Church the first Sunday in February And it is likewise further Ordered that every Constable shall at every Lent Assize present to the Judges of this Circuit a note of the receipt of the said Order under the hands of the said Ministers And for the further avoyding of the concourse of idle people it is further Ordered that such persons as usually carry up and downe Bulls and Beares to baite being Rogues by Statute shal be punished as Rogues for the further prevention of such inconveniences as usually happen upon such meetings Per me Symon Spatchurst Clericum Asiisor The 6. an Order made by Baron Denham at the Assizes in Somersetshire Anno 1627. upon a Petition of divers Ministers To the Honourable Sir John Denham Knight one of the Barons of His Majesties Exchequor and Iustice of Assize for the County of SOMERSET The humble Petition of the Ministers whose names are subscribed Sheweth THat whereas at the last Summer Assizes held for the County of Dorset there was an Order made for the suppressing of all Revells Church-Ales and other publike Ales amongst other things as by the Copie of the said Order hereunto annexed appeareth Your Petitioners therefore humbly desire that Your Lordship would be pleased to grant the like Order at this Assizes for the suppressing of the like Ales and disorders in this County of Somerset So they shall alwayes pray for Your Lordships long health and prosperity Adam Abraham Iohn Ford. William â—yllet Iohn Fathers Ralph Turner George Drake 15. Marcii 1627. Let the Clerke of the Assizes draw up the like 〈◊〉 for his County Iohn Denham Which former Order being warranted by so many Presidents Iudge Richardson said hee conceived hee had no power absolutely to reverse but being commanded to do it by His Majestie he did as much as in him lay revoke it but yet doubted not that if the Iustices of Peace would truly informe His Majesty of the grounds of the former Order and of the great disorders occasioned by Wakes and Church-ales His Majesty would give Order to revive it but how ever he must make this Order for the present which he caused he Clerk of Assizes to enter VVHereas divers Orders have been heretofore made by the Judges of Assize for the suppressing of Church-ales Clerks-ales Wakes Revells and such like within this County of Somerset which were formerly made by the Judges by reason of many disorders and misdemeanours arising upon the meeting of multitudes of people out of other Parishes It is now Ordered by his Lordship that all former Orders heretofore made by any Judges or Iustices for the suppressing of Church-ales Clerks-ales Wakes and Revells be revoked as much as in him lyeth and made utterly voyde And that it may be lawfull for all persons freely to use any lawfull Recreation or Exercise at such meetings but with this advice that they be carefull that no outrages or misdemeanours commonly arising at such Church-ales Clerk-ales Wakes and Revells be done or committed Hereupon all the Justices of Peace then present immediately after they had dined drew up this Petition to His Majesty which they Signed with all their hands and then sent it up to London by Iohn Harrington Esquier then Custos Rotulorum in that County with order to deliver it to the Right Honourable Earle of Pembrook Lord Lievtenant of the County to present it to His Majesty Who repairing to London accordingly shewed the Petition to Master Prynne and the Earle being then in the Country whence he would not returne in twelve dayes space he advised with him what course to take for presenting the Petition to His Majesty in the mean time lest the Archbishop hearing of it should prevent the same The Archbishop having notice of this Petition from Sir Robert Philips and Bishop Pierce to prevent the delivery and expected good effect thereof presently caused the Declaration for Sports published by King Iames with some additions of his owne at the end concerning Wakes and Feasts of Dedication relating the Order of Judg Richardson for suppressing them to be reprinted and published in His Majesties Name before the Petition delivered the Copy whereof is here subjoyned To the KINGS most Excellent Majestie The most humble Petition of the Iustices of the Peace of the County of Somerset MOst humbly Shewing That whereas heretofore there have bin from time to â—e severall good Orders made by the Iustices of Assize and Iustices of the Peace for the County of Somerset for the restraining and suppressing of certaine disordered Assemblies in that County called Church-ales Clerkes-ales Bid-ales Wakes and Revells by reason of many disorders inseperably accompanying the same wherby the said Assemblies have for the most part for a long time beene forborne and not used to the great good and quiet of the said County Now so it is may please Your Majesty that by occasion of a Declaration published the last Assizes by the Lord Chiefe Iustice of the Kings-Bench for restoring of Wakes and Revells and Revering of all Orders made against them and by reason of a rumour thereof spread in the Countrey since the last Lent Assizes not onely all the disorders aforesaid of Prophanation of the Lords Day riotous tipling contempt of Authoritie Quarrells Murthers c. frequently over-flowing the said Assemblies have increased this Summer but even the other disorderly Assembliss of Church-Ales Bid-Ales Clerkes-Ales condemned by the Lawes have againe beene set up to the great prejudice of the Peace plenty and good Government of the County May it therefore please Your most Excellent Majestie to grant us some more particular Declaration herein That Your Majesties Command concerning Revells may not be thought to extend farther then to the upholding of Civill Feasting betweene Neighbour and Neighbour in their Houses and the orderly and seasonable use of manly Exercises and Activities which we all shall be most ready to maintaine And that we may have Your Majesties Favour and Allowance to suppresse all the forementioned unlawfull Assemblies of Church-Ales Clerks-Ales and Bid-Ales and to punish all the forementioned disorders as heretofore we have done Wherein Your Petitioners have no other end than to do Your Majestie faithfull service and to preserve the good Government of the County John Lord Pawlet William Portman John Stowell Ralph Hopton John Symmes William Frauncis John Harrington Robert Cuffe Richard Cole Edward Powlet William Every Anthony Stocker William Capell George Powlett Francis Popham Edward Rodeney Francis Dodington John Horner William Bassit John Windham Robert Hopton George Speke Thomas Lutterell William Walrond Gerrad Wood. The delivery and good effect of this Petition was prevented by the publishing of this Declaration by this Archbishops meanes who to justify himselfe herein ex post facto procured this ensuing Warrant without any Date at all written with his own hand and found in his Study by Mr. Prynne together with the Printed Declaration for Sports endorsed with his owne pen to be Signed by His Majesty to justifie
Impeachment But leaves it to his Councell to doe and advise as his Councell shall thinke most fitting Day being given him by this Order to put in his answer till the 13th of Novenmber following this Order was made in pursuance thereof Die Veueris 10. November 1643. Ordered that the Leiutenant of the Tower of London or his Deputie shall bring in safety the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury before their Lordships on Munday the 13th of this instant November by ten of the Clock in the morning to put in his Answer into the House to the impeachment of the House Commons remaining now before the Lords in Parliament and this to be a sufficient warrant in that behalfe To the Gentleman Vsher c. On the 13. of November the Archbishop appearing at the Lords Barre in person put in this following Answer to the Additionall Articles exhibited against him The humble Answer of William Archbishop of Cant. to the further Articles of Impeachment of high Treason and divers high Crimes and misdeameanours exhibited against him by the Honourable House of Commons according to direction of an Order of this Honourable House of the 13. of October last All advantages of exception to the said Articles of Impeachment to this Defendant saved and reserved this Defendant humbly saith that he is not guilty of all or any the matters by the said Impeachment charged in such manner and forme as the same are by the said Articles of impeachment charged Vpon his motion the same day to the Lords this order was made in favour of him Die Lunae 13. Novemb. 1643. Ordered by the Lords in Parliament that the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury his Councell shall provide themselves to advise him in point of Law in all the Articles of the whole Charge And for the matter of Fact when the Cause comes to be presented by the House of Commons as there shall be need their Lordships will give further directions in due time On the 1â— of December 1643. The House of Commons being desirous to bring the Archbishop to a speedy tryall made this ensuing Order 11 December 1643. Ordered that the Committee for the Tyrall of the Archbishop of Canterbury doe meete this afternoone at 2. of the Clock in the Starchamber to prepare the evidence against the Archbishop of Cant. and to summon such witnesses as are need full and prepare the businesse fit for Tryall and to acquaint the House when they are ready and this they are to doe with all the convenient speed they can and have power to send for parties witnesses Papers Records c. And the care thereof is particularly committed unto Serjeant Wild. Here upon the Committee met sundry times to prepare their evidence 3. January following the Lords intending to expedite the Archbishops Tryall according to the Commons desire made this Order Die Mercurii 3. Ian. 1643. It is this day Ordered by the Lords in Parliament that this House will proceed against William Laud Archbishop of Canterbury upon the Impeachment brought up from the House of Commons for High Crimes and misdemeanours on Munday morning next it ten of the Clock being the eight of this instant Ianuary 1643 At which time the said Archbishop is to prepare himselfe for his defence To the Gentleman Vsher attending this House or his Deputie to be delivered to the Leiutenant of the Tower or his deputie for the Archbishop Whereupon the Lords the same day sent downe this Message to the Commons thus entred in their Iournall 31 Ianuary 1642. A Message sent from the Lords by Sir Robert Rich and Mr. Page The Lords commanded us to put you in minde that the Archbishop of Canterbury hath put in his Plea to the Impeachment of this House sent up to the Lords sometimes since which they desire you to take into consideration what is fit to be done in it 5. Ianuary The House of Commons desired the Lords to appoint a Committee to examine some witnesses upon Oath against the Archbishop in the presence of the Committee of the Commons which being granted the Commons made this Order 5. Ian. 1643. Ordered that the Committee of this House formerly appointed for the busines of the Archbishop of Cant. shall be the Committee in the presence of whom the witnesses in the case of the Bishop of Cant are to be examined upon Oath by the Committee of Lords On the 6. of Ianuary the Archbishop preferred this Petition to the Lords for the deferring of his Tryall to some longer time written with Mr. Dells hand and subscribed with his owne To the Right Honourable the Lords Assembled in the high Court of Parliament The humble Petition of William Laud Arch-bishop of Cant. Prisoner in the Tâ—wer Humbly sheweth THat your Petitioner having received your Lordships command by your honourable Order of the 3. of this instant Ianuary annexed to attend and Answer the Impeachment against your Petitioner from the honourable House of Commons on Munday the eight of this instant January which is but five dayes distance and at a time when 2. of his 3. Councell assigned 〈◊〉 of Towne and your Petitioner witnesses residing in severall remite places cannot be summoned in so short a time nor willing happily to came up in their summons with out warrant from your Lordships Your Petitioners most humble suit to your Lordships is that you will honourably vouchsafe him some more convenient time to send for his Councell and witnesses to testifie in the matters of fact Charged against him and withall to grant the Petitioner your honourable Order to command the witnesses summoned to attend at the time by your Lordships to be appointed which his humble request your Petitioner had sooner presented to your Lordships but that no sitting hath beene as your Petitioner is Informed untill this day sithence your honourable order in this behalfe made knowne to him And your Petitioner shall pray c W. Cant. Vpon reading whereof the Lords made this Order in his favour to out him of all excuses and prevent all clamons of a surpâ—isall Sabbati 6. Ian. 1643. Whereas the House formerly appointed Munday being the 8th of this instant Ianuary 1643. to proceed against William Laud Arch-bishop of Canterbury upon the impeachments brought up against him from the House of Commons for High Treason and high Crimes and misdemeanours Vpon reading the Petition of the said Archbishop it is this day ordered by the Lords in Parliament to the end the Councell and Witnesses of the said Archbishop may have competent time to attend the hearing of the Cause that this House will respit the proceedings against the said Archbishop upon the said impeachments untill Tuesday the 16. of this instant Ianuary 1643. at ten of the Clock in the morning at which time the said Archbishop is peremprorily appointed to provide his Witnesses and prepare his defence unto the said impeachments To the Gentleman Vsher c. In pursuance whereof this Order was afterwards made and entred Die Lune 15. Ian.
1643. It is this day Ordered by the Lords in Parliament that the Leiutenant of the Tower of London or his Deputie shall bring in safty the Archbishop of Cant before their Lordships on Tuesday the 16. of this instant Ianuary by one of the Clock in the afternoone At which time this house will proceed against the said Archbishop upon the impeachments brought up from the House of Commons against him for might Treason and high Crimes and misdeameanours and this to be a sufficient Warrant in that behalfe To the Gentleman Vsher c. The next day the Archbishop being brought to the Lords House at the time appointed about 3. of the Clock that afternoone the Lords sent downe this Message to the House of Commons thus entered in their Iournall 16. Ianuary 1643. A Message from the Lords by Sir Robert Rich and Mr. Page to acquaint the House that they are ready to heare the Charge upon the impeachment against the Bishop of Canterbury Vpon this Message the Committee of the House of Commons appointed to mannage the evidence against him went up to the Lords House and then the Archbishop being brought to the Barre after he had there kneeled a little space was commanded to stand up which ceremony ended Mr Maynard one of the Committee desired the Lords that the originall additional Articles of impeachment against the Archbishop might be read Which being read accordingly by the Clerke he then prayed that the Archbishops several Answers to these Articles might likewise be read whereupon the Speaker of the Lords House commanding them to be read the Clerk read only his forementioned Answer to the Additionall Articles but noe answer at all to the Originall there being never any Answer put in unto them the Archbishop having not in al the time of his restraint from the 26. of Feb. 1640. till that houre so much as tendered or put in any Answer to his Originall Articles which was his owne meere default and never so much as once Petitioned in all that space to be brought to his Tryall notwithstanding his frequent complaints of his long Imprisonment the delay of his hearing occasioned by his owne neglect and by his Petitioning for longer time when the Commons hastned his Tryall Hereupon Mr. Maynard spake to the Lords to this effect My Lords it new appeares to your Lordships how unwilling the Archbishop is out of a consciousnesse of his owne guilt to come to his Tryall that in all this space from his first impeachment he hath not so much as put in any Answer to the Originall Articles though he had long since Councell assigned him for that purpose My Lords this is none of the Commons fault but his owne for your Lordships well know that the Commons can take no notice what is done in the House of Peeres in a Parliamentary way but by a Messag from your Lordships who after our Articls exhibited were to cal upon the Archbishop for an answer to them your Lordships sending us several Messages heretofore that the Archbishop had put in his Answer to the Articls that you were ready to heare our Charge against him and appointing this day for his Tryall the Commons thereupon conceived that he had formerly put in his Plea answer in due forme to all 〈◊〉 Articles but the contrary now appearing both to your Lordships and as it is impossible for us to proceed at this time in his tryall there being no issue Ioyned upon the Originall Articles for want of an answer to them to 〈◊〉 upon the Additionalls before my answer given to the originalls will be very preposterousâ— therefore â—e humbly prey your Lordships to Order that the Archbishop may forthwith put in his Answer â—â—th to the Originall and Additionall Articles by the advice of his Councill or otherwise in such sort as he will stand to it and then he shall without any delay joyne 〈◊〉 with him proceed on in his Tryall and evidence against him when your Lordships shall appoint The Archbishop having little to reply hereunto desire the Lords that he might advise with his Councell whether the Articles were certaine and particular enough to be answered unto and that if their Lordships should over-rule him to put in his Answer to them he might have convenient time to do it Vpon this all being commanded to withdraw the Lords after some short debate among themselves and upon reading the Archbishops Petition to have Mr. Gorâ—â—rd of Grayes-Inne assigned for his Councell to joyne with those formerly assigned him made this ensuing Order Die Martis 16. Ian. 1643. Vpon the reading the Petition of William Archbishop of Cant. It is this day Ordered by the Lords in Parliament that Mr. Richard Gerrard of Grayes-Inne be added to the former Councell Assigned to the said Archbishop to be likewise of his Councell It is this day Ordered by the Lords in Parliament that William Arch-bishop of Cant. shall put in his Answer in writing into this House to the first and further Articles of Impeachment brought up from the House of Commons against him by Munday morning next peremptorily and that the same Councell formerly Assigned him shall be of Councell with him On the 19. of Ianuary the Archbishop sent this Petition to the Lords To the Right Honourable the Lords assembled in PARLIAMENT The humble Petition of William Archbishop of Cant Prisoner in the Tâ—wer Sheweth THat whereas your Petitioner having formerly answered the particular Articles exhibited against him by the Honourable House of Commons and now by your Lordships Order of the 16th of this instant is commanded to put in his Answer to the first and further Articles of Impeachment brought up against him by Munday morning next for doing whereof his former Councell is assigned him That your Petitioner having advised with his Councell concerning the first Articles which were exhibited new almost three yeares sithence finding upon perusall and debate of the same that the said former Articles are such that no answer can be made thereunto nor your Petitioner in my wise enabled to prepare for his defence to the same as they now stand That for as much as the said Articles of Impeachment import no lesse than a Charge of High treason and for as much as your Petitioner is by his Councell 〈◊〉 that especially in Cases of life the Defendant is allowed to offer to the Court where the same depends his exceptions by his Councell before any Plea pleaded Your Petitioner most humbly beseecheth your Lordships to appoint a day for the hearing of your Petitioners Councell concerning the same And your Petitioner shall pray c. VV. CANT Die Sabbati 20. Ian. 1643. It is this day Ordered by the Lords in Parliament that the Leiutenant of the Tower of London or his Deputie shall bring in safety William Archbishop of Cant. before their Lordships on Munday the 22th of this instant Ianuary by ten of the clock in the morning to put in his answer to the
Articles of Impeachment brought up from the House of Commons against him according to the former Order of this House of the 16. of this Instant Ianuary To the Gentleman Vsher c. On the 22. of Ianuary the Archbishop personally appearing at the Lords Barre according to the former Orders did then put in this following Answer both to the Commons Originall and Additionall Articles The Answer of the Archbishop of Cant. to the first and further Articles of the House of Commons dilivered in the 22th January 1643. The humble Answer of William Archbishop of Cant. to the first and farther Articles of Impeachment brought up by the Honourable House of Commons against him and by Order of the right honourable the Lords in Parliament of the 16. of this Instant directed to be put in As to the 13. Article of the said first Articles and the matters therein Charged allmatters or things in the same or any of the rest of the said Articles contained which concern any Act of Hostility whether between the King his Subjects or between Subject Subject or which may be conceived to arise upon the comming of any English Army against Scotland or the comming of the Scotish Army into England or upon any Action attempt assistance Councell or devise having relation thereunto and falling out by the occasion of the late troubles proceding the late Conclusion of the Treaty and returne of the Scottish Army into Scotland this Defendant saith that it is enacted by an Act made during the sitting of this present Parliament that the same and whatsoever hath ensued thereupon whether treuching upon the Lawes and Liberties of the Church and Kingdome or upon his Majesties Honour and Authority in no time hereafter may be called in Question or resented as a wrong Nationall or Personall and that no mention be made thereof in time comming neither in Judgement nor out of Judgement but that it be held and reputed as though never such things had beene thought or wrought as by the said Act may more at large appeare with this that this Defendant doth averre that he is none of the persons excepted by the said Act or the said offences charged upon this Defendant any of the offences excepted by the said Act. And as to all the rest of the said first and further Articles this Defendant saving to himselfe all advantages of exception to the said Articles humbly saith he is not Guilty of all or any the matters by the said Articles charged in such manner and forme us the same are by the said Articles charged against him VV. Cant. The same day I find this entry in the Commons Iournall to wit on the 22. Jan. 1643. The Lords by Sir Robert Rich and Mr. Page sent downe the Answer of William Archbishop of Cant. to the first and further Articles of impeachment brought up by this House against him which was read and ordered to be referred to the Commitmittee appointed to manage the evidence against the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and accordingly delivered to Serjeant Wilde After this the House of Commons to expedite his Tryall on the 22. February 1643. ORdered that the Committee appointed to mannage the evidence at the Tryall of the Arch-bishop of Canterbury doe peremptorily meete this afternoone at three of the Clocke in the Court of Wards upon the distribution of the parts of the evidence The Commons and Lords being all ready for his Tryall and having given him as much convenient time to prepare himselfe and his witnesses as he could desire to prevent all clamours of the Prelaticall and Canterburian party began now to thinke of a peremptory day for his Tryall and thereupon I finde this Order entred in the Commons Journall 4. Marcii 1643. A Message to be sent to the Lords to desire them to appoint a day for the Tryall of the Bishop of Canterbury Master Serjeant Wilde went up to the Lords to appoint a day for the Tryall of the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Serjeant Wilde brings answer that the Lords have appointed to morrow senight for the tryall of the Archbishop of Canterbury For which purpose the Lords made this following Order Die Lunae 4. Marcii 1644. Ordered that the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury shall appeare before their Lordships on Tuesday the 12th of this instant March at nine of the Clock in the morning At which time this House will proceed against the Arch-Bishop upon the first and further Articles of Impeachment brought up from the house of Commons against him for high Treason and high Crimes and misdemeanours whereof the said Arch-Bishop is hereby to take notice and provide himselfe accordingly After this the Arch-Bishop Petitioning the Commons House that Sir Henry Midmay a Member thereof might bee examined as a witnesse for him at his tryall this Order was thereupon conceived 9. Marcii 1644. The humble Petition of William Arch-Bishop of Canterbury desiring that Sir Henry Mildmay may be examined as a witnesse in his businesse he being to come to his tryal on Tuesday next was this day read And it is Ordered according to his Petition that he shall be examined as a witnesse at the tryall of the said Bishop accordingly It was likewise then ordered that diverse Members of the House of Commons shal be examined as witnesses against him And that the Lords be moved by Serjeant Wilde that some Members and Attendants of the Lords House be examined at the Arch-Bishops Tryall And that it be referred to the Committee of Sequestrations to consider of some convenient recompence for such Clerks Sollicitors and others as have been or shall bee imployed in the transscribing of breviats and other services done by them to the Committee for the Bishop of Canterbury his tryall On the 12. of March his Tryall according to the former Order was entred upon of which I shall give you this summary account Never was there in any age such a deliberate solemne patient impartiall hearing of any case in the High Court of Parliament nor in any Court of Justice else in our own or any other Kingdom whatsoever as there was of this Archbishops The first day of his Tryall began the twelfth of March 1643. wherein the whole time was spent in reading the Articles of Impeachment his answers to them and introductory Speeches to the charge and evidence against him made by Serjeant Wilde and the Arch-bishop himselfe The first part of the evidence upon the 1 2 3 4. Originall and 2 3 4 10. Additionall Articles was managed by Iohn Maynard Esquire one of the Commons House wherein foure whole dayes namely March 13. 16. 18. Anno 1643. and March 28. 1644. were spent the forenoons of them in the evidence and proofs the after-noons in the Arch-bishops Answers and Master Maynards replyes unto them The second part of the evidence was prosecuted by Robert Nicholas Esquire a Member of the House of Commons which took up three whole dayes viz. Aprill 16. and May 4. 16. morning and evening in
pressed as spatingly as he might it being against his owne judgment and thereupon obedience was yeelded in most places and such as refused to Raile in their Tables were questioned and proceeded against by others but as for himselfe he never troubled any for it That the Archbishop himselfe gave both command and approbation for these Innovations was proved by this ensuing Petition to which an Answer was underwriten by Master Dell subscribed with the Archbishops owne hand found among Sir Iohn Lambes sequested Papers by Master Prynne To the right Reverend Father in God William Lord Archbishop of Cant. his Grace Primate of all England and Metropolitan The Petition of Philip Davies Clerke Hunry Demery and Abrah am Cobb Churchwardens of the Parish Church of Hill alias Hull in the Dioces of Glocester Humbly sheweth THat your Petitioners in obedience to your Graces special directions in your Graces Metropolitan Visitation did take care and order for the raysing of the Chancell and Rayling in the High Altar or Communion Table in the said Church for the doing of which with the necessary beautifying of the said Church there were divers rates made by the Churchwardens for the time being and major part of the Inhabitants of that Church for to defray the Charge thereof In which assesements one Henry Heathfield who was and is commonly reputed and taken to be of that Parish was rated after the usuall manner as he and his Predecessors had alwayes beene his divers rates amounting to 28. shillings six pence To avoyd the payment of which the said Henry Heathfield appealed to your Graces Court of the Arches where the cause hath depended for these eleven Monethes last past to your Petitioners great Charge and hinderance May it therefore please your Grace for the better incouragement of your Petitioners in performing your Graces Commands which we have hitherto done in preserving the decency and ornaments of the said Church as much as in us lyes to give order that the said Cause may be speedily determined and that your Petitioners may not be unnecessarily vexed and molested for endeavouring to performe what in your Graces Visitation was publikely enjoyned but so farre as truth shall appears we may shroud our selves under your Graces Protection And your Petitioners shall ever pray c. I desire Sir John Lambe in case he finde the Suggestions true to take care that this Cause may come to hearing with all convenient speed possible Febr. 9. 1637. W. CANT By answering of which Petition the Archbishop acknowledgeth that the rayling in of Communion Tables and imposing illegall Rates for the same was done by HIS GRACES SPECIALL DIRECTION in his Metropoliticall Visitation and thereupon he thus desired Sir John Lambe to expedite the hearing of the Cause yet he had so Little Grace as openly to deny it with solemne protestations The falsity whereof was further evidenced by this Copy of Injunctions given in his Metropoliticall Visitation to the Cathedrall Church of Winchester 19. July An. 1635. by Sir Nathaniell Brent his Vicar Generall found in his owne Study at Lambheth so as he could not be ignorant of them attested by Master Prynne the last whereof was this Deinde Dominus injuaxit Gardianis Ecclesiae parochialis sancti Mauritij infra Civitatem Wintoniae quod duo sedilia ex utraque parte Cancellorum ibidem removeantur quod nullum sedile ibidem collocatur aut erigatur Distuque Dominus ad Petitionem Willielmi Newton unius Parochianorum praefatae Ecclesiae Parochialis decrevit Mensam sacram Eucharistiae decenter circum-sepiendam viz. TO BEE RAYLED ABOVT IN DECENT MANNER citra festum Omnium Sanctorum proximè sequens Moreover A paper of Informations of divers Abuses in the City and Diocesse of London was found in the Archbishops Study attested by Master Prynne whereof this was one There are many Communion Tables in severall Churches of the City of London that are not rayled in and some of them are placed in the middle of the Church when as they may be placed more conveniently at the East end thereof At the Chappel at Highgate the Boyes use to leane on the Communion Table in the time of Divine service under which Mr. Dell the Archbishops Secretary Writ this direction to Sir Nathaniel Brent his Visiter subscribed with the Archbishops owne hand I require you that besides my other Instructions you give me an account of all particulars within named Whereupon an Account was given to him in writing accordingly thus entituled An Account of the Metropoliticall Visitation of the Diocesse of London Aano 1636. found in his Study with the foresaid Informations and indorsed thus with his owne hand 1636. March The Course of my Visitation in London Diocese Wherein are these Particular Passage touching the railing in of Communion Tables Mr. Rogers of Massing mentioned in your Graces Paper came not to me for an order for the setting up of a Raile about his Communion Table But I GAVE A GENERALL ORDER FOR IT BOTH THERE AND IN ALL OTHER PLACES WHERE I PASSED The Communion Table in the Chappell of Highgate mentioned in your Graces paper is already placed at the upper end of the Quire and a decent Raile made about it as J am informed by divers To which the Archbishop with his owne hand adds this Note in the Margin See it be don In the Parish Church of Edmonton a fair Monument is set at the upper end of the Chancell which I have ordered to be taken downe without delay and the Communion Table to be set in the place of it with a comely raile about it Yet had this Archbishop the Impudency to protest to the Lords he never gave any order to Sir Nathaniell Brent for removing or railing in Communion Tables that it was done without his Privity or direction O portet mendacem esse memorem Adde to this that in an Abstract of this Archbishops Metropoliticall Visitation endorsed by himselfe and found among his papers there were these observable informations given to him by his Visitor Sir Nathaniel Brent July 16. 1635. At Lyn in the principall Church called St. Margarets the Communion Table wanted a rayle which I have ordered At Northampton no man boweth at the pronouncing of the name of Iesus in all the Churches in Shrewsbury many things were out of Order especially about the Communion Table But the Officers in every Parish Church most willingly submitted to what I ordered Mr. Speed of Saint Pancrosse in Chicester is very willing the Gallery in his Church should be pulled down which was built to receive strangers as also to remove the seates which stand even with the Altar Besides it appeares by a letter of Wil. Kingsley Arch-deacon of Cant. to this Archbishop dated Aprill 13 16 6. that he gave him order to survay all the Churches in Canterbury and to certine him what Monuments placed the Eastland Galleres were in them to the end they might be removed who gave him this account thereof in writing found
himselfe if questioned for it upon any future occasion CHARLES R. CAnterbury See that Our Declaration concerning Recreations on the Lords day after Evening Prayer be Printed By all these Premised evidences it is most apparent that the Archbishop was the principall Actor in the publication of this Licentious Book to Gods and his Majesties dishonour which we shal further evidence by this writing under his owne hand The Declaration concerning Lawfull sports on the Lords day His Majesty Commanded me to se it Printed The motives to it were 1. A generall and superstitious opinion conceived of that day 2. A Booke set out by Theophilus Brabourne 1628. Iudaisme upon Christian principles and perverted many 3. A great distemper in Somerset-shire upon the forbiding of the wakes in the sowernesse of this opinion an Act of a Iudge that rid that Circuit March 15. 1627. And followed by another 1630. And his Majesty troubled with Petitions and motions by some cheife men of that county on both sides 4. His Royall Fathers example upon the like occasions in Lancashire After the publishing of this Declaration the Lord Richardson returning from his Circuit was by the Archbishops means convented before the King and Lords at the Councell Table about the forementioned Passages in his Charge in justification of the order against Wakes according to his duty and for revoking it in such a slight manner as much as in him lay for which he was so shaken up by the Archbishop that comming very dejectedly with tears in his eyes out of the Councel Chamber the Earle of Derset seeing him in such a sad condition and demaunding him how he did he answered Very ill my Lord for I am like to bee choaked with the Archbishops Lawn-sleeves And for this cause alone as he and others conceived he was by the Archbishops means to his great griefe and losse put from Riding the Westerne and enforced to Ride the Essex Circuit reputed the meanest of all others which no Chiefe Iustice but the puny Iudge or Serjeants only used to Ride notwithstanding the Lord Cottington and others earnestly moved His Majesty that he might ride some other Circuit After this the Archbishop intending to make this Declaration for Sports an Engine to insnare suspend silence and root out all conscientious preaching Ministers throughout the Realm by degrees the better to usher in Popery Ignorance and prophanesse enjoyned all Ministers to read this Declaration personally in their Churches in time of Divine Service such who out of conscience refused to read it were by the Archbishops own speciall direction suspended from their office and Benefice Excommunicated vexed in the High-commission and some of them there sentenced and deprived of their livings for this pretended crime though against no Law or Canon of God or man for proofe whereof these ensuing testimonies were produced First Sir Nathaniell Brent attested upon Oath that when he was appointed by the Archbishop as his Vicar Generall to Visit within the Diocesse of Canterbury the Archbishop himselfe gave him a speciall charge to convent all Ministers before him who would not read the Booke for sports on the Lords day and to suspend them for it and that he gave them particular order by name to suspend Mr. Culmer Master Player and Mr. Hieron three eminent preaching Ministers in Kent for not reading the sayd Booke of Sports Whereupon he did much against his will and judgement suspend them all ab Officio Beneficio and forced some of them to allow twenty pound a peice or more to Officiate the Cure during their suspension After which he received another speciall command from the Archbishop to suspend Mr. Wilson for the selfe-same cause whereupon he did accordingly suspend him Master Richard Culmer deposed at the Lords Barre upon oath that he being Minister of Goodneston in the County of Kent Mr. John Player Minister of Kennington and Mr. Thomas Hieron Minister of Hornhill in the said County they were all three convented by the Archbishops direction before Sir Nathaniell Brent for not reading the Booke for Lords-day sports and after that all three of them suspended from their Ministry and Livings in the Archbishops Consistory for the same Whereupon they soone after repaired to Lambeth to the Archbishop and there joyntly Petitioned him for Absolution from this unjust Suspension who reading their Petition and understanding the cause of their suspension for not reading that unwarrantable Declaration the Archbishop gave them this peremptory Answer If you know not how to obey I know not how to grant whereupon they continued thus suspended about three whole yeares and seven Moneths not being permitted to preach or instruct their people to their great griefe and the profits of their Livings were sequestred towards the maintenance of Deboist unedifying Curates who seldome preached And though this Deponent did divers times afterwards Petition the said Archbishop to take off his suspension yet he refused to do it calling him refractory fellow and saying it should continue and so it did he being not only deprived of his Ministry but also of all the profits of his Living having himselfe his Wife and 7. small Children to provide for which suspension and sequestration continued upon him till the Scotts comming in and then the Archbishop Absolved him more out of feare of the Scots than good will so as hee might justly say Gramercy good Scott for his liberty Master Thomas Wilson a godly learned Minister now of the Assembly deposed at the Barre that the Archbishop himselfe sent for him to Lambeth and demanded of him whether he had publikely read the Booke of Sports in the Church to which he answered no whereupon the Archbishop replied I Suspend you for ever from your office and Benefice till you read it whereupon hee was suspended and his Living sequestred for foure years space After which he was brought into the high-Commission at Lambeth by the Archbishops means and there Articled against for not reading the said Booke to his great cost and vexation Master Prynne attested that Mr. Wrath and M. Erbery were brought up out of Wales Mr. William Iones out of Glocestershire and divers others from other parts into the High-Commission at Lambeth for not reading this Declaration for Pastimes on the Lords day and the keeping of Wakes and Church-ales and that hee found this following Petition concerning the same subject among Sir Iohn Lambs sequestred papers with an Answer to it under the Archbishops owne hand manifesting his owne direction for prosecuting of one Henry Page a godly Vicar in the high-Commission for refusing to read this Declaration and expressing his dislike thereof To the most Reverend Father in God William Lord Archbishop of Canterbury his Grace Primate c. The humble Petition of Francis Thompson Gent. IN all Duty sheweth That whereas one Henry Page Vicar of Sedbury in the County of Hereford having taken upon him the Cure of Soules there hath many times used divers and sundry scandalous and ignominious
