from God and from Christ contrary to an Act of Parliament which says Bishops derive their Jurisdiction from the King This is Witnessed by all three and that Dr. Bastwick read the Statute That Statute speaks plainly of Jurisdiction in foro Contentioso and places of Judicature and no other And all this forinsecal Jurisdiction I and all Bishops in England derive from the Crown But my Order my Calling my Jurisdiction in foro Conscientiae that is from God and from Christ and by Divine and Apostolical Right And of this Jurisdiction it was that I then spake if I named Jurisdiction at all and not my Calling in general For I then sate in the High-Commission and did Exercise the former Jurisdiction under the Broad Seal and could not be so simple to deny the Power by which I then sate Beside the Canons of the Church of England to which I have Subscribed are plain for it Nay farther The Use and Exercise of my Jurisdiction in foro Conscientiae may not be but by the Leave and Power of the King within his Dominions And if Bishops and Presbyters be all one Order as these Men contend for then Bishops must be Jure Divino for so they maintain that Presbyters are This part of the Charge Mr. Browne pressed in his Report to the House of Commons And when I gave this same Answer he in his Reply said nothing but the same over and over again save that he said I fled to he knew not what inward Calling and Jurisdiction which point as I expressed it if he understood not he should not have undertaken to Judge me CAP. XXXII THE 16th of May I had an Order from the Lords for free access of four of my Servants to me On Friday May 17. I received a Note from the Committee that they intended to proceed upon part of the Sixth Original Article remaining and upon the Seventh which Seventh Article follows in haec Verba That he hath Trayterously indeavoured to alter and subvert God's True Religion by Law Established in this Realm and instead thereof to set up Popish Superstition and Idolatry And to that end hath Declared and Maintained in Speeches and Printed Books divers Popish Doctrins and Opinions contrary to the Articles of Religion Established He hath urged and injoyned divers Popish and Superstitious Ceremonies without any Warrant of Law and hath cruelly persecuted those who have opposed the same by Corporal Punishment and Imprisonment and most unjustly vexed others who refused to Conform thereunto by Ecclesiastical Censures of Excommunication Suspension Deprivation and Degradation contrary to the Law of this Kingdom The Tenth Day of my Hearing This day May 20. Mr. Serjeant Wild undertook the Business against me And at his Entrance he made a Speech being now to charge me with Matter of Religion In this Speech he spake of a Tide which came not in all at once And so he said it was in the intended alteration of Religion First a Connivence then a Toleration then a Subversion Nor this nor that But a Tide it seems he will have of Religion And I pray God his Truth the True Protestant Religion here Established sink not to so low an Ebb that Men may with ease wade over to that side which this Gentleman seems most to hate He fears both Ceremonies and Doctrine But in both he fears where no fear is which I hope shall appear He was pleased to begin with Ceremonies In this he Charged first my Chappel at Lambeth and Innovation in Ceremonies there 1. The First Witness for this was Dr. Featly he says there were Alterations since my Predecessor's time And I say so too or else my Chappel must lye more undecently than is fit to express He says I turned the Table North and South The Injunction says it shall be so And then the Innovation was theirs in going from not mine in returning to that way of placing it Here Mr. Browne in his last Reply in the House of Commons said that I cut the Injunction short because in the Words immediately following 't is Ordered That this Place of standing shall be altered when the Communion is Administred But first the Charge against me is only about the Place of it Of which that Injunction is so careful that it Commands That when the Communion is done it be placed where it stood before Secondly it was never Charged against me that I did not remove it at the Time of Communion nor doth the Reason expressed in the Injunction require it which is when the Number of Communicants is great and that the Minister may be the better heard of them Neither of which was necessary in my Chappel where my Number was not great and all might easily Hear 2 The second thing which Dr. Featly said was in down-right Terms That the Chappel lay nastily all the time he served in that House Was it one of my Faults too to cleanse it 3 Thirdly he says The Windows were not made up with Coloured Glass till my time The Truth is they were all shameful to look on all diversly patched like a Poor Beggars Coat Had they had all white Glass I had not stirred them And for the Crucifix he confesses it was standing in my Predecessors time though a little broken So I did but mend it I did not set it up as was urged against me And it was utterly mistaken by Mr. Brown that I did repair the Story of those Windows by their like in the Mass-Book No but I and my Secretary made out the Story as well as we could by the Remains that were unbroken Nor was any Proof at all offered that I did it by the Pictures in the Mass-Book but only Mr. Pryn Testified that such Pictures were there whereas this Argument is of no consequence There are such Pictures in the Missal therefore I repaired my Windows by them The Windows contain the whole Story from the Creation to the Day of Judgment Three Lights in a Window The two Side-Lights contain the Types in the Old Testament and the middle Light the Antitype and Verity of Christ in the New And I believe the Types are not in the Pictures in the Missal In the mean time I know no Crime or Superstition in this History And though Calvin do not approve Images in Churches yet he doth approve very well of them which contain a History and says plainly that these have their use in Docendo Admonendo in Teaching and Admonishing the People And if they have that use why they may not instruct in the Church as well as out I know not Nor do the Homilies in this particular differ much from Calvin But here the Statute of Ed. 6. was charged against me which requires the Destruction of all Images as well in Glass-Windows as elsewhere And this was also earnestly pressed by Mr. Brown when he repeated the Summ of the Charge against me in the House of Commons To
of the said pretended Canons enjoyned to be taken by all the Clergy and many of the Laity of this Kingdom I Composed no Book of Canons The whole Convocation did it with unanimous Consent So either I must be free or that whole Body must be guilty of High-Treason For in that Crime all are Principals that are guilty Accessory there is none Neither did I publish or put in Execution those Canons or any of them but by Lawful Authority And I do humbly conceive and verily believe there is nothing in those Canons contrary either to the King's Prerogative the Fundamental Laws of the Realm the Rights of Paliament the Propriety and Liberty of the Subjects or any matter tending to Sedition or of dangerous consequence or to the establishment of any vast or unlawful Power in my self and my Sucessors Neither was there any Canon in that Convocation surreptitiously passed by any practice of mine or without due Consideration and Debate Neither was there any thing in that Convocation but what was voted first and subscribed after without fear or compulsion in any kind And I am verily perswaded there never sate any Synod in Christendom wherein the Votes passed with more freedom or less practice than they did in this And for the Oath injoyned in the sixth Canon as it was never made to confirm any unlawful or exorbitant Power over his Majesty's Subjects so I do humbly conceive that it is no Wicked or Ungodly Oath in any respect And I hope I am able to make it good in any learned Assembly in Christendom that this Oath and all those Canons then made and here before recited and every Branch in them are Just and Orthodox and Moderate and most necessary for the present Condition of the Church of England how unwelcom soever to the present Distemper 6. He hath traiterously assumed to himself a Papal and Tyrannical Power both in Ecclesiastical and Temporal Matters over his Majesty's Subjects in this Realm of England and other places to the Disinherison of the Crown Dishonour of his Majesty and Derogation of his Supreme Authority in Ecclesiastical Matters And the said Arch-Bishop claims the King 's Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction as incident to his Episcopal and Archiepiscopal Office in this Kingdom and doth deny the same to be derived from the Crown of England which he hath accordingly exercised to the high contempt of his Royal Majesty and to the destruction of divers of the King's Liege-People in their Persons and Estates I have not assumed Papal or Tyrannicl Power in matters Ecclesiastical or Temporal to the least Disinherison Dishonour or Derogation of his Majesty's Supream Authority in matters Ecclesiastical or Temporal I never claimed the King's Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction as incident to my Episcopal or Archiepiscopal Office in this Kingdom Nor did I ever deny that the exercise of my Jurisdiction was derived from the Crown of England But that which I have said and do still say concerning my Office and Calling is this That my Order as a Bishop and my Power of Jurisdiction is by Divine Apostolical Right and unalterable for ought I know in the Church of Christ. But all the Power I or any other Bishop hath to exercise any the least Power either of Order or Jurisdiction within this Realm of England is derived wholly from the Crown And I conceive it were Treasonable to derive it from any other Power Foreign or Domestick And for the Exercise of this Power under his Majesty I have not used it to the Contempt but to the great Advantage of his Royal Person and to the Preservation not the Destruction of his People Both which appear already by the great Distractions Fears and Troubles which all Men are in since my Restraint and which for ought I yet see are like to increase if God be not exceeding Merciful above our Deserts 7. That he hath traiterously endeavoured to alter and subvert God's true Religion by Law established in this Realm and instead thereof to set up Popish Superstition and Idolatry and to that end hath declared and maintained in Speeches and Printed Books divers Popish Doctrines and Opinions contrary to the Articles of Religion established by Law He hath urged and injoyned divers Popish and Superstitious Ceremonies without any warrant of Law and hath cruelly persecuted those who have opposed the same by Corporal Punishment and Imprisonment and most unjustly vexed others who refused to conform thereto by Ecclesiastical Censures of Excommunication Suspension Deprivation and Degradation contrary to the Law of the Kingdom I never endeavoured to alter or subvert God's true Religion established by Law in this Kingdom or to bring in Romish Superstition Neither have I declared maintained or Printed any Popish Doctrine or Opinion contrary to the Articles of Religion established or any one of them either to the end mentioned in this Article or any other I have neither urged nor injoyned any Popish or Superstitious Ceremonies without warrant of Law nor have I cruelly persecuted any Opposers of them But all that I laboured for in this particular was that the external Worship of God in this Church might be kept up in Uniformity and Decency and in some Beauty of Holiness And this the rather because first I found that with the Contempt of the Outward Worship of God the Inward fell away apace and Profaneness began boldly to shew it self And secondly because I could speak with no conscientious Persons almost that were wavering in Religion but the great motive which wrought upon them to disaffect or think meanly of the Church of England was that the external Worship of God was so lost in the Church as they conceived it and the Churches themselves and all things in them suffered to lye in such a base and slovenly Fashion in most places of the Kingdom These and no other Considerations moved me to take so much care as I did of it which was with a single Eye and most free from any Romish Superstition in any thing As for Ceremonies all that I injoyned were according to Law And if any were Superstitious I injoyned them not As for those which are so called by some Men they are no Innovations but Restaurations of the ancient approved Ceremonies in and from the beginning of the Reformation and setled either by Law or Custom till the Faction of such as now openly and avowedly separate from the Church of England did oppose them and cry them down And for the Censures which I put upon any I presume they will to all indifferent Men which will Understandingly and Patiently hear the Cause appear to be Just Moderate and according to Law 8. That for the better advancing of his Traiterous Purpose and Designs he did abuse the great Power and Trust his Majesty reposed in him and did intrude upon the Places of divers great Officers and upon the Right of divers his Majesty's Subjects whereby he did procure to himself the Nomination of sundry
Prayer come as from the Publick Spirit of the Church when it is but the Bishop or his Chaplain or some private Spirit that frames them If this be my Lord's meaning far be it from me or any other to impose any Form of set Prayers upon the Church But it is one thing to Impose and quite another to Compose a set Form of Prayer Impose none can but Just Authority Compose all together cannot but some one or more must be singled out to take that pains And all or most may approve what one or few have compiled When it is so approved then it can no more be said to proceed from any private Spirit of this or that Man be it the Bishop or his Chaplain but from the Spirit and Power of the Church My Lord himself being a Prudent Man hath had the Happiness to make Motions in Parliament which have taken the House been approved and Orders drawn up upon them When the Order is so agreed on no Man may say it is an Order of my Lord 's private Spirit but the Order of the House and approved by the publick Spirit and imposed by the Publick Authority of the State And therefore to me it seems strange that my Lord who understands these things so well should neither like of a set Form of Prayers Composed by private Men nor by a certain number of Men and after publickly Confirmed Sure this would make any Man think my Lord likes none however he minces it But my Lord goes farther and says This Injunction is an Vsurpation of Power over the Churches of Christ and over the Gifts and Graces which Christ hath given unto Men which the Apostles never exercised nor would assume And yet they might much better have done it And the same Reasons might have been alledged for it that are now This turns such Forms instead of being Directions into Superstition It seems by this for I am most willing to take my Lord 's Meaning at the fairest that my Lord can digest some set Forms of Prayer but he would have no Injunction upon them So he that would use them might and he that would not might choose and this in short time would bring meer confusion into the Church of God which I hope is not my Lord's Intention to do Besides my Lord cannot but know that this Injunction for our set Form of Service comes not from the Churches Direction and Constitution though her Wisdom and Piety framed it but from the Authority and Power of King and Parliament So that all the Arguments which his Lordship brings here against the Church are equally if not more set against the King and the Parliament Well Why then is not an Injunction of set Form of Prayers fit Why my Lord tells you First because it is an Vsurpation of Power over the Churches of Christ. 'T is indeed an Act of Power but no Usurpation The Church Directing and the Soveraign Enacting ever had this Power since States became Christian. And should I have called it an Vsurpation of Power his Lordship I fear would have called it Treason against the King's Supremacy But I doubt my Lord would have the Churches free from Regal Power having ought to do with them durst he speak out Secondly because it 's an Vsurpation of Power over the Gifts and Graces which God hath given unto Men. Not so neither For whatsoever Gifts or Graces God hath given unto Men they may all have time place and occasions enough to use them to God's Glory and the Comfort of themselves and others and yet in the Publick Service of God submit to that set Form of God's Worship which is enjoyned for Unity and Decency in that External Service So this lays no restraint upon the Gifts and Graces of pious and religious Men But it keeps off bold ignorant and audacious Men from foming out their own shame to the great disorder and scandal of the Church of Christ. As we may see at this day now that Injunction begins to be but a little loosed what Froth and base Stuff is preached to the Consciences of Men. And yet these Men which preach thus scandalously talk of Gifts and Graces none more Thirdly because the Apostles never Exercised nor would Assume this Power of enjoyning a set Form and yet they might better have done it But how doth my Lord know the Apostles never Exercised nor would Assume this Power Out of all doubt the Apostles did Exercise and Assume many things which are not come down to our knowledge And since the Apostles did enjoyn a Form of Doctrine to the Church of Rome and delivered it too And since St. Paul enjoyned the Church at Philippi to walk by a set Rule for a Rule it cannot be unless it be set that so they might learn to mind the same things Phil. 3. And a Form of Ordination by imposition of Hands 1 Tim. 5. for such Persons as should instruct the People in these things And this with a stiff Injunction v. 21. And a Form of wholesome words 2 Tim. 1. And since St. John the Baptist taught his Disciples to pray St. Luke 11. and that it was by some set Form of Prayer I have some Reason to think First because if they did Pray by the Motion of the Spirit only St. John could not teach them that but the Spirit only So either St. John taught them not at all to pray which I hope this Lord will not say against a plain Text. Or else he taught them some set Form which was in his power and theirs to teach and learn Secondly because Christ's Disciples seem to intimate so much For they desire Christ to teach them to pray as St. John taught his Disciples And Christ instantly granting their Request taught them a set Form of Prayer Therefore it is more than probable that St. John taught his so too though the Form be not Recorded in Scripture Upon all which laid together it is probable enough by my Lord's leave that the Apostles did Exercise some set Form that at least which Christ taught them And Assumed Power to enjoyn it upon their Followers But herein yet the Apostles are somewhat beholding to this Lord that he re-allows they might better have done it than any now-adays Well I will not dispute what they might better have done sure I am it may and ought to be done now Fourthly because the same Reasons might then have been alledged for it that are now The same might but not all the same In particular the Church was small then and might with ease be Ordered in comparison of the great Congregations that are now But especially the Apostles and Apostolical Men were then present and could in another manner and with a greater Power than Men now adays both Judge and Order the Gifts and Graces of other Men to the avoiding of confusion in the Church which God by his Apostles would none of Besides the Apostles and some others in
the whole matter I believe this Committee will prove the National Synod of England to the great dishonour of this Church And what else may follow upon it God knoweth March 22. Munday The Earl of Strafford's Trial began in Westminster-Hall and it continued till the end of April taking in the variation of the House of Commons who after a long Hearing drew a Bill of Attainder against him Anno 1641. March 25. Thursday A. Sh. performed his Promise to the uttermost May 1. Saturday The King came into the Upper-House and there declared before both Houses how diligently he had hearkned to all the Proceedings with the Earl of Strafford and found that his fault what-ever it was could not amount to High Tre ason That if it went by Bill it must pass by him and that he could not with his Con science find him Guilty nor would wrong his Conscience so fa r. But advised them to pro ceed by way of Misdemeanour and he would concur with them The same day after the King was gone a Letter was Read in the Upper-House from the Scots in which they did earnestly desire to be gone It was moved for a present Conference with the House of Commons about it The Debate about it was very short yet the Commons were risen beforehand Maij 12. Wednesday The Earl of Strafford beheaded upon Tower-Hill June 23. Wednesday I acquainted the King by my Lord of London that I would resign my Chancellorship of Oxford and why June 25. Friday I sent down my Resignation of the Chancellorship of Oxford to be published in Convocation July 1. Thursday This was done and the Earl of Pembroke chosen Chancellor by joint consent August 10. Tuesday The King went Post into Scotland the Parliament sitting and the Armies not yet dissolved Septemb. 23. Thursday Mr Adam Torles my Ancient Loving and Faithful Servant then my Steward after he had served me full forty two Years dyed to my great loss and grief Octob. 23. The Lords in Parliament Sequestred my Jurisdiction to my inferior Officers and Ordered that I should give no Benefice without acquainting them first to whom I would give it that so they might approve This Order was sent me on Tuesday Novemb. 2. in the Afternoon Novemb. 1. News came to the Parliament of the Troubles in Ireland the King being then in Scotland where there were Troubles enough also Novemb. 25. Thursday The King at his return from Scotland was sumptuously Entertained in London and great joy on all hands God prosper it Decemb. 30. Thursday The Arch-Bishop of York and eleven Bishops more sent to the Tower for High Treason for delivering a Petition and a Protestation into the House that this was not a free Parliament since they could not come to Vote there as they are bound without danger of their Lives Januar. 4. Tuesday His Majesty went into the House of Commons and demanded the Persons of Mr Denzill Hollis Sir Arthur Haslerig Mr John Pym Mr John Hampden and Mr William Stroude whom his Attorney had the day before together with the Lord Kimbolton Accused of High Treason upon seven Articles They had Information and were not then in the House they came in after and great stir was made about this Breach of the Priviledges of Parliament Febr. 6. Saturday Voted in the Lords House that the Bishops shall have no Votes there in Parliament The Commons had passed that Bill before Great Ringing for joy and Bonfires in some Parishes Febr. 11. Friday The Queen went from Greenwich toward Dover to go into Holland with her Daughter the Princess Mary who was lately Married to the Prince of Orange his Son But the true Cause was the present Discontents here The King accompanied her to the Sea Febr. 14. His Majesties Message to both Houses Printed by which he puts all into their Hands so God bless us Febr. 14. An Order came that the Twelve Bishops might put in Bail if they would and that they should have their Hearing upon Friday February 25 They went out of the Tower on Wednesday February 16 and were sent in again February 17 the House of Commons on Wednesday-night protesting against their coming forth because they were not in a Parliamentary way made acquainted with it Feb. 20. Sunday There came a tall Man to me under the Name of Mr Hunt He professed he was unknown to me but came he said to do me service in a great particular and prefaced it that he was not set on by any States-Man or any of the Parliament So he drew a Paper out of his Pocket and shewed me 4. Articles drawn against me to the Parliament all touching my near conversation with Priests and my Endeavours by them to subvert Religion in England He told me the Articles were not yet put into the House they were subscribed by one Willoughby who he said was a Priest but now come from them I asked him what Service it was he cou'd do me He said he looked for no advantage to himself I conceived hereupon this was a piece of Villany And bad him tell Willoughby he was a Villain and bid him put his Articles into the Parliament when he will So I went presently into my inner Chamber and told Mr Edward Hide and Mr Richard Cobb what had befallen me But after I was sorry at my Heart that my Indignation at this base Villany made me so hasty to send Hunt away and that I had not desir'd Mr Lieutenant to seize on him till he brought forth this Willoughby Feb. 25. Friday The Queen went to Sea for Holland and her Eldest Daughter the Princess Mary with her March 6. Sunday After Sermon as I was walking up and down my Chamber before Dinher without any Slip or Treading awry the Sinew of my Right Leg gave a great crack and brake asunder in the same place where I had broken it before Feb 5 〈◊〉 Orders about Stisted Anno 1642. It was two Months before I could go out of my Chamber On Sunday Maii 15 I made shift between my Man and my Staff to go to Church There one Mr Joslin Preached with Vehemency becoming Bedlam with Treason sufficient to hang him in any other State and with such particular Abuse to me that Women and Boys stood up in the Church to see how I could bear it I humbly thank God for my Patience All along things grew higher between the King and the Parliament God send a good Issue Maij 29. Four Ships came into the River with part of the Ammunition from Hull August 22. Munday the King set up his Standard at Nottingham August 24. The Parliament having committed Three Officers of the Ordinance and sent two new ones in the room This day they brake open all the Doors and possessed themselves of the Stores August 27. Saturday Earl of Southampton and Sir Jo. Culpepper sent from the King to have a Treaty for Peace refused unless the King would take down his Standard and recall his Proclamation which
