suspect that Dunstan who could blow Coals elsewhere as well as in his Furnace though at distance vertually or rather viciously present had a Finger yea a Hand therein Heart-broken with these Rebellions 958 King Edwin died in the Flower of his Age. 5 Edgati 1 24. Edgar succeeds him Dunstan recalled by King Edgar and takes a double Bishoprick and recalls Dunstan home 959 receiving him with all possible Affection 2 Yea now Dunstan's Stomack was come down and he could digest a Bishoprick which his Abstemiousness formerly refused And one Bishoprick drew down another VVorcester and London not successively but both a-breast went down his Conscience Yea never Age afforded more Pluralist Bishops In this Kings reign Letine held b Vid. Antiq. Britan. p. 83. Lincoln and Leicester oswald a great Monk-monger of whom hereafter held York and VVorcester Aldulph his Successour in both Churches did the like pardoned yea praised for the same though Woolstan because no favourer of Monks is reproved for the like Plurality Thus two men though doing the same thing do not the same thing Bigamy of Bishopricks goes by Favour and it is condemnable in one what is commendable in another Anno Regis Edgari 2 Odo Severus Anno Dom. 959 Arch-bishop of Canterbury being ceremoniously to consecrate Dunstan Bishop of VVorcester used all the Formalities fashionable at the Consecration of an a Antiq. Britan ibidem Arch-bishop And being reproved for the same he answered for himself That he foresaw that Dunstan instantly after his death would be Arch-bishop of Canterbury And therefore a compendious way to spare Paines he onely by a provident Prolepsis ante-dated his Consecration Surely whosoever had seen the decrepit age of Odo the affection of King Edgar to Dunstan the affection of Dunstan to Dignity needed no extraordinary prophetical Spirit to presage that on the supposition of Dunstan's surviving him he should succeed him in the Arch-bishoprick of Canterbury 25. Yea King Edgar was so wholly Dunstanized Oswald's Law to eject secular Priests that he gave over his Soul Body and Estate to be ordered by him and two more then the Triumvirate who ruled England namely Ethelwald Bishop of Winchester and Oswald Bishop of Worcester This Oswald was the man who procured by the Kings Authority the Ejection of all Secular Priests out of Worcester and the placing of Monks in their Room which Act was called Oswald's Law in that Age. They might if it pleased them have stiled it Edgar's Law the Legislative Power being then more in the King then in the Bishop This Oswald's Law afterwards enlarged it self over all England Secular Priests being thrown out and Monks every where fixed in their rooms till King Henry the eighth his Law outed Oswald's Law and ejected those Drones out of their Habitations 26. King Edgar violated the Chastity of a Nun at Wilton Dunstan's disciplining of king Edgar Dunstan getting notice thereof refused at the Kings Request to give him his Hand because he had defiled a Daughter of God as he termed her Edgar hereby made sensible of his Sin with Sorrow confessed it and Dunstan now Arch-bishop of Canterbury enjoyned him seven years Penance for the same Monks endeavour to inforcea mock-Parallel betwixt David and Edgar Nathan and Dunstan herein Sure I am on David's profession of his Repentance Nathan presently pronounced Pardon b 2 Sam. 12. 13 the Lord also hath put away thy Sin thou shalt not die consigning him to be punished by God the Principall using an Undutifull Son Treacherous Servants and Rebellious Subjects to be the Instruments thereof but imposing no voluntary Penance that David should by Will-worship undertake on himself All that I will adde is this If Dunstan did septennary Penance to expiate every mortall Sin to use their own Termes he committed he must have been a Methusalah extremely aged before the day of his Death 27. More commendable was Dunstan's Carriage towards an English Count 12 who lived incestuously with his own Kinswoman 969 Dunstan admonished him once And carriage towards an incestuous Count. twice thrice nothing prevailed whereupon he proceeded to Excommunicate him The Count slighted his Excommunication conceiving his Head too high for Church-Censures to reach it King Edgar falsly informed desires Dunstan to absolve him and is denied Yea the Pope sends to him to the same Purpose and Dunstan persists in his c Osbern in vita Dunstani Refusall At last the Count conquered with Dunstan's Constancy and the sense of his own Sin came into a Nationall Council at Canterbury where Dunstan sate President active therein to substitute Monks in the places of Secular Priests on his bare Feet with a Bundle of Rods tendering himself to Dunstan's Chastisement This wrought on Dunstan's mild Nature scarce refraining from Teares who presently absolved him 28. Three things herein are remarkable Observations thereon First that Bribes in the Court of Rome may purchase a Malefactor to be innocent Secondly that the Pope himself is not so infallible but that his Key may misse the Lock and he be mistaken in matter of Absolution Thirdly that men ought not so with blind Obedience to obey his pretended Holinesse but that if with Dunstan here they see just Cause to the contrary it is no Mortall Sin to disobey his Commands 29. The Apprentiship of Edgar's Penance long since expired Edgar's Canons why by us here related he flourished in all Monarchicall Lustre sole Founder of many Co-founder of more Benefactor to most Abbeys in England Anno Dom. 969 And as he gave new Cases to most Monasteries repairing their outward Buildings so he gave new Linings to all Anno Regis Edgari 12 substituting Monks in stead of the Secular Priests whom he expelled Many Ecclesiasticall Canons were by him ordained which at large are presented in S t. Henry Spelman and which I have neither List nor Leisure to recount in this my History Our Women have a Proverb It is a sad Burden to carry a dead mans Child and surely an Historian hath no heart to take much Pains which herein are Pains indeed to exemplify dead Canons dead and buried long since as most relating to Monkery this Age wherein we live being little fond of Antiquity to know those things which were antiquated so many yeares since 30. Now though the Devotion of King Edgar may be condemned to be byassed to Superstition Edgar a most triumphant King yet because the Sincerity of his Heart sought to advance Gods Honour according to the Light in those dark dayes he appears one of the most puissant Princes that ever England enjoyed both in Church and Common-wealth I have read in a most fair and authentick guilded a Extant in the precious Library of S r. Tho. Cotton Manuscript wherein he stileth himself Gods Vicar in England for the ordering Ecclesiasticall matters a Title which at this day the Pope will hardly vouchsafe to any
he maketh those who were to keep it in some sort Judges of the justness thereof endeavouring to convince their consciences and make their souls sensible of the natural uncleanness of such an act It is thy Brothers nakedness Such marriages are again forbidden in another Text. Anno Dom. 1530 Nor can I render other resson of this Duplicate Anno Regis Hen. 8. 22. whereas others are but once that this should be twice prohibited save that God foreseeing in his providence mens corrupt inclinations prone here to climb over did therefore think fit to make a double fence LEVIT 20. 21. And if a man shall take his Brothers Wife it is an unclean thing he hath uncovered his Brothers Nakedness they shall be Childless Here we have the Prohibition backt with a Commination of being Childless which is variously interpreted either that they shall never have children or if having them they shall not survive their Parents or if surviving they shall not be counted Children but Bastards illegitimate in the Court of Heaven This Commination of being childless as applied ad hominem fell heavy on King Henry the eighth who sensible that his Queen though happy often to conceive was unhappy almost as often to miscarry Henry his onely Christian son by her died before a full year old a second was nameless as never living to the honour of Baptism and of many blasted in the bud Mary onely survived to womans estate 11. Such as inquire into the nature of this Law finde it founded in Nature it self This proved to be a Law of Nature being onely declaratory of what true reason doth dictate to man God in making this Law did not imprint a new writing in mens hearts but onely rub off some old rust from the same wherefore it is added Levit. 18. 27 28. For all these abominations have the men of the Land done which were before you and the Land is defiled that the Land spue not you out also when ye defile it as it spued out the Nations that were before you Surely the Land would never have vomited out the Heathen for not observing a positive precept never immediately delivered unto them which plainly shews it was imprinted in nature though partly obliterated by their corrupt customes to the contrary and their consciences in their Lucid Intervals were apprehensive thereof This would make one the more to admire that any should maintain that this Law the breach whereof made the Country to avoid her Pagan Inhabitants should be onely a Senders de schism Angli pag. 3. lex imposititia Ecclesiastica an imposed and Church-Law To hear of a Church-Law amongst the Canaanites is a strange Paradox 12. It is objected this could not be a Law of Nature The Objection to the contrary because almost at the beginning of nature men brake them by the consent and permission of the God of heaven For Cain and Seth with the elder sons of Adam must be allowed to have married their own sisters far nearer in nature then their Brothers Wife 13. It is answered Answered when God first created man-kinde it was his pleasure all men should derive their original from Eve as she from Adam For had he made as one may say two distinct houses of Man-kinde what falling out and fighting what bickering and battleing would have been betwixt them If men now adayes descended from the loyns of one general Father and womb of one mother are full of so fierce hatred how many and keen may their differences be presumed had they sprung from several Fountains and then all their hatred would have been charged not on their corruption but on their Creation God therefore as the Apostle saith Acts 17. 26. hath made of one bloud all nations Now in the beginning of Mankinde absolute necessity gave Brethren liberty to marry their own sisters Yea God himself interpretatively signed and sealed the same with his own consent because his wisdom had appointed no other means without miracle for the propagation of man-kinde Anno Regis Hen. 8. 82. But when men began to be multiplied on the earth Anno Dom. 1530 that necessity being removed the light of Nature dictated unto them the unlawfulness of such marriages and of some others more remote as coming within the compss of Incest though the corrupt practises of Pagans sometimes trespassed in that kinde God therefore being to give his Law to the Jews cleared and declared that light of Nature by his positive Law unto his people to whom his Goodness gave a Garden and sorbad a Tree so inconsiderable were those few prohibited to the many persons permitted them in marriage For whereas there came out of a Exâ—d 12. 37. Egypt and six hundred thousand men besides children fifty persons at the most counting those forbidden as well by consequence as expresly were interdicted unto them amongst whom one was the Marriage with a Brothers Wife For although God Permitted this by a judicial Law ro his own people in case of b Deut. â—5 5. raising up seed to a Brother deceased childless the Will of God being the Law of Laws yet otherwise it was utterly unlawful as whereon God had stamped as is aforesaid a double Note of natural uncleanness 14. The Law then of forbidding marriage with a Brothers Wife Gods Laws indispensable with by the Pope being founded in nature it was pride and presumption in the Pope to pretend to dispense therewith Indeed we read that the dispensation of the Gospel to see it dealt and distributed to several persons was committed to c 1 Cor. 9. â—â— S t Paul whose joynt successour with S t Peter the Pope pretends to be but a Dispensation from the Law of God to free men from the same neither Paul nor Peter ever pretended unto Let the Pope make relaxations of such Church Canons which meerly Ecclesiastical Authority hath made there he may have the specious power to remit the rigour thereof at some times places and persons as he apprehendeth just occasion But let him not meddle to grant liberty for the breach of Gods Law The first Dispensation in this kinde is what Satan in the Serpent gave our first Parents in Paradice d Gen. 3. 4. you shall not surely dye and whether the Granter had less power therein or the receivers less profit therby we their woful posterity have little comfort to decide 15. Nor doth it any thing alter the case Carnal knowled not material in this controversie what was so much controverted in the Court of Rome whether or no Prince Arthur had carnal knowledge of his Wife seeing we may observe that in the Court of Heaven Marriages bear date not from their Copulation but solemn Contact And they thenceforward are esteemed Man and Wife before God For it is e Deut. 22. 24. provided that if a Damsel be betrothed to Husband still remaining a Virgin and shall be layen with by another man both of
shall be requisite In pursuance of these their Instructions the Kings Commissioners in their respective Counties recovered much and discovered more of Church-wealth and Ornaments For some were utterly imbeziled by persons not responsible and there the King must lose his right More were concealed by parties not detectable so cunningly they carried their stealths seeing every one who had nimmed a Church-Bell did not ring it out for all to hear the sound thereof Many potent persons well known to have such goods shufled it out with their greatnesse mutually connived at therein by their equalls fellow-offenders in the same kinde However the Commissioners regained more than they expected confidering the distance of time and the cold scent they followed so many years after the Dissolution This Plate and other Church-Utensils were sold and advanced much money to the Exchequer An * Sir John Hayward Authour telleth us That amongst many which they found they left but one silver Chalice to every Church too narrow a proportion to populous Parishes where they might have left two at the least seeing for expedition sake at great Sacraments the Minister at once delivereth the wine to two Communicants But they conceived one Cup enough for a small Parish and that greater and richer were easily able to purchase more to themselves 2. All this Income rather stayed the stomack Durham Bishoprick dissolved than satisfied the hunger of the Kings Exchequer For the allaying whereof the Parliament now sitting conferred on the Crown the Bishoprick of Durham This may be called the English Herbipolis or Wirtz-burge it being true of both Dunelmia sola judicat Ense Stola The Bishop whereof was a Palatine or Secular Prince and his Seal in form resembleth Royalty in the Roundnesse thereof and is not Oval the badge of plain Episcopacy Rich and entire the revenues of this See such as alone would make a considerable addition to the Crown remote the scituation thereof out of Southern sight and therefore if dissolved the sooner out of mens mindes Besides Cuthbert Tunstall the present Bishop of Durham was in durance and deprived for his obstinacy so that so stubborn a Bishop gave * yet the Duke of Northumberland either was or was to be possessour thereof the State the fairer quarrell with so rich a Bishoprick now annexed to the Kings revenue 3. Well it was for this See Afterwards restored by Qu. Mary though dissolved that the lands thereof were not dispersed by sale unto severall persons but preserved whole and entire as to the main in the Crown Had such a dissipation of the parts thereof been made no lesse than a State miracle had been requisite for the recollection thereof Whereas now within two years after Queen Mary restored Tunstall to this Bishoprick and this Bishoprick to it self re-setling all the lands on the same 4. By this time A wood rather a wildernesse of the Popes Canons such Learned men as were employed by the King to reform the Ecclesiastical Laws had brought their work to some competent perfection Let me enlarge my self on this subject of concernment for the Readers satisfaction When the Pope had ingrossed to his Courts the cognizance of all causes which either looked glanced or pointed in the least degree at what was reduceable to Religion he multiplied Laws to magnifie himself Whose principal designe therein was not to make others good but himself great not so much to direct and defend the good to restrain and punish the bad as to ensnare and entangle both For such the number of their Clementines 〈◊〉 Intrd. Extravagants Provincialls Synodalls Glosses Sentences Chapters Summaries Rescripts Breviaries long and short Cases c. that none could carry themselves so cautiously but would be rendred obnoxious and caught within the compasse of offending Though the best was for money they might buy the Popes pardon and thereby their own innocence 5. Hereupon Two and thirty Regulatours of the Canon-Law when the Popes power was banished out of England his Canon-Law with the numerous Books and branches thereof lost its authority in the Kings Dominions Yet because some gold must be presumed amongst so much drosse grain amongst so much chaffe it was thought fit that so much of the Canon Law should remain as was found conformable to the Word of God and Laws of the Land And therefore King Henry the eighth was impowred by Act of Parliament to elect two and thirty able persons to reform the Ecclesiastical Laws though in His Reign very little to good purpose was performed therein 6. But the designe was more effectually followed in the daies of King Edward the sixth Contracted to eight by King Edward the 6. reducing the number of two and thirty to eight thus mentioned in His Letters Patents dated at Westminster the last year Novemb 11. Bishops Thomas Cranmer of Canterbury Thomas Goodrich of Elie. Divines Peter Martyr Richard Cox Civilians and Canonists Dr. William May. Dr. Rowland Taylor of Hadley Common Lawyers John Lucas Rich Goodrick Esquires It was not onely convenient but necessary that Common Lawyers should share in making these Church Constitutions because the same were to be built not onely sure in themselves but also symmetricall to the Municipall Lawes of the Land These Eight had power by the Kings Patents to call in to their assistance what persons they pleased and are said to have used the pens of Sir John Cheeke and Walter Haddon Dr. in Law to turn their Lawes into Latine 7. However Laws no Laws not stamped with Royall Authority these had onely a preparing no concluding power so that when they had ended their work two things were wanting to make these Ecclesiastical Canons thus by them composed have the validity of Laws First an exact review of them by others to amend the mistakes therein As where * Titulo de Divinis Officiâ—s cap. 6. they call the Common Prayer Book then used in England proprium perfectum omnis divini cultus judicem magistrum a title truly belonging onely to the Scripture Secondly a Royall ratification thereunto which this King prevented by death nor any of His Successours ever stamped upon it Indeed I finde in an * Iohn 〈◊〉 at the end of his Preface to his Book intituled Reformation no enemy to Her Majesty Author whom I am half-ashamed to alledge that Doctor Haddon Anno 12 or 13 Elizabeth delivered in Parliament a Latine Book concerning Church-Discipline written in the daies of King Edward the sixt by Mr. Cranmer Sir John Cheek c. which could be no other than this lately mentioned Which Book was committed by the House unto the said Mr. Haddon Mr. George Bromley Mr. Norton c. to be translated I conceive into English again and never after can I recover any mention thereof save that some thirteen years since * Anno 1640. A silent Convocation it was printed in London 8. A Parliament was called in the last of this Kings