speeches in the Pulpit and elsewhere and more especially upon the fourth Commandement both by preaching and otherwise he hath in contempt of the Kings most Excellent Majestis Declaration concerning the lawfulnesse of Recreations upon Sundayes and holy-daies after time of Divine Service and in derision and scorne of the Booke set forth by His Majesty to that purpose often amongst other his opprobrious and disgracefull speeches uttered these words following concerning the same viz. Is it not as lawfull to plucke at a Cartrope upon the Sabbath day as at a Bell-rope Is it not as lawfull for a VVeaver to shoot his shuttle in the Sabbath day as for a man to take his Bow to shoote And is it not as lawfull for a VVoman to spinne at her wheele or for a man to go to Plough or Cart as for a man in the Sabbath day to dance that devilish round All which words and divers other of the like kind your Petitioner will be bound to prove unto your Grace and the honourable Court of high Commisiion May it therefore please your Grace for the Reformation of the sayd Mr. Page and satisfaction of his Parishioners consciences and other inhabitants there abouts who daily flocke unto him by reason of inveigling them with such his Doctrine to grant an Attachment or Letters Missive to issue out against him the sayd Page to bring him to Answer to such Articles as shall bee exhibited into the said Court against him And your Petitioner as in duty shall daily pray for your Graces long life and happinesse I desire Dr. Merrick to consider of the suggestions of this Petition and take order for Letters Missive if he see cause Aug. 30. 1638. W. Cant. Among which Papers he likewise met with this Certificate manifesting that not only Sir Nathaniell Brent but Sir Iohn Lambe in the Archbishops Metropoliticall Visitation did peremptorily enjoyne all ministers in the Archbishops name to read this Declaration for sports on the Lords Day to the people in Churches to animate them to prophan it though not prescribed in his printed visitation Articles To the Right VVorshipfull Sir John Lambe Knight Doctor of Law Commissary to the Lords Grace of Canterbury for the Archdeaconry of Huntington c. THese are to certifie that Thomas Gibbs Master of Art and Curate of Hitchin in Hartfordshire within the Archdeaconry of Huntington according to your Injunction at the Visitation there holden did distinctly and treatably read upon the 29th of Aprill being Sunday at Morning Prayer after the reading of the first Lesson appointed for the day most of the Parish then being present the Book intituled The Kings Maiesties Declaration to His Subiects concerning lawfull sports to be used William Lindall D. D. Edward Radcliffe Esque Iohn Skinner Edward Hurst Thomas Draper William Hurste Churchwardens And with 3. Petitions of Mr. Valentines to the Archbishop suspended for not reading the Book of sports referred to Sir Iohn Lambe who endorsed on one of them with his owne hand that he had received inclosed therein A Bribe of five pound Besides in the Abstract of the Archbishops Metropoliticall Visitation in the yeare 1635. found in his Study by Master Prynne there are these Passages concerning the Booke of sports Master Fairfax Curate of Rumborough Charged with inconformity hath faithfully promised to read the Declaration for lawfull sports I suspended one Master Pegges of VVeeford ex nunc pro ut ex tunc in case he did not read the Kings Declaration for sports on Sunday seven-night following There are divers in Surrey that refuse to read the Kings Declaration for lawfull sports on Sundayes besides those that stand suspended for the fault Doctor Howell a very worthy Divine gave me a note of their Names they are Master Whitfield of Ockly Mr. Garth of Wouersh Mr. Ward of Pepper-harrow and Mr. Farroll of Purbright all of them of the Lecture of Guilford and some of them of the Lecture of Darking who were afterwards prosecuted for it All these are unfallible Evidences that the Archbishop was the originall principall Author enforcer of this Declaration upon Godly Ministers against both Law and conscience himselfe his Servants playing some times at Boules upon the Lords own day to give good example unto others and persecuting those with infinit severity to the ruing of their Flocks Families who out of conscience durst not publish it Of which we shal produce one signal example more in the case of Mr. Lawrence Snelling a reverend Godly learned Minister deprived in the High Commission for not reading this Declaration Mr. Snelling himselfe restified upon Oath that he was suspended from his Ministry Living excommunicated and soone after that brought into the High Commission at Lambheth and there sentenced to be deprived from his benefice loosing the profits thereof full foure yeares space only for refusing to read this Declaration for sports That Hee there pleaded in his owne defence the Law of God of the Realme the Authorities of Councells Fathers and late Writers of all sorts That the Declaration it selfe appeared not to be his Majesties though published in his name it being not enrolled in any Court nor published under his great Seale as all Proclamations Briefes to be read in Churches are that there was no command at all of the Kings it should be read by any in Churches much lesse by Ministers no punishment threatned nor prescribed for not reading it no authority given to Archbishops Bishops High Commissioners or any other persons to question suspend or punish any Minister for not reading it and being a meere civill not Ecclesiasticall Declaration not enjoyned by any Ecclesiasticall Canon or Authority but temporall only no Ecclesiasticall Iudges could take cognisans of it much lesse inflict any ecclesiasticall censure for it especially in the high Commission it being no offence with in the Statute of 1. Eliz. ch 1. or the Kings Commission Ecclesiasticall whereby the High Commissioners sit so not questionabl by them Al which particulars he put into his answer defence but the Archbishop gave order not to accept his Answer or defence as he tendred them saying openly in Court That whosoever should make such a Defence as he had don it should be burnt before his face and he laid by the heeles for his paines whereupon the Commissioners expunged what they pleased out of his Answer and defence and then censured him Mr. Gellibrand deposed the same with Mr. Snelling whose censure was there produced out of the High-Commission records and here subjoyned Die Lunae viz. nono Die mensis Februarii Anno Dom. 1637. coram Commissionariis Regiis ad causas Ecclesiasticas apud Hospitium Advocatorum c. Iudicial seden presentibus Stephano Knight Deputato Iohanne Greenhill Notarto publico Officium Dominorum con Laurent Snelling Cleric Rectorem de Paulscrai in Com. Kantii Dr. Ryues The Cause is to be informed in and finally sentenced out of the said Master Snellings answer and
in that I shall ever acknowledge with a sincere heart But now Sir I must intreat leave of you that I may joyn an earnest suite to my thankes My Lord Bishop I hear is to be translated to Hereford and I am not thought on to succeed him I dare not write to my Lords Grace of Canterbury But I dare hope of his goodnes to me and that he will commiserate my case when he shall be truly informed of my need and what an utter discredit it will be to me in my Country when I shall be intercepted by whomsoever now the third time after that his Grace did encourage me to pitch upon this Bishoprick in his house at Westminster In truth Sir if I misse of it this third time I shall have no Joy to shew my face in the Diocesse Therfore I beseech you that you will speedily be my earnest Solicitor to his Grace that if for no other reason yet out of meer compassion I may not be so utterly disheartened I could be as glad to see Doctor Sibthorp in the Deanry almost as my selfe in the Pallace Your interest in his Graces Love may be a powerfull Mediator for us both Good Sir delay not the time to commend my cause to his Grace in whose goodnesse I cannot but have great confidence I heartily commend you to Gods grace and will ever be Your very thankefull friend Jo. Towers Peterborough Sept. 30. 1638. What effect this Letter produced appeares by the Docquet Book Octob. 29. 1638. Where we find both a Conge De'slire and Letter to the Dean and Chapter of Peterborough to Elect this aspiring Dr. for their Bishop both drawn up by Warrant from this Archbishop of Canterbury Belike Sir Iohn Lambe found this Doctor very thankfull for his promotion according to his promise the rather because we find in the Docquet Book Novemb. 5. 1638. A presentation of this Dr Towers to the Rectory of Caster in the diocesse of Peterborough by order from the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Who as he disposed of all Bishopricks in England so likewise in Ireland even whiles he was Bishop of London and since as appeares not onely by sundry Letters from Doctor Vsher Primate of Ireland and other Irish Prelates found in his Study but by severall Writings and Warrants under his hand for disposing Bishopricks there we shall instance onely in three The first of them seised in his Study by Mr. Prynne is thus indorsed with the Archbishops own hand Mr. Lancasters Reasons why he should be Archbishop of Cassils though he be thought too young Maii 21. 1629. WHereas the Lord Bishop of London objected against my age as being under 50. Your honâ—our may be pleased if it shall be insisted upon to make known to his Majestie that the lamentable estate of that Church is such that it is requisite hee should be active able and wealthy rather then old and decrepid that should have that Bishopricke to prosecute the recovery of the revenues thereof where the last Archbishop left who spent and spoyled himselfe in the prosecution thereof and so shall any other that shall undertake that unlesse he shall be of competent age and shall have his Majesties gracious favour and furtherance therein Again gravity sobriety sincerity integrity courage counsell goodnesse godlinesse hospitallity and charity are more to be regarded in that Country where they pry with Eagles eyes into our lives and conversations but will not heare our doctrine then old age where he shall not long want grey haires if suites troubles molestations vexations persecutions and afflictions can procure them Againe it is held by most that neither Saint John the Evangelist nor Timothy the first Bishop of the Ephesians were above 30. yeares old and yet our Saviour made choyce of the former and Saint Paul of the latter saith in the first of Tim. 4. and 12. Let no man despise thy youth By this its apparant that the power of disposing the Archbishopricks and Bishopricks in Ireland were in this Prelates hands and that he rejected or advanced whom he pleased there and therefore must be satisfied The second is this Note writ with this Archbishops own hand found among Secretary Windebanks Papers who thus endorsed it Jan. 1634. My Lord of Canterburies Note for George Andrews Dean of Limbrick to be Bishop of Fernes and Laughlin George Andrewes Dean of Limbricke to be Bishop of Fernes and Laughlin To hold in Commendam any thing he hath saving the Deanery The Bishopricke is voyd by the death of the late Bishop thereof You must draw up a Letter accordingly out of hand W. Cant. Thirdly A Warrant thus endorsed with the Archbishops own hand A Warrant for the Bishop of Limericke writ by his Secretary Dell and signed by himself in this forme which will demonstrate the forme of all his other Orders and Warrants to the Signet for the forementioned English Bishops SIR YOu are to prepare a Bill for his Majesties Signature after the usuall manner conteining a grant of the Bishoprick of Limericke in Ireland now voyde by the death of the late Bishop there to George Webbe Doctor in Divinity and one of his Majesties Chaplaines in ordinary And for so doing these shal be your Warrant Septemb. 22. 1634. W. Cant. To the Clerke of his Majesties Signet attending His Authority in disposing the Bishopricks in Ireland was so absolute that William Bishop of Corke and Rosse in his Letter to this Archbishop Aug. 7. 1640. after he had passed through one or two Bishopricks there writes thus by way of acknowledgement to him for his preferments there What I had or have is of your Graces goodnesse under him who gives life and breath and all things and under our gratious Soveraigne who is the breath of our nostrels The like we could prove for Scotland and what kinde of Popish and Arminian Bishops he there preferred themselves have sufficiently declared in their Charge against him and other Writings Not to insist upon his earnest endeavour and contest to promote Dr. Theodor Price Vice-Deane of Westminster to a Welch Bishopricke as the fittest man in his conscience of all others who lived a professed Unpreaching Epicure Arminian and dyed a reconciled Papist to the Church of Rome soon after receiving extream unction from a Popish Priest who missed the Bishoprick onely by the Noble Earle of Pembrooks opposition to which Dr. Owen was preferred in his stead We shall passe from Bishopricks to Deaneries To pretermit his advancement of Dr Manwaring Dr Wren Dr Duppa and others to Deaneries ere they were made Bishops Decemb. 1635. the Deanery of Worcester was granted to Dr Christopher Potter a professed Arminian which Dr. Featly attested by signification and order of this Archbishop of Canterbury as the Docquet Book records to whom he submitted the correction of his Book entituled Want of Charity and imputed his preferments witnesse this Doctors own Letter to the Archbishop the originall whereof attested by M. Prynne was produced and read
meere art to deterre others from opposing his Graces Popish Innovasions the only prosecutor appearing against him And his shaking up or menacing of his advocate an unlawfull act to discourage him from making any defence and subject his Client to a censure Therefore inexcusable 3ly The main Article against Mr. Burkit was only for his and the Church-wardens removing of the Table when the Sacrament was administred into the body of the Church without the rayles according to the Rubrick Queene Elizabeths Injunctions and the 28. Canon the other Articles being but frivilous not insisted on And for this he was molested in the High Commission yea a traditio Satana a turning over of him to Sir John Lamb pronounced against him who used him like a Lyon a Wolfe in a Lambes Skin 4ly For the Churchwardens of Beckingtons most severe illegall harbarous prosecution we have proved by the deposition of Mr. Iohn Ash a Member of the Commons House that the Archbishop himselfe since his Imprisonment in the Tower confessed that Bishop Pâ—â—res their Diocesâ—n did do nothing herein but by his direction If therefore the rule in Law bee true Plus peccat Author 〈◊〉 Actor he must be far more guilty both of their prosecution Excommunication and heart-breaking submission then Bishop Peirce his Instrument 5ly For Ferdinando Adams he was excommunicated in the Archbishops name by Mr. Dade his Surrogate and this Excommunication pleaded in Barre of his Bill in Starchamber The processe Pursivants sent out to apprehend him and the imprisonment of his Attorney till he withdrew his 〈◊〉 were all by the Archbishops procurement His shutting Bishop VVrens Visitors out of the Church at Jpsmich unlesse they derived their Authority by Letters Patens from the King was warranted by the Statut of 1 Eliz. c. 1. Therefore his prosecution only for his duty and allegeance to the King against the Bishops disloyall incroachments was most unjust and disloyall 6ly Iohn Premly was not prosecuted by Sir Nathaniell Brent but by the Archbishop himselfe for opposing his order in the Metropoliticall Visitation in removing the Lords Table placed Altarwise to the place and posture wherein it formerly stood for which he was fined censured imprisoned in the High Commission where the Archbishop sate chiefe Iudge against all Law and Iustice his act being no contempt nor offence in Law but the Archbishops order by Sir Nathaniell Brent his Visitor and Dr. Nevells act a contempt against Law and Canon 7ly Mr. Sherfield was prosecuted principally by the Archbishops procurement for demolishing according to Law an Idolatrous blasphemous false Image of God the Father which was openly Idolized Hee was then a Justice of Peace Recorder of Sarum and had the Warrant of the whole Vestry wherein were six or seaven Iustices of Peace at that time to demolish this Image and take downe the whole Window which all the Kings Subjects and Iustices of Peace especially have authority to demolish by the Statutes of 3. Ed. 6. c. 10. 3. Iac. c. 5. The Book of Homilies and Queene Elizabeths Injunctions n. 23. within their severall Parishes without any speciall order from King or Bishop yea God himselfe gives speciall Commands not only to the supreame Majestrate but to the Common People also to destroy Idolls 〈◊〉 Jmages and Altars Exod. 34 13. 14. Deut. 7. 5. c. 12. 1. 2. â— Isay 17. 78. In pursuance of which commands not only King Asa 2 Chron. 14. 3. King Hezechiah 2 Kings 18. 4. King Manassâ—h 2. Chron. 33. 15. King Josiah and his people a Chron. 34. to â— demolished and brake in peeces Idolatrous Altars and Jmages but likewise ALL THE PEOPLE of the Land went into the House of Baal and brake it downe Altars and Jmages brake they in peeces and â—low Matâ—an the Priest of Baal before the Altars 2 Kings 11. 1â— without any speciall Warrant or command from King Iehoâ—sh or Iehoâ—ada which the Holy Ghost records for their honour yet were they never questioned or fined in Starchamber for it because they had no warrant from either of them â—â— after King Hezechiah his Passeover the Scripture expresly records 2 Chron. 30 13. 14. c. 31. 1. That ALL ISRAEL that were present went out to the Cities of Iudah and brake the Images in peeces and cut downe the groves and threw downe the High places and Altars out of all Iudah and Benjamin in Ephraim also and Manassith untill they had utterly distroyed them all which is recorded to their Eternall honour by God himselfe nor were they ever questioned or fined for a Riot in any Starchamber or High Commission or for going out of their owne limits or doing this without a speciall Commission from the King Therefore Mr. Sherfield being a publike Majestrate both as a Iustice or Peace and Recorder of Sarum might much more by the whole Vestries Order demolish this Idolatrous Picture in his owne Parish Church in such a privat manner as he did without blame or censure having sufficient authority from these Texts and Presidents of Scripture and from the forecited Statutes and Injunctions to warrant it every man in such a case being a lawfull Majestrate without any speciall warrant Thus the common people in Girmany and else where in the beginning of Reformation brake downe the Popish Images and Altars without any speciall Order from the Superior or Inferior Magistrates as Mr. Fox and others record And therefore his Doctrine of the Archbishops that it is unlawfull to break downe the very Image and Temple of Iupiter and Esculapius where the Divell himselfe was worshiped without the speciall command of the supreame Magistrate is a most impious Paradox for if the supreame Magistrate will give no such command these Idols Devills shall still be to erated worshiped to Gods dishonour and Religions slander in despite of all the people and inferior Magistrates As for the place of Eusebius it only proves that Idolatrous Statues Images Temples were demolished by the Emperor Constantines speciall command but that the Christians under him might not lawfully have defaced them without such a speciall command especially after a Generall Statute and Edicts published by him for their demolishing without being lyable to a seveer censure the only thing in question is no wayes warranted by nor deducible from Eusebius nor Saint Augustine Yea had Mr Sherfields zeale out-run his discretion in this act it deserved rather applause then censure from a Protestant Prelate yet this Bishop was so far from excusing extenuating that hee aggravated his pretended offence beyond all bounds of Law Iustice Conscience pleaded as zealously for the lawfullnesse of Images in Churches and of this abominable Idoll of God the Father as the Pope himselfe could have dont yea he abused Master Sherfeild in his speech and censured him with the highest though a Bishop when some temporall Lords excused yea acquitted him And though this censure was not his alone but carried by the Major voyce yet his voyce Speech violence occasioned and aggravated it For his
and that was no extravagancy As for the consecrating of Churches only repaired or somwhat enlarged we know no Law nor Canon in our Church to warrant it And to take sees for it is both Symony and extortion For the restoring of them it is only affirmed not proved and to take them illegally to bestow them on the poore is but to rob Peter to cloath Paul Thirdly For the consecration of Chappell 's and meere private Oratoties there is no president in Antiquity yea Gratian himselfe and the Roman Pontificall allow the use of them without any consecration Therefore to consecrate them is to exceed even Popery and Papists in Superstition As for his Chapell of Aberguilly his owne Diary proclaimes his Superstition both in its consecration and denomination of it For the Patterne and furniture of it his owne notes and papers clearly prove it was the same with that of Bishop Andrews whose forme of conscration himselfe alleageth he punctually pursued And if this were the true patterne furniture of Bishop Andrews owne Chapell Anno 1623. all the world may justly censure him for a professed Papist his Chapell Altar and their furniture being as Popish Superstitious Idolatrous every way as the Pops in Rome yea exceeding the very Roman Ceremoniall and Pontificall For Wafers they are directly contrary to the Rubrick at the end of the Communion in the Book of Common prayer we wonder therefore with what face this Prelate dares justify them That a Bishops breath puts only a badge of reverence not holinesse on Churches is diametrially contrary to what he formerly affirmed Perchance he now remembers that Quicquid effecit tale est magis tale and therefore Bishops cannot make other things holy with their breath who have little or no holinesse at all in their hearts For his solemne consecration prayer at the laying the first stone of Hammersmith Chappell it hath neither Scripture Law Canon Antiquity but the Roman Pontificall to warrant it Therefore it is meerly Popish Wheras he objects by way of jeare that he hopes the consecration of Churches and Chapells is no Treason we answer that we do not charge it to be so in it selfe But we have proved it to be a branch of Popery and a grosse one too and being introduced by him among other things to set up Popery and subvert Religion it will prove Treason in this respect as we shall manifest in due time And so this intre charge remaines unavoyded in any the least particle 8ly The next Charge urged against me Is The Kings Declaration for the use of sports on the Lords day prescribing the observation of Revells Wakes Feasts of Dedication likewise formerly suppressed where I am accused 1. For causing this Booke to be enlarged reprinted in his Majesties name to prevent the petition of the Iustices in Somersetshire and make way for Mr. Prynnes censure 2. For pressing Ministers to read it in their Churches without any Warrant suppressing of Sermons censuring those who refused to publish it as Mr. Wilson Master Player Master Heiron Mr. Snelling with sundry others encouraging other Bishops to suspend silence many Godly preaching Ministers for this cause pressing this Book and ordering Churchwardens to present such who refused to publish it by Visitation Oathes and Articles 3ly For reviving disorder by wakes Revels and causing the Iudges Orders to be reversed To the first of these I answer That the Kings Declaration for sports was printed and published by his Majesties speciall command Yea I had a Warrant under his hand to see it printed and there is no proofe at all that it was printed published or enlarged by my procurement Besides the Declaration is but for the use of lawful Sports and that only after evening prayer ended and the cause of publishing it at that time was partly Barbourous Book of the Sabbath who would revive the Iewish Sabbath and the Iewish rigidities positions of others touching the Lords day whose positions drew Brabourne into that Error In Geneva it self as I have bin ceedibly informed by Travellers they use shooting in peeces long bowes Crosse Bowes Musters and throwing of the bowle too on the Lords day as well before as after Sermons ended and allow all honest recreations without reproofe of their Ministers yea Mr. Calvin the great professor there Instit l. 2. c. 8. sect 34. blames those who infected the people in former ages with a Iudaicall opinion that the morality of the 4th Commandement to wit the keeping of one day in 7. did still continue which what else is it then in dishonour of the Iews to change the day and to affix as great a sanctity to it as the Iewes ever did And that those who adhored to their constitutions who broached this Doctrine Crassa carnalique Superstitione Judaeos ter superant Men may be too strict as wel as prophaneherein Yet I for my part have ever strictly observed the Lords day in point of practise And whereas it was attested by Mr. Prynne that this Declaration was published to prevent the Petition of Somersetshire for the reviving of Iudge Richardsons forecited order Sir Robert Philips and many other Gentlemen of that County complained against the order to the King whereupon the Iudge was ordered to reverse it and the Declaration was not published till after the reversall 2ly The Declaration was ordered to be published in the Church and that was sufficient warrant to enjoyne Ministers to publish it there although no penalty be prescribed in it to such who should refuse to publish the same yet it is implyed otherwise the command were idle in case of disobedience That it was published with intent to suppresse afternoon Sermons that so the people might â—ave more time for Sports This could not be since none were to use any Recreations till after Evening Prayer ended That I gave my Visitor command to suspend those who refused to read it was only within my Diocesse of Canterbury not in my Metropoliticall Visitation throughout my province I suspended but three Ministers in my whole Diocesse who had first time of consideration granted them to wit Mr. Wilson Mr. Culmer and Mr. Player only suspended ob officio for their contumacy being men of factious Spirits For Mr. Wilson and others being brought into the High Commission for not reading this Declaration it was the act of the Court not mine As for Mr. Snelling he was excommunicated by Dr. Woode not me and he was questioned in the High Commission for not bowing at the name of Iesus and as well as not reading this Book Besides I was not present at his censure there neither did I expunge his answer Nor did I presse the reading of the Declaration in my Visitation Articles if other Bishops did it t is nothing to me themselves must answer for it not I. 3ly Feasts of dedication have beene of great Antiquity and in generall use in some Coutries and there is a lawfull use of them for Hospitality and increase of
the whole Kingdome of England be committed to the safe custody of the Gentleman Vsher attending this high Court and that he be sequestred from the said House untill his Grace shall cleare himselfe of the Accusations that shall be laid against him by the said House This proud imperious Arch-Prelate who had close-imprisoned others for sundry yeares in remote Castles in forraigne Islands meerely for opposing his Tyranny and Innovations excluding not only their Friends but Wives Children from the least accesse unto their Prisons or the Isles wherein they were exiled for their comfort or reliefe was yet so impatient of restraint himselfe that immediatly after his Commitment to Master Maxwels house at Chearing Crosse though he had convenient lodgings more liberty by farre then he demerited and all his friends free accesse to visit him yet hee became an humble suiter to the House of Peers even in the wet cold winter season when a warme lodging in most mens judgment was more wholesome for him then cold moist walkes that he might have liberty to goe abroad with his Keeper to take the Ayre which liberty himselfe would never indulge to any Prisoner committed by him for the least offence especially under the Notion of a Puritan O strange impatience worthy admiration that he who had close Imprisoned many Godly Christians Ministers mobscure holes and Dungeons without the least pity or indulgence divers yeares even for well doing or petty offences against himselfe should not be able to endure a few weekes imprisonment when charged with high Treason it selfe against the King and Kingdome without Petitioning for liberty to take the Ayre A request so unseasonable that no wise Man in his condition would have demanded it and the Parliament in Justice or Honour could not condescend to it But this suit of his being deemed unseasonable was rejected And here behold the common Genius of Tyrannicall domineering spirits none so inexorable mercilesse insensible of others unjust oppressions as they in the ruffe of their prosperity none more degenerous pusilanimous querulous impatient or sordidly base then they in the stormes of adversity Let this Arch-Prelates suddaine downe-fall from the Pinnacle of Honour Power into a restrained despicable condition and his impatience under it be a future admonition to all Lording Prelates and Tyrâ—nizing Grandees to carry themselves with all moderation in their places and to learne this good lesson from an heathen Poet which most men in the hight of their felicity are over-apt to forget Desinat elatis quisquam confidere rebus Jnstabilesque Deos et Lubrica Numina discat Illa manus quoe sceptra sibi gestanda parabat Cuius se toties submisit ad oscula supplex Nobilitas digitos ductis inflectere nervis Cogitur c. Aspiciat ne quis nimium sublata secundis Colla gerat What occurrences happened betweene the Archbishops restraint and his commitment to the Tower you may read in his Diary and in the â—roviat of his life On the 22. of February 1640. the House of Commons Ordered that to morrow morning the Report concerning the Articles against the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury be first reade if it be ready On February 23. they further Ordered Mr. Pym to make the report of the Articles against the Archbishop of Cant. the next morning February 24. Mr. Pym presented from the Committee appointed for that purpose the Articles against the Archbishop of Canterbury The Title to the Articles the Articles themselves and the conclusion to them were all severally twice read and all severally voted and past upon the question and afterwards by resolution upon the Question it was ordered that these Articles so read and voted should be ingrossed February 26. The Articles against the Archbishop of Canterbury which were formerly ordered to be ingrossed were now read and it was resolved upon the question that the Articles thus ingrossed and read should be sent up to the Lords in maintenance of the Charge against the Archbishop of Canterbury whereby he stands charged of high Treason Mr. Pymme Mr. Hampden and Mr. Maynard went up with the Articles according to the former Order Vpon the reading of these Articles the Lords made this Order for his the Archbishops commitment to the Tower 26. February 1640. ORdered by the Lords in Parliament that the Lord Archbishop of Cant. his Grace shal stand comitted to the Tower of London But the pleasure of this house is that he continue still in the safe custody of the Gentleman Vsher of this House till Mâ—nday the first of March 1640 and then that the Letutenant receive his Grace into his safe Custody until the pleasure of this House he further known and in the meane time Mr. Maxwell is to be responsible for him and not to permit him to goe abroad and that the Archbishop os Canterbury and the Earle of Strafford shall not come together Mr. Pym returnes and acquaints the House that according to his Abilities he had performed their commands and it was ordered that thankes shold be given him for the good service he had therein done this House Thus the Commons Iournall relates the times and manner of these proceedings and Articles against Canterbury unanimously voted by all when both Houses were fullest with the concurring suffrages of all those Members who have since deserted the Parliament and repaired to Oxford some of whom made bitter Invectives against him whose mouths must be for ever stopped by their own suffrages in full Parliament from uttering any thing in lustification of this Arch-Traitor or in derogation of the Iudgment execution passed against him upon the several Articles of his Impeachment which I shall here Present you with altogether beginning with the Originall Articles of the House of Commons carried up by Master Pym and others whose speech at their delivery I have here annexed to them as they were printed by order of the house long since next adioyning the Scottish Commissioners Charge against him and then the Commons Additionall Articles ARTICLES OF The COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT In maintenance of their Accusation against WJLLJAM LAVD Arch-Bishop of CANTERBVRY whereby he stands Charged with High Treason Presented and carryed up to the LORDS by Mr. John Pym Febr. 26. 1640. Mr. Pym comming to the Lords barre to present the Articles spake as followeth My LORDS I Am commanded by the Knights Citizens and Burgesses now assembled for the Commons in Parliament to deliver to your Lordships these Articles in maintenance of their Charge against the Archbishop of Canterbury Their desire is that first your Lordships would be pleased to heare the Articles read and then I shall endeavour to present to you the sense of the Commons concerning the nature of the Charge and the order of their proceedings FIRST THat he hath traiterously endeavoured to subvert the Fundamentall Lawes and government of this Kingdome of England and instead thereof to introduce an Arbitrary and tyrannicall Government against law and to that end
them all the dayes of my life so farre as they concerne me as any man hath and since I came into place I have followed them and byn as much guided by them as any man that sate where I had the honour to sitte And of this I am sory I have lost the testimony of the Lord Keeper Coventry and other Persons of Honour since dead And the Councell which attended at the Councell Board can witnesse some of them here present that in all references to the Board or debates arising at the Board I was for that part of the cause where I found Law to be and if the Councell desired to have the cause left to the Law well I might move in some cases Charity or Conscience to them but I left them to the Law if thither they would goe And how such a carriage as this through the whole course of my life in private and publique can stand with an intention to overthrow the Lawes I cannot yet see Nay more I have ever beene of opinion That Lawes binde the conscience and have accordingly made conscience of observing them and this doctrine I have constantly preached as occasion hath beene offered me and how is it possible I should seek to overthrow those Lawes which I held my selfe bound in conscience to keep and observe As for Religion I was borne and bred up in and under the Church of England as it stands established by Law I have by Gods blessing growne up in it to the yeares which are now upon me and to the place of preferment which I now beare I have ever since I have understood ought in my profession kept one constant tenor in this my profession with out variation or shifting from one opinion to another for any worldly ends And if my conscience would have suffered me to doe so I could easely have slid through all the difficulties which I have prest upon me in this kinde But of all diseases I have ever held a Palsey in Religion most dangerous well knowing and remembring that disease often ends in a dead Palsie Ever since I came in place I have laboured nothing more then that the externall publique worship of God so much slighted in divers parts of this Kingdome might be preserved that with as much decency uniformity as might be for I evidently saw that the publique neglect of Gods service in the outward face of it and the nasty lyeing of many places dedicated to that service had almost cast a dampe upon the true and inward worship of God which while we live in the body needs exteriall helps and all little enough to keepe it in any vigor And this I did to the uttermost of my knowledge according both to Law and Canon and with the consent and likeing of the people nor did any command issue out from mee against the one or without the other Further my Lords give me leave I beseech you to acquaint you with this also that I have as little acquaintance with Recusants as I beleeve any man of my place of England hath or ever had sithence the Reformation and for my kindred no one of them was ever a Recusant but Sir William Web grandchild to my Vnkle Sir VVilliam VVeb sometimes Lord Major of London and since which some of his Children I reduced back againe to the Church of England On this one thing more I humbly desire may be thought on That I am fallen into a great deale of obloquie in matter of Religion and that so farre as appeares by the Articles against me that I have indeavored to advance and bring in Popery Perhaps my Lords I am not ignorant what party of men have raised these scandalls upon me nor for what end nor perhapps by whom set on but howsoever I would faine have a good reason given me if my conscience stood that way and that with my conscience I could subscribe to the Church of Rome what should have kept me heere before my imprisonment to indure the libelling and the slaunder and the base usage that hath beene put upon me and these to end in this question for my life I say I would know a good reason for this First my Lords is it because of any pledges I have in the world to sway me against my conscience No sure for I have neither Wife nor Children to cry out upon me to stay with them And if I had I hope the calling of my conscience should be heard above them Is it because I was loth to leave the honour and profit of the place I was risen too Surely no for I desire your Lordships and all the world should know I do much scorn the one and the other in comparison of my conscience Besides it cannot be imagined by any man but that if I should have gone over to them I should not have wanted both honour and profit and suppose not so great as this I have here yet sure would my conscience have served my self of either lesse with my conscience would have prevailed with me more than greater against my conscience Is it because I lived here at ease and was loth to venture the losse of that not so neither for whatsoever the world may be pleased to think of me I have led a very painfull life and such as I would have been content to change had I well known how and would my conscience have served me that way I am sure I might have lived at far more ease and either have avoyded the barbarous Libelling and other bitter grievous scornes which have been put upon me or at least been out of the hearing of them Not to trouble your Lordships too long I am so innocent in the businesse of Religion so free from all practise or so much as thought of practise for any alteration unto Popery or any blemishing the true Protestant Religion established in England as I was when my mother first bore me into the world And let nothing be spoken but truth and I do here challenge whatsoever is between Heaven or Hell that can be said against me in point of my Religion in which I have ever hated dissimulation And had I not hated it perhaps I might have been better for worldly safety then now I am but it can no way become a Christian Bishop to halt with God Lastly if I had any purpose to blast the true Religion established in the Church of England and to introduce Popery sure I took a wrong way to it for my Lords I have staid more going to Rome and reduced more that were already gone then I believe any Bishop or Divine in this Kingdome hath done and some of them men of great abilities and some persons of great place and is this the way to introduce Popery My Lords if I had blemished the true Protestant Religion how could I have brought these men to it And if I had promised to introduce Popery I would never have reduced
