saide articles which herafter shall be likewise declared It appeareth also by the said parties depositions that diuers others did subscribe at the same time or at the least within a short time after but they might not forsooth by reason of their owne consciences name them Howbeit the matter is otherwise plaine inough who they were by a note taken with Maister Litleton vz. Iohn Oxenbridge Edward Gellibrand Hercules Cleuely Anthony Nutter Leonard Fetherstone Mathew Hulme Edward Lord c. This booke hauing thus at the last receaued this great allowance more authentically was carried farre and nere for a generall ratification of all the brethren It was offered to the Dauentry side Classis as Master Sharp and Master Walker haue deposed and likewise at Northampton by Penry as Maister Litleton affirmeth But that which Maister Iohnson hath set downe is worthy the remembrance The effect of it is this that when the booke of Discipline came to Northampton to be subscribed vnto there was a generall censuring vsed amongst the brethren there as it were to sanctifie themselues partly by sustaining a kinde of penance and reproofe for their former conformity to the orders of the Church established by her Maiestie and other matters of conuersation and partly to prepare their mindes for the deuout accepting of the foresaid booke In which course of censuring vsed at that time there was such ripping vp one of anothers life euen from their youth as that they came vnto great bitternes with many reuiling tearms amongst themselues one growing thereby odious to another and some did thereupon vtterly forsake those kinde of assemblies CHAP. VII The booke of the pretended Discipline is made perfect at Cambridge certaine Synodes are kept and of their estimation IT might haue beene deemed that after so many viewes Synodes and subscriptions this worthy draught of discipline would haue growne to great perfection but it falleth out otherwise For as it is confessed vppon othe at Sturbridge Fayre-time the next yeare after the sayd Classicall counsell of the Warwicke-shire brethren vz. in the yeare 1589. there was another Synode or generall meeting helde in Saint Iohns Colledge in Cambridge Where saith M. Barber they did correct alter and amend diuers imperfections conteined in the booke called Disciplina ecclesiae sacra verbo Dei descripta and as maister Stone affirmeth did not onely perfect the saide forme of Discipline but also did then and there as he remembreth voluntarily agree amongst themselues that so many as would should subscribe to the saide booke of Discipline after that time The persons that met in this assembly were as these two last deponents affirme maister Cartwright maister Snape maister Allen maister Gifford maister Perkins maister Stone maister Barber maister Harrison with others c. I finde mention also of another Synode 1589. held as I take it at Ipswich Thus one Iohn Warde did write that yeare to certaine at Ipswich I thinke not to come ouer till the Synode which is as I take it a moneth after Michaelmas It hath beene obserued before out of maister Edmonds deposition cap. 2. who were the Classicall brethren of London It is also fit to be vnderstood who they are that most commonly met there also at their more generall prouinciall or nationall assemblies or Synodes And this both maister Barber and maister Stone doo sufficiently declare For the space of about foure yeares last past saith maister Barber and since the last Parliament saith maister Stone there haue bin seuerall meetings in London at the houses of maister Gardiner maister Egerton maister Trauers and maister Barber The persons that vsually mette in these assemblies saith maister Barber were maister Cartwright maister Charke maister Trauers maister Egerton maister Gardiner maister Oxenbridge maister Gelibrand maister Culuerwell maister Browne of Oxford maister Allen maister Gifford maister Sommerscales and himselfe Maister Cartwright maister Trauers and maister Egerton were at sundry times chosen Moderators or Presidents in the said assemblies And afterwardes generally of the office of the Moderators The resolutions conclusions and determinations of such matters as were disputed-of and agreed-vpon by the more number of them that so disputed in the said assemblies were by the saide Moderators or Presidents before named at the times and places of the saide seuerall assemblies summarily and briefly either written in a booke or otherwise set-downe in loose papers as to the saide Moderators or Presidentes should bee thought meet or conuenient As the Classicall assemblies of London were of greater estimation then those in the Country so these more generall meetings or Synodes last mentioned were of highest authoritie and indeed the grand test of all the rest It may be said truely of them both that they haue been the kindling sparkes of all those flames which are in the Church What was there ordered went as perfectly currant From thence the brethren of other places did fetch their light As doubts did arise thither they were sent to be resolued The Classicall and Synodicall decrees in other places were neuer authenticall indeede as it seemeth till there they were ratified The chiefest directions for all the brethren else-where were sent from thence It is wonderfull to consider how men so obstinate and wilfull in their owne waies against the Church of England established by her Maiestie should be brought to submit themselues in such sort as they did to be led by these assemblies as elswhere it doth appeare CHAP. VIII Vpon some detecting of the premisses some were called into question they refuse to be examined all they were charged which is in effect confessed IN the yeare 1590. vpon the detecting before some of her Maiesties Commissioners in causes Ecclesiasticall of the most of these things wherof I haue hitherto spoken Interrogatories were drawen containing in them the effect of all the premisses and diuers such Ministers were sent for as were sayde to haue beene the chiefe ringleaders in all those actions Accordingly they appeared but in the place when they shuld be examined they refused to answere vpon their othes Diuers pretences therof were made as one that first they would see the Interrogatories whereof they should be examined The generall summe of them was imparted vnto them and it was likewise told them that they should bee charged to answere no further then by the lawes of the Realme they were bound to doo But all this would not serue Whervpon the Interrogatories themselues were shewed vnto some as namely to Maister Snape who stood most at the first vppon that point and did pretend that if first hee might see them hee would then aunswere vnto them But the issue was accordingly as it was expected For hauing perused them he was further-of then he was before and writ to his friends what was the summe of them to the intent they might be forewarned and so as he sayd become better armed Which course taken by him was not without the great prouidence of God For thereby their whole plot
one of that crew then hath written since of them The English Church which was assembled at Geneua was seperated from that superstitious and contentious company that was at Franckford And againe They were more giuen vnto vnprofitable ceremonies then to sincere Religion These things I thought meete for your aduertisement to set downe that the propositions precedent might appeare vnto you not to haue proceeded from any rash or light conceit in our English propounders publishers and maintainers of them but that they doo containe their resolute iudgement agreeable to those points of the Geneua resolution mentioned before out of Knox and Buchanan Whereby it is apparant that if our sayd English Geneuians had found as redy assistance at that time in England as Knox and his complices about or soone after the same time did in Scotland they would not haue fayled to haue put the sayde positions aswell in practise heere with vs as some Scottish Ministers did in that Country Which great mischiefe and disloyall outrage as the state here did then prouidently suppresse and withstande So her Excellent Maiesty hath since preuented by abolishing of the Romish Religion and the restoring of the Gospell which was the quarrell in those dayes pretended So as our English Reformers hauing hitherto had no cause for this point to imitate the foresayde proceedinges in Scotland it remayneth that I shew vnto you how far as yet it is disclosed and how directly they endeuour to follow the said practises of the Scottish Ministers for the erecting vp in England of the Geneua new Papacie CHAP. II. Our English Disciplinarians doo imitate the Scottish in their desire of the Consistoriall gouernement sauing that they are more bewitched with a kind of dotage after it IN Scotland notwithstanding that at the last the Ministers had obtayned in some sorte the allowance of the confession of their faith contayning the summe of that doctrine which before they had so greatly desired yet because they wanted the Geneua discipline wherein consisted their very great ioy together with the hope of their future soueraignety they were but a little satisfied with all the rest And euen so it hath fallen out since in England sauing for ought I can read that the sayd Scottish ministers were not then come vnto so great a dotage after this Discipline as there now is growne amongst vs. About some two or three and forty yeares agone and after in the beginning of her Maiesties Raigne the deuisers themselues of this new platforme were well content to accept of and commend such Churches as had abandoned Popery though they had withall imbraced another kinde of Discipline Then in disputation against the Papists and Anabaptists there could bee found in all Fraunce and Geneua but two essentiall notes of the Church vz. the true preaching of the word and the right administration of the Sacraments Then vpon Goodmans Whittinghams Gilbies returne with the rest of their associates from Geneua into England although it grieued them at the hart that they might not beare as great a sway here in their seuerall consistories as Caluin did at Geneua and so not onely repined and grudged at her Maiesties reformation of this Church but laboured as they might to sowe abroade in the lande that seede which hath brought forth a great part of all the disorders troubles and disobediences that since haue ensued Yet notwithstanding they meddle not much in shewe for any thing I can heare of with matters of this Discipline but rather busied themselues about the apparrell of ministers ceremonies prescribed and in picking of quarrels against the common Booke Marry since that Maister Beza deuised a way howe to bring in the Geneua Discipline to be a third essentiall note of the Church since Maister Cartwright hath beene at Geneua and vpon his returne did ingage his credit to iustifie that platforme to be a necessary forme of Gouernement prescribed by Christ for all times and places since Maister Trauerse hath also beene there and did take vpon him in his booke de Disciplina Ecclesiastica to do the like since Maister Cartwright did likewise at his second beeing beyonde the seas sende vs worde in his second booke that Master Beza accounted his sayde third note of the Church vz. the Geneua Discipline to bee as necessarie a note as either the word or Sacraments and since Maister Cartwright and Trauers with the chiefest of their followers in England haue of later yeares vpon consideration of the premisses and further deliberation in their conferences and meetinges to that purpose resolued and concluded generally for the necessity of the same Discipline which before had beene onely deliuered with vs as their priuate opinions Since these times I say the friends and fauorers of it haue from time to time by certain degrees so increased in their fond affections towards it as that now they are in a manner ouercome with the strength and violence of them and doo bragge in their bookes that they will not sticke to dye in the cause Maister Cartwright as I take it had an especiall eye to this deuise when he sayth that certaine of the things which he and his followers do stand vpon are such as if euery haire of their heads were a seuerall life they ought to afford them all in defence of them Diuers other besides doo offer to aduenture their liues for the iustifiyng of it as Vdall Penry nothing will content them without the Geneua discipline For say they it is found to be the onely bond of peace the bane of heresie the punisher of sinne and maintainer of righteousnes It is pure perfect and full of all goodnes for the peace wealth and honour of Gods people and is ordained for the ioy and happines of all Nations The want of the Eldership is the cause of all euill It is not to bee hoped for that any common-wealth will flourish without it This Discipline is no small part of the Gospell it is of the substance of it It is the right stuffe gold for building the Church of God This would make the Church a chast spouse hauing a wonderfull brightnes as the morning faire as the Moone pure as the Sunne and terrible like an army with banners Without this Discipline there can be no true Religion This gouernement is the scepter whereby alone Christ Iesus ruleth among men The Churches of God in Denmarke Saxony Tigurin c. wanting this gouernement are to bee accounted maymed and vnperfect The establishing of the Presbyteries is the full placing of Christ in his kingdome They that reiect this Discipline refuse to haue Christ raigne ouer them and deny him in effect to be their king or their Lord. It is the blade of a shaken sword in the hande of the Cherubins to keepe the way of the tree of life Ridiculous men and bewitched As though Christs
we here may vnderstand your minde we will I trust as we can further it M. Allen liketh well of the matter CHAP. III. A forme or booke of Discipline is drawen and a resolution is agreed vpon how far they might proceede for the practise of it without breaking the peace of our Church WHilest the brethren in the Countrey were comming thus fast on forward as you haue heard in the ende of the former Chapter you must not thinke that the Rabbies in London were in the mean time idle Hitherto it should seeme that in all their former proceedings they had relied chiefly vpon the first admonition and Cartwrights booke as hauing had no particular and seuerall platforme that was generally allowed of amongst them for the Church of England But now at the length about the yeare 1583. the forme of Discipline which is lately come to light was compiled and thereupon an assembly or Councell being helde as I thinke at London or at Cambridge certaine decrees were made concerning the establishing and the practise thereof In which decrees mention is made of a collection concluded vpon for the Scottish Ministers fugitiues here in England 1583. which sheweth the time when they were made order is likewise taken for the putting in vse of the Synodicall Discipline which also prooueth the age of that booke The decrees themselues are extant to bee seene vnder Maister Wights hande a man of that brotherhood But it may not be omitted that you must thinke how the godly brethren in all these and such other their zealous courses had neuer any meaning to disturbe the present state established And thereupon forsooth in this conspiracy or councell mentioned like good and quiet spirited men they had an especiall care that the peace of the Church might not be broken by any order or decree of theirs So as then the question amongst them was seeing the Discipline must needs vp how farre they might proceede in the establishing and practise of it keeping notwithstanding the peace of the Church established already by her Maiesty And it was ouerruled accordingly as it followeth in the decrees themselues faithfully translated worde for word out of their owne Latin coppy The title thereof vz. These be the thinges that doo seeme may well stande with the peace of the Church The Decrees Let no man though he be an Vniuersity man offer himself to the Ministery nor let any man take vpon him an vncertaine and vague Ministery though it be offered vnto him But such as bee called to the Ministery by some certaine Church let them impart it vnto that Classis or conference wherof themselues are or else vnto some greater Church assembly and if such shall be found fit by them then let them bee commended by their letters vnto the Bishop that they may bee ordayned Ministers by him Those ceremonies in the Booke of common prayer which being taken from Popery are in controuersie doo seeme that they ought to bee omitted and giuen ouer if it may bee done without danger of being put from the Ministery But if there be any imminent danger to be depriued then this matter must bee communicated with the Classis in which that Church is that by the iudgement thereof it may be determined what ought to be done If subscription to the articles of Religion and to the booke of common Prayer shall be againe vrged it is thought that the booke of articles may be subscribed vnto according to the statute 13. Eliz. that is vnto such of them onely as containe the summe of Christian faith and doctrine of the Sacraments But for many waighty causes neither the rest of the articles in that booke nor the booke of common prayer may be allowed no though a man should be depriued of his Ministery for it It seemeth that Churchwardens and Collectors for the poore might thus be turned into Elders and into Deacons When they are to be chosen let the Church haue warning fifteene dayes before of the time of election and of the ordinance of the Realme but especially of Christs ordinance touching appointing of watchmen and ouerseers in his Church who are to foresee that none offence or scandall doo arise in the Church and if any shall happen that by them it may be duely abolished And touching Deacons of both sorts vz. men and women the Church shall be monished what is required by the Apostle and that they are not to choose men of custome and of course or for their riches but for their faith zeale and integrity and that the Church is to pray in the meane time to be so directed that they make choise of men that be meete Let the names of such as are so chosen be published the next Lords day and after that their dueties to the Church and the Churches towards them shall be declared then let them be receiued vnto the Ministery to which they are chosen with the generall prayers of the whole Church The Brethren are to be requested to ordaine a distribution of all Churches according to these rules in that behalfe that are set downe in the Sinodicall Discipline touching Classicall Prouinciall Comitiall or of Commencements and assemblies for the whole kingdome The Classes are to be required to kepe acts of memorable matters which they shall see deliuered to the Comitiall assembly that frō thence they may be broght by the prouincial assembly Also they are to deale earnestly with patrones to present fit men whensoeuer any Church is fallen voide in that Classis The Comitiall assemblies are to bee monished to make collections for reliefe of the poore and of schollers but especially for reliefe of such Ministers here as are put out for not subscribing to the Articles tendred by the Bishoppes also for reliefe of Scottish Ministers and others and for other profitable and necessary vses All the prouinciall Synodes must continually afore hand foresee in due time to appoint the keeping of their next prouinciall Synodes and for the sending of chosen persons with certaine instructions vnto the Nationall Synode to be holden whensoeuer the Parliament for the kingdome shall be called and at some certaine set time euere yeare Hitherto the Decrees of this graue Councell whereby it seemeth to me that when they resolued they might proceede thus farre and keepe notwithstanding the peace of the Church of England established they opposed in that resolution the worde peace to warre as though they should haue agreed how far they might runne on in this race without vrging of their followers to force armes For otherwise how could any sober men so much as once haue imagined that they might in this sort ouerthrow in effect the present gouernement and establish their owne deuises and yet neuer breake the peace of the Church But I will not presse this point It is more agreeable to my purpose to pursue the chase CHAP. IIII. About the yeare 1583. they fell againe to the practise of their Discipline and of a Consistorian question TO
