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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
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

or condemned by forrein power or by forren lawes There shall no husbandrie no clothing no handicraft no mariner no marchādize no lawes of the land no maner of good learning whatsoeuer in Schoole Colledge or Vniversitie bee decreased or laid aside Wherfore the Admonitor toying neuer so much how so euer he hath made his flourish cast about with his May bees his I feare his I pray God his yfes his andes howsoeuer I say it pleased him to trifle with these gew gawes yet shall none euer be able to proue by anie proofes dravvne from the holy Scripture or humane reason that anie hinderance in dignitie or incumbrance can euer betide our Nobles our Commons the state of our Countrey people lawes or common Weale if the state of church-gouermēt were translated from Archbishops Bishops Archdeacons Chancelours Cōmissaries and Officialls which are officers in the house of God onelie according to the commaundements and traditions of men vnto the gouernment practised by the Apostles and primitiue Church which they can not denie but must cōfesse to haue bene according to the holy pleasure of God Nay our Nobles and our commons are most assured to be so farre from being endamaged or loosing ought hereby as herby they shall purchase that vnto them selues which neuer yet any oppugner of so good and holy a cause could attayne vnto Namely they shall seale vp vnto their owne soules infallible testimonies of good and sincere consciences testimonies I saye of their fidelities vnto God testimonies of their allegiance vnto him by whom they haue bene redeemed and testimonies of loue and compassion vnto the whole church of God Nay further our cōmons shal be so farre from bringing anie damage vpon them selues as they shall marvelouslie benefit them selues First by purchasing vnto themselues a large immunitie from manie foule and great greeuances and exactions of money imposed leuied vpon them by officers and deputies of Archbishops Bishops Archdeacons c. Secondlie by hauing the Lord Christ whose cause they vndertake and whose glorie they advance to be a friend vnto their friends and an enemie vnto their enemies And if our Nobles and our Commons be all hushed if they be all at sleepe at peace and at rest we may cast away all feare and be past all doubt that the King can not but holily recreate and solace him selfe and that his gray haires when soeuer they shall come shall neuer be brought to the graue in sorrow but in a good perfect age and peace But happelie it may be replied that Pag. ●9 some of our Nobles and most of our commons be so backwardlie affected Pag. 79. to the trueth of Religion as that rather they would turne head vpon the Gospell then brooke an alteration of Archiepiscopall Episcopal and Archidiaconall Church gouerment In deed if a reformation of the state of the Cleargie were attempted by anie other meanes then by publicke tractation and cōsent of Parleamēt I could not but leane vnto this opinion that the attempting thereof might bring an overthrow to the attempters Because the same attempt should be dishonorable to the name of God as being contrarie to the forme of doctrine receiued But since thinges amisse are required to be redressed by the King and Parleament alone this obiection is altogether vaine and frivolous and is alreadie sufficientlie convinced by that peaceable agreement betweene Nobles and Commons before remembred But let vs wade a litle deeper and search a litle more narrowlie into euery vaine creeke and corner of this supposition And let vs see by what maner of persons this pretensed ouerthrow of the Gospell might be wrought All carnall sensuall and earthly men No fe●re that prophane men will ouerthrow the Gospell either whose belly is their god or whose god is this world all such men I say as in euery age be of Domingoes religion namely iust iumpe of that religion which the King and State professe they are so farre from attempting ought to ouerthrow the Gospel as vnder the shadow of the name thereof they wil euermore croude and couer their carnalitie and prophanes For they being euermore of euery religion and so in deede of no religion and passing not whether our Sauiour Christ or Beliall be their God sing as the Poët singeth Ais Aio Negas Nego becke and bow cap and knee to whatsoeuer the state and lawe commandes If the King be a Gospeller the Gospell the Gospell and naught els but the Gospell shal be found to roule in their mouthes But let the Crowne once turne by and by they haue turned their coates and as wether cockes with euery puffe of wind are huffed about Whatsoeuer order or maner of gouerment be planted or displanted in the Church the same shal be no corosiue to them It shall neuer sticke