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A13028 An assertion for true and Christian church-policie VVherein certaine politike obiections made against the planting of pastours and elders in every congregation, are sufficientlie aunswered. And wherein also sundrie projectes are set downe, how the discipline by pastors & elders may be planted, without any derogation to the Kings royal prerogatiue, any indignitie to the three estates in Parleament, or any greater alteration of the laudable lawes, statutes, or customes of the realme, then may well be made without damage to the people. Stoughton, William, fl. 1584.; Knollys, Francis, Sir, d. 1643. 1604 (1604) STC 23318; ESTC S117843 177,506 448

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them as by any of the reverende Bishops or venerable Archdeacons their Chancelors or Officials If there be ame exception alleaged by the defendant as of composition prescription or privilege the Kinges Iustices are as able to iudge of the validitie of these as they are now able to determine customes de modo decimandi or of the vse of high wayes of making and repayring of bridges of commons of pasture pawnage estovers or such like Trueth it is that of legacies and bequestes of Legacies how they may be recouered at the cōmon lawe goods the reverend Bishops by sufferance of our Kinges and consent of our people haue accustomablie vsed to take cognyzance and to hold plea in their spirituall Courts Notwithstanding if the legacie be of landes where landes be divisible by Testament the iudgement thereof hath ben alwayes vsed and holden by the Kings writ and never in any ecclesiasticall Court Wherfore if it shall please the King to enlardge the authoritie of his Courtes temporall by commandinge matters of legacies and bequestes of goods aswell as of landes to be heard and determined in the same it were not much to be feared but that the Kings Iustices the Kings learned Counsell and others learned in the law of the Realme without any alteration of the same law would spedelie find meanes to applie the grounds thereof aswell to all cases of legacies and bequests of goods as of landes For if there bee no goods divisible by will but the same are graūtable and confirmable by deede of gift could not the Kings Iustices aswel iudge of the gift of the thing given by will as of the graunt of the thing graunted by deede of gift or can they not determine of a legacie of goods aswell as of a bequest of landes If it should come in debate before them whether the Testator at the time of making his will were of good perfect memorie vpon profes and other circumstances to bee opened and made of the Testators memorie by livelie testimonies either the Admonitor must condemne the Kinges learned and discreete Iustices to be 〈◊〉 mentis insanae memoriae or els it must be confessed that they be as well able to iudge of the distraction of wits and vnsoundnes of memorie in a person deceased as they be to determine the question of Lunacie madnesse or idiocie in a man living If anie question should arise vpon the revocation of a former will of the ademptiō of a legacie or of a legacie giuen vpon cōdition or in diem it would be 〈◊〉 matter for the learned Iudges vpon sight of the Will and proofes to be made to define which is the first and which is the last will whether the legacie remayne or whether it be revoked whether it be legatum per rerum or 〈◊〉 whether condicionall or without condition And if it bee condicional whether the same be possible or impossible honest or dishonest and if it be 〈◊〉 whether the day bee past or to come But there lyeth no action at the commō lawe for a legatorie against the executor to recover his legacie I graunt But a creditor to recover his d●●t due by the testator vpon specialtie may bringe an action at the common law against the executor And then what is the cause that a creditor may recover his debt that a legatorie can not recover his legacie in the Kinges Court but onlie for that remedie could not be giuen vnto legatories complaynantes by any writt out of the Chancerie And therefore that such plaintifes might not be deferred of their right 21. Ed. 1. statute vpon the writt of consultation remedie in such cases to their great damage it hath pleased the Kinges by sufferance to tolerate the Church officers to determine these cases Wherefore if it might please the King to cause Writtes to bee made out of his Court of Chancerie for the recoverie of Legacies it were cleere by the common law of the Realme as from the statute may be gathered that the cognizance of these cases did not appertayne anie more to the spirituall Court. For then might the legatorie by that Writt bring an actiō against the executor to obteine his Legacie But how should that action be tryed How even as other actions of debt detinue or trover be tried namelie as the case should require either by the countrey or by the Iudges vpon a moratur in lege As Testamentes with their adherences so likewise matters of Spousalles Matters of mariages more meete to bee decided by the Kings then by the Bb. officers Mariages divorces c. togither