DAVNGEROVS POSITIONS AND PROCEEdings published and practised within this Iland of Brytaine vnder pretence of Reformation and for the Presbiteriall Discipline 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My sonne feare the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are seditious Prou. 24. 21. They despise gouernement and speake euill of them that are in authority Iude. LONDON Imprinted by Iohn Wolfe 1593. An aduertisement to the Reader THE Author of this Treatise was required by some persons of honor who might dispose of him and his labours to set downe by way of an historicall narration what hee had obserued touching certaine positions holden and some enterprises atchieued or vndertaken for recommending and bringing the Presbiteriall Discipline into this Iland of Brittaine vnder pretence of reformation The performance of which dutie when hee had vndertaken and was entred into it hee found the worke to grow farre greater vpon him then at the first he did imagine Insomuch as although in the beginning he verily supposed tha hee might easily haue contriued his matter into a few sheetes of paper so that as many coppies as were to bee disposed might easily and in very short time haue beene written forth yet by the necessary length of the Discourse as it fell out and through his manifold quotations hee was constrained as the time required to procure for the better dispatch that some fewe copies might bee printed And albeit there is no meaning that this Treatise laboured but for the priuate satisfaction of some fewe especiall persons should otherwise continue then as an vnpublished Copie yet the writer of it wished to haue it signified that nothing is alleadged therein which is not to be found either in Bookes and writinges published to the view of the world such as he thinketh will not be disclaimed or in publike records or else is to be shewed vnder those parties own hands that haue beene either the principall procurers fauorers or dealers in those thinges whereof hee intreateth Which asseueration of his thus made he will be ready as he sayth God assisting him to iustifie at any time for the satisfaction of such as shall make doubt of it And doth further protest with all sinceritie that he hath not willingly detorted any thing in this whole Discourse to make either the cause it selfe or the fauorors thereof more odious then their owne wordes and deeds shall necessarily inferre and enforce against them with all indifferent and considerate Readers Farewell in Christ. The Contents of the first Booke OF two sorts of men that especially disturbe the Church of England and of the drifts of them both by way of a Preface Chap. 1. Fol. 1. Of the course held at Geneua for reformation of religion and of the Doctrine which vpon that occasion hath beene broached Chap. 2. Fol. 7. Of the proceeding of some Scottish Ministers according to the Geneuian rules of Reformation Chap. 3. Fol. 9. How the Geneuian Doctrine or principle for Reformation hath beene amplified by certaine pretended Reformers in Scotland Chap. 4. Fol. 14 The obiections against the doctrine reported of in the former chapter with the Consistorian answeres vnto them Chap. 5. Fol. 16. The proceedinges of certaine Scottish Ministers according to the groundes mentioned in the two last chapters for setting vp of the Consistorian Discipline and of their vrging of our English Disciplinaries to follow their steppes Chap. 6. Fol. 18. The Contents of the second Booke The Doctrine of certaine English Ministers which they learned at Geneua and published of purpose to have procured the like course for Reformation in England to that which was in Scotland Chap. 1. Fol. 34. Our English Disciplinarians doo imitate the Scottish in their desire of the Consistoriall gouernement sauing that they are more bewitched with a kind of dotage after it Chap. 2. Fol. 41. Our pretended English reformers doo imitate or rather exceede the Scottish Ministers in reuiling and rayling against all that doo encounter them Chap. 3. Fol. 44. The speeches of the said pretended reformers concerning England the State the present reformation and gouernement of the Church Cha. 4. Fol. 47. Some of their vndutifull and consistorian speeches concerning her Maiestie c. Chap. 5. Fol. 48. Some of their rayling speeches against the high court of Parliament and all others generally that do maintaine the present gouernment of the Church of England Chap. 6. Fol. 50 Some of their Disciplinarian speeches concerning the Lordes of her Maiesties most honourable priuy Councell Chap. 7. Fol. 52. Some of their rayling speeches against the Magistracy in England the Iudges Lawyers and lawes both ciuill and ecclesiasticall Chap. 8. Fol. 54. Some of their consistoriall sayings as touching our Religion Communion booke Sacraments and ceremonies Chap. 9. Fol. 55. How they doo charge the present gouernement with persecution Chap. 10. Fol. 56. Some of their consistorian speeches of the Clergy of England assembled as occasion hath required in the Conuocation house Chap. 11. Fol. 58. Some of their presbiterial speeches of the Bishops of England professing the Gospell Chap. 12. Fol. 58. Some of their vncharitable wordes against all the Clergy in England generally that mislike their designements Chap. 13. Fol. 60. Their especiall drift in their said rayling speeches as outragiously published as if they were meere Iesuites and peraduenture to as dangerous a purpose Chap. 14. Fol. 61. The Contents of the third Booke The practises of certaine English reformers for Discipline from the yeare 1560. vntill the yeare 1572 chap. 1. Fol. 65 The secret meetings for Discipline and the matters handled in them heere in England from 1572. till 1583. chap. 2. Fol. 67 A forme or booke of discipline is drawne and a resolution agreed vppon how far they might proceede for the practise of it without breaking the peace of our Church chap 3. Fol. 69 About the yeare 1583. they fell againe to the practise of their discipline and of a consistorian question chap. 4. Fol. 73 Their Booke of Discipline is reuiewed it was after sent abroad about 1587 it was put in practise in Northamptonshire and many other places cha 5 Fol. 75. A Synode is held at Couentry 1588. many questions are resolued the booke of discipline is subscribed vnto chap. 6. Fol. 85 The booke of the pretended discipline is made perfect at Cambridge certain Synods are kept and of their estimation chap. 7 Fol. 88 Vpon some detecting of the premisses some were called into question they refuse to be examined all they were charged which is in effect confessed chap. 8. Fol. 91 Cartwright is called for by authority a Synode is held in London it is there resolued that he shall refuse to be examined vpon his oath chap. 9. Fol. 93 Further proofe for their practise of their discipline collected out of the rules of their subscribed booke chap. 10. fol. 94 Further proofe for their practise of their discipline out of the articles they subscribed cha 11. fol. 98. It is confessed that they agreed to
put one point of their booke in practise without her Maiesties assent what it is and of strange names giuen to children cha 12. fol. 102 A second point of their booke confessed to be agreed vpon for the practise of it without her Maiesties assent cha 13. fol 105 Mo points of their booke put in practise fasts calling of ministers presbiteries censures c. cha 14. fol. 112 They haue ioyned themselues into an association or brotherhood and doo appropriate to their meetings the name of the church cha 15. fol. 120 A ridiculous pretence of lawes with a capitulation of the summe of this third booke cha 16. fol. 125 The Contents of the fourth Booke Some of them seem to grow desperate propound to themselues a strange example to follow for the aduancing of their discipline Cha. 1. Fol. 129 Of their doctrine for making a reformation themselues and how the people must be thrust into that action Cha. 2. Fol. 133 They would haue the Nobility and the inferior Magistrates to set vp their Discipline and of their supplication with a hundred thousand handes Cha. 3. Fol. 135 Presuming vppon some vnlawfull assistance they vse very violent wordes Cha. 4. Fol. 138 Vpon Cartwrights comming to Prison some strange attempts were looked Cha. 5. Fol. 141 One Edmond Copinger took vpon him to work Cartwrights c. deliuerance hee pretendeth an extraordinary calling and acquainteth diuers with it one Gibson a Scot P. Wentworth Cartwright Wigginton Charke Trauers Egerton c. Cha. 6. Fol. 143 How Copinger and Arthington came acquainted with Hacket of their conference with Io. Throg Copingers letter to Io. Throg and his answere Cha. 7 Fol. 152 Copinger to Hacket of an appearance in the Star-chamber his letter to Vdall Why Cartwright c. refused to conferre with him Cartwright resolued some questions of Copingers Of eight Preachers that did fast and pray for Copingers successe Cha. 8. Fol. 156 Of Hackets first comming to Wigginton of his gadding vp and downe of the designement to haue beene executed in the Starre-chamber cha 9 Fol. 159 A preparation towards the intended disloyalty two of Copingers Letters to M. Charke and to another Cartwrights Wiggintons commendation of Penries being then in London Cha. 10. Fol. 161 Of the trayterous intendments which were towardes the Court Cha. 11 Fol. 166 That of long time some such attempts as Hacket made for discipline were of great likelyhood purposed Cha. 12. Fol. 168 Briefe collections whereby it may summarily appeare that certaine Ministers in London did know what Copinger intended Cha. 13 Fol. 171 The cunning dealing of certaine Ministers in London how notwithstanding they wished Copingers plot to goe forwarde yet they might be if it were possible without the compasse of Law Cha. 14. Fol. 173 If Hackets treasons had preuayled for the pretended Discipline how they might haue beene defended by the Disciplinary doctrine Cha. 15. Fol. 176 FINIS Thou shalt not rayle vpon the Iudges neither speake euill of the Ruler of the people The Lord keepe mee from laying my hand on him For hee is the Lordes annointed Who can lay his handes vpon the Lordes annointed and bee guiltlesse Speake not euil of the King no not in thy thought Let euery soule bee subiect to the higher powers for there is no power but of God and the powers that bee are ordayned of God Whosoeuer therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receiue to themselues iudgement Ye must be subiect not because of wrath onely but also for conscience sake We call vpon the euerlasting God for the health of our Emperors alwaies beseeching Almighty God to send euery of them long life happy raigne trustie seruantes valiant souldiers faithfull Councellors orderly Subiectes and the world quiet and whatsoeuer people or Prince can wish for One night with a few firebrandes would yeald vs reuenge sufficient if it were lawfull with vs to requite euill with euill But God forbid that eyther they which take part with God should reuenge themselues with humaine fire or bee grieued to suffer wherein they be tried If wee would not practise secrete reuenge but professe open enmity could we lacke number of men or force of Armes Are the Moores thinke you or the Parthians or any one Nation whatsoeuer moe in number then we that are spread ouer the whole world We are not of you and yet wee haue filled all the places and roomes which you haue your Cities Ilandes Castles Townes Assemblies your Tentes Tribes and Wardes yea the very Palace Senate and Iudgement seates For what warre were wee not able and readie though wee were fewer in number then you that go to our deathes so gladly if it were not more lawfull in our religion to be slaine then to slay We coulde without armes neuer rebelling but onely diuiding our selues from you haue done you spight inough with that seperation For if so greate a multitude as we are should haue broken from you into some corner of the world the losse of so many Citizens woulde haue both shamed you and punished you Belieue me you would haue been afraide to see your selues alone and amazed as amongst the dead to see silence and desolation euery where you would haue had moe enemies then inhabitantes where now you haue fewer ennemies by reason of the multitude of your Citizens that are almost all Christians Saul had not innocencie and yet hee had holynes not of life but of vnction After the Priest had reproued the attempt and the king would not yeeld but offred Armes shieldes and speares and vsed his power then the Priest turning himselfe to God I haue done saith he my duty to warne him I can goe no further For it is the Priests part onely to reproue freely to admonish with words not to assaile with arms not to vse targets not to handle speares not to bend bowes nor to cast dartes but onely to reproue and freely to warne Pateat quod noxium est vt possit conteri cum patuerit THE FIRST BOOKE OF DISCIPLINARY GROVNDES and Practises CHAP. I. Of two sortes of men that especially disturbe the Church of England and of the drifts of them both by way of a Preface AS it is said of Caiphas when hee tolde his companions the Pharisees and the rest that it was expedient for them that one man should die for the people Hoc a seipso non dixit sed prophetauit c. so in mine opinion it may well be said of the Pope when he gaue to the Kings Queenes of England this Title to bee called Defenders of the faith he spake not this of himselfe but prophecied For if any Christian King or Queene might euer bee truely so tearmed as in deed it is a stile that containeth a great and the most royall part of all their kingly offices surely of all the Princes that since that time haue raigned
it is verified most properly in her most excellent Maiestie Whether you respect the Reformation of Religion which her Highnesse hath made in this Church of England according to the noble examples of Moses Iosua Dauid Salomon Iosaphat Ezechias Iosias c. or whether you respect not onely the reliefe which strangers persecuted at home for the profession of the Gospell haue here receiued or her Maiesties great and vnspeakeable charges for the ayding and assisting of other Christian States Princes and countries that for their profession of the same right Religion are mightily afflicted by certaine Gyantes of the earth the souldiers and members of that Antichrist of Rome So as in these and many other respects which do concurre with them I neither doubt that her Maiesty whom the Lord protect with his mighty hande long to raigne ouer vs shall bee for euer renowned amongst the most famous Queenes that euer liued in the worlde or that the Church of England so refourmed by her Highnesse is presently at this day the most Apostolike and flourishinge Church simply that is in all Christendome Howbeit let a Church be as richly planted as euer any was before or in the Apostles times Let either Moses with his Aaron or Dauid with all his Councellors gouerne both the Church and Common-wealth as godly as euer any was gouerned yet such is and euer hath been the malice and cunning of Sathan as that he wanteth not at any time either will or meanes to slaunder to depraue and to endanger the same He hath his Core Dathan and Abiram that if need bee dare presume to tell both Moses and Aaron they take too much vpon them Hee is able to set the children of one father the seruants of one master the subiects of one Prince and the members of one Church at dissention at deadly hatred amongst themselues As occasion serueth hee hath his Shemeis to curse King Dauid also his murmurers complayners mockers makers of sectes such as despise gouernement which are presumptuous men that stand in their lewde conceits such as feare not to speak euill of those things they know not and of them that are in dignity that is of Princes and great men be they neuer so high in authority The experience which wee haue hereof at this day in the Church of England is more then pregnant partly through the diuelish and traiterous practises of the Seminary Priests and Iesuites and partly by reason of the lewd and obstinate course held by our pretended refourmers the Consistorian Puritanes both of them labouring with all their might by rayling libelling and lying to steale away the peoples harts from their gouernours to bringe them to a dislike of the present state of our Church and to drawe them into parts-taking the one sort for the embracing of such directiōs as should come vnto them from Rome the other for the establishing of that counterfeit and false Hierarchie which they would obtrude vppon vs by the countenance and name of the Church at Geneua The which proceedings of both the sorts of disturbers are so much the more dangerous in that they deale so secretely and haue combined themselues together with their Proselites into such a league aud confederacy as get out what you can your felfe by meere chance as they say for the discouery of their actions and attempts you shall bee sure that neither the one sort nor the other will detect any thing Nay matters beeing detected in some sort to their handes they will vtterly refuse to bee examined as law prescribeth or if they take any oathe it is as good neuer a whit as neuer the better they dally so exceedingly with it For vnder pretence of not accusing themselues if they finde any thing to be come to light which may any waies touch them they will vtterly refuse for the most part to answere it either vpon oath or without oath saying that neither by the Lawes of God nor man they are bound so to answere Vnder colour whereof they exempt themselues from the ordinary course helde in iustice for criminall causes throughout all the world which is that before witnesses be produced against any supposed offender the party accused shall first answere to the accusation yea or nay c. as wee vse in England and that in matters of life and death but in these without an oathe hee must first pleade guilty or not guilty And as they deale for themselues so doo they for their confederates their fauourers relieuers abetters and receiuers affirming it to be against the rules of charity to bring their Christian brethren and frends into any daunger for doing of those things which both the sorts of these seducers haue drawne them into and doo themselues iudge to be religious and iust From these points all the Iudges of the land and diuers Diuines that haue dealte with them as yet cannot bringe them both the sorts are so setled in this seditious doctrine of Rhemes which is as followeth vz. If thou be put to an oath to accuse Catholikes for seruing God as they ought to doo or to vtter any innocent man to Gods enemies and his thou oughtest first to refuse such vnlawfull oathes but if thou haue not constancie and courage so to doo yet know thou that such oathes binde not at all in conscience and law of God but may and must be broken vnder paine of damnation Now in these confederacies what course should be taken for the preuenting of such daungers as may thereby ensue I referre it to be throughly considered by those that haue the gouernement both of the Church and Common-weale committed vnto them But before they can be preuented they must be vnderstood Concerning the Seminary Priests and Iesuites their very comming into the land doth declare their traiterous intentions What alleageance and loue soeuer they pretend vppon their apprehension to her Maiesty and their countrey it is very well knowne they doo it but for the time rebus sic stantibus that their comming hether is to no other purpose but to make away for the Pope and the Spaniardes the sworne and mortall enemies both to this state and to all other that doo professe the right refourmed religion of Christ. But for the other sort of practitioners their proceedings and designements are not so well as yet discouered Their pretences doo carry a greater shew of good meanings many that are indeede truely zealous little suspecting what hookes doo lie hidde vnder such faire baites are dayly carried as we see headlong with them In respect whereof you are to be aduertised that as it is an easie matter by looking to the said Popish and Spanish practises to knowe in generality their Seminaries dealinges here amongst vs be they in particularity neuer so secrete so are there certaine men in other countries of the same humors with our pretended refourmers whose courses and proceedings as wel for the matters they desire as for the manner of attaining
