DAVNGEROVS POSITIONS AND PROCEEdings published and practised within this Iland of Brytaine vnder pretence of Reformation and for the Presbiteriall Discipline 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My sonne feare the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are seditious Prou. 24. 21. They despise gouernement and speake euill of them that are in authority Iude. LONDON Imprinted by Iohn Wolfe 1593. An aduertisement to the Reader THE Author of this Treatise was required by some persons of honor who might dispose of him and his labours to set downe by way of an historicall narration what hee had obserued touching certaine positions holden and some enterprises atchieued or vndertaken for recommending and bringing the Presbiteriall Discipline into this Iland of Brittaine vnder pretence of reformation The performance of which dutie when hee had vndertaken and was entred into it hee found the worke to grow farre greater vpon him then at the first he did imagine Insomuch as although in the beginning he verily supposed tha hee might easily haue contriued his matter into a few sheetes of paper so that as many coppies as were to bee disposed might easily and in very short time haue beene written forth yet by the necessary length of the Discourse as it fell out and through his manifold quotations hee was constrained as the time required to procure for the better dispatch that some fewe copies might bee printed And albeit there is no meaning that this Treatise laboured but for the priuate satisfaction of some fewe especiall persons should otherwise continue then as an vnpublished Copie yet the writer of it wished to haue it signified that nothing is alleadged therein which is not to be found either in Bookes and writinges published to the view of the world such as he thinketh will not be disclaimed or in publike records or else is to be shewed vnder those parties own hands that haue beene either the principall procurers fauorers or dealers in those thinges whereof hee intreateth Which asseueration of his thus made he will be ready as he sayth God assisting him to iustifie at any time for the satisfaction of such as shall make doubt of it And doth further protest with all sinceritie that he hath not willingly detorted any thing in this whole Discourse to make either the cause it selfe or the fauorors thereof more odious then their owne wordes and deeds shall necessarily inferre and enforce against them with all indifferent and considerate Readers Farewell in Christ. The Contents of the first Booke OF two sorts of men that especially disturbe the Church of England and of the drifts of them both by way of a Preface Chap. 1. Fol. 1. Of the course held at Geneua for reformation of religion and of the Doctrine which vpon that occasion hath beene broached Chap. 2. Fol. 7. Of the proceeding of some Scottish Ministers according to the Geneuian rules of Reformation Chap. 3. Fol. 9. How the Geneuian Doctrine or principle for Reformation hath beene amplified by certaine pretended Reformers in Scotland Chap. 4. Fol. 14 The obiections against the doctrine reported of in the former chapter with the Consistorian answeres vnto them Chap. 5. Fol. 16. The proceedinges of certaine Scottish Ministers according to the groundes mentioned in the two last chapters for setting vp of the Consistorian Discipline and of their vrging of our English Disciplinaries to follow their steppes Chap. 6. Fol. 18. The Contents of the second Booke The Doctrine of certaine English Ministers which they learned at Geneua and published of purpose to have procured the like course for Reformation in England to that which was in Scotland Chap. 1. Fol. 34. Our English Disciplinarians doo imitate the Scottish in their desire of the Consistoriall gouernement sauing that they are more bewitched with a kind of dotage after it Chap. 2. Fol. 41. Our pretended English reformers doo imitate or rather exceede the Scottish Ministers in reuiling and rayling against all that doo encounter them Chap. 3. Fol. 44. The speeches of the said pretended reformers concerning England the State the present reformation and gouernement of the Church Cha. 4. Fol. 47. Some of their vndutifull and consistorian speeches concerning her Maiestie c. Chap. 5. Fol. 48. Some of their rayling speeches against the high court of Parliament and all others generally that do maintaine the present gouernment of the Church of England Chap. 6. Fol. 50 Some of their Disciplinarian speeches concerning the Lordes of her Maiesties most honourable priuy Councell Chap. 7. Fol. 52. Some of their rayling speeches against the Magistracy in England the Iudges Lawyers and lawes both ciuill and ecclesiasticall Chap. 8. Fol. 54. Some of their consistoriall sayings as touching our Religion Communion booke Sacraments and ceremonies Chap. 9. Fol. 55. How they doo charge the present gouernement with persecution Chap. 10. Fol. 56. Some of their consistorian speeches of the Clergy of England assembled as occasion hath required in the Conuocation house Chap. 11. Fol. 58. Some of their presbiterial speeches of the Bishops of England professing the Gospell Chap. 12. Fol. 58. Some of their vncharitable wordes against all the Clergy in England generally that mislike their designements Chap. 13. Fol. 60. Their especiall drift in their said rayling speeches as outragiously published as if they were meere Iesuites and peraduenture to as dangerous a purpose Chap. 14. Fol. 61. The Contents of the third Booke The practises of certaine English reformers for Discipline from the yeare 1560. vntill the yeare 1572 chap. 1. Fol. 65 The secret meetings for Discipline and the matters handled in them heere in England from 1572. till 1583. chap. 2. Fol. 67 A forme or booke of discipline is drawne and a resolution agreed vppon how far they might proceede for the practise of it without breaking the peace of our Church chap 3. Fol. 69 About the yeare 1583. they fell againe to the practise of their discipline and of a consistorian question chap. 4. Fol. 73 Their Booke of Discipline is reuiewed it was after sent abroad about 1587 it was put in practise in Northamptonshire and many other places cha 5 Fol. 75. A Synode is held at Couentry 1588. many questions are resolued the booke of discipline is subscribed vnto chap. 6. Fol. 85 The booke of the pretended discipline is made perfect at Cambridge certain Synods are kept and of their estimation chap. 7 Fol. 88 Vpon some detecting of the premisses some were called into question they refuse to be examined all they were charged which is in effect confessed chap. 8. Fol. 91 Cartwright is called for by authority a Synode is held in London it is there resolued that he shall refuse to be examined vpon his oath chap. 9. Fol. 93 Further proofe for their practise of their discipline collected out of the rules of their subscribed booke chap. 10. fol. 94 Further proofe for their practise of their discipline out of the articles they subscribed cha 11. fol. 98. It is confessed that they agreed to
