with the Arch-bishops own hand Received Jan. 30. 1640. L. Exon Concerning his book and the submission of it to my judgement The Propositions inclosed in this Letter were these following to which the Arch-bishop added this Title and some insertions with his own hand here noted with a distinct Character Concerning Church Government and the estate of Episcopacy 1. God had never any Church upon earth that was ruled by a Parity 2. The first Church of God which was reduced to a publike policy was among the Jewes and by his owne appointment was governed by a settled imparity of High-Priest Priests Levites 3. The Evangelicall Church was founded by our Saviour in a knowne imparity for though the Apostles were equall among themselves yet they were above the 70. and all other Disciples and were specially indued with power from on high 4. The same God and Saviour after his Assention did set severall ranks and orders of the holy Ministry First Apostles Secondly Prophets Thirdly Teachers c. all which acknowledged the eminence and authority of the Apostles 5. The Apostles after the Assention of our Saviour by the direction of Gods spirit did exercise that power and superiority of spirituall Jurisdiction over the rest of the Church which was given them by Christ and stood upon their Majority above all other Ministers of the Gospell 6. The same Apostles did not carry that power up to heaven with them and leave the Church unfurnished with the due helpes of her further propagation and Government but by vertue of this power and by the same direction of Gods spirit ordayned in severall parts spirituall guides and Governours of Gods people to ayde and succeede them 7. The spirituall persons so by them ordained were at the first promiscuously called Bishops and Presbyters and managed the Church affaires by common advice but still under the Government of the Apostles their Ordayners and overseers 8. But when the Apostles found that Quarrels and Emulations grew in the Church even while many of them were living through the Parity of Presbyters and side takings of the people The same Apostles by the appointment and direction of the same spirit raised in each City where the Church was more frequent one amongst the Presbyters to a more eminent Authority then the rest to succeed them in their ordinary power of ordination and censure and encharged them peculiarly with the care of Church-Government such were Timothy and Titus and those which were stiled the Angells of the seven Asian Churches 9. These selected persons were then and ever since distinguished from the rest by the name Episcopi-Bishops 10. In the very times of the Apostles and by the imposition of their hands there were divers such persons setled in the Church of God being severally ordayned and appointed to the over-sight of those populous Citties where their charge lay to whom all the Presbyters and Deacons were subject 11. These Bishops continued their fixed superiority over their Clergy all the time of their life with the well allowed expresse of spirituall Jurisdiction and after their death other Presbyters were chosen to succeed them by the due imposition of the hands of their fellow Bishops 12. There was no Church of Christ upon earth ever since the times of the Apostles governed any otherwise then by Bishops thus successively after decease ordayned 13. This course of Government thus set by the Apostles in their life time by the speciall direction of the holy spirit is not alterable by any humane Authority but ought to be perpetuated in the Church to the end of the world 14. Those which in the new Testament are called the Elders of the Church were no other then spirituall persons such as had the charge of feeding the Flocke of Christ by Word and Doctrine 15. It is not lawfull for any Lay-person to lay hands on those which are to be ordayned nor to have any hand in managing the Censures of the Church which onely pertaine to them who have the power of the Keyes delivered to them by Christ 16. There was never any Lay Presbyter heard or read of in the Church of Christ in any History untill this present age All which wee declare to the Doctrine and Judgement of the Church of England concerning these points of Church Government These Propositions were thus endorsed with the Arch-Bishops owne hand Rec. Decemb. 29. 1639. Bishop Hall of Exeter his propositions concerning Episcopacy These perhaps may be thought fit for a subscription of others There were two more Letters which passed between these Prelates about this subject and Book which we have referred to a more proper place where you may peruse them All which compared together will fully discover the whole plot and designe of the Archbishop and his confederates in maintaining their Lordly Episcopall Superiority to be of divine Institution and Right and how it was driven on by them till it brake them all in pieces by the authority and Justice of the present Parliament The last head I shall mention is the summe and substance of all the fore-mentioned namely 21. That the Church of Rome is a true visible Church and never erred in fundamentalls no not in the worst times That she is the Ancient holy Mother Church That her Religion and ours of the Church of England is all one That men may be saved in that Church and Religion as well as in ours and that it is a crime to be recanted to hold Papists as Papists to be damned This main comprehensive Proposition ratifies and clearly demonstrates to us the true drift scope of all the former to wit a 〈◊〉 and reconciliation with the Church of Rome the foundation whereof was first laid by this Arch-bishops creature Bishop Mountague who determines thus in his Gagge pag. 14. The Articles of our Creed are confessed on both sides and held plain enough The controverted points are of a larger and an inferior alloy of them a man may be ignorant without any danger of his soul at all pag. 50. Moderate men on both sides confesse this controversie may cease Ecclesia Romana manet Christi Ecclesia sponsa c. In his Appeal pag. 136. Since there first was a Church in England France Spain and Rome there hath not ceased to be a true Church there pag. 139. The Church of Rome is and ever was a true Church since it was a Church pag. 113. I am absolutely perswaded that the Church of Rome is a true though not a sound Church of Christ as well since as before the Councell of Trent In essentialls and fundamentalls they agree in holding one faith in one Lord. This Position was strenuously maintained by Master Chomley and Butterfield who soon after turned Seminary Priest in their Books against Master Burtons Babel no Bethel wherein they justified the Church of Rome to be a true Church this being the subject matter of both their Treatises Tho. Chuneus in his Collectiones Theologicae
Papists and Protestants is one and the same Fourthly that men may be saved in the Church of Rome and Romish Religion therefore we need not pray for any Papists conversion no not for the Queens which he specially prohibited and questioned those who thus prayed for her Fifthly that the Pope is not Antichrist nor ought to have this title given him which he expunged both out of the publike Books of our Church and private mens impressions Sixtly that the Pope is supream head of the Church the first and greatest Patriarch and to make this doctrine passe more current he suffered the Popes own Titles of Sanctitatis Vestrae Sanctissime Pater Spiritus Sancti effusissime plenus Optimus Maximusque in terris Ille quo rectior non-stat Regula quo Prior est corrigenda Religio to be attributed to him successively in sundry Letters from the University of Oxford Master Croxton and others without controll and proclaims himself a Patriarch in his own book against Fisher pag. 171. Seventhly his own Chaplain Doctor Bray by his speciall direction in two Books of Doctor Pocklingtons severally printed and reprinted with authority proclaimed that he derived his lineall succession and Episcopacy from Pope Gregory and Saint Peters Chair at Rome and that our Church was miserable if he could not doe so which Doctor Heylen by his speciall command seconded in print which Bishop Mountague thus trebles in his Originum Ecclesiasticarum Tomi Priorus pars posterior pag. 465. In Pontificali seu libro quam vocamus Ordinationum Episcopus AB AUGUSTINO LEGITIME DERIVATA SUCCESSIONE ET GREGORIO ROMANO DEDUCTUS Sacros Ordines secundum veteris Ecclesiae Cannores conferens Ordinandum Sacerdotem sic affatur Accipe Spiritum Sanctum c. Deriving not only this Archbishop but all our other Bishops successions and Episcopacy from Augustine the Monk and Pope Gregory of Rome a goodly Romish pedegree to be much insisted on directly reducing us back to Rome from whence it was derived as to our Mother Church Fourthly he with his Instruments and Chaplains vented authorized not only in the Pulpit but Presse all manner of popish erronious doctrines never heard amongst us in former yeers comprizing the whole body of Papistry of purpose to reduce us back to Rome the particulars whereof you have heard refusing suppressing orthodox Books written against popish errours and purging the chiefest passages against the Church Pope Prests Jesuits and errours of Rome out of all old reprinted and new licensed books before they could passe the Presse as we have abundantly proved inserting popish pictures and a popish Index into our very Bibles the more easily to seduce men to Popery Fiftly he advanced the most corrupt popish superstitious persons of all sorts to Bishopricks Deaneries Prebendaries Head-ships of houses in the University Chaplains to the King and Prince and the greatest Benefices suppressed silenced deprived censured banished the most zealous preaching orthodox Ministers in all places and kept them from preferment the better to facilitate and effect this design Sixthly he caused sundry books tending to Reconciliation of us to Rome to be printed and published especially Bishop Mountague's Appeal and other Books since of which Sancta Clara took speciall notice and made bold to proclaim a peace and reconciliation in most points between us Seventhly he suppressed all Lectures and after-noon Sermons on the Lord's day in most places that the people through ignorance might be more easily seduced and instead of strict sanctification of the Lords day the principall means of encreasing piety knowledge and keeping men off from popery and prophannesse he caused a new Declaration to be printed and published in his Majesties name for the use of prophane sports and pastimes even on Gods own day and under pretext thereof caused hundreds of our most consciencious Ministers whom otherwise he could not tax or quarrell to be silenced suspended imprisoned yea driven out of the Realm to forreign Countries and Plantations that so these grand obstructions of our reconciliation with Rome being removed we might without any great difficulty or opposition be reduced reconciled to her and least any impediment should arise to crosse this Unity from the Dutch French or Walloon Churches in our Realms not any ways poysoned with his popish drugs and Romish innovations he attempted their extirpation too and had almost effected it All which particulars we have already proved We shall now proceed to some further evidence manifesting his compliancy intelligence and concurrence with the Pope and his Instruments in this hellish plot what evidence of this kind common fame and report both at home at Rome and elswhere hath given in against him Sir Henry Mildmay Master Anthony Mildmay Master Challoner and others have already attested what reall evidence we have yet remaining to make good this fame we shall now produce It had been too grosse too palpable an oversight in such a politician as this Archbishop was reputed and very prejudiciall to his designs considering the place he sustained his pretended profession of the Protestant Religion his dislike of Rome and the many vigilant eyes that were continually fixed on his actions to have held any open or immediate intelligence with the Pope or his known Agents here and therefore it can not reasonably be expected from us to produce direct proofs of any such grosse intelligence what then he could not act publikely and immediatly in person he contrived to effect more courtly and mediatly by fitting instruments who held strict correspondence with the Roman Pontife and his Negotiators The two trustiest persons he could call out for such a purpose were Master Francis Windebank a lay man and Richard Mountague a Divine who had other associates joyned with them to accomplish this reducement To enable them the better to carry on this work with more advantage to the Catholike cause he procured Mountague in despight of severall Parliaments opposition to be made a Bishop heaped sundry preferments on him in our Church of which he so ill deserved as we have already proved and shall not here insist on As for Windebank he advanced him to one of the greatest places of trust and secrecy in the Kingdom making him a principall Secretary of State to his Majesty which he thus expresseth with his own hand in his Diary June 15. 1632. Master Fancis Windebank MY OLD FRIEND was sworn Secretary of State WHICH PLACE I OBTAINED FOR HIM of my gracious Master King CHARLES so that he was a creature of his own advancing No sooner was he setled in this place of honour and trust but he presently fals to his designed work he protects releaseth popish Priests Jesuits Fryars and held familiar correspondency with them entertaining them in his house Study Coach Garden and feasting them at his Table imprisons molests reviles the Messengers who by office duty were bound to apprehend them suspends the execution of all penall laws against them and popish Recusants by his Letters and Warrants of
and his Brethren to be annually kept by the space of 8. dayes in the Month Caslâ—u 1 Mac. 4. 56 59. as Interpreters and the Margin of our Bibles resolve which being of no Divine Institution kept only by the Superstitious Jewes not by Christ or his Apostles who are not said to observe but only to be at Jerusalem when it was the Feast of Dedication Iohn 10. 22. It can be no warrant at all for the consecration of Altars much lesse of Churches now Finally wee answer that we find no mention in Scripture or Classicall Writers of any consecration of Iewish Synagogues to which our Churches properly succeed but only of their Tabernacle and Temple in such sort as you have heard with which our Churches Chapells have no proper Analogie That this Argument of the Archbishop drawne from the presidents in the Old Testament is borrowed from no Orthodox Ancient Father or Councell but only from the Popish Canonist Gratian De Consecratione Distinct 1. who thus concludes from these presidents Si enim Judai qui umbrae legis deserviebant hoc facicbant multo magis nos quibus veritas patefacta gratia per Iesum Christum data est Templa Domino aedificare pro ut melius possumus orare eaque DIVINJS PRECIBVS ET SANCTIS VNCTIONIBVS suis cum Altaribus vasis vestibus quoque Reliquijs ad divinum cultum explendum utensilibus DEVOTE ET SOLENNITER SACRARE non in alijs quam in Domino sacratis ab Episcopis non a Corepiscopis qui saâ—e prohibiti sune nisi summa exigente necessitate Missas celebrare nec sacrificia offerre debemus Domino You see out of what Popish quiver this Archbishop drew this leaden shaft of his To his pretended antiquity for the consecration of Churches Chappell 's Altars c. since Christs time we answer first that before the raigne of Constantine the Great there is no credible president or authority at all for dedication of any Churches And that Eusebius who De vita Constantini l. 3. c. 24. to 40. 45. 47. 49. 50. 51. lib. 4. c. 39 makes mention of Constantines and his Mother Helenaes building of divers stately Churches at Bethlehem in the Mount of Olives in Constantinople Nycomedia Mambre in Phaenicia and elsewhere by his Edicts enjoyned Christians to build Churches yet makes no mention of any Edicts for their hallowing True it is that De vita Constantini l. 4. c. 43. 45. 47. we read that Constantine summoned a General Councell of Bishops to Jerusalem to settle some differences in the Church and that at this meeting he thought best to consecrate and thereupon kept the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple which he had built at Jerusalem over our Saviours Sepulchre which the Priests then Consecrated but how with prayers disputations preachings expositions of Scripture and receiving the Sacrament as he expresly defines c. 45. But of any other particular Church then this thus consecrated by his appointment we finde no mention Indeed the same Eusebius in his Ecclesiast Historiae l. 10. c. 3. De Encauijs ubique locorum celebratis writes that Churches being reedified under Constantine Deinceps celebre spectaculum nobis omnibus optabile vehementer desideratum ante omnium occulis proponebatur Dedicationum scilicet festivitates per urbes singulas templorum nuper aedificà torum consecrationes which intimates that Churches then new built were solemnly dedicated to God in most places but what those Dedications of them were he informes us in the same Chapter That they were Panygericall Orations in praise of their founders c. of which he cites a memorable one made to Paulinus Bishop of Tyre in the next Chapter These Dedications therefore of Churches then were farre different from those used by the Papists and this Archbishop now We read not then of any consecration of their foundation stones any pompous processions to them any knocking at the doores by the Bishop crying with a loud voyce Open Open ye everlasting doores c a cleare perverting of Scripture of no flying open of the doores there-upon No falling downe upon the marrow bones and saying This place is holy c. No casting up of dust in the ayre no such prayers processions round about the Church bowings to the Altar pronouncing of cursings and blessings Peepings recoylings and other Antick tricks as this Bishop used at Creed Church and elsewhere no Hallowing of Altars Altar-clothes Vessells Vestments Churchyeards Chappell 's Therefore these Consecrations in Constantines dayes are no warrant at all for his the rather because not made by Bishops alone who now monopolize them After Constantines time there is very rare mention of any Consecration of Churches in Ecclesiasticall Histories or the genuine writings of the Fathers till Popery overspread the Church and Popes brought it in by forged decrees Gratian himselfe being unable to cite so much as one Fathers Authority for it Di Consecratione distinct 1. where he professedly handles this subject but only the forged Decrees of Popes and the Canons of two or three late Popish Councells there being no Canons concerning it in any ancient genuine Synods Yea the consecration of Churches was so much neglected even in the very darkest time a of Popery above a thousand yeares after Christ that Oâ—hobon the Popes Legat and the Synod held under him here in England in Henry the third his Raigne acknowledge that there were many Parish Churches and some Cathedralls then uncrusecrated although built long before Now to prove the consecration and meerly Popish as of late ages it hath beene used at least it is agreed by Gratian Platina the Centuryators Thomas Beacon and others that Pope Hyginus Gelasius Iohn Nicholas Clemens Sylvester Felix and Gregory whose spurious Decrees are cited by Gratian De Consecratione Distincti and Surius in his 1. and 2 Tome of Councells were the first inventors and prescribers of this Ceremony of Consecrating Churches and Altars prescribing 1. That no Church should be built or consecrated without the command Authority or consent of the Bishop of Rome 2ly That every Church should be consecrated with a Masse and no Masse said or Sacrament administred unlesso in case of absolute necessity but in a consecrated Church and at a consecrated Altar 3ly That these Priests should be deprived who said Masse or officiated in unhallowed places or at unconsecrated Altars 4ly That no Altars should be consecrated without the Reliques of Saints and if any Altars were consecrated without them they should be pulled downe 5ly That all Stone Altars should be anoynted and consecrated with Chrisme 6ly That no Church should be consecrated wherein a Pagan was interred unlesse his corps were first digged up and cast out of it 7ly That the Timber of a consecrated Church and Vestments once consecrated though worne out decayed should not be converted to any other good use but burnt to Ashes and these to be laid up safely in some place
hallowed as they say with their conjured water Crossings Censings Processions c. But blessed be that God our Lord which by the light of his Word doth confound all such wicked and fond fantasies which they devise to fill their bellies and maintaine their Authority by Although these Ceremonies in the old Law were given by Moses for the hardnesse of the peoples hearts to keep thē exercised that they fall not to the Idolatry of the Gentiles yet is there no mention of them in the New Testament nor yet commanded now either to us or them but forbidden to be used of all both of us and them We be no longer under shaddowes but under the truth Christ hath fulfilled all and taken away all such darke kind of Ceremonies and hath placed the cleare light of his Gospell in the Church to continue to the end The Popes Church hath all things pleasant in it to delight the people but where the Gospell is preached they knowing that God is not pleased but onely with a pure heart they are content with an honest place appointed to resort together in though it were never hallowed by Bishops at all It is written that God dwels not in Temples made with hands nor is worshipped with any worke of mens hands but he is a spirit an invisible substance and will be worshipped in spirit and truth not in outward words onely of the lippes but with the deepe sighes and groanes of the heart and the whole power of the mind and earnest hearty calling on him in praier by faith And therefore he doth not so much require of us to build him an house of stone and timber but hath willed us to pray in all places and hath taken away the Iewish and Popish holynesse which is thought to be more in one place then another All the earth is the Lords and he is present in all places hearing the Petitions of them that call upon him in faith Therefore those Bishops which thinke with their conjured water to make one place more holy then the rest are no better then the Jewes deceiving the people and teaching that onely to be holy which they have censed crossed oyled and breathed upon for as Christ said to the woman thinking one place to be more holy to pray in then another Woman beleeve me the time is come when yee shall worship neither at Jerusalem nor in this Hill but the true worshippers shall worship God in spirit and truth So it is now said the place makes not the man holy but the man makes the place holy and ye shall not worship your Idols Stocks and Stones neither at Wilsingham Ipswich Canterbury nor Sheen for God chuses not the people for the places sake but the place for the people sake But if yee be in the midst of the field God is as ready to heare your faithfull praiers as in any Abbey or Priory yea a thousand times more for the one place he hates as defiled with Idolatry and the other he loves as undefiled and cleane If the good man lie in prison tyed in Chaines or at the stake burned for Gods cause That place is holy for the holynesse of the man and the presence of the holy Ghost in him as Tertullian saith yet there should be common places appointed for the people to Assemble and come together therein to praise our God c. Those who in the Apostles times were buried in no Church or Church-yard nor Christen-moldes as they be called when it is not better then other earth but rather worse for the conjuring that Bishops use about it It appeares in the Gospell by the Legion living in graves the Widdowes sonne going to buriall Christ buried without the Citty c. That they buried not in hallowed Churches by Bishops but in a severall place appointed for the same purpose without the Citty which custome remaineth to this day in many godly places c. A most expresse Authority against Bishops Popish consecrations of Churches and Church-yards to make them holyer then other places The second Authority they produced was Mathew Parker Archbishop of Canterbury in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths reigne who was of a quite contrary judgment to this his Popish Successor condemning this manner of consecrating Churches Altars c. as Superstitious Paganish childish ridiculous in his Antiquitates Ecclesiae Brittannicae p. 85. 86. 87. in these termes Legat enim qui volet recentiores et nostro praesertim avo editos Pontificales ac Missales libros reperiet eos et Caeremoniarū multitudine peragendi difficultate atque taedio et exorcisationis amentia priores illos longè superare Quibus enim non dicam verbis sed portentis has et ejus modi a Pontisiciis adhuc adjurantur c. Dedicatio recentis Ecclesiae Altaria vasa indumenta Linteamina et ornamenta Ecclesiastica Hac omnia quam solemni ritu sanctarum scripturarum sententiis ad suas decantationes perperā adhibitis Potificij peragunt paucis videamus c. In dedicatione Ecclesiae jam exstructae Episcopus ter ' circumiens ostium bacculo pastorali ferit hoc Psalmi carmine Attollite Portas c. Cui Diaconus intus existens respondet fere exanimatus Quis est iste Rex gloriae c. Deinde ingredicus Episcopus in fundamento Ecclesiae Cineribus sparso Alphabetum Gracum et Latinum bacculo describit tum variis multisque Episcopi Clerique incessibus rectis obliquis retrogradis transuersis parietes ac pavimenta aqua sparguntur cruces in parietibus chrismate cum dextro Episcopi pollice depinguntur infinitis penè completis caeremoniis ad extremum precatur ut populus in ea conveniens per sacerdotum libamina caelesti sanctificatione salvatus animae salutem perpetuam consequatur discedens portam his verbis Episcopus ungit chrismate porta sis benedicta sanctificata consecrata consignata Deo commendata c. Altaria autem innumeris hujus generis precibus consecrantur c. Et sane valde deflenda est hujus temporis conditio quod Ecclesiae Patres eadem mentis acie ab ecclesia resecare has hujusmodi caeremonias seu potius nugas aut nolunt aut non possunt qua priora illa Ordalii vitia cernebant atque corrigebant sed illis ut superstitiosis damnatis deletis hac quae mordicus retinent quamvis puerilia deliria sint ex illis tamen fabricantur atque struunt Quanto modernis Pontificibus aequior fuit Gregorius qui scribit Quomodo regulae sanctorum Patrum pro tempore loco persona negotio instante necessitate traditae sunt Hi autem nulla neque temporis neque loci neque negotii neque personae neque cujusquà m rei quà m suae voluntatis atque gloriolae rationem habentes ne pusillis in rebus veritate cedere volunt A very good character of the Prisoner at the bar and his proceedings in this kinde
