And yet in way of recovering health by changing of Aire of study for a time in thâ— Vniversity of mortall enmity borne by some in the parish of prosecution of Law or of being imployed in publick Affairs they cannot be wholy abrogated That there were in England foure thousand five hundred Benefices with Cure not above ten and most of them under eight pounds in the first fruits-book which cannot be furnished with able Pastors as the Petitioners desire because of the smallness of their livings Moreover he affirmed that what ever was pretended to the contrary England at that time flourished with able Ministers more then ever before yea had more then all Christendome besides 3. The Lord Grey rejoyned to this Assertion of more learned Ministers in the Church of England then ever heretofore The Lord Gray his rejoynder nay then in all the reformed Churches in Christendome this That it was not to he attributed to the Bishops or their actions but to God who now opened the hearts of many to see into the truth and that the Schools were better observed 4. The Lord Treasurer Burghley seeming to moderate betwixt them The Lord Treasurer his moderation after a long and learned oration concluded that he was not so scrupuleus as absolutely to like of the bill against Pluralities without any exception for he did favour both learning and wished a competent reward to it And therefore could like and allow a learned man to have two Benefices so they were both in ene parish that is to say in one Diocess and not one in the Diocess of Winchester and another in the North where the severall Diocesans would have no regard of them whereas being both in one Diocess the Bishop would look unto them 5. Here it was signified that her Majesty was acquainted with the matter Others interpret and that she was very forward to redress the faults and therefore required the Bishops not to binder her good and gracious purpose for that her Majesty would conferr with them 6. The Lord Gray again said The Lord Grays quere whether of Withen or what most probable of Ruthen afterwards Earl of Kent replyed he greatly wondred at her Majesty that she would make choice to conser with those who were all enemies to Reformation for that it meerly touched their freeholds and therefore he thought it good the house should make choice of some to be joyned with them Also he wished the Bishops might be served as they were in in King Henry the 8 th dayes when as in the case of praemunire they were all thrust out of doores 7. Then the Lord Treasurer said that the Bishops if they were wise would themselves be humble suiters to her Majesty to have some of the Temporall Lords joyned with them 8. The Lord Chamberlain utterly disliked the Lord Grayes motion alledging that it was not to be liked of that the Lords should appoint her Majesty any to confer withall but that it should be left to her own election 9. Matters flying thus high the Arch-Bishop with the rest of the Clergy The Bishops providently petition the Queen conceived it the safest way to apply themselves by Petition to the Queen which they presented as followeth To the Queens most excellent Majesty THe wofull and distressed state whereinto we are like to fall forceth us with griâ—f of heart in most humble maner to crave your Majesties most soveraign Protection For the pretence being made the maintenance and increase of a learned ministry when it is throughly weighed decryeth learning spoâ—leth their livings taketh away the sâ—t form of prayer in the Church and is the means to bring in confusion and Barbarisme How dangerous innovations are in a setled estate whosoever hath judgemeâ—t perceiveth Set dangers apart yet such great inconviniences may ensae as will make a state lamentable and miserable Our nâ—ighbours miseries might make us fearfull but that we know who tales the same All the reformed Churches in Europe cannot compare with England in the number of learned Ministers These benefits of your Majesties most sacred and are fall Government with hearty joy we feel and humbly acknowledge senceless are they that repâ—ne at it and careless wâ—o lightly regard it The respect hereof made the Prophet to say Dii estis All the faithfull and discreet Clergy say ô Dea certè Nothing is impossible with God Requests without grounded reasons are lightly to be rejected We therefore not as directors but as humble Remembrancers beseech your Highness favourable beholding of our present state And what it will be in time to come if the Bill against Pluralities should take any place To the Petition were annexed a catalogue of those inconveniences to the State present State to come Cathedrall Churches Universities to her Majesty to Religion in case pluralities were taken away here too large to be inserted So that in effect nothing was effected as in relation to this matter but things left in staâ—u quo prius at the dissolution of this Parliament 10. Amongst the mortalities of this year The death of Bp Barns most remarkable the death of Richard Barnes Bishop of Durham one commendable in himself but much suffering for the * See the life of Bernard Gilpin p. 190. corruption and viciousness of John Barnes his brother and Chancellour This Bishop was bred in Brasen-nose Colledge made Suffragan of Nottingham the last I beleeve who wore that title and behaved himself very gravely in his Diocess A great friend at last to Bernard Gilpin though at first by some ill instruments incensed against him and seeing they were loving in their lives their memories in my Book shall not be divided though I confess the later died some three years before 11. This Bernard Gilpin And of Bernard Gilpin born of a right worshipfull family at Kentmirâ— in Westmerland had Cuthbert Tonstali Bishop of Durham for his great Vncle he was bred first in Queens Colledgs then Christs-Church in Oxford and no doubt the prayers of Peter Martyr conduced to his conversion to be a Protestant For he hearing this Gilpin dispute cordially on the Popish party desired of God that so good affections might not be misguided and at last obtained his desire 12. He Weathered out the Raign of Queen Mary Hardly escaped in Queen Maries dayes partly with his travels beyond the seas Anno Dom. 1587. chiefly residing at Lovain Anno Regin Eliza. 30. and Paris partly after his return by the favour of his Uncle Tonstall Before whom he was often cited chiefly about the Eucharist but was discharged by confessing the reall presence and that the manner thereof transcended his apprehension Tonstall not inforcing him to the particularity of Transubstantiation as using himself to complain on Pope Innocent for defining de modo to be an article of faith However his foes so hardly beset him that once he ordered his servant to provide for him a long shroud not for his
Theophilus kept a Synod against S t. Chrysostome the Oak which notwithstanding is notoriously known to have been a populous Suburb of the City of Chalcedon 3. At the first Sessions of this Synod there was a very thin Appearance of the Britans The British Clergy refuse submission to the Pope of Rome of whom Augustine demanded that they should mutually contribute with him their Paines to convert the Heathen in Britain and that they should submit to the Pope and embrace an Uniformity with the Romish Rites especially in the Celebration of Easter What their Answer was it is pitty it should be delivered in any other Words then what the Abbot of Ranchor being the Mouth for the rest represented as followeth and let it shift as well as it can for its own authenticalness BId ispis a diogel i chwi ynbod ni holl vn ac arral yn vuidd ac ynn ostingedig i Eglwys Duw ac ir Paab o Ruvam ac i Boob Kyar grisdic n dwyuel y garu pawb yn i radd mewn kariad parfaich ac ihelpio pawb o honaunt ar air a guec-thred i vod ynn blant yDaw ac amgenach wyddod nc hwn nidadwen i vod ir neb yr yddeck chwi y henwi yn Paab ne in Daad o Daad yw glemio ac ywo ovunn ar uvyddod hivn idden in yn varod yw rodde ac yw dalu iddo ef ac i pob Krisdion yn dragwiddol He uid yry dym ni dan lywodrath Esoob Kaerllion ar Wysc yr hien ysidd yn oligwr dan Duw ar nom ni y wuenthud i ni gadwr fordd ysbrydol BE it knovvn and vvithout doubt unto you Copied exactly many yeares since by S r. Henry Spelman out of an ancient British manuscript of Mr. Peter Mostons a Welch Gentleman Spelman's Concilia pag. 108. that vve all are and every one of us obedient and subjects to the Church of God and to the Pope of Rome and to every godly Christian to love every one in his degree in perfect Charity and to help every one of them by vvord and deed to be the children of God and other Obedience then this I do not knovv due to him vvhom you name to be Pope nor to be the Father of Fathers to be claimed and to be demanded And this Obedience vve are ready to give and to pay to him and to every Christian continually Besides vve are under the government of the Bishop of Kaerlion upon Uske vvho is to oversee under God over us to cause us to keep the vvay spirituall See we here the Pedigree of the British Church which the shorter the ancienter the fewer Steps it had the higher it reached They were subject in Spirituall matters to the Bishop of Caer-lion and above him unto God without any subordination unto the Pope so that it was more then a Presumption that Religion came into Britain not by the Semicircle of Rome but in a Direct Line from the Asiatick Churches We must not forget that though many yeares since the Archiepiscopal See of the Britans was removed from Caer-lion to S t. Davids yet it still retained the Title of Caer-lion as of the first and most famous place 4. A late Papist much impugneth the Credit of this Manuscript as made since the Dayes of King Henry the eighth and cavilleth at the VVelsh thereof The Cedit of this Manuscript impugneth as modern and full of false Spelling He need not have used so much Violence to wrest it out of our Hands who can part with it without considerable Losse to our selves or Gain to our Adversaries for it is but a Breviate or Abstract of those Passages which in Bede and other Authours appear most true of the British refusing Subjection to the See of Rome Whilest