added unto us Let us consider the times past how they flourished in honour and abundance when Religion flourished amongst us but as Religion decayed so the honour and strength of this Kingdome decayed When the soule of a Common-wealth is dead the body cannot long over-live it If a man meet a Dogge alone the Dogge is fearefull though never so fierce by nature but if the Dogge have his Master by him he will set upon that man from whom he fled before This shewes the lower natures being backt by higher encrease in courage and strength and certainly man being backt with omnipotence is a kinde of omnipotent thing All things are possible to him that beleeveth and where all things are possible there is a kinde of omnipotence wherefore let us now with an unanimous consent of us all resolve to make a vow and covenant henceforth to hold fast our God and our Religion and we shall from henceforth certainly expect prosperity unto this Kingdome and Nation and to this covenant let every one say Amen Sir Francis Seymor If Religion be not a rule to all our actions what policie can we have if God fights not our battels the helpe of man is in vaine In our defects the cause thereof is our defect in Religion and the sinne thereof is Idolatrie and Popery Papists encrease more now then ever neither doe they want their Priests and Masses Nay his Majesties name is used to stop proceedings against Papists and that since the Parliament contrary to his Majesties goodnesse and publique profession and contrary to his many Proclamations and many Instructions to the Judges and whatsoever is done in the Country is undone above M. Kirton Master Speaker This businesse that we have in hand concerning our Religion is of dangerous consequence if it bee not throughly looked into I thinke that no man that sits here but is sensible in what danger now it stands if this Honourable House doe not finde some speedy remedy for it It was apparant to every man that new opinions are brought in by some of our Churchmen to disturbe our peace and the meaning of these Churchmen can be no other then to bring in the Romish Religion amongst us for it hath ever beene Jesuiticall policie first to worke a disturbance then afterward a change we must seeke the cause I shall briefely speake my opinion that is that this proceedeth from the ambition of the Clergie that are neare his Majestie for it is well knowne that at first the Church of Rome and that we professe were all one and that the ambition of the Clergie begot and brought in all these differences that are now betwixt us The highest dignitie they can here attaine unto is but an Archbishopricke but a Cardinals Cap is not here to be had I beleeve some of them affect that too well and in some we see the effects how they change their opinions for advancement and then they will turne white into blacke and blacke into white This being so our endeavour must be to take away the roote and then the branches will decay themselves It is not the calling of the Appeale to Caesar will doe it for if they can get Bishopricks for writing such books we shall have many men that will write bookes in that kinde It behoves us all every man according to his ability to imploy himselfe for the search of these things and that we may finde out the matter and the men that we may present them and the danger that this Kingdome stands in by them to his Majestie And for mine owne part as God shall enable me I will doe my best herein M. Sherland We have a Religion that is worth the loving with all our hearts it was setled by the bloud of Martyrs and kept by Miracles To have our noses wiped of this would grieve my heart to see more to behold our Religion goe away and designes daily made on it and Arminianisme still to encrease as it doth I admire I perswade my selfe the greater part of the Clergy Nobility and Gentry are firme but it is the desires of some few that labour to bring in a new faction of their owne and so they drop into the eares of his Majestie That those that oppose them oppose his Majestie and so they put him upon designes that stand not with publique liberty That he commands what he lists with Lives Goods and Religion and doth as he pleaseth And so they involve all true hearted Englishmen and Christians under the name of Religious Puritans and so involve his Majesties quarrels to be theirs which is Treason of the highest qualitie Tuesday the 27. of Ianuary A Petition was exhibited against one Lewis that said that about the 25. of December The Devill take the Parliament which was avowed by two witnesses and though it was spoken our of Parliament yet it was resolved to be an offence to the Parliament and it was ordered that he should be sent for Sir Nathaniel Rich tendred a Petition concerning the Fast which was agreed to be preferred to the King as followeth It was ordered that conference should be dosired with the Lords about this Petition who desired to joyne with the Commons The King sent a message by Secretary Cooke to this effect viz. His Majestie understanding that the Remonstrance