Oxford he called upon his Father the Duke of York and having in his bosome the Indenture of Consederacy his Father as they sat at Dinner espyed it and asked what it was to whom his Son answering that it was nothing that concerned him by S. George saith his Father but I will see it and so snatched it from him and reading the Contents called for his Horse to ride to his Majesty now at Windsor whether his Son was before him asking pardon when the old Man knocked at Door The King not coming the Lords at Oxford suspected themselves discovered and so they stand upon their guards set up a mock King Richard one Magdalen very like him who they pretended so escaped out of Prison send to the King of France always ready to assist the Rebels of the King of England they raise an Army pursue King Henry now unprovided to London what became of them think ye why they are amazed and sometimes would do one thing sometimes another and at last nothing they march up and down they knew not whether until at Cirencester the very Townsmen were able to overthrow them so weak is guile and feare their counterfeit King is hanged the Lords are beheaded the whole Army by a rumour is dispersed in which Rebellion 916. Lords and Gentlemen perished and 16000. Families brought to a morsel of Bread the Abbot of Westminster upon the News fell suddainly between his Monastery and his House into a dead Palsey and shortly after miserably ended his life And another who had contrived to lay an Iron with three sharp pikes standing upright in the Kings Bed that when he laid Himself down he might thrust himself through with them came to this sad end a String was tyed about his neck and privy Members and so he was hanged up with a great Stone upon his Belly that broke his back bone Yet men cannot be quiet for Owen Glendover upon a private grudge between himselfe and the Lord Grey of Ruthen and a publick ambition to be Prince of Wales in the divided times of England raised all Wales and the borders of England and with the advantage of a Scots Invasion at the same time and the French Auxiliaries prospered a while but that 's well that ends well Owen is at last as all Traytors abandoned by his Followers the people are altered in their Resolutions Owen himself was famished in the Woods and Wales made desolate But at the same time Treason had all the faire and promising circumstances imaginable for the unhappy King had not only France and Scotland our old friends and Wales to deale with but the Percies of Northumberland and Worcester and Henry Hotspur who upon some private discontents enter in a leagure offensive and desentive with Glendover and an Indenture Tripartite wherein all Wales were asligned to Glendover all England South and East of Trent to the Earle of March and the rest to Northumberland a formidable design but comes to nothing Henry Hotspur is slain their Army is defeated 6000. of them left dead upon the place the chief of them are executed and 7016. Families undone in this undertaking Northumberland and others who had been pardoned ingratefully engaging again upon Yorks-wold Downes against his Soveraign where he was surprized by the Earle of Westmerland in this manner The Earle sends to know their Grievances which when they sent him he alloweth of and promiseth to joyne with them seemeth to pitty their Souldiers and his own and perswadeth them to disband as he would do himself which they no sooner do but he arresteth the chief of them who were executed at York and Durham where Northumbarland after he had wandred up and down Scotland Wales France about a year was slain likewise and 13000. Families of the Revolt were upon this sad occasion exterminated and rooted out of England Such dreadful consequence of Rebellion as awed the Lords and Commons to peace and allegiance all King Henry the Fifths Reign and the first sixteen years of Henry the Sixths § 14. When the Duke of York now aspiring to the Crown takes his opportunity to whisper and suggest to the people that the King was weak and easie the Queen was of a malignant spirit the Privy Councel was ill inclined wherewith the Common people were possessed when one Mortimer the Dukes Agent promiseth them a Reformation of all abuses freedome from Taxes who styling himself Captain Mend-all marcheth to Blackheath there exerciseth them sends their grievances to the Parliament complaining that the Kings Revenue is lavished away that he burdeneth the people that he takes their Commodities from them by his Purveyors and their Estates by his Courtiers that legal proceedings were stopped by Letters from above that extraordinary fees were exacted that freedome of Elections were denyed and Parliament men chosen by Court Letters that the faithful Counsellors the Dukes of York Exceter Buckingham Norfolk were discountenanced by the undue practices of some corrupt Courtiers and their Favourites The Parliament countenanceth them the Privy Counsel receiveth their Petition and if any plot ever prospered this was like to be one Yet see how the King though never so