enemies to the Gospell of Christ to her Maiestie and people that seeke to keepe Christes holy Discipline from amongst vs. This is that cause against which neuer man yet striued and prospered All the Newgates and Oldgates yea and all the Tiburns in England are too little for such rash and presumptuous he ades that will not giue God leaue to rule but will take the scepter out of his handes I do feare that many of the forwardest ennemies of reformation are not the backwardest frendes that the king of Spain hath in England at this day CHAP. VII Some of their Disciplinarian speeches concerning the Lordes of her Maiesties most honorable priuie Councell OVr Councell may truelie be saide to delight in the iniury violent oppression of Gods saincts Ministers therefore the Lord wil surely visite our Councel with an heauie plague Our Councel cannot possibly deale truely in matters of iustice betweene man and man insomuch as they bend all their forces to bereaue Iesus Christ of his gouernment The which vngodly and wicked course as they haue held on euer since the beginning of her Maiesties raigne so at this day they haue taken great boldnesse and growne more rebellious against the Lord and his cause then euer they were In so much as their honors in token of thankefulnesse to him that exalted them dare now charge the cause of reformation to be an ennemie vnto our state and such as fauor the same to be vnquiet and factious men disturbers of the common peace and quietnes and sowers of sedition among the subiects They do not ablie detect their impiety against God and their enmitie to the kingdome of his Sonne Christ they offer iniury to her Maiestie If her Maiesty giue eare to such Councellors shee may haue cause one day to lament Assuredly those that are our ennemies for the profession of the truth meaning the pretended Discipline cannot bee her Maiesties sure frendes whatsoeuer they pretend Sathan worketh the defacing of the way of truth supporteth his owne kingdome by instruments of no meane countenance Be they noble or vnnoble Councellors or inferior men I am so farre from fearing their power that the more I see them rage the greater strength I haue to stand to the truth which they raue against I do warne and admonish those Councellors with whome and against whome especially I deale in this Treatise to repent them of their great insolencie whereby they haue beene puffed vp with Senacharib to magnifie and oppose themselues against the cause and people of the Lord of Hosts as against the Religion and people of some of the Gods of the earth Otherwise they are to feare least the Lord hauing raised vp many of them out of mean places into the throne of iustice meaneth to shew his power and great name by making them examples of his fearefull wrath as he did Pharaoh who wrought his owne ouerthrow If men will wonder that we being so contemptible in the sight of the world dare yet be so bold as to controll great states and mightie men and to chalenge them of iniustice against the Sonne of God and his members who will not sticke to brag with Pilate that they haue power to crucifie Christ to absolue him they are to vnderstand that wee know of no power but from aboue and therefore of no power that is able to beare out iniustice and wrong The hils of the Robbers wee grant to bee high and vnassayleable in the sight of an eye of flesh but we haue learned of the holy man to account the habitation of the wicked to be accursed euen when hee seemeth to be best rooted for we know that the steppes of his strength shall bee restrayned and that his Counsaile shall cast him downe CHAP. VIII Some of their rayling speeches against the Magistracy in England the Iudges Lawyers and lawes both ciuill and ecclesiasticall THe Magistracy and ministery haue walked hand in hand in the contempt of true Religion and vnto both the worde of the Lorde is made a reproch Amongst those who deale in the cause of iustice there are found wicked persons euen wicked lawyers and iudges who seeme to know of no other God but their owne gaine that lay waite for the blood of Gods saints as hee that setteth snares and marke whether they can heare of any that go further in the cause of God then the corruption of our state doth permit And if they finde any such they know how to wrest against them a clause of some statute contrary not onely to the meaning thereof but euen contrary vnto all iustice and equity yea common reason it selfe and the verie groundes of all good lawes and statutes So that it is now growen and hath bene of a long time a common practice of these Godlesse men to make of the statutes ordained for the maintenance of Religion and common quietnesse a pit wherein to catch the peaceable of the land The common inditements of the Lords true and faithfull Ministers for matters of trifles as the omission of the surplisse churching of women crosse in Baptisme c. doth manifestly witnesse the iniquitie of these Atheists The lawes that maintaine the Archbishops and Bishops are no more to bee accounted of then the lawes maintaining the Stewes The humaine lawes that maintaine them are wicked and vngodly The lawes are made their common sanctuarie to defend all our wickednesse Impiety is suffered to beare sway against the maiestie of God and that by law and authority Such lawes are retayned in force as iustle and ouerthrow the royall prerogatiue of the sonne of God As great indignity is offered vnto Iesus Christ in committing his Church vnto the gouernement of the common law as can be by meane hyrelings unto a king in committing his beloued spouse vnto the direction of the mistresse of the Stewes and enforcing her to liue after the lawes of a brothel-house CHAP. IX Some of their consistoriall sayings as touching our Religion Communion booke Sacraments and Ceremonies WE striue for true religion As our lackes are there can be no right religion Many religions are mixed together of Christ and Antichrist of God and the deuill Christes Religion is fondly patched with the Popes ioyning fire and water heauen and hel together The truth in a manner doth but peepe out from behinde the screene Their prescript forme of seruice is full of corruption In all the order of their seruice there is no edification but confusion The Communion booke is an vnperfect booke culled and picked out of that popish dung hill the portuise and masse-booke and many of the contents therein be such as are against the word of God And Martin senior calleth it our sterue-vs Booke The Sacraments are wickedlie mangled and prophaned They eate not the Lords supper but play a pageant of their own to
it is verified most properly in her most excellent Maiestie Whether you respect the Reformation of Religion which her Highnesse hath made in this Church of England according to the noble examples of Moses Iosua Dauid Salomon Iosaphat Ezechias Iosias c. or whether you respect not onely the reliefe which strangers persecuted at home for the profession of the Gospell haue here receiued or her Maiesties great and vnspeakeable charges for the ayding and assisting of other Christian States Princes and countries that for their profession of the same right Religion are mightily afflicted by certaine Gyantes of the earth the souldiers and members of that Antichrist of Rome So as in these and many other respects which do concurre with them I neither doubt that her Maiesty whom the Lord protect with his mighty hande long to raigne ouer vs shall bee for euer renowned amongst the most famous Queenes that euer liued in the worlde or that the Church of England so refourmed by her Highnesse is presently at this day the most Apostolike and flourishinge Church simply that is in all Christendome Howbeit let a Church be as richly planted as euer any was before or in the Apostles times Let either Moses with his Aaron or Dauid with all his Councellors gouerne both the Church and Common-wealth as godly as euer any was gouerned yet such is and euer hath been the malice and cunning of Sathan as that he wanteth not at any time either will or meanes to slaunder to depraue and to endanger the same He hath his Core Dathan and Abiram that if need bee dare presume to tell both Moses and Aaron they take too