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B21152 The increase of popery in England, since the reformation made by King Henry VIII shewing the great encouragement that priests, Jesuits, and other promoter of that bloudy religion have had from persons of power and authority, the discouragements and notorious hardships, even to silencing, and banishment from cities and corporations, that have been the portion of many able and faithful Protestant ministers, that have eminently opposed it : with an essay towards what may possibly befall the Churches of Christ from the hellish contrivances and damnable plots of Romish emissaries : with a faithful extract out of the most authentick records of the most memorable things referring to the reformation, viz. Henry VIII, his reasons given in his proclamation for taking away the Popes usurped power, his protestation against the pope, his injunctions to his clergy, Bishop St[e]phen Gardener's oath or protestation, and his reasons against the Popessupremacy in England and the publick agreement of the whole clergy of England, as confirmed and ratified in the book called the Bishops book, published in the year 1534 / by .. William Dell ... Darrell, William, 1651-1721. 1681 (1681) Wing D923 53,277 58

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much better no place to be named than to name such as he purposed not to come to for so should he break no promise which maketh none And so going forward in his Oration toward the later end he thus inferreth by his words of Protestation saying No Princes as the● gave the Pope Primacy so they take it from him again we will the Pope and his Adherents to understand that which we have oft said and now say and ever will say He nor his hath no Authority nor Iurisdiction in England we give him no more than he hath that is never a deal That which he hath usurped against Gods Law and extorteth by violence we by good right take from him again But he and his will say we gave them a Primacy We bear them well we gave it you indeed if you have Authority upon us as long as our Consent giveth it you and you evermore will make your plea upon our Consent then let it have even an end where it began we consent no longer your Authority must needs be gone If we being deceived by false pretence of evil-alledged Scriptures gave to you that ye ought to have refused why may we not our Error now perceived and your Deceit espied take it again We Princes wrote our selves to be inferiour to Popes as long as we thought so we obeyed them as our Superiours Now we write not as we did and therefore they have no great cause to marvel if we hereafter do not as we did both the Laws Civil and also the Laws of God be on our side For a Fraeman born doth not lose his Liberty no nor hurt the plea of his Liberty though he write himself a Bondman Again if they lean to Custom Custom we send them to S. Cyprian which saith That Custom if Truth be not joyned with it is nothing but Erroris vetustas that is an old Error Christ said Ego sum via veritas vita I am the way the truth and the life he never said Ego sum consuetudo I am the Custom Wherefore seeing Custom serveth you on the one side and Scripture us on the other are ye able to match us In how many places doth Christ monish you to seek no Primacy to prefer your selves before nobody no to be obedient unto all Creatures Your old Title Servus Servorum evil agreeth your new forged Dignity The Popes Title and his Dignity agree not together But we will not tarry in matters so plain we onely desire God that Caesar and other Christian Princes would agree upon some holy Council where truth may be tried and Religion set up which hath been hurt by nothing so sore as by general not General Councils Errors and Abuses grow too fast Erudimini qui judicatis terram Get you Learning you that judge the earth and excogitate some Remedy for these so many Diseases of the sick Church They that be wisest do despair of a General Council Best that every Prince reform his own Realm and tarry not for General Councils wherefore we think it now best that every Prince call a Council Provincial and every Prince to redress his own Realm We make all men privy what we think best to be done for the redress of Religion if they like it we doubt not but they will follow it or some other better Our trust is that all Princes will so handle themselves in this behalf that Princes may enjoy their own and Priests of Rome content themselves with that they ought to have Princes as we trust will no longer nourish Wolves Whelps they will subscribe no more to Popish Pride to the Papacy c. Favour our doings O Christian Princes your Honour and ancient Majesty is restored Remember there is nothing peetaining so much to a Princes Honour as to set forth Truth and to help Religion Take you heed that their Deceits work not more mischief than your Vertue can do good and everlasting War we would all Princes had with this Papacy As for their Decrees so hearken to them that if in this Mantuan Assembly things be well done ye take them but not as authorized by them but that Truth and things that maintain Religion are to be taken at all