of Nouem 1585 Gelibrand to Field 30. Ianuarie Gelibrand to Field Sandes to Field 20. Iune 1587. This appeareth vnder M. Wights hand M. Iohnson So in effect M. Litleton M. Sharpe a M. Snape reported as much as Edward Smith Ri. Hawgar Ri. Holme haue deposed b M. Sharpe and M. Litleton doe likewise herein agree with M. Iohnson a Mast. Litleton deposeth as much Mast. Sharpe to the same purpose of Dauentry Classis The like Ma. Sharpe of Dauentry Classis M. Sharpe to to the same purpose of Dauentrie Classis This suruey hath beene made in the most shires of England as by the surueies themselues to be shewed it appeareth They are in maner of heathnish libels Stone in the Starchamber Hen. Asker to Field Apr. 14. 1585. Nutter and Cleueley in the Starre-chamber Sharpe and Walker before the Commissioners Iohnson before the Commissioners In the Preface Snape to N. N. 1590. Snape to Barbon Aprill 11. 1590. and so also to Stone Depos in the Star-chamber Cap. de conuent ecclesiae Cap. de concionibus ad ecclesiam habendis Cap. de reliqui Liturg. officiis Litleton Before the Commissioners Before the Commissioners In the Starre Chamber In the Starre Chamber Exami before the Commi De officio Minist c Deioncionibus habendis c. De Baptismo Fenner Barbon Aire Wigginton c. Before the Commissioners Of the assemlie of the Church vz. inquisition as I take it is meant Iohnson before the CoÌ„missioners Rich. Hawgar his depositioÌ„ Rich. Holmes Rich. Hawgar before the CoÌ„missioners Snape in a writing of his owne hand Ma. Edmonds Barbon to Field Holmes Iohnson Ioh. Browne a Barbon to Field Pig to Field Snape to Stone b Barbon to Field c D. chapman to Field d Pig to Field 1586. e Gellibrand from Oxford to Field f Wake to Field g Knew stub to Field h Wade to Field i Barbon to Field k L. Thomson to Field l Lord to Field m Wigginton to Field n D. ChapmaÌ„ to Field o Gellibrand to Field Cricke to Field Iohnson Edmondes a Snape to Field b Knewstub to Field c Knewstub to Field Good Iustice. d Blake to Field e Gelibrand to Field f Rob. Bluet to Field and Egerton g Fenne to Field Iohnson Edmondes Snape Holmes Hawgar Edmondes Martin Iun a Martin Iun b Thes. 49 c Thes. 50 d Thes. 78. e Thes. 82 f Thes. 83 g Thes. 84 h Thes. 72 i Thes. 80. k Thes. 85. l Thes. 86. m Thes. 106. Martin Iun. Thes. 17. 18. 22. a The humble motion pa. 84. b The humble motion pa. 84. c Epistle to the discouerie of R B. c. d Register pa. 69 Lord to Feâ— 158. 9. Declaration B 2. 2. admonit pa 59. Suppl pa. 61 a E. 1. b F. 1. â— B F. 2 3 c. Payne to F. Suppl to the gouern of Wales pa. 15. 16. 36. 37. 38. 39. Goodman with the conent of the Geneuians c p. 214. 215 Martin Iun. Epilog Martin sea pag. 39 Holmes Hawgar c. Epistle to mart epitome W. F. Epistle to the Demonst. Martin iun. Thes. 98. 103. 100. 105. Martins protestation Buch de iuâ—e regn 57. Goodman pag. 185. Iunius Brutu s. 170. Beza de authorit magist insubd p. 97 I. P Of obedience Whittinghams preface Goodman pag. 196 I. P. 121. Wigginton to Porter at Lancaster 6. Nouemb. 1590. P. A. 7. De. cemb. 1590. a Coppinger examined 19 of Iuly Arthing discourse b Coppinger to T. C. c Coppinger and Arthing to Lancaster the 15. of Iuly 1591. d Arthing discourse Cop. to T. C. Arthingtons discourse Cop. to T. C. Cop to T. C. Copping to Gibson Cop. to T. C. Cop. exam 19. Iulie Cop. to T. C. Copin exam 19. Iulie Cop to T. C. Copin exam P. W. to Cop. 25. lan 1590. Cop. to L. 29 Iau 15. 19 Copinger to T. C. 13. of febr 1590 Coppinger to Charke Trauers and Egerton Cop to Hockenh 24. Febâ— 1590. Hacket to Wigginton 3. march 1590. Hackets discourse Arthing ex 19. Iulie 1591. Arthingt ex 30. of Iuly 1591. Arthingt ex 19. of Iuly 1591. Where Hacket then lay by Coppingers appointment Copinger to Hacket Copinger to Hacket 17. of May. 1591. Copinger to Vdall May 1591. Hacket and his fellowes The Copy of Cop. letter to a friend 21 May. 1591. Ibidem Ibidem Ibidem Cop. to Hack. Hackets discourse writen by Copinger 4. Iune 1591. Ibidem Boman to Wigginton Iune 1591. 24. Iune 1591 Wigg ex Epist. to Mart. Epitome Hack. decla Cop. to Chark 9. Iuly 1591. Copin to a preacher the 13. or 14. of Iuly Hack. last ext Hack. ex 21 of Iuly 16. of Iuly Ienk. Ioh. ex Arthingtons prophesie Vdall c. Coppinger in a letter Ibid. Arthin exam 19. of Iuly Hack. on the torture Hacket examined 24. Iuly Hacket to M. Yong in presence of diuerse Conspiracy for Discipline Numb 27. Deut. 31 Iosuah 1. 9. The hist. of the church of Scotland pa. 143. 144. 145. F. Thyn and Buchanan Hist. of the church of Scotland The godly fact and wordes of Iam. Meluin F. Thin and Buchanan Cicer. de natura deorum lib. 3. The hist. of the church Scotland Declaraâ—ion 1582. before mentioned Proclamation at Sterling 1585. F. Thin Histo. of the Church of Scotland pa. 372. 373. Exhort pag. 91. 92. Lib. 5 dec l
