yet be expresly prohibited to pray for the Queens conversion in particular to whom we have so neere relation the want of whose conversion hath brought so many mischiefs wars on our Church and Kingdomes Certainly this was an Act of the greatest impiety that ever was committed by any christian Prelat if he really beleeved the Queen to live in a false Religion and may justly brand him for an Atheist being diametrally contrary to Gods precept 1 Tim. 3. 1 2. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made FOR ALL MEN for Kings and ALL THAT ARE IN AVTHORITY that we may live a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty Therefore he must needs beleeve her popish Religion to be the true ours the false else he would have encouraged rather then prohibited Ministers to pray for her conversion unto us and our Religion whom it seems by this inhibition he would have converted to her and hers Thirdly this inhibition manifests at the least that the Archbishop was a very cordiall friend servant not onely to her Majesties person but her popish Religion too that he desired her un-interrupted continuance in it without the least opposition not onely by way of dispute but prayers too Fourthly this publike prohibition in his own Metropoliticall visitation was of it self a great encouragement to a strong confirmation of her Majesty and all the popish party in their false Religion giving them great advantages to seduce others to it as the true because this Injunction intimated it to be the true Religion wherein they might safely persevere But did this Prelate stop here only openly to inhibit men thus to pray for her Majesties conversion No verily for both before and after this he imprisoned questioned and censured some in the High Commission for such prayers Master Bernard as we proved formerly was questioned censured in the High Commission as a grand offender for such a Prayer Master Hugh Peter was apprehended by a Pursevant imprisoned for a time in the New-prison silenced here from his Ministry and forced into Holland by the Arch-bishop onely for praying at Sepulchers Church for the Queen in these words That as shee came into a Goshen of safety so the light of Goshen might shine into her soule that shee might not perish in the day of Christ as himselfe and sundry others will depose But we shall insist onely on two other instances in the High Commission The first is one Master William Jones a Gloucestershire Minister who as Master Prynne attested upon oath was brought into the High Commission Anno 1636. and there prosecuted by the Arch-bishops meanes for not reading the Booke of Sports and for praying thus for the Queen in his Pulpit to God To shew unto the Queene the light of Goshen and to bring her to his true worship What worship said the Arch-bishop to him as if her popish worship were Gods true worship Nor did he onely persecute and trouble Ministers thus for praying for the Queens illumination and conversion to Gods true worship but likewise for praying to God to keep the Prince from the infection of popery witnesse the case of one Master John How Minister of Loughborough in the County of Leicester who on the sixth day of November 1634. as was proved by the Register book of the High Commission Court there produced and read was censured in that Court where the Archbishop was chiefe Judge and Dominus fac totum attached committed during his Majesties pleasure suspended from the execution of his Ministry and every part thereof fined five hundred pounds to the Kings use ordered to make a submission to the Court and condemned in expences and costs of suit onely for praying but once in the Pulpit That the young Prince might not be brought up in Popery whereof there was great cause to feare for that as was alleaged these words did much derogate from his Majesties known approved Religious care in maintaining propagating the true Religion here established professed within this Realme and caused a causelesse jealousie of the education of the young Prince his Sonne in the popish Religion When as he onely intended it of the danger of his education in respect of the Queen his Mother and those many seducing Priests Papists then about her who by many policies devices endeavoured as much in them lay to draw him to and educate him in the popish Religion it being provided by the sixteenth Article of the Kings marriage with France That the children which shall by reason of the said marriage be borne and live shall be nurst and brought up NEER THE SAID LADY AND QUEEN from the time of their birth untill they come to the age OF FOURTEEN YEERS In respect whereof there was great cause to feare the Princes infection by and seducement unto Popery without Gods extraordinary mercy and therefore great need of our frequent prayers to prevent it His rigorous proceedings therefore against these Ministers on the one hand for praying for the Queens illumination with and conversion to our Religion and his severe censuring them on the other hand for praying That the young Prince might not be brought up in Popery compared with his intimacy favour with the Queen his redinesse to serve her Majesty upon all speciall services and commands are a most pregnant evidence not onely of his conusance of but powerfull concurring assistance in promoting this grand dangerous designe of introducing Popery and reconciling us to the Church of Rome And that which may further satisfie your Lordships and the world herein is his extraordinary dignifying of Queen Maries his depressing King Edward the sixth his Reigne in his very Preface to the new Statutes compiled by him for the Vniversity of Oxford the Originall whereof was produced and this clause read out of it Edwardo sexto ad clavem sedente novo sundatum est molimine c. Prascribente Rege lenocinante NOVITATE primo visum opus admitti c. Paulo post potiente rerum Maria sub Cardinalis Poli auspicijs idem recruduit labor Novae exindè data leges sed pari cum prioribus angustiâ Interim tamen inter incerta vacillans Statuta viguit Academia colebantur studia enituit Disciplina OPTANDA TEMPORUM FAELICITATE Tabularum defectum resarcivit innatus Candor quicquid legibus deerat Moribus suppletum est Decurrente temporum serie vitijs legibus pariter laboratum est In which passage he brands King Edwards dayes of Reformation with Flattering Novelty applauds Queen Maries under the government of Cardinall Pool as those wherein the University of Oxford did most eminently flourish in learning Discicipline manners and magnifies the desirable felicity of those times under another Qu. Mary of the same Religion depressing Queen Elizabeths reign and her successors as more abounding with vice and more defective of good laws and government in our Oxford University at least then Queene Maries This
sacred function of the Ministry which was ordained for instruction of mens soules in the wayes of God should be so abused that the Ministers are become the Trumpets of Sedition the promoters and defenders of violence and oppression 3. In the third Article my Lords you have the Judges who under his Majesty are the dispersers and distributers of Justice frequently corrupted by feare and solicitation you have the course of Justice in the execution of it shamefully obstructed And if a wilfull Act of in justice in a Iudge be so high a crime in the estimate of the Law as to deserve death under what burthen of guilt doth this man lye who hath been the cause of great numbers of such voluntary and wilfull acts of injustice 4. In the fourth Article hee will be found in his owne person to have sold justice in Causes depending before him And by his wicked councell endeavouring to make his Majesty a Merchant of the same commodity only with this difference that the King by taking money for places of judicature should sell it in grosse whereas the Archbishop sold it by retaile 5. In the fift Article there appeares a power usurped of making Canons of laying obligations on the Subjects in the nature of Law and this power abused to the making of such Canons as are in the matter of them very pernitious being directly contrary to the prerogative of the King and the liberty of the people In the manner of pressing of them may be found fraud and shuffling in the conclusion violence and constraint men being forced by terrour and threatning to subscribe to all which power thus wickedly gotten they labour to establish by perjury injoyning such an Oath for the maintenance of it as can neither be taken nor kept with a good conscience 6. In the sixth Article you have the King robbed of his Supremacy you have a Papall power exercised over his Majesties Subjects in their consciences and in their persons You have Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction claimed by an Incident right which the Law declares to proceed from the Crowne And herein your Lordships may observe that those who labour in civill matters to set up the King above the Lawes of the Kingdome doe yet in Ecclesiasticall matters endeavour to set up themselves above the King This was first procured by the Arch-bishop to be extrajudicially declared by the Judges and then to be published in a Proclamation In doing whereof he hath made the Kings Throne but a footstoole for his owne and their pride 7. You have my Lords in the seventh Article Religion undermined and subverted you have Popery cherished and defended you have this seconded with power and violence by severe punishment upon those which have opposed this mischievous intention and by the subtile and eager prosecution of these men hath the power of Ecclesiasticall Commissioners of the Starre-Chamber and Councell Table beene often made subservient to his wicked designe My Lords 8. You may observe in the eighth Article great care taken to get into his owne hand the power of nominating to Ecclesiasticall Livings and promotions you have as much mischeivous as much wicked care taken in the disposing of these preferments to the hinderance and corruption of Religion And by this meanes my Lords the Kings sacred Majestie instead of Sermons fit for spirituall instructours hath often had invectives against his people incouragement to injustice or to the overthrow of the Lawes Such Chaplaines have beene brought into his service as have as much as may be laboured to corrupt his owne houshold and beene eminent examples of corruption to others which hath so farre prevailed as that it hath exceedingly tainted the Vniversities and beene generally disperst to all the chiefe Cities the greatest Townes and Auditories of the Kingdome The grievous effects whereof is most manifest to the Commons House there being diverse hundred complaints there depending in the House against scandalous Ministers and yet I believe the hundred part of them is not yet brought in 9. The ninth Article sets out the like care to have Chaplaines of his owne that might bee promoters of this wicked and trayterous designe Men of corrupt judgments of corrupt practice extreamely addicted to superstition and to such mens cares hath been committed the Licencing of Bookes to the Presse by meanes whereof many have beene published that are full of falshood of scandals such as have beene more worthy to be burnt by the hand of the Hangman in Smithfield as I thinke one of them was than to be admitted to come into the hands of the Kings people 10. In the tenth Article it will appeare how he having made these approaches to Popery comes now to close and joyne more neerely with it he confederates with Priests and Jesuites He by his instruments negotiates with the Pope at Rome and hath correspondence with them that he authorized from Rome here He hath permitted a Roman Hierachie to be set up in this Kingdome And though he hath bin so carefull that a poore man could not goe to the neighbour Parish to heare a Sermon when he had none at home could not have a Sermon repeated nor prayer used in his own Family but he was a fit subject for the High Commission Court yet the other hath beene done in all parts of the Realme and no notice taken of it by any Ecclesiasticall Judges or Courts My Lords 11. You may perceive preaching suppressed in the eleventh divers godly and Orthodox Ministers oppressed in their persons and Estates you have the Kings loyall subjects banished out of the Kingdome not as Elimelecke to seeke for bread in forraigne Countries by reason of the great scarcity which was in Jsrael but travelling abroad for the bread of life because they could not have it at home by reason of the spirituall Famine of Gods Word caused by this man and his partakers And by this meanes you have had the trade the Manufactury the industry of many thousands of his Majesties subjects carried out of the Land It is a miserable abuse of the spirituall Keyes to shut up the doores of heaven and to open the gates of Hell to let in prophanenesse ignorance superstition and errour I shall neede say no more These things are evident and abundantly knowne to all 12. In the twelfth Article my Lords you have a division endeavoured betweene this and the forraine reformed Churches The Church of Christ is one body and the Members of Christ have a mutuall relation as members of the same body Vnity with Gods true Church every where is not only the beauty but the strength of Religion of which beauty and strength he hath sought to deprive this Church by his manifold attempts to breake this union To which purpose hee hath suppressed the priviledges granted to the Dutch and French Churches He hath denyed them to be of the same Faith and Religion with us and many other wayes hath he declared his malice to those Churches 13. In the thirteenth Article
pressed as spatingly as he might it being against his owne judgment and thereupon obedience was yeelded in most places and such as refused to Raile in their Tables were questioned and proceeded against by others but as for himselfe he never troubled any for it That the Archbishop himselfe gave both command and approbation for these Innovations was proved by this ensuing Petition to which an Answer was underwriten by Master Dell subscribed with the Archbishops owne hand found among Sir Iohn Lambes sequested Papers by Master Prynne To the right Reverend Father in God William Lord Archbishop of Cant. his Grace Primate of all England and Metropolitan The Petition of Philip Davies Clerke Hunry Demery and Abrah am Cobb Churchwardens of the Parish Church of Hill alias Hull in the Dioces of Glocester Humbly sheweth THat your Petitioners in obedience to your Graces special directions in your Graces Metropolitan Visitation did take care and order for the raysing of the Chancell and Rayling in the High Altar or Communion Table in the said Church for the doing of which with the necessary beautifying of the said Church there were divers rates made by the Churchwardens for the time being and major part of the Inhabitants of that Church for to defray the Charge thereof In which assesements one Henry Heathfield who was and is commonly reputed and taken to be of that Parish was rated after the usuall manner as he and his Predecessors had alwayes beene his divers rates amounting to 28. shillings six pence To avoyd the payment of which the said Henry Heathfield appealed to your Graces Court of the Arches where the cause hath depended for these eleven Monethes last past to your Petitioners great Charge and hinderance May it therefore please your Grace for the better incouragement of your Petitioners in performing your Graces Commands which we have hitherto done in preserving the decency and ornaments of the said Church as much as in us lyes to give order that the said Cause may be speedily determined and that your Petitioners may not be unnecessarily vexed and molested for endeavouring to performe what in your Graces Visitation was publikely enjoyned but so farre as truth shall appears we may shroud our selves under your Graces Protection And your Petitioners shall ever pray c. I desire Sir John Lambe in case he finde the Suggestions true to take care that this Cause may come to hearing with all convenient speed possible Febr. 9. 1637. W. CANT By answering of which Petition the Archbishop acknowledgeth that the rayling in of Communion Tables and imposing illegall Rates for the same was done by HIS GRACES SPECIALL DIRECTION in his Metropoliticall Visitation and thereupon he thus desired Sir John Lambe to expedite the hearing of the Cause yet he had so Little Grace as openly to deny it with solemne protestations The falsity whereof was further evidenced by this Copy of Injunctions given in his Metropoliticall Visitation to the Cathedrall Church of Winchester 19. July An. 1635. by Sir Nathaniell Brent his Vicar Generall found in his owne Study at Lambheth so as he could not be ignorant of them attested by Master Prynne the last whereof was this Deinde Dominus injuaxit Gardianis Ecclesiae parochialis sancti Mauritij infra Civitatem Wintoniae quod duo sedilia ex utraque parte Cancellorum ibidem removeantur quod nullum sedile ibidem collocatur aut erigatur Distuque Dominus ad Petitionem Willielmi Newton unius Parochianorum praefatae Ecclesiae Parochialis decrevit Mensam sacram Eucharistiae decenter circum-sepiendam viz. TO BEE RAYLED ABOVT IN DECENT MANNER citra festum Omnium Sanctorum proximè sequens Moreover A paper of Informations of divers Abuses in the City and Diocesse of London was found in the Archbishops Study attested by Master Prynne whereof this was one There are many Communion Tables in severall Churches of the City of London that are not rayled in and some of them are placed in the middle of the Church when as they may be placed more conveniently at the East end thereof At the Chappel at Highgate the Boyes use to leane on the Communion Table in the time of Divine service under which Mr. Dell the Archbishops Secretary Writ this direction to Sir Nathaniel Brent his Visiter subscribed with the Archbishops owne hand I require you that besides my other Instructions you give me an account of all particulars within named Whereupon an Account was given to him in writing accordingly thus entituled An Account of the Metropoliticall Visitation of the Diocesse of London Aano 1636. found in his Study with the foresaid Informations and indorsed thus with his owne hand 1636. March The Course of my Visitation in London Diocese Wherein are these Particular Passage touching the railing in of Communion Tables Mr. Rogers of Massing mentioned in your Graces Paper came not to me for an order for the setting up of a Raile about his Communion Table But I GAVE A GENERALL ORDER FOR IT BOTH THERE AND IN ALL OTHER PLACES WHERE I PASSED The Communion Table in the Chappell of Highgate mentioned in your Graces paper is already placed at the upper end of the Quire and a decent Raile made about it as J am informed by divers To which the Archbishop with his owne hand adds this Note in the Margin See it be don In the Parish Church of Edmonton a fair Monument is set at the upper end of the Chancell which I have ordered to be taken downe without delay and the Communion Table to be set in the place of it with a comely raile about it Yet had this Archbishop the Impudency to protest to the Lords he never gave any order to Sir Nathaniell Brent for removing or railing in Communion Tables that it was done without his Privity or direction O portet mendacem esse memorem Adde to this that in an Abstract of this Archbishops Metropoliticall Visitation endorsed by himselfe and found among his papers there were these observable informations given to him by his Visitor Sir Nathaniel Brent July 16. 1635. At Lyn in the principall Church called St. Margarets the Communion Table wanted a rayle which I have ordered At Northampton no man boweth at the pronouncing of the name of Iesus in all the Churches in Shrewsbury many things were out of Order especially about the Communion Table But the Officers in every Parish Church most willingly submitted to what I ordered Mr. Speed of Saint Pancrosse in Chicester is very willing the Gallery in his Church should be pulled down which was built to receive strangers as also to remove the seates which stand even with the Altar Besides it appeares by a letter of Wil. Kingsley Arch-deacon of Cant. to this Archbishop dated Aprill 13 16 6. that he gave him order to survay all the Churches in Canterbury and to certine him what Monuments placed the Eastland Galleres were in them to the end they might be removed who gave him this account thereof in writing found
Altar of stone rayled in at the East end of the Quire Altarwise adorned after the popish manner with all kind of Romish furniture was by this Archbishops means as appears by divers letters between D. Cosens and him found in his Study at Lambeth first questioned in the High-commission Court at Durham then brought into the High-commission Court at Lambeth after that transmitted thence to the High-commission at York and there for this Sermon of his alone against these illegall Innovations though a reverend grave Divine every way conformable to the established doctrine and ceremonies of the Church deprived of his Prebendary Benefice in Durham and all his Ecclesiasticall preferments degraded from his Ministery fined 500 li. and imprisoned divers years till this present Parliament to his utter ruine and above ten thousand pound dammage the Archbishop disposing of his Livings to his own Creatures This sentence of his in the High-commission at York was seconded with another though not of so high a nature in the High-commission at Lambeth Mr. Charles Chaucy Minister of Ware in Hertfordshire within the Diocesse of London was articled against in the High-commission by the Archbishops procurement when Bishop of London together w th one Humphrey Parker only for opposing the rayling in of the Communion Table at Ware and speaking against it as an innovation Mr. Gellibrand testified upon his oath that at the hearing of this cause Doctor Merick of councell with Mr. Chaucy endeavoured to excuse and justifie this his opposition dislike of the new Rayle because it was first set up by some few of the parishioners without any warrant from the Bishop of the Dioces or his Chancellour as was proved whereupon the Archbishop grew exceeding angry and threatned to suspend the Doctor from his practise for pleading thus in his Cliants behalfe whereupon the Doctor not daring to make any further defence Mr. Chaucey was suspended from his Ministery both he and Parker sentenced to make a publick submission and recantation in open Court condemned in costs of suit taxed at 40 li. which they were enforced to pay imprisoned till they had performed the order of the Court or put in bond to do it This was further manifested by the sentence and recantation it selfe 4 Ian. 1635. recorded in the High Commission Register Lib. A. f. 264. 266. 331. lib. C. which sentence was read at the Lords Barre in forme ensuing Officium DominoruÌ„ cont Carolum Chauncy Clericum nuper Vicarium de Ware in Com. Hertford Humphridum Parker Yâ—oman Do. Ryves Die Iovis viz. 26 Novemb. 1635 aoram Commis Regis apud Lambeth At which day and place the said Chauncy and Parker being publickly called for appeared personally in whose presence the proofs taken and made in this cause against them were there publickly read which done Dr. Ryves his Majesties Advocate and Dr. Parry of councell for the Office enforced the proofes made against them and after that Dr. Zouch Dr. Merrick and D. Lewyu being of Counsell for the defendants enforced the proofs made for their defence upon consideration whereof it evidently appeared to the Court out of the proofs had and made in this cause that for three or two years next before the year of our Lord 1633. the said Charles Chauncy was Vicar of Ware articulate within which time the Church wardens of the Parish of Ware for the avoiding of confusion and disorder at the time of administration of the holy Communion because some were conceived to receive it sitting or leaning in their seats at a generall meeting of the parishioners and with the consent of the greater part of them agreed that the Communion Table should be placed in the Chancell of the parish-Church of Ware and a Rayle set round about it with a bench thereunto affixed whereon the communicants might kneele that accordingly a Rayle with such a bench was set afterwards about the Communion Table in the middle of the Chancell of the said Church of Ware and the same was approved of and confirmed by the Lord Bishop of London Ordinary of the place and M. Doct. Duck his Chancelour but the foresaid rayle and bench was not set up untill an Order came from the Ordinary for the erecting thereof That M. Chauncey strongly opposed the setting up of the rayle and bench about the Communion Table and professed thereupon that he would leave the place or to that effect and further gave out in speeches that the parishioners had set up that rayle and bench of purpose to drive him away with many other indiscreet speeches expressing his great dislike thereof That the said M. Chauncey and Humphry Parker laboured to divert the parishioners of Ware from making and setting up of a rayle and bench about the Communion Table And that the said H. Parker for his part when the rayle and bench were set up about the Communion Table and the Communion there celebrated by M. Craven the now Minister and when as M. Craven had perswaded the communicants there to come up to the Chancell to receive the holy Communion refused so to do that the said Humphry Parker made a journy the time articulate from Ware to Marsten Lawrence in Northamptonshire to the dwellinghouse of M. Chauncey being near fifty miles distant from Ware to speak with M. Chauncey at which time M. Chauncey upon conference had with Humphry Parker promised to come to Ware and accordingly did so lodged at the house of the said Humphry Parker That the said M. Chauncey as well at his return to Ware in the said Parkers house as at other times in other places in presence of divers of the parishioners of Ware used many reproachfull speeches against the setting up of the said rayle and bench in contempt of the just proceedings of his Ordinary and the lawfulnesse thereof as the Court conceived and pronounced viz. the said M. Parker then and there speaking of the setting up of the said rayle and bench affirmed that it was an Innovation a snare to mens consciences superstitious a breach of the second Commandement an addition to Gods worship and a block in M. Cravens way meaning and speaking of M. Craven now Vicar of Ware who is a learned and conformable Minister and that the said M. Chauncey after the setting up of the said rayle and bench took it in such ill part that he never ministred the holy Communion more there That M. Parker derided the same rayle and kneeling bench thereunto affixed and scoffed at the setting up thereof saying it would serve far better purpose in his Garden or to be set up in his Garden or to such like effect All which the premises being well weighed and considered of and after mature the liberation had of all that was there said and enforced by the counsell of either side the said M. Chauncey and Humphry Parker were both of them pronounced guilty of a contempt against their Ordinary and jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall and of raising a Schisme and
distraction in the Parish of Ware being a great and populous parish by their opposition of the laudable gesture of receiving the holy Communion kneeling and their envying against the Rayle and bench set up by sufficient authority for that purpose about the Communion Table in the Chancel for maintaining of good order and conformity in the Church there as may well appear by M. Chaunceys inveighing against the same and his refusing to administer the holy Communion there whilest he continued Vicar of Ware for the which the said M. Chauncey in partem pâ—nae was by the Court suspended from the execution of his Ministeriall function and every part thereof and ordered so to stand untill by his submission and acknowledgement of his error in broaching the said opinions tending to schisme and faction this Court shall see cause to release him which his submission and his acknowledgement is to be set down prescriptis verbis by the Commissioners at Informations and to be delivered unto him under the Registers hand of this Court and to be by him read and performed here in open Court and then to be intimated and made known in the parish Church of Ware where he hath given such cause of scandall and offence He was further condemned in expences or costs of fuit which are to be moderately taxed by the Commissioners at Informations And the said Humphry Parker was likewise condemned in moderate charges or expences and to make his submission in like manner conceptis verbis as this Court shall appoint Lastly they were both ordered to stand committed till they shall give sufficient bond in a 100 li. a piece to his Majesties use for the performance of the order of the Court. And because it was alleaged and pretended on M. Chauncies behalfe that since his comming to be Person of Marsten-Lawrence in Northamptonshire he had in testofocation of his conformity set up or caused to be set up such a Rayle about the Communion Table in the Chancell of his parish Church there the Court decreed Letters to be sent from this Court to the Lord Bishop of Peterborough to desire his Lordship to enquire of the truth of this allegation and to certifie this Court of the truth thereof the second Session of the next Tearm As also how the said Master Chauncey hath otherwise conformed himselfe there to the orders of the Church of England here by law established The manner and form of M. Chauncies recantation the next court-day for speaking against the rayle is thus recorded in the High Commission Register This day the said Mr. Chauncey appeared personally and with bended knees read his submission in Court which followes Whereas I Charles Chauncey Clerk late Vicar of Ware in the County of Hertford stand by sentence of this honourable Court legally convicted for opposing the setting of a rayle about the Communion Table in the Chancell of the Parish-church of Ware with a bench thereunto affixed for the Communicants to resort unto and to receive the blessed Sacrament there kneeling upon their knees and for using invective speeches against the said rayle and bench saying it was an Innovation â— snare to mens consciences and a breach of the second Commandement an addition to the Lords worship and that which hath driven me out of Towne I the said Charles Chauncey do here before this honourable Court acknowledge my great offence in using the said invective words and am heartily sorry for the same I protest and am ready to declare by vertue of mine Oath that I now hold and am perswaded in my conscience that kneeling at the receiving of the holy Communion is a lawfull and commendable gesture and that a rayle set up in the Chancell of any Church by the authority of the Ordinary with a bench thereunto affixed for the communicants to repaire unto to receive the holy Communion kneeling is a decent and convenient ornament for that purpose and this Court conceiveth that the rayle set up lately in the Parish-church of Ware with the bench affixed is such an one And I do further confesse that I was much to blame for opposing the same and do promise from henceforth never by word or deed to oppose either that or any other the laudable rites and ceremonies prescribed and commanded to be used in the Church of England Charles Chauncey Which submission being thus as aforesaid read and subscribed by the said Master Chauncey his Counsell moved that he might be dismissed but the Counsell for the Office desired that the said M. Chauncey might here receive w judiciall admonition which the Court conceiving very fit and requisite the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury in the name of the whole Court did now judicially admonish the said Charles Chauncey from henceforth to carry himself peaceably and conformably to the doctrine and discipline rites and ceremonies established and commanded to be used in the Church of England and neither by word nor deed to oppose or bring into disesteem any of them with this intimation That in case he were convented againe for any opposition or refractorinesse touching the premises that the Court intended to proceed against him with all severity and with this admonition the Court dismissed him the said M. Chauncey from any further attendance touching this cause he first paying the charges of suit taxed against him and the fees of his dismission These two leading cases and censures in the High-commissions at York and Lambeth seconded with this enforced submission struck such a terror into most Ministers and Churchwardens in those parts that few or none durst oppose those Innovations and gave such encouragement to the Prelates and popish Clergie that they proceeded vigorously in the pressing introducing of them every where and if any man durst oppose or vary from their injunctions they were presently brought into the High-commission and there proceeded against with utmost rigour This was manifested by the case of Mr. Miles Burkitt one of the Vicars of Pateshall in Northamptonshire who for delivering the Sacrament only to some who refused out of conscience to come up to the new Rayle and removing the Communion Table at the Sacrament time into the midst of the Chancell without the rayle according to the very Letter of Queen Elizabeths Injunctions and the 82 Canon was apprehended by a Pursevant in the Year 1638 and thus Articled against in the High-commission at Lambeth by Sir John Lambes and the Archbishops meanes among whose papers his Articles were found and read at the Lords Barre being attested by Master Prynne Inprimis we Article and object to you the said Miles Burkitt that you doe not bow at the Name of JESUS in time of Divine Service Item we Article and object that you the said Miles Burkitt being enjoyned by the Ordinary or his Surrogates officiate for him to keep within the rayles at the ministring of the Sacrament and to give the Sacrament to none that will not come up to the rayles he the