mens hands And even as we will admit things well made so if there be any thing determined in prejudice of Truth for the maintainance of their evil grounded Primacy or that may hurt the Authority of Kings we protest unto the whole world that we neither allow it nor will at any time allow it Ye have Christian Readers our mind concerning the General Council we think you all see that Paul and his Cardinals Bishops Abbats Monks Friers with the rest of the Rabblement do nothing less intend than the Knowledge of Truth Ye see this is no time meet Mantua no place meet for a General Council and though they were both meet yet except some other call this Council you see that we neither need to come nor to send You have heard how every Prince in his own Realm may quiet things amiss If there be any of you that can shew us a better way we promise with all our hearty desire to do that that shall be thought best for the settling of Religion and that we will leave our own Advices if any man shew us better Which mind of ours we most heartily pray God that gave it us not onely to increase in us but also to send it unto all Christian Princes all Christian Prelats and all Christian People Injunctions given by King Henry VIII to the Clergy of his Realm IN the Name of God Amen In the Year of our Lord God 1536 and of the most Noble Reign of our Sovereign Lord Henry VIII King of England and of France Defender of the Faith Lord of Ireland and in the earth Supreme Head of the Church of England the twenty eighth c. I Thomas Cromwell Knight Lord Cromwell Keeper of the Privy Seal of our said Sovereign Lord the King and Vicegerent to the same for and concerning all his Iurisdiction Ecclesiastical within this Realm to the glory of Almighty God to the Kings Highness Honour the publick weal of this Realm and increase of Vertue in the same have appointed and assigned these Injunctions ensuing to be kept and observed of the Dean Parsons Vicars Curats and Stipendaries resident or having Cure of Souls or any other Spiritual Administration within this Deanry under the Pains hereafter limited and appointed THE first is that the Dean Parsons Vicars and other having Cure of Souls any where within this Deanry shall faithfully keep and observe and as far as in them may lie shall cause to be kept and observed of all other all and singular Laws and Statutes of this Realm made for the abolishing and extirpation of the Bishop of Romes pretended and usurped Power and Iurisdiction within this Realm Confirmation of the Kings Supremacy and for the establishment and confirmation of the Kings Authority
and other of the Clergy of this our Realm should set forth declare and preach to them the true and syncere Word of God and without all manner colour dissimulation and hypocrisie manifest and publish the great and innumerable Enormities and Abuses which the said Bishop of Rome as well in the Title and Style as also in Authority and Iurisdiction of long time unlawfully and unjustly hath usurped upon us and our Progenitors and also other Christian Princes have therefore addressed our Letters unto the Bishop of the Diocefe straitly charging and commanding him in the same that not onely he in his own proper person shall declare teach and preach unto the People forthwith upon the receipt of our said Letters unto him directed every Sunday and other high Feasts through the year the true mere and syncere Word of God and that the same Title Style and Iurisdiction of Supreme Head appertaineth onely to our Crown and Dignity Royal. Likewise as the said Bishop and all other the Bishops of our Realm have by Oath affirmed and confirmed by Subscription of their Names and setting to their Seals but also give warning monition and charge to all manner Abbats Priors Deans Archdeacons Provosts Parsons Vicars Curats and all other Ecclesiastical Persons within his said Diocese as well to teach preach publish and declare in all manner Churches our aforesaid just Title Style and Iurisdiction every Sunday and high Feast through the year and further to monish and command all other Schoolmasters within his said Diocese to instruct and teach the same unto the Children committed unto them as also to cause all-manner Prayers Orisons Rubricks Canons of Mass-books and all other Books in the Churches wherein the said Bishop of Rome is named or his presumptuous and proud Pomp and Authority preferred utterly to be abolished eradicate and razed out and his Name and Memory to be never more except to his contumely and reproach rememb●ed The Popes Name and Memo●y aboli●●ed but perpetually suppressed and obscured And finally to desist and leave out all such Articles as be in the general Sentence which is usual●y accustomed to be read four times in the year and do tend to the glory and advancement of the Bishop of Rome his Name Title and Iurisdiction Whereupon we esteeming and reputing you to be of such singular and vehment zeal and affection toward the glory of Almighty God and of so faithful loving and obedient heart towards us as you will not onely do and accomplish with all power wisdom diligence and labour whatsoever should or might be to the preferment and setting