in the main agreeing together Quod duo stent Libri clausi Anglis Regiâ in ARA Lumina caeca duo Pollubra sicca duo An clausum caecúmque Dei tenet Anglia cultum Lumine caeca suo sorde sepulta suâ Romano ritu dum Regalem instruit ARAM Purpuream pingit * aliâ—s Religiosa Luxuriosa Lupam 42. Mr. George Herbert of Trinity-Coll in Cambridge made a most ingenious retortion of this Hexastick which as yet all my industry cannot recover Yet it much contenteth me that I am certainly informed that the posthume Remains shavings of Gold are carefully to be kept of that not lesse pious than witty writer are shortly to be put forth into Print when this his Anti pelvi Melvi But now at last Melvin his liberty was procured by the intercession of the chief of the Reformed in France Ann. Reg. Jac. 13 Ann. Dom. 1615. and being released he afterwards became Professour at Sedan in the Duke of â—ovillion his Countrey Here he ceased not to traduce the Church of England against which he wrote a scroale of Saphicks entituled TAMICHAMI-CATEGERIA 43. This year Thomas Bilson The death of Bishop Bilson Bishop of Winchester who carried Prelature in his very aspect ended his life first School-Master then Warden of Winchester afterwards Bishop of Worcester and lastly of Winchester A deep and profound Scholar excellently well read in the Fathers principally shewed in his Defence of Christ his descent into Hell 44. By the way Campian his falshood it is a falshood what Campian writes confidently that Cheney Bishop of Gloucester had affirmed unto him Namely that concerning this Article it was moved in a Convocation at London Quemadâ—odum sine tumultu penitus eximatur de Symbole How it might without any noise be wholly taken out of the Creed For no such debate appeateth upon Record in our Convocations and as for Campian his single affirmation is of no validity 45. Marcus Antonius de Dominis 1616. Dec. 6. Archbishop of Spalato Archbishop of Spalato came over into England was here courteously welcomed and plentifully preferred of whose hypocrisie and ingratitude largely b viz anno 1622. hereafter 46. King JAMES went into Scotland to visit His native Countrey Mar. 14. The King goes into Scotland with a Princely train In his passage thither He was much affected with a Sermon which one of his Chaplains preached upon this Text c Gen. 13. 2 3. Gen. 13. 2 3. And Abraham was very rich in cattell in silver and in gold And he went on his journeys from the South even to Bethell to the place where his Tent had been at the beginning As for His entertainment in Scotland we leave it to their Historians to relate For may my pen be plindered by the Borderers or Mosse-Troopers if offering to crosse Tweed into another Countrey 47. This year died Doctor William James The death of Bishop James born in Cheshire Master first of the University-Colledge then Dâ—an of Christ-Church in Oxford Chaplain to Robert Dudley Earle of Leitester and Confessour to him at his death and at last made Bishop of Durham He expended much on the repairing of the Chappel of Durham-house in the Strand and in his younger daâ—es was much commended for his hospitality 48. Two other prime Prelates accompanied him to the other world Bishop Robinson and Bishop Bennet Dr. Henry Robinson Provest of Queen-Colledge in Oxford Bishop of Carlisle of great temperance milde in speech but weak in constitution The other Robert Bennet Fellow of Trinity-Colledge in Cambridge Chaplain to the Lord Burleigh termed by a great Divine Eruditus Beneâ—ictus Bishop of Hereford well-deserving of his See whose Houses he repaired 49. Doctor Mocket Doctor Mocket his Translation of our English Liturgie Warden of All-Souls in Oxford Chaplain to George Abbot Archbishop of Canterbury set forth a Book in pure Latine containing The Apologie of the Church of England The greater and lesser Catechisme The nine and thirty Articles The Common Prayer The Ordination of Bishops Priests and Deacons The Politie or Government of the Church of England As for the Homilies too tedious to be translated at large he epitomized them into certain Propositions by him faithfully extracted 50. No sooner appeared this Book in print Cavilled at by many but many faults were found therein Indeed it fared the worse for the Authour the Authour for his Patron the Archbishop against whom many Bishops began then to combine Some accused him of presumption for undertaking such a task without d Yet â—um Privilegio is prefixt on the first page Commission from the KING it being almost as faâ—all for Private persons to tamper with such Publick matters Ann. Dom. 1617 Ann. Reg. Jac. 15 as for a Subject to match into the blood-Royal without leave of his Soveraigne Others complained that he enlarged the liberty of a Translatour into the licence of a Commenter and the Propositions out of the Homilies by him collected were made to lean to the judgment of the Collectour James Montague Bishop of Winchester a potent Courtier took exceptions that his Bishoprick in the marshalling of them was wronged in the method as put e In his Politica Ecclesiae Angl. cap 5. p. 314. The pinching accusation after any whose Bishop is a Privie Counsellour 50. But the main matter objected against it was That this Doctor was a better Chaplain than a Subject contracting the Power of his PRINCE to enlarge the Priviledge of his Patron allowing the Archbishop of Canterbury's power to confirm the Election of Bishops in his Provinces citing f ibid. pag. 309. for the same the 6â— Canon of the first Nicene Councell established by Imperiall authority If any be made a Bishop without the censent of his Metropolitan he ought not to be a Bishop 51. This was counted an high offence to attribute an obliging authority either to Canon or Civil Law Imperiall Decrees command not in England both which if crossing the Common Law of the Land are drowned in their passage as they saile over from Callis to Dover and K. JAMES justly jealous of his own Prerogative approved not such a confirming power in the Archbishop wich might imply a Negative Voice in case he disliked such Elects as the KING should recommend unto him 52. Hereupon On the burning of his Book Dr. Mocket dyeth Doctor Mocket his Book was ceasured to be burned which was done accordingly Now although the imperfections and indiscretions of this Translatour might be consumed as dross in the fire yet the undoubted truth of the Articles of the English Church therein contained as Flame-free and perfectly refined will endure to all eternity The Doctor took this censure so tenderly especially so much defeated in his expectation to finde punishment where he looked for preferment as if his life were bound up by sympathy in his Book he ended his daies soon after 53.
the English he instantly and actually repealed for his brother William had put all the Land out of love and liking of fair promises the cruel Norman Laws Laws written in bloud made more in favour of Deer then of Men more to manifest the power and pleasure of the imposer then for the good and protection of the Subject wherein sometimes mens mischances were punished for their misdeeds Yea in a manner King Heary gave eyes to the blind in winter-nights I mean light to them who fomerly lived though in their own houses in uncomfortable darkness after eight a clock when heretofore the Curseu-bell did ring the knell of all the fire and candle-light in English families But now these rigorous Edicts were totally repealed the good and gentle Laws of Edward the Confessor generally revived the late Kings extorting Publicanes whereof Ranulf Flambard Bishop of Durham the principal closely imprisoned the Court-corruption by the Kings command studiously reformed adultery then grown common with the loss of virility severely punished Anselme from exile speedily recalled after his return by the King heartily welcomed by the Clergie solemnly and ceremoniously received he to his Church his lands and goods to him fully restored English and Normans lovingly reconciled all interests and persons seemingly pleased Robert the Kings elder brother though absent in the Holy-Land yet scarcely missed and so this Century with the first year of King Hearie's reign seasonably concluded The end of the eleventh Century CENT XII Anno Regis Hen. 1. 2 Anno Dom. 1101. JOHANNI FITZ-JAMES DE LEUSTON In Com. Dorset ARMIG NOn desunt in hoc nostro saeculo qui Librorum Dedicationes penè ducunt superstitiosum planè superfluum sic enim argutuli ratiocinantur Liber si bonus Patrono non indiget sno Marte pergat sin malus Patrono ne sit dedecori suo merito pereat Habeo tamen quod huic dilemmati possim regerere Liber Meus nec bonus nec malus sed quiddam medium inter utrumque Bonum ipse non ausum pronuntiare cum plurimis Mendis Laboret Malum alii spero non dijudicent cum Legentibus possit esse usui Sub hác dubiâ Conditione vel Adversariis nostris Judicibus opus hoc nostrum Patronum sibi asciscere potest debet Et sub alis Clientelae tuae qui tam MARTE praestas quà m MERCURIO foveri serìo triumphat 1. GRrave Anselme Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Hen. 1 2. espoused and married Maud daughter of Malcolme King of the Scots 1101 and S t Margaret his wife to Henry King of England The Hellish imprecation of Maud when married to King Henry Shee had been a professed Votary and was pressed by the importunity of her parents and friends for Politick ends to this marriage insomuch as in the bitterness of her soul able to appale the writer hereof seeing his ink out-black'd with her expression she devoted the fruit of her body to the Devil because they would not permit her to perform her promise of Virginity Thus a Hist Ang. in Hen. 1. anno 1101. Matthew Paris But the Reader reserveth his other ear for the relation of Eadmerus reporting this story after a different yea contrary manner as followeth 2. The aforesaid Maud when a Girle The story otherwise told by Eadmerus an eye and ear witness lived under the tuition and correction of Christian her Aunt and Abbess of Wilton at what time the Norman souldiers conquering the Kingdom did much destroy and more endanger virgins by their violence Christian therefore to preserve this her Neete clapt a black cloath on her head in imitation of a Nuns vail which she unwillingly ware in the presence of her Aunt but in her absence off it went from above her head to under her heals so that in despightful manner she used to tread and trample upon it Yea if Malcolme her father chanced to behold her wearing that mock-vail with rage he would rend it off cursing the causers of it and avowing that he intended her no votary but a wife to Count Alan Besides two grave Arch-Deacons sent down to Wilton to enquire into the matter reported that for ought they could learn from the Nuns there this Maud was never solemnly entered into their order Hereupon a Councel was called of the English Clergy wherein some grave men attested of their own knowledg that at the Norman conquest to avoid the fury of the souldiery many maids out of fear not affection for protection not piety made a Cloyster their refuge not their choice were Nuns in their own defence running their heads but without their hearts into a vail And in this case it was resolved by learned Lanckfranck that such virgins were bound by an extraordinary obligation above other women b Eadmerus Novorum lib. 5. pag. 57 58. Debitam castitati reverentiam exhibere Nullam Religionis continentiam servare which is in effect that they must be chaste wives though they need not be constant maids These things alledg'd and prov'd Anselme pronounced the Nunship of Maud of none effect and solemnly married her to King Henry However some infer the unlawfulness of this match fron the unhappiness of their children all their issue male coming to untimely deaths But sad events may sometimes be improved by mens censures further then they were intended by Gods Justice and it is more wisdom seriously to observe them to the instructing of our selves then rigidly to apply them to the condemning of others The rather because Maud the Empress their sole surviving childe seemed by her happiness to make reparation for the infelicity of all the rest 3. Next year a more solemn Synod was summoned by Anselme A grand Synod of the Clergy and Laytie with the Constitutions thereof with the Kings consent 1102 held at Westminster whereat 3. besides Bishops were present at Anselmes request from the King the chief Lay-Lords of the Land and this Reason rendred Forasmuch as that whatsoever should be determined by the Authority of the said Councel might be ratified and observed by the joynt care and solicitousness of both estates But whether the Lords were present as bare spectators and witnesses to attest the fair Transaction of matters which some will conceive to little or whether they had a power to vote therein which others will adjudg too much is not clearly delivered Here we insert the constitutions of this Synod And let none say that it is vain to look after the Cobwebs when the besom of Reformation hath swept them away seeing the knowledg of them conduce much to the understanding of that Age. 1. That the a Fadmerus Hist Novorum lib. 3. pag. 67. 68. Heresie of Symony be severely punished for which several Abbots were then and there deposed 2. That Bishops undertake not the Office of secular Pleas wearing an habit beseeming Religious Persons and not be like Lay-men in their Garments and that alwayes and every where
3. We can give no account of Wicliffs parentage The learning of Wicliffe birth place or infancy onely we finde an ancient a Camd Brit. in the Bishoprick of Darham family of the Wicliffs in the Bishoprick of Durham since by match united to the Brakeâ—buries persons of prime quality in those parts As for this our Wicliffe history at the very first meets with him a Man and full grown yea Graduate of b Balcus Cent. 6. numero â— Merton Colledg in Oxford The fruitfull soil of his natural parts he had industriously improved by acquired learning not onely skill'd in the fashionable Arts of that Age and in that abstruse crabbed divinity all whose fruit is thornes but also well versed in the Scriptures a rare accomplishment in those dayes His publique Acts in the Schools he kept with great approbation though the â—ccho of his popular applause sounded the Alarum to awaken the envy of his adversaries against him 4. He is charged by the Papists Wicliffe accused for ambition and discontent as if discontent first put him upon his opinions For having usurped the c Harpsfield 〈◊〉 Wicliffiana cap. 1. Headshiâ— of Canterbury Colledg founded by Simon Iselep since like a tributary brook swallowed upon the vastness of Christ-Church after a long suit he was erected by sentence from the Pope because by the Statutes onely a Monk was capable of the place Others add that the loss of the Bishoprick of Worcester which he desired incensed him to revenge himself by innovations and can true doctrine be the fruit where ambition and discontent hath been the root thereof Yet such may know that God often sanctifies mans weakness to his own glory and that wife Architect makes of the crookedness of mens conditions streight beams in his own building to raise his own honour upon them Besides these things are barely said without other evidence and if his foes affirming be a proof why should not his friends denial thereof be a sufficient resutation Out of the same mint of malice another story is coyned against him how Wicliffe being once gravell'd in publique disputation preferring rather to say nons then nothing was fore'd to affirm that an d Idem ibidem accident was a substance Yet me thinks if the story were true such as defend the doctrine of accidents subsisting in the sacrament without a substance might have invented some charitable qualification of his paradox seing those that defend falshoods ought to be good fellows and help one another 5. Seven years Wicliffe lived in Oxford The employment of Wicliff in Oxford in some tolerable quiet having a Professours place and a cure of soules On the week dayes in the Schools proving to the learned what he meant to preach and on the Lords day preaching in the Pulpit to the vulgar what he had proved before Not unlike those builders in the second Temple holding a c Nehemiah 4. 17. Sword in one hand and a Trowell in the other his disputations making his preaching to be strong and his preaching making his disputations to be plain His speculative positions against the Reall Presence in the Eucharist did offend and distaste but his practical Tenents against Purgatory and Pilgrimages did enrage and bemadd his adversaries so woundable is the dragon under the left wing when pinched in point of profit Hereupon they so prevailed with Simon Sudbury Arch-Bishop of Canterbury that Wicliffe was silenced and deprived of his benefice Notwithstanding all which he wanted nothing secretly supplied by invisible persons and he felt many a gift from a hand that he did not behold 6. Here it will be seasonable to give in a List of Wicliffes Opinions Difference in the number of Wicliffs opinions though we meet with much variety in the accounting of them 1. Pope a Harpsfield in Hist Wicliffiana p. 684. Gregory the eleventh observed eighteen principal Errours in his Books and Wicliffe is charged with the same b Fox Martyr p. 398. number in the Convocation at Lambeth 2. THOMAS c Idem p. 401. ARUNDEL Arch-Bishop of CANTERBURY in a Synod held at Preaching-Friers in London condemned three and twenty of his Opinions the ten first for heretical and the thirteen last for erroneous 3. In the Councel at Constance d Idem p. 414. five and fourty Articles of false Doctrines were exhibited against WICLIFFE then lately deceased 4. THOMAS WALDENSIS computeth fourscore Errours in him 5. JOHN e Harpsfield Hist Wicliffe pag 669. LUCKE Doctor of Divinity in Oxford brings up the account to two hundred sixty six Lastly and above all JOHN f In hystoria Hussitarum in Prâ—lâ—g Tâ—mi priâ—i COCLEUS it is fit that the latest Edition should be the largest swells them up to full three hundred and three Wonder not at this difference as if Wicliffe's Opinions were like the Stones on Salisbury-plain falsely reported that no two can count them alike The variety ariseth first because some count onely his primitive Tenets which are breeders and others reckon all the frie of Consequences derived from them Secondly some are more industrious to seek perverse to collect captious to expound malicious to deduce far distant Consequences excellent at the inflaming of a Reckoning quick to discover an infant or Emâ—rio-errours which others over-look Thirdly it is probable that in process of time Wicliffe might delate himself in supplemental and additional Opinions more then he at first maintained and it is possible that the Tenents of his followers in after ages might be falsely fathered upon him We will tie our selves to no strict number or method but take them as finde them out of his greatest adversary with exact Quotation of the Tome Book Article and Chapter where they are Reported THOMAS WALDENSIS accuseth WICLIFFE to have maintained these dangerous heretical OPINIONS To. Bo Art Chap. OF THE POPE 4 2 1 1 1. That it is blasphemy to call any Head of the Church save Christ alone 1 2 3 39 2. That the election of the Pope by Cardinals is a device of the devil 1 2 1 2 3. That those are Hereticks which say that Peter had more power then the other Apostles 1 2 1 4 4. That James Bishop of Jerusalem was preferred before Peter 1 2 3 41 5. That Rome is not the Seat in which Christ's Vicar doth reside 1 2 3 35 6. That the Pope if he doth not imitate Christ and Peter in his life and manners is not to be called the Successour of PETER 1 2 3 38 7. That the Imperial and Kingly authority are above the Papal Power 1 2 3 48 8. That the doctrine of the infallibility of the Church of Rome in matters of faith is the greatest blasphemy of Antichrist 1 2 3 54 9. That he often calleth the Pope Antichrist 1 2 3 32 10. That Christ mean't the Pope by the * Mat. 24. 15. abomination of Desolation standing in the holy place     OF POPISH
