Throne whereon he was shortly to receive a Crown even the most glorious Crown of MARTYRDOME After which he stiles him A glorious Martyr his blood Innocent blood yea thou extols his Innocency and Canonizeth him for a Saint in a Poeticall Elegie especially in these ensuing lines Through the hand Of base detraction practise to defame Thy spotlesse Virtues yet impartiall fame Shall do thee all just honour and set forth To all succeeding times thy matchlesse worth No Annalls shall be writ but what relate Thy happy influence both on Church and State Thy zeal to publike Order thy great parts For all affairs of weight thy love to Arts And to our shame and his great glory tell For whose dear sake by whose vile hands he fell A death so full of Merits of such price To God and man so sweet a sacrifice As by good Church-Law may his name prefer To a fixt Rubrick in the Calender And let this silence the pure Sects complaint If they make Martyrs we may make a SAINT c. And not onely these Anonymous Pamphleters but King Charles himself who not long before had given him an ample Pardon as a Traytor under his great Seal of England forgetting what he had done herein doth in his own Letter to the Queen dated Jan. 14. 1644. cry up this headlesse Arch-bishop for a Martyr yea deems his blood so meritorious so Innocent that being totally the Parliaments he beleeves it no presumption hereafter to hope that Gods hand of Justice for the Parliaments just effusion of his blood must be thence-forth heavier upon them and lighter upon him and his Anti-parliamentary Partie looking now upon their cause having passed by their faults If his blood so lately shed by the axe of Justice be already become so meritorious as to ballance the scales of Gods Justice in this manner we may justly fear it will in few years more grow into as great esteem at Court as Thomas of Beckets his Trayterly predecessors blood did in former times among the Prelatical Popish party who attributed more efficacy to it then to Christs and therfore presumed most blasphemously to pray to Christ himselfe to save them by his own but this Arch-Traytors blood in this distick Tu per Thomae Sanguinem quem prote impendit Fac nos Christe scandere quo Thomas ascendit But as the manifold glorious Victories miraculous Successes of the Parliaments Forces since his Execution have experimentally frustrated this his Majesties groundlesse Hope and Presumption that Gods hand of Iustice would be heavier upon the Parliaments Party but lighter upon him and his by reason of his crying blood it being never lifted up so extraordinarily so visibly for the Parliament before nor falling so heavily upon the King and his Partizans as since his beheading and the Kings overconfident relying on the Merits of the Blood of such a Traytot for successe in his warrs against the Parliament So I presume the setting forth of this History of his Tryall will soon Un-Martyr Un-Saint Uncrown this Arch-Imposter by presenting him in his Proper Colours stript of all Disguises and render him so desperately criminall so transcendently Trayterous in all respects especially in point of undermining the Protestant Religion wherein himself and his Parasites have endeavoured most of all to vindicate his Innocency that all Generations will unaminously pronounce him the Archest Enemy to the most active universall Underminer of the Protestant Religion established among us that ever breathed in English ayre and readily acknowledge that no Ecclesiasticall Annalls ever recorded his Paralell for multiplicity of desperate cunning Jesuiticall Stratagems secretly to subvert that Orthodox Reformed Religion which himselfe pretended to professe nay propagate and patronize It is far below the Magnanimity of my Spirit in the least measure maliciously to blast the Fame or revengefully to triumph over to trample upon the Ashes of a Vanquished Enemy whom I never dreaded or slandered all his life forgave and pittied both before and at his death the Memory of whose Capital crimes should have expired with his breath and been eternally buried in oblivion with his Corps by me had not Your Honors superiour Commânds necessitated me to revive record them to Posterity since his death as well as to give them in evidence at his Tryall for Vindication of Your untainted Justice and the Common Good to deter all others in future Ages from the like Trayterous Practises If any therefore deem my Expressions concerning him or his actions over-lavish malicious or revengefull let them impartially compare them with his Criminall Offences here recorded which they hardly equalize or fall far short of and then if they warrant not the harshest Epithites the blackest Characters here bestowed on him let me eternally bear the blame and shame but if they be scarce proportionate to his Treasons his grand Misdemeanors which must be blazoned and set forth in language suitable to their transcendent Hainousnesse not minced not extenuated by over-diminutive expressions I hope none will or can be so injurious as to charge me with Calumny much lesse Scurrility or Revenge who never yet particularly demanded received the least farthing Recompence from him or any of his for all the barbarous Cruelties Oppressions Imprisonments great Losses Dammages I sustained eight years space together onely for discovering opposing countermining to the utmost of my skill and power all Popish Plots Innovations Proceedings of this Arch-Prelate and his confederates to undermine our Religion re-establish Popery among us by degrees and set up an arbitrary Papall power the better to effect the same the onely reall cause of all my former sufferings Yet three things there are I foresee may possibly be objected against me by his complices which need some Answer to prevent their causelesse Calumnies The first is That in this History of his Tryall I have at large inserted some particular papers passages especially in the Catalogue of the Arminian Popish Errours vented in and of the clauses against them purged out of late new Printed Books which were not actually or at least fully read at the Lords Bar Therefore I am guilty of partiality and unfaithfulnesse in relating the Evidence given in against him at the Bar by these additions to it To which I answer First that all the Evidence Passages here at large recited with many more were prepared and ready by me at the Bar yea the effect of every Paper passage here recorded was in generall terms opened pressed at the tryall though not all fully read and particularly urged for want of time which I have here more largely inserted for clearing the truth and satisfying the Reader the most materiall passages being onely read at large the rest of like nature but briefly referred to in generall to avoyd prolixity and husband time Secondly that I have largely recorded none of these Passages here by way of New Additionall Evidence requiring answer but onely for illustration or corroboration of the old fully given