forward of Gods Word but also practise study and endeavour your self with all your policy wit power and good will to amplifie defend and maintain all such Interest Right Title Style Iurisdiction and Authority as is in any wise appertaining unto us our Dignity and Prerogative and Crown Imperial of this our Realm have thought good and expedient not onely to signifie unto you by these our Letters the particularities of the Charge Monition and Commandment given by us unto the said Bishop as before is specified but also to require and straitly charge and command you upon pain of your Allegeance and as you shall avoid our high Indignation and Displeasure at your utmost peril laying apart all vain affections respects or other carnal considerations and setting onely before your eyes the mirror of truth the glory of God the dignity of your Sovereign Lord and King and the great concord and unity and inestimable profit and utility that sha●l by the due execution of the premisses ensue to your self and all other faithful and loving Subjects ye make or cause to be made diligent search and wait and especially in every place of your Shirewick whether the said Bishop do truly and syncerely and without all manner cloke colour or dissimulation execute and accomplish our will and commandment as is aforesaid And in case ye shall hear perceive and approvably understand and know that the said Bishop or any other Ecclesiastical Person within his Diocese do omit and leave undone any part or parcel of the premisses or else in the execution and setting forth of the same do coldly and feignedly use any manner sinister addition wrong interpretation or painted colour then we straitly charge and command you that forthwith upon any such default negligence or dissimulation of the said Bishop or any other Ecclesiastical Person of his Diocese contrary to the true tenour meaning and effect of the said Charge by us to him appointed aforesaid ye do make indelayedly and with all speed and diligence declaration and advertisement to us and our Council of the said default and of the behaviour manner and fashion of the same And forasmuch as we upon singular trust and assured confidence which we have in you and for the special love and zeal we suppose and think ye bear toward us and the publick and common Wealth Vnity and Tranquillity of this our Realm have specially elected and chosen you among so many for this purpose and have reputed you such men as unto whose wisdom discretion truth and fidelity we might commit a matter of such great weight moment and importance as whereupon the Vnity and Tranquillity of our Realm doth consist If ye should contrary to our expectation and trust which we have in you and against your duty and Allegeance towards us neglect or omit to do with all your diligence and wisdom whatsoever shall be in your power for the due performance of our mind and pleasure to you before declared in this behalf or halt or stumble at any part or specialty of the same be ye assured that we like a Prince of Iustice will so extremely punish you for the same that all the World besides shall take by you example and beware contrary to their Aliegeance to disobey the lawful Commandment of their Sovereign Lord and Prince in such things as by the faithful execution whereof ye shall not onely advance the Honour of Almighty God and set forth the Majesty and Imperial Dignity of your Sovereign Lord but also bring an inestimable weal profit and commodity unity and tranquillity to all the common State of this our Realm whereunto both by the Laws of God Nature and Man ye be utterly bound Given under our Signet at our Palace of Westminster the 9. day of June Furthermore that no man shall cavil or surmise this fatal fall and ruine of the Pope to have come rashly upon the Kings own partial affection or by any sensual temerity of a few and not by the grave and advised Iudgment Approbation and Consent generally and publickly as well of the Nobles and Commons Temporal as also upon substantial grounds and the very strength of truth by the discussion and consultation of the Spiritual and most Learned Persons in this Realm It shall be requisite moreover to these premisses to adjoyn the words and testimonies also of the Bishops own oaths and profession made
to the King yielding and rendering unto him onely the Style of Supreme Head next under Christ of the Church of England all other Service Subjection and Obedience to be given to any other forein Potentate which should be prejudicial to the Kings Highness in this behalf being excluded and that both frankly and freely of their own voluntary motion and also upon the faith and fidelity of their Priesthood as by their own words and handwriting may appear in form as hereunder followeth The Oath of Stephen Gardener Bishop of Winchester made to King Henry VIII EGO Stephanus Wintoniensis Episcopus pure sponte The Oath of Stephen Gardener to the King absolute in verbo Pontificio profiteor ac spondeo illustrissimae vestrae Regiae Majestati singulari ac summo Domino meo Patrono Henrico Dei gratia Angliae Franciae Regi Fidei Defensori Domino Hiberniae atque in terris Ecclesiae Anglicanae