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.
stipend if every flock might have a preaching pastor which is rather to be wished then hoped for then were reading of Homilies altogether unnecessary but to supply that want of preaching Gods word which is the food of the soul growing upon the necessities before mentioned both in your brothers time and in your time also certain Homilies have been devised that the people should not altogether be destitute of instruction for it is an old proverb better a loaf then no bread Now for the second point which is concerning the learned exercises and conferences amongst the ministers of the Church I have consulted with divers of my brethren the Bishops who think of the same as I do a thing profitable to the Church and therefore expedient to be continued and I trust your Majesty will think the like when your Majesty shall have been informed of the matter and order thereof what authority it hath of the scriptures what commodity it bringeth with it and what discommodities will follow if it be clean taken away The authors of this exercise are the Bishops of the Diocess where this same is used who by the law of God and by the Canons and Constitutions of the Church now in force have authority to appoint exercise to their inferiour Ministers for encrease of learning and knowledge in the Scriptures as to them seemeth most expedient for that pertaineth ad disciplinam clericalem the time appointed for this exercise is once in a moneth or once in twenty or fifteen dayes at the discretion of the Ordinary The time of this exercise is two hours the place the Church of the 〈◊〉 appointed for the Assembly the matter entreated of is as followeth some text of Scripture before appointed to be spoken is interpreted in this order First the occasion of the place is shewed Secondly the end Thirdly the proper sence of the place Fourthly the property of the words and those that be learned in the tongues shewing the diversity of interpretations Fiftly where the like phrases are used in scriptures Sixtly places of scripture that seem to repugne are reconciled Seventhly the arguments of the text are opened Eightly it is declared what vertues and vices are therein couched and to which of the commandements they do appertain Ninâ—hly how the like hath been wrested by the adversary if occasion so require Tenthly and lastly what doctrine of faith and manners the said text doth contain the conclusion is with a prayer for your Majesty and all estates as is appointed by the book of Common-Prayer and a psalm These orders â—ollowing are also observed by the said exercise First two or three of the gravest and best learned pastors are appointed of the Bishops to be Moderators in every Assembly no man may speak unless he be first allowed by the Bishop with this proviso that no lay man be suffered to speak at any time no controversy of this present time and state shall be moved and dealt withall if any attempt the contrary he is put to silence by the Moderator none is suffered to glance openly or covertly at persons publick or private neither yet any one to confute one another if any man utter a wrong sence of scripture he is privately admonished thereof and better instructed by the Moderators and other his fellow Ministers if any man use immoderate speeches or unreverend gesture or behaviour or otherwise be suspected in life he is likewise admonished as aforesaid if any man do vilify or break these orders he is presented to the Bishop to be corrected The ground of this or like exercises is of great and ancient authority for Samuel did practise such like exercises in his time at Naioth in Ramath and Bethel 1 Sam. 10. 2 19. So did Elizeus the prophet at Jerico which studious persons in those dayes were called filij Prophetarum the disciples of the Prophets that being exercised in the knowledg and study of the scriptures they might be able men to serve in Gods Church as that time required St. Paul also doth make express mention 1 Cor. 14. that the like in effect was used in the primitive Church and giveth order for the same that 2 or 3 should speak by course he meaneth and the rest shall keep silence That exercise in the Church in those dayes St. Paul calleth Prophetia and the speaker Prophetas terms very odious in our dayes to some because they are not rightly understood for indeed propheta in that and like places of the same Paul doth not as it doth sometimes signifie prediction of things to come which thing or which gift is not now ordinary in the Church of God but signifieth thereby the assent and consent of the scriptures And therefore doth St. Paul attribute unto these that be called Prophetae in that chapter doctrinam ad aedificationem exortationem consolationem This gift of expounding and interpreting the scriptures was in St. Pauls time given unto many by a speciall miracle without study so was also by miracle the gift to speak strange tongues which they had never learned But now miracles ceasing men must attain to the Hebrew Greek and Latine tongues c. by travell and study God giveth the encrease so must men also attaine by the like means to the gifts of expounding and interpreting the scriptures and amongst other helps nothing is so necessary as these above named exercises and conferences amongst the ministers of the Church which in effect are all one with the exercises of students in Divinity in the Vniversities saving that the first is done in a tongue understanded to the more edifying of the learned hearers Howsoever report hath been made to your Majesty concerning these exercises yet I and others of York whose names are noted as followeth 1. Cantuariensis 2. London 3. Winc. 4. Bathon 5. Litchfield 6. Glocester 7. Lincolne 8. Chester 9. Exon. 10. Meneven al 's Davids Hereof as they have testified unto me by their letters have found by experience that these profits and commodities following have ensued of them 1. The ministers of the Church are more skillfull and more ready in the scriptures and more apt to teach their flocks 2. It withdraweth them from idleness wandring gaming c. 3. Some afore suspected in doctrine are brought to the knowledge of the truth 4. Ignorant ministers are driven to study if not for conscience yet for shame and fear of discipline 5. The opinion of lay men touching the ableness of the Clergy is hereby removed 6. Nothing by experience beateth down popery more then that 7. Ministers as some of my brethren do confess grow to such knowledge by means of those exercises that where afore were not able Ministers not 3 now are 30 able and meet to preach at Pauls cross and 40 or 50 besides able to instruct their own Cures so as it is found by experience the best means to encrease knowledge in the simple and to continue it in the learned only backward men in religion and
contemners of learning in the countries abroad do fret against it which in truth doth the more commend it the dissolution of it would breed triumph to the adversary and great sorrow and gries to the favourers of religion contrary to the counsell of Ezekiel 13. 18. who saith Cor justi non est contristandum and although some have abused this good and necessary exercise there is no reason that the malice of a few should preâ—udice all Abuses may be re formed and that which is good may remain neither is there any just cause of offences to be taken if diverse men make divers sences of one sentence of scripture so that all the senses be good and agreeable to the analogie and proportion of faith for otherwise we must needs condemne all the ancient Fathers and divers of the Church who most commonly expound one and the same text of scripture diversly and yet all to the good of the Church and therefore doth Basil compare the scriptures to a well out of which the more a man draweth the better and sweeter is the water I trust when your Majesty hath considered and weighed the premises you will rest satisfied and judge that no such inconveniences can grow oâ— such exercises as these as you have been informed but rather the clean contrary and for my own part because I am well assured by reasons and also by arguments taken out of the holy scriptures by experience the most certain seal of sure knowledge that the said exercises for the interpretation and exposition of the scriptures and for the exhortation and comfort drawn out of the same are both profitable to encrease knowledge amongst ministers and tendeth to the edifying of the hearers I am inforced with all humility and yet plainly to profess that I cannot with safe conscience and without the ofence of the Majesty of God give mine assent to the suppressing of the said exercises much less can I send out any injunction sor the utter and universall subversion of the same I say with S. Paul I have no power to destroy but only to edifie and with the same Apostle I can do nothing against the truth but with the truth If it be your Majesties pleasure for this or any other cause to remove me out of this place I will with all humility yield thereunto and render again unto your Majesty that which I have received of the same I consider with myself quod terrendum est incidere in manus Dei viventis I consider also quod qui facit contra conscientiam divinis in rebus aedificat ad gehennam And what shall I win if I gained I will not say a Bishoprick but the whole world and lose my own soul Beare with me I beseech you Madam if I chuse rather to offend your earthly Majesty then to offend the heavenly Majesty of God And now being sorry that I have been so long and tedious to your Majesty I will draw to an end most humbly praying the same that you would consider these short petitions following The first that you wound referr all these Ecclesiasticall matters which touch religion or the Doctrine or Discipline of the Church unto the Bishops and Divines of the Church of your Realm according to the example of all Christian Emperours and Princes of all Ages for indeed they are to be judged as an ancient Father writeth in Ecclesia seu Synodo non in Palatino When your Majesty hath questions of the laws of your Realm you do not decide the same in your Court or Palace but send them to your judges to be determined Likewise for the duties in matters in Doctrine or Discipline of the Church the ordinary way is to defer the decision to the Bishops and other head Ministers of the Church Ambrose to Theodosius useth these words Si de causis pecuniarijs comites tuos consulis quanto magis in causa religionis sacerdotes Domini aequum est consulas And likewise to the Emperour Valentinian Epist 32. Si de fide conferendum est Sacerdotum debet esse just collatio si enim factum est Constantino Augustae memoriae principi qui nullas leges ante praemisit sed liberum dedit judicium Sacerdotis And in the same place the same Father saith that Constantius the Emperour son to Constantine the great began well by reason he followed his Fathers steps at the first but ended ill because he took upon him difficile intra Palatinum judicare and thereby fell into Arianisme a terrible example The said Ambrose so much commended in all histories for a godly Bishop goeth further and writeth to the said Emperour in this forme Si docendus est episcopus à laico quid sequitur laicus ergo disputet Episcopus audiat à laico At certè si vel scripturarum seriem divinarum vel vetera tempora retractemus quis est qui abundat in causa fidei inquam fidei episcopos solere de Imperatoribus christianis non imperatores de episcopis judicaâ—e Would God your Majesty would follow this ordinary you should procure to your self much quietness of minde and better please God avoid many offences and the Church should be more peaceable and quietly governed much to the comfort and quietness of your Realm The second petition I have to make to your Majesty is this that when you deal in matters of faith and religion or matters that touch the Church of Christ which is the Spouse bought with so dear a price you would not use to pronounce so resolutely and pèremptorily quasi ex authoritate as you may do in civill and extern matters but always remember that in Gods cause the will of God and not the will of any earthly creature is to take place It is the antichristian voice of the Pope Sic volo Sic jubeo stet pro ratione voluntas In Gods matters all Princes ought to bow their Septers to the Son of God and to ask counsell at his mouth what they ought to doe David exhorteth all Kings and Rulers to serve God with fear and trembling Remember Madam that you are a mortall creature look not only as was said to Theodosius upon the people and princely array wherewith you are apparrelled but consider withall what it is that is covered therewith Is it not flesh and blood is it not dust and ashes is it not a corruptible body which must return to her earth again God knoweth how soon Must you not one day appear ante tremendum tribunal crucifixi ut recipias ibi prout gesseris in corpore sive bonum sive malum 2 Cor. 5. And although you are a mighty Prince yet remember that he that dwelleth in heaven is mightier as the Psalmist saith 76. Terribilis est is qui aufert spiritum principum terribilis super omnes reges Wherefore I beseech you Madam in visceribus Christi when you deal in these religious causes set the Majesty of God before your eyes laying all earthly
in London or neer it 33. The Papists raised an aspersion A loud Lâ—e as false as foule upon him That at his death he was reconciled to the Church of Rome sufficiently confuted by those eyeâ— and ear-witnesses present at his pious departure These slanders are no news to such as have read how Luther is traduced by Popish pennes to have died blaspheming Caralostadius to have been carried quick by a Devil And Beza to have apostated before his death In all which truth hath triumphed over their malicious forgeries Something Bp. King endevoured in the repairing of S. Paul's but alas a private mans estate may be invisibly buried under the rubbish of the least Chappel therein Born at Thame in Oxford-shire By order in his Will he provided that nothing should be written on his plain Grave-stone save only RESURGAM and still he is alive both in his memory and happy posterity George Mountaine Bishop of Lincoln succeeded him in his See who when his great House-keeping and magnificent entertaining of King JAMES shall be forgotten will longer survive for his bountiful benefaction to Queens-Coll in Cambridge whereof he was Fellow and Proctor 34. Secondly Will. Cotton Bp. of Exeter dies whom Valentine Carew succeeds William Cotton Bishop of Exeter born in Cheshire formerly Archdeacon of Lewes one of a stout spirit and a great maintainer of Conformity against the opposers thereof in his Diocesse Valentine Carew Dean of S. Paul's and Master of Christ-Colledge in Cambridge of a courtlike carriage and stout spirit succeeded him in Exeter which place can give the best account of his behaviour therein 35. Thirdly Robert Townson Bishop of Salisbury dies whom John Davenant succeeds Robert Townson born in Cambridge Fellow of Queens-Colledge Dean of Westminster of a comely carriage courteous nature an excellent Preacher He left his Wife and many Children neither plentifully provided for nor destitute of maintenance which rather hastened than caused the advancement of John Davenant his Brother-in-law to succeed him in the Bishoprick of Sarisbury 36. Therein also expired Andrew Willet The death of Dr. And. Wâ—â—â—eâ— Doctor of Divinity God-son to Andrew Pearne Dean of Elie where he was born brought up in Christ-Colledge in Cambridge who ended his pious life being much bruised with a fall from his horse A man of no little judgment and greater industry not unhappy in Controversies but more happy in Comments and one that had a large soul in a narrow estate For his charge being great may his Children remember and practice their Father's precepts and means small as more proportioned to his desires than deserts he was bountifull above his ability and doubled what he gave by cheerful giving it He was buried in his Parish at Barlie in Hertford shire Happy Village which lost such a Light and yet was not left in darknesse onely exchanging blessings Reverend Doctor Brouâ—rigge succeeding him 37. Nor must we forget Richard Parry And of Dr. Richard Parry Doctor of Divinity Bishop of Asaph who this year exchanged this life for a better He was first bred in Christ-Church in Oxford where he made plentiful proceeding in Learning and Religion and thence was advanced to the Deanrie of Bangor on whom Bishop Godwin bestows this call it complement or character * Godwin in Episcopis Asâ—phenfibus Cui eruditione caeterisque Episcopalibus virtutibus utinam egomet tam illi essem aequalis quà m ille mihi aetate studiorúmque Academicorum tempore locóque 38. We conclude this year with the death of Master Francis Mason The death of Mr. Fr. Mason to whose worthy Book De Ministerio Anglicano we have been so much beholding Nor will it be amisse to insert his Epitaph Prima Deo cui cura fuit sacrare labores Cui studium Sacris invigilare Libris Ecce sub hôc tandem requievit marmore MASON Expectans Dominum spéque fidéque suum He was born in the Bishoprick of Duresme brought up in the University of Oxford Bachelour of Divinity Fellow of Merton-Colledge Chaplain to King JAMES Rectour of Orforde in Suffolke where he lies buried and where he built the Parsonage-House He had three Children by his loving Wife Elizabeth who erected a fair Monument to his Memory SECTION VI. Ann. Reg. Ann. Dom. TO SAMVEL MICO OF LONDON Alderman YOu have not spent but laid out much time in ITALY to the great improvement of your judgment and estate How cunning Chapmen those Countrey-men are in buying and selling is not to you unknown but this Section presents you with an Italian Cardinal a most crafty broker in matters of Religion till at last he deceived himself Peruse it I pray and if the reading thereof can add nothing to your knowledge the writing of it may serve as my acknowledgment of your favours received LAtely * â—ide supra pag. 71. sect 45. we made mention of the coming over of Marcus Antonius de Dominis the Archbishop of Spalato into England Ja. 20 1622. and now shall prosecute that subject at large The causes of Spalato's coming over For this year began happily because with the end of that arrant Apostata in this Land and his fair riddance out of the limits thereof He had 14 years been Archbishop of Spalato in Dalmatia under the State of Venice and some five years since to wit 1616 came over into England Conscience in shew and Covetousness in deed caused his coming hither He pretended to have discovered innumerable a In his Book called Confilium Proscotionis pag. 15 16 17. Novelties and pernicious Errors in the Court of Rome injuriously engrossing the right and honour of the Universal Church He complained many Points were obtruded on mens Consciences as Articles of Faith which CHRIST in the Scripture never instituted He accounted the Romish Church mystical b Ibid. pag. 34. Babylon and Sodome and the Pope Nimrod a Tyrant Schismatick Heretick yea even c Ibid. pag. 76. Antichrist himself But that which sharpned his pen against the Pope was a particular grudge against Pope Paul who had ordered him to pay a yearly Pension of Five hundred crownes out of his Bishoprick to one Andreutius a Suffragan Bishop which this Archbp. refused to doe complaining it was unjust and imposed without his knowledge and consent The matter is brought to the Rota or Court of Rome where the wheel went on the wrong side for our Spalato who angry that he was cast in his Cause posts out of Italy through Germany into the Low-Countreys Here he stayed a while and tampered for preferment till finding the roof of their Church too low for his lofty thoughts and their Presbyterian Government uncomplying with his Archiepiscopal spirit he left the Netherlands and came over into England 2. It is almost incredible His bâ—untifull entertainment what flocking of people there was to behold this old Archbishop now a new Convert Prelates and Peers presented him with Gifts of high