said Miles Burkitt in contempt of his said Ordinary doth come forth out of the said rayles and doth administer the Sacrament to many that will not come up to the said rayles Hocque fuit est verum c. Item we Article and object that you the said Miles Burkite did consent procure and abet Paul Gardner one of the Churchwardens of Pateshall in the County of Northampton aforesaid to remove and carry down forth of the rayles the Communion Table into the body of the Chancell and there did minister the holy Sacrament on Easterday last past and other times notwithstanding the Articles of your Diocesan to the contrary Hocque fuit est verum c. Upon which Articles this good Minister was for a long time vexed in the High-commission and almost ruined From Ministers thus persecuted for opposing these Innovations of rayling in Communion Tables Altarwise and administring the Sacrament at the Rayles we shall proceed to Church-wardens severally prosecuted excommunicated and undone for not rayling in Communion Tables only or removing them out of the rayles We shall begin with the Churchwardens of Beckington in the County of Somerset whose case by the testimonies of Mr. John Ash a Member of the House of Commons and Lord of that Parish of M. William Long and M. George Long who solicited the cause in the Churchwardens behalfe was manifested to be thus The Communion Table in the Parish-church of Beckington had for 70 years and more stood in the midst of the Chancell enclosed with a very decent Wainscot-border and a dore with seats for the Communicants to receive in round about it In the year 1633. D. Pierce Bishop of Bath and Wels a great creature of Canterburies appointed certaine Commissioners to view the Churches within his Diocesse certifie to him the defects thereof who viewing the Church of Beckington certified among other things that there was not a decent Communion Table in it neither was it placed under the East window nor railed in otherwise then with a Border about it where the communicants kneel at the holy Communion and that there were seats above the Communion Table To which Certificate the Churchwardens and Sidemen of Beckington were ordered by the Bishop to return an answer under their hands before Ascension-day 1634. which they did accordingly After which the Churchwardens were enjoyned by the Bishop by word of mouth to remove and rayle in their Communion Table Altarwise against the East end of the Chancel which they refusing to doe conceiving it to be against the Rubrick Q. Elizabeths Injunctions and the 82 Canon thereupon Iames Wheeler Iohn Fry Churchwardens were on the 9 of June 1635. cited into the Bishops Court at Wels before William Hunt the Bishops Surrogate and D. Duck his Chancelour for that the Communion Table in the Chancell of Beckington was not placed under the East window of the Chancel nor rayled in otherwise then with a Border about it and that there were seats above the said Table who admonished them to repaire the said defects and to place the Lords Table against the East wall of the Chancell with the ends of it North and South as it stood in the Cathedrall Church at Wels with a rayle about it and to certifie that they had done all this by the 6 of October following At which day they were excommunicated in open Court by the Bishop himself for refusing to remove and rayle in the Table and pull down the said seats Whereupon the Churchwardens appealed to the Arches for relief where after much waiting and solicitation they procured from Sir Iohn Lambe Dean of the Arches a Letter to the Bishop to absolve them for a time which he did only for 27 dayes admonishing them to submit to what he had formerly enjoyned them for not doing whereof he excommunicated them againe in open Court on the 12 of January following Hereupon the Churchwardens appealed to the Arches the second time and petitioned the Archbishop for reliefe to which Petition this Certificat under the hands of about one hundred of the Parishioners was annexed To the most Reverend Father in God and Right Honourable William by Gods providence Archbishop of Canterbury Primate and Metropolitan ever all England We the Inhabitants and parishioners of Beckington in the County of Somerset do humbly certifie that the Communion Table of our Church of Beckington hath and doth stand in the midst of the Chancel being the most convenientest place time out of minde and beyond the remembrance of any of our parishioners now living And that near threescore years since the pavement of the said Chancel upon which the Communion Table standeth was new made and in the new making thereof raised about a foot above the rest of the ground of the said Chancell and then also compassed about with a fair Wainscot border in which there is only one Wainscot door to come into the said Table which door is kept fast and none doth enter in thereat but the Minister and such as he doth require which said Communion Table doth at the day of the date hereof stand so conveniently and decently as aforesaid And we the said parishioners with an unanimous consent do humbly pray That it may so continue freed from all Innovation And so do humbly take our leaves dated this 19 day of December Anno Dom 1635. But notwithstanding this Petition and Certificate the Archbishop refused to admit of their Appeal threatned them with the High-commission and to lay their Solicitour by the heels commanding them to submit to and obey their Diocaesan who sent up all the proceedings in this cause to the Archbishop with severall reasons why this Table should be removed found in the Archbishops study by Mr. Prynne endorsed with his own hand Whereupon they were enforced to petition the King himself for reliefe informing his Majesty That the Communion Table had continued as then it stood by the approbation of all the Archbishops Bishops of that Diocesse during the reignes of Queen Elizabeth King James and even eleven years in his Majesties reigne as appeared by a Certificate under the hands of almost an hundred of the parishioners hands annexed to the Petition desiring the Table might not be removed but the Archbishop by his power hindred them from receiving any relief from his Majesty upon what grounds and reasons this Letter of the Bishop of Bath and Wels to Sir Iohn Lambe will best discover Good Master Deane According to my promise in my Letter to you the last week I have now sent unto you a copy of all my proceedings in the cause concerning the Chancel of the Parish-church of Beckington and the placing of the Communion Table therein together with my reasons for the same which I hope will give you full satisfaction in this businesse I have sent likewise a copy to my Lords Grace of Canterbury not that I think it worthy of his reading or that he hath leisure to peruse it
to the Church either for that they are so sore blinded that they understand nothing of God godlinesse and care not with divelish example to offend their neighbours or else for that they see the Church altogether scowred of such gay-gazing sights as their grosse phantasie was greatly delighted with because they see the false religion abandoned and the true restored which seemeth an unsavoury thing to their unsavoury taste as may appear by this that a woman said to her neighbour Alas Gossip what should we now do at Church since all the Saints are taken away since all the goodly sights wee were wont to have are gone since wee cannot hear the like piping singing chaunting and playing upon the Organs that we could before But dearly beloved we ought greatly to rejoyce and give God thanks that our Churches are delivered out of all those things which displeased God so sore and filthily defiled his holy House and his place of prayer for the which he hath justly destroyed many Nations according to the saying of Saint Paul If any man defile the Temple of God God will him destroy And this ought we greatly to praise God for that such superstitious and idolatious manners as were utterly naught and defaced Gods glory are utterly abolished as they most justly deserved and yet those things that either God was honoured with or his people edified are decently retained and in our Churches comely practised c. Mr. Workman by all these and such other passages in our Homilies ratified and subscribed unto by all our Ministers in the 35 Article of our Church as containing a godly and wholesome doctrine necessary for these times and established by the statute of 13 Eliz. ca. 12. which confirmes the Articles justifyed every syllable in his Sermons against Images in which he used only the words of our Homilies yet notwithstanding by the Archbishops violence against him who went highest in his sentence on the 25 of April 1635. in the High Commission held at Lambeth was Suspended from the execution of his office and function in the Ministery excommunicated ordered to make his submission and recantation of his eronious and scandalous doctrine at Lambeth the next Court day in such manner and forme as should be set down by the Commissioners and delivered to him in writing under the Registers hand of the Court and after this submission made publickly in Court the same to be sent down to Glocester and there openly published in the Cathedrall Church of Glocester and in the Church of S. Michaels immediately after Divine Service ended when as the Congregation shall be then and there assembled and condemned in costs of suit to be taxed the next Court day and likewise imprisoned Which sentence of his for the cause a foresaid was proved by the Register-Book of the High Commission out of which it was read at the Lords Barre by the testimonies of Mr. Thomas Pury a Member of the House of Commons and of Mr. John Langley late Schoole master of Glocester and now of Pauls-Schoole in London who further witnessed upon oath That Mr. Workman having been a most painfull diligent Preacher of Gods Word in the City of Glocester for above 15 years and a man of singular piety learning wisdome and moderation as the Archbishop himself confessed the Corporation of Glocester to help support his great charge of children in consideration of his great paines in preaching and visiting the sick about September 1633. granted him an Annuity of 20 l. per annum under their Common Seale with one unanimous consent a little before his troubles in the High Commission For which act of justice and charity Iohn Buckston the then Mayor Master Wise the Town Clerk and some other of the Aldermen of that City were by the Archbishops procurement sent for by a Pursevant to appear before the Counsell Table as Delinquents where they appearing were fully heard concerning the granting of this Annuity before the King himselfe and his Councell who seemed fully satisfied approving of their grant and were ready to dismisse them from thence as seeing no just cause for their molestation Whereupon the Archbishop moved that they might be transmitted from thence to the High Commission which by his means was ordered accordingly After which in January following Mr. Pury himself together with M. Henry Browne Mr. William Prise Aldermen Mr. Anthony Edwards and others were arrested by a Messenger out of the High Commission who exacted and received 20 Marks in Fees from them to whom they gave bonds to appear in that Court the Terme following which they did Where they were then articled against for consenting to the grant of the said Annuity to Mr. Workman to which Articles they answered and the cause being brought to hearing not long after their Counsell alleaged That the said grant of 20 l. per annū to M. Workman ought first to be proved illegall or obtained by illegal practise and the whole Corporation whose act it was under whose Seal it was granted to be made parties to the suit before these Defendants sued only as private men ought as they conceived to be censured for consenting thereunto or the said deed made void and cancelled yet notwithstanding the said Mr. Edwards one M. Nelme for consenting to this grant only were fined 10 l. a piece and the grant ordered to be cancelled which was done accordingly and thereupon a 100. l. expence the rest were dismissed the Court and M. Workman deprived of his Annuity After which M. Workman himself being censured and put from his Ministery and imprisoned by the High-Commission for Preaching against making and setting up the Images of the Trinity and of Christ and Saints in Churches having after some moneths Imprisonment with much solicitation obtained his Liberty to support himself his wife and many small children from perishing was necessitated to teach children in private having no other livelihood left him after his former Annuity granted him by the City of Glocester was by the Arch-bishops potency unjustly wrested from him of which the Arch-bishop being informed inhibited him to teach any children at all in publike or private as he would answer the contrary at his perill whereupon he fell to practise Physicke for his necessary support which being informed of to the Arch-bishop he thereupon prohibited him likewise to practise Physick Whereupon he having no meanes of subsistance left and being debarred to Preach teach School or administer Physick to maintain himself and his charge was so afflicted with these tyrannicall and unjust pressures of which he oft complained to Master Langley and others that they drew on crasinesse and sicknesse of body upon him and as his most intimate friends were verily perswaded shortned his dayes and precured his death to the great griefe and losse of that City So zealous was this Arch-Prelate in defence of Idolatrous Images as thus most unjustly and tyrannically to ruine a most godly painfull Minister with his family and destroy this
should give offence but if any come to ask for them or to buy them in your shops in Gods name sell them freely to them without any scrupple adding the second time sell them to such in Gods name but lay them not upon your stals in publick view Upon which testimony the Archbishop demanded of Mr. Walley who it was that gave him this direction concerning the sale of those Bibles with pictures To which he readily replyed Your Grace with your own mouth as you may well remember Whereunto the Archbishop answered it was true he did so but the pictures were printed bound up with Bibles before he knew of it and that the first time he saw one of these Bibles was in a Ladies hand in the Chappell at Whitehall which he looking upon when he came to Lambeth sent for one of those Bibles himself after which the Stationers comming unto him about the sale of them he gave them such directions as aforesaid not to sell them openly for fear of giving offence but only privately in their shops to such as asked for them As most evident confession of guiltinesse For if such pictures in Bibles were good usefull why should they not be exposed to open sale the view of all men if ill and unlawfull why should any of them be printed or sold to any in private and not totally suppressed demolished burnt being contrary to our Statutes Homilies Writers and the received Doctrine of our Church These directions then of his shewes his good affection to popish and idolatrous pictures he had polluted his own English Bible with an embroydred Crucifix on its cover before these Pictures printed and now he would corrupt pollute all our Bibles and New Testaments with these Romish Images bound up in them to which they are most repugnant He would suffer no English Bibles to be printed or sold with marginall Notes to instruct the people all such must be seized and burnt as we shall prove anone but himself gives speciall approbation for the venting of Bibles with Popish pictures taken out of the very Masse book to seduce the people to popery and idolatry The last case we shall instance in touching the Archbishops persecuting of such who opposed his Popish Innovations is the cases of Dr. Iohn Bastwick a Physitian and Mr. William Prynne a Lawyer Mr. Henry Burton a Divine who were all brought into the Star-chamber by this Archbishops prosecution and there most inhumanely censured for opposing his popish Innovations in Trinity Terme 1637. In which case all the injustice oppression and cruelty that could be imagined were combined both in the proceedings sentence and execution not to be parallel'd in any age as will appear by the ensuing particulars attested by the severall oathes of M. Prynne M. Burton Sir William Belfore M. Tomlins M. Sappe M. Wickins Mistresse Bastwick and others backed with the Orders and Decree of the Court it self First M. Burtons house was broken open by force by a Serjeant at Armes his Study ransaked his person appreheaded and committed close Prisoners long before any in formation against him contrary to Magna Charta and the Petition of Right so continued without Baile during all the time of the prosecution against him Secondly though the information against them three was joynt and license granted them to repaire to Counsell with their Keepers by an Order of the whole Court yet they were denied liberty to conferre one with another even with their Counsell themselves or to make a joynt answer or defence and soon after restrained all accesse to Counsell by a verball Order Thirdly the Counsell assigned to them were so terrified and threatned that they durst not draw or signe any answer for them who thereupon petitioning the Court for liberty in their Counsels default to put in their answers under their own hands according to former presidents orders of that Court they were absolutely denied this right and justice contrary to law and presidents Dr. Bastwicks answer under his own hand left at the Office and another copy of it tendred and left in open Court rejected and he taken pro confesso for a pretended contempt in not putting in his answer under Counsels hand Fourthly Mr. Prynnes Chamber in the Towre by a speciall direction from the Archbishop was searched by Mr. Nicholas Clerk of the Councell and a Pursevant of the Archbishops who supervised Mr. Nicholas and was more active peremptory then he not leaving the very Close-stoole unsearched his instructions for his answer seised and carried away by them himself shut up close prisoner pen inke and paper to draw either his answer or new instructions for his Counsell denied him his Clerk that solicited his businesse seized on by a Messenger and kept close prisoner of purpose to hinder him from following his Masters businesse examined frequently by the Kings Attorney Sollicitour to pick out some crime or accusation against his Master and never admitted to returne unto him though he tendred sufficient baile for his forth-comming and no accusation was then pending against him no not to attend him during his sores after execution of the sentence on him Fiftly M. Prynne was denied all accesse to Counsell liberty to draw up and signe his own answer though a Counsellor at Law in default of Counsell albeit he twice petitioned the Court to have leave to do it producing sundry reasons and presidents in that Court to warrant it yea the very Clerk that writ but a Petition from his mouth by the Lieutenants permission that he might put in his answer under his own hand was for this very cause seized on by a Pursevant and molested divers weeks after Sixthly when Mr. Holt Mr. Prynnes assigned Counsell had by direction of the Court taken his fee drawne his answer and given order for the engrossing of it promising to signe it the next morning he was privately commanded not to signe it thereupon refused the signing of it contrary to promise alleaging that he had order given him to the contrary and that he durst not do it for an hundred pieces After which M. Tomlins another of M. Prynnes Counsell signing his answer it was refused both at the Star-chamber office in open Court where it was tendred upon pretence it came too late and Mr. Prynne taken pro confesso for a supposed contemptuous refusall to answer when as they would neither permit him to put in an answer under his own hand and ordered one of his assigned Counsell not to signe his answer when ingrossed contrary to his promise nor accept it when signed by another of his Counsell and twice tendred Seventhly Mr. Burtons Answer when drawn engrossed and subscribed by M. Holt his assigned Counsell by order of the Court and accepted at the Office without any exception against it was after nine dayes space when perused by the Archbishop pretended to be scandalous and thereupon referred to the two chiefe Justices Sir John Bramston and Sir
John Finch who gave it such a purgation without calling M. Burton to it or suffering his Counsell to defend it whom Sir John Finch threatned with pulling his Gowne over his head and putting him from the Barre as was never heard of in any Age expunging no lesse then 64 whole sheets containing his justification and defence out of it as scandalous leaving only some three lines in the beginning of it and two in the end amounting to a generall not guilty when as he confessed and justified all he was charged with And because Mr. Burton would not acknowledge this purged answer directly contrary to that he put in upon oath and answer to Interrogatories grounded on it quite contrary to his answer as they had altered it whereby he must of necessity have been perjured therefore he was likewise taken pro confesso and censured for a contempt in not answering though he had an answer in Court What the scandalous matter contained in and expunged out of his answer by the Judges was is very observable truly it was no other then the very Oathes of Supremacy Allegiance prescribed by severall Acts of Parliament engaging the Defendants and others who had taken them against popery and popish Innovations his Majesties Declarations before the 39 Articles and to all his loving Subjects printed Anno 1628. prohibiting all back-sliding to Popery or any Innovations or alterations in the Religion by law established among us The Petition of Right and his Majesties Answer thereunto for preservation of the Subjects rights and liberties extending as wel to secure them against these illegal popish Innovations which the Bishops by an Arbitrary power would obtrude upon them and their consciences by Suspensions Excommunications Fines Imprisonments and other vexatious courses as to the liberty of their persons and estates of which they were deprived for opposing their Innovations the statute of 3 Iac. c. 1. intituled An Act for a publick thanksgiving to Almighty God every year on the 5 of November for the great deliverance of the King Kingdome State and Parliament from the horrid Gunpowder Treason on which day Mr. Burton preached these two Sermons against the severall Popish Innovations and Doctrines mentioned in it lately brought into the Church by the Archbishop and his confederates for which he was questioned in the Star-chamber The statute of 3 Jac. cap. 4. intituled An Act for the better discovering and repressing of Popish Recusants The statute of 1 Eliz. cap. 2. intituled An Act for the uniformity of Common Prayer and administration of the Sacraments which excludes all new Ceremonies and Innovations in Gods service introduced by the Bishops not comprized in the Book of Common prayer with an enumeration of those severall Innovations in point of doctrine and ceremonies as setting up Altars instead of Communion Tables removing Lords Tables from their ancient stations and rayling them in Altarwise against the wall bowing downe to them reading second Service at them licensing printing Popish and Arminian Books altering and purging the Books for the Gunpowder Treason for the publick Fast Coronation and Book of Common prayer c. with other particulars specified at large in his printed Sermons All this was totally expunged as scandalous out of Mr. Burtons Answer for feare the proof thereof should have made the Bishops scandalous Eighthly these Defendants when they perceived they should not have liberty to defend themselves nor to prove or justifie the Archbishops and his Confederates popish Innovations by their Answers exhibited a crosse Bill against them under their hands which they offered to make good at their uttermost perils Mr. Prynne tendring the same both to the Lord Keeper and in open Court defiring it might be admitted being both for their own just defence the honour of his Majesty and preservation of our Religion and that a Court of publick justice which ought to be as open for as against them yet this their Bill was twice refused without cause and delivered over to Mr. Attourney Generall to draw up a Charge against the defendants out of it if possible and to question them for their lives for exhibiting it Ninthly at the hearing the Archbishop and Bishop of London though chiefe prosecutions of this cause in which they were specially concerned professed enemies to the Defendants and challenged in open Court by Mr. Prynne as unfit to sit Judges there in their own cause contrary to all law and presidents were yet admitted to sit in Court as Judges where the Archbishop himself in a tedious Oration of two houres long larger then ever any Sermon he preached in the Pulpit professedly justified all the forementioned Innovations wherewith he was charged as Setting up Altars rayling in Communion Tables Altar-wise reading second-Service at them bowing downe towards them as the Monks and Popish Fryers did of old because there 't is Hoc est corpus meum c. standing up at Glory be to the Father bowing at the Name of Iesus altering and purging the Books for the Gunpowder Treason and the publick Fast in favour of Papists the licensing of Popish and Arminian Books charged against him c. And yet reviled condemned these Defendants as Libellers and thanked the Lords for their justice against them for falsely objecting these very Innovations to him which himself in his Speech confessed himself guilty of justified in open Court and after that in print to all the World dedicating this his Speech to his Majesty and making him the Patron of all these Innovations contrary to his own royall Protestations Tenthly these Defendants for opposing those very popish Innovations which himself thus publickly confessed defended being deprived of their proofe and just defence by taking them all pro confesso for a pretended contempt in not answering the Information which they would not permit them to put in their Answers to as you heard before were without any proof or testimony at all produced to prove them guilty of ought objected against them fined 5000 li. a peece unto his Majesty adjudged to stand in the Pillory at Westminster and there to lose their Eares which was accordingly executed Mr. Burton was after deprived of his Living degraded from his Ministery Mr. Prynne stigmatized on both cheeks though nothing at all was charged against him and all of them deprived the liberty of pen inke and paper and before their wounds were healed they were sent away close prisoners to the 3 remote Castles of Lanceston Lancaster and Carnarvan and there shut up close prisoners neither Wife nor Childe nor Brother nor any other but their Keepers having any accesse unto them and soone after by extraordinary Letters from the Councell Table to which the Archbishops hand was first sent close prisoners by Sea in the Winter-season to the hazzard of their lives into the Islands of Sylly Garnesey and Iarsey and there mued up close prisoners without pen inke paper or allowance of necessaries their friends being prohibited al accesse unto them D. Bastwicks M.
