Queen to more severity and make Her gird Her government closer to their sides who thought to shake it off This was apparent by the wofull experience of the excommunication denounced against King Henry the eighth Yea Watson Bishop of Lincolne if his b Watsons Quodlibets pag. 260. namesake may be credited was exceedingly grieved at the Popes proceedings herein foreseeing the inconvenience would thence arise This same Watson was he who in the first of Queen Elizabeth would in all hast by his own bare Episcopal power have excommunicated Her but now older and wiser mollified with ten years durance he altered his opinion 6. Others were unsatisfied in the Authenticalness of the instrument who never did or durst see the original and were unresolved whether the copies were sufficiently attested 7. Others were perplexed in point of conscience how far they were bound to obey herein seeing the law of nature obligeth the wife in duty to her husband excommunicated and the same reason is of the servant to the Master Subject to the Prince 8. Lastly Others were troubled in point of policy having their persons and estates in the Queens power and Bannes the Schoolman pleadeth that Subjects are not bound to desert or resist their Prince when such actions necessarily inferr danger of death and loss of goods But leaving them to have their scruples satisfied by their Confessours this causelesse curse to Queen Elizabeth was turn'd into a blessing and as the Barbarians looked when S t. Paul having the viper upon a Acts 28. 6. his hand should have swoln and falne down dead whil'st he shooke it off into the fire without any hurt or harme so Papists expected when the Queen should have miserably expired stung to the heart with this excommunication when She nothing frighted thereat in silence slighted and neglected it without the least dammage to Her power or person and no whit the less loy'd of Her subjects or fear'd of Her enemies And most false it is which Sanders b De Schism Anglicano pag. 372. reports that She by the mediation of some great men secretly laboured in vain in the Court of Rome to procure a Revocation of the Popes sentence against Her as what another * An Italian in the life of Pius Quintus relateth how She was wont to say that the thing it self grieved Her not so much as because done by P. Pius whose Election and life she helâ— for miraculous 26. This year two eminent Bishops The death of Bp. Barlow and Bourn once of the same Cathedral but different Religions ended their lives William Barlow D r. of Divinity Canon of S t. Osith then Prior of Bisham successively Bishop of S t. Asaph S t. Davids and Bath and Wells in the dayes of King Edward the sixth Afterwards an exile in the reign of Queen Mary in Germany where he lived in great want and poverty and by Queen Elizabeth he was made Bishop of Chichester where he was buried The other Gilbert Bourne Bishop of Bath and Wells though a zealous Papist yet of a good nature well deserving of his Cathedral and who found also fair usage in his restraint living in free custody with the Dean of Exeter and lies buried in the Parish-Church of Silverton 27. Now was the twelfth year of the Queen fully past with her safety and Honour Popish expectation defeated In which the Credulous Papists trusting the predictions of Southsayers 1570 July 13. had promised to themselves a Golden c Camdens Eliz. in Anno 1570. day as they called it Instead whereof they are likely to finde many Leaden years hereafter And henceforward the seventeenth of November the day of the Queens Inauguration was celebrated with far greater Solemnity then ever before Saint Hugh being for fourty four years left out of our Calenders to make Room for Her Majesty And John Felton who fastned the Popes Bull to the Palace of London Aug. 8. being taken and refusing to fly was hanged on a Gibbet before the Popes Palace 28. Hugh Price D r. of the Civill Law The foundation of Jesus Col. in Oxford procured the foundation of a Colledge in Oxford on a Ground where White-hall had been formerly situated which with Edifices and Gardens thereto belonging being then in the Crown Queen Elizabeth gave to so pious a use and therefore is stiled the Foundress in this Mortmain However the said Doctor inscribed these following verses over the Gate when the Building of the Colledge was but begun Struxit Hugo Pricius tibi clara Palatia Jesu Vt Doctor Legum Pectora Docta daret Hugh Price this Palace did to Jesus Build That a Laws Doctor Learned men might yield But an Oxford a Pitz. de Ang. Ox. pag. 37. Author telleth us that a Satyrical Pen did under-write with Wit and Wagary enough these following verses Anno Dom. 1570 Nondum struxit Hugo vix fundamenta Locavit Det Deus ut possit dicere struxit Hugo Hugh hath not Built it yet may it be said He Built it who hath scarce the Ground-work Laid But no doubt the Scholars therein at their first admission know how to justifie their reputed Founders words by the Figure of Prolepsis and can tell you that what is well begun is half finished Principalls D r. David Lewis * This Coll. hath had ten Principals whereas Trin. Coll. in the same University founded 14. years before hath had but five Presidents D r. of Laws 1. D r. Lloyd D r. of Law and Dean of the Arches 2. D r. Griffin Lloyd Chanc. of Oxon 3. D r. Fra Bevans 4. D r. Jo. Williams Marg. Prof. 5. Griffith Powell Bac. of Law 6. Francis Mansell D. D. Fellow of All-Souls 7. He resigned his place to S r. Eubule Thelwel one of the Masters of the Chancery conceiving he might be more serviceable to the Colledge S r. Eubule Thelwel K. 8. D r. Francis Mansel rechosen 9. Michael Roberts D. D. 10. Bishops Morgan Owen Bishop of Landaffe Thomas Howel Bishop of Bristoll A most excellent Preacher Benefactors Herbert Westfalling BP of Hereford Hen. Rowland BP of Bangor Griffith Lloyd D r. of Law Griffith Powell John Williams D r. of Divinity S r Eubule Thelwell K. who made a Court in a manner four-square builded and wainscotted the Hall perfected the Chappel with a curious and costly Roof c. Mistres Jane Wood widdow of Owen Wood Dean of Armagh Learned-writers James Howel an elegant writer So that in the year 1634. It had one Principall sixteen Fellows sixteen Scholers most of the ancient British Nation besides officers and servants of the Foundation and other Students All which made up the Number of one hundred and nine 29. Hitherto Papists generally without regret The first beginning of Recusancie repaired to the publike places of Divine Service and were present at our Prayers Sermons and Sacraments What they thought in their hearts He knew who knoweth hearts but in outward conformity
such offencive Ministers as they thought to be touched with such dishonest conversation together with their proofs thereof promising on our parts to see the same redressed accordingly It seemeth by this which is exhibited now to your Lordships they have prevented the time hoping thereby to alter the course whereunto it tendeth I leave to your Lordships consideration surely if the Ministers be such as this Schedule reporteth they are worthy to be grievously punished And for my own part I will not be slack or remisse Godwilling therein But if that fall out otherwise upon tryal and that they or many of them in respect of their obedience to her Majesties laws be thus depraved by such as impugne the same then I doubt not but your Lordship will judge those amusers to deserve just punishment This I can assure your Lordships of that my Lord of London affirmed in my hearing that not long since upon that occasion that none or few at his or his Arch-Deacons visitations had at any time by the Church-wardens or sworn men been detected or presented for any such misdemeanours as are now supposed against them Of the Preachers which are said to be put there to silence I know but few Notwithstanding I know those few to be very factious in the Church contempners in sundry points of the Ecclesiasticall laws and chief authors of disquietness in that part of the Country And such as I for my part cannot doing my duty with a good conscience suffer without their further conformity to execute their ministry But your Lordships God willing shall have a more particular answer to every point of your letter when my Lord of London who is now at his house in the Country and I shall meet and have conferred thereupon In the mean time I trust that neither there nor elsewhere within this province either by my self or others of my brethren any thing is oâ— shall be done which doth not tend to the peace of the Church the working of obedience to laws established the encouragement of the most the Godliest and most learnedst Ministers in this Church of England and to the Glory of God To whose protection I commit your good Lordships Now although we finde S r. Christopher Hatton for companies sake as we humbly conceive it amongst the Privie Councellors Peter Rihadeneira in his Appendix to Sanders pag. 41. subscribbing for moderation to non-conformists yet we take him to be a zealous Stickler for the pressing Church Ceremony And although I look on the words of the Jesuite as a meer scandal when he saith that this Hatton was Animo Catholicus a Papist in his heart yet I know him to be no favourer of the Presbyterian party But a great countenancer of Whitgifts proceedings against them as appears by the following Address of the Arch-Bishop unto him To Sr. Christopher Hatton Right Honorable I give you most hearty thanks for that most friendly message which you sent unto me by your man M r Kemp I shall think my self bound unto you therefore as long as long as I live The Arch-Bishâ—ps gratulatory letter to Sr. Christopher Hatton It hath not a little comforted me having received not long since unkinde speeches where I least looked for them only for doing my duty in the most necessary business which I have in hand I marvell how it should come to passe that the selfsame persons will seem to wish peace and uniformity in the Church and to mislike of the contentious and disobedient sort cannot abide that any thing should be done against