paid for that purpose all which amounted to three thousand two hundred forty seven pound sixteen shillings two pence half-peny The Clergy of England within the Province of Canterbury freely contributed the fortieth part of all such Church Livings as were charged with First-fruits and the thirtieth part of all their Benefices not so charged those of London only excepted who besides the thirtieth part of such as paid First-fruits gave the twentieth part of all the rest Which Contribution of the Clergy amounted to one thousand four hundred sixty one pound thirteen shillings and eleven pence whereunto was added by the benevolence of the Bishop of London at several times coming in all to nine hundred five pound one shilling and eleven pence By the Dean and Chapter one hundred thirty six pound thirteen shillings and four pence and made of the surplusage of Timber one hundred nineteen pound three shillings and nine pence Given by the Justices and Officers of the Common Pleas thirty four pound five shillings and by those of the Kings Bench seventeen pound sixteen shillings eight pence All which together made no more than six thousand seven hundred and two pound thirteen shillings and four pence And yet with this small Sum such was the cheapness of those Times the Work was carried on so prosperously that before the Month of April 1566. all the Roofs of Timber whereof those large ones of the East and West framed in Yorkshire and brought by Sea were perfectly finished and covered with Lead the adding of a new Steeple being thought unnecessary because too chargeable though divers Models have been made and presented of it The whole Roof being thus Repaired the Stone-work of it stood as before it did sensibly decaying day by day by reason of the corroding quality of the Sea-coal smoke which on every side annoyed it Which being observed by one Henry Farley about the middle of the Reign of King Iames he never left solliciting the King by several Petitions and Addresses to take the Ruinous Estate thereof into his Princely Consideration till at last it was resolved on by the King And to create the greater Veneration to so good a Work he bestowed that magnificent Visit on it described at large in the first Book of this History Anno 1620. The product and result whereof was the issuing out a Commission under the Great Seal of England bearing date the sixteenth day of November then next following directed to Sir Francis Iones Knight then Lord Mayor of London George Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Francis Lord Verulam then Lord Chancellor of England and divers others to the number of sixty Persons and upwards Which Commission importing That this Church being the greatest and most eminent as also one of the principal Ornaments of the Realm and in much decay any six or more of these Commissioners whereof three to be of the said Kings Privy-Council should meet to make Particulars of the decay and likewise what Houses Cellars c. had been built near it either to the annoyance of it or the Church-yard And moreover to Inquire what Lands Rents c. had been given towards its Repair or Sums of Money collected to that purpose and not accordingly employed And further to consider of the most fit and proper means to raise money to carry on the said Repair And lastly to appoint Surveyors and other Officers of their Work and to make Certificate of their Proceedings therein into the Chancery Upon the Meeting of which Commissioners and diligent search made into the Particulars afore-mentioned it was acknowledged that the Bishop of London had the whole care of the Body of that Church and the Dean and Chapter of the Choires But that which each of them enjoyed to this purpose was so little that they yearly expended double as much upon the Roof and other parts decayed to preserve them from present ruine Which being made evident to the Commissioners as also that in former times even from the very first foundation thereof it had been supported partly out of the large Oblations of those that visited the Shrines and Oratories therein and partly from Publick Contributions in all parts of the Kingdom It was concluded to proceed in the same way now as had been done formerly And that it might proceed the better the King himself and many of the principal Nobility and Gentry declared by their Superscriptions for the encouragement of others to so good a Work what Sums they resolved to give in pursuance of it Doctor Iohn King then Bishop of London subscribing for 100 l. per Annum as long as he should continue in that See Mountain who succeeded not long after in that Bishoprick procured with great charge and trouble some huge massie Stones to be brought from Portland for the beginning of the Work But money coming slowly in and he being a man of small activity though of good affecâ—ions the heat of this great business cooled by little and little and so came to nothing But Laud succeeding him in the See of London and having deservedly attained unto great Authority with his Majesty no sooner saw his Office settled both at