as well as in the Modern doth signifie narrow strait or a nook And a Portugal alluding thereunto hath this verse Anglia terra ferax fertilis Angulus Orbis Insula praedives quae toto vix eget orbe A fruitful Angle England Thou Another world art said An Island rich and hast no need of other Countrie 's aid And although after this many errours in Doctrine and corruptions in Worship crept in more and more into our Church and the Pope encroaching by degrees the Churches of God in this Land did much degenerate as they did in other Nations so that in Process of time the whole world wondered after the Beast and they Worshipped the Beast saying who is like unto the Beast Revel 13.3 4. Yet even in the darkest times when our Church suffered the greatest Ecclipse when her Silver was become Dross and her Wine was mixed with Water it pleased God then to raise up some eminent Persons to stand up for the Defence of the Truth in this Nation and to discover the impostures of the Church of Rome Yea how many were there that suffered Martyrdom for the Gospel here in England who detested Image-worship and other abominations in the dayes of King Henry the fourth King Henry the fift and others afterward long before Luther was born These and the like in other Nations may be called the forlorn Hope who did obequitare Antichristi castra ad pugnam elicere advance up to and ride round about the camp of Antichrist and provoke him to the main-fight What wonderfull deliverances hath God wrought for this Church and Nation in several ways When King Henry the eighth did renounce the Pope's Supremacy what plots were framed by diverse Princes against this Land to ruine it and how gratiously did the Lord protect his people here from such a storm though then he had but a very little flock in this place When Queen Mary matched with Philip of Spain in what apparent danger was this Land to fall into miserable servitude and bondage under the Iron-yoak of the Spainard's which diverse nations that have been subject to them have found intolerable The blind and bloody zeal of Queen Mary was likely to have rooted out all the plants of God's right hand in this Land and so have banished hence the true Church and Gospel of Christ and so to have shut this Kingdom out of the bounds of the Church There was great expectation of Issue by that Marriage between the Spanish Prince and Queen Mary who Her self also was a Spaniard by the Mother's side and Solemn Forms of Thanksgiving and Prayer were made for Her Conception and safe delivery and besides an Act passed in Parliament that if Queen Mary died in Child-bed King Philip should have the Government of this Land during the Child's Nonage and if these things had succeeded into what misery might this Land have fallen And besides had an Issue of that Marriage lived to Reign over England together with other Dominions of the Spaniard what had England been but an Inferiour Tributary Province to be Governed as it pleased the Spanish Nation even as was attempted in the Low-Countreys with Devilish cruelties to say nothing of their horrible Massacres in the West-Indies But here see the wonderful goodness of God who dwelt in the midst of this Church as a Refuge All this was prevented Queen Marie's supposed Conception vanished She was soon taken away by death and King Philip of Spain had no longer any Interest in England Queen Elizabeth a Noursing-mother to this Church Succeeded She was born September the seventh 1533. One calleth Her Angliae Delitias Mason consecr Epis Angl. Europae Sydus Mundi Phoenicem c. the joy of England the Star of Europe the Phoenix of the World a Glass of God's Providence and the Mirrour of His Mercy And as if the Devil had presaged what a scourge She would prove to the Roman greatness and suggested it to Pope Clement the seventh he is said to have made a Peremptory Decree against Her whilst She was in Her Mother's belly This Pope himself being the Bastard of Julian de Medicis a Florentine he avowed to make Her illegitimate and uncapable of the Crown The like did Pope Paul the third attempt viz. To make that Royal Princess illegitimate when She was but two years Old But as the Lord blessed Her then so he did wonderfully preserve her all her Sister's Reign when many plots were laid to take away her life But as Seneca told Nero it was impossible for him to kill that man that must be his heir so it was impossible for the malice of hell to accomplish the death of the Lady Elizabeth whom the only-wise God had appointed to be her Sister's Heir Ecclesiae Anglicanae reformationem desperasset aetas praeterita admiratur praesens obstupescet futura Scultet Annal. So great a Reformation She wrought in England that one saith of it The Gospel had a swift passage here by diligent Preaching by Printing good Books by translating the holy Scriptures into the Vulgar Tongue by Catechizing youth by publick disputations by recording the Martyrs such a thing as even the former age had even despaired of the present age admireth and the future shall stand amazed at It is evident that the Almighty God who delighteth to shew his power in Weakness was pleased in this Renowed Queen and her brother King Edward to let the world see what great things he was able to effect by a Child and a Woman But what a multitude of plots were contrived for the destruction of Queen Elizabeth when the next heir to the Crown was a Papist and an enemy to the truth of Christianity and married to the Prince of France so that had these plots succeeded England in all probability had been subjected to France in point of Civil Government and to the Roman power in matters of Religion Admire again the singular goodness of God in protecting Queen Elizabeth and whilst the enemies of the Church were seeking ruine in the destruction of Her Royal Person the French King that had Married the next heir to the English Crown dieth and leaveth her a Widow without Issue and she not many years after became a prisoner So eminent was Queen Elizabeth that Thuanus a professed Roman Catholick but very ingenious said he heard the old Dutchess of Guise whose sons were of the greatest Enemies that Queen Elizabeth had to say that she was faelicissima gloriosissima faemina a most happy and a most glorious Woman We know who made her to differ and that she had not any thing which she had not received from above therefore let us give the praise of all to God who appointed her I am perswaded to build the old wast places to raise up the foundations of many generations she found the Kingdom weak she left it strong she found it poor she left it rich they that were enemies to her and the Gospel which they professed and
Thomas Walsingham saith That about this time the Pope requiring it the Churches of England were taxed according to their true value to raise his Dismes and exactions higher In the same year 1290. the King out of his zeal to Christian Religion banished all the Jews out of England by a publick Act in Parliament The Jews banished out of England by Act of Parliament and Confiscated all their Houses and Lands for their Infidelity Blasphemy Crucifying of Children in contempt of Christ Crucified and clipping of his Coyn. In August they were commanded to depart the Land with their Wives and Children between that time and the Feast of all Saints with their moveable Goods Their number was said to be sixteen thousand five hundred and eleven they were banished never to return again into England There hapning many contests between the Bishop of Lincoln and the Masters and Scholars of the University of Oxford concerning the Presentation and Confirmation of their Chancellor whether he ought to come out of the University in Person to the Bishop or to be admitted by his Proxies the King by his Prerogative to advance Learning and settle Peace between them made a friendly accord for the future Pope Nicholas preferring his own lucre and favour of King Edward and his Chaplains before God's Service or Peoples Souls against sundry Canons Licensed twenty of the King's Clerks imployed in his service which he should nominate to be Non-residents from their Ecclesiastical Benefices for ten years space This year the King confirmed the grant of several Tithes Churches and Advousons formerly made by Robert de Candos to the Monastery of Bek and Goldclive Then Peter de Divion Abbot of Rewley an Alien born in France and most Abbots and Priors that were Aliens took an Oath and gave sufficient Pledges for their Fidelity and true Allegeance to the King in that Age especially in time of War and not to send the Goods of their Monasteries out of the Realm which they frequently did to the Kingdoms prejudice The King issuing a Dedimus potestatem to the Abbot of Thame to take this Oath of Peter de Divion the Abbot endorsed this return thereon Ego Frater Johannes Abbas de Thame virtute istius Mandati recepi Sacramentum Dom. Petri de Divione Abbatis de Regali loco juxta Oxon. apud Oxon. Dominica in festo Apostolorum Simonis Judae etiam recepi Manucaptores ipsius Domini Petri Abbatis de Regali loco viz. Johannem de Doclynton Majorem Villae Oxon. Johannem de Crokesford Juniorem Ricardum Cary Johannem de Fallee Johannem le Peyntour Burgensis dictae Villae Oxon. Qui conjunctim divisim manuceperunt dictum Dom. Petrum Abbatem de Regali loco quod idem Abbas bene fideliter erga dominum Regem se habebit omnia alia in Brevi isto contenta perficiet observabit The King granted two hundred pounds to the Pope's Chaplain in Scotland for his expences pains and labour therein taken in the service of Queen Margaret deceased The same year William de Luda was elected and confirmed Bishop of Ely This year the King gave several sums of Money to buy Books and Ornaments for Religious Houses that were burnt in Gascoign and England The King converted the Profits of the Archbishoprick of York then void to the repairing and building the Castle of Carnarvan in Wales after his Conquest thereof Parker de Antiqu Eccles Anglic. f. 205. Anno 1290. Matthew Parker Archbishop of Canterbury storieth that John Peckham Archbishop of Canterbury this year after the visitation and subjugation of his whole Province summoned a Council of his Clergy at Reding wherein he propounded the drawing of all causes concerning Advousons meerly belonging to the King 's Temporal to their Ecclesiastical Courts and to cut off all Prohibitions to them from the King's Courts in personal Causes Which the King hearing of expresly commanded them by special Messengers to desist from it whereupon this Council was dissolved In the nineteenth year of King Edward the First Queen Eleanor deceasing in December the King thereupon out of his devotion according to the practice of that blind Age on January the fourth issued a Writ to all the Religious Houses and Monks of Cluny in England to sing Masses and Prayers for her Soul to purge it from all the remaining spots of sin and to certifie him the number of the Masses they would say for her that proportionably he might thank them William Thorn saith that the Prior of Christ-church in Canterbury granted to the King in the Feast of the Translation of St. Edward fifty Hymns and two thousand three hundred and fifty Masses for the Souls of his Progenitors and Queens of England as a great extraordinary Liberality and Spiritual Alms. The Abbot of Condam also sent a Letter to the King to inform him what Prayers Masses and Anniversaries He and his Monastery had ordered for the Queens speedy translation to Heavenly Joyes Anno 1292. died John Peckham Archbishop of Canterbury and Pope Nicholas also died who sate four years one month and eighteen dayes after whose death one delivered this Verse for an Epitaph Gloria laus speculum fratrum Nicolae Minorum Te vivente vigent te moriente cadunt The Frier Minors pride insolency and avarice was great while they lived who were both of their Order Archbishop Peckham's death this year put a period to the Contests between him and the Abbot of St. Augustines King Edward in the twentieth year of his Reign out of his blind devotion and love to his late deceased Consort Queen Eleanor instituted a solemn Anniversary to be kept for her every year Issuing sums of Money and granting several Manors and Lands to the Abbot and Covent of Westminster for that end Claus 20. Edw. 1. wherein he prescribed how many Tapers and of what weight they should find how many and what Masses Dirges Pater-nosters Ave-Maries they should sing and what Alms they should distribute to the poor for her Soul obliging the Abbot Prior and Monks by a solemn Oath duly to perform the same under pain of forfeiting all their Goods Chattels and the Lands thus given to them for this end Anthony Bishop of Durham erecting the Parish-Churches of Chester and Langechester which were very rich and large into a Deanary and seven Prebendaries for the advancing of God's Service and the good of the peoples Souls and obliging the Dean and Prebends by Oath to personal Residence thereon and discharge of their duties and God's Service therein according as he had prescribed by his Ordinances and Charters The King to promote God's Service and the good of his Peoples Souls ratified the Bishop's Ordinances by two Charters which recite them warranting the division of great and rich Parishes and Bishopricks into many and obliging the Dean Prebends Ministers Chaplains thereof by Oath to personal Residence and discharge of their Duties and Divine offices therein John Lythgraines and Alice
Lent the Embring weeks and Rogation severely kept not now by vertue of the Statute as in the time of King Edward but as appointed by the Church in her publick Calendar before the Book of Common-Prayer The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper celebrated in a Reverend manner the Table seated in the place of the Altar In the Court the Liturgy was officiated every day both Morning and Evening not onely in the publick Chappel but the private Closet celebrated in the Chappel with Organs and other Musical Instruments and the most excellent voices both of men and children that could be got in all the Kingdom The Gentlemen and Children in their Surplices and the Priests in Copes as oft as they attended the Divine Service at the Altar The Altar furnished with rich Plate two fair gilt Candlesticks with Tapers in them and a Massy Crucifix in midst thereof Which last remained there for some years The antient Ceremonies customably observed by the Knights of the Garter in their Adoration toward the Altar were by this Queen retained as formerly in her Father's time The solemn Sermons Preached upon each Wednesday Friday and Lords-day in the time of Lent Preached by the choycest of the Clergy she devoutly heard attired in black according to the custom of her Predecessors The Bishoprick of Carlile was first profered to Bernard Gilpin Fuller Church History of Britain Rector of Houghton in the North but Mr. Gilpin refused the offer not that he had any disaffection to the Office but because he had so much kinred about Carlile at whom He must either connive in many things not without hurt to himself or else deny them not without offence to them It was afterward given to Dr. John Best as was shewed before As for Miles Coverdale formerly Bishop of Exeter he hever returned to his See but remained a private Minister to the day of his death Such of the Scots as desired a Reformation of Religion taking advantage by the Queen's abscence and want of power in the Queen Regent to suppress their practices had put themselves into a Body Headed by some of the Nobility they take unto themselves the name of the Congregation managing their own Affairs apart from the rest of the Kingdom They petition the Queen Regent and the Lords of the Council that the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper might be administred in both kinds That divine Offices might be celebrated in the vulgar Tongue and that they might have the choice of their own Ministers The chief of the party well backed by the common people put themselves into Perth the news whereof occasioneth Mr. Knox to leave Geneva and joyn himself to the Lords of the Congregation At Perth he Preacheth against Images Idolatry and other Superstitions of the Church of Rome so bitterly that the people in a popular fury deface all the Images in that Church and presently demolish all Religious Houses in that City Those of Couper hearing of it forthwith destroyed all Images and pulled down the Altars in that Church also The like was done after his Preaching at Craile and St. Andrews in those places They burnt down the rich Monastery of Scone and ruined that of Cambuskenneth demolished all the Altars Images and Covents of Religious persons in Sterling Lithgow Glascough Edenburgh which last they possess and put up their own Preachers into all the Pulpits of that City not suffering the Queen Regent to have the use of one Church onely for her own devotions They alse deprive the Queen Regent of all place and power in the publick Government But she gathering Forces recovereth Edenborough and the chief key of all that Kingdom garisoned by the French In their extremity Maitland and Melvin being dispatched to the Court of England imploring aid from Queen Elizabeth And an Army is sent into Scotland of six thousand Foot and three thousand Horse commanded by the Lord Gray Some Ships were also sent to block up the haven and hinder all Relief which might come by Sea to the Town of Leith At length after divers Articles signed and confirmed for both Kingdoms the French take their leave of Scotland and the English Army was disbanded at Berwick As the Congregation was by the Queen put upon a present confidence of going vigorously on in their Reformation so it concern'd them to proceed so carefully in pursuance of it as might comply with the dependance which they had upon her First Therefore they bound themselves by their subscription to embrace the Liturgy with all the Rites of the Church of England which for a time remained the onely form of Worship for the Kirk of Scotland In the next place They cause a Parliament to be called in the moneth of August for the Boroughs there appeared the accustomed number but of the Lords Spiritual no more than six Bishops of thirteen with thirteen Abbots and Priors and the Temporal Lords to the number of ten Earls and as many Barons Three Acts were passed to the advantage of the Reformation The first was for the abolishing the Pope's Jurisdiction and Authority within the Realm The second for annulling all Statutes made in former times for maintenance of Idolatry and Superstition The third for the punishing the Sayers and Hearers of the Mass To this Parliament also some of the Ministers presented a Confession of the Faith and Doctrine to be believed and professed by the Protestants of the Kirk of Scotland which being put to the Vote was opposed but by three of the Temporal Lords The Popish Prelates were silent in it which being observed by the Earl Marshal he broke out into these words Seeing saith He that my Lords the Bishops who by their Learning can and for the zeal they should have to the Truth ought as I suppose to gainsay any thing repugnant to it say nothing against the Confession we have heard I cannot think but that it is the very Truth of God and that the contrary of it is false Doctrine The Queen was now as active in advancing the Reformed Religion in Ireland as she had been in either of the other Kingdoms A Parliament is therefore held on January 12. where past an Act restoring to the Crown the ancient Jurisdiction over all Ecclesiastical and Spiritual Persons By which Statute were established both the Oath of Supremacy and the High Commission as before in England There past also an Act for the Uniformity of Common-Prayer Heylin's Hist of Q. Elizab. c. with a permission for saying the same in Latin in those Churches where the Minister had not the knowledge of the English Tongue The people by that Statute are required under several penalties to frequent their Churches and to be frequent at the reading the English Liturgy which they understand as little as the Mass by which means the Irish were kept in ignorance as to the Doctrines and Devotions of the Church of England There also past another Statute for restoring to the Crown the first-fruits and twenty
under the burden of that payment and the twentieth part of those which were not To which the Bishop added at several times the sum of nine hundred pound one shilling eleven pence the Dean and Chapter one hundred thirty six pound thirteen shillings four pence By all which and some other little helps the work was carried on so fast that before the end of April 1566. the Timber-work of the Roof was not onely fitted but compleatly covered And now the Pope's Nuncio being advanced already in his way to England as far as Flanders expecteth the Queen's pleasure touching his admittance for the Pope could not be taken off from sending his Nuncio to the Queen with whom he conceived himself to stand upon termes of Amity But the Queen persevered in her first intent affirming she could not treat with the Bishop of Rome whose authority was excluded out of England by consent of Parliament The greatest obstacle to the Nuncio's coming was partly laid by the indiscretion of some Papists in England and partly by the precipitancy of the Pope's Ministers in Ireland for sundry ill-disposed persons upon the noise of the Nuncio's coming not onely brake the Laws made against the Pope and his Authority but spread abroad slaunderous reports that the Queen was at the point to change her Religion and alter the government of the Realm Some also had practised with the Devil by Conjurations Charms and casting of Figures to be informed in the length of her Majesties Reign And on the other side the Pope's Legate being at the same time in Ireland joyned himself to some desperate Traitors who stirred up rebellion there and as much as in him was had deprived the Queen of all Right and Title to that Kingdom Upon which grounds it was carried clearly at the Council-boord against the Nuncio notwithstanding the Intercession of the French the Spaniard or the Duke of Alva Yet notwithstanding the Emperor Ferdinand sends to perswade the Queen to return to the old Religion at least that she would set apart some Churches to the use of the Catholicks To whom she answered That she had setled her Religion on so sure a Bottom that she could not easily be changed And for granting Churches to the Papists it did not consist with the Polity and good Laws of the Land Then divers abuses arising in the Church Archbishop Parker found it necessary to have recourse unto the power which was given to him by the Queen's Commission and by a clause of the Act of Parliament For the Vniformity of Common-Prayer and service in the Church c. As one of the Commissioners for causes Ecclesiastical he was authorized with the rest of his Associates To reform redress order correct and amend all such Errors Heresies Schismes Abuses Offences Contempts and Enormities whatsoever as might from time to time arise in the Church of England And in the passage of the Act forementioned it was provided That all such Ornaments of the Church and the Ministers thereof should be retained as were in the Church of England by Authority of Parliament in the second year of King Edward the Sixth untill further order should be taken therein from the Queen's Majesty c. And also if there shall happen any contempt or irreverence to be used in the Rites of the Church by the misusing of the Orders of the said Book of Common-Prayer the Queen might by the advise of the Commissioners or Metropolitan ordain or publish such further Ceremonies or Rites as should be most for the advance of God's glory the edifying the Church c. Hereupon the Archbishop by the Queen's consent and the advice of some of the Bishops sets forth a certain Book of Orders to be diligently observed and executed by all persons whom it might concern Heylin Hist of Q. Elizab. An. Reg. 3. In which it was provided That no Parson Vicar or Curate of any exempt Church should from thenceforth attempt to conjoyn by solemnization of Matrimony any not being of his or their Parish-church without good Testimony of the Bains being ask'd in the several Churches where they dwell or otherwise were sufficiently Licensed That no other days should be observed as Holy-days and Fasting-days but onely such as be expressed in the Calendar lately set forth by the Queen's Authority That neither the Curates or Parents of Children which are brought to Baptism should answer for them at the Font but that the antient use of Godfathers and Godmothers should still be retained and that in all such Churches in which the steps to the Altar were not taken down the said steps should remain as before they did That the Communion-Table should be set in the said place where the steps then were or had formerly stood and that the Table of the Decalogue should be fixed upon the wall over the said Communion-Table This year the Merchants Tailors School in London was founded first by the Master Wardens and Assistants of the Company of Merchants Tailors whence it had the name and by them founded for a Seminary to St. John's in Oxford built and endowed at the sole costs of one of their Livery But of a far more private nature was the Foundation of another Grammar School in the Town of Sandwich built at the charge of Sir Roger Manwood and endowed with forty pound per annum The Council of Trent being now opened it was said in that Council that iâ— was good to let the Protestants alone and not name them alledging the danger of moving ill humors in a Body which was then quiet To give a safe conduct to the English-men which neither They nor any of them did require were a great indignity They were content it should be given to the Scots because their Queen would demand it but so as that the demand should first be made But the English Protestant Bishops would not venture themselves into that Council on such weak assurance considering how ill the safe conduct had been formerly kept to John Hus and Jerom of Prague at the Council of Constance And the Queen kept the Papal party safe from gadding thither Then Scipio a Venetian Gentleman formerly acquainted with Master Jewel whil'st he was a Student at Padua wrote now an expostulating Letter unto him being lately made Bishop of Sarisbury in which he much admireth that England should send no Ambassador nor Letter nor Message to excuse their Nation 's absence from the General Appearance of Christianity in that Council c. Bishop Jewel returned him such an Answer that neither Scipio himself nor any other of that party durst reply upon him The Answer is to be found at large at the end of the History of this Council Translated by Sir Nathanael Brent At this time it was advised by Lewis Prince of Conde the Cardinal Chastilion and other principal leaders of the Protestant party in France that they should put themselves under the protection of the Queen of England who had not long before so seasonably relieved
Earl of Holland and the Lord Capel were executed March 9. but the Earl of Norwich and Sir John Owen were pardoned The Commons set forth a Declaration to justifie their proceedings They promise the establishment of a firm and safe Peace the advancement of the true Protestant Religion the liberal maintenance of a godly Ministry c. They pass an Act for propagating the Gospel in Ireland March 8. April 10. 1649. An Act was passed by the Commons for the sale of Deans and Chapters Lands and for the abolishing of Deans Deans and Chapters Canons Prebends c. and Tithes of or belonging to any Cathedral or Collegiate Church in England and Wales but it was provided That this should not extend to the Colledge of St. Mary in Winchester nor to the Colledge of Eaton nor to any of the Mannors Lands Tenements and Hereditaments to them belonging June 2. 1649 An Act was passed for the better maintenance of Preaching Ministers and School-masters out of the Lands of Deans and Chapters throughout England and Wales in such places where maintenance is wanting and for other good uses to the advancement of true Religion Piety and Learning And the Commissioners of the Great-Seal of England issued forth Commissions under the Great Seal into all the Counties of England and Wales to such persons as by the Parliament were nominated giving them power by the Oathes of good and lawful men c. to find out the true value of all Parsonages and Vicarages presentative and all other Ecclesiastical Livings with care of Souls within such Cities and Counties and to certifie into the Chancery what each of them were really worth per Annum the names of the Incumbents Proprietors and Possessors thereof and of such as receive the profits who supplies the Cure what he hath for his Sallary how many Chappels are belonging to one Parish and how situate and fit to be united and how the Churches and Chappels are supplied by Preaching Ministers that so a course be taken for the providing both for Preaching and maintenance where the same should be found to be needful About this time some Dissenters in the Army called Levellers drew together five thousand Horse and Foot at Burford Colonel Reinolds fell in upon them with a greater Body than they had and routed them taking nine hundred Horse and four hundred Foot prisoners whereof one Thomson and two more principal Leaders were immediately shot to death who died resolutely Cornet Den an Army-preacher Flageilum or the life and death of O. C. p. 83. expressing his grief and sorrow was reprieved at the Instant of execution which their Fellows beheld from the leads of the Church The Rest by Cromwells mediation were all pardoned and sent home to their own houses This proved the utter suppression of that faction and rendred the Army entirely at his Command so that they presently submitted to the lot which Regiments should be sent to Ireland then almost reduced to the King's obedience by the Marquess of Ormond Cromwell was ordained Commander in chief of the Forces appointed for Ireland and tituladoed with the style of Lord Governour of Ireland while the Lord Fairfax was left here to attend the Parliament He with a potent Army landed at Dublin The Marquess of Ormond had besieged Dublin but the siege was raised by Colonel Michael Jones Governour of Dublin with the utter defeat of the Marquesses Army And the siege of London-derry was raised by Sir Charles Coot sallying out of the Town Cromwel takes Drogheda by Storm and puts all in it to the Sword After this in less than a year most of the Cities and Towns in Ireland were taken and that whole Kingdom in a manner subdued to the power of the Common-Wealth of England and the Marquess of Ormond and all that oppose their Authority withdrew themselves But a little before Colonel Rich received a Brush from my Lord Broghil in the County of Cork where the Bishop of Rosse being taken was hanged July 19. 1649. An Act was passed by the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England for the promoting and propagating the Gospel of Christ in New England And a general Collection was made in and through all the Counties Cities Towns and Parishes of England and Wales as the foundation for so pious an undertaking c. King Charles the Second being now at Jersey part of the English Fleet was sent to attacque that Island which put the King upon a speedy remove from thence into France where he resided till the time appointed for the Treaty at Breda which drew near and then he repaired thither The Committee of the Estates of Scotland having concluded with the King at Breda all correspondence with the English was by Proclamation forbidden and all manner of provision stopped from being carryed into England though the Juncto at Westminster had used all Artifices to keep the Scots from closing with the King 1650. During the Treaty at Breda the Marquess of Montrosse landed in the Isles of Orkney with fifteen hundred Armes and five hundred German Souldiers and after he had gathered more strength he was defeated by Colonal Straughan taken and brought to Edinburgh where he is brought to his Trial condemned and executed The rigorous prosecution of the Marquess of Montrosse in that violent manner was chiefly from the instigation of the Kirk by which long before he had been Excommunicated Concerning which he spake to the people in this manner upon the Scaffold What I did in this Kingdom was in obedience to the most just Commands of my Sovereign for his defence in the day of his distress against those that rose up against him I fear God and honour the King according to the Commandments of God and the Law of Nature and Nations c. It is objected against me by many even good people that I am under the censure of the Church this is not my fault since it is onely for doing my duty by obeying my Prince's most just Commands for Religion his Person and Authority yet am I sorry they did Excommunicate me and in that which is according to God's Laws without wronging my Conscience or Allegiance I desire to be relaxed If they will not I appeal to God who is the Righteous Judge of the World and who must and will I hope be my Judge and Saviour The King was much troubled at the Scots severity against this Noble Marquess After this the King lands in Scotland and is Proclaimed King at Edinburgh Cross But his Majesty had not been long among the Scots but they began according to their usual manner of Kirk Authority and Discipline to obtrude upon the King such curbing conditions as but ill-suited with Regal dignity Then the Common-wealth of England sent an Army against Scotland and Cromwel is made General of the Parliament's Forces instead of Lord Fairfax and about the end of June he marched towards Berwick in order to his advance into Scotland The Scots raise an Army
