Miracles which the Papists confidently report to be done by him after his Death in curing Sick people of their severall Maladies For such Souls which they fancy in Purgatory are so farre from healing others that they cannot help themselves Yea f Eccles Hist lib. 3. cap. 12. Bede calleth this Oswald jam cum Domino regnantem now reigning with the Lord. Yet the same g Lib. 3. cap. 2 Authour attesteth that even in his time it was the anniversary Custome of the Monks of Hexam to repair to Heofen-feld a place hard by where Oswald as aforesaid obtained his miraculous Victory and there to observe Vigils for the Salvation of his Soul plurimaque Psalmorum laude celebrata victimam pro eo mane sacrae oblationis offerre A Mongrel Action betwixt Good-will and VVill-worship though the eyes of their Souls in those Prayers looked not forward to the future petitioning for Oswald's Happinesse but backward to what was past gratulatory to the Blisse he had received Purgatory therefore cannot properly be founded on such Suffrages for the dead However such over-Officiousnesse though at first it was like the Herb in the Pot which doth neither good nor ill in after-Ages became like that wild a 2 King 4. 40 Gourd Anno Dom. poysoning mens Souls with Superstition 644 when they fell to down-right Praying for the departed 79. This year Paulinus The death of Paulinus late Arch-Bishop of York since Bishop of Rochester ended his Life and one Ithamar succeeded him born in Kent and the first English-man Bishop all being Forrainers before him As he was the first of his Nation I believe him the second of his Name meeting with no moe save onely b Exod. 6. 23. Ithamar the youngest Son of Aaron High-Priest of Israel 80. After King Oswald his Death 645 four Christian contemporary Kings flourished in England Most Christian King Oswy First Oswy King of Northumberland more commendable for the Managing then the Gaining of his Kingdome except any will say that no good Keeping can make amends for the ill Getting of a Crown seeing he defeated Ethelwald Oswald's Son and the true Heire thereof Bede c Lib. 3. c. 21. termeth him Regem Christianissimum The most Christian King a Stile wherewith the present Majesty of France will not be offended as which many years after was settled on his Ancestours Long had this Oswy endeavoured in vain by Presents to purchase Peace from Penda the Pagan King of Mercia who miserably harassed his Country and refused any Gifts though never so rich and great which were tendered unto him At last saith my d Idem Authour Oswy resolved VVe will offer our Presents to such a King who is higher in Command and humbler in his Courtesie as who will not disdain to accept them Whereupon he devoted his Daughter to God in her perpetuall Virginity and soon after obtained a memorable Conquest over his Enemies and cleared the Country from his Cruelty 81. Secondly Sigebert the too good Sigebert King of Essex and the Restorer of Religion in his Kingdome which formerly had apostatized after the Departure of Mellitus valiant and pious though taxed for his contumacious Company-keeping contrary to his Confessours command with an Excommunicated Count in whose House he was afterward murdered by two Villains Who being demanded the Cause of their Cruelty why they killed so harmlesse and innocent a Prince had nothing to say for themselves but they did it because his e Beda lib. 3. cap. 22. Goodnesse had done the Kingdome hurt such his pronenesse to pardon Offenders on their though but seeming Submission that his Meeknesse made many Malefactours But I hope and believe that the Heirs of Sigebert though the Story be silent herein finding his Fault amended it in themselves and exercised just Severity in the Execution of these two damnable Traitours 82. Anna may be accounted the third Successour to Sigebert 654 and happy in a numerous and holy Off-spring Anna happy in an holy issue Yea all his Children save Firminus the eldest slain with his Father in a Fight against Pagan Penda were either Mitred or Vailed when Living Sainted and Shrined when Dead as Erkenwald Bishop of London Ethelred or Audrey and Sexburga successively Foundresses and Abbesses of Elie VVithgith a Nun therein and Ethilburg Abbesse of Beorking nigh London 83. Peada 656 Prince of Mercia The conversion of the Mercians to Christianity under Prince Peada may make up the Quaternion who married Alfrede Daughter of Oswy King of Northumberland and thereupon renouncing Paganisme embraced Christianity and propagated it in his Dominions Indeed Penda his Father that Persecuter of Piety was still alive and survived two yeares after persisting an Heathen till Death but mollified to permit a Toleration of Christianity in his Subjects Yea Penda in his Old-age used an expression which might have beseemed the Mouth of a better man namely That he hated not Christians but onely such who f Beda lib. 3. cap. 21. professed Christ's Faith without his VVorks accounting them contemptible who pretended to Believe in God without Obeying him 84. A brace of Brethren St. Cedde and St. Chad. both Bishops both eminent for Learning and Religion now appeared in the Church so like in Name they are oft mistaken in Authours one for another Now though it be pleasant for Brethren to live together in Vnity Anno Dom. 656 yet it is not fit by Errour they should be jumbled together in Confusion Observe their Difference therefore S t. Cedde in Latine Ceddus I believe the elder born at a Flores Sanctorum pag. 35. London where afterward he was Bishop bred in Holy Island an active promoter in making the East-Saxons Converts or rather Reverts to the Faith He is remembred in the Romish Kalendar Ianuary the seventh S t. Chad in Latine Cedda born in b Idem p. 224. Northumberland bred likewise in Holy Island and Scholar to Aidanus He was Bishop of Lichfield a milde and modest man of whom more hereafter His death is celebrated in the Kalender March the second and the Dust of his Tombe is by Papists reported to cure all Diseases alike in Man and Beast I believe it might make the dumb to see and the lame to speak The later of these was as the Longest Liver so the most eminent in his Life who made many Christians and amongst the rest VVulfade and Rufine Sons to Wulphere King of Mercia succeeding Peada therein who was suddenly slain and his untimely Death was a great Loss to Religion 85. Look we now on the See of Canterbury Fridona first English Arch-bishop where to our comfort we have gotten one of our own Country-men into the place Fridona a Saxon. Yet for the more State of the businesse he assumed the name of Deus-dedit We know Arch-Bishops of his See are termed Alterius orbis Papae and such changing of Names was fashionable with the Popes He was
Cure or secretly unsatisfied what manner and measure of Belief is required according to the Modell whereof Health is observed to come sooner or later or openly offended with the e Gu. Tucker in Charismate cap. 7. pag. 96. Sign of the Crosse which was used to be made by the Royall Hands on the Place infected Anno Dom. All which Exceptions fall to the ground Anno Regis Edvardi Confessoris 24 when it shall be avowed that notwithstanding the Omission of such Ceremonies as requisite rather to the Solemnity then Substance of the Cure the bare Hands of our Kings without the Gloves Jan. 4. as I may term it of the aforesaid Circumstances have effected the healing of this Disease 33. Hereupon some make it a clear Miracle Many make the Cure miraculous and immediately own Gods Finger in the Kings Hand That when the Art of the Physitian is posed the Industry of the Chirurgion tired out the Experience of both at a Losse when all humane Means cry craven then that Wound made by the Hand of God is cured by the hand of his Vice-gerent Hath Heaven indued Vegetables the worst and weak est of living Creatures with cordiall Qualities yea hath it bestowed pretious Properties on dull and inanimate Waters Stones and Mineralls insomuch that such are condemned for Silly or Sullen for Stupid or Stubborn as doubt thereof And shall we be so narrow-hearted as not to conceive it possible that Christian men the nobiest of corporeall Creatures Kings the most eminent of all Christian men Kings of Britain the First-Fruits of all Christian Kings should receive that peculiar Priviledge and sanative Power whereof daily Instances are presented unto us See here the vast Difference betwixt Papists and Protestants How do the former court those Miracles which fly from them and often in default of Reall ones are glad and greedy to hug and embrace empty Shadows of things falsly reported to be done or fondly reputed to be Miracles Whereas many Protestants on the contrary as in the matter in hand are scrupulous in accepting Miracles truely tendered unto them But although our Religion firmly founded on and safely senced with the Scriptures need no Miracles to confirm or countenance the truth thereof yet when they are by the hand of Heaven cast into our Scales not to make our Doctrine Weight but as superpondium or an Over-plus freely bestowed sure they may safely without Sin be received not to say can scarce be refused without at least some suspicion of Neglect Ingratitude to the Goodnesse of God 34. Nor will it be amisse here to relate a Passage which happened about the middest of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth The ingenuousconfession of a Catholick after Pope Pius did let fly his Excommunication against her There was a stiffe Roman Catholick as they delight to term themselves otherwise a man well accomplished and of an ingenuous Disposition who being cast into Prison I conceive for his Religion was there visited in an high degree with the Kings Evil. And having with great Pain and Expence but no Successe long used the advice of Physitians at last he humbly addressed himself unto the Queens Majestie by whom with Gods help he was compleately cured And being demanded What news a Gu Tucker in Charismate cap. 6. pag. 92. I perceive said he now at last by plain experience that the Excommunication denounced by the Pope against her Majestie is in very deed of none effect seeing God hath blessed her with so great and miraculous a Vertue 35. This mention of Queen Elizabeth there is a magnetick Vertue in Stories Queen Elizabeth why displeased with the people in Gloce stershire for one to attract another minds me of a Passage in the beginning ofher Reign Making her Progresse into Glocestershire people affected with this Discase did in uncivil Crowds presse in upon her Insomuch that her Majestie betwixt Anger Grief and Compassion let fall words to this effect Alasse poor people I cannot I cannot cure you it is God alone that can doe it Which words some interpreted contrary to her Intent and Practice continuing such Cures till the day of her Death an utter renouncing and disclaiming of any Instrumentall Efficacy in her self Whereas she onely removed her Subjects Eyes from gazing on her to look up to Heaven For mens Minds naturally are so dull and heavy that instead of traveling with their Thanks to God the Cause of all Cures they lazily take up their Lodging more then half-way on this side mistaking the Dealer for the Giver of their Recovery It follows not therefore that the Queen refused to heal their Bodies because carefull in the first place to cure their Souls of this dangerous Mistake A Princesse who as she was a most exact Demander of her Due observed seldome or never to forgive her greatest Favourites what they owed her so did she most punctually pay her Ingagements to others as to all men so most especially to God loth that he should lose any Honour due unto him by her unjust Detaining thereof 36. The Kings of France share also with those of England in this miraculous Cure And Laurentius reports The Kings of France cure the Kings Evil. that when Francis the first King of France was kept Prisoner in Spain he notwithstanding his Exile and Restraint daily cured infinite Multitudes of people of that Disease according to this Epigram Hispanos inter sanat Rex Choeradas estque Captivus Superis gratus ut ante fuit The Captive King the Evil cures in Spain Dear as before he doth to God remain So it seemeth his Medicinall Quality is affixed not to his Prosperity but Person so that during his Durance he was fully free to exercise the same 37. Thus farre we patiently hear Laâ—â—rentius falsely denies the Kings of England power in curing the Kings Evil. and sufficiently credit this Authour but can no longer afford him either Belief or Attention when he presumeth to tell us that the Kings of England never a De mirabill strumarum curatione c. 2. cured the Kings Evill a Vertue appropriated onely to his Majestie of France Onely he confesseth that long ago some of our English Kings of the Anjouan Race descended from Ieffery Plantagenet did heal the Falling Sicknesse with certain Consecrated Annulets a Custome long since difused Thus he seeks to deprive our Princes of their Patrimoniall Vertue and to make them Reparations instead of their sanative Power whereof they are peaceably possest to them and their Heires holding it of God in chief with assigning them an old Leaâ—e where the Title at the best was litigious and the Term long ago expired But the Reader may be pleased to take notice that this Laurentius was Physician in ordinary to King Henry the fourth of France and so had his Judgement herein bowed awry with so weighty a Relation Flattery being so catching a Disease wherewith the best Doctors of Physick may sometimes be
the Bishop of Ely Longcampe Wolsey parallel'd English as the English as the English were not willing to speak one good word of him 25. Such as draw up a parallel betwixt this William Longcampe and Thomas Wolsey afterward Arch-Bishop of York finde them to meet in many conformities First in the lowness of their birth the one the son of an Husband-man the other of a Butcher Anno Dom. 1192. Secondly Anno Regis Rich. prim 3. in the greatness of their power both being the Popes Legates and their Kings principal Officers Thirdly height of their pride Longcampe having fifteen hundred daylie attendants Wolsey though but a thousand equalizing that number with the nobility of his train Fourthly suddenness of their fall and it is hard to say which of the two lived more hated or died less pittied 26. Yet to give Wolsey his due Wolsey the better of the two he far exceeded the other Longcampe is accused of covetousness promoting his base kindred to the damage and detriment of others no such thing charged on Wolsey Longcampes activity moved in the narrow sphear of Englands Dominions whilest Wolsey might be said in some sort to have held in his hand the scales of Christendome Up Emperor down France and so alternately as he was pleased to cast in his graines Wolsey sate at the sterne more then twenty years whilest Longcampe's impolitick pride outed him of his place in less then a quarter of the time Lastly nothing remains of Longcampe but the memory of his pride and pomp whilest Christ-Church in Oxford and other stately edifices are the lasting monuments of Wolseys magnificence to all posterity 27. But seeing it is just to settle mens memories Yet a word in excuse of Longcamp on their true bottom Be it known that one putteth in a good word in due season in the excuse of Bishop a Godwin ut prius Longcampe haply not altogether so bad as the pens of Monks would perswade us It inraged them against him because Hugh Nonant Bishop of Coventry and Liechfield drave out Monks out of Coventry and brought in Secular Priests in the room which alteration he being not able of himself to effect used the assistance of Longcampe Bishop of Elie ordering the same in a Synod called at London And seeing Monks have no medium betwixt not loving and bitter hating no wonder if for this cause they paid him their Invectives But we have done with him and are glad of so fair a riddance of him on this account that most of his misdemeanors were by him committed not quà Bishop but quà Vice-roy and so more properly belon̄ging to the civil Historian 28. King Richard in his return from Palestine King Richard dearly Ransomed was taken prisoner by Leopold Duke of Austria 1193. and detained by him in durance 3. with hard and un-Prince-like usage Whilest the English Clergy endeavoured the utmost for his Enlargement And at last when a fine certain was set upon him to be paid for his Ransome they with much ado in two years time disbursed the same 29. The summe was an hundred and fifty thousand and marks Why a small sum great in that age to be paid part to the Duke of Austria part to Henry the sixth Sir-named the sharpe Sure such our Richard found him Emperor of Germany Some will wonder that the weight of such a summe should then sway the back of the whole Kingdome putting many Churches to the sale of their silver Chalices having seen in our age one City in few dayes advance a larger proportion But let such consider 1. The money was never to return not made over by Bils of Exchange but sent over in specie which made it arise the more heavily For such summes may be said in some sort to be but lent not lost as to the Common-wealth which are not exported but spent therein in the circulation of Trading 2. A third of silver went then more to make a marke then now adayes witness their groats worth our six pence in the intrinsick value 3. Before trading to the East and West Indies some hundred and fifty years since very little the silver of England in comparison to the Banks of Modern Merchants However Hubert Arch-Bishop of Canterbury with much diligence perfected the work and on his ransom paid King Richard returned into England 30. Now lest his Majesty should suffer any diminution by his long late imprisonment Anno Regis Rich. prim 4. King Richard was Crowned again by Hubert Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Anno Dom. 1194. at Winchester King Richard better for affliction with great solemnity and one may say that his durance was well bestowed on him seeing after the same he was improved in all his relations Son For though he could not revive his dead Father yet on all occasions he expressed sorrow for his undutifulness Husband Hereafter prising the company of Beringaria his Queen Daughter to Sanctius King of Navarre whom formerly he slighted and neglected Brother Freely and fully pardoning the practises of his Brother John aspiring to the Crown in his absence and being better to his base Brother Geffery Arch-Bishop of York then his tumultuous nature did deserve Man Being more strict in ordering his own conversation King In endeavouring the amendment of many things in the Land 6. in whose dayes a Councel was kept at York for Reformation 1196. but little effected 31. Hubert Walter 8. Arch-Bishop of Canterbury 1198 had almost finished a fair Covent for Monks at Lambeth Lambeth Covent why demolished begun by Baldwin his Predecessor But instantly the Monks of Canterbury are all up in anger against him they feared that in process of time Lambeth would prove Canterbury viz. the Principal place of the Arch-Bishops residence to the great impairing of their Priviledges the vicinity of Lambeth to the Court encreased their jealousie And now they ply the Pope with Petitions and with what makes Petitions to take effect in the Court of Rome never content till they had obtained contrary to the Kings and Arch-Bishops desire that the Covent at Lambeth was utterly demolished many bemoaning the untimely end thereof before it was ended murdered as one may say by malitious emulation 32. The death of King Richard is variously reported 9. but this relation generally received 1199. that he lost his life on this sad occasion King Richard his death A Viscount in France subject to King Richard having found a vast Treasure hid probably by some Prince the Kings Predecessor sent part thereof to King Richard reserving the rest to himself who could he have concealed all had made no discovery and had he sent all had got no displeasure whilest hoping by this middle-way to pleasure the King and profit himself he did neither King Richard disdaines to take part for a gift where all was due and blame him not if having lately bled so much money he desired to
them how much they have profited in the study of holy Scripture 21. That in the time of High Masse be that sayeth or singeth a Psalm shall read the Epistle and Gospel in English and one Chapter in the New Testament at Mattens and another at Evensong and that when nine Lessons are to be read in the Church three of them shall be omitted with Responds And at Evensong the Responds with all the Memories 22. That to prevent in Sick persons the damnable vice of Despair They shall learn and have alwaies in readinesse such comfortable places and sentences of Scripture as doe set forth the mercy benefits and goodnesse of God Almighty towards all penitent and believing persons 23. To avoid all contention and strife which heretofore have risen amongst the Kings subjects by challenging of Places in Procession no Procession hereafter shall be used about the Church or Church-yard but immediately before high Masse the Letany shall be distinctly said or sung in English none departing the Church without just cause and all ringing of Bells save one utterly forborne 24. That the Holy-day at the first beginning Godly instituted and ordained be wholly given to God in hearing the Word of God read and taught in private and publick prayers in acknowledging their offences to God and amendment in reconciling themselves to their Neighbours receiving the Communion visiting the sick c. Onely it shall be lawfull for them in time of harvest to labour upon Holy and Festival-daies and save that thing which God hath sent and that scrupulosity to abstain from working upon those daies doth grievously offend God 25. That no Curate admit to the Communion such who are in ranchor and malice with their neighbours till such controversies be reconciled 26. That every Dean Arch-Deacon c. being a Priest preach by himself personally twice a year at least 27. That they instruct their people not obstinately to violate the Ceremonies of the Church by the King commanded to be observed and not as yet abrogated And on the other side that whosoever doth superstitiously abuse them doth the same to the great perill of his souls health 28. That they take away and destroy all Shrines covering of Shrines Tables Candlesticks Trindills or rolls of Wax Pictures Paintings and other Monuments of fained Miracles so that no memory of them remain in Walls or Windows exhorting their Parishioners to doe the like in their severall houses And that a comely Pulpit be provided in a convenient place 29. That a strong Chest be provided with a hole in the upper part thereof with three Keyes thereunto belonging be provided to receive the charity of people to the poor and the same at convenient times distributed unto them in the presence of the Parish 30. That Priests be not bound to go to visit Women lying in Child-bed except in times of dangerous sicknesse and not to fetch any Coarse except it be brought to the Church yard 31. That to avoid the detestable sin of Simonie the Seller shall lose his right of Patronage for that time and the Buyer to be deprived and made unable to receive Spirituall promotion 32. That because of the lack of Preachers Curats shall read Homilies which are or shall be set forth by the Kings Authority 33. Where as many indiscreet persons doe uncharitably contemn and abuse Priests having small learning his Majesty chargeth his Subjects that henceforth they be reverently used for their Office and Ministration sake 34. That all persons not understanding Latine shall pray on no other Primmer but what lately was set forth in English by K. Henry the eighth and that such who have knowledge in Latine use none other also and that all Craces before and after meat be said in English and no Grammer taught in Schools but what is set forth by Authority 35. That Chantery Priests teach youth to read and write 36. That when any Sermon or Homily shall be had the Prime and Houres shall be omitted ⧠The form of bidding the Common Prayers YOu shall pray for the whole Congregation of Christs Church and specially for this Church of England and Ireland wherein first I commend to your devout prayers the Kings most excellent Majesty Supreme Head immediately under God of the spirituality and temporalty of the same Church And for Queen Katharine Dowager and also for my Lady Mary and my Lady Elizabeth the Kings sisters Secondly You shall pray for my Lord Protectors grace with all the rest of the Kings Majesties Councell for all the Lords of this Realm and for the Clergie and the Commons of the same beseeching Almighty God to give every of them in his degree grace to use themselves in such wise as may be to Gods glory the Kings honour and the weal of this Realm Thirdly You shall pray for all them that be departed out of this world in the faith of Christ that they with us and we with them at the Day of Judgment may rest both body and soul with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the kingdome of heaven Observations on the Kings Injunctions Let us here admire Gods wisdome in our first Reformers The wisdome of our Reformers who proceeded so moderately in a matter of so great consequence To reform all at once had been the ready way to reform nothing at all New wine must be gently powred into old bottles lest the strenght of the liquor advantaged with the violence of the infusion break the vessel Iacob could not keep pace with Esau presumed fleet on foot as used to hunting whilest he had in his company the * Gen. 33. 13. tender children and flocks with young which if over driven one day would die And though no doubt he himself was foot-man enough to go along with his Brother yet he did lead on softly according as the cattle and children were able to endure Thus our wise Reformers reflected discreetly on the infirmities of people long nouzled in ignorance and superstition and incapable of a sudden and perfect alteration On this account in the third Injunction they reduced Candles formerly sans number in Churches to two Onely two lights left upon the high Altar before the Sacrament these being termed lights shews they werenot luminacaeca but burning Know also that at this time there was an universall dilapidation of Chancells and men had seen so many Abbey-Churches pluckt down that they even left Parish-Churches to fall down on themselves now to repair them all at once would have stopt the holes in the Chancells and made one in the states of the Ministers It was therefore in the sixteenth Injunction ordered That a fift part of their means should be imployed therein whereby the work was effectually done without any great dammage to the Repairers By Memories appointed to be omitted What meant by Memories Injunction 21. we understand the Obsequia for the dead which some say succeeded in the place of the Heathen Roman Parentalia The abolishing Processions is politickly
