he is to appeare this day to heare and receive the finall order and judgement of the Court. at which day and place the said Lawrence Snelling being publiquely called for appeared personally in whose presence the Articles in this cause exhibited against him with his answers made thereunto were publiquely read and then Mr. Doctor Ryues his Majesties Advocate pressed and enforced the proofes against the said Master Snelling according as they appeared confessed out of his answers and after that the said Mr. Snelling was heard what he could say in his owne defence and after a mature and deliberat hearing of this cause it appeared to the Court That the said Mr. Snelling was here charged for that he being a Minister in holy orders of Priesthood constituted by the Authority of the Church for these 20. yeares last past and upwards Rector of Paulscray aforesaid for all that time and upwards was within these foure or five yeares last past made acquainted that a certaine Booke intituled The Kings Majesties Declaration for lawfull recreations after Evening Prayers on Sundayes and Holy dayes was come forth and commanded by his Majesty to be read by all Ministers in their respective Parish Churches and presented to Mr. Doctor Wood Chauncellor of Rochester his Ordinary on the 20th of November 1643. for refusing to read and publish the same in his Parish Church of Paulscray That upon the said presentment he was by his said Ordinary personally monished to read the same within three weekes following That on the eleventh of December 1634. aforesaid he the said Laurence Snelling being againe Convented before his said ordinary was primo secundo tertio personally and Judicially monished in Court to read and publish the said Booke in manner aforesaid which he refusing was suspended ob officio beneficio and hath so continued untill this present and doth so still continue unreleased that on the third of Aprill 1635. the said Laurence Snelling being present in Court before his Ordinary was 10. 20. and 30. Judicially admonished to read and publish the said Booke for Lawfull recreations as aforesaid but did againe utterly refuse to publish or read the same was thereupon then excommunicated by his said Ordinary and hath so continued ever since doth so stil continue excommunicated that within the time articulate the said Mr. Snelling hath divers times omitted to read the Lerany and some other parts of Divine service and to weare the Surplice further that he hath not bowed his body nor made any corporall obeysance at the reading or hearing read the Blessed name of our Saviour Iesus All which the premises appearing to be true in Substance and in effect out of the said Mr. Snellings answers the Court proceeded to the giving of their sentence in this Cause and for the present did order that unlesse the said Mr. Snelling shall conforme himselfe to the aforesaid requisitions of his Ordinary and read and publish the said Booke for lawfull recreations c. and do all due obeysance and Reverence at the blessed name of our Saviour Iesus betwixt this and the second Court day of the next Terme he should be ex nunc pro ut extunc c. deprived of his Rectory of Paulscray aforesaid but pay no costs of suit in case he be deprived and to this end and purpose he the said Mr. Snelling being present in Court was Juditially admonished to read and publish the said Booke and to make corporall reverence at the name of our Saviour Jesus sub pena Iuris deprivationis And to the end that he may safely repaire to his Parish Church to practise certifie of his conformity in the premises in case he shall be willing to conform accordingly it was by the Court referred to the foresaid Ordinary Mr. Doctor Wood to absolve the said Master Snelling from the said sentence of Excommunication under which he now stands in case he shall come and desire it of his said Ordinary and take his oath de parendo Iuri stando mandatis Ecclesia c. according to the forme in this case provided For not doing whereof he was accordingly deprived and continued sequestred excommunicated and deprived of his living divers yeares to his intollerable oppression and prejudice When the Archbishop had thus privily by secret Instructions to his Visitors enjoyned the reading of this Book of sports to Ministers and suspended censured molested divers of them for not reading it he then conspiring together with many other popish Prelates to suppresse all painful preaching Orthodox Ministers by colour of it encouraged directed if not enjoyned them and their Archdeacons to insert this clause into their printed Visitation Articles to be inquired of and presented by Church-wardens upon Oath Whether the Kings Declaration for sports had beene read and published among them by the Minister To prove this we shall instance only in the Visitation Articles of Matthew Wren Bishop of Norwich printed at London 1636. and in Richard Mountague his successors Visitation Articles for the same Diocesse printed at Cambridg 1638. both which prescribe this following Interrogatory to be inquired of upon oath the later clause whereof contradictes the former Sect 7. Do any in your Parishprophane any Sunday or holy-day by any unlawfull gaming drinking or Tipling in Taverns Innes or Ale-houses in the time of Common Prayer or Sermon or by Working or doing the worke of their Trades and occupations Do any in your Parish buy or sell or keepe open their Shops or set out any Wares to be sould on Sundayes or holy dayes by themselves their Servants or Apprentises or have they any other wayes Prophaned the said dayes And hath the Kings Declaration concerning the use of lawfull sports and recreations been published among you yea or no If so when was it don in what manner and by whom The like Interrogatories in effect if not in terminis we find in Bishop Pierces Bishop Curles Bishop Skinners the Arch-Deacons of Middlesex with other Visitation Articles which for brevity we pretermit How many hundred Godly Ministers in these other Bishops Diocesse were suspended from their Ministry sequestred driven from their Livings excommunicated Prosecuted in the High Commission and forced to leave the Kingdome upon these Articles for not publishing this Declaration is so experimentaly known to all that We shal pretermit it without any enumeration of their names or cases Only we shal discover what hand and influence the Archbishop had in their severall suspentions persecutions by these ensuing Accounts given up to him by other Bishops of their proceedings herein found in his Study endorsed with his owne hand and witnessed by Mr. Prynne who seized them In Bishop Wrens account to the Archbishop December 17. 1636. which begin thus In the name of God Amen An account touching the Royall Instructions given by the Kings most Excellent Majesty to the most Reverend Father in God VVilliam Laud Archbishop of Cant. his Grace Primat
