His Lordsship sent his Mandate to dissolue that Assembly as met to take from him his Episcopall authoritie has nothing of truth My lord feard no preiudice as to him selfe from the Assembly in generall but suspected crafty dealings from Mr. Harrington and some few other principall members of Mr. Blacloes faction And here is obseruable that immediately after the breaking vp of the said Assembly Mr. Harrington Mr. Harrison and Mr. Curtis persons of greatest power and authoritie and principall fauorers of Mr. Blacloe so wrought with Mr. Knightly Mr. Ashton and Mr. Walton that they gott them to ioyne in the vnhandsome letter that accused my lord of condemning all the Priests of England and Wales though his Lordship had onely condemned Mr. Harrington and required him to recall the said condemnation vnder his hand and seal for reparation of their good name whereas as to reason and obedience due to their Spirituall Father they should haue vs'd greater moderation as likewise belieued that it might haue been a sufficient ground of sending the Mandate and accusing Mr. Harrington his Vicar Generall of ingratitude and sedition because he had called the said Assembly without acquainting his Lordship and indeed such a proceeding as comming from such a subiect if it had been brought to a iuridicall Tryall would haue been sentenced as vngratefull and seditious especially if my lord had vrged against Mr. Harrington the crafty dealings that he and his party had vsed to out his Lordship of his Episcopall authority in the Assembly held Aug. 1648. But what was the intent of Mr. Harrington Mr. Harrison and Mr. Cuttis who contriued the foresaid letter to bring all the Priests of England and Wales vnder the condemnation of one particular man God knowes best though there wanted not sufficient ground to conceiue that they imagined they might thereby engage the whole Clergy in their quarrell hoâ—â— when the other three Mr. Knightly Mr. Ashton and Walton saw my lord's Answer to the letter they had scribed they submitted themselues instantly and my selâ—â—â—ceiued Mr. Knightlys and Mr. Ashtons submissions to senâ—â— his Lordship Besides doubtles my lord was inform'd à fide dignis that 〈◊〉 Blacloes faction had a design to preiudice his Episcopall autâ—â—â— 1. because Mr. Ashton that was a Deputy for our lanchaâ—â—â— Brethren in that Assembly when he perceiued that my 〈◊〉 Bish tooke in ill part the afore mentioned letter which â—â—nocently had subscribed writte vnto me in these express 〈◊〉 his letter I haue shewn to our Seniors I so behaued me Assembly by opposing whatsoeuer I thought would disguste our my Lord or entrenche vpon our Mothers ancient priuiledges aâ—â— in priuate meetings that I haue been called and am accounted a Leyburnian I do not shame of the Title for I neuer knew 〈◊〉 any thing that was not iustifiable but now after all this and if I had tyme to relate it may not I crye out of fortune if you thinke me inueigled into their party I hope you can neuer harboâ— a conceipt of me my complying in some things with them hath mâ—â—â— better learned in their passages then I should haue been far was 〈◊〉 me and far be it from my thoughts to ioyne Issue with them in opâ—â—â—â—â— to our master who is so much worthy of honour reuerence and Secondly the worthy person who as you say vnadâ—â—â— vow'd reuenge writ expresly vnto me thus Since Yr. deâ—â—â—â— they Mr. Blacloes party haue laboured much to bring of those went Yr. way and with many they haue effected their purpose shake their heads and will be indifferent so no opposition appearâ—â—â— Grandees begin to declare the intention of their meeting which is totâ—â—â— out your master as you call him An authenticall copie oâ—â— letter I haue shewn to our Seniors and therein is a long disâ—â—â—â— also between him selfe and Mr. Herbert which you boaâ—â— say he hath disauowd if he hath done so I suppose he 〈◊〉 after the imitation of that worthy Arch Deacon Mr. T. B. now liuing to whom Mr. Gage and Mr. Curtis at my comming into England had communicated the design of outing my lord Bish and of the course they intended to steer for the effecting it The vertuous person after he was departed from them reflecting vpon his duty office and oath came to my chamber who was his Lordship Vic Gen in solidum and reuealed what Mr. Gage and Mr. Curtis had imparted vnto him in secret wherefore I told him that he was bound to make a certificate thereof signe with his own hand and send it to his Lordship which was done accordingly Afterwards Mr. Gage and Mr. Curtis being