authorized by his Chaplain Dr Bray presented to and accepted by himselfe when published as appears by two faire gilded printed copies thereof with his Archiepiscopall Armes engraven on the Covers found in his study by Mr Pryune printed An. 1640. since these Propositions of Bishop Hall were sent him resolving that there can be not only no Church but no Ministers at all without Bishops to ordain them in these terms Non est Sacerdotium nisi in Ecclesia non est Ecclesia sine Sacerdotio Illud autem intelligo per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Episcopalem ordinariam Neque euim admittenda consneus extraordinariam aliquam sen vocationem seu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nisi miraculosam Oportet omnino miraculis agant suam confirment functionem signo aliquo qui non ab Episcopis derivata ab Apostolis per successionem institutione in Ecclesiam inducuntur sed velorti à sese vel nescio unde intrusi sese ingeruâ—t Nâ—m quod pretendunt ordinariam vocationem retinendam adhibendam eique adherescondum nisi in casu necessitatis absurdum est suppositione innititur impossibilitatis Neque enim talis casus an t extitit aliquando aut contingere potest nisi fallat not Dominus qui promisit Porta inferorum non pravalebunt Ecce sum vobiscum ad consummationem mundi By which Position the forraigne Protestant Churches are resolved concluded to be no Churches their Ministers no Ministers their Sacraments no Sacraments their Ordinances no Ordinances of Christ which perchance made Mr John Dury ordained in one of those Churches to be re-ordained a Minister here by the Bishop of Exeter Dr Hall before he was admitted to his Benefice as appeares by their severall Original Letters found in the Archbishops study And then what are they but meere Pagan Conventicles farre worse then Papists and the Church of Rome We shall only adde to this that whereas Bishop Hall in his Treatise of Episcopacy pag. 18. excused the forraign Protestant Churches from being unchurched by these Positions only in this regard that the reason why they renounced Bishops was meerly out of necessity because their Bishops would not suffer them to enjoy the Gospel Adding pag. 19. That it is very considerable whether the condition they were in doth absolutely warrant such a proceeding which is somewhat too hard a censure of them yet the Archbishop in his forecited Letter to Bishop Hall taxeth him for this his overmuch lenity towards them in these termes You are a little more favourable to the forraigne Churches and their Authors then our cause will beare and yet in the very same Letter he mislikes and blames this Bishop for his overmuch sharpnesse towards the Pope in his second Book for bestowing the Title of Antichrist upon him wherewith he was so highly offended that out of a zeal to his Holinesse he presently complaines to the King himselfe of this indignity offered to the Pope and procures a speciall Mandate from his Majesty to Bishop Hall to qualifie his expressions in this particular with his owne pen which he did accordingly Notwithstanding the Generall confessions of all forraign Protestant Churches The authorized Impressions of all their eminentest Writers Our own Homâ—lies Writers of all sorts and the very Act of Parliament for the Confirmation of the Subsidies granted by the Clergy 3. Iac. penned by all the Prelates and Clergy of England in full Convocation give the Pope this Title and stile the Iesuites and their Adberents THE UNSHAMEFACT BROOD OF ANTICHRIST This his indulgence therefore to the Pope Priests and Church of Rome and professed emnity against the forraigne Reformed Churches in unchurching them in making their Ministers no Ministers at all and them no Christians nor Christian Assemblies discovers his very Intrals and inward bent of his soule to Popery to the Church of Rome yea his inveterate hatred to these Protestant Churches and their Religion too The next thing wee shall fully evidence 2. Though this Archbishop was so zealous an Advocate for the Church of Rome as both in his publick Speeches Writings to maintaine That her Religion is the same with ours as we have formerly proved yet he could by no meanes endure that the Religion of the forraign Protestant Churches and Ours should be termed one and the same Whereupon he presumed to countermand alter and purge his Majesties Letters Patents under the Great Seale for a Collection for the poore distressed Ministers of the Palatinate Ann. 1634. because it termed their Religion The true Religion which we together with them professe to maintain This wee shall make good by two substantiall witnesses and the printed Letters Patents themselves The witnesses are Mr Wakerly then Secretary to Mr Secretary Cook and Mr Hartlib who deposed at the Lords Barre upon Oath That in the yeare 1634. the Queen of Bohemia sent over one Mr Ruly a Palatinate Minister into England with Letters of recommendation to the Archbishop to desire his mediation and assistance to the King to grant Letters Patents under the great seale for a generall Collection towards the reliefe of the exiled Ministers of the Palatinate and their families who were then in great distresse which Letter Mr Ruly presenting to the Archbishop among whose Papers Mr Prynne found the very Originall after the reading thereof the Archbishop promised out of respect to the Queen of Bohemia who writ to him with her own hand to move the King in it which he did and then informed him that it was the Kings pleasure there should be Letters Patents drawn for a generall collection for those Ministers as was desired Wherupon Mr Ruly requested the Archbishop in regard he was a stranger and knew not our proceedings to give him some directions how to get the Letters Patents drawn and sealed who answered that he needed no instructions herein for it was a thing of usuall course and willed him to repaire to the Officers of the King his Secretaries and Attorney generall who would draw and procure them to be sealed Whereupon he repaired to Mr Wakerly who went with him to the other Officers and procured Letters Patents to be drawn according to former Presidents both in King James and King Charles reignes and namely verbatim according to Letters Patents for a like Collection dated 29 Ian. 3. Caroli which being drawn engrossed and passed the Great Seal of England without any scruple the Lord Keeper both reading and approving the same before the sealing Mr Ruly carried the Patent over to Lambeth to desire the Archbishops assistance for the printing dispersing and promoting therof where meeting with Mr Dell his Secretary he acquainted him with his businesse and shewed him the Patent who casting his eye thereon took some exceptions thereat because it made our and their Religion to be both one saying Are your Church and Religion and ours one which done he carried the Patent to the Archbishop who after he had perused it calling for Mr Ruly demanded
beseech you take into your Religious consideration and vouchsafe me such a favourable resolution as the meritts of the cause requireth It is so that Doctor Robert Weston sometimes one of the Lords Justices for the Government of Ireland and Lord Chancellor of the same Realme Grandfather to my deceased Wife and great Vncle to the now Lord Treasurer of England whose memory yet lives by being stiled the good Lord Chancellor of Ireland was buried in the upper end of the Chancell in Saint Patrickes Church whose Daughter Sir Iefferey Fenton maried he having beene principall Secretary of State to Queene Elizabeth and King Iames for many yeares and lived and died in great honour whose onely Daughter I tooke to Wife and hee was buryed in the same grave My Wife drawing towards her end made her last request unto me that her Grandfather her Father and her selfe might be buried together and that I would be at the charge to erect some Monument in memoriall of them all Whereupon in accomplishment of her dying desire who was the Mother of my fifteene Children I propounded unto the Lord Archbishop of Dublin and to the Deane and Chapter of Saint Patricks to purchase a place where I might erect a Tombe over them And they assigned me the ground under an Arch to make a Seller or Vault in to receive dead bodies and three foote of the Chancell adjoyning to the Grave where the Lord Chancellor and Sir Iefferey Fenton had beene buried for which I payd them a Fyne with Rent and other reservations towards the reparation of the Church and by their unanimous consent have a Deed in due forme of Law perfected under their Chapter Seale and so being by generall consent legally interested therein I made a Vault of hewed stone under ground with conveighances therein to free the Church from the waters with which floods and great raynes it was before often anoyed withall and where there was then but an earthen flower at the upper end of the Chancell which was often overflowne I raysed the same three steps higher making the Staires of hewen stone and paving the same through out of the same whereon the Communion Table now stands very dry and gracefully In that Seller I have placed the Corps of my Wives Grandfather her Father and her selfe with a Daughter of mine since deceased that was married to the Lord Digbie and over the Vault I have caused a Tombe of foure storyes to be erected which reacheth two and thirtie foot from the ground which hath cost me a thousand pounds at the least and is the greatest ornament and beautie to that Church that ever was placed therein that being seated under an Arch that in former time was only a passage into the Saint Mary Chappell at the East end of which Chappell the high Altar stood and when that Chappell which hath two other wayes into it the one on the right hand the other on the left fell into ruine that Arch wherein the Tombe is placed to keepe the winde and weather out of the Chancell was made up with slight timber and lathes and plaistred with Clay white lymed over whereon the Commandements were lately written It is three yeares since this my worke was finished and neither during the time of the worke nor since till now of late did I ever heare of any mouth opened against it but many in commendations of it as a great beautie and ornament to that Chancell neither doth it take away or hide any of the lights of the Chancell for they are all above this Fabricke Neither is there any remembrance nor can the oldest man living say that there ever was any Altar placed neere this passage Yet of late it hath pleased my honourable Lord the Lord Deputy to command me to give Your Grace satisfaction herein or else to declare that the Tombe must be defaced which to have done would bee the greatest dishonour and affliction that could bee layed upon me And the more for that before I heard any thing of Your Graces distant thereof I had in the presence of the Lord Prymate given order to the Deane at my ovvne charges for a stately Skrene to be erected within the Quire and upon the pavement raised by my selfe upon which the tenne Commandements are to bee engraven to the great beautifying of Gods House Vpon that notice from the Lord Deputy I made suite to the Lord Prymate and the Lord Archbishop of Dublin to view the place which they vouchsafed together with the Deane and Chapter to doe And doe humbly offer to your Grace their opinions herein which I beseech Your pious consideration of and that you will be pleased to returne me such an answer as may encourage me to proceed herein and in other like building and charitable workes wherein I spend a great part of my estate and time as all that know me and my actions â—an testifie The great God of Heaven blesse Your Grace with a long and happie life in this world and everlasting glory in the world to come vvhich is and ever shall be the prayer of Your Graces most humble and faithfull Servant R. Caâ—he Dublin 20. Febr. 1633. May is please Your Grace VNderstanding from the Earle of Corke that Your Grace hath intimated unto the Right Honourable the Lord Deputie your offence taken against a Tombe lately built by his Lordship in the quire of Saint Patrikes Church neere this Citie of Dublin being informed that it should be situate in the place where the High-Altar anciently stood and that it should darken the East Window of the Quire upon his Lordships earnest request unto mee I have made bold to declare unto your Grace my knowledge thereabouts which is that the place where the Tombe is erected is a spatious Arch which in former times as I conceive served for a passage into the Marie Chappell adjoyning at the East end vvhereof the High Altar stood This Arch was closed up and plastered to keepe the winde as I imagine out of the Quire Saint Marie Chapell being somevvhat decaied upon the plaistering the Declalogue was fairely painted these vvere done before my promotion to this See or comming into this Kingdome The windovves which were of old somevvhat high over the Arch are no way darkened by his Lordships monument but remaine as they were formerly and the monument is so wrought and contrived what in the Arch and the Wall that vvith the grate before it it doth not much diminish the length of the Quire The Earle hath raised that end of the Quire three-steppes higher then it vvas and hath paved it with faire hevven stones being formerly a floore of earth many times upon a fresh drovvned vvith water where novv the Communion Table iâ— placed vvith more decency then in former times And his Lordship is in hand to set up a faire skrine of timber somewhat distant from the monument so that it may take in some other monuments heretofore erected on either side in the which
money too But howsoever his Lordship hath get a very full estate in that Kingdome and hee doth very wisely to fortifie it as well as hee can But besides these I have long since heard though you now mention it not that his Lordship hath done greater service to the Church in some other particulars as namely to the Bishoprick of Lismore and the Colledge of Yong-Hall for which it is great pitty but that his Lordships memory should bee preserved in the Church Thus I have given Your Grace a distinct answer to all the Particulars in Your Letter But for the Tombe which occasioned all the rest I will not take upon mee to judge unlesse I were upon the place how fitly or unfitly it stands there but shall wholly leave it to the view and resolution which shall thereupon bee taken in that place So I leave you to the Grace of God and rest Your Lordships very loving friend and Brother Will Cant. Lamb. March 1633. But some may perchance inquire what was the ground of this Archbishops introduction of these Innovations first of all into Cathedrall Churches Certainly one principall cause of this his method was to make these Mother Churches as he stiled them patterns of imitation for all Daughter Churches and Chapells within the the whole Diocesse that so the Proverbe in Ezech. 16. v. 44. 45. might be verified of them Behold every one tht useth Proverbes shall use this Proverbe against thee saying AS IS THE MOTHER SO IS HER DAVGHTER Thou art thy Mothers Daughter That this was one chiefe end of his to corrupt all Parish Churches and Chappell 's by these Cathedralls examples was infallibly manifested First by the very words of the Order made at the Councell Table at White Hall the third of November 1633 concerning the standing of the Communion Table in Saint Gregories Church neere Paules printed in Dr. Heylins Coale from the Altar and in his Antidotum Lincolniense Sect. 1. c. 2. p. 62. which order was thus printed by the Archbishops direction the chiefe stickler in the procuring and prime Clerke in the penning of it wherein it is positively resolved That all other Churches ought to be guided by the Cathedrall Mother Church whereon they depend and that the Communion Table in Saint Gregories Church removed from the middle of the Chancell to the upper end and there placed Altar-wise in such manner as it standeth in the Cathedrall and Mother Church of St. Paul should so continue that so there might be no difference betweene it and the said Cathedrall Mother Church Secondly by diverse bookes published in print by the Arch-Bishops speciall direction and app obation expresly averring That all Parochiall Churches ought to be guided by the patterne of the Mother Church upon the which they doe depend The Arch-Bishop himselfe in his discourses and these creatures of his in their Bookes applying and urging this leaden rule of theirs in particular for the rayling in of Communion Tables placing them Altarwise against the East end of the Quire and bowing unto them in all Parish Churches because this was done and practised in all Cathedrall Churches by vertue of his New Statutes and Injunctions though not in former times This foundation being layd in our Cathedralls for the like Popish Innovations in all Parochiall Churches wee shall in the next place prosecute this pursuite of his Innovations from our Cathedralls to Parochiall Churches and Chappell 's Wee shall begin with Saint Gregories Church neare Paules where the case was thus About tenne yeares since this Church was repaired by the Parishoners to their great cost at which time the Deane and Chapter of Pauls under whose jurisdiction it is caused the Picture of Saint Gregory to bee set up in the Church and the Communion Table to bee removed rayled about and set Altarwise against the East-end of the Chancell Whereupon Master Wyan and diverse of the Parishioners being offended at it appealed from the Deans and Chapters Order as being against Law to the Arches upon which by the Archbishops means an Order came from Secretary Windebank to call the Parishioners to the Councell Table concernning this Appeale the removing of the Table where they appeared at the appointed time with their Councell The King himselfe the Arch-Bishop and many of the Lords were then present where the businesse being debated before them the Archbishop stood up and with great earnestnesse more like an Advocate then Judge justified maintained this removing and rayling in the Table reading Queene Elizabeths Injunctions to warrant it but left out this most materiall clause that made quite against him Saving when the Communion of the Sacrament is to be administred at which time the same shall be so placed in good sort within the Chancell as whereby the Minister may bee more conveniently heard of the Communicants in his prayer and ministration and the Communicants also more conveniently and in greater number communicate with the said Minister And after the Communion done from time to time the said holy Table to be placed where it stood before The King said hee liked it well that the Table should stand as it used to do heretofore to which the Archbishop answered that if it stood so the Minister could not so well see who kneeled at the Sacrament and who kneeled not To which the King replied then let the seates bee pulled downe Then the Councell for the Parish alleadged that Bishop Jewell in his Reply to Harding Artic. 3. Diuis 26. and Artic. 13. Diuis 6. and Master John Fox in his Acts and Monuments Edit 1610. pag. 1211. 1212. both which Books were enjoyned to be kept in every Church for the people to read in as containing the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England and nought repugnant thereunto maintained and asserted That the Communion Table ought to stand in the MIDST OF THE CHVRCH AMONG THE PEOPLE and not Altar-wise against the wall Hereupon the Archbishop stood up in an angry manner and sayd If this be the use they make of these Books Jewell Fox I desire they may be taken out of Churches and Sir Henry Martin saying merrily that this Table placed close along the wall would make a good Court-cupboord The Archbishop therupon replied that Sir Henry was a stigmaticall Puritan in his bosome All which particulars were proved upon oath by Master Wyan Mr. Clearke and Captain Stackhouse Wherupon by the Archbishops violence this Order was then made against the Parishioners for the standing of that Table Altar-wise as it was situated by the Deanes and Chapters Order and appointment At Whitehall the third day of Novemb 1633. Present the KINGS most Excellent Maiestie Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Keeper Lord Archbishop of Yorke Lord Treasurer Lord Privy Seale Lord Duke of Lenox Lord Chamberlaine Earle of Bridgwater Earle of Carlile Lord Cottington Master Treasurer Master Comptroller Lord High Chamberlain Earle Marshall Master Secretary Cooke Master Secretary Windebanke THis Day was Debated before
have any Image of any Saint especially of our Saviour in his house is unlawfull and that if any man kept such pictures in his house if it were not flat Idolatry yet it was little better This was the maine charge against him to which was added that he used some harsh expressions against lacivious mixt dancing especially on the Lords day citing only the words of the Waldenses in their censure against Dancing borrowed frō Vincentius Belvacensis Gulielmus Peraldus two Popish Writers of great note and justified by Bishop Babington in his exposition upon the seventh Commandement and that he prayed for the States of Holland the King of Sweden and other Generals beyond the seas in his prayer before he prayed for the King that now is over us which was but according to the usuall course of all or most Ministers who first prayed for the whole Catholick Church in generall next for the Protestant Churches and Princes beyond the seas and then for the Church and King of England and agreeable to the forme of the very Common-prayer-book in the prayer for the whole state of Christs Church c. which runs thus We beseech thee also to save and defend all Christian Kings Princes and Governours which comprehends all foreine Princes in the first place and especially thy servant Charles our King c. who is remembred last of all but yet in a more speciall manner But these two last particulars though mentioned in his sentence were no inducements to it but only the first passage against Images which M. Workman justified out of divers of our owne English Authors and the very Homilies against the perill of Idolatry Part. 3. p. 41. to 631. which determine thus That no Jmage of God or the Trinity or of Christ may or ought to be made that such Images are not only defects but lyes and teach nothing of God or Christ but lyes and errours That Images placed publickly in Temples cannot possibly be without danger of worshipping and idolatry wherefore they are not publickly to be or suffered in Temples and Churches c. We infer and say for the Adversative that all our Images of God our Saviour Christ and his Saints publickly set up in Temples and Churches places peculiarly appointed to the true worship of God be not things indifferent nor tolerable but against Gods law commandment taking their own interpretation and exposition of it First for that all Images so set up publickly have bin worshipped of the unlearned and simple sort shortly after they had been publickly so set up and in conclusion of the wise and learned also Secondly for that they are worshipped in sundry places now in our time also And thirdly for that it is impossible that Images of God Christ or his Saints can be suffered especially in Temples and Churches any while or space without worshipping of them and that Idolatry which is most abominable before God cannot possibly be escaped and avoided without the abolishing and destruction of Images and Pictures in Temples and Churches for that Idolatry is to Images specially in Temples and Churches an inseparable accident as they tearm it so that Images in Churches and Idolatry go alwayes both together and that therefore the one cannot be avoided except the other specially in all publick places be destroyed Wherefore to make Images and publickly to set them up in the Temples and Churches places appointed peculiarly to the service of God is to make Images to the use of Religion and not only against this precept Thou shalt make us manner of Images but against this also Thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them for they being set up have been be and ever will be worshipped c. That it is not possible if Images be suffered in Churches and Temples either by the preaching of Gods Word or by any other means to keep the people from worshipping of them and so to avoid idolatry c. What can we do I say or bring to passe to the stay of Idolatry or worshipping of Images if they be allowed to stand publickly in Temples and Churches And if so many so mighty Emperours by so severe Lawes and Proclamations so rigorous and extreame punishments and executions could not stay the people from setting up and worshipping of Images what will ensue thinke you when men shall commend them as necessary books of the Laymen Let us therefore of these latter dayes learn this lesson of the experience of ancient Antiquity That Idolatry cannot possibly be separated from Images any long time but that as an unseparable accident or as a shadow followeth the body when the Sunne shineth so Idolatry followeth and cleaveth to the publick having of Images in Temples and Churches And finally as Idolatry is to be abhorred and avoided so are Images which cannot be long without Idolatry to be put away and destroyed Besides the which experiments and proof of time before the very nature and origine of Images themselves draweth to Idolatry most violently and mens nature and inclination also is bent to Idolatry so vehemently that it is not possible to sever or part Images nor keep men from Idolatry if Images he suffered publickly c. For if the origine of Images and worshipping of them as it is recorded in the eight Chap. of the Book of Wisdom began of a blind love of a fond father framing for his comfort an Image of his Sonne being dead and so at the last men fell to the worshipping of him whom they did know to be dead how much more will men and women fall to the worshipping of the Image of God our Saviour Christ and his Saints if they be suffered to stand in Churches and Temples publickly For the greater the opinion is of the majesty and holinesse of the person to whom an Image is made the sooner will the people fall to the worshipping of the said Image Wherefore the Images of God our Saviour Christ the Blessed Virgin Mary the Apostles Martyrs and other of notable holinesse are of all other Images most dangerous for the perill of Idolatry and therefore greatest heed to be taken that none of them be suffered to stand publikely in Churches and Temples For there is no great dread least any should fall to the worshipping of Images of Annas Caiphas Pilate or Judas the Traitor if they were set up But to the other it is already at full proved That Idolatry hath been is and is most like continually to be committed Now as the Nature of mari is none otherwise bent to worshipping of Images if he may have them and see them then it is bent to whordome and Idolatry in the company of an harlot And as a man given to the lust of the flesh seeing a wanton harlot sitting by her and imbracing her it profitteth little for one to say beware of fornication God will condemne fornicators and adulterers for neither will he being overcome with greater intisements of
Change or Subversion of RELIGION is grounded upon the daily increase of Papists the only professed Enemies thereof for the reasons formerly mentioned so are the hearts of Your Subjects no lesse perplexed when with sorrow they behold a daily growth and spreading of the faction of the Arminians that being as Your Majestie well knowes but a cunning way to bring in Popery and the professors of those opinions the common disturbers of the Protestant Churches and Incendiaries of those States wherein they have gotten any head being Protestants in shew but Jesuites in Opinion and practise which caused Your Royall Father with so much pious wisdome and ardent zeale to endeavour the suppressing of them as well at home as in our Neighbouring Countries and Your Gratious Majestie inimating his most worthy example have openly and by your Proclamations declared your mislike of those persons and of their opinions who notwithstanding are much favoured and advanced not wanting friends even of the Clergie neere to Your Majestie namely Doctor Neale Bishop of Winchester and Doctor Laud Bishop of Bath and VVells who are justly suspected to bee unsound in their opinions that way And it being now generally the way to preferment and promotion in the Church many Schollers do bend their Studies to maintaine these Errours their Bookes and opinions are suffered to be printed and published and on the other side the impressions of such as are written against them and in defence of the Orthodox Religion are hindered and prohibited and which is a boldnesse most incredible this restraint of Orthodox Bookes is made under colour of Your Majesties formerly mentioned Proclamation the intent and meaning whereof we know was quite contrary c. To which Declaration Bishop Laud returned a Peremptory answer in His Majesties Name written and endorsed with his owne hand the Originall whereof attested by Master Prynne was reade at the LORDS Barre in these following words so farre as concerned the charge of Arminianisme THe next feare is the daily growth and spreading of the Arminian faction called a cunning way to bring in Popery But We hold this charge as great a wrong to Our selfe and Our Government as the former For our People must not bee taught by a Parliament Remonstrance or any other way that We are so ignorant of Truth or so carelesse of the profession of it that any opinion or faction or what ever it be called should thrust it selfe so far so fast into Our Kingdomes without Our knowledge of it This is a meere dreame of them that wake and would make Our Loyall and loving People thinke We sleepe the while In this charge there is great wrong done to two eminent Prelates that attend Our Person for they are accused without producing any the least shew or shaddow of proofe against them and should they or any other attempt Innovation of Religion either by that open or any cunning way we should quickly take other order with them and not stay for Your Remonstrance To helpe on this Our People are made believe there is a restraint of Bookes Orthodoxall But wee are sure since the late Parliament began some whom the Remonstrance calls Orthodox have assumed to themselves an unsufferable liberty in printing Our Proclamation commanded a restraint on both sides till the passions of men might subside and calme and had this beene obeyed as it ought wee had not now been tossed in this tempest As for any distressing or discountenancing of good Preachers Wee know there is none if they be as they are called good But Our good people shall never want that spirituall comfort which is due unto them And for the preferments which VVee bestow Wee have ever made it our great care to give them as rewards of desert and paines but as the preferments are ours so will wee bee Judge of the desert our selfe and not bee taught by a Remonstrance After which the Commons in pursuance of their Opposition against the growing Arminian Faction On the 28. of January 1628. but 11. dayes after the forementioned Proclamation concerning Mountagues Booke and prohibiting books against it passed this notable Vote in Parliament after a large debate which the Archbishop in his indorsment on it stiles The Challenge of the lower House in matters of Religion An Order made by the lower House of PARLIAMENT the 28th of IANVARY 1628. WEE the Commons now Assembled in Parliament doe claime professe and avow for Truth the sence of the Articles of Religion which were established in Parliament the thirteenth yeare of Queene Elizabeth which by the publike Acts of the Church of England and the generall and currant exposition of the Writers of our Church have beene delivered unto Vs and we reject the sence of the Iesuites Arminians and all others wherein they doe differ from Vs. To which Challenge of theirs this pragmaticall Bishop then returned this bold peremptory answer written with his owne hand produced attested by Master Pryn and read at the Lords Barre in Evidence against him 1. The publique Acts of the Church in matters of Doctrine are Canons and Acts of Councells as well for expounding as determining the Acts of the High Commission are not in this sence publike Acts of the Church not the meeting of few or more Bishops Extra Concilium unlesse they be by lawfull Authority called to that worke and their decision approved by the Church 2. The Currant exposition of writers is a strong probable Argument de sensu Canâ—nis Ecclesiae vel Articuli yet but probable The Currant exposition of the Fathers themselves hath sometimes missed sensum Ecclesiae 3. Will ye reject all sence of lesuit or Arminian may not some be true may not some be agreeable to our writers and yet in a way that is stronger then ours to confirme the Article 4. Is there by this Act any Interpretation made or declared of the Articles or not If none to what end the Act If a sence or Interpretation be declared what authority have lay-men to make it for Interpretation of an Article belongs to them only that have power to make it 5. T is manifest there is a sence declared by the House of Commons the Act sayes it wee avow the Article and in that sence and all other that agree not with us in the aforesaid sence wee reject these and these goe about misinterpretation of a sence Ergo there is a Declaration of a sence yea but it is not a new sence declared by them but they avow the old sence declared by the Church The publike authenticke Acts of the Church c. yea but if there be no such publique authenticke Acts of the Church then here 's a sence of their owne declared under pretence of it 6. It seemes against the Kings Declaration 1. That sayes we shall take the generall meaning of the Articles this Act restraines them to consent of VVrighters 2. That sayes the Article shall not be drawne
in the time of K. Edward and Q. Elizabeth and in the time of Q. Mary for his conscience endured voluntary exile And to place him in the front of the most learned and Godly English Bishops holy Martyrs and others that suffered Martyrdome in the daies of Q. Mary for the truth and Gospell of Christ Jesus in which number he is Registred in the Title Page and placed before Bishop Hooper and Father Latymer in the Book it selfe The occasion of writing this unlicenced obscure Pamphlet was as followeth Iohn Veron being Divinity Lecturer in Paules Cathedrall in the first yeare of Queene Elizabeth handled the Doctrine of Predestination and other incident Points thereto belonging in direct opposition the Popish Pelagian and now Arminian Tenets which Lectures he soone after published in Print and dedicated to Q. Elizabeth in a booke intituled A Fruitfull Treatise of Predestination c. Printed at London for JOHN TYLDALE about the second yeare of Queene Elizabeths Raigne against which Lectures this Champnyes taking some exceptions published this Anonimous Answer by way of a Letter which Veron soone after answered almost verbatim in his authorized Apology dedicated to the Queen whereto Champeneys never replyed After which this Letter was largly answered word for word from the very Title page to the end thereof in a Book Intituled An Apology or Defence of the English Writers and Preachers with Cerberus the Three-Headed Dogge of Hell chargeth with false Doctrine under the name of Predestination written by Robert Crowley Clerke a fugitive for Religion in Queene Maries dayes and an eminent laborious Preacher in those times Vicar of Saint Giles without Criplegate in London Imprinted at London in Pater-Noster-Rowe at the signe of the Starre by Henry Denham Anno 1566. Octob. 14. Seene and allowed according to the order appointed In which booke this Pamphlet which the Bishop and his Agents now obtrude upon us as the received Doctrine of our prime Martyrs and of the Church of England in King Edward the 6th and Queene Elizabeths Reignes was by publique Authority in the name of all the Orthodox Writers and Preachers of England refuted as directly contrary to the received Doctrine of our Martyres Writers Preachers Church and censured as Pelagiau and Popish in both these ancient printed Answers It must needs therefore be an inexpiable insufferable abuse in this Archbishop and his Instruments thus to revive reprint this exploded Erronious Arminian Treatise in the yeare 1631 and obtrude it on us as the received Doctrine of our Martyrs and Church of England in the beginning of Reformation whereas there was nothing lesse on purpose to propagate his Arminian Errors and strengthen that lesuiticall faction After this Mr. Prynne produced Bishop Hoopers Confession and Protestation of his faith made to the whole Parliament An. 1550. in King Edwards dayes His comfortable Exposition upon the Psalmes London 1580. his Articles upon the Creed London 1584. Artic. 3. to 15. 17. 21. 25. 29. 30. 33. 36. 38. to 56 62. 67. 68. 91. to 99. wherein he expresly in terminis refutes those Arminian opinions which this our Author wold wrest out of the words of his Preface to the Commandements contrary to his intention together with divers Passages in Father Latimers Sermons expresly against the Arminian Tenets which explicate his other misapplyed Clauses in the Hystoricall Naration All which Mr. Pryn then shewed to Sir Humfry Lynde to his great satisfaction then desired him to repaire to Bishop Laud in his name to acquaint him with the premises and this desperate Imposture he had obtruded on our Church to his eternall Infamie and thereupon to advise him speedily to call in and burne this dangerous seducing booke or else he would prosecute him to the uttermost for this abuse Sir Humfry accordingly acquainted the Bishop his Chaplin Martin herewith but yet they took no course to suppresse the Booke whereupon Mr Prynne repaired to Lambheth to Archbishop Abbot acquainted him with the execrablenesse of this imposture shewed him the severall old Answers to this new printed Pamphlet with the expresse positions of Bishop Hooper and Bishop Latymer contrary to those imputed to them in this Narration desiring him to call in this dangerous Historicall Narration with all severity and to cause it to be publikely burnt to reprint the old Answers to it and withall to give him leave to prosecute Bishop Laud his Chaplaine Martin with the publisher of this book in the high Commission for this insufferable abuse To which Archb. Abbot gave this answer that this booke did very much trouble him that he had sent to Bishop Laud about it who at first denied that his Chaplain licensed it but afterwards acknowledged it that he gave order to call it in but it was in a privat manner after most of the bookes vâ—nded that he never saw nor knew of these 2. old Answers to it therefore desired Mr. Pryn to leave them with him for a time promising faithfully to restore them and to give him an accompt of this businesse on the Saturday following In the meane time Mr. Prynne because this booke had done much harme in both the Vniversities sent downe some of these Answers of Veron and Crowly with some of Bishop Hoopers books to Oxf. Cambridg to some of his acquaintance there and to the Vniversity Lybrary at Oxford whither many resorted to peruse them to their great satisfaction and the Bishops dishonour by discovering this imposture to them On Saturday being Easter Eve Master Prynne repayred to Archbishop Ahbot for an Answer who told him that he had called in this offencive book seized on som of the copies which were caried into Stationers-hall that Bishop Laud had since been with him that he had shewed him the bookes there left who confessed his Chaplin Martÿn had licenced this Narration in which he had done very ill but he had given him such a ratling for his paines that hee would warrant His Grace hee should never meddle with Arminian Bookes or Opinions more To which Mr. Prynne replyed that indeed he had ratled him to very great purpose for no longer then yesterday in the afternoone his Chapline Martin Preaching the Passion Sermon at Paules Crosse publikly broached maintained Vniversall grace and Redemption with all the Arminian Errors contained in this Book and condemned in the Synol of Dort to the great offence of the Auditors as his owne Chaplains Dr. Buckner Master Austen and Dr. Featley could at large informe him and therefore the Bishop did most grosly abuse his Grace herein who should doe well to proceed against both of them and publikly censure them in the High-Commission or this grosse practise to the end the whole Kingdome might take notice of it and the Arminian party be thereby discouraged That the Bookes they had seized were but few the greatest part of the Impression being vented they were called in so slighty and in so private a manner that few or none took notice thereof and
