been perverted by dissolution of Life and Heresie they have brought her into more misery infamy and confusion within the compass of few years than all other Christian Kingdoms round about us together Wherefore the principal help and hope next under God which our poor afflicted Country hath or may have of her redress is by means of her good Catholick Prince that God of his Mercy shall vouchsafe to give us who also considering the great work whereunto he is called shall in no wise be able better to satisfie his Obligation and Duty to God and the Expectation of all good Men and to assure his own Possession and Estate than to make account that the security of himself his Crown and Successor dependeth principally of the assurance and good establishment of the Catholick Roman Religion within his Kingdom and whatsoever is done or permitted against this Religion is not only against Jesus Christ our Saviour and his Spouse his Catholick Church but also against every Catholick Prince as his supream Minister and much more against the King of England as things do now stand both for Religion and Estate First of all then is to be recommended with all humility and earnest suit unto his Majesty that shall be established the singular care and holy zeal of restoring perfectly the Catholick Religion in our Realm and to employ his whole endeavour and authority therein and to concur and assist with his Princely favour and special Protection all such Men as principally shall labour therein and above other the Council of Reformation the Prelates Preachers and Clergy of his Realm and by example of his own Royal Person in frequenting the Holy Sacraments and other pious Actions of Religion and Devotion to animate all other his Subjects and foreign Princes also and Countries about him to whom he will in these our times be a remarkable mirrour to imitate the same and this for his own Person But concerning his Majesty's Council both in Spiritual and Temporal affairs it will import also exceeding much that he make choice of fit and worthy persons And for the first which is in matters concerning conscience the pious custom of some Catholick Kings and namely those of Portugal in times past is greatly to be commended who besides their Temporal Council had also another of learned Spiritual Men named the Table of Conscience in taking any thing in hand and execution of the same And for this Council they were wont to make choice as I have said of some number of eminent and learned Men and also notorious for their Piety and good Consciences whether they were of Religious Orders or no and the head or chief of these commonly the King 's own Confessor who might with more security by council and assistance of these able Men direct the King's mind with safety of Conscience And whatsoever Prince shall take this course no doubt but he shall find great help light comfort security and quietness of Mind thereby And as for the World abroad it must needs be a singular great justification of all his acts intention and attempts in the eyes and tongues of all Men seeing he doth them by the direction of so irreprehensible a Consultation His Temporal Council shall be needful to be made with great choice and deliberation especially at the beginning in England for that if any one person thereof should be either infected with Heresie or justly suspected or not fervent nor forward in the Catholick Religion and in the Reformation necessary to be made for good establishment of the same it would be to the great prejudice of the cause and of his Majesty and Realm And seeing Heresie and Hereticks could be so vigilant for overthrowing of true Religion at the beginning of this Queen's Reign as they admitted no one Man to govern whom they might suspect to favour true-Religion how much more zealous and jealous ought our new Catholick Prince to be in excluding from his Privy Council and other places of chief charge and government not only Men known or justly feared to be favourers of Heresie and Hereticks that will never be secure to God or his Majesty but also â—old and doubtful professors of Catholick Religion until they be proved by long tract of time And seeing that his Majesty shall have so great choice at that day of approved constant Catholicks within the Realm as never was seen the like since our first Conversion who have suffered so constantly at the hands of Hereticks in these Persecutions it is to be hoped and expected that his Majesty will serve himself first and chiefly of these men above all others according to their merits and after these of such other known Catholicks as albeit God gave them not fortitude and constancy to suffer so much as the others did for Religion yet were they ever secret favourers and never Persecutors or open Enemies to the truth It is to be commended with like submission and instance to his Majesty that after he shall have taken the Crown upon him and embraced this Realm as his loving Spouse he will confirm first of all the Laws Customs Priviledges Dignities and Liberties of the same and to take away all such burdens servitudes and unjust oppressions as have been any way laid upon us in former times but since the entrance of Heresie And as this is to be done to all the Realm as to the Nobility and to the Commonalty so principally and above others it is reason that it should be performed to the Church and Clergy-men who beyond all others have been injured in these latter times so that at the least it will be just that the Church of England be restored to the same state of Priviledges Possessions Dignities and Exemptions wherein it was when King Henry the Eighth began to Reign And for that the external face and material part of our Churches hath been so much defaced spoiled and broken down by King Henry the Eighth and his Children as all the World seeth it will be one principal part of our new King's Piety and Religion to concur effectually to the rebuilding and restoring of the same again by the means touched by me before of that moderate and temperate manner of restitution whereof I have spoken largely in the First Part of this Memorial And it is to be hoped that his Majesty will be the first and most fervent fartherer of the same according to the Holy Obligation Vow and Offer that he will make to Almighty God for that Heroical enterprise to his eternal honour and infinite benefit and beautifying of our Commonwealth Which sound Foundation of Religion and Piety being once laid it may be suggested to his Majesty with like sollicitude touching the execution of Justice to all Men with indifferency which is the principal point of a true Catholick Prince's Office next after God and Religion and is so much the more necessarily to be looked to now in England after so long
Succession of the King of Scotland to the Crown of England And as for the person says he to the English Catholicks now advanced I know most certainly that there was never any doubt or difference among you but that ever you desired his advancement above all others as the only Heir of that renowned Mother for whom your fervent zeal is known to the World and how much you have suffered by her adversaries for the same Yet do I confess that touching the disposition of the person for the place and manner of his advancement all zealous Catholicks have both wished and prayed that he might first be a Catholick and then our King this being our bounded duty to wish and his greatest good to be obtained for him And to this end and no other I assure my self hath been directed whatsoever may have been said written or done by any Catholick which with some others might breed disgust Thus the Jesuit thought to pacifie King James's Court by a piece of Impudence to be met with only in a Jesuit whoever will be at the pains to compare Parson's Doleman with this Preface cannot but declare him to be the greatest Villain that ever set Pen to Paper and to have lost all sense of Modesty Truth and Justice Amidst these his Projects for the Spanish Interest he had hopes upon the death of Cardinal Allen to be made by the Spanish Interest a Cardinal for England and there was set about in Flanders by Holt the Jesuit and Worthington a Petition to the King of Spain for that purpose subscribed by the Common Soldiers Labourers Artizans and Pensioners nay Scullions and Laundresses as well as by those of better rank and quality Upon this Father Parsons makes haste out of Spain to Rome to hinder it as the Jesuits say for him when he came thither upon a day set him he waited on the Pope and acquainted him how the City was full of the discourse of his being shortly to be made a Cardinal and that Spain and Flanders rung with it too and therefore begged of him that he would not think of making him a Cardinal who might be more serviceable in the condition he was now in to the affairs of England The Pope told him That the King of Spain had not written a syllable to him about any such thing and that he must not mind foolish Reports and bid him go and mind his studies I cannot but think that this neglect in the King of Spain lost him Father Parsons who soon after though he could not leave of plotting went on other designs four of which he seems to have had on foot together for the Exclusion of King James from the Crown of England The most improbable one was that of the Peoples rising and setting up a popular Government he had furnished them with Principles in several of his Books for this purpose In the Second and Third he dealt with the Pope either about making if his Purse and Interest were large enough his Kinsman the Duke of Parma King or in joyning with the Lady Arabella's Interest and marrying her to the Duke's Brother the Cardinal Farnese whom he had made upon the death of Cardinal Cajetan Protector of England thereby to ingratiate him with the Clergy and Laity of this Kingdom Cardinal d'Ossat gives a very large account of both these Projects in the Letter whcih I have already quoted to the King of France And in another of his Letters he gives an account of the fourth Project wherein he himself had been dealt with by Parsons then Rector of