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A22743 Instructions directed from the Kings Most Excellent Maiestie vnto all the Bishops of this Kingdome and fit to be put in execution, agreeable to the necessitie of the time. England and Wales. Sovereign (1625-1649 : Charles I); Charles I, King of England, 1600-1649. 1626 (1626) STC 9247; ESTC S122630 4,230 16

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INSTRVCTIONS directed from the KINGS most Excellent Maiestie Vnto all the BISHOPS of this Kingdome and fit to be put in execution agreeable to the necessitie of the Time C R DIEV ET MON DROIT HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE LONDON Printed by Bonham Norton and Iohn Bill Printers to the KINGS most Excellent Maiestie 1626. MY very good L. I haue receiued from the Kings MAIESTIE both pious and prudent instructions necessarie for this time the particulars whereof doe here follow MOst Reuerend Father in God right Trustie and right Welbeloued Counsellor Wee greet you well We haue obserued that the Church and the State are so neerely vnited and knit together that though they may seeme two Bodies yet indeed in some relation they may bee accounted but as one in as much as they both are made vp of the same men which are differenced onely in relations to Spirituall or Ciuill ends This neerenesse makes the Church call in the helpe of the State to succour and support her whensoeuer shee is pressed beyond her strength And the same neerenesse makes the State call in for the seruice of the Church both to teach that duety which her members know not and to exhort them to and encourage them in that duety which they knowe It is not long since Wee ordered the State to serue the Church and by a timely Proclamation setled the peace of it And now the State lookes for the like assistance from the Church that She and all her Ministers may serue God and Vs by preaching peace and vnity at home that it may bee the better able to resist forraine force vniting and multiplying against it And to the end that they to whom Wee haue committed the gouernement of the Church vnder Vs may be the better able to dispose of the present occasions Wee haue with the aduice of Our Counsell thought fit to send vnto you these instructions following to be sent by you to the Bishops of your Prouince such other Whom it may concerne and by them and their Officers directed to all the Ministers throughout the seuerall Diocesses that according to these punctually they may instruct and exhort the people to serue God and Vs and labour by their prayers to diuert the dangers which hang ouer Vs. The danger in which We are at this time is great It is increased by the late blow giuen Our good Vnkle the King of Denmarke who is the chiefe person in those parts that opposed the spreading forces of Spaine If hee cannot subsist there is little or nothing left to hinder the House of Austria from being Lord and Master of Germany And that is a large and mighty Teritorie and such as should it bee gotten would make an open way for Spaine to doe what they pleased in all the West part of Christendome For besides the great strength which Germany once possessed would bring to them which are too strong already you are to consider first how it will enable them by Land in that it will ioyne all or the most part of the Spaniards now distracted Territories and bee a meanes for him safely and speedily to drawe downe forces against any other Kingdome that shall stand in his way Nor can it bee thought the Low Countreys can hold out longer against him if hee once become Lord of the vpper parts And secondly you are to weigh how it will aduantage him by Sea and make him strong against Vs in Our particular which is of easie apprehension to all men And besides if hee once get Germany hee will bee able though hee had no gold from India to supply the necessitie of those warres and to hinder all Trade and Traffique of the greatest Staple Commodities of this Kingdome Cloth and Wooll and so make them of little or no value You are to knowe therefore that to preuent this is the present care of the King and State and there is no probable way left but by sending forces and other supplies to the said King of Denmarke Our deare Vnkle to enable him to keepe the Field that Our enemies bee not Masters of all on the suddaine You are further to take notice how both We and this whole State stand bound in honour and conscience to supply the present necessity of the King of Denmarke For this quarrell is more neerely Ours the recouery of the ancient inheritance of Our deare Sister and her Children The King of Denmarke stands not so neere in blood vnto her as We doe Yet for her and Our sakes that braue and valiant King hath aduentured into the field and in that engagement hath not onely hazarded his Person but as things goe now it may turne to some danger to his owne Kingdome and Posteritie should hee not receiue ayde and succour from Vs without delay Which should it happen as God forbid will bee one of the greatest dishonours that euer this kingdome was stained withall Nor is danger and dishonour all the mischiefe that is like to follow this disaster For if hee bee not presently releeued the cause of Religion is not onely likely to suffer by it in some one part as it hath already in a fearefull manner in the Palatinate but in all places where it hath gotten any footing So that if we supply not presently Our Allyes and Confederates in this case it is like to prooue the extirpation of true Religion and the replanting of Romish Superstition in all the neighbouring parts of Christendome And the coldnesse of this State shall suffer in all places as the betrayer of that Religion elsewhere which it professeth and honoureth at home which will be an imputation neuer to bee washed off And God forbid this State should suffer vnder it Neither may you forget rightly to informe the people committed to your charge