are yet in their Nurses armes or else under their Regents in Colledges nay more that the abuse goeth before their being Children being commonly designed to Bishopricks and Abbacies before they were born He made also another complaint that the Soveraign Courts by their decrees had attempted upon the authority which was committed to the Clergy even in that which meerly concerned Ecclesiasticall discipline and government of the Church To these complaints he gave them indeed a very gracious hearing but it was no further then an hearing being never followed by redresse The Court of Parliament knew too well the strength of their own authority and the King was loath to take from himself those excellent advantages of binding to himself his Nobility by the speedy preferring of their children and so the clergie departed with a great deal of envy and a little satisfaction Like enough it were that the Pope would in part redresse this injury especially in the point of jurisdiction if he were able But his wings are shrewdly clipped in this Câ—…untrey neither can he fly at all but as far as they please to suffer him For his temporall power they never could be induced to acknowledge it as we see in their stories anno 1610. the Divines of Paris in a Declaration of theiâ—…s tendred to the Queen Mother affirmed the supremacie of the Pope to be an Erroneous Doctrine and the ground of that hellish position of deposing and killing of Kings Anno 1517. when the Councell of Lateran had determined the Pope to be the head of the Church in causes also temporall the University of Paris testifieth against it in an Apology of theirs Dated the 12 of March the same year Leo decimus saith the Apology in quodamcoetu non tamen in Spiritu Domini congregato contra fidem Catholicam c. Sacrum Bisiliense concilium damnavit In which councell of Basil the Supremacy of the Pope was condemned Neither did the Kâ—…ngs of France forget to mâ—…intain their own authority And therefore when as Pope Boniface VIII had in a peremptory Letter written to Philip le Bell King of France styled himself Dominus totius mundi tam in tempâ—…ralibus quam in spiritualibus the King returned him an answer with an Epithite sutable to his arrogancy Sciat maxima tua fatuitas nos in temporalibus alâ—…ui nâ—…n subesse c. The like answer though in modester termes was sent to another of the Popes by St. Lewis a man of a most milde and sweet disposition yet unwilling to forgoe his royalties His spirituall power is alwayes as little in substance though more in shew for whereas the Councell of Trent hath been an especiall authorizer of the Popes spirituall supremacy the French Church would never receive it By this means the Bishops keep in their hands their own full authority whereof an obedience to the decrees of that Councell would deprive them It was truely said by St. Gregory and they well knew it Lib. 7. Epist. 70. Si unus universalis est restat ut vos Episcopi non sitis Further the University of Paris in their Declaration anno 1610 above mentioned plainly affirme that it is directly opposite to the Doctrine of the Church which the University of Paris alwayes maintained that the Pope hath the power of a Monaâ—…ch in the spirituall government of the Church To look upon higher times when the Councell of Câ—…nstance had submitted the authority of the Pope unto that of a Councell John Gâ—…rson Theologus Parisiensis magni nominis as one calleth him defended that decree and intituâ—…eth them 〈◊〉 admodum esse adulatores qui 〈◊〉 istam in Ecclesiam 〈◊〉 quasi nullis legâ—…m teneatur vinculis quasi neque paâ—…ere â—…beat coâ—…lio Pontâ—…x nec ab eo judâ—…cari queat The Kâ—…ngs 〈◊〉 also befriend their Clergy in this cause and thâ—…ore not only protested against the Councell of Trent wherein this spirituall tyranny was generally consented to by the Catholick faction But Henry II. also wouâ—…d not acknowledge them to be a Councell calling them by another name then Convâ—…ntus Tridentinus An indignity which the 〈◊〉 took very offensively But the principall thing in which it behoveth them not to acknowledge his spirituall Supremacy is the collation of Benefices and Bishopricks and the Annats and first fruits thence arising The first and greatest controversie between the Pope and Princes of Christâ—…ndome wâ—…s about the bestowing the livings of the Church and giving the investure unto Bishops the Popes had long thirsted after that authority as being a great means to advance their fâ—…llowers and establish their own greatnesse for which cause in divers pâ—…tty Councels the receiving of any Ecclâ—…siasticall preferment of a Lay man was enacted to be Simony But this did little edifie with such patrâ—…ns as had good livings As soon as ever Hildebrande in the Catalogue of the Popes called Gregory VII came to the Throne of Rome he set himself entirely to effect this 〈◊〉 as well in Germany now he was Pope as he had dâ—…ne in Franâ—…e whilest he was Legat he commandeth therefore Henry III. Emperour Ne deinceps Episcpâ—…tus beneficia they are Platinas own words per