suit ad tantam violentiam prolapsum ut in Sedis Apostolicae nuncios Legatos manus temerè mitterentur sicut â—evissimè sactum est in persona dilecti filii Johannis de Oisis Palatii Apostolici causarum auditoris in praesato regno Nunlii collectoris nosiri quem audivimus ex hâc sola causa quod literas Apostolicas nostro nomine praesentabat fuisse per aliquos de ipso regno carceribus mancipatum Quae injuria nobis Apostolicae sedi illata animum nostrum affecit admiratione turbatione molestia singulari Miramur enim stupescimus dolemus quod tam FOEDILM TURPE FACINUS in illo regno commissum sit contrà sedem B. Petri Nuntios ejus praesertim cum literae illae nostrae nil aliud quam salutem animarum honorem regni per omnia paternas sanctas admonitiones continerent Fuit enim semper etiam apud gentiles qui nullam tenebant verae fidei rationem inviolabile nomen Nuncii atâ— Legati etiamsi ab hostibus mitterentur semper salvi hodiè apud Saracenos Turcos à quibusciam tutè destinantur legationes literae etiamsi illis ad quos deferuntur molestae sint injuriosae Et nuncius noster vir humanus moderatus Anno Dom. 1393. continua conversatione notissimus in regno Angliae quod devotione fidei cultu divino se jactat omnes alias Christianas rationes superare turpiter captus est nihil impium nec hostile deferens sed literas salutares justas Sed revereantur aliquando illi qui sic contumaciter superbè Ecclesiam Dei contemnent Sedis Apostolicae authoritatem nè super ipsos eveniat justa punitio ex Christi judicio qui cam instituit fundavit Caveant nè tot cumulatis offensis Deum irritent ad ultionem tarditatem supplicii gravitate compensent Non videbatur eis satis offendisse Deum Statuta condendo contra vicarium ejus contra Ecclesiam Ecclesiae caput nisi pertinacitèr perseverantes in malo proposito in Nuntium Apostolicum violentas manus injicerent Quod non dubitamus tuae Excellentiae quae Ecclesiae regni honorem diligit displicere certi sumus quod si fuisses in Anglia pro tua naturali prudentia pro side devotione quam geres erga nos Ecclesiam Dei illos incurrere in hunc furorem nullatenus permisisses Verùm cum non solum ipsis qui hoc fecerunt sed toti regno magna accederit ignominia dietim si perseverabit in errore accessura sit major generositatem tuam in qua valdè confidemus exbortamur affectuose rogamus ut circa haec provideas prout sapientiae tuae videbitur honori nostro Ecclesiae ac saluti regni convenire Datum Romae apud Sanctos Apostolos VI Kal. Junii Pontificatus nostri Anno 12 mo Give Winners leave to laugh and Losers to speak or else both will take leave to themselves The less the Pope could bite the more he roared and as it appears by his language he was highly offended thereat This penal Statute as a Rod was for many years laid upon the desk or rather lock'd up in the cupboard No great visible use being made thereof until the Reign of King Hen. 8. whereof hereafter 38. Since the Reformation More scar'd then hurt the professors of the Common-Law have taken much advantage out of this Statute threatning therewith such as are active in the Ecclesiastical jurisdictions as if their dealings tended to be the disherison of the Crown A weapon wherewith they have rather flourished then struck it being suspicious that that appearing sword is but all Hilt whose Blade was near drawn out as this charge hath never been driven home against them but herein let us hearken to the Learned judgment of S r Thomas Smith Secretary of State who well knew the interest of his Soveraign therein 39. Because the Court a Sir Thomas Smiths judgment herein which is called Curia Christianitatis is yet taken for an extern and foraign Court and differeth from the Politie and manner of Government of the Realm Com. wealth of Eng. 3. book 11 Chap. and is another Court as appeareth by the Act and Writ of Praemunire then Curia Regis aut Reginae yet at this present this Court as well as others hath her force power authority rule and jurisdiction from the Royal Majesty and the Crown of England and from no other foreign Potentate or power under God which being granted as indeed it is true it may now appear by some reason that the first Statute of Praemunire whereof I have spoken hath now no place in England seeing there is no pleading alibi quam in Curia Regis ac Reginae All I will add of this Statute is this That it hath had the hard hap not to be honoured with so many Readings therein as other Statutes Perhaps because not bringing in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in proportion to the pains which must be laied out thereon and therefore I would invite some ingenious in our Common-Law and with such no doubt it aboundeth to bestow their learned endeavours thereon to their own honour and advancement of the truth in so noble a subject 40. Many poor souls at this time were by fear or flattery moved to abjure the truth 19. and promise future conformity to the Church of Rome 1395 In proof whereof The solemn form of an abjuration let not the Reader think much to peruse the following Instruments Anno Dom. 1395. First Anno Regis Ric. 2. 19. for the authentickness thereof being truly copied out of the Originals of the Tower Secondly because it conteines some extraordinary formalities of abjuration Lastly because the four persons mentioned therein have escaped M r Fox his observation seeing no drag-net can be so carefully cast as to catch all things which come under it a Ex Rotulâ— Clausaâ— de Anno Regni Regis decimo nono Richardi secundi membrana 18 Memorand quod primo die Septembris Anno Regni Regis Richardi Secundi post Conquestum decimo-nono Will. Dynet Nic. Taillour Nic. Poucher Will. Steynour de Notyngham in Cancellar ipsius Regis personaliter constituti sacra divisim prestiterunt sub eo qui sequitur tenore I WILLIAM DYNET be-for yhow worshipefull father and Lord Archbishop of Yhorke and Yhother Clergie with my free will and full avysede swere to God and to all his Sayntes upon this holy Gospells yat fro this day forwarde I shall worship ymages with preying and offeryng unto hem in the worschep of the sayntes that yey be made after And alsoe I shall never more despise pygremage ne states of holy Chyrche in no degree And alsoe I shall be buxum to the lawes of holy Chyrche and to yhowe as myn Archbishop and to myn oyer Ordinares and Curates and kepe yo lawes
us and with us unto Almighty God after this manner All holy Angels and Saints in heaven pray for us and with us unto the Father that for his dear son Jesu Christ his sake we may have grace of him and remission of our sins with an earnest purpose not wanting ghostly strength to observe and keep his holy commandements and never to decline from the same again unto our lives end And in this manner we may pray to our blessed Lady to Saint John Baptist to all and every of the Apostles or any other Saint particularly as our devotion doth serve us so that it be done without any vain superstition as to think that any Saint is more mercifull or will hear us sooner than CHRIST or that any Saint doth serve for one thing more than another or is parrone of the same And likewise we must keep Holy-daies unto God in memory of him and his Saints upon such daies as the Church hath ordained their memories to be celebrate except they be mitigated and moderated by the assent and commandment of Us the Supreme Head to the Ordinaries and then the Subjects ought to obey it Of Rites and Ceremonies As concerning the Rites and Ceremonies of Christ's Church as to have such vestments in doing Gods service as be and have been most part used as sprinkling of Holy water to put us in remembrance of our Baptism and the blood of Christ sprinkled for our redemption upon the Cross Giving of Holy-bread to put us in remembrance of the Sacrament of the Altar that all Christian men be one body mystical of Christ as the bread is made of many grains and yet but one loaf and to put us in remembrance of the receiving of the holy Sacrament and body of Christ the which we ought to receive in right charity which in the beginning of Christ's Church men did more often receive than they use now adaies to do Bearing of Candles on Candle-mas-day in memory of Christ the spiritual Light of whom Siemeon did prophecie as is read in the Church that day Giving of Ashes on Ash wednesday to put in remembrance every Christian man in the beginning of Lent and penance that he is but ashes and earth and thereto shall return which is right necessary to be uttered from henceforth in our Mother-tongue alwaies on the Sunday Bearing of Palms on Palm-Sunday in memory of the receiving of Christ into Hierusalem a little before his death that we may have the same desire to receive him into our hearts Creeping to the Crosse and humbling our selves to Christ on Good Friday before the Crosse and there offering unto Christ before the same and kissing of it in memory of our redemption by Christ made upon the Crosse Setting up the Sepulture of Christ whose body after his death was buried The hallowing of the Font and other like exorcismes and benedictions by the Ministers of Christs Church and all other like laudable Customes Rites and Ceremonies be not to be contemned and cast away but to be used and continued as things good and laudable to put us in remembrance of those spiritual things that they doe signifie not suffering them to be forgotten or to be put in oblivion but renewing them in our memories from time to time but none of these Ceremonies have power to remit sinne but onely to stirre and lift up our mindes unto God by whom onely our sinnes be forgiven Of Purgatorie Forasmuch as due order of charity requireth and the Book of Macca bees and divers antient Doctours plainly shewen That it is a very good and charitable deed to pray for Souls departed and forasmuch also as such usage hath continued in the Church so many years even from the beginning We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach Our people committed by us unto their spiritual charge that no man ought to be grieved with the continuance of the same and that it standeth with the very due order of charity a Christian man to pray for Souls departed and to commit them in our prayers to God's mercy and also to cause other to pray for them in Masses and Exequies and to give alms to other to pray for them whereby they may be relieved and holpen of some part of their pain But forasmuch as the place where they be the name thereof and kinde of pains there also be to us uncertain by Scripture therefore this with all other things we remit to Almighty God unto whose mercy it is meet and convenient for us to commend them trusting that God accepteth our prayers for them referring the rest wholy to God to whom is known their estate and condition Wherefore it is much necessary that such abuses be clearly putaway which under the name of Purgatorie hath been advanced as to make men believe that through the Bishop of Rome's Pardons Souls might clearly be delivered out of Purgatorie and all the pains of it Or that Masses said at Scala coeli or otherwhere in any place or before any Image might likewise deliver them from all their pain and send them straight to heaven And other like abuses 36. Nothing else of moment passed in this Convocation The Convocation dissolved and what acted in Parliament save that on the 20 of July Edward Bishop of Hereford July 20. brought in a Book containing the King's Reasons conceiving it unfit in Person or by Proxie to appear at the General Councel lately called by the Pope at Mantua afterward removed to Trent and then the Convocation having first confirm'd the King's Reasons was dissolved It was transacted in relation to Church or Church-men in the contemporary x See them in the Statutes at large Parliament 1. That Felons for abjuring Petty Treason should not have y Cap. 1. Clergie 2. That every Ecclesiastical and Lay-Officer shall be sworn to renounce the Bishop of Rome and his authority and to resist it to his power and to repute any Oath taken in the maintenance of the said Bishop or his authority to be void And the refusing the said Oath being tendered z Cap. 10. shall be adjudged High Treason 3. That Fruits during the vacation of a Benefice shall be restored to the next Incumbent a Cap. 11. whose charge for first shall begin from the first vacation 4. Which Spiritual persons shall be resident upon their Benefices and which not and for what causes 5. Release of such who have obtained Licences from b Gap 16. the See of Rome But all these are set down at large in the printed Statutes and thither we referre the Reader for satisfaction as to our History of Abbies to be informed about the Rebellion in the North occasioned in this year by these alterations in Religion 37. Towards the end of this year The birth bâ—eeding frist persecution far travelling of William Tyndal the faithfull servant of God Ann. Dom. 1536. Octob. 7. William Tyndall alià s c Balcus de script
Isabell Sackvile Lady Prioresse of Clarkenwell is an eminent instance of longevity in this kinde For 1. In the one and twentieth of King Henry the seventh she was a * To be seen in the pedegree of the Barl of Dorset Weaver fun Mon. pag. 429. Nun in Clarkenwell-Priory when a Legacy was bequeathed her as Niece by William Sackvile Esquire and must be then conceived fifteen years of age 2. She was the last Prioresse of Clarkenwell at the dissolution thereof 3. She died in the twelfth of Queen Elizabeth as appears by her Epitaph in Clarkenwell-Church and by Computation must be allowed Eighty years of age But farre older was that Monk or Nun I am * Attested by 〈◊〉 Pymme's Kinsman to Godfrey Bp. of Gloucester See his printed Paper assured of the Story not the Sex to whom Living in or neer Hampshire Mr. John Pymme then an Officer in the Exchequer paid the last payment of his Pension about the fift year of King James SECTION VI. DOMINO THOMAE TREVOR Juniori Equiti Aurato MVlti sunt praeproperi Haeredes qui nimiâ parentum vivacitate cruciantur Hi languidâ expectatione macrescunt postquam Rura Paterna spe vanâ devoraverant At Tu è contra Venerandi Patris tui Canitiem si fieri posset immortalem reddere conaris cum eam perpetuo Obsequio humilime colas quo efficacius Kardiacum ad Senectutem ejus elongandam nequit confici Non in Patris sed â—undi senescentis Annos inquiris cum Historiâ plurimum delecteris cujus ope si Praeterita cum Praesentibus conferantur conjectura de Futuris statui potest quo nomine hoc opus nostrum tibi non ingratum fore confido Deus â—e Lectissimâmque Conjugem beat prole patrizante non tam privato commodo quà m Bono Publico ne Respulica tantarum virtutum Haeredi destituatur Of the Erection Officers Vse Continuance and Abolishing of the Court of Augmentation DUring the scuffling for Abbey-land Augmentation Court when erected in the 27 year of King Henry the eighth the Court of Augmentation was set up by Act of Parliament to be a Court of Record and to have an authentick Great Seal besides a Privie Seal and several Officers appointed for management thereof with large fees allowed unto them I finde the same exemplified in a fair Vellum Manuscript which lately was Archbishop Parkers since the Lord Cokes whence I transcribed as followeth Sir Rich Sackvile Chancellor three hundred pounds yearly Fee forty pounds Diet and six shillings eight pence for every Seale Sir Jo Williams Treasurer three hundred and twenty pounds Fee Sir Will Cavendish Treasurer of the King's Chamber one hundred pounds Fee one hundred pound Dyet and ten pounds Boat-hire Sir Thomas Moyle Sir Walter Mildmay Generall Receivers to each two hundred pounds Fee and twenty pounds Diet. Rich Goodrich Attorney one hundred pounds Fee and twenty marks Diet. Jo Gosnall Solicitor eighty pound Fee Diet twenty marks Besides Masters and Surveyors of the woods Clerks Keepers of Records Ushers Messengers Assistants Carpenter and Mason to the Court Auditors Receivers Surveyors Woodwards for every County the totall summe of their Fees yearly amounting unto Seven thousand two hundred forty nine pounds ten shillings and three pence This Catalogue