the College of Jesuits at Rome which was that the Pope the King of France and King of Spain should agree among themselves of a Successor for England that should be a Catholick and that they should joyn their Forces to settle him in the Throne of England Thus we see how Plotting and Treason was the whole business of this Jesuit's Life in which he was so notorious that Pasquin set him forth thus at Rome If there be any Man that will buy the Kingdom of England let him repair to a Merchant in a black square Cap in the City and he shall have a very good penniworth thereof While he thus filled his head with designs and hopes of a Popish Prince to be set up in England by some of these foreign Princes it was that he drew up the following Memorial for that his Prince his Directions to whom are like his other Counsels and Actions I will trouble the Reader with no more of his History As I take the Jesuits to be the very worst of Men so I think the preceeding accounts have proved Father Parsons to be the very worst of Jesuits A MEMORIAL OF THE REFORMATION of ENGLAND CONTAINING Certain Notes and Advertisements which seem might be proposed in the First Parliament and National Council of our Country after God of his mercy shall restore it to the Catholick Faith for the better Establishment and Preservation of the said Religion Gathered and set-down by R.P. 1596. THE PREFACE OF THE AUTHOR SHEWING How and why these Notes were gathered and the principal Parts to be treated THE Notes and Observations of this Memorative following were gathered and laid together in time of Persecution when there was no place to execute or put them in ure and it is no more than seventeen or eighteen Years past that the Gatherer began first to put some of them in writing and having had the experience of the Years which have ensued since and his part also in the Catholic affairs of his Country and the Practice of divers other Catholic Nations abroad he was desirous in case that himself should not live to see the desired day of the Reduction of England yet some of his Cogitations and Intentions for the publick good thereof might work some effect after his Death and that thereby other Men might be the sooner moved to enter into more mature Considerations of these and such like Points yea and also to descend unto many more particulars than here are set down For that the Gatherer's meaning was only to open the way and to insinuate certain general and principal Heads that might serve for an awaking and remembrance at that happy day of the Conversion of our Country unto such Persons as shall be then able and desirous to further the common good and to advance Almighty God's Glory with a Holy Zeal of perfect Reformation who perhaps may be so entangled with multitudes of other business and Cogitations at that time as they will not so easily enter into these except they be put in mind thereof by some such Memorials and Advertisements as here are touched And what is said in this Treatise for the Kingdom of England is meant also for Ireland so far as it may do good seeing the Author desireth as much benefit for God's Service and the good of that Nation to the one Country as to the other And for that the principal
Members and Branches whom this Memorial may concern are Three to wit the whole Body of the Realm jointly and then the Crgy and Temporalty apart Therefore the same order shall be observed for more perspecuity's sake in treating matters that are to be handled according to these three parts First of things that appertain to the whole Body of the Realm in general and then to the Clergy and Laity in particular's dividing each one of these two latter Members into his particular branches also as namely the Clergy and Spiritualty into Bishops Priests and Religious and the Laity and Temporalty into the Prince with his Council the Nobility and Commons making of every one of these chief Members their particular Chapters also apart as in Prosecution of this Treatise shall appear And to the performance of this the Author was incouraged especially by two points which for divers Years he has been perswaded in The First That God will most certainly at his time appointed restore the Realm of England to the Catholic Faith again as may appear by the evident hand he holdeth now in the work The other That England being once converted may be made the Spectacle of all the World and an Example of Perfection to all other Catholic Countries and Churches round about it if want of Zeal and good will do not hinder it in those that God shall bring to that blessed day which the Gatherer of this Memorial hopeth will not and with this hope he setteth down the Notes and Advertisements ensuing A Table of the Chapters of this MEMORIAL PART I. Touching the whole Body CHAP. I. SOme special Reasons why England above all other Realms ought to procure a perfect Reformation when time shall serve CHAP. II. What manner of Reformation is needful in England after so long a storm of Persecution which is declared by the Example of Gold coming out of the Furnace and of a Garden newly planted after the Weeds and Thorne are consumed by Fire CHAP. III. How this happy Reformation may be best procured and what Disposition of Mind is needful for it in all parts CHAP. IV. How all sorts of People to wit Catholicks Schismaticks and Hereticks may be charitably dealt withal to their most profit at the neat change of Religion CHAP. V. The forwardness that ought to be in all Men for the appeasing of God's Wrath about the rapine of Ecclesiastical Lands and Livings and with what facility and case a good Composition and reasonable Satisfaction may be agreed upon without the over-burdening of any Party and how the said Livings may be disposed of CHAP. VI. Of the many great and singular Benefits that would ensue to the Church and Realm of England by this manner of Restitution Agreement and Disposition of Ecclesiastical Livings CHAP. VII Of a Council of Reformation to be ordained by the Authority of the Prince and Parliament with consent of the See Apostolick and wherein they are principally to be occupied for the raising up of our Churches again and first of all in gathering up and profitably bestowing of these Church-Livings that shall be restored CHAP. VIII Of divers other great Points that will belong to the Council of Reformation to deal in for the bringing of our English Church to its former Perfection CHAP. IX There ensue yet more matters that appertain to the Council of Reformation for beautifying our Church above the beauty that it had before and above the rest of all Christian Churches CHAP. X. Of the Parliament of England and what were to be considered or reformed about the same both in it self and other PART II. Touching the Clergy CHAP. I. OF the Clergy in general what they are and ought to do at the next change and how soundly united with the Laity CHAP. II. Of Bishops and Bishopricks of England what is to be restored and what continued what reformed CHAP. III. Of Deans Canons Pastors Curates and the rest of the Clergy what is needful to make them flourish CHAP. IV. Of Seminaries Colledges Vniversities and Schools for restoring and increase of our Clergy CHAP. V. Of Vniversities more at large and of the Government Discipline and manner of proceeding of our English Vniversities and in what Points they do differ from other Vniversities abroad and what is to be increased added and altered or established to make them absolutely the best in the World CHAP. VI. How Offices Preferments Fellowships Scholarships and other said places were to be provided in our Vniversities to avoid infinite inconveniences and of divers other Points to this purpose CHAP. VII Of Religious Men and Women and matters appertaining unto them and their Estate and how England may be furnished with them in far better sort than any other Catholick Nation in the World PART III. Touching the Laity CHAP. I. OF the Laity and Temporalty in general and of the agreement and concurrence with the Clergy for both their good with the Difference of both their States CHAP. II. Of the Prince and his Councel and matters belonging to them for the publick benefit CHAP. III. Of the Nobility and Gentry of England and matters appertaining to their Estates for the bettering the same every way CHAP. IV. Of the Inns of Court and Studies of the Common Laws of England and of the Laws themselves what is to be considered amended or bettered in each part CHAP. V. Of the Commons of England and of matters appertaining to them how tenderly they are to be cared for cherished and maintained with divers Advertisements for their publick Commodity The FIRST PART of this MEMORIAL OF THE Reformation of England Wherein are touched Points that do belong to the whole Body of the Realm as before in the Preface has been declared and is the Ground of the other Parts that ensue CHAP. I. Some special Reasons why England above all other Realms ought to procure a perfect Reformation when time shall serve IF ever Nation under Heaven were bound to shew themselves grateful to Almighty God and to turn heartily and zealously unto him and to seek his highest glory by a perfect Reformation of their Country when his Divine Majesty shall open the way it is the English Nation for the Reasons following First For that no other Nation in the World on whom God hath laid the scourge of Heresie hath received so many helps and graces to resist the same as England hath done which is evident by the b multitudes and valour of English Martyrs by the fortitude and zeal of so many and such Confessors by their Constancy Patience and Fervour at home by the store of Seminaries abroad and by the Spirit of Priests brought up in them and many other Favours and Priviledges used towards the English Nation in these our days all which do require an extraordinary Demonstration of forwardness of English Catholicks when the time shall serve to be answerable in some sort to these extraordinary Benefits Secondly We do both see and feel the inestimable damages that ensued