their accessories by common right of the Imperiall Crowne did in auncient times properlie apperteyne to the examinations and sentences of the Emperours them selues to their Provostes Deputies and Presidentes of Cities and Provinces as by the several titles de Testamentis Legatis Fidei commissis Nuptijs repudijs divortio dote c. in the books of the civil law appeareth By the Law of England also the King hath the mariadge of an heyre being within age in his warde Widowes also that hold of the King in chiefe must not marie them selues without the Kings licence And by an Act made 4. and 5. Phil. and Mary there is a streight punishment provided against all such as shall take away Maydens that be inheritors being within the age of sixteene yeres or marie them without consent of their Parentes And what reason letteth them that the King might not as well haue the care and cognoyzance of all the cōtractes of mariage especially of the mariage of all children and Widowes in his temporall Courtes as he hath of some parties to bee contracted of the Dower of the ioynture of the dis aragment of the age of the 〈…〉 way of the deflouring and of manage without parentes consent in some cases or what a verie great alteration of the common Law could ensue in case the Kings temporall Iustices did examine and determine whether the contract were a pefect and simple or condicionall contract yea or no For if vpon the statute made by Phi. and Mary that Maydens and Women children of Noble men Gentlemē c. being heyres apparant c. and being left within age of xvj yeares should not marie against the will or vnknowing of or to the Father or against c. If I say vpon the publishing of this Act there hath no alteration of the common law hitherto followed it is but a meere superstitious errour to feigne that a change of the cōmon law must followe if so be this statute were extended to all children both Sonnes and Daughters of what parentage sexe estate or age so euer For if the King in his temporall Courts had the definitiō of all aswell as of some contractes made by children without consent of parents then should a multitude of lewde and vngodlie contractes made by flatterie trifling gifts faire and goodly promises of many vnthriftie and light personages
of Tythes Testaments and Matrimonie matters also of adulterie slander c. are in these mens iudgments mere tēporal c. therefore to bee dealt in by the temporall Magistrate onely which as yet haue eyther none at all or very fewe lawes touching those things therefore the common lawe of the Realme must by that occasion receaue also a verie great alteration For it wil bee no small matter to applie these things to the temporal law to appoint Courts Officers and manner of processe and proceedings in iudgement for the same Assertion In deed we hold that all these matters whereof mention is here made and all Matters of tythes and other causes of like nature perteine to civill Iustice others of the like nature are merely civill and temporall and by the temporall Magistrate alone to bee dealt in and to be discussed if we consider the administration of externall and civill iustice And this wee thinke wil be graunted of all and not be denied of any vnlesse they be too to popishly addicted In regard whereof wee haue drawen as before is mentioned a proiect howe Courts and maner of processe and proceedinges in iudgement by Doctors of the civill law may be appointed by the King and his high Court of Parleamēt without that that the common law of the Realme by the occasion of any such courts officer or maner of processe and proceedings must receave any alteration at al muchlesse a very great alteration Howbeit if it should not please the King and that the Civilians could not finde favour in his sight by courts offices and maner of processe and proceedings in iudgement before specified or by the like to have the studie of the civill law advanced yet we thinke it convenient once againe to ●owe matters of Tythes c. may be dealt in by the Kings Iudges be examined howe these matters may be dealt in according to the rules groūd● of the common lawe before the Kings Iudges and Iustices of the Kings bench and common pleas By a statute of 32. H. 8. c. 7. it is cleare that all tythes oblations c. and other ecclesiasticall or spirituall profits by the lawe or statutes of the Realme may bee made temporal as being admitted to be abide go to and in temporall hands laye vses and profits From the reason 〈◊〉 which statute it is cleere that those law●● likewise may be reckoned amongst 〈◊〉 for temporall lawes which by the law●● and statutes of the Realme may be executed by temporall and lay persons and which are conversant about temporall and lay causes If then the execution of the lawes touching these matters may lawfully remaine abide in the hands of Doctors of the civill law being temporall and lay persons as alreadie vnder the Bishops they doe it can not be denied but that the Kings Iudges and Ius●icers of both Benches may be as competible Iudges to put in execution the lawes concerning these matters as Doctors of the civill law or other lay-men be But the causes