Dedicated to the Archbishop and Licensed by Heywood his Chaplain August 26. 1634. cap. 16. p. 45. 46. determines thus Quaenam sit Romana Ecclesia Cum constet Romanam Ecclesiam in primariis temporibuss velut inter ignes Luna Minores caeteris Ecclesiis praeluxisse caeterisque Maechantibus castam pudicam veritatis conservatricem extitisse nec in pessimis usque eo degenerasse censemus ut in primariis fundamentalibus Religionis capitibus aberrasse videatur quidniquamvis in caeteris forsan vitiatam temeratam Ecclesiae tamen nomine honestandam censeam c. This passage Doctor Bastwick taking exception against at his censure in the High-Commission read it openly in Court where the Arch-bishop publikely justified it in his speech affirming That the Church of Rome was a true Church and that it never erred in fundamentalls in which we differ not but onely circa fundamentalia This distinction of his was afterwards thus justified in Print by Christopher Dome in his Innovations unjustly charged pag. 48. Nor is it an absurd distinction as he unreverendly and absurdly termed it that a great Prelate used in the High-Commission at the censure of Doctor Bastwick when he said That we and the Church of Rome differ not in fundamentalibus but circa fundamentalia pag. 49. The distinction is not absurd but it may most truely and fitly be said that we may and do differ about and not in fundamentals which Doctor Heylin likewise seconds in his Moderate Answer to Henry Burton p. 6. 124. 125. No difference between the Church of Rome and England in fundamentalls Suppose a great Prelate in the High-Commission 〈…〉 had said openly that we and the Church of Rome differ not in â—â—â—â—amentalibus yet how comes this to be an Innovation c. The Church of Rome hath done more against the Heretickes of this age than you or any of your Divines be he whom he will But for the Church of Rome it is a true Church and that we differ not from them in fundamentalls see the Reconciler Doctor Potter in his booke which he submitted to the Arch-bishops censure concludes thus pag. 62. 77. The most necessary and fundamentall truths which constitute a Church are on both sides unquestioned We hope well of those holy souls who in former ages lived and dyed in the Church of Rome c. Nay our charity reacheth further to all those this day who in simplicity of heart beleeve the Roman Religion and professe it Doctor Pocklingtons Altare Christianum pag. 114. Termes Rome by the name of Holy Church and applauds her canonized Popish Saints stiling them The Holy Saints and Martyrs of Jesus Christ whose names are written in heaven And our Protestant Martyrs Traytors Murderers Rebels and Hereticks The Archbishop himselfe was a professed maintainer of the truth and visibility of the faith and Church of Rome not only in his Speech in the high Commission at Doctor Bastwicks censure there and in his Speech in Star-chamber pag. 36. but likewise in his late Reply to Fisher Epist Ded. p. 16. And were not this so we should never be troubled with that idle and impertinent question of theirs Where was your Church before Luther For it was just there where theirs is now One and the same Church still no doubt of that one in substance but not one in condition of State and purity Their part of the same Church remaining in corruption and our part of the same Church under Reformation In the Reply it selfe pag. 370. 371. Rome but with all particular Churches and no more than other Patriarchall Churches was and is radix existentiae the roote of the Churches existence The Church of Rome and every other particular Church c. Indeed Apostolike she is as being the See of one and he a prime Apostle but not the onely Apostolike Visible I may not deny God hath hitherto preserved her And p. 376. Secondly if the Religion of the Protestants be in conscience a known false Religion then the Romanists Religion is so too for their Religion is the same Nor do the Church of Rome and the Protestants set up a different Religion for the Christian Religion is the same to both but they differ in the same Religion and their difference is in certain grosse corruptions I shall close up this with a publike Recantation drawn up and prescribed by Godfry Goodman Bishop of Glocester to one Mr. Ridler Minister of Little Deane about 7. miles from that City who having many Papists in his Parish and preaching in a Sermon there That Papists as Papists were damned and that the true Protestant Religion was the onely true and safe way to Salvation he was upon the complaint of some Papists convicted before this Bishop and by him enjoyned to make this following Recantation prescribed to him in writing in the Cathedrall Church at Glocester on Jan. 2. 1636. and for refusing to make it he was afterwards on the 5. of March next following suspended from his living IHS IN the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Amen Whereas I did deliver in a Sermon lately preacht in this Diocesse That if we are saved the Papists are damned I am right heartily sorry that I should deliver any such doctrine wherein I must acknowledge mine owne errour and my great fault and offence First against his Majesties Instructions thus rashly and unadvisedly to affirme That Papists are damned Secondly it is an offence against the laws of the Kingdome For in the eye of the Law we are still one with the same Catholike Church for were we of a distinct or severall Church Then our Church could claim no right or Title to those Priviledges Charters Foundations and Revenues which it enjoyes at this day for these were granted to Papists and for many hundred yeares possessed by them and since there hath beene no new Law for transferring them upon a different or contrary Church But this is made much more manifest by the expresse words of the Statute as it appeares by the Act of Parliament which was made upon the first breach with the Papists the words are these That they do not thereby intend to seperate themselves from Gods Catholike Church but onely for some politicall respects to preserve the Kingdome from Ruine This was made the 25. of Hen. 8. and it is in force at this day so that to make such a difference between these two Churches as is between damnation and salvation certainly is against the Common Lawes and the Statute Law of this Kingdome besides many acts of State which being above my element I will not presume to touch upon Thirdly against the Church of England It is imposible there should be any greater offence in regard of the affinity that is between both Churches for we have the same Holy Orders the same Church Service the same Ceremonies the same Fasts the same Festivals and we have generally the same Canon Lawes and therefore
answer I. If all the Jewes both Priests and people did use such foolish and frivolous ceremonies as Bellarmine here saith are condemned then why may not the Pope and Papists use such or be guilty of the same error II. All such mysticall ceremonies which are brought now into the Church of Rome without the warrant of God's Word were invented by a humane spirit for the blessed Spirit of God never taught any other worship to the Church then that which Christ instituted John 14. 26. III. If many yea most of their ceremonies be not frivolous foolish and ridiculous I know not what is but as a work or subject not worth the insisting upon I passe it by Thirdly the Jewes saith Bellarmine were taxed by Christ because they esteemed more highly of some humane lawes then they did of the law of God as Mat. 23. 23. but the Papists doe not so To this I answer that this was never more seen in the Jewes then in the Papists as was cleerly shewed and proved in the last Qestion of the former verse Many such like passages are purged out of this Author which we pretermit But the grossest purgations of all the rest were made by Doctor Bray in Doctor Clarke's Sermons upon the fifth of November and upon other occasions as will appeare by these ensuing purgations at which every zealous Protestant may wel stand amazed Page 228. 229. 230. c. the Licenser hath expunged this which followeth Such another woman saw the Prophet Zachary her name was Wickednesse Kins-woman to this nay was not this shee for the Prophet sayes shee was carried into Babylon And they say Rome is Babylon we say it themselves say it But I will discharge the Pope so to make his Holinesse this Wickednesse Now what this vision meanes and who this woman is an Angel expounds in the rest of the chapter looke at the last verse the woman is said there to be the great City that usurps soveraignty over the whole earth by which that Rome is meant is superfluous to prove Romanists acknowledge it and Rome too in a Metonimy not the streets and wals of Rome but the power and policy and government of Rome they yeeld that also but with caution that we meane of Heathen Rome not Christian Rome as it was the seat of Caesars not the seat of Popes the throne of Antichrist they grant that too but the Pagan Emperours must be that Antichrist not their Bishops But I find it with their favours to be the Church of Rome and therefore this woman I expound to be the Papacy I prove it not it is needlesse unto you and bootlesse unto them if their learned labours who daily write of it cannot perswade them what am I to hope it and yet some of their Jesuits Vega and Ribera doe now at length acknowledge it The woman then is Rome not onely Neronizing under Emperours but also tyrannizing under Popes who shee was in John's time doth not skill us much we are to consider what shee is now It is not the Empire but the Church of Rome it was the Empire once that being converted cherished the church But filia devoravit Matrem the Church hath choaked the Empire and is her selfe become this woman Now this bloody woman drunken with the blood of Saints In the third chapter whereof this chapter is a comentary there is not one onely but two Beasts the first is the Empire the latter is the Papacy which therefore had two hornes which are the Popes two swords as in whom are met both poweâ— Patriarchall and Emperiall Pope Boniface profest it at the publique Jubilee riding one day in the Habit of a Pope and the next of an Emperour commanding to be cryed Ecce duo gladij hic behold he had two swords Nay why should I grant it was the Empire once I meane this woman what though the blood of Saints were shed by Roman Emperours yet this is not meant here the Article is relative it referres us to the first verse to the woman there there she is called a Whore that title is proper onely to the Papacy superstition and Idolatry and prodigious impiety hath cast the appellation of an Harlot upon it I am not worthy to hold the light to them that have written on this Prophesie but me thinks they need not yeeld that this vision concernes the Empire but meerly the Pope for this whorish woman is said at the second verse to have made drunke all Kings with her abominations that is with her idolatry shall I say all Nations had their idolatry from Rome I meane the Empire where read we it where prove we it nay but Rome had rather her idolatry from them It worshipped all the gods of all the countries that it conquered That I read both in prophane and Ecclesiasticall History What needed the Empire to teach the Empire that they had before it learned of them it taught them not being tyed to so short a time I cannot argue any point that to prove the Pope this woman the title of Antichrist is intayl'd to him and the number of the beast fals fit to him What need I when so many and so learned books proves them both yea as the high Priest prophesied of Christ unwillingly so hath a learned Bishop of our Land observed that one of the Popes men hath inscribed a book to him and in his simplicity hath put the beasts name on him Paulo quinto vice-Deo To Paul the fifth Vice-God In the numerall letters of these words is just contained the number of the beasts 666. Nay but the Pope will none of it if the date be not out and expired in the Empire but we will needs extend it unto these times too and make the woman the Malignant church then it is the church of England we are this vvoman vve prosecute vve execute vve shed the blood of Saints even this very church of Canterbury both shed the blood of Saints Saint Thomas Beckets blood 't is not the Popes of Rome but the Kings and Queens of England King Henry was this vvoman Queen Elizabeth King James all slaughterers of Saints vvitnesse Sir Thomas Moore 's and Bishop Fisher's blood witnesse Saint Campions and Saint Gornets blood a blood that vvrought miracles If Canonists say truly that if the Pope send troops of soules to hell no man may oppose him Domine cur sic facis ask him why he does so shall I be unmannerly if I list to lose a little and belye our Kings to cry Domine cur sic dicis ask him vvhy he sayes so the Pope hath power to alter substances can he not change qualities make Treason Holinesse and Traitors Saints But it is Harlots manner to call honest vvomen Whores This proves the Pope rather to be this whorish woman constat de persona vve have the person Pilate said of Christ behold the man I may say of Christ's Vicar behold the woman We have her person let us have her parts
Popery to be an Antichristian Yoake Fifthly to the Hymne printed in the end of all our Psalmes and Common-prayer books From Turke and Pope defend us Lord which both would thrust out of his throne our Lord Jesus Christ thy deare Sonne and the prayer for private families bound up with our Bibles and Common-prayer-books confound Satan and Antichrist c. Sixthly to the whole torrent of our Protestant Martyrs Writers who define the Pope to be Antichrist yea the great Antichrist prophesied of in Scripture This was the direct position of our godly learned Martyr Walter Brute who maintained it in a large discourse recorded by Master Fox in his Acts and Monuments edit 1641. vol. I. p. 622. to 632. of our English Apostle Iohn Wickliffe Fox ibid. p. 594. justified by John Hus and Joan Wicklif Dialog l. 4. c. 15. Rich. Wimbledon in his Sermon preached at Pauls Crosse anno 1389. Fox vol. 1. p. 718. Sir Geofry Chaucer in his Plough-mans Tale Lucifers letters to the Prelats of England supposed to be written by William Swinderly Martyr Fox Acts and Monuments edit 1610. p. 482. 483. Sir Iohn Oldeastle that famous Knight and Martyr Fox ibid. p. 417. 418. Pierce Ploughman his complaint of the abuses of the World Fox ibid. 1. edit 1641. p. 520. to 532. Mr. Wil. Tyndall a godly learned Martyr in his Obedience of a Christian man p. 214. 215 c. in his Revelation of Antichrist and Practice of Popish Prelats The Author of the image of a very christian Bishop and of a counterfeit Bishop printed about the yeere 1538. Rodericke Mors his complaint to the Parliament of England about 37 of King Henry 8. c. 23 24. William Wraughter his Hunting and resening of the Romish Fox dedicated to King Henry the eighth Henry Stalbridge his Exhortatory Epistle to his dearly beloved Country of England in King Henry the eighth his Reigne Iohn Bale Bishop of Osyris in his Image of both Churches and Scriptorum Illustrium Brittaâ—dae p. 33. 116. 117. 161. 286. 287. 471. 481. 633. to 640. 647. 702. de Vitis Ponrificum Romanorum Father Latymer Master Bilney Master Rogers Shetterdon and other of our Martyrs William Alley Bishop of Exeter in his Poore mans Library part 1. sol 56. Bishop Iewell in his Defence of the Apology of the Church of England p. 593. 449. 480. to 497. 508. and Reply to Harding p. 220. to 230. Master Thomas Beacon his Acts of Christ and Antichrist his Supplication unto Christ his Reports of Certaine men Reliques of Rome Master Iohn Fox in his Meditations upon the Apocalips Bishop Bilson in his book of Christian Subjection and unchristian Rebellion Doctor Whitaker Doctor Robert Abbot Bishop of Sarum Doctor George Downham Bishop of Derry Doctor Beard Master Powel Doctor Willet Doctor Fulke Doctor Sutcliffe Doctor Sharp Master Squire in their severall Treatises and discourses concerning Antichrist Doctor Iohn White in his way to the true Church Sect. 61. Num. 4. Master Brightman upon the Revelation Doctor Crakenthorpe his defence of Constantine and of the Popes temporall Monarchy and generally all other our eminentest English Writers of any note till this Arch-bishops reigne have positively defined the Pope and Papacy to be the great Antichrist and proved the same at large We shall close up this with two of the Arch-bishops predecessors resolutions in this point The first is Arch-bishop Cranmer who as he refused to move or stirre his cap to the Popes Commissioners when he was converted before them for his Religion so he likewise professedly averred the Pope to be the Artichrist in these very termes recorded by Master Fox in his Acts and Monuments Vol. 3. Edit 1641. p. 653. 660. 661. The Bishop of Rome unlesse he be Antichrist I cannot tell what to make of him wherefore if I should obey him I cannot obey Christ he is like the Devill in his doings for the Devill said to Christ If thou wilt fall downe and worship me I will give thee all the Kingdomes of the world thus he tooke upon him to give that which was not his owne even so the Bishop of Rome giveth Princes their Crownes being none of his owne for where Princes either by election either by succession either by inheritance obtaine their Crowne he saith that they should have it from him Christ saith that Antichrist shall be and who shall he be forsooth he that advanceth himselfe above all other creatures Now if there be none already that hath advanced himselfe after such sort besides the Pope then in the mean time let him be Antichrist c. After which he desired all them present to beare him witnesse that he tooke the traditions and Religion of that usurping Prelat to be most erronious false and against the doctrine of the whole Scripture which he had often times wel proved by writing and the author of the same to be very Antichrist so often preached of by the Apostles Prophets in whom did most evidently concur al signes and tokens whereby he was painted out to the world to be known for it was most evident that he had advanced himselfe above all Emperours and Kings of the world whom he affirmed to hold their estates and Empires of him as of their chiefe c. He hath brought in gods of his owne framing and invented a new Religion full of gaine and lucre quite contrary to the holy Scriptures onely for the maintaining of his Kingdome displacing Christ from his glory and holding his people in a miserable servitude of blindnesse to the losse of a great number of soules which God at the latter day shall exact at his hand boasting many times in his canons and decrees that he can dispence contra Petrum contra Paulum contra vetus novum testamentum and that he plenitudine potestatis tantum prtesi quantum Deus that is against Peter against Paul against the old and new Testament and of the fulnesse of power may doe as much as God O Lord who ever heard such blasphemy if there be any man that can advance himselfe above him let him be judged Antichrist This enemy of God and our Redemption is so evidently painted out of the Scriptures by such manifest signes and tokens which all so cleerly appeare in him that except a man will shut up his eyes and heart against the light he cannot but know him and therefore for my part I will never give my consent to the receiving of him into this Church of England thus Cranmer resigned at his death This Arch-prelat therefore hath shut his eyes and heart against this shining truth in his godly Predecessors judgement who not onely doubts but denies the Pope to be the Antichrist The second is Arch-bishop Whitguift who when he commenced Doctor and answered the Divinity act at Cambridge anno 1569. publikely maintained this assertion in the Schooles Papa est ille Ancichristus as Sir George Paul records in his life p. 5. which this Arch-bishops immediate Predecessor Abbot
meeting a Pupill of his at Paris in France when he waited on Sir Thomas Edmonds as his Chaplaine there which Pupill had turned a Papist discoursing with him concerning this Arch-bishop then resident in Saint John's Colledge in Oxford he told him that Doctor Laud his Tutor was against the Popes supremacy but did maintaine many Catholike points of their Religion The second is Sir Nathaniel Brent his owne Vicar-generall who deposed at the Barre that this Arch bishop while he continued in Oxford was there generally reputed to be popish that he and others conceived him so not upon any fained but upon very probable grounds one whereof then generally taken notice of was that when he did his exercise for Batchelour of Divinity he tooke his supposition almost verbation out of Bellarmine which he remembers the better because one Mr. Dale then Proctor his Opponent who took exceptions at it shewed him his supposition in Bellarmines Works concerning the necessity of Baptisme which was consonant to the tenent of Rome Another ground of this opinion of him was that he held acquaintance and most familiarly conversed with those in the University who were most addicted to Popery and reputed Papists and had sundry differences bickerings disputes with many sound Divines about points in Religion particularly he had very intimate acquaintance with and oft frequented the company of one Browne reputed a Papist in his life and found to be so after his death there being a manuscript writ with his owne hand and thought to be his owne found in his Study in defence of popery and maintaining among other things that one might be a Minister officiate and actually remaine in the Church of England and yet be actually reconciled to the Church of Rome This book King James hearing of sent for it which being brought to him when he had read this passage he said if this position of his were true he could not now tell whom to trust And that there was such a generall report of the Arch-bishop then he thought himselfe would not deny and for that he had seen that book of Browns a petition of this Bishops in a great mans hands to whom King James delivered them wherein healleaged that he was traduced to be a Papist but desired his Majesty not to think so of him To these testimomies we shall adde a notable passage in Doctor Abbot's Sermon at Saint Peters in Oxford on Easter-day Anno 1615. formerly touched on p. 155. on which you may reflect That some were partly ROMISH partly English as occasion served them that a man might say unto them Nosteres an adversariorum who under pretence of truth and preaching against the Puritan strike at the heart and root of the faith and Religion new established among us c. That they cannot plead they are ACCOUNTED PAPISTS because they speak against the puritan but because BEING INDEED PAPISTS they speak nothing against them If they doe at any time speak against the papists they doe but beat a little about the Bush and that but softly too for fear of waking and disquieting the birds that are in it they speak nothing but that wherein one Papist will speake against another as against Equivocation the Popes temporall authority and the like and perhaps some of their blasphemous speeches But in the point of Freewill Justification Concupiscence being a sinne after Baptisme inherent righteousnesse and certainty of salvation THE PAPISTS BEYOND THE SEAS CAN SAY THEY ARE WHOLLY THEIRS AND THE RECUSANTS AT HOME MAKE THEIR BRAGS OF THEM AND IN ALL THINGS THEY KEEP THEMSELVES SO NEERE THE BRINK THAT UPON ANY OCCASION THEY MAY STEP OVER TO THEM Now for this speech that the Presbyterians are as bad as the Papists there is a sting in the speech which I wish had been left out for there are many churches beyond the seas which contend for the Religion established among us which yet have approved and admitted the presbytery and this is to make them as bad as the papists Besides there have lived among us many reverend and worthy men which have not rejected the presbytery taking it even for Lay-Elders and among the rest Doctor Nowell late Deane of Pauls in his Larger Catechisme pag. 29. 71. affirmeth that in every well-governed Church there was a Presbytery and yet this Catechisme by the late reverend Arch-bishop of Canterbury was commanded to be had in every Grammar Schoole Which surely he would not have done if the presbyterians were as daâ—rous or bad as the papists And now that I have cleered my selfe from this imputation of being for the presbytery it will lye upon them to CLEARE THRMSELVES IF THEY CAN FROM THEIR SUSPITION OF POPERY For as Saint Hierom speakes In crimine haereseos patientem esse non decet And for their speech of preferment it s not that I look for I make account I have lived to the end of a Students life and God forbid that now for the hope of a little preferment I should betray the cause of Christ I have been ever of this mind if there be no preferment on earth there is enough in Heaven And my desire is while I live here to walk in sincerity and truth If I should doe otherwise how should I look my Saviour in the face might he not say uto me what art thou ROMISH or English PAPIST or PROTESTANT or what art thou A MONGRELL OR COMPOUND OF BOTH A Protestant by Ordination A PAPIST in the point of Freewill inherent Righteousnesse and the like A Protestant in receiving the Sacrament A PAPIST in the Doctrine of the Sacrament What doe you thinke are there two Heavens If there be get you to the other and place your selves there for into this where I am yee shall not come These Notes of Doctor Abbots Sermon were found in this Arch-bishops Study written with his owne hand produced and attested by Master Prynne inclosed in a copy of a Letter of his to the then Bishop of Lincolne under his owne hand too thus indorsed by him April 18. 1615. The copy of a Letter which I sent to the Lord Bishop of Lincolne concerning a Sermon in which Doctor Abbot HAD WRONGED ME IN THE UNIVERSITY In which Letter he inclosed these Notes for his Lordship to peruse complaining thus therein I came time enough to be at the rehearsall of this Sermon upon much perswasion I went to Church where I was faine to sit patiently and heare my selfe abused almost an hour together yet I was pointed at as I sate for this present abuse I would have taken no notice of it but that THE WHOLE UNIVERSITY APPLIES IT TO ME and my owne friends tell me I shall sink my credit if I answer not Doctor Abbot in his own kind Neverthelesse in a businesse of this kind I will not be swayed from a patient course Onely I desire your Lordship to vouchsafe me some direction what to doe c. By which it is cleere
and there discoursing with an English Gentleman who had been an ancient traveller touching the then late rooting out of sundry English able and orthodox Ministers for not complying with the Bishops in divers new idolatrous ceremonies this Gentleman assured me that he had often heard of strange reports of matters likely to befall England both from English and Irish papists which he gave no heed unto supposing them to speake rather as they would have it then as it was in verity But now that he had heard so much from me he did much suspect that there was some plot in hand to change the Religion in Eng. wherof he would diligently enquire assuring me that he had as good means to know it as any man of our Nation that lived on that side of the Seas At our next meeting he told me that he had dived into the plot That ere long we must all of necessity be papists in Eng. that the best wits both in Eng. and on that side of the Seas were interested therein That it was so politickly laid that he did not see how in the judgment of man it could possibly be prevented That the Archb. and some other Bishops were of the plot and that the rest of the Bishops and Clergy partly for feare of losing what they had partly for hopes of geting more would undoubtedly comply That the refusers if they could not be corrupted were to be turned out of their livings banished imprisoned or forced to live in obscurity That it was to be done by gradations to bring in this point of Popery in one quarter of a yeer and the rest in another and if not direct popery yet so neer thereunto as the common people themselves would slide into it unawares that nothing but the King of Sweden's prosperity did hinder the sudden effecting of it Lastly that if we resisted not we should be cheated and cozened of our Religion and if we resisted we should be compelled thereto perforce I replied that I thought the Papists in England were not of any considerable number to effect their ends by force and that they were also dis-armed He told me the Papists were more in number and better armed then I conceived them to be many going now to Church who would then declare themselves papists besides a world of Newters who for hopes of preferment would be easily drawne to their party that they vvere all united and besides armed with authority He affirming that for many yeers vve had vvholly been governed by Papists most men in highest authority being either vvholly so or at least as serviceable unto them for private ends as if they vvere so indeed I replied that if we should be compelled to defend our Religion by force their authority would not be regarded He told me the Irish vvould be brought in I answered that I had spent some yeers in Ireland and knew them to want both courage and meanes to effect so great a businesse so that unlesse they were backed by the King of Spaine in a better manner then I conceived he was able at that time to doe they durst not undertake it He told me they should have a better back and more encouragement then the King of Spaine could give them and that both France and Spain should assist therein I replied that I thought France and Spaine were likely to disagree and therefore unfit for such a businesse He told me that since J vvould needs have it the greatest introducers of popery should be the Protestants themselves Whereat vvhen J vvondred as seeming to me a paradox he told me that the vvar should be so disguised under false notions and pretences as the Protestants should ignorantly become the Jesuits servants and by the effusion of their ovvne blood set up popery by force Thirdly that being in Rome seven or eight yeers since one Father John of the Order of Saint Benet was very tnquisitive of me to knovv vvho bestovved the livings in England and vvhether the Arch bishop did not doe it I answered that the livings were in the donation of such as had the Advousons of them whether it were the King Arch bishops Bishops Deanes and Chapters Colledges Corporations Noble men Gentlemen or others He asked me if the Arch-bishop did not bestow the Kings livings I said no but the Lord Keeper if they were under such a value if above the King himselfe He seemed very much agrieved that the Arch-bishop did not bestow them and told me that he did not despaire of seeing England to be very suddenly Catholike And though be were by reason of his Order tyed more strictly to the Pope then others were yet he was carefull to have both Kings and Kingdomes priviledges preserved and more particularly that the Benefices in England might not be bestowed upon Italians as formerly but that the Arch-bishop should have the ordering thereof All this I have oft related some yeers since to divers persons of quality for which I incurred some trouble by the Jesuits and this Arch-bishops meanes This Testimony is so home and punctuall that we shall adde no more thereto it informs us of a long since plotted and actuated confederacy between this Archbishop and other English Prelats and the Popes Instruments at Rome and in other forraigne parts to introduce popery and reduce us back to Rome It chalks out to us the manner and method of their proceedings in all particulars and the politick contrivances of all sorts to effect their intended designe all which we have by wofull experience seen punctually acted pursued accordingly to this very moment in which pursuit this Archbishop hath been the Archinstrument since then we visibly behold these reports of theirs verefied to the view of all the world we must no longer look upon them is empty rumours or discourses but as reall Evidences beyond all exceptions The second groundwork we shall lay and prove is this That there hath been for many yeers last past a dangerous damnable Plot and serious endeavour of the Pope and his Instruments to reduce and reconcile the Church of England to the Church and Sea of Rome and that this Arch-bishop was privy to and had notice of it This Plot was first laid about the yeer 1617. when the Spanish Match was set on foot and King Charles then Prince of Wales fent into Spaine of purpose to reconcile him and in him our Kingdomes to the Church of Rome the prime end the Pope and Catholikes intended in that Match and Treaty as appeares by the severall Articles passages and proceedings in it well knowne to this Prelate by the Popes Letter to the Prince whiles in Spaine to reconcile him to Rome and make him a dutifull Sonne of that Church by the Popes Letter to his Nuncio the Bishop of Conchen when the Prince was in Spaine to endeavour his conversion to their Church upon this occasion by a Jesuits Oration to induce his Highnesse to that Religion and by the