made them Traytors Septemb. 1. Thursday Bishops Voted down and Deans and Chapters in the Lower House That Night Bonfires and Ringing all over the City Ordered cunningly by Pennington the new Lord Mayor About this time ante ult Aug. the Cathedral of Canterbury grosly Profaned Septemb. 9. Friday An Order from the House about the giving of Alhallows-Bread-street The Earl of Essex set forward towards the King Septemb. 10. Voted down in the upper House Dubitatur Octob. 15. Saturday Resolved upon the question that the Fines Rents and Profits of Arch-Bishops Bishops Deans and Chapters and of such notorious Delinquents who have taken up Arms against the Parliament or have been active in the Commission of Array shall be sequestred for the use and service of the Common-wealth Octob. 23. Sunday Keinton Field Octob. 24. Munday An Order from the House to keep but Two Servants speak with no Prisoner or other Person but in the presence of my Warder this common to other Prisoners Octob. 26. Wednesday Mr. Cook 's Relation to me of some Resolutions taken in the City c. Octob. 27. The Order of Octob. 24. not shewn me till Octob. 26. and I sent a Petition to the House for a Cook and a Butler Thursday October 28. This Order revoked Friday And this granted me Novemb. 2. Wednesday Night I Dreamed the Parliament was removed to Oxford the Church undone Some old Courtiers came in to see me and jeared I went to St. John's and there I found the Roof off from some parts of the Colledge and the Walls cleft and ready to fall down God be Merciful Novemb. 8. Seventy Eight Pounds of my Rents taken from my Controuler by Mr. Holland and Mr. Ashurst which they said was for Maintenance of the King's Children Novemb. 9. Wednesday Morning Five of the Clock Captain Brown and his Company entred my House at Lambeth to keep it for Publick Service and they made of it The Lords upon my Petition to them deny'd they knew of any such Order and so did the Committee yet such an Order there was and divers Lords hands to it but upon my Petition they made an Order that my Books should be secured and my Goods Novemb. 10. Some Lords went to the King about an Accommodation Novemb. 12. Saturday A Fight about Brainford Many slain of the Parliaments Forces and some taken Prisoners Such as would not serve the King were sent back with an Oath given them The Fight is said to begin casually about billotting Since this Voted in the House for no Accommodation but to go on and take all advantages Novemb. 16. Wednesday An Order to barr all Prisoners Men from speaking one with another or any other but in presence of the Warder nor go out without the Lieutenants leave And to barr them the Liberty of the Tower Novemb. 22. Tuesday Ordered That any one of them may go out to buy Provision Novemb. 24. Thursday The Souldiers at Lambeth House brake open the Chappel door and offered violence to the Organ but before much hurt was done the Captains heard of it and stayed them Decemb. 2. Friday Some of the King's Forces taken at Farnham About an hundred of them brought in Carts to London Ten Carts full their Legs bound They were sufficiently railed upon in the Streets Decemb. 19. Munday My Petition for Mr Coniers to have the Vicaridge of Horsham Before it came to be delivered the House had made an Order against him upon complaint from Horsham of his disorderly Life So Decemb. 21. St. Thomas's day I petitioned for my Chaplain Mr. William Brackstone Refused yet no Exception taken That day in the Morning my young dun 〈◊〉 were taken away by Warrant under the Hands of Sir John Evelyn Mr. Pim and Mr Martin Decemb. 23. Thursday Dr. Layton came with a Warrant from the House of Commons for the Keys of my House to be delivered to him and more Prisoners to be brought thither c. January 5. A final Order from both Houses for setling of Lambeth Prison c. Thursday All my Wood and Coals spent or to be spent there not reserving in the Order that I shall have any for my own use nor would that Motion be hearkned to January 6. Friday Epiphany Earl of Manchester's Letter from the House to give All-Hallowes-Bredstreet to Mr. Seaman January 26. Thursday The Bill passed the Lords House for Abolishing Episcopacy c. Feb. 3. Friday Dr. Heath came to perswade me to give Chartham to Mr. Corbet c. Febr. 14. Tuesday I received a Letter from his Majesty dated January 17. to give Chartham to Mr Reddinge or lapse it to him That Afternoon the Earl of Warwick came to me and brought me an Order of the House to give it to one Mr Culmer This Order bare date Febr 4 Febr. 25 Saturday Mr Culmer came to me about it I told him I had given my Lord my Answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thursday St Cedd's day The Lord Brooke shot in the left Eye and killed in the place at Lichfeild going to give the Onset upon the Close of the Church he having ever been fierce against Bishops and Cathedrals His Bever up and armed to the Knees so that a Musket at that distance could have done him but little harm Thus was his Eye put out who about two Years since said he hoped to live to see at St Pauls not one Stone left upon another March 10. Friday This Night preceeding I dreamed a Warrant was come to free me and that I spake with the Lieutenant that my Warder might keep the Keys of my Lodging till I had got some place for my self and my Stuff since I could not go to Lambeth I waked and slept again and had the very same Dream a second time March 20. Munday The Lord of Northumberland Mr Pierpoint Sir John Holland Sir William Ermin and Mr Whitlock went from both Houses to Treat of Peace with his Majesty God of his Mercy bless it and us March 24. Friday One Mr Foord told me he is a Suffolk Man that there was a Plot to send me and Bishop Wrenn as Delinquents to New-England within fourteen days And that Wells a Minister that came thence offered wagers of it The Meeting was at Mr Barks a Merchant's House in Friday-street being this Foord's Son-in-Law I never saw Mr Foord before Anno 1643. March 28. Tuesday Another Order from the Lords to give Chartham to one Mr Edward Hudson My Answer as before April 11. Tuesday Another Order for the same and very peremptory This came to me April 12. whereupon I petitioned the House Thursday April 13. My former Answer being wilfully mistaken by Hudson That present day another Order very quick which was brought to me Friday April 14. I Petitioned the House again the same day with great submission but could not disobey the King April 12. Another peremptory Order to Collate Chartham on Mr Edw Corbet brought to me Saturday April 22. April 24. Munday I gave my Answer as before but in
but also though it be done as a help to Continency And S. Hilary agrees with this and calls it not a Custom but a Constitution such a Constitution as that if any Man shall advisedly and of set purpose Fast on the Lord's Day by the Decree of the Fourth Council of Carthage he should not be accounted a Catholick And they must needs do it advisedly and of set purpose who appoint a publick solemn Fast upon that Day and then keep it And this was so strictly observed in S. Ambrose his time that it was not held Lawful to Fast upon that Day no not in Lent Nay he goes farther For he says expresly If any Man make a Law or give a Command for Fasting on the Lord's Day he believes not in the Resurrection of Christ. And is not this opposite to Christianity it self And is not that Legem indicere when they Proclaim or Command a Publick Fast With him S. Augustin joyns very fully and first says it is a great Scandal Then he gives the reason of it Because Christ joyned Mourning with Fasting which becomes not this Day unless Men think 't is fit to be sorry that Christ is risen from the Dead And this I am sure is opposite to Christianity it self For if Christ be not Risen then is our Preaching vain and your Faith is also vain 1. Cor. 15. After this he asks this Question Who doth not offend God if with the Scandal of the whole Church of Christ he will Fast upon the Lord's Day I will not go lower down This is enough if any thing be Yet this I will add that as this Fasting on Sunday was antiently prohibited so was it never practised of old but by notorious and professed Hereticks as by the Manichees who appointed that Day for fasting so S. Aug. and were justly condemned for it so S. Ambrose And by Aerians who Fasted on Sunday and Feasted on Fridays so Epiphanius And by the Priscilianists whom S. Aug. therefore calls the Imitators of the Manichees and so they were indeed For neither of them believed that our Blessed Saviour was a true Man and therefore disregarded the Day of his Resurrection as appears in S. Leo. And as against these the Council held at Caesar-Augusta An. 381. provided so before An. 324. the Council at Gangra made their Canon against Eutactus the Armenian Monk and his Ground was pretence of Abstinence as if he could never Fast enough This is enough and all this is within the compass of the Primitive Church which certainly if these Men did not scorn they would never have urged this against me Well! This is they say drawn out of my fourteen Letters Next they will prove me the Author of many Disturbances among them 2. By two Papers of Memoirs and Instructions from the Pretended Bishop of St. Andrews to the pretended Bishop of Ross coming to this Prelate that is of Canterbury for ordering the Affairs of the Kirk and Kingdom of Scotland It is manifest here by their own Words that these Memorials and Instructions whatsoever they were had not me the Prelate of Canterbury for their prime cause on Earth for they came from the Reverend and Prudent Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews to the Reverend Bishop of Ross by him to deliver to me for the ordering of the Affairs of the Kirk and Kingdom of Scotland Surely I think no Man will judge it to be a Crime in me to give my Bretheren the Bishops of Scotland the Best Counsel and with that Counsel the best Assistance to his Majesty that I could in their Church-Affairs considering their absence and remoteness from him and the Place that I bear about him And for my own part had I been defective therein I should have thought my self not only unkind to them but faulty otherwise in my Duty both to his Majesty and that Church But for the Affairs of that Kingdom though I had the Honour to be a Sworn Counsellor of that State as well as this yet I never medled with them but at such time and in such a way as I was called and commanded to by his Majesty Let us therefore see the Particulars which are Named As not only to obtain Warrants to order the Exchequer the Privy-Council the great Commission of Surrenders The matter of Balmerinoe's Process as might please our Prelates but Warrants also for the sitting of the High-Commission-Court once a Week in Edinburgh and to gain from the Noble-Men for the Benefit of the Prelates and their Adhaerents the Abbacies of Kelsoe Arbroth St. Andrews and Lindores For the first of these my obtaining Warrants to order the Exchequer there that is indeed an Affair of the Kingdom and a great one But all or most that I did herein was at the earnest entreaty of the Earl of Traquair Treasurer Depute and after that Lord Treasurer who avowed to me that if the Orders were setled for the Exchequer he would not only bring the King out of Debt but raise him some Revenue also with a Protestation farther that for that and some such like particulars he could trust no hand but mine in his absence to get them done and kept private And at so great an Officers intreaty and for Matters under his own Charge I could not refuse so much Service for the King as was pretended by him As for Orders to the Privy-Council I remember not any procured by me And sure I am if I did any thing to that Honourable Body it was by his Majesty's Command and in relation to Church Affairs there And for the Great Commission of Surrenders in which both the Bishops and the inferiour Clergy were deeply interessed and did much fear the loss of their Tythes and to be made Stipendiaries I conceive I had all the reason in the World to give them my best assistance and yet I undertook not this Care till his Majesty gave me a special Command to do what I did And if the Bishops were in any thing mistaken in this Commission that cannot charge upon me who followed it no farther than I received special directions from his Majesty for the publick good For the Lord Balmerinoe's Process I heard much discourse of it at Court but I medled nothing with it one way or other saving that at the intreaty of some Men of Honour of that Nation I did twice if not thrice adventure to become an humble Suitor to his Majesty in that Lord's behalf And this was all the Harm I did him As for the High-Commission-Court if there were no fault in it as such a Court then I am sure there could be none in the Sitting of it once a Week If the having of such a Court be a Fault as it seems 't is now accounted as well here as there yet for my own part with all humble Submission to better Judgment I cannot think it is and I must still pray that both Nations
have not Cause to Repent the Abolishing of it But howsoever this was not of my procuring A Scotchman of good Place was imployed about it from the Bishops and effected it and I could name him but since it is here charged as a Fault I shall accuse no Man else but defend my self And this for the Sitting of it once a Week But for the establishing of that Court in that Kingdom that was done long before I was a Bishop or had any thing to do in the Publick For it appears by one of the greatest Factionists in that Kingdom that the Hich-Commission-Court was setled and in full Execution in the Year 1610. when all Men know I led a private Life in Oxford by which it is more than manifest that I neither was nor could be Author of this pretended Novation or any disturbance that followed from it The next is a great Charge indeed were there any Truth in it That I laboured to gain from the Noblemen for the Benefit of the Prelates and their Adhaerents the Abbacies of Kelsoe Arbroth S. Andrews and Lindores To begin at the last The Man that followed that was Mr. Andrew Lermot He came recommended to me very highly and with assurance that the Title which he laid to Lindores was Just and Legal But notwithstanding all this my Answer was That I knew not the Laws of that Kingdom nor would meddle with any thing of that nature And though he made great means to me yet he could never get me to meddle in it and which is more I told him and his Friends that for so much as I did understand I did much fear this way taken by him would do Mischief And tho' Mr. Lermot have the general repute of an Honest and a Learned Man yet for this very business sake I have made my self a Stranger to him ever since and that all this is Truth he and his Friends yet living are able to Testify For St. Andrews his Majesty took a resolution to Rebuild the Cathedral there which he found he could no way so well do as by annexing that Abby to the Arch-Bishoprick of St. Andrews with a Legal Caution for so much Yearly to be laid out upon that Building My Lord Duke of Richmond and Lenox who was owner of it had for it ....... Thousand Pounds The Earl of Tarquair who then managed the Lord Duke's Affairs made the Bargain with the King and that which I did in it was meerly to consider how security might be given that the Money which the King intended for so good and great a Work as the rebuilding of that Cathedral might be imployed to the right use and no other For Arbroth my Lord Marquis Hamilton without any the least Thought of mine that way made his earnest Suit to me that his Majesty would take Arbroth and joyn it to the very poor Bishoprick of Brechen close to which it lay and give him for it a Suit here in England At his Lordship's intreaty I obtained this And he very Nobly conveyed Arbroth as he promised But things were so carried by the Earl of Traquair the Lord Treasurer of Scotland that the poor Bishop of Brechen could never get that setled upon his See which was not the only thing in which that Lord played fast and loose with me For Kelsoe the like earnest Suit did my Lord the Earl of Roxborough make to me of himself for an Exchange and pressed me three or four times before he could get me to move his Majesty Indeed I was fearful least the King should grow weary of such Exchanges for sure I was whatsoever was pretended none of these Lords meant to lose by their Bargain Till at last my Lord of Roxborough was so Honourable as that he would needs leave Kelsoe to the King 's disposing and stay for such Recompence as he should think fit to give him till his Majesty found his own time This at his earnest intreaty still I acquainted the King with And so that business setled for a small time but how 't is now I know not And this was all that ever I did about Arbroth and Kelsoe And these two Honourable Lords are yet living and will witness this Truth But the Charge says farther That in the smallest Matters they the Prelates received his Commandments As for taking down Galleries and stone Walls in the Kirks of Edinburgh and St. Andrews for no other end but to make way for Altars and Adoration towards the East which beside other Evils made no small noise and disturbance amongst the People deprived hereby of their ordinary accommodation for Publick Worship This Charge is like the rest Is it probable that such Grave and Learned Men as those of the Scottish Bishops were which held intercourse with me should not resolve in the smallest Matters till they received my Commandments who never sent Command to any of them in my Life but what I received expresly from the King And they certainly were not for the smallest Matters As for the taking down of Galleries in St. Andrews to the uttermost of my Memory I never gave either Command or Direction Nor can it stand with any shew of probability that I should command the taking down of Galleries in St. Andrews where I had nothing to do and let Galleries stand in so many Churches in London and other parts of my Province where I had Power The Truth is I did never like Galleries in any Church They utterly deface the grave Beauty and Decency of those Sacred Places and make them look more like a Theater than a Church Nor in my Judgment do they make any great accomodation for the Auditory For in most places they hinder as much room beneath as they make above rendring all or most of those places useless by the noise and trampling of them which stand above in the Galleries And if I be mistaken in this 't is nothing to the business in hand For be Galleries what they will for the use I commanded not the taking of them down at St. Andrews At Edinburgh the King's Command took down the stone Walls and Galleries which were there removed and not mine For his Majesty having in a Christian and Princely way Erected and Indowed a Bishoprick in Edinburgh he resolved to make the great Church of St. Giles in that City a Cathedral And to this end gave Order to have the Galleries in the lesser Church and the Stone-wall which divided them taken down For of old they were both one Church and made two by a Wall built up at the West end of the Chancel So that that which was called the lesser Church was but the Chancel of St. Giles with Galleries round about it And was for all the World like a square Theater without any shew of a Church As is also the Church at Brunt-Iland over-against it And I remember when I passed over at the Frith I took it at first sight for a large square Pigeon-House So free
was it from all suspition of being so much as built like an Antient Church Now since his Majesty took down these Galleries and the Stone-wall to make St. Giles's Church a Cathedral there certainly my Command took them not down to make way for Altars and Adoration towards the East which I never commanded in that or any other Church in Scotland The Charge goes on ART II. The second Novation which troubled our Peace was a Book of Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiastical obtruded upon our Kirk found by our General Assembly to be devised for Establishing a Tyrannical Power in the Persons of our Prelates over the Worship of God and over the Consciences Liberties and Goods of the People and for Abolishing the whole Discipline and Government of our Kirk by General and Provincial Assemblies Presbyteries and Kirk-Sessions which was setled by Law and in continual practice from the time of Reformation This Charge begins with a General and will come to Particulars after And first it seems they are angry with a Book of Canons Excellent Church-Government it seems they would have that will admit of no Canons to direct or controul their Liberty And if they mean by obtruding upon their Church that the Canons were unduly thrust upon them because that Book was Confirmed by the King's Anthority then 't is a bold Phrase to call it Obtruding For if His Majesty that now is did by his Sole Authority Command the present Book of Canons to the Church of Scotland he did but Exercise that Power which King James challenged did in the right of his Crown belong to him As appears manifestly by a Letter of his to the Prelates of Scotland then Assembled at Perth That Royal Letter is large but very worthy any Mans Reading and is to be seen in the Relation of those Proceedings But because they speak of my Novations if they mean that this Book of Canons was Obtruded upon their Church by me Or if it were found in a Just Synod and upon fair Proceedings to Establish a Tyrannical Power of the Prelates over the Worship of God or the Consciences Liberties or Goods of the People Or for Abolishing any thing that was setled by Laws they had Reason both to be troubled and to seek in a Dutiful manner first rightly to inform His Majesty and then to desire a Remedy from him But if the Book of Canons did really none of these things as for ought I yet know it did not and as I hope will appear when they come to Particulars then this will be no longer a Charge but a Slander And howsoever if any thing in those Canons were Ordered against their Laws it was by our invincible Ignorance and their Bishops fault that would not tell us wherein we went against their Laws if so we did And for my own part I did ever advise them to make sure in the whole Business that they attempted nothing against Law But if their late General Assembly in which they say these things were found to be against Law did proceed Unwarrantably or Factiously as the most Learned Men of that Kingdom avow it did the less heed must and will in future times be given to their Proceedings But before they come to Particulars they think fit to lay Load on me and say That Canterbury was Master of this Work is manifest by a Book of Canons sent to him written upon the one side only with the other side blank for Corrections Additions and putting all in better Order at his pleasure Which accordingly was done as may appear by the Interlinings Marginals and filling up of the Blank Pages with Directions sent to our Prelates I was no Master of this Work but a Servant to it and Commanded thereunto by His Sacred Majesty as I have to shew under his Hand And the Work it self was begun in His Majesties Blessed Fathers Time For the Bishops of Scotland were gathering their Canons then And this is most manifest by a Passage in the Sermon which my Lord the Arch-Bishop of S. Andrews Preached before the General Assembly at Perth An. 1618 when I was a private Man and had nothing to do with these things The words are these And when I least expected these Articles that is the five Articles of Perth were sent unto me not to be proponed to the Church but to be inserted amongst the Canons thereof which were then in gathering touching which Point I humbly excused my self c. So this Work was begun and known to that Church long before I had any thing to do with it And now when it came to be Perfected I did nothing but as I was Commanded and Warranted by His Majesty But indeed according to this Command I took a great deal more pains than I have thanks for as it too often falls out with the best Church-Men To this end 't is true a Book of Canons was not sent me but brought by my Lord the Bishop of Ross and delivered to me And if it were written on one side only and left Blank on the other for Corrections or Additions I hope there 's no sin in that to leave room and space for me to do that for which the Book was brought to me As for that which follows it hath less fault in it For they say it was for my putting all in better Order And I hope to put all in better Order is no Crime Censurable in this Court. And whatever they of Scotland think that Church did then need many things to be put in better Order and at this Day need many more Yea but they say this should not be done at my pleasure I say so too Neither was it For whatsoever I thought fit to correct or add in the Copy brought to me I did very humbly and fairly submit to the Church of Scotland And under those Terms delivered it back to the Bishop which brought it with all the Interlinings Marginals and fillings up of Blank Pages and the best Directions I was able to give them And all this was in me Obedience to His Majesty and no Wrong that I know to the Church of Scotland I am sure not intended by me Neither are these Interlinings or Additions so many as they are here insinuated to be for the Bishops of Scotland had been very careful in this Work All which would clearly appear were the Book produced Yet the Charge goes on against me still And that it was done by no other than Canterbury is evident by his Magisterial way of Prescribing and by a new Copy of these Canons all written with S. Andrews own hand precisely to a Letter according to the former Castigations and Directions sent back to procure the King's Warrant unto it which accordingly was obtained By no other Hand than Canterburies is very roundly affirmed How is it proved Why by two Reasons First they say 't is evident by his Magisterial way of Prescribing An Excellent Argument The Book of Canons was delivered to me
Tyranical Power he went about to establish in the Hands of our Prelates over the Worship of God and the Souls and Goods of Men overturning from the Foundation the whole Order of our Kirk and how large an entry he did make for the grossest Novations afterward which hath been a main Cause of this Combustion This is the last Shot against these Canons and me for them And I conceive this is no great thing For Arbitrary Government is one thing And 't is quite another that wheresoever there is no Penalty expresly set down it is provided that it shall be Arbitrary as the Ordinary shall think fittest which are the words of the Canon For since no Law can meet with all particulars some things must of necessity be left Arbitrary in all Government though that be perfectest and happiest that leaves least Nor is it an unheard of thing to find something Arbitrary in some Canons of the Church which are very antient As in the Council of Eliberis the Punishment of him who was absent from the Church three Sundays was that he should be Abstentus and barred from the Church for some small time that his negligence in the Service of God may seem to be punished But this small Time being not limited is left to Arbitrary Discretion So likewise in the Council of Valence An. 374. The giving of the Sacrament to such as had vowed Virginity and did afterwards Marry was to be deferr'd as the Priest saw Reason and Cause for it and that sure is Arbitrary The like we find in the third Council of Carthage where the Time of Penance according to the quality of the Sin is left to the Discretion of the Bishop And these Councils were all within the fourth Century By all which it is apparent that in Church as well as in State some things may be left Arbitrary and have been in Better and Wiser Times than these of ours Nay 't is confest by one that Writes almost as well as Junius Brutus that there is an Arbitrary Power in every State somewhere and that no Inconvenience follows upon it And the Council of Ancyra inflicting Censures upon Presbyters first and then Deacons which had fallen in time of Persecution yet gives leave to the Bishop to mitigate the Penance at his Discretion Again 't is manifest by the care taken in the preceeding Canons that here 's little or nothing of moment left Arbitrary And then the Ordinary will fall into an Excess more dangerous to himself than his Arbitrary Punishment can be to him that suffers it if he offer to Tyrannize For this Clause wheresoever it is inserted in Canon or Statute as it is in the Statutes of very many Colledges stands but for a Proviso that Disorderly persons may not think they shall escape Punishment if they can cunningly keep off the Letter of the Law And yet so that the Arbitrary Punishment be Regulated by that which is expressed in the Canons or the Statutes for Omissions or Commissions of like nature And therefore that which is inferred upon all this Charge and the Particulars in it Namely That I went about to establish a Tyranical Power in the Hands of their Prelates either over the Worship of God or the Souls and Goods of Men is utterly false and cannot be proved to follow out of any of the Premises Not over the Goods of the People For no Prelate not invested with Temporal Power can meddle with them so that were there any Canon made for that it would be void of it self Nor over the Souls of Men for they are left free in all things save to commit Sin and Disorder which to repress by Canons is and hath been the Church way Much less over the Worship of God For these Canons have laboured nothing so much as to Honour and Establish that in Decency and Uniformity And as for that which follows That these Canons over-turn from the Foundation the whole Order of their Kirk 'T is more than I believe will be proved that they have over-turned any good Order in their Church much less Foundations Though it may be thought by some and perhaps justly that there is so little Order in their Church and that so weakly founded that it may be over-turned with no great stress And for the large Entry made for the Gross Novations afterwards you see what it is And when you have considered the Gross Novations which are said to come after I hope you will not find them very Gross nor any way fit to be alledged as a main Cause of this Combustion Now follows ART III. The third and great Novation which was the Book of Common-Prayer Administration of Sacraments and other parts of Divine Service brought in without Warrant from our Kirk to be Vniversally received as the only Form of Divine-Service under the highest pains both Civil and Ecclesiastical Now we are come to the Arraignment of the Liturgy and the Book of Common-Prayer and this they say was brought in without Warrant from their Kirk If this be true it was the fault of your own Prelates and theirs only for ought I know For though I like the Book exceeding well and hope I shall be able to maintain any thing that is in it and wish with all my Heart that it had been entertained there yet I did ever desire it might come to them with their own liking and approbation Nay I did ever upon all Occasions call upon the Scottish Bishops to do nothing in this Particular but by Warrant of Law And farther I professed unto them before His Majesty that though I had obeyed his Commands in helping to Order that Book yet since I was ignorant of the Laws of that Kingdom I would have nothing at all to do with the manner of introducing it but left that wholly to them who do or should understand both that Church and their Laws And I am sure they told me they would adventure it no way but that which was Legal But they go on And say this Book Is found by our National Assembly besides the Popish Frame and Forms in Divine Worship to contain many Popish Errors and Ceremonies and the Seeds of manifold and gross Superstitions and Idolatries and to be repugnant to the Doctrine Discipline and Order of our Reformation to the Confession of Faith Constitutions of General Assemblies and Acts of Parliament Establishing the true Religion That this was also Canterbury's Work we make manifest This is a great Charge upon the Service-Book indeed But it is in Generals and those only affirmed not proved And therefore may with the same case and as justly be denied by me as they are affirmed by them And this is all I shall say till they bring their Proofs And though this be no more Canterbury's Work than the Canons were yet by their good will I shall bear the burden of all And therefore before they go to prove this great Charge against the Service-Book