therefore the Chapter is Canonicall it matters not if the Contents be Apocrypha as the Additions of some wel-meaning Scribe And though this VVelsh be far later then the Dayes of Abbot Dinoth and the English added in the originall later then the VVelsh yet the Latin as ancienter then both containeth nothing contrary to the sense of all Authours which write this Intercourse betwixt Augustine and the VVelsh Nation 5. But this Synod in fine proved ineffectuall The Synod proves ineffactual the British Bishops refusing to submit and Augustine to communicate with them without such Submission Whereupon at Augustine's motion a Blind man was publickly presented amongst them on whom the British Bishops practised in vain with their Prayers to restore him to his Sight which at the Request of Augustine to God was a Bede's Eccles Hist lib. 2. c. 2. presently and perfectly performed This Miracle convinced the Britans that Augustine was in the right for the criticall Observation of Easter But yet they could not absque suorum consensu ac licentia without the National Consent of their own People and principall Elders therein renounce their ancient Customes to embrace new Practices Indeed as for their submitting to Augustine's Jurisdiction they apprehended it unsafe for the present and mischievous for the future having another Civil Government under Kings of their own and suspecting his Spirituall Power might in processe of time intrench upon their Temporall Liberty 6. Departing hence The Dialogue betwixt the British Bishops and the Anchoret the Britans repaired to an Aged Anchoret charactered by Beda to be sanctus prudens holy and wise and none would wish his Counseller better qualified and craved his Advise how hereafter they should behave themselves in the next Synod wherein they had promised to give Augustine a meeting which out of our Authour may thus be Dialogue-wise digested British Bishops Anchoret Brit. B. Are we bound to desert our Traditions at the Preaching of Augustine Anch. If he be a Man of God follow him Brit. B. But how shall we be able to make Triall thereof Anch. The b b Matth. 11. 29. Lord saith Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart If therefore this Augustine be Milde and Humble in heart it is credible that he himself beareth the Yoke of Christ and tendereth the same to be born of you but if he be Cruel and Proud it appeareth that he is not of God neither ought ye to heed what he saith Brit. B. But how shall we make Discovery hereof Anch. Contrive it so that he his may come first into the Place of the Synod And if he rise up when you draw near unto him hear him then obediently knowing him for a Servant of Christ but if he slighteth you and vouchsaseth not to rise up unto you seeing you are moe in Number let him be slighted by you Armed with these Instructions the British Bishops advance to the second Synod Where Augustine Pontifically sitting in his Chair at their Entrance entertained them onely with Neglect and Contempt which by the Britans was accordingly requited 7. Herein that stately Prelate forgot S t. Gregorie's Precept to him Proud â—iotrephes
though perchance wisely for the State not warily for himself Indeed it is impossible for such Officers managing not onely multitudes but multiplicity of matters but that in some things they must mistake As in c Prov. 10. 19. many words there wanteth not iniquity so in the Actours of many affairs faults are soon found out He was also accused to set at liberty certain persons not capable of it for granting Licenses and Commissions destructive to the King's authority for being guilty of Heresie himself and favouring it in others Trayterous speeches were also charged upon him spoken two years before in the Church of S. Peter's in the Poor in Broad street the avouchers thereof pretending that as hitherto they had concealed them for love of themselves fearing Cromwel's greatnesse so now for the love of the King they revealed the same Indeed on the first manifesting of the King's displeasure against him the foes of Cromwel had all their mouthes open and his friends their mouthes shut up 24. The mention of S. Peter's in Broad-street An injurious Act to many poor people charged on the Lord Cromwell mindeth me of a passage not unworthy to be recited of an injury offered by this Lord Cromwell to many poor men in the same Parish And because every one is best able to tell his own tale take it in the words of John d Survey of London p. 187. Stow being himself deeply concerned therein The Lord Cromwell having finished his house in Throgmorton-street in London and having some reasonable plot of ground left for a garden caused the pales of the gardens adjoyning to the North part thereof on a sudden to be taken down two and twenty foot to be measured forth-right into the North of every man's ground a line there to be drawn a trench to be cast a foundation laid and an high brick-wall to be builded My father had a garden there and there was an house standing close to his South-pale this house they loosed from the ground and bare upon rowlers into my father's garden two and twenty foot ere my father heard thereof no warning was given him nor other answer when he spake to the Surveyors of that work but that their Master Sir Thomas commanded them so to doe no man durst goe to argue the matter but each man lost his land and my father paid his whole rent which was six sâ—illings eight pence the year for that half which was left Thus much of mine own knowledge have I thought good to note that the sudden rising of some men causeth them to forget themselves I am moved the rather to believe our Authour herein because elsewhere he alloweth this Lord his deserved praise for his virtues and especially his Hospitality affirming e Survey of London p. 74. he had often seen at the Lord Cromwell's gate above two hundred persons served twice every day with meat and drink sufficient Nor can I see what may be said in excuse of this oppression except any will plead that Abimelech's servants violently f Gen. 21. 26. took away the wells from Abraham and yet Abimelech himself never knew more or lesse thereof 25. As for the passionate expressions of Cromwell The worst passionate Speech objected against him a g Sir I. Strode of Parubam in Dorcet-shire Knight aged well-nigh eighty whose Mother was Daughter to the Lord Cromwell's Son hath informed me That the principall passage whereon the Lord's enemies most insisted was this It being told the L. Cromwell that one accused him for want of fidelity to the King Cromwell returned in passion Were he here now I would strike my dagger into his heart meaning into the heart of the false Accuser and therein guilty of want of charity to his fellow-subject not of loyaltie to his Sovereign But seeing the words were a measuring cast as uttered though not as intended to whom they should relate the pick-thank Repeater avowed them uttered against the King Himself So dangerous are dubious words and ambiguous expressions when prevalent power is to construe and interpret the meaning thereof 26. Ten daies after his Arrest His Speech on be scaffold he was attainted of high Treason in Parliament and brought on the Scaffold the next week to execution Here he spake the following words unto the people which the Reader is requested the more seriously to peruse July 19. that thereby he may be enabled to passe if concerned therein his verdict in what Religion this Lord died I Am come hither to die 29. and not to purge my selfe as some think peradventure that I will For if I should so doe I were a very wretch and miser I am by the law condemned to die and thank my Lord God that hath appointed me this death for mine offence For since the time that I have had years of discretion I have lived a sinner and offended my Lord God for the which I aske him heartily forgivenesse And it is not unknown to many of you that I have been a great traveller in this world and being but of base degree I was called to high estate and since the time I came thereunto I have offended my Prince for the which I aske Him heartily forgivenesse and beseech you all to pray to God with me that he will forgive me And now I pray you that be here to bear me record I die in the Catholick Faith not doubting in any Article of my faith no nor doubting in any Sacrament of the Church Many have slandered me and reported that I have been a bearer of such as have maintained evil opinions which is untrue But I confesse that like as God by his Holy Spirit doth instruct us in the truth so the Devil is ready to seduce us and I have been seduced but bear me witnesse that I die in the Catholick Faith of the Holy Church And I heartily desire you to pray for the King's Grace that He may long live with you in health and prosperity and that after Him His son Prince Edward that goodly impe may long reign over you And once again I desire you to pray for me that so long as life remaineth in this flesh I waver nothing in my faith And so making his Prayer c. The generall terms wherein this his Speech is couched hath given occasion for wise men to give contrary censures thereof Fox in his Marginall Note on this Speech pag. 515. A true Christian Confession of the Lord Cromwell at his death Lord Herbert in the Index of his History under C. Cromwell died a Roman-Catholick notwithstanding he had been such a destroyer of the Church True it is so warie were Cromwell's expressions that Luther and Bellarmine might in their own persons have said the same without any prejudice to their own principles and many conceive that the most which these his words amount to will but make him an six-Articles Protestant 27. But let Cromwell's politick Speech be in part expounded by
