resolutions NOte That because some doubts were raised by severall persons out of the Commons House concerning the meaning of these words contained in the Protestation lately made by the Members of that House viz. The true Reformed Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England against all Popery and Popish Innovations within this Realme contrary to the same Doctrine The House of Commons did declare That by those words was and is meant only the publick Doctrine professed in the said Church so farre as it is opposite to Popery and Popish Innovations And that the said words are not to be extended to the maintaining of any forme of Worship Discipline or Government nor of any Rites or Ceremonies of the Church of England MY Lords The House of Commons have commanded me to present unto your Lordships this Protestation Every member in that House hath made it not one refusing it and they have sent it unto your Lordships with an assurance of your Lordships concurrence in the same zeale and affection for the publick safety And it is their desire your Lordships would likewise make the same Protestation which I humbly leave to your Lordships wisdomes Directions for more orderly making of the foresaid Protestation IT is thought fit that the Protestation which the Parliament late y made be taken by the Citie of London in the severall Parish Churches in the afternoon of some Lords day after Sermon before the Congregation bee dissolved by all Masters of Families their sons and men-servants in manner and forme following viz. First That forthwith notice of this intention bee given to the Minister Church-wardens and some other mee persons of each Parish in London Liberties and adjacent Parishes and some of them to give notice to the rest of the Parishioners Secondly That the Minister be entreated if he please to acquaint his Parish in his Sermon either forenoon or aftternoon with the nature of the businesse more or lesse as hee shall think fit for the better and more solemne taking of the said Protestation or if the Minister refuse it that some other bee intreated to preach that will promote the businesse or if neither of these may bee had that some other convenient course bee taken by some well affected to the businesse to stay the Parish and communicate the matter to them Thirdly That the Minister or Ministers of every Congregation first take it in his or their owne person reading the said Protestation in so distinct a voyce that all present may conveniently hear it and that all the Assembly present doe make the same Protestation distinctly after this manner every man taking this Protestation into his hand IA. B. doe in the presence of Almighty God freely and heartily promise vow and protest the same which the leading person took naming the person Fourthly That there be a Register Book wherin every man taking this vow or Protestation subscribe his name with his owne hand or mark and that the names bee taken of such as doe refuse the same Fifthly That all the Parishioners abovesaid whether in Towne or out of Towne be earnestly requested to bee present at their owne Parish Church in the afternoon of that Lords day whereon it shall be taken that every man may take it in their owne place and if any bee necessarily absent that they may bee desired to take it the next Lords day after or so soon as may bee with conveniency Sixthly and lastly That all whom it doth not immediately concerne bee earnestly requested to depart FINIS Mr. Grimstons Speech in the High Court of Parliament M. SPEAKER THese Petitions which have beene now read they are all Remonstrances of the generall and universall grievances distempers that are now in the State and Government of the Church and Commonwealth and they are not them alone But his Majesties gracious Expressions the first day of Parliament that calls me up to speak at this present contrary to my owne Intentions Mr. Speaker his Majestie who is the head of the body politique and the Father of the Common-wealth hath complained first declaring his sensiblenesse of our sufferings and amongst other things hath put us in mind of our grievances and hath freely left it to our selves for our redresse and repaire therein to begin and end as we shall think fit And this drawes mee on with much cheerefulnesse and zeale to contribute my poore endeavours to so great a work And Mr. Speaker I conceive it will not be altogether impertinent for your direction and guidance in that great place which by the favour of his Majestie and this House you now possesse a little to recollect our selves in the remembrance of what was done the last Parliament and where we ended It will likewise be very considerable what hath bin done since that Parliament and who they are that have beene the Authors and Causers of all our miseries and distractions both before and sithence Mr. Speaker the last Parliament as soone as the House was setled a Subsidiarie ayd and supply was propounded and many Arguments used to give the precedencie before all other matters and Considerations whatsoever On the other side a multitude of Complaints and Grievances of all sorts aswell concerning our Eternall as our Temporall estates were presented and put in the other ballance The wisedome of that great Councell waighing both indifferently and looking not onely upon the dangers then threatneâ— from Scotland which are now upon us but likewise taking into their consideration the Condition and Constitution of the present government here at home concluded that they were in no capacity to give unlesse their grievances were first red ressed and removed For Mr. Speaker it then was and still is most manifest and apparent that by some judgements lately obtained in Court of Justice and by some new wayes of Government lately st rted up amongst us the Law of property is so much shaken that no man can say he is Master of any thing But all that we have wee hold as Tenants by courtesie and at will and may be stripped of it at pleasure Yet Mr. Speaker desirous to give his Majestie all possible satisfaction and contentment as well in the manner of supply for expedition as in the substance and matter of it wee confined and limitted our selves but to three particulars onely and to such matters as properly and naturally should have reference and relation to those three heads 1. The first was the priviledges of Parliament 2. The second matters of Religion 3. The third the propriety of our goods and Estates And we began with the first as the great Ark in which the other two Religion and property are included and preserved Mr. Speaker the violations complained of the last Parliament touching our priviledges were of two sorts either such as had beene done in Parliament or out of Parliament Concerning the violations of the first sort it was resolved by vote that the Speaker refusing to put a question being