â—…piditatem Simonaicam committat aliter se usuâ—…um in ipsum censuris Ecclâ—…siasticis To this injustice when the Emperour would not yeeld he called a solemn Câ—…uncell at the Lateran wherein the Emperour was pronounced to be Simoniacall and afterwards Excommunicated neither would this Tyrant ever leave persecuting of him till he had laid him in his grave After this there followed great strugling for this matter between the Popes and the Emperours but in the end the Popes got the victory In England here he that first beckoned about it was William Rusus the controversie being whether he or Pope Uâ—…ban should invest Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury Anselme would receive his investure from none but the Pope whereupon the King banished him the Realm into which he was not admitted till the Reign of Henry II. He to endeer himself with his Clergy relinquished his right to the Pope but afterwards repenting himselfe of it he revoked his grant neither did the English Kings wholly lose it till the reign of that unfortunate prince King John Edward the first again recoverâ—…d it and his 〈◊〉 kept it The Popes having with much violence and opposition wrested into their hands this priviledge of nominating Pâ—…iests and investing Bishops they spared not to lay on what taxes they pleased as on the Benefices first fruits pensions subsidies fifteenths tenths and on the Bishopricks for palles miters crofiers rings and I know not what bables By these means the Churches were so impoverished that upon complaint made to the Councell of Basil all these cheating tricks these aucupia expilâ—…di rationes were abolished This decree was called Pragmatica functio and was confirmed in France by Charles VII anno 1438. An act of singular improvement to the Church and Kingdome of France which yearly before as the Court
it its Polity Priviledges and Revenue For the first so it is that the Popish Church in France is governed like those of the first and purest times by Archbishops and Bishops Archbishops it comprehendeth 12 and of Bishops 104 of these the Metropolitan is he of Rheimes who useth to anoint the Kings which office and preheminence hath been anâ—…xed unto this seat ever since the times of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishop hereof who converted Clovis King of the Franks unto the Gospell The present Primate is son unto the Duke of Guise by name Henry de Lorrain of the age of 14 yeaâ—…s or thereabouts a burden too unweildie for his shoulders Et quae non viribus istis Muâ—…era conveniunt n â—… tam puerilibus annis For the better government therefore of a charge so weighty they have appointed him a Coadjutor to discharge that great function till he come to age to take orders His name is Gifford an English fugitive said to be a man worthy of a great fortune and able to bear it The revenues of this Archbishoprick are somewhat of the meanest not amounting yearly to above 10000 Crowns whereof Dr. Gâ—…fford receiveth only 2000 the remainder going to the Caidet of Lorreine This trick the French learn of the Protestants in Germany where the Princes after the Reformation began by Luther took in the power and Lordships of the Bishops which together with their functions they divided into two parts The lands they bestowed upon some of their younger sons or kinsmen with the title of Administrator the office and pains of it they conferred with some annuall pension on one of their Chaplaines whom they styled the Superintendent of the Bishoprick This Archbishop together with the rest of the Bishops have under them their severall Chancellours Commissaries Archdeacons and other officers attending in their Courts in which their power is not so generall as with us in England Matters of testament never trouble them as belonging to the Court of Parliament who also have wrestâ—…d to their own hands almost all the businesse of importance sure I â—…m all the causes of profit originally belonging to the Church the affairs meerly Episcopall and spirituall are leâ—…t unto them as granting Licence for Marriages punishing whoredome by way of penance and the like to go beyond this were ultra crepidam and they should be sure to have a prohibition from the Parliaments Of their priviledges the chiefest of the Clergy men is the little or no dependence upon the Pope and the little profits they pay unto their King of the Pope anon to the King they pay only their Dismes or Tithes according to the old raâ—…e a small sum if compared unto the payments of their neighbours it being thought that the King of Spain receiveth yearly one half of the living of the Churches but this I mean of their livings only for otherwise they pay the usuall gabels and customes that are paid by the rest of the Kings liege people In the generall assembly of the three Estates the Clergy hath authority to elect a set number of Commissioners to undertake for them and the Church which Commissioners do make up the first of the three Estates and do first exhibit their grievances and Petitions to the King In a word the French Church