ritus vestros vel vsum eorum publicum qui suscepta primum Scotiae suscepta dein Angliae corona regia vtrobique solenni ritu deo iusturandum praestitit de conseruanda in statu suo illa colendi Dei formula nec alia quam quae in regnis suis tum publice recepta vtriusque gentis legitus stabilita esset Quarum etiam se tum legum quoque non minus quam religionis sanctissimè in se suscepit defensorem fore Eo autem consilium hoc â—uum tendit vt nouator sit vt periurus vt vterque sit Esset enim vterque si vtroque hoc tam graui crimine vel coronae suae vel etiam vitae securitatem redimeret Hoc vero quam a ratione prorsus alienum tu lector iudica Regi nostro praesertim cui nulla hic apud nos periurij dispensatio speranda cui nulla de Pontifice opinio quòd tam sit omnipotens vt suscepti eum bis iuramenti religione possit exoluere These are the verie Words of the same most worthy Writer the English whereof I leaue to the Learned of your most Honourable Court The premised Testimonie considered What loyall Subiect can so basely or wickedly conceiue of h s Maiestie as that he should euer yeeld to a toleration of that damnable Religion against which he hath so often written protested and sworne So much the lesse are all true Subiects to conceiue any such thing because by a toleration as things now stand not onely the Kings Maiestie himselfe should be guiltie of the crimes mentioned in the former testimonie but also all the Iudges of the Land who are all sworne to the execution of the Lawes alreadie enacted against Poperie and Papists neither so only but also all other Iustices of the Peace in the Countrey all Maiors Bailifes and other chiefe Magistrates in all Cities and other Townes Incorporate The forme also of Iustice in administration of Oathes to Iurors c. should be changed Alas alas What a confusion would this make And what might all the Land feare for such doing If the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that any way taketh his Name in vaine What may be feared when all the Magistrates of an whole Kingdome shall be guiltie of the same in the highest degree Ignorant Papists Touching ignorant Papists oh that some order might be taken for the reclaiming of them by louing kind and diligent instruction by men of discretion and wisedome well fitted so to doe Certainly the neglect hereof hath beene great and somewhat scandalous to the State Many haue beene greedie of their Money and readie to beg the pecuniarie mulct of absence from Church But alas who hath by good instruction laboured to bring them to Church and to the sauing knowledge of the Truth Something likewise might haue beene inserted for disarming of Papists but because somewhat hath beene done in this kind therefore I say the lesse onely order would be taken for renewing thereof yeerely and for better search of their houses in that behalfe without any foreknowledge of any such matter whereby to conuey their Armour to their Farmers or other Friends or hide them in the Ground or put them into Hogsheads or Pipes as if the said Vessels were full of Wine or Beere Against Oathes The abounding of Oathes and Blasphemies in this Land notwithstanding the manifold Commandements and fearfull threatnings of God against these sinnes and also the pride that men take in these sinnes Hos 4.1.2 Zech. 5.2 Ier. 23.10 would require some thing to be spoken of them least we partake of the Iudgements belonging vnto them But hearing some speech to haue been alreadie for some order to be taken for repressing of them I will forbeare all further speech in that behalfe Onely touching the Oath Ex officio The Oathe Ex officio and the Oath tendred to Churchwardens and Sidemen as the first hath been largely declared by diuers learned iudicious Lawyers to be against the Lawes of the Land especially by that renowmed Gentleman Master Morris late Attourney in the Court of Wards and is knowne so to be to many of your Honourable Court as also the same hath been condemned openly in Westminster Hall by the Iudges of his Maiesties most Honourable Bench euen to be against Law Reason Religion and Conscience none but Time-seruers daring to denie the same so touching the other Master Lambert of Kent a learned Lawyer and Iustice of Peace by the authoritie of that ancient Iudge Master Fitz-Harbert in his Natura breui hath in his directions for Iustices of Peace in giuing their Charges at Quarter Sessions set it downe for a speciall Article to be enquired whether any Ordinaries in their Courts doe impose the same viz. Any Oathe to any of the Kings Lay people in any causes saue only in matters Testamentarie and Matrimoniall The same also to be contrarie to Law is further euident by the