That he had been the impeacher and disturber of due and direct correction of Errours and Heresies by reason whereof they crept more abroad and tooke greater place being highly to the danger and perill of the whole body and good Christian people of this Realme All which this Archbishop is guilty in an higher measure in respect of Popery Priests and Jesuits then ever this Cardinall was in regard of the Lutheran Sect and Opinions Fifthly it is evident that the Archbishop had a hand in assisting the Papists Priests and Jesuits in the dispersing of their popish Books to seduce his Majesties Subjects contrary to an expresse Statut whereas he used all possible diligence to suppresse the printing dispersing importing Orthodox Books and those he stiled Puritannicall both at home and beyond the Seas Finally the Archbishop complyed with the Papists Priests Jesuits in concealing their very treasonable plots and conspiracies against the King Kingdome Church and all professors of the Protestant Religion we shall instance but in two particulars The first is in the case of Mistresse Anne Hussey who deposed at the Lords Barre to this effect That William O Conner an Irish Priest servant to the Queen Mother soon after Easter in the yeer 1640. among other discourses told her at the house of one Master Hill neer the Strand in Westminster That there were many private houses about London wherein they used to have Masse said that there were 7000. men in private pay ready to ayde the Catholicks and to cut the Protestants throats that should resist them After which he comming to her in great haste at Mistresse Pinocks house about the end of July 1640. told her That he was then in great haste for he had Letters from the Queen Mother to be delivered to three Embassadours the Spanish the Venetian the French to send to the Pope to know from himselfe or his Legat when to begin the subduing of the Protestants that the Queen his Lady was no foole and that if the King joyned with the Protestants they would cut him off if not by the sword yet by some other way that if no other hand would doe it his hand should kill the King and that he would kill an Heretick at any time for the advancement of the Mother Church of Rome swearing by Saint Francis and Saint Dominick that he would doe it All which he spake to her in Irish she counterfeiting her selfe to be a Roman Catholick desirous to become a Nunne He likewise confessed That he had been a servant long to the Queen Mother and imployed by her in businesse to all the Princes of CHRISTENDOME Whereupon she according to her duty and alleagiance complained of this Priest revealing this discomse and treason of his to the Lords of the Privy Counsell attesting her information upon oath and producing a Letter of this Priests to her under his owne hand with some other witnesses to confirme her testimony in point of circumstance of time place and this Priests resort unto her But the Archbishop of Canterbury to discourage and take her off from this discovery reviled and gave her many ill words and threats told her she was mad and that she was hired by the Londoners to make this accusation demanding how she durst be so bold as to utter or discover ought which had any the least reflection upon the Queen Mother threatning to have her punished and caused her to be committed to one of the Sheriffes of Londons house whereas the other Lords gave her good words and committed the Priest to the Gate-house and so the businesse was smothered without further prosecution till she revived it this Parliament in the Commons House who released her of her restraint We shall close all with the most desperate plot of Cardinall Barbarino the Popes Nuncio the society of the English and Scottish Jesuits with their confederates to subvert the Protestant Religion usher in Popery raise a Warre between England and Scotland subvert the government both of Church and State yea to poyson the King himselfe if he crossed this designe and then to seize and traine up the Prince in the Popish 〈◊〉 This plot being discovered at first only in generally by a chief Actor in it sent from Rome to Andreas ab Habernfield Sir Wil. Boswell by them by Letters from the Hague to the Archbishop he conceiving it to be a plot only of the Puritanes to destroy the King and himself too revealed it to the King and prosecuted the further discovery with all earnestnesse as appeares by sundry Originall Lettâ—ers concerning it seized and attested by Master Prynne produced at the Barre But no sooner received he the large particular discovery of it which fastned the treason onely upon Cardinall Barbarino the Popes Nuncio the Jesuits with their confederates Sir Toby Matthew Sir Kenelme Digby Sir John Winter Endimion Porter Secretary Windebanke Master Walter Mountague the Countesse of Arundel and others but he presently smothered it yea though he received the full discovery of it but on the 14. of October 1640. not many dayes before the beginning of this present Parliament yet he he never revealed it to both or either Houses of Parliament or any members thereof for the preservation of our Religion Church State King thereby and the executing condigne punishment on these Arch-traitos and Conspirators then present in London and Westminster nor yet so much as disclosed it when Sir Toby Matthew Sir John Winter and others were questioned in the Commons House about the Popish Parliament kept in London and the levying of moneys against the Scots among the Papists nor when Secretary Windebank was questioned for releasing Priests and Jesuits against Law and the negotiation of the Popes Nuncio debated in the Commons House but concealed these papers from the Parliaments knowledge till Master Prynne unexpectedly seized them in the Archbishops Cabinet in the Tower of London From all which particulars we conceive we have abundantly manifested most substantially proved his correspondency confederacy with the Pope and his instruments of all sorts in their most desperate treasons to extirpate our Religion introduce popery reconcile reduce the Church of England to the Church of Rome and most satisfactorily justified the first Branch of our charge of high treason against him in every particular wherupon we most humbly pray in the name of the Commons of England the Judgment of an Arch-traitor to be given against him as one who hath declared himself a professed Traitor not only to our Laws Liberties Parliament Kingdoms but to our very Religion Church souls the highest treason of all others especially in a Clergyman an Archbishop of Canterbury who is by title office Primate and Metropolitan of all England yea Confessor chiefe Curate and Ecclesiasticall Vicegerent to the King himselfe who entrusted him wholly if not solely with the care of our Religion which he hath most perfidiously undermined betrayed sundry wayes as all the premises demonstrate The Archbishops
upon the Lord Keepers and Master of the Wards Rights of presenting to the Kings livings with my preferment of divers Arminians and persons popishly affected to Prebendaries and Benefices of best value as Doctor Heylin Doctor Weekes Doctor Baker Doctor Bray Doctor Heywood and others To this I answer First that I encroached not upon either of their rights True it is there being a difference between the Lord Keeper Coventry and the Lord Cottington Master of the Court of Wards about the presentation towards livings in the Kings gift I took occasion thereupon to informe his Majesty that till the controversie were decided between them he might doe well to dispose of these livings himselfe for the encouragement and reward of such young Schollers that went to Sea as Chaplaines in his Ships who had nothing to live on after their returne from Sea till they went forth againe which motion the King approving of very well committed the disposing of these livings accordingly to my charge without my desire or suit Secondly I disposed of livings to divers good and orthodox men as to Doctor Jackson of Canterbury and others as well as to the persons objected who were not all preferred by me for Doctor Heylin was promoted to his livings by the Earle of Danby Doctor Baker and Doctor Weekes were preferred by the Bishop of London To which was replyed First that most of the living belonging to the Lord Keeper and Master of the Wards were bestowed by him of which both of them oft complained therefore he encroached upon both which none of his Predecessors did For those belonging to the Mastership of the Wards he confesseth he disposed of them by the Kings appointment but that it was upon the pretended occasion without his seeking or desire though occasioned onely his motion we know not how to credit his bare word without better evidence who hath had the impudency to deny his owne hand-writing very often since his Tryal and afterwards been enforced to confesse it Secondly his collation of Livings upon orthodox good men are so few that he names but one Doctor Jackson of Canterbury and that when he had so farre prevailed upon his weaknesse by a new Cathedrall Statute and Oath as to induce him to Bow to the Altar c. as frequently as other Prebends which he hath deposed to his great shame and re-greet since this one Swallow therefore will prove no Spring no proofe of his ordinary preferring orthodox godly men to livings which he commonly bestowed on the most rotten Arminians and popish Clergy-men he could cull out Thirdly the Docquet Booke is expresse that Doctor Heylin was promoted to his livings and Prebendary by himselfe not by the Earle that Doctor Baker and Weekes too were preferred by him not by the Bishop of London and Weekes being his owne Chaplaine and Baker made a Prebend of Canterbury where no man durst interpose but he no doubt they were both preferred by him as the DOCQUET witnesseth on Record against his impudent Deniall without other proofe or truth The fixt Objection is that I usurped to me the conferring of most Bishopricks and Ecclesiasticall preferments in Ireland I answer first that I preferred none there but at the request of the Primate of Armagh and others of that Kingdome who first recommended them to me by their Letters Secondly that I was a meanes at their request to recover the Patrimony of the Churches in that Kingdome which had been long defrauded of it to restore Impropriations and increase the Revenues of Bishopricks and Church-livings there for the encouragement of Learning and better maintenance of Preaching in which regard they were desirous I should be acquainted with the persons they thought meet to have recommended to them This appears by the substance of most of the Letters that passed between the Lord Primate and other Bishops of Ireland and me To which was replied First that we instanced in his bestowing Bishopricks Deaneries and other Church-preferments in Ireland onely to demonstrate the Papall usurpation and Patriarchicall Jurisdiction he there encroached even whiles he was Bishop of London and to evidence his power in disposing of all Ecclesiastical preferments then at home since he disposed of these in Ireland where he had no Episcopall or Archiepiscopall Jurisdiction Secondly that most of those he there preferred were never recommended from thence though some of them perchance were Thirdly that although the recovery of the usurped depopulated Patrimony of that Church in Ireland was a commendable worke if done in a Legall way yet to recover it per fas nefas as he did it by the meere arbitrary power of the Lord Deputy Councell Table there by oppressing ruining dispossessing men of what they had lawfully purchased against their wils without any consideration or legall proceeding was a most unjust and wicked act Fourthly justly to recover and get in Impropriations to maintaine Preaching was a very good worke had this beene his end but certainly this was but a meere pretence for would he thinke you set up sincere Preaching in Ireland who suppressed it all he could in England Would he who subverted the Feoffees for purchasing in Impropriations to the Church to support Preaching and Preaching Ministers in England recover and get in Impropriations to the Church in Ireland to support Preaching and Preaching Ministers there No verily He did it onely to maintain the Pompe Power Pride State of the Prelates and Clergy there as he did in England not to maintain or set up godly Preaching Ministers which he both here and there suppressed all he could The fourteenth thing objected against me is my prosecution and severe proceedings against godly Ministers for Preaching against Arminianisme Popery and its dangerous increase among us as namely against Master Samuel Ward Master Chauncy and Master Bernard To this I answer first that these persons Censures were the Act of the whole High-Commission which is but one body aggregate for whose Act no one particular man is liable to be questioned but the whole Court not mine alone as an Act of Parliament is the Act of both Houses not of any particular Member who gave my voyce alwayes last or last but one and so could not sway the Court with my opinion not knowne to the Court till I delivered it after all had declared theirs Secondly that the Act of Parliament which lately abolished the Star-chamber and High-Commission hath no retrospect to nullifie the Sentences given in them but admits them good and valid in Law not subjecting the Judges who gave them to any punishment Thirdly their Sentences appeared to me to be just upon just grounds and admit the Sentences or Proceedings unjust yet it is but a misdemenour in others of the Commissioners that gave them therefore no Treason in me Fourthly the Passages and Sermons for which they were Sentenced were partly Schismaticall against the laudable Ceremonies of the Church and the Kings Declaration partly Seditious
to and hardened in it by his meanes Their Objection being He was a meanes of seducing many to and obdurating thousands in popery by his introducing popish Doctrines Innovations Ceremonies c. Ergo he went about to bring in popery and reduce us back to Rome That he reduced any from popery is but his owne bare allegation in his first Speech and generall Defence without any proofe at all but his owne bare word which the Commons denied himselfe confessing that some of the eminentest of them presently relapsed after their conversion and lived and dyed Papists See then the falshood and fallacy of this mis-repeating Sophister in the very first entrance and principall argument of his generall Defence Secondly to his second and third arguments we retort That the Commons never gave in evidence against his making or imposing the c. Oath or third new Canon to prove him guilty of introducing popery or endeavoring to reconcile us to Rome but to two other different purposes which he wholly pretermits therefore his two arguments from them as the Commons own are meer forgeries impostures of his owne As for the c. Oath it hath no such clause in it as is pretended indeed it hath this clause That I will not endeavour by my selfe or any other directly or indirectly to bring in any Popish Doctrine contrary to that which is established which is but a meere pretence and policy all or most popish Doctrins and Ceremonies being introduced licensed established among us when this Oath was made as the premises evidence and no Doctrine being then esteemed Popish but what the Archbishop pleased though truly such As for the third Canon it enjoynes onely private conference with popish Recusants and presentments excommunications of such of them who are obstinate and if they conforme not then that their names shall be presented to the Judges of the Assiâ—e which is no more then other Canons formerly enjoyned to no purpose or 〈◊〉 at all and was but a meer State-policy to stay the present elamours of the people and Scots against the Prelats for their connivance at popery and confederacy with Papists against those they stiled Puritans and a thing not really intended but pretended onely Thirdly his fourth fift and fixt arguments are of the same nature meer Chimeraes of his owne forging which he would father on the Commons who pressed these particulars against him in a far other manner to which he gives no answer His refusing of a Cardinals Cap was onely because he desired to be an absolute independent Patriarch and Pope within the Kings Dominions His Book against Fisher was published in his owne name upon entreaty of others onely to blind the world and stop the clamours against him in making them beleeve thereby he was no friend to Papists or popery when as we have proved the contrary out of that and other of his books To that of Habernfield we shall answer in due season some deeming it onely a forgery or plot of his owne devising to justifie himselfe others a reall truth Fourthly his seventh argument is a most wilfull perversion of the Commons charge who expresly impeach him for endeavouring to cause division and discord between our owne and other reformed Churches that so Papists might have the more advantage which we have abundantly proved And he makes the charge to be that he endeavoured a reconciliatiou between the Lutherans and Calvinists of which good act he was never guilty in the least degree for ought he makes appeare but of the quite contrary Ergo to reconcile the Church of ENGLAND to the Church of ROME By which strange prevarication and Jesuiticall sophistry the world may cleerly discerne the sophistry fallacy and apparent Legerdemaine of this his generall Defence and impertinency of his Answers encountring onely his owne ridiculous fictions not the Commons reall Objections Having recited these his generall Answers we shall pursue him to his particular evasions to the evidence and proofes produced to make good the second Branch of his first generall Charge wherein he thus proceeded The first thing objected against me is That I have ever been generally reputed a Papist or person popishly affected both in the University of Oxford whiles resident there and ever since as likewise in Rome and in other forraigne parts for proofe whereof the testimonies of Doctor Featly Sir Nathaniel Brent Doctor Abbots Sermon Doctor Hals Letter Francis Harris his Deposition with the testimonies of Sir Henry Mildmay Master Anthony Mildmay and Master Thomas Challoner have been produced To this I answer First that all these are but hear-sayes or reports and no convincing Evidence that I was really a Papist or inclined unto popery Doctor Featlies testimony is but a report from one who said he was my Pupill and that at Paris many yeers since in forraigne parts Sir Nathaniel Brents testimony is but a report from Master Dale of a thing long since that my supposition was taken out of Bellarmine which I deny His further testimony is onely this That Browne with whom I kept company was but a reputed not an actuall Papist during his life and what he subjoynes that he was found to be such a one after his death is very consecturall for it appeares not that the Book objected was of his owne penning though it were his hand-writing for it might be a transcript That I petitioned to King James that I was traduced to be a Papist is true and I had good reason so to doe when I was thus traduced and upon my Petition the businesse was referred to the examination of divers worthy persons and I cleered upon full hearing by the King For Doctor Abbots Sermon I complained of it as I had cause as being traduced by it he was knowne to be my enemy and to doe me wrong herein therefore his words are not to be valued in this case nor Doctor Hals Letter to W. L. which might be to some other as well as to me who am not nominated therein For Francis Harris his testimony I never knew nor saw the man to my knowledge and it is but a hearsay from one Ireland many yeers since and that beyondthe Sea for Ireland himselfe I onely knew but had nofamiliar acquaintance with him Secondly for Sir Henry Mildmayes testimony it is onely a bare rumour and report from some persons at Rome unknowne both to me and him purposely raised by the Papists to blast or wound my reputation and what he now attested is quite contrary to that himselfe informed me at my Table at Lambeth immediatly after his returne from Rome as I am ready to depose upon my corporall Oath if I may be permitted His Brother Master Anthony Mildmay his testimony is but an incertaine report from I know not whom at Rome that I was somewhat more favourable to their Religion then my Predecessors and what he heard from Father Fitton is but his report and a false one too of purpose to slander
me or deceive their Proselites there For Master Challoners testimony it is but a report too from I know not whom and a discourse of others to him without any ground arising from me and I have cause to feare that what he testified was meerly out of spleen and a meer engine to ruine me because upon complaint I caused him to be Committed for some high Offences charged against him amounting to little lesse then Treason to avoyd which he was enforced to fly beyond the Seas where he heard these reports concerning me it we may beleeve him which are no evidence at all in Law To this the Commons replied First that though common fame be no convincing evidence of it self yet in many cases both in common Civill and Canon Law it is a good ground of suspition inquisition accusation and apprehension too especially if it be a generall universall and long continued fame both abroad and beyond the Seas as this is but being seconded with concurrent actions as his it is a most satisfactory proofe and in such a case vox populi est vox Dei Besides himselfe gave the occasion of this evidence by his examining Sir Henry Mildmay to know what report they gave and what opinon or repute they had of him at Rome when he was there Whether he were not the most odious man to them of any living c. If the reports and common fame they heard of him at Rome were no evidence at all to cleer him as he reputed it why then did he produce Sir Henry as a principall witnesse for him and examine him meerly what report and repute he had at Rome If he conceived it good evidence to cleere him in case Sir Henries testimony had proved answerable to his expectation then certainly it must be as available to confirme and prove his guilt yea Sir Henries testimony falling quite crosse to what he pretended must needs be farre stronger against him then it could have been for him had he testified what the Archbishop pretended because he is a witnesse of his owne producing and had been but a single witnesse for him but is seconded with two more concurrent testimonies against him even concerning the opinion they had of him in Rome it selfe which is backed with a generall opinion of the same kind both among Papists and Protestants too who concurred in their judgements and reports concerning his good affection to Popery and endeavours to reconcile us to the Church of Rome Yea as this good opinion and report concerning him was universall in all places both abroad and at home so it is fortified by a publike charge in Parliament given in against him by the two whole Kingdomes of England and Scotland and confirmed by so many pregnant evidences of all sorts that it must made be granted to be a most enforcing convincing argument of his guilt the rather because himselfe gave the first occasion of this kind of euidenes For Doctor Featlies testimony it is a report of one of the Archbishope owne Pupils who hast knew his opinions Sir Nathaniel Brents testimony is upon his owne knowledge ratified by the concurrent opinions of others grounded upon his popish supposition taken out of Bellarmine his familiarity with Master Browne a reputed Papist Noscitur ex Comite Upon his owne confession in his Petition and the common fame of the University that he was cleered upon his Petition of this imputation he produceth no evidence at all neither mentions he any particular time when nor persons by whom he was cleered For Doctor Abbots Sermon it is the clearest testimony in the world that he was then generally reputed a Papist in the University both by Protestants and Papists and likewise in forraigne parts for which cause alone and no other this Doctor was his enemy As for his complaint against it as injurious it no way extenuates nor takes off the common fame and reputation of being a Papist which Doctor Hals 〈◊〉 not denied by him to be written and meant of himselfe and Francis Harris his testimony second and confirme Whereas he faith he never know nor saw this Harris this invalids not his testimony and his little acquaintance in reallity that he knew him if not 〈◊〉 in â—ute by 〈◊〉 Fame and â—â—putation to be a Papist in heart opinion and the onely thing for which are produce his testimony Secondly for Sir Henry Mildmayes testimony it is more then a bare report for he testifies on his owne certaine knowledge that which the Archbishop produced him to prove what opinion the Jesuits Priests and Popishâ—â—ad of him at Rome when he was there together with the reasons of their opinions and report and he deposeth the truth hereof quite contrary to what the Archbishop suggested whose Oath is not to be credited in his owne case to impeach Sir Henries testimony fortified with two others concurring with it The like we answer to Captaine Anthony Mildmayes and Master Challoners testimonies they both depose what opinions and reports the Popes Nuncio Con Father Fitton Father Talbot and other English Jesuits Priests and forraigne Papists had of the Archbishops good affection to their Religion and how instrumentall he was to introduce Popery and reduce us backe to ROME declaring punctually each particular Therefore their testimonies are all reall and no hear-sayes or bare reports as he pretends As for Master Challoners pretended malice it is but a bare surmise and being a Gentleman of quality and integrity this poore pretence is altogether insufficient to disparage his testimony upon Oath The rather because the Archbishops endeavours to imprison and bring him into the High Commission heretofore was onely for speaking of the Priests and Jesuits Plots to bring in Popery and some of our Bishops compliance with them the party who complained against him being both a Priest and Jesuit now in actuall Armes against the Parliament in the Kings Army as Master Challoner deposed a great confirmation of the truth of his Testimony and of the Archbishops guilt In few words all these recited testimonies what opinion they had at Oxford heretofore and at Rome and other places since of his being a Papist and confederating with them in their Designe of introducing Popery by inches and reducing us backe to Rome compared with his preceding practises doe fix this charge so fast upon him that all his Sophistry or Oratory cannot shake it off The second thing objected is this That there was a dangerous Plot laid and seriously pursued to introduce Popery and reconcile the Church of England to the Church of Rome to which I was privy and had certaine notice of it yet I complyed with it and never laboured to prevent it which the Commons laboured to prove by divers generall instances First by the Spanish Match propounded to the King when Prince of Wales and his sending over into Spaine of purpose to pervert him in his Religion as appeares by the Articles of the Treaty the Popes Letters to the
Pope corrupt Ordinances Sacraments and a meere Idolatrous supersticious wil-worship Thirdly no true Ministry nor government of Christs institution Fourthly she yeelds no true Subjection nor Obedience to Christ his laws word spirit but opposeth him and them in all Fiftly she is over-spread with a Leprosie of damnable Errours in Doctrine corruptions in Faith Manners Ordinances Government Sixtly the definition of a true visible Church in our Homilies and Writers agrees not to her Seventhly our Homilies Writers define her to be a false Church not a true who are all mustered up together by Master Burton in his Babell no Bethell where she is largely proved to be no true Church For his distinction that she is a true Church Veritate Entis though not Moris as a Thiefe is a true man it is a meere childish evasion For it is not the meere entity and being of a company of men that makes up a Church or true Church for if so the Turks Pagans or any assembly else should be a true Church as well as the Protestants but a company of men rightly qualified to wit professing the true Christian Faith among whom the Word of God is truly Preached and the Sacraments duly administed To set then the distinction and comparison right If one should demand of the Archbishop Whether a Theefe be a true man or no as this phrase true man in our ordinary language signifies an honest just-dealing man with reference to his qualities morals not his Entity or being as a meer man himself grants that he is no true man but a false one in this sense in this very distinction and to answer that he is a true man in regard of his essence therefore a true man in respect of his Morals were a meer impertinency Nonsequitur By the selfe-same reason when we demand of him Whether the Church of Rome be a true Church and he answers She is so Veritate entis for she consists of a company of persons or reall men not veritate moris for that they are not so truly qualified in those Morals or rather supernaturall principles which makes them to be a true Church Himselfe must needs grant that his distinction is fallacious in applying this veritas entis to them as they are a Church not men or else yeeld that they are a false but no true Church because his not veritate Moris can be applyed to nothing else but to such morall and divine qualifications as should make them a true Church so as his owne distinction directly subverts this his false conclusion of her being a true Church and his charging her with grosse Corruptions Errors Superstitions to the endangering of salvation doth the like Secondly it was retorted that his distinction of her erring onely circa fundamentalia not in Fundamentalibus was a falshood For first her affirming the Church to be built upon Peter and the Pope not Christ the chiefe corner-stone Her denying the Scriptures to be Scriptures but as they are grounded on confirmed and expounded by the Authority of the Church and Pope Her making Apochryphall Scriptures Canonicall and so adding to the Scriptures Her giving the Pope power to null and dispence with things against the Scriptures Her resolving the foundation of all our Faith into the Church To beleeve as the Church beleeves not into the Scriptures themselves Her deifying of the Virgin Mary Saints Images in praying to and adoring them with divine worship Her joyning of Saints Merits and Mediations with Christs and making them joynt Saviours Mediators Advocates with him Her turning the Sacrament of the Lords Supper into a Propitiatory Massing Sacrifice of as great or greater Merit as Christs own Sacrifice on the crosse adoring the consecrated Bread as their Lord God and Christ himselfe Her taking away the Sacramentall Cup from the Laity point-blanke against Christs owne Institution Her giving Christ an ubiquitary body on earth instead of a glorified body in heaven her tying people to pray to God in an unknown tongue with her creating a new head of the Church in Christs stead the Pope who hath the Keyes of Heaven Hell and Purgatory too and can pardon sins release Soules out of Hell and Purgatory at his pleasure with her abolishing the second Commandement out of the Decalogue What are they all but Fundamentall Errors nullifying that Church which maintaines them and not Errors onely about the foundation For his foure instances that circumstances may undermine and destroy the Foundation We answer First that neither of all these instances concerne the Papists or Church of Rome the subject in question therefore altogether impertinent Secondly they are not meer circumstantials but fundamentals because directly contrary to the expresse words of Scripture and Articles of our Faith of which they are unseparable parts which if false in any part may and will be false in the whole and no ground of Faith at all For the rule of the Schools we agree it but how he applyes it to his distinction or the Church of Rome we cannot yet discerne Thirdly it was replyed That the Religion of the Church of Rome and England is not one and the same For that which they repute the maine part of their Religion is no Christian Religion at all nor part of the Christian Religion but meere Antichristian Errour Superstition corruption Idolatry And in his Booke he doth no more charge her with some grosse corruptions endangering Salvation then she chargeth us as the perusall of his words demonstrates Fourthly his justifying salvation to be had in this false Antichristian Church and Religion denying the foundation is contrary to the opinion of all Otthodox Protestants who make her damnable Errours the ground of their separation from her And though some affirme that divers in the Church of Rome are saved yet none are saved by being of that Church or by that Faith and Doctrine which she properly cals her Faith and Religion wherein she differs from us but by their relying onely on Christs merits which she disclaimes Fiftly his deleting all phrases clauses calling or intimating the Pope to be the Antichrist is a cleer evidence that he holds him not to be so Else his sinne fault will prove the greater in purging out that as Heterodox and scandalous which himselfe beleeves to be a truth For our Statutes Homilies Writers they define the Pope either in direct termes or equivalent expressions to be Antichrist and our Church yea State in them at leastwise in our forecited Statutes and the Subsidy Act 3. Jac. penned by the Convocation As for the Articles of Ireland though they bind us not yet being taken out of the Articles and Homilies of England they sufficiently declare the resolution of our Church as well as theirs that the Pope is Antichrist and Doctor Vsher Primate of Armagh in a Letter of his to the Archbishop himselfe Jan. 4. 1635. the very day of his birth writes That this conceit is so rife in the minds and mouths of the Papists
Declaration before the 39 Articles wrested to propagate Arminianism and suppresse truth p. 120 to 164. His Proclamation for calling in and suppressing Sales his Popish Book how procured mistaken to abuse the world and justifie Laud and Heywood p. 186 187. His Instructions concerning Lectures and preaching how procured abused p. 370 to 474. 478 to 488 His Letter to the Archbishop and Bishops concerning Ordination penned by Laud how much abused to suppresse preaching and keep out good men from the Ministry p. 382 to 385. 537 538 539 His Voyage into Spain of purpose to seduce him in his Religion which was there attempted by the Pope his Nuncio the Jesuits Buckingham and Digby and King James his Instructions to him before he went concerning his writing that the Pope was Antichrist Lauds privity and assistance to the Voyage Match Instructions and the Match with France plotted by the Popish party to seduce the King p. 416 to 419 547 to 550 His command to judge Richardson to St. revoke his Order against Wakes and Revels p. 151 c. St. Clara his Book Dedicated to him to reconcile him and us to Rome p. 423. Ana Fustidius Dedicated to him by Cardinal Barbarino Ibid. Bishop of Calcedon Lauds intimacy with him and Windebanks use of him p. 454 455. Catechizing in the Afternoon a meer pretence to suppresse Preaching and what form must be used p. 368 369 370 372 374 376 378 Chaplains in private houses suppressed p 369 371 372. Mistris Charnocks testimony p. 69. Christs Epistle to a devout Soul a Popish Book Licensed p. 186 187 195 c. Church maintained to be alwayes visible The Church of Rome to be a true Church to have the same Religion with in not to have erred in Fundamentals the Reformed Protestant Churches to be no Churches if they want Lord Bishops and not to be of our Religion by Laud and his adherents who endeavoared to suppresse the Dutch French and Walloon Churches here and purged out clauses concerning the Church and building Churches East and West p. 27 30 207 293 296 to 300 388 to 409. 441. 530 531 532. High Commission Lauds design to advance its power p. 369. St. Clara his intimacy with Canterbury and Book to reconcile us to Rome p. 39 423 to 432 550 557 to 560. Dr. Clerks Sermons miserably gelded purged by Lauds Chaplains p. 254 to 376 John Cooks testimony against Canteroury p. 452 453. Mr. Cooks recantation in Oxford p. 176 Consecrations of Flagous Altar-clothes Churches Chappels Church-yards meerly Popish introduced used justified by Canterbury whose Arguments for them are examined refuted p. 65 114 to 128 217 218. 497 to 506. Considerations compiled and presented by Laud to the King to suppresse Preaching Lectures Lecturers p. 368 to 376. 536 537 477. Con the Popes Nuncio p. 413 440. Contrition Popish passages against it expunged p. 308. Copes introduced enjoyned by Laud p. 64 71. 76 80 81. 468 469 476 to 490. Mr. Corbets testimony and trouble for not bowing to the Altar by Bishop Laud and his Visitor p. 71. 477. Earl of Corks Tomb in Ireland ordered by Laud to be taken down for standing in the place of the Altar and Letters thence concerning it p. 82 to 88. Dr. J. Cosin a Popish Innovator at Durham Cambridge advanced protected by Laud p. 72 73 78 355 356. 532. Councels Evangelical to perfection justified in new printed Books p. 209 210. Passages against them expunged p. 300. Councellors that are ill passages against them purged out of new Books by Laud and his Agents p. 245 301 302. Creed-Church how consecrated by Laud p. 113 114 598 503. Credentia a Popish Innovation and Vtensil introduced by Laud in his Chappel p. 63 464 468. Crowlyes Answer to Champenyes p. 69 Croxton recommended by Laud to the Lord Deputy Wentworth by him advanced in Ireland his Letter to the Archbishop and practise of auricular confession publiquely there p. 194 195. Crucifixes erected by the Archbishop and his Agents in his own and the Kings Chappels Cathedrals and elsewhere p. 59 to 57. 205 205 216. 462 to 490. Iustified by him p. 464 465. Mr. Culmer suspended by Laud for not reading the Declaration for Sports on the Lords day p. 146. 506. Dr. Cumber his justification of Auricular Confession and Letter to Laud with his Answer thereunto touching Mr. Bernards Sermon p. 193. 363 364. 535. D Dancing and other Pastimes on the Lords day justified in late printed Books condemned by Fathers Councels Calvin others p. 222 to 226 372. 504 505 506. Davis his Petition to Laud concerning Contributions to rail in the Altar p 90. Deans Arminian and Popish preferred by Laud p. 356 532 533. Declaration for Sports enlarged reprinted and pressedon Ministers by Lauds Practise p. 128 156 382. Decree of God passages concerning it deleted p. 333 364 365. Decree of Star-chamber concerning licensing and reprinting Books illegall procured abused by Laud to the prejudice of our Religion and the advancement of Poperty and Arminianisme p. 198 to 210 512. to 516. Barron Denham his Orders against Wakes Revels Churchals p. 126 127 153 154 513 515. Master Dell Lauds Secretary his Letter to silence Master Leigh p. 388. His intimacy with Priests and Jesuits and answer to the Pursevants p. 450 451 453. Master Deuxels testimony of Priests liberty in their prisons p. 450. Master Dow advanced his popish Booke p. 207 357. Bishop Downhams Book against the Arminians and falling from Grace called in by Lauds meanes both in England and Ireland p. 171 172 508 510. His Protestation against toleration of popery in Ireland p. 434. Doctor Duppa an Arminian made Vice-Chancellour of Oxford and promoted by Laud 176 p. 354 359 360. Master Dury his reordination and attempts to reconcile the Calvinists and Lutherans p. 340 539 541 Dutch and French reformed Churches in England prosecuted and deprived of their priviledges by Laud accounted no true Churches nor of our Religion p. 27 33 388 to 409 539 to 543. E King Edward VI. his Patent to the Dutch and French to enjoy Churches of their owne Discipline in England p. 394 395. his times depressed p. 420 421. Election Universall and from foreseen Faith and Works maintained passages against it deleted p. 303 to 307 309 to 312. Egerton his testimony against Laud p. 453. Equivocation clauses against it expunged p. 307. F Faith alone doth not justifie but Charity and Works maintained passages against it the nature of faith and growth in it deleted p. 209 307 314 315 341. Falling from Grace maintained in many late printed Books and passages against it expunged p. 219 279 to 287 314 315 316 425. Fast Booke purged of passages against popery by Laud p. 250. Passages against popish Fasting deleted p. 307. Fastidius his Booke printed and dedicated to the King by Cardinall Barbarino p. 423 Feares carnall passages against them and the feare of God expunged p. 388 341. Dr. Featlies testimony against Laud and the purging of his Sermons