are not reputed and called temporall lay causes amongst vs. What for that if in their owne nature simply considered these causes bee meerely laye and temporall causes such causes I meane as whereof the King a ●ay civill and temporall Magistrate by his lay civill and temporal Magistracie ●erived vnto him immediatly from the holy law of God may and ought to take ●ognizāce thervpō either in his own Royall person or by the person of any of his inferior Officers may giue abso●te peremptorie iudgement If I say ●hese things be so what booteth it or that wisedom is it contend that these causes and matters have bin and are stil adiudged to be therefore ecclesiasticall no temporal causes because through an abusive speech or through a vaine and evill custome they haue bin so called and accompted in times past And what if it hath pleased the Kinges Progenitors by sufferance to tollerate the execution of such lawes as concerne these things to be in the hands power of Ecclesiasticall persons yet here vpon it followeth not that in very deede and trueth the Magistracie of the said ecclesiasticall persons was an ecclesiasticall Magistracie or that they were ecclesiasticall Magistrats but their Magistracie was and remayned still a temporall magistracie they were and aboade temporall Magistrates For not more can the qualitie of the person alter the nature of the cause then can the qualitie of the cause alter the nature of the person And if it be true that matters determinable in tymes past by a Magistracie abusivelie called ecclesiastical be notwithstandinge properlie tempora●● matters and that the same Magistracie also be a temporall no spirituall Magistracie what a childish poore cōceit is it to challenge threp vpō the tēporall Magistrat that he hath none or verie few temporall lawes touching those matters And that therefore the people should not sollicit an alteratiō of abuses in Church-goverment least for want of temporall lawes the people should bee without ecclesiasticall discipline It will be no small matter saith hee to applie these things to the temporall lawe yea and so say I to But what of that The question is not how hardly these things may be applied to the temporall lawe but how small a matter it were to applie the temporall law vnto these thinges For it is not said in any law that casus ex iuribus but it is said in all lawes that The temporal law may easily be applied to causes nowe reputed ecclesiasticall ex casibus ●ura nascuntur And in deede the Phisition applieth not the disease to his phisicke but he prepareth his phisicke for the disease The husband-man he measureth not his groūd by the seed but his seed by the ground The Draper he meateth not his yarde by the cloth but his cloth by the yarde If in like maner the temporall lawes and the grounds and rules thereof were applied to these matters of tythes marriages c. whereof he speaketh what more alteration could there be of the temporall law by such an application then there is an alteration of the plūmet by laying it to the stone or then there is an alteration of the rule or yard by laying them to the timber cloth Besides he that rightly and after an exact equall proportion can apply one rule or maxime of the tēporall lawe to many more cases then wherevn to it hath bin vsually in former times applied he may rather be reputed an additioner then an alterer of the law But how may the temporall lawe be applied to those matters How even so and so as followeth By the statute 32. Howe Tythes may bee recouered in the Kings tēporall Courts H. 8. c. 7. it is declared that tythes oblations c. and other ecclesiastical or spirituall profitts c. bein̄g in laye mens handes to laye vses be no more ecclesiasticall but temporall goods and profittes and that if any person were disseysed
deforced wronged or otherwise kept or put from his lawfull inheritāce estate seysin c. of in or to the same by anie person clayming or pretending to haue interest or title in or to the same that then in all and euerie such case the person so disseysed deforced or wrongfullie kept from his right or possession shall and may haue his remedie in the Kings temporal Courtes as the case shal require for the recouvery of such inheritance by writt originall c. to be devised and graunted out of the Kinges Court of Chancerie in like maner c. It is there likewise provided that that Act shal not extend nor be expounded to giue anie remedie cause of action or suite in the Courtes temporall against any person which shall refuse to set out his Tythes or which shall deteigne c. his Tythes and offerings But that in all such cases the partie c. having cause to demand or haue the same tythes shal haue his action for the same in the Ecclesiasticall Courtes accordinge to the ordenance in the first part of that act mentioned and none otherwise Now then sit hence euery person whether he be laie or Ecclesiasticall having ●●ght to demand tythes and offeringes hath the partie from whom those tythes 〈◊〉 due bound obliged vnto him and thence also the partie not dividinge yeelding or paying his tythes doth actuallie and reallie deteigne the same and thereby doth vniustlie wrong the partie to whom they be due contrarie to iustice the Kings lawes sithence I say these things be so what alteratiō or disadvantage could befall or ensue to the common law or the Professors thereof if so bee it might please the King with his Parleament to haue the last part of this Act so to be explaned extended and enlarged as that the same might giue remedie in the Kings temporall Courts by writt original to be devised granted out of the Chācerie against any person deteigning his tythes and offerings● the Hospitall of St Leonards in Yorke of the Kings foundatiō and Patronage Hospitall of S. Leonard 1. 