make good lawes and not see them executed is but labour lost And therefore it should seeme that these wise Law-makers were presently after as carefull to put the sayde orders in practise as they were before to resolue vpon them as it may appeare by a letter written to Master Field from Antwerpe the 25. of Iune 1583. by one Cholmeley in answere of a former Letter sent vnto him from the said Field For thus Cholmeley writeth Laetor intùs in corde de meliori successu rerum vestrarum quòd cum de conuentibus vestris audiam tum de Disciplinae Ecclesiasticae formali 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 multò lubentissimè Dicam quòd verum est serò nimis incepistis quisquis iam tandem vel incipere recusauerit vel a tam praeclaro incepto desistat peccatum suum feret paenitendumest de priori lentitudine I am glad with all my heart for the better successe of your affaires not onely in that I heare of your assemblies but most willingly of all in respect of your effectuall practising of the Ecclesiasticall Discipline I will tell you that which is true you haue begun this course too too late Whosoeuer shall now either refuse to begin or shall desist from so notable an enterprise he shall beare his owne sin You ought to repent you for your former slownes And afterward thus out of the same Letter to incourage Maister Field and the brethren In nulla re terreamini ab ijs quise opponunt quod illis quidem est exitij indicium vobis autem salutis idque a Deo In nothing feare your aduersaries which is to them a token of perdition but to you of saluation and that from God In Iuly the next yeare vz. 1584. some of the Scottish Ministers afore spoken of went to the Act in Oxford where Maister Gelibrand with his brethren gaue them great entertainement At that time there was a notable question propounded amongst their fauourers there by the sayde Ministers as is manifest by these wordes Here haue beene a good company of godly brethren this Act. Maister Fen Wilcox Axton the Scottish ministers and wee haue had some meeting and conference to our great comfort that are here One point which then was moued I would wish to be throughly debated among you and them concerning the proceeding of the Minister in his duety without the assistance or tarrying for the Magistrate c. What was resolued amongst the brethren of London about this matter at that time I know not Marry this I finde that presently thereupon they grewe more violent and prepared themselues to proceede more resolutely in the challenging of their Discipline as it is plaine by the dealing both of them and of their fauourers that yeare in Nouember and December after at the Parliament 27. of her Maiesty And besides let the sayd Maister Gelibrands words in a Letter to Field dated the 12. of Ianuary after vz. 1584. bee considered For as it seemeth to me they either tend to sedition or to the admitting in Oxford of the foresayd Decrees or Discipline Sure I am that they can hardly for ought I see receiue any good construction Thus he writeth I haue already entred into the matters whereof you write and dealt with three or foure of seuerall Colleges concerning those among whom they liue I finde that men are very dangerous in this point generally fauoring reformation but when it commeth to the particular point some haue not yet considered of these things for which others in the Church are so much troubled others are afraid to testifie any thing with their hands least it breed danger before the time And after many fauour the cause of reformation but they are not Ministers but young students of whome there is good hope if it be not cut off by violent dealing before the time As I heare by you so I meane to goe forward where there is any hope and to learne the number and to certifie you thereof Furthermore at the time of the Parliament last mentioned I finde that there was a nationall Synode helde likewise in London by these brethren according to their former decisions and Synodicall Discipline This appeareth by three letters The first was from eleuen ministers of Essex to Field wherin they desire to be certified whether the brethren meant to be exercised in prayer and fasting and vpon what