Supremo immediate sub Christo Capiti quod posthac nulli externo Imperatori Regi Principi aut Praelato nec Romano Pontifiei quem Papam vocant fidelitatem obedientiam c. Translated into English thus I Stephen Bishop of Winchester do purely of mine own voluntary accord and absolutely in the word of a Bishop profess and promise to your Princely Majesty my singular and chief Lord and Patron Henry the Eighth by the grace of God King of England and of France Defender of the Faith Lord of Ireland and in earth of the Church of England Supreme Head immediately under Christ That from this day forward I shall swear promise give or cause to be given to no forein Potentate Emperour King Prince or Prelate nor yet to the Bishop of Rome whom they call Pope any Oath or Fealty directly or indirectly either by word or writing but at all times and in every case and condition I shall observe hold and maintain to all effects and intents the quarrel and cause of your Royal Majesty and your Successors and to the uttermost of my power shall defend the same against all manner of persons whomsoever I shall know or suspect to be Adversaries to your Majesty or to your Successors and shall give my faith truth and obedience syncerely and with my very heart onely to your Royal Majesty as to my Supreme Prince I profess the Papacy of Rome not to be ordained of God by holy Scripture Stephen Gardener abrenounceth the Pope but constantly do affirm and openly declare and shall declare it to be set up onely by Man and shall cause diligently other men likewise to publish the same Neither shall I enter any Treaty with any person or persons either privily or apertly or shall consent thereto that the Bishop of Rome shall have or exercise here any Authority or Iurisdiction or is to be restored to any Iurisdiction hereafter Furthermore that the said Bishop of Rome now being or any that shall succ●ed him hereafter in the said See is not to be called Pope nor Supreme Bishop or Vniversal Bishop nor most holy Lord but onely ought to be called Bishop of Rome and Fellow Brother as the old manner of the most ancient Bishops hath been This I shall to my power openly maintain and defend And I shall firmly observe and cause to be observed of other to the uttermost of my cunning wit and power all such Laws and Acts of this Realm how and whatsoever as have been enacted and established for the extirpation and suppression of the Papacy and of the Authority and Iurisdiction of the said Bishop of Rome Neither shall I appeal hereafter to the said Bishop of Rome nor ever consent to any person that shall appeal to him neither shall I attempt prosecute or follow any Suit in the Court of Rome for any cause of right or justice to be had or shall make answer to any Plea or Action nor shall take upon me the person and office either of the Plaintiff or Defendent in the said Court And if the said Bishop by his Messenger or by his Letters shall make any means or signification unto me of any matter whatsoeuer it be I shall with all speed and diligence make declaration and advertisement thereof or cause the same to be signified either to your Princely Majesty or to some of your secret Council or to your Successors or any of their privy Council Neither shall I send or cause to be sent at any time any writing or messenger to the said Bishop or to his Court without the knowledge or consent of your Majesty or your Successors willing me to send writing or messenger unto him Neither shall I procure or give counsel to any person to procure Bulls Briefs or Rescripts whatsoever either for me or for any other from the said Bishop of Rome or his Court. And if any such shall be procured against my will and knowledge either in general or in special or else howsoever they shall be granted unto them I shall utter and disclose the same and not consent thereunto nor use them in any case and shall cause them to be brought to your Majesty or your Successors Furthermore for the confirmation hereof I give my faith and truth by firm promise and in the faith of a Bishop that against this my foresaid Profession and Promise made I shall defend my self by no Dispensation Exception nor any remedy or cautel of Law or Example during this my natural life And if heretofore I have done or made any Protestation in prejudice of this my Profession and Promise here made the same I do revoke at this present and for ever hereafter and here utterly do renounce by these presents Whereunto I have subscribed and underwritten the name both of my self and of my Bishoprick with my proper hand and thereto also have put to my Seal in perpetual and undoubted testimony of the premisses Given the tenth day of February Anno 1534 and of our Sovereign Lord King Henry the eight twenty six Stephanus Wintoniensis The same Bishop of Winchester's Reasons against the Pope's Supremacy MOreover the said Gardener in the forenamed Book De vera Obedientia what Constancy he pretendeth Steph. Wint. a Lutheran in his Book De vera obedientia what Arguments he inferreth how earnestly and pithily he disputeth on the Kings side against the Vsurped State of the Bishop of Romes Authority by the words of his Book it may appear whereof a brief Collection here followeth IN the process of his foresaid Book The Sword of the Church how far it extendeth he alledging the old distinction of the Papists wherein they give to the Prince the Regiment of things Temporal and to the Church of things Spiritual comparing the one to the greater Light the other to the lesser Light he confuteth and derideth the same distinction declaring the Sword of the Church to extend no further than to Teaching and Excommunication and referreth all preheminence to the Sword of the Prince alledging for this the