them wishing rather the whole Ministry of the land to be discountenanced and discouraged then a few wayard persons of no account in comparison suppressed and punished Men in executing the laws according to their duties were wont to be encouraged and backed hy such but now it falleth out clean contrary Disobedient wifull persons I will tearm them no worse are animated Laws contemned her Majesties will and pleasure little regarded and the executors thereof in word and deed abused howbeit these overthwarts grieve me yet I thank God they cannot withdraw me from doing that duty in this cause which I am perswaded God himself her Majesty the laws and the State of this Church and Commonwealth do require of me In respect whereof I am content to sustain all these displeasures and fully resolved not to depend upon man but upon God and her Majesty and therefore your honour in offering me that great curtesie offered unto me as great a pleasure as I can desire Her Majesty must be my refuge and I beseech you that I may use you as a means when occasion shall serve whereof I assure my self and therein rest John Cantuar. As for the Lord Burleigh such was his moderation that both parties beheld him as their friend carrying matters not with Passion and prejudice but prudently as became so great a Statesman He was neither so rigid as to have conformity prest to the Height nor so remiss as to leave Ministers to their own liberty He would argue the case both in discourse and by letters with the Arch-Bishop Amongst many of the latter kinde let not the Reader grudge to peruse this here inserted IT may please your Grace The Treasuâ—ers Letter to the Arch-Bishop for some Indulgence to the Ministers I am sorry to trouble you so often as I doe but I am more troubled my self not only with many private petitions of sundry Ministers recommended for persons of credit and for peaceable persons in their Ministry and yet by complaints to your Grace and other your Colleagues in Commission greatly troubled But also I am daily now charged by Councellers and publick persons to neglect my duty in not staying of those your Graces proceedings so vehement and so Generall against Ministers and Preachers as the Papists are thereby greatly incouraged and all evill disposed persons amongst the Subjects animated and thereby the Queens Majesties safety endangered with these kinde of arguments I am daily assayled against which I answer That I think your Grace doth nothing but being duly examined tendeth to the maintenance the Religion established and to avoid schism in the Church I also have for example shewed by your papers sent to me how fully the Church is furnished with Preachers and how small a number there are that do contend for their singularity But these reasons do not satisfie all persons neither do I seek to satisfie all persons but with reason and truth But now my good Lord by chance I have come to the sight of an instrument of 24 Articles of great length and curiosity formed in a Romish stile to examine all manner of Ministers in this time without distinction of Persons which Articles are intituled apud Lambeth Maâ—j 1584. to be executed Ex officio mero c. and upon this occasion I have seen them I did recommend unto your Graces favour two Ministers Curates of Cambridge-shire to be favourably heard and your Grace wrote
the Crown of Scotland is written on the back-side of Constantines Donation And it is strange that if Scotland be the Popes peculiar Demeanes it should be so far distant from Rome his chief Mansion house he grounded his Title thereunto because a Fox Acts Monuments lib. 1. p. 444 and 445. Scotland was first converted by the reliques of S t Peter to the unity of the Catholick faith But it seemes not so much ambition in his Holiness made him at this present to start this pretence but the secret solicitation of the Scots themselves Anno Dom. 1301. who now to avoid the storme of the English Anno Regis Ed. 1. 29. ran under this Bush and put themselves in the Popes protection 2. Hereupon King Edward called a Councel of his Lords at Lincoln 〈…〉 where perusing the contents of the Popes prescript he returned a large answer where in he endeavoured by evident reasons and ancient predceents to prove his propriety in the Kingdom of Scotland This was seconded by another from the English Peerage subscribed with all their hands the whole a 〈…〉 the first pag. 311. tenor whereof deserves to be inserted but this passage must not be omitted being directed to no meaner then his Holiness himself Wherefore after treaty had and diligent deliberation of the contents of your foresaid Letters this was the common agreement and consent with one minde and shall be without fail in time to come by Gods grace that our foresaid Lord the King ought by no means to answer in judgement in any case or should bring his foresaid rights into doubt nor ought not to send any Proctors or messengers to your presence Especially seeing that the premisses tend manifestly to the disheriting of the Crown of England and the plain overthrow of the State of the said Realm and also hurt of the Liberties Customes and Laws of our Fathers for the keeping and defence of which we are bound by the duty of the Oath made and we will maintain them with all power and will desend them by Gods help with all our strength The Pope perceived he had met with men which understood themselves and that King Edward was no King John to be frighted or flattered out of his Right he therefore was loath to clash his Keys against the others sword to trie which was made of the hardest mettal but foreseeing the Verdict would go against him wisely non-suited himself Whereas had this unjust challenger met with a timerous Defendant it had been enough to have created an undeniable title to him and his successors The best is Nullum tempus occurrit Papae no process of time doth prejudice the Popes due but whensoever he pleaseth to prosecute his right One condemned for a traitor for bringing the Popes Bull. Scotland lieth still in the same place where it did before 3. About this time a subject brought in a Bull of Excommunication against another subject of this Realm 1302 and published it to the Lord Treasurer of England 30. and this was by the ancient a Brook tit pâ—aemuntre p. 10. Common-Law of England adjudged Treason against the King his Crown and dignity for the which the offender should have been drawn and hanged but at the great instance of the chancelour and Treasurer he was onely abjured the Realm for ever And this case is the more remarkable because he was condemned by the Common-Law of England before any particular c â— part of Sir Ed. Cokes Reports de jure Reg. Ecc. fol. 12. Statute was enacted in that behalf The Arch-Bishop of Canterbury humbled by the King 4. But the Courage of the King Edward most appeared in humbling and ordering Robert Wincelsey 1305 Arch-Bishop of Canterbury 33. He was an insolent man hated even of the Clergie because though their champion to preserve them from Civil and Secular burdens yet the Popes Broker to reserve them for his unconscionable exactions as if keeping Church-men to be wrong'd by none but himself Long had the King looked on him with an angry eye as opposite to his proceedings and now at the last had him at his mercy for plotting d Annal. Eccl. August Cant. Guiltiness makes proud men base Treason with some others of the Nobility against him against him projecting to depose him and set up his Son Edward in his Room 5. The Arch-Bishop throwing himself prostrate at the Kings feet with tears and e Antiq Brita p 20◠〈…〉 Wâ—â—singham lamentation confessed his fault in a posture of cowardly dejection descending now as much beneath himself as formerly he had arrogantly insulted over others f Haâ—pssield Hist Eccl. Aug. pag. 446. some are loath to allow him guilty of the crime objected Worthily see Goâ—dwin de Archiepisâ— Cantâ—â—riens p. 145. others conceive him onely to have done this Anno Regis Ed. 1. 33. presuming on the Kings noble disposition for pardon Anno Dom. 1305. But such must yield him a Traitor either to the Kings Crown or to his own innocence by his unworthy acknowledging his offence Thus that man who confesseth a debt which he knows not due hoping his Creditor will thereupon give him an acquittance scarce deserveth pitty for his folly if presently sent to prison for non-payment thereof Then he called the King his Master a terme wherewith formerly his tongue was unacquainted whom neither by word or letter he would ever acknowledg under that nation tendering himself to be disposed at his pleasure 6. No Quoth the King The remarkable Dialogue betwixt the King and Arch Bish I will not be both party and judg and proceed against you as I might by the Common-Law of the Land I bear more respect to your order whereof you are as unworthy as of my favour having formerly had experience of your malice in smaller matters when you so rigorously used my Chaplains attending on me in their ordinary service beyond the Seas â— Antiquitates Britiannicae ut prius so that though I sent my Letters unto you you as lightly regarded what I wrot as what they pleaded in their own behalf Wincelsey having but one guard for all blows persisted in his submission desiring a president unparalle'd that the King would give him his blessing No said the King it is more proper that you should give me your blessing But well I will remit you to your own great Master the Pope to deal with you according to your deserts But the Arch-Bishop loath belike to-go-to Rome and staying longer in England then the Kings command and perchance his own promise lurk'd in a Covent at Canterbury till fourscore b Annal. Eccl. August Cant. Monks were by the Kings command thrust out of their places for relieving him out of their charity and were not restored till the aforesaid Arch-Bishop was banished the Kingdom 7. Not long after he appeared before Pope Clement the fift at Burdeaux Wincelsey finds no â—avour