2. H. 6. c 2 endowed of a thrave of corne to be taken yerely of euery ploūgh earing with in the Counties of Yorke Comberlande Westmerland and Lancaster hauing no sufficient or covenable remedie at the common law against such as withheld the same thraves it was ordeigned by the King in Parleament that the Maister of the said Hospitall and his successors might haue actions by writt or plaintes of debt or detinue at their pleasure against all and every of them that deteyned the same thraves for to recover the same thraves with their damages And by a statute 32. H. 8. c. 44. it is enacted That the Parsons and Curates of five parish churches whereinto the Towne of Roysen did extend it selfe and everie of them the successors of every of them shall haue their remedie by authoritie of that Act to sue demaund aske recover in the Kings Court of Chancerie the Tythes of corne hay wooll lambe and calfe subtracted or denyed to bee paide by any person or persons Againe Vicars Parsons or Improprietaries do implead any man in the ecclesiasticall Court for tythes of wood beeing of the age of 20. yeeres or aboue for tyth-hay out of a medow for the which tyme out of mind memorie of man there hath onely some Meade-silver bin paied or if a debate hang in a spirituall Court for the right of tythes having his originall from the right of Patronage the ●uātite of the same tythes do passe the ●urth part of the value of the benefice prohibition in all these and sundrie other cases doth lie and the matters are to be tried and examined in the Kinges Courts according to the course of the common lawe vnlesse vpon iust cause there be graunted a consultation And if in these cases in maintenance of the common law the defendants haue relief in the Kinges Courts I thinke it more meete to leave it to the consideration rather of cōmon then to the iudgemēt of canon Lawiers to determine what alteration the common law could sustayne in case all Plaintiffes aswell as some defendants might pray the Kings ayd for the recovery of tythes especially seeing at this day the maner of paying tythes in England for the most part is now limited by the cōmon and statute lawes of the Realm and not by any forraigne canon law Obiect But there is some fact happely so difficile so secreat and so mystical in these causes of tythes as the same cannot without a very great alteration of the common law be so much as opened before a lay Iudge or of the hidden knowledge wherof the Kings temporall Iudges are not capable Answere Why then let vs see of what nature that inextricable fact may bee I haue perused many libels made and exhibited before the ecclesiasticall What facts touching the witholding of tythes are examinable in the ecclesiasticall Courts Iudges yea and I haue read them over and over and yet for grounde of complaint did I never perceave any other materiall and principall kinde of facte ' examinable in those Courts but onely such as follow First that the partie agent is eyther Rector Vicar Proprieiarie or Possessor of such a Parish-Church and of the Rectorie Vicarage farm possession or dominion of the same and by vertue thereof hath right vnto all Tythes oblations c. apparteyning to the same Church and growing with on the same Parish bounds limitts or places tythable of the same Secondly that his predecessors Rectors Vicars c. tyme out of minde and memorie of man haue quietly and peaceably receaued and had all and singular Tythes oblations c increasing growing and renuing within the Parish c. and that they and he haue bin and are in peaceable possession of hauing and receaving Tythes oblations c. Thirdly that the partie defendant hath had and received in such a yere c. of so many sheepe feeding and couching within the said Parish c. so many fleeces of woll and of so many ewes so many lambes c. Fourthly that the defendant hath not set out yealded or paid the Tyth of the wooll and lambe and that every Tyth fleece of the said wooll by common estimation is worth so much and that every Tyth lamb by cōmon estimation is likewise worth so much c. Fiftly that the defendant is subiect to the iurisdiction of that Court wherevnto hee is sommoned Lastly that the defendant doth hetherto deny or delay to pay his Tythes notwithstanding hee hath bin requested there vnto These and such like are the chief matters The Kinges Iustices are as able to iudge of exceptions against tithes as the ecclesiastical Iudges of fact wherevpon in the ecclesiasticall Courts proofes by witnesses or recordes rest to be made for the recoverie of tythes And who knoweth not but that these facts vpon proofes made before the Kinges Iustices may aswell bee decided by