hath wickedly and traiterously advised His Majestie that he might at his owne will and pleasure leavie and take money of his Subjects without their consent in Parliament and this hee affirmed was warrantable by the Law of God 2. Hee hath for the better accomplishment of that his traiterous designe advised and procured Sermons and other discourses to be preached printed and published in which the Authoritie of Parliaments and the force of the Lawes of this Kingdome have beene denyed and absolute and unlimited power over the persons and estates of His Majesties subjects maintained and defended not onely in the King but in himselfe and other Bishops against the Law And he hath beene a great protector savourer and promoter of the publishers of such false and pernicious opinions 3. Hee hath by Letters Messages Threats and promises and by diverse other wayes to Judges and other Ministers of justice interrupted and perverted and at other times by meanes aforesaid hath endeavoured to interrupt and pervert the course of Justice in His Majesties Courts at Westminster and other Courts to the subversion of the Lawes of this Kingdome whereby sundry of His Majesties Subjects have been stopt in their just suits deprived of their lawfull righte and subjected to his tyrannicall will to their ruine and destruction 4. That the said Archbishop hath traiterously and corruptly told ustice to those who have had causes depending before him by colour of his Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction as Archbishop High Commissioner Referree or otherwise and hath taken unlawfull gifts and bribes of His Majesties Subjects and hath as much as in him lies endeavoured to corrupt the other Courts of justice by advising and procuring His Majestie to sell places of Judicature and other Offices contrary to the Laws and Statutes in that behalfe 5. He hath traiterously caused a booke of Canons to be composed and published without any lawfull warrant and authoritie in that behalfe in which pretended Canons many matters are contained contrary to the Kings Prerogative to the fundamentall Lawes and Statutes of this Realme to the right of Parliament to the propriety and libertie of the Subject and matters tending to sedition and of dangerous consequence and to the establishment of a past unlawfull and presumptuous power in himselfe and his successors many of which Canons by the practise of the said Archbishop were surreptitiously passed in the late Convocation without due consideration and debate others by feare and compulsion were subscribed by the Prelates and Clerkes there assembled which had never beene voted and passed in the Convocation as they ought to have beene And the said Archbishop hath contrived and endeavoured to assure and confirme the unlawfull and exorbitant power which he hath usurped and exercised over His Majesties Subjects by a wicked and ungodly oath in one of the said pretended Canons injoyned to be taken by all the Clergie and many of the Laitie of this Kingdome 6. He hath trayterously assumed to himselfe a papall and tyrannicall power both in Ecclesiasticall and Temporall matters over his Majesties Subjects in this Realme of England and in other places to the disherison of the Crowne dishonour of His Majestie and derogation of his supreme authoritie in Ecclesiasticall matters And the said Archbishop claimes the Kings Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction as incident to his Episcopall Office and Archiepiscopall in this Kingdome and doth deny the same to bee derived from the Crowne of England which he hath accordingly exercised to the high contempt of his Royall Majestie and to the destruction of divers of the Kings liege people in their persons and estates 7. That he hath traiterously indeavoured to alter and subvert Gods true Religion by Law established in this Realme and in stead thereof to set up Popish superstition and Idolatrie And to that end hath declared and maintained in Speeches and printed books diverse popish doctrines and opinions contrary to the Articles of Religion established by Law Hee hath urged and injoyned diverse popish and superstitious Ceremonies without any warrant of Law and hath cruelly persecuted those who have opposed the same by corporall punishments and Imprisonments and most unjustly vexed others who refused to conforme thereunto by Ecclesiasticall censures of Excommunication Suspension Deprivation and Degradation contrary to the Lawes of this Kingdome 8. That for the better advancing of his traiterous purpose and designe he did abuse the great power and trust His Majestie reposed in him and did intrude upon the places of diverse great Officers and upon the right of other His Majesties Subjects whereby he did procure to himselfe the nomination of sundry persons to Ecclesiasticall Dignities Promotions and benefices belonging to His Majestie and divers of the Nobilitie Clergie and others and hath taken upon him the commendation of Chaplaines to the King by which meanes he hath preferred to His Majesties service and to other great promotions in the Church such as have been Popishly affected or otherwise unsound and corrupt both in doctrine and manners 9. Hee hath for the same trayterous and wicked intent chosen and imployed such men to be his owne Domesticall Chaplaines whom he knew to be notoriously disaffected to the reformed Religion grosly addicted to popish superstition and erroneous and unsound both in judgement and practise and to them or some of them hath he committed the Licensing of Bookes to be printed by which meanes divers false and superstitious bookes have beene published to the great scandall of Religion and to the seducing of many His Majesties Subjects 10. Hee hath traiterously and wickedly endeavoured to reconcile the Church of England with the Church of Rome and for the effecting thereof hath consorted and confederated with diverse Popish Priests and Jesuites and hath kept secret intelligence with the Pope of Rome and by himselfe his Agents and instruments treated with such as have from thence received authoritie and instruction hee hath permitted and countenanced a Popish Hierarchie or Ecclesiasticall government to bee established in this Kingdome by all which trayterous and malicious practises this Church and Kingdome hath beene exceedingly indangered and like to fall under the Tyrannie of the Roman See 11. He in his owne person and his Suffragans Visitors Surrogates Chancellors and other Officers by his command have caused divers learned pious and Orthodox Ministers of Gods Word to be silenced suspended deprived degraded excommunicated and otherwise grieved without any just and lawfull cause and by diverse other meanes he hath hindered the preaching of Gods Word caused divers of His Majesties loyall Subjects to forsake the Kingdome and increased and cherished Ignorance and profanenesse amongst the people that so hee might the better facilitate the way to the effecting of his owne wicked and traiterous designe of altering and corrupting the true religion here established 12. He hath traiterously endeavoured to cause division and discord betwixt the Church of England and other reformed Churches and to that end hath supprest and abrogated the Priviledges and Jmmunities which
have beene by His Majestie and his Royall Ancesters granted to the Dutch and French Churches in this kingdome And divers other wayes hath expressed his malice and disaffection to these Churches that so by such disunion the Papists might have more advantage for the overthrow and extirpation of both 13. Hee hath malitiously and traiterously plotted and endeavoured to stirre up warre and enmity betwixt his Majesties two Kingdomes of England and Scotland and to that purpose hath laboured to introduce into the Kingdome of Scotland divers Innovations both in Religion and Government all or the most part of them tending to Popery and superstition to the great grievance and discontent of his Majesties Subjects of that Nation and for their refusing to submit to such Innovations hee did trayterously advise his Majesty to subdue them by force of Armes and by his owne Authority and Power contrary to Law did procure sundry of his Majestyes Subjects inforced the Clergie of this Kingdome to contribute towards the maintenance of that war And when his Majesty with much wisdom Justice had made a Pacification betwixt the two Kingdomes the said Archbishop did presumptuously censure that pacification as dishonourable to his Majesty and by his councells and endeavours so incensed his Majesty against his said Subjects of Scotland that he did thereupon by advice of the said Archbishop enter into an offensive warre against them to the great hazard of his Majesties person and his Subjects of both Kingdomes 14. That to preserve himselfe from being questioned for these and other his trayterous courses he hath laboured to subvert the rights of Parliament and the ancient course of Parliamentary proceeding and by false and malitious slanders to incense his Majesty against Parliaments By which words counsels and actions he hath traiterously and contrary to his allegiance laboured to alienate the hearts of the Kings liege people from his Majesty and to set a devision betweene them and to ruine and destroy his Majesties Kingdomes for which they doe impeach him of High Treason against our Soveraigne Lord the King his Crowne and Dignity The said Commons do further averre that the said William Archbishop of Canterbury during the times that the crimes aforementioned were done and committed hath beene a Bishop or Archbishop of this Realme of England one of the Kings Commissioners for Ecclesiasticall matters and one of his Majesties most honourable Privie Councell and hath taken an oath for his faithfull discharge of the said Office of Councellor and hath likewise taken an oath of supremacy and Allegeance And the said Commons by protestation saving to themselves the liberty of exhibiting at any time hereafter any other accusation or impeachment against the said Archbishop and also of replying to the Answers that the said Archbishop shall make unto the said Articles or to any of them and of offering further proofe also of the Premises or any of them or of any other impeachment or accusation that shall be exhibited by them as the cause shall according to the course of Parliament require do pray that the said Archbishop may be put to answer to all and every the premises and that such proceedings examination tryall and Judgment may be upon every of them had and used as is agreeable to Law and Justice The Articles being read Mr. PYMME proceeded in his Specch as followeth My Lords THere is an expression in the Scripture which I will not presume either to understand or to interpret yet to a vulgar eye it seemes to have an aspect something sutable to the Person and Cause before you It is a description of the evill Spirits wherein they are said to be spirituall wickednesses in high places Crimes acted by the spirituall faculties of the Soule the Will and the Vnderstanding exercised about spirituall matters concerning Gods Worship and the Salvation of Man seconded with power authority learning and many other advantages do make the party who commits them very sutable to that description Spirituall wickednesses in high places These crimes My Lords are various in their Nature heynous in their quality and universall in their extent If you examine them Theologically as they stand in opposition to the truth of God they will be found to be against the rule of Faith against the power of godlinesse against the meanes of Salvation If you examine them Morally as they stand in opposition to the light of Nature to right reason and the principles of humane society you will then perceive pride without any moderation such a Pride as that is which exalts it selfe above all that is called God Malice without any provocation Malice against vertue against innocencie against piety injustice without any meanes of restitution even such injustice as doth robbe the present times of their possessions the future of their possibilities If they be examined My Lords by Legall Rules in a Civill way as they stand in opposition to the Publique Good and to the Lawes of the Land Hee will be found to be a Traytor against his Majesties Crown an Incendiary against the Peace of the State he will be found to be the highest the boldest the most impudent Oppressour that ever was an Oppressor both of King and People This Charge my Lords is distributed and conveyed into 14. severall Articles as you have heard and those Articles are only generall It being the intention of the House of Commons which they have commanded me to declare to make them more certaine and particuler by preparatory Examinations to be taken with the helpe of your Lordships house as in the Case of my Lord of Strafford I shall now runne through them with a light touch only marking in every of them some speciall point of venome virulency and malignity 1. The first Article my Lords doth containe his endeavour to introduce into this Kingdome an Arbitrary power of Government without any limitations or Rules of Law This my Lords is against the safety of the Kings Person the honour of his Crowne and most destructive to his people Those Causes which are most perfect have not only a power to produce effects but to conserve and cherish them The Seminary vertue and the Nutritive vertue in vegetables do produce from the same principles It was the defect of justice the restraining of oppression and violence that first brought Government into the World and set up Kings the most excellent way of Government And by the maintenance of justice all kinds of Government receive a sure foundation and establishment It is this that hath in it an ability to preserve and secure the Royall power of Kings yea to adorne and encrease it 2. In the second Article your Lordships may observe absolute and unlimited power defended by Preaching by Sermons and other discourses printed and published upon that subject And truly my Lords it seemes to be a prodigious crime that the truth of God and his holy Law should be perverted to defend the lawlesnesse of men That the holy and
prepare a blacke letter and to send it to his servants at Edenburgh for Printing this booke Of his approbation of his proofes sent from the Presse Of his feare of delay in bringing the worke speedily to an end for the great good not of that Church but of the Church Of his encouraging Rosse who was entrusted with the Presse to goe on in this peece of Service without feare of Enemies All which may be seene in the Autographs and by letters sent from the Prelate of London to Rosse wherein as he rejoyceth at the sight of the Scottish Canons which although they should make some noyse at the beginning yet they would be more for the good of the Kirke than the Canons of Edenburgh for the good of the Kingdome So concerning the Liturgy he sheweth that Rosse had sent to him to have an explanation from Canterbury of some passage of the Service Booke and that the Presse behoved to stand till the explanation come to Edenburgh which therefore he had in hast obtained from his Grace and sent the dispatch away by Canterburies owne conueyance But the Booke it selfe as it standeth interlined margined and patcht up is much more than all that is expressed in his Letters and the changes and supplements themselves taken from the Masse Booke and other Romish Ritualls by which he maketh it to vary from the Booke of England and are pregnant testimonies of his Popish spirit and wicked intentions which he would have put in execution upon us then can be denyed The large declaration professeth that all the variation of our Booke from the Booke of England that ever the King understood was in such things as the Scottish humour would better comply with than with that which stood in the English service These Popish innovasions therefore have beene surreptitiously inserted by him without the Kings knowledge and against his purpose Our Scottish Prelates doe petition that something may be abated of the English ceremonies as the Crosse in Baptisme the Ring in marriage and some other things But Canterburie will not only have these kept but a great many more and worse superadded which was nothing else but the adding of fewell to the fire To expresse and discover all would require a whole booke we shall only touch some few in the matter of the Communion This Booke inverteth the order of the Communion in the Booke of England as may be seene by the numbers setting downe the orders of this new Communion 1. 5. 2. 6. 7. 3. 4. 8. 9. 10. 15. Of the divers secret reasons of this change we mention one onely In joyning the spirituall praise and thanksgiving which is in the Booke of England pertinently after the Communion with the Prayer of Consecration before the Communion and that under the name of Memoriall or Oblation for no other end but that the memoriall and Sacrifice of Praise mentioned in it may be understood according to the Popish meaning Bellar. de Missa lib. 2. cap. 21. Not of the spirituall sacrifice but of the oblation of the body of the Lord. It seemeth to be no great matter that without warrant of the Booke of England the Presbyter going from the North-end of the Table shall stand during the time of consecration at such a part of the Table where he may with the more ease and decency use both hands yet being tryed it importeth much as that he must stand with his hinder parts to the People representing saith Durand that which the Lord said of Moses Thou shalt see my hinder parts He must have the use of both his hands not for any thing he hath to doe about the Bread and Wine for that may be done at the North end of the Table and be better seene of the people but as we are taught by the Rationalists that he may by stretching forth his Armes to represent the extension of Christ on the Crosse and that he may the more conveniently lift up the Bread and Wine above his head to be seen and adored of the people who in the Rubricke of the generall confession a little before are directed to kneele humbly on their knees that the Priests elevation so magnified in the Masse and the peoples adoration may goe together That in this posture speaking with a low voyce and muttering for sometimes he is commanded to speake with a loud voyce and distinctly he be not heard by the people which is no lesse a mocking of God and his people then if the words were spoken in an unknowne language As there is no word of all this in the English Service so doth the Booke in King Edwards time give to every Presbyter his liberty of gesture which yet gave such offence to Bucer the censurer of the Booke and even in Cassanders owne judgment a man of great moderation in matters of this kind that he calleth them Nunquam satis execrandos Missa gestus and would have them to be abhorred because they confirme to the simple and superstitious ter impiam exitialem Missae fiduciam The corporall presence of Christs body in the Sacrament is also to be found here for the words of the Masse-booke serving to this purpose which are sharpely censured by Bucer in King Edwards Liturgy and are not to be found in the Booke of England are taken in here Almighty God is in called that of his Almighty Goodnesse he may vouchsafe so to blesse and sanctifie with his Word and Spirit these gifts of Bread and Wine that they may bee unto us the body and blood of Christ The change here is made a worke of Gods Omnipotency the words of the Masse ut fiant nobis are translated in King Edwards Booke That they be unto us which are againe turned into Latine by Alesius Vt fiant nobis On the other part the expressions of the Booke of England at the delivery of the Elements of feeding on Christ by faith and of Eating and drinking in remembrance that Christ dyed for thee are utterly deleared Many evidences there be in this part of the Communion of the bodily Presence of Christ very agreeable to the Doctrines taught by his Sectaries which this paper cannot containe They teach us that Christ is received in the Sacrament Corporaliter both objective and subjective Corpus Christi est objectum quod recipitur corpus nostrum subjectum quo recipitur The Booke of England abolisheth all that may import the oblation of any unbloody Sacrifice but here we have besides the preparatory oblation of the Elements which is neither to be found in the Booke of England now nor in King Edwards Booke of old the oblation of the body and blood of Christ which Bellarmine calleth Sacrificium Laudis quia Deus per illud magnopere laudatur This also agreeth well with their late doctrine We are ready when it shall be judged convenient and we shall be desired to discover much more matters of this kind as grounds laid for missa sicca or the halfe
Messe the privat Messe without the people of communicating in one kinde of the consumption by the Priest and consummation of the Sacrifice of receiving the Sacrament in the mouth and not in the hand c. Our supplications were many against these Bookes but Canterbury procured them to be answered with terrible Proclamations We were constrained to use the remedy of Protestation but for our Protestations and other lawfull meanes which we used for our deliverance Canterbury procured us to be declared Rebells and Traitors in all Parish Kirkes of England when we were seeking to possesse our Religion in peace against these devices and novations Canterbury kindleth warre against us In all these it is knowne that he was although not the sole yet the principall Agent and adviser When by the Pacification at Barwicke both Kingdomes looked for Peace and quietnesse hee spared not openly in the hearing of many often before the King and privately at the Counsell Table and the Privy Jointo to speake of us as Rebells and Traitors and to speake against the Pacification as dishonourable and meere to be broken Neither did his malignancy and bitternesse ever suffer him to rest till a new war was entred upon and all things prepared for our destruction By him was it that our Covenant approven by National Assemblies subscribed by His Majesties Commissioner and by the Lords of his Majesties Counsell and by them commanded to be subscribed by all the Subjects of the Kingdome as a Testimony of our duty to God and the King by him was it still called ungodly damnable Treasonable by him were Oaths invented and pressed upon diverse of our poore Country men upon the paine of imprisonment and many miseries which were unwarrantable by Law and contrary to their Nationall Oath When our Commissioners did appeare to render the reasons of our demands hee spared not in the presence of the King and Committee to raile against our Nationall Assembly as not daring to appeare before the World and Kirkes abroad where himselfe and his actions were able to endure tryall and against our just and necessary defence as the most malicious and Treasonable Contempt of Monarchicall Government that any bygone age heard of His hand also was at the Warrant for the restraint and imprisonment of Our Commissioners sent from the Parliament warranted by the King and seeking the peace of the Kingdomes When we had by our Declarations Remonstrances and Representations manifested the truth of our intentions and lawfulnesse of our actions to all the good Subjects of the Kingdome of England when the late Parliament could not be moved to assist or enter in Warre against us maintaining our Religion and Liberties Canterbury did not only advise the breaking up of that high and honourable Court to the great griefe and hazard of the Kingdome but which is without example did sit still in the Convocation and make Canons and Constitutions against us and our just and necessary defence ordaining under all highest paines that hereafter the Clergie shall preach foure times in the yeare such doctrine as is contrary not onely to our proceedings but to the doctrine and proceedings of other Reformed Kirkes to the judgment of all sound Divines and Politiques and tending to the utter slavery and ruining of all Estates and Kingdomes and to the dishonour of Kings and Monarchs And as if this had not beene sufficient he procured six Subsedies to be lifted of the Clergie under paire of deprivation to all that should refuse And which is yet worse and above which Malice it selfe cannot ascend by his meanes a Prayer is framed Printed and sent through all Paroches of England to be said in all Churches in time of Divine Service next after the Prayer for the Queen and Royall Progeny against our Nation by name of trayterous Subjects having cast off all Obedience to Our Annoynted Soveraigne and comming in all rebellious manner to invade England that shame may cover our faces as Enemies to God and the King Whosoever shall impartially examine what hath proceeded from himselfe in these Books of Canons and common Prayer what Doctrine hath beene published and printed these yeares by-past in England by his Disciples and Emissaries what grosse Popery in the most materiall points we have found and are ready to shew in the posthume writings of the Prelate at Edenburgh and Dublane his owne creatures his neerest familiars and most willing instruments to advance his counsells and projects shall perceive that his intentions were deepe and large against all the reformed Kirkes and Reformation of Religion which in his Majesties dominions was panting and by this time had rendred up the Ghost if God had not in a wonderfull way of mercy prevented us And that if the Pope himselfe had beene in his place he could not have beene more Popish nor could he more zealously have negotiated for Rome against the Reformed Kirkes to reduce them to the Heresies in doctrine the Superstitions and Idolatty in worship and the tyranny in Government which are in that See and for which the Reformed Kirkes did separate from it and come forth of Babell From him certainly hath issued all this deluge which almost hath overturned all We are therefore confident that your Lordships will by your meanes deale effectually with the Parliament that this great firebrand be presently removed from his Majesties presence and that he may be put to tryall and put to his deserved censure according to the Lawes of the Kingdome which shall be good service to God honour to the King and Parliament terrour to the wicked and comfort to all good men and to us in speciall who by his meanes principally have been put to so many and grievous aflictions wherein we had perished if God had not beene with us Wee doe indeed confesse that the Prelates of England have beene of very different humours some of them of a more moderate temper some of them more and some of them lesse inclinable to Popery yet what knowne truth and constant experience hath made undenyable we must at this opportunity professe that from the first time of Reformation of the Kirke of Scotland not only after the comming of King James of happy memory into England but before the Prelates of England have bin by all means uncessantly working the overthrow of our discipline and Government And it hath come to passe of late that the Prelates of England having prevailed and brought us to subjection in the point of Government and finding their long waited for opportunity and a rare congruitie of many spirits and powers ready to co-operate for their ends have made a strong assault upon the whole externall worship and doctrine of our Kirk By which their doing they did not aime to make us conforme to England but to make Scotland first whose weaknesse in resisting they had before experienced in the Novations of Government and of some points of worship and thereafter England conform to Rome even in these matters wherein England
Articles of Impeachment brought up from the House of Commons against him according to the former Order of this House of the 16. of this Instant Ianuary To the Gentleman Vsher c. On the 22. of Ianuary the Archbishop personally appearing at the Lords Barre according to the former Orders did then put in this following Answer both to the Commons Originall and Additionall Articles The Answer of the Archbishop of Cant. to the first and further Articles of the House of Commons dilivered in the 22th January 1643. The humble Answer of William Archbishop of Cant. to the first and farther Articles of Impeachment brought up by the Honourable House of Commons against him and by Order of the right honourable the Lords in Parliament of the 16. of this Instant directed to be put in As to the 13. Article of the said first Articles and the matters therein Charged allmatters or things in the same or any of the rest of the said Articles contained which concern any Act of Hostility whether between the King his Subjects or between Subject Subject or which may be conceived to arise upon the comming of any English Army against Scotland or the comming of the Scotish Army into England or upon any Action attempt assistance Councell or devise having relation thereunto and falling out by the occasion of the late troubles proceding the late Conclusion of the Treaty and returne of the Scottish Army into Scotland this Defendant saith that it is enacted by an Act made during the sitting of this present Parliament that the same and whatsoever hath ensued thereupon whether treuching upon the Lawes and Liberties of the Church and Kingdome or upon his Majesties Honour and Authority in no time hereafter may be called in Question or resented as a wrong Nationall or Personall and that no mention be made thereof in time comming neither in Judgement nor out of Judgement but that it be held and reputed as though never such things had beene thought or wrought as by the said Act may more at large appeare with this that this Defendant doth averre that he is none of the persons excepted by the said Act or the said offences charged upon this Defendant any of the offences excepted by the said Act. And as to all the rest of the said first and further Articles this Defendant saving to himselfe all advantages of exception to the said Articles humbly saith he is not Guilty of all or any the matters by the said Articles charged in such manner and forme us the same are by the said Articles charged against him VV. Cant. The same day I find this entry in the Commons Iournall to wit on the 22. Jan. 1643. The Lords by Sir Robert Rich and Mr. Page sent downe the Answer of William Archbishop of Cant. to the first and further Articles of impeachment brought up by this House against him which was read and ordered to be referred to the Commitmittee appointed to manage the evidence against the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and accordingly delivered to Serjeant Wilde After this the House of Commons to expedite his Tryall on the 22. February 1643. ORdered that the Committee appointed to mannage the evidence at the Tryall of the Arch-bishop of Canterbury doe peremptorily meete this afternoone at three of the Clocke in the Court of Wards upon the distribution of the parts of the evidence The Commons and Lords being all ready for his Tryall and having given him as much convenient time to prepare himselfe and his witnesses as he could desire to prevent all clamours of the Prelaticall and Canterburian party began now to thinke of a peremptory day for his Tryall and thereupon I finde this Order entred in the Commons Journall 4. Marcii 1643. A Message to be sent to the Lords to desire them to appoint a day for the Tryall of the Bishop of Canterbury Master Serjeant Wilde went up to the Lords to appoint a day for the Tryall of the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Serjeant Wilde brings answer that the Lords have appointed to morrow senight for the tryall of the Archbishop of Canterbury For which purpose the Lords made this following Order Die Lunae 4. Marcii 1644. Ordered that the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury shall appeare before their Lordships on Tuesday the 12th of this instant March at nine of the Clock in the morning At which time this House will proceed against the Arch-Bishop upon the first and further Articles of Impeachment brought up from the house of Commons against him for high Treason and high Crimes and misdemeanours whereof the said Arch-Bishop is hereby to take notice and provide himselfe accordingly After this the Arch-Bishop Petitioning the Commons House that Sir Henry Midmay a Member thereof might bee examined as a witnesse for him at his tryall this Order was thereupon conceived 9. Marcii 1644. The humble Petition of William Arch-Bishop of Canterbury desiring that Sir Henry Mildmay may be examined as a witnesse in his businesse he being to come to his tryal on Tuesday next was this day read And it is Ordered according to his Petition that he shall be examined as a witnesse at the tryall of the said Bishop accordingly It was likewise then ordered that diverse Members of the House of Commons shal be examined as witnesses against him And that the Lords be moved by Serjeant Wilde that some Members and Attendants of the Lords House be examined at the Arch-Bishops Tryall And that it be referred to the Committee of Sequestrations to consider of some convenient recompence for such Clerks Sollicitors and others as have been or shall bee imployed in the transscribing of breviats and other services done by them to the Committee for the Bishop of Canterbury his tryall On the 12. of March his Tryall according to the former Order was entred upon of which I shall give you this summary account Never was there in any age such a deliberate solemne patient impartiall hearing of any case in the High Court of Parliament nor in any Court of Justice else in our own or any other Kingdom whatsoever as there was of this Archbishops The first day of his Tryall began the twelfth of March 1643. wherein the whole time was spent in reading the Articles of Impeachment his answers to them and introductory Speeches to the charge and evidence against him made by Serjeant Wilde and the Arch-bishop himselfe The first part of the evidence upon the 1 2 3 4. Originall and 2 3 4 10. Additionall Articles was managed by Iohn Maynard Esquire one of the Commons House wherein foure whole dayes namely March 13. 16. 18. Anno 1643. and March 28. 1644. were spent the forenoons of them in the evidence and proofs the after-noons in the Arch-bishops Answers and Master Maynards replyes unto them The second part of the evidence was prosecuted by Robert Nicholas Esquire a Member of the House of Commons which took up three whole dayes viz. Aprill 16. and May 4. 16. morning and evening in