home and abroad but he possessed him with a Loyal and Religious Zeal to persue that Work which King Iames had so piously designed though it went not much further than the bare design Few words might serve to animate the King to a Work so pious who aimed at nothing more than the Glory of God in the Advancement of the Peace and Happiness of the Church of England And therefore following the example oâ— his Royal Father he bestowed the like Visit on St. Pauls whither he was attended with the like Magnificence and entertained at the first entrance into the Church with the like Solemnity The Divine Service being done and the Sermon ended which tended principally unto the promoting of a Work so honourable both to his Majesties Person and the English Nation his Majesty took a view of the Decays of that Church and there Religiously promised not to be wanting in the Piety of his best Endeavours to the Repair of those Ruines which Age the Casualties of Weather or any other Accidents had brought upon it In order whereunto in the beginning oâ— this year he issued out his Royal Commission under the Great Seal of England bearing date the tenth of April in the seventh year of his Reign directed to Sir Robert Ducy Lord Mayor of the City of Londan George Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Lord Coventry Lord Keeper of the Great Seal c. William Lord Bishop of London Richard Lord Bishop of Winton Iohn Lord Bishop of Ely c. Nicholas Rainton Ralph Freeman Rowland Heylyn c. Aldermen of the City of London Edward Waymack and Robert Bateman Chamberlain of the said City of London In which Commission the said King taking notice of this Cathedral as the goodliest Monument and most ancient Church of his whole Dominions as also that it was the principal
his Confederates were fixt upon him and that they would separate and dissolve if it did not spâ—edily set forwards But then the dangers which they feared from the growth of Popery stood as much in his way as Mountague and the Grievances had done before For the securing tâ—em from all such fears an humble Petition and Remonstrance must be first prepared which they framed much after the same manner with that wâ—ich had been oâ—â—ered to King Iames in the year 1621. In this they shewed the King the dangers which were threatned to the Church and State by the more than ordinary increase of Popery and oâ—fered him such Remedies as they conceived most likely to prevent the mischiefs And unto this Petition they procured the Peers also to joyn with them But the King easily removed this obstruction by giving them such a full and satisfactory answer on the seventh of Aâ—gust that they could not chuse before their Rising which followed within five days after but Vote their humble Thanks to be returned unto his Majesty for giving such a Gracious Answer to their said Petition This they had reason to expect from his Majesties Piety but then they had another Game which must be followed before the Kings Business could be heard In the two former Parliaments they had flesh'd themselves by removing Bacon from the Seal and Cranfeild from the Treasury And somewhat must be done this Parliament also for fear of hazarding such a Priviledge by a discontinuance Williams came first into their eye whom they looked on as a man not only improper for the Place but also as not having carried himself in it with such integrity as he should have done and him the Lawyers had most mind to that they might get that Office once again into their possession This Williams fearing so applied himself to some leading Members that he diverted them from himself to the Duke of Buckingham as a more noble Prey and fitter for such mighty Hunters than a silly Priest Nor was this Overture proposed to such as were either deaf or tongue-tied for this great Game was no sooner started but they followed it with such an Out-cry that the noise thereof came presently to his Majesties ears who finding by these delays and artifices that there was no hope of gaining the Supplies desired on the 12th of the same August dissolved the Parliament He may now see the error he had run into by his breach with Spain which put him into a necessity of making War and that necessity compell'd him to cast himself in a manner on the Alms of his People and to stand wholly in like manner at their Devotion The Parliament being thus dissolved his Majesty progresseth towards the West to set forward his Navy and Laud betakes himself unto his Diocess this being the year of his Triennial Visitation He took along with him in this Journey such Plate and Furniture as he had provided for his new Chappel at Aberguilly which he Consecrated on Sunday August 28. Here he continued by reason that the Sickness was hot in London and not cooled in Oxon. till he was fain to make his way back again through Ice and Snow as he writes in his Letters to the Duke from Windsor December 13. At his return he found no small alteration in the Court The Lord Keeper Williams stood upon no good terms with the Duke in the life of King Iames but he declined more