forelaid Council of Trent entirely and fully without Limitation or Restraint but to embrace also and to put it in ure where occasion and place is offered such other points of Reformation as tend to the perfect restitution of Ecclesiastical Discipline that were in use in the ancient Christian Church though afterward decayed for want of Spirit and not urged now again nor commanded for the Council of Trent for the causes before by me alledged for better Declaration whereof we may consider that the Council of Trent touching Reformation of Manners had to repair an old ancient House whereof many parts were sore weakened by Corruptions and some perished but yet the whole could not be changed nor built anew but necessarily the reparation must be made according to the State and Condition of the other parts that yet remained and so those good Fathers could not frame all points to their own likeing nor yet according to the Rules of perfect Ecclesiastical Architecture But now in England no doubt but that the State of things will be far otherwise whensoever the change of Religion shall happen For then it will be lawful for a good Catholick Prince that God shall send and 2 for a well affected Parliament which himself and the time will easily procure to begin of new and to build from the very foundation the external face of our Catholick Church and to follow the Model which themselves will chuse and if that will be a good and perfect Model it will endure at least for a time and be a pattern of true Christianity to the rest of the World but if it be but ordinary and of the meaner sort at the beginning it will quickly slide back to the old Corruptions wherein it was before and so the benefit of this Probation and Tribulation will soon be lost both before God and Men which Jesus forbid for that it is and will be the greatest Crown that ever England hath had since her first Conversion to the Christian Faith and according to this account must our purpose be of Reformation whensoever God shall restore us to Liberty and Peace lest we lose in Peace that which we gained in War as Eusebius Caesariensis saith that some did in antient Persecutions and it ought to be a warning to us to take heed by their Examples And this is so much as in this behalf seemeth needful to be remembred Animadversions on Chap. II. 1 THE late Council of Trent The Jesuit in the former Chapter was complaining of the coldness and imperfect Reformation of Queen Mary's Reign and here he is as severe upon the Council of Trent it self which notwithstanding its being directed and assisted by the Holy Ghost as this Jesuit as well as the rest of their Writers will have it to be when they are engaged in Controversie against the Reformed and notwithstanding the Infallible Vicar at Rome presided in it by his Legates and did from time to time influence and direct all its Consultations and Determinations yet was so base and cowardly according to our fierce Jesuit as to truckle to the humours of the Age and make a very lame and imperfect Reformation out of compliance with the lukewarmness and iniquity of that Age. But the rest of the World were not of our Jesuit's Mind but did easily see that no Temporal Prince could submit to that Council which by the bye was nothing but a meer Western Conventicle of Italian Bishops and the Pope's own Creatures who had sworn to be true and faithful to him and to preserve to him those which he and they call the Rights and Honours of S. Peter before ever they came within the Walls of that assembly without wrong to himself and to his People However our Jesuit is for having his Popish Prince in England to receive the Council of Trent entirely and fully without Limitation and Restraint though the Prince that does it makes himself feudatory to the Popes and leaves his Country to their disposal when they think fit to have it escheat to them this no body can doubt of it that will but examine what that Council at Trent hath determined about the Matter of Duels in any Princes Countries and this without Question is one of the Reasons why the Gallican Church could not then nor can be to this day perswaded to admit the Council of Trent entirely but refuse it as to the Canons about Discipline which encroach upon the Prince's Right and the Churches Authority By what I can observe from our Jesuit he is for overdoing the whole World and while he brands others with the name of Cold Catholicks would I suppose have a Council of Jesuits to reform their Church and then I am sure it will be done to purpose 2 For a well affected Parliament which himself and the time will easily procure Here is an Instance of a fatal mistake in our Jesuit's Politicks and Foresight The Papists in England by God's Permission have had a Popish Prince and a Prince governed by Jesuits too and as zealous as our Jesuit himself could either imagine or wish him to be and yet after all he was not able to get a well affected Parliament that is a Parliament that would have settled Popery effectually among us That Prince came to the Crown with greater advantages than one of his Perswasion could well have been supposed to have done he was no sooner fixt in his Throne than he had the good success to break and suppress two very dangerous Rebellions and appeared to the World to have the love of all his Subjects who gratified him in his first Parliament with every thing that they could either with Honour or Conscience give But when tempted I am afraid by the reading of this Jesuit's Memorial and by the strange success against the two Insurrections he began to pull off the Vizard and was for breaking in upon the National Protestant security by keeping up a standing Army with a great many Popish unqualified Officers and thought it would prove 〈◊〉 easie matter to bring in his Popery we see how miserably he was out in his Measures that very Parliament that had been so kind as to settle a greater Revenue upon him than ever King of England had by six hundred thousand Pounds a Year as I have been informed for some Years and to give him great Supplies and to Voâ—â— him more and that did stand by him with their Fortuneâ— and Lives were yet for standing by their Religion and their Laws and were neither so tame nor foolish as to be either complemented or hector'd out of either of them This dissolved that Parliament and shewed how graâ—â—ful a Popish Prince could be to the best and kindest Parliament And when this Parliament was dissolved and Popery made every day larger steps than before and the whole Constitution was laid to sleep in favour of Fanatiâ— and Papists did he or time procure a more kind or well affected Parliament Indeed all the care imaginable
withal by the better sort of Catholicks to wit 4 weaker Catholicks which are commonly known in England by the name of Schismaticks and Hereticks that have been Enemies to both these sorts there is to be used true Love Piety and Christian Charity with the Prudence and Direction that is also convenient And for the first since they are our Brethren we ought to have sincere Compassion of their weakness and fall animating them hereby to rise and stand hereafter And unto the second for that by God's Grace they may be our Brethren we must use all Charity in like manner seeking their true and sincere Conversion with that Caution notwithstanding that is expedient for theirs and the publick good of all which I shall lay down some particular Notes in the Chapter following though it must be the Direction of Almighty God and Unction of the Holy Ghost which must guide our Prince Parliament and Magistrates and namely our Bishops in this point of dealing with Hereticks which will be a point of great moment and wherein will consist much for the True Reformation which we seek and for the assurance of Religion and wherein it is thought the error of Queen Mary's time was as pernicious as in any other thing whatsoever and therefore the more carefully to be remedied now Animadversions on Chap. III. 3 THE true Reconciliation of the Realm unto God and to his Church There is not only here but in several other places an appearance of Zeal for Piety and the Honour of God in this Jesuit but that it is no more than a bare appearance without any thing of the substance of Godliness will be more plain to him that will read the Memorial throughout this is not my conjecture but of several Writers of their own Church of Rome who look upon the Jesuits generally as the greatest dissemblers and hypocrites upon the face of the Earth that the obtaining more Wealth to their Order and Gain is all the Godliness that they have and therefore when they meet with a Jesuit talking about Piety or the Glory of God they treat him with Derision as knowing that True Religion is the least part of that Society's business and that the Piety they make shew of in their Writings is only for a cover to their politick designs and like true Pharisees to devour and eat up silly Recusants Estates and to ruine others to make their Society rich and splendid Thus in Queen Elizabeth's time our Jesuit himself that talks so gravely sometimes in this Memorial of the Glory of God and Reconciliation with God was one of those that made such a pudder about restoreing their Catholick Religion and rooting Heresie out of England whereas their true business was to betray their Country to the Spaniards to plot with them as it was always this traiterous Jesuit's practice to invade our Nation and thereby to obtain as they did from the Spanish King Gifts and Benevolences to their Order and Seminaries erected and endowed for them This was the Jesuit's true aim which without some face of Zeal for God and pretence of Piety could not be so easily compassed it is that wise and great Man the Cardinal d'Ossat's Observation of Parsons in that Letter from Rome wherein he gave the King of France an account of Parsons's Book about Succession That Parsons was so passionately concerned in it for the Spanish Interest that he made no conscience of contradicting himself grossly in it nor had any regard to Truth and Reason I think this ought to be a key to us to open the Jesuit's meaning when he talks of the true Reconciliation of the Realm to God I