth r. Major and Bourmouth p. 15 l. 27 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 p. 29 l. 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Majesty p. 29 l. 23 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 p. 32l 15 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 p. 36 l. 38 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 p. 39 l. 21 seizing r. 〈◊〉 p. 40 l. 27. 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 E. Registro curiae com Archiepiscopaliscantuar Extract