in these mens stomackes neither will they lay it to their hearts The King and Counsell is wise inough and knowe what they haue to doe well inough They will not be more forward nor wiser thē the Prince they will not checke and controll the whole Realme They can not brooke these busie bodies and medlers in matters aboue their reach They wil be none of these new fangled and precise fooles they will not bee backward and come behinde the law as the Papistes doe neither will they be to forward and runne before the law as the Puritans doe But they wil behaue themselues in all things and at all seasons as discrete politike Protestants ought to doe cōforming submitting themselues alwayes to all order authoritie of the Queenes booke lawes setled Yea and though they be not booke learned nor any pen clerkes yet they beleeue well And therefore they will goe to the Church and say a few prayers yea they will receaue the Sacrament at Easter as deuoutlie as the best precisian of them all All these Atheistes and godlesse men being neither hot nor cold neither fish nor flesh nor good red hering plant what plants you will and sow what seedes you list yea make what ditch hedge pale wall or fence you please they set cocke vpon hoope passe not a button for it euery season be it wet or be it dry euery kind of lād be it clay or be it sand euery furrow be it broad or be it narrow be it deepe or be it shallow pleaseth cōtenteth these medley coates alike They are like vnto Iacobs ●wes which hauinge straked and party coloured rods laid before them in the gutters at a ramming time brought forth none other but partie coloured lambes And therfore they will neuer stir hand nor foote nor once steppe ouer a straw to worke any least anoyance to the Gospell It is good sleeping alwayes for these men in a whole skinne And not much vnlike to these partie coloured slepers are the admoni●orie protestants For they as the dutie of faithfull subiectes doe bind them li●ing in a state of a Church reformed and hauing libertie in

holy Gospell harboured onely by the Queene the Lords temporall and commons what more playne euidence or better proofe can there be that the Lords spiritual by any necessitie be neither principalls nor accessaries neither branches nor buddes neither hanginges nor sealings nor anie furniture for the house of Parleament And of this opiniō are the soundest Historians and sincerest Divines of our age In the fifteenth yeere of King Edward Act. Mo. fol. 320. the third saieth Maister Fox divers petitions being put vppe in Parleament against provisions comming from Rome the Kinges answere and agreement was made in forme following viz It is agreed by the Kinge Earles Barons Iustices other wise men of the Realme That the petitions aforesaid be made in sufficient forme of law Where it is to be noted saith he that at the graunt hereof the consent of the Bishoppes is neither named nor expressed with the Lords of Parleament and yet the Parleament standeth in his full force notwithstanding At an other Parleament saith he William Wicham Bishoppe of Winchester Act. Mo. 525. for a slaunderous report savouring of a contumelious lye and proceeding of a subtile zeale meaning falsehoode was so by the Duke of Lancaster pursued that by act of Parleament hee was condemned and depriued of all his temporall goods And this seemeth to haue bin done saith Maister Fox without assent and against the willes of the Lords spirituall for afterwarde at an other Parleament great sute was made by the Cleargie for deliverance of the said Bishoppe and being asked a subsidie in the Kings behalfe with great lamentation they complayned for lacke of their fellow and brother of Winchester and denied to ioyne them selves in anie tractation of anie such matter And in another Parleamēt holden at Yorke in the sixt yeere of King Edward the third all Act. Mo. 519. such lawes as then passed and were cōcluded by the King Barons and Commons were good notwithstandinge the absence or malice of the Lordes spirituall For it is recorded saith he that onlie the Archb. of Yorke the Bishoppe of Lincolne and the Abbottes of Yorke Silby were there present In a booke intituled the burninge of Paules church in London 1561. and in the fift question moved by a papist it is said that this maner of ministration of Sacramentes set foorth in the booke of cōmō prayers was neuer allowed nor agreed vpon c. no not by the Clergie of Englande at the last Parleament but onlie it was agreed vpon by the Laitie which had nothing a doe with spirituall matters or causes of religion Wherevnto the Reverend Father Maister Pilkington M. Pilkingtō Bishop of Duresme Bishop of Duresme aunswering was there not saith he a disputation for Religion appointed by the Queenes Maiestie wherein your Clergie was affraid to vtter their foolishnes in defending their superstition