generally hated so considerable a thing is Royalty under the greatest disadvantages gathereth an Army of 15000. the Rebells defeat him come to London command the City to provide them Horse and Armes and other Necessaries behead the Lord Say and Sir James Cromer carry all before them when on a sudden some old Souldiers from the Tower surprize them the Rebells look about them and consider their danger are weary of their service and upon the Kings pardon submit and leave Jack Cade to shift for himself who fled away in a disguise and Proclamation being made that whosoever should bring him dead or alive should have a thousand Markes for his paines a while after was attached by one Eden and making resistance in a Garden at Hothfield in Sussex was there slain his Body was brought to London beheaded Quartered his Head set upon London Bridge his Quarters dispersed in divers places in Kent and his Followers to the number of 500. arraigned to the utter ruine of 4000. Families who perished in this gain-saying of Kore as did the Prentices and Commons of London of whom 2000. died in a commotion the year following the Duke of York flieth to Ireland Owen Teuther and divers Welsh Gentlemen are beheaded and the King who had usurped the Throne never prospered and the Duke of York slain at Wakefield and his Head put over the great Hall of York § 15. Edward the 4th is Crowned but with cares and troubles for the Kingdome was in a Combustion King Henry was at the Head of 40000. to try it with him for that Crown seconded both by the French and Scots but see the fate of Rebellion the Armies approach each other the Lord Fauconbridge gives the Archers direction upon a signal given by him to shoot every Man a flight Arrow
have received from the Church of England and are very sorry that there fell from us any expressions and that there was allowed by us any practice that occasioned the saddest difference that ever happened in the Church of England if we consider the time how long it continued the eminent persous therein engaged and the doleful effects thereby produced and we observe that there have been three degrees of Nonconformists 1. Those in our dayes in King Edwards who scrupled only at some Vestures and Gestures 2. Those in Queen Elizabeths time who excepted against several things in the Common Prayer Cannons and Articles 2. Those since who have laid the Axe to the Root of the Tree and destroyed the Government it self Court After these men had been a while among us two opposite parties plainly appeared I. The Founders of Conformity such as by politick compliance and cautious concealement of themselves in the dayes of King Edward the sixth were possessed of the best preferments in the Church and retained many Ceremonies decent and ancient the Authority of Cranmer and the Activity of Ridley headed these Parties the former being the highest the latter the hotest for Conformity II. The Founders of Nonconformity such exiles as living in States and Cities of popular reformation were well affected to the Discipline of the places they lived in who returning late to England were at a loss for preferment and renounced all Ceremonies practised by the Papists John Rogers Lecturer of Pauls and Vicar of St. Sepulchers and John Hooper afterwards Bishop of Gloucester were the Ringleaders of this party And that these Divisions grew to that heighth that the King with the advice of his Counsel sets out a Proclamation Septem 23. to this purpose Whereas of late by reason of certain Controversies and seditious Preachers his Majesty moved with the tender Zeal and love he had to the quiet of his Subjects hath forbidden any to Preach without Licence from the Lord Protector or the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury upon hope that they whom they Licensed should Preach and set forth only such things as should be to Gods honour and the benefit of the Kings Majesties Subjects Yet seeing such Preachers did still behave themselves irreverently and contrary to good order in Preaching against such good instructions as was given them whereby much contention and disorder might rise and ensue in his Majesties Dominions Wherefore his Highness minding to see shortly one Uniforme Order throughout the Realm and to put an end to all Controversies in Religion for which purpose he hath called together the Learned men of the Realm doth inhibit all publick Preaching wishing all Ministers in the mean time to pray for a blessing on the Convocation and so to endeavour themselves that they may be ready to receive from the Convocation a most Godly quiet and Uniforme order to be had throughout all his Majesties Realmes and Dominions L. A. B. C. I pray who appeared first against the order of the Church and how did they behave themselves L. B. W. To feel the pulse of authority one Dr. Glasier as soon as ever Lent was over 1547. and it was well he had the patience to stay so long affirmes publickly in a Sermon at St. Pauls Cross That Lent was not ordained of God to be fasted on nor the eating of Flesh