Ans. Wee may punish theeues and yet wee ought to pray for them Ob. Saint Paule doth command vs to be subiect and obedient to Princes Tit. 3. Ans. Paule writt this in the infancie of the Church There were but fewe Christians then and not many of them rich or of abilitie so as they were not ripe for such a purpose As if a man should write to such Christians as are vnder the Turke in substance poore in courage feeble in strength vnarmed in number fewe and generallie subiect to all kinde of iniuries would he not write as Paul did So as the Apostle did respect the men he writt vnto and his wordes are not to be extended to the body or people of a common wealth or whole Citie For imagine sayth hee that Paul were now aliue where both the King and people do professe Christianity and that there were such Kings as would haue their becks to stand for lawes as cared neither for God nor man as bestowed the Church reuenues scurris balatronibus vpon iesters and rascalls and such as gibed at those that did embrace the more sincere Religion what would he write of such to the Church Surely except he would dissent from himself he would say that he accounted no such for Magistrates hee would forbidde all men for speaking vnto them and from keeping them companie he would leaue them to their subiects to be punished neither would he blame them if they accounted no longer such for their Kings as by the law of God they could haue no societie withall And thus farre the answearer There are diuers other obiections against those reformers which receiue almost as desperate answers But I will not at this time trouble you with them especially if you will giue me leaue to aduertise you that this new Diuinity of dealing thus with Princes is not onely helde by Knox and Buchanan but generally for ought I can learne by most of the Consistorians of chiefe name beyonde the Seas who being of the Geneua humor doo endeuour by most vniust disloyall meanes to subiect to their forged presbyteries the scepters and swordes of Kings and Princes as Caluin Beza Hotoman Vrsinus as he commeth out from Newstadt Vindiciae contra tyrannos Eusebius Philadelphus c. For the further fruit of which Consistorian Diuinitie besides that which is sayd by some of the Ministers of Scotland I referre you to the consideration of such stirres as haue hapned of late yeares in some other countries And thus farre concerning the iustification which is made of the Scottish reformation Now I will leade you backe againe where I left vz. to certaine of the Ministers further proceedings there vppon these aforesaide maine grounds and principles CHAP. VI. The proceedinges of certaine Scottish Ministers according to the grounds mentioned in the two last chapters for setting vp of the Consistorian Discipline and of their vrging of our English Disciplinaries to follow their steppes THe Parliament of Scotland before mentioned Chap. 3. of An. 1560. being dissolued there was then a booke of Discipline or newe kingdome of Christ by their seuerall presbyteries drawne and compiled after the Geneua fashion by M. Knox and others Which booke vpon the offering of it to their associates and fauorites to be allowed receiued and publikely practised was by them reiected and tearmed to bee in truth but a deuout imagination Whereupon now riseth an occasion of a new historie how after they had obtained reformation of religion as touching the true preaching of the worde and administration of the Sacraments they also dealt and preuailed in the ende for the establishing of their Discipline and Consistoriall gouernement It appeareth that in the foresaide spoyles of Abbayes Fryeries and Cathedrall Churches c. euery man almost did seeke his priuate commoditie Which beeing espied before by the saide Ministers they misliked it as finding the pray taken out of their teeth but yet they were gone so far belike as that there was no remedie They told them of it in their sermons in some sort then as it should appear Marry nowe when they came to the ende of their trauaile the hope of their glory the erecting of their gouernment and their raigne ouer all and doo finde themselues crossed therein blame them not though they were not a little angry Then they gaue it out against their owne fauourers afore that some were licentious some had greedilie griped the possessions of the Church others thought they would not lacke their part of Christs coate yea and that before that euer he was hanged Of a Noble man that refused to subscribe to their Discipline as they call it they writ thus He had a very euill woman to his wife if the poore the schooles and the ministerie of the Church had their owne his Kitchen would lacke two parts and more of that which he vniustlie now possesseth And generally to the like effect there were none within this Realme more vnmercifull to the poore Ministers then were they which had greatest rents of the Church But in that we haue perceiued the old prouerbe to be true nothing can suffice a wretch And againe the bellie hath no eares They threatned the greatest men of the lande with Gods heauy punishments if they should reiect that Discipline ascribing it to their blind affection to their respect of carnal friends to their corrupt iudgement and to their former iniquities and present ingratitude But notwithstanding that some refused to subscribe to this booke which made the Ministers so angry yet by sundry cunning deuises raylings threatnings c. many yeelded thereunto and did promise thereby to set the same forward to the vttermost of their powers This subscription thus in sort obtained they began to put the same in practise They appointed to haue their assemblies both particular and generall They exercised iurisdictions and appointed one Saunderson to be carted for adulterie but he was rescued A great vprore arising in Edenburgh about the making of a Robinhood they of the Consistorie did excommunicate the whole multitude The Bishops seeking to encounter and represse them in their practises they professed that they would not suffer their pride and Idolatrie They caused diuers places as they tearmed them of superstition to be burnt I thinke they meane some Bishops houses as Palsay the Bishop also narrowly escaping them The Bishops hauing embraced the Gospel it was at first agreed euen by the brethren with the consent of the Regent that the Bishops estate should be maintained and authorised This endured for sundry yeares but then there was no remedie the calling it selfe of Bishops was at last become Antichristian and downe they must of necessitie Whervpon they commanded the Bishops by their owne authoritie to leaue their Offices and their Iurisdictions They decreed in their assemblies that Bishops shoulde haue no voices in Parliament and that done they desired of the
monstrous Antichristian Pope a most bloudie oppressor of Gods Saintes a very Antichristian beast a most vile and cursed tyrant In respect of his Antichristian prelacie ouer Gods Church and for the notable hatred which he hath euer bewrayed towardes the Lord and his truth I thinke him one of the dishonorablest creatures vnder heauen And againe of the Bishops but especially of the Lord Archbishop In his behauiour wrath anger reproch and disdaine as in a wood so manie Lions Beares Tigers and cruell beastes were seene to range and in this more sauage that whereas they by time and vsage may be tamed and appeased this man neuer It would be knowen whether they haue some secret meaning if oportunitie would serue to aspire vnto the Crowne CHAP. XIII Some of their vncharitable wordes against all the Clergie in England generally that mislike their designements WE lacke in England a right ministery of God The Ministers are neither prooued elected called nor ordeyned according to Gods word I. B. is to be inuested into the place of a naturall foole after a solemne manner according to the booke of ordayning Bishops and Priests The Clergie is indicted as the followers of Antichrist and that their Ministerie is from the Pope Little or nothing is required of our English Priests but to say the Catechisme and to weare a cap coap and tippet Antichrists rags shall make him a Priest be he neuer such a dolt or a villaine The most part of our Ministers are either Popish Priests or Monkes or Fryers or ale-house haunters or boyes and lads dronkardes and dolts that wil weare a fooles hood for liuing sake They are Hogges Dogges Wolues Foxes Simoniakes Vsurers procters of Antichrists inuentions Popish chapmen halting Newtrals They seeke nothing but like greedy dogges how to fill their paunches Our supposed Ministers are a multitude of desperate and forelorne Atheists a cursed vncircumcised and murthering generation you shall finde amongst this crue nothing else but a troope of bloudy soule-murtherers and sacrilegious Church robbers Bene quod malitia non habet tantas vires quantos conatus CHAP. XIIII Their especiall drift in their saide railing speeches as outragiously published as if they were meere Iesuites and peraduenture to as dangerous a purpose BY the former so wicked and slaunderous speeches contayned in the tē last Chapters you see how the brotherhood endeuoreth with the multitude as I saide not onely the disgrace of our Church and Clergiemen but likewise how bold they are with her most excellent Maiesty the high Court of Parliament the Lords of her priuy Councel the Iudges lawyers lawes and all thinges besides that do giue any impediment vnto their deuises and complots Harding Dorman Stapleton Sanders Allen Gregorie Martin and diuers other fugitiues and Traytors to make a more easie way for the bringing in againe of popery haue taken the like course in her Highnesse time meaning principally by such vile slaunders to withdraw her Highnesse subiects from their dutifull approbation of the present estate and reformation of Religion Goodman Wittingham Gilby the author of the booke of obedience with the rest of the Geneua complices in Queene Maries dayes practised the very same pollicie when as you haue heard according to the Allobrogicall resolution they vrged all states by degrees rather to take armes and to reforme Religion themselues by force then to suffer such Idolatrie and superstition to remaine in the land But in these more political then Christian practises as I said that our English Disciplinarians of these dayes haue farre exceeded the Scottish Ministers so may it bee truely affirmed of them that al the popish Traitors that hitherto haue written and all the said Geneuians that then liued for malitious and spitefull tauntes for rayling and bitter tearmes for disdaineful and contemptuous speeches did not come neere them Besides it is especially to be obserued that in their own opinions they haue by these vngodly meanes so preuayled with the multitude as that now they begin to vaunt and bragge of their good successe already therein attayned One of them sendeth vs word from Scotland that such as haue withstood their pretended Church gouernment are made already in England to bee despised and vile before all the people that a poore simple Minister of their c. is hearde with more reuerence and resorted vnto with more diligence then one of ours though he haue the great bell rong and men to helpe him vp into the pulpit that this was wrought by a contemptible and very base and straunge meanes meaning Martin and his sonnes libels c. not once dreamed off by a thousand of Gods saintes and that when their creastes meaning the Bishops were set vp and they began to say all is ours then their presumption was dashed daunted and taken downe They might as well haue signified vnto vs in what tearmes and reputation her Maiestie her Parliaments her Lords her Iudges and her lawes do stand and hold with the people In dealing as they haue done by their particular supplications and motions vnto her Highnes and vnto their LL s. their intents to that purpose when the time shall serue if in the meane while they be not preuented are not ablie disclosed For otherwise it might haue sufficed them to haue deliuered their discontentments in priuate manner by writing both to her Maiestie their LL s and other in authority thereby to haue discharged their consciences without their publishing of them in Printe to the world except their purpose had likewise beene by that lewd meanes to haue brought them all into contēpt as well as the Bishops What priuate man if his friend should write a letter vnto him and lay open in the same eyther truely or falsely many great crimes to his charge afterward should by Printing or any other waies publish it could otherwise account of his dealing therein but that he meant to make him thereby odious to the world or at the least to be of no great account or estimation Queene Marie was of nature disposition very mild and pitifull and yet because shee suffered such crueltie superstition to be practised maintained in her days you haue heard by the consistorian propositions before mentioned what was resolued by Goodman Whittingham Gilby the rest of the Geneuians against her concerning her deposition c. Which is a matter that would be wel considered-of and in time prouided-for accordingly considering that these our home-bred Sicophantes men of the Geneua mould as proud and presumptuous as any that euerliued do charge the present state vnder her Maiestie as before it is noted with such great impietie corruption idolatrie superstition and barbarous persecution Which may touch her highnesse as neerely by their doctrine for maintayning the present state as Queene Marie was for defending of Poperie Well the conclusion of this Booke is this vz that seeing our English consistorians do labour more vehemently or
at the least as egerly per fas nefas by slaunder reproch and malitious practises to discredit all those that withstand them in their desires for the Geneua-like discipline as any other Scottish Ministers Papistes or old Geneuians haue laboured to discredit those that maintayned al kind of Popery Idolatry and superstition it is to be feared least they proceede in the Geneua Resolution as their fellowes whō they do imitate in Scotland or rather whom they do excell haue done before them The end of the second Booke THE THIRD BOOKE OF DISCIPLINARY GROVNDES and Practises CHAP I. The practises of certaine English Reformers for Discipline from the yeare 1560. vntill the yeare 1572. AS in Scotland when they could not obtaine their desires for the full establishing of their booke of Discipline by lawfull authority they procured such priuate subscription therunto as they were able and so fell themselues to the practise of it as it hath beene said in the sixt chapter of the first Booke euen so haue our men in England of the same consort and faction proceeded in effect vpon the like occasion for their new platforme but yet in a different manner For the first ten or eleuen yeares of her Maiesties raign through the peeuish frowardnes the out-cries and exclamations of those that came home from Geneua against the garments prescribed to Ministers and other such like matters no man of any experience is ignorant what great contention and strife was raysed insomuch as their sectaries deuided themselues from their ordinary congregations and meeting together in priuate houses in woods fields had and kept there their disorderly and vnlawfull conuenticles These kinds of assemblies notwithstanding the inconuenience and absurdnes of them in a Church reformed M. Cartwright within a while after tooke vppon him in sort to defend saying that the name of conuenticles was too light and contemptuous for them About the twelfth yeare of her highnesse said gouernment these malecontents growing weary of the foresaide dissentions and being of restlesse dispositions began to stir vp new quarrels concerning the Geneua Discipline being the matter indeede which they still aymed at in all their former proceedings Herevpon the 14. of her Maiesty two admonitions were framed and exhibited to the high Court of Parliament The first contayned their pretended griefes with a declaration forsooth of the onely way to reforme them vz. by admitting of that platforme which was there described This admonition finding small entertainement the authors or chief preferrers thereof being imprisoned out commeth the second admonition towardes the end of the same Parliament with great lightning and thunder as though heauen and earth shoulde haue met together because of the little regard which was had before to the former admonition In this second admonition the first is wholly iustified the Parliament as it hath beene shewed is mightily challenged great wordes are vsed and in plaine tearmes it is there affirmed That if they of that assembly woulde not then followe the aduise of the first admonition they would surely themselues be their owne caruers The Church say they may and must keepe God his orders and surely this is only God his order vz. the sayd platforme ought to bee vsed in his Church so that in conscience wee are forced to speake for it and to vse it Whereupon presently after the sayd Parliament vz. the twentieth of Nouember 1572. there was a Presbytery erected at Wandesworth in Surrey as it appeareth by a bill endorsed with Master Fields hande thus the order of Wandesworth In which order the Elders names eleuen of them are set downe the manner of their election is declared the approuers of them one Smith of Micham and Crane of Roughampton are mentioned their offices and certaine generall rules then giuen vnto them to bee obserued were likewise agreed vpon and described CHAP. II. The secrete meetinges for Discipline and the matters handled in them here in England from 1572 till 1583. HOwe they grew to be so farre gone at Wandesworth that I find not they of London at that time were nothing so forward And yet as it appeareth by the lawfull deposition and othe of one then of that faction but now a very honest man a Batcheller of Diuinity and an auncient Preacher they had then their meetings of Ministers tearmed brethren in priuate houses in London as namely of Field Wilcox Standen Iackson Bonham Seinctloe Crane and Edmondes which meetinges were called conferences according to the plot in the first and second admonitions mentioned In these London-meetings at the first little was debated but against subscription the attyre and booke of common prayer Marry after saith he that Charke Trauers Barber Gardiner Cheston and lastly Crooke and Egerton ioyned themselues into that brotherhood then the handling of the Discipline began to be rise then many motions were made and conclusions were set downe As for example That forasmuch as diuers bookes had beene written and sundry petitions exhibited to her Maiesty the Parliament their LL s and yet to little purpose therefore euery man should labour by all the meanes he could to bring into the Church the said reformation themselues That the present gouernement of the Church by Archbishops Bishops was Antichristian that the only Discipline gouernment of Christ as they termed it vz. by Pastors Doctors Elders and Deacons should be established in place of the other That for the better bringing in of the said forme of Discipline they should not onely aswell publikely as priuately teach it but by little and little as much as possibly they might draw the same into practise though they concealed the names either of Presbytery Elder or Deacon making little account of the name for the time so that their offices might be secretly established There was an assembly of three-score Ministers appointed out of Essex Cambridge-shiere and Norfolke to meete the eighth of May 1582. at Cockefield Maister Knewstubs towne there to conferre of the common booke what might be tollerated what necessarily to be refused in euery point of it apparel matter forme dayes fastings iniunctions c. Of this meeting it is thus reported Our meeting was appointed to be kept very secretely and to be made knowne to none c. That this assembly was also kept accordingly it appeareth by these words Concerning the meeting I hope all things were so proceeded in as your self would like of aswell for reuerence to other brethren as for other matters I suppose before this time some of the company haue told you by word for that was permitted vnto you Another meeting was also appointed to be helde that yeare at the Commencement in Cambridge as is plaine by these wordes Concerning the Commencement I like well your motion desiring it might so come to passe and that it be procured to be as generall as might be which may easily be brought to passe if you at London shall so thinke well of it and
about it But we haue taken order for our monthly assembly and after our owne consents yeelded vnto it for associating other into our companie whom we shall thinke approued And an other We hartilie giue God thanks sayth one for the godly most Christian paines of the brethren in the trauaile of the Discipline which is come to our hands to be considered-of Gelibrands letter of his receit of the booke of Discipline was written in the name of the brethren in Oxford At which time there was another Synode held in London whither sayth the letter Maister West and Maister Browne were sent from Oxford to whom they referred the estate of their Church to be related and by whom they desired to vnderstand directions from the Synode how they might deale afterwardes in those matters Within a while after vz. 1587. as I suppose there was in like sort an assemblie or Synode helde of the Cambridgeshire brotherhood accompanied peraduenture with some of other shires About which time also vpon the new edition of the foresayd booke the further practise of the Discipline mentioned by Cholmeley 1583. as is before shewed began to spread it selfe more freely into the most parts of the Realme but especially for ought I doo yet vnderstand it was most friendly intertained amongst the ministers of Northamptonshire as it appeareth in recorde by some of their owne depositions 16. of May 1590. in these wordes following About two yeares and a halfe since the whole shire was diuided into three Classes 1. The Classis of Northamptonshire consisting of these Ministers Maister Snape Maister Penrie Maister Sibthorpe Maister Edwards Maister Littleton Maister Bradshaw Maister Larke Maister Fleshware Maister Spicer c. 2. The Classis of Dauentrie side consisting of these Maister Barebon Maister Rogers Maister King Maister Smart Maister Sharpe Maister Prowdloe Maister Elliston c. 3. The Classis of Kettring side consisting of these Master Stone Maister Williamson Maister Fawsbrooke Maister Patinson Maister Massey c. This deuise saith Maister Iohnson is commonly receiued in most parts of England as I haue heard in sundrie of our meetings but especially in Warwickshire Suffolke Norfolke Essex c. The maner of euery perticular Classis is this At their meeting which is alwaies in some priuate house but yet in their Mother Cities first a moderator is chosen in this sort one of them conceiueth a praier for Gods direction in that choyse Then he that conceiued the praier sitteth alone in scrutonie and euery one giueth his voice secretlie vnto him He that hath most voyces is chosen The moderator thus chosen conceiueth another praier that God would blesse him in the course of his office Then being set at the tables end with his brethren by him the names of all the brethren are called If any were absent at their first sitting downe he sitteth after in order as he commeth for auoiding of superioritie The authoritie of the moderator endureth vntill the next meeting of that Classis At the breaking vp of euery Classis there is euer some certaine time appointed when they shall meete againe which is sometime within a fortnight but commonly three weeks at the furthest If any thing do fall out in the meane time fit to be consulted vpon the moderator may call the Classis together sooner according to an order made amongst themselues It is a generall order that when any is admitted into a Classis he doth promise vnder his hand that he will submit himselfe and be obedient to all such orders and decrees as shall be set down by the same Classis to be obserued As for example these were part of the particular articles whereunto euerie one of Northampton Classis did subscribe at his entring or admittance into it we doo promise to submit our selues vnto such orders and decrees as shall be set downe by our Classis We do promise to submit our selues to be censured by our brethren of this Classis in all matters concerning doctrine and Discipline c. In this Classis it was furthermore concluded and agreed vpon that when any controuersie did arise touching any matters of doctrine or about the interpretation of any place of Scriptures euerie one of that Classis should alwaies yeeld therein vnto that interpretation and resolution which the brethren of that Classis should determine of And so also when any questions did rise amongest them of greater difficultie As for example Maister Stone mooued this question to the Northampton Classis in the behalfe of one vz. two are contracted one of them marrieth with a third hee or shee so married are free againe The question is whether the former contract doo nowe againe binde And the resolution was it did not which was a false Resolution The determinations and acts concluded vpon in this Classis were registred in a booke by Snape chosen Register by the companie and who alwaies kept the same Besides these perticular Classes there is another kind of meeting which is termed the Assembly And it consisteth for example in Northamptonshire of the number of six that is two of euery Classis which are sent thither by election The ordinarie place of this assembly in Northāptonshire was at Northampton where Snape commonly was one and a chiefe man Barbon King were the men that vsually came from Dauentry side and Stone and Williamson from Kettring side At the meeting of the sixe there is alwaies a moderator first chosen in manner and forme as in the Classis and so likewise for their further order of proceeding The moderator continueth his authoritie ouer all the three Classes vntill the like meeting happen again which is neuer certain But yet commonly within six or eight weeks vpon occasion signified from the Classes vnto this moderator For vnto him belongeth the calling of this assembly The matters which here are handled are those of great moment such as concerne the state of the Church generally As for example the writing of letters to the brethren at Oxford Cambridge London to certifie them of their proceedings to know what course is held amongst them in those places for the Discipline and gouernement which they tearme Reformation to the intent that the particular Classes vpon their aduertisements may direct themselues and their Churches accordingly It is likewise alwaies concluded at such times which of the sixe assembled shall penne the letters And in this choise Snape was commonly the man The men to whom they vsuallie did write were one in Cambridge Trauers in London and Gelibrand in Oxford When any answeres were returned from those places they were commonly directed to Snape or to him that had written to them in the name of the brethren Two especiall points I remember were concluded in this assemblie the one was for a suruay of all the Churches in Northhamptonshire th'other for an order to bee obserued at the last Parliament which then drew neere The suruay was to
