the entrance of the Israelites into the earthly Canaan and that 400 yeeres after they had so done and against the two Captaines and their Fifties for comming only by the Kings commandement to fetch Elijah vnto the King 2 Chr. 24.23 24. 2 Chr. 36.16 and against Ioash King of Iuda for putting Zechariah the Sonne of Iehoiadah to death and vpon all the Iewes for their manifold contumelies and other great iniuries against the Prophets from time to time so the Ministers of the Gospel being greater then the Prophets may we not feare some great Iudgement of God against vs for all the former hard dealing against them Mat. 23.37 Mat. 11.9 Doubtlesse we may feare the more because God spared not good King Asa for imprisoning Hanani the Seer for the word of the Lord deliuered by him against Asa 2. Chron. 16.7 c. for his relying vpon the king of Syria Your most Honorable Court may likewise be pleased to remember the great earthquake that followed the vniust depriuation of Athanasius by the first Synod of Antiochia Socra hist Eccles lib. 2. cap. 7. compared with Sozomen Lib. 3. cap. 5. Theodor. lib. 5. C. 34 Sozomen lib. 8. C. 27 Socrat. lib. 6. cap. 17. as also the like after for the like iniurie done vnto Chrysostom And although vpon the same he were recalled home and restored to his place yet not long after for the like cause being againe bannished the Lord pleaded his cause by a very extraordinarie hayle and by the speedy death of the Empresse Eudoxia who had much exasperated the Emperour Honorius against him and finally that that is written of diuers strange accidents after the death and martyrdom of William Gardiner though but a marchant mentioned in our owne booke of Acts and Monuments In all which so honourable wise and iudicious a Court need not any admonition to take heed of such flatterers as shall say no such thing is now to be feared For yee all know them that heretofore in like cases were wont to crye peace peace Iere 6.14 and 8.11 Ezek. 13.18 and to heale the Lords people with sweet words to haue beene accounted false Prophets as also woe was denounced against all them that did sowe pillowes to the armeholes and that did sing a requiem to their owne soules Amos 6.3 Psal 10.14 putting farre away the day of the Lord as likewise that the Lord is now the same God in iustice against the same sinnes that euer he hath beene and the same beholder of mischiefes and wrongs and the same reuenger of iniuries done vnto his Ambassadors that euer he was Yea yee also know that although the Ministers hitherto mentioned by their aduersaries haue beene accounted no better then Asses yet as the Angell of the Lord rebuked Balaam Balaam and his Asse Num. 22.23 c. for smiting his Asse when she turned first out of the waye wherein he would haue had her to goe and then for lying downe vnder him so the tyme may come when the Lord will take their cause into his hands and rebuke their riders the more for all the blowes they haue giuen them because euer since they haue beene called to the Ministerie they haue done as good seruice to the Church as euer Balaams Asse had done vnto him In the meane tyme they thinke they may as well complaine of the manifold blowes wherewith they haue been often smitten as Balaams Asse hauing her mouth opened by the Lord complayned of the stripes that Balaam had giuen her Yea it seemeth they may the more complayne in that behalfe because they haue neuer so crusht the foot of their riders as Balaams Asse had crushed his foot If they haue it hath beene because their riders haue gone that waye for going wherein the Lord was angrie with them or because the sayd Ministers being ridden in such a waye as where they could not turne haue as it were lyen downe and not gone so farre as their riders would haue had them as also because they haue smitten such Ministers with their staffe and threatned to haue killed them if they had had a sword In all which notwithstanding they haue pleaded the sight of the Angel of the Lord standing in the waye with a sword readie drawen in his hand which they haue more feared then the staffe or sword of their riders The wrath of God seemeth the more to be feared for the former hard dealing with such Ministers because of the iudgments threatned against the Princes of Iudah for their hard dealings with their seruants Ier. 34.16 Euen so much the more seemeth such wrath to be feared because the Lord hath not only dignified his sayd Ministers with many great titles and with the preaching of the best libertie but also with the instrumentall effecting of such libertie Galat. 5.1 wherewith Christ hath made men free and charged them not againe to be intangled with that yoake of bondage that sometime God himselfe had made much lesse with the yoake of bondage made only by men yea at the first by the man of sinne and aduersarie of Christ himselfe The chiefe Captaine feared to proceed against Paul because he was free of Rome Acts 22.24 Is nothing then to be feared for proceeding so farre and so long against so many Ministers of the Gospel that are free of Heauen it selfe and haue as I sayd beene the meanes to make other also free thereof How many fearfull things also followed all the Iewes for the hard dealing of their Clergie against Ieremiah notwithstanding the Princes of Iudah tooke his part and pleaded for him as many Nobles of this kingdome haue done for such Ministers as well as for other common sinnes of that tyme Not here to trouble you with repetition of that before touched viz. which the Lord commanded both to be written Exo. 17.14 1 Sam. 15.2 Ierem. 4.19 2 Kings 22.11 and also to be executed without any compassion against Amalek neyther to speake of the bitter complaynt of Ieremiah in the fore-sight of iudgements comming my bowels my bowels 2. Chron. 34.19.24 Amos 6.1 c. c. neyther also of his dolefull lamentation in that behalfe afterward in his Booke of Lamentations nor of the teares and sackcloth of Iosiah at finding the Booke of the Lawe discouering such future euills for the transgressions thereof and to omit the woe threatned to them that were at ease in Zion and that liued in pleasures without remorse of the afflictions of Ioseph as both generally wee doe now in England and particularly many of the Prelats not regarding eyther the heauie distresses of the Churches in France or the hard state of the most Noble and renowned Prince and Princes Palatine though by nature as well as by religion wee are bound vnto them and as we loue the kingdome of Christ Iesus ought to helpe them against their enimies least wee incurre the curse Iudg. 5.23 Iudgements already executed euen the bitter