forged leases are countenanced under the pretence of this passing the same 22. As for the number of Recusants which forsook the land at this time A list of persons deprived the prime of them were Henry Lord Morley S r. Francis Inglefield Thomas Shelly and John Gage Esqrs As for the Nuns of Sion and other Votaries wasted over we have formerly treated of them in our History of Abbies Nor were there moe then eighty Rectours of Churches fifty Prebendaries fifteen Masters of Colledges twelve Arch-Deacons twelve Deans with six Abbots and Abbesses deprived at this time of their places thoroughout all England 23. Now the Queen and Her Councell Matthew Parker designed Arch-Bishop his due commendation accounted it high time to supply the Church of Canterbury which hitherto had stood * Counted from Pooles death to Parkers consecration Vacant a yeer Anno Dom. 1559. and three weeks with an Arch-Bishop Anno Regin Eliza. 2. D r. Matthew Parker is appointed for the place borne in Norwich bred in Cambridge Master of Benefactour to Bennet-Colledge there Chaplain to Queen Anne Bollen a relation which next his own merits befriended him with Queen Elizabeth for such high and suddain advancement then to King Henry the eighth Deane of the Colledge of Stoke juxta Clare a learned and religious Divine He confuted that character which one gives of Antiquaries that generally they are either superstitious or supercilious his skill in antiquity being attended with soundnesse of doctrine and humility of manners His Book called Antiquitates Britanicae hath indebted all posterity to his pen. Which work our great a Mr Selden of Tithes cap. 9. pag. 256. Critick cites as written by M r. Joscelin one much employed in the making thereof But we will not set the memories of the Patrone and Chaplaine at variance who loved so well in their lives time nor needeth any Writ of partition to be sued out betwixt them about the authorship of this book though probably one brought the matter the other composure thereof 24. The Queen had formerly sent order to D r. Wotton The Queen Her letter for his consecration Dean of Canterbury an exquisite Civilian July 18. Aug. 1. and therefore one who may be presumed critical in such performances and to the Chapter there to choose Matthew Parker their Arch-Bishop which within fourteen dayes after was by them accordingly performed This done She directeth Her Letters-Patents in manner and forme following Elizabetha b Registrum Parker 1. Iom 1 fol. 3. Dei Gratia c. Reverendis in Christo Patribus Antonio Landavensi Episcopo Will Barlow quondam Bath Well Ep. nunc Cicestrensi electo Joh Scory quondam Cicestrensi Episcopo nunc electo Heâ—esor Miloni Coverdalio quondam Exoniensi Episcopo Johanni Surffaganeo Bedford Johanni Suffraganeo Thetford Johanni Bale Osserensi Episcopo Quatenus vos aut ad minus quatuor vestrûm eundem Matthaeum Parkerum in Archiepiscopum Pastorem Ecclesiae Cathedralis Metropoliticae Christi Cantuariensis praedictae sicut praefertur electum electionemque praedictum confirmare eundem Magistrum Matthaeum Parkerum in Archiepiscopum Pastorem Ecclesiae praedictae consecrare caeteraque omnia singula peragere quae vestro in hac parte editorum provisorum velitis cum effectu c. Dat sexto Decembris Anno secundo Elizabethae But the old Bishop of Landaffe appeared not at the Consecration Dece 6. terrified say the Papists by Bonners threats so as to absent himself which others do not believe For he that feared not the Lion out of the grate would he be frighted with the Lion within the grate If Bonner when at liberty could not deterr him from taking the oath of Supremacy improbable it is that when now detain'd prisoner in the Tower he could disswade him from his obedience to his Soveraigne More likely it is that his absence as also Bishop Bale's and the Suffragans of Thetford was occasioned by their indisposition of body and infirmity of old age 25. But the other four Bishops appeared The manner thereof William Barlow John Scory Miles Coverdal and John Hodgskins by whom Matthew Parker was solemnly consecrated in manner and forme following The East part of the Chappel of c Regist Parker Tom 1. fol. 9. Lambeth was hung with tapestry the floore spred with red cloth chairs and cushions are conveniently placed for the purpose morning prayer being solemnly read by Andrew Peerson the Arch-Bishops Chaplaine Bishop Scory went up into the d Ibid. fol. 10. pulpit and took for his text The e 1 Pet. 5. 1. Elders which are among you I exhort who also am an Elder and a witnesse of the sufferings of Christ c. Sermon ended and the Sacrament administred they proceed to the Consecration the Arch-Bishop had his Rochet on with Hereford and the Suffragan of Bedford Chichester wore a silke cope and Coverdal a plain cloth-gown down to his ancles All things are done conâ—ormable to the book of Ordination Letanie sung the Queens Patent for Parkers consecration audibly read by D r. Vale Dece 17. he is presented the oath of Supremacy tendred to him taken by him hands reverendly imposed on him and all with prayers begun continued concluded In a word though here was no Theatrical pompe to make it a Popish pageant though no sandals gloves ring staffe oyle pall c. were used upon him yet there was ceremony enough to cloth his consecration with decency though not to clog it with superstition 26. This his consecration is avowed most legal The legality of his consecration both according to Canon and Common Law In the latter it was ordered by King Henry a Anno Regin 25. the eighth that an Arch-Bishops should not be consecrated but by an Archbishop and two Bishops or by four Bishops in case an Arch-Bishop was wanting as here it was performed Object not that one of these foure was but a Suffragan seeing such by the b 26. of Henry 8 cap. 14. laws of the land though not able to vote as Barons in Parliament had Episcopal power to all purposes and intents Neither cavill that Coverdale henceforward led a private life being always a Bishop quoad characterem and for the present quoad jâ—es â—itulum Exeter his former Bishoprick being actually void by the deprivation of Turbervile though refusing to be so quoad possessionem As for the canonical part of his consecration six of the most eminent Doctours of that faculty England then afforded gave it under their hands that the same was exactly observed 27. Yet notwithstanding all circumstances so solemnly performed The impudent lie of the Naggs-head some impudent Papists have raised a lie that Matthew Parker was consecrated Ad caput manni At the Naggs-head a tavern in Cheapside Indeed they shew a place therein just against the barr so anciently arched that an active phansie which can make any thing of
different as their Opinions some of them being conceived too wise to begin and others too weak to finish so dangerous a Designe The ends they propounded to themselves as they were charged therewith were to kill the King raise Rebellion alter Religion at least gaine a Toleration and procure a forraign Invasion with many more things which may be spoken easier in a Minute than done in an Age especially their Interest being not much at home and nothing abroad Ann. Dom. 1602 They ante-divided all Offices of State betwixt themselves Ann. Reg. Jac. 1. Lord Marshall to one Treasurer to another Master of the Horse to a third Secretary to a fourth c. onely Sir Walter Rawleigh able to discharge any had no particular Office assigned unto him Watson was to be Lord Chancelour being very fit for the place had he but as much skill to decide Causes as write Quodlibets There wanted nothing to estate them in all these Offices but onely their getting of them 17. Wonder not that this Treason was discovered so soon The two Priests executed but covered so long The two Priests alone Nov. 29. with G Brook were executed who to use the words of King Iames in his Letter to Sir Benjamine Tichbourne Sheriff of Hantshire for the Plague being in London Terme was removed to Winchester where they were tried Vaire the principall Plotteris and Intisaris of all the rest to the embracing of the saidis treasonabil Machinations The rest were pardoned their Lives not their Lands We must not forget that the Priests pleaded the silliest for themselves of all that were arraigned alledging that their Practise against the King could not be Treason because done against him before he was crowned Watson instancing in Saul who was anoynted in e 1 Sam. 10. 1. Ramah and afterward made King in f Ibid. ver 24. Mizpeh Clark insisted on Rehoboam as being no King till the People had g 1 King 12. 1 made him so Not remembering what our Lawyers there minded them of the difference betwixt successive Kings deriving their claime from their Ancestors and one newly elected the English Crowne also being as incapable of an Inter-regnum as Nature of a Vacuitie Mean time the Jesuits looked on and laughed at Watson's Execution to see how bunglingly Secular Priests went about a Treason resolving in the next platforme thereof which now they were contriving to rectifie the errours Watson had committed not to ingage in a squint-ey'd company where two did not look the same way but to select a competencie of cordial Catholiques for the purpose 18. No sooner was King Iames setled on the English Throne Mr Cartwright dedicates a Book to King James but Mr. Cartwright presented unto him his Latin Coment on Ecclesiastes thankfully mentioning in his Dedication how he had some twenty yeares before been chosen to be Professour in a Scotch University though declining the acceptance thereof because of his Pastorall Charge being then Minister to the English Congregation at Antwerp Thanks perchance not so proper to the person of King Iames though in Loyalty and good Manners justly tendred unto him as due rather to those who in his minority steered the affaires of Scotland Nor let any wonder that an English man should be proffered preferment in Scotland seeing it was but one for another remembring that I have read in the life of Mr. Knox that he was offered an English Bishoprick in the reigne as I take it of K. Edw the 6. and likewise refused the same 19. But Mr Cartwright survived not long after otherwise Mr. Cartwright his Death no doubt we should have heard of him in Hampton Court-Conference Dec. 27. as the Champion of his Party who died at the age of sixty on the 27. of December following To what we have formerly largely writ of his Character we now onely adde that he was born in Hartford shire Camden in his Eliz. and married the Sister of M. Stubbs whose hand was struck off for writing an interpreted Libel against Queen Elizabeths Marriage