least they had taken more shame in answering thē they did in holding their peace I thinke the Vniversities with so manie places of the Realm receiving religion these other disputing for it may be counted to bee some part of the Clergie of the Realme And so it was not receyued without consent of the Clergie But these were not of the Parleament What then But as Ioash Iosaphat Ezekias and Iosias did not make a new religion but restored that which was defaced had long lien buried so our Parleament did not set forth a new religion but restore that which was godlie begane vnder the good King Edward confirmed by the Parleament and Clergie then c. But nothing can be concluded as a lawe by Parleament say they without consent of the Clergie there present But this havinge not their consent can not be counted a law as they thinke I had rather saith Maister Pilkington leaue this to bee aunswered by the Lawiers then otherwise Yet that the world may see that some thing may be saide in it we graunt him not this to be true that no law at all can be made without consent of Bishoppes Looke your old statutes of Parleament when Bb. were highest afore Edward the third and yee shall reade that they passed by the consent of the Lords temporall and commons without any mencion of the Lords spirituall which statutes many of them stand in strenght at this day Then it may well be gathered that the consent of the Clergy was not alwayes so necessarie as they thinke it The Lawyers Iudges and Iustice●s put in practise execute these lawes therfore their doinges may bee a sufficient reason to lead the vnlearned what opinion they haue of these statutes For Religion except Iustice Raftall first executing that and afterward runing away may condemne the rest which I trust he may not I thinke they would not execute them except they had the strength and nature of lawes If they doe contrarie to their knowledge and opinion they can not bee able to answere their doings but I thinke no wise men are of this opinion Only these corner creepers that dare not shew their face and would deceyue the people goe about to deface all good godly order that displeases them In the dayes of King Edward they had the like fonde opinion that the Kinge could not make lawes in his minoritie vntill he came vnto full age and to make the people to disobey their Prince Hetherto Maister Pilkington Lorde Bishop of Duresme with whom the most worthy learned Maister Iewell late Bishop of Salisburie M. Iewel B. of Salisbury agreeth in every point The wise and learned saith he could haue told you that in the Parleaments of England matters haue evermore vsed to passe not of necessitie by the speciall consent of the Archbishops Bishops as if without them no statute might lawfully be enacted but onely by the more part of voyces yea although the Archb. Bishops were neuer so earnestly bent against it And statutes so passing in Parleaments onely by the voyces of the Lords temporall without the consent and agreement of the Lordes spirituall haue nevertheles bin alwayes cōfirmed and ratified by the Royall assent of the Prince and haue bene enacted and published vnder the names of the Lordes spirituall and temporall Read saith he the statutes of K Edward the first there shall ye find that in a Parliamēt holden at St Edmondsbury the Archbishops Bishops were quite shut foorth and yet the Parleament held on and good and profitable lawes were there enacted the departing or absence or malice of the Bishops spirituall notwithstanding In the recordes thereof it is written thus Habito Rex cum suis Baronibus Parliamento Clero excluso statutum est The King keeping a Parleament with his Barons the Clergie that is to say the Archbishops and Bishops beeing shut foorth it was enacted c. In provisione de matrona in the time of King Edward the third whereas matter was moved of bastardy touching the legitimation of bastards borne before mariage the statute passed wholy with

insinuate your selves into their companies you have tabled and boorded with the same parties and that you or one of you have bene heeretofore cōvented for the causes aforesaid before the now lord Archb. his grace for enterteyning into your house a person whiche stood then and yet standed suspended deprived for disliking the booke of common prayer and other godly orders established by her Maiesties authoritie in this Realme Item we obiect vnto you the said G. B. and L. yourwife that you have not frequented divine service celebrated within your parish Church of Bothese vi 5. 4. 3. 