To these two Prelates might be added M. William Tyndal a learned Martyr his Obedience of a Christian man p. 136. 152. William Wraughton his Hunting and rescuing of the Romish Fox Iohn Bale Bishop of Osyris in Ireland in his Image of both Churches Thomas Beacon a Prebend of Canterbury in his Reliques of Rome M. Calfhill in his book against Marshal f. 61 92. 93. M. Fox his Acts and monuments Edit 1610. p. 210. 414. with sundry other of our learned Writers who expresly censure the Consecration of Churches and Church-yards as superstitious Iewish Popish Antichristian ridiculous stiling them rather a conjuration then a consecration invented only by and reserved to Bishops for lucre sake alone And the Homily for repairing and keeping clean Churches pag. 78 79. resolves thus The Church or Temple is counted and called holy yet not of it selfe but because Gods people resorting thereunto are holy and exercise themselves in holy and heavenly things Not because it is hallowed by a Bishop of which the Homilies make no mention From these Authorities they concluded the Arch-bishops consecration of Churches especially of this but newly repaired to be both Popish and Superstitious by the received Doctrine Writers of our Church and Statutes of our Realm which abandon and condemne the same Yet notwithstanding this Arch-Bishop was so zealously bent upon it that he rested not in the consecration of Creed-Church but proceeded further to consecrate Saint Giles Church in the fields where the case stood thus The Church of Saint Giles being in decay was re-edified and part of it new built and finished in Bishop Mountaines time Divine Service Preaching and Administration of the Sacraments after its repaire having been used therein for 3. or 4. yeares space together without any exceptions After which Bishop Laud being advanced to the Bishoprick of London by a solemn processe under his Episcopall seal interdicted this Church and suspended Divine Service Sermons and Sacraments in it for 2. or 3. weeks together so as the Church doores were shut up even on Lords Dayes and the Parishoners forced to repair to other Churches onely because the Church had not been re-consecrated after its reparation some of the Parish opposed the consecration of it in respect of the charge and Fees but at last they were inforced by the Bishop to submit else they must have no Divine Service Sermons nor Sacraments in it after all their costs bestowed thereon Whereupon the Bishop the very next Lords Day after he had consecrated Creed Church repaired to Saint Giles Church and there consecrated it in the self-same manner with the self-same gestures bowings prayers ceremonies as he consecrated Creed Church After which he likewise consecrated the Church-yard and a peece of ground which was bought and added to it for consecration whereof the Parish paid ten pound fees to the Bishop himself to wit 5 l. for consecrating the Church and 5 l. for hallowing the Churchyard besides fees to his Officers and a Dinner which cost the Parish near 30 l. more all which was attested upon oath by Master Hope and some others and likewise proved by the Archbishops own Diary wherein he registred this speciall memoriall of this Consecration with his owne hand Sunday January 20. 1630. I consecrated the Church of S. Gyles in the Fields Upon which evidence the Committee of the Commons made these Observations First That this Church was used three or four years together in B. Mountains time after its repair without any new Consecration and thought holy enough by him but this Popish Prelate after all this space was of another judgement and must needs suspend and re-consecrate it contrary to the very Canon law and the resolution of the fore-cited Canonists Secondly that he and his Officers extorted unreasonable excessive fees from the Parish besides their costly Dinner for this pious work on the Lords day himself taking no lesse then 10 l. fees for consecrating the Church and Churchyard which is direct Symonie by the Canon Law and extortion by the Commonlaw there being no fees due by either law for such a Consecration Thirdly that this Prelate was so wilfull and superstitious in this Innovation that God must lose his publick worship in this Church and the whole Parish the use of it for the benefit of their soules for two or three whole weeks during its interdiction rather then this Prelate not enjoy his popish ends exorbitant fees for the re-consecration of it After this Iuly 17. 1632. he consecrated another Church in Middlesex in the same manner as he had done the former two of which he makes this speciall Memento in his own Diary Iuly 17. 1632. I consecrated the Church at Stanmore Magna in Middlesex built by Sir John Wolstenham As this Arch-prelate was thus superstitiously and popishly active in consecrating Churches so likewise in consecrating Chappels for which these instances were produced The first Chappel he consecrated was a Chappel built by himselfe at Aberguilla in Wales whiles he was Bishop of S. Davids dedicated by him to S. John Baptist concerning which he registers this passage in his own Diary August 28. 1625. Dies erat Solis consecravi Capellam sine Oratorium propriis sumptibus extructum in demo me a communiter vocata Aberguille-House Nomen indidi Capella S. Joh. Baptistae in gratam memoriam Collegii S. Joh. Baptistae Oxon cujus primo socius dein Praeses fui Et hoc consultò feci Intervenit autem aliud non mali ominis spero it seems he then little dreamed of his own beheading or that the decollation of the Baptist to whose memory he dedicated this Chappel could be any ill Omen of his own decapilation afterwards de quo nunquam cogitavi hoc fuit Die Sabbati vesperi immediatè praecedente consecrationem celebrandam dum procibus eram intentus nescio quà m violenter in mientem me am irruit adesse diem DECOLLATIONIS S. JOHANNIS BAPTISTAE Finitis precibus fasta consului reperio diem illum in diem Lunae 29 scilicet Augusti non in diem Solis incidere Optassem diem ipsum sed gavisus sum me CONSECRATIONEM SOLENNEM peracturum VIGILIA SALTEM ILLIVS DIEI Nam illa die Serenissimus Rex Jacobus causam meam circâ electionem in Presidentem Collegii S. Joh. Baptistae Oxon per tres integras horas ad minimum audivit me è manu inimicorum potentum justissimè liberavit No doubt to preserve him to aâ—ar other doome and censure Mr. Prynne deposed that he found in the Archbishops Study this paper indorsed and corrected with his own hand concerning the consecration of this his Chappell The form of the Act where a Bishop consecrates a Chappell of his own Dedication In Dei nomine Amen Cum Nos Gulielmus permissione divina Menevensis Episcopus pia ac religiosa devotione ducti hanc Capellam sive Oratorium intra aedes nostras communiter vocatas Aberguilli-house infra Parochiam de Aberguillye in
speeches in the Pulpit and elsewhere and more especially upon the fourth Commandement both by preaching and otherwise he hath in contempt of the Kings most Excellent Majestis Declaration concerning the lawfulnesse of Recreations upon Sundayes and holy-daies after time of Divine Service and in derision and scorne of the Booke set forth by His Majesty to that purpose often amongst other his opprobrious and disgracefull speeches uttered these words following concerning the same viz. Is it not as lawfull to plucke at a Cartrope upon the Sabbath day as at a Bell-rope Is it not as lawfull for a VVeaver to shoot his shuttle in the Sabbath day as for a man to take his Bow to shoote And is it not as lawfull for a VVoman to spinne at her wheele or for a man to go to Plough or Cart as for a man in the Sabbath day to dance that devilish round All which words and divers other of the like kind your Petitioner will be bound to prove unto your Grace and the honourable Court of high Commisiion May it therefore please your Grace for the Reformation of the sayd Mr. Page and satisfaction of his Parishioners consciences and other inhabitants there abouts who daily flocke unto him by reason of inveigling them with such his Doctrine to grant an Attachment or Letters Missive to issue out against him the sayd Page to bring him to Answer to such Articles as shall bee exhibited into the said Court against him And your Petitioner as in duty shall daily pray for your Graces long life and happinesse I desire Dr. Merrick to consider of the suggestions of this Petition and take order for Letters Missive if he see cause Aug. 30. 1638. W. Cant. Among which Papers he likewise met with this Certificate manifesting that not only Sir Nathaniell Brent but Sir Iohn Lambe in the Archbishops Metropoliticall Visitation did peremptorily enjoyne all ministers in the Archbishops name to read this Declaration for sports on the Lords Day to the people in Churches to animate them to prophan it though not prescribed in his printed visitation Articles To the Right VVorshipfull Sir John Lambe Knight Doctor of Law Commissary to the Lords Grace of Canterbury for the Archdeaconry of Huntington c. THese are to certifie that Thomas Gibbs Master of Art and Curate of Hitchin in Hartfordshire within the Archdeaconry of Huntington according to your Injunction at the Visitation there holden did distinctly and treatably read upon the 29th of Aprill being Sunday at Morning Prayer after the reading of the first Lesson appointed for the day most of the Parish then being present the Book intituled The Kings Maiesties Declaration to His Subiects concerning lawfull sports to be used William Lindall D. D. Edward Radcliffe Esque Iohn Skinner Edward Hurst Thomas Draper William Hurste Churchwardens And with 3. Petitions of Mr. Valentines to the Archbishop suspended for not reading the Book of sports referred to Sir Iohn Lambe who endorsed on one of them with his owne hand that he had received inclosed therein A Bribe of five pound Besides in the Abstract of the Archbishops Metropoliticall Visitation in the yeare 1635. found in his Study by Master Prynne there are these Passages concerning the Booke of sports Master Fairfax Curate of Rumborough Charged with inconformity hath faithfully promised to read the Declaration for lawfull sports I suspended one Master Pegges of VVeeford ex nunc pro ut ex tunc in case he did not read the Kings Declaration for sports on Sunday seven-night following There are divers in Surrey that refuse to read the Kings Declaration for lawfull sports on Sundayes besides those that stand suspended for the fault Doctor Howell a very worthy Divine gave me a note of their Names they are Master Whitfield of Ockly Mr. Garth of Wouersh Mr. Ward of Pepper-harrow and Mr. Farroll of Purbright all of them of the Lecture of Guilford and some of them of the Lecture of Darking who were afterwards prosecuted for it All these are unfallible Evidences that the Archbishop was the originall principall Author enforcer of this Declaration upon Godly Ministers against both Law and conscience himselfe his Servants playing some times at Boules upon the Lords own day to give good example unto others and persecuting those with infinit severity to the ruing of their Flocks Families who out of conscience durst not publish it Of which we shal produce one signal example more in the case of Mr. Lawrence Snelling a reverend Godly learned Minister deprived in the High Commission for not reading this Declaration Mr. Snelling himselfe restified upon Oath that he was suspended from his Ministry Living excommunicated and soone after that brought into the High Commission at Lambheth and there sentenced to be deprived from his benefice loosing the profits thereof full foure yeares space only for refusing to read this Declaration for sports That Hee there pleaded in his owne defence the Law of God of the Realme the Authorities of Councells Fathers and late Writers of all sorts That the Declaration it selfe appeared not to be his Majesties though published in his name it being not enrolled in any Court nor published under his great Seale as all Proclamations Briefes to be read in Churches are that there was no command at all of the Kings it should be read by any in Churches much lesse by Ministers no punishment threatned nor prescribed for not reading it no authority given to Archbishops Bishops High Commissioners or any other persons to question suspend or punish any Minister for not reading it and being a meere civill not Ecclesiasticall Declaration not enjoyned by any Ecclesiasticall Canon or Authority but temporall only no Ecclesiasticall Iudges could take cognisans of it much lesse inflict any ecclesiasticall censure for it especially in the high Commission it being no offence with in the Statute of 1. Eliz. ch 1. or the Kings Commission Ecclesiasticall whereby the High Commissioners sit so not questionabl by them Al which particulars he put into his answer defence but the Archbishop gave order not to accept his Answer or defence as he tendred them saying openly in Court That whosoever should make such a Defence as he had don it should be burnt before his face and he laid by the heeles for his paines whereupon the Commissioners expunged what they pleased out of his Answer and defence and then censured him Mr. Gellibrand deposed the same with Mr. Snelling whose censure was there produced out of the High-Commission records and here subjoyned Die Lunae viz. nono Die mensis Februarii Anno Dom. 1637. coram Commissionariis Regiis ad causas Ecclesiasticas apud Hospitium Advocatorum c. Iudicial seden presentibus Stephano Knight Deputato Iohanne Greenhill Notarto publico Officium Dominorum con Laurent Snelling Cleric Rectorem de Paulscrai in Com. Kantii Dr. Ryues The Cause is to be informed in and finally sentenced out of the said Master Snellings answer and
Change or Subversion of RELIGION is grounded upon the daily increase of Papists the only professed Enemies thereof for the reasons formerly mentioned so are the hearts of Your Subjects no lesse perplexed when with sorrow they behold a daily growth and spreading of the faction of the Arminians that being as Your Majestie well knowes but a cunning way to bring in Popery and the professors of those opinions the common disturbers of the Protestant Churches and Incendiaries of those States wherein they have gotten any head being Protestants in shew but Jesuites in Opinion and practise which caused Your Royall Father with so much pious wisdome and ardent zeale to endeavour the suppressing of them as well at home as in our Neighbouring Countries and Your Gratious Majestie inimating his most worthy example have openly and by your Proclamations declared your mislike of those persons and of their opinions who notwithstanding are much favoured and advanced not wanting friends even of the Clergie neere to Your Majestie namely Doctor Neale Bishop of Winchester and Doctor Laud Bishop of Bath and VVells who are justly suspected to bee unsound in their opinions that way And it being now generally the way to preferment and promotion in the Church many Schollers do bend their Studies to maintaine these Errours their Bookes and opinions are suffered to be printed and published and on the other side the impressions of such as are written against them and in defence of the Orthodox Religion are hindered and prohibited and which is a boldnesse most incredible this restraint of Orthodox Bookes is made under colour of Your Majesties formerly mentioned Proclamation the intent and meaning whereof we know was quite contrary c. To which Declaration Bishop Laud returned a Peremptory answer in His Majesties Name written and endorsed with his owne hand the Originall whereof attested by Master Prynne was reade at the LORDS Barre in these following words so farre as concerned the charge of Arminianisme THe next feare is the daily growth and spreading of the Arminian faction called a cunning way to bring in Popery But We hold this charge as great a wrong to Our selfe and Our Government as the former For our People must not bee taught by a Parliament Remonstrance or any other way that We are so ignorant of Truth or so carelesse of the profession of it that any opinion or faction or what ever it be called should thrust it selfe so far so fast into Our Kingdomes without Our knowledge of it This is a meere dreame of them that wake and would make Our Loyall and loving People thinke We sleepe the while In this charge there is great wrong done to two eminent Prelates that attend Our Person for they are accused without producing any the least shew or shaddow of proofe against them and should they or any other attempt Innovation of Religion either by that open or any cunning way we should quickly take other order with them and not stay for Your Remonstrance To helpe on this Our People are made believe there is a restraint of Bookes Orthodoxall But wee are sure since the late Parliament began some whom the Remonstrance calls Orthodox have assumed to themselves an unsufferable liberty in printing Our Proclamation commanded a restraint on both sides till the passions of men might subside and calme and had this beene obeyed as it ought wee had not now been tossed in this tempest As for any distressing or discountenancing of good Preachers Wee know there is none if they be as they are called good But Our good people shall never want that spirituall comfort which is due unto them And for the preferments which VVee bestow Wee have ever made it our great care to give them as rewards of desert and paines but as the preferments are ours so will wee bee Judge of the desert our selfe and not bee taught by a Remonstrance After which the Commons in pursuance of their Opposition against the growing Arminian Faction On the 28. of January 1628. but 11. dayes after the forementioned Proclamation concerning Mountagues Booke and prohibiting books against it passed this notable Vote in Parliament after a large debate which the Archbishop in his indorsment on it stiles The Challenge of the lower House in matters of Religion An Order made by the lower House of PARLIAMENT the 28th of IANVARY 1628. WEE the Commons now Assembled in Parliament doe claime professe and avow for Truth the sence of the Articles of Religion which were established in Parliament the thirteenth yeare of Queene Elizabeth which by the publike Acts of the Church of England and the generall and currant exposition of the Writers of our Church have beene delivered unto Vs and we reject the sence of the Iesuites Arminians and all others wherein they doe differ from Vs. To which Challenge of theirs this pragmaticall Bishop then returned this bold peremptory answer written with his owne hand produced attested by Master Pryn and read at the Lords Barre in Evidence against him 1. The publique Acts of the Church in matters of Doctrine are Canons and Acts of Councells as well for expounding as determining the Acts of the High Commission are not in this sence publike Acts of the Church not the meeting of few or more Bishops Extra Concilium unlesse they be by lawfull Authority called to that worke and their decision approved by the Church 2. The Currant exposition of writers is a strong probable Argument de sensu Canâ—nis Ecclesiae vel Articuli yet but probable The Currant exposition of the Fathers themselves hath sometimes missed sensum Ecclesiae 3. Will ye reject all sence of lesuit or Arminian may not some be true may not some be agreeable to our writers and yet in a way that is stronger then ours to confirme the Article 4. Is there by this Act any Interpretation made or declared of the Articles or not If none to what end the Act If a sence or Interpretation be declared what authority have lay-men to make it for Interpretation of an Article belongs to them only that have power to make it 5. T is manifest there is a sence declared by the House of Commons the Act sayes it wee avow the Article and in that sence and all other that agree not with us in the aforesaid sence wee reject these and these goe about misinterpretation of a sence Ergo there is a Declaration of a sence yea but it is not a new sence declared by them but they avow the old sence declared by the Church The publike authenticke Acts of the Church c. yea but if there be no such publique authenticke Acts of the Church then here 's a sence of their owne declared under pretence of it 6. It seemes against the Kings Declaration 1. That sayes we shall take the generall meaning of the Articles this Act restraines them to consent of VVrighters 2. That sayes the Article shall not be drawne
in the time of K. Edward and Q. Elizabeth and in the time of Q. Mary for his conscience endured voluntary exile And to place him in the front of the most learned and Godly English Bishops holy Martyrs and others that suffered Martyrdome in the daies of Q. Mary for the truth and Gospell of Christ Jesus in which number he is Registred in the Title Page and placed before Bishop Hooper and Father Latymer in the Book it selfe The occasion of writing this unlicenced obscure Pamphlet was as followeth Iohn Veron being Divinity Lecturer in Paules Cathedrall in the first yeare of Queene Elizabeth handled the Doctrine of Predestination and other incident Points thereto belonging in direct opposition the Popish Pelagian and now Arminian Tenets which Lectures he soone after published in Print and dedicated to Q. Elizabeth in a booke intituled A Fruitfull Treatise of Predestination c. Printed at London for JOHN TYLDALE about the second yeare of Queene Elizabeths Raigne against which Lectures this Champnyes taking some exceptions published this Anonimous Answer by way of a Letter which Veron soone after answered almost verbatim in his authorized Apology dedicated to the Queen whereto Champeneys never replyed After which this Letter was largly answered word for word from the very Title page to the end thereof in a Book Intituled An Apology or Defence of the English Writers and Preachers with Cerberus the Three-Headed Dogge of Hell chargeth with false Doctrine under the name of Predestination written by Robert Crowley Clerke a fugitive for Religion in Queene Maries dayes and an eminent laborious Preacher in those times Vicar of Saint Giles without Criplegate in London Imprinted at London in Pater-Noster-Rowe at the signe of the Starre by Henry Denham Anno 1566. Octob. 14. Seene and allowed according to the order appointed In which booke this Pamphlet which the Bishop and his Agents now obtrude upon us as the received Doctrine of our prime Martyrs and of the Church of England in King Edward the 6th and Queene Elizabeths Reignes was by publique Authority in the name of all the Orthodox Writers and Preachers of England refuted as directly contrary to the received Doctrine of our Martyres Writers Preachers Church and censured as Pelagiau and Popish in both these ancient printed Answers It must needs therefore be an inexpiable insufferable abuse in this Archbishop and his Instruments thus to revive reprint this exploded Erronious Arminian Treatise in the yeare 1631 and obtrude it on us as the received Doctrine of our Martyrs and Church of England in the beginning of Reformation whereas there was nothing lesse on purpose to propagate his Arminian Errors and strengthen that lesuiticall faction After this Mr. Prynne produced Bishop Hoopers Confession and Protestation of his faith made to the whole Parliament An. 1550. in King Edwards dayes His comfortable Exposition upon the Psalmes London 1580. his Articles upon the Creed London 1584. Artic. 3. to 15. 17. 21. 25. 29. 30. 33. 36. 38. to 56 62. 67. 68. 91. to 99. wherein he expresly in terminis refutes those Arminian opinions which this our Author wold wrest out of the words of his Preface to the Commandements contrary to his intention together with divers Passages in Father Latimers Sermons expresly against the Arminian Tenets which explicate his other misapplyed Clauses in the Hystoricall Naration All which Mr. Pryn then shewed to Sir Humfry Lynde to his great satisfaction then desired him to repaire to Bishop Laud in his name to acquaint him with the premises and this desperate Imposture he had obtruded on our Church to his eternall Infamie and thereupon to advise him speedily to call in and burne this dangerous seducing booke or else he would prosecute him to the uttermost for this abuse Sir Humfry accordingly acquainted the Bishop his Chaplin Martin herewith but yet they took no course to suppresse the Booke whereupon Mr Prynne repaired to Lambheth to Archbishop Abbot acquainted him with the execrablenesse of this imposture shewed him the severall old Answers to this new printed Pamphlet with the expresse positions of Bishop Hooper and Bishop Latymer contrary to those imputed to them in this Narration desiring him to call in this dangerous Historicall Narration with all severity and to cause it to be publikely burnt to reprint the old Answers to it and withall to give him leave to prosecute Bishop Laud his Chaplaine Martin with the publisher of this book in the high Commission for this insufferable abuse To which Archb. Abbot gave this answer that this booke did very much trouble him that he had sent to Bishop Laud about it who at first denied that his Chaplain licensed it but afterwards acknowledged it that he gave order to call it in but it was in a privat manner after most of the bookes vâ—nded that he never saw nor knew of these 2. old Answers to it therefore desired Mr. Pryn to leave them with him for a time promising faithfully to restore them and to give him an accompt of this businesse on the Saturday following In the meane time Mr. Prynne because this booke had done much harme in both the Vniversities sent downe some of these Answers of Veron and Crowly with some of Bishop Hoopers books to Oxf. Cambridg to some of his acquaintance there and to the Vniversity Lybrary at Oxford whither many resorted to peruse them to their great satisfaction and the Bishops dishonour by discovering this imposture to them On Saturday being Easter Eve Master Prynne repayred to Archbishop Ahbot for an Answer who told him that he had called in this offencive book seized on som of the copies which were caried into Stationers-hall that Bishop Laud had since been with him that he had shewed him the bookes there left who confessed his Chaplin Martÿn had licenced this Narration in which he had done very ill but he had given him such a ratling for his paines that hee would warrant His Grace hee should never meddle with Arminian Bookes or Opinions more To which Mr. Prynne replyed that indeed he had ratled him to very great purpose for no longer then yesterday in the afternoone his Chapline Martin Preaching the Passion Sermon at Paules Crosse publikly broached maintained Vniversall grace and Redemption with all the Arminian Errors contained in this Book and condemned in the Synol of Dort to the great offence of the Auditors as his owne Chaplains Dr. Buckner Master Austen and Dr. Featley could at large informe him and therefore the Bishop did most grosly abuse his Grace herein who should doe well to proceed against both of them and publikly censure them in the High-Commission or this grosse practise to the end the whole Kingdome might take notice of it and the Arminian party be thereby discouraged That the Bookes they had seized were but few the greatest part of the Impression being vented they were called in so slighty and in so private a manner that few or none took notice thereof and