Catalogue of the VVorthies of this Island so that neither Lucius Constantine nor Arthur are once named by him But the best evidence that once Arthur lived in Britain is because it is certain he died in Britain as appeared undeniably by his Corps Coffin and Epitaph taken up out of his Monument in Glassenbury in the reign of King Henry the second whereof a Giraldus Cambrensis an eye-witnesse Camden ' s Brit. in Somersetshire Caer-lion a principall Staple of Learning Religion many Persons of Quality were eye-witnesses 3. The entire Body of the British Church at this time was in VVales where Banchor on the North and Caer-lion on Vsk in Monmouthshire on the South were the two Eyes thereof for Learning and Religion The later had in it the Court of King Arthur the See of an Arch-Bishop a Colledge of b Thomas James out of Alexander Elsebiensis 200 Philosophers who therein studied Astronomie and was a Populous place of great extent But Cities as well as their Builders are mortall it is reduced at this day to a small Village But as Aged Parents content and comfort themselves in beholding their Children wherein their Memories will be continued after their Death so Caer-lion is not a little delighted to see herself still survive in her Daughter c Camden's Brit. in Monmouthshire Newport a neighbouring Town raised out of the Ruines of her Mother Whil'st the other stood in Prime there was scarce an Eminent man who did not touch here for his Education whom we will reckon in order the rather because all the Church-History of this Age seems confined to some principall Persons Dubritius afore-mentioned was the Father and Founder of them all late Bishop of Landaffe now Arch-Bishop of Caer-lion a great Champion of the Truth against Pelagius and he had the honour here to crown two Kings Vter and Arthur Being very old 516 he resigned his Arch-bishoprick to David his Scholar and that he might be more able and active to wrastle with Death he stript himself out of all worldly employment and became an Anchoret in the Island of d Fra. Godwin in Episc Menevensibus pag. 600. Bardsey Six hundred yeares after namely May the 20 1120 his Bones were translated to Landaffe and by Vrban Bishop thereof buried in the Church towards the North side thereof 4. David S. David an advancer of Monastick life the next Arch-Bishop of Royall Extraction was Uncle to King Arthur He privately studied the Scriptures 10 years before he would presume to preach 519 and alwayes carried the Gospels about him He kept a Synod against the Pelagian Errour a second Edition whereof was set forth in his time and confirmed many wavering Souls in the Faith By leave obtained from King Arthur he removed the Archiepiscopall Seat from Caer-lion to Menevea now called S t. Davids in Pembrokeshire In which exchange his Devotion is rather to be admired then his Discretion to be commended leaving a Fruitfull Soile for a bleach Barren e Giraldus Cambrensis place though the worse it was the better for his purpose being a great promoter of a Monasticall life And though the place was much exposed to the Rapine of f Camden's Brit. in Pembrokeshire Pirats yet this Holy man laid up his heavenly Treasure where Thieves do not break through nor steal 5. Yet I am sensible that I have spent to my shame so much precious time in reading the Legend of his Life One paramount miracle of S. David that I will not wilfully double my guiltinesse in writing the same and tempt the Reader to offend in like nature This g Flowers of the English Saints p. 222. Miracle I cannot omit David one day was preaching in an open Field to the Multitude and could not be well seen because of the Concourse though they make him four h Balaeus Cent. prima Nu. 55. Cubits high a man and half in Stature when behold the Earth whereon he stood officiously heaving it self up mounted him to a competent Visibility above all his Audience Whereas as our a Matth. 5. 1. Saviour himself Anno Dom. 519. when he taught the people was pleased to chuse a Mountain making use of the advantage of Nature without improving his Miraculous Power He died aged 146 yeares on the first of March still celebrated by the Welsh with * Several reasons hereof assigned by Authours wearing of a Leek perchance to perpetuate the memory of his Abstinence whose contented mind made many a savoury Meal on such Roots of the Earth 6. A wonder it is to see how many Methusalahs extreme Aged men these times did produce Reasons why men in this Age lived so long S t. Patrick b See Balaeus in their general lives died aged 122 Sampson aged 120. David 146. Gildas Badonicus 90 c. Some Reason whereof may be alleaged because living Retired in a Contemplative way they did not bruise their Bodies with embroiling them in Worldly Affairs or it may be ascribed to their Temperate Diet whil'st many of our Age spill their Radicall Moisture through the Leaks of their own Luxury Nor is it absurd to say that God made these great Tapers of a more firm and compacted Wax then ordinary that so they might last the longer in burning to give Light to his Church and bestowed on them an especiall strong naturall Constitution 7. About the same time Accurateness in computing years is not to be expected The discreet devotion of Cadocus for never were more Doublings and Redoublings made by a hunted Hare then there are Intricacies in the Chronology of this Age going backward and forward flourished Cadocus Abbot of Llancarvan in Glamorganshire Son of the Prince and Toparch of that Countrey This godly and learned man so renounced the World that he c Ioan. Tinmuthensis in ejus vitae reteined part of his paternall Principality in his possession whereby he daily fed three hundred of Clergy-men Widows and Poor people besides Guests and Vistants daily resorting to him He is equally commended for his Policy in keeping the Root the Right of his Estate in his own hands and for his Piety in bestowing the Fruit the Profits thereof in the relieving of others It seems in that Age wilfull Poverty was not by vow entail'd on Monasticall life Nor did this Cadocus as Regulars in after-times with open hands scatter away his whole Means so foolishly to grasp his First full of Popular Applause He is said afterwards to have died at Beneventium in Italy 8. Iltutus comes next into play Iltutus abused with Monkish forgeries a zealous man and deep Scholar who not far from Cadocus at Llan-lwit in Glamorganshire contractedly for Llan-iltut preached Gods Word and set up a Colledge of Scholars being himself a great observer of a Single Life It is reported of him that when his Wife repaired to him for due Benevolence or some ghostly Counsell he d Balaeus de
that which renders the Conquest to Consideration in our Church-Story is the manifest Change of Religion from what formerly was publickly professed in England To make this Mutation in it's due time more conspicuous we will here conclude this Book with a brief Character of the principall Doctrines generally taught and believed by the English in these four last Centuries before tainted with any Norman Infection For though we must confesse and bemoan that Corruptions crept into the Church by Degrees and Divine Worship began to be clogg'd with superstitious Ceremonies yet that the Doctrine remained still sound and intire in most materiall Points will appeare by an Induction of the dominative Controversies wherein we differ from the Church of Rome 1. Scripture generally read For such as were with the Holy Bishop Aidan sive Attonsi sive b Bedae Eccles Hist lib. 3. cap. 5. Laici either Clergy or Laity were tied to exercise themselves in reading the Holy Word and learning of Psalms The Originall preferred For Ricemarch a c Caradoc in Chron. of Cambridge Britan a right Learned and Godly Clerk Son to Sulgen Bishop of Saint Davids flourishing in this Age made this Epigram on those who translated the Psalter out of the Greek so taking it at the Second hand and not drawing it immediatly out of the first Vessel Ebreis d MS. in the Library of the Learned Bishop William Bedel and cited by the Arch-bishop of Armagh in the Religion of the ancient Irish pag. 9. Nablam custodit liter a signis Pro captu quam quisque suo sermone Latino Edidit innumeros lingua variante libellos Ebreum que jubar suffuscat nube Latina Nam tepefacta ferum dant tertia Labra Saporem Sed sacer Hieronymus Ebreo fonte repletus Lucidius nudat verum breviusque ministrat This Harp the holy Hebrew Text doth tender Which to their Power whil'st every one doth render In Latine Tongue with many Variations He clouds the Hebrew Rayes with his Translations Thus Liquors when twice shifted out and powr'd In a third Vessel are both cool'd and sowr'd But Holy Ierome Truth to light doth bring Briefer and fuller fetcht from th' Hebrew Spring No Prayers for the Dead in the modern notion of Papists For though we find Prayers for the Dead yet they were not in the nature of Propitiation for their Sins or to procure Relaxation from their Sufferings but were onely an honourable Commemoration of their Memories and a Sacrifice of Thanksgiving for their Salvation Thus S t. Cuthbert after he had seen the Soul of one Hadwaldus e Bede in vita Cuthberti cap. 34. carried by Angels into Heaven did celebrate Obsequies of Prayers in his behalf Purgatory though nevvly hatched not yet fledged For although there are frequent Visions and Revelations in this Age pretended thereon to build Purgatory which had no Foundation in Scripture yet the Architects of that fancy-full Fabrick had not so handsomely contrived it as it stands at this day in the Romish Belief For a Lib. 3. c. 19. Bede out of the Vision of Furseus relateth certain great Fires above the Aire appointed to examine every one according to the merits of his VVork differing from the Papists Purgatory which Bellarmine by the common Consent of the School-men determineth to be within the Bowels of the Earth Thus nothing can be invented and perfected at once Communion under both kinds For b De vita Cuthberti prosa cap. 15. Bede relateth that one Hildmer an Officer of Egfride King of Northumberland intreated our Cuthbert to send a Priest that might minister the Sacrament of the Lords Body and Bloud unto his Wife that then lay a dying And Cuthbert himself immediately before his own Departure out of this Life received the Communion of the Lords Body and Bloud And lest any should fondly hope to decline so pregnant an Instance by the novel conceit of Concomitancy a Distinction that could not speak because it was not born in that Age it is punctually noted that he distinctly received the Cup. Pocula c Idem in vita Cuthberti carmine cap. 36. degustat vitae Christique supinum Sanguine munit iter His Voyage steep the easier to climbe up Christs Bloud he drank out of Lifes healthfull Cup. So that the Eucharist was then administred entire and not maimed as it is by Papists at this day serving it as d 2 Sam. 10. 4 Hanun the Ammonite did the Cloaths and Beards of David's Ambassadours cutting it off at the Middle And though the word Mass was frequent in that Age generally expressing all Divine Service yet was it not known to be offered as a propitiatory-Sacrifice for the quick and dead 43. But if any desire farther Information herein The Authors engagement to the Archb. of Armagh and conclusion of this second book let him repair to the worthy Work which Iames the right learned and pious Arch-bishop of Armagh hath written of the Religion professed by the ancient Irish and British From whom I have borrowed many a Note though not alwayes thanking him in the Margin by citing his Name and therefore now must make one generall Acknowledgement of my Engagement In Cities we see that such as sell by Retaile though of lesse Credit are of great Use especially to poor people in parcelling out Peny-worths of Commodities to them whose Purses cannot extend to buy by Whole-sale from the Merchant Conceive I in like manner my Pains will not be altogether unprofitable who in this History have fetch'd my Wares from the Store-house of that Reverend Prelate the Cape-Merchant of all Learning and here in little Remnants deliver them out to petty-country-Chapmen who hitherto have not had the Hap or Happinesse to understand the original Treasuries whence they are taken And clean through this Work in point of Chronologie I have with implicite Faith followed his e In his book de Brit. Eccl. primord Computation setting my Watch by his Dial knowing his Dial to be set by the Sun and Account most exactly calculated according to the critical truth of Time Long may he live for the Glory of God and Good of his Church For whereas many learned men though they be deep Abysses of Knowledge yet like the Caspian Sea receiving all and having no Out-let are loth to impart ought to others this bright Sun is as bountifull to deal abroad his Beams as such dark Dales as my self are glad and delighted to receive them SEVERALL COPIES OF BATTEL-ABBEY ROLL To the right worshipfull S r. Simon Archer of Tanvvorth in Warvvickshire SOme report that the Toad before her death sucks up if not prevented vvith suddain surprisall the precious Stone as yet but a Jelly in her Head grudging Mankind the Good thereof Such generally the Envy of Antiquaries preferring that their Rarities should die vvith them and be buried in their Graves rather then others receive any Benefit thereby You cross the current of common Corruption it being
the third are commonly without any date Grace in like manner will arise so early in your heart advantaged by your Godly Birth and Breeding that you shall not remember the beginning thereof However to make sure work it will be safest to examine your self when arrived at Age what eminent accessions and additions of Grace you can remember with the Place and Time when the same were effectually wrought in your Soul and what bosome-sin you have conquered Especially take notice of your solemn Reconciling to God after Repentance for some sin committed David no doubt in some sort may be said to be born good God being his hope when in the * Psal 22. 10. Womb when on the Breasts of his Mother * Psal 71. 5. Trusting in him and * Psal 71. 17. Taught by him from his Youth Now though probably he could not remember his first and general Conversion he could recount his Reconversion after his foul Offences of Adulterie and Murder as by his Penitential Psalm doth plainly appear Otherwise such who boast themselves Converted before Memorie by the priviledg of their pious Infancy if they can recover no Memorials of their Repentance after relaps and produce no time nor tokens thereof are so far from being good from their Cradle it is rather suspicious they will be bad to their Coffin if not labouring for a better spiritual estate And now my Lord let me recommend to your Childhood the Reading of the HOLY SCRIPTURES as the * 2 Tim. 3. 15. Apostle termeth them holy in the fountain flowing from the holy Spirit inditing them holy in the Conduit pipe derived through * 2 Peter 1. 21. holy men penning them holy in the Liquor teaching and directing to Holiness holy in the Cisterne working Sanctity in such as worthily receive them and making them wise unto Salvation Now next to the Study of the Scriptures History best becometh a Gentleman Church-History a Christian the British History an Englishman all which qualifications meeting eminently in your Honour give me some comfortable assurance that these my weak endeavours will not be unwelcome unto you by perusing whereof some profit may probably accrew to your self and more honour will certainly redown to The meanest and unworthiest of your Lordships Servants THOMAS FULLER THE CHVRCH-HISTORY OF BRITAINE Anno Regis Gul. Conq 1. CENT XI Anno Dom. 1067. 1. WIlliam Duke of Normandy being thus arrived Octo. 14. soon conquered Harold with an army of Normans The drunken English conquered by the Normans and foundeth Battle-Abbey as far beneath the English in Number as above them in temperance For the English being revelling before had in the morning their brains arrested for the arrearages of the indigested fumes of the former night and were no better then drunk a Mane adhuc ebrii contra hostes incunctanter procedunt when they came to fight But these things belong to the Historians of the State to relate whilest it is proper to us to observe that King William to testifie his gratitude to God for the victory founded in that place Battel-Abby endowing it with revenues and large immunities The b Combdens Brit. in Sussex Abbot whereof being a Baron of Parliament carried a pardon in his presence who casually coming to the place of Execution had power to save any Malefactor The abbey-Abbey-Church was a place of safety for any Fellon or Murtherer though such Popish sanctuaries themselves if accused as unlawful can finde no refuge in Scripture precepts or presidents for their justification seeing the very Horns of the Altar by divine command did push away those wilful offenders which fled unto them and impunity being the greatest motive to impiety made their Covent the Center of sinners Here the Monks flourished in all affluence William Crowned by the Arch-Bishop of York whilest many of the English Clergie flie into Scotland as the Old world in the dayes of Noah they ate they drank they bought they fold would I might add they married wives and were given in marriage for want whereof they did worse till in the dayes of King Henry the eight they were all drowned in the general Deluge of the Dissolution 2. Now it was proper to the place of Stigand Arch-Bishop of Canterbury to perform the Solemnities of King Williams Coronation but he declined that imployment pretending Williams unlawful title Anno Regis Gul. Conq and loath to pour the sacred oyl on his Head whose Hands had shed so much innocent bloud The other accounting himself to have a better title to the Crown by conquest then the Arch-Bishop had to his Miter by Simony disdained his service and accepted the Crown from the hands of Aldred Arch-Bishop of York who first required an Oath of him to defend the Church minister justice and amongst other things to use English-men as favourably as Normans Notwithstanding which Oath he made the Normans his Darlings and the English his Drudges insomuch as many English Bishops and Abbots unable to comport themselves with his harshness and conceiving it more credit and safety to go then to be driven away fearing by degrees they should all be quarrelled out of their places unwillingly willing quitted their preserments and fled into Scotland Here King Malcolme Canmore who had married Margaret Niece to Edward the Confessor freely received them He himself had formerly lived fourteen years in England and now of a grateful Guest became a bountiful Host and courteously harboured these Exiles And as at this time England began to turn France imitating the language Garbe and manners thereof so Scotland began now to turn England the Families transplanted thither transporting the English customes fashions and Civilities along with them 3. About this time Doomes-day-book was made Dooms-day book made containing an exact survey of all the houses and land in the Kingdom 1068 unpartially done with rigorous severity Octo. 2. They omitted Nec lucum nec lacum c Ingulphi Historia fol. 516. nec locum so accurate they were in the very fractions of the land and therefore it may seem a miracle that the Monks of Crowland should finde a courtesie peculiar to themselves belike out of veneration to their Covent that their lands were rated nec ad spatium nec ad d idem ibid. praecium neither so much in quantity nor so high in value as indeed they were worth This book of the General Survey of England though now begun did take up some years e Florentius Wigorniensis Higdâ—n make it finished Anno 1078. before it was compleated 4. King William called a Synod of his Bishops at Winchester 1070 wherein he was personally present 4. with two Cardinals sent thither from Rome Here Stigand Arch-Bishop of Canterbury was deposed for several uncanonical exorbitances and Lanfrank a lordly Lombard substituted in his room Sugand deposed in a couned at Winchester Stigand liv'd some years after in a Prison and