day The seconde was from nine of the saide Ministers to Fielde and Charke wherein they writ thus We haue elected two Godly and faithfull brethren Maister Wright and Maister Gifford to ioyne with you in that businesse The third was from Gelibrand to Field Wherein he excuseth himselfe of a great ouersight in these words Touching my departure from that holy assembly without leaue c. I craue pardon both of you them c. And thus sayth he commending this holy cause to the Lord himselfe and your godly counsaile to the President thereof I take my leaue CHAP. V. Their Booke of Discipline is reuiewed it was after sent abroad about 1587. it was put in practise in Northamptonshire and many other places NOtwithstanding that the booke of Discipline was abroad as it hath beene noted in the third chapter and that the brethren had framed themselues as they might vnto the rules thereof yet there were found some imperfections in it which in the Synode mentioned in the former chapter as I take it were referred to Maister Trauers to bee corrected and ordered by him as his leysure will permitte Which appeareth by a letter of Maister Fields to Maister Trauers in these words Concerning our other busines I would wish that the Discipline were read ouer with as much speed as could be and that some good directions were giuen for the brethren abroad who are earnest to enter some good course for the furtherance of the L cause And after in the same place I finde many abroade very willing to ioyne with the best to put in practise that which shall bee agreed vpon by the brethren If it might please the brethren therefore that those or the like instructions which wee had with a perfect coppie of the Discipline might be sent I would wholly imploy my selfe in that seruice Another also vpon the longer stay thereof I pray you hasten the forme of Discipline and send it And the same man againe I pray you remember the forme of Discipline which Master Trauers promised to make perfect and send it me when it is finished We will put it in practise and trie mens minds therein as we may According to these requests the draught of Discipline was at the last finished and then sent abroade to be approued generally by all the brotherhood as may thus appear The discipline we haue receiued and we giue you and the brethren hartie thanks for it As yet we are not resolued in all points of it hauing had but small time to peruse it nor the commoditie of often meeting
vnto it c. Againe if you loue Christ and his Church before your owne glorie and your owne sinnes haue shut vp your mouth then be silent for euer And notwithstanding that Wilcox tooke exception to their authoritie yet in the Letter wherein Field answereth that point and many others he beginneth thus The Lord Iesus open your eyes and giue you such a true sence and feeling of your sins that howsoeuer you for a time be throwne to Sathan in the end your soule may be saued and you may feele assurance of eternall life c. What the issue of this matter was amongst them I find it not It seemeth that in the end Wilcoxe for lacke of his former maintenance which was withheld from him by the brethrens procurement vpon perswasion that after a time he should be restored to his ministerie againe and in the meane space be relieued he was faine to yeeld and to submit himselfe vnto their censure by them tearmed the Scepter of Christ. Marrie still he thought himselfe to be hardly vsed and after some time of expectation desired as it seemeth to know how long hee should vndergoe their heauie indignation Whereunto Field answered thus The brethren thought meet to admonish you vtterly to surcease For how long or how short mee thinkes you should not enquire considering the circumstances who know very well your selfe that if an otherwere in your case that no time can bee limited Neuerthelesse if you doubt the iudgement to bee too hard that already is giuen you may aske the priuate opinions of others your best friends as of Master Cartwright and M. Thomson who are of mind that you are for euer disabled to that function c. CHAP. XV. They haue ioyned themselues into an association or brotherhood and doe appropriate to their meetings the name of the Church THere is often mention made in the premises of the brethren but yet in none other sense thē they approriate to themselues in sundrie of their writinges and Letters as Salute the brethren Salute the reuerend brethren Master Trauers Chark Barber Gardner Egerton Salute our most reuerend brother Maister