audacâ—a commendanda Pontificis bellicosi This Act was very commendable I confesse yet unsuitable to his calling There waâ— great contention betweene him and the Monkes of Norwhich for fifteene yeares concerning their priviledges and jurisdictions at last they gave him 400. Markes to enjoy their priviledges Alexander Pâ—yor of Norwich was next elected B. by the Monks but the King so misliked their choise as he not only kept him from his dignity but also imprisoned him at Winsor almost a whole yeare after his election yet afterwards at the request of Thomas Arrundell Archbishop of Canterbury and divers other of the Nobility he was released set at liberty and afforded Consecration Anno. 1408. Richard Nyx 29. Bishop of this Sea had a report of a vicious and dissolute liver and was blind long before his death Hilary 25 H. 8. Coram Rege Rot. 15. he was attainted in a praemunâ—re put out of the Kings protection his person imprisoned Lands Goods and Chattles forfeited to the King for citing Richard Cockerall Major of Thetford and others into his Spirituall Court and enjoyning them under paine of Excommunication to call a Jury of the said towne before them and cause them to revoke and cancell a Presentment they had found upon Oath touching their Liberties to wit that none of the said Towne ought to be cited into any Spirituall Consistory but onely into the Deane of Thetfords Court and that if any one cited any of that Towne into another Spirituall Court he â—hould forfeit sixe shillings eight pence for the same The Glasse-windowes of Kings-Colledge Chappell in Cambridge were bought and set up with part of this Bishops Fine and Forfeiture upon this his attainder as the Author of the Catalogue of the Chancellors and Colledges of Cambridge Recordâ— in his Collegiâ—m Regis Iohn Hopton the 32th Bishop of this Sea was a great persecuter and a cause of putting many of our Martyrs to death as you may read in Mr. Fox his Acts and Monuments Samuel Harsnet Bishop of this Diocesse a turbulent Prelate and great opposer of Godly Ministers in the latter end of King Iames and the beginning of King Charles raigne was questioned and proceeded against in Parliament for divers oppressions Extortions and Superstitious innovations introduced in that Diocesâ—e Of whom See more in Yorke to which he was translated Dr. White and Dr. Corbet his immediate successors were men of the same straine with Harsnet and whereas Dr. White had gained great fame and reputation in our Church for his learning and Bookes against the Papists whilst he continued an ordinary Minister his carriage and change was such that he soone lost all his honour and reputation after he became a Bishop and when as other men grow commonly white in their old age he contrariwise like the Albanes who doe in senectute nigrescere waxed blacke in his declining dayes and as some say deserved the title of that Popish Treatise which he answered in his Orthodox White dyed blacke A strange effect of a white Rochet But his Successor in this See Matthew Wren a man of a more active spirit thinking it a disparagement to him not to transcend his predecessors in superstitious Popish Innovations and extravagant oppressions both of the Ministers and people of that Diocesse hath beene so exorbitantly outragious in his proceedings that upon the hearing of sundry Petitionâ— and complaints against him in Parliament the whole House of Commons have transmitted to the Lords these subsequent Articles of impeachment against him already Printed wherein the malicious venome of his spirit against piety and our Religion with his seditious oppressive practises are Anatomized to the full and most elegantly displaied in their proper colours by Sir Thomas Widdrington in his Speech at their transmission which Articles and Speech here I insert ARTICLES of Impeachment of the COMMONS Aâ—sembled in Parliament in the name of themselves and of all the Commons of England against Matthew Wren Dr. in Divinity late Bishop of Norwich and now Bishop of Ely for severall Crimes and Misdemeanors committed by him THat the said Matthew Wren being Popishly and superstitiously affected did at his first comming to be Bishop of Norwich which was in the yeare 1635. endeavour by sundry wayes and meanes to suppresse the powerfull and painefull Preaching of the Word of God did introduce divers Orders and Injunctions tending to Superstition and Idolatry did disturbe and disquiet the orderly and settled estate of the Ministers and people and Churches of that Diocesse to the great prejudice of His Majestie the great griefe and disquiet and hazard of the estates consciences and lives of many of his Majesties Loyall Subjects there to the manifest bringing in and increasing of prophanenesse ignorance and disobedience in the Common people as by the particulars ensuing may appeare I. Whereas many Chancels of Churches during all the time of Queene Elizabeth King Iames and of his Majestie that now is had laid and beene continued even and flat without any steps ascending towards the East-end of the same and are ordered to continue as they were and so ought to have continued He of his own minde and will without any lawfull warrant of authority in the yeare 1636. being then Bishop of Norwich ordered and enjoyned that the same should be raised towards the East-end some two some three some foure steps that so the Communion Table there placed Altarwise might be the better seene of the people II. He in the same yeare 1636. ordered That the Communion Table which is appointed by the said Rubrick at the time of the celebration of the holy Communion to be placed in the Body of the Church or Chancell where Divine Prayers are usually read and where the people might best heare should be set up close under the Wall at the East-end of the Chancell Altar-wise and not to be removed from thence whereby the Minister who is by the Law to Officiate at the North-side of the Table must either stand and officiate at the North-end of the Table so standing Altar-wise or else after the Popish and Idolatrous manner stand and officiate at the Westside of the Table with his backe towards the people III. He in the same yeare 1636. enjoyned that there should be a Rayle set on the top of the new raised steps before the Communion Table so set Altarwise as aforesaid which Rayl should raise from the Southside of the Chancell to the North within which the Minister onely should enter as a place too holy for the people and some of the people were punished for stepping into it as namely Daniel Wayman and others IV. The more to advance blinde Superstition hee in the same yeare 1636. ordered that all the Pewes in the Church should be so altered that the people might kneele with their faces Eastward towards the Communion Table so set Altarwise as aforesaid And that there should be no seats in the Chancell above or on
protesteth likewise that we neither intend nor desire as by Law we neither can nor ought neither doth any of them intend or desire to be present any way in this present Parliament whiles such matters are or shall be in debate but we and every of them will in this part wholly absent our selves And we further protest and every of them protesteth that for this our absence we neither intend nor will nor doth any of them intend or will that the Processe made or to be made in this present Parliament as the which we neither may nor ought to be present as farre as it concernes us or any of them shall in future times be any way impugned debilitated or infringed Which I recite to shew that Parliaments may be held and decree things without Bishops and to checke the pride of those Prelates who this Parliament pleaded hard to be present at the debate of the Lord Straffords Cause I cannot here pretermit the trecherous and bloudy practice of William Courâ—ney against the true Saints of God and the Kings most loyall Subjects for he being not content solemnely to excommunicate and persecute Iohn Wiclife Iohn Ashton Nicholas Herford and Philip Repingdon both at Pauls-crosse and at Oxford for the true profession of the Gospell did moâ—eover by all meanes possible solicite King Henry the fourth to joyn with all the power of his Temporall Sword for that he well perceived that hitherto as yet the Popisâ— Clergy had not authority sufficient by any publicke Law or Statute of this Land to proceed unto death against any person whatsoever in case of Religion but onely by the usurped tyranny and example of the Court of Rome Where note gentle Reader for thy better understanding the practise of the Romish Prelates in seeking the Kings helpe to further their bloody purpose against the good Saints of God This King being but young and under yeares of ripe judgement partly induced or rather seduced by importune suite of the foresaid Arch-Bishop party also either for feare of the Bishops for Kings cannot alwayes doe in their Realmes what they will or else perhaps inticed by some hope of a Sublidy to be gathered by the Clergy was content to adjoyne his private assent such as it was to the setting downe of an Ordinance which was indeed the very first Law that is to be found made against Religion and the Professors thereof bearing the name of an Act made in the Parliament holden at Westminster Ann. 5. Rich. 2. c. 5. commonly intituled An Act against the Lollards the Contents whereof you may read in the Statutes at large and in Master Fox This Act though it beares the name of a Statute both in written and Printed Bookes yet it was fraudulently and unduly devised by the Prelates onely and a meere pernicious forgery to advance their owne Episcopall power and Jurisdiction invade the Subjects liberties tread downe Religion and shed our Martyrs blood with which the Commons were so highly offended as they had just cause so to be that in the Uâ—as of Saint Michael next following at a Parliament summoned and holden at Westminster the 6. yeare of the said King among sundry petitions made to the King by the Commons whereunto he assented there is one in this forme against this spurious Act of theirsâ— Item prayen the Commons that whereas an Estatute was made the last Parliament in these words It is ordained in this present Parliament that Commissions from the King be directed to the Sheriffes and other Ministers of the King or to other sufficient persons after and according to the Certificates of the Prelates thereof to be made unto the Chancery from time to time to arrest all such Preachers and their Fautors Maintainers and Abettors and them to detaine in strong Prison untill they will justifie themselves according to reason and Law of holy Church And the King willeâ—h and commandeth that the Chancellor make such Commissions at all times as shall be by the Prelates or any of them certified and thereof required as is aforesaid The which was never agreed nor granted by the Commons but whatsoever was moved therein was without their assent That the said Statute be therefore disannulled For it is not in any wise their meaning that either themselves or such as shall succeed them shall be further justified or bound by the Prelates then were their Ancestors in former times whereunto is answered Il plest an Roy. i. e. The King is pleased This supposed Statute thus fraudulently devised by the Prelates onely was in like manner most injuriously and unorderly executed by them for immediately upon the publishing of this Law without further warrant either from the King or his Councell Commissions under the Great Seale of Englâ—nd were made in this forme Richard by the Grace of God c. Witnesse my selfe at Westminster the 26. day of Iune in the 6. yeare of our Râ—igne Without more words of Warrant under writâ—en such as in like cases are both usuall and â—equisite viz. Per ipsuâ— Regem per Regem Concilium or Per breve de privato Sigillo Al or any of which words being utterly wanting in this place as may be seene in the Kings Records of that time it must therefore be done either by warrant of this fore-said Statute or else without any warrant at all And whereas the said Statute appointed the Commissions to be directed to the Sheriffe or other Ministers of the Kings or to other sufficient persons learned for the arresting of such persons they fraudulently procured the said Commissions to be directed to the Arch-bishop and his Sufâ—ragans being both Judges Accusers Witnesses and Parties in the Case authorizing them further without either the words or reasonable meaning of the said Statute to imprison them in their owne houses or where else pleased them Yea such was this Arch-Bishops and the other Pâ—elates Treachery and villany in this particular notwithstanding this unjust and spurious Law was repealed upon the forementioned Petition of the Commons and the fraud of the framers thereof sufficiently discovered yet such meanes was there made by the Prelates that this Act of repeale was never published nor ever since imprinted with the rest of the Statutes of that Parliament Insomuch as the said repeale being concealed like Commissions and other Processe were made from time to time by vertue of the said Bastard Statute as well during the Raigne of this King as since against the Professours of Religion as Master Fox in his Acts and Monuments both shewes and proves at large Now what is this noâ—orious forgery this unjust and fraudulent execution of this pretended Act of Parliament even after its repeale by this Arch-Bishop and his Brethren but the very heighth of Treachery Villany Schisme and Sedition yea an Inâ—ernall policy to advance Episcopall Jurisdiction erect a bloudy Inquisition and shed our Martyrs blood contrary both to the Lawes of God and the Realme To end with this
and delete such power given by God to the Princes of the earth whereby they might gather and get to themselves the government and rule of the world have in their Councells and Synods Provinciall made ordained and established and decreed divers ordinances and constitutions that no Lay or marryed man should or might exercise or occupie any Jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall nor should be any Judge or Registerâ— in any Court commâ—nly called Ecclesiasticall Courâ— lest their â—alse and usurped power which they pretended and went about to have in Christs Church should decay waxe vile and of no reputation as by the sayd Councels and Constitutions Provinciall appeareth which standing and remaining in their effect not abolished by your Graces Lawes did seeme to appeare to make greatly for the sayd usurped power of the sayd Bishop of Rome and to be directly repugnant to your Majesties Title of supreame head of the Church and prerogative Royall your Grace being a Lay-man and albeit the sayd Decrees Ordinances and Constitutions by a Statute made the 25â— yeare of your most noble raigne be utterly abolished frustrate and of none effect yet because the contrary thereunto is not used nor put in practise by â—he Arch-Bishops Bishops Deanes and other Ecclesiasticall persons who have no manner of Jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall but by under and from your royall Majesty it addeth or aâ— the least may give occasion to some evill disposed persoâ—s to thinke and little to regard the proceeding and censures Ecclesiasticall made by your Highnesse and your Vice-gerent Officialls Commissaries Judges and Visitatorsâ— being also Lay and married men to be of little or none effect or force whereby the people gathereth heart and presumption to doe evill and not to have such reverence to your most godly injunctions and proceedings as becommeth them But forasmuch as your Majesty is the onely and undoubtedly supreame head of the Church of England and also of Ireland to whom by Scripture all authority and power is wholly given to heare and determine all causes Ecclesiasticall and to correct all vice and sinne 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 avoyd the occaâ—ion of the opinion aforesayd and setting forth of your prerogative royall and supremacy It may therefore please your Highnesse that it may bee ordained and enacted by authority of this present Parliament that all and singular aswell Lay as those that be married now or hereafter shall be married being Doctors of the Civill Law lawfully create and made in any University which shall be made ordained constituted and deputed to bee any Chancellour Vicar Generall Commissary Officiall Scribe or Register by your Majesty or any of your Heires or Successours to anyâ— Arch-Bishop Bishop Arch-Deacon or other person whatsoever having authority under your Majesty your Heires and Successours to make any Chancellour Vicar Generall Commissary Offâ—ciall or Register may lawfâ—lly execute and exercise all mannâ—r of Jurisdiction commonly called Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction and all Censures and Corrections appertaining oâ— any wise belonging unto the same albeit such person or persons be Lay married or unmarried so that they be Doctors of the Civill Law as is aforesayd any Law Constitution or Ordinance to the contrary notwiâ—hstanding By this Act it is apparent that the end of the former Constitution was trecherously to undermine and abolish the Kings Prerogative Royall in causes Ecclesiasticall and to