inform'd from Paris that his Lordship was extreamly offended with their machinating against him they replyed to the Informer that the good Arch-Deacon ought not to be credited because he was said they a person much addicted to the Iesuits thinking to discredite his Testimony thereby But his Lordship writ vnto me after the arriuall of this information that Mr. Tho. B. inclination to the Iesuits was not a sufficient ground to inualide his Testimony so that his Lordships iust wrath continued and they put to new inuentions vnto appeasing him wherefore they made their addresses to Mr. T. B. himselfe signifying that the Testimony he had giuen would of necessity cause great distractions and diuisions in the Clergy and therefore vrgd him to moderate it in such a fashion at least as his Lordship might haue some grownd to thinke that their meaning and intent as to the words of the said Testimony might bear no sound of a rebellious design which thorough their importunity and his own vertue and piety that desired vnity in our body though with the lessening of his own honour he moderated accordingly But after he had done so they vanted that he had recal'd his said Testimony I belieue that after the same manner Mr. Harrison alias Herbert delt with the other afore mentioned wherefore t is probable that Dr. Ellis c. make vse of the piety and pitty shew'd towards Mr. Herbert to reuenge themselues of that pious and vertuous person in regard he is counted an enemy to Mr. Blacloe and his Adherents for truly what he relates of Mr. Herbert in his letter I do easily belieue because Mr. Herbert whom I preferred to the best Residence of England tol'd me to my face that he saw no reason why that man should be our Superior who neuer came among vs and after my arriuall in the low Country's he writ vnto me that it was not Hon. to oppose Mr. Blacloes Doctrines who had been my Master to which I replyed that I had onely studyed his writings in the first book of physicks for the space of about 3. monets till Dr. Stratford returnd from Paris howeuer I added that I preferred my Spirituall Father and Superiors Counsells which were that we should abhorre prophane nouelties before a million of masters that should be carryed about with euery wind of Doctrine Thirdly my lord Bishop in
satisfaction of out Brethren in order to this accusation they may be pleas'd to know 1o. that Dr. Gage their Agent writ vnto me that he found his Holines willing to grant vnto vs a Bishop with the Title of Vicarius Apostolicus and withall desired me to giue my opinion and sense as to such a gouernement which I did accordingly intimating in my Answer that I did not doubt but that all our Brethren except some Chapter-men would think themselues happie to be so gouern'd and am still of that beliefe being assured that our Clergy formerly desired nothing more of his Holines then to enioye a Spirituall Gouernour inuested with Episcopall authority as doe the Clergy and Catholicks of Holland Secondly what Dr. Gage their Agent writ vnto me as to the matter in debate the same also he communicated in a Letter to Mr. Car as himselfe told me who withall added that he saw nothing of reason that should moue our Clergy to reiect so faire an offer and truly I see no reason wherefore Beggers should be so their own Caruers as to refuse a considerable Almes or Charity that is presented Gratis Hereupon I writ vnto Mr. Knightly complaining that the Chapter wrong'd our Clergy extreamely for as much as they had refused soe aduantageous a requisit vnto making them happie Mr. Knightly imparted the contents of my Letter to Dr. Ellis who to excuse the carriage of that busines writ vnto me in these words VVe vvould be content vvith any Bishop but the Court of Rome vvill giue vs none Whereby is plainely euidenced that I writ not to Rome falsely since the venerable Dean Dr. Ellis writeth VVe vvould be content vvith any Bishop c. Whereas Dr. Ellis c. excep against the Title of Vicarius Apostolicus as importing an Ecclesiasticall dignity that our most gracious Queen forebid Dr. Gage to accept for as much as it is inconsistent with the lawes of our Ancestors the will of the state and the good of the subiect making all men liable to a Praemunire that adhere vnto it Now as to this poynt in debate I cannot be easily induced to belieue that our gracious Queen commanded Dr. Gage not to accept of the Popes offer as to a Vicarius Apostolicus though there had been iust ground enough for her Matie to haue interposed her authority against it I conceiue that our said gracious