know what euerie benefice in the shire was worth how many soules by a generall coniecture were in euerie parish who were the incumbents and of what life paines and qualities they were To this purpose the fittest men and such as were best acquainted in the shire were nominated as Litleton for Haddon Deanerie c. Which duetie he performed for his part to the vttermost and brought a most rayling Discourse against euery Minister which was not of our companie The end propounded of this suruey was vz. that if vpon signification to the brethren abroad what was done there they would likewise make the like suruey in other countries the Parliament if neede required and to the better furthering of their purposes might haue a generall viewe of all the Ministers in England that impugned their desires The second point before mentioned was this vz. a conclusion to send vp to London one or two of euerie Classis in Northhamptonshire with letters of credite to attend at the Parliament to ioine themselues with the brethren of other countries and to offer disputation if it should be so thought meete and to vndertake any other such matter as should then and there be determined of amongst them and that there should be letters written of this resolution to know how the brethren abroad liked it or what other course they would hold at that time for the bringing in of Discipline and Church gouernement These two points were penned by Snape and sent to the brethren abroad as it was ordered What answere was returned to Snape from the brethren in Oxford Cambridge I know not but well I remember that Trauerse did write to Snape a very cunning Letter wherein he shewed himselfe not to mislike the foresaid suruay to be generallie made but signified that the Parliament drawing on so fast it could not be done so soone But for the second point that he writ was liked and meete to be followed Whereupon the Classes of Northamptonshire did send vp some three or fower as Settle for Northampton Rogers for Dauentry c. with a further conclusion that if any of them vpon occasion should be committed others should be sent vp in their places Although the time was short for the generall accomplishing of these forenamed pointes yet this examinate thinketh some thing was done in the first vz. as hee hath heard a suruay was made to the purpose before touched of the Ministers in Northfolke Suffolke and Essex And for the second true it was that many were sent to attend at the Parliament from the most parts of England And one resolution was that some twenty or thirty of them should haue come in their gownes with all grauitie to the Parliament-house-dore and there haue desired by petition a disputation Furthermore concerning some censures vsed there was a generall consent and purpose amongest the brethren touching a secret kinde of excommunication for examples sake A lay man committeth some sinne One of the Elders was to admonish him The partie is obstinate The Elder must take two or three with him the second time And if this serue not then he is to be debarred from the communion In this case if the said party shuld notwithstanding intrude himselfe to communicate then it was agreed to repell him vppon pretence of certaine words in the communion booke So as thereby they might keepe their owne course for their Discipline and yet haue a cloake to couer them withall out of the booke Againe an other thing is notable to this effect About a yeare and a halfe a goe Iohn Nelson of Northampton an Elder or a Deacon of Saint Peters as I thinke hauing eyther his daughter or his sister gotten with childe in his house by one of his seruants Master Snape dealt with the said seruant to vrge him to publicke repentaunce and at the last so farre preuailed with him as it was thought that he promised the next sunday so to doe but came not Whereupon Snape made a verie bitter Sermon against him The next Sonday he came indeede And then Snape made a long praier that God would giue him grace to make a faithfull acknowledgement of his sinne c. That done the penitentiary made publique confession c. Which being perfourmed Snape absolued him and then entred into a great discourse how cleare the partie was and free from that sinne committed euen as though he had bin newlie born charging the congregation that no man should presume at any time after to obiect the same vnto him But that which was most wondred at whereas this poore man was thus dealt withall Snape caused lame Prettie a Souldier of Barwicke who without any calling in the Church at all sauing that he had a tolleration to read did such seruice in that place as was appointed by Snape to bee read till he came to Church the next morning to marrie the saide penitentiarie to the woman with childe before named without anie bringing of her vnto anie such publicke repentance Hereof grew amongst the people great speech that the pore man was so vsed the cicher mans sister or daughter was so freed The saide lame Souldier hath married manie in that place vpon Snapes commaundement for that Snape holdeth that dutie to appertaine no more to the Ministers office then to anie other man And as touching that point mentioned of the bretherens submitting of themselues by subscription to be censured in their Classis it was thus vsed in the Northampton Classis The brethren being together in a chamber the partie to be first censured as they were all to be in course goeth forth out of the chamber Then the moderator asketh euery mans opinion of him how he behaueth himselfe aswell in his life as in his Ministerie and euerie man hauing spoken his opinion the partie is called in and then if he were not any way touched he is greatly commended if otherwise then reprooued as the causes require For example Edwards of Cortnall comming vnder this censure was blamed for vsing the Crosse in Baptisme and at his comming-in againe was wonderfull sharpely dealt withall for the same Thus farre Maister Iohnson of the Northampton Classis With whom doe also agree in the principall points Maister Littleton as touching the same Classis Maister Sharpe Maister Walker Preachers and persons deposed concerning the Classis of Dauentry side and Maister Stone a Preacher likewise vpon his oth for that of Kettring side One or two points I may not omitte which Maister Stone hath deliuered He confesseth that at diuers times Maister Snape Master Barbon Maister Sharpe Maister Prowdloe Maister King Maister Iohnson Maister Sibthorp Maister Spicer Maister Baxter Maister Littleton Maister Williamson Maister Bradshaw Maister Fleshware Maister Harrison and hee haue mette in Northampton and likewise at Kettring and at his house the most of them with some others as Maister Rishbrooke Maister Atkinson Maister Dauyes Maister Massye Maister Okes c. about matters of discipline And he saith further
that in an assembly had either at his house or at Kettring it was propounded treated and concluded that the Apocrypha writings were not to be read in the Church And in an other assembly which of them he doth not remember he affirmeth likewise that it was debated and concluded vpon that the superiority of the Bishops of this land ouer the rest of the Ministers is not warranted by the word of God To these depositions concerning the Northamptonshire Classes I might adde the depositions of one maister Parker Vicar of Dedham in Essex for the proofe of the Classes in that shire as of one about Brayntree side consisting of these Ministers maister Culuerwell maister Rogers maister Gifford c. another about Colchester consisting of these Ministers Doctor Chapman Doctor Chricke maister Dowe maister Farrar maister Newman master Tey c. and so likewise the depositions of others Ego singulis sabbatis si non alius adueniens locum suppleat cum prescripta leiturgias formula nihil habens cōmertij in coetu concionem habeo idque reuerendorum fratrum consilio qui suos habent singulis ferè hebdomadis conuentus qui etiam me in eorum numerum sic est mihi propitius Deus benigne ascripserunt I preach euery Sabbaoth day if no other that commeth by chance doth supply the place hauing nothing to do at all with the forme or booke of Common Prayer and that by the counsell of the reuerend brethren who haue their meetings almost euery weeke who haue also God being so mercifull vnto me admitted me very kindly into their number But in following of that course I should be too tedious I will onely set downe one mans witnesse more agreeing with Master Iohnson for the proofe that the like Classes are or haue beene held in most Shires in England and so referring you to iudge of them all by that of Northampton I will goe forward About two yeares since Maister Snape did say and affirme in the presence of Edward Smith Robert Vicars Edward Birde Richard Holmes himselfe that there were three or foure small Classes of Ministers in euery shire where there were any learned Preachers who did vse in their meetinges to debate of the Discipline by Pastors Doctors Elders Deacons and that the said seuerall small Classes did send their resolutions and opinions to the greater assemblies at Cambridge at Sturbridge Fayre time and at London at Bartholomew Fayre time which did meete together also for the same purpose and that if the said great assembly did like of that which was done by the smaller Classes then was the same so liked of generally concluded to be that which ought to be or stand in the Church As for example That it was concluded and agreed vpon both in the said Classicall and generall assemblies that the dumbe ministerie was no ministerie or else no lawfull ministerie and that the Ministers in their seuerall charges should all teach one kind of doctrine tending to the erecting of the foresaid gouernement by Pastors Doctors Elders and Deacons which pointes sayth Holmes of himselfe in another examination were concluded in the Synode at Sturbridge Fayre last vz. 1588. CHAP. VI. A Synode is held at Couentrie 1588. many questions are resolued the booke of Discipline is subscribed vnto THere is mention made in the last chapter of a Synode or meeting 1587. of the Cambridgeshire Classicall Ministers and peraduenture of some others also with them In which meeting there were certain questions propounded dealt in the which questions were afterwards sent by their direction to the Warwickshire Classes or brethren assembled in those parts to bee further intreated of and resolued The next yeare after vz. 1588. the saide Warwickeshire Classes c. assembling themselues together in councel as it seemeth at Couentry the questions mentioned were determined vpon and besides other matters were also concluded as by the acts themselues following to be shewed vnder Maister Wights hand and are acknowledged in effect vppon two mens othes in the Starre-chamber may sufficiently appeare Thus the proceedinges of that meeting are intituled Acta conuentus Classium Warwic die decimo quarti 1588. The Acts of the assembly of the Warwickeshire Classes the tenth day of the fourth moneth And touching the questions specified Questiones a fratribus ex Synodo Cantabrigiensi anno superiore delatae eâ quae sequitur formulâ sunt explicatae The questions brought the other yeare from the brethren of the Cambridge Synode are resolued in manner as followeth I will not trouble my paper with the fourme which they vsed but these were some of their resolutions vz. That priuate Baptisme is vnlawfull That it is not lawfull to read homilies in the Church That the signe of the Crosse is not to be vsed in Baptisme That the faithfull ought not to communicate with vnlearned ministers although they may be present at their seruice if they come of purpose to heare a sermon The reason is because lay men aswell as ministers may read publike seruice That the calling of Bishops c. is vnlawfull That as they deale in causes ecclesiasticall there is no duety belonging vnto them nor any publikely to be giuen them That it is not lawful to be ordained by thē into the ministery or to denounce either suspensions or excommunications sent from thē That it is not lawfull to rest in the Bishops depriuation of any from the ministerie except vpon consultation with the neighborministers adioyning and his flocke it seeme so good vnto them but that he continue in the same vntill he be compelled to the contrary by ciuill force That it is not lawfull to appeare in a Bishops Court but with protestation of their vnlawfulnes That Bishops are not to be acknowledged either for Doctors Elders or Deacons as hauing no ordinary calling That touching the restauration of their Ecclesiasticall discipline it ought to be taught to the people data occasione as occasion should serue That nondum as yet the people are not to be solicited publicè publickly to the practise of the discipline donec till they be better instructed in the knowledge of it That men of better vnderstanding are to be allured priuatly to the present imbracing of the Discipline and practise of it as far as they shall be well able with the peace of the Church And thus farre the prouinciall Synode of the Warwickeshire Classis Likewise at that time there was in the same assembly a great approbation obtained of the foresaid booke of Discipline as to be a draught of Discipline essentiall necessarie for all times and certaine articles being deuised in approbation and for the maner of the vse of that booke were then brought forth treated-of and subscribed vnto as Maister Nutter Maister Cleuely two that were then present haue deposed by Maister Cartwright Maister Fenne Maister Wight c. who promised to guide themselues by the saide Discipline and according to it as it is set downe in the
and all in effect that was laid to their charges was discouered His Letters were intercepted wherein he writeth after this sort Reuerend and beloued this day Aprill the 7. I haue beene againe before the Commissioners After much adoo I obtained to see and peruse the Articles against mee but briefly and in their presence onely they are many 36. 37. besides those vnder mine owne hand and very large some twelue some twenty lines long consisting of many branches As far as I could for the time conceaue and remember they may be referred to these two heads some concerning may selfe together with others and some touching my selfe alone The former sort are touching Classes and Synodes wherein there are mentioned particular places London Oxford Cambridge times Act Commencement Sturbridge fayre Tearme persons Cartwright Perkins Trauers Charke Egerton Barbon Stone Snape Knewstub Allin Dike diuers others c. and some things dealt in and agreed vpon c. By all which besides many other thinges specified it is most euident that they haue manifest and certaine knowledge not onely of generals but also of specials and particulars Beloued I haue twise appeared before the high Commissioners the first time the issue was prison the second close prison This is my state now the causes of both and the proceedings in both you stall receaue of Maister Knightlye the former more large in a Dialogue the latter more briefly in a Letter both vnperfect both vnperused reade them and returne them with what speede you may for I haue now no coppy of them let them be wisely kept lest they breede more anger I haue procured another coppy to be sent to Master Stone that in both places you might be forewarned forearmed Touching the conferences those of our Countrey are yet more particularly discouered persons besides those there named Kinge of Coleworth Prowdloe of Weeden c. Spicer of Cogenho Edwardes of Cortenhall c. places Sharpes house at Fawseley Snapes chamber at Northampton c. Si quis coniecturae sit locus I would iudge Iohn Iohnson to haue beene the man because to my remembrance persons and thinges of his time beeing mentioned hee onely is not named Whosoeuer and howsoeuer wee see the Lord calleth vs to be more resolute They will not they cannot be any longer concealed now whether it were better and more safe that one man with the consent of the rest should boldly freely and wisely confesse and lay open c. or that some weake or wicked man shoulde without consent and in euill sort acknowledge c. Iudge you the thing they ayme-at is A conuenticle It must come to tryall In the cause of murther c. it is wont to be enquired whether the party fled vpon it consider and apply to this matter and the Lord giue vs wisedome in all things It were good you sent to T. C. with speede CHAP. IX Cartwright is called for by authority a Synode is held in London it is there resolued that he shall refuse to be examined vppon his othe AFterwarde the same yeare before mentioned 1590. in September as I take it Maister Cartwright vpon occasion was sent for by the sayd Commissioners Now about a weeke or a fortnight before Cartwright was committed sayth Maister Stone whereas the question mentioned by Snape to Barbon the brethren which as it seemeth troubled them all vz. whether it were not fit that one man with the consent of the rest should boldly freely and wisely confesse and lay open c. came to be disputed in London There was a Synode or meeting held at Maister Gardiners by these brethren Maister Cartwright Maister Charke Maister Trauerse Maister Egerton Maister Cardiner Maister Barbon Maister Barber maister Oxenbridge maister Gelibrand master Culuerwel my selfe and certaine other Ministers and they did then and there debate and consider amongst themselues whether it were fit or conuenient that the said maister Cartwright after his commitment to prison should discouer or reueale all or any the matters which passed in conference and disputation in any of their former assemblies or not What the resolution hereof was whether through the examiners ouersight or Maister Stones peruersenesse I know not but it is not set downe Howbeit the effects which followed do make it manifest For maister Cartwright about the time before limited being conuented and moued in the Consistory at Paules by the Bishop of London the then two Lordes chiefe Iustices maister Iustice Gawdy maister Sergeant Puckering now Lord Keeper of the great Scale of England maister Attorney Generall now Lorde Chiefe Iustice of England and diuers others her Maiesties Commissioners then present to take his oth to answere to certaine Interrogatories yet notwithstanding that the chiefe points of them were then deliuered in generall tearmes vnto him that the said both honourable and graue persons did euery man seuerally assure him vpon their credits that by the lawes of the Realme he was bound to take his oath therevpon to answere as he was required he desired to be borne withall and said that hee thought he was not bound by the lawes of God so to do CHAP. X. Further proofe for their practise of their Discipline collected out of the rules of their subscribed booke IF hitherto as yet the point I haue in hand be not sufficiently prooued vz. that our English reformers haue attempted after the Scottish Ministers fashion to bring into the Church of England their pretended Disciplinarian gouernement of themselues and by their owne authority without any further staying as they had done for the ciuill Magistrate albeit they pretende now the contrary then it is fit that I produce some further matter to this purpose Amongst sundry things in the said booke of Discipline let these few be well considered of weighed It is there sayd Presbyterium in singulis ecclesiis constituendum est there ought to be erected in euery Church a Presbyterie Now if they had meant as it is pretended not to haue put their book or at the least some chiefe parts thereof in practise vntill it should haue beene established by Act of Parliament they would haue sayde for constituendum est there ought to bee erected constituatur let there bee erected in euery parish a Presbyterie Againe in all their assemblies prescribed in the booke this was one point to be still inquired of vtrum disciplina vigeat whether the Discipline had any life in it or were esteemed or continued which question had beene friuolous and very vnmeete to haue beene continued as prescribed by Law if the Discipline it selfe had beene allowed by Act of Parliament before that question should haue beene moued Furthermore saith the booke in funeribus desuescendum est commodè ab habendis concionibus quod periculum sit ne superstitionem quorundam foueant aut vanitati inseruiant The Preachers must leaue-of by little and little as they may conueniently to preach at burials least thereby they