make the Pope and our Prelates absolute Monarches and our Kings meere Cyphers to execute their Mandates when by the expresse words of this Law with that of 1. Ed. 6. c. 2.26 H. 8. c. 1.1 Eliz. c. â— 5 Eliz. c. 1.8 Eliz. c. 1. and 1. and 2. Phil. and Mâ—ry c. 8. it is most clearely resolved that our Arch-Bishops and Bishops have no manner of Jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall over other Ministers by any divine right as they now vainely if not trayterously pretâ—nd but by from and under our Kings in whose name and right and under whose Seale alone all their Ecclesiasticall processe ought to issue as hath beene elsewhere plentifully manifested it being no lesse than a Premunire by the Statute of 1. Edw. 6. c. 2. â—or any Bishops or Ecclesiasticall Judges to issue out processes in their owne names and under their owne Seales as now our Prelates doe This Law of Premunire was such a curbe to our usurping Prelates that this Arch Prelate Chichely in the last Synod hee held Anno. 1439. without delay or difficulty granted King Henry the sixt a Tenth and promised him large supplyes from the Clergie in all things if he would abrogate those hard Lawes of Premunire where-with the Clergie were very falsely accused and oft taken and ensuared as in unjust sâ—ares whereas in truth those Lawes were the principall safety both of King and people to preserve and free them from the unjust incroachments of Popes and Prelates upon their Liberties Lawes and Estates which made the Pope and them so frequently to sollicite their repeale And by his countenance William Lindwood collected and set out the Provinciall Constitutions of the Arch-Prelates of Canterbury in their Synods in affront of the Kings prerogative Royall and the Lawes of the Realme dedicating them to this Arch-Prelate and entreating him to put them in due Execution being neglected and quite disregarded formerly both by Prelates Judges and people as he complaines in his Epistle Dedicatory to him In briefe when in the Parliament held at London Anno 1414. under King Henry the fifth the Commons reviewed their former Petition in Parliament made to King Henry the fourth but foure yeares before to seize the Bishops and Abbots Temporalities shewing how many Earles Knights and Esquires they would maintaine The Bishops and Abbots whom it touched very neare much â—earingâ— the issueâ— determined to assay all wayes to put by and overthrow this Bill and minding rather to bow than breake they first agreed to offer the King a great summe of money to stay this new moven Demand The cause of this offer seemed to some of the wise Prelates neither decent nor convenient for they well â—oresaw and perfectly knew that if the Commons perceived that they by rewards or by offer of money would resist their request and petition that they stirred and moved with a fury would not onely raile and despise them as corrupters of Princes and enemies of the Publickeâ—Wealth but would so cry and call on the King and the â—emporall Lords that they were like to lose both worke and oyle cost and lining Wherefore they determined to cast all chances which might serve their purpose and in speciall to replenish the Kings braine with some pleasant study so as that hee should neither phantasie nor regard the serious Petition of the importunate Commons Wherefore on a day when the King was present in Parliament this Henry Chichely Arch-Bishop of Canterbury after low
unto himâ— went before him bareheaded to Christ Church from which Church he was attended by the Duke in like â—ort as he was thither ward The Cheere at dinner was as great as for money it might be made with severall Verses Pageants Theaters Sceans and Player-like representations in natuâ—e oâ— a Puppet-play made in puffe-past or March-pane before every Course deâ—cribed more largely by Matthew Parker fitter for a Maske than a Bishops Consecration and savoring of more than Asian Luxurie as this his Sucâ—essor confesseth Beâ—ore the first Messe the Duke himselfe came riding into the Hall upon a great Horse bare headed with his white staffe in his hanâ—â— and when the first dish was set on the Table made obey â—anâ—â—â—â—â—y bowing his body to the Arch-bishop Such Vassals did â—hoâ—e proud Popes of Canterbury make the very greatest Nobles as thus to become their Servants and waite upon their Rocheâ—s In this Arch-Bishops time there fell out great contestations and sâ—ites at Rome betweene him and the Bishops of Winchester London Lincolne Exeter and other his Suffragans touching the Iurisdictions of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury which cost much money After this he and Cardinall Wolsiâ— who by his power Legatine invaded and swallowed up all the Jurisdiction Rightes of the other Prâ—â—aâ—es and of the See of Canterbury had divers contests and bickerings Anno 1512. This Arch-Prelate by an Oration in Parliament against the French King raised up a bloody warre betweene England and France towards which two fifteenes were granted by the temporalty and two tenths by the Clergie after which Anno. 152â— When the Commons were assembled in the nether house they began to Commune of their grieâ—es wherewith the Spiritualty had before time grievously oppressed them both contrary to the Law of the Realme and contrary to all right and in speciall they were sore moved with sixe great causes The first for the excessive fines which the Ordinaries tooke for Probate of Testaments insomuch that Sir Henry Guildford Knight of the Garter and Controller of the Kings house declared in the open Parliament on his fidelity that he and others being Executors to sir William Crompton Knight payed for the Probate of his Will to the Cardinall and the Bishop of Canterbury a thousand Markes sterling After this Declaration where shewed so many extortions done by Ordinaries for Probates of Wills that it were too much to rehearse The second was the great polling and extreame exaction which the Spirituall men used in taking of Corps Presents or Mortuaries For the Children of the desunct should all dye for hunger and goe a begging rather than they would of Charity give to them the seely Cow which the dead man ought if hee had but onely one such was the Charity then The third cause was that Priests being Surveiors Stewards and Officers to Bishops Abbots and other Spirituall headsâ— had and occupied Farmes Granges and Grasing in every Country so that the poore Husband men could have nothing but of them and yet for that they should pay deerely The fourth cause was that Abbats Priors and Spirituall men kept Tan-houses and bought and fold Wooll Cloath and all manner of Merchandize as other Temporall Merchants did The fifth cause was because that Spirituall Persons promoted to great benefices and having their Livings of their Flocke were lying in the Court in Lords houses and tooke all of the parishioners and nothing spent on them at all so that for lacke of Residence both the poore of the Parish lacked refreshing and universally all the Parishioners lacked Preaching and trueâ— Instruction of Gods Word to the great perrill of their Soules The sixth cause was to see one Priest little learned to have ten or twelve Benefices and to be resident upon none and to know many well learned Scholars in the Universities which were able to preach and teach to have neither Benefice nor exhibition These things before this time might in no wise be touched nor yet talked off by any man except hee would be made an Hereticke or lose all that he had For the Bishops were Chancellors and had all the rule about the King so that no man durst once presume to attempt any thing contrary to their profit or commodity But now when God had illuminated the eyes of the King and that their subtile doings were once espied then men began charitably to desire a Reformation and so at this Parliament men began to shew their grudges Whereupon the Burgesses of the Parliament appointed â—uch as were learned in the Law being of the Commons house to draw one Bill of the Probates of Testaments another for Mortuaries and the third for Non-residence Pluralities and taking of farmeâ— by spirituall men The learned men tooke much paines and first set forth the Bill of Mortuaries which passed the Commons house and was sent up to the Lords To this Bill the Spirituall Lords made a faire face saying that surely Priests and Curats tooke more than they should and therefore it were well done to take some reasonable order thus they spake because it touched them little But within two dayes after was sent up the Bill concerning Probate of Testaments at the which the Arch-bishop of Canterbury in especiall and all other Bishops in generall both frowned and graâ—nted for that touched their profit Insomuch as D. Iohn Fisher Bishop of Rochester said openly in the Parliament Chamber these words My Lords you see dayly what Bills come hither from the Commons house and all is to the destruction of the Church For Gods sake see what a Realme the Kingdome of Bohemia was and when the Church went downe then fell the glory of the Kingdome now with the Commons is nothing but downe with the Church and all this me seemeth is for lacke of faith onely When these words were reported to the Commons of the nether House that the Bishop should say that all their doings were for lacke of faith they tooke the matter grievously for they imagined that the Bishop esteemed them as Heretickes and so by his slanderous words would have perswaded the Temporall Lords to have restrained their consent from the sayd two Bills which they before had passed Wherefore the Commons after long debate determined to send the Speaker of the Parliament to the Kings highnesse with a grievous complaint against the Bishop of Rochester and so on a day when the King was at leasure Thomas Audley speaker for the Commons and thirty of the chiefe of the Commons House came to the Kings presence in his Palace at Westminster which before was called Yorke-place and there very eloquently declared What a dishonour to the King and the Realme it was to say that they which were elected for the wisest men of all the Shires Cities and Boroughs within the Realme of England should be declared in so Noble and open a presence to lack faith which was equivalent to say that they were infidels and no Christians as
subjects minding of his high goodnesse and great benignity so alwayes to impart the same unto them as justice being duly administred all rigour being excluded and the great and benevolent minds of his said subjects largely and many times approved towards his highnesse and specially in their Convocation and Synode now presently being in the Chapiter house of the Monastery of Westminster by correspondence of gratitude to them to be requiâ—ed of his meere motion benignity and liberality by authority of this his Parliament hath given and granted his liberall and free pardon to his said good and loving spirituall subjects and the said Ministers and to every of them to be had taken and enjoyed to and by them and every of them by vertue of this present Act in manner and forme ensuing that is to wit The Kings Highnesse of his said benignity and high liberality in consideration that the sad Archbishop Bishops and Clergie of the said Province of Canterbury in their said Convocation now being have given and granted to him a subsidie of one hundred thousand pounds of lawfulâ—mony currant in this Realme to be levied and collected by the said Clergy at their proper costs and charges and to be paid in certaine forme specified in their said graunt thereof is fully and resolutely contended and pleased that it be ordained established and enacted by authority of this his said Parliament that the most Reverend Father in God William Archbishop of Canterbury Metropolitan and Primate of all England and all other Bishops and Suffragans Prelates c shall be by authority of this present pardon acquired pardoned released and discharged against his Highnesse his heires successours and executors and every of them of all and all manner offences contempts and trespasses committed or done against all and singular Statute and Statutes of Provisours Provisions and Premunire and every of them and of all forfeitures and titles that may grow to the Kings Highnesse by reason of any of the same Statutes and of all and singular trespasses wrongs deceits misdemeanours forâ—eitures penalties and profits summes of mony paines of death paines coâ—porall and pecuniar as generally of all other things causes quarrels suits judgements and exactions in this present Act hereafter noâ— excepted nor soreprised which may be or can be by his Highnesse in any wise or by any meanes pardoned before and to the tenâ—h day of the moneth of March in the 22. yeare of his most Noble Raigne to every of his said loving subjects Provided alway that this Act of free pardon shall not in any wise extend or be beneficiall to the Reverend Father in God Iohn Archbishop of Dublin now being in the Kings Dominions of Ireland nor shall in any wise extend to pardon discharge or acquit the Bishop Hereford Peter Ligham Iohn Baker Adam Travers Robert Cliffe Rouland Philips and Thomas Pelles Clerkes who it seemes were guilty of some notorious crimes against the King and therefore excepted out of this generall pardon But to returne againe to Warham This Archbishop persecuted and shed the blood of some of our Martyrs and caused the corpes of VVilliam Tracy Esq. for some orthodoxe passages in his Will to be taken out of the grave and burnâ— for an Hereticke by an Order made in Convocation sending a Commission to Doctor Parker Chancellour of Worcester to execute this wicked sentence who accomplished the same King Henry the eighth hearing his Subject to be taken ouâ— of the ground and burnt without his knowledge or due order of Law sent for the Chancellour laid this to his charge as an high offence who excused himselfe by this Archbishops command then newly dead but in conclusion it cost the Chancellour 300â— to puâ—chase his pardon and would have cost the Archbishop more had not his death prevented this danger In fine this Archbishop VVarham and Fisher B. of Rochester gave credit and countenance to the forged visions revelations of Elizabeth Barton afterwards condemned of high Treason for the same as â—â—nding to the reproach perill and destruction of the Kings persâ—n honouâ— fame and dignity and Thomas Laurence Register to the Archbishop it is likely by his Masters privity proceeded so farre as to write a booke of her counterfeit miracles revelations and holinesse for which she and her complyces were afterwards execuâ—ed as Tiburne as they had justly deserved being attainted of treason by Parliament among which cursed câ—ue Richard Maister Priest Edward Bocking Doctor of Divinity and Henry Deering Munkes of Canterbury Henry Gold Bachelor of Divinity Thomas Laurence Register to the Archbishop oâ— Canterbury Warham and Hugh Ric. a Frier observant who seduced this silly girle to effect their owne and the Prelates designes the better thereby suffered death as Traytors by hanging drawing and quartering at Tiburne The act of their attainder treasons and execution is at large related by M. Hall in his Chronicle 25. H. 8. f. 218 221 222 223 224. to which I shall referre the Reader Thomas Cranmer next to him in succession was made Archbishop by King Henry the 8. much against his will for in his Discourse with D. Martyn a little before his Martyrdome being charged by him that he had aspired to the Archbishopricke of Canterbury he replyed I protest before you all there was never man came more unwillingly to a Bishopricke than I did to that insomuch that when King Henry did send for mee in Post that I should come over I prolonged my journey by seven weekes at the least â—hinking that â—ee would be forgetfull of mee in the meane time Hee comming to the See tooke the like Oath to the Pope as his predecâ—ssâ—â—rs had done and therefore was deeply charged of perjuâ—y by Martyn for renouncing and swearing against the Popes Supremacie afterward though he answered that the first oath was against the Lawes of God of the Realme the Kings Prerogative and made void by Parliament and so not binding After the nullifying of which oath partly by his meanes but principally by the Lord Croâ—wels whom the King made his Vicegerent Generall in all Ecclesiasticall affaires and causes and superiour to the Archbishop of Canterbury in place and Ecclesiasticall power the Popes Supremacy and usurped jurisdiction was by severall Acts of Parliament quite abolished out of England as prejudiciall and directly opposite to the Kings Prerogative Royall King Henry dying the Archbishop swore to his will by which Queene Mary was to succeed to the Crowne as next heire in case King Edward died without issue King Edward seeing the obstinacie of Qâ—â—enâ— Mary in matters of Religion what a pillar she was like to prove to the Church of Rome and persecutor of the true Professors of the Gospell ordaines by his last VVill that Queene Mary should be put by the Crowne and the Lady Jane succeed him as next Heire to which Testament all the Councell swore and the Archbishop too at last after much adoe Whereupon King Edward and Queene