is the freest of any in Christendome that have not yet quitted their subjection to the Pope as alwayes protesting against the Inquisitions not submitting themselves to the Councell of Trent and paying very little to his Holinesse of the plentifull revenue wherewith God and good men have blessed it The number of those which the Church Land maintaineth in France is tantum non infinite therefore the Intrado and Revenue of it must needs be uncountable There are numbred in it as we said before 12 Archbishops 104 Bishopricks to these add 540 Archpriories 1450 Abbies 12320 Priories 567 Nunneries 700 Covents of Fryers 259 Commendames of the order of Malta and 130000 Parish Priests Yet this is not all this reckoning was made in the year 1598. Since which time the Jesuits have divers Colledges founded for them and they are known to be none of the poorest To maintain this large wildeâ—…nesse of men the Statistes of France who have proportioned the Countrey do allow unto the Clergy almost a fourth part of the whole For supposing France to contain 200 millions of Arpens a measure somewhat bigger then our Acre they have allotted to the Church for its temporall revenue 47 of them In particular of the Archbishops Bishops Abbots and Parish Priests they of Aux Alby Cluniac and St. Estiennes in Paris are said to be the wealthyest the Archbishoprick of Aux in Gascoine is valued at 400000 Livres or 40000 l. English yearly The Bishop of Aâ—…y in Lanquedoc is prized at 10000 Florens which is a fourth part of it a great part of this revenue rising out of Saffron The Abbot of Cluniac in the Dutchie of Burgundy is said to be worth 50000 Crowns yearly the present Abbot being Henry of Lorreine Archbishop of Rheimes and Abbot of St. Dennis The Parish Priest of St. Estiennes is judged to receive yearly no fewer then 8000 Crowns a good Intrado As for the vulgar Clergy they have little Tithe and lesse Glebe most part of the revenue being appropriated unto Abbeys and other Religious houses the greatest part of their means is the Baisse-maine which is the Church-offerings of the people at Christnings Marriages Burials Dirges Indulgences and the like which is thought to amount to almost as much as the temporall estate of the Church an income able to maintain them in good abundance were it not for the greatnesse of their number for reckoning that there are as we have said in France 130000 Parish Priests and that there are only 27400 Parishes it must of necessity be that every Parishone with another must have more then four Priests too many to be rich But this were one of the least injuries offered to the French thrift and would little hinder them from rising if it were not that the goodliest of their preferments were before their faces given unto boyes and children An affront which not only despoileth them of the honors due unto their calling but disheartneth them in their studies and by consequence draweth them unto debauched and slanderous courses Quis enim virtutem exquireret ipsam Praemta si tollas The Clergy therefore anno 1617. being assembled at the house of Austin Fryers in Paris as every two years they use to do being to take their leaves of the King elected the Bishop of Aire to be their spokesman and to certifie his Majesty of their grievances In performing which businesse the principall thing of which he spake was to this purpose That whereas his Majesty was bound to give them fathers he gave them children that the name of Abbot signifieth a Father and the function of a Bishop is full of fatherly authority that France notwithstanding was now filled with Bishops and Abbots which
of Parliament manifested to Lewis XI had drained the State of a million of Crowns since which time the Kings of France have sometimes omitted the rigor of this sanction and sometimes also exacted it according as their affairs with the Pope stood for which cause it was called Froenum pâ—…ntificum At last King Francis I. having conquered Millaine fell into this composition with his Holinesse namely that upon the salling of any Abbacy or Bishoprick the King should have 6 months time allowed him to present a fit man unto him whom the Pope should legally invest If the King neglected his time limited the Pope might take the benefit of the relapse and institute whom he pleased So is it also with the inferior Benefices between the Pope and the Patrons insomuch that any or every Lay-patron and Bishop together in England hath for ought I see at the least in this particular as great a spirituall Supremacy as the Pope in France Nay to proceed further and shew how meerly titular both his supremacies are as well the spirituall as the temporall you may plainly see in the case of the Jesuites which was thus In the year 1609 the Jesuites had obtained of Kâ—…ng Henâ—…y IV. licence to read again in their Colledges of Paris but when their Letters patents came to be verified in the Court of Parliament the Rector and University opposed them on the 17 of Dâ—…cember 1611. both parties came to have an hearing and the University got the day unlesse the