for the future pernicious and damnable And here we will a little enlarge our selves on this subject of so high concernment 8. It is confessed on all sides Onely by a Church Constitution that there is no express in Scripture to prohibit Priests Marriage a In. 2. ◠q all 88. art 11. Thomas and b Lib 7. de Justitia quaest 5. aru◠2. Scotus commonly cross as if reason enough for the later to deny because the former affirmed it do both such the strength of truth agree herein Onely Ecclesiastical Constitutions forbid them Marriage And though many Popes tampered hereat none effectually did drive the nail to the head till Hildebrand alias Gregory the seventh the better man the better deed finally interdicted Priests Marriage However his Constitutions though observed in Italy and France were not generally obeyed in England till Anselme at last forbad Married Priests to officiate or any Lay-people under pain of censure to be present at their Church-service 9. Herein he proceeded on two erroneous principles Grounded on double error One that all men have or may have if using the means the gift of Continencie Wherein they do not distinguish betwixt 1. Common gifis which God bestoweth on all his servants Jude v. 3. Common salvation 2. Proper gifts thus the c 1 Cor. 7. 7. Apostle when he had wished al like himself that is able to contain he immediately addeth Anno Regis Hen. 18. But every man hath his proper gift of God one after this manner and another after that His other false supposition is That Marriage is either inconfistent with or at least impeditive to the purity of Priestly profession 10. The falsnefs whereof appeareth by the precedent of Henoch Paramount holiness in a married person in whom met the threefold capacity of King Priest and Prophet Yet his Marriage remitted not the reins of his Princely power hindered not the performance of his Sacerdotal function rebated not the edg of his Prophetical spirit for a Gen. 5. 22. He walked with God and begat sons and daughters He made not a prayer the less for having a childe the more and let us be but alike holy with Enoch and let others be more holy with Anselme 11. Wherefore when the b Cor. 7. 33. Apostle saith He that is married careth for the things which are of this world how he may please his wife St Paul expounded therein he describeth not that height of God-pleasing which Marriage ought and in it self may and by Enoch was improved but expresseth such faults which through humane corruption too commonly come to pass Which are vita mariti non matrimonii uxoris non uxoratus flowing neither from the essence nor from the exercise of Marriage but onely from the depraved use thereof which by Gods assistance and mans best endeavours may be rectified and amended 12. It is therefore falsly charged on Marriage quà Marriage And marriage defended that it is an hinderance to Hospitality starving the poor to feed a family It is confessed it would break Marriage if caeteris paribus she should offer to vie bounty with Virginity onely she may equal Virginity in cheerfulness of her giving and in the discreet choise of fit objects whereon to bestow it Yet give me leave to say in a married family there be commonly most mouthes and where most mouthes there probably most bread is eaten and where most bread is eaten there certainly most crums fall beneath the table so that the poor are feasted by those fragments If any rejoyn that single folke bestow their almes not by crums but whole loaves the worst I wish is that poor people may finde the truth thereof Nor doth the having of children quà children make men covetous seeing Solómon saw a man c Eccles 4. 8. who had neither childe nor brother yet his eye was not satisfied with riches On the other side I finde two in one and the same d Gen. 33. 9. 11. Chapter professing they had enough viz. Esau and Jacob both of them married both of them parents of many children 13. And here well may we wonder at the partiality of the Papists over-exalting Marriage in the Laity A Monks verses as bald as his crown to a Sacrament and too much depressing the same in Priests as no better then refined fornication Yea some have made Virginity the corn and Marriage the cockle which is a wonder that they should be of several kindes seeing Virginity is but the fruit and Marriage the root thereof But amongst all the foul mouthes belibelling Marriage one rayling Rythmer of Anselmes age bore away the bell drinking surely of styx instead of Helicon and I am confident my translation is good enough for his bald verses e Found in Ramsey Abbey in a Treatise De Monicatu cited by John Bale O malè viventes versus audite sequentes Vxores vestras quas odit summa potestas Linquite propter eum tenuit quit morte trophaeum Quod si non facitis inferni claustra petetis Christi Sponsa jubet nè Presbyter ille ministret Qui tenet uxorem Domini quia perdit amorem Contradicentes fore dicimus insipientes Non ex rancore loquor haec potius sed amore O ye that ill live attention give unto my following rhythmes Your wives those dear mates whom the highest power hates see that ye leave them betimes Leave them for his sake who a conquest did make and a crown and a cross did acquire If any sayno I give them to know they must all unto Hell for their hire The Spouse of Christ forbids that Priest his ministerial function Because he did part with Christ in his heart at his marriage-conjunction We count them all mad if any so bad as daring herein to contest Nor is it of spight that this I indite but out of pure love I protest Where did this rayling Monk ever read that God hated the wives of Priests And did not the Church of Rome at this time come under the character of that defection describbed by the a 1 Tim. 4. 1. Apostle That in the latter times some should depart from the fatih sorbidding to marry c. 14. These endeavour as they are deeply concerned to wipe off from themselves this badge of Antichrist by pleading that 1. They forbid Marriage to 2. They force Priesthood on no man Onely they require of those who freely will enter into the Priesthood to vow virginity and command such to part with their wives who were formerly entered into Orders 15. All which is alledged by them but in vain Well stopped up seeing marriage may be forbidden either directly or consequentially For the first none well in their wits consulting their credit did ever point-blank forbid marriage to all people Such would be held as hostes humani generis enemies of man-kinde in their destructive doctrines Nor did any ever absolutely as it followeth in the same text
have nothing left unto me for to provide any better but as my b b Robert Fisher brother of his own purse laieth out for me to his great hinderance Wherefore gode Master Secretary estsones I beseche yow to have som pittie pon me and let me have such things as bar necessary for me in mine Age and especially for my health and also that it may please yow by yowr high wysdome to move the Kings Highnesse to take me unto his gracious favour againe and to restore me unto my liberty out of this cold and painful Imprisonment whereby ye shall bind me to be yowr pore beadsman for ever unto Almighty God who ever have yow in his protection and custody Other twain things I must also desyer upon yow first oon is that itt may please yow that I may take some Preest within the Tower by th'assignment of Master Livetenant to have my confession against my hooly tym That other is that I may borrow some bookes to stir my devotion mor effectually theis hooly dayes for the comfortte of my sowl This I beseche yow to grant me of yowr charitie And thus our Lord send yow a mery Christenmas and a comfortable to yowr heart desyer Att the Tower this xxij day of December Your poor Beadsman JOHN ROFFE His first petition for cloaths was granted him having exchange thereof at his execution and it is probable the other two petitions being so reasonable were not denied him 19. During his durance in the Tower he was often and strictly examined Ann. Regis HeÌ„ 8. 27. before Sir Edmund Walsingham Lieutenant thereof His often exminations by Thomas Bedyll and Richard Layton Clerks of the Councell and was sworn in verbo Sacerdotii to answer to many Interrogatories but chiefly concerning four subjects First Off 〈…〉 about the King's Divorce wherein he was alwaies constant to what he had printed of the unlawfulnesse thereof Secondly about His Supremacy which at last he peremptorily denyed Thirdly about his concealing the Imposture of Elizabeth Barton the Maide of Kent wherein he confessed his weaknesse and over-easie beliefe but utterly denied any ill Intentions to the King's Person Fourthly about the Statute of Succession wherein as appears by his Letter to * Extant in Sir Thomas Cottons Library Secretary Cromwell he was content to subscribe and swear to the body but not to the Preamble thereof 20. Which words therein Taketh offence â— the Preface 〈…〉 so offensive to Fisher except there be any other unprinted Preface to this Statute were these The Bishop a See in printed Statutes 25 of Hen. 8. cap. 22 p. 558. of Rome and See Apostolick contrary to the great and inviolable grants of Jurisdiction by God immediately to Emperours Kings and Princes in Succession to their Heires hath presumed in times past to invest who should please them to inherit in other mens Kingdomes and Dominions which thing we Your most humble Subjects both Spiritual and Temporal doe most abhorre and detest 21. Here I know not whether more to commend the policy or charity of Archbishop Cranmer desiring in a Letter to b ex Litt. MS. in Bib Corion Secretary Cromwell that this partial subscription which Bishop Fisher proffered Archbishop Cranmer his 〈◊〉 charity to the Statute of Succession might be accepted adding that good use mighe be made thereof to the King's advantage such generall reputation the World had of this Bishop's Learning and of Sir Thomas Moore 's both which it seems went the same path and pace and in this point started 〈◊〉 and stopp'd together Indeed it was not good to strain such fine springs too high which possibly moistened with milde usage might in processe of time have been stretched to a further compliance But it seems nothing at present would satisfie except both of them came up to the full measure of the King's demands 22. As for Bishop Fisher his concealing the pretended Prophesies of Elizabeth Barton Fisher concealing Bartons forgeries waved it was so farre waved that he was never indicted for the same And indeed he made an ingenuous Plea for himself namely that the said Elizabeth had told him she had acquainted the King therewith yea he had assurance thereof from the c in his Letter to the King in bib Cotton Archbishop And therefore knowing the King knew of it before he he was loath to hazard His displeasure in that which was not revealing what was unknown but repeating what would be unwelcome to His Grace 23. But not long after Yâ—t how indicted why condemned he was arreigned of high Treason and it will not be amisse to insert the sting of the Indictment out of the Originall DIversis Domini Regis veris * May 7. subditis falsè malitiosè proditoriè loquebatur propalabat videlicet * His 〈◊〉 were spoken May 7. in the Tower of London but he arraigned afterwards The King owre Soveraigne Lord is not Supreme Hed ynerthe of the Cherche of England In dicti Domini Regis immund despect vilipendium manifest Of this he was found guilty had Judgment and was remanded to the Tower where for a time we leave him and proceed 24. Thus was the power of the Pope totally abolished out of England Papists unjustly charge us for Schismaticks whereof the Romanists at this day doe bitterly complain but can revenge themselves no other way save by aspersing us as guilty of Schisme and Separation for rending our selves from the Mother-Church Blame us not if loath that the Church of England in whose Doctrine and Discipline we were born and bred and desire to die should lie under so foule and false an Imputation which by the following Narrative may fully be confuted 25. Three things are Essential to justifie the English Reformation Three Essentials in Reformation from the scandal of Schisme to shew that they had 1. Just cause for which 2. True authority by which 3. Due moderation in what they deceded from Rome 26. The first will plainly appear The grosse errors in Popery if we consider the abominable Errors which contrary to Scripture and Primitive practise were then crept into the Church of Rome As the denying the Cup to the Laity Worshipping of Images locking up the Scriptures in Latine and performing prayers in an unknown Tongue with the monstrosity of Transubstantiation unexcusable practises Besides the Behemoth of the Pope's Infallibility and the Leviathan of his Universall Jurisdiction so exclaimed against by Gregory the great as a Note of Anti-Christ 27. Just cause of Reformation being thus proved The impossibility of 〈◊〉 general Councell proceed we to the Authority by which it is to be made Here we confesse the most regular way was by order from a Free and Generall Councell but here alas no hope thereof General it could not be the Greeks not being in a capacity of repairing thither nor Free such the Papal Usurpation For before men could trie
posterity except they shut their coffers on purpose because there was nothing in them Sure I am there is no dashing on the credit of the Lady nor any the least insinuations of inchastity in that Instrument Praeclara Domina Serenissima Regina being the worst titles that are given her therein 25. Men may justly marvell what King Henry meant by this solemn and ceremonious Divorce What might be the King's designs in this divorce which the edge of the Ax Ann. Dom. 1536. or Sword was more effectually to perform the day after Ann. Regis Hē 8. 28. Her death being then designed Was it because He stood on this punctilio or criticisme of credit that He might not hereafter be charged with cruelty for executing His Wife that first He would be divorced from Her and so cannot be said to put His Queen but Anna Bollen to death Or did He first but barely intend Her divorce and afterwards suspecting this would not make sufficient avoidance in His bed to clear all claims took up new resolutions to take away Her life Or was it because He conceived the execution would only reach the root the Queen Her self and not blast the branch the Lady Elizabeth whom by this divorce He desired to render illegitimate Whatever His aimes were He got Her divorce confirmed both by Convocation and Parliament interesting all equally therein that hereafter none should accuse Him of this act but first they must condemn themselves However after-ages take the boldnesse to conceive that the greatest guilt of Anna Bollen was King Henry's better fancying of another which made Him the next day after Her death to mourn so passionately for Her in the embraces of a new and beautifull Bride the Lady Jane Seymour 26. But The Convocation bucksome to please the King in all things to return to the Convocation That Instrument of Divorce was no sooner tendred therein but all subscribed it The Papists willingly the Protestants faintly but all publickly Yea in this Convocation nothing was propounded in the King's name but it passed presently Oh the operation of the purge of a Praemunire so lately taken by the Clergie and an hundred thousand pounds paid thereupon How did the remembrance thereof still work on their spirits and made them meek and mortified They knew the temper of the King and had read the Text k Amos 3. 8. The lyon hath roared who will not fear Gardiner the fox durst not so much as bark to oppose the King nor the proudest in the place As for Edmond Bonner Arch-deacon of Leicester present and active in this Convocation I may say Bonner was no Bonney yet but a perfect Cromwellist and as forward as any to promote his designes 27. On the Friday following A Catalogue of erroneous opinions complained of in the Convocation Mr. Gwent the Prolocutour July 23. brought to the Upper House of Convocation a Book containing the Mala dogmata those erroneous doctrines then as he complained publickly preached printed and professed requesting reformation thereof that order might be taken against the future propagation of such dangerous positions Behold them here transcribed out of the Record partly for novelty-sake because to my knowledge never printed before and partly because though many wilde and distempered expressions be found therein yet they contain the Protestant Religion in oare which since by God's blessing is happily refined 28. The Protestation of the Clergie of the Lower House Erroneons opinions as then accounted complained of in the Convocation within the Province of Canterbury with declaration of the faults and abuses which heretofore have and now be within the same worthy special reformation IN very humble and reverent manner with protestation That we the Clergie of the Lower House within the Province of Canterbury nother in word deed or otherwise directly or indirectly intend any thing to speak attempt or doe which in any manner of wise may be displeasant unto the King's Highnesse our most dread Sovereign Lord and supreme Head of the Church of England but in all things according to the command of God to be most obedient to His Grace to Whom accordingly we submit our selves minding in no wise by any colourable fashion to recognize privily or apertly the Bishop of Rome or his usurped authority or in any wise to bring in defend or maintain the same into this noble Realm or Dominions of the same but that the same Bishop of Rome with his usurped authority utterly for ever with his inventions rites abuses ordinances and fashions to be renounced forsaken extinguished and abolished And that we sincerely addict our selves to Almighty God his laws and unto our said Severeign Lord the King our supreme Head in earth and His Laws Statutes Provisions and Ordinances made herewithin His Graces Realm We think in our consciences and opinions these errors and abuses following to have been and now to be within this Realm causes of dissention worthy speciall reformation It is to were 1. That it is commonly preached taught and spoken to the slander of this noble Realm disquietness of the people dammage of Christian souls not without fear of many other inconveniences and perils That the Sacrament of the Altar is not to be esteemed For divers light and lewd persons be not ashamed or aferde to say Why should I see the sacring of the high Masse Is it any thing else but a piece of bread or a little predie round Robin 2. Item That they deny Extreme Unction to be any Sacrament 3. Item That Priests have no more authority to minister Sacraments than the Lay-men have 4. Item That Children ought not in any wise to be confirmed of the Bishops afore they come to the age of discretion 5. Item That all Ceremonies accustomed in the Church which are not clearly expressed in Scripture must be taken away because they are mens inventions 6. Item That all those are Antichrists that doe deny the Lay-men the Sacrament of the Altar sub utrâque specie 7. Item That all that be present at Masse and doe not receive the Sacrament with the Priest are not partakers of the said Masse 8. Item That it is preached and taught That the Church that is commonly taken for the Church is the old Synagogue and that the Church is the congregation of good men onely 9. Item It is preached against the Letany and also said That it was never merry in England sithence the Letany was ordained and Sancta Maria Sancta Catharina c. sungen and said 10. Item That a man hath no Free-will 11. Item That God never gave grace nor knowledge of holy Scripture to any great estate or rich man and that they in no wise follow the same 12. Item That all Religions and Professions whatsoever they be are clean contrary to Christs religion 13. Item That it be preached and taught That all things ought to be commune and that Priests should have Wives 14. Item That Preachers will in no