that this Warre which now growes full of danger was not entred vpon rashly and without aduise but you are to acquaint them that all former Treaties by a peaceable way were in the latter end of our deere Father of euer blessed memory dissolued as fruitlesse and vnfit to be longer held on foot And this by the Counsell of both Houses of Parliament then sitting so those two great and honourable Bodies of the Peeres and People represented in Parliament led on this Counsell and course to a warre with Spaine To effect this they desired our ayde and assistance and vsed vs to worke our sayd deere Father to entertaine this course This vpon their perswasions and promises of all assistance and supply wee readily vndertooke and effected and cannot now be left in that businesse but with the sinne and shame of all men Sinne because ayde and supply for the defence of the Kingdome and the like affaires of State especially such as are aduised and assumed by Parliamentary Counsell are due to the King from his People by all Law both of God and men And shame if they forsake the King while hee pursues their owne counsell iust and honorable and
which could not vnder God but haue been successefull if it had beene followed and supplied in time as Wee desired and laboured for One thing there is which proues a great hinderance of this State and not continued amongst the people without great offence against God detriment both to Church and State and our great disseruice in this and all other businesse It is the breach of Vnitie which is growne too great and common among all sorts of men The danger of this goes farre for in all States it hath made way for enemies to enter We haue by all meanes endeauored Vnion and require of you to preach it and Charitie the mother of it frequently in the eares of the people We know their loyall hearts and therefore wonder the more what should cause distracted affections If you call vpon them which is your duetie wee doubt not but that God will blesse them with that loue to himselfe to his Church and their owne preseruation which alone will bee able to binde vp the scatterings of diuided affections into strength To this end you are to lay before them what miseries home-diuisions haue brought vpon this and many other Kingdomes and to exhort all men to embrace it in time The danger it selfe besides all other Christian and prudent motiues is of force enough where it is duely considered to make men ioyne in all amitie against a common a great and a growing Enemy And to doe it in time before any secret and cunning working of his may vse one part in a diuision to weaken the other And in the last place but first and last and all times to be insisted vpon you are to call vpon God your selues and to incite the people to ioyne with you in humble and hearty prayers vnto God that hee will be pleased now after long affliction of his deare People and Children to looke in mercy both vpon them and vs And in particular for the safetie of the King of Denmarke and that Armie which is left him that God would blesse and prosper him against his and our enemies Thus you are to strengthen the hearts and the hopes of Our loyall Subiects and People in and vpon God And whereas the greatest confidence men haue in God ariseth not onely from his promises but from their experience likewise of his goodnesse you must not faile often to recall to the memorie of the People with thankefulnesse the late great experience wee haue had of his goodnes toward vs For the three great and vsuall Iudgements which he darts downe vpon disobedient and vnthankefull people are Pestilence Famine and the Sword The Pestilence did neuer rage more in this Kingdome then of late and God was graciously pleased in Mercie to heare the prayers which were made vnto him and the ceasing of the Iudgement was little lesse then a Miracle The Famine threatned vs this present yeere and it must haue followed had God rained downe his anger a little longer vpon the fruites of the earth But vpon our prayers he stayed that Iudgement and sent vs a blessed season and a most plentifull haruest The Sword is the thing which wee are now to looke to and you must call the People to their prayers againe against the Enemy that God will be pleased to send the like deliuerance from this Iudgment also that in the same Mercie hee will vouchsafe to strengthen the hands of his People that he will sharpen their sword but dull and turne the edge of that which is in our enemies hands that so while some fight others may pray for the blessing And you are to be carefull that you faile not to direct and hearten Our louing People in this and all other necessary seruices both of God his Church and Vs that We may haue the comfort of Our peoples seruice the State safety the Church Religion and the people the inioying of all such Blessings as follow these And We end with doubling of this care vpon you and all vnder you in their seuerall places Giuen at Our Palace at Westminster in the second yeere of Our Reigne the twentie one of September 1626. THe care which your Lordship is to vse in this behalfe is to see them made knowne to the worthy Preachers and Ministers in your Diocesse and so farre as your Lordship may in your owne person to put these things in execution and to call vpon the Clergie which is vnder you in their Preachings and priuate conferences to stirre vp all sorts of people to expresse their zeale to God their dutie to the King and their loue vnto their Countrey and one to another that all good and Christian courses may be taken for the preseruation of the true Religion both in this Land and throughout all Christendome Which not doubting but your Lordship with all diligence and speed will see effected J leaue you to the Almightie and remaine Your Lordships louing brother G. Cant. Croydon Septemb. 26. 1626. ¶ Imprinted at London by BONHAM NORTON and Iohn Bill Printers to the Kings Most Excellent Maiesty 1626.