expresse words of the Register that hath the grounds of our Law and the forme of all Writs for Law The daily imposition notwithstanding of this Oath in all Ecclesiasticall Courts by all Ordinaries being troublesome to many tender consciences if it might please your most Honourable Court to take some order therein it would doubtlesse be a meanes of much peace and great comfort to many good Christian Soules That some obiect Churchwardens Sidemen not to be meere Lay men many Lawyers can easily answer And how can they be but Lay men as things now stand that are neuer accounted of the Clergie that haue no Ecclesiasticall ordination that enioy no benefit of the Clergie but only that which euerie one that can but reade enioyeth in some cases of Felonie The taking of this Oath is the more troublesome because the Articles are so many and variable according to the varietie of Ordinaries of Times of Diocesses For sometime one and the same Ordinaries doe differ in their owne Articles The custome also of mens swearing and forswearing themselues herein maketh them the readier to periure themselues in other matters To this point of the Oath Ex officio especially ministred vnto Churchwardens may be referred all such Articles as concern matters not belonging to Ecclesiasticall Courts Such is the Article for not paying rates to the Poore The which notwithstanding some Ecclesiasticall Iudges haue acknowledged not to belong to their Courts yet some poore men being presented by vertue of that Oath for not paying haue beene much molested and at the last also excommunicated The like may be said of some other Articles throughly examined Against Witches Against those that are called good Witches some order to be taken were the better because by ignorant and irreligious people they are not shunned but rather honoured Those that are accounted euill Witches are punished but these are recompensed as if they were indeed Act. 8.10 as Simon Magus was esteemed to be in Samaria The other by the Deuil bewitch the bodies
other sinnes punishable with death will not free men from death The Lawes of Denmark and Sweden as also the due execution and good effect thereof are worthy to be considered in this case so it is worthy consideration whether repentance of Popish idolatrie be sufficient to discharge men from the punishment of death Yea there may be question whether they do truely repent of such Idolatrie that do not testifie the same by willing submission of themselues to Gods Lawe for death in that behalfe Yet for the tyme to come death may be preuented and increase of Poperie suppressed if some sharpe Lawe in the meane tyme be made for restreyning both of men and women from going beyond the Seas and there becomming Iesuits and Iesuitesses as also of all here at home from yeelding any mayntenance vnto them in those places If notwithstanding the premises vpon iudicious consideration of them it shall be thought meet to shew them that now are or shall be mercie for life yet being by their fruits knowen to be Papists why should they be admitted into Parliament for making of Lawes who themselues will not obey eyther other good Lawes of men or the Lawes of God that are without all exception Yea why also should they haue any authoritie in the Countrey or offices or places of great worth in any Courts Temporall or Ecclesiasticall Especially it semeth vnfit for them to be of his Maiesties Priuie Countell that haue taken so ill Counsell for their owne saluation and will take no better For how will they or can they do any thing against Papists that are such themselues Touching Recusant Papists only refrayning from Church and hauing no priuat Masses at home if there be any such and being aboue 21 yeares of age may it please your most Honorable Court to consult of the confining them to their owne houses or some other and restreyning them from all talke with any strangers but in the presence of some sound and sufficient Ministers and of some Religious Iustice of Peace as also of stinting them to a certayne number of seruants and of inioyning such seruants of both sexes to some common Badge openly to be alwayes worne whereby to be discerned and shunned of all men so also further of taking their Children of aboue a certeyne age from them to haue Christian education with kind vsage where their Popish parents or otherlike friends may haue no accesse vnto them neyther the children themselues know where their parents are and yet to haue sufficient allowance from their parents according to their state such parents also themselues to haue mayntenance out of their owne demeanes but the ouerplus to be conuerted to the Kings vse till the full age of such children and their open renowncing of Poperie Forasmuch also as all beleeuers are charged not to be vnequallie yoaked with vnbeleeuers Against mariage with Papists 2 Cor. 6.14 Exo. 34.16 Deut. 7.3 Gen. 6.2 c. Ezr. 10.14 Neh. 13.26 1 Kings 16 29.30.31 2 Chr. 21.3 1 Kings 11 1.4 Deu. 22.10 Matth. 