stone in A Chappell O Lord Mercifull and gracious these thy people are preparing to build a place for thy service Accept I humbly beseech thee their present devotion and make them perfect both in their present and future duty That while thou givest them case to honour thee they may with the greater Alacrity goe on in thy service And now O Lord I have by thy mercy and goodnesse put to my hand to lay the first stone in this building T is a Corner stone make it I beseech thee a happy foundation a durable building Let it rise up and be made and continue a house of praier and devotion through allages that thy people may be taught to beleeve in Jesus Ch. the true Corner stone upon whom they and their soules may be built safe for ever Grant this for the same Jesus Christ our most blessed Lord and Saviour To whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be ascribed all power majesty and dominion this day and for ever Amen Now this Ceremony of consecrating and laying the first stone of a Chappell or Church by the Bishop is expresly taken out of the Roman Pontificall pars 2. cap. De Benedictione impositione primarij lapidis pro Ecclesia edificanda p. 199. c. Where all the solemnity of this consecration is at large prescribed and the substance of the Prayer the Bishop used upon this occasion thence derived This ceremony of consecrating and laying the first stone of a Church or Chappell is severely censured as ridiculous Popish Superstitions by Matthew Parker his predecessor Archbishop of Canterbury in his Antiquitates Ecclesia Britannicae p. 85. Quibus enim non dicam verbis sed portentis haec hujusmodi à Pontificiis adorantur Q. Primarius lapis caementum per Ecclesia aedificanda Lapis cum caemento Episcopi manibus primum aqua benedicta sparsus insculpto Gracis signo his sententiis in fundamento positus est lapidem quem reprobaverunt aedifieantes hic factus est in caput Anguli Devide tu es Petrus super hanc Petram c. postea precabantur ut qui ad perficiendam Ecclesiam auxilium dederunt corporis animae salutem consequantur c. Yet notwithstanding the Popish Prelate in contempt of his Predecessors Judgement needs must introduce this Popish Innovation not onely at Hammersmith but even at the Cathedrall of Pauls it selfe where he consecrated and laid the first stone at its reparation with many prayers and Ceremonies And not content herewith caused a second Edition of Sir Tho. Ridlyes View of the Civill and Ecclesiasticall Law to be re-printed at Oxford Anno 1634. Cum Privilegio with some Marginall Additions added to it by J. G. Master of Arts p. 51. 52 191 192 193. Wherein he justifies the consecrating of Churches Chappels and the foundation-stone thereof by the Bishop in these words The Bishop with Prayer is to lay the first stone of a Church or Monastary and lift up his hands to heaven and consecrate the place to God by prayer and there erect the symbole of our Salvation we mean the venerable and truely precious Rood That this Ceremony of laying the first stone hath been of ancient use in the Greeke Church may be observed out of their Euchologue where it is said That the Bishop after some other Rites performed standing in the place where the holy Altar shall be set saith a prayer which being ended he giveth the Ita missa est and then taking up one of the stones and having cut a crosse upon it himselfe with his own hands layeth it upon the ground-worke then he pronounceth the c. and so the workemen begin the building That which followeth in the Euchologue discovereth the forme and manner of setting up the Crucifix which the Law calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The like ceremonies are used in the Latine Church as this day as may be seen in their Pontificall page 281. of that which Clement the 8. set out at Rome in the yeare 1565. The crucifix must be sent to the place where the Church is to be erected and there the Bishop useth certaine prayers fumeth the ground with his Incense circular-wise crosseth the corner stone which he layeth for the foundation and when he maketh the consecration the crosse must he set up behinde the holy Altar there being prepared for it some lofty structure c. Which addition was patched to Doctor Ridley meerly to countenance and justifie the Arch-bishops consecrations of this kinde of which we shall produce some other Instances We read in his Diary under his own hand this Memoriall following May 26. 1632. Saturday Trinity Sunday Eve I consecrated the Lord Treasurers Chappell at Roe-hampton And in an Abstract of the Arch-bishops Metropoliticall Visitation Anno 1635. found in his studdy we finde his Visitor and Vicar Generall interdicted the Chappell of Buckston and of Down in Derbyshire though long used for want of consecration and in some Visitation Articles this inquiry made Whether any Chaplaines did Preach or administer the Sacrament in any Chappell not consecrated In the year 1636. there was a great contestation between the Arch-bishop and the University of Cambridge heard before his Majesty and his Privy Councell at Hampton Court whether the Archbishop meerly as Metropolitan or the King alone as King and founder of the University should have the Visitation thereof where it was ruled for the Arch-bishop against the King and University At which time the Arch-bishop declared that one principall cause why he desired to visit the University of Cambridge was because there were some Chappels belonging to Colledges where Divine Service had been used and the Sacrament administred divers years though they were never consecrated by any Bishop as namely Emanuel Colledge Chappell built in the year 1584. And Sidney Sussex Colledge Chappell built in the year 1598. And ever since used as Chappels without any Bishops consecration no Archbishop or Bishop of the Diocesse taking any exceptions at it yet now forsooth the Archbishop as Metropolitan must become Visitor to the University of Cambridge to consecrate these Chappels as if they were prophane before and the holy Ordinances used in them not sufficient to hallow them without his Popish Episcopall consecration-ceremonies Bishop Pilkington Walter Haddon Mr. Fox and others much jeer and deride the madnesse folly and superstition of Cardinall Poole and his Deputy Visitors of this very University of Cambridge for digging up Mr. Bucers and Paulus Fagius bones out of S. Maries Church in Cambridge 3. yeares after they were interred and interdicting and new consecrating the Church again as prophaned by them for fear their Masses and Divine Service there used should be nothing worth the place being made prophane and unholy by these heretickes funeralls as they judged them when as the Church was holy enough to say Masse in for three yeares space before and all that would not heare it must be imprisoned burned although
speeches in the Pulpit and elsewhere and more especially upon the fourth Commandement both by preaching and otherwise he hath in contempt of the Kings most Excellent Majestis Declaration concerning the lawfulnesse of Recreations upon Sundayes and holy-daies after time of Divine Service and in derision and scorne of the Booke set forth by His Majesty to that purpose often amongst other his opprobrious and disgracefull speeches uttered these words following concerning the same viz. Is it not as lawfull to plucke at a Cartrope upon the Sabbath day as at a Bell-rope Is it not as lawfull for a VVeaver to shoot his shuttle in the Sabbath day as for a man to take his Bow to shoote And is it not as lawfull for a VVoman to spinne at her wheele or for a man to go to Plough or Cart as for a man in the Sabbath day to dance that devilish round All which words and divers other of the like kind your Petitioner will be bound to prove unto your Grace and the honourable Court of high Commisiion May it therefore please your Grace for the Reformation of the sayd Mr. Page and satisfaction of his Parishioners consciences and other inhabitants there abouts who daily flocke unto him by reason of inveigling them with such his Doctrine to grant an Attachment or Letters Missive to issue out against him the sayd Page to bring him to Answer to such Articles as shall bee exhibited into the said Court against him And your Petitioner as in duty shall daily pray for your Graces long life and happinesse I desire Dr. Merrick to consider of the suggestions of this Petition and take order for Letters Missive if he see cause Aug. 30. 1638. W. Cant. Among which Papers he likewise met with this Certificate manifesting that not only Sir Nathaniell Brent but Sir Iohn Lambe in the Archbishops Metropoliticall Visitation did peremptorily enjoyne all ministers in the Archbishops name to read this Declaration for sports on the Lords Day to the people in Churches to animate them to prophan it though not prescribed in his printed visitation Articles To the Right VVorshipfull Sir John Lambe Knight Doctor of Law Commissary to the Lords Grace of Canterbury for the Archdeaconry of Huntington c. THese are to certifie that Thomas Gibbs Master of Art and Curate of Hitchin in Hartfordshire within the Archdeaconry of Huntington according to your Injunction at the Visitation there holden did distinctly and treatably read upon the 29th of Aprill being Sunday at Morning Prayer after the reading of the first Lesson appointed for the day most of the Parish then being present the Book intituled The Kings Maiesties Declaration to His Subiects concerning lawfull sports to be used William Lindall D. D. Edward Radcliffe Esque Iohn Skinner Edward Hurst Thomas Draper William Hurste Churchwardens And with 3. Petitions of Mr. Valentines to the Archbishop suspended for not reading the Book of sports referred to Sir Iohn Lambe who endorsed on one of them with his owne hand that he had received inclosed therein A Bribe of five pound Besides in the Abstract of the Archbishops Metropoliticall Visitation in the yeare 1635. found in his Study by Master Prynne there are these Passages concerning the Booke of sports Master Fairfax Curate of Rumborough Charged with inconformity hath faithfully promised to read the Declaration for lawfull sports I suspended one Master Pegges of VVeeford ex nunc pro ut ex tunc in case he did not read the Kings Declaration for sports on Sunday seven-night following There are divers in Surrey that refuse to read the Kings Declaration for lawfull sports on Sundayes besides those that stand suspended for the fault Doctor Howell a very worthy Divine gave me a note of their Names they are Master Whitfield of Ockly Mr. Garth of Wouersh Mr. Ward of Pepper-harrow and Mr. Farroll of Purbright all of them of the Lecture of Guilford and some of them of the Lecture of Darking who were afterwards prosecuted for it All these are unfallible Evidences that the Archbishop was the originall principall Author enforcer of this Declaration upon Godly Ministers against both Law and conscience himselfe his Servants playing some times at Boules upon the Lords own day to give good example unto others and persecuting those with infinit severity to the ruing of their Flocks Families who out of conscience durst not publish it Of which we shal produce one signal example more in the case of Mr. Lawrence Snelling a reverend Godly learned Minister deprived in the High Commission for not reading this Declaration Mr. Snelling himselfe restified upon Oath that he was suspended from his Ministry Living excommunicated and soone after that brought into the High Commission at Lambheth and there sentenced to be deprived from his benefice loosing the profits thereof full foure yeares space only for refusing to read this Declaration for sports That Hee there pleaded in his owne defence the Law of God of the Realme the Authorities of Councells Fathers and late Writers of all sorts That the Declaration it selfe appeared not to be his Majesties though published in his name it being not enrolled in any Court nor published under his great Seale as all Proclamations Briefes to be read in Churches are that there was no command at all of the Kings it should be read by any in Churches much lesse by Ministers no punishment threatned nor prescribed for not reading it no authority given to Archbishops Bishops High Commissioners or any other persons to question suspend or punish any Minister for not reading it and being a meere civill not Ecclesiasticall Declaration not enjoyned by any Ecclesiasticall Canon or Authority but temporall only no Ecclesiasticall Iudges could take cognisans of it much lesse inflict any ecclesiasticall censure for it especially in the high Commission it being no offence with in the Statute of 1. Eliz. ch 1. or the Kings Commission Ecclesiasticall whereby the High Commissioners sit so not questionabl by them Al which particulars he put into his answer defence but the Archbishop gave order not to accept his Answer or defence as he tendred them saying openly in Court That whosoever should make such a Defence as he had don it should be burnt before his face and he laid by the heeles for his paines whereupon the Commissioners expunged what they pleased out of his Answer and defence and then censured him Mr. Gellibrand deposed the same with Mr. Snelling whose censure was there produced out of the High-Commission records and here subjoyned Die Lunae viz. nono Die mensis Februarii Anno Dom. 1637. coram Commissionariis Regiis ad causas Ecclesiasticas apud Hospitium Advocatorum c. Iudicial seden presentibus Stephano Knight Deputato Iohanne Greenhill Notarto publico Officium Dominorum con Laurent Snelling Cleric Rectorem de Paulscrai in Com. Kantii Dr. Ryues The Cause is to be informed in and finally sentenced out of the said Master Snellings answer and
he is to appeare this day to heare and receive the finall order and judgement of the Court. at which day and place the said Lawrence Snelling being publiquely called for appeared personally in whose presence the Articles in this cause exhibited against him with his answers made thereunto were publiquely read and then Mr. Doctor Ryues his Majesties Advocate pressed and enforced the proofes against the said Master Snelling according as they appeared confessed out of his answers and after that the said Mr. Snelling was heard what he could say in his owne defence and after a mature and deliberat hearing of this cause it appeared to the Court That the said Mr. Snelling was here charged for that he being a Minister in holy orders of Priesthood constituted by the Authority of the Church for these 20. yeares last past and upwards Rector of Paulscray aforesaid for all that time and upwards was within these foure or five yeares last past made acquainted that a certaine Booke intituled The Kings Majesties Declaration for lawfull recreations after Evening Prayers on Sundayes and Holy dayes was come forth and commanded by his Majesty to be read by all Ministers in their respective Parish Churches and presented to Mr. Doctor Wood Chauncellor of Rochester his Ordinary on the 20th of November 1643. for refusing to read and publish the same in his Parish Church of Paulscray That upon the said presentment he was by his said Ordinary personally monished to read the same within three weekes following That on the eleventh of December 1634. aforesaid he the said Laurence Snelling being againe Convented before his said ordinary was primo secundo tertio personally and Judicially monished in Court to read and publish the said Booke in manner aforesaid which he refusing was suspended ob officio beneficio and hath so continued untill this present and doth so still continue unreleased that on the third of Aprill 1635. the said Laurence Snelling being present in Court before his Ordinary was 10. 20. and 30. Judicially admonished to read and publish the said Booke for Lawfull recreations as aforesaid but did againe utterly refuse to publish or read the same was thereupon then excommunicated by his said Ordinary and hath so continued ever since doth so stil continue excommunicated that within the time articulate the said Mr. Snelling hath divers times omitted to read the Lerany and some other parts of Divine service and to weare the Surplice further that he hath not bowed his body nor made any corporall obeysance at the reading or hearing read the Blessed name of our Saviour Iesus All which the premises appearing to be true in Substance and in effect out of the said Mr. Snellings answers the Court proceeded to the giving of their sentence in this Cause and for the present did order that unlesse the said Mr. Snelling shall conforme himselfe to the aforesaid requisitions of his Ordinary and read and publish the said Booke for lawfull recreations c. and do all due obeysance and Reverence at the blessed name of our Saviour Iesus betwixt this and the second Court day of the next Terme he should be ex nunc pro ut extunc c. deprived of his Rectory of Paulscray aforesaid but pay no costs of suit in case he be deprived and to this end and purpose he the said Mr. Snelling being present in Court was Juditially admonished to read and publish the said Booke and to make corporall reverence at the name of our Saviour Jesus sub pena Iuris deprivationis And to the end that he may safely repaire to his Parish Church to practise certifie of his conformity in the premises in case he shall be willing to conform accordingly it was by the Court referred to the foresaid Ordinary Mr. Doctor Wood to absolve the said Master Snelling from the said sentence of Excommunication under which he now stands in case he shall come and desire it of his said Ordinary and take his oath de parendo Iuri stando mandatis Ecclesia c. according to the forme in this case provided For not doing whereof he was accordingly deprived and continued sequestred excommunicated and deprived of his living divers yeares to his intollerable oppression and prejudice When the Archbishop had thus privily by secret Instructions to his Visitors enjoyned the reading of this Book of sports to Ministers and suspended censured molested divers of them for not reading it he then conspiring together with many other popish Prelates to suppresse all painful preaching Orthodox Ministers by colour of it encouraged directed if not enjoyned them and their Archdeacons to insert this clause into their printed Visitation Articles to be inquired of and presented by Church-wardens upon Oath Whether the Kings Declaration for sports had beene read and published among them by the Minister To prove this we shall instance only in the Visitation Articles of Matthew Wren Bishop of Norwich printed at London 1636. and in Richard Mountague his successors Visitation Articles for the same Diocesse printed at Cambridg 1638. both which prescribe this following Interrogatory to be inquired of upon oath the later clause whereof contradictes the former Sect 7. Do any in your Parishprophane any Sunday or holy-day by any unlawfull gaming drinking or Tipling in Taverns Innes or Ale-houses in the time of Common Prayer or Sermon or by Working or doing the worke of their Trades and occupations Do any in your Parish buy or sell or keepe open their Shops or set out any Wares to be sould on Sundayes or holy dayes by themselves their Servants or Apprentises or have they any other wayes Prophaned the said dayes And hath the Kings Declaration concerning the use of lawfull sports and recreations been published among you yea or no If so when was it don in what manner and by whom The like Interrogatories in effect if not in terminis we find in Bishop Pierces Bishop Curles Bishop Skinners the Arch-Deacons of Middlesex with other Visitation Articles which for brevity we pretermit How many hundred Godly Ministers in these other Bishops Diocesse were suspended from their Ministry sequestred driven from their Livings excommunicated Prosecuted in the High Commission and forced to leave the Kingdome upon these Articles for not publishing this Declaration is so experimentaly known to all that We shal pretermit it without any enumeration of their names or cases Only we shal discover what hand and influence the Archbishop had in their severall suspentions persecutions by these ensuing Accounts given up to him by other Bishops of their proceedings herein found in his Study endorsed with his owne hand and witnessed by Mr. Prynne who seized them In Bishop Wrens account to the Archbishop December 17. 1636. which begin thus In the name of God Amen An account touching the Royall Instructions given by the Kings most Excellent Majesty to the most Reverend Father in God VVilliam Laud Archbishop of Cant. his Grace Primat
Camera sua in Aulâ Regia erat protuli qua accipi in mandatis responsum dedit Aprill 13. die Mercurij Retuli ad Ducem Buck quid responderit Episcopus Winton These Bishops of the Arminian Popish party after serious consultation among themselves concluded that for the better introducing advancing of the Arminian and Popish Errors in our Church Richard Mountague then Batchelor of Divinity having the Repute of a great Scholler being formerly engaged in this Quarrell by the complaints of Mr. Ward and Mr. Yates against him for the Arminian Popish Tenets broached in his Gagge should in a new Book of his intituled Appello Caesarem compiled by all their consents as appeared by their subscriptions to it which they afterwards cunningly with-drew when they had procured Dr. Francis Whites approbation of it leaving him in the sudds alone as he oft complained publikely broach justify maintaine all the Arminian Tenets condemned in the Synod of Dort as the received Doctrines of the Church of England and impaire the Reputation of that Synods determinations as the privat opinions only of some few illiterate Puritans This book of his was disallowed by Dr. Abbot then Archbishop of Canterbury and his Chaplines who stopped it at the Presse but the now Archbishop by his owne and the Dukes power procured it notwithstanding to be printed and dedicated to his Majesty in the very beginning of his Reigne thereby to ingage him in the Actuall Patronage of the Arminian Points and party which Mountague impetrated at his hands in his Epistle Dedicatory This Book giving great and just offence to most men Dr. Prideaux soon after upon a fitte occasion spake somewhat against it in the Scholes at Oxford admonishing young Schollers to be cautelous in reading it of which there was present notice sent to the Prisoner then Bishop of St. Davids by way of complaint as these two letters found in his Study by Mr. Prynne most clearly manifest My very good Lord. I Received your Letter The Coppy of the consecration of the Chappell shall be sent according to your Lordships appointment We had Disputations in Divinity Schooles Wednesday one Mr. Damport a great Preacher in London but no Graduat was Respondent One of his Questions this An Renati possint totaliter finaliter excidere a Gratia His Opponent one Mr. Palmer of Lincoln Colledge urged out of Mr. Mountague his Appeale the Article of our Church The Homilies The Booke of Common-prayer The Doctor of the Chair handled the Appellator so they termed Him very coursly putting it upon Him that he is Merus Grammaticus a Fellow that studies Phrases more then matter That He understands neither the Articles nor Homilies or at least perverts both Jn answering one of the Arguments He had a Digression to this purpose So quoth He He attributes I know not what vertue to the externall sign of the Crosse Dignus cruce qui asserat He concluded with an admonition to the Juniors whereof there come good store to that Exercise and well furnished with Tablebookes and to the Seniors too That they would be cautelous in reading that and the like Bookes That they would begin in the Study of Divinity with some Systematicall Catechisme I suppose he meant Bastingius Fenner c. and not to apply themselves at first to the Fathers c. Thus with my daily prayers for your Lordships health and happinesse I rest Your Lordships in all humblnesse of duty and service Thomas Turner St. Iohn Oxon. May 23. 1625. My Cosen Walker remembers his humble service to your Lordship My very good Lord WHat I wrote to your Lordship concerning Mr. Mountague I have it by me and before I sent it I consulted with my Cosen Walker who was present at the Exercise as well as I and we both agree that I wrote nothing but what is true in the substance the very Termes we cannot recall For my part as I desire not to be produced so I am not afraid of it if it might do Mr. Mountague any pleasure Doctor Radcliffe was present at the Disputations what other Doctors there were I know not Thus wishing your health and happinesse I humbly take my leave and remaine Your Lordships in all dutifull obligement Thomas Turner St. Io. Oxon. May 30. 1625. This last letter intimates an intention to question Dr. Prideaux for these Passages but the Parliament following soone after this Booke was publikly complained of in the Commons House and Mountague himselfe there questioned for it of which this Archbishop tooke speciall notice and thereupon gave all in couragment protection he could to Mountagu as his own Diary manifests in these folowing clauses Iulij 7. 1625. Die Iovis R. Mount inductus est in Domu◠Parliament inferiorem c. Iulij 9. Die Saturni placuit Serenissimo Regi CAROLO intimare domui illi SIBI NON PLACERE que de Montacutio dicta ibi vel statuta fuêre Se inconsulto Iulij 13. Iter mihi eo facienti obviam casu factus est R Montacutius PRIMVS FVI qui cum certiorem fecide REGIS ERGA IPSVM GRATIA c. A pregnant evidence under his owne hand First that himselfe was a principall Patriot of Mountague and his Booke 2. That he was the first that acquainted him of the Kings Royall favour towards him for writing this Book notwithstanding the complaints against it in the Parliament if not a procurer of the King to intimate his dislike to the Commons House of their proceedings against him which being discontinued by the dissolution of that Parliament at Oxford were againe revived in the next Parliament at which time the Bishop procured the Duke to sound his Majesties opinion concerning Mountagues Cause and Booke which to please the Parliament the King then seemed willing to leave to their censure whereat the Bishop was very much troubled as this Passage in his Diary manifests Ianuary 29. 1625. Dies solis erat intellexi quid D. Buck collegit de Causa Libro opinionibus Rich. Montacutij R. C. King Charles apud se statuisset Videor videre nubem surgentem minantem Ecclesia Anglicana Dissipet pro Misericordia sua Deus Soon after there were two Conferences held at York house before the Duke and divers Nobles about Mountagues Bookes and opinions which were there oposed by Dr. Preston and Bishop Morton but defended by Doctor White and Bishop Laud who records this memorial of these Conferences in his Diary Feb. 11. 1625 Die Sabbati ad instantiam Comitis Warwicensis Colloquium fuit in causa R. Mountacutij in adibus Ducis Buckinghamia c. Febr. 17. Die Veueris Colloquium praedictum secundum habitum est non paucis e Proceribus Regni praesentibus loco pradicto On the 18. of Aprill 1626. Mr. Pyne made a Report in the Commons House from the Commitee of Religion concerning Mountagues Appeale and his Arminian and Popish Tenents therein comprised whereupon it was voted in the House