became followers of the evill maners of their teachers and no merveile if they verified the proverbe Like Maister like Man like Priest like People Eustatius Bishop of Antioch being a Sabellian hereticke Socr. lib. cap ●8 was deposed by the Counsell of Antioch after whose deposition a fiery flame of seditiō was kindled in Antioch because one sort of the common people sought to translate Eusebius Pamphilus from Caesarea to Antioch some other would bring againe Eustatius Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia and Theognis Bishop of Nice beeing both Arians with their cōfederates raised skirmishes Socr. lib. 2. cap. 2. and tumults against Athanasius After the death of Alexander Bishop op Constantinople about the electiō of a Bishop there was greater sturre then ever before time and the Church was more greevously turmoyled The people were devided into two parts the one egerlie set with the heresie of Arius claue to Macedonius the other cleaved very cōstantlie Socr. lib. 2 cap. 4. to the decrees of the Nicene Counsell and choose Paulus to bee their Bishop The cause of division among the Citizens of Emisa about the election of Eusebius Emisenus was for that he was Socr. lib. 2. cap. 6 charged with the studie of the Mathematickes and accused of the heresie of Sabellius After the death of Eusebius when the people of Constantinople had brought againe Paulus to be their Bishop the Arians chose Macedonius The authours and chiefe doers in that sturre were certaine Arian Bishops who before ayded Eusebius that turned vp Socr. lib. cap. 9. side down the whole state of the church These and sundry such like sturres discords factions dissentions are found to haue bin raised pursued by schismaticall and heretical Bishops their favourites followers in the olde Churches but that these or the like mischieves and inconveniences can be proved to haue fallen out by the election of parochiall Pastours in the olde churches we deny And why then should not the interest and freedome of faithfull Christian people wrested from them by cursings and fightings of faithlesse and antichristian Popes be restored to them againe And the cause ceasing why should not the effect likewise cease And therefore we humbly intreate the Lords Bishops that against the grounds of reason and nature against Christian equitie A request to the reuerend Bishoppes and society against the right freedome of the lawe of God against the principles of humaine fellowshippes against that which was in the beginning and against that which the Apostles left in the Churches by colour of lawes brought into the Church by the cursings and fightings of the late Romane Bishops they would not hencefoorth barre seclude the Kings Christian and faithfull people from giving their consents vnto their Pastours Yea and we further beseech their Lordships that as schollers vnto the Apostles and as servants vnto the olde way of reason of nature of the law of God of the equitie of Christ and of humane societie they would hereafter imbrace that way which was from the beginning which is the old way and the best way and not any lōger persist in a cursed and quareling way which is the new way and the worst way But if the Lordes spirituall A supplication to bee King by the Lords and commōs for the restitution of their right in the choyse of their Pastors of their owne accord shall not readily voutchsafe to yeelde vnto vs this our right at our intreaty then for my part I will briefly shew mine opinion what were expedient for the Lords and commons in open Parleament dutifully to pray and to supplicate at the Kings Maiestes hande Namely At the humble petitions and supplications of all his Lords temporall and Commons in Parleament assembled his Maiestie would be well pleased to giue his Royall assent to an Act to be intituled An Act for the restitution of the auncient right and freedome which the people of God in the old Churches had and which the people in England ought to haue in to or about the election of their Pastours and abolishing all papall power repugnant to the same For if as it is plainlie confessed the people of all Churches haue right and freedome by the law of God by the equitie of Christ by the grounds of reason and nature by the principles of humane fellowshipps and by that which was from the beginning to elect their Pastours and if also the same right and freedome being left to the old churches and especially to the Church at Ierusalem by the Apostles haue bene taken away by the cursings and fightings of the late Bishoppes of Rome then can not the people without violatiō of those lawes rules groūds by any Episcopall power bee anie more excluded from their said right and freedome then could or might the ancient iurisdiction of the Crowne of England haue bene still vsurped by the Pope frō the Kings of Englande Admonition But alas the common people of Englande thorough affection and want of right iudgement are more easily wrought by ambitious persons to giue