much vpon them Hee is able to set the children of one father the seruants of one master the subiects of one Prince and the members of one Church at dissention at deadly hatred amongst themselues As occasion serueth hee hath his Shemeis to curse King Dauid also his murmurers complayners mockers makers of sectes such as despise gouernement which are presumptuous men that stand in their lewde conceits such as feare not to speak euill of those things they know not and of them that are in dignity that is of Princes and great men be they neuer so high in authority The experience which wee haue hereof at this day in the Church of England is more then pregnant partly through the diuelish and traiterous practises of the Seminary Priests and Iesuites and partly by reason of the lewd and obstinate course held by our pretended refourmers the Consistorian Puritanes both of them labouring with all their might by rayling libelling and lying to steale away the peoples harts from their gouernours to bringe them to a dislike of the present state of our Church and to drawe them into parts-taking the one sort for the embracing of such directiōs as should come vnto them from Rome the other for the establishing of that counterfeit and false Hierarchie which they would obtrude vppon vs by the countenance and name of the Church at Geneua The which proceedings of both the sorts of disturbers are so much the more dangerous in that they deale so secretely and haue combined themselues together with their Proselites into such a league aud confederacy as get out what you can your felfe by meere chance as they say for the discouery of their actions and attempts you shall bee sure that neither the one sort nor the other will detect any thing Nay matters beeing detected in some sort to their handes they will vtterly refuse to bee examined as law prescribeth or if they take any oathe it is as good neuer a whit as neuer the better they dally so exceedingly with it For vnder pretence of not accusing themselues if they finde any thing to be come to light which may any waies touch them they will vtterly refuse for the most part to answere it either vpon oath or without oath saying that neither by the Lawes of God nor man they are bound so to answere Vnder colour whereof they exempt themselues from the ordinary course helde in iustice for criminall causes throughout all the world which is that before witnesses be produced against any supposed offender the party accused shall first answere to the accusation yea or nay c. as wee vse in England and that in matters of life and death but in these without an oathe hee must first pleade guilty or not guilty And as they deale for themselues so doo they for their confederates their fauourers relieuers abetters and receiuers affirming it to be against the rules of charity to bring their Christian brethren and frends into any daunger for doing of those things which both the sorts of these seducers haue drawne them into and doo themselues iudge to be religious and iust From these points all the Iudges of the land and diuers Diuines that haue dealte with them as yet cannot bringe them both the sorts are so setled in this seditious doctrine of Rhemes which is as followeth vz. If thou be put to an oath to accuse Catholikes for seruing God as they ought to doo or to vtter any innocent man to Gods enemies and his thou oughtest first to refuse such vnlawfull oathes but if thou haue not constancie and courage so to doo yet know thou that such oathes binde not at all in conscience and law of God but may and must be broken vnder paine of damnation Now in these confederacies what course should be taken for the preuenting of such daungers as may thereby ensue I referre it to be throughly considered by those that haue the gouernement both of the Church and Common-weale committed vnto them But before they can be preuented they must be vnderstood Concerning the Seminary Priests and Iesuites their very comming into the land doth declare their traiterous intentions What alleageance and loue soeuer they pretend vppon their apprehension to her Maiesty and their countrey it is very well knowne they doo it but for the time rebus sic stantibus that their comming hether is to no other purpose but to make away for the Pope and the Spaniardes the sworne and mortall enemies both to this state and to all other that doo professe the right refourmed religion of Christ. But for the other sort of practitioners their proceedings and designements are not so well as yet discouered Their pretences doo carry a greater shew of good meanings many that are indeede truely zealous little suspecting what hookes doo lie hidde vnder such faire baites are dayly carried as we see headlong with them In respect whereof you are to be aduertised that as it is an easie matter by looking to the said Popish and Spanish practises to knowe in generality their Seminaries dealinges here amongst vs be they in particularity neuer so secrete so are there certaine men in other countries of the same humors with our pretended refourmers whose courses and proceedings as wel for the matters they desire as for the manner of attaining
I heard from you saith one Blake of the state of the Church of London Another By M. West M. Browne you shall vnderstand the state of the Churches wherein we are A third If my offence may not be passed by without a further confession euen before God and his Church in London will I lie downe and licke the dust at your feete and confesse c. A fourth I receiued a letter from you in the name of the rest of the brethren whereby I vnderstand your ioyning together in choosing of my selfe vnto the seruice of the Church vnder the Earle of Leicester c. I am ready to runne if the Church command me according to the holy decrees and orders of the discipline By these their speeches it appeareth that as they haue cut off themselues from the fellowship of the rest of the Christians in England by ioyning themselues into a seuerall brotherhood so haue they already seduced her Maiesties subiects by gathering them together into a new societie whereunto they doe appropriat the name of the Church as though all other Churches in the realme were but as Iewish Sinagogues or heathenish assemblies This is not you shall see my bare collection heare the witnesses what they hereof haue deposed In these brethrens speaches of the Church or Churches it is to be vnderstood that by the Church of England they meane the Church according to humaine lawes and the Popes which is ruled as they terme it by an Antichristian gouernement And by the Godly Churches or the Churches of God in England they meane such places congregations or assemblies as doe embrace the reformation and haue such a minister as is of some Classis Sometime also by the Church as the Church of God in London is meant the Classis of the brethren or their Synods And so maister Edmondes when they vse these or the like speaches in their writing or otherwise vz. the Church or Churches of God heere with this or that or the Church in London hath done this or that they by they especially meane the Ministers thēselues But for the further clearing of this matter because the chiefe Rabbies of this conspiracie do themselues preach in our material Churches it is to be obserued that the parish where they preach being assembled is not the Church properly in their sence but as many thereof onely as are ioyned vnto them with that inuiolable bond mentioned vz. the desire of the godly discipline and those furthermore who leauing their owne parish Churches doe come vnto them As for example The Church of God