1624. His Appello Caesarem London 1625. His Originum Ecclesiasticarum Pars prior Londini 1636. and Pars Posterior Londini 1640. His Anti-Diatribae Londini 1625 and Visitation Articles Printed at Cambridge and London 1638. Master Iohn Cosens his Houres of Prayer London 1627. Edmund Reeves Communion Catechisme expounded London 1635. Henry Cholmly His State of the Now Roman Church London 1629. Master Butterfield His Maschil London 1629. Doctor Iohn Pocklington his Sunday No Sabbath licensed by Doctor Bray the Arch-Bishops Chaplaine 24. Febru 1635. and his Altare Christianum licensed by the same Doctor Bray 7. March 1636. both printed at London Ann 1636. and 1637. Doctor Peter Heylyns History of Saint George London 1630. His Coale from the Altar London 1636. His Antidotum Lincolniense with His Moderate Reply to Henry Burton London 1637. and History of the Sabbath London 1636. Francis Sales A Popish Prelate his Introduction to a devout life licensed by the Archbishops Chaplaine Doctor Haywood 3. Febr. 1636. An Epistle or Exhortatory Letter from Jesus Christ for every faithfull Soule devoutly affected written by a Friar and licensed by Doctor Weekes both his and the Bishop of Londons Chaplain 3. Febr. 1636. The Female Glory by Anthony Stafford London 1635. Master Yates his Tract of the Honour of Gods House London 1637. Sparrowes Sermon of Confession London 1637. The Churches Authority asserted by Samuell Hoard Lond. 1637. Mortification Apostolicall by William Watts London 1637. Doctor Thomas Laurence his Sermon preached before the King at White-Hall London 1637. Iohn Elborow his Evodias and Syntyche London 1637. Robert Shelford his five Treatises Cantabrigiae 1635. Richard Tedder his Sermon preached at Wimondham Anno 1637. Collectiones Theologicae by Chunaus London 1634. Christopher Dow against Master Henry Burton London 1637. Iohn Browning concerning publike Prayer and the Fasts of the Church London 1636. Sir Thomas Ridleys his Review of the Civill Law Oxford 1634. Iohn Swan his Redde debitum London 1640. Bishop Halls Reconciler his Episcopy by Divine Right with infinite other Books Sermons and Treatises of this kinde which we pretermit Before wee proceed any further in this subject we must acquaint Your Lordships with one memorable Passage concerning the Licencing and printing of Francis Sales his Introduction to a devout life and Christs Epistle to a devout Soule The first of these Bookes being written by a Popish Prelate having many Doctrinall and Practicall points of Popery interlarded with good meditations and Devotions comprised in it was translated into English by J. Y. a Priest and Jesuite dedicated by him to Mistres Anne Roper a Popish Recusant and twice printed by Papists in forraigne parts in the yeares 1617. and 1622. with all the Popery in it about which time it was likewise translated into English by a Protestant who lest out all the Popery and superstition couched therein reteining only what was Orthodox and Pious which was licenced for the Presse and printed by Nicholas Oakes On the 3. of February 1636. Doctor Hayward the Archbishops Chaplain at the instigation of some Popish persons licensed the very Popish Translation of this Booke by I Y the Iesuite for the Presse most likely by the Archbishops approbation who had one of these Bookes formerly printed in his Study produced by Master Prynne endorsed with his owne hand which was forthwith entered in Stationers Hall for one W. Brookes a Popish Stationer and presently sent to the Presse to be printed One part of it comming to Nicholas Oakes his House to be printed he perceiving divers dangerous Popish Passages in it and among others one touching the Popes supremacy repaired to Doctor Hayward who licensed it and acquainted him therewith desiring him to purg out these Popish Passages else he durst not proceed to print it Whereupon the Doctor checking him for making such a scruple bid him go on and say nothing and he would beare him out and save him harmlesse from any danger that might befall him for printing it adding that he himself would preach as much as that he complained off before the King and therefore he needed not feare to proceed Whereupon Oakes went on and the Book with the Epistle Dedicatory to Mrs. Anne Roper a Papist was printed published about Easter 1637. neare the time the Archbishop caused an Information to be Exhibited in Star-chamber by Sir John Banks his Majesties Atturney Generall against D. Bastwick Mr. Burton and Mr. Prynne one of the Copies whereof comming to Mr. Pryns hands he finding it full of Popery superstition and the very same with the old English Popish Edition and being informed by Oakes others of Dr. Haywards words to Oakes when he complained to him of it he inserted the Licensing and printing of this Popish Booke among others into his Crosse Bill in Starre Chamber against the Archbishop his Chaplaines and others his Popish Confederates which Bill he tendring to the Lord KEEPER Coventry to admit the Archbishop getting possession of it upon view thereof and some complaints at Court against this Popish Booke by the Right honourable Earle of Pembrook and other well-affected Courteours thereupon to colour his owne and his Chaplaines practicall knavery in Licensing and promoting this Booke by laying all the blame and punishment upon others and the poor Printer Ooaks who complained against it and would have stopped it at the Presse to give som shew of satisfaction to the people much offended at the printing of this Popish Booke especially in that nick of time when he had brought Dr. Bastwick Mr. Burton Mr. Pryn into the Star-chamber for charging him with introducing Popish Doctrines and Innovations into our Church caused his Majesty to publish this following Proclamation for calling in and burning the said book wherein he falsly suggested to his Majesty and his Subjects that his Chaplaine purged out diverse Passages therein tending to Popery which the Stationer and Translater afterwards inserted againe when as there was no such thing but his Chaplaine licensed all of them at first and would not purge them out at last when Oakes complained of them The Proclamation was this By the King A Proclamation for calling in a Booke entituled An Introduction to a Devout life and that the same be publikely burnt VVHereas a Booke entituled AN INTRODVCTION TO A DEVOVT LIFE was lately printed by Nicholas Oakes of London and many of them published and dispersed throughout the Realme the Copy of which Booke being brought to the Chaplaine of the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury for Licence and allowance was by him upon diligens perusall in sundry places expunged and purged of divers passages therein tending to Popery Neverthelesse the same Book after it was so amended and allowed to be printed was corrupted and falsified by the Translater and Stationer who betweene them inserted againe the same Popish and unsound passages And the Stationer is now apprehended and the Translator sought for to be proceeded against according to Justice His Majesty out of His pious and
constant care to uphold and maintaine the Religion prefessed in the Church of England in its purity without Error or Corruption Doth therefore hereby declare His Royall Will and pleasure to be and doth straightly Charge and Command all persons of what degree quality or condition soever to whose hands any of the said Bookes are or shall come that without delay they deliver or send them to the Bishop or Chancellor of the Diocesse whom His Majestie requireth to cause the same to be publikly burnt as such of them as have beene already seized on have beene by His Majesties expresse Commande And to this His Majesties Royall Pleasure he requireth all his loving Subjects to yeeld all doe Conformity and Obedience as they will avoid the censure of high Contempt God save the KING Given at Our Court at White-hall the fourteenth yeare of Our Reigne Vpon this Proclamation some few of these Bookes were seised and publikely burnt in Smithfield the poore Printer Oakes imprisoned divers Monthes almost to his utter undoing though he proved he complained of it to Doctor Haywood who commanded him to proceed but the Stationer was brought Ore tenus to the Star-Chamber and charged with the insertion of the Popish Passages after the Doctor had expunged them which he denied where the Archbishop made a Speech to cleare himselfe and his Chaplaine in which there was not one word of truth after which the Stationer was ordered to be committed to Prison and to find out the Translator which he affirming he could not do if he were imprisoned thereupon his imprisonment was respited and no further examination had of this foule businesse then to cleare the Archbishop and his Chaplaine by this devise in the meane time Mr. Prynnes Crosse Bill which truly related all the carriage of the businesse was suppressed that so the truth of it which he thou could would have manifested by sundry punctuall witnesses had he been permitted might never come to publike knowledge to the Archbishops and his Chaplaines shame who abused his Majesty and the People with false representations of this businesse which was now charged proved and testified against him at the Barre by Mr. Prynne Mistresse Oakes Michaell Sparke Senior and others to his shame The Epistle to a devout Soul written by a Friar then newly translated into English was licenced the selfe same day for the same Stationer that Sales book was being as full of Popery as it vvhich Mr. Prynne likewise charging in his Crosse Bill thereupon some of the Bookes were seized by the Stationers and the rest vented in private But Sales to make the Papists ammends was soone after reprinted here withall the Popery in it and sould publikely without restraint notwithstanding his Majesties Proclamation which was but a meere Pageâ—â—â— and devise of the Archbishops to cleare himselfe and his Chaplaine Having thus given you a summary Catalogue of the Popish Bookes Sermons licenced and published by him his Chaplaines and Agents we shall next present you with a List or Extract of the severall Popish Errors Doctrines Positions Paradoxes authorized and maintained in them most of them so grosse so execrable that they never durst appeare in any of our Impressions from the infancy of Reformation till this Arch-Prelate became their Patriot We shall begin with Auricular Confession and the power of Priests to remit sinnes the summe whereof is this 1. That Priests have not only a Ministeriall but an Authoritative and Juditiall Power to râ—mit sine confessed And that we ought frequently to confesse our sins to our Priests and Confessors at least once every Month especially in Lent We read in the Popes Nuntio compiled by the Venetian Ambassador concerning the Negotiation of Signior Panzanioes p. 12. That an English Doctor told Panzanioes friend that the King did approve of Auricular Confession was willing to introduce it and would use force to make it received were it not for feare of Sedition amongst the people Certainly all who shall read these ensuing authorized passages touching Auricular confession of Sins to Priests Confessors of Priests not only Ministeriall but Iuditiall Power to remit sinnes will undoubtedly beleive that at least our Popish Priests Prelates and this Archbishop in particular had a plotted resolution to introduce Auricular confession and set up an Authoritative Iuditiall power in Priests to receive confessions and remit sinnes confessed in all his Majesties Dominions The Passages to this purpose are these Mountagues Gagge p. 78. 83. 84. It is confessed that all Priests and none but Priests have power to forgive sinnes It is confessed that private confession unto a Priest is of very ancient practise in the Church we urge it and perswade it in extremis ut supra we require it in case of perplexity and likewise before the receiving of the Lords Supper according to which Doctrine and Injunction our Bishops do or should enquire of it in their Visitations touching the use and neglect of this so good an order VVhich he thus seconds in his Appeale p. 299. My words are It is confessed that private confession unto a Priest is of very Ancient practise in the Church of excellent use and benefit being discrectly handled We refuse it to none if men require it if need be to have it we urge and perswade it in extremis Wee require it in case of perplexity for the quieting of men disturbed in their consciences This is my Popery per partes for wariant whereof I bring my witnesse and authority the Injunction direction and practise of the Church and of the Bishops accordingly in the Church that which their Mother holy Church hath commanded in that sort and case to be observed pag. 312. Priests have power not only to pronounce but to give remission of sinnes which seemeth to be the Doctrine of the Communion Book in the Visitation of the sicke where the Priest saith And by his Authority committed unto me I absolve thee from all thy sinnes It is Justifiable it is the Doctrine and practise of the Church of England Pag. 315. 316. Informers it is confessed that all Priests and none but Priests have power to forgive sinnes And is it not so confessed when by publique warrant in ordination that power is given unto all Priests to doe soe in those solemne words of Ordination whose sinnes you forgive they are forgiven c. But with you Puritans this Doctrine and practice of the Church is held to bee Popery And here you inferre that Priests have no more power to do this than Laymen here you cast confession upon both one and other and Laymen may heare it aswell as a Priest and therefore it is probable you will not be very precise for Absolution to conferre it on a Layman as well as on a Priest But such absolution is a part of that Priestly power which could not be given by men or Angels but onely and immediatly by Almighty God himselfe a part of that Paramount power which the
in orbem redeuntes in Sancto Stephano Proto-Martyre honoramus eorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exosculamur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Reliquias ipsorum lipsana cimaelia deposita si quae sint quaead nostram notitiam pervenerint Si quae nancisci poterimus genuiua non fucata libenter suscipimus veneratione sua debita congrua honeramus Imprimis autem de Martyribus ubi non constat veritas disquisitionem censemus instituendam Pag. 40. Repraesenta mihi fase as illas Seruatoris Dâ—ce certissimo illas ipsas etiam numextare quibus Infans sacratissimus involvebatur Ego quod ad me attinâ—t libens merito cum summâ— gandio gratulatione reverentia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accurram suscipiam ultra omnia quae vocant Barbari Jocalia Cimelia lapides preciosos aurum astimaâ—â— And in his Antidiatr p. 17. Ossa Sanctorum Cineres Reliquias vase aureo velamine precioso convolvebant Ego certè cum Constantino illas reliquias fascijs involvam auro includam circumge standas admovebo labijs ac collo suspensos manibus oculisque crebrò usurpatat intuebor vel in apothecas condam recludam inter preciocissima cemelia censendas 17. That vowed Poverty Virginity a Monasticall life and Monasteries are lawfull usefull Popish Votaries Saints Orders to be imitated applauded CHrists Epistle to a Devout soule p. 86. 87. 88. 89. brings in Christ thus speaking to Christians I Was driven into banishment brought up by the labour of my mother and fed by Almes at other Folkes cost having neither house nor lodging of mine owne withered often in the mountaines how was I spoiled of all my garments at the time of my passion c. Looke therefore upon my poverty and leave to be sad why art thou not grieved like a good Emulatresse if thou see any man poorer then thy selfe as Saint Francis was if thou perceivest any man more agreeable to my life and poverty then thy selfe this indeed should bee a kinde of emulation Embrace with mee the crosse of Poverty c. Determine therefore now and make a firme resolution from the bottome of thy heart to contemne all things for the love of mee and be unwilling to possesse any thing but even such as of necessity thou art inforced to use delighting in all Poverty contempt and penury that thou maist be worthy to enjoy mee Francis Sales His Introduction to a devout life page 19. True it is that the Devotion altogether contemplative Monasticall and Religious cannot be exercised in these Vocations of Artificers c. yet are there many other degrees of devotions Page 200. The solitarines of Saint Paul the first Hermit is imitated in some sort by the spirituall retreates of which we have spoken and the extreame poverty of St. Francis may be imitated by those practises and exercises of spirituall poverty which we will hereafter set downe Page 354 Charity only placeth us in the heigth of perfection but Obedience Chastity and Poverty are excellent Instruments to attaine unto it I will not say any thing of these three vertues as they are vowed solemnly for so they appertaine to Religious persons Page 335. When they are vowed solemnely they place a man in the way and state of perfection Henry Stafford his Female Glory page 23. Let us then imagine that this holy Recluise confined her body to this sacred solitude c. Page 28. The bonds of her Matrimony were askt in heaven and no impediment found why shee might not wed God himselfe yet at the earnest solicitation of the Reverend Priests saith Mantuan she was content to bee betrothed to Joseph not that he should doe the Office of an Husband but serve as a barre to the importuninity of other suitors that so she might the more freely enjoy the inconceivable pleasure she tooke in her Vowed Virginity Page 148. You who have vowed Virginity Mentall and Corporall you shall not only have ingresse here but welcome Approach with comfort and kneele downe before the grand white Immaculate Abbesse of your snowey Nunneries Page 235. My Arithmeticke will not serve mee to number all those who have registred their names in the sodality of the Rosary of this our blessed Lady c. All which are Canonized for Saints Bishop Mount Orig. page 303. Quantum detrimenti Regijs accesserit vectigali busper illam desolationem Monasterijs invectam per importunum Henrici Octavi rigorem per Parliamentarias Impropriationes c. Page 382. Ejusmodi vitae genere Ioannem jecisse fundamenta Monasticae vitae hoc est Anacoreticae et Ascetica cum illustrissimo Baronio non abnuerim c. 18. That there are written Traditions which we must observe and are of equall Authority with the word BIshop Mountague in his Gagge page 30. There are Traditions written and unwritten you meane not here Traditions written I know it no more doe wee Page 31. Traditions instituted by our Saviour even in points of beleife and Faith have divine Authority as his written word hath Traditions derived from the Apostles have equall authority with their preachings and their writings Traditions of the Church have such authority as the Church hath all binde and oblige as they were intended and as their extent is For they must be considered not only from the Author but from the end some were intended to be permanent others only to be transient for a time only or else for ever some Vniversall some onely Partiall for the Catholike or else a private Church such variety and difference is in Traditions We do grant it in every kinde that either there are or have beene Traditions of Christ his Apostles the Church privat men Pag. 37. Quae universa tenet Ecclesia ab Apostolis praecepta benè traduntur quanquam scripta non reperiantur said Saint Augustine and I subscribe unto it Omni modo bind they unto Obedience so long in such sort so farre forth as the Authors did intend till the same Authority disavow them which gave unto them being at the first In the 34. Articie to this purpose we read of and concerning Ecclesiasticall Traditions Loe Traditions not only avowed but maintained Page 41. No Protestant living in his right wit will deny this that the Apostles spake much more then is written Therefore the Traditions of the Apostles and of the Church is without all question of good credit and esteeme and so much we professe Art 34. I grant it hath displeased some which is said It is Tradition which avoweth it seeke no further I see no reason why any should be displeased therewith Doctor Pocklintons Altare Christianum Page 48. None of all these Heretikes can derive their succession from the Apostles nor shew how their Doctrines were received by Tradition from them Page 49. According to Apostolicall Tradition Page 50. Those that deprive us of the benefit of this Apostolicall Tradition Page 180. Traditions of holy Church of absolute Authority The Archbishop himselfe in his Reply to Fisher determines
Fisher page 176. Hee positively affirmes That ubi non est sacerdos non est Ecclesiae St. Hierom And in that place most manifest it is that by Sacerdos Saint Jerom meanes a Bishop Soe even with him NO BISHOP AND NOE CHVRCH Doctor Heylin in his Moderate Answer to Mr. Burton page 65. writes thus by the Archbishops appointment You are much offended with the Prelates that they will needs be Lord Bishops Iure Divino page 66. Your first exception is That the Episcopall Authority is claimed from Christ and that some of the Bishops said in the High Commission That if they could not prove it they would cast away their Rochetts this is no more then what had formerly beene said in the Conference at Hampton Court when on occasion of S. Hieroms saying that a Bishop was not divinae Ordinationis the Bishop of London Doctor Bancroft interposed that unlesse he could prove his ordination lawfull out of the Scriptures he would not be a Bishop foure houres page 67. 70. Who is it which of our Divines that holds Episcopall Authority to bee derived from any other fountaine then that of Christ and his Apostles If any such there be he is one of yours Traverse and Cartwright and the rest of your Prodecessors Men never owned for hers by the Church of England Geneva had their hearts wee their bodyes only This theame of Bishops superiority Iure Divino over other Ministers was professedly maintained by Bishop White in his Preface to his Treatise of the Sabbath against Braburne by Christopher Dow in his Innovations unjustly charged chap. 19. p. 170. c. by Iohn Swan in his Redde debitum Chap. 2. sect 2. p. 161. to 172. asserting peremtorily that the Hierarchy of the Bishops is Iure Divino with sundry others in their printed Bookes yea publikly affirmed with much confidence by both our Archbishops with other Prelates in the Star-Chamber and High-Commission maintained publikely in the Divinity Schooles in both our Vniversities and asserted almost in every Pulpit at leastwise in Cathedralls But this Erronious Position being satisfactorily refuted and palpably displayed to all the world by Doctor Bastwicke in his Flagellum Apologeticus ad Praesules Anglicano and by Master Prynne in his Vnbishoping of Timothy and Titus his Brevia and Catalogue of Writers in all ages refuting this position of theirs and by the Presbiterians in Scotland the Archbishop and his Confederate Prelaticall Brethren were so hardly put to it that they seriously mustred up all their policy learning power to maintaine their Episcopall Jurisdiction to be of divine right Whereupon having engaged his Majesty and his Privy Councell to maintaine it by the Sword in the Field he encouraged Doctor Hall bishop of Exeter very prone of himselfe to undertake such an enterprise to defend it with his smooth Rhetoricall penne in the Presse This Bishop upon his motion and request readily undertakes the designed service compiles his Booke intituled Episcopacy by divine Right the written Copy whereof he sent to the Archbishop submitting it wholy to his power to dispose of it at his pleasure or alter any thing therein which he or his Chaplaines should deeme meet This Treatisie was carefully read over by the Arch bishop himselfe and his Chaplaines line by line who altered it in some places and then authorized it for the Presse The particulars concerning the cause and grounds of compling it with the Bishops whole pretended Plot how to support their tottering Hierarchy is fully related in the ensuing Letters of Bishop Hall to the Archbishop and of the Archbishop to him all sound and seised on in his Study at Lambheth We shall transcribe all these Letters according to their severall dates the first of them extracted out of the very originall is this MOst Reverend Father in God and my most Honourable Lord I have received your Graces Answer in one to my three last humbly thanking your Grace for your noble favours to that well deserving Petitioner Master Edgcombe whom I recommended to your Graces notice For Ashbrenton I gave order for a speedy satisfaction and make account to receive it ere the closure of this letter Yesternight I had the view of the Acts of the late Scottish Assembly which I could not read without much indignation in seeing the only true and ancient Government of the Church so dispitefully trod upon by ignorant Factionists Vpon the perusall whereof I begin to think it were pity and shame they should carry it away so and that so publike an insolence could admit of none but a more publike remedy and may I be bold to impart unto your Grace what my thoughts were for some ease of this wrong and mittegation of the scandall under the hope of your Graces pardon I shall not sticke to discover them in this secret and fearelesse paper humbly leaving them to your Graces favourable censure although indeed I should have needed a larger Preface to so bould an attempt Since then for his Majesty to right the Church by the Sword as the case now stands is neither fit for our hopes nor our wishes which were no other in so desperate a Schisme then to reconquer his owne with much Charge danger and blood we thought it might be seasonable safe and happie to imploy the spirituall sword the remedy which the Church hath ever wont to make use of in such occasions with blessed successe I thought therefore if through your Graces mediation it might please his sacred Majesty to cause a Generall Synod of the whole three Kingdomes to be indicted wherein all the Reverend Bishops and chiefe of the learned and dignified Clergy and the professors and some other eminent Doctors of all the Vniversities in all the said Kingdomes may be assembled to passe their judgment after free and full expectation of these Schismaticall points determined thus proudly and rashly by our Northen Neighbours it could not but sort to excellent effect for so they might bee convinced of their absurd errours or at least publikely before all the world censured and condemned for what they are and if they have any Remainders of shame they shall be made to blush at their owne miserable transportation This would bee some comfort to those exiled Bishops who put Holy Iland as I heare to the same use whereto it was imployed at the first Plantation of the Gospell to be a receptacle of persecuted Prelates that they should see their cause taken to heart by the whole Church under his Majesties dominions and why should we not think that the presence and Authority of your Grace with that eminent and learned Primate of Armagh and so many other grave and renouned Prelates seconded by so irresistable powers of the learning and Judgment of so many assistant Divines of great note and worth cannot choose but certainly confound these heady and ignorant opposers of Government and good Order and give great satisfaction to the world who seeing the errours and groundlesse proceedings of these men
that the Licenser changed this passage in Doctor Jones his Comentary on the Hebrewes page 106. We have begun in pure and sound Religion let us not END in Popery into let us not end in prophanenesse yet behold these purgers ending not only in Popery but Libertinisme and prophanensse too in the highest degree as their expunging these clauses to omit hundreds of like nature evidence In Mr. Ward 's Comentary on Matthew p. 161. they deleted this period Thirdly they Professors must be carefull to stop the mouthes of morall civill honest men who usually object that they are not so proud covetous idle revengefull angry and selfe-conceited as Professors are for they are Pharises toward others and little better then Publicans in themselves Let those therefore who call upon the Name of the Lord depart from all iniquity and let them labour to abound in all vertues both morall and Theologicall that so our profession may be praised both of prophane and civill men Page 147. in the same Author Thirdly another reason why we must never sinne at all is because sinne is like Penalopes Webbe and therefore to admit of one were to cast our selves as farre back as ever we were wherefore we must so runne that we may attaine and so follow Gods Plough that we look not backe the sow who after her washing turnes her selfe to her former wallowing becomes as filthy as ever and man by a willing running or falling into sinne becomes as far off from God and odious unto him as ever and therefore we must take no liberty unto sinne at all And page 217. Secondly those are here blame-worthy who after a generall call to the profession of the gospel live wickedly turning the grace of God into wantonnesse Jude 4. and ending in the flesh though they began in the Spirit Gal. 5. 19 certainly these are the worst of all in the Lords esteem this not being the perswasion of him who called them TO these purgations infinite others might be accumulated enough to make many whole Folio Volumes but for brevitie sake we shall pretermit them all these here mentioned for the Readers fuller satisfaction clearer discovery of this prelats popish intentions not being read at large at the Lords Bar but onely the principall of them the rest but pointed at though all there actually produced in generall collections of them to husband time and avoyd tediousnesse in this kind of evidence Now we appeal to all the world and every mans conscience who shal impartially peruse these severall orthodox passages expunged out of new licensed books by the Archb. and his Agents before they could passe the Presse the like whereof was never heard of in any Protestant Church but onely in Romish Babel and compare them with the severall forementioned Popish Doctrines Superstitions Errours Clauses authorized by them in other late printed Pamphlets to corrupt the People whether they be not a most full satisfactory experimentall irrefragable Evidence to convince your Lordships and all gainesayers of the Arch-bishops reall Endeavours utterly to subvert the Protestant Religion and introduce the whole body of popery with arbitrary power and tyranny among us without any publike opposition notwithstanding all his meer verball protestations to the contrary most apparently contradicted refuted by these his popish purgations uncapable of any justification or excuse unparalleld by any Protestant Prelates unheard of in any Protestant Church or in our own before his cominâ—ering in it unpractised by any but onely popish Inquisitors in their Indices Expurgatorâ—y wherein we find the very selfe-same passages in substance yea and some of them in terminis deleted out of Classicall Authors which this Arch-bishop and his Chaplaines have obliterated out of our Protestant Writers as you may evidently discerne by these few particular instances in the Index Librorum expurgatorum by Gasper Quiroga Cardinall and Arch-bishop of Toledo and generall Inquisitor for Spaine Salmuri 1601. wherein I find these with sundry other like clauses expunged out of the Index to Saint Augustine's Works set out by Froben The Annotations to the Bible of Robert Stephanus Erasmus and others Eucharistiam non esse sacrificium sed sacrificij memoriam Fides sola justificat Justi summus sola fide Justos ab injustis fides discernit non opera Imaginum usus prohibitus Matrimonium omnibus concessum qui continere non volunt Opera nostra noe non salvare Peccata venialia damnant Qui Sabbathum observat sanctificat Sacra sunt venalia Romae Culum est venale Densque Roma ipsa Lupanar Facta est toto execrabilis orbe Christus solâ—â— pacificator justificator Non meremur beatitudinem de condiguo Vult Dominus Altare terreum nos autem marmoreum construâ—mus Episcopus non differt a Presbytere Sacerdos Episcopus olim idem Monachi olim non fuerunt siâ—ut hodis c. Voterum nulla vincula apud veteres Monaches Boatissime pater audit Romanus Pontifexâ— Tuin euim glorificatur nomen Dei cum nihil nosiris meritis sed totum tribuitur illius â—isericordiae Templorum supervacaneus ornatus Alienis meritis operibus nemo juvetur Fides etiam in tentatione manet Summum malum est in operibus nosiris meritis confidere hoc cum est meritum Christi blasphâ—mâ—re Confitenda Deo peccata non homini Scripturae divinae omnibus voleutibus perviae faciles Seripiuras legere omnibus etiam mundâ—nis praeceptum Sanctorum invocationem pracavit Joâ—nnes Salut non ex Meritis Imagines pictas contra Religionem esse scribit Epiphanus Imagines vel siaâ—uas Dei cultores adorarâ— non debent c. What affinity there is between these purgations of this popish Spanish Inquisitor and those of this English Archprelate his Agents you may easily discern by comparing both together therupon necessarily conclude that their intentions were alike popish because their Practises Purgations are so parallell Only there are these remarkable differences between them First that these purgations made by him and his Agents are far more grosse in sundry particulars then any we find in this or any other Romish Inquisitors Index Expurgatorem Secondly that they were made by this Arch-prelat and his Chaplaines who professed himselfe a zealous Protestant and who in respect of his very calling supreame authority in our Church and the great trust reposed in him ought rather to have authorized then purged out these passages especially in such times when we were all generally running headlong unto popery and apostatizing unto Rome when as all these other deleatures were made by professed papists only in popish Kingdomes Churches when they were falling off to the protestant Religion which they endeavovred to prevent By this Card you may see and suppresse what compasse this Arch-director and Corrector of our Church did sayle by and what forraigne port he was making to The precedent branch of the Evidence against the Arch-bishop hath given most ample proof of the seventh and ninth Originall Articles