unanimously endeavour to oppose and prevent the Counsels and Counsellours which have brought upon us all these miseries and the fears of greater to prevent the ends and bring the Authors of them to condigne punishment and thereby discharge themselves better before God and man The Protestation your Lordships shall have read unto you together with ground and reasons which have induced the House of Commons to make it which are prefixed before it by way of Preamble Then the Protestation was read by Master Maynard Die Mercurii 5 May 1641. IT is this day ordered by the House of Commons now assembled in Parliament that the Preamble togtheer with the Protestation which the Members of this House made the third of May shall be forthwith Printed and the Copies printed brought to the Cleark of the said House to Attest under his hand to the end that the Knights Citizens and Burgesses may send them down to the Sheriffes and Justices of Peace of the severall Shires and to the Citizens and Burgesses of the severall Cities Boroughes and Cinque Ports respectively And the Knights Citizens and Burgesses are to intimate unto the Shires Cities and Boroughes and Cinque Ports with what willingnesse all the Members of this House made this Protestation And further to signifie that as they justifie the taking of it in themselves so the cannot but approve it in all such as shall take it A Preamble with the Protestation made by the whole House of Commons the third of May 1641. and assented unto by the Lords of the upper House the fourth of May last past WE the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons House in Parliament finding to the griefe of our hearts that the designes of the Priests and Jesuits and other adherents to the See of Rome have of late more boldly and frequently put in practice then formerly to the undermining and danger of the Ruine of the true reformed Religion in his Majesties Dominions established and finding also that there hath bin and having cause to suspect there still are even during the sitting in Parliament endeavours to subvert the fundamentall Lawes of England and Ireland and to introduce the exercise of an Arbitrary and tyrannicall government by most pernicious and wicked counsells practises plots and conspiracies and that the long intermision and unhappier breach of Parliaments hath occasioned many illegall Taxations whereupon the Subjects have beene prosecuted and grieved and that divers Innovations and Superstitions have been brought into the Church Multitudes driven out of his Maiesties Dominions Jealousies raised and Fomented between the King and his people a Popish Armie leavied in Ireland and two Armies brought into the bowels of this Kingdome to the hazard of his Majesties Royall Person the Consumption of the Revenue of the Crown and the treasure of this Realme And lastly finding the great causes of Jealousie endeavours have beene and are used to bring the English Armie into mis-understanding of this Parliament thereby to encline that Armie by force to bring to passe those wicked counsells have therefore thought good to ioyn our selves in a Declaration of our united affections and resolutions and to make this ensuing Protestation The Protestation I A.B. Do in the presence of Almighty God promise vow and protest to maintain and defend as farre as lawfully I may with my life power and estate the true Reformed Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England against all popery and popish Innovation within this Realm contrary to the said Doctrine and according to the duty of my Allegiance I will maintain and defend his Majesties Royall Person Honor and Estate As also the power and priviledge of Parliaments the lawfull Rights and Liberties of the Subjects And every person that shall make this Protestation in whatsoever he shall do in the lawfull pursuance of the same and to my power as farre as lawfully I may I will oppose and by all good wayes and means endeavour to bring condigne punishment on all such as shall by force practice counsels plots conspiraces or otherwise do any thing to the contrary in this present protestation contained and further that I shall in all Just and Honorable wayes endeavour to preserve the union and peace betwixt the three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland And neither for hope fear or any other respects shall relinquish this promise vow and Protestation The Bill of Attainder that passed against Thomas Earl of STAFFORD WHereas the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons in this present Parliament assembled have in the name of themselves and of all the Commons of England impeached Thomas Earl of Strafford of high Treason for endeavouring to subvert the Ancient and Fundamentall Laws and Government of his Majesties Realms of England and Ireland and to introduce an Arbitrary and Tyrannicall Government against Law in the said Kingdoms and for exercising a Tyrannous and exorbitant power over and against the Laws of the said Kingdoms over the Liberties Estates and Lives of his Majesties Subjects and likewise for having by his own authority commanded the laying and asseising of souldiers upon his Majesties Subjects in Ireland against their consents to compell them to obey his unlawfull commands and orders made upon papâ—r Petitions in causes between party and party which accordingly was executed upon divers of his Majesties Subjects in a Warlike manner within the said Realm of Ireland and in so doing did levie Warre against the Kings Majesty and his liege people in that Kingdome And also for that he upon the unhappy Dissolution of the last Parliament did slander the House of Commons to his Majesty and did counsell and advise his Majesty that he was loose and absolved from the rules of Government and that he had an Army in Ireland by which he might reduce this Kingdom for which he deserves to undergo the pains and forfeitures of high Treason And the said Earl hath been also an Incendiary of the Warres between the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland all which offences have been sufficiently proved against the said Earl upon his impeachment Be it therefore enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty and by the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by authority of the same That the said Earl of Strafford for the haynous crimes and offences aforesaid stand and be adjudged and attainted of high Treason and shall suffer such pain of death and incurre the forfeitures of his Goods and Chattels Lands Tenements and Hereditaments of any estate of Free-hold or Inheritance in the said Kingdoms of England and Ireland which the said Earl or any other to his use or in trust for him have or had the day of the first sitting of this present Parliament or at any time since Provided that no Judge or Judges Justice or Iustices whatsoever shall adiudge or interpret any Act or thing to be Treason nor in any other manner than he or they should or ought to have done before
thee are utterly deleated Many evidences there be in this part of the Communion of the bodily presence of Christ very agreeable to the doctrines taught by his Secretaries which this paper cannot containe They teach us that Christ is received in the Sacrament Corporaliter both objective and subjective Corpus Christi est objectum quod recipitur corpus nostrum subjectum quo recipitur The booke of England abolisheth all that may import the oblation of any unbloudy Sacrifice but here we have besides the Preparatorie oblation of the Elements which is neither to be found in the booke of England now nor in King Edwards booke of old the oblation of the body and bloud of Christ which Bellarmine calleth Sacrificium Laudis quia Deus per illud magnopore laudatur This also agreeth well with their late Doctrine We are ready when it shall be judged convenient and we shall be desired to discover much more matters of this kinde as grounds layd for missa sicca or the halfe masse the private masse without the people of communicating in one kinde Of the consumption by the Priest and consummation of the Sacrifice of receiving the Sacrament in the mouth and not in the hand c. Our Supplications were many against these bookes but Canterbury procured them to be answered with terrible Proclamations We were constrained to use the remedie of Protestation but for our protestations and other lawfull meanes which