7.6 cha 15.26 2. Pet. 2.22 P.M. in 1. King 3.1 and 11.1 and loci com class 2. p. 149. Cal. Epist 103.104.299 and the Israelits were often forbidden to make mariages for themselues or for their children with any of the Heathen Nations bordering vpon them and that all other sinnes for which the Lord drowned the whole world but eyght persons are attributed to the mariages of the sonnes of God that is professors of the worshippe of God with the daughters of men that is of the Heathen and Idolaters Forasmuch further as for this sinne Nehemiah caused such of the Iewes as had made such mariages and had also children by such mariages to put away their wiues as also that some kings of Israel are condemned for marying with Heathen women and so likewise of the kings of Iuda for like mariages with the daughters of the kings of Israel and that the fall of Salomon himselfe is ascribed to the like cause not only by Nehemiah in the place before alleaged but also else-where And againe forasmuch as the Israelits might not plowe with an Oxe and an Asse togeather and therefore much lesse Christians may ioyne themselues in mariage with Idolaters such as all Papists are in the highest degree And yet againe forasmuch as we may not giue holy things vnto Dogs nor cast our pearles before Swine and therfore much lesse giue our selues to such as are called Dogs and Swine And further forasmuch as Peter Martyr and Master Caluin with other sound Diuines and diuers both ancient Fathers and also Councels haue written and determined much against mariages of Protestants with Papists Is it not well beseeming the wisedome of your most Honorable Court by some seuere Law to restreyne such mariages for euer hereafter within this his Maiesties Dominion that so there may be the lesse feare of such increase of Poperie for the times to come as lately hath beene Touching the seueritie before mentioned against Recusants and Church Papists Mungrill Papists may it please your Honorable Court herein also to consider of Mungrill Papists halfe fish halfe flesh neyther fish nor flesh nor as we speake good red herring which sometyme indeed come to Church to auoyd the pennaltie of former Lawes but neuer come to the Supper of the Lord but at such tymes as men are specially inioyned therunto do flutter vp and downe and shuffle from place to place where they may best lurke and so receiue not in seauen yeares togeather if euer at any tyme pretending for themselues being any where called into question some fuites of Law or some other such sleeuelesse excuse Neyther also are the familiar acquaintance of such Papists altogeather to be forgotten what also if it should please your Christian wisedomes to make some Act for the frustrating of the last Wills and Testaments of such as hauing pretended themselues Protestants in their health in their sicknesse vnto death shall professe themselues Romane Catholikes as also make voyd what soeuer former Act they had made for disposing of their states or any part thereof and their sayd states to be eyther confiscate to his Maiestie or translated to their next kindred that had giuen good Testimonie of their being sound Protestants with this Prou so notwithstanding that vpon their reuolting to Poperie euery such Act to be voyd for the bodies also of such so deceassing to be buried in some ignominious manner and in some place of reproach Forasmuch likewise as many Pursiuants sent to search the houses of such Papists seeme at the first much to bluster till they meet with some Siluer drops for calming their tempests were it not meet that this should be preuented In all these things I prouoke not to crueltie but to Iustice such as whereby a King maintayneth his countrie Prou. 29.4 it being a speciall part of a wise King to scatter the wicked and to cause the wheele to go ouer them Prou. 21.3 1