of Stationers upon paine that every Printer offending therein shall be for ever hereafter disabled to use or exercise the Art of Mysterie of Printing and receive such further punishment as by this Court or the high Commission Court respectively as the severall causes shall require shall be thought fitting That all other Bookes whether of Divinity Phisick Philosophie Poetry or what soever shall be allowed by the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury or Bishop of London for the time being or by their appointment or the Chancellours or Vice-Chancellors of either of the Vniversities of this Realme for the time being Alwayes provided that the Chancellour or Vice-Chancellour of either of the Vniversities shall Licence only such Booke or Bookes that are to be printed within the limits of the Vniversities respectively but not in London or else where not medling either with Bookes of the common Law or matters of State 5. Item That every Merchant of bookes and person and persons whatsoever which doth or hereafter shall buy import or bring any booke or bookes into this Realme from any parts beyond the Seas shall before such time as the same booke or bookes or any of them be delivered forth or out of his or their hand or hands or exposed to sale give and present a true Catalogue in writing of all and every such booke and bookes unto the Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury or Lord Bishop of London for the time being upon paine to have and suffer such punishment for offending herein as by this Court or by the said high Commission Court respectively as the severall causes shall require shall be thought fitting 6. Item That no Merchant or other person or persons whatsoever which shall import or bring any booke or bookes into the Kingdome from any parts beyond the Seas shall presume to open any Dry. Fat 's Bales Packes Maunds or other Fatdalls of Bookes or wherein Bookes are nor shall any Searcher Wayter or other Officer belonging to the Custome House upon paine of loosing his or their place or places suffer the same to passe or to be delivered out of their hands or custody before such time as the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterb. or Bishop of London or one of them for the time being have appointed one of their Chaplaines or some other Learned man with the Master and Wardens of the Company of Stationers or one of them and such others as they shall call to their assistance to bee present at the opening thereof and to view the same And if there shall happen to be found any seditious schismaticall or offensive Booke or Books they shall forthwith be brought unto the said Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Bishop of London for the time being or one of them or to the High Commission Office to the end that as well the Offender or Offenders may be punished by the Court of Starre-Chamber or the High Commission Court respectively as the severall causes shall require according to his or their demerit as also that such further course may bee taken concerning the same Booke or Bookes as shall be thought fitting It is further Ordered and Decreed that no Merchant Bookseller or other person or persons whatsoever shall imprint or cause to be imprinted in the parts beyond the Seas or elsewhere nor shall import or bring nor willingly assist or consent to the importation or bringing from beyond the Seas into this Realme any English Bookes or part of bookes or bookes whatsoever which are or shall be or the greater or more part whereof is or shall be English or of the English tongue whether the same Booke or Bookes have beene here formerly printed or not upon paine of the forfeiture of all such English Bookes so imprinted or imported and such further censure and punishment as by this Court or the said High Commission Court respectively as the severall causes shall require shall be thought meet 18. Item That no person or Persons doe hereafter reprint or cause to reprinted any booke or bookes whatsoever THOUGH FORMERLY PRINTED WITH LICENCE without being revived and a new Licence obtained for the reprinting thereof Alwayes provided that the Stationer or Printer be put to no other charge hereby but the bringing and leaving of two printed Copies of the Booke to be printed as is before expressed of written Copies with all such additions as the Author hath made XXIV Item The Court doth hereby declare their firme resolution that if any person or persons that is not allowed Printer shall hereater presume to set up any Presse for printing or shall worke at any such Presse or set or Compose any Letters to be wrought by any such Presse he or they so offending shall from time to time by the Order of this Court be set in the Pillory and Whipt through the Citie of London and suffer such other punishment as this Court shall Order or thinke fit to inflict upon them upon Complaint or proofe of such offence or offences or shall be otherwise punished as the Court of High Commission shall think fit and is agreeable to their Commission XXV Item That for the better discoverie of printing in Corners without Licence The Master and Wardens of the Company of Stationers for the time being or any two Licensed Master Printers which shall be appointed by the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury or Lord Bishop of London for the time being shall have power and Authority to take unto themselves such assistance as they shall thinke needfull and to search what Houses and Shoppes and at what time shall thinke fit especially Printing Houses and to view what is in Printing and to call for the Licence to see whether it be Licensed or no and if not to seize upon so much as is printed together with the severall Offenders and to bring them before the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury or the Lord Bishop of London for the time being that they or either of them may take such further Order therein as shall appertaine to Justice The Archbishop and his Confederates having accroached by coulour of this Decree the sole power of the Presse into their hands which they usurped without any such pretext of Authority long before the passing thereof began after the Popish guife in imitation of the Pope and Popish Inquisitors First to prohibit the re-printing and sale of sundry Orthodox Bookes formerly printed and sold by Authority of which we shall give you sundry notable instances One of the first Books we find prohibited by the Popish Prelates in England in King Henry the 8. his Reigne was the Bible and New Testament in English of Tyndallâ— translation and all other English Bibles and Testaments having any Annotations or Preambles which were ordered to bee out and blotted out of the said Bibles and Testaments in such sort as they could not bee perceived or read under paine of forfeiting 40s for every such Bible with Annotations or preambles as you may read in the Statute of 34. and 35. H. 8.
cap. 1. and in Master Fox his Acts and Monuments pag 635. 621. Whereupon those Annotations and Preambles were cut and blotted out accordingly in sundry old Bibles yet extant Yea the first Booke in the Roman Indices Librorum prohibitorum in Forraigne parts is the Bible of some Translations especially Bibles in the Vulgar Tongue with Notes and Prologues the Bibles of Rob. Stephanus Vatablas â—agnine others though Papists with the Arguments of Raynerius upon the Psalms expresly ordered to be expunged as you may read in the Index Librorum Expurgatorum set forth by Gaspar Quiroga Archbish of Toledo Generall Inquisitor of Spaine Salmuri 1601. p. 7. to 18. 151. to 152. in Bochellus Decreta Ecclesia Gal. l. 1. Tit. 10. Delibris vetitis c. 1. 11. Dr. Iames his Index Generalis Librorum prohibitorum with others So one of the first Bookes most strictly prohibited to be printed imported or sold by this Archb was the English Geneva Bible with Marginal Notes and Prefaces though printed here in Engl. not only without the least restraint but Cum Privilegio Regia Majestatis during all Q. Elizabeths and K. James their Reigns by the Queens and Kings Printers and since our Printers have neglected to reprint them for feare of hundering the sale of Bibles of the last Translation without Notes they have been sold without any contradiction till this Archbishop began to domineere yet no sooner was hee advanced to his Papall See but the printing importing and sale of all these Bibles with Notes was most strictly inhibited the Bibles searched for seized confiscated the importers and Sellers of them imprisoned vexed and some of them ruined in the High-Commission Court Michaell Sparke Senior deposed that himselfe and sundry other Stationers had divers of their English Bibles with Notes seized and taken from them by the Archbishops meanes which were commonly sold before his time without restraint but contradicted and suppressed by him and that himselfe with diverse others had been prosecuted in the High-Commission for selling of Bibles with Notes and some imprisoned and fined for this cause Mr. Prynne produced an Abstract of a Letter dated Septem 30. 1633. from Sir William Boswell His Majesties Agent in the Low-Countries endorsed with Mr. Dells hand and found in the Archbishops Study wherin among other accounts of his good services for the Archbishop he certified His Grace that there had beene two Impressions of English Bibles at Delfe and Amsterdam with the Geneva Notes c. Whereof he might be pleased to make such use as seemeth best for suppressing the abuse at home whether they are likewise transported under pretence of White-paper And April 14. 1638. he received another Information out of Holland from I. S. endorsed with Master Dells hand concerning the Printing of English Bibles there in Quarto and Folio with Notes in the Margent intended to bee transported thence into England A cleare Evidence that his Grace was the Originall cause of suppressing these Bibles not only at home but in fortaigne parts and all for feare the Notes in them should over-much instruct the people in the knowledge of the Scriptures which Notes though highly esteemed of in all reformed Churches and printed not onely with their Latine Bibles but with the English French Dutch German and Italian Bibles in vulgar use among them and in the Folio Bible printed in Scot. 1610 yet now they must be totally prohibited suppressed only in England by this Popish Prelate though here formerly printed Cum Privilegio and freely vended read approved used in our Church for above 60. years space together How much Impiety and Popery lies coucked in this notorious fact of his not to be paralleld by any Protestant Prelates but Popes and Popish Prelates only whom hee imitated herein wee must humbly submit to Your Lordships and all Protestants considerations In the Yeare 1631. William Beale Servant to Master Henry Gellibrand Professor of the Mathematickes at Gresham Colledge London set forth an Almanacke for that Yeare by His Masters Approbation printed for the Company of Stationers agreeing with the Kalendar before Master Fox his Acts and Monuments printed oft times by publike Authority without the least exceptions both in Queene Elizabeths King James and King Charles Reignes in which Almanacke the names of the Popish Saints Canonized by Popes and thrust into our Kalendars were omitted and the names of reall Saints and Martyrs mentioned in the Booke of Martyrs inserted just as they are in Master Foxes his Kalendar This Prelate being then Bishop of London taking great exceptions against this Almanack brought both Mr. Gellibrand and his man into the High Commission for compiling and publishing it where hee prosecuted them with great violence At the hearing of the cause it appearing to the Court that it was Verbatim the same with Mr. Foxe his authorized Kalender and that some Almanackes of this kind had formerly bin printed as tending only to the honour of our owne reall Martyrs and the disparagment onely of false Popish Saints Master Gellibrand was acquitted by Archbishop Abbot and the Generall Vote of the High-Commission Court none censuring him but this Bishop who perceiving Master Gellibrand to be acquitted He thereupon stood up in a great passion and publikely informed the Court That the Queene her selfe sent for him and specially complained to him against this Almanacke which gave great offence to those of her Religion and desired him to prosecute the Author of it and suppresse the Book and therefore he hoped he should not passe unpunished in this Court yet notwithstanding the Court acquitted him Hereupon the Bishop stood up again in a fury and said to Mr. Gellibrand Sir Remember you have made a Faction in this Court for which you ought to be punished and know that you are not yet discharged hence I will sit in your Skirts for I heare you keepe Conventicles at Gâ—esham-Colledge after your Lectures there Whereupon he gave Order for a second prosecution against him in the High-Commission which so afflicted this good man that it put him into a Feaver fit whereof he died And because the Bishop could not procure Master Gellibrand to be censured and this Almanacke burned as he desired the Papists thereupon bought up most of them and made them Martyrs by burning them in the fire All which was deposed at the Lords Bar by Mr. Gellibrand of Bread-street London and ready to be attested by sundry others had not the Bishop himselfe acknowledged the truth thereof In this Evidence there are foure things very remarkable FIrst That this Bishop was so shamelesse as to professe in open Court that in this Prosecution of Master Gellibrand hee was but the Queenes and Papists Agent proceeding thus against him at their speciall request Secondly That he was extraordinary violent if not extreamely irregular and unjust in this prosecution making no Conscience to ruine a Learned Pious Protestant without any just Cause to pleasure the Papists notwithstanding hee was generally
the word of Christ one example we have in this verse Bellarmine saith c. page 57. Ob. 3. Christ saith unto me is given all power therefore Antichrists imp Pererius saith the Pope hath power over Infidels And a little after Answ 2. all power is given to Christ therefore to the Pope is a blasphemous and Antichristian consequence displaying the Pope to his colours to be the Where in making himselfe or suffering himselfe to be made equall with Christ is obliterated Would not any Protestant admire such passages as these should be expurged to gratifie the Pope The Articles of Religion agreed upon by the Arch-bishops and Bishops and the rest of the Clergy of Ireland in Convocation holden at Dublin in the yeere of our Lord 1615. for the avoyding of diversities of opinions and the establishing of consent touching true Religion reprinted at London 1629. Artic. 78. 80. determined thus against the Pope THE power which the Bishop of Rome now challengeth to be the supreame head of the Universall Church of Christ and to be above all Emperours Kings and Princes is an usurped power contrary to the Scriptures and Word of God and contrary to the example of the Primitive Church and therefore is for just causes taken away and abolished within the Kings Majesties Realmes and Dominions The Bishop of Rome is so farre from being the Supreame Head of the Universall Church of Christ that his works and doctrine doe plainly discover him to be that Man of sin foretold in the holy Scriptures whom the Lord skall consume with the spirit of his mouth and abolish with the brightnesse of his comming These Articles were so displeasing to the Arch-bishop together with some others against Arminians that in the yeere 1634. this whole book of Articles was revoked suppressed by Parliament in Ireland through his procurement then which strange act there could not be a more apparent undermining of the Protestant Religion In the yeer 1634. there were at the speciall request of the Queen of Bohemia Letters Patents granted to Master Rulie a Palatinate Minister for a collection throughout 〈…〉 of the poore Ministers of the Palatinate in which Patent there was this notable â— clause inserted relating to their Religion and sufferings Whose cases are the more to be deplored for that this extremity is fallen 〈◊〉 them for their 〈…〉 constancy to the true Religion which we together with them doe professe and 〈◊〉 we are all bound in conscience to maintaine to the utmost of our powers whereas these relations and godly persons being involved amongst many others their couâ—trymen in 〈◊〉 common calamity might have enjoyed their estates and fortunes if with other back-sliders in the times of tryall they would have submitted themselves to the ANTICHRISTIAN YOKE and have renounced or dissembled the profession of the true Religion The very same formall words were used in former Patents of collections for them in King James his Reign and in the Patent dated the 29. of Jan. in the third yeere of King Charles his Reign by which this Patent was drawn The Arch-bishop perusing this Patent brought to him by Master Rulie after it had passed the Seale grew extreamly cholerick at it rated Master Ruly who pleaded ignorance of the customes of England and that the Patent was drawne by the Kings Atturney according to former presidents without any directions from himselfe who was a meer stranger chid him very sharply threatned to suppresse the whole collection detained the Patent under seale and carrying it the next day to the Court complained of it to the King checked the Lord Keeper and Secretary Cooke for letting such a clause passe in the Patent who justified themselves by former presidents by which they were guided and by his violence wholly cancelled the Patent after it was sealed then caused a new Patent to be drawne wherein this former clause was omitted the King telling the Lord Keeper that the Arch-bishop would have it altered and therefore it must be done which thereupon was done occordingly Now the cause of all this stirre and anger of his Grace-ship against this clause was onely because it stiled those of the Palatinate professors of the true Religion c. and tacitely censured the Pope as Antichrist in this latter clause Where as these religious and godly persons might have enjoyed their estates and fortunes if with other back-sliders in the times of tryall they would have submitted themselves to the Antichristian Yoke and renounced or dissembled the profession of the true Religion As was punctually attested upon oath by Master Wakerly and Master Hartlib Of which more fully hereafter Now that all the forementioned purgations of passages against the Pope and his being Antichrist proceeded originally from the Archbi himselfe without any other motive but his own inherent affection to his Holinesse and the Roman party we shall most apparently evidence to all the world by a Letter of his to Dr. Hall the Bishop of Exeter signed with his owne hand and Bishop Hal's answer thereunto the Originals of which Letters Master Prynne seized in his Study at Lambeth and attested at the Lords Barre where they were both acknowledged and read in these ensuing tearmes My very good Lord I Have received your Lordships Letters of Decemb. 6. 23. and with them the copy of your Book and in them a paper of short propositions which you think and so doe I is fitter for the attestation of divers hands then the book it selfe These propsitions shall be well weighed against the time of Convocation which I conceive will be a fit time to take other Bishops attestation without further noyse or trouble For your book I first thanke you very heartily for your paines and next more then heartily were it possible for your noble and free submission of it not onely to many eyes and judgements but also in the maine to be ordered and after that prest or supprest as it shall be thought fit here Which care or conscience would men use which set out books we should not have so much froth and vanity in the world as now 't is full of But whereas you writ First that the Booke grew into greater length under your pen them you expected I cannot be sorry for that since that which you have added concerning Parker Anti-Tilenus and Vedelius seems to me very necessary Secondly that you are pleased to subject the work to me and to interpret it that you meant not personally to me because I could not have time for other great occasions to revise it but by way of desputation These are to let you know that were my occasions greater then they are I would not suffer a book of that Argument and in these times to passe without my owne particular View And therefore my Lord these may tell you that both my Chaplaines have read over your book and that since them I have read it over my selfe very carefully every line of it and I have now put it into
the Church of England was ready to ring the Changes and insinuating unto his Auditory that there was cause to fear an Alteration of Religion saying that Religion and the Gospel stood on tiptoes ready to be gone that divers good Ministers were silenced and that they should beware of a relapse unto Popery In this censure the Archbishop had the chiefest hand as was proved by the High Commission Bookes and Mr Wardes Submission which was drawn up by Sir Iohn Lambe and sent to this Archbishop who endorsed it with his owne hand This severe sentence utterly ruined this famous painfull preacher who lay long in prison and soone after ended his dayes in great grief and sorrow In April 1630. Articles were exhibited against Mr Charles Chancy a Reverend learned painfull Minister living at Ware for preaching against the Bacchanales and disorders used by many in the Christmas holy-dayes the increase of Popery Arminianisme and using these expressions in a Sermon of his charged against him in his Articles in Ianuary before That Idolatry was admitted into the Church and that not only the prophets of Baal but Baal himselfe is received and houses multiplyed for the entertainment of them and with all saying that the preaching of the Gospel would be suppressed That there wanted men of courage to tell the Superiours in the Church of their neglect for that there was increase of much Atheisme Popery Arminianisme and Heresie in our Church since the reformation of it as at this time wherein Heresies were not onely broached but maintained whereby he raised a fear among the people and insinuated to them that some alteration of Religion would ensue and be brought in and scandalized the whole Church of England and Government thereof To these Articles Mr Chancy gave in his answer upon Oath in the High Commission the 21 of the same April and the very next day by Order of that Court the whole cause was referred to this Bishop then of London being his ordinary provided that if Mr Chancy did not submit himselfe to performe his Lordships order therein that then his Lordship if it seemed good unto him might transferre the cause backe again to be censured in this Court Whereupon Mr Chancy made a Submission to his Lordship in Latin and soon after was enforced to desert the Kingdome and set sayle for New England to avoyd further persecution All which is manifest by the Originall Articles and Mr Chancyes answer to them found among Sir John Lambes sequestred Writings by Mr Prynne and by the Order of Reference and M. Chancyes Submission endorsed with the Bishops own hand the chiefe Prosecutor of this cause To these we could add M. Cotton M. Hooker M. Davenport M. Wells M. Peters M. Glover and sundry other Ministers driven into New England and other Plantations those that fled over into Holland to avoyd his prosecution with some hundreds of Ministers questioned in the High Commission and else-where by his meanes and there suspended silenced for not publishing the Booke of Sports or not submitting to his Popish Innovations M. Salisbury was questioned and troubled by this Prelate for these passages in his Sermon on Math. 24. 6. How many thousands have made shipwrack of faith a good conscience renounced our true Church stepp'd aside to Arminianisme and from thence as it is the widest gate that opens towards Rome relapsed to Popery Thus are wee scattered in our Jacob and divided in our Israel The Low Countryes not long since if not still sighed as deeply and mourned as strongly to finde herselfe as imperceivably to be overgrowne with Arminianisme And what a faction is like to be in our deplorable England between Popery and Arminianisme together except God be more mercifull and our State the more vigilant and mindfull We shall see sooner then tell and feel sooner then see Doctor Staughton D. Sibbes D. Taylor D. Gouge M. White of Dorchester M. Rogers of Dodham with sundry more of our most eminent preaching orthodox Divines were brought into the High Commission and troubled or silenced for a time by his procurement upon frivilous pretences But in truth because they were principle Props of our Protestant Religion against his Popish and Arminian Innovations But omitting these we shall conclude this head with one memorable instance more which comes very home Mr Nathaniel Bernard Lecturer at Sepulchers in London preaching at Antholins Church in May 3. 1629. used this expression in his prayer before his Sermon Oh Lord open the eyes of the Queenes Majestie that shee may see Iesus Christ whom shee hath peirced with her Infidelity Superstition and Idolatry This Archbishop then of London was presently informed of this passage attested by Walter Kirby an Atturney of Bernards Inne Iohn Browne of Durham Minister and some others Whereupon the Bishop brought him into the High Commission where after long attendance upon his Submission this ensuing Order was framed Die Jovis viz. xxviii die mensis Januarii Anno Domini juxta c 1629. Coram Commissionariis Regiis apud Lambeth Judicialiter sedentibus presente Thoma Mottershed Registrarij Regij Deputat Officum Dominorum contra Nathanielem Bernard Clericum Prima Sessio Termini Hillarij HIS appearance by bond was respited untill this day at which day and place the said Nathaniel Bernard appeared personally and then it being objected unto him by the Court that he had in a Sermon lately by him preached or otherwise delivered some Scandalous and undutiful speeches derogatory to some particular person of most eminent place which the Court desired not to have there repeated and for that the said Mr Bernard had acknowledged his error in that kinde as some of the Commissioners there unto whom he had submitted himself reported and himselfe confessed the Court was inclined upon his submission being a young scholler and a student in Divinity to accept his submission and enclined to deal mercifully and favourably with him yet considering that his scandalous and undutifull speeches were of such high nature as could not be well remitted or pardoned by this Court without the approbation and the good liking of his most Excellent Majestie the Court desired the Lord Bishop of London to acquaint his Majestie therewith and if his Majestie upon understanding of the Cause would be graciously pleased to pardon him and leave it to the Court that then this Court would take such further order for his dismission as they should think meet Mottershed The Copy of this Order with another Paper conteining the words were both endorsed with the Bishops own hand and found among his Papers by Mr Prynne who produced them Mr Bernard not long after upon his submission was dismissed the Court After which repairing to the University of Cambridge to visit his friends he fortuned to preach at Saint Maries Church there on the 6. of May 1632. in the afternoon wherein he let fall divers Passages concerning preaching the purity of Gods Ordinances worship and against the Introducers of