forsooth in the Black Fryers doth consist besides that parish of a number of men and Marchauntes wiues dispersed here and there throughout the whole Citie Be content to hear the depositions that are taken to like purpose Maister Snape affirmed as Richard Holmes and Richard Hawgar haue deposed that here one there one picked out of the Prophane and common multitude and put a-part to serue the Lord maketh the Church of God and not the generall multitude Maister Iohnson saith that the brethren of the laitie doe seldome come to their owne parish Churches nor receiue the communion there otherwise then they are compelled for feare of trouble For they account those their pastors onely whom they do so choose And maister Edmonds vpon his experience in London The people of this brotherhood do seldome come to their owne parish Churches otherwise then for feare to incurre some daunger of lawes neyther do they accompt the minister of their parishes to bee any of their pastors properly except he be some one of the brethren Ministers before specified or very effectually inclining that way It is likewise to bee obserued that if any of this faction brotherhood or sisterhood do lie dangerously sicke they do seldome or neuer send for their owne pastors to visite them nor moue them to pray for them publikely in their owne parish as neglecting their praiers but do send to the Readers abroad whom they haue chosen for their pastors both to come vnto them to pray with them and for them in their assemblies This also is to bee obserued that the stricter sort of this crue when they lie at the point of death will haue no bell tolled for them and many of them do take order before their death that afterwardes they be not buried in any Church that there bee no sermon nor any wanner of buriall vsed which is prescribed CHAP. XVI A ridiculous pretence of laws with a recapitulation of the summe of this third booke AS they countenance these their conuenticles vnlawful assemblies before specified with the name of the Church so with the like boldenesse to the same purpose some of them are not ashamed to affirme that by the doctrine of the Church of Englād and by the lawes and statutes of this Realm the present gouernment of the Church of England vnder her Maiestie by Archbishops and Bishops is to bee accounted wicked and vnlawfull and withall in effect that by the saide doctrine lawes and statutes all the former proceedings decrees c. of the brethren are to be maintayned and iustified As by the particular proofes following it will appeare The offices of Lord Archbishops and Bishops c. saith Martin Iunior are condemned by the doctrine of the Church of England The doctrine that condemneth the places of Lorde Bishops is approoued by the statutes of this Realme and her Maiesties prerogatiue royall To be a Lord Bishop is directly against the Statute 13. Elizab. According to the doctrine of the Church of England our Prelates haue no authoritie to make Ministers or to proceede to any ecclesiasticall censure their citations processes excommunications c. are neither to bee obeyed nor regarded Men ought not to appeare in their Courtes a man being excommunicated by them ought not to seeke any absolution at their hands And in the behalfe of the brethren he doth also further affirme that by the said doctrine of the Church of England c. all Ministers bee of equall authoritie that the godly ministers ought to ordaine those that would enter into that function without any leaue of the prelates and not so much as once to suffer them to take any approbation of the prelates that euery minister is bound to preach the Gospell notwithstanding the inhibition of the Bishops that a man being once made a minister is not to be kept backe from preaching by the inhibition of any creature and that by the saide doctrine c. all ministers are bound by subscription c. to disauow the Hierarchie of Bishops When you shall reade these strange assertions so farre passing any ordinary bounds of common modestie think with your selues that it is no maruaile to see their writinges so full of authorities For I do assure you that euen in the like sort and with the same sinceritie
his Councell and proceedinges stirring vp his Highnesse subiectes thereby to misliking sedition vnquietnes to cast off their due obedience to his Maiestie Therefore it is ordained that none of his subiects shall presume or take vpon them priuatelie or publikelie in sermons declamations or familiar conferences to vtter any false slanderous or vntrue speeches to the disdaine reproach and contempt of his Maiestie his Councell and proceedings or to meddle in the affaires of his Highnesse vnder paine c. And thus you haue seene some part of the practise of the Geneua resolution in Scotland for their booke of Discipline and reformation in Religion But yet I must needes draw you on a little further Presently after that the sayde Parliament was ended notwithstanding the kings maiesty had in the same most royally religiously cōfirmed with great sincerity the articles of true Religion for preaching the worde and administration of the sacraments accordingly and had likewise vnited to his Crowne the supreame authority in all causes within his Realme aswell Ecclesiasticall as Ciuill yet because their Presbyterial soueraignty was therby abridged diuers very spitefull disloyall and slaunderous speeches were cast abroade by them and their associates against his Highnesse For they gaue out as though the King had beene declined to Popery and had made Acts to derogate the free passage of the Gospell that he endeuored to extinguish the light of the Gospell that there was left nothing of the whole auncient forme of iustice and pollicie in the spirituall state but a naked shadow with many other the like reprochfull and calumnious reportes which they spread abroad in their owne Country Diuers of the chiefe Ministers of that faction likewise that were fled out of Scotland into England for feare of punishment in respect of many their great and haynous offences pretended as it hath beene noted that they fledd hether because they were persecuted at home for their consciences and could not be suffered to preach the Gospell One Dauison a Scottish Minister so rayled against the King of Scots in the pulpit at the parish Church of the olde Iury in London that vpon complaint made thereof by the Lord Ambassador of Scotland direction was giuen to the Lord Bishop of London for the silencing of all the Scottish Ministers in the City And this disloyall and slaunderous course was helde both in Scotland and England so farre as they durst from May vntill Nouember following At what time this stratagem here ensuing was wroght as I am perswaded by the Consistorians instigation The King of Scotland being vpon occasion of a contract nere Striueling heard of certaine enemies as hee then accounted them comming towards him Whereupon his Maiesty raysing such power as hee could conuayed himselfe to Striueling Where before he looked for them ten thousand men presented themselues in armes They pitched their Tents before the towne the first of Nouember and there made a Proclamation in their owne names commanding all the Kings subiects to assist them Many pretenses are alleaged of that their attempt And these namely that whereas there had beene Acts and Proclamations a little before published against the Ministerie and Clergie inhibiting their Presbyteries assemblies and other exercises priuileges and immunities and that the most learned and honest were compelled for safetie of their liues and consciences to abandon their Country c. Nowe the afflicted