such as haue his Letters Patent Abuse of his Maiesties Letters Patents and goe vp and down with Briefes of them as also for repressing of Rogues and Vagabonds as much euerie where now swarming as if their were no Law against them and thereby robbing the Countries where they trauell and be otherwise verie dangerous and commit many euils let it be only sufficient by mentioning them to put you in mind of them for some more seuere Law to be made to restraine them Wracks also seeme verie hard if not altogether vniust and vnrighteous viz. that one should be enriched with the losse vndoings of many and that the principall owners should not only lose their Ships with many mens liues for the most part but also their goods These things considered so amplified as by your wisedomes they may be what heart so flintie as not to be moued with compassion in that behalfe Touching the names of Puritans Prescisians Schismaticks c. disgracefully cast vpon such as are sound in all substantiall points of Christian Doctrine vnblameable in their life and conuersation not onely vpon such Ministers but also vpon all other that doe most endeauour to keepe a good conscience in all things towards God and men Act. 24.16 how gracious a thing were it to represse this for the time to come The rather because many young Christians are hereby much discouraged Especially it seemeth fit to restraine Preachers in Pulpits from all such disgracefull and reproachfull speeches Alas it is too lamentable that many young striplings that had need to be confined to some places till their beards were growne themselues were men as hauing been born Ministers before their time starting vp into Pulpits hauing no word of exhortation neither any sound Doctrine to deliuer It is I say lamentable that such should euen in great Congregations spend the time in such rayling and yet by profane and ignorant men be thought to preach excellently I hope that if some of the most Reuerend Bishops knew this abuse they would doe some thing for reformation hereof But a Law in this behalfe were best of all I had thought before to haue commended to your Christian wisedomes diuers cases of Marriage Diuers cases of marriage As that young men newly married should not be suffered presently to trauell for two or three yeeres together Against marriages also without consent of Parents at least contrarie to the minds of religious Parents that are able to shew good reasons of their contrarie mindes That all Licences for marriages without thrise solemne asking as they call it should be made vnlawfull That the Wife being iustly diuorced for Adulterie the innocent partie may haue libertie to marrie without contradiction there being no heauier thing for strong and lustie men then to be restrained from marriage And that the generall restraint of all persons from marriage for almost halfe the yeere should be vtterly abolished the same being contrarie to the Word 1 Tim. 4.3 and a Doctrine of Deuils and being altogether Papall and hauing no vse but to pay for Licences and being oftentimes the cause of much carnall filthinesse before marriage and sometime the man dying before marriage and leauing his contracted Wife with childe to her perpetuall infamie and to the making of the childe so borne no better then a Bastard Some good reason may be giuen for celebration of marriages betwixt eight and twelue of the clocke in the forenoones but certainly none can be giuen of the former saue onely the Siluer benefit of Ecclesiasticall Courts and their Officers But of these and some other marriage cases I dare not speak more largely hauing beene so ample before though nothing so ample as I could haue beene The same reason is of my silence of diligent yeerely mustering of men Yeerely mustering of men c. for the better fitting of them for times of need as also of good care of Furniture for Warre without any iugling to make the Furniture of one to serue for many the same also I say for my silence of the Ecclesiasticall discipline and gouernment the desire whereof hath beene a greater cause of the restraint of Ministers then their not conforming Herein I haue beene the more silent because the same hath heretofore and more lately beene amply learnedly and substantially laid forth by other wherein we alone differ from all other reformed Churches And if it shall not please his Maiestie generally to establish it according to Gods Word and other Churches throughout his Kingdome yet if he might be perswaded to tollerate it in some places appointed for the same by his owne Princely wisedome as I doubt not but that they which shall enioy the same will beare all charges thereto belonging without any preiudice to any other Ministers so I am perswaded that vse thereof would emittere such a fragrant smell as that all other would be the more in loue therewith thereby also would be that sweet peace that is so often commended in the Scripture Yea I doubt not but that his Maiestie would better affect it and the louers thereof then euer he hath done As the want of any member though neuer so little maketh the whole body the more impotent so the want of the holy Discipline maketh the whole Ministerie the weaker and lesse effectuall If this little hereof spoken