to be forborn but that the same was a politick Ordinance of men and might therefore be broken by men at their pleasure For which Doctrine as the Preacher was never questioned the temper of the times giving encouragement enough to such extravagancies so did it open such a gap to carnal liberty as the King was faine to shut up by Proclamation on the 16. of Jan. and the Protector by an Army raised under pretence of a Warr with Scotland He knowing very well that all great Counsels tending to Innovation in the publick Government especially where Religion is concerned are either to b 〈…〉 cked by Armes or otherwise prove destructive to the undertakers L. B. L. Who was the next who appeared against the Kings Orders and injunctions L. B. G. Encouraged by Glasiers boldness and impunity several persons began to run out to some excesses which occasioned these Words in a Proclamation of the 8. March 154 7 8. We wish all men with such obedience and conformity to receive our Order that we may be encouraged from time to time further to travel for the Reformation and setting forth of such Godly Orders as may be most to Gods glory the edifying of our Subjects and the advancement of true Religion Willing all our Subjects in the mean time to stay and quiet themselves with this our Direction c. As men contented to follow authority and not rashly to run upon such courses as may hinder what they intend to promote For now there arose persons by the name of Gospellers that dispersed as Bishop Hooper observes in the Preface to his Commandments several Blasphemies and Heresies and some Anabapists who lurking in the late Kings time began to appear publickly and were convicted at St. Pauls before the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and others where being convicted of their errors some of them were dismissed with an admonition some were sentenced to a recantation and others were condemned to bear their Faggots at St. Pauls Cross these persons among the many wild Opinions they vented were notorious for this one as Campneyes Writings one of themselves but coaverted declared That they laid all they did upon the eternal Predestination making God who is of purer eyes then to behold any the Author of their iniquity Court It 's true these wild persons and the Women that were burnt for heresie might disturbe us but who kept up the old cause of Nonconformity Witnesses One Mr. John Hooper a grave and Learned man who had lived a while in Zuricke with Bullinger and returned after Henry the 8s death with very good affections for the way of the Zuinglian and Helvetian Churches and by his frequent preaching and learned Writings having got credit and esteem with the Earle of Warwicke and other great men was preferred Bishop of Gloucester but when he came to be Consecrated he utterly refused the Episcopal Habits wherein he was to appear at his Consecration by the rules of the Church and the Arch-Bishop Cranmer would not Consecrate him without them Court Why do not you my Lord use these innocent and harmless Weedes Hooper I put my self upon the trial of the Searcher of Hearts that no obstinacy but meer Conscience makes me refuse these Ornaments Court These Ornaments are indifferent of themselves and of ancient use in the Church Hooper They are useless being ridiculous and superstitious Court Nay my Lord being enjoyned by lawful authority they become necessary not to Salvation but to Church Unity Hooper Being left indifferent by God it is presumption in man to make them necessary Court By a moderate use of these Ceremonies we may gain Papists into the
Earle of Northumberland President of the North Parts collecteth it by force but he is murthered an insurrection is made and in defence of their Liberties the people would give the King Battle what followed Liberty No the multitude is discomfited by the Earle of Surrey their Leader with many of his accomplices hanged drawn and quarted at Yorke and 3564. Families turned upon this occasion out of doors to the wide World This device failing one worth two of it is thought upon by the Countesse of Burgundy and that is that one Perkin VVorbecke should counterfeit Richard the younger Son of Edward the 4th who was now dead and could not be shewed to the people as the Earle of VVarwicke was and being Brother to the Queen could not be prejudiced in his right by her this Perkin is entertained by the King of France flocked to by the English Malecontents the people of England generally respect him Sir Rob. Clifford and Rob. Barley are sent to attend him the Lord Fitzwater Sir Simon Montford Sir Tho. Thwaits Doctor Richford Doctor Sutton Doctor VVorsky conspired with him he gets an Army marrieth the Earl of Huntleyes Daughter and engageth the King of Scots in his Quarrel he goeth to Ireland landeth in Cornwall with very considerable Forces Doth he prosper no his Confederates are discovered by King Henryes espialls in Flanders and executed particularly Sir VVilliam Stanley Sir Simon Montford c. an hundred and sixty of his Followers were hanged drawn