2. or one yeares last nor doe not at this present at least every Sunday nor have receyved the holy Communion within your said parish Church during the saide yeares Quere whether the Bishop did not more offend the lawe of God by preferring these articles then the Gentleman did by procuring his children to bee Baptised by a preaching Minister having none at home Item that you the saide G. B. and L. your wife within the time aforesaid haue not Christened nor baptized your children within your parish Church but contrarie to the forme and order of hir Maiesties lawes in that case provided have eyther christened them at home privatelie in your owne house or have caried or caused them to be caried to other Churches And let them declare what Church and what Minister did baptise them and where and whether the same Minister did at the same baptisme signe the childe with the signe of the crosse and lett them declare the cause why they did baptize their children out of their parish Item that the Ministers pew or seate in the church of B. aforesaid by the directiō Note that the Bishop of L. was not Bishop of the Diocesse of the L. reverend Father in God the Bb. of L. that now is being at the same Church as also by the consent of the Minister and Church-Wardens there was placed in a verie convenient place of the Church to the end the parishioners there might the better heare and vnderstand the Minister at the time of reading the divine service Item we obiect vnto you that you the said F. B. within these vi or 3. monethes last past have without anie sufficient warrant or commaundement from the father in God the Lord Bishoppe of L. or his Chancelour or other having authoritie therein very disorderly and contemptuouslie remooved the same seat to the great offence of the parishioners and bad example of others Item we obiect vnto you that you know beleeue or have heard say that Za. G. is a Preacher of the word of God and a man of good life and conversation lawfull Parson of B. aforesaid Item we obiect vnto you that the premises notwithstanding you the said F. B. vpon a Sunday within a quarter of a yeare last past when the Parishioners of B. were assembled together at the saide Church to heare divine seruice caused divers serving men and others to sit in the pew or place which properly belonged to the Parson of the said Church so that when the saide M. G. came to take his place they thrust him and very disorderlie in the time of prayer kept him out of the said place Item wee obiect vnto you F. B. that about six yeares past you the saide F. brought into the Towne of B. a bastard child as it is credibly thought of your owne and there placed it at nurse and haue lately receyved it into your owne house to the great offence of the inhabitantes there and the bad example of others Et obijcimꝰ cu m duꝰ de quolibet Subscribed c. Wherevnto in the foote of these articles was added Maister B. I pray you let this matter be followed ex officio and the parties presently to be sent for by warrant Subscribed c. Now these Gentlemen according to the Bishoppes direction being presently sent for by a Pursevant to aunswere the articles obiected they foorthwith make their repayre to the Archbishop with a copie of the articles with whom they finde such grace as in their behalfe immediatly hee writeth to the Bishoppe as followeth SAlutem in Christo My very good Lorde I haue by meanes received these articles enclosed signed by your Lordsh hand and can not but greatly merveyle that contrary to the orders of the commission Court subscribed by your selfe the rest of the Cōmissioners you would cause a Gentleman of such a qualitie as Maister B. is to be sent for by a Pursevant before the ordinarie processe of a letter missiue Note that the signe of the crosse in Baptisme by an Archb. opinion is but of smal moment that suspicion of bastardie may easilie be dismissed were served vpon him especially for matters of so small moment Neither will it bee thought to proceede of any iust cause but rather of some other misconceyte when it shal be vnderstood that there is a controversie in lawe elsewhere depending betwene him and a kinsman of yours And therefore for the avoyding of his further complaint and other offence that may grow thereby I heartely pray your Lordship to suppresse the same and proceed no further therein Desiring you withall to haue due consideration of the cause least I be enforced to deale likewise in the defence of my kinsman as you doe for yours And so praying your Lo. Note that the 17. of Octo. was the Saboth day at what time the Archb. D. C. and D. B. sitting as Commissioners th● Archb. took pen inke and crossed the articles all overthwart and so sent them backe with this letter to returne vnto me aunswere herevnto what you meane to doe with my very heartie commendacions I commit you to the tuition of Almightie God Frō c. the 17. of Octo. c. Subscri c Vnto which letter also was added as followeth Maister B. I pray you according to the tenor of this letter to see that this cause of M. G. and F. B. bee dismissed from thence and if any be boūd to prosecute the cause against them let them vnderstand that I