we used for our deliverance Canterbury procured us to be declared Rebels and Traytors in all the Parish Kirks of England when we were seeking to posseâ—â—e our Religion in peace against these devices and Novations Canterbury kindled warre against us In all these it is knowne that he was though not the sole yet the principall Agent and Adviser When by the pacification at Barwick both Kingdoms looked for peace and quietnesse he spared not openly in the heating of many often before the King and privately at the Councell-Table and the privy Join to to speake of us as Rebels and Traytors and to speak against the pacification as dishonorable and meet to be broken Neither did his malignancie and bitternesse ever suffer him to rest till a new warre was entred upon and all things prepared for our destruction By him was it that our Covenant approven by Nationall Assemblies subscribed by his M. Commissioner and by the Lords of his M. Counsell and by them commanded to be subscribed by all the Subjects of the Kingdome as a testimony of our duty to God and the King by him was it still called ungodly damnable Treasonable by him were oathes invented and pressed upon divers of our poore Country-men upon the pain of imprisonment and many miseries which were unwarrantable by Law and contrary their Nationall oath When our Commissioners did appeare to render the reasons of our demands he spared not in the presence of the King and Committee to raile against our Nationall Assembly as not daring to appeare before the World and Kirks abroad where himselfe and his actions were able to endure tryall and against our just and necessary defence as the most malicious and Treasonable contempt of Monarchiall Government that any bygone Age hath heard of His hand also was at the Warrant for the restraint and imprisonment of our Commissioners sent from the Parliament warranted by the King and seeking the peace of the Kingdomes When we had by our Declarations Remonstrances and Representations manifested the truth of our intentions and lawfulnesse of our actions to all the good Subjects of the Kingdome of England when the late Parliament could not be moved to assist or enter in warre against us maintaing our Religion and liberties Canterbury did not onely advise the breaking up of that high and honorable Court to the great griefe and hazzard of the Kingdome but which is without example did sit still in the Convocation and make Canons and Constitutions against us and our just and necessary defence ordaining under all highest pains that hereafter the Clergie shall preach foure times in he yeare such doctrine as is contrary not only to our proceedings but to the doctrine and proceedings of other reform'd Kirks to the judgement of all sound Divines and politiques and tending to the utter slavery and ruining of all Estates and Kingdomes and to the dishonor of Kings and Monarchs And as if this had not been sufficient he procured six Subsidies to be lifted of the Clergie under pain of deprivation to all that should refuse And which is yet worse and above which malice it self cannot ascend by his means a prayer is framed printed and sent through all the Paroches of England to be sayd in all Churches in time of Divine Service next after the prayer for the Queene and Royall Progeny against our Nation by name of Trayterous Subjects having cast of all obedience to our annointed Soveraign and comming in a rebellious manner to invade England that shame may cover our faces as Enemies to God and the King Whosoever shall impartially examine what hath proceeded from himselfe in these two books of Canons and Common-prayer what Doctrine hath been published and printed these years by-past in England by his Disciples and Emissaries what grosse Poperie in the most materiall points we have found and are readie to shew in the posthume writings of the Prelate of Edinburgh and Damblane his own Creatures his nearest familiars and most willing instruments to advance his counsells and projects sall perceive that his intentions were deep and large against all the reformed Kirks and reformation of Religion which in his Majesties Dominions wes panting and by this time had rendred up the ghost if God had not in a wonderfull way of mercy prevented us and that if the Pope himselfe had been in his place he could not have been more popish nor could he more zealously have negotiated for Rome against the reformed Kirks to reduce them to the Heresies in Doctrine the Superstitions and Idolatry in worship and the Tyranny in Government which are in that Sea and for which the reformed Kirks did seperate from it and come forth of Babel From him certainly hath issued all this deluge which almost hath overturned all We are therefore confident that your Lordships will by your meanes deale affectually with the Parliament that this great firebrand be presently removed from his Majesties presence and that he may be put to triall and put to his deserved censure according to the Lawes of the Kingdome which sall be service to God honor to the King and Parliament terror to the wicked and comfort to all good men and to us in speciall who by his means principally have been put to so many and grievous afflictions wherein we had perished if God had not been with us We do indeed confesse that the Prelates of England have been of very different humors some of them of a more hot and others of them men of a more moderate temper some of them more and some
made but my Oath once being taken doth binde mee in all places and in all conditions so long as I live Thus much I thought good to speake concerning the power of imposing new Oathes as to the matter of this new Oath it is wholly illegall Jt is against the Law of this Land it is against the Law and light of Nature it is against the Law of God it is against the Lawes of this Kingdome and that no obscure Lawes nor concerning any meane or petty matters It is against the Law of the Kings Supremacy in that it maketh Arch-bishops Bishops Deanes Arch-Deacons c. to bee jure Divino whereas the Law of this Land hath annexed to the Imperiall Crowne of this Realme not onely all Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction but also all superioritie over the Ecclesiasticall State and it is to bee derived from him by Câ—mmission under the Great Seale and consequently it is Jure humano Again it is against the Oath of Supremacy established by Law poynt blanke for therein I am sworne not onely to consent unto but also to assist and to the uttermost of my power to defend all Iurisdictions Preheminences c. anneâ—ed to the Imperiall Crowne of this Realme of which this is one and that which immediately precedeth this Oath in the Statute and whereunto it doth especially relate That his Majesty may exercise any Iurisdictions or Ecclesiasticall Government by his Commission under the great Seale directed to such persons as he shall thin 〈◊〉 meet so that if he shall thinke other persons more meet then Arch-bishops Bishops c. I am sworne in the Oath of Supremacy not onely to assent thereunto but to assist and to the uttermost of my power to defend such an appoyntment of his Majesty and in this new Oath I shall swear never to consent unto such an alteration In the like manner it is against the Law and Light of Nature that a man should sweare to answer c. to he knowes not what It is against the Law and light of Nature that a man should sweare never to consent to alter a thing that in its owne nature is alterable and may prove inconvenient and fit to bee altered Lastly it is against the Law of God for whereas there are three rules prescribed to him that will sweare