blood of Christ unworthily shall be guilty of the very body and blood of Christ Vers 28 c. Wherefore let every man first prove himself and so let him eat of this bread and drink of this drink for whosoever eateth or drinketh it unworthily he eateth and drinketh to his own damnation because he putteth no difference between the very body of Christ and other kindes of meat Justification Fiftly As touching the order and cause of our Justification We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by Us to their spiritual charge that this word Justification signifieth remission of our sins and our acceptation or reconciliation into the grace and favour of God that is to say our perfect renovation in Christ Item That sinners attain this justification by contrition and faith joyned with charity after such sort and manner as we before mentioned and declared Not as though our contrition or faith or any works proceeding thereof can worthily merit or deserve to attain the said justification for the onely mercy and grace for the Father promised freely unto us for his Sons sake Jesus Christ and the merits of his blood and passion be the onely sufficient and worthy causes thereof And yet that notwithstanding to the attaining of the same justification God requireth to be in us not onely inward contrition perfect faith and charity certain hope and confidence with all other spiritual graces and motions which as we said before must necessarily concurre in remission of our sins that is to say our justification but also he requireth and commandeth us that after we be justified we must also have good works of charity and obedience towards God in the observing and fulfilling outwardly of his laws and commandements For although acceptation to everlasting life be conjoyned with justification yet our good works be necessarily required to the attaining of everlasting life And we being justified be necessarily bound and it is our necessary duty to doe good works according to the saying of S. Paul s s Rom. 8. 12 c. We be bound not to live according to the flesh and to fleshly appetites for if we live so we shall undoubtedly be damned And contrary if we will mortifie the deeds of our flesh and live according to the spirit we shall be saved For whosoever be led by the spirit of God they be the children of God And Christ saith t t Mat. 19. 17. If you will come to heaven keep the commandements And Saint Paul speaking of evil works saith u u Gal. 5. 21. Whosoever commit sinfull deeds shall never come to heaven Wherefore We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct teach Our people committed by Us unto their spiritual charge that God necessarily requireth of us to doe good works commanded by him and that not onely outward and civil works but also the inward spiritual motions and graces of the Holy Ghost that is to say to dread and fear God to love God to have firm confidence and trust in God to invocate and call upon God to have patience in all adversities to have sin and to have certain purpose and will not to sin again and such other like motions and virtues For Christ saith w w Mat. 5. 20. Except your righteousnesse shall exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the kingdome of heaven that is to say We must not only do outward civil good works but also we must have these foresaid inward spiritual motions consenting and agreeable to the law of God Articles concerning the laudable Ceremonies used in the Church of Christ and first of Images As touching Images truth it is that the same have been used in the Old Testament and also for the great abuses of them sometime destroyed and put down And in the New Testament they have been also allowed as good Authors doe declare Wherefore We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach Our people committed by Us to their spiritual charge how they ought and may use them And first that there be attributed unto them that they be representers of virtue and good example And that they also be by occasion the kindlers and stirrers of mens mindes and make men oft to remember and lament their sins and offences especially the images of Christ and our Lady And that therefore it is meet that they should stand in the Churches and none otherwise to be esteemed And to the intent that rude people should not from henceforth take such superstition as in time past it is thought that the same hath used to doe We will that Our Bishops and Preachers diligently shall teach them and according to this doctrine reform their abuses for else there might fortune idolatry to ensue which God forbid And as for sensing of them and kneeling and offering unto them with other like worshippings although the same hath entered by devotion and falne to custome yet the people ought to be diligently taught that they in no wise doe it nor think it meet to be done to the same images but onely to be done to God and in his honour although it be done before the images whether it be of Christ of the Crosse of our Lady or of any other Saint beside Of honouring of Saints At touching the honouring of Saints We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach Our people committed by Us unto their spiritual charges that Saints now being with Christ in heaven be to be honoured of Christian people in earth but not with that confidence and honour which are onely due unto God trusting to attain at their hands that which must be had onely of God But that they be thus to be honoured because they be known the elect persons of Christ because they be passed in godly life out of this transitory world because they already doe reigne in glory with Christ and most speically to laud and praise Christ in them for their excellent virtues which he planted in them for example of and by them to such as yet are in this world to live in virtue and goodnesse and also not to fear to die for Christ and his cause as some of them did And finally to take them in that they may to be the advancers of our prayers and demands unto Christ By these waies and such like be Saints to be honoured and had in reverence and by none other Of Praying to Saints As touching Praying to Saints We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach Our people committed by Us unto their spiritual charge that albeit grace remission of sin and salvation cannot be obtained but of God onely by the mediation of our Saviour CHRIST which is onely sufficient Mediatour for our sins yet it is very laudable to pray to Saints in heaven everlastingly living whose charity is ever permanent to be Intercxessors and to pray for
antient amongst the Barons to the degree and dignity of Viscounts wherein that it may long flourish in plenty and happinesse is the daily prayer of Your Honours most obliged Servant THOMAS FVLLER THE Church-History OF BRITAIN KING HENRY the eighth Jan. 28. though dying excommunicate in the Church of Rome The hopefull beginning of King Edward had notwithstanding His Obsequies solemnly performed at Paris in France 1546. 7. by the command of Francis the French a Godwin in Edvardo â—exto pag. 158. King presuming so much on His own power and the Pope's patience otherwise such courtesie to His friend might have cost Him a curse to Himself Then began King Edward His Son Ann. Reg. Ed. 6. 1. to reign scarce ten years old Ann. Dom. full of as much worth as the model of His age could hold No pen passeth by Him without praising Him though none praising Him to His full deserts Yea Sanders himself having the stinch of his railing tongue over-sented with the fragrant ointment of this Prince's memory though jeering His for His want of age which was God's pleasure and not King Edward's fault and mocking Him for His Religion the others highest honour alloweth Him in other respects large commendations 2. No sooner was He come to the Crown Peace and prosperity to the Protestants in England but a peaceable dew refreshed Gods inheritance in England formerly patched with persecution and this good Angel struck off the fetters from many Peters in prison preserving those who were appointed to die Onely Thomas Dobbie Fellow of S. Johns in Cambridge committed to the Counter in Bread street and condemned for speaking against the Masse died of a natural death in respect of any publick punishment by Law inflicted on him but whether or no any private impression of violence hastened his end God alone knoweth His speedy death prevented the b Fox Acts Mon. Vol. 2. pag. 655. pardon which the Lord Protectour intended to send him Divine Providence so ordering it that he should touch not enter see not taste behold not reap benefit on earth of this Reformation Other Confessours which had fled beyond sea as John Hooper Miles c Senders de Schis Anglic. lib. 2. pag. 230. Coverdale c. returned with joy into their Countrey and all Protestants which formerly for fear had dissembled their religion now publickly professed the same Of these Archbishop Cranmer was the chiefest who though willingly he had done no ill and privately many good offices for the Protestants yet his cowardly compliance hitherto with Poperie against his conscience cannot not be excused Ann. Dom. 1546-47 serving the times present in his practice Ann Reg. Ed. 6 1. and waiting on a future alteration in his hopes and desires 3. Edward Semaure Commissionners sent into several Counties with Instructions to reform the King's Uncle lately made Lord Protectour Jan. 28. and Duke of Somerset ordered all in Church and State He by the King's power or if you please the King in his protection took speedy order for Reformation of Religion And being loth that the people of the Land should live so long in errour and ignorance till a Parliament should be solemnly summoned which for some Reasons of State could not so quickly be call'd in the mean time by His own Regall power and authority and the advise of His wise and honourable Counsell chose Commissioners and sent them with Instructions into severall parts of the Kingdome for the rooting out of superstition the substance whereof thirty six in number we have here presented The King's Injunctions 1. That all Ecclesiasticall persons observe the Lawes for the abolishing the pretended and usurped