Jesuites would subscribe unto these four points viz. 1. That a Councell was above the Pope 2. That the Pope had no temporall power over Kings and could not by Excommunication deprive them of their Realm and Estates 3. That Clergy men having heard of any attempt or conspiracy against the King or his Realm or any matter of treason in consession he was bound to reveal it And 4. That Clergy men were subject to the secular Prince or politick Magistrate It appeared by our former discourse what little or no power they had left the Pope over the Estates and preferments of the French By these Propositions to which the Jesuites in the end subscribed I know not with what mentall reservation it is more then evident that they have left him no command neither over their consciences nor their persons so that all things considered we may justly say of the Papall power in France what the Papists said falsly of Erasmus namely that it is Nomen sine rebus In one thing only his authority here is intire which is his immediate protection of all the orders of Fryers and also a superintendency or supreme eye over the Monks who acknowledge very small obedience if any at all to the French Bishops for though at the beginning every part and member of the Diocesse was directly under the care and command of the Bishop yet it so happened that at the building of Monasteries in the Western Church the Abbots being men of good parts and a sincere life grew much into the envie of their Dâ—…ocesan For this cause as also to be more at their own command they made suit to the Pope that they might be free from that subjection Utque in tuâ—…elam divi Petri admitteâ—…entur a proposition very plausible to his Holinesse ambition which by this means might the sooner be raised to its height and therefore without difficulty granted This gap opened first the severall orders of Fryers and after even the Deans and Chapters purchased to themselves the like exemptions In this the Popâ—… power was wonderfully strengthned as having such able and so main props to uphold his authority it being a true Maxime in State Quâ—…d qui privilegia obtinent ad eadem conservanda tenentur authoritatem concedentis tueri This continued till the Councell of Trent unquestioned Where the Bishops much complained of their want of authority and imputed all the Schismes and Vicâ—…s in the Church unto this that their hands were tyed hereupon the Popes Legaâ—…s thought it fit to restore their jurisdiction their Dâ—…ans and Chapters At that of the Monks and Monasteries there was more sticking till at the last Sebastian Pighinus one of the Popes officers found out for them this satisfaction that they should have an eye and inspection into the lives of the Monks not by any authority of their own Sâ—…d tanquam a sede Apostolica delegati But as for the Orders of Fryers the Pope would not by any means give way to it They are his Janizaries and the strongest bulwarke of his Empire and are therefore called in a good Author 〈◊〉 Romanae curiae instrumenta So that with them the Diocesan hath nothing to do each several religious house being as a Court of Peculiars subjects only to the great Metropolitan of Rome This meer dependence on his Holinesse maketh this generation a great deal more regardlesse of their behaviour then otherwise it would be though since the growth of the Reformation shame and fear hath much reformed them they have still howsoever a spice of their former wantonnesse and on occasions will permit themselves a little good fellowship and to say truth of them I think them to be the best companions in France for a journey but not for acquaintance They live very merrily and keep a competent table more I suppose then can stand with their vow and yet far short of that affluency whereof many of our books accuse them It was my chance to be in a house of the Franciscans in Paris where one of the Fryers upon the intreaty of our friends had us into the hall it being then the time of their refectory a favour not vulgar there saw we the Brothers sitting all of a side and every one a pretty distance from the other their severall commons being a dish of pottage a chop of Mutton a dish of cherries and a large glasse of water this provision together with a liberall allowance of ease and a little of study keepeth them exceeding plump and in a good liking and maketh them having little to take thought for as I said before passing good company As I travailed towards Orleans we had in our Coach with us 〈◊〉 of these mortified sinners two of the Order of St. Austin and one Franciscan the merryest crickets that ever chirpâ—…d nothing in them but mad tales and complements and for musick they would sing like hawkes When we came to a vein of good wine they would cheer up themselves and their neighbours with this comfortable Doctrine Vivamus ut bibamus bibamus ut vivamus And for courtship and toying with the wenches you would easily believe that it had been a trade with which they had not been a little acquainted of all men when I am marryed God keep my wife from them till then my neighbours On the other side the common Priests of France are so dull and blockish that you shal hardly meet with a more contemptible people The meanest of our Curates in
