Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	bishop_n	great_a	lord_n	4,276	5	3.7012	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61159	A letter from the Bishop of Rochester, to the right honourable the Earl of Dorset and Middlesex, Lord-Chamberlain of His Majesties houshold concerning his sitting in the late ecclesiastical commission.	Sprat, Thomas, 1635-1713.	1688 (1688)	Wing S5033; ESTC R24609	4,599	23

Business of so great Importance that if the College had been overcome in the Suit that whole Society must soon have been abandoned to Popery I did my utmost to oppose the Violent Persecution upon the whole University of Cambridge when the Vice-Chancellor was suspended his Office and his Mastership of Magdalen-College because a Popish Priest who was one of the Missionaries to pervert the Scholars was denied a Degree in their Convocation I faithfully Assisted and Served Christ-Church in Oxford when they were in danger of having new Statutes Imposed upon them which would Infallibly have laid open that Royal College to the Ruine of their Good Learning and Religion I absolutely resisted all the Alterations in the Statutes of Sidney-College and all other Changes and Abrogations of Oaths that were then made or designed in the Statutes of either University for the advantage of Popish Priests and Students and for the freer course of Mandamus's in their Favour I ever gave my Advice for all sorts of Business to be return'd into the common course of Justice as that all Ecclesiastical Matters should be referred back to the several Bishops from whose Dioceses the Complaints were brought and that all Informations against Colleges and Hospitals should be recommitted to their proper Visitors I persisted unmoveable in my Dissent from every Vote that passed against Magdalen-College in Oxford from their very first Citation before that Court to the cruel incapacitating of the President and Fellows I could mention many other Particulars wherein I successfully labour'd to relieve divers of the inferior and greater Clergy from Oppression to prevent some from being call'd before us at all to preserve others after they were accused by malicious Sycophants and Informers that swarm'd then every where Some in the Case of Tythes some for pressing Churchwardens to take Legal Oaths some for not Reading some for Preaching against the King's Declaration But there are Two Eminent Instances which I cannot omit The one That when the Bishop of Lincoln was Petition'd against by his Arch-Deacon and there was at that time Inclination enough in the Court to pursue him to Extremity yet my Lord Bishop of Peterburgh by interceding for him with the King and I with the Commissioners so effectually wrought that the Prosecution against him was discountenanced and fell to the Ground The other Instance concerns my Lord of Canterbury and I am confident his Grace will readily give me this Testimony That I served him honestly and industriously on some Occasions wherein he was like to be embroiled with the Commission which must inevitably have ended in his Grace's Suspension at least since he was resolved whenever he should be brought before them whatever the Pretence had been to deny the whole Power and Jurisdiction of the Court. As for the last Scene transacted there which was in Order to Censure the whole Clergy for refusing to Read the Declaration In that I hope I need say nothing in my Defence it being publicly known to the whole Nation how I then demean'd my self how I broke loose from the Commission in a time when I was convinced I could do the Church no farther Service there and when the Popish Party was in the height of their Power and Rage Then it was that I joyned my self again to the Common Interest of the honest Clergy just when they were on the very Brink of Destruction before we ever dream'd of this Glorious Deliverance This is certain that my leaving and defying the Commission at that time did apparently exasperate the Popish Priests and the Ring-leaders of the Jesuitical Faction against me to the highest Degree imaginable Nay some Worthy Men have made me almost so vain as to fancy that my bidding the Commission then Farewel in so public and peremptory a Manner was no inconsiderable Stroke towards the Dissolution of the Commission it self It is evident that immediately upon the receit of my Letter wherein I renounc'd them they Adjourned in Confusion for Six Months and scarce ever met afterwards Thus far I am sure my perpetual Behaviour therein was so much all of a piece so directly against the Vogue of the Court and the Counsels of Popery then prevailing and the Effects of it did so visibly destroy my former Interest with the King that whereas it is manifest I was when the Commission began in as fair a probability as any Clergy-Man in England to receive great Effects of His Majesties Favour yet after my Opposing my Lord Bishop of London's Suspension and my other Votes Conformable to that I fell by Degrees under His severe Displeasure I might add moreover that it is very probable I was at last in more imminent Danger than any of my Brethren I say my Lord than any of my Brethren the Seven Petitioning Bishops and my Lord of London only excepted whose Merits and Sufferings in Asserting our Laws and Religion were so conspicuous and by consequence the Fury of the Papists against them so implacable that perhaps it would be Presumption in any other Clergy-Man much more in Me to come in Competition with Them for either of those Honours Upon the whole Matter therefore tho' as to the Legal Part of the Commission which belong'd to Lawyers to judge of I was mistaken for Acting in it at all Yet in the Conscientious Part which properly concern'd me as a Divine to Act in it honestly and sincerely according to the best of my Judgment in that if I shall not be thought to deserve Thanks yet I hope I may obtain Pardon from all Men of Candor and Ingenuity My Lord I know your Lordship's Generosity and Tender Concern for your Friends whereof I have had so much Experience will excuse me for troubling you with this my long Confession and Apology for my share in the Ecclesiastical Commission I wholly submit it to your Lordship's Prudence and Kindness to make what use of it you please in my behalf Only this I will say That if I had as good a Cause for you to Plead as I have in your Lordship a Patron to Defend me I should not have an Enemy in all England Westminster Feb. 21 1688. My Lord I am Your Lordship's most Faithful Humble and Obedient Servant Tho. Roffen FINIS