and more in Favour after his decease The Duke had notice of his practising against him in the last Parliament and was resolved to do his errand so effectually to the King his Master that he should hold the Seal no longer and he prevailed therein so far that Sir Iohn Suckling Controller of His Majesties Houshold was sent to him being then at a House of the Lord Sandys's in the Parish of Bray neer Windsor to require him to deliver up the Seal to his Majesties use which being very unwillingly done the Custody of the Great Seal on Sunday the second of October was committed to Sir Thomas Coventry his Majesties Atturney General whom Heath succeeded in that place But my Lord was not gone though the Keeper was He still remained Lord Bishop of Lincoln and Dean of Westminster holding still both his other Dignities and Preferments before recited So that he might have lived as plentifully as the greatest and as contentedly as the best had he not thought that the fall was greater from the top of the Stairs unto the second or third Step than from the second or third to the lowest of all But as he sell so Laud ascended Neil his good Friend then Bishop of Durham had fallen sick in the beginning of the Spring at whose request he was appointed to wait upon his Majesty as Clerk of the Closet in which Service though he continued not long yet he made such use of it that from that time forwards he grew as much into the Kings Favour as before he had been in the Dukes becoming as it were his Majesties Secretary for all Church Concernments His Majesty having set forward his Navy which setting out so late could not be like to make any good Return was not unmindful of the Promise he had made in Parliament in answer to the Petition of the Lords and Commons concerning the great dangers threatned to the Church and State by the Growth of Popery to which end he caused a Commission to be issued under the Great Seal for executing the Laws against Recusants which he commanded to be published in all the Courts of Justice at Reading to which Town the Term was then removed that all his Judges and other Ministers of Justice might take notice of it as also that all his Loving Subjects might be certified of his Princely Care and Charge for the Advancement of true Religion and Suppression of Popery and Superstition Which done he directed his Letters of the 15th of December to his two Archbishops signifying how far he had proceeded and requiring them in pursuance of it That no good means be neglected on their part for discovering finding out and apprehending of Jesuits and Seminary Priests and other Seducers of his People to the Romish Religion or for repressing Popish Recusants and Delinquents of that sort against whom they were to proceed by Excommunication and other Censures of the Church not omitting any other Lawful means to bring them forth to publick Justice But then withal his Majesty takes notice of another Enemy which threatned as much danger to the Church as the Papists did And thereupon he further requireth the said two Archbishops That a vigilant care be taken with the rest of the Clergy for the repressing of those who being ill affected to the true Religion here established they keep more close and secret their ill and dangerous affections that way and as well by their example as by secret and under-hand sleights and means do much encourage and encrease the growth of Popery and Superstition
Promotions Fourthly That all persons to be admitted to any Benefice with cure should likewise subscribe to the said Articles and publickly read the same in the open Church within two months after their Induction with declaration of their unseigned assent to the same on the pain aforesaid In all which there was nothing done to confirm these Articles but only a pious care expressed for reformation of such disorders as were like to rise amongst the Ministers of the Church by requiring their subscription and assent unto them under such temporal punishments which at that time the Canons of the Church had not laid upon them But it is time to leave these follies of my own and return to our Bishop who had thus seasonably manifested both his Zeal and Judgment in reference to the peace of the Church in general nor shewed he less in reference to the peace of that Universitie which had the happiness and honour of his Education The Proctorship had beâ—ore been carried by a combination of some houses against the rest the weaker side calling in strangers and non-residents to give voyces for them For remedie whereof a Letter in another year was procured from the Earl of Pembroke then Chancellour of that University by which it was declared that only such as were actually Residents should be admitted to their Suffrages in the said Elections which Letter was protested against by the Proctors for the year 1627. as knowing how destructive it was of their plot and party And on the other side such Colledges as had many Chappelries and other places which were removable at pleasure invested many which came out of the Country in the said Offices and Places one after another thereby admitting them for the time into actual residence In which estate things stood when the great competition was April 23. 