Oblation for no other end but that the Memorial and Sacrifice of Praise mentioned in it may be understood according to the Popish meaning Bellarm. de Missa l. 2. c. 21. not of the Spiritual Sacrifice but of the Oblation of the Body of the Lord. This Book they say Inverts the Order of the Communion in the Book of England Well and what then To Invert the Order of some Prayers in the Communion or any other part of the Service doth neither pervert the Prayers nor corrupt the Worship of God For I hope they are not yet grown to be such superstitious Cabbalists as to think that Numbers work any thing For so the Prayers be all good as 't is most manifest these are it cannot make them ill to be read in 5. 7. or 3. place or the like unless it be in such Prayers only where the Order is essential to the Service then in hand As for Example to read the Absolution first and the Confession after and in the Communion to give the Sacrament to the People first and read the Prayer of Consecration after In these Cases to Invert the Order is to Pervert the Service but in all other ordinary Prayers which have not such a necessary dependence upon Order first second or third work no great effect And though I shall not find fault with the Order of the Prayers as they stand in the Communion-Book of England for God be thanked 't is well yet if a Comparison must be made I do think the Order of the Prayers as now they stand in the Scottish Liturgy to be the better and more agreeable to use in the Primitive Church and I believe they which are Learned will acknowledge it And therefore these Men do bewray a great deal of Will and Weakness to call this a New-Communion only because all the Prayers stand not in the same Order But they say there are divers secret Reasons of this Change in the Order Surely there was Reason for it else why a Change But that there was any hidden secret Reason for it more than that the Scottish Prelates thought fit that Book should differ in some things from ours in England and yet that no differences could be more safe than those which were in the Order of the Prayers especially since both they and we were of Opinion that of the two this Order came nearest to the Primitive Church truly I neither know nor believe As for the only Reason given of this Change 't is in my Judgment a strange one 'T is forsooth for no other end they say but that the Memorial and Sacrifice of Praise mentioned in it may be understood according to the Popish meaning not of the Spiritual Sacrifice but of the Oblation of the Body of the Lord. Now Ignorance and Jealousie whither will you For the Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving no Man doubts but that is to be Offer'd up Nor doth any Man of Learning question it that I know but that according to our Saviour's own Command we are to do whatsoever is done in this Office as a Memorial of his Body and Blood Offered up and shed for us S. Luc. 22. Now 't is one thing to Offer up his Body and another to Offer up the Memorial of his Body with our Praise and Thanks for that infinite Blessing So that were that Change of Order made for this end which is more than I know I do not yet see how any Popish Meaning so much feared can be fastned upon it And the Words in that Prayer are plain as they are also in the Book of England That we offer and present unto God our Selves our Souls and Bodies to be a reasonable holy and lively Sacrifice unto him What is there here that can be drawn to a Popish Meaning unless it be with the cords of these Mens Vanity Yet thus much we have gained from them That this Prayer comes in the Book of England pertinently after the Communion Any approbation is well of that Antichristian Service-Book as 't is often called And I verily believe we should not have gained this Testimony of them for it but only that they are content to approve that to make the greater hatred against their own Next they tell us 2. It seems to be no great matter that without warrant of the Book of England the Presbyter going from the North end of the Table shall stand during the time of Consecration at such a part of the Table where he may with the more ease and decency use both his Hands Yet being tryed it importeth much As that he must stand with his hinder parts to the People representing saith Durand that which the Lord said to Moses Thou shalt see my hinder parts Truly this Charge is as it seems no great matter And yet here again they are offended that this is done without warrant of the Book of England How comes this Book of England to be so much in their esteem that nothing must be done without warrant from it Why 't is not that they approve that Book for they will none of that neither But 't is only to make their Complaint more acceptable in England Yet they say this very remove of the Presbyter during the time of Consecration upon tryal imports much The Rubrick professes that nothing is meant by it but that he may use both his Hands with more ease and decency about that work And I protest in the presence of Almighty God I know of no other Intention herein than this But these Men can tell more They are sure it is that he may turn his hinder parts to the People representing that which the Lord said to Moses And what Warrant have they for this Why Durand says so Now truly the more Fool he And they shall do well to ask their own Bishops what acquaintance they have with Durand For as for my self I was so poorly satisfied with the first Leaf I Read in him that I never medled with him since Nor indeed do I spend any time in such Authors as he is So I have nothing to do with this Yea but they find fault with the Reason given in the Rubrick For they say He must have the use of both his Hands not for any thing he hath to do about the Bread and the Wine for that may be done at the North end of the Table and be better seen of the People But as we are taught by the Rationalists That he may be stretching out his Arms represent the extension of Christ on the Cross. But the Reason given in the Rubrick doth not satisfie them For they say plainly They have no use of both their Hands for any thing that is to be done about the Bread and the Wine Surely these Men Consecrate these Elements in a very loose and mean way if they can say truly that they have not use of both their Hands in this work Or that whatsoever is done may as well be done at the
St. Paul He that speaks in the Church in an unknown tongue speaks not unto Men for they understand him not yet he speaks to God and doubtless doth not mock him for he edifies himself and in the Spirit speaks Mysteries neither of which can stand with the mocking of God Now say they As there is no word of all this in the English Service so doth the Book in King Edward's Time give to every Presbyter his liberty of Gesture which yet gave such offence to Bucer the Censurer of the Book and even in Cassander his own Judgment a Man of great Moderation in Matters of this kind that he calleth them Nunquam-satis-execrandos Missae gestus and would have them to be abhorred because they confirm to the Simple and Superstitious ter-impiam exitialem Missae fiduciam As there is no word of all this in the English Service so neither is there in the Book for Scotland more or other or to other purpose than I have above expressed For the Book under Edw. 6. at the end of it there are some Rules concerning Ceremonies and it doth give liberty of Gesture to every Presbyter But it is only of some Gestures such as are there named Similes not of all But if any will extend it unto all then I humbly desire it may be Piously and Prudently considered whether this confusion which will follow upon every Presbyters Liberty and Choice be not like to prove worse than any Rule that is given in either Book for Decent Uniformity And yet say they these Gestures for all this Liberty given gave such offence to Bucer the Censurer of the Book that he calls them Nunquam-satis-execrandos Missae gestus the never sufficiently execrable Gestures of the Mass. First 't is true Bucer did make some Observations upon that Common-Prayer-Book under Edw. 6. And he did it at the intreaty of Arch-Bishop Cranmer And after he had made such Observations upon it as he thought fit he writ thus to the Arch-Bishop Being mindful how much I owe to your most Reverend Father-Hood and the English Churches that which is given me to see and discern in this business I will subscribe This done your most Reveverend Father-hood and the rest of your Order that is the rest of the Bishops may judge of what I write Where we see both the care of Bucer to do what was required of him and his Christian Humility to leave what he had done to the judgment of the then Governours of this Church By which it appears that he gave his Judgment upon that Book not as being the Censurer of it as these Men call him but as delivering up his Animadversions upon it to that Authority which required it of him Much less was it such a Censure as must bind all other Men to his Judgment which he very modestly submits to the Church Howsoever this has been the common Error as I humbly conceive of the English Nation to entertain and value Strangers in all Professions of Learning beyond their desert and to the contempt or passing by at least of Men of equal worth of their own Nation which I have observed ever since I was of ability to judge of these things But be this as it may These Men have Notoriously corrupted Bucer For they say he calls them Nunquam-satis-execrandos Missae gestus referring the Execration to the Ceremonial Gestures But Bucer's words are Nunquam-satis-execrandae Missae gestus referring the Execration to the Mass it self not to the Gestures in it of bowing the Knee or beating the Breast or the like which in themselves and undoubtedly in Bucer's Judgment also are far enough from being Execrable As for that which follows and which are Bucer's words indeed That These Gestures or any other which confirm to the simple ter impiam exitialem Missae fiduciam as he there calls it the thrice impious and deadly Confidence of the Mass are to be abhorred there 's no doubt to be made of that Unless as Cassander infers well out of Luther and Bucer both they be such Ceremonies as Impeach not the free Justification of a Sinner by Faith in Christ and that the People may be well instructed concerning the true use of them Now all this at the most is but Bucer's Speech against such Ceremonies and in such time and place must be understood too as are apt to confirm the simple People in their Opinion of the Mass. But such Ceremonies are neither maintained by me nor are any such Ordered or Established in that Book Therefore this Charge falls away quite from me and Bucer must make his own Speeches good For my own part I am in this point of Ceremonies of the same Mind with Cassander that Man of great Moderation in Matters of this kind as my Accusers here call him And he says plainly a little after in the same place concerning Luther's and Bucer's Judgment in these things Quanquam est quod in istis viris desiderem though I approve them in many things yet there is somewhat which I want in these Men. But the Charge goes on 3. The Corporal Presence of Christ's Body in the Sacrament is also to be found here For the Words of the Mass-Book serving to that purpose are sharply censured by Bucer in King Edward's Lyturgy and are not to be found in the Book of England and yet are taken in here Almighty God is in called that of his Almighty Goodness he may vouchsafe so to Bless and Sanctifie with his Word and his Spirit these gifts of Bread and Wine that they may be unto us the Body and Blood of Christ. The change here is made a work of God's Omnipotency The words of the Mass ut fiant nobis are Translated in King Edward's Book that they may be unto us which is again turned into Latin by Alesius ut fiant nobis They say the Corporal Presence of Christ's Body in the Sacrament is to be found in this Service-Book But they must pardon me I know it is not there I cannot be my self of a contrary Judgment and yet suffer that to pass But let 's see their proof The words of the Mass-Book serving to that purpose which are sharply censured by Bucer in King Edward's Liturgy and are not to be found in the Book of England yet are taken into this Service-Book I know no words tending to this purpose in King Edard's Liturgy fit for Bucer to censure sharply and therefore not tending to that purpose For did they tend to that they could not be censured too sharply The words it seems are these O Merciful Father of thy Almighty Goodness vouchsafe so to Bless and Sanctifie with thy Word and Holy Spirit these thy Gifts and Creatures of Bread and Wine that they may be unto us the Body and Blood of thy most dearly beloved Son Well if these be the words how will they squeeze Corporal Presence out of them Why first the Charge here is made a
CAP. IV. NOW follows Adam Blair the second with a Codicil or a Corollary to this Charge And this though it concerns my Brethren the Bishops as much as me yet because it charges upon the Calling and was delivered in with the Charge against me though under another date of December 15. I shall express what I think of that too For I think the Scotch Commissioners took another day in upon advice that they might have a fling at the whole Calling And I cannot but think it was upon design among them when I consider how eagerly the House of Commons hath followed Episcopacy ever since This Codicil to their last Will and Testament concerning me begins thus We do indeed confess that the Prelates of England have been of very different humours some of them of a more hot and others of them Men of a moderate Temper some of them more and some less inclinable to Popery yet what known Truth and constant Experience hath made undeniable we must at this Opportunity express And so must we For we as ingenuously confess that the Presbyters of Scotland have been of very different humours some of them of a more hot and others of them Men of a moderate Temper And the more moderate for Temper and the more able for Learning among them have ever declared for the Episcopacy of England But whereas they say some of the Bishops of England are more and some less inclinable to Popery that may seem to imply that all of them are more or less inclinable to Popery which I dare say is a loud untruth Perhaps that which some of them call Popery is Orthodox Christianity and not one whit the worse for their miscalling it though they much the worse for disbelieving it But now you shall hear what that known truth is which constant experience they say hath made undeniable That from the first time of the Reformation of the Kirk of Scotland not only after the coming of King James of Happy Memory into England but before the Prelates of England have been by all means uncessantly working the overthrow of our Discipline and Government A little change in the words answers this For from the very first of the Reformation of the Church of England as well before as after the coming in of King James of Happy Memory the Presbyters of Scotland have been by all means uncessantly working the overthrow of Episcopacy our Discipline and Government As appears most manifestly in Archbishop Bancroft's Works So then either this is a loud untruth if our Prelates did not so practise against them Or if it be truth our Bishops had altogether as much reason if not more the justice of the Cause considered to work the overthrow of their Discipline than they had of Episcopacy But they tell us It hath come to pass of late that the Prelates of England having prevailed and brought Vs to Subjection in point of Government and finding their long-waited-for Opportunity and a rare Congruity of many Spirits and Powers ready to co-operate for their Ends have made a strong Assault upon the whole External Worship and Doctrine of our Kirk Surely for their Doctrine 't is too large a Field to beat over at this time Yet many Doctrines are on foot amongst them which are fitter to be weighed than swallowed would they permit them to be brought to the Sanctuary and Balanced there And for the whole External Worship which they speak of I have heard it said they have none at all and out of doubt 't is very little they have if any And therefore if the Prelates of England had gotten an Opportunity and a Congruity of Spirits and Powers to co-operate which yet is not so they had been much to blame if they had not pursued it till they had brought both the one and the other to a better Condition than they stand in at present And if they had such an Opportunity they were much to blame that deserted it And if they had not these Men are unworthy for asserting it But what End had the Prelates of England in this Why sure By this their doing they did not aim to make us conform to England but to make Scotland first whose weakness in resisting they had before experienced in Novations of Government and of some Points of Worship and therefore England conform to Rome even in those matters wherein England had separated from Rome ever since the time of Reformation These Men out of doubt have or take on them to have a great insight into the Hearts and Souls of the Prelates of England They know that we did not aim to make them conformable to England but to make Scotland first and then England conformable to Rome But I know the contrary and will leave the Book it self to be judged by the Learned in all parts of Christendom for it is carefully Translated into Latin whether it teach or practise Conformity with Rome or not which trial is far beyond their unlearned and uncharitable Assertion And if any other of my Brethren have had this aim they should do well to name them But they are so void of Charity that they cannot forbear to say that we aim to make them Conformable to Rome even in those things wherein England had separated from Rome ever since the Reformation Which is so monstrous an untruth that I wonder how Impudence it self dare utter it considering what the Bishops of England have written in defence of their Reformation against Rome and how far beyond any thing which the Presbyters of Scotland have written against it As for the Reason which is given why we began with Scotland namely because we had experience of their weakness in resisting Novations of Government and of some Points of Worship I know not what they mean by their weakness in resisting unless it be That they did not prevail against King James of Blessed Memory for resist they did to their power when he brought in Bishops which it seems they call Novations in Government and the Articles of Perth which they stile Novations in some Points of Worship And if this be that which they mean there is no Novation in the one or the other And for their weakness in resisting you may see what it is For no sooner have they gotten the Opportunity which they speak of in the beginning of this Codicil but they cast out all their Bishops reversed all the Articles of Perth all the Acts of Parliament which confirmed both brought back all to the rude draught of Knox and Buchanan saving that they have made it much worse by admitting so many Lay-Elders with Votes in their General Assemblies as may inable the Lay-men to make themselves what Religion they please A thing which the Church of Christ never knew in any part of it Nor have they stayed here but made use of the same Opportunity to cry down the Bishops and Church-Government in England As you will see by that
I ever pressed the Argument alike against both as I can prove by good Witness if need be And I pray God this Faction too little feared and too much nourished among us have not now found the Opportunity waited for 3. That they live here and enjoy all freedom and yet for the most part scorn so much as to learn the Language or to converse with any more than for advantage of Bargaining And will take no Englishman to be their Apprentice nor teach them any of their Manufactures which I did then and do still think most unreasonable 4. That for Religion if after so many descents of their Children born in the Land and so Native Subjects these Children of theirs should refuse to Pray and Communicate with the Church of England into whose bosom their Parents fled at first for succour I thought then and do still that no State could with safety or would in Wisdom endure it And this concerning their Children was all that was desired by me As appears by the Act which my Vicar General made concerning those Churches at Canterbury Sandwitch and Maidstone in my Diocess and the Publication of this Act in their Congregations by their own Ministers in this Form following I am commanded to signifie unto you that it is not his Majesty's intent nor of the Council of State to dissolve our Congregations And to that end his Majesty is content to permit the Natives of the first degree to continue Members of our Congregations as before But the Natives in this Church after the first descent are injoyned to obey my Lord Arch-Bishop his Injunction which is to conform themselves to the English Discipline and Liturgy every one in his Parish without inhibiting them notwithstanding from resorting sometimes to our Assemblies And my Lord Arch-Bishop of 〈◊〉 means notwithstanding that the said Natives shall continue to contribute to the Maintenance of the Ministry and Poor of this Church for the better subsisting thereof And promiseth to obtain an Order from the Council if need be and they require it to maintain them in their Manufactures against those which would trouble them by Informations Now that which I injoyned the French and Dutch Churches was to a syllable all one with this in all parts of my Province where these Churches resided As at South-hampton and Norwich And I have a Letter to shew full of thanks from the Ministers and Elders of the French and Walloon-Churches at Norwich All which is far from an endeavour to suppress any just Priviledges and Immunities which these Churches had in England or ought to have in any well-governed Kingdom And since this time I have not only seen but gotten the very Original Letter of Queen Elizabeth of Happy Memory written to the Lord Treasurer Pawlet specifying what Order she would should be taken with and for these Churches The Letter is Signed with her Majesty 's own Hand and Signet and gives them not half so much Liberty I do not say as they take but as I have been ever most content to give them For the Queen in these Letters allows them nothing contrary to her Laws and therefore nothing but our Liturgy in their own Language not another Form of Divine Service and Discipline much different from it This was the Wisdom of those times which I pray God we may follow The Queen's Letter follows in these words Elizabeth RIght Trusty and right well-beloved Cozen we greet you well Whereas in the time of our Brother and Sister also the Church of the late Augustine Fryars was appointed to the use of all the Strangers reparing to the City of London for to have therein Divine Service considering that by an Universal Order all the rest of the Churches have the Divine Service in the English Tongue for the better edifying of the People which the Strangers Born understand not Our Pleasure is that you shall Assign and Deliver the said Church and all things thereto belonging to the Reverend Father in God the Bishop of London to be appointed to such Curates and Ministers as he shall think good to serve from time to time in the same Churches both for daily Divine Service and for Administration of the Sacraments and Preaching of the Gospel so as no Rite nor Use be therein observed contrary or derogatory to our Laws And these our Letters shall be your sufficient Warrant and Discharge in that behalf Given under Our Signet at Our Palace of Westminster the ...... of February the Second Year of our Reign To our Trusty and right well beloved Cousin and Counsellor the Marquess of Winchester High Treasurer of England 13. He hath maliciously and Trayterously Plotted and endeavoured to stir up War and Enmity betwixt his Majesty's two Kingdoms of England and Scotland and to that purpose hath laboured to introduce into the Kingdom of Scotland divers Innovations both in Religion and Government all or the most part tending to Popery and Superstition to the great Grievance and Discontent of his Majesty's Subjects of that Nation And for their refusing to submit to such Innovations he did trayterously Advise his Majesty to Subdue them by Force of Arms And by his own Authority and Power contrary to Law did procure sundry of his Majesty's Subjects and inforced the Clergy of this Kingdom to contribute toward the Maintenance of that War And when his Majesty with much Wisdom and Justice had made a Pacification betwixt the two Kingdoms the said Arch-Bishop did presumptuously censure that Pacification as Dishonourable to his Majesty and by his Counsel and Endeavours so incensed his Majesty against his said Subjects of Scotland that he did thereupon by Advice of the said Arch-Bishop enter into an offensive War against them to the great 〈◊〉 of his Majesty's Person and his Subjects of both Kingdoms I did not Endeavour to stir up War between his Majesty's two Kingdoms of England and Scotland but my Counsels were for Peace As may appear by the Counsel which I gave at Theobalds in the beginning of these unhappy Differences For there my Counsel only put a stay upon the Business in hope his Majesty might have a better Issue without than with a War And if I were mistaken in this Counsel yet it agreed well with my Profession and with the Cause which was differences in Religion which I conceived might better be composed by Ink than by Blood And I think it cannot easily be forgotten that I gave this Counsel For my Lord the Earl of Arundel opposed me openly at the Table then and said my Grounds would deceive me And my Lord the Earl of Holland came to me so soon as we were risen from Counsel and was pleased to say to me that I had done my self and my Calling a great deal of Right and the King my Master the best Service that ever I did him in my Life And Mr. Patrick Male of his Majesty's Bed-chamber when he heard what I had done came and gave me