was called for to take away all quesition commanded me to deliver it to you but hoping you proceed with the Bill of Tonnage and Poundage and give precedencie to that businesse and to give an end to further dispute betweene some of his Subjects or else he shall thinke his Speech which was with good applause accepted had not that good effect that he expected But before the message a report was made by M. Pymme from the Committee of Religion where a motion was made about the Remonstrance last Session concerning that part which concerneth Religion and the Clerke answered that by command from the King he delivered it to the Lord Privie Seale and so the Committee proceeded no farther Sir Walter Earle replyed to the message the last part of the message calls me up for point of Precedencie Religion challengeth Precedencie and Right of our best endeavours Vbi dolor ibi digitus I know Justice and Liberty is Gods cause but what good will Justice and Liberty doe if Popery and Arminianisme joyne hand in hand together to bring in Spanish Tyranny under which those Lawes and Liberties must cease what hath beene done for Religion since the last Session we know what Declarations have beene made what Persons advanced what Truths confirmed by all authority of Church Councels and Kings for my part I will foregoe my life estate and liberty rather then my Religion and I dare boldly affirme That never was more corruption then is at this time Humana Consilia castigantur ubi caelestibus se praeferunt Let us hold our selves to this methode and that God that carried us out of so many difficulties the last Session will not be wanting
of this House Master Long moved that hee might bee sent to the Tower Sir Francis Seymor That he may be referred backe to the Committee to be examined if then hee deale not clearely this House may proceed to further punishment M. Selden I cannot remember when we did commit a Sheriffe of London but I remember when this House did commit both the Sheriffes of London to the Tower for an abuse of lesse nature onely for countenancing a Serjeant in an Arrest on a member of Parliament though they did acknowledge their faults at the Barre which this man hath not yet done the Serjeant sent to little ease the partie at whose suit he was arrested was committed to the Fleet and both the Sheriffes to the Tower M. Kirton I came into this House with as good a will to this man as any man for I was spoken to to stand for him as I came in and I promised to doe what favour I could But if he were my Brother he should to the Tower M. Littleton You see the affronts by Bookes by Preaching by Rumors by being daily served with Processe that are put upon us that we are become but a meere scarre-crow the neglect of our duty is the cause of this It is high time to remedy this or it is in vaine to sit here The Sheriffe is againe called to the Barre on his knees and is sentenced to the Tower Sir Benjamin Rudiardes There are divers Recantations and Submissions and Sentences remaining on Record in both Universities against Arminianisme that concerning any thing that may conduce to our end the Speakers letter may bee sent to the Vice-Chancellour for those Records which is ordered It is ordered that Worstenholme Dawes and Carmarthen are to be at the Barre upon Friday Wednesday the 11. of February Anno 1628. M. Selden reported concerning the Processe of the Merchants that Master Attorney gave order for the Processe and that Master Attornies man took for the same For the Bill it is a course by way of crime for those things which depend in Parliament complained here by the Merchants The Coppie of the Bill brought in and read That the Merchants did plot practise and combine against the peace of the Kingdome This being conceived to be a businesse incident to Tonnage and Poundage is ordered to be referred untill to morrow morning M. Selden That a report should be made to morrow of the complaints of the Merchants and the Information in the Exchequer may also be brought which was ordered It is ordered that in respect the Terme ends to morrow and the Assises to follow and divers members and Lawyers may be gone it is ordered none shall goe forth of Towne without leave of the House It is ordered the Speakers letter to be sent for Sir Edward Cooke At the Committee for Religion M. Walter delivered a Petition of the Booke-sellers and Printers in complaint of the restraint of Bookes written against Popery and Arminianisme and the contrary allowed of by the onely meanes of the Bishop of London and that divers of them have beene Pursevanted for Printing of orthodoxe Books and that the licensing of Books is now onely restrained by the Bishop of London and his Chaplaines One of the Printers said he tendred divers Books one called The Golden Spurre to the celestiall Race That Turner one of the Bishop of Londons Chaplaines said that if he would put out the point That a man may be certaine of his Salvation he would licence the same notwithstanding hee put out the same point yet hee could not get it licenced M. Selden