Parliament House and Order seven Commissioners for the management of the Army Colonel Morley upon this change had his Regiment restored and with it the Government of the Tower conferred on him The Irish Brigade was brought off to General Monk by Redman and Bret. Dublin-castle is surprized and Sir Charles Coot reduceth all Connaught to a compliance with the present Design The Lord Fairfax and several of Monk's party joyning with him rise in York-shire Now General Monk begins his march into England By that time he came to Morpeth he was informed that Lambert's whole party was of themselves dispersed into several quarters in submission to the Parliament's Orders There he receive's an Address from the City of London by Mr. William Man their Sword-bearer as likewise from the Gentry of the Countrey in all parts as he marched along The new restored Members on January 2. name 31. Counsellors of State passing an Act for their Constitution and several Instructions for them to Act by among which it was provided that â—one should sit but such as should take an Oath of Abjuration of the King His family and Government The Oath was opposed by divers of the House Scot and Robinson are sent from the House to complement and attend General Monk upon his journey Mr. Clarges gives him an account how affairs stand at London he sends a letter by Mr. Clarges to the House from St. Albans Several addresses are made to him in his March pleading for a free Parliament He marcheth with his forces into the City of London Being come to the Council of State the Oath of Abjuration was tendred to him which he refuseth to take He is conducted with much Ceremony into the House where he receives the gratulations of the House The City continued malecontent whereupon the General is Ordered by the Council of State to march into the City and pull down the Gates and Percullices of the City which he unwillingly caused to be done The same day a Factious party of Citizens presented a Petition to the House by one Praise-God Barebone to countenance the Action The General sends a letter to the House signed by Himself and several Officers complaining against the admission of Ludlow and others into the House that had been by Sir Charles Coot accused of high Treason and that they had countenanced too much a late Petition to exclude the most sober and conscientious both Ministers and others by Oaths from all employment and maintenance he requested them that by Friday next they should Issue out Writs to fill up their House and when filled should rise in some short time to give place to a full and free Paliament Scot and Robinson are sent from the House to the General with their answer to his letter The General excuseth his late proceedings in the City before the Lord Mayor and Common Council of the City He tells them what he had written to the House touching a free Parliament The City joyfully receives the news of a free Parliament The Council of State write to him to desire his presence with them but he excuseth his stay in the City for some longer time till the minds of the Citizens were more composed The City and Chief Officers of his Army disswade him from going to White-hall The General is sollicited from all parts to admit the secluded Members He admits of a conference before him of the sitting with some of the secluded Members The Officers of the Army consent to the admission of the secluded Members upon certain conditions The General and the Officers at length agree upon their admission and on the Tuesday morning following they were guarded to the House and took their places in the Parliament Then was a letter signed by the General and his Chief Officers drawn up and Copies of it sent to all the Regiments and Garrisons in England and to the Commanders in Chief of the Armies in England Scotland and Ireland to acquaint them with what he had done The Parliament repealed the Act for the Council of State and the Oath of Abjuration and passed an Act for another Council consisting of one and thirty persons most of them men of integrity and well-affected to Kingly-government Then the General sends Colonel Fairfax to take possession of Hull and Colonel Overton submits to his Orders The Army in Scotland were well-satisfied with the General 's Actions About the thirteenth of March the Parliament abrogated the Engagement appointed formerly to be taken by each Member of Parliament in these words viz. I do declare and promise That I will be true and faithful to the Common Wealth of England as the same is now established without King or House of Lords and appointed it should be taken off the file and made Null The Common Wealth Faction desire the General rather to take the Government upon himself than to bring in the King and treat with him about it The General refuseth their offer Then the Republicans attempt to make a mutiny in the Army The long Parliament was now dissolved The King removes to Breda The Council of State appointed by the late Parliament set forth a Proclamation for the preventing of tumults Lambert escape's out of the Tower Colonel Ingoldsby and Colonel Streater march against Lambert defeat his party and take him prisoner Colonel Lambert Colonel Cobbet and Major Creed are sent prisoners to the Tower Hereupon several seditious Pamphlets were published in Print and dispersed to deprave the mindes of the people and Tickets were thrown into the Courts of Guard in the night to divide the Souldiers But none of them was penned with more virulency and malice than that suppositious paper carrying in it's Frontispiece A letter from Bruxels c. Several letters were also sent to the General from unknown hands Then came forth a Declaration of the Nobility and Gentry that adhered to the late King residing in and about the City of London A new Parliament met at Westminster April 25. 1660. The Lords chose the Earl of Manchester to be their Speaker and the House of Commons Sir Harbottle Grimston On April 27. Sir John Greenvil presents the General with a Commission from His Majesty to Constitute him Captain General of all the Armies of England Scotland and Ireland and a letter for the Council of State The Letter had a Declaration in it which were both read in the House After the reading thereof the House of Lords voted That according to the Antient and fundamental Laws of this Kingdom the Government is and ought to be by King Lords and Commons The Officers of the Army present an Address to the General in compliance with His Majestie 's Letter and Declaration it is read by the Commons and approved Commissary Clarges is appointed by the General to wait upon the King with this Address Six of the Lords and of the Commons and divers Aldermen and divers Episcopal and Presbyterial Divines and some other eminent Citizens are sent to attend on his Majesty
who had entertained Thomas at Sens passed over into England to Worship him and made his Devotions to his Relicks Then Richard Prior of Dover who divided Kent into three Archdeaconries was made Archbishop of Canterbury Fabian saith Fabian in Henry 2. He was a man of evil living and wasted the goods of the Church inordinately A Synod was called at Westminster the Pope's Legat being present thereat where was a great Contention between the two Archbishops of Canterbury and York for Precedency words begat blowes and the Archbishop of Canterbury's party pulled York from his Seat to the ground and tore his Casule Chimer and Rochet from his Back and put the Legat in such fear that he ran away The next day after York Appealeth to Rome Here the Pope interposed and to end old divisions made a new distinction Entitling Canterbury Primate of all England and York Primate of England King Henry died at Chinon in Normandy and was buried with very great Solemnity in the Nunnery of Font-Everard in the same Countrey a Religious House of his own Foundation and Endowment At that time were many Married Priests in Britain His Son Richard the first sirnamed Coeur de Lyon succeeded him and on September 3. was crowned at Westminster of Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury Then this King ordained the City of London to be ruled by two Bailiffs The two first Bailiffs were Henry Chornhil and Richard Fitz-River In the time of the Coronation of the King multitudes of the Jews in this Land were destroyed The King in part of satisfaction for his trespass against his Father for Queen Elianor and his Sons had sided with the King of France against him agreed with Philip the French King to take upon them the recovery of the Holy Land Fabian Chron. King Richard gave over the Castles of Barwick and Roxburgh to the Scottish King for the sum of ten thousand pounds He passed away the Earldom of Northumberland unto Hugh Pudsey Bishop of Durham for a great sum of Money for term of life scoffing that he had made a young Earl of an old Bishop Besides by the commandment of Pope Clement the third a tenth was exacted of the whole Realm Fox Acts and Monuments The King set over the Realm as principal in his absence the Bishop of Ely his Chancellor and the Bishop of Durham whom he ordained to be Chief Justice of England Ely to have custody of the Tower with the oversight of all other parts of the Land on this side Humber and Durham to have charge over all other his Dominions beyond Humber The Pope also made William Bishop of Ely his Legate through all England and Scotland As for Men and Souldiers the Prelates Friars and other Preachers had stirred up innumerable by their manifold exhortations the Archbishop of Canterbury having travelled through Wales in Person for that purpose in Pulpits and private Conferences Then King Richard with some of our English Nobility who adventured their Persons in the Holy War crossed the Seas into France to Philip King thereof After some necessary stayes having passed the River Rhene at Lions they parted company Philip marching over the Alpes into Italy and King Richard to the Sea-side at Marsilia there to meet with his Navy King Richard's Fleet of Ships being not come he embarked himself in twenty hired Galleys and ten great Busses a kind of Shipping then peculiar to the Mediterranean Seas and set Sayl toward Messana in Sicily the Rendezvouz of both the Kings and their Armies In which passage King Richard lying at Anchor on occasion in the mouth of the River Tiber not far from Rome Octavianus the Bishop of Hostia repaired unto him desiring him in the Pope's name that he would visit his Holiness which the King denied to do alleadging that the Pope and his Officers had taken 700 Marks for Consecration of the Bishop of Mains 1500 Marks for the Legative power of William Bishop of Ely but of the Archbishop of Burdeaux an infinite sum of Money whereupon he refused to see Rome King Richard studying to fit himself for the great attempt he had in hand called before him his Archbishops and Bishops that accompanied him into a Chappel at the House where he was lodged where he made a penitent confession of his sins humbly Praying to God for Mercy and them as his subordinate Ministers for Absolution and God saith R. Hoveden respected him with the eyes of Mercy so that from thence-forth he feared God eschewing evil and doing good King Richard sent for Joachim Abbot of Calabria a Man of great Learning and Understanding in the Scriptures who at his coming he heard expounding the Apocalypse of St. John touching the afflictions of the Church and the state of Antichrist which saith he was then born and in the City of Rome of whom the Apostle said He should exalt himself above all that is called God Afterwards at the siege of Acres or Ptolemais in Palestine Radulphus de alta ripa Archdeacon of Colchester ended his Life there also died Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury and Hubert Walter Bishop of Sarisbury afterward Archbishop of Canterbury was a most active Commander there besides many more of the eminent Clergy engaged in that service William Bishop of Ely playd Rex in the King's absence abusing the Royal Authority committed to him Acres was delivered to the King 's of England and France who divided the spoil of that City betwixt them King Richard after this and many other notable Atchievements in Palestine at his return from thence was taken Prisoner by Leopald Duke of Austria and detained by him with hard and Unprince-like usage whil'st the English Clergy endeavoured the utmost for his enlargement His fine was an hundred and fifty thousand Marks to be paid part to the Duke of Austria part to Henry VI. Emperor of Germany Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury with much diligence perfected the work and on his ransom paid King Richard returned into England Hubert Walter Archbishop of Canterbury had almost finished a fair Covent for Monks at Lambeth began by Baldwin his Predecessor but upon the petitions of the Monks of Canterbury to the Pope contrary to the King 's and Archbishop's desire the Covent at Lambeth was utterly demolished As this Richard was the first of the English Kings who bare Armes on his Seals so was he the first who carried in his shield Three Lions Passant born ever after for the Regal Armes of England This King 's daily exercise after his return was to rise early and not to depart from the Church till Divine Service were finished Moreover he bountifully relieved every day much Poor both in his Court and Towns about and restored Gold and Silver to such Churches from which to pay his ransom they had been taken away The Bishop of Beavois being also an Earl of the Royal Blood and the eleventh Peer of France valiantly fighting against John the King's Brother was taken Armed at all points and bravely
Commission whence it took the name of the Bishops Bible and by the Queens sole commandment Reprinted Then diverse Proclamations were issued out in the King's name relating to Ecclesiastical matters in the four first years of his Reign among which there was a Proclamation inhibiting Preachers Anno secundo Edwardi sexti whereof this was the occasion Certain Popish Preachers disaffected to the King's Government in their Sermons declared That the King intended to lay strange exactions upon the people To prevent further mischief the King ordered by Proclamation That none should Preach except Licensed under the Seals of the Lord Protector or Archbishop of Canterbury At this time many Popish Pulpits founded the Alarum to Kets Rebellion and the Devon-shire Commotion There was also a Proclamation for the payment of the late Incumbents of Colledges and Chanteries lately dissolved Anno 3. Edwardi sexti A Proclamation also for the Inhibition of Players Aug. 6. The Parliament not long before passed an Act for Election of Bishops and what Seals and styles should be used by Spiritual persons in which it was Ordained That Bishops should be made by the King's Letters Patents and not by the election of the Deans and Chapters That all their Processes and Writings should be made in the King's name onely with the Bishops Teste added to it and sealed with no other Seal but the King 's or such as should be authorized and appointed by him The Intent of the Contrivers of this Act saith Dr. Heylin Hâ—ylin Hist Edw. 6. was to weaken the authority of the Episcopal Order by forcing them from their strong-hold of Divine Institution and making them no other than the King's Ministers onely And of this Act such use was made that the Bishops of those times were not in a capacity of conferring Orders but as they were thereunto impowered by special License The Tenour whereof was if Sanders may be believed in these words following viz. The King to such a Bishop Greeting Where as all and all manner of Jurisdiction as well Ecclesiastical as Civil flows from the King as from the Supreme Head of all the Body c. We therefore give and grant to Thee full Power and License to continue during our good pleasure for holding Ordination within thy Diocess of N. and for promoting fit persons unto holy Orders even to that of the Priesthood Queen Mary caused this Act to be repealed in the first year of her Reign leaving the Bishops to depend on their former Claim and to Act all things which belonged to their Jurisdiction in their own Names and under their own Seals as in former times In which estate they have continued without any legal interruption from that time to this Doctor Nicholas Ridley was promoted to the See of Rochester to which he had been nominated by King Henry the Eighth a man of great Learning and well-studied in the Fathers and an excellent Preacher Doctor Barlow was preferred to the Bishoprick of Bath and Wells The Commissioners authorized to take away Images out of Churches were in many places entertained with contempt and railing and the farther they went from London the worse they were handled one of them called Body as he was pulling down Images in Cornwal was stabbed in the body by a Priest Many there were that then cried down all the observations of Days and Times and particularly of keeping Lent complaint whereof being made by Bishop Gardiner in a Letter to the Lord Protector a Proclamation was sent out commanding all people to abstain from Flesh in the time of Lent and the King 's Lenten dyet was set out and served as in former times Hugh Latimer having by the power of Cromwel and his favour with the King been made Bishop of Worcester Anno 1535. continued in that See till on the first of July 1539. he chose rather to resign the same than to have any hand in passing the six Articles then agitated in the Convocation and confirmed by Parliament full eight years he betook himself to the retiredness of a private life On New-years day he Preached his first Sermon at Pauls Cross the first I mean after his re-admission to his former Ministry and two Lords-days after again in the same place and on January 25. such multitudes flocked to hear his Sermon that being to Preach before the King the first Friday in Lent a pulpit was placed in the King 's privy Garden where he might be heard of four times as many Auditors as could have thronged into the Chappel Which as it was the first Sermon that was Preached in that place so afterward a fixed and standing Pulpit was erected for the like occasions especially for Lent-sermons on the Sundays in the Afternoon and hath so continued ever since till these latter times At the return of the King's Commissioners dispatched throughout the Realm to take a Survay of all Colledges Free-chappels Chanteries and Brotherhoods in the first place as lying nearest came in the free Chappel of St. Stephen originally founded in the Palace at Westminster and reckoned for the Chappel Royal of the Court of England The whole Foundation consisted of thirty eight persons viz. one Dean twelve Canons thirteen Vicars four Clerks six Choristers besides a Verger and one that had the charge of the Chappel This Chappel hath been since fitted and employed for an house of Commons in all times of Parliament At the same time also fell the Colledge commonly called St. Martins le Grand near Aldersgate in London the King gave the same with the Liberties and precincts thereof to the Church of Westminster These two St. Stephen's and St. Martin's were the richest of all the rest Then the Lord Protector being unfurnished of a Palace proportionable to his Greatness doubted not to find room enough upon the dissolution of the Bishoprick of Westminster lately erected to raise a Palace equal to his vast designs Which coming to the ears of Benson the last Abbot and first Dean of Westminster he was willing to preserve the whole by parting for the present with more than half of the estate belonging to it And thereupon a Lease is made of seventeen Mannors and good Farmes lying almost altogether in the County of Glocester for the Term of ninety nine years which was presented to the Lord Thomas Seymor to serve as an addition to his Mannor of Sudley Another present of almost as many Mannors lying in the Counties of Glocester Worcester and Hereford was made for the like Term to Sir John Mason for the use of the Lord Protector which after the Duke's fall came to Sir John Bourn principal Secretary of Estate in the time of Queen Mary The Mannor of Islip was also put into the sâ—ale conferred upon that Church by King Edward the Confessor to which two hundred Tenants owed their soile and service and being one of the best wooded things in those parts of the Realm was to be granted also without impeachment of waste as it was
whereby he was to be discharged of the Attainder which had passed upon him Anno 1539. restored in Blood and rendred Capable of all those Rights and Priviledges of which he had stood possessed in this Kingdom This Bill was quickly passed into an Act and on Novemb. 24. the Cardinal came first to London Then it was concluded by both Houses of Parliament that a petition should be made in the name of the Kingdom wherein should be declared how sorry they were that they had withdrawn their obedience from the Apostolick See and consenting to the Statutes made against it promising to endeavour hereafter that the said Lawes and Statutes should be repealed beseeching the King and Queen to intercede with his Holiness for their Absolution Then the Cardinal having read his Authority given him from the Pope they all kneeled upon their knees and imploring the mercy of God received Absolution for themselves and the rest of the Kingdom Which Absolution was pronounced in these words Our Lord Jesus Christ which with his most pretious blood hath redeemed us from all our sins c. and whom the Father hath appointed Head over all his Church absolve you And we by Apostolick Authority given unto us by the most holy Lord Pope Julius the third His Vicegerent here on earth do absolve and deliver you and every of you with the whole Realm and the Dominions thereof from all heresie and schism and from every judgement censure and pain for that cause incurred And also we do restore you again unto the unity of Our Mother the Holy Church In the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost Which words of His being seconded with a loud Amen by such as were present he concluded the dayes work with a solemn Procession to the Chappel for rendring thanks to God Then did the Cardinal dispence with much irregularity in several persons confirming the Institution of Clergy-men in their Benefices legitimating the Chiâ—dren of forbidden Marriages ratifying the processes and sentences in matters Ecclesiastical and his dispensations were confirmed by Acts of Parliament Then was Anthony Brown Viscount Montacute Thursby Bishop of Ely and Sir Edward Carn sent on a gratulatory Embassie to Pope Paul IV. to tender England's thanks for the favours conferr'd thereon The Convocation that then was held knew that the Cardinal was to be entreated not to insist upon the restoring of Church-lands rather to confirm the Lords and Gentry in their present possessions And to that end a Petition is presented to both their Majesties Heylin Hist of Q. Mary that they would be pleased to intercede with the Cardinal concerning it Which Petition was offered to the Legate in the name of the whole Convocation by the Lord Chancellor the Prolocutor and six others of the Lower House Concerning which the Legate was not ignorant that a Message had been sent to the Pope in the name of the Parliament to desire a confirmation of the Sale of all the Lands belonging to Abbies Chanteries c. or otherwise to let him know that nothing could be granted on his behalf And it is likely they received some fair promises to that effect in regard that on New-years day next following the Act for restoring the Pope's Supremacy was passed in both Houses of Parliament The whole matter being transacted to the content of all parties the poor Protestants excepted only on January 25. there was a solemn procession throughout London to praise God for their Conversion to the Catholick Church wherein were ninety Crosses an hundred and Sixty Priests and Clerks each of them attired in his Cope and after them eight Bishops in their Pontificalibus followed by Bonner carrying the Popish Pix under a Canopy and attended by the Lord Mayor and Companies in their several Liveries Which Procession being ended they all returned to S. Paul's Church where the King and Cardinal together with all the rest heard Mass and the next day the Parliament and Convocation were dissolved The English Ambassadours came to Rome on the first day of the Papacy of Pope Paul IV. and in the first consistory after his Inauguration they were brought before him who granted the pardon desired and lovingly embraced the Ambassadours and as an over plus the Pope conferred the Title of King 's of Ireland on their Majesties In his private discourses with the Ambassadours he said that the Church-goods ought to be wholly restored saying also that his Authority was not such as to profane things dedicated unto God He also told them that the Peter-pence ought to be paid as soon as might be and that according to the custom he would send a collector for that purpose He closed his discourse with this that they could not hope that S. Peter would open to them the Gates of Heaven as long as they usurped his goods on earth A rumour was spread of the Queen's being with Child and that she was quick and thereupon Letters were sent from the Lords of the Council to Bonner Bishop of London that prayers and thanksgivings should be made in all Churches The Parliament also while it was sitting passed an Act desiring the King that if the Queen should fail he would be pleased to take upon him the Education of the Child Set forms of prayer were also made for her safe delivery Great preparations were also made of all things necessary against the time of her delivery And upon a sudden rumour of her being delivered the Bells were rung and Bonfires made in most parts of London But it proved in fine that the Queen neither was with Childe for the present nor had any hopes of being so for the time to come A Gun was shot at one Doctor Pendleton as He Preached at Paul's Cross June 10. 1554 the pellet whereof went very neer him but the Gunner was not to be heard of Upon which the Queen published a Proclamation prohibiting the shooting with hand-guns and the bearing of weapons A little before this some had caused a Cat to be hanged upon the Gallows near the Cross in Cheapside with her head shorn the likeness of a vestment cast upon her and her two feet tyed together holding between them a piece of Paper in form of a Wafer tending to the disgrace of the Popish Religion Then were some Antient Statutes revived that were made in the time of King Richard the second Henry the fourth and Henry the fifth for the severe punishment of obstinate Hereticks even to death it self and an Act was passed for that purpose Hereupon followed that Inquisition for Blood which raged in London and more or less was exercised in most parts of the Kingdom Mr. John Rogers a Learned man and a great companion of that Tyndal by whom the Bible was translated into English in the time of King Henry after whose Martyrdom he retired to Wittenberg in the Dukedome of Saxony where he abode till King Edward's coming to the Crown and was by Bishop Ridley presented to the Lecture of
it would be to the King and Queen how gainful to himself in regard both of his foul and of his temporal being putting him in good hope that he should not only have his life but be restored again to his ancient Dignity c. if he would but subscribe his name to a piece of Paper which was made ready for his hand By these and the like alluring temptations he was prevailed upon to sign the Writing in which were briefly comprehended the chief points of Doctrine defended in the Church of Rome and by him formerly condemned both in publick and in private But all this could not save him from being made a Sacrifice to revenge and avarice The Queen had still a vindicative spirit against him for the injury which she conceived had been done to her Mother and the Cardinal who hitherto had enjoyed the profits of the See of Canterbury as an Usufructuary was altogether as solicitous for getting a right and title to them as sole proprietary No way to pacifie one and to satisfie the desires of the other but by bringing him when he least looked for it to the fatal Stake And thither they brought him and first he retracts his retraction and after punisheth that hand which had subscribed it by holding it forth into the flame and suffering it to be consumed before the rest of his body had felt the fire The residue of his body being burnt to ashes his heart was found entire and untouched in the midst of the cinders which possibly may serve as a witness for him that his heart stood fast unto the Truth though with his hand he had subscribed some Popish errors Cardinal Pool received Consecration to the See of Canterbury the very next Sunday after Cranmer's death No fewer than two hundred are reported to have been burnt by bloody Bonner the most eminent of all which number was Mr. John Philpot Archdeacon of Winchester who though of Gardiner's Diocess was condemned by Bonner Gardiner being well enough contented to find out the Game and leave it to be followed by that bloody Hunter Dr. John Christopherson Bishop of Chichester is recorded to have burnt ten in one fire at Lewis and seventeen others at several times in sundry places among which was Richard Woodman of Warbleton in Sussex that notable Martyr and four at Mayfield viz. John Hart Thomas Ravensdal a Shoomaker and a Collier Harpfield Archdeacon of London and Thornton the Suffragan of Dover are said to have poured out blood like water The same is said of Griffin of Rochester and Downing Chancellor of Norwich The same character is given of Bishop Bayn of Coventry and Litchfield who burned many faithful Ministers and others In all the Province of York I find none brought to the Stake but George Marsh of Chester condemned thereto by Bishop Coles Besides the burning of Bishop Farrar at Carmarthen by Bishop Morgan and of Rawlins and White at Cardiff by Bishop Kitching No great cruelty seems to have been acted in the four Welsh Diocesses In the Diocess of Exeter Wells Peterborough and Lincoln though this last the greatest in the Kingdom I find mention but of one a piece of two in that of Ely and of no more than three apiece in that of Bristol and Sarisbury for at Newbury were burnt that famous Julius Palmer with two others Doctor Tunstal Bishop of Durham was in Queen Maries time no great persecutor his Bishoprick had dayes of quiet under him When Mr. Russel a Preacher was brought before him and Doctor Himner his Chancellor would have had him examined more strictly the Bishop stayed him saying Hitherto we have had a good report among our Neighbours I pray you bring not this mans blood upon my Head The Bishop of Carlisle also was a man of a moderate temper The Pope had published a Bull in print Anno 1556. in which he threatened excommunication to all persons that kept any Church-lands unto themselves as also all Princes and Magistrates that did not put the same in execution Which though it did not edifie much in the Realm of England yet it found more obedience in that of Ireland in which a Parliament being called in June 1557. there passed an Act for repealing of Statutes Articles and Provisions made against the See of Rome since the twentieth year of King Henry the Eighth and for abolishing of several Ecclesiastical possessions conveyed to the Laity as also for the extinguishment of First-fruits and Twentieth parts no more than the yearly payment of the Twentieth part having been laid by Act of Parliament upon the Clergy of Ireland in the first and last clause whereof as they followed the example of the Realm of England so possibly they might have given a dangerous example to it in the other point if by the Queens death which followed shortly after King Philip and the Popes had not lost all their power and influence on the English Nation by means whereof there was no farther progress in the Restitution of the Abbey-lands no more re-edifying the old Religious houses and no intention for the founding any new Cardinal Poole having visited his own Diocess and given out divers printed Articles to shew his great care for the suppressing the growth of Heresie sent his Commissioners to Cambridge who interdicted the two Churches wherein Martin Bucer and Paulus Fagius had been interred and the Writ being taken out de comburendo Haeretico and being come down and sent to the Mayor of Cambridge on February 6. the two dead Bodies were taken out of their Graves and being laid in their Coffins on mens shoulders were carried to the Market-place with a guard of men well armed and weaponed chained unto several posts as if still alive the wood and fire put to them and their Bodies burned together with so many of their Books as could be gotten which were cast into the same flames also Queen Mary now engageth in her Husband's quarrel and King Philip having made up an Army of thirty five thousand Foot and twelve thousand Horse besides a thousand Horsemen four thousand Footment and two thousand Pioners sent out of England under the command of the Earl of Pembrook sate down before St. Quintin the chief Town of Piccardy On August the tenth the Battels joyn in which the French were vanquished and their Army routed the Constable of France the Prince of Mantua the Duke of Montpensier and Longueville with six others of the prime Nobility and many others of less note being taken prisoners The Duke of Anguien the Viscount Turin most of the Foot-Captains and the common Souldiers to the number of two thousand five hundred were slain upon the place King Philip stormed St. Quintin on the eighteenth day After which service the English finding some neglect from King Philip desired to be dismissed into their Country which was indulged unto them By whose dismission King Philip could do no action of importance in the rest of the War But the Queen shall pay dearly
Cap the Episcopal Habit the Churche's Patrimony the manner of proceeding to be held against Papists the Perambulation used in the Rogation week c. in which his judgement was desired But these helps being too far off another project was set on foot Gryndal the new Bishop of London was known to have a great respect to Calvin the business therefore is so ordered that by Calvin's Letters to Gryndal and the friends they had about the Queen way should be given to such of the French Nation as had repaired hither to enjoy the freedom of their own Religion to have a Church unto themselves and in that Church not onely to erect the Genevian Discipline but to set up a Form of Prayer saith Dr. Heylin which should hold no conformity with the English Liturgy This was effected And now there is another Church in London as different from the Church of England in Government and Forms of worship as that of John Alasco was in the Augustine Friars Upon the news of which success divers both French and Dutch came into England planted themselves in the Sea-Towns and openly professed the Reformed Religion But some of them proved to be Anabaptists and others infected with corrupt Opinions of as ill a nature which being made known to the Queen she commands them all by Proclamation to depart the Kingdom whether they were Aliens or natural-born English within twenty days upon pain of imprisonment and loss of all their goods yet notwithstanding many of them lurked in England without fear of discovery especially after the erecting of so many French and Dutch Churches in the Maritime parts The French and Dutch Churches in London were infected with their frenzies and such disputes were among them on that account that Peter Martyr interposed his Authority with them to the composing of those differences which had grown among them for which see his Letter bearing date at Zurich on February 15. next following after the date of the said Proclamation which seemeth to have been about September 16. and superscribed Vnto the Church of Strangers in the City of London By another Proclamation she labours to restrain a sacrilegious kind of people which under pretence of abolishing Superstition demolished antient Tombâ—s razed the Epitaphs and Coat-armors of most Noble Familes and other Monuments of venerable Antiquity took the Bells out of Churches and pluckt off the Lead from the Church-roofs The Abbey of Westminster most renouned for the Inauguration of the Kings of England their Sepulture and the keeping of the Regal Ensignes she converted to a Collegiat Church and there she instituted a Dean twelve Prebendaries a School-master an Usher forty Scholars called the Queen's Scholars whereof six or more are preferred every year to the Vniversities Petit Canons and others of the Quire to the number of thirty ten Officers belonging to the Church and as many Servants belonging to the Colledge-diet and twelve Almes-men besides many Officers Stewards and Collectors for keeping Courts and bringing in of their Revenue The principal of which called the High Steward of Westminster hath ever since been one of the prime Nobility The Dean intrusted with keeping the Regalia honoured with a place of necessary service at all Coronations and a Commissioner for the peace within the City of Westminster and the liberties of it by Act of Parliament The S holars annually preferred by election either to Christ-church in Oxford or Trinity Colledge in Cambridge Since this new Foundation of it it hath given breeding and preferment to four Archbishops two Lord Keepers of the Great Seal of England twenty two Bishops and thirteen Deans of Cathedral-churches besides Archdeacons Prebendaries and other Dignitaries in the Church to a proportionable number The death of Francis the second the young King of France who had married Mary Queen of Scots encouraged the Scots to proceed boldly with their Reformation The Duke of Guise laboured with the Pope to fulminate his Excommunications against Queen Elizabeth as one that had renounced his authority apostatized from the Catholick Religion and utterly exterminated the profession of it out of her Dominions But the Duke sped no better in his negotiation than the Count of Feria did before About this time one Geoffrys was committed Prisoner to the Marshalsey in Southwark and More to the house of Mad-men commonly called Bethlem without Bishop's-gâ—â— in London More professed himself to be Christ Geoffrys believed him to be such and reported him so Having remained a whole year in prison without shewing any sign of their repentance Geoffrys was whipt on April 10. 1561. from the said Marshalsey to Bethlem with a paper bound about his head which signified That this was William Geoffrys a most blasphemous Heretick who denied Christ to be in Heaven At Bethlem he was whipt again in the presence of More till the lash had extorted from him a confession of his damnable error After which More was stript and whipt in the open Streets till he had made the like acknowledgment confessing Christ to be in Heaven and Himself to be a vile sinful man Which being done they were again remitted to their several prisons for their further cure On June the fourth a lamentable fire about four a Clock in the afternoon first shewed it self near the top of the Steeple of St. Paul's Church in London and from thence burnt down the Spire to the Stone-work and Bells and raged so terribly that within the space of four hours the Timber and Lead of the whole Church and whatsoever else was combustible in it was miserably consumed to the great terror of all Beholders Which Church said to be the largest in all the Christian World for all dimensions contains in length seven hundred and twenty foot in breadth one hundred and thirty foot and in height from the pavement to the top of the roof one hundred and fifty foot The Steeple from the ground to the Cross or Weather-cock contained in height five hundred and twenty foot of which the square Tower onely amounted to two hundred and sixty the Pyramide or Spire to as many more which Spire being raised of massy Timber and covered over with sheets of Lead as it was the more apt to be enflamed so was the mischief more incapable of a present remedy The Queen hereupon directed her Letters to the Lord Mayor and City of London to take care therein In obedience to whose Royal Pleasure the Citizens granted a Benevolence and three Fifteens to be speedily paid besides the great bounty of particular persons c. The Queen also sent in a thousand Marks in ready money and Warrants for one thousand load of Timber to be served out of Her Majesties Woods The Clergy of the Province of Canterbury contributing to this work the fortieth part of their Benefices which stood charged with first-fruits and the thirtieth part of those which had paid the same The Clergy of the Diocess of London bestowed the thirtieth part of such of their livings as were