The same day it was Ordered by the Honourable House of Commons that Mr Glyn Mr. Whitlock Mr. Hill or any two of them should take care for the securing of the Publick Library belonging to the See of Canterbury the Books Writings Evidences and Goods in Lambeth-House and to take the Keys into their Custody And a Reference to the Committee to prepare an Ordinance for the regulating of Lambeth-House for a Prison in the manner as Winchester-House is regulated And upon Jan. 5. a final Order from both Houses came for the setling of Lambeth Prison In which Order it was included that all my Wood and Coal then in the House should remain there for the use of the Souldiers And when Motion was made that I might have some to the Tower for my own necessary use it would not be hearkned to There was then in the House above two hundred pounds worth of Wood and Coal which was mine The next day I received a Letter from the Earl of Manchester commanding me in the Name of the House to give All-Hallows-Bredstreet to 〈◊〉 Seaman This I was no way moved at because I had before expressed my self to my Lord of Northumberland that I would give this Benefice out of my Respects to his Lordship to Mr. Seaman his Chaplain Yet I cannot but observe that though this was made known to the Earl of Manchester yet he would not forbear his Letter that the Benefice might be given by Order and not seem to come from any Courtesie of mine to that Honourable Person CAP. XVII ON Thursday January 26. the Bill passed in the Lords House for abolishing of Episcopacy God be merciful to this sinking Church By this time the Rectory of Chartham in Kent was fallen void by the Death of the Dean of Canterbury and in my Gift It was a very good Benefice and I saw it would create me much trouble in the Collating of it The first onset upon me for it was by Dr. Heath and it was to give it to Mr. Edward Corbet of Merton-College of which House Dr. Heath had formerly been Very earnest he was with me and told me the Lord General was earnest for him and that it would be carried from me if I did it not willingly which I were better do My Answer was I could not help that But Mr. Corbet had many ways disserved me in Oxford and that certainly I would never give it him So we parted And though I could not be jealous of Dr. Heath yet neither could I take it well And on Tuesday Feb. 14. I received a Letter from his Majesty bearing Date January 17. in which Letters the King Commands me to give Chartham to one Mr. Reading a Man of good Note in the Church or if I were otherwise Commanded by Parliament not to give then to Lapse it to him that he might give it I returned a present Answer by word of Mouth and by the same Messenger that I would either give or Lapse the Benefice as his Majesties Gracious Letters required of me I was now in a fine Case between the King and the Parliament One I was sure to offend Yet these Letters of the King 's came happily in one respect For that very Afternoon the Earl of Warwick came to me to the Tower and after a few fair words bestowed on me drew out an Order of Parliament to give Chartham to one Mr. Culmer who his Lordship said was a very worthy Man and perhaps I might have believed his Lordship had I not known the contrary But I well knew him to be ignorant and with his Ignorance one of the most daring Schismaticks in all that Country This Order of Parliament bare Date Febr. 4. but was not shewed me till then My Answer to my Lord was that I had received a Letter from his Majesty which required me to give that Benefice to another Man or else Lapse it to him and therefore humbly desired his Lordship to do me good Offices in the Honourable House considering in what difficulties I was and how many great Livings I had given by Orders of Parliament and none at the King's Command till now So we parted After this Mr. Culmer came to me about the Benefice and protested his Conformity to the Church I think the Man forgot that I knew both him and his ways I told him I had given my Lord of Warwick my Answer But Mr. Culmer rested not so But got a Servant of mine down the Stairs to him and there was very earnest with him to know whether it were not possible to work me to give him Chartham And then out of the abundance of his honesty and worthiness offer'd my Servant a Hundred and Fifty Pound to procure him the Benefice And added that he should have no cause to distrust him for he should have the Money presently paid him This is as worthy a piece of Symony as need to be And but that the Earl of Warwick is a Man of Honour and unfit to stoop to such base Courses it is enough to make a Man think Mr. Culmer would have been very thankful to his Lordship for so much pains as to come to the Tower and solicit for him The Earl of Warwick at his next opportunity in the House told the Lords that whereas they had made an Order that the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury should give Chartham to Mr. Culmer a very worthy Preacher he had been with me himself about it and that I pretended Letters from the King and refused to obey their Order This was like to have stirred great Heat against me but that a Lord stood up and doubted of the Order Putting them in Mind that the Lord General was ingaged for this Benefice for Mr. Corbet and had left the Care of it upon himself and some other Lords in his absence Hereupon there was inquiry made when and how that Order passed for Culmer and it was found to be slipped out at a very empty House So the Earl of Warwick excused the Matter that he knew not of the Lord General 's purpose and so the Business slept and never awaked more for Culmer The Lord Brook was now in Action A bitter Enemy he was to the Church and her Government by Bishops On March 2 he was going to give Onset upon the Close of the Cathedral at Lichfield And as he was taking view of the place from a Window in a House opposite to the Close and his Bever up so that a Musket at such a distance could have done him but little harm yet was he Shot in the left Eye and killed Dead in the place without speaking one word Whence I shall observe three things First that this great and known Enemy to Cathedral-Churches died thus fearfully in the Assault of a Cathedral A fearful manner of Death in such a Quarrel Secondly that this happened upon Saint Chads Day of which Saint the Cathedral bears the Name Thirdly that this Lord coming from Dinner about
Gifts were great but that I perverted them all And that I was guilty of Treason in the highest Altitude These were the Liveries which he liberally gave me but I had no mind to wear them And yet I might not desire him to wear this Cloth himself considering where I then stood and in what Condition This Treason in the Altitude he said was in my Endeavour to alter the Religion established by Law and to subvert the Laws themselves And that to effect these I left no way unattempted For Religion he told the Lords That I laboured a Reconciliation with Rome That I maintained Popish and Arminian Opinions That I suffered Transubstantiation Justification by Merits Purgatory and what not to be openly Preached all over the Kingdom That I induced Superstitious Ceremonies as Consecrations of Churches and Chalices and Pictures of Christ in Glass-Windows That I gave liberty to the Prophanation of the Lords-day That I held Intelligence with Cardinals and Priests and endeavoured to ascend to Papal Dignity Offers being made me to be a Cardinal And for the Laws he was altogether as Wild in his Assertions as he was before for Religion And if he have no more true sense of Religion than he hath knowledge in the Law though it be his Profession I think he may offer both long enough to Sale before he find a Chapman for either And here he told the Lords That I held the same Method for this which I did for Religion And surely that was to uphold both had the Kingdom been so happy as to believe me But he affirmed with great Confidence That I caused Sermons to be Preached in Court to set the Kings Prerogative above the Law and Books to be Printed to the same effect That my Actions were according to these Then he fell upon the Canons and discharged them upon me Then that I might be guilty enough if his bare Word could make me so he Charged upon me the Benevolence the Loan the Ship-money the Illegal pulling down of Buildings Inclosures saying that as Antichrist sets himself above all that is called God so I laboured to set the King above all that is called Law And after a tedious stir he concluded his Speech with this That I was like Naaman the Syrian a great Person he confessed but a Leper So ended this Noble Celeustes I was much troubled to see my self in such an Honourable Assembly made so vile Yet seeing all Mens Eyes upon me I recollected my self and humbly desired of the Lords two things One that they would expect Proof before they give up their Belief to these loud but loose Assertions Especially since it is an easie thing for Men so resolved to Conviciate instead of Accusing when as the Rule given by Optatus holds firm Quum intenditur Crimen when a Crime is objected especially so high a Crime as this Charged on me 't is necessary that the Proof be manifest which yet against me is none at all The other that their Lordships would give me leave not to Answer this Gentleman's Particulars for that I shall defer till I hear his Proofs but to speak some few things concerning my self and this grievous Impeachment brought up against me Which being yielded unto me I then spake as follows My Lords my being in this Place and in this Condition recalls to my memory that which I long since read in Seneca Tormentum est etiamsi absolutus quis fuerit Causam dixisse 'T is not a grief only no 't is no less than a Torment for an ingenuous Man to plead Criminally much more Capitally at such a Bar as this yea though it should so fall out that he be absolved The great truth of this I find at present in my self And so much the more because I am a Christian And not that only but in Holy Orders And not so only but by Gods Grace and Goodness preferred to the greatest Place this Church affords and yet now brought Causam dicere to Plead and for no less than Life at this Great Bar. And whatsoever the World thinks of me and they have been taught to think more ill than I humbly thank Christ for it I was ever acquainted with Yet my Lords this I find Tormentum est 't is no less than Torment to me to appear in this Place to such an Accusation Nay my Lords give me leave I beseech you to speak plain Truth No Sentence that can justly pass upon me and other I will never fear from your Lordships can go so near me as Causam dixisse to have pleaded for my self upon this occasion and in this Place For as for the Sentence I thank God for it I am at St. Paul's Ward If I have committed any thing worthy of death I refuse not to die For I bless God I have so spent my time as that I am neither ashamed to live nor afraid to die Nor can the World be more weary of me than I am of it For seeing the Malignity which hath been raised against me by some Men I have carried my Life in my Hands these divers years past But yet my Lords if none of these things whereof these Men accuse me merit Death by Law though I may not in this Case and from this Bar appeal unto Caesar yet to your Lordships Justice and Integrity I both may and do Appeal not doubting but that God of his Goodness will preserve my Innocency And as Job in the midst of his Affliction said to his mistaken Friends so shall I to my Accusers God forbid I should justifie you till I Dye I will not remove my Integrity from me I will hold it fast and not let it go my Heart shall not reproach me as long as I live My Lords I see by the Articles and have now heard from this Gentleman that the Charge against me is divided into two main Heads the Laws of the Land and the Religion by those Laws established For the Laws first I think I may safely say I have been to my Understanding as strict an Observer of them all the Days of my Life so far as they concern me as any Man hath and since I came into Place I have followed them and been as much guided by them as any Man that sat where I had the Honour to sit And for this I am sorry I have lost the Witness of the Lord Keeper Coventry and of some other Persons of Honour since Dead And the Learned Councel at Law which attended frequently at the Council Table can Witness some of them that in References to that Board and in Debates arising at the Board I was usually for that part of the Cause where I found Law to be And if the Councel desired to have their Clyents Cause referred to the Law well I might move in some Cases for Charity or Conscience to have admittance but to the Law I left them if thither they would go And
the Bar there was Alderman Hoyle of York and some other which I knew not very Angry and saying it was a very strange Conversion that I was like to make of them with other Terms of Scorn I went patiently into the little Committee-Chamber at the entring into the House Thither Mr. Peters followed me in great haste and began to give me ill Language and told me that he and other Ministers were able to name Thousands that they had Converted I knew him not as having never seen him to my remembrance in my Life though I had heard enough of him And as I was going to answer him one of my Councel Mr. Hearn seeing how violently he began stepped between us and told him of his uncivil Carriage towards me in my Affliction And indeed he came as if he would have struck me By this time some occasion brought the Earl of Essex into that Room and Mr. Hearn complained to him of Mr. Peters his usage of me who very Honourably checked him for it and sent him forth Not long after Mr. Hearn was set upon by Alderman Hoyle and used as coursly as Peters had used me and as far as I remember only for being of Councel with such a one as I though he was assigned to that Office by the Lords What put them into this Choler I know not unless they were Angry to hear me say so much in my own Defence especially for the Conversion of so many which I think they little expected For the next day a great Lord met a Friend of mine and grew very Angry with him about me not forbearing to ask what I meant to Name the Particulars which I had mentioned in the end of my Speech saying many Godly Ministers had done more And not long after this the day I now remember not Mr. Peters came and Preached at Lambeth and there told them in the Pulpit that a great Prelat their Neighbour or in words to that effect had bragged in the Parliament-House that he had Converted Two and Twenty but that he had Wisdom enough not to tell how many Thousands he had Perverted with much more abuse God of his Mercy relieve me from these Reproaches and lay not these Mens causeless Malice to their Charge After a little stay I received my Dismission for that time and a Command to appear again the next day at Nine in the Morning Which was my usual Hour to attend though I was seldom called into the House in two Hours after CAP. XXIII The Second Day of my Hearing I Came as commanded But here before the Charge begins I shall set down the Articles upon which according to the Order of March 9. they which were intrusted with the Evidence meant this Day to proceed They were the First and Second Original Articles and the Second Additional Article which follow in these words 1. That he hath Traiterously endeavoured to subvert the Fundamental Laws and Government of the Kingdom of England and instead thereof to introduce an Arbitrary and Tyrannical Government against Law and to that end hath wickedly and traiterously advised his Majesty that he might at his own Will and Pleasure Levy and take Money of his Subjects without their Consent in Parliament and this he affirmed was Warrantable by the Law of God 2. He hath for the better accomplishment of that his traiterous Design advised and procured divers Sermons and other 〈◊〉 to be Preached Printed and Published in which the Authority of Parliaments and the Force of the Laws of the Kingdom are denyed and an Absolute and Unlimited Power over the Persons and Estates of his Majesty's Subjects is maintained and defended not only in the King but also in himself and other Bishops above and against the Law and he hath been a great Protector Favourer and Promoter of the Publishers of such false and Pernicious Opinions Second Additional Article 2. That within the space of Ten Years last past the said Arch-Bishop hath Treacherously endeavoured to subvert the Fundamental Laws of this Realm and to that end hath in like manner endeavoured to advance the Power of the Council-Table the Canons of the Church and the King's Prerogative above the Laws and Statutes of the Realm And for manifestation thereof about Six Years last past being then a Privy Counsellor to his Majesty and sitting at the Council-Table he said That as long as he sate there they should know that an Order of that Board should be of equal Force with a Law or Act of Parliament And at another Time used these Words That he hoped e're long that the Canons of the Church and the King's Prerogative should be of as great Power as an Act of Parliament And at another Time said That those which would not yield to the King's Power he would crush them to pieces These three Articles they begun with and the first Man appointed to begin was Mr. Maynard And after some general things against me as if I were the most violent Man for all illegal Ways The First Particular charged against me was out of my Diary The Words these The King Declared his Resolution for a Parliament in Case of the Scottish Rebellion The First Movers of it were my Lord Deputy of Ireland the Lord Marquess Hamilton and my self And a Resolution voted at the Board to Assist the King in Extraordinary Ways if the Parliament should prove peevish and refuse c. The Time was Decemb. 5. 1639. That which was inforced from these Words was First that I bestowed the Epithete Peevish upon the Parliament And the Second that this Voting to Assist the King in Extraordinary Ways in Case the Parliament refused proceeded from my Counsel 1. To this I replyed And first I humbly desired once for all that all things concerning Law may be saved entire unto me and my Councel to be heard in every such Particular 2. Secondly that the Epithete Peevish was a very Peevish Word if written by me I say If For I know into whose Hands my Book is fallen but what hath been done with it I know not This is to be seen some Passages in that Book are half burnt out whether Purposely or by Chance God knows And some other Papers taken by the same Hand from me are now wanting Is it not possible therefore some Art may be used in this Besides if I did use the Word Peevish it was in my Private Pocket Book which I well hoped should never be made Publick and then no Disgrace thereby affixed to the Parliament And I hope should a Man forget himself in such an Expression of some Passage in some one Parliament and this was no more it is far short of any thing that can be called Treason And yet farther most manifest it is in the very Words themselves that I do not bestow the Title upon that Parliament in that Case but say only If it should prove Peevish which is possible doubtless that in some particulars a Parliament may Though
appears by a Sermon of mine appointed to be Preached at the opening of the Parliament in the Year 1625. My Words are these If you would have indeed a flourishing both State and Church The King must trust and indear his People and the People must Honour Obey and Support their King c. This I hope is far enough from derogating from any Law And if I should privately have spoken any thing to him contrary to this which I had both Preached and Printed how could his Majesty have trusted me in any thing CAP. XXIV THis brought this tedious Day to an End And I had an Order the same Day to appear again on Saturday March 16. 1643. with a Note also from the Committee which were to Charge me that they meant then to proceed upon part of the Second Additional Article and upon the Third Original and the Third and Fifth Additional Articles The Second Additional Article is written down before And here follow the rest now mentioned to be next proceeded upon 3. The third Original is He hath by Letters Messages Threats Promises and divers other ways to Judges and other Ministers of Justice Interrupted and Perverted and at other Times by the means aforesaid hath endeavoured to Interrput and Pervert the Course of Justice in his Majesty's Courts at Westminster and other Courts to the Subversion of the Laws of this Kingdom whereby sundry of his Majesty's Subjects have been stopped in their just Suits and deprived of their Lawful Rights and subjected to his Tyrannical Will to their utter Ruine and Destruction The Third and Fifth Additionals follow 3. That the said Arch-Bishop to advance the Canons of the Church and Power Ecclesiastical above the Law of the Land and to Pervert and hinder the Course of Justice hath at divers Times within the said Time by his Letters and other undue Means and Solicitations used to Judges opposed and 〈◊〉 the granting of his Majesty's Writs of Prohibition where the same ought to have been Granted for Stay of Proceedings in the Ecclesiastical Court whereby Justice hath been delayed and hindered and the Judges diverted from doing their Duties 5. That the said Arch-Bishop about Eight Years last past being then also a Privy-Counsellor to his Majesty for the End and Purpose aforesaid caused Sir John Corbet of Stoak in the County of Salop Baronet then a Justice of Peace of the said County to be Committed to the Prison of the Fleet where he continued Prisoner for the space of half a Year or more for no other Cause but for calling for the Petition of Right and causing it to be Read at the Sessions of the Peace for that County upon a just and necessary Occasion And during the Time of his said Imprisonment the said Arch-Bishop without any Colour of Right by a Writing under the Seal of his Arch-Bishoprick granted away Parcel of the Glebe-Land of the Church of Adderly in the said County whereof the said Sir Jo. Corbet was then Patron unto Robert Viscount Kilmurry without the consent of the said Sir John or the then Incumbent of the said Church which said Viscount Kilmurry Built a Chappel upon the said Parcel of Glebe-Land to the great prejudice of the said Sir John Corbet which hath caused great Suits and Dissentions between them And whereas the said Sir John Corbet had a Judgment against Sir James Stonehouse Knight in an Action of Waste in his Majesty's Court of Common Pleas at Westminster which was afterward affirmed in a Writ of Error in the King's Bench and Execution thereupon Awarded yet the said Sir John by means of the said Arch-Bishop could not have the Effect thereof but was committed to Prison by the said Arch-Bishop and others at the Council Table until he had submitted himself unto the Order of the said Table whereby he lost the benefit of the said Judgment and Execution The Third Day of my Hearing In the Interim between the 13th and this 16th of March upon some strict Charge to look to the Tower my Solicitor was not suffer'd to come in to me Whereupon so soon as I was setled at the Bar before the Evidence began to be open'd I spake to the Lords as follows My Lords I stand not here to complain of any thing or any Man but only am inforced to acquaint your Lordships with my sad Condition Your Lordships have appointed my Secretary to be my Solicitor and given him leave to assist me in the turning of my Papers and to warn in such Witnesses and to fetch me the Copies of such Records as I shall have occasion to use And I humbly desire your Lordships to consider that my self being Imprisoned and so utterly disinabled to do these things my self it will be absolutely impossible for me to make any Defence if my Solicitor be denyed to come to me as now he is This was granted and the Hearing adjourned till Munday following and I humbly thanked their Lordships for it CAP. XXV The Fourth Day of my Hearing THE fourth Day of my Hearing was Munday March 18. and was only my Answer to the third Day 's Charge and the only time in which I was not put to answer the same Day The first Charge of this Day was about St. Pauls And first out of my Diary where I confess it one of my Projects to repair that Ancient Fabrick And three strict Orders of the Lords of the Council for the demolishing of the Houses Built about that Church One was Novemb. 21. 1634. The demolishing of the Houses commanded by this before Jan. 6. for one and for the rest by Midsummer Another was Mar. 26. 1631. a Committee appointed with Power to compound with the Tenants and with Order to pull down if they would not Compound The third was Mar. 2. 1631. which gives Power to the Sheriffs to pull down if Obedience be not yielded To this I confess I did when I came first to be Bishop of London Project the Repair of that Ancient and famous Cathedral of St. Paul ready to sink into its own Ruins And to this I held my self bound in general as Bishop of the Place and in particular for the Body of the Church the Repair of which is by the Local Statutes laid upon the Bishop And the Bishop was well able to do it while he enjoyed those Lands which he had when that Burthen was laid upon him But what Sacrilegious Hands despoiled that Bishoprick of them 't is to no purpose to tell And truly my Lords since I am in this present Condition I humbly and heartily thank God that St. Pauls comes into my Sufferings and that God is pleased to think me worthy to suffer either for it or with it any way Though I confess I little thought to meet that here or as a Charge any where else And so God be pleased as I hope in Christ he will to Pardon my other Sins I hope I shall be able Humane Frailties always set aside