with Monsieur This I dare boldly say She was a most excellent Wife if she proved like her Brother whom Mr. Cambden no great friend of Puritans cordially commendeth for a right honest man generally beloved whilest living and lamented when dead He was afflicted towards his old Age with many Infirmities insomuch that he was forced continually to studie upon his * See his Life lately set forth by M. Clark knees My Eares shall be dear to the uncharitable inference of those who impute this extraordinary painfull posture as a just punishment upon him in that he had so bitterly inveighed against the gesture of those as superstitious who reverently received the Sacrament on their knees M. Dod preached his Funerall Sermon 20. And now The Presbyterian Petition to K. Parl. because there was a generall expectation of a Parliament suddenly to succeed the Presbyterian Party that they might not be surprised before they had their tackling about them Ann. Dom. 1603 went about to get hands of the Ministers to a Petition which they intended seasonably to present to the K. and Parl M. Arthur Hildersham and M. Stephen Egerton with some others were chosen and chiefly intrusted to manage this important businesse This was called The millenary Petition as One of a thousand w See M. Hildersam's 〈◊〉 set forth by Mr. Clark though in indeed there were but seven hundred and fifty Preachers hands set thereunto But those all collected onely out of five and twenty Counties However for the more rotundity of the number and grace of the matter it passeth for a full thousand which no doubt the Collectours of the names if so pleased might easily have compleated I dare not guesse what made them desist before their number was finished whether they thought that these were enough to doe the deed and moe were rather for oftentation than use or because disheartned by the intervening of the Hampton-Court Conference they thought that these were even too many to petition for a Deniall It is left as yet uncertaine whether this Conference was by the Kings favour graciously tendered or by the mediation of the Lords of his Counsell powerfully procured or by the Bishops as confident of their cause voluntarily proffered or by the Ministers importunity effectually obteyned Each Opinion pretends to Probability but the last most likely 1603 And by what meanes soever this Conference was compassed Hampton-Court was the Place the 14 of January the Time and the following Names the Persons which were employed therein For Conformity Moderator Against Conformity Arch bish of Canterbury Whitgift Biashops of London Bancroft Durham Mathew Winchester Bilson Worcester Babington St. Davids Rudd Chicester Watson Carleil Robinson Peterbor Dove Deans of The a Though all these Deanes were summoned by Letters and present in the Presence Chamber yet onely five viz. of the Chappel Westminister Pauls Chester and Sarisbury
be admitted into the Ministerie but able and sufficient men and those to Preach diligently and especially upon the Lords day That such as be already entred and cannot Preach may either be removed and some charitable course taken with them for their reliese or else to be forced according to the value of their Livings to maintain Preachers That Non-Residencie be not permitted That King Edward's Statute for the lawfulnesse of Ministers Marriage be revived That Ministers be not urged to subscribe but according to the Law to the Articles of Religion and the Kings Supremacie onely III. For Church-Livings and Maintenance That Bishops leave their Commendams some holding Prebends some Parsonages some Vicarages with their Bishopricks That double beneficed men be not suffered to hold some two some three Benefices with Cure and some two three or foure Dignities besides That Impropriations annexed to Bishopricks and Colledges be demised onely to the Preachers Incumbents for the old rent That the Impropriations of Lay-mens Fees may be charged with a sixt or seventh part of the worth to the maintenance of the Preaching Minister IV. For Church-Discipline That the Discipline and Excommunication may be administred according to Christs owne Institution Or at the least that enormities may be redressed As namely That Excommunication come not forth under the name of Lay persons Ann. Reg. Jac. 2 Chancellors Officials c. That men be not excommunicated for trifles and twelve-peny matters That none be excommunicated without consent of his Pastour That the Officers be not suffered to extort unreasonable Fees That none having Jurisdiction or Registers places put out the same to Farme That divers Popish Canons as for restraint of Marriage at certaine times be reversed That the longsomnesse of Suits in Ecclesiasticall Courts which hang sometime two three foure five six or seven yeers may be restrained That the Oath Ex Officio whereby men are forced to accuse themselves be more sparingly used That Licenses for Marriage without Banes asked be more cautiously granted These with such other abuses yet remaining and practised in the Church of England we are able to shew not to be agreeable to the Scriptures if it shall please your Highnesse farther to heare us or more at large by Writing to be informed or by Conference among the Learned to be resolved And yet we doubt not but that without any farther processe your Majesty of whose Christian judgement we have received so good a taste already is able of Your selfe to judge of the equity of this cause God we trust hath appointed your Highnesse our Physician to heale these diseases And we say with Mordecai to Hester who knoweth whether you are come to the Kingdome for such a time Thus Your Majesty shall doe that which we are perswaded shall be acceptable to God honourable to your Majesty in all succeeding ages profitable to his Church which shall be thereby encreased comfortable to your Ministers which shall be no more suspended silenced disgraced imprisoned for mens traditions and prejudiciall to none but to those that seek their owne quiet credit and profit in the world Thus with all dutifull submission referring our selves to your Majesties pleasure for your gracious answer as God shall direct you we most humbly recommend Your Highnesse to the Divine Majesty whom we beseech for Christ his sake to dispose Your Royall heart to doe herein what shall be to his glory the good of his Church and your endlesse comfort Your Majesties most humble Subjects the Ministers of the Gospel that desire not a disorderly innovation but a due and godly Reformation 25. This calme The issue of this Petition and stil but deep Petition being as is aforesaid presented to the King it was given out that his Majesty lent it a favourable eare that some great ones about him gave it a consenting entertainment that some potent strangers I understand of the Scottish nation had undertaken the conduct and managing thereof Whether indeed it was so God knows or whether these things were made to make the people the Van pretending a victory that the Rere might follow the more comfortably Sure it is this Petition ran the Gantlop throughout all the Prelaticall party every one giving it a lash some with their Pens moe with their Tongues and the dumb Ministers as they terme them found their speech most vocall against it The Universities and justly found themselves much agrieved that the Petitioners should proportion a seaventh part onely out of an impropriation in a Lay-mans fee whilst those belonging to Colleges and Cathedralls should be demised to the Vicars at the old rent without fine without improvement Whereas Scholars being children of the Prophets counted themselves most proper for Church-revenues and this motion if effected would cut off more than the nipples of the breasts of both Universities in point of maintenance 26. Cambridge therefore began Universities justly netled thereat and passed a Grace in their Congregation that whosoever in their University should by Word or Writing oppose the received Doctrine and Discipline of England or any part thereof should â—ipso facto be suspended from their former excluded from all future degrees Oxford followed recompencing the slownesse of her pace with the firmenesse of her footing making a strong and sharp confutation of the Petition But indeed King James made the most reall refutation thereof not resenting it whatsoever is pretended according to the desires and hopes not to say the reports of such who presented it And after his Majesty had discountenanced it some hot-spurs of the opposite party began to maintaine many copies thereof being scattered into vulgar hands that now the property thereof was altered from a Petition into a Libel And such papers desamatory of the present Government punishable by the Statute Prime Elizabethae Under favour Other Millenary Petitions I conceive this Petition by us lately exemplified the proper Millenary Petition Otherwise I observe that Millenary Petition is vox aequivoca and attributed to all Petitions with numerous and indefinite subscriptions which were started this year concerning Church-Reformation Many there were of this kinde moving for more or lesse alteration as the promoters of them stood affected For all mens desires will then be of the same size when their bodies shall be of the same stature Of these one most remarkable required a subscription in manner as followeth We whose names are under written doe agree to make our humble Petition to the Kings Majesty that the present state of the Church may be farther reformed in all things needfull according to the rule of Gods holy Word and agreeable to the example of other reformed Churches which have restored both the Doctrine and Discipline as it was delivered by our Saviour Christ and his holy Apostles Two things are remarkable therein First that this was no present Petition but a preparative thereunto which in due time might have proved one if meeting with proportionable encouragement Secondly that it