1628. betwixt Williamson of Magdalens and More of New-Colledge on the one side and Bruch of Brazen-nose with Lloyd of Iesus Colledge on the other side These last pretending foul play to be offered to them as indeed it was not very fair made their appeal unto the King before whom the proceedings being heard and examined Williamson and Lloyd were returned Proctors for that year the last pretending Kindred to the Dutchess of Buckingham And to prevent the like disorders for the time to come it was resolved by the King with the Advice of his Council but of Laud especially that the Proctors should from thenceforth be chosen by their severall Colledges each Colledge having more or fewer turns according to the number and greatness of their Foundations To which end a Cycle was devised containing a perpetual Revolution of three and twenty years within which Latitude of time Christ-Church was to enjoy six Proctors Magdalen five New-Colledge foure Merton All-Souls Exeter Brazen-Nose St. Iohns and Wadham Colledges to have three a piece Trinity Queens Orial and Corpus Christi to have only two the rest that is to say Vniversity Baliol Lincoln Iesus and Pembroke but one alone which Cycle was so contrived that every Colledge knew their turn before it came and did accordingly resolve on the fittest man to supply the place And for the more peaceable ordering of such other matters in the University as had relation thereunto some Statutes were digested by Laud and recommended by the King to the said University where they were chearfully received without contradiction and Entred on Record in the Publick Registers in December following Yet was not this the only good turn which that University recieved from him in this Year For in the two Months next ensuing he procured no fewer than 260 Greek Manuscripts to be given unto the Publick Library that is to say 240 of them by the Munificence of the Earl of Pembroke and 20 by the Bounty of Sir Thomas Row then newly returned from his Negotiations in the Eastern parts And now the time of the next Parliamentary Meeting which by divers Adjournments had been put off till the twentieth of Ianuary was neer at hand And that the Meeting might be more agreeable to his Intendments his Majesty was advised to smooth and prepare his way unto it first by removing of some Rubs and after by some popular Acts of Place and Favour Savill of Yorshire a busie man in the House of Commons but otherwise a politick and prudent Person he had taken off at the end of the former Parliament by making him one of his Privy Council and preferring him to be Comptroller of his Houshold in the place of Suckling then deceased and at the end of the last Session had raised him to the honour of Lord Savill of Pontfract Competitor with Savill in all his Elections for that County had been Sir Thomas Wentworth of Wentworth Woadhouse a man of most prodigous Parts which he had made use of at first in favour of the Popular Faction and for refusing of the Loan had been long imprisoned He looked on the Preferments of Savill his old Adversary with no small disdain taking himself to be as indeed he was as much above him in Revenue as in Parts and Power To sweeten and demulce this man Sir Richard Weston then Lord Treasurer created afterwards Earl of Portland used his best endeavours and having gained him to the King not only procured him to be one of his Majesties Privy Council but to be made Lord President of the North and advanc'd unto the Title of Viscount Wentworth by which he over-topped the Savills both in Court and Country Being so gained unto the King he became the most devout Friend of the Church the greatest Zealot for advancing the Monarchical Interest and the ablest Minister of State both for Peace and War that any of our former Histories have afforded to us He had not long frequented the Council-Table when Laud and he coming to a right understanding of one another entred into a League of such inviolable Friendship that nothing but the inevitable stroke of Death could part them and joining hearts and hands together cooperated from thenceforth for advancing the Honour of the Church and his Majesties Service These Matters being carried thus to assure himself of two such Persons in which he very much pleased himself his Majesty must do something also to please the People and nothing was conceived could have pleased them more than to grant them their desires in matters which concerned Religion and bestow Favours upon such men as were dear unto them In pursuance of his gracious Answer to the Lords and Commons touching Priests and Jesuits the growth of Popery and obstinacy of Recusants he had caused his Proclamation to be issued on the third of August for putting the Laws and Statutes made against Jesuits Priests and Popish Recusants in due Execution And now he adds another to it dated on the eleventh day of December for the Apprehension of Richard Smith a Popish Priest styling and calling himself the Bishop of Chalcedon a dangerous man and one who under colour of a