second Psalm And now you Kings be wise Psal 2. and be learned ye that judge the earth c. Also the example of Salomon who being a King 2 Par. 28. according to his Fathers appointment ordained the Offices of the Priests in their Ministeries and Levites in their Order Exod. 32. that they might give thanks and minister before the Priests after the order of every day and Porters in their divisions gate by gate And speaking more of the said Salomon he saith 1 Reg. 22. For so commanded the Man of God neither did the Priests nor Levites omit any thing of all that he had commanded c. Besides this he alledgeth also the example of King Ezechias 2 Paralyp 28. He alledgeth moreover the example and fact of Justinian which made Laws touching the Faith Bishops Clerks Hereticks and such other Aaron saith he obeyed Moses Salomon gave sentence upon Abiathar the High Priest 1 Macch. 10. 1 Macch. 14. Alexander the King in the first of Macchabees writeth thus to Jonathas Now have we made thee this day the High Priest of thy people c. So did Demetrius to Simon Then coming to the words of Christ spoken to Peter Matthew 16. Matth. 16. upon which words the Pope pretendeth to build all his Authority to this he answereth That if Christ by those words had limited to Peter any such special state or preheminence above all Princes then were it not true that is written Coepit Jesus docere facere forasmuch as the words of Christ should then be contrary to his own facts and example who in all his life never usurped either in himself any such domination above Princes shewing himself rather subject unto Princes nor yet did ever permit to his Apostles any such example of ambition to be seen but rather rebuked them for seeking any manner of Majority amongst them The Kings Style and Title approved by Steph. Wint. And where he reasoneth of the Kings Style and Title being called the King of England and of France Defender of the Faith Lord of Ireland and Supreme Head in earth of the Church of England immediately under Christ c. thus he addeth his mind and censure saying That he seeth no cause in this Title why any man should be offended that the King is called the Head of the Church of England rather than of the Realm of England and addeth his reason thereunto saying If the Prince and King of England be the Head of his Kingdom that is of all Englishmen that be his Subjects is there any cause why the same English Subjects should not be subject to the same Head likewise in this respect because they are Christians that is to say for the title of Godliness as though that God which is the cause of all Obedience should now be the cause of Rebellion At length thus he concludeth with an Exclamation saying To say saith he that a King is the Head of a Kingdom and not of the Church what an absurd and a foolish saying is this The King is as well the Head of the Church as of his Kingdom And further adding for example the subjection of the Servant and Wife If the Servant saith he be subject to his Master or Wife to her Husband being Infidels doth their Conversion afterward or name of Christians make them less Subjects than they were before As Religion therefore doth not alter the Authority of the Master over the Servant nor of the Husband over the Wife no more saith he doth it between the Prince and Subjects Paul making no exception nor distinction of Subjection save onely of that which belongeth to God willeth all men to obey their Princes and what Princes Those Princes which bear the sword And although we are bound by the Scripture to obey our Bishops and Spiritual Pastors of the Church yet that obedience diminisheth nothing the chief and head Authority that ought to be given to the Prince no more than the obedience of the Servant to his Master or of the Wife to her Husband exempteth them from Subjection due to their Superiour Powers And herewithall he inferreth a principle of the Law A Rule of the Law Divers Iurisdictions saith he proceeding from one person do not marry nor hinder themselves but rather do confirm and fortifie one another Again whereas the Bishop of Rome under the name of Peter doth appropriate to himself the highest place in the Church for that he is the Successor of Peter Thereunto he answereth in one word but in that one word he answereth enough and to the full I would saith he he were Wenchesters with that the Pope were Peters Successor for so in very deed he might well exceed and pass all Kings and Princes if not in preheminency of Dignity yet in admiration and excellency of Virtue in which kind of superiority the Lord Christ would his