being this Lilium Rosa which they interpret and in my mind not uâ—…happily to be intended to the conjunction of the French Lilly and English Rose To take from me any suspicion of Imposture he shewed an old book printed almost 200 years agoe written by one Wion a Flemming and comparing the number of the Mottos with the Catalogue of the Popes I found the name of Urban the now Pope to answer it On this ground an English Catholick whose acquaintance I gained in France made a copy of Verses in French and presented them to the English Ambassadours the Earls of Carlile and Holland Because he is my friend and the conceit is not to be despised I begged them of him and these are they Lilia juncta Rosis Embleme de bon presage de l' Alliance de la France avec l' Angle terre Ce grand dieu qui d'un oeil voit tout ce queles aâ—…s Soubs leurs voiles sacrez vont a nous yeux cachans Decouure quelque fois anisi qui bon lui semble Et les maux a venâ—…r et les biens teut ensemble Anisi fit-il jades a celui qui primier Dans l' Ireland porta de la froy le laurier Malachie son nom qu' au tymon de leglise On verra seoir un jour cil qui pouâ—… sa devise Aura les lys chenus ioints aux plus belles fleures Qui dorent le prin-temps de leurs doubles colours CHARLES est le flâ—…uron de la Rose pourpree Henritte est le Lys que la plus belle pree De la France nourrtit pour estre quelque jour Et la Reina des fleurs et des roses l' amour Adorable banquet b en heureuse couronne Que la bonte du ciel e parrage nous donne Heureuse ma partie heureuse mille fois Celle qui te fera reflorier en les roys With these Verses I take my leave of his Holinesse wishing none of his successors would presage worse luck unto England I go now to see hiâ—… Nuncio to whose house the same English Catholick brought me but he was not at home his name is Bernardino d' Espada a man as he informed me able to discharge the trust reposed in him by his Master and one that very well affected the English Nation He hath the fairest house and keepeth the largest retinue of any ordinary Ambassador in the Realm and maketh good his Masters Supremacies by his own precedency To honour him against he was to take his charge his Holinesse created him Bishop of Damiata in Egypt a place which I am certain never any of them saw but in a map and for the profits he recâ—…iveth thence they will never be able to pay for his Crâ—…zier But this is one oâ—… his Hâ—…linesse usuall policies to satisfie his followers with empty titles So he made Bishop whom he sent to govern for him in England Bishop oâ—… Chalâ—…don in Asia and Smith also who is come over about â—…he same businesse with the Queen Bishop of Archidala a City of Thraâ—…e An old English Doctor used it as an especiall argument to prove the universality of power in the Pope because he could ordâ—…in Bishops over al Cities in Christendom iâ—… he could as easily give them also the revenue thâ—…s reason I confesse would much sway me till then I am sorry that mâ—…n should still be boyes and play with bubbles By the same authority he might do well to make all his Courtiers Kings and then he were sure to have a most royall and beggerly Court of it To proceed a little further in the Allegory so it is that when Jacob saw Esau to have incurred his â—…athers and mothers anger for his heathenish marriage he set himself to bereave his elder brother of his blessing Prayers and the sweet smell of his Venison the sweet smelling of his sacrifices obtained of his Lord and Father a blessing for him for indeed the Lord hath given unto this his French Jacob as it is in the text the dew of heaven and the fatnesse of the earth and plenty of corne and wine Gen. 27. 28. It followeth in the 41. vers oâ—… the Chapter And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father had blessed him and Esau said in his heart The days of mourning for my father are at hand then will I slay my brother Jacob. The event of which his bloudy resolution was that Jacob was â—…ain to relinquish all that he had and flie unto his Uncle This last part of the story expresseth very much of the present estate of the French Church The Papists hated the Protestants to see them thrive and increase so much amongst them This hatred moved them to a war by which they hoped to root them out altogether and this war compelled the Protestants to abandon their good Towns their strong holds and all their possessions and to flie to their friends wheresoever they could finde them And indeed the present estate of the Protestants is not much better then that of Jacob in Mesopotamia nor much different The blessing which they expect lyeth more in the seed then the harvest For their strength it consisteth principally in their prayers to God and secondly in their obedience to their Kings Within these two â—…ortresses if they can keep themselves they need fear none ill because they shall deserve none