trayterous purpose and deâ—igne he did abuse the great power and trust his Majesty reposed in him and did intrude upon the placeâ— of divers great officers and upon the rigâ—t of other his Majesties Subjects whereby hee did procure to himselfe the nomination of sundry persons to Ecclesiasticall Dignities Promotions and Benefices belonging to his Majesty and divers of the Nobility Clergy and others and hath taken upon him the commendadation of Chaplaines to the King by which meanes hee hath preferred to his Majesties service and to other great promotions in the Churchâ— suâ—h as have beene Popishly affected or otherwise unâ—ound and corrupt both in doctrine and mannerâ— 9. Hee hath for the same trayterous and wicked intent chosen and imployed such men to be his owne Domesticall Chaplaines whom hee knew to be notoriously disaffected to the reformed religion grosly addicted to popish superstition and erroneous and unsound both in Judgement and practise and to them or some of them hath hee committed the Licensing of Bookes to be Printed by which meaneâ— divers false and superstitious bookes have beene published to the great scandall of Religion and to the seducing of many his Majesties Subjects 10. He hath trayterously wickedly endeavoured to reconcile the Church of England with the Church Rome and for the effecting thereof hath consorted confederated with divers popish Priests and Jesuites and hath kept secret intelligence with the Pope of Rome by himselfe his Agents Instruments treated with such as have from thence receivedâ— Authority and instruction he hath permitted and countenanced a popish Hierarchie or Ecclesiasticall government to beâ— established in this Kingdome by all which trayterous and malicious practises this Church and Kingdome hath beene exceedingly indangered and like to fall under the Tyranny of the Roman See 11. Hee in his owne person and his suffragans Visitors Sutrogates Chancellors and other Officers by his command have caused divers learned pious and Orthodox Ministers of Gods word to be silenced suspended deprived degraded excommunicated otherwise grieved without any just and lawfull cause and by divers other meanes hee hath hindred the preaching of Gods word caused divers of his Majesties loyall Subjects to forsake the Kingdome and increased and cherished Ignorance and profanenesse amongst the people that so hee might thâ— better facilitate the way to the effecting of his owne wicked and trayterous designe of altering and corrupting the true religion here established 12. Hee hath traiterously endeavoured to cause division and discord betwixt the Church of England and other Reâ—ormed Churches and to that end hath supprest and abrogated the Priviledges and Immunities which have beene by his Majesty and his royall Ancestors graunted to the Dutch and French Churches in this Kingdome and divers other wayes hath expressed his malice and disaffection to these Churches that so by such disunion the Papists might have more advantage â—or the overthrow and extirpation of both 13. Hee hath maliciously and traiterously plotted and endeavoured to stirre up warre and enmity betwixt his Majesties two Kingdomes of England and Scotland and to that purpose hath laboured to introduce into the Kingdome of Scotland divers Innovations both in Religion and Government all or the most part of them tending to popery superstition to the great grievance and discontent of his Majesties Subjects of that Nation aâ—d for their refusing to submit to such Innovations hee did trayterously advise his Majesty to subdue them by force of Armes and by his owne Authority and Power contrary â—o Law did procure sundry of his Majesties subjects and inforced the Clergie of this Kingdome to contribute towards the maintenance of that warre and when his Majesty with much wisedome and Justice had made a Pacification betwixt the two Kingdomes the said Aâ—chbishop did presumptuously censure that pacification as dishonourable to his Majestie and by his counsels and endeavours so incensed his Majestie against his said subjects of Scotland that hee did thereupon by advice of the said Archbishop â—nter into an offensive warre against them to the greaâ— hazzard of his Majesties person and his subjects of both Kingdomes 14. That to preserve himselfe from being questioned for these and other his trayterous courses hee laboured to subverâ—s the rights of Parliament and the ancient course of Parliamentary proceeding and by false and malitious slanders to incense his Majesty against Parliaments By which words counselâ— and actions he hath traiterously and contrary to his allegiance laboured to alienate the hearts of the Kings liege people from his Majesty and to set a division betweene them and to ruine and destroy his Majesties Kingdomes for which they do impeach him of High Treason agaiâ—st our Soveraigne Lord the King his Crowne and Dignity The said Commons do further averre that the said VVilliam Archbishop of Caterbury during the times that the crimes aforementioned were done and committed hath beene a Bishop or Archbishop of this Realm of England one of the Kings Commissioners for Ecclesiasticall mattersâ— and one of his Majesties most honourable Privie Councell and hath taken an Oath for his faithfull discharge of the said Office of Councellor and hath likewise taken an oath of supremacy and Allegeanâ—e And the said Commons by protestation saving to themselves the liberty of exhibiting at any time hereafter any other accusation or impeachment against the said Archbishop and also of replying to the Answers tâ—at the said Archbishop shall make unto the said Articles or to any of them and of offering further proofe also of the Premises or any of them or of any other impeachment or accusation that shall be exhibited by them as the cause shall according to the coursâ— of Parliament require do pray that the said Archbishop may be put to answer to all and every the Premises and that such proceedings examination tryall and Judgement may be upon every of them had and used as is agreeable to Law and Justice The Articles being read M. PYMME proceeded in his Speech as followeth My Lords There is an expression in the Scripture which I will not presume either to understand or to interpret yet to a vulgar eye it seemes to have an aspect something surable to the Person and Cause before you It is a description of the evill Spirits wherein they are said to be spirituall wickednesse in high places Crimes acted by the spirituall faculties of the Soule the Will and the Understanding exercised about spirituall matters concerning Gods Wordship and the Salvation of Man seconded with power authority learning and many other advantages do make the party who commits them very sutable to that description Spirituall wickednesses in high places These crimes My Lords are various in their Nature haynous in their quality and universall in their extent If you examine them Theologically as they stand in opposition to the truth of God they will be found to be against the rule of Faith against the power of godlinesse against the meanes of Salvation If you examine
he fell into out of griefe of minde This Prelate was so high in king Henries favour that he denyed little or nothing to him that he demanded he gave him Lands Churches Prebends of Clarkes whole Abbies of Monkes and committed the kingdome to his trust making him Chancellor of England Roger therefore pleaded causes he moderated expences he kept the kings treasure and that without a companion and witnesse both while the king was present in England and absent in Normandy and not onely by the king but likewise by the Nobles and even by those who secretly envied his felicity and especially by the kings Servants and debtoâ—s all things almost that he could thinke of were conferred on him if any thing was contiguous to his possessions which might conduce to his utility that he either begged or bought if not he extorted it by violence he alone was in greatest honour abounding in wealth pompe â—riends authority stately houses and Castles and seemed the onely happy man on earth Yet at last in a moment fortune cruelly stung him with her Scorpions tayle so as he saw many of his friends wounded and his most familiar Souldiers beheaded before his face himselfe captivated two of his Nephewes most potent Prelates to be put to flight and taken prisoners and a third a young man whom he most loved to bee bound in chaines his Castles to be rendred up his treasures spoyled himself afterwards in a Councell torne with most foule reproaches the residue of his money and plate which he had layd upon the Altar to finish a Church to beâ— carried away against his will and which is the extremity of calamity Cum multis miser videreturâ— paucissimis miserabilis erat So much envy hatred had he contracted out of his over great power and that undeservedly with some whom he had advanced to honours So Malmesbury writes of him of whom you have heard sufficient Anno Dom. 1223. Huberâ— de Burgo Earle of Kent being taken and proclaimed a traytor escaped out of the Castle of Veâ—â— or Devises and tooke sanctuary in the next Church those who kept the Castle hearing of it sent and tooke him with those that helped him to make his escape out of the Church and imprisoned him againe in the Castle Robert Bingham the Bishop of Salisbury hereupon came to the Castle and threatned to curse them if they would not deliver the Earle restore him to sanctury againe They made answer they had rather the Earle should hang for them than they for him and so because they would not deliver him the Bishop excommunicated them and after riding to the Courâ— and taking with him the Bishop of London and other Bishops prevailed so much by complaint to the King that the Earle though a traytor was restored to the Church againe but so as the Sheriffe of the Shire had commandement to compasse the Church about with men to watch that no reliefe came unto him whereby he might bee constrained through famishment to submit himselfe but hee shortly armed was there rescued by a power of armed men who conveyed him armed and oâ— horsebacke into Wales where he joyned with other of King Henry the thirds enemies And all through the pride and practise of this Prelate to whose pretended jurisdiction even in case of Treason the King himselfe must submit William of Yorke the ninth Bishop of Salisbury about the year 1247. was a Courtier from his childhood and better seene the in Lawes of the Realme which hee chiefly studied than in the Law of God a great deale Matthew Paris reporteth that he firâ—â— brought in the custome that tenants should be suiters unto the Courts of their Landlords This Matthew Paris stiles a very bad custome in magnum subditorum damnum detrimentum superiorum parvum vel nullum emolumentum unde qui nunquam hoc fecerant mirabantur se ad hoc fuisse coactos And speaking of this Bishops death he saith This Bishop passed from these worldly cares and imployments to the dangers which secular men and Courtiers are beleeved to undergoe for their workes follow them Anno 1392. King Richard the second picked a quarrell against the Major and Sheriffes of London upon this occasion Walter Romay one of Iohn Walthams servants then Bishop of Salisbury and high Treasurer of England tooke a horseloafe from a Bakers man as hee passed by in Fleetstreet and would not deliver it againe but broke the bakers mans head when he was earnest to recover his loafe the cohabitants of the streete hereupon rose and would have had the Bishops man to prison for breaking the Kings peace but hee was rescued by his fellowes and escaped to the Bishops house in an Allie close by The people set in a rage for this rescue gathered in great multitudes about the Bishops Palace gate and would have fetched out the offender by force assaulting the house to breake it open but the Major and Sheriffes comming thither after some perswasions used appeased the people who retired quietly to their houses The Bishop being then at Windsor where the Court lay being informed of this riot tooke such indignation therewith that taking with him Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Yorke then Lord Chancellor of England he went to the King and made an hainous complaint against the Citizens for their misdemeanour whereupon the Major Sheriffes and great sort more of the Citizens were sent for to the Court and charged with divers misdemeanors notwithstanding their excuses they were all arrested and imprisoned the Major in the Castle of Windsor the rest in other places to be safely kept till the King by the advice of his Counsell should further determine what should be done with them Moreover the liberties of the City were seised into the Kings hands the authority of the Major utterly ceased and the King appointed Sir Edward Darlingrug to governe the City by the name of Lord Warding and to see that every man had justice ministred as the case required who because hee was thought to be overfavourable to the Citizens was removed and Sir Baldwin Radington put in his roome At length the King through suit and instant labour of certaine Noblemen especially of the Duke of Glocester began somewhat to relent and pacifie his rigorous displeasures against the Londoners and releasing them out of prison and confirming some of their priviledges and abrogating others hee was at last reconciled to them after they had purchased his pardon with many rich presents to him and his Queene whom they royally intertained and the payment of ten thousand pounds which they were compelled to give the King to collect of the Commons of the City not without great offence and grudging in their minds And aâ—l this came through the pride and malice of this Prelate of Salisbuâ—y whose servant had occasioned this riot and yet went Scotfree when the innocent Major and Citizens were thus rigorously dealt withall M. Fox observes truly
life This Prelate dying when he was brought to Lincolne to be interred Iohn King of England and William King of Scots were met there with an infinite company of Nobility of both Realmes The two Kings for the great reverence they bare to his holinesse who yet gave no â—everence at all to Kings as you have formerly heard would needs set their shoulders to the beare and helped to carry his course from the gates of the City untill it came to the Church doore where the Prelates themselves received and carried it into the Quire and buâ—yed him in the body of the East end of the Church ABOVE THE HIGH ALTAR which therefore stood not close to the East wall in those times but some good distance from it neere the Altar of Saint Iohn Hugh Walis or de Wils his next successour in this See but one Anno 1209. notwithstanding King Iohn refused to receive Stephen Langhton that arch-traytor for Archbishop of Canterbury and commanded this Bishop to repaire to the Archbishop of Rhoan for consecration from him and not to receive it from Langhton in contempt of this his Soveraignes command got him to Langhton and received consecration from him whereupon the King seised on all his temporalties and kept him fasting from them foure yeeres and then restored them After this he joyned both with the Barons and Lewis the French King who came to conquer the Realme against his naturall Soveraigne For which treasons he was onely excommunicated by the Pope and not absolved till he had paid the Pope one thousand marks and a hundred markes to his Legate Divers other of our Prelates were fined for the same cause and that so deepely as they were compelled to sell all they had to purchase the Kings favour Anno Dom. 1252. King Henry the third in a Parliament held at London getting a grant from the Pope of the tenths due to the Church to be received of him for three yeeres towards the charges of his journey into the holy Land to rescue it from the Saracens demanded these tenths of the spiritualtie But the Bishops and especially Robert Grosâ—head Bishop of Linâ—olne utterly refused to be contributary to this grant They alledged sundry reasons for their excuse as the poverty of the English Church being already made bare with continuall exactions and oppressions but chiefly they excused themselves by the absence of the Archbishops of Canterbury and Yorke of whom the one was beyond the Sea and the other at home in the North parts All the other Bishops were there except Hereâ—ord and Chester who was sicke and therefore without the consent of those that were absent and namely their Primate of Canterbury they could not conclude any generall poynt touching the Kings demand And although the King fretted and stormed against them yet could he not bring them to his purpose so as the Parliament was for that time dissolved Yet before their departure from London the King communed with them apart to see if he could get some money towards his charges but they had tuned their strings all after one notâ— discording all from his Tenor so that not a penny could be got of them wherefore he tooke high displeasure against them reviling them in most reproachfull manneâ— and amongst other he reviled his halfe brother the elect of Winchester taxing him of great unthankfulnesse who also among the residue stood against him Anno 1257. they denyed the King a Subsidie