kept in custody by the General 's command in the Queen's Court and Court of Wards These were removed to the King's-Head Inn near Charing-Cross and to the Swan Inn in the Strand under Guards of Souldiers The Army put forth a new Representative called The Agreement of the People The King is brought up to London arraigned before a select Committee for that purpose called An High Court of Justice indicted and upon his refusalâ— to own their Authority finally condemned Having received the sentence of death Dr. Juxon Bishop of London Preached privately before him at St. James's on the Sunday following his Text Romans 2.16 Next Tuesday being the day of his dissolution in the morning alone he received the Communion from the hands of the said Bishop At which time he read for the second Lesson the 27th chapter of St. Matthew containing the History of the death and passion of our Saviour Sermon ended the King heartily thanked the Bishop for selecting so seasonable and comfortable a portion of Scripture seeing all Humane hope and happiness is founded on the sufferings of our Saviour The Bishop answered He had done it meerly following the direction of the Church of England whose Rubrick appointeth that Chapter the second Morning-lesson for the thirtieth of January At ten of the Clock in the forenoon he is brought on Foot from St. James's Palace over the Park to Whitehall guarded with a Regiment of Foot-souldiers part before and the rest behind him with Colours flying and Drums beating his private Guard of Partizans about him and Doctor Juxon Bishop of London next to him on one side and Colonel Tomlinson on the other He bid them go faster saying That he now went before them to strive for an Heavenly Crowns with less sollicitude than he had oftentimes bid his Souldiers to fight for an earthly Diadem Then passeth he to the Scaffold where he defendeth his Innocency howbeit he acknowledgeth God's justice pardons his enemies takes pity on the Kingdom He shews the Souldiers how much they are out of the way and tells them They would never go right till they give God his due the King his due and the people their due You must said he give God his due by restoring his worship and Church rightly regulated which is now out of order according to his Word And a National Synod freely called freely debating among themselves must settle this when every Opinion is freely and clearly heard For the King said he that is my Successor Indeed I will not the Laws of the Land will clearly instruct you for that For the People I must tel you That their liberty and freedom consists in having Government under those Laws by which their Lives and Goods may be most their own It is not in having a share in the Government that pertains not to them A Sovereign and a Subject are two different things He prayed God they might take those courses that are best for the good of the Kingdom and their own Salvation Then having declared That he died a Christian according to the profession of the Church of England as the same was left him by his Father He said I have a good Cause and a gracious God and gave his George to the Bishop bidding him Remember to give it to the Prince Then said He I go from a Corruptible to an Incorruptible Crown where no disturbance can be but peace and joy for evermore Then lifting up his eyes and hands to Heaven having prayed secretly stooping down to the block he received the fatal stroak On the Wednesday sennight after his Corps embalmed and Coffined in Lead was delivered to the care of some of his Servants to be buried at Windsor That night they brought the Corps to Windsor The Vault being prepared a scarff of Lead was provided some two foot long and five inches broad therein to make an Inscription which was KING CHARLES 1648. The Plummer souldred it to the Coffin about the Breast of the Corpse Then was the Corpse brought to the Vault being born by the Souldiers of the Garrison Over it a black Velvet Herse-cloth the four Labels whereof the Duke of Richmond the Marquess of Hertford the Earls of South-hampton and Lindsey did support The Bishop of London stood weeping by Then was it deposited in silence and sorrow in the vacant place in the Vault near to the Coffin as it was thought which contained the Corps of King Henry the Eighth the Herse-cloth being cast in after it about three of the Clock in the afternoon and the Lords that night though late returned to London Prince Charles eldest Son to King Charles the first by unquestionable right succeeded to the Crowns of England Scotland and Ireland in the eighteenth year of his age Proclamation and Coronation could not now have their due course The Ruling part of the House of Commons who usurped the Government with violence on the person of the late King immediately published an Act even against Kingly Government Yet this Inhibition did not deter many Loyal Subjects from doing their duty and on February 2. a Proclamation in the name of the Noblemen Judges Knights Lawyers Gentlemen Free-holders Merchants Citizens Yeomen Seamen and other Freemen of England did Proclaim Prince Charles King of England The Proclamation was Printed and scattered about the Streets of London The House of Peers continued yet sitting and in regard the Commissions of the Judges were determined by the death of the King they send to the Commons for a Conference about it and other matters relating to the setling of the Government But Monarchy and the House of Lords are declared useless by the Commons The Peers in general resent these indignities put upon them by a small part of the House of Commons they assert their own Priviledges and the Fundamental Laws of the Nation and disclaim and protest against all Acts Votes Orders or Ordinances of the said Members of the Commons House for erecting of new Courts of Justice to try or execute the King or any Peer or Subject of the Realm for altering the Government Laws Great Seal c. Hereupon the Army set a Guard upon the door of the House of Lords and in further prosecution of the late Votes of Commons against Monarchy An Act was passed by that House for the Exhaeredation of the Royal Line the Abolishment of Monarchy in this Kingdom and the setting up of a Common-wealth which they ordered to be published and Proclaimed in all parts of the Kingdom But Alderman Reinoldson then Lord Mayor of London refused to publish this Act in London and He with three of the Aldermen of his Judgment were sent prisoners to the Tower But on February 3. the King was Proclaimed at the Cross at Edinburgh In the beginning of March the Duke of Hamilton the Earls of Holland and Norwich the Lord Capel and Sir John Owen were tried and condemned by an High Court of Justice erected for that purpose of which the Duke of Hamilton the
an old City in Oxford-shire was made the seate of Birinus his Bishoprick Sussex and the Isle of Wight also were converted About this time Honorius Arch-Bishop of Canterbury divided England so much thereof as was Christian into Parishes Anno 64â— the first lent began in those parts of England which obeyed the Roman celebration of Easter Oswald King of Northumberland fighting at Maserfield since Oswastrey in Shrop-shire against Penda the Pagan Prince of Mercia Fabian Chronic part 5. was overthrown slain and his Bodie most barbarously abused and chopped in pieces Oswy his youngeâ— brother recovered his Kingdome after one year and buried his head in the Church-yard of Lyndesar Sigebert was perswaded by his Monks to enter into a Cloister his end was lamentable for when he had given over his Kingdome to his Cousin Egrick the forenamed Penda entred his Kingdome with an Army his subjects forced him to go into the field where both he and Egrick were slain Others say he was murdered by two Villains Penda Prince of Mercia having married Alfreda Daughter of Oswy King of Northumberland renounced Paganism embraced Christianity and propogated it in his Dominions Indeed Penda his father that persecutor of piety was yet alive and survived two years after persisting an Heathen till death but mollified to permit a toleration of Christianity in his Subjects From Colmkil as a most famous Seminary of learning at that time sprang forth those who not onely did resist the beginnings of Anti-Christian pride at home and in our neighbour-Country but they sowed the seed of the Gospel in other Nations Such was that famous Rumold who was called Mechlinensis Apostolus Pappas in histor convers Gent. Gallus brought Helvetia from Paganism as Pappas witnesseth built sundry Monasteries there Calumban a man of excellent holiness and learning lived sometime in Bangor and thence went into Burgundy where he began the Monasterie Luxovien and taught the Monks of his own Country especially to live by the works of their own hands Platina in Bonifacio quarto Also because he rebuked Theodorick for his leacherous life he was forced to flie and visited sundry parts of Germany thence he went into Italy and began another Abby on the Appennine Hills beside Bobium in Tuscany Levin also tur nd many to the faith about Ghent and Esca Furseus and his brother Fullan with two Presbyters Gobban and Dicul obtained land from Sigebert King of Essex and built the Abby of Cnobsherburg and passing into France he began the Abby at Latiniac where he died Diuma was ordained first Bishop of Mercia where he converted many to the Faith in the reign of the Christian Penda and for his rare gifts the Bishoprick of Middlesex was committed to his charge unto whom succeeded Cella a Scot. Also Florentius went to Argentine or Strausburg and was the first Bishop thereof he opened the first School in Alsatia about the year 669. Kilian the first Bishop of Wortsburg did first instruct the people of East France in the Christian Faith Anno. 668. Colonat a Priest and Thomas a Deacon followed him in all his Travels Burcard succeeded to whom King Pippin gave a Dukedome and from thence among all the Bishops of Germany onely the Bishop of Wortsburg carieth a Sword and Priests Gown in his badge Unto these Scots John Pappas joyneth some Britans as Willibrod Reformer of Frisia and two brethren Evaldi the one Sirnamed the Black the other the White John Pappas saith they converted the West-phalians to the Christian Faith and suffered Martyrdome near Bremen John Bale sheweth their Death Pope Agatho sent John the Arch-chaunter of St. Peters in Rome into England to compose the difference betwixt Honoricus and Wilfrid the two Archbishops and withal to deliver them the Acts of Pope Martin the first and to teach them to sing the Liturgy according to the custom of Rome Benedictus Biscopius a Nobleman of England went to Rome in the service of the Church and brought many Books into the Monasteries of Tinmouth and Wirmouth The first Glass in this Island is said to be his gift Mark what Beda saith of the custom in those dayes Then they never came into a Church but onely for hearing the Word and Prayer no word of the Mass the King would come with five or six and he stayed till the Prayer was ended All the care of these Doctors was to serve God not the World to feed Souls not their own Bodies wherefore in those dayes wheresoever a Clerk or Monk did come he was received as a Servant of God If he were seen journeying they were glad to be signed with his Hand or blessed with his Mouth and they gave good heed unto the words of his Exhortation And on the Lord's day they came in Flocks to the Church or Monasteries not to refresh their Bodies nor to hear Masses but to hear the Word and if any Priest entred into a Village incontinently all the People would assemble being desirous to hear the Word of Life for neither did the Priests go into Villages upon any other occasion except to Preach or visit the Sick or to feed Souls At that time the Clergy and Monks in England had liberty to Marry Then Theodorus who succeeded Deus-dedit Bishop of Canterbury brought many Books thither erecting a well-furnished Library and teaching his Clergy how to make use thereof He rigorously pressed Conformity to Rome in the observation of Easter and to that purpose a Council was called at Hartford here Easter was setled according to the Romish Rite In this Synod nine other Articles were concluded of as Stapleton hath thus Translated them out of Bede Lib. 4. c. 5. I. That no Bishop should have ought to do in another's Diocess but be contented with the charge of the people committed unto him II. That no Bishop should any-wise trouble such Monasteries as were Consecrated and given to God nor violently take from them ought was theirs III. That Monks should not go from one Monastery to another unless by the leave of their own Abbot but should continue in the obedience which they promised at the time of their conversion and entrance into Religion IV. That none of the Clergy forsaking his own Bishop should run up and down where he lists nor when he came any whither should be received without Letters of Commendation from his Diocesan c. V. That such Bishops and Clerks as are strangers be content with such Hospitality as is given them and that it be lawful for none of them to execute any Office of a Priest without the permission of the Bishop in whose Diocess they are known to be VI. It hath seemed good to us all that a Synod and Convocation should be Assembled once a year on the first day of August at the place called Clofeshooh VII That no Bishop should ambitiously prefer himself above another but should all acknowledge the time and order of their consecration VIII That the number of the Bishops should be
free Gift not an imposed Tax Neither would the King of England or France suffer it to to be levyed in their Realms by the Pope's Authority but only by their Royal Order Grant and Assent thereto But no Archbishop or Bishop did put this in execution The same year the King licensed Peter Builler by Charter to enter into what Religion he pleased Rex c. Omnibus c. Sciatis nos dedisse licentiam Petro Builler transferendi se ad quam voluerit Religionem inde has literas nostras patentes ei rei relinquimus in testimonium Teste meipso apud Barnevil 29 die Octobris The French King perfidiously breaking his Truce with King John made in the first year of his reign to carry on that War he not only demanded a supply of Moneys from his Nobility and Clergy but likewise from the Cistercian Abbots The same year the Church and City of Rhoan being consumed with fire King John granted them his Letters Patents for a liberal contribution throughout all England toward the repair of that Church principally for the Virgin Maries sake to whom it was dedicated then adored more than God himself This is the first Patent of such a Collection that we have yet met with Pious this King was in offering one ounce of Gold to God every Lord's-day and Holy-day which the Archbishop of Canterbury then offered and disbursed for him or claimed as his Fee being allowed it in the Exchequer upon his account In the fourth year of King John some Irish Bishops and Archdeacons Suffragans to the Archbishop of Dublin endeavoured without this King 's precedent License and Assent to elect an Archbishop and get him confirmed at Rome by the Pope against the King's Right and Dignity Whereupon he entred an Appeal against them before himself to Preserve his Right and Dignity therein The same year there being many contests between the Dean and Canons and Geoffry Archbishop of York who by his Archiepiscopal authority and violence did much oppress them the King upon their complaint by his Authority and Letters Patents granted them a Protection against Him and his Instruments In the fifth year of King John Godfrid Bishop of Winchester deceasing Petrus de Rupibus a Knight and great Souldier Vir equestris ordinis in rebus bellicis eruditus procurante Rege Johanne being chosen to the Bishoprick succeeded him who going to Rome Vbi magnis zeniis liberaliter collatis ad Ecclesiam Wintoniensem maturavit Episcopus consecrari This year the Men of Holderness refusing to pay their Traves due to St. John of Beverly out of their Ploughed-lands to the Farmer of them as they did to the Provost and Chapter before the King issued out a Writ to the Sheriffs of York to seize the Persons and Goods of those the Provost and Chapter should excommunicate and detain them till payment since He and his Tenants duly paid them out of his and their Demesnes In the sixth year of King John the Bishop Dean and Chapter of Durham the Dean and Chapter of York with sundry other Deans and Chapters Abbots and Priors within the Province of York to prevent the unjust arbitrary Excommunications Suspensions and Interdicts of Geoffry Archbishop of York against their own Tenants Lands and Possessions by reason of some differences between them concerning their Jurisdictions and Ecclesiastical Priviledges which they complained the Archbishop invaded appearing before the King at York did there in the King 's own presence appeal him before the See of Rome prefixing a certain day to which the King by his Letters Patents gave his Royal Testimony and Assent they not daring to appeal without his License About two years after King John and his Nobles meeting at Winchester placing his hope and strength in his Treasures required and received through all England the thirteenth part of all Movables and other things as well of the Laity as of all other Ecclesiastical Persons and Prelats all of them murmuring at it and wishing an ill event to such rapines but not daring to contradict it Only Geoffry Archbishop of York openly contradicting it privily departed from England and in his recess Anathematis sententia innodavit actually excommunicated all Men especially within his Archbishoprick making this rapine and levying this Tax and in general all Invaders of the Church or Ecclesiastical things for non-payment of this Tax wherewith this King was so highly offended that he seized his Temporalities and banished him the Realm till his death about seven years after Anno 1205. died Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury Before his body was yet committed to the earth the younger sort of the Monks elected Reginald their Superiour and placed him in the Metropolitan See without the King's License and knowledge who being sent unto by the elder sort of Monks requiring his gracious License to chuse their Archbishop consented thereunto requiring them also instantly at his request that they would elect John Grey Bishop of Norwich into that See which they also did And the King sent to the Pope to confirm it The two Suffragans of Canterbury not being made acquainted with the matter sent speedily to Rome to have both the Elections stopped whereupon arose a great tumult for the Pope condemning both their Elections created Stephen Langton with his own hand in the high Church of Viterbo Upon which occasion the King banished sixty four of the Clergy and Monks of Canterbury out of the Land Fox Acts and Monuments and sharply expostulated with the Pope for that he had chosen Stephen Langton a Man brought up long among his Enemies in France besides the derogation to the Liberties of his Crown threatening except he would favour the King 's liking of the Bishop of Norwich he would cut off the trade to Rome and the profits that came thither from the Land The Pope writeth in the behalf of Stephen Langton a froward and arrogant Letter and not long after sendeth a commandment and charge into England to certain Bishops that if the King would not yield they should Interdict his Realm For the execution whereof four Bishops were appointed viz. William Bishop of London Eustace Bishop of Ely Mauger Bishop of Worcester and Giles Bishop of Hereford who pronounced the general Interdiction through the Realm of all Ecclesiastical service saving Baptism of Children Confession and the Eucharist to the dying in case of necessity No sooner had they interdicted the Kingdom but they with Joceline Bishop of Bath as speedily as secretly fled out of the Land And the King took all the possessions of those Bishops into his hands He also proclaimed that all those that had Church-living and went over the Sea should return at a certain day or else lose their Livings for ever and charged all Sheriffs to enquire if any Church-man received any Commandment that came from the Pope that they should apprehend them and bring them before him and also take into their hands for the King's use all the Church-lands that
were given to any man by the Archbishop Stephen or by the Priors of Canterbury from the time of the election of the Archbishop England remained under the Interdict six years three months and an half whereby not only the King and his Court but also all the people of England who had nothing to do with that Quarrel were Excommunicated In that long time how many thousands of men died in England who by the Rules of the Roman Church and by the Pope's Judgment are eternally damned and that but for a Quarrel between the King and the Pope about some Investitures of Churches and Collations of Benefices and Money-matters Then saith Mathew Paris Matth. Paris who was an eye-witness of all that disorder All the Sacraments of the Church ceased in England saving only the Confession and the Communion of the Host in the last necessity and the Baptism of Infants The dead bodies were carried out of the Towns as if they had been the bodies of Dogs and buried by the High-wayes and in Ditches without Prayers and without service of Priests By the same Interdict all Masses Vespers all publick Service and ringing of Bells was forbidden and the Kingdom was exposed to rapine and prey and given to any that would conquer it Only the King was not excommunicated by name but that was done the next year after Next Pope Innocent deposed King John from the Kingdom of England and absolved the English from the Oath of their Allegiance and commanded Philip August King of France that for the remission of his sins he should invade the Kingdom of England with force of Arms giving to those that should follow the King in that Conquest the pardon of all their sins and the same Graces and Pardons as to them that visit the holy Sepulchre Whereupon the said King Philip partly to obtain the remission of his sins partly to make himself Master of England raised a mighty Army whilst Innocent was stirring up the English to rise against their King This moved King John to humble himself under the Pope and to receive such Conditions as liked him best The Conditions were That the King should yield unto the Pope the whole right of Patronage of all the Benefices of his Kingdom That to obtain Absolution of his sins he should pay to the Clergy of Canterbury and to other Prelates the sum of eight thousand pounds Sterling That he should satisfie for the damages done to the Church according to the Judgment of the Pope's Legat. That the said King should resign his Crown into the Pope's hand with his Kingdoms of England and Ireland for which Letters were formed and given to Pandulphus the Pope's Legat. King John being informed that his Archbishops Bishops and Clergy intended to hold a Council at St. Albans by the command of Pope Innocent the Third about the payment of Rome-scot against custom and sundry other unusual Exactions to the great destruction of the whole Realm upon complaint thereof by his Nobles and People issued out a Prohibition to them expresly forbidding them upon their Allegiance not to hold any Council there by the Popes or any other Authority nor to consult or treat of those things nor to act or ordain any thing against the custom of the Realm as they tendered his Honour or the tranquillity of the Kingdom until he conferred with the general Council of his Realms about it Thomas Sprot Speed 's History p. 571. During this Interdict Alexander Cementarius Abbot of the Benedictines at Canterbury Vir corpore Elegantissimus facie Venerabilis literarum plenitudine imbutus ita ut Parisiis celebris haberetur Magister et Rector et Lector in Theologia was sent by King John unto Rome where he openly pleaded and fomented the King's Cause against the Pope He maintained there That there is no Power under God higher than a King and That the Clergy should not have Temporal government He proved these two Articles by Scripture and Reason and by testimony of Gregory the First in an Epistle to Augustine Bishop of Canterbury Anno 1209. in the tenth year of King John Henry Fitz-Alan was sworn first Mayor of London and Peter Duke with Thomus Neal sworn for Sheriffs And London-bridge began to be built with Stone and St. Saviours in Southwark the same year He wrote three Books against the Popes Usurpations and Power viz. De Cessione Papali De Ecclesiae potestate De potestate Vicaria in defence of his Sovereign King John for which his Loyalty he was afterwards by the Pope's Power deprived of all his Benefices by Pandulphus the Pope's Legat after King John's surrender of his Crown and enforced to beg his Bread King John having seized and detained in his hands the Temporalties of the Archbishoprick of Armach in Ireland for that the Bishop was elected without his License against his Will and Appeal two Monks coming to him proffering him three hundred Marks in Silver and three Marks a year in Gold for to have the Lands Liberties and Rights thereof he by his Writ returned them to his Chief Justice there to do what was fitting in it John Reumond coming from Rome to lay claim to a Prebendary in Hastings sued to the King for his License and safe conduct to come into and return from England which he granted upon this condition that upon his arrival he should give security that he came hither for no ill to the King nor for any other business but that Prebendary The like License he granted to Simon Langton the Archbishop's Brother upon the same and stricter conditions King John sent a memorable Letter to the Pope by special Messengers to claim and justifie this ancient and undoubted Right which He and his Royal Ancestors enjoyed to provide and prefer Archbishops and Bishops to the See of Canterbury and all other Cathedrals attested by the Letters of the Bishops of England and other credible persons desiring him to preserve the rights of the Church and Realm of England entire and inviolable by his Fatherly provision Then the King entred into a League with Otho the Emperour Mat. Westminst and forced John King of Scots who received his fugitive Subjects and harboured them in his Kingdom to send to him for peace to pay him eleven thousand Marks to purchase his peace with him and to put in Hostages for his fidelity without any Fight between them Yea the the Welch-men themselves formerly rebellious soon after his return from Scotland voluntarily repaired to him at Woodstock and there did homage to him After which Anno 1211. he entring into Wales with a great Army as far as Snowdown Reges omnes Nobiles sine contradictione subjugavit de subjectione in posterum obsides viginti octo suscepit inde cum prosperitate ad Albani Monasterium remeavit Lewellin Prince of North-Wales being enforced to render himself to mercy without any Battel at all When the Pope's Absolution of the Nobles and all other Subjects from the
There was an Appeal about this Election pending before the Archbishop of York before whom the King constituted his Proctor by Patent But after two years expensive contests the Monks election of William Archdeacon of Worcester a Man Learned and honest saith Matthew Paris was cancelled at Rome Luke the King's Chaplain put by and Richard Bishop of Salisbury Elected Bishop by the Pope's favour the Pope onely gaining by such contests The Emperor Frederick the third being justly incensed with the publication of divers Libellous and Scandalous Excommunications of Pope Gregory IX against him in England and all other Kingdoms and Churches endeavoured to vindicate himself and his innocency against the Pope's calumnies by dispatching Letters into all parts and particularly into England These proceedings of the Pope against the Emperor so exasperated the Citizens of Rome that they expelled the Pope from the City and chased him to Perusium Anno 1228. died Stephen Langton Archbishop of Canterbury after whose death there grew a new contest between the King and Monks of Canterbury about the Election of a new Archbishop The Monks chose Walter de Hevesham a Monk whom the King refused to allow of resolving to make Richard his Chancellor Archbishop Walter posting to Rome to get Confirmation and Consecration from the Pope and the King's Proctors there excepting against him pressing the vacating of his Election and making Richard Archbishop with much importunity they could not prevail with the Pope or Cardinals to stop Walter 's Confirmation or promote Richard till they had promised in the behalf of the King unto the Pope the tenths of all things moveable from both his Kingdomes of England and Ireland Whereupon the Pope and Cardinals forthwith vacated Walter 's Election for his insufficiency and made Richard Archbishop So the Pope got two years payment of his annual pension granted by King John and a Tenth in promise Yet where the King gave his Royal assent to Bishops duly Elected by his License where there was no competition the Pope interposed not This Archbishop Richard going to Rome to complain against the King that all affairs of his Kingdom were disposed by the counsel of his chief Justice Hubert when he had there accomplished his designes against the King was presently taken away by sudden Death Then the King issued out a prohibition to the Monks of Canterbury not to do any thing prejudicial to the rights of his Crown nor to elect any Person Archbishop without his special License nor to send any Monks to Rome by the Pope's command to Elect an Archbishop there The Monks in pursuance of this Prohibition by the King's License elected John their Prior Archbishop whom the King by his Letters Patents approved desiring the Pope to confirm him and likewise made new Proctors in the Court of Rome concerning this Election And the King to promote his Affairs the better in the Court of Rome granted Annuities to some Cardinals to obtain that justice from them by such Pensions which he could not procure without them But yet the Pope vacated this second election as well as the first Hereupon the Monks proceed to a third election but this third Person was also cashiered by the Pope This See continued three years after Richard's death and Edmond _____ being nominated Archbishop by the Pope who sent him a Pall was consecrated by Roger Bishop of London in April Anno 1234. the King being present with thirteen Bishops in Christ-Church Canterbury Fuller Church-Histor lib. 3. In the year 1232. the Cavrsines first came into England proving the bane of the Land These were Italians by birth terming themselves the Pope's Merchants driving no other Trade than letting out of Money great Banks whereof they brought into England differing little from the Jews save that they were more merciless to their Debtors Now because the Pope's Legat was altogether for ready Money when any Tax by Levy Commutation of Vows Tenths Dispensations c. were due to the Pope from Prelates Convents Priests or lay-Lay-persons these Cavrsines instantly furnished them with present Coin upon their solemn Bonds and Obligations These Cavrsines were generally hated for their Extortions Roger Black that learned and pious Bishop of London once excommunicated these Cavrssnes for their oppression but they appealing to the Pope their good friend forced him after much molestation to desist These Cavrsines were commonly known by the name of Lombards from Lombardy the place of their nativity in Italy And although they deserted England on the decaying of the Pope's power and profit therein yet a double memorial remaineth of them one of their Habitation in Lombard-street in London the other of their Employment a Lombard unto this day signifies a Bank for Usury or Pawns still continued in the Low-countries and elsewhere See here the Pope's hypocrisie forbidding Usury as a sin so detestable under such heavy penalties in his Canon Law whilst his own Instruments were the most unconscionable practisers thereof without any controul Elius Rubeas in Semidali Lib. 2. c. 3. 4. Elias Rubeus an English-man wrote a Book wherein he said That the Monks had converted Religion into superstition making salvation to consist in things of themselves vain and indifferent that there was no kind of men more blind in concupiscence or infamous for uncleanness than the Popish Clergy c. Certain years after one Laurence an English-man in a Sermon of his admonished the Church That a great danger hung over her head by the Monks that they were seducers and the Ministers of Anti-christ Matthew Paris informs us That Hubert de Burgo Anno 1232. being chief Justice of England the King 's principal faithful Counsellor the greatest opposer of the Pope's Usurpations and Extortions was by the power of the Pope and of Peter Bishop of Winchester suddenly removed from all his Offices and impeached of several Crimes some of them amounting to high Treason Hubert to prevent the rage of his Enemies fled to the Church of Merton and there took Sanctuary Whence the King commanded the Mayor of London by his Letters the Londoners being his mortal Enemies to pull him out forcibly and bring him to him alive or dead Which the Mayor and Citizens readily undertaking and marching thither with great Forces the King by the advice of the Earl of Chester suddenly countermanded them thence to their great discontent After which Godfry of Cranecumb whom the King sent to apprehend him in Essex with three hundred men armed finding the Chappel doors shut violently brake them open apprehended Hubert and carried him thence bound with cords a prisoner to the Tower of London This breach of Sanctuary being made known to Roger Bishop of London whose Diocess it was he tells the King that if the Earl were not restored to the Chappel he would excommunicate all the Authors of that outrage The Earl is accordingly restored but the Sheriffs of Essex and Hertford at the King's command with the Powers of their Countreys besiege the Chappel