said Miles Burkitt in contempt of his said Ordinary doth come forth out of the said rayles and doth administer the Sacrament to many that will not come up to the said rayles Hocque fuit est verum c. Item we Article and object that you the said Miles Burkite did consent procure and abet Paul Gardner one of the Churchwardens of Pateshall in the County of Northampton aforesaid to remove and carry down forth of the rayles the Communion Table into the body of the Chancell and there did minister the holy Sacrament on Easterday last past and other times notwithstanding the Articles of your Diocesan to the contrary Hocque fuit est verum c. Upon which Articles this good Minister was for a long time vexed in the High-commission and almost ruined From Ministers thus persecuted for opposing these Innovations of rayling in Communion Tables Altarwise and administring the Sacrament at the Rayles we shall proceed to Church-wardens severally prosecuted excommunicated and undone for not rayling in Communion Tables only or removing them out of the rayles We shall begin with the Churchwardens of Beckington in the County of Somerset whose case by the testimonies of Mr. John Ash a Member of the House of Commons and Lord of that Parish of M. William Long and M. George Long who solicited the cause in the Churchwardens behalfe was manifested to be thus The Communion Table in the Parish-church of Beckington had for 70 years and more stood in the midst of the Chancell enclosed with a very decent Wainscot-border and a dore with seats for the Communicants to receive in round about it In the year 1633. D. Pierce Bishop of Bath and Wels a great creature of Canterburies appointed certaine Commissioners to view the Churches within his Diocesse certifie to him the defects thereof who viewing the Church of Beckington certified among other things that there was not a decent Communion Table in it neither was it placed under the East window nor railed in otherwise then with a Border about it where the communicants kneel at the holy Communion and that there were seats above the Communion Table To which Certificate the Churchwardens and Sidemen of Beckington were ordered by the Bishop to return an answer under their hands before Ascension-day 1634. which they did accordingly After which the Churchwardens were enjoyned by the Bishop by word of mouth to remove and rayle in their Communion Table Altarwise against the East end of the Chancel which they refusing to doe conceiving it to be against the Rubrick Q. Elizabeths Injunctions and the 82 Canon thereupon Iames Wheeler Iohn Fry Churchwardens were on the 9 of June 1635. cited into the Bishops Court at Wels before William Hunt the Bishops Surrogate and D. Duck his Chancelour for that the Communion Table in the Chancell of Beckington was not placed under the East window of the Chancel nor rayled in otherwise then with a Border about it and that there were seats above the said Table who admonished them to repaire the said defects and to place the Lords Table against the East wall of the Chancell with the ends of it North and South as it stood in the Cathedrall Church at Wels with a rayle about it and to certifie that they had done all this by the 6 of October following At which day they were excommunicated in open Court by the Bishop himself for refusing to remove and rayle in the Table and pull down the said seats Whereupon the Churchwardens appealed to the Arches for relief where after much waiting and solicitation they procured from Sir Iohn Lambe Dean of the Arches a Letter to the Bishop to absolve them for a time which he did only for 27 dayes admonishing them to submit to what he had formerly enjoyned them for not doing whereof he excommunicated them againe in open Court on the 12 of January following Hereupon the Churchwardens appealed to the Arches the second time and petitioned the Archbishop for reliefe to which Petition this Certificat under the hands of about one hundred of the Parishioners was annexed To the most Reverend Father in God and Right Honourable William by Gods providence Archbishop of Canterbury Primate and Metropolitan ever all England We the Inhabitants and parishioners of Beckington in the County of Somerset do humbly certifie that the Communion Table of our Church of Beckington hath and doth stand in the midst of the Chancel being the most convenientest place time out of minde and beyond the remembrance of any of our parishioners now living And that near threescore years since the pavement of the said Chancel upon which the Communion Table standeth was new made and in the new making thereof raised about a foot above the rest of the ground of the said Chancell and then also compassed about with a fair Wainscot border in which there is only one Wainscot door to come into the said Table which door is kept fast and none doth enter in thereat but the Minister and such as he doth require which said Communion Table doth at the day of the date hereof stand so conveniently and decently as aforesaid And we the said parishioners with an unanimous consent do humbly pray That it may so continue freed from all Innovation And so do humbly take our leaves dated this 19 day of December Anno Dom 1635. But notwithstanding this Petition and Certificate the Archbishop refused to admit of their Appeal threatned them with the High-commission and to lay their Solicitour by the heels commanding them to submit to and obey their Diocaesan who sent up all the proceedings in this cause to the Archbishop with severall reasons why this Table should be removed found in the Archbishops study by Mr. Prynne endorsed with his own hand Whereupon they were enforced to petition the King himself for reliefe informing his Majesty That the Communion Table had continued as then it stood by the approbation of all the Archbishops Bishops of that Diocesse during the reignes of Queen Elizabeth King James and even eleven years in his Majesties reigne as appeared by a Certificate under the hands of almost an hundred of the parishioners hands annexed to the Petition desiring the Table might not be removed but the Archbishop by his power hindred them from receiving any relief from his Majesty upon what grounds and reasons this Letter of the Bishop of Bath and Wels to Sir Iohn Lambe will best discover Good Master Deane According to my promise in my Letter to you the last week I have now sent unto you a copy of all my proceedings in the cause concerning the Chancel of the Parish-church of Beckington and the placing of the Communion Table therein together with my reasons for the same which I hope will give you full satisfaction in this businesse I have sent likewise a copy to my Lords Grace of Canterbury not that I think it worthy of his reading or that he hath leisure to peruse it
but that it may lye by him that when you speak with his Grace about this among other businesses his Grace may have recourse to my papers if he think fit There are in my Diocesse 469 Churches and Chappels or thereabout and the Communion Tables are placed already in above 140 of them as the Communion Table is placed in our Cathedrall Church here I have begun and proceeded herein in a perswasive way some parishes were no sooner spoken to but they obeyed other Parishes refused at the first but they were quickly satisfied and then submitted only the Churchwardens of Beckington being encouraged and back'd by divers of the parish not so well affected to the government and rites of the Church as they should be are become obstinate and will have the Chancell ordered and the Communion Table there placed as the parishioners shall think fit who also bear the charges of these Churchwardens as they have confessed unto me which was the cause why they hasted so speedily to London and stayed so long there about this businesse If these men have their wils the example will do a great deal of harme for then many of the Parishes which have already conformed themselves to the Cathedrall will fall back and other Parishes will never come on to this conformity who are now at a stand to see what will be done in the Chancell of Beckington I know your judgement and affection to the Church concurres with mine and therefore I am assured you will do nothing herein but that which shall be for the good of the Church and preservation of authority in all things just and lawfull I pray If D. Duck desire to read the coppy of the proceedings and reasons which I have sent you let him borrow it of you for it is fit my Chancelour should be acquainted with these things whose counsell and assistance must be