Queen for the extream respect she hath euer shewn towards the sea Apostolick did onely intimate the inconueniences that had been inculcated vnto her craftily as to the admitting of such a Spirituall Gouernour I say craftily because Mr. Blacloe had persuaded his pack of Chapter-men to except against the Title of Vicarius Apostolicus as importing an Authoritie against the ancient Statutes of our Country made about the 13. or 17. yeare of Richard the 2d. a Catholick Prince and vnrepealed in part which statutes Dr. Ellis c. vnad uisedly call the lawes of their Ancestors saying Our Ancestors Also against the state which were when this busines was mou'd Cromwell and his grand Council likewise against the good of the subiect whom such a power makes liable to a Praemunire according to the said ancient statutes This is the sum or substance of what the Chapter inculcated as I imagine and was pretended to our Brethren outwardly vnto hindring the making of a Bishop with the Title of Vicarius Apostolicus whereas indeed Mr. Blacloe and his London Chapter-men's sole motiue of that their proceeding was in regard they apprehended that his Holines might elect a Brother to that office who should be an enimy to prophane nouelties and consequently no friend to their wayes Besides they knew well that such a Bishop would beare rule ouer the Chapter and all the Priests of England and Wales so that the dominion the Chapter has now as to gouerning would be made thereby to signify nothing This I say was their sole motiue wherefore they excepted against a Bishop with the Title of Vicarius Apostolicus and will except against any Bishop whosoeuer if they shall conceiue that he is like to discountenance the London-Chapter-men As to the reasons which Dr. Ellis c. alleadge against a Vicarius Apostolicus they carrie no weight with them 1o. because a meer Bishop a Prouinciall or President of an order or any Apostolicall Missionary sent by the Pope into England without the kings leaue is as much against the ancient statutes of our Country as a Vicarius Apostolicus sent without the kings leaue also Secondly there are no lawes ancient or moderne that will hang a Bishop as Bishop or a Vicarius Apostolicus as Vicarius Apostolicus though they be sent into England without the kings leaue but our moderne lawes will hang each Apostolicall Missionarie that is a natiue if conuicted to be a Priest or to haue taken orders beyond the seas though he be but a meer Deacon whereby t is plain that the exception against the Popes giuing of a Vicarius Apostolicus might with more reason be made against his Holines giuing Apostolicall Superiors and all Apostolicall Missionaries whatsoeuer because the ancient lawes of Richard the 2d. vnrepealed are against these for as much as they are sent without the kings leaue and the moderne lawes of Queen Elizabeth are more seuere against them in as much as they are Priests and haue taken orders beyond the seas Pag. 38. VVe omit for the present to lay open at large his other manifold wranglings calumnies and passionate carriages against Dr. Champney Mr. Hammond Mr. Harrington Mr. Southcot Mr. Herbert Mr. Gage Mr. Peterson Dr. Holden Mr. Clifford Mr. Carre Mr. Fitton Mr. Manly Dr. Blundeston Mr. Green Here Dr. Ellis Mr. Curtis c. according to their wonted manner cast aspersions vpon me without proofe which proues themselues to be slanderers for as I haue said afore Accusatio quae caret probatione calumnia est But vnto cleareing my innocency more particularly I profess sincerely that as to Dr. Champny I euer had a great kindnes for him and a litle while before my departure out of England in the yeare of Edg-Hill Battle I procured for him two pensions from two Rt. Hon. Ladyes one allow'd him 10. l. star per. an and the other 50. sh or 3. l. per an Besides I had done sundry other ciuilities and neuer had contest with him Secondly as to Mr. Hammond the aspersion is so false that as God best knows I neuer gaue him angry word in all my life Thirdly as to Mr. Harrington he and Dr. Holden were Mr. Blacloes Cheefest Proselites which was an occasion of a cold correspondence between them and me but before Mr. Harrington espous'd Mr. Blacloes pernicious Doctrines I had procured for him 300. l. star who afore was not worth 300. groates Fourthly as to Mr. Herbert I was his greatest Benefact our and extreamely lou'd him vpon the scoare of that friendship which we had contracted in our Mother-House yet told him sundry tymes between him and me that his