Apostles and Ministers to go before all Kings and Emperours in the whole world After this in prosecuting the Argument of Peters Confession he argueth thus and saith Argument The Prerogative was given to him which confessed Flesh and Bloud in Peter did not confess Christ Ergo the Prerogative was not given to the Flesh and Bloud of Pet●r that as flesh and bloud did not reveal to Peter that Confession so neither was that Prerogative given to the flesh and bloud of Peter but to the better part that is to the spirit of Peter which is to mean in respect of the spiritual Confession of Peter and not in respect of any carnal place or person c. Item If the Scholar ought not to be above the Master how then could either Peter take that upon him which Christ his Master so constantly did refuse Or how can the Bishop of Rome now claim that by Succession whereof no example is to be found either in the Head or his Predecessor before him For so we read in Eusebius both of Peter James and John that they did arrogate no such Primacy unto them but were content that James surnamed Justus should be the Bishop of the Apostles And as for the name and signification of the word Primatus i. Primacy Pr●matus or Primacy what it signifieth if it be taken for the first nomination or the first place given so he granteth that Peter had the preferment of the first name and place in the order of the Apostles but it followeth not that with this Primacy he had also a Kingdom given He saith Confirm thy Brethren but not thy Subjects And though he were bid of the Lord to confirm his Brethren yet was he not bid to exercise an Impery upon his Brethren for so were they not his Brethren but his Subjects Primus Primatus i. Primacy meaneth as much as the first standing in Vocation and is the name of Vertue and not of Power That Peter was Primus that is first or chief in the number of them which confessed Christ it is not
Agreement of the whole Clergy of England confirmed and ratified in their own publick Book called The Bishops Book Anno 1534. with the Names of the Witnesses WE think it convenient Te●timonies out o●●he Bishops Book against the Popes Supremacy that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach the People committed unto their spiritual charge that whereas certain men do imagine and affirm that Christ should give unto the Bishop of Rome power and authority not onely to be Head and Governour of all Priests and Bishops in Christs Church but also to have and occupy the whole Monarchy of the World in his hands and that he may thereby lawfully depose Kings and Princes from their Realms Dominions and Seigniories and so transfer and give the same to such persons as him liketh that is utterly false and untrue for Christ never gave unto S. Peter or unto any of the Apostles or their Successors any such Authority And the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul do teach and command that all Christian People as well Priests and Bishops as others should be obedient and subject unto the Princes and Potentates of the World although they were Infidels And as for the Bishop of Rome it was many hundred years after Christ before he could acquire or get any Primacy or Governance above any other Bishops out of his Province in Italy since the which time he hath ever usurped more and more And though some part of his power was given to him by the consent of the Emperours Kings and Princes and by the consent also of the Clergy in General Councils assembled yet surely he attained the most part thereof by marvellous subtilty and craft How the Bishop of Rome rose by ambition and especially by colluding with great Kings and Princes sometime training them into his Devotion by pretence and colour of Holiness and Sanctimony and sometime constraining them by force and tyranny Whereby the said Bishops of Rome aspired and rose at length unto such greatness in Strength and Authority that they presumed and took upon them to be Heads Concilium tertium Cartha inense cap. 6. and to put Laws by their own Authority not onely unto all other Bishops within Christendom but also unto the Emperours Kings and other the Princes and Lords of the world and that under the pretence of the Authority c●●mitted unto them by the Gospel First the General Council of Nice decreed that the Patriarchs of Alexandria and Antiochia should have like power over the Countries about those Cities as the Bishops of Rome had over the Countries about Rome In the Council of Milevitan it was decreed that if a Clerk of Africk would appeal out of Africk un●o any Bishop beyond the Sea he should be taken as a person Excommunicate In the General Council of Constantinople the first it was likewise decreed that every Cause between any persons should be determined within the Provinces where the matters did lie and that no Bishop should exercise any power out of his own Diocese or Province And this was also the mind of holy S. Cyprian and of other holy men of Africa To conclude therefore the Pope hath no su h Primacy g●ven him either by the words of Scripture or by any General Council or by common consent of the holy Ca●holick Church ●●●rein the said Bishops of Rome