Church might be comforted and all the said Acts lately made in preiudice of the same might bee solemnely cancelled and for euer adnulled This Proclamation thus knowne the King fortified the towne as he could but to no purpose For within two houres assault it was wonne The King thereupon was enforced to flye vnto the Castle The Conquerours of the towne placed their ensignes before the blockehouse of the Castle and so ordred the matter that there was no way for any in the Castle to escape their hands Wherupon a parley being concluded the King desired by his Commissioners three petitions The first That his life honor and estate might be preserued The second That the liues of certain of his friends with him might not be touched The third That all things might be transacted peaceably The other side by their Commissioners likewise desired other three petitions The first That the King would allow of their intention and subscribe their Proclamation vntill further order were established by the estates c. and that he would deliuer vnto them all the strong Holds in the land The second That the disquieters of the Common-wealth might be deliuered vnto them and abide their due tryall by Law The third That the old guard might be remooued and another placed Vppon mutuall relation from the Commissioners on both sides the parties that were assembled in armes did yeeld vnto the first and third of the Kings petitions and the King graunting to all theirs as there was no remedy committed himself into their hands and had a new guard immediately appointed to attend him And thus the Presbyteries of Scotland by the Kings subscribing to the foresaid Proclamation recouered againe a great part of their strength But not all as it seemeth vpon the sodaine which was the occasion of a new stirre For presently after the sayde Noble victory the Scottish Ministers that were in England hauing al their former disloyalties vppon composition remitted made their repayre without delay into Scotland where finding not such readinesse as they expected for a more authenticall repealing of the statutes made in the foresaid Parliament 1584. they began notwithstanding the Kings late goodnes towards them to exclaime in their Pulpits with most proud and bitter Inuectiues against him One Iames Gibson compared his Maiesty publikely in his preachings vnto Ieroboam tearmed him a persecutor and threatned him that if he tooke that course he should be the last of his race And being called for such his disloyall speeches before the King Councell the xxj of December 1585. he very boldly iustified the same saying to his Highnesse As long as you maintayne these cursed Actes of 1584. the tyranny of Bishops c. Ye are a Persecutor And againe As Ieroboam for the leading of the people of Israell from the lawes of the house of Iudah and from the true worshipping of God to serue Idolatry was rooted out he and all his posterity so should the King if he continued in that cursed course maintaining those wicked Acts against God be rooted out and conclude that race c. What else hath fallen out since that time by reason of the raines which now as it hath beene noted these zealous brethren haue gotten to themselues and how moderately and duetifully they doo proceede in the practise of their Presbyteries and Consistorian Kingdomes the articles which the King not long since offred vnto the Ministers to haue beene subscribed vnto by them doo sufficiently declare and make manifest Ex malis moribus nascuntur bonae leges
blinde the people and keepe them still in superstition to make the seely soules beleeue that they haue an English masse and so put no difference betwixt trueth and falsehoode betwixt Christ and Anâ—ichrist betwixt God and the deuill The publike baptisme is full of childish and superstitious toyes And of our orders garments and ceremonies They are carnall beggerly Antichristian pompes rites lawes and traditions popish fooleries Romish reliques rags of Antichrist dregs and remnants of transformed Poperie Pharisaicall outward faces and vizardes remnants of Romish Antichrist of superstition and Idolatrie Knowne liueries of Antichrist accursed leauen of the blasphemous Popish Priesthoode cursed patches of Poperie and Idolatrie they are worse then Lowsie for they are sib be to the sarke of Hercules that made him teare his owne bowels asunder CHAP. X. How they charge the present gouernment with persecution THere is a persecution of poore Christians the professors of the Gospell suffred not far vnlike to the six articles Gods cause is troden vnder foote and the benefite of his Church is little regarded Poore men haue been miserably handled with reuilings depriuations imprisonments bannishments and such like extremities Godly Ministers haue beene brought before the barres of iustice they haue beene arraigned amongst fellons and theeues they haue been imprisoned to the vttermost and defaced they are reproched shaken vp threatened many are depriued they are examined by an inquisition much like tha of Spaine O lamentable case O heynous impietie Shal they be thus marked with the blacke cole of reproach villanie O inhumaine and more then barbarous impietie Besides whorish impudencie halter axe bandes scourging and racking our Bishops haue nothing to defend themselues withall The Clinke Gatehouse White-Lion and the Fleete are their onelie arguments If I say Ieremie Ezechiel Osee Micheas and Zacharie were aliue they would be carried to the Marshall-sea the White-lyon the Kings-bench the Gate-house and other Prisons yea to New-gate In effect as Caine persecuted Abell Esau Iacob the Patriarches their brother Ioseph the Iewes Moses the Priests Ieremie Osea Amazia and Christ euen so in these dayes the Preachers are slandred and persecuted by such as would seeme pillars of true religion If this persecution be not prouided for it is the case of many a thousand in England greate trobles will come of it The land is sore troubled there is no place nor being for a faithfull Minister of the word Our bloud crieth for vengeance against the Bishops I am made like to our Sauiour Christ who hath troden this path in that as he sayth hee is troubled not for euiil but for good It fares with vs as with prisoners in Poperie God sende vs their comfort Mnisters are in worse sort suppressed now then they were by the Papists in Queene Maries time This crosse is common not onelie with him but with all that will liue godly in Christ. The cause is holy and his sufferinges acceptable I k perceiue the Lyon roareth but cannot bite further then the Lord shall permit CHAP. XI Some of their Consistorian speeches of the Clergie of England assembled as occasion hath required in the Conuocation house THey are wolues It is a Synagogue Their onely endeuour is how to preuent Christ from bearing rule in the Church by his own lawes They are knowne to bee ennemies vnto all sinceritie The whole conuocation house are in iudgement contrarie to our Sauiour Christ they are intollerable oppugners of Gods glory and vtter ennemies vnto the liberties of his Church As long as that house standeth as at this day it doth there can be no hope at al that either Gods heauenlie trueth should haue free passage or the Church her libertie in this kingdom They haue seduced and deceiued the ciuil state people in bearing them in hand that al is wel in the Church They are termed by one of the Captaines of this crue right puissant poisoned persecuting and terrible Priests Clergie maisters of the confocation house the holie league of subscription the crue of monstrous and vngodlie wretches that mingle heauen and earth together