aright that he sweare in Iudgement in Truth and righteousnesse hee that shall take this new Oath must needs breake all these three Rules He cannot sweare in Iudgement because this Oath is so full of ambiguities that he cannot tell what he sweares unto not to speak of the unextricable ambiguity of the c. There is scarce one word that is not ambiguous in the principall parts of the Oath as first What is meant by the Church of England whether all the Christians in England or wherher the Clergie onely or onely the Arch-Bishop Bishops Deanes c. Or whether the Convocation or what In like manner it is as doubtfull what is meant by the Discipline and what by the Dotirine of the Church of England for what some call Superstitions Innovations if others affirme to be consonant to the Primitive and that the purest Reformation in the time of Edward the 6. and in the beginning of the Reigne of Queene Elizabeth and so for the Doctrine of the Church of England if all the Positions that of later yeares have beene challenged by some of Divines to bee Arminian and Popish and contrary to the Articles of our Religion and which on the other side have beene asserted and maintained as consonant to the Doctrine of our Church and if the Articles of Religion were gathered together they might make a pretty volume Nay Sancta Clara will maintaine it in despight of the Puritanes that the Doctrine of the Church of Rome is the Doctrine of the Church of England Truely it were very fit that wee knew what were the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England before we sweare to it and then Sir give me leave to say that I should be very loath to sweare to the Discipline or to the Doctrine and Tenents of the purest Church in the World as they are collected by them farther than they agree with the Holy Scriptures Lastly it is as doubtfull what is meant by the Doctrine and Discipline established and what by altering consenting to alter whether that is accompted or established which is estalished by a Act of ParliameÌ„t or wether that also that is established by Canons Injunctions c. and whether it shall not extend to that which is published by our Divines with the allowance of authority so for consenting to alter whether it be only meant that a man shall not bee active in altering or whether it extend to any consent and so that a man shall not submit to it nor accept of it being altered by the State More ambiguities might be shewne but these are enough to make it cleare that hee that shall tâ—k this Oath cannot sweare in Iudgement Nor can he sweare in Truth for it is full of untruths It is not true that Discipline is necessary to salvation It is not true that Arch-Bishops Bishops Deanes Arch-Deacons c. are jure Divino as they must needs bee if the Law-mamakers ought of right to establish them as they are established for the Law-makers are not bound as of right to frame their Lawes to any other than the Lawes of God alone Now whether Bishâ—ps be jure Divino we know it is a dispute among the Papists and never did any Protestant hold it till of late yeares but that Arch-bishops Deanes Arch-Deacons c. should be jure Divino I doe not know that ever any Christian held it before and yet he that taketh this Oath must sweare it Lastly as hee that taketh this Oath cannot sweare in Iudgement nor in Truth so neither can hee sweare in Righteousnesse for it is full of unrighteousnâ—sse being indeed as hath beene well opened a Covenant in effect against the King and Kingdome for if the whole State should finde it necessary to alter the Government by Arch-Bishops Bishop c a great part of the Kingdome especially of the Gentry for not onely the Clergy but all that take Degrees in the Vniversities are bound to take it will be preingaged not to consent to it or admit of it Againe it is a great wrong to those that shall bee Parliament-men that their freedome shall be taken away being bound up by an Oath not to coâ—sent to the altering of a thing which it may befit and proper for a Parliament to alter And suppose that for the present it bee no hinderance to the service of God nor yet burdensome to the King and Kingdome yet if it should prove so hereafter for a man to bee bound by an Oath never to consent to alter it may bee a great wrong to God in his service and to the King and Kingdome in their peace and welfare and therefore this Oath cannot be taken in
the bond of peace The treasures of the privie Purse are but the supplies of Fancies warranted by a common Interest But the publick Tribute given by common assent supports Royall Dignity is sheltred under the wings of Prerogative and by that power covered from the eyes from the touch of deceivers In these wee render Caesar what is due to Caesar and tribute to whom tribute belongeth The proper inscription of the Crown is born here and censures those malignant spirits that dare whisper into the eares of sacred Majesty that our selves onely not your sacred person not your Royall posterity are the supreme objects of the givers The preservation of the publick union the supply of your Armies the distresses miserable distresses of the Northern parts the common calamities of the times begat the consideration of this Bill the remainder of the six entire Subsidies happily presented to your sacred Majesty by this unworthy hand the first vote advanced a credit to us to issue them for the use of your sacred Majesty The full perfection adds growth to that credit and enables us to returne to your sacred Majesty as to the Ocean the Tribute due to Justice and Soveraignty These are the vast earnests of our desires which take their rise from the due regard from the safety of your Throne of your posterity Your Royall assent stamps your image here and makes this yours and yours onely which I by the commands of the Commons humbly beseech of your sacred Majesty THE SPEECH OF Master Plydell ESQUIRE Master Speaker I Have heard since I had the honour to sit here many grievances presented and truly Sir my heart bleeds within mee when I thinke of them especially those that concerne Religion But what should I speake of grievances concerning Religion when Religion it selfe is become a grievance nay the very Nurse and Mother of all grievances all scandalls all reproaches Tantum Religio potuit suadere malorum SIR Not to trouble you with any long discourse if I have any sight that Bark both of Church and State hath a long time floated betwixt Scylla and Charibdis Popery on the one side and I know not what to call it on the other in many respects both alike dangerous unlesse the Italian Proverb may alter the Case God defend me from my reputed friends and I will defend my selfe from my profest enemies Sir Wee are intrusted by God the King and the Countrey with the managing of this Bark fraught with the fortunes of three great Kingdomes Now should wee so decline the former Rock that wee dash on the other side I humbly offer it to this Honourable Assembly whether shee might not have just cause to say shee had changed her Pilot rather then her condition and onely shifted places to finde her ruine For Sir there is as much beyond Truth as on this side it and would wee steere a right course wee must be sure to keepe the channell lest wee fall from one extreme to another from the dotage of Superstition to the frenzie of Profanenesse from bowing to Idols to worship the Calves of our owne imaginations Sir I beseech you consider what libellous Pamphlets are now printed what Sermons are preached not building hay and stubble but utterly subverting the foundations of Truth what irreverence in Churches what profanation of Gods Service to the