the Lord prouide otherwise for the Wiues and Children of the Priests and Leuits in the time of the Law And is it not farre otherwise also in all other reformed Churches at this day For better obseruation likewise of the Lords daies that priuate persons may the better intend the publike exercises of Religion Persons indebted not to be arrested on the Lords day were it not meet for persons indebted pleading feare of arresting to restraine them from comming to Church and that sometimes in truth hauing cruell creditours and yet being ex animo desirous of the Word were it not I say meet for such to haue some securitie by Law on those daies except bewraying their Hypocrisie they shall be found in some Inne Tauerne or Alehouse in the places where they dwell As diuers daies also heretofore called Holy daies are now altogither by Law abrogated Holy daies to be abolished so why may not all the rest yet remaining be abolished for the better sanctification of the Lords day The diuersitie of commodities of one sort though neuer so bad doth hinder the estimation and sale of the best of that kind So doe these Holy daies their difference from the Lords daies by the common sort not discerned preiudice the religious obseruation of the Lords daies themselues Secondly The retaining of these being at least fiue and twentie euerie yeere cannot but greatly hinder the Common wealth of the Land For let the losse of the labour of so many thousand Trades men and Labouring men of all Occupations as this Land affordeth be well considered to how great a Masse will the whole losse amount Thirdly On such daies many spend more riotously in drinking and playing then they get in two daies before or after Fourthly On those daies how many quarrels and other outrages are ordinarily and yet most disorderly committed Fifthly How many Gentlemen and other great men hauing buildings or other great workes in hand by the absence of their Workemen on those daies in what case soeuer their buildings or other workes for the present are doe sustaine great dammage Sometime also such Workemen doe so mispend the Holy daies in glousing and drunkennesse that they are not fit for labour either the next day or two or three after Sixthly Few Masters on such daies can containe their Seruants from breaking out distempering themselues so that they are the worse the whole weeke following yea sometimes for their whole life after Seuenthly Some of the said daies by publike authoritie are more solemnly to be kept then the Lords daies and in respect of them the Lords daies with many do vilescere Eighthly That time that is commonly called Christide is more profaned then halfe the yeere besides More likewise in those twelue daies is lauishly spent then in halfe of the yeere after In some places also some poore men loose more time and spend more money in gaming then twentie times so many dinners and suppers are worth as they haue in such great Houses When likewise men are in such Houses rioting their Wiues and Children are in great want at home yea now and then also in danger of their liues at their returne either by distemper of drinke or by mad griefe with themselues for that which they haue lost Ninthly How many Apparitors and Sumners on such daies sneake vp and downe and prole here and there seeking worke for themselues and for their masters by finding some whom they may present for their worke or absence from Church themselues neither on those daies nor on the Lords daies being at Church any where but keeping their Church betwixt two Churches and sometimes in some blind and filthy Alehouses Many other the like abuses and inconueniences might be alleaged of these daies Col. 2 16. Gal 4.10 but these may serue for a tast God hauing abolished some daies that himselfe had ordained and the Apostles hauing found fault with obseruation of such daies c. shall men thinke themselues bound to obserue such daies as ignorantly haue been instituted only by men at least of more inconsiderate zeale at the first then of any sound Iudgement Illud est verius quod prius Tert. cont Mar. lib. 4. Idem de virgin velandis Cyp. Ep. 63 ad Caecilium illud prius quod ab initio Id ab initio quod ab Apostolis And againe Veritati nemo praescribere potest non spacium temporum c. Dominus noster Christus veritatem se non consuetudinem cognominauit c. And Cyprian Si solus Christus audiendus est non debemus attendere quid alius ante nos faciendum putauerit sed quid qui ante omnes est Christus prior fecerit Neque n. hominis consuetudinem sequi oportet sed dei veritatem c. For some moderate recreation of Seruants at some times your most Honourable Court can in your wisedomes take order though Holy daies be disanulled and that although some Masters should be mercilesse in that behalfe To conclude all for the sanctifying of this day may it please your Honourable Court to consider as of many other places of Scripture Isai 58.13 c. and the like Ier. 17.42 Ezek. 20.13 and 24 and 23.38 Neh. 13.15 so especially of the zeale of Nehemiah in that behalfe The greater the worke of Redemption is then the worke of the first Creation the more is the Lords day for remembrance whereof our Lord rested from the said worke to be regarded This further will I add that some order may be taken for instruction of poore prisoners both on that day and also at other times either in the Prison where they are or in some more publike place and that in such places and at such times as where and when their presence may be the lesse offensiue and noisome to other Before I passe altogether from this point of Holy daies let me I humbly beseech you insert some thing worthy your Christian consideration Lent touching the time of Lent because though it be no holier then any other time of the yeere yet by some of the vulgar sort yea also by some of better regard it is called the Holy time of Lent Touching this I doe not plead for the abolishing of it altogether touching abstinence from Flesh but only I refer the consideration of these things vnto your wisedomes First whether it were not better to be at some other time of the yeere when fresh Fish is more plentifull and easily to be had then to be continued still as it is at such time as when there is almost none at all Eus Hist Eccl. lib. 5. cap. 23. Socrat lib. 5. cap. 21. Sozomen lib. 7. ca. 19 The rather because it is not vnknowne to diuers Learned in your Honourable Court that there haue been diuers times of Lent obserued in diuers Countreys yea also that there haue been in some one Countrey diuers Lents obserued in one yeere though for shorter time then ours is yet all called