Sisters sixty 2. Priests thirteen 3. Deacons four 4. Lay-brethren eight In all Eighty five Where by the way know we must reckon seventy two Disciples which the n Luke 10. 1. Evangelist makes but just seventy and also put in S. Paul for the thirteenth Apostle or else it will not make up the summe aforesaid but it is all even with discreet persons be it over or above it This Order constantly kept their Audit on All-Saints Eve October 31 and the day after All-Souls being the third of November they gave away to the poor all that was left of their annual Revenue conceiving otherwise it would putrifie and corrupt if treasured up and be as heinous an offence as the Jews when preserving Manna longer than the continuance of one day These Brigetteans had but one Convent in England at Sion in Middlesex built by King Henry the fifth but so wealthy that it was valued yearly worth at the dissolution o Th WalsinghaÌ„ ut priù◠One thousand nine hundred forty four pounds eleven shillings eight pence farthing 41. No Convents of Nuns in England more carfully kept their Records than the Priory of Clarkenwell Spcel's Catal. of Religious Houses p. 793. to whose credit it is registred That we have a perfect Catalogue of their Prioresses from their foundation to their dissolution defective in all other Houses according to the order following viz 1. Christiana The Prioresses of Clerkenwell 2. Ermegard 3. Hawisia 4. Eleonora 5. Alesia 6. Cecilia 7. Margery Whatvile 8. Isabell 9. Alice Oxeney 10. Amice Marcy 11. Denys Bras 12. Margery Bray 13. Joan Lewkenor 14. Joan Fullham 15. Ratherine Braybroke 16. Luce Attwood 17. Joan Viene 18. Margaret Blakewell 19. Isabell Wentworth 20. Margaret Bull. 21. Agnes Clifford 22. Katherine Greene. 23. Isabell Hussey 24. Isabell Sackvile Had the like care continued in other Convents it had contributed much to the clearnesse of Ecclesiasticall Historie 42. Sir Thomas Challoner Tutour as I take it to Prince HENRY not long agoe built a spacious House within the Close of that Priory A good exchange upon the Frontispiece whereof these Verses were inscribed not unworthy of remembrance Casta fides superest velatae tecta Sorores Ista relegatae deseruere licèt Nam venerandus Hymen hic vota jugalia servat Vestalémque focum mente fovere studet Chast Faith still stayes behinde though hence be flown Those veyled Nuns who here before did nest For reverend Marriage Wedlock vows doth own And sacred Flames keeps here in Loyall brest I hope and believe the same may truly be affirmed of many other Nunneries in England which now have altered their properity on the same conditions 43. So much for the severall dates of Monks and Fryers Exactnesse in dates not to be expected wherein if we have failed a few years in the exactnesse thereof the matter is not much I was glad to finde so ingenuous a passage in Pitzeus so zealous a Papist with whom in this point I wholly concurre He speaking of the different Aeraes of the coming in of the Augustinians into England thus concludeth In r Pitz. in Indice Illust Angl. script p 974. tantâ sententiarum Varietate veritatem invenire nec facile est nec multùm refert The best is though I cannot tell the exact time wherein every Counter was severally laid down on the Table I know certainly the year wherein they were all thrown together and put up in the bagge I mean the accurate date of their generall dissolution viz Anno One thousand five hundred thirty and eight on the same signe that Sanders observeth a grand providence therein That Jesuits began beyond the Seas at the very same time we will not higgle with so frank a chapman for a few months under or over but taking his Chronology herein de bene esse one word of the name of that Order first premising a pleasant story 44. A Countrey-man A pleasant story who had lived many years in the Hercinian woods in Germany at last came out into a populous City demanding of the people therein What God they did worship It was answered him They worshipped Jesus Christ Whereupon the wilde Wood man asked the names of the severall Churches in the City which were all called by the sundry Saints to whom they were consecrated It s strange said he that you should worship JESUS CHRIST and he not have one Temple in all your City dedicated unto him But it seems Ignatius Loyola Founder of this new Order finding all other Orders consigned to some SAINT or other whence they take their denomination intended at last peculiarly to appropriate one to JESUS That as at that holy name every knee should bow So all other Orders should doe homage and submit to this his new one of Jesuits 45. Here Jesuats different from Jesuits had not better eyes than mine own made the discovery being beholden to M. Chemnitius therein I had never noted the nice difference betwixt JESUATS and JESUITS so neer in name though not in time but it seems in nature distinguished The former began at Siena in Italy in the year 1366 of whom thus Sabellicus Colligebantur ab initio domesticatim simplici habitu amicti multâ innocentiâ pietate viri victum sibi labore operâ quaeritantes Apostolici ab initio Clerici nuncupati Hi neque sacris initiantur neque celebrant Missarum solemnia tantùm orationi vacant Jesuati ab eo dicti quòd Jesu Regis summi frequens sit nomen in illorum ore c. Men of much innocence and piety were gathered in the beginning from house to house cloathed in poor habit and seeking their own livelyhood with labour and pains called from the beginning Apostolicall Clerks These neither were entred into Orders neither did celebrate the solemnity of Masses but onely bestowed themselves in prayer therefore called Jesuats because the name of Jesus was so frequent in their mouthes But it seems these Iesuats sunk down in silence when the Iesuits appeared in the world the former counting it ill manners in likeness of name to sit so near to those who were so farr their betters 56. All Orders may be said eminently extant in the Iesuits to and above the kinde Jesuits the best buttresses of the Romish Church the degree thereof and indeed they came seasonably to support the tottering Church of Rome For when the Protestants advantaged with Learning and Languages brought in the Reformation Monks Fryers were either so ignorant as they could not so idle as they would not or so cowardly that they durst not make effectual opposition as little skill'd in Fathers lesse in Scripture and not at all versed in Learned Languages As for the Franciscans I may say of them they were the best and * See Cent. 14. pag. â—40 worst schollars of all Fryers The best as most sublime in School-Divinity worst for if before their entrance into that Order they knew not
them how much they have profited in the study of holy Scripture 21. That in the time of High Masse be that sayeth or singeth a Psalm shall read the Epistle and Gospel in English and one Chapter in the New Testament at Mattens and another at Evensong and that when nine Lessons are to be read in the Church three of them shall be omitted with Responds And at Evensong the Responds with all the Memories 22. That to prevent in Sick persons the damnable vice of Despair They shall learn and have alwaies in readinesse such comfortable places and sentences of Scripture as doe set forth the mercy benefits and goodnesse of God Almighty towards all penitent and believing persons 23. To avoid all contention and strife which heretofore have risen amongst the Kings subjects by challenging of Places in Procession no Procession hereafter shall be used about the Church or Church-yard but immediately before high Masse the Letany shall be distinctly said or sung in English none departing the Church without just cause and all ringing of Bells save one utterly forborne 24. That the Holy-day at the first beginning Godly instituted and ordained be wholly given to God in hearing the Word of God read and taught in private and publick prayers in acknowledging their offences to God and amendment in reconciling themselves to their Neighbours receiving the Communion visiting the sick c. Onely it shall be lawfull for them in time of harvest to labour upon Holy and Festival-daies and save that thing which God hath sent and that scrupulosity to abstain from working upon those daies doth grievously offend God 25. That no Curate admit to the Communion such who are in ranchor and malice with their neighbours till such controversies be reconciled 26. That every Dean Arch-Deacon c. being a Priest preach by himself personally twice a year at least 27. That they instruct their people not obstinately to violate the Ceremonies of the Church by the King commanded to be observed and not as yet abrogated And on the other side that whosoever doth superstitiously abuse them doth the same to the great perill of his souls health 28. That they take away and destroy all Shrines covering of Shrines Tables Candlesticks Trindills or rolls of Wax Pictures Paintings and other Monuments of fained Miracles so that no memory of them remain in Walls or Windows exhorting their Parishioners to doe the like in their severall houses And that a comely Pulpit be provided in a convenient place 29. That a strong Chest be provided with a hole in the upper part thereof with three Keyes thereunto belonging be provided to receive the charity of people to the poor and the same at convenient times distributed unto them in the presence of the Parish 30. That Priests be not bound to go to visit Women lying in Child-bed except in times of dangerous sicknesse and not to fetch any Coarse except it be brought to the Church yard 31. That to avoid the detestable sin of Simonie the Seller shall lose his right of Patronage for that time and the Buyer to be deprived and made unable to receive Spirituall promotion 32. That because of the lack of Preachers Curats shall read Homilies which are or shall be set forth by the Kings Authority 33. Where as many indiscreet persons doe uncharitably contemn and abuse Priests having small learning his Majesty chargeth his Subjects that henceforth they be reverently used for their Office and Ministration sake 34. That all persons not understanding Latine shall pray on no other Primmer but what lately was set forth in English by K. Henry the eighth and that such who have knowledge in Latine use none other also and that all Craces before and after meat be said in English and no Grammer taught in Schools but what is set forth by Authority 35. That Chantery Priests teach youth to read and write 36. That when any Sermon or Homily shall be had the Prime and Houres shall be omitted ⧠The form of bidding the Common Prayers YOu shall pray for the whole Congregation of Christs Church and specially for this Church of England and Ireland wherein first I commend to your devout prayers the Kings most excellent Majesty Supreme Head immediately under God of the spirituality and temporalty of the same Church And for Queen Katharine Dowager and also for my Lady Mary and my Lady Elizabeth the Kings sisters Secondly You shall pray for my Lord Protectors grace with all the rest of the Kings Majesties Councell for all the Lords of this Realm and for the Clergie and the Commons of the same beseeching Almighty God to give every of them in his degree grace to use themselves in such wise as may be to Gods glory the Kings honour and the weal of this Realm Thirdly You shall pray for all them that be departed out of this world in the faith of Christ that they with us and we with them at the Day of Judgment may rest both body and soul with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the kingdome of heaven Observations on the Kings Injunctions Let us here admire Gods wisdome in our first Reformers The wisdome of our Reformers who proceeded so moderately in a matter of so great consequence To reform all at once had been the ready way to reform nothing at all New wine must be gently powred into old bottles lest the strenght of the liquor advantaged with the violence of the infusion break the vessel Iacob could not keep pace with Esau presumed fleet on foot as used to hunting whilest he had in his company the * Gen. 33. 13. tender children and flocks with young which if over driven one day would die And though no doubt he himself was foot-man enough to go along with his Brother yet he did lead on softly according as the cattle and children were able to endure Thus our wise Reformers reflected discreetly on the infirmities of people long nouzled in ignorance and superstition and incapable of a sudden and perfect alteration On this account in the third Injunction they reduced Candles formerly sans number in Churches to two Onely two lights left upon the high Altar before the Sacrament these being termed lights shews they werenot luminacaeca but burning Know also that at this time there was an universall dilapidation of Chancells and men had seen so many Abbey-Churches pluckt down that they even left Parish-Churches to fall down on themselves now to repair them all at once would have stopt the holes in the Chancells and made one in the states of the Ministers It was therefore in the sixteenth Injunction ordered That a fift part of their means should be imployed therein whereby the work was effectually done without any great dammage to the Repairers By Memories appointed to be omitted What meant by Memories Injunction 21. we understand the Obsequia for the dead which some say succeeded in the place of the Heathen Roman Parentalia The abolishing Processions is politickly
of Warning The Protestants triumph on the other side seeing besides that both sides were warned at the same time that Party sent a challenge and gave the first defiance in their late Declaration and now it was Senselesse in them to complain that they were set upon unawares That if the truths were so clear as they pretended and their learning so great as was reputed little Study in this Case was required That Bacon was appointed Moderator not to decide the matters Controverted but to regulate the manner of their Disputation whereunto his known Gravity and Discretion without deep learning did sufficiently enable him That it was an old Policy of the Papists to account every thing fundamentall in Religion which they were loth should be removed and that the receiving of erroneous principles into the Church without examination had been the mother of much ignorance and security therein For the preventing of the farther growth whereof no fitter means then an unpartiall reducing of all Doctrines to the triall of the Scriptures that their declining the Disputation manifested the badnesse of their Cause seeing no pay-master will refuse the touch or scales but such as suspect their Gold to be base or light That formerly Papists had disputed those points when power was on their side so that they loved to have Syllogisms in their mouths when they had swords in their hands 14. It remaineth now Nine Bishops now dead that we acquaint the reader how the popish Bps. were disposed of who now fell under a 4. fold division 1 Dead 2 Fled 3 Deprived 4 Continued There were nine of the first sort who were of the Death-gard of Q. Mary as expiring either a little before her decease viz. John Capon Robert Parfew Maurice Griffin William Glyn. B p. of Sarisbury Hereford Rochester Bangor These were Q. Mary her Vshers to her grave Or a little after her departure as Riegnald Pole John Hopton John Brookes John Holyman Henry Morgan B p. of Canterbury Norwich Glocester Bristol S. Davids These were Q. Maries trainbearers to the same 15. Three only made their flight beyond the seas Three fled beyond the Seas namely 1. Thomas Goldwell of S t. Asaph who ran to Rome and there procured of the Pope the renewing of the indulgences for a set time to such as superstitiously repaired to the well of S t. Winnifride 2. Cuthert Scot of Chester who afterwards lived and died at Lovain 3. Richard Pates of Worcester whose escape was the rather connived at because being a moderate Man he refused to persecute any Protestant for his difference in religion 16. Be it here remembred 〈…〉 that the See of Worcester had nine Bishops successively whereof The four first being all Italians none of them lived there The five last Latimer Bel Heath Hooper Pates none of them died there as either resigning removed or deprived and all five were alive together in the raigne of Q. Mary As for Pates we finde him thus subscribing the councell of Trent Richardus Patus Episcopus Wigorniensis under-writing only in his private and personall capacity having otherwise no deputation as in any publick imployment 17. The third sort succeeds The rest restrained of such who on the refusall of the oath of supremacy were all deprived though not restrained alike Bonner was imprisoned in the Marshalsea a Jaile beeing conceived the safest place to secure him from peoples fury every hand itching to give a good squeeze to that Spunge of Blood White and Watson Bishops of Winchester and Lincoln died in durance their liberty being inconsistent with the Queens safety whom they threatned to excommunicate 18. As for Bishop Tonstal and Thyrlby they were committed to Arch-Bishop Parker Here they had sweet chambers soft beds warme fires plentifull and wholsome diet each Bishop faring like an Arch-Bishop as fed at his table differing nothing from their former living save that that was on their own charges and this on the cost of another Indeed they had not their wonted attendance of supperfluous Servants nor needed it seeing a long train doth not warme but weary the wearer thereof They lived in 〈◊〉 custody and all things considered custody did not so soure their freedome as freedome did sweeten their custody 19. The rest though confin'd for a while soon found the favour to live Prisoners on their Parole Some living in their own Houses having no other Jaylour than their own promise Thus Poole of Peterburgh Turbervile of Exeter c. lived in their own or their friends houses The like liberty was allowed tho Heath Arch-Bishop of Yorke who like another Abiathar * 1 King 2. 26. sent home by Solomon to his own fields in Anathoth lived cheerfully at Chobham in Surry where the Queen often courteously visited him 20. Popish writers would perswade people Cruelty causelessly complainâ—d of that these Bishops were cruelly used in their prisons should their hyperbolicall expressions be received as the just measure of truth Carceribus varijsque cusodiis commissi longo miseriarum taedio extincti sunt De Schism Ang. pag. 335. saith Sanders Confessor obiit in vmculis saith Pitzeus of White A great cry and a little pain Many of our poor Protestants in the Marian dayes said lesse and suffered more They were not sent into a complementall custody but some of them thrust into the prison of a prison where the Sun shined as much to them at mid-night as-at noon-day Whereas Abbot Feckenham of Westminster who as a Parliamentary Baron may goe in equipage with the other Bishops may be an instance how well the Papists were used after their deprivation For He grew Popular * Camdens Eliz. in hoc Anno. for his alms to the poor which speaks the Queens bounty to Him in enabling him a prisoner to be bountifull to others 21. Onely one Bishop conformed himself to the Queens commands One Bishop continued and was continued in his place viz. Anthony Kitchin alias Dunstan of Landaffe Camden calls him Sedis sâ—ae calamitatem The bane of his Bishoprick wasting the lands thereof by letting long leases as if it were given to Binominous Bishops such as had two Names to be the empairers of their Churches as may appear by these 4. contemporaries in the raigne of K. Henry the 8. John Capon John Voisey Robert Parfew Anthony Kitchin alias Salcot Harman Warton Dunstan spoiled Sarisbury Exeter S t. Asaph Landaffe I know what is pleaded for them that Physicians in desperate consumptions prescribe the shaving of the Head which will grow again to save the life and that these Bishops fearing the finall alienation of their lands passed long leases for the prevention thereof though whether Policy or Covetousnesse most shared in them herein we will not determine Only I finde a mediate successour * Godwin in the Bps. of Landaffe of Kitchins and therefore concerned to be knowing therein much excusing him from this common defamation of wronging his See because many
being but one particular man and not so much to be accounted of but most of all for that the same might tend to the publick harme of Gods Church whereof your Majesty by office ought to be Nutricia and also the heavy burden of your conscience before God if they should bè put to strict execution It was not your Majesties pleasure then the time not serving thereto to hear me at any length concerning the said two matters then expounded I thought it therefore my duty by writing to declare some part of my mind unto your Highness beseeching the same with patience to read over this which I now send written with my own rude scribling hand which seemeth indeed to be of more length then it is for I say with Ambrose Ad Valentinianum Imper Scribo manu mea quod sola legas Madam first of all I must and will during my life confess that there is no earthly creature to whom I am so much bounden as to your Majesty who notwithstanding mine insufficiency which commendeth your grace the more hath bestowed upon me so many and so great benefits as I could never hope for much less deserve I do therefore according to my bounden duly with all thanksgiving bear towards your Majesty a most humble thankfull and faithfull heart and that knoweth he that knoweth all things Neither do I intend ever to offend your Majesty in any thing unless in the cause of God or his Church by necessity of office and burden laid upon me and burden of conscience I shall thereunto be inforced and in these cases which I trust in God shall never be urged upon me If I should use dissembling silence I should very ill requite so many your Majesties and so great benefits For in so doing both you might fall into perill towards God and I my self into endless damnation The Prophet Ezekiel termeth us Ministers of the Church Speculatores and not Adulatores If we therefore see the sword coming by reason of any offence towards God we must of necessity give warning else the blood of those that perish will be required at our hands I beseech your Majesty thus to think of me that I do not conceive any ill opinion of you although I cannot assent unto those two Articles then expounded I do with the rest of all your good Subjects acknowledge that we have received by your government many and most excellent benefits as amongst others freedome of conscience suppression of Idolatry sincere preaching of the Gospell with publick peace and tranquillity I am also perswaded that ever in these matters which you seem to urge your meaning and zeal is for the best the like hath happened to many of the best Princes that ever were yet have not refused afterwards to be better informed and instructed out of Gods word King David so much commended in the Scriptures had no evill meaning when he commanded the people to be numbred he thought it good policy in so doing to understand what forces he had in store to imploy against Gods enemies if occasion so required yet afterwards saith the Scripture his own heart stroke him and God by the Prophet Gad reprehended him for his offence and gave him for the same choice of three hard pennances that is to say Famine Warr and Pestilence Good King Ezechias of curtesie and good affection shewed to the Embassadors of the King of Babylon the treasures of the house of God and of his own house and yet the Prophet Isaiah told him that God was therewith displeased The godly King Jehosaphat making league with his neighbour King Ahab and of like good meaning no doubt was likewise reprehended by Jehu the Prophet in this forme of words Impio praebes auxilium ijs qui oderunt Dominum amicitia jungeris Ambrose writing to Theodosius the Emperor useth these words Novi pietatem tuam erga Deum lenitatem in homines oblectatus sum beneficijs tuis c. and yet sor all that the said Ambrose doth not forbear in the same Epistle to perswade the said Emperour to revoke an ungodly Edict wherein he had commanded a godly Bishop to reedifie a Iewish Synagogue pulled down by the Christian people And so to come to the present case I may very well use to your Highness the words of Ambrose above written Novi pietatem c. But surely I cannot marvell enough how this strange opinion should once enter into your minde that it should be good for the Church to have few preachers Alass Madam is the Scripture more plain in any thing then that the gospell of Christ should be plentifully preached and that plenty of labourers should be sent into the Lords harvest which being great and large standeth in need not of a few but of many workmen There was appointed to the building of Solomons materiall Temple artificers and labourers besides 3000. overseers and shall we think that a few preachers may suffice to the building and edifying of the spirituall Temple of Christ which is his Church Christ when he sent forth his Disciples and Apostles said unto them Ite praedicate Evangelium omni creaturae but all Gods creatures cannot be instructed in the gospell unless all possible means be used to have multitudes of preachers and teachers to preach unto them Sermo Christi inhabitet in vobis opulenter Saith S. Paul Col. 3. and 2 Tim. 4. Praedica Sermonem insta tempestivè intempestivè argue increpa exhortare c. which thing cannot be done without often and much teaching and preaching To this agreeth the practise of Christs Apostles Qui constituebant per singulas Ecclesias presbyteros Acts 14. S. Paul likewise writeth to Titus 1. Hujus rei gratia reliqui te in Creta ut quae desunt pergas corrigere constituas oppidatim Presbyteros And afterwards describes how the same presbytery were to be qualified not such as we are compelled to admit for mere necessity unless we should have a great many of Churches utterly desolate but such indeed as were able to exhort per suam doctrinam contradicentes convincere And in this place I beseech your Majesty to note one thing necessary to be noted which is this If the Holy Ghost prescribeth expressly that preachers should be placed oppidatim How can it then well be thought that three or foure preachers may suffice for a shire Publick and continuall preaching of Gods word is the ordinary means and instrument of the salvation of mankinde S. Paul calleth it the Ministry of reconciliation of man unto God by the preaching of Gods word the glory of God is encreased and enlarged faith nourished and charity encreased by it the ignorant are instructed the negligent exhorted and incited the stubborne rebuked the weak conscience comforted and to all those that sin of malicious wickedness the wrath of God is threatned By preaching also due obedience to God and Christian Princes and Magistrates is planted in the hearts of Subjects for obedience proceedeth of conscience