in literature what wil the blow given doe thereon 62. Fourthly he alledged that the ancient and genuine use of Deans and Chapters was as Senatus Episcopi to assist the Bishop in his jurisdiction Now whereas some of his reverend Brethren had lately complained that Bishops have for many yeers usurped the sole government to themselves and their Consistories the continuing of Chapters rightly used would reduce it from one Man to a plurality of assistants 63. Lastly the structures themselves should said he speak for the structures Not that he would have then with Christs disciples fondly to admire the Fabricks but to put them in remembrance that Cathedrall Churches were the first monuments of Christianity in the Kingdome 64. From things he passed to Persons and began with the multitude of such members as had maintenance from Cathedralls some one of them allowing lively-hood to three hundred and the totall amounting to many thousands All which by the dissolutions of Deans and Chapters must be exposed to poverty Next he instanced in their Tenants who holding Leases from Deans and Chapters are sensible of their own happinesse as enjoying six parts of seven in pure gain and therefore have petitioned the House to continue their ancient Land-lords Thirdly such Cities wherein Cathedrals stand if maritime being very poor in Trade are inriched by the hospitality of the Clergy the frequent resort of strangers unto them 65. Then proceeded he to speak of the branches of the whole Kingdome all being in hope to reap benefit by the continuance of Deans and Chapters lands as now emploied For all men said he are not born elder Brothers nor all elder Brothers inheriters of Land Divers of low degree but generous Spirits would be glad to advance themselves and archieve an estate by qualifying themselves by industry and virtue to attain a share of Cathedrall Endowments as the common possession of the Realm inclosed in no private mens estate 66. And whereas travailers inform them that all ranks and degrees of people in England Knights Gentlemen Yeamen live more freely and fashionably than in any other Countries he trusted their Honours would account it reasonable that the Clergy had in some sort a better maintenance then in neighbouring reformed Churches and not with Jeroboams Priests to be the basest of all the People 67. Then did he instance in some famous Protestants of forrain parts who had found great relief and comfort by being installed Prebendaries in our Cathedrall and Collegiate Churches as Dr. Saravia preferred by Queen Elizabeth Dr. Casaubon Father and Son by King James Dr. Primrose Mr. Vossius in the reign of King Charles and Dr. Peter Moulin alive at this day and who intended to leave Sedan if the warlike preparations there proceeded and come over into England where he should have but sad welcome if all his livelyhood were taken away from him 68. Nor could an Act be done more to gratify the Church of Rome than to destroy Deans and Chapters seeing * De schismotâ— Anglicano pag. 163. Sanders himself seemeth to complain that Queen Elizabeth had left Provosts Deans Canons and Prebendaries in Cathedrall and Collegiate Churches because he foresaw such foundations would conduce to the stability of religion so that by his words a fatter Sacrifice could not be offered up to such as himself than the extirpation of them 69. He went forwards to shew the benefit the King and Commonwealth reapt by such Lands as paying greater summs to the Exchequer for first fruits tenths and subsidies according to the proportion than any other estates Corporations in the Kingdome And are ready said he if called upon cheerfully to contribute in an extraordinary manner to the charge of the Kingdome 70. Now as he was by their Honours favour admitted to plead under that roof where their noble Progenitors had given to the Clergy so many Charters Priviledges Immunities so he implored to finde the ancient honourable justice of the House unto his Brethren who were not charged much lesse convicted of any scandalous faults justly for the same to forfeit their estates 71. At last he led them to the highest degree of all considerations viz. the honour of God to whose worship and service such Fabricks and Lands were dedicated and barred all alienation with which he said is tremenda vox curses and imprecations he minded them of the censers of Korah and his complices pronounced hallowed * Numbers 16. 38. because pretended to doe God service therewith And left any should wave this as a Leviticall nicety it was * Proverbs 20. 25. proverbiall Divinity as a received rule in every mans mouth It is a snare to a man that devoureth that which is holy He added the smart question of St. Paul Thou that abhorrest Idols doest thou commit Sacriledge and concluded that on the ruins of the rewards of learning no structure can be raised but ignorance and upon the chaos of ignorance nothing can be built but profanenesse and confusion 72. This his speech was uttered with such becoming gravity The Speech well accepted that it was generally well resented and wrought much on the House for the present so that had the aliening of such Lands been then put to the Vote some who conceived themselves knowing of the sense of the House concluded it would have been carried on the Negative by more than six score suffrages 73. In the afternoon Dr. Cornelius Burges Dr. Burges his Speech against Deans and Chapters as Speaker for his Party made a vehement invective against Deans and Chapters and the unprofitablenesse of such Corporations He heavily aggravated the debauchednesse of Singingmen not only uselesse but hurtfull by their vicious conversations Yet he concluded with the utter unlawfulnesse to convert such Endowments to any private Persons profit So that the same Doctrine was delivered by both the Doctors only they differed in their Applications the former being for the continuing such lands to their ancient the latter for diverting them to other but neither for alienating them from publique and pious imployments 74. If since Dr. Burges hath been a large purchaser of such lands to himself His ability in casuisticall Divinity If since St. Andrew * wels and London the first converted and St. Paul the last converted Apostle have met in his purse I doubt not but that he can give sufficient reason for the same both to himself and any other that shall question him therein The rather because lately he read his learned Lectures in St. Pauls on the Criticisms of Conscience no lesse carefully then curiously weighing satisfaction to scruples and if there be any fault so able a Confessor knows how to get his absolution 75. A Bill brought up from the Commons to the Lords against Bishops and Clergy-men A medly Bill against Bishops partly granted partly denyed which having severall branches was severally voted 1. That they should have no votes in Parliament 2. That they should not
be in the Commission of the Peace nor Judges in Temporall Courts 3. Nor sit in the Star-Chamber nor be Privy-Counsellors The two last branches of this Bill passed by generall consent not above two dissenting But the first branch was voted in the Negative wherein all the Bishops gave their own voices for themselves Yet had their suffrages been secluded and the question only put to the lay-Lords it had been carried for the Bishops by sixteen decisive June 8 76. After some dayes debate the Lords who were against the Bishops protested that the former manner of voting the Bill by branches was unparlamentary and illegall Wherefore they moved the House that they should be so joyned together as either to take the Bill in wholly or cast it all out Whereupon the whole Bill was utterly cast out by many voices had not the Bishops as again they did given their suffrages in the same 77. Master Maynard made a Speech in the Committee of Lords against the Canons At last wholly cast out made by rhe Bishops in the last Convocation therein with much learning indeavouring to prove 1. That in the Saxons times as Malmesbury Hoveden Sir Henry Spelman c. doe witnesse Lawes and constitutions Ecclesiasticall had the confirmation of Peers and sometimes of the People Mr. Maynards Speech against the Canons to which great Councells our Parliaments doe succeed 2. That it appears out of the aforesaid Authors and others that there was some checking about the disuse of the generall making of such Church Lawes 3. That for Kings to make Canons without consent of Parliament cannot stand because built on a bad foundation viz. on the Popes making Canons by his sole Power so that the groundwork not being good the superstructure sinketh therewith 4. He examined the Statute 25 of Henry 8 avouching that that clause The Clergy shall not make Canons without the Kings leave implyeth not that by his leave alone they may make them Lastly he endeavoured to prove that these Canons were against the Kings Prerogative the Rights Liberties and Properties of the Subject insisting herein on severall particulars 1. The first Canon puts a penalty on such as disobey them 2. One of them determineth the Kings Power and the Subjects right 3. It sheweth that the Ordinance of Kings is by the Law of Nature and then they should be in all places and all alike 4. One of the Canons saith that the King may not be resisted 5. Another makes a Holy Day whereas that the Parliament saith there shall be such and no more This his Speech lost neither life nor lustre being reported to the Lords by the Bishop of Lincoln a back friend to the Canons because made during his absence and durance in the Tower 78. One in the House of Commons heightned the offence of the Clergy herein Severall judgments of the Clergyes offence into Treason which their more moderate adversaries abated into a Premunire Many much insisted on the Clarks of the Convocation for presuming being but private men after the dissolution of the Parliament to grant subsidies A Bill read against the High-Commission and so without Law to give away the estates of their fellow-subjects 78. A Bill was read to repeal that Statute of 1 Eliz. whereby the High-Commission Court is erected This Bill afterwards forbad any Archbishop Bishop c. deriving power from the King to Assesse or inflict any pain penalty amercement imprisonment or corporall punishment for any ecclesiasticall offence or transgression Forbidding them likewise to administer the Oath Ex officio