were weekly Fasts appointed to be kept by the Laws of the Land which if they did observe as they ought to do there would be no need of Solemn Fasts to begin their Parliaments The blame of which Answer in the Parliament immediately foregoing this was by the Puritan Faction cast upon the Bishops who at the same time had opposed some Proposition tending to some Restraints on the Lords day not imposed before as men whose Pride hindred all such Religious Humiliations and whose Profaneness made them Enemies to all Piety But the King having now cast himself into the arms of his People had brought himself to a necessity of yielding to their desire and thereby left a fair President both for them to crave and his Successor to grant the like So that from this time forward till the last of King Charles we shall see no Parliament nor Session of Parliament to begin without them though that King checked some times at the importunity So far his Majesty had gone along with them in yielding unto their desires but he must go a little further And therefore secondly They thought it not enough that his Majesty had made a Publick Declaration for the real and utter Dissolution of the said Treaties but it must be declared also by Act of Parliament That the said two Treaties were by his Majesty Dissolved Which gave them some colour of Pretence in the following Parliament to claim a share in managing the War which the Dissolving of these Treaties had occasioned and of being made acquainted with the Enterprize which was then in hand But for this time they were contented to have engaged the King for the future War toward the carrying on of which and more particularly as the Act expresseth for the Defence of this Realm of England the Securing of the Kingdom of Ireland the Assistance of his Majesties Neighbours the States of the Vnited Provinces and other his Majesties Friends and Allies and for the setting forth of his Royal Navy they granted to him three Subsidies together with three Fifteenths and Tenths to be paid before the tâ—nth of May which should be in the year 1625. Which though it be affirmed in the said Act to be the greatest Aid which ever was granted in Parliament to be levied in so short a time yet neither was the time so short as it was pretended there being almost fifteen Months between the dissolving of the Treaties and the last payment of the Monies Nor did the King get any thing by it how great soever the said Aid was supposed to be For thirdly before the King could obtain this Act he was fain to gratifie them with some others amongst which that entituled An Act for the general quiet of the Subject against all pretext of Concealments whatsoever was the most considerable An Act of such a grand Concernment to the Peace and Happiness of the Subject and of such Disprofit to the King in his Gifts and Graces to his Servants that it was affirmed by Justice Dodderidge at the Oxon. Assises next ensuing That his Majesty had bought those Fifteenths and Subsidies at ten years purchase Nor fourthly did one penny of this Money so dearly paid for accrew unto his Majesties particular use or was to come into his Coffers it being ordered in the Act aforesaid That the said Monies and every part and parcel of them should be paid to certain Commissioners therein nominated and that the said Commissioners should issue and dispose the same according as they should be warranted by George Lord Carew Foulk Lord Brooke and certain other Commissioners to the number of ten nominated and appointed for a Council of War by them to be expended in the Publick Service And albeit the Grant of the said Fifteenths Tenths and Subsidies might possibly be the greatest Aid which had been given in Parliament for so short a time yet did this greatness consist rather in tale than weight the Subsidy-Books being grown so low for those of the Fifteenths and Tenths do never vary that two entire Subsidies in the time of Queen Elizabeth came to more than all More nobly dealt the Clergy with him in their Convocation because it came into his own Coâ—lers and without Conditions For taking into consideration amongst other motives the great Expences at which his Majesty was then and was like to be hereafter as well for the support of his Royal Estate as for the necessary Defence of this Realm of England and other his Dominions whereby was like to grow the safety of Religion both at whom and abroad they granted to him four entire Subsidies after the rate of 4 s. in every Pound which was indeed the greatest Aid that was ever given by Convocation in so short a time the Subsidies of the Clergy being fixed and certain those of the Laity diminishing and decreasing daily A Burden which must needs fall exceeding heavy on many poor Vicars in the Country whose Benefices are for the most part of small yearly value and yet rated very high in the Kings Books according unto which they are to be Taxed Insomuch as I knew several Vicaridges not worth above 