that they are more carefull to wash their own faces then busie to throw durt on others Any man may be witty in a bitting way and those that have the dullest brains have commonly the sharpest teeth to that purpose But such carnall mirth whilst it tickles the flesh doth wound the sâ—ul And which was the main these base books would give a great advantage to the generall foe and Papists would make too much use thereof against Protestant religion especially seeing an a Jude 9. Arch-Angell thought himself too good to bring and Sathan not bad enough to have railing speeches brought against him 20. Buâ— leaving private men to abound in their own sense how highly the state as it then stood distasted these books The instruments embyed in making thâ—se Books heavily punished will plainly appeâ— by the heavie censures inflicted on such as were but accessatie thereunto To pass by John Henry and John Vdall ministers accused for making some of them of whom in due place together with the Printers and Humphry Newman a Cohler chief disperser of them The Starâ—-Chamber deeply sined S r. Richard Knightly and S r. 〈◊〉 Wigstow for entertaining and receiving the Press Gentlemen whom their b Sr. G Paâ— in the liâ—e of Arch Bishop Whitgist pag. 40. adversâ—rtâ—s allow qualified with piety gravity and wisdome which made many admire how their discretion could be deluded and more bemoan that their goodness should be abusedâ—y others who had designes upon them Here â—rch-Bishop Whitgist bestirr'd himself to improve his interest with the Queen c Camdens Elizabeths in Anno 1588. till his importunity had angred her till his importunity had pleased her again that they might be delivered out of prison and eased of their fines which upon their submission was performed Whose mildness to mediate for his adversaries as it was highly commended by some so there wanted not those who imputed his moderation therein to declining of envie gaining of applause and remorse of his own conscience for over rigorous proceedings it being no charity to cure the wound he hath caused and solicit the remitting of those fines which he had procured to be imposed Thus impossible it is to please froward spirits and to make them like the best deed who dislike the doer thereof and if any desire to know the motions and stages of the Press which printed these books know it was first set up at d Sr. G. Paul pag. 39. Moulâ—y near Kingston in Surrey thence conveyed 〈◊〉 Fausly in Northamotonshire thence to Norton and afterwards to Coventry Hence it was removed to Welstone in Warwick-shire whence the Letters were sent to another Prâ—ss in or near Manchester and there discovered by Henry Earle of Daâ—by in the printing of more work for the Câ—oper No wonder then if many 〈◊〉 were committed by this call it as you please Pâ—lgrâ—me or Vagabond Press when it self was ever in a wandring and stragling condition 21. A 〈◊〉 of the Prâ—shyterians of the Warwick-shire Classes Acts of the Synod of Coventry was call'd at Coventry aiâ— oectmo quartâ— that is on the 10 th of April wherein the questions brought the last year from the Brethren of Cambridge Synâ—d were resolved in manner as followeth 1. That e e Transcribed out of Bp. Bancrofts book called Englands Scotizing for Discipline by practise p 86. and 87 who may seem have had the orignall in latin private Baptisme was unlawfull 2. That it is not lawfull to read Homilies in the Church 3. That the signe of the Cross is not to be used in Baptisme 4. That thâ— faithfull ought not to communicate with unlearned Ministers although they may be present at theiâ— service if they come of purpose to hear the sermon the reason is because Laymen as well as Ministers may read publick service 5. Thaâ— the calling of Bishops c. is unlawfull 6. That as they deal in causes Ecclesiasticall there is no duty belonging unto nor any publickly to be given them 7. That it is not lawfull to be ordained Ministers by them or to denounce either â—uspensions or excommunications sâ—nt from them 8. That it is not lawfull to rest in the Bishops deprivat on of any from the Ministry except upon consultation with the neighbour Ministers adjoyning and his flock it seems so good unto them but that he continue in the same untill he be compell'd to the contrary by civill force 9. That it is not lawfull to appear in a Bishops Court but with protestation of their unlawfulness 10. That Bishops are not to be acknowledged either for Doctors Elders or Deacons as having 〈◊〉 ordinary calling 11. That touching the restauration of their Ecclesiasticall Discipline it ought to be taught to the people as occasion shall serve 12. That as yet the people are not to be solicited publickly to the practise of the Discipline till they be better instructed in the knowledge of it 13. That men of better understanding are to be allured privately to the present embracing of the Discipline and practise of it as far as they shall be well able with the peace of the Church Likewise in the same assembly the aforesaid Book of discipline was approved to be a draught essentiall and necessary for all times and certain articles devised in approbation and for the manner of the use thereof were brought forth treated of and subscribed unto by M r. Cartwright and others and afterwards tendered far and near to the severall Classes for a generall ratification of all the Brethren 22. Now if Rebeccah found her self strangely affected when a Gen. 25 22. The English Church distracted bâ—twiâ—â— contrary disciplines twinns strugled in her wombe the condition of the English Church must be conceived sad which at the same time had two disciplines both of them pleading Scripture and Primitive practise each striving to support it self and suppress it's rivall The Hierarchy commanded by authority established by law confirmed by generall practise and continued so long by custome in this land that had one at this time lived the age of Methuselah he could not remember the beginning thereof in Britain The Presbytery though wanting the stamp of authority claiming to be the purer metall founded by some Clergie men favoured by many of the Gentry and followed by more of the Common sort who being prompted with that naturall principle that the weakest side must be most watchfull what they wanted in strength they supplied in activity But what won them most repute was their Ministers painfull preaching in populous places It being observed in England that those who hold the Helme of the pulpit alwayes steere peoples hearts as they please The worst is that in matters of fact all relations in these times are relations I mean much resent of party and interest to the prejudice of truth Let me minde the Reader to reflect his eye on our Quotations the Margin in such cases being as materiall as the Text as conteining the authors
as at London at Terms and Parliament times in Oxford at the Act in Cambridg at the times of Commencement and Sturbridge-fair and also more particular and Provinciall Synods and at Classes or Conferences of certain selected Ministers in one or moe places of sundry severall shires as Warwick Northampton Râ—tland Oxford Leicester Cambridge Norfolke Suffolke Essex and others 27. Item that at such Synods and Conferences it hath been concluded that all the Ministers which should be received to be either of the said generall Synods or of any more particular and Provincial or of a Classis or Conference should subscribe to the said Discipline that they did allow it would promote it practise it and be governed by it And according to the form of a schedule hereunto annexed or such like both he the said Thomas Cartwright and many others at sundry or some generall Assemblies as at Provincial and at several conferences have within the said time subscribed the same or some part thereof 28. Item that at such Synods and all other Assemblies a moderator of that meeting was first by him and them chosen according to the prescription of the said book And at some of such meetings and Assemblies amongst other things it was resolved and concluded that such particular conferences in severall Shires should be erected how many persons and with what letters from every of them should be sent to the generall Assembly and that one of them at their coming home to their Conference should make known the determinations of the generall Assembly to be by every of them followed and put in practice which course in sundry places of this Realm hath within the time aforesaid been accordingly followed and performed 29. Item that he with others in some such Classis or Conference or in a Synod Anno Dom. 1590. Anno Regin Eliza. 33. or more generall Assembly holden did treat and dispute among other points these six Articles conteined in another schedule annexed and set down their resolution and determination of them 30. Item that he with others assembled in such a generall Assembly or Synod at Cambridge did conclude and decree as in another schedule annexed or in some part thereof is conteined which decrees were made known afterwards at Warwick to sundry Classes there by his means assembled and allowed also by them then met together in the same or like form 31. Item that all such severall meetings Synods and Conferences within the said time many other determinations as well what should be done and performed or omitted as also what should be holden consonant to Gods word or disagreeing from it have been set down by the said Thomas Cartwright and others As namely that all admitted to either Assembly should subscribe the said book of Discipline Holy and Synodicall that those who were sent from any Conference to a Synod should bring letters fiduciarie or credence that the last Moderator should write them that the superscription thereof should be to a known man of the Assembly then to be holden that no book made by any of them should be put in print but by consent of the Classis at least that some of them must be earnest and some more milde and temperate whereby there may be both of the spirit of Elias and Elizeus that all admitted amongst them should subscribe and promise to conform themselves in their proceedings administration of Sacraments and of Discipline to the form of that Book and that they would subject themselves to the censuring of the Brethren both for doctrine and life and lastly that upon occasion when any their brethren shall be sent by them upon affairs of the Church as to the great meetings Parliament c. they all would bear their charges in common that there might be no superiority amongst them and that the Moderatorship as it happ'ned is not a superiority or honour but a burden that no profane writer or any other than Canonical Scripture may be alledged in Sermons that they should all teach that the ministry of those who did not preach is no ministry but a meer nullity that it is not lawfull to take any oath whereby a man may be driven to discover any thing penal to himself or to his brother especially if he be perswaded the matter to be lawfull for which the punishment is like to be inflicted or having taken it in this case need not discover the very truth that to a Bishop or other Officer ecclesiasticall as is used now in the Church of England none obedience ought to be given neither in appearing before them in doing that which they command nor in abstaining from that which they inhibit that in such places as the most of the people favoured the cause of sincerity Eldership should warily and wisely be placed and established which Consistory in some places hath been either wholy or in part erected accordingly yea in some Colledges in the University as he knoweth hath heard or verily beleeveth These Articles were tendered to M r. Cartwright in the Consistory of Pauls before John Almare Bishop of London the two Lord Chief Justices Justice Gawdy Sergeant Puckering afterwards Lord keeper and Attorney-Generall Popham 28. Mr. Cartwright refuseth to answer an oath These Commissioners did move him to give in his answer the rather because the chief points in the Jnterrogatories were delivered in general terms unto him and they severally assured him on their credits that by the Laws of the Realm he was to take his oath and to answer as he was required But M r. Cartwright desired to be born withall pleading that he thought he was not bound by the laws of God so to do Hereupon he was sent to the rest of his brethren to the Fleet where he secretly and silently took up his lodging many admiring at the pannick peaceableness and so quiet a calm where so violent a tempest was feared to arise 29. Wigington his ridling words Some soon after expected the appearance of the Presbyterian party Nov. 6. accounting it more valour to free than to keep their friends from prison The rather because of a passage in a letter of M r. Wigingtons to one M r. Porter at Lancaster M r. Cartwright is in the Fleet for the refusall of the oath as I hear and M r. Knewstubs is sent for and sundry worthy Ministers are disquieted who have been spared long So that we look for some Bickering ere long and then a Battle which cannot long endure Words variously expounded as mens fancies directed them Some conceived that this Bickering and Battle did barely import a passive conflict wherein their patience was to encounter the power of their adversaries and to conquer by suffering Parallel to the Apostles a 2 Cor. 7. 5. words Without were fightings meaning combats to wrastle with in many difficulties opposing their proceedings Others expounded the words literally not of a tame but wilde Battle and of some intended violence as if shortly they would
a voluntary or free motion one giving another Intelligence as occasion served sometimes by letters and sometimes by word of mouth 3 Interrog Who were Moderators in them and what their Office Answer That he remembred not who where Moderators in any meeting particularly saving once at Northampton when M r Johnsâ—n was admonished and that was either himself or M r Snapes he knew not well whether 4 Interrog What things were debated in those meetings or Assemblies Answer That the things Chiefly and most often considered of in those Assemblies were these First The subscription to the Book of Common-Prayer how farr it might be yielded unto rather then any should forgoe his Ministery Secondly The Book of Discipline was often perused discussed c. Thirdly Three petitions or supplications were agreed upon to be drawn First to her Majesty Secondly to the Lords of the Councell Thirdly to the Bishops The things debated of in particular he remembred not more then these First the pâ—rfecting of the Book of Discipline and purpose to subscribe to it at Cambridge Secondly this question disputed whether it were convenient for M r Cartwright to reveal the Circumstances of the Conference a little before he was committed Thirdly The admonishing of M r Johnson once at Northampton Fourthly The debating of this question whether the Books called Apocrypha were warrantable to be read publickly in the Church as the Canonical Scriptures 5 Interrog Whether any Censures were exercised what kinds when where upon whom by whom for what cause Answer That he never saw any Censure exercised saving admonition once upon M r Johnson of Northampton for miscarrying himself in his conversation to the Scandall of his Calling neither was that used with any kinde of Authority but by a voluntary yielding unto it and approving of it as well in him that was admonished as in him which did admonish 6 Interrog Whether any of the said Defendents had moved or perswaded any to refuse an Oath and in what case c Answer That he never knew any of the Defendents to use words of perswasion to any to refuse an Oath only M r Snape sent him down in writing certain reasons drawn out of the Scripture which moved him to refuse the generall Oath ex officio which I stood perswaded that he sent to none other end but to declare that he refused not to swear upon any contempt but only for Conscience sake I have insisted the longer on this Deposition because the first and fullest that I finde in the kinde thereof conteining their Classes more formally setled in Northampton-shire then any where else in England For as the west part of that shire is observed to be the highest place of England as appeareth by the Rivers rising there and running thence to the four winds so was that County a probable place as the middest of the land for the Presbyterian Discipline there erected to derive it self into all the quarters of the kingdom 40. The reasons why Mr. Stone made this confession againâ— the hope and expectation of the Breth But when the news of Mr. Stones answer was brought abroad he was generally censured by those of his party as well such as were yet at liberty conceiving themselves endangered by his discovery as by those already in prison complaining that he added affliction to their bonds Yea his embracing a different course from the rest cast an Aspersion on others of his side as less sound in Judgement or tender in conscience because peremptorily concealing what he thought fitting to confess Many that highly esteemed him before hereafter accounted him no pretious but a counterfet stone So that he found it necessary in his own vindication to impart the reasons of his Confession to such as condemned him if not for a Traytor at least for a Coward in the Cause 1. a Carefully by me transcribed out of his own Letters to his friends He judged it unlawfull to refuse an oath limitted and bounded within the compass of the conferences being required before a lawfull Magistrate in a Plea for the Prince to a lawfull end 1. to trie out the truth in a doubtfull fact suspected and feared to be dangerous both to Church and Common-Weal but such was that oath which was tendered to him ergo 2. He being lawfully sworn judged it unlawfull to be mute much more to speak any untruth 3. If he had not been urged by oath to reveal yet did he judge that silence unlawfull which justly causeth suspition of evill as of Treason Rebellion Sedition c. 4. He judged that concealment unlawfull which was not only scandalous but also dangerous as this that might occasion and incourage wicked persons to hide their Complices in their worst attempts 5. He judged that the clearing of a doubtfull fact requireth the clearing of the Circumstances which cannot be cleared till they be known 6. He judged that silence unlawfull which leaveth the truth friendless or few friends when she hath need of many 7. He judged it a point or note of Puritanisme for any to stand so upon the integrity of their own Actions as that they should not be doubted of suspected examined censured c. 8. He saw no probability nor possibility in reason to have the circumstances longer concealed 1. Because many of them are already made known partly by the letters and writings of the B. in Bonds which have been intercepted partly also by certain false brethren and lastly by certain faithfull but weak brethren whose confessions are to be seen under their own hands 2. Because the Magistrate is resolutely set to search them out and lastly because divers are to be called and to answer upon Oath which approve not the concealing of them 9. He judged the inconveniences which come by the concealing to be if not moe in number yet greater in weight and nore inevitable then those that come by revealings which as it may appear in some of the former Reasons alledged to prove the unlawfulness of concealing so may it further appear in these that follow 10. The good name and credit of any of a Minister much more ought to be dearer to him and to all those that love him then his liberty c. but by this concealing the credit of many good Ministers is eclipsed 11. This concealing hath caused the continuance of some in bonds and imprisonment hitherto would cause others to be committed and withall causeth suspition of evills Treason Rebellion Sedition c. and thereby also evill report slander c. 12. As by concealing the aforesaid suspition and slander lieth still upon us all which have been in these actions so doth the same grow every day more grievous by the wicked attempts of hypocrites and prophane persons which carry the name of Puritans Precisians c. as those of late in Cheap-side 13. Although it be very like that the revealing will bring punishment upon the rest yet is it not certain nor necessary but the concealing doth