principells of Error and Darknesse how can it be expected better then that the people should be even ready to stone him as they did him that did but Act the part of Bellerophon in Rome But to avoyde this danger he conveyes in this poyson in a guilded Pill with baites and pretences of Reconciliation a pleasing snare Laqueus Diaboli ad miserorum animas ad infernum detrudendas A beade Roll of particulars might be recited wherein this Reconcilement was to be wrought in points of Free-will Merits Justification Vniversall grace Purgatory and in effect all the rest To draw on these there must be an introducing of Popish Ceremonies in all the particulars contained in the Masse-Bookes and Pontificalls themselves and to make way for these the Booke of Sports must bee published and pressed beyond the Kings intention or Declaration which was but a civill Command but hee subjoynes Ecclesiasticall penalties even the sharpest suspention deprivation and the like these executed on diverse good and godly men with a high hand Thus a liberty proclaimed not to Captives but to profane Caitifes this day set a part by God ab eterno exposed and prostituted to all loosenesse and irreligion and that by a Law This Lambe taken out of his bosome Iehosaphat sends Priests Levites into all the Cities Tribes to instruct them This Prelate sends Declarations and Injunctions to corrupt them and to extinguish the Lamp and light of Religion in the former Acts he destroyes the Protestant in this Religion it selfe In the one he leaves Superstition in the other nothing but Atheisme and Profanenesse in the one he destroyes Presbyteros as did Dioclesian in the other Presbyterium as did the Apostate Julian Yet to shew his love to Religion the Popes only he holds correspondency with those of Rome Cardinall Barbarino Panzani Con Rosetti the Popes Nuntioes Sir Toby Mathewes Saint Clara Saint Gyles the most dangerous and desperate Jesuites and many others ejusdem farina And by all these steps and rounds he makes a Ladder for himselfe to clime up to the Papall dignity in example of Anselme whom though famous for his Contumacy and Rebellion yet he calls him His worthy Predecessor as was Becket also and is contented to take upon him the Plenitude of power the title of holinesse of Arch-Angell of this Church the lineall Successor of Gregory the first rather of Gregory the seventh and for all this was well worthy to have those two great offers made him recorded in his owne Memorialls by these that had ability to performe it viz. A Cardinalls Capp but such was his modesty to forbeare it because though Rome be a true visible Church in his opinion yet something dwelt with him that hindered it for a time to wit I suppose his dwelling here For his attempts against the Laws the Subjects birth-right and the rights of Parliaments their chiefe support and refuge how little regard he had to them how much he did dispise and abhor them making it his Ambition to preferre the contemners and abusers of them and to set up his own Canons and Constitutions above them imposing of unjust and unlawful Oathes Exactions Monopolies all sorts of oppressions stopping of Prohibitions course of Justice rescinding of Acts of Parliament advancing of Proclamations and all kinde of Arbitrary power above the Lawes of God or man is fully expressed in the Articles and will more fully appeare in the evidence To conclude Naaman was a great man but he was a Leaper This mans Leaprosy hath so infectted all as there remaines no other cure but the sword of Justice which we doubt not but your Lordship will so apply that the Common-wealth shall yet live againe and florish When Serjeant Wilde had concluded his speech the Archbishop humbly desired the Lords that he might have liberty to speake a few words to wipe of that dirt which had injuriously bin cast upon him that so he might not depart thence so foule a person as he had been rendered to their Lordships by the Articles Which liberty being granted he made a long premeditated Oration which hee held written in his hand A true extract whereof communicated by him in writing to divers of his freinds you have heere subjoyned My Lords MY being in this place in this condition recalls to my memory that which I long since read in Seneca Tormentum est etiamsi absolutus quis fuerit causam dixisse 6 de Benef. c. 28. T is not a griefe only no t is no lesse than a torment for an ingenuous man to plead Capitally or Criminally though it should so fall out that he be absolved The great truth of this I finde at present in my selfe and so much the more because I am a Christian and not that onely but in Holy-orders and not so only but by Gods Grace and goodnes preferred to the greatest place this Church affords and yet brought Causam dicere to plead for my selfe at this great Barre And whatsoever the world think of me and they have bin taught to think much more ill of me then I humbly thank Christ for it I was ever acquainted with yet my Lords this I finde Tormentum est t is no lesse than a torment to me to appeare in this place Nay my Lords give me leave to speake plain truth No senrence that can justly passe upon me and other I will never feare from your Lordships can go so neere me as Causam dicere to plead for my selfe upon this occasion and in this place For as for the Sentence be it what it shall I thanke God for it I am for it at Saint Pauls ward Acts 25. 11. If I have committed any thing worthy of death I refuse not to dye For I thanke God I have so lived as that I am neither afraid to dye not ashamed to live But seeing the Malignity which hath been raised against me by some men I have carried my very life in my hands these divers yeares past But yet my Lords if there be none of these things whereof they accuse me though I may not in this Case and from this Barre appeale unto Caesar yet to your Lordships Iustice and Integrity I both may and do not doubting but that God of his goodnesse will preserve my innocency And as Iob in the midst of his affliction said to his mistaken Friends so shall I to my Accusers God forbid I should justifie you till I die I will not remove my Integrity from me I will hold it fast and not let it go my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live Iob 22. 5. My Lords the Charge against me is brought up in ten Articles but the maine heads are two An endeavour to subvert the Lawes of the Land and the Religion established Six Articles the five first and the last concerne the Lawes and the other 4. Religion For the Lawes first I thinke I may safely say I have beene to my understanding as strict an observer of
were Pictures of the Holy Ghost in forme of a Dove that in Peter House there was likewise a carved Crosse at the end of every seat and on the Altar a Pot which they usually called the incense pot that the Master Fellows and Schollers of that house at their entring into going out of the Chappell made a low obeysance to the Altar being enjoyned by Doctor Cosens under a penalty as they reported to doe it and none of them might tume their backs towards the Altar going in nor out of the Chappell That divers Schollers of other houses usually resorted thither some out of Curiosity only to behold others to learne and practise the Popish Ceremonies and Orders used in that Chappell and the common report both among the Schollers of that House and others was that none might approach to the Altar in Peter house but in Sandalls and that there was a speciall consecrated Knife there kept upon the Altar to cut the sacramental bread that was to be consecrated Master Lazarus Seman deposed that he left the Vniversity of Cambridge about ten yeares since and that in his time none of the forementioned Innovations were so much as known or used there but of late times they have all beene introduced Many more witnesses were ready to depose the like and more then this but the Innovations of this kinde were so notoriously knowne to all and so fully proved before the Parliament in Master Peter Smarts Articles against Doctor Cosins that the Commons thought to produce more witnesses herein would bee a meere mispence of time to no purpose but to tyre out the Lords and Auditory But perchance the Archbishop will object what are these Innovations in the Vniversity of Cambridge unto me who was neither Chancellor there to councell or countenance them nor immediatly introduced them To which was Answered 1. That his publike example and practise in his own Chappell at Lambheth formerly manifested was