80 l. per Annum which were charged higher than the best Gentlemen in the Parish whose yearly Revenues have amounted unto many Hundreds Laud who had sometimes been Vicar of Stamford in Northamptonshire as before is said was very compassionate of the case of these poor men for whose case he devised a course in this present Session which being digested into form he communicated to the Duke of Buckingham who very readily promised to prepare both the King and Prince for the passing of it This done he imparted it also to the Lord Keeper Williams and the Bishop of Durham who look'd upon it as the best service which had been done for the Church many years before and advised him to acquaint the Archbishop with it But Abbot either disliking the Design for the Authors sake or being an enemy to all Counsels which had any Author but himself instead of favours returned him frowns asking him What he had to do to make any suit for the Church And telling him withall That never any Bishop attempted the like at any time and that no body would have done it but himself That he had given the Church such a wound in speaking to any Lord of the Layty about it as he could never make whole again And finally That if the Lord Duke did fully understand what he had done he would never endure him to come near him again St Davids replies very mildly That he thought he had done a very good office for the Church and so did his betters too That if his Grace thought otherwise he was sorry that he had offended But hoped that he had done it out of a good mind and for the support of many poor Vicars abroad in the Country who must needs sink under the payment of so many Subsidies and therefore that his error might be pardonable if
goes a little further and tells us of him That the World wanted Learning to know how Learned he was so skilled in all especially Oriental Languages that some conceive he might if then living almost have served as an Interpreter-General at the Confusion of Tongues In his life time he only published two Books in Latin viz. His Apologie against Cardinal Bellarmine and that which he called Tortura Torti in behalf of King Iames and a small Tract entituled Determinatio Theologica de jure-jurando exigendo quarto Printed at London 1593. And in English nothing but a small Volume of Sermons which he acknowledged for his own The Book of Catechetical Doctrine published in his life by others but without his privity and consent he always professedly disavowed as containing only some imperfect Collections which had been taken from his mouth by some ignorant hand when he was Reader of the Catechism Lecture in Pembroke Hall But after his decease ninety six of his Sermons were collected with great care and industry published in Print and Dedicated to his Sacred Majesty by Laud then Bishop of London and Buckeridge at that time Bishop of Ely 1628. For Felton of Ely dying the year before Buckeridge had been translated thither by the Power and Favour of that his dear Friend and quondam Pupil Curle Dean of Litchfield and one of the Residentiaries of Salisbury succeeding after his Translation in the See of Rochester By the same hands some other Pieces of his both in English and Latin were very carefully drawn together and published with the like Dedication to his Sacred Majesty Anno 1629. He that desires to hear more of him let him first consult the Funeral Sermon before mentioned extant at the end of the great Volume of his Sermons and afterwards peruse his Epitaph in the Church of St. Maries Over-rhe transcribed in Stows Survey of London of the last Edition After his death the See of Winton was kept vacant till the latter end of the year next following the profits of it being in the mean time taken up for his Majesties use and answered into the Exchequer according to an ancient Custom but more old than commendable used frequently by the Kings of England since the time of William sirnamed Rufus from whom it is said to have took beginning But the Deanry of the Chappel had not been void above nine days when Laud was nominated to it and was actually admitted into that Office on the sixth day of October following by Philip Earl of Montgomery Lord Chamberlain of his Majesties Houshold before whom he took the usual and appointed Oath He had before observed a Custom as ill though not so old as the other used in the Court since the first entrance of King Iames. The Custom was That at what part soever of the Publick Prayers the King came into his Closet which looked into the Chappel to hear the Sermon the Divine Service was cut off and the Anthem sung that the Preacher might go into the Pulpit This the new Dean disliked as he had good reason and thereupon humbly moved his Majesty that he would be present at the Liturgie as well as the Sermon every Lords day and that at whatsoever part of Prayers he came the Priest who Ministred should proceed to the end of the Service To which his Majesty most readily and religiously condescended and gave him thanks for that his seasonable and pious Motion As for the Deanry of the Chappel it