power of the Bishop of Rome and confirmation of the Kings authority and supremacie 2. That once a Quarter at least they sincerely declare the Word of God disswading their people from superstitious fancies of Pilgrimages praying to Images c. exhorting them to the works of faith mercy and charitie 3. That Images abused with Pilgrimages and offerings thereunto be forthwith taken down and destroyed and that no more wax-Candles or Tapers be burnt before any Image but onely two lights upon the high Altar before the Sacrament shall remain still to signifie that Christ is the very light of the world 4. That every Holy day when they have no Sermon the Pater noster Credo and Ten Commandements shall be plainly recited in the Pulpit to the Parishioners 5. That Parents and Masters bestow their Children and Servants either to learning or some honest occupation 6. That such who in Cases exprest in the Statute are absent from their Benefices leave learned and expert Curates 7. That within three Months after this Visitation the Bible of the larger volume in English and within twelve Months Erasmus his Paraphrase on the Gospel be provided and conveniently placed in the Church for people to read therein 8. That no Ecclesiasticall persons haunt Ale-houses or Taverns or any place of unlawfull gameing 9. That they examine such who come to confession to them in Lent whether they can recite their Creed Pater noster and ten Commandements in English before they receive the blessed Sacrament of the Altar or else they ought not to presume to come to Gods board 10. That none be admitted to preach except sufficiently licensed 11. That if they have heretofore extolled Pilgrimages Reliques worshipping of Images c. they now openly recant and reprove the same as a common errour groundlesse in Scripture 12. That they detect and present such who are Letters of the Word of God in English and Fautours of the Bishop of Rome his pretended power 13. That a Register-Book be carefully kept in every Parish for Weddings Christnings and Burialls 14. That all Ecclestasticall persons not resident upon their Benefices and able to dispend yearly twenty pounds and above shall in the presence of the Church-Wardens or some other honest men distribute the fourtieth part of their revenues amongst the poor of the Parish 15. That every Ecclesiasticall person shall give competent exhibition to so many Schollers in one of the Universities as he hath hundred pounds a year in Church promotions 16. That the fift part of their Benefices be bestowed on their Mansion-houses or Chancells till they be fully repaired 17. That he readeth these Injunctions once a Quarter 18. That none bound to pay Tithes detain them by colour of Duty omitted by their Curates and so redoub one wrong with another 19. That no person henceforth shall alter any Fasting-day that is commanded or manner of Common Prayer or Divine Service otherwise then specified in these Injunctions untill otherwise ordered by the Kings authority 20. That every Ecclesiasticall person under the degree of Batchelour of Divinity shall within three Months after this Visitation provide of his own the New Testament in Latine and English with Erasmus his Paraphrase thereon And that Bishops by themselves and their Officers shall examine
to oppose and the flattery of the Courtiers most willing to comply matters were made as sure as mans policy can make that good which is bad in it self But the Commons of England who for many yeers together had conn'd loyalty by-heart out of the Statute of Succession were so perfect in their lesson that they would not be put out of it by this new started designe so that every one proclaimed Mary next Heir in their consciences and few daies after King Edwards death all the project miscarried of the plotters whereof some executed more imprisoned most pardoned all conquered and Queen Mary crowned Thus though the streame of Loyalty for a while was violently diverted to runne in a wrong channell yet with the speediest opportunitie it recovered the right course again 2. But now in what manner this Will of King Edwards was advanced The truth of the carriage of Sr. Edward Mountagu in his drawing up the Will of King Edw. the sixth that the greatest blame may be laid on them who had the deepest guilt the following answer of Sr. Edward Mountagu Lord Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas accused for drawing up the Will and committed by Queen Mary to prison for the same will truly acquaint us The original whereof under his own hand was commnuicated unto me by his great grandchilde Edward Lord Mountagu of Boughton and here faithfully exemplified SR Edward Mountagu Knight late Chief-Justice of the Common Pleas received a letter from Greenwich dated the eleventh day of June last past signed with the hands of the Lord Treasurer the Duke of Northumberland John Earl of Bedford Francis Earl of Shrewsburie the Earl of Pembroke the Lord Clynton the Lord Darcie John Gate William Peter William Cecill John Cheke whereby he was commanded to be at the Court on the morrow by one of the clock at after-noon and to bring with him Sr. John Baker Justice Bromley the Attorney and Solicitour General and according to the same all they were there at the said hour of one of the clock And after they were brought to the presence of the King the Lord Treasurer the Marquesse of Northampton Sr. John Gate and one or two more of the Councill whose names he doth not now remember were present And then and there the King by His own mouth said that now in His sicknesse he had considered the state of this His Realm and Succession which if He should decease without Heir of His body should go to the Lady Mary who was unmarried and might marry a stranger-borne whereby the Lawâ— of this Realm might be altered and changed and His Highnesse proceedings in Religion might be altered Wherefore His pleasure was that the state of the Crown should go in such forme and to such persons as His Highnesse had appointed in a Bill of Articles not signed with the Kings hand which were read commanded them to make a Book thereof accordingly with speed And they finding divers faults not onely for the incertainty of the Articles but also declaring unto the King that it was directly against the Act of Succession which was an Act of Parliament which would not be taken away by no such devise Notwithstanding His Highnesse would not otherwise but that they should draw a Book according to the said Articles which he then took them and they required a reasonable time of His Highnesse for the doeing thereof and to consider the Laws and Statutes made for the Succession which indeed were and be more dangerous then and of them they did consider and remember and so they departed commanding them to make speed And on the morrow all the said persons met and perusing the said Statutes there grew this question amongst them whether it were presently treason by the words of the Statute of Anno primo Edvardi Sexti or no treason till it were put in execution after the Kings death because the words of the Statute are the King His Heirs and Successours because the King can have no Successours in His life but to be sure they were all agreed that it were the best and surer way to say to the Lords that the execution of this devise after the Kings decease was not onely treason but the making of this devise was also presently treason as well in the whole Councell as in them and so agreed to make their report without doing any thing for the execution thereof And after Sr. William Peter sent for the said Sr. Edward to Eely-place who shewed him that the Lords required great speed in the making of the said Book and he told him there were none like to be made for them for the danger aforesaid And after that the said S. Edward with the rest of his company went to the Court and before all the Council the Duke of Northumberland being not in the Council-chamber made report to the Lords that they had considered the Kings Articles and also the Statutes of Succession whereby it appeared manifestly that if they should make any Book according to the Kings commandment they should not onely be in danger of treason but also their Lordships all wherefore they thought it their bounden duties to declare the danger of the Laws unto them and for avoiding of the danger thereof they had nothing done therein nor intended to doe the Laws being so dangerous and standing in force The Duke of Northumberland having intelligence of their answer either by the Earle of Huntington or by the Lord Admiral cometh into the Council-Chamber before all the Council there benign in a great rage and fury trembling for anger and amongst his ragious talk called the said Sr. Edward Traitour and further said that he would fight in his shirt with any man in that quarrel as all the whole Council being there will report whereby the said Sr. Edward with the rest were in great fear and dread in special Mr. Bromley and the said Sr. Edward for Mr. Bromley told the said after that he dread then that the Duke would have striken one of them and after they were commanded to go home and so departed in great fear without doing any thing more at that time wishing of God they had stood to it as they did then unto this time And after the said Sr. Edward received another letter dated at Greenwich the 14 th of June last past signed with the hands â—f the Lord Treasurer the Earl of Bedford the Marquesse of Northampton the Earle of Shrewsburie the Lord Clynton the Lord Cobham the Lord Darcy William Peter John Gate John Cheeke whereby he was commanded to bring with him Sr. John Baker Justice Bromley and Mr. Gosnolde and to be at the Court on the morrow by one of the clock at after-noon where all they were at the same houre and conveyed into a chamber behinde the Dining-Chamber there and all the Lord looked upon them with earnest countenance as though they had not known them So that the said Sr. Edward with the other might perceive there