put on a civil account Good policie Injunction 23. to avoid contention about places Indeed peoples pride herein consisted in pretended humility which the Injunction at large termeth a fond Courtesie For in a mock-practise of the Apostles * Rom. 12. 12. precept in honour preferring one another they strained courtesie to goe last Where by the way I conceive that accounted the highest place which was next the Crosse bearer or next the Priest carrying the Host Quaere whether in the 24 Injunction labouring in time of Harvest on Holy-daies and Festivals relateth not onely to those of Ecclesiasticall constitution as dedicated to Saints or be inclusive of the Lords day also Mr. Calvin in his Letter to the Lord * pag. 187 188. Protector Mr. Calvin dissents disliketh the praying for the dead and this is one of those things which he termed tolerabiles ineptias Englished by some tolerable fooleries more mildly by others tolerable unfitnesses In requital whereof Bishop Williams was wont to say That Master Calvin had his tolerabiles morositates And thus moderately did our first Reformers begin Moderation 〈◊〉 farre as the subject they wrote on would give them leave for as carefull Mothers and Nurses on condition they can get their Children to part with knives are contented to let them play with raitles So they permitted ignorant people still to retain some of their fond and foolish Customes that they might remove from them the most dangerous and destructive Superstitions Come we now to give in a List of such principall Books which in the Reign of this King and His Father The Protestant Library as Preparatory to and Introductive of Reformation And to bring them high enough we will begin with HEN 7th Prayers printed by the Commandements of the moost hye and vertuous Princesse our lyege Lady Elizabeth by the grace of God Quene of England and of France and also of the right hye and moost noble Princesse Margarett mother to our Soveraign Lord the King c. without the year when printed HEN 8th The Institution of a Christian man contayneng the Exposition of the Commune Crede of the seaven Sacraments of the ten Commandements and of the Pater noster and the Ave Maria Justification and Purgatory London by Tho Barthelet 1537. A necessary Doctrine and Erudition for any Christen man set furthe by the Kynges Majestie of England c. London by Tho Barthelet 1543. HEN 8th Henry the eighth his Epistle to the Emperour Christen Princes and all true Christen men desiring peace and concord amonges them Against the power of the Pope and concerning a Generall Councell London by Tho Barthelet 1538. A Protestation made for the most mighty and most redoubted King of England c. and his hole Counsell and Clergie wherein is declared that neither His Highnesse nor His Prelates neyther any other Prince or Prelate is bound to come or send to the pretended Councell that Paul Bishop of Rome first by a Bull indicted at Mantua a Citie in Italy and now alate by an other Bull hath proroged to a place no man can telle where London by Tho Barthelet 1537. Articles devised by the Kinges Highnes Majestie to stablishe Christen quietnes and unitie amonge us and to avoyde contentious opinions which Articles be also approved by the consent and determination of the hole Clergie of this Realme Lond Tho Barthelet 1536. Injunctions to the Clergie 1536. M. Sc. Articles devised by the holle consent of the Kinges most honourable Counsayle His Graces licence opteyned thereto not only to exhorte but also to enfourme His loving Subjects of the trouth London Tho Barthelet 1533. Orarium seu libellus Precationum per Regiam Majestatem Clerum Latinè editus Ex officina Richard Graftoni 1545. Pia Catholica Christiani hominis institutio Londini apud Thomam Barthelet 1544. Reformatio Legum Ecclesiasticarū ex authoritate primum Regis Hen 8. inchoata deinde per Regem Edw 6. provecta c. Londini ex officina Jo Day 1571. EDW 6th Injunctions given by the most excellent Prince Edward the sixt by the grace of God King of England France and Ireland Defendor of the Fayth and in yearthe under Christ of the Church of England and of Ireland the Supreeme Hedde to all and singuler His loving Subjects aswell of the Clergie as of the Laietie By R. Grafton 1547. Articles to be enquired of in the Kynges Majesties visitation By Rich Grafton Cum privilegio Communion book translated into French for Jersey and Garnesey 1553. EDW 6th The Booke of Common-Prayer and Administration of Sacraments c. London 1549. 1552. The forme and manner of making and consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons 1552 1549. The Copie of a Letter sent to all those Preachers which the Kings Majestie hath licensed to preach from the Lord Protectors Grace and others of the Kinges Majesties most Honourable Councell The 23 of May 1548. Catechismus brevis Christianae disciplinae summam continens omnibus ludimagistris authoritate Regiâ commendatus Londini 1553. Articuli de quibus in Synodo Londinensi 1552. ad tollenda◠opinionum dissensionem consensum verae religionis firmandum inter Episcopos alios eruditos atque pios viros-convenerat Regia similiter authoritate promulgati Londini The Primer or Booke of Prayers translated out of Hen the 8 ths Orarium London by Rich Grafton 1547. Certain Sermons viz the first part of the Church Homilies appointed by the Kinges Majestie to be read everie Sonday and Holy day c. 1549 1547. A Primer or Booke of private Prayer c. in the 7 yeare of Ed 6. Ex officina Wilhelmi Seres 1552. The order of the Communion with the Proclamation London by Rich Grafton 1548. Q. MARIE The Primer in Latin and English after the use of Sarum London 1555. Edm Bonners Catechisme 1555. with Homelies composed by H. Pendleton and Jo Harpesfield London 1555. These are the principall State-books which that Age produced not mentioning such as numberlesse which private persons set forth onely I cannot as yet recover the Lord Cromwell's Catechisme except it be concealed under another name amongst the Books aforementioned 4. Come we now to the Liturgie which in the Reign of K. Henry the eighth was said or sung all in Eatine save only the Creed Pater noster and ten Commandements put into English by the Kings command Anno 1536. Nine years after viz 1545 the Letanie was permitted in English and this was the farthest pace which the Reformation stept in the Reign of King Henry the eighth Ann. Dom. 1547. But under His son King Edward the sixt a new form of Divine worship was set forth in the vulgar Tongue which passed a threefold purgation The first Edition of the Liturgie or Common-Prayer The 2 d Edit of the Liturgy or Common-Prayer The 3 d Edit of the Liturgy or Common-Prayer In the first year of King Edward the sixt it was recommended to the care
shall be requisite In pursuance of these their Instructions the Kings Commissioners in their respective Counties recovered much and discovered more of Church-wealth and Ornaments For some were utterly imbeziled by persons not responsible and there the King must lose his right More were concealed by parties not detectable so cunningly they carried their stealths seeing every one who had nimmed a Church-Bell did not ring it out for all to hear the sound thereof Many potent persons well known to have such goods shufled it out with their greatnesse mutually connived at therein by their equalls fellow-offenders in the same kinde However the Commissioners regained more than they expected confidering the distance of time and the cold scent they followed so many years after the Dissolution This Plate and other Church-Utensils were sold and advanced much money to the Exchequer An * Sir John Hayward Authour telleth us That amongst many which they found they left but one silver Chalice to every Church too narrow a proportion to populous Parishes where they might have left two at the least seeing for expedition sake at great Sacraments the Minister at once delivereth the wine to two Communicants But they conceived one Cup enough for a small Parish and that greater and richer were easily able to purchase more to themselves 2. All this Income rather stayed the stomack Durham Bishoprick dissolved than satisfied the hunger of the Kings Exchequer For the allaying whereof the Parliament now sitting conferred on the Crown the Bishoprick of Durham This may be called the English Herbipolis or Wirtz-burge it being true of both Dunelmia sola judicat Ense Stola The Bishop whereof was a Palatine or Secular Prince and his Seal in form resembleth Royalty in the Roundnesse thereof and is not Oval the badge of plain Episcopacy Rich and entire the revenues of this See such as alone would make a considerable addition to the Crown remote the scituation thereof out of Southern sight and therefore if dissolved the sooner out of mens mindes Besides Cuthbert Tunstall the present Bishop of Durham was in durance and deprived for his obstinacy so that so stubborn a Bishop gave * yet the Duke of Northumberland either was or was to be possessour thereof the State the fairer quarrell with so rich a Bishoprick now annexed to the Kings revenue 3. Well it was for this See Afterwards restored by Qu. Mary though dissolved that the lands thereof were not dispersed by sale unto severall persons but preserved whole and entire as to the main in the Crown Had such a dissipation of the parts thereof been made no lesse than a State miracle had been requisite for the recollection thereof Whereas now within two years after Queen Mary restored Tunstall to this Bishoprick and this Bishoprick to it self re-setling all the lands on the same 4. By this time A wood rather a wildernesse of the Popes Canons such Learned men as were employed by the King to reform the Ecclesiastical Laws had brought their work to some competent perfection Let me enlarge my self on this subject of concernment for the Readers satisfaction When the Pope had ingrossed to his Courts the cognizance of all causes which either looked glanced or pointed in the least degree at what was reduceable to Religion he multiplied Laws to magnifie himself Whose principal designe therein was not to make others good but himself great not so much to direct and defend the good to restrain and punish the bad as to ensnare and entangle both For such the number of their Clementines 〈◊〉 Intrd. Extravagants Provincialls Synodalls Glosses Sentences Chapters Summaries Rescripts Breviaries long and short Cases c. that none could carry themselves so cautiously but would be rendred obnoxious and caught within the compasse of offending Though the best was for money they might buy the Popes pardon and thereby their own innocence 5. Hereupon Two and thirty Regulatours of the Canon-Law when the Popes power was banished out of England his Canon-Law with the numerous Books and branches thereof lost its authority in the Kings Dominions Yet because some gold must be presumed amongst so much drosse grain amongst so much chaffe it was thought fit that so much of the Canon Law should remain as was found conformable to the Word of God and Laws of the Land And therefore King Henry the eighth was impowred by Act of Parliament to elect two and thirty able persons to reform the Ecclesiastical Laws though in His Reign very little to good purpose was performed therein 6. But the designe was more effectually followed in the daies of King Edward the sixth Contracted to eight by King Edward the 6. reducing the number of two and thirty to eight thus mentioned in His Letters Patents dated at Westminster the last year Novemb 11. Bishops Thomas Cranmer of Canterbury Thomas Goodrich of Elie. Divines Peter Martyr Richard Cox Civilians and Canonists Dr. William May. Dr. Rowland Taylor of Hadley Common Lawyers John Lucas Rich Goodrick Esquires It was not onely convenient but necessary that Common Lawyers should share in making these Church Constitutions because the same were to be built not onely sure in themselves but also symmetricall to the Municipall Lawes of the Land These Eight had power by the Kings Patents to call in to their assistance what persons they pleased and are said to have used the pens of Sir John Cheeke and Walter Haddon Dr. in Law to turn their Lawes into Latine 7. However Laws no Laws not stamped with Royall Authority these had onely a preparing no concluding power so that when they had ended their work two things were wanting to make these Ecclesiastical Canons thus by them composed have the validity of Laws First an exact review of them by others to amend the mistakes therein As where * Titulo de Divinis Officiâ—s cap. 6. they call the Common Prayer Book then used in England proprium perfectum omnis divini cultus judicem magistrum a title truly belonging onely to the Scripture Secondly a Royall ratification thereunto which this King prevented by death nor any of His Successours ever stamped upon it Indeed I finde in an * Iohn 〈◊〉 at the end of his Preface to his Book intituled Reformation no enemy to Her Majesty Author whom I am half-ashamed to alledge that Doctor Haddon Anno 12 or 13 Elizabeth delivered in Parliament a Latine Book concerning Church-Discipline written in the daies of King Edward the sixt by Mr. Cranmer Sir John Cheek c. which could be no other than this lately mentioned Which Book was committed by the House unto the said Mr. Haddon Mr. George Bromley Mr. Norton c. to be translated I conceive into English again and never after can I recover any mention thereof save that some thirteen years since * Anno 1640. A silent Convocation it was printed in London 8. A Parliament was called in the last of this Kings
on the first day were called in Chappel Christ-Church Worcester Westminster Andrewes S. Pauls Overall Chester Barlow Sarisbury Bridges Winsor D. Field King KING JAMES Spectators All the Lords of the Privy Council whereas some at times interposed a few words Place A withdrawing Room within the Privy chamber Dr. Reynolds Sparks Mr. Knewstubs Chaderton These remaining in a Room without were not called in the first day To omit all gratulatory Preambles as necessary when spoken as needlesse if now repeated we will present onely the Substance of this Dayes Conference his Majesty thus beginning it It is no novel device but according to the example of all Christian Princes for Kings to take the first course for the establishing of the Church both in Doctrine and Policy To this the very Heathen related in their Proverb A Jove principium particularly in this Land King Henry the 8. towards the end of his Reign altered much King Edward the 6. more Queen Mary reversed all and lastly Queen Elizabeth of b Note his Majesty never remembred her but with some honourable Addition famous memory setled Religion as now it standeth Herein I am happier than they because they were faine to alter all things they found established Ann. Dom. 160 3 4 whereas I see yet no suchcause to change Ann. Reg. Jac. 1 as confirm what I finde well setled already For blessed be Gods gracious Goodnesse who hath brought me into the Promised Land where Religion is purely professed where I sit amongst Grave Learned and Reverend Men not as before elsewhere a King without State without Honour without Order where Beardlesse Boyes would brave us to the Face And I assure you we have not called this Assembly for any Innovation for we acknowledge the Government Ecclesiasticall as now it is to have been approved by manifold blessings from God himself both for the increase of the Gospel and with a most happy and glorious Peace Yet because nothing can be to absolutely ordered but that something may be added thereunto and corruption in any State as in the Body of Man will insensibly grow either thorough Time or Persons and because we have received many complaints since our first entrance into this Kingdome of many disorders and much disobedience to the Lawes with a great falling away to Popery Our purpose therefore is like a good Physitian to examine and try the Complaints and fully to remove the occasions thereof if scandalous cure them if dangerous and take knowledge of them if but frivolous thereby to cast a Sop into Cerberus his Mouth that he bark no more For this cause we have called you Bishops and Deans in severally by your selves not to be confronted by the contrary Opponents that if any thing should be found meet to be redressed it might be done without any visible Alteration Particularly there be some speciall Points wherein I desire to be satisfied and which may be renduced to three Heads 1. Concerning the Book of Common Prayer and Divine Service used in the Church 2. Excommunication in Ecclesiasticall Courts 3. The providing of fit and able Ministers for Ireland In the Common Prayer-book I require satisfaction about three things First about Coâ—firmation For the very name thereof if arguing a Confirming of Baptâ—sme as if this Sacrament without it were of no validity is plainly blasphemous For though at the first use thereof in the Church it was thought necessary that baptised Infants who formerly had answered by their Patrins should when come to yeares of discretion after their Profession made by themselves be confirmed with the blessing of the Bishop I abhorre the Abuâ—e wherein it is made a Sacrament or Corroboration to Baptisme As for Absolution I know not how it is used in our Church but have heard it likened to the Popes Pardons There be indeed two kindes thereof from God One generall all Prayers and Preaching importing an Absolution The other particular to speciall Parties having committed a Scandall and repenting Otherwise where Excommunication precedes not in my judgement there needs no Absolution Private Baptisme is the third thing wherein I would be satisfied in the Common Prayer If called Private from the Place I think it agreeable with the use of the Primitive Church but if termed private that any besides a lawfull Minister may baptise I utterly dislike it And here his Majesty grew somewhat earnest in his Expressions against the baptising by Women and Laicks In the second Head of Excommunication I offer two things to be considered of First the Matter Secondly the Persons For the first I would be satisfied whether it be executed as it is complainmed of to me in light Causes and that too commonly which causeth the undervaluing thereof For the Persons I would be resolved why Chancellours and Commissaries being Lay-men should do it and not rather the Bishops themselves or some Minister of Gravity and account deputed by them for the more dignity to so high and weighty a Censure As for providing Ministers for Ireland I shall refer it in the last daies Conference to a Consultation c He addressed himselfe to the King on his knee Ar-Bp of CaÌ„t. Confirmation hath been used in the Catholick Church ever since the Apostles and it is a very untrue suggestion if any have informed your Highnesse that the Church of England holds Baptisme imperfect without it as adding to the vertue and strength thereof BP of Lon. The Authority of Confirmation depends not onely on d Citing Cypr. Ep. 73. and Jer. Adversus Luciferiam Antiquity and the Practise of the Primitive Church but is an Apostolical Institution named in expresse words Heb. 6. 2. and so did Mr. Calvin expound the very place earnestly wishing the restitution thereof in the reformed Churches The Bishop of Carlile is said gravely and learnedly to have urged the same and the Bishop of Durham noted something out of S. Matthew for the Imposition of hands on Children The Conclusion was this For the fuller Explanation that we make Confirmation neither a Sacrament nor a Corroboration thereof their Lordships should consider whether it might not without Alteration whereof his Majesty was still very wary be intitled an Examination with a Confirmation Ar-B of CaÌ„t. As for the point of Absolution wherein your Majesty desires satisfaction it is clear from all abuse or superstition as it is used in our Church of England as will appear on the reading both of the Confession and Absolution following it in the beginning of the Communion Book Here the King perused both and returned His Majesty I like and approve them finding it to be very true what you say BP of Lond. It becometh us to deal plainly with your Majesty There is also in the Book a more particular and personall absolution in t he Visitation of the Sick Here the Dean of the Chappel turned unto it and read it These be severally cited BP of Lond. Not onely the Confessions of Augusts Boheme and Saxon
second Temple such must needs be sad which consider the disproportion betwixt what was performed and what was projected in this Colledge Save that I confesse that the destruction of beautifull buildings once really extant leave greater impressions in mens mindes than the miscarriages of onely intentional structures and the faint Ideas of such future things as are probably propounded but never effected 24. And here we will insert the number The first Provost and Fellows and names of the Provost and first Fellows and some of them probable to be last Fellows as still surviving as they were appointed by the King Himself Anno 1610. May 8. Matthew Sutcliffe Dean of Exeter Provost 1. John Overal Dean of S. Pauls 2. Thomas Morton Dean of Winchester 3. Richard Field Dean of Glocester 4. Robert Abbot Doctors of Divinity 5. John Spenser 6. Miles Smith 7. William Covitt 8. John Howson 9. John Layfield 10. Ben Charrier 11. Martin Foâ—herbie 12. John Boys 13. Richard Bret 14. Peter Lilie 15. Francis Burley 16. William Hellier Arch-Deacon of Barstable 17. John White Fellow of Manchester-Colledge William Cambden Clarenceaux Historians John Haywood Doctor of Law See here none who were actuall Bishops were capable of places in this Colledge And when some of these were afterwards advanced to Bishopricks others translated to heaven King JAMES by His now Letters Patents 1622. Novemb 14. substituted others in their room Amongst whom the Archbishop of Spalato but no more than Dean of Windsor in England was most remarkable 25. To advance this work The King his Letters to â—he Archbishop and his to the Bishops His Majestie Anno 1616. sent His Letters to the Archbishop of Canterbury to stirre up all the Clergie in his Province to contribute to so pious a work according to the tenour thereof here inserted WHereas the enemies of the Gospel have ever been forward to write and publish Books for confirming of erroneous doctrine and impugning the truth and now of late seem more carefull than before to send daily into Our Realms such their writings whereby Our loving Subjects though otherwise well-disposed might be seduced unless some remedy thereof should be provided We by the advice of Our Councel have lately granted a Corporation and given Our allowance for erecting a Colledge at Chelsey for learned Divines to be imployed to write as occasion shall require for maintaining the Religion professed in Our Kingdomes and confuting the Impugners thereof Whereupon Doctour Sutcliffe designed Provost of the said Colledge hath now humbly signified unto Us that upon divers promises of help and assistance towards the erecting and endowing the said Colledge he hath at his own charge begun and well proceeded in building as doth sufficiently appear by a good part thereof already set up in the place appointed for the same We therefore being willing to favour and farther so religious a work will and require you to write your Letters to the Bishops of your Province signifying unto them in Our name that Our pleasure is they deal with the Clergie and others of their Diocesse to give their charitable be nevolence for the perfecting of this good work so well begun And for the better performance of Our desire We have given order to the said Provost and his Associates to attend you and others whom it may appertain and to certifie Us from time to time of their proceeding A copie of this His Majesties Letter was sent to all the Bishops of England with the Archbishops additionall Letter in order as followeth NOw because it is so pious and religious a work conducing both to Gods glory and the saving of many a soul within this Kingdome I cannot but wish that all devout and well affected persons should by your self and the Preachers in your Diocesse as well publickly as otherwise be excited to contribute in some measure to so holy an intendment now well begun And although these and the like motions have been frequent in these later times yet let not those whom God hath blessed with any wealth be weary of well-doing that it may not be said That the idolatrous and superstitious Papists be more forward to advance their falshoods than we are to maintain Gods truth Whatsoever is collected I pray your Lordship may be carefully brought unto me partly that it passe not through any defrauding hand and partly that His Majestie may be acquainted what is done in this behalf Yet for all these hopefull endevours and collections in all the Parishes of England slow and small were the summes of money brought in to this work Many of them were scattered out in the gathering them up the charges of the Collectours consuming the profit thereof If as it is vehemently suspected any of these collections be but detained by private persons I conceive it no trespasse against Christian charity to wish that the pockets which keep such money may rot all their suites that wear them till they make true restitution thereof 26. Various are mens conjectures as directed by their own interest what obstructed so hopefull proceedings Divers opininions touching the non-proceeding of the Colledge and it is safer for me to recite all than resolve on any of them Some ascribe it to 1. The common fatality which usually attends noble undertakings As partus octimestres children born in the eighth moneth are alwaies not long liv'd so good projects quickly expire 2. The untimely death of Prince HENRY Our principal hope f Continuation of Stow's Survey of London pag. 533. and the chief authour of this designe If so Erubuit Domino firmius esse suo The modest Colledge blushed to be stronger Than was its Lord He dead it liv'd no longer But upon my serious perusall of the Records of this Colledge I finde not so much as mention of the name of Prince HENRY as in any degree visibly contributive thereunto 3. The large loose and lax nature thereof no one prime person Sutcliffe excepted whose shoulders sunk under the weight thereof zealously engaging therein King JAMES His maintenance amounting to little more than countenance of the work Those children will have thin chaps and lean cheeks who have every body and yet no body nurses unto them 4. The originall means of the Colledge principally founded on the fluid and unconstant element unstable as water the Rent of a New River when made which at the best thus imployed was beheld but as a religious Monopoly And seeing that designe then took no effect though afterwards in another notion and nature it was perfected no wonder if the Colledge sunk with the means thereof 5. Some of the * This fift and sixt obstruction signifie nothing to discreet men however they must passe for company-sake and are alledged by some as very materiall greatest Prelates how much self is there in all men though seemingly forward really remisse in the matter Suspecting these Controversiall Divines would be lookt on as the principall Champions of Religion more serviceable in the