question not but the whole Reconciliation he drives at is that we might all turn true Papists and all Papists would fairly give up their Abby-Lands to their Council of Reformation which he sets up in his VII th Chapter 4 Weaker Catholicks which are commonly known in England by the name of Schismaticks How any Catholicks should be Schismaticks is worth our time to understand to do which we must go back to the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's Reign when the Papists notwithstanding the Alteration in Religion made by that excellent Queen and her Parliament in the beginning of it went to Church to conform themselves to put it in the words of one of their own Writers a Romish Priest to the State as they did in King Edward the Sixth's time keeping privately to themselves the exercise of their own Religion This Practice of the Roman Catholicks continued for several Years here my Lord Chief Justice Coke says upon his own knowledge for ten or a dozen Years and had I suppose continued on had not the upstart Faction of the Jesuits set themselves with all their might and their Interest to break it off They were aware that such Conformity of their Roman Catholick Friends would in a few Years have left not one Papist in England and indeed it was morally impossible that it should have happened otherways since we need not doubt but that the great Truth and the Light the Doctrine and the Liturgy of the Church of England so exactly conformable to the Word of God and to the purest times of the Primitive Church would by God's Blessing have shined into their Hearts have enlightned them and made them become true Church of England Christians by renouncing all those Reliques of Popery which they fostered privately in their breasts And therefore the Jesuits and their Friends by the Interest they had in the Council of Trent got a little Cabal of that Council a dozen of Bishops and others out of which number Pate the Bishop of Worcester the only English Popish Bishop in that Council was left out though of all Men the fittest to have been consulted in this matter favourers of their Society to 〈◊〉 up Reasons why the Catholicks of England ought not and must not under pain of Schism and Damnation go to the Protestant Churches there in which they load our Church with many calumnies our Rites are made to be most wicked and accursed all which though these Twelve Caballers knew in their own Consciences to be as false as Hell yet to affright their People from our Churches they were forc'd to paint our Church as deformed as their own Church by her Idolatrous Rites and Superstitious Practices is However all this and the Pope's Rescripts to the same purpose would not hinder many Catholicks from going to Church and their defence was that this Decree as well as the Pope's Rescripts were surreptitiously gotten that both Pope and Councel were imposed upon and therefore they would not run themselves into needless danger these are the Men whom our Jesuit here does call Schismaticks CHAP. IV. How all sorts of People to wit Catholicks Schismaticks and Hereticks may be dealt withal at the next change of Religion AFter Union and good Disposition of Mind in all and a hearty Reconciliation of Almighty God will be necessary a sweet pious and
encouragement for others to do the like And in like manner of Hereticks and Rebels Goods which any way shall come to be confiscate he will abstain his hands from the part of God and of his Church which therein shall be found to appertain unto them and by this pious and religious proceeding there is no doubt but God will prosper and aid him much the more Of his Holiness also the like were to be required that considering the many necessities that England shall have at the first beginning to set up and restore the outward would vouchsafe not only to further and favour this designment of Restitution to be made in manner aforesaid but also as a bountiful Father remit some part of the temporal duties which will be due to the See Apostolick from England as the first-fruits of Bishopricks and the like for the certain space only of some Years after the next change for the setting of foot of our Church again which will be of great Edification to all the World and an infinite incouragement to our English Catholicks And last of all about this matter may be remembred that among Ecclesiastical Livings that have been invaded by temporal Men some have been taken from the Secular Clergy also as from Bishops Cathedral and Collegial Churches Colleges Deanries Parsonages Parish-Churches and the like though nothing so much as from Religious Orders And these for that their true Owners are or will be quickly extant and that present need will be of the same for the uses to which they were first appointed it is reason they should be returned to the same Uses and Churches again and not to the common Purse as the other yet with the Limitation Order and Reformation that the Council designed for this purpose shall think best and most expedient About Impropriate Parsonages Patronages and Advowsons of Benefices albeit for the part they come into Temporal Men's hands at the beginning as things either incorporated or annexed to Abby-Lands for that these Revenues and Priviledges were given to Religious Orders in the old times for the better maintenance and with Obligation only to provide Preachers and Teachers to the Parishes and that when Religious Houses were suppressed by King Henry the said Parsonages Tithes Advowsons and Patronages passed also to Lay-mens hands as Members and Parcels of Abby-Lands yet notwithstanding for that in truth they were taken from the Livings and Revenues of Pastors and Curates at the beginning and are part of the Revenues it seemeth more reason that they should be accepted rather Ecclesiastical than Monastical Livings and consequently be returned back to the Church again though with the Moderation and Qualification that shall seem most expedient to the Council and not to be disposed of to any other uses as Abby-Lands may be for the greater glory of God and better setting up of our Church again And for that I have divers times made mention of the Council of Reformation I shall now set down some Notes about the same CHAP. VII Of a Council of Reformation to be ordained and wherein they are principally to be occupied FOR the Execution of all these Notes and Advertisements that here are set down about the Reformation of England nothing will be of so much moment as to have certain prudent and zealous Men put in authority by the Prince and Parliament and Pope's Holiness to attend principally and as it were only to this affair and to be bound to give a continual account what they do in the same And for that and name of Inquisition may be somewhat odious and offensive at the beginning perhaps it would not be amiss to name these Men a Council of Reformation and that their authority might be limited for some certain number of Years as four five or six as it should be thought most convenient and sufficient for the setting up and establishing of the English Church and that before the end of this term assigned they shall give account to the Persons appointed for this purpose by the Pope Prince and Parliament of all matters committed to their charge and especially of the Ecclesiastical Rents received and imployed by them as after shall be declared And for that the matters and affairs which are to be laid upon these Men are many and weighty and of singular great importance it is necessary first that the place of their ordinary residence should be in London near the Court whereby they may have easie recourse and conference with the Prince and Council And secondly That their Persons be of great sufficiency and respect and fit for the purpose as for example perhaps may the Archbishop of Canterbury the Bishop of Winchester London and Rochester whose Diocesses lie near about the City and will be no great lett to their ordinary charge to reside much in London and be imployed in this affair also And with these Men might be joyned other principal and skilful either Bishops or others as should be thought best together with all kinds of Officers Secretaries Notaries Gatherers Treasurers and other helps for better Execution of so great a charge The first and most principal thing that in Temporal matters should be committed to this Council is the gathering of the said old Rents of Assize of Abby-Lands and other Ecclesiastical Revenues which by vertue of the Restitution above mentioned are to return to the Church and by these Men as hath been specified are now to be put in one common Treasury and thence to be spent and imployed within this time limited of their Commission as they shall judge most needful and to the most advantage of God's Holy Service and common benefit of the Realm The like charge also will be necessary to lye upon them for the Collection and Custody of all other Ecclesiastical Rents and Revenues throughout England as of Benefices Parsonages Curates and other such Livings as cannot conveniently be provided of particular Owners seeing that the English Clergy which for the present we have and are like to have for a great time after the next Reduction of England will scarce be able to furnish the principal Dignities and places alone of Jurisdiction and Government as Bishopricks Deanries Archdeanries Colleges and the like and if besides these there be two or three Men left for Preachers to be given to every new Bishop to carry with him into his Diocess a small store God knows for so great a Charge it will be all and how then think you will it be possible to furnish the least part of the residue of Benefices throughout England for some number of Years Wherefore to remedy this inconvenience it seems that the only way would be for this Council of Reformation to appoint Collectors of these Rents and to be accountable for them as for the rest and allowing so much to be spent in every Parish as shall be thought needful they may reduce the remnant to the aforesaid common Purse for common necessities until there be store of Priests