Ale-houses Tauernes and Alehouses in all places Yea for making some Act for the stinting of the number of them in euery Parrish of euery Towne and in euery Village of the country and that the number so stinted may not be increased afterward by any whosoeuer Yea also that none be authorized to keepe Inne Tauerne or Alehouse but such as are of good fame and name for their owne sober carriage and behauiour As likewise sufficient to vndergoe the penaltie by you appointed in case they shall offend by suffering any disorder in their houses contrarie to Law But because ye haue alreadie begun to take some order in that behalfe I shall not neede to speake much Notwithstanding there is the more neede to be had for the lessening of the number of them in all places and for reformation of the great resort vnto them especially by such as haue houses of their owne in the same Parrishes and chiefly of the great abuses in them by the former sinnes of drunkennesse and excessiue drinkings by playing at vnlawful games by swearing by singing filthy songs and by many other the like disorders In respect of all these there is the more care to be had for redresse of the premises because such houses are the chiefe bane of many mens children the spoyle of many Seruants the ruine of many yong Heyres the meanes of much whoredome and of many quarrelings and murders the harbors of many Theeues to contriue their Robberies and the places whither to bring their these stollen goods and finally the boothes of all other iniquities Some of them sometimes by some Iustices yea at quarter Sessions for a time are represt but how soone after be they erected againe Such Alehouses also are most dangerous that are in blinde corners farre remote from other houses so also such as are the more needles because they are neere to Market Townes that abound with them and both these are the more dangerous because Constables and other neighbours canot daily see the behauiours in them the one to informe the other to reforme whatsoeuer is amisse yea also touching all Alehouses Innes and Tauernes for the better repressing of them and redressing of all abuses in them it is to be wished that no knowen riotous persons and such as are giuen to play and drunkennesse specially men seruants and sons of parents knowne might be suffered to runne vpon the score and to take more then they presently pay for and that therefore all such ale or beere sellers Innekeepers or Tauerners as should suffer any such Seruants or mens sonnes of age or vnder age so to doe should haue no benefit of Law for recouerie of any such wilfull debts Finally may it please you to consider how conuenient it were for all Tauerners Innekeepers Vinteners Brewers and the like in all Cities and Townes corporate to be restrained from bearing any chiefe magistracie in any such places My reason of this short motion I leaue to your Honorable wisedomes to conceiue Touching playes and players the oftener and by the more Lawes still in force they haue beene condemned Play and Players the more I hope ye will now this once more so strike and wound them that Cities Townes and Villages shall neuer hereafter be so troubled and robbed by them as hitherto they haue beene and yet yeerely are notwithstanding all former Lawes against them the rather because of that intollerable insolencie of them that before hath beene touched euen against the greatest States in the Land as also against worthy Preachers of the Word in such places as where they haue beene suffered to play And who doe most resort to such companions but their like for the most part in all profanenesse The poorest also and most beggerly persons will spare a pennie or two to see and heare their foule sports that haue not so much more in their purses to buy necessarie food for their Families yea such for the most part doe most eagerly resort to such exercises as neuer care for any exercises of Religion priuate or publike Bankrupts Ingrocers of Commodities and all Cozoners of men esppecially in great things Bankrupts c. haue the more need of your seuere animaduersion because by such many are vndone and themselues pretending decay grow rich and when they haue compounded with their creditors for the third or fourth or eighth part sometime of their debt they haue enough left for themselues and for their Children afterward This is much greater robberie then without Murder to take Purses by the high-way These vermin are the more dangerous because many times when they are neerest breaking intend to breake then to deceiue men the more they make the greatest shew of wealth by building by costly apparrel by feasting the like With these may be ioyned those that vpon their second mariages make Ioynters to their second Wiues hauing before conuaied their states to their Children by their first Wiues So likewise they that sell annuities out of their Lands which before they haue secretly conuaied Against ingrocing of Farmes Ingrocers Prou. 23.4 I hope these last yeeres haue made men to cease as Salomon speaketh in like case from their such wisedome and taught them that haue many to desire to be rid of them yea Land-lords to abate rents I hope also that these yeeres of plentie will teach great persons that are Lords of many Farmes to mittigate their rents of their own accord without any further order to constrain them so to do lest if they doe not their Farmers run away leauing them and their Lands in the lurch to their as great losse as before they had gaine by their hard rents in the hardnesse of their hearts looking for their rents but neuer caring with what difficulty and griefe of heart their Farmers labour to maintaine themselues and their Families Ps 127.2 rising early and sitting vp late and eating the bread of sorrowes while their Land-lords liue in ease and pleasures Notwithstanding the woe of such Land-lords will be greater in the end then the present griefe of their poore Tenants Isa 3.15 Psal 14.5 Amos 8.6 7. Amos 4.2 For they beat the Lords people to peices grind the faces of the poore and eat them vp as men eat bread yea they sallow them vp and buy them for siluer and sell them for shooes Will the Lord alwaies beare this No no He hath sworne by the excellencie of Iacob that certainly he will neuer forget such workes by his owne holinesse that the dayes shall come vpon such when he will take them away with hookes that is he will destroy them suddainly and vnawares as the Fish is taken with the hooke Will the Lord be forsworne Yea he threatneth further that although such great ones build houses of hewen stones Amos. 5.11 they shall not dwell in them and though also they plant pleasant Vineyards they shall not drinke Wine of them Yea further which is heauiest of all
to speake without feare of any danger to themselues by such speaking eyther for the present or for the time to come If his Maiesties Prerogatiue Royall shall be obiected for iustifying of all his Officers in their proceedings against such Ministers may it please his Maiestie to consider The Prerogatiue Royall not only what he may do by humane Iustice as he is a Prince but also what he may doe and must do by the Word of the King of Kings and as himselfe is subiect to that Word and is a Christian and in Christ a spirituall King and heyre of a kingdome euerlasting in Heauē thereby hauing greater priuiledges and prerogatiues then as according to flesh and blood hee is Royally descended and an earthly King of many Dominions This I could largely demonstrate but that I would also haue other matters to be considered The indignities done to the foresayd Ministers are great and greiuous First their often callings to diuers Courts The indignities done to Ministers as well farre of as neere at hand at all tymes and seasons of the yeare whether they be young or old strong or weake of good abilitie to beare the charges of such iournies or poore and in want Secondly the restreynt of their ministerie Thirdly Depriuation of their liuings in their old age when they haue most need of maintenance