the King himself was pleased to interpose in his behalf July 7 Thursday 9. Saturday signifying to the House That those things which were then spoken and determined concerning Mountague without his Privitie did not please Him who by his Court-friends being imployed in the Kings Service his Majesty signifiyed to the Parliament that he thought his Chaplains whereof M r. Montague was one might have as much protection as the Servant of an ordinary Burgess neverthelesse his bond of two thousand pounds wherewith he was tailed continued uncancelled and was called on the next Parliament 11. The Plague increasing in London The Parliament removed to Oxford and brake up in discontent the Parliament was removed to Oxford But alas no avoiding Gods hand The infection followed or rather met the Houses there whereof worthy D r. Challenor died much lamented yet were the Members of Parliament not so carefull to save their own persons from the Plague as to secure the Land from a worse and more spreading contagion the daily growth of Poperie In prevention whereof they presented a Petition to his Majesty containing sixteen particulars all which were most graciously answered by his Majesty to their full satisfaction Thus this meeting began hopefully and cheerfully proceeded turbulently and suspiciously brake off suddenly and sorrowfully the reason whereof is to be fetch'd from our Civil Historians 12. The Convocation kept here Dr. James his motion in the Convocation is scarce worth the mentioning seeing little the appearance thereat nothing the performance therein Dean Bowles the Prolocurour absented himself for fear of infection D r. Thomas Good officiating in his place and their meeting was kept in the Chappell of Merton-Colledge Here D r. James that great Book-man made a motion that all Manuscript-Fathers in the Libraries of the Universities and elswhere in England might be perused and that such places in them as had been corrupted in Popish editions much superstition being generated from such corruptions might faithfully be printed according to those ancient Copies Indeed though England at the dissolving of Abbies lost moe Manuscripts than any Countrey of Christendome of her dimensions ever had yet still enough were left her if well improved to evidence the truth herein to all posteritie This designe might have been much beneficiall to the Protestant cause if prosecuted with as great endeavour as it was propounded with good intention but alas this motion was ended when it was ended expiring in the place with the words of the mover thereof 13. The King according to his late answer in the Parliament at Ox. The insolence of Papists seasonably restrained Nov. 11. issued out a Commission to the Judges to see the Law against Recusants put in execution This was read in all the Courts of Judicature at Reading where Michaelmas Terme was kept and a letter directed to the Arch-bishop of Cant. to take speciall care for the discovery of Jesuits Seminary Priests c. within his Province A necessary severity seing Papists presuming on Protection by reason of the late Match were grown very insolent And a Popish Lord when the King was at Chappell was heard to prate on purpose lowder in a Gallery adjoyning then the Chaplain prayed whereat the King was so moved that he sent him this message Either come and doe as we doe or I will make you prate further off 14. In this Severall Writers against Mr. Mountague and the next yeer many Books from persons of severall abilities and professions were writen against M r. Mountague By 1. D r. Sutcliffe Dean of Exeter One who was miles emeritus age giving him a Supersedeas save that his zeale would imploy it self and some conceived that his choler became his old age 2. M r. Henry Burton who then began to be well as afterwards wards too well known to the World 3. M r. Francus Rowse a Lay-man by profession 4. M r. Yates a Minister of Norfolk formerly a Fellow of Emmanuel in Cambridge he intitles his Book Ibus ad Caesarem 5. D r. Carleton Bishop of Chichester 6. Anthonie Wootton Divinitie-Professour in Gresham-Colledge In this Armie of Writers the strength is conceived to consist in the rere and that the last wrote the solidest confutations Of these six Dean Sutcliffe is said to have chode heartily M r. Rowse meant honestly M r. Burton wrote plainly Bishop Carleton very piously M r. Yates learnedly and M r. Wootton most solidly 15. I remember not at this time any of Master Mountague's partie engaged in print in his behalf Mr. Mountague left to deâ—end himself Whether because they conceived this their Champion sufficient of himselfe to encounter all opposers or because they apprehended it unsafe though of the same judgment to justifie a Book which was grown so generally offensive Insomuch as his Majesty himself sensible of his Subjects great distaste thereat sounded by the Duke of Buckingham to that purpose was resolved to leave Mr. Mountague to stand or fall Jan. 19. 1611-16 according to the justice of his cause The Duke imparted as much to Dr. Laud Bishop of Saint Davids who conceived it of such ominous concernment that he entred the same in his Diarie viz. I seem to see a cloud arising and threatning the Church of England God for his mercie dissipate it 16. The day of the Kings Coronation drawing neer A maim on the embleme of Peace his Majesty sent to survey and peruse the Regalia or Royal Ornaments which then were to be used It happened that the left wing of the Dove on the Scepter was quite broken off by what casualty God himself knows The King sent for Mr. Acton then his Goldsmith commanding him that the very same should be set on again The Goldsmith replied that it was impossible to be done so fairly but that some mark would remain thereof To whom the King in some passion returned l His Son succeeding his Father in that place and then present attested to me the truth hereof If you will not doe it another shall Hereupon Mr. Acton carried it home and got another Dove of Gold to be artificially set on whereat when brought back his Majesty was well contented as making no discovery thereof 17. The Bishop of Lincolne A Dilemma well waved Lord-Keeper was now dayly descendant in the Kings favour who so highly distasted him that he would not have him as Dean of Westminster to perform any part of His Coronation yet so was it a favour or a triall that it was left to his free choice to prefer any Prebendary of the Church to officiate in his place The Bishop met with a Dilemma herein To recommend Dr. Laud Bishop of Saint Davids and Prebendary of Westminster for that performance was to grace one of his greatest enemies to passe him by and prefer a private Prebendary for that purpose before a Bishop would seem unhandsome and be interpreted a neglect of his own Order To avoid all exceptions
others grumbling at it as too much for what by them was performed And now what place more proper for the building of Sion as they propounded it then the Chamber of Jerusalem the fairest in the Deans Lodgings where King Henry the fourth died and where these Divines did daily meet together 7. Be it here remembred The superadded Divines that some besides those Episcopally affected chosen to be at this Assembly notwithstanding absented themselves pretending age indisposition c. as it is easie for able unwillingness to finde out excuses and make them probable Fit it was therefore so many evacuities should be filled up to mount the Meeting to a competent number and Assemblies as well as Armies when grown thin must be recruited Hence it was that at severall times the Lords and Commons added more Members unto them by the name of the Super-added Divines Some of these though equall to the former in power were conceived to fall short in parts as chosen rather by the affections of others then for their own abilities the Original members of the Assembly not overpleased thereat such addition making the former rather more then more considerable 8. One of the first publick Acts The Assemblies first petition for a fast which I finde by them performed was the humble presenting of a Petition to both Houses for the appointing of a solemn fast to be generally observed And no wonder if their request met with fair acceptance and full performance seeing the Assemblies Petition was the Parliaments intention and this solemn suite of the Divines did not create new but quicken the old resolutions in both Houses presently a Fast is appointed July 21. Frid. and accordingly kept on the following Friday M r Boules and M r Newcomen whose sermons are since printed preaching on the same and all the rest of the particulars promised to be taken into speedy consideration 9. It was now projected to finde out some Band or Tie The Covenent entreth England for the streighter Vnion of the English and Scotish amongst themselves and both to the Parliament In order whereunto the Covenant was now presented This Covenant was of Scottish extraction born beyond Tweed but now brought to be bred on the South-side thereof 10. The House of Commons in Parliament The Covenant first taken and the Assembly of Divines solemnly took the Covenant at S t. Margarets in Westminster 11. It was ordered by the Commons in Parliament that this Covenant be forthwith printed and published Commanded to be printed 12. Divers Lords Taken by Gentlemen Knights Gentlemen Collonels Officers Souldiers and others Sept. 27. Wed. 29. Frid. then residing in the City of London met at S t Margarets in Westminster and there took the said Covenant M r Coleman preaching a Sermon before them concerning the piety and legality thereof 13. It was commanded by the authority of both Houses Enjoyned all in London that the said Covenant on the Sabbath day ensuing Frid. Octo. 1. Sund. should be taken in all Churches and Chappels of London within the lines of Communication and thoroughout the Kingdom in convenient time appointed thereunto according to the Tenour following A Solemn league and Covenant for Reformation and defence of Religion the honour and happiness of the King and the peace and safety of the three Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland WE Noblemen Barons Knights Gentlemen Citizens Burgesses Ministers of the Gospel and Commons of all sorts in the Kingdom of England Scotland and Ireland by the providence of God living under one King and being of one Reformed Religion having before our eyes the glory of God and the advancement of the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the honour and happiness of the Kings Majesty and his posterity and the true publick liberty safety and peace of the Kingdom wherein every ones private condition is included And calling to minde the Treacherous and Bloody Plots Conspiracies attempts and Practises of the enemies of God against the true Religion and the professors thereof in all places especially in these three Kingdoms ever since the Reformation of Religion and how much their rage power and presumption are of late and at this time encreased and exercised whereof the deplorable estate of the Church and Kingdom of Ireland the distressed estate of the Church and Kingdom of England the dangerous estate of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland are present and publick Testimonies We have now at last after other means of Supplications Remonstrances Protestations and sufferings for the preservation of our selves and our Religion from utter ruine and destruction according to the commendable practises of these Kingdoms in former times and the example of Gods people in other nations after mature deliberation resolved and determined to enter into a mutual solemn League and Covenant wherein we all subscribe and each one of us for himself with our hands lifted up to the most High God do swear That we shall sincerely really and constantly through the grace of God endeavour in our several places and callings the preservation of the reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government against our common enemies the Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches and shall endeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms to the nearest conjunction and uniformity in Religion Confession of Faith form of Church-Government directory for Worship and Catechizing That we and our posterity after us may as Brethren live in faith and love and the Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us That we shall in like manner without respect of persons endeavour the extirpation of Popery Prelacie that is Church-government by Arch-Bishops Bishops their Chancellours and Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Arch-Deacons and all other Ecclesiastical Officers depending on that Hierarchie Superstition Heresie Schism Prophaneness and whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to sound Doctrine and the power of godliness lest we partake in other mens sins and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues and that the Lord may be one and his name one in the three Kingdomes We shall with the same sincerity reality and constancy in our several Vocations endeavour with our estates and lives mutually to preserve the Rights and priviledges of the Parliaments and the due liberties of the kingdomes and to preserve and defend the Kings Majesty his person and authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and liberties of the Kingdoms that the world may bear witness with our consciences of our loyalty and that we have no thoughts or intentions to diminish his Majesties just power and greatness We shall also with all faithfulness endeavour the discovery of all such as have been or shall be Incendiaries Malignants or evill instruments
daily trample 8. Besides these All these antiquated by Christianity they had other Lesser Gods of a Lower Form and Younger House as Helmsteed Prono Fridegast and Siwe all which at this day to use the a I saiah 2. 20. Prophets Expression are cast to the Moles and the Bats fit Company for them which have Eyes and see not Blind to the blind like all those which put Confidence in them And as the true and reall b Exod. 7. 12. Serpent of Aaron did swallow up and devour the seening Serpents which Iannes and Iambres the Aegyptian Inchanters did make so long since in England the Religion of the true God hath out-lived and out-lasted consuted and confounded all false and â—eigned Deities To conclude this Discourse I have heard of a man who being Drunk rode over a Narrow Bridge the first and last that ever passed that Way as which in likelyhood led him to imminent Death and next morning viewing how he had escaped he fell into a Swound with acting over again the Danger of his Adventure in his bare Apprehension So should England now thanks be to God grown sober and restored to her self seriously recollect her sad Condition when Posting in the Paths of Perdition being intoxicated with the Cup of Idolatrie she would fall into a Trance of Amazement at the consideration of her desperate state before Christianity recovered her to her right Senses the manner whereof we now come to relate 9. When Augustine the Monk as is afore said landed in Thanet The character of King Ethelbert Ethelbert was then King of Kent One who had very much of Good Nature in him of a Wild Olive well civilized and a Stock fit to be grafted upon Yea he was already with c Acts 26. 28. King Agrippa though not in the same sense almost a Christian because his other half d Bede Hist Eccles lib. 1. cap. 25. Queen Berhta daughter to the King of France was a Christian to whom he permitted the free use of her Religion allowing her both Luidhard a Bishop for her Chaplain and an old Church in Canterbury formerly dedicated by the Romans to S t. Martin to exercise her Devotion therein Besides at this time this Ethelbert was in effect Monarch of England whilest his Person had Residence chiefly in Kent his Power had Influence even to Humber all the rest of the Saxon Kings being Homagers unto him which afterward much expedited the passage of the Gospel in England Thus each officious Accident shall dutifully tender his Service to the advance of that Design which God will have effected 10. Then Augustine acquainted this Ethelbert with his Arrivall Augustine's addresses and Ethelbert's answer informing him by his Messengers that he brought the best Tidings unto him which would certainly procure eternall Happinesse in Heaven and endless Reigning in Bliss with the true God to such as should entertain them Soon after Ethelbert repaired into Thanet to whom Augustine made his addresse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a deal of spiritual carnall Pompe e Beda ut prists having a Silver Cross carried before him for a Banner the Image of our Saviour painted in a Table and singing the Letanie in the way as they went King Ethelbert desired all things betwixt them might be transacted in the open Aire refusing to come under a Roof for fear of Fascination And indeed a Stranger who had never seen the like before beholding Augustine with such abundance of Trinkets about him being formerly jealous might hereby have his Suspicion encreased that he went about some strange Machination However Ethelbert returned him a civil Answer That their Promises were fair and good but because new and uncertain he could not presently assent unto them and leave the ancient Customes of the English which had been for so long time observed But because they were Strangers coming from Far Countries to communicate to him and his such things as they conceived were good and true he would not forbid any Converts whom their Preaching could perswade to their Opinion and also would provide them Necessaries for their comfortable Accommodation 11. Hence Augustine 597 with his Followers Ethelbert and others converted to the Christian Faith advanced to Canterbury to the aforesaid old Church of S t. Martin's Here they lived so piously prayed so fervently fasted so frequently preached so constantly wrought Miracles so commonly that many people of Inferiour Rank and at last King Ethelbert himself was baptized and embraced the Christian Religion The same Ethelbert also ordered that none should be a Bede Hist Eccles lib. 1. cap. 26. forced into Religion having understood that Christs Service ought to be voluntary and not compelled And if his Courtiers had been as cautious not to embrace Religion for Fashion as the King was carefull they should not receive it for Fear there had not at that time been made so many Christians for Conveniency probably rather then for Conscience who soon after returned again to Paganisme However as it is rendered a reason in the dayes of Hezekiah why the Iews at so short warning so unanimously kept the Passeover God had prepared the People for the thing was done suddenly so on the same account it came to passe that in so little a time besides temporary Believers so many true and sincere Converts embraced the Christian Faith 12. Then Augustine by his Letters informed Gregory of the Progresse Gregorie's answer to Augustine's letters and Proficiency of his Paines in England Gregory returned him a discreet Answer rejoycing with him and advising of him not to be puffed up by Pride for the great Miracles wrought by him but timendo gaudere gaudendo pertimescere He minded him how when the Disciples triumphed at their b Luke 10. 17 casting out of Devils Christ more spirituallized their Joy rather to rejoyce that their Names were written in Heaven And indeed as some eminent in Piety never attained this Honour c Iohn 10. 41. Iohn Baptist did no miracle so many finally disavowed of God as unknown unto him shall plead for themselves and truly no doubt d Matt. 7. 22. in thy Name have we cast out Devils Yet this Admonition of Gregory is with me and ought to be with all unprejudiced persons an Argument beyond exception that though no discrect man will believe Augustine's Miracles in the latitude of Monkish Relations he is ignorantly and uncharitably peevish and morose who utterly denies some Miracles to have been really effected by him About the sametime S t. Gregory sent from Rome Mellitus Iustus Paulinus and Ruffinianus to be Fellow-labourers with Augustine in the English Harvest 13. Thus was Kent converted to Christianity 600 For such as account this a Conversion of all England Conclusion of this Century to make their words good do make use of a long and strong Synecdoche a Part for the Whole farre more then Half of the Land lying some yeares after
Pope who as Pastor Pastorum claimed Decimas Decimarum Entituling himself thereunto partly from Abraham a Priest paying o Gen 14. 20 Heb. 7. 4. Tithes to Melchizedeck the high Priest partly from the Levites in the Mosaical Law paying the Second Tithes that is the Tithes of their Tithes to the Priest Thus shall you offer an heave offering unto the Lord of all your p Num. 18. 28. Tithes which ye receive of the children of Israel and ye shall give thereof the Lords heave-offering to Aaron the Priest Hereupon the Pope had his Collectors in every Diocesse who sometimes by Bills of Exchange but generally in specie to the great impoverishing of the Land yearly returned the Tenths and First-fruits of the English Clergie to Rome 2. But the Pope being now dead in England the King was found his Heir at Common Law Commissioners imployed to 〈◊〉 all Ecclesistical preferments as to most of the power and profit the other had usurped But now as the Clergie changed their Land lord so their Rents were new rated and I believe somewhat raised Commissioners being imployed in all Counties the Bishop of the Diocesse being alwaies one of them to valew their yearly revenue Ann. Dom. 1537. that so their Tenths and First-fruits may be proportioned accordingly These Raters were the chiefest persons in all Counties under the degree of Barons and I had a project to presence their names as of men of unquestionable extraction none as yet standing on the ruins of Abbies to heighten their mean birth into the repute of Gentility Surrey Nicholas Carew Knights Matthew Broun Thomas Stidolfe Esquire John Banister Gentleman Huntingdon-shire Richard Sapcot Knights Lawrence Taylard John Gostwick Esquires John Goodrick Devon-shire William Courtney Knights Thomas Dennis John Birnall Major of Exeter John Hull Auditors William Simonds John Ford Auditors John Southcote Somerset-shire William Stourton Kn t s John Horsey Andrew Lutterell Thomas Speke Esq s. Hugh Powlet Henry q In this method they are named Capel Knight William Portman Gent. Roger Kinsey Auditor Stafford-shire John Talbot Knights John Gifford Walter Wrotley Esquire John Wrotely Gentleman Cheshire John Holford Knight Peter Dutton Knight George Booth Esq s. Thomas Aston Richard Ligh William Brereton But my designe failed when I found the return of the Commissioners names into the Office so defective that in most Counties they are wholly omitted 3. These Commissioners were impowered by the King Instructions given to the Commissioners to send for the Scribes and Notaries of all Bishops and Arch-Bishops and Arch-deacons to swear the Receivers and Auditors of Incumbents to view their Register-books Easter-books and all other writings and to use all other waies to know the full value of Ecclesiastical preferments with the number and names of Persons enjoying the same They were to divide themselves by Three and Three allotting to every number so many Deaneries and to enquire the number and names of all Abbies Monasteries Priories Brotherships Sisterships Fellowships c. Houses religious and conventual as well r Transcribedwith my owne hand out of the original in the Office CHARTER-HOUSE as others these carthusians being specified by name because proudly pretending priviledges of Papal exemption and meeting together to certifie into Exchequer at the time limited in their Commission the true value of such Places or Preferments Herein Reparations Fees of in t ſ No Clerk in the Office cou'd read this word were not to be deducted but perpetual Rents Pensions Alms Synods Fees paid out yearly to Persons were to be allowed 4. This being a work of time exactly to perform Some yeares spent in the work took up some years in the effecting thereof Devon-shire and Somer set were done in the twenty-seventh Staffordshire and many other Countries in the thirty-fourth of King Henry the eighth and most of Wales not till the reign of King Edward the sixt Yea I am credibly informed that in Ireland to which Kingdome such Commissions were afterwards extended the Commissioners partly tired with their troblesome work partly afraid to pass the dangerous hill of Rushes in Irish Sleue Logher never came into the County of Kerry the South-west extremity of that Island So that the Clergie thereof though the poorest of the poorest in Ireland enjoy this priviledge that they are presently put into their Livings or Benefices rather without any payments 5. But no such favour was allowed to any place in England where all were unpartially rated Vicaridges why so high-rated and Vicaridges valued very high according to their present revenue by personal Perquisites In that Age he generally was the richest Shepherd who had the greatest flock where Oblations from the living and Obits for the dead as certainly paid as Predial Tithes much advanced their Income In consideration whereof Vicaridges mostly lying in Market-Towns and populous Parishes where set very high though soon after those Obventions sunk with superstition And the Vicars in vain desired a proportionable abatement in the King's book which once drawn up were no more to be altered 6. Now Queen Mary a Princesse Q Mary remits Tenths and First-fruits whose conscience was never purse-ridden as one who would go to the cost of Her own principles did by Act of Parliament exonerate acquit and discharge the Clergie from all First-fruits As for Tenths the same * 2 3 Phil Mary cap. 4. Statute ordereth them to be paid to Cardinal Poole who from the same was to pay the Pensions allowed by Her Father to Monks and Nuns at the dissolution of Abbies yet so that when such persons who were but few and aged all named in a Deed indented should decease all such paiments of the Clergie reserved nomine decimae should cease and be clearly extinct and determined for ever 7. But Her Sister Q. Elizabeth succeeding Her Q. Elizabeth resumeth them and finding so fair a flower as First fruits Tenths fallen out of Her Crown was careful quickly to gather it up again and get it re-sett therein A Princesse most to forgive injuries but inexorable to remit debts who knowing that necessitous Kings are subject to great inconveniences was a thrifty improver of Her treasure And no wonder if She were exact though not exacting to have Her dues from the Clergie who herein would not favour her grand favourite Sir Christopher Hatton who by the way was Master of this first-fruits Office and was much indebted unto Her for moneys received All which arrears Her Majesty required so severely and suddainly from him that the grief thereof cost his life I say this Queen in the first of Her t See the Stat. 1 Eliz. cap. 4. Reign resumed first-fruits and tenths onely with this case to Parsonages not exceeding ten marks and Vicaridges ten pounds that they should be freed from first-fruits A clause in this Statute impowering the Queen to take all that was due unto Her from the first day of this Parliament was so