and quartered in London and along the Sea-Coast Scotland is laid waste his friends leave him he submits to the Kings mercy and upon his attempt to escape out of the Tower three times was hanged drawn and quartered at Tyburn and Edward Earle of VVarwicke for his sake is beheaded In these troublesome times the people refuse to pay their Subsidies and in Cornwall they rise under one Flammocke a Lawyer and Joseph a Smith and draw a formidable Company towards London upon Black-heath do they now ease themselves and their fellow subjects no they are invironed by the Kings Forces three thousand of them perish upon the place my Lord Audley Flammocke and Joseph were hanged drawn and quartered their Estates bestowed among the Courtiers and some hundreds of Families bound to curse them to this day To which we may adde the dismal end of VVillford another pretender set up by an Augustin Frier who was hanged drawn and quartered and made an example to rash and inconsiderable Traytors for the following Generations as were Sir James Tyrrell Sir John Windam the Earle of Suffolke and others in the following year to the ruine of many Families who rued their Treasons many years after § 18. In the 8th year of King Henry the 8th there happened in London an Insurrection against strangers especially Artificers who exercised Handicraft and vented Wares to the great dammage of the Kings Subjects the Prentices and others assembled cryed up Privileges Privileges what was the end of it twelve of them were hanged and four hundred more drawn in their shirts with Ropes and Halters about their Necks to Westminster to submit to the Kings mercy as VVeakely did many of all Professions hearken to the enthusiasmes of the holy Maid of Kent who would needs perswade men that King Henry could not continue long who lived to hang her and to ruine five hundred of her Complices But Religion is altered and Treason that hereto served the Interest of Men is now hallowed and become the cause of God K. Henry sets forth injunctions for translating the Lords Prayer the Creed the ten Commandments into the English Tongue and requiring all Parsons and Curates to teach them so translated to their Parishioners this Innovation was not to be endured twenty thousand assemble at Lincolne and forty thousand at York taking Armes as they said for the faith of Christ and deliverance of the Holy Church now oppressed sixty thousand in Lancashire 15000. at Hull indeed all the Kingdome here is a general Plot and this Plot for Conscience sake but doth God blesse it or doth the spreading nature of it prevaile nothing lesse for thirteen of the Ringleaders at Lincolne 300. of the chief at York and the Northern parts 60. of the principal at Hull were hanged drawn and quartered and the rest undone by the Lords Derby Shrewsbury Pembrooke and others to the number of 6000. Families besides the Lords Darcey and Husley both executed Sir Rob. Constable who was hanged in Chaines at Hull and Sir Jo. Bulmers Laly who was burned in Smith-field Henry Marquesse of Exeter H. Lord Mountacute Sir Nicolas Carew Sir VVill. Nevill who came all to miserable ends upon the same score § 19. But the Reformation of Religion proceedeth in King Edward the Sixths dayes and the people are more and more enraged for Conscience sike the Kings Commissioners were stabbed the multitude arme themselves and commit many outrages they increase to the number of 50000. a terrible number they declare for Religion against Inclosures Lawyers Courts c. besiege rich Cities as Exeter Norwich c. but to what end they are defeated before those Cities most of them slain upon the place 500. of them were executed at London and as many with their Ringleaders hanged up and down the Country But there was a Prophecy that the time should come when there should be no King when the Nobility and Gentry should be destroyed when the kingdome should be ruled by four Governours elected by the Commons c. and now sure was that time Up must Ombler a Gentleman and Dale a Parish Clerk with 5000. more to fulfill this Prophecy but was this Prophecy fulfilled no such matter they found to their sorrow a King Nobility Gentry and a Government that brought them to Justice executed sevenscore of them and brought 600. Families deeply engaged in the Rebellion to a morsel of Bread The King I mean Edward the Sixth is a dying and Religion is like to die with him for the glory of God the preservation of the Gospel the Ladies Mary and Elizabeth are put by their known right and the Lady Jane Grey set next his Majesty in the Royal Succession the King makes his Will the Privy Councel confirme it the Mayor and Aldermen swear Allegiance to the Lady Jane who is proclaimed Queen the Privy Councel refuse Queen Mary they sent an Army against her under the Duke of Northumberland but see the end of it the Privy Councel notwithstanding their protestations to the Duke of Northumberland relent and proclaime Queen Mary the Earle of Huntington entrusted by the said Duke with four thousand men deserts him the people all over the Kingdome discountenance him six Ships ordered to Intercept the Lady Mary he revolts to her yea the Duke of Northumberland himself is glad to proclaime her Queen Jane and the said Duke are arraigned and executed § 19. Queen Mary altereth Religion again the Earle of Suffolk Sir Tho. Wyat and others for