that other in place of this of Malta or besides this some other new Order were erected also in our Country of Religious Knights and m that their Rule might be to fight against Hereticks in whatsoever Country they should be imployed And when Heresies should fail that they then keep our Seas of England from Pirats and our Land from publick Theft binding themselves for their probation to serve in their Exercises the time that should be limited and for keeping the Land at home they might have other Companies and Confraternities under them much like to that called the Holy Hermandad in Spain which alone keepeth all these great and vast Kingdoms from Robberies And this Order of new English Knights might quickly be made a very flourishing Order being permitted also to Marry and they might take the Name and Protection of some Holy King of England or of all the Holy Kings joyntly or of St. George all which I leave to the Consideration of this Council to deal therein with the Prince and Parliament Animadversions on Chap. VII m THat their Rule might be to fight against Hereticks In this Chapter our Jesuit treats of his Council of Reformation he had great reason to avoid giving it the name of the Holy Council of Inquisition since how fond soever Portugal or Spain may be of an Inquisition it is odious to England and abominable and ought to be so to all Christians there being nothing more barbarous nor more diametrically contrary to the Religion of the Blessed Jesus than the Popish Inquisitions But this would have been very slender comfort to us in England since it seems we were to have had the Thing without the Name for the use the Jesuit would have had the young Popish Gentry of England put to in this Chapter is to have them listed into a Fraternity the business of which was to have been very honourable to them to wit to go a Dragooning about the Nation and to have hunted down the Protestants whom he here calls Hereticks like wild beasts and when they had thus Christianly rooted out all Protestants by this mild perswasive way out of this Nation then forsooth these wonderful valiant Knights were to have been sent abroad to purge the World of Heretie and after all our Seas of Pyrats and the Land of Thieve which if they had done I am sure England would have been rid of the Jesuits as well as of Protestants Nor is the Jesuit content with this for after a few years England was to have Name and Thing for when his Council of Reformation resign up their Authority he makes it necessary that they should leave some good and sound manner of Inquisition established for the Conservation of that which they have planted And indeed the Jesuit is in the right of it that a sound manner by which I know the Jesuit means a most severe and bloody manner of Inquisition is absolutely necessary either for the planting or the preserving such an absurd and ridiculous Religion as Popery is in England CHAP. VIII Of divers other Points that will belong to the Council of Reformation to deal in HItherto only hath been treated of Abby-Lands and Ecclesiastical Livings to be collected imployed and disposed by this Council and Religious Orders to be replanted but many other Points do yet remain for that the whole weight of Restitution both of the External and Internal face of our English Church and the perfect reparation both material and formal of the same will depend principally of the Authority Wisdom Zeal Magnanimity and Piety of this Council and for this purpose such principal branches as come now to my Mind I will here set down First of all it will appertain to these Men to send Commissioners abroad into the Realm and to have ordinary Correspondence in all the Shires of England thereby to advise from time to time what are the greatest wants and what first is to be remedied or provided for As for Example here Preachers here Confessors here Priests to say Mass here Seminaries here Schools here Monasteries here Colleges here Nunneries here Hospitals here building or enlarging or repairing of old Parish-Churches with their Sacristies or Revestries Tabernacles Church-Houses publick Crosses and the like whereof I shall treat more in some particular Chapters afterwards in the Second Part of this Memorial And for that the Reverence of Religion and motive of Devotion to the People doth greatly depend of these external things it must be one principal care of this Council to have them well reformed and practical Men sent about the same The like necessity will be also to augment the Livings of certain Curates and Pastors in many places and to increase in some others where one is not sufficient as commonly it will not be convenient for one only Priest to live any where alone if it may be remedied in respect of wanting a Confessor for himself or others when he should be sick except the Parish lay so near to some other as in all necessities they might give mutual help one to the other as if they lived together For singing and hearing of Mass also at the beginning order must be taken that divers Parishes repair to one upon Sundays and great Holy-days and that Priests be so distributed as they may supply the best that may be until better provision can be made and perhaps it would not be amiss to call in some stranger Priests for a time Men of Edification and Vertue such as might be procured by means of some Pious and Zealous Bishops of Foreign Countries and by Commendation and Election of some Religious Orders that keep Schools and do know the Vertue of every one and being requested by our Council of Reformation would have care to direct only such Men unto us as should be for the purpose who being divided about the Realm and convenient Stipends appointed them without appropriation of any Benefice for that would have inconvenience they would greatly ease and help our English Clergy until it be increased and grown stronger and these Strangers would serve to say Mass and administer some Sacraments in Parish-Churches and might supply also the Labour and Function of some Canons for singing in the Quire and divers Cathedral and Collegiate Churches where other Provision of our own Nation could not be so soon made And it perchance would be less hurt to pass on with these Strangers for a time who afterwards may be removed if they should not prove well than for haste and want to make up a number of unable or evil Priests of our own who would be ever after a Seed of Corruption and Disorder to the whole Realm of which point I shall say also more in the Second Part when I come to speak of Seminaries where no Priests at all could be planted at the beginning there some honest and discreet Person or Persons of the Parish or of the next to it though they be Lay-men were to be assigned to have
Societies and Confraternities are seen to be instituted in other Countries where Charity doth flourish and ought to be also in ours and the publick Prisons for this respect of the Shires were to be put in principal Towns and Cities where these Societies might be erected and an extract or summary of all the charitable works accustomed to be done in other great Cities by the Confraternities and other ways as namely in Rome Naples Milan Madrid and Seville were to be had and considered by our Council of Reformation and put in ure as much as might be conveniently in England A general Story of all the most notable things that have hapned in this time of Persecution were to be gathered and the matter to be commended to Men of Ability Zeal and Judgment for doing the same And when time shall serve to procure of the See Apostolick That due honour may be done to our Martyrs and Churches Chapels and other memories built in the place where they suffered and namely at Tyburn where perhaps some Religious House of the third Order of St. Francis called Capuchins or some other such of Edification and Example for the People would be erected as a near Pilgrimage or place of Devotion for the City of London and others to repair unto Before this Council make an end of their Office or resign the same which as before has been signified may be after some competent number of Years when they shall have settled and also secured the state of Catholick Religion and employed the Lands and Rents committed to their charge and this were to be done with the greatest expedition that might be it would be very much necessary that they should leave some good and sound manner of Inquisition established for the conservation of that which they have planted For that during the time of their authority perhaps it would be best to spare the name of Inquisition at the first beginning in so new and green a State of Religion as ours must needs be after so many Years of Heresie Atheism and other Dissolutions may chance offend and exasperate more than do good but afterwards it will be necessary to bring it in either by that or some other name as shall be thought most convenient for the time for that without this care all will slide down and fall again What form and manner of Inquisition to bring in whether that of Spain whose rigour is misliked by some or that which is used in divers parts of Italy whose coldness is reprehended by more or that of Rome it self which seemeth to take a kind of middle way between both is not so easie to determine but the time it self will speak when the day shall come and perhaps some mixture of all will not be amiss for England and as for divers points of the diligent and exact manner of proceeding in Spain they are so necessary as without them no matter of moment can be expected and some high Council of Delegates from his Holiness in this affair must reside in the Court to direct and to give heart and authority to the other Commissioners abroad as in Spain is used or else all will languish Their Separations of their Prisons also from concourse of People that may do hurt to the Prisoners is absolutely necessary as in like manner is some sharp execution of Justice upon the obstinate and remediless Albeit all manner of sweet and effectual means are to be tryed first to inform and instruct the Parties by Conference of the Learned and by the Labour and Industry