to return into his native Land and died quietly neere the City of London 6. The second The death of Nicholas Harpsfield Nicholas Harpsfield bred first in Winchester School then New Colledge in Oxford where he proceeded Doctor of Law and afterward became Arch-Deacon of Canterbury Under King Edward the 6 th he banished himself under Queen Mary he returned and was advanced And under Queen Elizabeth imprisoned for denying Her Supremacy Yet such was his milde usage in restraint that he had the opportunity to write much therein and amongst the rest his Ecclesiastical History no less learnedly then painfully peformed and abating his Partiality to his own Interest well deserving of all posterity He wrote also six dialogues in favour of his Religion but because in durance he durst not set it forth in his own but under the Name of Alan Cope Yet lest truth should be conceal'd and friend defraud friend of his due praise he caused these Capitall Letters to be ingraved at the end of his Book A. H. L. N. H. E. V. E. A. C. Hereby mystically meaning Auctor Hujus Libri Nicholaus Harpesfeldus Edidit Verò Eum Aalnus Copus He died this year at London in prison after 20. years restraint leaving behind him the general reputation of a Religious man 7. The third The death of Gregory Martin Gregory Martin born at Macfield in Sussex bred with Campian in St. Iohns Colledge in Oxford Tutor to Philip Earl of Arundel eldest son to Thomas Duke of Norfolke Afterwards he went over beyond Sea and became Divinity Professor in the Colledge of Rhemes died there October 28. and is buried with a large Epitaph under a plain monument 8. I shall now withdraw my self Letter History best History or at leastwise stand by a silent spectator whilst I make room for far my betters to come forth and speak in the present controversie of Church Government Call it not Cowardize but count it Caution in me if desirous in this difference to lie at a close-guard and offer as little as may be on either side Whilst the Reader shall behold the Masters of Defence on both sides engaged therein in these following letters of State Baronius the great Roman Annalist was wont to say Epistolaris Historia est optima Historia that is the best History which is collected out of Letters How much of the Acts of the Apostles especially for the regulation of time is contained in the Epistles of S t. Paul Of the Primitive History the most Authenticall part is what is gathered out of the letters of the Fathers and in like manner the true estate of Ecclesiasticall affairs in the dayes of Queen Elizabeth may be extracted out of the following despatches and their returns exhibiting the inclinations of their Authors in pure Naturalls without any adulterated addition and therefore the surest for others instruction and safest for my own protection 9. But one thing I must clear in our entrance thereon Objection against Letter want of Date answered in excuse that these Letters are Dateless as to the day and moneth a great omission which I have seen in many Originalls whose Authors so minded the matter that they neglected the time the present dispatching of them being date enough to their purpose though now the want thereof leaves Posterity at a loss A Blew Coat without a Badge is but a white Coat in effect as nothing informing the Beholder to what Lord the Bearer thereof doth relate And as little instructive will some say are these Letters as to the point of Chronologie But be it known that no Readers stomack can be so sharp set on Criticalness of Chronologie Anno. Dom. 1583. but that being fed with the certainty of the year He will not be famisht with the uncertainty of the moneth or day Anno Regin Eliza. 26. Indeed as such whose names are casually omitted in the Register may recover the truth of their age by a Comparative Computation of their years who were born about the same time so by the mixture and comparing of these dateless Letters with those having date of secular affairs I could Competently have collected and inserted the time save that I loath to obtrude any thing conjecturall on the readers belief But we must begin with the ensuing Petition as the ground-work of all the rest The Ministers of Kent to the Privie Councel MAy it please your Honours of your great and wonted favour towards the distressed The petition of the Kentish Ministers to consider these following Whereas we have been called to subscribe in the County of Kent to certain Articles propounded by my Lords Grace of Canterbury unto the Ministers and Preachers The first concerning Her Majesties authority The second concerning no contrariety to the word of God in the Book of Common-Prayer and administration of the Sacraments the book of ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons And the third that we beleeve all things in the book of the Articles of Religion to be agreeable to the word of God Whereupon all have most willingly offered to subscribe unto the other two And being pronounced in the open Court Contumaces reservata poenâ and so refer'd to answer at Law the 11 and 13 of February Which we feared would be prosecuted with much trouble and no resolution to our consciences we amongst the rest repaired with that carefull avoiding that we could of offence to his Lordships Grace to whom when we had the first day made known some of our doubts concerning the first book only many moe in number and as great in weight concerning the first and second and some concerning the third remaining beside we have upon our refusall and record taken by publick notary of one point only from every particular refuser which moved him thereunto and one place of Scripture adjoyned without collection or the reason of the same been suspended from our Ministery by which occasion as we fear that that account which hath been made of the consequence of our cause both in publick sermons and pronouncing of sentence against us namely that in denying to subscribe to the two aforesaid Articles we separated our selves from the Church and condemned the right service of God in prayer and administration of the Sacraments in the Church of England and the Ministry of the same and disobeyed Her Majesties Authority hath been intimated to your Honours So we think it our bound duties most humbly on our knees to beseech your Honours to know and make manifest in our behalf to Her Majesty that which we before the Lord in simplicity protest we in all reverence judge of the authority which is established and the persons which were Authors of those books that they did not only speak but also did highly to the glory of God promote the true Religion of God and the Glorious Gospell of Jesus Christ and that we so esteem of those books and there is nothing in them to cause us to separate our selves
very hard that when I think to deserve best and in a manner to consume my self to satisfie that which God her Majestie the Church requireth of me should be so evil rewarded Sed meliora spero And I know your Lordship doth all as you are perswaded for the best I beseech God long to bless and preserve you John Cantuar. It seemes the Lord Treasurer took exceptions at some passages herein I dare not say with those That the Letter was brought to him when he was indisposed with the fit of the Gout which made him so offended But what soever was the cause of his passion see some signs thereof in what followeth I Have Received your Graces Letter The L. Treasurers smart Letter to the Arch-Bishop answering sundry speeches as I think delivered by your Chaplain Doctor Cozens and I perceive you are sharply moved to blame me and clear your self I know I have many faults but I hope I have not given such cause of offence as your Letter expresseth I deny nothing that your Grace thinketh meet to proceed in with these whom you call factious and therefore there is no controversie between you and me expressed in your Letter the controversie is passed in your Graces Letter in silence and so I do satisfie your Grace promised me to deal I say onely with such as violated order and to charge them therewith which I allow well of But your Grace not charging them with such faults seeketh by examination to urge them to accuse themselves and then I think you will punish them I think your Graces proceeding is I will not say rigorous or captious but I think it is scant charitable I have no leisure to write more and therefore I will end for writing will but increase offence and I mean not to offend your Grace I am content that your Grace and my Lord of London where I hear Brown is use him as your wisdoms shall think meet If I had known his fault I might be blamed for writing for him but when by examination onely it is meant to sift him with twenty four Articles I have cause to pitty the poor man Your Graces as friendly as any WILL. BURLEY Short but sharp I see though anger only resteth a Eccles. 7. 9. in the Bosome of Fools it may light on the Brest of a wise man But no fear that these friends will finally fall out who alternately were passionate and patient So that now it came to the turn of Whitgift to be calme as he expressed himself in the following return To the Lord Treasurer My singular good Lord GOd knoweth how desirous I have been from time to time to satisfie your Lordship in all things The Arch-Bishops calm Letter to the half-angry Treasurer and to have my doings approved to you For which cause since my coming to this place I have done nothing of Importance without your advice I have risen early and sat up late to write unto you such objections and answers as on either side were used I have not the like to any man and shall I now say I have lost my labour or shall my just dealing with two of the most disordered Ministers in a whole Diocess the obstinacy and contempt of whom especially of one of them you your self would not bear in any subjected to your authority cause you so to think and speak of my doings yea and of my self no man living should have made me believe it Solomon saith an old friend is better then a new and I trust your Lordship will not so lightly cast off your old friends for any of these new fangled and factious sectaries whose fruits are to make divisions wheresoever they come and to separate old and assured friends Your Lordship seemeth to charge me with breach of promise touching my manner of proceeding whereof I am no way guilty but I have altered my first course of depriving them for not subscribing only justifiable by the Law and common practice both in the time of King Edward and from the beginning of her Majesties Reign and chosen this only to satisfie your Lordship Your Lordship also objecteth that it is said I took this course for the better maintenance of my book my enemies say so indeed but I trust my friends have a better opinion of me what should I seek for any confirmation of my book after twelve years or what should I get thereby more then already And yet if subscription may confirme it it is confirmed long agoe by the subscription of all the Clergy almost in England before my time even of Brain also who now seemeth to be so willfull Mine Enemies and tongues of this slanderous and uncharitable sect report that I am revolted and become a Papist and I know not what but it proceedeth from their lewdnesse not from any desert of mine and I disdain to answer to any such notorious untruths which the best of them dare not avouch to my face Your Lordship seemeth further to burden me with wilfulness I am sure that you are not so perswaded of me I will appeal to your own conscience There is difference betwixt wilfullness and constancie I have taken upon me the defence of the Religion and rights of the Church of England to appease the sects of schisms therein and to reduce all the Ministers thereof to uniformity and due obedience herein I intend to be constant and not to waver with every winde The which also my place my person my duty the laws her Majesty and the goodness of the cause doth require of me and wherein your Lordship and others all things considered ought in duty to asist and countenance me It is strange that a man in my place dealing by so good warranties as I do should be so incountred and for not yielding to be counted wilfull but I must be contented Vincit qui patitur and if my friends forsake me herein I trust God will not neither the Law nor her Majesty who hath laid the charge on me and are able to protect me But of all other things it most grieveth me if your Lordship should say that two Ministers fare the worse because your Lordship hath sent them Hath your Lordship ever had any cause so to think of me It is needless for me to protest my heart and affection towards you above all other men the world knoweth it and I am assured that your Lordship nothing doubteth thereof I have rather cause to complain to your Lordship of your self that upon so small an occasson and in the behalf of two such you will so hardly conceive of me yea and as it were countenance persons so meanly qualified in so evill a cause against me your Lordships so long tried friend and their Ordinary That hath not so been in times past now it should least of all be I may not suffer the notorious contempt of one of them especially unless I will become Fsops Block and undoe all that which hitherto have been
Anno 1630. it nothing related to those opinons he did or his followers do maintain For as I am credibly informed being by the Constable of the Parish who chanced also to be his God-son somewhat roughly and rudely required the payment of a rate he happ'ned in passion to strike him The Constable not taking it patiently as a castigation from a God-father but in anger as an affront to his office complained to S r. Rowland S r. John a neighbouring Justice of the peace and Brown is brought before him The Knight of himself was prone rather to pity and pardon than punish his passion but Browns behaviour was so stubborn that he appeared obstinately ambitious of a prison as desirous after long absence to renew his familiarity with his ancient acquaintance His Mittimus is made and a cart with a feather-bed provided to carry him he himself being so infirme above eighty to goe too unweldie to ride and no friend so favourable as to purchase for him a more comly conveyance To Northampton jayle he is sent where soon after he sickned died and was buried in a neighbouring Church-yard and it is no hurt to wish that his bad opinions had been interred with him 7. The Tenents of Brownists daily increasing June 4. 6. July 6. their books were prohibited by the Queens authority Two Brownists executed Notwithstanding which prohibition some presumed to disperse the same and paid dearly for their contempt therein For Elias a Stow Chronicle pag. 697. Thacker was hanged on the fourth and John Coping on the sixth of June at the same place St. Edmonds Burie and for the same offence the scattering such schismatical pamphlets 8. John Whitgift succeeding in the Arch-Bishoprick Sept. 24. found it much surcharged in the valuation Whitgift succeedeth him and empaired in the revenues through the negligence of his predecessour who would pay willingly what they asked of him and take contentedly what any tendered to him First therefore Whitgift b Sr. George Paul in his life pag. 28. procured an order out of the Exchequer for the abatement of an hundred pound for him and his successours in the payment of his first-fruits Afterwards he encountred no meaner man than that great Courtier Souldier and Privie-Councellour S r. James Crosts or rather he legally contested with the Queen in him and recovered from both long c Idem p. 29. Beachwood in Kent containing above a thousand acres of land detained from his predecessour under colour of a lease from Her Majesty 9. This d Camdens Eliz. in hoc Anno. year Nicholas Sanders more truly Slanders Death of Sanders had in Ireland a wofull end of his wretched life He was borne in Sâ—rrey bred first in Winchester then in New Colledge in Oxford where he was Kings-Professor of Canon-Law but afterwards banishing himself fled to Rome there made Priest and D r. of Divinity He accompanied Cardinal Hosius to the Councel of Trent and there is said by disputing and declaiming to have gained himself great reputation At last he was sent over Popes Nuncio into Ireland conceived then a desperate employment and therefore many Catholicks regreted thereat Yea some were overheard to say but it is e De scriptor Anglican aetate 16. pag. 773. Pitzaeus Sander's own sisters son who reports it Why does his Holiness send our Sanders into Ireland We value him more then all Ireland is worth There amongst the bogs and mountains was he starved to death justly famished for want of food who formerly had surfited on improbable lies by him first forged on the nativity of Queen Elizabeth 10. We must not forget Lewes burnt at Norwich how this year one John Lewes was burnt at Norwich for denying the Godhead of Christ and holding other detestable heresies He called himself f Stows Chron. pag. 697. Abdeit let him tell you what he meant thereby alluding therein to the promise of a new g Rev. 2. 17. name which no man knoweth but him that receiveth it having in it a little mock-Hebrew to make himself the more remarkable 11. Now 27. 1584. so great was the malice of the Jesuits against Her Majesty Popish libels that at this time they set forth many slanderous libels stirring up Her Subjects and Servants to do the same to Her as Judith did to h Camdens Eliz. in hoc Anno. Holofernes One of their principal pamphlets was intitled A Treatise of Schism The suspicion of making it fell on Gregory Martin one probable enough for such a prank as being Divinity Professor in Rhemes did not his Epitaph there i Pitzaeus Descript Anglic pag. 782. ensure me he was dead and buried two years before Though it is possible his posthume work might be born abroad after the death of the author thereof But whoever made it William Carter the Stationer paid dearly for publishing it being executed at Tiburn And in the next moneth five Seminaries John Fen George Haddock John Munden John Nutter and Thomas Hemmerford were hanged bowelled and quartered for treason at Tiburn and many others about the same time Anno Dom. 1584. Anno Regin Eliza. 27. executed in other places 12. Yet The Queen Her eminent mercy even in the midst of this necessarie severity Her Majesty was most mercifull unto many Popish malefactors whose lives stood forfeited to the Laws in the rigour thereof For no fewer then seventy Priests some of them actually condemned to die all legally deserving death were by one act of Grace pardoned and sent over beyond sea Amongst these were 1. Gaspar Heywood son to that eminent Epigrammatist the first a Camdens Eliz. 1584. Jesuite that ever set foot in England 2. James Bosgrave 3. John Hart a learned man zealous to dispute not dangerous to practice for his religion 4. Edward Rishton ungrateful wretch who afterwards railed in print on the Queen who gave him his life Her Majesties mercy herein was the more remarkable because done at a time when treasons against her person by Arden Summerfield Throgmorton c. did follow or rather tread one on another If hereafter the edge of justice fall sharper on Jesuits let them thank their own trechery which whetted it against themselves 13. This year two conferences or disputations were kept Two fruitless Conferences the last at Lambeth about the Discipline and Ceremonies of the Church 1. Whitgift Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Sandys of York and Cooper of Winchester for the same 2. Unconforming Ministers whose names I cannot certainly attain against it 3. The Lords of Her Majesties Privie Councell and some other persons of Honour Auditors thereof This Conference effected nothing on the disputants as to the altering of their opinions little on the Auditors but as much on all as any judicious person ever expected What Eliah said passionately b 1 King 19. 4. I am no better then my Fathers may be soberly said of this conference It was no happier then
And yet in way of recovering health by changing of Aire of study for a time in thâ— Vniversity of mortall enmity borne by some in the parish of prosecution of Law or of being imployed in publick Affairs they cannot be wholy abrogated That there were in England foure thousand five hundred Benefices with Cure not above ten and most of them under eight pounds in the first fruits-book which cannot be furnished with able Pastors as the Petitioners desire because of the smallness of their livings Moreover he affirmed that what ever was pretended to the contrary England at that time flourished with able Ministers more then ever before yea had more then all Christendome besides 3. The Lord Grey rejoyned to this Assertion of more learned Ministers in the Church of England then ever heretofore The Lord Gray his rejoynder nay then in all the reformed Churches in Christendome this That it was not to he attributed to the Bishops or their actions but to God who now opened the hearts of many to see into the truth and that the Schools were better observed 4. The Lord Treasurer Burghley seeming to moderate betwixt them The Lord Treasurer his moderation after a long and learned oration concluded that he was not so scrupuleus as absolutely to like of the bill against Pluralities without any exception for he did favour both learning and wished a competent reward to it And therefore could like and allow a learned man to have two Benefices so they were both in ene parish that is to say in one Diocess and not one in the Diocess of Winchester and another in the North where the severall Diocesans would have no regard of them whereas being both in one Diocess the Bishop would look unto them 5. Here it was signified that her Majesty was acquainted with the matter Others interpret and that she was very forward to redress the faults and therefore required the Bishops not to binder her good and gracious purpose for that her Majesty would conferr with them 6. The Lord Gray again said The Lord Grays quere whether of Withen or what most probable of Ruthen afterwards Earl of Kent replyed he greatly wondred at her Majesty that she would make choice to conser with those who were all enemies to Reformation for that it meerly touched their freeholds and therefore he thought it good the house should make choice of some to be joyned with them Also he wished the Bishops might be served as they were in in King Henry the 8 th dayes when as in the case of praemunire they were all thrust out of doores 7. Then the Lord Treasurer said that the Bishops if they were wise would themselves be humble suiters to her Majesty to have some of the Temporall Lords joyned with them 8. The Lord Chamberlain utterly disliked the Lord Grayes motion alledging that it was not to be liked of that the Lords should appoint her Majesty any to confer withall but that it should be left to her own election 9. Matters flying thus high the Arch-Bishop with the rest of the Clergy The Bishops providently petition the Queen conceived it the safest way to apply themselves by Petition to the Queen which they presented as followeth To the Queens most excellent Majesty THe wofull and distressed state whereinto we are like to fall forceth us with griâ—f of heart in most humble maner to crave your Majesties most soveraign Protection For the pretence being made the maintenance and increase of a learned ministry when it is throughly weighed decryeth learning spoâ—leth their livings taketh away the sâ—t form of prayer in the Church and is the means to bring in confusion and Barbarisme How dangerous innovations are in a setled estate whosoever hath judgemeâ—t perceiveth Set dangers apart yet such great inconviniences may ensae as will make a state lamentable and miserable Our nâ—ighbours miseries might make us fearfull but that we know who tales the same All the reformed Churches in Europe cannot compare with England in the number of learned Ministers These benefits of your Majesties most sacred and are fall Government with hearty joy we feel and humbly acknowledge senceless are they that repâ—ne at it and careless wâ—o lightly regard it The respect hereof made the Prophet to say Dii estis All the faithfull and discreet Clergy say ô Dea certè Nothing is impossible with God Requests without grounded reasons are lightly to be rejected We therefore not as directors but as humble Remembrancers beseech your Highness favourable beholding of our present state And what it will be in time to come if the Bill against Pluralities should take any place To the Petition were annexed a catalogue of those inconveniences to the State present State to come Cathedrall Churches Universities to her Majesty to Religion in case pluralities were taken away here too large to be inserted So that in effect nothing was effected as in relation to this matter but things left in staâ—u quo prius at the dissolution of this Parliament 10. Amongst the mortalities of this year The death of Bp Barns most remarkable the death of Richard Barnes Bishop of Durham one commendable in himself but much suffering for the * See the life of Bernard Gilpin p. 190. corruption and viciousness of John Barnes his brother and Chancellour This Bishop was bred in Brasen-nose Colledge made Suffragan of Nottingham the last I beleeve who wore that title and behaved himself very gravely in his Diocess A great friend at last to Bernard Gilpin though at first by some ill instruments incensed against him and seeing they were loving in their lives their memories in my Book shall not be divided though I confess the later died some three years before 11. This Bernard Gilpin And of Bernard Gilpin born of a right worshipfull family at Kentmirâ— in Westmerland had Cuthbert Tonstali Bishop of Durham for his great Vncle he was bred first in Queens Colledgs then Christs-Church in Oxford and no doubt the prayers of Peter Martyr conduced to his conversion to be a Protestant For he hearing this Gilpin dispute cordially on the Popish party desired of God that so good affections might not be misguided and at last obtained his desire 12. He Weathered out the Raign of Queen Mary Hardly escaped in Queen Maries dayes partly with his travels beyond the seas Anno Dom. 1587. chiefly residing at Lovain Anno Regin Eliza. 30. and Paris partly after his return by the favour of his Uncle Tonstall Before whom he was often cited chiefly about the Eucharist but was discharged by confessing the reall presence and that the manner thereof transcended his apprehension Tonstall not inforcing him to the particularity of Transubstantiation as using himself to complain on Pope Innocent for defining de modo to be an article of faith However his foes so hardly beset him that once he ordered his servant to provide for him a long shroud not for his