the Seas commanding them all in general and one of them onely in special by Name to be first provided for in this kind Anno 1246. Boniface Archbishop of Canterbury upon a feigned pretext that his Church of Canterbury was involved in very great debts by his Predecessor but in truth by himself to carry on Forreign Wars and gratifie the Pope procured from Pope Innocent a grant of the first years Fruits of all Benefices that should fall void within his Diocess for seven years space till he should raise out of them the sum of ten thousand Marks besides two thousand Marks yearly out of the Bishoprick N. B. This Grant of first-fruits of Benefices to Boniface made way for Popes appropriating first-fruits and Annats to themselves soon after About this time was Edmond Archbishop of Canterbury Canonized for a Saint by the Pope to gratifie the King and facilitate the imposing and levying of his Papal exactions upon the Clergy and Realm The Bishops and Clergy of the Province of Canterbury to avoid the turbulent visitation and exactions of Archbishop Boniface made a Tax and Collection to defray the expenses of their Appeals and oppositions against him in the Court of Rome Some Abbots and Convents perceiving that Robert Grosthed and other Bishops intended to vex and oppress them by their new powers to visit them derived from the Pope combined together to make a common purse to oppose and withstand them by Appeals to the Pope whom they hoped would back them for Money as the Bishops combibined together to withstand the Archbishop's Visitation in his Province Notwithstanding this combination the Bishop of Lincoln proceeded to Visit both the Monasteries and Nunneries in his Diocess with great severity and Tyranny But although Robert Grosthed at first was a great stickler for the Pope and an oppressor of the Nobility and Laity of his Diocess with his Visitations appeals to Rome and Excommunications yet afterwards he opposed the Pope's Provisions directed to him for which the Pope suspended him from his Bishoprick Whereupon he sent a notable Letter to Pope Innocent rendring him the reasons why he was not bound to obey his unjust Letters and Provisions as most contrary to the Doctrine and Practice of Christ and his Apostles tending to the ruine of Peoples Souls and that no Bishop or other Person was bound to obey any of the Pope's Mandates as Apostolical but what were warranted by the Doctrine and Practice of Christ and his Apostles The Letter is to be seen at large in Mr. Prynne's late History of Pope's Usurpations c. Tom. 2. A little before his death this Robert Grosthed called some of his Clergy to him and by strong reasons and arguments informed them That the Pope was Antichrist because he was a destroyer of Souls c. Matthew Paris gives this character of him Migravit ab hujusmode mundi quem nunquam dilexit exilio sanctus Lincolniensis Episcopus Robertus secundus apud Bugedonam manerium suum in nocte sancti Dionysii Papae Regis Redargutor manifestus Praelatorum correptor Monarchorum corrector Presbyterorum director Clericorum instructor Scholarium sustentator Populi praedicator Incontinentium persecutor Scripturarum sedulus perscrutator diversarum Romanorum malleus contemptor in mensa refectionis corporalis dapsilis copiosus civilis hilaris affabilis in mensa vero spirituali devotus lacrymosus contritus in officio Pontificali sedulus venerabilis indefatigabilis He died Anno 1253. Vide Ranulph Cestrens Polychron lib. 7. ca. 36. Heur de Knighton de eventib Angliae Lib. 2. ca. 36. Of which year Matthew Paris gives this Character Transiit igitur annus ille Papae Papalibus augurialis The Pope being much incensed against Grosthed wrote a Letter to the King of England to cause his bones to be digged up and to be cast out of the Church whereupon the Bishop's ghost appeared unto him that night expostulated with him pricked him in the side and haunted him till his death The Canons of Lincoln chose Henry of Lexinton to succeed him who was then Dean of the Church of Lincoln the King approved of his Election being Consecrated soon after by Bishop Boniface beyond the Seas Then the King issued out a Writ to the Bishop of Chichester to publish throughout his Diocess the priviledges he had granted to all such who should cross themselves for the holy Land being the same in termes with those the year before sent to the Archbishop of York to publish the Writ running in the same forme In the 38th year of King Henry the third the Archbishops and Bishops having agreed to grant the King a Disme toward the relief of the holy Land by advice of the King's Council in Parliament appointed it to be collected by the Bishops of Norwich and Chichester and Abbot of Westminster for which they assigned them an annual stipend In August following the King issued forth Patents to the Archbishops Bishops Abbots c. in Ireland specially to promote this Croysado and Disme in Ireland and to assist those sent thither to promote it whereof one was the Pope's Subdeacon The King being in France issued his precept to the Barons of the Exchequer to issue Moneys for the repair of the Church of Westminster which he intended to have consecrated before his voyage to the holy Land Prynne's Hist Tom. 2. He issued Writs to enquire of the real values of the Manors Lands Rents and Revenues of Religious persons in nature of Dooms-day Book that he might the better improve them when they fell into his hand by vacancies or deaths of Abbots and Priors towards the debts he contracted by his forreign Wars Matth. Paris Hist Angl. p. 835. Matthew Paris tells us of strange forgeries and devices set on foot by the Pope and his Agents to oppress the Clergy of England and involue them in bonds and debts to the Pope and King who served each others turns and that by the treachery of the Bishop of Hereford and and others to ingratiate themselves with both And the Bishop of Hereford and Rustand the Pope's Legate oppressed the Clergy of England that year 1254. and great complaints were made against them The King being unable by his absence to be personally present at the Feast of St. Edward at Westminster which he annually consecrated constituted several persons to solemnize this Feast and make Offerings Processions and give almes in his stead and commanded the Parishoners of St. Margaret and the Londoners to go to Westminster in Procession with Wax Tapers and other formalities for the honour of this Saint and holy-day The King in the 39th year of his Reign sent a pious Writ to the Cistercians and other Abbots in their general Assembly to make a special devout Prayer unto God for him his Queen and Children The Bishop Elect of Winton having forcibly and unjustly by his power deprived the Prior of Winton and thrust another into his place without his
Rome to purge themselves or submit to his absolute order in all things This new Pope Gregory sent a special Nuncio into England under pretext to compel all Ecclesiastical Persons to pay two years Dismes of their Temporalties and Ecclesiastical Livings to the King and his Brother but in truth to himself who converted most of it to his own use whereupon sundry of the Abbots and Clergy of the Realm refused to pay the premised Disme notwithstanding the Pope's Nuncio's Excommunications denounced against them contemning his Ecclesiastical Censures whereupon the Nuncio wrote to the Chancellor to command the Sheriffs to assist the Collectors of it by their secular power and levy it by force where there was need Hereupon the Chauncellor issued Writs to all the Sheriffs of England and some others to assist the Collectors accordingly It seems the Bishop of Winton compounded and paid a fine of five hundred Marks for his two years Dismes to the Pope's Collector At the same time the King wanting Moneys appointed special Collectors of the Arrears due upon the Dismes granted to his Father by the Pope towards the relief of the holy Land A new Archbishop of Dublin being elected the second year of this King's Reign who resided with the Queen of Scots in Scotland the King at her special request granted him this priviledge to make Attorneys to appear for him in all his Courts and to exempt him from all Amercements for not appearing personally in them Pope Gregory the tenth usurping the Emperor's Sovereign authority of Summoning general Councils sent forth general Letters through every Nation concerning the gathering together a Council on May the first at Lyons Whence it was said of him Gregorius denus Colligit omne genus Claus 2. Ed. 1. m. 13. dorso What Archbishops Bishops Abbots and Clergy-men repaired to this Council by the King 's special License who constituted Attorneys and Proxies for them in the King's Courts to sue and be sued during their absence may be seen in the Records mentioned by Mr. Prynne King Edward the first himself sent four special Proctors to this General Council to propound assent or dissent unto in his Name and behalf whatever they or either of them should deem fit or expedient A clear evidence that He and his Proxies had an affirmative and negative voice in General Councils Matthew Westminster renders us an account of the proceedings in this Council and of the Greek Emperors Patriarcks and Bishops acknowledgement of the Supremacy of the Pope and Church of Rome over all other Prelates and Churches as an Article of their Faith which they never before assented to The Executors of John Maunsel Treasurer of York having by his last Will assigned to the Vicars of St. Peter's in York a Messuage of His in York to maintain an Anniversary for his Soul of which they were afterwards dispossessed by others the King upon complaint thereof issued a Writ of Inquisition to examine the truth thereof and restore the said Messuage to the Vicars to maintain the Anniversary for the salvation of John Maunsel's soul The next year the King issued Commissions for the apprehending some vagrant and Apostate Friers of the Order of St. Augustine who had deseted their Houses and Order to the prejudice of their Souls and scandal of their Order King Edward the first made at Westminster at his first Parliament General after his Coronation Vide Cokes 2. Instit p. 156. 157. on Easter-Monday in the third year of his Reign many exeellent useful Statutes some of them relating to the Priviledges and Jurisdiction of the Clergy controlling some Canons of the Pope formerly used to the obstruction of publick Justice Soon after the Council of Lions Pope Gregory the tenth sent Reymund de Nogeriis his Chaplain as his Nuncio into England Wales Scotland and Ireland for certain affairs of the Church especially to demand and receive from the King eight years Arrears of the annual Tribute and Peter-pence then due to the Church of Rome The Abbot and Covent of Feversham being greatly indebted to Merchants and others by their expences at Rome and Papal exactions the King to preserve Them and their House from ruine took them and all their Lands Moneys Goods into his Protection and committed them to the management of certain persons for discharge of their debts and necessary support The like Protections were granted in the same form to the Abbot and Covents of Bordesley and Byndon the same year and to the Prior and Covent of Thornholm but the custody of them their Lands and Goods to other Persons The Chalices Books Ornaments Goods and Lands of the Hermitage near Cripple-gate London being usually imbezilled for want of good Government and Regulation the King being Patron thereof committed it to the care and Government of the Lord Major of London for the time being The Chancellor and University of Oxford having at their proper costs founded a Chappelry in the Church of St. Maries in the midst of the Town to pray for the safety of the King his Queen and Children Ancestors and all their Benefactors the King highly commending their Piety therein and endeavouring to promote it wrote to all the Archbishops and Bishops of England and Ireland to grant some special Indulgences to all who should resort to this Chappelry to hear Mass or Prayers The King upon the Petition of the Prior and Covent of Bath and of the Dean and Chapter of Wells granted his License to them to elect a new Bishop that See being then void Upon this License they Elected Robert Burnel This Bishop soon after his Consecration to end the frequent Controversies between the King Abbots of Glastonbury and Bishops of this See by consent of the Dean and Chapter of Wells and of the Prior and Covent of Bath exchanged the Patronage of the Abbey of Glastonbury and some other rights therein granted to him by former Kings Patents for the City of Bath In pursuit and execution of which exchange the King issued two Parents to the Citizens of Bath and others to make Livery and Seisin thereof to the Bishop The King gave License upon the Petition of the Dean and Chapter of Hereford to Elect a new Bishop in the place of John Breton after his Decease and confirmed their Election of Thomas de Cantilupo and restored the Temporalties to him after his Confirmation by the Archbishop of Canterbury Pat. 3. Edw. 1. without the Pope's approbation or privity This King in the fourth year of his Reign to prevent the ruine of the Abbey of Redding issued Patents of protection and regulation of the expences of it and of the Cell belonging to it founded by his Ancestors committing it's Revenues to certain persons to defray the Debts thereof In the fifth year of his Reign he issued a Commission to enquire of all Christians who used usury in London and else-where and punish them according to Law by seizing their Goods as a thing unbeseeming Christians and Christianity
his Wife erecting a Chappel and Chauntry to the Virgin Mary in their Manor of Lasingby consisting of one Master and six Chaplains to sing Mass for their Souls and the Souls of their Ancestors and of King Edward and his Heirs of the present Bishop of Durham and his Successors and of all faithful Souls deceased prescribing an Oath to them of perpetual Residence and discharge of the particular Divine Services and trusts reposed in them procured the King to ratifie this his Charter Chart. 20 Ed. 1. n. 5. by his Royal Charter enrolled in the Tower King Edward the First in the twenty one year of his Reign as Superiour Lord of Scotland in that Age exercised a Soveraign Authority in and over the King Clergy and Kingdom of Scotland in Causes and Inheritances which concerned the Church Clergy or Religious Persons as well as in Secular mens cases notwithstanding any Pretences or Appeals to Rome where Justice was delayed or refused to them by the King of Scots whereof there are sundry Presidents in the Patent and Plea-Rolls of Scotland in this and succeeding years Robert Winchelsey Archbishop of Canterbury was no sooner consecrated at Rome Vid. Godw. Catal. p. 427. but he procured a Bull from Pope Celestine the Fifth by his Papal provision to confer the Bishoprick of Landaff which had been void for nine years space and thereby devolved to the Pope by lapse as he pretended on any Person he should think meet for that employment Whereupon without the King 's previous Authority he conferred it by way of provision upon John de Monmouth Yet the King was not forward to restore the Temporalties of the Archbishoprick of Canterbury to this Archbishop or of Landaff to John de Monmouth thus intruded into it against his Prerogative but detained them near two years after in his hands as vacant receiving the profits and presenting to the Benefices belonging to them Upon the death of Robert Burnel Bishop of Bath and Wells the King's Chancellor William de Marchia then Treasurer of England was elected to succeed him in that Bishoprick This year John de Langton succeeded Robert Burnel in the Chancellors Office of England The King in the twenty two year of his Reign notwithstanding a Subsidy granted to him Matth. Westm wanting Moneys searched all the Monasteries and Churches throughout England where any Moneys were deposited by Religious persons or others and forcibly carried it away to supply his occasions by the advice of his Treasurer William de Marchia Bishop of Bath and Wells The same year the King granted Protections to divers Abbots and Clergy-men who aided him with their Contributions against the French He also desired the assistance of their devout Prayers unto God for a blessing upon him and his Military Forces in defence of his Inheritance against their armed Powers as appears by his Writs under his Privy Seal issued to his Bishops and other Religious persons John Duke of Brabant the King 's dear Friend and Kinsman dying this year the King issued Writs to all his Bishops and sundry Abbots and Priors to make Prayers and chaunt Masses for him according to the superstition of that Age. Then the Roman See through the Cardinals divisions continuing void about three years and three months after the decease of Pope Nicholas the Fourth the Cardinals at last elected Peter de Murone an Hermite and Monk of the Order of St. Benedict whom they named Celestine the Fifth He during his short continuance in the Papacy granted our King Edward the First a Disme for seven years from all the Clergy of England out of zeal to the relief of the Holy Land But his Wars with the French Welch-men and Scots wasted all these Dismes Pope Celestine in the month of September created twelve Cardinals among whom were two Hermits But the Cardinals being weary of this precise reforming Pope perswaded him to resign his Papacy as being unfit to manage it without the Churches ruine and his own destruction So after he had sate five months and seven dayes he resigned the Papacy Then Benedict Cajetan his grand Counsellor was chosen Pope and called by the name of Boniface How unsutable yea contradictory his actions were to both his good names he immediately discovered which occasioned this Distich to be made of and applied to him Audi tace lege bene dic bene fac Benedicte Aut haec perverte male dic male fac Maledicte Celestine returned to his Cell from whence Boniface drew him forth and cast him into a close Prison where he abode till his death whence it is reported that Celestine prophecied of him Ascendisti ut Vulpes Regnabis ut Leo Morieris ut Canis Thou hast ascended into the Papacy like a Fox thou shalt reign like a Lion and die like a Dog and so it came to pass This Pope Boniface by his Bull having appropriated the Church of Wermington to the Abby of Peterburgh whereof they had the Patronage the King authorized them accordingly to appropriate it to them and their Successors against him and his Heirs notwithstanding the Statute of Mortmain This Pope sent two Cardinal Legats a latere first to the King of France and from him to the King of England then engaged in Wars against each other under a specious pretext of mediating a Truce between England and France but instead thereof these Cardinals did twice prey upon the English and Irish Churches and Clergy and transported their Treasure into France to enrich themselves and the King's Enemies there Then King Edward sent Writs to his Archbishops Bishops Abbots and others to make Prayers sing Masses and do other Works of Piety for the Soul of his Brother Edmond and after that of Margaret Queen of France according to the superstition of that Age. Tho. Walsingh Hist Angl. p. 34. In the twenty fourth year of King Edward's Reign there arose a great Sedition and Combat between the Scholars and Townsmen in the University of Oxford wherein many were slain on both sides and the Goods of the Scholars plundered and carried away upon complaint whereof to the King by the Scholars he sent his Justices thither to punish the Malefactors and repair the Scholars damages King Edward strenuously opposed Pope Boniface's Anti-monarchical Constitution against demanding or imposing Subsidies on the Clergy Robert Winchelsey Archbishop of Canterbury was stout in the prosecution of the Popes Bull which he had procured for it for which all his Tempoporalties were seized and he being forced to hide his head and reduced to great extremities was restored to the King's favour by the earnest mediation of his Suffragan Bishops on his behalf Whereupon the King issued out Writs to restore his Temporalties with all his Oxen Goods and Chattels formerly seized in the state now they were In the twenty fifth year of this King's Reign Henry de Newark being elected Archbishop of York and his election approved by the King his Proctors sent to Rome procured the Pope's
his Coronation all the Knights Templers The Order of the Knights Templars abolished throughout Christendom throughout England were at once arrested and committed to prison In the General Council of Vienna this Order was utterly abolished through Christendom The French King caused fifty four of that Order together with their great Master to be burnt at Paris And the Pope and Council annexed their possessions to the Order of the Knights Hospitallers called commonly Knights of the Rhodes But in England the Heirs of the Donors and such as had endowed the Templars here with Lands entred upon those parts of the ancient Patrimonies after the dissolution of the Order and detained them until not long after they were by Parliament wholly transferred unto the Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem Guy Guy Earl of Warwick surpriseth Piers Gaveston and causeth him to be beheaded Earl of Warwick surprised Gaveston carried him to his Castle of Warwick wherein a place called Blacklow afterwards Gaveshead his head was stricken off at the commandment and in the presence of the Earls of Lancaster Warwick and Hereford A great Battel was fought between the English and Scots at Bannocks-borough There perished in this Battel Gilbert Clare Earl of Glocester Robert Lord Clifford the Lord Tiptoft the Lord Marshal the Lord Giles de Argenton the Lord Edmond de Maule and seven hundred Knights Esquires and Gentlemen of Quality of common Souldiers ten thousand There were taken prisoners Humphry Bohun Earl of Hereford Ralph de Monthelmere who married Joan de Acres Countess Dowager of Oxford with many others The Earl of Hereford was exchanged for King Robert's Wife who was all this while detained in England This disaster was attended with Inundations which brought forth Dearth Dearth Famine Famine Pestilence all which exceeded any that ever before had been known Anno 1313. died Robert Winchelsey Archbishop of Canterbury in whose room Robert Cobham was elected by the King and Church of Canterbury But the Pope did frustrate that election and placed Walter Reynold Bishop of Worcester About this time died Pope Clement and John XXII succeeded who sent two Legats from Rome under pretence to make agreement between the King of England and the Scots They for their charges required of every Spiritual person four pence in every Mark but all in vain for the Legats as they were in the North parts about Derlington with their whole Family and Train were robbed and spoiled of their Horses Treasure Apparel and whatsoever else they had and so retired back again to Durham thence they returned to London where they first excommunicated all those Robbers Then for supply of those losses they received they exacted of the Clergy to be given unto them eight pence in every Mark But the Clergy would only give them four pence in every Mark So they departed to the Pope's Court again This King Edward refused to pay the Peter-pence In the time of this King the Colledge in Cambridge called Michael-house was founded by Sir Henry Staunton Knight King Edward the Second builded two Houses in Oxford for good Letters Orial Colledge and St. Mary Hall England may dare all Christendom besides to shew so many eminent School-Divines bred within the compass of so few years And a forreign Writer saith Scholastica Theologia ab Anglis in Anglia sumpsit exordium fecit incrementum pervenit ad perfectionem Of these School-men Alexander Hales leads the way Master to Thomas Aquinas and Bonaventure He was in the time of Henry the Third At the command of Pope Innocent the Fourth he wrote the Body of all School-Divinity in four Volumes Roger Bacon succeeded him who lived in the time of King Edward the First he was excellently skilled in the Mathematicks The next was Richard Middleton entitled Doctor Fundatissimus Then flourished John Duns Scotus in the time of Edward the Second he was Fellow of Merton-colledge in Oxford He was called Duns by abbreviation for Dunensis that is born at Doun an Episcopal See in Ireland In this King's Reign Walter Stapleton Bishop of Exeter founded and endowed Exeter-colledge in Oxford It is charged on this King Edward the Second that he suffered the Pope to encroach on the Dignity of the Crown His Father had recovered some of his Priviledges from the Papal usurpation which since his Son had lost back again About that time an English Hermite preached at Paul's in London That some Sacraments that were then in use in the Church were not of Christ's Institution therefore he was committed to prison King Edward went into Scotland with another great Army King Robert thought so great an Army could not long continue therefore he retired into the High-lands King Edward wandred from place to place till many died for hunger and the rest returning home half starved James Douglas followed the English and slew many of them and King Edward himself hardly escaped Then a Peace was concluded at Northampton Anno 1327. That the Scots should abide in the same estate as in the dayes of King Alexander the Third the English should render all subscriptions and tokens of bondage and have no Land in Scotland unless they shall dwell in it In England the two Spencers ruled all things till the Queen and her Son who politickly had got leave to go beyond the Seas returned into England with a Navy and Army landing in Suffolk She denounced open war against her Husband unless he would presently conform to her desires The young Spencer was taken with the King at the Abby of Neath and is hanged on a Gallows fifty foot high Many Persons of Quality were sent down to the Parliament then sitting to King Edward to Kenelworth-castle to move him to resign the Crown which at last he sadly surrendered and Prince Edward his Son is crowned King The late King is removed from Kenelworth unto Barkley-castle where he was barbarously butchered being struck into the Postern of his Body with an hot Spit as it is commonly reported Among the Clergy besides Walter Stapleton Bishop of Exeter whose head the Londoners caused to be smitten off at the Standart in Cheapside only John Stratford Bishop of Winchester heartily adhered to him Robert de Baldock though no Bishop yet as a Priest and Chancellor of England may be ranked with these who attended the King and was taken with him in Wales Hence he was brought up to London and committed to Adam Tarlton Bishop of Hereford Many of the Bishops ungratefully sided with the Queen against her Husband and their Sovereign Walter Reynolds Archbishop of Canterbury led their Van preferred to that See at the King 's great Importunity and by the Pope's power of Provision Henry Burwash Bishop of Lincoln lately restored to the favour of King Edward yet no sooner did the Queen appear in the field with an Army against him but this Bishop was the first who publickly repaired to her Adam Tarlton Bishop of Hereford was the grand contriver of all mischief against the
of one John Wraw a lewd Priest These destroyed the Houses of the Lawyers they beheaded Sir John Cavendish the Lord Chief Justice of England and set his Head upon the Pillory in St. Edmunds-bury Then Henry Spencer the valiant â—ishop of Norwich gathered together a great number of Men Armed with which he set upon the Rebels discomfited them and took John Littester and their other Chieftaines whom he caused all to be Executed and by this means the Countrey was quieted Jack Straw John Kirkby Alane Tredder and John Sterling lost their Heads Wat Tyler was slain by William Walworth Lord Mayor of London These had to their Chaplain a wicked Priest called John Ball Stowes Chro. in Rich. 2. who counselled them to destroy all the Nobility and Clergy so that there should be no Bishop in England but one Archbishop which should be himself and that there should nor be above two Religious persons in one house and their possessions should be divided among the Lay-men for the which Doctrine they held him as a Prophet But he was executed at St. Albans William Wickham about this time finished his beautiful Colledge in Oxford called new Colledge which giveth the Armes of Wickham viz. two Cheverons betwixt three Roses each Cheveron alluding to two beams fastned together called couples in building to speak his skill in Architecture There is maintained therein a Warden seventy Fellows and Scholars ten Chaplains three Clerks one Organist sixteen Choristers besides Officers and Servants of the Foundation with other Students being in all one hundred thirty five Within few years after the same Bishop finished the Colledge at Winchester wherein he established one Warden ten Fellows two Schoolmasters and seventy Scholars with Officers and Servants which are all maintained at his charge out of which School he ordained should be chosen the best Scholars always to supply the vacant places of the Fellows of this Colledge Anno 1391. There was a Synod in England which because many were vexed for causes which could not be known at Rome ordained That the authority of the Pope of Rome should stretch no farther than to the Ocean Sea and that who so Appealed to Rome besides Excommunication should be punished with loss of all their goods and with perpetual imprisonment Then came the Parliament wherein was Enacted the Statute called the Statute of Praemunire The Statute of Praemunire which gave such a blow to the Church of Rome that it never recovered it self in this Land The Statute of Mortmain put the Pope into a sweat but this put him into a Fever That concerned him onely in the Abbies his darlings this touched him in his person About this time died that faithful Learned and aged Servant of God John de Trevisa born at Crocadon in Cornwal a Secular Priest and Vicar of Berkley painful in Translating the Old and New Testament into English with other great Books The History of William Swinderby Priest in the Diocess of Lincoln whereunto he was forced by the Friars the Process of John Tresnant Bishop of Hereford into whose Diocess he removed had against him in the cause of Heretical pravity as the Papists call it the Articles that were exhibited against him with his protestation and answer to the same The Process against William Swinderby with his answer and declaration to certain Conclusions the Bishop's sentence against him and his Appeal from the Bishop to the King with the causes thereof together with Swinderby's letter to the Parliament may be read at large in Mr. Fox his Acts and Monuments of the Church Then were there Articles exhibited against Walter Brute of the Diocess of Hereford a Lay-man and Learned touching the cause of Heresie as they called it unto the Bishop of Hereford his examination and answer is also largely described by Mr. Fox Fox in Ric. 2. Then were there two Bulls sent out by Pope Boniface the ninth one against the Lollards another to King Richard the second Queen Anne Wife to King Richard at the same time had the Gospels in English with four Doctors upon the same King Richard wrote a notable Letter to the Pope wherein he sheweth That the election of the Pope was not as before comparing the Popes to the Souldiers that crucified Christ That Secular Princes are to bridle the outrages of the Pope and seemeth to Prophecy of the desolation of the Roman Pope King Richard was not long after deposed and barbarously murdered at Pomfret-castle In the time of the conspiracy against King Richard among all the Bishops onely Thomas Merks Bishop of Carlisle was for him For when the Lords in Parliament nor coâ—â—â—nt to depose King Richard were devising more mischief against him up steps the foresaid Bishop and thus expresseth himself There is no man here worthy to pass his sentence on so great a King as to whom they have obeyed as their lawful Prince full two and twenty years This is the part of Traitors Cut-throats and Thieves None is so wicked none so vile who though he be charged with a manifest crime we should think to condemn before we heard him And you do ye think it equal to pass sentence on a King anointed and Crowned giving him no leave to defend himself How unjust is this But let us consider the matter it self I say nay openly affirm that Henry Duke of Lancaster whom you are pleased to call your King hath most unjustly spoiled Richard as well his Sovereign as ours of his Kingdom More would he have spoken but the Lord Marshal enjoyned him silence and the other Bishops said he discovered having been a Monk more Covent-devotion than Court-discretion in dissenting from his Brethren yet at that time no punishment was imposed upon him But the next year 1400. when some discontented Lord 's arose against King Henry the fourth this Bishop was taken prisoner and judicially arraigned for high Treason for which he was condemned and sent to St. Albans The Pope gave unto him another Bishoprick in Samos a Greek Island But before his translation he died CENT XV. KIng Henry Trassel in vit Henrici IV. the fourth held a Parliament at Westminster during which Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury had convocated a Synod which was held in St. Paul s Church to whom the King sent the Earls of Northumberland and Westmorland who declared to the Clergy That they were from the King to acquaint them that the King resolved to confirm all their Priviledges unto them and to joyn with them as they should desire him in the punishment of all Hereticks and opposites to their Religion received for which so doing he craved but their supplications to God for him and his posterity and prosperity of the Kingdom which was by all there present religiously promised In the second year of his Reign King Henry ordained That if any person should obtain from the Bishop of Rome any provision to be exempt from obedience Regular or Ordinary or to have any Office perpetual in
of Basil to which our Ambassadors were to represent both their Sovereign and the English Nation where they were received with honour and respect This was a troublesome Council and continued seventeen years In this Council it was concluded as before at Constance that the General Councils were above the Pope Fourteen Ambassadors were sent from the King unto Basil One Earl not that he was to vote in the Council but only behold the transactions thereof viz. Edmond Earl of Morton Five Bishops viz. Robert Bishop of London Philip Bishop of Lisieux John Bishop of Rochester John Bishop of Baieux and Bernard Bishop of Aix Two Abbots Nicholas Abbot of Glaston William Abbot of St. Maries in York One Prior William Prior of Norwich Two Knights Henry Broumfleet and John Colvil Mr. Thomas Brown Doctor of Laws Dean of Sarum Peter Fitz-Maurice D. D. and Mr. Nicholas David Archdeacon of Constance and Licentiate in both Laws John Bishop of Rochester here mentioned was John Langdon intruded by the Pope into that Bishoprick to the prejudice of the Archbishop of Canterbury But he was indeed a Learned man and died this year in his Ambassy at Basil This Council deposed Pope Eugenius and substituted in his room Amideus the most devout Duke of Savoy who was called Felix the Fifth and was crowned in the City of Basil Anno 1437. Henry Chichley Archbishop of Canterbury founded a Colledge in Oxford by the name of All-souls for a Warden and forty Fellows which number by Statute was never to be augmented or impaired and all void places by death or otherwise once in a year to be supplied Six years did he survive the first founding of this Colledge He founded another Colledge in Oxford called Barnard-colledge suppressed by King Henry the Eighth and renewed by Sir Thomas White who named it St. Iohn's-colledge one of the fairest of the University This Archbishop bestowed much money in repairing the Library at Canterbury Goodwin's Catal. of Bishops and then replenished the same with a number of goodly Books He gave unto his Church many rich Ornaments and Jewels of great price and built a great part of the Tower called Oxford-tower in the said Church He founded a goodly Colledge and an Hospital at Higham-ferries where he was born for eight secular Priests Fellows four Clerks and six Choristers it was so endowed as at the suppression of the same it was valued at 156 pounds per annum The Hospital was for poor people likewise liberally endowed Iohn Stafford Son unto the Earl of Stafford succeeded in the place of Henry Chichley deceased Pope Eugenius the Fourth translated him from Bath and Wells About the year 1446. King Henry the Sixth founded Eaton Colledge incorporate by the name of Praepositi Collegii Regaliis Col. Beatae Maria de Eaton juxta Winsor This Colledge consisteth of one Provost Fellows a School-master and Usher besides many Oppidanes maintained there at the cost of their Friends This Eaton is a Nursery to King's-colledge in Cambridge Humfry Duke of Glocester the King's Uncle at a packt Parliament at Bury was condemned of High-treason and found dead in his Bed not without rank suspition of cruel practices upon his person He gave to the Library in Oxford many pretious voluminous Manuscripts He was buried in St. Albans to which Church he was a great Benefactor The same month with the Duke of Glocester died Henry Beaufort Bishop of Winchester and Cardinal He was a man of such Wealth that at once he lent King Henry the Fifth twenty thousand pounds who pawned his Crown to him He built the fair Hospital of St. Cross near Winchester The Clergy moved in vain against the recalling of the Statute of Praemunire About the year 1453. began the broyls to break out out between the two Houses of Lancaster and York so mutually heightened that scarce a County betwixt York and London but a set Battel hath been fought therein besides other Counties in the Marches of Wales besides many other Skirmishes Corrivals with Battels so that such who consider the blood lost therein would admire England had any left And such as observe how much it had left would wonder it had any lost In the midst of these Civil wars William Sirnamed Patin from his Parents but Wainfleet from the place of his Nativity now Bishop of Winchester founded the fair Colledge dedicated to Mary Magdalen in Oxford for one President forty Fellows thirty Demies four Chaplains eight Clerks and sixteen Choristers This William Wainfleet first founded Magdalen-hall hard by and afterwards undertook and finished this most stately piece of Architecture There is scarce a Bishoprick in England to which this Colledge hath not afforded one Prelate at the least doubling her files in some places At this day besides those forementioned there are one Schoolmaster and an Usher three Readers viz. of Divinity Natural and Moral Philosophy besides divers Officers and Servants of the foundation with other Students being in all two hundred and twenty Iohn Kemp Archbishop of Canterbury built the Divinity-School in Oxford and Paul's Cross King Henry being conquered in a fatal Battel at Touton in Nottinghamshire fled with his Queen into Scotland and to make himself the more welcome resigned Berwick to the King thereof Edward Duke of York reigned in his stead This King's Reign affordeth very little Church-story This good was done by the Civil Wars it diverted the Popish Prelates from troubling the Lollards Thomas Bourchier Son unto Henry Bourchier Earl of Essex Archbishop of Canterbury kept a Synod of his Clergy at London The Parliament sitting at the same time bestowed many priviledges on the Clergy In the time of this Archbishop Raynold Peacock Bishop of Chichester was afflicted by the Popish Prelates for his Faith and profession of the Gospel after he had laboured many years in translating the Holy Scriptures into English Sir Rich. Baker's Chron. He was accused and convicted for holding and publishing certain Opinions at that time held Heretical which at last openly at Paul's Cross he revoked but was notwithstanding deprived of his Bishoprick only a certain Pension was assigned him to live on in an Abby where soon after he died Fox Acts and Monuments Luke 8.3 About the year 1465. there was here in England one Thomas Holden a Carmelite Friar who preached in Michaelmas Term at Paul's Cross in London That our Lord Iesus Christ was in poverty and did beg in the world A manifest untruth For great is the difference betwixt begging and taking what the bounty of others doth freely confer as our Saviour did from such who did minister unto him of their substance This Sermon caused a great stir The principal Champions on both sides whose Pens publickly appeared were For Mendicants 1. Henry Parker a Carmelite bred in Cambridge living afterward in Doncaster-Covent imprisoned for preaching 2. Iohn Milverton bred in Oxford Carmelite of Bristol being excommunicated by the Bishop of London and appealing to the Pope found no favour but