these men from it And that it may appear unto Your Lordships how many and of what condition the persons are which by Gods blessing upon my labours I have setled in the true Protestant Religion established in England I shall briefely name some of them though I cannot do it in order of time as I converted them Henry Berkinstead of Trinity Colledge Oxon seduced by a Jesuite and brought to London The Lords and others conceiving him to be Berchinhead the Author of all the Libellous Popish Oxford Aulicusses against the Parliament at the naming of him smiled which the Archbishop perceiving said My Lords I mean not Berchinhead the Author of Oxford Aulicus but another Two Daughters of Sir Richard Lechford in Surry sent towards a NVNNERIE Two Schollers of Saint Johns Colledge Cambridge Toppin and Ashton who had got the French Ambassadors passe and after this I allowed means to Toppin and then procured him a fellowship in Saint Johns And he is at this present as hopefull a young man as any of his time and a Divine Sir William Webbe my kinsman and two of his Daughters And his son I took from him and his Father being utterly decayed I bred him at my own charge and he is a very good Protestant A Gentleman brought to me by Master Chesford his Majesties servant but I cannot recall his name The Lord Mayo of Ireland brought to me also by Master Chesford The Right Honourable the Lord. Duke of Buckingham almost quite gone between the Lady his Mother and Sister The Lady Marquesse Hamilton was setled by my direction and shee dyed very religiously and a Protestant Master Digby who was a Priest Master James a Gentleman brought to mee by a Minister in Buckinghamshire as I remember Doctor Heart the Civilian my neighbours sonne at Fulham Master Christopher Seaburne a Gentleman of an ancient family in Herefordshire The Right Honourable the Countesse of Buckingham Sir William Spencer of Parnton Master Shillingworth The sonnes and heires of Master Winchcombe and Master Wollescott whom I sent with their friends liking to Wadham Colledge Oxford and received a Certificate Anno 1638. of their continuing in conformity to the Church of England Nor did ever any one of these named relapse againe but only the Countesse of Buckingham and Sir William Spencer it being only in Gods power not mine to preserve them from relapse And now let any Clergy man of England come forth and give a better accompt of his zeale to the Church This speech being ended all were commanded to withdraw In the withdrawing Master Hugh Peters who stood near the Archbishop demanded of him whether he was not ashamed to make such a bold challenge in so honourable an Auditory as he had made in the close of his Speech In bidding any Clergy man of the Church of England to come forth and give a better account of his zeal to the Church and conversion of Papists to our Religion then he had done Adding that himself the unworthiest of many hundred Ministers in England was there ready to answer his challenge and to produce a Catalogue not of 22. but of above 120. Papists which he through Gods blessing had converted to our Religion and brought home to God besides making them other manner of Converts then any in his recited Bead-Rol who were made neither good Protestants nor good Christians by him Adding that he and many other Ministers in England were able to produce hundreds of reall Converts to Christ for every of his pretended ones some wherof by his own confession soon turned Apostates and the rest but litle better At which speech of his the Archbishop seemed much offended and some of his friends there present taxing Master Peters as an unmannerly sawcy fellow for using such language to him in this his afflicted condition desired him to trouble his Grace no further with such rude discourse whereupon they parted without more words If we survey this Oration of the Arch-bishop with an impartiall eye we may discover abundance of shamelesse Impudency and Pharisaicall selfe-justification beyond all bounds of Modesty or Verity broached in it so apparently contradicted by his manifold unjust oppressive violent actions and Popish Innovations of all sorts visible to the eyes of all men and so diametrally refuted by the subsequent evidence produced against him during his seventeen dayes tryall that had not his brow been made of brasse and his face of Adamant he could not have justified so many grosse untruths of him selfe before such an honourable publike Auditory and the supreame Judicatory of the Realme with so much shamelesse impudency as hee did But t is the common practise of obdurate sinners and cauterized Delinquents Fortem animum praestant rebus quas turpitèr audent Like the adulterous woman Pro. 30. 20. Who eateth and wipeth her mouth and saith I HAVE DONE NO WICKEDNES This Evening the Lords Ordered the Arch-bishop to appear at their Bar the next morning by 9 of the Clocke at which time they would proceed in his Tryall Whereupon all departing for that time appeared the next day at the appointed houre in the Lords House where the Commons entring upon their evidence proved the Articles in their Order I shall present you with the summe and severall branches of his charge and then prosecute them in the ensuing method The Generall Charge against the Archbishop with the severall branches thereof THe Charge against this Arch-Malefactor consisting of many various particular Crimes of high nature is reducible to one generall head to wit High Treason against the King and Kingdome thus expressed in the 1. Originall and 2. Additionall Articles That he hath Trayterously endeavoured to subvert the fundamentall Lawes and Government of the Kingdome of England and instead thereof to introduce an Arbitrary and Tyranicall Government This Generall is distributed into foure Speciall branches in the Articles of his Impeachment under which all the particular Capitall Offences and grand Misdemenours given in evidence against him at his Tryall are comprehensible 1. His Trayterous endeavours and practises to alter and subvert Gods true Religion by Law established in this Realme and instead thereof to set up Popish Superstition and Idolatry and reconcile us to the Church of Rome the particulars whereof are specified in the 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. Originall and 6. 7. 8. 9. Additionall Articles 2. His Trayterous usurpation of a Papall and Tyranicall power in the Church of England in all Ecclesiasticall affaires in prejudice and derogation of his Majesties Royall Prerogative and the Subjects liberties comprised in the sixt originall Article 3. His Trayterous attempts and endeavours to subvert the fundamentall temporall Lawes Government and Liberties of the Realme and Subjects of England and instead thereof to introduce an Arbitrary and Tyranicall Government against the Law and Subjects liberties expressed in the 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 13 Originall and 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 10. Additionall Articles 4. His Trayterous
Walls Glassewindows or else where within any Churches or Houses the Idolatrous superstitious Pictures set up in times of Popery in the Glassewindowes of the Chapell at Lambeth house were among others defaced demolished in such sort that nought but a few broken imperfect fragments of them remained peeced up with white incoherent Glasse and so continued altogether unrepaired unfurbished and utterly neglected till this superstitious Arch Prelate was translated to the See of Canterbury after the death of Dr. Georg Abbot as was attested by Sir Nathaniel Brent Vicar Generall Dr. Daniel Featly household Chaplin to Archbishop Abbot and Mr. Pryn who had beene out in that Chappel exactly viewed it in Abbots dayes and since But no sooner was the Prisouer at the Bar W. Laud translated from London to Lambeth but with all expedition care to his great cost as appeares by the Glasiers Bills he caused these demolished superstitious Pictures in the Glassewindowes to be repaired furbished beautified and made more compleat and accurate with new painted Glasse then ever before setting them up againe in fresh lively colours according to the very Patterne in the great Roman Missall or Masse Book which he had diligently noted with his own hand almost in every Page so as no Chappel in Rome could be more Idolatrous Popish superstitious in regard of such offensive Pictures then his at Lambeth the particulars whereof after a late double serious view were thus attested before the Lords upon Oath by Mr. William Pryn Mr. Pember the Glasier who helped to repaire and set them up Mr. Dell the Archbishops owne secretary Mr. Browne his Ioyner Sir Nathaniel Brent and Dr. Featley That in the East Window of the Archbishops Chappel at Lambheth just over the high Altar there newly erected consisting of five severall Panes there was in the middle pane in painted Glasse a large Crucifix or Picture of our Saviour Christ hanging on the Crosse under which were the Picturs of a Scul of dead mens bones with a Baskit full of Tooles Nailes and Round about the Crucifix were the High Priests with their Officers an horsebacke and some Souldiers with others who crucified Christ the 2. theeves standing on foot which portrature was taken out of the very expresse patterne thereof in the Archbishops owne Roman Missall printed Salamanticae 1589. p. 304. Vnder this Pane there were these latin verses in the Glasse Ecce Pater Mystes ubi Natus victimatristis Certaque merâ—orum Serpens Medicina Delorum Defignant Iesum mundi pro crimine casum In the two next panes were the two Theeves hanging on two Crosses on either side of the Crucifix standing in the midst Vnder one was written in the Glasse Domine memento mei 1634. Vnder the other Descendat de Cruce 1634. signifying the yeare when the Window was repaired to wit the very first yeare after his translation from London to Canterbury In the two outtermost panes of this Window there were the pictures of Abraham offering up his Sonne Isaac and of the Brazen Serpent elevated on a Pole in the Wildernesse In the uppermost Window on the South-side of the Chappell consisting of three panes of painted Glasse newly repaired there was the picture of Christ rising out of his grave in the middle Pane directly taken out of the portraiture of it in his forementioned Roman Missall p. 326. with the Picture of Ionah comming forth of the Whales belly and of Sampson carrying away the Gates of Gaza in the other Panes In the second Window on the South side having three panes there was in the middlemost of them the Picture of Christ in fresh glorious Colours ascending up into Heaven with his Disciples and others kneeling downe on their knees and praying to him the patterne whereof was borrowed from this Missale Romanum pag. 352. where you may view it to the life In the two other panes was the picture of Enoch translated and of Elias ascending up into Heaven in a fiery Chariot In the third Window on the South side consisting of three panes in the midlemost was a glorious radiant Picture of the Holy Ghost in forme of a Dove descending on the Apostles in cloven tongues the exact Idaea whereof you may view at your leisure in his foresaid Roman Missall pag. 360. whence he tooke this patterne In the other two adjoyning Panes were the Pictures of Gods giving the Law to Moses in Mount Sinai and of fire descending from Heaven at the prayer of Elisha In the fourth Southerne Window of three Panes standing without the Skreene of the Chappell for no seates of Civill Iudicature and so not Christs tribunall but only Ecclesiasticall baudy Courts by this Arch-Prelates Canons must bee kept within the body of any Church under paine of an High-Commission Censure was the Picture of Christ with his twelve Apostles sitting on his judgment seate and judging the world with sundry persons kneeling and adoring before him at the Papists use to paint the same under which there were these latine verses written Munde miser plora Iudex est Christus odora Serve Dei gaude Christo sub Iudice plaude In the two outward panes were the Picture of King Salomon in his throne disciding the controversie betweene the two Harlots who was the true Mother of the living Child and of David passing sentence against the Amalekite who brought him tydings that he had slaine King Saul In the uppermost window on the North side of the Chappell having three Panes there was the Picture of Christ raising up Lazarus out of his Grave and of God Himselfe raining downe Manna from Heaven Extracted out of the Popish Booke of Pictures found in the Arch-Bishops private study intituled Imagines Vitae Passionis Mortis D. N. Iesu Christi Printed by Boetius a Bolswert Anno 1623. With the Picture and story of Elias raising the Widdowes and Elisha the Shunamites Son In the second North Window was the Picture of the Virgin Mary with Christ a sucking Babe in her Armes and the Wise-men comming to and adoring Christ borrowed from the Roman Missall pag. 39. under which was this Inscription in the Glasse Omnes genetes quascunque fecisti venicut adorabunt In the outward panes were the Portraictures of the Queene of Sheba comming to visit Solomon and of the Tribes of Israell comming up to Hebron to Crowne David King with the Picture of Christ administring his last Supper to his Disciples which portraiture was derived from the Roman Missall p. 181. And the picture of an old man with a glory round about his head representing God the Father striking Miriam with Leprosie In the third North window there was the History of the Annuntiation gloriously painted the Picture of the Virgin Mary and of the Holy Ghost overshadowing her and the Angell saluting her together with the History and Picture of the birth of Christ both taken out of the Roman Missall pag. 16. 36 39. Wherein were likewise the Pictures of the burning-bush and of Gedeons
pursue him from Lamb crosse the Thames to the Kings own Royall Chapell at White-Hall where upon his comming to be Dâ—â—e of his Majesties Chapell and after that Archb. of Canterbury he introduced bowing to the Altar himselfe there constantly practising this Ceremony at his ingresse egresse a Lane being made for him to see the Altar and do his Reverence to it and at all his approaches towards or to the Altar which bowing and Veneration his Majesties Chaplaines were there likewise enjoyned by him to practise and by his means in Passion week in the years 1636. 1637. c. a rich large Crucifix imbroydered with Gold Silver in a faire peece of Arras was hung up in his Majesties Chappell over the Altar to the great scandall and offence of many For proofe whereof so experimentally known to most of the Lords and Courtiers who were eye-witnesses of and disliked it Sir Henry Mildmay Knight a Member of the House of Commons and Master of the Jouell House was produced who deposed as followeth That before the Archbishop came to be Deane of his Majesties Chappell there was little or no bowing at all used by any to or towards the Altar except only at St. George his Peast when the Knights of the Gartor going up to offer at it made a civill kinde of obeysance towards it not out of any religious respect but at a 〈◊〉 Ceremony anciently used by them only at this solemnity and by those of the Garter 〈◊〉 But after hee came to be Deane of the Chappell he constantly used bowing to the 〈◊〉 at his ingresse egresse and approaches to the Altar causing his owne and His Masties Chaplaines to doe the like That after he become Deane of the Chappell for two three yeares togegether or more there was in Passim worke a peece of Arras with a 〈◊〉 embroidered Crucifixe the full length of a man hanged over the Altar on 〈…〉 Chappell at White-Hall which was never done before in his memory nor in the memory of any Courtier that he could heare of which Crucifixe he believed was never therâ— used since King H. the 8. his Reigne till of late That this grosse notorious Innovation â—ave great scandull and generall offence to many well-affected Courtiers who spake muâ—â— against it and to himselfe in particular who openly complained of it to the King and spâ—ke to the Archbishop himselfe about it yet it continued there sundry Passion weekes And to manifest the truth hereof more clearely to all the world the very Crucifixe it selfe was by speciall order sent for and brought into the Lords House by the â—erjeant of the Vestry at White-Hall who likewise attested the hanging of it up â—ver the Altar in His Majesties Chappell in the Passion Weekes It was very large rich naked scandalous offensive never used since the Reformation but onely in tiâ—es of Popery yet this most scandalous Idoll did this Arch-Prelate cause to be thaâ— hanged up in His Majesties Chappell as a patterne of imitation for all others well nowing the ancient Proverbe to bean experimentall truth Regis ad exemplum 〈◊〉 componitur orbis c. When he hath thus introduced these Romish Innovations into hs Majesties Chappel then the Altar Crucifix other Innovations in his Royal Chaâ—â—el must be made the Canon whereby to regulate all Cathedrall and Parochiall Churches and so declared publikely in print by himselfe his Confederates both in an Order made at the Councell Table concerning the placing of the Table in Saint Gregonies Church Altarwise 3. Novemberis 1633. by this Archbishops owne procurement published by Doctor Heylen his Greature in his Câ—ale from the Altar page 62. and Antidotum Lincolniense cap. 2. page 62 63. by Peter Heylyn in his Coale p. 27. Antidotum Lincolni cap. 2. p. 29. to 67. his Moderate answer to Henry Burton p. 57. 176. by Christopher Dewe in his answer to Mr. Henry Burton cap 20. p. 191. the New Canons 1640. can 7. Now what a capital transcendent offence this was in this Arch-Prelate principally intrusted with the care of Religion contrary to his trust and dutie to introduce these scandalous Innovations into His Majesties owne Royall Chappell will appeare by these particulare First that hereby he made the world believe His Majesty was a publike countenancer of these Popish Innovations and 〈◊〉 making him a Royall open Patron of them as much as in him lay contrary to his owne printed Declarations to all his loyall Subjects before the 39. Articles and after the dissolution of the Parliament Anno 16â—8 Wherein he professed he would neuer 〈…〉 in the least degree to Popery or superstition Secondly That he hereby give just occasion both to Protestants and Papists at home and in forraigne parts openly to report and believe that wee were now relapsing to those ancient Romish superstitions Idolatries corruptions we had formerly spired one 3ly That hereby he endeavoured to corrupt his Majesty his Nobles Courtiers Chaplaine and by consequence all his dominions in their Religion Fourthly That by this meanes he perverted seduced many thousands of His Majesties subjects who from this patterne fell to a studious practise of bowing to Altars â—â—erecting Altari 〈◊〉 in most Chappell 's Churches by degrees Fifthly That hereby hee scandalited discouraged grieved the well affected Protestants both at home and abroad encouraged hardned Papists in their superstitions and gave them great hopes of a speedy alteration of religion 〈◊〉 they seconded with al their power and pollicy Sixthly That by this practise he ingendred great discontents 〈…〉 misunderstanding 〈◊〉 â—is Majestie and his subjects which could never yet be cordially reconciled since that time but have grown wider every day almost to the utter ruine of our three whole kingdomes To the former evidence this further memorable testimony was subjoyned by way of corroboration and aggravation Mistres Charnock a Gentlewoman of good quality and her Daughter joyntly deposed before the Lords that on Maundy Thursday about 6. yeares since they being at Whitehall with some other of their friends whereof one was a Papist went into the Kings Chapell there to see it where they saw an Altar with Tapers other Furniture on it a Crucifix over it whiles they were in the Chappell Dr. Browne of Saint Faiths Church under Paules then a Deane one of the King's Chaplaines with his Curate came together into the Chappell and bowed three severall times almost to the ground to the Altar and Crucifix as they all conceived and then kneeled down on their knees before them A little after there came two Semenary Priests into the Chappell and bowed downe very low three severall times to the Altar and Crucifix over it as they apprehended just in the very same manner as Dr. Browne and his Curate did and then kneeled downe before the Altar and Crucifix for a little space as they had done At which strange sight Mistresse Charnocke very much admiring said to those in her company J never thought to
such Reliques of Rome to pollute them or corupt young Schollars with the superstitious Rites and Caeremonies of the Babilonish Strumpet but no sooner was he becom a Royal favorite Privy Councellor of state and Dominus factetum in Church and Republik but by his pestiferous influence practises and example these Popish weeds sprung up a pace by degrees in these choycest Seminaries of Piety and literature till they quite over-spread them at the last We shall begin with the University of Oxford whereof by indirect meanes this Prelate procured himselfe to bee elected Chancellour upon the death of the Right Honourable Will Earle of Pembrooke in Apr. 1630. whose Noble brother now Chancellour thereof was then really elected by most voyces though miscalculated by practise in the scrutiny by this Prelates Creatures What alterations were there made upon his advancement and Chancellorship will appeare by these subsequent depositions given viva voce against him at the Lords Barre Sir Nathaniell Brent deposed that before this Archbishop came to have power in this Universitie and to bee Chancellour thereof there were no Copes Altars nor Communion Tables turned and rayled about Altarwise in Churches or Colledges nor any bowing to or towards the Altar nor any Crucifixes but such as were either defaced or covered over with dust and quite neglected but since his being Chancellour the Tables in al or most Churches Colledges were turned into Altars or rayled in Altarwise and usually bowed unto the old Crucifixes repaired adored and new Crucifixes set up where there were none before yet he never heard that the Archb. disliked or reproved the same though he was Chancellour and saw these Innovations but liked them very well That since the Archb. was Chancellour there was a New Church-Porch built to St. Maries Church at the charge of Dr. Owen since made a Bishop where was none before standing in the very heart of the Vniversity towards the street to which Church all the University resorted in the front of which Porch was a statue of the Virgin Mary cut in stone with the Picture of a child in her Armes commonly taken to be the Picture of Christ Master Corbet a Fellow of Merton Colledge deposed that in the Yeare 1638. the Arch-Bishop being Visitor of that Colledge began his Visitation there by Sir Iohn Lambe his Deputy that one Article propounded to the Warden and Fellows was this Whether they made due Reverence by bowing towards the Altar or Communion Table when they came into the Chappell That himselfe and Master Channell were injoyned by the Visitors and Commissioners to use this Ceremonie but they refused to do it Whereupon Sir Iohn Lamb pressed them very much to practise it but they still refused propounding their reasons against it then he threatned him for it in particular After this Dr. Frewin Vice-Chancellour of the Vniversity told him that he was sent to him from the Archb. he being then Proctor pressing and requiring him as from the Archb. to use this Ceremony in regard of his place else it would be ill taken Afterwards the Archb. sent injunctions to Merton Colledge whereof this was one Habeant debitam Reverentiam ad mensam Domini where by hee meant this bowing to the Altar as the Visitors and common practise expounded it the Visitors afterwards questioning those who bowed not That this course continued till this present Parliament and was generally practised at Saint Maries and throughout the Vniversitie He further testified that in Magdalen Colledge there was a Crucifix placed over the Communion Table and Pictures in the Windowes and a new Crucifixe set up in Christ-Church none of which Innovations were there heard of before this Archbishops time Master William Bendy witnessed upon Oath that in the Yeare 1637. Since the Archbishop was Chancellour of Oxford there was a statue of the Virgin Mary With a Child in her Armes set up in the front of Saint Maries Church-Porch towards the open streete which gave great offence to many That there was a Crucifix set up in Lincolne Colledge and a Picture of the Holy Ghost another Crucifixe in Christ-Church another in New-Colledge and the like in diverse other Colledges That Latine Prayers were injoyned to be used in Lent and Studients to be present at them That the Tables in most Churches Colledges were turned into Altars railed in Altarwise and bowed to That in some Colledges they used Copes and hee heard a stranger who had bin a Travailer say that one of the Copes he saw at Oxford was just like that he had seene at ROME on the POPES backe Master Nixon one of the Aldermen of Oxford deposed viva voce that there was a Picture of Stone set up in the New-Church porch at Saint Maries Church towards the high Street of a Woman holding a Babe in her Armes which they cald the Picture of the Virgin Mary and Christ standing almost opposit to his House which was very scandalous offensive both to him others that himselfe had seene some passengers as they rode along by it to bow very low to their Horses manes and put off their Hats unto it that hee observed one Passenger both going and returning to bow thus unto it and put off his Hat who as he heard belonged to the Portugall Embassador and was a Papist that there was one who kneeled downe before this Image and held up his hands as if he prayed unto it He further deposed that not only in sundry Colledges but in the Parish Church of Carfolks the principall Church for the City whether the Major and Aldermen resorted there was a great large Crucifix with the Picture of Christ upon it set up in the Window by Giles Widdowes who was Parson there and one whom the Archbishop countenanced That this Archbishop was both the Author and encourager of all these innovations not heard of there since the Reformation is evident because they sprung up there in the time of his Chancellorship and were introduced by those who were his greatest Creatures enjoyned by his Visiters as you heard before and most of them prescribed in the Vniversity Statutes made by himselfe which all were bound by Oath to observe To cleare this we shall produce this Memorable passage Sect 1. paragr 2. De Precibus solennibus Oblationibus in Die Comitiorum which you may finde in the select Statutes of Oxford there printed in a small volume Anno 1638. p. 79. In die Comitiorum Moris est ut post pulsationem parvae campanae circa hor am nonam matutinam omnes Inceptores in qualibet facultate per Bedellos suae Facultatis à Collegijs Aulis deducti in Capella orientali Ecclesiae B. Mariae Virginis unà conveniant ijsque sic congregatis preces Divinae ab ejusdem Ecclesiae paraecialis Vicario aut illius Deputato solenniter habeautur Quibus peractis primum Vice-Cancellarius posteà singuli Inceptores in Facultatibus deinde Procuratores Bedellis praecuntibus ad Mensam Eucharistiae sacram CVM DEBITA
beseech you take into your Religious consideration and vouchsafe me such a favourable resolution as the meritts of the cause requireth It is so that Doctor Robert Weston sometimes one of the Lords Justices for the Government of Ireland and Lord Chancellor of the same Realme Grandfather to my deceased Wife and great Vncle to the now Lord Treasurer of England whose memory yet lives by being stiled the good Lord Chancellor of Ireland was buried in the upper end of the Chancell in Saint Patrickes Church whose Daughter Sir Iefferey Fenton maried he having beene principall Secretary of State to Queene Elizabeth and King Iames for many yeares and lived and died in great honour whose onely Daughter I tooke to Wife and hee was buryed in the same grave My Wife drawing towards her end made her last request unto me that her Grandfather her Father and her selfe might be buried together and that I would be at the charge to erect some Monument in memoriall of them all Whereupon in accomplishment of her dying desire who was the Mother of my fifteene Children I propounded unto the Lord Archbishop of Dublin and to the Deane and Chapter of Saint Patricks to purchase a place where I might erect a Tombe over them And they assigned me the ground under an Arch to make a Seller or Vault in to receive dead bodies and three foote of the Chancell adjoyning to the Grave where the Lord Chancellor and Sir Iefferey Fenton had beene buried for which I payd them a Fyne with Rent and other reservations towards the reparation of the Church and by their unanimous consent have a Deed in due forme of Law perfected under their Chapter Seale and so being by generall consent legally interested therein I made a Vault of hewed stone under ground with conveighances therein to free the Church from the waters with which floods and great raynes it was before often anoyed withall and where there was then but an earthen flower at the upper end of the Chancell which was often overflowne I raysed the same three steps higher making the Staires of hewen stone and paving the same through out of the same whereon the Communion Table now stands very dry and gracefully In that Seller I have placed the Corps of my Wives Grandfather her Father and her selfe with a Daughter of mine since deceased that was married to the Lord Digbie and over the Vault I have caused a Tombe of foure storyes to be erected which reacheth two and thirtie foot from the ground which hath cost me a thousand pounds at the least and is the greatest ornament and beautie to that Church that ever was placed therein that being seated under an Arch that in former time was only a passage into the Saint Mary Chappell at the East end of which Chappell the high Altar stood and when that Chappell which hath two other wayes into it the one on the right hand the other on the left fell into ruine that Arch wherein the Tombe is placed to keepe the winde and weather out of the Chancell was made up with slight timber and lathes and plaistred with Clay white lymed over whereon the Commandements were lately written It is three yeares since this my worke was finished and neither during the time of the worke nor since till now of late did I ever heare of any mouth opened against it but many in commendations of it as a great beautie and ornament to that Chancell neither doth it take away or hide any of the lights of the Chancell for they are all above this Fabricke Neither is there any remembrance nor can the oldest man living say that there ever was any Altar placed neere this passage Yet of late it hath pleased my honourable Lord the Lord Deputy to command me to give Your Grace satisfaction herein or else to declare that the Tombe must be defaced which to have done would bee the greatest dishonour and affliction that could bee layed upon me And the more for that before I heard any thing of Your Graces distant thereof I had in the presence of the Lord Prymate given order to the Deane at my ovvne charges for a stately Skrene to be erected within the Quire and upon the pavement raised by my selfe upon which the tenne Commandements are to bee engraven to the great beautifying of Gods House Vpon that notice from the Lord Deputy I made suite to the Lord Prymate and the Lord Archbishop of Dublin to view the place which they vouchsafed together with the Deane and Chapter to doe And doe humbly offer to your Grace their opinions herein which I beseech Your pious consideration of and that you will be pleased to returne me such an answer as may encourage me to proceed herein and in other like building and charitable workes wherein I spend a great part of my estate and time as all that know me and my actions â—an testifie The great God of Heaven blesse Your Grace with a long and happie life in this world and everlasting glory in the world to come vvhich is and ever shall be the prayer of Your Graces most humble and faithfull Servant R. Caâ—he Dublin 20. Febr. 1633. May is please Your Grace VNderstanding from the Earle of Corke that Your Grace hath intimated unto the Right Honourable the Lord Deputie your offence taken against a Tombe lately built by his Lordship in the quire of Saint Patrikes Church neere this Citie of Dublin being informed that it should be situate in the place where the High-Altar anciently stood and that it should darken the East Window of the Quire upon his Lordships earnest request unto mee I have made bold to declare unto your Grace my knowledge thereabouts which is that the place where the Tombe is erected is a spatious Arch which in former times as I conceive served for a passage into the Marie Chappell adjoyning at the East end vvhereof the High Altar stood This Arch was closed up and plastered to keepe the winde as I imagine out of the Quire Saint Marie Chapell being somevvhat decaied upon the plaistering the Declalogue was fairely painted these vvere done before my promotion to this See or comming into this Kingdome The windovves which were of old somevvhat high over the Arch are no way darkened by his Lordships monument but remaine as they were formerly and the monument is so wrought and contrived what in the Arch and the Wall that vvith the grate before it it doth not much diminish the length of the Quire The Earle hath raised that end of the Quire three-steppes higher then it vvas and hath paved it with faire hevven stones being formerly a floore of earth many times upon a fresh drovvned vvith water where novv the Communion Table iâ— placed vvith more decency then in former times And his Lordship is in hand to set up a faire skrine of timber somewhat distant from the monument so that it may take in some other monuments heretofore erected on either side in the which
His Majesty sitting in Councell the question and difference which grew about the removing of the Communion Table in St. Gregories Church neere the Cathedrall Church of St. Paul from the middle of the Chancell to the upper end and there placed Altar-wise in such manner as it standeth in the said Cathedrall and Mother Church as also in all other Cathedralls and in His Majesties own Chappell and as it is consonant to the practise of approved Antiquity which removall and placing of it in that sort was done by order from the Deane and Chapter of St. Pauls who are Ordinaries thereof as was avowed before His Majesty by Doctor King and Doctor Montfort two of the Prebends there yet some few of the Parishioners being but five in number did complaine of this Act by Appeale to the Court of Arches pretending that the Booke of Common Prayer and the 82 Canon do give permission to place the Communion Table where it may stand with most fitnesse and couveniencie Now His Majesty having heard a particular Relation made by the Counsell of both parties of all the carriage and proceedings in this Cause was pleased to declare His dislike of all Innovation and receding from ancient Constitutions grounded upon just and warrantable Reasons especially in matters concerning Ecclesiasticall order and Government knowing how easily men are drawne to affect Novelties and how soone weake judgments in such cases may be overtaken and abused And He was also pleased to observe that if these few Parishioners might have their wills the difference thereby from the foresaid Cathedrall Mother Church by which all other Churches depending thereon ought to be guided would be the more notorious and give more subject of Discourse and Disputes that might be spared by reason of S. Gregories standing close to the wall thereof And likewise for so much as concerns the liberty given by the sayd Communion Book or Canon for placing the Communion Table in any Church or Chappell with most conveniency that liberty is not so to be understood as if it were ever left to the discretion of the Parish much lesse to the particular phansie of any humorous Person but to the Iudgment of the Ordinary to whose place and function it doth properly belong to give direction in that point both for the thing it selfe and for the time when and how long as he may finde cause Vpon which consideration his Majesty deciared himselfe That he well approved and confirmed the Act of the said Ordinary and also gave Command that if those few Perishioners before mentioned doe proceed in their said Appeale then the Deane of the Arches who was then attending at the hearing of the cause shall confirme the said Order of the aforesaid Deane and Chapter This Order being thus obtained and afterwards published in Print by Doctor Heylyn in his Coale from the Altar and Antidotum Lincolniense the designe of removing rayling in and turning Communion Tables into Altars in Parcohiall Churches Chappell 's was much promoted by coulor of it of the reason of conformity to Cathedrall Mother Churches expressed in it And to hasten this worke the more to which the people and Church-wardens in many places were very averse the Archbishop being to keep a Metropoliticall Visitation in all Diocesses and places exempt and not exempt with in the Province of Canterbury by Sir Nathaniell Brent his Vicar Generall others his Commissioners though he made no mention in his printed Visitation Articles of removing and rayling in Communion Tables Altar wise to avoyd the peoples clamours against him yet hee writ a private Letter to Sir Nathaniell Brent after his departure hence to enjoyne him to remove and raile in the Communion Tables in all Parish Churches and gave him order to see it executed With which practise the Archbishop being charged at the Lords Barre by Serjeant Wilde who mannaged this part of the evidence he peremptorily denied it and protested solemnly before the Lords that he never gave Sir Nathaniell Brent any such order or directions by letter or otherwise and that he could prove by sufficient testimonies Sir Nathaniell had openly acknowledged that this Alteration was made by Sir Nath. himselfe of his own head without any order from him adding that he cold not be so unworthy as to deny it Wherupon he desired Sir Nath. might be called to testify the truth upon his Oath who appearing at the Lords Bar for this purpose the Archbishop demanded of him whether ever hee gave him any command or direction by word or writing in his Metropoliticall Visitation to remove or raile in Communion Tables at the East end of the Chauncell telling him hee was now upon his Oath and wishing him to speake nothing but the truth herein whereunto Sir Nathaniell answered My Lords upon the Oath I have taken I received an expresse direction command from the Archbishop himselfe to do what ever I did in this or any other kind else I durst not have don it To which the Archbishop confidently replyed My Lords I protest I never gave him any such command or directions I wonder Sir Nathaniell dares be so bold unworthy as to affirm it here upon Oath since I can prove he hath formerly denied it To which Sir Nathaniell replyed My Lords since the Archbishop so confidently denies that he ever gave me any such command and directions I shall humbly desire that this Letter of his sent unto me when I was visiting at Maidstonin Kent signed with his own hand may be read which will end the controversie and manifest by whose Authority and command I did it whereupon a Letter under the Arch Bishops owne hand directed to Sir Nathaniell was delivered to the Clarke and openly read to the Arch-Bishops great shame and disparagment of all his Protestations which after this some other passages wherein he was taken tripping in like manner were reputed meere vaporing impostures to delude the vulgar voyd of truth and credit The Letter was to this effect Sir I require you to command the Communion Table at Maidston to be placed at the East or upper end of the Chauncell and there railed in and that the Communicants there shall come up to the Raile to receive the blessed Sacrament and the like you are required to doe in all Churches in all other placse where you are to visit Metropolitically c. W. Cant. This letter being read much daunted discredited the Arch-Bishop in the opinion of all the Auditors he having nothing to reply but that he had forgotten he writ him any such letter Vpon the receipt whereof Sir Nathaniell Brent confessed he did give order throughout his Metropoliticall Visitation that all the Communion Tables should be removed and railed in at the upper end of the Chauncell in all Parish Churches and all seates above the Table or equall with it in any Chancell pulled downe and that the Communicants should goe up to the Raile and there receive the Sacrament kneeling which he