hauing especially liued plentifully all their dayes before and then also hauing greater charges and hauing before beene distributers to other then forced with griefe of heart to take reliefe of other hauing before giuen the Bread of Life to other and in old age wanting themselues bread for this life and not being able to giue their children such education as whereby to fit them for Church or Common wealth neyther hauing wherewith to preferre their children in mariage how well soeuer borne educated or qualified A thing whereby the miserable state of the Israelites is sometyme amplified viz. Psal 78.63 Iob 30.26.31 Psa 137.2 that their maides were not giuen in mariage By all which they that before haue beene meanes to make many glad are now themselues made to weepe and as it were to hang vp their harps c. and euen when they looked for good then to haue euill come vpon them and when they looked for light then to haue darkenesse Iere. 8.15 and 14.19 and when they looked for peace then to haue no good and for a tyme of health then to haue trouble Hereto also may be referred the dolefull complaint of Ierusalem My Priests and my Elders perished in the citie whiles they sought for meat to refresh their soules Lament 1.19 Is not this the more because it is not by any siege of foreine enimies but by the rigour of them that professe themselues freinds pillers and chiefe Patrons of the Church To the premises may be added that that which the dead gaue vnto such Ministers in their godly deuotion hath beene restreyned from them by their aduersaries contrary to that of Tullie against Antonie Philippi the 2. and of Vlpianus a Ciuill Lawyer in his description of a Testament Tit. 20. So are such Ministers made more vile then notorious malefactors in common gaoles that without any contradiction enioy whatsoeuer is giuen vnto them by the last Will and Testament of any deceased By the foresayd indignities against such Ministers and by supply of their places with men eyther altogether vnsufficient The effects of indignities done to Ministers or nothing so sufficient as they that were depriued God himselfe is shortened of many excellent duties before performed in such places and highly dishonored by many great sinnes and outrages before restreyned and that publikely and on those dayes that should be most religiously sanctified no man saying to any that do so dishonor the Lord why do ye so If his Maiestie be informed that the Ministers before mentioned are now as plentifully prouided for His Maiestie falsly informed of silenced Ministers sufficient maintenance as when they enioyed their places this might be easily and plentifully answered if this place permitted the same and too lamentable experience teacheth the contrarie Howsoeuer also at the first some perhaps were somewhat regarded yet as light burdens farre caryed are heauie so by that charge long continued men are wearied Are not diuers also gathered to their fathers that whiles they liued were bountifull Are not also the states of men changeable and their mindes mutable And what comfort is in such vncerteynties Lastly this obiection seemeth to be of such as neuer thinke any thing enough for themselues but euery thing too much for other Besides all the premises the foresayd Ministers are greatly iniuryed in their names which are better then great riches Ministers wronged in their names c. and that not only by most reprochefull and contumelious words cast vpon them euery where priuatly and in Episcopall Courts publikely but also by most false wicked and vniust termes in their sentences of suspension excommunication Prou. 22.1 Eccles 7.2 depriuation and degradation remayning vpon publike Record for all posteritie and to the great preiudice of the posteritie of such Ministers the rather because such sentences are begun after the Romane and Papall manner In Dei nomine Amen And this indignitie touching the names of such Ministers is yet the greater because of the disgracefull termes giuen vnto them in the preface to the new translation of the English Bibles prefixed before the sayd Bibles and therefore to be read by euerie one that hath or shall haue the said Bibles by all the which meanes all other doe the more contumeliously vse them Swaggerers Blasphemers contemners of the Word Drunkards c. None go in more personall danger Moreouer none go in more personall danger of bodily hurt then such Ministers No not the most vile persons that are because all see authoritie so bent against them yea more against such then against Recusant Papists Blasphemers Drunkards 1 Cor. 15.31 Lam. 4.9 c. So that such Ministers may truly say They dye daily as also complaine with the Prophet that they that are slaine by the Sword are better then they that dye so daily and by so many meanes These afflictions of such Ministers are also the heauier in respect of the ioy and gaine of the Papists and other Sonnes of Belial in that behalfe Yea all the premises are the more worthy the graue and wise consideration of your High Court of Parliament because if the Lord threatened them that with their lyes made the hearts of the righteous sad Ezek. 13.22 whom he had not made sad how heinous is it to make the hearts of them sad whom the Lord hath not onely not made sad but whom he hath also vsed as Instruments for much ioy and comfort in the Lord to many other Do not the former iniuries also of 0536 0203 V 2 such Ministers redound to many other that make conscience of their wayes The
Sam. 15.22 1 Kings 2.46 Iosh 7. 2 Sam. 21.1 c. and the doing of such iustice beeing more acceptable to the Lord then sacrifices and the throne of Salomon being then sayd to be established in the hands of Salomon when he had executed iustice euen vpon his brother Adoniiah and vpon Ioab and Shimei Did not Israel also fall before little Aie till iustice was done vpon Achan for his sinne secretly committed And was there not a famine in all Israel till Dauid had granted iustice against seauen sonnes of Saul for his sinne against the Gibeonits which had beene the cause of the sayd three yeares famine How was the Lord displeased with Saul for his mercie to Agag 1. Sam. 15. 