or give Oath to Church-Wardens Sides-men or any others whereby their own or others offences should be discovered DIGNISSIMO DOM. THOMAE FISHER BARONETTO CUM Insignia tua Gentilitia intueor Anno Regis Carol 16 Anno Dom. 1640 non sum adeò Heraldicae Artis ignarus quin probè sciam quid sibi velit Manus illa Scutello inserta Te scilicet Baronettum designat cùm omnes in illum Ordinem cooptati ex Institutione sua ad * * Seldenus in titulis Honoris Vltoniam Hiberniae Provinciam forti dextrâ defendendam teneantur At sensum praeter hunc vulgarem alium latiorem quoad meipsum laetiorem Manui illi expansae quae in tuo Clypeo spectabilis subesse video Index est summae tuae Munificentiae quo nomine me tibi divinctissimum profiteor 1. OMitting matters of greater consequence The High-Commission Court put down know that the Bill against the High-Commission June 24 was the third time read in the House of Lords and passed it which some dayes after was confirmed by his Majesty Thus the edge of the Spiritual Sword as to discipline was taken away For although I read of a Proviso made in the House of Lords that the generall words in this Bill should extend only to the High-Commission Court and not reach other Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction yet that Proviso being but writen and the Statute printed all coercive power of Church Consistories were taken away Mr. Pim triumphed at this successe crying out Digitus Det it is the finger of God Anno Dom. 1641 that the Bishops should so supinely suffer themselves to be surprised in their power Anno Regis Caroli 16 Some disaffected to Episcopy observed a Justice that seeing many simple souls were in the high Commission Court by captious interrogatories circumvented into a self-accusation an unsuspected clause in this Statute should abolish all their lawfull authority 2. The Bishop of Lincoln brought up a Bill to regulate Bishops and their jurisdiction The Bill for Regulation of Bishops consisting of severall particulars July 2 1. That every Bishop being in his Diocesse not sick should preach once every Lords day or pay five pounds to the poor to be levyed by the next Justice of Peace and distresse made by the Constable 2. That no Bishop shall be Justice of Peace save the Dean of Westminster in Westminster and St. Martines 3. That every Bishop should have twelve assistants besides the Dean and Chapter four chosen by the King four by the Lords and four by the Commons for jurisdiction and ordination 4. That in all vacancies they should present to the King three of the ablest Divines in the Diocesse out of which his Majesty might choose one to be Bishop 5. Deans and Prebends to be resident at the Cathedralls but sixty dayes 6. That Sermons be preached therein twice every Lords day once every Holy day and a Lecture on Wednesday with a salary of 100. Marks 7. All Archbishops Bishops Collegiate Churches c. to give a fourth part of their fines and improved rents to buy out Impropriations 8. All double beneficed men to pay a moiety of their benefice to their Curates 9. No appeal to the Court of Arches or Audience 10. Canons and Ecclesiasticall capitulations to be drawn up and fitted to the Lawes of the Land by sixteen learned men chosen six by the King
others grumbling at it as too much for what by them was performed And now what place more proper for the building of Sion as they propounded it then the Chamber of Jerusalem the fairest in the Deans Lodgings where King Henry the fourth died and where these Divines did daily meet together 7. Be it here remembred The superadded Divines that some besides those Episcopally affected chosen to be at this Assembly notwithstanding absented themselves pretending age indisposition c. as it is easie for able unwillingness to finde out excuses and make them probable Fit it was therefore so many evacuities should be filled up to mount the Meeting to a competent number and Assemblies as well as Armies when grown thin must be recruited Hence it was that at severall times the Lords and Commons added more Members unto them by the name of the Super-added Divines Some of these though equall to the former in power were conceived to fall short in parts as chosen rather by the affections of others then for their own abilities the Original members of the Assembly not overpleased thereat such addition making the former rather more then more considerable 8. One of the first publick Acts The Assemblies first petition for a fast which I finde by them performed was the humble presenting of a Petition to both Houses for the appointing of a solemn fast to be generally observed And no wonder if their request met with fair acceptance and full performance seeing the Assemblies Petition was the Parliaments intention and this solemn suite of the Divines did not create new but quicken the old resolutions in both Houses presently a Fast is appointed July 21. Frid. and accordingly kept on the following Friday M r Boules and M r Newcomen whose sermons are since printed preaching on the same and all the rest of the particulars promised to be taken into speedy consideration 9. It was now projected to finde out some Band or Tie The Covenent entreth England for the streighter Vnion of the English and Scotish amongst themselves and both to the Parliament In order whereunto the Covenant was now presented This Covenant was of Scottish extraction born beyond Tweed but now brought to be bred on the South-side thereof 10. The House of Commons in Parliament The Covenant first taken and the Assembly of Divines solemnly took the Covenant at S t. Margarets in Westminster 11. It was ordered by the Commons in Parliament that this Covenant be forthwith printed and published Commanded to be printed 12. Divers Lords Taken by Gentlemen Knights Gentlemen Collonels Officers Souldiers and others Sept. 27. Wed. 29. Frid. then residing in the City of London met at S t Margarets in Westminster and there took the said Covenant M r Coleman preaching a Sermon before them concerning the piety and legality thereof 13. It was commanded by the authority of both Houses Enjoyned all in London that the said Covenant on the Sabbath day ensuing Frid. Octo. 1. Sund. should be taken in all Churches and Chappels of London within the lines of Communication and thoroughout the Kingdom in convenient time appointed thereunto according to the Tenour following A Solemn league and Covenant for Reformation and defence of Religion the honour and happiness of the King and the peace and safety of the three Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland WE Noblemen Barons Knights Gentlemen Citizens Burgesses Ministers of the Gospel and Commons of all sorts in the Kingdom of England Scotland and Ireland by the providence of God living under one King and being of one Reformed Religion having before our eyes the glory of God and the advancement of the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the honour and happiness of the Kings Majesty and his posterity and the true publick liberty safety and peace of the Kingdom wherein every ones private condition is included And calling to minde the Treacherous and Bloody Plots Conspiracies attempts and Practises of the enemies of God against the true Religion and the professors thereof in all places especially in these three Kingdoms ever since the Reformation of Religion and how much their rage power and presumption are of late and at this time encreased and exercised whereof the deplorable estate of the Church and Kingdom of Ireland the distressed estate of the Church and Kingdom of England the dangerous estate of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland are present and publick Testimonies We have now at last after other means of Supplications Remonstrances Protestations and sufferings for the preservation of our selves and our Religion from utter ruine and destruction according to the commendable practises of these Kingdoms in former times and the example of Gods people in other nations after mature deliberation resolved and determined to enter into a mutual solemn League and Covenant wherein we all subscribe and each one of us for himself with our hands lifted up to the most High God do swear That we shall sincerely really and constantly through the grace of God endeavour in our several places and callings the preservation of the reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government against our common enemies the Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches and shall endeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms to the nearest conjunction and uniformity in Religion Confession of Faith form of Church-Government directory for Worship and Catechizing That we and our posterity after us may as Brethren live in faith and love and the Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us That we shall in like manner without respect of persons endeavour the extirpation of Popery Prelacie that is Church-government by Arch-Bishops Bishops their Chancellours and Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Arch-Deacons and all other Ecclesiastical Officers depending on that Hierarchie Superstition Heresie Schism Prophaneness and whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to sound Doctrine and the power of godliness lest we partake in other mens sins and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues and that the Lord may be one and his name one in the three Kingdomes We shall with the same sincerity reality and constancy in our several Vocations endeavour with our estates and lives mutually to preserve the Rights and priviledges of the Parliaments and the due liberties of the kingdomes and to preserve and defend the Kings Majesty his person and authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and liberties of the Kingdoms that the world may bear witness with our consciences of our loyalty and that we have no thoughts or intentions to diminish his Majesties just power and greatness We shall also with all faithfulness endeavour the discovery of all such as have been or shall be Incendiaries Malignants or evill instruments