the Chapter at the request of the Mediators was call'd whither Mr. Bl. and Dr. Leyb were invited It met Nov. 23. 1657. Mr. Bl. came thither in person Dr. Leyb sent his Agent who at the very entrance of our meeting shew'd us how soon Dr. Leyb had forgot his promise and that all Union with him was hopeless by his excepting against the whole Assembly because it was of Chapter men only and alledging He was sent to an Assembly of the whole Clergy whereas the whole Clergy being some hundreds could not possibly meet in those times nor indeed at any time without leaving all England destitute but by their Representatives and Superiours who were the natural Deputies of the Districts He began to press also the disclaiming and censuring Doctrines in the first place ere he would treat or any waies concurre with us towards the obtaining a Bishop He gives in a paper in Dr. Leyb.'s name and as his Agent containing many unjust accusations against our Chapter and it's proceedings He urges violently both in his words and his Vote as also did Mr. Young Mr. Catterick's Deputy and exprest the same in his paper that Dr. Leyb might be propos'd for a Bishop and lastly all the rest unanimously concurring he and Mr. Catterick's Agent at the end of the Assembly refus'd in plain terms to subscribe to the Votes of the Major part which common reason tells every one is the manner of all publick meetings and gave under their hands their reasons that being Deputies they could not exceed their Commissions By which 't is apparent that their Commissions or Orders were that they should make no Union nor have any Communication with us as far as concern'd the Acts of our Assembly which reach't to a very great part of our Church-Discipline our petitioning his Holiness for a Bishop the establishing and compleating our Chapter and divers other most considerable points to the advantage of our Body Though the same Deputies subscrib'd to the Narrative of the carriage and transactions of the Assembly as truly related which to any one who reads the Acts themselves will abundantly justifie the sincerity and impartialness of our proceedings there Thus ended the General Assembly of 1657. intended by the Mediatours and us to conclude a peace by Dr. Leyb to prosecute his revengefull and implacable humour against Mr. Bl. and withall as we upon good grounds fear his own ambitious ends The Institute of Nostre Dame de Vertu near Paris under the reverend Fathers of the Oratory whose whole course of life breaths nothing but pastoral and Clerical was such an advantage to the Clergy and Church of England as was not to be hop'd for by any solicitation of our Wishes much less to be offerr'd us out of a voluntary charity by the most Reverend General of that solidly pious Body There might our Brethren have a place of retirement after their Scholastical studies in Colledges or distractions in England to prepare dispose or refresh themselves in order to their spiritual and Sacerdotal method of living and to enable and facilitate themselves in the best practises of Pastoral functions this was look't on by our most pious and learned Bishop of Chalcedon as a blessing from Heaven upon our persecuted Church who the last journey he ever made coming to that house and seeing and blessing the Society of English then present he said that his Eyes had seen that which his heart had desired and he had endeavoured for thirty yeares before This Institute was put forward by the charity and favour of that most religious Order and most venerable General embrac't and advanc't by us to our utmost and more had been done had Dr. Leyb permitted our Chapter to have the due influence it had otherwise enjoy'd This was very much extoll'd by the gratefull return of most high commendations by our pious Brethren who came from thence and lastly this was most zealously promoted by the heroick charity and patience of our most honoured and venerable Brother Dr. Gough who in the midst of all discouragements and oppositions from those Colledges whose Governours belonging to another Body saw better then many of our selves how considerable that proffer was to our Clergy and strove by all means to divert their Subjects from going thither yet still to his great expence and labour preserv'd it on foot till Dr. Leyb by articling with him in most unreasonable and unhandsome terms and proposing conditions most senslesse to be comply'd with e're he would send any more thither as if Dr. Gough and not our Body had receiv'd the benefit quite disheartned and extinguish'd the fervency of that zeal the impossibility of successe and