used therein And so with remembrance of my true love and best wishes to you I commend you to the grace of God and rest Your very affectionate and faithfull friend Guil. Bath and Wels. Wels 2 Ian. 1635. Hereupon the poor Churchwardens being destitute of all relief continued excommunicated about a whole year after which they were taken and imprisoned in the common Gaole a long time upon a Capias Excommunicatum from whence at last they were released by the Bishop upon this ensuing submission and pennance worse then any imprisonment A true Copy of the Pennance that Iames Wheeler and Iohn Frye were enjoyned unto by my Lord Bishop of Bath and Wels examined by those whose names are underwritten Thomas Iles Iohn Bailly George Long William Webb Whereas the right reverend Father in God William by Gods permission Lord Bishop of Bathe and Wels hath heretofore lawfully required and commanded James Wheeler and John Frye late Churchwardens of the Parish-church of Beckington within the Dioces of Bathe and Wels aforesaid to remove the Communion Table in the Chancell of their said parish-Church and to place it close under the East wall of the said Chancell in the same manner and forme as the Communion Table standeth in the Cathedrall Church in Wells aforesaid and to remoue the seats placed above the said Table And likewise whereas they the said James Wheeler and John Frye contemned and wilfully disobeyed the command of the said Reverend Father and have in most contemptuous manner stood excommunicated for their said contempt for the space of one whole yeare now last past or there abouts not regarding nor fearing the dreadfull Censure of the Church And have likewise some dayes last past stood aggravated and have been signified unto the Kings most excellent Majesty for the apprehending their bodies and committing them to the Common-gaole of the County of Somerset the rather to compell them to their due obedience to the lawfull command of the Church now upon the earnest request and submission of the said Wheeler and Fry the said Reverend Father hath absolved them from the said sentences and enjoyned unto them that upon Sunday the 25 day of Iune in the year of our Lord God one thousand six hundred thirty seven they in their usuall apparell shall stand first in the middle Ally in the Parish-church of Beckington aforesaid and there immediately after the reading of the Gospell shall openly and penitently with an audible voice make this acknowledgement following repeating the same after the Minister viz. We James Wheeler and John Fry do here before this Congregation assembled acknowledge and confesse that we have grievously offended the Divine Majesty of Almighty God and the lawes Ecelesiasticall of this Realme of England in that we have in contemptuous manner refused to remove the Communion Table in the Chancell of the Parish-church of Beckington and to place it close under the East wall of the said Chancell in the same manner and forme as the Communion Table standeth in the Cathedrall Church in Wels and to remove the seats placed above the said Table being thereunto lawfully and judicially monished and warned by the right reverend Father in God the Lord Bishop of Bath and Wels. And in that for our contempts and disobediences in not performing the said lawfull command of the said reverend Father we have suffered our selves to be lawfully excommunicated and so to stand for the space of one whole yeare last past or thereabouts not fearing nor regarding the dreadfull censure of the Church And in like or rather more contemptuous manner have suffered our selves to be lawfully aggravated and signified according to the laudable laws â— statutes of this Realm thereby in a legall manner to compell us to our due obedience to the lawfull command of the Church And we do hereby protest that we are right heartily sorry for the same and we do faithfully promise never from henceforth to offend in the like againe but to demeane our selves as shall become good Christians and dutifull subjects and we doe ask God forgivenesse for this our sinne and offence and you all here present for our evill example And we doe desire you all to pray for us and with us to Almighty God that it may please him of his infinite goodnesse to forgive us of this our offence And then humbly and penitently kneeling downe must devoutly rehearse the Lords Prayer and they must certifie hereof at Wels in writing subscribed to these presents under the hands of the Minister and Churchwardens of Beckington aforesaid on Tuesday the 27 day of Iune aforesaid together with this Schedule And the like pennance is to be performed by the within named James Wheeler and John Fry for the same offence in the Parish-church of Froom-felwood within the Dioces aforesaid before the Pulpit or Ministers seat there in manner and forme prescribed on Sunday the 2 day of Iuly Anno predict And certificate must be made of the due performance thereof as abovesaid under the hands of the Minister and Churchwardens there upon Tuesday the fourth day of Iuly aforesaid
subscribed to these presents And the like pennance is further to be performed by the said James Wheeler and John Fry for the same offence in the Parish-church of S. Peter and Pauls in Bathe within the Dioces above mentioned upon Sunday the ninth day of Iuly above written and certificate is to be made accordingly the 11 day of July aforesaid Ja. Huishe Reg. This order of pennance enjoyned unto the within named John Fry and Ja. Wheeler of the Parish of Beckington was accordingly performed by them in the Parish-church there the 25 day of Iune 1637. Alexander Huishe Rect. ibid. The mark of Richard Bâ—â—t Churchwarden Alexander Webb This order of pennance enjoyned unto the within named John Fry and Ja. Wheeler of the Parish of Beckington was accordingly performed by them in the Parish Church of Froomfelwod the 2 day of Iuly 1637. John Beaument Curat ibid. Thomas Albyn John Norfolke Churchwardens William Cooke This order of pennance enjoyned unto the within named John Fry and Ja. Wheeler of the Parish of Beckington was accordingly performed by them in the Parish-church of the said S. Peter and Paul in Bathe the 9 Iuly 1637. Theoph. Webbe Rector ibid. Richard Duace Thomas Parcker Churchwardens Henry Gaye The 〈…〉 submission made against these poor mens consciences did so afflict them that they never enjoyed themselves afterwards Iames Wheeler falling presently after sick and dying professing often on his death bed that this pennance and submisson so much against his conscience had broken his heart was the only cause of his sicknesse and death The Bishop of Bathe and Wels pretested that he did nothing herein but by the Archbishops direction with which Mr. Iohn Ash acquainting the Archbishop since his commitment to the Tower heacknowledged it to be 〈◊〉 and that â—e did herein like an obedient Diocesâ—â— to his Metropolitan What further tyrannicall and 〈◊〉 of proceedings were afterwards used by this 〈…〉 the Churchwardens and some of other Parishioners of Beckington for opposing Mr. Huish their Minister in rayling in the Communion Table and raising a new Mount at the East end of the Chancel in a peaceable manner we shall further give in evidence in a more proper charge The next example we shall instance in is the case of Ferdinando Adams one of the Churchwardens of S. Mary Towre Church in Ipswich who together with his fellow Church-warden Titus Camplin was excommunicated by Henry Dade one of the Archbishops Substitutes in his Metropoliticall Visitation and Surrogate to Sir Nathaniel Brent in the Archbishops own name For not taking downe the seates standing above the Communion Table in this Church and railing in the Table Altar-wise against the