and his judgement may according to the credit or reference of the Author alledged believe or abate from the reputation of the report Let me add that though it be a lie in the Clock it 's but a falsehood in the Hand of the Diall when pointing at a wrong hour if rightly following the direction of the wheele which moveth it And the fault is not mine if â—truly cite what is false on the credit of another The best certainty in this kinde we are capable of is what we finde in the confessions of the parties themselves The success of the solemn humiliation of the ministers at Northampton deposed on oath taken by publick notaries and recorded in court for such who herein will flie higher for true intelligence then the Starr-Chamber must fetch it from heaven himself 23. In that Court we finde confessed by one M r. b See Englands Scoâ—tizing for discipline 3. Cap. 6. pag. 88. Johnson formerly a great Presbyterian but afterwards it seems falling from that side he discovered many passages to their disadvantage how that when the Book of Discipline came to Northampton to be subscribed unto there was a generall censuring used amongst the brethren there as it were to sanctifie themselves partly by sustaining a kinde of pennance and reproof for their former conformity to the Orders of the Church and partly to prepare their mindes for the devout accepting of the aforesaid Book In which course of censuring used at that time there was such a ripping up one of anothers life even from their youth as that they came to bitterness and reviling tearms amongst themselves one growing thereby odious to another and some did thereupon utterly forsake those kinds of Assemblies O how wofull the 〈◊〉 of the English Church whilst her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 her ministers and under-â—owers some tugged it one way and others towing it another enough almost to split her in pieces with the violence of their contrary Discipline 24. Leave we them for a while The Contents of the 〈◊〉 to the Catholicks of England to behold how the Popish Clergy were employed who in the beginning of this year were as busie as Bees newly ready to swarme A Book was set forth called the admonition dispersed amongst Catholicks and highly cried up consisting of severall Parts not unfit to be here recited 1. The Authors make their entrance into the discourse with a most odious and shamefull declamation against her Majesty stirring up her subjects hearts to contempt of her highness as being one odious to God and man They threaten the Nobility Gentry c. with loss of all their goods their Lands their Lives and with damnation besides except that presently upon the landing of the Spaniards they joyned themselves and all their forces men munition victuals and whatsoever else they could make with their Catholick Army forsooth for the words be these If you will avoid say they the Popes the Kings and other Princes high indignation let no man of what degree soever abet aid defend or acknowledge her c. adding that otherwise they should incurr the Angels Curse and Malediction and be as deeply excommunicated as any because that in taking her Majesties part they should fight against God against their lawfull King against their Countrey and that notwithstanding all they should do they should but defend her highness bootless to their own present destruction and eternall shame 2. After all those and many other such threats in a high and military stile to scarr fools with then they come to some more milde perswasions and promise the noble men that so they joyn with the duke of PARMA upon the receipt of their Admonition they will intreat that their whole houses shall not perish For Persons did instigate the English Cardinall to swear by his Honour and in the word of a Cardinall that in the fury of their intended Massacre their should as great care be taken of every Catholick and penitent person as possibly could be and that he was made a Cardinall of purpose to be sent then into England for the sweet managing of those Affairs 3. Other arguments they used drawn from the certainty of the victory as that all the Protestants would either turn their Coats Copies arms or fly away in fear and torment of the Angel of God prosecuting them that although none of her Majesties subjects should assist the Spaniards yet their own forces which they brought with them were strong enough their provision sufficient their appointment so surpassing that they had more expert Captains then her Majesty had good souldiers all resolute to be in the Cause which they had undertaken that the Blood of all the blessed Bishops shed in this Land and all the saints in heaven prayed for the Spaniards victory that all the vertuous Priests of our Country both at Home and Abroad had stretched forth their sacred hands to the same end that many priests were in the Camp to serve every spiritual mans necessity that their forces were guarded with all Gods Holy Angels with Christ himself in the soveraign Sacrament and with the daily most holy oblation of Christs own dear body and blood that the Spaniards being thus assisted with so many helps though they had been never so few they could not lose and that her Majesty and her Assistants wanting these helps although they were never so fierce never so proud never so many never so well appointed yet they could not prevail Fear you not say they to such as would take their part they cannot And thus far out of their said Jesuiticall Admonition The Book goes under the name of Cardinall Allen though the secular Priests say he was but the Cloak-father thereof and that a Watsons Quodlibets pag. 240. Parsons the Jesuite made it Others conceive it equivocally begotten as the result and extract of severall brains No doubt had the Spanish Invasion succeeded happy he who could have laid claim to so prophetical a piece and they would have fallen out as the two * 1 Kings 3. Harlots about the living Child who should have been Parent thereof Whereas now on the miscarriage of their great Navie all disclaimed the Book and Parsons procured the whole impression to be burnt save some b Watson ut prius few sent abroad before hand to his friends that it might not remain a monument of their falsehood And now the Popish Priests some lurk't here in holes other fled into forraign parts their confusion being the greater for their former confidence Thus * Judg. 5. 30. Sisera comes off the more coldly when stript out of the garment of divers colours wherewith his mother had arrayed him in her fancy running faster then the wheels of her sons Charriot to his imaginary conquest 25. This year died Edwin Sands Arch-Bishop of Yorke Aug. 8. born in Lancashire of worshipfull Parentage The death of Edw. Sands Arch-Bishop of York bred in Cambridge banished to Germany after
betwixt them But such as knew M r Hooker knew him to be too wise to take exception at such trifles the rather because the most judicious is always the least part in all auditories 55. Here might one on Sundayes have seen They clash about matters of Doctrine almost as many writers as hearers Not only young students but even the gravest Benchers such as S t Edw Cook and S t James Altham then were were not more exact in taking instructions from their clients then in writing notes from the mouths of their Ministers The worst was these two preachers though joyned in affinity their nearest kindred being married together acted with different principles and clashed one against another So that what M r Hooker delivered in the forenoon M r Travers confuted in the afternoon At the building of Solomons Temple 1 King 6. 7. neither hammer nor axe nor tool of iron was heard therein Whereas alass in this Temple not only much knocking was heard but which was the worst the nailes and pins which one master-builder drave in were driven out by the other To pass by lesser differences betwixt them about Predestination Hooker maintained The Church of Rome though not a pure and perfect yet is a true Church so that such who live and die therein * Being weak ignorant and seduced upon their repentance of all their sins of ignorance may be saved Travers defended The Church of Rome is no true Church at all so that such as live and die therein holding Justification in part by works cannot be said by the Scriptures to be saved Thus much disturbance was caused to the disquieting of peoples consciences the disgrace of the ordinance the advantage of the common enemy and the dishonour of God himself 56. Here Arch-Bishop Whitgift interposed his power Travers is silenced by the Arch-Bishop and silenced Travers from preaching either in the Temple or any where else It was lai'd to his charge 1. That he was no lawfull ordained Minister according to the Church of England 2 ly That he preached here without licence 3 ly That he had broken the order made in the 7 th year of her Majesties reign Wherein it was provided that erroneous Doctrine if it came to be publickly taught should not be publickly refuted but that notice thereof should be given to the Ordinary to hear and determine such causes to prevent publick disturbance 57. As for Travers Many pleased with the deed but not with the manner of doing it his silencing many which were well pleased with the deed done were offended at the manner of doing it For all the Congregation on a Sabbath in the after noon were assembled together their attention prepared the Cloath as I may say and napkins were laied yea the guests set and their knives drawn for their spirituall repast when suddenly as M r Travers was going up into the pulpit a sorry fellow served him with a letter prohibiting him to preach any more In obedience to Authority the milde and constant submission whereunto won him respect with his adversaries M r Travers calmly signified the same to the Congregation and requested them quietly to depart to their chambers Thus was our good Zacheus struck dumb in the Temple but not for infidelity unpartial people accounting his fault at most but indiscretion Mean time his Auditory pained that their pregnant expectation to hear him preach should so publickly prove abortive and sent sermonless home manifested in their variety of passion some grieving some frowning some murmuring and the wisest sort who held their tongues shaked their heads as disliking the managing of the matter 58. Travers addressed himself by petition to the Lords of the privie Councell where his strength lay Travers his plea in his petition as Hookers in the Arch-Bishop of Cant and high Commission grievously complained that he was punished before he was heard silenced by him apprehended the heaviest penalty before sent for contrary to equity and reason The a Joh. 7. 51. Law condemning none before it hear him and know what he hath done 1. To the exception against the lawfulness of his Ministry he pleaded that the communion of Saints allows Ordination legall in any Christian Church Orders herein are like degrees and a Doctor graduated in any University hath his title and place granted him in all Christendome 2. For want of licence to preach he pleaded that he was recommended to this place of the Temple by two letters of the Bishop of London the Diocesan thereof 3. His Anti-preaching in the afternoon against what was delivered before he endeavoured to excuse by the example of S t Paul b Gal. 2. 5. Who gave not place to Peter no not an hour that the truth of the Gospell might continue amongst them But we are too tedious herein especially seeing his petition is publickly extant in print with M r Hooker his answer thereunto whither we referr the reader for his more ample satisfaction 59. By the way A charitable adversary it must not be forgotten that in the very midst of the Paroxisme betwixt Hooker and Travers the latter stil bare and none can challenge the other to the contrary a reverend esteem of his adversary And when an unworthy aspersion some years after was cast on Hooker if Christ was dasht shall Christians escape clean in their journey to heaven M r Travers being asked of a private friend what he thought of the truth of that accusation In truth said he I take M r Hooker to be a holy man A speech with coming from an adversary sounds no less to the commendation of his charity who spake it then to the praise of his piety of whom it was spoken 60. The Councell table was much divided about Travers his petition All Whitgists foes were ipso facto made Travers his favourers Travers must have no favour besides he had a large stock of friends on his own account But Whitgifts finger moved more in Church matters then all the hands of all the privie Councellers besides and he was content to suffer others to be beleeved and perchance to beleeve themselves great actors in Church-government whilst he knew he could and did do all things himself therein No favour must be afforded Travers on any terms 1. Dangerous was his person a Cartwright junior none in England either more loving Geneva or more beloved by it 2 ly Dangerous the place the Temple being one of the Jnns therefore a publick of Court therefore a principall place and to suffer one opposite to the English discipline to continue Lecturer there what was it but in effect to retain half the Lawyers of England to be of Councell against the ecclesiastical government thereof 3 ly Dangerous the Precedent this leading case would be presumed on for others to follow and a ranks breaking may be an armies ruining 61. This was the constant custome of Whitgift Whitgift his politick carriage if any Lord or Lady
of this Meeting I mislike your sudden interruption of Doctour Reynolds whom you should have suffered to have taken his liberty For there is no Order nor can be any effectuall Issue of Disputation if each party be not suffered without chopping to speak at large Wherefore either let the Doctor proceed or frame your Answer to his Motions already made although some of them are very needlesse BP of Lond. Upon the first motion concerning falling from Grace may Your Majesty be pleased to consider how many in these dayes neglect holinesse of Life presuming on persisting in Grace upon Predestination If I shall be saved I shall be saved A desperate Doctrine contrary to good Divinity wherein we should reason rather ascendendo than descendendo from our Obedience to God and Love to our Neighbour to our Election and Predestination As for the Doctrine of the Church of England touching Predestination it is in the very next Paragraph viz. We must receive Gods Promises in such wise as they be generally set forth to us in Holy Scripture and in our doings the will of God is to be followed which we have expresly declared unto us in the Word of God His Majesty I approve it very well as consonant with the place of Paul Work out your salvation with feare and trembling Yet let it be considered of whether any thing were meet to be added for clearing of the Doctors doubt by putting in the word often or the like Mean time I wish that the Doctrine of Predestination may be tenderly handled lest on the one side Gods Omnipotency be questioned by impeaching the Doctrine of his eternall Predestination or on the other side a desperate presumption arreared by inferring the necessary certainty of persisting in Grace B. of Lond. The second Objection of the Doctors is vain it being the Doctrine and Practice of the Church of England that none but a Licensed Minister may preach nor administer the Lords Supper His Majesty As for Private Baptisme I have already with the Bishops taken order for the same Then came they to the 2 d. point of Confirmation and upon the perusal of the words of the Article His Majesty concluded the pretended Contradiction a Cvaill Bp. of Lond. Confirmation is not so much founded on the place in the Acts of the Apostles but upon Heb. 6. 2. which was the opinion besides the judgement of the Fathers of Mr. Calvin h On Heb 6. 2. and Doctour Fulk i On Act. 8. 27. neither needeth there any farther proof seeing as I suppose he that objected this holds not Confirmation unlawfull but he and his Party are vexed that the use thereof is not in their owne hands for every Pastor to confirme his owne Parish for then it would be accounted an Apostolicall Institution if Dr. Reynolds were pleased but to speak his thoughts therein D r. Reyn. Indeed seeing some Diocesse of a Bishop hath therein six k Here the Bishop of London thought himself touched because about 609 in his Diocess hundred Parishes it is a thing very inconvenient to permit Confirmation to the Bishop alone and I suppose it impossible that he can take due examination of them all which come to be confirmed BP of Lond. To the matter of fact I answer that Bishops in their Visitations appoint either their Chaplains or some other Ministers to examine them which are to be confirmed and lightly confirme none but by the testimony of the Parsons and Curates Ecclesiae Salus in sumi sacerdotis dignitate pendet cui si non exors quaedem ab omnibus eminens data potestos tor in Ecclesis efficientur Schismata quot Sacerdotes where the Children are bred and brought up To the Opinion I answer that none of all the Fathers ever admitted any to confirme but Bishops alone Yea even S. Jerome himselfe otherwise no friend to Bishops confesseth the execution thereof was restrained to Bishops onely BP of Winch. Dr. Reynolds I would fain have you with all your Learning shew where ever Confirmation was used in antient times by any other but Bishops These used ait partly to examine Children and after Examination by Imposition of Hands the Jewish Ceremony of Blessing to blesse and pray over them and partly to try whether they had been baptised in the right forme or no. For in former ages some baptised as they ought in the name of the Father Son and Holy-Ghost Some as the Arrians in the name of the Father as the greater and the Sonne as the lesse Some in the name of theFather by the Sonne in the Holy Ghost Some not in the name of the Trinity but onely in the Death of Christ Whereupon Catholick Bishops were constrained to examine them who were baptised in remotis concerning their Baptisme if right to confirme them if amisse to instruct them His Majesty I dissent from the judgement of S. Jerome in his assertion that Bishops are not of Divine Ordination BP of Lond. Unlesse I could prove my Ordination lawfull out of the Scriptures I would not be a Bishop four hours longer His Majesty I approve the calling and use of Bishops in the Church and it is my Aphorisme No Bishop no King nor intend I to take Confirmation from the Bishops which they have so long enjoyed Seeing as great reason that none should confirme as that none should preach without the Bishops License But let it be referred whether the word Examination ought not to be added to the Rubrick in the title of Confirmation in the Communion-book And now Dr. Reynolds you may proceed D â— Reyn. I protest I meant not to gall any man though I perceive some took personall exceptions at my words and desire the imputation of m It seemes the Bishop of London jealous that he was reflected on as is aforesaid called the Doctor Schismatick Schisme may not be charged upon me To proceed on the 37. Article wherein are these words The Bishop of Rome hath no authority in this Land These are not sufficient unless it were added nor ought to have any His Majesty Habemus jure quod habemus and therefore in as much as it is said he hath not it is plaine enough that he ought not to have Here passed some pleasant discourse betwixt the King and Lords about Puritants till returning to seriousnesse There began the BP of Lond. May it please your Majesty to remember the Speech of the French Embassadour Mounsieur Rognee upon the view of our solemne service and Ceremonie viz. That if the Reformed Churches in France had kept the same order there would have been thousands of Protestants more than there are D r. Reyn. It were well if this proposition might be added to the Book of Articles The Intention of the Minister is not of the Essence of the Sacrament the rather because some in England have preached it to be essentiall and here againe I could desire that the nine Orthodoxall Assertions concluded at Lambeth may be
Majesty That is a dangerous Book indeed L. H Howard Both for Matter and Intention L d. Chancel Of such Books some are Latin some are English but the last dispersed do most harm Secret Cecil But my Lord of London and no man else hath done what he could to suppresse them His Majesty Dr. Reynolds you are a better Colledge man than a States-man if meaning to tax the Bishop of London for suffering those Books betweene the Secular Priests and Jesuits to be published which he did by warrant from the Council to nourish a Schisme betwixt them L d. Cecil Such Books were tolerated because by them the Title of Spaine was confuted L d. Treasurer And because therein it appeares by the Testimony of the Priests themselves that no Papists are put to death for Conscience onely but for Treason Dr. Reyn. Indeed I meant not such Books as were printed in England but one ly such as came from beyond the Seas And now to proceed to the second generall point concerning the planting of learned Ministers I desire they be in every Parish His Majesty I have consulted with my Bishops about it whom I have found willing and ready herein But as subita evacuatio is periculosa so subita mutatio It cannot presently be performed the Universities not affording them And yet they afford moe learned men than the Realme doth Maintenance which must be first provided In the mean time ignorant Ministers if young are to be removed if there be no hope of amendment if old their death must be expected because Jerusalem cannot be built up in a day BP of Winch Lay-Patrons much cause the insufficiency of the Clergy presenting mean Clerks to their Cures the Law admitting of such sufficiency and if the Bishop refuseth them presently a Quare impedit is sent out against him BP of Lond. Because this I see is a time of moving Petitions * This he spake kneeling may I humbly present two or three to your Majesty First That there may be amongst us a praying Ministery it being now come to passe that men think it is the onely Duty of Ministers to spend their time in the Pulpit I confesse in a Church newly to be planted Preaching is most necessary not so in one long established that Prayer should be neglected His Majesty I like your Motion exceeding well and dislike the Hypocrisie of our Time who place all their Religion in the Eare whilest Prayer so requisite and acceptable if duly performed is accounted and used as the least part of Religion Bp. of Lond. My second motion is that untill Learned men may be planted in every Congregation godly Homilies may be read therein His Majesty I approve your Motion especially where the Living is not sufficient for the maintenance of a learned Preacher Also where there be multitudes of Sermons there I would have Homilies read divers times Here the King asked the assent of the Plantiffs and they confessed it A preaching Ministry is best but where it may not be had godly Prayers and Exhortations do much good L d. Chancel Livings rather want Learned men Egcrtor L. Elsemcr than Learned men Livings many in the Universities pining for want of Places I wish therefore some may have single Coats one Living before others have Doublets Pluralities And this method I have observed in bestowing the King's Benefices Bp. of Lond. I commend your honourable care that way but a Doublet is necessary in cold Weather L d. Chancel I dislike not the Liberty of our Church in granting to one man two Benefices but speak out of mine own purpose and practise grounded on the aforesaid reason BP of Lond. My last motion is that Pulpits may not bemade Pasquils wherein every discontented Fellow may traduce his Superiours His Majesty I accept what you offer for the Pulpit is no place of personall Reproof let them complaine to me if injured BP of Lond. If you Majesty shall leave your self open to admit of all Complaints hour Highnesse shall never be quiet nor your under-Officers regarded whom every Delinquent when censured will threaten to complain of His Majesty I mean they shall complaine to Me by degrees first to the Ordinarie from him to the Arch-bishop from him to the Lords of the Council and if in all these no remedy be found then to my Self Dr. Reyn. I come now to Subscription * This concerned the fourth generall head viz. the Communion Book as he first propounded it however here he took occasion to urge it as a great impeachment to a learned Ministerie and therefore intreat it may not be exacted as heretofore for which many good men are kept out though otherwise willing to subscribe to the Statutes of the Realme Articles of Religion and the Kings Supremacy The reason of their backwardness to subscribe is because the Common-prayer enjoyneth the Apocripha books to be read in the Church although some Chapters therein contain manifest Errours repugnant to Scripture For instance Ecclus 48. 10. Elias in person is said to come before Christ contrary to what is in the New * Mat 11. 14. Luke 1. 17. Testament of Elias in resemblance that is John the Baptist BP of Lond. Most of the Objections against those Books are the old Cavills of the Jewes renewed by S. Jerome who first called them Apocripha which opinion upon Ruffinus his challenge he after a sort disclaimed BP of Winch. Indeed S. Jerome saith Canonici sunt ad informandos mores non ad confirmandam fidem His Majesty To take an even order * Viz. in the Dominical Gospels betwixt both I would not have all Canonicall Books read in the Church nor any Chapter out of the Apocripha wherein any errour is contained wherefore let Dr. Reynolds note those Chapters in the Apocripha-books wherein those offences are and bring them to the Arch-bishop of Cant. against Wednesday next and now Dr. proceed Dr. Reyn. The next Scruple against Subscription is because it is twice * Here we omit Mr. Knowstub his exception against the interrogatories in Baptisme because he spake so perplexedly that his meaning is not to be collected therein set down in the Common-prayer-book Jesus said to his Disciples when by the Text in the Originall it is plain that he spake to the Pharisees His Majesty Let the word Disciples be omitted and the words Jesus said be printed in a different Letter Mr. Knewst I take exceptions at the Crosse in Baptism whereat the weak Brethren are offended contrary to the counsel of the Apostle Romans 14. 2 Corinth 8. His Majesty Distingue tempora concordabunt Scripturae Great the difference betwixt those times and ours Then a Church not fully settled Now ours long established How long will such Brethren be weak Are not FORTY FIVE years sufficient for them to grow strong in Besides who pretends this weaknesse We require not Subscriptions of Layicks and Ideots but of Preachers and Ministers who are not still I trow to be
sed with Milk being inabled to feed others Some of them are strong enough if not head-strong conceiving themselves able enough to teach him who last spake for them andall the Bishops in the Land Mr. Knewst It is questionable whether the Church hath power to institute an outward signifiant signe BP of Lond. The Crosse in Baptisme is not used otherwise than a Ceremony Bp. of Winch. Kneeling lifting up of the Hands knocking of the Breast are significant Ceremonies and these may lawfully be used D. of the Chap. The Robbines write that the Jewes added both Signes and Words at the institution of the Passeover viz. when they ate sowre herbs they said Take and eat these in remembrance c. When they drank Wine they said Drink this in remembrance c. Upon which addition and tradition our Saviour instituted the Sacrament of his last Supper thereby approving a Church may institute and retaine a Signe significant His Majesty I am exceeding well satisfied in this point but would be acquainted about the antiquity of the use of the Crosse Dr. Reyn. It hath been used ever since the Apostles time But the onestion is how ancient the use thereof hath been in Baptism D. of Westm It appeares out of Tertullian Cyprian and Origen that it was used in immortali lavacro Bp. of Winch. In Constantine's time it was used in Baptisme His Majesty If so I see no reason but that we may continue it Mr. Knewst Put the case the Church hath power to adde significant signes it may not adde them where Christ hath already ordained them which is as derogatory to Christs Institution as if one should adde to thegreat Seale of England His Majesty The case is not alike seeing the Sacrament is fully finished before any mention of the Crosse is made therein Mr. Knewst If the Church hath such a power the greatest scruple is how far the Ordinance of the Church bindeth without impeaching Christian Liberty His Majesty I will not argue that point with you but answer as Kings in Parliament Le Roy s'avicera This is like M. John Black a beardlesse Boy who told me the last * December 1601. Conference in Scotland that he would hold conformity with his Majesty in matters of Doctrine but every man for Ceremonies was to be left to his own Liberty But I will have none of that I will have one Doctrine one Discipline one Religion in Substance and in Ceremony Never speak more to that point how farre you are bound to obey Dr. Reyn. Would that the Cross being superstitiously abused in Popery were abandoned as the Brazen Serpent was stamped to powder by Hezekias because abused to Idolatry His Majesty In as much as the Crosse was abused to Superstition in time of Popery it doth plainly imply that it was well used before I detest their courses who peremptorily disallow of all things which have been abused in Popery and know not how to answwer the objections of the Papists when they charge us with Novelties but by telling them we retaine the primitive use of things and onely forsake their Novell Corruptions Secondly no resemblance betwixt the Brazen Serpent a materiall visible thing and the signe of the Cross made in the Aire Thirdly Papists as I am informed did never ascribe any spirituall Grace to the Cross in Baptisme Lastly materiall Crosses to which people fell downe in time of Popery as the Idolatrous Jewes to the Brazen Serpent are already demolished as you desire Mr. Knewst I take exception at the wearing of the Surplice a kind of Garment used by the Priests of Isis His Majesty I did not think till of late it had been borrowed from the Heathen because commonly called a rag of Popery Seeing now we border not upon Heathens Ann. Dom 1603-04 Ann. Reg. Jac. 1 neither are any of them conversant with or commorant amongst us thereby to be confirmed in Paganisme I see no reason but for comlinesse-sake it may be continued D r. Reyn. I take exception at these words in the Marriage With my body I thee worship His Majesty I was made believe the phrase imported no lesse than Divine Adoration but finde it an usuall English terme as when we say A Gentleman of worship it agreeth with the Scriptures giving Honour to the Wife As for you This the King spake smiling Dr. Reynolds many men speak of Robin Hood who never shot in his Bow If you had a good Wife your selfe you would think all worship and honour you could doe her were well bestowed on her D. of Sarum Some take exception at the Ring in Marriage Dr. Reyn. I approve it well enough His Majesty I was married with a Ring and think others scarce well married without it Dr. Reyn. Some take exceptions at the Churching of Women by the name of purification His Majesty I allow it very well Women being loath of themselves to come to Church I like this or any other occasion to draw them thither Dr. Reyn. My last exception is against committing Ecclesiasticall Censures to Lay-Chancellors the rather because it was ordered Anno 1571. that Lay-Chancellors in matters of Correction and Anno 1589. in matters of Instance should not excommunicate any but be done onely by them who had power of the Keyes though the contrary is commonly practised His Majesty I have conferred with my Bishops about this point and such order shall be taken therein as is convenient Mean time go on to some other matter Dr. Reyn. I desire that according to certaine Provinciall Constitutions the Clergie may have meetings every three weeks 1. First in Rural Deaneries therein to have prophesying as Arch-bishop Grindall and other Bishops desired of her late Majesty 2. That such things as could not be resolved on there might be referred to the Arch-Deacons Visitations 3. Andso to the Episcopall Synod to determine such points before not decided His Majesty If you aime at a Scottish Presbytery it agreeth as well with Monarchy as God and the Devill Then Jack and Tom and Will and Dick shall meet and censure me and my Councill Therefore I reiterate my former speech Le Ray S'avisera Stay I pray for one seven yeares before you demand and then if you find me grow pursie and fat I may perchance hearken unto you for that Government will keep me in breath and give me work enough I shall speak of one matter more somewhat out of order but it skilleth not D. Reynolds you have'often spoken for my Supremacy and it is well But know you any here or elsewhere who like of the present Government Ecclesiasticall and dislike my Supremacy Dr. Reyn. I know none His Majesty Why then I will tell you a tale After that the Religion restored by King Edward the sixt was soon overthrowne by Queen Mary here in England we in Scotland felt the effect of it For thereupon Mr. Knox writes to the Queen regent a vertuous and moderate Lady telling her that she was the