of Lincolne at the Visitation of the Archdeacon there this present year 1637. Printed at London 1637. Artic. 5. Have you adâ—cent Table on a frame for the holy Communion placed at the East end of the Chancell Is it rayled in or inclosed so as Men or Boyes cannot sit upon it or throw their hats upon it Is the said raile or 〈…〉 with sâ—ttles or kneeling hâ—nches at 〈…〉 or bottome thereof no the Communicants way fitly kneele there at the receiving of the holy Communion Artic. 38. Whether any in your Parish have covered his head in time of Divine Service contrary to the â—â— Canon any that do not kneele at the saying of the generall Confession Letany ten Commandements and other prayers read in the said Church â— any that do not stand up at the saying the Beliefe or not how or use reverencâ— when in time of Divine service the name of Iesus is read or 〈◊〉 c. Moreover Dr. Pierce Bishop of Bath and Wels not only prescribes the rayling in of Communion Tables Altarwise under penalties and fines in his Visitation Articles and Courts but likewise appoints Ministers in every Division to see it executed and presents these reasons for it to the Archbishop who endorsed them thus with his own hand Recepi March 9. 1633. L. Bishop of Bath and Wels about placing the Communion Table Reasons why the Communion Table in every Church should be set close under the East-window or wall with the ends North and South and be rayled in 1. It was ordered in Queen Elizabeths Injunctions That the Communion Table should stand where the Altar did 2. There should be some difference between the placing of the Lords Table in the Church and the placing of a mans Table in his house 3. It is not sit the people should sit above Gods Table or he above the Priest when he consecrateth 4. If it stand not thus and he not rayled in it will be subject to many prophanations and abuses Church-wardens will keep their accounts at the Lords Table Parishioners will sit round about it and talk of their Parish businesses whereas the Lords Table is for no other use but only for the Communion and the service and prayers of the Church Schoolmasters will teach their Boyes to write upon this Table and the Boyes will â—ay their Hats Sachels and Books upon it and in their Masters absence sit upon the same and many will sit or learn irreverently against the Lords Table in Sermon time Glasiers will knock it full of mile holes as it is found by experience they have done in many places and Dogs will defile the Lords Table 5. When the Communion Table stands thus the Chancell is the fairer and there â—â— more 〈◊〉 for the Communicants 6. Where the Communion Table stands thus the face of the Priest is seen of all and his voice is 〈◊〉 heard of all which sit on the North side of the Chancel 7. It is sit the Daughters should be like their Mother the Patochiall Churches should be 〈◊〉 the Câ—thedrall Churches that so there may be an uniformity in this respect in every Church At Coventry 〈◊〉 Bishop of that Diocesse by his Chancellour prescribed these Innovations following in the Churches of that City Thursday the 15 of August 1636. at Coventry It is ordered by Mr. Chancellour in the presence of me Henry Archbold principall Register being 〈…〉 by my Lord Bishop to that purpose 1. That the Communion Tables with in S. Michaels and Trinity Churches should be removed up 〈…〉 of the Chancels 2. That the ground at the upper end of the Chancels be handsomely raised by three steps that the 〈…〉 be conspicuous to all the Church 3. That in 〈…〉 which almost stopped up the middle I le be removed according 〈…〉 the Church-wardens in presence 4. That in both Churches all new additions of Seats in the Chancels be taken away 〈…〉 be to the ancient forme 5. 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 of Trinity shall hereafter have any Seat to himself within the Church of S. Michael nor any parishioner of S. Michael have any 〈…〉 such no have sufficient interest by Land in the other 〈◊〉 6. 〈…〉 the Churchyard of S. Trinity may be 〈…〉 restored to the Churchyard And the doores opening into the Churchyard be stâ—pped up and the sink and other 〈…〉 7. That the 〈…〉 wives being in both Churches sufficiently accommodated 〈…〉 hence forth content themselves 〈…〉 â—e disposed of to these Gentlemen of quality within 〈…〉 The Church-wardens of both Parishes are admonished to certifie the performance of the precedent Articles to M. Chancelour by the next Court-day at Lichfield being the 27 of September next And that the Desk in the Chancell in Trinity Church whereon the Books lye be removed to the upper end of the North Isle next the Chancell and a Rayle made with a door in the middle thereof to keep out children from tearing the Books Charles Twysden Henry Archbold Registers After which this Bishop in a better mood Ordering the Communion Table only at the time of administring the Sacrament to be brought into the midst of the Chancell being large without the precincts of its impounding rayles thereupon the Archbishops Creatures gave present secret notice thereof by way of complaint to Sir Iohn Lambe and he to the Archbishop in these ensuing Letters found among Sir Iohn Lambs papers by Mr. Prynne endorsed with Mr. Dels the Archbishops Secretaries hand upon the Archbishops perusall of them The first was this Letter from Mr. Bird to Mr. Latham Good Master Latham Being at Mr. Lessons my Lord Bishops accustomed Inne I was there called and sent for to a private room before Mr. Major and some others of the Fraternity the businesse was concerning the removall of the Communion Table fromits ascent of 3 steps unto the body of the Chancel during the administration of that blessed Sacrament and they fearing me and my thwarting it moved my Lord to command me from either troubling them or altering that But how this can be effected without a great deale of inconveniency both to Minister and people I know not the Table and all other ceremonies necessary then to be used being by this means obscured and taken away from the eares and eyes of the people This is all except his Sermon that his Lordship hath done here and so much I thought good to certifie you desiring you to make what use you can of it provided you ever conceale the name of Your assured loving friend Tho. Byrd Covent 21 March juxta compt Aug. 1636. The second this Letter from Mr. Latham to Sir Iohn Lambe Most worthy Sir Our Lord Bishop at his departure from hence left such a terrible noise behind him of threatning against his Chancelour Mr. Ieffraye Archdeacon of Salop and my Selfe as would make men that were any thing obnoxious much afraid but for mine own part I thank God I fear him not but will and shall be ready to justifie my selfe in any thing
distraction in the Parish of Ware being a great and populous parish by their opposition of the laudable gesture of receiving the holy Communion kneeling and their envying against the Rayle and bench set up by sufficient authority for that purpose about the Communion Table in the Chancel for maintaining of good order and conformity in the Church there as may well appear by M. Chaunceys inveighing against the same and his refusing to administer the holy Communion there whilest he continued Vicar of Ware for the which the said M. Chauncey in partem pâ—nae was by the Court suspended from the execution of his Ministeriall function and every part thereof and ordered so to stand untill by his submission and acknowledgement of his error in broaching the said opinions tending to schisme and faction this Court shall see cause to release him which his submission and his acknowledgement is to be set down prescriptis verbis by the Commissioners at Informations and to be delivered unto him under the Registers hand of this Court and to be by him read and performed here in open Court and then to be intimated and made known in the parish Church of Ware where he hath given such cause of scandall and offence He was further condemned in expences or costs of fuit which are to be moderately taxed by the Commissioners at Informations And the said Humphry Parker was likewise condemned in moderate charges or expences and to make his submission in like manner conceptis verbis as this Court shall appoint Lastly they were both ordered to stand committed till they shall give sufficient bond in a 100 li. a piece to his Majesties use for the performance of the order of the Court. And because it was alleaged and pretended on M. Chauncies behalfe that since his comming to be Person of Marsten-Lawrence in Northamptonshire he had in testofocation of his conformity set up or caused to be set up such a Rayle about the Communion Table in the Chancell of his parish Church there the Court decreed Letters to be sent from this Court to the Lord Bishop of Peterborough to desire his Lordship to enquire of the truth of this allegation and to certifie this Court of the truth thereof the second Session of the next Tearm As also how the said Master Chauncey hath otherwise conformed himselfe there to the orders of the Church of England here by law established The manner and form of M. Chauncies recantation the next court-day for speaking against the rayle is thus recorded in the High Commission Register This day the said Mr. Chauncey appeared personally and with bended knees read his submission in Court which followes Whereas I Charles Chauncey Clerk late Vicar of Ware in the County of Hertford stand by sentence of this honourable Court legally convicted for opposing the setting of a rayle about the Communion Table in the Chancell of the Parish-church of Ware with a bench thereunto affixed for the Communicants to resort unto and to receive the blessed Sacrament there kneeling upon their knees and for using invective speeches against the said rayle and bench saying it was an Innovation â— snare to mens consciences and a breach of the second Commandement an addition to the Lords worship and that which hath driven me out of Towne I the said Charles Chauncey do here before this honourable Court acknowledge my great offence in using the said invective words and am heartily sorry for the same I protest and am ready to declare by vertue of mine Oath that I now hold and am perswaded in my conscience that kneeling at the receiving of the holy Communion is a lawfull and commendable gesture and that a rayle set up in the Chancell of any Church by the authority of the Ordinary with a bench thereunto affixed for the communicants to repaire unto to receive the holy Communion kneeling is a decent and convenient ornament for that purpose and this Court conceiveth that the rayle set up lately in the Parish-church of Ware with the bench affixed is such an one And I do further confesse that I was much to blame for opposing the same and do promise from henceforth never by word or deed to oppose either that or any other the laudable rites and ceremonies prescribed and commanded to be used in the Church of England Charles Chauncey Which submission being thus as aforesaid read and subscribed by the said Master Chauncey his Counsell moved that he might be dismissed but the Counsell for the Office desired that the said M. Chauncey might here receive w judiciall admonition which the Court conceiving very fit and requisite the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury in the name of the whole Court did now judicially admonish the said Charles Chauncey from henceforth to carry himself peaceably and conformably to the doctrine and discipline rites and ceremonies established and commanded to be used in the Church of England and neither by word nor deed to oppose or bring into disesteem any of them with this intimation That in case he were convented againe for any opposition or refractorinesse touching the premises that the Court intended to proceed against him with all severity and with this admonition the Court dismissed him the said M. Chauncey from any further attendance touching this cause he first paying the charges of suit taxed against him and the fees of his dismission These two leading cases and censures in the High-commissions at York and Lambeth seconded with this enforced submission struck such a terror into most Ministers and Churchwardens in those parts that few or none durst oppose those Innovations and gave such encouragement to the Prelates and popish Clergie that they proceeded vigorously in the pressing introducing of them every where and if any man durst oppose or vary from their injunctions they were presently brought into the High-commission and there proceeded against with utmost rigour This was manifested by the case of Mr. Miles Burkitt one of the Vicars of Pateshall in Northamptonshire who for delivering the Sacrament only to some who refused out of conscience to come up to the new Rayle and removing the Communion Table at the Sacrament time into the midst of the Chancell without the rayle according to the very Letter of Queen Elizabeths Injunctions and the 82 Canon was apprehended by a Pursevant in the Year 1638 and thus Articled against in the High-commission at Lambeth by Sir John Lambes and the Archbishops meanes among whose papers his Articles were found and read at the Lords Barre being attested by Master Prynne Inprimis we Article and object to you the said Miles Burkitt that you doe not bow at the Name of JESUS in time of Divine Service Item we Article and object that you the said Miles Burkitt being enjoyned by the Ordinary or his Surrogates officiate for him to keep within the rayles at the ministring of the Sacrament and to give the Sacrament to none that will not come up to the rayles he the
said Miles Burkitt in contempt of his said Ordinary doth come forth out of the said rayles and doth administer the Sacrament to many that will not come up to the said rayles Hocque fuit est verum c. Item we Article and object that you the said Miles Burkite did consent procure and abet Paul Gardner one of the Churchwardens of Pateshall in the County of Northampton aforesaid to remove and carry down forth of the rayles the Communion Table into the body of the Chancell and there did minister the holy Sacrament on Easterday last past and other times notwithstanding the Articles of your Diocesan to the contrary Hocque fuit est verum c. Upon which Articles this good Minister was for a long time vexed in the High-commission and almost ruined From Ministers thus persecuted for opposing these Innovations of rayling in Communion Tables Altarwise and administring the Sacrament at the Rayles we shall proceed to Church-wardens severally prosecuted excommunicated and undone for not rayling in Communion Tables only or removing them out of the rayles We shall begin with the Churchwardens of Beckington in the County of Somerset whose case by the testimonies of Mr. John Ash a Member of the House of Commons and Lord of that Parish of M. William Long and M. George Long who solicited the cause in the Churchwardens behalfe was manifested to be thus The Communion Table in the Parish-church of Beckington had for 70 years and more stood in the midst of the Chancell enclosed with a very decent Wainscot-border and a dore with seats for the Communicants to receive in round about it In the year 1633. D. Pierce Bishop of Bath and Wels a great creature of Canterburies appointed certaine Commissioners to view the Churches within his Diocesse certifie to him the defects thereof who viewing the Church of Beckington certified among other things that there was not a decent Communion Table in it neither was it placed under the East window nor railed in otherwise then with a Border about it where the communicants kneel at the holy Communion and that there were seats above the Communion Table To which Certificate the Churchwardens and Sidemen of Beckington were ordered by the Bishop to return an answer under their hands before Ascension-day 1634. which they did accordingly After which the Churchwardens were enjoyned by the Bishop by word of mouth to remove and rayle in their Communion Table Altarwise against the East end of the Chancel which they refusing to doe conceiving it to be against the Rubrick Q. Elizabeths Injunctions and the 82 Canon thereupon Iames Wheeler Iohn Fry Churchwardens were on the 9 of June 1635. cited into the Bishops Court at Wels before William Hunt the Bishops Surrogate and D. Duck his Chancelour for that the Communion Table in the Chancell of Beckington was not placed under the East window of the Chancel nor rayled in otherwise then with a Border about it and that there were seats above the said Table who admonished them to repaire the said defects and to place the Lords Table against the East wall of the Chancell with the ends of it North and South as it stood in the Cathedrall Church at Wels with a rayle about it and to certifie that they had done all this by the 6 of October following At which day they were excommunicated in open Court by the Bishop himself for refusing to remove and rayle in the Table and pull down the said seats Whereupon the Churchwardens appealed to the Arches for relief where after much waiting and solicitation they procured from Sir Iohn Lambe Dean of the Arches a Letter to the Bishop to absolve them for a time which he did only for 27 dayes admonishing them to submit to what he had formerly enjoyned them for not doing whereof he excommunicated them againe in open Court on the 12 of January following Hereupon the Churchwardens appealed to the Arches the second time and petitioned the Archbishop for reliefe to which Petition this Certificat under the hands of about one hundred of the Parishioners was annexed To the most Reverend Father in God and Right Honourable William by Gods providence Archbishop of Canterbury Primate and Metropolitan ever all England We the Inhabitants and parishioners of Beckington in the County of Somerset do humbly certifie that the Communion Table of our Church of Beckington hath and doth stand in the midst of the Chancel being the most convenientest place time out of minde and beyond the remembrance of any of our parishioners now living And that near threescore years since the pavement of the said Chancel upon which the Communion Table standeth was new made and in the new making thereof raised about a foot above the rest of the ground of the said Chancell and then also compassed about with a fair Wainscot border in which there is only one Wainscot door to come into the said Table which door is kept fast and none doth enter in thereat but the Minister and such as he doth require which said Communion Table doth at the day of the date hereof stand so conveniently and decently as aforesaid And we the said parishioners with an unanimous consent do humbly pray That it may so continue freed from all Innovation And so do humbly take our leaves dated this 19 day of December Anno Dom 1635. But notwithstanding this Petition and Certificate the Archbishop refused to admit of their Appeal threatned them with the High-commission and to lay their Solicitour by the heels commanding them to submit to and obey their Diocaesan who sent up all the proceedings in this cause to the Archbishop with severall reasons why this Table should be removed found in the Archbishops study by Mr. Prynne endorsed with his own hand Whereupon they were enforced to petition the King himself for reliefe informing his Majesty That the Communion Table had continued as then it stood by the approbation of all the Archbishops Bishops of that Diocesse during the reignes of Queen Elizabeth King James and even eleven years in his Majesties reigne as appeared by a Certificate under the hands of almost an hundred of the parishioners hands annexed to the Petition desiring the Table might not be removed but the Archbishop by his power hindred them from receiving any relief from his Majesty upon what grounds and reasons this Letter of the Bishop of Bath and Wels to Sir Iohn Lambe will best discover Good Master Deane According to my promise in my Letter to you the last week I have now sent unto you a copy of all my proceedings in the cause concerning the Chancel of the Parish-church of Beckington and the placing of the Communion Table therein together with my reasons for the same which I hope will give you full satisfaction in this businesse I have sent likewise a copy to my Lords Grace of Canterbury not that I think it worthy of his reading or that he hath leisure to peruse it
but that it may lye by him that when you speak with his Grace about this among other businesses his Grace may have recourse to my papers if he think fit There are in my Diocesse 469 Churches and Chappels or thereabout and the Communion Tables are placed already in above 140 of them as the Communion Table is placed in our Cathedrall Church here I have begun and proceeded herein in a perswasive way some parishes were no sooner spoken to but they obeyed other Parishes refused at the first but they were quickly satisfied and then submitted only the Churchwardens of Beckington being encouraged and back'd by divers of the parish not so well affected to the government and rites of the Church as they should be are become obstinate and will have the Chancell ordered and the Communion Table there placed as the parishioners shall think fit who also bear the charges of these Churchwardens as they have confessed unto me which was the cause why they hasted so speedily to London and stayed so long there about this businesse If these men have their wils the example will do a great deal of harme for then many of the Parishes which have already conformed themselves to the Cathedrall will fall back and other Parishes will never come on to this conformity who are now at a stand to see what will be done in the Chancell of Beckington I know your judgement and affection to the Church concurres with mine and therefore I am assured you will do nothing herein but that which shall be for the good of the Church and preservation of authority in all things just and lawfull I pray If D. Duck desire to read the coppy of the proceedings and reasons which I have sent you let him borrow it of you for it is fit my Chancelour should be acquainted with these things whose counsell and assistance must be used therein And so with remembrance of my true love and best wishes to you I commend you to the grace of God and rest Your very affectionate and faithfull friend Guil. Bath and Wels. Wels 2 Ian. 1635. Hereupon the poor Churchwardens being destitute of all relief continued excommunicated about a whole year after which they were taken and imprisoned in the common Gaole a long time upon a Capias Excommunicatum from whence at last they were released by the Bishop upon this ensuing submission and pennance worse then any imprisonment A true Copy of the Pennance that Iames Wheeler and Iohn Frye were enjoyned unto by my Lord Bishop of Bath and Wels examined by those whose names are underwritten Thomas Iles Iohn Bailly George Long William Webb Whereas the right reverend Father in God William by Gods permission Lord Bishop of Bathe and Wels hath heretofore lawfully required and commanded James Wheeler and John Frye late Churchwardens of the Parish-church of Beckington within the Dioces of Bathe and Wels aforesaid to remove the Communion Table in the Chancell of their said parish-Church and to place it close under the East wall of the said Chancell in the same manner and forme as the Communion Table standeth in the Cathedrall Church in Wells aforesaid and to remoue the seats placed above the said Table And likewise whereas they the said James Wheeler and John Frye contemned and wilfully disobeyed the command of the said Reverend Father and have in most contemptuous manner stood excommunicated for their said contempt for the space of one whole yeare now last past or there abouts not regarding nor fearing the dreadfull Censure of the Church And have likewise some dayes last past stood aggravated and have been signified unto the Kings most excellent Majesty for the apprehending their bodies and committing them to the Common-gaole of the County of Somerset the rather to compell them to their due obedience to the lawfull command of the Church now upon the earnest request and submission of the said Wheeler and Fry the said Reverend Father hath absolved them from the said sentences and enjoyned unto them that upon Sunday the 25 day of Iune in the year of our Lord God one thousand six hundred thirty seven they in their usuall apparell shall stand first in the middle Ally in the Parish-church of Beckington aforesaid and there immediately after the reading of the Gospell shall openly and penitently with an audible voice make this acknowledgement following repeating the same after the Minister viz. We James Wheeler and John Fry do here before this Congregation assembled acknowledge and confesse that we have grievously offended the Divine Majesty of Almighty God and the lawes Ecelesiasticall of this Realme of England in that we have in contemptuous manner refused to remove the Communion Table in the Chancell of the Parish-church of Beckington and to place it close under the East wall of the said Chancell in the same manner and forme as the Communion Table standeth in the Cathedrall Church in Wels and to remove the seats placed above the said Table being thereunto lawfully and judicially monished and warned by the right reverend Father in God the Lord Bishop of Bath and Wels. And in that for our contempts and disobediences in not performing the said lawfull command of the said reverend Father we have suffered our selves to be lawfully excommunicated and so to stand for the space of one whole yeare last past or thereabouts not fearing nor regarding the dreadfull censure of the Church And in like or rather more contemptuous manner have suffered our selves to be lawfully aggravated and signified according to the laudable laws â— statutes of this Realm thereby in a legall manner to compell us to our due obedience to the lawfull command of the Church And we do hereby protest that we are right heartily sorry for the same and we do faithfully promise never from henceforth to offend in the like againe but to demeane our selves as shall become good Christians and dutifull subjects and we doe ask God forgivenesse for this our sinne and offence and you all here present for our evill example And we doe desire you all to pray for us and with us to Almighty God that it may please him of his infinite goodnesse to forgive us of this our offence And then humbly and penitently kneeling downe must devoutly rehearse the Lords Prayer and they must certifie hereof at Wels in writing subscribed to these presents under the hands of the Minister and Churchwardens of Beckington aforesaid on Tuesday the 27 day of Iune aforesaid together with this Schedule And the like pennance is to be performed by the within named James Wheeler and John Fry for the same offence in the Parish-church of Froom-felwood within the Dioces aforesaid before the Pulpit or Ministers seat there in manner and forme prescribed on Sunday the 2 day of Iuly Anno predict And certificate must be made of the due performance thereof as abovesaid under the hands of the Minister and Churchwardens there upon Tuesday the fourth day of Iuly aforesaid
living speaking Image of God and Christ for preaching against dead false unlawfull Images and representations of them according to our Homilies and the established Doctrine of our Church Moreover it was then fully proved at the Lords Bar by the oathes of Doctor Featly and Master Bourne that the Arch-bishop was so mad upon Images Pictures and their worship That Doctor Featly having Printed by license 70. Sormons of his preached upon severall occasions in one whereof he had cited a passage against worshipping Images out of the Homily against the Perill of Idolatry in refutation of the Papists the Arch-bishop sending for the Doctor commanded him to carry his said Sermons to Doctor Bray his Chaplaine to peruse before they were published least there should beany offensive passages vented in them which he doing accordingly the said Doctor purged out of the 788. page thereof this ensuing clause therein cited out of the very Homely against the perill of Idolatry as scandalous and heterodox causing the whole sheet to be new Printed which expunction was openly read at the Bar by Doctor Featly himself in these following words And howsoever some of late mince the matter and beare us in hand that the framing drawing carving melting gilding erecting clothing and censing bowing down and praying before Images and Pictures is but the excrescencie of Romish devotion and no proper fruit of Idolatry and superstition yet they who laid the first stone in the happy Reformation of our Church of England and penned the Homilies appointed by Authority to be read in all Churches condemne these practises of the Romane Church as no lesse idolatrous than the like of the Heathen The full proof of that which in the beginning in the first part of this Treatise was touched is here to be made good and performed to wit that our Images and the Idols of the Gentiles be all one as well in the things themselves as also in that our Images have been before be now and ever will be worshipped in like forme and manner as the Idols of the Gentiles were so long as they be suffered in Churches and Temples whereupon it followeth that our Images in Churches have been he and ever will be no other but abominable Idols And every of these parts shall be proved in order as hereafter followeth And first that our Images and the Idols of the Gentiles are all one concerning themselves it is most evident the matter of them being gold silver or other mettle stone wood clay or plaister as were the Idols of the Gentiles and so being either melten or cast either carved graven hewer or otherwise formed and fashioned after the similitude or likenesse of man or woman they be dead and dumb works of mens hands having mouthes and speak not eyes and see not hands and feel not feet and go not and so as well in form as matter be altogether like the Idols of the Gentiles insomuch that all the titles that be given to the Idols in the Scripture may be verified of our Images Wherefore no doubt but the like curses which are mentioned in Scriptures will light upon the makers and worshippers of them both Secondly that they have been be worshipped in our time in like forme and manner as were the Idols of the Gentiles is now to be proved and for that idolatry standeth chiefly in the minde which shall in this part first be proved that our Image-maintainers have had and have the same opinion and judgement of Saints whose Images they have made and worshipped as the Gentile idolaters had of their Gods And afterwards it shall be declared that our Image-maintainers and worshippers have used and use the same outward rites and manner of honouring and worshipping their Images as the Gentiles did use before their Idols and that therefore they commit idolatry as well inwardly as outwardly as did the wicked Gentile idolaters By these two evidences of the Archbishops persecuting Master Workman for using the very words and expressions of our established Homilies against Images and his Chaplaines purging out of Doctor Featlies printed authorized Sermons this passage of our Homilies against the worshipping of Images no doubt by his direction it is most apparent that his designes and intentions were to subvert the established doctrine of our Church against the setting up and adoration of Images and to defile our Churches againe not only with these Romish Idols and Paganish inventions but to make us all Idolaters in worshipping and adoring them as the Popish or Gentile Idolaters did their Idol-gods To put this out of question we shall only adde one irrefragable evidence more concerning Images and Pictures We have proved formerly that the Archbishop had in his own private Study a Book of Popish pictures of the Life Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the Virgin Mary printed by Boetius à Bolswert in forein parts Anno 1623. These very Pictures were all licensed by the Archbishops own Chaplain Doctor Bray printed by his own printer and Kinsman Badger in the year 1638. for one Peake a Stationer now in armes against the Parliament and publickly sold and bound up in Bibles as was testified by Mr. Walley Clerk of Stationers Hall and Michael Sparke Senior Master Willingham likewise attested upon oath concerning these Pictures and Crucifixes put into the Bibles that Captain Peak at Holborne Cundit Bookseller who printed these pictures for Bibles did affirme that he printed them with the good liking and by the speciall direction of the Archbishop and his Chaplaine Dr. Bray which Dr. Bray as he said carried him divers times to the Archbishop to shew him the prints thereof as they were cut and finished who liked them all well and gave his consent for the binding them up in Bibles saying That the Bibles wherein these pictures were bound up they should be called THE BISHOP OF CANTERBVRIES BIBLES stiling them after his own name so much did he owne this fact not the Bibles and Book of God who abhorres such Images and further deposed That he found two Bibles bound up with these Pictures in them the one among Secretary Windebanks the other among Sir John Lambes and Dr. Ducks chiefe papers and treasure two of the Archbishops bosome friends and favourites who highly esteemed them both of which Bibles seized by Mr. Willingham and richly bound up with these pictures in them were then produced and shewed to the Lords Master Walley further deposed that these pictures bound up in Bibles giving great offence and scandall to many well affected people himselfe with some other Stationers repaired to Lambeth to the Archbishop and complained against these pictures and the binding of them up in Bibles demanding his Graces direction therein whether they should seize such Bibles with pictures which gave offence or suffer them to be sold To which the Archbishop answered That they might doe well not to lay them out publickly upon their stals to be sold as yet lest they
his Consecrating of Churches and Chappels after the popish manner wherein the case stands briefly thus The Pope his Romish Prelates had in times of ignorance superstition for their own proper lucre introduced solemn consecrations of Churches Chappels with all furniture belonging to them appropriated these Fopperies to Bishops as a jurisdiction peculiar to them alone though we reade in Scripture that the Tabernacle all the furniture thereto belonging was consecrated only by Moses and the Temple at Jerusalem by King Solomon the chief temporall Magistrates not by Aaron or the High Priests as they were among the Romans by the Senate These formes of consecrations full of Ethnicall ridiculous superstitions exorcismes conjurations were contained only in Roman Pontificals Missals Ceremonials which were wholly abolished upon the reformation of Religion in King Edwards daies by the expresse statutes of 3 4 E. 6. cap. 1. 5. 5 6 E. 6. cap. 1. and after that by the statute of 1 Eliz. cap. 2. 8 Eliz. cap. 1. which abrogited all rites ceremonies and consecrations whatsoever but those comprised in the Books of Common Prayer and Ordination of Ministers where there is not one syllable to be found touching consecration of Churches or Chappels or Church-yards nor any forme of such consecrations reteined or prescribed which by these Acts were wholly discontinued abolished in our Church till this Papish Prelate to renue them and to assume a Papall power of making Churches Chappels Altars and their furniture holier then other places by his solemne consecrations of them as if the meere sequestring of them from a common or prophane to a sacred use were not a sufficient consecration of them without a Bishops Benediction and exercising of those creatures suspended thereunto We shall begin first with his consecration of Churches next of Chappels Anno 1630. St. Katherines Creed-church in London being repaired only by the parishioners not new built from the ground when Mountain was Bishop of London and the Church thought holy enough by him without any new consecration not requisite in such a case by the very Canon law this popish Prelate succeeding Mountaiue in the Bishoprick of London suspended this new repaired Church for a time from all Divine service Sermons and Sacraments till it was re-consecrated by himself of which he writ down this speciall memoriall with his own hand in his Diary read in the Lords House in manner following January 16. 1630. Sunday I consecrated S. Katherine Creed-church in London In what a popish ridiculous bedlam manner was thus attested upon oath by M. Willingham a parishioner there who then took special Notes of all the passages in short-writing thinking some good use might be made thereof in after-times the particulars whereof he thus expressed That the Archbishop then of London on the 16 of January 1630. being the Lords day came in the morning about nine of the clock in a pompous manner to Creed-church accompanied with Sir Henry Martin Dr. Rive Dr. Duck and many other High-commissioners and Civillians there being a very great concourse of people to behold this novelty the Church doores were garded with many Halberders at the Bishops approaching near the West door of the Church the hangbies of the Bishop cryed out with a loud voyce Open open ye everlasting doores that the King of glory may enter in and presently as by miracle the doores flew open and the Bishop with three or four great Doctors and many other principall men entred in and as soon as they were in the Church the Bishop fell down upon his knees with his eyes lifted up and his hands and armes spread abroad uttering many words and saying This place is holy and this ground is holy In the name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost I pronounce it holy and then he took up some of the earth or dust and threw it up into the aire as the frantick perseenting Jewes did when they were raging mad against Paul this was done in the great middle Isle several times as they came up Eastwards towards the Chancel which Chancel was then paved when they approached near to the Rayle and Lords Table unto which was an ascent of two or three steps the Bishop lowly ducked and bowed towards it some five or six times and returning went round about the Church in Procession on the inside thereof they saying the 100 Psalme and after that the 90 Psalme prescribed in the Roman Pontificall for this purpose p. 262. and then this Prayer Lord Jesu Christ who art the eternall Word of thy eternall Father God Almighty to be blessed for ever and diddest at first in the beginning of time create man out of the dust of the earth to restore and repair in him the ruine and fall of Angels and when as he by transgression had lost his originall state diddest according to thy threatning returne him againe unto his dust but so that he should not perish everlastingly but should in due time by an omnipotent power be raised againe out of the earth and therefore in assurance of the resurrection the bodies of men the work of thine own hands are in this place to be deposited in their sepulchres graves or vaults as in a repository or resting place untill the end of all things when that mighty Arch-angell shall sound his last Trumpet with Rise ye dead and come to judgement accept we beseech thee this our holy service who doe give and consecrate this beautifull Church unto thee and we separate it unto thee and thy Church AS HOLY GROVND not to be prophaned any more to common use this we beseech thee to accept at our hands for Christ Jesus sake c. Then was read aloud the 23 chapter of Genesis which being read then followed another prayer taken almost verbatim out of the Roman Pontificall beginning thus Merciful God the resurrection and the life of all that trust in thee wee most humbly intreat thee to vouchsafe us of thy grace that all those thy servants who from hence forth shall come into or be intered within the Circuit of this holy and sacred place now by our service HALLOWED unto thee may so lead their lives in thy feare that they may leave them in thy favour and that their bodies resting in their Sepulchres in this Church in peace untill thy comming unto Iudgment may rise again unto immortall life and live with thee for ever in those glorious mantions of eternity Heare us O Saviour for thy passion sake heare us O Father for thy Christs sake heare us O Sanctifying Spirit for thy comforts sake who livest and reignest one God c. Then The peace of God followed c. After all this the Bishop betook himselfe to sit under a cloath of State in an Isle of the chancell neare the Communion Table and taking a written book in his hand in imitation of the Roman Pontificall and the Councell of Trents Decrees therein cited pag. 247 c.