by the persons mentioned therein seems taken towards the end of Edward the sixt when the Court began to decline 2. It belonged unto this Court to order The imployment of the Offiâ—eâ—s in this Court survey and govern sell let set all Manours lands tenements rents services tythes pensions portions advowsons patronages and all hereditaments formerly belonging to Priories and since their dissolution to the Crown as in the printed Statute * An. 17 HeÌ„ 8. cap. 27. more largely doth appear All persons holding any Leases Pensions Corodies c. by former grants from the Covents came into the Court produced their Deeds and upon examination of the validity thereof had the same allowed unto them And although providence for themselves and affection to their kindred prompted many Fryers and Covents foreseeing their rottering condition to antedate Leases to their friends just at the dissolution yet were they so frighted with fear of discovery that very few frauds in that kinde were committed The Court was very tender in continuing any Leases upon that least legall consideration 3. But after some continuance of this Court Motives for the dissolution of this Court the King 's urgent occasions could not stay for the slow coming in of money from the yearly Revenues of Abbey-land insomuch that He was necessitated to sell out-right a great part of those Lands for the present advance of Treasure and thereby quickly was the Court of Augmentation diminished The King therefore took into consideration to dissolve it as superfluous wherein the Officers were many their Pensions great Crown profits thereby small and Causes therein depending few so that it was not worth the while to keep up a Mill to grinde that grist where the Toll would not quit cost It was therefore resolved to stop up this by stream that all causes therein should run in the antient channell of the former Courts of Westminster 4. Indeed in the 7 of King Edw. 6. Finally dissolved in the first year of Queen Mary a doubt did arise amongst the Learned in the Laws whether the Court of Augmentation the Commencement whereof was first had by authority of Parliament would legally be dissolved extinguished and repealed by the King's Letters Patents And the Officers thereof wonder not if they stickled for their own concernments did zealously engage on the Negative Wherefore it was enacted by Parliament That the King during His naturall life had present power by His Letters Patents to alter unite annex reduce or dissolve any of those new erected Courts by His own Letters Patents And the same Act was confirmed in the first year of Queen Mary when the short-lived Court of Augmentation was dissolved as which from the birth thereof 1535 to the extinguishing 1553 survived but eighteen years The Lands of Chanteries free Chappels and Colledges dissolved KIng Henry the eighth his expences like sandy ground Prodigality alwaies wanteth suddenly suckt up the large shower of Abbey lands and little signe or shew was seen thereof yea such the parching thirst of his pressing occasions that still they called aloud for more moysture for whose satisfaction the Parliament in the 38 year of His Reign put the Lands of all Colledges Chanteries and free Chappels in His Majesties full disposition 2. This King made three meals King Henry's three meals on Abbey-lands or if you will one meal of three courses on Abbey-lands besides what Cardinal Wolsey the King's Taster herein had eat before-hand when assuming smaller Houses to endow his two Colledges 1. When Religious Houses under two hundred pounds a yeare â— Anno 1535 were granted to Him by the Parliament 2. When all greater Monasteries â— 1538 3. When Colledges Chanteries and Free
Reign wherein no Church-matter was medled with save that therein a Subsidie granted by the Clergy was confirmed Such moneys being the Legacie of course which all Parliaments fairly coming to a peaceable end bequeath to their Sovereign As for the Records of this Convocation they are but one degree above blanks scarce affording the names of the Clerks assembled therein Indeed they had no Commission from the King to meddle with Church-businesse and every Convocation in it self is born deaf and dumb so that it can neither hear complaints in Religion nor speak in the redresse thereof till first Ephata be thou opened be pronounced unto it by Commission from Royall Authority 9. Now The true reason thereof the true reason why the King would not intrust the diffusive body of the Convocation with a power to meddle with matters of Religion was a just jealousie which He had of the ill affection of the major part thereof Ann. Dom. 1553. who under the fair rinde of Protestant profession Ann. Reg. Ed. 6. 7. had the rotten core of Romish superstition It was therefore conceived safer for the King to relie on the ability and fidelity of some select Confidents cordiall to the cause of Religion than to adventure the same to be discussed and decided by a suspitious Convocation 10. However Forty two Articles of Religion and the Kings Catechisme this barren Convocation is intituled the parent of those Articles of Religion fourty two in number which are printed with this Preface Articuls de quibus in Synodo Londinensi Anno Domini 1552. inter Episcopos alios eruditos viros convenerat With these was bound a Catechisme younger in age as bearing date of the next year but of the same extraction relating to this Convocation as authour thereof Indeed it was first compiled as appears by the Kings Patent prefix'd by a single Divine * ◠pio quodam crudito viro conscipto in the Kings Patent Consented and not consented to by the Convocation charactred pious and learned bu◠afterwards perused and allowed by the Bishops and other learned men understand it the Convocation and by Royall Authority commended to all Subjects commanded to all School Masters to teach it their Scholars 11. Yet very few in the Convocation ever saw it much lesse explicitly consented thereunto but these had formerly it seems passed over their power I should be thankfull to him who would produce the originall instrument thereof to the select Divines appointed by the King in which sense they may be said to have done it themselves by their Delegates to whom they had deputed their authority A case not so clear but that it occasioned a cavill at the next Convocation in the first of * See more thereof in the next year Queen Mary when the Papists therein assembled renounced the legality of any such former transactions Pretious King Edward the sixt now changed his Crown of Gold for one of Glory July 6. we will something enlarge our selves The death of K. Edward the sixt who was not cut out of His Mothers belly as is commonly reported to give posterity His true Character never meeting more virtues in so few years For His Birth there goeth a constant tradition that Caesar-like He was cut out of the belly of His Mother Jane Seymour though a great person of Honour deriving her Intelligence mediately from such as were present at Her Labour assured me of the contrary Indeed such as shall read the calm and serene style of that Letter which I have seen written though not by for that Queen and signed with Her own Signet after Her delivery cannot conjecture thence that any such violence was offered unto Her But see the Letter RIght trusty and welbeloved Queen Ianes Letter after Her Delivery to the Lords of the Councell We greet you well and forasmuch as by the inestimable goodnesse and grace of Almighty God We be delivered and brought in Childe-bed of a PRINCE conceived in most lawfull Matrimony between my Lord the Kings Majestie and Vs. Doubting not but that for the love and affection which you bear unto Vs and to the Common-wealth of this Realm thi◠knowledge shall be joyous and glad tidings unto you We have thought good to certifie you of this Iame To the intent ye might not onely render unto God condigne thanks and praise for so great a benefice but also continually pray for the long continuance and preservation of the same here in this life to the honour of God joy and pleasure of my Lord the KING and Vs and the universall weal quiet and tranquility of this whole Realm a a Extant in Sir Tho. Cottons Library sub Ner. cap. 10. ¶ Given under our Signet at my Lords Manour of Hampton-Court the 22 day of October And although this Letter was soon after seconded with b Extant ibid. another of a sadder subject here inserted subscribed by all the Kings Physitians yet neither doth that so much as insinuate any impression of violence on Her person as hastening Her death but seems rather to cast the cause thereof on some other distemper THese shall be to advise your Lordships of the Queens estate Yesterday afternoon She had a natural Lax A sadder Letter of Her Physitians unto them by reason whereof She began to lighten and as it appeared to amend and so continued till towards night All this night She hath been very sick and doth rather appare than amend Her Confessour hath been with Her Grace this morning and hath done that to his office appertaineth and even now is preparing to minister to Her Grace the Sacrament of Unction ¶ At Hampton-Court this Wednesday morning at eight a clock Your Lordships at Commandement Thomas Cutland Robert Karhold Edward Bayntam John Chambers Priest William Butts George Owen Impute we here this Extreme Unction administred to Her partly to the over-officiousness of some superstitious Priest partly to the good Ladies inability perchance insensible what was done unto her in such extremity otherwise we are confident that Her judgment when in strength and health disliked such practices being a zealous Protestant Which Unction did her as little good as the twelve Masses said for Her soul in the City of London at the Commandement of the Duke of Norfolk whether he did it to credit their Religion with the countenance of so great a Convert or did it out of the Nimiety of his own Love and Loyaltie to the Queen expressing it according to his own judgment without the consent if not against the will of the Queens nearest kindred 12. But leaving the Mother Prince Edw. towardlinesse in learning let us come to the Son who as he saith of himself in the Manuscript of His Life was for the first six years bred and brought up amongst the Women and then consigned to masculine Tuition under Doctor Richard Cox and Sir John Cheekè who taught Him Latine and John Belmain who
volley of ill words discharged at them amongst which none so mortal to their reputation as the word Schismatick wherewith the Coxians branded them at their departure Much fending and proving there was betwixt them whether Schismatick was properly applyable to such who agreeing in doctrine dissented onely in superfluous ceremonies In conclusion nothing was concluded amongst them as to agreement And now no pitty shewed at their departure no sending of sighes or shedding of tears on either side the one being as glad of the room they left as the other were desirous of their own removall 10. If any be curious to know the names of such The names of such as went to Geneva who separated themselves from this Congregation of Frankford this ensuing catalogue a Taken out of their subscription to a letter in the Troubles of Frankford pag. 47. will acquaint him therewith William William Anthonie Christopher Thomas Iohn Williams Whittingham Gilby Goodman Cole Fox Thomas William Iohn Iohn Christopher Nicolas Wood. Keth◠Kelke Hilton Soothous Purfote Iohn Thomas William Laurence Iohn Anthonie Escot Grafton Walton Kent Hellingham Carier Of these M r. Fox with a few moe went to Basil the rest settled themselves at Geneva where they were all most courteously entertained And now who can expect less but that those still remaining at Frankford as the same in opinion should be the same in affection and live in brotherly love together But alas man while he is man will be man and Sathan the sower of tares 6. 155. 7. did set a sad dissention betwixt them which we come now to relate 11. There was an eminent member of the Congregation in Frankford The sad difference betwixt Mr. Ashley and Mr. Horne M r. Ashley by name one of a worshipfull b Troubles of Frankford pag. 55. degree and as it seems of a Spirit not to say Stomack no whit beneath his extraction Jan. 14. 16. Now there happened some high words at Supper betwixt Him and M r. Horn then Pastor of the Congregation yet so that all the difference by the seasonable mediation of the Guests was then seemingly composed But two dayes after M r. Ashley was convented before the Elders where it was laid to his charge that at time and place aforesaid he had spoken words slanderous to them and their Ministry Ashley appealed from them as an adversary Part against Him and therefore no competent Judges unto the whole Congregation as men of estimation with both Parties to hear and determine the difference betwixt them 12. Hereat M r. Horn and the Elders were highly offended Horne and the Elders in discountent quit their places pleading that they had received authority from the whole Church to hear and decide such Cases Ann. Dom. 6. 155-7 and were resolved not to depart with the power so legally delegated unto them And whereas many meetings were made of M r. Ashleys friends to debate his businesse M r. Horne and the Elders condemned them as tending to schism accounting their own presence so of the Quorum to any lawful assembly that without it all conventions were conventicles Yea M r. Horne and the Elders perceiving that M r. Ashleys friends being most numerous in the Congregation would bring his Cause to be determined by the diffusive Church Feb. 2. fully and freely forsook their Ministry and Service therein Preferring rather willingly to un-Pastor and dis-Elder themselves than to retain the place without the power Title without the Authority due thereunto 13. This deserting of their Duty Where at the Church is highly offended was by others interpreted an high contempt of the Congregation Especially when two dayes after a full Church met with an empty Pulpit 4. wherein none to teach the people The Ashleyans being far the major part took exception that Horne and the Elders should so slightly and suddenly quit what before they had so seriously and solemnly accepted as if their Pastoral charges were like their cloaths or upper garments to be put off at pleasure to coole themselves in every heat of Passion Besides these men being married in a manner to their Ministeriall Functions could not legally divorce themselves without mutual consent and the Churches approbation thereof 14. Soon after the State of the controversie was altered Inquiry how to proceed against the Pastor and Elders if accused M r. Ashleys businesse being laid aside and another of an higher concernment taken up in the room thereof namely how the Congregation should proceed against the Pastor and Elders in case they were accused for misdemeanour For hitherto no provisions were made in the constitutions of this Church to regulate this case if chancing to occur Whether because the compilers of those constitutions charitably presumed on the integrity of all such Officers or omitted the making any law against them in favour to themselves as most probable to obtain such places or because no canons can at once be compleated 14. but a reserve must be left for the additions of others to perfect the same But now eight were appointed to regulate the manner of the proceeding of the Congregation against Pastor and Elders if peccant who were without or rather above censure according to the old Discipline which still inflamed the anger of M r. Horne and his Party 15. A Party much advantaged by M r. Chambers siding therewith Mr. Chambers accused of injustice because He was keeper of the charity conferred on and contributions collected for the Congregation Now where goeth the Purse there goeth the Poor most in want were of Hornes side in hope of the larger relief This made others complain of Chambers as an unjust Steward of the Churches treasure too free to such as He affected and bountifull only of Taunts and ill Terms to those of a different Judgement making neither Mens Need or Deserts but only his own fancy the direction of his Distributions 16. Now began their brawls to grow so loud The scandal of this dissention that their next neighbours over-heard them I mean the State of Frankford took notice thereof to the shame of all and grief of all good in the English Nation For how scandalous was it that exiles of the same Country for the same Cause could not agree together But man in misery as well as man in honour hath no understanding Yea they began to fear lest many Dutch-men hitherto their bountifull Benefactours should for the future withdraw their benevolences conceiving these exiles wanted no mony who had such store of animosities and probably poverty would make them more peaceable amongst themselves Their discords were the worse because the Vernali mart at Frankford did approach and it would be welcome ware and an usefull commodity for Popish Merchants meeting there to carry over into England and all the world over the news of their distractions 17. Hereupon the Magistrate of Frankford interposed to arbitrate their differences 〈…〉 short friends but whether