party during the rest of the King's Reign But then there started up another faction as opposite to the publick Liturgy as were those of Rome The Archbishop and the rest of Prelates which co-operated with him in the work of Reformation were resolved now to go forwards with a Reformation in point of Doctrine And therefore Letters were directed by Archbishop Cramner to Martin Bucer and Peter Martyr two eminent Divines Heylin s Hist Edw. vi Martyr came over in the end of November and having spent sometime with the Archbishop in his house at Lambeth was dispatched to Oxford where he was made the King's Professour for Divinity and about two years after made Canon of Christ-Church His readings were so much disliked by some of that University that a publick disputation was shortly had betwixt him and some of those that disliked his doings about some points in the Sacrament Doctor Cox Chancellour of the University assisted by Mr. Morrison a right learned man being Moderators declared that Martyr had sufficiently answered all Arguments which were brought against him by Chadsey the chief of the opponents and the rest of those who disputed with him Bucer came not over till June and being here receives letters from Calvin Mediis consiliis vel Authorem esse vel Approbatorem Calvin Epist. ad Bucer by which he was advised to take heed of his old fault for a fault he thought it which was to run a moderate course in his Reformations The first thing that Bucer did after his coming hither was to acquaint himself with the English Liturgy translated for him into Latine by Alexander Alesius a Learned Scot and generally well approved of by him as to the main Frame and Body of it Of this he gives an acâ—ount to Calvin Having received a courteous entertainment from the Lord Protector and being heartily well-commed by Archbishop Cranmer he is sent to take the Chair at Cambridge But he had not held that place long when he left this life deceasing on January 19. Anno 1550. to the great loss and grief of that University Calvin writes to the Protector to this effect That the Papists would grow more insolent every day than other unless the difference were composed about the Ceremonies But how not by reducing the Opponents to Conformity but by encouraging them rather in their opposition John Rogers Lecturer in S. Paul's and John Hooper Vicar of S. Sepulchres were founders of Non-conformity The Founders of Non-conformity This John Hooper was bred in Oxford well-skilled in Latine Greek and Hebrew and afterwards travelled over into Switzerland He was preferred to be Bishop of Glocester by the favour of his Patron John Earl of Warwick afterwards Duke of Northumberland But when Hooper came to be consecrated Bishop of Glocester he scrupled the wearing of certain Episcopal Ornaments Rochet Chimere Square Cap c. producing a letter from the Earl of Warwick that he might be favourably dispensed with therein The King also thirteen dayes after wrote to Archbishop Cranmer to the same effect All would not do Resolute Bishop Ridley stood stiffly to his tackling and here was bandying of the business betwixt them and arguments urged on both sides The Earl of Warwick deserted his Chaplain and Hooper was sent to prison and kept sometime in durance till he condescended to conform himself in his habit and so was consecrated Bishop of Glocester After this Hooper bare a great grudge against Ridley who enforced him thereunto but God's providence sanctified their sufferings afterwards into an agreement We must not forget that this earnest contest was not about the vocation but about the vestments of Bishops Thus we have the first beginning of that opposition which hath continued ever since against the Liturgy c. and other Rites and Usages of the Church of England About this time John a Lasco free Baron of Lasco in Poland with his Congregation of Germans and other strangers took Sanctuary this year in England hoping that here they might enjoy that liberty of conscience and safety for their goods and persons which their own Countrey had denyed them The King gratiously vouchsafed to give them both entertainment and protection assigned them the west part of the Church belonging to the late dissolved house of Augustine-friars for the exercise of Religious Worship made them a Corporation consisting of a Superintendent and four other Ministers with power to fill the vacant places by a new Succession whensoever any of them should be voyd by death or otherwise the parties by them chosen to be approved by the King and Council He commanded the Lord Mayor of London the Aldermen and Sheriff thereof as also the Archbishop of Canterbury and all other Bishops of this Realm not to distrub them in the free exercise of their Religion and Ecclesiastical Government although they differed from the government and forms of Worship established in the Church of England All which he granted by his Letters Patents This John a Lasco quickly publisheth a book Entitled Forma Ratio totius Ecclesiastici Ministerii wherein he maintains the use of sitting at the Holy Communion contrary to the custom of the Church of England to the encouragement of those who impugned her Orders A controversie moved by Bishop Hooper touching the Episcopal Habit was presently propagated among the rest of the Clergy touching Caps and Surplices And in this quarrel John a Lasco engageth countenancing those that refused to wear them Heylin's Hist Edw. vi and Writing to Martin Bucer to declare against them But that Moderate and Learned Man severely reprehended him and solidly answered all his Objections Which being sent to him in the way of letter was afterward Printed and dispersed for keeping down that opposite humour This controversie was countenanced by Peter Martyr for besides his judgement which he gives of these things in some of his Epistles about things of this nature he hath told us of his own practice in one of his Epistles Dated at Zurick Novemb. 4. 1559. being more than five years after he had left this Kingdom That he had never used the Surplice when he lived in Oxford though he were then a Canon of Christ-church and frequently present in the Quire While this controversie was on foot between the Bishops and the Clergy John Rogers one of the Prebends of S. Paul's and Divinity Reader of that Church then newly return'd from beyond the Seas could never be perswaded to wear any other than the round cap when he went abroad And being further pressed unto it he thus declared himself That he would never agree to that point of Conformity but on this condition that if the Bishops did require the Cap and Tippet c. then it should also be declared that all Popish Priests for a distinction between them and others should be constrained to wear upon their sleeves a Chalice with an Host upon it Nay such peccancy of humour began then to break out that
King would not be perswaded thereunto And when the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London sent by the Lords to the King used divers Arguments to perswade him he declared a Resolution rather to venture life and all things else that were dear unto him than to give way to any thing which he knew to be against the Truth Then the King burst forth into a flood of tears and the Bishops on sight thereof wept as fast as He. The Bishops thereupon withdrew admiring at such great Abilities in so young a King and blessed God for giving them a Prince of such eminent piety Then the reviewing the Liturgy and the composing of a Book of Articles were brought under consideration This last for the avoiding diversities of Opinions and for the establishing consent touching true Religion the other for removing such offences as had been taken by Calvin and his followers at some parts thereof The Liturgy so reviewed was ratified by Act of Parliament in the year following By the learned Writings of Erasmus and Melancthon together with the Augustan Confession a Book of Articles being thought necessary to be composed the Composers of those Articles were much directed using them as subservient Helps to promote the service Now followed the fatal Tragedy of the Duke of Sommerset and we must recoyl a little to fetch forward the cause thereof Thomas Seymour Baron of Sudely and Lord Admiral the Protector 's younger Brother had married the Lady Katherine Par the Relict of King Henry the Eighth A contest arose between their Wives about place The Women's discords derived themselves into their Husbands hearts whereupon not long after followed the death of the Lord Thomas Seymour arraigned for designing to translate the Crown to himself Soon after the Lords of the Council accuse the Protector of many high offences his greatest Enemy and Accuser was John Dudley Earl of Warwick Hereupon he was imprisoned at Windsor yet he was acquitted though outed his Protectorship restored and continued Privy Counsellor But after two years and two months his Enemies assault him afresh He was indicted of Treason and Felony he was condemned for Felony by a new made Statute for plotting the death of a Privy Counsellor namely the Earl of Warwick Here a strange oversight was committed that he craved not the benefit of the Clergy which could not legally be denied him Not long after he was beheaded on Tower-hill with no less praise for his piety and patience than pity and grief of the beholders In the beginning of the year 1551. happened a terrible Earthquake at Croydon and some other Villages thereabouts in the County of Surrey Afterwards six Dolphins were taken up in the Thames three at Queenborough and three near Greenwich the least as big as any Horse Their coming up so far beheld by States-men as a presage of those storms and Tempests which afterwards befel this Nation in the death of King Edward and the tempestuous Reign of Queen Mary But the saddest presage of all was the breaking out of a Disease called the Sweating-sickness appearing first at Shrewsbury on April 15. and afterwards spreading by degrees over the Kingdom wherewith if any man were attacqued he died or escaped within nine or ten hours if he slept as most persons desired to do he died within six hours if he took cold he died within three hours Sir Michael Stanhop Sir Thomas Arundel Sir Ralph Vane and Sir Miles Partridge were arraigned and condemned to dye The two first were beheaded and the two last hanged at what time they solemnly protested taking God to witness that they never practised Treason against the King c. Vane adding after all the rest that his Blood would make the pillow of the Earl of Warwick lately made Duke of Northumberland uneasie to him Then fifty six Articles are drawn up against Robert Farrars Bishop of St. Davids and a Commission issued March 9. to enquire into the merit of those Articles charged against him on the return whereof he is indicted of a Praemunire at the Assizes at Carmarthen committed thereupon to prison where he remained all the rest of King Edward's time never restored to liberty till he came to the Stake in Queen Maries Reign On the twenty ninth of January 1552. The Bishoprick of Westminster was dissolved by the King's Letters Patents by which the County of Middlesex which had before been laid unto it was restored unto the See of London The Book of Articles made in the Synod at London may be truly said to be the work of that Convocation though many Members of it never saw the same till the Book was published in regard as Mr. Philpot saith that they had a Synodical Authority to make such spiritual Laws Fox Acts and Monuments fol. 1282. as to them seemed to be necessary or convenient for the use of the Church Moreover the Church of England for the first five years of Queen Elizabeth retained these Articles and no other as the publick Tenents of the Church in point of Doctrine which she had not done had they been commended to her by a less Authority than a Convocation These Articles were confirmed and published for such by the King's Authority Regiâ authoritate in lucem editi as appears further by the Title in due form of Law And so it is resolved by Philpot in behalf of the Catechism which came out Anno 1553. with the approbation of the said Bishops and learned Men. The Liturgy being setled and confirmed in Parliament was by the King's command translated into French for the use of the Isles of Guernsey and Jersey and such as lived within the Marches and command of Calais But no such care was taken for Wales till the fifth year of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth nor of the Realm of Ireland from that time to this as Doctor Heylin observeth Then that which concerns as well the nature as the number of such Feasts and Fasts as were thought fit to be retained were determined and concluded on by an Act of Parliament Which Statute though repealed in the first of Queen Mary and not revived till the first year of the Reign of King James yet in effect it stood in force and was more punctually observed in the time of Queen Elizabeth's Reign than after the reviving of it The next care was that Consecrated places should not be profaned by fighting and quarrelling as they had been lately since the Episcopal Jurisdiction and the ancient Censures of the Church were lessened in Authority and reputation This Parliament ending on April 15. the Book of Common-prayer was printed and published which had been therein authorized And the time being come which was set for the officiating it there appeared much alteration in the outward solemnities of Divine service to which the people had formerly been so long accustomed For by the Rubrick of that Book no Copes or other Vestures were required but the Surplice only whereby the Bishops must forbear
the Magistrates requiring that the English should conform themselves to the Rules of the French Cox his party being depressed they accuse Knox to the State for high Treason against the Emperor in an English book of his entitled An Admonition to all Christians first privately preached in Buckinghamshire and now publickly printed to the world wherein he called the Emperor no less an enemy to Christ than Nero. Hereupon the State of Frankford willed Knox to depart the City who on March 25. to the great grief of his Friends left the Congregation and retireth himself to Geneva Whittingham and the rest of his party were commanded to receive the Book of England against which Order Whittingham for a time opposeth encouraged therein by Goodman but finding Cox and his party too strong for them they also left Francâ—ford shortly after Then Doctor Cox and his Adherents proceed to elect Officers in the Congregation Mr. Whitehead is chosen their Pastor yet so as two Ministers four Elders and four Deacons were joyned to assist him And because this was then an University as â—ell as a Congregation of the English Mr. Robert Horn was chosen to be Hebrew Reader Mr. Mullings to read the Greek Lecture and Mr. Trahern the Lecture in Divinity Here a moderate motion was made that the difference might be compremised and referred to Arbitrators which should be equally chosen on both sides To this Doctor Cox his party would in no wise consent and lost much reputation by the refusal The Names of those who separated themselves from this Congregation were as followeth William Williams William Whittingham Anthony Gilby Christopher Goodman Thomas Cole John Fox Thomas Wood. William Kethe John Kelk John Hilton Christopher Scothous Nicholas Purfote John Escot Thomas Grafton William Walton Laurence Kent John Hellingham Anthony Carier Of these Mr. Fox with a few more went to Basil the rest setled themselves at Geneva where they made choice of Knox and Goodman for their constant Preachers under which Ministry they reject the whole frame and fabrick of he Reformation made in England conformed themselves wholly to the fashions of the Church of Geneva It was not long after the setling of the Liturgy at Franckford before Whitehead left the Ministry of the English Congregation which Cox obtained for Mr. Horn. That being done he withdrew himself to Strasburg there to enjoy the company of Peter Martyr with whom he was well acquainted while he lived in Christ-church By Doctor Cox his departure a new gap is open for another dissention Some words had passed at a Supper between Horn the Pastor and Ashley a Gentleman of note intended rather for increase of charity than breach of friendship Ashley is three dayes after cited to appear at the house of one of the Elders to answer for some words he had spoken in contempt of the Ministry But from the Elders he appeals to the Congregation among whom he prevails so far that they send a Message by two of their company to the Pastor and Elders to proceed no further in the cause Horn being backed by Chambers the publick Treasurer excepts against thiâ—â—essage as not decreed by the whole Congregation and resolves to maintain that authority which had been conferred on him and the rest oâ— the Elders Ashley and his party on the other side protest against the Pastor and Elders as an adverse party and therefore not in a capacity to sit as Judges in the present case and do consult about the making of a Book of Discipline for the curbing the exorbitant power for so they thought it of the Pastors and Elders Thereupon the Pastor and Elders forsake their Offices and on the next day of publick meeting take place among the rest as private persons The Congregation full but the Pulpit empty which put the rest upon a humour of electing others to take the Pulpit charge upon them The noise of these disorders awakens the Magistrates who command Horn and Chambers to forbear the Congregation until further order and afterwards restoring them to their former authority by publick edict were contradicted in it by Ashley's party who having got some power into their hands were resolved to hold it In the mean time a Book of Discipline had been drawn and tendred to the Congregation according to the Rules whereof the Supreme power in all Ecclesiastical causes was put into the hands of the Congregation Heylin's Hist of Q. Mary and the disposing the publick moneys committed to the trust of certain Officers by the name of Deacons This makes the breach wider than before The Magistrates write their Letters to Strasburg desiring Doctor Cox Doctor Sandys together with Robert Berty Esquire to undertake the closing of the present Rupture To their arbitrament each party is content to submit the controversie In the end a form of Reconciliation is drawn up by some of the English who really sought the peace of the Church But those who stood for the new discipline refused to submit themselves to any establishment by which the power of the diffusive body of the Congregation might be called in question Whereupon Horn and Chambers depart to Strasburg from whence Chambers writ his Letters to them twice but to no effect They had before elected some new Ministers and though Horn and his party opposed it yet they concluded it for the present and now they mean to stand to the conclusion let Horn and Chambers go or tarry as best pleased themselves Such were the troubles and disorders in the Church of Frankford occasioned first by a dislike of the publick Liturgy before which they preferred the nakedness and simplicity of the French and Genevian Churches saith Doctor Heylin and afterwards continued by the opposition made by the general body of the Congregation against such who were appointed to be Pastors and Rulers over them And now it is time to return to England and look back upon Cranmer who had been cited to the Court of Rome for nothing could be done against the person of a Metropolitan before the Pope had taken cognisance of the cause and eighty dayes had seemingly been given to Cranmer for making his appearance in the Court of Rome And though the Pope knew well enough as well the Archbishop's readiness to appear before him if he were at at liberty as the impossibility of making any such appearance as the case then stood yet at the end of the said eighty dayes he is pronounced by the Pope to be contumacious and for his contumacy to be degraded excommunicated and finally delivered over to the secular Magistrate According unto which Decree a Commission is directed unto Edmond Bonner Bishop of London and Thomas Thurlby Bishop of Ely to proceed in the Degradation of the said Archbishop who caused him to be degraded After this and before his death great pains was taken by a Spanish Frier in the University to perswade him to a retraction of his former Opinions by whom it was suggested to him How acceptable
for this Victory The English were then possessed of the Town of Calais with many other Forts thereabout as Guisness Hames Ardres c. together with the whole Territory a Town situate on the mouth of the English Chanel opposite to Dover and distant not above twenty five miles from it King Edward the Third after a Siege of more than eleven months became Master of it Anno 1347. by whom it was first made a Colony of the English Nation and after one of the Staple-Towns for the sale of Wooll kept with great care by his Successors who as long as they had it in their hand were said to carry the Keys of France at their Girdle a Town which for more than two hundred years had been in possession of the English The Queen had broke the peace with France and taken no care to fortifie this place in this time of War Then the Duke of Guise one of the best Souldiers of that Age now called back out of Italy being informed by the Governor of Bulloign that the Town was neither so well fortified nor so strongly garrisoned but that it might easily be taken on New-years-day sate down before it and on Twelfth-day had it surrendred up unto him by the Lord Deputy Wentworth who had the chief government of it Guisnesse Hames and all the other Forts in the County of Oye were reduced under the power of the French within few dayes after The Pope is displeased with Cardinal Pool by whose perswasion it was thought that the Queen had broke her League with France to take part with her Husband therefore he deprives Pool of the Legantine power confers the same upon Friar Peitow an English-man by birth and of good descent whom he designs also to the See of Sarisbury then void by the death of Capon Karn the Queens Agent with the Pope advertiseth her of these secret practices Pool layes by the Cross of his Legation and abstains from the exercise of his Bulls and Faculties Peitow the new Cardinal-Legat puts himself on the way to England when the Queen commandeth him at his peril not to adventure to set foot on English ground Peitow died in April following the rupture was made up again and Pool was confirmed in the possession of his former powers And thereupon followed the burning divers persons in the Diocess of Canterbury whereof two suffered at Ashford and six in his own Metropolitan City These Godly Martyrs in their prayers which they made before their Martyrdom desired God that their blood might be the last that should be shed and so it came to pass The number of prohibited Books increasing every day more and more a Proclamation was set forth on June the sixth to hinder the continual spreading of so great a mischief Which Proclamation though it were very smart yet not so full of rigour as another which came out at the burning of seven persons in Smithfield published both at Newgate where they were imprisoned and at the Stake where they were to suffer whereby it was straitly charged and commanded That no man should either pray for or speak to them or once say God help them Which Proclamation notwithstanding Bentham the Minister of one of the London Congregations seeing the fire set to them turning his eyes unto the people and cried We know they are the People of God and therefore we cannot chuse but wish well to them and say God strengthen them And so he said Almighty God for Christ's sake strengthen them With that all the people with one consent cried Amen Amen It was very admirable that the Protestants should have a Congregation under Bonner's nose yet so it was and in one of those Congregations whereof Bentham was Minister there assembled seldom under forty many times an hundred and more the Ministers whereof successively were Mr. Edward Scambler after Bishop of Peterborough Mr. Thomas Foule Mr. John Rough convented and condemned by Bonner and burnt for the Truth After whom followed Mr. Augustine Bernher a moderate and learned man and finally Mr. Thomas Bentham forementioned who continued in that charge till the death of Queen Mary and was by Queen Elizabeth preferred to the Sea of Lichfield Anno 1589. And notwithstanding all the care of the Queens Inquisitors many good Books of true Christian Consolation and good Doctrine did either find some Press in London or were sent over to their Brethren by such learned men as had retired themselves to their several Sanctuaries Then raged a contagious Fever in most parts of the Land and no former Plague was thought to have destroyed a greater number so that divers places were left void of Justices and men of worth to govern the Kingdom At which time died also so many Priests that a great number of Parish-Churches in divers places were unserved and no Curates could be gotten for money Much corn was also lost in the field for want of Workmen to get it in Physitians died as well as the Patients two of the Queens Doctors dying of it a little before the death of the Queen It spared the Prelat no more than the Priest insomuch that within less than the space of twelve months almost one half of the English Bishops had made void their Sees Now God put an end to those calamities of his Children by the death of Queen Mary who died of a Dropsie November the seventeenth 1558. Within few hours after her death died Cardinal Pool Archbishop of Canterbury He procured of the Queen the Patronage of nineteen Benefices unto his See promised and intended to repair the Palace at Canterbury He was buried in his own Cathedral with this short and modest Epitaph upon his plain Monument DEPOSITVM CARDINALIS POLI. The Parliament sate at Queen Maries death after which they only continued so long as joyntly and publickly to proclaim Elizabeth Queen and then they were dissolved Queen Maries body was enterred in the Chappel of King Henry the Seventh in the Isle on the North side thereof ELIZABETH the only Child then living of King Henry the Eighth succeeded her Sister in the Throne on November the seventeenth Anno 1558. She was proclaimed by the King at Arms first before Westminster-hall door in the presence of the Lords and Commons and not long after at the Cross in Cheapside and other places in the City in the presence of the Lord Mayor Aldermen and principal Citizens to the great joy of all peaceable and well-affected people The news whereof being brought unto her by some of the Lords she removes from Hatfield on the nineteenth of that month and with a great and royal Train sets forward to London At Highgate four miles from the City she was met by all the Bishops then living who presented themselves before her upon their knees In which address as she expressed no small contentment so she gave to each of them particularly her hand to kiss except only unto Bonner of London At her first coming to the City she took her
Crown but without any Act for the validity of her Mother's Marriage on which her Title most depended There passed an Act also for restoring the Tenths and first Fruits to the Crown first setled thereon in the time of King Henry the Eighth and afterwards given back by Queen Mary to the Pope They passed an Act also for the dissolution of all such Monasteries Convents and Religious Orders as had been Founded and established by Queen Mary By vertue of which Act Queen Elizabeth was repossessed of all those Lands which had been granted by her Sister to the Monks of Westminster and Shen the Knights Hospitallers the Nuns of Sion together with the Mansion houses re-edified for the Observants of Greenwich and the Black-friers in Smithfield In passing the Act of the Supremacy there was some trouble it seemed to be a thing even abhorrent in Nature and Polity that a Woman should be declared to be the Supreme Head on Earth of the Church of England But the Queen declined the Title of Head and assumed the name of Governor of the Church of England This Act having easily passed the House of Commons found none of the Temporal Lords in the House of Lords to oppose it save onely the Earl of Shrewsbury and Anthony Brown Viscount Montacute As for the Bishops there were but fourteen and the Abbot of Westminster then alive of whom four being absent the rest could not make any considerable opposition In the Convocation of the Clergy there passed certain Articles of Religion which they tendered to the Parliament which were these I. That in the Sacrament of the Altar by the vertue of Christ assisting after the word is duly pronounced by the Priest the natural Body of Christ conceived by the Virgin Mary is really present under the Species of Bread and Wine also his natural Blood II. That after the Consecration there remains not the substance of Bread and Wine nor any other substance save the substance of God and Man III. That the true Body of Christ and his true Blood is offered a propitiatory Sacrifice for the quick and dead IV. That the supreme power of feeding and governing the Militant Church of Christ and of confirming their Brethren is given to Peter the Apostle and to his lawful Successors in the See Apostolick as unto the Vicars of Christ. V. That the Authority to handle and define such things which belong to Faith the Sacraments and Discipline Ecclesiastical hath hitherto ever belonged and onely ought to belong unto the Pastors of the Church whom the Holy Spirit hath placed in the Church of God and not unto Lay-men This Remonstrance exhibited by the lower house of Convocation to the Bishops was according to their Requests presented by Edmond Bonner Bishop of London to the Lord Keeper of the Broad-seal of England in the Parliament Both Universities did concur to the truth of the foresaid Articles the last onely excepted This Declaration of the Popish Clergy hastened the disputation appointed on the last of March in the Church of Westminster wherein these Questions were debated I. Whether Service and Sacraments ought to be celebrated in the vulgar Tongue II. Whether the Church hath not power to alter Ceremonies III. Whether the Mass be a propitiatory Sacrifice for the living and the dead Popish Disputants White Bishop of Winchester Watson Bishop of Lincoln Baynes Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield Scot Bishop of CHESTER Protestant Disputants John Scory late Bishop of Chichester David Whitehead Robert Horn. Edmond Gwest Edwyn Sandys John Elmer Edmond Grindal John Juel Moderators Nicholas Heath Archbishop of York Sir Nicholas Bacon Lord Keeper of the Great Seal Besides the Disputants there were present many of the Lords of the Queens Council with other of the Nobility as also many of the lower House of Parliament For the manner of their conference it was agreed it should be performed in writing and that the Bishops should deliver their Reasons in writing first Many differences arose between them so that the conference broke off and nothing was determined The Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester thought meet that the Queen and the Authors of this defection from the Church of Rome should be Excommunicated who for this cause were imprisoned Then a Peace being made was Proclaimed over all England betwixt the Queen of England the King of France the Daulphin and the Queen of Scots The Parliament being dissolved by Authority of the same the Liturgy was forthwith brought into the Churches in the Vulgar Tongue the Oath of Supremacy offered to the Popish Bishops and others of the Ecclesiastical profession which most of them had sworn unto in the Reign of King Henry the Eighth All the Bishops refused except Anthony Bishop of Landaff As many as refused were turned out of their Livings Dignities Bishopricks In the Sees of the Prelates removed were placed Protestant Bishops Matthew Parker was made Archbishop of Canterbury who was Consecrated by three that formerly had been Bishops namely William Barlow of Bath and Wells John Scory of Chichester and Miles Coverdale of Exeter And being Consecrated himself he afterward Consecrated Edmond Grindal Bishop of London Richard Cox Bishop of Ely Edwyn Sandys Bishop of Worcester Rowland Merick Bishop of Bangor Thomas Young Bishop of St. David's Nicholas Bullingham Bishop of Lincoln John Juel Bishop of Salisbury Richard Davis Bishop of St. Asaph Edward Guest Bishop of Rochester Gilbert Barkley Bishop of Bath and Wells Thomas Bentham Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield William Alley Bishop of Exeter John Parkhurst Bishop of Norwich Robert Horn Bishop of Winchester Richard Cheiney Bishop of Glocester Edmond Scambler Bishop of Peterborough William Barlow Bishop of Chichester John Scory Bishop of Hereford Thomas Young Archbishop of York James Pilkinton Bishop of Durham John Best Bishop of Carlile and William Dounham Bishop of Chester Nicholas Health Archbishop of York lived privately many years in his Mannor of Chobham in Surrey never restrained to any one place and died in great favour with the Queen who bestowed many gratious visits upon him during his retirement Tonstal of Durham spent the remainder of his time with Archbishop Parker by whom he was kindly entertained and honourably buried The like civility was afforded to Thurlby Bishop of Ely in the same house and unto Bourn of Wells by the Dean of Exon in which two houses they both died about ten years after White though at first imprisoned for his faults after some cooling himself in the Tower of London was suffered to enjoy his liberty and to retire himself to what friend he pleased Which favour was vouchsafed unto Turbervil also who being a Gentleman by extraction wanted not friends to give him good entertainment Watson of Lincoln after a short restraint spent the remainder of his time with the Bishops of Rochester and Ely till having practised against the State he was shut up in the Castle of VVisbich where at last he died Oglethorp died soon after his deprivation of an Apoplexy