wall as he was injoyned by Sir Nathaniel Brent the Archbishops Vicar-generall in his Metropoliticall Visitation This was proved by the Excommunication it self read in the Lords House in these following words Gulielmus providentia divina Cant. Archeipise totius Angliae Primas Metropolitanus ad quem omnis omnimoda Iurisdictio spiritualis Ecclesiastica ad Episcopum Norwiscens spectan pertinent ratione Visitationis nostrae Metropoliticae infra Dioces Norwic. modo exercit notoriè dignoscitur pertinere Vniversis singulis Restoribus c. salutem Cum dilectus noster Magister Henricus Dade omnes singulas personas utriusque sexus quorum nomina cognomina inferius subscribuntur recitantur c. Excommunicandos fore decreuit c. Vobis igitur firmiter injungendo mandamus quatenus praefatas personas in prescriptis sic ut praefatur authoritate nostra excommunicaetas pro sic excommunicatis in Ecclesiis vestris parochialibus diebus Dominicis ac Festivis post receptionem praesentium immediatè sequentibus tempore divinorum dum major in ijsdem ad divina audienda ad fuerit populi multitudo palam publicè denuncietis declaretis cum effectu sub poena juris c. Datum sub sigillo quo in haec parte utimur decimo dic mensis Iulij An. Dom. 1635. sanctae Mariae ad Turrim Gipwici Ferdinando Adams Titum Camplin Gardianos ibidem in non removendo sedilia ab Orientali muro infra Cancellum Ecclesiae in non stâ—â—endo Mensam Dominicam in supremo loco juxta murum praedictum secundum monitionem judicialem Dom. Nathanialis Brent Militis Domini Archiepiscopi Vicaerii in spiritualibus generalis judicialiter factam Ferdinando Adams being thus excommunicated sought to avoid this Excommunication by an Appeale but could procure no release and being laid in wait for by Pursevants out of the High-commission for suing Dade in the Star-chamber where this Excommunication was pleaded in Bar against him he was enforced to leave the Kingdom flye into New England till this Parliament almost to his utter undoing as he attested upon oath and shall be hereafter more fully proved in another charge To this we shall subjoyne the case of Iohn Premly one of the Church-wardens of Lewis in Sussex who was prosecuted in the High-commission Court and there on the 8 of May 1638. censured fined imprisoned condemned in costs of suit and ordered to make a submission for that when as Sir Nathaniel Brent in the Archbishops Metropoliticall Visitation by injunction from the said Archbishop had ordered the Communion Table in the Church of Lewis to be placed North and South at the upper end of the Chancel and there rayled in which was done accordingly Premly in a contemptuous manner had removed it from thence unto the place where it formerly stood whereupon Dr. Nevel himself replacing it at the East end of the Chancell North and South according to the said Archbishops Injunction he presumed againe to remove and bring it down to its ancient place to the great affront of his Graces Injunctions and the ill example of others All which was manifested by the very sentence it self recorded in the High-commission Register-book which was read in the House of Peers to the effect aforesaid The Committee of the Commons house alleaged that sundry other examples of like nature and of excommunicating hundreds of consciencious people for refusing to receive the Sacrament at the new rayles might be produced in most Diocesse of Englsand but they would content themselves with these alone and that of Mr. Samuel Burroughâ— of Colchester which they should make use of upon another occasion and proceed to such who had been grievously censured in the Star-chamber High-commission by the Archbishops means for opposing defacing or preaching against the use or setting up idolatrous Pictures of God the Father Christ Saints in Churches in direct opposition to our Homilies against the perill of idolatry confirmed by the 39 Articles and contrary to our Statutes Injunctions Canons and the current of all our Orthodox writers The first president of this nature instanced in was the case of Mr. Henry Sherfield a Bencher of Lincolns-Inne the true state whereof was briefly this M. Sherfield being Recorder of Sarum a
did mistake either their words or their meaning And I doe verily believe that if I had sent for an hundred more of the Clergie within my Diocesse I should have received the same Answer from them all because not one of those Ministers who appeared before me although they are almost all of them as yet strangers unto mee and most of them strangers one to another varied in the substance of his Answer from the rest nay most of them agree in their very phrases and words and yet all of them gave their Answers severally So that I may liken these seventy and two Ministers in this matter unto the Septuagâ—nt or seventy two Interpreters who agreed so soone in the Translation of the old Testament Now as I have made a true report of the Answers of these Ministers so I desire to set downe some observations of mine owne which I have collected out of their Answers I finde that throughout Somersesshire there are not only Feasts of Dedication but also in many places Church-ales Clerkes-ales and Bid-ales The Feasts of Dedications are more generall and generally they are called Feast-dayes but in divers places they are call'd Revell-dayes they are not knowne amongst the ignorant people by the name of Feasts of Dedication but all Schollers acknowledge them to be in the memory of their severall Dedications and some Ministers of late have taught them so Divers Churches here are Dedicated to the Holy Trinity and they are kept upon Trinity Sunday but almost all those Feasts which are kept in memory of the Dedication of Churches unto Saints are kept upon some Sundayes either before or after the Saints dayes because as I conceive on the weeke dayes the people have not had leisure to celebrate these Feasts And I finde that almost all the Feasts of Dedication are kept in the Summer time betweene our Lady-day and Michaelmas because that time of the yeare is most convenient for the meeting of Friends from all places in some places they have solemne Sermons Preach't by Divines of good note and also Communions upon their Feast dayes and in one place in this County the Parish holds Land by their Feast And one Minister who hath been a great Travailer hath inserted in his answer that in some reformed Churches namely in Switzerland these Feasts of Dedication are observed I finde also that the people generally would by no meanes have these Feasts taken away for when the Constables of some Parishes came from the Assizes about two years agoe and told their neighbours that the Judges would put down these Feasts they answered that it was very hard if they could not entertain their kindred and friends once in a yeare to praise God for his Blessings and to pray for the Kings Majesty under whose happy Government they enjoyed peace and quietnesse and they sayd they would endure the Judges penalties father than they would breake off their Feast dayes It is found also true by experience that many Suits in Law have bin taken up at these Feasts by mediation of friends which could not have bin so soone ended in Westminster Hall Moreover I finde that the chiefest cause of the dislike of these Feasts amongst the Preciser sort is becaose they are kept upon Sundayes which they never call but Sabbath dayes upon which they would have no manner of Recreation nay neither Rost nor Sod And some of the Ministers who were with me have ingenuously confessed that if the people should not have their honest and lawfull Recreations upon Sundayes after evening Prayer they would go either into tipling houses and there upon their Ale-benches talke of matters of the Church or