any such offence and if some particular man have disliked it as many and as eminent have manfested their approbation thereof 3. M r Calvin is but one man Besides he spake against the first draught of the Liturgie Anno 1. of King Edw. the sixth which afterwards was reviewed in that Kings Reign and again in the first of Queen Elizabeth 4. The same charge lieth against the Directorie appointing though not the words to be prayed with the matter to be prayed for Poor liberty to leave the spirit only to supply the place of a Vocabulary or a Copia Verborum And seeing Sense is more considerable then Language the prescribing thereof restraineth the Spirit as much as appointing the words of a prayer 5. It complieth with the Papists in what they have retained of Antiquity and not what they have superadded of Idolatry and therefore more probably may be a means of converting them to our Religion when they perceive us not possessed with a Spirit of opposition unto them in such things wherein they close with the Primitive Times 6. The Vsers of the Liturgie have also laboured in Preaching Catechtsing and study of Divine Learning Nor doth the Directorie secure any from Laziness seeing nothing but Lungs and sides may be used in the delivery of any extemporary prayer Against the Liturgie For the Liturgie 7. It is tedious to the people with the unnecessary length Anno Dom. 1645. taking up an hour at least Anno Regis Carol 21. in the large and distinct reading thereof 8. Many Ceremonies not only unprofitable but burthensome are therein imposed on peoples consciences 9. Diverse able and faithful Ministers have by the means of the Liturgie been debar'd the exercise of their Ministry and spoiled of their livelihood to the undoing of them and their family 7. Some observers of the Directorie to procure to their parts and persons the repute of ability and piety have spent as much time in their extemporary devotions 8. This is disproved by such who have written volums in the vindication thereof But grant it true not a total absolution but a reformation therof may hence be inferred 9. The Directorie if enforced to subject the refusers to penalties may spoil as many and as well deserving of their Ministry and livelihood Such as desire to read deeper in this Controversie may have their recourse to the manifold Tractats written on this subject 9. But leaving these disquiets A query for conscience sake the Common-Prayer daily decreased and Directorie by the power of Parliament was advanced Here some would fain be satisfied whether the Abolishing of the main body of the Common-Prayer extendeth to the prohibition of every expression therein I mean not such which are the numerical words of Scripture whereof no question but other ancient passages which in the Primitive Times were laudably not to say necessarily put in practice 10. I know a Minister who was accused for using the Gloria Patri conforming his practice to the Directorie in all things else A word in due season and threatned to be brought before the Committee He pleaded the words of M r Cartwright in his defence * His reply against Whitgift p. 107. Sect. 4. confessing the Gloria Patri founded en just cause that men might make their open profession in the Church of the Divinity of the Son of God against the detestable opinion of Arrius and his Disciples But now saith he that it hath pleased the Lord to quench that fire there is no such cause why those things should be used But seeing said the Minister it hath pleased God for our sins to condemn us to live in so licentious an age wherein the Divinity both of Christ and the Holy-Ghost is called frequently and publickly into question the same now by M r Cartwrights judgement may lawfully be used not to say can well be omitted I remember not that he heard any more of the matter 11. It is now high time to take our farewel of this tedious subject A farewell to the subject and leave the issue thereof to the observation of Posterity The best Demonstration to prove whether Daniel and his Fellows the Children of the Captivity should thrive better by plain pulse to which formerly they had been used or the new diet of diverse and dainty dishes was even to put it to the Trial of some * 1 Dan. 1. 13. dayes experiment and then a Survey taken of their Complexions whether they be impaired or not so when the Directorie hath been practised in England ninty years the world lasting so long as the Liturgie hath been then Posterity will be the competent Judge whether the Face of Religion had the more lively healthful and chearful looks under the one or under the other 12. The next news engrossing the talk of all tongues Arch-Bishop Williams strangely altered was about D r Williams Arch-Bishop of York no less suddenly than strangely metamo phosed from a zealous Royalist into an active Parliamentarian being to relate the occasion thereof we will enter on the brief history of his life from the cradle to the grave repeating nothing formerly written but only adding thereunto 13. None can question the gentility of his extraction Born in Wales of good parentage finding him born at Aberconway in Carnatvon-shire in Wales of a family rather ancient than rich His Grandfather had a good estate but aliened it seems by his heirs so that this Doctor when Lord-Keeper was fain to repurchase it Surely it was of a considerable value because he complaineth in his * Cabala pag. letter to the Duke who encouraged him to the purchase that he was forced to borrow money and stood indebted for the same 14. He was bred in S t Johns Colledge in Cambridge Bred in Saint Johns and Proctor of Cambridge to hold the scales even with S t Johns in Oxford wherein Arch-Bishop Land had his education D r Gwin was his tutor his chiefest if not his only eminency and afterwards the occasion of his preferment For as this Tutor made his Pupil Fellow this Pupil made the Tutor Master of the Colledge Next was M r Williams made Proctor of the University excellently performing his Acts for the place in so stately a posture as rather but of duty thereby to honour his Mother-Vniversity than desire to credit himself as taking it only in his passage to an higher employment 15. He was Chaplain or Councellor shall I say to Thomas Egerton Lord Chancellor The Lord Egerton his hoon to this his Chaplain who imparted many mysteries of that place unto him Here an able Teacher of State met with as apt a Scholar the one not more free in powring forth then the other capable to receive firm to retain and active to improve what was infused into him So dear was this Doctor to his Patrone that this Lord dying on his death-bed desired him to choose what most acceptable legacy he should bequeath
appears in the whole Lordship In this sute Plaintiff Judges Defendant Peter Duke of Savoy the Kings dear Uncle first founder I take it of the Savoy in London on whom the King conferred many Lordships and Chesthunt amongst the rest Solicitor Adam de Alverton Ralph Fitz-Nicolas John of Lexington Paulin Peyner Seneschal Henry of Bath Jeremy of Caxton Henry de Bretton The Case Simon the Abbot and the Covent of Waltham The Plaintiff endeavoured to prove that the stream of Ley called the Kings-Stream dividing Hertford-shire from Essex ran thorow the Town of Waltham all the land West thereof belonging to the Manor of Chesthunt This was denied by the Defendant maintaining that Small-Ley-stream running welnigh half a mile West of Waltham parted the Counties all the interjacent meadows pertained to Waltham Perusing the names of these the Kings Justices at Westminster A like not the same who would not suspect but that this Henry of Bath was Bishop of that See considering how many Clergy-men in that age were imployed in places of Judicature But the suspicion is causless finding none of that name in the Episcopal Catalogue Others in like manner may apprehend that Bretton here mentioned was that Learned Lawyer afterwards Bishop of Hereford who wrote the * See Godwin in his Bishops of Hereâ—ord Book De Juribus Anglicanis and who flourished in the latter end of the Reign of this King Henry the third But his name being John not Henry discovereth him a different person Not long after this sute was finally determined and Peter Duke of Savoy remised and quit-claimed from him and his Heirs to the said Abbot and his Successors Anno Regis the right and claim he had to ask in the same Meadows and Marshes of the said Abbot Anno Dom. This is called in the Instrument finalis concordia though it proved neither final nor a concord For soon after this palliaâ—â— cure broke out again and the matter was in variance and undetermined betwixt Robert the last Abbot and the Lord of Chesthunt when the Abby was dissolved Many accessions besides those common prolongers of all sutes namely the heat of mens anger and the bellows of instruments gaining by Law did concur to lengthen this cause 1. The considerableness and concernment of the thing controverted being a large and rich portion of ground 2. The difficulty of the cause about the chanels of that River which Proteus-like in several Ages hath appeared in sundry formes disguised by derivations on different occasions 3. The greatness of the Clients Chesthunt Lordship being alwayes in the hand of some potent person and the Corporation of Waltham Covent able to wage Law with him Hence hath this sute been as long-lov'd as any in England not excepting that in * Cambden in Glocester-shire Glocester-shire betwixt the posterity of Vice-Count Lisle and the Lord Barkley seeing very lately if not at this day there were some sutes about our bounds Waltham Meadows being very rich in grass and hay but too fruitful in contentions For mine own part that wound which I cannot heal I will not widen and seeing I may say with the Poet Non nostrum inter vos tantas componere lites No power of mine so far extends As for to make both parties friends I will not turn of an unpartial Historian an engaged person who as a neighbour wish well to Chesthunt as a Parishioner better to Waltham as a Christian best to both And therefore so much for matter of fact in our Records and Leiger-books leaving all matters of right for others to decide Mean time whilest the Abbot and