of him in a very angry manner What have you brought me here Mr Ruly replied His Majesties Letters Patents At which answer he fell into a great passion rating and reviling Mr Ruly with very ill language threatned and called him ill names protested that that Patent should not passe though it were under the Great Seale and made Mr Dell write something out of it Mr Ruly shaking for feare excused himselfe that it was drawn by the Officers to whom his Grace had directed him and if there were ought offensive in it he was altogether ignorant and not guilty of it Whereunto the Archbishop replied that were it not for his respect and engagements to the Queen of Bohemia they should have no collection at all and that he could finde in his heart to quash it but however he would suppresse that Patent which he detained by him and would have one drawn in another forme Whereupon Mr Ruly leaving him to his angry mood departed and acquainted Secretary Cook the Lord Keeper Coventry and other his friends with the Premises who all wondred and were very inquisitive what was the cause of all this anger The Archbishop presently after repaires to the King and complaines much against this Patent Secretary Cook and the Lord Keeper for passing it who being both sent for by the King about it acquainted his Majesty that it was made verbatim accorcording to former Presidents that they had his Majesties hand and Royall assent thereto and it was now passed the Seale and so could not be altered To which the King answers that it must be altered for that the Archbishop would have it so and another must be drawn according to his minde Upon this the Patent was recalled and a new one drawn according to the Archbishops direction and prescript which being compared with the former by these Deponents and others who were very inquisitive what it was did so much enrage his Grace they found it was only this ensuing clause which he caused to be quite purged out with little or no alteration else from that he suppressed Whose cases are more to be deplored for that this extremity is fallen upon them for their sincerity and constancy IN THE TRVE RELIGION which WE TOGETHER WITH THEM DO PROFESSE and WHICH WE ARE ALL BOVND IN CONSCIENCE TO MAINTAINE TO THE VTMOST OF OVR POWERS Whereas these Religious and Godly Persons being involved amongst others their Countrey-men might have enjoyed their estates and fortunes if with other backsliders in the times of Triall they would have submitted themselves to the ANTI-CHRISTIAN YOAK and have renounced or dissembled the Profession of THE TRVE RELIGION In lieu whereof he only inserts That they suffered FOR THEIR RELIGION as if our Religion and theris were contra-distinct and different one from another and theirs not the true Which Secretary Cook when he saw affirmed would make a Schism a Division betwixt us and the forraign Protestant Churches by intimating that they professed neither our nor yet the true Religion as Mr Wakerly deposed and gave great scandall and offence to the Deponents yea to the forraign Churches and Protestants here who took speciall Notice of it In this notable peece of Evidence we shall desire your Lordships and the world to take notice of these remarkable particulars First of this Archbishops insufferable Insolency in daring to presume so farre as to stop suppresse the Kings own Letters Parents when approved by his Royall Signature allowed by the Lord Keeper and actually passed under the Great Seale of England Secondly his extraordinary over-ruling power with the King who against his own Iudgement Signe Manuall Seale and former Presidents must have this Patent altered in this clause only because the Archbishop would have it so and for no other reason Thirdly that this alteration proceeded meerly from the Archbishops own motion not from any Priests or Iesuits instigation much lesse from the King as he pretended the alterations of the Prayer-Book for the fifth of November did Fourthly that he was exceeding passionate and enraged at this clause insomuch that this charitable Collection and Patent must totally be quashed rather then this clause tolerated whereas his Chaplaines authorized Books in commendation of Popery Popish Errours yea pleading for Rome and her Religion as true and one with ours Fiftly that this very clause had passed both the Broad Seal and Presse too without the least exceptions in a Patent 29 Ian. 3. Caroli not full seven yeares before even in King Charles his own Reign and in another Generall Collection granted under the Privy Signet the seventeenth of Iune in the sixteenth year of King James Anno Dom. 1618. for reliefe of the Inhabitants of the Town of Wesell then printed by Authority together with Archbishop Abbots directions concerning the same to the severall Bishops under him dated June 25. 1618. wherein we finde these following expressions That that City had been a place of succour and reliefe to many afflicted strangers such as have been exiled for THE TRVE RELIGION That they were not able any longer to sustaine the charge neither of the Ministry nor of the Free-schoole which heretofore they have erected for the propagation of THE TRVE RELIGION c. which should excite us to enlarge the Bowels of compassions toward them which cannot be better expressed of our parts then by having compassion and a fellow-feeling of them MAKING THE SAME PROFESSION OF FAITH THAT WE DO yet doe suffer such adversity c. which are the same in terminis with those in this expunged Patent What then was the cause that this Clause should be thought so insufferable so impassible by this Archprelate now Certainly there must be some great mystery of Iniquity in it he and his Predecessor Abbot had not the selfe-same opinion of the Protestant Churches and their Religion Abbot deemed both their Churches and Religion true and the same with ours but Laud deemes them no Churches at all their Religion not the true Religion nor the same with ours at this time though formerly one and the same with it And why so because himselfe had altered perverted yea almost quite subverted it both in Design and Execution intending to set up Popery as the only old and true Religion therefore to suffer such a Patent to passe both the Great Seal and Presse in his Majesties name as should proclaim their Religion to be the true Religion which we together with them do professe and we are all bound in conscience to maintain to the uttermost of our power when he and his Confederates bent all their might to suppresse it and to commend their sincerity and constancy in the true Religion when as they might have enjoyed their estates and fortunes if with other backsliders in the times of Tryall they would have submitted themselves to the Antichristian Yoak and have renounced or dissembled their profession of the true Religion in these dayes when he with his Confederates endeavoured to make men Backsliders
let all the people say Amen And suddenly all the whole Church almost shook with the sound that their loud Amen made c. The Lord Deputy called from the Bishop of Derry a Copy both of his Sermon and Protestation to send to the King The learned and couragious Bishop gave this Answer that there was nothing he either spake or read in the Pulpit but he would willingly justifie it before his Majesty and feared not who read or saw it So now by Gods mercy nothing may yet be done or will be till the Lord Deputy heare from the King That this information of the Commons to his Majesty was then most true reall and that this Bishop knew it to be so in every particular we shall manifest by this printed Proclamation found in his Study thus endorsed with his owne hand not long after his Answer to the Commons Remonstrance April 1. 1629. A Proclamation concerning the growth of Popery in Ireland c. which was read as followeth By the Lord DEPUTY and COVNSELL Henry Falkland FOrasmuch as We cannot but take notice that the late intermission of legall proceedings against popish pretended or titulary Archbishops Bishops Abbots Deanes Vicars generall Jesuits Fryars and others of that sort that derive their pretended Authority and Orders from the See of Rome hath bred such an extraordinary insolence and presumption in them as that they have dared here of late not onely to assemble themselves in publike places to celebrate their superstitious services in all parts of this Kingdome but also have erected houses and buildings called publike Oratories Colledges Masse-houses and convents of Fryars Monks and Nunnes in the eye and open view of the State and elsewhere and doe frequently exercise jurisdiction against his Majesties Subjects by authority derived from the See of Rome and by colour of teaching and keeping Schooles in their pretended Monasteries and Colledges doe train up the youth of this Kingdome in their superstitious Religion to the great derogation and contempt of his Majesties regall power and authority and great offence of many of his Majesties good Subjects contrary to the Lawes and Ecclesiasticall government of this Kingdome and the impoverishment of his Majesties Subjects in the same These are therefore to will and require and in his Majesties name straightly to charge and command all and all manner such pretended or titulary Archbishops Bishops Deanes Vicars generall Arch-deacons and others deriving any pretended authority power or jurisdiction from the See of Rome that they and every of them forbeare from henceforth to exercise any such power jurisdiction or authority within this Kingdome and that all such Abbots Pryors Jesuits Fryars Munks Nunnes and others of that sort as aforesaid doe forthwith break up their Convents in all houses of Fryars Colledges Monasteries and other places wheresoever they are or shall be conventually or collegiatly assembled together within this Kingdome and to relinquish the same and to disperse and separate themselves And that all and every of the Orders before named and other Priests whatsoever doe from henceforth forbeare to preach teach or celebrate their Service in any Church Chappell or other publike Oratory or publike place or to teach any School in any place or places whatsoever within this Kingdome And We doe further straightly charge and command all and singular the owners of such houses of Fryars Colledges Monasteries Schooles Oratories Masse-houses and Nunneries that they and every of them respectively in default of the persons before named their voluntary relinquishing of the said houses of Fryars Colledges Monasteries Schooles Oratories Masse-houses and Nunneries doe forthwith expell and thrust forth all and singular such Fryars Jesuits and other Monasticall persons out of the same and to convert the same to other more lawfull uses upon paine to have their said houses seized to his Majesties use and both the one and the other to be proceeded against for their unlawfull assemblies and maintainance of such unlawfull Conventicles and corrupt nurture of children in the severest manner that by the Lawes and Statutes of this Kingdome and Ecclesiasticall government of the same may be had or extended whereof they and every of them are to take notice and to veeld due obedience thereunto as they and every of them will avoid his Majesties high indignation and the consequence thereof Given at his Majesties Castle of Dublin the first day of Aprill 1629. Adam Loftus Canc. T. Baltinglasse Wil. Parsons Ja. Armachanus R. Dillon Rich. Bolton Hen. Valentia Ant. Midensis Dud. Norton Moâ—re Hen. Docwra Ad. Loftus Here we have a confitentem reum the Bi. himself under his own handwriting endorsed on this Proclamation justifying the Parlia Remonstrance to be true and his Answer to it a malicious slander to advance the Papists designes After which he had further intelligence from time to time by severall Letters and Papers out of Ireland elsewhere published at large of the dangerous growth encrease and insolencies of the Papists there notwithstanding this Proclamation and that there was a popish Hierarchy there exercised and University erected without controle We shall instance onely in two remarkable Letters written to him from Doctor Beadle Bishop of Kilmore and Ardagh found in his Study endorsed with his owne hand and read at the Lords Barre The first of them he thus endorseth April 1. 1630. From Doctor Beadle Lord Bishop of Kilmore and Ardagh about the state of the Church in his Diocesse and the Papists in Ireland Who writes thus thereof Right Reverend Father my Honourable good Lord SInce my comming to this place which was a little before Michaelmas till which time the setling of the State of the Colledge and my Lord Primates visitation deferred my consecration I have not been unmindful of your Lordships commands to advertise you as my experience should informe of the state of this Church which I shall now the better doe because I have been about my Diocesses and can set downe out of my knowledge and view what I shall relate and shortly to speak much ill matter in a few words it is very miserable The Cathedrall Church of Ardagh one of the most ancient in Ireland and said to be built by Saint Patrick together with the Bishop's house there downe to the ground the Church here built but without Bell or Steeple Font or Chalice The Parish Churches all in a manner rained or unroofed and unrepaired the people saving a few British planters here and there which are not the tenth part of the remnant obstinate Recusants a Popish Clergy more numerous by farre then we and in the full exercise of all jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall by their Vicars-generall and Officials who are so confident as they excommunicate those that come to our Courts even in Matrimoniall causes which affront hath been offered my selfe by the popish Primates Vicar-generall for which I have begun a processe against him the Primate himselfe lives in my Parish within two mile of my house the Bishop
in mother part of my Diocesse farther off every Parish hath his Priest and some two or three apiece and so their Masse-houses also in some places Masse is said in the Churches Fryars there are in divers places who goe about though not in their habit and by their imporâ—â—â—ate begging empoverish the people Who indeed are generally very poore as from that cause so from their paying double Tithes to their owne Clergy and ours from the dâ—â—th of Corne and the death of their Cattle these late yeers which the 〈◊〉 to their souldiers and their agents and which they forget not to reckon among other causes the appression of the Court Ecclesiastiasticall which in very truth any Lord I cannot excuse and doe seek to reforme For our owne there are some seven or eight Ministers in each Diocesse of good sufficiency and which is no small cause of the continuance of the people in popery still English which have not the tongue of the people nor can performe any divine offices or converse with them and which hold many of them two three foure or more Vicarages apiece even the Clerkships themselves are in like manner conferred upon the English and sometimes two or three or more upon one man and ordinarily bought and sold or let to farme c. His Majesty is now with the greatest part of this Country as to their hearts consciences King but at the Popes discretion c. Your Lordships most obliged servant in Christ Jesu WILL. KILMORE and ARDREN Kilmore the 1. of April 1630. His second Letter to the Lord Deputy of Ireland about the maintainance of the Army and the Cavan Petition which he sent inclosed in an other Letter to the Archbishop is somewhat more full and observable wherein there is this memorable passage concerning the encrease and insolencies of the Papists in Ireland which Letter he received thence Decemb. 4. 1633. Right Honourable my good Lord c. IN the midst of these thoughts I have been advertised from an honourable friend in England that I am accused to his Majesty to have opposed his service and that my hand with two other Bishops onely was to a writing touching the monies to be levyed on the Papists here for maintainance of the men of warre c. Indeed if I should have had such ad intention this had been not only to oppose the service of his Majesty but to expose with the publike peace mine own neck to the sâ—eans of the Romish Cut-throats I that know that in this Kingdome of his Majesty the Pope hath another Kingdome farre greater in number and as I have heretofore signified to the Lords Justices and Counsell which is also since justified by themselves in print constantly guided and directed by the Order of the new Congregation de propaganda side lately erected at Rome transmitted by the meanes of the Popes Nuncioes residing at Bruxels or Paris that the Pope hath here a Clergie if I may guesse by my owne Diocesse double in number to us the heads whereof are by corporall Oath bound to him to maintaine him and his Regalities contra omnem hominem and to execute his Mandates to the utmost of their forces which accordingly they doe stiling themselves in print Ego N. Dei c. Apostolicae Sedis gratia Episcopus Fermien Ossorien c. I that know there is in this Kingdome for the moulding of the people to the Popes obedience a rabble of irregular Regulars commonly younger Brothers of good houses who are growne to that insolency aâ— to advance themselves to be Members of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy in better ranke then Priests in so much as the censure of the Sorbon is faine to be implored to curbe them which yet is called in againe so tender is the Pope of his owne Creatures I that know that his Holinesse hath erected a new Vniversity at Dublin to confrant his Majesties Colledge there and to brâ—ed up the youth of this Kingdome to his devotion of which Vniversity one Paul Harris the Author of that infamous Libell which was put forth in print against the Lord Armaths Wansted Sermon stileth himselfe in print to be Deane I that know and have given advertisement to the State that these Regulars dare erect new Fryeries in the Country since the dissolving of those in the Citys that they have brought the people to such a sottish senselesnesse as they care not to learne the Commandements as God himselfe spake and writ them but they flock in great members to the preaching of new superstitious and detestable doctrines such as their owne Priests are ashamed of and at these they levy collections three four five six pound at a Sermon Shortly I that know that these Regulars and this Clergie have at a generall meeting like to a Synod as themselves stile it holden at Drogheda decreed that it is not lawfull to take the Oath of Alleagiance and if they be constant to their own doctrine doe account his Majesty in their hearts to be King but at the Popes discretion In this estate of this Kingdome to think the bridle of the Army may be taken away it should be the thought not of a brain-sick but brainlesse man c. The day of our deliverance from the popish Powder-plot Your Lordships in all duty WILLIAM KILMORE By these two Letters it is most apparent that this Arch-Prelat was from time to time acquainted with the extraordinary encrease and insufferable insolencies of the Papists in Ireland as likewise of their popish Arch-bishops and Bishops audacious proceedings in that Kingdome which he was more fully informed of by two printed papers sent to him by Archbishop Vsher the one in Latin the other in English found in his Study endorsed thus with his Secretary Dels hand May 3. 1632. Protestations of the Secular Priests in Ireland against Thomas Flemming Arch-bishop of Dublin one whereof was read at the Lords Barre To all the most Illustrious Archbishops and Bishops of Ireland but more particularly to those of the Province of Dublin their honourable Lords David Bishop of Ossory John of Fernes Rosse of Kildare and Matthew Vicar Apostolicall of Lagblem MOST Illustrious Lords and Reverend Bishops the Priests of Dublin make their complaint before you that the most Illustrious Arch-bishop of Dublin Thomas Flemming of the Order of Saint Francis without alleaging my cause against them onely for his will and at his pleasure useth to exile and banish Priests out of his Diocesse and they protest that in so doing he exerciseth a tyranny over the Clergie contrary to the Canons of holy Church and the Lawes and Statutes of this Kingdome Most Illustrious Lords and Reverend Fathers in Christ the aforesaid Priests doe make their complaints that the same most Illustrious Arch-bishop of Dublin Thomas Flemming of the Order of Saint Francis though humbly sought unto and desired doth refuse to doe them justice in their causes neither yet will be permit the Clergie to follow their