State or else into Conventicles Concerning Church-ales I finde that in some places the people have bin perswaded to leave them off in other places they have bin put down by the Judges and Justices so that now there are very few of them left but yet I finde that by Church-ales heretofore many poore Parishes have cast their Bells repaired their Towers beautified their Churches and raised stocks for the poore and not by the sins of the people as some Humourists have sayd but by the Benevolence of people at their honest and harmlesse sports and pastimes at which there hath not bin observed so much disorder as is commonly at Fairs and Markets Touching Clerke-ales which are lesser Church-ales for the better maintenance of Parish Clerks they have bin used untill of late in divers places and there was great reason for them for in poore Countrey Parishes where the wages of the Clerke is very small the people thinking it unfit that the Clerke should duly attend at Church and lose by his office were wont to send him in Provision and then feast with him and give him more liberality then their quarterly payments would amount unto in many years And since these have bin put down some Ministers have complained unto me that they are afrayd they shall have no Parish Clerks for want of maintenance for them There is another kinde of publique meeting call'd a Bid-ale when an honest man decayed in his estate is set up again by the liberall Benevolence and Contribution of friends at a Feast but this is layd aside almost in euery place But I feare I have wearied your Grace with this impertinent discourse of Countrey Feasts yet while I am in this discourse of Feasts I may not forget one thing wherein I have bin desired by a grave and learned Divine dwelling neere Taunton to move your Grace and that is that your Grace would be a means that the Judges in their Lent Circuit might not sit and condemne people on that great Feast day of the Annunciation And so having carefully endeavoured to performe His Majesties Commaundement I cast my selfe down at His Majesties feet humbly begging His gracious pardon if I have erred in any point And I desire no longer to live than I may be able to do God and His Majesty service in the Church which although other Bishops can performe with greater abilities than my selfe yet none shall perform the same with more readinesse diligence and fidelity than I will doe And so praying for the continance of your Graces health and happinesse I leave your Grace to Gods blessed Protection and humbly rest Your Graces ever to be Commanded Guil. Bath and Wells Wells 5th Novemb. 1633. The next Assizes after this Certificate the Archbishop sent for Chiefe Justice Richardson and commanded him to revoke the former Order made at the Assizes against Wakes telling him it was His Majesties pleasure he should reverse it But he having no such command from the King Himselfe neglected to do it whereupon the Archbishop made a new complaint to His Majesty against the Judge who thereupon sent for the Judge and commanded him publikely to Reverse that Order the next Assizes as he would answer the controay at his perill notwithstanding he alleaged hee had done it at the request of the Justices of
Church the first Sunday in February And it is likewise further Ordered that every Constable shall at every Lent Assize present to the Judges of this Circuit a note of the receipt of the said Order under the hands of the said Ministers And for the further avoyding of the concourse of idle people it is further Ordered that such persons as usually carry up and downe Bulls and Beares to baite being Rogues by Statute shal be punished as Rogues for the further prevention of such inconveniences as usually happen upon such meetings Per me Symon Spatchurst Clericum Asiisor The 6. an Order made by Baron Denham at the Assizes in Somersetshire Anno 1627. upon a Petition of divers Ministers To the Honourable Sir John Denham Knight one of the Barons of His Majesties Exchequor and Iustice of Assize for the County of SOMERSET The humble Petition of the Ministers whose names are subscribed Sheweth THat whereas at the last Summer Assizes held for the County of Dorset there was an Order made for the suppressing of all Revells Church-Ales and other publike Ales amongst other things as by the Copie of the said Order hereunto annexed appeareth Your Petitioners therefore humbly desire that Your Lordship would be pleased to grant the like Order at this Assizes for the suppressing of the like Ales and disorders in this County of Somerset So they shall alwayes pray for Your Lordships long health and prosperity Adam Abraham Iohn Ford. William â—yllet Iohn Fathers Ralph Turner George Drake 15. Marcii 1627. Let the Clerke of the Assizes draw up the like 〈◊〉 for his County Iohn Denham Which former Order being warranted by so many Presidents Iudge Richardson said hee conceived hee had no power absolutely to reverse but being commanded to do it by His Majestie he did as much as in him lay revoke it but yet doubted not that if the Iustices of Peace would truly informe His Majesty of the grounds of the former Order and of the great disorders occasioned by Wakes and Church-ales His Majesty would give Order to revive it but how ever he must make this Order for the present which he caused he Clerk of Assizes to enter VVHereas divers Orders have been heretofore made by the Judges of Assize for the suppressing of Church-ales Clerks-ales Wakes Revells and such like within this County of Somerset which were formerly made by the Judges by reason of many disorders and misdemeanours arising upon the meeting of multitudes of people out of other Parishes It is now Ordered by his Lordship that all former Orders heretofore made by any Judges or Iustices for the suppressing of Church-ales Clerks-ales Wakes and Revells be revoked as much as in him lyeth and made utterly voyde And that it may be lawfull for all persons freely to use any lawfull Recreation or Exercise at such meetings but with this advice that they be carefull that no outrages or misdemeanours commonly arising at such Church-ales Clerk-ales Wakes and Revells be done or committed Hereupon all the Justices of Peace then present immediately after they had dined drew up this Petition to His Majesty which they Signed with all their hands and then sent it up to London by Iohn Harrington Esquier then Custos Rotulorum in that County with order to deliver it to the Right Honourable Earle of Pembrook Lord Lievtenant of the County to present it to His Majesty Who repairing to London accordingly shewed the Petition to Master Prynne and the Earle being then in the Country whence he would not returne in twelve dayes space he advised with him what course to take for presenting the Petition to His Majesty in the mean time lest the Archbishop hearing of it should prevent the same The Archbishop having notice of this Petition from Sir Robert Philips and Bishop Pierce to prevent the delivery and expected good effect thereof presently caused the Declaration for Sports published by King Iames with some additions of his owne at the end concerning Wakes and Feasts of Dedication relating the Order of Judg Richardson for suppressing them to be reprinted and published in His Majesties Name before the Petition delivered the Copy whereof is here subjoyned To the KINGS most Excellent Majestie The most humble Petition of the Iustices of the Peace of the County of Somerset MOst humbly Shewing That whereas heretofore there have bin from time to â—e severall good Orders made by the Iustices of Assize and Iustices of the Peace for the County of Somerset for the restraining and suppressing of certaine disordered Assemblies in that County called