Monks of Waltham were vexed with the men of Chesthunt they found more favour if publick same belies them not from some loving women in that Parish I mean the Holy Sisters in Chesthunt-Nunnery whose House when ever Founded I finde some ten years since thus confirmed by Royal Authority Henricus Rex Anglie Chesthunt Nunnery Founded Dominus Hybernie Dux Normanie Aquitanie Comes Andegavie c. Shestrehunt Moniales totam terram Dom. teneant cum pertinentiis suisque Canonicis de Cathele c. quos amoveri fecimus Datum apud West xj Aug. Anno Regni nostri xxiiij But this subject begins to swell beyond the bounds intended unto it lest therefore what we intended but a Tract should swell to a Tome we will here descend to matters of later date Onely be it premised Copt-Hall past to King Hen. 8. that some years before the Dissolution Robert the last Abbot of Waltham passed over the fair seat of Copt-Hall unto King Henry the eighth Thus as the Castor when pursued by the Hunter to make his escape is reported to bite off his own stones as the main treasure sought after and so saves his life by losing a limb So this Abbot politickly parted with that stately Mansion in hope thereby to preserve the rest of his revenues However all would not do so impossible it is to save what is design'd to ruine and few years after the Abby with the large Lands thereof were seized on by the King and for some Moneths He alone stood possessed thereof The Extraction Charter Death and Issue of Sir Anthony Dennie on whom King Henry the Eighth bestowed WALTHAM-ABBY AT the Dissolution A Lease of Waltham Abby given to Sir Anthony Denny King Henry bestowed the Site of this Abby with many large and rich Lands belonging thereunto on S r Anthony Dennie for the terme of Thirty one years Let us a little enquire into his extraction and discent I finde the name very Ancient at a Speed or ratherâ—â— Rob. Cotton in Huntingdon-shire Chesterton in Huntington-shire where the Heir-general was long since married John Denny the great souâ—der in France to the worshipful and Ancient Family of the Bevils It seems a branch of the Male-line afterwards fixed in Hertford-shire Whereof John Denny Esquire valiantly served Henry the fifth in France where he was slain and buried with Thomas his second Son in S t Dionys his Chappel their interment in so noble a place speaking their worthy performances In the Reign of Queen Mary a Frier shewed their Tombes to S r Matthew Carew together with their Coates and differences Henry eldest son of this John Denny begat William Denny of Chesthunt in Hertford-shire which William was High Sheriff of the County in the year 1480. leaving Edmond Denny to inherit his estate Edmond Denny was one of the Barons of the Exchequer Edm. Denny Baron of the Exchequer in credit and favour with King Edward the Fourth and Henry the Seventh He Married Mary the Daughter and Heir of Robert Troutbeck Esquire on whom he begat Thomas Denny from whom the Dennies in Norfolk are descended Anthony Denny Anthony Denny his high commendations second Son to Baron Denny was Knighted by King Henry the Eighth made Gentleman of his Bed-chamber Privy-Councellour and one of his Executors I cannot say he was bred any great Scholar
time may be limited within the compasse whereof they shall conforme His Majesty I assent thereunto and let the Bishop of the Diocesse set downe the time Mr. Knewst I request * Here he fell down on his knees the like favour of forbearance to some honest Ministers in Suffolk For it will make much against their credits in the Countrey to be now forced to the Surplice and Crosse in Baptisime Arch-b of Cant. Nay Sir His Majesty Let me alone to answer him Sir you shew your self an uncharitable man We have here taken paines and in the end have concluded on Unity and Uniformity and you forsooth must prefer the credits of a few Private Men before the Peace of the Church This is just the Scotch Argument when any thing was concluded which disliked some humours Let them either conform themselves shortly or they shall hear of it L d. Cecil The indecencie of ambuling Communions is very offensive and hath driven many from the Church BP of Lond. And Mr. Chaderton I could tell you of sitting Communions in Emanuel Colledge Mr. Chad. It is so because of the seats so placed as they be and yet we have some kneeling also in our Chappell His Majesty No more hereof for the present seeing they have joyntly promised hereafter to be quiet and obedient Whereat He rose up to depart into an inner Chamber BP of Lond. Gods goodnesse be blessed for your Majesty and give health and prosperity to Your Highnesse your Gracious Queene the young Prince and all the Royall Issue Thus ended the three dayes Conference The generall censure of the Conferencers wherein how discreetly the King carried himself Posterity out of the reach of Flatterie is the most competent Judg such matters being most truly discerned at distance It is generally said that herein he went above himselfe that the Bishop of London appeared even with himselfe and Dr. Reinolds fell much beneath himselfe Others observed that Archbishop Whitgift spake most gravely Bancroft when out of passion most politickly Bilson most learnedly And of the Divines Mr. Reynolds most largely Knewstubs most affectionately Chaderton most sparingly In this Scene onely Dr. Sparks was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 making use of his hearing not speech converted it seemes to the truth of what was spoken and soon after setting forth a Treatise of Unity and Uniformity But the Nonconformists complained The Non-conformists Complaint that the King sent for their Divines not to have their Scruples satisfied but his Pleasure propounded not that he might know what they could say but they what he would do in the matter Besides no wonder if Dr. Reynolds a little lost himself whose eyes were partly dazled with the light of the Kings Majesty partly daunted with the heat of his displeasure Others complaine that this Conference is partially set forth onely by Dr. Barlow Dean of Chester their professed Adversary to the great disadvantage of their Divines And when the Israelites go down to the Philistines to whet all their Iron Tooles no wonder if they set a sharp edge on their owne and a blunt one on their Enemies weapons This Conference produced some alterations in the Lyturgie The Product of this Conference Womens baptising of Infants formerly frequent hereafter forbidden in the Rubrick of Absolution Remission of Sinnes inserted Confirmation termed also an Examination of Children and some words altered in the Dominicall Gospels with a resolution for a new Translation of the Bible But whereas it was hitherto disputable whether the North where he long lived or the South whither he lately came should prevaile most on the Kings judgement in Church-government this doubt was now clearly decided Hence forward many cripples in conformitie were cured of their former halting therein and such who knew not their owne till they knew the Kings minde in this matter for the future quietly digested the Ceremonies of the Church We have formerly made mention of the Millemanus Petition for Reformation The Copy of the Milenary Petition which about this time was solemnly presented to His Majesty and which here we have truly exemplified The humble Petition of the Ministers of the Church of England desiring Reformation of certaine Ceremonies and abuses of the Church To the most Christian and excellent Prince our Gracious and dread Soveraigne James by the grace of God c. We the Ministers of the Church of England that desire Reformation wish a long prosperous and happy Raigne over us in this Life and in the next everlasting Salvation MOst gracious and dread Soveraigne Seeing it hath pleased the Divine Majesty to the great comfort of all good Christians to advance Your Highnesse according to Your just Title to the peaceable Government of this Church and Common-wealth of ENGLAND We the Ministers of the Gospel in this Land neither as factious men affecting a popular Parity in the Church nor as Schismatikes aiming at the dissolution of the State Ecclesiasticall but as the faithfull servants of Christ and Loyall Subjects to Your Majesty desiring and longing for the redresse of divers abuses of the Church could doe no lesse in our obedience to God service to Your Majesty love to his Church than acquaint Your Princely Majesty with our particular griefs For as Your Princely Pen writeth The King as a good Physitian must first know what peccant humours his Patient naturally is most subject unto before he can begin his cure And although divers of us that sue for Reformation have formerly in respect of the times subscribed to the Book some upon Protestation some upon Exposition given them some with Condition rather than the Church should have been deprived of their labour and ministerie Yet now we to the number of moe than a thousand of Your Majesties Subjects and Ministers all groaning as under a common burden of Humane Rites and Ceremonies doe with one joynt consent humble our selves at Your Majesties Feet to be eased and relieved in this behalf Our humble suit then unto Your Majesty is that these offences following some may be removed some amended some qualified I. In the Church-Service That the Crosse in Baptisme Interrogatories ministred to Infants Confirmation as superfluous may be taken away Baptisme not to be ministred by Women and so explained The Cap and Surplice not urged That Examination may goe before the Communion That it be ministred with a Sermon That divers termes of Priests and Absolution and some other used with the Ring in Marriage and other such like in the Book may be corrected The long-somenesse of Service abridged Church-songs and Musick moderated to better edification That the Lords day be not profaned The Rest upon Holy-dayes not so strictly urged That there may be an Uniformity of Doctrine prescribed No Popish Opinion to be any more taught or defended No Ministers charged to teach their people to bow at the name of JESUS That the Canonicall Scriptures onely be read in the Church II. Concerning church-Church-Ministers That none hereafter