both a president precept for this their imitation and one chiefe cause of these Innovations It was a true rule of Isiodor Hispalensis Dupliciter reus est qui apertè delinquit quia agit docet And a just verdict of the Roman Orator Perniciosius de Republica merentur vitiofi Rectores quod non solum vitia concipiunt ipsi sed ea infundunt in Civitatem neque solum obsunt quod illi ipsi corumpuntur sed etiam quod corumpunt Since then his own preceeding Innovations were the occasions of these Corruptions in this Vniversity they must be laid upon his score 2ly His owne Introduction of the selfesame Popish Innovations into the Vniversity of Oxford by Lawes and Injunctions at the selfe-same time or a little before these sprung up in Cambridge is a strong presumption that both of them issued from the very same roote 3ly His owne chiefe Favorites Chaplaines Creatures who were most intimate frequent with him at London and advanced to Headships in Colledges by his meanes were the only active Instruments to bring in and promote these Corruptions therefore questionlesse they had directions at least incouragment from him for their proceedings in this kinde 4ly His not being Chauncellor of this Vniversity was rather an obstacle to the speedy Introduction of these Innovations then otherwise as appeares by Oxford where he prescribed them by publique Laws and Injunctions which was not done in Cambridge because he was not Chauncellor yet he would needs be their Immediate Visitor as Archbishop of Canterbury contesting with them for this Authority before his Majestic and Privie Councell where hee obtained a Decree and Patent to him and his Successors to be their Visitors in regard of which Jurisdiction over this Vniversity as their Visitor and likewise as an High Commissioner hee wanted no authority but only will to prohibit suppresse these Popish Novelties and punish the promotors of them but this for certaine he never did but countenanced advanced them all hee could as shall be manifested in due place Therefore if the old Maxime of Law may take place Qui non vetat peccare cum posset jubet he must bee really guilty of all these Anti-Christian Innovations in both our Vniversities whom he thus miserably corrupted to the unspeakeable prejudice of Church and State since from these two Fountaines these Popish superstitions corruptions diffused themselves over all our Dominions like a most contagious Leprosie It hath alwayes been a Capitall crime and an offence against the Law of God of Nations to poyson common Naturall fountaines how much more then these two publike Fountaines of more transcendent use and excellency From our Vniversities wee shall in the next place pursue this Romish Reinold unto our Cathedrall Churches where hee began his Popish Innovations very early Master Iohn Laugly late Schoole-Master of the City Glocester but now of Pauls Schoole deposed that in the yeare 1616. the now Archb. being made Deane of Glocester and comming downe to the Cathedrall there intended to turne the Communion Table into an Altar and place it Altarwise at the East end of the Quire removing it from its former station in the midst Doctor Smith then Bishop of GLOCESTER opposed it with much earnestnesse and seriously protested to the DEANE and the Prebends that if the Communion Table were removed or any such Innovations brought into that Cathedrall as this Deane intended to introduce hee would never come within the Walls of the Cathedrall more yet notwithstanding the Deane was then so violent that in despite of the Bishops direction and opposition hee caused the Lords Table to be removed and placed Altarwise at the East end of the Quire close under the Wall with the ends North and South with Popish furniture upon it bowed towards it himselfe and commanded the singing-men Choristers and other Officers of the Church to make like obeysance to it Whereat the Bishop was so much offended that hee made good his protestation and never came more within the Cathedrall till his dying day This single testimony of Mr. Langlies we finde seconded with a Letter of this Bishops Chaplaine to the Chancellour at Glocester thus indorsed with the Archbishops owne hand and found at Lambeth among his Papers by Master Prynne Febr. 12. 1616. A Coppy of the Libell against the removing of the Communion Table in the Church of Glocester MAster Chancellour I pray you certifie me how things stand at Gloucester wee heare strange things of late here with us that seeme almost incredible It is reported here for a truth that the Communion Table in your Cathedrall Church is removed by your new Deane and put up close at the upper end in the place where the high Altar heretofore stood and that they make low obeysance to it with great Reverence as if Christ were there upon it and that this hath much offended the whole Citie almost And yet that not any one of the Prebends did so much as offer by word or deed to resist him or
c. As appears by his Injunctions annexed to his Articles in writing and his Account to the Archbishop for the yeare 1636. both found in the Archbishops study and attested by Mr. Prynne In this Diocesse of Norwich by meanes of these Visitation Articles Bishop Mountague in his Account to the Archbishop for the yeare 1638. informes him under his owne hand That all Courches were furnished with the ALTAR standing close to the East-wall all Rayled about the Altar But withall he certifies him that many of the people complained they were troubled and Excommunicated by his Predecessor Bishop Wren for not comming up to receive at the Rayls about the Altar in this manner As many as can well kneele close unto the Rayles come up out of the Church and then upon their knees receive from the Priest standing within the Rayles the Bread and Wine who being thus Communicated rise and depart into the Church and as many moe as can likewise kneele succeed and being Communicated likewise depart which course is observed till all have received Against this they say it is a new un-necessary troublesome course not enjoyned by Law not required by Canon nor imposed by His Majesty or my Lord of Canterbury whose Injunctions they professe they will obey nor in the Articles or Injunctions of any Bishop This as it perplexeth them so I must professe it troubleth me wherein I desire resolution and direction For if this be the case as they pretend in my poore opinion it is inter minutiora Legis to make the best of it and happily in these times of opposition it were not amisse to follow that wise direction of the greatest Councel of Christendom the first of Nice Let ancient customs be observed If I may be bold to deliver my owne poore private opinion concerning this case as they relate it not otherwise I hold it a meere un-necessary inconvenient combersome or irregular course I know it hath no velam nor vestigum in Antiquity who as it appeares by Saint Chrisostome communicated Communicants kneeling in the Chancell in their distinct rankes the doores shut none permitted to depart till the blessing pronounced and Ite in peace I know of no Law Articles Advertisements Canons Injunctions that require it I cannot tell where when by whom it came up This I know it is the practise of the Roman Church at least in Italy and Rome and yet drawes neere upon the Lees of the Geneva Discipline in their running Banquet as it is rightly named I humbly crave pardon for this my free but private opinion of that course upon which so many in my Diocesse doe stand who otherwise do professe all obedience to the Church orders and I doubt not but to bring them thereto and settle them therein almost I durst undertake it This Account of Bishop Mountague being shewed Bishop Wren by the Arch-Bishop he returned this Answer in