meane to heare it at c. otherwise let it wholie be dismissed and the bandes delivered The Bishoppes aunswere to the Archbishops former letters MAy it please your grace to vnderstand that I was the more willingly drawen to sende for Ma. B. in that sort because he was oft and of long time accused not only to be a disordered man him selfe but also a great and open mainteyner and carier from place to place of that wrangling puritane W. And as it is to bee prooued a refrainer from his church and from the Cōmunion as I am enformed And therefore if we haue omitted any circumstance or ceremonie it is in zeale of the redresse of such a disordered person Which if it should be foūd in your own brother I thinke your grace would not spare him Neuerthelesse if you yourselfe take it in hand to his redresse I for my part

the Lordes temporall whether the Lordes spirituall would or no. And that contrary to the expresse decrees canons of the church of Rome And thus much the most reverend and godly Father Maister Iewell Bishop of Salisbury wherefore to conclude this point against the Admonitors position I dispute thus All those persons who by any necessity are none of the three estates and by whose authorities the statutes of England to this day haue not stood to leaue out the same persons may happely seeme a matter of lesse weyght then all men doe iudge it But the Archb and Bb. are such persons as by necessitie are none of the three estates and by whose consents the statutes of Englande to this day haue not stood Therefore to leaue out the Archb and Bb. may happely seeme a matter of lesse weight then all men doe iudge it If our Evangelicall Bishops be of that opinion of which the Popish Bishops were viz that the house of Parleament is an vnfit an vnmeete place to haue the holie cause of the religion of God debated and concluded vpon and that the Layitie without the Clergie ought not to conclude any thinge in religion that in respect hereof their presences their voyces and their assents are necessarie in the Parleament If our Evangelicall Prelates I say make this obiection then besides that hereby they vnseemely vnmannerly vnchristianly accuse the whole land of ignorance and blindnes in religion supposing neither King nor Nobles nor Commons to be able to discerne betwene night and day besides this I say so shamefull an abuse of a whole Christian nation I would pray them to remember what the most reuerend Fathers Maister Pilkington Maister Iewell haue aunswered to such cavillous slaunders For what els intended they by many examples proofes brought for the Parleamentes of England consisting of the King the Nobles and the Commons to be lawfull Parleaments and to haue right to establish religion but to iustifie against Popish scoffers that religion might be receyued established in Parleament notwithstandinge the absence or exclusion of the Clergie Besides since our lawes do vphold the state authoritie of the Convocation Matters of religion not concluded in Parleament before the same bee consulted of in conuocation house for the examination of all causes of Religion surely it can not be truely averred that it is necessarie for Evangelicall Bishops to be members of the Parleament house least controversie of religion should be handled and discussed without them For how should any matter of religion bee concluded without them in Parleament when first of all the same is to be argued among them selves in convocation or let them hardely if they can shew any one instance of any change or alteratiō either from religion to superstition or from superstitiō to religion to haue bin made in Parleament vnlesse the same freely at large haue bene first agreed vppon in their Synodes and Convocations And what booteth it then to haue a double or treble consultation and consent of Archbishops Bishops in Parleament Is the holy cause of God any whit bettered by their Bishops riding from Paules to Westminster Or can it receiue any more strength by their walking from Westminster Church to Westminster Pallace Nay it hath bene oftentimes so farr from being promoted by their Bishops as not onelie in their convocations but also in the Queenes Parleaments the same hath ben shamefully intreated and taken the foile as may witnesse the bill for the better observation of the Sabboth 27. Eliz. which beeing passed by both houses of Parleament was notwithstanding gainesaid withstood by none so much as by certayne Evangelicall Bishops which as there all men generallie conceaved was onlie stayed from being made a law by the Queene vpon their counsell and perswasion Admonition It hath bene alwayes dangerous to pick quarels against lawes setled Pag. 78. Assertion And is it not morbus hereditarius in Steuen Gardeners argument and the Admonitors argumēt in effect one Prelates to picke quarrels against reformation of errours