REVERENTIA which they by words and practise interpreted to be a lowly bowing to or towards it OBLATIONES FACIANT Quod si quis I Precibus sole nuibus OBLATIONIBVS absens fuerit aut praesens CUM DEBIT A REUERENTIA AD MENS AM EUCHARISTIAAE SACRAM accedere recusaverit puniatur pro arbitrio Vice-Cancellarij ac insuper mulctetur 5s Here we have bowing to the Table or Altar prescribed by a Law as a REVERENC DVE VNTO IT AND OBLATIONS at it enjoyned to all Graduates whatsoever of any kind of faculty to be acted solemnly in the Vniversity Church of St. Maries in the Act time under pain of such arbittary punishments as the Vice-Chancellour should inflict 5. s. Fine upon such who refused or neglected this solemne oblation at or bowing to the Altar both which they were bound by Oath to perform and observe being one of the Statutes of the Vniversity to which all Graduates swore obedience Yea this their ceremony of bowing to and prostration before the Altar was so well pleasing well known to the Archbishop himselfe that in one of his letters sent to the Vniversity of Oxford Dated at Lambheth 28. Ianuary 1639. recorded in their Publique Register f. 166. he importunes them to pray for him as oft as they should prostrate themselves before the Altar in these very termes Quoties CORAM ALTARE DEI Christi ejus PROCIDATIS videte sitis inter orandum memores mei Peccatoris sed Amici Cancellarij vestri W. Cant. Whence the Archbishop took his Patterne for enjoyning Graduates thus by new Vniversity Statutes and the Fellowes Schollers of Merton Colledge by his Visiters to bow and yeeld due Reverence to the Altar is worthy speciall observation doubtlesse it was from none other but his owne Popish Predecessor Cardinall Poole Archbishop of Canterbury in Queene Maries dayes who reduced reconciled our Kingdomes of England and Ireland to the Popes obedience and superstitions which they had formerly cast off in King Edwards dayes For this Cardinall Archbishop Visiting the Vniversity of Cambridg by his substitutes whereof Ormanet the Popes Datary was one among other Lawes and Injunctions as Mr. Jo. Fox Records prescribed every Scholler there AFTER WHAT SORT HE SHOVLD BOW HIMSELFE TO THE ALTAR there being no other ancient president extant in any of our owne Vniversities Statutes nor for ought I finde in forraign Academies prescribing bowing to the Altar unto any Academians but this of Cardinal Poole alone And must not he be a meere Popish Prelat and Chancellor in good earnest who thus makes his Popish Cardinall Predecessors Injunctions in Queen Maries bloody Reigne the sole Rule whereby to reform the Vniversity of Oxford in King Charles his dayes Finally this Archbishop in hope that solemne Popish Processions might in short time creepe up into use againe in our Vniversities as well as Crucifixes Copes Latine service and bowing to Altars among other his new Oxford Statutes continued and revived this whereby all Regent Masters were bound to read and sing in solemne Processions as the Proctors should assigne them be it right or wrong witnesse this Clause in the large Leger Parchment Booke of this Vniversities new Statutes Tit. 9. Sect. 1. paragr 5. Iurabis quod Leges Cantabis IN SOLENNIBVS PROCESSIONIBVS secundum assignationem dispositionem Procuratorum vel si recusaveris solves Vs. in usum Vniversitatis per Procuratores exigendos Resp Iuro which was read Now thus to oblige men by Oath to read and Chaunt in Processions what the Proctors should appoint be it the very Masse it selfe or a Popish hymme or prayer taken out of the Roman Missall Caeremoniall or Pontificall how farre it trencheth upon the liberty of mens consciences extends to the Alteration of Religion and conduced to corrupt the Vniversitie was humbly submitted to the serious considerations of the Lords and all others We have thus given you a briefe account of this Arch-Prelates Popish Innovations in the Vniversity of Oxford where he was then a reall Chancellor and ought in duty to have suppressed them the summe whereof is this that in most Churches Colledges Chappell 's both in this Vniversity and City during the time of his Government Communion Tables were turned railed in Altarwise changed into Altars schollers of all sorts and degrees injoyned by Statutes and Oathes especically in the puplique Act solemnities to bow themselves downe and yeeld due reverence to the Altar to present their oblations thereat which they must neither refuse nor neglect under paine of 5. s. fine and other Arbitrary punishments Latine service with the Chaunting of it and solemne Precessions introduced enjoyned Copes used Crucifixes repaired beautified where formerly defaced and new erected where none were before a New Statue of the Virgin Mary with Christ a babe in her Armes set up in the most publike noted place of all the Vniversity where all passengers might behold it yea publike adoration Capping bowing kneeling yeelded to it without the least checke dislike yea with the highest approbation of this pretended zealous Protestant Chauncellor to the poysoning of many Graduates Students in this most famous Academy What Romish Alterations Innovations of like nature hee by his Instruments Favorites Chaplins brought into the Vniversity of Cambridge of which he was more then halfe Chauncellor in reality though the Earle of Holland had the Title and afterwards sole Visitor by a Decree at Councell Table as meere Archbishop of Canterbury we shall in the next place evidence by substantiall Proofes In the Vniversity of Cambridge the Archbishop since his greatnesse by his extraordinary power brought in divers of his Creatures Chaplaines to be heads of houses and Vice-Chauncellors as Dr. Martin Dr. Cosins Dr. Beale Dr. Laney with others Popishly affected who within the space of ten yeares introduced the severall Popish Innovations Ceremonies specified in the following depositions Mr. Wallis a Scholler and Graduate of this Vniversity deposed That Altars Pictures Crucifixes were there of late set up in most Colledge Chappell 's and in some Churches particularly that in Peter house Chappel there was a glorious new Altar set up mounted on steps to which the Master Fellowes Schollers bowed were enjoyned to bow by Doctor Cosens the Master who set it up that there were Basons Candlestickes Tapers standing on it and a great Crucifix hanging over it That in the Vniversity Church of St. Maries there was an Altar raised in to which the Doctors Schollers and others usually bowed That these Altars Crucifixes Candlestickes Tapers and bowing to Altars continued till after this Parliament and were brought in since the Archbishops time by meanes of Bishop Wren Doctor Cosens Dr. Martin and others all Canterburies great fauorites Master Nicholas le Greise late Student in Cambridge witnessed upon Oathâ— that in St Iohns Colledge Kings Colledge Trinity Colledge and Peter house there were Altars Candlestickes Tapers and Crucifixes newly set up That in St. Iohns and Peter House Chappell 's there
Peace in the County with the generall consent of the whole Bench and upon view of diverse ancient presidents in that kinde Whereupon Judge Richardson the next Sommer Assizes 1634. in his charge informed the Justices Grand-Jury and Country That hee at their Request together with his Brother Denham had made a very good Order for suppressing unruly Wakes and Revells wherein he thought he had done God the King and Country good service but some ill affected persons had misinformed His Majestie concerning this Order who had given him an expresse command to reverse it which he conceived was hardly in his power to do because it was no Order made by himselfe but by the joynt consent of the whole Bench and a meere confirmation and enlargment of diverse Orders made by the Iudges and Iustices in that Circuit in Queen Elizabeths King James and King Charles their Reignes before ever he came into those parts for which he produced these following Presidents The first was an Order made at a Sessions in Somersetshire in the 38. of Queene Elizabeth Orders made by the Iustices Assembled at Bridgwater Sessions the 10th of September Anno Reg Elizabetica 38. c. THat no Church Ale Clerkes Ale Bid Ale or tipling be suffered And that such only be suffered to tipple as be or shal be lawfully licensed according to the Order made in this Sessions SIGNED Iohn Popham Alexander Popham Iohn Court Henry Waldron Edward Hext George Sydenham Thomas Horner Iohn Colles Iohn May Iohn â—odney The second was this Order of Sessions made at the same place whereto he found the name of one Thomas Philips subscribed but he knew not who he was at which Sir Robert Philips his Sonne who sticled for these Wakes was much incensed as conceiving it a meere jeare against him At the Sessions at Bridgwater the 28th of September 1594. IT is is Ordered and agreed that no Church-Ale be admitted to be kept within any part of this shiere And that by the Justices of the Peace of the Lymits notice thereof bee given to the severall parishes within their Lymits and that such as shall offend in keeping any such be duely punished Iohn Popham Lord â—hiefe Iustice George Sidnam Knight Henry Barkley Knight George Speak Henry Waldron Alexander Colles Iohn Frances Alexander Popham Iohn Lancaster Edward Hext Thomas Phillips The third was an Order of Sessions made in the County of Devon Anno 1599. This Order was agreed on by all the Queenes Majesties Iustices of the Peace at the Chapter House Assembled the 10th day of January 1599. Anno 41. Elizabethae ANd for as much as it appeareth that many enormities that with modestie cannot be expressed heretofore have hapned by Church Ales and Revells in this County of Devon It is therefore Ordered that Church-Ales and Revells shall bee hence forth utterly suppressed And if contrary wise in contempt of this Order preparation be made for any to be kept any Justices of this County forthwith send for such as make preparation to admonish them to make stay thereof and upon their refusall in that behalfe or proceeding therein to bind them that make such preparation to the good behaviour and to appeare at the next Sessions of the Peace to bee holden within this County of Devon then and there to endure such punishment as either by the Lawes of the Realme or Order of this Court shall bee inflicted upon them for their contempt and disobeying this Order The fourth was this following Order made at the Assizes in Devonshire Anno 1615. From the Assizes held at the Castle of Exeter Iuly 24. 1615. Anno 13. Jacobi c. Sir Laurence Tanneld and Serjeant Mountague Justices of Assize c. THe severall Manslaughters committed at two Church-ales within this County since the begining of this present Moneth of Iuly and further advertisements given now unto the Court of the continuall prophanation of Gods Sabbath at these and other such like unlawfull meetings ministers unto this Court just occasion to recite an Order formerly set downe by the Reverend Judges of Assize at the Assizes holden for this County the 19th day of Iuly in the yeare of the Reigne of our Soveraign Lord King James by the Grace of God of England France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith c. the 11th and of Scotland the 46th that Order being as followeth viz. It is Ordered by the Court in regard of the infinite number of inconveniencies daily arising by meanes of Revells Church-Ales and Bull-baitings that all such Revells Church-ales and Bull-baitings be from henceforth utterly suppressed and if hereafter it shall be made known unto the Justices of the Peace of this County of any such to be set up or hereafter used that then the Justices of the Peace within their severall Divisions take course as well for the speedy apprehending and punishment of idle and lewde people drawne together to such places as for the binding over of the Persons using tipling and for the inflicting of further punishment upon all offenders in such places as in their discretion shall be thought fit And to the end that this Order may be the better observed It is Ordered that this bee speedily published in every Parish Church within this County The fift was an Order made in the same County Anno 1627. An Order made by Sir Iohn Walter Knight Chiefe Baron of his Majesties Exchequer and Sir Iohn Denham Knight Justices of Assize for c. at the Castle of Exon the XXIII of July 1627. WHereas diverse Orders have bin heretofore made by the Judges of Assize for the suppression of all Ales and Revels those same Orders are now confirmed at this Assize and again Ordered by the Court in regard of the infinite number of inconveniencies daily arising by means of Revels Church-Ales Clerks-Ales and publike Ales that they be from henceforth utterly suppressed And if hereafter it shall be made knowne to the Justices of Peace of this County of any such to be kept or hereafter used that then the Justices of the Peace within their severall divisions take course as well for the speedy apprehending and punishment of idle vagrant people drawne together to such places as for the binding over of the persons using such tipling and for inflicting of such punishment upon all Offendors in such places as the Law doth inflict And to the end that this Order may be the better observed it is further Ordered that the Clerke of Assize shall leave a Copy hereof with the Clerk of the Peace and the under Sherriffe and from them or one of them every Constable shall take a Copy for his severall hundred and liberty and shall particularly deliver a Copy to the Minister of every Parish within his severall hundred and libertie and shall take a note of every Minister under his hand of the day upon which hee received it from him and that every Minister which so receiveth it shall publish it yearely in his Parish
and Metropolitan of all England concerning Orders to be observed by all the Bishops of that Province To the severall Articles of which Jnstructions I Matthew Lord Bishop of Norwich thus humbly make Answer and in Order VVe finde this observable Answer given To the 12. Article That upon enquiry at my Visitation whether the Kings Majesties Declaration for lawfull sports had beene published I found it had not beene done in very many places of the Diocesse having therefore about 60. Bookes at hand I caused them to bee proposed to such persons as I had most doubt of but many of them refused to publish the same and were suspended for their refusall yet divers of them presently promised conformity and so were absolved So that now in the whole Diocesse consisting of about 1500. Clergie men there are not passing twice 15. Excommunicated or suspended whereof some so stand for contumacie in not appearing at the Visitation and Synod and still refuse to submit some for obstinate denying to publish the Kings Declaration By the Title and answer of which it is most evident That the Archbish sent severall Articles of Instructions in his Majesties name though made by himselfe to all the Bishops of his Province who were to return an Annuall account of them unto him in writing whereof this was one That they should inquire whether the Declaration for sports had beene published in every parish Church by the Minister and directed them to excommunicate or suspend all such who refused to read it Which how barbarously and unchristianly it was executed in most places needs no further evidence then that already produced and what all men know Now wee appeale to all Ecclesiasticall Histories from Christs Nativity till this instant whether there was ever such a monstrous impiety or persecution as this heard of in the Christian world that Archbishops and Bishops who professe themselves the very Fathers of the Church and Pillars of Religion should thus impiously First of all abuse a Christian Prince so farre as to publish a Declaration for the free use and encouragement of such sports and Pastimes on the Lords-Day as are some of them unlawfull on any day and constantly prohibited condemned by Fathers Councells Imperiall Lawes Edicts of most Christian Emperors Kings Princes States and the whole torrent of Christian Writers as altogether unsufferable on the Lords Day Secondly to injoyne Bookes expresly tending to the prophanation of the Lords day by sports and pastimes to be publikely read in Churches by the Ministers to their Congregations on this very day to encourage authorize them though over-prone thereto without any such instigation to prophane it 3. To suspend sequester excommunicate censure persecute deprive even hundreds of Godly Ministers as capitall Offenders for refusing meerely out of Conscience towards God and love to their owne and peoples soules to contribute their voyces or personal assistances to such a publication and against all Law Justice Piety to silence Ministers three or foure yeares together from preaching Gods Word to their people for the salvation of their soules according to their duties because they durst not publish this Declaration for Lords-Day sports unto them to further the damnation of their soules both against their duties and consciences Such a Monster of most desperate unparalled impiety profanenesse persecution as this was never borne in the Christian world till this Ghostly Father Archbishop Laud begot and nourished it in our Church for which how well hee demerited the Popes Titles of YOUR HOLINES and MOST HOLY FATHER let the Vniversity of Oxford and Mr. Croxton seriously consider who bestowed them on him severall times Doubtlesse his more then Popish superstition in Consecrating Churches Church-Yards Chappell 's and prohibiting all prophannations of them by Enterludes Dancing Musters Leets teaching of Schollers and the like might have lessoned him to have beene as zealous against prophaning Sacred dayes as places with unholie Pastimes or secular Negotiations But because the Lords-Day Sabbath was not hallowed by Bishops themselves as Churches Chappell 's or Church-Yards were according to the Modell of the Roman Pontificall but by Christ and his Apostles who never authorized Bishops or any else to Consecrate Churches or other places in this sort they presume to authorize men thus openly to prophane the one without check or punishment but not the other under the severest Anathema Maranatha Enough eternally to stigmatize this Arch-Prelate with the blackest brand of Arrogancy and Impiety who made but a meere sport of prophaning Gods owne day with sports and silencing Godly Ministers for not being so prophane in this kinde as himselfe was who used to play at bowles on this very day a pretty Archipiscopall Sabbath Recreation or so prophane as he would have them to be against the dictate of their owne Consciences We have given you in a very full and copious evidence of the Archbishops endeavours practises to subvert our established Protestant Religion and usher in Popery among us by introducing severall Popish Innovations superstitious Ceremonies Idolatrous impieties practises and prophanations into our Church being all meere matters of fact notoriously visible to the world and eyes of all men We shal now proceed in the second place to discover his atempts and manifest his proceedings in this kinde by bringing in Popish Tenents and doctrines by degrees wherein we shall so fully uncase this Romish Fox as notwithstanding all his shifts and subterfuges to evidence him the most Pestilent Jesuiticall underminer subverter of the established doctrines of the Church of England the Archest advancer of the Erroneous Positions of the Church of Rome that ever breathed in our English Ayre And here we meet not onely with a Narrow Episcopall See but vast boundlesse Ocean of evidence to saile in That there hath bin for many yeares last past a secret plotted Conspiracy and serious endeavour between sundry pretended members of the Church of England and reall Sonnes of the Church of Rome to extirpate the Protestant Religion and instead therof to set up Popish superstition and Idolatry hath beene already abundantly manifested to the World in A necessary Introduction to the History of the Archbishop of Canterbury his Tryall by sundry forraigne and domestick evidences how farre this Archbishop was an Arch-agent in promoting this conspiracie in point of Doctrinall Popery and by what Jesuiticall Policies and degrees he proceeded in it comes now in Order to bee proved wherein wee shall steare the course of our evidence according to the compasse and method of his proceedings It is the common Policy of all wise experienced Commanders when they intend to undermine any strong well-fortified defensible Fortresse not desperately to begin their Mines at the very foundation of the Workes at first for feare of discovery danger prevention but at a competent distance and then to make their approaches by insensible degrees till at last they have undermined or blowne up the very Walls and Workes themselves The selfe-same Policy was used by
1. That he had disturbed the Peace of the Church by publishing Doctrine contrary to the Articles of the Church of England and the Booke of Homilies 2. That there are divers Passages in his Booke especially against those hee termeth Puritans apt to move sedition betwixt the King and his Subjects and between Subject and Subject 3. That the whole frame and scope of his Booke is to discourage the wellaffected in Religion from the true Religion Established in the Church and to incline them and as much as in him lay TO RECONCILE THEM TO POPERY This Report was no sooner made but this Bishop Mountagues great Patron who engaged him in this Popish service had a Coppy thereof and of all other proceedings therein delivered to him which he endorsed with his owne hand but the Parliament being soone after disolved Mountague instead of a severe censure for the Arminian Popish Assertions in his book was punished with the Bishoprick of Chichester to which he was advanced by this Prelates meanes to affront the Parliament and his Predecessor Bishop Carleton who answered Mountagues Booke in print during the Parl. which book was then likewise answered by Francis Rouse Esquier in a Booke called King James his Religion No sooner was the Parliament ended but both these Bookes were suppressed by this Bishops meanes though recommended to the Presse by the House of Commons order and Mountagues offensive Booke publikly sold without restraint Michaell Sparke the Elder deposed that Bishop Carlton sent for him sitting the Parliament and desired him to print his Book against Mountague and to encourage him the more granted him a protection under his owne hand whereupon he printed it After which Doctor Goad Archbishop Abbots Chapline Doctor Ward and Dr. Belcankwell licenced it for the Presse with a special recommendation whereupon he reprinted it yet notwithstanding immediatly after the Parliament ended by Bishop Lauds meanes this Licensed booke was called in seised on and burned in private and he questioned in the High Commission for printing it After which this Book of Mountagues and his Arminian Popish Tenents were severally answered by Dr. Featley and Doctor Goad Chaplines to Archbishop Abbot in their Paralells by Mr. Henry Burton in his Plea by M. Ward Mr. Yates and Master Wotton in severall Tracts by Master Prynne in his Perpetuity and by Doctor Sutclife But these Bookes of theirs though licenced by Archbishop Abbots Chaplines were called in and suppressed by this Bishops meere Arbitrary Power the Authors Printers sellers of most of them brought into the High Commission as Mr. Prynne Mr. Burton Mr. Sparkes Mr. Jones Mr. Bowler Mr. Bourn with others as was attested by the three first of them upon Oath and manifested by the Articles in the High Commission yet these their authorised orthodox bookes were all seized on and some of them burnt in private and Dr. Sutcliffes Booke against Mountague suppressed in the Presse when foure sheets thereof were printed which printed sheets Mr. Prynne found in this Archbishops Study with this endorsment under his own hand read at the Lords Barre The beginning of Dr. Sutcliffes Censure upon Mr. Mountagues Appeale It was prohibited in the Presse Here upon the Arminian party both in Court our Vniversities and else where grew very great bold insolent their opinions spread themselves like a dangerous Leprosie over the whole body of our Church to the grand exultation advantage of the Iesuits who first planted this soveraigne drugge of Arminianisme among us to reduce us backe to Rome as appeares by these Passages in a Jesuites letter sent to the Rector at Bruxels a little before the Parliament which begun at Westminster the 17. of Mar. 1627. The Copy of which Letter endorsed with the Archbishops own hand was seized on in his Study at Lambheth and attested before the Lords by M. Prynne Father Rector c. We have now many strings to our Bow and have strongly fortified our faction and have added two Bulworkes more For when King Iames lived we know he was very violent against Arminianisme and interrupted with his Pestilent wit deep learning our strong designes in Holland c. NOW WE HAVE PLANTED THE SOVERAIGNE DRVGGE ARMINIANISME which we hope will purge the Protestants from their Heresy and it flourisheth and beares fruit in due season c. For the better prevention of the Puritans the Arminians have already locked vp the Dukes eares and we have those of our Religion which stand continually at the Dukes Chamber to see who goes in and out We cannot be too circumspect and carefull in this regard I cannot chuse but laugh to see how some of our own rank have encountred themselves you would scarce know them if you saw them and t is admirable how in speech and gesture they Act the Puritans The Cambridge Schollers to their wofull experience shall see we can act the Puritan a little better then they have don the Iesuits I am at this time transported with joy to see how happily all instruments and meanes as well great a lesser co-operate unto our purposes But to returne unto the maine Fabricke OVR FOVNDATION IS ARMINIANISME The Arminians affect mutation this we second and enforce by probable arguments c. From which Letter was observed 1. That the Jesuites were the Originall planters of Arminianisme among us 2. That they reputed it the foundation of their Romish Fabricke intended to bee here erected among Vs the chiefe instrument to effect their Jesuiticall purpose and to purge out the Protestant Religion 3. That the Arminians were but the Jesuites Agents to promote their ends that both of them were very intimate with the Duke of Buckingham at whose lodgings they usually mette 4. That this Archbishop knew all this he receiving the Copy of this Letter upon the 27. of Mar. 1628. as appeares by his own endorsment of it yet notwithstanding hee promoted Arminians and propagated Arminianisme all he could but in a most cunning Jesuiticall way for perceiving the whole Parliament generally bent against Arminianisme and Mountagues Booke hereupon this Jesuiticall Prelate abusing both the Parliament and His Majesty to set up Arminianisme more securely projected a new way of advancing it under a specious pretence of silencing both sides by which policy hee inhibited all writing preaching and disputes against it and quelled the opposite Anti-Arminian party To which end he procured His Majestie by a printed Declaration prefixed to the 39. Articles compiled by himselfe and other Bishops of which the most part were Arminians pretended principally to suppresse Arminianisme but intended really for advancing it to prohibit all unnecessarie disputations altercations or questions to be raised which might nourish faction both in Church and Common-wealth That in these both curious and unhappy differences which had for so many hundred yeares in different times and places exercised the Church of Christ all further curious search should bee layd aside and these disputes shut up in Gods
aside any way but that we shall take it in the Litterall and Gramaticall sence This Act tyes to consent of VVrighters which may and perhaps do goe against the Litterall sence for here 's no exception so wee shall bee perplexed and our consent required to things contrary 7. All consent in all Ages as farre as I have observed to an Article or Canon is to it selfe as it is layd downe in the body of it and if it beare more sences then one it is lawfull for any man to choose what sence his judgment directs him to so that it be a sence secundum analogiam fidei and that he hold it peaceably without distracting the Church and this till the Church which made the Article determine a sence And the wisdome of the Church hath beene in all ages or the most to require consent to Articles in generall as much as may be because that 's the way of unity and the Church in high points requiring assent to particulars hath been rent As de Transubstantiatione c. So he in affront of the Commons This Parliament also being soone after broken up in discontent by this Bishops power and policy the Arminian and Popish party grew more bould numerous potent and prevalent every where so as the Pulpits at Whice-hall Paules Crosse Oxford Cambridge and else where ecchoed againe with Arminian Paradoxes without restraint and none could or durst oppose them without exemplary punishment if not all most certaine ruine Bookes in defence of Arminianisme and Semi-plagianisme were published printed with publike allowance and all impressions against them most diligently suppressed the Recantations of Arminian Tenets in former times made in our Vniversities were embesled as Barrets Recantation in Cambridge May 10. 1595. and new Recantations enjoyned to and registred against their opposites of all which we shall produce some remarkable instances The Ministers in and about London being restrained by Colour of His Majesties forementioned Declaration and Proclamation to Preach any thing concerning Election Predestination Perserverance or any thing opposite to the Arminian Errors thereupon framed this ensuing Petition to his Majesty about the end of the Parliament 1628. for liberty to Preach against the Arminian errors in point of Predestination c. which this Bishop being informed off anticipated and frustrated two of the Copies of which Petition were found in his Study by Mr. Pryn thus endorsed with his owne hand The Copy of the intended Petition about liberty of Preaching Predestination c. To the Kings most Excellent Maiesty The humble Petition of divers Ministers of Gods Word in and about the City of London and else where Most Humbly sheweth THat whereas your royall Majesty out of your Religious zeale for the conserving of the Church committed to your Charge in Peace and for the confirming of the Doctrine of the same agreeable to Gods word and conteyned in the Articles established did publish both a Proclamation and a Declaration therein prohibiting all opinions either against or besides the Orthodoxall grounds of Religion expressed in the said Articles as also all raising of doubts and disputatios which may nourish faction in Church and Common wealth And yet your Majesties said edicts are so interpreted and pressed upon us as we are not a little discouraged and deterred from preaching those saving Doctrines of Gods free Grace in Election and predestination which greatly confirme our faith of eternall salvation and fervently kindle our Love to God as the 17th Article expresly mentioneth So as we are brought into a great strayt either of incurring Gods heavy displeasure if we do not faithfully discharge our Embassage in declaring the whole Councell of God or the danger of being censured for violators of your Majesties said Acts if we preach these constant Doctrines of our Church and confute the opposite Pelagian and Arminian Heresies both preached and printed boldly without feare of Censure As if the saving Doctrines of Christ were prohibited and these impious Heresies priviledged which Councells both old and new have condemned and the admired judgement of our late Soveraigne your Royall Father K. Iames of blessed memory hath for ever branded calling the maintainers thereof Arrogant and Atheisticall Sectaries who are not ashamed to lye so grosly as to avow that their Heresies are agreable with the Religion and profession of the Church of England which corrupt seeds of Heresie Faction if not the more speedily rooted out the wise King tell 's the neighbour States will of necessity bring utter ruine to their state by the too bold and frequent Disciples and followers of that enemy of God Arminius Wee therefore your Majesties faithfull obedient peaceable and conformable Subjects to all your Majesties Lawes being most tenderly sensible of the dishonour of Christ and of your Majesty his Vicegerent over us infinitely more deare unto us then our lives most humbly on our bended knees beseech your Gratious Majesty to take into your Princely consideration the forenamed Evills and Greivances under which we groane and as a wise Phisitian to prescribe and apply such speedy Remedies as may both care the present Maladies and secure the Peace of Church and Common-wealth from all those Plagues which our neighbours have not a little felt and more may feare if the Councell of the most juditious King be not the bettter followed And according to our bounden dutie we shall daily pray for the continuance of your Majesties peaceable prosperous and religious Raigne over us About March 1628. Dr. Hall then Bishop of Exceter published a Booke called the Reconciler in the close whereof he inserted two Letters to vindicate himselfe from the imputation of Arminianisme wherewith some had then aspersed him to witt his owne letter to Dr. Davenant then Bishop of Salisbury and his Answer thereunto which Letters comming to be licenced Doctor Thomas Turner the Bishops Chaplain who authorized it no doubt by the Bishops directions and command expunged these two Passages out of the Letters against the Arminian Tenets and in approbation of the Synod of Dort conteining the principle Subject matter of the Letters and the end for which they were written the Copy of which Purgations was seized in the Archbishops Study by Mr. Prynne who attested it thus endorsed with his owne hand That which my Chapline Mr. Turner left out of the letters of the Bishop of Exceter and Sarum ABOVT ARMINIANISME In my Lord Bishop of EXONS Letter to the Lord Bishop os SARVM there was this Passage oblitcrated YEA as if this calumnie were not enough there want not those whose secret whisperings cast upon me the foule aspertions of an other Sect whose name is as much hated as little understood My Lord you know I had a place with you though unworthy in that famous Synod of Dort where however sicknesse â—ereaved me of the honour of a conclusive subscription yet your Lordship heard me with equall vehemency to the rest crying downe the unreasonablenesse of that way I am still the same
of Stationers upon paine that every Printer offending therein shall be for ever hereafter disabled to use or exercise the Art of Mysterie of Printing and receive such further punishment as by this Court or the high Commission Court respectively as the severall causes shall require shall be thought fitting That all other Bookes whether of Divinity Phisick Philosophie Poetry or what soever shall be allowed by the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury or Bishop of London for the time being or by their appointment or the Chancellours or Vice-Chancellors of either of the Vniversities of this Realme for the time being Alwayes provided that the Chancellour or Vice-Chancellour of either of the Vniversities shall Licence only such Booke or Bookes that are to be printed within the limits of the Vniversities respectively but not in London or else where not medling either with Bookes of the common Law or matters of State 5. Item That every Merchant of bookes and person and persons whatsoever which doth or hereafter shall buy import or bring any booke or bookes into this Realme from any parts beyond the Seas shall before such time as the same booke or bookes or any of them be delivered forth or out of his or their hand or hands or exposed to sale give and present a true Catalogue in writing of all and every such booke and bookes unto the Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury or Lord Bishop of London for the time being upon paine to have and suffer such punishment for offending herein as by this Court or by the said high Commission Court respectively as the severall causes shall require shall be thought fitting 6. Item That no Merchant or other person or persons whatsoever which shall import or bring any booke or bookes into the Kingdome from any parts beyond the Seas shall presume to open any Dry. Fat 's Bales Packes Maunds or other Fatdalls of Bookes or wherein Bookes are nor shall any Searcher Wayter or other Officer belonging to the Custome House upon paine of loosing his or their place or places suffer the same to passe or to be delivered out of their hands or custody before such time as the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterb. or Bishop of London or one of them for the time being have appointed one of their Chaplaines or some other Learned man with the Master and Wardens of the Company of Stationers or one of them and such others as they shall call to their assistance to bee present at the opening thereof and to view the same And if there shall happen to be found any seditious schismaticall or offensive Booke or Books they shall forthwith be brought unto the said Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Bishop of London for the time being or one of them or to the High Commission Office to the end that as well the Offender or Offenders may be punished by the Court of Starre-Chamber or the High Commission Court respectively as the severall causes shall require according to his or their demerit as also that such further course may bee taken concerning the same Booke or Bookes as shall be thought fitting It is further Ordered and Decreed that no Merchant Bookseller or other person or persons whatsoever shall imprint or cause to be imprinted in the parts beyond the Seas or elsewhere nor shall import or bring nor willingly assist or consent to the importation or bringing from beyond the Seas into this Realme any English Bookes or part of bookes or bookes whatsoever which are or shall be or the greater or more part whereof is or shall be English or of the English tongue whether the same Booke or Bookes have beene here formerly printed or not upon paine of the forfeiture of all such English Bookes so imprinted or imported and such further censure and punishment as by this Court or the said High Commission Court respectively as the severall causes shall require shall be thought meet 18. Item That no person or Persons doe hereafter reprint or cause to reprinted any booke or bookes whatsoever THOUGH FORMERLY PRINTED WITH LICENCE without being revived and a new Licence obtained for the reprinting thereof Alwayes provided that the Stationer or Printer be put to no other charge hereby but the bringing and leaving of two printed Copies of the Booke to be printed as is before expressed of written Copies with all such additions as the Author hath made XXIV Item The Court doth hereby declare their firme resolution that if any person or persons that is not allowed Printer shall hereater presume to set up any Presse for printing or shall worke at any such Presse or set or Compose any Letters to be wrought by any such Presse he or they so offending shall from time to time by the Order of this Court be set in the Pillory and Whipt through the Citie of London and suffer such other punishment as this Court shall Order or thinke fit to inflict upon them upon Complaint or proofe of such offence or offences or shall be otherwise punished as the Court of High Commission shall think fit and is agreeable to their Commission XXV Item That for the better discoverie of printing in Corners without Licence The Master and Wardens of the Company of Stationers for the time being or any two Licensed Master Printers which shall be appointed by the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury or Lord Bishop of London for the time being shall have power and Authority to take unto themselves such assistance as they shall thinke needfull and to search what Houses and Shoppes and at what time shall thinke fit especially Printing Houses and to view what is in Printing and to call for the Licence to see whether it be Licensed or no and if not to seize upon so much as is printed together with the severall Offenders and to bring them before the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury or the Lord Bishop of London for the time being that they or either of them may take such further Order therein as shall appertaine to Justice The Archbishop and his Confederates having accroached by coulour of this Decree the sole power of the Presse into their hands which they usurped without any such pretext of Authority long before the passing thereof began after the Popish guife in imitation of the Pope and Popish Inquisitors First to prohibit the re-printing and sale of sundry Orthodox Bookes formerly printed and sold by Authority of which we shall give you sundry notable instances One of the first Books we find prohibited by the Popish Prelates in England in King Henry the 8. his Reigne was the Bible and New Testament in English of Tyndallâ— translation and all other English Bibles and Testaments having any Annotations or Preambles which were ordered to bee out and blotted out of the said Bibles and Testaments in such sort as they could not bee perceived or read under paine of forfeiting 40s for every such Bible with Annotations or preambles as you may read in the Statute of 34. and 35. H. 8.