againe there being saith Holinshed a great untoward disposition in the Subjects of that time for the helping of their King with a necessary ayd of money towards such great charges as he had bin by divers wayes occasioned to be at Befoâ—e this Anno 1250. this Bishop excommunicated a Priest for incontinency who continuing for some daies without seeking to be reconciled the Bishop sent to the Sheriffe of Rutland within whose Bayliwicke the Priest dwelt to apprehend him as a disodient and rebellious person who not executing the Bishops commandement the Bishop thereupon excommunicates the Sheriffe whereof the King being informed tooke displeasure and sending to the Pope procured an inhibition that no Archbishop or Bishop should compell any Officer of the King to follow any suit before them for those things that appertaine to the Kings jurisdiction or give sentence against them for the same This Grosthead Bishop of Lincolne Anno 1246. upon the suggestion of the Friers Predicants and Minorites raged more then was meet or expedient against those of his Dâ—ocesse making strict inquisition in his Bishopricke by his Archdeacons and Deanes concerning the chastity and manners as well of Noble as ignoble upon oath to the enormious hurt and scandall of the reputations of many Which had never beene accustomed to be done before The King hearing the grievous complaints of his people against these Innovations did thereupon by the advice of his Counsell and Courts of Justice send a Writ to the Sheriffe of Hertford in these words Henry by the grace of God King of England c. We command thee that as thou lovest thy selfe and all things that are thine that thou from henceforth suffer not any Laymen of â—hy Baylywicke to assemble together in any place at the will of the Bishop of Lincolne or of his Archdeacons Officials or rurall Deanes to make any acknowledgments or attestations upon their oath unlesse in cases of Matrimony and testament And the very next yeere following in pursurance thereof the King by Parliament enacted and commanded these things ensuing to be inviolably observed That if any Lay men were convented before an Ecclesiasticall Iudge for breach of faith and perjury that they shouâ—d be prohibited by the King And that the Ecclesiasticall Iudge should be prohibited to hold plea of all causes against Laymen unlesse they were of Matrimony and Testament All which Matthew Paris precisely relates Which prohibition and statute nullified the constitution of Oâ—ho and hindered this Bishops innovation whereupon that insolent traytorly Martiall Archbishop of Canterbury Boniface better skilled in affaires of a Campe then of the Church Anno 1256. but nine yeeres after this prohibition and forenamed statute published this peremptory audacious constitution in affront of them both Statuimus quod Laici ubi de subditorum pecâ—â—tis excessibus corrigendis per Praelatos Ecclesiasticos judices inquiritur ad praestandum de veritate dicenda juramentum per excommunicationis sententias si opus fuâ—rit compellantur impedientes verò ne hujusmodi juramentum praestetur for the Judges with many otheâ—s then generally oppugned and hindred the ushering in of this Innovation per interdicti excommunicationis sententiam arceantâ—â— To evacuate which exorbitant illegall constitution meant onely of witnesses not of Churchwardens Sidemen or Stangers oathes as the Glosse of Lindwood who records it resolves in expresse termes trenching both upon the peoples liberties and the Courts of Justice too the Judges frequently granted out sundry
schismatickesâ— Church-robbers rebels and traytors to God and to man where are any to be looked for in all the world Another thing yet there is which causeth mee sore to lament the inconveniences thereupon considered And that is this although the Scriptures Chronicles Canons Constitutions Councels and private hystories with your manifest acts in our time doth declare your Foreâ—athers and you such Heretickes Theeâ—es and Traytors to the Christian Commonwealth as hath not beene upon the earth but you yet you are still taken into the privy councels both of Emperour and King But what a plague it is or miserable yoke to that Christian Realme whereas yee beare the swinge I thinke it truly unspeakable though it be not seene O eternall Faâ—her for thy infinite mercie sake graunt thy most faithfull servant the Kings Majestie our most worthy Soveraigne Lord and Governour under thee cleerly to cast out of his privie Counâ—ell House these â—echerous Locusts of Egypt and daily upholders of Sodome and Gomorrah the Popes cruell cattle tokened with his owne proper marke to the universall health of his people as thou hast now constituted him an whole compleate King and the first since the Conquest For never shall hee have of them but deceitfull workemen and hollow hearted Gentlemen and not onely that good Lord but also deprive them of their usurped authority and power restoring againe hereunto his temporall Majestraâ—es whom their proud Pope hath hitherto most tyrannously thereof deprived Finally to take from them their inordinate pompe and riches and more godly to bestow them that is to say to the aide of his poveâ—ty as for an example the noble the noble Germans have graciously done before him After a farre other sort defended the Apostles the spirituall Kingdome of Christ then they their armour was righteousnesse poverty patience mâ—eknesse tribulation contempt of the world and continuall suffering of wrongs their strong shield was faith and their sword the Word oâ— God Eph. 6. Wiâ—h the Gospell preaching drove they down all superstitions as you by your Lordlinesse have raised up againe in the glorious Church of Antichrist The Kingdome that hee â—orlooke Ioh. 6. and the Lordâ—hip that hee so straitly forbad you Luke 22. have â—ou received of the devill with that ambitious raigne of covetousnesse which hee left behind him on the high Mountaine Matth. 4. What ruinous decaâ—es hath chanced to all Christian Regionâ— and their Babylonish bâ—ood it weâ—e much to writeâ— It shall be therefore necessary for our most worâ—hâ— King to looke upon in time and both to diminish you authority and riches lest yee hereafter put all his godly enterpâ—ises in hazard For nothing else can yee doe of your spiritual naâ—ure but worke daâ—ly mischiefe As well may yee be spared in the Commonwealth as may Kites Crowes and Buzzards Pâ—lâ—ats Wesels and Rats Oâ—ters Wolves and Foxes Bodilice Fleas and Fleshflies with other devouring and noysome vermâ—ne for aâ— unprofitable are yee unto it as they and as liâ—â—le have yee in the word of God to uphold you in these vaine offices of Papistry as they This uncommodious commodity hath Enâ—land had of you alwayes when yee have beene of the Kings privie Councell and I thinke hath now at this present hower that whatsoever godly enterprize is there in doing be â—hey never so privily handled yet shall the Popish Prelates of Iâ—aly Spaine France Flanders and Scotland have sure knowledgde thereof by your secret Messengers and you againe their crafty compassings to deface it if may be Neither shall thâ—se â—ealmes conâ—inue long after without waâ—â—e specialâ—y if an earnest reformation of your sâ—â—ainefull abuses be sought there and never shall the originall grounds of that warre be known but other causes shall be laid to â—olour it with as that the King seekes his rigâ—â— his Princely honour the maintenance of his titles or the Realmes Commonwealth â—eâ—â—g nothing lesse in the end but an upholding of you in your mischiefes So long as you beare rule in Parliament Hoâ—se â—â—e Gospell shall be kept under and Christ persecuted in his â—aithâ—ull members So that no godly Acts shall come out from â—henâ—e to the glory oâ— God and Christian Commonwealth but you will so sawce them with your Romish Sorceries that they be ready to serve your turne Although the Kings Majestie haâ—h peâ—mitted us the Scriptures yet must the true Ministers thereof at your most cruell appointment either suffer most tyrannous death or else with open mouth deny Christs veriâ—y which is worse than death Thus give ye strength to his laweâ— nourish up his Kingdome whom ye say with your lips yee have refused your pestilent Pope of Rome Ye play altogether Hick-sâ—oâ—neâ— under the figure of Ironia That yee say yee hate yee lovâ— and that yee say yee love yee hate Late all faithfull men beware of such double day dreamers and hollow hearted Traytors and thinke whereas they beare the rule nothing shall come rightly forward either in faith or Commonwealth What other workes can come from the Devills working tooles than commeth from the hands of his owne malignant mischiefe who can deny the Bishops to be the instruments of satan understanding the Scriptures and beholding their daily doings Thinke yee â—here can be a greater plague to a Christian Realme than to have such Ghostly Fathers of the Kings Privie councell If wise men do judge it any other than a just plague for our sinnes and a yoke laid upon us for our unreverent receiving of that heavenly treasure the eternall Testament of Christ to have such hypocrites theeves and traytors to raigne over us truly they judge not aright If wee would earnestly therefore repent of our former being and unâ—ainedly turne to our everliving God as wee find in the Testament I would not doubt it to jeopard both my body and soule that wee should in short space bee delivered of this Popish vermine rising out of this bottomlesse pit Apoc. 9. which eateth up all that is greene upon earth or hath taken any strength of the living word of the Lord for the heart of a King is alwayes in the hands of God and at 〈◊〉 his pleasure hee may evermore turne it Prov. 21. Take mee not here that I condemne any Bishop or Priest that is godly doing those holy offices that the Scripture hath commanded them as preaching the Gospell providing for the poore and ministring the Sacraments right but against the bloody butchers that murther up Gods People aâ—d daily make havocke of Christs congregation to maintaine the Jewes Ceremonies and the Pagans Superstititions in the Christian Church Those are not Bishops but Bite-sheepes Tyrants Tormenters Termagaunts and the Devils slaughter men Christ left no such Disciples behind him to sit with cruell Caiphas at the Sessions upon life and death of his innocent members but such as in poverty preached the Gospell rebuking the wicked world for Idolatry hypocriâ—ie and false doctrine Episcopus is as much to say as an
Parliament holden in the first yeare of the Queenes Majesties Raigne was no Parliament for that your Bishops refused wilfully to agree unto the godly Lawes there concluded yee seeme therein to bewray in your selfe some want of skill the wise and learned could soone have told you that in the Parliaments of England matters have evermore used to passe not of necessity by the speciall consent of the Archbishops and Bishops as if without them no Statute might lawfully be enacted but onely by the more part of the voyces yea altâ—ough all the Archbishops and Bishops were never so earnestly bent against it And Statutes so passing in Parliament onely by the voyces of the Lords temporall without the consent and agreement of the Lords Spiriâ—uall have neverthelesse alwayes bin confirmed and ratified by the reall assent of the Prince have bin enacted published under the names of the Lords spirituall Temporall Read the Statutes of King Edward the first There shall yee finde that in a Parliament solemnly hoâ—tlen by him at S. Edmundbury the Archbishops and Bishops were quite shut forth and yet the Parliament held on and good and wholsome lawes were there enacted the departing or absâ—nce or malice of the Lords Spirituall notwithstanding In the records thereof it is written thus The King keeping the Parliament wiâ—h his Barons the Clergy that is to say the Archbishops and Bishops being shut forth it was enacted c. Likewise In provisione de Martona in the time of King Henry the third Whereas matter was moved of Bastardy touching the Legitimation of Bastards borne before Marriage The Statute past wholly with the Lords Temporall whether the Lords Spirituall would or no yea and that contrary to the expresse Decrees and Canons of the Church of Rome The like hereof as I am informed may be found Rich. 2. An. 11. c. 3. Howbeit in these cases I must confesse I walke somewhat without my compasse Touching the judgement hereof I reâ—erre my selfe wholly unto the Learned Further whereas yee call the Doctrine of Christ that now by Gods great mercy and to your great griefe is universally and freely preached a Parliament Religion and a Parliament Gospell for such sobriety becommeth you well and may stand you in stead when learning fayleth yee might have remembred that Christ himselfe at the beginning waâ— universally received and honoured through this Realm by assent of Parliament and further that without Parliament your Pope himselfe was never received no not in the late time of Queene Maâ—y Yea and even then his holinesse was clogged with Parliament conditions that whatsoever had beene determined in Parliament and was not repealed were it never so contrary to his will and Canons should remaine still inviolable and stand in force Otherwise his holinesse had gone home againe Such M. Harding is the authority of a Parliament Verily if Parliaments of Realmes be no Parliaments then will your Pope be no Pope Therefore as you now call the truth of God that wee professe a Parliament Religion and a Parliament Gospell even so with like sobriety and gravity of speech yee might have said Our Fathers in old times had a Parliamenâ— Christ. And your late Fathers and Brethren had of late in the time of Queene Mary a Parliament Faith a Parliament Masse a Parliament Pope Neither is it so strange a matter to see Ecclesiasticall causes debated in Parliament Read â—he Lawes of K. Inas K. Elfred K. Edward K. Ethelstane K. Edmund K. Edgar K. Canute and yee shall find that our godly fore-fathers the Princes and Peeres of this Realme never vouchsafed to intrâ—at of matters of Peace or Warre or otherwise touching the Common State before all controversieâ— of Religion and causes Eâ—clesiasticall had beene concluded King Canutâ— in his Parliament holden at Winchester upon Christmas day after sundry Lawes and Orders made touching the Faith the keeping of Hâ—ly-dayes Publikâ— prayers learning of the Lords Prayer receiving of the Communion thrice in the yeare the manner and â—orme of Baptisme Fasting and other like matters of Religion in the end thereof saith thus Iam sequitur institutio Legum Secularium Now followeth an order of Temporall Lawes In a Parliament holden by King William the Conquerour it is written thus Rex quia Vicarius Summi Regis est ad hoc constituitur ut Regnum populum Domini super omnia sanctam Ecclesiam regat defendat c. The King for as much as hee is the Vicar of the Highest King is thererefore appointed to this purpose that hee should rule and defend the Kingdome and people of the Lord and above all things the holy Church c. Hereby it appeareth that Kings and Princes are specially and of purpose appointed by God not onely to defend but also to Governe and Rule the Holy Church Thus farre Bishop Iewell who here clearly affirmes that Parliaments may be kept and matters of Religion there determined without Bishops Neither is this any strange doctrine for not onely Mâ— Richard Crompton in his Iurisdiction of Courts fol. 19 20. who cites this passage of Bishop Iewell is of the same opinion but in the famous case of Doctor Standish in the 7. yeare of King Henry the eight at a meeting at Blacke Fryers before the King himselfe the whole Temporall Councell and a Committee of both Houses of Parliament it was resolved by all the Judges That our Lord the King may very well hold his Parliament by himselfe his Temporall Lords and by his Commons altogether without the Spirituall Lords for the spiriâ—uall Lords have no place in the Parliament Chamber of reason of their spirituality but only by reason of their Temporall possessions or Baronies And if this be not sufficient evidenceâ— Bishop Latimer in his fourth Sermon of the Plough p. 19 20. complaines against Bishops placing in being Lords of the Parliament makes this one chiefe cause that they be unpreaching Prelates lazie loyterers and idle Ministers Yea Thomas Bilson Bishop of Winchester a great Patriot of Episcopacie resolves and proves as much in his Booke intituled The true difference betweene Christian Subjection and unchristian Rebellion part 3. p. 540 541 542. If her Majesâ—y receivâ—d and â—stablished nothing but the truth of Christ in her Paâ—liament in vaine do you barke against God and the Magistrate for lacke of competent Courts Ecclesiasticall Judges and legall meanes to debate and decide matters of Religion Whâ—n God commandeth all humane barres and Lawes do cease If they joyne with God they may be used if they impugne the truth they must be despised And yet in our case the Scepter united and adjoyned it selfe to the word of God and therefore if Princes may command for truth in their owne dominions as I have largely proved they may why should not the Prince having the full consent of her Nobles and Commons restore and settle the truth of God within her Realme Phil. Lay men may not pronounce of