The only outward strengths they have left them are the two Towns oâ—… 〈◊〉 and Rochell the one deemed invincible the other threatned a speedy destruction The Duke of Espernon at my being there lay round about it and it was said that the Town was in very bad termâ—… all the neighbouring Towns to whose opposition they much trusted having yeelded at the first fight of the Canon Rochell it is thought cannot be forced by assâ—…ult nor compelled by a â—…amine Some Protestaâ—…ts are glad of and hâ—…pe to see the French Church restâ—…d to iâ—…s former powerâ—…ulnesse by the râ—…ance of â—…hat Town meerly I rather think that the perverse and stubborn condition of it will at last drive the young King into a sury and incite him to revenge their contradiction on their innocent friends now dâ—…armed and disabled Then will thâ—…y see at last the issue of their own peremptory resolutions and begin to believe that the Heathen Hiâ—…an was of the two the better Christian when he gave us this note Non turpe est ab eo vinci quem vincere essâ—…t nefas â—…que illi inâ—…nesie etiam submitti quem fortuna super omnes 〈◊〉 This weâ—…knesse and misery whicâ—… hath now beâ—…allen the Protestants was an effect I confesse of the illwiâ—…l which the other party bare them but that they bare them ill will was a fruit of their own graffing In this circumstance they were nothing like Jacob who in the hâ—…red which his brother Esau had to him was simply passive they being active also in the birth of it And inâ—…d that
learned in their studies and excâ—…eding painfull in their calling By the fiâ—…st they confute the ignorance of the Roman Clergy by the second their lazinesse And questionlesse it behoveth them so to be for living in a Countrey â—…ull of opposition they are enforced to a necessity of book-learning to maintain the cause and being continually as it were beset with spies they do the oftner â—…requent the Pulpits to hold up their credits The maintenance which is allotted to them scarce amounteth to a competency though by that name they please to call it With receiving of tithes they never meddle and therefore in their Schismaticall tracts of Divinity they do hardly allow of the paying of them Some of them hold that they were Jewish and abrogated with the Law Others think them to be meerly jure humano and yet that they may lawfully be accepted where they are tendred It is well known yet that there are some amongst them which will commend grapes though they cannot reach them This competence may come unto 40 or 50 l. yearly or a little more Bâ—…za that great and famous Preacher of Geneva had but 80 l. a year and about that rate was Peter de Moulins pension when he Preached at Charenton These stipends are partly payed by the King and partly raised by way of Collection So the Ministers of these Churches are much of the nature with the English Lecturers As for the Tithes they belong to the severall Parish Priests in whose Precincts they are due and they I 'le warrant you according to the little learning which they have will maintain them to be jure divino The Sermons of the French are very plain and home-spun little in them of the Fathers and lesse of humane learning it being concluded in the Synod of Gappe that only the Scriptures should be used in their Pulpits They consist much of Exhortation and Use and of nothing in a manner which concerneth knowledge a ready way to raise up and edifie the Will and Affections but withal to starve the understanding For the education of them being children they have private Schools when they are better grown they may have â—…ree recourse unto any of the French Academies besides the new University of Saumur which is wholly theirs and is the chiefe place of their study CHAP. IV. The connexion between the Church and Common-wealth in generall A transition to the particular of France The Government there meerly regall A mixt forme of Government most commendable The Kings Patents for Offices Monopolies above the censure of Parliament The strange office intended to Mr. Luynes The Kings gifts and expences The Chamber of Accounts France divided into three sorts of people The Conventus Ordinum nothing but a title The inequality of the Nobles and Commons in France The Kings power how much respected by the Princes The powerablenesse of that rank The formall execution done on them The multitude and confusion of Nobility King James defended A censure of the French Heralds The command of the French Nobles over their Tenants Their priviledges gibbets and other Regalia They conspire with the King to undoe the Commons HAving thus spoken of the Churches I must now treat a little of the Common-wealth Religion is as the soul of a State Policy as the body we can hardly discourse of the one without a relation to the other if we do we commit a wilfull murder in thus destroying a republick The Common-wealth without the Church is but a carkasse a thing inanimate The Church without the Common-wealth is as it were anima separata the joyning of them together maketh of both one flourishing and