confirmer of the good and a reformer of the Reprobate all her visitants were but so many converts whose bad affections and erronious opinions the sweetnes of her discourse had rectefied the Leprosie of sin was her daily cure and they whom vice had blinded were by her restored to their inward light and their prostrate Soules adored Divine Majesticall vertue residing in this sacred Temple the knowledge of her humbled the most 〈…〉 Natures for the lustre of her merits rendered their owne obscure And in his Epistle to the Masculine Reader But this I will say that though I impute not the late troubles and afflictions of the Protestant party in Germany to the small Reverence there paid her many of Gods judgments according to Saint Augustine being secret none unjust yet truly I beleeve that the under-valuing of one so great and deare in Christs esteeme as his Mother cannot but bee displeasing to him and that the more we ascribe to her setting Invocation a part the more gracious we appeare in his sight He concludes it thus I will only adde this that since the finishing of this story I have read a Booke of the now Bishop of Chicester intituled Apparacus c. And I am glad to finde that I have not digressed from him in any one particular Soe he Loe therefore what a Metomorphosis of our Religion is here Here is a new Goddesse brought in among us the Virgin Mary adorned extolled deified with Titles Courtships Encomium Hymnes taken out of Popish Missalis Houres Breviaries Poems The Author glorieth that he is the first who hath written as he saith in our Vulgar tongue on this our blessed Virgin And God grant he be the last But he beares himselfe in all this upon the Church of England where wee pray you at last wee perceive this Church of England is the then Bishop of Chihester Mountague in his Apparatus from whom hee hath not digressed in any particular This Booke of Staffords giving very great scandall to Protestants and encouragement to Papists Mr. Henry Burton in his Sermon intituled For God and the King page 123. 124. 125. discovered censured these extravagant Popish Passages in it advising the people to beware of it For which among other things he was brought into the Star-Chamber and there censured But on the contrary this Popish Booke of Staffords with the forementioned scandalous Passages in it were by the Archbishops speciall direction professedly justified both by Doctor Heylin in his Moderate Answer to Mr. Burton licensed by the Arch-bishops owne Chaplaine and written by his command pag. 123. 124. and by Christopher Dow in his Innovations unjustly charged page 51. 54. and this Booke neither called in nor corrected so audatiously Popishwas he growne in this particular among many others 20. That the Church is alwayes Visible Bishop Mountague his Appeale Page 139. The Church of Rome hath ever beene visible The Church of Rome is and ever was a true Church since it was a Church Therfore the true Church hath ever bin visible Which he thus seconds Orig. Ecclesiasticarum Tomi prio pars poster page 463. Sanctè credimus defendimus c. Ecclesiam nullis interceptam intercisam intercapedinibus perpetuô extantem alicubi visibilem oculis usurpandam in eum finem et eo modo ut intelligere possint quibus curae illud est apud quos habeatur verbum vitae c. 21. That Churches Altars Chalices Church-yards c. ought to bee Consecrated by the Bishop and that his Consecration puts an inherent holinesse into them That one part of the Church or Chappell is holier then another That the place within the new Railes where the Altar stands is Sanctum Sanctorum into which none but Priests ought to enter yea Christs Throne and Mercy seat DOctor Pocklingtons Altare Christianum page 51. Dedication and Consecration of Churches used by Godly Bishops and taxed by the Centurists for the mystery of Iniquity I will passe from the placing of the Bishops Chaire to the dedication of his Church where it was set The dedication of Churches within two hundred yeares after Christ shewes cleerely 〈…〉 were Churches Saint Clemens his Command both for building and Consecrating of Churches makes it apparent page 80. At the upper end of the Chancell was a place inclosed and Railed in from the rest of the Chancell whereunto none neither Priests that were Penitents nor Deacons were permitted to enter and there to communicate and officiat in the Consecration of the Eucharist or in the administration thereof unto Priests but they themselves This place was called Sacrarium here stood the Altar or Lords Table and hitherto none might approach but the Priests themselves The Canon is cleare for it no Lay-man may come within the Altar Page 83. Prayer for Kings for Bishops for the whole Church and the Lords Prayer was then only said at the Altar by the Priest in the holy of holies Hee deserves not to be named in the Priests prayer at the Altar that is an occasion to withdraw Priests from the Altar page 108. They had shut up the Doore of the holy of holies whereunto he was entred to doe his reverence to the holy Altar Page 141. A man may as lawfully and Christianly administer the blessed Sacrament in a Barne or Towne-hall as in any place that is not Consecrated to such holy uses And when the Church was Consecrated was not the Altar the chiefest place which with most Ceremony and devotion was hallowed when it was hallowed was it not kept more carefully from Prophanation then any other part of the Church was there not a Feast annually kept in a joyfull remembrance of the Dedication of every Church and did not the consecration of the Altar carry the name of the Feast page 142. Was not the Altar set in Sacrario or sancto sanctorum in the highest place of all whereunto the Priest ascended by steppes and degrees and when they so assended were there not said Psalmes of degrees This holy Altar is in his owne nature but a stone but being consecrated and dedicated benedictionem accipit Shelfords five Treatises page 2. From hence appeareth that the Altar is the principall part of Gods House as being the cause and Originall of all the rest c. Doctor Ridley his view of the Civill Law reprinted at Oxford 1634. in the marginall Annotations newly added to it page 52. The Bishop of the place shall come lift up his hands to Heaven and consecrate the place to God P. 191. For that which concernes foundation and erection All that the Patron had free to himselfe was but the thought hee might thinke where he would designe the ground c. but this was nothing without execution and to this the Diocesan vvas to be required as the most principall and most effectuall agent If the Patron built a Church upon his ovvne ground vvithout the Bishops consent the Bishop might pull it dovvne vvithout the Patrons consent page 192. When he
the word of Christ one example we have in this verse Bellarmine saith c. page 57. Ob. 3. Christ saith unto me is given all power therefore Antichrists imp Pererius saith the Pope hath power over Infidels And a little after Answ 2. all power is given to Christ therefore to the Pope is a blasphemous and Antichristian consequence displaying the Pope to his colours to be the Where in making himselfe or suffering himselfe to be made equall with Christ is obliterated Would not any Protestant admire such passages as these should be expurged to gratifie the Pope The Articles of Religion agreed upon by the Arch-bishops and Bishops and the rest of the Clergy of Ireland in Convocation holden at Dublin in the yeere of our Lord 1615. for the avoyding of diversities of opinions and the establishing of consent touching true Religion reprinted at London 1629. Artic. 78. 80. determined thus against the Pope THE power which the Bishop of Rome now challengeth to be the supreame head of the Universall Church of Christ and to be above all Emperours Kings and Princes is an usurped power contrary to the Scriptures and Word of God and contrary to the example of the Primitive Church and therefore is for just causes taken away and abolished within the Kings Majesties Realmes and Dominions The Bishop of Rome is so farre from being the Supreame Head of the Universall Church of Christ that his works and doctrine doe plainly discover him to be that Man of sin foretold in the holy Scriptures whom the Lord skall consume with the spirit of his mouth and abolish with the brightnesse of his comming These Articles were so displeasing to the Arch-bishop together with some others against Arminians that in the yeere 1634. this whole book of Articles was revoked suppressed by Parliament in Ireland through his procurement then which strange act there could not be a more apparent undermining of the Protestant Religion In the yeer 1634. there were at the speciall request of the Queen of Bohemia Letters Patents granted to Master Rulie a Palatinate Minister for a collection throughout 〈…〉 of the poore Ministers of the Palatinate in which Patent there was this notable â— clause inserted relating to their Religion and sufferings Whose cases are the more to be deplored for that this extremity is fallen 〈◊〉 them for their 〈…〉 constancy to the true Religion which we together with them doe professe and 〈◊〉 we are all bound in conscience to maintaine to the utmost of our powers whereas these relations and godly persons being involved amongst many others their couâ—trymen in 〈◊〉 common calamity might have enjoyed their estates and fortunes if with other back-sliders in the times of tryall they would have submitted themselves to the ANTICHRISTIAN YOKE and have renounced or dissembled the profession of the true Religion The very same formall words were used in former Patents of collections for them in King James his Reign and in the Patent dated the 29. of Jan. in the third yeere of King Charles his Reign by which this Patent was drawn The Arch-bishop perusing this Patent brought to him by Master Rulie after it had passed the Seale grew extreamly cholerick at it rated Master Ruly who pleaded ignorance of the customes of England and that the Patent was drawne by the Kings Atturney according to former presidents without any directions from himselfe who was a meer stranger chid him very sharply threatned to suppresse the whole collection detained the Patent under seale and carrying it the next day to the Court complained of it to the King checked the Lord Keeper and Secretary Cooke for letting such a clause passe in the Patent who justified themselves by former presidents by which they were guided and by his violence wholly cancelled the Patent after it was sealed then caused a new Patent to be drawne wherein this former clause was omitted the King telling the Lord Keeper that the Arch-bishop would have it altered and therefore it must be done which thereupon was done occordingly Now the cause of all this stirre and anger of his Grace-ship against this clause was onely because it stiled those of the Palatinate professors of the true Religion c. and tacitely censured the Pope as Antichrist in this latter clause Where as these religious and godly persons might have enjoyed their estates and fortunes if with other back-sliders in the times of tryall they would have submitted themselves to the Antichristian Yoke and renounced or dissembled the profession of the true Religion As was punctually attested upon oath by Master Wakerly and Master Hartlib Of which more fully hereafter Now that all the forementioned purgations of passages against the Pope and his being Antichrist proceeded originally from the Archbi himselfe without any other motive but his own inherent affection to his Holinesse and the Roman party we shall most apparently evidence to all the world by a Letter of his to Dr. Hall the Bishop of Exeter signed with his owne hand and Bishop Hal's answer thereunto the Originals of which Letters Master Prynne seized in his Study at Lambeth and attested at the Lords Barre where they were both acknowledged and read in these ensuing tearmes My very good Lord I Have received your Lordships Letters of Decemb. 6. 23. and with them the copy of your Book and in them a paper of short propositions which you think and so doe I is fitter for the attestation of divers hands then the book it selfe These propsitions shall be well weighed against the time of Convocation which I conceive will be a fit time to take other Bishops attestation without further noyse or trouble For your book I first thanke you very heartily for your paines and next more then heartily were it possible for your noble and free submission of it not onely to many eyes and judgements but also in the maine to be ordered and after that prest or supprest as it shall be thought fit here Which care or conscience would men use which set out books we should not have so much froth and vanity in the world as now 't is full of But whereas you writ First that the Booke grew into greater length under your pen them you expected I cannot be sorry for that since that which you have added concerning Parker Anti-Tilenus and Vedelius seems to me very necessary Secondly that you are pleased to subject the work to me and to interpret it that you meant not personally to me because I could not have time for other great occasions to revise it but by way of desputation These are to let you know that were my occasions greater then they are I would not suffer a book of that Argument and in these times to passe without my owne particular View And therefore my Lord these may tell you that both my Chaplaines have read over your book and that since them I have read it over my selfe very carefully every line of it and I have now put it into
and most Honourable my singular good Lord the Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury his Grace Primate of all England and Metropolitane Chancelour of Oxford and one of the Lords of his Mijesties most honourable Privy Counsell present these And after the receit thereof thus indorsed with the Arch-bishops owne hand Rec. Jan. 22. 1639. L. B. Exon. concerning some amendments in his book for Episcopacy In this Letter of the Arch-bishops and the answer to it besides the grand designe of asserting Episcopacy of divine Right and Institution we may observe these considerable particulars First that he blames Bishop Hall for being a little too favourable to the forraigne Protestant Churches and their authors Secondly for passing by the Sabatarians or strict observers of the Lords day without any touch at all which he desires him to rectifie and help by some touches of shapnesse against them this is his charity to the Protestants and Sabatarians or Puritans of you please they were too candidly handled and therefore must be more harshly dealt withall but now on the other hand mark his extraordinary affection to and care of the Popes honour and reputation He doth in the third place tax the Bishop for bestowing the title of ANTICHRIST on him three or four times in his Book positively determinately This was such a transcendent crime that he must needs acquaint the King himselfe with it of his owne native disposition without any other Monitor and procures a speciall royall command to him from his Majesty to expunge those scandalous and dishonourable clauses against his Holinesse out of his Treatise Fourthly in the reason which he renders for acquainting his Majesty herewith and desiring him to make this change there are these considerable things to be taken notice of First that King James himselfe did in his printed Works at large prove and declare the Pope to be Antichrist by very strong proofes Secondly that when the Spanish match was in agitation and the Popes Dispensation required for the facilitating of it being one of the first Articles in the Marriage Treaty he was challenged by the Pope and his agents for it but not before Thirdly that King James hereupon to satisfie the Pope and gaine his favour was put to a hard shift and enforced to coyne a new distinction which he never thought of till then to excuse the matter That he writ thou not concludingly but by way of Argument onely c. Fourthly that he made this answer and distinction when King Charles went into Spaine and acquainted him with it by word of mouth that he thereby might satisfie the Pope and his party Fifthly that this whole passage was knowne to him and he privy to this secret not knowne formerly to others therefore he was certainly one of the Cabinet-counsell who was privy to the Kings going into Spaine and to the private instructions given him by King James before his departure hence yea very likely one who suggested this distinction to King James to please the Pope and promote the Match and therefore HE COULD NOT BUT SPEAKE WITH THE KING ABOUT IT who hereupon commanded this Bishop to qualifie his expressions in these particulars and so not differ from the knowne judgement of his pious and learned Father from whose orthodox judgement notwithstanding the Arminians might freely dissent both with his Majesties and this Arch-prelats approbation Whereupon we find that these passages were qualified according to his desire although Bishop Andrewes positive opinon in sundry passages was that the Pope was Antichrist All which considered we may infallibly conclude from his owne pen that all the forementioned purgations of passages against the Papacy Pope and his being Antichrist were made by this Arch-bishops owne speciall direction without any other suggestion but his owne Romish Genius and good affection to the Pope to induce a more easie reconciliation with him and this in direct opposition First to the severall Statutes of 16 R. 2. c. 5. 25 H. 8. c. 19. 20. 21. 28 H. 8. c. 10. 37 H. 8. c. 17. which tacitely define the Pope to be the Antichrist who did obfuscate and wrest Gods word Testament a long season from the spirituall and true meaning thereof to his worldly and carnall affections as pompe glory avarice ambition and tyranny covering and shadowing the same with his humane and politick devices traditions and inventions set forth to promote and stablish his onely dominion both upon the soules and also the bodies and goods of all Christian people excluding Christ out of his Kingdome and rule of mans soule as much as he may and all other temporall Kings and Princes out of their Dominions which they ought to have by Gods law upon the bodies and goods of their subjects whereby he did not onely rob the Kings Majesty being onely the supreame head of this his Realme of England immediately under God of his honour right and pre-eminence due unto him by the law of God but spoyled this his Realme yeerly of innumerable treasure and with the losse of the same deeemed the Kings loving and obedient Subjects perswading to them by his lawes buls and other his deceivable meanes such dreames vanities and fantisies as by the same many of them were seduced and conveyed unto superstitious and erronious openions Secondly to the book of Homilies in the second part of the Sermon for Whit-Sunday page 316. and the 6. Sermon against wilfull Rebellion page 316. which determines the Pope to be Antichrist in these tearmes Wheresoever you find the spirit of envy hatred contention robbery murther extortion witchcraft neeromancy c. assure your selves that there is the spirit of the devil and not of God albeit they pretend outwardly to the world never so much holinesse c. such were all the Popes and Prelates of Rome for the most part as doth well appeare by the story of their lives and therefore they are worthily accounted among the number of the false Prophets and false Christs which deluded the world a long while The Lord of heaven and earch defend us from their tyranny and pride that they never enter into his Vine-yard againe c. and he of his great mercy so work in all mens hearts by the mighty power of the holy Ghost that the comfortable Gospel of his Sonne Christ may be truly preached truly received and truly followed in all places to the beating downe of sinne death the Pope the devil and ALL THE KINGDOME OF ANTICHRIST c. The Bishop of Rome understanding the bruit blindnesse ignorance of Gods Word and superstition of English men ond how much they were inclined to worship the BABYLONISH BEAST OF ROME Thirdly to the 80. Article of the Church of Ireland defining the Bishop of Rome to be THE MAN OF SINNE foretold in the holy Scripture Fourthly to the Book of Common-prayer appointed for the fifth of Novemb. stiling the Pope Papists and Jesuits A Babylonish and Antichristian sect and to the Kings Letters Patents forementioned defining
some other passages in my said Sermon I was as I understand conceived by some not onely to cast aspersions upon the present State of our Church and some principall Members and parts thereof thereby to bring it and them into scandall and dislike But even under some ambiguous words to move to take up armes for redresse although with recalling or restraining the same in termes afterward and saying thus Let us pray these men either to conversion if it be Gods blessed will or to their destruction Fiat justitia pereant illi and calling them crafty Achitophells c. I doe here acknowledge and professe I had no such Intentions neither doe I know any cause why my selfe or any other should so bitterly invay against any in our Church I am therefore heartily sorry that I gave cause to any of the hearers to conceive so And I humbly crave pardon for it For refusing to make this strange prescribed Recantation this godly Minister though he in generall termes professed his syncere sorrow and penitency for any Oversights and unbeseeming Expressions in his Sermon both in his Petitions and Letters to the Bishop which would not suffice was for a long time deteined in the New Prison there miserably abused by the Keepers of which he oft complained without redresse and in conclusion utterly ruined for speaking out the truth Wee shall close this branch of our Evidence with this observation That as Rewards and Punishments rightly distributed are the greatest incentives to vertue piety learning and retractives from vice error superstition so when they are perverted misplaced they become the grandest discouragements to Piety Religion the strongest attractives to Heresie Popery and all kinde of Superstitions Schollers commonly looke most of all after preferments yea make it their principall study to comply with those mens Opinions and Practifes who are the chiefe Bestowers of them No wonder therefore that our poor Church was sodainly overspread with a generation of Arminian Popish Superstitious Ceremonious prophane Prelaticall Clergy-men when all or most Ecclesiasticall preferments were in this Arch-Prelates disposall who for the most part advanced none but such but discountenanced suppressed persecuted kept back from preferments most orthodox zeal us preaching Divines who would not comply with his Popish Innovations and Designes It is very observable that the Archbishop himselfe records in his Diary April 5. 1625. How he presented to the Duke of Buckingham by his command a Schedule wherein the Names of Ecclesiasticall persons were written under the Letters O. that is orthodox in his sence to wit Arminians or persons addicted to Popish Errors and Superstitions and P. that is Puritans who was to deliver them to King CHARLES Ever since which time Mountague Manwaring Wren with such like unorthodox Clergy-men have been advanced and all Puritans as they termed them kept from preferment And it is as considerable what Mr Chaloner deposed to this purpose That being in Rome about five yeares since Friar John the great agent there for our English Benedictines and Catholiques was very inquisitive and demanded seriously of him Whether the Archbishop of Canterbury had not the bestowing of all Ecclesiasticall preferments and livings in England especially those in the Kings gift Seeming to be confident they were all then in his dispose and thereupon assuring himselfe that he would advance such persons to them as should be most favourable most plyable to Popery and Papists to drive on their designes as they did indeed with a witnesse till this Parliament imployed their diligence and power to weed them out by Degrees And therefore his advancement of such unsound corrupt Popish Clergy-men on the One and suppressing good Orthodox Preaching Ministers on the other side must necessarily import a most desperate design in him to supplant our established Religion by such a Generation of Vipers who would eat out the very bowells of their own Protestant Mother Church and Religion by Degrees The sixth Branch of the Commons Evidence to make good their first Generall Charge of the Archbishops endeavours to subvert our Religion and introduce Popery WEE shall now advance our progresse from this to the sixth Branch of our Evidence to make good our generall Charge of this Archbishops Traytorous Practises and Endeavours to subvert our true Protestant Religion and introduce Popish Superstition and Idolatry to wit His Iesviticall Practises Plots and Proceedings by himselfe and his Instruments to suppresse the frequent and powerfull Preaching of the Gospel on Lords-dayes Weeke-dayes with all Lecturers and Lectures throughout the Kingdome and the Feoffees for Impropriations a principall meanes to maintaine the same and his silencing suspending many godly Ministers in all parts upon frivilous illegall Pretences that so Popish Errours Superstitions might flow in and grow up the faster with none or little publique Opposition This is fully charged against him in the eleventh Originall Article and sixth Additionall which were read upon this occasion The first and most pernicious Plot this Prelate layd to suppress Preaching Lectures and Lecturers was drawn up by himselfe under his own hand soon after the Parliaments dissolution in tertio Caroli and presented by him to the King under this specious title which he gave it Considerations for the better settling of the Church-Government The Originall draught whereof written with his own hand and found in his study by Mr Prynne was produced and read in forme following Considerations for the better settling of the Church-Government That his Majesty would be graciously pleased 1. TO Command the Lords the Bishops to their severall seas excepting those which are in attendance at Court 2. That none of them reside upon his Land or Lease that he hath purchased or on his Commendam if he hold any but in one of his Episcopall Houses And that hee wast not the woods where any are left 3. That they give charge in their Tryenniall Visitations and at other times both by themselves and the Archdeacons that the Declaration for settling the questions in difference be strictly observed 4. That a speciall Charge be given them against frequent and unworthy Ordinations 5. That a speciall Care be had over the Lecturers in every Diocesse Which by Reason of their pay are the peoples creatures and blow the Bellowes their way Sedition For the abating of whose power these wayes may be taken 1. That the afternoon Sermons in all Parishes may be turned into Catechising by Questions and Answers according to an Order set out by King Iames of blessed Memory If this cannot be then 2. That every Bishop ordain in his Diocesse that every Lecturer doe read Divine service in his Surplisse before the Lecture 3. That where a Lecture is set up in a Market Town it be read by a Combination of grave and orthodox Divines neer adjoyning 4. That if an Incorporation do maintain a Lecturer he be not suffered to preach till he take upon him Curam Animarum within that Incorporation 6. That the Bishop do
of him in a very angry manner What have you brought me here Mr Ruly replied His Majesties Letters Patents At which answer he fell into a great passion rating and reviling Mr Ruly with very ill language threatned and called him ill names protested that that Patent should not passe though it were under the Great Seale and made Mr Dell write something out of it Mr Ruly shaking for feare excused himselfe that it was drawn by the Officers to whom his Grace had directed him and if there were ought offensive in it he was altogether ignorant and not guilty of it Whereunto the Archbishop replied that were it not for his respect and engagements to the Queen of Bohemia they should have no collection at all and that he could finde in his heart to quash it but however he would suppresse that Patent which he detained by him and would have one drawn in another forme Whereupon Mr Ruly leaving him to his angry mood departed and acquainted Secretary Cook the Lord Keeper Coventry and other his friends with the Premises who all wondred and were very inquisitive what was the cause of all this anger The Archbishop presently after repaires to the King and complaines much against this Patent Secretary Cook and the Lord Keeper for passing it who being both sent for by the King about it acquainted his Majesty that it was made verbatim accorcording to former Presidents that they had his Majesties hand and Royall assent thereto and it was now passed the Seale and so could not be altered To which the King answers that it must be altered for that the Archbishop would have it so and another must be drawn according to his minde Upon this the Patent was recalled and a new one drawn according to the Archbishops direction and prescript which being compared with the former by these Deponents and others who were very inquisitive what it was did so much enrage his Grace they found it was only this ensuing clause which he caused to be quite purged out with little or no alteration else from that he suppressed Whose cases are more to be deplored for that this extremity is fallen upon them for their sincerity and constancy IN THE TRVE RELIGION which WE TOGETHER WITH THEM DO PROFESSE and WHICH WE ARE ALL BOVND IN CONSCIENCE TO MAINTAINE TO THE VTMOST OF OVR POWERS Whereas these Religious and Godly Persons being involved amongst others their Countrey-men might have enjoyed their estates and fortunes if with other backsliders in the times of Triall they would have submitted themselves to the ANTI-CHRISTIAN YOAK and have renounced or dissembled the Profession of THE TRVE RELIGION In lieu whereof he only inserts That they suffered FOR THEIR RELIGION as if our Religion and theris were contra-distinct and different one from another and theirs not the true Which Secretary Cook when he saw affirmed would make a Schism a Division betwixt us and the forraign Protestant Churches by intimating that they professed neither our nor yet the true Religion as Mr Wakerly deposed and gave great scandall and offence to the Deponents yea to the forraign Churches and Protestants here who took speciall Notice of it In this notable peece of Evidence we shall desire your Lordships and the world to take notice of these remarkable particulars First of this Archbishops insufferable Insolency in daring to presume so farre as to stop suppresse the Kings own Letters Parents when approved by his Royall Signature allowed by the Lord Keeper and actually passed under the Great Seale of England Secondly his extraordinary over-ruling power with the King who against his own Iudgement Signe Manuall Seale and former Presidents must have this Patent altered in this clause only because the Archbishop would have it so and for no other reason Thirdly that this alteration proceeded meerly from the Archbishops own motion not from any Priests or Iesuits instigation much lesse from the King as he pretended the alterations of the Prayer-Book for the fifth of November did Fourthly that he was exceeding passionate and enraged at this clause insomuch that this charitable Collection and Patent must totally be quashed rather then this clause tolerated whereas his Chaplaines authorized Books in commendation of Popery Popish Errours yea pleading for Rome and her Religion as true and one with ours Fiftly that this very clause had passed both the Broad Seal and Presse too without the least exceptions in a Patent 29 Ian. 3. Caroli not full seven yeares before even in King Charles his own Reign and in another Generall Collection granted under the Privy Signet the seventeenth of Iune in the sixteenth year of King James Anno Dom. 1618. for reliefe of the Inhabitants of the Town of Wesell then printed by Authority together with Archbishop Abbots directions concerning the same to the severall Bishops under him dated June 25. 1618. wherein we finde these following expressions That that City had been a place of succour and reliefe to many afflicted strangers such as have been exiled for THE TRVE RELIGION That they were not able any longer to sustaine the charge neither of the Ministry nor of the Free-schoole which heretofore they have erected for the propagation of THE TRVE RELIGION c. which should excite us to enlarge the Bowels of compassions toward them which cannot be better expressed of our parts then by having compassion and a fellow-feeling of them MAKING THE SAME PROFESSION OF FAITH THAT WE DO yet doe suffer such adversity c. which are the same in terminis with those in this expunged Patent What then was the cause that this Clause should be thought so insufferable so impassible by this Archprelate now Certainly there must be some great mystery of Iniquity in it he and his Predecessor Abbot had not the selfe-same opinion of the Protestant Churches and their Religion Abbot deemed both their Churches and Religion true and the same with ours but Laud deemes them no Churches at all their Religion not the true Religion nor the same with ours at this time though formerly one and the same with it And why so because himselfe had altered perverted yea almost quite subverted it both in Design and Execution intending to set up Popery as the only old and true Religion therefore to suffer such a Patent to passe both the Great Seal and Presse in his Majesties name as should proclaim their Religion to be the true Religion which we together with them do professe and we are all bound in conscience to maintain to the uttermost of our power when he and his Confederates bent all their might to suppresse it and to commend their sincerity and constancy in the true Religion when as they might have enjoyed their estates and fortunes if with other backsliders in the times of Tryall they would have submitted themselves to the Antichristian Yoak and have renounced or dissembled their profession of the true Religion in these dayes when he with his Confederates endeavoured to make men Backsliders
been allowed to them in the time of Queen Elizabeth or since The Order of King James under his signet the 13 of Iune These are therefore to will and command all our Courts of Iustice and other our loving Subjects to permit and suffer the said strangers members of the Out-landish Churches and their children to enjoy the continuance of our favours before declared in this behalfe Considering the loving kindenesse and good entertainment which our Subjects and their children doe receive and finde beyond the Seas The Order of the Privy Councell for the Walloones of Norwich the 10 of October Those of Norwich although borne in the Kingdome shall continue to be of the said Church and Society and shall be subject to such Discipline as hath been by all the time of fifty five yeares practised among them And if any shall be refractory they shall be bound to appeare at this Board The gracious Answer of King Charles to the Deputies of the Forraigne Churches the 30 of April I thank you for this and I assure you that I will continue unto you the same favour which the King my father did shew unto you And I hope that my marriage shall not be any dammage unto you but rather an occasion of much good to your Countrey men The Order of King Charles for all strangers the 13 of Novemb. We will and command our Iudges c. to permit and suffer the said strangers members of the Out-landish Churches and their children quietly to enjoy all and singular such Priviledges and Immunities as have been formerly granted unto them without any troubles arrests or proceedings by way of information or otherwise considering the faire usage and good entertainment which our Subjects and their children doe receive beyond the Seas The Order of the Privy Councell for the Dutch of Norwich the 7 of Ianuary That all those that are now or hereafter shall be members of the Dutch Congregation although borne within this Kingdome shall continue to be of the said Church and Society so long as his Majesty shall be pleased without any prejudice to their Priviledges and Birth-right and shall be subject to all such Discipline as hath beene all the time aforesaid usually practised amongst them and from time to time contribute to the maintenance of the Ministry and poore and the defraying of all other necessaries charges of the same Congregation as they shall be assessed and occasion shall in that behalfe require By vertue of this Patent Orders Grants the Dutch and French Churches in London and other Diocesse enjoyed the free exercise of their Religion Discipline exempt from all Archiepiscopall and Episcopall Iurisdiction from Edward the sixths time till Ann. 1634. without any interruption But no sooner was this Prelate warme in his Archiepiscopall chaire but he begins to disturb their peace and threaten their totall subvertion throughout his Province as in Canterbury Sandwich Maidstone Norwich Colchester London Southampton and likewise in Yorkeshire Axholme and elsewhere which he had formerly projected in this manner On March 22. Ann. 1632. this Bishop upon his own motion procured a reference to himselfe from the Lords of the Councell concerning the English living in forraigne parts and the forraigne Protestant Churches in England concerning which he drew up and presented two severall Papers to the Lords found in his study under Mr Dells hand thus endorsed with his owne Concerning the Dutch and French Churches in England c. here necessary to be inserted though not read at large VVHereas I was commanded by your Lordships upon Friday March 22. 1632. First to represent to His Gracious Majesty the great and Honourable care you had to preserve the unity and Government of the Church of England as it stands now established by Law Which care was very great and pious and according to my duty in the Name of the Church I humbly thank your Lordships for it And have in pursuance of your Commands faithfully acquainted His Majesty with as many particulars as I could carry away safe in my memory Secondly I was commanded by your Lordships to take into farther consideration such Heads as might best conduce to the rectifying of such his Majesties Subjects as reside at Hamborough or elsewhere beyond the Seas but especially in the Low-Countreys either in Merchandize or in use and exercise of Armes under the Colonells there As also what might be thought fit to be done concerning the French and Dutch Churches as they now stand and are used at this present within this Realme but at such time as your Lordships in your wisdome shall best approve Concerning the first of these viz. the English living in Forraigne parts I humbly recommend to your Lordships Wise dome as followeth 1. Whether it be not fit I had almost said necessary that the severall Colonels in the Low-Countreys should entertaine no Minister as Preacher to their Regiments but such as shall conforme in all things to the Church of England established And be commended unto them from your Lordships by advise of the Lords Archbishops of Canterbury or York for the time being 2. That the Company of Merchants residing there or in any other Forraigne Parts shall admit no Minister as Preacher to them but such as are so qualified and so commended as aforesaid 3. That if any Minister having by feigned carriage gotten to be so recommended either to any of the severall Colonells or to the Deputy Governour and Body of the Merchants there shall after be found unconformable and will not mend upon warning given him by the Colonell or Deputy Governour of the Merchants shall within three months after such warning given and refused be dismissed from his service that a more orderly and peaceable man may be sent unto them 4. That every Minister or Preacher with any Regiment of souldiers that are his Majesties borne Subjects or with the Company of Merchants there or elsewhere shall read Divine Service Christen children Administer the Sacrament of the Lords Supper marry instruct the younger or more ignorant sort in the Catechisme visit the sick bury the Dead and doe all other Duties according as they are prescribed in the Book of Common-Prayer maintained in the Chuch of England and not otherwise And that he which will not conforme himselfe so to doe shall not continue Preacher either to any Regiment of English or Scottish or to the Merchants 5. That if any Minister or Preacher being the Kings Subject shall with any bitter words or writings in print or otherwise defame the Government of the Church of England established His Majesties Embassador or Agent in those parts for the time being is to be informed of it and upon notice given from him to the State he or they so offending shall be commanded over by Privy Seale or otherwise to answer their offence or offences here 6. That no Colonell of any severall Regiment or Deputy Governour of the Merchants shall give way that their Minister or