writing thereunto which hee delivered to the Archbishop in whose Study Mr. Prynne seized it The number of them that stood excommunicated for this which is alleadged were not 13 in above 1300. Parishes When they had received both the bread and wine two rankes of them they quietly withdrew and remained in the Chancell if it would hold them and others kneeled downe in their roomes No marvell if it like not those that will pronounce it new unnecessary and troublesome The Service booke enjoynes it by requiring all to draw neer The King Himselfe does it and His whole Houshold in effect It had bin neither perplexity nor trouble in that Diocesse ere now if it had not unawares bin declaimed against by his Lordship before hee came into the Diocesse Many of his Faction prickt up their eares at that and then his Lordship had plunged himselfe to openly to get back hansomely Now hee is come into the Diocesse and findes it so generally practised and desired by the best of all sorts It is hoped that upon this private narration either my Lords Grace of the King will gain-say it It were fit that what he reputed an irregular custome had bin exprest And whether to carry the holy Sacrament up and down to their Seats be it Where the Chancells will not receive all the Communicants what more trouble of successive comming before the Rayle then into the Chancell Many Chancells are so seated that it cannot appeare how the Communicants kneels and for this in truth the Faction hath the greatest sticke at it Many Parishes are populous and the Chancels large but the Chalices very small while the Priest then goes to and againe so far to renew the Cup much time and labour is lost This supposition holds not for very many Chancells will not hold all the Communicants much lesse to kneele conveniently all at once To come before the Rayle hath more analogy with Antiquity then some men have seene or others will In England they came but to the Chancell doores till our Lawes brought them into the Chancell So now the Rayle serves to distinguish the Presbyterian from the Chorus and that place in Saint Chrysostome I believe will otherwise prove to be mistaken That it is like the practise of the Roman Church I suppose is the better seeing we never found fault with them for it till now As for Geneva t is not so like to theirs or theirs to it as an Ape is to a man and yet is farre enough from being a man This is spoken unto in the precedents After which Bishop Mountague in a Synod at Ipswitch Octob. 8. 1639. gave these ensuing directions to his Clergie concerning the peoples comming up to the Rayles to receive A Copy whereof he sent to the Archbishop who received it the 21th of the same Moneth as appeares by his endorsement thereof When I came first into this Diocesse I was much and often troubled by many in many parts thereof about comming up to the Rayles as they called it in time of the holy Communion This was a novelty unto me as it seemed it was in it selfe for I had never heard of it nor did I know what it meant But I understood at length it was this Those that intend to receive the holy Sacrament are to come up out of the Church and to draw neere unto the Rayles which inclose the Altar or Communion Table and there to kneele as many as can and to receive in both kindes at the Ministers hands when this company at the Rayles have received in both kindes they are to rise up to withdraw and another company to succeed in their places and after them a third and so till all bee in that sort Communicated In this course thus observed I do not understand whether all at once that intend to Communicate do together come up out of the Church into the Chancell and being there disposed sitting or standing doe in course repaire unto the Rayles and returne from thence Or whether
Burtons Wives especially restrained so much as to set footing in the Islands where they were close imprisoned under paine of imprisonment so penall and fatall was it for them to oppose the Archbishop in these his Innovations who detained them thus close prisoners in exile till they were released by this present Parliament That this prosecution was by the Archbishops instigation was evidenced First by the Testimony of Mr. John Cockshute then servant to Sir John Banks his Majesties Atturney Generall to whom he committed the prosecution of all Star-chamber businesses who attested upon oath that the Arch-bishop gave him direction for drawing the Information against Doctor Bastwick Mr. Burton and Mr. Prynne and that he was commanded to give an account to him of all the proceedings therein which he did from time to time either to himself in person or to his Chaplains by his direction Secondly by the Copies of Doctor Bastwicks and Mr. Burtons Answers found in his study by Mr. Prynne the first whereof was disalowed and would not be admitted though twice tendred the second expunged by the Arch-bishops direction who had drawn a line with black lead under all that which should stand in Mr. Burtons Answer as appeared by the Coppy it self produced at the Bar giving Order to expunge the residue which was done accordingly Thirdly by the whole Tenor of his speech in Star-chamber especially this latter clause thereof pag. 77. I humbly crave pardon of your Lordships for this my necessary length and give You hearty thanks for Your noble patience and your just and honourable censure upon these men and your unanimous dislike of them and defence of the Church But because the businesse hath some reflection upon my selfe I shall for beare to censure them and leave them to Gods mercy and the Kings Iustice. And by his ensuing Epistle to his Majesty prefixed to this Speech Fourthly by Subsequent Motions and Warrants under his hand for their Exile and close Imprisonment in which he was onely active and inexorable What great encouragement and hope of a relapse to Popery the Archbishops introducing of Altars Crucifixes and other forementioned Innovations gave to Jesuits Papists and what was his reall designe in promoting them we shall evidence by two notable passages in two late English Jesuites printed books The first intituled A Paraphrasticall and devout Discourse upon the Psalme Miserere written by Ch. M. an English Jesuite as appears by the Jesuites Badge in the Frontispiece of it printed and licensed at Doway 30 Maii 1635. wherein there is this passage in the Epistle to the Reader Thesemy Paraphrasticall Discourses and pitifull lamentations of King David I intend for all sinners in England as well Catholicks as not Catholicks of what religion soever I being a debtor to all and because I would have them all peruse these Discovrses I abstaine from controversies in religion lest I should avert any from the reading of them only in paraphrasing the two last verses of this Psalme occasion being offered I speak of the unbloody and daily Sacrifice of the Altar but so that I rather touch it then handle it mention it then treat of it suppose it then prove it in that manner as I might hoping that this doctrine NOW will not be distastfull mark the Reason For seeing now in England in very many Churches Altars which heretofore were thrown down are againe erected according to the laudable example and pious use and custome of the Catholick and even Primitive Church to averre a true Sacrifice will not be ill taken because to allow of Altars is to allow of a true Sacrifice which useth to be offered on them an Altar and a true proper Sacrifice being Co-Relatives of which the one inferreth the other and so the one cannot be averred without the other nor the one denied without the other Loe here we have the true reason why the Archbishop was so zealous for Altars even to bring in the Papists unbloody and dayly sacrifice of the Masse The second book was inscribed A direction to be observed by N. N. written by an English Jesuit and printed secretly by him in London as was supposed An. 1636. wherein after some applauses of the Archbishop whom he propounded as a Pattern of imitation for all others in England in prohibiting the sale of books tending to Socinianisme p. 14. which he p. 16. interprets to be Protestantisme p. 20. 