For even this did Steven Gardener reason against the Lord Protector That in no case sayth Steuen Gardener is to bee attempted of the Lord Protector which may bring both danger to him and trouble to the whole Realme But innovation of Religion from that state wherein King Henry left it may bee and is like to bee dangerous to the Lord protector to breed troubles to the whole Realme Therefore innouation of Religion from the state that King Henry left it is in no wise to be attempted And even of this stāpe of this streyne is the argument of picking quarrelles against lawes settled for thus in effect he argueth That Discipline in no case is to bee brought into the Church by the Kinge Parleament which may be dangerous to lawes setled But to bring into the Church the Apostolicall discipline may bee dangerous to lawes setled Therefore the Apostolicall Discipline in no case is to bee brought into the Church by the King Parleament But forasmuch as that noble and religious Lord Protector notwithstanding Steven Gardiners sophistrie continued constant and couragious in the abolishment of Poperie and superstition which King Henrie left did without dangerous alterations of lawes then settled innovate religion How much more now may the Kings Maiestie the Lesse dāger to reforme the Church by newe lawes then to continue corruptiō by old lawes Lords and Commons in Parleament attempt with effect an innovation of that state of Ecclesiasticall goverment wherin the Queene left the Church And if it can not be denied but it had bene farre more daungerous for the Realme and for the Lord protector not to haue setled the holy doctrine of the everlasting Gospel by new lawes then to haue mainteyned and continued antichristianitie by old lawes how should it bee lesse danger for the King in these dayes to continue corruptions in the Church by tolleration of old lawes then to haue the same corruptions reformed by establishment of new lawes But vnto whō or vnto what hath it bene daungerous to picke quarrelles against lawes setled What Hath it bene dangerous to lawes setled No. For how should lawes setled be indangered by quarelers sithence quarellers are euermore in daunger of lawes settled Or hath it bene alwayes dangerous for a King for a State for a people or for a Countrey to picke quarelles against lawes setled No. For what man is he or what face carieth he that dare vpbrayde a Countrey a people a State or a King minding to vnsetle evil lawes euill customes to be quarelers against lawes setled Let it then onlie be daungerous for private persons vpon private malecontentment to picke quarelles against good lawes wel rightly setled and let it not be hurtfull or dangerous for supreame Kings powers and Principalities by publicke edicts to alter evill lawes evilly setled For to what other end should evill lawes evilly setled

nominate and elect their new Mayor Sherifes and Baylifes But that the Aldermen principall Townsmen Boroughmaisters and men having borne chief offices in those Cities Townes Boroughes haue easilie bene wrought by ambitious persons to giue their consents vnto vnworthie men though it haue pleased the Ll. Bb. with seene and allowed to haue spred and published this saying yet that the same saying is wholy vnworthie of anie credite to be giuen vnto it or to bee regarded of any wise and indifferent man let the sober peaceable elections made of the worthies of the lande hereafter mencioned be witnesses And to leaue to speake of the election of the Lord The officers in Cities Townes corporate chosen without contentiō ambitious working of vnworthy men Mayor of the Citie of London Sherifes Aldermen Wardens of companies Chāberlaynes Bridge-maisters and other annuall officers of honor and dignitie let vs consider whether the Citizens of London haue bene wrought by ambitious persons to choose Maister Wilbraham Maister Onslie Mr Bromly to bee their Recorders all three afterwarde the Queenes sollicitors and Maister Bromly Lord Chancelour of Englande and let vs consider whether the same Citizens as men of affection and want of ●ight iudgement did elect to be Recorders of the same Citie Mai. Serieant Fleetwood Maister Serieant Fleming Maister Serieant Drue and now Maister Crooke a mā wise learned and religious a Coūseler and Iusticer within the Principalitie of Wales The Recorder of the Towne of Bedford is the right honorable the lord St Iohns of Bletsoe The Recorder of Bristoll was a long time Maister Poppam now Lord chief Iustice of England The Recorder of Northampton before he came to be Iudge in the Kings bench was Maister Serieant Yelverton a favourer of the trueth an vpright Iusticer The Recorder of Warwicke was Maister Serieant Puckering afterward Lord Keeper of the great seale And of the same Towne the Recorder now is a worthie Knight descended from a noble house Sir Foulke