scandall of Christianity the reproach of Religion and the intolerable griefe of all good men of which I may take up the words of Petrus de Aliaco to the Councell of Constance Nisi celeriter fiat Reformatio audeo dicere quòd licèt magna sint quae videmus tamen in brevi incomparabilia majora videmus post ista tam horrenda majora alia audiemus Sir I take God to record I am no mans Advocate no mans enemy but a faithfull lover of truth and peace and a dutifull Son of our distressed Mother the Church of England in whose behalfe and our owne my motion shall bee shortly this That the Ministers Petition with so much of their Remonstrance as hath been read may be committed and the rest of it concerning matter of Doctrine may bee referred to some learned and approved Divines who have spent their time in that noble study For give me leave to tell you there is a vulgus among the Clergy as among the Laity Et in utroque nil modicum and for these and all things which strike at the roote and branch as they please to call it I shall humbly move that wee rather consider how to satisfie the Petitioners with some timely declaration from both Houses of the lawfulnesse and conveniency of Episcopall Government derived from the Apostles and so long established in this Kingdome rather then to venture upon any alteration the consequence whereof the wisest man cannot fore-see And in truth Sir should we once begin for my owne part I know not how or where wee should stay Neverthelesse if any one doubt the superiority of Bishops over Priests and Deacons in Ecclesiasticall government or in ordination I shall be ready whensoever this House shall command mee to make it good and I think by as pregnant testimonies as wee are able to prove the difference betwixt Canonicall and Apocryphall Scripture the necessity of Infants baptisme or that the Apostles were the Authors of their owne Creed But Sir I hope you will save your selfe and mee that labour and rather devise of some set way to bind up the Churches wounds which God knowes are too wide already that so the Clergy and Laity being made friends and all reduced to the modell of our Ancestors since the Reformation we may altogether preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace and so his Majesty having gratiously and prudently exprest himselfe I am the more confident wee shall not onely put an end to all mis-intelligence betwixt Prince and People but also highly advance the Protestant cause and give a deadly blow to the See of Rome Sir I humbly crave the favour of the House for God is my witnesse Non potui aliter liberare animam meam Sir THOMAS ROVVES REPORTS To the COMMONS HOUSE of PARLIAMENT 1640. Master Speaker I Am to make a Report of what was delivered at the conference of a Committee of both Houses of Parliament upon Thursday last I hope Master Speaker so much upon the favour of this House that they will give mee leave to be a Reader and that they will not expect from my age and weaknesse a particular repetition of the same words a taske too great for my memory unpractised for many yeares in such exactnesse neither am I able to represent without diminution that life and grace that those relations received from so great abilities desiring their Lordships pardon and your acceptance of the substance and matter wherein I hope I shall omit nothing substantiall and if I could repeate every word yet would it want as much luster as copies of ordinary hands doe of the best originals
for the making of Lawes with him Now Sir the Legislative power is the greatest power and therefore coactive and it is the highest power and therefore independent and if every Estate for the proportion it hath therein should not have such a power it should not have it of right as founded in the Fabricke and frame of the policy and government but of Grace or by Commission as Dr. Beale affirmeth I have done with the first Canon onely I shall adde this that considering the principles and positions that are laid downe therein and comparing them with a clause towards the end of the Canon that in no case imaginable it is lawfull for subjects to defend themselves we may judge how farre forth these Canons were to prepare mens mindes for the force that was to follow after if the accusation against my Lord of Strafford bee layed aright For the matter it selfe I hope there will never be any need to dispute that question and I doe beleeve they had as little need to have published that position had it not beene upon designe As for the second Canon therein also they have assumed to themselves a Parliamentary power in taking upon them to appoynt Holidayes whereas the statute saith in expresse words that such dayes shall bee onely kept as Holy-dayes as are named in the Statute and no other and therefore though the thing may be bonum yet it was not done bene because not ordained by Parliament notwithstanding what hath beene alledged to the contrary it seemeth to mee to bee the appoynting of an Holy-day to set a time a part for Divine service and to force menunder penalties to leave their labours and businesse and to be present at it And of the same nature is that other clause in the same Canon wherein they take upon them without Parliament to lay a charge upon the people enjoyning two Bookes at least for that day to be bought at the charge of the parish for by the same right that they may lay a penny on the Parish without Parliament they may lay a pound or any greater summe As to the third Canon I shall passe it over onely the observation that my neighbour of the long Robe made upon it seemes unto me so good as that it is worth the repeating that whereas in the Canon against Sectaries there is an especiall proviso that it shall not derogate from any Statute or Law made against them as if their Canons had any power to disanull an act of Parliament there is no such proviso in this Canon against Papists from whence it may bee probably conjectured that they might have drawne some colour of exemption from the penall Lawes established against them from this Canon because it might seeme hard that they should be doubly punished for the same thing as wee know in the poynt of absence from the Church the Law provideth that if any man be first punished by the Ordinary he shall not be punished againe by the Iustices For the fourth Canon against Socinianisme therein also these Canon-makers have assumed to themselves a Parliament power in determining an Heresie not determined by Law which is expressely reserved to the determination of a Parliament It is true they say it is a complication of many heresies condemned in the four first Councells but they doe not say what those Heresies are and it is not possible that Socinianisme should bee formally condâ—mned in these Councells for it is sprung up but of late Therefore they have taken upon them to determine and damne a Heresie and that so generally as that it may bee of very dangerous consequence for condemning Socinianisme for an heresie and not declaring what is Socinianisme it is left in their breasts whom they will judge and call a Socinian I would not have any thing that I have said to be interpreted as if I had spoken it in favour of Socinianisme which if it be such as I apprehend it to be is indeed a most vile and damnable heresie and therefore the framers of these Canons are the more to blame in the next Canon against Sectaries wherein besides that in the preamble thereof they lay it downe for a certaine ground which the holy Synod knew full well that other Sects which they extend not onely to Brownists and Separatists but also to all persons that for the space of a month doe