verdict upon an Indictment for the Kingâ— against Innovating Clergie men as they were bound to doe both in Law and Conscience Witnesse the Case of Master Aske late Recorder of Colchester Mr. Burroughs and the grand Jury of that Towne who were thus vexed for finding an Indictment against Parâ—on Newcoman for refusing to deliver the Sacrament to those who came not up to his new raile And no doubt the Bishops secret Commands and Instructions were the Originall cause that moved Sir Robert Berkely Knight one of the Judges of the Kings Bench at the Generall Sessions at Harâ—ford in Ianuary 7. 1638. to fine Mr. Henry Browne one of the grand Jury men at that Sessions and lay him in Irons one night onely for finding an Indictment for rayling in the Communion Table at Hartford Altar-wise which indictment he caused the said Brown openly to teare trample under his feete and one thaâ— stayed other indictments of this nature in high affront boâ—h oâ— Law and Justice onely to please the Prelaâ—es whose commands threates and persecutions have beene the Originall causes of most of the Judges irregular proceedings Fourteenthly They have not onely cited but censured some of his Majesties Officers in the High-Commission for executing his Lawes according to their Oath and duty as the Major of Arundell for punishing a drumken Minister and likewise ciâ—ed Mr. Staple a Justice of peace in Sussex into the High-Coâ—mission for giving in charge at the quarter Sessions his 〈…〉 against Innovations and deaucht Clergie men Fiftâ—â—nâ—hlyâ—â—hey have most unjustly caused some Posters to be â—â—opped afâ—â—r â—â—â—dicts â—ound for the plaintiffes and dammages given by â—he Jury upon â—ulâ— hearing for Actions justly broâ—ght agaiâ—s◠〈◊〉 of â—hâ—ir Officers for dafamations and other 〈…〉 so that the Plaintiffes could never get judgementâ— wâ—â—nesse â—he case of Master Bayton against Doctor Martyn Comâ—â—ssary of Tomes and others Sixteeâ—â—hly they haue caused some Solliciters Atturnies and Plaâ—nâ—iffes to be imprisoned untill they gave over such just actions as they had commenced and prosecuted against their Officeâ—s for Extortions Opressions and unjust Excommuniâ—ations witnesse the case of Ferdinando Adams whose Atturny Master Letchford was committed to the Kings Bench by Judge Iones and some other Judges only for bringing an Action of the Case against Dade the the Bishop of Norwich Commissary at Ipswich for Excommunicating him maliciously and unjustly because he reâ—used to blot out this Text of Scripture written over the Commissaries Court in Saint Maries Church in Ipswich It is written My house shall be called an house of Prayer of all Nations but ye have made it a den of theeves detaining him in prison till he gave over the prosecution and discontinued the suite sundry others having since beene served in this kinde by the Prelates sollicitation Seventeenthly They have beene the Originall occasions of the late unhappy warre and differences betweene Scotland and England which they stiled Bellum Episcopale the Bishops warre to which they liberally contributed themselves and enforced others to do the like when these differences were comprimised and this warre happily concluded in peace they were the chiefe Authors of the breach of the pacificaâ—ion formerly made and of a second warre to the great danger trouble and unsupportable charge oâ— his Majesties three kingdomes Eighteenthly they have beene the prime causes of all or most of the grievances pressures distractions Schismes in our Church and Common-weale and chiefe instruments of the unhappy breaches of our former Parliaments to the infinite prejudice both of King and Subject Ninteenthly when as they had caused the last Parliament but this to be dissolved to manifest their omnipotency disloyalty and tyranny they caused a new Convocation to be immediately assembled without a Parliament wherein they compiled and prescribed New Canons with an c. Oath tending highly to the derogation of his Majesties prerogative royall in Ecclesiasticall matters the subversion of the â—undamentall Lawes of the Realme and Liberties of the Subject the affront of Parliaments the suppression of all faithfull ministers and ayming onely at the perpetuating of their owne Episcopall Lordly power and Popish Innovations And as if this were not sufficient they tooke upon them to grant sundry subsidies without a Parliament for the maintenance of a new war against the Scots and enjoyned all Ministers to pay these Subsidies peremptorily at the dayes assigned by them under paine of present deprivation for the first default Omni Appellatione semota without any benefit of appeale one of the highest straines of tyranny and injustice that ever I have met with For which Canons Oath and Subsidies they now stand impeached by the whole house of Commons as delinquents in a high nature and are like ere long to receive condigne punishment Twentiethly it is very suspicious that they or some of them had a hand in the late dangerous Treason and Conspiracie since the first clause of the Oath of Seâ—recy administred to the Conspirators was To maintaine the Bishops in their functions and votes in Parliament and the Clergie would at their owne charge as Serjant Major Wallis confesseth in his examination maintaine a thousand horse to promote this Trayterous designe and have now as some report an hundred thousand pound ready for such a service In the twentieth one place they have oppressed and ruined divers of his Majesties Loyall Subjects Ministers and others both in their bodies estates credits families caused many thousands of them to forsake the Realme and to transport their families into forraine parts to the great decay of trade and impoverishing of the Realme In which they have done his Majestie great dis-service whose Honour and safety consists in the multitude and wealth of his people and his destruction in want of people In the twenty second ranke they have most undutifully and disloyally cast the odium of all their late Innovations in Religion their new Canons and tyrannicall exorbitant proceedings on his Majestie proclaiming it openly to the people that all they did was onely by his Majesties speciall direction and command of purpose to alienate the hearts of the people from his Majestie as much as in them lay In the twenty third place they and their Officers have sorely fleeced and impoverished his Majesties Subjects in such sort by exacted Fees and vexatioâ—s suites in their Visitations High-Commissions and other Ecclesiasticall Courts and by putting them to unnecessary costs for raising and rayling in Commâ—nion Tables and new adorning their Churches that they are unable to supply his Majesties and the Kingdomes necessities in that liberall proportion as they have formerly done the late Subsidies scarce amounting to halfe that summe as they did in former times Finally in their last High-Commission Paâ—ent they obtained this strange Non-obstante which robs the King of his Supremacy and the Subjects of their Lawes and Liberties namely That their Lordships in all Ecclesiasticall causes specified in that Commission might proceede in a meere arbitrary manner as
Royalties in their Ecclesiasticall Courts Hee thereupon sent forth Writs to restraine them to this effect Rex Archiepiscopis c. The King to the Arch-Bishops Bishops Abbots Priors Deanes Arch-Deacons Chancellours Praecentors Provosts Sacrists Prebends in Cathedrall and Collegiate Churches and to all other Ecclesiasticall Persons constituted in what-ever Dignity or Office as also to publike Notaries and all others greeting It behoveth us so much the more carefully to doe our endeavour and more soliciâ—ously to extend our hand to our Royall Prerogatives lest they â—hould utterly perish or by the undue Usurpations of any be in some â—ort substracted by maintaining them as farre as we lawfully may by reducing them to their due stateâ— if any of them have beene substracted and seized on as likewise by bridling the impugners oâ— our said Royall Jurisdictions and by punishing them as it is meet according to their demerits And so much the rather by how much we are knowne to be obliged to doe it by the Bond of an Oath and behold more men from day to day to impugne the same Rights to their utmost power whereas we have recovered in our Court before us by consideration of the said Courâ— our Collation to the Prebend of S. in the Church of Saint Peters in Yorke c. And now we have understood that certaine men endeavouring with all thâ—â—r might to impugne our Royall Right and forâ—saiâ— Judgement as likewise our Collation made to our said Clerke have made and procured to be made certaine Provocations Appealeâ— Indictions Inhibitions c. by the which if they should proceed our Royall Right and foresaid Judgement and the effect of our Collation should be annulled which might many wayes generate prejudice and exheredation to us and our Crowne We desiring by all meanes we may to prevenâ— such prejudice and exheredation and to restraine the unlawfull endeavours of all the impugners of the Rights of our Crowne strictly prohibite you and every of you that you doe not by pretext of any Commission made or hereafter to be made to you or any of you presume by any Authority without our advice to attempt or by others in any soâ—â— cause to be attempted any thing which may tend to the derogation of our Royall Right or annulling of the â—oresaid Judgement rightly given or the weakening of our said Collation knowing that if you shall doe otherwise we will proceed to apprehend you in a grievous manner Tanquam violatores Iuris nostri Regii as violaters of our Royall Right By these Writs the Usurpations of this Arch Prelate and the Bishops on the Kings Royall Prerogative and Courts of Justice were somewhat restrained otherwise they had in time made themselves absolute Kings and the Kings of England meere Cyphers and onely executioners of their Papall pleasures Robert Winchelsie his Successour exceedingly opposed his Soveraigne King Edward the first Who having spent an infinite summe of Money in the Warres of Scotland summonâ—d a Parliament at Barwicke wherein when the Temporalty contributed liberally toward the charge of that Warre the Clergy alledging the Canon of the late Councell of Lyons wherein it was decreed That no Clergie-man should pay any Ayde or Subsidie to any Temporall Magistrate without the Popes licence which Canon the Arch-Bishop alledged against the Subsidie granted by the Clergy two yeares before in his absence causing them then to set it downe for a Canon afterwards to be kept inviolably refused to grant the King a Subsidy without the Popes consent and would then give no Subsidy nor supply at all to the King though at the same time they readily granted three Subsidies to the Pope towards his Warres against the French The King would not take this for payment and therefore presently tooke order That all Barnes of these undutifull rebellious Clergy-men should be locked up and by Proclamation put all the Clergy from out of his protection so that hereafter it should be lawfull for any man to sue them for any Cause but they might not commence Suite against any man holding a Parliament with his Temporall Lords and Commons onely and shutting the Bishops and Clergy out of the Parliament house This constrained some of the Clergy after much contest though animated and sollicited by the Arch-Bishop still to resist to submit to the King at last and to be content to grant him such a proportion of their goods though it were the fifth part of their Revenues as he should like of onely the Arch-Bishop the Head of this â—action continued obstinate making no other answer to the King but this Under God our universall Lord we have two other Lords a Spirituall Lord the Pope and a Temporall Lord the King and though wee be to obey both yet rather the Spirituall Lord then the Temporall When therefore he saw all the rest inclining to yeeld using no other words then this Salvet unusquisque animam suam Let every man save his owne Soule as if Rebellion against his Prince were the only meanes to save his soule and pronouncing all those excommunicated that contributed any thing to the King he rose up and suddenly departed out of the Convocation House The King for this his contumacy seized all his Lands and commanded all such Debts of his as were found in the Rolls of the Exchequer to be leâ—ed with all speed on his Goods and Cattell which he seized into his hands and made shew of great displeasure Notwithstanding shortly after being to make Warre with the French King in France hee thought good before his departure to receive this Arch-Rebell to favour againe who had caused the King to be cited up to the Court of Rome and there suspended But this grace endured not long for presently upon his returne the King laid divers high Treasons to his charge as That he had dehorted his Subjects in his absence from paying their Subâ—idies That he went about to trouble the quiet state of the Realme and to defend and succour Rebellious persons That he had conspired with divers of his Nobility to deprive him of his Kingdome though the best Prince that ever England had before to commit him to perpetuall Prison and to Crowne his Sonne Edwaâ—d King in his stead and that he was the Ring-leader and Authour of this Conspiracy The Arch-Bishop noâ— able to deny these Treasons and being suspended from his Office by the Pope till he should purge himselfe of these things he fell downe on the ground at the Kings feete craving pardon of his heynous offences with teares and howling calling the King then his Lord which he never did before neither with his month nor in his Letters Thus this proud Prelate exâ—crable both to God and man who had twice a little before prohibited the King in the Popes name to make Warre with the rebellious and treacherous Scots his Enemies who had invaded his Kingdome in his absence because the Pope had taken them into his protection who had
amazed but with great eloquence he could goe about to perswade them not to imbrue their hands in the blood of their Arch-Bishop their chiefe Pastor assuring them that all the Realme would be interdicted â—or it and the fact must needes be punished first or last by the temporall Law And lastly though these failed God the just Judge would revenge it either in this or in the world to come if not both But these Varlots were so eagerly bent that the very songs of the Syrens would nothing have moved them seeing therefore nothing but death before his face with comfortable words forgiving the executioner that scarce ever requested him so to doe with a very cheerefull countenance he kneeled and yeelded himselfe to their fury once he was stricken in the necke so weakely as that notwithstanding he kneeled still upright and putting his hand up to the wound he used these words A ha it is the Hand of God Hee had not remooved his hand from the place when a second stroake cut off his fingers ends and felled him to the ground with much adoe having hacked and hewed his necke with eight blowes they got off his head upon Fryday Iune 14. 