permanent body and therefore as they are in nature so in my relation Connubio jungam stabili Moreover such a secret sympathy there is between them such a necessary dependance of one upon the other that we may say of them what Tully doth of two twins in his book De fato Eodem tempore â—…orum morbus gravesoit eodem levatur They grow sick and well at the same time and commonly run out their races at the same instant There is besides the general râ—…spect of each to other a more particular band betwixt them hâ—…re in France which is a likenâ—…sse and resemblance In the Church of France we have found an head and a body this body again divided into two parts the Catholick and the Protâ—…stant the head is in his own opinion and the minds of many others of a power unlimited yet the Catholick party hath strongly curbed it And of the two parts of the body we see the Papists 〈◊〉 and in triumph whilest that of the Protestant is in misery and affliction Thus is it also in the body Politick The King in his own conceit boundlesse and omnipotent is yet aâ—…onted by his Nobles which Nobles enjoy all the freedome of riches and happinesse the poor Paisants in the mean time living in drudgery and bondage For the government of the King is meerly indeed regal or to give it the true name despoticall though the Câ—…untrey be his wife and all the people are his children yet doâ—…h he neither govern as an husband or a father he accounteth of them all as of his servants and therefore commandeth them as a Master In his Edicts which he over frequenly sendeth ab ut he never mentioneth the good will of his Subjects nor the approbation of his Councell but concludeth all of them in this forme Car tell est nostre plaisir Sic volo sic 〈◊〉 A forme of government very prone to degenerate into a tyranny if the Princes had not oftentimes strength and will to make resistance But this is not the vice of the entire and Soveraign Monarchy alone which the Greek call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other two good formes of regiment being subject also to the same frailty Thus in the reading of Histories have we observed an Aristocracie to have been frequently â—…rupted into an Oligarchie and a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Common-wealth properly so called into a Democratie For as in the body naturall the purest complexions are lesse lasting but easily broken and subject to alteration so is it in the body Civill the pure and unmixt formes of Government though perfect and absolute in their kinds are yet of little continuance and very subject to change into its opposite They therefore which have written of Republicks do most applaud and commend the mixt manner of rule which is equally compounded of the Kingdome and the Politeia because in these the Kings have all the power belonging to their title without prejudice to the populacie In these there is referred to the King absolute Majesty to the Nobles convenient authority to the People an incorrupted liberty all in a just and equall proportion Every one of these is like the Empire of Rome as it was moderated by Nerva Qui res olim dissociabiles miscuerat principatum libertatem wherein the Soveraignty of one endamaged
in all cauâ—…es as well Ecclesiasticall as Civill Having taken consideration of the said Canons and Constitutions thus drawn as asoresaid do by these deputies ratifie confirme and approve thereof And farther we out of our Princely power and regall authority do by these Parents signed and sealed with our royall Signet for us our heirs and successors will with our royall hand and command that these Canons and Constitutions hereafter following shall from henceforth in all points be duly observed in our said Isle for the perpetuall government of the said Isle in causes Ecclesiasticall unlesse the same or some part or parts thereof upon further experience and tryall thereof by the mutuall consent of the Lord Bishop of Winton for the time being the Governour Bailiffs and Jurates of the said Isle and of the Dean and Ministers and other our Officers in the said Isle for the time being representing the body of our said Isle and by the royall authority of us our heirs and successors shall receive any additions or alterations as time and occasion shall justly require And therefore we do farther will and command the said Right reverend father in God Lancelot now Lord Bishop of Winton that he do forthwith by his Commission under his Episcopall seal as Ordinary of the place give authority unto the said now Dean to exercise Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction in our said Isle according to the said Canons and Constitutions thus made and established as followeth Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiasticall treated agreed on and established for the Isle of Jarsey CHAP. I. Of the Kings Supremacy and of the Church Article I. 1. AS our duty to the Kings most excellent Majesty requireth it is first ordained That the Dean and Ministers having care of souls shall to the utmost of their power knowledge and learning