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
told him he was the most odious man at Rome of any or of any that had sate in that Sea The Arch-bishop then averred that he used these speeches to him at dinner at Lambeth at a time when Auditor Phillips was there who demanded of Sir Henry whether he saw the Pope when he was at Rome and what manner of man he was Who replied that he saw him in his Garden out of a window riding a great horse in a morning and that he was very like the Auditor Sir Henry confessed this discourse with the Auditor but absolutely denied he ever said he was the most odious man at Rome of any c. and desired him to prove it Wherupon the Archbishop asked of his Secretary Dell whether he did not heare Sir Henry tell him so much at dinner Who answered that he did not heare him say so but that his Grace told him after dinner that he said so which Sir Henry peremptorily denied After which Sir Henry being demanded by Master Serjeant Wild who they were that spake against the Arch-bishop who for him and what he conceived to be the cause why some spake thus against him others in his behalf He answered that there were two factions in Rome one of the Jesuits some of these disliked the Arch-bishop and spake against him because they conceived he aimed at too great an Ecclesiasticall power in these Kingdomes for himself The other was of the Secular Priests who all spake very well of him and commended him because he carried himselfe in such sort in the government of our Church as to draw it neerer unto the Church of Rome and shewed himselfe favourable to their party Whereupon the Arch-bishop said that Sir Henry never told him this before Who answered it was true and the reason was because he never demanded of him any such Question but now he was demanded the Question upon his Oath and therefore he must speak the truth At which passage most of the Auditory smiled and the Committee of Commons who managed the Evidence thanked the Arch-bishop for this good testimony on his behalfe desiring him to furnish them with some more such witnesses Adding that seeing Sir Henry was but a single witnesse in this case and so perhaps the Arch-bishop would evade his testimony though produced by himselfe and since he had given them this occasion to examine what opinion the Priests and Jesuits had of him at Rome they therefore humbly desired that they might now produce the testimonies of some other Gentlemen of note who had been at Rome as well as S. Hen. could give as good or better an account of his credit there as he had done Whereupon they poduced Captain Authony Mildmay brother to Sir Henry to testifie his knowledge in this particular who deposed at the Bar upon oath That he was at Rome at the time when Con the Popes Nuncio was to come over into Eng. as Nuncio who then enquired of him concerning the infirmities and age of Arch-bishop Abbot and thereupon said Bishop Laud who is to succeed him will be more favourable to us then he hath been That there were two great factions in Rome one of the Jesuits another of the Secular Priests that the Jesuits faction did not like the Archb. because he usurped too much Ecclesiasticall power to himself and endeavoured to make himselfe a Patriarke over all his Majesties Kingdomes but the Secular Priests and their faction loved and spake very well of him because they said they knew him to be their friend and that he had a designe to bring the Popish Religion into England That Father Fitton and Father John told him that there was a designe to reconcile England to the Church of Rome that Bishop Laud was the chiefe instrument in it that other English Bishops did joyne with him in the designe and that he should find that there should be none preferred in the Court but such as were Papists or affected to popery That Father Fitton being the generall agent for the Secular Priests had extraordinary good intelligence from England and that Master Walter Mountague when he was at Rome lay at his house that Father John was the generall agent at Rome for the Benedictines and that Father Talbot a Jesuit had told him as much as these two had done concerning Bishop Laud who yet spake somewhat ill of him because said he he intends to make himselfe a Patriark of all the Kings Dominions out of his pride which he said would eclipse the Popes authority and therefore he said he was condemned at Rome by their party the Jesuits for this particular although otherwise he was a great favourer of their Religion This testimony even from Rome it selfe is very full and punctuall to our purpose that there was no difference at all between the Secular Priests and the Archbishop nor yet between the Jesuits and him but only this that he out of his ambition would like his Predecessor Anselme be Papa alterius orbis the Pope or Patriark of our other world and of the Kings Dominions which the titles of Sanctitatis Vestrae Sanctissime Pater attributed to him by the University of Oxford and Master Croxton made them jealous of which the Jesuits could not well brook at Rome But to make this more cleer we shall adde one witnesse more who hath been often times at Rome and spent divers yeers among papists in foraigne parts and that is one Master Thomas Challoner a Gentleman of quality who thereupon being sworn gave in this following testimony viva voce upon oath which he set downe under his owne hand MY LORDS TOuching the Arch-bishop of Canterbury I can say little in particular but in generall thus First that for these fourteen or fifteen yeers last past it hath been my fortune divers and sundry times to be in France Flanders Holland and Italy where very often happening into the company of Lawyers priests and men of the long Robe I found them alwayes very forward in their discourse of England and of the great hopes they had to see it suddenly reduced to the catholike faith that they had many great parsons in England who were secretly of their religion and in particular the Arch-bishop whom they avowed to be wholly theirs a good Roman Catholike a politike propagator of the Roman faith by minutes and degrees wherein he used great subtilty and craft which they called wisdom and that both he and others would openly declare themselves so to be in time convenient beseeching God the blessed Virgin to prosper his designes And this is so notorious as I beleeve no man of any experience in foraigne parts who hath had an eare to hear or a tongue and heart to speak the truth but hath heard the same often re-iterated and will attest it Yet upon what foundation these opinions should be built I am not precisely able to determine Secondly that eleven or twelve yeers since I being at Bruxels in Brabant
let all the people say Amen And suddenly all the whole Church almost shook with the sound that their loud Amen made c. The Lord Deputy called from the Bishop of Derry a Copy both of his Sermon and Protestation to send to the King The learned and couragious Bishop gave this Answer that there was nothing he either spake or read in the Pulpit but he would willingly justifie it before his Majesty and feared not who read or saw it So now by Gods mercy nothing may yet be done or will be till the Lord Deputy heare from the King That this information of the Commons to his Majesty was then most true reall and that this Bishop knew it to be so in every particular we shall manifest by this printed Proclamation found in his Study thus endorsed with his owne hand not long after his Answer to the Commons Remonstrance April 1. 1629. A Proclamation concerning the growth of Popery in Ireland c. which was read as followeth By the Lord DEPUTY and COVNSELL Henry Falkland FOrasmuch as We cannot but take notice that the late intermission of legall proceedings against popish pretended or titulary Archbishops Bishops Abbots Deanes Vicars generall Jesuits Fryars and others of that sort that derive their pretended Authority and Orders from the See of Rome hath bred such an extraordinary insolence and presumption in them as that they have dared here of late not onely to assemble themselves in publike places to celebrate their superstitious services in all parts of this Kingdome but also have erected houses and buildings called publike Oratories Colledges Masse-houses and convents of Fryars Monks and Nunnes in the eye and open view of the State and elsewhere and doe frequently exercise jurisdiction against his Majesties Subjects by authority derived from the See of Rome and by colour of teaching and keeping Schooles in their pretended Monasteries and Colledges doe train up the youth of this Kingdome in their superstitious Religion to the great derogation and contempt of his Majesties regall power and authority and great offence of many of his Majesties good Subjects contrary to the Lawes and Ecclesiasticall government of this Kingdome and the impoverishment of his Majesties Subjects in the same These are therefore to will and require and in his Majesties name straightly to charge and command all and all manner such pretended or titulary Archbishops Bishops Deanes Vicars generall Arch-deacons and others deriving any pretended authority power or jurisdiction from the See of Rome that they and every of them forbeare from henceforth to exercise any such power jurisdiction or authority within this Kingdome and that all such Abbots Pryors Jesuits Fryars Munks Nunnes and others of that sort as aforesaid doe forthwith break up their Convents in all houses of Fryars Colledges Monasteries and other places wheresoever they are or shall be conventually or collegiatly assembled together within this Kingdome and to relinquish the same and to disperse and separate themselves And that all and every of the Orders before named and other Priests whatsoever doe from henceforth forbeare to preach teach or celebrate their Service in any Church Chappell or other publike Oratory or publike place or to teach any School in any place or places whatsoever within this Kingdome And We doe further straightly charge and command all and singular the owners of such houses of Fryars Colledges Monasteries Schooles Oratories Masse-houses and Nunneries that they and every of them respectively in default of the persons before named their voluntary relinquishing of the said houses of Fryars Colledges Monasteries Schooles Oratories Masse-houses and Nunneries doe forthwith expell and thrust forth all and singular such Fryars Jesuits and other Monasticall persons out of the same and to convert the same to other more lawfull uses upon paine to have their said houses seized to his Majesties use and both the one and the other to be proceeded against for their unlawfull assemblies and maintainance of such unlawfull Conventicles and corrupt nurture of children in the severest manner that by the Lawes and Statutes of this Kingdome and Ecclesiasticall government of the same may be had or extended whereof they and every of them are to take notice and to veeld due obedience thereunto as they and every of them will avoid his Majesties high indignation and the consequence thereof Given at his Majesties Castle of Dublin the first day of Aprill 1629. Adam Loftus Canc. T. Baltinglasse Wil. Parsons Ja. Armachanus R. Dillon Rich. Bolton Hen. Valentia Ant. Midensis Dud. Norton Moâ—re Hen. Docwra Ad. Loftus Here we have a confitentem reum the Bi. himself under his own handwriting endorsed on this Proclamation justifying the Parlia Remonstrance to be true and his Answer to it a malicious slander to advance the Papists designes After which he had further intelligence from time to time by severall Letters and Papers out of Ireland elsewhere published at large of the dangerous growth encrease and insolencies of the Papists there notwithstanding this Proclamation and that there was a popish Hierarchy there exercised and University erected without controle We shall instance onely in two remarkable Letters written to him from Doctor Beadle Bishop of Kilmore and Ardagh found in his Study endorsed with his owne hand and read at the Lords Barre The first of them he thus endorseth April 1. 1630. From Doctor Beadle Lord Bishop of Kilmore and Ardagh about the state of the Church in his Diocesse and the Papists in Ireland Who writes thus thereof Right Reverend Father my Honourable good Lord SInce my comming to this place which was a little before Michaelmas till which time the setling of the State of the Colledge and my Lord Primates visitation deferred my consecration I have not been unmindful of your Lordships commands to advertise you as my experience should informe of the state of this Church which I shall now the better doe because I have been about my Diocesses and can set downe out of my knowledge and view what I shall relate and shortly to speak much ill matter in a few words it is very miserable The Cathedrall Church of Ardagh one of the most ancient in Ireland and said to be built by Saint Patrick together with the Bishop's house there downe to the ground the Church here built but without Bell or Steeple Font or Chalice The Parish Churches all in a manner rained or unroofed and unrepaired the people saving a few British planters here and there which are not the tenth part of the remnant obstinate Recusants a Popish Clergy more numerous by farre then we and in the full exercise of all jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall by their Vicars-generall and Officials who are so confident as they excommunicate those that come to our Courts even in Matrimoniall causes which affront hath been offered my selfe by the popish Primates Vicar-generall for which I have begun a processe against him the Primate himselfe lives in my Parish within two mile of my house the Bishop
about them Not to trouble you with proofes beyond contradiction of the Situation of Pagan and Iewish Altars in such sort that the Priests and people might goe stand and dance round about them We shall insist only hath the placing of Christian Altars and Lords Tables in this posture That these were thus generally placed in all Churches will appeare by these infallible Arguments First from the very defintion of a Quire which Isidor Hispalensis Orig. l. 6. c. 19. â—â—banus Maurus de Universo l. 5. c. 9. de Iustit Clericarum l. 1. c. 33. Amalarius Fortunatus de Ecclesi Officijs l. 3. c. 3. Durandus Rational Divin l. 1. c. 1. num 18. Durantus De Ritibus Eccles l. 1 c. 17 â—um 1. Bartholâ—maus Gavantus Comment in Rubricas Miss pâ—rs 1. Tit. 15. sect 2. Servius in Virgilium Aeâ—id l. 6. Calepine Galvin Eliot Molicks in their Lexicons and Dictionaries Tit. Chorus and others thus unanimously define Chorus est multitudo in sacris collecta dictus Chorus quod intitio IN MODVMCORONAECJRCA ARAS STARENT ita psallerâ—ut If then Quires had their denomination From the multitudes standing ROVND ABOVT THE ALTARS IN A RING or Circle and so singing then Altars certainly in the Primitive times were not rayled in against the Wall as of late they were but placed in the midst of the Quire in such sort that all the people might stand and go round about them singing The 2d Argument is drown from the formes of Prayers in ancient Liturgies and Missalls wherein the Priest standing at the Altar usually prayed Pro omnibus his CIRCVMSTANTJBVS and makes frequent mention Omnium CIRCVMSTANTIVM Mâ—â—ui tibi hoc Sacrificium landis offerunt For proofe whereof you may consult at leisure Canon Miss in Cassandri Lyturgica p. 21. 25. 61. 62. 65 66. 72. 94. Romriâ—s in 〈◊〉 l. 1. c. 66. Durandus Rationale Divinorum l. 4. c. 53. and Mr. Fox in his Acts and Monuments Edit ult vol. 3. p. 3. 11. Hence our old Saâ—en Canons prohibited a Priest to celebrate Masse alone upon this ground Esse â—nim debent qui ei CIRCVMSTENT quoe ille salutet a quibus ei respondantur 〈…〉 illi 〈◊〉 est ille Dominiens Sermo ubi cunque fuerint duo vel tres in nomine 〈…〉 illic sum ego IN MEDJO EORVM which is taken out of Gregory lib. Capitul c. 7. seconded by Regine De Eccles Officijs c. â—9 and Cassandre Liturgicaâ— 33. p. 8. Hence Gerardus Lerithicus de Missa Puel preroganda resolves thus Neque Canon Missa debet nimium tacitè legi sed expressa voce ut a CIRCVMSTANTIBVS posst â—â—diri percipi cum CIRCVMSTANTES 〈…〉 singular respondere Amen Now that all the people usually stood 〈◊〉 about the Altar in St. Chrysostomes daies is evident by two passages in his Operum Tom. 4. Edit 〈◊〉 Ducaei p. 82. 83. De Saâ—erdotio l. 3 6. where thus he writes O miracle He who sits at his Fathers right hand is at that very instant of time handled with the hands of all in the Sacrament of the Lords Table and this is done not by any juglings sed apertis circumspicientibus CIRCVMSTANTJVM OMNIVM Oâ—VLIS c. Multitudinem aspexisse Altare ipsum CJRCVMST ANTIVM and by his Homil. in Jsai 6. where he writes thus Dâ—st thou not think that the Angels stand Round about this dreadfull TABLE and COMPASSE IT ABOVT ON EVERY SIDE So Athanasius in the life of Anthony makes â—â—â—tion of Altarâ— Domini multorum 〈◊〉 CJRCVMâ—ATVM Gregory Naâ—â—â—nzen Oratio 21. blames such who intruded themselves unto the holy Misteries with 〈◊〉 hands CIRCVM SACRAMMENS 〈…〉 c. All which compared with that of the â— Councel of Constantinople Act. 1. That whiles the Dipâ—icks were reading the people with silence draw together ROVND ABOVT THE ALTAR and gave â—are Are infallible proofes that Altars and Lords Tables in the Primitive times and anciently in Popish Churches where generally so placed that all the people STOOD or might stand ROVND ABOVT THEM Therefore not rayled in Altarwayes against the Wall The 3d. Argument it taken from the 〈◊〉 of the Priests and Deacons going round about the Altar when they approached to it and standing round about it when they officiated In the Lyturgy attributed to St. Peter in the Lyturgy of Saint Iames in the Lyturgie attributed to St. Basil and St. Crysoâ—â—oma in the Aetheopâ—â—◠〈…〉 Missalls and the Missall of the Christians among the Indians the Priest when he approacheth to the Altar to officiate begins with this sentence of the Psalmist I will wash my hands in Jnnocency and so will I COMPASSE or go ROVND ABOVT THINE ALTAR And in the ancient Roman Order in Cassanders works p. 101. 102. 107. 112. 118. 119. I find these passages that Bishops when they officiated usually went round about the Altar and the Sub-Deacons stood behind it Tunc Acolyti vadunt dextra laevaque post Episcopu CIRCA ALTARE Subdiaconi finito officio vadunt RETRO ALTARE aspicientes Pontificem stantes erecti c. Dionysius Areopagita hath this passage Eccles Hierarch c. 3. CIRCVMSTANT autem eum soli cum Sacerdotibus Ministri selecti And Jsiodor Hispalensis de Ecclesiast Officijs l. 2. c. 8. with Concilium Aquisgran sub Ludovico Piâ— testify That Deacons heretofore CIRCA ARAM CHRISTI quasi columnae Altaris assistere it Most convincing proofes that Altars generally in all Churches stood a great distance from the Wall and were not Rayled in Altarwise against it but placed so that the Bishops Priests Decons might go and stand round about and behinde them The 4th Argument is deduced from the manner and forme of Bishops consecrating Altars prescribed used even among the Papists themselves in ancient and late times Durandus in his Rationale Divinorum l. 1. c. 7. num 15. informes us that the Bishop when he consecrates any new Altar Septies ALTARE CIRCVIT goes Round about it seaven times to signifie that he ought to take care for all and be vigilant for all which is signified per CIRCVITVM by this his going round about it which he could not do were it railed in against the Wall and not set some competent distance from it In the Roman Pontificall we finde the Bishop when he consecrates an Altar is to go round about it severall times Pontifex CIRCVIT TER ALTARE ad dextram CIRCVIT iterum semel Altare ad dextram CIRCVIT semel Altare ad sinistram Pontifex CIRCVIT Septies Tabulam Altaris aspergens eam c. CIPCVIT ter Altare CIRCVIT semel Altare An unanswerable evidence that even among the Papists themselves the Atars anciently stood generally in all places not Altarwise against the Wall as our Communion Tables were lately placed but a good distance from it neare the mid'st of the Church or Quire that the Bishops Priests People might stand and walke round about them 2ly We shall manifest it by expresse Authorities not to mention
any already cited which are punctuall St. Augustine de verbo Domini secundum Ioannem Serm. 42 saith Christus quotidie pascit Mensa ipsius est illa IN MEDIO constituta Yea Durandus Rationale Divinorum l. 1. c. 2. num 15. writes thus By the Altar out heart is signified which is in the Middest of the body as the Altar is in the middest of the Church And lib. 5. he gives this reason why the Priest turneth himselfe about at the Altar to wit to fullfill this Scripture IN MEDIO ECCLESIAE aperui os meum Gentianus Hervetus Genebrard describing the manner of the Greek Church at this day expresseth it thus In Graecorum Templis unum tantum est Altare idque IN MEDIO CHORO aut Presbyterio From these and the forecited authorities both forraigne and our owne Domesticke Divines of chiefest note resolve expresly That the Lords Tables and Altars in the primitive times till privat Masses were lately introduced stood in the middest of the Quire Church People who came round about them not at the East end of the Quire as of late they were placed This is in terminis affirmed by Hospinian De Origine Altarium c. 6. p. 135. by learned Phillip de Marâ—ix Tableau des Differens part 5. c. 6. p. 307. by the incomperable Lord Mornay De Missa l. 2. c. 1. p. 177. by eminent Peter Du Moulin in his Nauvante du Papisme Contr. 11. c. 17. 18. p. 1022 1026. and sundry other forraigne Protestants with whom our owne Divines accord we shall â—ite some few of their words very briefly In the yeare 1533 There was a short Treatise concerning the Lords Supper written as is supposed by our learned Martyr Mr. William Tyndall printed with his workes cum privilegio p. 476. 477. wherein he prescribes that the Bread and Wine should be set before the People IN THE FACE OF THE CHVRCH upon the Lords Table and that the Congregation should sit ROVND ABOVT IT according to the pure use of the Sacrament in the Apostles times Learned Martin Bucer sometimes Regins Professor of Divinity in the Vniversity of Cambridge in King Edward the 6. his Raigne in his Censure of our English Liturgie writes thus Jt appeares by the formes of the most ancient Temples and Writings of the Fathers that the Clergy stood in the MIDDEST of the TEMPLES which were for the most part round and out of that place did so administer the Sacrament to the People that they might plainly heare and understand the things there recited by them Eminent Bishop Jewell one of Queen Elizabeths Visitors in the first yeare of her Raigne when the Jnjunctions were made who had a principall hand in abolishing our Altars and placing Communion Tables as they formerly stood in his Authorised workes enjoyned to bee had and read in every Church affirmes and proves at large in sundry places by pregnant Authorities and reasons That the Holy Table and Altar in and among the primitive Christians and Fathers was not made of stone but wood and stood Not at the end of the Quire but in the Middest of the Church among the People who came round about it that it ought to be so placed producing the Authorities of Eusebius Augustine Durand the Councell of Constantinople and others to prove it Doctor Gervase Babington Bishop of Worcester in his comfortable Notes upon Exodus c. 22. 27. p. 275 in his folio workes writes and proves expresly That the Apostles and Primitive Fathers and Christians had no Altars but Communion Tables only made not of Stone but boards and removeable SET IN THE MIDDEST OF THE PEOPLE AND NOT PLACED AGAINST A WALL Our laborious Dr. William Fulke in his Answer of a true Christian to a counterfeit Catholike London 1577. Article 15. p. 55. 56. in his Confutation of the Rhemish Testament Notes on 1 Cor. 11. Sect. 18. on Hebr. 13. Sect. 6. and in his Defence against Gregory Martin c. 17. affirmes in direct words that the Altar and Lords Table anciently stood In the middest of the Quire or Church so at the Ministers Deacons and people might Stand round about it and not against a Wall as your Popish Altars now stand as is easiy to prove and hath often times bin proved and it seemes you confesse as much But so they cannot stand about your Altars except some of them stand on the top of the Wall or in the Window and Mr. Cartwright in his Notes on the Rhemish Testament on the 1 Cor. 11. Sect. 18. writes That in the premitive Church the Lords Table was situated IN THE MIDDEST OF THE CHVRCH AND PEOPLE not against a Wall Dr. Andrew Willet in his Synopsis Papismi the 9th Generall controversie Quest 6. Error 53. p 496. expostulates thus with the Papists for placing their Altars at the end of the Quire contrary to Antiquity Why bring they not their Altars down to the BODY OF THE CHVRCH we see no reason why the Communion Table may not be set In the body of the Church as well as in the Chancell if the place be more convenient and fit to receive the Communicants Learned Bishop Morton in his Institution of the Sacrament Edit 2. London 1635. l. 6. c. 5 Sect. 15. p. 462 writes That the Table of the Lord anciently stood in the middest of the Chancell So that they might Compasse it round which he proves by Eusebius Dionysius Areopagita Chrysostome Athanasins Augustin Lindan and Dr. Fulke yea Dr. Williams late Bishop of Lincolne now of Yorke in his Holy Table Name and thing asserts and proves the same at large for which this Arch-Pre ate fell foule upon him in the latter end of his Speech in Star-chamber If then all these Testimonies may be credited before the Archbishops bare affirmation neither Altars nor Lords Tables anciently stood Altarwise North South against the East end of the Quire in our own or other Churches as he falsely avers they did 3ly We shall evidence this by Presidents abroad at home For forraiegn Presidents In the famous Church of Tyre which surpassed all others in Phaeniciâ— for its splendor built in the time of Constantine the Great the Altar was placed in the MIDDEST as Eusebius Ecclesia Hist. l. 10. c. 4. records in expresse termes Altarique denique tanquam Sancto Sanctorum IN MEDIO SANCTV ARII SITO c. It is storied by Socrates Scolasticus Ecclesiast Hist l. 5. c. 22 and Nicephorus Ecclesiast Hist l. 12. c. 34. That in the great Church of Antioch in Syria the Altar stood not to the East but towards the west part of the Church Sacra Ara non ad Orientem sed ad Occidentem versus collata fuerat And so not Altarwise as this Archbishop pretend Wâ—llafridus Strabus de Râ—bus Ecclesiastis l. 4. c. 19. records That in the Temples only built to God or clensed from the filthinesse of Idols the Altars were placed towards divers climates according to the conveniency of