was of long standing in the Court but had been discontinued from the death of Dr. George Carew Dean of Windsor the Father of George Lord Carew of Clopton and Earl of Totness Anno 1572. till King Iames his coming to this Crown at what time Bancroft then Bishop of London conceiving into what dangers the Church was like to run by the multitude of Scots about him thought it expedient that some Clergy-men of Note and Eminence should be attendant always in and about the Court And thereupon it was advised that to the Bishop Almoner and the Clerk of the Closet a Dean of the Chappel should be added to look unto the diligent and due performance of Gods Publick Service and order matters of the Quire According to which resolution Dr. Iames Mountague was recommended to the King for the first Dean of the Chappel in his time succeeded in that place by Andrews and he now by Laud. But to proceed Whilest matters went on thus smoothly about the Court they met with many Rubbs in the Country some of the Preachers did their parts according as they were required by the said Instructions amongst whom Sibthorp Vicar of Brackly in Northampton-shire advanced the Service in a Sermon preached by him at the Assizes for that County The scope of which Sermon was to justifie the Lawfulness of the general Loane and of the Kings imposing Taxes by his own Regal Power without consent in Parliament and to prove that the people in point of Conscience and Religion ought chearfully to submit to such Loans and Taxes without any opposition The Licencing of which Sermon when it was offered to the Press being refused by Archbishop Abbot and some exceptions made against it the perusing of it was referred to Laud April 24. 1627 by whom after some qualifications and corrections it was approved and after published by the Author under the name of Apostolical Obedience About the same time Manwaring Doctor in Divinity one of his Majesties Chaplains in Ordinary and Vicar of the Parish Church of St. Giles in the Fields published two Sermons of his preaching on the same occasion the one before the King the other in the hearing of his own Parishioners These Sermons he entituled by the name of Religion and Allegiance both of them tending to the justification of the lawfulness of the Kings imposing Loans and Taxes on his people without consent in Parliament and that the imposition of such Loans and Taxes did so far bind the Consciences of the Subjects of this Kingdom that they could not refuse the payment of them without peril of eternal damnation But neither the Doctrine of these Preachers or of any other to that purpose nor the distress of the King of Denmark nor the miserable estate of Rochel did so far prevail amongst the people but that the Commissioners for the Loane found greater opposition in it than they did expect Many who had been Members in the two former Parliaments opposed it with their utmost power and drew a great part of the Subjects in all Countries some to the like refusal For which refusal some Lords and many of the choice Gentry of the Kingdom and others of inferiour sort were committed unto several Prisons where they remained till the approach of the following Parliament Insomuch that the Court was put upon the necessity of some further Project The Papists would have raised a Provision for the setting forth both of Ships and Men for the defence of the Narrow Seas and working
for Religion had Work enough more than they knew how to turn their hands to But before they could bring any thing to perfection his Majesty was so exasperated by their rigorous Proceedings against the Farmers of his Customs the Imprisoning of Acton Sheriff of London their Voting down his Right to Tonnage and Poundage and their threatning Speeches against the Lord Treasurer Weston whom he highly favoured That on the second of March he Adjourned the House and on the tenth of the same Month Dissolved the Parliament At which Adjournment some of the Members carried themselves in such an undutiful I must not say a seditious manner that they locked up the Doors of the House put the Keys into one of their Pockets excluded the Kings Messenger from coming in to deliver his Errand compelled the Speaker to return to his Chair and held him there by strong hand till they had thundred out their Anathema's not only against such as should dare to Levy the Tonnage and Poundage but those also who should willingly pay it before it had been granted by Act of Parliament for which Contempts and Disobediencies the principal Sticklers were convented by the Lords of the Council and after brought before the Justices of his Majesties Bench by whom they were not only fined but committed unto several Prisons notwithstanding all they could pretend or plead from the Petition of Right which they so much stood on So hard a thing it is to finde a cord so strong as to bind the Prerogative when Kings have either Power or Will to make use thereof During this last Parliament Leighton a Scot by birth a Doctor of Physick by Profession a fiery Puritan in Faction dedicated a most pestilent