wanted any 3 The Third Stile is Summus Pontifex But this was in my Lord of London's Letters and he must answer if any thing be amiss But Pontifex and Summus too is no unusual Stile to and of the Chief Prelate in any Nation 4 The Fourth Stile is Archangelus ne quid nimis Yes sure the meanest of these Titles is Multum nimis far too much applied to my Person and unworthiness Yet a great sign it is that I deserved very well of that University in the place I then bare or else they would never have bestowed such Titles upon me And if they did offend in giving such an unworthy Man such high Language why are not they called in Question for their own Fault 5 The last which I remember is Quo rectior non stat Regula c. And this is no more than an absolute Hyperbole A high one I confess yet as high are found in all Rhetorical Authors And what should make that Blasphemy in an Vniversity Orator which is every where common and not only allowed but commendable I know not Especially since the Rule of the Interpretation of them is as well known as the Figure Where the Words are not to be understood in their Proper and Literal Sense but as St. Augustine speaks when that which is spoken Longè est amplius is far larger than that which is signified by it And if I had assumed any of these Titles to my self which I am and ever was far from doing yet 't is one thing to assume Papal Title and another to assume Papal Power which is the thing Charged though I thank God I did neither If I have here omitted any Title it is meer forgetfulness for one part or other of the Answers given will reach it what-e're it be And as I told Mr. Browne when he Charged this on me Dr. Strowd the University Orator who writ those Letters and gave those Titles was called up before a Committee of this Parliament examined about them Acquitted and Dismissed 6 These Titles from the Letters being past He quoted another which he called a Blasphemous Speech too out of my Book against Fisher where he said I approved of Anselme an Enemy to the Crown and took on me to be Patriarch of this other World Let any Man look into that place of my Book and he shall find that I make use of that Passage only to prove that the Pope could not be Appealed unto out of England according to their own Doctrine Which I hope is no Blasphemy And for St. Anselme howsoever he was swayed with the Corruptions of his time yet was he in other things worthy the Testimony which the Authors by me Cited give him And if any Man be angry that the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury is called the Patriarch of this other World he may be pleased to remember that St. Jerom gives St. Augustine who was Bishop of Hippo and no Arch-Bishop a greater Title than that For he writes Beatissimo Papae Augustino more than once and again as appears in his Epistles to St. Augustine 7 To these Sir Nathaniel Brent's Testimony is produced Who says that he over-heard me say to another that I would not so easily quit the Plenitude of my Power or to that Effect He confesses he was coming in and finding me speaking with another made stay and stood a-far off and knows not of what I spake for so he said but over-heard the Words I beseech your Lordships observe this Witness He confesses he knows not of what I spake and yet comes here upon his Oath to testifie of Plenitude of Power in Relation to my assuming Papal Power If he meant not this his Testimony is nothing for Plenitude of Power may Extend to many other things and I might justly say if I said it that I would not easily part with the Plenitude of my Power in Relation to other Bishops of my Province who by Law have not so full Power as I have But if he did mean this then his Testimony is worse than nothing Nothing in regard he confesses he knows not of what I was speaking And worse than nothing That not knowing he would give such a Testimony upon Oath As for the Statutes themselves there was scarce one urged against me but it was either a Statute or a Prescription of that University long before I was born into the World and could not therefore be of my new-making And this was my Answer to Mr. Browne in the House of Commons And such Bannition 〈◊〉 and the like are well known to be The next Charge of this Day was that I went about to Exempt the Clergy from the Civil Magistrate 1. The first Witness is Mr. Pincen He says he heard me say at the High-Commission That the Clergy were now debased that heretofore it was otherwise and I hope to see it so again Truly my Lords if I did say thus which is more than I can call to Memory I spake truth they were debased and I did hope to see it otherwise For the debasing of the Clergy will make their Office and their Doctrine base as well as their Persons But here is not a word of freeing them from Laws or the Temporal Magistrate It was replyed he did mention the Civil Magistrate If he did he mentions no time by which I might be inabled to make Counterproof He is single They are words and if within the Statute then triable by it within six Months And I desire this grave Gentleman to consider his Oath For if I spake of any such Exemption I must speak against my Conscience and Judgment which I humbly thank God I use not to do Nor is it altogether impossible for the Civil Magistrate sometimes to oppress poor Clergy-Men But a little will be thought too much of this And therefore to Mr. Browne's Summary Charge I gave the former Answer that I spake of Exemption from Oppression not from Law 2. The Second Witness was Alderman Railton about the carrying up of the Sword in the Church when he was Lord Mayor He says I once sent him word about it but knows not by whom and after heard no more of it but refers himself to Mr. Marsh. He says there was an Order of the Council-Table May 3. 1633. concerning the submitting of the Sword in time and place of Divine Service If an Order of Council then was it no Act of mine as I have often Pleaded and must as often as it comes He says farther that I spake these Words or to this Effect That the Church had been low for these Hundred Years but I hoped it would Flourish again in another Hundred But here 's no one word of Exemption from Civil Magistracy And I hope your Lordships will take Witnesses as they speak not as Men shall infer and descant upon them And then my Lords under Favour I see no harm in the Words Only I shall recall my hope For if I had then any hope to
he calls Rome Monstrum Abominandum Howsoever I conceive all this is nothing to me 5. The Fifth Instance was a Book which they said was Licensed by Dr. Weeks And if so then not by my Chaplain But upon perusal I find no License Printed to it nor to any of the other but only to Sales which is answered 6. The Sixth Instance was in Bishop Mountague's Books the Gagg and the Appeal Here they said that Dr. White told Dr. Featly that five or six Bishops did allow these Books But he did not name me to be one of them Then Mr. Pryn urged upon his Oath that these Books were found in my Study And I cannot but bless my self at this Argument For I have Bellarmine in my Study Therefore I am a Papist Or I have the Alcaron in my Study Therefore I am a Turk is as good an Argument as this I have Bishop Mountague's Books in my Study Therefore I am an Arminian May Mr. Pryn have Books in all kinds in his Study and may not the Archbishop of Canterbury have them in his Yea but he says there is a Letter of the Bishops to me submitting his Books to my Censure This Letter hath no date and so belike Mr. Pryn thought he might be bold both with it and his Oath and apply it to what Books he pleas'd But as God would have it there are Circumstances in it as good as a Date For 't is therein expressed that he was now ready to remove from Chichester to Norwich Therefore he must needs speak of submitting those his Books to me which were then ready to be set out which were his Origines Ecclesiasticae not the Gagg nor the Appeal which are the Books Charged and which were Printed divers Years before he was made a Bishop and my Receit indorsed upon it is Mar. 29. 1638. And I hope Mr. Nicolas will not call this the Colour of an Answer as he hath called many of the rest given by me 7. The Seventh Instance was in a Book Licensed by Dr. Martin then my Chaplain in London-House This Book Mr. Pryn says was purposely set out to Countenance Arminianism as if it had been some Work of Moment whereas it was answered twice in the Queens Time If Dr Martin did this 't is more than I remember nor can I so long after give any Account of it But Dr Martin is Living and in Town and I humbly desired he might be called to answer He was called the next Day and gave this Account The Account is wanting a Space left for it but not filled up Mr. Pryn says farther that after this he Preached Arminianism at S. Paul's Cross. Why did not Mr. Pryn come then to me and acquaint me with it Which neither he nor any Man else did And I was in Attendance at Court whither I could not hear him And the Charge which came against him upon the next Days Hearing was this and no more That one then Preached at the Cross Vniversal Redemption but he that gave Testimony knew him not only he says one told him 't was Dr Martin 8. The last Instance was of a Bible commonly Sold with a Popish Table at the end of it This is more than I know or ever heard till now nor was any Complaint ever brought to me of it And I cannot know all things that are done abroad for Gain for that will teach them to conceal as well as move them to act Yet one of the Popish Heads mentioned in that Table was Confirmation which is commanded in our Church Liturgy and ratified by Law Here this day ended and I was ordered to appear again July 4. That Day I received a Note under Mr. Nicolas his Hand that they meant to proceed upon the 8 9 10 11 12 and 14th Original Articles and the Sixth and Seventh Additionals The last Warrant for other Articles came under Serjeant Wild's Hand and Mr. Nicolas signing this it seems mistook For the Eighth and Ninth Original Articles are in part proceeded on before Now they go forward with these and then on to the rest which I will write down severally as they come to them The same Day being Thursday all my Books at Lambeth were by Order of the House of Commons taken away by Mr. ....... Secretary to the Right Honourable the Earl of Warwick and carried I know not whither but are as 't is commonly said for the use of Mr Peters Before this time some good Number of my Books were delivered to the use of the Synod the Ministers which had them giving no Catalogue under their Hands which or how many they had And all this was done contrary to an Order of the Lords bearing Date Novemb. 9. 1642. for the safe keeping of my Books there And before I was Convicted off any Crime This Day also I received an Order which put off my Hearing to the next Day CAP. XXXIX The Seventeenth Day of my Hearing THis Day I appeared again And the First Charge against me was that I had preferred none to Bishopricks Deaneries prebends and Benefices but Men Popishly affected or otherwise unworthy And some they named 1. As First Dr Manwaring Disabled by the Parliament 2. Secondly Mr Mountague Excepted against by Parliament But for these no Proof was now brought They referred themselves to what was said before and so do I. And where they go to prove only by Dockets I desire it may still be remembred that the Docket is a full Proof who gave Order for drawing the Bill at the Signet Office But no Proof at all who procured the Preferment 3. Thirdly Bishop Corbet But the Earl of Dorset got my Lord Duke of Buckingham to prefer him to make way for Dr. Duppa his deserving Chaplain into christ-Christ-Church Nor was any thing Charged against Dr Corbet but that he was preferred by me 4. Fourthly Bishop Pierce Against whom there was no Proof offered neither And he is living to answer it if any be 5. Nor was there now any Proof offered against Bishop Wren who was named also at the least not till he was made a Bishop So if I did prefer him it seems I did it when nothing was laid against him And if after he had his Preferment he did any thing unworthily that could not I foresee and he is living to answer it 6. The Sixth was Bishop Lindsy a Man known to be of great and universal Learning but preferred by the then Lord Treasurer Portland not by me Him they Charged with Arminianism The Witnesses two The First Mr. Smart he is positive He was his Fellow Prebendary at Durham There was Animosity between them And Smart not able to Judge of Arminianism Secondly Mr. Walker who could say nothing but that he heard so much from some Ministers and Dr. Bastwick So here is as Learned a Man as Christendom had any of his time Debased in this great and Honourable Court by Ignorance and a Hearsay And that when the Man is gone
own Innocency I would desert my Defence before I would indure such Language in such an Honourable Presence Hereupon some Lords shewed their dislike and wished him to leave and pursue the Evidence Mr. Brown in summing up the Charge made this a great matter The denial of the Pope to be Antichrist But I did not deny it nor declare any Opinion of my own And many Protestants and those very Learned are of Opinion that he is not 'T is true I did not I cannot approve foul Language in Controversies Nor do I think that the calling of the Pope Antichrist did ever yet Convert an Understanding Papist And sure I am Gabriel Powel's Peremptoriness to say no worse in this Point did the Church of England no Good no Honour in Foreign parts For there he affirms That he is as certain that the Pope is Antichrist as that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and Redeemer of the World As for the thing it self I left it free to all Men to think as their Judgment guided them As appears by the Licensing of Dr. Featly's Sermons where he proves the Pope in his Opinion to be Antichrist Where he calls him also the Whore of Babylon Which surely I should never have suffer'd to be Printed had I been her Pander And for Bishop Hall I only told him what King James had said and left him to make what use he pleased of it The Third Charge was out of a Paper which Bishop Hall about the time when he wrote his Book in defence of Episcopacy sent unto me containing divers Propositions concerning Episcopal Government In which either he or I or both say for that Circumstance I remember not That Church-Government by Bishops is not alterable by Humane Law To this I answer'd that Bishops might be regulated and limited by Human Laws in those things which are but Incidents to their Calling But their Calling so far as it is Jure Divino by Divine Right cannot be taken away They charge farther that I say this is the Doctrine of the Church of England And so I think it is For Bishop Bilson set out a Book in the Queen's time Intituled The Perpetual Government And if the Government by Bishops be Perpetual as he there very Learnedly proves thorough the whole Book it will be hard for any Christian Nation to out it Nor is this his Judgment alone but of the whole Church of England For in the Preface to the Book of Ordination are these words From the Apostles time there have been three Orders of Ministers in the Church of Christ Bishops Priests and Deacons Where 't is evident that in the Judgment of the Church of England Episcopacy is a different not Degree only but Order from Priesthood and so hath been reputed from the Apostles times And this was then Read to the Lords And the Law of England is as full for it as the Church For the Statute in the eighth of the Queen absolutely confirms all and every part of this Book of Ordination Where also the Law calls it The high Estate of Prelacy And Calvin if my old Memory do not fail me upon those words of St. John As my Father sent me so send I you c. says thus upon that place Eandem illis imponit Personam ac idem Juris assignat And if our Saviour Christ put the same Person upon the Apostles and assigned to them the same Right which his Father gave him it will prove a sour work to throw their Successors the Bishops out of the Church after Sixteen Hundred Years continuance And in the mean time cry out against Innovation For either Christ gave this Power to his Apostles only and that will make the Gospel a Thing Temporary and confined to the Apostles Times Or else he gave the same Power though not with such Eminent Gifts to their Successors also to propagate the same Gospel to the end of the World as St. Paul tells us he did Ephes. 4. Now all the Primitive Church all along gives Bishops to be the Apostles Successors and then it would be well thought on what Right any Christian State hath be their Absolute Power what it will to turn Bishops out of that Right in the Church which Christ hath given them The Fourth Charge was an Alteration made in a Brief for a third Collection for the distressed Ministers and others in the Palatinat The Queen of Bohemia was pleased to do me the Honour to write to me about this and because two Collections had been before her Majesty desired that this third might be only in London and some few Shires about it I out of my desire to relieve those distressed Protestants and to express my Duty to the Queen became an humble Suitor to his Majesty that this Collection also might go thorough England as the rest had done And 't is acknowledged by all that this I did Now the Witnesses which Accuse me for some Circumstances in this business are two 1. The First is Mr. Wakerly He says that Mr. Ruly who was employed by the Queen of Bohemia about this Collection was roughly used by me upon occasion of this Clause put into the Brief and which he says I caused to be altered This first is a bold Oath for Mr. Wakerly was not present but Swears upon Hearsay Secondly what kindness I shewed him and the Business is mentioned before and if for this kindness he had been practising with Mr. Wakerly about the Brief as I had probable Reason to suspect I cannot much be blamed if I altered my Countenance towards him and my Speech too which yet these Witnesses for the other agrees in this have no Reason to call rough Carriage only upon Mr. Ruly's unthankful Report He says That these words the Antichristian Yoak were 〈◊〉 out First this is more than I remember and the Briefs I had not to compare nor is there any necessity that two Briefs coming for the same thing with some Years distance between should agree in every Phrase or Circumstance Secondly if I did except against this passage it was partly because of the fore-recited Judgment of King James of which I thought his Son King Charles ought to be tender And partly because it could move nothing but Scorn in the common Adversary that we should offer to determine such a Controversie by a Broad Seal I remember well since I had the Honour to sit in this House the naming of Tithes to be due Jure Divino cast out the Bill A Prudent Lord asking the Peers whether they meant to determine that question by an Act of Parliament The other part of the Clause which they say was altered was the Religion which we with them profess Whence they infer because with them was left out that I would not acknowledge them of the same Religion which follows not For we may be and are of the same Religion and yet agree not with them in those Opinions in
at Council-Table High Commission or Convocation are all Joynt Acts of that Body in and by which they were done and cannot by any Law be singly put upon me it being a known Rule of the Law Refertur ad universos quod publice fit per Majorem Partem And Mr. Pryn himself can stand upon this Rule against the Independents and tell us that the Major Voice or Party ought to over-rule and bind the less And he quotes Scripture for it too In which place that which is done by the Major part is ascribed to all not laid upon any one as here upon me And in some of these Courts Star-Chamber especially and Council-Table I was accompanied with Persons of great Honour Knowledge and Experience Judges and others and 't is to me strange and will seem so to Future Ages that one and the same Act shall be Treason in me and not the least Crime nay nor Misdemeanour in any other And yet no Proof hath been offered that I Solicited any Man to concur with me and almost all the Votes given preceeded mine so that mine could lead no Man 8. After this I answered to divers others Particulars as namely to the Canons both as they concerned Aid to the King and as they looked upon matters of the Church and Religion 9. To the Charge about Prohibitions 10. To the base Charge about Bribery But pass them over here as being answered before whither I may refer the Reader now though I could not the Lords then 11. My Lords after this came in the long and various Charge of my Vsurping Papal Power and no less than a design to bring in all the Corruptions of Popery to the utter overthrow of the Protestant Religion established in England And this they went about to prove 1 By my Windows in the Chappel An Argument as brittle as the Glass in which the Pictures are 2 By Pictures in my Gallery which were there before the House was mine and so proved to your Lordships 3 By Reverence done in my Chappel As if it were not due to God ospecially in his Church And done it was not to any other Person or Thing 4 By Consecration of Churches Which was long before Popery came into the World As was also the care of safe laying up of all Hallowed and Sacred things For which I desire your Lordships I may read a short Passage out of Sir Walter Rawley's History The rather because written by a Lay-Man and since the Times of Reformation But this Mr. Maynard excepted against both as new Matter and because I had not the Book present though the Paper thence transcribed was offered to be attested by Oath to be a true Copy But though I could not be suffered to read it then yet here it follows So Sacred was the moveable Temple of God and with such Reverence guarded and transported as 22000 Persons were Dedicated to the Service and Attendance thereof of which 8580 had the peculiar Charge according to their several Offices and Functions the Particulars whereof are in the Third and Fourth of Numbers The Reverend care which Moses the Prophet and chosen Servant of God had in all that belonged even to the outward and least Parts of the Tabernacle Ark and Sanctuary witnessed well the inward and most humble Zeal born toward God himself The Industry used in the Framing thereof and every and the least part thereof the curious Workmanship thereon bestowed the exceeding Charge and Expence in the Provisions the Dutiful Observance in laying up and preserving the Holy Vessels the Solemn removing thereof the Vigilant Attendance thereon and the Provident Defence of the same which All Ages have in some Degree imitated is now so forgotten and cast away in this superfine Age by those of the Family by the Anabaptists Brownists and other Sectaries as all Cost and Care bestowed and had of the Church wherein God is to be Served and Worshipped is accounted a kind of Popery and as proceeding from an Idolatrous Disposition Insomuch as Time would soon bring to pass if it were not resisted that God would be turned out of Churches into Barns and from thence again into the Fields and Mountains and under the Hedges and the Office of the Ministery robbed of all Dignity and respect be as contemptible as those Places all Order Discipline and Church Government left to newness of Opinion and Mens Fancies Yea and soon after as many kinds of Religions would spring up as there are Parish-Churches c. Do ye not think some body set Mr. Maynard on to prohibit the Reading out of this Passage as foreseeing whither it tended For I had read one third part of it before I had the stop put upon me 5 But they went on with their Proof By my Censuring of Good Men that is Separatists and Refractory Persons 6 By my Chaplains Expunging some things out of Books which made against the Papists It may be if my Chaplains whom it concerns had Liberty to answer they were such Passages as could not be made good against the Papists and then 't is far better they should be out than in For as S. Augustin observed in his and we find it true in our time the Inconvenience is great which comes to the Church and Religion by bold Affirmers Nay he is at a satis dici non potest the Mischief is so great as cannot be expressed 7. Then by altering some things in a Sermon of Dr Sybthorp's But my Answer formerly given will shew I had cause 8. By my preferment of unworthy Men So unworthy as that they would be famous both for Life and Learning were they in any other Protestant Church in Christendom And they are so Popishly affected as that having suffered much both in State and Reputation since this Persecution of the Clergy began for less it hath not been no one of them is altered in Judgment or fallen into any liking with the Church of Rome 9. By the Overthrow of the Feoffment But that was done by Judgment in the Exchequer to which I referred my self And if the Judgment there given be right there 's no fault in any Man If it were wrong the fault was in the Judges not in me I solicited none of them 10. By a Passage in my Book where I say The Religion of the Papists and Ours is one But that 's expressed at large only because both are Christianity and no Man I hope will deny that Papists are Christians As for their notorious Failings in Christianity I have in the same Book said enough to them 11. By a Testimony of Mr. Burton's and Mr. Lane's that I should say We and the Church of Rome did not differ in Fundamentals but in Circumstantials This I here followed at large but to avoid tedious repetition refer my Reader to the place where 't is anaswered 12. By my making the Dutch Churches to be of another Religion But this is mistaken as my Answer will shew the
that Business And this I did because in some things I did utterly dislike that Canvas and the Carriage of it At last some of the Senior Fellows came to me and told me That the College had been many Years without the Credit of a Proctor and that the Fellows began to take it ill at my hands that I would not shew my self and try my Credit and my Friends in that Business Upon this rather than I would lose the Love of my Companions I did settle my self in an honest and fair way to right the College as much as I could And by God's Blessing it succeeded beyond Expectation But when we were at the strongest I made this fair Offer more than once and again That if the greater Colleges would submit to take their Turns in Order and not seek to carry all from the lesser we would agree to any indifferent course in Convocation and allow the greater Colleges their full proportion according to their Number This would not be hearkned unto whereupon things continued some Years After this by his Majesty's Grace and Favour I was made Bishop of St. Davids and after that of Bath and Wells When I was thus gone out of the Vniversity the Election of the Proctors grew more and more Tumultuous till at the last the Peace of the Vniversity was like to be utterly broken and the divided Parties brought up a Complaint to the Council-Table The Lords were much troubled at it especially the Right Honourable William Earl of Pembroke Lord Steward and their Honourable Chancellour I had by that time and by the great Grace of his Now Majesty the Honour to be a Councellor and was present There I acquainted the Lords what Offers I had made during my time in the Vniversity which I did conceive would settle all Differences and make Peace for ever The Lords approved the way and after the Council was risen my very Honourable Lord the Earl of Pembroke desired me to put the whole Business in Writing that he might see and consider of it I did so His Lordship approved of it and sent it to the Vniversity with all Freedom to accept or refuse as they saw Cause The Vniversity approved all only desired the addition of a Year or two more to the Circle which would add a turn or two more to content some of the greater Colleges This that Honourable Lord yielded unto and that Form of Election of their Proctors was by unanimous Consent made a Statute in Convocation and hath continued the Vniversity in Peace ever since And this is all the carrying on of a Canvas for a Proctor's place which any Truth can challenge me withal And it may be my Lord is pleased to impute narrow Comprehensions to me because my Advice inclosed the choice of the Proctors within a Circle I am heartily sorry I should trouble the Reader with these Passages concerning my self but my Lord forces me to it by imputing so much Unworthiness to me But my Lord leaves not here but goes on and says worse of me Being suddenly advanced to highest Places of Government in Church and State had not his Heart enlarged by the Enlargement of his Fortune but still the maintaining of his Party was that which filled all his Thoughts which he prosecuted with so much Violence and Inconsiderateness that he had not an Eye to see the Consequences thereof to the Church and State until he had brought both into those Distractions Danger and Dishonour which we 〈◊〉 find our selves 〈◊〉 withal The next thing which my Lord charges me with is That I was suddenly advanced to highest Places of Government in Church and State This is like the rest And I dare say when my Lord shall better consider of it he will neither re-affirm nor avouch such an Untruth Suddenly advanced What does my Lord call Suddenly I was Eleven Years his Majesty's Chaplain in Ordinary before I was made a Bishop I was a Bishop Twelve Years before I was preferred to be Archbishop of Canterbury that Highest Place my Lord mentions When I was made Archbishop I was full Threescore Years of Age within less than one Month. Whereas my immediate Predecessor was not any one Month in his Majesty's Ordinary Service as Chaplain but far from that Honourable indeed but yet Painful and Chargeable Service and was made Bishop of Lichfield of London and of Canterbury within the compass of two Years he being at the time of his Translation to Canterbury but Forty nine Years of Age and yet never Charged as a Man suddenly advanced But my Advancement which it seems pleased not my Lord so well as his did was very sudden which I leave to the impartial Reader to judge Next being advanced to this High Place as my Lord calls it but now made low enough by his Lordship and other of the same Feather he says I had not my Heart enlarged with the Enlargement of my Fortune Sure my Lord is mistaken again For my Heart I humbly thank God for it was enlarged every way as much as my Fortune and in some things perhaps more But it may be my Lord meant that my Heart was not sufficiently enlarged because I could not receive those Separatists into it farther than to pray for them which would not suffer the open Bosom of the Church of England to receive them but neglecting their Father's Commandment forsook also their Mother's Instruction Nor did I maintain any Party but any Church-man or any Man else that loved Order and Peace in the Church was very welcome to me And I leave the World to judge by what they now see whether I or this Lord have practised or studied most the Maintenance and Advancement of a Party And as I did not maintain a Party so much less did it fill all my Thoughts as narrow as my Lord thinks them Nor did I prosecute these or any other my Thoughts either with Violence or Inconsiderateness Not with Violence for I can name many of whose Preferment under God and the King I was cause who yet went not with them which my Lord will needs miscal my Party Nor did I punish either more or more severely any that were brought before me in the Commission than were punished for the like Offences in any the same number of Years in my late Predecessor's Time As will manifestly appear by the Acts of the Court Nor with Inconsiderateness For I have many Witnesses that mine Eye was open and did plainly see and as freely tell where I then hoped there might have been remedy what was coming both upon Church and State though not as Consequences upon my Proceedings and I wish with all my Heart they were no more Consequences upon my Lord's Proceedings than they have been upon mine And my Lord is extreamly mistaken to say that I brought both into those distractions Danger and Dishonour with which they are now encompassed For 't is not I that have troubled this Israel of God For God is my