assuredly expect from him If before and above all things seeking for that one thing which is needfull the rather because God hath done great things for you already for which you have cause to rejoyce A great and good * 1 Sa. 18. 23 man said to his fellow-servants Seemeth it a small thing to you to be Son in-law to a King A greater honour was done to your first Ancestor who was SON TO A KING namely to Hardinge King of Denmark whence Fitz-Harding your most ancient sir-name But labour SIR for a higher honor then both Even to be led by GODS SPIRIT and then you shall be even in the language of the Apostle himself * Rom. 8. 14. FITZ-DIEU A SON OF GOD. Now as your Eminent bounty unto me may justly challenge the choicest of my best endeavours So the particular motive inducing me to dedicate this Booke to your honor is because it containeth the reign of Queen Elizabeth to whom you are so nearly related Whose * The heir generall of George Carâ—e L. Hunsdon whose Grandmother Mary was second Sister to Anne Bollen Grandmother proved her heir by ANNE BOLLEN her mother In which capacity some of that Queens or rather the Lady Elizabeths moveables and Jewels which were her Mothers descended unto her You may therefore challenge an interest most properly in this part of my History And now what remaineth but my humble and hearty prayers to the Divine Majesty for his blessing on your selfe and on your hopefull Issue That God would plentifully powre all his fauours of this and a better life upon them Suspect me not Sir for omitting because not expressing your noble Consort We finde in the fourth commandement Thou and thy Son and thy Daughter c. Where Divines render this reason why the wife is not mentioned because the same person with the Husband On which account your second self is effectually included within the daily devotions of Your bounden Orator Thomas Fuller THE CHVRCH-HISTORY OF BRITAINE Anno. Regin Eliza. 1. SECTION I. CENT XVI Anno. Dom. 1559 1. FOr the first six weeks the Queen Her slow but sure pace of Reformation and her wife councell suffered matters to stand in their former state without the least change as yet not altering but consulting what should be altered Thus our Saviour himself coming into the Temple and finding it profaned with sacriledge when he had looked round about upon all things a Mar. 11. 11. departed for the evening contenting himself with the survey of what was amisse and deferring the reformation thereof till the next morning but on the first b Holinshed 1. year of Q. Elizabeth pag. 1172. of January following being Sunday the best new-yeers-gift that ever was bestowed on England by vertue of the Queens Proclamation the Letanie was read in English with Epistles and Gospels in all Churches of London as it was formerly in her Graces own Chappel 2. But some violent Spirits The forwardness of private men in publique reformation variously censured impatient to attend the leisure by them counted the lazinesse of authority fell before hand to the beating down of superstitious Pictures and images and their forward zeal met with many to applaud it For Idolatry is not to be permitted a moment the first minuite is the fittest to abolish it All that have power have right to destroy it by that Grand charter of Religion whereby every one is bound to advance Gods glory And if Soveraâ—gns forget no reason but Subjects should remember their duty But others condemned their indiscretion herein for though they might reforme their private persons and families and refraine to communicate in any outward act contrary to Gods word yet publique reformation belonged to the Magistrate and a good deed was by them ill done for want of a calling to do it However the Papists have no cause to tax them with over-forwardness in this kinde the like being done by them in the beginning of Queen Maries raigne whilst the laws of King Edward the Sixth stood as yet in full force when they prevented authority as hath been c See â—6 Cent. 2 part â— paragraph formerly observed thus those who are hungry and have meat afore them will hardly be kept from eating though Grace be not said and leave given them by their superiours 3. Now the tidings of Queen Elizabeths peaceable coming to the crown Anno. Dom. 1558. was no sooner brought beyond the Seas but it fitted the English Exiles with unspeakable glandness 〈…〉 being instantly at home in their hearts and not long after with their bodies I knew one right well whose father amongst them being desperately diseased was presently and perfectly cured with the cordiall of this good news and no wonder if this Queen recovered sick men which revived religion it self Now the English Church at Geneva being the greatest opposer of ceremonies sent their letter by William Ceth to all other English Congregations in Germany and especially to those of Frankford congratulating their present deliverance condoling their former discords counselling and requesting that all offences heretofore given or taken might be forgiven and forgotten and that for the future they might no more fall out about sâ—perfluous ceremonies a It was dated Decem. 15. but not received till about Ianuâ—r the second see 〈◊〉 at Frankford pag. 162. But this letter came too late because the principall persons concerned in that controversie with whom they sought a charitable reconciliation were departed from Frankford I think towards England before the messenger arrived and so the motion missed to take effect Some suppose had it come in season it might have prevailed much that both parties in gratitude to God would in a bonefire of their generall joy have burnt this unhappy bone of dissention cast betwixt them Others considering the distance of their principles and difference of their spirits conceive such an agreement neither could be wrought nor would be kept betwixt them For it is the property of cold to congregate together things of different kinds and if the winter of want pinching them all with poverty could not freeze their affections together less likely was it that the warmth of wealth in their native Soâ—le would conjoyne them in amity but rather widen them further asunder as indeed it came to passe For as the rivers of Danubius and Savus in Huagarie though running in the same channell yet for many miles keep different streames visible in their party-coloured waters which do rather touch then unite yea the fishes peculiar to one stream are not found in another So these opposite parties returning home though concurring in doctrine under the generall notion of Protestants were so reserved in severall disciplines to themselves with their private favourites and followers that they wanted that comfortable communion which some hop'd and all wished would be amongst them Till at last they brake out into dolefull and dangerous opposition whereat all Papists clap
and Protestants wring their hands which our fathers found begun our selves see hightened and know not whether our children shall behold them pacified and appeased 4. But now a Parliament began at Westminster Alteration of Beligion enacted by the Parliament Wherein the Laws of King Henry the eighth against the See of Rome were renewed Jann 25. and those of King Edward the sixth in favour of the Protestants revived and the Laws by Queen Mary made against them repealed Uniformity of Prayer and Administration of Sacraments was enacted with a Restitution of first fruits Tenths c. to the Crown For all which we remit the Reader to the Statutes at large It was also enacted that whatsoever Jurisdictions Priviledges anâ— Spiritualls preeminences had been heretofore in Vse by any Ecclesiasticall Authority whatsoever to visit Ecclesiasticall men and Correct all manner of Errors Hereâ—es Schisms Abuses and Enormities should be for ever annexed to the Imperiall Crown of England if the Queen and her Successours might by their Letters patents substitute certain men to exercise that Authority howbeit with proviso that they should define nothing to be heresie but those things which were long before defined to be Heresies out of the Sacred Canonicall Scriptures or of the four Oecumenicall Councills or other Councills by the true and proper sence of the Holy Scriptures or should thereafter be so defined by authority of the Parliament with assent of the Clergy of England assembled in a Synod That all and every Ecclesiasticall Persons Magistrates Receivers of pensions out of the Exchequer such as were to receive degrees in the Vniversities Wards that were to sue their Liveries and to be invested in their Livings and such as were to be admitted into the number of the Queens servants c. should be tyed by oath to acknowledge the Queens Majesty to be the onely and supreme Governour of her Kingdoms the Title of Supreme head of the Church of England liked them not in all matters and causes as well spiritual as temporal all forrain Princes and Protestants being quite excluded from taking Cognizance of Causes within her Dominions 5. But the Papists found themselves much agrieved at this Ecclesiasticall Power Papists exceptions against the Queens Supremacy declared and confirmed to be in the Queen they complained that the simplicity of poore people was abused the Queen declining the Title Head and assuming the name Governour of the Church which though less offensive was more expressive So whil'st their ears were favoured in her waving the word their souls were deceived with the same sence under another Expression They cavilled how King a Sanders de Schismate Anglicano lib. 3. pag. 316. Henry the eighth was qualified for that Place and Power being a Lay-man King Edward double debarr'd for the present being a Lay-childe Queen Elizabeth totally excluded for the future being a Lay-woman b Hart against Rainolds pag. 673. They object also that the very c In Praefat. centur 7. writers of the Centuries though Protestants condemne such Headship of the Church in PRINCES and d Upon the 7. of Amos 3. The same how defended by Protestant Divines Calvin more particularly sharply taxeth Bishop Gardiner for allowing the same Priviledge to KING Henry the eighth 6. Yet nothing was granted the Queen or taken by her but what in due belonged unto her according as the most learned and moderate Divines have defended it For e Rainolds against Hart pag. 38. first they acknowledged that Christ alone is the Supreme Soveraign of the Church performing the Duty of an head unto it by giving it power of life feeling and moving and f Ephes 1. 22. him hath God appointed to be head of the Church and Col. 2. 19. by him all the body furnished and knit together by joynts and bands encreaseth with the encreasing of God This Headship cannot stand on any mortall shoulders it being as incommunicable to a Creature as a Creature is incapable to receive it There is also a peculiar Supremacy of Priests in Ecclesiasticall matters to preach the Word minister the Sacraments celebrate Prayers and practise the discipline of the Church which no Prince can invade without usurpation and the sin of Sacriledge for Incense it self did stink in the Nostrils of the God of heaven and h 2 Chr. 26. 19 provoked his Anger when offered by King Vzziah who had no calling thereunto Besides these there is that power which Hezekiah exercised in his Dominions Commanding the Levites and Priests to do their Duty and the People to serve the Lord. And to this power of the Prince it belongeth to restore Religion decayed reforme the Church Corrupted protect the same reformed This was that supremacy in Causes and over Persons as well Ecclesiasticall as Civil which was derived from God to the Queen annexed to the Crown disused in the dayes of her Sister whose blinde zeal surrendred it to the Pope not now first fixed in the Crown by this act of State but by the same declared to the Ignorant that knew it not cleared to the scrupulous that doubted of it and asserted from the Obstinate that denied it 7. As for Calvin How Dr. Rainolds answereth the exceptions to the contrary he reproveth not Reader it is D r. Rainolds whom thou readest the title of head as the Peotestants granted it but that sense thereof i against Hart pag. 673. which Popish Prelates gave namely Stephen Gardiner who did urge it so as if they had meant thereby that the King might do things in Religion according to his own will and not see them done according to Gods will namely that he might forbid the Clergie Marriage the laytie the Cup in the Lords Supper And the truth is that Stephen Gardiner was shamelessly hyperbolicall in fixing that in the King which formerly with as little Right the Pope had assumed Whether he did it out of mere flattery as full of adulation as superstition equally free in sprinkling Court and Church holy-water and as very a fawning Spaniel under King Henry the eighth as afterwards he proved a cruel Blood-hound under Queen Mary his Daughter Or because this Bishop being in his heart disaffected to the Truth Anno Dom. 1557. of set purpose betrayed it in defending it Anno Regin Eliza. 1. suting King Henries vast Body and Minde with as mighty yea monstrous a power in those his odious instances straining the Kings Authority too high on set purpose to break and to render it openly obnoxious to just exception The Centuriatoâ—s also well understood do allow and a Idem ibidem Confess the Magistrates Jurisdiction in Ecclesiasticall matters though on good reason they be enemies to this Usurpation of unlawfull power therein But I digresse and therein Transgresse seeing the large profecution hereof belongs to Divines 9. But Sanders taketh a particular exception against the Regular passing of this Act Sunders 〈…〉 Elizabeth shewing much Queen-Craft in
and the Scotch in the minority of King James exacted it of Noblemen Gentlemen and Courtiers which here was extended onely to men of Ecclesiastical function Not that the Queen and State was careless of the spiritual good of others leaving them to live and believe as they list but because charitably presuming that where Parishes were provided of Pastors Orthodox in their judgments they would by Gods blessing on their preaching work their people to conformity to the same opinions * Querie about the 20 Article whether shufled in or no. Some question there is about a clause in the twentieth Article whether originally there or since interpolated Take the whole a Pag. 98. Article according to the common Edition therof Twentieth Article of the Authority of the Church The Church hath power to decree Rites or Ceremonies and authority in controversies of faith And yet it is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to Gods word neither may it so expound one place of Scripture that it be repugnant to another Wherefore although the Church be a Witness and keeper of holy writ yet as it ought not to decree any thing against the same so besides the same ought it not to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of salvation Take along with this the bitter invective of a modern b Mr Burton in his Apologie Minister who thus laieth it on with might and main on the backs of Bishops for some unfair practice herein in an epistle of his written to the Temporal Lords of His Majesties Privy Councel reckoning up therein Fourteen Innovations in the Church The Prelates to justifie their proceedings have forged a new Article of Religion brought from Rome which gives them full power to alter the Doctrine and Discipline of our Church at a blow and have foisted it into the twentieth Article of our Church And this is in the last edition of the Articles Anno 1628. in affront of his Majesties Declaration before them The clause forged is this The Church that is the Bishops as they expound it hath power to decree rites and ceremonies and authoritie in matters of faith This clause is a forgery fit to be examined and deeply censured in the Star-chamber For it is not to bee found in the Latin or English Articles of Edward 6 or Queen Elizabeth ratified by Parliament And if to forge a Will or writing be censurable in the Star-chamber which is but a wrong to a private man How much more the forgery of an Article of Religion to wrong the whole Church and overturn Religion which concerns all our souls 57. Such as deal in niceties discover some faltering from the truth in the very words of this grand Delator The accuser his first mistake For the Article saith that The Church hath authority in controversies of faith He chargeth them with challenging authority in matters of Faith Here some difference betwixt the terms For matters of faith which all ought to know and believe for their souls health are so plainly setled by the Scriptures that they are subject to no alteration by the Church which notwithstanding may justly challenge a casting voice in some controversies of faith as of less importance to salvation 58. But to come to the main matter The dubious appearing of this clause this clause in question lieth at a dubious posture at in and out sometimes inserted sometimes omitted both in our written and printed copies Inserted in The originall of the Articles 1562 as appeareth under the hand of a Publick Notary whose inspection and attestation is only decisive in this case So also Anno 1593. and Anno 1605. and Anno 1612. all which were publick and authentick Editions Omitted in The English and Latine Articles set forth 1571. Anno Dom. 1563. Anno Regin Eliza. 5. when they were first ratified by Act and whose being as obligatory to punishment beares not date nine yeers before from their composition in Convocation but hence forward from their confirmation in Parliament And now to match the credit of private Authours in some equality we will weigh M r. Rogers Chaplain to Arch-Bishop Whitgift inserting this clause in his Edition 1595. against D r. Mocket Chaplain to Arch-Bishop Abbot omitting it in his Latine translation of our Articles set forth 1617. 59. Arch-bishop Laud Arch-Bishop Land his opinion in the point in a speech which he made in the Star-Chamber inquiring into the cause why this clause is omitted in the printed Articles 1571. thus expresseth himself * * In his speech made Iune 14. 1637. pag. 65. Certainly this could not be done but by the malicious cunning of that opposite Faction And though I shall spare dead mens names where I have not certainty Yet if you be pleased to look back and consider who they were that governed businesses in 1571. and rid the Church allmost at their pleasure and how potent the Ancestors of these Libellers began then to grow you will think it no hard matter to have the Articles printed and this clause left out I must confess my self not so well skilled in Historicall Horsemanship as to know whom his Grace designed for the Rider of the Church at that time It could not be Arch-Bishop Parker who though discreet and moderate was sound and sincere in pressing conformity Much less was it Grindall as yet but Bishop of London who then had but little and never much influence on Church-Matters The Earle of Leicester could not in this phrase be intended who alike minded the insertion or omission of this or any other Article As for the non-Conformists they were so far at this time from riding the Church that then they first began to put foot in stirrup though since they have dismounted those whom they found in the saddle In a word concerning this clause whether the Bishops were faulty in their addition or their opposites in their Substraction I leave to more cunning State-Arithmeticians to decide 60. One Article more we will request the Reader to peruse An Article to confirme the Homilies made in King Edward his reign as the subject of some historicall debates which thereon doth depend 35. Article of Homilies The second Booke of Homilies the severall titles whereof we have joyned under this Article doth contain a godly and wholsome Doctrine and necessary for these times as doth the former Booke of Homilies which were set forth in the time of Edward the sixth and therefore we judge them to be read in Churches by the Ministers diligently and distinctly that they may be understood of the People See we here the Homilies ranked into two formes Anno Regin Eliza. 4. The first such as were made in the Raign of Edward the sixth being twelve in number Of which the tenth of obedience to Magistrates was drawn up at or about Kets Rebellion in a dangerous juncture of time For as it is observed of the Gingles or S t.