meere art to deterre others from opposing his Graces Popish Innovasions the only prosecutor appearing against him And his shaking up or menacing of his advocate an unlawfull act to discourage him from making any defence and subject his Client to a censure Therefore inexcusable 3ly The main Article against Mr. Burkit was only for his and the Church-wardens removing of the Table when the Sacrament was administred into the body of the Church without the rayles according to the Rubrick Queene Elizabeths Injunctions and the 28. Canon the other Articles being but frivilous not insisted on And for this he was molested in the High Commission yea a traditio Satana a turning over of him to Sir John Lamb pronounced against him who used him like a Lyon a Wolfe in a Lambes Skin 4ly For the Churchwardens of Beckingtons most severe illegall harbarous prosecution we have proved by the deposition of Mr. Iohn Ash a Member of the Commons House that the Archbishop himselfe since his Imprisonment in the Tower confessed that Bishop Pâ—â—res their Diocesâ—n did do nothing herein but by his direction If therefore the rule in Law bee true Plus peccat Author 〈◊〉 Actor he must be far more guilty both of their prosecution Excommunication and heart-breaking submission then Bishop Peirce his Instrument 5ly For Ferdinando Adams he was excommunicated in the Archbishops name by Mr. Dade his Surrogate and this Excommunication pleaded in Barre of his Bill in Starchamber The processe Pursivants sent out to apprehend him and the imprisonment of his Attorney till he withdrew his 〈◊〉 were all by the Archbishops procurement His shutting Bishop VVrens Visitors out of the Church at Jpsmich unlesse they derived their Authority by Letters Patens from the King was warranted by the Statut of 1 Eliz. c. 1. Therefore his prosecution only for his duty and allegeance to the King against the Bishops disloyall incroachments was most unjust and disloyall 6ly Iohn Premly was not prosecuted by Sir Nathaniell Brent but by the Archbishop himselfe for opposing his order in the Metropoliticall Visitation in removing the Lords Table placed Altarwise to the place and posture wherein it formerly stood for which he was fined censured imprisoned in the High Commission where the Archbishop sate chiefe Iudge against all Law and Iustice his act being no contempt nor offence in Law but the Archbishops order by Sir Nathaniell Brent his Visitor and Dr. Nevells act a contempt against Law and Canon 7ly Mr. Sherfield was prosecuted principally by the Archbishops procurement for demolishing according to Law an Idolatrous blasphemous false Image of God the Father which was openly Idolized Hee was then a Justice of Peace Recorder of Sarum and had the Warrant of the whole Vestry wherein were six or seaven Iustices of Peace at that time to demolish this Image and take downe the whole Window which all the Kings Subjects and Iustices of Peace especially have authority to demolish by the Statutes of 3. Ed. 6. c. 10. 3. Iac. c. 5. The Book of Homilies and Queene Elizabeths Injunctions n. 23. within their severall Parishes without any speciall order from King or Bishop yea God himselfe gives speciall Commands not only to the supreame Majestrate but to the Common People also to destroy Idolls 〈◊〉 Jmages and Altars Exod. 34 13. 14. Deut. 7. 5. c. 12. 1. 2. â— Isay 17. 78. In pursuance of which commands not only King Asa 2 Chron. 14. 3. King Hezechiah 2 Kings 18. 4. King Manassâ—h 2. Chron. 33. 15. King Josiah and his people a Chron. 34. to â— demolished and brake in peeces Idolatrous Altars and Jmages but likewise ALL THE PEOPLE of the Land went into the House of Baal and brake it downe Altars and Jmages brake they in peeces and â—low Matâ—an the Priest of Baal before the Altars 2 Kings 11. 1â— without any speciall Warrant or command from King Iehoâ—sh or Iehoâ—ada which the Holy Ghost records for their honour yet were they never questioned or fined in Starchamber for it because they had no warrant from either of them â—â— after King Hezechiah his Passeover the Scripture expresly records 2 Chron. 30 13. 14. c. 31. 1. That ALL ISRAEL that were present went out to the Cities of Iudah and brake the Images in peeces and cut downe the groves and threw downe the High places and Altars out of all Iudah and Benjamin in Ephraim also and Manassith untill they had utterly distroyed them all which is recorded to their Eternall honour by God himselfe nor were they ever questioned or fined for a Riot in any Starchamber or High Commission or for going out of their owne limits or doing this without a speciall Commission from the King Therefore Mr. Sherfield being a publike Majestrate both as a Iustice or Peace and Recorder of Sarum might much more by the whole Vestries Order demolish this Idolatrous Picture in his owne Parish Church in such a privat manner as he did without blame or censure having sufficient authority from these Texts and Presidents of Scripture and from the forecited Statutes and Injunctions to warrant it every man in such a case being a lawfull Majestrate without any speciall warrant Thus the common people in Girmany and else where in the beginning of Reformation brake downe the Popish Images and Altars without any speciall Order from the Superior or Inferior Magistrates as Mr. Fox and others record And therefore his Doctrine of the Archbishops that it is unlawfull to break downe the very Image and Temple of Iupiter and Esculapius where the Divell himselfe was worshiped without the speciall command of the supreame Magistrate is a most impious Paradox for if the supreame Magistrate will give no such command these Idols Devills shall still be to erated worshiped to Gods dishonour and Religions slander in despite of all the people and inferior Magistrates As for the place of Eusebius it only proves that Idolatrous Statues Images Temples were demolished by the Emperor Constantines speciall command but that the Christians under him might not lawfully have defaced them without such a speciall command especially after a Generall Statute and Edicts published by him for their demolishing without being lyable to a seveer censure the only thing in question is no wayes warranted by nor deducible from Eusebius nor Saint Augustine Yea had Mr Sherfields zeale out-run his discretion in this act it deserved rather applause then censure from a Protestant Prelate yet this Bishop was so far from excusing extenuating that hee aggravated his pretended offence beyond all bounds of Law Iustice Conscience pleaded as zealously for the lawfullnesse of Images in Churches and of this abominable Idoll of God the Father as the Pope himselfe could have dont yea he abused Master Sherfeild in his speech and censured him with the highest though a Bishop when some temporall Lords excused yea acquitted him And though this censure was not his alone but carried by the Major voyce yet his voyce Speech violence occasioned and aggravated it For his
have seene such a sight that our owne Ministers and Popish Priests should thus repaire one after another into the Kings Chappell and use the selfe-same bowings gestures to the Altar and Crucifix as if they were both agreed Whereunto the Papist presently answered there is no such odds and difference betweene you and us as is conceived which one of the Semenary Priests over-hearing used the like words adding further Gentlewoman you need not wonder at our bowing and kuteling to the Altar and Crucifix for you see that Ministers of your owne Coate and Religion doe the like and so they departed Now what a Capitall Crime Treason this is for an Archbishop intrusted with the care of Religion to bring in such Crucifixes Ceremonies Innovations into his Majesties owne royall Chapell as should invite even his Majesties Chaplaines and Popish Semenary Priests thus openly and promiscously to resort into it to commit Idolatry with them and there to use the very selfe same bowings adorations to the Altar Crucifix as Priests themselves usually exercised and openly upbraid us with to the great offence and scandall of his Majesties Protestant Subjects was humbly submitted to the saddest consideration of his Iudges and all that heard this evidence 3. ly We shall next follow this Romish Fox from White-Hall to Westminster Abby where in Ianuary 1625. he exercised the Office of Doane of Westminster at his Maiesties Coronation putting Bishop Williams then reall Dean thereof from this Royall service incident to his place In this solemnity of high concernment we shall give you a short information what he did with reference only to Popish superstition and Innovation In generall he compiled the forme of his Majesties Coronation different from that of K. Edward the 6th and King Iames inserting some prayers Ceremonies into it out of the Roman Pontificall That himselfe compiled it appeares by his owne Diary and the originall Coppy corrected with his owne hand of which hereafter in its proper place In particular First he caused all the Râ—brickes in this New forme of Coronation to be written in red Letters as they are in the Roman Pontificall para 1. p. 163. c. whereas all formet manuscripts of Coronations found in his Study were written onely with black Inke as appeared by the Bookes themselves writ in times of Popery since and by Master Prynnes attestation who perused them all 2ly He specially inserted this Note into the Margin of the Coronation Booke All this Vnction was performed IN FORMA CRVCIS AND THE OLD CRVCIFIX among the Regalia STOOD ON THE ALTAR of which no mention â—â— made in the Coronation of K. Edward the 6th or King James Which forme of anointing the King after the forme of a Crosse is directly taken out of the Roman Pontificall parts De Benedictione Coronatione Regis p. 167. Post hoc Metropolitanus intinget pollic â—â—â— dextrea manus in 〈…〉 INVNGIT IN MODVM CRVCIS illius brachium dexterum c. And that the old Crosse used only in times of Popery should it this royall solemnity be placed on the high Altar among the Kings Regalia as its usuall in forraigne Popish Cathedralls and Altars if we may credit Ceremoniale Episcoporum and the severall Portraitures in it was a sad Omen at the consecration of a Protestant King to inure if not enamor him with such Popish superstitions in the very begining of his reigne 3ly The Oyle wherewith he was anointed as appeares by the marginall Notes was solemnly consecrated by a Bishop which Consecration of the Oyle is a meere Popish Relique as appeares by Pontificale Romanâ— de Benedictione Coronatione Pegis Thomas Beacons Reliques of Rome Bochellus Decreta Eccles Gal. l. 5. Tit. 2. l. 2. Tit. 6. 4ly He inserted divers Prayers into the forme of the Kings Coronation taken verbatim out of the Roman Pontificall Among others this ensuing Prayer which you shall finde in Latine in the Roman Pontificall p. 171. used at the Kings inthronization after his unction tending to the advancing of the Bishops and Clergy above the Laity Stand and hould fast from henceforth the place to which you have beene heire by the succession of your Forefathers being now delivered unto you by the Authority of the Almighty God and by the hands of us and all the Bishops and servants of God and as you see the Clergy to come nearer to the Altar then others so remember that in places convenient you give them greater Honour That the mediatour of God and man may establish you in the Kingly Throne to be the mediator betwixt the Clergy the Laitie and that you may reigne for ever with Iesus Christ the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who with the Father the holy Ghost liveth reigneth for ever Amen 4ly Popish Master Iohn Cosens as appeares by the Marginall Notes when the Prayers appointed for the Coronation were there read kneeled behinde the Bishops giving direction to the Quire when to answer acting the Office of the Master of Ecclesiasticall Ceremonies whose Office you may read at large described in Caeremeniale Epescoporum Lib. 1. c. 5. p. 19. De Officio Magistrarum Caremoniarum 5ly After the Coronation ended this Archbishop voluntarily of his own accord offered the Kings Regalia on the Altar in a Popish manne without any Rubricke or direction as appeares by this passage in his Diary written with his owne hand Feb. 2. 1625. Solemnbus fiuitis in â—â—ield magis Westâ—con quum tradidit mihi in manus Regalia quae in Ecclesia B. Petri Westâ—â—on servantur de novo dedis Gladium Cortanam dictum duos alos qui coram Reeâ— eo die deferbantur ut servarâ—utur cum reliquis infignibus in Ecclesiam Redij ET AD ALTARE SOLENNITER Oâ—TVLI NOMINE REGIS cum alijs reposui Certainly had this Archprelate beene inflamed with any such extraordinary reale to the Protestant Religion as he pretended he would not have introduced so many Popish Caeremonies out of the Roman Pontificall into his Majesties solemne Coronation but utterly excluded them out of the form of Coronation he then compiled Ex Cauda Draconem you may take a scanding of this Dragon by his Taile who endeavoured to poyson his Majesty as much as in him lay with Romish superstitions in his very Inauguration to his Crowne the sad effects whereof we have since experimentally discerned to our sorow and greatest griefe 4ly We shall in the next place follow this little Fox in his Romish Procession from Westminster to our two famous Vniversities of Oxford and Cambridge whose Christall Fountaines he extraordinarily poysoned with Popish superstitions Innovations Caeremonies of all 〈◊〉 and in them our Church and State Before this pragmaticall Arch-Prelates advancement to be a Prime Favorite in Court and supreame Comptroller of all Ecclesiasticall affaires in our Church our Universities had neither Crucifixes nor Jmages nor Altars nor bowing to Altars nor Copes nor Latine service nor any
therefore some publike censure ought to passe upon them the Books thus seized to be openly burnt else they would in a few monthes be sold openly againe to corrupt the people and no satisfaction at all given for this foule offence to the Church of England which Archbishop Abbot confessed to be true and said he would take some Order in it but by this Bishops power there was nothing more done against the Licenser Compiler or Booke which soone after was as publikely sold as if it had neverbeene called in to the perverting of many in their judgments who knew not of this grand Imposture now publikly discovered at the Lords Barre by all the forementioned books themselves there produced and the testimony of Master Prynne upon Oath seconded by the Stationers booke of entries and the testimonies of Master Sparke and Master Walley Doctor Martin for this good service was presently after by this Bishop advanced to a great living and likewise to the headship of Queenes Colledge in Cambridge instead of other punishment Master Prynne for his paines in derecting this fraudulent dealing of the Bishop and his Chaplaine by way of revenge was soone after by this Bishops meanes imprisoned in the Tower and most severely censured in the Starre-Chamber for his Booke called Histrianastix though Licensed by Authority in which he made some mention of this imposture concealed from the most so fatall was it in those times for any man out of Conscience or publike ends to oppose the Bishops Arminian designes such a Stirrop to mount up to preferments to advance them After this the Archbishops Chaplaine Doctor Haywood on the 26. of August 1634 licensed Booke intituled Collectiones Theologica writ by Thomas Chune and Dedicated to the Archbishop of Canterbury himselfe in which hee justified the Arminian Errors and the Church of Rome to be a true Church whereof there were two Impressions in one yeare yet neither the Author nor Booke once questioned though publikely complained of by Doctor Bastwicke at his Censure in the High-Commission where the Archb. openly justified it In the yeares 1636. and 1639. the Arminian Errors were defended by Bishop Mountague in print in his Pars. 1. 2. Originum Ecclesiasticarum Gods Love to mankinde and by sundry others without controle On the contrary Doctor Twisse his Booke in answer of Arminius though writ in Latine was refused License by the Bishop and his Arminian Chaplaines Bray and Baker and his answers to Doctor Jackson and the Arminian Pamphlet intituled Gods love to Mankind suppressed some Lectures of Bish Davenant and Sermons of Doctor Clerke against the Arminians were likewise stopped at the Presse and not suffered to be printed with their other Lectures and Sermons What Bookes against Mountague and the Arminians were called in suppressed and the Authors Printers Dispersers of them severely prosecuted in the High-Commission in the Yeares 1628. and 1629 Wee have already evidenced Only wee shall informe you or one or two Presidents more of later date Doctor George Downham Bishop of Derry in Ireland publishing a Booke in that Kingdome against the Arminians and the Totall and finall Apostacie of the Saints from Grace about the Yeare 1630. Some of them comming over into England Bishop Laud caused a strict Letter to be written in his Majesties name to Abbot Archbishop of Canterbury for the calling in and suppressing it within the Realme of England where it was accordingly seized on and another Letter to Doctor Vsher Archbishop of Armagh for the suppressing and seizing thereof in the Realme of Ireland Which was manifested by the Docket Booke in the signet Office where entreyes of those Letters are made in Aug. 1631. and by this Letter of Bishop Vsher to Bishop Laud found in his study at Lambheth indorsed with his owne hand and arrested by Master Prynne which fully discovers that hee was the sole or principall occasion of his Majestices Letters for calling in this Booke which hee seconded with his owne Letter to Bishop Vsher for that purpose who returned this answer to him My most honoured Lord THe 8th of October I received your Letters of the 22. of August c. The last part of your Lordships Letter concerneth the Bishop of Derryes Book for the calling in whereof the 15th day of October I received His Majesties Letters dated at Woodstocke the 24. of August whereupon I presently sent out warrants and caused all the Bookes that were left unsent into England to be seized upon What did passe heretofore in the Presse at Dublin I had no eye unto because it was out of my province and the care J supposed did more properly belong unto my brother of Dublin But seeing His Majestic hath been pleased to impose that charge upon me I will God willing take order that nothing hereafter shall be published contrary unto His Majesties sacred direction It seemeth Your Lordship did conceive that my Lord of Derryes booke came out since the Historie of Gotteschalchus whereas it was published above halfe a yeare before whereby it came to passe that all the Coppies almost both in Ireland and England were dispersed before the Prohibition came forth The matter is not new as Your Lordship hath rightly observed but was long since preached in Saint Pauls Church when Doctor Bancroft was your Lordships Predecessour in that See at which time the Treatise of Perseverance was to have beene published with Doctor Downams Lectures upon the 15th Psalme at as the very end of that Booke is partly intimated And in the History of Gotteschalchus Your Lordship may see your owne observation fully verefied that after Prelates had written against Prelates and Synods against Synods these things could have no end untill both sides became weary of contending But sure I am I have made Your Lordship weary longere this and therefore it is high time now to end Therefore craving pardon for that prolixitie I humbly take leave and rest Your Honours faithfull Servant Iace Armachanus Droghe da Novemb. 8. 1631. By this Letter it is apparent that this Prelate whiles Bishop of London exercised a kind of Patriarchicall Jurisdiction for suppressing all Orthodox Bookes against the Arminians both in England and Ireland and that his commands in this kinde were punctually executed by those Archbishops in both Kingdomes who should have most stoutly opposed his Arminian Innovations About the Palsgraves first comming into Engl. An. 1635. there was a Book printed intituled the Palsgraves Religion containing the sum of the Religion professed in the Palatinate Churches translated out of a printed Latine Coppy which Archbishop Laud caused to bee strictly called in and suppressed only because it glanced at the Arminian Errors and bowing at the Name of JESUS as not warranted by Phil. 29. 10. which was proved by the testimonies of Master Prynne Michaell Sparke Senior and others What policies besides the forementioned Royall Declaration and Proclamation this Arch-Prelate contrived and practised to suppresse all preaching against Armianisme in the
of Stationers upon paine that every Printer offending therein shall be for ever hereafter disabled to use or exercise the Art of Mysterie of Printing and receive such further punishment as by this Court or the high Commission Court respectively as the severall causes shall require shall be thought fitting That all other Bookes whether of Divinity Phisick Philosophie Poetry or what soever shall be allowed by the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury or Bishop of London for the time being or by their appointment or the Chancellours or Vice-Chancellors of either of the Vniversities of this Realme for the time being Alwayes provided that the Chancellour or Vice-Chancellour of either of the Vniversities shall Licence only such Booke or Bookes that are to be printed within the limits of the Vniversities respectively but not in London or else where not medling either with Bookes of the common Law or matters of State 5. Item That every Merchant of bookes and person and persons whatsoever which doth or hereafter shall buy import or bring any booke or bookes into this Realme from any parts beyond the Seas shall before such time as the same booke or bookes or any of them be delivered forth or out of his or their hand or hands or exposed to sale give and present a true Catalogue in writing of all and every such booke and bookes unto the Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury or Lord Bishop of London for the time being upon paine to have and suffer such punishment for offending herein as by this Court or by the said high Commission Court respectively as the severall causes shall require shall be thought fitting 6. Item That no Merchant or other person or persons whatsoever which shall import or bring any booke or bookes into the Kingdome from any parts beyond the Seas shall presume to open any Dry. Fat 's Bales Packes Maunds or other Fatdalls of Bookes or wherein Bookes are nor shall any Searcher Wayter or other Officer belonging to the Custome House upon paine of loosing his or their place or places suffer the same to passe or to be delivered out of their hands or custody before such time as the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterb. or Bishop of London or one of them for the time being have appointed one of their Chaplaines or some other Learned man with the Master and Wardens of the Company of Stationers or one of them and such others as they shall call to their assistance to bee present at the opening thereof and to view the same And if there shall happen to be found any seditious schismaticall or offensive Booke or Books they shall forthwith be brought unto the said Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Bishop of London for the time being or one of them or to the High Commission Office to the end that as well the Offender or Offenders may be punished by the Court of Starre-Chamber or the High Commission Court respectively as the severall causes shall require according to his or their demerit as also that such further course may bee taken concerning the same Booke or Bookes as shall be thought fitting It is further Ordered and Decreed that no Merchant Bookseller or other person or persons whatsoever shall imprint or cause to be imprinted in the parts beyond the Seas or elsewhere nor shall import or bring nor willingly assist or consent to the importation or bringing from beyond the Seas into this Realme any English Bookes or part of bookes or bookes whatsoever which are or shall be or the greater or more part whereof is or shall be English or of the English tongue whether the same Booke or Bookes have beene here formerly printed or not upon paine of the forfeiture of all such English Bookes so imprinted or imported and such further censure and punishment as by this Court or the said High Commission Court respectively as the severall causes shall require shall be thought meet 18. Item That no person or Persons doe hereafter reprint or cause to reprinted any booke or bookes whatsoever THOUGH FORMERLY PRINTED WITH LICENCE without being revived and a new Licence obtained for the reprinting thereof Alwayes provided that the Stationer or Printer be put to no other charge hereby but the bringing and leaving of two printed Copies of the Booke to be printed as is before expressed of written Copies with all such additions as the Author hath made XXIV Item The Court doth hereby declare their firme resolution that if any person or persons that is not allowed Printer shall hereater presume to set up any Presse for printing or shall worke at any such Presse or set or Compose any Letters to be wrought by any such Presse he or they so offending shall from time to time by the Order of this Court be set in the Pillory and Whipt through the Citie of London and suffer such other punishment as this Court shall Order or thinke fit to inflict upon them upon Complaint or proofe of such offence or offences or shall be otherwise punished as the Court of High Commission shall think fit and is agreeable to their Commission XXV Item That for the better discoverie of printing in Corners without Licence The Master and Wardens of the Company of Stationers for the time being or any two Licensed Master Printers which shall be appointed by the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury or Lord Bishop of London for the time being shall have power and Authority to take unto themselves such assistance as they shall thinke needfull and to search what Houses and Shoppes and at what time shall thinke fit especially Printing Houses and to view what is in Printing and to call for the Licence to see whether it be Licensed or no and if not to seize upon so much as is printed together with the severall Offenders and to bring them before the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury or the Lord Bishop of London for the time being that they or either of them may take such further Order therein as shall appertaine to Justice The Archbishop and his Confederates having accroached by coulour of this Decree the sole power of the Presse into their hands which they usurped without any such pretext of Authority long before the passing thereof began after the Popish guife in imitation of the Pope and Popish Inquisitors First to prohibit the re-printing and sale of sundry Orthodox Bookes formerly printed and sold by Authority of which we shall give you sundry notable instances One of the first Books we find prohibited by the Popish Prelates in England in King Henry the 8. his Reigne was the Bible and New Testament in English of Tyndallâ— translation and all other English Bibles and Testaments having any Annotations or Preambles which were ordered to bee out and blotted out of the said Bibles and Testaments in such sort as they could not bee perceived or read under paine of forfeiting 40s for every such Bible with Annotations or preambles as you may read in the Statute of 34. and 35. H. 8.