assuredly expect from him If before and above all things seeking for that one thing which is needfull the rather because God hath done great things for you already for which you have cause to rejoyce A great and good * 1 Sa. 18. 23 man said to his fellow-servants Seemeth it a small thing to you to be Son in-law to a King A greater honour was done to your first Ancestor who was SON TO A KING namely to Hardinge King of Denmark whence Fitz-Harding your most ancient sir-name But labour SIR for a higher honor then both Even to be led by GODS SPIRIT and then you shall be even in the language of the Apostle himself * Rom. 8. 14. FITZ-DIEU A SON OF GOD. Now as your Eminent bounty unto me may justly challenge the choicest of my best endeavours So the particular motive inducing me to dedicate this Booke to your honor is because it containeth the reign of Queen Elizabeth to whom you are so nearly related Whose * The heir generall of George Carâ—e L. Hunsdon whose Grandmother Mary was second Sister to Anne Bollen Grandmother proved her heir by ANNE BOLLEN her mother In which capacity some of that Queens or rather the Lady Elizabeths moveables and Jewels which were her Mothers descended unto her You may therefore challenge an interest most properly in this part of my History And now what remaineth but my humble and hearty prayers to the Divine Majesty for his blessing on your selfe and on your hopefull Issue That God would plentifully powre all his fauours of this and a better life upon them Suspect me not Sir for omitting because not expressing your noble Consort We finde in the fourth commandement Thou and thy Son and thy Daughter c. Where Divines render this reason why the wife is not mentioned because the same person with the Husband On which account your second self is effectually included within the daily devotions of Your bounden Orator Thomas Fuller THE CHVRCH-HISTORY OF BRITAINE Anno. Regin Eliza. 1. SECTION I. CENT XVI Anno. Dom. 1559 1. FOr the first six weeks the Queen Her slow but sure pace of Reformation and her wife councell suffered matters to stand in their former state without the least change as yet not altering but consulting what should be altered Thus our Saviour himself coming into the Temple and finding it profaned with sacriledge when he had looked round about upon all things a Mar. 11. 11. departed for the evening contenting himself with the survey of what was amisse and deferring the reformation thereof till the next morning but on the first b Holinshed 1. year of Q. Elizabeth pag. 1172. of January following being Sunday the best new-yeers-gift that ever was bestowed on England by vertue of the Queens Proclamation the Letanie was read in English with Epistles and Gospels in all Churches of London as it was formerly in her Graces own Chappel 2. But some violent Spirits The forwardness of private men in publique reformation variously censured impatient to attend the leisure by them counted the lazinesse of authority fell before hand to the beating down of superstitious Pictures and images and their forward zeal met with many to applaud it For Idolatry is not to be permitted a moment the first minuite is the fittest to abolish it All that have power have right to destroy it by that Grand charter of Religion whereby every one is bound to advance Gods glory And if Soveraâ—gns forget no reason but Subjects should remember their duty But others condemned their indiscretion herein for though they might reforme their private persons and families and refraine to communicate in any outward act contrary to Gods word yet publique reformation belonged to the Magistrate and a good deed was by them ill done for want of a calling to do it However the Papists have no cause to tax them with over-forwardness in this kinde the like being done by them in the beginning of Queen Maries raigne whilst the laws of King Edward the Sixth stood as yet in full force when they prevented authority as hath been c See â—6 Cent. 2 part â— paragraph formerly observed thus those who are hungry and have meat afore them will hardly be kept from eating though Grace be not said and leave given them by their superiours 3. Now the tidings of Queen Elizabeths peaceable coming to the crown Anno. Dom. 1558. was no sooner brought beyond the Seas but it fitted the English Exiles with unspeakable glandness 〈…〉 being instantly at home in their hearts and not long after with their bodies I knew one right well whose father amongst them being desperately diseased was presently and perfectly cured with the cordiall of this good news and no wonder if this Queen recovered sick men which revived religion it self Now the English Church at Geneva being the greatest opposer of ceremonies sent their letter by William Ceth to all other English Congregations in Germany and especially to those of Frankford congratulating their present deliverance condoling their former discords counselling and requesting that all offences heretofore given or taken might be forgiven and forgotten and that for the future they might no more fall out about sâ—perfluous ceremonies a It was dated Decem. 15. but not received till about Ianuâ—r the second see 〈◊〉 at Frankford pag. 162. But this letter came too late because the principall persons concerned in that controversie with whom they sought a charitable reconciliation were departed from Frankford I think towards England before the messenger arrived and so the motion missed to take effect Some suppose had it come in season it might have prevailed much that both parties in gratitude to God would in a bonefire of their generall joy have burnt this unhappy bone of dissention cast betwixt them Others considering the distance of their principles and difference of their spirits conceive such an agreement neither could be wrought nor would be kept betwixt them For it is the property of cold to congregate together things of different kinds and if the winter of want pinching them all with poverty could not freeze their affections together less likely was it that the warmth of wealth in their native Soâ—le would conjoyne them in amity but rather widen them further asunder as indeed it came to passe For as the rivers of Danubius and Savus in Huagarie though running in the same channell yet for many miles keep different streames visible in their party-coloured waters which do rather touch then unite yea the fishes peculiar to one stream are not found in another So these opposite parties returning home though concurring in doctrine under the generall notion of Protestants were so reserved in severall disciplines to themselves with their private favourites and followers that they wanted that comfortable communion which some hop'd and all wished would be amongst them Till at last they brake out into dolefull and dangerous opposition whereat all Papists clap
very hard that when I think to deserve best and in a manner to consume my self to satisfie that which God her Majestie the Church requireth of me should be so evil rewarded Sed meliora spero And I know your Lordship doth all as you are perswaded for the best I beseech God long to bless and preserve you John Cantuar. It seemes the Lord Treasurer took exceptions at some passages herein I dare not say with those That the Letter was brought to him when he was indisposed with the fit of the Gout which made him so offended But what soever was the cause of his passion see some signs thereof in what followeth I Have Received your Graces Letter The L. Treasurers smart Letter to the Arch-Bishop answering sundry speeches as I think delivered by your Chaplain Doctor Cozens and I perceive you are sharply moved to blame me and clear your self I know I have many faults but I hope I have not given such cause of offence as your Letter expresseth I deny nothing that your Grace thinketh meet to proceed in with these whom you call factious and therefore there is no controversie between you and me expressed in your Letter the controversie is passed in your Graces Letter in silence and so I do satisfie your Grace promised me to deal I say onely with such as violated order and to charge them therewith which I allow well of But your Grace not charging them with such faults seeketh by examination to urge them to accuse themselves and then I think you will punish them I think your Graces proceeding is I will not say rigorous or captious but I think it is scant charitable I have no leisure to write more and therefore I will end for writing will but increase offence and I mean not to offend your Grace I am content that your Grace and my Lord of London where I hear Brown is use him as your wisdoms shall think meet If I had known his fault I might be blamed for writing for him but when by examination onely it is meant to sift him with twenty four Articles I have cause to pitty the poor man Your Graces as friendly as any WILL. BURLEY Short but sharp I see though anger only resteth a Eccles. 7. 