betwixt them But such as knew M r Hooker knew him to be too wise to take exception at such trifles the rather because the most judicious is always the least part in all auditories 55. Here might one on Sundayes have seen They clash about matters of Doctrine almost as many writers as hearers Not only young students but even the gravest Benchers such as S t Edw Cook and S t James Altham then were were not more exact in taking instructions from their clients then in writing notes from the mouths of their Ministers The worst was these two preachers though joyned in affinity their nearest kindred being married together acted with different principles and clashed one against another So that what M r Hooker delivered in the forenoon M r Travers confuted in the afternoon At the building of Solomons Temple 1 King 6. 7. neither hammer nor axe nor tool of iron was heard therein Whereas alass in this Temple not only much knocking was heard but which was the worst the nailes and pins which one master-builder drave in were driven out by the other To pass by lesser differences betwixt them about Predestination Hooker maintained The Church of Rome though not a pure and perfect yet is a true Church so that such who live and die therein * Being weak ignorant and seduced upon their repentance of all their sins of ignorance may be saved Travers defended The Church of Rome is no true Church at all so that such as live and die therein holding Justification in part by works cannot be said by the Scriptures to be saved Thus much disturbance was caused to the disquieting of peoples consciences the disgrace of the ordinance the advantage of the common enemy and the dishonour of God himself 56. Here Arch-Bishop Whitgift interposed his power Travers is silenced by the Arch-Bishop and silenced Travers from preaching either in the Temple or any where else It was lai'd to his charge 1. That he was no lawfull ordained Minister according to the Church of England 2 ly That he preached here without licence 3 ly That he had broken the order made in the 7 th year of her Majesties reign Wherein it was provided that erroneous Doctrine if it came to be publickly taught should not be publickly refuted but that notice thereof should be given to the Ordinary to hear and determine such causes to prevent publick disturbance 57. As for Travers Many pleased with the deed but not with the manner of doing it his silencing many which were well pleased with the deed done were offended at the manner of doing it For all the Congregation on a Sabbath in the after noon were assembled together their attention prepared the Cloath as I may say and napkins were laied yea the guests set and their knives drawn for their spirituall repast when suddenly as M r Travers was going up into the pulpit a sorry fellow served him with a letter prohibiting him to preach any more In obedience to Authority the milde and constant submission whereunto won him respect with his adversaries M r Travers calmly signified the same to the Congregation and requested them quietly to depart to their chambers Thus was our good Zacheus struck dumb in the Temple but not for infidelity unpartial people accounting his fault at most but indiscretion Mean time his Auditory pained that their pregnant expectation to hear him preach should so publickly prove abortive and sent sermonless home manifested in their variety of passion some grieving some frowning some murmuring and the wisest sort who held their tongues shaked their heads as disliking the managing of the matter 58. Travers addressed himself by petition to the Lords of the privie Councell where his strength lay Travers his plea in his petition as Hookers in the Arch-Bishop of Cant and high Commission grievously complained that he was punished before he was heard silenced by him apprehended the heaviest penalty before sent for contrary to equity and reason The a Joh. 7. 51. Law condemning none before it hear him and know what he hath done 1. To the exception against the lawfulness of his Ministry he pleaded that the communion of Saints allows Ordination legall in any Christian Church Orders herein are like degrees and a Doctor graduated in any University hath his title and place granted him in all Christendome 2. For want of licence to preach he pleaded that he was recommended to this place of the Temple by two letters of the Bishop of London the Diocesan thereof 3. His Anti-preaching in the afternoon against what was delivered before he endeavoured to excuse by the example of S t Paul b Gal. 2. 5. Who gave not place to Peter no not an hour that the truth of the Gospell might continue amongst them But we are too tedious herein especially seeing his petition is publickly extant in print with M r Hooker his answer thereunto whither we referr the reader for his more ample satisfaction 59. By the way A charitable adversary it must not be forgotten that in the very midst of the Paroxisme betwixt Hooker and Travers the latter stil bare and none can challenge the other to the contrary a reverend esteem of his adversary And when an unworthy aspersion some years after was cast on Hooker if Christ was dasht shall Christians escape clean in their journey to heaven M r Travers being asked of a private friend what he thought of the truth of that accusation In truth said he I take M r Hooker to be a holy man A speech with coming from an adversary sounds no less to the commendation of his charity who spake it then to the praise of his piety of whom it was spoken 60. The Councell table was much divided about Travers his petition All Whitgists foes were ipso facto made Travers his favourers Travers must have no favour besides he had a large stock of friends on his own account But Whitgifts finger moved more in Church matters then all the hands of all the privie Councellers besides and he was content to suffer others to be beleeved and perchance to beleeve themselves great actors in Church-government whilst he knew he could and did do all things himself therein No favour must be afforded Travers on any terms 1. Dangerous was his person a Cartwright junior none in England either more loving Geneva or more beloved by it 2 ly Dangerous the place the Temple being one of the Jnns therefore a publick of Court therefore a principall place and to suffer one opposite to the English discipline to continue Lecturer there what was it but in effect to retain half the Lawyers of England to be of Councell against the ecclesiastical government thereof 3 ly Dangerous the Precedent this leading case would be presumed on for others to follow and a ranks breaking may be an armies ruining 61. This was the constant custome of Whitgift Whitgift his politick carriage if any Lord or Lady
of this Meeting I mislike your sudden interruption of Doctour Reynolds whom you should have suffered to have taken his liberty For there is no Order nor can be any effectuall Issue of Disputation if each party be not suffered without chopping to speak at large Wherefore either let the Doctor proceed or frame your Answer to his Motions already made although some of them are very needlesse BP of Lond. Upon the first motion concerning falling from Grace may Your Majesty be pleased to consider how many in these dayes neglect holinesse of Life presuming on persisting in Grace upon Predestination If I shall be saved I shall be saved A desperate Doctrine contrary to good Divinity wherein we should reason rather ascendendo than descendendo from our Obedience to God and Love to our Neighbour to our Election and Predestination As for the Doctrine of the Church of England touching Predestination it is in the very next Paragraph viz. We must receive Gods Promises in such wise as they be generally set forth to us in Holy Scripture and in our doings the will of God is to be followed which we have expresly declared unto us in the Word of God His Majesty I approve it very well as consonant with the place of Paul Work out your salvation with feare and trembling Yet let it be considered of whether any thing were meet to be added for clearing of the Doctors doubt by putting in the word often or the like Mean time I wish that the Doctrine of Predestination may be tenderly handled lest on the one side Gods Omnipotency be questioned by impeaching the Doctrine of his eternall Predestination or on the other side a desperate presumption arreared by inferring the necessary certainty of persisting in Grace B. of Lond. The second Objection of the Doctors is vain it being the Doctrine and Practice of the Church of England that none but a Licensed Minister may preach nor administer the Lords Supper His Majesty As for Private Baptisme I have already with the Bishops taken order for the same Then came they to the 2 d. point of Confirmation and upon the perusal of the words of the Article His Majesty concluded the pretended Contradiction a Cvaill Bp. of Lond. Confirmation is not so much founded on the place in the Acts of the Apostles but upon Heb. 6. 2. which was the opinion besides the judgement of the Fathers of Mr. Calvin h On Heb 6. 2. and Doctour Fulk i On Act. 8. 27. neither needeth there any farther proof seeing as I suppose he that objected this holds not Confirmation unlawfull but he and his Party are vexed that the use thereof is not in their owne hands for every Pastor to confirme his owne Parish for then it would be accounted an Apostolicall Institution if Dr. Reynolds were pleased but to speak his thoughts therein D r. Reyn. Indeed seeing some Diocesse of a Bishop hath therein six k Here the Bishop of London thought himself touched because about 609 in his Diocess hundred Parishes it is a thing very inconvenient to permit Confirmation to the Bishop alone and I suppose it impossible that he can take due examination of them all which come to be confirmed BP of Lond. To the matter of fact I answer that Bishops in their Visitations appoint either their Chaplains or some other Ministers to examine them which are to be confirmed and lightly confirme none but by the testimony of the Parsons and Curates Ecclesiae Salus in sumi sacerdotis dignitate pendet cui si non exors quaedem ab omnibus eminens data potestos tor in Ecclesis efficientur Schismata quot Sacerdotes where the Children are bred and brought up To the Opinion I answer that none of all the Fathers ever admitted any to confirme but Bishops alone Yea even S. Jerome himselfe otherwise no friend to Bishops confesseth the execution thereof was restrained to Bishops onely BP of Winch. Dr. Reynolds I would fain have you with all your Learning shew where ever Confirmation was used in antient times by any other but Bishops These used ait partly to examine Children and after Examination by Imposition of Hands the Jewish Ceremony of Blessing to blesse and pray over them and partly to try whether they had been baptised in the right forme or no. For in former ages some baptised as they ought in the name of the Father Son and Holy-Ghost Some as the Arrians in the name of the Father as the greater and the Sonne as the lesse Some in the name of theFather by the Sonne in the Holy Ghost Some not in the name of the Trinity but onely in the Death of Christ Whereupon Catholick Bishops were constrained to examine them who were baptised in remotis concerning their Baptisme if right to confirme them if amisse to instruct them His Majesty I dissent from the judgement of S. Jerome in his assertion that Bishops are not of Divine Ordination BP of Lond. Unlesse I could prove my Ordination lawfull out of the Scriptures I would not be a Bishop four hours longer His Majesty I approve the calling and use of Bishops in the Church and it is my Aphorisme No Bishop no King nor intend I to take Confirmation from the Bishops which they have so long enjoyed Seeing as great reason that none should confirme as that none should preach without the Bishops License But let it be referred whether the word Examination ought not to be added to the Rubrick in the title of Confirmation in the Communion-book And now Dr. Reynolds you may proceed D â— Reyn. I protest I meant not to gall any man though I perceive some took personall exceptions at my words and desire the imputation of m It seemes the Bishop of London jealous that he was reflected on as is aforesaid called the Doctor Schismatick Schisme may not be charged upon me To proceed on the 37. Article wherein are these words The Bishop of Rome hath no authority in this Land These are not sufficient unless it were added nor ought to have any His Majesty Habemus jure quod habemus and therefore in as much as it is said he hath not it is plaine enough that he ought not to have Here passed some pleasant discourse betwixt the King and Lords about Puritants till returning to seriousnesse There began the BP of Lond. May it please your Majesty to remember the Speech of the French Embassadour Mounsieur Rognee upon the view of our solemne service and Ceremonie viz. That if the Reformed Churches in France had kept the same order there would have been thousands of Protestants more than there are D r. Reyn. It were well if this proposition might be added to the Book of Articles The Intention of the Minister is not of the Essence of the Sacrament the rather because some in England have preached it to be essentiall and here againe I could desire that the nine Orthodoxall Assertions concluded at Lambeth may be
Majesty That is a dangerous Book indeed L. H Howard Both for Matter and Intention L d. Chancel Of such Books some are Latin some are English but the last dispersed do most harm Secret Cecil But my Lord of London and no man else hath done what he could to suppresse them His Majesty Dr. Reynolds you are a better Colledge man than a States-man if meaning to tax the Bishop of London for suffering those Books betweene the Secular Priests and Jesuits to be published which he did by warrant from the Council to nourish a Schisme betwixt them L d. Cecil Such Books were tolerated because by them the Title of Spaine was confuted L d. Treasurer And because therein it appeares by the Testimony of the Priests themselves that no Papists are put to death for Conscience onely but for Treason Dr. Reyn. Indeed I meant not such Books as were printed in England but one ly such as came from beyond the Seas And now to proceed to the second generall point concerning the planting of learned Ministers I desire they be in every Parish His Majesty I have consulted with my Bishops about it whom I have found willing and ready herein But as subita evacuatio is periculosa so subita mutatio It cannot presently be performed the Universities not affording them And yet they afford moe learned men than the Realme doth Maintenance which must be first provided In the mean time ignorant Ministers if young are to be removed if there be no hope of amendment if old their death must be expected because Jerusalem cannot be built up in a day BP of Winch Lay-Patrons much cause the insufficiency of the Clergy presenting mean Clerks to their Cures the Law admitting of such sufficiency and if the Bishop refuseth them presently a Quare impedit is sent out against him BP of Lond. Because this I see is a time of moving Petitions * This he spake kneeling may I humbly present two or three to your Majesty First That there may be amongst us a praying Ministery it being now come to passe that men think it is the onely Duty of Ministers to spend their time in the Pulpit I confesse in a Church newly to be planted Preaching is most necessary not so in one long established that Prayer should be neglected His Majesty I like your Motion exceeding well and dislike the Hypocrisie of our Time who place all their Religion in the Eare whilest Prayer so requisite and acceptable if duly performed is accounted and used as the least part of Religion Bp. of Lond. My second motion is that untill Learned men may be planted in every Congregation godly Homilies may be read therein His Majesty I approve your Motion especially where the Living is not sufficient for the maintenance of a learned Preacher Also where there be multitudes of Sermons there I would have Homilies read divers times Here the King asked the assent of the Plantiffs and they confessed it A preaching Ministry is best but where it may not be had godly Prayers and Exhortations do much good L d. Chancel Livings rather want Learned men Egcrtor L. Elsemcr than Learned men Livings many in the Universities pining for want of Places I wish therefore some may have single Coats one Living before others have Doublets Pluralities And this method I have observed in bestowing the King's Benefices Bp. of Lond. I commend your honourable care that way but a Doublet is necessary in cold Weather L d. Chancel I dislike not the Liberty of our Church in granting to one man two Benefices but speak out of mine own purpose and practise grounded on the aforesaid reason BP of Lond. My last motion is that Pulpits may not bemade Pasquils wherein every discontented Fellow may traduce his Superiours His Majesty I accept what you offer for the Pulpit is no place of personall Reproof let them complaine to me if injured BP of Lond. If you Majesty shall leave your self open to admit of all Complaints hour Highnesse shall never be quiet nor your under-Officers regarded whom every Delinquent when censured will threaten to complain of His Majesty I mean they shall complaine to Me by degrees first to the Ordinarie from him to the Arch-bishop from him to the Lords of the Council and if in all these no remedy be found then to my Self Dr. Reyn. I come now to Subscription * This concerned the fourth generall head viz. the Communion Book as he first propounded it however here he took occasion to urge it as a great impeachment to a learned Ministerie and therefore intreat it may not be exacted as heretofore for which many good men are kept out though otherwise willing to subscribe to the Statutes of the Realme Articles of Religion and the Kings Supremacy The reason of their backwardness to subscribe is because the Common-prayer enjoyneth the Apocripha books to be read in the Church although some Chapters therein contain manifest Errours repugnant to Scripture For instance Ecclus 48. 10. Elias in person is said to come before Christ contrary to what is in the New * Mat 11. 14. Luke 1. 17. Testament of Elias in resemblance that is John the Baptist BP of Lond. Most of the Objections against those Books are the old Cavills of the Jewes renewed by S. Jerome who first called them Apocripha which opinion upon Ruffinus his challenge he after a sort disclaimed BP of Winch. Indeed S. Jerome saith Canonici sunt ad informandos mores non ad confirmandam fidem His Majesty To take an even order * Viz. in the Dominical Gospels betwixt both I would not have all Canonicall Books read in the Church nor any Chapter out of the Apocripha wherein any errour is contained wherefore let Dr. Reynolds note those Chapters in the Apocripha-books wherein those offences are and bring them to the Arch-bishop of Cant. against Wednesday next and now Dr. proceed Dr. Reyn. The next Scruple against Subscription is because it is twice * Here we omit Mr. Knowstub his exception against the interrogatories in Baptisme because he spake so perplexedly that his meaning is not to be collected therein set down in the Common-prayer-book Jesus said to his Disciples when by the Text in the Originall it is plain that he spake to the Pharisees His Majesty Let the word Disciples be omitted and the words Jesus said be printed in a different Letter Mr. Knewst I take exceptions at the Crosse in Baptism whereat the weak Brethren are offended contrary to the counsel of the Apostle Romans 14. 2 Corinth 8. His Majesty Distingue tempora concordabunt Scripturae Great the difference betwixt those times and ours Then a Church not fully settled Now ours long established How long will such Brethren be weak Are not FORTY FIVE years sufficient for them to grow strong in Besides who pretends this weaknesse We require not Subscriptions of Layicks and Ideots but of Preachers and Ministers who are not still I trow to be