22. he proceeds thus And to speak the truth what learned judicious man can after unpartiall examination embrace Protestantisme Which now waxeth weary of it selfe Its professors they especially of greatest worth learning and authority declare themselves to love temper moderation allow of many things which some years agoe were usually condemned as Superstitious Antichristian and are at this time more unresolved where to fasten then in the infancy of their Church For doe not the Protestant Churches begin to look with another face their wals to speak by Images Crucifixes Laymens books with another language their Preachers to use a sweeter tone their annuall publick Tenents in the Universities to be of another stile and matter their books to appear with Titles and Arguments which once would have caused much scandall among the Brethren their Doctrine to be altered in many things and even in those very points for which their progenitors forsook the then visible Church of Christ their 39 Articles the Summe the Confession and almost the Creed of their faith are patient patient that is they are ambitious of some sense wherein they may seem to be Catholick that is of that Romish sense which Franciscus à Sancta Clara thrice printed in England and presented by the Archbishop to his Majesty hath put upon them in his Commentary on them to alleage wife and children in these dayes is but a weak plea for a maried Minister to compasse a Benefice Firy Calviaisme once a Darling in England is at length accounted Heresie yea and little lesse then Treason by the Archbishop and his Brethren in their censure of Dr. Bastwick in the High Commission Men in word writing willingly use the once fearfull names of Priests and Altars nay if one do but mutter against the placing of the Altar after the old fashion for a warning he shal be well warned with a Cole from the Altar over against which there is this marginall note A little book so intituled printed 1636. English Protestants are now put in minde that for exposition of Scripture by Canon they are bound to follow the ancient Fathers And to conclude all in one main point The Protestant Church in England pofesseth so small antiquity and so weak subsistance in it self that they acknowledge no other visible being for many Ages but in the Church of Rome These were the advantages the Papists Jesuits and Popish party made of the Archbishops Romish Innovations formerly proved We shall next proceed to other Innovations of this nature somewhat different from the former to wit to
Lord Bishop of Exeter signifying His Majesties pleasure that in case the said Thomas Foard should be elected to the said Lectureship or procure the said Advowson he doe not give any approbation thereof procured ut supra dated 12. Septem 1631. These Letters were drawne by the Bishops owne direction not by the Secretary of State or Clarkes of the Signet being not entred at large in the Letter Signet Booke but only this note of them entred in the Docquet Booke by which his implacable transcendent malice appeared against the opposites to Arminianisme that not satisfied with their unjust banishment out of Oxford he endeavoured by indirect means to hinder them from Ecclesiasticall preferments in the Church whereas hee advanced those of the Arminian faction to places of highest eminency in the Church as wee shall manifest in due season After these severe proceedings against these Anti-Arminians in the Vniversitie the Arminians there grew very numerous insolent few or none dating to oppose them but Doctor Prideaux with two or three more in some passages in their Sermons for which they were presently questioned by the Arminian Faction and enjoyned publike Recantations witnesse the Recantation of William Hobbes Fellow of Trinitio Colledge the 25. of January 1632. for preaching against falling from Grace contrary to the intent and purpose of His Majesties Declaration in a Sermon on a Tuesday at St. Maries Recorded in the Oxford Register f. 54 The Recantation of Master Thomas Cooke of Brase-Nose the 19th of July 1634. for using some passages in a Latine Sermon in Saint Maries which by consequence might imply connivency and partiality in the Vice-Chancellour Doctor Duppa towards some of the Arminian party that had violated the Kings Edicts concerning such points of controversie as are forbidden Registred in the Vniversity Register pag. 90. with the convention and submission of Master Kichard Kilby of Lincolne Colledge before Doctor Bayley Vice-Chancellour and others March 13. 1637. for reviving some controversies concerning Arminianisme contrary to His Majesties Declaration entred in the Vniversitie Register fol. 152. About September 1632. there were some Satyricall Verses scattered abroad in Oxford against the Arminians thus intituled The Academicall Army of Epidemicall Arminians To the tune of the Souldieur wherein Doctor Corbet Doctor Duppa Doctor Iackeson Doctor Marsh Doctor Turner with others of the Arminian faction were mentioned and Bishop Laud as their Generall who receiving a Coppie of them December 19. 1632. writ this endorsment on it Oxford Libell against such as they will needs call Arminians Who were all backed by Bishop Laud their grand Patron and preferred to the highest Ecclesiasticall preferments How the Arminian party prevailed in the Vniversitie of Cambridge by this Arch-Prelates abetment so farre as to procure Barrets Recantation of the Arminian Tenets solemnly made in that Vniversity in 37. of Q. Elizabeths Raigne and then printed to be rased out of the Vniversity Register where it was Recorded and to prosecute Mr. Bernard whom he caused to be censured ruined in the High-Commission for preaching against the increase of Popery and Arminianisme of which hereafter is so well knowne to most that wee shall not insist upon it most of the heads of Houses there as Doctor Brookes Doctor Beale Doctor Martin Doctor Paske Doctor Cosens Doctor Lany c being professed Arminians and this Archbishops Creatures to prosecute his designes How diligent the Bishops were by colour of His Majesties Declarations and Instructions to suppresse all preaching against all Arminianisme in their Diocesse by this Arch-Prelates instigation will appeare by their printed Visitation Articles for this purpose particularly by the Articles of enquiry and direction for the Diocesse of Norwich in the first Visitation of Rich. Mountague Bishop of that Diocesse An. Dom. 1638 Tit. 5. Artic. 22. in Church-Wardens Doth your Minister commonly or of set purpose in his populer Sermons full upon those much disputed and little understood doctrines of Gods eternall Predestination of Election antecedaneous of Reprobation irrespective without sinne foreseene of Freewill of Perseverance and not falling from Grace points obscure unfoldable unfoordable untractable at which that great Apostle stood at gaze with Oh the height and depth of the riches of the Wisdome and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments and his wayes past finding out Rom. 11. 