actions meerly civil before the Magistrate coÌ„trary to the received customs of this kingdom from the first conversion of this Nation they protest that in so doing be exerciseth a tyranny over the Clergie contrary unto the Canons of the Church and the Laws and Statutes of this Kingdome c. Most Illustrious Lords and Reverend Fathers in Christ the aforesaid Priests doe complain that the Illustrious Arch-bishop of Dublin Thomas Flemming of the Order of Saint Francis is accustomed to answer the Clergy complaining of their grievances to him If I doe you wrong you may goe to Rome to complaine In the meane time reporting himselfe so powerfull in the Court of Rome that be feares no adversary And of this that reverend Priest Father Patrick Caâ—ill Doctor of Divinity had experience who for a yeere treating of his injuries and grievances done unto himby the Arch-bishop of Dublin could by no meanes prevaile once to be admitted to the presence and audience of the most eminent Cardinall Ludovifius Vice-Chancellour of Rome which Cardinall notwithstanding is given by his Holinesse unto the Irish at the only Patron and Protector of the Irish Nation These things we may remember with griefe but amend them we cannot but we professe before Almighty God his Holinesse and all faithfull people that this is nothing else but to tyrannize over the Clergie to the dishonour of the Church and no small contempt to the See Apostolick For which and other causes besides to be alleaged and in their due time and place to be proved against the above named Thomas Flemming of the Order of Saint Francis we the aforesaid Priests and hereafter to be named doe set before your eyes most Illustrious and reverend Lords these our grievances as meet and honourable witnesses of this our deed writing and publike instrument and as far as is possible and lawfull for us by the Canons of holy Church declining the jurisdiction of our aforesaid Ordinary by this our present writing and from this time forth we appeale unto the See Apostolicke from all Ecclesiasticall censures hereafter to be inflicted upon us by the same Illustrious Arch-bishop Thomas Flemming of the Order of Saint Francis and in the meane time providing for our innocency and safety according to the example of Saint Paul and Saint Athanasius we doe invocate the ayde of the secular arme for our present remedy against the aforesaid Illustrious Arch-bishop Thomas Flemming of the Order of Saint Francis and all Regulars of what Order soever as well Monks as begging Fryars Abettars Counsellours and Participants with him in the premises as violators and contemners of all Lawes divine and humane and men by the Law excommuicate Humbly beseeching your Lordships in the bowels of the Crucified that you would be pleased to intimate with as much speed as may be this our Protestation and Appeale unto the See Apostolick and the God of peace and love long preserve your Reverend Lordships in safety Dated at Dublin May the third in the yeer of our Lord 1632. Peter Caddell Doctor of Divinity Paul Harris pr. Deacon of the University of Dublin From which Protestation we may observe these considerable particulars First that the Papists in Ireland had their owne popish Archbishops Bishops and a Vicar Apostolicall residing then amongst them as the title and body of this Protestation manifests Secondly that their Archbishop Flemming had a popish Clergy under him in his Province and did exceedingly tyrannize over them usurping jurisdiction even in temporall causes and over the Kings own Courts among the Catholikes of Ireland Thirdly that the popish Bishops in Ireland did usually conferre Orders and exercise all Episcopall jurisdiction there Fourthly that they had a speciall Cardinall at Rome Ludovifius given by the Pope unto the Irish as the onely Patron and Protector of the Irish Nation Fifthly that they were grown extraordinary bold and insolent there so as they openly published this their Protestation and Appeal in print both in Latin and English to all the world and avowed it under their hands subscribed to it Sixthly that they had then erected a popish University in Dublin it self of which Paul Harris professeth himself Deacon or Dean as Bishop Beadle stiles him even in print This Prelat though he knew all this yet for ought we find he never took any severe course at all to prevent the encrease and insolencies of the popish Prelats Priests Fryars Papists there but rather to foment them For first he promoted and sent over divers superstitious popish Clergy-men thither as young Mr. Croxton Doctor Bramball his principall Agent and Informer Chaplain to the Lord Deputy Master Chapple and others who set up sundry popish innovations and brcohed popish Doctrines there to the great encouragement of the Papists Secondly he sent over the Lord Wentworth his grand instrument and confederace to be Lord Deputy of that Kingdome who extraordinarily favoured the popish party there and at last proceeded so far as to make use of them even in Parliament to ballance the Protestants the better to conquer and enslave that Kingdome even by Parliaments witnesse this remarkable clause in A Duplicate of a Dispatch of this Lord Deputies to his Majesty Jan. 22. 1633. with this subscription For my Lords Grace of Canterbury found in his private Study at Lambeth thus endorsed with his own hand Rec. Mar. 2. 1633. Comp. Ang. Reasons for the present calling of a Parliament in Ireland Where thus he writes concerning the Parliament then intended to be there called I Shall endeavoour that the lower House may be so composed as that neither the Recusants nor yet the Protestants shall appear considerably more one then the other holding them as much as may be upon an equall ballance for they will prove thus easier to govern then if either party were absolute Then would I in private discourse shew the Recusant That the contribution ending in December next if your Majesties Army were not imployed some other way before the twelve pence a Sunday must of necessity be exacted upon them Shew the Protestant that your Majesty must not let goe the 20000li. contribution nor yet discontent the other in matter of Religion till the Army were some way else certainly provided for and convince them both that the present quarterly paiments are not so burthensome as they pretended them to be And that by the graces they have had already more benefit then their mony came to Thus poising one by the other which single might perchance prove more unhappy to deal with With this Machiavillian policy he then acquainted this Archbishop and acaccordingly pursued it which what desperate effects it hath of late produced in that Kingdom by making the Irish Papists able to over-master and almost extirpate the English-Irish Protestants and their Religion there we now experimentally feel to our greatest grief and danger Neither did the Archbishop only approve this hellish policy of the Lord Deputy but likewise in the late Scottish
though it stood in most Parish Churches the other way yet whither there be not more reason the Parish should be made conformable to the Cathedrall and Mother Churches then the Cathedralls to them I leave to any reasonable man to judge So as his Innovations begun in Cathedralls were purposely introduced there first of all to draw on Parish Churches to Popish conformity with them in these Innovations Next in particular we reply that the alteration of the standing of the Lords Table and rayling it in Altarwise was no wayes warranted by the Queens Injunctions but contrary to them as wee have largely manifested That though this was not done immediately by himselfe but by the Deane and Chapter of Paules yet he was the Originall author of it and justified it when complained of That he publikely checked the Councell Parishioners and sir Henry Martin before the King and Lords for opposing this Innovation and alleadging Bishop Iewill and Mr. Fox against it desiring his Majesty to take these Bookes out of the Church if they made no better use of them then to oppose this Novelty That he carried himselfe more like an Advocate then Judge in this Cause and when the King himselfe was satisfied and would have it stand as formerly his violence was such that he over-ruled both King and Councell and drew up the Order forecited in their names for establishing this Innovation which favours of his stile and spirit the guilt whereof must rest principally on him 2ly The comming up to the Rayles was pressed by his Visitors Agents authority and those excommunicated who refused to come up and receive at the New Rayle to which certainly it was never the minde of the Common Prayer Book the Communicants should draw neare since there were no Rayles to draw neare and kneele at till this Archbishop enjoyned them to be set up in imitation of the Papists as we have proved but this drawing neare is rather a drawing neare to Christ by faith with our hearts and affections or else a drawing neare to the body of the Church of Chancell where the Lords Table is to be placed to the Minister officiating as it is expounded by the Qâ—eens Jujunctions 28 Canon The Table when the holy Communion shal be administred shal be placed in so good sort within the Church or Chancel as thereby the Minister may be more conveniently heard of the Communicants in his prayer and administration and the Communicants also may more conveniently and in more number communicate with the Minister 3ly We answer that the Lords Table was ordained only to administer the Sacrament thereat not to read second service at it for which the Reading Pew is appointed as the Common-prayer Book the Homilies of the worthy receiving the Sacrament and reparing Churches Queen Elizabeths Injunctions the Canous made 1571. p. 18. and the 82. 83. Canons Anno 1603. resolve Now this Archbishop enjoyned second service now to bee read at the Lords Table when there was no Communion and where it was rayled in at the upper end of the Quite not brought downe into the body of the Church or Chancell contrary to the Rubrick in the Common Prayer Booke which expresly determines That the Epistle and Gospel chiefe parts of this second service shall be read where the two Lessons are with a loud voice that the people may heare the Minister that readeth them the Minister standing and turning himselfe as he may best be heard of ALL such as be present which he cannot be if he read them at the upper end of the Chancell remote from the people where the Churches are great or the Ministers voyce low This innovation then which was never practised in any Parish Church till of late though used in some Cathedralls wherein the Rubrick enjoynes the Communion every Sunday in the yeare at least to be administred which was wholly omitted and the second service at the Table left to supply it is directly contrary to the Rubricke Homilies Injunctions Canon 4ly It is evident that Crucifixes were set up in many Parish Churches Chapells of the Kingdome which though we cannot prove to be done by his expresse particular Command yet certainly it was by his example or incouragement who repaired and set up Crucifixes in his owne Chappell 's at Lambeth Croyden and one over the Altar in Passion week in the Kings owne Chappell at White-Hall Besides those who erected them were either his owne Chaplaines or Faverites who knew his minde and did it for to imitate and please his Grace to gaine some further preferments For the Images set up in the New b Chappell in Tuttle fields we b have proved that the Arch-bishop promised to bestow a new Window on it that thereupon the old was taken downe the Kings Armes removed and those Images with the Archbishops owne Armes as the Donor of it set up that his Chaplaine gave directions about the VVindow and Mr. Sutton sweares that the money for new glasing it was paid since the Archbishops commitment to the Tower by his direction as he believeth A cleare evidence that he was the Author and director of this worke notwithstanding all his shifts to elude it 5ly Though the Archbishop made not these Bishops Visitation Oathes and Articles yet he made all of them Bishops who durst do nothing in their Diocesse or Visitations but by his direction to whom they gave an Annuall Accompt of their proceedings in writing as we have manifested Besides its apparent that all these Visitation Articles were made in pursuance of his owne Archiepiscopall Injunctions Instructions and himselfe approved of these their Oathes Articles never checking nor questioning them for them though their Metropolitan yea himselfe prescribed the selfe same things in his Metropoliticall Visitations by printed Articles written Injunctions or private Jnstructions as these Bishops did in imitation of him Therefore hee must Answer for these their Articles Oathes proceedings as farre forth as they who were but his Instruments Sixtly For his Answer to the particular Cases wee shall returne these Replyes 1. That though Mr. Smart was censured by the High Commission at Yorke yet he was first imprisoned here at London and transmitted from the High Commission here to York by this Archbishops meanes who complyed with Dr. Cosin in his prosecution and disposed of his livings after his deprivation as we can prove by sundry Letters found in his Study As for Mr. Smarts Sermon it was neither scandalous nor factions but Orthodox and Iuditious against the Popish Jnnovations introduced in the Cathedrall of Durham where he was the ancientest Prehend deserving rather applause then any censure as both Lords and Commons have resolved upon a full hearing and awarded him reparations and Damages for his unjust censure 2ly Mr. Chancy spake no contemptuous words at all against the Rayle nor of setting it up in his Garden His suspention was illegall not only without but against Law and Canon As for his submission it was forced and a
evasions that this Picture was conceived to bee the picture of God the Father as Master Caryl deposed not a picture of him in truth It is a most childish evasion for the Scripture is expresse That God being a spirit an invisible infinite Essence can have no true pillure likenesse or similitude made of him by any corporall visible representation Isay 40. 18. to 27. c. 46. 5 6 Acts 17. 29. Rom. 1. 23. 24 25. whence every such Image of God is tearmed a lye in Scripture Isay 44. 20. Hab. 2. 18. Rom. 1. 25. c. And if ever any Image of God were a lye then certainly this as hath bin proved Now whereas he pretends it appeared not it was adored and idolozed till the hearing it is certaine it appeared to Mr. Sherfield long before the hearing or demolishing of it as he deposed in his answer and this appearing by witnesses upon Oath to the Bishop and whole Court when the cause was heard made his unjust and heavy censure farre more abominable to God and man Eghtly Mr. Workman was principally censured for his preaching against Images though his expressions were the very words of our Homilies The other particulars vvere all justifiable true no wayes censurable except the sixt which was pretended but not proved Therefore his censure most unjust and his censuring of some of those of Gloucester that joyned in a grant of Annuity to him under the City Seale though the Fine was but small and afterwards remitted was far more unjust 1. Because the grant of this Anpuity was not only an act of Charity but justice and equity punishable by no Law and highly to bee commended 2ly Because they were censured in their privat naturall Capacity for what they acted only in their politique as Members of the Corporation under their Common Seale wherein the whole City were engaged as much as they 3ly Because they damned this grant of which they had no cognisance to starve a faithfull Minister and his Family who had no other Livelyhood As for his prohibiting him to teach Schoole to practise Phisick when he had put him from his Ministry without any just cause it was a treble tyrany and oppression he being enforced to take this course only to supply himselfe and his family for which the Law of God and nature enjoynes him to provide unlesse he will be worse then an Infidell and doubtlesse he must needs be worse then any Infidell who had the heart to do it upon such a poore pretence that he might infect others with his opinions to wit of the unlawfullnesse of Images in Churchs or private houses the very approved resolved Doctrine of our Statutes Homilies Injunctions Writers Church 9ly For that he alleageth by way of justification and excuse touching the most barbarous censures of Mr. Prynne Mr. Burton Dr. Bastwick We reply 1. That his hand was to all the Warrants for their Illegall commitments crose imprisenments before their censures That the Books for which they were questioned were neither scandalous Seditious nor Schismaticall but necessary Apologies Pleas against his unjust tyrannicall proceedings in the High Commission and Popish Innovations in the Church to subvert our Religion That himselfe in his Starchamber Speech and Heylin and Dove after him confesseth justifieth the truth of these Innovations wherewith those Bookes did charge him all which the former and this present Parliament have unanimously complained off and voted to be illegall Popish destructive to our Religion Therewere these Bookes were neither Scandalous nor Libellous 3ly Both the proceedings and sentence against them are voted adjudged by both Houses to be altogether illegall unjust barbarous contrary to Magna Charta the Lawes of the Land and liberty of the Subject and unparralel'd in any age therefore ordered to be utterly rased and taken off the file as unfit to remaine upon record to prejudice posterity 4ly Their prosecution proceeded principally from him the Orders for shutting them up close prisoners denying them pen inke paper and speech with one another were procured by him The Orders for denying them liberty to put in their Answers under their owne hands taking them pro confesso were made when himselfe sate and Voted in Court being both prosecutor party and Iudge the sentence was given He sitting in Court though particularly excepted against though he gave no Vote in the Censure it selfe yet al knowe he was the cause and contriver of it before it was given yea he approved and thanked the Lord for it in his Speech when it was given caused it to he most seveerly executed when given against the will of those that gave it instigating his Majesty to the bloudy execution of it afterwards when executed denyed Mr. Pryns servant liberty upon Rayle to attend him during his wounds set his hand first to all the Warrants for sending them to and close imprisoning them in remote Castles and after that for banishing them into forraigne Islands where they were so strictly mewed up that neither freind Wife Children could have the least accesse unto them for their releife nor they procure liberty of pen inke or paper to write unto them for necessaries Yea had not he ingaged his extraordinary power and malice in their prosecution neither the Court Iudges Officers nor Lords had bin so extravagant so unjust in their proceedings Censures Executions against them nor their Councell so over-awed as they were nor they denyed liberty to answer for themselves and to impeach their Opposites by a Crosse Bil which if admitted as it ought of right and justice it would have prevented their heavy Censure elsewhere which probably would have falne short of this he is now likely to incurre All which considered this part of the charge stickes fast upon him in each particular 7ly Himselfe sent for Dr. Featly and commanded him to carry his Sermons to his Chaplin to peruse who thereupon expunged this and other passages out of them after they were printed to please his Lord and his Chaplains Act in this case is his own And though other passages against Images remained yet no reason can be given for expunging this being the direct words of the Homily but his complyancy with the Papists Yea Dr. Featlie sweares expresly that he did complaine of it to Sir Edmond Scot who told him it would bee bootlesse to complaine to the Archbishop who would undoe nothing his Chaplaine had altered 8ly For the Popish pictures we have proved them printed in London by the Archbishops own authority and direction that himselfe saw and approved them whiles in printing being the very same with those his Chapell windowes the Masse-Booke and Boetius a Bolswort found in his study That they were ordinarily bound up in Bibles and sold in shops of which the Stationers complaining to him he thereupon gave them the foresaid answer himselfe But that the Lords of the Counsel gave any such order he produceth no proofe at all In few words if the pictures were lawfull to bee
and that was no extravagancy As for the consecrating of Churches only repaired or somwhat enlarged we know no Law nor Canon in our Church to warrant it And to take sees for it is both Symony and extortion For the restoring of them it is only affirmed not proved and to take them illegally to bestow them on the poore is but to rob Peter to cloath Paul Thirdly For the consecration of Chappell 's and meere private Oratoties there is no president in Antiquity yea Gratian himselfe and the Roman Pontificall allow the use of them without any consecration Therefore to consecrate them is to exceed even Popery and Papists in Superstition As for his Chapell of Aberguilly his owne Diary proclaimes his Superstition both in its consecration and denomination of it For the Patterne and furniture of it his owne notes and papers clearly prove it was the same with that of Bishop Andrews whose forme of conscration himselfe alleageth he punctually pursued And if this were the true patterne furniture of Bishop Andrews owne Chapell Anno 1623. all the world may justly censure him for a professed Papist his Chapell Altar and their furniture being as Popish Superstitious Idolatrous every way as the Pops in Rome yea exceeding the very Roman Ceremoniall and Pontificall For Wafers they are directly contrary to the Rubrick at the end of the Communion in the Book of Common prayer we wonder therefore with what face this Prelate dares justify them That a Bishops breath puts only a badge of reverence not holinesse on Churches is diametrially contrary to what he formerly affirmed Perchance he now remembers that Quicquid effecit tale est magis tale and therefore Bishops cannot make other things holy with their breath who have little or no holinesse at all in their hearts For his solemne consecration prayer at the laying the first stone of Hammersmith Chappell it hath neither Scripture Law Canon Antiquity but the Roman Pontificall to warrant it Therefore it is meerly Popish Wheras he objects by way of jeare that he hopes the consecration of Churches and Chapells is no Treason we answer that we do not charge it to be so in it selfe But we have proved it to be a branch of Popery and a grosse one too and being introduced by him among other things to set up Popery and subvert Religion it will prove Treason in this respect as we shall manifest in due time And so this intre charge remaines unavoyded in any the least particle 8ly The next Charge urged against me Is The Kings Declaration for the use of sports on the Lords day prescribing the observation of Revells Wakes Feasts of Dedication likewise formerly suppressed where I am accused 1. For causing this Booke to be enlarged reprinted in his Majesties name to prevent the petition of the Iustices in Somersetshire and make way for Mr. Prynnes censure 2. For pressing Ministers to read it in their Churches without any Warrant suppressing of Sermons censuring those who refused to publish it as Mr. Wilson Master Player Master Heiron Mr. Snelling with sundry others encouraging other Bishops to suspend silence many Godly preaching Ministers for this cause pressing this Book and ordering Churchwardens to present such who refused to publish it by Visitation Oathes and Articles 3ly For reviving disorder by wakes Revels and causing the Iudges Orders to be reversed To the first of these I answer That the Kings Declaration for sports was printed and published by his Majesties speciall command Yea I had a Warrant under his hand to see it printed and there is no proofe at all that it was printed published or enlarged by my procurement Besides the Declaration is but for the use of lawful Sports and that only after evening prayer ended and the cause of publishing it at that time was partly Barbourous Book of the Sabbath who would revive the Iewish Sabbath and the Iewish rigidities positions of others touching the Lords day whose positions drew Brabourne into that Error In Geneva it self as I have bin ceedibly informed by Travellers they use shooting in peeces long bowes Crosse Bowes Musters and throwing of the bowle too on the Lords day as well before as after Sermons ended and allow all honest recreations without reproofe of their Ministers yea Mr. Calvin the great professor there Instit l. 2. c. 8. sect 34. blames those who infected the people in former ages with a Iudaicall opinion that the morality of the 4th Commandement to wit the keeping of one day in 7. did still continue which what else is it then in dishonour of the Iews to change the day and to affix as great a sanctity to it as the Iewes ever did And that those who adhored to their constitutions who broached this Doctrine Crassa carnalique Superstitione Judaeos ter superant Men may be too strict as wel as prophaneherein Yet I for my part have ever strictly observed the Lords day in point of practise And whereas it was attested by Mr. Prynne that this Declaration was published to prevent the Petition of Somersetshire for the reviving of Iudge Richardsons forecited order Sir Robert Philips and many other Gentlemen of that County complained against the order to the King whereupon the Iudge was ordered to reverse it and the Declaration was not published till after the reversall 2ly The Declaration was ordered to be published in the Church and that was sufficient warrant to enjoyne Ministers to publish it there although no penalty be prescribed in it to such who should refuse to publish the same yet it is implyed otherwise the command were idle in case of disobedience That it was published with intent to suppresse afternoon Sermons that so the people might â—ave more time for Sports This could not be since none were to use any Recreations till after Evening Prayer ended That I gave my Visitor command to suspend those who refused to read it was only within my Diocesse of Canterbury not in my Metropoliticall Visitation throughout my province I suspended but three Ministers in my whole Diocesse who had first time of consideration granted them to wit Mr. Wilson Mr. Culmer and Mr. Player only suspended ob officio for their contumacy being men of factious Spirits For Mr. Wilson and others being brought into the High Commission for not reading this Declaration it was the act of the Court not mine As for Mr. Snelling he was excommunicated by Dr. Woode not me and he was questioned in the High Commission for not bowing at the name of Iesus and as well as not reading this Book Besides I was not present at his censure there neither did I expunge his answer Nor did I presse the reading of the Declaration in my Visitation Articles if other Bishops did it t is nothing to me themselves must answer for it not I. 3ly Feasts of dedication have beene of great Antiquity and in generall use in some Coutries and there is a lawfull use of them for Hospitality and increase of