shall hisse them out of countenance neither can they shelter themselves under the examples of other Churches in France and Netherlands c. Since necessity hath long agoe cast them into that condition which these men after establishment in the right forme have wilfully drawn upon themselves with an impetuous exclusion of a setled government And certainly my Lord me thinkes there should be a kinde of necessity in this course since not some few but the whole Church of Scotland hath thus broken out into Schisme and shamed both it selfe and the Gospell and without some timely prevention the mischiefe may yet grow further whereas this way it may be at the least choakingly convinced and seasonably checked Neither neede the charge hereof be great to his Majesties coffers since the burthen of the Commissioners may be layd upon the severall Diocesse from whence they are sent Your Grace sees whither my zeal hath carried me If I have been to bold and forward in thus presuming I humbly crave the pardon of your Grace which hath been extended to greater errours I hope a good heart will excuse all the best wishes whereof are truely vowed and duly paid to your Grace By your Graces in all faithfull Observance to Command JOS. EXON Exon. Pal. Sept. 28. Which Letter was thus directed To the most Reverend and most Honourable my singular good Lord My Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury his Grace Primate of all England and Metropolitan Chancellor of Oxford and one of the Lords of his Majesties most honourable Privy Councell present these And thus endorsed by the Arch-Bishops own hand Dat. Sept. 28. Received Octob. 1629. B. of Exon. Dr. Hall To move for a Generall Councell of all his Majesties Dominions to settle the Scottish Schisme What was done upon this Letter and how the Arch-Bishop tooke occasion from it to engage Bishop Hall to write in defence of Episcopall Superiority by Divine Right and Institution will appear by the Bishops next Letter to this Arch-Prelate the Originall whereof we have under Bishop Halls own hand and Seale May it please your Grace I Was not only glad but almost proud of your Graces acceptance of my poor but bold motion which that it found favour in his Majesties eyes upon your Graces recommendation was as much above my hope as above the possibility of my thankfulnesse I do most humbly rest in the grounds of his Majesties most wise and just resolution although that which I propounded was not in any ayme at the Reclamation of those stiffe Spirits but at their conviction and shaming together with the satisfaction and setling of any distempered or wavering minds of any contentious person at home or abroad But since it hath pleased his Majestie to lay aside that thought I am most submissively silent As for that motion which comming from your Graces hand is no lesse in my construction then a command of my undertaking this great taske of writing a satisfactory discourse in this subject I beseech your Grace to give me leave to say it doth too much overvalue me If your Grace did but know my great weakenesse so well as I know my little strength your Grace would not have singled me out for so high and noble an undertaking I confesse in an holy zeale to the cause no man shall outstrip me in abilities too many yet since it hath pleased your Grace to honour me so farre as to thinke mee capable and worthy of such an imployment I shall most gladly without prejudice to any more able paines endeavour my best this way But would your Grace bee pleased to give mee leave to suggest another Motion I thinke I should intimate that which would not a little advance the successe of this great service Single labours will be easily passed over with neglect what will the Vulgar bee more apt to say then This is but one Doctors judgement Vis unita fortior Might it therefore please your Grace to single out and Empannell a whole Jury of learned Bishops and Divines to joyne together in this subject it could not choose but sway much with the world And since I have taken the boldnesse to move so farre will your Grace give mee leave out of the zealous intention of my thoughts upon the speede of this notable service to propound some further specialty If therefore in Ireland the Lord Primate the Bishop of Kilmore the Bishop of Downe and Conner men as your Grace best knowes of singular note in the Church Heere at home my Lord Bishop of Durham and Bishop of Salisbury and if your Grace shall thinke mee worthy to come in the arreare of these great and famous Prelates I shall not faile of my best With them the Professors and some other eminent Doctors in the name of both Universities and three or foure of the Bishops and Doctors of Scotland shall be enjoyned by your Grace to expresse their judgements fully concerning these two Heads of Episcopacy and Lay Prebytery and to Print them together It will bee a worke that will carry in it such authority and satisfaction as will give great contentment to the world and carry in it a strong rebuke of the Aversaries And if your Graces reason and resolution should so lead you as to bee seene in the head of this Learned Squadron the worke would beare not much lesse sway then if it were a Synodicall Act Neither would I wish that each of these should write a Volume of this matter but succinctly though fully and clearly declare themselves in these particulars with such evidence of Scripture Antiquity and Reasons as may most convince But whether these be done in Thesi or Hypothesi whether in way of Paroenesis or Apology or reproofe I humbly submit to your Graces judgement and direction I beseech your Grace pardon this well-meant presumption and make account of the dayly Devotions of Your Graces in all faithfull observance to Command Jos. Exon. Exon. Pal. Oct. 12. 1639. After I had sent away my Letters of complaint concerning Coxe the man came to me and upon our second and third conference began to relent and finding that I had sent up his Sermon to your Grace resolved to wait voluntarily upon your Grace so as I hope your Grace shall at once heare of his offence and submission If so a free and publike recantation would doe more good here then his exorbitance hath done hurt he hath been usque ad invidiam conformable and is a sufficient Scholler and of unblameable conversation otherwise I humbly leave him to your Graces either justice or mercy or both J. E. This Letter was thus Superscribed To the most Reverend Father in God my ever most honoured Lord my Lord Archbishop of Canterbury his Grace Primate of all England and Metropolitane Chancellor of Oxford and one of the Lords of his Majesties most Honourable Privie Counsell present these And thus Endorsed with the Archbishops owne hand Rec. Oct. 16. 1639. The Bishop of Exeter That more then one
c. Fides sine operibus non justificat 1 Cor. 13. 2. Gal. 5. 6. c. Jejunii meritum Jerem. 35. 14. 19. Iejunatur pro mortuis 1 Schem 31. 13. Imagines jussit Deus fieri Exod. 25. 18. Impositio manus in Sacramento ordinis confirmationis Actor 6. 6. Iusti verè in hac vita Luke 1. 6. c. Iustificatio qua quis ex justo fit justior ascribitur boxis operibus Rom. 2. 13. Iustificatio impij non solum fidei ascribitur sed etiam aliquatenus alijs virtutibus vt spei Rom. 8. 23. Penitentiae operibus Jech 18. 21. 22. Math. 3. 2. and Luke 7. c. Liberum arbitrium etiam post lapsum in homine mansit Gen. 4. 7. Librum arbitrium Co-operatur gratiae Dei 1 Schem 7. 3. c. Matrimonium cujus rei sacramentum Eph. 5. 32. c. Confert Gratiam et sanctificationem 1 Thes 4. 4. Operum merita retributio seu merces Psal 119. 112. c. Opera bona Deo grata sunt praemium merentur Gen. 4. 4. 7. c. Operari benè propter mercedem retributionem licitum est Psal 119. 112. Mat. 5. 12. Non in quolibet opere homo peccat 2 Pet. 1. 10. c. Ordinum sacramentum Joha 20. 22. Peccatum sacerdos remittit authoritate Divinâ Math. 18. 18. c. Petrus primus Apostolorum Math. 10. 2. Quadrage simalis Iejunij exemplum Mosche Exod. 24. 18. c. Reliquiae vestes sanctorum quam vim a Deo habeant quidne per eas operatur Deus vt pallium Elijae 2 Reg. 2. 14. Vmbra Christi Mat. 9. 20. Revelationes visiones Jehos 6. 1. Sacrificium Novi Testamenti appellatur Iugis cultus Dan. 11. 31. Celebrabitur donec veniat dominus 1 Cor. 11. 26. Sancti etiam defuncti rectè â nobis laudantur Joh. 12. 26. In sanctis suis Deus laudatur Psal 151. 1. c. Scriptura difficilis intellectu 2 Pet. 3. 16. Nec omnia scriptis Apostoli mandarunt John 20. 30. All these with sundry other Popish Doctrines were conteined in this Index Biblicus bound up with our Protestant Bibles to pervert the Scriptures seduce the Readers and make the very Bible itselfe as much as in them lay the very Patron and Propagator of Popery Now what more desperate project could there be to undermine our established Religion and set up Popery then this to corrupt the very Scriptures themselves by annexing such a pernicious Index to them A crime so transcendently execrable in an Arch-Prelate intrusted with the greatest care of our Religion as no tongue is able to expresse its detestablenesse to the full no punishment great enough to expiate its guilt Wee have represented you with an Epitome of the severall Popish Doctrines printed and authorized of late yeares in our Church by the Archbishop himself his Chaplaines and Instruments and could have furnished you with infinite others of this kinde but because Master Bayly in his Canterburians selfe-conviction the last Edition hath collected and published most of them already to the world where the studious may praise them at their leisure and we desire rather to satisfie then surfet or tyre out the Reader with instances of this nature we shall passe them by in silence onely with this knowne experimentall observation That all kindes of Popish Arminian Doctrines were ever more bold and frequent in our Pulpits throughout the Realme then in our Presses especially in our Vniversities and the Kings owne Chappell a truth so universally knowne to all so plentifully manifested to the world in Mr. Whites first Century of scandalous and malignant Priests that to prove it by witnesses or Inductions of particulars would be to light a Candle to the sunne and wast much precious time in proving that which no impartiall intelligent man so much as doubts of but knowes most true of his owne wofull experience Fourthly having given you this large account of what popish doctrines and positions both himselfe his Chaplaines Agents printed authorized to corrupt the peoples judgement we shall next present you with a large English Index Expurgatorius of what passages he and they expunged out of sundry English Writers tendered them to license before they could passe the Presse which will most clearly discover his and their Jesuiticall practises confederacies and designes to introduce the whole body of Popery among us with little or no opposition We shall begin with purgations of this nature made by the Bishop himselfe some of them before he had any publike authority to license Books but most of them after he usurped this power all of them so remarkable that all Protestant Churches Readers will stand amazed at them The first we shall instance in is his purgations made in Doctor Sibthorps Sermon preached at Northampton Assizes before the Judges in the yeere 1627. intituled Apostolicall Obedience the whole scope of this Sermon was to justifie The lawfulnesse of the generall Loane then set on foot by the Kings ill Councellours to keep off Parliaments and of the Kings imposing publike Taxes by his owne regall power without consent in Parliament and to prove that the people in poynt of conscience and religion ought cheerfully to submit to such Loanes and Taxes without any opposition To sweeten this sower theame the Doctor had cunningly inserted some popular passages into this Sermon against evill Counsellours the toleration of Papists Popery and the prophanation of the Sabbath which this Bishop who procured this Sermon of his to be printed expunged with his owne hand as was evidenced by the Originall written Copy found in his Study produced at the Lords Barre and attested by Master Prynne The first passage he expunged was this When not onely the Emperour extirpates the Protestants in Bohemia where he profest it and Baveir in the Palatinate where he hath a pretext of revenge for it or the Spaniard and Arch-dutchesse in their Dominions where the Jesuits make it a case of Conscience but even the King of France not onely at Rochel and Mountabon but also in other his confines and when the Pope unites all these in a holy League what may we expect will become of Brittaine if like that wise King in the Gospell ours sends not out whilest the enemies are yet a farre off you know how speedily this Iland hath been overrunne with but a few being once entred and our Ilands are not now better fortified The next was this He that Disturbs the State and drawes the Prince to ill is to undergoe what he intended to others as Haman and his complices for their plot against the Jewes Ester 7 8 9. chapters He that under pretence of honour to the King is an enemy to Religion should suffer for a Seducer as those betrayers of the Prophet Dan. 6. 4. to 25. It is probable that this Bishop being then newly made a Privy-Counsellour and putting the King upon pernicious and illegall projects to the disturbance of the State
it seems for he doubted of hell of the resurrection and of God surely Gregory the IX was none he called Christ an Imposter Yet the Pope pretends Christ's name titles himself by him will be Christ's Vicar beare Christ's name above all men affect Christs titles above all men his attribute of Holinesse Men on earth Saints in Heaven are but called holy Peter is no more his Predecessor sanctus Petrus Christ's Mother is no more sancta Maria holy Peter holy Mary God's selfe rests in it too every person holy Father sayes Christ John 17. The sonne sanctus Dei God's holy one Mark 1. the Spirit the holy Ghost The Pope likes not this positive degree he will be stiled Sanctissimus the most holy 't is not likely that iniquity is in this man this most holy man Lutherans and Calvinists charge him with much both his person and his doctrine but they are lyars hereticks all Sacriledge and Symony Incest and Adultery setting of Subjects against Soveraignes King against King Murther and Massacre infinite iniquities sic that holy Father Pope should doe such things they are not Calvin's calumnies nor Luther's lyes but confest by their owne Writers nor doe Popes thus in person onely that craves some pardon But 't is their Doctrine too their Churches Doctrine That a Priest of Jesuit may forsweare deny his parents defraud his friend betray his country kill his King fie that holy Mother Church should teach such things This theame some may say sits not this place neither the Pope is not here c. In his Sermon upon Quadragessima page 122. line 10. page 124. line 37. the Licenser hath quite expunged these following lines How then is the Popedome in the Devils gift if Kingdomes be not Satan gives it and it is a kind of Kingdome Regnum sacerdotale a priestly Kingdome The Pope a Melchesedeck King and Priest wears a Crowne beares a sword both Regallities three Crownes multa diademata Christ does Revel 19. and he is his Vicar two swords Ecce duo gladij hic Popes are Kings betters Cardinals Kings Peers is the Pope the Devils creature and not Kings But the Popedome is not Satans gift neither Aeneas Sylvius himselfe sometimes a Pope writes that one got the Popedome fraude diabolica we beleeve it moe then one Silvester the Nccromancer Boniface 7. Gregory 7. all fraude diabolica by devillish machinations that does not prove the Devill made them or construe it if you will by the Devils meanes it will not serve so neither so Kings come often to their Crownes by devillish meanes and yet God gives them God may be the author of an act whereof Satan may be in the meanes God gave his Sonne to death for us yet the Devill had his hand in it John sayes the Devill put in Iudas heart to betray Christ God destroyes Ahaz but the Devill was his meanes a lying spirit in the mouth of all the Prophets God would afflict Iob the Devill was his instrument 't is plaine in the story For the poynt as I would not belye so I would not rob the Devill of his right the Popedome is of God but the Papacy is of Satan To be a Prince and Bishop yea I will yeeld him highest Bishop too God gives him that but his universall Prelacy and presumption over Princes the Devill gives him that his power is from God but his pride is from the Devill Satan is yet more frank The Pope Patrissall playes satan some here craves not prostraction onely least happily you say that 's but civill reverence and yet saving his reverence 't is more then the greatest Monarch craves in all our Westerne Kingdome I say he craves not prostraction onely but adoration too Worship divine worship what else meant the cry of the Cicilian Ambassadours prostrate before him Tu tollis peccati mundi misereri nostri O thou that takest away the sinnes of the world have mercy upon us c. Ibid. page 172. line 4. this is deleted by the Licenser Was not Iudas an Apostle Origen sayes he was the Gospell sayes he was among the twelve Apostles not Disciples onely but Apostles Saint Matthew reckons him here is then a place put for the Papists which they never yet observed for their Apostolicall Traditions here is Traditio Apostolica indeed Here I observe it not what doe they else 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Trechery their occupation Treason the Pope's trade best they leave it 't is Iudas act and brings a sort of them to Iudas end it will strangle the Papacy it selfe at length In his second Sermon upon severall occasions page 293. l. 10. the Licenser deletes And there 's a man in Rome the Pope will be as God the Sonne for he is his Vicar Ibid. page 495. l. 22. Gods Peere that 's little will be his superior will be worshipt Paul sayes above all that is called God Who is that even the Pope c. This Monster c. Let every soule be subject to the higher Powers Paul bids be the Clergy exempt they are not bound to the Lay barre Thou shalt not make an Image nor bow downe to it thou shalt doe both Gods lawes are strait the Pope will dispence with them break thy Oath marry thy wives sister thine owne sister thine Aunt keep a Concubine be a Catamite or Sodomite kill a King though a catholike the Pope will absolve thee Hold we the Pope arrogant in the title of Christs Vicar he is more his power it seems is above Christs Page 296. bids God a Bishop be the husband unius of one Wife the Popes bids nullius marry not at all forbids the Cup at the Communion of the Lord though Christ have ordained it Scripture Gods Word sayes Sylu Perer hath none authority but from the Pope I must end the Pope is Omnipotent Gods Attribute yet one cals this Pope so He can doe all things yea he is all things Gods peculiar too so he is Gods Peere behold the man is become like one of us Idem page 301. There 's a people in Affricke curse the Sunne because it fireth them there 's a Pope to curse the Starres Mars Venus Iupiter and Mercury because he lost at dice gamesters here curse Cards and Dice bite them teare them that 's all at most banne one another tame Protestants and base spirited learne of holy Father Pope to curse the Heavens and God why wrong I our brave spirits as hereticall as the Pope was not Christ God his passions wounds nayles blood and death yea heart and soule black mouthed blasphemy what dares it not doe against Heaven in execrable Oathes The Law c. page 338. The Popes Mint can coyne words too to his Forge nothing comes amisse in its Scriptures Fathers Counsels yea if it needs be hee in a word writes too In spite of all Gramarians if the Pope say but. Fiatur page 344. Balaak of Spaine heires Balaam of Rome to curse Israel his brothers
in Parliament to the subversion of the Property and Liberty of the Subjects which Sermons were preached and printed by this Archbishops speciall solicitation was on the 14. of June 1628. censured by the Lords in Parliament and thereby perpetually disabled from all future Ecclesiasticall preferments in our Church Of this censure the Archbishop took speciall Notice inserting it into his Diary adding that himself was complained of by the house of Commons June 12. for warranting Doctor Manwarings Sermons to the Presse Yet no sooner was this Parliament ended but in high affront of their publike censure in Iuly following by this Prelates assistance Doctor Manwaring as was proved by the Docquet Booke was presented unto the Rectory of Stamford Rivers in the County of Essex voyd by the promotion of Richard Mountague to the Bishopricke of Chichester he who had right thereto was put by and a dispensation granted to Doctor Manwaring to hold it with the Rectory of St. Giles which made this Doctor in the superscription of a Letter of his to this Archbishop when London about the Commission of Fees in London Churches Jan. 28. 1631 indorsed with the Bishops own hand and found in his study to stile him My singular good Lord And so he proved for soon after as was proved by the Docquet Booke in May 1633. the Deanery of Worcester was granted to this Doctor and the grant signified to the signet office by the Bishop of London Laud who procured him this preferment What service Manwaring did in that Church in setting up a Marble Altar introducing Copes with other Popish Innovations and what Account he gave thereof to the Archbishop his Patriot you may formerly read p. 81. under both their hands which was such a Meritorious Work that in few dayes after the Archbishop procured a Conge d'eslier for him to the Bishopricke of St. Davids in Wales which was signed by the Archbishop himselfe as appeares by the Docquet Booke in the signet office produced at the Lords Bar among the entries of December 1635. After which himselfe consecrated him Bishop of that See as was proved by his own Diary wherein he entred this Memento with his owne hand Feb. 28. 1635. I consecrated Doctor Roger Manwaring Bishop of Saint Davids So that this paire of malignant active Popish Prelates Mountague and Manwaring received all their Ecclesiasticall preferments after the proceedings against them in severall Parliaments by his procurement in highest affront of their Authority and Censures who obtained likewise a Royall Pardon procured for them entred in the Docquet Booke Jan. 1628. Both drawne according to his Majesties pardons of Grace granted to his subjects at his Coronation with some particulars for the pardoning of all Errours heretofore committed severally by them either in speaking writing or printing whereby they might be hereafter questioned But to proceed to others August 1628. we finde in the Docquet Booke a Conge d'sliere and Royall Assent by order from the Bishop of London for Doctor Mawe a known Arminian to be Bishop of Bath and Wells and the like in the same Moneth for Doctor Richard Corbet a professed Arminian and one well-affected to Popery to be Bishop of Oxford by order from this Bishop who afterwards promoted him to Norwich In November 1628 A Conge d'slier by his order too was directed to the Deane and Chapter of Yorke to elect Samuell Harsnet then Bishop of Norwich a professed notorious Arminian well inclined to Popery to the Archbishopricke of York Mart. 25. 1632. we find a Conge D'eslire to the Dean and Chapter of Christ-Church to Elect Doctor John Bancroft Bishop of Oxford and in June following a Warrant for the restitution of the temporalities of this Bishoprick to him both subscribed signified by the Bishop of London and what a corrupt unpreaching Popish Prelate Bancroft was is known to all the University of Oxford In Octob. 1632. We find these four severall Conge D'eslires all procured by order of this Prelate then Bishop of London One to the Dean and Chapter of Winchester to Elect Walter Curle Bishop of Bath and Wells to be Bishop of Winchester Alike to the Deane and Chapter of Coventry and Lichfield to Elect Robert Wright Bishop of Bristol to be Bishop of that See Alike to the Deane and Chapter of Peterborough to Elect Doctor Augustine Linsell an Arch-Arminian and very Popish and Superstitious as was attested by Mr. Peter Smart upon Oath and the Author of most of the Innovations in Durham Cathedrall who joyned therin with Doctor Cosins Bishop of that See Alike to Elect Doctor Pierce Bishop of Bath and Wells Now how active all these Prelates were to set up Altars introduce all Popish Ceremonies suppresse Lectures silence Ministers promote the Book of sports advance Arminianisme and Popery hath beene already manifested in the premises And we find that Doctor Lindsell was afterwards translated to the Bishoprick of Hereford Jan. 1633. and this Bishop of Winchester made the Kings chiefe Almoigner in Iune 1637. by Order of this Archbishop In Octob. 1635. we meet with in the Docquet Book a Conge D'eslire and Letter to the Dean and Chapter of Norwich to Elect Mathew Wren Bishop of Norwich both signified by this Archbishop of Canterbury and the like for his translation to Ely March 17. 1637. by Order from this Archbishop Now what an Arminian and Popish Innovator this Prelate was in all particulars the Popish furniture of whose Chappell with Basons Candlesticks Corporalls Altar-cloths A Chalice with a crosse upon it and other Popish Trinkets as appears by his own Book of Accounts costing him 159. l. 4. shil 1. d. and how great a persecutor silencer supresser of Godly Ministers people the world experimentally knows and the premises demonstrate We could instance in sundry English Welsh Bishops more of the same strain who were all advanced by his order means as namely Bi Neal made Archbishop of York by him an Arch promoter of Arminians Popish Clergy men and all Popish Innovations Dr Iuckeson first made Bishop of Hereford afterward of London and Lord Treasurer by this Archbishop A man though of a milde temper yet as Superstitious as Popish as most of the former and his Visitation Articles especially the last enforcing the New Cannons and Etcetera Oath as Superstitious and Vile as any Doctor Duppa Bishop of Chichester a known Arminian and very Superstitious Doctor Skinner Bishop of Bristoll and after of Oxford a man tainted with Arminianisme and very much addicted to Popish Superstitions Innovations with sundry others but these shall suffice Onely we cannot pretermit a notable Letter of Dr. Iohn Towers to Sir Iohn Lamb to be a Mediator to his Grace to confer the Bishopricke of Peterborough upon him which Letter intimates that all Bishopricks and Ecclesiasticall Preferments were then in his disposall Worthy SIR I Intended onely my hearty Thankes to you in this Letter for what I read in your last Letter to my Lord Bishop concerning my selfe and your true Love