1. Kings 20 42. Num. 33.55 Iosh 23.13 Iudg. 2.3 And with Ahab for letting Benhadad a king of another Nation go out of his hands whom he had appointed to die Were not the Canaanites also contrarie to Gods commandement suffered by the Israelites prickes in their Eyes and thornes in their sides O right Honorable I humblie beseech you to consider that the Amalekites withstanding only the Israelites as they were going to the earthly Canaan and the Aramites that oppugned only their outward state and the other before mentioned were not such aduersaries as the Papists be that are all members of the Man of Sinne 2 Thes 2.3 Apoc. 18.20.21 Apoc. 19.1 c. the Child of Perdition who cannot escape that horrible destruction that the Lord hath threatned wherin men and Angels shall reioyce and which are enimies to the euerlasting saluation of all Gods people Seueritie therefore against obstinate Papists is no crueltie but great honor to God and great mercie to our Soueraigne to his Royall Posteritie to all his Kingdomes and to all ignorant Papists themselues Worthy of euerlasting remembrance is the gracious promise of God vnto Iehu for that that he had done to Iezabel and the rest of the house of Ahab and their adherents 2 Kings 10 36. and to all Baals Priests Because thou hast diligently executed that which was right in mine Eyes and hast done to that house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart therefore shall thy sonnes sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation O the flourishing state of this Kingdome and the great honor of Queene Elizabeth in all other Kingdomes with her admirable prosperitie that would not vouchsafe a good countenance to any knowne Papists Many curses she had from the Father of Papists at Rome and from his Imps here at home but the same being causelesse came not to passe Prou. 26.2 so did not their practises against her Yea she and her people prospered the better at home and against all forein Enemies Let it not seeme strange right Honourable worthies that I haue beene so plentifull in this argument The insolencie of Papists since the Powder-Treason By the hellish Powder treasons which should haue destroied good and bad that Hell it selfe doth not a man a meere reasonable man much more a man instructed in the Word of God would haue thought that all Poperie and Papists would here and else-where throughout the Christian World as also with the Heathen themselues haue been had in perpetuall detestation and euerlasting execration But it is one of the greatest wonders of the World that euer since Poperie hath the more encreased and that not amongst persons only of low degree but of high and Noble ranke as also that Papists old and new haue been more insolent and lifted vp their hornes higher then euer since the bitter daies of the late bitter Queene Mary as if by the said most diuelish Conspiracie both Poperie and Papists had preuailed with his most excellent Maiestie and won grace and fauour with him the which God forbid that any true hearted Christian and loyall Subiect should euer haue cause to thinke or imagin The former insolencie likewise of the Papists or at least of some of that faction is now growne to that heighth that such true Christians and loyall Subiects as before I mentioned may now feare the companie of any whom they know not either trauelling by the High-way or in any other place Not long since a lustie young gallant of no small place if persons and state may be iudged by Apparell and Attendance falling into companie of a meane man in the way yet of good vnderstanding and religiously affected and by speech finding hint so to be for a while soothed him vp speaking as he spake and commending preaching as he did but at last he vnmasked himselfe and by diuers words shewed himselfe in his colours to be a friend of Poperie and not only an aduersarie but an enemie to the Gospel and of the preaching thereof verie roughly breaking forth into these bloodie words sutable to the bloodie Religion of the Scarlet Whore and saying It were a good deed to sheath my Sword in thy body O right Honourable doe not such things presage some further fore to be breeding Is it not time to looke to such And haue not all well affected to the Gospel to his Maiestie and to his Kingdomes need to pray much and to looke to themselues and to be wise as Serpents and in their trauels and elsewhere to beware of such Crocodils In all the premises for more seueritie against obstinat Recusant Papists Why nothing hath been spoken against toleration especially known to haue Masses in their Houses for the time to come or to goe to Masses else-where I haue spoken nothing against tolleration First Because if the premises shall take place there needeth nothing in that behalfe Secondly Because his Maiestie hath heretofore by the Lord Chancellor then being publiquely and graciously in his Court of Starre-Chamber signified his Princely resolution to the contrarie and that if he knew his Princely Sonne would encline that way he would doe his best endeuour to disinherit him Thirdly Because he hath not long since but euen lately almost caused certaine Diuines to signifie as much in their publique Sermons at Paules-Crosse in London Fourthly and principally Because the same is testified by that most learned and reuerend Bishop now Prelat of the Garter in his learned answer intituled Tortura Torti to a Booke of one that called himselfe Mattheus Tortus who wrot his Booke against the Apologie of our Kings most excellent Maiestie In the end of page 81 and beginning of page 82. In this answer to the said Book of the said pretended M. Tortus the said reuerend and learned Father writeth thus verbatim word for word Nec in eo Regi audiendus quòd consilium dat de Religione liberè habenda Integrum hoc iam illi non est Nam quod eum ea qua decet reuerentia dictum volo non semel periurus sit quin bis si te audiat Qua enim si qua est fidei bis datae conscientia vel conscientia vel fide ferret in regnis suis
and goods of men these by the same Deuil bewitching the minds and soules of men doe more hurt then the other They vse good words but without vnderstanding and such as are not appointed for working such good works Such good Witches also for the most part are void of all other good workes and most profane irreligious and ignorant of Gods Word and contemners of all exercises of Religion In their workes also they respect not Gods glorie but their owne gaine working also either without any other meanes then only words or by such meanes as haue no vertue in them for working such things but rather the contrarie yet be vsed by them only to cloake their wickednesse to bleare the peoples eies There is also another kind of Witchcraft more secret then the former and yet much worse and more dangerous verie hard also to be discerned yet I doubt not but such as may be found by your wisedomes seriously applied to the searching of it the effects whereby it may be discerned This is that inchanting of the mind such as it seemeth Simon Magus vsed in making the Samaritans thinke he was the great power of God such as whereto Paul seemeth to allude when he saith Gal. 3.1 O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you God indeed ruleth the heart yet by this meanes sometimes in his Iustice as well as by other giuing the Deuil power as well to worke vpon the mind as vpon the bodie Was it not he to whom the Lord gaue power both to enter into Ahabs false Prophets to lye vnto him 1 King 22. â—2 and also into Ahab himselfe to beleeue the said false Prophets Who but he first bewitched as it were our first Mother Ene hauing no inward euill of her selfe to Gen. 3.6 eate of the forbidden Fruit If he had not had some secret footing within he could neuer haue so preuailed by all his outward temptations 1 Chro. 21.1 c. How also did Satan prouoke Dauid to number Israel but by his secret working inwardly It is also reported of Cyprian that before his conuersion he tryed by Magike to draw a young Virgin to haue committed