be offenciue to any yet let it not I humbly beceech you hinder my former motions or any of them Against the abuses of Excommunication and citing of men to Ecclesiasticall Courts by Apparitors without any presentment against persons so cited contrarie to our owne Canons against proceeding also of such Courts for bare absence vpon the bare word of an Apparitor that maketh no conscience of any thing as also against so citing of men and such proceeding against them euen sometime neuer at all cited without regard of age of the season of the yeere of distance of place c. I hope that either some other will speake or this short mention will be sufficient or it may be some other will reforme such disorders Last of all because absence of the better sort sometimes doth strengthen the worse part Parliament men to meet together Ezek. 46.10 as experience hath taught in the Vniuersities therefore as the Lord by Ezekiel commandeth that in his worship The Prince and the people should come together thereunto and goe away together there-from so may it please you all that wish well vnto Zion and loue the peace of Ierusalem to doe the like in this your seruice of God of his Maiestie and of the whole Kingdome at euerie Session of the Parliament and on euerie day for euerie Session Exod. 32. How highly did all Israel sinne euen Aaron himselfe in the absence of Moses but a few dayes How effectuall for Christ Ioh. 7.51 was one weake word of Nicodemus euen to the dissoluing of the whole Councell of the Priests and Pharisees against Christ To shut vp all that I haue spoken by the priuiledge and libertie of Subiects The Conclusion for crauing helpe of your most Honourable Court in the former Aduertisements presented vnto you I doe humbly craue the gracious pardon of his most Excellent Maiestie of his Princely Sonne and of you all of any thing wherein for matter or manner I haue erred euen with the like words some few onely changed according to the difference of persons to whom I speake and of the future Tense into the time past euen with like words I say except onely before excepted doe I craue this pardon that Luther once vsed to the Emperour and other Princes before whom he pleaded his cause Sleidan comment lib. 3. Si quid à me peccatum fuerit potentissime Rex illustrissime Princeps nobilissimi Marchiones atque Comites honoratissimique Barones alijque huius Regni Proceres vel verbis minimè proprijs neque tanto consessu dignis vel etiam phrasibus parùm elegantibus atque decoris totum hoc mihi peto condonari propter vitae genus in quo aliquam mihi obsecro liceat interponere maximam aetatis partem consumpsi For alas I neither haue liued in the Court at least long together for these fourtie yeeres and more nor in the Citie but in the Countrey where I haue not beene acquainted with Court speech or otherwise exercised with Learning as some haue beene Neither I doe most humbly beseech you let the concealing of my name be any preiudice to this my humble Petition Because I haue spoken somewhat against Papists I haue therefore concealed my name least being knowne I should fall into some of their hands For they are a bloodie brood a generation of vipers yea a generation whose teeth are as swords Math. 37. Pro. 30.14 and their iawe teeth as kniues to deuour the poore from the earth and the needie from among men The poore and needie Yea also the mightiest Monarkes in the World They eat their God and kill their Kings And therefore as the Elders of Samaria said among themselues of Iehu 2 King 10 14. Behold two Kings could not stand before him how then shall we stand So say I of them Behold they deuour their God and so may most truly be called Bellygods and they murther Princes How then can such a poore wretch as I am stand before them The God of grace direct you all Nobles Knights and Burgesses by his Spirit of grace so to goe to our most Noble and gracious King Neh. 1.4 and 2.1 c. Est 4.16 5.1 c. as Nehemiah did to Artaxerxes and Ester vnto Ahashuerosh that thereby ye may finde that grace with his most gracious Maiestie that Nehemiah found with Artaxerxes for Ierusalem and Ester with Ahashuerosh for her selfe and all the Iewes And the same God shew me and all before supplicated for such fauour with his Maiestie and Princely Sonne and you all for our selues and for the House of God in this his Kingdome Ezra 7.27 that we may say as Ezra said Blessed be the Lord God of our Fathers which hath put such a thing as this into the Kings heart to beautifie the House of the Lord here in England and hath extended mercie vnto vs before the King and his councellors and before all the kings mightie Princes Amen 1 Cor. 16.13 Quit you like men be strong