CABALA OR THE MYSTERY OF Conventicles Unvaild IN AN Historical Account of the Principles and Practices of the NONCONFORMISTS AGAINST Church and State FROM The First REFORMATION under King EDWARD the VI. Anno 1550. to this present Year 1664. With an APPENDIX of an CXX PLOTS against the present Government that have been defeated By Oliver Foulis LONDON Printed for Thomas-Holmwood Anno 1664. THE MYSTERY OF Conventicles UNVAIL'D ORthodox Why how now Scruple what ailes you now with your Friday face and Sabbath day Lookes Scruple Add not reproach to affliction and thy sin to our suffering I am glad to see thee Orth. Right Presbyters scripture at one end and hypocrisie at the other reproach affliction sin suffering out of the Concordance glad to see you out of the bottom of your heart why thou hast not seen that that made thee glad these sixteen years But why here at Amsterdam Scrup. Here a man may be as holy as he will Orth. So you may any where else if you would be but as honest as you ought But what is the matter is England unsetled that you cannot live there Scrup. Yea upon the Lees. Orth. Something it was you made that Vineger face what a Gods name would you have Scrup. Only liberty of Conscience Orth. What do you mean by that Do you mean liberty to do what you will or to do what you ought if liberty to do what you will we know where about you would be if what you ought who shall judge what ought to be you or your Superiours if you say your Superiours you know their mind if you say your selves they know yours But prithee tell me truly is the Conventicle broke in England and must it be made up in Amsterdam a man may pick a Church here when it is lost in the World or are we for the Commonwealth against Tyranny or have you any more Spoones Bodkins Thimbles for this Warr or do I smell a Rat or rather a Rat-catcher and is there a new Act against your Conventicles Scrup. There are snares enough laid for tender Consciences but yet it doth not lie in their power to restrain us Orth. Why I thought there was such a provision made of late as would roote up the Schisme Scrup. Some such thing was aimed at but they cannot touch an hair of our head Orth. I know you have your starting holes yet it were worth the while to know how you will escape that late Statute Scrup. Many wayes as first none can come to a house and see our Meeting without a Warrant from two Justices of the Peace 2. No man hath any encouragement for so invidious a toile as to trot from one Justice of Peace to another for that Warrant 3. The Militia cannot as formerly distarbe us without that Warrant 4. Our Meeting places may be contrived at distance enough from any Justice of Peace 5. The Justices must meet before they can proceed against us 6. They may punish us for the three first offences we are convicted of as little as they please and its odds but we can make friends to them and as we may meet often before we are convicted the first time it will go very hard if we be convicted the fourth 7. We may meet and confer and yet nothing proved against us concerning the worship of God 8. We may walk into the Fields and never come within the compass of the Act. 9. Our Ministers may go from house to house and visit so instruct too we may visit them To all this I may add that many of the Magistrates in the Land are not so zealously affected to prosecute the people of God Orth. See now how safe you are yet it is persecution oppression of Consciences Scrup. Yet still the Act of Uniformity is in force Orth. Look now that Act takes away only the preferment of some few of you as what State can prefer those who have sworn to overthrow it and its Constitutions and will not renounce that Oath which is their case that come under the stroke of that Act and not the conscience of any of your consciences and your livings are not all one with you Capt. Prithee what dost thou spend thy breath with that sniveling pretender there is no hope of him here where he may serve any God for twelve Crowns Scrup. We might have had the same liberty in our native Country Capt. You have deserved it indeed so good use you made of the last kindness of that nature Scrup. Why we are men fearing God and loving righteousness Capt. And why not fearing God and honouring the King and medling not with them who are given to change But that Text is not in the last Edition of the Geneva Bible nor in Cannes Alcoran Merchant Lord What good men are these Blew Cap Saints these Scotch Christians these Knockes Protestants Butter will not now melt in their mouths what is it to be poor now we must be Religious but if God would trust them with the Sword once more what gallant thing would they do in the fear of God! Scrup. No more then carry on the Reformation