engaging the King in a bloody warre against the Scots and working him to their party and in case they could not doe it then to give him a poysoned sigge as his Father was poysoned and seize upon the Prince whom they would educate in the Romish Religion This Plot was discovered meerly out of remorse of conscionce by one who was a chiefe actor in it sent from Rome to assist Con the Popes Lagat in his Negotiations in England to one Andreas ab Habernfield Physitian to the Queen of Bohemia who disclosed it to Sir William Boswell the Kings leager at the Hague who from thence by sundry Letters revealed it to this Arch-bishop in whose chamber at the Tower the whole plot and originall Letters concerning it were seized on by Master Prynne who attested and produced them at the Barre and published them at large to the world by order of Parliament in Romes Master-piece where the principall Agents in this plot and their proceedings therein are particularly related many of them as Secr Windebank the Earle and Countesse of Arundell Mr. Porter of the Bed-chamber and Sir Toby Matthew being the Arch-bishops intimate friends and familiars Of this Plot the Arch-bishop took such speciall notice that he acquainted the King himselfe with it as appeares by his owne Letter to the King and his Majesties Answer to it with his owne royall hand to it in the margin sent from York to Lambeth Yet for all this he was so far from crossing this their Jesuiticall designe that he confederated and joyned with the Jesuits and popish party in fomenting maintaining the war against the Scots and revived it when it was ceased by perswading the King to break the first pacification and denounce a second war against them The third particular we shall produce to prove an endeavour of the Pope and Cardinall Barbarino at Rome to reconcile reduce us back to them and that this Arch-bishop had notice of it is a Letter found in his Study attested by Master Prynne written to him by one Master John Greaves from Ligonne March 3. 1639. indorsed with his owne hand thus Rece Mar. 27. 1640. Fastidius printed at Rome Wherein Master Greaves hath this clause I humbly beseech your Grace to pardon my presumptions and this other Information which I shall give your Grace They have printed at Rome a Book of Fastidius a Britaine Bishop De Vitâ Christianâ WHICH THE CARDINALL FRANCISCO BARBARINO INTENDS TO DEDICATE TO HIS SACRED MAJESTY a Book of singulan devotion and piety and of great Antiquity the Author being a Bishop in England about three hundred yeers after our Saviour Lucas Holstenius a very learned man hath the care oft the Edition but hath not I thinke as yet finished the Annotations upon it For the Text he and I compared the Manuscript which was also very ancient with the printed Copy and I find it exactly to agree Now what other meaning could there be for this Cardinall to print this book at Rome to dedicate it publikely to our King and to use Master Greaves himselfe in comparing the printed Copy with the Manuscript but to insinuate himself into the Kings affections thereby to reduce both him and his Dominions unto the bosome of the Church of Rome which the forementioned discovery of this and the Jesuits Plot by Andreas ab Habernfield more largely demonstrates this Cardinall sending over sundry Statues Pictures Antiquities and other vanities from Rome to his Majesty to incline him to the Roman party as we have elsewhere manifested The fourth particular Evidence we shall insist on which addes luster and vigor to all the former is the Book intituled Deus Natura Gratia Vbi ad trutinam Fidei Catholicae examinatur Confessio Anglicana ad singula puncta quid teneat qualiter differat execuitur Accessit Paraphrastica Exposit to reliquorum Articulorum Confessionis Anglicae per Fr. Franciscum â Sancta Clara olim apud Duacenses in Collegio B. Bon aventurae Provinciae ANGLIAE F. F Minorum S. Theolog. Lectorem primarium Printed Lugduni 1634. Cum Privilegio Regis approbatione Doctorum This Book was dedicated to our King Charles with a Dedicatory Epistle to seduce his Majesty in his Religion and induce him to establish the Romish Religion amongst us by his Royall authority as this close of the Epistle manifests Periculosum nobis admodum atquè etiam miserabile est tot nunc fides existere quot voluntates c. Contremiscunt ossa mea dum hoc recogito Morbus ubi spiritus vitales opprimuntur nempè ut fides radix vitae corrumpitur difficilime sanatur Hic morbus noster Remedium tamen illud efficax à Samaritano nostro designatum reperimus nec aliud nisi illud DIC ECCLESIAE Dico Ecclesiae definitiones Majestati Vestrae propono Sanctorum Patrum Venerabilium Doctorum expositiones Novorum ineptijs praepono quas dum modestè retego in Christo â—ego saniem non-scalpendo sed suavitèr lambendo lavo ut abluam SACRO VESTRO IMPERIO OPUS QUIPPE UT EXECUTIONI MANDETUR quod ab Ecclesia Sanctis Patribus sancitum est secundum illud Justiniani Constit 42. Haec decrevimus Sanctorum Patrum canones secuti HOC TUA MAJESTATE DIGNUM hoc dignitati causae consonum HOC SALUTI ANIMARUM PRORSUS NECESSARIUM ET OMNIS POPULUS DICET AMEN Sacrae suae Majestatis Devotissimus Subditus Fr. Fran. â S. Clara. The scope of the whole Book in the composing and publishing was to reconcile reduce both our King Church and the Articles of our Religion which iâ— coments upon to the Church of Rome This we shall evidence First by the Authors owne expresse confession pag. 338. Instudui ut vides pie Lector RECONCILIARE Articulos Confessionis Anglicae DETERMINATION IBUS ECCLESIAE CATHOLICAE NON ECCLESIAM IPSIS ex quâ collapsi sunt SED IPSOS ECCLESIAE in qua Dei opitulante Gratia salvandi sunt DUCENDOS CENSUI Corticem verborum subinde censurâ graviori dignum censebis sensum ocrò latitantem quem elicui non adeò veritati dissonum nisi alio detorquere malint recte judicabis his tamen verborum Novitatibus Christum lacerum inspexi tunicam inconsuâ—ilem dissutam dissectam reperi quis non condoleret quis non REDINTEGRATIONEM SUADERET omnibus modis si posset PERSUADERET HIC UNICUS SCOPUS MEUS c. Omnia Ecclesiae ejus sub Christo capiti the Pope quâ del eo reverentiâ submitto Vltro obtestor Deum Sanctos ejus me in hoc qualicunque Opello nostro animarum salutem PER FIDEI REDINTIGRATIONEM intendere Quod Deus per viscera Domini Nostri Jesu Christi ad intercessionem omnium beatorum opportunè efficiat ET SERENISSIMUM REGEM NOSTRUM PRO OMNIUM CATHOLICORUM VOTIS AD UTRAMQUE FAELICITATEM PERDVCAT Secondly by the censures and judgements of the Doctors and Divines who are twelve in number prefixed by way of
a halfe the motives the same that first moved us at the first to leave Rome I answered him it could not be resolve I did that I might the more deeply dive into the sincerity of his intentions as strongly as my poore ability would suffer me to plead for Rome because she had reformed Missals Monasteries sundry Corruptions in conferring of Orders and Benefices that all had not received the Councell of Trent that of those who had some did mitigate harder expressions and were upon courses of Conciliation of both harts as appeared by a Booke of Franc. â Sancta Clara c. I fell then to question him Whether and when he had been at Rome He told me in June and July last I askt him how the affaires went there He told me their opinion of us was that his Majesty was favourable to the Catholikes that some great ones about him were so too or in heart were ONE HE NAMED concerning whom as at home so abroad as of old of the best of men there was much murmuring among the people for some said he was a good man others said nay he deceiveth the people Now if some might interpose their judgements they would pronounce a good man he is because he deceiveth both here and there but both to their own good Concerning the Fryars he told me some were very good but most otherwise and that in excesse especially for Sinnes of uncleannesse which generally raigne in Italy Three severall times I had discourse with him in the last of which falling into discourse of Fran. â Sancta Clara he told me he was HOMO NEQUISSIMUS by whose meanes yeerly there was sent to the Catholikes in Flanders ten thousand pounds The Author of that Booke which goes under his name was Father Giles PADRE AEGIDIO who lives at the Venetian Ambassadours c. Since I came to Venice I have procured the acquaintance of Padre Fulgentio who is Teologo de Stato called by the Colledge to Counsell when there is any businesse between them and the Pope c. I sent to him Fran. â Sancta Clara after discoursing with him he told me it was impossible to concile Trent and England and yet men sooner then Articles He likt his intention in the generall his judgement and temper in most of the Problems before he came to the Articles There is as I am informed by a discreet Gentleman at Florence a Jesuit lately returned from England to Rome who pretends to have made a strict discovery of the state of England as it stands for Religion how King is disposed how Queene what Lords are of the Puritan faction what not but by name his Honour of Dorset and Pembroke are strong for Precisians He sayes That the Puritanes are shrewd fellowes but those that are counted good Protestants are faire conditioned honest men and think they may be saved in any Religion I am promished the the Relation written if it come to my hands and there be any thing in it worthy your Graces view I shall hereafter humbly present it to you as now my selfe Your Graces most humble and most obedient servant WILL. MIDLETON The second Letter is dated December 21. 1635. in which there are these observable clauses Right Honourable and most Reverend c. WHen I was in France I fell acquainted with one Father Talbot a Jesuit with whom I had many discourses but among others this about the Book of Franciscus â Sancta Clara. I askt his judgement of it and the rest of the Catholiks He answered it relisht not with them I fell presently into a comendation partly of the book but more of the intention of him who writ it He seconded what I said but withall told me there was a certaine Consultation held what they should doe with it some exrema suadebant and cried ad ignem but himselfe talking with the Popes Nuncio at Paris thought the best course was to let it dye of it selfe to which the Nuncio a very moderate man so he told him was very inclinable From which I did gather that though they did pretend a dislike the Booke was not disallowed by them above which collection of mine then is now confirmed for this very day I received a Letter dated from Rome Decemb. 11. and it is in these words Father Francis his book upon the exposition of the Articles contrary to what I have told you is licensed here in Rome and I have it Sent it was from one Master House lodging in the house of one Master Pitton a kind of Agent from the English Priests In Rome there is great talk of an English Cardinall and the man who is already Roman Catholike must be the man Master Mountague Your Lordship I know will smile if not at this yet at that I shall now write A Catholike discoursing with me let a word fall and this it was That within this twelve moneth the Pope did wish that his Sacred Majesty of England were as once his trusty Sonne for then he would not be so used as he is either by French or Spaniard The same party did not ask the question but onely thus I wonder whether my Lord of Canterbury have any hand in sending S. Major Bret to Rome I answered because I saw he was fishing Surely no because as you know it is written he comes from the Queen and in her name ROME IS VERY KIND TO OUR ENGLISH GENTLEMEN I humbly entreat your Graces pardon if in a desire to let nothing I hear scape your knowledge I most lowly offer unto you such things as will make you lose so much time as you shall read the Letter But though your Lordship lose a little time yet not me I beseech you lose that good opinion which I hope you have conceived of Your Graces most really devoted and obedient servant WILL. MIDLETON December 21. 1635. By these Letters it is most apparent that Saint Giles was the Author of Sancta Clara's book that though the Jesuits seemed to dislike it yet it was at last authorized and printed at Rome where they had a good opinion not onely of the Kings favour to the Roman Catholikes but of the Archbishops inclination to their party their Religion and conceived he had a hand in sending Major Bret to Rome to negotiate with the Popes c. This last Letter is thus endorsed with Mr. Dels hand Recep Jan. 10. 1635. from Venice from Master Midleton The allowance of Saint Clara his Book at Rome to which the Archbishop himselfe addes with his owne hand This is not so therefore it seems he had better intelligence here from Rome then Master Midleton had at Venice The English Cardinall The English Agent How farre this Book was approved countenanced here in England by the King and Archbishop will appeare by these Instructions under Secretary Windebankes owne hand to his Sonne when he was at Paris to solicite the Palsgraves enlargement found among his sequestred papers and attested by
troubles they both most desperately perswaded his Majesty without the privity of the other Lords to raise an Army among the Papists in Ireland to subdue the Scots by force because they durst not trust the English in regard the puritan party was so great and beld correspondency with the Scots which advice was held most dangerous and pernicious councell by our States-men as two Jesuits G. T. Talbot the Jesuit and William Hewill writ to their Father Superiour at Parisâ—nne â—nne 28. 1631. as appears by their intercepted Letters found among Secretary Windebanks sequestred papers If any should object than this Archbishop had no power or charge at all in Ireland to suppresse the Papists there We answer it appears by hundreds of papers Letters found in his Study sent from thence to him that nothing at all was there acted concerning any Church affairs but by his direction who swayed all things disposed of all Church preferments there at his pleasure and likewise did what he pleased there in most state businesses by reason of his power with the King and interest in the Deputy insomuch that the very naming of him at the Counsell Table there was like a Gorgons head to amaze all opposites and strike them mute or into a shaking fit as the Primate of Armagh informed him in two severall Letters from thence Wherefore we cannot but from all the premises conclude this very Archbishop guilty of being not only privy but aiding to the re-establishing of popery in Ireland and reuniting it to the Church of Rome which Realm being farthest out of sight was thought the meetest Theater for the Pope and his Instruments to act their designs and parts upon with most advantage security and least opposition The seventh particular which most evidently manifests the Pope's with his Agents designes and studious endeavour to reconcile us to Rome and our domestick compliance therewith is the Popes sending of divers Nuncioes successively from Rome into England a thing never formerly heard of since the Reformation who kept their residence and were entertained as Nuncioes to him in London Westminster had frequent accesse to Court and held correspondency with divers of our Nobility more especially with Secret Windebank and Bishop Mountague this Archbishops chief Creatures seconded with our avowed entertainment of popish Agents at Rome of purpose to reduce and reconcile us to it The first of these Nuncioes was Gregorio Panzani who arrived at London Decem. 25. 1634. where he was received welcomed treated with both by King and Queen who continuing here till the yeer 1636. and then returning Seignior Georgio Con a Scot who departed from Rome towards England May 20. 1636. arrived here about the end of that moneth bringing a great Breve and many Reliques of Saints Meddals and pieces of gold and silver with the Popes picture stamped on them who was courteously entertained by the King and Queen at Hombly in Northamptonshire where he found them and afterwards kept his residence in Westminster neer the New Exchange He after three yeers and two moneths stay here in England aspiring to a Cardinals Cap returned towards Rome laden with great store of Jewels and gifts worth many thousand pounds After him Count Rossetti a Noble man of Ferrara was sent over hither as Nuncio who continued his Negotiation here and found great respect at Court till he was driven hence by this Parliament wherin were many complaints against him about July 1641. as we have elswhere manifested And as the Pope had his Nuncio's here so had we our reciprocall Agents at Rome The first of them was Master Walter Mountague who arrived there about August 1633. to whom succeeded Serj. Major Bret who arrived at Rome about Decemb. 1635. After him succeeded Sir William Hamilton a Scot dangerous Papist who came to Rome about the end of May 1636. and continued Agent there till this present Parliament Of all which this Archbishop had exact intelligence as appears by Master Midleton's Letters to him and Habernfields Discovery found among his owne papers endorsed by himself The eighth particular is the Popes and his Congreations de Propaganda side aâ— Rome sending over infinite swarms of Seminary Priests Jesuits Fryars of all sorts into England to seduce us their erecting of a popish Hierachy societies of Jesuits Monasteries of Monks Nuns and other popish Locusts secretly among us and holding a generall Counsell at London whereof Con the Popes Nuncio was President to raise arms forces monies against the Scots to advance the Catholikes cause all which we have elswhere related proved at large and was very well know to this Prelat by the manifold Remonstrances Petitions of the Parliament against this dangerous encrease of Papists Priests Jesuits Popery which Petitions he still opposed These five particulars thus proved premised infallibly demonstrating a dangerous design and prosecution of it in the Pope and his Instruments to reduce subject us to the Church of Rome of which this Archbishop was most fully informed and wherewith in a great measure he complied with them we shall now proceed to demonstrate that instead of counterworking opposing resisting this known design and practice of theirs according to his trust and duty he did most traiterously and wickedly combine confederate with them to the utmost of his wit and power to advance accomplish this their design and project by sundry Jesuiticall practises some whereof we have formerly proved pressed at large and therefore shall only recapitulate now to re-fresh your memories and then proceed to further evidence First of all he began to usher into our Cathedrals Churches Chappels Universities by inches and degrees one after another Altars Images Crucifixes Tapers Copes consecrated Basons Altar-cloths bowing to Altars Popish consecrations of Churches Chappels Church-yards Flagons Vestments Credentiaes Corporals turning and railing in Communion Tables Altarwise kneeling at the new Rails standing up at Gloria Patri praying toward the east reading second service at the Altar with other popish Innovations formerly mentioned at first he introduced them only as things tolerable or indifferent at last enjoyed them as expedient and necessary Secondly he proceeded to introduce divers Arminian Tenents as a bridge to popery first in Pulpits discourses then in printed authorized books prohibiting suppressing all preaching printing and books against them under severe penalties Thirdly he next went on to countenance authorize maintain confirm both in Pulpit and Presse divers erronious positions contrary to the general straine and tenent of our own and forraign Protestant Writers of chiefest note tending towards a reconciliation between us and Rome We shall instance in these few particulars maintained by himself both in his speeches and writings First that the Church of Rome is a true Church Secondly that she never erred in fundamentals in the worst times but only circa fundamentalia both which he publikely maintained in the High Commission at Doctor Bastwicks censure as Master Burton and Master Lane a Minister deposed Thirdly that the Religion of
of the Lord Therefore for him to introduce such an Idolatrous Superstitious worship as this into the Kings own Chappel contrary to the Word of God and Law of the Land under pretext of Gods worship to corrupt the King and his whole Court in their worship and Religion and alienate his good Subjects affections from him will prove little lesse then Treason in the highest degree As for his pretended Speech we have already refuted it And for the Homily it hath neither word nor syllable to warrant it but some thing against it since as it condemns prophanes on the one hand so it censures all superstition on the other between which this Prelate would have no medium as this his prayer imports Secondly That the Archbishop was chief Superintendent of his Majesties Chappel as Primate and Metropolitan of all England The King and Queen where ever they live in England being his immediate Parishoners and the whole Kingdom but his Parish though devided into several Bishopricks as hath been resolved by all the Nobles in King Henry the first his raign as our Historians and his own Predecessour Archbishop Parker record Therefore Bishop Wren being only Dean of the Kings Chappel the Archbishops creature and brought into that office by him durst not have set up this gaudy Crucifix there in the passion week in his presence without his approbation and direction by which he tacitly confesseth it was done That it gave publique scandal to many well-affected Courtiers and others Sir Henry Mildmay deposed and particularly to himself who complained of it to the King and the Archbishop too who if his heart had been right and fervent to our Religion would have been most scandalized offended at this unusual scandalous sight and never have permitted it successiively two yeers together nor justified it so peremptorily as now he did And whereas he objects that had Sir Henry been thus scandalized with the Crucifix it self he would have been as much offended with the old there constantly hanging as with the new We Answer That the old was hardly visible and scarce observed by any but this so grosse so great so gaudy and notorious that every man in the Chappel took special notice thereof as if it had been some new blasing Star And if the old were so visible all the yeer long what need the hanging up of this new one onely in the passion and Easter weeks which was never used in the memory of man before In fine the third Part of the Homily against the peril of Idolatry resolves that the most rich costly gaudy Images and Crucifixes are more dangerous and scandalous then others not so stately therefore Sir Henry might well be scandalized with it more then with the old one not so costly Thirdly he gives no Answer to that which is one main charge from this Innovation in the royal Chappel to make it the patern the Canon to regulate all Cathedral and Parish Churches by His silence herein bewrayes his guilt Fourthly Dr. Browns and those Seminaries adorations of this Crucifix and the Altar were but the meer scandalous fruits of his own exemplary Innovations before and erections of them there and their speeches occasioned by his actions Therefore the guilt of them must rest heaviest on himself not them It is his own oft iterated position That he who gives the occasion of a Schism ought to be repuâ—ed the Schismatick not he that separates upon the occasion given And Tertullian in his Book De Idolatria resolves That the makers of Idols are the greatest Idolaters because none would or could worship them were they not first made that they might be worshipped His own hanging of up this Crucifix and bowing towards the Altar and it was the cause that Dr. Brown and these Seminary Priests adored and bowed towards them in the self some manner as himself there used Therefore the crime the scandal of it must rest most on himself His pretence that this might be done and spoken by the Priest to gain Proselytes by discountenancing our external worship is a very strange improbable whimsey since our Bishops our Doctors imitation of their Popish worshipping Crucifixes Altars was more likely ten thousand to one to gain them Proselytes then any discountenancing whatsoever thereof by them could be yea it had been a monstrous contradiction and folly in them to discountenance that very thing themselves practised and endeavoured to draw others to Therefore the whole weight of this heavy charge concerning his Majesties Chappel rests intirely upon him in each particular without the least diminution Thirdly from White-hall they pursued me to the Kings Coronation at Westminster Abbey where they charge me 1. With compiling the Form of this Coronation 2. That the unction was in forma crucis 3. That the old Crucifix inter regalia was set upon the Altar 4. That divers of the Prayers in it and this manner of anointing were taken verbatim out of the Roman Pontifical 5. That after the Coronation I solemnly offered the Regalia at the Altar in the Kings name Ans To which I shall give this Answer 1. That the Form of the Kings Coronation was made and agreed on by the whole Committee according to a former Book I had of my Predecessor and I was but a Minister to the Committee in what I did 2. That the anointing in Form of a Crosse was made by my Predecessor not by me who supplied only the place of the Dean of Westminster 3. That I was commanded to bring this old Crucifix being inter regalia and to place it on the Altar 4. That admit the Prayer objected be taken out of the Roman Pontifical yet if it be good as it is there is no hurt we know the story of the cock in the fable dum vertit stercorarium offendit gommam And a Pearl is never the worse if raked out of a dunghil 5. I was to offer the regalia at the Altar by my place and the Book of Common Prayer approves of offerings To which was Replied 1. That it appears by his own Diary that he had the chief hand in compiling this Form and that it was collected corrected by himself though other Bishops were joyned in consultation with him 2. That though the Unction were made by his Predecessor which he makes not appear yet it was principally by his direction and himself makes special mention of it That it was in medum Crucis in the Margent of his Book 3. That he makes no command appear from any Supream Authority for his placing the old Crucifix on the Altar neither doth he alleadge who it was that gave him any such command Therefore it must be interpreted his own voluntary act 4. That the Prayer it self is not very good savouring of Papal pride in the Clergy and it is no such precious Pearl as that he needed to rake such a dunghil of Popish superstitions as the Roman Pontifical is to finde it out to adorn his
and High Commission was a transcendent crime of which this Arch-prelat and his Confederates not the whole Court of Star-chamber were onely culpable Yea the Stationers were so farre from being well pleased with or returning him thanks for this that they complained to the chiefe Justice and groaned under the pressure thereof Secondly the English Bible with the Geneva Notes was not onely tolerated but printed and reprinted among us in England Cum Privilegio during Queen Elizabeths and King James Reignes and in 15. Jacobi there was an Impression of them printed here by the Kings own Printer since which time the new Translation without Notes being most vendible the Kings Printers forbearing to print them for their private lucre not by vertue of any publike restraint they were usually imported from beyond the Seas and publickly sold without any inhibition or punishment till this Archbishops time who made it no lesse then an High Commission crime to vend bind or import them For the Notes they are generally approved by all our Protestant Divines which fled hence for Religion in Queen Maries dayes who dedicated the same to Queen Elizabeth For the Note on Exodus 1. it is both sound and Orthodox condemning onely obedience to the arbitrary tyranicall unjunst not lawfull commands of Kings contrary to the Lawes of God nature men being warranted by the example of the Midwives who disobeyed King Pharaohs bloody Mandate in not murdering all the male Children of the Israelites by sundry other Scripture Texts yea warranted by the Fathers and Canonists themselves who speake as much or more then this Annotation doth For King James his censure of this Translation and Notes upon it no doubt it proceeded from some Prelats mis-information However we are certain that his own inserting of popish Pictures of the Birth Life Passion Resurrection and Ascention of Christ the Holy Ghost the Apostles yea the very Assumption of the Virgin Mary and the like into our English and of a Popish Index into our Latin Bibles was farre worse more dangerous then any Geneva Notes and the prohibition of inserting Marginall Notes into the Bible a policy learned from our English Prelats in King HRNRY the eighth his Reigne who when they could not hinder the printing of the Bible it selfe in English of Master Tyndals Translation yet procured an Act of Parliament for the Obliterating of his Notes thereon as the Statute of 35. Hen. VIII cap. 1. and Master Fox informes us And his endeavour to hinder the importation of Bibles with Notes from Holland of which he had information by two Letters sent from thence discovers his vigilance yea spite against this Translation and the Notes upon it Thirdly for Master Gellibrands Almanacke set forth by his servant it was agreeable to Master Foz his Calender onely inserting our English Martyrs in the place of popish Saints no High Commission crime by any knowne Law That it differed from other Almanacks herein is no greater offence then for one Almanack-maker to vary from another in calculating the Weather or other Astronomicall Observations who better deserve an High Commission censure for retaining the names of sundry Popish Saints yea arrant Traytors as Becket Anselme with sundry others omitted in the Calender of the Common-Prayer Book and agreeing Verbatim with the Calender in the Roman Missall then he for omitting the names of Romish Saints whom God never Canonized but the Pope alone for their zeale or sufferings for the Papall Cause and Romish Superstitions The Queens sending to him about this Almanack shewes that the Papists took it to be a great blow to their Religion and though he could not hinder the message yet certainly he might have surceased all prosecution of Mr Gellibrand upon the Queens and Papists complaints for this act of his where as he pursued him with al violence to gratifie them For the words he remembers not our Witnesse swears them precisely and his threatning Master Gellibrand upon a meere groundlesse supposition that he had raised a faction in the Court because they acquitted him full sore against his will argues both his violence and injustice That the Papists burnt it when he could not attaine the burning of it in the High Commission argues their malice and his owne readinesse to comply with them against so good a work in honour of our owne English Protestant Martyrs For his omission of some Saints viz. the Epiphany and Anunciation no man knew them to be Saints till now but onely Festivals which other Almanacks mentioned and it is onely alleaged not proved that he omitted them For Doctor Pocklingtons Altare Christianum it was licensed by his owne Chaplaine Doctor Bray yea published by his owne command without the Authors privity if we beleeve his Petition to the Lords and their two punishments censures in the Lords House for this Book adjudged to the fire and burnt is no extenuation but aggravation of his guilt the most culpable of all three Himselfe confesseth that his Chaplaines act is his owne in Law if he command it and this Doctor himselfe affirmes that he did command its printing therefore the act is his more then the Authors or his Chaplains who did but obey his superiour command That Doctor Pocklington did present him with both the printed Impressions of this Book curiously gilt he cannot deny they being found in his Study endorsed with his owne hand That he knew not of this passage in it against our Martyrs and in honour of Popish Saints is not probable yea impossible since generally complained of in print and particularly by Master Prynne at the Pillory who desired all to take notice of it of which the Archbishop had present information yet neither recalled the book nor obliterated the passage Fourthly the calling in of Mr Beacons book against the Masse upon the complaint of a Priest or Jesuit with his words and threats to Mistris Griffin for reprinting it at such a time as this reflect as fouly upon him as possible yet he puts it off with this impudent common shift It is nothing to me For the reprinting and his calling of it in it is directly sworne to be before the Star-chamber Decree therefore not done in pursuance of it and were it done after yet not justifiable without highest impudency by any true Protestant Prelate Fiftly for the Palsgraves Religion it is proved to be called in by him who hath the happinesse to forget all the evil deeds which he cannot justifie though others sweare them And it was not contrary to the Kings Declaration which himselfe originally contrived in the Kings intention but in his owne perverting of it to suppresse the truth Sixtly the hindering of the reprinting of Master Fox Bishop Jewel and Doctor Willets Works was certainly his owne act because done by colour of this Star-chamber Decree procured by himselfe for this very purpose and the reprinting of them was stopped by his owne Officers creatures meanes who knew his mind if not received his command