supreme head of the Church and charged her as she would answer it at Gods Tribunall to take care of Christ his Evangil in suppressing the Popish Prelates who withstood the same But how long trow did you this continue Even till by her authority the Popish Bishops were repressed and Knox with his adherents being brought in made strong enough Then began they to make small account of her supremacy when according to that more light wherewith they were illuminated they made a farther reformation of themselves How they used the poore Lady my Mother is not unknowne and how they dealt with me in my minority I thus apply it My Lords the Bishops I may * This be said putting his hand to his bat thank you that these men plead thus for my Supremacy They think they cannot make their Party good against you but by appealing unto it but if once you were out and they in I know what would become of my Supremacy for NO BISHOP NO KING I have learned of what cut they have been who preaching before me since my coming into England passed over with silence my being Supreme Governour in causes Ecclesiasticall Well Doctour have you any thing else to say Dr. Reyn. No more if it please your Majesty His Majesty If this be all your Party hath to say I will make them conforme themselves or else I will harrie them out of the Land or else doe worse Thus ended the second dayes Conference Jan. 18 and the third began on the Wednesday following many Knights Civilians and Doctours of the Law being admitted thereunto because the High Commission was the principall matter in debate His Majesty I understand that the parties named in the High Commission are too many and too mean and the matters they deale with base such as Ordinaries at home in their Courts might censure Arch-b of Cant. It is requisite their number should be many otherwise I should be forced often-times to sit alone if in the absence of the Lords of the Council Bishops and Judges at Law some Deanes and Doctours were not put into that Commission whose Attendance I might command with the more Authority I have often complained of the meannesse of matters handled therein but cannot remedy it For though the Offence be small that the Ordinary may the Offender oft-times is so great and contumacious that the Ordinary dâ—re not punish him and so is forced to crave help at the High Commission A nameless L d. The Proceedings in that Court I dare not guess him for fear of failing are like the Spanish Inquisition whereiu men are urged to subscribe more than Law requireth and by the Oath ex officio forced to accuse themselves being examined upon twenty or twenty four Articles on a sudden without deliberation and for the most part against themselves In proof hereof he produced a Letter of an antient honourable Counsellour An. 1584. verifying this usage to two Minsters in Cambridge shire Arch-b of Cant. Your Lordship is deceived in the manner of proceeding For if the Article touch the Party for Life Liberty or Scandall he may refuse to answer I can say nothing to the particulars of the Letter because twenty yeares since yet doubted not but at leisure to give your Lordship satisfaction L d. Chancel There is necessity Here we omit a discourse about Subscription because not methodiz'd into the Speech of severall persons and use of the Oath Ex officio in divers Courts and Causes His Majesty Indeed civil Proceedings onely punish Facts but it is requisite that Fame and Scandals be looked unto in Courts Ecclesiasticall and yet great moderation is to be used therein 1. In gravioribus criminibus 2. In such whereof there is a publique Fame caused by the inordinate demeanour of the Offender And here he soundly described the Oath ex officio for the ground thereof the Wisdome of the Law therein the manner of proceeding thereby and profitable effect from the same Arch-b of Cant. Undoubtedly your Majesty speaks by the speciall assistance of Gods Spirit BP of Lond. I protest my heart melteth with joy that Almighty God of his singular mercy * This he spake on his knee hath given us such a King as since Christs time the like hath not beene Then passed there much discourse between the King the Bishops and the Lords about the quality of the Persons and Causes in the High Commission rectifying Excommunications in matters of lesse moment punishing Recusants providing Divines for Ireland Wales and the Northern Borders Afterwards the four Preachers were called in and such alterations in the Lyturgie were read unto them which the Bishops by the Kings advice had made and to which by their silence they seemed to consent His Majesty I see the exceptions against the Communion-book are matters of weakness therefore if the persons reluctant be discreet they will be won betimes and by good perswasions If indiscreet better they were removed for by their factions many are driven to be Papists From you Dr. Reynolds and your Associates I expect obedience and humility the marks of honest and good men and that you would perswade others abroad by your example Dr. Reyn. We here do promise to performe all duties to Bishops as Reverend Fathers and to joyne with them against the common Adversary for the quiet of the Church Mr. Chader I request * This he spake kneeling the wearing of the Surplice and the Cross in Baptism may not be urged on some godly Ministers in Lancashire fearing if forced unto them many won by their preaching of the Gospel will revolt to Popery and I particularly instance in the Vicar of Ratsdale Ar-b of Cant. You could not have light upon a worse for not many yeares agoe as my Lord * Who being there present averred the same Chancellor knowes it was proved before me that by his unreverent usage of the Eucharist dealing the Bread out of a Basket every man putting in his hand and taking out a piece he made many loath the Communion and refuse to come to Church His Majestie It is not my purpose and I dare say it is not the Bishops intent presently and out of hand to enforce these things without Fatherly Admonitions Conferences and Perswasions premised but I wish it were examined whether such Lancashire Ministers by their paines and preaching have converted any from Popery and withall be men of honest Life and quiet Conversation If so let Letters be written to the Bishop of * This was Râ—ch Vaughan afterwards Bishop of Lond. Chester who is grave and good man to that purpose that some favour may be afforded unto them and let the Lord Arch-bishop write the Letters BP of Lond. If this be granted the copie of these Letters will flie all over England and then all non conformists will make the like request and so no fruit follow of this Conference but things will be worse than they were before I desire therefore a
time may be limited within the compasse whereof they shall conforme His Majesty I assent thereunto and let the Bishop of the Diocesse set downe the time Mr. Knewst I request * Here he fell down on his knees the like favour of forbearance to some honest Ministers in Suffolk For it will make much against their credits in the Countrey to be now forced to the Surplice and Crosse in Baptisime Arch-b of Cant. Nay Sir His Majesty Let me alone to answer him Sir you shew your self an uncharitable man We have here taken paines and in the end have concluded on Unity and Uniformity and you forsooth must prefer the credits of a few Private Men before the Peace of the Church This is just the Scotch Argument when any thing was concluded which disliked some humours Let them either conform themselves shortly or they shall hear of it L d. Cecil The indecencie of ambuling Communions is very offensive and hath driven many from the Church BP of Lond. And Mr. Chaderton I could tell you of sitting Communions in Emanuel Colledge Mr. Chad. It is so because of the seats so placed as they be and yet we have some kneeling also in our Chappell His Majesty No more hereof for the present seeing they have joyntly promised hereafter to be quiet and obedient Whereat He rose up to depart into an inner Chamber BP of Lond. Gods goodnesse be blessed for your Majesty and give health and prosperity to Your Highnesse your Gracious Queene the young Prince and all the Royall Issue Thus ended the three dayes Conference The generall censure of the Conferencers wherein how discreetly the King carried himself Posterity out of the reach of Flatterie is the most competent Judg such matters being most truly discerned at distance It is generally said that herein he went above himselfe that the Bishop of London appeared even with himselfe and Dr. Reinolds fell much beneath himselfe Others observed that Archbishop Whitgift spake most gravely Bancroft when out of passion most politickly Bilson most learnedly And of the Divines Mr. Reynolds most largely Knewstubs most affectionately Chaderton most sparingly In this Scene onely Dr. Sparks was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 making use of his hearing not speech converted it seemes to the truth of what was spoken and soon after setting forth a Treatise of Unity and Uniformity But the Nonconformists complained The Non-conformists Complaint that the King sent for their Divines not to have their Scruples satisfied but his Pleasure propounded not that he might know what they could say but they what he would do in the matter Besides no wonder if Dr. Reynolds a little lost himself whose eyes were partly dazled with the light of the Kings Majesty partly daunted with the heat of his displeasure Others complaine that this Conference is partially set forth onely by Dr. Barlow Dean of Chester their professed Adversary to the great disadvantage of their Divines And when the Israelites go down to the Philistines to whet all their Iron Tooles no wonder if they set a sharp edge on their owne and a blunt one on their Enemies weapons This Conference produced some alterations in the Lyturgie The Product of this Conference Womens baptising of Infants formerly frequent hereafter forbidden in the Rubrick of Absolution Remission of Sinnes inserted Confirmation termed also an Examination of Children and some words altered in the Dominicall Gospels with a resolution for a new Translation of the Bible But whereas it was hitherto disputable whether the North where he long lived or the South whither he lately came should prevaile most on the Kings judgement in Church-government this doubt was now clearly decided Hence forward many cripples in conformitie were cured of their former halting therein and such who knew not their owne till they knew the Kings minde in this matter for the future quietly digested the Ceremonies of the Church We have formerly made mention of the Millemanus Petition for Reformation The Copy of the Milenary Petition which about this time was solemnly presented to His Majesty and which here we have truly exemplified The humble Petition of the Ministers of the Church of England desiring Reformation of certaine Ceremonies and abuses of the Church To the most Christian and excellent Prince our Gracious and dread Soveraigne James by the grace of God c. We the Ministers of the Church of England that desire Reformation wish a long prosperous and happy Raigne over us in this Life and in the next everlasting Salvation MOst gracious and dread Soveraigne Seeing it hath pleased the Divine Majesty to the great comfort of all good Christians to advance Your Highnesse according to Your just Title to the peaceable Government of this Church and Common-wealth of ENGLAND We the Ministers of the Gospel in this Land neither as factious men affecting a popular Parity in the Church nor as Schismatikes aiming at the dissolution of the State Ecclesiasticall but as the faithfull servants of Christ and Loyall Subjects to Your Majesty desiring and longing for the redresse of divers abuses of the Church could doe no lesse in our obedience to God service to Your Majesty love to his Church than acquaint Your Princely Majesty with our particular griefs For as Your Princely Pen writeth The King as a good Physitian must first know what peccant humours his Patient naturally is most subject unto before he can begin his cure And although divers of us that sue for Reformation have formerly in respect of the times subscribed to the Book some upon Protestation some upon Exposition given them some with Condition rather than the Church should have been deprived of their labour and ministerie Yet now we to the number of moe than a thousand of Your Majesties Subjects and Ministers all groaning as under a common burden of Humane Rites and Ceremonies doe with one joynt consent humble our selves at Your Majesties Feet to be eased and relieved in this behalf Our humble suit then unto Your Majesty is that these offences following some may be removed some amended some qualified I. In the Church-Service That the Crosse in Baptisme Interrogatories ministred to Infants Confirmation as superfluous may be taken away Baptisme not to be ministred by Women and so explained The Cap and Surplice not urged That Examination may goe before the Communion That it be ministred with a Sermon That divers termes of Priests and Absolution and some other used with the Ring in Marriage and other such like in the Book may be corrected The long-somenesse of Service abridged Church-songs and Musick moderated to better edification That the Lords day be not profaned The Rest upon Holy-dayes not so strictly urged That there may be an Uniformity of Doctrine prescribed No Popish Opinion to be any more taught or defended No Ministers charged to teach their people to bow at the name of JESUS That the Canonicall Scriptures onely be read in the Church II. Concerning Church-Ministers That none hereafter
much that She commanded Archbishop Whitgift to signifie unto him Mar. 12. That â—e should be his Successour in case the Archbishoprick ever fell in the Queens disposall 34. Not long after the Archbishop meeting Bishop Rudde The Bishop by â—lain preaching gains the Queens â—avour Brother said he I bring good tydings to you though bad to my self for they cannot take full effect till after my death Her Grace is so pleased with your last Sermon She enjoyned me to signifie to you Her pleasure That you shall be my Successour in Canterbury if surviving me The Bishop modestly declined his words desiring the long life of his Grace and in case of his advancement to Heaven confessed many other in England farre fitter for the Place than his own unworthinesse adding after some other exchange of words Good my Lord might I be my â—wn-Judge I conceive I have preached better Sermons at Court surely such as cost me more time and pains in composing them I tell you replied the Archbishop the truth is this the Queen now is grown weary of the vanities of wit and eloquence wherewith Her youth was formerly affected and plain Sermons which come home to Her heart please Her the best Surely his Grace was too mortified a man though none naturally love their Successours whilst themselves are alive intentionally to lay a train to blow up this Archbishop designed though by the others unadvised practise of his words it proved so in the event 35. For And by too personal preaching loseth it again next time when it came to the Bishop's Course to preach at Court then lying at Richmond Anno â—596 he took for his Text Psalm 90. 12. O teach us to number our daies that we may incline our hearts unto wisdome and in the close of his Sermon touched on the Infirmities of Age Ecclesiastes 12. When the grinders shall be few in number and they wax dark that look out at the windows personally applying it to the QUEEN how Age had furrowed Her face and besprinkled her hair with its meal Whereat Her MAJESTY to whom ingratissimum acroama to hear of death was highly displeased Thus he not onely lost his Reversion of the Archbishoprick of Canterbury which indeed never fell in the QUEENS daies but also the present possession of Her MAJESTIES favour 36. Yet he justly retained the repute of a Reverend and godly Prelate Yet did generally beloved and lamented and carried the same to the grave He wrought much on the Welsh by his wisdome and won their affections and by moderate thrift and long staying in the same See left to his Son Sir Rise-Rudde Baroner a fair estate at Aberglaseny in Carmarthenshire 37. Some three years since Causabon invited into England on the death of King HENRY the fourth Isaac Causabon that learned Critick was fetcht out of France by King JAMES and preferred Prebendary of Canterbury Thus desert will never be a drug but be vented at a good rate in one Countrey or another as long as the world affordeth any truly to value it King HENRY is not dead to Causabon as long as King JAMES is alive He who formerly flourished under the Bayes now thriveth altogether as well under the Olive Nor is Causabon sensible that England is the colder Climate whilst he findes the beams of His Majesty so bright and warm unto him to whom also the lesser lights of Prelates and Peers contributed their assistance 38. Presently he falls a writing Where he dyâ—th and is buried as naturall and almost as necessary as breathing unto him First to Fronto-Duraeus his learned Friend Then to Cardinal Peron in the just Vindication of our English Church After these he began his Exercitations on Baronius his Ecclesiastical Annals which more truly may be termed the Annals of the Church of Rome But alas Death here stopped him in his full speed and he lieth entombed in the South-Ile of Westminster-Abbey Not on the East or Poetical Side thereof where Chaucer Spencer Draiton are interred but on the West or Historical Side of the I le next the Monument of M r Camden Both whose plain Tombs made of white Marble shew the simplicity of their intentions the candidnesse of their natures and perpetuity of their memories Mr. Causabon's was erected at the cost of Thomas Moreton Bishop of Durham that great lover of Learned men dead or alive 39. The KING comes to Cambridge in a sharp Winter The supposed occasion of Mr. Selden's writing against the Divine Right of Tithes Mar. 7. when all the world was nothing but Aire and Snow Yet the Scholers Wits did not Freez with the Weather witness the pleasant Play of IGNORAMUS which they presented to His Majesty Yet whilst many laughed aloud at the mirth thereof some of the graver sort were sad to see the Common Lawyers made ridiculous therein If Gowns begin once to abase Gowns Cloaks will carry away all Besides of all wood the Pleaders Bar is the worst to make a Stage of For once in an Age all Professions must be beholding to their patronage Some a Authour of Dr. Preston's Life conceive that in revenge Master John Selden soon after set forth his Books of Titbes wherein he historically proveth That they were payable jure humano and not otherwise 40. I cannot suspect so high a Soul Many write in Answer to his Book 1615. 13. guilty of so low reflections that his Book related at all to this occasion but only that the latitude of his minde tracing all pathes of learning did casually light on the rode of this Subject His Book is divided into two parts whereof the first is a meer Jew of the practise of Tithing amongst the Hebrews the second a Christian and chiefly an English-man of their customes in the same And although many Divines undertook the Answer of this Book as Mr. Stephen Nettles Fellow of Queens-Coll in Cambridge applying himself to the Judaical part Dr. Tillesly and Mr. Montague all writing sharply if strongly enough yet sure it is never a fiercer storm fell on all Parsonage Barns since the Reformation than what this Treatise raised up 41. By this time Mr. Andrew Melvin Melvin freed from the Tower a Scotchman got to be enlarged out of the Tower whither he had been committed for writing some satyrical Verses against the Ornaments on the Altar or Communion-Table in the Kings Chappell When first brought into the Tower he found Sir William Seymour now the Right Honorable most truly Noble and religious Marquis of Hertford there imprisoned for marrying the Lady ARABELLA so nearly allyed to the Crown without the KING's consent To whom Melvin being an excellent Poet but inferiour to Buchanan his Master sent this Distick Causa mihi tecum communis Carceris ARA Regia BELLA tibi Regia SACRA mihî As for his invective Verses against the Chappel-Ornaments I conceive the following Copie most authentick though there be various Lections of them but all
and writing I am almost pined away otherwise his fat cheeks did confute his false tongue in that expression 7. Amongst other of his ill qualities The jeerer jeered he delighted in jeering and would spare none who came in his way One of his sarcasmes he unhappily bestowed on Count Gondomar the Spanish Ambassador telling him That three turns at Tiburne was the onely way to cure his Fistula The Don highly offended hereat pained for the present more with this flout than his fistula meditates revenge and repairs to King JAMES He told His MAJESTY that His charity an errour common in good Princes abused His judgment in conceiving Spalato a true convert who still in heart remained a Roman Catholick Indeed His Majesty had a rare felicity in discovering the falsity of Witches and forgery of such who pretended themselves possessed but under favour was deluded with this mans false spirit and by His Majesties leave he would detect unto Him this his hypocrisie The KING cheerfully embraced his motion and left him to the liberty of his own undertakings 8. The Ambassadour writeth to His Catholick Majesty Spalato his hypocrisie discovered He to his Holinesse Ann. Dom. 1622. Ann. Regis Ja. 20 Gregory the fifteenth that Spalato might be pardoned and preferred in the Church of Rome which was easily obtained Letters are sent from Rome to Count Gondamar written by the Cardinal Millin to impart them to Spalato informing him that the POPE had forgiven and forgotten all which he had done or written against the Catholick Religion and upon his return would preferre him to the Bishoprick of Salerno in Naples worth twelve thousand crowns by the year A Cardinals Hat also should be bestowed upon him And if Spalato with his hand subscribed to this Letter would renounce and disclaim what formerly he had printed an Apostolical Breve with pardon should solemnly be sent him to Bruxels Spalato embraceth the motion likes the pardon well the preferment better accepts both recants his opinions largely subscribes solemnly and thanks his Holinesse affectionately for his favour Gondamar carries his subscription to King JAMES who is glad to behold the Hypocrite unmasked appearing in his own colours yet the discovery was concealed and lay dormant some daies in the deck which was in due time to be awakened 9. Now it happened a false rumour was spread He is incensed â—â—th a repulse that Tobâ—e Matthew Archbishop of Yorke who died yearly in report was certainly deceased Presently posts Spalato to Theobalds becomes an importunate Petitioner to the KING for the vacant Archbishoprick and is as flatly denied the KING conceiving He had given enough already to him if gratefull too much if ungratefull Besides the KING would never bestow an Episcopal charge in England on a forraigner no not on His own Countrey-men some Scotish-men being preferred to Deanries none to Bishopricks Spalato offended at this repulse for he had rather had Yorke than Salerno as equal in wealth higher in dignity neerer in place requests His MAJESTY by his Letter to grant His good leave to depart the Kingdome and to return into Italy Pope Paul his fierce foe being now dead and Gregory the fifteenth his fast friend now seated in the Chair The Copie of whose Letter we have here inserted To the high and mighty Prince JAMES by the Grace of God King of Great Britaine c. Defender of the Faith c. M. Anthonie de Dominis Archbishop of Spalato wisheth all happinesse THose two Popes which were most displeased at my leaving of Italy and coming into England Paulus Quintus and he which now liveth Gregory the Fifteenth have both laboured to call me back from hence and used divers Messages for that purpose to which notwithstanding I gave no heed But now of late when this same Pope being certified of my Zeal in advancing and furthering the union of all Christian Churches did hereupon take new care and endevour to invite me again unto him and signified withall that he did seek nothing therein but Gods glory and to use my poor help also to work the inward peace and tranquillity of this Your Majesties Kingdome Mine own conscience told me that it behoved me to give ready eare unto his Holiness Besides all this the diseases and inconveniences of old age growing upon me and the sharpness of the cold aire of this Countrey and the great want I feel here amongst strangers of some friends and kinsfolks which might take more dâ—ligent and exact care of me make my longer stay in this Climate very offensive to my body Having therefore made an end of my Works and enjoyed Your Majesties goodness in bestowing on me all things needfull and fit for me and in heaping so many and so Royal benefits upon me I can doe no lesse than promise perpetual memory and thankfulness and tender to You my continuance in Your Majesties service wheresoever I goe and will become in all places a reporter and extoller of Your Majesties praises Ann. Reg. Ja. 19 Now if my business proceed Ann. Dom. 1621 and be brought to a good end I well hope that I shall obtain Your Majesties good leave to depart without the least diminution of Your Majesties wonted favour towards me I hear of Your Majesties late great danger and congratulate with Your Majesty for Your singular deliverance from it by Gods great goodness who hath preserved You safe from it as one most dear unto him for the great good of his Church I hope Jan. 16. From the Savoy Jan. the 16. 1621. Farewell the glory and ornament of Princes Your Majesties ever most devoted Servant Ant. de Dominis Archbishop of Spalato To this Letter no present Answer was returned 21. but five daies after the Bishops of London and Duresme with the Dean of Westminster by His MAJESTIES direction repaired to this Archbishop propounding unto him Sixteen Quaeres all arising out of his former Letter 31. and requiring him to give the explanation of five most material under his hand for His MAJESTIES greater satisfaction which he did accordingly yet not so clearly but that it occasioned a second meeting wherein more interrogatories were by command propounded unto him which with his Answers thereunto because publickly printed are purposely omitted and notwithstanding all obstructions Spalato still continued his importunity to depart 10. He pretended many Reasons for his return Reasons pleaded for his return First Longing after his own Countrey Who so iron-hearted as not to be drawn home with the load-stone of his native Land Secondly To see his Friends Kinred Nephews but especially his beloved Neice a story hangs thereon and it is strange what was but whispered in Italy was heard over so plain into England In the Hebrew Tongue Nephews and Nieces are called Sons and Daughters but the Italian Clergie on the contrary often term their Sons and Daughters Nephews and Nieces Thirdly The late-pretended-discovery of many errors in our English Church how