Grevile The Recorder of Covētrie is Sir Iohn Harrington Knight a man zealous for the true feare of God The Recorder of Chichester was Mai. Serieant Lewkner now chief Iustice in the principalitie of Wales The Recorder of Norwich was Maister Cooke the Kings Atturney generall And who soeuer shall enquire after the names after the maner of election of all the Recorders in all other Cities Boroughes of the land I doubt not but he shall find them all to haue bene farre frō any least shew of ambitious working the Citiezens and Townsmen to nominate and elect thē Moreover as these Noble persons these sage graue learned and christian Gentlemen quietlie and in all peaceable manner with vpright and good affectiō and iudgement without ambitiō haue bene chosen by the Citizens Townsmen Borough-masters to the offices of Recordershippes So likewise manie sundrie honorable Coūselors Honorable Counselors chosen high stewardes without ambitious working haue bene and as occasion is ministred are daily elected by Citizens Townsmen to be their high Stewards Sir Frācis Knolles an honorable Counsailour one whose faith was famous among the churches as well abroad as at home by the electiō of the Citizens of Oxford remayned vntill he died high Stewarde of the Citie of Oxford The right honorable Sir Francis Walsingam by the cōmon Counsayle of Ipswich was made high Steward of the same Towne after whose decease the same cōmon coūsell by their electiō surrogated into the same place the right honorable the L. Hunsdon late L. Chamberlaine the right honorable Sir Christopher Hattō L. Chancelour of Englande by the Townsmen of Cābridg was chosen to be high steward for the town of Cābridge The right honorable the old Earle of Arundell after him the right honorable Earle of Lincolne and after his death the right honorable the Lord High Admirall of England now Earle of Notingham by the Borough-maisters of the Towne of Gildforde was elected to be high steward of the Towne of Gildeford Of all which honorable persons and of all other their Peeres chosen in other places of the Kingdome by the same meanes to the like offices there is great reason iust cause for the reverend Bb. to cary a more reverend estimation towards thē then to burthen them as ambitious persons to haue sought their places at the hands of men affected wanting right iudgment As for any other offices of credite dignitie charge and gouerment in the common weale now remayning in the choyse of the commons it may easilie be proved that the common people in sundrie places haue bent and opposed thē selues against ambitious persons who by sinister indirect meanes haue hunted for preferrement at their handes And what if it can not be gayne-said but that some publicke officers chosen by publicke applause of the people haue corruptly behaued themselues in their charges and haue not so equally and indifferently distributed iustice to all degrees as it became them yet this their misdemeanor can no more iustly be laid as a fault nor any more disgrace or discountenance the ancient and commendable forme and manner of election then the hipocrisie or counterfeyt zeale of an euill man ordeyned by the Bishop to be a Minister can be imputed vnto his letters of orders or manner of ordination Besides if none bee able to proue that the choyse of the Knights Knights of the Shires other officers chosen by the people without trouble to the state of our Shires Coroners of the Counties Verderers of the Kings forrests resting in the free voices and consents of the freeholders that the nomination of the high Constables being in the disposition of the Iustices of peace at their quarter sessions that the choyse of our peti-Conestables third Boroughes Tything men Church wardens Wardens for the high wayes overseers for the poore side men such like remayning altogether in the free election of the sutors to courts leets and law dayes and of the inhabitants Parishioners of every Village Hamlet or Tything haue bene troublesome to the Lievetenants of the Shires to the Stewards of our Courts to the Lords of our liberties nor to the Ordinaries of the Diocesses If I say there be not any one man able to bring foorth some few persons for many yeres passed by whom the Officers and Magistrates of the Queenes peace haue bene sued vnto and importuned for the pacification of any strife contention or debate of any busy head or ambitious person raysed among the people about the choise of any one of these Officers then I say it is meete and it importeth the Lords Bishops very deepely that for ever hereafter they bee silent and never any more vtter so vile a slander against so Noble a people as are the people of England viz. that vpon affection and want of right iudgment they will easily be led by ambitious persons to preferre vnworthy persons vnto all Offices of gayne or dignitie Or that