1381. All which day and a part of the next his body lay there headlesse no man daring to offer it buriall as for his head they nayled his hood upon it and so fixing it upon a pole set it on London Bridge By all which it appeares that he was very odious to the people and no other but a Traytor in their estimation William Courtney next Arch-Bishop to him in succession as he opposed the grant of a subsidy to the King whiles he was Bishop of Hereford as you heard before in the Acts of Whitlesey so in the yeare 1376. when hee was Bishop of London when King Edward the third desired a pecuniary ayd to helpe to supply his wants and defray his Warres this proud Prelate withstood these payments complaining that many injuries were done to him and to William Wickam Bishop of Winchester which put into writing he tendred to the Synod and requested that nothing might be granted to the King before he had made satisfaction to them for these injuries which the Synod assented toâ— and thereupon Wickam formerly banished by the King was restored to his Bishopricke and admitted into his Synod Hee received his Archâ—Bishopricke by provision from the Pope against the Law and made great scruple whether he might have his Crosier borne before him or whether he might marry the Queene of Boâ—omia his Sister to King Richard the second before he had received his Pall from â—he Pope which yeâ— he did at last interposing this wary Protestation that hee did it not in contempt oâ— the Court of Rome He excommunicated the Bailiffes oâ— Canterbury for pâ—nishing adultery and other crimes which were to be punished by the Prelates who neglected for to doe it After which he excommunicated one Richard Ismonger of Ailsford in Kent because he corrected criminals by Lay Authority which were to be punished by the Prelates and so violated the priviledges of the Church he humbly desired to be absolved promising by oath never hereafter to violate the Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction and that he would undergoe any punishment for his former contumacy and rashnesse that the Archâ—Bishop should impose upon him who enjoyned him this punâ—shment First that in the Market place of Westâ—alling in the greatest assembly of the people he should for three Market dayes together be stript naked and bastinadoed with clubs and after that he should undergoe the same punishment as often both at Maidstone and Canterbury and that aâ—ter his last castigation at Canterbury he should enter into the Cathedrall Church there naked and offer a Taper of five pound weight at Thomas Beckets shrine which punishment if he refused to performe he should relapse into his former state of excommunication a strange punishment for the Kings Officer to undergoe onely for executing justice upon delinquents in the Prelates defaults This Arch-Prelate so farre incensed King Richard the second that he commanded his goods and temporalties to be feased and the Bishop himselfe was glad to hide his head in secret corners with a few attendants till he had made his peace with the King In this Arch-bishops time there were great contests betweene him and his Suffraganes who opposed him in his Metropolâ—ticall visitation and in levying the taxe of foure pence the pound on the Clergy within his Province which he to their great opprâ—ssion had procured from the pope He had a great contestation with the Earle of Arundell whose servants he excommunicated for fishing in one of his Ponds in the Mannor of Southmalling in Chichester Diocesse whereupon the Earle complained to the King who hearing the cause commanded the excommunication directed to the Bishop of Chichester to be revoked In this Arch-Bishops time the Statute of Provisions and Premunire was enacted which the Pope and Prelates laboured forthwith to cause the King to repeale to which the Nobles and Commons would by no meanes consent Ann. Dom. 1387. when divers causes of high Treason were debated in Parliament the Arch-Bishop with his Suffraganes who by Law could not be present in the House in debating causes of blood departing the House made this Protestation In the Name of God Amen Whereas of right and by the custome of the Realme of England it appertaines to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury for the time being as also to his Suffragans his Brethren and fellow Bishops Abbots Priors and all other Prelates whatsoever holding of our Lord the King by Barony to be personally present in all Parliaments of the King as Peeres of the said Realme and there of the businesses of this Kingdome and other things there usually handled with the â—est of the Peeres of 〈◊〉 said Kingdome and others having right to be there present to consulâ— and handle ordaine decree and define and to doe other things which are there ready to be executed in time of Parliament in all and every of which we William Courtney Arch-Bishop of Canterbury c. for us and our Suffragans fellow Bishops and Confreers as likewise for the Abbots Priors and all Prelates aforesaid protest and every one of them here present by himselfe or his proxie publickely and expresly protesteth that we and every of us intend and intendeth will and willeth to be present in this present Parliament and others as Peeres of the said Realme after the usuall manner to consult handle ordaine decree and define and to exercise other things with others who have right to be present in the same our state and order and each of them in all things alwayes saved But because in the present Parliament some matters are handled at which by the deâ—rees of sacred Canons it is not lawfull for us or any to be any wayes personally present for those things we will and every of them protest and every of them here present
seized on three Mannors or Barronies belonging to his See and retained them during the Arch-Bishops life which was not long hee either out of griefe or Gods just Jâ—dgement being soone taken away It falling out for the most part as Bishop Godwin observes in his life that those Bishops which have presumed most in opposing themselves against their Princes have least time endured and ever quickly beene taken away Anno Dom. 1329. William de Melton Arch-Bishop of Yorke successively Treasurer and Chancellour of England upon the Examination of Edmund Earle of Kenâ— whom this Prelate and the Bishop of London had drawne into a conspiracie and rebellion against King Edward the third was accused of High Treason for reporting that King Edward the second was still alive after his death and that upon the credit of a preaching Fryer of London who had raised up a Devill which certainly informed him thereof as a truth For writing a Letter of Fidelitie to this Earleâ— which hee sent by his owne Chaplaine Acyn for sending him 500. men in Armes and ptomising to send him as many more as hee could possibly raise and sending Richard de Pomfret to him both to Reusington and Arundle to further the said Rebellion The Poore Earle was found guiltie of high Treason and beheaded The Bishop of London and Arch-Bishop the chiefe plotters of this Treason and Conspiracâ—e were suffered to goe at libertie under fureties taken of them for their good demeanour and forth-comming and the Fryer who had raised the Spirit to know whether the Kings Father were living or not was onely committed to prison where he dyed An. 1319. this William Melton Arch-Bishop of Yorke and the Bishop of Ely with the Citizens of Yorke not making them of the Countrey once privie to their designes having in their companie a great company of Priests and men of Religion gave battell unto the Scots neere Melton upon Swale But for as much as most of the English were unexpert in the feates of Warre the Bishops being their Captaines and came not in any orderly way of Battell they were easily put to flight by the Scots who slew about 4000. of them sparing neither Religious person nor other So ill is it for Prelates to turne Warriers and that rashly without taking good advice Alexander Nevell Arch-Bishop of Yorke in great favour with King Richard the second was amongst others conuicted by Parliament for abusing the Kings youth by flattery and exciting and stirring him against the Nobilitie and Lords whom hee falsely accused of Treason to the King to the great prejudice of the King and Realme by whispering tales day and night against them and for anulling Acts of Parliament for which causes hee was condemned in Parliament of high Treason and then adjudged to perpetuall imprisonment in the Castle of Rochesâ—er Hee foreseeing the Tempâ—st that grew toward him fled out of the Realme Vrbane the Fifth for his securitie translated him being both a Traytor and whisperer writes Walsingham from Yorke to Saint Andrewes in Scotland which Kingdome at that time refused to acknowledge Vrbane for Pope yeelding obedience to the Antipope by meanâ—s whereof Vrbanes gift was insufficient to invest him in Saint Andrewes yet good to void him quite from Yorke whereby hee being stript of both Arch-Bishoprickes and enjoying the benefit of neither for very want was forced to become a Parish Priest at Lovaine and so lived three yeares till his death Thomas Arundel his Successour to prejudice the Londoners and benefit those of Yorke removed all the Kings Courts from Westminster to Yorke to the great prejudice and grievance of the Londâ—ners and Subjects in the West and South parts of England and the no little disturbance of the Realme His pretence was that hee did it onely to punish the pride and presumption of the Londoners who were then in great disgrace with the Kingâ— by reason of a fray made upon the Bishop of Salisburyes Manâ— who abused a Baker and brake his head with a Dagger without any just cause for which the Citizens assaulted the Bishops House to have Justice done upon his Man who had done the wrong but the Bishops bolstering him outâ— no Justice could be had and instead thereof their Liberties were seized on and the Terme removed to Yorke to vex them the more The Arch-Bishop not long after was attainted of Treason in Parliament immediately upon his Translatiâ—n from Yorke to Canterbury And good reason for he conspired with the Duke of Gloucester the Abbot of Saint Albanes and the Prior of Westminster both which Religious persons declared to the Duke that they had severall Visions That the Kingdome should bee destroyed through the misgovernment of Richard the second by which they animated the Duke to conspire with them and others against their Soveraigne who meeting together at drundel Castle about the 20. yeare of King Richards Raigne they sware each to otherâ— to bee assistant one to another in all such matters as they should determine and therewith received the Sacrament from this Arch-Bishop who celebrated Masse before them the morrow after which done they withdrew themselves into a chamber and concluded to take King Richard the Dukes of Lancaster and Yorke and to commit them to Prison and to hang and draw all the other Lords of the Kings Councell all which they intended to accomplish in August following had not their plot been discovered and prevented by Earle Marshall This Prelate after his attainder for this Treason was the chiefe Actor in effecting King Richards involuntary Resignation in the instrument whereof he is first named I shall say no more of this Arundel but what William Harrison hath recorded of him in his Description of England l. 2. â— c. 1. p. 134. And even no lesse unquietnesse had another of our Princes with Thomas Arundel than King Stephen had with his Predecessours and Robert de Sâ—gillo Bishop of London who fled to Rome for feare of his head and caused the Pope to write an ambitious and contumelious Letter unto his Soveraigne about his restitution But when by the Kings Letters yet extant and beginning thus Thomas PRODITIONIS non expers nostrae Regiae Majestati insidias fabricavit the Pope understood the bottome of the matter hee was contented that Thomas should be deprived and another Arch-Bishop chosen in his stead But of this and him you may reade more before pag. 75 76 c. Richard Scroope Arch-Bishop of â—orke Brother to William Scroope Earle of Wilâ—shire Ann. 1403. and 1405. joyned with the Earle of Northumberland the Earle Marshall the Lord Bardolpâ— and others in a Conspiracie and Rebellion against King Henry the fourth gathering what forces hee could against him The Percies to make their part seeme good devised certaine Articles by the devise of this Arch-Bishop which they shewed to divers Noble-men and other States of the Realme and moved them so farre to promote their purpose by this meanes
generall prohibitions to all or most of the Sheriffes of England as is evident by the Râ—gister of Writs Fitz herberts natura Brevium Rastall and others commanding the Sheriffe to inhibite Bishops and their Officers to cite Laymen before them to take an oath in any case whatsoever except of Matrimony or Testament only and not to suffer the people to appeare before them to take such oathes The continuer of Matthew Paris his History of England p. 966 967. writes of this Bishop of Lincolne That Simon Earle of Leicester who most opposed Henry the third and warred against him adhered to him and delivered his children to him to be educated That by his counsell tractabat ardua tentabat dubia finivit inchoata ea maximè per quae meritum sibi succrescere aestimabat And this Bishop is said to have enjoyned the Earle in remisâ—ion of his sinnes that he should undertake this cause of the Barons against the King for which he contended even unto death affirming that the peace of the Church of England could not be established but by the materiall Sword and that all who died for it should be crowned with martyrdome And some say that this Bishop laying his hand sometimes on the head of this Earles â—ldest sonne said unto him Oh my deere sonne both thâ—u and thy father shall both die in one day and with one kind of death yet for justice and vâ—rity Such an animater was he both of rebellion and warres Henry Lexinton the next Bishop of this See Anno 1257. offered some kind of hard measure unto the University of Oxford by infringing certaine liberties thâ—t of old belonged unto it For redresse hereof they were forced to make their complaint unto the King lying then at S. Albons and sent nine Masters of Art to the Court for that purpose Matthew Paris a Monkâ— of S. Albons was present at the delivery of the petition and as himselfe writeth was bold to sâ—ep unto the King using these speeches to him in private I beseech your Grace even for Gods sake to have compassion upon the Church now tottering and in great danger of utter subversion The Vniversity of Paris the nurse of â—o many excellent and famous Prâ—lates is now greatly troubled If the Vniversity of Oxford be disquieted and moleâ—ted also especially at this time being the second Vniversity of Christendome and even another foundation of the Church it is much to be feared leaâ—â— it cause a generall confusion and uâ—â—â—r ruine of the whole Church God forbid said the King that that should happen especially in my time I will endeavour to prevent it I doubt not he was as good as his word for I finde no more mention of any further stirres This I have thought good the rather to set downe to shew what was the reputation of our University of Oxford in those daies and what indignities this Bishop offered to it to cause a publike combustion Henry Burwash the 15. Bishop of Lincolne though advanced to that See by King Edward the second his speciall favour within two yeeres after his consecration for some contempts and misdemeanors he fell so faire into the Kings displeasure that his temporalties were seized upon into the Kings hands for two yeeres space Anno 1324. they were restored to him againe and he to the Kings favour but the grudge thereof so stâ—cke in his stomacke as the Queene rising against her husband seeking to depose him as afterward shee did no man was so forward to take her part no man was so eager against the King his undoubted true and naturall Prince as this Bishop Thomas Walfingham writes that almost all the Prelates joyned with the Queene against the King precipuè c. but especially the Bishop of Lincolne Hâ—reford Dublin and Ely who raised a great Army for herâ— others and principally the Archbishop oâ— Canterbury â—urnished her with money and when the Queene had taken the King prisoner Anno 1327. keeping her Châ—istmas aâ— Walâ—ingford the Archbishop of Canterbury and Yâ—rke the Bishop of Winchâ—ster whom she mâ—de Lord Treâ—surer the Biâ—hâ—p of Norwich her Lord Chaâ—cellour this good Bishop of Lincolne the Bishops of Ely Coventry and other Prelates kâ—pt their Christmas with her with great honour joy and triumph whence comming to Westminster prâ—sently after Twelftide they assembled in Parliament deposed the King from his Crowne and elected his sonne in his steed to which election the Archbishop of Canterbury there present consented ET OMNES PRAELATI and all the Prelates the Archbishop making an oration to them to confirme and justifie this election taking for his text Vox Populi vox Dei Such good Subjects were all the Archbishops and Bishops at that time and this Prelate one of the ringleaders who not content thus to spoyle his Soveraigne of his Crown Kingdome and life too not long after making a new Paâ—ke at Tyinghurst he inclosed in the same ground belonging to divers poore men his tenants for which he had many a bitter curse of them whereupon it is reported that after his death he appeared to one of his Gentlemen in the likenesse of a Keeper with a Bow and Arrowes in his hand a horne by his side and a greene jerkin on his backe telling him that for the injurious enclosing of that Parke he was appointed to the keeping of the same there to be tormented till it were disparked againe desiring him to intreat the Canons of Lincolne his brethren that this wrong done by him by their good meanes might be righted who upon this information sent one William Batchellour of their Company to see it utterly disparked which was effected Anno 1351. the Univeâ—sity of Oxford presented unto Iohn Synwall Bishop of Lincolne unto whose jurisdiction Oxford then appertained one William Palmarin for theiâ— Chancellour and prayed him to admit him The Bishop I know not for what cause delayed hâ—s admission from time to time and enforced the University to complaine of this hard dealing unto the Archbishop He presently set downe a day wherein he enjoyned the Bishop to admit this Chancellour or else to render a reason of his refusall At the time appointed the Proctours of the University were ready together with this William Palmorie to demand admission And when the Bishop of Lincolne came not trusting belike to this priviledge procured from Rome to exempâ— himsâ—lfe his authority and jurisdiction the Archbishop causes his Chancellour Iohn Carâ—ton Deane of Wels to admit him writ to the Uniuersity to receive him and cited the Bishop to answer before him for his contempt He appealed to the Pope would not come and for his contumacy was convicted Much money was spent in this suite afterwards at Rome The event was that the Archbishop prevailed and the others priviledge was by speciall order of the Pope revoked who also granted unto the University at the same time that the Chancellour hereafter should onely be elected by the