Church-ales Clerkes-ales Bid-ales Wakes and Revells by reason of many disorders inseperably accompanying the same wherby the said Assemblies have for the most part for a long time beene forborne and not used to the great good and quiet of the said County Now so it is may please Your Majesty that by occasion of a Declaration published the last Assizes by the Lord Chiefe Iustice of the Kings-Bench for restoring of Wakes and Revells and Revering of all Orders made against them and by reason of a rumour thereof spread in the Countrey since the last Lent Assizes not onely all the disorders aforesaid of Prophanation of the Lords Day riotous tipling contempt of Authoritie Quarrells Murthers c. frequently over-flowing the said Assemblies have increased this Summer but even the other disorderly Assembliss of Church-Ales Bid-Ales Clerkes-Ales condemned by the Lawes have againe beene set up to the great prejudice of the Peace plenty and good Government of the County May it therefore please Your most Excellent Majestie to grant us some more particular Declaration herein That Your Majesties Command concerning Revells may not be thought to extend farther then to the upholding of Civill Feasting betweene Neighbour and Neighbour in their Houses and the orderly and seasonable use of manly Exercises and Activities which we all shall be most ready to maintaine And that we may have Your Majesties Favour and Allowance to suppresse all the forementioned unlawfull Assemblies of Church-Ales Clerks-Ales and Bid-Ales and to punish all the forementioned disorders as heretofore we have done Wherein Your Petitioners have no other end than to do Your Majestie faithfull service and to preserve the good Government of the County John Lord Pawlet William Portman John Stowell Ralph Hopton John Symmes William Frauncis John Harrington Robert Cuffe Richard Cole Edward Powlet William Every Anthony Stocker William Capell George Powlett Francis Popham Edward Rodeney Francis Dodington John Horner William Bassit John Windham Robert Hopton George Speke Thomas Lutterell William Walrond Gerrad Wood. The delivery and good effect of this Petition was prevented by the publishing of this Declaration by this Archbishops meanes who to justify himselfe herein ex post facto procured this ensuing Warrant without any Date at all written with his own hand and found in his Study by Mr. Prynne together with the Printed Declaration for Sports endorsed with his owne pen to be Signed by His Majesty to justifie
protection under the privy Signet held familiar intelligence with Cardinal Barbarino and Panzani Con Rossetti the Popes Nuncioes during their abode in England sends two of his sons to Rome in their travels where this Cardinall entertains them with all curtesie and respect for their Fathers sake and sends sundry Letters to Con from Rome in one of their Trunks all which being largely proved and published to the world in other Impressions we shall but point at here First For Windebank's release of Priests and Jesuits for which he was impeached by the Parliament and fled the Kingdom we have elswhere given you a Catalogue of 27. Priests discharged by him out of prison the Original Warrants for whose discharge we have ready to produce under his hand and printed the Copies of them we shall mention only one or two Warrants wherein this Archbishop concurred with Windebank in the release of two popish Priests from their prisons though we never heard of such a favour extended by him to any Puritan or Zealot against Papists whom he shut up close prisoners even in forraign parts from Wives Children Friends and all humane comforts The first is a Warrant for the release of one Robert Hais a Priest so proved upon Oath by Master Thomas Mayo a Pursevant dated 13. Decemb. 1633. the Originall whereof under Seal was read At Whitehall the 18. of December 1633. present Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Cottington c. Archbishop of York c. Master Secretary Windebank WHereas a Petition was this day presented to the Board by Robert Hais prisoner in the New-prison shewing that the Petitioner is much impoverished in his estate by his long imprisonment and is now grown so weak through infirmities that unlesse by their Lorships favour he may enjoy the benefit of fresh ayre for the recovery of his health his life is in great danger and therefore made humble suit to be discharged from prison for preservation of his life aforesaid upon good security to attend the Board within ten days after notice in that behalfe Forasmuch as his Petition was recommended to the Board BY THE QUEENS MAJESTY their Lordships doe think fit and order that the said Hais first giving good security to attend the Board within ten dayes after notice given as aforesaid shall be discharged from his imprisonment and enjoy his liberty without molestation or trouble of any Messengers or other his Majesties Officers whatsoever whereof the Keeper of the said prison and all other whom it may concern are to take notice Ex. WIL. BECHER The second is a Warrant for the enlarging of William Walgrave deposed to be a dangerous seducing Priest by Master Francis Newton subscribed with the Archbishops own hand and others the Original whereof was produced These are to will and command you to set at full liberty the person of William Walgrave formerly committed to your custody and for your so doing this shall be your sufficient Warrant Dated at Star-chamber the last of January 1633. Wil. Cant. R. Ebor c. Secondly for Letters of grace and protection granted by Windebank under the Privy Signet for the stay of all proceedings against Recusants and suspension of penall Laws against them there are multitudes of them printed by Authority of Parliament in the Popish Royall Favourite to which we shall remit the Reader Thirdly for his holding intelligence with the Popes Nuncioes Cardinal Barbarino Jesuits Priests and dangerous Papists with his sons resort to and entertainment at Rome we shall evidence it by these ensuing Letters the Originals whereof under hand and seal endorsed with Secretary Windebanks own hand were produced and read at the Lords Bar. The first is a letter written from Rome it selfe from Gregorio Panzani the Popes first Nuncio sent thence into England dated May 31. 1637. wherein he returnes harty thanks to this Secretary for the many favours he daily received from him whiles he was Nuncio in England in behalfe of the poore Catholicks makes mention of his Sonnes being entertainment at Rome and Cardinall Barbarino his extraordinary commendations of them the Originall whereof was shewed written in Italian and a true translated copy thereof attested upon oath by one Master Godfry read in these ensuing words Most Excellent Sir Patron most honoured I Would have contained my selfe from writing to your most illustrious Lordship for feare of being some impediment I knowing your many occupations but I having heard from many persons in particular by letters of Segnior Francisco sometimes my Secretary the honourable mention that otherwhiles your most illustrious Lordship is wont to make of any person and having also oftentimes understood from your most famous Segnior Cavaliere Hamilton and from Father John the Benedictin how much your most illustrious Lordship straineth your selfe in favouring of me I have been forced to commit this rude civility taking in hand my Pen to give you trouble I assure your most famous Lordship that I live so much obliged to you that I shall never be able to pretend to satisfie one and the least particle of that which I owe seeing that during my abode in London most rare were those dayes in which I did not receive from your most illustrious Lordship some grace in the behalfe and favour