absent themselves without a reasonable cause from their owne parish Churches doe equally endeavour the subversion of the Discipline and Doctrine of the Church of England with the Papists although the worst of them doe not beare any proportion in that respect to the Papists I say besides that they make them equall in crime and punishment to the Papists notwithstanding the great disproportion of their Tenents there is another passage in this Canon relative to that against Socinianisme which I shall especially offer to your consideration and that is this If a Gentleman comming from beyond Seas should happen to bring over with him a Booke contrary to the Discipline of the Church of England or should give such a Booke to his friend nay if any man should abett or maintaine an opinion contrary thereunto though it were but in Parliament if hee thought it fit to be altered by this Canon he is excommunicated ipso facto and lyeth under the same consideration and is lyable to the same punishment as if he had maintained an opinion against the Deity of Christ and of the Holy Ghost and of our Iustification by the satisfaction of Christ Sir if in things that are in their owne Nature indifferent if in things disputable it shall bee as hainous to abett or maintaine an opinion as in the most horrible and monstrous herefies that can be imagined what liberty is left to us as Christians What liberty is left to us as men I proceed to the sixt Canon wherein these Canonists have asumed to then selves a Parliamentary power and that in a very high degree in that they have taken upon them to impose new Oathes upon the Kings Subjects Sir under favour of what hath beene alleaged to the contrary to impose an Oath if it be not an higher power then to make a Law it is a power of making a Law of most high Nature and of higher and farther consequence then any other Law and I should much rather chuse that the Convocation should have a power to make Lawes to binde my person and my estate then that they should have a power to make Oathes to binde my Conscience a Law bindes me no longer than till another Law bee made to alter it but my Oath bindes mee as long as I live Againe a Law bindes me either to obedience or to undergoe the penalty inflicted by the Law but my Oath bindes mee absolutely to obedience And lastly a Law bindes me no longer than I am in the Land or at the farthest no longer than I am a member of the State wherein and whereby the Law is
thereunto required by the House Or to adjourne the House upon any command whatsoever without the consent and approbation of the House it selfe were breaches and violations that highly impeached our priviledges And having passed the vote I conceive it were fit wee should now proceed a little further and consider of a way how to be repaired against them that have beene the violaters For Execution does animare Legem The putting of an old Law in Execution you know Mr. Speaker does oftentimes doe more good then the making of a new one As concerning the violations of the other sort done out of Parliament in Courts of Justice and at the Councell board where neither our persons nor our proceeding ought to have beene controlled or medled withall And as concerning matters of Religion and the property of our goods and estates there were divers things then likewise agreed upon by vote whereupon a conference was desired to have â—eene with the Lords But what interjections and rubs wee met withall by the way and how the Lords countervoted the precedency of our grievances and how our Speaker was taken away from amongst us and what an unhappy conclusion we had at the last the remembrance of it were a subject too sad to begin another Parliament wi hall Therefore Mr. Speaker I shall passe from what was done the last Parliament and come to what hath beene done since that Parliament ended M. Speaker there are some worthy Gentlemen now of this House that were members of the last Parliament that carried themselves in the matters and businesses then and there agitated and debated with great Wisedome and unexampled moderation But what had they at last for all their paines in attending the publique strince of the Common-wealth As soone as ever the Parliament was ended their Studies and Pockets were searched as if they had beene Fellons and Traytors and they committed to severall Goales with an intention I am confident of their utter ruine and destruction had they not fore-seene a danger approaching For Master Speaker if I be truly informed an information was drawne or at least directions given for the drawing of it against them in the Starre-Chamber Master Speaker there hath beene since the last Parliament a Synod and in that Synod a new Oath hath beene made and framed and enjoyned to be taken Master Speaker they might as wel have made a new Law and enjoyned the execution of that as enjoyned and urged the taking of the other not being established by Act of Parliament and in point of mischiefe the safety of the Common-wealth and the freedome and liberties of the Subject are more concerned in the doing of the one then if they had done the other The next exception I shall take to it is to the matter contained in the Oath it selfe Master Speaker they would have us at the very first dash sweare in a damnable Heresie that matters necessary to salvation are contained in the Discipline of our Church Whereas Master Speaker it hath ever beene the tenet of our Church that all things necessary to salvation are comprehended and contained in the Doctrine of our Church only And that hath alwayes beene used as an Argument untill this very present against Antidisciplinarians to stop their mouthes withall And therefore that for that reason they might with the lesse regret and offence conforme and submit themselves to the Discipline of our Church And Master Speaker for prevention in case the Wisedome of the State in this great Councell should at any time think fit to alter any thing in the government of our Church they would anticipate and fore-stall our judgements by making us sweare before-hand that wee would never give our consent to any alteration Nay Master Speaker they goe a little further for they would have us sweare that the government of the Church by Archbishops Bishops Deanes Archdeacons c. is Jure divino Their words are as of right it ought to stand Whereas Master Speaker wee meet not with the name of an Archbishop or a Deane or an Arch-deacon in all the new Testament And whatsoever may bee said of the Function of Bishops it is one thing But for their Jurisdiction it is meerely Humana institutione and they must thank the King for it As for their grosse absurd c. wherein they would have men sweare they know neither what nor how many fathome deepe There is neither Divinity nor charity in it and yet they would put that upon us Master Speaker what they meant and intended by this new Oath and their Booke of Canons and their Booke of Articles which they would have our Church-wardens sworne unto to enquire of and to present thereupon I must confesse I know not unlesse they had a purpose therein to blow up the Protestant Religion and all the faithfull professors of it and to advance their Hierarchie a step higher which I suppose we all feare is high enough already Master Speaker they have likewise in this Synod granted a benevolence but the nature of the things agrees not with the name for in plaine English it is six Subsidies to be paid by the Clergie in six yeares And the penalty they have imposed upon the refusers for none-payment is to be deprived of their Functions to be stripped of their free-hold and to be excommunicated