The refusing the licensing of Bookes is no crime but the licensing of bad Bookes is a crime There is no Law to prevent the printing of any Booke in England onely a Decree in Starre-Chamber therefore that a man should be fyned imprisoned and his goods taken from him is a great Invasion on the liberty of the Subject hee moveth that a Law may be made upon this This is referred to a select Committee to be examined Master Shervile reported concerning the pardons that they have examined Doctor Sibthorpes and Cozens pardon Sibthorpes sollicited his owne pardon and said hee would get the Bishop of Winchester to get the Kings hand to it It is evident that the Bishop of Winchester got the Kings hand to Sibthorpes and Cozens pardons and also Montagues pardon was promised by him That Doctor Mannering sollicited his owne pardon and the Bishop of Winchester got the Kings hand to his pardon It is likewise said the Pardons were all drawne by Master Attorney before there was any Warrant Master Cromwell saith he had by relation from one Doctor Beard that Beard said that Doctor Alablaster had preached flat Popery at Pauls Crosse The Bishop of Winchester commanded him as he was his Diocessan that he should preach nothing to the contrary Sir Robert Phillippes saith one Doctor Marshall will relate as much said to him by the Bishop of Winchester as the Bishop said to Doctor Moore M. Kirton That Doctor Marshall and Doctor Beard may bee sent for That this Bishop though he hath leapt thorow many Bishoprickes yet he hath left Popery behinde him That Cozens frequenting the Printing-house hath caused the Booke of Common Prayer to be new printed and hath changed the word Minister into Priest and hath put out in another place the word Elect Thus Cozeus and his Lord goe hand in hand Sir Miles Fleetwood saith wee are to give Mountague his charge and by his Bookes chargeth him with 1. Schisme in errour of Doctrine 2. Faction in point of State 3. Matter of Aggravation Sir Walter Earle Qui color albus erat nunc est contrarius albo saith Doctor White hath sould his Orthodoxe bookes and bought Jesuiticall bookes And Moore that Bishop White may goe arme in arme with Mountague Ordered a select Committee to bee named to digest these things that have beene already agitated concerning the Innovation of our Religion the cause of the Innovation and the remedy Thursday the 12. of February Anno 1628. The Sheriffe of London upon his submission is released of his imprisonment in the Tower Sir Iohn Elliott made the report from the Committee in the Examination of the complaints of the Merchants and delivered in the Orders and Injunctions in the Exchequer At a great Committee for Tonnage and Poundage Master Shervile in the Chaire Master Walter delivered a Petition from Chambers Fawkes and Gilborne in complaint of an Information against them in the Starre-Chamber about Tonnage and Poundage and that by restraint of their goods they are like to be undone Sir Iohn Elliott The Merchants are not onely kept from their goods by the Customers but by a pretended Justice in a Court of Justice the Exchequer I conceive if the Judges of that Court had their understanding enlightened they would reforme the same and the Merchants thereby suddenly come to their goods Master Wansford conceiveth this a difficult way for us to goe M.
of the Church He was a Batchelour of Divinity I would know how hee came to be a Bishop two men are named in the last Remonstrance that are Privie Counsellours and it is very probable that these Ecclesiasticall Officers did give that advice to his Majestie Sir Humphrey May. I will let you know what I am privy unto It is true those two were named in the Remonstrance This point was pressed before the King and his Councell The King doth utterly dislike those Novellours then were these Bishops with teares in their eyes present and protested they hated those opinions and the Questions and they renounced them upon their knees Sir Iames Parrat It is said that these two Bishops were before the Councell and with teares did disclaime the opinions but we see their facts The Bishop of London Doctor Land did entertaine for his Chaplaine in his house one that did dispute the Arminian points who said what Arminians hold and write this I will maintaine and justifie upon my oath It was ordered that the complaint against Master Mountague should be taken into consideration and that a Committee should make search after the pardon A Petition was preferred against Cozens Master Sherland made report from the Committee about the search for the Pardons that they found Pardons sealed one to Bishop Mountague one to Cozens one to Doctor Mannering and one to Doctor Sibthorpes Sir Robert Phillippes If ever there came here businesse of like consequence I have lost my memory if ever King of England was abused in his mercy it is our King what persons are pardoned the greatest enemies to the Church and State that ever was standing under the judgement of Parliament they are pardoned betweene Parliaments If every man be not warned to