filthinesse with him though the Deuil himselfe confessed he could not preuaile because of her Faith Neither he by the Deuil nor the Deuil at his request would haue attempted it but that both thought it might be done And no doubt but that by this meanes mariages are made of some the one partie without such meanes vtterly abhorring the other and after mariage shewing that they neuer maried in any true loue Here I beseech you giue me leaue to remember you of that that Master Tyndal writeth in his Practice of Prelats of Charles Maine King of France and created Emperour of Rome by Pope Adrian This Charles so doted in his old age vpon an old Harlot by meanes of an enchanted Ring vpon her finger that he could neuer endure her out of his sight Yea she dying he embalmed her and caried her in a Coffin with him whithersoeuer he went At last his Lords being wearie thereof and suspecting somewhat opened the Coffin and found the Ring vpon her finger which one of the Lords tooke off and put on his owne finger After this Charles left his dotage vpon her and doted as much vpon that Lord but the Lord being in time wearie thereof doubted some euill to be in the Ring and therefore tooke it off and threw it into a Well at Acon in Douchland in a foule Marish where notwithstanding the said Charles alwaies after remained and built a goodly Monasterie in worship as they vse to speake of our Lady Pardon me I humbly beseech you if herein I haue beene too tedious For it is well worthy your graue consideration as the which may be a thing dangerous not only to some priuate meane persons but also to other of great eminencie and therefore also in them to whole Countreys In which respect if by your wisedomes ye shall take some order to preuent it ye may doe greater good thereby then many can conceiue and for the which many may haue the more cause to blesse God for you Though such shallow heads as mine owne and some others cannot easily see how it may be preuented yet I doubt not but that your wisedomes will by deepe consideration of it see some meanes either to preuent it or so seuerely to punish it being made euident that afterwards none shall so dare to offend in this kind as before Exo. 22.18 Deu. 10.11 Surely that wise and iust God that hath so often and streightly commanded no Witches to be suffered to liue hath also giuen wisedome to some for finding these out For the religious obseruation of the Lords day For the Religious obseruation of the Lords day many good motions haue heretofore beene made in Parliaments which alwaies as hath been reported haue been most hindred by such as should most haue furthered them and that because they haue more loued their owne ease and pleasure in eating drinking and playing then the glorie of God or Saluation of his People Therefore such haue pleaded for libertie in walking bowling carding and tabling more then for preaching or hearing Gods Word Oh therefore that your Honourable Court would now at the last take some order for reformation of all abuses of this day by gaming buying and selling trauelling especially of common Cariers by Horse and by Wagons or Carts c. The neglect of this day is the neglect of all duties and plainly argueth a profane man This day cannot be throughly sanctified without diligent preaching forenoon and afternoone or at least a profitable Sermon in one part of the day and good catechising and plaine teaching the Principles of Religion in the other part the extreame ignorance of all sorts and of all ages necessarily requiring the same Such as plead one Sermon enough to be meditated on all the day may as well say that one is enough for med tation of an whole yeere A second Sermon or the afternoones catechising in good manner will not hinder but further the preaching of the forenoone It restraineth also the people from vaine exercises from drinking and gusling and the like Against Nonresidencie The abuses of this day cannot be reformed neyther can there be such preaching and catechising without suppression of nonresidencie and pluralitie of liuing It is as truely as commonly said by sound diuines that they that teach by Vicars and Curats and not in their owne persons shall goe to heauen by Vicars and Curats and not in their own persons De pontif Romano cont 4. q 4. Qui vicaria opera sayth Doctor Whitaker vtuntur ij non nisi vicariorum mercedem salutem expectare possunt So say other diuines against whom no exception can be taken D. Morton Apol. part 1. cap. 20. Qui per alium munere suo praedicandi defungitur habebit salutem vicariam sed poenam personariam Ibit
ille in gehennam per se in Paradisum per alium The same is to be sayd of pluralitie of liuings because pluralists cannot but be Nonresidents and teachers by other Neyther is the reformation of these enough for the better sanctifying of the Lords day and for the better instructing of Gods people without the reformation of Ministers themselues touching their liues and conuersation whereby oftentymes they do more hurt then good by their Ministerie how sound and diligent soeuer And in respect of these enormities of Ministers such people as liue vnder them may well complayne as the woman of the Shunems sonne did being sicke vnto death My head my head 2 Kin. 4.13 The sufferance of all these nonresidents pluralists and scandalous Ministers is a great blemish to our Church and the bane of many soules yea also the ruine of learning though pluralities be maynteyned as meanes for preferment of learning For whiles one hath much or too much an other hath nothing To serue the cures also of such nonresidents and pluralists many yong schollers not grounded in learning are taken from the Vniuersities and so cannot stay till they be fit to do good in the countrye By these meanes also the Ministerie is brought into great contempt whiles Nonresidents themselues goe for Maisters and their Curats be accounted but Seruants and are so called Some also of such great Masters make their Seruing-men Ministers to serue their Cures and account that a great reward of their good seruice If any haue able Curats and such as take paynes in teaching what iniquitie and iniustice is it for them to suffer other to take such paynes for a small stipend and themselues liuing idly to haue all the gaines And that sometymes when their Curats haue a greater charge of children then themselues Some of these great Masters also will not suffer their sayd Curats to preach twise in a Lords day The inscription of some of their owne canons seemeth more to condemne these enormities then the canons themselues Euerie able Minister may haue sufficient mayntenance without such pluralities Able Ministers may haue sufficient maintenance without pluralities I meane sufficient in sober sort without prodigalitie to maynteyne himselfe and his charge able notwithstanding to keepe conuenient hospitalitie and yet to leaue some thing to his children Such mayntenance may be prouided by vniting diuers small Churches as especially in cities and townes so sometymes also in the countrie which is the more necessarie because many Parishes haue not a