the parties lay there buried And is it not then a far greater madnesse superstition and ridiculous frenzie for this domineering Arch-Prelate to deem these two Chappels prophane places unfit to administer the Sacraments and celebrate divine Service in because never yet consecrated by a Bishop not onely after three but almost three-score yeares use and practise of divine Service Sermons Sacraments in them When as neither his predecessors Whitgift Bancroft and Abbot men very ceremonious and two of them much addicted to superstition ever so much as moved any such question concerning the necessity of their consecration Especially since there is no such Canon Law to enforce the consecration of them now as was to justifie the re-hallowing of S. Maries Church in Queen Maries time which the Popish Canon Law then approved in the case of Bucer and Fagius We read in the Ecclesiasticall Constitutions of Otho the Popes Legat made in an English Synode in the Raigne of King Henry the third that even in those dark times of Popery there were not only divers Parish Churches but some Cathedrals in England which were used as such for many yeares yet never consecrated by a Bishop as appears by these words of the Constitution it self Multas invenimus Ecclesias aliquas Cathedrales quae licet fuer unt ab antiquo constructae nondum tamen sunt sanctificationis Oleo consecrate Whereupon this Popish Legat for his own lucher Enjoyned all Churches then built or to be built to be consecrated within two years space under pain of interdiction from having Masse said in them unlesse some reasonable cause were shewed to the contrary By colour of which Popish constitution this Prelate it seems urged the consecration of these ancient Chappels there being no other shaddow of reason Canon or authority for it After this Archbishop had thus procured a power to himself to visit the Vniversity of Cambridge Matthew Wren Bishop of Ely Decemb. 1. 1639. Sent him up an account signed with his own hand of some things amisse within his Diocesse and that University which he left to his Graces consideration to amend which account was seized by Master Prynne in his study at Lambeth and thus indorsed with the Arch-bishops own hand My Lord of Elyes Account 1639. In which there were these two Passages concerning consecration of Chappels The first concerning a Chappell in Sir John Cuts house in the town of Childerley which Chappell the Knight said was consecrated by Bishop Heton producing an Instrument under seal purporting that on such a day at Childersly Bishop Heton did consecrate a Chappell by saying Service there himselfe and having a Sermon this was all the Solemnity of its Consecration I questioning the whole matter have required him to waiteupon your Grace to see whether that consecration must be allowed of The second concerning some Chappels in Colledges never yet consecrated which is thus expressed in this Account It was presented unto me That in the Colledges of Emanuel Sidney and Corpus Christi there have been Roomes built within the memory of man which are used for common Chappels wherein they have dayly prayers and do Preach there without any faculty or license granted unto them so to do And wherein also they ordinarily celebrate the holy Communion The said places never having been consecrated thereunto Ma. Elie. The Scottish troubles it seems prevented his consecration of these Chappels which were sufficiently hallowed before by the Divine Duties exercised in them The last Chappell we finde consecrated was that in Covent Garden which was hallowed or rather prophaned with all Popish Ceremonies expressed in the Roman Pontificall and far more than were used at Creed-Church The Arch-bishop having thus far advanced his Popish designes in consecrating Churches Chappels and Church-yards proceeded one step further even to set up the exploded Annuall Baccanalian feasts of Dedication whereon Churches were hallowed prescribed at first onely by the Decrees of Pope Felix Pope Gregory recorded by Gratian De Consecratione Distinct 1. who Decreed thus Solennitates Ecclesiarum dedicationem per singulos annos solemniter sunt celebrandae Those Feasts of Dedication turned by the people into meer Bacchanals were exceedingly declaimed against as necessary to be suppressed by Nicholaus de Clemangiis in his Tract De Novis Celebritatibus non instituendis suppressed by the Injunctions of King Henry the S. An. 1536. As the occasion of much idlenesse excesse riot and pernicious to the Souls of men Whereupon they were all of them restrained to the first Sunday in the moneth of October not to be kept on any other day and afterwards totally abolished by the statute of 5. and 6. E. 6. c. 3. Of holy-dayes Which being revived again by degrees with their Baccanalian disorders in sundry places of this Realm under the names of Wakes or Revels and suppressed by some Judges in their Circuits and Justices of Peace in Sessions this Arch-bishop in the year of our Lord 1633. by a Declaration compiled by himselfe but published in his Majesties Name intituled The Kings Majesties Declaration concerning Lawfull Sports to be used revived and enjoyned the Observation of these Wakes and Feasts of Dedication never formerly established by any Christian Prince together with the use of divers Sports and pastimes on the Lords own Sacred day after Divine Service ended to the great Dishonour of God of his Majesty of our Religion the disturbance of the Civill Government encrease of all Licensiousnesse prophanenesse impiety and great griefe of all godly peoples Souls This Book he enjoyned all Ministers to read and publish openly in the Church in time of Divine Service though not commanded by the King and those who out of conscience refused to read it in this kinde were by his means suspended excommunicated prosecuted in the High-Commission Sequestred from their Livings yea many of them enforced to desert their Cures and depart the Kingdome this book being made a snare onely to entrap or suppresse most of the painfull godly preaching Ministers throughout the Realm who were all more or lesse prosecuted about it Yet such was this Arch-Prelates unparallel'd impiety transcending all examples in former Ages that he not onely caused his Instruments Edmond Reeve Dr. Heylyn Christopher Dowe and others to defend the Lawfulnesse and usefulnesse of this prophane licentious Declaration but also to justifie the persecution silencing suspending depriving of those Godly Ministers who out of Conscience refused to publish it in sundry Printed Books authorized by him and his Chaplaines for the Presse Quis talia fando temperet à Lachrymis at leastwise can refrain from the heaviest censures against this prophane Arch-bishop That this Declaration since ordered to be publikely burnt by the common hangman by Order of both Houses of Parliament was Printed published by the Archbishops procurement and upon what Occasion was thus attested upon Oath by Master Edward Richardson and Master Prynne Sir Thomas Richardson Lord chiefe Justice
of England and Baron Denham riding the Western Circuit in the Lent Vacation 7º Caroli there being at the Assises in the County of Sommerset many persons indicted for murthering Bastard children begotten at Wakes and Revels with sundry other grand disorders occasioned by these intemperate meetings the Justices of that County earnestly importuned the Judges to make a severe Order for the suppression of these disorderly Wakes and Revels as divers of their Predecessors had done without which they could never keep the Country in good Order nor prevent the multitude of Bastards murthers bloodsheds drunkennesse quarrels and other disorders occasioned by them whereupon these Judges made this ensuing Order in the publike Assises An Order made by the Judges of the Assises for the suppressing of all Ales and Revels the nineteenth day of March Anno Regis Caroli nunc Ang. c. Sept. WHereas divers Orders have been made heretofore by the Judges of the Assise for the suppressing of all Ales and Revels the same Order is now confirmed at this Assises and again Ordered by the Court In regard of the infinite number of inconveniences dayly arising by means of Revels That such Revels Church-Ales Clerks-Ales and all other publick Ales be henceforth utterly suppressed and if hereafter it shall be known to the Justices of the Peace within this County of such to be set up hereafter to be used That then the Justices of Peace within their severall divisions take course as well for the speedy apprehending and punishing of Idle and lewd persons drawing together at such places as also for the binding over of such persons using tipling inflicting such punishment upon all offenders in such places as the Law doth inflict And to the end this Order may be the better observed it is further Ordered That the Clerk of the Assises shall leave Coppies hereof with the under-Sheriffe and from the under-Sheriffe every Constable of the hundred shall take a Coppy for his severall Hundred and Liberty and shall deliver a Coppy to the Minister of every Parish within his severall Hundred and Liberty and shall take a note of every Minister under his hand the day when he received it and shall publish it yearly within the Parish Church the first Sunday in February and likewise the two Sundayes before Easter yearly And it is further Ordered That every Constable every Lent-Assises present unto the Judges of the Circuit a note of the same Order under the hands of the said Ministers And for the avoyding the concourse of idle people it is further Ordered That Minstrels and such other persons as usually carry up and down Bulls and Beares to bate being Rogues by the Statute shall be punished as Rogues for the further preventing of such inconveniences as usually hapneth at such meetings This is a Copyy of the Order To Lawrence Musgrave Constable The now Arch-Bishop being informed of this good Order was very much netled at it both in regard of the subject matter of it the suppression of Church-Ales Wakes Revels commonly kept on the Lords Day and likewise of the manner of publishing it by the Ministers in the Church which he conceived to be an Vsurpation upon the Bishops Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction and an injury to the Church Upon which grounds he had formerly quarrelled with Sir Nicholas Rainton when he was Lord Mayor of London for prohibiting an Apple-woman to sell Apples on the Lords Day within Pauls Church-yard threatning to complaine of him to the King and his Councell for usurping on his Jurisdiction and telling him she should sell Apples there on the Sunday notwithstanding his Command to the contrary and let him punish her if he durst as he likewise excepted against this pious Order of Richard Deane Lord Mayor of London Anno 1629. found in his study by Master Prynne thus endorsed with his own hand Aprill 20. 1629. The Lord Mayor of London his Warrant against breakers of the Sabbath MY JVRISDICTION INTERESSED WHereas J am credibly informed that notwithstanding divers good Laws provided for the keeping of the Sabbath day holy according to the expresse Commandement of Almighty God divers Jnhabitants and other persons of this City and other places having no respect of duty towards God and his Majesty or his Laws but in contempt of them all do commonly and of custome greatly prophane the Sabbath day in buying selling uttering and venting their Wares and Commodities upon that day for their private gain Also Jnholders suffering Markets to be kept by Carriers in most rude and prophane manner in selling Victuals to Hucsters Chandlers and all other commers also Carriers Carmen Clothworkers Water-bearers and Porters carrying of burthens and Watermen plying their Fares and divers others working in their ordinary callings And likewise that J am further informed that Vintners Alehousekeepers Tobacco and strong Water sellers greatly prophane the Sabbath day by suffering Company to sit drinking and bibbing in their houses on that day And likewise divers by cursing and swearing and such like behaviour contrary to the expresse Commandement of Almighty God his Majesties Laws in that behalf and all good Government For the Reformation whereof J do hereby require and in his Majesties name straightly Command all his Majesties loving subjects whatsoever and also all Constables Headboroughs Beadles and all other Officers whatsoever to be ayding and assisting to I. S. the bearer hereof in finding out and apprehending all and every such person and persons as shall be found to offend in any of these kinds and them and every of them to bring before me or some other of his Majesties Justices of the Peace to answer to all such matters as shall be objected against them and to put in good security for their good behaviour whereof fail you not as you or any of you will answer at your perill Dated Aprill 20. 1629. To all Constables and other his Majesties Officers Ministers whatsoever within the City of London and liberties thereof and to every of them Rich. Deane Major The Arch-bishop much vexed at the Judges forementioned Order against Ales and Revels complained of the Judges and it to his Majestie as he had formerly done of the Lord Mayor of London and procured a Commission to some Divines of that County and Bishop Pierce to enquire of the manner of publishing this Order in Churches and what was done therein and of the Lord Chiefe Justice Richardsons carriage in this businesse Notwithstanding which Commission this chiefe Justice the next Assizes gave a strict charge against these Ales and Revels required an Account of the publication and execution of the foresaid Order and punished some disorderly persons for breach thereof Wherewith the Archbishop then of London being acquainted by Sir Robert Philips and others he thereupon complained again to the King of the Judges and writ the ensuing letter to the Bishop of Bath and Wels to make the better way for the publike authorizing of Wakes and Revels even on the Lords own Day and his
Peace in the County with the generall consent of the whole Bench and upon view of diverse ancient presidents in that kinde Whereupon Judge Richardson the next Sommer Assizes 1634. in his charge informed the Justices Grand-Jury and Country That hee at their Request together with his Brother Denham had made a very good Order for suppressing unruly Wakes and Revells wherein he thought he had done God the King and Country good service but some ill affected persons had misinformed His Majestie concerning this Order who had given him an expresse command to reverse it which he conceived was hardly in his power to do because it was no Order made by himselfe but by the joynt consent of the whole Bench and a meere confirmation and enlargment of diverse Orders made by the Iudges and Iustices in that Circuit in Queen Elizabeths King James and King Charles their Reignes before ever he came into those parts for which he produced these following Presidents The first was an Order made at a Sessions in Somersetshire in the 38. of Queene Elizabeth Orders made by the Iustices Assembled at Bridgwater Sessions the 10th of September Anno Reg Elizabetica 38. c. THat no Church Ale Clerkes Ale Bid Ale or tipling be suffered And that such only be suffered to tipple as be or shal be lawfully licensed according to the Order made in this Sessions SIGNED Iohn Popham Alexander Popham Iohn Court Henry Waldron Edward Hext George Sydenham Thomas Horner Iohn Colles Iohn May Iohn â—odney The second was this Order of Sessions made at the same place whereto he found the name of one Thomas Philips subscribed but he knew not who he was at which Sir Robert Philips his Sonne who sticled for these Wakes was much incensed as conceiving it a meere jeare against him At the Sessions at Bridgwater the 28th of September 1594. IT is is Ordered and agreed that no Church-Ale be admitted to be kept within any part of this shiere And that by the Justices of the Peace of the Lymits notice thereof bee given to the severall parishes within their Lymits and that such as shall offend in keeping any such be duely punished Iohn Popham Lord â—hiefe Iustice George Sidnam Knight Henry Barkley Knight George Speak Henry Waldron Alexander Colles Iohn Frances Alexander Popham Iohn Lancaster Edward Hext Thomas Phillips The third was an Order of Sessions made in the County of Devon Anno 1599. This Order was agreed on by all the Queenes Majesties Iustices of the Peace at the Chapter House Assembled the 10th day of January 1599. Anno 41. Elizabethae ANd for as much as it appeareth that many enormities that with modestie cannot be expressed heretofore have hapned by Church Ales and Revells in this County of Devon It is therefore Ordered that Church-Ales and Revells shall bee hence forth utterly suppressed And if contrary wise in contempt of this Order preparation be made for any to be kept any Justices of this County forthwith send for such as make preparation to admonish them to make stay thereof and upon their refusall in that behalfe or proceeding therein to bind them that make such preparation to the good behaviour and to appeare at the next Sessions of the Peace to bee holden within this County of Devon then and there to endure such punishment as either by the Lawes of the Realme or Order of this Court shall bee inflicted upon them for their contempt and disobeying this Order The fourth was this following Order made at the Assizes in Devonshire Anno 1615. From the Assizes held at the Castle of Exeter Iuly 24. 1615. Anno 13. Jacobi c. Sir Laurence Tanneld and Serjeant Mountague Justices of Assize c. THe severall Manslaughters committed at two Church-ales within this County since the begining of this present Moneth of Iuly and further advertisements given now unto the Court of the continuall prophanation of Gods Sabbath at these and other such like unlawfull meetings ministers unto this Court just occasion to recite an Order formerly set downe by the Reverend Judges of Assize at the Assizes holden for this County the 19th day of Iuly in the yeare of the Reigne of our Soveraign Lord King James by the Grace of God of England France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith c. the 11th and of Scotland the 46th that Order being as followeth viz. It is Ordered by the Court in regard of the infinite number of inconveniencies daily arising by meanes of Revells Church-Ales and Bull-baitings that all such Revells Church-ales and Bull-baitings be from henceforth utterly suppressed and if hereafter it shall be made known unto the Justices of the Peace of this County of any such to be set up or hereafter used that then the Justices of the Peace within their severall Divisions take course as well for the speedy apprehending and punishment of idle and lewde people drawne together to such places as for the binding over of the Persons using tipling and for the inflicting of further punishment upon all offenders in such places as in their discretion shall be thought fit And to the end that this Order may be the better observed It is Ordered that this bee speedily published in every Parish Church within this County The fift was an Order made in the same County Anno 1627. An Order made by Sir Iohn Walter Knight Chiefe Baron of his Majesties Exchequer and Sir Iohn Denham Knight Justices of Assize for c. at the Castle of Exon the XXIII of July 1627. WHereas diverse Orders have bin heretofore made by the Judges of Assize for the suppression of all Ales and Revels those same Orders are now confirmed at this Assize and again Ordered by the Court in regard of the infinite number of inconveniencies daily arising by means of Revels Church-Ales Clerks-Ales and publike Ales that they be from henceforth utterly suppressed And if hereafter it shall be made knowne to the Justices of Peace of this County of any such to be kept or hereafter used that then the Justices of the Peace within their severall divisions take course as well for the speedy apprehending and punishment of idle vagrant people drawne together to such places as for the binding over of the persons using such tipling and for inflicting of such punishment upon all Offendors in such places as the Law doth inflict And to the end that this Order may be the better observed it is further Ordered that the Clerke of Assize shall leave a Copy hereof with the Clerk of the Peace and the under Sherriffe and from them or one of them every Constable shall take a Copy for his severall hundred and liberty and shall particularly deliver a Copy to the Minister of every Parish within his severall hundred and libertie and shall take a note of every Minister under his hand of the day upon which hee received it from him and that every Minister which so receiveth it shall publish it yearely in his Parish
Camera sua in Aulâ Regia erat protuli qua accipi in mandatis responsum dedit Aprill 13. die Mercurij Retuli ad Ducem Buck quid responderit Episcopus Winton These Bishops of the Arminian Popish party after serious consultation among themselves concluded that for the better introducing advancing of the Arminian and Popish Errors in our Church Richard Mountague then Batchelor of Divinity having the Repute of a great Scholler being formerly engaged in this Quarrell by the complaints of Mr. Ward and Mr. Yates against him for the Arminian Popish Tenets broached in his Gagge should in a new Book of his intituled Appello Caesarem compiled by all their consents as appeared by their subscriptions to it which they afterwards cunningly with-drew when they had procured Dr. Francis Whites approbation of it leaving him in the sudds alone as he oft complained publikely broach justify maintaine all the Arminian Tenets condemned in the Synod of Dort as the received Doctrines of the Church of England and impaire the Reputation of that Synods determinations as the privat opinions only of some few illiterate Puritans This book of his was disallowed by Dr. Abbot then Archbishop of Canterbury and his Chaplines who stopped it at the Presse but the now Archbishop by his owne and the Dukes power procured it notwithstanding to be printed and dedicated to his Majesty in the very beginning of his Reigne thereby to ingage him in the Actuall Patronage of the Arminian Points and party which Mountague impetrated at his hands in his Epistle Dedicatory This Book giving great and just offence to most men Dr. Prideaux soon after upon a fitte occasion spake somewhat against it in the Scholes at Oxford admonishing young Schollers to be cautelous in reading it of which there was present notice sent to the Prisoner then Bishop of St. Davids by way of complaint as these two letters found in his Study by Mr. Prynne most clearly manifest My very good Lord. I Received your Letter The Coppy of the consecration of the Chappell shall be sent according to your Lordships appointment We had Disputations in Divinity Schooles Wednesday one Mr. Damport a great Preacher in London but no Graduat was Respondent One of his Questions this An Renati possint totaliter finaliter excidere a Gratia His Opponent one Mr. Palmer of Lincoln Colledge urged out of Mr. Mountague his Appeale the Article of our Church The Homilies The Booke of Common-prayer The Doctor of the Chair handled the Appellator so they termed Him very coursly putting it upon Him that he is Merus Grammaticus a Fellow that studies Phrases more then matter That He understands neither the Articles nor Homilies or at least perverts both Jn answering one of the Arguments He had a Digression to this purpose So quoth He He attributes I know not what vertue to the externall sign of the Crosse Dignus cruce qui asserat He concluded with an admonition to the Juniors whereof there come good store to that Exercise and well furnished with Tablebookes and to the Seniors too That they would be cautelous in reading that and the like Bookes That they would begin in the Study of Divinity with some Systematicall Catechisme I suppose he meant Bastingius Fenner c. and not to apply themselves at first to the Fathers c. Thus with my daily prayers for your Lordships health and happinesse I rest Your Lordships in all humblnesse of duty and service Thomas Turner St. Iohn Oxon. May 23. 1625. My Cosen Walker remembers his humble service to your Lordship My very good Lord WHat I wrote to your Lordship concerning Mr. Mountague I have it by me and before I sent it I consulted with my Cosen Walker who was present at the Exercise as well as I and we both agree that I wrote nothing but what is true in the substance the very Termes we cannot recall For my part as I desire not to be produced so I am not afraid of it if it might do Mr. Mountague any pleasure Doctor Radcliffe was present at the Disputations what other Doctors there were I know not Thus wishing your health and happinesse I humbly take my leave and remaine Your Lordships in all dutifull obligement Thomas Turner St. Io. Oxon. May 30. 1625. This last letter intimates an intention to question Dr. Prideaux for these Passages but the Parliament following soone after this Booke was publikly complained of in the Commons House and Mountague himselfe there questioned for it of which this Archbishop tooke speciall notice and thereupon gave all in couragment protection he could to Mountagu as his own Diary manifests in these folowing clauses Iulij 7. 1625. Die Iovis R. Mount inductus est in Domu◠Parliament inferiorem c. Iulij 9. Die Saturni placuit Serenissimo Regi CAROLO intimare domui illi SIBI NON PLACERE que de Montacutio dicta ibi vel statuta fuêre Se inconsulto Iulij 13. Iter mihi eo facienti obviam casu factus est R Montacutius PRIMVS FVI qui cum certiorem fecide REGIS ERGA IPSVM GRATIA c. A pregnant evidence under his owne hand First that himselfe was a principall Patriot of Mountague and his Booke 2. That he was the first that acquainted him of the Kings Royall favour towards him for writing this Book notwithstanding the complaints against it in the Parliament if not a procurer of the King to intimate his dislike to the Commons House of their proceedings against him which being discontinued by the dissolution of that Parliament at Oxford were againe revived in the next Parliament at which time the Bishop procured the Duke to sound his Majesties opinion concerning Mountagues Cause and Booke which to please the Parliament the King then seemed willing to leave to their censure whereat the Bishop was very much troubled as this Passage in his Diary manifests Ianuary 29. 1625. Dies solis erat intellexi quid D. Buck collegit de Causa Libro opinionibus Rich. Montacutij R. C. King Charles apud se statuisset Videor videre nubem surgentem minantem Ecclesia Anglicana Dissipet pro Misericordia sua Deus Soon after there were two Conferences held at York house before the Duke and divers Nobles about Mountagues Bookes and opinions which were there oposed by Dr. Preston and Bishop Morton but defended by Doctor White and Bishop Laud who records this memorial of these Conferences in his Diary Feb. 11. 1625 Die Sabbati ad instantiam Comitis Warwicensis Colloquium fuit in causa R. Mountacutij in adibus Ducis Buckinghamia c. Febr. 17. Die Veueris Colloquium praedictum secundum habitum est non paucis e Proceribus Regni praesentibus loco pradicto On the 18. of Aprill 1626. Mr. Pyne made a Report in the Commons House from the Commitee of Religion concerning Mountagues Appeale and his Arminian and Popish Tenents therein comprised whereupon it was voted in the House
some bold expressions against the Arminians and their errors under the Titles of Pelagians and Demi-Pelagians for which being convented before the Vice-Chancellor Doctor Smith and others of the Arminian party as Offendors against the Kings Instructions and being ordered to bring in the Copies of their Sermons to him when those who preached Arminianisme were neither questioned nor reproved but applauded advanced for it they thereupon perceiving the Vice-Chancellors partiality and Injustice appealed from him to the Proctors as they might do by the Vniversity Statutes who received their appeales Hereupon Bishop Laud complaines of their Appeales to the King who on the 23. day of August following heard the whole businesse at Woodstocke where by the Bishops procurement there present these three young hopefull Divines were ordered to be expelled the Vniversity and the two Proctors for receiving their Appeal deprived of their places a President with out paralell in any former Age whereupon they were all three in full Convocation on the 26. of August accordingly banished expelled the Vniversity as was evidenced by the sentence of their Banishment and deprivation recorded in the Vniversity Register fol. 32. to 39. That this sentence of theirs was the Bishops owne Act was manifested by the Copies of their Accusations by transcripts of their Sermons found in his Study endorsed with his owne hand by their severall Petitions to him for restitution to the Vniversity likewise by these Passages in his Diary Dayes of observation to me The great hearing of the Oxford disorders at Woodstocke by King Charles August 23. 1631. A sentence so gratefull to him so advantagious to the Arminian faction that both in his Diary and Booke of privat Devotions hee make the day on which it was given a kind of Anniversary holy day of speciall observation to him After which it thus followes in his Diary August 23. 1631. In this June and July were the great disorders by appealing from Doctor Smith then Vice-Chancellor the chiefe ring-leaders were Mr. Ford of Magdalen Hall and Mr. Thorne of Baylioll Colledge The Proctors Mr. Atherton Burch and Mr. Iohn Doughty received their Appeales as if it had not beene Parturbatio pacis c. The Vice-Chancellor was forced in a Statutable way to appeale to the King The King with all the Lords of his Councell then present heard the Cause at Woodstocke Aug. 23. 1631. being Tuesday in the afternoone The sentence upon the hearing was That Ford Thorne and Hodges of Exeter Coll should be banished the Vniversitie And both the Proctors were commanded to come into the Convocation House and there resigne their Office that two others might be named out of the same Colledges Doctor Prideaux Rector of Exeter Colledge and Doctor Wiskinson Principall of Magdelen-Hall received a sharp Admonition for their misbehaviours in this businesse viz. for opposing the Arminian party and favouring these Orthodox Schollers being of their owne Houses True it is that after this sentence of Banishment pronounced and executed against these parties one of them to wit Master Hodges upon his most humble Petition to His Majestie and submission to the Archbishop with promise to be his faithfull obsequious Votary for the future was restored to the Vniversity for one yeares space only as a Probationer to bewaile his offence and learne obedience yet upon these two harsh conditions First That he should make a publike Recantation Sermon in Saint Maries Church in Oxford before the Vniversitie confessing his great offence in preaching contrary to His Majesties Declaration which hee did accordingly on the first of January following the Copy of which Sermon hee sent up to the Bishop in whose Study it was seized Secondly That he should make this ensuing submission and Recantation in the Convocation House before the whole Assembly of the Doctors Procters Regent and non-regent Masters on his bended Knees and with a minde officiously devoted which hee did accordingly 15. Decem. 1631. as is manifest by the Vniversity Register where his submission is recorded in these words Fol. 42. I William Hodges doe freely and sincerely acknowledge before this venerable Assembly of Convocation that in a Sermon by me preached in Saint Maries upon the 26. of June last past I fell upon the delivery of those points which by His Majesties Royall Injunctions were forbidden mee to meddle withall and therein I with hearty sorrow confesse that I did let fall some passages which might bee taken to the disparagement of the Government of the Church in making Erronious and hereticall opinions the way to preferment All which with the maine currant of my discourse might sound to sedition in the eares of the present Assembly By this my great and unexcusable offence I doe freely acknowledge that I have deserved the sharpest of censures and severest of punishments And therefore that his Royall Majestie hath justly rewarded me for-the same it being an offence of so high a nature And I have nothing at all to pleade but the Royall Mercy of my Gracious Soveraigne for my restitution to this famous Vniversity This my confession and submission I doe most humbly tender to the favourable acceptance of this venerable house craving the pardon as of the Vniversitie in generall so more specially of our most Honourable Chancellour whom with all humility I beseech to present this my acknowledgement unto his Majesties sacred hand as the pledge and engagement both in present and for the future of my readiest obedience William Hodges This done after a full yeares probation and bewayling of his disobedience he was upon his Petition to His Majestie fully restored and his censure at Woodstocke discharged as the Vniversity Register manifests which records both his Petition and Restitution pag. 50. 51. Master Thorne likewise made a most submissive Petition to the Archbishop desiring his favour pardon and readmission to the Vniversity but yet he found no fruits thereof As for Mr. Ford he refused to make any addresses to him and returning into Devonshire some friends of his intended to elect him for their Lecturer or Vicar it the Towne of Plymouth of which the Bishop being informed presently procured a Letter from His Majesty to the Major and Corporation of Plymouth not to chuse Mr. Ford for their Lecturer or Vicar upon any termes under paine of his Royall displeasure and another Letter to the Bishop of Exeter not to admit him to be their Lecturer or Vicar in case they should elect him notwithstanding His Majesties Letter as appeares by the Docquet Book in the Privy signet Office September 1631. Wherein we finde these two Entries A Letter to the Major and Aldermen of Plymouth requiring them to forbeare either to make any election of one Thomas Foard unto the Lectureship of that Towne or any ways to assist him in procuring the Advowson of the Vicarage there be being lately expelled the Vniversity of Oxford for a notable disobedience by him shewed procured by the Bishop of London dated 12. Sep. 1631. A like to the
printed in Latine and then reprinted in English was called in and suppressed by this Archbishops order because it over-boldly refuted some points of Popery and Arminianisme as was Attested by the Oathes of Master Pryune and Michaell Sparke Senior Master Walley Clerke of Stationers Hall and Master Downes deposed that after the Decree for printing was made there were divers old Bookes against Popery formerly Licenced as the Booke of Martyres Bishop Jewells Workes some parts of Doctor Willets Workes and others which the Archbishops and Bishop of Londons Chaplaines refused to new License where upon they repaired to Sir Iohn Bramston then Lord chiefe Justice and desired leave from him that good Bookes formerly licenced and printed might be reprinted without new Licence else they should be undone for want of Bookes seeing they could not procure these Chaplaines to License any good Bookes whether old or new Who answered them that he could do nothing in it but they must go and attend the Archbishop who had the chiefe hand in making this Decree Mr. John Vicars Schoole-Master of Christ-Church soone after this Decree repaired to Doctor Baker the Archbishops great Creature House-hold Chaplaine to the Bishop of London for a New license of his History of the Gunpouder Treason formerly printed by License which he had since enlarged with some pertinent Additions But Doctor Baker absolutely refused to Licence it Master Vicars admiring at it demanded of him the reason why he would not license a Booke of such a subject as this against the Gun-pouder Treason an act so odious and detestable who answered him that we were not so angry with the Papists now as we were about 20. yeares since and that there was no need of any such Bookes as these to exasperate them there being now an endeavour to winne them to us by fairenesse and mildnesse By these with sundry other instances of this kinde which we pretermit we conceive it is most apparent that one principall end of the Archbishops usurping the power of Licensing Bookes and publishing this Decree concerning the restraint of reprinting any Old Licensed books against Popery and the grossest errors in it was that Popery might againe creep in among us by degrees without the least opposition or impeachment Secondly As he and his instruments prohibited the reprinting of old Orthodox Bookes so they refused to Licence sundry new ones especially against Popery and Arminianisme suppressing them when printed by Licence of others This was evidenced by the forecited Remonstrance of the Commons in Parliament Anno 1628 by the forementioned Bookes against the Arminians suppressed and called in by this Archbishops means and by these ensuing Depositions Master Prynne deposed that in the Yeare 1627. Doctor Cosen 's published a Booke intituled A Collection of private Devotions Or the houres of Prayer fraught with Popery and Popish Superstitions which gave great offence whereupon at the importunity of diverse well'-affected persons he Writ a Refutation thereof intituled A Briefe Survey and Censure of Master Cosens his Cosening Devotions which by this Bishops meanes and his Confederates was refused License at London House but afterwards licenced at Lambeth House by Doctor Featly and printed sitting the Parliament in the Yeare 1628. for writing which Booke only against Doctor Cosens his Popery hee was immediately after the Parliament ended questioned in the High-Commission by this Bishops procurement and thence delivered by a Prohibition to the Bishops great griefe Master Henry Burton deposed That he writ a Book against Cosens his Devotions which was called in by the Bishops meanes after which he compiled and published another Booke intituled The Bayting of the Popes Bull licensed by Doctor Goade for which hee was called before the Councell Table by this Archbishops instigation who was then present spake much against the Booke and called it a Libell although penned and written only against the Pope and his seditious dangerous Bull. That he printed by lycence a Book called A Plea to an Appeale in refutation of diverse Popish and Arminian Errors broached by Mountague in his Appello Casarem which Book though licensed was yet called in and suppressed by this Bishops procurement After which he writ another Booke against Popery Intituled The pouring out of the 7. Vialls for which hee was called into the High Commission Court by the Bishop and the Booke suppressed That hee likewise writ another Booke called Babell no Bethell wherin he proved the Church of Rome no true visible Church for which book this Prelate being then Bishop of London sent for him by a Pursevant committed him immediately to prison in the Fleet contrary to the Petition of Right then newly passed refusing to accept any bayle which he tendred suspended him from his living prosecuted him in the High Commission and suppressed the Book Michaell Sparke Senior deposed That himselfe together with William Iones Nathantell Butter Mr. Bowler and others were committed to prison and vexed severall times in the High Commission by this Archbishops means only for printing Bookes against the Papists and Arminians that the Bishop and his Chaplaines refused to License diverse Bookes against Popery tendred to them and purged sundry others of the chiefe Passages against Popery as we shal prove anon in so much that the Stationers and Printers generally complained that they could get no good Orthodox Bookes but only Popish and Superstitious ones licensed so as they were like to bee undone for want of trading and that this was the generall complaint of the whole Company which other Stationers likewise affirmed Particularly the Bishop though he pretended much friendship to Sir Humfrey Linde that learned Knight the Author of Via Tuta and Via Deuia which were answered by a Jesuite in a scurrilous rayling manner yet he absolutely refused to license his elaborate Reply thereunto Intituled A Case for the Spectacles upon no other pretence but that Sir Humfrey was a Lay-man but in verity because hee was unwilling to have him vindicate himselfe and the truth against a rayling Jesuite of which Injustice Sir Humfrey oft complained to Mr. Pryn Dr. Featly and others of his friends Yet his Chaplaine could license Chunaeus his Collectiones Theologicae Dedicated to the Archbishop himselfe though compiled by a Layman of much instriot parts and learning to Sir Humfrey in justification of Popery A minianisme and the Church of Rome Thirdly He with his Chaplaines Agents by his instigation or command compiled Authorized imprinted published diverse Bookes Treatises Sermons in defence of Popish Errors Superstitious Ceremonies practises almost to the totall corruption and subversion of our Religion Of which we shall give you a briefe Catalogue and then proceed to the Popish Passages errors broached justified authorized in and propagated by them The BOOKES are these The Archbishops own SPEECH in Star-Chamber Printed at Lond. An 1637. The Book of Common Prayer for the use of the Church of Scotland printed at Edinburgh 1637. Richard Mountague his New Gagge for an old Goose London