do no● nely abuse and pervert the true sense and meaning of Christs Word but they do also clean contrary to the use and custom of the Primitive Church and so do manifestly violate as well the holy Canons made in the Church immediately after the time of the Apostles as also the Decrees and Constitutions made in that behalf by the holy Fathers of the Catholick Church assembled in the first General Councils And finally they do transgress their own profession made in their Creation For all the Bishops of Rome always when they be consecrated and made Bishops of that See do make a solemn profession and vow that they shall inviolably observe and keep all the Ordinances made in the first eight General Councils among the which it is specially provided and enacted that all Causes shall be finished and determined within the Province where the same begun and that by the Bishops of the same Province and that no Bishop shall exercise any Iurisdiction out of his own Province Gregorius l. 4. Epistolarum indictione 13. Epist 13. and divers such other Canons were then made and confirmed by the said Councils to repress and take away out of the Church all such Primacy and Iurisdiction over Kings and Bishops as the Bishops of Rome pretend now to have over the same And we find that divers good Fathers Bishops of Rome did greatly reprove yea and abhor as a thing clean contrary to the Gospel and the Decrees of the Church that any Bishop of Rome or elsewhere should presume usurp or take upon him the Title and Name of Vniversal Bishop or of the Head of all Priests or of the Highest Priest or any such like Title For confirmation whereof it is out of all doubt that there is no mention made neither in Scripture nor in the Writings of any authentical Doctor or Author of the Church being within the time of the Apostles that Christ did ever make or institute any distinction or difference to be in the preheminence of Power Order or Iurisdiction between the Apostles themselves or between the Bishops themselves but that they were all equal in Power Order Authority and Iurisdiction And that there is now and since the time of the Apostles any such diversity or difference among the Bishops it was devised by the antient Fathers of the Primitive Church for the conservation of good order and unity of the Catholick Church and that either by the consent and authority or else at the least by the permission and sufferance of the Princes and Civil Powers for the time ruling c. And shortly after followeth And for the better confirmation of this part we think it also convenient that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach the people committed unto their spiritual charge that Christ did by express words prohibit that none of his Apostles nor any of their Successors should under the pretence of the Authority given unto them by Christ take upon them the Authority of the Sword that is to say the Authority of Kings or of any Civil Power in this world yea or any Authority to make Laws or Ordinances in causes appertaining unto Civil Powers Truth it is the Priests and Bishops may execute all such Temporal Power and Iurisdion as is committed unto them by the Ordinance and Authority of Kings or other Civil Powers and by the consent of the people as Officers and Ministers under the said Kings and Powers so long as it shall please the said Kings and People to permit and suffer them so to use and execute the same Notwithstanding if any Bishop of what estate or dignity soever
vincula next coming provide a Book of the whole Bible both in Latin and also in English and lay the same in the Quire for every man that will to look and read thereon and shall discourage no man from the reading of any part of the Bible either in Latin or English but rather to comfort exhort and monish every man to read the same as the very Word of God and the spiritual food of mans Soul whereby they may the better know their Duties to God to their Sovereign Lord the King and their Neighbour ever gently and charitably exhorting them that using a sober and modest behaviour in the reading and inquisition of the true sense of the same they do in no wise stiffly or eagerly contend or strive one with another about the same but refer the declaration of those places that be in controversie to the judgment of them that be better learned Priests not to haunt Ale-houses Also the said Dean Parsons Vicars Curats and other Priests shall in no wise at any unlawful time nor for any other cause than for their honest necessity haunt or resort to any Taverns or Alehouses and after their Dinner and Supper they shall not give themselves to drinking or riot spending their time idly by day or by night at Tables or Cards playing or any other unlawful Game but at such times as they shall have such leisure they shall read or hear somewhat of holy Scripture or shall occupy themselves with some honest Exercise and that they always do those things that appertain to good congruence and honesty with profit of the Commonweal having always in mind that they ought to excell all other in purity of life and should be example to all other to live well and Christianly Furthermore