horned maisters of the conspiration house an Antichristian swinish rabble ennemies of the Gospell most couetous wretched and Popish Priests the Conuocation house of Diuels Belzabub of Canterbury the chiefe of the Diuels CHAP. XII Some of their presbiterial speeches of the Bishops of England professing the Gospell THe Bishops are the greatest and most pestilent ennemies that now our state hath are like to be the ruine of her Maiestie and the whole state Archbishops and Bishops are vnlawfull vnnaturall false and bastardlie gouernours of the Church and the ordinances of the Diuel pettie Popes pettie Antichristes like incarnat Diuels they are Bishops of the Diuell Bishops are cogging and coosening knaues They will lie like dogs Our Bishops are proud popish presumptuous prophane paltrie pestilent pernicious prelates vsurpers Impudent shamelesse and waynescot faced Bishops like beastes They are in a premunire They ought not to bee maintayned by the authority of the ciuill Magistrate in any common wealth They are in respect of their places ennemies of God The worst Puritane is an honester man then the best Lord Bishop in Christendome Their crueltie is without measure They are butchers and horseleeches it is the portion of their inheritance Their bloud-thirstie attempts These dragons Their tirannie and bloudthirstie proceedings are inexcusable In effect that they conspire to pull the Crowne from her Maiesties head Bishops callings are meere Antichristian The Bishops are robbers Wolues simoniacks persecutors sowers of sedition and discontentednes betweene her Maiesties subiectes They haue incurred the statute of premunire they are ipso facto depriuable Though they bee in the Church yet are they none of the Church The true Church of God ought to haue no more to doe with them and the Synagogue namely their Antichristian Courts them with the Synagogue of Sathan Be packing Bishops you striue in vaine you are laid open already Friers and Monkes were not so bad Of all the Bishops that euer were in the See of the Archbishop of Canterburie there was neuer any did so much hurt to the Church of God as hee hath done No Bishop that euer had such an aspiring and ambitious minde as hee no not Cardinall Wolsey None so proud as he No not Stephen Gardiner of Winchester None so tirannicall as he no not Bonner He sits vpon his cogging stoole which may truelie be called the chaire of pestilence His mouth is full of cursing against God and his Saintes His feete are swift to shed bloud there is none of Gods children but had as leeue see a Serpent as meete him It grieueth them to see so wicked an ennemie of God and his Church Belsebub of Canterbury The Canterburie Caiphas Esau. a
and all in effect that was laid to their charges was discouered His Letters were intercepted wherein he writeth after this sort Reuerend and beloued this day Aprill the 7. I haue beene againe before the Commissioners After much adoo I obtained to see and peruse the Articles against mee but briefly and in their presence onely they are many 36. 37. besides those vnder mine owne hand and very large some twelue some twenty lines long consisting of many branches As far as I could for the time conceaue and remember they may be referred to these two heads some concerning may selfe together with others and some touching my selfe alone The former sort are touching Classes and Synodes wherein there are mentioned particular places London Oxford Cambridge times Act Commencement Sturbridge fayre Tearme persons Cartwright Perkins Trauers Charke Egerton Barbon Stone Snape Knewstub Allin Dike diuers others c. and some things dealt in and agreed vpon c. By all which besides many other thinges specified it is most euident that they haue manifest and certaine knowledge not onely of generals but also of specials and particulars Beloued I haue twise appeared before the high Commissioners the first time the issue was prison the second close prison This is my state now the causes of both and the proceedings in both you stall receaue of Maister Knightlye the former more large in a Dialogue the latter more briefly in a Letter both vnperfect both vnperused reade them and returne them with what speede you may for I haue now no coppy of them let them be wisely kept lest they breede more anger I haue procured another coppy to be sent to Master Stone that in both places you might be forewarned forearmed Touching the conferences those of our Countrey are yet more particularly discouered persons besides those there named Kinge of Coleworth Prowdloe of Weeden c. Spicer of Cogenho Edwardes of Cortenhall c. places Sharpes house at Fawseley Snapes chamber at Northampton c. Si quis coniecturae sit locus I would iudge Iohn Iohnson to haue beene the man because to my remembrance persons and thinges of his time beeing mentioned hee onely is not named Whosoeuer and howsoeuer wee see the Lord calleth vs to be more resolute They will not they cannot be any longer concealed now whether it were better and more safe that one man with the consent of the rest should boldly freely and wisely confesse and lay open c. or that some weake or wicked man shoulde without consent and in euill sort acknowledge c. Iudge you the thing they ayme-at is A conuenticle It must come to tryall In the cause of murther c. it is wont to be enquired whether the party fled vpon it consider and apply to this matter and the Lord giue vs wisedome in all things It were good you sent to T. C. with speede CHAP. IX Cartwright is called for by authority a Synode is held in London it is there resolued that he shall refuse to be examined vppon his othe AFterwarde the same yeare before mentioned 1590. in September as I take it Maister Cartwright vpon occasion was sent for by the sayd Commissioners Now about a weeke or a fortnight before Cartwright was committed sayth Maister Stone whereas the question mentioned by Snape to Barbon the brethren which as it seemeth troubled them all vz. whether it were not fit that one man with the consent of the rest should boldly freely and wisely confesse and lay open c. came to be disputed in London There was a Synode or meeting held at Maister Gardiners by these brethren Maister Cartwright Maister Charke Maister Trauerse Maister Egerton Maister Cardiner Maister Barbon Maister Barber maister Oxenbridge maister Gelibrand master Culuerwel my selfe and certaine other Ministers and they did then and there debate and consider amongst themselues whether it were fit or conuenient that the said maister Cartwright after his commitment to prison should discouer or reueale all or any the matters which passed in conference and disputation in any of their former assemblies or not What the resolution hereof was whether through the examiners ouersight or Maister Stones peruersenesse I know not but it is not set downe Howbeit the effects which followed do make it manifest For maister Cartwright about the time before limited being conuented and moued in the Consistory at Paules by the Bishop of London the then two Lordes chiefe Iustices maister Iustice Gawdy maister Sergeant Puckering now Lord Keeper of the great Scale of England maister Attorney Generall now Lorde Chiefe Iustice of England and diuers others her Maiesties Commissioners then present to take his oth to answere to certaine Interrogatories yet notwithstanding that the chiefe points of them were then deliuered in generall tearmes vnto him that the said both honourable and graue persons did euery man seuerally assure him vpon their credits that by the lawes of the Realme he was bound to take his oath therevpon to answere as he was required