in that I shall ever acknowledge with a sincere heart But now Sir I must intreat leave of you that I may joyn an earnest suite to my thankes My Lord Bishop I hear is to be translated to Hereford and I am not thought on to succeed him I dare not write to my Lords Grace of Canterbury But I dare hope of his goodnes to me and that he will commiserate my case when he shall be truly informed of my need and what an utter discredit it will be to me in my Country when I shall be intercepted by whomsoever now the third time after that his Grace did encourage me to pitch upon this Bishoprick in his house at Westminster In truth Sir if I misse of it this third time I shall have no Joy to shew my face in the Diocesse Therfore I beseech you that you will speedily be my earnest Solicitor to his Grace that if for no other reason yet out of meer compassion I may not be so utterly disheartened I could be as glad to see Doctor Sibthorp in the Deanry almost as my selfe in the Pallace Your interest in his Graces Love may be a powerfull Mediator for us both Good Sir delay not the time to commend my cause to his Grace in whose goodnesse I cannot but have great confidence I heartily commend you to Gods grace and will ever be Your very thankefull friend Jo. Towers Peterborough Sept. 30. 1638. What effect this Letter produced appeares by the Docquet Book Octob. 29. 1638. Where we find both a Conge De'slire and Letter to the Dean and Chapter of Peterborough to Elect this aspiring Dr. for their Bishop both drawn up by Warrant from this Archbishop of Canterbury Belike Sir Iohn Lambe found this Doctor very thankfull for his promotion according to his promise the rather because we find in the Docquet Book Novemb. 5. 1638. A presentation of this Dr Towers to the Rectory of Caster in the diocesse of Peterborough by order from the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Who as he disposed of all Bishopricks in England so likewise in Ireland even whiles he was Bishop of London and since as appeares not onely by sundry Letters from Doctor Vsher Primate of Ireland and other Irish Prelates found in his Study but by severall Writings and Warrants under his hand for disposing Bishopricks there we shall instance onely in three The first of them seised in his Study by Mr. Prynne is thus indorsed with the Archbishops own hand Mr. Lancasters Reasons why he should be Archbishop of Cassils though he be thought too young Maii 21. 1629. WHereas the Lord Bishop of London objected against my age as being under 50. Your honâ—our may be pleased if it shall be insisted upon to make known to his Majestie that the lamentable estate of that Church is such that it is requisite hee should be active able and wealthy rather then old and decrepid that should have that Bishopricke to prosecute the recovery of the revenues thereof where the last Archbishop left who spent and spoyled himselfe in the prosecution thereof and so shall any other that shall undertake that unlesse he shall be of competent age and shall have his Majesties gracious favour and furtherance therein Again gravity sobriety sincerity integrity courage counsell goodnesse godlinesse hospitallity and charity are more to be regarded in that Country where they pry with Eagles eyes into our lives and conversations but will not heare our doctrine then old age where he shall not long want grey haires if suites troubles molestations vexations persecutions and afflictions can procure them Againe it is held by most that neither Saint John the Evangelist nor Timothy the first Bishop of the Ephesians were above 30. yeares old and yet our Saviour made choyce of the former and Saint Paul of the latter saith in the first of Tim. 4. and 12. Let no man despise thy youth By this its apparant that the power of disposing the Archbishopricks and Bishopricks in Ireland were in this Prelates hands and that he rejected or advanced whom he pleased there and therefore must be satisfied The second is this Note writ with this Archbishops own hand found among Secretary Windebanks Papers who thus endorsed it Jan. 1634. My Lord of Canterburies Note for George Andrews Dean of Limbrick to be Bishop of Fernes and Laughlin George Andrewes Dean of Limbricke to be Bishop of Fernes and Laughlin To hold in Commendam any thing he hath saving the Deanery The Bishopricke is voyd by the death of the late Bishop thereof You must draw up a Letter accordingly out of hand W. Cant. Thirdly A Warrant thus endorsed with the Archbishops own hand A Warrant for the Bishop of Limericke writ by his Secretary Dell and signed by himself in this forme which will demonstrate the forme of all his other Orders and Warrants to the Signet for the forementioned English Bishops SIR YOu are to prepare a Bill for his Majesties Signature after the usuall manner conteining a grant of the Bishoprick of Limericke in Ireland now voyde by the death of the late Bishop there to George Webbe Doctor in Divinity and one of his Majesties Chaplaines in ordinary And for so doing these shal be your Warrant Septemb. 22. 1634. W. Cant. To the Clerke of his Majesties Signet attending His Authority in disposing the Bishopricks in Ireland was so absolute that William Bishop of Corke and Rosse in his Letter to this Archbishop Aug. 7. 1640. after he had passed through one or two Bishopricks there writes thus by way of acknowledgement to him for his preferments there What I had or have is of your Graces goodnesse under him who gives life and breath and all things and under our gratious Soveraigne who is the breath of our nostrels The like we could prove for Scotland and what kinde of Popish and Arminian Bishops he there preferred themselves have sufficiently declared in their Charge against him and other Writings Not to insist upon his earnest endeavour and contest to promote Dr. Theodor Price Vice-Deane of Westminster to a Welch Bishopricke as the fittest man in his conscience of all others who lived a professed Unpreaching Epicure Arminian and dyed a reconciled Papist to the Church of Rome soon after receiving extream unction from a Popish Priest who missed the Bishoprick onely by the Noble Earle of Pembrooks opposition to which Dr. Owen was preferred in his stead We shall passe from Bishopricks to Deaneries To pretermit his advancement of Dr Manwaring Dr Wren Dr Duppa and others to Deaneries ere they were made Bishops Decemb. 1635. the Deanery of Worcester was granted to Dr Christopher Potter a professed Arminian which Dr. Featly attested by signification and order of this Archbishop of Canterbury as the Docquet Book records to whom he submitted the correction of his Book entituled Want of Charity and imputed his preferments witnesse this Doctors own Letter to the Archbishop the originall whereof attested by M. Prynne was produced and read
countenance and encourage the grave orthodox Divines of his Clergy and gaine them in the severall quarters of his Diocesse to be present at such Lecturers Sermons as are neere them That so the Bishop may have knowledge 7. That the Bishop suffer none under Noble men and men qualified by Law to have any private Chaplain in his house 8. That his Majesty may be graciously pleased that men of courage gravity and experience in Government be preferred to Bishopricks 9. That Emanuel and Sydny Colledge in Cambridge which are the Nurseries of Puritanisme may from time to time be provided of grave and orthodox men for their governours 10. That his Majesties High Commission be countenanced by the presence of some of his Majesties privy Councell so oft at least as any Matter of Moment is to be sentenced 11. That some course may be taken that the Judges may not send so many Prohibitions 12. That his Majestie would be graciously pleased once in halfe a yeare to call for an Account of all or so many of these as hee in wisdome shall thinke fitt 1. The generall Feoffees for Benefices and preferment 2. A new authorizing of the Injunctions By this Originall Paper the main scope whereof is only to suppresse Preaching Lectures and extirpate all Lecturers by Degrees it is apparant First that this Prelate was the prime Projector Promoter of all the Jesuiticall Devices conteined in these Considerations and since put in Practise in every Diocesse to suppresse Preaching Lectures and Lecturers Secondly that the specious pretence of having the Afternoon Sermons in every Parish turned into catechising so much pressed and commended was only a meer pretence and wicked policy of purpose to suppresse Lectures and undermine Lecturers None being enjoyned to catechise but such as preached none being questioned for not catechising if they preached not and those that catechised and preached too or expounded or used any other Catechism but that in the Common-Prayer-Booke being questioned and suspended as Delinquents Thirdly that he not only recommends these Considerations to his Majesty but moves him to turne them into Injunctions and to call for an Account every halfe year to see how they were observed Fourthly that to effect and further this wicked project all his orthodox grave Ministers are required to be present at Lectures the better to turne informers against Lecturers that were honest and painfull Fifthly some Colledges must have new Governours appointed them to prevent the growth of Puritanism No new Bishops must be made but such who would be active in putting this design in execution The Kings own privy Councell must be specially enjoyned to dance attendance at the High Commission to punish such who transgressed these Prescriptions and the Judges inhibited to grant Prohibitions for their releife This foundation being layd these Considerations of the Bishop were in a few weeks after with very little alteration transformed and hightned into the Title of Instructions from his Majesty the Originall Draught whereof we have here present interlined altered with this Bishops own hand and then in Decemb. 1629 they were sent in the Kings own name as his owne Regall Injunctions to the Archbishops of Canterbury and Yorke and by them to all the Bishops in their particular Provinces to see them punctually observed and put in execution in every parish within their Diocesse One Copy of them was sent by Archbishop Abbot to Bâ— Laude then Bishop of London In pursuite whereof he summoned in all the Ministers and Lecturers within the City and Suburbs to attend him at London House where hee made a solemne Speech unto them Wherein as appears by the Notes of it under his own hand here produced he pressed obedience to these Instructions of his Majestie which he said had been mistaken by some of them before it was possible for them to see much lesse to weigh them adding that they were full of Religion and Justice that much good would come to the Church and Commonweale by obedience to them the want of which obedience hath lost us more wayes then one And professing he was sorry there was need of those or any other yet since there is need and the Government hath found it so hee was glad of this occasion to knowe and see them together What these Instructions were and how consonant to his own Considerations We shall manifest by an exact Copy endorsed with his owne hand in this forme Decemb. 30 1629. Instructions from his Majesty concerning the Residence of Bishops and the Lecturers with some Notes exceptions explanations upon them in the margin written likewise by himselfe CHARLES R. Instructions for the most reverend Father in God our right trusty and right entirely beloved Councellor George L. Archbishop of Canterbury Concerning certain Orders to be observed and put in execution by the severall Bishops in his Province 1. THat the Lords the Bishops be commanded to their severall Seas a there to keep residence excepting those wich are in necessary attendance at Court 2. That none of them reside upon his land or lease that he hath purchased b nor on his Commendam if he hold any but in one of his Episcopall houses if he have any And that he wast not the woods where any are left 3. That they give charge in their Trienniall Visitations and at other convenient times both by themselves and the Archdeacons that the Declaration for the settling all questions in difference be strictly observed by all parties 4. That there be a speciall care taken by them all that their Ordinations be solemn and not of unworthy persons 5. That they take great care concerning the Lecturers in their severall Diocesses for whom we give these speciall directions following 1. That in all Parishes the Afternoon Sermons c may be turned into Catechizing by Question and Answer where and whensoever there is not some great cause apparant to breake this ancient and profitable Order 2. That every Bishop ordain in his Diocesse d that every Lecturer doe read Divine Service according to the Liturgy printed by Authority in his Surplisse and Hood before the Lecture 3. That where a Lecture is set up in a Market Town it may be read by a company of grave and orthodox Divines neer adjoyning and in the same Diocesse And that they preach in Gownes and not in Cloakes as too many doe use 4. That if a Corporation do maintain a single Lecturer he be not suffered to preach till he professe his willingnesse to take upon him a Living with Cure of Soules within that Incorporation and that he do actually take such e Benefice or Cure so soon as it shall be fairly procured for him 6. That the Bishops doe countenance and encourage the grave and orthodox Divines of their Clergy and that they use meanes by some of the Clergy or others that they may have knowledge how both Lecturers and Preachers within their Diocesses behave themselves in their Sermons that so they may take order
protection under the privy Signet held familiar intelligence with Cardinal Barbarino and Panzani Con Rossetti the Popes Nuncioes during their abode in England sends two of his sons to Rome in their travels where this Cardinall entertains them with all curtesie and respect for their Fathers sake and sends sundry Letters to Con from Rome in one of their Trunks all which being largely proved and published to the world in other Impressions we shall but point at here First For Windebank's release of Priests and Jesuits for which he was impeached by the Parliament and fled the Kingdom we have elswhere given you a Catalogue of 27. Priests discharged by him out of prison the Original Warrants for whose discharge we have ready to produce under his hand and printed the Copies of them we shall mention only one or two Warrants wherein this Archbishop concurred with Windebank in the release of two popish Priests from their prisons though we never heard of such a favour extended by him to any Puritan or Zealot against Papists whom he shut up close prisoners even in forraign parts from Wives Children Friends and all humane comforts The first is a Warrant for the release of one Robert Hais a Priest so proved upon Oath by Master Thomas Mayo a Pursevant dated 13. Decemb. 1633. the Originall whereof under Seal was read At Whitehall the 18. of December 1633. present Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Cottington c. Archbishop of York c. Master Secretary Windebank WHereas a Petition was this day presented to the Board by Robert Hais prisoner in the New-prison shewing that the Petitioner is much impoverished in his estate by his long imprisonment and is now grown so weak through infirmities that unlesse by their Lorships favour he may enjoy the benefit of fresh ayre for the recovery of his health his life is in great danger and therefore made humble suit to be discharged from prison for preservation of his life aforesaid upon good security to attend the Board within ten days after notice in that behalfe Forasmuch as his Petition was recommended to the Board BY THE QUEENS MAJESTY their Lordships doe think fit and order that the said Hais first giving good security to attend the Board within ten dayes after notice given as aforesaid shall be discharged from his imprisonment and enjoy his liberty without molestation or trouble of any Messengers or other his Majesties Officers whatsoever whereof the Keeper of the said prison and all other whom it may concern are to take notice Ex. WIL. BECHER The second is a Warrant for the enlarging of William Walgrave deposed to be a dangerous seducing Priest by Master Francis Newton subscribed with the Archbishops own hand and others the Original whereof was produced These are to will and command you to set at full liberty the person of William Walgrave formerly committed to your custody and for your so doing this shall be your sufficient Warrant Dated at Star-chamber the last of January 1633. Wil. Cant. R. Ebor c. Secondly for Letters of grace and protection granted by Windebank under the Privy Signet for the stay of all proceedings against Recusants and suspension of penall Laws against them there are multitudes of them printed by Authority of Parliament in the Popish Royall Favourite to which we shall remit the Reader Thirdly for his holding intelligence with the Popes Nuncioes Cardinal Barbarino Jesuits Priests and dangerous Papists with his sons resort to and entertainment at Rome we shall evidence it by these ensuing Letters the Originals whereof under hand and seal endorsed with Secretary Windebanks own hand were produced and read at the Lords Bar. The first is a letter written from Rome it selfe from Gregorio Panzani the Popes first Nuncio sent thence into England dated May 31. 1637. wherein he returnes harty thanks to this Secretary for the many favours he daily received from him whiles he was Nuncio in England in behalfe of the poore Catholicks makes mention of his Sonnes being entertainment at Rome and Cardinall Barbarino his extraordinary commendations of them the Originall whereof was shewed written in Italian and a true translated copy thereof attested upon oath by one Master Godfry read in these ensuing words Most Excellent Sir Patron most honoured I Would have contained my selfe from writing to your most illustrious Lordship for feare of being some impediment I knowing your many occupations but I having heard from many persons in particular by letters of Segnior Francisco sometimes my Secretary the honourable mention that otherwhiles your most illustrious Lordship is wont to make of any person and having also oftentimes understood from your most famous Segnior Cavaliere Hamilton and from Father John the Benedictin how much your most illustrious Lordship straineth your selfe in favouring of me I have been forced to commit this rude civility taking in hand my Pen to give you trouble I assure your most famous Lordship that I live so much obliged to you that I shall never be able to pretend to satisfie one and the least particle of that which I owe seeing that during my abode in London most rare were those dayes in which I did not receive from your most illustrious Lordship some grace in the behalfe and favour of the poore Catholicks I must also congratulate my selfe with your most famous Lordship concerning the most noble manners and behaviours of your Lordships Sonnes the which with their singular modesty and other most lavdable vertues have gained such an opinion amongst them that have knowne them in this Court that I could never be able to expresse it and the Lord Cardinall Barbarino in particular cannot satiate himselfe in praising them It grieves me not to have had the fortune to meet with them in this Citie because willingly I would have attested my devotion towards your most famous Lordship to the which and to all your most illustrious Family I rest desiring eternall felicity from heaven in the meane while I humbly intreat you to favour me with some Commandement and I kisse your hands Your most illustrious Lordships most devoted and most obliged Servant GREG PANZANI From Rome the 31. of May 1637. This Letter is most full and punctuall to prove Secretary Windebanks intelligence and correspondence with Rome the Pope and his Agents The second is a Letter from Father Joseph then a kind of Confessor to the French King by whose special command it was writ Confessor afterwards to our Queen and one of the Capucines in Somerset-House written from Paris in Italian to Secretary Windebank the translation whereof into English by Master Godfrey who attested the truth of it upon oath was read as followeth Most excellent Sir My Patron most worshipfull I Should be too much wanting in my duty if I did not render my most humble thanks to your Excellency having after so many other favours conferred upon our Mission received for a compleat height the singular proof of your affection in the delivery of our