Book unto them called Sions Plea In this Book he incited them to kill all the Bishops and to smite them under the fifth Rib inveighing also against the Queen whom he branded by the name of an Idolatress a Canaanite and the Daughter of Heth. And that this general Doctrine might not be Preached without a particular Application a Paper was cast into the yard belonging to the House of the Dean of St. Pauls March 2. to this effect viz. Laud look to thy self be assured thy Life is sought as thou art the fauterer of all Wickedness Repent thee repent thee of thy monstrous sins before thou be taken out of the World c. And assure thy self neither God nor the World can indure such a vile Counsellor to live or such a Whisperer Another was found at the same time and place against the Lord Treasurer who now is made the Scape-Goat to bear all those faults in Civil Matters which formerly had been imputed to the Duke of Buckingham It was no need to bid them have a care of themselves after two such Warnings Leighton is therefore brought into the Star-Chamber as soon as he could be apprehended where he was Sentenced to have his Ears cropp'd his Nose slit his Forehead stigmatized and to be whipped But between the Sentence and Execution he made his escape out of the Fleet though by better hap to the Warden than to himself he was retaken in Bedfordshire and underwent the punishment appointed for him but this hapned not till November 29. 1630. The rest of this Year in reference to our present Story was of little Action Laud falling into a burning Fever on the fourteenth of August at the House of Windebank his old Friend by which he was brought to such a low and weak estate that he was not able to reach to his own House till October 20. nor to put himself into the Service of his Place till the end of March Yet such was the Activeness of his Spirit that though his Body was infirm yet his Thoughts were working He saw the Church decaying both in Power and Patrimony Her Patrimony dilapidated by the Avarice of several Bishops in making havock of their Woods to enrich themselves and more than so in filling up their Grants and Leases to the utmost term after they had been nominated to some other Bishoprick to the great wrong of their Successors Her Power he found diminished partly by the Bishops themselves in leaving their Diocesses unregarded and living altogether about Westminster to be in a more ready way for the next Preferment partly by the great increase of Chaplains in the Houses of many private Gentlemen but chiefly by the multitude of Irregular Lecturers both in City and Country whose work it was to undermine as well the Doctrine as the Government of it For the preventing of such mischiefs as might hence ensue some Conference had passed betwixt him and Harsnet who lately had succeeded Mountain before he had half warmed his Chair in the See of York and certain Considerations were resolved upon to be propounded to the King for the peace and well-ordering of the Church which being reduced into form and by Laud presented to his Majesty were first signed by his Majesties Royal Hand and published in December following by the Title of His Majesties Instructions to the most Reverend Father in God George Lord Archbishop of Canterbury containing certain Orders to be observed and put in execution by the several Bishops in his Province Which said Instructions were as â—olloweth CHARLES REX I. That the Lords the Bishops be commanded to their several Sees there to keep Residence excepting those which are at necessary Attendance at Court II. That none of them Reside upon his Land or Lease that he hath Purchased nor on his Commendam if he hold any but in one of his Episcopal Houses if he have any such And that he waste not the Woods where any are left III. That they give Charge in their Triennial Visitations and at other convenient times both by themselves and their Arch-Deacons That the Declaration for settling all Questions in difference be strictly observed by all Parties IV. That there be a special Care taken by them all That their Ordinations be Solemn and not of unworthy Persons V. That they take great Care concerning the Lecturers in their several Diocesses for whom We give these Special Directions following 1. That in all Parishes the afternoon Sermons be turned into Catechising by Question and Answer where and whensoever there is not some great cause apparent to break this ancient and profitable Order 2 That every Bishop Ordain in his Diocess That every Lecturer do read Divine Service according to the Liturgy Printed by Authority in his Surplice and before the Lecture 3. That where a Lecture is set up in a Market-Town it may be Read by a Company of Grave and Orthodox Divines near adjoining and in the same Diocess and that they Preach in Gowns and not in Cloaks as too many do use 4. That if a Corporation do maintain a single Lecturer he be not suffered to Preach till he profess his willingness to take upon him a Living with Cure of souls within that incorporation and that he do actually take such Benefice or