nourish the superstition of some men or giue ouer themselues to the preseruation of vanity Likewise festi dies sunt commodè abolendi holy daies as we tearme them must be abolished commode as they may handsomely Nowe if this booke had not beene meant to haue beene put in practise in these two pointes before it had come forth authorised by law they would haue said for the reasons alledged from henceforth let there be or it is ordered that there shall be no more preaching at burials nor holy dayes obserued or let them henceforth be abolished Moreouer reliquae liturgiae tota ratio in sacramentorum administratione ex vsu ecclesiae in nuptiarum benedictione consist it Cuius forma commodissima est quae ab ecclesiis vsurpatur quae disciplinam ex Dei verbo instaurârunt The rest of the liturgy doth consist in the administration of the Sacraâ—ents and as the vse of the Church is in blessing of mariages The forme whereof is most fit and commodious that is vsed by those Churches which haue erected the discipline according to the worde of God In the Parliament 27. of her Maiestie as I remember the brethren hauing made another booke tearmed at that time A booke of the forme of common prayers c. and contayning in it the effect of their whole pretended discipline the same booke was penned altogether statute and lawlike and their petition in the behalfe of it was vz. May it therefore please your maiesty c. that it may be enacted c. that the booke hereunto annexed c. intituled a booke of the forme of common prayers administration of Sacraments c. and euery thing therein contained may be from henceforth authorized put in vre practised throughout all your maiesties dominions See here when they hoped to haue attained their purposes by law and to haue had the same accordingly established they offered to the Parliament a booke of their own for the forme of common praiers c. and thought it as it seemeth altogether inconuenient to leaue euery minister to his owne choyse to vse what forme hee list other then such as were allowed in some Church which had receiued the Discipline for any such they liked-of indefinitly Whereby it to me it seemeth manifest that they neuer meant to haue required the enacting of that Chapter de reliquis liturgiae officijs but onely to set downe what course their bretheren should follow for the interim vntill they might take further order for a booke of their owne Lastly in all this whole booke of Discipline there is not once mention made of any authority or office in or ouer the Church belonging to the Christian ciuill Magistrate Hee hath not so much as either voyce or place in any of their Synodes as a member thereof except he be chosen to be an Elder He hath not any power assigned vnto him to call a Synode no though it bee a Nationall Synode nor so much as to appoint the particular times or places of their meetinges nor which is most strange so much as that his assent is to be required to any of their Canons But all these thinges are set downe in this booke as of right to appertaine vnto their Ministers and Elders For the tryall whereof I must needes referre you to the booke it selfe which is in many mens handes where you shall finde the brethren ascribe that to themselues which in the greatest darkenes of Popery all the BB s. in the Land for ought I doo remember durst neuer challenge Which is a proofe sufficient that either they meant by cunning to haue depriued her Maiesty by her owne consent of all her regall authority in these and such like causes of the Church as not of right belonging vnto her which they will not acknowledge or otherwise that they had agreed without her consent to take this authority vnto themselues which if they had any conscience they would not stick to confesse that being assuredly their currant doctrine as in some other place it shall hereafter more fully appeare But it may be said that these are onely collections Well let them be as they are Indeede there is no cause why I should stand vpon collections hauing yet in store most euident demonstrations CHAP. XI Further proofe for their practise of their Discipline out of the articles they subscribed THere hath beene often mention made of the articles whereunto the brethren subscribed for their allowance and practise of the sayd booke of Discipline and they are worde for worde as here I doo set them downe according to the deposition of those that subscribed vnto them and as they are to bee shewed vnder Maister Wights hand We the brethren assembled together in the name of God hauing heard and examined by the word of God according to our best abilitie and iudgement in it a draught of discipline essential and necessary for all times and Synodicall gathered out of the Synodes and vse of the Churches haue thought good to testifie concerning it as followeth We acknowledge and confesse the same agreeable to Gods most holy word so farre as we are able to iudge or discerne of it excepting some fewe pointes which wee haue sent to our Reuerend brethren of this assembly for their further resolution We affirme it to be the same which wee desire to be established in this Church by daily praier to God which we promise as God shall offer oportunity and giue vs to discerne it so expedient by humble suit vnto her Maiesties honour able Councell and the Parliament and by all other lawfull and conuenient meanes to further and aduance so farre as the lawes and peace and the present estate of our Church will suffer it and not enforce to the contrary We promise to guide our selues and to be guided by it and according to it For more especiall declaration of some points more important and necessarie we promise vniformely to follow such order when we preach the word of God as in the booke by vs is set downe in the Chapters of the office of Ministers of the word of preaching or sermons of Sacraments of Baptisme and of the Lords supper Further also wee promise to followe the order set downe in the Chapters of the meetings as farre as it concerneth the Ministers of the worde For which purpose we promise to meete euery sixe weekes together in Classicall conferences with such of the brethren here assembled as for their neighbourhood may fit vs best and such other as by their aduise we shall be desired to ioyne with vs. The like wee promise for Prouinciall meetinges euery halfe yeare from our conferences to sende vnto them as is set downe in the Chapter concerning the Prouinces and the conferences belonging vnto them beeing deuided according to the order following Likewise also that we will attend the generall assembly euerie yeare and at all Parliaments and as often as by order it shall be thought good to be assembled Hitherto
the Articles Now by these articles and by their subscription vnto them it is most euident that the pretences made by some are but meerly shiftes as that their purpose onely was to haue the booke in readines against a Parliament and that they subscribed the articles to no other ende but onely to testifie their agreement in iudgement for that they were charged to disagree amongst themselues For if that had beene their intent it had beene sufficiently performed by subscribing to the first article onely But they proceede-on further and entred into a certaine league or association binding themselues by promise vnder their hands what they for their owne partes will attempt and as they might perfourme In the second article as it is apparant there are other lawfull meanes promised to bee vndertaken for the aduancing of the Discipline then prayers to God and supplications to her Maiesty and the Parliament Whereupon Maister Litleton a subscriber being examined what hee vnderstoode those meanes to bee answereth vpon his oath that he thinketh their priuate conferences were meant to be those lawfull meanes mentioned in the article Which is according to the resolution of the brethren in of London set downe before out of Maister Edmondes examination vz. that seeing they could not preuaile by sute to the State the Ministers themselues should set vp the Discipline as they should bee able And Maister Iohnson is also as direct vppon his oath to the same effect saying It was a generall conclusion amongst all the Classes and brethren that forasmuch as the Discipline required by petitions could not bee publikely established by lawe it was thought in conscience necessary to establish it and practise it priuately to which purpose also euery man was to vse his endeuour to encrease the number of such as would conforme themselues that way Againe it is promised in the same Article that they would proceede with their sayd meanes for the aduancement of their Discipline so far as the peace of the present state of our Church would suffer Now how farre that is it hath beene before touched in the decrees of one of their Synodes 1583. for as men most strangely bewitched they imagined that they could so cunningly play their feates as that they might in effect set vp their owne Discipline secretely vnder hand and yet neuer disturbe the present gouernement of the Church For as peace is heere taken in their sense one King or gouernement may inuade another with all kinde of hostility and say as they doo that they meane but peace The truth is they may haue peace in their mouths but in their actions there is nothing lesse So as this their restraint being but a vaine pretence doth no way indeed impaeach my assertion Furthermore whereas also it followeth in the same article and not enforce to the contrarie Maister Littleton being examined vpon his oath what that should meane answereth that he himselfe Maister Snape Maister Proudloe and others did agree to put the said articles and Discipline in execution and practise so far as the peace and the present estate of the Church will suffer and not enforce to the contrarie That is to say till the Magistrate did enioyne them or enforce them to leaue the practise of the said Discipline and in another place till the Magistrate did inhibite them to the contrarie and force them to leaue it And further hee also sayth that they did agree to guide themselues by the said booke of Discipline and according to it with the same limitation Now what if by their secret practises to drawe away the peoples harts from the present gouernement of the Church they could haue procured such strength and number to haue followed them as that no reasonable restraint or force of the Magistrate had bin able to haue encountred and suppressed them I doo but aske the question In the rest of the Articles there are but two generall points the one contained in the third Article concerning the vniformitie which they promise to vse in their Ministery and the other is as touching their agreement to follow the orders set downe for their meetinges Classicall contained in the fourth Prouinciall in the fift Nationall in the sixt article So as where before in the second Article they had mentioned other meanes whereby they had promised to aduance their Discipline besides praiers to God and supplications to her Maiestie they doo nowe in part explane themselues in the other Article following and doo set downe what meanes they that were Ministers would vse and put in practise for the aduauncement of it vz. the two points mentioned that is their vniformity in preachings and their meetinges according to Master Littletons deposition in these words they meant by those meanes in the second Article their conferences as he thinketh But to carry this matter past thinking let Master Fen be heard who saith that he agreed to put some things of the booke in execution according to the subscription let Master Lord be heard who sayth that he agreed to put some things of the said booke in practise as in the Articles is contained But let their Coryphaeus Maister Cartwright himselfe be heard who sayth that he agreed to put two points of the Articles in execution vz. touching the order of preaching and touching the assemblies CHAP. XII It is confessed that they agreed to put one point of their booke in practise without her Maiesties assent what it is of strange names giuen to children NOw because it appeareth in the thirde fourth fift and sixt of the sayd Articles that concerning both these points they referre themselues to certain Chapters of their booke of Discipline I haue thought it very conuenient to set downe out of the said Chapters some of those particulars which by their said subscription they bound themselues to practise without any further staying for the ciuil Magistrate and withall to adioyne some part of their constancie if so I may abuse a good worde in the perfourming of their promises touching the said particulars Maister Littleton beeing sworne dealeth as it seemeth very directly to this purpose for as he saith concerning the contents of the foure last Articles hee for his part whilest hee was of that company perfourmed his promise and he thinketh that the rest that subscribed did the like But to the particulars and first of the first point The Minister that is to preach shall appoint the Psalme that is to be song c. After the Psalme let there be made a short admonition to the congregation howe they shall prepare themselues rightly to pray Let a Prayer followe containing the confession of sinnes c. and concluded with the Lords Prayer After the Sermon let Prayers be made for grace that the auditors may profite by the doctrine deliuered also for the whole Church and all particular callinges and let them end likewise with the Lords Prayer Then a Psalme c. and lastly let the
conclusion bee made with some short forme of blessing the congregation taken out of the Scriptures For the practise of this order I referre the proofe of it to all those who haue obserued the manner of any of the brethrens behauiour in their seuerall Churches The most of them that are but Doctors as they terme themselues and readers of Lectures in other mens charges do seldom or neuer come to the seruice which is read in the Church according to her Maiesties Lawes but vnder pretence of studying for their sermons doo absent themselues vntill seruice bee done or at the least almost finished and then they come in grauely I warrant you and doo goe to this their owne forme of seruice The rest of the fraternity that haue cures of their own some of them will haue a Parliament Minister as they terme him vnder them to say seruice and then he himselfe dealeth as it hath beene noted of the Doctor but others that are not able to haue such a one they for their safer standing as their tearme is doo vse some piece of our seruice-booke and peraduenture reade a lesson which things they affirme as it hath beene touched may be performed as wel by those that are not ministers as by them And then they in like sort doo begin their owne ministeriall function and proceede according to the foresaide fashion subscribed-vnto and promised But to proceede vnto their practise of other pointes of that booke The Preachers must leaue off by little and little as they may conueniently to preach at burials least thereby they nourish the superstition of some men or giue ouer themselues to the preseruation of vanity Let not women onely offer infants to Baptisme but the father if it may be conueniently or els some others in his name Let perswasions be vsed that such names as doo sauour either of Paganisme or Popery bee not giuen to children at their Baptisme but principally those whereof there are examples in the Scriptures Whether these pointes especially for two of them haue beene practised by the brethren or not the newe Churchyard in London and many brables in the country about vrging of the natural fathers to become Godfathers to their owne children c can more then sufficiently witnesse And for the third it is also sundry waies apparant For whence else doo these new names and fancies proceede The Lord is nere More-tryall Reformation Discipline Ioy-againe Sufficient From-aboue Free-gifts More-fruite Dust. and many other such like But Richard Hawgar of Northampton did first vnder his hande and after vppon his oath deliuer an especiall history to this purpose of giuing names Snape would not Baptise one Christopher Hodgkinsons childe because hee would haue the childe called Richard The order was this Hodgkinson obtained promise of Snape that he would christen his childe But saith Snape you must then giue it a Christian name allowed in the Scriptures The partie told him that his wiues father whose name was Richard desired the name Well saith Snape you must doe as I bidde you that when you come the congregation be not troubled But notwithstanding the said Hodgkinson not thinking it would haue beene made a matter of such importance the child was brought Snape proceeded in the action till hee came to the naming of the child And when he heard that they called the child Richard that they would giue him no other name hee staied there and would not in any wise Baptize the child And so the child was carried away thence was Baptized the weeke following at Alhallowes being named Richard Of likelyhoode the brethren haue founde this thing to be a matter of great importance that they wil rather leaue an infant vnbaptized then giue him such a name CHAP. XIII A second point of their Booke confessed to be agreed vpon for the practise of it without her Maiesties assent NOw I wil come to Master Cartwrights second point that is of the meetings and set downe the Chapters wherevnto in the Articles subscribed they referred themselues that thereby herafter no man that wil read them may doubt of their purpose of not staying for the Magistrate which are as follow so neere as I could by translation of them out of Latin expresse their meaning Mutuall conference is to bee practised in the Church by common assemblies but in these matters Ecclesiasticall are to bee handled and such chieflie as concerne those Churches whereof the assemblie doth consist They shall not determine except they be requested of anie thing touching other Churches but shall only decree that such matter is to be referred to the next greater assemblie Let the matters and order of thinges to be handled in them be thus Next after the view or calling of those that be present wherin withall the names of such as bee absent must be noted that in the next Assembly they may eyther yeeld sufficient reason of their absence or els bee censured by the iudgement of the assemblie first let the Acts of the next assemblie afore that was of the same sort bee read to the intent that if any thing of them were left then vndone it may be dispatched Then let those matters be done that are peculiar to the Assembly in hand And first let euerie of them deliuer the instructions from their Churches in the same order that they sit together with the Fiduciary or Letters of credence of the Churches next let there be * censures had of the Churches of that assembly whereby may bee vnderstood how they are framed and vsed whether the doctrine and the Discipline haue their course in them and whether the officers of them doe that which appertaineth and such like Besides let them decree those things that shall concerne eyther the common behoofe of all the Churches of that assemblie or of any one of them and this course will be sufficient enough for the view and ouersight of the Churches Lastly if it so seeme good let there bee inquirie Censures had euen of those which be delegated to meete in that Assemblie Such as are to meete in the Assemblies let them bee chosen by the Suffrages of those Churches or Assemblies that haue interest or to doe in it and out of these let such only be chosen as hath exercised some publike office in that Church eyther of a Minister or of an Elder and which hath subscribed both to the doctrine and Discipline and which haue vndertaken to behaue themselues in all things according to the word of God It shall be lawful for other Elders Ministers yea for Deacons and Students in Diuinitie by the appointment of the assemblie especially if they be such as doe exercise themselues in interpreting the Scriptures in the Assemblie to be both present to bee asked their iudgements these of the latter sort are therefore to be admitted that their iudgements to handle the affaires of the Church may hereby both be tried and sharpned Yet let