parts of all Ecclesiastical promotions within that Realm as also of all Impropriate Parsonages The like Act passed for restoring all such Lands belonging to the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem An Act was also past for the recognition of the Queen 's just Title to the Crown as before in England The Queen left the prosecution of the work to her Bishops and Clergy But they so dissipated the Revenues of their several Bishopricks by long Leases Fee-farmes and plain Alienations that to some of their Sees they left no more than a Rent of five Marks per annum to others a bare yearly Rent of forty shillings to the great dishonour of God disservice of the Church and the perpetual Ignominy of themselves Now Return we again to England where we find Reverend Jewel newly consecrated Bishop of Salisbury to have Preached a Sermon at Paul's Cross on 1 Cor. 11.23 That which I delivered to you I received of the Lord c. on March 30. 1560. There he published that memorable Challenge which so much exercised the Pens and Studies of the Romish Clergy Bishop Jewel's Chalenge If any Learned man of our Adversaries or all the Learned men that be alive be able to bring any one sufficient sentence out of any old Catholick Doctor or Father or General Council or Holy Scripture or any one Example in the Primitive Church whereby it may be clearly and plainly proved during the first six hundred years I. That there was at that time any private Mass in the World II. Or that there was then any Communion ministred unto the people in one kind III. Or that the People had their Common-Prayer in a strange Tongue IV. Or that the Bishop of Rome was then called the Head of the Vniversal Church V. Or that the People were then taught to believe that Christ's Body is really Substantially Carnally Corporally or Naturally in the Sacrament VI. Or that his Body is or may be in a thousand places or more at one time VII Or that the Priest did then hold up the Sacrament over his head VIII Or that the People did then fall down and Worship it with godly honour IX Or that the Sacrament was then and now ought to be hanged up under a Canopy X. Or that in the Sacrament after the words of Consecration there remained onely the accidents and shews without the substance of Bread and Wine XI Or that then the Priests divided the Sacrament into three parts and afterwards received Himself all alone XII Or that whosoever had said the Sacrament is a Figure a Pledge a Token or a Remembrance of Christ's Body had therefore been judged for an Heretick XIII Or that it was lawful then to have thirty twenty c. Masses said in one day XIV Or that Images were then set up in the Churches to the intent the people should worship them XV. Or that the Lay-people were then forbid to read the Word of God in their own Tongue XVI Or that it was then lawful for the Priest to pronounce the words of Consecration closely or in private to Himself XVII Or that the Priest had then authority to offer up Christ unto his Father XVIII Or to receive the Sacrament for another as they do XIX Or to apply the vertue of Christ's death to any man by the means of the Mass XX. Or that it was then thought a sound Doctrine to teach the People that Mass Ex opere operato is able to remove any part of our sin XXI Or that any Christian man called the Sacrament of the Lord his God XXII Or that the People were then taught to believe that the Body of Christ remaineth in the Sacrament as long as the Accidents of Bread and Wine remain there without corruption XXIII Or that a Mouse or any other Worm or Beast may eat the Body of Christ. XXIV Or that when Christ said Hoc est corpus meum the word Hoc pointed not the Bread but Individuum Vagum as some of them say XXV Or that the Accidents Formes or Shews of Bread and Wine be the Sacrament of Christ's Body and Blood and not rather the very Bread and Wine it self XXVI Or that the Sacrament is a Token or sign of the Body of Christ that lieth underneath it XXVII Or that Ignorance is the Mother and Cause of true devotion The Conclusion is That then I shall be content to yield and subscribe This Chalenge being published in so great an Auditory startled the English Papists both at home and abroad The business was first agitated by the-exchange of friendly Letters betwixt Bishop Jewel and Dr. Henry Cole the late Dean of St. Pauls more violently followed in a Book of Rastals followed therein by Dorman and Marshal Dorman was well answered and foiled by Nowel and the other by Calfhil But the main encounter was between the Chalenger himself and Dr. John Harding who had the better of the day will easily appear to any that consults their Writings But these Discourses came not out till some years after Pope Paul the Fourth dying Pope Pius the Fourth succeedeth him who being moved to Excommunicate Queen Elizabeth by the Count of Feria takes a more moderate course by sending Vincent Parpalia Abbot of St. Saviour's with courteous Letters unto her Parpalia was instructed to offer in the Name of the Pope That the English Liturgy should be confirmed the use of the Communion in both kinds allowed of And that all sentences passed in the Court of Rome against her Mother should be rescinded upon condition she would own the Pope's Primacy and cordially unite her self to the Catholick Church yea some thousands of Crowns but all in vain were promised to the effecters thereof But for all this the Abbot came no nearer than Bruxels with his Bulls and Faculties not being suffered to set Foot on English ground Now another Enemy quarrels at the Rites and Extrinsecals of the Church Those that for Religion fled to Frankford in Queen Marie's days after her death hastened into England followed not long after by the Brethren of the Separation which retired from thence unto Geneva Some Friends they had about the Queen and Calvin make 's use of all his power and credit both with the Queen and Cecil as appears by his Letters unto both to advance their ends And he was seconded therein by Peter Martyr But the Queen resolved to keep up the Church in such outward splendor as might make it every way considerable in the eye of the World when therefore they saw the Liturgy imposed by Act of Parliament and so many Episcopal Sees supplied with able Pastors they began to revive the quarrels raised in King Edward's time about Caps and Surplices c. saith Dr. Heylin And herein they were seconded as before in King Edward's time by the same Peter Martyr as appears by his Letters to a nameless friend bearing date at Zurich November 5. 1560. to which he added his dislike in another of his Letters touching the
the holy Sacraments and partly for the Apparel of all Persons Ecclesiastical by vertue of the Queen's Majestie 's Letters Commanding the same January fifteenth c. In this year 1564. died the Emperour Ferdinand and Mr. John Calvin What Peter Lombard was esteemed to be in the Schools at Rome the same was Calvin reckoned to be in all those Churches which were Reformed according to the Zuinglian Doctrine in the point of the Sacrament Heylin's Hist of Q. Elizab. Yet the Royal and Prelatical Divines conceived otherwise of him saith Dr. Heylin and the learned Adrian Seravia though by birth a Dutchman Yet being once preferred in the Church of England could not endure to be called Calvinian About the middle of February the Lord Darly came to the Court of Scotland who being not fully twenty years old of lovely person sweet behaviour and a most ingenuous disposition exceedingly prevailed in short time on the Queen's affections About the middle of July the Marriage-Rites were celebrated in the Royal Chappel by the Dean of Restalrig and the next day the Queen having made him before Earl of Rosse and Duke of Rothsay the new Duke was proclaimed King by sound of Trumpet and declared to be associated with the Queen in the publick government The news whereof being brought unto Queen Elizabeth she seemed more offended than indeed she was But never was marriage more calamitous to the parties themselves or more dishonourable to that nation or finally more scandalous to both Religions in nothing fortunate but in the birth of James the sixth born in the Palace of Edenburgh on July 19. Anno 1566. Solemnly Crowned King of the Scots on the same day of the Month Anno 1567. and joyfully received to the Crown of England on March 14. 1602. Of such a temper were the devotions of the Church of England at this time that generally the English Papists L. Coke's charg given at Norwich Assizes 1606. and the Ambassadours of Forreign Princes still resorted to them For the first ten years of Her Majestie 's Reign the Papists in general came to our Churches In the beginning of the eleventh year of her Reign Cornwallis Beddingfield and Selyard were the first Recusants Now we are come to the setling the Episcopal Government by as good Authority as could be given to it by the Lawes of the Land By a Statute made in the last Parliament for keeping Her Majestie 's Subjects in their due obedience a power was given unto the Bishops to tender and receive the Oath of Supremacy of all manner of persons residing and dwelling in their several Diocesses Bonner was then Prisoner in the Marshalsey which being within the Borough of Southwark brought him within the Jurisdiction of Horn Bishop of Winchester by whose Chancellor the Oath was tendred to him On the refusal of which Oath he iâ— Indicted at the King's Bench upon the Stature to which he appeared in some Term in the year foregoing and desires that Council be assigned to plead his cause The Court assigns him Christopher Wray afterwards Chief-justice of the Common-Pleas that famous Lawyer Edmond Ploydon and one Mr. Lovelace But the business came under consideration in the following Parliament which began on September thirty where the Legality of Horn's Episcopacy which was objected against in the behalf of Bonner was cleered by Statute by which the Parliament did only publish notifie and declare the Legal Authority of the English Bishops whose call and Consecration to their place was formerly performed In the year 1566. Queen Elizabeth came to Oxford Honourably attended with Robert Dudley lately made Earl of Leicester and Chancellor of Oxford the Marquess of Northampton the Lord Burleigh and the Spanish Ambassadour She was lodged in Christ-Church where many Comedies were acted before Her Many Acts were kept before Her in Philosophy and one most eminent in Divinity She concluded all with a Latine Oration which you may read in Fuller's Church History as it was taken by Dr. Laurence Humfrey and by him Printed in the Life of Bishop Jewel Having stayed seven dayes she took Her leave of the University Anno 1567. Another Generation of Active Non-conformists succeeded the former Of these Coleman Button Benson and Halingham were the chief inveighing against the established Church-discipline endeavouring to conform the English Church in all things to that of Geneva To these three more may be added viz. William White Thomas Rowland Robert Hawkins all Beneficed within the Diocese of London This year these three were cited to appear before Edmond Grindal Bishop of London one who was not very forward to press Conformity The Bishop asked them this question Have we not a godly Prince speak is she evil To which they made their several answers in manner following William White What a question is that the fruits do shew Thomas Rowland No but the servants of God are persecuted under Her Robert Hawkins Why this question the Prophet answereth in the Psalms How can they have understanding that work iniquity spoiling my people and that extol vanity The Queen proceeded severely against some of them commanding them to be put in prison though still their party daily encreased And now to strengthen the Romish party two most Active fugitive Papists Thomas Harding and Nicholas Saunders return into England Very earnest they were in advancing the Catholick Cause and perverted very many to their own erroneous opinions A moneth or two after the Prince of Scotland's baptizing the King her Husband in the one and twentieth year of his age was in the dead time of the night by bloody barbarous hands was strangled in his bed and thrown forth into an Orchyard the house being blown up with Gun-powder The Queen afterwards marrieth Earl Bothwel but he is forced to fly out of Scotland And the Queen is thrust in prison at Loch-levin But what should be done with Her the Conspirators could not agree among themselves At length they extort from her a resignation of her Kingdom to her Son who was scarce thirteen moneths old But she being ill-used at home by her own Subjects made an escape into England and landed at Wirkington in Comberland and the same day wrote a letter in French to Queen Elizabeth The Countess of Lenox complaineth against her to Queen Elizabeth 〈…〉 â—list Cent. 〈◊〉 and besought her that she might be brought to her trial for the murther of her Son The Queen of Scots wrote a letter to the Pope to manifest her devotion to the See of Rome written from Castle Boulton Novemb. 30. 1568. Then Thomas Piercy Earl of Northumberland and Charles Nevil Earl of Westmorland brake out into open Rebellion against the Queen Their first valour was to fight against the English Bible and Service-book in Durham tearing them to pieces They set up Mass in most places where they came Richard Norton an aged Gentleman carrying the Cross before them and others bearing in their banners the five wounds of Christ or a Chalice
St. John's-colledge in Oxford Tutor to Philip Earl of Arundel eldest Son to Thomas Duke of Norfolk Afterwards he went over beyond Sea and became Divinity Professor in the Colledge of Rhemes and died there Now as touching the Controversie of Church-government the Ministers of Kent having been called to subscribe to certain Articles propounded to them by the Archbishop of Canterbury seâ—d their Petition to the Privy Council Subscribed thus Your Honours daily and faithful Orators the Ministers of Kent which are suspended from the execution of their Ministry The Lords of the Council sent this Petition with another Bill of complaint exhibited unto them against Edmond Freak Bishop of Norwich unto the Archbishop of Canterbury What his Answer was thereunto may be seen at large in Fuller's Church History Doctor John Whitgift was now Archbishop of Canterbury Anno 1583. who wrote a Letter to the Lord Treasurer complaining of Mr. Beal Clerk of the Council who brought these Letters to him his insolent carriage towards him Now that the Presbyterian party were befriended at the Council-board who endeavoured to mittigate the Archbishop's proceeding against them appeareth also from the Privy Counsellors Letter to the Archbishop in favour of the Non-conformists Signed W. Burleigh G. Shrewsbury A Warwick R. Leicester C. Howard J. Croft Ch. Hatton Fr. Walsingham But albeit Sir Chr. Hatton subscribed among the Privy Counsellors for moderation to Non-conformists yet that he was a great countenancer of Whitgift's proceedings against them appeareth in an immediate Address of the Archbishop unto him As for the Lord Burghleigh he was neither so rigid as to have Conformity prest to the height nor so remiss as to leave Ministers at their own liberty He would argue the case both in Dâ—scourse and Letters with the Archbishop and one Letter he wrote to the Archbishop for some Indulgence to the Ministers Mr. Travers seems to have an hand in all this who being the Lord Burghleigh's Chaplain by him much respected and highly affected to the Geneva Discipline was made the mouth of the Ministers to mediate to his Lord in their behalf But the Archbishop's unmoveableness appeared by his Letter sent to the Lord Treasurer at some passages whereof he took exception and sends a smart Letter to the Archbishop That which concerneth the Non-conformists therein is this I deny nothing that your Grace thinketh meet to proceed in with those whom you call factious and therefore there is no controversie between you and me expressed in your Letter the controversie is passed in your Graces Letter in silence and so I do satisfie Your Grace promised me to deal I say only with such as violated Order and to charge them therewith which I allow well of But your Grace not charging them with such faults seeketh by examination to urge them to accuse themselves and then I think you will punish them I think your Grace's proceeding is I will not say rigorous or captious but I think it is scant charitable c. If I had known the fault of Brown I might be blamed for writing for him but when by examination only it is to sift him with twenty four Articles I have cause to pity the poor man Your Grace's as friendly as any W. Burghleigh The Archbishop writes a calm Letter in answer to the Lord Treasurer's Letter sending him enclosed therein certain Reasons to justifie the manner of his proceedings praying his Lordship not to be carried away either from the cause or from the Archbishop himself upon unjust surmises and clamours lest he be the occasion of that confusion which hereafter he would be sorry for Professing that in these things he desired no further defence neither of his Lordship nor of any other than Justice and Law would yield unto him Sir Francis Walsingham was a good Friend to Non-conformists he wrote a Letter to the Archbishop to qualifie him for a Semi-Non-conformist one Mr. Leverwood Grindal being sensible of the Queens displeasure had desired to resign his place and confine himself to a yearly Pension This place was proffered to Whitgift but he in the presence of the Queen refused it yet what he would not snatch suddenly fell into his hands by Grindal's death who out of his contempt of the world left not much wealth behind him That little he had as it was well gotten was well bestowed in pious uses in Oxford and Cambridge with the building and endowing of a School at St. Bees in Cumberland where he was born yea he may be held as a Benefactor to this Nation by bringing in Tamarix first over into England that Plant being very excellent in mollifying the hardness of the Spleen Now Robert Brown a Cambridge-man and young Student in Divinity of whom the Separatists in those dayes and long after were called Brownists born in Rutland-shire of an ancient Family near allied to the Lord Treasurer Cecil began with one Richard Harison a Schoolmaster to vent their Opinions They set forth Books in Zealand whither they travelled Brown returning home disperseth these Books all over England But their Books were suppressed by the Queens Authority confuted by Learned men and two of his followers were executed one after another at St. Edmonds-bury Brown coming to Norwich there infected both Dutch and English for which he was confined The Lord Treasurer writes a Letter to the Bishop of Norwich in his behalf Brown being thus brought up to London was wrought to some tolerable compliance and being discharged by the Archbishop was by the Lord Treasurer sent home to his Father Anthony Brown at Tolethorp in Rutland Esquire But it seems Brown's errors were so inlaid in him no conference with Divines could convince him to the contrary whose incorrigibleness made his own Father weary of his company He and Harison inveighed against Bishops Ecclesiastical Courts Ceremonies Ordination of Ministers fancying here on earth a platform of a perfect Church Doctor Fulk learnedly proveth that the Brownists were in effect the same with the ancient Donatists Nicholas Saunders more truly Slanders died this year 1583. being starved to death among the Bogs and Mountains in Ireland Near the same time one John Lewis was burnt at Norwich for denying the Godhead of Christ and holding other detestable Heresies At this time the Jesuites set forth many slaunderous libels against her Majesty one of their principal Pamphlets was a Treatise of Schism William Carter the Stationer was executed at Tyburn for publishing it Soon after five Seminaries John Fen George Haddock John Munden John Nutter and Tho. Hemmerford were hanged bowelled and quartered for Treason at Tyburn and many others about the same time executed in other places Yet at the same time the Queen by one Act of Grace pardoned seventy Priests some of them actually condemned to die all legally deserving death Among these were 1. Gasper Haywood Son to that eminent Epigrammatist the first Jesuite that ever set foot in England 2. James Bosgrave 3. John Hart a zealous disputant 4. Edward
John Elmar Bishop of London He was one of a low stature but stout spirit a witty man a stiff-champion of the Church-discipline on which account none was more mocked by Ma tin-mar-prelat or hated by Non-conformists Of the Papists died Anno 1594. two principal pillars beyond the Seas first William Rose bred in Winchester-school then in New-colledge in Oxford He went to Rome and there solemnly abjured the Protestant Religion from Rome he removed to Rhemes in France where he became Professor of Divinity and Hebrew in the English Colledge He died at Antwerp in the fiftieth year of his Age as he was making a Book called Calvino-Turcismus which after by his dear friend William Gifford was finished set forth and dedicated to Albert Duke of Austria Cardinal William Allen died also the same year The King of Spain bestowed on him an Abbey in the Kingdom of Naples and nominated him to be Archbishop of Machlin but he died Pitraeus de illustr Angl. script p. 793. and was buried in the Church of the English Colledge at Rome His loss was much lamented by the Catholicks for he had done many good offices in composing the grudgings which began to grow between the Secular Priests and Jesuites Untill this time the prime Catholicks in Wisbich Castle had lived there in restraint with great concord And the Papists do brag that then and there the English Church was most visible untill one Father Weston a Jesuite coming thither erected a Government among them making certain Sanctions and Orders which all were bound to observe claiming a superiority over all the Catholicks there Besides those of his own society many of the Secular Priests submitted unto him though the greatest number and Learned sort of the Secular Priests resisted his superiority If any Order might pretend to this Priority it was most proper for the Benedictines extant in England above a thousand years ago one might admire why Father Weston should so earnestly desire so silly a Dominion having his power as well as his own person confined within the walls of Wisbich Castle Anno 1595. Began throughout England the more solem and strict observation of the Lord's day occasioned by a Book then set forth by P. bound D. D. and enlarged with additions Anno 1606. Hereupon the Lord's day especially in Corporations began to be precisely kept people forbearing such sports as yet by Statute permitted yet Learned men were much divided in their Judgments about the Sabbatarian Doctrines The first that publickly opposed Dr. Bounds Opinions was Mr. Thomas Rogers of Horninger in Suffolk in his Preface to the Book of Articles yet notwithstanding were these Sabbatarian Doctrines published more generally than before The price of the Doctor 's Book began to be doubled as commonly Books are then most called on when called in Yea six years after Bounds book came forth with enlargements publickly sould Now also began some Opinions about Predestination Free-will Perseverance which much troubled the Schools and Pulpit Wherein Archbishop Whitgift caused a solemn meeting of many Learned Divines at Lambeth where besides the Archbishop Richard Bancroft Bishop of London Richard Vaughan Bishop of Bangor Humfrey Tyndal Bishop of Ely Dr. Whitaker Queen's Professor in Cambridge and others were assembled These after a serious debate resolved on the now following Articles Fuller Church Hist An. 1595. I. God from eternity hath Predestinated certain men unto life c. II. The moving cause of Predestination unto life is not Faith and good Works foreseen c. but onely the good will and pleasure of God III. There is predetermined a certain number of the predestinate c. IV. Those who are not predestinated to Salvation shall be necessarily damned for their sins V. A true living justifying Faith c. is not extinguished vanisheth not away in the elect either finally or totally VI. A man truly faithful i. e. such a one who is endued with justifying Faith is certain with the full assurance of Faith of the Remission of his sins and of his everlasting Salvation by Christ. VII Saving Grace is not given granted communicated to all men by which they may be saved if they will VIII No man can come unto Christ Vnless it shall be givenll unto him and unless the Father shall draw him And as men are not drawn by the Father that they may come to the Son IX It is not in the will or power of every one to be saved Matthew Hutton Archbishop of York did also fully and freely in his judgement concur with those Divines as appeareth by a Letter of his sent to a most Reverend Prelate Mountague in his Appeal p. 55.56 71 72. When these Articles came abroad into the World some had an high Opinion of them others valued them at a low rate Some flatly condemned both the Articles and the Authors of them One affirmeth that these Articles were forbidden by publick Authority but when where and by whom he saith nothing Forreign Divines raised or decryed the esteem of these Articles just as they were biassed in judgment Some Printed set forth and cited them as the sence of the Church of England others as fast slighted them as the narrow positions of a few private and partial persons Although those Learned Divines be not acknowledged as competent Judges to pass definitive sentence in those points yet their testimony is an infallible evidence what was the general and received Doctrine of England in that Age about the forenamed Controversies This year died first Dr. William Wickham bred in King's Colledge in Cambridge first Bishop of Lincoln after of Winchester Secondly Worthy Dr. William Whitaker And among the Romanists Daniel Halesworth More infamous was the death of Robert Southwel a Jesuite who was executed for a Traitor at London In the year 1596. died Bishop Fletcher of London who died suddenly and John Coldwel Bishop of Sarisbury About this time also died Doctor Laurence Humfrey a moderate Non-conformist Dean of Winchester and Master of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford Master Baltazar Zanchez a Spaniard born in Estremadura founded an Almes-house at Totnam-Highcross in Middlesex for eight single people allowing them competent maintenance Thomas Stapleton this year ended his life at Lovain he was born at Henfield in Sussex and was a Learned assertor of the Romish Religion This year also died Richard Cosins Doctor of the Law and Dean of Arches one of the greatest Civilians which our Nation hath produced The death of Robert Turner was now much lamented by the Papists He was born at Barstable in Devonshire bred for awhile in Oxford whence flying beyond the Seas he became Canon of Breslaw in Silesia and at the same time Privy Councellor to the Duke of Bavaria Ferdinand of Gratz afterwards Emperor took him from the Duke to be his own Secretary in the Latin Tongue He lieth buried at Gratz under a handsom Monument In the year 1599. died Richard Hooker of whom largely before He was much lamented by Protestants
Noble-men disaffected to the Common-prayer-book who promised what aid they possibly could and in the end returned home safe In the afternoon Proclamation was made at the Cross at Ebenborough to prevent the like disorders but to small effect some Citizens demanding the Restitution of the Ministers and the performance of what was subscribed Suddenly two Petitions were presented against the Common-prayer-book and the Composers and Abettors of it which Petitions were sent to the King with the narrative of the whole who immediately sent Instructions for adjourning the Term to Sterling Lamb. Wood. History King Charles a strong place and to make Proclamation of severe penalties to be inflicted on the breakers of the peace which was no sooner proclaimed but the Lord Hume Lindsey and divers others protest against it and in contempt of Authority compell'd the Heraulds to hear the Protest or Covenant read These troublesome beginnings did afterward occasion the solemn League and Covenant whereby the greatest part of the Nation united themselves to defend their Priviledges as was pretended and which laid the foundation of a long and woful War in both Kingdoms They erected a new Government among themselves which consisted of four Tables for the four Orders of the State Heylin on the life of Archbishop Laud part 2. viz. the Noblemen Barons Burgesses and Ministers These fixed themselves in Edenborough leaving the Lords of Council and Session to make merry at Sterling where they had little else to do than to follow their pleasures The Tables being formed they resolved upon renewing the ancient Confession of that Kirk with a Band thereunto subjoyned but accommodated to the present occasion which had been signed by King James on January 28. Anno 1580. And by this Band they entred Covenant for maintenance of their Religion then professed and his Majesty's person but aiming at the contrary And to this Covenant they required an Oath of all the Subjects which was as great an Usurpation of the Regal power as they could take upon themselves for confirming their own authority and the peoples obedience in any project whatsoever which should afterwards issue from those Tables Return we now to England where we shall find things in a better condition at least to outward appearance And now the Metropolitical visitation having been carried into all parts of the Realm of England and Dominion of Wales the Archbishop of Canterbury began to cast his eye upon the Islands of Guernsey and Jersey two Islands lying on the Coast of Normandy to the Dukedom whereof they once belonged and in the Right of that Dukedom to the Crown of England As parts of Normandy they were subject in Ecclesiastical matters to the Bishops of Constance in that Dukedom Heylin's Hist of Archbishop Laud. Ad An. 1637. and so continued till the Reformation of Religion here in England and were then added to the Diocess and Jurisdiction of the Bishops of Winchester But the Genevian Discipline being more agreeable to such Preachers as came to them from France they obtained the exercise thereof in the eighth year of Queen Elizabeth Anno 1565. The whole Goverment distinguished into two Classes both meeting in a Synod every second or third year according to the order of their Book of Discipline digested by Snape and Cartwright in a Synod held at Guernsey June 28. 1576. In this manner they continued till King James his time when the Churches in the Isle of Jersey falling into some disorder and being under an immediate Governor who was no great friend to Calvin's Platform they were necessitated for avoiding a great mischief to cast themselves into the Arms of the Church of England The principal Ecclesiastical Officer whilst they were under the Bishops of Constance had the Title of Dean for each Island one the several powers both of the Chancellor and Archdeacon being united in his Person This Office is restored again his Jurisdiction marked out his Fees appointed his Revenue setled but made accountable for his Administration to the Bishop's of Winchester The English Liturgy is translated also into French to be read in their Churches Instructions first and afterwards a Body of Canons framed for regulating both Ministers and people in their several duties Now it was resolved that the Metropolitical visitation should be held in each of them at the next opening of the Spring And the Archbishop had designed a Person for his principal Visitor who had spent some time in either Island and was well acquainted with the Bailiffs Ministers and Men of special note among them But the Affairs of Scotland growing worse this Council was laid by But these Islands were not out of his mind The Islanders used to breed such of their Sons as they designed for the Ministry either at Saumur or Geneva from whence they returned well-seasoned with Calvinism Therefore to allure the people to send their Children to Oxon or Cambridge he thought of providing some preferment for them in our Universities It now happened that one Hubbard the Heir of Sir Miles Hubbard Citizen and Alderman of London died to whom upon an Inquisition taken after his death in due form of Law no Heir was found which could lay claim to his Estate Which so unexpectedly fallen to the Crown and being a fair Estate withall the Archbishop perswaded his Majesty to bestow some small part thereof upon pious uses And so much was allotted out of it as for the present served sufficiently to endow three Fellowships for the perpetual education of so many of the Natives of Guernsey and Jersey These Fellowships to be founded in Exeter Jesus and Pembrook Colledges that being disperst into several Houses there might be an increase both of Fellows and Revenues of the said Foundations By means whereof he did as Doctor Heylin observeth both piously and prudently provide for those Islands and the advancement of Conformity among them for the future It is not to be thought that the Papists were all this while asleep Pancani arriving in England An. 1636. brought with him many pretended Relicks of Saints Medals and pieces of Gold with the Pope's Picture stamped upon on them to be distributed among those of the Party but chiefly to the Ladies of the Court and Countrey to whom he made the greatest part of his Applications Then he practised upon some of the principal Lords and used his best endeavours to be brought into the acquaintance of the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury But his Grace neither liked the Man nor the Message he came about and admitted him neither to complement nor communication However the Popish faction multiplying in some numbers about the Court resorted more openly to the Masses at Sommerset-house where the Capuchins had obtained both a Chappel and Convent Of this none bears the blame but the Archbishop who is traduced in Libels and common talk for the principal Architect in the plot and the contriver of the mischief Awakened by so many Alarms he had good cause to look