very yeer these three were cited to appear before Edmuna Grindall BP Their judgements of the Queen of London one who did not run of himself yea would hardly answer the spur in pressing conformity the BP asked them this question Have we not a godly Prince a The Register of 〈◊〉 pag. 33. speak is she evill To which they made their severall answers in manner following William White What a question is that the fruits do shew Thomas Rowland No but the Servants of God are persecuted under her Robert Hawkins Why this question the Prophet answereth in the Psalms How can they have understanding that work iniquity spoyling my peoplâ— and that extoll vanity Wonder not therefore if the Queen proceeded severely against some of them commanding them to be put into Prison though still their Party daily increased 11. Nicholas Wotton died this year Dean at the same time of Canterbury and Yorke The death of Dr. Wotton so that these two Metropolitan Churches so often contesting about their Priviledges were reconciled in his preferment He was Doctour of both Laws and some will say of both Gospels who being Privie Councellour to King Henry the Eighth Edward the Sixth Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth never overstrained his conscience such his oylie compliance in all alterations However he was a most Prudent man and happily active in those many Embassies wherein he was employed 12. The Romanists were neither ignorant not to observe 9. 1568 Harding and Saunders Bishop it in England nor idle not to improve the advantage lately given them by the discords betwixt the Bishops and Nonconformists And now to strengthen their Party two most active fugitive Priests Thomas Harding and Nicholas Saunders return into England and that Episcopall power which they had lately received from the Pope they largely exercised on the Papists 1. Absolving all English in the Court of Conscience who returned to the bosome of their Church 2. Dispensing with them in cases of irregularity saving such which proceeded from wilfull murder 3. Even from irregularity of heresie b Camdens Eliz. in this year on condition that the Party to be absolved refrained three years from the Ministery of the Altar Very earnest they were in advancing the Catholick Cause and perverted very many to their own Erroneous opinions 13. Mary Queen of Scots 10. May 17. ill used at home by her own Subjects made an escape into England Q of Scots comes into England and landed at Wirkington in Cumberland the Statepart of whose sufferings we leave to Civill Historians confining our selves to the imprinted passages concerning Religion beginning with her letter to the Pope Most Holy Father Anno Dom. 1568. Anno Regin Eliza. 10. AFter the kissing of your most holy feet Her letter to Pope Pius Quintus hi herâ—o never printed the Copy whereof was as with many other rarities bestowed on me by James Arch-Bishop of Armagh I having been advertised that my Rebels and their Fautours that retain them in their Countries Nove 30. have wrought so effectually by their practises that it hath been related unto the King of Spain my Lord and good Brother that I am become variable in the Catholick Religion although I have within some dayes past written to your Holinesse devoutly to kiss your feet and recommending me unto you I do now again most humbly beseech you to hold me for a most devout and a most obedient Daughter of the Holy Catholick Roman Church and not to give faith unto those reports which may easily come or shall hereafter come to your ears by means of the false and calumnious speeches which the said Rebels and other of the same Sect have caused to be spread abroad that is to say that I have changed my Religion thereby to deprive me of your Holinesse grace and the favour of other Catholick Princes The same hath touched my heart so much that I could not fail to write again of new to your Holinesse to complain and bemoan my self of the wrongs and of the injuries which they do unto me I beseech the same most humbly to be pleased to write in my favour to the devout Christian Princes and obedient sons of your Holinesse exhorting them to interpose their credit and authority which they have with the Queen of England in whose power I am to obtain of her that she will let me go out of her country whither I came secured by her promises to demand aid of her against my Rebels and if neverthelesse she will retain me by all means yet that she will permit me to exercise my Religion which hath been forbidden to me for which I am grieved and vexed in this Kingdom insomuch as I will give you to understand what subtilties my Adversaries have used to colour these calumniations against me They so wrought that an English Minister was sometimes brought to the place where I am streightly kept which was wont to say certain prayers in the vulgar tongue and because I am not at my own liberty nor permitted to use any other Religion I have not refused to hear him thinking I had committed no errour Wherein neverthelesse most Holy Father if I have offended or failed in that or any thing else I ask misericordia of your Holinesse beseeching the same to pardon and to absolve me and to be sure and certain that I have never had any other will then constantly to live the most devout and most obedient Daughter of the Holy Catholick Roman Church in which I will live and die according to your Holinesse advises and precepts I offer to make such amends and pennance that all Catholick Princes especially your Holinesse as Monarch of the world shall have occasion to rest satisfied and contented with me In the mean time I will devoutly kiss your Holinesse feet praying God long to conserve the same for the benefit of his Holy Church Written from Castle a a The Lord Scroop his house in Yorke shire where Sr. Fra. Knowls was her keeper Boulton the last of November 1568. The most devout and obedient Daughter to your Holinesse the Q of Scotland Widdow of France MARIA I meet not with the answer which his Holinesse returned unto her and for the present leave this Lady in safe custody foreseeing that this her exchange of letters with Forraign Princes and the Pope especially will finally cause her destruction 14. Thomas Young Arch-Bishop of Yorke died at Sheffield June 26. Anno Regin 11. The death of T 〈◊〉 Arch 〈◊〉 of York and was buried in his own Cathedrall He plucked down the great Hall at Yorke built by Thomas his predecessour five hundred yeers before so far did plumâ—i sacra fames desire to gain by the leade prevail with him Yet one presumeth to avouch that all that lead in effect proved but dross unto him being a S. 〈◊〉 Harington in his addition to Bp. Godwins catalogue in fine defeated of the
Spirit and present them spotlesse and unblameable to their Saviour In discharge of which function We which are by Gods goodnesse called to the government of the aforesaid Church do spare no pains labouring with all earnestness that Unity and the Catholick Religion which the Author thereof hath for the triall of his childrens faith and for our amendment suffered with so great afflictions might be preserved uncorrupt But the number of the ungodly hath gotten such power that there is now no place left in the whole world which they have not assayed to corrupt with their most wicked Doctrines Amongst others Elizabeth the pretended Queen of England the servant of wickedness lending thereunto her helping hand with whom as in a Sanctuary the most pernicious of all have found a refuge This very woman having seised on the Kingdom and monstrously usurping the place of Supreme Head of the Church in all England and the chief authority and jurisdiction thereof hath again brought back the said Kingdom into miserable destruction which was then newly reduced to the Catholick Faith and good fruits For having by strong hand inhibited the exercise of the true Religion which Mary the lawfull Queen of famous memory had by the help of this See restored Anno Dom. 1570. Anno Regin Eliza. 13. after it had been formerly overthrown by Henry the eighth a revolter therefrom and following and embracing the errours of Hereticks She hath removed the Royall Councell consisting of the English Nobility and filled it with obscure men being Hereticks suppressed the embracers of the Catholick Faith placed dishonest Preachers and Ministers of impieties abolished the sacrifice of the Mass Prayers Fastings Choice of meats Unmarried life and the Catholick Rites and Ceremonies commanded Books to be read in the whole Realm containing manifest Heresie and impious mysteries and institutions by Her self entertained and observed according to the prescript of Calvin to be likewise observed by Her Subjects presumed to throw Bishops Parsons of Churches and other Catholick Priests out of their Churches and Benefices and to bestow them and other Church-livings upon Hereticks and to determine of Church-causes prohibited the Prelates Clergy and People to acknowledge the Church of Rome or obey the Precepts and Canonicall Sanctions thereof compelled most of them to condescend to Her wicked Laws and to abjure the authority and obedience of the Bishop of Rome and to acknowledge Her to be sole Ladie in temporall and spirituall matters and this by oath imposed penalties and punishments upon those which obeyed not and exacted them of those which perserved in the unity of the faith and their obedience aforesaid cast the Catholick Prelates and Rectors of Churches in prison where many of them being spent with long languishing and sorrow miserably ended their lives All which things seeing they are manifest and notorious to all Nations and by the gravest testimony of very many so substantially proved that there is no place at all left for excuse defence or evasion We seeing that impieties and wicked actions are multiplied one upon another and moreover that the persecution of the faithfull and affliction for Religion groweth every day heavier and heavier through the instigation and means of the said Elizabeth because We understand Her minde to be so hardened and indurate that She hath not only contemned the godly requests and admonitions of Catholick Princes concerning Her healing and conversion but alas hath not so much as permitted the Nuncioes of this See to cross the seas into England are constrained of necessity to betake our selves to the weapons of justice against Her not being able to mitigate our sorrow that We are drawn to take punishment upon one to whose Ancestors the whole state of all Christendome hath been so much bounden Being therefore supported with His authority whose pleasure it was to place Us though unable for so great a burden in this supreme throne of justice We do out of the fulnesse of Our Apostolick Power declare the aforesaid Elizabeth being an Heretick and a favourer of Heresies and Her adherents in the matters aforesaid to have incurred sentence of Anathemaâ— and to be cut off from the unity of the body of Christ And moreover We do declare Her to be deprived of Her pretended title to the Kingdom aforesaid and of all Dominion Dignity and Priviledge whatsoever and also the Nobility Subjects and People of the said Kingdom and all other which have in any sort sworn unto Her to be for ever absolved from any such oath and all manner of duty of Dominion Allegiance and Obedience As We do also by authority of these presents absolve them and do deprive the same Elizabeth of Her pretended title to the Kingdom and all other things above-said And We do command and interdict all and every the Noble-men Subjects People Anno Regin Eliza. 12. Anno Dom. 1569. and others aforesaid that they presume not to obey Her or Her monitions mandates and laws and those which shall do the contrary We do innodate with the like Sentence of Anathem And because it were a matter of too much difficulty to convey these presents to all places wheresoever it shall be needfull Our will is that the copies thereof under a publick Notaries hand and sealed with the seal of an Ecclesiastical Prelate or of his court shall carry together the same credit with all people judicially and extrajudicially as these presents should do if they were exhibited or shewed Given at Rome at S t. Peters in the year of the incarnation of our Lord one thousand five hundred sixty nine the fifth of the Kalends of March and of Our Popedom the fifth year Cae Glorierius H. Cumyn 25. The principall persons The different opinions of English Catholicks concerning this excommunication whose importunity solicited the Pope to thunder out this excommunication were D r. Harding D r. Stapleton D r. Morton and D r. Web. And now the news thereof flying over into England variously affected the Catholicks according to their several dispositions 1. Some admired and applauded the resolution of His holinesse expecting all persons should instantly start from the infectious presence of the Queen and that that virgin-rose so blasted should immediately wither 2. Others would not believe that there was any such excommunication at all but that it was a mere slander devised by the common enemy to make all Catholicks odious 3. Others accounted such Excommunication though denounced of no validity a Watsons Qâ—â—dlibets pag. 262. because the reasons which moved the Pope thereunto were falsely and surreptitiously suggested to His Holiness 4. Others did question the lawfulnesse of all excommunications of Princes according to the rule of S t. Thomas Princeps multitudo non est excommunicanda where the uncertain profit which might follow could not countervail the certain mischief which would ensue 5. Others did condemne the present excommunication pro hic nunc as unexpedient probable to incense and exasperate the
swearing were so great a grievance Nihil analogum nothing like unto it which may amount to as much shall hereafter be substituted in the room thereof 62. Let it not here be forgotten Nonconformists persecuted in the Star-Chamber that because many did question the legality and Authority of the High Commission Arch-Bishop Whitgiâ—t so contrived the matter that the most sturdy and refractory Non-conformists especially if they had any visible Estates were brought into the Star-Chamber the power whereof was above dispute Where some of them besides imprisonment had very heavie fines imposed upon them And because most of the Queens Councel were present at the Censures This took off the Odium from the Arch-Bishop which in the high Commission lighted chiefly if not only upon him and fell almost equally on all present therein 63. John Fox this year ended his life The death of Mr. Fox to whom in some respect our History of him may resemble it self For he in his lifetime was so large a reliever of poor people to and above his estate that no wonder if at his death with some Charitable Churles he bequeathed no Legacies unto them Thus have we been so bountifull in describing the life and transcribing the Letters of this worthy Confessor that the Reader will excuse us if at his death we give no farther Character of his piety and painfulness Only let me adde that whereas there passeth a Tradition grounded on good Authority that M r Fox fore-told the ruine and destruction of the Invincible so called Armado in the eighty eight The story is true in its selfe though he survived not to see the performance of his own prediction 64. Nor will it be amiss to insert his Epitaph as we finde it on his Monument in S. Giles nigh Cripple-Gate in London Christo S. S. Johanni Foxo Ecclesiae Anglicanae Martyrologo fidelissimo Antiquitatis Historicae Indagatori sagacissimo Evangelicae veritatis propugnatori acerrimo Thaumaturgo admirabili qui Martyres Marianos tanquam Phoenices ex cineribus redivivos praestitit 65. His dear friend D. Laurence Humfrey And of D. Humfrey may be said to die with him though his languishing life lasted a year longer so great his grief to be parted from his fellow-Collegue bred together in Oxford and banished together into Germany But see more of his character in the year 1596 where by mistake which here I freely confess his death is inserted 66. About this time M r William Lambert finished his Hospital at Greenvich The first Protestant Hospitall founded and endowed by him for poor people He was the first Protestant who erected a charitable House of that nature as our * Camd. Brit. in Kent Antiquary observeth though I cannot wholly concur with his observation seeing King Edward the sixt founded Christ-Church and S t. Thomas Hospital 67. Indeed now pardon a short digression began beautifull Buildings in England Beautifull Buildings begin in England as to the generality thereof whose Homes were but homely before as small and ill-contrived much Timber being needlesly lavished upon them But now many most regular Pieces of Architecture were erected so that as one saith they began to dwell latiùs and lautiùs but I suspect not Laetiùs Hospitallity daily much decaying 68. Amongst other Structures Wimbleton House in Surrey was this yeer begun and finished the next as appeareth by an inscription therein by S t. Thomas Cecil afterward Lord Burghley On the self same token that many years after Gondomar treated therein by the Lord with a plentiful feast was highly affected with his entertainment and much commended the uniformity of the fabrick till the DATE thereof shewed unto him dashed all as built when the Spanish Armado was defeated 69. Indeed at this time there was more uniformity in the Buildings Non-conformists stirr than conformity in the Church behaviour of men the sticklers against the Hierarchy appearing now more vigorous though for a time they had concealed themselves SECTION VII To M r. Hamond Ward and M r. Richard Fuller of London Merchants IT is usuall for the Plaintiffe to put two or three names upon the same Writ taken out of the Upper-Bench alwayes provided the persons dwell in the same County and this is done to save Charges My thanks doth here imbrace the same way of thrift That so the small stock of my History may hold out the better amongst my many Friends and Favourers And this my Ioynt-Dedication is the more proper because you live in the same City are of the same profession and if not formerly this may minister the welcome occasion of your future acquaintance BUt now a Session of Parliament was held at Westminster A Sixteen sold Pâ—â—â—â—ion presented by the Commons to the Lord in Parliament wherein the House of Commâ—ns presented to the Lords Spirituall and Temporall a Petition Complaining how many Parishes especially in the North of England and Wales were destitute of Preachers and no care taken to supply them Sixteen were the particulars whereof the six first were against insufficient Ministers very earnestly pressing their taking the same into their serious consideration for speedy redress of the grievances therein contained 7. That no oath or subscription might be tendered to any at their enterance into Ministry but such as is expressely prescribed by the statutes of this Realm except the oath against corrupt entring 8. That they may not be troubled for omission of some rites or portions prescribed in the Book of Common-Prayer 9. That they may not be called and urged to answer before the officials and Commissaries but before the Bishops themselves 10. That such as had been suspended or deprived for no other offence but only for not subscribing might be restored and that the Bishops would forbear their Excommunication ex officio mero of godly and learned Preachers not detected for open offence of life or apparent errour in doctrine 11. That they might not be called before the High-Commission or out of the Diocess where they lived except for some notable offence 12. That it might be permitted to them in every Arch-Deaconry to have some common exercises and conferences amongst themselves to be limited and prescribed by the Ordinaries 13. That the High censure of Excommunication may not be denounced or executed for small matters 14. Nor by Chancellours Commissaries or officials but by the Bishops themselves with assistance of grave persons 15. 16 That Non-residency may be quite removed out of the Church or at least that according to the Queens Injunctions Artic. 44. No Non-resident having already a licence or faculty may enjoy it unless he depute an able Curate that may weekly preach and catechize as is required in her Majesties injunctions Of all these particulars the house fell most fiercely on the Debate of Pluralities and the effect thereof Non-Residents 2. Arch-Bishop Whitgift pleaded The Arch-Bishops pleasâ—r Nonresidents that licences for Non-Residency were at the present but seldome granted