their consent to vnworthie men as may appeare in all those offices of gayne or dignity that at this daye remayne in the choyse of the multitude Assertion The Admonitor in one place of his admonition telleth vs that he must not put all that he thinketh in writing and yet he writeth in this place that thinge which might farre better haue bene vtterly vnthought then once written For could he thinke to winne the common people of England to a continuall good liking of high and stately Prelacie by vpbrayding and charging them to their faces in a booke dedicated vnto them with affection and wantinge of right iugement Was this the way to procure grace favour and benevolence at their handes And albeit this slaunder deserued rather to haue bene censured by the Commons in Parleament then by confutation to haue bene answered yet for the better clearing of the right iudgement of the common people givinge their consents to most worthie men in all offices of gayne or dignitie remayning in their handes I thinke it necessarie to shew the indignitie of this contumelie There be I confesse in London Yorke Lincolne Bristow Exceter Norwich Coventry and other principall Cities and Townes corporate Mayors Sheriffes Stewardes Recorders Baylifes Chāberlaynes Bridge-maisters Clerks Swordbearers Knightes Burgeses and such like offices some of dignitie and some of gayne but that the officers of these or any other places whether of dignitie or gaine be chosen by the multitude of those places is vtterlie vntrue for onely accordinge to their auncient customes priviledges and Charters by the chiefe Citizens Townsmen and Borough-maisters are those officers chosen The number also of which Electors in all places is not alike In London the Aldermen choose the Lord Mayor In other Cities and Townes sometimes eight and fortie sometimes fourteene sometimes twelfe sometimes only such as haue born office as Mayors Sherifes or Baylifes in the same places
commaund a Minister to be presented ordeyned elected to be a Pastour in a parochiall Church as hee hath to cōmaund a Bishop to be elected confirmed and cōsecrated to an Episcopall sea And are we not then merveylouslie giddi-headded new-fangled and strange innovators Againe when wee desire that the King at the humble suite of the Ministers the Patron and the people would be pleased to confirme and admitt the Patrones Clerke in to the temporalities of a benefice what other thing is required but that the possession of no church should be delivered vnto any Minister without the Kings publike writt And would not this breed a perilous sturr garboyle discord and contention when the Archdeacons pretie signet as Dagon falling downe before the Arck should giue place bow down and do reverence vnto the Kings of England seale at armes Oh! but in this platforme there be other dangerous innovations and alterations not to be attēpted Yea And what then be they The Admonitor him self The Prophets ought to bee tried by the Prophetes in his admonition holdeth Yea Mai. Bilson and all other supporters of the Hyerarchie defended That the Cleargie ought to i●dge of the Clergie and that the Prophetes ought to be tried examined and ordeyned onely by the Prophetes and that the spirites of the Prophetes are subiect to the spirites of the Prophetes Wherein then consisteth the disagreement and variance betweene vs and them touching the ordination of a Prophet by Prophetes or of a Minister by Ministers Certes to mine vnderstanding there is none other matter of dissonancie in this case but even alonely this viz. That he by these wordes the spirites Corinth of the prophetes are subiect to the prophetes intendeth that the Spirits of many prophetes touchinge their triall examinatiō and ordination are subiect to the spirit of one prophet and that Whether the spirites of manie Prophets be subiect to one or of one to many therefore one prophete by his owne spirite may trie examine and ordeyne manie Prophetes Whereas on the other side we affirme that one prophet according to this rule of our holy faith is to speake and the other prophetes are to iudge and that no one prophete may trie examine or ordeyne many prophetes Because from this place wee gather that the spirites of many prophetes in the ordinarie course of the ministerie of the Worde were neuer subiected in this case to the spirite of one Prophete But in this platforme there is no mention made of the King if he bee patrone neither is there any institution spoken of and then howe can any action of quare impedit bee brought to try the right if two patrones pretend title to the Patronage besides the Patrone by this platforme must fetch his Clerckes only from the Vniversities Schooles of learning and Nurseries of the Ministerie whereas now he hath libertie to present any Clerke wheresoever or howsoever ordayned Againe strife and contention may arise in the presbytery betwene the Bishops and the Ministers them selues appointed to be examiners and ordeyners which of the two Clerkes nominated by the Patrone is most worthy to be preferred If both the Patrones Clerkes for non abilitie or criminousnes be refused who shall then