Delegats from all the Synods Prouincail that are within the dominion of one common-wealth Let the manner of calling it be the same that is appointed for calling the Prouinciall except the Synode it selfe shall take other order herein vz by some certaine Church yet so as the said Church doe appoint for place and time to holde it in such as the Prouinciall Synode of that Church which shall next ensue shall determine and thinke good For the Nationall Synode three Ministers and three Elders must be chosen out of euery Synode Prouinciall In it the common affaires of all the Churches of the whole nation and kingdome are to be handled as of Doctrine Discipline and ceremonies causes not decided in inferiour Assemblies Appellations and such like By the decree of the Nationall Synode one is to be chosen which shall reduce the commentaries or Actes of all the seuerall Churches into one body Hitherto concerning particular assemblies Now followes the vniuersall or oecumenicall Synode of the whole world And this is the Synode that consisteth and is gathered together of the chosen men out of euery particular Nationall Synode The Acts of all Synodes are to be reduced into one body And thus farre these Chapters of the meetings the particular points whereof maister Cartwright and his companions haue bound themselues by their subscriptions to put in practise without any further expectation for her Maiesties assent And according to these pointes as their numbers and oportunities haue serued their turnes they haue accomplished their bonds and promises as by that which hath beene saide and by depositions vppon othes concerning their meetinges and dealinges in them is most apparant to any that is not blinded with wilfull obstinacie CHAP. XIIII Moe points of their booke put in practise fasts calling of Ministers presbyteries censures c. FVrthermore also they haue not contented themselues with the execution of these thinges onely but they haue besides proceeded in like manner with the ful practising almost of all the rest of the booke It is most notorious that according to the doctrine thereof they haue taken vppon them to appoint publicke fasts and then especially they haue done it when their fellowes haue beene most busie to trouble the present estate of the Church Besides that these fasts with their seueral sermons and other prophecyings haue had another principal vse vz. as Lord did write to Fen of maister Cartwrights pleasure that the day following the brethren might talke of other matters Likewise saith maister Iohnson touching the election and making of ministers I thinke they obserue asmuch as they can the order prescribed in the said booke of Discipline As about Proudloe of Weedenbeck his admission 〈◊〉 I haue heard and Snapes and Larkes The manner whereof is that they renounce the calling they haue had of the Bishops and doe take it againe from the approbation of the Classis And againe they will be content to accept orders from the Bishop as a ciuill matter but doe not thereby account themselues Ministers vntill the godly brethren of some Classes haue allowed them But more fully Richard Hawgar The first degree they haue entered into is this that teaching all Ministers which are called according to the order of the Church of England to bee vnlawfull they doe vrge such as they dare trust and who are Ministers alreadie to seeke at their Classis a new approbation which they terme the Lords ordinance In this action the Minister before allowed of must renounce his former calling and take that calling wherby he must stand of them The manner whereof is this when any doe yeeld hereunto they appoint a day of their Classis c. As the example following wil shew One master Hocknel being to haue a benefice was willed by his Patrone to bring some testimoniall of the Ministers of the shyre for his good conuersation Wherevpon hee came to Maister Snape Who dealt with him as is afore mentioned and Hocknell hauing beene a Minister before some sixe or seauen yeares yeelding Snape with his companions gaue him a text and appointed him a day At which time the Classis met in Saint Peters and hee preached After they assembled themselues willing Hocknell to stand aloofe Then Maister Penry beganne to make a speech exhorting them to be carefull to call vpon God to deale without affectiō in this their action c. After which they fel to the matter Some liked that the man shuld be admitted some otherwise Those that were against him made these two reasons First that hee had not iumped meete in deliuering the Metaphore which was in his text secondly because he was neyther Grecian nor Hebrician So as they ouerruling the rest Hocknell was called for and in some sort commended but yet the speaker of the Classis told him he must take more paines at his book before they could allow of him as a fit Minister Hereupon Master Hocknell and they fell out and he contemning their censure did proceede and tooke possession of his benefice When they call a man that is not alreadie a Minister then hauing vsed the order before mentioned they command him to goe to the Bishops as to a ciuile Magistrate for his writinges which they tearme by a prettie name that this ex hath forgotten and this they say is onely for his safe standing in his former calling receiued of them not that thereby hee receaueth any power to be a Minister On this sort was Master Lark dwelling a little from Wellingborow called After this calling by them the parties so called may preache here and there as he thinketh good vntill hee bee called to a charge then he must go to the Bishop for his better standing and so the people calling him he is a full Minister Maister Snape being a Minister already renounced that his first calling was called by the Classis by that calling hee preached but would not administer the Lords Supper After the parrish of Saint Peters knowing that he must not account himselfe a full Minister vntill some particular congregation had chosen him they chose him for their Minister and so he standeth at this present Thus farre Hawger It is likewise deposed by two that Maister Snape for the answering of a question propounded vnto him said that rather then he would haue stood by vertue of any Letters of orders he would haue bin hanged vpon the gallowes But let Maister Snape speake himselfe Touching the substance of my calling to the ministerie I affirme that I had it of the church of God being approued by the learned godly neighbour Ministers and chosen by the people of my charge to that function Touching that allowance that I had of the Bishop I take it to be a thing meerely ciuile belonging to a ciuile Magistrate which authoritie he hath by Act of Parliament which therefore I might lawfully receaue at his hands for the peaceable execution of my Ministery Againe concerning the Presbyteries which the
booke affirmeth should be in euery parish they want in effect nothing of all their whole platforme if they could but once attaine vnto the publike erecting vp of those thrones And how far it is likely they haue already preuailed therin without staying any longer for her Maiestie let these thinges following whereof some haue beene touched alreadie make it knowne vnto you Mention hath beene made of a Presbytery set vp at Wandesworth It was a decree of the London brethren that the Ministers should by little little as much as possibly they might draw the Discipline into practise though they concealed the names eyther of Presbytery Elder or Deacō making little account of the names for the time so their offices might secretly be established There was an order sette downe in an assembly 1583. as I take it for the conuerting of Churchwardens and Collectors into Elders and Deacons as before in the Actes themselues it appeareth According to this order the brethren afterward sent their directions abroad to their fellowes for their execution of it I receiued saith Master Barbon from our faithfull brother Maister Gelibrande a direction of the brethren concerning the Conuerting of Churchwardens into Elders and Collectors into Deacons Richard Holmes affirmeth that by such speeches as he hath heard hee doth verily thinke that the Ministers in their Classes haue resolued to erect vp their seuerall Presbyteryes in their owne parishes With him agreeth Master Iohnson according to the rules of that booke I thinke that sercetly in most places where the brethren of the Classes are there are Elders chosen and that they put the Discipline in practise so farre as they may amongst themselues without any apparant shew thereof to the ouerthrow of their safe-standing Further also he deposeth that he himselfe hath beene blamed diuers times priuatelie in that he would make no such choise of Elders where he preached to practise the Discipline And what els should Gellibrand meane by these words in a Letter to Field I haue written to Maister Cartwright seuerally and ioyntly to him and the Elders signifying my readines and what aduersaries there are Lastly there was a nomination of Elders at Kilsby in Northampton-shiere made by Maister Lee the Pastor in the yeare 1588. Their names as it was deposed before Sir George Farmer and Sir Iohn Spencer were William Greene Roger Cowley Thomas Hall Richard Wolfe Iohn Browne and William Mariat which sixe saith the deponent Maister Lee thought sufficient to determine and end all matters of controuersie in the said towne Henry Pinson also affirmeth that he being enformed of this election of Elders by the said Browne and others would not yeelde his consent thereunto but said hee would stand to the lawes of this realme appointed by her Maiestie One especiall reason as it was enformed why Pinson refused in this sort to ioyne with his neighbours was for that there should haue beene some punishment inflicted by the said Elders vppon his sonne for flinging a stone at Elder-Mariats window which he would none of but was faine to flie to her Maiesties lawes So here then it appeareth in some sort whether the brethrē meant to stay any more for the ciuile Magistrate in erecting of their Presbyteries then they confesse they did concerning their vniformitie in Sermons and tripartite meetings Besides it doth also appertaine to the further proofe of the said Presbyteries that as it seemeth some of those censures haue beene vsed for example excommunication Which by the rules of the Discipline booke are of right to be exercised by them One Bluet a Minister as I suppose being excōmunicated as it seemeth did write a Letter to Field and Egerton wherein hee is most earnest that vpon his repentaunce hee might bee restored againe to the Church Woe is me saith he that I am cast out of your presence this day but shame and sorrow is vnto the cause And if this woe and shame did but touch the bodie it were tollerable for then at the day of death I should end my miserie and no more heare the words of reproach For now euery one that seeth mee reprooueth me and I am become a rebuke vnto all men But this is not all Woe is me that there is a partition-wall betweene heaven and my conscience c. If my offence may not bee passed by without further confession euen before God and his Church in London will I lie downe and licke the dust at your feet and confesse more against my selfe then any of you know Seuere Catoes I warrant you But is this the matter they contend for that men may fall downe and kisse their feete There is also another example to this effect worthie of your remembrance one La. Thomson writeth in this sort of it I thinke of him as an vnsound member vnfit to bee continued in the bodie vnles he would be subiect to the gouernment of a bodie especially the bodie of our sauing God The partie meant by Thomson was as I take it maister Wilcox the author of that admonition which caused the first breaking-out of all those troubles that since haue ensued This appeareth by foure letters written about the yeare 1583. three of them from Field to Wilcox and one from Wilcox to Field What the cause was though it bee expressed in one of the said Letters I omit to rehearse it no waies minding to touch any mans priuate behauiour or infirmities But this I must tel you that the brethren that is in Thomsons sense the body of our sauing God were so displeased and angrie with him that they suspended him from his Ministerie and did vse their censure of excommunication against him If you aske mee how Wilcox tooke this course at their handes I answere euen as Pinson before named did when his sonne should haue beene punished hee disliked it so much as that hee began to call their authoritie for such kind of their proceedings in question he refused to submit himselfe to their censures and told Field plainely that he had bin dealt disorderly withall both for matter and manner adding that hee had perhaps concealed as great infirmities of Fields and of some others as his were With these and many such like words Field was greatly prouoked and for his owne part defied him Whereas saith hee for the hiding of your owne shame you beginne to score vp my faults which you say are sixe in number as great as yours if you should vtter them I say it is no help to you but testifieth that old pride hipocrisie and malice which long time hath lurked in that cankered heart of yours c. But I doe defie you c. And for his refusing of their proceedinges you ought not saith Field so lightly to esteeme that holy censure of the brethren but in true repentance to haue hidden your face c. Againe if God hath made you an instrument to seeke for the aduancement of Christs Scepter kisse it your selfe and bee subiect
I heard from you saith one Blake of the state of the Church of London Another By M. West M. Browne you shall vnderstand the state of the Churches wherein we are A third If my offence may not be passed by without a further confession euen before God and his Church in London will I lie downe and licke the dust at your feete and confesse c. A fourth I receiued a letter from you in the name of the rest of the brethren whereby I vnderstand your ioyning together in choosing of my selfe vnto the seruice of the Church vnder the Earle of Leicester c. I am ready to runne if the Church command me according to the holy decrees and orders of the discipline By these their speeches it appeareth that as they haue cut off themselues from the fellowship of the rest of the Christians in England by ioyning themselues into a seuerall brotherhood so haue they already seduced her Maiesties subiects by gathering them together into a new societie whereunto they doe appropriat the name of the Church as though all other Churches in the realme were but as Iewish Sinagogues or heathenish assemblies This is not you shall see my bare collection heare the witnesses what they hereof haue deposed In these brethrens speaches of the Church or Churches it is to be vnderstood that by the Church of England they meane the Church according to humaine lawes and the Popes which is ruled as they terme it by an Antichristian gouernement And by the Godly Churches or the Churches of God in England they meane such places congregations or assemblies as doe embrace the reformation and haue such a minister as is of some Classis Sometime also by the Church as the Church of God in London is meant the Classis of the brethren or their Synods And so maister Edmondes when they vse these or the like speaches in their writing or otherwise vz. the Church or Churches of God heere with this or that or the Church in London hath done this or that they by they especially meane the Ministers thēselues But for the further clearing of this matter because the chiefe Rabbies of this conspiracie do themselues preach in our material Churches it is to be obserued that the parish where they preach being assembled is not the Church properly in their sence but as many thereof onely as are ioyned vnto them with that inuiolable bond mentioned vz. the desire of the godly discipline and those furthermore who leauing their owne parish Churches doe come vnto them As for example The Church of God forsooth in the Black Fryers doth consist besides that parish of a number of men and Marchauntes wiues dispersed here and there throughout the whole Citie Be content to hear the depositions that are taken to like purpose Maister Snape affirmed as Richard Holmes and Richard Hawgar haue deposed that here one there one picked out of the Prophane and common multitude and put a-part to serue the Lord maketh the Church of God and not the generall multitude Maister Iohnson saith that the brethren of the laitie doe seldome come to their owne parish Churches nor receiue the communion there otherwise then they are compelled for feare of trouble For they account those their pastors onely whom they do so choose And maister Edmonds vpon his experience in London The people of this brotherhood do seldome come to their owne parish Churches otherwise then for feare to incurre some daunger of lawes neyther do they accompt the minister of their parishes to bee any of their pastors properly except he be some one of the brethren Ministers before specified or very effectually inclining that way It is likewise to bee obserued that if any of this faction brotherhood or sisterhood do lie dangerously sicke they do seldome or neuer send for their owne pastors to visite them nor moue them to pray for them publikely in their owne parish as neglecting their praiers but do send to the Readers abroad whom they haue chosen for their pastors both to come vnto them to pray with them and for them in their assemblies This also is to bee obserued that the stricter sort of this crue when they lie at the point of death will haue no bell tolled for them and many of them do take order before their death that afterwardes they be not buried in any Church that there bee no sermon nor any wanner of buriall vsed which is prescribed CHAP. XVI A ridiculous pretence of laws with a recapitulation of the summe of this third booke AS they countenance these their conuenticles vnlawful assemblies before specified with the name of the Church so with the like boldenesse to the same purpose some of them are not ashamed to affirme that by the doctrine of the Church of Englād and by the lawes and statutes of this Realm the present gouernment of the Church of England vnder her Maiestie by Archbishops and Bishops is to bee accounted wicked and vnlawfull and withall in effect that by the saide doctrine lawes and statutes all the former proceedings decrees c. of the brethren are to be maintayned and iustified As by the particular proofes following it will appeare The offices of Lord Archbishops and Bishops c. saith Martin Iunior are condemned by the doctrine of the Church of England The doctrine that condemneth the places of Lorde Bishops is approoued by the statutes of this Realme and her Maiesties prerogatiue royall To be a Lord Bishop is directly against the Statute 13. Elizab. According to the doctrine of the Church of England our Prelates haue no authoritie to make Ministers or to proceede to any ecclesiasticall censure their citations processes excommunications c. are neither to bee obeyed nor regarded Men ought not to appeare in their Courtes a man being excommunicated by them ought not to seeke any absolution at their hands And in the behalfe of the brethren he doth also further affirme that by the said doctrine of the Church of England c. all Ministers bee of equall authoritie that the godly ministers ought to ordaine those that would enter into that function without any leaue of the prelates and not so much as once to suffer them to take any approbation of the prelates that euery minister is bound to preach the Gospell notwithstanding the inhibition of the Bishops that a man being once made a minister is not to be kept backe from preaching by the inhibition of any creature and that by the saide doctrine c. all ministers are bound by subscription c. to disauow the Hierarchie of Bishops When you shall reade these strange assertions so farre passing any ordinary bounds of common modestie think with your selues that it is no maruaile to see their writinges so full of authorities For I do assure you that euen in the like sort and with the same sinceritie