Glascow November 21. 1638. and a Parliament at Edenborough May 15. 1639. But nothing satisfied But before the Assembly at Glascow was indicted the Covenanters had so laid the plot that none but those of their own party should have suffrage in it not suffering the Archbishops and Bishops to sit as Moderators in their Presbyteries where the Elections were to pass and citing them to appear as Criminal persons at the said Assembly The Archbishops and Bishops in the name of themselves and of all their Adherents prepared their declinator or protestation against the said General Assembly and all the Acts and Conclusions of it as being void and null in Law to all intents and purposes whatsoever The day being come Hamilton marcheth to the place appointed for the Session in the equipage of an High-Commissioner the Sword and Seal being carried before him c. The reading of his Commission the putting in and rejecting of the declinator the chusing of Henderson to be Moderator of the Assembly the constituting of the Members of it and some debates touching Votes and Suffrages challenged by Hamilton for such as were Assessors to him took up all their time betwixt their first meeting and their dissolution which was by proclamation solemnly declared on the twenty ninth of the same month But notwithstanding the said dissolution the Members of the said Assembly continued their Session and therein passed many Acts for the utter overthrow of the Polity and Government of the Church They not only excommunicated the Bishops and their Adherents but condemned the very Function it self to be Antichristian and utterly to be abolished out of the Church The like censure also they passed on the Service-book and the Canons with the five Articles of Perth and all the Arminian Tenets in case of Predestination and declared all men subject to excommunication and all other censures of the Church who should refuse to yield obedience to all their determinations And albeit his Majesty by the same Proclamation had commanded all his Subjects not to yield obedience to any of their Acts and Ordinances yet those of the Assembly were resolved to maintain their Authority and not only the Bishops and Clergy but also as many of the Laity as had refused to subscribe to the Acts thereof were deprived of their Offices and Preferments banished their Country and forced to fly into England or other places the King being unable to protect them from the power and malice of their Adversaries The King now thinks of raising an Army against the Scots Sir Rich. Baker's Chron. and a Loan for the King's assistance against the Scots is subscribed by many Lords of the Council and Bishops c. Cardinal Richlieu was no small Incendiary in this business betwixt the King and Scots who sent his Chaplain and Almoner Mr. Thomas Chamberlain a Scotch-man to assist the Confederates in advancing the business and to attempt all wayes of exasperation and not to depart from them till he might return with good news in this project About the latter end of this year died John Spottiswood Archbishop of St. Andrews at London and was buried near unto King James in the Abbey-church of Westminster The King began his journey towards the North on March twenty seven his Army being advanced before the chief command whereof was committed to the Earl of Arundel The Scots presented a Petition to the King at his Camp near Berwick And Commissioners being on both sides appointed they came at last to this conclusion on June 17. viz. first That his Majesty should confirm whatsoever his Commissioner hath already granted in his Majesties name and that from thenceforth all matters Ecclesiastical should be determined by the Assemblies of the Kirk and all matters civil by the Parliament and to that end a General Assembly to be indicted on the sixth of August and a Parliament on the twentieth of the same month in which Parliament an Act of Oblivion was to pass for the common peace and satisfaction of all parties that the Scots upon the publication of the accord should within forty eight hours disband all their Forces discharge all pretended Tables and Conventicles restore unto the King all his Castles Forts and Ammunition of all sorts the like restitution to be made to all his good Subjects of their liberties lands goods c. taken and detained from them since the late pretended General Assembly at Glascow that thereupon the King should presently recal his Fleet and retire his Land-forces and cause restitution to be made to all persons of their goods detained and arrested since the first of February But as for the proceedings of the Assembly at Glascow they seem to have been left in the same condition in which they stood before his Majesties taking Arms. And the King doing nothing to the abrogating of them when he was in the Head of a powerful Army he could not expect that the Scots could yield to any such abrogation when he had no such Army to compel obedience And this immediately appeared on his Majesties signing the Agreement and discharging his Army thereupon For the Covenanters upon the declaration of this accord produced a Protestation First Of adhering to their late General Assembly at Glascow and to all the proceedings there especially the sentences of Deprivation and Excommunication of the sometimes pretended Bishops of that Kingdom as they were termed Secondly Of adhering to their solemn Covenant and declaration of the Assembly whereby the Office of Bishops is abjured Thirdly That the Bishops have been malitious Incendiaries of his Majesty against this Kingdom by their wicked calumnies and that if they return to this Kingdom they be esteemed and used as accursed c. Fourthly That all the entertainers of the excommunicated Bishops should be orderly proceeded against with Excommunication conform to the Acts and Constitutions of this Kirk They continued their Meetings and Consultations as before they did maintained their Fortifications at Leith the Port-town to Edenborough and kept their Officers and Commanders in continual pay His Majesty hereupon sent for some of the Chiefs of them to come unto him to Berwick but was refused in his Commands The Earls of Kinnoul and Traquair Chief Justice Elphinston and Sir James Hamilton all Privy Counsellors were pulled violently out of their Coach on a suspition that some Bishops were disguised among them that the King might have some cause to suspect that there could be no safety for him in such a place and among people so enraged notwithstanding his great clemency toward them in the pacification In this condition of Affairs his Majesty returned toward London in the end of July 1639. Heylin's Hist of Archbish Laud. part 2. leaving the Scots to play their own game as they listed having first nominated Traquair as his High-Commissioner for managing both the Assembly and the following Parliament In the first meeting of the two they acted over all the parts they had plaid at Glascow to the utter
abolition of Episcopacy and the ruine of all that adhered to it their actings in it being confirmed in his name by the High-Commission The news whereof caused the King to send for the Lord Wentworth out of Ireland who was presently made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and not long after with great solemnity created Earl of Strafford in the County of York As Lord Lieutenant he had power to appoint a Deputy that he might the better attend the service here without any prejudice to that Kingdom which Office he committed to Wansford a York-shire Gentleman whom he had took along with him into Ireland at his first going thither His Majesty was pleased to commit the conduct of the Scottish Affairs to a Juncto of three namely the Archbishop of Canterbury the Earl of Strafford and the Marquiss of Hammilton These three move his Majesty to call a Parliament and it was concluded that a Parliament should be called on April 13. 1640. In the mean time the Lord Lieutenant held a Parliament in Ireland and so governed the affair that an Army of eight thousand Horse and Foot was speedily raised and money granted by the Parliament to keep them in pay to furnish them with Ammunition Arms and all other necessaries And the Lords of the Council here subscribed largely for the carrying on of the War until such time as the Parliament should convene The Scots being informed of the King's preparation for a War sent the Earl of Dumferling the Lord London Sir William Douglas and Mr. Barkham to represent the Affairs of their transactions which were received by the King in a friendly manner Some dayes being unprofitably spent in these debates the Archbishop and the rest of the Committee delegated for this business made a report of the whole business to the rest of the Council who came to this result That since the Scots could not be reclaimed to their obedience by other means they were to be reduced by force Therefore the Scots as much bestirred themselves on the other side Part of the walls of Edenborough-castle with all the Ordnance upon it had fallen down on the nineteenth of November last being the Anniversary day of his Majesties birth for the repair whereof they would neither suffer Timber nor other Materials to be carried to it but on the contrary they began to raise Fortifications against it with an intent to block it up and render it unuseful to his Majesties service Neither would they suffer the Souldiers to come into the Market to recruit their victuals They made provisions of great quantity of Artillery Munition and Arms from forreign parts laid Taxes of ten Marks in the hundred upon all the Subjects scattered abroad many seditious Pamphlets for justifying themselves and seducing others some of which were burnt in England by the hand of the Hangman fortified Inchgarvy and other places imprisoned the Earl of Southesk and other Persons of Quality for their fidelity to the King took to themselves the government of Edenborough and employed their Emissaries in England to sollicit them to aid them in maintaining the War against their Sovereign But their chief corespondence was with France and Ireland In France they had made sure of Cardinal Richlieu who governed all Affairs in that Kingdom In Ireland they had a strong party of natural Scots planted in Vlster by King James upon the forfeited Estates of Tir-Owen Tir-Connel Odighirty c. But Wentworth crushed them in the beginning of the combination seizing upon such Ships and Men as came thither from Scotland imprisoning some fining others and putting an Oath upon the rest By which Oath they were bound to abjure the Covenant not to aid the Covenanters against the King nor to protest against any of his royal Edicts as their Brethren in Scotland use to do for the refusing of which Oath he fined one Sir Henry Steward and his Wife at no less than five thousand pound apiece two of their Daughters and one James Gray of the fame confederacy at the sum of three thousand pound apiece committing them to prison for not paying the fines imposed on them Some Scots having endeavoured to betray the Town and Castle of Carick fergus to a Noble-man of that Countrey the principal Conspirator was executed Finally The Lord Lieutenant gave a power to the Bishop of Down and Connor and other Bishops of that Kingdom and their several Chancellors to attach the bodies of all such of the meaner sort who either should refuse to appear before them upon citation or to perform all lawful Decrees and Orders made by the said Bishops c. and to commit them to the next Gaol till they should conform or answer the contempt at the Council-Table By means whereof the poorer sort became very obedient to their several Bishops In the mean time the Archbishop of Canterbury is intent on the preservation of the Hierarchy and the Church of England against the practices of the Scots and Scotizing English and no less busied in digesting an Apology for vindicating the Liturgy commended to the Kirk of Scotland He took order for translating the Scottish Liturgy into the Latin Tongue that being published with the Apology which he had designed it might give satisfaction to the world of his Majesties Piety and his own great care the orthodoxy and simplicity of the Book it self and the perverseness of the Scots in refusing all of it Which Work was finished and left with him the present distemper of the times and the troubles which fell heavily on him putting an end to it in the first beginning He recommended to Doctor Hall then Bishop of Exon the writing of a Book in defence of the Divine right of Episcopacy in opposition to the Scots and their Adherents Exeter having undertaken it sent the first delineations of the Pourtracture to Lambeth in the end of October which were generally well approved of by the Metropolitan who having made some alterations sent them back with many kind expressions of a fair acceptance And such was the freedom he used in declaring his judgment in the case and such the Authority which his Reasons carried along with them that the Bishop of Exon found good cause to correct his Opinon according to the Rules of these Animadversions agreeable unto which the Book was writ and published not long after under the name of Episcopacy by Divine right c. Whilst the Archbishop laboured to support Episcopacy on the one side some of the adverse party laboured as much to suppress it by lopping off the branches first and afterwards by laying the Axe to the root of the Tree Bagshaw a Lawyer of some standing of the Middle-Temple began to question the Bishop's place and vote in Parliament their Temporal power and the authority of the Commission For being chosen Reader by that House for the Lent-vacation he first selected for the Argument of his discoursings the Statute of 25 Edw. 3. cap. 7. His main design was intended chiefly for the defence
Sabbath the other The Christian Alter Not many days after the Earl of Strafford was impeached of High Treason by Mr. Pym in fourteen Articles The Earl was forthwith Sequestred the House and committed to the Black Rod and sent not long after to the Tower December 18. Archbishop Laud and Bishop Wren were voted by the Commons Guilty of High Treason and a charge was immediately brought in against Bishop Laud upon the Reading of which on March 1. he was sent to the Tower The same moneth Alderman Pennington with a great multitude out of London petitioned the House against Episcopal Government and the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church A Committee was appointed to consider of matters of Religion setled in the Upper House of Parliament Ten Earls ten Bishops ten Barons At the same time the Lords appointed a Sub-committee to prepare matters fit for their cognizance the Bishop of Lincoln having the Chair in both authorized to call together divers Bishops and Divines to consult together for correcting what was amiss and to settle peace viz. The Archbishop of Armagh The Bishop of Durham The Bishop of Exeter Dr. Samuel Ward Dr. William Twisse Dr. Robert Sanderson Dr. Daniel Featley Dr. Ralph Brownrigg Dr. Richard Holdsworth Dr. John Hacket Dr. Cornelius Burgesse Mr. John White Mr. Stephen Marshall Mr. Edmond Calamy Mr. Thomas Hill The place of their meeting was Jerusalem-chamber in the Dean of Westminster's house where they had solemn debates six several days First they consult on innovations in Doctrine Then they enquire into Preter-canonical conformity and innovations in Discipline and concerning the Common-Prayer Lastly they entred on the Regulating of Ecclesiastical Government which was not brought in because the Bishop of Lincoln had undertaken the draught thereof but not finished it as employed at the same time in many weighty matters of State This consultation continued till the middle of May. But the Bâ—ll against Deans and Chapters put such a distance between the foresaid Divines that never their Judgments and scarce their persons met after together The Canons made in the late Convocation were condemned in the House of Commons as being against the King's Prerogative the Fundamental Laws of the Realm the Liberty and Property of the Subject and containing divers other things tending to Sedition and of dangerous consequence Many things were charged against the Archbishop by the Scots Commissioners viz. That he had pressed upon that Kirk many Innovations in Religion contained in the Liturgy and Book of Canons contrary to the Liberties and Laws thereof That he had required Ballentine Bishop of Dumblane and the rest of the Bishops to be present at the Divine Service in their Whites and blamed the said Bishop for his negligence in it c. That he gave order for the taking down Stone-walls and Galleries in the Churches of Edenborough to no other end but for the setting up of Altars and Adoration toward the East That for their Supplicating against these Novations they were declared Rebels in all the Parish-Churches of England and a War kindled against them by his Arts and Practices That their Covenant by him was called ungodly and that divers Oathes were imposed upon their Countrey-men to abjure the same That he in the presence of the King spared not to rail against the General Assembly held at Glascow and put his hand to a Warrant for imprisoning some of those Commissioners sent from the Parliament of Scotland for the Peace of both Nations That when the late Parliament could not be moved to assist in the War against them he had caused the same to be dissolved and continued the Convocation to make Canons against them and their Doctrines c. Such was the charge exhibited by the Scots Commissioners in which many thought there was nothing criminal enough to deserve Imprisonment much less to menace him with death The Bishop of Ely was impeached for many reputed misdemeanours in the See of Norwich That he deprived or banished within the space of two years fifty Godly Learned Painful Ministers His placing the Communion-Table Altar-wise and causing a Rayl to be set before it The practising of Superstition in his own person his bowing toward it Consecrating the Bread and Wine at the West-side of the Table with his back toward the people and elevating the same above his Head that the people might see it causing the seats in all places to be so contrived that the people must of necessity kneel towards the East Appointing no Prayers to be used by Preachers before their Sermons but that prescribed by the Canon c. In the midst of these troublesom times died Dr. John Davenant Bishop of Salisbury A little before his death he prayed emphatically for half a quarter of an hour Among many heavenly passages therein He thanked God for this his fatherly correction because in all his life-time he never had any one heavy affliction which made him often much suspect with himself whether he was a true child of God or no. Deans and Chapters being now opposed by Parliament the Cathedral-men endeavour to preserve their Foundations and by their friends obtain leave to be admitted into the House of Commons and to be heard what they could alledge in their own behalf They made choice of Doctor John Hacket Prebendary of St. Pauls to be the mouth for all the rest He shewed Fuller Church Hist Cent. 17. lib. 11. that to supply the defects of Prayer committed by private men the publick duty thereof should be constantly performed in some principal place in imitation of the Primitive practice and this is done in Cathedrals He spake much also in praise of Church-musick when moderated to Edification He took occasion to resell that slaunder which some cast on Lecture-preachers as an upstart Coâ—poration alledging that the local Statutes of most or all Cathedral Churches do require Lectures on the week-days And in the name of his Brethren he requested that Honourable House that godly and profitable Preaching might be the more exacted Then he insisted on the advancement of Learning as the proper use and convenience of Cathedrals each of them being a small Academy for the Champions of Christ's cause against the Adversaries by their Learned pens Here he proffered to prove by a Catalogue of their Names and Works which he could produce that most excellent labours in this kind excepting some few have preceeded from persons preferred in Cathedrals Now what a disheartning would it be to young Students if such promotions were taken away He alledged also that the antient and genuine use of Deans and Chapters was as Senatus Episcopi to assist the Bishop in his jurisdiction He said that Cathedral-Churches were the first Monuments of Christianity in England From things he passed to persons and began with the multitude of such members as had maintenance from Cathedrals the total amounting to many thousands All which by the dissolution of Deans and Chapters must be exposed to poverty Next he instanced
resolves upon an union of England and Scotland and an incorporating of both Nations into one Common-wealth This was much opposed and remonstrated against by the Scotch Kirk but in vain Anno 1652. began the War with Holland An Act was passed entitled An Act against unlicensed and scandalous Books and Pamphlets and for the better regulating of Printing Anno 1653. The Officers of the Army consult about change of Government on April 20. Cromwel Lambert Harison and eight Officers more of the Army entred the House of Commons and after a short speech made by Cromwel shewing some reasons for the necessity of their dissolution he declared them dissolved and required them to depart but the Speaker would not leave the Chair till Harison pulled him out by the Arm. Then Cromwel commanded the Mace to be taken away and no more to be carried before him Then they caused the doors of the Parliament House to be locked up and placed a Guard thereon to prevent the reassembling of the Members The first thing done after this change was to constitute a Council of State of the chief Officers of the Army These agreed upon the several persons all over England to form a new Representative and a summons was sent to every one of them in the name of Oliver Cromwel Captain General of all the Forces c. to take upon them the trust to which they were summoned and to meet at Whitehall on July 5. These assembled at the time appointed and went to the Parliament House and chose Mr. Rouse made by the late Parliament Provost of Eaton to be their speaker This mock-Parliament called by some the little Parliament aimed at the new modelling both of Magistracy and Ministry but the Ministry and the maintenance thereof by Tithes they arraigned as an Antichristian Constitution Having passed an Act abâ—ut Marriages Births and Burials on December 12. Rouse the Speaker told the House That their sitting was no longer necessary and presently went out of the House with the Mace before him and many others following him he came to White-hall and there resigned to Cromwell the Instrument by him formerly delivered to them at their first sitting About four dayes after the Officers of the Army had prepared an Instrument or Systeme of Government on which the foundation of a new Dominion was to be erected and they entreated Oliver Cromwell to accept of the Government under the Title of Protector of the Common-wealth of England Scotland and Ireland He accepted it and was that day at one of the clock in the afternoon Installed at Westminster The Protector 's Council being chosen and established he makes a peace with the Dutch and with the Queen of Sweden Spain Portugal and France seek Cromwel's friendship As to the state of Religion at this time in England one thus describes it Flagellum or the life and death of O. C. p. 144. The Orthodox Protestants were wholly suppressed and yet some Reverend persons as Doctor Usher Archbishop of Armagh and Doctor Brownrigg the Bishop of Exeter received some shews of respect and reverence from the Protector which he more manifestly declared afterward in the Funeral-expence of the Learned Archbishop Usher and this to captate a reputation of his love to Scholars and the meek modest and vertuous Clergy The Presbyterian was rather tolerated than countenanced and yet such of them as would comply with his Court-greatness became his Favourites for others of them he cared not pleasingly expressing himself how he had brought under the pride and arrogance of that Sect making those that would allow no liberty to others to sue for it themselves The Independents and Anabaptists he loved and preferred by turns and was most constant to them as the men that would support his Vsurpation Only he could by no means endure the Fifth Monarchy-men though by their dotages he had raised himself to this height Therefore Feak and Rogers Preachers were by him committed to prison Feak to Windsor and Rogers to Carisbrook in the Isle of Wight But it is said he set Mr. Kiffin the Anabaptist whom he had taken out of design into his favour with the party at variance with Feak to the raising of a fewd between them the ballance of his security in the Govâ—rnment The like he did between the Presbyterian and the Independent a subdivided Schism from the Church of England as the other were from Independency And it was observed that in most great Towns and Cities in England he placed an Independant Minister and a Presbyterian together that the one might ballance the other The Kirk of Scotland at this time had the wings of her Authority very much clipped if not quite taken away by the dissolution of the General Assembly which was done by Colonel Morgan at Aberdeen where they were assembled Mr. Andrew Cant and the rest of them in vain protesting against the Action The like disturbance they had afterwards at Edenburgh from Lieutenant Colonel Cotterel The Marquess of Argyle to keep up his Reputation with the Church of Scotland seemed much troubled at this proceeding against the Assemblies and interceded with the Protector for the liberty of the Church wherein he had good success and the Church of Scotland was indulged with the exercise of Religion and a great part of their Jurisdiction and Discipline They were restrained in little more than the power of keeping General Assemblies their Presbyteries being permitted to convene and the rigour of Excommunication for whereas before persons excommunicated were not only excluded from the communion of the Kirk but had all their Estates confiscated till their reconciliation This latter part was not now to be executed but to please the Ministers for the restraint of their power the maintenance of Scholars in Universities of Scotland was encreased and many priviledges were granted to them The Government and security of the Kingdom of Ireland was the next care of the Protector and his Son-in-law Lieutenant General Fleetwood is made Deputy of Ireland About this time an Ordinance was published for the Trial and Approbation of Ministers wherein Doctor Thomas Goodwyn Philip Nye Hughes Abridgement of all Acts and publick Ordinances part 2. Hugh Peters Mr. Manton and divers others were named Commissioners It was ordained That every person who should after March 25. 1654. be presented nominated chosen or appointed to any Benefice called a Benefice with cure of Souls or to preach any publick Lecture in England or Wales should before he be admitted to such Benefice or Lecture be adjudged and approved of by the Persons forenamed to be a Person for the Grace of God in him his holy and unblameable Conversation and also for his knowledge and utterance able and fit to preach the Gospel And that after the said twenty five of March no person but such as should upon such approbation be admitted by the said persons should take any publick Lecture having a stipend legally annexed thereunto or take or receive any such
Benefice as aforesaid or the profits thereof On June the twenty third following by the Protector with the advice of his Council it was further ordained That in case any person who since April the first 1653. hath been proved in any publick Benefice or publick Lecture should not before the twenty fourth of June 1654. obtain approbation and admittance in manner as in the said Ordinance is expressed that then the person or persons who have right thereunto should and might present and nominate some other fit person to that place It was ordained also That tho said Commissioners in that Ordinance be authorized to give approbation and admittance to any person concerned in that clause of the said Ordinance at any time before the twenty third day of July 1654. and that in the mean time no person should present or nominate any person to any Benefice or publick Lecture in the place of any such person for the want of such approbation by the time aforesaid But if such approbation and admittance should not be by the said twenty third of July obtained by the said persons therein concerned then such person or persons as have right thereunto might present or nominate some other fit person to such place according to the said Ordinance August the sixteenth 1654. an Ordinance was passed against ignorant and scandalous Ministers in all the respective Counties within England and Wales in which it was declared 1. That such Ministers and Scholars should be accounted scandalous in their lives as should be proved guilty for holding such blaspemous and Atheistical Opinions as are punishable by an Act of Parliament entitled An Act against several Atheistical Blasphemous and Execrable Opinions derogatory to the Honour of God and destructive to Humane society or guilty of cursing swearing or subornation of perjury 2. Such as hold or teach any of those Popish opinions required in the Oath of abjuration to be abjured or be guilty of adultery fornication drunkenness c. carding dicing profaning of the Lord's day or allow the same in their Families 3. Such as have publickly and frequently received and used the Common-prayer-book since the first of January last or shall at any time hereafter do the same 4. Such as do encourage or countenance by word or practice any Whitsun-ales Wakes Morris-dances May-poles 5. Such as have declared or shall declare by writing preaching or otherwise their disaffection to the Government 6. Such Ministers were to be accounted negligent as omit the publick Exercises of Preaching and Praying on the Lord's-day not being hindered by necessary absence or infirmity of sickness or that are or shall be non-resident 7. Such School-masters should be accounted negligent as absent themselves from their Schools and do wilfully neglect their duties in teaching their Scholars 8. Such Ministers and School-masters should be accounted ignorant and insufficient as should be so declared and adjudged by the said Commissioners five or more of them together with five or more of the Ministers particularly named in the Ordinance for the several and respective Counties of England and Wales Assistants to the said Commissioners August the thirtieth 1654. It was ordained That Sir Hugh Owen Baronet and divers other persons particularly named in the Ordinance for all the several Counties in the Dominion of Wales be Commissioners in their several limits and that the said Commissioners or any three of them therein are authorized by their Warrants under their hands and seals to call before them all such persons who by authority and colour of an Act of Parliament made February the twenty second 1649. entitled An Act for the better Propagation and Preaching of the Gospel in Wales c. have intermedled in the receiving keeping and disposing the said rents issues and profits of all or any of the Rectories Vicarages portion of Tenths and other Ecclesiastical livings Impropriations and Glebe-lands within the said Counties and to give a true and perfect account upon Oath which Oath the Commissioners are impowred to administer of all such rents issues and profits which they or any of them have received And if any of them shall refuse to give a true account to commit him or them so refusing to the Gaol of the County there to remain till they conform themselves The moneys found in their hands to be paid into the hands of such Treasurer as the respective Commissioners should nominate and appoint for that purpose which Treasurer should within three months pay in the same into the Exchequer Seâ—tember the second 1654. It was ordained That the Ordinance entitled An Ordinance for bringing in the publick Revenue of this Common-wealth into one Treasury to be paid into the Receipt of the Exchequer nor any thing therein contained shall extend or be construed to extend to any the Rents Profits or Revenues by Acts of Parliament of Rectories impropriate appropriate Tythes c. or any of them setled in the Trustees in the said Acts named That all and every the Rectories Impropriations Tithes aâ—propriate Donatives Oblations Obventions First-fruits Tenths Pensions Portions of Tiths by the said recited Acts vested in the Trustees and not exâ—osed to sale by an Act entitled An Act for the sale of Mannors of Rectories and Glebe-lands belonging to Archbishops Bishops Deans Deans and Chapters shall from henceforth be setled in the possession and seizin of W. Steele Serjeant at Law and other persons particularly named in the Ordinance Survivor and Survivors of them and their Heirs to the uses and upon the Trusts in the said Acts expressed c. That they shall sue for recover collect and gather the Rents Issues and Profits thereof as Owners in Trust and manage the Revenue in such way and manner as shall be most advantageous for the carrying on of this service That the said Trustees shall haâ—e power to make unions of two Parishes or more into one and the whole Ecclesiastical Revenues Tithes and Profits belonging to the said Parishes so united to be supplied for a provision for one godly and painful Minister to preach in such of the said Parish charge where such union shall be made as the said Trustees shall judge convenient The said Trustees also shall appoint where the meeting of both the said Parishes for the worship of God shall be c. The said Trustees also shall have power to sever and divide Parishes where they shall conceive it needful and fix such maintenance out of the profits of the said Church so to be divided as they shall think fit to be approved of by the Parliament and in the Intervals of Parliament by the Protector and his Council c. This year died that famous and learned Antiquary Mr. John Selden and was buried in the Inner-Temple Church in London Addition to Sir Rich. Bakers Chron. Anno 1655. the Duke of Savoy's Souldiers having committed many cruel outrages upon the Protestants in Piedmont Cromwel took this occasion to ingratiate himself with the Protestants abroad and appointing a solemn
also taken from him and given to a sure Confider and one Major Wildman a great Leveller was taken at Marleborough enditing and drawing Declarations against the Protector so the danger from the Army was soon suppressed About the same time a Book was published called Killing no Murther wherein it was urged That it was most lawful just necessary and honourable to kill the Protector and this printed with the name of one Allen a disbanded Leveller but so politely written that it intimated a more exact and curious hand that framed it Whosoever was the Author it scared Cromwel almost out of his Wits This made him most suspitiously fearful so that he began to dread every person or strange face he saw which he would anxiously and intently view for an Assassinate that Book perpetually running in his mind It is said it was his constant custom to shift and change his Lodging to which he passed through twenty several Locks and out of which he had four or five wayes to avoid pursuit June iwenty six 1657. Then followed the Protector 's Instalment in a more solemn manner in Westminster-hall than before and the Speaker of the Parliament Sir Thomas Widdrington in the name of the Parliament presented to him a Robe of Purple-velvet a Bible Sword and a Scepter and having made a Speech thereupon the Speaker took the Bible and gave the Protector his Oath Mr. Manton Minister then of Covent-Garden made a Prayer wherein he recommended the Protector Parliament Council the Forces by Sea and Land Government and People of the three Nations to the protection of God Which being ended the Heraulds by Trumpets proclaimed Cromwell Protector of England Scotland and Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging requiring all persons to yield him due obedience Then were the attempts of the Royal Party in behalf of his Majesty betrayed and discovered to the Protector and Sir Henry Slingsby Doctor Huet Minister of St. Gregories by Pauls in London Mr. Mordant and others are imprisoned and brought to trial before an High Court of Justice set up under the Presidentship of Commissioner Lisle Sir Henry and the Doctor were the two first that were brought to trial and both of them sentenced to die as Traitors the first upon the bare testimony of those three men who had so treacherously circumvented him which in vain he pleaded the other as a Mute disowning the Authority of the Court and thereupon denying to plead On the eighth of June 1658. they were beheaded on Tower-hill Afterwards on July the seventh Colonel Edward Ashton and John Bettley were hanged and quartered the first in Tower-street the other in Cheapside Cromwell was now again adorned with another success and triumph by the defeat of the Spanish Army and surrender of Dunkirk into his hands Lockart his Kinsman and General of the English Forces being made Governor thereof In August 1658. the Protector was taken sick at Hampton-court having not been well in mind some time before troubled with the last distracted words of his beloved Daughter Cleypole who died on the sixth day of August which went near to his heart After a weeks time his Disease began to shew very desperate symptomes wherefore he was removed to White-hall where his Chaplains kept Fasts for his recovery but having declared his Son Richard his Successor he died on Friday September the third at three of the Clock in the Afternoon The deceased Protector 's Will concerning his Successor being imparted to the Council and chief Officers of the Army they all consent to the election of his Son Richard and the President and whole Council went at once to congratulate him and to condole his Fathers death Then was he proclaimed by the City of London and chief Officers of the Army After the Proclamation the Lord Mayor presented his Sword to him which he presently returned and after some Ceremonies passed the Council and many Officers of the State and of the Army being present Nathanael Fiennes one of the Commissioners of the Great Seal administred an Oath unto him A Gentleman was sent into Ireland who was chief Governor of that Kingdom to acquaint Henry Cromwell with the present posture of Affairs in England and Mr. Thomas Clarges was sent into Scotland to General Monk to see how he stood affected to Richard's advancement Then Addresses were made to the Protector from all parts of the Nation and the Army of Scotland submit to what was was done in England Addresses were also made to the young Protector from all the Regiments of the Army in England Scotland and Ireland and other parts After the pompous solemnity of the Funerals of the late Protector the new Protector summoned a Parliament to meet at Westminster on January twenty seven he endeavours to new model his Council but the Army grows jealous of him and censure him and the factious part of the Army had many seditious meetings and he is perswaded to resign the command of the Army to Fleetwood which he refuseth The General Council of Officers as they called themselves met in Fleetwood's House where they acted with as much formality as if they had been the supreme Legislators of the three Kingdoms At length things came to this issue the young Protector was forced to sign a Commission to Commissioner Fiennes for the dissolving of the Parliament and a Proclamation came forth in the Protector 's name to publish the dissolution of the Parliament Soon after whilst many of the Superiour Officers of the Army met at Wallingford-house in further consideration of a Module of Government Supplem to Sir Rich. Baker's Hist the inferiour Officers being the most numerous assembled in the Chappel at St. Jame's having Doctor Owen and other Independent Ministers to assist at their Devotion and at last declared their forwardness to restore the latter part of the long Parliament and to restore Lambert and the rest of the Officers to their Commands who had been displaced by Oliver Cromwel for disaffection to him Several Colonels were removed from their Regiments and others put in their rooms as likewise Governours of Towns and other Officers Lambert being thus brought again into the Army recovereth much of his former power Then a Declaration of the Officers of the Army was drawn up which invited the Members of the long Parliament who had sate till April the twentieth 1653. to return to the exercise and discharge of their trust They accept of the Invitation and take their places in the House General Monk seems to consent to what was done in England They publish their Intentions by Declaration viz. That they are resolved by God's assistance to endeavour to secure and establish the property and Liberties of the people without a single Person Kingship or House of Peers and shall vigorously endeavour the carrying on of Reformation so much desired to the end there may be a godly and faithful Magistracy and Ministry upheld and maintained in the Nations c. The Officers of the Army