penitents into the Church after they had done publike penance A solemn day was set a part for taking of publike penance for open faults by imposition of hands and sprinkling of ashes namely Ashwednesday by the Canon of the Councell of Agatha in Gratian This is the godly Discipline whereof our Church speaketh in the Commination of putting notorious sinners to open penance in the beginning of Lent and wisheth that it might bee restored againe And as Ashwednesday was appointed for putting notorious sinners to open penance so was MAUNDAY Thursday set a part for their absolutions P. 59. The godly discipline constantly practised in Churches and at Altars and the sad and malencholly mention of Penance Fasting and Prayer with other Austerities which the pietie of the times have but just cause to thinke of P. 63. This was done 40. dayes before Easter namely on Ashwednesday in Sack-Cloth and Ashes And for 8. dayes together before Easter they were to doe penance to fast to refraine all manner of pleasures though never so lawfull to stand bare foot upon Sack-cloth and to watch on Good-Friday all night or at least till two a Clock in the morning Shelfords five Treatises Pag. 71. Then they confessed their sinnes to God and their Minister for spirituall comfort and Councell then they endeavoured to make the best temporall satisfaction they could by Almes Prayer and Fastings and other workes of humiliation The Scots New Service Booke in the Commination against sinners with certaine prayers to bee used diverse times in the yeare and especially on the first day of Lent commonly called Ashwednesday To which there is this addition in justification of Popish penance made with the Arch-Bishops owne hand Brethren in the Primitive Church there was a godly discipline used that at the beginning of Lent notorious sinners were put to open Pennance and did humbly submit themselves to undergoe punishment in this world that their soules might be saved in the day of the Lord. All which is thus closed up by Bishop Mountague who after a long discourse in Justification of Confession and Penance concludes thus out of Pope Leo. Originum Ecclesiasticarum Tomi Prioris pars posterior Londini 1640. Pag. 467. Sect. 33. Christus enim ut cum B. Leone loquar Ecclesia Prapositis potestatem dedit ut Confitentibus actionem paenitentiae darent cosdem SALUBRI SATISFACTIONE PVRGARENT sic ad communionem Sacramentorum per januam reconciliationis admitterent 3. That we ought necessarily to give blinde Obedience to the Ecclesiasticall commands and directions of our Priests Confessors and spirituall Superiors THis desperate Popish Assertion was published and justified in these Authorized printed passages worthy our speciall observation Christs Epistle to a Devout Soule pag. 112. 113. 114. 116. Respect not the man who by my Ordinance is thy superior whether he be learned or unlearned but have regard to this only that he is thy superior by whom I will govern thee and in whom thou oughtest to obey me Wherefore I would have thee subject thy selfe unto him without any servile feare or scruple of thy Conscience and dispraising thine owne wisdome and Councell submit thy selfe to be governd by his judgment and opinion whatsoever he shall determine or appoint thee Walke in the path of Obedience and doe nothing at all without the Counsell of thy Pastor or Ghostly Father or Superiour esteeming that alwayes best which thy Superior shall thinke fittest doe all things according to the councell of thy Superior and submit thy selfe wholly to his will and discretion And Page 192. my inspirations never disagree from the Obedience that thou must carry to thy superiors therefore if thou submittest thy selfe to them and reliest in no respect upon thy owne selfe thou art sure to walke in simplicity and purity of heart Francis Sales his Introduction to a Devout Life pag. 334. 335. Obedience Charitie and Povertie are three excellent justruments unto perfection There are two sorts of Obedience the one necessary the other voluntary by necessary obedience thou must obey thy Ecclesiasticall Superiors as the supreame head c. Which is thus seconded by Christopher Dow in his Booke against Master Burton pag. 136. 137. Secondly I say that being done by the same Authority that first set them forth it is neither for him nor me nor any other of inferiour rancke to question them but with humble Reverence to submit to their judgments and to think them wiser and farre more fit to order those things that belong to their places than wee whom neither it concernes nor indeed can know the reasons that move them either to doe or alter any thing c. With whom Doctor Heylyn in his Coale from the Altar p. 2. Thus complyes in judgment Should we all be so affected as to demurre on the commands of our Superior in matters of exteriour Order and Publike Government till wee are satisfied in the grounds and reasons of their commandements or should we fly off from our duty at sight of every new devise that is offered to us we should finde a speedy dissolution in Church and State Which Doctor Pocklington thus closeth in his Altare Christianum pag. 180. What flood-gates this man sets wide open to let in a whole deluge of confusions impiety and Sacriledge into the Church if the Contents of his Letter in this particular might obtaine viz. That the Constitutions Orders Decrees appointed by Cannon or renewed by TRADITION of holy Church be not of absolute authority and require full obedience but are to be scanned and disputed 4. That Christians here must have Altars that these ought to be rayled in Altarwise at the East end of the Chancell and there bowed to and towards as to Gods mercy seate and the place of Christs chiefe reall presence upon earth and that there can be no true Sacrament or Consecration of it where there is no Altar THis is the Subject matter of many whole Bookes lately published authorized by the Archbishops Creatures and Chaplaines as Doctor Heylyns Coale from the Altar his Antidotum Lincolniense His Moderate answer to Master Henry Burton pag. 132. to 140. yea a thing expresly enjoyned by the Archbishop and others in the new Statutes for the Vniversity of Oxford in the new Statutes of diverse Cathedrals the new Cannons and by diverse Bishops in their Visitation Articles already mentioned We shall therefore insist only on some other authorized Bookes and passages to this purpose Wee shall begin with Doctor Iohn Pocklington his Sunday no Sabbath printed by the Arch-bishops approbation and his Chaplaines license p. 43. 44. 50. Habemus Altare we under the Gospell have an Altar Heb. 15. 10. and so is the Word Altar and Lords Table indifferently and alike anciently used these were some Tables or Altars of stone quia Christus est lapis angularis some were of Wood the better to expresse his death on the Tree these wooden Altars or Tables the furious Circumceflions brake downe in Saint
non a loramus Tantummodo taxamus in imaginibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 usum utilitatem non sollicitamus ullo pacto Christiani omnes adoramus Christum Imagine Simulacro An verò ad intuitum Invitationem constituerentur in lccis Sacris Sacratis conventibus destinatis sunt qui negant ex Origine Arnobio Minutio Faelice sed non persuadent Sir Tho. Ridley in his View of the Civill Law printed at Oxf. with Annotations 1634 p. 52. and 192. Hath these passages added in the Margin concerning the erecting of Crucifixes in Churches That which followeth in the Euchologe discovereth the forme manner of setting up the Crucifix which the Law called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then the Crucifix must bee sent to the place where the Church is to be erected and there the Bishop by whom it is conveied saith the forenamed service and when he maketh the Consecration the Crosse must be set up behinde the holy Altar c. Doctor John Pocklington in his Altare Christianum licensed by the Archbishops Chaplaine by his owne speciall direction hath these passages justifying the placing of Crucifixes upon the Altar and against demolishing Images pag. 143. The Crosse of Christ alwayes used to stand upon the Altar Christians had no other Images in their Churches Preter quam Crucis signum super Aram ad Ortentem versum erigerent ut mentem oculosque in caelum ubi Pater est omnium expinsis manibus but only the Crosse of Christ which stood upon the Altar And it is not also said that the Altar which stood in former Princes times continued in Q. Elizabeths Chapell with the Crosse upon it Pag. 87. Besides the Altar so furnished there are to be seene many goodly Pictures which cannot but strike the beholders with thoughts of Piety and devotion at their entrance into so holy a place as the Picture of the Passion and likewise of the holy Apostles together with a faire Crucifix and our blessed Lady and St. Iohn set up in painted Glasse in the East Window just over the holy Table or sacred Altar so that I must needs say as I think all good men besides will that who so lives in his Lordships Diocesse must be condemned of great impiety that wil desert his Lord and not follow him usque ad Aras Pag. 139. The Magistrate may proceed against Delinquents that Violate the Lords Table standing Altarwise or breake or deface the Picture of Christ or of the Saints in Church-Windowes or Crosses and the like upon the Statute if any should so offend which God forbid I shall close up this with Francis Sales his Introduction to a devout life where he intimates to us what use we ought to make of Pictures and Crucifixes P. 158. Sometimes kisse reverently his blessed Image and say unto him these words of Jacob I will not leave thee untill thou give me thy blessing Pag. 159. Stirre up thy heart with corporall gestures of outward devotion and prostrating thy selfe upon the ground laying thy Armes a Crosse before thy brest Imbracing his Image c. 8. That the Pope or Papacy is not Anti-Christ nor Anti-Christ yet come BIshop Mountague in his Appello Caesarem determines thus Page 140. 141. That hee the Pope is Magnus ille Antichristus is neither determined by the publique Doctrine of the Church nor proceed by any good Argument of private men I professe ingeniously I am not of opinion that the Bishop of Rome personally is that Anti-christ nor yet the Bishops of Rome successively are that Anti-christ Doctor Heylyn in his Moderat answer to Henry Burton thus seconds him page 126. The Pope not Antichrist for any thing resolved by the Church of England Page 127. 128. 129. You tell us that by the Doctrine of our Church in the Homilies and else where it is resolved that the Pope is Antichrist Your elsewhere I am sure is no where Saint Iohn hath given it for a Rule that every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God but is that spirit of Antichrist whereof you have heard c. So that unlesse you can make it good as I thinke you cannot that the Pope of Rome confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh you have no reason to conclude that hee is Antichrist Christopher Dowe in his Jnnovations unjustly charged writes thus Page 53. To the third That the Pope is not Antichrist I answere that though many of the learned of our Church especially at the beginning of our Reformation when the greatest heat was stricken betweene us and Rome have affirmed the Pope to be Antichrist and his whole Religion to be Antichristian and that some Bookes exceeding the bounds of Moderation in this point have passed a broad that with the license of Authority yet to them that calmely and seriously consider it it may not without good reason be disputed as doubtfull whether the Popes or any of them in his Person or the Papall Hierarchy be that great Antichrist which is so much spoken of Robert Shelford in his five Treatises resolves thus Page 284. That Rome at this day is not the Beast is manifest because the Pope there now sheddeth no bloud Page 293. That the Pope is not to beheld for Antichrist I prove from Saint Iohns description Who soever is not of Antichrists spirit cannot bee Anti-christ But the Pope is not of Anti-Christs Spirit therefore he cannot bee Anti-Christ Page 297. The Church hitherto hath neither declared the Pope nor any other to be the great Antichrist Therefore as yet he is to come 299. And were there no other Argument to free the Pope from being the Antichrist among the Fathers this is sufficient for that he maintaineth Images Yea the very subject matter of his largest Treatise is this and thus intituled That the Pope is not Antichrist and that Antichrist is not yet come One of his Bookes of this Subject he presented to the Archhishop who received yea reserved it in his Study without check or contradiction and was so farre from disliking this Opinion that he gave speciall Command to purge all passages out of old and new printed Bookes which either directly J tearmed or intimated the Pope to be Antichrist or that man of sinne and repealed the Articles of Reland for defining him to be so as we shall hereafter manifest 9. That there is a Purgatory and Limbus Patrum CHrists Epistle to a Devout Soule P. 130. But when thou art come to perfection and prayest lying prostrate at the feete of my Majesty thou shalt desire to satisfie my Justice with that small ability which resteth in thee and shalt offer thy selfe for my Glory unto PVRGATORY and to suffer for the fulfilling of my will whatsoever it shall be my will to lay upon thee and the fulfilling of my will shall please thee more then the escape of Pudgatory Mountague his Gagge Page 176. They Quarter out Hell into foure Regions Hell of
of this tax censure no charge I will propound two Questions namely Quest 1. How doth it appeare that there is any trust or confidence in faith Answ It appeares by these particulars viz. First Saint Paul gives unto faith strength certainty and a full perswasion Rom. 4. 20 21. Heb. 3. 6. 14. yea trust and confidence Ephes 3. 12. and Secondly the phrase to beleeve in Christum in Christ doth denote a confidence and trust Thom. Aq. 1 Pet. 1. 21. And thirdly if the miraculous faith have confidence in its object as it hath 1 Cor. 13. 2. then much more the saving faith in its Answ 4. If the faith of prayer hath trust and confidence as it hath James 1. 6. 5. 15. 1 John 5. 14. 15. then faith hath particular trust and confidence And fifthly the Papists in a manner or almost confesse thus much for first they say that fiducia oritur a fide trust and confidence springs from faith and secondly that therefore the safest course is to depend upon the mercy of Christ Bellarm. Qu. 2. How doth it appeare that there is any certainty of faith An. It appears evidently by these grounds to wit first by the attributes given to faith it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the substance ground or confidence of things hoped for Heb. 11. 1. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a confidence and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bold assurance Heb 3. 6. 6. 14. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10. 22. a full assurance of faith quasi plenis velis ad Christum because it carries us with full sailes unto Christ Illirious And secondly because we are said to know 1 John 3. 14. 4. 13. 16. Bellarmine answers hereunto that to know includes not certainty but David shewes the contarry Psal 16. 8. 27. 5. 125. 1. And thirdly because the holy Ghost testifies it Rom. 8. 16. Gal. 4. 6. Rom 8. 38. 2 Tim. 4. 8. and hence Saint John saith that he who beleeves hath the witnesse in himselfe 1 John 5. 10. and therefore they are Butchers of mens consciences who deny and take away this assurance And fourthly because this certainty of faith is plainly and cleerly taught in the word of God 2 Pet. ◠10. 1 Pet. 1. 13. In the same written copy fol. 225. this whole pious orthodox discourse is purged out How may we know whether we are brought to Christ or not We may know it by these signes by which we must seriously try and examine our selves namely examine first if we perpetually meditate of Christ if we think upon him day and night if we be conjoyned to him in our hearts then it is a signe that we are are brought unto him Secondly if we alwayes speak of Christ and that from the abundance of the heart then it is a signe that we enjoy Christ for a Vessell sendeth forth such liquor as it hath within Thirdly if we alwayes depend upon Christ flying still to him as unto our only refuge making him our Cornu-copia and esteeming him to be our Physitian our Fountaine our Righteousnesse our Life our Light our Vertue our Way our Food yea all in all then it is a signe that we enjoy him Fourthly if Christ being awakened answer and help us as he did his Disciples Matth. 8. if being called upon he heare us then it is a signe that he is in us and remaines with us if we can confidently and truly say with David I will call upon the Lord and then I shall be safe Psal 18. 3. it is an argument of Christs presence Fifthly if we be filled with joy and comfort in our soules it is a signe that we are brought unto Christ i. e. if we rejoyce in the Lord and againe rejoyce Phil. 4. 4. delighting our selves in him and in comparison of him thinking all other things as drosse Mat. 13. 44. c. Phil. 3. 8. Mel in ore melos in aure jubilium in corde Bern. S. 1. Pet. 18. if he be honey in our mouth and musick in our eares and a rejoycing to our hearts then it is a good argument that he lives with us and lodgeth within us 1 Pet. 1. 8. Sixthly if we have peace within that is first the spirit of God witnessing unto our spirits that we are the sonnes of God Rom. 8. 15 16. 1 Iohn 5. 10. and secondly the providence and protection of the Lord securing us from all want and danger Psal 30. 7. Rom. 8. 28. 1 Cor. 10. 13. and thirdly we from this assurance casting our selves boldy and confidently upon the Lord as David did Psa 11. 1. 27. 1. 3. 56. 4. 11. 18. 6 7. then we may be sure that we are brought home truly unto Christ Seventhly if Christ rule and reigne and beare sway in our hearts 2 Cor. 10. 4. Col. 3. 15. and that first obediendo by enabling us to obey him Iohn 14. 15. 1 Iohn 2. 3. c. and that with such delight that we think his yoke easie and his burden light ver 29. and also secondly compescendo by subduing our affections and repressing and suppressing our lusts enabling us to see and to be sensible of those sinnes that hang so fast on and cleave so fast too Heb. 12. 1. yea making us with the sense of them to cry out with Saint Paul me miserum O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me Rom. 7. 24. Yea with the knowledge of the soare giving us a knowledge of the salve with the sense of the malady the fight of the remedy and as those who being stung with the fiery serpents looked upon the brazen Serpent so Christ with the sight of our sinnes gives us a sight of himself our Saviour and when we look upon our transgressions with horrour then he turnes our eyes towards him for comfort 1 Cor. 2. 2. Irae impetum cohibet superbia tumorem sedat livoris vulnus sanat luxuriae fluxum restringit libidinis flammum extinguit situm avaritiae temperat totius dedecoris pruriginem fugat Bern. S. Cantic And thirdly unprimende by engraving good affections in our hearts and by infusing the wine of grace into our soules and comforting us by his spirit Sensus reparat virtutes roborat honestos mores vegetat castas affectiones fovet Bern. S. Cantic Christ reviewes our faculties coroberates our graces and vertues nourisheth in us good affections begets in our hearts good habits and in our lives good actions and so rectifies our conversations that they become honest and unblameable before men certainly he that is thus governed by Christ and enabled by him to subdue and suppresse all evill affections and is filled with good and holy desires within and obeyeth the Lord in his life and conversation doth enjoy Christ and is truly brought unto him and therefore let us seriously examine our selves by these particulars What harme or errour was couched in these passages that they must be quite
namely first when men are forced to sweare against themselves this is injurious no man being bound to betray himself In criminalibus licet in contractibus not in criminall offences but in contracts and bargaines for an oath may lawfully be administred and given unto a man to answer whether he made any such bargain or covenant as is aledged or not but it never used to a thiefe or murderer for in criminall offences witnesses must come in against a man or he is acquitted by Law and is never put to his oath to accuse himselfe Secondly Men are injuriously constrained to take an oath De rebus ignotis to answer they know not to what This was altogether disliked and disalowed by that famous Martyr John Lambert in his answer to the Bishops fourteenth Article Fox fol. 1119. whereunto I referre the Reader Fiftly all rash swearers c. Fol. 139. Swear not at all Object Sixtus Senensis and some other Papists say that Christ here sets downe a councell of perfection not forbidding all swearing but rather wishing that men could so live in faith love and truth that there might be not use of an oath Answ 1. First this is false because Christs words are not perswasory but prohibitory expresly forbidding swearing Ibid. fol. 239. b. fine Que. 4. Whether it be lawfull to force one to swear Answ 1. First a Magistrate may impose an oath with these three limitations first if the thing be weighty secondly if otherwise it cannot be known thirdly if it be not a snare to catch a mans selfe or a trick to make him accuse himselfe Answ 2. Secondly Magistrates should be very wary how they enforce or constraine men to sweare because first oftentimes they thus adde fuell unto the fire of Gods wrath by making men forswear themselves and therefore here it should be considered if it were not better to lose the thing in question then to hazard the losse of our Brothers soule by making him to perjure himselfe Paul would rather never eat flesh while he lived then offend his brother and therefore he is far from Paul his charity vvho for a thing of smal value or moment vvill drive his brother to perjury Secondly if thou beleeve him when he sweare vvhy vvilt thou not beleeve him if he take some solemn protestation An honorable person being called into the Senat at Athens to depose touching some matters the Senators vvould not have him to take the accustomed oath knowing him to be a vertuous and honest man Cicero orat pro Balto Thus except the matter be of very vveighty importance vve should consider First if he vvhom we desire should be put to his oath fear the Lord then he dare no more lye then forswear himselfe Secondly if he fear not the Lord then how vvill he fear to forswear himselfe And thus both Magistrates and those vvho are vvronged should be very carefull not to constrain any offendor to swear if by any other meanes the matter may be known or decided 53. A Passage obliterated against popish Pardons Indulgences and Purgatory IN Mr. Ward 's Comentary on Mat. p. 179. vvritten copy this is crossed out as hetrodox We have no need of a second purging How derogatory then are the Papists to the sufferings of Christ vvho ascribe more to the Pope◠pardons then to Christs pangs Antichrist by his Indulgences can both deliver and preserve from Purgatory and send the soule straight unto heaven but they vvill dye in the quarrell before they vvill grant such or so much power and efficacy to be in the death bloodshed and merits of Christ c. 54. The very name of Papists expunged with a passage against the Popes power IN Doctor Clerke's Sermon upon Candlemas day page 95. line 14. The Papists say page 166. l. 7. let Papists hold c. p. 171. l. 7. This Manuel but the Papists take advantage of that page 200. l. 16 Papists hold it p. 224 l. 38. A Papist p. 299. l. 5. 9. Papists say Papists make p. 330. l. 16. even by Papists who extenuate sinne are blotted out The like is frequently done in Doctor Jones his Comentary on the Hebrews and in M. Ward 's Com. on Mathew vvhere p. 395. there is this notable passage purged out Christ saith unto me is given all power therefore Antichrists imp Carerius saith The Pope hath power over Infidels All power vvas given to Christ therefore to the Pope is a blasphemous Antichristian consequence displaying the Pope in his colours to be the Whore in making himselfe or suffering himselfe to be made equall vvith Christ 55. A Clause expunged against Popish Penance IN Master Ward page 34. this clause is obliterated Fiftly Bellarmines Argument followes not as appeares by this instance Papists say their Penance is the second table after shipwrack now she that sinneth not needs not this Penance but the Adulteresse is admitted unto it is therefore the Adulteresse better then the Innocent because she is made partaker of the second Table which the other is not No more is she for the second Husband 56. Passages expunged against Perseverance in Grace IN Master Ward 's Comentary on Mat. 24. 13. He that endured to the end c. this passage is rased out He that endures unto the end c. We may learn hence that patience in persecution and affliction is not praise-vvorthy except it be permanent and endure unto the end How doth this appeare First evidently by these places and proofes Mat. 10. 22. Luke 21. In patience possesse your soules Heb. 3. 6. 6. 11. c. unto the 15. and 12. 3. 12. and Jam 5. 7. unto the 12. And secondly because vvithout this perseverance vve shall have noreward He vvho digges for Gold must continue diging untill he come to the vein or oare else he loseth his labor He vvho is upon a journey or race must continue therein untill he hath vvon his vvager or reached his journies end He vvho is fighting a Duel must stand upon his guard and vvithstand his antagonist yea continue coragiously to oppose him untill he have got the victory othervvise all he doth at first onset is nothing The Israelites vvent out of Egypt and yet never came to Canaan and many begin vvell vvho for vvant of perseverance fall short of their reward What is here required of us To labour to persevere and abide rightly armed against all temptations and trials vvhatsoever even unto the end Hovv must vve doe this Answ By these vvayes and means to wit First our ingresse into the lists múst be living and solid and not sleeping or dead for otherwise vve can never endure to the end Secondly vve must not love but leave and relinquish the vvorld 1 Iohn 2. 15. for otherwise vve shall never be able to hold out against the assaults of the vvorld Thirdly vve must be trained souldiers and exercise our selves daily in the Lords lists that is vve must frequently give our selves 1. to meditation 2. to the hearing
faithfully promised to preach it no more And when he absolved him on this promise he most prophanely used to him these words of our Saviour spoken to the Woman taken in Adultery Iohn 8. 14. Go thy way sinne no more that is preach this Lecture no more as if preaching was as heinous a sinne as Adultery lest a worse thing happen to thee Furthermore in pursuit of these Instructions he put down all Sermons on the Lords dayes in the Afternoon throughout his Diocesse strictly charging the Ministers in his Visitations not to preach on Lords dayes in the Afternoon upon any occasion under pain of Suspension After which hee suspended one Mr Cornish only for preaching a Funerall Sermon on a Lordsday Evening Furthermore he convented the Minister of Beercoockham before him for having two Sermons on that parish Revellday alleadging that it was a hinderance to the Revel and utterance of the Church-all provided to be spent ' on that day belike he had more care of the Church wardens Ale then the peoples Soules and he questioned one Mr Thomas Erford a Minister as a Delinquent for preaching at the parish of Mountague on their Revellday upon the Prophet Joels exhortation to Fasting weeping and mourning charging him that not only his Sermon but his every text too was scandalous to the Revel and gave offence to the meeting And whereas divers godly Ministers of his Diocesse being restrained from preaching did take great paine thereupon to catechise their Parishioners in the principles of Religion on Lordsdayes in the Afternoon according to the Letter of these Instructions enlarging themselves upon the Questions and Answers in the Catechisme in the Common-Prayer-Booke for the peoples better Instruction and using a short prayer before and after that exercise this Bishop being informed of it corrected and sharply reproved these Ministers for their pains threatning to punish them severely if they Persisted therein saying Thus it was a Catechizing Sermon-wise and AS BAD AS PREACHING Charging them that they should aske no other Questions nor receive any other Answers from the people but such as were conteined in the Book of Common prayer which one Mr Bâ—â—rett Rector of Barwick not observing was enjoyned penance for it and one Humfrey Blake Churchwarden of Bridgewater was likewise put to penance for not presenting Mr Devenish the Minister there as a Delinquent for expounding the Church-Cateckisme and making a short prayer of his own before he began his exercise All which particulars were proved by substantiall witnesses before a Committee of the House of Commons drawn up into an Impeachment against this Bishop and being in verity the Impious fruites of this Arch-Prelates project who encouraged him herein must be justly and principally charged upon his score Quia plus peccat Author quà m Actor The like Suppressions of Sermons and Catechizing on the Lords day in the Afternoon were common in all or most other Diocesse neither could any Combination Lectures be obtained in them but with very great suite and upon very hard conditions which the Bishops tooke advantage to prescribe by colour of these Instructions all strictly observed till this present Parliament This we could prove by many Instances we shall produce but one instead of all the rest found among Sir Iohn Lambes Papers the Archbishops grand Instrument herein by Mr Prynns endorsed with Sir Iohns own fift Orders given by the Right Reverend Father in God JOHN Lord Bishop of PFTERBOROVGH for and concerning the Sermon weekly on Wednesday in Saint JAMES Chappell in BRACKLEY September the 14. 1639. 1. IT is ordered that the fifteen Divines whose names are here under written shall be appointed to their severall dayes by Dr Hâ—ath Chancellor of the said Dioces or his permission by Doctor Sybthorpe one of his Surrogates in a Catalogue to be signed by him annexed to these orders II. That no other Divine shall be admitted to Preach there upon any Wednesday but one of these fifteene except the Curate of that place upon any pretence whatsoever And if one of these shall dye or depart or refuse to preach none other shall be Substituted but by expresse allowance of the Bishop III. That the Bell shall begin to toll a quarter of an houre before nine of the Clocke in the morning and shall continue so toleing till nine of the Clocke and no longer IIII. That immediatly upon ceasing of the Bell the Divine Service of the Church of England for morning prayer shall begin and shall be said together with the Letanie either by the Preacher for that day or else in case of necessity only by the Minister of the place of his assistant in his Surplice and Hood according to his degree in Schooles V. The Preacher for that day shall be ready at the Communion Table in his Surplice and Hood while a Psalme is in singing after the Morning prayer and the Letanie to begin the Communion Service commonly called the second Service and that there be no Hiatus or stopp at all after the end of the Psalmes If he be not there He who did reade the Morning prayer that day shall presently goe thither and proceede to the second Service and no Sermon shall be had that day VI. The Preacher assoone as he hath repeated the Nicen Creede shall goe up into the Pulpet in his Surplice and hood VII No other forme of prayer before the Sermon shall be vsed then is set downe in the LV. Canon to move the people to pray in the words and manner there perscribed interposing only if he so desire the names of the Vniversities and of his Colledge or of his Patron he being one quallified by Law to have a Chaplaine VIII The Sermon at the utmost shall be within the compasse of an howre and shall be ended with Glory be to God c. without any other prayers in the Pulpit VIIII The Preacher shall after is Sermon come presently from the Pulpit and so goe to the Communion table and reade the prayer for the whole estate of Christs Church c. and one or two of the Collects which stands after the Communion Service and so shall dismisse the people with that blessing there The peace of God c. X. A Surplice and Hood are to be provided for the Preacher at the charge of the Towne XI The people to be admonished by the Preacher as neede shall require to be diligent and of reverend behaviour at the divine service both before the Sermon and also after it All men to be uncovered during all the time both of Service and Sermon all persons to do Reverence at the blessed name of Iesus to stand at the Creedes Hymnes and Gospells to kneele at the confession and prayers and practise all other parts of conformity to the Church Government or otherwise it shall be sufficient cause to have the combination for the said weekely Sermon forthwith inhibited if the Divine Service be neglected or deserted Or if these Orders above
mentioned be not truely observed Vpon condition whereof the Bishop hath condescended unto the humble Petition presented vnto his Lordship from the Major and the other Inhabitants of the said Towne of Brackley for suffering the said weekely Sermon These Orders under my Hand and Seale are to be set up for all those whom they concerne to take notise of the same in some convenient place within the Chappell of S. Iames Brackley or in the Chancell or Vestery of the same Chappell as the Incumbent of the place shall dispose them In testimony whereof we have caused our Seale Episcopall to be hereunto put the day and yeer above written 1. Doctor Sybthorpe Vicar of Brackley 2. Mr. Burden Rector of Aynoe 3. Mr. Yates Rector of Midleton cheny 4. Mr. Losse Vicar of Leas weeden 5. Mr. Osborne Rector of Thenford 6. Mr. Selby Rector of Chipingwarden 7. Mr. Gage Vicar of Culworth 8. Mr. Adams Rector of Ashton in le walls 9. Mr. Burton Rector of Helmedon 10. Mr. Osten Rector of Braddon 11. Mr. Iakeman Rector of Farthingoe 12. Mr. Brocke Vicar of Maideford 13. Mr. Hunt Vicar of Sulgraue 14. Mr. Mander Vicar of Chacombe 15. Mr. Hifeild Vicar of Evenley Jo. Petriburg By these unreasonable conditions to which the consciences of most orthodox godly Ministers could no wayes submit most Combination Lecturers were totally discontinued and such as remained were for the most part supplied only by Prelaticall Superstitious Ceremonious Popish Clergy men of the Archbishops faction whose Sermons and Examples did more corrupt then instruct seduce then reforme the Auditors and onely promote his Popish designes To such slavery misery were both Ministers and People reduced by colour of this Prelates forementioned Considerations Who being afterwards advanced to the Archbishopricke of Canterbury had an annuall Account returned to him from all the Bishops of his Province how these Instructions concerning Sermons Lectures and Lecturers were observed and what Proceedings were upon them as was manifested by the Originals of their Accounts found in his study endorsed with his own hand And not content with his Provinciall Bishops proceedings himself in his Metropoliticall Visiitation gave speciall Order to Sir Nathaniel Brent his Vicar generall to inquire how his Majesties Instructions were observed as appears by a Memorandum touching his Visitation in generall March 6. 1634. written with Mr Dells own hand found in the Archbishops study with other Papers of that nature and likewise ordered him to silence divers Ministers and not suffer them to Lecture We shall give you one memorable instance in Mr Leighe a reverend Minister then of Wolverhampton but now settled in Shoreditch by order of Parliament For whose silencing this Archbishop gave speciall order as appears by a Letter under his Secretary Dells own hand who acknowledged it at the Lords Barr directed to Sir Nathaniel Brent found by M. Prynne among Sir John Lambes Papers Worthy SIR THE Church and Colledge of Wolverhampton in the Diocesse of Litchfield is an Appendix to the Deane of Windsor who by Charter of Edward the fourth is both Patron and Ordinary cum omnimoda jurisdictione And in that regard though they have not been visited by any time out of mind yet now he is content to lay by the Bulls and Charters of Exemption and to admit of my Lords Metropolitan visitation But with all he hath made this humble suit to my Lords Grace that if you visit that Church and Colledge they may not be summoned out of their own Jurisdiction but rather that in your way from Litchfield to Shrewsbury your visitation may be held in that very Place it being a goodly Collegiate Church and every way sit for it In which my Lord wills you by all means to give Mr Dean content in what may conveniently be done And whereas his Grace is informed that the Place is much given to Faction and that the last Summer there were some very good Chapter Acts and other Orders made by my Lord the Bishop of Hereford then Dean to settle things there in a Church way and to curbe the insolency of some men who since upon occasion of this my Lords Visitation are bold to give it out that they will have all reversed c. His Grace hath commanded me to signifie his expresse pleasure to you That no former Act made by the Chapter there nor any Order appointed by the Deane be reversed or any wayes altered without first acquainting his Grace therewith And that you take speciall notice of one Mr Lee a Prebend there who hath been the Author of much disorder thereabouts And if you can fasten upon any thing whereby he may justly be censured pray see it be done and home or bring him to the High Commission Court to answer it there c. But HOWEVER let him not obtain any License to Preach any Lecture there or in another Exempt place hard by at Tetenshall whither those of Wolverhampton do now run after him out of their Parish for the Church hath not much need of such men If you speak with Mr Latham of Litchfield who is the Surrogate there he will informe you more fully concerning this Businesse That he the said Mr Lee hath Churched Refractory Women in private c. That he is averse to all good Orders of the Church As also that in another place thereabouts they caused a Bell-man in open Market to make Proclamation for a Sermon c. One thing more which I may not forget My Lords Grace is informed that at Monkes-Illith in Suffolke there is a Monument placed just at the East end of the Church where the Communion Table or Altar should stand And therefore his Grace wills you notwithstanding you are now past it to take order that it be either removed or demolished And that you be very carefull to do the like in all Churches else where you finde the same Abuse So not doubting of your care in these Particulars and wishing you health and content throughout your Journey I take my leave and am Your Faithfull poor Friend to serve you William Dell. Lambeth April 27. 1635. Mr Dean cannot be at Wolverhampton by reason of his attendance at Windsor the Instalment being about that time and therefore prays you to hold him accused Upon this Letter Mr Leigh was suspended by Sir Nathaniel Brent as appears by an Abstract of the Metropoliticall Visitation delivered by Sir Nathaniel to the Archbishop who thus endorsed it with his own hand Iuly 16. 1635. The Abstract of my Visitation of Norwich Peterborrough Litchfield c. produced at the Barr in which we find mention of above twenty other Ministers suspended from preaching in this his Visitation In his Instructions for his Metropoliticall Visitation in the Diocesse of London endorsed and signed with his owne hand wee finde divers Informations against sundry Ministers inclosed among which this is one Mr. Randall Curate of Tuddington in Midlesex neer Hampton Court preacheth long Sermons and factious on Sundayes