Cartwright Salute our reuerend brother Maister Cartwright and the rest of the brethren The brethren salute you Commend me to all our brethren Commend mee to all the brethren with you the brethren with vs here are in health Commend me to Maister Charke and Maister Trauers with all the rest of the brethren Remember me to the brethren Let him be accounted among the brethren as hee deserueth I writ to my Mother to speake to you and our good brethren to prouide me of some honest brother to Catechise my family To Maister Field with the rest of the Godly Ministers his brethren in London To his beloued brother Maister Field and to all other his faithfull brethren namely of the Ministery at or about London Our brethren haue determined I'trust you are so linked together by the bond of brotherly loue and the desire of the pure Discipline of the church that nothing may sunder you The brethren assembled the Godly brethren our pore brethren here at Oxford do long to heare from you and in the Articles whervnto they subscribed we the brethren c. Vppon the occasion of these termes and many other such like it is found out by examination that this Classicall and reforming consort with their followers haue diuided themselues from all the rest of the ministerie and Christians in England and linked themselues into a newe brotherhood with this lincke vz. as Doctor Cricke tearmeth it the desire of the pure Discipline thereby shewing themselues to be most notorious Schismatickes When Salutations are written saith maister Iohnson by the brethren that seeke reformation as vnto the godly brethren the meaning is as I euer tooke it to such as haue submitted themselues vnto the holy Discipline Againe when the name brother is giuen to ministers it signifieth them to be of some Classis for their consulting and setting vp of Christes kingdome and when to the laitie those that generally do ioyne with the ministers for the discipline and doe euery of them submit themselues to a minister of some of the Classis c. And these both ministers and people are the godly brotherhood denying the name properly of a godly brother or sister to any other The same also in effect hath he deposed in the Starre-chamber where he further addeth that thus he thought himselfe when hee was of that brotherhood and that it was so commonly maintayned both by him and by the rest of the Northampton Classis And maister Edmondes in like maner hath deposed as much to the same purpose both in the Starre-chamber before her Maiesties Commissioners for causes ecclesiasticall This saith he I do know that when salutations were sent or letters written to London from some Ministers abroad as from Fen or Cartwright c. to maister Field the rest c. therby was alwaies meant properly the ministers or the brotherhood of the Ministery in London and when they vse the name or phrase of godly brethren or sisters or godly brotherhood or sisterhood they meane generally both all the said Ministers and likewise as many as do depend vpon them for the cause of reformation So as the rest of the Ministers and people who and wheresoeuer that doe not ioyne with them as is before said are altogether excluded out of their brotherhood insomuch as they will auoide the company of all other as much as they can possibly refusing eyther to buy or sell or to eat or drinke with them Againe it may not in any wise be omitted that in their seuerall said letters other writings they vse oftentimes the name of the Church and of the Churches in as lewd a sence as they do the name of brethren Thus they write I know the state of this Church Make knowen to vs the state of the Church with you Our Churches are in danger of such as hauing beene of vs do renounce all fellowship with vs. The hand of God is like to be heauy vpon our Churches here if the malice of Sathan and his instruments be not preuented A woman with vs c. sometimes thought to be a friend to Religion c giueth it forth that Maister Walsh had laid witchcraft vpon her She would haue had him conuented by some of the Iustices but when he was once named she was repelled Now she is come to London c She deuiseth newe matter against him and against vs all as that wee should haue had meetinges at her house c. and that wee haue a priuate iurisdiction among our selues thinking that this will make her entrance vnto the Archbishop or high Commissioners c. I pray you first conferre with maister Walsh and then deale as secretly as you may to medicine these mischiefes It is long since