quickly be perused and yet then no such effigiation was therein discovered which some nineteen weeks after became visible about the nineteenth of September following Surely had this pregnant straw gone out its full time of fourty weeks it would have been delivered of a perfect picture indeed whereas now miscarrying before that time wonder not if all things were not so complete therein 54. For the face therein was not so exact Not perfectly done as which might justly intitle heaven to the workmanship thereof Say not it was done in too small a scantling to be accurate for Deus est maximus in minimis Gods exquisitenesse appears the most in q Exod. 8. 18. modells Whereas when Witnesses were examined about this mock-miracle before the Archbishop of Canterbury Francis Bowen deposed that he believed that a good Artisan might have drawn one more curiously and Hugh Griffith himself attested that it was no more like Garnet than to any other man who had a beard and that it was so small none could affirm it to resemble him adding moreover that there was no glory or streaming raies about it which some did impudently report 55. However Garnet's beâ—tification occasioned by this mock-miracle this inspirited straw was afterward copied out and at Rome printed in pomp with many superstitious copartments about it as a coronet a crosse and nails more than ever were in the originall Yea this miracle how silly and simple soever gave the ground-work to Garnet's beatification by the Pope some moneths after Indeed Garnet complained before his death That he could not expect that the Church should own him for a Martyr and signified the same in his Letter to his dear Mistresse Anne but for her sirname call her Garnet or Vaux as you please because nothing of religion and onely practices against the State were laid to his charge It seemed good therefore to his Holinesse not to canonize Garnet for a solemn Saint much lesse for a Martyr but onely to beatificate him which if I mistake not in their heavenly heraldrie is by Papists accounted the least and lowest degree of celestiall dignity and yet a step above the Commonaltie or ordinary sort of such good men as are saved This he did to qualifie the infamie of Garnet's death and that the perfume of this new title might out-sent the stench of his treason But we leave this Garnet loth longer to disturb his blessednesse in his own place and proceed to such Church-matters as were transacted in this present Parliament 56. Evil manners prove often though against their will the parents of good laws Acts against Papists in Parliament but principally the Oath of Obedience as here it came to passe The Parliament begun and holden at Westminster the fifth of November and there continued till the 27 of May following enacted many things for the discovering and repressing of Popish Recusants extant at large in the printed Statutes Whereof none was more effectuall than that Oath of Obedience which every Catholick was commanded to take the form whereof is here inserted The rather because this Oath may be termed like two of Isaac's r Gen. 26. 20. 21. wells Esek and Sitnah Contention and Hatred the subject of a tough controversie versie betwixt us and Rome about the legall urging and taking thereof Protestants no lesse learnedly asserting than Papists did zealously oppose the same The form of which Oath is as followeth I A. B. doe truly and sincerely acknowledge professe testifie and declare in my conscience before God and the world That our Soveraigne Lord King James is lawfull and rightfull King of this Realm and of all other His Majesties Dominions and Countreys and that the Pope neither of himself nor by any authority of the Church or See of Rome or by any other means with any other hath any power or authority to depose the King or to dispose any of His Majesties Kingdomes or Dominions or to authorize any forraign Prince to invade or annoy Him or His Countâ—â— or to discharge any of His subjects of their allegiance and obedience to His Majestie or to give licence or leave to any of them to bear armes raise tumult or to offer any violence or hurt to His Majesties Royall Person State or Government or to any of His Majesties subjects within His Majesties Dominions Also I doe swear from my heart that notwithstanding any declaration or sentence of Excommunication or deprivation made or granted or to be made or granted by the Pope or his Successours or by any authority derived or pretended to be derived from him or his See against the said King His Heires or Successours or any absolution of the said subjects from their obedience I will bear faith and true allegiance to His Majestie His Heires and Successours and Him and Them will defend to the uttermost of my power against all conspiracies and attempts whatsoever which shall be made against His or Their Persons Their Crown and Dignity by reason or colour of any such sentence or declaration or otherwise and will doe my best endeavour to disclose and make known unto His Majestie His Heires and Successours all treasons and traiterous conspiracies which I shall know or hear of to be against Him or any of Them And I doe farther swear That I doe from my heart abhorre detest and abjure as impious and hereticall this damnable doctrine and position That Princes which be excommunicated or deprived by the Pope may be deposed or murthered by Their subjects or any other whatsoever And I do believe and in conscience am resolved that neither the Pope nor any person whatsoever hath power to absolve me of this Oath or any part thereof which I acknowledge by good and full authority to be lawfully ministred unto me and doe renounce all Pardons and Dâ—spensations to the contrary And all these things I doe plainly and sincerely acknowledge and swear according to these express words by me spoken and according to the plain and common sense and understanding of the same words without any equivocation or mentall evasion or secret reservation whatsoever And I doe make this recognition and acknowledgment heartily willingly and truly upon the true faith of a Christian So help me God This Oath was devised to discriminate the pernicious from the peaceable Papists Sure binde sure finde And the makers of this were necessitated to be larger therein because it is hard to strangle equivocation which if unable by might to break will endeavour by slight to slip the halter 57. No sooner did the newes thereof arrive at the ears of his Holiness The Pope his two Breve's against this Oath but presently he dispatcheth his Å¿ See K. James his Works pag. 250. Breve into England prohibiting all Catholicks to take this Oath so destructive to their own souls and the See of Rome exhorting them patiently to suffer persecution and manfully to endure martyrdome And because report was raised that the Pope wrote this
with sophistical Qualifications So that he was accused to aime neither at the Satisfaction of the Learned Ann. Dom 1611. Ann. Regis Jac. 9 whom he had formerly offended nor the Safety of the Ignorant whom he might hereafter deceive but meerly his own Security for the present His grand Evasion was this That what he had wrote before was but probably propounded not dogmatically delivered But alas how many silly Souls might easily be infected mistaking his slenting Problemes for downright Positions In a word he took not out any Venome but put in more Honey into his Opinions which the corruption of Mans Nature would swallow with more greedinesse And how dangerous it is for wit-wanton Men to dance with their nice Distinctions on such Mysticall Precipices where Slips in jest may cause deadly Downfalls in earnest the Roman Orator doth in part pronounce Mala est impia consuetudo contra Deum disputandi sive seriò id fit sive simulatè 5. Now King JAMES being as little Satisfied in Judgment with the Writings of Vorstius in his own Defence K. James setteth forth a Declaration against Vorstius siâ—st written in French Since by His leave Translated into English and amongst His other Works as ill pleased in Point of Honour with the doings of the States in return to His Request gave Instructions to His Ambassadour to make Publick Protestation against their Proceedings which Sir Ralph Wynwood in Pursuance of his Masters Command most solemnly performed Nor did His Majesties Zeal stop here with Joash King of Israel smiting onely but thrice and then desisting but after His Request Letter and Protestation had missed â—heir Desired effect He wrote in French a Declaration against Vorstius A Work well beseeming the DEFENDOR OF THE FAITH by which Title to use His Ambassadours Expression He did more value Himself than by the Style of KING OF GREAT BRITAIN Once I intended to present the Reader with a Brief of His Majesties Declaration till deterred with this Consideration that although great Masses of Lead Tinne and meaner Metals may by the extraction of Chymists be epitomized and abridged into a Smaller quantity of Silver yet what is altogether Gold already cannot without extraordinary damage be reduced into a Smaller Proportion And seeing each word in His Majesties Declaration is so pure and pretious that it cannot be lessened without losse we remit the Reader to the same in His Majesties Works And so take our Leave of Verstius for the present whose Books by the KING's Command were publickly burnt at St. Paul's Crosse in London and in both Universities 6. But leaving this Outlandish let us come to our English Vorstius though of farre lesse Learning The character of Bartholomew Legate of more Obstinacy and dangerous Opinions I mean that Arrian who this year suffered in Smithfield His name Bartholomew Legate native County Essex person comely complexion black age about fourty years Of a bold spirit confident carriage fluent tongue excellently skilled in the Scriptures and well had it been for him if he had known them lesse or understood them better whose ignorance abused the Word of God therewith to oppose God the Word His conversation for ought I can learn to the contrary very unblameable And the poyson of Hereticall Doctrine is never more dangerous than when served up in clean cups and washed dishes 7. King JAMES caused this Legate often to be brought to Him Discourse beâ—twixt K. James and Legate and seriously dealt with him to endevour His conversion One time the KING had a designe to surprize him into a Confession of Christs Deity as His Majesty afterwards declared to a right reverend g James Archbishop of Armagh from whose mouth I had the Relation Prelate by asking him Whether or no he did not daily pray to Jesus Christ Which had he acknowledged the KING would infallibly have inserted that Legate tacitly consented to Christs Divinity as a searcher of the hearts But herein His Majesty failed of His expectation Legate returning That indeed he had prayed to Christ in the daies of his ignorance but not for these last seven years Hereupon the KING in choler spurn'd at him with His foot Away base Fellow saith He it shall never be said that one stayeth in My presence that hath never prayed to our Saviour for seven years together 8. Often was he covented before the Bishops in the Consistory of St. Pauls Bishop King gravâ—llâ—â—h him with a place of Scripture where he persisted obstimate in his Opinions flatly denying the Authority of that Court. And no wonder that he slighted the power of earthly Bishops denying the Divinity of Him Who is h 1 Pâ—t 2. 25. The Shepheard and Bishop of our souls The dispatation against him was principally managed by John King Bishop of London who gravelled and utterly confuted him with that place of Scripture John 17. 5. And now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was This Text I say was so seasonably alledged so plainly expounded so pathetically enforced by the eloquence and gravity of that Bishop qualities wherein he excelled that it gave marvellous satisfaction to a multitude of people there present that it is conceived it happily unproselyted some inclinable to his Opinions though Legate himself remained pertinatious both against the impressions of Arguments and Scripture daily multiplying his enormous Opinions It is the happinesse nature indulgeth to monsters that they are all barren whereas on the contrary monstrous positions are most procreative of the like or worse than themselves 9. Before we set down his pestilent Opinions Wholsome caution premised before the naming of Legate's blasphemies may Writer and Reader sence themselves with prayer to God against the infection thereof lest otherwise touching such pitch though but with the bare mention defile us casually tempting a temptation in us and awaking some corruption which otherwise would sleep silently in our souls And if notwithstanding this our caution any shall reap an accidental evil to themselves by reading his damnable Opinions my pen is no more accessary to their harm than that Apothecarie is guilty of murder if others out of a licourish curiosity kill themselves with that poyson which he kept in his shop for soveraigne use to make Antidotes thereof His damnable Tenets were as followeth 1. That the Creed called the Nicene Creed and Athanasius Creed contain not a Profession of the true Christian Faith 2. That Christ is not God of God begotten not made but begotten and made 3. That there are no Persons in the Godhead 4. That Christ was not God from everlasting but began to be God when he took flesh of the Virgin Mary 5. That the world was not made by Christ 6. That the Apostles teach Christ to be Man onely 7. That there is no generation in God but of creatures 8. That this assertion God to be made Man is contrary
their recreations on the Sunday the Papists in this Realm being thereby perswaded that no honest mirth or recreation was tolerable in our Religion Whereupon the Court being then at Greenwich He set forth a Declaration to this effect That for His good peoples lawfull recreations His pleasure was that after the end of Divine Service they should not be disturbed letted or discouraged from any lawfull recreations Such as dancing either of men or women archerie for men leaping vaulting or any such harmless recreations Nor from having of May-games Whitsun-ales or Morice-dances and setting up of May-poles or other sports therewith used so as the same be had in due and convenient time without impediment or let of Divine Service and that women should have leave to carry rushes to the Church for the decoring of it according to their old custome withall prohibiting all unlawfull games to be used on the Sundaies onely as bear-baiting bull-baiting interludes and at all times in the meaner sort of people by Law prohibited bowling 59. But when this Declaration was brought abroad The various effects thereof it is not so hard to believe as sad to recount what grief and distraction thereby was occasioned in many honest mens hearts who looked on it not as locall for Lancashire but what in processe of time would enlarge it self all over a So it was in the Reign of King Charles Anno 1633. England Some conceived the recreations specified impeditive to the observation of the Lords day yea unsuitable and unbeseeming the essentiall duties thereof But others maintained that if private mens speeches must not be pressed to an odious construction much more men were bound candidly to interpret the Acts of Authority and in charity must presume and be perswaded that religious Princes will command nothing what they conceive either to be unjust or not expedient all things considered They considered moreover which was mainly material that this Declaration was not dogmatical or doctrinal to say or averre these things to be Theologically lawfull but it was Edictum Civile what the King thought fit upon just reasons to permit without restraint or punishment The hardnesse of mens hearts on one side which will break loose though restrained and the hope of gaining others on the other side by a favourable allowance might be just motives in Authority to give way to things civiliter that they may be done impunè and yet not prejudice any point of Religion and not be done licitè as in Divorces extra casum adulterii Usurie c. 60. But the difficulty was encreased Reasons of the reâ—aâ—ers to publish this Declaration when Ministers daily feared to be urged upon their Canonicall obedience to promulgate and publish the said Declaration in their Parish Churches which some resolved flatly to refuse especially such who formerly had strictly preached and pressed the observation of the Lords-day alledging for and applying to themselves that place of Saint Paul b Gal. 2. 18. For if I build again the things which I have destroyed I make my self a transgressour Besides this they enforced the Reasons following for their Recusancie Yea though the KING Himself should enjoyn them on their Alleageance 1. That the publishing of this Declaration would be interpretativè an approbation thereof whereas on the contrary they are c Ephes 5. 11. commanded to have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darkness but rather to reprove them 2. That hereby they should draw a just woe upon them pronounced by the Prophet d Isa 10. 1. Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees and that write grievousness which they have prescribed Where as the e Junius Piscator on the place Learned interpret even publick Notaries which are but instrumental are threatned with a curse 3. That the promulgation of a Law is de essentia Legis so that people would neither take notice of this Declaration nor liberty by it till it were published and so the Publisher should per se be a Promoter of a sin 4. That Obedience to Authority obligeth onely in licitis honestis and the f 2 Cor. 13. 10. Apostle confesseth That he himself had power to edification and not to destruction whereunto the publishing thereof did manifestly tend 61. On the other side The Arguments for the lawful publishing of the Declaration some learned and pious Ministers who in their judgments were convinced that some of the aforesaid recreations were incompatible with the sanctification of the Sabbath notwithstanding in case His MAJESTY should enjoyn it on serious deliberation resolved in obedience to the KING publickly to read or cause the reading of the Declaration not looking at the contents therein but at the Authority commanding the publication thereof the rather because no Subscription was required or Vocall assent to approve what therein was contained to be just or affirm it to be true but a bare ministerial declaring of the KING's will and pleasure therein which they conceived themselves bound in conscience to perform for the Reasons ensuing 1. The refusal well observed doth resolve into a principle which would take away the necessity of Obedience universally when the Partie commanded can pretend the Magistrate ought not to command him any such thing and if the PRINCE must suspend His Edicts upon each Subjects doubt He should never set forth any considering the variety of judgments and the distractions which are in His Subjects 2. A Sheriffe may yea must disperse the KING his Proclamations which he liketh not and a Clerk at the command of his Master a Justice of Peace may lawfully write the Mittimus of that person to Prison whom in his parricular judgment he conceiveth to be innocent and what is most proper to our purpose because a religious instance a Minister without any sin may safely pronounce an Excommunication legally delivered unto him though in his own private conscience he be convinced that the Partie is unjustly excommunicated 3. There are many precedents hereof in antiquity A Father g Optatus Melâ—vitanus lib. 7. gives this censure that when the Jewes commanded by Antiochus gave up the Divine Books to His Officers to be destroyed it was Peccatum imperantis minantis non populi cum dolore tremore tradentis A sinne of Him that commanded and threatned it not of the people who surrendred up those Volumes with fear and sorrow And Saint h Contra Faustum lib. 22. cap. 75. Augustine resolveth it in the case of a Christian Souldier fighting under a sacrilegious Emperour that though he be not satisfied in the lawfulnesse of the commands he may notwithstanding lawfully obey Ita ut fortasse reum faâ—iat Regem iniquitas imperandi innocentem militem ostendat ordo serviendi And what is most apposite to the matter in hand because the Edict of a godly Emperour seriously distasted by a godly Bishop Mauritius set forth a command That no Souldier should be admitted into a Monasterie and