in the Afternoone though he hath beene admonished of it and inhibited by Mr Chancellor of London to which the Archbishop underwrites this direction to Sir Nathaniel Brent his Visitor Sir I require you that besides your other Instructions you give me an Account of all particulars within named W. Cant. Of which particular concerning Mr Randall Sir Nathaniel after his Visitation gave this account to the Archbishop MAster Randall Curate of Tuddington noted in the paper confesseth that since he was inhibited by Mr Chancellor of London to preach in the Afternoones on Sundayes he hath once offended and no more It was to make a farewell Sermon to that exercise as he saith wherein he rather aggravateth his fault then otherwise Hee saith that this Sermon was much beyond the compasse of an hour and I beleeve it continued more then two houres He now seeth and acknowledgeth his fault protesteth he will be most conformable for the future and humbly desireth to be dismissed with a Canonicall Admonition But I keep him in fear still To this we might add his procurement of Dr Ienningson Lecturer at Newcastle to be questioned in the High Commission at York in the year 1639. whose Articles and Answers were both sent up to Lambeth to his Grace-ship and enforcing to quit that place with the Kingdome too to avoyd his fury His prosecution of Mr Iohn Iemmet Lecturer at Barwicke in causing the Bishop of Durham in December 1639. to send for him by a Pursevant silence him from preaching in Barwick and banish him the Town without any Articles or Witnesses examined against him with other instances of this nature but for brevity sake we shall omit these and proceed to his next stratagem to suppresse preaching which was His publishing of a Declaration for Sports in his Majesties name and silencing suspending excommunicating questioning censuring in the High Commission and elsewhere many hundreds of godly conscientious Preaching Ministers whom the Instructions for Lecturers could not reach so farr as to silence being Incumbents and not meer Lecturers for refusing personally to publish it in their Churches to animate their people to profane the Lords day with unhallowed Pastimes which because we have formerly insisted on and proved to be his designe we shall here but mention and passe by only with this one Addition that Mr Thomas Valentine Minister of Chalford Saint Giles in the County of Buckingham being suspended by Sir Iohn Lambe Deane of the Arches for not reading the Book of Sports from which suspention he appealed and procured time to consider whether he would read it or not Mr Valentine not long after to obtain further time and favour writ a Letter to Sir Iohn Lambe dated April 28. 1636. with 5 l. inclosed and a Petition to the Archbishop on which Letter Sir Iohn makes this endorsment with his own hand Master Valentine 28. April 1636. with 5 l. PEECES inclosed which Petition Sir Iohn recommending to Mr Dell procured him a gratious answer and some longer respite for the present but in December and Ianuary following he was again molested and suspended for not publishing this Declaration in proper person though his Curate had formerly read it in the Church as appears by two Petitions to the Archbishop for his absolution His third design to suppresse preaching was by discouraging conscientious young Schollers and Divines from entering into the Ministry by putting divers clogs difficulties upon them under a most specious pretext which was thus effected No sooner was this Prelate setled in his Archbishoprick but he contrived a Letter drawn by Mr Dell his Secretary but interlined corrected with his own hand as appears by the Originall draught found in his study directed as from his Majestie to himself which he afterwards presented to the King who directed and sent it to him under his Privy Signet to be put in Execution in manner following as the very Letter it selfe under the Kings Signet declares thus endorsed with the Archbishops own hand Rec. Sept. 19. 1633. From his Majesty that no Ministers be made sine Titulo To the most Reverend Father in God our Right trusty and Right entirely beloved Councellor William Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Primate and Metropolitane of all England CHARLES R. MOst Reverend Father in God Right trusty and right entirely beloved Councellour we greet you well There is nothing more deer to US then the preservation of true Religion as it is now settled and established in this our Kingdome to the honour of God and the great comfort of our selfe and our Loyall people and there can nothing more conduce to the advancement thereof then the strict observation of such Canons of the Church as concern those that are to take orders in their severall times More especially of keeping that particular Canon which injoyns That no man be made a Priest or a Minister without a Title For we finde that many not so qualified do by favour or other means procure themselves to be ordeined and afterwards for want of means wander up and downe to the scandall of their calling or to get maintenance fall upon such courses as are most unfit for them both by humouring their Auditours and other wayes altogether unsufferable Wee have therefore thought fit and Wee doe hereby streightly require and charge you to call such Bishops to you as are now present in or neer our City of London and to acqulint them with this our resolution And further that you faile not in the beginning of the next Terme to give notice of this our will and pleasure openly in our High Commission Court and that you call into our said Court every Bishop respectively that shall presume to give Orders to any man that hath not a Title and there to censure him as the Canon aforesaid doth injoyn which is to maintain the party so ordered till he give him a Title and with what other censure you in Justice shall think sit And our further will is That nothing shall be reputed a Title to enable a man for orders but that which is so by the ancient course of the Church and the Canon Law so far forth as that Law is received in this our Church of England And as you must not fail in these our directions nor in any part of them so we expect that you gives us from time to time a strict accompt of your proceedings in the same Given under our Signet at our Pallace of Westminster the nineteenth day of September in the ninth year of our Raigne Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Upon receit hereof this Archbishop whose project it was directs this Letter following to the Bishops of his Province as is evident by the originall draught thereof corrected with his own hand and thus endorsed by him Octob. 18. 1633. The Copy of my Letters upon this of his Majesties to the severall Bishops of this Province S. in Christo My very good Lord HIS Majestie hath been often and much troubled upon
the year 1626. some godly Persons in and about London to promote the preaching of the Gospel and set up a Preaching Ministry to instruct the people in divers great Towns and Parishes impropriate where they wanted means to maintain Preaching of which they had long been destitute in former times resolved to lay their purses together and chuse out of themselves four Divines four Common Lawyers and four Citizens of note who should be Feoffees in trust to purchase in these Impropriations and with the profits of them to set up and maintain a constant preaching Ministery in places of greatest need and eminency whereupon they made choice of Dr W. Gouge Dr R. Sibbs C. Ofspring I. Davenport Divines Ralph Eyre S. Brown of Lincolas Inne C. Sherland of Greyes Inne J. White of middle Temple Esquires Common Lawyers Iohn Geering Richard Davis George Harwood and Francis Bridges Citizens to be Feoffees for this purpose who with their own monyes and the contributions of other well-affected persons in 2 or 3 years space purchased in the Impropriations of Hartford Dunstable Cirencester with others and set up able preaching conformable Ministers authorized by the Bishops of the Diocesse there in many other places where they had never any before as likewise at Bridgenorth Clarely and had they not been interrupted in this good work would in very few years in all probability have purchased in most of the great Towns noted Parishes Impropriations of England in Lay-mens hands where Preaching was most wanting and meanes to maintain it No sooner had this Malignant Prelate notice of this pious religious work but out of his enmity to Preaching and the good of ignorant peoples souls whom he would rather have still keept in blindnesse and the chaines of Sathan then instructed with the Gospels light and brought under the Scepter of Jesus Christ he presently projects not only the obstruction but utter subvertion of this pious designe which none but a Devill incarnate or Enemy of all goodnesse could dislike many even of the worser sort of Bishops yea Courtiers applauding it as a very necessary and godly work That he himself projected the overthrow of these Feoffees was proved out of his own Diary where thus he writes in the close of it Things which I have projected to do if Godblesse me in them the third whereof is this To overthrow the Feofment dangerous both to Church and State going under the specious pretence of buying in Impropriations Over against which he writes in the Margin DONE which fights point-blanke with his very next project of a quite contrary nature justifying these Feoffees acts namely To procure King CHARLES to give all the Impropriations yet remaining in the Crown within the Realme of Ireland to that poor Church Against which he writes in the Margin Done and settled there though to the impairing of that Crownes revenues and that by power of the Councell Table in an arbitrary forcible and illegall way to the undoing of many as appears by sundry Originall Letters thence whereas the Feoffees buying in Impropriations did no wayes lessen the Kings revenues and was done in a just and legall way To overthrow this pious work he caused Mr Noy the Kings Atturney Generall by the Kings command to exhibit a Bill against these Feoffees in the Eschequer Chamber to confiscate their purchased Impropriations to the King by a Decree of that Court and so dissolve all they had done which Bill was prosecuted with all violence To set on the prosecution with more edge he suborned his flattering creatures to declaime against these Feoffees and their design in the Pulpit both at Court and elsewhere Among others his great Minion Peter Heylin preaching at Saint Maryes in Oxford before the whole Vniversity at the publike Act there on Sunday in the afternoon the 11th of July 1630. discharged his venome against Lecturers and these Feoffees in these bitter Invectives p. 38 39 Planting of Pensionary Lectures in so many places where it needs not and upon dayes of common labour will at the last bringing forth of fruites appear to be a tare indeed though now no wheat be counted fairer c. Wee will proceed a little further in the proposall of some things to be considered The Corporation of Feoffees for buying in Impropriations to the Church Doth it not seeme in the appearance to be an excellent peece of Wheat A noble and gracious point of Piety Is not this Templum Domini Templum Domini But blessed God that men should thus draw near unto thee with their mouths yet be far from thee in their hearts For what are those intrusted in the managing of this great businesse Are they not the most of them the most active and the best affected men in the whole cause et magna partis momenta chiefe Patrons of the faction And what are those whom they prefer Are they not most of them such as must be serviceable to their dangerous Innovations And will they not in time have more preferments to bestow and therefore more dependances then all the Prelates in the Kingdome c. Yet all this while we sleep and slumber and fold our hands in sloath and see perhaps but dare not note it This Sermon he presented to this Bishop in writing bound up in Velome who thus endorsed it with his own hand S. Mat. 13 25. Master Peter Heylin and reserved it as a monument in his study where it was seised by Mr Pryn and Mr Bendy who produced and attested it Feb. 13. 1632. this cause came to hearing and sentence in the Exchequer Chamber where the Feoffees and their good designe were utterly overthrowne of which the Bishop made this speciall Memento in his Diary in these termes Feb. 13. 1632. Wednesday the Feoffees that pretended to buy in Impropriations were dissolved in the Chequer Chamber They were the main Instruments for the Puritane faction to undoe the Church The Criminall part reserved John White of the Middle Temple Esquire a member of the House of Commons deposed at the Lords Barre that he attending this Archbishop then of London at London House as a Councellour about a right of Patronage to Chingford in Essex after the hearing of the businesse the Bishop demanded of him Whether he were not one of the Feoffees for buying in Impropriations to which he answered he was whereupon the Bishop fell upon him with much bitternesse of spirit calling him An enemy of the Church an underminer of Religion and vehemently affirmed that this worke of his and his fellow-Feoffees was mischeivous to the Church and destructive to Religion and that he would see him and his fellows shortly called to an Account for it and stop them from proceeding in that work That some few dayes after he attended this Bishop again at Fulham upon the former cause where he took occasion to discourse with him at large about the Feoffees proceedings enforming him that their onely ayme and end in purchasing in Impropriations was for the
Imprisonment by them voted Illegall there being all this while no proceedings against him nor any crime objected to him in any Court of Justice By means of which Imprisonment he was much prejudiced and undone in his Estate and his wife with four small children exposed to Pennury and Beggery Such a spite did He bear this witnesse for his Activity in the businesse of Impropriations Mr William Kendall Mr Iohn Lane and Mr Tempest Miller severally deposed at the Lords Bar that the Archbishop in the presence of them and divers others speaking of the Feoffees of Impropriations said that they were the bane of the Church and then uttered these words in a vaunting manner I was the man that did set my self against them and then clapping his hand upon his brest said I thank God I have destroyed this work So as he did not only subvert this pious project to propagate the preaching of the Gospell but boasted of it and had so much shamelesse Impiety as to thanke God himselfe for effecting it who hath now in justice brought him into judgement for it and made it one part of that Charge and Evidence which we conceive will most justly destroy him The seventh and next stratagem he used to subvert the Protestant Religion which he had almost totally suppressed corrupted with Popish Errours Superstitions Innovations in our English Churches was his endeavours to undermine and suppresse it in these few Duth and French Churches planted here among us who enjoyed their owne Government Priviledges Discipline without any interruption by any of his Predecessors or other English Prelates in all our Protestant Princes reignes from King Edward the sixth his reigne till this Archprelates molestation of and attempts against them thus laid down in the twelfth Originall Article of his Impeachment He hath Traiterously endeavoured to cause division and discord between the Church of England and other Reformed Churches and to that end hath supprest and abrogated the Priviledges and Immunities which have been by his Majesty and his Royall Ancestors granted to the Dutch and French Churches in this Kingdom And divers other wayes hath expressed his malice and disaffection to these Churches that so by such dis-union the Papists might have more advantage for the overthrow and extirpation of both To make good this Article we could produce many Letters Papers Instructions Orders under the Archbishops own hand or indorsed by him found in his own study here ready at the Barre but for brevity sake we shall instance only in some few particulars of more speciall note The first is that this Arch-prelate though he beares so good an affection and honourable respect to the Church of Rome as to justifie her to be a true visible Apostolike Church which never erred in fundamentals and wherein men may be saved and that we and she are one and the same Church still no doubt of that both one as we have formerly proved Yet he is so maliciously despitefull to the Protestant Churches in forraign parts and at home that he reputes them not only no true Churches but even no Churches at all because they have no Lord-bishops different in Order and Degree from ordinary Ministers This opinion of his we shall manifest not only by his Divinity Questions when he was to proceed Batchelor and Doctor of Divinity for which Dr Holland publickly checkt and turned him out of the Schools with disgrace as a sower of discord between Brethren to wit the Church of England and other reformed Churches but by his own late reprinted Book An 1639. entituled A Relation of the Conference between William Laud then Lord Bishop of St. Davids now Lord Archbishop of Canterbury and Mr Fisher the Jesuite c. p. 175 176. where thus he writes in justification of his former Theses in the Divinity Schools For the calling and Authority of Bishops over the inferiour Clergy that was a thing of known use and benefit for preservation of Truth and Peace in the Church And so much St Ierom tels us though being none himselfe he was no great friend to Bishops And this was so setled in the mindes of men from the very infancy of the Christian Church as that it had not been till that time contradicted by any So that then there was no controversie about the calling all agreed upon it Then citing Jeroms words in the margin he thus comments upon them So even according to St. Ierom Bishops had a very ancient and honourable descent in the Church from St. Mark the Evangelist And about the end of the same Epistle he acknowledgeth it Traditionem esse Apostolicam Nay more then so he affirmes plainly That ubi non est Sacerdos NON EST ECCLESIA St. Ierom advers Luciferianos And in that place most manifest it is that St. Ierom by Sacerdos meanes a Bishop for he speaks de Sacerdote qui potestatem habet Ordinandi which in St. Ieroms owne judgement no meere Priest had but a Bishop only St. Ierom Epist. ad Evagrium so even with him NO BISHOP NO CHURCH Which being his own positive judgement the Dutch and French Protestant Churches both at home and abroad must needs be no Church at all in his opinion because they have no such Bishops and so are in farre worse condition then the Church of Rome in his repute To make this more apparent we shall desire you to take notice that in Decemb. 1639. there was a plot between this Archbishop and others of our Prelates to obtrude upon all our Ministers this subscription as the received Doctrine of the Church of England to wit that there could be no Church of Christ without Diocesan Lord Bishops which clearly appeares by the forementioned propositions of Bishop Hall which the Archbishop thought fit for the subscription of others but especially by the 1. 12. and 13. propositions viz. God had never any Church on earth that was ruled by a Parity There was NO CHVRCH OF CHRIST VPON EARTH ever since the times of the Apostles governed any otherwise then by Bishops This course of government thus set by the Apostles in their life time by the speciall direction of the holy Spirit is unalterable by any humane Authority but OVGHT to be perpetuated in the Church to the end of the world From whence it inevitably followes that the reformed forraign Churches having no such imparity of Governours nor Lordly Bishops in them are in this Arch-Prelates and his Confederates judgements No Churches of God or Christ at all and if the designe of subscribing these Propositions had succeeded as it did in the Etcetera Oath for a time he would have engaged the whole Church of England with all our Ministers by a publike subscription in this most unchristian and uncharitable opinion which not prevailing was yet soone after thus seconded in print by his grand Favourite Bishop Mountague whom he advanced to two Bishopricks in his Originum Ecclesiasticarum Tomi prioris Pars posterior p. 464 published with his approbation
under his owne hand-writing that Doctor Abbot and the whole University in the yeer 1615. reputed and accounted him a Papist a Papist indeed at leastwise partly Romish and partly English or a mongrell and a compound of a Papist and Protestant one ready upon all occasions to step over to the Papists A Papist in the Doctrine of freewill justificaiian by works inherent righteousnesse concupiscence no sinne after Baptisme certainly of salvation and the Doctrine of the Sacrament and that the papists beyond the seas could say he was WHOLLY THEIRS and the Recusants at home make their brags of him This his temper was the cause of Doctor Hals Letter to W. L. William Laud as is generally conceived long since printed Anno 1608. in the third Decad of his Epistles Epist 5. page 55. for which his works were lately threatned to be called in or this Leter expunged out of them wherein he thus expostulates with him for his unsetlednesse and newtrality in Religion and inclining to the popish party I would I knew where to find you then I could tell how to take a direct ayme whereas now I must rove and conjecture to day YOU ARE IN THE TENTS OF THE ROMANISTS to morrow in ours the next day betweene both against both Our adversaries think you ours WEE THEIRS Your conscience finds you with both and neither I flatter you not this of yours is the worst of all tempers how long will you walk in this indifferency resolve one way and know at last what you doe hold that you should cast off either your wings or your teeth and loathing this Batlike nature be either a bird or a beast c. We shall conclude this part of our Evidence with the deposition of Francis Harris a converted Priest examined upon oath before the Lords who being in the Parliaments Army could not possibly be procured viva voce of which oath was made and thereupon his deposition was read as followeth The Examination of FRANCIS HARRIS of Christ-Church London taken Jan. 9. 1643. before the Lords Committee appointed to take the Examinations in the Cause of the Arch-bishop of Canterbury THis Deponent saith that he being at Paris in France about 24. yeers since meeting with one Ireland who had formerly bin one of the chief School-Masters of Westmin School and then a Priest and discoursing familiarly with this Deponent the said Ireland told him that the now Arch bishop of Canterbury and he were intimate friends and that he had discovered unto him when they were in the University together that the said Arch-bishops resolution was to leave the Kingdome and to reconcile himselfe to the Church of Rome and that he knew him to be a Papist in his heart and wondred why he staid so long behind saying that perchance honores mutant mores And this Deponent further saith That one Leander a Benedictine Fryar and Doctor of the Chaire at Doway by the common report of Papists and Priests both abroad and in England was very familiar with the said Arch-bishop and came over on purpose into England where this Deponent since saw him to negotiate with the said Arch-bishop about matters of Religion to make a reconciliation between the Church of Rome and England And this Deponent was bred up a Roman Catholike and a scholler and a secular Priest and upon better advice reconciling himselfe to the Church of England did often solicite and petition the said Archbi for some mean imployment in the Ministery as having done very good service in discovering Priests and Jesuits to the Messengers appointed to apprehend them but the Archbishop never gave hau any encouragement or countenance This Examination taken before Us Kent Lincolne Francis Harris That he hath been reputed a Papist in heart opinion and practise ever since he left the University is so notoriously knowne to all that we shall produce no witnesses many having been publikely censured and privately questioned by his power for calling and reporting him such a one and many publike papers being pasted up and scattered about the City and Court from time to time proclaiming him such a one of vvhich we have at least a dozen found among his owne and Secretary Windebankes writings and that our English popish priests and Roman Catholikes as well as Protestants beasted of him to be theirs vve have many instances vvhich vve could produce did vve need such evidence and the testimony of tvvo Priests to boot But vve shall rather informe and prove to your Lordships vvhat repute the papists had of him in foraigne parts yea even in Rome it selfe since himselfe hath chalked â—â— out the vvay and furnished us vvith this kind of proofe by procuring Sir Henry Mildmay a Member of the House of Commons very unseasonably and unhappily to testifie for him in this kind vvhat a hard opinion they had of him and hovv much he vvas hated in Rome by the Jesuits and others more then any man breathing the manner of enforcing vvhose testimony is very remarkable The Arch-bishop some fevv dayes before his tryall petitioned the House of Commons that Sir Henry Mildmay of the Jewell House one of their Members might be examined in his behalfe as a speciall witnesse for him how much he was hated and spoken against above all men at Rome for opposing the Popes and Papists designes in England Which being granted the Arch-bishop moved tvvo or three times very unseasonably that Sir Henry might be called to give in his testimony in this kind vvho being then out of Tovvn and not appearing the Committee of Commons who managed the Evidence promised to send for and cause him to appeare the next day at the Lords Bar vvhich he did to wit on June 11. 1644. Whereupon the Archbishop desired him to acquaint the Lords Whether he had not been of late yeers at Rome and what opinion they held of himself there Whether Sir Henry upon his return from thence dining with him at Lambeth did not tell him of his own accord he was the most odiousman of any at Rome and therefore certainely the furthest of any from setting up popery and endeavouring to reconcile us to Rome Whereupon Sir Henry said My Lords it is true J was some few yeers since at Rome not upon any message or designe at all but being somewhat infirme in body J was advised by my physicians to travell for a time into forraign parts to recover my health Wherupon J first travailed into France from thence into Italy and being there to satisfie my owne curiosity and recover my health J travelled to Rome During my abode there J was very inquisitive to know what opinion they had of us in England and of the great men there especially of the Arch-bishop of Canterbury and I observed there were some there that were against the Arch-bishop and spake ill of him others that spake very well of him and so much I informed him at Lambeth upon my returne from thence but I deny that ever I
in mother part of my Diocesse farther off every Parish hath his Priest and some two or three apiece and so their Masse-houses also in some places Masse is said in the Churches Fryars there are in divers places who goe about though not in their habit and by their imporâ—â—â—ate begging empoverish the people Who indeed are generally very poore as from that cause so from their paying double Tithes to their owne Clergy and ours from the dâ—â—th of Corne and the death of their Cattle these late yeers which the 〈◊〉 to their souldiers and their agents and which they forget not to reckon among other causes the appression of the Court Ecclesiastiasticall which in very truth any Lord I cannot excuse and doe seek to reforme For our owne there are some seven or eight Ministers in each Diocesse of good sufficiency and which is no small cause of the continuance of the people in popery still English which have not the tongue of the people nor can performe any divine offices or converse with them and which hold many of them two three foure or more Vicarages apiece even the Clerkships themselves are in like manner conferred upon the English and sometimes two or three or more upon one man and ordinarily bought and sold or let to farme c. His Majesty is now with the greatest part of this Country as to their hearts consciences King but at the Popes discretion c. Your Lordships most obliged servant in Christ Jesu WILL. KILMORE and ARDREN Kilmore the 1. of April 1630. His second Letter to the Lord Deputy of Ireland about the maintainance of the Army and the Cavan Petition which he sent inclosed in an other Letter to the Archbishop is somewhat more full and observable wherein there is this memorable passage concerning the encrease and insolencies of the Papists in Ireland which Letter he received thence Decemb. 4. 1633. Right Honourable my good Lord c. IN the midst of these thoughts I have been advertised from an honourable friend in England that I am accused to his Majesty to have opposed his service and that my hand with two other Bishops onely was to a writing touching the monies to be levyed on the Papists here for maintainance of the men of warre c. Indeed if I should have had such ad intention this had been not only to oppose the service of his Majesty but to expose with the publike peace mine own neck to the sâ—eans of the Romish Cut-throats I that know that in this Kingdome of his Majesty the Pope hath another Kingdome farre greater in number and as I have heretofore signified to the Lords Justices and Counsell which is also since justified by themselves in print constantly guided and directed by the Order of the new Congregation de propaganda side lately erected at Rome transmitted by the meanes of the Popes Nuncioes residing at Bruxels or Paris that the Pope hath here a Clergie if I may guesse by my owne Diocesse double in number to us the heads whereof are by corporall Oath bound to him to maintaine him and his Regalities contra omnem hominem and to execute his Mandates to the utmost of their forces which accordingly they doe stiling themselves in print Ego N. Dei c. Apostolicae Sedis gratia Episcopus Fermien Ossorien c. I that know there is in this Kingdome for the moulding of the people to the Popes obedience a rabble of irregular Regulars commonly younger Brothers of good houses who are growne to that insolency aâ— to advance themselves to be Members of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy in better ranke then Priests in so much as the censure of the Sorbon is faine to be implored to curbe them which yet is called in againe so tender is the Pope of his owne Creatures I that know that his Holinesse hath erected a new Vniversity at Dublin to confrant his Majesties Colledge there and to brâ—ed up the youth of this Kingdome to his devotion of which Vniversity one Paul Harris the Author of that infamous Libell which was put forth in print against the Lord Armaths Wansted Sermon stileth himselfe in print to be Deane I that know and have given advertisement to the State that these Regulars dare erect new Fryeries in the Country since the dissolving of those in the Citys that they have brought the people to such a sottish senselesnesse as they care not to learne the Commandements as God himselfe spake and writ them but they flock in great members to the preaching of new superstitious and detestable doctrines such as their owne Priests are ashamed of and at these they levy collections three four five six pound at a Sermon Shortly I that know that these Regulars and this Clergie have at a generall meeting like to a Synod as themselves stile it holden at Drogheda decreed that it is not lawfull to take the Oath of Alleagiance and if they be constant to their own doctrine doe account his Majesty in their hearts to be King but at the Popes discretion In this estate of this Kingdome to think the bridle of the Army may be taken away it should be the thought not of a brain-sick but brainlesse man c. The day of our deliverance from the popish Powder-plot Your Lordships in all duty WILLIAM KILMORE By these two Letters it is most apparent that this Arch-Prelat was from time to time acquainted with the extraordinary encrease and insufferable insolencies of the Papists in Ireland as likewise of their popish Arch-bishops and Bishops audacious proceedings in that Kingdome which he was more fully informed of by two printed papers sent to him by Archbishop Vsher the one in Latin the other in English found in his Study endorsed thus with his Secretary Dels hand May 3. 1632. Protestations of the Secular Priests in Ireland against Thomas Flemming Arch-bishop of Dublin one whereof was read at the Lords Barre To all the most Illustrious Archbishops and Bishops of Ireland but more particularly to those of the Province of Dublin their honourable Lords David Bishop of Ossory John of Fernes Rosse of Kildare and Matthew Vicar Apostolicall of Lagblem MOST Illustrious Lords and Reverend Bishops the Priests of Dublin make their complaint before you that the most Illustrious Arch-bishop of Dublin Thomas Flemming of the Order of Saint Francis without alleaging my cause against them onely for his will and at his pleasure useth to exile and banish Priests out of his Diocesse and they protest that in so doing he exerciseth a tyranny over the Clergie contrary to the Canons of holy Church and the Lawes and Statutes of this Kingdome Most Illustrious Lords and Reverend Fathers in Christ the aforesaid Priests doe make their complaints that the same most Illustrious Arch-bishop of Dublin Thomas Flemming of the Order of Saint Francis though humbly sought unto and desired doth refuse to doe them justice in their causes neither yet will be permit the Clergie to follow their
thus enlarged one Davis brought him four pound in money from the said Archbishop as he told him towards the payment of his fees And he further deposed that he hath often met Father Price a Priest Superiour of the English Benedictines and Father Leander a Benedictine Monk and Priest going as themselves said and confessed to Lambeth to the Archbishop to see and speak with him which they oft times spake in a vanting manner and that Leander was commonly reported to have been the Archbishops Chamber-fellow in Oxford That Smith alias Loyd the Jesuit did usually meet at the Lord Cottingtons house in Breadstreet at a Juncto every Friday night where were usually present the said Lord Sir Toby Matthew the Spanish Embassadour Sir Arthur Hopton Endimion Porter James Hammond a great Papist and Secretary Windebank Which Juncto sometimes met at Sir Arthur Hoptons house in the Pallace-Yard at Westminster Francis Newton of Saint Giles Creplegate London Gent. deposed both in writing and by word of mouth at the Lords Bar that he by vertue of a generall Warrant from the Lords of the Counsel for the apprehending of Jesuits and popish Priests among others apprehended one Henry Morse a grand Jesuit and great seducer of his Majesties Subjects who had perverted 500. persons in and about London as appeared by certificats at his Triall who being like to be discharged before his Triall this Deponent by the appointment of Secretary Cooke the Lord Keeper Coventry and Lord Privy-Seale repaired to Lambeth to the Archbishop to desire him to give this Deponent order that the said Morse might not be discharged they saying it is now time to look about us so many being seduced by one person Whereupon he repairing to Lambeth desired Master Dell the Archbishops Secretary to help him to speak with the Archbishop from these Lords about the Priests discharge Master Dell answered that the Archbishop was busie with Sir Toby Matthews commonly reputed a Jesuit and an arch-intelligencer of Rome in the Garden and this Deponent being earnest with Master Dell to have an answer from the Archbishop to return to the Lords he brought answer from him That the Deponent should bring him the next day before the Councell-booâ—d and sent Dell the next morning to Master Secretary Cooke to know whether he had sent the Deponent to him or no. After which the said Priest being sent to Newgate and arraigned upon two Bils found against him was by Order form the King put by his judgement and soone after released He further depâ—sed that one Henry Loyd alias Francis Smith alias Rivers alias Sinâ—us Provinciall of the Jesuites and a chiefe actor in the Gunpowder-treason as this deponent was informed by one Stukely a Priest who bid this deponent remember him of 5. die Novembris meaning the Gunpowder-plot was by the Deponent and one Tho Mayo Indited and Out-lawd of High-treason and afterwards being protected by Secretary Windebank from the arrests of Messengers this Deponent oftentimes meeting of him in the streets on horsback and telling him that a sledg and three horses were fitter for him then one horse to ride on he replyed some two or three times when the Deponent used these speeches holding up his finger well Newton you rogue I have done your arrand to my Lords grace of Cant. already and shall do it to Secr. Windebank also And he deposed that he hath seen the said Jesuit once at Lambeth-house and there entertained by Mr Del the Archb Secretary in a room neer the Archbishops Study where being in familiar conference with the said Mr Del he did whisper to him often cast an eye toward this Depont as if he were speaking of him He likewise further deposed that he hath oft times seen the said Smith the Jesuit at Secr. Windebanks house talking very familiarly w th him and clapping him on the back that he met divers times sundry of the imprisoned popish Priests freely walking without a keeper in Grays-Inne walks and in other places and that they lay abroad out of prison in Towne and in the Country many weeks together he hath gone into the Newprison Clinck where there were about 20 Priests imprisoned and found not above one or two there Richard Dâ—unel Gent. deposed upon oath that he being a prisoner in the New-prison some yeers since the Priests and Jesuits committed thither by the Archbi had the best rooms in the prison a Cook Steward and coÌ„mon table at which they dicted al together Masse said in their chambers divers Ladies GentlemeÌ„ in â—â—â—ches frequently visiting them without restraint and great store of Venison sent them in its season when as Mr Huntly and other godly Ministers there imprisoned by the Archb. were thrust into the worst lodgings denied liberty to diâ—â— together and were not suffered to goe out of prison upon any occasion but with a costly keeper attending on them though they had given bond for their true imprisonment neither had their friends free accesse to them but were many times questioned and restrained Thomas Mayo a Messenger of Saint Andrewes Holborne testified upon Oath That about nine yeers since the Archbishop of Canterbury having committed one John Evans a Minister to the Gate-house for printing of Bils setting forth the use of the Antimonial Cup he did thereupon repaire with a Petition in his behalfe to the Archbishops house at Lambeth where he then saw Master Henry Moore and Henry Loyd alias Smith two dangerous Jesuits in the great Chamber above stairs neer the Archbishops Study waiting there as he conceiveth to speak with the said Archbishop and very familiarly entertained in discourse by Master Dell who carried himselfe very respectively towards them which he well remembreth for that he then delivered an Antimoniall Cup to the said Master Dell to be delivered to the Archbishop from Master Evans And he further deposed that he hath often seen Sir Toby Matthewes whom this Deponent hath seen in Saint Johns Colledge in Lovain in Brabant who there was reputed a Jesuit at Lambeth house and there walking in a friendly manner with the said Archbishop and at other times hath seen Sir Toby riding with him in his Coach once in the Strand and passing with him in his Barge from White-hall to Lambeth that he often assisting other Messengers to discover and apprehend Priests and finding some neglect in them in that service did thereupon desire the said Archbishop That he might have a Warrant for himselfe to apprehend Priests and Jesuits To which the said Archbishop answered You are too hot and nimble for that service saying He had Messengers enough already and refused to grant his request And withall by order from the said Archbishop he was imployed to attend popish Ambassadours houses Denmark-house and the Popes Nuncioes Lodging to view and returne unto him the number of popish Priests and Recusants which resorted thither to Masse which accordingly he did every Munday for the space of halfe a yeer and more