those Times had the Grace and the Gift of Prayer as well as other Graces And there was then as peculiar a Gift by Inspiration to pray as to foretell things to come or to do Miracles As is evident in St. Chrysostom who says that these Men made use of this Gift and Prayed publickly in their Assemblies But so soon as this Gift with others ceased there was a set Form from the beginning Neither is it hard to prove that some parts of our Liturgy hath been as Ancient as the Church hath any Records to shew and some both practised and prescribed by the Apostle St. Paul for the substance of them And the true Reason why we cannot shew the exact Primitive Forms then in use is because they were continually subject to Alterations both in times and places Now if this Lord can furnish us with such Men as shall be inabled to pray by the immediate Inspiration of God's Spirit we will bind them up to no Form But 'till he can I hope we shall be so happy as to retain the set Prayers of the Church Fifthly because this enjoyning turns such Forms instead of being Directions into Superstition This is so wild a Conceit that I wonder how it fell into the Thought of so Wise a Man as my Lord is taken to be For can a Command or an Injunction alter the very Nature of a Thing so far as to turn that which is a Direction into a Superstition Then belike it is Superstition for any Christian to obey the Decrees and Injunctions whether for Belief or Practice made by any the four first General Councils And my Lord knows well that 't is Heretical for any Man to profess against any of these Councils And this not only by the Church Law which his Lordship so much slights but by the Laws of England So by this Reason of my Lord's it shall be Heretical to deny the Injunction and Superstition to obey it If this will not serve my Lord may be pleased to remember that in the Council held at Jerusalem by the Apostles themselves they gave a Command though no such Command as might trouble the believing Gentiles And therefore Decreed that they would lay no greater burthen on them No more grievous Injunction than that they abstain from things offered unto Idols and from Blood and from things strangled and from Fornication where first it is most evident that the Apostles did assume this power of enjoyning and exercise it too And I hope my Lord for very Reverence to the Scripture for as for the Church he valueth it not will not say this wholesom Direction to avoid Fornication is made Superstition by the Apostle's Injunction If this Doctrine may hold I doubt very few will be Superstitious in this point And many Men that are very strict and hate Superstition perfectly will rather not abstain from Fornication than be Superstitious by abstaining And no question can be made by a Reasonable Man but that the Church of Christ had and hath still as much Power to enjoyn a set Form of Prayers as any of these things But my Lord hath more Reasons than these and truly they had need be better too But such as they are they follow This sets aside the Gifts and Graces which Christ hath given and thrusts out the Exercise of them to substitute in their places and introduce a Device of Man Sixthly then this Injunction of a set Form is unlawful because it sets aside the Gifts and Graces c. This is upon the Matter all one with my Lord's second Reason and there 't is answered Yet truly I know no Gifts or Graces set aside much less thruss out but such as are neither Gifts nor Graces of Christ but the Bold and Impudent Attempts of Weavers Coblers and Felt-Makers taking on them to Preach without Knowledge Warrant or Calling Much like the Gifts which Alexander the Copper-Smith had in St. Paul's Time And such Gifts and Graces as these cannot be said to be thrust out But my Lord and his Adherents thrust them into the Church to help cry down all Truth and Order Much less can they be said to be thrust out to make room for a Device of Man meaning the set Form of Common-Prayer Now surely I think and upon very good grounds that they which Composed the Common-Prayer-Book had as good Gifts and Graces of Christ as these Men have And that the conceived and often-times Senseless Prayers of these Men are as much or more the Device of Man than the set Form of Common-Prayer is Yea but for all that my Lord says This Injunction of such Forms upon all Men turns that which in the beginning Necessity brought in for the help of Insufficiency to be now the continuance and maintenance of Insufficiency and a bar to the Exercise of able and sufficient Gifts and Graces As if because some Men had need to make use of Crutches all Men should be prohibited the use of their Legs and enjoyned to take up such Crutches as have been prepared for those who had no Legs In the Seventh and last place my Lord is pleased to tell us this Injunction of such Forms upon all Men turns that which in the beginning Necessity brought in for the help of Insufficiency to the Maintenance of it My Lord told us a little before of a turning into Superstition Now here 's another turning into the Maintenance of Insufficiency two very bad turnings were either of them true But God be thanked neither is In the mean time my Lord confesses that Necessity brought in this Injunction of set Forms And I believe there now is and ever will be to the end of the World as great a Necessity to continue them But I cannot agree with my Lord in this that it was a Necessity for the help of Insufficiency that brought them in For when these were first enjoyned in the Church of Christ Men were endued with as great Gifts and Graces as any now are and perhaps greater But Necessity brought them in when Christianity multiplyed to preserve Unity and Order and to avoid Confusion and Sects and Schisms in the Church And that all sorts of Men might be acquainted with that which was used in the Publick Worship and Service of God Now that which follows is an unjust and foul Scandal upon the Church Namely that this Injunction is made the Continuance and Maintenance of Insufficiency For I believe few Churches in many Ages have had more sufficient Preachers than this of late hath had And therefore 't is evident this Injunction here hath neither been the maintenance nor continuance of Insufficiency This ground failing my Lord 's fine Simile hath neither Crutch nor Leg to stand on but it is as all such fine fetches are when they have no Ground to rest on Nor is any thing more Poor in Learning than a fine handsom Similitude such as this when it hath no truth upon which to rest For the
best that can be said of it is that it is a pretty fine thing if it were to the purpose But to come nearer to the Business I would have his Lordship remember that Christ taught his Apostles a set Form of Prayer St. Luc. 11. And I believe they were so religiously Dutiful as that they would not beg of Christ to teach them to Pray and when he had taught them then neglect or not practise the very Form he taught If my Lord can think this of the Apostles he may I cannot Nor can I think that Christ taught them this Form to be used as Crutches till their Legs were grown stronger For our Saviour doth not say till ye be stronger and have better Gifts Pray as I teach you but simply and absolutely when you Pray say Our Father c. That is say these very Words this very Form And what Will my Lord say that Christ taught them this Form to maintain them in Insufficiency Or did he make Crutches for their Lameness Or thereby prohibit the use of their Legs This Speech savours of more Profaneness than well become such a Professor His Lordship speaks better of them in another place There he can say there never were nor ever will be Men of so great Abilities and Gifts as they were Endued withal And I think he dares not say I am sure nor he nor any Man living can prove that the Apostles when their Gifts were at fullest did neglect or not use this Form of Prayer which Christ taught them Therefore either to use a set Form of Prayer is not to use Crutches or if it be 't is to use the same or the like Crutches which Christ made and his Apostles used And they will better beseem any good Christians to use than his own Legs be they never so good And for the set Prayers of the Church this I think I am sure of That the Men which are cry'd up by my Lord to have such excellent Gifts and Graces are in as much need of these Crutches as other Men. In the mean time my Lord every way shews his Love to the set Liturgy of the Church that makes nothing of it but Crutches which a Man if the Bath cure him would gladly hang up and leave behind him I well hoped to have found that my Lord had entertained more moderate thoughts of things appertaining unto Religion But since he himself thus proclaims it otherwise let us see how he goes forward without these Crutches This I confess I am not satisfied in yet will farther say thus much Here are with your Lordships some Bishops Men of great Parts able to Offer up this Worship unto God in the use of those 〈◊〉 which God hath endued them with And certainly they ought to serve him with the best of their Abilities which they have received Let them make use of their own Gifts nay let them but profess that they account not themselves bound to use Forms nor to this Form they use more than any other but that it is free for them to conceive Prayer or to help themselves by the use of any other Form they please as well as this prescribed And let them practise the same indifferently that so it may be manifest the Fault rests in the person and not in the Service In the negligence of him that may offer better if he will not in the Injunction of that which is offered And I will not refuse to come to Prayers For I take the Sin then to be personal and to reside in the Person Officiating only Now my Lord goes on farther and tells us That there are with your Lordships some Bishops Men of great Parts able to offer this Worship unto God c. Indeed my Lord goes far here and I am glad to hear that any Bishops can please him Are Bishops even as such Members of Antichrist so I am sure my Lord and his Followers have accounted them and their Libels Print them for such every Day and now can any Offer this Worship unto God which his Lordship would have Why then my Lord can be pleased I see that even in this Church God should be Worshiped by the Members of Antichrist Or if not then in this Passage he grosly Dissembles But what is this Worship which his Lordship would have Why it is to Pray in Publick and not by a set Form enjoyned but in the use of those Gifts which God hath Endued them with And it is most undoubtedly true which follows that they ought to serve God with the best of the abilities they have received But 't is as true that Bishops and all Ministers else ought to serve God with the best Abilities which the Church of Christ can furnish them with And I presume I shall not wrong any my Brethren not those of the greatest Parts If I say as I must that those Bishops and other Divines which Composed the set Form of our Service and enjoyned it too as far as their Power reached were Men of as great Piety and Learning and all other good Parts as any now living And it can be no Disparagement much less any fault or dulling of their own Gifts for the best of Bishops to use the set Forms ordered by them And the Phrase which my Lord uses is somewhat unusual To offer this Worship unto God We are said indeed to offer up our Prayers unto God and by so doing to Worship Honour and Serve him and him alone in that But to offer Worship to God I think is an improper Phrase at least And Psal. 110. the People are said to offer their Free-Will-Offerings with an Holy Worship or in the Beauties of Holiness And though perhaps his Lordship will not allow of this Translation yet so far he may as to see the use of the Phrase And in the Beauties of Holiness which keeps close to the Original will please him less Since a Barn with them is as good as a Church And no Church Holy with them but that which is Slovenly even to Nastiness But then 't is void of all Superstition Next my Lord proposes some Conditions which being observed his Lordship will not refuse to come to Common-Prayer I 'll examine these then For I would have all just Demands of his granted that he may come The First is Let these Bishops and others I suppose he means make use of their own Gifts Well let them on God's Name in that Dutiful Peaceable and Orderly Way make use of their own Gifts not crossing what the Church justly prescribes Secondly Let them but profess that they account not themselves bound to use Forms This Condition is somewhat hard For if they shall acknowledge they hold themselves bound to no Forms they must be bound to no Order And how Bishops will keep the Church in Order if they will be bound to observe none themselves I cannot tell Besides if they shall profess this they must profess against the constant
not proved so 't is Petitio Principii the begging of that to be granted which is the thing in question Secondly if there be Corruptions yet it is not proved they are in the Matter but of the two rather in the Manner of Worship Thirdly were both these granted yet it will remain a Question still whether these Corruptions be such as that the Worshippers are defiled therewith And another Question whether so deeply defiled as that other good Christians shall be defiled by coming to Common-Prayer with them For I am not yet persuaded nor shall be till I be convinced That every Man that will keep himself pure from other Mens Sins and not Sin against his Conscience is bound to make this Separation For I conceive many Corruptions may be tolerated nay ought to be before a Separation be made And that a private Conscience is to be both informed and reformed before it be attempted Nor can I think that he which comes to the publick Service of any Church that is not Idolatrous or peccant in the Fundamentals of Religion doth partake with other Mens Sins that frequent the same Common-Prayer or Service with him or he with them And yet my Lord is so peremptory as that without any distinction or Degrees of Corruption he delivers it positively with a great deal more Boldness than Knowledge That every Man that will keep himself pure from other Mens Sins must make this Separation Every Man and must make And it is not to be conceived but that what every Man must do my Lord who seems to be so careful to keep himself pure from other Mens Sins hath done already That is hath made this Separation from the Church And my Lord for ought I see is ready to confess as much For he adds And I will ingenuously confess that there are many things in many Churches or Congregations in England practised and injoyned upon all to be practised and suffered which I cannot practise nor admit of except I should Sin against the Light of my Conscience until I may out of the Word of God be convinced of the Lawfulness of them which hitherto I could never see sufficient ground for I told you my Lord was very near confessing as much as I have said For he says ingenuously there are many things in many Churches in England practised First I told my Lord before that this Business of Separation was not to be judged by what is practised in one or more Parochial Congregations but by what ought to be practised in all the Churches of England And if my Lord dislike any thing in one Congregation he may go to another so he will endure the whole Liturgy as it is setled by Law and no Man if he will do this ought to account him a Separatist And I find by my Lord's Words that his Exception is to many Churches and I would willingly hope if his Carriage would let me that he excepts not against all Besides he tells us that many things are so practised but he is not pleased to tell us what they are And then it is not possible for me or any Man else either to know whether his Lordship's Exception be just against them or to give him satisfaction in them And it is no great sign that my Lord bears any good Mind to the Church that he is so ready to charge many things against the Church and to name none My Lord goes farther and says plainly that these many things thus practised or enjoyned also and that upon all to be practised or suffered which he cannot practise nor admit of except he should Sin against the Light of his Conscience You have heard already how much my Lord is troubled with this Enjoyning and to that I refer you In the mean time since I am the Man so particularly shot at by my Lord I shall answer for my self according to Truth and with Truth I can legally prove if need be I have not Commanded or injoyned any one thing Ceremonial or other upon any Parochial Congregation in England much less upon all to be either practised or suffered but that which is directly commanded by Law And if any Inferiour 〈◊〉 in the Kingdom or any of my own Officers have given any such Command 't is either without my Knowledge or against my Direction And 't is well known I have sharply chid some for this very particular and if my Lord would have acquainted me with any such troubled thought of his I would have given him so far as had been in my Power either Satisfaction or Remedy if any thing had been against the Light of his Conscience Though in these things I must needs tell my Lord that there is now adays in many Men which have shaken off all Church Obedience great pretensions to Light in their Vnderstandings and Consciences when to Men which see indeed 't is little less than Palpable Darkness But how it is with my Lord and his Conscience I will not take upon me to Judge but leave him to stand or fall to his own Master Rom 14. For it seems my Lord stands not simply upon the Light of his Conscience but only until he may be convinced out of the Word of God of the Lawfulness of these things which hitherto he could never see sufficient ground for And this is the Common-Plea which all of them have resort to till they be convinced which as I have had experience of many they are resolved not to be And they will be convinced in every particular out of the Word of God to the very taking up of a Rush or Straw as their grave Master T. C. taught them As if God took care of Straws or their taking of them up As if every particular thing of Order or Decency were expresly set down in the Word of God Surely if this were so St. Paul should have had nothing to set in order when he came to Corinth 1 Cor 11. And if this be so the Church hath no Power left in any thing not so much as to Command a Bell shall Tole to call the people to publick Prayers because 't is no where commanded in the Word of God So that upon this Ground if any Man shall say he hath Light enough in his Conscience to see the unlawfulness of such Humane Devices he may Separate from the Church rather than Sin against this Light So there shall be no Publick Service of God but some Ignis Fatuus or other under the Name of Light in the Conscience shall except against it and Separate from it Which is directly to set up the Light in each private Spirit against that Light which God hath placed in his Church shine it never so clearly Yet his Lordship is confident and says But my Lords this is so far from making me the greatest Separatist in England that it cannot argue me to be any at all For my Lords the Bishops do know that those whom they usually
His Lordship hath likewise sent up a List of Romish Recusants which were presented at his last Visitation which he saith are for the most part but of mean Condition and those not many considering the greatness of the County In this Diocess the Town of Mawling and that whole Deanery were very much out of Order but the Arch-Deacon by my Lord the Bishop's Command hath setled them My Lord likewise brought Mr Throgmorton the Vicar of Mawling into the High Commission where he submitted himself and received a Canonical Admonition I likewise certifie your Majesty that the Bishop complains that the Cathedral Church suffers much for want of Glass in the Windows and that the Church-Yard lies very undecently and the Gates down and that he hath no Power to remedy these things because the Dean and Chapter refuse to be visited by him upon pretence that their Statutes are not confirmed under the Broad Seal with some other circumstances with which I shall acquaint your Majesty more at large Concerning this Diocess whereas your Majesty's Instructions require that Lecturers should turn their Afternoon Sermons into Catechizing by way of Question and Answer some Persons and Vicars make a question whether they be bound to the like Order because Lecturers only be named as they pretend But your Majesty's Expression is clear for Catechizing generally and my Lord the Bishop will presently settle this doubt There is one Mr Elms in that Diocess who being not qualified by Law keeps a School-Master in his House and useth him as a Chaplain to preach a Lecture upon Sundays in the Afternoon in the Church of Warmington But by this time if the Bishop keep his promise that abuse is Rectified The Bishop complains that the Peculiars of his Diocess wherein he hath no Power are much out of Order and I easily believe it But the Remedy will be hard because I know not in whom the Peculiars are but shall inform my self His Lordship farther certifies that he hath suppressed a Seditious Lecture at Repon and divers Monthly-Lectures with a Fast and a Moderator like that which they called Prophesying in Queen Elizabeth's Time as also the Running Lecture so called because the Lecturer went from Village to Village and at the end of the Week Proclaimed where they should have him next that his Disciples might follow They say this Lecture was ordained to Illuminate the Dark Corners of that Diocess My Lord of St Davids is now Resident in his Diocess and hath so been ever since the last Spring and professes that he will take great care hereafter to whom he gives holy Orders His Lordship certifies That he hath Suspended a Lecturer for his Inconformity and that they have but few Romish Recusants The Bishop of St Asaph returns That all is exceeding well in his Diocess save only that the Number and Boldness of some Romish Recusants increaseth much in many Places and is incouraged by the Superstitious and frequent Concourse of some of that Party to Holy-Well otherwise called St Winifreds Well Whether this Concourse be by way of Pilgrimage or no I know not but I am sure it hath long been complained of without Remedy My Lord the Bishop certifies that he hath not one Refractory Nonconformist or 〈◊〉 Minister within his Diocess and that there are but two Lecturers and that they both are Licensed Preachers My Lord the Bishop of Lincoln signifies That the Company of Mercers in London trusted with the Gift of one Mr Fishburn set up a Lecturer in Huntingdon with the allowance of Forty Pounds per An. to Preach every Saturday Morning being Market-Day and Sunday in the Afternoon with a Proviso in his Grant from them that upon any dislike they may have of him he shall at a Month or a Fortnights Warning give over the Place without any relation to Bishop or Arch-Bishop My most humble Suit to your Majesty is that no Lay Man whatsoever and least of all Companies or Corporations may under any Pretence of giving to the Church or otherwise have Power to put in or put out any Lecturer or other Minister His Lordship likewise complains of some in Bedfordshire that use to wander from their own Parish-Churches to follow Preachers Affected by themselves of which he hath caused his Officers to take special care As for the placing of the Communion-Table in Parish-Churches his Lordship professes that he takes care of it according to the Canon These two last are no part of your Majesty's Instructions yet since his Lordship hath been so careful to report them to me I take it my Duty to express that his Lordship's care to your Majesty These two Diocesses are void and I had no Certificat before the Death of the Bishops All the Bishops above mentioned which are all that have yet certified do agree that all other things in your Sacred Majesty's Instructions contained are carefully observed and particularly that of avoiding factious medling with the prohibited Questions From any of the rest of the Bishops within my Province I have not as yet received any Certificat at all namely Salisbury Norwich Worcester Oxford Bristol Winchester Chichester Glocester Exeter So I humbly submit this my Certificat W. CANT The Lord Bishop of Ely certifies that he hath had special Care of your Majesty's Instructions and that he doth not know that they are broken in his Diocess in any point Jan. 2. 1633. W. CANT The Arch-Bishop's Account of his Province to the King for the Year 1634. May it please Your most Excellent Majesty I Am at this time in Obedience to your Sacred Majesty's Commands to give you an Account how your prudent and pious Instructions for the Good and Welfare of the Church of Christ in this your Kingdom have been obeyed and performed by the several Bishops within my Province of Canterbury which with all Humility and Obedience I here present as followeth And First I represent to your Majesty That I have this Year partly by my Vicar-General and partly by the Dean of the Arches visited seven Diocesses beginning as I am bound by the Ecclesiastical Laws at my own Metropolitical Church of Canterbury and that Diocess that I might first see what was done at Home before I did curiously look abroad into other Bishops Jurisdictions And not to conceal Truth from your Majesty I found in my own Diocess especially about Ashford-side divers professed Separatists with whom I shall take the best and most present Order that I can some of them and some of Maidstone where much Inconformity hath of late Years spread being already called into the High Commission where if they be proved as guilty as they are voiced to be I shall not fail to do Justice upon them I conceive under favour that the Dutch Churches in Canterbury and Sandwich are great Nurseries of Inconformity in those Parts Your Majesty may be pleased to remember I have complained to your self