9. in the Bosome of Fools it may light on the Brest of a wise man But no fear that these friends will finally fall out who alternately were passionate and patient So that now it came to the turn of Whitgift to be calme as he expressed himself in the following return To the Lord Treasurer My singular good Lord GOd knoweth how desirous I have been from time to time to satisfie your Lordship in all things The Arch-Bishops calm Letter to the half-angry Treasurer and to have my doings approved to you For which cause since my coming to this place I have done nothing of Importance without your advice I have risen early and sat up late to write unto you such objections and answers as on either side were used I have not the like to any man and shall I now say I have lost my labour or shall my just dealing with two of the most disordered Ministers in a whole Diocess the obstinacy and contempt of whom especially of one of them you your self would not bear in any subjected to your authority cause you so to think and speak of my doings yea and of my self no man living should have made me believe it Solomon saith an old friend is better then a new and I trust your Lordship will not so lightly cast off your old friends for any of these new fangled and factious sectaries whose fruits are to make divisions wheresoever they come and to separate old and assured friends Your Lordship seemeth to charge me with breach of promise touching my manner of proceeding whereof I am no way guilty but I have altered my first course of depriving them for not subscribing only justifiable by the Law and common practice both in the time of King Edward and from the beginning of her Majesties Reign and chosen this only to satisfie your Lordship Your Lordship also objecteth that it is said I took this course for the better maintenance of my book my enemies say so indeed but I trust my friends have a better opinion of me what should I seek for any confirmation of my book after twelve years or what should I get thereby more then already And yet if subscription may confirme it it is confirmed long agoe by the subscription of all the Clergy almost in England before my time even of Brain also who now seemeth to be so willfull Mine Enemies and tongues of this slanderous and uncharitable sect report that I am revolted and become a Papist and I know not what but it proceedeth from their lewdnesse not from any desert of mine and I disdain to answer to any such notorious untruths which the best of them dare not avouch to my face Your Lordship seemeth further to burden me with wilfulness I am sure that you are not so perswaded of me I will appeal to your own conscience There is difference betwixt wilfullness and constancie I have taken upon me the defence of the Religion and rights of the Church of England to appease the sects of schisms therein and to reduce all the Ministers thereof to uniformity and due obedience herein I intend to be constant and not to waver with every winde The which also my place my person my duty the laws her Majesty and the goodness of the cause doth require of me and wherein your Lordship and others all things considered ought in duty to asist and countenance me It is strange that a man in my place dealing by so good warranties as I do should be so incountred and for not yielding to be counted wilfull but I must be contented Vincit qui patitur and if my friends forsake me herein I trust God will not neither the Law nor her Majesty who hath laid the charge on me and are able to protect me But of all other things it most grieveth me if your Lordship should say that two Ministers fare the worse because your Lordship hath sent them Hath your Lordship ever had any cause so to think of me It is needless for me to protest my heart and affection towards you above all other men the world knoweth it and I am assured that your Lordship nothing doubteth thereof I have rather cause to complain to your Lordship of your self that upon so small an occasson and in the behalf of two such you will so hardly conceive of me yea and as it were countenance persons so meanly qualified in so evill a cause against me your Lordships so long tried friend and their Ordinary That hath not so been in times past now it should least of all be I may not suffer the notorious contempt of one of them especially unless I will become Fsops Block and undoe all that which hitherto have been
soever under the degree of a Bishop or Dean at the least doe from henceforth presume to preach in any popular Auditory deep points of Predestination Election Reprobation or of the Universality Efficacy Resistibility or Irresistibility of GODS grace but leave those themes rather to be handled by the Learned men and that moderately and modestly by way of Use and Application rather than by way of Positive Doctrines being fitter for the Schools than for simple Auditories 4. That no Preacher of what title or denomination soever from henceforth shall presume in any Auditory within this Kingdome to declare limit or bound out by way of Positive Doctrine in any Lecture or Sermon the Power Prerogative and Jurisdiction Authority or Duty of Sovereign Princes or otherwise meddle with matters of State and the differences between Princes and the People than as they are instructed and precedented in the Homilies of Obedience and the rest of the Homilies and Articles of Religion set forth as before is mentioned by publique Authority but rather confine themselves wholly to those two heads of faith and good life which are all the subjects of the antient Sermons and Homilies 5 That no Preacher of what title or denomination soever shall presume caussesly or without invitation from the Text to fall into bitter investives and undecent railing speeches against the persons of either Papists or Puri tans but modestly and gravely when they are occasioned thereunto by the Text of Scripture free both the Doctrine and the Discipline of the Church of England from the aspersions of either Adversaries especially where the Auditory is suspected to be tainted with the one or the other infection 6. Lastly that the Archbishops and Bishops of the Kingdome whom His Majestie hath good cause to blame for their former remisness be more wary and choice in their licensing of Preachers and revoke all Grants made to any Chancellour Official or Commissary to passe Licences in this kinde and that all the Lecturers throughout the Kingdome of England a new body severed from the antient Clergy as being neither Parsons Vicars nor Curates be licensed henceforward in the Court of Faculties but onely from a Recommendation of the party from the Bishop of the Diocese under his hand and seale with a Fiat from the L. Archbishop of Canterbury a Confirmation under the Great Seal of England And that such as doe transgresse any one of these Directions be suspended by the Bishop of the Diocesse or in his default by the Archbishop of the Province ab Officio Beneficio for a year and a day untill his Majestie by the advice of the next Convocation shall prescribe some farther punishment 5. No sooner were these the Kings Declarations dispersed into every Diocesse Various censures on the Kings Letters but various were mens opinions thereof Some counted it a cruell act which cut off half the preaching in England all afternoon-ermons at one blow Others thought the King did but Uti jure suo doing not onely what in justice He might but what in prudence He ought in this juncture of time But hear what I have heard and read in this case Objections Answers 1. Christ grants Ministers their Commission Go teach all Nations S. Paul corroborates the same Preach the word be instant in season out of season Man therefore ought not to forbid what God enjoyns 2. This is the way to starve soules by confining them to one meale a day or at the best by giving them onely a messe of milk for their supper and so to bed 3. Such as are licensed to make Sermons may be intrusted to choose their own Texts and not in the Afternoons to be restrained to the Lords Prayer Creed and ten Commandements 4. In prohibiting the preaching of Predestination man makes that the forbidden fruit which God appointed for the tree of life so cordial the comforts contained therein to a distressed conscience 5. Bishops and Deans forsooth and none under their dignity may preach of Predestination What is this but to have the word of God in respect of persons As if all discretion were confined to Cathedral men and they best able to preach who use it the least 6. Papists and Puritans in the Kings Letters are put into the same ballance and Papists in the prime scale first named as preferred in the Kings care chiefly to secure them from Invectives in Sermons 7. Lecturers are made such riddles in the Kings Letters reduceable to no Ministerial function in England Whereas indeed the flower of piety and power of godlinesse flourished most in those places where such Preachers are most countenanced 1. Ministers if commanded not at all to speak or teach in the name of Jesus are with the Apostles to obey God rather than man But vast the difference betwixt a total prohibition and as in this case a prudential regulation of preaching 2. Milk catechetical Doctrine is best for babes which generally make up more than a moyety of every Congregation 3. Such restraint hath liberty enough seeing all things are clearly contained in or justly reducible to these three which are to be desired believed and performed 4. Indeed Predestination solidly and soberly handled is an antidote against despair But as many ignorant Preachers ordered it the cordial was turned into a poyson and therefore such mysteries might well be forborn by mean Ministers in popular Congregations 5. It must be presumed that such of necessity must be of age and experience and may in civility be believed of more than ordinary learning before they attained such preferment Besides Cathedrall Auditories being of a middle nature for understanding as beneath the University so above common City and Country Congregations are fitter for such high points to be preached therein 6. The Kings Letter looks on both under the notion of guilty persons Had Puritans been placed first such as now take exception at their post-posing would have collected that the King esteemed them the greatest offenders 7. Lectures are no creatures of the Church of England by their original like those mixed kinds little better than monsters in nature to which God as here the State never said multiply and encrease and therefore the King had just cause to behold them with jealous eyes who generally supplanted the Incumbents of Livings in the affections of their Parishioners and gave the greatest growth to Non-conformity These Instructions from His Majestie were not pressed with equall rigour in all places seeing some over-active Officials more busie than their Bishops tied up Preachers in the Afternoon to the very letter of the Catechisme questioning them if exceeding the questions and answers therein as allowing them no liberty to dilate and enlarge themselves thereupon 6. Expect not of me a particular account of the politick intricacies touching the Spanish Match A needlesse subject waved or no Match rather First because Spanish and so alien from my subject Secondly because the passages thereof are so largely and publickly in print