of Pious and Diligent Men for which effect some particular method and order is to be set down and observed and more attention is to be had to this for that it is the gain of their Souls than to the execution only of punishment assigned by Ecclesiastical Canons though this also is to be done and that with resolution as before hath been said when the former sweet means by no way will take place And finally this Council of Reformation is to leave the Church of England and temporal state so far forth as appertaineth to Religion as a Garden newly planted with all kind and variety of sweet Herbs Flowers Trees and Seeds and fortified as a strong Castle with all necessary defence for continuance and preservation of the same so as England may be a spectacle for the rest of the Christian World round about it And Almighty God glorified according to the infinite multitude of dishonours done unto him in these late Years And for better confirmation of all points needful to Religion it would be necessary that either presently at the beginning or soon after some National Council of the English Clergy should be gathered and holden and to consider in particular what points of Reformation the Council of Trent hath set down and to give order how they may be put in execution with all perfection And finally besides these points touched by me for the Council of Reformation and this National Synod to look upon many more will offer themselves when the time shall come no less necessary and important perhaps than these which their charity and wisdom and quality of their Office will bind them to deal in for God's Service and the publick weal And I have only noted these thereby to stir up their memory to think of the rest CHAP. X. Of the Parliament of England and what were to be considered or reformed about the same or by the same FOR that the English Parliament by old received custom of the Realm is the Fountain as it were of all publick Laws and settled Orders within the Land one principal care is to be had that this high Court and Tribunal be well reformed and established at the beginning for a performance whereof certain Men may be authorized by the Prince and Body of the Kingdom to consider of the points that appertain to this effect and among other of these following First of the number and quality of these that must enter and have Voice in the two Houses And for the higher House seeing that Voices in old time put also divers Abbots as the World knoweth it may be considered whether now when we are not like to have Abbots quickly of such greatness and authority in the Commonwealth as the old were it were not reason to make some recompence by admitting some other principal Men of these Orders that had interest in times past as for example some Provincials or Visitors of St. Benet's Order seeing that the said Order and others that had only Abbots in England are now reformed in other Countries and have therein Generals Provincials and Visitors above their Abbots and with the same Reformation it will be convenient perhaps to admit them now into our Country when they shall be restored and not in all points as they were before Secondly about the Lower House it may be thought on whether the number of Burgesses were not to be restrained to greater Towns
and Cities only And for that in this House as well as in the Upper matters are handled that belong to the Realm in general whether some mixture of Ecclesiastical and Religious were not to be admitted as well as in the higher House as namely of some Deans or Archdeacons or of some heads of Colleges or Universities and some Provincials or Visitors or special Men to be chosen of some Religious Orders to be intermixt amongst the Burgesses and Knights of the Shires as Bishops and Abbots were amongst the Temporal Nobility of the higher House seeing that these Men both for Piety Prudence and Learning and for their experience in the Commonweal and practice abroad especially some of them that might be pickt out for the purpose may be presumed to be able to give as good advice in all points belonging to the good Laws and Ordinations for Manners and Government as Burgesses and Knights of the Shire that ordinarily are gathered for furnishing of this House and in particular they would have a special eye to the assurance and preservation of Catholick Religion which is a principal consideration For chusing of Knights of the Shires as also Burgesses a more perfect and exact Order were to be set down and less subject to partiality and corruption and Information were to be taken of their names and Religion And for Knights of the Shire perhaps it would not be amiss to give some hand in the matter at leastwise for a time to the Bishop of the Diocess to judge of their vertue and forwardness in Religion and to confirm their Election or to have a negative Unice when cause should be offered and that they made publick Profession of their Faith before their Election could be admitted or they take their way towards the Parliament At the first meeting the first consideration ought to be whether it be a full and lawful Parliament or no and that in both Houses and whether all Parties be there and whether any present have any impediment to be laid against him why he should be removed or not have Voice or whether such or such as be absent and may come shall have Voice when they come and such other like circumstances and all to be set down in writing by the Notaries or Secretaries of Parliament Men may be appointed to examine with what Authority old Priviledges or Pre-eminences have been taken from the Parliament in these latter Years especially since the entrance of Heresie to the end the Catholick Prince that God shall give us may be dealt withal to restore the same seeing it is for the good and service of the Realm After the first Decree whether it be a lawful Parliament or no the second should be n That every Man be sworn to defend the Catholick Roman Faith and moreover That it be made Treason for ever for any Man to propose any thing for change thereof or for the Introduction of Heresie And for more Peace Concord and Liberty of Voices it were good perhaps to use the custom of Venice and other Countries where Suffrages are given in secret by little Balls of different colours signifying Yea or No to the matters that are proposed It hath seemed to some Men that a good manner of proposing matters in the Parliament might be first to appoint four or five Commissioners together with the Speaker to view and examine the Bills that are to be exhibited and to reject such as be impertinent and for the other to propose so many in one day as time permitteth to open and lay down the reasons on the one side and on the other and if the matter be of doubt or of great importance then may the House award That the next day two Persons may speak upon the Proposition exhibited the one in favour the other against it to the end that upon the Third Day Men may give their Voices with more light and deliberation and if the thing be of small importance and easie it may be concluded the second Day upon the first Days Discussion only but not sooner And the days and matters appointed to be discussed should be registred and read publickly in the Parliament-House by the Secretary to the end that every Man might know what he were to deliberate or determine of the day following And thus much for the Order of proceeding But now for making of new Laws and Decrees in our Catholick Parliament these Notes following may be remembred among other To abrogate and revoke all Laws whatsoever have been made at any time or by any Prince or Parliament directly or indirectly in prejudice of the Catholick Roman Religion and to restore and put in full authority again all old Laws at ever were in use in England in favour of the same and against Heresies and Hereticks The Law of Mortmain whereby Men are forbidden to imploy their Goods upon pious works that be perpetual without particular Licence of the Prince is not in any other Kingdom where yet no such inconvenience is seen to ensue of overmuch to be given as is pretended by the motive of that Law And therefore seeing all pious works must begin again in England it were necessary perhaps that this restraint should be removed for a time at leastwise and Men rather animated than prohibited to give that way It may be examined by the Parliament whether Lady Elizabeth entered by good right or no to the Crown or at leastwise whether she were true and lawful Queen since the Declarations and Depositions published by Pius Quintus and if not then albeit for quietness sake and security of the Commonwealth it may be Decreed That all matters past by order of common Justice shall be ratified except only such open acts of manifest injustice as are notorious to all the World to have been done against Religion by manifest wrong as the injurious Condemnations of divers Catholicks and evident oppressions of some other Persons yet that all other Acts of Grace and matters of Gifts and Donations of Livings Titles Honours Offices and the like which she did as true Queen be ipso facto void and of no effect where notwithstanding may be a Proviso That whatsoever such benefit or grace she bestowed upon any known Catholick or Man of publick merit shall be holden for good in favour of the Catholick Religion so much persecuted under her Government And for all other her said gifts or graces to be either void or at leastwise suspended until they be confirmed again by the next Prince to ensue and some such Distinction and Declaration to be made seemeth necessary for many reasons Again it may be considered whether the first Parliament holden in this Queens days were a good and lawful Parliament or no by reason of the want of Bishops and of the open violence used unto them by the Laity And if it were not lawful that then all other Parliaments since that time depending thereon and wanting true Bishops may be