faithfulnes doe they alledge for their platformes both Scriptures Councels Fathers and Histories Moreouer what with the pretence of Gods law of mans law and I know not of what law they haue been suffered to go so farre against all lawes that now they haue taken such heart as that some of them are not affraid to affirme and that in print because the people might take notice of it that there is no authoritie which may lawfully suppresse their foresaid proceedinges No Magistrate saith one of the brotherhood may lawfully mayme or deforme the body of Christ which is the Church no lawfull Church gouernment is changeable at the pleasure of the Magistrate of necessitie all christian Magistrates are bound to receiue this gouernment c. And thus hither to you haue seen the proceedings of our English reformers according to their ringleaders actions in Scotland they haue had their draughts of discipline they haue subscribed a particular book for England they haue put their former platformes their said particular booke for the most part of it in practise as neare as they could they haue had their meetinges and Synodes generally throughout all the lande they haue made decrees conclusions not only to further their own conspiracy but also to ouerthrow the present gouernment of the Church they haue had in some places their Elders they haue exempted themselues from the ecclesiastical gouernment in this Realme accounting the same in some respects to be Antichristian and so not to be obeyed in some other to be a meere ciuile and a parliament church-gouernment and in that regard onely after a sort to bee yeelded vnto for their better safer standing in their owne seditious and consistorian waies They haue by their false gloses seduced many of her Maiesties subiectes they haue combined themselues together into a strange brotherhood They challenge to their vnlawfull and seditious assemblies the true and most proper name of the Church They say their doings are according to law They affirme in effect that no Magistrate may lawfully ouerthrow that which they haue builded in asmuch as now it is saide that the Bishops in seeking by the authority which her Maiestie hath giuen and confirmed vnto them to maintaine as they are bound the present church-gouernment and state established by her highnes lawes within this Realme and to suppresse and reforme their schismaticall seditious disorders and such like are the disturbers of the peace of the church that the Bishops beginne the quarrel in disquieting of them who in towne and country were very greatly at vnity tooke sweete councell together for the profiting of the Church That the Bishops are the schismatickes and not they that the crime of schisme which the prelates woulde fasten vppon them doth iustly cleaue to the Bishops and that Bishops may be discharged by the Church And they haue entred alreadie into this consideration how Archbishops Bishops Chauncellors Deanes Cannons Archdeacons Commissaries Registers Apparitors c. All which by their said pretended reformation must be thrust from their liuings should be prouided for that the common wealth be not thereby pestred with beggars Whereby it appeareth that in their owne conceites they haue already attained their soueraintie They and their conuenticles forsooth are the true Church and all England besides is in a schisme So as now it may be dayly expected when these godly brethren for a full conclusion of their attempts will take vpon them as their maisters did in Scotland to discharge the estate of Bishops and to direct their commissioners to her most excellent Maiestie commanding both her and her highnesse most honourable priuie Councell vnder the pain of excommunication to appoint no Bishops hereafter because they haue concluded that state to bee vnlawfull and that furthermore her Highnes vnder the same penaltie shall not presume from thenceforth either any longer to maintaine the present Antichristian Church-gouernment or once to attempt the ouerthrowing of theirs And thus much of this matter vz. concerning our English reformers and their imitation of the Ministers of Scotland in that seeing they could not preuaile with their suites supplications to her Maiestie and the Parliament for the setting vp of their discipline they haue taken vpon them to doe it themselues The end of the third Booke THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF DISCIPLINARY GROVNDES and Practises CHAP. 1. Some of them seeme to growe desperate and propound to themselues a strange example to follow for the adauncing of their Discipline As the Ministers of Scotland with their adherentes finding sondry impedimentes in theyr foresaide proceedings and in the setting-vp of their discipline did grow to be very angry ther-vpon often-times before they came to armes or violence did cast out many greate speaches and threatnings as it hath beene before declared euen so also it fareth now rightly with our Disciplinarians in England They threaten and bragge aboue measure what shall come to passe and I pray God they be suffered to go no further One of the brethren in the name of the rest complaining that they are oppugned and as he saith persecuted desireth that the same may be prouided for and addeth therwithall these words It is the case already of many a thousand in this land yea it is the case of as many as seeke the Lorde aright c. Greate troubles will come of it if it be not prouided for None seeke the Lord aright but this brotherhood Great ioy of them But what troubles meane they That an other seemeth to cleare where he sayeth that they can endure no such hard dealing as is vsed against them any longer Alas saith hee wee are neuer able to stand against the pouerty losses imprisonment discountenance by our superiors that our bretheren haue sustayned c. Neuer able to swallow vp the slaunders and bitter names of puritanes precisians traitors seditious libellers c. Why what will you doe The best that can bee gathered of his wordes is this Come saith hee let vs make a Captaine and returne againe into Egipt If they haue not their mindes the danger may bee which in deede will bring some troubles that they are not vnlike to become either Atheists or Papistes Shortlie after the straunge attempt before mentioned that was made against the king of Scotland Anno 1585 by ten thousand of his owne people at Sterling whereby the consistorian Ministers preuailed aswell against their Soueraigne as against their Bishops for the aduancing of their presbiteries there came out a rayling Dialogue here in England published abroade in print and scattered by the brotherhoode throughout the whole Realme This Dialogue is intituled the state of the church of England laid open in a conference betweene Diotrephes representing the person of a Bishop Tertullus a Papist brought in to pleade for the orders of our church Demetrius a Vsurer signifying such as liue by vnlawful trades Pandocheus an Inkeeper a receyuer of al and a soother
determined Non dum solicitandum esse publicé vniuersum caetum ad praxim Disciplinae donec meliùs instituantur homines in eius cognitione that is As yet the whole multitude are not to be allured publikely to the practise of the Discipline vntil men bee better instructed in the knowledge of it As though for the answering of Payne they had said that when by that means they had gotten a sufficient number to assiste them then his counsaile should be followed For you must vnderstand that their chiefest trust is reposed in the people as it may be further made more plain vnto you by the deposition of maister Edmonds whose wordes I will set downe as they remaine in record I doe well remember saith he that after I had left that company meaning the London assemblies meeting with Master Field I talked with him what harme was already done by inueighing against the present state of the Church and by their proceedings in beating this their new reformation into the heades of the common people because they were alreadie growen thereby amongest themselues into great diuisions very contemptuous insolent intractable c Whereunto hee answered tush holde your peace seeing we cannot compasse these things by suite nor dispute it is the multitude and people that must bring them to passe But I will leaue their endeuours a while how they may seduce the people and enter into a discourse to their further proceedings CHAP. III. They would haue the nobility and the inferior Magistrates to set vp their discipline of their supplication with a 100000 hāds IT is here to be considered what course they take to bring the Nobility and inferior magistrates of England to the before said stifnes mentioned in the first Chapter that was in them of Scotlād Maister Penry exhorteth the Lord President of Wales by the examples of Moses Iehosuah Dauid Salomon Iehosophat Hezechiah Iosue Nehemiah c. to take in hād their pretended reformation in that countrie prouing that he hath authority therunto because hee is a gouernour vnder God and that if hee refused so to doe he could haue no commission to rule there in that therby Christ being reiected he was become but the Lieutenant of Sathan Here you haue Allobrogical and Consistoriall stuffe able of it selfe if it were receiued to fill all Christian kingdomes with all kinde of mutinies sedition and rebellion They would make the inferior Magistrates vnder their Soueraigne to beleeue that they had for their times and within their limittes as absolute authority as if they themselues were fully Princes there and were not manie waies restrayned by the supreme Magistrate Surely if they shall bee able by these and such like perswasions to draw vnto them the Iustices of Peace the Shirifes or Lieutenants of euery Shire and so make them the executioners of their good pleasures and platformes without any further Commission or warrant from her Maiestie they shall not neede to expect eyther Prince or Parliament but may throwe downe and set vp as greate builders doe whatsoeuer shall be most agreeable to the mutabilitie of their owne affections And whereas an obiection might haue beene made that if either the Noblemen Gentlemen or people shold take vpon them to cast downe the Bishops and to reforme the church according to their raigning frēzy without her maiesties commandement that in so doing they shold greatly disturbe the state of the Realme and highly offēd her most excellent maiestie these points are both of them passed ouer with a snuffe with great disdaine as being no such impediments as ought to hinder the valiant corages of Consistorian subiects I tell you true saith one of their Captaines I thinke it a greate blessing of God that hath raised vp Martin to hold tackling with the Bishops that you may haue some time of breathing or rather a time to gather courage and zeale c. to set vppon these ennemies c. For if as hitherto you haue you bee so loth for disturbing of our state forsooth and the offending of her Maiestie not onelie to speak against but euen vtterlie to reiect this Hierarchy of our Bishops euen to haue no more to doe with it then with the seate of the beast you shall declare vnto our children that God can set vp but a company of whiteliuered souldiers c. Forsooth if this exhortation be according to their Discipline it ought no longer to be tearmed Christs as they tearme it but the Diuels Discipline And yet because they would not haue her Maiestie altogether neglected an other of their Lieutennants can be content that before their souldiers mentioned shoulde beginne the skirmish there might bee first as it were for a parlee some little ouuerture of duetie signified that if as yet her Highnesse woulde bee ruled by them they would desist To this purpose hee moueth all the Puritanes as hee tearmeth them in England both Lordes Knightes Gentlemen Ministers and people to offer a supplication to her Maiestie in effect for the full obtayning of all their desires To this saith he an hundred thousand hands would be gotten c. and then thou speaking to his reader may well thinke what a stroke so many would strike together c. It should appeare that they are not few and of small reputation but in a manner the strength of our land and the sinow of her Maiesties royal gouernment which our Bishops do falsely note with the names of Puritanes The consideration whereof I tell thee euen in policie would make that this their suite should not bee hastily reiected especially in such a time as wherein we now liue in daunger of our enemies abroad and therefore had need of no causes of discouragement at home I like it well when men will deale plainelie You see indeede their hearts And is it not then euident whereat they ayme In such a time no pollicy Indeede the returne of the Spaniard was then expected No neede then of discouragement at home Why wanting your desires wold you haue taken no part if the Spaniard had come or purposed you to haue made a more readie passage for him by rebelling at home before he should haue come or would you haue ioyned with him if he had come or meant you thereby through terror to haue enforced her Maiestie to your purposes least you should haue taken some of these courses Chose which of them you list the best is seditious CHAP. IIII. Presuming vpon some vnlawful asistance they vse very violent wordes HOw true it is that they haue a hundreth thousand ready at their direction I know not but they haue surely too many if the companion of the brotherhood that sent his humble motion abroade may be herein beleeued Thousands he saith do sigh for this discipline and ten thousand haue sought it and approued and worthy men of euery shire haue consented vnto it But certaine it is such is their hope to thrust the people with the rest of
iust occasions committed to prison the matter was greatly grudged at so taken to heart amongst the reforming and zealous brotherhoode as that many deuises and complots were as it seemeth in deliberation not onely how the saide prisoners might for the present bee defended and deliuered but also how thereupon they might proceede for the setting vp of their Discipline To this purpose in mine opinion these words of Wiggintons are verie pertinent Maister Cartwright is in the Fleeâ—e for refusall of the othe as I heare and Maister Knewstubs is sent for and sondry worthy ministers are disquieted who haue been spared long So that wee looke for some bickering ere long and then a battel which cannot long endure How far these wordes may bee drawne I leaue it to be considered of by those that can discerne of such like kind of phrases This I can assure you of that vppon what grounds I know not through the course which was held by the magistrats here against the said prisoners there was great expectation and as it were a hope conceiued by their fauorers in another cuntrey of some bickering amongst vs about that time as Wigginton writeth of Thus a man that hath been of especiall account in Scotland did write vnto a friend of his in England I attend your next answere aswell of the estate of your Church as of all other affaires For there is here great worde of sondry vprores which I trust be false or repressedin due season by her Maiestie But that passeth all to this purpose which falleth out most apparantlie by the view taken of such letters and papers as were found vpon the apprehension of Hacket and his Prophets CHAP. VI. One Edmond Copinger tooke vpon him to worke Cartwrightes c. deliuerance he pretendeth an extraordinary calling and acquainteth diuers with it one Gibson a Scot P. Wentwotrh Cartwright Wigginton Charke Trauers Egerton c. WHilest some were deuising of one way and some of an other for the good of the saide prisoners c. One Edmond Coppinger with his familiars could find no meanes to bee looked for except it might please God according to the foresaide positions to stir vp some zealous brethren by some extraordinary calling to effect their desires This cogitation as it seemeth no soner grew vpon theÌ„ but that by and by they fealt as they thought in themselues some certaine slender instigations to such a heauenly purpose It appeareth that towards the latter end of December 1590 Copinger Arthington and Iohn Bentley maister Knightlies man did hold a fast at one Thomas Lancasters house a scholemaister in Shoe-lane It began vpon the Saturday at night and held till Sonday at night In the time of this fast vz. the Saterday at night Coppinger as he said found himself very extraordinarily exercised c. with a wonderfull zeale to set forth Gods glory any waies which lawfully he might enter into At that time also I mean at that last fast Arthington had likewise his extraordinary calling Thus Copinger did write of his matter to Lancaster the letter was also subscribed vnto by Arthington In your house in your presence and partly by your meanes I had my first extraordinarie calling and of the same minde is my brother Arthington Copinger the next day after the saide fast did ride into Kent and vpon his returne which was with some speed he signified vnto his fellow-fasters how he had been extraordinarily called both before his going the said Satterday at night also in his iourney since he departed from them vz. how God had reuealed vnto him such a secret mystery as was wonderful By the way saith he as I rid I fansied to my selfe that there was leaue giuen mee to speake to God in a more familiar manner then at any time before also I perswaded my self that his spirite did giue me many straunge directions wherein the Lord would vse me to doe seruice to his most glorious Maiestie and to his Church Concerning the substance of his said reuelation hee also tolde Arthington Lancaster thus much vz. that he knew a way how to bring the Queene to repentance and to cause all her Counsell and Nobles to do the like out of hand or els detect them to bee traytors that refused After the relation of these things within a day or two this Copinger and Arthington held another fast by themselues Whereupon saith Copinger I was againe stirred vp to such businesse of such importance as in the eyes of flesh and bloud was likelie to bring much danger to my selfe and vnlikely to bring any good successe to the Church of God Of these his instigations or reuelations hee writ to some preachers in the Realme and to some without as namelie a letter the last day of December 1590. to one Gibson a kinde of preacher in Scotland Wherein hee greatly complayneth of the present state of our Church and desireth of him to bee instructed from the brethren there in diuers points concerning an extraordinarie calling Thee state of our Church saith hee groweth worse and worse our zealous Ministerie and Magistracie are daylye disgraced and displaced the meanes of helpe is taken away except that God woulde eyther moue her Maiestie inwardly shee being bereaued of those holy helpes which Gods seruantes enioy in the publike exercise of religion or else stirre vp some faithfull Zorobabell or Nehemiah to let her see how the Lordes house lyeth waste and how vsurpers of Antichristian tiranny doe keepe Christ Iesus from gouerning in his kingdome And then hee addeth My selfe am acquainted with some who to do seruice herein would aduenture the losse of their liues so that they might haue warrant from the worde for their so doing and haue approbation by the Church And to this end they fancy to themselues to haue receiued an extraordinary calling wherein they feare to be abused by Sathan Then followeth his petitioÌ„ And therefore I thogh most vnworthy haue aduentured to write vnto you to beseech you in the bowels of Christ Iesus to haue conference with such as are most able to aduise you on our behalfe and to returne answere how a man may examine himselfe in this matter and what be the extraordinarie thinges which must bee in him that is so called what course he is to take to haue his extraordinarie calling knowne first to himselfe and then to the Church After hee had sent away this letter into Scotland hee began to draw his doubts into some Methode and did propound them all in eight questions The chiefe summe whereof it this whether in these dayes and in this countrey where there is but preaching heere and there where the Discipline is not established but oppugned by the publike Magistrates whether there bee place for any extraordinarie calling immediately from God of workers and helpers to his Church c. These questions thus contriued hee sent them to his olde acquaintance Wigginton who iustly
from themselues and layde vppon the Lordes shoulders as though he should haue moued them to such lewd attemptes The other was a kinde of Ballade directed for aduice to a yong courtier wherein they make waye as it seemeth for their frend Hacket and that with wonderfull quotation of Scriptures I will trouble you onely with fowre of the verses A Christian true although he be a clowne May teach a King to weare Scepter and Crowne And after For God will sure confound such as deuise His ordinance or church to tirannise To these rimes both for manner and matter I may well resemble those made I doubt not by the same spirit Either from countrey or Court Martin Mar-Prelate will do you hurt Now that Copinger was a dealer in these thinges with Wigginton before they were printed it appeareth by these wordes of Hackets in his last declaration to maister Young Wiggintons boy can declare all his Maisters writinges for the boy and Maister Copinger sate writing halfe a night by this examinates bedde side but what they writte he cannot tell but one word he heard that the Countrey Clowne can teach the king to weare the Crowne Afterwardes as I take it vz. the 9. of Iuly being fryday M. Charke preached at the blacke Fryers at which Sermō Copinger was present who misliking as it seemeth some wordes then vttered did write a letter presently to M. Charke wherein amongst other pointes he sayth Right reuerend Sir c. I do not denie good Sir but I haue now a long time taken a strange and extraordinary course but such as hath offered occasion of suspition of my not onely doing hurt to my selfe but also to the best sort of men now in question and to the cause it selfe But by what warrant I haue done this that is all For if the holy Ghost hath beene my warrant and carieth mee into such actions as are differing from other mens c. What flesh and blood dare speake against it c. Forbeare to censure me and such other as should deale extraordinarily with mee in the Lordes busines committed to our charge and iudge of vs by the effectes which follow which if you heareafter see to bee wonderderfull great then let all ordinary men call themselues to an examination c. And after The waste of the Church cannot be denied to be greate so that there is a place for extraordinary men c. Againe my desire heretofore hath beene to haue hadde counsaile and direction but now by comfortable experience I finde that the action which the Lorde hath drawn me into is his owne and he will direct it himselfe by the holy Ghost c To conclude I beseech you saith he to shew this letter to M. Trauers and M Egerton M. Charke vpon the receipt of this letter preaching againe the Sonday after in the same place vttered in his sermon these wordes which Copinger saith were ment of him in respect of his foresaide letter there are some persons so desperate that they would willingly thrust themselues vpon the rockes of the land This also appeareth by an other letter cōcerning this second sermon written about the 13. or 14 of Iulie to an other preacher in London but hee is not named it had beene to good purpose if hee had beene named For it seemeth hee was as throughly acquainted with Coppinger and his fellowes designements as it may be well supposed that Wigginton was In my letter vnto Charke I manifested my selfe to haue an extraordinarie calling and signifyed that the Lord had so called others besides my selfe who would approue our selues to bee the seruantes of the Lorde in a high calling Againe the ship that is the Church had perished if the Lord had not immediately called three of vs to helpe to recouer it c. My calling is especially to deale with Magistrates another hath to doe with Ministers who hath written a letter to you of the Citie c. The thirde is the chiefe who can neither write nor reade so that hee is the executioner of the Lords most holy wil. He further offereth to acquaint this Minister with their whole course and willeth him to shew this letter to his brethren and to publish it where euer hee should goe Hacket confessed that being about this time as I take it with Wigginton the saide Wigginton affirmed in the presence of two gentlemen and others that if the Magistrates did not gouerne well the people might draw themselues together and to see a reformation Vpon the 15. day of Iuly Copinger and Arthington did write a iointe letter of purpose to haue drawne Lancaster vnto them for the making vp of a quaternion And this was one perswasion If I Ed. Coppinger do not prefer you before any one man in the land whosoeuer for your wise holy louing and religious course both in the generall calling of a Christian and in your particular calling the Lord confound me After Lancaster had receiued this letter notwithstanding he writ vnto him of some mislike he had of their proceedings yet as Hacket saith he came vnto them all three the same night to one Walkers house at Broken wharfe where they conferred together about an hower after supper Of what great account this Lancaster and some others were with these companions it doth further appeare by that which followeth The same day in the morning that Copinger and Arthington made their seditious Proclamation in Cheapside they two together first and afterwarde Hacket came vnto Wigginton amongst many things as Wiginton himselfe cōfesseth they told him that M. Cartwright had done more against Antichrist then any in the worlde before him since the Apostles times and that Wigginton was comparable vnto him and that M. Lancaster was aboue them both in the estate of heauenlie glorie because he had kept himselfe vndefiled from the common corruptions of these times and had a most simple hart to God Likewise also they saide to Wigginton at the same time that Reformation and the Lordes discipline should now forthwith bee established and therefore charged Wigginton in the Lordes name to put all Christians in comfort that they should see a ioyfull alteration in the state of Church gouernment shortly Arthington after being examined said that Penry had sent him word by a letter out of Scotland that reformation must shortlie be erected in England and that he tooke him in so writing to bee a true Prophet It is not also vnlikely but that Penry was a Prouoker of these men to such their outrages hoping that vpon their outcries proclamations the people would haue risen For he was then in London to haue played his part if their attempts had found the good successe they looked for Marry when he saw Hacket executed he presentlie the same day posted backe againe towards Scotland CHAP. XI Of the trayterous intendments which were towardes the Court. BEfore this their intended insurrection it is to be further