of London was keeping his hospitality it being Christmas at Fulham 15 So was Dr. Curle at Winchester-House and it was conceived unsafe though but cross the Thames to send unto him 16 So also was Dr. Warner of Rochester returned to entertain his neighbours in the Country 17 Dr. Bridgeman of Chester were not as yet come out of the Country 18 Dr. Roberts of Bangor 19 Dr. Manwaring Bishop of St. Davids sate not in the house as disabled long since by his censure in Parliament 26 Dr. Duppa Bishop of Salisbury was attending his charge Prince Charles 21 Dr. John Prideaux were not yet consecrated Bishops of Worcester 22 Dr. Winniffe Lincoln 23 Dr. Ralf Brounrigge Exeter 24 Dr. Henry King Chichester 25 Dr. John Westfield Bristoll 20 Carlile was void by the late death of Dr. Potter only confer'd by the King on Archbishop Ussher to hold it in Commendam Thus have we made up their numbers and must not forget that a secret item was given to some of the Bishops by some of their well-wishers to absent themselves in this licentious time of Christmas though they had not the happinesse to make use of the advice 16. The other twelve Bishops being not yet fully recovered from their former fear The form thereof grief and anger which are confest by all to be but bad counsellors in cases of importance drew up in hast and disturbance such a Protestation that posterity already hath had more years to discusse and examine then they had hours I had almost said minutes to contrive and compose and most of them implicitly relying on the conceived infallability of the Archbishop of York in point of common law all subscribed as followeth To the Kings most excellent Majesty and the Lords and Peers now assembled in Parliament WHereas the Petitioners are called up by severall and respective writs Decem. 27. and under great penalties to attend the Parliament and have a cleer and indubitable right to vote in Bills and other matters whatsoever debatable in Parliament by the ancient customes Lawes and Statutes of this Realm and ought to be protected by your Majesty quietly to attend and prosecute that great service They humbly remonstrate and protest before God your Majesty and the noble Lords and Peers now assembled in Parliament That as they have an indubitate right to sit and vote in the House of the Lords so are they if they may be protected from force and violence most ready and willing to perform their duties accordingly And that they doe abominate all actions or opinions tending to Popery and the maintenance thereof as also all propension and inclination to any malignant party or any other side or party whatsoever to the which their own reasons and conscience shall not move them to adhere But whereas they have been at severall times violently menaced affronted and assaulted by multitudes of people in their coming to perform their services in that Honourable House and lately chased away and put in danger of their lives and can finde no redresse or protection upon sundry complaints made to both Houses in these particulars They humbly protest before your Majesty and the Noble House of Peers that saving unto themselves all their rights and interest of sitting and voting in that House at other times they dare not sit or vote in the House of Peers untill your Majesty shall further secure them from all affronts indignities and dangers in the premises Lastly whereas their fears are not built upon phantasies and conceits but upon such grounds and objects as may well terrifie men of resolution and much constancy they doe in all humility and duty protest before your Majesty and Peers of that most Honourable House of Parliament against all Lawes Orders Votes Resolutions and Determinations as in themselves Null and of none effect which in their absence since the 27 th of this instant moneth of December 1641. have already passed as likewise against all such as shall hereafter passe in that most Honourable House during the time of this their forced and violent absence from the said most Honourable House not denying but if their absenting of themselves were wilfull and voluntary that most honourable House might proceed in all their premises their absence or this protestation notwithstanding And humbly beseeching your most excellent Majesty to command the Clark of that house of Peers to enter this their Petition and Protestation among his Records They will ever pray God to blesse c. John Eborac Jho Duresme Ro. Co. Lich. Jos Norw Jo. Asaph Guli Ba. and Wells Geo. Heref. Robt. Oxon. Ma. Ely Godfry Glouc. Jo. Peterburg Morice Landasf This instrument they delivered to Archbishop Williams who according to their desire his own counsell and promise at the next opportunity presented it to his Majesty 17. His Majesty would not meddle therewith in this dangerous juncture of time The Bishops impeached of High-Treason his great Councell then sitting but wholly remitted the matter to the Parliament The next morning a Privy-Counsellor brought this protestation into the house at the reading whereof the anti-episcopall party much triumphed that the Bishops had gratified them with such an advantage against themselves which their adversaries might wish but durst not hope for heretofore A conference is desired with the Commons in the painted Chamber and therein concluded that the Bishops should be impeached of high Treason for indeavouring to subvert the fundamentall laws of the land and the very being of Parliaments 18. Hereupon the next day the twelve subscribes were voted to be committed to the Tower And committed to the Tower 28 save that Bishop Morton of Durham and Hall of Norwich found some favour partly in respect of their old age and partly in regard of the great good they had done with their pens and preaching to the Church of God So that they alone were sent to the custody of the black rod. The rest being brought into the Tower had that honour granted them in the prison which was denied them in the Parliament to be esteemed equall with yea above temporall Lords as appeared by the fees demanded of them Though in fine Sir John Biron Lieutenant of the Tower 30 proved very courteous in removing the rigor thereof The Archbishop of Cant. by a civill message excused himself for not conversing with them because he was committed on a different account from them and probably they might mutually fare the worse for any intercourse And here we leave them prisoners for eighteen weeks together and proceed 19. Now was the Bill against the Bishops sitting in Parliament brought up into the house of Lords Viscount Newwark his two Speeches in the behalf of Bishops and the matter agitated with much eagernesse on both sides Amongst those who sided with them none appeared in print more zealous then the Lord Viscount Newwarke afterward Earle of Kingstone c. whose two speeches in Parliament although spoken some * The first
May 21. The second May 24 anno 1641. moneths before yet for the entirenesse of the History may now seasonably be inserted I shall take the boldnesse to speak a word or two upon this subject first as it is in it self then as it is in the consequence For the former I think he is a great stranger in Antiquity that is not well acquainted with that of their sitting here they have done thus and in this manner almost since the conquest and by the same power and the sameright the other Peers did and your Lordships now doe and to be put from this their due so much their due by so many hundred yeers strengthned and confirmed and that without any offence nay pretence of any seems to me to be very severe if it be jus I dare boldly say it is summum That this hinders their Ecclesiasticall vocation an argument I hear much of hath in my apprehension more of shadow than substance in it if this be a reason sure I am it might have been one six hundred yeers agoe A Bishop my Lords is not so circumscribed within the circumference of his Diocesse that his sometimes absence can be termed no not in the most strict sense a neglect or hinderance of his duty no more then that of a Lieutenant from his County they both have their subordinate Ministers upon which their influences fall though the distance be remote Besides my Lords the lesser must yeeld to the greater good to make wholsome and good Lawes for the happy and well regulating of Church and Common-wealth is certainly more advantagious to both then the want of the personall execution of their office and that but once in three yeers then peradventure but a month or two can be prejudicall to either I will goe no further to prove this which so long experience hath done so fully so demonstratively And now my Lords by your Lordships good leave I shall speak to the consequence as it reflects both on your Lordships and my Lords the Bishops Dangers and inconveniences are ever best prevented è longinquo this Precedent comes neer to your Lordships the bill indeed hath a direct aspect only upon them but an oblique one upon your Lordships and such a one that mutato nomine de vobis Pretences are never wanting nay sometimes the greatest evills appear in the most fair and specious outsides witnesse the Shipmony the most abominable the most illegall thing that ever was and yet this was painted over with colour of the Law What Bench is secure if to alleage be to convince and which of your Lordships can say that he shall continue a member of this House when at one blow six and twenty are cut off It then behoves the Neighbour to look about him cùm proximus ardet Ucalegon And for the Bishops my Lords in what condition will you leave them The House of Commons represents the meanest person so did the Master his Slave but they have none to doe so much for them and what justice can tie them to the observation of those Lawes to whose constitution they give no consent Anno Regis Carol. 