declared in themselves to have been of no force nor yet the Laws therein made and consequently to be frustrate and to be put out of the Book of Statutes except such as this Parliament shall think necessary to confirm and ratifie or make anew The Decree and Law for the faithful restitution of Abby-Lands and Ecclesiastical Revenues with the Moderation before specified is to be determined of among the very first points of importance and it were to be performed with a great alacrity and promptness of minds in all Men thereby to bind Almighty God to deal the more liberally also with us in all the rest that were to be done as no doubt but he would and after this many other particular Commissions and Subdelegations are to be given forth by the Prince and Parliament to particular Troops and Companies of Men for setting good order in divers matters as namely one very ample to the Council of Reformation before-mentioned for the reestablishing of Religion and for gathering up and disposing of the Ecclesiastical Rents and Revenues aforesaid And other were to be given out to certain principal Lawyers and others to reform the points that shall seem needful about our Common Laws Inns of Courts and the like as hath been mentioned another for the Universities another for the planting of Seminaries as well of our Nation as of our Neighbours Strangers for their Conversion and divers other such like weighty affairs are to be committed by different Commissions to able and fit Persons for putting our Commonwealth in joynt again except it shall seem best to commit the most of these matters by a general Commission to the Council of Reformation in form as hath been declared all which being confirmed by our Catholick Prince and See Apostolick may be executed sweetly and securely by the grace of God to his most high glory and everlasting good of our Realm And this is so much as I have to note for the present about this First Part concerning the whole Body of the Realm in general Now shall I speak somewhat of the two principal Members which are the Clergy and Temporalty in particular Animadversions on Chap. X. n THat every Man be sworn to defend the Catholick Roman Faith and moreover that it be made Treason for ever for any Man to propose any thing for change thereof In the late Popish Reign every one does remember what abundance of pains was taken to ridicule the Penal Laws and Test but especially the Test for the decrying of which all Mouths were opened all Pens employed even one of our own if we can with truth call our own that Scandal of Protestant Episcopacy Dr. Parker of Oxford and yet we see that how abominable soever a Test was in favour of the Church of England the Jesuit is for having one and that no body be admitted to suffrage in Parliament till he hath taken a swearing Test for Popery And just so it is with Penal Laws though those made against Papists which by the bye were made not against their perswasion in Religion but against the Treasons and Plots which as Papists they were ever and anon running into be abominable yet against Hereticks they are absolutely necessary When I first read this Chapter I could not but wonder at the Impudence of the Romish Priests in the late Reign that made such tragical Exclamations against Penal Laws but especially of the Jesuits who having this Memorial in their hands and admired by them should exclaim against sanguinary Laws when yet they were resolved as soon as they could get a Popish Parliament to have all the Laws that were ever made against Hereticks those for burning them at Stakes restored and put in full Authority God hath delivered us out of the hands of such abominable and bloody Hypocrites and may He ever preserve us from them who gave good words to the Protestant Dissenters that would be cajoled by them with their Mouths while they had destruction and ruine in their hearts against all Protestants whatsoever And at the same rate were too many Dissenters gull'd about the promised Liberty of Conscience that was to be established in Parliament to be made as firm as Magna Charta and it should have been made Felony or Treason and I know not what for any one in Parliament ever to have motioned a Repeal of it but now we see in the Memorial found in the late King's Closet what it was that was to be so firmly established we find that immediately it was to have been made Treason for ever for any Man to propose any change of Popery in England The SECOND PART of this MEMORIAL Touching the CLERGY I noted in the beginning the Clergy might be divided into Three principal Branches which are Bishops Priests and Religious Orders both of Men and Women and so according to this Division shall I prosecute this Memorial CHAP. I. Of the Clergy in general what they are and ought to do at the next change HAving to speak of the Clergy in general which God from the beginning of his Church vouchsafed to name his own Portion for that they were dedicated more particularly than other Men to his Divine Service and our Saviour to call them by the most honourable name of the light of the World and Salt of the Earth The first point of all to be remembred unto them seemeth to be that if ever there were a time wherein the effect of these names were needful to be shewed and put in execution it will be now at the beginning of our Countries next Conversion whose Fall and Affliction may perhaps in great part be ascribed to the wants of these effects in former times past And furthermore it may be considered that the State of the Clergy in England after a long desired Reduction and happy entrance of some Catholick Prince over us and after so long and bitter a Storm of cruel Persecution will be much like unto that which was of the general Church of Christendom in time of the first good Christian Emperor Constantine the Great after the bloody Persecutions of so many Infidel Tyrants that went before him for three hundred years together at what time as God on the one side provided so many notable zealous and learned Men for the establishing of his Church as appeareth by the three hundred and eighteen most worthy Bishops gathered together in the general Council of Nice so on the other side the Devil ceased not to stir up amongst the Clergy of that time divers and sundry Divisions Emulations and Contentions some of indiscreet zeal against such as had fallen and offended in time of Persecution and some other grounded upon worse causes of Malice Emulation and Ambition tending to particular interest whereby both that good Emperour in particular and all the Church of God in general were much troubled and afflicted and many good Men scandalized and God Almighty's Service greatly hindered and the common Enemy comforted And considering that the
other points of importance have been touched by me elsewhere concerning these matters as also about the new Militant Order that may be erected and brought in I shall here make an end both of this subject and of the Second Part of this Memorial appertaining to the Clergy The THIRD PART of this MEMORIAL Appertaining to the LAITY The Third and last that treateth of Laity or Temporalty hath three principal Heads or Members no less than the former to wit the Prince with his Council the Nobility and Commonalty of every one of which we shall speak in order as in the former Parts hath been done CHAP. I. Of the Laity or Temporalty in general BY that which I have spoken in the First Chapter and Second Part of this Memorial about Clergy-men the difference and distinction may appear that is betwixt these two principal branches of a Christian and Catholick Commonwealth to wit the Clergy and Laity which is a distinction observed from the very beginning of Christian Religion and the Primitive Church as may appear by the first second third eight seventy and divers other Canons of the first general Council of Nice where often mention is made of this distinction And before that again Tertullian a most learned and ancient writer not only setteth down the same distinctly of Clergy and Lay-men as received generally in his time but sheweth also and reprehendeth earnestly the Emulation and Envy that even then began by art of the Devil to be in divers of the Laity against the Clergy using the same objections that Luther and Calvin and other Hereticks of our time set on foot again now against the same sort of Men. When we Lay-men saith Tertullian ' in his Book de Monogamia become proud and are inflamed against the Clergy then we say we are all one and that all Men be Priests for that Christ made all Priests and unto God his Father but when we come to be exhorted and provoked to observe Priestly Discipline equally with them then we lay down our Vomits and confess that we are different and inferiour to them By which words of Tertullian we learn not only the great antiquity of this Distinction between Lay-men and Clergy-men but also the antiquity of that hatred and emulation which our times have received between these two States to the infinite hurt and prejudice of God's Catholick Church and in like manner the antiquity of that heretical Objection which Calvinists and Lutherans make against Clergy-men saying That all Men are Priests as well as they by which is seen that as God's Church hath been ever one from the beginning holding always this distinction of these two Members so hath also the Devil's malice been one from that time hither in setting divisions between the same The Derivation and Original of these two names is known to all the World being deducted of the Greek wherein Clergy signifieth Inheritance Lot or Portion which the holy ancient Father St. Hierome in a certain Epistle to one Nepotian saith may be understood in two ways and both of them true to wit for that either Clergy-men be the peculiar Inheritance Lot or Portion of God or for that Almighty God is the peculiar Inheritance Lot or Portion of Clergy-men above the rest of other People which People in the Greek Language is called Laity And we in England from the first time that we were Christians to explicate more the matter and to make the distinction betwixt these two sorts of Men more full and plain have used to call them the Temporalty and Clergy-men the Spiritualty and so we say in all the Acts of our Parliaments to wit