Orth. Reformation it's a dreadful word and in thy mouth imports no less then ruine and desolation These are the men that propagate Religion by Warrs force Consciences nourish seditions authorise conspiracies and rebellions that put the Sword into the peoples hands that sanctifie Tumults preach off the heads of Kings overthrow constitutions and Governments undermine Lawes and settlement that resist for Conscience sake and teach others so to do for their Salvation that make Christ a raiser of sedition and his Religion a Firebrand that give Kings too much reason to stand up and the Princes to conspire together against Christ and against his Annointed these are they that fear God and speak evil of Dignities and despise Dominion kill the devil for Gods sake Scrup. Verily our late miscarriages are to be bewailed but our Principles are peaceable Orth. Bewailed yes now they do not prosper with what face can you say your Principles are so peaceable when your practice is so unquiet either never speak so well or never live so ill why I 'le tell you there have been two new Sects broached within this 120. yeares both the same year both to the same end I mean the Jesuits and the Presbyterians the one set up by John Calvin the other by Ignatius Loyola the one is confessed to be the Boutfew of Christendom the other is known to be the Incendiary of the Protestant part of it many have discovered the mad pranks of the one none indeed have yet laid open the sly insinuations of the other Merch. I have brought over as good an Historian as England ever bred we will go to him and he will give you an exact account of this Schisme in England from the very Egge beginning at the time of Edward the sixth and carrying it on to this
Princes that looked towards Reformation Mr. Hooker Your advice we highly value as esteemed by us the most learned and wise man that ever the French Church did enjoy since the hour it enjoyed you yet you must understand that it did not become you to obtrude upon the Church of England a new way you had found out for the City of Geneva agreeable to the temper of that people and that time so disagreeing with our temper and our time especially since you could not bring that way to Geneva it self without the consent of the people Two things of principal note there are which deservedly procure you honour throughout the Christian World 1. Your exact institutions of Christian Religion 2. Your no less industrious exposition of Scripture according to those institutions in which two things whosoever bestowed their labour after you you gained the advantage of prejudice against them if they gainsaid you or of glory above them if they consented yea that which you did in the establishment of your way was harmless as being necessary but what you have taught for the countenance of it established is blame-worthy because out of love to your own prudent invention you endeavour to perswade the World that what you found out as yesterday was established by God since the beginning of Christianity we take it not well that what you with much ado imposed upon your own people by your own should be imposed upon us as from Divine Authority and that you should to that purpose disparage the antient Rites of the Church as Ineptiae nugae trifles and I know not what O Mr. Calvin Mr. Calvin There will come a time when three words uttered with charity and moderation shall receive a far more blessed reward then three thousand Vollumes written with disdainful sharpness of wit We wonder that you who said That you did highly approve a Forme of Prayer Doctrine and established Administration of Sacraments which it should not be lawful for the Ministers themselves to neglect that Provision might be made for the ignorant and unskilful 2. That the consent of the Churches might be more apparent 3. That Order may be taken against the desultory levity of them who delight in Innovations We wonder that you should encourage some Zelots at home and abroad to procure so many alterations of and enemies to the Common Prayer in the year 1547. and 3. of King Edward the sixth in so much that Reverend Father Latimer was faine to say in a Sermon before King Edward a little before his Death That the Admiral was gone I heard say he was a seditious man a contemner of Common Prayer I would there were no more in England well he is gone I would he had left none behind him Bish. Bancroft Mr. Calvin was not the only man that disturbed the peace of our Church by countenancing these Innovations and practising in Court City Country and Universities by his Agents till he had laid the first Foundation of the Zuinglian faction who laboured nothing more then Innovation in Doctrine and Discipline Court We pray you Sir what was the maine engine that Mr. Calvin used to bring his way into so much credit and esteeme among us Bish. Bancroft By insinuating to some men well affected the practise of the poor reformed Churches who not being able to set up the Primitive were over-ruled by his authority to comply with his way and