he desired to be borne withall and said that hee thought he was not bound by the lawes of God so to do CHAP. X. Further proofe for their practise of their Discipline collected out of the rules of their subscribed booke IF hitherto as yet the point I haue in hand be not sufficiently prooued vz. that our English reformers haue attempted after the Scottish Ministers fashion to bring into the Church of England their pretended Disciplinarian gouernement of themselues and by their owne authority without any further staying as they had done for the ciuill Magistrate albeit they pretende now the contrary then it is fit that I produce some further matter to this purpose Amongst sundry things in the said booke of Discipline let these few be well considered of weighed It is there sayd Presbyterium in singulis ecclesiis constituendum est there ought to be erected in euery Church a Presbyterie Now if they had meant as it is pretended not to haue put their book or at the least some chiefe parts thereof in practise vntill it should haue beene established by Act of Parliament they would haue sayde for constituendum est there ought to bee erected constituatur let there bee erected in euery parish a Presbyterie Againe in all their assemblies prescribed in the booke this was one point to be still inquired of vtrum disciplina vigeat whether the Discipline had any life in it or were esteemed or continued which question had beene friuolous and very vnmeete to haue beene continued as prescribed by Law if the Discipline it selfe had beene allowed by Act of Parliament before that question should haue beene moued Furthermore saith the booke in funeribus desuescendum est commodè ab habendis concionibus quod periculum sit ne superstitionem quorundam foueant aut vanitati inseruiant The Preachers must leaue-of by little and little as they may conueniently to preach at burials least thereby they
of euery man for his gaine and Paule a preacher of the worde of God sustayning the place and persons of the Consistoriall brethren Where by the way see againe the account they make of all that do maintaine the present state of the Church they are but ambitious worldlings Papistes liuers by vnlawfull trades and men pleasers But themselues are Apostles In this Dialogue Paule is set forth as a man desirous vppon the Innekeepers motion to heare some good newes from Scotland who meeting with the Bishop hee vseth him according to the Consistorian humor that is most proudly most spitefully and most slaunderously He condemneth both the calling of Bishops as Antichristian and censureth al their proceedings as wicked Popish vnlawfull and cruell He affirmeth that all the good that hath beene done for the present flourishing estate of the Gospell in England hath beene brought to passe by those men whom the Bishops despise and by that course which they were euer ennemies vnto He saith that very many of all degrees are fully perswaded in the matters of reformation and that he is perswaded this will come of it vz. that he shall see the gouernement of the Church by the rules of their discipline set vp before it be long The Bishop is supposed to haue beene sent out of England into Scotland for the suppressing of the Presbiteries there and so is made vpon his returne homewarde to be the reporter of the Scottish affaires and withall to signifie his great feare least he and the rest of the Bishops in England should bee serued shortly as the Bishops had lately beene in Scotland namely at Edenburgh and Sainct Andrewes c. Ah saith the pretended Bishop my hoste The Puritanes in Scotland haue got-vp their discipline and vtterly ouerthrown all the soueraignty of Bishops by which they preuailed so mightily that we feared our fal in England shortlie to ensue Whereupon I was sent together with this my frend Tertullus who came out of Fraunce into England to goe and seeke the subuersion of their great assemblies and the rest of their iurisdiction wherein I preuailed a while but now it is worse then euer it was And it came so to passe because the whole land cried for Discipline againe and the Noble men so stifly did stand to it and lastly the Ministers that came home from England dealt so boldly with the king that I was vtterly cast out without all hope euer to doe any good there againe and now I make homeward in hast least I loose all there also Here you haue the brethrens approbation of the aforsaide attempt in Scotland whereby it is apparaunt that if they shal be able to bring the people to such a kind of clamor and the nobility to such a manner of stifnes they can be wel content for their partes to haue her maiestie vsed as the Scottish king was for it is according to their Geneua Diuinity Tertullus the Papist he is made the Bishops only Councellour in the whole course of the gouernment of our Church by whose aduise the author of the Dialogue saith that the Bishops do beare with the Popish recusants and that so many waies are sought to suppresse the Puritanes This Tertullus together with the Host and the Vsurer do relate to the Bishop those occurrents in Englande which had fallen out and hapned in his absence And vppon the occasion of this question asked by the Bishop vz. haue not the Bishops yet suppressed the Puritans neither with countenance nor by authority Tertullus maketh this aunswere Suppressed no my Lord a friend of mine writte vnto me that one of their preachers saide in the Pulpit he was perswaded that there were a 100000. of them in England and that the number of them increased dayly in euery place of all estates degrees Is it not time for the Magistrates to looke about them They do take it in scorne to bee thought so weake as that they could bee suppressed Bee it they flatter themselues therein yet their desire is apparant that if they be suffered and shall euer be able they will bring it to that passe And if this be not a necessary consequent of the premisses my iudgement faileth me But to proceede CHAP. II. Of their doctrine for making a reformation themselues and how the people must be thrust into that action ABout foure yeares since it should seeme that some of the brethren were of opinion that they had dealt long inough in the practise of their Discipline after such a secret manner and that then they were bound in dutie to proceede to the publike exercise of it notwithstanding any daunger that might therby ensue For thus one of them writeth Our zeale to Gods glorie our loue to his Church the due planting of the same in this horheaded age should be so warme and stirring in vs as not to care what aduenture we giue and what censures we abide c. The Iesuites Seminaries their diabolicall boldnes will couer our faces with shame c. And after also in the same letter We cānot be discharged of great disloyalty to our cōming Christ except we proceed with practise and so to further the Lords cause by suffering forasmuch as that dutifull suffering for so honorable a matter is as sure a signe of subiection as obeying the time so vrging that bounden duetie It is verily more then time to Register the names of the fittest and hottest brethren round about our seuerall dwellings whereby to put Maister Snecanus godly counsell in execution vz. Si quis obijciat c. If any man obiect that the setting vp and the lawfull practise of the discipline in the Church is hindred by the ciuill magistrate let the magistrate bee freely and modestlie admonished of his duety If he esteeme to be accounted either a godly or a Christian magistrate without doubt hee will admitte wholesome counsailes But if he do not yet let him bee more exactlie instructed that he may serue God in feare and bend his authority to the defence of the church and of Gods glory Marry if by this way there happen no good successe then let the ministers of the Church execute their office according to the appointment of Christ. For they must rather obay God then men In this last point we haue dolefully failed which now or neuer standeth vs in hand to prosecute with all celerity without lingring and staying so long for Parliaments This aduise of Paines was thought by the brethren as I gesse to be somewhat too rash For of likelihoode they could not finde at that time so sufficient a number of such hotte brethren as might serue their turne Whereupon as I suppose out commeth the decrees of the Warwick-shire Classes that for the increasing of the said number euery minister as occasion serued should teach the Discipline vnto the people as wel as the other partes of the Gospel And for the moderating of Paines too hastie aduise it was thus