presented an humble Address to the Remnant Parliament on May 12. 1659. by Lambert and others Richard the late Protector sends his submission to the Parliament All Commissions to the Officers of the Army are ordered to be signed by the Speaker and Henry Cromwell is called from the Government of Ireland Fleetwood Lambert and others receive their Commissions in the House from the Speaker The Governour of Dunkirk submits also to the change of our Government General Monk likes not the Juncto's designs of modelling his Army and useth his utmost industry to obstruct it Commissioners are appointed for the Goverment of Ireland In the mean time Captain Titus and others sent as Commissioners from the King are active for his Majesties service in London and in the Countrey Sir George Booth with several others appear in a considerable Body they take possession of Chester City but the Castle holds out against them Chirk-Castle is delivered to them by Sir Thomas Middleton Collonel Ireland and several others at the same time declare for them at Leverpool and Mr. Brooks one of the Members of the House of Commons Lambert is sent against Sir George Booth Mr. Nicholas Monk a Minister and the only Brother to General Monk is sent into Scotland from Sir Hugh Pollard Sir Thomas Stukeley and other of his Majesties Friends in the West of England He sollicits his Brother to embrace his Majesties Interest The King wrote a Letter to General Monk and another to Sir John Greenvill concerning the owning his Cause Major General Massey was active in Glocester-shire and the Lord Herbert Son to the Marquess of Worcester and others The Lord Herbert was taken so was Major General Massey with others but all the rest of the Prisoners except the Lord Herbert and Massey's Servant make an escape Lambert marcheth against Sir George Booth and Sir George is defeated by Lambert and soon after was seized at Newport-pannel in a disguise as he was riding to London After this defeat General Monk sends a Letter to the House signifying his willingness to be dismissed from his Command The Army begin to contrive the recovery and advancement of their power The Officers of the Army promoted by Lambert dislike some proceedings of the Juncto They conclude to draw up their desires in a Petition Sir Arthur Haslerig vehemently opposeth the Armies proceedings and incenseth the House against them and Lambert Fleetwood endeavours to justifie the Officers of the Army but in vain Ashfield Cobbet and Duckenfield presented the Petition of the Army to the House thus dirrected To the Supreme Authority of these Nations the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England c. The humble Petition and Proposals of the Officers under the Command of the Right Honourable the Lord Lambert in the late Northern Expedition The House signifie their displeasure and vote against the effect of the Petition Then the Officers resolve upon more moderate Proposals Another Petition is brought into the Council of Officers more high than the former General Monk writes his sence of it in a Letter to Fleetwood and offers himself to march into England to the assistance of the Parliaments Party October the fifth Colonel Desborow with many other Officers of the Army present a Representation and Petition of the Officers of the Army to the Parliament who at first dissemble their distaste of these proceedings of the Army The Council of Officers perceiving that the Parliament labour to alter the Constitution of the Army labour to get Subscriptions to their Representation and Petition They send a Letter to General Monk concerning their Representation He resolves to admit of no Subscriptions in Scotland General Monk is courted by the Parliament and complemented by Letters with gratulatory Expressions for his good service The House takes the Armies debates into consideration and answers them one by one Mr. Nicholas Monk arrives from Scotland with private Orders from the General to Mr. Clarges The house ordereth That the Commissions of Lambert and others be made void They appoint Commissioners for governing the Army and remove Fleetwood from the chief command thereof Colonel Morley and Mosse are ordered with their Regiments to guard the House But Lambert with the Regiments that adhere to him stop the passages to the Parliament House and having enforced the Speaker to return they dissolve the Remnant Parliament by hindring the Members from coming into the House The next day divers of the chief Officers of the Army met at Whitehall and chose ten Army-Officers to be managers of the State Affairs pro tempore They agree that Fleetwood should be Commander in chief of all the Armies and that Lambert should be the next chief Officer under him and Colonel Desborow Commissary General of the Horse and that all the Officers to be constituted in the Army should be nominated by Sir Henry Vane Fleetwood Lambert Desborow Ludlow and Berry They dispatch Colonel Cobbet to General Monk with a large Narrative of the Reasons of their proceedings Now was Mr. Armoror sent by the Lord Mordant to the King to inform him how matters went in England The Council of Officers consult about a frame of Government They nominate twenty three persons to take upon them the Government under the Title of The Committee of Safety and they invite them to sit giving them Powers and Instructions General Monk writes to Fleetwood and Lambert complaining of their violation of Faith to the Parliament declaring his resolution to endeavuor to restore them to their power against all opposition whatsoever Mr. Clarges is dispatched away into Scotland by the Grandees of the Army together with Colonel Talbot to sollicit General Monk to a Treaty Monk keeps in all the displaced Officers in their respective Commands which causeth them to adhere unto him and removes those whom himself distrusteth He signifies his resolution to several of his Officers to march into England to re-establish the Parliament and hath their consent and encouragement He marcheth to Edinborough and there orders all things to his best advantage Captain Johnston secures Berwick Captain Witter takes possession for the General of the Cittadel of St. Johnstons and is made Major of the Regiment Robson gets possession of the Cittadel at Ayre and is made Colonel of the Regiment Smith's Regiment at Innerness is given to Colonel Man The General marcheth to Leith to settle the Cittadel and Regiment there Captain Hatt and Dennis bring off Cobbet's Regiment to the General and Cobbet was detained prisoner at Berwick as he was coming into Scotland with his Regiment he was brought with a Guard to Edenborough Castle and kept there At Linlithgow at a Council of Officers it was advised that some way should be used to draw off the Independent Churches in England from favouring the English Army which would have much weakened that party if it had succeeded for most of the Inferiour Officers were of that perswasion For the effecting of this a Declaration was framed agreed to published and dispersed all
Ecclesiastical Person formerly Sequestred or ejected after Lawful presentation and reception of the profits that hath not subscribed any petition to bring the late King to Trial or by any Act endeavoured or justified the murther of the said King or declared his judgement against Infant-baptism by Preaching Writing Printing or constant refusal to Baptize shall be restored to the possession thereof at or before the twenty fifth day of December next ensuing and every Ecclesiastical person to be removed may enjoy the profits to that day On December 29. following on which day the Parliament was dissolved 32 Acts more were passed by the King Among which one was an Act for Confirmation of Marriages during the time of the late Usurpations Another was for making the Precinct of Covent-garden Parochial And an Act for the disappropriating of the Rectory appropriate of Preston and uniting and consolidating of the said Rectory and of the Vicarage of the Church of Preston and for the assuring of the Advouson and right of Patronage of the same unto the Master Fellows and Scholars of Immanuel-colledge in Cambridge And an Act for Confirmation of Grants and Leases from Colledges and Hospitals Now some sixty Fifth-monarchy men under the conduct of one Thomas Venner a Cooper broke forth into Rebellion This Venner was a Preacher to a Conventicle of that opinion in Coleman-street in London Such was the madness of these men that they believed that They and the rest of their judgement were called by God to reform the world and make all the earthly powers which they called Babylon subservient to the Kingdom of Jesus and in Order thereunto never to sheath their swords till the carnal powers of the world were subdued They were taught and believed that one of them should subdue a Thousand making account when they had done their work in England to go into France Spain Germany and other parts of the world there to prosecute their pretended holy design The place where they plotted and continued their conspiracy was the meeting-place for their devotion and thither they had at several times convayed arms On Sunday January 6. which was the day before their excursion they were very late at their Assembly which made one Martin the Landlord of the House inquisitive after their doings He peeping through a chink in their door saw them arming themselves with Back breast and head-piece and thereupon immediately gave notice to the next Officers Half an hour after they came down and first marched to S. Thomas the Apostle to call some of their party from thence to Bishops-gate and after to White-cross-street They escaped to S. John's Wood and from thence to Cane-wood betwixt High-gate and Hampsted On Wednesday morning the Rebels came again into London and divided themselves into two parties one whereof about five or six in the morning appeared about Leaden-hall and from thence marched to little East-cheap where they fought desperately but were dispersed by the trained bands Venner and another party came to my Lord Mayor's house thinking to have taken him Prisoner but missing him they marched into Woodstreet where Colonel Corbet and nine of his party charged through the Rebels and broke them They fought with admirable courage and if they had not been hindred from encreasing their numbers a Thousand men so resolved might have done much mischief Venner himself was much wounded before he was taken and about five or six were killed that refused quarter About eight or ten dayes after Venner with about sixteen or seventeen of the most notorious were arraigned at Justice-hall in the old Baily found guilty and executed in several parts of London About this time there was a conference at the Savoy between divers Episcopal and Presbyterian Divines about the Church discipline but to little effect A new Parliament was called which assembled at Westminster May 8. 1661. In the first Session whereof an Act was passed Entitled An Act for disenabling all Persons in Holy Orders to exercise any temporal jurisdiction or Authority Repealed The Bishops were brought to sit again as Peers in the House of Lords and their Ecclesiastical jurisdiction restored to them The Parliament explained a clause contained in an Act of Parliament made in the seventeenth year of King Charles the first Entitled An Act for Repeal of a branch of a Statute Primo Elizabethae concerning Commissioners for causes Ecclesiastical At the second Session of this Parliament an Act was made against Quakers and others denying to take a Lawful Oath with several penalties to be inflicted on them for several offences An Act was also passed for Uniformity of publick Prayers and Administration of Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies and of ordering and consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons in the Church of England The King's Majesty according to his Declaration of the 25th of October 1660. had granted his Commission under the Great Seal of England to several Bishops and other Divines to review the Book of Common-Prayer and to prepare such additions and alterations as they thought fit to offer And afterwards the Convocations of both the Provinces of Canterbury and York being by His Majesty called and assembled His Majesty was pleased to Authorize and require the Presidents of the said Congregation and other the Bishops and Clergy of the same to review the said Book of Common-Prayer and the Book of the Form and manner of making and Consecrating of Bishops Priests and Deacons c. Since which time upon full and mature deliberation they the said Presidents Bishops and Clergy of both Provinces having accordingly reviewed the same Books and made some alterations which they thought fit to be inserted to the same and some additional Prayers to be used upon proper and emergent occasions and having presented the same unto His Majesty in Writing in one Book entitled The Book of Common-Prayer and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church according to the use of the Church of England together with the Psalter or Psalms of David pointed as they are to be sung or said in Churches and the form and manner of making Ordaining and Consecrating of Bishops Priests and Deacons All which His Majesty having duly considered fully approved and allowed the same and recommended to this present Parliament then sitting and yet continuing to sit that the said Book of Common-Prayer c. be the Book which shall be appointed to be used by all that officiate in all Cathedral and Collegiate Churches and Chappels and in all Chappels or Colledges and Halls in both the Universities and the Colledges of Eaton and Winchester and in all Parish-Churches and Chappels within the Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales and Town of Berwick upon Tweed and by all that make or consecrate Bishops Priests or Deacons in any of the said places under such sanctions and penalties as the Houses of Parliament shall think fit And accordingly it was Enacted by the King's Majesty and both Houses of Parliament That Morning and Evening Prayers in the
said Book contained should upon every Lord's day and upon all other days and occasions and at the times therein appointed be openly and solemnly read by all and every Minister and Curate in every Church Chappel or other place of publick worship within this Realm of England and places aforesaid It was also Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That every Parson Vicar or other Minister whatsoever who then had and enjoyed any Ecclesiastical Benefice or Promottion within this Realm of England c. should in the Church Chappel or place of publick worship belonging to his said Benefice or Promotion upon some Lord's day before the Feast of St. Bartholomew which should be in the year of our Lord God one thousand six hundred sixty two openly publickly and solemnly read the Morning and Evening Prayer appointed to be read by and according to the said Book of Common-Prayer at the times thereby appointed and after such reading thereof openly and publickly before the Congregation there assembled declare his unfeigned Assent and Consent to the use of all things in the said Book contained and prescribed in these words and no other I A. B. do here declare my unfeigned Assent and Consent to all and every thing contained and prescribed in and by the Book entitled The Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church according to the use of the Church of England together with the Psalter or Psalmes of David pointed as they are to be sung or said in Churches and the form or manner of making Ordaining and Consecrating of Bishops Priests and Deacons And that all and every such Person who should without some lawful impediment to be allowed and approved of by the Ordinary of the place neglect or refuse to do the same within the time aforesaid c. should within one moneth be deprived ipso facto of his spiritual promotions and that thenceforth it should be lawful to and for all Patrons and Donors of all and singular the said spiritual Promotions or of any of them according to their respective Rights and Titles to present or collate to the same as though the person or persons so offending were dead And it was further Enacted That every Person henceforth to be promoted to any Ecclesiastical Benefice should read the Common-Prayer and declare his Assent and Consent thereto within two moneths next after that he shall be in actual possession of the said Ecclesiastical Benefice or Promotion and upon neglect or refusal to be deprived as aforesaid And that Incumbents of Livings keeping Curates shall read the same once every moneth upon pain to forfeit the sum of five pounds to the use of the poor of the Parish for every offence It was also Enacted That every Dean Canon and Prebendary of every Cathedral or Collegiate Church and all Masters and other Heads Fellows Chaplains and Tutors of or in any Colledge Hall Hospital and every publick Professor and Reader in either of the Universities and in every Colledge else-where and every Parson Vicar Curate Lecturer c. and every School-master keeping any publick or private School and every person instructing or teaching any youth in any House or private family as a Tutor or School-master c. should before the Feast of St. Bartholomew in the year aforesaid subscribe the Declaration following scilicet I A. B. do declare that it is not lawful upon any pretence whatsoever to take up Arms against the King and that I do abhor that traiterous position of taking Arms by his Authority against his person or against those that are Commissioned by him and that I will conform to the Liturgy of the Church of England as it is now by Law established and I do declare that there lies no obligation upon me or on any other person from the Oath commonly called the Solemn League and Covenant to endeavour any change or alteration of Government either in Church or State and that the same was in it self an unlawful Oath and imposed upon the Subjects of this Realm against the known Laws and liberties of this Kingdom The penalty for failing in subscribing was for Deans Vicars School-masters to be deprived of their Ecclesiastical promotions Schools and Lectures to be void as if such person so failing were naturally dead Provided always That from and after the 25th day of March which shall be in the year of our Lord God 1682. there shall be omitted in the said declaration so to be subscribed and read it being enjoyned to be openly and publickly read by every Minister c. upon some Lords day within three moneths after his subscription in the presence of the Congregation there assembled these words following scil And I do declare that I do hold there lies no obligation upon me or on any other person from the Oath commonly called the Solemn League and Covenant to endeavour any change or alteration of Government either in Church or State and that the same was in it self an unlawful Oath and imposed upon the Subjects of this Realm against the known Laws and liberties thereof So as none of the persons aforesaid shall from thenceforth be at all obliged to subscribe or read any part of the said declaration or acknowledgement It was further Enacted That persons not ordained Priests or Deacons according to Episcopal ordination shall not hold any Ecclesiastical promotion nor shall consecrate and administer the holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper upon pain to forfeit for every offence the sum of one hundred pounds one moyety thereof to the King the other moyety thereof to be equally divided between the poor of the Parish where the offence shall be committed It was also Enacted That no other Form or Order of Common-Prayers Administration of Sacraments Rites or Ceremonies should be used openly in any Church Chappel or publick place And it was further Enacted That if any person who is by this Act disabled to Preach any Lecture or Sermon shall during the time that he shall continue and remain so disabled Preach any Sermon or Lecture that then for every such offence the Person and Persons so offending shall suffer three moneths imprisonment in the common Goal without Bayl or Mainprize It was also Provided That at all and every time and times when any Sermon or Lecture is to be Preached the Common-Prayers and Service in and by the said Book appointed to be read for that time of the day shall be openly publickly and solemnly read by some Priest or Deacon in the Church Chappel or place of publick worship where the said Sermon or Lecture is to be Preached and that the Lecturer then to Preach shall be present at the reading thereof It was further Enacted That the Laws and Statutes formerly made for Uniformity of Common-Prayer should continue to be in force and to be executed for punishing offendors against this Law Hereupon many hundred Ministers with divers Lecturers and School-masters left their places refusing to
conform Another Act was also passed for restoring of all such Advousons Rectories Impropriate Glebe-lands and Tithes to his Majesties loyal Subjects as were taken from them and making void certain charges imposed on them upon their compositions for delinquency by the late usurped Power Another Act was passed for preventing Abuses in printing Seditious Treasonable and Unlicensed Books and Pamphlets and for regulating of Printing and Printing-presses Pamphlets and Books prohibited to be Printed Published or Sold were Heretical Seditious or Shismatical Books or Pamphlets wherein any Christian Doctrine or Opinion shall be asserted or maintained which is contrary to Christian Faith or to the Doctrine or Discipline of the Church of England or which shall or may tend or be to the scandal of Religion or the Government or Governours of the Church State or Common-wealth or of any Corporation or particular person or persons whatsoever none shall import publish sell or dispose any such Book or Books or Pamphlets nor shall cause or procure any such to be published or put to sale or to be bound stitched or sewed together In the fifteenth year of his Majestie 's Reign an Act was passed for relief of such persons as by Sickness or other Impediment were disabled from subscribing the Declaration in the Act of Uniformity and explanation of part of the said Act. In the sixteenth year of his Majestie 's Reign an Act was passed for suppression of Seditious Conventicles under pretence of exercise of Religion Wherein it was Enacted That if any person being of the age of sixteen years and upwards being a Subject of this Realm at any time after the first day of July 1664. shall be present at any Assembly Conventicle or Meeting under colour or pretence of any exercise of Religion in any other manner than is allowed by the Liturgy or practice of the Church of England in any place within the Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales c. at which Conventicle Meeting or Assembly there shall be five persons or more assembled together over and above those of the same Houshold then it shall and may be lawful to and for any two Justices of the Peace of the County limit division or liberty wherein the said offence aforesaid shall be committed c. and they are hereby required and enjoyned upon proof to him or them respectively made of such offence either by confession of the party or Oath of witness or notorious evidence of the fact to make a Record of every such offence under their hands and seals respectively And that thereupon the said Justices c. shall commit every such offender so convicted as aforesaid to the Gaol or house of Correction there to remain for three moneths without Bayl or Mainprize unless the said offender shall pay down to the said Justices or chief Magistrate such sum of money not exceeding five pounds as the said Justices or Chief-magistrate who are hereby thereunto authorized and required shall fine the said offender at for his or her said offence which money shall be paid to the Church-wardens for the relief of the poor of the Parish where such offender did last inhabit Upon every second offence the offender to be imprisoned six moneths and to be fined ten pounds And upon the third offence the offender to be transplanted beyond the Seas to any of his Majesties Forreign Plantations Virginia and New England onely excepted there to remain seven years It was further Enacted That the Lieutennants or Deputy-lieutennants or any Commissioned Officers of the Militia or any other of his Majestie 's Forces with such Troops or Companies of Horse and Foot and also the Sheriffs Justices of Peace and other Magistrates and Ministers of Justice or any of them joyntly or severally within any of the Counties or places within this Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales c. shall repair unto the place where such Conventicles are held and by the best means they can shall dissolve and dissipate or prevent all such unlawful meetings and take into their custody such of those persons so unlawfully assembled as they shall judge to be the leaders and seducers of the rest and such others as they shall think fit to be proceeded against according to Law for such offences Every person who shall willingly suffer any such Conventicle to be held in his or her house out-house barn yard c. shall incur the same penalties and forfeitures as any other offender against this Act ought to be proceeded against In the seventeenth year of His Majestie 's Reign an Act was passed for restraining Non-conformists from inhabiting in Corporations Herein it was Enacted That all Parsons Vicars Curates Lecturers and other persons in holy Orders or pretended holy Orders c. who have not declared their unfeigned assent and consent as aforesaid and subscribed the Declaration aforesaid and shall not take and subscribe the Oath following I A. B. do swear that it is not lawful upon any pretence whatsoever to take Armes against the King and that I do abhor that traiterous position of taking Armes by his Authority against his person or against those that are Commissioned by him in pursuance of such Commissions And that I will not endeavour at any time any alteration of Government either in Church or State And all such persons as shall take upon them to Preach in any unlawfull Assembly Conventicle or Meeting under colour or pretence of any exercise of Religion contrary to the the Lawes and Statutes of this Kingdom shall not at any time from and after the 24th of March 1665. unless onely in passing upon the Road come or be within five miles of any City or Town Corporate or Borough that sends Burgesses to the Parliament within His Majesties Kingdom of England Principality of Wales c. or within five miles of any Parish Town or Place wherein He or They have been since the Act of Oblivion Parson Vicar Curate Lecturer c. or taken upon them to Preach in any unlawful Assembly c. under colour or pretence of any exercise of Religion c. before He or They have subscribed or taken the Oath aforesaid before the Justices of the Peace at their quarter Sessions to be holden for the County or division next unto the said Corporation City or Borough place or Town in open Court which said Oath the said Justices are thereby impowred there to administer upon forfeiture for every such offence the sum of forty pounds of lawful English money the one third part to his Majesty and his Successors the other third part to the use of the poor of the Parish where the offence shall be committed and the other third part thereof to such person or persons as shall or will sue for the same by Action of Debt Plaint Bill or Information in any Court of Record at Westminster or before any Justices of Assize Oyer and Terminer or Gaol-delivery c. Provided also That it shall not be lawful for any person
died the Church was again defaced with fire 5. John de Gray After the death of John de Gray the See was void for seven years 6. Pandulsus the Pope's Legat. After his death the See was void three years 7. Thomas de Blundevil 8. Radulphus 9. William de Raleigh The Bishoprick was then void by the space almost of three years 10. Walter de Suffield He founded the Hospital of St. Giles in Norwich endowing it with Lands and great Possessions He built also the Chappel of our Lady in the Cathedral Church and in the same Chappel was also buried 11. Simon de Wanton 12. Roger de Skyrwing In his time was a dangerous Sedition between the Citizens of Norwich and the Monks of the Cathedral Church 13. William Middleton 14. Ralph de Walpool 15. John Salmon 16. William Armyn 17. Anthony de Beck He used his Monks too rigorously and was poysoned by his own Servants 18. William Bateman He forced the Lord Morley to carry a burning Taper in his hand through the streets of Norwich unto the High Altar for killing certain Deer in one of his Parks and beating his Keepers In his time happened a great Plague in England In Norwich then there died besides Religious men to the number of 57104. persons between the first of January and the first of July 1348. 19. Thomas Piercy 20. Henry Spencer 21. Alexander 22. Richard Courtney 23. John Wakering 24. William Alnwick 25. Thomas Brown 26. Gualter Hart 27. James Goldwel 28. Thomas Jan 29. Richard Nyx 30. William Reps 31. Thomas Thirlby 32. John Hopton 33. John Parkhurst 34. Edmond Freak 35. Edmond Scambler 36. William Redman 37. John Jegon 38. John Overal 39. Samuel Harsnet 40. Francis White 41. Richard Corbet 42. Matthew Wren 43. Richard Mountague 44. Joseph Hall 45. Edward Reinolds Bishops of Worcester Ethelred divided Mercia into five Diocesses whereof one was Worcester For the first Bishop of Worcester choice was made of one Tarfrith a learned man who died before he could be consecrated After his decease 1. Boselus succeeded 2. Ostforus 3. S. Egwyn This man went to Rome with Offa King of Mercia He built the Abbey of Evesham 4. Wilfridus 5. Milredus 6. Weremundus 7. Tilherus 8. Eathoredus 9. Devebertus 10. Hubert 11. Alwin 12. Werebertus 13. Wilfreth 14. Ethelhune Abbot of Berkley 15. Wilserth 16. Kinewold 17. S. Dunstan 18. S. Oswald 19. Aldulf 20. Wulstan 21. Leofsius 22. Briteagus Abbot of Parshor 23. Living 24. Aldred 25. S. Wulstan 26. Sampson 27. Theulphus 28. Simon 29. Alured 30. John Pagham 31. Roger Son to the Earl of Glocester 32. Baldwyn Abbot of Ford. 33. William de Northale 34. Robert a Canon of Lincoln Son unto William Fitz. Ralph Seneschal of Normandy 35. Henry Abbot of Glastonbury 36. John de Constantiis 37. Mauger He was one of them that excommunicated King John and interdicted the Realm and thereupon fled the Realm 38. Walter Gray 39. Sylvester 40. William de Bleyes 41. Walter Cantilupe Son of William Lord Cantilupe 42. Nicholas Archdeacon of Ely and Chancellor of England 43. Godfry Giffard Archdeacon of Wells and Chancellor of England 44. William de Gainsborough 45. Walter Reynolds sometime School-master to King Edward the Second first Treasurer then Chancellor of England became Bishop of Worcester 46. Walter Maidstone 47. Thomas Cobham 48. Adam Tarlton 49. Simon Montacute 50. Thomas Henibal 51. William de Bransford 52. John Thorsby 53. Reginald Brian 54. John Barnet 55. William Wittlesey 56. William de Lynne 57. Henry Wakefield 58. Tideman de Winchcomb 59. Richard Clifford 60. Thomas Peverel 61. Philip Morgan 62. Thomas Poulton 63. Thomas Bourchier 64. John Carpenter 65. John Alcock 66. Robert Morton 67. John Gyglis 68. Sylvester Gyglis 69. Iulius Medices 70. Hieronymus de Nugutiis 71. Hugh Latimer 72. Iohn Bell 73. Nicholas Heath 74. Iohn Hooper 75. Richard Pates 76. Edwyn Sandys 77. Nicholas Bullingham 78. Iohn Whitgift 79. Edmond Freak 80. Richard Fletcher 81. Thomas Bilson 82. Gervase Babington 83. Henry Parry 84. Iohn Thornborow 85. Iohn Prideaux 86. George Morley 87. Iohn Gauden 88. Robert Skinner 89. Walter Blandford Bishops of Hereford An Episcopal Seat being established at Hereford 1. Putta was made the first Bishop thereof 2. Tirhtellus 3. Torteras 4. Walstodus 5. Cuthbert 6. Podda 7. Ecca 8. Ceadda 9. Albertus 10. Esna 11. Ceolmundus 12. Utellus 13. Wulfhardus 14. Benna 15. Edulf 16. Cuthwulf 17. Mucel 18. Deorlaf 19. Cunemund 20. Edgar 21. Tidhelm 22. Wulfhelm 23 Afrike 24. Athulf 25. Ethelstan He builded the Cathedral Church from the ground He was a holy man and blind thirteen years before his death 26. Leovegar Chaplain to Duke Harold Matthew Westminster gives this testimony of him that he was undoubtedly Dei famulus in omni Religione perfectus Ecclesiarum amator viduarum orphanorum defensor oppressorum subversor virginitatis possessor Griffin King of Wales assaulted the City took it slew the Bishop and seven of the Canons of the Church spoiled it of all the portable Relicks and Ornaments and then fired both Church and City 27. Walter 28. Robert Lozing An excellent Mathematician 29. Gerard 30. Roger the Queens Chancellor 31. Geoffry de Glyve Chaplain to King Henry the First 32. Robert Bertune Prior of Lanthony a man much employed by the Pope in all his businesses within the Realm 33. Gilbert Foliot Abbot of Glocester 34. Robert de Melun 35. Robert Foliot 36. William le Vere a great Builder 37. Giles de Bruse Son of William Bruse Lord of Brecknock 38. Hugh de Mapenor 39. Hugh Foliot 40. Ralph de Maidstone He resigned his Bishoprick and became a Franciscan Frier Anno 1239. 41. Peter Equeblank He caused King Henry the Third to lay such Taxes on the Clergy as almost beggared them An. 1255. The Barons arrested him in his own Cathedral seized on his goods divided his Treasure unto their Souldiers before his face and long kept him in prison in the Castle of Ordeley 42. Iohn Breton a great Lawyer 43. Thomas Cantilupe Of an ancient House He was by the Pope Sainted after his death All the Bishops of Hereford since his time do bear his Coat of Arms as the Goat of their Sea G. three Leopards heads jeasant three Flower de luces O. 44. Richard de Swinfield 45. Adam Tarlton 46. Thomas Charlton He was Lord Chancellor and chief Justice of Ireland 47. Iohn Trilleck 48. Lewis Charlton 49. William Courtney 50. Iohn Gilbert 51. Iohn Tresnant He was sent to Rome to inform the Pope of the Title of King Henry the Fourth to the Crown 52. Robert Mascal He was Confessor to Henry the Fourth He built the Quire Presbytery and Steeple of the White-Friers in London gave many rich Ornaments to that House died and was buried there He was often Ambassador to many Forreign Princes He with two other Bishops was sent to the Council of Constance 53. Edmond Lacy 54. Thomas Polton 55. Thomas Spofford 56. Richard Beauchamp 57. Reynold