and this Act of their Synod is not published amongst their Canons for which they might have some colourable seeming authority But it comes out in a Booke alone by it selfe in the Latine tongue supposing as I conceiue that Lay-men are as ignorant as they would have them And thus they think they dance in a Net And as in this so in most of their new Canons if they bee throughly considered any judicious man may easily discerne and perceive that they doe therein like Water-men that looke one way and rowe another they pretend one thing but intend nothing lesse And certainly Mr. Speaker in this they have flowne a high pitch For a Synod called together upon pretence of reconciling and setling Controversies and matters in Religion to take upon them the boldnesse thus out of Parliament to grant Subsidies and to meddle with mens Free-holds I dare say the like was never heard of before and they that durst doe this will doe worse if the current of their raging Tyrannie be not stopped in time Who are they Master Speaker that have countenanced and cherished Popery and Armianisme to that growth and height it is now come to in this Kingdome Who are they Master Speaker that have given encouragement to those that have boldly preached those damnable Heresies in our Pulpits Who are they Master Speaker that have given authoritry and licence to them that have published those Heresies in Print Who are they Master Speaker that of late dayes have beene advanced to any dignity or preferment in the Church but such as have beene notoriously suspitious in their Disciplines corrupt in their Doctrines and for the most part vitious in their
head should swell too great and monstrous It may be easily thought for Monarchy againe may sooner groan under the weight of an Aristocracie as it once did then under Democracie which it never yet either felt or fear'd Sir John Hollands Speech in Parliament 1640. Mr. Speaker THe time of actions are not for rethorick and elocution which emboldens me to rise And though I must acknowledge my selfe to be one of the yongest Schollers and meanest proficients in this great Schâ—ole of wisedome yet I conceive it a great part of my duty at this time both to deliver my suit and conscience We are called hither Master Speaker by the Royall power we sit here by the Kings Majesties grace and favour and since his Majesty hath beene graciously pleased to leave the government of all in our hands I doubt not but we shall lay such a foundation in the beginning of this Parliament that we shall make it a happy Age a long lasting one since the dangers of these times the present distempers of this State and therein both his Majestie and our necessities yea and the whole Kingdomes safety do require it We are called now Master Speaker as I conceive from the reports you have made of his Majesties gracious Declaration for foure principall causes First for supply of his Majesties wants Secondly for the relief of our Brethren in the Northern parts Thirdly for the remove of the Scots forces Fourthly for redresse of ourowne grievances That his Majesties wants are great and many Master Speaker I thinke there is no man doubts it and it is as cerâ—ain out grievances are so to they are great and many both in Church and Common-wealth I shall but touch them in either since they have been so fully remonstrated in both First in the Church by the usurping power of some Prelates and their adherents by which means many great dangers innovations of doctrines of discipline of government have been thrust upon us Secondly in the Church by publique sufferances of Priests and Jesuits not only to come into the land by which means the number of Romish Catholiks are dangerously multiplied Idolatry increased and Gods heavie judgements highly provoked Thirdly in the Common-wealth by the late inundations of the Prerogative Royall which have broken out and almost overturned all our liberties even those which have been best and strongest fortified the Grand Chartea it self Mr. Speaker that which hath been so oft so solemnly confirmed in the Succession of so many Princes ratified in his Majesties name founded by the wisedome of former ages purposely to keepe the beame over and between Soveraignty Even this Master Speaker the dearest and chiefest part of our inheritance hath been infringed broken and set at nought in the Common-wealth by the over-potencie of some faire great ones sacred Councellors of State by whose advices it is thought the greatest part of these present distempers under which the body of this Common-wealth at this time labours doe deprive their originalls Fourthly in the Common-wealth by the mischievous practises and policies of some subtill Projectors and under the title of the Kings profit and the publique good they have entitled themselves to great and vast estates and that by the dammage of the whole Kingdome They are Master Speaker the very moths and cankers that have fretten and eaten out all Trade and commerce the very beauty strength and health of this famous Island In the Common-wealth by the entertainment of Forraigners and strangers and that at his Majesties excessive charge by which means his Majesties Coffers are emptied his Revenues shortned and the whole Kingdome many other wayes oppressed But Master Speaker I shall not trouble my selfe any further in so vast so large a field I shall now represent my owne weak apprehensions for our progressions in all the particulars for which we have been called and in all humility submit unto them First of supply in his Majesties wants I do humbly desire we may proceed there within its due time and that with as much loyall dutie and liberality as ever any people expressed towards their Prince I think I may say the present affairs of the Kingdome require it For the reliefe of our Brethren in the Northern parts with a sense of charity and fellow feeling of the miseries afflictions and losses In the removing of the Scottish Armie with a soft and gentle hand of mediation purification and reconciliation if possible it may be wrought with his Majesties honor and the Kingdomes safety if not then to repell and repulse them with stout and resolute spirits with valiant and united hearts and hands such as shall best suite with our duty to God our King our Country such as shall best become his honor and ancient renowne of this English Nation In redresse of our grievances in those of the Church which ought to have priority in our consultation as well in respect of necessity as dignity In these Master Speaker I do humbly desire and doubt not but we shall proceed with all true piety and well grounded on each guiding Helve towards Gods House and his truth In those of the Communalty with a religious care of our Countries freedom in the faithfull performance of the trust reposed in us by them that sent us in the preservation of our rights our ancient rights the rights of our inheritance our liberties our priviledges our properties Yet in all Mr. Speaker I do humbly desire we may proceed as best suiting the matter and condition of these distempered times or as best becoming the honour dignity and wisedom of this so great a Court so great Councell with all temper modesty and all due moderation SIR EDWARD HALE HIS SPEECH Mr. Speaker HIs Majesty hath been graciously pleased to call us together again to consider freely of all matters of grievances both of this Church and Common-wealth of England and for to be assistants in our Counsels and helps unto him about the Scottish Nation that forceably have entred into our Kingdom so as they may be ordered into their own Country or chased away out of this without any dishonour to the Kings Majesty and this Kingdome all which matters are of great importance moment and consequence and will crave great consideration and debating in our best wills wisedoms and discretions and that must be freely to give us leave First therefore under your favour I do conceive it fit to make this a happy Parliament to begin at home For better it were the Scots come unto us than the devill should raise his Army to overthrow us both in Church and Common-wealth For it is too plaâ—â—â— he is come with great power and his malice is great and his policy strong put into the heads of the Papists no mean ones and Prelates Schismaticks and Atheists in severall Bands which hath and seeketh to prevail so much by their severall designes Carefully lovingly and dutifully mentioned and rightly too by the Lords Petition at York and by a Petition of