be admitted into the Ministerie but able and sufficient men and those to Preach diligently and especially upon the Lords day That such as be already entred and cannot Preach may either be removed and some charitable course taken with them for their reliese or else to be forced according to the value of their Livings to maintain Preachers That Non-Residencie be not permitted That King Edward's Statute for the lawfulnesse of Ministers Marriage be revived That Ministers be not urged to subscribe but according to the Law to the Articles of Religion and the Kings Supremacie onely III. For Church-Livings and Maintenance That Bishops leave their Commendams some holding Prebends some Parsonages some Vicarages with their Bishopricks That double beneficed men be not suffered to hold some two some three Benefices with Cure and some two three or foure Dignities besides That Impropriations annexed to Bishopricks and Colledges be demised onely to the Preachers Incumbents for the old rent That the Impropriations of Lay-mens Fees may be charged with a sixt or seventh part of the worth to the maintenance of the Preaching Minister IV. For Church-Discipline That the Discipline and Excommunication may be administred according to Christs owne Institution Or at the least that enormities may be redressed As namely That Excommunication come not forth under the name of Lay persons Ann. Reg. Jac. 2 Chancellors Officials c. That men be not excommunicated for trifles and twelve-peny matters That none be excommunicated without consent of his Pastour That the Officers be not suffered to extort unreasonable Fees That none having Jurisdiction or Registers places put out the same to Farme That divers Popish Canons as for restraint of Marriage at certaine times be reversed That the longsomnesse of Suits in Ecclesiasticall Courts which hang sometime two three foure five six or seven yeers may be restrained That the Oath Ex Officio whereby men are forced to accuse themselves be more sparingly used That Licenses for Marriage without Banes asked be more cautiously granted These with such other abuses yet remaining and practised in the Church of England we are able to shew not to be agreeable to the Scriptures if it shall please your Highnesse farther to heare us or more at large by Writing to be informed or by Conference among the Learned to be resolved And yet we doubt not but that without any farther processe your Majesty of whose Christian judgement we have received so good a taste already is able of Your selfe to judge of the equity of this cause God we trust hath appointed your Highnesse our Physician to heale these diseases And we say with Mordecai to Hester who knoweth whether you are come to the Kingdome for such a time Thus Your Majesty shall doe that which we are perswaded shall be acceptable to God honourable to your Majesty in all succeeding ages profitable to his Church which shall be thereby encreased comfortable to your Ministers which shall be no more suspended silenced disgraced imprisoned for mens traditions and prejudiciall to none but to those that seek their owne quiet credit and profit in the world Thus with all dutifull submission referring our selves to your Majesties pleasure for your gracious answer as God shall direct you we most humbly recommend Your Highnesse to the Divine Majesty whom we beseech for Christ his sake to dispose Your Royall heart to doe herein what shall be to his glory the good of his Church and your endlesse comfort Your Majesties most humble Subjects the Ministers of the Gospel that desire not a disorderly innovation but a due and godly Reformation 25. This calme The issue of this Petition and stil but deep Petition being as is aforesaid presented to the King it was given out that his Majesty lent it a favourable eare that some great ones about him gave it a consenting entertainment that some potent strangers I understand of the Scottish nation had undertaken the conduct and managing thereof Whether indeed it was so God knows or whether these things were made to make the people the Van pretending a victory that the Rere might follow the more comfortably Sure it is this Petition ran the Gantlop throughout all the Prelaticall party every one giving it a lash some with their Pens moe with their Tongues and the dumb Ministers as they terme them found their speech most vocall against it The Universities and justly found themselves much agrieved that the Petitioners should proportion a seaventh part onely out of an impropriation in a Lay-mans fee whilst those belonging to Colleges and Cathedralls should be demised to the Vicars at the old rent without fine without improvement Whereas Scholars being children of the Prophets counted themselves most proper for Church-revenues and this motion if effected would cut off more than the nipples of the breasts of both Universities in point of maintenance 26. Cambridge therefore began Universities justly netled thereat and passed a Grace in their Congregation that whosoever in their University should by Word or Writing oppose the received Doctrine and Discipline of England or any part thereof should â—ipso facto be suspended from their former excluded from all future degrees Oxford followed recompencing the slownesse of her pace with the firmenesse of her footing making a strong and sharp confutation of the Petition But indeed King James made the most reall refutation thereof not resenting it whatsoever is pretended according to the desires and hopes not to say the reports of such who presented it And after his Majesty had discountenanced it some hot-spurs of the opposite party began to maintaine many copies thereof being scattered into vulgar hands that now the property thereof was altered from a Petition into a Libel And such papers desamatory of the present Government punishable by the Statute Prime Elizabethae Under favour Other Millenary Petitions I conceive this Petition by us lately exemplified the proper Millenary Petition Otherwise I observe that Millenary Petition is vox aequivoca and attributed to all Petitions with numerous and indefinite subscriptions which were started this year concerning Church-Reformation Many there were of this kinde moving for more or lesse alteration as the promoters of them stood affected For all mens desires will then be of the same size when their bodies shall be of the same stature Of these one most remarkable required a subscription in manner as followeth We whose names are under written doe agree to make our humble Petition to the Kings Majesty that the present state of the Church may be farther reformed in all things needfull according to the rule of Gods holy Word and agreeable to the example of other reformed Churches which have restored both the Doctrine and Discipline as it was delivered by our Saviour Christ and his holy Apostles Two things are remarkable therein First that this was no present Petition but a preparative thereunto which in due time might have proved one if meeting with proportionable encouragement Secondly that it
to be improved 3. The necessity of hâ—s friendship at this time was onely fancied â—y such as desired it Besides the King of heaven must not be offended that the King of Spain may be pleased 4. Though Truth it selfe be stronger than falsehood yet generally the Promoters of falsehood are more active and sedulous than the Advancers of Truth Besides it is just with God upon the granting of such an unlawfull Toleration to weaken the converting power of Truth and strengthen the perverting power of Falsehood giving the English over to be deluded thereby 5. The world hath ever consisted of more fools than wise people such who carry their judgment more in their eyes than in their brains Popery being made Inscious to peoples senses too probably would court many to the imbracing thereof 6. It is no policie to let in the Wolfe meerly on designe to make the Shepherds more watchfull Rather on the contrary Protestant Ministers would be utterly disheartned in the performance of their place when the Parishioners were countenanced to desert them without any punishment 7. If the Papists already have what they would have let them be contented therewith Why desire they any more but indeed there is a grand difference betwixt a States winking at their wickednesse for a time and a formall and finall tolerating thereof During the former Catholicks sin on their own account and at their own peril the Laws though not executed standing in full force against them but a publick Toleration of their Superstition adopts the same to become the Act of the English Nation Here it would be tedious to recite the Texts of Scripture some more The Pulpit is loud against the Toleration some lesse proper to the purpose alledged by severall persons against the Toleration Ann. Dom. 1623. Ann. Regis Ja 21. some Typicall Thou a Deht 22. 10. shalt not plow with an Oxe and an Asse Some Historicall Gods Children must not speak two tongues Ashdod and b Neh. 13. 24. Hebrew Some Doctrinall We must not doe evil that good c Rom. 3. 8. may come thereof The best was the Toleration bare date with the Spanish Match with which it was propounded and agitated advanced expected desired by some opposed suspected detested by others and at last both together finally frustrated and defeated 3. Now was His Majestie informed His Majesties care to regulate Preaching that it was high time to apply some cure to the Pulpits as sick of a Sermon-surfeit and other exorbitances Some medled with State-matters and generally by an improper Transposition the Peoples duty was preached to the King at Court the Kings to the People in the Countrey Many shallow Preachers handled the profound points of Predestination wherein pretending to guide their flocks they lost themselves Sermons were turned into Satyrs against Papists or Non Conformists 4. To represse the present and prevent future mischiefs in this kinde His Majestie issued out His Directions to be written fair in every Registers Office whence any Preacher if so pleased might with his own hand take out Copies gratis paying nothing for d Cabala part 2. pag. 191. expedition Herein the King revived the primitive and profitable order of Catechizing in the afternoon better observed in all other Reformed Churches than of late in England according to the tenour ensuing Most Reverend Father in God His Directions right trusty and entirely beloved Counsellour We greet you well FOrasmuch as the abuses and extravagancies of Preachers in the Pulpit have been in all times repressed in this Realm by some Act of Councill or State with the advice and resolution of grave and learned Prelates Insomuch that the very licensing of Preachers had beginning by an Order of Star Chamber the eighth day of July in the 19 th year of the Reign of King Henry the eighth our Noble Predecessour And whereas at this present divers young Students by reading of late Writers and ungrounded Divines doe broach many times unprofitable unsound seditions and dangerous Doctrines to the scandall of the Church and disquiet of the State and present Government We upon humble representations unto Us of these inconveniencies by your selfe and sundry other grave and reverend Prelates of this Church as also of our Princely care and Zeal for the extirpation of Schisme and dissention growing from these seeds and for the setling of a religious and peaceable Government both in Church and Common wealth doe by these Our speciall Letters straitly charge and command you to use all possible care and diligence that these Limitations and Cautions herewith sent unto you concerning Preachers be duly and strictly from henceforth put in practice and observed by the several Bishops within your Jurisdiction And to this end Our pleasure is that you send them forthwith Copies of these Directions to be by them speedily sent and communicated unto every Parson Vicar Curate Lecturer and Minister in every Cathedrall or Parish Church within their severall Diocese and that you earnestly require them to employ their utmost endeavours in the performance of this so important a businesse letting them know that We have a speciall eye unto their proceedings and expect a strict account thereof both of you and every one of them and these Our Letters shall be your sufficient Warrant and discharge in that behalf Give under our Signet at Our Castle of Windsor the 4 th of August in the twentieth year of Our Reign Directions concerning Preachers sent with the Letter 1. THat no Preacher under the degree and calling of a Bishop or Dean of a Cathedral or Collegiate Church and they upon the Kings dayes and set Festivals doe take occasion by the expounding of any Text of Scripture whatsoever to fall into any set Discourse or Common place otherwise than by the opening the Cohaerence and Division of the Text which shall not be comprehended and warranted in essence substance effect or naturall in ference within some one of the Articles of Religion set forth 1562. or in some of the Homilies set forth by authority of the Church of England not onely for the help of the Non-Preaching but withall for a Pattern and Boundary as it were for the Preaching Ministers And for their further instructions for the performance hereof that they forthwith reade over and peruse diligently the said Book of Articles and the two Books of Homilies 2. That no Parson Vicar Curate or Lecturer shall preach any Sermons or Collation hereafter upon Sundaies and Holidaies in the afternoon in any Cathedrall or Parish Church throughout the Kingdome but upon some pare of the Catechisme or some Text taken out of the Creed ten Commandments or the Lords Prayer Funeral Sermons onely excepted and that those Preachers be most encouraged and approved of who spend the Afternoons exercise in the examination of Children in their Catechisme which is the most antient and laudable custome of teaching in the Church of England 3. That no Preacher of what title
Apocrypha was read in Churches viz. about sixty Chapters for the first lesson from the 28. of September till the 24. of November Canonicall Scripture is alone appointed to be read in the Scotch Liturgy one day alone excepted viz. All Saints day when Wisdome the 3 and Ecclesiasticus the 14 are ordered for Morning and Evening Praier on the same token there wanted not such who said that those two Chapters were left there to keep possession that all the rest might in due time be reintroduced Secondly The word Priest therein declined The word Priest often used in the English Liturgy gave offence to many in so much that c Cartwright in his Admonition 3. cap. 1. division one writeth To call us Priests as touching our office is either to call back again the old Priesthood of the Law which is to deny Christ to be come or else to keep a memory of the Popish Priesthood of abomination still amongst us besides we never read in the New-Testament that the word Priest as touching office is used in the good part Whereupon to prevent exception it was mollified into Presbyter in the Scotch Rubrick 97. The names of sundry Saints omitted in the English Scotch Saints inserted into the Kalender are inserted into the Scotch Kalender but only in black letters on their severall daies according to the form following January February March 11 David King 13 Mungo Bishop in Latin Kentigernus 18 Colman 11 Constantine the 3. King 17 Patrick 20 Cutbert April May. June 1 Gilbert Bishop 20 Serfe Bishop  9 Columba July August September 6 Palladius  18 Ninian Bishop 25 Adaman Bishop October November December  16 Margaret Queen 27 Ode Virgin 4 Droftane Some of these were Kings all of them Natives of that Countrey Scotch and Irish in former ages being effectually the same and which in probability might render them to the favor of their countrey-men some of them as Coleman c. zealous opposites to the Church of Rome in the celebration of Easter 98. But these Scotch Saints were so farr from making the English Laturgy acceptable Alterations of Addition in the Scotch Liturgie that the English Liturgy rather made the Saints odious unto them Such the Distasting alterations in the Book reduceable to 1. Additions 2. Omissions 3. Variations 4. and Transpositions To instance in the most materiall of the first kinde 1. In the Baptisme these words are inserted d Fol. 106. pag. 2. Sanctifie this fountain of water thou which art the Sanctifier of all things Which words are enjoyned to be spoken by the Minister so often as the water in the Fount is changed which must be at least twice a moneth 2. In the Praier after the Doxologie and before the Communion this Passage expunged by the English Reformers out of our Liturgy is out of the Ordinary of Sarum inserted in the Scotch Praier Book And of thy almighty c fol. 102. pagina 1. goodnesse vouchsafe so to blesse and sanctify with thy word and holy word these thy gifts and Creatures of Bread and Wine that they may be unto us the body and blood of thy most dearly beloved Sonne from which words saith the Scotch Author all f Bayly in his Canterburians Self-conviction pag. Papists use to draw the truth of the Transubstantiation 3. He that Celebrateth is injoyned to cover that which remaineth of the consecrated Eleents with a faire linen Cloth or Corporall g fol. 103. pag. 2. a word unknown to vulgar Eares of either Nations in other sense then to signify an under-officer in a foot Company and complained of to be purposely placed here to wrap up therein all Romish superstition of Christs Carnall Corporall presence in the Sacrament 4. In the Praier for the State of Christs Church Militant these words are added And h folio 98. pagina 1. we also blesse thy holy name for all those thy servants who having finished their course in faith doe now rest from their labours And we yeeld unto thee most high praise and hearty thanks for the wonderfull grace and vertue declared in all thy Saints who have been the choice vessells of thy grace and the lights of the world in their severall generations most humbly beseeching thee that we may have grace to follow the example of their stedfastnesse in thy faith and obedience to thy holy commandements that at the day of the generall Resurrection we and all they which are of the mysticall body of thy Sonne may be set on his right hand and hear that his most joyfull voice Come yee blessed c. 99. Amongst the Omissions none more complained of than the deleting these words The most materiall omission in the delivery of the bread at the Sacrament Take i fol. 103. pag. 2. and eat this in remembrance that Christ dyed for thee and feed on him in thine heart by faith with thanksgiving A passage destructive to Transubstantiation as diverting Communicants from Carnall Munducation and directing their Soules to a spirituall repast on their Saviour All which in the Scotch Liturgy is cut off with an Amen from the Receiver The Variations and Transpositions are of lesse moment as where the money gathered at the offer ory distributable by the English Liturgy to the poor alone hath a moyety thereof assigned the Minister therewith to buy him books of holy Divinity and some praiers are transposed from their place and ordered elsewhere whereat some doe take no small exception Other smaller differences if worth the while will quickly appear to the curious perusers of both Liturgies 100. Pass we now from the constitution of the book The discontented condition of the Scorch Nation when the Liturgy was first brought unto them to the condition of the Scotch Nation in this unhappy juncture of time when it was imposed upon him For it found them in a discontented posture and high Royalists will maintain that murmuring and muting against Princes differ only in degree nor in kinde occasioned on severall accounts 1. Some years since the King had passed an Act of revocation of Crown Lands aliened in the minority of his Ancesters whereby much land of the Nobility became obnoxious to forfeiture k The Kings declaration at large pag. 6. And though all was forgiven again by the Kings clemency and nothing acted hereby to the prejudice of any yet it vexed some to hold that as remitted by the Kings bounty wherein they conceived themselves to be before unquestionably estated 2. Whereas many formerly in Scotland were rather Subjects than Tenants rather Vassalls than Subjects Such the Land-lords Princely not to say Tyranniolly power over them the King had lately freed many from such dangerous dependence Especially in point of payment of Tythes to the Lords of the Erection equivalent to our English lay Impropriators but allowing the Land lords a valuable consideration according to the purchases l Idem pag. 9. of that Countrey whereby the