nominate and to whom shall the election devolue And lastlie what if the Bishop and presbytery shall disalow one for vnabilitie which in deed is notwithstanding of abilitie to teach to all these difficulties thus wee aunswere If the Kinges Maiestie be Patrone to any benefice with cure of soules because Touching the Kinges patronage we iudge and confesse him to be a King endowed with a rare and singuler spirit of zeale for the glorie of our God with an excellent spirit of loue for the saluation of the soules of his subiects and to be the Nehemiah of our age sent vnto vs from aboue for the building of the walls and reedifying of the ports of the house of God which were brokē downe and devoured We for our partes doubt nothing at all nay rather we most certeynly perswade our selues his Highnes having once bene pleased to prescribe all wholesome commendable lawes vnto his people will also vouchsafe much more to prescribe lawes yea and to be a law vnto him selfe And that his Maiestie wil set this busines of the Lords house so neare vnto his Kingly Christian heart by the planting of able Ministers in all the Churches of his Highnes Patronage as that all other Patrons by his godly example wil be excited readily to walke in the Kings path to weare the Kinges coloures and to become the Kinges chiefe favourytes in this so holie a worke And therefore touching the Kings Patronages cum Maiestas imperatoria H. de ley fidei 3. l. ex imperfecto legibus esse soluta videatur wee commend them wholy to the Kinges most Christian care providence and fidelitie The Bishops institution and writt of quare impedit wee graunt must cease The Bishops institution may cease but in place of institution the election ordination by the Presbytery succeedeth and the Clerke nominated by the Patrone elected and ordayned by the Presbyterie shall haue idemius ad Ecclesiam in Ecclesia which in forme● times the Clercke presented by the Patrone and instituted by the Bishop was wont to haue If any suite in law happē for the right of Patronage betwene two or moe Patrōs If suite fall out betwene two patrons what then may bee done pretending title to the gift of one benefice It seemeth that this suit might haue far easier and more speedie way of triall by some other writt then by the writ of quare impedit for vpon this writ many times by negligence or vnskilfulnes of the Aturneyes it falleth out that one of the parties is driven some times to sitt downe by great losse and not to haue his title tried at all onely for want of some ceremoniall forme not observed in the pleadings of the cause And therefore both Patrones within the time to be limited by the Kings writ having nominated their Clerkes to the Presbytery as heretofore they presented to the Bishop we leaue it to be considered whether it were not meet and convenient that the Presbitery should wholy defer the election ordinatiō of eyther their Clerks vntill the right of patronage were finallie adiudged before the Kings Iustices at the common law vpō which iudgment passed they might then without scruple or impediment proceede to the full election ordination of that Patrones Clerke for whom the iudgment was given By which maner of triall if the action might bee brought in the nam● of Patrone against Patrone the Clerkes should not onely be freed from much obloqui wherevnto they are now subiect by prosecution of suites at law one Clercke against another but also they should bee exempted from all expence labour and turmoile with which heretofore they haue incumbered thē selues to the hinderance of their studies and decay of
honorable Coūcell keeper of the Kings privie Seale or two of them calling vnto them one Bishop one temporal Lord of the Kings most honorable Councell the two chiefe Iustices of the Kinges bench and common Pleas for the time being or other two of the Kings Iustices in their absence haue full power and authoritie to punish after their demerits all misdoers being founde colpable before them If wee search our statutes besids the Courts and matters determinable in these spoken of before we shall find that the complaints of errour whether it touch the King or any other person 31. E 3. c. 21 made in the Exchecquer should be done to come before the Chancelor Treasurer who taking to them two Iustices other sage persons are duely to examine the busines and if any errour be found to correct amend the Roles c. By reason of delayes of iudgments vsed in the Chauncerie in the 14. E. 3. c 5 Kinges bench common bench and in the Exchecquer it was assented established and accorded that a Prelate two Earles and two Barons chosen by the Parleamēt by good advise of the Chancelour c. shall proceed to take a good accord and to make a good iudgement When it was complayned vnto the King that the profites c. of his Realme by ●0 K. 2. c. 1 some great Officers c. were much withdrawen and cloyned c. it pleased the King c. to cōmit the surveighing aswell of the estate c. of his house c. vnto the honourable Fathers in God William Archbishop of Canterburie and Alexander Archbishop of Yorke c. by a statute of commission for a 6. H. 6. Sewers by a statute