quick-sighted did the promised Bishoprick make him whereof formerly he took no notice and all which are learnedly answered in the posthume book of Doctor Crakenthorpe carefully set forth by Dr. Barkham after the Authors death and may all orphan-works have the happinesse of so faithfull a Guardian Lastly and chiefly as he confesseth himself allectus pretio octuplicis stipendii allured with the reward of a salarie eight times as great as his revenues in England In which computation as he ungratefully depresseth the value of what he had in hand so he undiscreetly advanced the worth of what in hope he promised himself not to speak of the difference of Italian Ducates when told out and when told off at so great a distance 11. In pursuance of which his desire Spalato's second Letter to King James he wrote a second Letter to K. JAMES the tenour whereof we thought fit here to insert for the better clearing of the matter Most excellent Prince and most gracious Lord AS I signified lately unto Your Majesty in my former Letter I neither ought nor could neglect the Popes fair and gracious invitation of me especially when I saw that he dealt with me concerning the service of Christ and his Church And being now at length better certified that all things are in a readiness for me I am tied to my former promises Yet I make it my humble request that I may take my journey with Your Majesties good will And for that purpose I doe now most humbly and earnestly crave your leave by these Letters which I would much more willingly have begg'd by word of mouth in Your presence that I might have parted with Your Majesty with all due thanks and submission but that my accesse to Your Majesty might have confirmed the vain and foolish * * viz. That the King had employed Spalato to the Pope to make a reconciliation betwixt us and Rome rumours of the people I beseech Your Majesty therefore to vouchsafe to give me some Letters whereby my departure may be made both safe and creditable As for the Ecclesiastical Titles and Revenues which I hold by Your Majesties gift I shall resigne them by publick Indentures So from the bottom of my heart I doe commit my self to Your Royall favour and vow my self your servant for ever London From the Savoy Feb. 3. Your MAJESTIES c. M. Ant. de Dom. Archbishop of Spalato This Letter produced new Interrogatories Feb. 3. 1622. and severall fruitfull Controversies one alwaies begetting another but the last was a sharp one at Lambeth March the 30 which cut off all future discourse For a Commission was issued out to the Archbishop of Canterbury Mar. 30. the Bishops of Lincolne Lord Keeper of the Great Scale of England London Duresme Winchester and severall other Privie Councellors before whom Spalato personally appeared When the Archbishop of Canterbury in the name of the rest by His MAJESTIES speciall command in a long Latine Speech recapitulated the many misdemeanors of Spalato principally insisting on his changing of Religion as appeared by his purpose of returning to Rome and that contrary to the Laws of the Realm he had held correspondency by Letters with the Pope without the privity of the King's Majesty To which Charge when Spalato had made rather a shuffling Excuse than a just Defence the Archbishop in His Majestie 's name commanded him to depart the Kingdome at his own peril within twenty daies and never to return again To this he promised obedience protesting he would ever justifie the Church of England for orthodox in fundamentals even in the presence of the Pope or whomsoever though with the losse of his life 12. However Desires in vain still to stay loth to depart was his last tune And no wonder if well considering whence and whither he went He left a Land where he lacked nothing but a thankfull heart to God and a contented soul in himself He went to a place of promise suspicious whether ever it should be performed He feared not without cause he might lose his gray Head to fetch a red Hat And an ominous instance was lately set before his eyes One Fulgentius a Minorite had inveighed at Venice against the Pope and was by his Nuncio trained to Rome on promise of safe conduct where being favoured and feasted at first soon after in the field of Flora he was burnt to ashes This made Spalato effectually but secretly to deal with his friends in the English Court that His Majesty would permit him to stay But in vain and therefore within the time appointed he went over in the same ship with Count Swartzenburgh the Emperours Ambassadour returning hence into Flanders 13. And now Spalato is shipped Departeth to Rome A good winde and faire weather goe after him His sails shall not be stuffed with a blast of my curses conceiving that his fault was sufficient punishment But b Dr. Barkham in his Dedicatory Epistle to King James others have compared him to the house i Mat. 12. 44. swept and garnished to which the Devil returned with seven spirits more wicked than himself Which they thus reckon up Avarice Ambition and Hypocrisie whilst he stayed here Apostasie and Perjury when going hence Ingratitude and Calumnie when returned to Rome Yea they finde as many punishments lighting on him God angry with him the Devil tormenting him his conscience corroding him the world cursing him the true Church disdaining him Protestant-pens confuting him and the Pope at last in revenge executing him And now the Master hath had the just shame for his Apostasie let the Man receive the due praise of his perseverance one Gio Pietro Paravicino a Grizon who waited on Spalato in his chamber whom neither frights nor flatteries could remove but he died in Holland a firm professour of the Protestant Religion 14. Being come to Bruxels Ann. Reg. Ja. 20 Ann. Dom. 1622. Retuâ—ns to his railing vomit he recants his Religion and rails bitterly on the English Church calling his coming hither an unhappy irrational pestiferous k In his Book call'd Cencilium Reditus pag. 9. devilish voyage to which he was moved with sickness of soule impatience and a kinde of phrensie l Ibid. pag. 5. of anger Here he stayed six moneths for the Pope's Breve which was long a coming and at last was utterly denied him Insomuch that Spalato was fain to run the hazard and desperately adventure to Rome having nothing in Scriptis for his security but barely presuming on promises and the friendship of Gregory the fifteenth now Pope formerly his Collegue and chamber-fellow 15. I finde not his promised Bishoprick conferred upon him Lives at Rome not loved and diâ—s unlamented who as well might have been made Primate and Metropolitane of Terra incognita Yea returning to Sodome though not turned into a pillar of salt he became unsavoury-salt cared for of no side Such a crooked-stick which had
soever under the degree of a Bishop or Dean at the least doe from henceforth presume to preach in any popular Auditory deep points of Predestination Election Reprobation or of the Universality Efficacy Resistibility or Irresistibility of GODS grace but leave those themes rather to be handled by the Learned men and that moderately and modestly by way of Use and Application rather than by way of Positive Doctrines being fitter for the Schools than for simple Auditories 4. That no Preacher of what title or denomination soever from henceforth shall presume in any Auditory within this Kingdome to declare limit or bound out by way of Positive Doctrine in any Lecture or Sermon the Power Prerogative and Jurisdiction Authority or Duty of Sovereign Princes or otherwise meddle with matters of State and the differences between Princes and the People than as they are instructed and precedented in the Homilies of Obedience and the rest of the Homilies and Articles of Religion set forth as before is mentioned by publique Authority but rather confine themselves wholly to those two heads of faith and good life which are all the subjects of the antient Sermons and Homilies 5 That no Preacher of what title or denomination soever shall presume caussesly or without invitation from the Text to fall into bitter investives and undecent railing speeches against the persons of either Papists or Puri tans but modestly and gravely when they are occasioned thereunto by the Text of Scripture free both the Doctrine and the Discipline of the Church of England from the aspersions of either Adversaries especially where the Auditory is suspected to be tainted with the one or the other infection 6. Lastly that the Archbishops and Bishops of the Kingdome whom His Majestie hath good cause to blame for their former remisness be more wary and choice in their licensing of Preachers and revoke all Grants made to any Chancellour Official or Commissary to passe Licences in this kinde and that all the Lecturers throughout the Kingdome of England a new body severed from the antient Clergy as being neither Parsons Vicars nor Curates be licensed henceforward in the Court of Faculties but onely from a Recommendation of the party from the Bishop of the Diocese under his hand and seale with a Fiat from the L. Archbishop of Canterbury a Confirmation under the Great Seal of England And that such as doe transgresse any one of these Directions be suspended by the Bishop of the Diocesse or in his default by the Archbishop of the Province ab Officio Beneficio for a year and a day untill his Majestie by the advice of the next Convocation shall prescribe some farther punishment 5. No sooner were these the Kings Declarations dispersed into every Diocesse Various censures on the Kings Letters but various were mens opinions thereof Some counted it a cruell act which cut off half the preaching in England all afternoon-ermons at one blow Others thought the King did but Uti jure suo doing not onely what in justice He might but what in prudence He ought in this juncture of time But hear what I have heard and read in this case Objections Answers 1. Christ grants Ministers their Commission Go teach all Nations S. Paul corroborates the same Preach the word be instant in season out of season Man therefore ought not to forbid what God enjoyns 2. This is the way to starve soules by confining them to one meale a day or at the best by giving them onely a messe of milk for their supper and so to bed 3. Such as are licensed to make Sermons may be intrusted to choose their own Texts and not in the Afternoons to be restrained to the Lords Prayer Creed and ten Commandements 4. In prohibiting the preaching of Predestination man makes that the forbidden fruit which God appointed for the tree of life so cordial the comforts contained therein to a distressed conscience 5. Bishops and Deans forsooth and none under their dignity may preach of Predestination What is this but to have the word of God in respect of persons As if all discretion were confined to Cathedral men and they best able to preach who use it the least 6. Papists and Puritans in the Kings Letters are put into the same ballance and Papists in the prime scale first named as preferred in the Kings care chiefly to secure them from Invectives in Sermons 7. Lecturers are made such riddles in the Kings Letters reduceable to no Ministerial function in England Whereas indeed the flower of piety and power of godlinesse flourished most in those places where such Preachers are most countenanced 1. Ministers if commanded not at all to speak or teach in the name of Jesus are with the Apostles to obey God rather than man But vast the difference betwixt a total prohibition and as in this case a prudential regulation of preaching 2. Milk catechetical Doctrine is best for babes which generally make up more than a moyety of every Congregation 3. Such restraint hath liberty enough seeing all things are clearly contained in or justly reducible to these three which are to be desired believed and performed 4. Indeed Predestination solidly and soberly handled is an antidote against despair But as many ignorant Preachers ordered it the cordial was turned into a poyson and therefore such mysteries might well be forborn by mean Ministers in popular Congregations 5. It must be presumed that such of necessity must be of age and experience and may in civility be believed of more than ordinary learning before they attained such preferment Besides Cathedrall Auditories being of a middle nature for understanding as beneath the University so above common City and Country Congregations are fitter for such high points to be preached therein 6. The Kings Letter looks on both under the notion of guilty persons Had Puritans been placed first such as now take exception at their post-posing would have collected that the King esteemed them the greatest offenders 7. Lectures are no creatures of the Church of England by their original like those mixed kinds little better than monsters in nature to which God as here the State never said multiply and encrease and therefore the King had just cause to behold them with jealous eyes who generally supplanted the Incumbents of Livings in the affections of their Parishioners and gave the greatest growth to Non-conformity These Instructions from His Majestie were not pressed with equall rigour in all places seeing some over-active Officials more busie than their Bishops tied up Preachers in the Afternoon to the very letter of the Catechisme questioning them if exceeding the questions and answers therein as allowing them no liberty to dilate and enlarge themselves thereupon 6. Expect not of me a particular account of the politick intricacies touching the Spanish Match A needlesse subject waved or no Match rather First because Spanish and so alien from my subject Secondly because the passages thereof are so largely and publickly in print
Toleration But that motion was crusht by the Bishops opposing it and chiefly by Bishop Dounhams sermon in Dublin on this Text Luke 1. 74. That we being delivered from the hands of our Enemies might serve him without fear 57. Many a man Hopes to spring in England sunk in his Estate in England hath happily recovered it by removing into Ireland whereas by a contrary motion this project bankrupt in Ireland presumed to make it self up in England Where the Papists promised to maintain a proportion of Ships on the aforesaid condition of free exercise of their Religion Anno Regis Car. 1. Anno Dom. Some were desirous the King should accept their tender who might lawfully take what they were so forward to give seeing no injury is done to them who are willing 58. It was urged on the other side But is rejected that where such willingness to be injured proceeds from the Principle of an erroneous conscience there their simplicity ought to be informed not abused Grant Papists so weak as to buy Protestants should be more honest than to sell such base wares unto them Such Ships must needs spring many leaks rig'd victualed and manned withil-gotten money gained by the sale of Souls And here all the objections were revived which in the reign of King James were improved against such a Toleration 59. Here Sir John Savil interposed Sir John Savil his motion that if the King were pleased but to call on the Recusants to pay thirds legally due to the Crown it would prove a way more effectual and less offensive to raise a mass of Money it being but just who were so rich and free to purchase new Priviledges should first pay their old Penalties This motion was listned unto and Sir John with some others appointed for that purpose in the Counties beyond Trent scarce a third of England in ground but almost the half thereof for the growth of Recusants therein But whether the Returns seasonably furnished the Kings occasions is to me unknown 60. It is suspicious that all such Projects to quench the thirst of the Kings necessities proved no better then sucking-bottles 4 1628 A Parliament cal'd which proves full of troubles soon emptied but cold the liquor they afforded Nothing so naturall as the milk of the breast I mean Subsidies granted by Parliament which the King at this time assembled But alas to follow the Metaphor both the breasts the two Houses were so sore with several grievances that all money came from them with much pain and difficulty the rather because they complained of Doctrines destructive to their propriety lately preached at Court 61. For towards the end of this Session of Parliament Dr. Manwaring was severely censured for two Sermons he had preached and printed about the power of the Kings Prerogative Mr. Pimm's Speech against Dr. Manwaring Such is the precipice of this matter wherein each casual slip of my Pen may prove a deadly fall that I had rather the Reader should take all from Mr. Pimm's mouth than from my hand who thus uttered himself Master a Transcribed out of his Manuscript Speech Speaker June 9 I am to deliver from the Sub-Committee a Charge against Mr. Manwaring a Preacher and Doctor of Divinity but a man so criminous that he hath turned his titles into accusations for the better they are the worse is he that hath dishonoured them Here is a great Charge that lies upon him it is great in it self and great because it hath many great Charges in it Serpens qui Serpentem devorat fit Draco his Charge having digested many Charges into it is become a Monster of Charges The main and great one is this A plot and policie to alter and subvert the frame and fabrick of this State and Commonwealth This is the great one and it hath others in it that gains it more greatness For to this end he labours to infuse into the conscience of his Majesty the perswasion of a power not bounding it self with Laws which King James of famous memorie calls in his Speech in Parliament 1619 Tyrannie yea Tyrannie accompanied with Perjurie 2. Secondly He endeavours to perswade the consciences of the Subjects that they are bound to obey illegal commands yea he damns them for not obeying them 3. Thirdly He robs the Subjects of the propertie of their goods 4. Fourthly He brands them that will not lose this propertie with most scandalous and odious titles to make them hatefull both to Prince and People so to set a division between the Head and Members Anno Dom. 1628 Anno Regis Caroli 4 and between the Members themselves 5. Fifthly To the same end not much unlike to Faux and his fellows he seeks to blow up Parliaments and Parliamentarie Power These five being duly viewed will appear to be so many Charges and withall they make up the main and great Charge A mischievous Plot to alter and subvert the frame and Government of this State and Commonwealth And now that you may be sure that Mr. Manwaring though he leave us no propriety in our Goods yet he hath an absolute propriety in his Charge Audite ipsam belluam heare Mr. Manwaring by his own words making up his own Charge Here he produced the Book particularly insisting on pag. 19. 29. and 30. in the first Sermon pag. 35. 46. and 48 in the second Sermon All which passages he heightned with much eloquence and acrimonie thus concluding his Speech I have shewed you an evill Tree that bringeth forth evill Fruit and now it rests with you to determine whether the following sentence shall follow Cut it down and cast it into the fire 62. Four daies after the Parliament proceeded to his censure The severe censure on the Doctor June 13 consisting of eight particulars it being ordered by the House of Lords against him as followeth 1. To be imprisoned during the pleasure of the House 2. To be fined a thousand pounds 3. To make his submission at the Bar in this House and in the House of Commons at the Bar there in verbis conceptis by a Committee of this House 4. To be suspended from his Ministerial function three yeers and in the mean time a sufficient preaching man to be provided out of the profits of his living and this to be left to be performed by the Ecclesiastical Court 5. To be disabled for ever hereafter from preaching at Court 6. To be for ever disabled of having any Ecclesiastical Dignity in the Church of England 7. To be uncapable of any secular Office or preferment 8. That his Books are worthy to be burned and his Majesty to be moved that it may be so in London and both the Universities But much of this censure was remitted in consideration of the performance of his humble submission at both the Bars in Parliament 63. Where he appeared on the three and twentieth of June following His humble submission
is an ordinary working-day it being will-worship and superstition to make it a Sabbath by vertue of the fourth Commandement But whilest Mr. Bradborn was marching furiously and crying Victoriae to himself he fell into the ambush of the High Commission whose well tempered severity herein so prevailed upon him that submitting himself to a private conference and perceiving the unfoundnesse of his own principles he became a Convert conforming himself quietly to the Church of England 2. Francis White Bishop formerly of Norwich then of Ely Sabbatarian controversies revived was employed by his Majesty to confute Mr. Bradborn his erroneous opinion In the writing whereof some expressions fell from his pen whereat many strict people but far enough from Bradborn's conceipt took great distaste Hereupon Books begat Books and controversies on this subject were multiplied reducible to five principal heads 1. What is the fittest name to signifie the day set apart for Gods publique service 2. When that day is to begin and end 3. Upon what authority the keeping thereof is bottomed 4. Whether or no the day is alterable 5. Whether any recreations and what kindes of them be lawfull on that day And they are dinstinguishable into three severall opinions Sabbatarians Moderate men Anti-Sabbatarians I Are charged to affect the word Sabbath as a Shiboleth in their writing preaching and discoursing to distinguish the true Israelites from lisping Ephraimites as a badg of more pretended puritie As for Sunday some would not have it mentioned in Christian mouthes as resenting of Saxon Idolatry so called from and dedicated to the Sunne which they adored 2. Some make the Sabbath to begin on Saturday night The evening and the morning were the first day and others on the next day in the morning both agreeing on the extent thereof for four and twenty hours 3. They found it partly on the law and light of nature deriving some countenances for the septenary number out of heathen authours and partly on the fourth Commandement which they avouch equally moral with the rest I. Sabbath especially if Christian be premised may inoffensively be used as importing in the original only a Rest And it is strange that some who have a dearnesse yea fondness for some words of Jewish extraction Altar Temple c. should have such an antipathie against the Sabbath Sunday may not only safely be used without danger of Paganisme but with increase of piety if retaining the name we alter the notion and therewith the notion thereof because on that day The a Mal. 4. 2. Sunne of Righteousnesse did arise with healing in his wings But the most proper name is the Lords-day as ancient used in the Apostles b Revel 1. 10. time and most expressive being both an Historian and Preacher For the Lords day looking backward mindeth us what the Lord did for us thereon rising from the dead and looking forward it monisheth us what we ought to doe for him on the same spending it to his glory in the proper duties thereof 2. The question is not of so great concernment For in all circular motions it matters not so much where one beginneth so be it he continueth the same untill he return unto that point again Either of the aforesaid computations of the day may be embraced Diésque quiésque redibit in orbem 3. In the Lords-day three things are considerable 1. A day founded on the light of nature pure impure Pagans destining whole daies to their idolatrous service 2. One day in seven grounded on the moral equity of the fourth Commandement which is like the feet and toes of Nebuchad-nezzar's c Dan. 2. 41. Image part of potters clay and part of iron The clay part and ceremonial mottie of that Commandement viz. that seventh day or Jewish Sabbath is mouldred away and buried in Christ's grave The iron part thereof viz. a mixture of moralitie therein one day in seven is perpetuall and everlasting 3. This seventh day being indeed the eighth from the creation but one of the seven in the week is built Sabbatarians 1 The word Sabbath as now used containeth therein a secret Magazeen of Judaism as if the affecters thereof by spirituall Necromancy endeavoured the reviving of dead and rotten Mosaicall Ceremonies 2. They confine the observation of the day only to the few hours of publique service 3. These unhinge the day off from any Divine Right and hang it meerly on Ecclesiasticall authority first introducing it as custome and consent of the Church had since established it Sabbatarians Moderate-Men Anti-Sabbatarians Anno Dom. 1633 Anno Regis Carol. 9 4. The Church no not ex plenitudine suae potestatis may or can alter the same 5. No exercises at all walking excepted with which strictnesse it self cannot be offended are lawful on this day Insomuch as some of them have been accused of turning the day of rest into the day of torture and self-maâ—eration on Divine right in a larger sense having an analogy in the Old and insinuations in the New Testament with the continued practice of the Church 4. Would be right glad of the generall agreement of the Christian Church but withall right sorry that the same should be abused for the alteration of the Lords-day But as there is but little hope of the former so is there no fear of the latter it being utterly unexpedient to attempt the altering thereof 5. The Sabbath in some sort was Lord yea Tyrant over the Jews and they by their superstition contented vassalls under it Christ was e Matth. 12. 8. Lord of the Sabbath and struck out the teeth thereof Indeed such recreations as are unlawfull on any day are most unlawfull on that day yea recreations doubtfull on other daies are to be forborn on that day on the suspicion of unlawfulnesse So are all those which by their over violence put people past a praying capacity Add also those which though acted after Evening-Service must needs be preacted by the fancy such the volatility thereof all the day before distracting the minde though the body be at Church These recreations forbidden other innocent ones may be permitted 4. The Universall consent of the Christian Church may alter it Yea d Pocklington in his Sunday no Sabbath pag. 8. one saith that the Church of Geneva went about to translate it to Thursday but it seems it was carried in the negative 5. Mixt dancings Masques Interludes Revells c. are by them permitted in the intervalls betwixt but generally after Evening-Service ended A worthy f Dr. Paul Micklewaite Doctor who in his Sermons at the Temple no less piously than learnedly handled the point of the Lords-day worthily pressed that Gentle-folke were obliged to a stricter observation of the Lords-day than labouring people The whole have no need of the Physitian but those who are sick Such as are not annihilated with labour have no title to be recreated with liberty Let Servants whose hands are ever working whilest their