33. By the Archbishops Injunctions prescribed to them in His Majesties Name whereof this was one That they should take speciall care that no Minister nor Lecturer in their Diocesse should preach upon the prohibited controverted points contrary to His Majesties Declarations and Instructions and that they should give an yearely account to the Archbishop of their proceedings herein which they did accordingly By meanes whereof the Arminian Errors were freely vented in all Diocesses without any publike opposition and those who out of zeale to truth durst open their mouthes to refuse them were silenced suspended and brought into the High Commission by this Archbishops practise to their undoing whiles the Arminians on the contrary had free liberty to broach their Erronious Tenets without controle and were advanced to the greatest benefices and Ecclesiasticall Dignities Besides this Arch-prelate not satisfied with propagating these dangerous Arminian Novelties throughout the Realme of England endeavoured to infect by degrees the whole Church of Irel therewith To which end he not only caused Bishop Downehams book of perseverance there printed against the Arminians to be suppressed as you heard before but the very Articles of the Church of Ireland made in a full Nationall Synod and Convocation held at Dubline 1615. and ratified by King Iames wherein all the Arminian Errors are terminis terminantibus condemned as Erronious to be repealed the L. Deputy Wentworth by high hand being but the Archbishops instrument herein enforcing the Convocation at Dublin An 1634. by sundry threatning Messages full fore against their wills to condescend to the repealing of them under pretext of establishing the 39. Articles of the Church of England comprised in the former for the only Articles of that Church for Vnity and Vniformity sake as was attested by Dr. Hoyle a Member of that Irish Convocation at the Lords Ear long since published in print with the Archbishops privity if not command by Dr. Heylin in his History of the Sabbath Part. 2. chap. 8. sect 9. pag. 259. in these very tearmes And here unto they were encouraged a great deale the rather because in Ireland what time his Majesties Commissioners were employed about the settling of that Church Anno 1615. there passed an Article which much confirmed them in their courses and hath been often since alleaged to justifie both them and their proceedings the Article is this The first day of the weeke which is the Lords Day is wholy to be dedicated to the service of God and therefore we are bound therein to rest from our common and daily businesse and to bestow that leasure upon holy exercises both private publique What moved
some other passages in my said Sermon I was as I understand conceived by some not onely to cast aspersions upon the present State of our Church and some principall Members and parts thereof thereby to bring it and them into scandall and dislike But even under some ambiguous words to move to take up armes for redresse although with recalling or restraining the same in termes afterward and saying thus Let us pray these men either to conversion if it be Gods blessed will or to their destruction Fiat justitia pereant illi and calling them crafty Achitophells c. I doe here acknowledge and professe I had no such Intentions neither doe I know any cause why my selfe or any other should so bitterly invay against any in our Church I am therefore heartily sorry that I gave cause to any of the hearers to conceive so And I humbly crave pardon for it For refusing to make this strange prescribed Recantation this godly Minister though he in generall termes professed his syncere sorrow and penitency for any Oversights and unbeseeming Expressions in his Sermon both in his Petitions and Letters to the Bishop which would not suffice was for a long time deteined in the New Prison there miserably abused by the Keepers of which he oft complained without redresse and in conclusion utterly ruined for speaking out the truth Wee shall close this branch of our Evidence with this observation That as Rewards and Punishments rightly distributed are the greatest incentives to vertue piety learning and retractives from vice error superstition so when they are perverted misplaced they become the grandest discouragements to Piety Religion the strongest attractives to Heresie Popery and all kinde of Superstitions Schollers commonly looke most of all after preferments yea make it their principall study to comply with those mens Opinions and Practifes who are the chiefe Bestowers of them No wonder therefore that our poor Church was sodainly overspread with a generation of Arminian Popish Superstitious Ceremonious prophane Prelaticall Clergy-men when all or most Ecclesiasticall preferments were in this Arch-Prelates disposall who for the most part advanced none but such but discountenanced suppressed persecuted kept back from preferments most orthodox zeal us preaching Divines who would not comply with his Popish Innovations and Designes It is very observable that the Archbishop himselfe records in his Diary April 5. 1625. How he presented to the Duke of Buckingham by his command a Schedule wherein the Names of Ecclesiasticall persons were written under the Letters O. that is orthodox in his sence to wit Arminians or persons addicted to Popish Errors and Superstitions and P. that is Puritans who was to deliver them to King CHARLES Ever since which time Mountague Manwaring Wren with such like unorthodox Clergy-men have been advanced and all Puritans as they termed them kept from preferment And it is as considerable what Mr Chaloner deposed to this purpose That being in Rome about five yeares since Friar John the great agent there for our English Benedictines and Catholiques was very inquisitive and demanded seriously of him Whether the Archbishop of Canterbury had not the bestowing of all Ecclesiasticall preferments and livings in England especially those in the Kings gift Seeming to be confident they were all then in his dispose and thereupon assuring himselfe that he would advance such persons to them as should be most favourable most plyable to Popery and Papists to drive on their designes as they did indeed with a witnesse till this Parliament imployed their diligence and power to weed them out by Degrees And therefore his advancement of such unsound corrupt Popish Clergy-men on the One and suppressing good Orthodox Preaching Ministers on the other side must necessarily import a most desperate design in him to supplant our established Religion by such a Generation of Vipers who would eat out the very bowells of their own Protestant Mother Church and Religion by Degrees The sixth Branch of the Commons Evidence to make good their first Generall Charge of the Archbishops endeavours to subvert our Religion and introduce Popery WEE shall now advance our progresse from this to the sixth Branch of our Evidence to make good our generall Charge of this Archbishops Traytorous Practises and Endeavours to subvert our true Protestant Religion and introduce Popish Superstition and Idolatry to wit His Iesviticall Practises Plots and Proceedings by himselfe and his Instruments to suppresse the frequent and powerfull Preaching of the Gospel on Lords-dayes Weeke-dayes with all Lecturers and Lectures throughout the Kingdome and the Feoffees for Impropriations a principall meanes to maintaine the same and his silencing suspending many godly Ministers in all parts upon frivilous illegall Pretences that so Popish Errours Superstitions might flow in and grow up the faster with none or little publique Opposition This is fully charged against him in the eleventh Originall Article and sixth Additionall which were read upon this occasion The first and most pernicious Plot this Prelate layd to suppress Preaching Lectures and Lecturers was drawn up by himselfe under his own hand soon after the Parliaments dissolution in tertio Caroli and presented by him to the King under this specious title which he gave it