for punishmēt of b 11. H. 5. c. 25. periurie by a statut against making or executing of actes or ordinances by any c 19 H. 7. c. 7. Maisters c. being not examined c. by the Lord Chancelour Treasurer or chiefe Iustices c. By a statute for the erection of the Court of d 27. H. 8. c 27. Augmētation by a statute for erection of the Court of firste e 32. H. c. 45. fruits tenthes and lastly by an f 27. Eli. c. 8 acte for redresse of erroneous iudgements in the Court commonly called the Kinges Bench By all these statutes I say it is very apparant that the Administration of publike affaires in the cōmon weale hath never bene vsually committed to the advisemnet discretion or definitiue sentence of any one man alone Which point is yet more fully and more perfectly Lord president and counsell in Wales Lord president coūsell in the North parts Lord Deputie counsell in Irelande The Kinge and his honorable privie Counsel to be vnderstood by the establishment continuance of the Kings Lord President and Councell in Wales of the Kings Lord President and Counsel established for the North of the Kinges Lord Deputie and Councell within the Realme of Irelande of the Kings Highnesse most honorable privie Councell chosen by him for the assistance of his Royall person in matters apperteyning to his Kingly estate and lastly of the supreame and grand Councell of the three estates in Parleament for matters concerning The Kinge his grand Counsell in Parleament the Church the King and the common Weale For whether respect bee had vnto the secrete affaires of the Kings estate consulted vpō in his Highnesse Councell Chamber by his privie Counsaylors or whether we regard the publike tractation of matters in Parleament there can bee no man so simple as not to knowe both these privie and open negotiatiōs to be carried by most voyces of those persons who by the King are called to those honorable assemblies And what a vaine iangling then doth the Admonitor keepe how idlely and wranglingly doth he dispute when against the government of the church by Pastours and Elders he obiecteth that the same will interrupt the lawes of the Realme that it wil be great occasion of partiall affectionate dealing that some will incline to one parte and that the residue wil bee wrought to favour the other and that thereby it wil be a matter of strife discord schisme and heresies Howbeit if never any of these extremities and dangers haue fallen out in the common weale by any partiall or affectionate dealing of the Kings Deputies Presidents Iudges Iusticers and other Officers Ministers associated vnto thē for the administratiō of Iustice or equitie in any of the Kings civill Courtes howe much lesse cause haue we to feare any partialitie affectiō working inclination favour strife debate schismaticall or hereticall opinions if once Pastours and Elders in every Congregation and not thoroughout a Diocesse one Bishop alone had the spirituall administration of the Church-causes Can many temporall Officers Iusticers and Iudges rightly and indifferently administer the law and execute iustice and iudgment without that that some doe incline to one part without that the residue bee wrought to favour the other part And cannot spirituall Officers dispatch spiritual affaires without that that they be partially affectionally disposed What is it so easie a matter that the Ancients of God and the Ministers of Christ can the one part incline to righteousnes and the residue be wrought to favor wickednes can some incline to God and vnto Christ and can other some be wrought to follow Satan and Antichrist For what other controversie is required to be decided by Pastours and Elders then the controversie of sinne betwene the soule of man and his God And is there any Christian Pastour or Elder that wil be wrought rather to favour the sinne of a mortall man then the glorie of his immortall God But to leaue the state of the Kingdome and common weale and the good vsages and customes of the same let vs come to the state of the Church it selfe and to the lawfull government thereof established even amongst vs at this day The gouerment of the Church ought not to be by one alone For whatsoever our reverend Bishoppes practise to the contrarie yet touching ordination and deposition of Ministers touching excommunication and absolution touching the order and rule of Colleges Cathedrall churches and the Vniversities the ecclesiasticall law doth not commit the administration of these things and regiment of these places to any one person alone The Vniversities admit not the goverment of the Chancelour being present nor of his Vicechancelour The gouerment in the Vniuersities not by one alone him selfe being absent as of one alone the Doctors Procurators Regents non-Regents haue all voyces and by most of their voyces the Vniversitie causes take successe The businesses The goverment in Colleges not by one alone of Colleges by the statutes of their founders are commended to the industrie and fidelitie of the President Vice-president and fellowes vnto the Provost Viceprovost and fellowes vnto the Warden Sub-warden and fellowes vnto the Maister