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
died in his own House in Waltham and was g Matt. Paris Anno 1252. A heap of difficulties cast together buried in the Abby-Church therein And now because we have so often cited Matthew Paris I never met with more difficulties in six lines then what I finde in him which because nearly relating to this present subject I thought fit to exemplifie MATTHEW PARIS in Anno 1242. p. 595. Eodemque Anno videlicet in crastino S ti Michaelis dedicata est Ecclesia conventualis Canonicorum de Waltham ab Episcopo Norwicensi Willielmo solemniter valde assistibus aliis plurimis Episcopis Praelatis Magnatibus venerabilibus statim post dedicationem Ecclesiae sancti Pauli Londinensis ut peregrinantes hinc inde indistanter remearent And in the same year namely the morrow after S t. Michaels day the conventual Church of the Canons at Waltham was dedicated by William Bishop of Norwich very solemnly many other Bishops Prelates and venerable Peers assisting him presently after the dedication of S t Pauls in London that Pilgrims and Travellers up and down might indistantly return It is clear our Church of Waltham Abby is intended herein a See speed his Caralogue of religiious houses Queries on queries England affording no other Conventual Church This being granted how comes Waltham Church built by Harold two hundred years before now to be first Dedicated that Age accounting it as faulty and fatal to defer the Consecration of Churches as the Christning of Children 2. What made the Bishop of Norwich to meddle therewith an Office more proper for the Bishop of London to perform Waltham being though not under in his jurisdiction 3. What is meant by the Barbarous word indistanter and what benefit accrewed to Travellers thereby I will not so much as conjecture as unwilling to draw my bow where I despair to hit the mark but leave all to the judgment of others But I grow tedious and will therefore conclude Anno 1641. King CHARLES came the last time to Waltham and went as he was wont where any thing remarkable to see the Church the Earl of Carlile attending him His Majestie told him that he divided his Cathedral Churches K. Charls his last coming to Waltham as he did his Royal ships into three ranks accounting S t Pauls in London York Lincoln Winchester c. of the first form Chichester Lichfield c. of the second the Welch Cathedrals of the third with which Waltham Church may be well compared especially if the Roof thereof was taken lower and Leaded The Earl moved His Majestie Conditionally granteth the repairing of the Church that seeing this Ancient Church Founded by king Harold his Predecessor was fallen into such decay that the repair was too heavy for the Parish he would be pleased to grant a moderate Tole of Cattle coming over the Bridg with their great Driftss doing much damage to the High-wayes and therewith both the Town might be Paved and the Church repaired The King graciously granted it provided it were done with the privity and cons ent of a great Prelate not so safe to be named as easie to be guessed with whom he consulted in all Church-matters But when the foresaid Prelate was informed But it misarcrieth that the Earl had applied to His Majestie before addresses to himself he dashed the design so that poor Waltham Church must still be contented with their weak walls and worse Roof till Providence procure her some better Benefactors As for the Armes of Waltham Abby being loath to set them alone I have joyned them in the following draught with the Armes of the other Mitred Abbies as far as my industry could recover them SOLI DEO GLORIA FINIS AN INDEX OF THE MOST REMARKABLE PERSONS and Passages in this BOOK TO THE READER ALthough a Methodicall Book be an Index to it self yet an Index is not to be contemned by the most Industrious Reader Whom we request to take notice of the following Particulars I. C. stands for Century B. for Book P. for Page ¶ for Paragraph II. In the two first Books memorables are ranked onely according to Centuries an Paragraphs but afterwards by Books III. Paragraph without page doth for brevity sake referre to that page which was last named IV. Page without Book on the same reason relates to the last Book that was named V. VVhere no Paragraph is named it sheweth that the page by it self is sufficient notification Lastly know that the discounting of Sheets to expedite the work at severall Presses hath occasioned in the Fifth book after page 200. completed to go back Again to page 153 surrounded in this fashion to prevent confusion ARON a Citizen of Caerlion martyred Cent. 4. 1. 10. ABBEYS The prodigious expence in building and endowing them Cent. 10. ¶ 40. multitudes of them causeth the Danish invasion ¶ 51. mischiefs done by them b. 2. p. 282 283 284. prime Officers and Officines p. 285 286 287. the civil benefits by them p. 296 297 298. presage of their ruin p. 300. and offers to overthrow them p. 301 302. the lesser which could not expend 200. pounds a year bestowed on the King p. 310 311 and the rest visited with three sorts of Officers p. 314. 315. some appear vertuous p. 316. otherâ—â—otouriously vitious p. 317. all resigned by their Abbots unwillingly willing to the King p. 319 c. Rob. ABBOT Bishop of Salisbury his death and commendation B. 10. P. 70. ¶ 53. George ABBOT Arch-bishop of Cant. B. 10. P. 57. 9. 47. casually killeth a keeper p. 87 ¶ 12 c. befriended by Sir Edward Coke ¶ 15. and Bishop Andrews ¶ 16. mortified by this chance ¶ 17. seven years after severely suspended from his jurisdication b. 11. ¶ 51. his character ¶ 53. and vindication ¶ 54. 55. Tho. ADAMS Alderman of London foundeth an Arabick Professours place in Cambridge Hist of Cam. P. 166. ¶ 23. ADELME the first Bishop Sherborn Cent. 8. ¶ 4. and the first Englsnman who wroted Latin or made a verse ibid. AETHELARD Arch-bishop of Cant. calleth a Svnod Cent. 9. ¶ 2. with the solemn subscriptions thereunto ibidem AGRICOLA a principall spreader of Pelagiamisme in Britain Cent. 5. ¶ 3. AIDAN Bishop of Lindissern his due Commendation Cent. 7. ¶ 70. dissenteth from the Romish Church in the Celebration of Easter ¶ 71. inciteth Lay-men to the Reading of Scripture ¶ 72. St. ALBAN though a Britan how a Citizen of Rome Cent. 4. ¶ 2. converted to Christianity by Amphibalus ¶ 3. his Martyrdome and reported Miracles ¶ 4. 5. his intire body pretended in three places Cent. 5. ¶ 11. Enshrined some hundred years after by King Offa Cent. 8. ¶ 35. St. ALBANS Abbey founded by King Offa Cent. 8. ¶ 38. the Abbot thereof confirmed first in place of all England by Pope Adrian the fourth b. 3. p. 29. ¶ 49. ALL-SOULS Colledge in Oxford founded by Hen. Chichely Arch-bishop of Cant. b. 4. p. 182. ARROW a small city in
language of one of their Grandees c c Responsio Jo. Norton pag. 114. Actus regiminis à Synodis debent porrigi non peragi the latter belonging to the liberty of several Congregations Their Adversaries object that none can give in an exact account of all their opinions daily capable of alteration and increase Whilst such Countries whose unmoveable Mountains and stable Valleys keep a fixed position may be easily surveyed no Geographer can accurately describe some part of Arabia where the flitting sands driven with the winds have their frequent removals so that the Traveller findeth a hole at his return where he left a hill at his departure Such the uncertainty of these Congregationalists in their judgements only they plead for themselves it is not the winde of every d d Mr Cotton his preface to Mr Nortons Book are always for new lights Doctrine but the Sun of the Truth which with its New lights makes them renounce their old and embrace new resolutions 42. Soon after a heavie Schism happened in the Church of Roterdam d Eph. 4. 15. A Schism in Roterdam Church betwixt M r Bridge and M r Simson the two Pastors thereof Insomuch that the latter rent himself saith one e e Mr Edwards ut prius p. 35. from M r Bridge his Church to the great offence thereof though more probable as another f f Mr John Goodwin in answer to Mr Edwards pag. 238. reporteth M r Simson dismissed with the consent of the Church However many bitter letters passed betwixt them and more sent over to their Friends in England full of invectives blackness of the tongue alwayes accompanying the paroxismes of such distempers g pag. 245. Their Presbyterian Adversaries make great use hereof to their disgrace If such Infant-Churches whilst their hands could scarce hold any thing fell a scratching and their feet spurning and kicking one another before they could well goe alone how stubborn and vexatious would they be when arrived at riper years 43. This Schism was seconded with another in the same Church A second Schism in the same Church wherein they deposed one of their Ministers M r Ward I conceive his name which was beheld as a bold and daring deed especially because herein they consulted not their Sister-Church at Arnhein which publickly was professed mutually to be done in cases of concernment Here the Presbyterians triumph in their conceived discovery of the nakedness and weakness of the Congregational way which for want of Ecclesiastical Subordination is too short to reach out a redress to such grievances For seeing par in parem non habet potestatem Equalls have no power over their Equalls the agrieved party could not right himself by any appeal unto a Superior But such consider not the end as well as the beginning of this difference wherein the Church of a a Apol. Nar. pag 21. Arnhein interposing not as a Judge to punish Offenders but as a Brother to check the failings of a Brother matters were so ordered that M r Ward was restored to his place when both he and the Church had mutually confessed their sinful carriage in the matter but enough if not too much hereof seeing every thing put in a Pamphlet is not fit to be recorded in a Chronicle 44. More concord crowned the Congregation at Arnheim The practice of Arnhein Church where M r Goodwin and M r Nye were Pastors wherein besides those Church-Ordinances formerly mentioned actually admitted and exercised some others stood Candidates and fair Probationers on their good behaviour namely if under Tryal they were found convenient Such were 1. The b b 1 Cor. 16. 20. Holy Kiss 2. Prophesyings c c 1 Cor. 14. when Private Christians at fit times made publick use of their parts and gifts in the Congregation 3. Hymns d d Eph. 5. 19. Col 3. 16. and which if no better Divinity then Musick might much be scrupled at 4. Widdows e e 1 Tim. 5. 9. as Essential She-Ministers in the Church which if it be so our late Civil-Wars in England have afforded us plenty for the place 5. Anointing of dying people as a standing Apostolical f f James 5. 14. Ordinance 45. Other things were in agitation The five Exiles return home when now the news ariveth that the Parliament sitting at Westminster had broken the yoak of Ceremonies and proclaimed a year of Jubilee to all tender consciences Home then they hasted with all convenient speed For only England is England indeed though some parts of Holland may be like unto it Over they came in a very good plight and Equipage which the Presbyterians and those I assure you are quick-sighted when pleased to prie took notice of Not a hair of their head singed nor any smell of the fire of persecution upon their Clothes However they were not to be blamed if setting their best foot forward in their return and appearing in the handsomest and chearfullest fashion for the credit of their cause and to show that they were not dejected with their sufferings 46. Presently they fall upon gathering of Congregations Gather Churches in England but chiefly in or about the City of London Trent may be good and Severn better but oh the Thames is the best for the plentifull taking of fish therein They did pick I will not say steal hence a Master thence a Mistress of a Family a Son out of a Third a Servant out of a Fourth Parish all which met together in their Congregation Some prevented calling by their coming of OLD Parishioners to become NEW Church-Members and so forward were they of themselves that they needed no force to compell nor art to perswade them Thus a new Inne never wanteth Guests at the first setting up especially if hanging out a fair Signe and promising more cleanness and neatness then is in any of their Neighbours 47. The Presbyterians found themselves much agrieved hereat The Presbyterians offended They accounted this practise of the Dissenting Brethren but Ecclesiastical felonie for at the best that they were but Spiritual Interlopers for the same They justly feared if this fashion continued the falling of the Roof or foundring of the Foundations of their own Parishes whence so many Corner Stones Pillars Rafters and Beams were taken by the other to build their Congregations They complained that these new Pastors though slighting Tithes and set maintenance yet so ordered the matter by gathering their Churches that these gleanings of Ephraim became better then the Vintage of Abi-ezer 48. Not long after when the Assembly of Divines was called these five Congregationalists were chosen members thereof Dissenting Brethren crave a Toleration but came not up with a full consent to all things acted therein As accounting that the pressing of an exact occurrence to the Presbyterian Government was but a kinde of a Conseience-Prison whilst accurate conformity to the Scotch Church was the very Dungeon thereof
A reginsine ecclesiasticâ— say * * In their epistle to the Reader prefixed to Mr Hortons book they uti nunc in Scotia viget longius distamus quippe quod ut nobis videtur non tantum à scripturis sed ab ecclesiarum reformatarum suorumque Theologorum sententijs qui sub Episcoporum tyrannide diu duriterque passi sunt plurimum distit No wonder therefore if they desired a Toleratien to be indulged them and they excused for being concluded by the Votes of the Assembly 49. But the Presbyterians highly opposed their Toleration Opposed by others and such who desired most ease and liberty for their sides when bound with Episcopacy now girt their own government the closest about the consciences of others They tax the Dissenting Brethren for Singularity as if these men like the five senses of the Church should discover more in matter of Discipline then all the Assembly besides some moving their ejection out of the same except in some convenient time they would comply therewith 50. Hopeless to speed here the Dissenters seasonably presented an Apologetical narrative to the Parliament But favoured by the Parliament stiled by them the most sacred resuge or Asylum a a Apol. Nar. pag. 2. for mistaken and misjudged innocence Herein they petitioned Pathetically for some favour whose conscience could not joyn with the Assembly in all particulars concluding with that pittifull close enough to force tears from any tender heart that they b b Ib. p. 31. pursued no other interest or designe but a subsistence be it the poorest and meanest in their own land as not knowing where else with safety health and livelihood to set their feet on earth and subscribed their names Thomas Goodwin Philip Nye Sidrach Simson Jeremiah Burroughes William Bridge If since their condition be altered and bettered that they then wanting where to set their feet since lie down at their length in the fat of the land surely they have returned proportionable gratitude to God for the same Sure it is that at the present these Petitioners found such favour with some potent persons in Parliament that they were secured from farther trouble and from lying at a posture of defence are now grown able not only to encounter but invade all opposers yea to open and shut the dore of preferment to others so unsearchable are the dispensations of Divine Providence in making suddain and unexpected changes as in whole nations so in private mens estates according to the Counsel of his will 51. Such as desire further instruction in the Tenents of these Congregationalists New England Churches Congregationalists may have their recourse to those many Pamphlets written pro and con thereof The worst is some of them speak so loud we can scarce understanding what they say so hard is it to collect their judgements such the violence of their passions Only I will adde that for the main the Churches of New-England are the same in Discipline with these Dissenting Brethren 52. Only I will add The rest referred to Mr. Nortons book that of all the Authors I have perused concerning the opinions of these Dissenting Brethren none to me was more informative then M r John Norton One of no less learning then modesty Minister in New-England in his answer to Apollonius Pastor in the Church of Middle-borrough 53. Look we now again into the Assembly of Divinâ—s 20. 1644. Mr Herle succeedeth Prolocutor to Dr Twisse where we finde D r Cornelius Burges and M r Herbert Palmer the Assessors therein and I am informed by some more skilfull in such niceties then my self that Two at the least of that Office are of the Quâ—rum Essential to every lawfull Assembly But I miss D r William Twiss their Prolocutor lately deceased He was bred in New-Colledge in Oxford good with the Trowell but better with the Sword more happy in Polâ—mical Divinity then edifying Doctrine Therefore he was a a See his dedication to them in his book called Vindiciae gratiae chosen by the States of Holland to be Professor of Diviniâ—y there which he thankfully refused M r Charles Herle Fellow of Exeter Colledge of Oxford succeeded him in his place one so much Christian Scholar and Gentleman that he can unite in affection with those who are disjoyn'd in judgement from him 54. The Assembly met with many difficulties Mr Seldens puzling Queeies some complaining of M r Selden that advantaged by his skill in Antiquity Commonlaw and the Oriental tongues he imployed them rather to pose then profit perplex then inform the members thereof in the fourteen queries he propounded Whose intent therein was to humble the Jure-divino-ship of Presbytery which though Hinted and Held forth is not so made out in Scripture but being too Scant on many occasions it must be peeced with prudential Additions This great Scholer not over loving of any and lest of these Clergie-men delighted himself in raising of scruples for the vexing of others and some stick not to say that those who will not feed on the flesh of Gods-word cast most bones to others to break their teeth therewith 55. More trouble was caused to the Assembly by the Opinions of the Erastians Erastians why so called and what they held and it is worth our enquiry into the first Author thereof They were so called from Thomas Erastus a D r of Physick born at Baden in Switzâ—rland lived Professor in Hidelbridge and died at Basil about the year one thousand five hundred eighty three He was of the Privie Councel to Frederick the first Protestant Prince Palatine of that name and this Erastus like our M r Perkins being b b Thuanus in Obit vir illustr Anno 1583. lame of his right wrote all with his left hand and amongst the rest one against Theodor. Beza de Excommunicatione to this effect that the power and excommunication in a Christian State principally resides in secular power as the most competent Judge when and how the same shall be exercised 56. M r Iohn Coleman a modst and learned man The Erastians in the Assembly beneficed in Lincolnshire and M r Iohn Lightfoot well skilled in Rabinical Learning were the chief members of the Assembly who for the main maintained the tenents of Erastus These often produced the Hebrew Original for the power of Princes in ecclesiastical matters For though the New Testament be silent of the Temporal Magistrate Princes then being Pagans his â—ermedling in Church-matters the Old is very vocal therein where the Authority of the Kings of Judah as nursing fathers to the Church is very considerable 57. No wonder if the Prince Palatine constantly present at their debates heard the Erastians with much delight Favourably listned to as wellcoming their Opinions for Country sake his Natives as first born in Hidelbridge though otherwise in his own judgement no favourer thereof But other Parliament men listned very favourably to their Arguments Interest