from themselues and layde vppon the Lordes shoulders as though he should haue moued them to such lewd attemptes The other was a kinde of Ballade directed for aduice to a yong courtier wherein they make waye as it seemeth for their frend Hacket and that with wonderfull quotation of Scriptures I will trouble you onely with fowre of the verses A Christian true although he be a clowne May teach a King to weare Scepter and Crowne And after For God will sure confound such as deuise His ordinance or church to tirannise To these rimes both for manner and matter I may well resemble those made I doubt not by the same spirit Either from countrey or Court Martin Mar-Prelate will do you hurt Now that Copinger was a dealer in these thinges with Wigginton before they were printed it appeareth by these wordes of Hackets in his last declaration to maister Young Wiggintons boy can declare all his Maisters writinges for the boy and Maister Copinger sate writing halfe a night by this examinates bedde side but what they writte he cannot tell but one word he heard that the Countrey Clowne can teach the king to weare the Crowne Afterwardes as I take it vz. the 9. of Iuly being fryday M. Charke preached at the blacke Fryers at which Sermō Copinger was present who misliking as it seemeth some wordes then vttered did write a letter presently to M. Charke wherein amongst other pointes he sayth Right reuerend Sir c. I do not denie good Sir but I haue now a long time taken a strange and extraordinary course but such as hath offered occasion of suspition of my not onely doing hurt to my selfe but also to the best sort of men now in question and to the cause it selfe But by what warrant I haue done this that is all For if the holy Ghost hath beene my warrant and carieth mee into such actions as are differing from other mens c. What flesh and blood dare speake against it c. Forbeare to censure me and such other as should deale extraordinarily with mee in the Lordes busines committed to our charge and iudge of vs by the effectes which follow which if you heareafter see to bee wonderderfull great then let all ordinary men call themselues to an examination c. And after The waste of the Church cannot be denied to be greate so that there is a place for extraordinary men c. Againe my desire heretofore hath beene to haue hadde counsaile and direction but now by comfortable experience I finde that the action which the Lorde hath drawn me into is his owne and he will direct it himselfe by the holy Ghost c To conclude I beseech you saith he to shew this letter to M. Trauers and M Egerton M. Charke vpon the receipt of this letter preaching againe the Sonday after in the same place vttered in his sermon these wordes which Copinger saith were ment of him in respect of his foresaide letter there are some persons so desperate that they would willingly thrust themselues vpon the rockes of the land This also appeareth by an other letter cōcerning this second sermon written about the 13. or 14 of Iulie to an other preacher in London but hee is not named it had beene to good purpose if hee had beene named For it seemeth hee was as throughly acquainted with Coppinger and his fellowes designements as it may be well supposed that Wigginton was In my letter vnto Charke I manifested my selfe to haue an extraordinarie calling and signifyed that the Lord had so called others besides my selfe who would approue our selues to bee the seruantes of the Lorde in a high calling Againe the ship that is the Church had perished if the Lord had not immediately called three of vs to helpe to recouer it c. My calling is especially to deale with Magistrates another hath to doe with Ministers who hath written a letter to you of the Citie c. The thirde is the chiefe who can neither write nor reade so that hee is the executioner of the Lords most holy wil. He further offereth to acquaint this Minister with their whole course and willeth him to shew this letter to his brethren and to publish it where euer hee should goe Hacket confessed that being about this time as I take it with Wigginton the saide Wigginton affirmed in the presence of two gentlemen and others that if the Magistrates did not gouerne well the people might draw themselues together and to see a reformation Vpon the 15. day of Iuly Copinger and Arthington did write a iointe letter of purpose to haue drawne Lancaster vnto them for the making vp of a quaternion And this was one perswasion If I Ed. Coppinger do not prefer you before any one man in the land whosoeuer for your wise holy louing and religious course both in the generall calling of a Christian and in your particular calling the Lord confound me After Lancaster had receiued this letter notwithstanding he writ vnto him of some mislike he had of their proceedings yet as Hacket saith he came vnto them all three the same night to one Walkers house at Broken wharfe where they conferred together about an hower after supper Of what great account this Lancaster and some others were with these companions it doth further appeare by that which followeth The same day in the morning that Copinger and Arthington made their seditious Proclamation in Cheapside they two together first and afterwarde Hacket came vnto Wigginton amongst many things as Wiginton himselfe cōfesseth they told him that M. Cartwright had done more against Antichrist then any in the worlde before him since the Apostles times and that Wigginton was comparable vnto him and that M. Lancaster was aboue them both in the estate of heauenlie glorie because he had kept himselfe vndefiled from the common corruptions of these times and had a most simple hart to God Likewise also they saide to Wigginton at the same time that Reformation and the Lordes discipline should now forthwith bee established and therefore charged Wigginton in the Lordes name to put all Christians in comfort that they should see a ioyfull alteration in the state of Church gouernment shortly Arthington after being examined said that Penry had sent him word by a letter out of Scotland that reformation must shortlie be erected in England and that he tooke him in so writing to bee a true Prophet It is not also vnlikely but that Penry was a Prouoker of these men to such their outrages hoping that vpon their outcries proclamations the people would haue risen For he was then in London to haue played his part if their attempts had found the good successe they looked for Marry when he saw Hacket executed he presentlie the same day posted backe againe towards Scotland CHAP. XI Of the trayterous intendments which were towardes the Court. BEfore this their intended insurrection it is to be further