Considerations for the better settling of the Church-Government The Originall draught whereof written with his own hand and found in his study by Mr Prynne was produced and read in forme following Considerations for the better settling of the Church-Government That his Majesty would be graciously pleased 1. TO Command the Lords the Bishops to their severall seas excepting those which are in attendance at Court 2. That none of them reside upon his Land or Lease that he hath purchased or on his Commendam if he hold any but in one of his Episcopall Houses And that hee wast not the woods where any are left 3. That they give charge in their Tryenniall Visitations and at other times both by themselves and the Archdeacons that the Declaration for settling the questions in difference be strictly observed 4. That a speciall Charge be given them against frequent and unworthy Ordinations 5. That a speciall Care be had over the Lecturers in every Diocesse Which by Reason of their pay are the peoples creatures and blow the Bellowes their way Sedition For the abating of whose power these wayes may be taken 1. That the afternoon Sermons in all Parishes may be turned into Catechising by Questions and Answers according to an Order set out by King Iames of blessed Memory If this cannot be then 2. That every Bishop ordain in his Diocesse that every Lecturer doe read Divine service in his Surplisse before the Lecture 3. That where a Lecture is set up in a Market Town it be read by a Combination of grave and orthodox Divines neer adjoyning 4. That if an Incorporation do maintain a Lecturer he be not suffered to preach till he take upon him Curam Animarum within that Incorporation 6. That the Bishop do
Imprisonment by them voted Illegall there being all this while no proceedings against him nor any crime objected to him in any Court of Justice By means of which Imprisonment he was much prejudiced and undone in his Estate and his wife with four small children exposed to Pennury and Beggery Such a spite did He bear this witnesse for his Activity in the businesse of Impropriations Mr William Kendall Mr Iohn Lane and Mr Tempest Miller severally deposed at the Lords Bar that the Archbishop in the presence of them and divers others speaking of the Feoffees of Impropriations said that they were the bane of the Church and then uttered these words in a vaunting manner I was the man that did set my self against them and then clapping his hand upon his brest said I thank God I have destroyed this work So as he did not only subvert this pious project to propagate the preaching of the Gospell but boasted of it and had so much shamelesse Impiety as to thanke God himselfe for effecting it who hath now in justice brought him into judgement for it and made it one part of that Charge and Evidence which we conceive will most justly destroy him The seventh and next stratagem he used to subvert the Protestant Religion which he had almost totally suppressed corrupted with Popish Errours Superstitions Innovations in our English Churches was his endeavours to undermine and suppresse it in these few Duth and French Churches planted here among us who enjoyed their owne Government Priviledges Discipline without any interruption by any of his Predecessors or other English Prelates in all our Protestant Princes reignes from King Edward the sixth his reigne till this Archprelates molestation of and attempts against them thus laid down in the twelfth Originall Article of his Impeachment He hath Traiterously endeavoured to cause division and discord between the Church of England and other Reformed Churches and to that end hath supprest and abrogated the Priviledges and Immunities which have been by his Majesty and his Royall Ancestors granted to the Dutch and French Churches in this Kingdom And divers other wayes hath expressed his malice and disaffection to these Churches that so by such dis-union the Papists might have more advantage for the overthrow and extirpation of both To make good this Article we could produce many Letters Papers Instructions Orders under the Archbishops own hand or indorsed by him found in his own study here ready at the Barre but for brevity sake we shall instance only in some few particulars of more speciall note The first is that this Arch-prelate though he beares so good an affection and honourable respect to the Church of Rome as to justifie her to be a true visible Apostolike Church which never erred in fundamentals and wherein men may be saved and that we and she are one and the same Church still no doubt of that both one as we have formerly proved Yet he is so maliciously despitefull to the Protestant Churches in forraign parts and at home that he reputes them not only no true Churches but even no Churches at all because they have no Lord-bishops different in Order and Degree from ordinary Ministers This opinion of his we shall manifest not only by his Divinity Questions when he was to proceed Batchelor and Doctor of Divinity for which Dr Holland publickly checkt and turned him out of the Schools with disgrace as a sower of discord between Brethren to wit the Church of England and other reformed Churches but by his own late reprinted Book An 1639. entituled A Relation of the Conference between William Laud then Lord Bishop of St. Davids now Lord Archbishop of Canterbury and Mr Fisher the Jesuite c. p. 175 176. where thus he writes in justification of his former Theses in the Divinity Schools For the calling and Authority of Bishops over the inferiour Clergy that was a thing of known use and benefit for preservation of Truth and Peace in the Church And so much St Ierom tels us though being none himselfe he was no great friend to Bishops And this was so setled in the mindes of men from the very infancy of the Christian Church as that it had not been till that time contradicted by any So that then there was no controversie about the calling all agreed upon it Then citing Jeroms words in the margin he thus comments upon them So even according to St. Ierom Bishops had a very ancient and honourable descent in the Church from St. Mark the Evangelist And about the end of the same Epistle he acknowledgeth it Traditionem esse Apostolicam Nay more then so he affirmes plainly That ubi non est Sacerdos NON EST ECCLESIA St. Ierom advers Luciferianos And in that place most manifest it is that St. Ierom by Sacerdos meanes a Bishop for he speaks de Sacerdote qui potestatem habet Ordinandi which in St. Ieroms owne judgement no meere Priest had but a Bishop only St. Ierom Epist. ad Evagrium so even with him NO BISHOP NO CHURCH Which being his own positive judgement the Dutch and French Protestant Churches both at home and abroad must needs be no Church at all in his opinion because they have no such Bishops and so are in farre worse condition then the Church of Rome in his repute To make this more apparent we shall desire you to take notice that in Decemb. 1639. there was a plot between this Archbishop and others of our Prelates to obtrude upon all our Ministers this subscription as the received Doctrine of the Church of England to wit that there could be no Church of Christ without Diocesan Lord Bishops which clearly appeares by the forementioned propositions of Bishop Hall which the Archbishop thought fit for the subscription of others but especially by the 1. 12. and 13. propositions viz. God had never any Church on earth that was ruled by a Parity There was NO CHVRCH OF CHRIST VPON EARTH ever since the times of the Apostles governed any otherwise then by Bishops This course of government thus set by the Apostles in their life time by the speciall direction of the holy Spirit is unalterable by any humane Authority but OVGHT to be perpetuated in the Church to the end of the world From whence it inevitably followes that the reformed forraign Churches having no such imparity of Governours nor Lordly Bishops in them are in this Arch-Prelates and his Confederates judgements No Churches of God or Christ at all and if the designe of subscribing these Propositions had succeeded as it did in the Etcetera Oath for a time he would have engaged the whole Church of England with all our Ministers by a publike subscription in this most unchristian and uncharitable opinion which not prevailing was yet soone after thus seconded in print by his grand Favourite Bishop Mountague whom he advanced to two Bishopricks in his Originum Ecclesiasticarum Tomi prioris Pars posterior p. 464 published with his approbation