Court of Parliament in this Realme WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE CLERGY IN THEIR CONVOCATION Fourthly that I did not alter or rase out those passages but onely left them to the Doctors owne consideration who thereupon of himself amended and left them out To this was replied First that Doctor Potter writ to him onely to correct or alter by his servant Master Dell or others any thing in his Booke OFFENSIVE TO HIM To which he returned this answer I have done that which you have so desired c. So as these very passages against the Pope and Papists were offensive to him as well as to them at which as it seems by the Doctors Letter he had formerly taken some offence else why should he thus write to him to alter and correct any thing in his Booke offensive to his GRACE It seemes by this that whatever offended the Pope or Papists be it but an harsh expression offended his Grace too who was all for Charitable expressions towards them who are so uncharitable towards us Secondly for the expressions themselves The first of them is not so harsh as true and fitting since Papists not onely beleeve the Pope but beleeve in him too viz. That his Exposition of Scripture is infallible that he cannot erre in his chaire that this Lord God the Pope cannot onely pardon sinnes and release soules out of purgatory at his pleasure but infallibly save all such who adhere to beleeve in and trust upon him for salvation The latter of them the Idol of Rome is a proper Periphrasis or Character of the Pope himselfe who is there idolized adored sundry wayes Thirdly the deleting his exposition on Matth 18. 17 18. upon the reason rendred by him is both derogatory and destructive to the Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction of Parliaments in Ecclesiasticall causes and affaires which our Parliaments have alwayes judged setled established in all Ages oft times without yea against the Clergies consent the Convocation onely propounded advised and submitted wholly to the Parliaments judgement Yea our Parliaments have made Lawes concerning Heresie its punishment and matters of Religion sometimes without the Clergies consent as it is evident by the Statutes of 25 Hen. VIII c. 14. 28 Hen. VIII c. 10. 35 Hen. VIII c. 5. 1 Edw. 6. c. 1. 2. 12. with others Sometimes upon their Petition and earnest request as 5 Ric. II. c. 5. 2. Hen. IV. c. 15. repealed though never truly a Statute since the Commons never consented to them 2 Hen. V. c. 7. Sometimes by their request and advice too as 31 Hen. VIII c. 14. 34 Hen. VIII c. 1. 1 k 2 Ph. Mary c. 6. As for the Statute of 1 Eliz. c. 1. it no wayes inferres that the Parliament it selfe cannot adjudge or determine any Ecclesiasticall matters without the assent of the Clergy in the Convocation for then they had never cast our Popery and the Popes usurped authority which the Clergy still maintained nor wrought any reformation of Religion in our present or former Parliaments but onely Enacts That the High Commissioners shall adjudge nothing to be Heresie not formerly resolved to be so as this Act expresseth but what the Parliament shall adjudge â—rder and determine to be Heresie by assent of the Clergie in their Convocation from whence no argument can be deduced but this Nonsequitur The High Commissioners can judge no new opinion to be nor punish it as Heresie unlesse the Parliament of England first adjudge it to be Heresie with the assent of the Clergy in Convocation by the expresse provision of this Act Ergo the Parliament can make no Ecclesiasticall Lawes meddle with no Church affaires nor determine ought to be Heresie unlesse the Clergy in Convocation first assent thereto Pretty incoherent Logick and Anti-parliamentary Divinity Fourthly that Doctor Potter himselfe voluntarily corrected them upon his Letter appeares not but if he did it was to please this Archbishop in deleting those passages which he signified to be displeasing to him the better to obtaine the Prebendary he sued for to him in this Letter Wherefore these purgations must rest still upon his score To the Popish Alterations and Delections under his owne hand made in the SCOTTISH COMMON-PRAYER BOOKE which the Commons desired to presse he pleaded the ACT OF PACIFICATION AND OBLIVION against the very reading of them Whereupon they did forbeare and wave the reading of them for the present though cleane out of the ACT alleaging onely that this Plea of his was a plaine confession of his Guilt The fifth sort of purgations objected to me are those in SIR ANTHONY HUNGERFORDS Books which DOCTOR BAAR my Chaplaine would have expunged Of which SIR EDWARD HUNGERFORD his Sonne complained to me as he deposeth after he had expostulated with my Chaplaine who would crosse them out or not license the Bookes Whereupon I told him I having many other imployments had trusted my CHAPLAINES with those things which I wholly referred to them therefore what they thought fit to leave out you must Submit to And thereupon would not redresse his Grievance herein To this I Answer First that if there were any Errour herein it was not mine but my Chaplaines since dead who if he were alive and might have been heard to speake for himselfe would doubtlesse have given a good account and reason to your Lordships why he thought these passages unfit to be printed Saint Augustine saith that oft times infinite harme did accrew to the Church per temerarios veritatis assertatores and every Treatise written against Papists is not so satisfactory but that it may prove so disadvantagious to the Cause as to be unfit to be printed It may be these were such however God be thanked the Books were printed with those passages in them and so no harme done by my Chaplaine Secondly for my answer to Sir Edward it was true I had so many publick businesses then upon me that I had no leisure to peruse Books for the Presse and thereupon referred that trust wholly to my Chaplaines therefore if they offended they onely must answer for it not I and should I herein controll what my Chaplaines had done in this kind it would have so discouraged them that none of them have undertaken the office of a Licenser afterwards Besides I should have been perpetually troubled with clamours against that which my Chaplaines thought fit to be blotted out of Books tendred to them to be licensed for them every man would have appealed from them to me in this kind so as I should have had no quiet To this was replied First that we have formerly proved at large that his Chaplaines errours and delinquencies in this kind are his owne because the care of licensing Books was originally vested in himselfe and they were but his entrusted servants for whom he must be responsible at his perill and the rather in this case because he confesseth his Chaplaine is dead and cannot be punished for it
he purged it out because it intimated the Pope to be Antichrist and subjection to him an Antichristian Yoke of bondage both which compared with his Purgations out of Bishop Hals Book of Episcopacy to the same effect proves him a Papist with a witnesse and a speciall friend to the Popes Holinesse of whose honour among us he is extraordinary tender That the Pope is the Antichrist all Forraign Domestick Protestant Divines and some Papists too unanimously agree except Mountague and Shelford his creatures And whereas he pretends no Councill hath so determined We answer that the Synod of Gape in France Anno 1603. the whole Synod and Convocation in Ireland Ann. 1615. in the very Articles of their Religion Num. 80. with the whole Convocation and Parliament of England in the Act for the Subsidy of the Clergy 30 Jacobi to omit others define the Pope to be the Antichrist and Popery Antichristian more fully then those Letters-Patents and why these new Letters-Patents should not determine them to be such as well as the old ones both in King James and in King Charles their Reignes but must now be revoked after they had passed the great Seale of England because this Archbishop would have it so transcends any mans capacity to guesse at any other probable reason except onely this Prelats affection both to the Pope and Popery or enmity against the reformed Churches and their Religion For his incivilities to Master Ruly by reason of this clause our Witnesses testimoniall will outsway his bare deniall of them Fiftly the premises abundantly manifest to all that the Archbishop invaded diminished the ancient Immunities and Priviledges of the Dutch and Walloon Churches in all parts not their pretended encroachments onely upon our Churches Priviledges and that he was so farre from being their friend that they esteemed him then their greatest enemy If they formerly returned him any thanks by way of Court-complement for not taking away all their priviledges as well as some of them after many yeers hot contest we are certaine they justly complained of him ten times more for invading depriving them of sundry of their ancient Immunities which almost brought their Churches to utter ruine In few words his owne forecited Papers and Monsieur Bulteels Booke of the manifold troubles of those Churches by this Arch-Prelats prosecution will abundantly falsifie this his pretended friendship towards them and remaine as a lasting Record against him to Posterity All which considered the whole Bulk and every particle of all the proofs and evidences produced by us to make good the first branch of the Commons first generall Charge of High-treason against him remaine altogether unshaken unavoyded maugre all his sophisticall evasions protestations and shifting answers to them And so much for the first branch of his first generall Charge The Archbishops Defence and Answers to the COMMONS Evidence in the maintenance of the Second Branch of their first Generall Charge touching his Endevours to reconcile the Church of England to the Church of Rome and the Commons Reply thereunto I Proceed now to the Archbishops Defence against the Second Branch of the Commons first Generall Charge to wit his Endevours to reconcile the Church of England to the Church of Rome To this he gave some general Answers in his Generall Defence at the Lords Barre Septemb. 2. 1644. to this effect My Lords said he I am charged for endevouring to introduce Popery and reconcile the Church of England to the Church of Rome I shall recite the sum of the Evidence and Arguments given in for to prove it First I have in my first Speech nominated divers persons of Eminency whom I reduced from Popery to our Church And if this be so then the Argument against me is this I converted many from Popery Ergo I went about to bring in Popery and to reconcile the Church of England to the Church of Rome Secondly I am charged to be the Author of the c. Oath in the New Canons parcell of which Oath is to abjure Popery and that I will not subject the Church of England to the Church of Rome A more strict Oath then ever was made against Popery in any age or Church And then the argument against me is this I made and tooke an Oath to abjure Popery and not to subject the Church of England to the Church of Rome Therefore I was inclinable to Popery and endeavoured to subject the Church of England to the Church of Rome Thirdly the third Canon of the late New ones was made by me which is against Popery and then the Argument is I made a Canon against Popery Ergo I was inclinable to and endevoured to introduce it Fourthly I was twice seriously offered a Cardinalship and I refused it because I would not be subject to the Pope and Church of Rome Ergo I was addicted to Popery and endevoured to reduce the Church of England into subjection to the Church of Rome Fiftly I writ a Booke against Popery in Answer to Fisher the Jesuit and then the Argument is this I writ a Book against Popery Ergo I am inclinable to Popery and laboured to introduce it Sixtly it is alledged I concealed and cherished the Plot of the Jesuits discovered by Habernfeild and therefore I intended to bring in Popery and reduce the Church of England to the Church of Rome I amswer either this Plot was not reall and if so then Romes Masterpeece is quite blowne up and published in vaine Or else it was reall then I was really in danger of my life for opposing Popery and this Plot. Then the Argument from it must be this I was in danger of my life for cherishing the Jesuites Plot of reducing the Church of England to the Church of Rome Ergo I cherished and endevoured to effect this Plot. Seventhly I laboured to make a reconciliation between the Lutherans and Calvinists Ergo I laboured to introduce Popery and make a reconciliation between the Church of England and the Church of Rome This generall defence and scoffing answer of his at the Lords Barre seemed very specious to some ignorant Auditors who took these feined objections of his owne forging to be the arguments and maine strength of the Commons Evidence produced to convict him of a serious endeavour to subvert the Protestant Religion introduce popery and reconcile the Church of England unto Rome when as the Commons made no such objections from the Evidence and proofs against him Wherupon they replyed that he did but fight with his owne shadow and absurd arguments of his owne framing as he did in his Sear-chamber Speech instead of repeating and answering their reall Objections and proofs against him transforming his owne defence into their Charge and Evidence a meer sophisticall Jesuiticall practice of which he made use throughout his Tryall to which we shall reply in order First the Commons never objected that ever he reduced any from popery but that many were seduced
Prince and Bishop of Conchen when in Spaine the Articles of the Duke of Buckingham against the Lord Digby and the Lord Digbies against him in full Parliament Anno 1626. To which they Object I was privy because I was Confessor to the Duke and his Cabinet Counsell at that time and because my Letter to Bishop Hall my owne Diary and Letters to and from the Duke whiles in Spaine with the Note in my Masse Booke discover and confirme it Secondly by the French Match with the Queen promoted purposely to usher in Popery and to reconcile us unto Rome to which they Object I was privy and assistant as my Letters to the Duke my intimacy and compliance with the Queen my inhibitng Ministers to pray and punishing them for praying for the Queens conversion my censuring of Master How for praying That the young Prince might not be brought up in Popery with my magnifying of Queen Maries dayes and depressing King Edwards and Queen Elizabeths demonstrate Secondly by sundry particular instances as First Ludovicus a Sancta Maria his Conclusiones Theologicae Secondly the Plot discovered to me by Haberufield Thirdly the Dedicating of Fastidius his Works to the King by Cardinall Barbarino Fourthly Sancta Clara his Deus Natura Gratia writ of purpose to reconcile us to Rome with which I was acquainted and maintained the Author of it Saint Giles a most dangerous seducing Priest in the University of Oxford Fifthly the proffers of Cardinalships to English men and twice to my selfe Sixthly the strange encrease and proceedings of Papists Priests Jesuits and the Popish Hierarchy in Ireland to which I was privy yet denied it and incensed the King against the Commons for complaining of it Seventhly the Popes sending of divers Nuncioes successively into England where they resided and were publickly entertained with our reciprocall sending and maintaining Agents at Rome to work a Reducement of us back to that Antichristian See To this I answer First that I was neither the Author nor Fomenter of the Spanish Match nor of the Kings Voyage into Spaine which was charged on the Duke and the Lord Dighy It is true my Lord Duke was pleased to enter into a neer familiarity with me and to make me his Confessor and that I writ Letters to him into Spaine and received Letters from him thence but this proves not that I was privy to that Plot as for the Popes Letters to the Prince and the Bishop of Conchen in Spaine to pervert him in his Religion they are nothing to me and my Letter to Bishop Hall was many yeers after that Match broken off Secondly there is no proofe of my furthering the Match with France or that the end of it was to reduce us back to Rome the respects and services I did for the Queen were no more then in civility and duty I ought to performe out of the duty I bare to the King my Master whose Consort and Wife she is her gracious favour towards me proceeded only from her owne gracious disposition not from my deserts or seeking and I had no reason to reject it because it would be a meanes for me to work the more effectually upon her Majesty For my giving Order in my Metropolitical Visitation to my Visitor to inhibit Ministers to pray for the Queens conversion or questioning any for praying for it I absolutely deny it and for Master How he was justly censured for his prayer it being scandalous to his Majesty in questioning his care of the Princes education in the true Religion and infusing jealousies into the peoples heads of his education in Popery and inclination to it As for my pretended magnifying of Queene Maries dayes and depressing of King Edwards and Queene Elizabeths in the Preface to the OXFORD STATUTES I answer that that Preface is none of mine nor proved to be so and if it were yet the words relate to the State and Statutes of the Vniversity of Oxford only in their dayes not of our Church and Religion Secondly to the particular Instances I answer that the first second and third of them concerne not me I was neither the cause nor author of nor privy to them nor could I hinder them and the second of them is a strong evidence for me For the fourth of them Sancta Clara his Book it was printed at Lyons not at London and Saint Giles was not the Author of it but another Fryar I had no hand in it nor was privy to it yet it was disliked by many of the Papists because it gave much advantage to our Church and Religion For his being at Oxford it was much against my will by the Kings speciall Warrant for which I have his hand and I maintained him not there but the King To the fifth the proffer of Cardinals Caps to others is nothing to me and for the offer of a Cardinalship to my selfe two severall times as I could not hinder the offers so I rejected them and acquainted the King both with the person and thing which is all I could doe expressing the cause of my refusall thereof to be That something dwelt within me that would not suffer that till Rome were other then it is as appeares by my owne Diary The strongest Evidence that can be to acquit me from any compliancy with Rome To the sixth I answer that the encrease and proceedings of the Papists in Ireland mentioned in the Objected Letters and Papers are nothing to me I was not the cause nor author thereof the Monasteries and Nuâ—meries mentioned in them were but poor little houses My answer to the CoÌ„mons Remonstrance was penned by the Kings speciall command as appears by the endorsment I knew not of these Irish papers nor of the encrease of popery there wheÌ„ I returned an answer to the Remonstr An. 1628. these Proclamations letters papers being dated since that time for the Deputies letters they are nothing to me I could not hinder the writing and directing of them to me and himselfe hath already been impeached condemned for his Actions for which I am not to answer To the seventh I say it was not in my power to hinder the Popes sending his Nuncioes hither which the King condiscended to upon the Queens earnest desire to accommodate and satisfie her Majesty in some things which concerned her in her Religion For the Agents sent and residing in Rome they were hers not mine sent thither by her Majesty without my privity and against my liking To this was replied First that the forementioned Evidence fully demonstrats that the Archbishop was both privy consenting assisting to the Spanish Match Voyage and to the very Instructions given to the Prince before he went into Spaine how he ought to satisfie the Pope about King James his proving him to be the Antichrist in his publique writings therefore the Popes Letter to the Prince and Bishop of Conehen to pervert the Prince in his Religion with the Dukes and Lord Digbies attempts there to
expertnesse and diligence in discovering priests and assisting other Messengers to apprehend them for this hainous crime alone Windebanke complained of him to the Queen and for this very cause Thatcher is specially charged by the Arcishop himselfe not to keep company with him under paine of being turned out of his place and Goldsmith deposeth that the Archbishop himselfe gave a publick charge to all the Messengers of the High Commission not to keep company with Gray any more for if they did he would lay them by the heels pull their Coats off their backs and turne them out of their places Committed he was to the Fleet upon the Archbishops complaint only for using words implying his coldnesse in prosecuting priests hoping to see better times a very poor cause to imprison him so long His own hand as we proved is to the Warrant for his commitment He oft times petitioned for his enlargement by his wife but his petitions were still rejected with scorn He answers He will have nothing to doe with that Priest-catching knave proved by two Witiesses Elizabeth Gray and Goldsmith Vbi dolor ibi digitus here was the cause of all the malice against Gray this was his grand crime he was a priest-catcher and a knave for catching them strange language from an Archbishop But what followes his favourite Windebank must come in to act the second part and close up the Tragedy Gray must not be enlarged after many moneths imprisonment till he put in baile never to discover or prosecute Priests more and then they should all be quiet in short time with our prelats and popish Clergies concurrence quickly reduce us all to Rome This is the upshot of the Designe which this evidence concerning Gray most cleerly discovers and proves too Eightly for Egertons testimony concerning his restoring of popish Books it is more then a report it was from the mouth of Mottershead a sworne Officer to the Archbishop now dead who durst not report an untruth of this nature and the Archbishop himselfe confesseth the many Books forementioned were restored by order of the High Commission Court whereof himselfe was a chiefe member therefore by him a cleer confirmation of Mottersheau's words Egerton's testimony and Master Jones his papers Ninthly for the liberty of Priests Jesuits and their saying Masse in prisons it was his owne negligence and connivance the Keepers being under his command the High Commissioners who could look narrowly enough to Puritans and godly Ministers and indeed their commitment thither to secure them from our common Goales and all legall prosecutions was but a meer fallacy to delude the people and advance the Catholick cause with greater facility and lesse suspition Tenthly Mayoes testimony and Thatchers are so farre from extenuating that they aggravate his offence their Warrants and imployments being meer dissimulations and shadowes to gull the people for naught was done upon the intelligence of the one to whom he refused to grant a Warrant because he was too hot against Priests and no Priests apprehended by the other who had his Warrant upon this condition Not to imploy or keep company with Gray the onely man that could discover Priests and Jesuits to him and help him in their apprehending Finally his owne objected confession in his Epistle to the King God forbid I should ever offer to perswide a persecution in any kind or practice it in the least c. against Priests and Jesuits coupled with the premises when as he was so terrible so bloody a persecutor of Orthodox godly Ministers and zealous Protestants unanswerably proues his connivance at his protection of and confederacy with them to re-enthrall us in their Romish bondage So that this whole charge however he conceives he hath shaken it quite off and laid it in the dust recoiles upon him with greater vigor and rests heavier on his back then ever The last charge of this nature against me is that I complyed with Papists Priests and Jesuits in concealing their very Treasonable plots and conspiracies both against our State Church and Religion to reduce us unto Rome for which they produce two instances my threatning and committing Mistris Hussey for discovering a dangerous plot of the Queen Mother and others to cut the Protestants throats and my concealing of Habernfields plot discoverd to me not prosecuting or revealing it to the Parliament or Lords to fift it to the bottome To this I answer that I did not conceale nor discourage the discoverers of either of these two plots For the first of them I conceived it very improbable and I thought Anne Hussey to be crazy when she revealed it and so much I told her For her commitment to the Sheriffes it was at her owne desire for her greater safety and there was as strict an examination as possible of this conspiracy but no cleer evidence For the latter plot as soon as I received intelligence of it I presently revealed it to the King as appeares by my Letter and the Kings Answer to it in the margin under his owne hand which Master Prynne hath printed and the subsequent Letters prove that I did all I could therein but could make nothing of it This I beleeve a noble Lord here present well remembers to whom I disclosed it to wit the Earle of Northumberland who presently replyed he did remember no such thing However it is one of the greatest evidences that can be of my steadfastnesse in the protestant Religion and opposition against popery if the plot were reall and if but counterfeit then no crime to conceale it To which was replyed First that all the premises abundantly prove that he was privy and assistant to many Jesuiticall plots and devices to usher in popery and reduce us to Rome therefore it is no wonder that he opposed not nor prosecuted but smothered them all he could Secondly that the first of the plots which he then conceived improbable hath since experimentally proved reall both in England and Ireland yea his b Owne with Straffords dangerous advice to the King To bring in an Army of Irish Papists at that time to subdue the Scots because they durst not trust the English was cozen Germane to this plot which she discovered and probably a branch thereof For his deeming and calling her Mad-woman when she spake both punctually and rationally with his reviling terrifying words to her his laying an imputation on the whole City of London that she was hired by them to make this discovery with his menaces to have her punished c. were unsufferable abuses in such a case as this to smother a most execrable Treason and such a terrifying of a Witnesse as we shall not read the like especially when all the other Lords encouraged and gave her good words As for the further examination of the businesse afterwards and commitment of the Priest it proceeded only from the other Lords not him who did all he could to dant the Witnesses and conceal the
the hearing And whereas he pretends he was not present at his censure which he proves not we know he was vertually if not personally present thereat yea his unjust suppression of his tendred Answer and defence was the onely cause of his censure which if received were so learned solid satisfactory that prophanenesse and injustice it selfe could not have imposed such a censure on him Thirdly annuall Feasts of Dedication of Churches are not so ancient but that we know their Originall The Feast of Dedication of the Altar instituted by Judas Maccabeus was the first of this kind we read of Indeed Solomon kept a Feast for seven dayes space when the Temple was dedicated And Constantine the great with some others in his dayes when Churches were dedicated made a great Feast but that those Feasts continued annuall in perpetuity I find no mention in any approved Antiquity These annuall Feasts of dedication were first invented by the spurious popish Decrees of Pope Felix and Gregory thus recorded by Gratian Solennitates dedicationum Ecclesiarum Epissoporum Saterdotum per singulos annos sunt celebrandae Solennitates Ecclesiarum dedicationum Sacerdotum per singulos annos solenniter sunt celebrandae ipso Domino exemplum dante qui ad festum dedicationis Templi omnibus id faciendi dans formam cum reliquis populis eandem festevitatem celebraturus venit sicut scriptum est Facta sunt Encoenia in Hieru olymis hyems erat ambulabat Jesus in Temple in porticu Solomonis Quod autem octo diebus encaenia sint celebrando in libro Regum perfecta dedicatione Templi cernas Other Decrees then these of these two Popes the latter whereof is built upon cleer mistakes of Scripture cannot be produced These Bacanalian feasts are thus censured by Aretius Problem 126. Hodie verò Solennitates instituuntur tote die bibitur tote die luditur saltatur lascivi cantus audiuntur quae omnia magis spirant Bacchi quoddam festum à Maenadibus celebrandum quam piam Christianismi antiquitatem And were wholly abolished among us by the Injunctions of King Henry the eighth and Statute of 6 Edw. 6. c. 3. by reason of the idlenesse excesse and great mischiefes they produced to mens soules Yea many Judges riding the Westerne Circuit suppressed the Wakes and Revels kept upon them from time to time for these abuses and other weighty Reasons Yet this prophane Arch-prelate revives re-establisheth them by this DECLARATION causeth those Judges Orders to be reversed with a strong Hand by a Plot and Certificate from Bishop Pierce and others checks nay punisheth Chiefe Justice Richardson removes him from that Circuit and le ts loose the Reines to all Licentiousnesse prophanenesse whereby infinite mischiefs ensued as we have fully proved So that this whole Charge sticks still upon him Ninthly from these ceremoniall and practicall they proceed to doctrinall innovations in matters of Religion wherein I am charged First with an endeavour to introduce and propagate Arminianisme in our Church the rediest inlet to Popery and a part thereof though I knew it to be a plot of the Jesuits to subvert our Religion as appears by the Jesuits Letter and that principally First in being a common Patriot of Arminians together with their Books Tenets and a preferrer of such by name of Bishop Mountague and his Appeale complained of in Parliament Doctor Jackson and others for which I was taxed by a Declaration of the Commons in Parliament Secondly in censuring the Commons Declaration in Parliament against the Arminians and their Vote too Thirdly in calling in and suppressing Books against Arminianisme though licensed and questioning censuring the Authors Printers dispersers of them in the high Commission as Bishop Carltons and Bishop Downames Books Doctor Featlies Doctor Goads Master Rouses Doctor Sutcliffes Master Prynnes Master Burtons Books and others when as the Arminian Authors went unquestioned and their Books printed by authority as Doctor Jacksons Book and the Historicall Narration licensed by my owne Chaplaine Doctor Martin Fourthly In abusing his Majesties Proclamation his Declaration before the 39. Articles of our Church with the subsequent Instructions prohibiting controversies against the Article especially in the controverted points of Arminianisme to suppresse all preaching against Arminian errours and punish such as durst oppose them by silencing suspending censuring them in the high Commission or elswhere and conniving at the Arminians to vent and preach their errours freely under pretext thereof without restraint or opposition both in the University and City Fiftly for purging passages against Arminianisme and Arminians out of Books tendred to the Presse and particularly out of Bishop Hals and Bishop Davenants Letters with some other incident particulars which fall under these heads Sixtly in repealing the Articles of Ireland against Arminianisme which King James declaimed against as damnable heresie To this I answer in generall that I never endeavoured to introduce Arminianisme into our Church nor ever maintained any Arminian opinions For the Jesuits Letter it is nothing at all to me it layes nothing to my charge in particular and it was lawfull for me to read and keep it it containes many strange vile things in it against the Parliament which I approve not but detest To the particulars I answer First that I did neither protect nor countenance the Arminians persons books or tenets for Bishop Mountague I had no hand in his Book I countenanced it not it was suppressed and called in by Proclamation he was preferred by Sir Dudly Carltons meanes not mine who was then a stranger to me True is is I was in a Declaration of the Commons house taxed as a favourer advancer of Arminians and their opinions without any particular proofe at all which was a great slander to me Secondly I answer that being publickly traduced in that Declaration I did returne an answer to vindicate my owne innocency as was necessary for me to doe to free my selfe from that scandall without any derogation to the Parliaments authority Neither did I this till I was expresly commanded by the King himselfe as appeares by the endorsment whose command it was lawfull yea necessary for me to obey and I durst not have done it without such his Royall command After which I penned it with all due respect to the Parliament and it was never published For my answer to the Parliaments Vote it was onely a private paper kept in my Study and communicated to none written for my owne private satisfaction and derogating noting from the power of Parliaments it belonging properly to the Convocation and Church of England by the Lawes and Statutes of the Land to make Canons and settle controversies in Religion as the Statute of 25. Hen. 8. c. 19. 1. Eliz. c. 1. evidence Thirdly the calling in and suppressing of these Books and prosecuting the Authors Printers of them in the High Commission was the Courts act not mine For Bishop Carltons Book it was called
in by the High Commission and attested onely by Master Sparke a single Witnesse Bishop Downhams Book was called in by the Kings speciall command both in England and Ireland because published contrary to the his Royall Proclamation and Declaration For Master Prynnes Perpetuity I doe not know that it was burnt in private if it were it was by the censure of the Court there being some things in it liable to just exceptions Doctor Sutcliffes Book is not proved to be called in by me For Master Prynne Master Burton and those that printed their Books they were not censured in the High Commission but dismissed thence without censure For Doctor Jackson he was a learned discreet man I licensed not his Book nor doe I know he professed himselfe an Arminian True it is the Historicall Narration was licensed by my Chaplaine Doctor Martin without my privity for which I turned him out of my service and the Book it selfe was called in and suppressed Fourthly the Kings Proclamation and Declaration before the Articles were his owne not mine both published to settle peace in the Church by silencing those controversies which disturbed it by printing or preaching which unquiet spirits would not submit to and the Authors of the Books forementioned among others with some other Preachers about the City and University for which they were justly questioned suspended and some that broached Arminian Tenets in Oxford were brought in question and ordered to recant as well as those that preached against it The censure of Master Ford and his complices in Oxford was by the King and Counsell upon a solemne hearing at Woodstock not by me and they well deserved it for kindling such a fire in the University as was like to set all in combustion For the University of Cambridge I medled not with it The considerations was not my paper but Bishop Harsnets who drew them and I did but transcribe them and the end of them was not to supresse preaching against Arminianisme but to preserve peace and order in the Church For the Instructions they were the Kings not mine and they were sent to me in a Letter by my Predecessor Archbishop Abbot and brought to me by his Secretary Master Baker with command to see them put in execution within my Diocesse of London to prove which I have produced the testimony of Master Dobson who affirmed it to be true Fiftly for the purging some passages out of Bishop Hals and Bishop Davenants Letter and imprisoning Master Butter for printing them I answer that the same was done by my Chaplaine as being contrary to his Majesties Proclamation and Declaration and Bishop Hall himselfe at last consented to it and was well satisfied upon the reason given him by my Chaplaine that it was for the quiet of the Church and therefore for the Printer of his owne head to put it in deserved exemplary punishment Sixtly there is no proofe that the Articles of Irreland were reversed by my procurement it was done by the Convocation there where I was not present To this was replied in generall That his endeavours to introduce Arminianisme were so fully cleered by the premised evidence and his protection both of the Authors and fomenters of it that impudency it selfe would blush to deny it That the Jesuits Letter which he had in his custody endorsed with his owne hand did fully discover to him that the planting and introducing Arminianisme here in England was their Plot and chief Engine to subvert our Religion And though it makes no particular mention of him yet it informes their Superiour and others that the Arminians had locked up the Dukes eares already a Periphrasis of himselfe the Dukes Earwig as he was then stiled who had his eare more then any His compliance therefore with the Arminians notwithstanding they were but the Jesuits instruments to drive on their designes as he certainly knew by this Letter much agravates his crime and makes exceedingly against him True it is there are some strange passages concerning Parliaments in this Letter but himselfe hath as bad or worse in his Diary and Answer to the Remonstrance of the Commons Anno 1628. therefore certainly he disliked not these in this Letter Particularly this replication was retorted to these his answers First that he was a professed patriot of the Arminians persons Books Tenens and particularly of Bishop Mountagues of whose cause he was most anxious and inquisitive whom he acquainted with his Majesties speciall favour to him while he lay under the cloud of the Parliaments displeasure his receiving all informations or speeches against his Erronious booke whose proceedings in Parliament when there questioned were daily represented to and reserved carefully by him whose ill book and opinions were in sundry conferences particularly justified by him whose preferments proceeded originally from him and with whom he held most intimate correspondency till his death as the forecited passages in his owne Diary and alleaged evidence proves most fully For his advancement by Sir Dully Carltons meanes it is but a bare surmise contrary to the Dockquet Book to excuse himselfe The Proclamation for calling in his book proceeded from the Parliaments prosecution of him not from this Bishops care who ordered it so that it proved the chiefe instrument of promoting Arminianisme by hindring all writing and preaching against it what in him lay he informing the world in the very Proclamation it selfe that the Author was punished onely with a good Bishoprick for writing this Book highly advanced maugre three severall Parliaments complaints and opposition In briefe the Commons Remonstrance is a sufficient evidence of his guilt and no slander at all as he slanderously tearmes it being verified by so many proofs Secondly his answer to the Remonstrance of the Commons is full of bitternesse sawcinesse scandals against the Parliament charging them with untruths in the highest degree onely for speaking that which was most true That he was commanded to returne this answer to it by the King himselfe without any suit of his owne is very improbable and rests on him to prove which he hath not done However he proves not that he did exceed his Commission And whereas he alleageth by way of excuse that his answer to it was never published truly this was his griefe as appeares by his owne endorsment of it and no act of his who desired to have it printed then Whereas he pretends he durst not have answered it had not the King commanded him certainly he that durst controll the Kings owne Letters Patents under his Seale as he did in the case of the collection for the Palatinate and sundry other particulars given in evidence against him revoke the Kings own pardons and prohibitions to the high Commission saying they should not serve the turn yea deprive the King of his Soveraignty that he should not relieve nor pardon any man censured in the high Commission though never so unjustly that hath presumed so frequently to break off Parliaments yea to