of Rome doth eate into our Religion and fret into he banks and walls of it the Lawes and Statutes of this Realme especially since these Lawes have beene made in a manner by themselves even by their owne Treasons and bloudy designes and since that Poperie is a consused masse of errors casting downe Kings before Popes the Precepts of God before the tradition of men living and reasonable men before dead and sencelesse stocks and stones I desire that we consider the encrease of Arminianisme and errors that makes the grace of God to lackie it after the will of man that makes the Sheepe keepe the Shepheard and make an immortall seed of a mortall God Yea I desire that we looke into the very belly and bowells of this Trojan horse to see if there be not in it men readie to open the gates of Romish tyranny and Spanish Monarchie for an Arminian is the spaune of a Papist and if their come the warmth of favour upon him you shall have him turne into one of those frogs that arise out of the bottomelesse pit and if you marke it well you shall see an Arminian reach out his hand to a Papist to a Jesuite a Jesuite gives one hand to the Pope another to the King of Spaine and therein having kindled a fire in our neighbors Countrey now they have brought some of it hither to set on flame this kingdome also Let us further search and consider whether these be not the men that breake in upon the goods and liberties of this Common-wealth for by these meanes they may make way for the taking away of Religion It was an old tricke of the Devills when he meant to take away Jobs Religion he began at his goods Lay thy hand on all be hath and be will curse even to thy face Rather they thinke hereby to set a distance betweene Prince and people or to finde some other way of supply to avoyd or breake Parliaments that so they may break in upon our Religion and bring in their errors but let us doe as Job did he held fast his Religion and his goods were restored with advantage and if we hold fast God and our Religion these things shall be unto us Let us consider the times past how we flourished in honor and abundance when Religion flourished amongst us but when Religion decayed so the honour and strength of our Nation decayed when the soul of this Common-wealth is dead the bodie cannot long over live it If a man meete a Dogge alone the Dog is fearefull but though never so fierce by nature if that Dog have his Master by him he will set upon that man from whom he fied before This shewes the lower natures being back't with the higher increase in courage and strength and certainly man being back't with omnipotence is a kinde of omnipotence Wherefore let it now be the unanimous consent and resolution of us all to make a vow and Covenant from henceforth to hold fast on God and his Religion and then may we from henceforth expect prosperitie in the Kingdome and Nation to this Covenant Let every one of us say Amen The Accusation and Impeachment of Sir George Ratcliffe by the Commons in this present Parliament Assembled Charging him with High-Treason and other misdemeanours as ensue 1640. IMprimis That he had conspired with the Earle of Strafford to bring into Ireland an Arbitrary Government and to subvert the fundementall Lawes and did joyn with the Earle to bring in an Armie from Ireland to subdue the Subjects of England Secondly That he hath joyned with the Earle to use Regall power and to deprive the Subjects of their liberties and properties Thirdly That he hath joyned with the Earle to take _____ thousand pounds out of the Exchequer in Ireland and bought Tobacco therewith and converted the same profits to their own uses Fourthly That he had Trayterously confederated with the Earle to countenance Papists and build Monasteries to alienate the affections of the Irish Subjects from the subjection of England Fiftly That he had Traiterously confederated with the Earle to draw the Subjects of Scotland from the King Sixthly That to preserve himselfe and the sayd Earle he had laboured to subvert the liberties and priviledges of Parliament in Ireland The Charge of the Scottish Commissioners against the Prelate of CANTERBVRY NOvations in Religion which are universally acknowledged to be the maine cause of commotions in Kingdomes and States and are knowne to be the true cause of our present troubles were many and great beside the book of Ordination and Homilies 1. Some particular alterations in matters of Religion pressed upon us without order and against Law contrary to the forme established in our Kirk 2. A new booke of Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiasticall 3. A Liturgy or booke of Common-prayer which did also carry with them many dangerous errors in matters of Doctrine Of all which we challenge the Prelate of Canterburie as the prime cause on earth And first that this Prelate was the Author and urger of some particular changes which made great disturbance amongst us we make manifest 1. By fourteen letters subscribed W. Cant. in the space of two yeares to one of our pretended Bishops Bannatine wherein he often enjoyneth him and other pretended Bishops to appeare in the Chappell in their whites contrary to the custome of our Kirk and to his promise made to the pretended Bishop of Edinburgh at the Coronation that none of them after that time should be pressed to weare these garments thereby moving him against his will to put them on for that time wherein he directeth him to give order for saying the English Service in the Chappell twice a day for his neglect shewing him that he was disappointed of the Bishopricke of Edinburgh promising him upon the greater care of these Novations advancement to a better Bishoprick taxing him for his boldnesse in Preaching the sound Doctrine of the reformed Kirks against Master Mitchell who had taught the errors of Arminius in the point of the extent of the merit of Christ bidding him send up a list of the names of Councellours and Senators of the Colledge of Justice who did not communicate in the Chappell in a forme which was not received in our Kirk commending him when he found him obsequious to these his commands telling him that he had moved the King the second time for the punishment of such as had not received in the Chappell and wherein he upbraided him bitterly that in his first Synod at Aberdein he had only disputed against our custome of Scotland of fasting sometimes on the Lords day and presumptuously censuring our Kirk that in this we were opposite to Christianity it selfe and that amongst us there were no Canons at all More of this stuffe may be seen in the letters themselves Secondly by two papers of memoirs and instructions from the pretended Bishop of Saint Androis to the pretended Bishop of Rosse comming to this Prelate for ordering the