search this into the bottome I would we might never regard any thing Yee see an offendor complained of and in stead of punishment Grace the goodnesse of our King is thus abused Let a select Committee consider of it and let Master Attorney certifie what is done and by whom and I hope we shall find those originall Instruments who have mis-led his Majestie It was ordered that a sub-Committee should have power to send for the Records and the Privy Seale and other Instruments belonging to the Pardons and to send for the parties and also to send to Master Attorney about his knowledge by whose signification the Pardons were obtained which was done accordingly Sir Robert Phillippes made report that we went to Master Attorney and found him in the Starre-Chamber and acquainted him with the Message He answered that he received a command from his Majestie in the last long Vacation presently after the end of the last Session to draw a Pardon and delaying it till Michaelmas Terme he said that he met with the Bishop of Chichester who intimated unto him his Majesties favour and requested him to draw his Pardon Master Attorney said he desired him to advise whither it would be any advantage to him or no after he met with a great Lord and a Privy Counsellour the Earle of Dorset who asked him if the Pardon for the Bishop of Chichester were drawne and desired him to dispatch it After this he said the Lord Carlton sent to him a warrant under the Kings hand to command him to draw the Pardon which he did and sent it to the Bishop of Winchester who interlined it And whereas the Pardon was but for one he put in foure Montague Cozens Sibthorpe Mannering Thursday the 5. of February Anno 1628. Secretary Cooke brought the Kings Answer to the House concerning the Fast viz. That it was his Majesties pleasure that the Fast should be kept by both Houses of Parliament on the eighteenth day of this instant February and for the whole Kingdome the 20. of March Friday the 6. of February Anno 1628. One Witherington was petitioned against who had formerly beene examined before the Lords of the Councell for depraving our Religion oftentimes calling the Protestants Heretiques wishing that an hundred of their throats were cut And to one that was a Papist and lately turned to our Religion he said he would be hanged and otherwise disgraced him It was ordered that he should be sent for The House being informed about two dayes agoe that a little before Cozens obtained his Pardon he was accused to Master Attorney by two witnesses for speaking words against the King and sent to Master Attorney about it Sir Robert Phillippes and others were appointed to examine this businesse whereupon report was made to the House by Sir Robert Phillippes as followeth Sir Robert Phillippes My part is to give accompt about the affidavits against Cozens and the diversion of the cause against him in the Starre-Chamber Master Attorney said that one Master Heath of Graies Inne came to him about Michaelmas Terme and affirmed that Cozens in a publique meeting said that the King had nothing to doe to be Head of the Church and that he had no more power to excommunicate then his servant that rubbed his horses heeles the Attorney acquainted his Majestie with it but his Majestie was not willing to beleeve that any man would dare say so much but that the compliant did arise from malice but hee charged the Attorney to make a carefull disquilition of it and if it were strongly proved that then hee should repaire to his Majestie Master Attorney did againe enquire after this businesse and said to Master Heath the matter is found and very improbable there is some mistake in it hereupon there were two Affidavits taken and they did sweare it point blancke Yet Master Attorney sent his Letters to Master Deane and others that were present when the words were spoken to require them to certifie whether the words were spoken or no upon that Certificate there was some variance about the words and thereby the businesse was lessened and being demanded if he had directions from any to desist he said no But casually he met with the Bishop of Winchester and hee told him of the complaint The Bishop said it will be nothing For King one of them that made the Affidavit is but a baggage fellow Sir Iohn Elliott It was our honour and duty not to passe these things over too sleightly I finde the Kings Honour and his Right is in question which we are all sworne to If I mistake not it is high Treason and that proved upon oath and presented to the Attorney His Majestie was acquainted with it who gave command to examine it and the Attorney was to certifie his Majestie In ordinary Felonies the Law doth not allow oathes contrary to the proceedings for the King here against two Affidavits a Letter and a Certificate must dath them all The Attorney informed the Bishop of Winchester with it who said that hee heard of such a complaint against Iacke Cozens but it was upon malice Let the persons that made these affidavits be sent for and let Master Attorney be sent for to answer why