so he deserved to be censured for it That the Papists burnt it I could not help that Neither did it agree with Master Fox his Calender but he abused it in leaving out divers Saints allowed by the Church of England as the Epiphany and Annunciation of our Lady For Doctor Pocklingtons Book wherein he abused our Martyrs it was licensed by his Chaplain Doctor Bray who was censured for it as was Doctor Pocklington too in the Lords House But it is objected that my Chaplaines act is in law mine owne I answer not unlesse I command it But the Book it selfe was found in my Study and I preferred Doctor Pocklington for it I know no such thing and though I had the Book yet I knew not of this passage in it Fourthly for the calling in of Beacons Book printed by Mistris Griffin it is nothing to me what a Jesuit said of it and if called in it was because she reprinted it contrary to the Star-chamber Decree Fiftly for the Palsgraves Religion I remember it not and if called in it was because it was contrary to the Kings Declaration and touched upon some points of controversie prohibited by it Sixtly the hindring of the reprinting of Master Fox Bishop Jewell and Doctor Willet was no act of mine Seventhly I hindered the printing of no new Books against Popery Eightly the questioning of Master Prynne Master Burton and the rest in the High Commission was no act of mine but the Courts nor were they censured but got off without censure Master Burton said he was questioned before the Counsell Table for one of his Books as a Libell If it were a Libell there was cause to doe it He added he could not be quiet for being troubled in the high Commission nor could the Church be quiet for him which was the cause of his trouble He affirmed I committed him to the Fleet and denied him the benefit of the Petition of Right I answer there was cause enough for his commitment for printing of Books without license and for disturbing the peace of the Church and he had the benefit of the Petition of Right because the reason of his commitment was expressed in the Warrant Ninthly I licensed none of the particular books forecited my selfe nor any of my Chaplains to my knowledge I am certaine not by my command and if any of them have transgressed herein themselves must answer for it not I who having many other weighty publike affaires to look after had no time to peruse or license Books my selfe and was enforced to commit this trust to their care Tenthly to the particular books I answer First that though Sales his book was licensed by my Chaplaine yet he was abused therein by the Translator Printer who was punished for it in Star-chamber The book it self was called in and burnt by Proclamation and I dismissed the Doctor for licensing it out of my house and service For Christs Epistle to a devout Soule it was licensed at London House by Doctor Weeks the Bishop of Londons Chaplain not mine and so nothing to me besides it was suppressed before it was published For Doctor Heylins Books they are nothing to me I had no hand in them nor yet in Doctor Pocklingtons who hath been censured for them himselfe For Bishop Mountagues Impressions they concerne not me I did neitheir advise nor authorize them For the Lives of the Emperours which commend the Councell of Trent the Book was not licensed and I know not of it For the Popish Index Biblicus printed in England it is nothing to me it was without my privity and direction For the severall popish passages objected out of some newbooks the Authors themselvs must answer them at their perill they concerne not me For the rejecting of Master Prynnes Crosse Bill in Star-chamber complaining of these popish Books and Doctrines it was none of my act but the Courts and Lord Keeper Coventries and so was Mr. Burtons censure for his Book in which I gave no Vote For Master Croxtons Letter to me with a Crosse enjoyning Auricular confession I could not hinder it nor his practise of confession being in Ireland And for the passages objected out of mine owne Speech in Star-chamber that they imply and necessarily inferre the popish Doctrine of Transubstantiation and the giving of divine worship to the Altar even the same that is given to God I answer that neither of these can be inferred from thence for my words onely imply that Christs body is truly and really present in the Sacrament yet not corporally but in a spirituall manner and so is received by us which is no more then Master Calvin himselfe affirmes on the 1 Cor. 11. 24. where thus he writes Neque enim mortis tantum Resurrectionis suae beneficium nobis offert Christus sed corpus suum in quo passus est Resurrexit Concludo REALITER ut vulgo loquuntur id est VERE Nobis in Coena datur Christi corpus ut sic Aâ—imis Nostris in Cibum salutarem and Master Perkins himselfe faith as much For my words that we should bow DEO ET ALTARI which are coupled both together with a Conjunction Copulative yea both bowed to at the self-same time in one and the same act and the worship directed to and terminated in both alike Ergo divine worship is given to the Altar herein as well as to God which is flat Idolatry or but such civill reverence given to God as is rendred to the Altar which is to dishonour God and gives him no greater worship in his house then is due unto a creature I answer that though the act of bowing be the same to both yet the object mind and intention being different the worship must be so too There is a double worship and bowing one of the body the other of the heart as Master Perkins himselfe distinguisheth which is properly called Veneration when done but to a creature in a civill respect and worship onely when given to God himself To this was replied Ferst that this Decree of Star-chamber concerning printing was onely his owne act originally who projected and put that Court upon it whereof he was an over-potent Member theirs onely Ministerially to satisfie his importunity therein as the forecited Passages in the Decreee it selfe and our Witnesses attest Yea the printing of it was by his own command to enlarge his Jurisdiction which it much advanced We grant that some things in the Decree were good approved of by the Stationers who desired the same of which we complain not and some particulars very usefull had a right use been made of them But the prohibiting reprinting of all Orthodox Books formerly printed by authority unlesse re-licensed by him or his Agents the deniall of any old book to be reprinted even against Popery it selfe with the suppressing or purging most new Books against Popery under pretext of this Decree and the arbitrary punishing such who transgressed herein both in the Star-chamber
called in and publickly burnt was no thanks to him or his Chaplain but to Master Prynnes crosse Bill against him and his Chaplaine in Star-Chamber for licensing it As for the Proclamation for calling it in it was but a meere device to abuse the King Kingdome to justifie or excuse his peccant Chaplain and himselfe by a most false relation of the carriage of the businesse Besides if his Chaplain was innocent Why then doth he pretend he punished him by turning him out of his service If guilty Why doth he justifie him to the King and Kingdome by this Proclamation But indeed this pretended punishment was but a meere pretence for he punished him onely with a good Living to wit Saint Giles in the Fields sending him from Lambeth thither to infect that Parish with his Popish Leprosie or to please the Papists Priests Jesuits of which there were more residing in that Parish alone then in all the Parishes about London For Christs Epistle to a Devout Soule that it was licensed by Doctor Weekes at London-house the self-same day that Sales was at Lambeth is true but yet it is as true that Doctor Weeks was this Archbishops owne Chaplaine and the Bishop of London his meer creature Servant yea it appears there was a strong confederacy between the Chaplaines of Lambeth and London-house in licensing both these Popish Books for the same Stationer the self-same day to propagate and license Popery with a witnesse even just at that very season which makes it more remarkable when Master Prynne Master Burton and Doctor Bastwicke were prosecuted by their good Lord and Master Canterbury in the Star-chamber for opposing their Popish Innovations Impositions Doctrins and just when the gaudy Crucifix was erected by him at White-hall in the Kings owne Chappell in Passion week they then thinking all cock-sure on their side That this Epistle was suppressed we may thank not the Archbishop but Master Prynn's Crosse-bill who but a few weeks after was ill requited with a bloody barbarous censure for his paines and sent away hence close prisoner first into North-Wales then into Jersey where none must have accesse unto him to prevent any more such oppositions discoveries of popish Bookes and Bils against them For Doctor Heylins Books complained of they were some of them purposely written by the Archbishops owne command as he hath confessed to wit that against Mr. Burton Antidotum Lincolnienses licensed by his own Chaplaines therefore they concerne him much For Doctor Pocklingtons Popish Impressions they were perused by himselfe yea published by his direction without the Doctors privity as his Petition manifests therefore his censure for writing them will be no excuse for his owne publishing or his Chaplaines authorizing them without the Doctors knowledge or desire For Bishop Mountagues Books they were all bound up most of them with his Armes very rightly gilt and presented to him by Mountague himselfe after that entertained by him in his Study justified by him in private conferences yea the later of them expresly submitted to his judgement dispose and licensed by his Chaplaines and yet are they nothing to him For the Epitome of the Lives of the Emperours it was licensed by his owne Chaplaine Doctor Weekes at London-house as the license and entry of it in the Stationers Hall which we have here ready to produce attests That he took no notice of it nor of what was in it was his owne voluntary negligence who could take notice of any the least pretended Puritannicall Anti-episcopall or Anti-Arminian passages in all new printed Books whatsoever yea of any harsh passages against the Pope Papists Jesuits and cause them to be suppressed expunged and the Authors of them sometimes to be deeply censured For the Popish Index Biblicus being printed here in London then publikely bound up with our Latin Bibles of Junius and Tremelius translation with which they as well accorded as Fire doth with Water or Popery with Protestanisme it concerned him most of any thing to take notice of and have most severely punished But this vigilant Argus against Protestanisme or any thing that trenched upon Episcopacy Popish Ceremonies Arminianisme or the High Commission was here as blind as a Beetle and could espye no Books at all though never so grosse that made for Popery and popish Innovations or else fell fast asleep when he should watch against these popish enemies who sowed their Tarts so fast among us For the objected popish passages out of these now Authorized Printed Authors himselfe must answer for them First because many of them were particularly complained against by Master Burton in his Sermon for God and the King by Master Prynne in his Crosse Bill which he read and by sundry printed Books which he could not but take notice of yet he neither suppressed the Books nor questioned the Authors Printers or dispersers of them Secōdly because never any such large crop or harvest of Popish Books and Tares appeared or sprung up in our English Church before his time since the beginning of Reformation it being the chiefe part of his place and Office as Archbishop of Canterbury to suppresse and extirpate whereas he authorized and propagated them all he could For the rejecting of Master Prynnes Crosse Bill in Star-chamber against him his Chaplaines and Confederates for Writing Licensing Publishing these Popish Books and Passages it was principally his owne Act who stopped it at the Lord Keepers was present when it was rejected in open Court where he sat as one of the most swaying Judges and endeavoured to have brought him in danger of his life onely for preferring it in a Legall manner whereas had he his Chaplaines Confederates been Innocent they would have Petitioned the Court it might have been received that so they might legally have cleared themselves if they could of that which now blessed be God we have fully proved before an Higher Tribunall for which this cause by Gods providence was reserved as the fittest Court both to heare and censure it For Master Croxtons Letter he was his owne creature specially recommended by him to the Lord Deputy Wentworth who preferred him for his sake and he that durst preferre such a Popish Priest in that Popish Kingdome who dared thus openly to put the Masse-Priests yea Jesuits badge of a Crosse in the Front of his Letter to him and acquaint him with this open practice of Auricular Confession must doubtlesse be no wel-wisher to our Religion and assured of the Archbishops readinesse to concur with him in the approbation of his courses else he durst not write thus to him As for that passage in his Speech in Star-chamber we have already proved that it necessarily implyes a Transubstantiation or corporall presence of Christ on the very Altar For there saith he not in and to the beleevers heart receiving him spiritually by faith t is Hoc est corpus meum c. and A greater reverence no doubt is due TO THE BODY then to the word of
the Lawes concerning it meer Engines of State to draw reward for toleration dispensation and connivance c. his excuse is most miserable and ridiculous For first it is generally agreed by all Protestant Writers that Popery trencheth upon the first Commandement by advancing the Virgin Mary Pope to omit the Bredden Wafer into the very Throne of God himselfe and Deifying them both with divine Titles Adorations Attributes Epithites Orisons and the like therefore no reason to delete this clause that it trencheth on the first Commandement the rather because Paul himselfe affirmes it in direct termes 2 Thes 2. 3 4. as all orthodox Expositors resolve Secondly it s agreed by all Protestants yea by this Arch-Prelat himselfe in shew at least when his reputation seemed to be somewhat blasted as if he were devoted to Popery and expresly resolved by our Homilies against the perill of Idolatry that Popery expresly trencheth upon the second Commandement sundry wayes as by adoring Crucifixes Images Saints Angels Reliques Altars the consecrated Hoast yea by invocation of Saints departed and introduction of sundry Idolatrous Superstitious Rites Ceremonies formes of Worship invented by Popes Priests Fryars into the Worship of God Therefore had he deleted its intrenchment upon the first Commandement as dubious yet since there is no question of their transgressing the second in all these particulars his abolition thereof is inexcusable and displayes his popish disposition Thirdly however had he deleted this likewise yet his obliterating that which followes against connivance at and suspention of Lawes against Popery and Papists for luchre sake least God make the gaine gotten by this dividing betwixt him and Idols to be like that of Solomons which was recompenced with the losse and dividing of his Kingdome betwixt his Sonne and a Stranger c. the sad effects whereof we have lately felt with all other passages whatsoever against Popery especially at this juncture of time when all forraigne popish Princes had confederated to extirpate the Protestant Religion in forraigne parts as the first deleted passage informes us is such an unsufferable execrable crime in one who pretends himselfe a Protestant Bishop and had then no legall authority to correct or license Books for the Presse as deserves the highest censure yea displays to all the world the hidden Popery of his heart if not his secret correspondency with the Romish party to replant their false superstitious Religion and Idolatry in our Church and from this originall purgation of his we may visibly discover that all succeeding expunctions of this kind made by his owne chaplains and other Agents at Lambeth or London-house proceeded primarily from himself as the originall cause and Author of them The second Objection of this kind is my alterations of the Prayers appointed for the fift of November in some particular causes in the Impression of them Anno 1635. To this I answer First that these alterations were not made by me but the Prayers were sent unto me altered by the King himselfe who commanded me to see them printed according to those alterations and I have here the Books with his Majesties hand and Warrant to each of them for what I did Secondly that the expressions were somewhat overharsh and fit to be altered terming their very Religion Rebellion being but the Christian Religion and the same with Ours as I have proved at large in my Speech in Star-chamber to which I must referre where I have rendred reasons for it which gave generall satisfaction then and I hope will doe so to your Lordships now To which was replied First that the Archbishop shewes his great undutifulnesse here in casting this and other his unwarrantable popish actions on the King himselfe Secondly that for ought appeares he procured from the King this Warrant since the alterations were printed yea complained of and that by circumvention Thirdly that it had been his duty to have disswaded the King from giving way to such scandalous alterations in favour of Jesuits Papists Traitors and their bloody Religion Fourthly that himselfe in his Speech page 33 34. confesseth he made the Alterations himselfe by the Kings command Therefore the Book was not sent him altered by the King or any other as now he falsly pretends Fiftly as for the grounds of the most grosse alteration mentioned in his Speech we have already refuted them at large in the Charge therefore we shall not actum agere but refer you thereunto The third objected Purgation made by my selfe is of some clauses appointed in the Book for the Fast Anno 1636. To which I answer First that it is not proved that I made these Purgations Secondly that I have given a full answer to and shewed there was reason for the making of them in my SPEECH in Star-chamber where they were objected To this was replied First that himselfe doth both confesse and justifie thèse purgations in his said Speech to be made by himselfe and his confederated brethren to whom the care of this Fast was committed therefore he much forgets himselfe here in denying it to be proved when we undeniably evidenced it by his owne printed Confession Secondly we have already refuted his reasons for those purgations mentioned in his Speech discovering their absurdity and fully proving that they were made meerly in favour of Popery to which he hath not returned the least shadow of answer therefore we shall acquiesse therein without further reply The fourth objected alterations and purgations ascribed to my selfe are in Doctor Potters Book entituled Want of Charity c. the second Edition To which I answer First that he writ to me of his own accord to alter or correct any thing I thought meet in the second Impression of his Book and what I did therein was upon his owne request Secondly that the expressions I advised him to amend were either such as were very harsh as Beleeve in the Pope or somewhat obscure as The Idol of Rome c. Thirdly that his exposition of Matth. 18. 17 11. Dic Ecclesiae c. concernes not the Parliament but the Sanhedrin or Civill Court of the Jewes And whereas it is urged that I writ his Exposition of it seemes to give as much power to the Parliament as to the Church or Convocation in Church affaires which is a derogation to the Parliaments Jurisdiction I conceive it to be none since it appeares by the Statute of 1. Eliz. c. 1. that the Parliament cannot determine any thing in matter of Religion without assent of the Clergy in their Convocation this Act providing That the High Commissioners shall not in any wise adjudge any matter to be Heresie but onely such as hath beene heretofore determined ordered or adjudged to be Heresie by the authority of the Canonicall Scriptures or by the first foure generall Councels or any of them c. or such as shall be hereafter ordered judged or determined to be Heresie by the high
peace As for the Articles Proceedings and Misdemeanours of Bishop Wren Bishop Mountague and Bishop Peirce they are nothing to me they must answer for themselves Thirdly the Orders for Combination Lectures were none of mine and tended onely to bring men to conformity Fourthly the Kings Letter that none should be made without a Title was to prevent unworthy Ordinations agreeable to ancient Canons and no harme therein Fiftly for Master Leigh I received many complaints against him that he was a scismaticall seditious person wherupon I writ thus to my Vicar generall If you can fasten any thing on him whereby he may be justly censured then to proceed against him and he finding just cause did suspend him for his non-conformity so as in this I did but discharge my duty and deserve no blame Sixtly as to the Feoffees for impropriations there was great complaint made to me against them that their end was to take away the right of patronages from the Church to make those Ministers they preferred independent on the Bishops dependent wholly on them and to engrosse most Ecclesiasticall preferments into their own hands which I conceiving to be true in it selfe and that it would prove mischievous to the Church did thereupon by the Kings command cause an Information to be exhibited against them in a legall way in the Exchequer where upon a full and faire hearing they were suppressed not by me but by the Judges of that Court who gave sentence against them which sentence was either legall or illegall just or unjust if just and legall then there was no wrong nor injustice at all done in the case and so no cause of accusation or complaint against me or those who gave it if illegall and unjust the Judges who gave the sentence must answer for it not I who prosecuted them onely in a legall way and left them to judge according to Law and Justice Besides some of the profits of the purchased impropriations were bestowed towards the maintainance of Lecturers at Saint Antholins contrary to the trust and intention and Parsons not wholly conformable to the Church of England were put into some of them therefore I conceived that I did but my duty in questioning suppessing them as I did For Doctor Heylins Sermon it concernes not me he spake therein of the Feoffees according as he conceived of them and if any thing be mistaken he must answer for it As for Master Foxly I did onely check him for his forwardnesse in this work which I conceived would prove mischievous to the Church To which was replied First that the originall draught of these Considerations was produced under his owne hand that it was but a transcript out of Bishop Harsnets Copy the originall Author of them is but his owne bare surmise without any proofe or colour But admit Harsnet first contrived them yet he was the onely man that presented them to the King and caused them to be put in execution to the suppression of Lecturers Lectures preaching therefore the mischiefe produced by them must rest on him alone Secondly it is true the Instructions were sent to him by his Predecessor Abbot as from the King but we have proved that himselfe first procured contrived presented them to the King to be put in execution and caused the King to send them to Archbishop Abbot to communicate them to all the Bishops of his Province and so zealous was he in the pursuit of them in his owne Diocesse of London that he suppressed many Lectures and Lecturers by colour of them yea such was his activity in their originall contrivance and subsequent execution that the Deane and Chapter of Canterbury certified all their proceedings on them not to Archbishop Abbot but to him being then but Bishop of London and complained to him of the Archbishops remisnesse in seeing them duly executed in such sort as they desired as we have fully manifested Therefore all the mischiefe in suppressing of Lectures and preaching by meanes or colour of them must light upon his head the originall contriver and chiefe prosecutor of them yea all Bishop Wrens Bishop Mountagues and Bishop Pierces Visitations Articles and suppressions of preaching Lecturers and Lectures must be attributed to charged upon him because they originally sprang from these Injunctions of his contrivance because he was acquainted with and countenanced approved them in all their wicked proceedings of which they gave a particular annuall account to him in writing found in his Study under their owne hands and never checked but animated them in their persecutions suppressions of godly Ministers Lectures Preaching Et qui non prohibet malum quod potest jubet is the very resolution of the Canon Law Thirdly the Orders for Combination Lectures tending to suppresse or make them meerly superstitious or ceremoniall uselesse Ordinances though not made immediately by him did yet spring originally from him were sent up to and not revoked but approved by him and Sir John Lambe his creature and no Bishops durst to have made or enjoyned them without his previous approbation or direction therefore he must beare the blame and guilt of them Fourthly for the Kings Letter touching Ordination of Ministers we have proved it to be his owne the Originall thereof being penned corrected by himselfe not the Kings whom he over-reached abused in it For though the pretence and letter of it seemed very faire and necessary yet the intention and execution of it by the Archbishop was most impious detestable to suppresse Lecturers Lectures Preaching and deter all pious conscientious Schollers from the Ministery as we have plentifully manifested to which he hath offered no reply nor yet to his pressing of the Book of Sports for the like purpose Fiftly for his silencing Master Leigh and others Lecturers his answer is very defective since he cannot prove him factious or scismaticall nor yet Master Randall they being known to be orthodox and conformable The onely crime they were guilty of was that they were diligent painfull Preachers and did much good among the people and therefore his Letter concerning Master Leigh is positive That if nothing can be fastened on him whereby he may be censured HOWEVER let him not obtaine any license to Lecture there c. for the Church hath not need of such men And Master Randalls fault was onely this that he preached long Sermons on Sundayes in the afternoon and for this they must be and were suspended from preaching Sixtly for the Feoffees to purchase in impropriations it was a most pious work to the great benefit of the Church and peoples soules approved generally by the worst of men and Bishops that the overthrow of it was his owne act and designe we have undeniably proved it by his owne DIARY and sundry witnesses from his owne mouth that any ever complained to him thereof as dangerous to the Church is but his owne bare allegation void of truth he naming neither the persons complaining nor the time