gaining an improvident Indulgence unto John a Lasco with a mixt multitude of Poles and Germans to have the Priviledge of a Church for him and his distinct in Government and Worship from the Church of England by Letters Pattents in St. Augustine neer Broadstreet to be hereafter called the Church of the Lord Jesus whence we may observe 1. Of what consequence it is totolerate any people though never so inconsiderable in a way of separation Mr. Durel Dr. Basile Whereas it was suggested by several that most Reformed Churches walked in the way of Calvin and that the Church of England must submit to that way to preserve its Communion with other Churches We will make it appear that there is no Rite Ceremony or order of the Church of England but is observed in some of the Reformed Churches and some of them are observed in all Court Thus encouraged from abroad and indulged at home that party began to appear more publickly And you Mr. Bucer and Dr. Peter Martyr must needs seruple at some Ceremonies Vestments the one as Kings professor at Cambridge the other as Margaret professor and Cannon of Christ-Church in Oxford though with such moderation as that we have no more to say to you but that we are sorry the oversight of those times furnished the Universities and filled up the Chaires with men of your Principles to lay up in those nurseries of Religion and Learning the seed of a separation dissent and chisme that may continue as long as this Church stands we are sorry to hear that you Doctor Bucer refused some Ceremonies at Cambridge especially that you would not use a square Cap because forsooth your head was Round We are sorry likewise that you Dr. Martyr should encourage the Nonconformists in your Letter July 1. 1550. by saying that You thought it most expedient to the good of the Church that they and all others of that kind should be taken away when the next opportunity should present it self for say you as we iudge unchariteably Where such Ceremonies are so stiftly contended for as are not warranted and supported by the word of God there commonly men are less sollicitous of the substance of Religion then they were of the cicumstances of it and that you say in your Letter of the 4. Nov. 1559. that you never used the Surplice when you lived in Oxford though you were then a Cannon of Christ-Church and frequently present in the Qaire And for your part John a Lasco you might have been contented with the great indulgence of a gracious Soveraign to set up a Church with an express order to all the Bishops of the Realm not to disturbe you in the free exercise of your Religion and Ecclesiastical Government notwithstanding that you differed from the Government and formes of Worship established in the Church of England and not have abused his Majesties goodness so far as to appear in favour of the several factions which then began more openly to shew themselves against the established orders and laudable Customes of the Church and to write that scandalous Book called Forma Oratio totius Ecclesiastici Ministerij much to their encouragement who impugned all Order and Discipline and you must countenance those that refuse to wear the Cap and Surplice and to write to Dr. Bucer to declare against them for which you were severely reproved by that moderate and Learned man Doctor Martyr Doctor Bucer and John a Lasco Truly we are very sensible of the great favours we
very hour throughout the several Raigns of Queen Mary Queen Elizabeth King James King Charles First King Charles Second Orth. A match let us go together and call a Court and with that Gentlemans assistance try these grand Pretenders by a Jury of our English Historians Capt. Agreed and O my conscience you will find such a mystery of iniquity from time to time carried on was never managed on English ground a plot of an hundred years continuance a Government within a Government a design to blow us up with white powder first you will find them scrupulous next stubborn and at last turbulent first they beseech then expostulate now they flatter anon they threaten now they beg against a Ceremony anon they petition against King and Bishops to day you will find them creeping about the Court to morrow they are canting to the people c. Orth. Let us to work impartially and seriously that we may see the bottom of these men Court O yes O yes O ye Nonconformists hold up your hands You are Indicted of several Plots Conspiracies Disturbances Contrivance's and Designes against the wholsome orders of this Church the welfare and Government of this Realm eversince the Reformation are you guilty or not guilty Nonconf We bless God for the Reformation begun in this and other Churches but because nothing was ever by men at one timebegun and perfected much less so good a work as that was meeting with so great opposition from within and without we desire in compliance with the mercy of God discovering himself to us more and more every day to go on to perfection not as if we bad already attained or were already perfect but this one thing we do forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before c. Court We must needs interrupt you and desire you to answer directly in due forme of Law whether guilty or not guilty And what Plea soever you have to offer in your own behalf shall be in due time place and order received with favour heard with patience and debated with all equal impartiality Nonconf In submission to that authority which whatever is thought of us or suggested concerning us we obey for conscience sake as ordained of God we plead in due form of Law Not guilty Court By whom will you be tried Nonconf By the great God before whom we stand whose eyes see whose eye-lids try the children of men and by those faithful men who have reported the transactions of this last age impartially concealing nothing out of fear nor speaking any thing out of favour not omitting anything through ignorance nor neglecting any thing in forgetfulness but delivering words of truth and soberness with good authority not overswayed by partiality or corrupt affection nor byassed by love or hatred G. L. B. L. When it pleased God who makes all things work for the best to make use of Henry the Eighth passions and private interest in order to a publick good so far as that his bold attempts should make a way to the pions indeavours of those that came after him for that Reformation the whole World wished as in other Churches so in this there rose up some men speaking perverse things and drawing away Disciples after them stirred up as it s feared by the Church of Rome which endeavoured to hinder that blessed work by an inward division and domestick confusion which had in vain opposed by outward power and forreign interest For as Mr. Baxter observes very well out of Luther in his Book against the Anabaptists When the reformed Ministers had spent some years in building the Church the Romish adversaries raised up some strange-spirited persons who should destroy it in few Moneths Nonconf Verily we do not remember that any of us made any opposition to the first Reformation in which many of us had the honour of being Instruments in the Lords hand which we owned with the loss of all that was near and dear to us and many of us sealed it with our blood although we must confess we did endeavour to carry the Reformation so far as might be most agreeable with the Word of God most answerable to the Primitive Churches way and neerest the pattern of other Reformed Churches with whom we desire to hold Communion in the great concernes of Christianity Court What you did the World took notice of for these things were not done in a corner but that you may be proceeded with more clearly distinctly and satisfactorily those of you who lived in King Edward the sixth dayes and practised at the first Reformation may hear the Evidence we have against them and the rest may withdraw Nonconf We submit Court Mr. Calvin Our Evidence against you is That since you had prevailed in Geneva for a Government and order according to your own humour fancy and judgement the necessity of that place and time you were not contented to see any thing established in other Churches without your consent and approbation and particularly that you went beyond your own line as an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or one busie in other mens matters about the affaires of England First When you sent Letters to Martin Bucer to take heed of his old fault for a fault you thought it was to run a moderate course as we do here in Reformation neither keeping too neer nor going too far from Rome 2 When you offered your assistance to Arch-Bishop Cranmer and being refused by him because of your rigidness you tampered in a very long Letter with the Lord Protect or Sommerset that most Ceremonies should be altered and that he should go on to reforme the Church without regard to peace at home or correspondence abroad either in altering adding taking away or moderating the Liturgy Discipline and Ceremonies And besides you writ that the Godly Homilies should by no means be allowed for continuance or be looked upon as a rule for the Church or constantly to serve for the instruction of the people contrary to the judgement of Martin Bucer to the scandal of the Zuinglian Gospellers who ever since almost declaimed against them and when your agents and arguments had raised some disputes about the Ceremonies of the Church then by Law established you writ for a peace which you would have composed not by bringing the Nonconformists to a Conformity but by encourageing them in their Nonconformity against our Law order and peace Mr. Calvin Indeed as I had done at Geneva so I was willing others should in other Gospel Churches endeavour to bring things to the pattern in the Mount and take care that nothing should be exacted which is not warranted by the word of God there being nothing more distastful in the eyes of God then worldly Wisdom either in moderating or going backward but meerly as we are directly by the Word of God and accordingly I write my poor advice to most Christian