conuenient auditorie For as the Orator sayd of an Orator Quemadmodum tibicen sine tibiis canere non potest ita nec Oraton sine multitudine eloquens esse potest so may it be sayd of the Ministers of the word that the paucitie of some auditories doth much discourage them and coole their zeale but full congregations do put life into them And were not a man of good gifts better to imploy them vpon some good companie then to spend his tyme and strength vpon a few From some liuings also that are now very great and yet haue but a few people somewhat might be detracted to the supply of other Are there not many Impropriations worth 400 or 500 yea 600. li. per annum where the Minister hath but 10. li. stipend perhaps also his diet to liue in slauish manner in some Gentlemans House as a Fellow to other Seruingmen or some other small maintenance Ye are wise to whom I now speak more largely to consider of these things Moreouer how might the Lands of Cathedrall Churches now chiefly imploied for maintenance of idle Singingmen Quiresters Organ plaiers Canons and pettie Canons as they call them Virgerers Doorekeepers and such like be conuerted to the maintenance of preaching the Gospel The Temple of Ierusalem being defaced wherein such singing and Musike was only commanded why should God now be serued in one place more then in another Is he not euerie where the same and in the same manner to be worshiped Why also may not all the Males of an whole Diocesses be enioined at sometimes euerie yeere to appeare in such Cathedrall Churches as all the Israelites were commanded at sometimes to worship in the Temple at Ierusalem as well as to haue God so to be worshiped in Cathedrall Churches and not in all other May not the Lord well say Isa 1.12 Who hath required this at your hands So likewise to vse the holy Scripture in this time of the Gospel as in such chanting they are vsed without vnderstanding or edifying of other Is it not a plaine abuse of them Were it not also much better for Prebends if they still enioy their places to take paines in some particular Pastorall charge especially where there is but small maintenance otherwise then to liue lurking idly in Cathedrall Churches Diuers rich men also in diuers Corporat Townes and else-where hauing great tradings now paying nothing but two pence a yeere or some other small matter for their Easter offering as also other that haue no Trades but liue idly of their Lands like Gentlemen as they say but rather like loiterers might be constrained to yeeld some maintenance to the Ministers that labour in the Word and watch for their Soules Gal. 6.6 Heb. 13.17 Why should their poore Farmers that perhaps occupie a Farme but of ten pound a yeere and at a deere rate and hauing nothing else to liue of and yet haue great charges pay thirtie or fourtie shillings a yeere to the Ministers and they that haue diuers Farmes for which they receiue rents pay nothing Yea they haue the more need so to doe Marke 10 23.25 because it is harder for rich men to enter into the Kingdome of Heauen then for other Should not Soiourners also yea and Seruants especially hauing good wages being partakers of the Word communicate to him that teacheth The Apostles before mentioned generall precept in this behalfe is without any exception But here least any should thinke me no friend to the sufficient maintenance of able Ministers may it please you all to know me so farre from any such thing that I wish no such Ministers to haue lesse then an hundred pound by the yeere and also more according to their gifts to their charge and to their former education Some hauing been so brought vp from their youth and being so inexperienced in matters of this life yea some also being so deuoted to their Bookes that other can better liue of an hundred pound then they of two hundred It is also lamentable that there is no better prouision for the Wiues and Children of godly and painfull Ministers whereby some seeme the more couetous and some leaue nothing behind them Sometime likewise a man liueth to the brinke of Haruest and then dying loseth all his paines almost of the yeere before the next Incumbent ceazing vpon all and shewing no or little mercie to the poore Widow and Fatherlesse Children of his Predecessour Did not
such as haue his Letters Patent Abuse of his Maiesties Letters Patents and goe vp and down with Briefes of them as also for repressing of Rogues and Vagabonds as much euerie where now swarming as if their were no Law against them and thereby robbing the Countries where they trauell and be otherwise verie dangerous and commit many euils let it be only sufficient by mentioning them to put you in mind of them for some more seuere Law to be made to restraine them Wracks also seeme verie hard if not altogether vniust and vnrighteous viz. that one should be enriched with the losse vndoings of many and that the principall owners should not only lose their Ships with many mens liues for the most part but also their goods These things considered so amplified as by your wisedomes they may be what heart so flintie as not to be moued with compassion in that behalfe Touching the names of Puritans Prescisians Schismaticks c. disgracefully cast vpon such as are sound in all substantiall points of Christian Doctrine vnblameable in their life and conuersation not onely vpon such Ministers but also vpon all other that doe most endeauour to keepe a good conscience in all things towards God and men Act. 24.16 how gracious a thing were it to represse this for the time to come The rather because many young Christians are hereby much discouraged Especially it seemeth fit to restraine Preachers in Pulpits from all such disgracefull and reproachfull speeches Alas it is too lamentable that many young striplings that had need to be confined to some places till their beards were growne themselues were men as hauing been born Ministers before their time starting vp into Pulpits hauing no word of exhortation neither any sound Doctrine to deliuer It is I say lamentable that such should euen in great Congregations spend the time in such rayling and yet by profane and ignorant men be thought to preach excellently I hope that if some of the most Reuerend Bishops knew this abuse they would doe some thing for reformation hereof But a Law in this behalfe were best of all I had thought before to haue commended to your Christian wisedomes diuers cases of Marriage Diuers cases of marriage As that young men newly married should not be suffered presently to trauell for two or three yeeres together Against marriages also without consent of Parents at least contrarie to the minds of religious Parents that are able to shew good reasons of their contrarie mindes That all Licences for marriages without thrise solemne asking as they call it should be made vnlawfull That the Wife being iustly diuorced for Adulterie the innocent partie may haue libertie to marrie without contradiction there being no heauier thing for strong and lustie men then to be restrained from marriage And that the generall restraint of all persons from