a Lyon by the paw I am commanded to lay this great malefactour at your doores one who hath beene a great oppugner oâ— the life and liberty of Religion and who set a brand of infamy to use his own words upon Ipswich education In summe one who is a compleate mirrour of innovation superstition and oppressionâ— he is now in the snare of those Articles which were the workes of his owne hands The rod of Moses at a distance was a serpent it was a rod againe when it was taken into his hands this Bishop was a serpent a devouring serpent in the Diocesse of Norwich your Lordships peradventure will by handling of him make him a rod againeâ— or if not I doubt not but your Lordships will chastise him with such rods as his crimes shall deserve My Lords I am commanded by the House of Commons to desire your Lordships that this Bishop may be required to make answer to these Articles and that there may be such proceedings against him as the Course and Justice of Parliament doth admit You see by this Parlamentary impeachment what a Regulus Tyrant and Serpent this Wren hath beene I shall say no more of him but leave him to his legall triall Richard Mountague who next succeeded Bishop Wren in this Sea proceeded on in his extravagant courses and Popish innovations witnesse his strange Visitation Articles printed for the Diocesse of Norwich many whereof are directly Popish others unjust absurd and strangely ridiculous as of what Assise is â—our Surplesse What is your Surplesse or Lords Table worth if it were to be sold Is your Communion Table rayled in so as Cats and Dogges he might as well have added Rats and Mice cannot get through unto it c. This Bishop conscious to himselfe of his owne guiltinesse came not up to this last Parliament for feare of questioning and being complained of for suspending a Lecturer in Norwich without any just cause even sitting this Parliament the House thereupon made an Order that a speciall Committee should be appointed to examine all his offences old and new the newes whereof so affrighted him that within few dayes after he died to ease the Parliament of that labour of whom see more in Chichester Since his decease this See hath continued vacant and the whole Diocesse earnestly desire it may so remaine till Doomesday having beene almost ruined and infinitely vexed by their late monstrous Prelates of whom I shall now take my farewell and shape my course to Chester Diocesse The Bishops of Chester The Bishopricke of Coventry and Lichfield in former times had three Episcopall Sees Chester Coventry and Lichfield whence some of the Bishops in our Chronicles were formerly called the Bishops of Chester because they there resided of some of whose Acts I shall give you a taste Hugh Novant Bishop of Chester whom Godwin reckons among the Bishops of Coventry and Lichfield about the yeare 1188. when King Richard the first was taken prisoner by the Arch-duke of Austria joyned with Iohn Earle of Morton the Kings Brother against the King to dispossesse him of his Kingdome his brother went from this Earle and the French King to the Emperour with Letters a message promising him a great summe of money in their names to detaine the King still in Prison after the Articles for his release and ransome were concluded for which treason and conspiracy after the Kings enlargement this Bishop was indicted in a Parliament at Nottingham that he being privy to the Kings secrets had revolted from him to the King of France and Earle Iohn his enemies adhered to them plotting all mischiefe for the destruction of the King and of the Kingdome whereupon hee was peremptorily cited to appeare and answer this indictment within 40. dayes which he failing to doe was adjudged to be punished by Ecclesiasticall censures as he was a Bishop and as an Officer to the King he was also by the Laity banished the Realme and at last enforced to purchase his peace with a Fine of 5000 markes to the King Anno 211 90. he having purchased the Monastery of Coventry from the King came thither with a power of armed men to place in secular Priests in stead of the Monkes who making resistance against him he invaded them with forces chased away some lamed others of themâ— spoiled their house burnt their Charters and Evidences himselfe being wounded and that in the Church before the High Altar in this conflict to the effusion of his blood In the yeare of our Lord 1234. in the Purification of St. Mary King Henry the third came to a conference at Westminster wherein he sharpely rebuked certaine Bishops Et maximè AlexandruÌ„ Cestrensem Episâ—opum especially Alexander de Savensby Bishop of Chester that they were over-familiar with the Earle Marshall Et quòd ipsum de regni solio depellere nitebantur that they indevoured to depose him from his royall throne But this Bishop clad in his Pontificalibus when hee knew such things were objected to him and also that some had suggested to the King by way of exasperating that the Bishops favouring the party of the Marshall would create another King was exceedingly moved especially against Roger de Catelu whereupon hee incontinently excommunicated all those who imagined any such wickednesse against the King or maliciously imposed such things upon the Bishops who were altogether folicitous of the Kings honours and safety The innocency of the Bishops being thus manifested and proved and the sowers of dissention confounded Catelu held his peace being not free as it seemedâ— from the Anathema So the other Bishops who were present intervening Alexander Bâ— of Chester was pacified and his spirit quieted Nimis antè amaricatus being overmuch imbittered before Edmond Elect Archbishop of Canterbury with many of his suffragans were present at this conference who all condoling at the desolation of the King and Kingdome came to the King and as it were with one heart mind and mouth said O our Lord the King let us tell you in the Lord as your faithfull subjects that the counsell which you now have and useâ— is neither wholsome nor safe but cruell and dangerous to your selfe and to the Kingdome of England to wit the counsell of Peter Bishop of Winchester of whom before Peter de Rivallis and their complices Fiâ—st of all because they hate and contemne the English Nation calling them Traytors and causing them all to be so called and turning your minde away from the love of your owne Nation and â—hâ— hearts of your people from you as appeares in the Marshall who is the best man of your Land whom they have perverted and estranged from you by lyes they have scattered abroad of him And through this very counsell to wit by the said Bishop your Father King Iohn first lost the hearts of his people after that Normandy afterwards other lands and in the end exhausted all his treasure and almost lost the
Oath first and then administred it to others saying that he was glad in his heart that this Oath was imposed upon all the Clergie of England for now the true Children of the Church would bee knowne from the spurious and bastards And further hee hath deâ—yed to conferre Orders upon such who refused to take the said Oath as namely upon one Mr. Gibbonâ— And hath enforced the sayd Oath upon divers he hath ordained Ministers since the making thereof That the sayd Bishop hath beene a great fomentor and incourager of the late divisions and wars betweene the Kingdomes of England and Scotland conventing and urging the Clergie of his Diocesse in the yeares of our Lord 1638. 1639. to contribute a liberall benevolence towards the maintenance of the sayd wars using this speech as one motive to induce them to this contribution that it was Bellum Episcopale and saying that what ever cause the King had expressed in hiâ— Declaration yet in truth this war was for Vs meaning Vs the Bishops And whereas some of the Clergie denyed the payment of so large a Benevolenceâ—s â—s the sayd Bishop demanded in regard of their poverty and because they were still in their first fruites when they were free from Subsidies the sayd Bishop threatned by his power to put more Armes and horses upon them saying that if they would not serve the King with their purses they should serve him with their Armes And thereupon compelled them to pay the summes he demaunded of them against all Law as namely Mr. Roswell Mr. Ioanes Mr. Abbot and others And not contented herewith the sayd Bishop pretending that there were divers poore Vicars and Ministers in his Diocesse that were noâ— able to pay the Benevolence â—o as hee could not raise the summe he expected thereupon directed his Letters to divers of his wealthier Cleâ—gie causing some of them to pay a second contribution 13. That the sayd Bishop not content with this first Benevolence hath since that in the yeare of our Lord 1642. compelled divers of his Clergie to pay all or part of the sixe illegall subsidies or Benevolences imposed by the late pretended Synod without confirmation of Parliament threatning to excommunicaâ—e and deprive them ipsoâ— facto who fayled paymenâ— of it at the dayes prefixed by the Synod and sent out a processe to Master Newton Minister of Tauâ—ton even whiles the sayd Townâ— was much visited by the Pestilence long before the sayd Subsidy or Benevolence was due to enjoyne him to pay it punctually at the day or else he would inflict on him the penalties prescribed by this Synod and used these speeches that if they did not pay the sayd Subsidie or Benevolence they should be ground to powder And the sayd Commons by proâ—estaâ—ion sâ—â—ing to themselves the liberty of exhibiting at any time hereafter any other accusation or impeachment against the sayd Bishop And also of replying to the answeres that he the sayd Bishop shall make unto the sayd Articles or to any of them and of offering proofes also of the premisses or any of them or any other impeachment or accusation that shall be exhibited by them as the cause shall according to the course of Parliaments require doe pray that the sayd Bishop may be put to answere to all and every tâ—e premisses And that such proceedings examinations tryalls and judgements may be upon every of them had and used as is agreeable to Law and Justice By these Articles of impeachment you may easily discover what a prophane impious turbulent Prelate this Bishop is even such a one whom no age I thinke in many particulars is able to parallell whose prodigiously prophane speeches and actions proclaime to all the world that our present Prelates impieties have made them fit for judgement yea to be castout and trampled under feere of men as the very excrements and off-scouring of all things I have now runne through all our ancient Bishoprickes with that of Chester lately revived and given you a briefe account of the extravagant actions of some of those Lordly Prelates who possessed them I shall now in the close of this Chapter give you but a touch of some of the late Bishops of Oxford Bristoll Peterborough and Glocester which Bishopricks were erected out of dissolved Monasteries by King Henry the eight towards the end of his Reigne and so conclude Oxford TO passe by the first Bishops of this See none of the best there have beene three successions of Bishops in Oxford since I left the University Houson Corbet and Bancroft all of them Patriots of Innovations Erronious Popish Arminian Doctrines superstitious Ceremonies prophane Sports Revels and Bacchanals on the Lords day scandalous in their lives notoriously given to the flesh enemies to frequent preaching and the true Practise of Piety Of the two first of them I have given a touch in Durham and Norwich page 519. to which I shall referre you and for the last of them a Non-preaching Prelate who for ought I can learne never preached above one or two Sermons if so many all his life time he had a finger in the late Canons Oath lone in pressing whereof he was not negligent and had not death arrested him with the other two I doubt not but the Parliament had bin troubled with many complaints against them all which now being buryed together with them I will not revive Bristoll THE Bishopricke of Bristoll was first possessed by Paul Bush who was deprived in Queen Maries dayes for being married Iohn Holy-man a Papist succeeded him after whose death the See continued voyd some foure yeares Anno 1562. Richard Cheyny Bishop of Glocester and Iohn Bullingham his successor held Bristoll in Commendam so as it stood void oâ— a Bishop otherwise than as it was held by Commendamâ— one and thirty yeares Richard Fletcher next enjoyed it till he was translated to Worcester Anno. 1593. After which it stood vacant ten yeares to 1603. and then Iohn Thorneborough Bishop of Limbrick in Ireland and Commendatory Deane of York was translated to it This Bishop and some of his successors had great contests with the Major Aldermen and Citizens of Bâ—istoll whom he would force to come every Lords day morning and solemne Holiday to the Cathedrall Sermon to dance attendance and doe their homage to their Lordships which they for some yeares refused till at last after sundry complaints to the King and Councel the Bishops and they according the Major and Citizens yeelded to come to the Colledge now and then on solemne days if the weather were faire and sometimes in the Sommer season Robert Wright one of the late Bishops of this See had a great contestation with the Deane and Chapter of Bristoll and Master George Salterne Steward of the City for opposing him in setting up Images in the Cathedrall and other Churches which gave great offence to the people he was a great Innovator and maintainer of Superstitious Ceremonies at Bristoll to humor
warrant from the Kirke and containing beside the Popish forme thereof diverse Popish errours and Ceremonies and the sâ—eds of manifold grosse superstitions and Idolatry with a Booke of Canons without warrant or direction from the Generall Assembly establishing a Tyrannicall power over the Kirke in the person of Bishops and overthrowing the whole discipline and Acts of our Kirke And with the High-Commion erected without the consent of the Kirke subverting the jurisdiction and Ordinary Judicatories of this Kirke and giving to persons meerely Ecclesiasticall power of both swords and to persons meerely Civill the power of the keyes and Kirke censures A Second cause was the Articles of Perth viz. Observation of festivall dayes kneeling at the Communion Confirmation Administration of the Sacraments in private places which was brought in by a Civill Assembly and are contrary to the confession of Faith as it was meant and subscribed Anno 1580. And diverse times since to the order and constitution of this Kirke Thirdly the change of the government of the Kirke from the Assembly of the Kirke to the persons of some Kirkemen usurping the priority and power over their Brethren by the way and under the name of Episcopall government against the Confession of Faith 1580. Against the Order set downe in the booke of Policy and against the intentions and Constitutions of this Kirke from the beginning Fourthly the Civill places and power of Kirkemen their sitting and voycing in Parliament and their sitting on the Bench as Justices of Peace which according to the constituons of this Kirke are incompatible with their spirituall functions lifting them up above the Brethren in worldly Pompe tending to the hinderance of the Ministery Fifthly the keeping and authorizing of corrupt assemblies at Linlithgrow 1606. and 1608. and at Glascow 1610. at Aberdin 1616 at Saint Andrewes 1617. at Perth â—618 which are null and unlawfull as being called and constituâ—e quite contrary to the Order and constitutions of this kirke received and practized ever since the reformation oâ— Religion and withall labouring to introduce Novation within this Kiâ—ke against the Order and Religion established A sixth cause is the want of the lawfull and free generall Assemblies rightly constitute of Pastors Doctors and Elders yearely or oftner pro re nata according to the liberty of this Kirke expressed in the Booke of Policy and acknowledged in the Act of Parliament 1592. After which his Majesties Commissioner having heard patiently and examined particularly and all objections to the contrary being answered to the full The whole Assembly with expresse consent of his Majesties Commissioner in one heart and voyce did declare that these and such other proceeding from the neglect and breach of the Nationall Covenant of this Kirke and kingdome made in Anno 1588. have beene indeed the true and maine Cause of all our evils and distractions And therefore ordaines according to the Constitutions of generall Aâ—semblies of this Kirke and upon the grounds respective above specified That the foresaid Service Booke Bookes of Canon and Ordâ—nation and the High-Commission be still rejected That the Articles of Perth be no more practised That Episcopall government and the Civill places and power of Kirkemen be holden still as unlawâ—ull in this Kirke That the above named pretended Assemblies at Linlithgrow 1606. and 1608. at Glascow 1610. at Aberdene 1616. at Saint Andrewes 1617 at Perth 1618. be hereafter accounted of as null and of none effect And that for preservation of Religion and prevenâ—â—ng of all such evils in