eies are waking let such who all the foregoing week had their Cheeks moistned with sweat and hands hardened with labor let such have some recreation on the Lordsday indulged unto them whilst persons of quality who may be said to keep Sabbath all the week long I mean who rest from hard labor are concerned in conscience to observe the Lords-day with the greater abstinence from recreations Anno Dom. 34. Pass we now from the pen Troubles begâ—n in Somerset-shire to the practicall part of the Sabbatarian difference Somerset-shire was the stage whereon the first and fiercest Scene thereof was acted Here Wakes much different I dare say from the watching prescribed by our Saviour were kept on thâ— Lords day with Church-Ales Bid-Ales and Clerks-Ales If the Reader know not the criticall meaning and difference of these words I list not to be the interpreter and his ignorance herein neither is any disgrace nor can be any damage unto him The Gentry of that County perceiving such revells the cause of many and occasion of moe misdemeanors many acts of wantonness bearing their dates from such meetings importuned Sr. Thomas Richardson Lord Chief Justice and Baron Denham then Judges riding the Western circuit in the Lent-vacation to make a severe Order for the suppressing of all Ales and Revells on the Lords-day 35. In complyance with their desire March 19 Judg Richardsons order against Lords-day Revells the aforesaid Judges made an order on the 19. day of March founded on former precedents signed by Judge Popeham Lord Chief Justice in the latter end of Queen Elizabeth her Reign therein suppressing such Revells in regard of the infinite number of inconveniences daily arising by means thereof injoyning the Constables to deliver a copie thereof to the Minister of every Parish who on the first Sunday in February and likewise the two first Sundays before Easter was to publish the same every yeare 36. The Archbishop of Canterbury beheld this as an usurpation on Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction Which he would not revoke and complained of the Judges to his Majesty procuring a Commission to Bishop Pierce and other Divines to enquire into the manner of publishing this Order and the Chief Justice his cariage in this business Notwithstanding all which the next Assise Judge Richardson gave another strict charge against these Revels required an account of the publication and execution of the aforesaid Order punishing some persons for the breach thereof After whose return to London the Archbishop sent for him and commanded him to revoke his former Order as he would answer the contrary at his peril telling him it was his Majesties pleasure he should reverse it The Judge alledged it done at the request of the Justices of the Peace in the County with the generall consent of the whole Bench on the view of ancient precedents in that kinde 1634 However the next Assise he revoked his Order with this limitation as much as in him lay At what time also the Justices of the Peace in Somerset shire who in birth brains spirit and estate were inferiour to no County in England drew up an humble petition to his Majesty for the suppressing of the aforesaid unlawfull assemblies concurring with the Lord Chief Justice therein sending it up by the hand of the Custos Rotulorum to deliver it to the Earle of Pembroke Lord Lieutenant of their County to present it to his Majesty 37. Just in this juncture of time a Declaration for sports The Kings Declaration set forth the fifteenth of King James was revived and enlarged For his Majesty being troubled with petitions on both sides thought good to follow his Fathers royal example upon the like occasion in Lancashire and we refer the Reader to what we have writen * See the 15. of K. James before for arguments pro and con about the lawfulnesse of publique reading thereof 38. It was charged at his triall The Archbishop excuseth himself on the Archbishop of Canterbury that he had caused the reviving and enlarging of this Declaration strong presumptions being urged for the proof thereof He denied it yet professing his judgment for recreations on that day alledging the practice of the Church of Geneva allowing shooting in long Bowes c. thereon Adding also that though indulging liberty to others in his own person he strictly observed that day Anno Dom. 1634 Anno Regis Caroli 10 A self-praise or rather self-purging because spoken on his life which seem'd uttered without pride and with truth and was not cleerly confuted Indeed they are the best carvers of libertie on that day who cut most for others and leave least for themselves 39. However No injunction to the Ministers there was no express in this Declaration that the Minister of the Parish should be pressed to the publishing Many counted it no Ministers work and more proper for the place of the Constable or Tithing-man to perform it Must they who were if not worst able most unfitting hold the Candle to lighten and let in licentiousnesse But because the Judges had enjoyned the Ministers to read their order in the Church the Kings Declaration was inforced by the Bishops to be published by them in the same place 40. As for such whose consciences reluctated to publish the Declaration Yet some silenced for refusall to read the book various were their evasions Some left it to their Curats to read Nor was this the plucking out of a thorn from their own to put it in another Mans conscience seeing their Curats were perswaded of the lawfulnesse thereof Others read it indeed themselves but presently after read the fourth Commandement And was this fair play setting God and their King as they conceived at odds that so they themselves might escape in the fray Others point-blanck refused the reading thereof for which some of them were suspended ab officio beneficio some deprived and moe molested in the High Commission it being questionable whether their sufferings procured more pity to them or more hatred to the causers thereof 41. All Bishops urged not the reading of the Book with rigour alike Moderation of some Bishopâ— therein nor punished the refusall with equall severity I hear the loudest longest and thickest complaints come from the Diocess of Norwich and of Bath and Wells I knew a Bishop in the West to whom I stood related in kindred and service who being pressed by some to return the names of such as refused to read the Book to the Archbishop of Canterbury utterly denied and his words to me were these I will never turn an accuser of my Brethren there be enough in the World to take that office As for the Archbishop of Canterbury much was his moderation in his own Diocess silencing but three in whom also a concurrence of other non-conformities through the whole extent thereof But oh The necessity of the generall day of Judgment wherein all Mens actions shall be expounded
They are loath therefore to make a blind promise for fear of a lame performance 19. As for the Reforming of Religion which necessarily implies a changing thereof of England Nor without a double scandal and Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government they cannot consent thereunto without manifest scandal both to Papists and Separatists For besides that they shall desert that just cause which many pious Martyrs Bishops and Divines of our Church have defended both with their inke and blood writings and sufferings hereby they shall advantage the cavils of Papists against our Religion taxing it of uncertainty not knowing where to fix our feet as allways altering the same Yea they shall not only supply Papists with pleas for their Recusancy Sectaries for their Separation acknowledging something in our Church-Doctrine and Service not well agreeing with Gods-word but also shall implicitly confess Papists unjustly punished by the Penal-Statutes for not conforming with us to the same Publick-Service wherein somethings are by our selves as well as them misliked and disallowed 20. Nor can they take this Covenant without injury and perjury to themselves Injury to themselves Injurie by insnaring their consciences credits and estates if endeavouring to reform Religion under the notion of faulty and vicious to which formerly they had subscribed enjoyned thereto by the b b 13. Eliz. cap. 12. Law of the Land not yet abrogated never as yet checked by the regrets of their own consciences nor confuted by the reasons of others for the doing thereof 21. Perjury Perjury to their souls as contrary to the Protestation and solemn vow they had c c May the 5. 1641. lately taken and Oath of Supremacy swearing therein to defend all the Kings Rights and Priviledges whereof His Spiritual Jurisdiction in reforming Church-matters is a principal Now although a latter oath may be corroborative of the former or constructive of a new obligation consistent therewith yet can it not be inductive of a tie contrary to an oath lawfully taken before Exceptions to the Second Article 22. It grieveth them therein to see Prelacy so unequally yoak'd Ill but forc'd 〈◊〉 of Prelacy Popery being put before it Superstition Heresie Schisme and Prophaneness following after Such the pleasure of those that placed them though nothing akin in themselves But a captive by the power of others may be fettered to those whom he hates and abhorres Consent they cannot to the extirpation of Prelacy Foure reasons against extirpation of Prelacy neither in respect Of 1 The thing it self being perswaded that neither Papal Monarchie nor Presbyterian Democracie nor Independant Anarchie are so conformable to the Scriptures as Episcopal Aristocracy being if not of Divine in a strict sence of Apostolical Institution confirmed with Church-practice the best Comment on Scripture when obscure for 1500 years and bottomed on the same foundation with Infants-Baptisme National Churches observing the Lords-day and the like 2 Themselves of whom 1 All when taking degrees in the University 2 Most as many as are entred into Holy-Orders 3 Not a few when lately petitioning the Parliament for the continuing of Episcopacy 4 Some being members of Cathedral and Collegiate Churches have subscribed with their hands and with their corporal oaths avowed the justification and defence of that government 3 Church of England fearing many mischiefs from this alteration felt sooner than seen in all great and sudden changes especially because the Ecclesiastical Government is so interwoven in many Statutes of the land And if Schisms so encrease on the Suspension what is to be expected on the Extirpation of Episcopacy 4 His Majesty as contrary to their Oath of Supremacy wherein they were bound to maintain His Priviledges amongst which a principal is that He is Supreme moderator over all Causes and Persons Spiritual wherein no change is to be attempted without his consent Dignity The Collations of Bishopricks and Deanries with their profits in their vacancies belonging unto Him and the First-fruits and Tenths of Ecclesiastical Dignities a considerable part of the Royal Revenue Here we omit their Plea whose chief means consisting of Cathedral preferment alledge the like not done from the beginning of the world that men though deserving deprivation for their offences should be forced to swear sincerely seriously and from their souls to endeavour the rooting out of that whence their best livelihood doth depend Exceptions against the Third Article 23. It grieveth them herein to be sworn to the Preservation of the Priviledges of Parliament and liberties of the Kingdom at large and without any restriction being bound in the following words to defend the Kings person and Authority as limited in the preservation and defence of true Religion and the Liberties of the Realm enlarging the former that the later may be the more confined 24. They are jealous what should be the cause of the inversion of the method seeing in the Solemn Vow and Protestation the Defence of the Kings Person and Authority is put first which in this Covenant is postposed to the Priviledges of Parliament However seeing the Protestation was first taken the Covenant as the younger cannot disinherit the elder of the possession which it hath quietly taken in mens consciences Exceptions to the Fourth Article 25. They are unsatisfied whether the same imposeth not a necessity for children to prosecute their Parents even to death under the notion of Malignants against all rules of Religion and humanity For even in case of Idolatry children under the old * * Deut. 13. 6. law were not bound publickly to accuse their Parents so as to bring them to be stoned for the same though such unnaturall cruelty be foretold by our * * Mat. 10. 21. Saviour to fall out under the Gospell of those that shall rise up against their Parents and cause them to be put to death Exceptions to the Fifth Article 26. They understand not what is meant therein by the happiness of a blessed peace betwixt these Kingdoms whereof Ireland must needs be one whilest the same is rent with a wofull warr and the other two lands distracted with homebred discords whereof no settlement can be hoped untill first all interests be equally stated and the Kings Authority Priviledges of Parliament and Liberties of Subjects justly bounded and carefully preserved Exceptions to the Sixth Article 27. They are unsatisfied therein as wholy hypothetical supposing what as yet is not cleared by solid arguments viz. that this is the common cause of Religion Liberty and peace of the Realms c. And if the same be granted it appeareth not to their conscience that the means used to promote this Cause are so lawfull and free from just objections which may be raised from the Laws of God and man Exceptions to the Conclusion 28. They quake at the mention that the taking of this Covenant should encourage other Churches groaning under the yoak of Antichristian Tyranny to joyn in the same fearing the dangerous consequences
or change often avouched by noe other Authour then this Doctors Vnconstancy However let us not be over cruel to his memory for not suffering for his own who was so kind and carefull to keep other from suffering for their conscience Andrew Pern 1559 6◠Vice-Chan Barth Dodington George Fuller Proct. Tho. Ventris 2 Major Doct. Leg. 3 Medic. 1 Bac. Theol. 6 Mag. Art 25 Bac. Art 60 Henry Harvy Vice-Chanc Anthony Gilblington Iohn Cowell Proct. Roger Slegg 156 ◠◠Maj. 3 Doct. Leg. 1 Bac. Theol. 9 Mag. Art 31 Bac. Leg. 1 Mus 2 Art 53 Philip Baker 156 1 2 Vice-Chan VVilliam Master Georg Blithe Proct. Tho. Kymbold 4 Major Doct. Theol. 1 Leg. 2 Medic. 1 Bac. Theol. 8 Mag. Art 20 Bac. Leg. 3 Art 51 Francis Newton 156 2 3 Vice-Chan Andrew Oxenbridg Iohn Igulden Proct. Hen. Serle 5 Major Doct. Theol. 3 Leg. 1 Medic. 1 Bac. Theol. 4 Mag. Art 44 Bac. Leg. 7 Art 80 Edward Hauford 156 1 4 Vice-Cha Richard Curtesse Henry Woorley Proct. Rob. Cano 6 Major Doct. Theol. 12 Medic. 2 Bac. Theol. 4 Mag. Art 39 Bac. Leg. 2 Art 71 Robert Beaumont 156 4 5 Vice-Chanc Tho. Bing Barth Clark Proct. William Munsey 7 Maj. Doct. Theol. 1 Bac. Theol. 7 Mag. Art 27 Bac. Art 85 Now began a great difference in Trinity Colledge betwixt Doctor Beaumont Master thereof and some in that Society which hath its Influence at this day on the Church of England whereof hereafter SECT VII TO FRANCIS ASH OF LONDON Ann. Dom. 156 3 4. Esquire Ann. Reg. Eliz. 6. IT is the life of a Gift to be done in the life of the Giver farre better than funeral Legacies which like Benjamin are born by the losse of a Parent For it is not so kindly charity for men to give what they can keep no longer besides such donations are most subject to abuses Silver in the living Is Gold in the giving Gold in the dying Is but Silver a flying Gold and Silver in the dead Turn too often into Lead But you have made your own hands Executors and eyes Overseers so bountifull to a flourishing foundation in Cambridge that you are above the standard of a Benefactour Longer may you live for the glory of God and good of his servants QUeen Elizabeth Aug. 5. partly to ease Her self Queen Elizabeth comes to Cambridge with some recreation partly to honour and encourage Learning and Religion came to Cambridge where she remained five whole daies in the Lodgings of the Provost of Kings Colledge She was entertained with Comedies Tragedies Orations whereof one most eloquent made by William Masters the Publique Oratour disputations and other Academical Exercises She severally visited every House And at Her departure She took Her leave of Cambridge with this following Oration ET si foeminilis iste meus Pudor subditi fidelissimi Academia charissima in tanta doctorum turba illaboratum hunc Sermonem Orationem me narrare apud vos impediat Her Oration to the University tamen Nobilium meorum intercessus Ann. Dom. 1563-64 erga Academiam benevolentia me aliqua proferre invitat Ann. Regi Eliz. 6. Duobus ad hanc rem stimulis moveor Aug. 10. Primus est bonarum literarum Propagatio Alter est vestra omnium expectatio Quod ad propagationem spectat unum illud apud Demosthenem memini Superiorum verba apud inferiores Librorum locum habent Principum dicta legum Authoritatem apud subditos retinent Hoc igitur vos omnes in memoria tenere velim quod semita nulla praestantior est sive ad bona fortunae acquirenda sive ad Principum gratiam conciliandam quam graviter ut coepistis studiis vestris exhibeatis operam quod ut faciatis vos omnes oro obsecróque De secundo stimulo vestra nimirum expectatione hoc unum dico me nihil libenter praetermissuram esse quod vestrae de me animae benevolae concipiunt cogitationes Jam ad Academiam venio Tempore ante meridiano vidi ego aedificia vestra sumptuosa à meis majoribus clarissimis Principibus literarum causa extructa inter videndum dolor Artus meos occupavit atque ea mentis suspiria quae Alexandrum quondam tenuisse feruntur qui cum legisset multa à Principibus monumenta conversus ad familiarem seu potius ad Consiliarium multum doluit se nihil tale fecisse Haec tamen vulgaris sententia me aliquantum recreavit quae etsi non auferre tamen minuere potest dolorem Quae quidem sententia haec est Romam non uno aedificatam fuisse die tamen non est ita senilis mea aetas nec tam diu fui ex quo regnare coepi quin ante redditionem debiti naturae si non nimis cito Atropos lineam vitae meae amputaverit aliquod opus faciam quamdiu vita hos regit artus nunquam à proposito deflectam Et si contingat quam citò futurum sit nescio me mori opportere priusquam hoc ipsum quod polliceor complere possim aliquod tamen egregium opus post mortem relinquam quo memoria mea in posterum celebris fiat alios excitem exemplo meo vos omnes alacriores faciam ad studia vestra Sed jam videtis quantum inter sit inter doctrinam Lectam disciplinam animo non retentam Quorum alterius sunt complures satis sufficientes testes alterius autem vos omnes nimis quidem inconsideratè testes hoc tempore effeci quae meo barbaro Orationis genere tam diu doctas vestras aures detinuerim DIXI At that time the Degree of Master of Art Noble-men made Masters of Art was conceived to take a Degree and it self commenced in honour when the following Peers and Noble Persons were in the Regent House created Masters of Art a Caius Hist Cant. Acad. Pag 88. Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke Edward Veere Earl of Oxford Ambrose Dudley Earl of Warwicke Edward Manners Earl of Rutland Thomas Ratclyf Earl of Sussex Robert Dudley Earl of Leicestre Edw Clinton high Adm. of England William Howard Lord Chamberlain Henry Carew Lord Hunsden Sir William Cecil Secretary Sir Francis Knolls Vice-chamb Tho Heneage John Ashley Richard Bartue William Cooke Edmond Cooke Esquires Thus Acts being ended Degrees conferred University Officers well rewarded and all persons pleased Her Majesty went on in Her Progresse and the Schollers returned to their Studies 2. And yet we finde one great Scholler much discontented if my * Sir Geo. Paul in the Life of Archbishop Whitigist p. 7 Author may be believed namely The first cause of Mr. Cartwrights discontentment Mr. Thomas Cartwright He and Thomas Preston then Fellow of Kings Colledge afterwards Master of Trinity Hall were appointed two of the four Disputants in the Philosophy Act before the Queen Cartwright had dealt most with the
generally received His Majesty I utterly dislike the first part of your motion thinking it unfit to thrust into the Book of Articles every position negative which would swell the book into a volume as big as the Bible and confound the Reader Thus on M. Craig in Scotland with his I renounce and abhorre his multiplyed detestations and abrenuntiations so amazed simple people that not able to conceive all their things they fell back to Popery or remained in their former ignorance If bound to this forme the Confession of my faith must be in my Table booke not in my head Because you speake of intention I will apply it thus If you come hither with a good intention to be informed the whole work will sort to the better effect But if your intention be to go as you came whatsoever shall be said it will prove the intention is very materiall and essentiall to the end of this present action As for the nine Assertions you speak of I cannot sodainly answer not knowing what those Propositions of Lambeth be BP of Lond. May it please your Majesty this was the occasion of them by reason of some Controversies arising in Cambridge about certain points of Divinity my Lords Grace assembled some Divines of speciall note to set down their opinions which they drew into nine Assertions and so sent them to the University for the appeasing of those quarrels His Majesty When such questions arise amongst Scholars the quietest proceedings were to determine them in the University and not to stuff the Book of Articles with all Conclusions Theologicall Secondly the better course would be to punish the Broachers of false Doctrine than to multiply Articles which if never so many cannot prevent thecontrary opinions of men till they be heard Dean of Pauls May it please your Majesty I am neerely concerned in this matter by reason of a Controversie betwixt me and some other in Cambridge upon a Proposition which I there delivered namely that whosover though before justified did commit any grievous sinne as Adultery Murder c. doe become ipso facto subject to Gods wrath and guilty of Damnation quoad praesentem statum untill they repent Yet so that those who are justified according to the purpose of Gods Election though they might fall into grievous sin and thereby into the present Estate of Damnation yet never totally nor finally from Justification but were in time renewed by Gods spirit unto a lively Faith and Repentance Against this Doctrine some did oppose teaching that persons once truly justified though falling into grievous sinnes remained still in the state of Justification before they actually repented of these sinnes yea and though they never repented of them through forgetfulnesse or sudden death they neverthelesse were justified and saved His Majesty I dislike this Doctrine there being a necessity of conjoyning repentance and holinesse of Life with true Faith and that is Hypocrisie and not justifying Faith which is severed from them For although Predestination and Election depend not on any qualities actions or works of Man which are mutable but on Gods eternall Decree Yet such is the necessity of repentance after known sinnes committed that without it no Reconciliation with God or Remission of Sins Dr. Reyn. The Catechisme in the Common-Prayer-book is too brief and that by Mr. Nowel late Deane of Pauls too long for Novices to learne by heart I request therefore that one Uniform Catechisme may be made and none other generally received His Majesty I think the Doctour's request very reasonable yet so that the Catechisme may be made in the fewest and plainest affirmative termes that may be not like the many ignorant Catechismes in Scotland set out by every one who was the Sonne of a good man insomuch that what was Catechisme-Doctrine in one Congregation was scarcely received as Orthodox in another and herein I would have two rules observed First That curious and deep questions be avoided in the Fundamentall instruction of a People Secondly That there should not be so general a departure from the Papists that every thing should be accounted an Errour wherein we agree with them Dr. Reyn. Great is the Prophanation of the Sabbath day and contempt of your Majestie 's Proclamation which I earnestly desire may be reformed This motion found an unanimous consent Dr. Reyn. May your Majesty be pleased that the Bible be new translated such as are extant not answering the Originall and he instanced in three particulars Gal. 4. 25. Psal 105. 28. Psal 106. 30. In the Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They were not disobedient Phinehas execut judgement Ill translated Bordereth They were not obedient Phinehas prayed B. of Lond. If every mans humour might be followed there would be no end of translating His Majesty I professe I could never yet see a Bible well translated in English but I think that of all that of Geneva is the worst I wish some speciall pains were taken for an uniform translation which should be done by the best learned in both Universities then reviewed by the Bishops presented to the Privy Councell lastly ratified by Royall Authority to be read in the whole Church and no other Bp. of Lond. But it is fit that no marginall notes should be added thereunto His Majesty That Caveat is well put in for in the Geneva Translation some notes are partiall untrue seditious and savouring of traiterous conceits As when from Exodus 1. 19. Disobedience to Kings is allowed in a Marginall note And 2 Chron. 15. 16. King Asa taxed in the Note for onely deposing his Mother for Idolatry and not killing her To conclude this point let Errours in matters of Faith be amended and indifferent things be interpreted and a gloss added unto them For as Bartolus de Regno saith that a King with some weaknesse is better than still a change so rather a Church with some Faults than an Innovation And surely if these were the greatest matters that grieved you I need not have been troubled with such importunate Complaints D r. Reyn. May it please your Majesty that unlawfull and seditious Books be suppressed such as Ficlerus a Papist De Jure Magistratus in Subditos applyed against the late Queen for the Pope Bp. of Lond. There is no such licentious divulging of those Books and none have Liberty by Authority to buy them except such as Dr. Reynolds who was supposed would confute them And if such Books come into the Realme by secret conveyances perfect nottce cannot be had of their importation Besides Ficlerus was a great Disciplinarian whereby it appeares what advantage that sort gave unto thei Papists who mutatis personis apply their owne arguments against Princes of their Religion though for my part I detest both the Author and Applyer alike The L d. Cecil Indeed the unlimited liberty of dispersing Popish and Seditious Pamphlets in Paul's Church yard and both the Universities hath done much mischief but especially one called Speculum Tragicum His