marriage for almost halfe the yeere should be vtterly abolished the same being contrarie to the Word 1 Tim. 4.3 and a Doctrine of Deuils and being altogether Papall and hauing no vse but to pay for Licences and being oftentimes the cause of much carnall filthinesse before marriage and sometime the man dying before marriage and leauing his contracted Wife with childe to her perpetuall infamie and to the making of the childe so borne no better then a Bastard Some good reason may be giuen for celebration of marriages betwixt eight and twelue of the clocke in the forenoones but certainly none can be giuen of the former saue onely the Siluer benefit of Ecclesiasticall Courts and their Officers But of these and some other marriage cases I dare not speak more largely hauing beene so ample before though nothing so ample as I could haue beene The same reason is of my silence of diligent yeerely mustering of men Yeerely mustering of men c. for the better fitting of them for times of need as also of good care of Furniture for Warre without any iugling to make the Furniture of one to serue for many the same also I say for my silence of the Ecclesiasticall discipline and gouernment the desire whereof hath beene a greater cause of the restraint of Ministers then their not conforming Herein I haue beene the more silent because the same hath heretofore and more lately beene amply learnedly and substantially laid forth by other wherein we alone differ from all other reformed Churches And if it shall not please his Maiestie generally to establish it according to Gods Word and other Churches throughout his Kingdome yet if he might be perswaded to tollerate it in some places appointed for the same by his owne Princely wisedome as I doubt not but that they which shall enioy the same will beare all charges thereto belonging without any preiudice to any other Ministers so I am perswaded that vse thereof would emittere such a fragrant smell as that all other would be the more in loue therewith thereby also would be that sweet peace that is so often commended in the Scripture Yea I doubt not but that his Maiestie would better affect it and the louers thereof then euer he hath done As the want of any member though neuer so little maketh the whole body the more impotent so the want of the holy Discipline maketh the whole Ministerie the weaker and lesse effectuall If this little hereof spoken be offenciue to any yet let it not I humbly beceech you hinder my former motions or any of them Against the abuses of Excommunication and citing of men to Ecclesiasticall Courts by Apparitors without any presentment against persons so cited contrarie to our owne Canons against proceeding also of such Courts for bare absence vpon the bare word of an Apparitor that maketh no conscience of any thing as also against so citing of men and such proceeding against them euen sometime neuer at all cited without regard of age of the season of the yeere of distance of place c. I hope that either some other will speake or this short mention will be sufficient or it may be some other will reforme such disorders Last of all because absence of the better sort sometimes doth strengthen the worse part Parliament men to meet together Ezek. 46.10 as experience hath taught in the Vniuersities therefore as the Lord by Ezekiel commandeth that in his worship The Prince and the people should come together thereunto and goe away together there-from so may it please you all that wish well vnto Zion and loue the peace of Ierusalem to doe the like in this your seruice of God of his Maiestie and of the whole Kingdome at euerie Session of the Parliament and on euerie day for euerie Session Exod. 32. How highly did all Israel sinne euen Aaron himselfe in the absence of Moses but a few dayes How effectuall for Christ Ioh. 7.51 was one weake word of Nicodemus euen to the dissoluing of the whole Councell of the Priests and Pharisees against Christ To shut vp all that I haue spoken by the priuiledge and libertie of Subiects The Conclusion for crauing helpe of your most Honourable Court in the former Aduertisements presented vnto you I doe humbly craue the gracious pardon of his most Excellent Maiestie of his Princely Sonne and of you all of any thing wherein for matter or manner I haue erred euen with the like words some few onely changed according to the difference of persons to whom I speake and of the future Tense into the time past euen with like words I say except onely before excepted doe I craue this pardon that Luther once vsed to the Emperour and other Princes before whom he pleaded his cause Sleidan comment lib. 3. Si quid à me peccatum fuerit potentissime Rex illustrissime Princeps nobilissimi Marchiones atque Comites honoratissimique Barones alijque huius Regni Proceres vel verbis minimè proprijs neque tanto consessu dignis vel etiam phrasibus parùm elegantibus atque decoris totum hoc mihi peto condonari propter vitae genus in quo aliquam mihi obsecro liceat interponere maximam aetatis partem consumpsi For alas I neither haue liued in the Court at least long together for these fourtie yeeres and more nor in the Citie but in the Countrey where I haue not beene acquainted with Court speech or otherwise exercised with Learning as some haue beene Neither I doe most humbly beseech you let the concealing of my name be any preiudice to this my humble Petition Because I haue spoken somewhat against Papists I haue therefore concealed my name least being knowne I should fall into some of their hands For they are a bloodie brood a generation of vipers yea a generation whose teeth are as swords Math. 37. Pro. 30.14 and their iawe teeth as kniues to deuour the poore from the earth and the needie from among men The poore and needie Yea also the mightiest Monarkes in the World They eat their God and kill their Kings And therefore as the Elders of Samaria said among themselues of Iehu 2 King 10 14. Behold two Kings could not stand before him how then shall we stand So say I of them Behold they deuour their God and so may most truly be called Bellygods and they murther Princes How then can such a poore wretch as I am stand before them The God of grace direct you all Nobles Knights and Burgesses by his Spirit of grace so to goe to our most Noble and gracious King Neh. 1.4 and 2.1 c. Est 4.16 5.1 c. as Nehemiah did to Artaxerxes and Ester vnto Ahashuerosh that thereby ye may finde that grace with his most gracious Maiestie that Nehemiah found with Artaxerxes for Ierusalem and Ester with Ahashuerosh for her selfe and all the Iewes And the same God shew me and all before supplicated for such fauour with his Maiestie and Princely Sonne and you all for our selues and for the House of God in this his Kingdome Ezra 7.27 that we may say as Ezra said Blessed be the Lord God of our Fathers which hath put such a thing as this into the Kings heart to beautifie the House of the Lord here in England and hath extended mercie vnto vs before the King and his councellors and before all the kings mightie Princes Amen 1 Cor. 16.13 Quit you like men be strong