giving the Archbishop a Certificate of their number and quality but he never received any order from him to apprehend any of them nor saw any fruit or reformation thereof That he having a speciall Warrant from the said Archbishop and others of the high Commission to apprehend one Peter Wilford a Priest condemned since the Parliament and now in Newgate and apprehending him by vertue thereof he brought him before this Archbishop to his Chamber in White-hall who sent this Deponent word by Sir John Lamb that he would not meddle with him and the said Wilford having a Protection from Secretary Windebank which he shewed the Deponent was thereupon discharged by the said Archbishops direction signified by Sir John Lamb. Elizabeth Gray of Saint Margarets Westminster Widow deposed That her late husband John Gray being a Messenger to the Lords of the Counsell and having a Warrant from them to apprehend Jesuits and Seminary Priests the said Gray by vertue of that Warrant apprehended one Fisher alias Persey a grand Jesuit and acquainted Master Secretary Cook therewith whereupon he was committed prisoner to the Gate-house there to remaine untill he should put in security to depart the Realme and never to returne againe Soon after which the said Gray and one John Cooke as the Deponent was often informed by them meeting the said Fisher walking in the streets apprehended him whereupon he shewed a Warrant of Secretary Windebanks requiring that no Messenger should apprehend the said Fisher nor search the house or houses where he should frequent upon which Gray discharged him and repairing to Secretary Cook acquainted him with the said Jesuits protection who thereupon commanded Gray and Cook to repaire to this Archbishop of Canterbury and acquaint him with the premises who thereupon went to Lambeth and desired Master Dell the Archbishops Secretary to acquaint the Archbishop therewith as from Master Secretary Cook and to grant them a Warrant to apprehend the said Fisher To which Master Dell replied That he was an idle fellow and bade him move the whole Board for it For his Lord would grant no such Warrant Whereupon Gray replied Lord have mercy upon is all I see how the game goes now I hope to see better days For which words the said Gray was sent for the next day before the Counsell upon the complaint of the said Archbishop and committed prisoner to the Fleet for the same Whereupon this Deponent exhibited many Petitions to the said Archbishop and the whole Board for her said husbands release to which she could get no answer and one day she presenting a Petition to the said Archbishop in the stone Gallery at Whitehall for her Husbands enlargement he looking upon the same and seeing the said Grayes name therein flung it away in an angry manner saying he would have nothing to doe with a Priest-catching knave By meanes whereof her said Husband continued a prisoner in the Fleet for two and twenty weeks and could not be released as Master Read Secretary Windebanks Secretary told this Deponent till such time as he should give Bond and Baile never to apprehend Priests and Jesuits more The next day she going to Secretary Windebank for her Husbands release Master Read his Secretary demanded where his said Bond and Baile was To which she answered That some Gentlemen in the Fleet said That in requiring such Bond and Baile they incurred a Premunire To which the said Master Read replied That the said Gentlemen and the Deponent deserved to be sent to Newgate for these speeches And Secretary Windebank himselfe taking exception at the said speeches gave Order after the said Gray had his Discharge That he should stay in prison till every penny of his Fees were paid That a little before this her said Husbands trouble upon his apprehending of a Priest or Jesuit from whom he took good store of Books to the value of an hundred pounds the said Archbishop commended it for a good piece of service and willed him to bring the said Books to his House at Lambeth and he would well recompence him But he receiving and keeping the Books never gave him any recompence John Goldsmith deposed that about four yeers since he being in the High-Commission Court at Lambeth the Archbishop before the Court sate called all the Messengers of the Court to him and charged them to take heed that they kept not company with one Gray A PRIEST-CATCHER against whom Secretary Windebank had made a complaint at the Counsell Table for discovering Priests and told them that if he heard that any of them had any more to doe with him he would not onely LAY THEM BY THE HEELS BUT LIKEWISE PULL THEIR COATS OFF FROM THEIR BACKS AND TURNE THEM OUT OF THEIR PLACES And he further deposed that he did complaine and indite a Papist for saying THAT OUR RELIGION WAS SPURD OUT OF KING HENRY THE EIGTH HIS CODâ—IECE whereupon the Papist prosecuted him in the High Commission for a defamation John Cook of Rederosse-street London deposed That John Gray a Messenger had a Warrant from the Lords of the Counsell Table for the apprehending of Priests and Jesuits And that the said Gray and this Deponent by vertue thereof did apprehend one Father Fisher alias Piersey a grand Jesuit and brought him before Master Secretary Cooke who wished us to bring him before the Counsell Table the next sitting which we did accordingly in Anno 1634. And after his Examination there the Archbishop of Canterbury and Secretary Cooke went to the King to know his pleasure what should be done with him Who returning to the Board the Archbishop delivered the Kings pleasure to this effect Master Fisher kneele downe upon your knees every morning and every evening and pray for the King for granting you your life And to be short Master Fisher his Majesties pleasure is that you shall be forthwith banished this Kingdome and all at her his Majesties Dominions and you shall remaine prisoner in the Gate-house untill you put in good security before the Kings Attourney Sir John Banks never to returne again Whereunto Fisher replyed If he had a hundred lives be would come hither againe or elsewhere if his Superiour so commanded him and utterly refused to put in any security Whereupon the Board sent him to the Gate-house there to remaine untill he should put in such security as aforesaid Whereupon about four moneths after the said Gray and the Deponent met the said Fisher in Holborn and demanding of him the reason of his going abroad he replied We were Rogues what was that to us and shewed us a Warrant under the hand of Secretary Windebank for his enlargement Whereupon Gray and this Deponent went to Lambeth to the Archbishop of Canterbury and endeavoured to acquaint him by Master Dell his Secretary that Fisher had a Warrant from Master Secretary Windebank for his liberty and desired to know the Archbishops pleasure therein But Master Dell made answer That his Lord would not meddle with
such trifling matters Whereupon Gray said He hoped to see better days for he saw now how the game went The next day after Gray was sent for by a Messenger to the Counsel Table and then the Archbishop said at the Table This fellow railed on me and bid them have him away whereupon Gray was committed to the Fleet where he lay twelve weeks upon the Archbishops complaint and after that seven weeks more by Secretary Windebanks Warrant who refused to release him unlesse he would give bond and bail never to prosecute Priests and Jesuits more He further deposed that in his hearing one Loyd a dangerous Jesuit desired Sir Kenelm Digby to tell the Bishop of Canterbury that he could not that day dine with him and bid him remember his love to the Archbishop and desire him to be mindfull of the businesse that they and he had formerly speech about And that he hath often seen the said Loyd Sir Kenelm Digby Sir Toby Matthews and one Gray a great Papist at Lambeth at the Archbishops house Master Thomas Thacher of Barkin Parish London attested upon Oath That he having a Warrant from the High Commissioners to apprehend popish Priests and Jesuits did by vertue thereof apprehend Master Henry Morse a Jesuit and one Gârdiner a Priest great seducers who being committed to Newgate were soon after discharged thence by Secretary Windebank's Warrant to whom he repairing for his fees the said Secretary demanding a sight of his Warrant which he shewed detained it from him and would not restore the same Whereupon he repaired to the Archbishop and desired of him a new Warrant to apprehend Priests and Jesuits who thereupon told him That Secretary Windebank had complained of this Deponent to the Queen and demanded of him if he kept not company with one Gray who gave him intelligence of the persons and lodgings of Priests and Jesuits and wished him not to keep company with him any more for if he did he would lay him by the heels and turn him out of his Place He further deposed that he having a speciall Warrant from the Lords of the Counsel for the apprehending of Sir Toby Matthew a dangerous Papist and apprehending him accordingly the late Lord Strafford Deputy of Ireland sent for this Deponent to bring Sir Toby to him which he did who thereupon discharged Sir Toby by word of mouth and promised to save the Deponent harmlesse who thereupon repairing to the Archbishop acquainted him therewith the Archbishop said it is well I shall speak with him anon John Egerton of the Minories deposed That he being at Lambeth-house upon occasion did see Sir Toby Matthew there two severall times with the Archbishop That he being one of the Searchers of the Custom-house in London did on the 28. of December 1633. seize four hundred Popish books in English written by one Lewes of Puente a Jesuit with divers popish Primmers and Catechismes brought over from beyond the Seas to seduce his Majesties Subjects contrary to the statute of 3 Jacobis cap. 5. which gives the forfeiture of 40s. for every Book so imported against the Importers of them Which Books he carried to the now Archbishop of Canterbury who commanded him to deliver them to Master Mottershead Register of the High Commission which he did and that about a fortnight after he comming to the said Mottershead to demand satisfaction for his pains and charge in seizing the said Books and demanding of him where the said Books were he answered and affirmed to the Deponent That he had delivered them to the owners of them by the Archbishops direction and command and Motteshead appointed him only forty shillings for his pains when the charge he had been at in carrying them from place to place cost him five pounds After which he was troubled in the High Commission for importing English Bibles and there put from his Searchers place imprisoned and fined two hundred pounds when as the Importers of popish books were never questioned In the yeer 1640. May 16. upon the Letter of Doctor Thomas Weeks Chaplain both to the Archbishop and Bishop of London there were eleven Cases of popish Books belonging to one John Weld a Popish Recusant and others delivered out of the Custom-house where they were seized to the owners to be dispersed to seduce his Majesties people contrary to the Statute as Master Jones Master Dent and others of the Custom-house attested under their hands Viz. Holy Courts 456. Key of Paradice 603. Manuels 661. The life of Eleazar Count of Sabri◠259. The following of Christ 116. Popish Catechismes 344. dozens Fronts for Altars 39. Ladies Psalters 24. The Mirrour of new Reformation 134. Offices of our Lady 558. Masse books 9. and two great ones more The Devout heart 101. Vade Mecum 276. A Method to serve our Lady 570. Most of these were very richly bound up and some of them delivered to Knight the Register of the High Commission by the Archbishops order and by him restored to the owners when as on the contrary he was very strict in seizing all puritanicall Books and punishing the dispersers of them witnesse this his subscription to the Petition of one Francis Wallis Gentleman who complaining to him against one Thomas Abbis of London for selling and transporting beyond the Seas an Abstract of the Laws of New-England The whole proceedings against Doctor Bastwick Master Burton and Master Prynne and against the Bishop of Lincoln the Archbishop subscribed it in this sort I desire Sir John Lambe to be very carefull of this businesse and that he imploy a trusty and discreet Messenger for the apprehending of the party here complained of and seizing his Books and let me have an account thereof March 14. 1637. W. CANT For the Archbishops intimacy with Doctor Smith the Bishop of Calcedon we have no direct proof at hand but two very suspicious passages in his own Diary which seem to intimate it wherein we read as followeth Jan. 26. 1631. My neerer acquaintance began to settlewith D◠S. I pray God blesse us in it June 25. 1632. Do. S. with me c. Cum Ma. Which Do. S. we conceive to signifie either Smith the Arch-Jesuit of whose familiarity with him the former witnesses have deposed or Doctor Smith Bishop of Calcedon with whom if not this Archbishop yet his Minion Secretary Windebank at least held strict intelligence as appeares by this Originall Letter to his Sonne at Paris under his owne Hand and Seale found among his sequestred Papers by MASTER PRYNNE TOm c. If you see Doctor Smith Bishop of Calcedon there who is a great Confident of the Cardinals he may be A FIT INSTRUMENT TO MAKE SOME DISCOVERY OF THE INTELLIGENCE THE SCOTS HOLD THERE but this must be done with great caution Your very loving Father FRANCIS WINDEBANK Drury-Lane Decemb. 12. 1630. The benefit of this intelligence being principally to redound to the Archbishop the originall cause and grand fomenter of the Scottish
Majesties royal Diadem with at his Coronation 5. He proves not that it was his duty thus to offer up the regalia at the Altar yea the Form of the Kings Coronation found in his own study enjoyned it not and he pretends no command at all for it Therefore it was his own spontaneous act as for the Common Prayer Book surely it prescribes neither this nor any other solemn oblation at all at an Altar And so this charge remains unavoyded Fourthly from Westminster they proceed to the Universities first of Oxford where I was Chancellor next of Cambridge In Oxford they object 1. That there were some old Crucifixes repaired and divers new ones erected in divers Colledges there since I became Chancellour of the University whereas there were none before my time 2. That Communion Tables were railed in Altarwise and bowed to which they were not before 3. That I enjoyned all Schollers by a University Statute and Oath to give due reverence and bow to the Communion Table and that my Letter required bowing and prostation before the Altar 4. That my visitor at Merton Colledge enjoyned the Fellows and Schollers there to bow to the Lords Table and questioned Mr. Chainel and Mr. Corbet for not bowing 5. That they used Copes in some Colledges which they did not before 6. That there was a very scandalous Statue of the Virgin Mary with Christ in her Arms set up in the front of the New Church porch of St. Maries next the street to which Mr. Nixon deposeth he saw one bow and another pray 7. That I enjoyned Latin Prayers all the Lent not used before my Chancellorship since the Reformation 8. That I enjoyned by a Statute all Regent Masters to reade and sing what should be prescribed them in solemn Processions I Answer 1. That there is no proof at all that I knew of the repairing and setting up of these Crucifixes or that any complained of them to me That the Crucifix in Lincoln Colledge was set up by the Bishop of Lincoln and it would have been thought hard if I should have opposed it 2. That the turning and rayling in of the Tables Altarwise is warranted by the Queens Injunctions as I have proved 3. That the Statute enjoyne only due reverence when they come to offer at the Lords Table and that my Letter implies a bowing or prostration only according to the 95 Psalm 4. That Sir John Lamb only questioned Master Chainel and Master Corbet which is nothing to me and Doctor Frewens words are but a hear-say besides they were not punished for not doing it 5. That Copes are warrantable by the 24 Canon 6. That the Statue at St. Maries was set up by Dr. Owen reputed a reverend Orthodox Divine not by me nor is there any proof I had notice of it or of any bowing or praying to it which might be a mistake in Alderman Nixon 7. That Latin prayers have been anciently used in the University on Ashwednesday and being among Schollers who understand the Language there can be no hurt therein 8. That no Processions are intended in the Statute but such as our Law allows in nature of perambulations the Statutes of the University prescribing That nothing shall be done therein but according to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England 9. For the Innovations of like nature in the Vniversity of Cambridge they concern me not I being not their Chancellor and not enjoyning them nor made acquainted with them Whereunto was Replied 1. That all those Crucifixes were erected at Oxford since he became Chancellor of it That his own example in his Chappels at Lambeth and Croyden where he repaired the old broken Crucifixes at his own cost were the primary occasions of setting up those in Oxford by way of imitation That he could not choose but take notice of them being himself several times at Oxford in person where he entertained the King Queen Prince and Prince Elector sundry dayes Besides having constant weekly intelligence by Letters and recourse of Schollers of all sorts to him from the University who acquainted him with all particulars there transacted he could not but take notice and have exact knowledge of them And he being both Chancellor and Visitor of the University his not hindring of their setting up at first not pulling them down when set up contrary to our Statutes Homilies Injunctions was in Law both a commanding and approving of them Nam qui non prohibet malum quod potest jubet That none complained to him of them was his own fault since none durst complain against that then as a crime which himself first practised in his own Chappels as a commendable action His Answer to the Crucifix erected in Lincoln Colledge proves clearly he had knowledge of it and truly it could not have been well taken at his hands to pull that down according to Law unlesse he had pulled them down first in other Colledges and his own Chappel the Bishop of Lincoln perchance setting it up onely to humour his Grace and manifest to the world he was but his Ape in this particular 2. We have already refuted his second Answer as false and therefore shall repeat nothing here 3. That this due reverence was interpreted by himself in his Speech in Star-chamber to be a bowing to the Altar or Lords Table For saith he THERE IS A REVERENCE DUE TO IT Namely of bowing the body not onely towards but to the Altar DEO ET ALT ARI EJVS in the dative case and prostration not simply to God but CORAM ALT ARE DEI Christi ejus is prescribed by his Letter as much worship as the Divel himself required of our Saviour Luk. 4. 7. Si adoraveris CORAM ME as the vulgar Latin or fall down BEFORE ME as the Margin of our English Bibles render it whereas the 95 Psalm requires no worshipping and falling down thus before an Altar but before the Lord our Maker only without any mention of an Altar or Lords Table in the Psalm 4. His Visitors act in questioning those Fellows for not bowing was his own and must concern him since he did it only in his name and right by his Commission in pursuit of his Injunctions and Dr. Frewens words are expresse that the Archbishop sent him to Master Corbet when Proctor requiring and pressing him in his name to bow to the Altar in regard of his place else it would be ill taken And though these fellows were not punished nor suspended for not bowing yet they were often questioned menaced forced to obscure themselves and desert the Colledge for a time and had not the Scottish Troubles intervened would have been severely punished too 5. Copes in Colledges are neither within the words nor meaning of the 24 Canon 6. Neither the Church-porch nor statue at St. Maries being the University Church could or would have been erected there by Dr. Owen without the Archbishops special licence being Chancellour and supream Visitor there
now adayes THAT WE ARE COMMING ON AND EVERY DAY DRAWING NIGHER UNTO THEM THEN OTHER for the stopping of whose slanderous mouths let this suffice That whatsoever others imagine of the matter I stand fully convinced in my conscience THAT THE POPE IS ANTICHRIST and therefore if I should be so mad as to worship the Beast or receive the marke of his name I must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and justly expect the revenge that is threatned against such Apoc. 14. 10 11. Wherefore for this Arch-Prelat to question it to purge out all passages stiling him Antichrist after such a Letter to suffer such Books to be printed and retaine them in his Study which deny him to be Antichrist without any censure of them or their Authors is a grand offence savourng of his good affection to the Pope Sixtly though himself gives not this title of Supream head to the Pope in direct terms yet he doth it in effect in his owne Book and his Chaplaine licensed it in Sales for which himself must answer As for the papall titles given him by Master Croxton the whole University of Oxford in severall Letters it was certainly with his approbation else he would have reprehended them for it which he never did These titles are such as of later times have been appropriated only to the Pope and were never given to any of his Predecessors in any Age much lesse to any Protestant Bishop And though one of them as Sanctissime Pater may perchance be found in Cyprians and Augustines genuine Epistles yet Sanctitas in the abstract can hardly be shewed in any of their true Epistles nor was ever appropriated to any for many hundred of Ages but to the Pope As for the other exorbitant and blasphemous titles no Father nor ancient Author was ever guilty of giving or affirming them Seventhly for Pocklingtons and Mountagues deriving his pedegree and succession from Rome it is in such phrase and language as was never used by Mason or any else in former times with a meere intention to reconconcile reduce our Church and Prelats to Rome from whence they derive their pedegree the end of all these new positions and objected particulars against the Archbishop the guilt whereof still rest upon him notwithstanding all his Evasions to shake it off The fourth thing charged against me to make good this Branch is my holding intelligence correspondence with the Popes Nuncioes Agents Priests Jesuits by my Favourites and Instruments as by Bishop Mountague and Secretary Windebanke advanced by my meanes the later of them as appeares by many produced Letters and Testimonies holding intelligence with Cardinall Barbarino who entertained his Sonnes at Rome the Popes Nuncioes and with divers dangerous Priests Jesuits whom he protected released out of prison and imprisoned the Messengers who usually apprehended them till they gave bond never to apprehend nor prosecute Priests any more To this I answer First that there is no cleer proofe of Bishop Mountagues advancement by me or intelligence or compliance with the Popes Nuncio Priests or Jesuits but if there were it is nothing to me being without my privity knowledge or approbation Secondly for Secretary Windebanke it is very true I was the meanes of advancing him to the Secretaries place being my ancient friend and acquaintance but not with any intent to advance Popery protect or release Priests Jesuits or hold any correspondency with the Pope or his instruments if he proved so ill an instrument after his advancement it was beyond my expectation himselfe must answer and hath been impeached for it not I For the Letters he received from the Popes Nuncio Panzani the Queens Priests or his Sonnes with their going to and entertainment at Rome they concerne not me who was not privy to them nor their entertainment But it is objected that we continued our friendship still notwithstanding I knew his correspondency with releasing and protecting Priests Jesuits and joyned with him in some Warrants I answer that it is well knowne that he and I were at variance and distance of later times he deserting me in the businesse of the late Lord Treasurer Weston and for my hand to one Warrant jointly with his and others for a Priests release it was but casuall we being then both together at the Counsell Table where his Release was condescended to upon sufficient baile and caution at the Queens request To this was replyed First that Mountagues correspondency with the Popes Nuncio Priests Jesuits his popish inclination and endeavours to reconcile and reduce us back to Rome are abundantly proved in the premises with his good affection to and compliance with him in this designe the end and cause of his advancing him to two severall Bishopricks the last wherof was Norwich In his account from whence to the Archbish himself for the yeer 1638. written with his owne hand endorsed with the Archbishops and found in his Study there is this notable clause concerning King Henry the eighth the first suppressor of the Popes power among us The Bishoprick of Norwich since the totall desolation and dissolution of the former Bishoprick by King Henry the eighth WHO STOLE THE SHEEP AND GAVE NOT SO MUCH AS THE TROTTERS FOR GODS SAKE is a meane thing though worth above one thousand pounds per annum A most ingrate and scandalous expression of an avaritious popish Prelat unworthy of so fat a Bishoprick who instead of being Shepheard became a Wolfe devouring not onely the Sheep but Shepheards of his Diocesse and vexing them more with his popish Visitation Articles then ever KING HENRY the 8. did the Prelates by diminishing their over-large Possessions Secondly for Secretary Windebank it is undeniable First that the Archbishop was the onely meanes of his advancement to that place of trust Secondly that he was his meer creature instrument bosome-friend and privy to all his actions Thirdly this intimacy and friendship of theirs continued till Windebanks flight hence in to France upon the Parliaments impeachment against him for harbouring and releasing Priests and Jesuits and that the transitory short differerence between them about the Lord Treasurer Weston had no relation at all to any thing concerning Priests or Religion wherein they both accorded Fourthly that the same Priests and Jesuits as Sir Toby Mattehw Smith Leander Sancta Clara and Price were intimate and familiar with them both Fiftly that they both concurred in checking discouraging imprisoning Gray Thatcher Waddesworth and others for apprehending Priests Jesuits and in calling Gray a Priest-catching knave Sixtly that they both joyned together in some Warrants for the release of Priests and his excuse that it was by casualty when they were both at the Counsell Table where others joyned with them is no extenuation of his offence where he being the over-potent member should have engaged all the rest to oppose such an illegall scandalous action and not have drawne them on thereto by setting his hand first to the Warrant But it was to
informing him to be so and by the Popes Bull to him common in many Courtiers hands For Sancta Clara his favourite Doctor Lindsey brought him to his Study with his Book to reconcile us to Rome to peruse it of purpose before it went to the Presse after which he came thrice to him writ a Book in defence of Episcopacy by divine Right with an intention to gratifie him and tendred it to him for his license as himselfe confesseth under his own hand in a written paper where he extenuates this fact all he could and is this no intimacy nor correspondency For St Giles his own hand-writing testifies that he knew him to be a Priest yet notwithstanding he permitted him to reside sundry yeers in the University of Oxford where himselfe was Chancellour to have the use of the Library there yea he provided him a large maintainance constantly paid it to him there during his residence he repairing oft times to him to receive it and is all this no intimacy no correspondency For Leander he denies not but that he was with him once or twice and if common reports both among popish Priests Papists or Protestants may be credited he was once his Chamber-fellow in Oxford and most intimate powerfull with him here being purposely sent hither by meanes of his interest in him to compleat our reconciliation and reduction to Rome For Smith a most dangerous Jesuit we have proved his being at Lambeth neere his Study his familiarity with Master Dell his Secretary who used him with great respect his intimacy with Secretary Windebanke the Arch-bishops greatest confederate his sending of messages to the Archbishop by Sir Toby Matthew to remember the businesse he told his Grace of when he was last with him and his frequent threatning of Master Newton the Messenger when he met him in the open streets that he would complaine of him or doe his errand to the Archbishop and that he had done it And are these no badges of his intimacy For his acquaintance and correspondence with the Bishop of Calcedon Doctor Smith it is apparent by his owne Diary and Windebanks Letter to his Son himselfe not daring to deny that Doctor Smith mentioned in his Diary is any other then Calcedon For Price the Provinall of the Benedictines we have proved that he hath been seen at Lambeth talking familiarly with Master Dell and waiting neer the Archbishops Study doore to speak with him in private that he and Leander have been oft times met going as themselves affirmed to Lambeth to speak with the Archbishop who cannot deny but they were with him and by whose means we know not this Price procured the Searchers place at Dover for the use of the Benedictines and put two professed Papists into it for the freer passage of Priests and Jesuits into the Kingdome and more secure conveying intelligence to and from Rome Now lay all this together and we dare confidently averre that all his predecessors since the Reformation put together had not halfe that intimacy correspondency with Priests and Jesuits as he and if the truth were knowne the party or parties who two severall times seriously tendred him a Cardinals Cap avowing ability to performe it was either the Popes owne Nuncio or some Priests Jesuits or popish Agents who had instructions from the Pope himselfe to make this offer to him which none durst nor could without hazard of their lives have tendred so much as once much lesse twice to any of his protestant predecessors That he received no Letters from Priests and Jesuits is a thing not credible the double proffer of a Cardinalship to him from Rome is a stronger evidence that he received Letters likewise from thence then his owne bare word he received none It is true we met with no such Letters in his Study or Closet but the reason was himselfe before his commitment and afterward when he went to Lambeth to fetch papers thence his Closet and Study being not sealed up till some moneths after his commitment had time and wisdome enough to convey all such Letters out of the way or burne them least they should rise up in judgement to condemne him though he removed not others thence wherein he conceived least danger the better to colour his removall and burning of the most dangerous For Master Dobsons Testimony he is but testis domesticus his owne meniall servant a meer single Witnesse and unsworn too therfore not so much to be valued but take it as it is it proves little for him He saith that Archbishop Bancroft received Letters of intelligence from forraigne Priests and Jesuits but he knowes neither their persons nor names much lesse that they were either priests or Jesuits and that any such resorted to his Table he cannot certainly affirme it for he cannot nominate any one priest in particular and conceives onely they were priests but knowes it not but by conceit without other evidence For Julius Maria and the other forraigner who dieted for a time at Archbishop Abbots Table he confesseth he did not know them to be priests but strangers they were and papists who made some shewes and promises to that Archbishop of turning Protestants the onely ground why he thus entertained them to further and perfect their conversion but as soon as they faltred with him they were presently discarded But what is this to this Archbishops case who kept correspondency with these Priests and Jesuits of purpose to pervert and reduce us back to Rome not to convert them unto us certainly neither of these two though Bancroft was none of the greatest enemies to Rome ever entertained a Jesuit or most pernicious known seducers into their Coaches Barges Closets Gardens as he did Sir Toby Matthew and Sancta Clara never maintained any Priests in the University to seduce young Schollers and instruct the Doctors there as he did Saint Giles who professed that the Archb. was very cordiall for their Romish Religion never checked imprisoned pursivants for being too active in apprehēding Priests nor reviled them by the name of Priest-catching kndves as he hath done their cases and his therefore are very different For Master Dobsons not seeing Sir Toby Matthew at Lambeth Ergo he was never there with the Archbishop it is a meer Nonsequitur Master Dobson is ancient perchance his eyes were so dimme he could not discerne him or he was out of the way when Sir Toby was there but divers others sweare they saw him there Master Dell informed Master Newton that his Lord was busie with Sir Toby Matthew in the Garden yea therefore the Archbishop dares not produce him to testifie his knowledge least he should confesse the truth For King James his encouraging Watson and Preston to write against the Jesuits and other of their Orders no doubt it was a lawfull policy and if this Archbishop made use of these Priests Jesuits for the like good ends we should have commended not accused him for it but he makes
in Parliament to the subversion of the Property and Liberty of the Subjects which Sermons were preached and printed by this Archbishops speciall solicitation was on the 14. of June 1628. censured by the Lords in Parliament and thereby perpetually disabled from all future Ecclesiasticall preferments in our Church Of this censure the Archbishop took speciall Notice inserting it into his Diary adding that himself was complained of by the house of Commons June 12. for warranting Doctor Manwarings Sermons to the Presse Yet no sooner was this Parliament ended but in high affront of their publike censure in Iuly following by this Prelates assistance Doctor Manwaring as was proved by the Docquet Booke was presented unto the Rectory of Stamford Rivers in the County of Essex voyd by the promotion of Richard Mountague to the Bishopricke of Chichester he who had right thereto was put by and a dispensation granted to Doctor Manwaring to hold it with the Rectory of St. Giles which made this Doctor in the superscription of a Letter of his to this Archbishop when London about the Commission of Fees in London Churches Jan. 28. 1631 indorsed with the Bishops own hand and found in his study to stile him My singular good Lord And so he proved for soon after as was proved by the Docquet Booke in May 1633. the Deanery of Worcester was granted to this Doctor and the grant signified to the signet office by the Bishop of London Laud who procured him this preferment What service Manwaring did in that Church in setting up a Marble Altar introducing Copes with other Popish Innovations and what Account he gave thereof to the Archbishop his Patriot you may formerly read p. 81. under both their hands which was such a Meritorious Work that in few dayes after the Archbishop procured a Conge d'eslier for him to the Bishopricke of St. Davids in Wales which was signed by the Archbishop himselfe as appeares by the Docquet Booke in the signet office produced at the Lords Bar among the entries of December 1635. After which himselfe consecrated him Bishop of that See as was proved by his own Diary wherein he entred this Memento with his owne hand Feb. 28. 1635. I consecrated Doctor Roger Manwaring Bishop of Saint Davids So that this paire of malignant active Popish Prelates Mountague and Manwaring received all their Ecclesiasticall preferments after the proceedings against them in severall Parliaments by his procurement in highest affront of their Authority and Censures who obtained likewise a Royall Pardon procured for them entred in the Docquet Booke Jan. 1628. Both drawne according to his Majesties pardons of Grace granted to his subjects at his Coronation with some particulars for the pardoning of all Errours heretofore committed severally by them either in speaking writing or printing whereby they might be hereafter questioned But to proceed to others August 1628. we finde in the Docquet Booke a Conge d'sliere and Royall Assent by order from the Bishop of London for Doctor Mawe a known Arminian to be Bishop of Bath and Wells and the like in the same Moneth for Doctor Richard Corbet a professed Arminian and one well-affected to Popery to be Bishop of Oxford by order from this Bishop who afterwards promoted him to Norwich In November 1628 A Conge d'slier by his order too was directed to the Deane and Chapter of Yorke to elect Samuell Harsnet then Bishop of Norwich a professed notorious Arminian well inclined to Popery to the Archbishopricke of York Mart. 25. 1632. we find a Conge D'eslire to the Dean and Chapter of Christ-Church to Elect Doctor John Bancroft Bishop of Oxford and in June following a Warrant for the restitution of the temporalities of this Bishoprick to him both subscribed signified by the Bishop of London and what a corrupt unpreaching Popish Prelate Bancroft was is known to all the University of Oxford In Octob. 1632. We find these four severall Conge D'eslires all procured by order of this Prelate then Bishop of London One to the Dean and Chapter of Winchester to Elect Walter Curle Bishop of Bath and Wells to be Bishop of Winchester Alike to the Deane and Chapter of Coventry and Lichfield to Elect Robert Wright Bishop of Bristol to be Bishop of that See Alike to the Deane and Chapter of Peterborough to Elect Doctor Augustine Linsell an Arch-Arminian and very Popish and Superstitious as was attested by Mr. Peter Smart upon Oath and the Author of most of the Innovations in Durham Cathedrall who joyned therin with Doctor Cosins Bishop of that See Alike to Elect Doctor Pierce Bishop of Bath and Wells Now how active all these Prelates were to set up Altars introduce all Popish Ceremonies suppresse Lectures silence Ministers promote the Book of sports advance Arminianisme and Popery hath beene already manifested in the premises And we find that Doctor Lindsell was afterwards translated to the Bishoprick of Hereford Jan. 1633. and this Bishop of Winchester made the Kings chiefe Almoigner in Iune 1637. by Order of this Archbishop In Octob. 1635. we meet with in the Docquet Book a Conge D'eslire and Letter to the Dean and Chapter of Norwich to Elect Mathew Wren Bishop of Norwich both signified by this Archbishop of Canterbury and the like for his translation to Ely March 17. 1637. by Order from this Archbishop Now what an Arminian and Popish Innovator this Prelate was in all particulars the Popish furniture of whose Chappell with Basons Candlesticks Corporalls Altar-cloths A Chalice with a crosse upon it and other Popish Trinkets as appears by his own Book of Accounts costing him 159. l. 4. shil 1. d. and how great a persecutor silencer supresser of Godly Ministers people the world experimentally knows and the premises demonstrate We could instance in sundry English Welsh Bishops more of the same strain who were all advanced by his order means as namely Bi Neal made Archbishop of York by him an Arch promoter of Arminians Popish Clergy men and all Popish Innovations Dr Iuckeson first made Bishop of Hereford afterward of London and Lord Treasurer by this Archbishop A man though of a milde temper yet as Superstitious as Popish as most of the former and his Visitation Articles especially the last enforcing the New Cannons and Etcetera Oath as Superstitious and Vile as any Doctor Duppa Bishop of Chichester a known Arminian and very Superstitious Doctor Skinner Bishop of Bristoll and after of Oxford a man tainted with Arminianisme and very much addicted to Popish Superstitions Innovations with sundry others but these shall suffice Onely we cannot pretermit a notable Letter of Dr. Iohn Towers to Sir Iohn Lamb to be a Mediator to his Grace to confer the Bishopricke of Peterborough upon him which Letter intimates that all Bishopricks and Ecclesiasticall Preferments were then in his disposall Worthy SIR I Intended onely my hearty Thankes to you in this Letter for what I read in your last Letter to my Lord Bishop concerning my selfe and your true Love