the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in this present Parliament gathered together And the very Hereticks themselves that first envied so much against this distinction of Laity and Clergy are now come to use the very same speech and phrase in their Parliaments that is to say the Spiritualty and Temporalty for better understanding of which distinction of Spiritualty and Temporalty for that it is as I have said most ancient in our Realm it is to be considered that as in Man there are two parts first and principally the Soul which is a Spirit and endureth for ever and consequently the matters belonging thereunto are Spiritual and Eternal And Secondly the Body which endureth but for a time and therefore the things appertaining thereunto are called Temporal Even so for that the Office of the Clergy-men is principally about the Soul and Life to come and of Lay-men about matters appertaining to the Body and to the life present therefore the former are called Spiritual and the other Temporal whereof ensueth that as much as the Soul exceedeth the Body and Spirit excelleth Flesh and as much as the Life to come passeth the Life present and Eternity excelleth Time so much excelleth the State and Vocation of Clergy-men the State of Temporal men as St. Gregory Nazianzen St. Chrysostome and St. Ambrose three worthy Doctors of Christ's ancient Church in their several Treatises about Priesthood do declare notwithstanding that in their particular Lives a Lay-man may be better than a Clergy-man and be preferred before him in matters of his Salvation For more Explication whereof it is to be understood that Christ at his being upon Earth shewing his coming to be only for gaining of Souls would not meddle in Temporal Government but framed unto himself a new Order of the Clergy for this purpose choosing first Apostles and giving them authority to ordain others for their Successors by Imposition of Hands by the name of Bishops and besides these other inferiour Orders also by the name of Priests Deacons and the like and to this sort of People which he called the Light and Salt of the Earth he committed the managing of Souls and all authority and jurisdiction necessary for the same as to Teach Preach Baptise Administer Sacraments to bind and loose from Sin to correct and reprehend to make intercession by Prayer and finally the opening and shutting of the Gates of Heaven Which heavenly jurisdiction over Souls to the end he might shew how high and worthy a thing it was and not depending any way of the Temporal Jurisdiction and Government of Emperours Kings and Princes which respected Temporal ends but much higher and far more eminent he did ordain it and caused to be in practice for many Years together when all Temporal Princes of the World were Infidels and Enemies and knew not of this But yet on the other side was not this Government of Secular Princes impeached taken away or hindered by this other and different Spiritual Government of the Clergy but rather confirmed and established by the same so far forth as they tended to common Justice Peace Equity and Vertue which this Spiritual Government of Christ did principally procure as means as well to their ends that is to the Salvation of Souls as to the Temporal end of the Weal publick And therefore when afterwards Princes
began to be Christians and to subject themselves also to this Spiritual Government and Jurisdiction of Souls and to be Sheep of these Spiritual Pastors among the rest they were admitted without detriment or diminution of their Temporal State and Government so far forth as it concerned the Temporal good of the Commonwealth which is Peace Wealth Justice and the like but yet so as they should not meddle or challenge power in the Spiritual Jurisdiction of Souls but be subject therein and leave that Government to Clergy-men and Spiritual Governors appointed by Christ and put in authority for that purpose long before Temporal Princes came to be converted as hath been declared And therefore came the distinction of Spiritual Governors and Temporal Governors of Clergy-men and Lay-men of Christian Pastors and Christian Sheep in which number of Christian Sheep and Subjects all Princes of the World are to be accounted in respect of their Souls and in all points appertaining thereunto and in respect of their Spiritual Pastors And albeit here in this life among Flesh and Blood where matters of this World and Life present are more respected commonly being present and the object to our Senses than Spiritual matters are of the life to come which are not seen but believed only though I say the external shew power and terror of Temporal Princes be much more respected reverenced and feared than is the authority of Priesthood or Jurisdiction of Spiritual Governors yet in themselves there is no comparison as by the reasons before alledged doth evidently appear but that the authority of Priesthood is much more great high and worthy and more principal and ancient in the Church of Christ for that it was before the other many Years and is over and above the other and that so far forth as St. Paul in his first Epistle and fourth Chapter to the Corinthians hath these words If you have secular Judgments among you appoint for Judges the contemptible that be in the Church of Christ for that function which yet I speak saith he to your shame for that none of the wiser sort among you do end or take up these temporal strifes but one Christian accuseth another and that before secular Tribunals even of Infidel Princes Christ himself when he was requested to judge between two Brothers in a Temporal matter he refused the same as also fled when the People would have made him a Temporal King and finally he said his Kingdom was not of this World which was not to disallow or contemn Judgment or Temporal authority of this World or that he was not in truth most lawful King also of this World being the Judge Author and Creator thereof but all this was to shew the small account he made of all this Temporal power in respect of the power Spiritual over Souls which properly he came to exercise and to plant and settle in the Church after him unto which all Kings and Emperors that would be saved should subject themselves and their Sceptres as we read that our Great Constantine before named and first Christian Emperor of the World did and after him the most renouned of the rest as Valentinian the two Theodosius's Justinian Charles the great and others in the occasions that were offered did humble themselves unto their Pastors and Governors of Christ's Church shewing themselves thereby to be the true Nurses and Foster-Fathers of Christ's Church which Isaiah the Prophet had foretold should come and succeed in Temporal Christian Kingdoms and Monarchies And yet by this did they not lose or diminish one jot of Temporal authority height or Majesty but rather did greatly confirm and increase the same for that Spiritual Pastors and Governors of Souls do teach and command all due reverence and obedience to be done in Temporal matters to Temporal Princes and do exhibit the same also themselves and do punish the contrary by Spiritual and everlasting punishments as well as by the Temporal upon such as are wicked or rebellious therein so as both these Governments joyned together in a Christian Commonwealth and one not disdaining or emulating the other but honouring rather respecting and assisting the same all goeth well both for the Temporal and everlasting felicity of all And such as do set division betwixt these two States are very Instruments of Sathan such as are the Hereticks Politicks Atheists and other seditious People of our days And for that in no other Country of the World whilest ours flourished hath there been more union love honour and respect born betwixt these two Orders of Spiritual and Temporal Men than in England as may appear even to this day by the many Temporal Honours Prerogatives and Dignities given to our Clergy in the Parliament and other Temporal affairs and that the Emulation and breach between the same enkindled and set on by the Devil and wicked Men hath been a principal cause of the ruine both to Country and both Parts that were Catholick in times past as hath been said and seen for this cause I thought it not amiss to speak somewhat more largely of the matter in this place and by this occasion having mentioned the same in divers other places of this Memorial before as a matter of no small importance to be throughly remedied and reformed at the next change if God say Amen which remedy will be if the Clergy considering their high Vocation and Estate be not proud thereof nor ambitious but endeavour to conform their lives to so great worthiness of their Profession And if Lay-men on the other side considering the very same to wit the dignity and reverence due to such as have Jurisdiction and Government over their Souls and must open and shut the Gates of Heaven unto them do not malign and envy their Estate as miserable Chore Dathan and Abiron did but do seek rather to profit themselves thereby and willingly joyn with them to the procuring their own and other Men's Salvations And this is so much as is needful to be spoken in this place of the Laity or Temporalty in general for that afterward there will be place to speak of all particularities that shall occur in the several Chapters that shall ensue CHAP. II. Of the Prince and his Council and matters belonging to them AS the Prince in every Commonwealth is the Head and Heart from whence all life and vigour principally cometh unto the same so above all other things is it of importance that he be well affected and disposed and so much the more in England above other Countries by how much greater and eminent his authority is and power with the People more than in divers other places by which means it hath come to pass that England having had more store of holy Kings in ancient times than many other Countries together came to have Religion and Piety more abundantly settled by their means than divers Realms about them and on the contrary side her Kings and Princes of later years having