time comming Generall Assemblies rightly Constitute as the perfit and competent Judge of all matters Ecclesiasticall hereafter be kept yearely and oftner as occasion and necessity shall require The necessity being first remonstrate to his Majesty by humble supplication as also of these occasionall Assemblies That Kirke Sessions Presbyteries and Synodall Assemblies be constitute and observed according to the Booke of Policy and Order oâ— this Kirke The Bishop of Dunkell his Recantation BE it knowne to all men me Master Alexander Lindsay Minister of Sinadois for so much as I by my missive Letter sent by me to the Generall Assembly of the Kirke of Scotland holden at Glascow the 21. of November last past did freely submit my selfe demit and lay downe at the foot of the Assembly my pretended Office of Episcopacy as pretended Bishop of Dunkell and by my Letter promised to subscribe what ample forme of Commission there anent the said Assembly should prescribe and now the said reverent Assembly hath found and declared the said office of Episcopacy as it hath beene teâ—med and used within the said Kirke of Scotland to be abjured by the comession of Faith 1580. and 1581 and 1590. And therefore hath decerner the said Office to be removed out of the said Kirke of Scotland as also seeing the said reverent Assembly hath decernet me according to my said Letter to subscribe a more ample forme of demission of the said pretended office in presence of Sir Iohn Montcrieff of that Ilke Knight Baronet Master Robert Murrey Minister at Methuen Master Iohn Roberton Minister at Perth Master Alexander Petrie Minister at Rinde and Thomas Durham Burgesse of Perth Commissioners appointed by them for that effect Therefore and for performance of my said Letter and in obedience to the Ordinance of the said reverent Assembly Wit ye me to have demitted quite claim'd and simpliciter overgeven like as I now in presence of the said Commissioners freely demits quite claimes and simpliciter overgists the â—oresaid pretended Office of Episcopacy of Dunkell with the whole Title stile name and dignity thereof power of Ordination Jurisdiction thereof voyce in Parliament and all usurpation of the same in time comming and faithfully promises and by these presents binds and obliges me never to exercise nor use the said pretended Office in the said kirke of Scotland nor no power of Ordination Jurisdiction voyce in Parliament neither any other power Ecclesiasticall belonging usurped and acclaimed to belong to the said pretended Office like as according to the Act of the said reverent Assembly I acknowledge the said Office of Episcopacy to be abjured in the foresaid confession of Faith and therefore most justly ought to be removed out of this said kirke of Scotland and the whole premises I heartily acknowledge as I will answer to God in testimony hereof I have subscribed these presents with my hand Like as for further security hereof I am content and consent that these presents be insert and Registrate in the generall Bookes of Assembly therein to remaine Ad futuram rei memoriam And to that effect constitute my lawfull procutors promittendo de rato In witnesse whereof written by Robert Readhench serviteur to Patricke Rosse Notaire in Perth I have subscribed the same with my hand as said is at Saint Andrewes the 24. of Ianuary 1639. before these witnesses Master Iohn Paterson Master Alexander Dundie Student in Perth and George
and that the King himselfe presently after his death was stricken with a Leprosie a manifest lye They likewise reported That a strange judgement hapned upon the Iudges who gave sentence against him Which fabulous lying Legends must not onely be generally bruited abroad to cheate the people justifie the Traytor disparage this honorable Act of Justice slander the King and Judges and all to secure the Bishops in their Treasons and Rebellions that this Act might never bee made a president to punish them capitally for such like offences in future times but likewise chronicled to delude posterity and animate all succeeding Prelates under hopes of impunitie to attempt any Treasons Trecheries or insurrections against their Soveraignes without feare And to make the thing more odious and the Prelates more presumptuous in this kinde the Pope himselfe excommunicates tbe Authors of his death and those that had any hand in his condemnation or execution who must all earnestly entreat for absolution before it would be granted Loe here the quintessence of all Traiterous Rebellious spirits and disloyall practises combined and infused into our Prelates in canonizing this Arch-Traytor scandalizing the very sentence of Justice pronounced and executed upon him with the King and Judges that were the Authors of it and making it a matter worthy an Anathema to condemne and execute a Traytor a Rebell too in the Suparlative degree What confidence can any Princes repose or what fidelitie can they expect from such a desperate generation of Vipers as these who cannot be content to plot to execute Treasons and Conspiracies but thus boldly to justifie them and the Traytors to when they are committed I shall therefore close this story with the words of Edward Hall our Chronicler What shall a man say of such foolish and fantasticall persons who have written of such erroneous Hypocrites and seditious Asses who have indited of such superstitious Fryers and malicious Monkes who have declared and divulged both contrary to Gods Doctrine the honour of their Prince and common knowne verityâ— such manifest lyes as the fore-cited miracles and reports concerning this Arch-Bishops death What shall men thinke of such beastly persons which regarding not their bounden dâ—tie and â—beâ—sance to their Prince and Soveraigne Lord envâ—ed the punishment of Traytors and torment of offendors But what shall all men conjecture of such which favouring their owne worldly Dignitie their owne private authority and their owne peculiar profit will thus juggle rayle and imagine fantasies against their Soveraigne Lord and Prince and put them in memory as a miracle to his dishonour and perpetuall infamyâ— well let just men judge what I have said So â—all Iohn Kemp Arch-Bishop of Yorke was a great opposer of the good Duke of Glocester a Traytor and evill instrument to King Henry the Sixth and the Kingdome and the meanes of the Duke of Gloucesters murther whose death was a most incomparable losse to the Realme of which more at large in Henry Beaufort Bishop of Winchester with whom he confederated against the Duke George Nevill Arch-Bishop of Yorke conspired with his Brother Henry Nevill Earle of Warwicke against King Edward the Fourth after hee had raigned almost nine yearesâ— to pull him from his Throne and being his hap to take King Edward Prisoner at Ownely in Northamptonshire hee carryed the King with him Prisoner first to Warwicke Castle then to Midleham Castle in Yorkeshire from whence the King at last having liberty to ride abroad an hunting escaped being rescued by his Friends and within halfe a yeare after so handled the matter as comming to London suddenly and entring this Arch-Bishops Palace by a Posterne Gate hee surprized at once King Hâ—nry and the Arch-Bishop that had not long before taken him Holinshed and some others relate that the Arch-Bishop being lâ—ft by his Brother the Earle of Warwicke to keepe the Citie of London for King Henry against Edward the Fourth hee perceiving the affections of the people to incline to King Edward and how the most part of the Citie were much addicted to him sent forth secretly a Messenger to him beseeching King Edward to receive him againe into his former favour promising to bee to him in time to come and to acquit this good turnâ— heereafter with some singular benefit and service That the King upon good considerations was hereupon content to receive him againe into his favour of which the Arch-Bishop being assuredâ— greatly rejoyced and well and truely acquitting him of his promise in that behalfe madeâ— admitted him into the Citie where the king comming to the Arch-Bishops Palace heâ— prâ—sented himselfe unto him and having king Heâ—ry by the hand delivered him treacherously to king Edwâ—rdâ— custodie who being seized of his peâ—sâ—n weâ—t to Pauls from Westminster where hee gave God heartie thankes for his safe returne and good successe Thereupon they were both sent to the Towerâ— where king Henry was pittifully murtheredâ— but the Arch-Bishop the fourth of Iuneâ—ollowingâ— â—ollowingâ— was set at Libertie About a yeare after his Enlargement hee chanced to bee hunting at â—â—â—â—â—ore with the king and upon occasion of some spoâ—t thâ—â—â—ad seene there hee made relation to â—â—e king of some extraordinary kinde of Gâ—me wherewith hee was wont to solace himseâ—â—â— at 〈◊〉 housâ— hee had built and furnished very sumptuously called the Moore in Hartfordshire The King seeming desirous to be partaker of this sport appointed a day when hee would come thither to hunt and make merry with him Hereupon the Arch-Bishop taking his leave got him home and thinking to entertaine the King in the best manner it was possible sent for much Plate that hee had hid during the Warres between his Brethren and the King and borrowed also much of his Friends The Deaâ—e which the King hunted being thus brought into the toyle the day before his appointed time hee sent for the Arch-Bishop commanding him all excuses set apart to repaire presently to him being at Windsore As soone as he came hee was arrested of High-Treason all his Plate money and other moveable goods to the value of 20000. l. were seized on for the King and himselfe a long space after kept prisoner at Calis and Guisues during which time the King tooke to himselfe the profits and temporalties of his Bishopricke Amongst other things that were taken from him was a Miter of inestimable value by reason of many rich stones wherewith it was adorned that the King brake and made thereof a Crowne for himselfe This calamitie hapned to him Anno 1472. Foure yeares after with much entreatie he obtained his Libertie but dyed of griefe shortly after This proud Pontifician made so great a feast at his installment that neither our age nor any other before it ever heard or saw the like the particulars whereof you may read in Godwin too tedious here to recite Thomas Rotheram Arch-Bishop of Yorke being Lord Chancellour in Edward the fourth his Raigne upon his death resigned
his place and delivered up his Seale to the Queene without the Councels consent from whom he received it not she having no right to require it For which cause hee was committed to the Tower by the Lord Protectour Richard Duke of Yorke who afterwards usurping the Crowne released the Arch-Bishop out of prison who thereupon sided and was veâ—y inward with this Usurper and at last dyed of the Plague May 29. 1500. I read nothing of Savageâ— his next successour but this That he was not preferred to this See for any extraordinary great learning that he spent his time in a manner altogether as our Prelates doe now either in Temporall affairesâ— being a great Courtier or else in hunting wherewith hee was unreasonably delighted keeping a great number of tall Fellowes about him to attend his person But of his preaching or maintaining Ministers to instruct the people I read not one word It is likely his tall fellowes occasioned many a quarrell and sometimes would take a purse for a need Christopher Bambridge his Successor being Embassadour from King Henry the 8. to the Pope and Lewis the 12. of France perswaded King Henry to take the Popes part and proclaime Warre against Lewis ingageing his Soveraigne in a needlesse Warre only to pleasure his Lord and Master the Pope who for this good service made him a Cardinall he was at last poysoned by Raynaldo de Modena an Italian Priest his Steward upon malice and displeasure conceived for a blow this Bishop gave him when as a Bishop should be no striker 1 Tim. 3.3 as Goodwin relates out of Paulus Iovius Thomas Wolsie or Wolfesie as Mr. Tyndall oft times stiles him an Arch-Traytor and most insolent domineering Prelate succeeded him in that See holding likewise the Bishopricke of Bath and Wells first and after that of Ely Winchester Worcester and Hereford together with the Abbey of Saint Albanes and divers other Ecclesiasticall Livings besides his Temporall Offices in Commendaâ— with it This proud imperious Prelate when he was once Arch-Bishop studied day and night how to be a Cardinall and caused King Henry the Eighth and the French King to write to Rome for him and at their request he obtained his purpose Hee grew so into exceeding pride that hee thought himselfe equall with the King and when he said Masse which hee did oftner to shew his pride then devotion hee made Dukes and Earles to serve him with Wine with assay taken and to hold to him the Bason and the Lavatory His pride and excesse in dyet apparell furniture and attendanceâ— and his pompe in going to Westminster Hall were intollerable and more then Royall or Papall Hee was much offended with the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury because he stiled him Brother in a Letter as though he had done him great injury by that Title Hee quite altered the state of the Kings house putting out and in what Officers he pleased Hee oppressed and vexed the Citizens of London causing divers of them to be executed siding with strangers both Merchants and Artificers against them Confederating with the French King he procured King Henry to permit him to redeeme Tornaye on his owne Termes Hee procured a meeting of the King of England and France to their infinite expence onely that he might be seene in his owne vaine pompe and shew of Dignitie himselfe drawing up the instrument and termes of their meeting in his owne name which began thus Thomas Arch-Bispop of Yorke c. Hee committed the Earle of Northumberland and wrought the Duke of Buckingham out of the Kings favour and at last cut off the Dukes head for opposing his pride and unjust proceedings Hee began his Letters to forraigne Princes and the Pope for the most part in this mannerâ— â—go Rex meus I and my King putting himselfe before his Soveraigne making him but his underling and Pupill swaying him like a Schoole-boy at his pleasure Hee set his Armes likewise above the Kings over Christ-Church Colledge-gate in Oxford which he founded Hee stamped his Cardinalls Cap on the kings Coyne as our Bishops doe now their Armes and Miters on their Procesâ— instead of the Kings Seale and Armes Hee set up a Leganâ—â—ne Court here in England by Commission from the Pope to which hee drew the Conusans of all Ecclesiasticall Causes and when the king had summoned a Convocation at Pauls in London by vertue of his Writ hee came most insolently into the Convocation House and by his power Legantine dissolved the Convocation summoning them all to appeare before him at Saint Peterâ— in Westminster the Monday following there to celebrate the Synod under him which power Legantine brought him and all the Clergiâ— into a Premunire to his overthrow and their cost they being enforced to grant the king an hundred thousand pounds to acknowledge him on earth supreme Head of the Church of England and to renounce the Popes Supremacie to buy their peace He dissolved 40. Monasteries of good worth converting all their goods and moveables into his own Coffers which were so stuffed with Treasure that 12. Barrelsâ— full oâ— Gold and Silver were laid aside to serve the Pope in his Warres emptying the Land also of twelve score thousand pounds which he forced from the king all which he sent to relieve and ransome the Pope then in prison to the great impoverishing of his Majesties Coffers and the Realm His revenues one way or otherâ— were equall to the kings he had no lesse then 1200. Horâ—e for his retinue 80. waggons for his carriage and 60. Mules for sumpter horses when he went into France Hee carried the Great Seale of England with him in his Embassie without the kings consent so that no Writs nor Patents could be sealed nor busines of the kingdom dispatched in the interim He proclaimed warres against the Emperor without the kings consent stirred up the French king to warre against him ayding him with Monies without the Kings privity and contrary to his likeing he demanded â—he 5. part of the true value of every mans goods by way of loane toward the maintenance of the Warrs in France putting men to confesse upon their Oathes the true estimate of their Estates without the Kings privitie which caused many insurrections and mutinies in the Kingdome the people rising up and denying to pay it at which the King being very angry released the loane as an intollerable oppression sore against this Prelates willâ— yet the Cardinall the sole cause and urger thereof would needs lay the odium of it on the King to alienate the hearts of his Subjects from himâ— and take the sole praise of the release of it to himselfe as if hee with much suite and danger had obtained it Hee falsely prosecuted and imprisoned the Earle of Kildare accusing him before the Counsell to take away his life where hee pressed him so deeply with disloyalty that the presumption as the Cardinall did force it being vehement the Treason