gratifie the Queen and promote the Roman Catholick Cause therefore to shew his forwardnesse his hand must be first to this Priests discharge that so he might the more freely walk abroad to seduce his Majesties Subjects Seventhly for Panzanies Father Josephs Father Phillips with his sonnes and the Lord Scudamores Letters to Secretary Windebank though they are nothing to the Archbishop in point of charge simply considered in which sense we urge them not yet they are infallible evidences of Secretary Windebanks correspondency and intelligence with the Popes Nuncioes Priests Jesuits of Cardinall Barbarinoes and others respects to him and his Sonnes of his extraordinary protection of Priests Jesuits and that he was their instrument the onely end for which we produced them and being compared with his advancement of and intimacy with Windebank notwithstanding the frequent complaints to himselfe and the Counsell of his releasing protecting Priests Jesuits and with that generall good opinion the Priests and Papists had generally at Rome and in other forraigne parts of of the Archbishops owne reall endeavours to promote their Religion here and reduce us back to Rome testified by Sir Henry and Master Anthony Mildmay Master Challoner and others it will amount to a full proof of a confederacy between them to effect this dangerous Romish Designe notwithstanding all his evasions to accomplish which this Secretary was as active an instrument for him in the State as Mountague and other Prelats in the Church The fift thing objected to prove my reall intentions endeavours to introduce popery and reconcile us unto Rome is my intimacy and correspondency with divers dangerous Priests and Jesuits as Saint Giles Sir Toby Matthew Smith the Jesuit Leander Price the Bishop of Calcedon Doctor Smith and others one of which Saint Giles I am charged to have maintained in the University of Oxford sundry yeers to corrupt and seduce Schollers there my discouraging threatning and abusing Pursevants for their diligence in apprehending Priests and Jesuits my not committing Priests or discharging them when brought unto me by them my imprisoning Gray and calling him Priest-catching knave my connivance at the liberty that Priests and Jesuits had in the New-prison Clink and elswhere my causing many popish Books to be restored to the owners when seized contrary to the Statute that so they might be dispersed to seduce his Majesties Subjects some of which particulars are proved by papers under my owne hand seized by Master Prynne who ransackt my Study and Chamber others by the testimonies of Waddesworth Newton Deuxell Mayo Goldsmith Cooke Egerton Elizabeth Gray and Thatcher And out of my owne Book they alleage I never perswaded nor practised any persecution against popish Priests or Jesuits To this I answer in generall First that if the designe charged against me were onely to reconcile the Church of England and Rome together in a just and Cstristian way so farre as it might stand with truth and piety I hope no Christian can blame but rather commend me for such an enterprize Such a reconciliation between both Churches as this I confesse I have long desired endeavoured and published as much to the world in my Reply to Fisher p. 388. in these words I have with a faithfull and single heart laboured the meeting the blessed meeting of TRUTH AND PEACE in Christs Church which God I hope will in due time effect But other reconciliation then this to the prejudice of truth and piety I never attempted as my Epistle to that Book will manifest Secondly for my pretended intimacy correspondency with Priests and Jesuits I dare confidently affirme that never any man that sate in my place since the Reformation had lesse acquaintance familiarity correspondence with Priests and Jesuits then I some of my late Predecessors by name Archbishop Bancroft and Abbot never suspected of any inclination to popery have usually held intelligence with and received sundry Letters from Priests Jesuits in forraigne parts yea entertained some of them at their Tables and that no doubt for good purposes and the advancement of the Protestant Religion But I for my part never held correspondency nor received Letters from any of them and I blesse God for it for had I done it I must have suffered very deeply and my Chamber Study Closet being so diligently searched no doubt their Letters would have been seized and given in evidence by Master Prynne as well as others but no such Letters are or can be produced and to my knowledge I never entertained knowingly any Priest or Jesuit at my Table nor gave them any countenance though my Predecessors have usually done it to prove which I desire Master Dobson may be examined who being examined accordingly without Oath affirmed That he was an houshold servant to Archbishop Bancroft who received divers Letters of intelligence from Priests and Jesuits in forraigne parts and sometimes admitted them to his Table that he was after servant to Archbishop Abbot who for a moneth or two dieted one Julius Maria and another popish Priest as he taketh it the one a Spaniard the other an Italian at his Table in hopes of their conversion who faltered wish him in the end and were thereupon discarded That he was likewise a servant to this Archbishop and never saw Sir Toby Matthewes nor any other Priest or Jesuit to his knowledge at his Table Who being crosse interrogated Whether he knew Julius Maria and the other to be popish Priests He answered he did not certainly know them to be so but they were so reputed and professed Papists To which the Archbishop added That King James had conference with and extended favour to some Priests making good use thereof to set them at variance among themselves and induce them for to write one against another as Watson and Preston who wrote divers Books in defence of the Oath of Alleagiance and did good service therein whereupon my Predecessor Abbot granted Preston a kind of protection under his hand and Seale And why I might not doe as much as my predecessors in countenancing Sancta Clara were I guilty of it without any Guilt of TREASON or just Offence I yet know not any reason Thirdly I utterly deny that I held any correspondency with Sir Toby Matthew Smith Price Leander Sancta Clara or Saint Giles neither is there any cleer proofe thereof but admit I did yet there 's no proof at all that I knew them to be Seminary Priests and if I knew them not to be Priests no Law takes hold upon me though I harboured them which I never did Fourthly the witnesses produced to prove my intimacy with these Priests are persons of very meane condition against whom there have been many great complaints made heretofore at the Counsell-Table and against one or two of them of late for dishonest practises in seizing other mens goods and moneys under pretext of searching after Priests and Jesuits pretending the goods were theirs which complaints were referred to some Justices of Peace to