mutually censure each other yet many complained that this ceremony though left indifferent as hereafter to salvation was made necessary as here to preferment Yea this knee-mark of bowing or not bowing would be made the distinguishing character that hereafter all such should be condemned as halting in conformity who were not through paced in these addition all ceremonies 25. Many took exception at the hollownesse of the Oath in the middle thereof Second exception having its bowells puffed up with a windie c. a cheverel word which might be stretched as men would measure it Others pleaded for it as only inserted to save the enumeration of many mean Officers in the Church whose mention was beneath the dignity of an Oath and would but clog the same Yea since some have endeavoured to excuse the same by the interpretative c. incorporated into the body of the Covenant whereby people are bound to defend the priviledges of Parliament though what they be is unknown to most that take the same 26. But most took exception against that clause in the Oath Third and greatest exception we will never give any consent to alter this Church-government as if the same were intended to abridge the liberty of King and State in future Parliaments and Convocations if hereafter they saw cause to change any thing therein And this obligation seemed the more unreasonable because some of those Orders specified in the Oath as Archbishops Deans Archdeacons stand only established jure humano sive Ecclesiastico and no wise man ever denied but that by the same power and authority they are alterable on just occasion 27. Yet there wanted not others Endeavoured to be excused who with a favourable sense endâ—avoured to qualify this suspicious clause whereby the taker of this Oath was tied up from consenting to any alteration These argued that if the Authority Civil or Ecclesiasticall did not herein impose an Oath binding those that took it hereafter to disobey themselves and reject such orders which the foresaid Civil or Ecclesiastical power might afterwards lawfully enact or establish For seeing in all oaths this is an undoubted Maxime Quacunque forma verborum juratur Deus sic juramentum accipit sicut ille cui juratur intelligit none can probably suppose that the governors in this oath intended any clause thereof to be an abridgment of their own lawfull power or to debar their inferiours from consenting and submitting to such alterations as by themselves should lawfully be made Wherefore these words We will never give any consent to alter are intended here to be meant only of a voluntary and pragmaticall alteration when men conspire consent labour and endeavour to change the present government of the Church in such particulars as they doe dislike without the consent of their superiours 28. But the exception of exceptions against these Canons The â—ver activity of some Bishops is because they were generally condemned as illegally passed to the prejudice of the fundamentall liberty of the Subject whereof we shall hear enough in the next Parliament Mean time some Bâ—shops were very forward in pressing this Oath even before the time thereof For whereas a liberty was allowed to all to deliberate thereon untill the feast of Michael the Archangel some presently pressed the Ministers of their Diocesses for the taking thereof and to my knowledge enjoyned them to take this oath kneeling A ceremony to my best remembrance never exacted or observed in taking the Oath of Supremacy or Allegiance which some accounted an essay of their activity if providence had not prevented them 29. Many impressions of English-Bibles The importation of false printed Bibles printed at Amsterdam and moe at Edinburgh in Scotland were daily brought over hither and sold here Little their volumes and low their prices as beeing of bad paper worse print little Margent yet greater then the care of the Corrector many most abominable errata being passed therein Take one instance for all Jer. 4. 17. speaking of the whole â—nstead of because she hath been rebellious against mee saith the Lord. Common-wealth of Judah it is printed Edinburgh 1637. because she hath been religious against mee saith the Lord. Many complaints were made especially by the company of Stationers against these false printed Bibles as giving great advantage to the Papists but nothing was therein effected For in this juncture of time came in the Scotish Army and invaded the Northern parts of England What secret solicitations invited them hither is not my work to enquire Many beheld them as the only Physitians of the distempered State and believed that they gave not their Patient a visit on pure charity but having either received or being well promised their fee before 30. Soon after began the long lasting Parliament Parliament and Convocation bâ—gin so known to all posterity for the remarkable transactions therein The King went to the House privately by water many commending his thrift in sparing expences when two Armies in the bowels of the Land expected their pay from his purse Others distinguishing betwixt needlesse Pomp and necessary State suspected this might be misinterpreted as if the Scotch had frighted him out of that Ceremony of Majesty and some feared such an omission presaged that Parliament would end with sadnesse to him which began without any solemnity Abreast therewith began a Convocation though unable long to keep pace together the latter soon tyreing as never inspirited by commission from the King to meddle with any matters of Religion Mr. Warmistre a Clark for Worcester made a motion therein that they should endeavour according to the Leviticall Law to cover the pit which they had opened and to prevent their adversaries intention by condemning such offensive Canons as were made in the last Convocation But it found no acceptance they being loath to confesse themselves guilty before they were accused 31. This day hapned the first fruits of Anabaptisticall insolence The insolence of Anabaptists 1640-41 Jan. 18. when 80 of that Sect meeting at a house in St. Saviours in Southwark preached that the Statute in the 35. of Eliz. for the administration of the Common-Prayer was no good Law because made by Bishops That the King cannot make a good Law because not perfectly regenerate That he was only to be obeyed in Civill matters Being brought before the Lords they confessed the articles but no penalty was inflicted upon them 32. About this time Mr. Prinn The 3 Exiles brought home in Triumph Dr. Bastwick and Mr. Burton were brought out of durance and exile with great Triumph into London it not sâ—fficing their friends to welcome them peaceably but victoriously with bayes and rosemary in their hands and hats Wise men conceived that their private returning to the Town had signifyed as much gratitude to God and lesse affront to authority But some wildnesse of the looks must be pardoned in such who came suddenly into the light out of long darknesse
others grumbling at it as too much for what by them was performed And now what place more proper for the building of Sion as they propounded it then the Chamber of Jerusalem the fairest in the Deans Lodgings where King Henry the fourth died and where these Divines did daily meet together 7. Be it here remembred The superadded Divines that some besides those Episcopally affected chosen to be at this Assembly notwithstanding absented themselves pretending age indisposition c. as it is easie for able unwillingness to finde out excuses and make them probable Fit it was therefore so many evacuities should be filled up to mount the Meeting to a competent number and Assemblies as well as Armies when grown thin must be recruited Hence it was that at severall times the Lords and Commons added more Members unto them by the name of the Super-added Divines Some of these though equall to the former in power were conceived to fall short in parts as chosen rather by the affections of others then for their own abilities the Original members of the Assembly not overpleased thereat such addition making the former rather more then more considerable 8. One of the first publick Acts The Assemblies first petition for a fast which I finde by them performed was the humble presenting of a Petition to both Houses for the appointing of a solemn fast to be generally observed And no wonder if their request met with fair acceptance and full performance seeing the Assemblies Petition was the Parliaments intention and this solemn suite of the Divines did not create new but quicken the old resolutions in both Houses presently a Fast is appointed July 21. Frid. and accordingly kept on the following Friday M r Boules and M r Newcomen whose sermons are since printed preaching on the same and all the rest of the particulars promised to be taken into speedy consideration 9. It was now projected to finde out some Band or Tie The Covenent entreth England for the streighter Vnion of the English and Scotish amongst themselves and both to the Parliament In order whereunto the Covenant was now presented This Covenant was of Scottish extraction born beyond Tweed but now brought to be bred on the South-side thereof 10. The House of Commons in Parliament The Covenant first taken and the Assembly of Divines solemnly took the Covenant at S t. Margarets in Westminster 11. It was ordered by the Commons in Parliament that this Covenant be forthwith printed and published Commanded to be printed 12. Divers Lords Taken by Gentlemen Knights Gentlemen Collonels Officers Souldiers and others Sept. 27. Wed. 29. Frid. then residing in the City of London met at S t Margarets in Westminster and there took the said Covenant M r Coleman preaching a Sermon before them concerning the piety and legality thereof 13. It was commanded by the authority of both Houses Enjoyned all in London that the said Covenant on the Sabbath day ensuing Frid. Octo. 1. Sund. should be taken in all Churches and Chappels of London within the lines of Communication and thoroughout the Kingdom in convenient time appointed thereunto according to the Tenour following A Solemn league and Covenant for Reformation and defence of Religion the honour and happiness of the King and the peace and safety of the three Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland WE Noblemen Barons Knights Gentlemen Citizens Burgesses Ministers of the Gospel and Commons of all sorts in the Kingdom of England Scotland and Ireland by the providence of God living under one King and being of one Reformed Religion having before our eyes the glory of God and the advancement of the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the honour and happiness of the Kings Majesty and his posterity and the true publick liberty safety and peace of the Kingdom wherein every ones private condition is included And calling to minde the Treacherous and Bloody Plots Conspiracies attempts and Practises of the enemies of God against the true Religion and the professors thereof in all places especially in these three Kingdoms ever since the Reformation of Religion and how much their rage power and presumption are of late and at this time encreased and exercised whereof the deplorable estate of the Church and Kingdom of Ireland the distressed estate of the Church and Kingdom of England the dangerous estate of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland are present and publick Testimonies We have now at last after other means of Supplications Remonstrances Protestations and sufferings for the preservation of our selves and our Religion from utter ruine and destruction according to the commendable practises of these Kingdoms in former times and the example of Gods people in other nations after mature deliberation resolved and determined to enter into a mutual solemn League and Covenant wherein we all subscribe and each one of us for himself with our hands lifted up to the most High God do swear That we shall sincerely really and constantly through the grace of God endeavour in our several places and callings the preservation of the reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government against our common enemies the Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches and shall endeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms to the nearest conjunction and uniformity in Religion Confession of Faith form of Church-Government directory for Worship and Catechizing That we and our posterity after us may as Brethren live in faith and love and the Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us That we shall in like manner without respect of persons endeavour the extirpation of Popery Prelacie that is Church-government by Arch-Bishops Bishops their Chancellours and Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Arch-Deacons and all other Ecclesiastical Officers depending on that Hierarchie Superstition Heresie Schism Prophaneness and whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to sound Doctrine and the power of godliness lest we partake in other mens sins and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues and that the Lord may be one and his name one in the three Kingdomes We shall with the same sincerity reality and constancy in our several Vocations endeavour with our estates and lives mutually to preserve the Rights and priviledges of the Parliaments and the due liberties of the kingdomes and to preserve and defend the Kings Majesty his person and authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and liberties of the Kingdoms that the world may bear witness with our consciences of our loyalty and that we have no thoughts or intentions to diminish his Majesties just power and greatness We shall also with all faithfulness endeavour the discovery of all such as have been or shall be Incendiaries Malignants or evill instruments
a more pleasant tune from barking for food to the blessing of those who procured it Nor let any censure this a digress from my History for though my estate will not suffer me with * Job 29. 15. Job to be eyes to the blind and feet to the Iame I will endeavour what I can to be a Tongue for the Dumbe SECTION XI To the Noble Lady Elianor Roe relict to the Honorable Sr. Thomas Roe Madam I finde that my name-sake * * Hackluits voyages 3. part pag. 825. Thomas Fuller was Pilot in the ship called the Desire wherein Captain Cavendish surrounded the world Far be it from me to compare these my weak undertakings to his great adventures Yet I may terme this my Book the Desire as wherein I desire to please and profit all justly to displease none Many rocks and storms have I passed by Gods blessing and now am glad of so firme an Anchorage as a Dedication to your Ladiship I believe Madam none of your Sex in our Nation hath travelled farther them your self Yet this Section of our History may afford you a rarity not seen before I know you have viewed the Tombe of St. Polycarpus but here the Herse is presented unto you of one whose death cannot be paralell'd in all particulars 1. LAtely certain Delegates from the Vniversity of Oxford pleaded their Priviledges before the Committee of Parliament Anno Regis Carol. 24. that they were onely Visitable by the King Anno Dom. 1648. and such who should be deputed by him Great alterations by the Visiters in Oxford But their allegations were not of proof against the Paramount power of Parliament the rather because a passage in an Article at the Rendition of Oxford was urged against them wherein they were subjected to such a visitation Whereupon many Masters were ejected their Places new Heads of Houses made and soon after new Houses to those Heads which produced great alteration 2. Come we now to the Church-part of the Treaty in the Isle of Wight Clergiemen meeting in the Isle of Wight as the sole Ecclesiastical matter remaining Anno Dom. 1648. Here appeared of the Divines chosen by the King Anno Regis Eliza. 24. James Vsher Arch-Bishop of Armagh Brian Duppa Bishop of Salisbury Doctor Sanderson Doctor Shelden Doctor Henry Ferne As for Doctor Brounrig Bishop of Exeter when on the way he was remanded by the Parliament because under restraint and it was reported that D. Prideaux Bishop of Worcester wanted the more the pitty wherewith to accommodate himself for the journey M r Steven Marshall M r Joseph Caryll M r Richard Vines and M R Lazarus Seaman were present there by appointment from the Parliament 3. It was not permitted for either side All matters managed in writing personally to speak but partly to prevent the impertinencies of orall debates partly that a more steddy aime might be taken of their mutual Arguments all things were transacted in scriptis His Majesty consulted with his Chaplains when he pleased The Kings Writings were publickly read before all by M r Philip Warwick and M r Vines read the Papers of his Fellow-Divines the substance whereof we come here to present 4. His Majesty began The effect of his majesties first paper the effect of whose first Paper was to prove Octo. 2. that the Apostles in their own persons by Authority a Joh. 20. 21. derived from Christ exercised their power in Ordinations giving Rules and Censures 2. That Timothy and b Tit. 1. 5. Titus by Authority derived from the Apostles did or might actually exercise the same power in the three Branches specified 3. That the Angels of the seven Churches Rev. 2. 3. where so many persoae singulares of such as had a Prelacy as well over Pastors as People From the premises his Majesty inferred that our Bishops succeed to the function of the Persons afore named The rather because the same plainly appeareth out of the History of the Primitive Church the writings of Ignatius and other ancient Authors In conclusion his Majesty desired to be satisfied from them what were the Substantials of Church-government appointed by Christ and his Apostles and in whose hands they are left and whether they binde to a perpetual observation thereof or may upon occasion be altered in whole or in part 5. The next day the Parliament-Divines put in their Answer to the Kings Paper The Parliament-Divines answer thereunto wherein they confessed Octo. 3. that the places of Scripture cited by him proved in those Persons by him named a power respectively to do the three things specified But they utterly denied that the foresaid Persons were Bishops as distinct from Presbyters or exercised the Government in that sense 1. To the Instance of the Apostles they answered that they had an extraordinary calling and so nothing thence can be inferrred to prove modern Bishops 2. That Timothy and Titus were Evangelists and the f 2 Tim. 4. 5. first is expressly so termed nor could they be Bishops who resided not in one Diocess but often removed from place to place 3. That the denomination of the Angels of the Churches being Allegorical no firme Argument can be taken thence nor weight laid thereon Besides those Epistles of S. John though directed to One were intended to the whole body of the Church They denyed that the Apostles were to have any successours in their Office affirming but two standing Officers in the Church Presbyterians Deacons They cited Philippians I. I. I Tim. 3. 8. for the proof thereof where there is no mention of Bishops as distinct from Presbyters but of the two Orders only of Bishops or Presbyters and Deacons 6. As for the succeeding ages to the Apostles seeing Scripture reacheth not unto them they can but beget a humane Faith which is uncertain and fallible Besides such the darkness of those Times in respect of Church-History that little certainty can be thence extracted Yet it appeareth in Clement himself that he useth the same word for Bishop and Presbyter and as for Ignatius his Epistles little credit is to be given unto them 7. Lastly there is a great difference between Primitive Episcopacy and the Present Hierarchie as much enlarged in their Power and Priviledges by many Temporal accessions whereof no shaddow or pretence in Scripture In conclusion they humbly besought his Majesty to look rather to the Original of Bishops in holy Writ then to their succession in Humane History 8. As to the point of Substantials in Church Government appointed by Christ wherein his Majesty desired satisfaction the return was short and generall that such Substantials were in the Scripture not descending to any particulars Whether out of policy foreseeing it would Minister matter of more debate or obedience to the Parliament as aliene from the work they were designed for who were only to oppose Episcopacy as qualified in the Bill presented to his Majesty 9. Three days