of their complaint That it would introduce a Ministery independent on the Bishops is a false surmise since none were recommended to officiate or preach at any of the purchased Impropriations but by speciall license of the Bishops in whose they were and none were presented to them but conformable men free from all just exceptions if he could justly except against ought in their proceedings Master White deposeth he offered that he himselfe should rectifie it so as the work might proceed but this would not content him but they must be suppressed and criminally proceeded against That he did it in a legall way is no justification nor excuse since those who work and accomplish mischiefe by colour of Law are worse then open Tyrants For the sentence no doubt it was most unjust and so the Earle of Dorset who was present at it told the King himself affirming the buying in of Impropriations to be the best work that ever was set on foot for the Churches good his owne beging the Impropriations in Ireland from the Crowne for the pretended good of the Church proves it infallibly against himselfe But that the Judges onely must answer for this unjust sentence not he is a meer Nonsequitur because the Law resolves that Plus peccat Author quà m Actor and the Judges had never given such an unjust sentence in this cause had not he by his violence power fraud interressing the King himselfe against the Feoffees over-awed swayed the Judges to swarve from the rules of Piety and Justice That some of the revenues of purchased Impropriations were contributed towards the maintainance of Saint Antholins Lecturers is true but that it was a mis-imploying by them contrary to trust or that any unworthy or unconformable Ministers were put into them is a grosse falshood disproved by Master White upon Oath However had it been true he should then have reformed the abuse not utterly destroyed the good work so much conducing to Gods glory and the peoples edification For Heylins Sermon it was presented to retained approved yea himselfe advanced by him and no doubt he preached it by his direction As for Master Foxly he did not onely check but persecute imprison and most barbarously handle him to his undoing onely for his promoting this pious project even after he had quite overthrowne it and openly vaunted of this his wickednesse All which considered each branch of this charge sticks most immovably upon him notwithstanding all his evasions to shake it off The sixteenth charge urged against me is That I have endeavoured to cause division and discord between the Church of England and other reformed Churches and endeavoured to suppresse the Priviledges Immunities of the reformed Dutch and French Churches in this Kingdome wherein it was objected First that I esteemed them no Churches of God or Christ at all because they â—â—nted Bishope which they endeavoured to prove by mine owne Conference with Fisher Bishop Hals Propositions approved by me and Bishop Mountagues Book authorized by my Chaplaine Secondly that I deemed their Religion and ours not to be one but different and their Religion not to be the true Religion Upon which ground I grew angry with Master Ruly and caused the Letters-Patents granted by the King for a Collection for the Palatinate Ministers to be revoked after they had passed the great Seale and a clause in them to be expunged to their great injury and scandall as Master Wakerly and Master Hartlib attested Thirdly that I caused the Declaration of the Faith and Ceremonies of the Pals 〈◊〉 Church to be called in and suppressed Fourthly That I molested the DUTCH FRENCH and WALLOONE reformed Churches in England sundry yeers and infringed their ancient Priviledges by my Injunctions in divers particulars To this I answer in generall that I deny both the Charge and Article and that I have endeavoured to promote and preserve peace between the Protestant Churches abroad and encouraged Master Dury who was imployed to make a reconciliation between the Calvinists and Lutherans beyond the Seas as I could evidence by sundry of his Letters therefore I had a good affection to these Churches and no intent to make any discord between them To the objected particulars I answer First that in my Conference with Fisher I cite only St Jeroms words to prove a difference in order and degree between a Bishop and ordinary Presbyter and inferre from his words as his opinion not mine so even with him no Bishop no Church But it hath been objected that Bish Mountagues Book determines expresly that there can be no Church without Bishops nor Ministers but such who are ordained by Diocesian Bish distinct from an ordinary Minister and that no Minister no not in case of necessity can be ordained by any other therefore the forraign Protestant Churches which have no such Bishops and their Ministers being not ordained by Bishops but other Presbyters can be no Churches nor Ministers I answer that this Book and opinion of his concernes not me being none of mine but the Authors Yea but I maintained and approved the same opinion in effect in Bishop Hals Propositions touching Episcopacy to which I endeavoured to procure a generall subscription pressing it upon others and therein I determine That there was no Church of Christ upon earth ever since the Apostles times governed otherwise then by Bishops and that this government is unalterable and ought to be perpetuated in the Church to the end of the world Which doth wholly unchurch all the reformed Churches and resolve them to be no Churches of Christ I answer that these Propositions were sent me by Bishop Hall of his owne accord that what I did in them was by his consent neither were any pressed to subscribe them nor they propounded concludingly And though Episcopacy be not alterable yet it may be regulated That it is unalterable Bishop Bilson hath proved it long since it continuing so in all Churches at least fifteen hundred yeers after Christ and is allowed approved by the Book of Ordination yea Master Calvin himselfe on that of John As my Father sent me so send I you acknowledgeth the perpetuity of Bishops in the Church Secondly I deny that I esteem the Reformed Churches Religion ours not to be the same true it is we they differ in some particular points of Doctrin as wel as in Disciplin but this makes us not wholly to differ in Religion nor did I deny their Religion to be true As for Master Ruly I used him very civilly with all respect and promoted the Collection for the Palatinate all I could having received a Letter from the Queen of Bohemia for that purpose True it is I caused the objected clause in the first Patent of the Collection to be altered but it was by the Kings direction who gave order for it upon my acquainting him therwith and I conceive there was ground enough to doe it First because some of the Palatinate Divines as Paraus upon the
Prince and Bishop of Conchen when in Spaine the Articles of the Duke of Buckingham against the Lord Digby and the Lord Digbies against him in full Parliament Anno 1626. To which they Object I was privy because I was Confessor to the Duke and his Cabinet Counsell at that time and because my Letter to Bishop Hall my owne Diary and Letters to and from the Duke whiles in Spaine with the Note in my Masse Booke discover and confirme it Secondly by the French Match with the Queen promoted purposely to usher in Popery and to reconcile us unto Rome to which they Object I was privy and assistant as my Letters to the Duke my intimacy and compliance with the Queen my inhibitng Ministers to pray and punishing them for praying for the Queens conversion my censuring of Master How for praying That the young Prince might not be brought up in Popery with my magnifying of Queen Maries dayes and depressing King Edwards and Queen Elizabeths demonstrate Secondly by sundry particular instances as First Ludovicus a Sancta Maria his Conclusiones Theologicae Secondly the Plot discovered to me by Haberufield Thirdly the Dedicating of Fastidius his Works to the King by Cardinall Barbarino Fourthly Sancta Clara his Deus Natura Gratia writ of purpose to reconcile us to Rome with which I was acquainted and maintained the Author of it Saint Giles a most dangerous seducing Priest in the University of Oxford Fifthly the proffers of Cardinalships to English men and twice to my selfe Sixthly the strange encrease and proceedings of Papists Priests Jesuits and the Popish Hierarchy in Ireland to which I was privy yet denied it and incensed the King against the Commons for complaining of it Seventhly the Popes sending of divers Nuncioes successively into England where they resided and were publickly entertained with our reciprocall sending and maintaining Agents at Rome to work a Reducement of us back to that Antichristian See To this I answer First that I was neither the Author nor Fomenter of the Spanish Match nor of the Kings Voyage into Spaine which was charged on the Duke and the Lord Dighy It is true my Lord Duke was pleased to enter into a neer familiarity with me and to make me his Confessor and that I writ Letters to him into Spaine and received Letters from him thence but this proves not that I was privy to that Plot as for the Popes Letters to the Prince and the Bishop of Conchen in Spaine to pervert him in his Religion they are nothing to me and my Letter to Bishop Hall was many yeers after that Match broken off Secondly there is no proofe of my furthering the Match with France or that the end of it was to reduce us back to Rome the respects and services I did for the Queen were no more then in civility and duty I ought to performe out of the duty I bare to the King my Master whose Consort and Wife she is her gracious favour towards me proceeded only from her owne gracious disposition not from my deserts or seeking and I had no reason to reject it because it would be a meanes for me to work the more effectually upon her Majesty For my giving Order in my Metropolitical Visitation to my Visitor to inhibit Ministers to pray for the Queens conversion or questioning any for praying for it I absolutely deny it and for Master How he was justly censured for his prayer it being scandalous to his Majesty in questioning his care of the Princes education in the true Religion and infusing jealousies into the peoples heads of his education in Popery and inclination to it As for my pretended magnifying of Queene Maries dayes and depressing of King Edwards and Queene Elizabeths in the Preface to the OXFORD STATUTES I answer that that Preface is none of mine nor proved to be so and if it were yet the words relate to the State and Statutes of the Vniversity of Oxford only in their dayes not of our Church and Religion Secondly to the particular Instances I answer that the first second and third of them concerne not me I was neither the cause nor author of nor privy to them nor could I hinder them and the second of them is a strong evidence for me For the fourth of them Sancta Clara his Book it was printed at Lyons not at London and Saint Giles was not the Author of it but another Fryar I had no hand in it nor was privy to it yet it was disliked by many of the Papists because it gave much advantage to our Church and Religion For his being at Oxford it was much against my will by the Kings speciall Warrant for which I have his hand and I maintained him not there but the King To the fifth the proffer of Cardinals Caps to others is nothing to me and for the offer of a Cardinalship to my selfe two severall times as I could not hinder the offers so I rejected them and acquainted the King both with the person and thing which is all I could doe expressing the cause of my refusall thereof to be That something dwelt within me that would not suffer that till Rome were other then it is as appeares by my owne Diary The strongest Evidence that can be to acquit me from any compliancy with Rome To the sixth I answer that the encrease and proceedings of the Papists in Ireland mentioned in the Objected Letters and Papers are nothing to me I was not the cause nor author thereof the Monasteries and Nuâ—meries mentioned in them were but poor little houses My answer to the CoÌ„mons Remonstrance was penned by the Kings speciall command as appears by the endorsment I knew not of these Irish papers nor of the encrease of popery there wheÌ„ I returned an answer to the Remonstr An. 1628. these Proclamations letters papers being dated since that time for the Deputies letters they are nothing to me I could not hinder the writing and directing of them to me and himselfe hath already been impeached condemned for his Actions for which I am not to answer To the seventh I say it was not in my power to hinder the Popes sending his Nuncioes hither which the King condiscended to upon the Queens earnest desire to accommodate and satisfie her Majesty in some things which concerned her in her Religion For the Agents sent and residing in Rome they were hers not mine sent thither by her Majesty without my privity and against my liking To this was replied First that the forementioned Evidence fully demonstrats that the Archbishop was both privy consenting assisting to the Spanish Match Voyage and to the very Instructions given to the Prince before he went into Spaine how he ought to satisfie the Pope about King James his proving him to be the Antichrist in his publique writings therefore the Popes Letter to the Prince and Bishop of Conehen to pervert the Prince in his Religion with the Dukes and Lord Digbies attempts there to
now adayes THAT WE ARE COMMING ON AND EVERY DAY DRAWING NIGHER UNTO THEM THEN OTHER for the stopping of whose slanderous mouths let this suffice That whatsoever others imagine of the matter I stand fully convinced in my conscience THAT THE POPE IS ANTICHRIST and therefore if I should be so mad as to worship the Beast or receive the marke of his name I must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and justly expect the revenge that is threatned against such Apoc. 14. 10 11. Wherefore for this Arch-Prelat to question it to purge out all passages stiling him Antichrist after such a Letter to suffer such Books to be printed and retaine them in his Study which deny him to be Antichrist without any censure of them or their Authors is a grand offence savourng of his good affection to the Pope Sixtly though himself gives not this title of Supream head to the Pope in direct terms yet he doth it in effect in his owne Book and his Chaplaine licensed it in Sales for which himself must answer As for the papall titles given him by Master Croxton the whole University of Oxford in severall Letters it was certainly with his approbation else he would have reprehended them for it which he never did These titles are such as of later times have been appropriated only to the Pope and were never given to any of his Predecessors in any Age much lesse to any Protestant Bishop And though one of them as Sanctissime Pater may perchance be found in Cyprians and Augustines genuine Epistles yet Sanctitas in the abstract can hardly be shewed in any of their true Epistles nor was ever appropriated to any for many hundred of Ages but to the Pope As for the other exorbitant and blasphemous titles no Father nor ancient Author was ever guilty of giving or affirming them Seventhly for Pocklingtons and Mountagues deriving his pedegree and succession from Rome it is in such phrase and language as was never used by Mason or any else in former times with a meere intention to reconconcile reduce our Church and Prelats to Rome from whence they derive their pedegree the end of all these new positions and objected particulars against the Archbishop the guilt whereof still rest upon him notwithstanding all his Evasions to shake it off The fourth thing charged against me to make good this Branch is my holding intelligence correspondence with the Popes Nuncioes Agents Priests Jesuits by my Favourites and Instruments as by Bishop Mountague and Secretary Windebanke advanced by my meanes the later of them as appeares by many produced Letters and Testimonies holding intelligence with Cardinall Barbarino who entertained his Sonnes at Rome the Popes Nuncioes and with divers dangerous Priests Jesuits whom he protected released out of prison and imprisoned the Messengers who usually apprehended them till they gave bond never to apprehend nor prosecute Priests any more To this I answer First that there is no cleer proofe of Bishop Mountagues advancement by me or intelligence or compliance with the Popes Nuncio Priests or Jesuits but if there were it is nothing to me being without my privity knowledge or approbation Secondly for Secretary Windebanke it is very true I was the meanes of advancing him to the Secretaries place being my ancient friend and acquaintance but not with any intent to advance Popery protect or release Priests Jesuits or hold any correspondency with the Pope or his instruments if he proved so ill an instrument after his advancement it was beyond my expectation himselfe must answer and hath been impeached for it not I For the Letters he received from the Popes Nuncio Panzani the Queens Priests or his Sonnes with their going to and entertainment at Rome they concerne not me who was not privy to them nor their entertainment But it is objected that we continued our friendship still notwithstanding I knew his correspondency with releasing and protecting Priests Jesuits and joyned with him in some Warrants I answer that it is well knowne that he and I were at variance and distance of later times he deserting me in the businesse of the late Lord Treasurer Weston and for my hand to one Warrant jointly with his and others for a Priests release it was but casuall we being then both together at the Counsell Table where his Release was condescended to upon sufficient baile and caution at the Queens request To this was replyed First that Mountagues correspondency with the Popes Nuncio Priests Jesuits his popish inclination and endeavours to reconcile and reduce us back to Rome are abundantly proved in the premises with his good affection to and compliance with him in this designe the end and cause of his advancing him to two severall Bishopricks the last wherof was Norwich In his account from whence to the Archbish himself for the yeer 1638. written with his owne hand endorsed with the Archbishops and found in his Study there is this notable clause concerning King Henry the eighth the first suppressor of the Popes power among us The Bishoprick of Norwich since the totall desolation and dissolution of the former Bishoprick by King Henry the eighth WHO STOLE THE SHEEP AND GAVE NOT SO MUCH AS THE TROTTERS FOR GODS SAKE is a meane thing though worth above one thousand pounds per annum A most ingrate and scandalous expression of an avaritious popish Prelat unworthy of so fat a Bishoprick who instead of being Shepheard became a Wolfe devouring not onely the Sheep but Shepheards of his Diocesse and vexing them more with his popish Visitation Articles then ever KING HENRY the 8. did the Prelates by diminishing their over-large Possessions Secondly for Secretary Windebank it is undeniable First that the Archbishop was the onely meanes of his advancement to that place of trust Secondly that he was his meer creature instrument bosome-friend and privy to all his actions Thirdly this intimacy and friendship of theirs continued till Windebanks flight hence in to France upon the Parliaments impeachment against him for harbouring and releasing Priests and Jesuits and that the transitory short differerence between them about the Lord Treasurer Weston had no relation at all to any thing concerning Priests or Religion wherein they both accorded Fourthly that the same Priests and Jesuits as Sir Toby Mattehw Smith Leander Sancta Clara and Price were intimate and familiar with them both Fiftly that they both concurred in checking discouraging imprisoning Gray Thatcher Waddesworth and others for apprehending Priests Jesuits and in calling Gray a Priest-catching knave Sixtly that they both joyned together in some Warrants for the release of Priests and his excuse that it was by casualty when they were both at the Counsell Table where others joyned with them is no extenuation of his offence where he being the over-potent member should have engaged all the rest to oppose such an illegall scandalous action and not have drawne them on thereto by setting his hand first to the Warrant But it was to
Conspiracy which if fully prosecuted at that time might have prevented the bloody Massacres which have since been made in Ireland and England in prosecution of the same Designe to advance the Catholick Cause and reduce us back to our prestine Romish thraldome and superstitions Thirdly for Habernfields plot it is true upon the first discovery of it to him in the generall onely when he deemed it to be a conspiracy plotted prosecuted onely by Puritans he acquainted the King therewith which we confesse in our Evidence but as soon as he received the full discovery of it found the parties engaged in it to be Papists Priests Jesuits and some of his owne creatures confederates therein particularized as Secretary Windebanke Sir Toby Matthew and others about the Court he presently sets downe proceeds no farther in it conceales his papers to himselfe not discovering them to King Counsell Parliament nor endeavouring to apprehend examine the parties named in it when present and some of them questioned yea impeached in Parliament for some particulars relating to it Which concealment of his of a most desperate Treason and Conspiracy thus circumstantiated in a case of such grand concernment to the safety of the King Kingdome Church and Protestant Religion we conceive to be a high and treasonable offence tending onely to advance those popish Designes to subvert our Religion and subject us unto Rome which have ever since been prosecuted by the selfe-same parties faction with an higher hand and more open face of late then ever heretofore That this plot was not a fiction unlesse onely in that which concernes himselfe wherein he knew there were some mistakes he being not so odious at Rome as it seemes to make him but a reall truth in all or most particulars which concern our Religion his owne Diary his endorsments on it together with our dear-bought experience late Discoveries concurring with it fully evidence His own cōviction therfore of its reality should have enduced him if not to prosecute yet at leastwise to have revealed itto the Parliament that they might have fifted it to the Bran which he never did Master Prynnes seizing it in his Chamber to his great griefe being the onely meanes to bring it unto light His argument that it makes most of any thing for the justification of his sincerity to our Religion and opposition to Popery aggravates not extenuates his offence in concealing it because then he had more reason to disclose it as well for his owne vindication from scandal as the publike safety of our King Church Religion but his engagements to this confederated Popish party and the Advancment of their cause were such that he preferred them before his owne private pretended justification or the safety of all these coupled together Wherefore he still remaines under the guilt weight of this and all other the Commons forementioned particular charges notwitstanding all his Answers Defences to enervate or elude them And therefore upon this first generall Branch of his Charge the Commons prayed Judgement against him from the House of Peers as the Archest Traytor the cunningest Vnderminer Subverter of of our established Religion the greatest Advancer of Popery and most sedulous Agent to reduce us back to Rome of any Archbishop or pretender to the Protestant Religion that our English Soile or the Christian world have ever bred concluding in the Poets words Dij talem terris avertite Pestem The remaining Branches of whose Charge and Tryall we shall God willing contract into a lesser Volume and publish with convenient speed in each Branch whereof he will appeare as Criminall as Treasonable as Arch a Malefactor as in this wherein he most protested most laboured to assert his Innocency against so many pregnant Evidences and cleer Demonstrations of his guiltinesse as will render him most execrable to all true Protestants for eternity however some have already enrolled him in their lying Legends for a most glorious Martyr and more meritorious Saint then ever his traiterous Predecessor Becket was whose Treasons and other grand Misdemeanours were farre inferiour both in quantity quality and a trocity unto his FINIS THE TABLE OF THE Principal matters contained in this History some Pages whereof being over-cast and twice set others misprinted wherethey are twice paged thou shalt finde that in the later which is not in the former and the other in the corrected that is not in the mistaken pages Dr. Robert Abbots testimony of Lauds inclination to Popery in a publique Sermon in Oxford p. 155 410 411. 545 546. Absolution of Priests but declarative expunged p. 207. 350 to 357. Ferdinando Adams Excommunicated and vexed by Lauds Officers for not removing the Lords Table and setting up a place of Scripture near the Commissaries Court p. 101. 488 489 494. Mr. Adams his Sermon in defence of Auricular Confession p. 192 193. Adoring the Eucharist passages concerning it and against Popish Adorations expunged p. 271. Altars erected justified as Christs Throne furnished with Candlesticks Tapers and other Popish Trinckets railed in bowed to by Lauds Example and Injunctions and justified to be necessary p. 62 63 64 67 68 71. 72 76. 102 113 114 101 to 125 148 191 199 200 217 218. 473 to 490. Passages against Altars expunged p. 279. Placed anciently in the midst not East end of the Quire p. 480 to 490. Bishop Andrews his Popish Chappel opiions and Altar-furniture p. 121 to 125. 424 425 499. Angel Gardians Invocation maintained in late printed Books p. 213. 214. Antichrist by our own Statutes Homilies Writers resolved to be the Papacy and Pope yet denied by Laud and his Confederates who purged out the Name and Title thereof when applied to the Pope with King James his opinion concerning Antichrist and Bishop Ushers p. 178 206 207 260 to 279,542 551 to 555. Apostacy see falling from grace Arbitrary Government passages against it expunged p. 289 290. Arminianism a Plot of the Jesuits it and Arminians countenanced promoted by Laud passages against them purged out Books against them suppressed their Errors countenanced in Presse Pulpit p. 159 to 178 284 285. 507 to 517 530 to 537. See Election Predestination Universal Grace Articles of Ireland against Arminianism and the Pope suppressed by Lauds means p. 177 178 272. 509. 512. Assurance of salvation passages deleted out of new Books in defence thereof by Lauds Agents p. 287 to 291 Ave Maries use and practise justified in new printed Books p. 213 214. Auricular Confession maintained in Print Pulpit practise passages against it expunged by Laud and his instruments p. 188 to 196. 288 289. Dr. Aylets Letter concerning the rayling in Lords Tables and receiving at the Rails p 121. B Baker an Arminian advanced by Laud a Licenser of Popish Books and purger of passages against Popery and Arminianism his Answer concerning the Gunpowder Treason p. 184 186. 256 to 300. sparsim 360. 528. Baptism passages against the Papists and Popish Ceremonies used in it deleted p. 292 295