that by God's Blessing and the well Ordering of Church Affairs there have been fewer Popish Recusants presented than formerly and that the number of them is much decreased And this I cannot but highly approve to your Majesty if there be not fewer presented either by the over-awing of them which should present or some Cunning in those which would not be presented For this Diocess my Lord hath given me in a very careful and punctual Account very large and in all Particulars very considerable And I shall return it to your Majesty as briefly as I can reduce it And first he hath for this Summer but by your Majesty's leave lived from both his Episcopal Houses in Ipswich partly because he was informed that that side of his Diocess did most need his presence and he found it so And partly because his Chappel at his House in Norwich was possessed by the French Congregation and so the Bishoprick left destitute But he hath given them warning to provide themselves elsewhere by Easter next His Lordship found a general defect of Catechising quite through the Diocess but hath setled it And in Norwich where there are 34 Churches there was no Sermon on the Sunday Morning save only in four but all put off to the Afternoon and so no Catechising But now he hath ordered that there shall be a Sermon every Morning and Catechising in the Afternoon in every Church For Lectures they abounded in Suffolk and many set up by private Gentlemen even without so much as the knowledge of the Ordinary and without any due observation to the Canons or the Discipline of the Church Divers of these his Lordship hath carefully regulated according to Order and especially in St. Edmonds-bury and with their very good content and Suspended no Lecturer of whom he might obtain Conformity And at Ipswich it was not unknown unto them that now Mr Ward stands Censured in the High Commission and obeys not Yet the Bishop was ready to have allowed them another if they would have sought him but they resolve to have Mr. Ward or none and that as is conceived in despight of the Censure of the Court. At Yarmouth where there was great division heretofore for many Years their Lecturer being Censured in the High Commission about two Years since went into New-England since which time there hath been no Lecture and very much peace in the Town and all Ecclesiastical Orders well observed But in Norwich one Mr Bridge rather than he would Conform hath left his Lecture and two Cures and is gone into Holland The Lecturers in the Country generally observing no Church Orders at all And yet the Bishop hath carried it with that Temper and upon their promise and his hopes of Conformity that he hath Inhibited but three in Norfolk and as many in Suffolk of which one is no Graduate and hath been a common Stage-player His Lordship craves direction what he shall do with such Scholars some in Holy Orders and some not as Knights and private Gentlemen keep in their Houses under pretence to Teach their Children As also with some Divines that are Beneficed in Towns or near but live in Gentlemens Houses For my part I think it very fit the Beneficed Men were punctually commanded to reside upon their Cures And for the rest your Majesties Instructions allow none to keep Chaplains but such as are qualified by Law All which notwithstanding I most humbly submit as the Bishop doth to your Majesty's Judgment For Recusants whereas formerly there were wont to be but two or three Presented his Lordship hath caused above forty to be Endicted in Norwich at the last Sessions and at the Assizes in Suffolk he delivered a List of such as were Presented upon the Oath of the Churchwardens to the Lord Chief Justice and his Lordship to the Grand Jury But they slighted it pretending the Bishop's Certificat to be no Evidence But the true Reason is conceived to be because he had also inserted such as had been Presented to him for Recusant Separatists as well as Recusant Romanists His Lordships Care hath been such as that though there are about One Thousand Five Hundred Clergy-Men in that Diocess and many Disorders yet there are not Thirty Excommunicated or Suspended whereof some are for Contumacy and will not yet submit some for obstinate denyal to Publish your Majesty's Declaration and some for contemning all the Orders and Rites of the Church and intruding themselves without License from the Ordinary for many Years together Last of all he found that one half of the Churches in his Diocess had not a Clerk able to Read and Answer the Minister in Divine Service by which means the People were wholly disused from joyning with the Priest and in many places from so much as saying Amen But concerning this his Lordship hath strictly enjoyned a Reformation If this Account given by my Lord of Norwich be true as I believe it is and ought to believe it till it can be disproved he hath deserved very well of the Church of England and hath been very ill rewarded for it His humble Suit to your Majesty is That you will be graciously pleased in your own good time to hear the Complaints that have been made against him that he may not be overborn by an Outcry for doing Service In the Diocess of Oxon I find all your Majesty's Instructions carefully obeyed and there is but one Lecture in the whole Diocess and that is read at Henly upon Thames by some Ministers of the Diocess conformable Men and allowed by the Bishop His Lordship hath also called upon divers Recusants but upon their being questioned they plead an Exemption from his Authority under your Majesty's Great Seal From my Lord of Ely I have received a very fair Account that his Diocess is very orderly and obedient insomuch that he hath not any thing of Note to acquaint me with My Lord in his Certificat mentions two Particulars fit for your Majesty's Knowledge The First is that one of His Clergy in Bedfordshire a Learned and Pious Man as he saith set up a Stone upon Pillars of Brick for his Communion-Table believing it to have been the Altar-Stone And because this appeared to be but a Grave-Stone and for avoiding of farther Rumours in that Country among the preciser sort his Lordship caused it to be quietly removed and the ancient Communion-Table placed in the room of it But did not farther question the Party because they found him a harmless Man and otherwise a Deserver But how deserving soever he be I must judge it a very bold part in him to attempt this without the Knowledge and Approbation of his Ordinary The Second is that there are risen some Differences in the Southern parts of his Diocess about the Ministers urging the People to receive at the Rails which his Lordship saith he hath procured to be placed about the Holy Table and the People in
some places refusing so to do Now because this is not Regulated by any Canon of the Church his Lordship is an humble Suitor that he may have Direction herein And truly I think for this Particular the People will best be won by the Decency of the Thing it self and that I suppose may be compassed in a short time But if your Majesty shall think it fit that a quicker way be held I shall humbly submit From the Lord Bishop of this Diocess I have received no Particular but in General thus That all your Majesty's Instructions are now observed there without repugnance for ought either Chancellor or any other Officer of his hath informed him My Lord the Bishop of this See certifies That your Majesty's Instructions are carefully observed and that there are only two Lecturers in the City of Worcester both very conformable and that they shall not longer continue than they are so And that the one of them preaches on Sundays in the Afternoons after Chatechizing and Service in the Parish-Churches and ending before Evening Prayers in the Cathedral I may not here forbear to acquaint your Majesty that this Sunday Lecture was ever wont to be in the Cathedral and that it is removed because the City would suffer no Prebendary to have it And Evening Prayers in their Parish-Churches must needs begin betimes and their Catechizing be short and the Prayers at the Cathedral begin very late if this Lecture can begin and end in the space between But if it can be so fitted I think the Dean and Chapter will not complain of the remove of the Lecture to a Parish-Church For these Three Diocesses my Lords the Bishops Certifie that all your Majesty's Instructions are carefully observed neither do any of them mention any thing amiss in the general either for Doctrine or Discipline Only the Bishop of Exeter hath sent me up two Copies of the late Libel Intituled News from Ipswich which were sent thither to a Stationer with Blank Covers These Five Diocesses following I have Visited this Year by my Vicar General and other Commissioners And for Hereford I find not many things amiss though the often change of the Bishop there which hath of late hapned hath done no good among them But some pretensions there are to certain Customs which I conceive were better broke than kept And I shall do my best to reform them as I have Opportunity and humbly beg your Majesty's Assistance if I want Power For St. Davids the Bishop is now there and will take the best care he can to see all things in Order But there is one Matthews the Vicar of Penmayn that preaches against the keeping of all Holy-Days with divers other as Fond or Prophane Opinions The Bishop hath inhibited him and if that do not serve I shall call him into the High-Commission Court Baronet Rudde is in this Diocess the Son of a late Bishop there who is a sober Gentleman He hath Built him a Chappel and desires the Bishop to Consecrate it But his Lordship finding one of your Majesty's Instructions to be that none should keep a Chaplain in his House but such as are qualified by Law which he conceives a Baronet is not hath hitherto forborn to Consecrate this Chappel as being to be of small use without a Chaplain and humbly craves direction herein what he shall do I humbly propose to your Majesty whether considering the Charge this Gentleman hath been at and the ill Ways which many of them there have to Church it may not be fit to Consecrate this Chappel and then that he may have a License to use the Minister of the Parish or any other lawfully in Orders Always provided that he use this Chappel but at times of some necessity not making himself or his Family strangers to the mother-Mother-Church and that there be a Clause expressed in the License for recalling thereof upon any Abuse there committed and that this License be taken either from the Bishop under his Seal or from the Arch-Bishop of the Province For Landaff there is very little found amiss Only the Bishop complains that whereas Mr. Wroth and Mr. Erbury are in the High-Commission for their Schismatical proceedings the slow prosecution there against them makes both them persist in their By-ways and their Followers judge them Faultless But for this I humbly present to your Majesty this Answer That now the loss of two Terms by reason of the Sickness hath cast the Proceedings of that Court as well as of others behind-hand And there is no Remedy where all things else stay as well as it In the Diocess of St. Asaph there is no Complaint but the usual That there is great resort of Recusants to Holy-Well and that this Summer the Lady Falkland and her Company came as Pilgrims thither who were the more observed because they travelled on Foot and Dissembled neither their Quality nor their Errand And this Boldness of theirs is of very ill construction among your Majesty's People My humble Suit to your Majesty is That whereas I complained of this in open Council in your Majesty's presence you would now be graciously pleased that the Order then resolved on for her Confinement may be put in execution For Bangor I find that Catechising was quite out of use in those remote parts the more the Pity But the Bishop is now in hope to do much good and sees some Reformation in that particular already And I would say for this and the other Diocesses in Wales that much more good might be done there in a Church-way if they were not overborn by the Proceedings of the Court of the Marches there And this present Year in this Diocess of Bangor my Commissioners for my Metropolitical Visitation there complain unto me that the Power which belongs to my place hath been in them very much wronged and impeached by that Court And I do most humbly beseech your Majesty in your own good time to give this my Cause a Hearing if it take not a fair end without that trouble For Rochester the Bishop God comfort him is very ill of a Palsy and that I fear hath made him forget his Account Neither hath the Bishop of Glocester sent me any but why I know not And for Bristol that See is void For this Diocess I have likewise received no Account But I fear that whereas the Bishop was lately complained of to your Majesty for making Waste of the poor Woods there remaining he is not over-willing to give an Accotnt of that Particular Nor of the gross Abuse committed in the Cathedral Church by the Lady Davis who I most humbly beseech your Majesty may be so restrained as that she may have no more Power to commit such horrible Profanations And so I most humbly submit this my Yearly Account of my Province of Canterbury to your Majesty's Princely Wisdom W CANT The Arch-Bishop's Account of
his Province to the King for the Year 1637. In Dei Nomine Amen May it please Your most Gracious Majesty ACcording to your Commands in your Instructions Published for the good of the Clergy and my bounden Duty I here present my Annual Account for the Province of Canterbury for the Year last past 1637. And First to begin with mine own Diocess I must give your Majesty to understand that at and about Ashford in Kent the Separatists continue to hold their Conventicles notwithstanding the Excommunication of so many of them as have been discovered They are all of the poorer sort and very simple so that I am utterly to seek what to do with them Two or three of their principal Ringleaders Brewer Fenner and Turner have long been in Prison and it was once thought fit to proceed against them by the Statute for Abjuration But I do much doubt they are so ignorantly wilful that they will return into the Kingdom and do a great deal more hurt before they will again be taken And not long since Brewer slipt out of Prison and went to Rochester and other parts of Kent and held Conventicles and put a great many simple People especially Women into great Distempers against the Church He is taken again and was called before the High Commission where he stood silent but in such a jeering scornful manner as I scarce ever saw the like So in Prison he remains In the Churchyard of the same Town a Butcher's Slaughter-House opened to the great Annoyance of that place which I have commanded should be remedied and the Door shut up At Biddenden I have Suspended Richard Warren the School-Master for refusing the Oath of Allegiance of Canonical Obedience and to Subscribe to the Articles Besides this precise Man will read nothing but Divinity to his Scholars No not so much as the Grammar Rules unless Mars Bacchus Apollo and Pol AEdepol may be blotted out The Strangers in Canterbury do not so much resort to their Parish-Churches as formerly they did at my first giving of my Injunctions But Visiting this Year I have given a publick and strict Charge that the Delinquents be presented and punished if they do not their Duty in that behalf There is one dwelling in Addisham a Married Man called by the Name of Thomas Jordan He was formerly called Thomas Mounton because he was found in the Church Porch of Mounton in Swadling Clothes left there in all likelyhood by his Mother who was some Beggar or Strumpet It is believed he was never Christned I have therefore given Order that he shall be Christned with that Caution which is prescribed in the Book of Common Prayer where the Baptism is doubtful About Sittingborn there are more Recusants than in any other part of my Diocess And the Lady Roper Dowager is thought to be a great means of the increase of them But I have given strict charge that they be carefully presented according to Law There is still a remainder of Schismaticks in Egerton and the Parishes adjacent But they are as mean People as those about Ashford and I am as much to seek what to do with them My Lord Treasurer complains that he hath little assistance of his Archdeacons and I believe it to be true and shall therefore if your Majesty think fit cause Letters to be written to them to awake them to their Duties His Lordship likewise complains of some inconformable Men which his Chancellor hath met with in this his last Visitation but they have received such Censure as their Faults deserved or else submitted themselves Only Mr. John Knolles a Lecturer at Colchester had forborn to receive the Holy Communion for two Years since he came to be Lecturer And being enjoyned to perform that Duty within a Month he was so zealous as that he forsook Lecture and Town and all rather than he would receive the Communion I find likewise in this Account 28 Ministers Convented before the Chancellor for some Inconformities And five for excess in Drinking But there is as good Order taken with them as could be The Lectures in this Diocess continue many But there is great care taken to keep them in order I find in the Diocess of Winchester divers Recusants newly pretended But whether they be newly perverted doth not appear by my Lord the Bishops Account to me There are some five complained of for not Catechising which I shall require of the Bishop to see remedied Here my Lord the Bishop Certifies that he is very careful and sees all things done according to your Majesty's Instructions My Lord the Bishop of this Diocess dyed before the time came that he was to give up his Accounts so that I can relate nothing upon certainty but shall give the succeeding Bishop Charge to be very careful because his Predecessor lay languishing and was able to look to little for three whole Years before his Death The Account from hence is very brief But my Lord is confident that his Diocess is clean through in good Order and I will hope it is so My Lord of Peterburgh hath taken a great deal of pains and brought his Diocess into very good order Only he saith there are three Lecturers in the same one at Northampton but that is read by the Vicar of the place one at Rowel which hath Maintenance allowed and a third at Daventree maintained by the Contribution of the Town And this last I think the Bishop had need take care of This Diocess appears by my Lord's Certificate to be in marvelous good order for all things and a great Reformation hath been wrought there by his Care and Industry For Popish Recusants the number of them is there much decreased neither are any newly presented for Recusancy My Lord the Bishop of Lincoln is not as your Majesty knows in case to make any Return for his Diocess And since the Jurisdiction thereof came by his Suspension into my Hands I have neither had time nor leisure to make any great Inquiry how conformable in Doctrine or Discipline Men in those parts are Yet this I find that both in Buckinghamshire and in Bedfordshire there are many too refractory to all good Order And there are a great number of very poor and miserable Vicarages and Curatships in many parts of this large Diocess and which are almost past all cure and hope of help unless by your Majesties Grace and Favour some may be had My Lord of Norwich hath been very careful of all your Majesty's Instructions And upon the 24th of September last being then in his Diocess and giving Orders he refused to admit five well Learned and well Mannered Men because they wanted a sufficient Title according to the Canon of the Church I find that there are in this Diocess six Lectures namely at Wimondham North-walsham East-Earling Norwich Linn and Bungay But they are all performed by Conformable and Neighbouring Divines and under
such Conditions and Rules as my Lord their Bishop hath prescribed them Only that at Bungay is inhibited for a time at the entreaty of some of their own Company and for Misdemeanours in it As for the single Lecturers my Lord hath had a special Eye over them Your Majesties Letters requiring the Mayor Sheriffs and Aldermen c. to repair on Sundays to Divine Service and Sermons at the Cathedral in Norwich are very well observed by the most of them But Complaint is brought to the Bishop against one Thomas King who is held a factious and a dangerous Man and he frequently absents himself from the Cathedral and it is doubted that his ill Example will make others neglect their Duties Divine Service both for Prayers Catechism and Sermons is diligently frequented and that beyond what could suddainly be hoped for in such a Diocess and in the midst of the humorousness of this Age. Of those which stood under Episcopal Censure or that fled to avoid Censure there are not above three or four which have submitted themselves Yet his Lordship hath had patience notwithstanding a peremptory Citation sent out hitherto to expect them But now must proceed to Deprivation or suffer Scorn and Contempt to follow upon all his Injunctions Nevertheless herein he humbly craves direction and so do I if it please your Majesty to give it His Lordship likewise very carefully and necessarily as I conceive craves direction for these Particulars following 1. Divers Towns are depopulated no Houses left standing but the Mannor House and the Church and that turned to the Lord's Barn or worse use and no Service done in it though the Parsonages or Vicarages be presentative 2. In other Towns the Church is ruined and the Inhabitants thrust upon Neighbouring Parishes where they fill the Church and pay few or no Duties 3. At Carrowe Close by Norwich there are twelve Houses some of them fair reputed to be of no Parish and so an ordinary receptacle for Recusant Papists and other Separatists to the great prejudice of that Neighbouring City 4. At Lanwood near New-Market and in Burwell the Mother Church stands but the Roof suffered to decay within the Memory of Man and the Bells sold and the Hamlet quite slipt out of all Jurisdiction 〈◊〉 That Church was an Impropriation to the Abby of Ramsey and is now in Sir William Russell's Hands 5. The Churchyards in many places are extreamly Annoyed and Profaned especially in Corporate Towns And at St. Edmonds-Bury the Assizes are Yearly kept in a remote side of the Churchyard and a common Ale-House stands in the middle of the Yard The like abuses by Ale-Houses Back-doors and throwing out of Filth with something else not fit to be related here are found at Bungay At St. Maries ad Turrim in Ipswich at Woodbridge and at Norwich the Sign-Posts of two or three Inns stand in the Church-yard Of remedy for these Abuses the Bishop is utterly in despair unless your Majesty be pleased to take some special Order for them Because they which have these Back-doors into Church-yards or common Passages will plead Prescription and then a Prohibition will be granted against the Ecclesiastical Proceedings 6 Lastly his Lordship Certifies that divers not only Churches but Town-ships themselves are in danger of utter ruin by a breach of the Sea And there was provision made by Act of Parliament in the Seventh Year of your Majesty's Royal Father of Blessed Memory for redress of it But nothing being since done it will now cost five times as much to remedy as then it would But the Bishop is in good hope great good may yet be done if your Majesty will be graciously pleased to appear in it upon such Humble Petition as he and I shall make to Your Majesty The Bishop of this Diocess assures me that all things are in very good Order there And indeed I think the Diocess is well amended within these few Years his Lordship having been very careful both in his Visitations and otherwise This Year by reason of the return of divers that were Captives in Morocco and having been Inhabitants of those Western Parts there arose in my Lord the Bishop a Doubt how they having renounced their Saviour and become Turks might be readmitted into the Church of Christ and under what Penitential Form His Lordship at his last being in London spake with me about it and we agreed on a Form which was afterwards drawn up and approved by the Right Reverend Fathers in God my Lords the Bishops of London Ely and Norwich and is now setled by your Majesty's Appointment and I shall take care to see it Registred here and have given Charge to my Lord of Exon to see it Registred below to remain as a President for future times if there should be any more sad Examples of Apostacy from the Faith Whereas your Majesty hath lately been graciously pleased to grant the ordering of the Woods of Shotover and Stowe by Lease to the Lord Bishop of Oxford his Lordship assures me that there is a great deal of Care taken and a great deal of Charge laid out by him and his Tenant for the Preservation and well ordering of the Woods there He hath likewise been very careful concerning Recusants within that Diocess But saith that divers of them pretend and shew their Exemptions that they should not be troubled for matters concerning their Religion in any Ecclesiastical Courts which hath made his Lordship forbear till your Majesty's Pleasure be farther known For Lectures there are none in that Diocess save one at Henly upon Thames Preached by the Incumbent an orderly Man and in the Peculiars at Tame and Banbury but they are out of the Bishop's Jurisdiction My Lord Bishop of this See hath taken great care in his first Visitation and if he continue that care as I doubt not but he will he will quickly settle that Diocess into better Order But he complains of the Dean and Chapter for whose Benefit he hath lately made many good Injunctions that they will not consent that Twenty Pounds per An. ordered by their Statute for the Repairing of High-Ways may be turned to the necessary supply of their Quire in regard that 100 l. per An. is lately given by Dr. White towards the Repair of the same High-Ways But this and other things if your Majesty thinks fit I can easily alter when I come to revise their Statutes or by a Command from your Majesty in the mean time He farther complains that his Predecessor Bishop Wright now Bishop of Lichfield detains in his custody all the Writings belonging to Cromhall the Lease which your Majesty by your Royal Letters commanded should expire and return to the Bishoprick And sure if this be so it is very fit he be commanded to restore them out of Hand Lastly he complains that they of the preciser Faction do every Day endeavour to disquiet the People and that by
within their several Diocesses And so with my Prayers for your Majesty's long Life and happy Reign I humbly submit this my Account for the Year last past being 1638. January 2d 〈◊〉 W. Cant. The Arch-Bishop's Account of his Province to the King for the Year 1639. In Dei Nomine Amen May it Please your most Sacred Majesty ACcording to your Royal Commands expressed in your Instructions for the good of the Church I here most humbly Present this my Account for the Year finished now at Christmas 1639. And First to begin with my own Diocess The great thing which is amiss there and beyond my Power to remedy is the stiffness of divers Anabaptists and Separatists from the Church of England especially in and about the Parts near Ashford And I do not find either by my own Experience or by any Advice from my Officers that this is like to be remedied unless the Statute concerning Abjuration of your Kingdom or some other way by the Power of the Temporal Law or State be thought upon But how fit that may be to be done for the present especially in these broken Times I humbly submit to your Majesty's Wisdom having often complained of this before Many that were brought to good Order for receiving of the Holy Communion where the Rails stand before the Table are now of late fallen off and refuse to come up thither to receive But this God willing I shall take care of and order as well as I can and with as much speed And the same is now commonly fallen out in divers other Diocesses There was about half a Year since one that pretended himself a Minister who got many Followers in Sandwich and some Neighbouring Parishes but at last was found to have gone under three Names Enoch Swann and Grey and in as several Habits of a Minister an ordinary Lay-Man and a Royster. And this being discovered he fled the Country before any of my Officers could lay hold on him Upon this occasion I have commanded my Commissary and Arch-Deacon to give Charge in my Name to all Parsons and Vicars of my Diocess that they suffer no Man to preach in their Cures but such as for whom they will Answer as well otherwise as for the point of Conformity which I hope will prevent the like abuse hereafter In this Diocess the last Year there was some heat struck by opposite Preaching in the Pulpit between one Mr Goodwin Vicar of St Stevens in Coleman-street and some other Ministers in the City concerning the Act of Believing and the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness in the Justification of a Sinner And the Peoples Minds were much perplexed hereabouts This business was quieted by my Lord the Bishop and his Chancellour and a Promise of Forbearance made Yet now lately Mr Goodwin hath preached again in the same way and the same Perplexity is like to be caused again thereby in the City Yet my Lord the Bishop is in hopes to settle this also quietly wherein he shall have the best Assistance I can give him The Arch-Deacons in this Diocess and others are too negligent in giving their Bishops due Information of such things as are committed to their Charge Mr Joseph Simonds Rector of St Martin's Ironmonger-lane is utterly fallen from the Church of England and hath abandoned his Benefice and gone beyond the Seas and so was deprived in September last past Mr Daniel Votyer Rector of St Peter's in Westcheap hath been likewise convented for divers Inconformities and promised Reformation as Mr Simonds also did but being now called into the High Commission Order is taken for the Officiating of his Cure till it shall appear whether he will desert it or no for he also is gone beyond the Seas Mr George Seaton Rector of Bushy in the County of Hertford is charged with continual Non-residency and other Misdemeanours little beseeming a Clergy-man But of this neither my Lord nor my self can say more to your Majesty till we see what will rise in Proof against him My Lord the Bishop of this Diocess gives me a very fair Account of all things regular therein saving that the Popish Recusants which he saith are many in that Diocess do yearly increase there and that this may appear by the Bills of Presentment in his Annual Inquisitions My Lord the Bishop informs me that he hath been very careful in point of Ordination as being a Bishop near the University and to whom many resort for Holy Orders at times appointed by the Church But he complains that having refused to give Orders to Twenty or Thirty at an Ordination most of them have addressed themselves to other Bishops and of them received Orders not only without Letters Dimissory but without such Qualification as the Canon requires In this Case I would humbly advise your Majesty That my Lord the Bishop may enquire and certifie by what Bishops these Parties so refused by him were Admitted into Holy Orders that so they may be admonished to be more careful for the future and that this Abuse may not find Encouragement and increase For Popish Recusants they have been proceeded against in this Diocess according to Law saving only such of them as have pleaded and shewed your Majesty's Exemption under your Great Seal from being question'd in any Ecclesisiastical Court for matters concerning their Religion I find by the Bishop's Certificate that he hath constantly resided upon his Episcopal Houses but saith that he cannot have his Health at Eccleshall and hath therefore since resided in his Palace at Lichfield but with very little Comfort by reason of Inmates left as his Lordship saith upon the Church's Possession His Lordship adds That he hath an ancient Palace at Coventry in Lease but with reservation of the Use thereof in case the Bishop shall at any time come to live there Here he means to reside for a time if it stand with your Majesty's good liking For Popish Recusants his Lordship saith they are presented and prosecuted according to the Law This Diocess my Lord the Bishop assures me is as quiet uniform and conformable as any in the Kingdom if not more And doth avow it that all which stood out in Suffolk as well as Norfolk at his coming to that See are come in and have now legally subscribed and professed all Conformity and for ought he can learn observe it accordingly Yet his Lordship confesseth that some of the Vulgar sort in Suffolk are not conformable enough especially in coming up to Receive at the Steps of the Chancel where the Rails are set But he hopes by fair means he shall be able to work upon them in time His Lordship adds That some have Indicted a Minister because he would not come down from the Communion Table to give them the Sacrament in their Seats But this your Majesty hath been formerly acquainted with by the Minister's Petition which you were graciously pleased to command me to underwrite