the hearing And whereas he pretends he was not present at his censure which he proves not we know he was vertually if not personally present thereat yea his unjust suppression of his tendred Answer and defence was the onely cause of his censure which if received were so learned solid satisfactory that prophanenesse and injustice it selfe could not have imposed such a censure on him Thirdly annuall Feasts of Dedication of Churches are not so ancient but that we know their Originall The Feast of Dedication of the Altar instituted by Judas Maccabeus was the first of this kind we read of Indeed Solomon kept a Feast for seven dayes space when the Temple was dedicated And Constantine the great with some others in his dayes when Churches were dedicated made a great Feast but that those Feasts continued annuall in perpetuity I find no mention in any approved Antiquity These annuall Feasts of dedication were first invented by the spurious popish Decrees of Pope Felix and Gregory thus recorded by Gratian Solennitates dedicationum Ecclesiarum Epissoporum Saterdotum per singulos annos sunt celebrandae Solennitates Ecclesiarum dedicationum Sacerdotum per singulos annos solenniter sunt celebrandae ipso Domino exemplum dante qui ad festum dedicationis Templi omnibus id faciendi dans formam cum reliquis populis eandem festevitatem celebraturus venit sicut scriptum est Facta sunt Encoenia in Hieru olymis hyems erat ambulabat Jesus in Temple in porticu Solomonis Quod autem octo diebus encaenia sint celebrando in libro Regum perfecta dedicatione Templi cernas Other Decrees then these of these two Popes the latter whereof is built upon cleer mistakes of Scripture cannot be produced These Bacanalian feasts are thus censured by Aretius Problem 126. Hodie verò Solennitates instituuntur tote die bibitur tote die luditur saltatur lascivi cantus audiuntur quae omnia magis spirant Bacchi quoddam festum à Maenadibus celebrandum quam piam Christianismi antiquitatem And were wholly abolished among us by the Injunctions of King Henry the eighth and Statute of 6 Edw. 6. c. 3. by reason of the idlenesse excesse and great mischiefes they produced to mens soules Yea many Judges riding the Westerne Circuit suppressed the Wakes and Revels kept upon them from time to time for these abuses and other weighty Reasons Yet this prophane Arch-prelate revives re-establisheth them by this DECLARATION causeth those Judges Orders to be reversed with a strong Hand by a Plot and Certificate from Bishop Pierce and others checks nay punisheth Chiefe Justice Richardson removes him from that Circuit and le ts loose the Reines to all Licentiousnesse prophanenesse whereby infinite mischiefs ensued as we have fully proved So that this whole Charge sticks still upon him Ninthly from these ceremoniall and practicall they proceed to doctrinall innovations in matters of Religion wherein I am charged First with an endeavour to introduce and propagate Arminianisme in our Church the rediest inlet to Popery and a part thereof though I knew it to be a plot of the Jesuits to subvert our Religion as appears by the Jesuits Letter and that principally First in being a common Patriot of Arminians together with their Books Tenets and a preferrer of such by name of Bishop Mountague and his Appeale complained of in Parliament Doctor Jackson and others for which I was taxed by a Declaration of the Commons in Parliament Secondly in censuring the Commons Declaration in Parliament against the Arminians and their Vote too Thirdly in calling in and suppressing Books against Arminianisme though licensed and questioning censuring the Authors Printers dispersers of them in the high Commission as Bishop Carltons and Bishop Downames Books Doctor Featlies Doctor Goads Master Rouses Doctor Sutcliffes Master Prynnes Master Burtons Books and others when as the Arminian Authors went unquestioned and their Books printed by authority as Doctor Jacksons Book and the Historicall Narration licensed by my owne Chaplaine Doctor Martin Fourthly In abusing his Majesties Proclamation his Declaration before the 39. Articles of our Church with the subsequent Instructions prohibiting controversies against the Article especially in the controverted points of Arminianisme to suppresse all preaching against Arminian errours and punish such as durst oppose them by silencing suspending censuring them in the high Commission or elswhere and conniving at the Arminians to vent and preach their errours freely under pretext thereof without restraint or opposition both in the University and City Fiftly for purging passages against Arminianisme and Arminians out of Books tendred to the Presse and particularly out of Bishop Hals and Bishop Davenants Letters with some other incident particulars which fall under these heads Sixtly in repealing the Articles of Ireland against Arminianisme which King James declaimed against as damnable heresie To this I answer in generall that I never endeavoured to introduce Arminianisme into our Church nor ever maintained any Arminian opinions For the Jesuits Letter it is nothing at all to me it layes nothing to my charge in particular and it was lawfull for me to read and keep it it containes many strange vile things in it against the Parliament which I approve not but detest To the particulars I answer First that I did neither protect nor countenance the Arminians persons books or tenets for Bishop Mountague I had no hand in his Book I countenanced it not it was suppressed and called in by Proclamation he was preferred by Sir Dudly Carltons meanes not mine who was then a stranger to me True is is I was in a Declaration of the Commons house taxed as a favourer advancer of Arminians and their opinions without any particular proofe at all which was a great slander to me Secondly I answer that being publickly traduced in that Declaration I did returne an answer to vindicate my owne innocency as was necessary for me to doe to free my selfe from that scandall without any derogation to the Parliaments authority Neither did I this till I was expresly commanded by the King himselfe as appeares by the endorsment whose command it was lawfull yea necessary for me to obey and I durst not have done it without such his Royall command After which I penned it with all due respect to the Parliament and it was never published For my answer to the Parliaments Vote it was onely a private paper kept in my Study and communicated to none written for my owne private satisfaction and derogating noting from the power of Parliaments it belonging properly to the Convocation and Church of England by the Lawes and Statutes of the Land to make Canons and settle controversies in Religion as the Statute of 25. Hen. 8. c. 19. 1. Eliz. c. 1. evidence Thirdly the calling in and suppressing of these Books and prosecuting the Authors Printers of them in the High Commission was the Courts act not mine For Bishop Carltons Book it was called
the Lawes concerning it meer Engines of State to draw reward for toleration dispensation and connivance c. his excuse is most miserable and ridiculous For first it is generally agreed by all Protestant Writers that Popery trencheth upon the first Commandement by advancing the Virgin Mary Pope to omit the Bredden Wafer into the very Throne of God himselfe and Deifying them both with divine Titles Adorations Attributes Epithites Orisons and the like therefore no reason to delete this clause that it trencheth on the first Commandement the rather because Paul himselfe affirmes it in direct termes 2 Thes 2. 3 4. as all orthodox Expositors resolve Secondly it s agreed by all Protestants yea by this Arch-Prelat himselfe in shew at least when his reputation seemed to be somewhat blasted as if he were devoted to Popery and expresly resolved by our Homilies against the perill of Idolatry that Popery expresly trencheth upon the second Commandement sundry wayes as by adoring Crucifixes Images Saints Angels Reliques Altars the consecrated Hoast yea by invocation of Saints departed and introduction of sundry Idolatrous Superstitious Rites Ceremonies formes of Worship invented by Popes Priests Fryars into the Worship of God Therefore had he deleted its intrenchment upon the first Commandement as dubious yet since there is no question of their transgressing the second in all these particulars his abolition thereof is inexcusable and displayes his popish disposition Thirdly however had he deleted this likewise yet his obliterating that which followes against connivance at and suspention of Lawes against Popery and Papists for luchre sake least God make the gaine gotten by this dividing betwixt him and Idols to be like that of Solomons which was recompenced with the losse and dividing of his Kingdome betwixt his Sonne and a Stranger c. the sad effects whereof we have lately felt with all other passages whatsoever against Popery especially at this juncture of time when all forraigne popish Princes had confederated to extirpate the Protestant Religion in forraigne parts as the first deleted passage informes us is such an unsufferable execrable crime in one who pretends himselfe a Protestant Bishop and had then no legall authority to correct or license Books for the Presse as deserves the highest censure yea displays to all the world the hidden Popery of his heart if not his secret correspondency with the Romish party to replant their false superstitious Religion and Idolatry in our Church and from this originall purgation of his we may visibly discover that all succeeding expunctions of this kind made by his owne chaplains and other Agents at Lambeth or London-house proceeded primarily from himself as the originall cause and Author of them The second Objection of this kind is my alterations of the Prayers appointed for the fift of November in some particular causes in the Impression of them Anno 1635. To this I answer First that these alterations were not made by me but the Prayers were sent unto me altered by the King himselfe who commanded me to see them printed according to those alterations and I have here the Books with his Majesties hand and Warrant to each of them for what I did Secondly that the expressions were somewhat overharsh and fit to be altered terming their very Religion Rebellion being but the Christian Religion and the same with Ours as I have proved at large in my Speech in Star-chamber to which I must referre where I have rendred reasons for it which gave generall satisfaction then and I hope will doe so to your Lordships now To which was replied First that the Archbishop shewes his great undutifulnesse here in casting this and other his unwarrantable popish actions on the King himselfe Secondly that for ought appeares he procured from the King this Warrant since the alterations were printed yea complained of and that by circumvention Thirdly that it had been his duty to have disswaded the King from giving way to such scandalous alterations in favour of Jesuits Papists Traitors and their bloody Religion Fourthly that himselfe in his Speech page 33 34. confesseth he made the Alterations himselfe by the Kings command Therefore the Book was not sent him altered by the King or any other as now he falsly pretends Fiftly as for the grounds of the most grosse alteration mentioned in his Speech we have already refuted them at large in the Charge therefore we shall not actum agere but refer you thereunto The third objected Purgation made by my selfe is of some clauses appointed in the Book for the Fast Anno 1636. To which I answer First that it is not proved that I made these Purgations Secondly that I have given a full answer to and shewed there was reason for the making of them in my SPEECH in Star-chamber where they were objected To this was replied First that himselfe doth both confesse and justifie thèse purgations in his said Speech to be made by himselfe and his confederated brethren to whom the care of this Fast was committed therefore he much forgets himselfe here in denying it to be proved when we undeniably evidenced it by his owne printed Confession Secondly we have already refuted his reasons for those purgations mentioned in his Speech discovering their absurdity and fully proving that they were made meerly in favour of Popery to which he hath not returned the least shadow of answer therefore we shall acquiesse therein without further reply The fourth objected alterations and purgations ascribed to my selfe are in Doctor Potters Book entituled Want of Charity c. the second Edition To which I answer First that he writ to me of his own accord to alter or correct any thing I thought meet in the second Impression of his Book and what I did therein was upon his owne request Secondly that the expressions I advised him to amend were either such as were very harsh as Beleeve in the Pope or somewhat obscure as The Idol of Rome c. Thirdly that his exposition of Matth. 18. 17 11. Dic Ecclesiae c. concernes not the Parliament but the Sanhedrin or Civill Court of the Jewes And whereas it is urged that I writ his Exposition of it seemes to give as much power to the Parliament as to the Church or Convocation in Church affaires which is a derogation to the Parliaments Jurisdiction I conceive it to be none since it appeares by the Statute of 1. Eliz. c. 1. that the Parliament cannot determine any thing in matter of Religion without assent of the Clergy in their Convocation this Act providing That the High Commissioners shall not in any wise adjudge any matter to be Heresie but onely such as hath beene heretofore determined ordered or adjudged to be Heresie by the authority of the Canonicall Scriptures or by the first foure generall Councels or any of them c. or such as shall be hereafter ordered judged or determined to be Heresie by the high
he avers that the Pope is Antichrist and p. 810. where he cals the Pope the whore of Babylon Therefore these could not be thought to be crossed out in favour of Papists and Popery but because the expressions in them were such as might give just occasion of distaste Fourthly I shall by your Lordships favour demand of Doctor Featly himselfe two questions and desire his answer to them First Whether when he was a Licenser in my Predecessors time it was not usuall for his Chaplaines to qualifie or rase out some unfitting expressions when they saw cause out of Books tendered to them to license and whether they were not liable to censure if any such escaped them upon complaint Secondly Whether himselfe since the sitting of this Parliament hath not written a Book afterwards licensed and whether the Licenser did not alter and blot something out of it what was it and who did it To which sodaine questions the Doctor being commanded by the Lords to give an answer replyed to the first Question That he and his fellow-Licensers did sometimes use to qualifie or obliterate some passages savouring of Puritanisme or in favour of it especially after the burning of Doctor Mockets Booke for which the Licenser was reprehended and that himselfe was once questioned before King James for a Booke licensed about a passage concerning the calling of the Jewes and for Master Eltons Booke upon the Commandements savouring of Puritanisme but he never knew in his time of any Passages against the Papists Popery Arminianisme or the like expunged out by Archbishop Abbot or his Chaplaines nor any one questioned for licensing any such but rather encouraged till of late times To the second he confessed that he and Master Rouse did joyntly write and publish a Booke fince this Parliament intituled Vertumnus Romanus and that Master Rouse caused him to strike out a Passage in it that was somwhat sharpe against the Separatists which he did at his desire Whereupon the Archbishop urged that then he hoped his Chaplaines might have the same liberty to crosse what they thought fitting out of the Books they licensed though it were against Popery To this was answered First that by Queene Elizabeths Injunctions Numb 51. The Archbishops of Canterbury York Bishop of London themselves not their Chaplains are appointed to License Books and trusted with this charge which they personally performed as appeares by sundry Entries of Books licensed by them in the Stationers Register of Entries And why their Successours in these dayes should not personally license Books and discharge this trust as well as their Predecessours making 〈◊〉 of their Chaplains onely for their assistance to report the substance of the 〈◊〉 unprinted to them no reason can be given but either their carelesnesse 〈◊〉 or overmuch intermedling with secular affaires no wayes concerning or beseeming them Secondly that his Chaplaine made these Purgations not himselfe is no excuse since he did it by his speciall command and direction as Sir Edmond Scots words and Doctor Featlies testimony evidence Thirdly his Chaplains death is no excuse of his own guilt That Doctor Featly complained not to him of these Purgations is no excuse for if he had Sir Edward Hungerfords example his owne answer to him then his present expressions at the Barre now and Sir Edmond Scots words to Doctor Featly clearly prove it had been bootlesse and he remedilesse Legem sibi dixerat ipse he was resolved to admit and redresse no complaints of this nature against his Chaplaines Fourthly the permitting of some Passages against Popery to stand in the Doctors Sermon is an aggravation of his Chaplaines crime in purging out others of the same nature for why should not all stand as well as some especially that against Popish worshiping of Images taken verbatim out of our Homilies there quoted and the very words of the Scriptuze it selfe against conniving at Popish Seducers to Idolatry Indeed those that remained are more generall these obliterated more particular sharpe piercing and more concerned our present times practises therefore lesse reason to be expunged Fiftly these expunctions out of the Doctors Sermons were so many that the Printer was enforced to new print some 16. or 18. sheets in folio to his great prejudice That those Passages he cites escaped their purgation was because the Booke being large they passed undiscerned till after its publication else doubtlesse the Archbishop and his Chaplaines would have crossed them out in Doctor Featlies Sermons as well as in Doctor Sibthorps or in Doctor Potters Bishop Hals owne Booke Doctor Jones and Doctor Clerke and not have permitted his Brother Pontiffe of Rome to be stiled Antichrist and the whoore of Rome and his Priests compared unto Baalists Sixtly Doctor Featlies testimony is a very strong evidence against the Archbishop for before his time there were never any such Purgations made but onely of Passages in favour of Puritanisme nor any Books questioned or Passages deleted that were against the Pope Popery Arminianisme Jesuits Seminary Priests or Papists which the Archbishop and his Chaplaines first introduced As for his Vertumnus Romanus being joyntly written by Master Rowse and himselfe it was just that Master Rowse should have liberty to crosse out by the Doctors consent any passage he disliked and the Doctor consented to have this deleted this Passage therefore not being obliterated by any Licenser but by the Authors themselves by joynt consent and being not against Popery or Papists but Separatists onely who professe the same Doctrine with us and were then ready to joyne with us in one way of Worship of Government is no extenuation or justification of his and his Chaplaines purging this Doctors Booke so grosely as they did of Passages against the Pope Popery and Arminianisme The next Purgations objected were made in Doctor Clerks Doctor Jones and Master Wards Books by Doctor Heywood Doctor Baker Doctor Weeks To this I answer First that there are divers sharpe Passages yet remaining in Doctor Clerkes Sermons against Papists that they were licensed part of them by Doctor Weekes none of mine but the Bishop of Londons houshold Chaplain and part of them by Doctor Heywood my Chaplain That Master White distinguished not what Sermons were Licensed by the one what by the other Besides Master White is but a single witnesse Secondly Doctor Jones his Commentary on the Hebrewes was licensed and purged by Doctor Baker the Bishop of Londons Chaplaine and Master Wards Booke by Doctor Weeks not by me or my Chaplaines therefore they concerne me not To this was replyed First that the most pungent and pregnant Passages in Doctor Clerkes Sermons against the Popes Authority tyranny pride Jesuits Priests Papists Arminians Arminianisme Popery and Popish errours are 〈◊〉 tally wiped out by the Licensers and very few such escaped their spunge 〈…〉 leaving therefore of a few inconfiderable Passages against them unexpungâ—â—◠〈…〉 no more excuse the obliterating of the rest then a thiefes leaving of a
use of them the quite contrary way to poyson corrupt our Universities to sophisticate our Articles of Religion to put such a Roman glosse upon them as might make them seem to be Roman Catholiques and to reconcile us speedily to Rome not Rome to us as Sancta Clara his Book written in England and shewed to his Grace by the Author himselfe accompanied with his great favourite Bishop Linsey before its publication as himselfe acknowledgeth under his owne hand-writing manifests past all contradiction therefore the case of Preston to whom he himselfe hath given a protection under his hand and Seale as well as Abbot is altogether impertinent Thirdly for his correspondency with Sir Toby Matthew Sancta Clara Saint Giles Leander Smith and Price we have so fully proved it that impudency it selfe would blush to deny it OurWitnesses have sworne all of them to be popish Priests himselfe under his hand confesseth Saint Giles to be such a Priest and that he was charged not to exercise his Priestly Function during his residence in Oxford it is strange audacity therefore in him to deny that he knew any of them to be Priests when he infallibly confesseth he knew him and no doubt knew all the rest to be so too especially Sancta Clara who stiles himselfe so in his Book yea Father Price and Leander too were most notoriously knowne to all to be such and to exercise their Priestly Function in London if not in the Court it selfe sometimes therefore knowne no doubt to be priests to him Fourthly for the Witnesses produced we very much wonder at his exceptions against them most of them as Master Waddesworth Newton Mayo Thatcher Goldsmith and Cooke being persons imployed by the Lords of the Counsell himself and the high Commissioners to apprehend Priests and other Delinquents who cōtinued in that imployment after the pretended complaints against them If they were men so dishonest so uncredible as he pretends why thē did himself the Lords and high Commissioners make choice or imploy such for their Messengers commit so great a trust unto them If they be persons worthy to be trusted with such an employment by persons of honour quality and himselfe too then certainly most competent Witnesses attesting onely that they know with reference to the Arch-bishop in the very execution of their Office about the apprehending of Priests and Jesuits wherein none can give so full or punctuall testimony as themselves who are most privy to their own Actions For the pretended abuses committed they concerne onely two or three of them not all that they are guilty of ought complained against them there is not the least shadow of proofe offered by the Archbi and admit there were yet it would no wayes invalid their testimony being not in the things for which they were accused and fortified with other concurrent testimonies as Master Thatchers Master Deuxels and Elizabeth Grayes against which there is no just exception for Mr Egertons censure in the High Commission it was most unjust and illegall he was sentented there to be deprived of his Searchers place and fined forty pounds onely for giving way and conniving at the importation of some ENGLISH BIBLES with GENEVA NOTES and selling some of them to others A dangerous crime which will rather improve then impeach his testimony in all honestmens opinions Secondly for his particular answers we shall returne this replication First that the Warrant under the Kings hand for Saint Giles his residence and maintainance in Oxford is without date written with the Archbishops owne hand and a meer circumvention yea it seems a very strong argument of his guilt for if himselfe did not place and provide for him in Oxford what need he procure such a Warrant from the King to doe it and if he had been cordiall to our Religion he would never have accepted such a Warrant nor intermedled with such a dangerous scandalous Designe as this to poyson and seduce the whole University who took publick notice of it in such a time of generall defection and backsliding unto popery Secondly for his intimacy with Sir Toby Matthew and knowing him to be a Priest our Witnesses evidences are so cleere we shall rather pitty his impudency in denying it then trouble your Lordships in repeating them Master Dobsons not seeing him at Lambeth is no proofe he was not there and the Earle of Straffords releasing him was seconded with his owne approbation who said it is well Thirdly for Smiths Leanders and Price their resorts unto him we have formerly cleered it and shall not repeat Sancta Clara his addresses to him with his Books to reconcile us is confessed under his owne hand we need no other testimony Fourthly that Sancta Clara and Saint Giles were Aliens is no extenuation of his guilt but aggravation for they were therefore the fitter the likelier to be imployed hither by papall authority to reduce us back to Rome But admit them Aliens which he hath hath not as yet proved yet Sir Toby Matthew Leander and Price were native Englishmen and so within the Statutes of 23 Eliz. c. 1. 27 Eliz. c. 2. which he would evade Fiftly for Master Waddesworths testimony it is very full the Designe was to send him over-sea or to imprison him till he should enter into bond never to prosecute or apprehend Priests more to which plot the Archbishop was privy whose name was used to him himself confessing he sent him four peeces to be rid of him He pretends it was because he pretended himselfe a convert Certainly this is but a pretext he being a convert many yeers before and one imployed to apprehend Priests long before his imprisonment his diligence herein being the cause of his troubles Sixtly his refusall to commit Wilford a most dangerous seducing Priest before he knew he had any protection and discharging him afterwards onely because he had a protection from Secretary Windebanke with Master Dels answer that his Lord would not meddle with such trifles shewes the coldnesse of his zeale to our Religion and his good affection to popery If a godly Protestant Minister had but scrupled at the reading of the Book for Sabbathday-sport or omitted the lest Ceremony or preached but a Sermon on a Lords-day after-noon these were such hainous crimes and matters of so grand importance that they must be forthwith suspended committed deprived and all businesses set aside to prosecute them notwithstanding any protection of Law or Gospell but if a dangerous Priest who had perverted above two hundred soules be brought before his Grace alas his zeale is so frozen he will not meddle with the businesse and his friend Secretary Windebanks Warrant must set him free and secure him against all lawes and prosecutions A plaine proofe of a confederacy between them to protect these Traytors and reduce us back to popery by granting liberty to such pernicious seducers Seventhly for Gray his onely fault as our Witnesses depose was that he complained against his