it's progresse being too apparent unlesse Dr. Leyb would leave off that uncomplying humour and come to better terms In the mean time our Venerable Dean having accepted the Deanship upon the Letters of the Assembly and the conditions being comply'd with which he requir'd e're he could conveniently settle in London came up to reside amongst us and our Church began to close to an hearty Union through the general love and respect every one bore him Nay even Dr. Leybs most unreasonable friend Mr. Catterick being unsolicited by him of late and left to himself began to come to better terms when the times opening and giving a freer passage for Dr. Leyb into England he resolv'd to come in person to blast our hopefull Union in the bud Before Mr. Bl's presence in our Consults was his greatest corrosive and his exclusion mainly press'd which made us hope his so far removal now from our Countrey and businesse would satisfie and pacifie him Yet still no consideration being had to the former Agreement and Mr. Bl's complyance on his part by submitting his writings the old tune of Declaming so ungratefull to the eares of our Reverend Bishop our General Assemblies and the Mediatours is sung to us and our Brethren in town seditiously solicited to subscriptions Our Chapter and Venerable Dean's authority though his own Agent as it happen'd voted for his election in the Assembly is disavow'd by him If we visit any person of honour who is a friend to Mr. Bl. he objects our common civility to him as such an heinous fault as if we had treated with an excommunicated person His unconscientious and rash censures even upon mens souls and their future eternal state as if he were sent to passe judgement upon both the quick and the dead we have both horrour to hear and shame in his behalf considering his function to relate Mr. Mark Harrington our late Sub-Dean whose exemplar life and pious death were precious in the sight of heaven and earth he judges to have dy'd in a sad case Honour'd Dr. Blundeston Vicar-General of the North a person of eminent learning and exemplar conversation receiving an hurt by a fall from his horse and not long after dying is sentenc't to have been thus punish't by God's just judgement for being a friend to Mr. Bl. A learned
haue imitated the great Athanasius I haue an other part to play after the example of the pious Mardocheus whom the supreme prouidence had put to rule ouer the Iews the seed of Gods chosen people which had been carryed away from Ierusalem in the captiuity of Iechonias king of Iuda This great seruant of God Mardocheus perceiuing that the wicked Haman and his friends had a design to destroy them made humble Intercession to the glorious Queen Hester for the preseruation of the sayd People of God whose Religion she professed In like manner whereas M. r White his Adherents menace the Colledge of Doway whereof the supreme prouidence hatth constituted me though most vnworthy of the charge principall Gouernour which receaued the seede of Catholicks that had been carryed away from England in the captiuity of Catholick Religion vnder the Reign of Queen Elizabeth For the preseruing of the said seed after the example of the pious Mardocheus I haue thought it expedient to intercede to your Sacred Ma.tie who doubtless is as glorious a Queen in the sight of God as was Queen Hester whom not onely you haue equal'd as to professing of the true faith but surpassed as to the many sufferings your Ma.tie hath endured patiently vnto gaining a crown of Martirdome and indeed according to our great Apostle S. Gregory true belieuers that suffer persecution for iustice sake patiently and innocently are Martyrs without effusion of blood and I am certain of your Ma.ties vniust sufferings and more grieuous I dare auerre then euer Christian Princess endured Y. r Ma.tie haueing bin banishd wrongfully the king your Husband barbarously murdered the King your son in continuall danger of his Fathers murderers and in want of requisits necessary to his Ma.ties condition Neither can I doubt but that your Ma.tie hath both patiently and innocently endured them because your most Religious Confessor himselfe told me that he had heard your Generall Confession twice once in eminent danger of death vpon the sea going out of Holland when the raging wanes threatned present ruine and professed that he could neuer accuse your Ma.tie of one mortall sin Wherefore I intercede vnto your Sacred Ma.tie not as to a glorious Queen onely but as to God's Martyr also for our poore Colledge that hath preseru'd the seed