purely and sincerely without any backwardnesse or dissimulation teach publish and declare as often as they may and as occasion shall present it self that all strange usurped and forain power for as much as it hath no gound by the law of God is wholly as for just and good causes taken away and abolished and that therefore no manner of obedience or subjection within any of his Majesties Realms and Dominions is due unto any such forain power but that the Kings power within his Realms of England Scotland and Ireland and all other his Dominions and Countries is the highest power under God to whom all men as well inhabitants as born within the same do by Gods Law owe most loyalty and obedience afore and above all other power and Potentates in the earth II. 2. Whosoever shall affirme and maintain that the Kings Majesty hath not the same authority in causes Ecclesiasticall that the godly Princes had amongst the Jews and the Christian Emperours in the Church primitive or shall impeach in any manner the said Supremacy in the said causes III. IV. 3. Also whosoever shall affirme that the Church of England as it is established under the Kings Majesty is not a true and Apostolicall Church purely teaching the 〈◊〉 of the Prophets and Apostles 4. Or shall impugne the Government of the said Church by Archbishops Bishops and Deans affirming it to be Antichristian shall be 〈◊〉 facto Excommunicated and not restored but by the Dean sitting in his Court after his repentance and publick reâ—…antation of his errour CHAP. II. Of Divine Service Article I. 1. IT is in joyned unto all sorts of people that they submiâ—… themselves to the Divine service contained in the book of Cnmmon-prayers of the Church of England And for as much as concerns the Ministers that they observe with uniformity the said Liturgie without addition or alteration and that they suffer not any 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 to make a sect apart by themselves or to distract the Government Ecclesiasticall established in the Church II. 2. The Lords day shall be sanctified by the exercises of publick prayer and the hearing of Gods word Every one also shall be bounden to meet together at an hour convenient and to observe the order and decency in that case requisite being attentive to the reading or preaching of the Word kneeling on their knees during the Prayers and standing up at the Belief and shall also testifie their consent in saying Amen And further during any part of Divine service the Church-wardens shall not suffer any interruption or impeachment to be made by the insolence and practice of any person either in the Church or Church-yard III. 3. There shall be publick exercise in every Parish on Wednesdays and Fridays in the morning by reading the Common prayers IV. 4. When any urgent occasion shall require an extraordinary Fast the 〈◊〉 with the advice of his Ministers shall give notice of it to the Governour and Civill Magistrate to the end that by their authority and consent it may be generally observed for the appeasing of the wrath and indignation of the Lord by true and serious repentance CHAP. III. Of Baptism THe Sacrament of Baptism shall be administred in the Church with fair water according to the institution of Jesus Christ and without the limitation of any dayes No man shall delay the bringing of his child to Baptism longer then the next Sunday or publick Assembly if it may conveniently be done No person shall be admitted to be a Godfather unlesse he hath received the Lords Supper nor shall women alone viz. without the presence of a 〈◊〉 among them be admitted to be Godmothers CHAP. IV. Of the Lords Supper Article I. 1. THe Lords Supper shall be administred in every Church four times a year whereof one to be at Easter and the other at Christmas and every Minister in the administration of it shall receive the Sacrament himself and after give the Bread and wine to each of the Communicants using the words of the 〈◊〉 of it II. 2. The Masters and Mistresses of Families shall be admonished and enjoyned to cause their children and Servants to be instructed in the knowledge of their salvation and to this end shall take care to send them to the ordinary Catechizing CHAP. V. Of Marriage Article I. 1. NO man shall marry contrary to the degrees prohibited in the word of God according as they are expressed in a table made for that purpose in the Church of England on pain of nullity and censure II. 2. The Banes of the parties shall be asked three Sundays successively in the Churches of both parties and they of the Parish where the Marriage is not celebrated shall bring an attestation of the bidding of their Banes in their own Parish Neverthelesse in lawfull cases there may be a Licence or dispensation of the said Banes granted by the authority of the Dean and that upon good caution taken that the parties are at liberty III. 3. No separation shall be made a thoro mensa unlesse in case of Adultery cruelty and danger of life duly proved and this at the sole instance of the parties As for the maintenance of the