17 the wisedome of former times gave proxies unto this House meerly upon this ground that every one might have a hand in the making of that which he had an Obligation to obey This House could not represent therefore proxies in room of persons were most justly allowed And now my Lords 28 before I conclude I beseech your Lordships to cast your eyes upon the Church which I know is most dear and tender to your Lordships you will see her suffer in her most principall members and deprived of that honour which here and throughout all the Christian World ever since Christanity she constantly hath enjoyed for what Nation or Kingdome is there in whose great and publique assemblies 30 and that from her beginning she had not some of hers if I may not say as essentiall I am sure I may say as integrall parts thereof and truly my Lords Christianity cannot alone boast of this or challenge it only as hers even Heathenism claims an equall share I never read of any of them Civill or Barbarous that gave not due honour to their Religion so that it seems to me to have no other originall to flow from no other spring then nature it self But I have done and will trouble your Lordships no longer how it may stand with the honour and justice of this house to passe this Bill I most humbly submit unto your Lordships the most proper and only Judges of them both His second Speech I shall not speak to the preamble of the Bill that Bishops and Clergy-men ought not to intermeddle in temporall affaires For truly My Lords I cannot bring it under any respect to be spoken of Ought is a word of relation and must either refer to Humane or Divine Law to prove the lawfulnesse of their intermedding by the former would be to no more purpose than to labour to convince that by reason which is evident to sense It is by all acknowledged The unlawfulnesse by the later the Bill by no means admits of for it excepts Universities and such persons as shall have honour descend upon them And your Lordships know that circumstance and chance alter not the nature and essence of a thing nor can except any particular from an universall proposition by God himself delivered I will therefore take these two as granted first that they ought by our Law to intermeddle in Temporall affaires secondly that from doing so they are not inhibited by the Law of God it leaves it at least as a thing indifferent And now my Lords to apply my self to the businesse of the day I shall consider the conveniency and that in the severall habitudes thereof But very briefly first in that which it hath to them meerly as men quà tales then as parts of the Commonweale Thirdly from the best manner of constituting Laws and lastly from the practice of all times both Christian and Heathen Homo sum 1. nihil humanum à me alienum puto was indeed the saying of the Comedian but it might well have become the mouth of the greatest Philosopher We allow to sense all the works and operations of sense and shall we restrain reason Must only man be hindred from his proper actions They are most fit to doe reasonable things that are most reasonable For Science commonly is accompanied with conscience so is not ignorance they seldome or never meet And why should we take that capacity from them which God and nature have so liberally bestowed My Lords 2. the politick body of the Common-wealth is analogicall to the body naturall every member in that contributes something to the preservation of the whole the superfluity or defect which hinders the performance of that duty your Lordships know what the Philosopher calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 natures sinne And truly my Lord to be part of the
other body and doe nothing beneficiall thereunto cannot fall under a milder term The Common-wealth subsists by Lawes and their execution and they that have neither head in the making nor hand in the executing of them confer not any thing to the being or well being thereof And can such be called members unless most unprofitable ones only fruges consumere nati Me thinks it springs from nature it self 3. or the very depths of justice that none should be tyed by other lawes then himself makes for what more naturall and just then to be bound only by his own consent to be ruled by anothers will is meerly tyrannicall Nature there suffers violence and man degenerates into beast The most flourishing Estates were ever governed by Lawes of an universall constitution witnesse this our Kingdome witnesse Senatus Populusque Romanus the most glorious Common-wealth that ever was and those many others in Greece and elsewhere of eternall memory Some things 4. my Lords are so evident in themselves that they are difficult in their proofs Amongst them I reckon this conveniency I have spoken of I will therefore use but a word or two more in this way The long experience that all Christendome hath had hereof for these 1300. yeers is certainly argumentum ad hominem Nay my Lords I will goe further for the same reason runs through all Religions never was there any Nation that imployed not their religious men in the greatest affairs Anno Regis Caroli 16 But to come to the businesse that now lyes before your Lordships Bishops have voted here ever since Parliaments began and long before were imployed in the publique The good they have done your Lordships all well know and at this day enjoy for this I hope ye will not put them out nor for the evill they may doe which yet your Lordships doe not know and I am confident never shall suffer A position ought not to be destroyed by a supposition à posse ad esse non valet consequentia My Lords I have done with proving of this positively I shall now by your good favours doe it negatively in answering some inconveniences that may seem to arise For the Text Object 1. No man that wars intangles himself with the affairs of this life which is the full sense of the word both in Greek and Latine it makes not at all against them except to intermeddle and intangle be terms equivalent Besides my Lords though this was directed to a Church-man yet it is of a generall nature and reaches to all Clergy and Laity as the most learned and best expositors unanimously doe agree To end this Argumentum symbolicum non est argumentativum It may be said that it is inconsistent with a spirituall vocation Object 2. Truly my Lord Grace and Nature are in some respects incompatible but in some others most harmoniously agree it perfects nature and raises it to a height above the common altitude and makes it most fit for those great works of God himself to make lawes to doe Justice There is then no inconsistency between themselves it must arise out of Scripture I am confident it doth not formally out of any place there nor did I ever meet with any learned writer of these or other times that so expounded any Text. But though in strict terms this be not inconsistent Object 3. yet it may peradventure hinder the duty of their other calling My Lords there is not any that sits here more for preaching then I am I know it is the ordinary means to salvation yet I likewise know there is not that full necessity of it as was in the primitive times God defend that 1600 yeers acquaintance should make the Gospell of Christ no better known unto us Neither my Lords doth their office meerly and wholly consist in preaching but partly in that partly in praying and administring the blessed Sacraments in a godly and exemplary life in wholsome admonitions in exhortations to vertue dehortations from vice and partly in easing the burthened conscience These my Lords compleat the office of a Churchman Nor are they altogether tyed to time or place though I confesse they are most properly exercised within their own verge except upon good occasion nor then the omission of some can be termed the breach of them all I must add one more an essentiall one the very form of Episcopacy that distinguisheth it from the inferiour Ministery the orderly and good government of the Church and how many of these I am sure not the last my Lords is interrupted by their sitting here once in 3 yeers and then peradventure but a very short time and can there be a greater occasion than the common good of the Church and State I will tell your Lordships what the great and good Emperour Constantine did in his expedition against the Persians he had his Bishops with him whom he consulted about his military affairs as Eusebius has it in his life lib. 4. c. 56. Reward and punishment are the great negotiators in all worldly businesses Object 4. these may be said to make the Bishops swim against the stream of their consciences And may not the same be said of the Laity Have these no operations but only upon them Has the King neither frown honour nor offices but only for Bishops Is there nothing that answers their translations Indeed my Lords I must needs say that in charity it is a supposition not to be supposed no nor in reason that they will goe against the light of their understanding The holinesse of their calling their knowledge their freedome from passions and affections to which youth is very obnoxious their vicinity to the gates of death which though not shut to any yet alwayes stand wide open to old age these my Lords will surely make them steer aright But of matter of fact there is no disputation Object 5. some of them have done ill Crimine ab uno disce omnes is a poeticall not a logicall argument Some of the Judges have done so some of the Magistrates and Officers and shall there be therefore neither Judge Magistrate nor Officer more A personall crime goes not beyond the person that commits it nor can anothers fault be mine offence If they have contracted any filth or corruption through their own or the vice of the times cleanse and purge them throughly But still remember the great difference between reformation and extirpation And be pleased to think of your Trienniall Bill which will save you this labour for the time to come fear of punishment will keep them in order if they should not themselves through the love of vertue I have now my Lords according to my poor ability both shewed the conveniences and answered those inconveniences that seem to make against them I should now propose those that make for them As their falling into a condition worse then slaves not represented by any and then the dangers and inconveniences that