such Proceeding in this Case The very Parties that tendred this Cap presuming some good Inclination in him to accept it and to the Romish Church which he maintains to be a True Church wherein Men are and may be saved And the Second Proffer following so soon at the Heels of the First intimates That the First was in such sort entertained by him as rather encouraged than discouraged the Party to make the Second And his Second Consultation with the King concerning it insinuates That the King rather enclined to than against it or at leastwise left it arbitrary to him to accept or reject it as he best liked As for his Severity in prosecuting Papists it appears by his Epistle to the King before his Conference with the Jesuit Fisher where he useth these Speeches of his Carriage towards them God forbid that I should perswade a Persecution in any kind or practise it in the least against Priests and Jesuits For to my remembrance I have not given him or his so much as cross Language Therefore he is no great Enemy to them The Second thing which may seem strange to others is this That the Pope's Legat and Jesuits should ever hate or conspire his Death unless he were an utter Enemy to all Popery Papists and the Church of Rome which admits an easie Answer The Truth is the Bishop being very pragmatical and wilful in his Courses could not well brook pragmatical peremptory Jesuits who in Popish Kingdoms are in perpetual Enmity with all other Orders and they with them they having been oft banished out of France and other Realms by the Sorbonists Dominicans and other Orders no Protestants writing so bitterly against these Popish Orders as themselves do one against the other yea the Priests and Jesuits in England were lately at great Variance and persecuted one another with much Violence This is no good Argument then that the Arch-Bishop held no Correspondence with Priests and other Orders and bare no good Affection to the Church of Rome in whose Superstitious Ceremonies he outstripped many Priests themselves What Correspondency he held with Franciscus de Sancta Clara with other Priests and Dr Smith Bishop of Calcedon whom the Jesuits persecuted and got Excommunicated though of their own Church and Religion is at large discovered in a Book entituled The English Pope and by the Scottish Common-Prayer Book found in the Arch-Bishop's Chamber with all those Alterations wherein it differs from the English written with his own Hand some of which smell very strongly of Popery As namely his blotting out of these Words at the Delivery of the Bread and Wine in the Sacrament Take and eat this in remembrance that Christ died for thee and feed on him in thy Heart by Faith with Thanksgiving Take and drink this in remembrance that Christ's Blood was shed for thee c. and leaving only this former Clause the better to justifie and imply a Corporal Presence of Christ in the Sacrament The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was given for thee The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which was shed for thee preserve thy Body and Soul unto everlasting Life And this Popish Rubrick written with his own Hand The Presbyter during the time of Consecration shall stand AT THE MIDDLE OF THE ALTAR where he may with more Ease and Decency USE BOTH HIS HANDS than he can do if he stand at the North-end With other Particulars of this kind Moreover in his Book of Private Devotions written with his own Hand he hath after the Romish Form reduced all his Prayers to Canonical Hours And in the Memorials of his Life written with his own Hand there are these suspicious Passages among others besides the Offer of the Cardinal's Cap Anno 1631. Jun. 21. 26. My nearer Acquaintance began to settle with Dr. S. God bless us in it Junii 25. Dr. S. with me at Fulham cum Ma. c. meant of Dr. Smith the Popish Bishop of Calcedon as is conceived Jun. 25. Mr. Fr. Windebank my old Friend was Sworn Secretary of State which Place I OBTAINED FOR HIM of my Gracious Master King Charles What an Arch-Papist and Conspirator he was the Plot relates and his Flight into France for releasing Papists and Jesuits out of Prison and from Executions by his own Warrants and imprisoning those Officers who apprehended them confirms About this time Dr Theodore Price Sub-dean of Westminster a Man very intimate with the Arch-Bishop and recommended specially to the King by him to be a Welch Bishop in Opposition to the Earl of Pembrook and his Chaplain Griffith Williams soon after died a Reconciled Papist and received Extream Vnction from a Priest Noscitur ex comite August 30. 1634. he hath this Memorial Saturday at Oatlands the Queen sent for me and gave me Thanks for a Business with which she trusted me her Promise then that she would be my Friend and that I should have immediate Address to her when I had occasion All which considered together with his Chaplains Licensing divers Popish Books with their expunging most Passages against Popery out of Books brought to the Press with other Particulars commonly known will give a true Character of his Temper that he is another Cassander or middle Man between an Absolute Papist and a real Protestant who will far sooner hug a Popish Priest in his Bosom than take a Puritan by the Little Finger An absolute Papist in all matters of Ceremony Pomp and external Worship in which he was over-zealous even to an open 〈◊〉 Persecution of all Conscientious Ministers who made Scruple of them if not half an one at least in Doctrinal Tenets How far he was guilty of a Conditional Voting the breaking up the last Parliament before this was called and for what end it was summoned this other Memorial under his own Hand will attest Decemb 5. 1639. Thursday the King declared his Resolution for a Parliament in case of the Scottish Rebellion The first Movers to it were my Lord Deputy of Ireland my Lord Marquess Hamilton and my self And A RESOLUTION VOTED AT THE BOARD TO AS-SIST THE KING IN EXTRAORDINARY WAYS IF THE PARLIAMENT SHOULD PROVE PEEVISH AND REFUSE c. But of him sufficient till his Charge now in preparation shall come in Observations on and from the Relation of this PLOT FRom the Relation of the former Plot by so good a Hand our own Three Realms and all Foreign Protestant States may receive full Satisfaction First That there hath been a most cunning strong execrable Conspiracy long since contrived at Rome and for divers Years together most vigorously pursued in England with all Industry Policy Subtilty Engines by many active potent Confederates of all sorts all Sexes to undermine the Protestant Religion re-establish Popery and alter the very Frame of Civil Government in all the King's Dominions wherein a most dangerous visible Progress hath
his Reports W. S. A. C. A short Introduction The Charge upon what it consists The Titles of the several parcels of the Articles upon which the Charge against the Arch-Bishop was made up The 〈◊〉 upon his Councel by Reason of the mixt Charge without distinguishing what was intended to 〈◊〉 a Treason what a 〈◊〉 The two Points presented by Councel in writing to be 〈◊〉 upon for his Defence in point of Law The first only admitted The Method proposed The three General Charges Two General Questions to be insisted upon In maintenance of our first 〈◊〉 upon the first Question The uncertainty of what was or was not Treason produced the Law of 25 Ed. 3. The Parliament of 25 Ed. 3. by Reason of that Law called Parliamentum Benedictum and that no Law had deservedly more Honour than Magna Charta The Act of 25 Ed. 3. the Rule in Parliament to judge Treasons by Parliament Roll 1 H. 4. num 144. the Prayer of the Commons Parliament Roll 5 H. 4. num 12. Case Earl of Northumberland ☜ Treasons particularly Enacted after 25 Ed. 3. still reduced to that Law Treasons made in the divided time of R. 2. reduced per Stat. 1 H. 4 cap. 10. Made in the time of H. 8. reduced 1 Ed. 6. cap. 12. Made in the time of Ed. 6. reduced by the Act of 1 Mariae cap. 10. ☜ From 1 H. 4. to this day no Judgment in Parliament given of any Treason not contained in that Law This Law in all times the Standard to Judge Treasons by Treasons declared per Stat. 25 Ed. 3. cap. 2. ☞ Stat. 25 Ed. 3. may admit no construction by Equity or Inference to make other Treason than thereby declared Reasons why not Viz. Instances where it would not Stat. 3 H. 5. cap. 6. 1 M cap. 6. Cok. Collections 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 ☜ 2. Question Mildmay's case 6. Report Coke fol. 42. ☜ Objection Answer ☞ Parliament Roll 28 H. 6. num 28. to 47. In the Case of the Duke of Suffolk Articles Cardinal Woolsey in Parliament 21 H. 8. Indictment K. Bench Ligham 23 H. 8. Empson 1 H. 8. ☞ Answer to the second General Charge of endeavouring to subvert Religion Stat. 5. R. 2. C. 5. 2 H. 5. C. 7. ☜ Stat. 1 Ed. 6. C. 12. 1 Mar. C. 12. Answer to the third general Charge labouring to subvert and incense the King against Parliaments Articles against the Duke of Ireland and others 11 R. 2. ☜ 14 Article Answer to the particular Articles insisted upon 〈◊〉 in the Charge The first Particular Differences between the Matters charged the Fact made Treason by the Statute 3 Jac. C. 4. The second Particular Number of Crimes below Treason or Felony cannot make a Treason Power 〈◊〉 declare 〈◊〉 per Stat. 25. 〈◊〉 3. c. 2. Wherein we conceive there is no power to declare an Offence below a Felony to be a Treason ☜ ☜ Earl Strafford ☜ Whatsoever hath been hitherto placed in the Margin of this Argument was transcribed from Mr. Hern's own Copy But this which followeth I transcribed from a loose Note wrote by an unknown hand and affixed to this place H. W. Concerning the Proviso in 25 Ed. 3. last mentioned it is observable That Mr. Lane in the Lord Strafford's Tryal saith That that Clause of Provision 25 Ed. 3. is quite taken away by 6 Hen. 8. Cap. 4. 20. So that no Treason is now to be reckoned but what is literally contained in 25 Ed. 3. See for this Whitlock's Memoirs pag. 43. See also Burnet's Hist. Reform Part II. pag. 253. about the Repeal of Treasons Octob. 22. 1644. Octob. 28. 〈◊〉 1. Novemb. 2. Novemb. 6. Novemb. 11. My Defence in the House of Commons 1. 2. 3. 4. * Quomodo potest malus litigator landare 〈◊〉 Aug. Epist. 166. I. II. * Cont. Fisher p. 211. * An. 45. Ed. 3. * Tacit. L. 6. Annal. * Annum jam agens septuagesimum secundum Novemb. 13. 1644. Novemb. 16. Novemb. 22. Novemb. 23 Novemb. 29. Novemb. 28. Decemb. 〈◊〉 Decemb. 16. 1644. Decemb. 17. Decemb. 24. Decemb. 25. Jan. 2. 〈◊〉 Jan 3. 1 Pet. 2. 23. Judg. 16. 30. Exod. 12. 〈◊〉 John 19. 11. Dan. 3. * This Sea 〈◊〉 Copy Luk. 6. 39. †In this way Hind's Copy Job 11. 48. Act. 6. 12. Act. 12. 3. Esa. 1. 15. Psal. 9. 12. Heb. 10. 31. Sir John Clotworthy * So Lord Hind's Copy * hath The shorter Lines both here and afterwards are Abbreviations of so many several parts of the Will made by W. S. A. C. * f. each * f Rich. Cobb 〈◊〉 cunctis liberalium Artium Disciplinis eruditum pro Magistro teneamus quasi Comparem velut alterius Orbis Apostolicum 〈◊〉 Capgr in vit S. Anselmi Gu. 〈◊〉 de Gestis Pontific Anglor p. 223. 〈◊〉 prima Sedes Archiepiscopi habetur qui est totius Angliae Primas 〈◊〉 Id. Ibid. p. 195. * Hieron Lamas in Summa p. 3. c. 3. in 1 Cor. 10. 3. in 1 Cor. 〈◊〉 24. Integritatis Custodes Recta sectantes De vera Relig. c. 5. 〈◊〉 2. 12. Anno 1445. Anno. 1446. Anno 16. Rich. 2. cap. 5. Lib. XIX An. 1374. Statutum de An. 27 Eliz. St. Hilary l. 10. de Trin. p. 165. Cor. 13. 8. The Definition or Description of a Sectary is wanting in the Original H. W. * Prov. 1. 8. c. 6. 20. Nec aliae Preces omnino dicantur in Ecclesiâ nisi quae à prudentioribus traditae vel 〈◊〉 in Synodo 〈◊〉 ne fortè aliquid 〈◊〉 Fidem vel per Ignorantiam vel per minus Studium sit compositum Concil Milevita 2 can 12. 23. Rom. 6. 17. Phil. 3. 16. 1 Tim. 5. 22. 2 Tim. 1. 13. St. Luke 11. 1. v. 2. St. Chrysost. in Rom. 8. 26. 1 Eliz. c. 1. Acts 15. 24 29. v. 28. St. Luc. 11. 2. In his Speech against the Bishops Votes in Parliament p. 3. Psal. 110. 3. In decoribus Sanctitatis Ar. Mant. Ibid. 1. 2. 3. Psal. 95. 6. 4. Levit. 5. 7. * Apud Ainsworth in Levit. 20. 3. Levit. 7. 25. Levit. 17. 4. 9. 10. * 'T is Fallacia Accidentis For it is not in or of the nature of Prayer that it should be in a negligent Form set down or negligently performed but a meer accident and a bad one 1 Cor. 1. 21. * In the Church of Africa when the Arian Heresie began the Church had suffered so much by the Preaching of Arius the Presbyter that they made a Law not to suffer any Presbyter 〈◊〉 Preach at all at least not in the Mother Church and in the Bishop's Presence As may be seen in Socrates l. 5. Hist. c. 22. And though this may seem a 〈◊〉 Cure yet when the Disease grew Masterful and 〈◊〉 the Church did not refuse to use it 'T is Vniversal for Time For it is testified by Dionysius the Areopagite if those Works be his De Ecclesia Hierar P 77 Edit Gr Lat. and he was one of the
Contemporaries of the Apostles that there were then set Forms of Prayer to which all the People said Amen And if Dionysius were not the Author yet the Work is exceeding Ancient And so some set Forms continued till after St. Augustin's Time as appears by Justin Martyr Apol. 2. p. 97. Edit Gr. Lat. An. Christi 150. By Tertull. Apologet. c. 39. An. Christi 200. By St. Cyprian de Orat. Domin By Origen Hom. 5. in Num. An. Christi 230. By the Council of Laodicea Can. 18. 19. An Christi 316. By St. Basil Epist. ad Clericos Naeocaesariensis Ecclesiae By St. Chrysostom ..... both about the same Year As also by St. Cyril of Jerusalem ..... By the third Council of Carthage can 23. An. Christi 397. By St. Aug. Ep. 59. 156. de bono 〈◊〉 c. 13. An. Christi 400. By the second Melevitan Council can 12. And by Prosper Aquitan L. q. de Vocat Gent. c. 4. since which time no question can be made but the Publick Prayers were always in a known and set Form And that it was Vniversal for place appears by the concurrent Testimonies of the Fathers before recited and the Councils and the Practice both of the Asian African and European Churches As Justin Martyr Basil and Chrysostom for the Greek and Tertullian Cyprian St. Augustin and Prosper testifie for the West Insomuch that St. 〈◊〉 says expressly in that place that for the Order of Singing the Psalms in their Publick Service it was agreeable ..... to all the Churches of God Which place is also cited by Whitaker ad Ration 6. Campiani And divers Particulars in their set Form of Prayer remain to this day in the Liturgy of the Church of England As that there should be recited a General Confession of the Faith 〈◊〉 Areopag de Ecclesia Hierar p. 88. Edit Gr. Lat. That Prayers were made for Emperours and Men in Authority and for the Peace and Quiet of the World So Tertullian That the Presbyter should 〈◊〉 them to lift up their Hearts and the People Answer we lift them up unto the Lord. So St. Cyprian and St. Augustin The Interrogations and Answers in 〈◊〉 So Origen That Prayers should be made not only for the Faithful but for Insidels and Enemies to the Cross of Christ. So Prosper And 't is preserved in our Collect for Good Friday And the Peoples Praying with and Answering the Pastor saying Lord have Mercy upon us with Christ have Mercy upon us was before St. Gregory's time and continued down to ours yet with difference from the Mass-Book too As Dr. Rainolds proves Conf. with Hart. c. D. Divi. 4. p. 511. But howsoever set Forms they were and such as in some Particulars ferè omnis Ecclesia Dominica almost all the Church of Christ used So St. Augustin And there is nulla pars Mundi scarce any part of the World in which there is not a Concordant an Agreement in these Prayers So Prosper Which is 〈◊〉 to be but by a set Form And so the Magdeburgians conclude upon due Examination Formulas denique precationum absque dubio habuerunt Out of all doubt the Ancients had set Forms of Prayer Cent. 3. c. 6. 1. 2. 1. 2. 3. Rom. 14. 4. * T. C. L. S. p. 59 60. apud 〈◊〉 L. 2. S. 1. p. 54. 1 Cor. 11. 34. * The Lord Brook Barrow's Reply to Gifford p. 255. p. 48. * The 50. 〈◊〉 taken from his own 〈◊〉 * proposit 19. Pryn in his perpetuity p. 432. †Ezech. 18. 26. Prov. 28. 13. S. Luc. 13. 3. S. Luc. 21. 24. Acts 3. 19. 2 Cor. 6. 9. Gal. 5. 10. and many other places ‖ Rog. in Symb. Art 7. Prop. 5. * Concil Const. 1. Hooker's Pref. to Eccl. pol. S. 3. Ephes. 5. 27. Jer. 2. 24. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. a Athan. in Epist. ad solit 〈◊〉 agentes Edit Gr. Lat. p. 862. b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist. ad Solit. Vitam 〈◊〉 c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 9. 27. Athanasin Epist. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vitam agentes Edit Gr. 〈◊〉 pag. 862. d In 〈◊〉 ad Constantium quae extat apud Athana Ibid. p. 829. e St. Hilary cont Constantium Edit 〈◊〉 p. 272. passim alibi f Quando audiisti 〈◊〉 Imperator in 〈◊〉 Fidei Laicos de 〈◊〉 judicasse quis est qui 〈◊〉 in causâ Fidei in causâ 〈◊〉 Fidei 〈◊〉 solere de Imperatortbus Christianis non Imperatores de Episcopis 〈◊〉 Pater tuus baptizatus in 〈◊〉 inhabilem se ponderi tanti putabat esse judicii c. St. Amb. L. 5. Epist. 32. g Novum inauditum nefas esse dicens ut causam Ecclesiae Judex Saeculi judicaret Sulp. Sever. L. 2. Hist. 〈◊〉 h Pater tuus Deo favente vir maturioris 〈◊〉 dicebat non est meum Judicate inter Episcopos St. Amb. L. 5. Epist. 32. k Vt cum quaestionibus controversiis quae circa fidei dogmata incidunt nibil quicquam commune habeat Nefas est enim qui Sanctissimorum Episcoporum 〈◊〉 ascriptus non est illum Ecclesiasticis negotiis consultationibus sese immiscere Bin. Tom. 1. Conc. Par. 2. p. 166. Ed. Colon. * l. 869. l Quod 〈◊〉 modo iis liceat de Ecclesiasticis causis sermonem movere Hoc enim 〈◊〉 investigare Patriarcharum Pontificum Sacerdotum est qui regiminis officium 〈◊〉 sunt Nos 〈◊〉 oportet cum timore fide sincerâ 〈◊〉 adire c. Bin. Tom. 3. Concil Par. 2. 682. Hist. Trip. L 5. 35. in the case of Hereticks * hold any Instruct adLaud †our Id. ‖ strictly Id. * their Id. * February exemplar aliud Canterbury London Bath and Wells Rochester C R This must be remedied one way or other concerning which I expect a particular account of you Peterburgh Coventry and Lichfield C R If there be Dark Corners in this Dioces it were fitt a true Light should Illuminat it and not this that is falce and uncertaine St. Davids St. Asaph Landaff Lincoln C. R. Certainlie I cannot hould fitt that anie Lay-Person or Corporation whatsoever should have the Power thease Men would take to themselves For I will have no Preest have anie Necessitie of a Lay Dependancie Wherefore I command you to show me the way to overthrou this and to hinder the Performance in tyme to all suche Intentions Hereford and Bangor C. R. As soon as may bee get these Bishoppes Certificats Ely Januar. 2. 1634. Cant. C R Put mee in mynd of this at some convenient tyme when I am at Council and I shall redress it Rochester Sarum C. R. I doe and will express my Pleasure if need be what way you will Bristol Bath and Wells Exon. Lincoln C. R. The South-West Windis commonly the best therefore I will not hinder the blowing that way Winton London Norwich Ely St. Davids St. Asaph Landaff C. R. This is not much unlike that which was not longe since uttered elsewhere viz. That the Jewes Crucified Christ
and continued Practice of the whole Church of Christ. Thirdly Let them profess they are not bound to this Form they use more than any other but that it is free for them to conceive Prayer c. Harder and harder For they stand bound not only by Church-Ordinance but by Injunction and Command of the State in Parliament strictly to observe this Form And they are therefore bound to this Form more than any other And therefore so long as this Act of Parliament remains in force with what Honour or Conscience can this Lord who seems to stand so much upon Law ask this at the Bishops Hands that they should profess that they are not bound to any Forms Nor to this more than any other when his Lordship must needs know they are bound to this and no other and that by an Act of Parliament Besides What a Coil hath been kept by some of this Lord's Favourites against Innovations of Religion as contrary to Law No Rails to fence the Holy Table from Prophanation Though that be no Ceremony nor forbidden by Law No coming up to it or the steps of the Chancel to receive the Communion though most decent and in ancient usage and forbidden by no Law that I know No Reverence to God himself at coming in or going out of his Temple though that of the Psalmist began the ancient Liturgies of the Church and is continued in our O come let us worship and fall down and kneel before the Lord our maker c. Psal. 95. The Communion-Table must not stand North and South though the Queens Injunction commanded it to be set just in that Place in which the Altar then stood So they innovate themselves and then cry out of Innovation And if this Lord's Doctrin be good let 's have no Injunction for North and South and all 's well But then we must have no Injunction for East and West neither For if there be an Injunction East and West is Superstition as well as North and South But then if my Lord would have all free what would he have in this Particular Why First he would have it free for these Men to conceive Prayer Let them in due time and place conceive Prayer on God's Name But let them not make publick Abortion in the Church 'T is an over-hasty Mother that brings forth so soon as she has Conceived And yet Extemporary Men out-run these Mothers and Conceive and bring forth their unnatural Monsters both at once Next he would have these Men to help themselves by the use of any other Forms they please as well as this which is prescribed So then belike these great Men of Gifts in my Lord's Eye are not so perfect in the Spirit but that they may need helps And if my Lord be so indifferent that these may help themselves by the use of any other Forms as well as this which is prescribed let him be as fair at least to the Church that made him a Christian as to others and give Men leave to help themselves by the use of this Form which is prescribed as well any other And if it be the Injunction only that sticks in his Stomach I am sorry he should shew himself so Guilty of the great Sin of Disobedience Fourthly Let them practise the same indifferently that so it may be manifest the Fault rests in the Person and not in the Service c. This is his Lordship's last Condition And either I am dulled with this Business or the Expression is somewhat obscure But I will take it as right as I can It seems my Lord would not refuse coming to the Prayers of the Church for the Personal Fault of him that Officiates And that 's well It seems likewise that to manifest this whether the Sin lies in the Person that offers or in the Service that is Offered up his Lordship would have an indifferent practice of that which is enjoyned and other Forms And that 's stark naught For by this we shall have no certain Service of God for the People It shall 〈◊〉 and perhaps more dangerously than is fit not only in different Parishes but in the same Congregation at different times And were not this so yet I cannot assent to my Lord in this that these Men he means can so easily offer better if they will and that when they do not it is their Negligence that is the only Cause And besides it is useless For it is known already to sober Minds that the Fault when any arises in that Work is neither in the Service which is very good nor in the Injunction which is very Lawful but in the Person which Officiates if he do not his Duty And so there is no need of a confused practising of divers Forms indifferently to manifest that which is known already And if my Lord brings no worse Sins about him when he comes to Church than he will find Faults in the Liturgy he may safely come to Church and be a Happy Man in so doing And I might well doubt of my Lord's meaning herein for himself is jealous of his Auditors Therefore he adds I know not whether I express my self clearly to be understood in this or not and it may seem to be a nice Scrupulosity Give me leave therefore to endeavour to clear it by an Instance or two Truly my Lord takes himself right For neither hath he expressed himself very clearly nor is the matter so material in it self but that it may be as it seems a very nice Scrupulosity and altogether unable to warrant his Lordship's Separation from the Prayers of the Church Yet since my Lord desires to clear it by an Instance or two I shall be well content to hear and consider of them His First Instance is In the time of the Law when God appointed himself to be Worshipped by Offerings and Sacrifices the Shadows and Types of those Truths which were to come If a Poor Man which had not Ability to bring a Bullock or a Ram or a Lamb had brought a pair of Turtle Doves or two Young Pigeons it would have been in him an acceptable Service But if a Man of Ability who had Herds and Flocks should out of Negligence or Covetousness have spared the Cost of a Bullock or Ram and brought Young Pigeons his Service would have been rejected and himself punished How much more would the Service have been Abomination if Men should have taken Authority to have enjoyned all to bring no other but Turtles or Young Pigeons because some were not able to do more In one kind there might be a tolerable and lawful use of that which otherways used especially if generally enjoyned would have been most unlawful God will be Worshipped with the Fat and best of the Inwards the best of Mens Gifts and Abilities which he that worships or officiates in Worshipping is to do at his own Peril And if it be left free unto him the Worship may be Lawful to him that