of Catholick Religion down from the beginning of Queen Elizabeths Reign till these present tymes I intercede for a Colledge of Pastours so called in as much as since it was founded by that most excellent Prelate D. r Allan who was the first President and afterwards Cardinal and erected in Doway in the yeare of our Lord 1568. it hath sent aboue a Thousand Pastours into England for the ministry of that litle Church I interced for a Colledge of Martyrs so named because about a hundred and fortie of her Pastorall Priests haue endured imprisonments rack's hyrdles and at last shed their innocent blood in defence of the Church the sea Apostolick and Catholick Faith a glorious haruest for so little seed as came of the Reliques of Queen Maries dayes that is of a few graue learned Priests vnder the conduct of D. r Allan which vnder the Reign of Queen Elizabeth left their goods and preferments and came to Doway I interced for the Mother-House so commonly stil'd in regard as it was the first Seminary erected according to the ordinance of the Council of Trent and a pattern of many others so it has been the mother of all our English Colledges in Rome Spain and S. Omers which it furnishd for a great tyme that is vntill S. Omers Colledge was erected and some tym after with Schollars and fit subiects yea many and euen the chiefest of our English Regulars were children of this Colledge for example Father Campian and sundry others gallant Personages Priests of the Society that great Schollar Father Rudicind Barlow the first President of our English Benedictins and divers other worthy men of that Congregation were Children of this Colledge four Provincials of the English Recollects were Children of this Colledge and one of these ought not to be named by me without an ample acknowledgment of gratitude for he being inform'd that his old mother this Colledge was reduc'd to great necessity piously interceded for her to lay Catholicks and procured a reliefe of 200. lâ—ster Lastly I intercede for a Colledge properly cal'd the spirituall Mother of all our English Catholicks for as much as before any other Community of our Nation sent Missionaries into England she had sent about a hundered Priests who with much labour and effusion of their blood brake the first Ice and made the way for such as came after MADAME for my selfe I am an Apologer onely but for our Mother-House I am an Intercessor most humbly beseeching your Sacred Ma.tie to looke on her with a gracious eye to the encouragement of your Catholick Subiects and the discouragement of our few wanton Clergy-men of this phanatick age that endeuour to hurt her since they cannot make her a plantation of their new notions I cannot doubt of your Ma.ties gracious fauour towards her she hauing had formerly about 22. yeares agoe euidence enough of your Ma.ties extream tendernes and compassion vnto conseruing her when she was reduc'd vnto great necessity through warre and pestilence wherewith as soon as your Ma.tie was acquainted by Father Philip and the Right Hon. ble Personage now your Ma.ties great Almoner my Lord Abbot Montague my selfe hauing mou'd them afore to that good worke you were pleas'd to order considerable supplies for her releife Likewise I intercede for her Clergy Children that these through your Ma.ties power may cast away all phanatick nouelties walke in the wayes of their glorious Predecessours giue obedience where obedience is due and loue one an other carefully endeuoring to keepe vnitie of Spirit in the bond of peace Eph. 4. And MADAME all this is faisable enough if your Ma.tie shall constitute my L. Ab. Mountague your great Almener Iudge of Maters in debate for your authoritie and his prudent conduct will be able to remedy what is amiss vnto preuenting of schism that menace's the litle Church of your Catholick subiects And as to my own person if for my sake the present tempest is come vpon our Mother-House and the Catholicks of England so that they be sau'd cast me into the sea that is thrust me out of the Mother-House and banish me from my natiue Country which was my offer to our wanton Brethren at my last beeing in England and as I speake this from my hart so I will endure affliction gladly for so generall a good a small hole in any corner of a Catholick Commonwealth will serue to end the remnant of my dayes and bring my aged head with comfort to the graue Howeuer let God dispose of me according to his diuine pleasure I hope he will giue me grace to feare him and honour my King 1. Pet also as in duty gratitude I am bound to