of the poore Catholicks I must also congratulate my selfe with your most famous Lordship concerning the most noble manners and behaviours of your Lordships Sonnes the which with their singular modesty and other most lavdable vertues have gained such an opinion amongst them that have knowne them in this Court that I could never be able to expresse it and the Lord Cardinall Barbarino in particular cannot satiate himselfe in praising them It grieves me not to have had the fortune to meet with them in this Citie because willingly I would have attested my devotion towards your most famous Lordship to the which and to all your most illustrious Family I rest desiring eternall felicity from heaven in the meane while I humbly intreat you to favour me with some Commandement and I kisse your hands Your most illustrious Lordships most devoted and most obliged Servant GREG PANZANI From Rome the 31. of May 1637. This Letter is most full and punctuall to prove Secretary Windebanks intelligence and correspondence with Rome the Pope and his Agents The second is a Letter from Father Joseph then a kind of Confessor to the French King by whose special command it was writ Confessor afterwards to our Queen and one of the Capucines in Somerset-House written from Paris in Italian to Secretary Windebank the translation whereof into English by Master Godfrey who attested the truth of it upon oath was read as followeth Most excellent Sir My Patron most worshipfull I Should be too much wanting in my duty if I did not render my most humble thanks to your Excellency having after so many other favours conferred upon our Mission received for a compleat height the singular proof of your affection in the delivery of our
That he had been the impeacher and disturber of due and direct correction of Errours and Heresies by reason whereof they crept more abroad and tooke greater place being highly to the danger and perill of the whole body and good Christian people of this Realme All which this Archbishop is guilty in an higher measure in respect of Popery Priests and Jesuits then ever this Cardinall was in regard of the Lutheran Sect and Opinions Fifthly it is evident that the Archbishop had a hand in assisting the Papists Priests and Jesuits in the dispersing of their popish Books to seduce his Majesties Subjects contrary to an expresse Statut whereas he used all possible diligence to suppresse the printing dispersing importing Orthodox Books and those he stiled Puritannicall both at home and beyond the Seas Finally the Archbishop complyed with the Papists Priests Jesuits in concealing their very treasonable plots and conspiracies against the King Kingdome Church and all professors of the Protestant Religion we shall instance but in two particulars The first is in the case of Mistresse Anne Hussey who deposed at the Lords Barre to this effect That William O Conner an Irish Priest servant to the Queen Mother soon after Easter in the yeer 1640. among other discourses told her at the house of one Master Hill neer the Strand in Westminster That there were many private houses about London wherein they used to have Masse said that there were 7000. men in private pay ready to ayde the Catholicks and to cut the Protestants throats that should resist them After which he comming to her in great haste at Mistresse Pinocks house about the end of July 1640. told her That he was then in great haste for he had Letters from the Queen Mother to be delivered to three Embassadours the Spanish the Venetian the French to send to the Pope to know from himselfe or his Legat when to begin the subduing of the Protestants that the Queen his Lady was no foole and that if the King joyned with the Protestants they would cut him off if not by the sword yet by some other way that if no other hand would doe it his hand should kill the King and that he would kill an Heretick at any time for the advancement of the Mother Church of Rome swearing by Saint Francis and Saint Dominick that he would doe it All which he spake to her in Irish she counterfeiting her selfe to be a Roman Catholick desirous to become a Nunne He likewise confessed That he had been a servant long to the Queen Mother and imployed by her in businesse to all the Princes of CHRISTENDOME Whereupon she according to her duty and alleagiance complained of this Priest revealing this discomse and treason of his to the Lords of the Privy Counsell attesting her information upon oath and producing a Letter of this Priests to her under his owne hand with some other witnesses to confirme her testimony in point of circumstance of time place and this Priests resort unto her But the Archbishop of Canterbury to discourage and take her off from this discovery reviled and gave her many ill words and threats told her she was mad and that she was hired by the Londoners to make this accusation demanding how she durst be so bold as to utter or discover ought which had any the least reflection upon the Queen Mother threatning to have her punished and caused her to be committed to one of the Sheriffes of Londons house whereas the other Lords gave her good words and committed the Priest to the Gate-house and so the businesse was smothered without further prosecution till she revived it this Parliament in the Commons House who released her of her restraint We shall close all with the most desperate plot of Cardinall Barbarino the Popes Nuncio the society of the English and Scottish Jesuits with their confederates to subvert the Protestant Religion usher in Popery raise a Warre between England and Scotland subvert the government both of Church and State yea to poyson the King himselfe if he crossed this designe and then to seize and traine up the Prince in the Popish 〈◊〉 This plot being discovered at first only in generally by a chief Actor in it sent from Rome to Andreas ab Habernfield Sir Wil. Boswell by them by Letters from the Hague to the Archbishop he conceiving it to be a plot only of the Puritanes to destroy the King and himself too revealed it to the King and prosecuted the further discovery with all earnestnesse as appeares by sundry Originall Lettâ—ers concerning it seized and attested by Master Prynne produced at the Barre But no sooner received he the large particular discovery of it which fastned the treason onely upon Cardinall Barbarino the Popes Nuncio the Jesuits with their confederates Sir Toby Matthew Sir Kenelme Digby Sir John Winter Endimion Porter Secretary Windebanke Master Walter Mountague the Countesse of Arundel and others but he presently smothered it yea though he received the full discovery of it but on the 14. of October 1640. not many dayes before the beginning of this present Parliament yet he he never revealed it to both or either Houses of Parliament or any members thereof for the preservation of our Religion Church State King thereby and the executing condigne punishment on these Arch-traitos and Conspirators then present in London and Westminster nor yet so much as disclosed it when Sir Toby Matthew Sir John Winter and others were questioned in the Commons House about the Popish Parliament kept in London and the levying of moneys against the Scots among the Papists nor when Secretary Windebank was questioned for releasing Priests and Jesuits against Law and the negotiation of the Popes Nuncio debated in the Commons House but concealed these papers from the Parliaments knowledge till Master Prynne unexpectedly seized them in the Archbishops Cabinet in the Tower of London From all which particulars we conceive we have abundantly manifested most substantially proved his correspondency confederacy with the Pope and his instruments of all sorts in their most desperate treasons to extirpate our Religion introduce popery reconcile reduce the Church of England to the Church of Rome and most satisfactorily justified the first Branch of our charge of high treason against him in every particular wherupon we most humbly pray in the name of the Commons of England the Judgment of an Arch-traitor to be given against him as one who hath declared himself a professed Traitor not only to our Laws Liberties Parliament Kingdoms but to our very Religion Church souls the highest treason of all others especially in a Clergyman an Archbishop of Canterbury who is by title office Primate and Metropolitan of all England yea Confessor chiefe Curate and Ecclesiasticall Vicegerent to the King himselfe who entrusted him wholly if not solely with the care of our Religion which he hath most perfidiously undermined betrayed sundry wayes as all the premises demonstrate The Archbishops