aduenturing of all the mischiefes that were intended It was not denied amongst them as Coppinger sayth but that the cause was good which he desired to be an actor in but the thing that stucke in their teeth was this vz. they thought it impossible that he should be fit to intermeddle in it without the endaungering both of himselfe as Egerton saide and of the greate cause which hee would seeme to bee most desirous to further Howbeit though Egerton would not take vpon him to approue his extraordinarie calling for feare of him-selfe yet for all the saide daunger hee thought it no pollicy greatly to discourage him when he qualified his speeches after this sort vz. hee would bee loth to quench the spirite of God in Coppinger or to hinder his zeale Iosuah was called extraordinarily by God him-selfe to cast the enemies of the Israelites out of the land of Canaan that they might possesse it Which example M. Wentworth applying to Coppinger and encouraging him vpon aduice taken as the Lord did Iosuah vz be bold of a good courage feare not to bee discouraged c. he shewed no greate mislike of Copingers purposes Likewise though M. Throgmorton notwithstāding his cōference as it seemeth with Coppinger Arthington and Hacket was not acquainted as he saide with Copingers particular platformes yet in that he confesseth he had heard some buzzes abroade of a sole and singular course intended doth not only aduise him to imitate the serpentes wisedome but saith also that in affection and good will he ioyned with him it could not otherwise be but that Coppinger was thereby greatly animated When Copinger tolde Vdall that certaine vnlearned men then lyinge hid would shortlie take vpon them the defence of the cause which hee and his brethren in prison stood-for and woulde thereby daunt all their ennemies more then they coulde willinge both him and the rest ther-vpon to cheare vp themselues for the day of their redemption was at hand I doe greately maruaile what Vdall thought to bee Copingers meaning It might well haue stoode with M. Charkes duety seeing Coppingers full resolution to enter into some desperate attempt by vertue of his extraordinarie calling to haue disclosed the same to the state When he preached in the Blacke Friers to the brotherhood there about two days after his said intelligence of Copingers resolution and but fiue or six daies before their proclamation that there were some persons so desperate that they would willinglie thrust themselues vpon the rockes of the Land thereby to haue disswaded Copinger who then was present or for what other purpose I know not hee should forth with haue acquainted the saide rockes also what boisterous tempestes and violēt stormes had beene ready to assault them In this briefe summary I omitte the rest of Wiggintons actions referring you to his fellow Hackets iudgement both of him and them They are so apparant by that which hath been sayd as they seeme to me to be past coniectures And I would withal my hart that all which hath bene hetherto saide of the other ministers touching this pointe did onely depende vpon probabilities For then charity would binde vs to iudge the best But men may not cal good euill nor darkenesse light nor treasonable conspiracies ecclesiasticall pollicies Marke them if it please you for disciplinarian practises and then bearing that brande owne them who liste and tearme them as you fancy CHAP. XV. If Hackets treasons had preuailed for the pretended discipline how they might haue beene defended by the disciplinarie doctrine I Am not ignorant that now if any of the saide ministers or their fauorers were asked how they like of Coppingers and his companions proceedings no men will more eagerlie exclaime against them When Hacket with his adherents found themselues preuented and that they were cut of in the beginning of their race then to saue their liues they could confes their extraordinary purposes pretended before with teares with fasting with grones and imprecations to haue proceeded from the spirit of God to be nothing else but illusions of Sathā cruel bloody trayterous designements But if they had preuailed what would haue been said of them then Surely it is no hard matter to gesse If Coppinger Hacket and Arthington had murthered two or three of the Lords in the Star-chamber the last day of the said Trinity Terme the Consistorian doctrine would easily haue defended it especially if their further intents for the discipline had thereby succeeded I will tell you a notable historie to this purpose About the yeare 1545. M. Caluin then raigning in the Consistorie at Geneua one Norman Lesly son to the Earle of Rothsey fell at some iarre with the Archbishop of S. Andrewes then a Cardinall for a priuate cause saith our Chronicle Buchanans betwixt them two for his dealing concerning the burning of one George Wisehart saith the history of the Church of Scotland Whereupon the said Normā with some of his partakers conspired the Cardinals death they being the rather animated therunto throgh the Councell of some greate men of the Realme that had conceiued some deadly hatred against him The effecting of which conspiracie proceeded after this sort as is set downe in the saide Ecclesiasticall history The 29. of Maie 1546 the saide Norman with 16 or 17. moe entred by a wile into the Castle of S. Andrewes where the Cardinal dwelt early in the morning and after some course taken for possessing themselues of the castle Norman Lesly Iames Meluin and Peter Carmichaell got into the Cardinals chamber where finding him set in his chayre and crying vnto them I am a Priest yee will not slay mee the saide Leesly stroke him first once or twise and so did the saide Peter But Iames Meluin a man you may be sure of nature most gentle and most modest perceiuing them both in choller withdrew them and saide This worke and iudgement of God although it be secrete ought to be done with greater grauitie And presenting vnto him the point of the sworde saide Repent thee of thy former wicked life but especially of the shedding of the blood of that notable instrument of God M. George Wisehart which albeit the flame of fire consumed before men yet cries it a vengeance vpon thee and we from God are sent to reuenge it For here before my God I protest that neither the hatred of thy person the loue of thy riches nor the feare of any trouble thou couldest haue done to mee in particular moued or moueth me to strike thee but onely because thou hast beene and remainest an obstinate enemie against Christ Iesus and his holy Gospell And so hee stroke him twise or thrise through with a stog-sworde and so he fell The Cardinall being thus murthered they seized vpon the Artilllerie and munition wherewith that fortresse was plentifully furnished and likewise vpon the rich hangings householde stuffe of all sortes apparell Copes iewels ornamentes of Churches
effected by the deposing of the king of Scots grandmother from her ciuil gouernment of that land And peraduenture a part of the said Knox his exhortation to England written from Geneua the twelfth of Ianuary 1559. as soone as he hearde of her maiesties possession of the royall Crown of this Realme would haue beene iustified where he saith that no power nor liberty ought to be permitted to any state degree or authority whatsoeuer they bee to liue without the yoke of Discipline c and that if Prince King or Emperour would enterprise to change or disanull the same he ought to be reputed an ennemie to God and therefore vnworthy to raigne aboue his people And thus you see how al these treasons if they had happened with what Consistorian zeale they might haue been defended afterward by the Disciplinarian doctrine which hath beene sent abroade into this Iland from Geneua and meetely well practised already in some partes thereof by men of that stampe Whereupon I do collect the premises considered by Cartwrights other the ministers intelligence with Copingers desperate purposes that they cared not what mischiefs had ensued so they themselues might haue beene safe For as it is most euident by the threatning speeches before mentioned there is nothing more laboured for amongst that sect then to thrust their many thousandes or some of them into some mutiny or bloudy attempt Their hope was that vpon any such occasion their chiefe fauourers would not cease to solicit her maiesty for feare of further trouble to graunt their desires or at the least to take some other course for theyr contentment then hitherto in their opinions there hath beene taken They knew that whatsoeuer either could or should fal out vnder the preteÌ„ce of seeking for Christs kingdome and for the extirpation of the present gouernment of our Church tearmed by them to bee so abhominable Antichristian if it had good successe for their deuised platformes yet the said Consistorian examples with their Allobrogicall new learning would haue borne it out sufficiently and maintained it I pray God deliuer EnglaÌ„d from these and such like points of Discipline For mine own part I would not haue vrged matters in this sort were it not that I thinke in my conscience it is more then high time that her maiesties faithfull subiectes should learne to know these practises and withall to beware of such sectaries as vnder their many both godly and goodly pretences do thus seditiously endeuour to disturbe the land And the rather also I did it because I see there are diuerse that will needes hood-winke themselues and stop their eares with the Serpent in the Psalme of purpose because they would gladly haue these things smoothered vp For hereby it will be apparant to our posterity that if any such mischiefes which God forbid shal happen hereafter they were sufficiently warned that both should and might in good time haue preuented them and withall it would then be found true which Liuie saith vrgentibus rempublicam fatis Dei hominum salutares admonitiones spernuntur When the Lorde for the sinnes of the people is purposed to punish any Countrey he blindeth the eyes of the wise so as they shall either neglect or not perceiue those ordinary meanes for the safety thereof which very simple men or babes in a manner did easily foresee Which iudgement I pray God turne far away and long from this and all other true Christian lands and kingdomes Amen FINIS Exod. 22. 28. 1. King 24. 1. Xing 26. Eccle. 20. Paule to the Rom. 13. Tertul. in Apologetico Tertul. in Apologet August con lit Petil. lib. 2 cap. 48. Chrisost. de verb. Esa. vidi dominum Mir. lib. 2. adu Iouinianum Numb 16 2 Sam. 16 Iude 2. Pet. 2 Annotat. Rhemish vppon the 23. of the Actes of the Apostles A Letter of P. A. Knewstubbe Gibson to Ed. Cop. Dauison against R. B. Pag. 29. Pag. 29. Pag. 20. * Refor no enemie B. 2 Cal. to Sadolet Ioach. Camerarius Phil. Mela. Georg. Maior de vita eius Whittingham in his Preface to Goodmans booke Knox. Knox in his hist. of the church of Scotland pag 213 a Knox pag. 213. ibid. b Knox p. 217 c Knox p. 218 d Knox p. 234 e Knox p. 256 f Knox p. 258. g Knox. pa. 2â— h Hollindshed pag 366. Knox 262 i Knox. p. 263 k Thynne pag. 366. Buchanan l Knox p. 265 m Knox p. 268 n Knox p. 272 o Knox p. 274 p Knox p. 27â— q Knox p. 276 r Knox p. 283 s Knox p. 288 t Knox pag. 298. 299. Thynne 367 u Knox p. 300 x Knox p. 306 y Knox p. 308 z Knox p. 308 a Knox p. 317. b Knox p. 330 c Knox p. 333. * Knox p. 362 d Knox p. 364 e Knox p. 372 f Knox p. 378 g Knox p. 468 h Knox p. 500 i Knox p. 50â— k Knox p. 216 Knox appel fol. 28. l Knox app 25 m Knox to the Comminalty s. 49. 50 n ibid. fol. 47 o ibid. fol. 55 p ibid. fol. 55 q Knox histo pag. 343. r Knox appel fol. 33. s Knox appel fo 28. 30 c. t Knox appel fol. 30 u Knox appel fol 35. Historie of the Church of Scotl. pa. 187. * Knox histor pag. 372. a knox to England and Scot. fol. 77. b knox ibid folio 78. c Buch. de iure regni page 61. d Ibid pag 13. e ibid pag. 25 f ibid pag. 58. g ibid pag. 40. h ibid pag 62. i ibid pag. 70 k ibid pag. 70 l Buc. de iur egni pag. 49. m Knox appe fol. 26. n Buch. de iure regni pag. 53. o Ibid. pag. 57 p ibid. pag. 57 q ibid. pag. 57 r ibid pag. 50 s ibid p. 50. 55 t Ibid. pag. 56 Note this Diuinity u ibi p. 56. 57 t Knox hist. pag. 502. u Knox hist pag. 468. * Knox hist. pag. â—03 Ibidem y In the conclusion of their booke of Discipline a Knox histo pag. 504. b Declaration B. 1. 2. c Knox histo pag. 523. d ibid. pa. 527 e ibid. pa 531. f ibid. pa. 334 g Knox Iust. 534. * Declaration B. 2. h ibid B. 2. i ibid. B. 2. k Epistola 79. l Declaration B. 3. m Declaration B. 1. n Act of Parliament ca. 4. o Ibid. cap. 2. p Decl A. 3. q Decl. B. 3. r Decl. B. 3. Declaration 1582. Act of Parliament 1584. cap. 7. Declara 1582 Act of Parl. 1584. cap. 7. Declar. 1582 Act of Parl. 1584. cap. 7. u Act of Parl. cap. 2. * ibid. cap. 20 y ibid. cap. 3. z ibid cap. 4. a ibid cap. 7. b ibid. cap. 8. c ibid. cap. 8. d cap. 1. of that Parliament c. e Declar. A. 2. f Thinnes addition to Hollinshed pa. 446. D. A. g Archbishop of Saint Androwes Letter and of other Preachers h M. Hutchinsons Letter and as he is readie to be deposed i Thinnes addition
greate store of gold and siluer plate besides no small quantitie of treasure in ready coine Some amongst vs in Englande haue laboured very earnestlie to qualifie Copingers words where he said that God would throw some fearefull iudgement amongst the Lordes so as some the chiefe of them should not goe aliue out of the place as though there had beene no violent course intended by him his associates but that in his fond conceit he had imagined that God himselfe from heauen should haue shewed that iudgement for the deliuerance of Cartwright and the rest And in my conscience one gentelman of good credit not acquainted at all with the Consistorian doctrine in these such like matters thought so in his hart But here this maske is pluckt from such faces as could not be ignorant what was ment in that the same spirit which Was in Copinger speaking before in Iames Meluin or rather as I thinke in Knox and his fellow-ministers according to whose humor he penned that history doe tearme the saide cruell murther of the Cardinall to bee the worke and iudgement of God that for the manner of the executiō of it Besides in the margent of the Booke ouer against the Stabbers blasphemous wordes this note is set downe vz. the godly fact and wordes of Iames Meluin But that which mooueth me most and for the which I haue troubled you with this historie is this that men are animated to commit the like murthers and the doctrine thereof is stoutely iustified according to the heathenish conceit of a certaine tyrant whom Cicero also a heathen man but yet of better iudgement doth confute Dionisius hauing spoiled the temple of Proserpina at Locris of Iupiter in Peloponesus of Aesculapius at Epidaurus because Proserpina drowned him not as he sayled to Syracuse nor Iupiter stroke him in peeces with his thunderboltes nor Aesculapius made an ende of him by some long miserable consumption both he himselfe and many others accounted such his sacrilege to be both iust and lawfull And euen so it falleth out for the murther I speake of He that hath eyes to see let him see After the foresaid Castel was surprised and the Cardinall was murthered Lesly with his company Knox and the rest kept the same Castel by force against the Gouernor But at the last they were compelled to yeeld it vp and being thereupon sent as prisonners into Fraunce they were by directions there committed some of thē to the Gallies and some to other prisons Howbeit in the ende they all escaped with their liues by one meanes or other sauing the saide Iames Meluin who dyed in prison wherevpon commeth in this notable Consistorian doctrine borrowed of the said heathenish conclusions This we write vz. how all but Meluin escaped to let the posterities to come vnderstand saith Knox and his fellowes how potently God wrought in preseruing and deliuering of these that had but a smal knowledge of his truth for the loue of the same hazarded all That if that eyther we now in our dayes hauing greater light or our posterities that shall follow vs shal see a fearefull dispersion of such as oppone themselues to impiety or take vpon them to punish the same otherwise then lawes of men will permit if wee say we or they shall see such left of men yea as it were despised and punished of God yet let vs not damne the persons that punish vice and that for iust cause nor yet despaire but that the same God that deiects for causes vnknowen to vs will raise vp againe the persons deiected to his glorie and their comfort Againe if our said seditious persons had preuailed with the multitude in their other plot concerning their purposes of remouing some of her maiesties most honorable Priuy Councell from her seruice in that place and in appointing others to succeede them whom they fancied to be fauourers of their Discipline you should haue heard I warrant you no cries of the brotherhood nor complaints in your streets of any of that faction It would haue beene saide as Goodman taught at Geneua that seeing the saide Councellors were enemies to Christes kingdome and did seduce her Maiestie now that God had raised them vp an Othoniel or a Ionathan to assist them why should they not haue ioyned themselues vnto him Oh would some haue said the holy discipline the holy discipline the holy discipline what Prince or Potentate may resist the holy discipline and prosper Others See the hand of the Lorde when men do faile what God can doe Others the greatest workes that euer were done in the behalfe of the Church haue beene brought to passe by the basest meanes Others this is the worke of God and it is admirable in our eyes Others thus Iosuah being extraordinarily strengthned by God threw thirty kings out of the land of Canaan Others sufficient warning was giuen what would they haue had men to haue done Then should you haue had such a declaration or proclamation as you haue before heard of penned no doubt by some of the Consistorian ministers in Scotlād vz. of the iust and necessary causes mouing them and their assistantes her Maiesties faithfull subiects to repaire to her Maiesty for resisting of the present daungers appearing to Gods true religion and professors thereof c. and to seeke redres and reformation of abuses remouing from her Maiesty the chiefe authors therof c. that with common consent redresse and remedy might bee prouided Or termed The repairing towards Greenwitch to the Q. Maiesty as else where such attempts haue been colored Likewise if yet thinges had not squared to their likings and that they had gone further with good successe in any violent course against her maiesty as it is confessed they purposed to haue done then also the Geneua-diuinity must haue borne the brunt for the iustification of such extraordinary iudgementes of God And thus you should haue had these matters smoothed ouer as partly it may appeare by the assault mentioned at Sterling wherein the king was present in person and partly by the Consistorian propositions before set down touching this point with many other things both to be noted in the premises and also in those bookes out of the which the saide propositions are drawen I will not trouble you any further with Ifs although I could adde that if the said traitors had proceeded on forward with their confessed purposes to haue touched her maisties estate there wanteth no lesse defence by Disciplinarian learning for such a matter then for the premises You may remember the seditious intollerable propositions before mentioned as they are truely collected out of our own countrey mens books infected at Geneua with that pestilent doctrine Many examples also would haue beene brought for that purpose out of Buchanan Beza Knox and the rest of that humor especiallie the graue resolution giuen by Knox and Wollocke generally against all Princes but particularly then vrged and