Parsons not resident to pay the 40th part to their Parishes because the goods of the Church are called the goods of the Poor and in these days nothing is less seen than the Poor to be sustained with the same all Parsons Vicars Prebendaries and other beneficed men within this Deanry not being resident upon their Benefices which may dispend yearly twenty pounds or above either within this Deanry or elsewhere shall distribute hereafter yearly amongst their poor Parishioners or other Inhabitants there in the presence of the Churchwardens or some other honest men of the Parish the fortieth part of the Fruits and Revenues of their said Benefices lest they be worthily noted of Ingratitude which reserving so many parts to themselves cannot vouchsafe to impart the fortieth portion thereof amongst the poor people of that Parish that is so fruitful and profitable unto them And to the intent that learned men may hereafter spring the more for the executing of the said premisses Every beneficed man worth 100 l. to find a Scholar at the University every Parson Vicar Clerk or beneficed man within this Deanry yearly to spend in Benefices or other Promotions of the Church an hundred pounds shall give competent Exhibition to one Scholar and for as many hundred pounds more as he may dispend to so many Scholars more shall give like Exhibition in the Vniversity of Oxford or Cambridge or some Grammar School which after they have profited in good Learning may be Partners of their Patrons Cure and Charge as well in Preaching as otherwise in the execution of their Offices or may when need shall be otherwise profit the Commonwealth with their counsel and wisdom Also that all Parsons Vicars and Clerks Beneficed men to maintain their Mansions having Churches Chapels or Mansions within this Deanry shall bestow yearly hereafter upon the same Mansions or Chancels of their Churches being in decay the fifth part of those their Benefices till they shall be fully repaired and the same so repaired they shall always keep and maintain in good estate All which and singular Injunctions shall be inviolably observed of the said Dean Parsons Vicars Curats Stipendaries and other Clerks and beneficed men under pain of Suspension and Sequestration of the Fruits of their Benefices untill they have done their duties according to these Injunctions Postscript CHristian Reader Who hast perused and well weighed this Protestation thou dost see therein the Frauds Pride Avarice Treacheries Cruelties Enmity to God and Christ and his Truth and People with many other notorious Enormities of the Pope and his Shaveling Priests and Clergy clearly and openly discovered detected detested and renounced by so great a King He pronounces them to be open Enemies to Christ himself and to carry in their Breasts an immortal Hatred to his Truth He Proclaimeth to all Christian Princes and Peoble the miserable Tragedies which under pretence of Unity and Concord they have brought into Christendom and that they have troubled all Christian Realms with Seditions under plausible pretences of Peace That in all their Councils and Actings touching Religion the only Marks they have shot at was Lucre Money and Gains yea that they sought their own Profit with the Slaughter of the Truth and were infinitely more willing that the greatest Injury should be done to the Gospel than that their Authority that is to say their Arrogant Impudence should suffer the least Diminution That their usual practice is to defile their cruel Hands with honest Mens Bloud and that contrary to their Oaths He further declares That this holy Vicar was so inflamed with Hatred against the King and Kingdom for pulling down his Usurped Power and Proud Primacy for expelling his Usurped Jurisdiction for rejecting his False and Heretical Doctrine and delivering this Realm from his grievous Bondage and Polage that He sought by all ways to endamage both King and People and by Enemies at Home and Princes Abroad to stir up Troubles and Commotions Upon which sufficient Grounds and for which just Causes he thus resolves saying Surely except God take away our right Wits not only his Authority to wit the Popes shall be driven out for Ever but his Name also shall shortly be forgotten in England And again We will ha' the Pope and his Adherents to understand that which we have oft said and now say and ever will say He nor His hath no Authority or Jurisdiction in England That which he hath usurped against Gods Law and extorted by Violence We by good right take from him again And He exhorts all Christian Princes to favour and follow his Godly and Just Proceedings Thus did God of his Infinite Goodness raise up this Great and Wise King to root out the Pope's Usurped Authority and False Religion also in a great measure out of England and the Lord grant that these Intolerable and Unsupportable Evils may be kept out of it for ever For without doubt that Curse of God which Joshua pronounced against him that should Rebuild Jericho which was destroyed by the Word and Power of God according as it is written Joshua 6.26 And Joshua adjured them at that time saying Cursed be the Man before the Lord that riseth up