Oratories and Eusebius testifying that Oratories were consecrated in Constantines time there is the like warrant and Antiquity for consecration of them as of Churches For my Chappell at Aberguelle I consecrated and put a name upon it as Saint Augustine saith wee dedicate Churches to Saint Peter for distinction sake and though I had a relation to the beheading of Saint John Baptist in my Dedication of it I hope there is no hurt therein For the patterne and furniture of the Chappell produced as if it were mine at Aberguelle it is a mistake for it is the patterne of Bishop Andrews Chappell and furniture which I caused to be written out as the indorsement of it proves viz. 1623. Chappell and furniture as it was in use by the Right Reverend Father in God Lancelot Andrewes Lord Bishop then of Winton I had no such furniture in my Chappell there For the Wafer basket and the rest they concerne not me yet Wafers have bin alwayes used and are at this day in the Greeke Church and in Westminster Abbey too Whereas it is objected that I hold there is a badge of Holinesse put upon our Churches and Chappell 's by a Bishops breath I answer no but there is an awsulnesse put upon them For my prayer at the laying of the foundation stone of Hamersmith Chappell there is no hurt nor superstition in it In fine I hope there is is no High Treason to bee found either in the one or other in consecrating Churches Chappell 's or foundation stones To this brave flourish of his for the Antiquity and lawfulnesse of the consecration of Churches of Chappell 's we shall returne a full reply To his Presidents taken out of the Old Testament we answer 1. That Moses had an expresse command from God Himselfe to consecrate the Tabernacle with all the vessells thereof by annointing them with consecrated Oyle Exod. 40. 10. 11 12. they being types of Christ to come but wee have no such command from God to consecrate Churches Church-Yards Chappels Altars Vestments which are no types of Christ already come Secondly This consecration was made by Moses the Temporall Magistrate not by Aaron the High Priest without any other ceremony then meer annoynting the Tabernacle and its Vessells implements with oyle Therefore no warrant for Bishops consecrating Churches Church-Yards Chappell 's Altars Vestments with other ceremonies without any anoynting them with oyle Thirdly this consecration was only Temporary Jewish ceremoniall abolished by Christs death Col. 2. 14. to 23. Heb. 7. 12. c. 9. 1. to the end and cap. 10 1. to 22. Fourthly King Solomon did not consecrate the Temple not the Vessells and Court thereof with Oyle as Moses did the Tabernacle but after hee had brought the Arke Tabernacle and all the Holy Vessells into it with praises thankesgivings instruments of Musicke and after the cloud and glory of the Lord had filled the House he made an heavenly prayer only in the middest of the Court not in the Temple before all the Congregation of Israel kneeling on his knees and spreading forth his hands towards heaven using no such prayers or ceremonies as the Bishop used and all the hallowing that we read of in this story is Solomons hallowing the middle of the Court that was before the house of the Lord and how was that only by offring burnt offerings and peace offerings 2 Chron. 7. 7. 1 Kings 8. 64. From which History and practise of his we shall observe 1. That if there were any consecration of this Temple it was made only by King Solomon himselfe not by the High Priest Priests or Bishops who now appropriate all consecrations of Churches c. to themselves alone Secondly That the Oracle of the house where the Arke was placed is called THE MOST HOLY PLACE even before and without any consecration of it at all 1 King 8. 6 10. 2 Chron. 5. 7. Therefore the consecration made it not most holy but only the use to which it was designed Thirdly That the Atke Tabernacle Vessells were brought into the Temple and praises thanksgivings there solemnly sung to God who manifested his presence there filling it with a Cloud and his glory so as the Priests could not stand to minister before Solomonmade is prayer which some tearme a consecration whereas this Archbishop fell to his consecration before any publike prayers thanksgiving Psalmes Service or Sacraments administred Fourthly That if this prayer were a consecration it was made only in the outward Court not in the temple it selfe whereas the Arch-bishops consecration was made in the Church not Church-Yard Fifthly That the Hallowing of the Court and so by consequence of the Temple if properly consecrated is by the text ascribed only to Solomons offering of burnt offrings meat-offrings and the fat of the Peace-offerings not to any other prayers exorcismes Unctions or Ceremonies which Offrings being long since ceased and not to be used by Christians the consecration of Churches and Church-Yards must likewise cease unlesse it bee onely by performing publike duties of Gods worship in them Therfore this president of Solomon and the Temple under the Law is no warrant at all for our Bishops consecrating of Churches Church-Yards Altars Vessells or Vestiments under the Gospell Fifthly the sanctifying and cleansing of the Temple and Vessells of it prescribed by Hezekiah but executed by the Priests and Levites was only the clean sing out of the Idols Jdolatrius Altars rubbish filth and uncleannesse of the Temple which they found and carried out thence into the Brooke Kidron with their scouring of the Vessells which had beene polluted as is plaine by the letter of the text 2 Chron. 29. c. c. 33. 15 16. compared together Therefore it makes nothing for any Episcopall consecration of Churches but only for keeping them cleane from filth and Idolls Sixthly that of Ezra 6. 16 17. is no warrant for the hallowing of Churches or Chappell 's For it only mentions That the Priests Levites and Children of Israel kept the Dedication of the house of God with joy and offered at the dedication of the house of God an hundred Bullockes two hundred Rammes 400. Lambs and for a sinne offering for all Israel twelve he-Goates according to the number of the Tribes of Israel And they set the Priests in their divisions and the Levites in their courses for the service of God But of any speciall Prayers Ceremonies Unctions and the like used at this Dedication by the Priests or people wee read not one syllable Therefore this their Dedication of the Temple was only their offering of burnt offerings of sinne offerings in it to God and ordering the services of the Priests and Levites in it Therefore no President for the consecration of Churches by our Prelates since such oblations such courses of Priests Levites are ceased with Christ Hebr. 7. 11. 12 18. Seventhly the Feast of Dedication mentioned John 10. 22. was not of the Temples Dedication but of the Altars instituted by Iudas Maccabeus